TAP OK: Niño Brown released a new single last week called ‘Dizzy’. Longtime listeners of the artist born Cortez Garza will immediately recognize this as the first instance of his acoustic guitar reappearance since adopting the Brown moniker. It serves as a strong underpinning for the pleasantly melodic pop-R&B track, which, once heard, isn’t as out of step with his other singles as it seems on paper. I’m going to go ahead and say it though – it’s about time Brown released a full album. Singles are very interesting, but it’s time for a collection of songs arranged in a certain order. So, consider my order placed. Find this on all major streaming services and find its video premiere at flagpole.com.
GENRE JAM: We’re right in the middle of Aubrey Entertainment RPM Series at Southern Brewing. Hosting exclusively rock, punk and metal (RPM, get it?), these shows are conveniently hosted on Friday nights. Upcoming dates are February 3 with Swear Jar, Grawks and Commune; February 10 with Bleach Garden, Beat Up and Deaf Condors; February 17 with Bastardane, Klept and Parathion; and February 24 with Rosie & the Ratdogs, Wyld Staleyz and Sleezy Cheetah. Doors for each open at 7:00pm and music starts at 8:00pm. For all other questions, call ahead or listen to the adults involved in booking this via social media. For your convenience, the required information is sobrewco.com and facebook.com/AubreyEntertainmentAthensGA.
SWEAT LOAF: I have to say, I’m really digging the slow slide back to semi-anonymous music happening in certain corners of the music scene. This week’s example comes courtesy of the near-excellents Rubber udder, which itself comes courtesy of “SuL E. HoLmSs.” It’s been many years since this type of heavy, acid, freak scene, heavy-metal-punk-slush has been prevalent in Athens, and I applaud it. The new album is named Mechanically separated chicken, and this is actually the third collection of songs from Rubber Udder since 2021. I won’t even go into individual tracks here, but suffice it to say, if you dig the Butthole Surfers, Bar-BQ Killers, and/or Melvins, you should be able to snuggle up to something here, if not everything. Find him at rubberudder.bandcamp.com.
SING TO ME NOW: It was high time for a while Patrick Brick to release some new tunes under his Futo an umbrella. And he just did it with the five-song EP Behind Col. Its last release was in 2021 Outstanding in its field. This is perhaps Futo’s least overtly electronic-oriented release, which is understandable given his usual collaborations with Four Eyes. However, it doesn’t mimic the raucous acoustic heights of that project, but it approaches a similar level of emotional depth. Tellingly, listeners can enjoy Brick’s lyrics up front rather than behind the sheen of the production. However, this is not recorded in a paper cup and is a sharply produced release. The highlights here for me are the opening track “Little Life” and the surprisingly rocking title track. Explore for yourself at futo.bandcamp.com.
KAZOOO AND DRUM BEAT: What do you get when you combine a sweater, an acoustic guitar and Dunkin’ Donuts? Neutral milk hotel, what else? And just in case you’ve been distracted in any way by this particularly outstanding Athens-via-Ruston, LA legend, the kind folks at Merge Records have you covered for the foreseeable future. On Friday, February 24, the long-standing artists’ label will release a massive 54 track vinyl release The Collected Works of Neutral Milk Hotel. This set contains both correct NMH albums (1996 On Avery Island and 1998 In the plane over the sea), 2001 Live at Jittery Joe’sEP Everything is (1995) and Ferris wheel in flames (2011) and select other bibs and beans. Overall, this is a stellar collection of great songwriters and great performers that deserves all the care and attention I’m sure Merge gave. Find this at your local record stores. If they don’t have it, just keep harassing them until they do. If you want, you can still pre-order directly from the label for $156.98. If that’s your way of dealing with this type of thing, go to mergerecords.com/product/the_collected_works_of_neutral_milk_hotel.
THEY CAN BE HEROES: Set your dials for Saturday, February 4 at Laboratory in the cinema, because this is a bill straight out of the valley of impossible dreams: three bands that defied all conventional rock music odds and came out on top. At the top of the bill we have Pylon Reconstruction Society, which managed to overturn every notion of what a tribute band is. Then we have death rockers Tears for the dying, who have made it for two decades now, yet still kept their heads on straight and their sights set, and are now achieving breakout status. Finally, there’s totally authentic post-punk Go public, which is a refreshing thrill for a band, thanks to dudes who have been in a lot of bands. Basically, these three acts have done what no one else has ever done: reinvent and reimagine work so fundamental it could be carved into City Hall; have maintained a vision and purpose for 20 years, all the while battling reactions from shrugs to complete indifference; and forming the best band of the individual member’s life decades after each started playing music. That might be an overly romantic way of looking at it all, but damn, that’s where I’m coming from. The doors open at 9 p.m. and the price is 10 grand.
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