Picture — or don’t — a poisoned, discolored body collapsed on concrete, convulsing into an early grave as horrors flash before its blurred eyes. This is the essence of Chat Pile. Drawing metaphors between cinematic body horror and the death throes of late-stage capitalism, the decidedly pessimistic quartet of Oklahoma City musicians has no shortage […]
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Soundcheck: Chelsea Days – Chelsea Days
For such a breezy, feel-good band, Chelsea Days sure seems to be haunted by mortality. On track after track of its self-titled studio debut, sunsetted memories and future ghosts swirl in shimmering depths of existentialism. The songs are never outright depressed, but neither do they ever quite find joy. They simply swim with the tide, […]
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Soundcheck: Primal Brain – It’s Still All a Game
Parsing through Primal Brain’s music is like trying to analyze graffiti on an empty billboard. Bordering on incomprehensible without the aid of a lyric sheet, its furiously fast-paced punk songs are brash and forceful in their rebellion. Within the noise are messages of anarchy that never beat around the bush. They are exactly what they […]
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Soundcheck: Poppa Foster and The Grits – Gravy Baby
This is the one. For many years, Christopher Foster has been a rambling Tulsan, bringing his New Orleans ivory tickling and bandleading to a bustling assortment of musical projects. Not often the type to take the spotlight, he has lent his funky Southern ear to produce local recordings for the likes of Dane and The […]
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Soundcheck: Keathley – Burning Bras
Keathley describes her newer songs as “angry girl music.” It may not seem so at first blush, but listen in. The primal scream album art will begin to click. During the opening seconds of Burning Bras, the new full-band EP from the Guthrie-born singer-songwriter, the soft sweetness is undeniable. Starting track “Lucy” begins with hushed […]
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Soundcheck: Cliffdiver – Exercise Your Demons
The light at the end of the tunnel is often portrayed as some pure, weightless clean slate, some sunny finish line to be accompanied by glorious choir and trumpet fanfare when reached. More reasonably, though, it probably sounds something like Cliffdiver. The Tulsa-based self-described “elevator emo pop” septet is a stirring blend of soul-scraping vocals, […]
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Griiin revolution
Known for raucous DJ sets as well as being the drummers for psych-rock legends The Flaming Lips, Brothers Griiin are bringing a new dimension to their sound with their first full-length record. The digital version of Joy City will be released May 2 with vinyl and cassette copies available May 13. Three singles from the […]
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Soundcheck: When the Clock Strikes – I Hope that You Feel Loved
“I’m not counting on closure,” frontman Daniel Basden sings in the opening seconds of I Hope that You Feel Loved, the new EP from Tulsa pop-punk outfit When the Clock Strikes. In context, the line refers to the aftermath of at least one broken-off relationship, but on a broader scale, it represents a prominent theme […]
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Soundcheck: Sun Deep — Will Rap for Change
Sun Deep has skyrocketed in Oklahoma City music over the past year and Will Rap for Change is the proof. Featuring some of the biggest spitters in the rap and spoken word scenes, his first proper producer album is 15 tracks built around a common theme of change, whatever that happens to mean for each […]
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Soundcheck: Beau Jennings and The Tigers – Heavy Light
There is so much life in Heavy Light. Musically, Beau Jennings’ band brings layers of bustling energy and bright tones, but it isn’t just that. Life at its fullest is colored with hardship and hope, trial and triumph. Jennings’ songwriting is at the crossroads of these opposing forces. While he sometimes uses these juxtapositions to […]