Mikey Erg - Tentative Decisions - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Out July 26th on Don Giovanni Records, Waxbuilt Castles is the second full-length solo album by New Jersey's Mikey Erg. As the drummer and principal songwriter in The Ergs! And at least a dozen other bands, Erg has as sturdy a set of pop-punk bona fides as you're likely to find. Waxbuilt Castles is a departure, though. Recorded in collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Alex Clute - who performed with Erg in The Chris Gethard Show's house band - it's a set of songs that takes it's central inspiration from the melodicism and craft of '70s pop rock. In their production and arrangement, the songs emulate Erg's pre-punk musical heroes - ELO, Elvis Costello, Phil Ochs, and especially the Beatles. InchI really wanted to make my version of Paul McCartney's first record,Inch explains Erg. InchHomemade and very loose. Not too overthought.Inch Getting there took a bit of adjustment on Erg's part. As a singer, he had to reconcile with hearing his voice in a quieter and more vulnerable context. InchIt was funny to have to rethink the way I sang a lot of the songs,Inch says Erg. InchAlex would say, 'You're singing too forcefully, calm it down a bit.' I had to get used to hearing my voice without this white noise behind it, masking it.Inch Lyrically, though, it's a Mikey Erg record through and through. InchThey're the same type of songs that I've been writing forever - about relationships. Juts simple, personal songs,Inch says Erg. InchThat's the through line, I feel. No matter what the record sounds like, it's the same exact songs that I've been doing. It's the thing that I'm most proud of. That I can make a different sounding record, but that it still goes together. That is can all fit in the same box.Inch1. Kimberly Gofigure2. Bad Decision Monday 3. Clueless Or Cruel? 4. & Nico 5. Little Crushes 6. Waxbuilt Castles 7. Hopland Superette 8. Why Was I Programmed To Feel Pain? 9. C

Arriving as a standout group in the current American shoegaze renaissance, Phoenix four-piece Glixen transcend all expectations of what the genre should currently look and sound like. The band creates a profoundly heavy sonic experience with their music, paying respects to their predecessors but resulting in something completely modern. An amalgamation of influences like Björk, My Bloody Valentine, Godflesh, t.A.T.u, and Hum, their sound crawls with intensity and introspection to contrast lead singer Aislinn Ritchie's lulling vocals.Ritchie, began the project in 2020 enlisting guitarist Esteban Santana, drummer Keire Johnson, and bassist Sonia Garcia. Their approach to music has landed them on expansive tours and shows with rock music titans and contemporaries alike, supporting acts like Interpol, DIIV, Narrow Head and Nothing. Glixen has released a steady stream of music since their inception, with one EP and a handful of singles under their belt. She Only Said, was first released last summer with taste making Philly tag Julia's War Records, bringing them to the attention of the national DIY scene. Working with producers like Jack Endino (Nirvana) and Sonny DiPerri (My Bloody Valentine, DIIV) for recent releases, this year has seen them take their sound to the next level, previewing a continuous sonic evolution.

Love At Leeds is the realization of many dreams for Mikey Erg. A lifelong music obsessive, growing up in the early 90's, there was one sound he'd always hoped to capture on his recordings. The sound of Steve Albini. Steve's credits include The Pixies, PJ Harvey, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant and of course Nirvana's 3rd LP In Utero, One of Mikey's absolute favorite records. Mikey had never in his 20 plus year recording career ever gotten to make a fully analog recording. Love At Leeds was the perfect time to rectify all of that. Using the group of musicians that helped him realize his debut solo LP Tentative Decisions (Jeff Rosenstock, Alex Clute & Lou Hanman), He Headed out to Chicago to make this dream a reality. Recorded and Mixed in only 5 Days, Love at Leeds is a swift 25 minute long grunge-pop tour de force. Once the album was complete, Steve and his trusty razorblade compiled the master mix reels and sent the band on their way. The tapes then made the journey to Hollywood, California to the legendary Bernie Grundman Mastering facility to be mastered and cut straight to lacquer disc by Chris Bellman (Frank Zappa, Neil Young, Kenny Dorham, Pearl Jam). 1. Sick As Your Secrets 2. Caroline Told Me So 3. Almost Like Judee Sill4. Always Like This 5. Goodnight Vienna 6. Landmines 7. Love At Leeds 8. On A Carousel 9. Heartbreak No. 53 10. Brandy And Congratulations