February Music Appreciation ~ Some Fav Bands' New Drops 28Feb23

We are already past Valentine's Day, so my spring concert dates are filling in nicely... next up live is King Princess @ Belly Up in Aspen with Yoho; that will be completely awesome. KP is an great newish artist who finally appeared on NPR Tiny Desk and is at Belly Up Aspen, my fav club sound, this weekend.

• King Princess... we are going to the after party in Aspen.
  

Still, recorded on YouTube is excellent from my seats in homes, and it allows faster audits of current and new favorites. Here are some recent drops from some of my more favored artists.

• Cuffed Up - Live On Audiotree 14Feb23 - Cuffed Up, LA, they made it prior to KEXP so yeah; wait. I love the right LA music. Just some EPs so far. Wicked cool. Panicked duo-leads is what attracted me. But Saphire has been replaced in this recent offer. Hmmm... new lady is fine but flat and not even credited, which is strange AF. I'm gonna remove them from the watch list. No live shows ~ no problem. Yet, if you wanna listen to the last Cuffed Up, head HERE for a listen-point and French Exit... where's Saphire now? If you ask me, go Asymmetry or don't go at all...
  
  
• Screaming Females - Mourning Dove & Desire Pathway 17Feb23 -  The prolific Marisa Paternoster is an awesome guitarist and writer. She fronts a tight NorJersey/Philadelphia hard rock band. I like nearly everything they do and I am finally getting to see them live on tax day at the Marquis. Her latest album of many is Desire Pathways and it's again worthy of the style, if not a smidge more pop sounding. Don Giovanni has and has had a big win here.
  
  
  
• Alex Lahey - Lahey did some keen stuff with her partner Gordi, also an strong Aussie, during the pandemic, but I've not heard much from her dissonant punk pop till very recently on the Official Vid For Good Time, grrr. Sure I snagged tix to her show in my hood... The Answer Is Always Yes. This especially since she cancelled the last show with The Regrettes (probably a good move, as their vibe has moved distinctively pop). Too, her version of Nat Imbrulia's cover of Torn is very good on Triple J.
  
• Sweet Pill - Yeah, anything they've done is very good. HERE is more of the current album live from Philly (Sep '22). Of course I have tickets to Black Sheep for their CO debut!
  
  
  
  
  
• The Beths - Auckland conservatory musicians ~ I tried to catch them on the N Island @ home in Auckland when there recently but they were touring the US. Uhh...they still are, so I grabbed tix for here in Colorado.
  
  
  Sure they are backed by all NZ public radio and works offer... 'cause they are they are that good. From the beginning they've been bizarrely integrated - especially the leads. Yes, Stokes leads with a cool AF breaking voice and Pearce follows with backing voice and shred lead guitar... but integration is complete here. The beat boys join vocals too. Their vibe is fun and their sound is gold. I sacrificed my ethics (staff accosted me on my last outing to this venue) as The Beths are playing. HERE is the recent, and uber-cool, ...Dying Field from them.
  
• Ani DeFranco - Peg & Scooter are inbound to the Nest so a perusal of Summit acts for that weekend is suggested. Ani is playing; she is one of the OGs in DIY and go direct. She's awesome so we have tix. HERE is her some recent stuff. HERE is her big time stuff 10 years ago.
  
• Sharon Silva - Since The Wild Reeds have stopped collaborating, and my fav of their contributors, Sharon Silva, "left" the band, I follow her separately. She remains singularly spectacular as a songwriter and performer. You can only find her on super-small studio releases; it is very worthwhile to so do. HERE is her most recent drop (there are 2 songs).
  
• boygenius - The Record is to be their latest album and they (or in solo concerts) have been playing pieces from it. Still there are no great live recordings of the new stuff... but there are lyric and official vids from The Record; here a playlist of what's in the can thus far. Worth it. UPDATE 3/1/23: Live HERE ~ 1st time since 2018.
  
  
  
• Neko Case - Neko is dropping new stuff ~ and it's like her to be of a uber-nature-vibe, even at live events. HERE she's at Lung in mid-'22 with Carl Newman, yeah of New Pornographers.