dead alive

And without skipping a beat, I'm happy to announce that DZ18 will be the first release for DC's Nice Breeze. The veteran three-piece stir up lo-fi, surf-tinged punk cuts that weave droning hooks with laconic, off-the-cuff vocals and take you for a buoyant ride on an ever-cresting wave inside the bonzai pipeline of your mind.

 

"Schroedinger's Cat's Grave" is out November 14, with the release show that night at Hot Tub House with manatee mommies BRNDA, the first-ever live performance from Scanners, as well as Vile Creature and Bakerman from up north. Don't miss this chance to grip the garish gold cassette before it ships - click here for details.

The week before on November 8 at Showtime, just as the need hot and hearty stews is picking up, the DC Rock'n'Roll Chili Cookbook will be released, featuring an awesome cassette compilation and chili recipes from some great local bands, including new additions to the DZ family Nice Breeze and Hemlines. All proceeds from the project go to benefit local non-profit Bread For The City, which aims to provide vulnerable residents of Washington, DC with comprehensive services, including food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.

Continuing further back in time, just earlier that day the eighth installment of the Escape From DC Brunch show will be going down at Hole In The Sky (click flyer for details). Come out to see WYDYDE, Great Smokey and Baby Bry Bry & The Apologists, then grab some chili down the road.

Since their own release show last month Hemlines have been staying busy, with progressive coverage in WAMU Bandwidth and another gig lined up for November 21 at Rock & Roll Hotel, the band continues its roll with relative ease.

Now that DZ HQ is up and running at HITS, I'm hoping to get more projects out on a consistent basis. Part of that hurdle is going to be catching up with the backlog of recordings from the monthy (anti-)Brunch shows. Thankfully, we've started picking up the pace, and I'm happy to share with you this video of Big Hush performing "Walk On" earlier this year:

Before signing off, I need to give thanks to the Washington City Paper for their recent shout-out, and to send some love to The Sweets and Pool Holograph, who have both released new full-length albums this month. Check out their new work below, and keep your eyes and ears peeled for more goodies from DZ HQ in the very near future.

big heart

There's been a large outpouring of coverage for Big Hush's Wholes EP and with the cassette release show coming up, I wanted to share some of the lovely responses the release has gotten so far!

"The sound is one that functions not unlike the band’s name would leave you believe. It’s a sound that barrels through a wooly cavern with robust, toothy guitars, hypnotically layered vocals, and glassy, portentous drums...contemplative, staring at the ceiling above your bed sort of music... Every track of the EP feels like it’s peeling away at the initial sound the band serves up – becoming more vulnerable with every song, yet extremely bold at every turn. At end, you are simply left to press play again." – Decoder Magazine

"instantly captivating, wrapping you up like a blanket with fuzzy, shoegazey sonics that gently allow interesting, sweet harmonies to appear, cloud-like...the instrumental melodies resonate directly, creating a balanced sound with a ton of energy bouncing behind the softer feeling, distorted atmospherics...the performances and harmonies are tight, but the record feels energetic, loose, and free. Throughout, Wholes simply feels great to listen to." – DCist

"sunny tunes with remarkable tact and unarguable hooks, turning the blacktop into a bonafide dance party. Smiles on smiles, Big Hush played one of the most memorable sets I’ve seen this year...their execution is invigorating and artful" – Frontier Psychiatrist

(Big Hush courtesy of Lang Kanai)

"a collection of fantastic, slow burning tracks... patiently written and fuzzed out in the best way possible." – Heart And Soul

"wonderfully melodic vocal hooks that stay in your mind long after listening." – 9:30 Club <5k

"Its title track is its most articulate, even while its vocals sound like sighs. As Ludwig’s feathery voice hangs in the air, Wuerker and guitarist Sean Borja go back and forth on guitars in a call-and-response. The bass, played by Chris Taylor, sounds like it’s leading us down a rabbit hole." – WAMU Bandwidth

"a pensive yet compelling release that highlights Big Hush’s range and breadth as composers and songwriters...elegant, smoothed-out, sentimental and sinuous shoegaze...a brilliant blend of droopy, dreamy and fuzzy guitars sweetly bathed by Genevieve Ludwig’s softly-sung folk-pop vocals. Big Hush is a band that needs to be heard" – DC Music Download [1] [2]

Special thanks goes out to all these publications, Hometown Sounds for inclusion in their podcast, and additional coverage from Circuit Sweet, The Jangle Box, and Don't Need No Melody.

Don't forget, you can download the EP for free and get your copy of the cassette at the merch store. Hope to see all my favorite DC people at the release show this Saturday to pick up a tape and catch Chris Forsyth!