Tonight: Twin Stumps / Happy Family, Do While

Tonight you've got two adventures to choose from, one of which will weave you in and out of the silky marmalade forest full of ambient pop bliss, while the other will enter you into the stank-filled jungle of experimental angst and pure adrenaline. This might sound like a harsh curve, and well, that's because it is.



One of my favorite Baltimore spots, The Soft House, is hosting a super nice one tonight with Happy Family, Do While, Avocado Happy Hour, and Holy Ghost Party. Will of Happy Family just released one of the best splits I've heard in a while, one that features Run DMT on the A-side and himself on the B-side. The beautiful track streaming above is from that tape, and you can snag the whole thing from Wigflip now. Also, Avocado Happy Hour will be performing Spiegel en Spiegel by Arvo Part, and ice cream treats are promised by Amanda from AHH.



If you choose the jungle adventure, you'll be heading to the Golden West where you'll find the Twin Stumps album release party for Seedbed. Their new LP on Fan Death is incredibly awesome, and these dudes are even better live. They'll be supported by Leather and Janitor, and this one will run you five American dollars.

Giveaway: Twin Stumps - Seedbed LP + album release show the @ Golden West

Sean Gray and Chris Berry of Fan Death Records have recently displayed their knack for archiving loud sounds, and now it looks like they may have released their best and most challenging record since their inception last year. The 20th release in the Fan Death catalog is the new Twin Stumps LP, Seedbed.

Seedbed was produced by Ben Greenberg of Pygmy Shrews, as Ben aptly gets more heavy with things than the sounds emanating from their self-titled release on Dais Records. "Missing Persons" is the second song on this LP, and a fine example of the careful balance Ben took when factoring in the low end frequencies that are deeply rooted.



This is one of the most forward-thinking buckets of noise dumped on me in some time, and I had expected nothing less after seeing these guys blow faces off at recent shows here in Baltimore. There is a layer of scuzz on this record that is rarely obtained unless you frequent construction sites - one soaked in sweat, whiskey, and cement trucks. Devastatingly splintered bass is crushed up together with bleeding vocals and prehistoric rhythms - all of which are bent over backwards and chugging a fifth of Jim Beam.

The fine folks at Fan Death Records have hooked us up with a killer giveaway - a copy of Seedbed on vinyl, and a pair of passes to the album release party here in Baltimore. The show is Friday June 4th at the Golden West, and starts at 10 PM. Twin Stumps headline, while Leather and Janitor aid in support. Email us what type of animal Twin Stumps makes you feel like and why, and we'll pick a winner the week of the show.

Photos: Drunkdriver, Surroundings, and Leather at the Golden West Cafe

Sometimes you need a show like this one in your life. Even if you're not in it for channeling your inner rage, there's something about rowdy and abrasive rock that leaves me feeling replenished. I'm not sure if this goes for most, but after Saturday night's show at the Golden West with Drunkdriver, Surroundings, and Leather, feeling of rejuvenation ensued.

I'm guessing most who attended this sold out affair felt tired and maybe bruised afterwords, as thrashing, moshing, and crowd surfing were all activities of choice during the show. This act of fan appreciation might have been a first for a show at the Golden West, and there were certainly decorative casualties - most notably the flags that got torn down and wrapped around Mike and the crowd. I couldn't help but focusing my attention on the gold Buddha that sits behind the host stand, as it shook back and forth violently throughout Drunkdriver's entire set.

While this may not have been the best choice of venue, that fact only seemed to add to the show's allure, and by all means things went as well as they could have. As for the music, Drunkdriver and Surrounding were both phenomenal. While Surroundings were a more cut and dry version of hardcore, they showed much promise. Drunkdriver were the obvious highlight, and a much more progressive surge of noise and flailing limbs. They've got a self-titled LP due out on Load March 22nd, with a smattering of SXSW performances leading up to this highly anticipated release.

These are some of our favorite photos so far this year, peep them below.

Drunkdriver








Surroundings




Leather





Photos by Valerie