Oh that L.A. Witch returns with its third full-length release Doggod (Suicide Squeeze Records), a palindrome and ancient Scottish word meaning “do-gooder.” Yes, I did my research. Now with the band’s new album, much has remained the same while it’s translated into the group’s sound that’s showing a progression. When I say things have remained the same, I’m generalizing to the fact L.A. Witch, Sade Sanchez, Ellie English, and Irita Pai, continue on its gloomy, boozy garage rock pace it has been on. But the songs still resonate with passion downplayed by Sanchez’s laconic vocal delivery. We can take “777” as an example, with its riding-on-a-metro-like rhythm and her echoey reverb-drenched vocals over it. The band has skills that allow it to be differentiated from the pack, ripping through the track with ease. The thick “I Hunt You Prey” is an obvious double entendre, and the song rides a frequency that’s repetitive but far from being repetitious. Now while the band may continue to live within the garage rock confines, it’s branched out into post punk, and “The Lines” dictates that with its deep bass line and charging rhythm. Yeah, Doggod is on repeat.

MIKI BERENYI TRIO – TRIPLA

Of course, the ‘90s are a blur of sounds that ravaged the airwaves. Some believed the decade didn’t offer much originality but the only problem with that notion is that they weren’t taking a look around the world. The States offered pop, dance, and loud rock nationwide while overseas offered electronic, British pop, and band after band of what was once coined Shoegaze. Not every outfit met expectations, let alone stood the test of time, but there were a few that truly resonated.

Miki Berenyi is well known for her contribution to Lush which also included guitarist Emma Anderson, bassist Phil King, and drummer Chris Acland, performing and recording from 1987 to 1996. Berenyi went on to record two albums with Piroshka with members of Elastica, Modern English, and Moose that were received with little fanfare. After a few years, she returns with the Miki Berenyi Trio, along with guitarist Oliver Sherer, her partner Kevin McKillop, and an enthusiastic drum machine. The band has kicked things off with its full-length debut Tripla (Bella Union) and while there is familiarity, fresh new sounds are abundant. Musically, as soon as “8^th Deadly Sins” opens with its rhythm and guitar chords, that familiarity takes hold, much more like nostalgia but it’s firmly rooted in the present. There’s an electronic vibe around it but its guitars and Berenyi vocal melodies allow for a much organic feel. You may quickly overlook the track but if you give it a second, third, fourth, or fifth listen, oh how addictively transcending. There are moments throughout the album where things become larger-than-life, grandiose so to speak, but it’s usually for different reasons. Take “Gango” for instance; the song sputters in with a slinky bassline and distant guitars before they hit overdrive creating a brief wall of guitars. One thing the band isn’t reliant on is that barricade of guitar strings, leaving a lot of room to breathe. The band isn’t reliant just on guitars, as a variety of keyboard notes accentuate things.

The MB3 does things…differently, as evident with “A Different Girl.” While it’s obvious the group maintains its own identity, the song has a strong feel for artistry like Jobim. Yes, yes, I understand comparisons are cheap but the band captures the essence without becoming just another carbon copy of the style of music. As mentioned, it’s clearly a Miki Berenyi Trio song but here they take a chance and come out on top! This while the punchy “Big I Am” is flavored with nostalgic percussion and littered with catchy melodies and Berenyi’s cooing voice. Musically, again, the band walks on a diverging path but remains identifiable. But it’s on the groovy “Manu” where things come closer into focus as the song’s sexy groove is undeniable with guitars gently swirling around it. This is seasoned musicianship. There isn’t anything that will prepare you for “Ubique,” which is the Latin word meaning “everywhere,” which is also relatable to “ubiquity.” Now ubiquity is the fact of appearing everywhere or of being very common and “Ubique” does in fact sound like what one would imagine being everywhere but it is far from being ubiquitous. This mid-tempo number is fitted with strings & a marimba, and Berenyi’s voice is oddly soothing as washes of guitar surround the track. Mind you, those guitars are a tapestry around it, not an overbearing distraction. The melody’s hypnotic sensibilities take over and never let go from beginning to end. That’s just a description of the music, lyrically Berenyi’s playful wording seems to have her comfortable in her own skin, she’s fully aware of who she is and what she’s become. Or is this a love/hate song to herself? She ends it with “I’m devoured, overpowered, trapped forever, cursed to be alone with me.” It’s beautifully worded.

There’s no surprise here with the Miki Berenyi Trio, and fully going in no expectations will leave you singing alone, having a bounce in your step, and fully immersing yourself within Tripla. This is a new look for Berenyi which I welcome.

DAUBER – FALLING DOWN

Let’s get right into it, shall we? While I’m inundated with correspondence, I’m not the person who’s actually able to get to everything. Even my friends sometimes think they have a leg up because they know me. No, life doesn’t always work that way but I think some of them are aware of it. But I digress. Now, I was hesitant to listen to the new Dauber release, Falling Down (Dromedary/Recess/State Champion Records) because disappointment is always a possibility. Instead though, this is a “WTF????” moment.

After calling it quits, of course, many expected more music from vocalist/guitarist Marissa Paternoster, when Screaming Females amicably called it a day but did anyone expect anything else from the remaining members? Well, bassist Mike Abbate switched gears to guitars and went on to form Dauber with drummer Jenna Fairey and Quinn Murphy on bass. Both Abbate and Murphy share vocal duties here and WTF????? Musically, the band is relentless blasting right through the gate unrestrained and unencumbered by anything or anyone. There’s an undeniable rawness that refuses to be contained. The band literally puts the punk in rock throughout the album. The band goes right into attack mode on the opening title track which doesn’t give you any room to even catch your breath. The band grabs hold of a melody and rides it for all its worth. A thunderous start that was only the beginning of the storm. As soon as the band touches down with “Making Mega Moves” – which makes me think of Cardi B on the song title alone – the band’s raucous direction is cemented with its frantic rhythm as guitars crash all around but this time the band leaves room to breathe.

Don’t get me wrong, the band isn’t all about just throwing blaring instrumentation at your face, they’re ready to mix in pop within its punk. The straightforward charge of “Metal Rectangle” gives it away with solid guitar solos in just a minute and 23 seconds! The band is blitzing its audience and going right for the jugular without a care in the world. But it isn’t all power moves is it? Maybe, maybe not. “Screaming At Orion” slows things down a bit but refrains from lowering the volume to respectable levels. Fuck those people that want respectable levels. The pop melody is intrusive, much like a deadly brain-eating amoeba you might find if you jump into a filthy lake or pool. There’s even a rubber band instrument here floating around…geez, the name of it escapes me, but didn’t Snoopy use it once? Regardless, this is addictive but it’s “Sweet Tooth” that might get your attention immediately. Its catchy rhythm and melody are offset by its clear vocality. You can quickly sing along to this and its words, “With glowing faces we were losing track of the time/ tie me up so you can use me as your night light/ Sweet tooth with everything to lose but I’m flossing now so I’m never coming out” sounds completely tongue-in-cheek but it’s memorable and again, catchy as fuck.

What is there really left to say about Falling Down? For one thing, the band is far from comparable to any other band any of the members were ever a part of, and it’s memorable enough to allow Dauber to become your favorite new punk band.

MOMMA – WELCOME TO MY BLUE SKY

Fly-by-night, come-and-go, one-hit wonders; so many bands with nary a single and no one takes time to help develop an artist. Occasionally, the script gets flipped and we’ll see a few that persevere and make their way to the surface. There are a handful that I’ve seen & heard in the most recent years, hustling, creating, performing, and the potential has always been obvious. What the hell am I saying here?

Momma was started by Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten back in 2015 but the duo didn’t release its first album until 2018. Since then, and a few albums later, the band incorporated two new members into the fold, Preston Fulks and Aron Kobayashi Ritch to round out its sound. With Welcome To My Blue Sky (Polyvinyl), it’s clear the band has a strong hold on its instruments and the ability to create structured pop songs with loud and sometimes abrasive guitar work. Don’t allow the cooing vocal melodies to fool you because the band can rock with the blazing fervor of a thousand suns. “I Want You (Fever)” opens with the band playfully utilizing effect pedals before guitars kick in with catchy power chords. The band plays with dynamics a bit, although not always noticeable, and utilizes vocal harmonies as done in the past. It seems there’s no longer room for error or the band has gotten so comfortable with its own songwriting that error has no place within Momma. On “Last Kiss” Momma utilizes another set of power chords and continues with its juxtaposition of a soft lyrical delivery but as the song progresses there’s a slight shift and guitars rage as the tension builds. The band positions itself like it’s always been here and then it seemingly ceases with gently strummed guitars and barely audible vocals. Then ROARS like an unyielding lion! The band is sending a FAFO message to all those who may still doubt.

But there’s still the softer side of Momma the band refuses to let go of, the Yin to its own Yan. “New Friend” starts much quieter with un-effected guitars strumming along before they’re engaged again and voices are buttery soft. While there are some powered guitars here, the band still embraces everything and everyone around it. “Bottle Blonde” does the same but in a different manner, as the band allows the song to take on a life of its own with a slight electronic feel to it within the percussion and drifting guitars. Everything is purposeful including the keys and/or the additional instruments and sampling it may utilize. It’s the title track though that seems to encompass everything we’ve encountered wrapped within just one song. The quite softer side and the heavy-handedness of its guitars. Momma blends it all together without missing a beat. But the band continues to surprise with “Take Me With You” as it crescendos around acoustic guitar chords, plucked notes, and a double bass that carries the song to somewhere else altogether.

If there’s any takeaway from Welcome To My Blue Sky, Momma is willing to push itself to places it hasn’t yet traveled to and allow the growth to roam free. It’s the evolution of Momma’s sound that still shows so much more promise to take us all on a journey to places we haven’t witnessed either. I’m bringing snacks.

CRAIG FINN – ALWAYS BEEN

Throughout the years I’ve heard the constant battles about musical folk heroes. I don’t care for much of what’s been made about them with people attempting to figure out who’s the greatest, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, etc. We could all continue the debate but it’s always going to be Tom Waits so we can just stop right there or continue it with Craig Finn (The Hold Steady, Lifter Puller). Comparisons have circled around Finn to Springsteen but I always thought it was an unfair assessment because both have different perspectives. Sure, Finn is a master storyteller but that’s as far as it should go.

While Finn has been a part of 18 albums in total, he’s just released his 6^th full-length solo release Always Been (Tamarac Recordings/Thirty Tigers), and I’ll double-down on the “master storyteller” aspect of his prose because yes, he truly is a craftsman, pulling words together and painting that clear imagery with ease. Listening to the melancholic “Bethany” to start with, led by piano and a simple rhythm Finn’s words seem to revolve around struggle, within the moments of his characters’ development. Certainly, we may have heard things like this before but he has his own methods, or delivery, spoken lyricism with a slight melodic cadence. It’s fitting, alongside the musical composition, there’s emotion within. We can all get behind this if you allow it. Ok sure, there is that comparison but Finn’s voice is unique and doesn’t sound like anyone else. It’s weathered, but it’s always sounded worn, that’s probably the charm to it that one can appreciate.

One thing about Craig Finn though is that he’s never at a loss for words or keeping us all guessing if his stories are based on fact or fiction. Listening to “Crumbs,” it’s tastefully written as he begins “My sister has a daughter/That doesn’t look much like her/She looks more like the father she won’t see/She’s mostly on her phone these days/She’s got a couple of friends her age/Some secrets that she’d die to try to keep” which might be introspective compiling on top a continual storyline within it as the music drops in. Guitar-fueled Americana with Finn’s spoken/sung delivery, full of melancholic lyricism. Within the confines of Always Been, Finn takes his time with the music and his words, without the need to create explosive track after track, distracting us from the lyrics and his music. The songs force us to pay attention and whether fact or fiction, there’s emotion throughout. It sometimes hits hard like the softest Jurado track, “The Man I’ve Always Been,” is melancholic with Finn’s voice completely capitalizing on it. Here is where we can listen to him singing laconically but filled with a quelled passion. It’s both lovely and heart-wrenching. He doesn’t always wallow in it though because “Fletcher’s” takes a different approach where his words revolve around changing his surroundings but with a hesitancy, spending time at the local watering hole, friends with problems, etc. This with a light breeze of percussion and just a repetitive melody is almost hypnotic. It’s a wonderous ride and perfectly pieced together.

At times, Always Been moves with punch & power, is filled with melancholy, and is sometimes seemingly introspective, but whichever direction Craig Finn takes, the outcome is always the same. Sure the music is catchy, just about every turn but it’s his words, his lyrics will make you think, even if you don’t want to. That’s probably the greatness of his musicality.