This is the 4th edition of a music recommendation column where I dive into what I’ve been listening to and occasionally bring a friend along. You can expect a mix of new tracks, music from NYC (and beyond) that’s exciting me, and older favorites + stuff I’m revisiting.
Today’s guest is Joe Kerwin, the man behind the iconic You Missed It Substack. Him and his brother Jack are throwing a Halloween party at Baby’s All Right with a line-up that goes absolutely crazy (RXK Nephew, LUCY, Olth, and They Are Gutting A Body Of Water) so if you want Halloween plans snag tickets before they sell out.
Joe and I have become homies over the last year which has led to a continued collaboration on our NYC Beat Playlist and us putting our heads together on a number of epic shows like our official and unofficial SXSW events. We both have the same spirit towards putting on for special music & getting people together for a good time.
Joe is also the bassist of a new band called Voyeur who’ve so far only played a handful of shows and live soundtracked a performance art piece put on by Sharleen Chidiac of PAGEANT, but I love everything I’ve heard. I’m so hyped on grungy rock music making a comeback and I think Joe, Jake, Sharleen, and Max, are the perfect four to kick it off. Their first song “Ugly” drops on October 24th so keep an eye out.
OK! Let’s dive in…
Tyler (New) 👉 🎵 Dres - “Dresidents”
Damon Rush and Extra Small have been collaborating under the name DRES for over a year now (they played our SXSW & Snow Strippers NYC shows) but it wasn’t until their recent posse cut "Dresidents" that I felt properly introduced to them as a group.
Jae Han, Levy, and Damon all bring something unique to the table here with their personality-filled verses. The track doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and eventually gives way to a loud buzzy breakdown that goes crazy with it’s frantic vocals and ad-libs. It’s a fitting electro send off for a group you should be taking seriously.
If you haven’t listened to any of these eartists yet check out “Just Obliterate,” “Pick6,” “Amoeba,” or “Weekend Warrior,” but it’s all really sick.
Joe (New) 👉 🎵 Lucy x Gods Wisdom // “Can’t Tie My Shoes”
I knew I was gonna choose a Lucy song. But even just looking at his recent releases, it’s tough to pick a favorite.
Being a Lucy fan is always a treasure hunt. He’s prolific as hell, and he scatters his work across the web under different project names and accounts. So I picked a sneaky banger that miiight have flown under the radar for some. This one was released as a new project: The Manic Pixies.
The song is unsettling & alluring—like a Lucy x Gods Wisdom collab should be. It’s a melancholy trap ballad about drug addiction and living in the woods. Grainy piano samples and blown out vocal distortion. Gods Wisdom repeats every line twice.
Check that one out for sure. But what I really wanna plug is some unreleased Lucy. He’s got so many heaters. Keep an eye out for “Mi Amor.” Also a whole new album produced by I.V. Checkout the song they already released.
And study up with this playlist I made for Joe Coscarelli but never sent him. It’s my favorite Lucy songs on Spotify—a few from each release, all in chronological order. There’s a fair amount that Lucy has only dropped on Youtube &/or Soundcloud, but this playlist will get you pretty far. Also, spend some time with the music videos.
You can catch the big man himself *live* at the You Missed It Halloween party @ Baby’s All Right on 10/27. People are losing their minds over the lineup—peep the comments. Lucy is fresh off tours with King Krule and Cowgirl Clue, so there’s a lot to celebrate. Come hang : )
Tyler (Old) 👉 🎵 THE TOMS
It's no secret that I'm Power-Pop-pilled.
And Real Heads may already know this, but the Perfectly Imperfect spray logo is uhh... heavily inspired...by an obscure archival Teenage Fanclub t-shirt from the early 90s. That being said, I'm completely new to The Toms and just happy to have finally discovered it. Isn't the best when an artists comes out the gate with a debut that already feels like a Greatest Hits compilation? Unfortunately, none of these songs ended up being hits, but they damn well should have been!
The lore becomes even cooler when you learn that The Toms is just one dude from New Jersey named Tom who recorded all 32 songs (!) in his garage over just 3 days. Total legend shit for real.
My favorites are "Other Boys Do," "I Did The Wrong Thing," and "Passport to Heaven," but if I'm being honest I truly love every single track on here.
i LOVE this album.
Joe (Old) 👉 🎵 Street Sity Surf // “The Beach”
In 2014, Street Sity Surf was the best band I’d ever met. They’re still on my list.
“The Beach” was the anthem of my earliest experiences in DIY. It’s an empty-headed punk ripper with three chords total & one of my favorite vocal performances ever. A thrashing earworm that makes a point of saying nothing.
SSS was from Portland, Maine, and they’re the first band I ever knew with a real hometown following—a community of people going to shows and singing along to non-famous songs written by non-famous musicians.
“The Beach” was the climax of every show. Especially the verse that goes: “I love the beach / Fuck the police.” The disaffected youth of suburban & rural New England really went dummy for that one.
I drove all around to see them play—I caught them in a welding shop in Worcester, MA, a skate park in Dover, NH, and a barn in Portland, ME. A special band and a special album.
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