Waving Goodbye on Serpent Road

Weird to have an ongoing blog/website these days. What can I say I am a creature of habit that habitually procrastinates on that habit. Yes, I do realize that the overwhelming subject matter covered here is “New Noize” and I am constantly about music and today will be the same. Let me be clear there was no “New Noize” last night so for those that came for a set update, I will be back next week.

This past weekend I did come out with a playlist that centered on what I like to call “birthday math” cause that is a thing, at least now it is that I put it out there. The basic concept was to get duos that make up “11” kinda like 1and1 VS 1+1 if that makes sense, which it totally does if you let it. Now take that and times it by 4, so 4 tracks from 11 colabs equals this playlist:

Thanks to all who came out on Saturday & sent me messages all through the week, some of you humans seem to like me. Someone was asking me how the Final Fantasy Rebirth was during the “aging celebration” and I had to tell them I was waiting to start it which I am happy to report I have. It also happens to be Ramadan, perfect timing Square-Enix. If it wasn’t for RPGS during the holy month IDK what I would do.

Godzilla minus one won an Oscar. I wish it was for something other than special effects BUT I am way cool with this.

Something I am not cool with is the passing of the ANIIME GOD Akira Toriyama. This one stung hard. I am legit sad. This man is responsible for pouring miracle grow onto my imagination. Dragon Ball is life, at least for me. I was that guy and still am. I wore a tracksuit this past week cause Toriyama rocked them hard as well. Toriyama is also responsible for a ton of video game media including Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger. I can go on and on and on about this man’s legacy and I will, if you ask me, in real life. He captivated me in the 80s and I have been transfixed since. His art and stories gave me and my brothers a safe space to run around like the monkeys we are. As the years turned I found more humans who liked Toriyama’s work and friendships quickly formed from this collective fandom and fused into brotherly ties. When I was alone, with no one to help me move after destroying my left knee at the beginning of Covid it was Goku & Vegeta pushing me. Sounds silly for a 44-year-old man to be saying all this but it’s true. I’m just a regular guy that does cool stuff every once in a while. I don’t have the legacy of Nardwuar, the pull of Zane Lowe, the influence of Anthony Fantano, or the respect of Matt Pinfield. I do have the spirit of a Sayjin and for that gift, I am eternally grateful to the original Sayjin, Akira Toriyama, or as he is called by all his manga/anime peers “Sensei”.

Kamehameha.

3/3/24 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: St. Vincent "Broken Man"
Album of the Week: Mannequin Pussy "I Got Heaven"

1. Yard Act "Fizzy Fish" Universal
2. Mannequin Pussy "Softly" Epitaph
3. youbet "Seeds of Evil" Hardly Art
4. Faye Webster "Tttttime" Secretly Canadian
5. St. Vincent "Broken Man" Total Pleasure
6. Sheherazaad "Dhund Lo Mujhe" Erased Tapes
7. Cigarettes After Sex "Tejano Blue" Partisan
8. Mac DeMarco "Boku Wa Chotto" Stones Throw
9. Magic Tuber Stringband "Days of Longing" Thrill Jockey
10. Ayleen Valentine "ask nicely" Giant
11. Ani DiFranco "Baby Roe" Righteous Babe
12. Julia Holter "Evening Mood" Domino
13. Mdou Moctar "Funeral for Justice" Matador
14. clipping. "Tipsy" Sub Pop
15. Potatohead People(feat. Redman) "Last Nite" Bastard Jazz
16. SKEEWIFF "Sway" Jalapeno

hour 2

17. David Nance "Mock the Hours" Third Man
18. Holy Wire "I Still Feel Alone All The Time"
19. Cuffed Up "Mock Dance" Hit the North
20. Alice Merton "run away girl" Paper Plane
21. Anna Tivel "Disposable Camera"
22. Kiss Bang "Horrors of Your Hometown" Bay Street
23. Joalin La "Chica-cá"
24. Faux Real "Faux Maux" City Slang
25. Hockey Dad "Base Camp"
26. Roe Kapara "Glorious Day" Epitaph
27. Boundaries(ft. Lochie Keogh) "A Pale Light Lingers" 3DOT
28. Before the Dawn "Chaos Sequence" Napalm
29. Low Hum "Only If You Say So"
30. Winnetka Bowling League "Sha La La"
31. Caravan Palace "Mirror"

There was no official day off or anything yesterday, just overwhelmed with life lately but it was manageable. Anyhow Tuesdays are the new Mondays, right?

I saw HEALTH this past Saturday at the Ventura Hall. I am ashamed to say this but this was my first time at this venue since its remodel. The last show I saw at this spot back when it was still a hybrid bowling alley/music venue was Russian Circles. That was kick ass and so was HEALTH. It was HEALTH's first show on their 2024 tour and I knew it was special when they walked out to Neon Genisis Evangelion's opening theme song "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" The set list was surprisingly vast jumping from record to record with great ease. They opened with CRACK METAL and jumped to their OG cut zoothorns, which for me is a cheeky nod to their fans knowing these are the 2 biggest singles from these bookended records. The set was very metal and I wanted to buy all the merch but the 1st of the month was on a Friday.

Sunday means New Noize and hopefully I didn't disappoint.

New Noize song of the week is St. Vincent's "Broken Man" I can not wait to see the concept behind this record and future singles to come.

Mannequin Pussy's newest album is also the New Noize Album of the Week. Simply put I love "I Got Heaven" but to be honest I don't feel I can fully articulate how much I love this record as Kristen Stewart did recently so here is that:

and I agree Kristen. Can I call you Kristen?

Bonus you should check Sheherazaad new EP QASR. She is a fellow Pakistani and this EP is the perfect companion for any Desi entering Ramadan. No worries the EP is made for all and encourage all of you to take the time and spend less then an hour with this audio art piece.

No show this coming Sunday due to Ramadan. To all participating in the holy month stay strong! It gets harder and harder every year but at least it is not summertime. If you know a Muslim practicing Ramadan have a bit of extra patience when dealing with them.  

New Noize will be back on the 17th.

2/25/24 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: Glass Beams "Mahal" Ninja Tune
Album of the Week: Mary Timony "Untame the Tiger" Merge

1. The Voidz "All The Same" Cult
2. haha same "Guess What To Do" Sub Pop
3. Lip Critic "Milky Max" Partisan
4. Mary Timony "Looking For The Sun" Merge
5. Laetitia Sadier "Panser L'Inacceptable"  Drag City
6. Khruangbin "May Ninth" Dead Oceans
7. Glass Beams "Mahal" Ninja Tune
8. Levitation Room "Grand Illusion Expectations" Greenway
9. Gen And The Degenerates "Anti-Fun Propaganda" Marshall Amplification Plc
10. Adrianne Lenker "Fool" 4AD
11. Bonny Light Horseman "When I Was Younger" Jagjaguwar
12. King Isis "MONKI" Dirty Hit
13. Psymon Spine "Wizard Acid" Northern Spy
14. KÁRYYN "the REAL" Mute
15. YHWH Nailgun "Tear Pusher"
16. Drahla "Second Rhythm" Captured Tracks

-hour 2-

17. Bullion "A City's Never" Ghostly International
18. claire rousay "ily2 (feat. Hand Habits)" Thrill Jockey
19. Cults "Gilded Lily"
20. Ghostly Kisses "Keep It Real" Akira
21. Bat For Lashes "The Dream of Delphi" Universal
22. MGMT (ft. Christine and the Queens) "Dancing in Babylon" Mom+Pop
23. Grace Cummings "Common Man" ATO
24. Nourished By Time "Hand On Me" XL
25. MOLTO MORBIDI "Sorry Silly Girl" No Salad
26. Hurray for the Riff Raff "Colossus of Roads" Nonesuch
27. Real Estate "Market Street" Domino
28. Vera Sola "Blood Bond" City Slang
29. Phosphorescent "Revelator" UMG
30. Hot Water Music "Burn Forever" Equal Vision
31. Molly Lewis "Porqué Te Vas" Jagjaguwar

Aye yo and hi everyone. It’s back to being sunny here in SoCal so fingers crossed this type of weather lasts until November.

I did the Reggae Soundclash before my New Noize set so it was a long Sunday full of radio specialty goodness.

The New Noize Song of the Week was another difficult pick but for this go around I am selecting “Mahal” by Glass Beams. Watch out for Glass Beams as 2024 is the year everyone will be saying they heard of them 4 years ago which is not true as their debut EP came out in 2021.

The New Noize Album of the Week is “Untame the Tiger” by Mary Timony. Other critics have written way better write-ups about this phenomenal record than anything I would add would be subpar but needless to say there is a reason why there is so much buzz around this record.

And lastly, for real who is ready for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth?

2/18/24 New Noize on 92.9 KJEE Santa Barbara's Modern Rock

Song of the Week: METZ "Entwined (Street Light Buzz)" Sub Pop
Album of the Week: IDLES "TANGK" Partisan

1. Friko "Crashing Through" ATO
2. Pissed "Jeans Sixty-Two Thousand Dollars in Debt" Sub Pop
3. DIIV "Brown Paper Bag" Concord
4. METZ "Entwined (Street Light Buzz)" Sub Pop
5. Vampire Weekend "Gen-X Cops" Columbia
6. IDLES "Hall & Oats" Partisan
7. Boris x Coaltar of the Deepers "Waterbird" (bandcamp exclusive)
8. Kim Gordon "I'm A Man" Matador
9. Monkey3 "Collision" Napalm
10. Chelsea Wolfe "Dusk"  Loma Vista
11. Warpaint "Common Blue"
12. Jessica Pratt "Life Is" Mexican Summer
13. Laura Jane Grace "I'm Not A Cop" Polyvinyl
14. Penny Arcade "Land of Glacier"
15. Lime Garden "Love Song"

-hour 2-

16. Beyonce "TEXAS HOLD EM" Columbia
17. Iron & Wine "You Never Know" Sub Pop
18. Beth Gibbons "Floating On A Moment" Domino
19. Fever Ray "Shiver" Mute
20. Elkka "Make Me" Ninja Tune
21. Saya Gray "BOUQUET FOR YOUR 180 FACE" Dirty Hit
22. salute "system" Ninja Tune
23. Doug Munro "Obsolete"
24. Jordan Mackampa "BLACCJACK THE MAC" AWAL
25. K-Rec(feat. Sadat X & Emcee K-Ski) "I Can't Call It"
26. Heems "Kala Tika" Mass Appeal
27. ScHoolboy "Q YEERN 101"
28. Cochise "YOSHIMITSU" Columbia
29. claire rousay "head"  Thrill Jockey

Not on the Spotify Playlist:
7. Boris x Coaltar of the Deepers "Waterbird"
14. Penny Arcade "Land of Glacier"
25. K-Rec(feat. Sadat X & Emcee K-Ski) "I Can't Call It"

Hi everyone. It feels like every other Sunday I'm underwater here in Santa Barbara and this Sunday was no different. I am starting to sound like a broken record & hopefully, the SoCal monsoons are done for 2024. What isn't done is New Noize.

Right off the bat let me be the first to say what a crazy few weeks of new music releases. It was an especially stellar show. I had to cut almost 2 hours of music which is a good problem to have. This set was all thrills no frills.

The New Noize song of the week could have been any of these singles. Seriously there is not one track from this list that does not deserve this slot, but much like Highlander, there can only be one. Except when I make an exception but this is not one of those times. This week's New Noize single of the week goes to METZ with "Entwined (Street Light Buzz)" cause its a kick-ass track and deserves that top spot.

New Noize Album of the Week has caused the same degree of anxiety because of the onslaught of new releases, which again is a good thing. Heems dropped a banger out of nowhere, LAFANDAR is technically a collab record between Heems & Lapgan and its pure South Asian excellence. For those that don't know I too and part of that Desi clan and my chest is all the way out when I hear any track off this flawless record.

Talking collab projects and out-of-the-blue releases Boris & Coaltar of the Deepers got together to do each other's songs. The story goes that Coaltar of the Deepers, a kick-ass Japanese late 90s band who hasn't made a new record in a long while decided to put out an all-covers record of Boris. Boris caught wind of this news, said fuck that, and got in the studio with the COTD to get down on this project. On this record, hello there, both bands go back and forth covering each other's songs, reworking each track in a combined effort to create something new. They also cover the Cure song "Killing Another" which is a must listen. The only way to listen is to get this off of Bandcamp or if you know my guy Taro in Japan. He came through yet again.

This Sunday's New Noize Album of the Week goes to IDLES with TANGK. I have been waiting for this new album with great anticipation these UK cats sure did deliver. I think TANGK is one of their best records and is one of my favorite releases of 2024 so far so listen to it cover to cover.

This Sunday I had a very special guest in the house, a guy I have known since my freshmen year of college at Seton Hall, he works at Hot 97 and still works/contributes at WSOU 89.5 Jesse. It was incredible having him in the studio, talking shop and just kicking it. He is a warrior braving an atmospheric river just to come up for some noodles and radio. Needless to say, it was a great time.

I want to give an extra shout-out to all the people I reached out to especially my international people you humans came through with some exclusives.

A few nonrelated New Noize topics before I call this one done. This week is my movie week. Seeing Final Fantasy VII Advent Children tomorrow & you already know I have to drive at least an hour to see this, in SoCal after work traffic, yay? Is anyone else hyped for FFVII Rebirth release at the end of this month? Just me? 

The following day I am walking to the movie theaters to see the new Demon Slayer. No Santa Barbara International Film Festival for me this year so I am looking forward to my mini-movie run.  

Heads up there will probably be no show on 3/10/23