A new Old Smile release is indeed a cause for celebration. Hailing from New Jersey, Old Smile (AKA Tom Herman Jr), forges dreamy, homemade psychedelic rock. On Glued, Herman paints with an expanded palette of sounds, textures and styles, all while retaining his expert sense of song craft. Hints of jazz creep in throughout theContinue reading “Old Smile – Glued”
Category Archives: New Jersey
The Demos for a Difference Project
The Demos For a Difference Project is a new benefit album created by Brian Erickson, of Asbury Park, NJ, that is completely crowdsourcing its music (with over 100 different artists at the time of writing), all in the name of raising funds for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. In addition to creating the album andContinue reading “The Demos for a Difference Project”
Garcia Peoples – 10-10-2019 Nublu, NYC
While Garcia Peoples’ studio work has been nothing short of revelatory, it’s their reputation as a live act that may be the biggest factor behind their quickly growing fanbase. No matter the setting, they never cease to melt faces and blow minds with their boundless riffage and sharp improvisational skills. The evening of October 10th,Continue reading “Garcia Peoples – 10-10-2019 Nublu, NYC”
Garcia Peoples – One Step Behind
One Step Behind is further proof that Garcia Peoples is one of the fastest evolving groups of our era, constantly expanding their sonic horizons quicker than they can be captured on record. This, their third full-length since August 2018, perhaps shows the furthest extremes of the band’s spectrum. The slamming cosmic jam that is theContinue reading “Garcia Peoples – One Step Behind”
Francie Moon – All The Same
Francie Moon completely obliterates all expectations with the expanded cassette release of All The Same. The New Jersey band kicks the tape off with a sludgy acid rocker that Bardo Pond would be proud of (“First Wave”), and then spirals off into a variety of contrasting directions, like laid-back dub grooves (“Dear Love”), or etherealContinue reading “Francie Moon – All The Same”
Brewster – Forever Better Kissers
Brewster’s long awaited debut full-length is a fine example of just how personal the craft of the modern singer-songwriter can be. Forever Better Kissers glows with a casual familiarity, largely due to its mix of detailed, confidential lyrics and intimate arrangements. Hints and name-drops of suburban-hometown New Jersey locations and references to melancholic high school memoriesContinue reading “Brewster – Forever Better Kissers”
Brewster – Bird in An Airport/Kiss Me While I’m Down
If these two newly released tracks by Brewster are anything to go by, then his upcoming full-length record is going to be truly something special. Brewster (Mark Bucci) is an introspective and vastly imaginative singer-songwriter based at his bedroom studio in Northern New Jersey. Bucci’s sound is both melancholic and playful, combining acoustic and electronicContinue reading “Brewster – Bird in An Airport/Kiss Me While I’m Down”
The Frecks, Old Smile & The Return of The Duke of Surl: August Round Up
If you follow the RCU Instagram account, you would’ve seen me gush about these three releases/artists, but they all definitely deserve some mentions here. First up, we have The Frecks, a raw, no-fucks given punk group out of Tucson. This is one of the rare times where IG recommended a video for me that was actuallyContinue reading “The Frecks, Old Smile & The Return of The Duke of Surl: August Round Up”
Garcia Peoples – Cosmic Cash [Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Jam]
It’s hard to find an album that is as filled with the feeling of summer as Garcia Peoples’ Cosmic Cash. Hailing from Rutherford, New Jersey, Garcia Peoples perfectly capture here the spirit of sunny road trips with friends, late night bonfires and raucous beach parties with their unique sound. Cosmic Cash finds the band blendingContinue reading “Garcia Peoples – Cosmic Cash [Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Jam]”
Now Playing: The Duke of Surl – The Walk [Garage Power-Pop]
Only five months after releasing a strong and exhilarating debut record, King Pizza Records’ The Duke of Surl is back with a new track just in time to perfectly soundtrack your final sweltering weeks of summer. You can just feel the late summer humidity in the song’s Sun Records-esque echo treated vocals and melancholic throbbingContinue reading “Now Playing: The Duke of Surl – The Walk [Garage Power-Pop]”
Record Crates United 