Gold Cage 'Social Crutch'

LA trio Gold Cage release debut album SOCIAL CRUTCH on 27th March from Felte Records

Comprised of singer/bassist Mony Katz, singer/guitarist Cole Devine and drummer Sage Ross - the trio combine dreamy shoegaze melodies, with a lyrical tension of the present day environment and this is embedded in an aura of post-punk influence ranging from Yo La Tengo and Sonic Youth to the present day peers of Ezra Furman and Activity.

While Activity - whose own debut is released the same day - are more avant-garde, Gold Cage have the backbone of the punk ethos through their collective DNA, rich evocative songs dripping with hooky basslines and in Katz and Devine's combined penchant for whispered delivery they have a knack of making songs that stick with you.

From lead single and album opener, 'Repeater Kember', this is the song that shows off their influences and this was followed up by second single 'Halcion' - a song that shows off the best of New Order and Smashing Pumpkins to the fore.

Yet the best single might be third track 'Introduce My Mind' a song that is the most catchy of the album and ripe for radio play with the mainstream appeal every band requires for crossover potential.

All in all, Gold Cage have made a stunning debut album that if given the right audience may well shoot them to greater things, the band allows the listener to hear the tightness of the band as a unit and is not as inclusive as other works say allowing the listener to enter their world and enjoy the view.

Social Crutch is released from Felte Records on 27th March.
Visit their homepage to purchase material

My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity.

Deserta - Black Aura My Sun

Debut album from Deserta out from Felte Records on 17th January

Deserta, is a solo project by LA based musician, Matthew Doty (a former mainstay of Saxon Shore) who has taken his solo material and released this persona's debut album on Felte Records on 17th January.

For fans of electronica and the ever growing shoegazing trend, Deserta is a band that writes song full of character despite the solitude nature of its production.  It is soft and not overbearing as some electronica can become due to the emotional nature of the melodies being made.

Doty found his own voice and this was harnessed in collaboration with Josh Tillman (Father John Misty) in their group Saxon Shore; and yet this is Doty's first stab at a solo production.

The album Black Aura My Sun, is one of those hypnotic soundscape albums that is indebted to electronica, Johnny Marr guitar riffs from The Smiths and an air of quiet euphoria; this can be heard in opening track 'Save Me' which soars and then has quiet moments to then explode again.

Doty is playing with listener's expecations of rock and chill out music here; loud can be subtle and subtle can have a roar; for fans of Sigur Ros, Slowdive and everything in between - this is the sort of album to put on for those long train journeys or on the underground when you just want that bit of distortion and the unknown to reflect upon the day, to shut your eyes and drift.

Black Aura My Sun is out on 17th January from Felte Records.

My thanks to OneBeat PR for the review opportunity.