Yuppie released its excellent EP, “Peculiar,” in June. Songwriter Zack Sliver recorded the material with Patrick Himes at Reel Love Recording Company. The six-song collection has contributions from local musicians like Eric Bluebaum (bass), Scotty Houchins (piano) and Brian Hoeflich (drums). The material is lightyears beyond Yuppie’s 2017 debut, “Old Feeling New.”
The divisive state of America moved local musician Rich Reuter so much he created the topical EP, “Endless Parade,” which came out in February. He also engineered and produced the four powerful protest songs, including lead single, “Ain’t No Loving God.” Reuter is currently working on his next album, “The Captain 2,” with Patrick Himes.
Rapper Picket Fence, one of the local hip-hop scene’s elder statesmen, released “Gleek” in April. The collaboration with Chicago-based producer Cudda Mack is the follow-up to their 2018 album, “Flight From Chicago.” The four-song EP was recorded, mixed and mastered by Cooley The Curator at the TBR Lodge and features guests appearances by Charlie Cash, Chill and Brother Steve.
Local indie-pop stalwart Kris Neises, who is known as Kris N, dropped the excellent “Tilted Summer” (Poptek Records) in June. The EP is the long-awaited follow-up to his 2013 full-length album, “The Thankful Parade.” While not as slick as that Micah Carli-recorded album, the new material has a warm mid-fi sound that avoids the extreme lo-fi fuzz of early Neises releases. Here’s hoping there’s not such a long wait for more Kris N music.
Dayton’s own Blind Rage Records released the self-titled debut EP from local post-punk trio Bomb Bunny on cassette in early December. The six noisy but melodic songs were recorded and mixed at Levelhead Studio in Yellow Springs by Jayson Hartings of Oh Condor. I’m excited to hear what’s next from this crew.
It’s been a few years since “Kali Yuga” (2017), the debut from Maharaja. The stoner rockers are back with a harder, more aggressive sound on the four-song collection, “Aviarium,” which came out in December. The sonic shift reflects our turbulent times, with lyrics touching on drug addiction, murder and other modern maladies.
Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or donthrasher100@gmail.com.
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