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Brooklyn's Bugs in the Dark released a strong EP, "Hang It On The Wall", in October which shows their sound moving in a direction that is comparable to PJ Harvey and/or Sonic Youth. The disc's four tracks run just shy of 20 minutes and the overall sound is moody and atmospheric.
The band just released a video for the leadoff track, "Serpents and Wine", which is indicative of the overall sound of the disc.
Bugs in the Dark toured Europe and played the Halifax Pop Explosion in Canada earlier this Fall. The band is now home and playing an end-of-year show at Cake Shop on Dec. 17th along with Gone Bad (final show) and Girlfriends - cover is $7.
Links:
Bugs in the Dark
Brooklyn's Bugs in the Dark continue to make major leaps forward with each release. The band's new EP, "Hang It On The Wall", shows them moving almost completely away from slashing, dissonant guitars and tribal drum sounds of their earlier releases to take their new songs in a direction that is comparable to PJ Harvey and/or Sonic Youth.
The four track on "Hang It On The Wall" run just shy of 20 minutes and the overall sound is atmospheric and dark. The disc kicks off "Serpents and Wine" which is a brooding song, powered by Karen's "PJ Harvey-style" vocals and a pulsing guitar line, that builds to a dark crescendo before collapsing into a whispered vocals and a wave of guitar feedback. The disc closes with an Aman Ellis remix of this song where he brilliantly deconstructs the song to morph it into a dark wave dance club track.
Zach sings lead on the second song "Picture". This is a melancholy song, with an undercurrent of feedback and clean guitar leads, that is a perfect fit for Zach's goth/blues vocals and it is a treat to hear him harmonize with Karen on the chorus. The final new song, "Metal Bird", has a prominent angular guitar line, that is reminiscent of Bugs' past work, on top of some atmospheric feedback which provides the backdrop for Karen's angelic and haunting vocals.
Bugs in the Dark just completed a successful Kickstarter campaign which allowed them to finish the new EP, tour Europe and play the Halifax Pop Explosion in Canada and this disc should go a long way toward helping the band break out internationally. While the Kickstarter campaign is over, the promo video that the band made documents the evolution of their sound.
Bugs in the Dark have a CD release party show at Mercury Lounge on Nov. 6 (Bambara, Hilly Eye and Butchers and Bakers are also on the bill. Tickets are $8) and are playing a show at Cake Shop on Dec. 9 along with Gone Bad.
Links:
Bugs in the Dark
It seems like Brooklyn art-punks Bugs in the Dark have been on quasi-hiatus "forever" but the band has just announced two local shows and an upcoming European tour.
----------------------------------------------- Hey Everybody,
The show at Cake Shop is on Aug. 13th and Bugs in the Dark is playing with Gone Bad (Download "Live at Tommy's Tavern", recorded 10/21/10) and The Denzels. Cover is TBD.
We're having a great summer and we have lots of good news!
First off, we have a super exciting show coming up with new songs!
SATURDAY JULY 16th from 8-12
at ST VITUS (new venue in Greenpoint, BK)
With Raccoon Fighter, Living Days and Unstoppable Death Machines. This is not a show to miss - the bands are amazing & the whole night is only $7. Be cool, bring friends.
We've been playing with the fantastic Rich Crescenti on the drums.
We have two new songs we've been playing at shows and we're gearing up to record them asap.
This fall, we're playing an exciting festival (can't announce it just yet). And we're taking a jaunt across the pond to Europe to play in France, Germany and Denmark! We're so excited, we're already picking out matching luggage.
Stay tuned for our upcoming fundraising campaign - in which private house concerts and custom tattoos could be coming your way!
Links:
Bugs in the Dark
Based on recent Twitter postings, it sounds like art-punk band Bugs in the Dark are "re-emerging" after a period of inactivity. During this downtime, guitarist/vocalist Karen Rockower recorded a stunning solo disc, Whales Standing, which led to comparison to artists such as Joanna Newsome and Hope Sandoval.
Karen is playing a full-band solo show at Cake Shop on Wednesday night along with Ovlov and Diehard. Tickets are $7 and Ovlov kicks off the night at 9PM.
Links:
Karen Rockower
"Whales Standing - a great rock album that combines contrasting styles together for an exciting listen. The effort is both a sensual and rebellious ride through a landscape of seamlessly combined muscal styles. It is brash, unusual, uninhibited, melodic and intimate. This is definitely one album that should be a part of your music collection." -- Urban Outside Blog
With Bugs in the Dark being inactive as of late, vocalist/guitarist Karen Rockower has been playing out more and more behind her new solo disc Whales Standing.
Karen is playing a headlining show this Thursday at Union Hall along with Emily Mure (9PM Set Time) and A Slow Death and Loneliness (8PM Set Time). Karen is playing at 10PM and cover is $7.
This Wednesday, Karen is a 15-minute solo set at Otto's Shrunken Head for the ReW & WhO Video Podcast. Here is the link to stream the set.
Links:
Karen Rockower
DOWNLOAD: Karen Rockower - "Drawing Roses" (from Whales Standing)
DOWNLOAD: Karen Rockower - "In My Car" (from Whales Standing)
Vocalist/guitarist Karen Rockower (from the art/punk band Bugs in the Dark) is releasing her debut solo CD on August 25th at a show at Union Hall. Karen's new disc, Whales Standing, is a strikingly mature effort for a debut release and it shows her songwriting moving closer to a Jenny Lewis/Hope Sandoval style than the Kim Gordon/Cramps sounds of Bugs in the Dark.
Karen just released the final episode of her video countdown to the album release:
Cover for Karen's show at Union Hall is $7 and she is playing with Frozen Falls and Angela Jane.
Links:
Karen Rockower
DOWNLOAD: Karen Rockower - "Drawing Roses" (from Whales Standing)I've been a big fan of Brooklyn art-punk band Bugs in the Dark for the last few years. Co-vocalist/guitarist Karen Rockower is releasing her debut solo CD on August 25th (at a show at Union Hall) and her new band is making their Manhattan debut at The National Underground next Tuesday night. Cover is $8 and the show is scheduled to start around 8PM.
Karen has a new YouTube channel where she has been posting rehearsal and behind-the-scenes videos with her new band and she just posted "Episode 4" (below).
Links:
Karen Rockower
Brooklyn art-punk band Bugs in the Dark are playing a somewhat last-minute show at Mercury Lounge tomorrow night.
"Cancel everything and go see their next show." - Indie Sounds NY, Pete Harris
There aren't many bands where I can stand behind the above quote but Bugs in the Dark are a great live band and I've yet to see them have an off-night. I understand that the band is working on some new material which will hopefully surface as part of tomorrow's live set.
Tickets are $8.00 and Bugs in the Dark are playing at 9PM.
Links:
Bugs in the Dark
DOWNLOAD: Karen Rockower - "Drawing Roses"
Karen Rockower, guitarist/vocalist from Bugs in the Dark, is playing a solo acoustic show tomorrow night at Local 269 Bar. Karen is currently recording a solo disc with producer Mark Turrigiano and she will be playing songs from this forthcoming release tomorrow.
Tomorrow night's show is free and Karen is playing at 10PM. Local 269 Bar is located at 269 E. Houston Street (@ Suffolk Street).
Links:
Karen Rockower's MySpace Profile
Bugs in the Dark
DOWNLOAD: Karen Rockower - "Dog" (MP3)
Bugs in the Dark guitarist/vocalist Karen Rockower is playing a rare solo acoustic set tomorrow night at Luca Lounge in Alphabet City (Avenue B btwn. 13 - 14th Street). The show is free at starts at 8PM.
Karen will be playing a 30 minute set which will include tunes from her forthcoming solo album (due out later this year) which she is recording with producer (and occasional Bugs' bassist) Mark Turrigiano.
Links:
Karen Rockower's MySpace Profile
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile
Tomorrow night is the kickoff of the third annual OJ All Day festival at the Brooklyn Lyceum. "The OJ All Day music festival is an annual event put on by Olive Juice Music, a D.I.Y. label, studio, and online distributor, based in New York City, interested in helping people who are in the developmental stages of trying to do something with their art."
There are a lot of great bands playing the festival, including art punk Bugs in the Dark (who are scheduled to play at 9PM on Friday). Tickets for the two-day festival are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.
It has been too long since I've seen Bugs in the Dark (who are one of my favorite local bands) play live. I seem to be out of town every time that the band plays and tomorrow's show is no exception.
I'm hoping to catch the band live soon as I'm interested to hear how their sound has evolved now that guitarists Karen and Zach have added a bass player and are playing with a new drummer. Long-time drummer Julia Lomax relocated to the West Coast last year so Zeph Courtney is now behind the drum kit and bassist, Mark Turrigiano, will be playing with the band tomorrow night.
On the bill with Bugs in the Dark are Radical Dads (which includes Robbie from CYHSY) and Cinemasophia (who have a new disc, Fits & Cycles, coming out in April).
Tickets are $7.00 and the Radical Dads start things off at 8:30PM
Bugs in the Dark - "New Words"
Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile
Bugs in the Dark recently placed #5 in The Deli Magazine's Best of 2008 Reader's Poll and the band puts on a phenomenal live show. The band is playing a show tomorrow night at Public Assembly in Williamsburg with Djinn Toys, My Other Friend and Neon God.
Here is what The Deli Magazine had to say about the band: "Bugs in the Dark is a 2 girl / 1 guy dual-vocal art rock trio out of Brooklyn, NYC, inspired by bands like Sonic Youth, The Pixies, Sleater Kinney and Blonde Redhead. The placed 5th in our Best of 2008 Readers' Poll, missing the nomination boat for just a handful of votes. They gathered praise from sources as varied as Impose, L Magazine, Indie Sounds NY and (of course) The Deli. Check out their out of control live show at Public Assembly on 01.15."
Tickets for tomorrow's show are $8.00 and Bugs in the Dark goes on at 10:30PM.
Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile
Art-punks, Bugs in the Dark are headlining a show tomorrow night at The Delancey. Bugs have been playing shows in support of their full-length debut CD, Grand Avenue, which was released earlier this year.
In a recent review, Impose Magazine said "Bugs in the Dark can do what all those post-punk revivalists did five years ago by prettying up the raw material of their era of choice, which for these guys is early 90s alternative/noise."
Tickets for tomorrow night's show are $7 and the band takes the stage at 11:30PM.
Check out Bugs in the Dark's latest video, "Paranoia", (from Grand Avenue).
Bugs In the Dark - Paranoia from Alex Terrazas on Vimeo.
Links:
Bugs In The Dark's MySpace Profile
Bugs In The Dark are hosting a video screening party tonight at Floyd NY (131 Atlantic Avenue) for their latest video "Paranoia".
"Paranoia" comes off of Bugs In The Dark's Grand Avenue CD which was released earlier this year and the video was directed by Alex Terrazas. There is no cover charge tonight and cheap drink specials. The video is showing every hour on the hour, from 9PM to 2AM.
Links:
Bugs In The Dark's Website
"Having a little fun is the secret to life" - Karen Rockower (Bugs in the Dark)
Brooklyn's Bugs in the Dark released their first full-length, Grand Avenue, earlier this year and I'm completely convinced that the band is going to break big next year.
Grand Avenue is a major step forward for the band as their songwriting has evolved from the Pylon/Hole-ish punk of their debut EP (Shake Shake) to something closer to X meets Sonic Youth.
The band clearly haven't given up their punk roots but there is more of a sense of melody and structure across this disc's six tracks. This time around, Karen Rockower sings of the four cuts and Zach Glass sings two. Karen's strong vocal performance ranges from the punky "Paranoia" to the Sleater-Kinneyish "Aaron". Zach's singing is a real treat as his voice sounds almost like a gothic John Doe (from X). Drummer, Julia Lomax keeps things moving with some great percussion work. Julia's drumming gives songs like "Gasoline" an almost tribal/Cramps-like feel and she mixes things up across the disc with shakers, tamborines, etc.
The new disc is available through the band's MySpace page (link below) and Bugs in the Dark are playing Lit Lounge on November 7th and The Delancey on December 13th.
Links:
Bugs in the Dark's MySpace Profile
Brooklyn's Bugs In The Dark are playing the Lit Lounge next Thursday (Sept. 25th) night.
There are a couple bands from the area that I expect to break big next year and Bugs In The Dark are on the top of this list. The band released their fabulous debut full-length disc earlier this year, Grand Avenue, and their live shows continue to get great reviews (link, link).
For anyone who hasn't heard the band...Bugs In the Dark have a sound that is sort of an amalgamation of Pylon, Sonic Youth and Hole. Check out "Gasoline", which is the first video from the new CD.
Next Thursday, Bugs In the Dark are playing at 10:30PM and tickets are $6.00.
Links:
Bugs In the Dark's MySpace Profile
Karen Rockower is playing a solo set next Wednesday (July 23rd) at Trash Bar in Brooklyn. Karen has been debuting new material at her recent solo shows and Wednesday's show will be the premier of the song "Dog".
Cover is $6 and Quiet Loudly and Werewolves are also on the bill.
Links:
The Trash Bar
Karen Rockower's Website
Bugs in the Dark's Website