‘Unveiling of the Inner Life’ Butoh Sonics There have been live albums recorded in some historic and iconic venues. Now, while The Trunk Space isn’t exactly, say, Red Rocks or Madison Square Garden, it’s nonetheless special and important to Phoenix. And perhaps that’s why the avant-garde outfit Butoh Sonics opted to record a new live album from the venerated indie venue. The record, which honors the recently deceased local artist Michael 23, is centered primarily around the 43-minute “Unveiling of the Inner Life” (though other tracks were also recorded during the June 21 gig). Don’t let the daunting runtime defer you, either. Listening to it is like sitting through an entire gig in a tiny club while also flying through some bizarre alternate dimension of angular sounds. ‘Claire Jones’ Madilyn Mei At just 19 years old, Madilyn Mei is like a lot of other young and hungry artists trying to make a name for themselves. She’s gigging fairly often (including dates outside Arizona); her social media game is pretty tight; and she not only writes her own music but also does artwork and all that jazz. All of that hard work and dedication seems to be paying off in at least the one big way it matters: making great music. Mei’s debut album “To Exist With You” is packed with 12 solid bedroom pop tunes, and that includes the standout, “Claire Jones.” From the simple but playful instrumen- tation to Mei’s own effervescent harmonies, it’s a track that’ll have you swooning so hard the earth might shift under your very feet. ‘Hybrid Moments’ (Misfits cover) Zac Crye You may recognize Zac Crye as the frontman to local stoner-blues band Hudu Akil. But he’s also quite the solo artist, often playing every instrument across his many releases. If you want a proper deep dive into Crye’s efforts, he’s dug into the archives with the 30-track “Demos ’07 - ’17.” Sure, not every jam is going to be a properly polished gem, but it’s ultimately about exploring Crye’s development as an artist over a span of a very weird decade. You may want to start with his cover of the Misfits’ seminal “Hybrid Moments.” Crye tackles the punk classic with nary a shred of intimi- dation, injecting a bit more swagger while playing up the track’s horror-centric core. From there, enjoy the rest of your voyage into Crye’s rock ‘n’ roll psyche. ‘Hobo King’ The Lord’s Regular readers of this column will know The Lord’s. The local hip-hop outfit (composed of Preston Dobbins and Richard Lam) have slowly and methodi- cally, across a handful of releases, revealed themselves as both people and artists. That whole approach holds true of the group’s latest single, “Hobo King.” Their hybrid approach to the genre remains a central focus, as the streamlined, jazz-adjacent beat emphasizes an old-school commitment to direct hip-hop. However, don’t let those nostalgic tendencies fool you, as The Lord’s bring verbose wordplay, subtle charm, and some other understated magic help make this cut land a little different. Let’s hope we can keep getting to know The Lord’s for years to come. ‘Our Daughter Death’ Night of the Spiders This Tempe band has it real bad. Night of the Spiders, which only formed in late 2022, describe themselves as a “group of ’90s kids, who wished they grew up seeing bands in the late ’70s, trying to make sense of life in the 2020s.” So, how’s all that rampant nostalgia and timeline dysmorphia play out in an actual song? Why just spin NotS’ latest single, “Our Daughter Death.” It sounds like the wild- child of lo-fi alt rock, bratty power-pop and a less brazen metal or hardcore. Which is to say, something that feels indebted to all these retro-tinged ideas while feeling fresh and relevant enough to be more than some half-hearted recreation. That may not make things better for NotS, but at least the music’s always rocking. ‘No Game’ Remi Goode Farewells are quite often a major bummer. But every once in a while, they can be a minor blessing. That certainly seems to be the case for local indie folk singer-song- writer Remi Goode, who after some five years playing around the Valley is relo- cating (alongside her band) to the musical mecca that is Nashville, Tennessee. But don’t be too sad, as Goode and company have left us with something of a parting gift in a brand-new single, “No Game.” If it’s your first taste of the outfit, this slow- burning, super sensuous ditty might have you regretting your past choices. And if you’re more familiar with Goode, it seems like a touching way to bid bon voyage. Either way, be prepared to be moved in a very big way. The cover for Simulation’s EP, “Poisoned Identity.” Total Peace Playlist Picks from p 26 28 July 6th–July 12th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs |
