Jim Louvau Album from p 28 in last November’s “She Gets Out,” which serves as the “sequel” to Sunshine’s own ti- tle track. And more music will arrive in late February with another new single, “Satur- day Night.” Based on those two tracks alone, The Black Moods are striking while the iron is hot with more punchy alt-rock that they’ve been expertly cultivating over the last 10 years. G.B. LEIGHTON 8PM $20 THU 2/17 FRI 2/18 JOHN PRIMER/BOB CORRITORE CD RELEASE PARTY JOHN PRIMER, BOB CORRITORE, ANTHONY GERACI, JIMI PRIMETIME SMITH, BOB STROGER, WES STARR 8PM $20 ROCKET 88’S 8PM $10 SAT 2/19 SUN 2/20 FRANCINE REED / ALICE TATUM AND FRIENDS 4PM $10 DAVY KNOWLES 8PM $20-$24 TUE 2/22 WED 2/23 THE ANTIBACTERIA CAFETERIA PRESENTS... TIREEK, COMPTALO & V4MP W/ FL33CE, YUNG 8PM $10 30 Coheed and Cambria, Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind (May 27) If you haven’t kept up with Coheed and Cambria, they’re in the midst of their “Amory Wars” saga. The last chapter of the five-part story came with 2018’s Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures. The direct fol- low-up, Vaxis II: A Window Of The Waking Mind, should be more of the same prog-rock goodness as the band adds to the story of “a couple on the run from tyrannical forces and their mysterious new addition.” Don’t let the nerdy vibes overwhelm you, though, as based on lead singles “Shoulders” and “Rise, Naianasha (Cut The Cord),” Coheed continue to bring sound and fury equally. Snailmate, Stress Sandwich (October 2022) The last non-single release from Snailmate came with February 2018’s Existential Anxi- ety EP. But in addition to playing shows ev- erywhere, including a forthcoming tour, the duo of Kalen Lander and Bentley Monet have been at work on a new LP. Stress Sand- wich runs 11 tracks of what the band de- scribe as “synthpunk grindcore pop nerd rap goodness.” And based on the two singles already released — “I Know What You Want” and “Donuts in the Rain” — the LP delivers on that kooky mix of sounds and then some. Expect a few more singles in the coming months before Stress Sandwich ar- rives sometime in October. The Deadbeat Cousins, Old Habits (Fall 2022) Local blues rockers The Deadbeat Cousins have been at work on their sophomore LP since at least July 2021. There are not too many new details, except for a title (Old Habits) and a tentative release date (fall 2022). At least the band’s already released a handful of singles, including “Reverse Engineer” and “Enough,” which double down on the influences of Jack White and The Black Keys. The band are clearly happy to rely on music over hype, saying, “We’re loud, and we try to just let the music talk.” Based on what the band’s had to “say” so far, that’s clearly been a solid formula for success. Violet Choir/MRCH, TBD (Sometime 2022) Before they launched Violet Choir in early 2021, Mickey and Jesse Pangburn played in the band MRCH (not to mention the equally great The Prowling Kind). Both acts create sleek, electronically-tinged pop bands, though MRCH tends more toward ethereal dream-pop compared to Violet Choir’s robust synthwave. This year, the pair will return to MRCH with a new EP, which is in pre-production as of late January 2022. While the record is currently without details, the Pangburns did say the project is “the best representa- tion of our music yet.” Consider that all the incentive you’d ever need for when- ever this EP drops. Breakup Shoes, TBD (Sometime in 2022) Breakup Shoes recently earned their status as a true touring band, hitting the road for a big national outing with Summer Salt. Now, they’ve come home and are ready to record a follow-up to 2021’s Narratives EP (and their first since 2019’s So Money, Baby full-length). The foursome is still early on in the process; as the members told New The Black Moods. Times recently they’re without a “title, re- lease date, or even format.” But if it’s any- thing like their recent output, it’s going to be heartfelt, deeply catching indie-pop made for endless dancing. So keep your ears open — and fully prepared — for when more details emerge. Talia Roya, TBD (Sometime in 2022) Singer-songwriter (and former New Times cover star) Talia Roya has been at work on a new EP for months. While there’s still no title or release date set beyond sometime likely this year, Roya did confirm her two previous singles, “Ripe” and “Keep Talk- ing,” would appear. A third single and mu- sic video, called “Bite My Tongue,” is set to debut sometime in the spring. Every new offering proves that Roya’s a dynamic tal- ent, and she continues to marry the worlds of pop and rock with a real grace and com- mitment. This new EP will not only further reclaim her career prospects but open Roya up to brand-new audiences. Asphalt Astronaut, aurora (Sometime in 2022) Even if Jessica Tanner (a.k.a. Asphalt As- tronaut) hails from all the way in Tucson, she’s certainly captured hearts and minds in Phoenix. After back-to-back albums — 2021’s andromeda and 2020’s antares — Tanner’s latest album, aurora, could drop later this year. Tanner says that the LP, which is likely to become a proper full- length, is “melancholy and a little delicate,” with “lots of layered vocals, soft piano, music-box type styling, and even some gui- tar.” If it’s at all like its predecessors, aurora is going to be both heartfelt and poignant, and more proof of why Tanner’s talent transcends all ZIP codes. FEB 17TH– FEB 23RD, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
