New Music Alert: Skullcrusher's "Song For Nick Drake"

 

I've never seen a live in-person set by Skullcrusher. I've only seen them via my computer screen. I happened to come across the band early in the pandemic during an online music festival called Cancelled Fest. When I saw the name, I figured they were a punk band. Was I mistaken! After the initial shock of hearing a singer-songwriter, I became entranced with the music. I later caught a solo set during Echo Park Rising.

The band has a song dedicated to the singer-songwriter Nick Drake out. The song has the same dreamy vocals and tunes that initially drew me to this band.

Here's what was written on an Instagram post about the song:

I wrote this song while reflecting on moments in my life that feel most intertwined with Nick Drake’s music. I was thinking about how music is the only art form (at least for me) that becomes one with my memories in a really distinct way. When I remember moments from my hometown I think of Nick. I think of walking & taking the train to the city & listening to his albums. Moments that would otherwise be mundane & routine are now bonded with someone else’s art. I think about that as a maker as well. How something I share might become woven into someone else’s life in a way I will never know or understand. That thought sometimes feels overwhelming for me but also cool. It’s really my homage to music & the times I’ve felt most connected to it. 

We all relate to this sentiment? For me, maybe it isn't as classy a musician as Nick Drake, but when I hear Red Red Wine by UB40, I remember driving through San Luis Obispo on a dark rainy night.

Cancelled Fest

Echo Park Rising 2020: Online Edition Part 2

I ended Part 1 of my Echo Park Rising review with Veneer  After their set I took a short break and then returned to Portia Street Studios Youtube page to see Spare Parts for Broken Hearts. Their set just blew me out of my apartment. Did I need to wear ear plugs!

Spare Parts for Broken Hearts

From there, I jumped over to Bands in the Barbershop via Twitch. I caught the last song of Jagged Baptist Club. Then Chase Petra came on. All members of the band wore masks. I liked that fact. What I noticed was how the bassist and guitarist bounced their feet to the beat in the same directions. Their duo vocals perfectly built on top of each other. 

Jagged Baptist Club

Chase Petra

ModPods' lead singer wore a hockey type mask. The drummer started the set off the stage, watching her band members. "My headache is like a bullet." The band is like a lounge singer deciding to go punk. The band goes without a guitarist and the drummer / bassist switched off. The lead singer asked, "Are other bands better at banter?"

ModPods

Broken Baby's lead singer wore a t-shirt that said, "We are RBG." Her energy just takes her body in every direction. The microphone stand traveled along with her sometimes ending up on the stage and other times ending up on the floor and sometime held high like an exclamation point. It got a workout. "This is the first time we've practiced since April . . . no, February." Pretty good practice session.

Broken Baby

Back over to the main Echo Park Rising site, Alica Blue played "Queen of Echo Park," a song dedicated to Lauren Ruth Ward. And Lauren Ruth Ward joined in for part of the song. Leila Sunier shared the stage with Alica Blue. They did a two person round. Leila Sunier had the wind blowing through her hair throughout the set. I learned that Alicia Blue wanted to be a poet and that she wakes up at 6 a.m. What was interesting about the set was watching the shift from late afternoon to night fall. They finished the round singing Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide.

Alicia Blue, Leila Sunier, Lauren Ruth Ward

Clit Kat hit the Bands in the Barbershop Twitch page. Their set started off with a brief John Williams introduction and then their Blade Runner inspired android punk music took over. They scream with a metal growl. I noticed that the band members (other than the lead singer) all wore midriff t-shirts and gym shorts. The Twitch comments section was all about mosh pits. The floor lights of the Barbershop were flashing. And the lead singer had her notes on the floor, which might be a reason why she spent moments throughout the set looking down at the floor.

Clit Kat

A jump back over to the main site had Skullcrusher up. I first saw this musician during this quarantine. I got to catch her a second time during this quarantine. She has a soft approach to her music that is filled with emotion. She played her set on the edge of her bed. Winter made what I think was a surprised appearance as I don't believe it was on the schedule. She did a one song set. 

Skullcrusher

Winter

Ramonda Hammer also played a one song set with each member of the band playing from different locations. Their song was their recent release "Big Hands." The video was done in B&W.

Ramonda Hammer

Slaughterhouse took over at Bands in the Barbershop. The lead singer was dressed in a leopard dress suit. And to end the songs, she'd often shake her head and make a kick with her right foot. The vocals at one moment are screaming and the next they're like a giant taking its time to crush you as you run as fast as you can away from it (of course, with those long legs, a leisurely stroll by a giant means they're rapidly closing the gap no matter how fast you run). A couple members of the band couldn't help but crack smiles throughout the set. In the comments section it felt like it was a live show. Instead of emojis people were typing out comments like, "Didn't put on deodorant so I can smell like I'm there."

Slaughterhouse

For me, I closed out my time at Echo Park Rising by heading back over to Portia Street Studios to catch Naia Izumi who was a blissful way to end the night. A guitar aficionado providing jazz vocals. But wait, was that some recorded growling during one song? 

Naia Izumi

Quarantine Online Sets: Version 2

Cancelled Fest was a 3 day event that I believe was put on by the local band Goon. I caught a handful of bands on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday, I caught Eric Davis and Just. On Friday, I got to catch Alaska Reid, Draag, Jake Whitener and Skullcrusher.

Alaska Reid

The musician that I really wanted to catch was Alaska Reid. The last time I caught her was during Echo Park Rising 2019. She was playing at Little Joy Cocktails. For this festival, she came online a few minutes late, but when she did it was such a joy to see her online. She's currently in Montana, which honestly might be a better place to be then Los Angeles. There is just a beauty to her shy persona.

Skullcrusher

A big surprise of the sets I caught was Skullcrusher. I honestly was expected a solo version of the band's punk set. Some vocals screams to end the festival. Nope, I got this wonderful folk that just sweeps you up into a hug. Click here to catch her song "Places / Plans." What was amusing throughout the set was one member of the band putting together a jigsaw puzzle through out the set until I believe the final song where he finally joined in.

Jake Whitener

Jake Whitener mentioned that he used to play in Alaska Reid's band, Alyeska, so there was a nice connection there.

Draag

Eric Davis

Just