Metal Legends Baroness Playing First Two Albums at GAMH On September 17

Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz

They always say it will be just like riding a bike—everything will come flooding back in no time.

But what if said “bike” is a devilishly intricate set of prog-metal treatises? How are you supposed to casually wade back into 90 minutes of complex guitar arrangements, strange time signatures and countless tempo and time changes?

That was the dilemma facing John Dyer Baizley and his band, the post-metal legends Baroness, as they attempted to unpack their first two albums, “Red” and “Blue,” for a tour in which they’d play those classics in their entirety.

“It was definitely interesting revisiting these albums that were, like, psychotically overloaded with parts and technical movements,” said Baizley. “But there is something wonderful to me in the challenge of playing this music. It’s like we’re on the edge of our seats every time we play these songs—you kind of just hold on for dear life and see where it takes you.”

On September 17, Baroness will bring that white-knuckle experience to the Great American Music Hall, where they’ll play a setlist that includes all of the tracks from those early compendiums.

Tireless road warriors—you can find Baroness playing in the most unlikeliest of locales throughout the country and beyond—the band is currently in-between album cycles, with their latest release, “Stone,” now nearly two years old. That itch to constantly get out and perform before their fans, led to the idea of Baroness revisiting their early work.

“Over the course of our career, we’ve really tried to avoid doing any gimmicks or delving into nostalgia, but we’ve also discussed the idea of exploring our back catalog more,” said Baizley. “We are working musicians—we tour as much as humanly possible, so from a practical standpoint, it made sense to dedicate ourselves to this idea at this time, since we’re currently in a bit of a lull in our album support cycle.” 

The fact that neither album is celebrating a noteworthy anniversary—“Red” came out in 2007 and “Blue” arrived in 2009— actually made the touring idea more palatable, Baizley said, as it would remove any notion that the band was trying to cash in on some arbitrary milestone.

Regardless of the motivation, fans will be in for an immersive and unique auditory gift hearing the older records played live. While Baroness always played selections from the two albums in their regular live sets, this tour marks the first time in more than a decade that many of the songs from “Red” and “Blue” will be performed. Those albums—immediately hailed as paragons of the genre—showcased an insanely ambitious band and hinted at an evolution that would take Baroness beyond the strictures of the metal scene.

“I think when we wrote “Red,” we were absolutely trying to do as much as we could, with what we had at the time,” said Baizley. “And we looked at that as our opening salvo, so we needed to follow up with something even more bold for “Blue.” But after touring those albums nonstop for five years, we realized that we couldn’t maintain that course. We needed to write songs that were more performable.”

The results of that more restrained technical approach were “Yellow & Green” and “Purple,” the towering dual masterpieces of the Baroness genre—ones that saw them further push the boundaries and definitions of what could be termed “metal.” For “Purple,” the band teamed up with indie rock production maestro Dave Fridmann, a partnership that resulted in Baroness earning their first Grammy Nomination, for the song “Shock Me”—a rare industry acknowledgement from a group always outside the edge of conformity.

As great as those later albums are (and there isn’t anything less than an absolute gem in the entire Baroness discography) it’s thrilling to go back to the visceral early days of the band. Tracks like the “Red” album opener “Rays on Pinion” and "Steel That Sleeps the Eye" from “Blue” showcase an absolutely fearless band—one willing to go outrageous lengths to perfect and hone their sound. There is joy in falling utterly lost within the byzantine movements of a song like “Isak,”—a “Red” album standout that illustrates the band’s willingness to explore every conceivable guitar sound.

Those older albums are also a testament to the staying power of Baroness—a band that has experienced its fair share of obstacles. Baizley is the group’s only holdover from the “Red” and “Blue” days, and after a devastating bus accident in 2012—in which several members endured serious injuries—there was a serious question if the group would soldier on. Unsurprisingly, given his convictions, Baizley kept the band together and its current lineup—drummer Sebastian Thomson, guitarist Gina Gleason and bassist Nick Jost—is the most stable in the band’s history.

“When we started this band, I wasn’t capable of looking 20 years into the future,” said Baizley. “But because of what music means to me, I don’t think I ever considered stopping this thing—maybe that was a little stupid of me. My thought process was always this—‘I’m in a band, these songs are very much from my heart and soul, and that makes me proud to go out and perform them.’”

Backed by his stellar bandmates, Baizley will do just that next week in San Francisco—a performance that will surely teeter perilously on the edge of safety—just like riding a bike.

“When I go to a show, I want to see a little chaos and a little magic,” said Baizley. “And that’s what these “Red” and “Blue” gigs have been all about. Just because you know the albums, doesn’t mean the show will be predictable.”

Show Details:
Baroness with Weedeater
Where: Great American Music Hall
When: 8 p.m., Wednesday, September 17 
Tickets: $40.62, available here

Real Estate Touring Behind “11-year, 7-month” Anniversary of Classic Album, “Atlas”

It’s a milestone one can never forget—a special moment in time forever etched in one’s memory.

This isn’t a silver or diamond jubilee we’re talking about. Those are a dime a dozen. 

No—this is something far more important: the 11 year, seven-month anniversary—that time-honored benchmark celebrated by all. This week, Real Estate—the indie-rock institution with ties to the Bay Area—will continue that tradition by embarking on a tour honoring the 139-month birthday of their iconic third album, “Atlas.”

Ok, yeah, we all know that Real Estate just threw out a totally arbitrary date as an excuse to tour behind a beloved album. But as the band’s bassist Alex Bleeker explains, in a world where live music faces endless competition for people’s attention, you gotta dig up something to get the crowds out.

“Yeah, if we’re being frank, this is a great record and an important one for our career, but this is really more a fan service thing,” said Bleeker, who lives in West Marin. “But we’re all about servicing the fans, because that services us, and we love that relationship. We’re always trying to figure out a hook to get people to come to shows—to get off the couch and stop watching Netflix and come see us one more time.

On Friday and Saturday, Real Estate will bring their “Atlas” shows to a couple of Bay Area locales off the traditional road circuit—Felton and Mount Tamalpais (correct, a mountain.) These will be the band’s first shows without longtime guitarist Julian Lynch, who recently announced his defeature from the group under amicable terms.

The Friday show will be at the Felton Music Hall (formerly Don Quixote’s) and the Saturday gig will be part of the annual Sound Summit Festival—a scene music gathering set at the Mountain Amphitheater on Mount Tamalpais that will also include Canadian indie-pop maestros Alvvays and Sacramento veterans Cake.

“For someone who lives in West Marin, it doesn’t get any more local than Mt. Tam,” said Bleeker. “I’ve always wanted to play at Sound Summitt—every year they release the lineup for this fest and we aren’t on it, I get super bummed. So, yeah, can’t wait to play on Saturday.”

While Bleeker will be enjoying the stunning views, fans will get the benefit of hearing one of Real Estate’s most venerable albums. A strikingly consistent band—they’ve truly never released even a mediocre album—“Atlas” saw the band perhaps at the peak of their powers, harnessing the languid rock modicum of the Feelies and the Clean while creating pastoral harmonies reminiscent of XTC and California 60s surf outfits. It’s a standout vehicle in particular for Real Estate guitarist and chief songwriter Martin Courtney, who grew up with Bleeker in New Jersey.

“Atlas” received one of the highest rated reviews of the year from Pitchfork and landed on countless best-of lists, capitalizing on a moment when indie rock truly was in the Zeitgeist.

“We all absolutely love this album, but I also think it benefits from the time and place of things,” said Bleeker. “I often wonder if our last album, [2024’s] “Daniel” had come out around that time, if it would have received a similar reaction. But yeah, there are all these extra, non-musical things that contribute to a feeling that people have for a particular album, and I can’t deny that, because that’s true for myself as a music fan.”

Many of the songs on the album never fell out of the band’s live rotation, and a few—“Talking Backwards” and “Had to Hear”—rank among Real Estate’s most-played tracks. “Talking Backwards,” a flitting, ebullient pop piece about relationship miscommunications, actually almost never made it on to the album, according to Bleeker.

“That was this classic case of us bringing the album to our record label and them being like ‘we’re not hearing a single here,’” said Bleeker. “And so, Martin went back into the lab and banged out ‘Talking Backwards’ . I knew right away that one was right on the money. It sounds super cliché, but yeah, it was one of those moments when everyone benefits.”

In addition to those tracks, “Atlas” included one of Bleeker’s most memorable songwriting contributions to Real Estate. “How Might I Live,” is a mournful, forlorn ballad about doubt and despair, punctuated by Bleeker’s wounded and lamenting opening line, “How might I live to betray you?”

While the song has some hopeful undertones, the themes nonetheless are weighty and deep, but Bleeker said it hasn’t been too difficult revisiting that track.

“I can connect with the emotions that I was feeling when I wrote that song and I remember exactly what it meant to me at the time, but once it’s written and recorded, it just takes on a different energy and life,” said Bleeker. “That’s one of the things that’s therapeutic about writing—once it becomes a song, it’s like a separate entity, somewhat removed from its original meaning.” 

While not the primary songwriter for Real Estate, Bleeker fronts numerous other projects and on September 27, he’ll play with the West Marin Grateful Dead Appreciation Society (Bleeker is one of foremost Deadheads in the indie rock world) as part of a benefit concert for Mesa Park in Bolinas. Real Estate is also working on new material, which Bleeker said they hope to release next year.

“Obviously, there are a lot of factors beyond our control, but we hope to have something out in 2026,” said Bleeker. “I’ll say it’s very likely we will have a few singles out by this time next year, at the very least.”

For a band as admirably and durably great as Real Estate, the next album will surely be a memorable one, which can only mean one thing: start making your calendars for 2038, when that classic 11-year, seven-month anniversary tour starts.

Show Details:
Real Estate with Subtle Orange
Where: Felton Music Hall
When: 8 p.m., Friday, September 12
Tickets: $41.15, available here. 

Sound Summit Music Festival
Where: Mountain Theater, Mount Tamalpais
When: 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday, September 13
Tickets: $138.50, available here.

Fall at the Fillmore Returns to Historic SF Music Site

Image credit: Galine Tumasyan, Jon Carr, Patrick Sean Gibson, and Laura Tjho

Fall at the Fillmore, an annual moment to reflect on the creative engines behind San Francisco’s most iconic music venue, will return this month with new art displays and special pop-up exhibits.

Overseen by local music promoter Ashley Graham, who doubles as the Fillmore’s Art Director, this year’s Fall at the Fillmore campaign will feature unique branding concepts and posters designed by local artists, highlighting the slate of shows happening over the coming months. There will also be a vending machine at the venue selling stickers and temporary tattoos of the Fall on the Fillmore designs. 

On September 14, the venue will team up with Idle Hand for a special tattoo flash sale and on September 19, the Fillmore will collaborate with next door neighbor The Social Study for a special pop-up, where memorabilia will be available for purchase.

For this year’s campaign, Graham teamed up again with the multitalented Galine Tumasyan, who in addition to being a skilled artist and graphic designer, also fronts the great local shoegaze band, Seablite. Tumasyan partnered with local artists Jon Carr, Patrick Sean Gibson, and Laura Tjho for the Fall on the Fillmore designs.

Image credit: Galine Tumasyan

“I love Fall at The Fillmore – the calendar is always stacked with incredible shows, and we get a chance to branch out and partner with new friends in the community each year,” said Graham. “This year’s artwork was such a fun collaborative project, too – Galine Tumasyan was back to bring the concept to life with me, and we partnered with three other local artists (Jon Carr, Laura Tjho, & Patrick Sean Gibson) to contribute to the design, which we’ve never done before. The art wouldn’t be the same without that diversity of talent and I’m just so grateful for their gifts! And those tattoo designs by Idle Hand are amazing!”

Image credit: Galine Tumasyan

Tumasyan said the poster concept was inspired by old-school stickers and temporary tattoo vending machines from the 90s.

“What made this project especially meaningful was the collaboration with different artists in creating the stickers,” said Tumasyan. “This visual diversity brought a dynamic and authentic energy to the poster—a beautiful chaos of color and typography that we’re so excited about! I’m especially excited about this piece because it feels both nostalgic and fresh. Stickers have a universal charm—no matter your age, they spark joy—and I love the idea of creating new warm memories tied to The Fillmore in 2025.”

In Photos: “Weird Al” Yankovic at the Shoreline Amphitheater

“Weird Al” Yankovic, the ageless prankster whose song parodies still sound fresh and funny some 40 years into his career, is back out on the road this summer for his “Bigger and Weirder” tour.

Yankovic stopped by the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View on August 22 for a typically over-the-top performance. Deploying his normal assortment of outrageous costumes—each skewering pop culture touchstones from the past four decades—Yankovic proved once again that there is staying power in cheeky pun and dad hokes.

Broken Dreams Club photographer Aaron Levy-Wolins was on hand to document the zaniness that is the “Weird Al” spectacle. A gallery of photos is below, all credited to Levy-Wolins. 

Singer-Songwriter Luke Sweeney Playing His Impish New Album At 4-Star Theater on Aug. 29

Photo Credit: Ginger Fierstein

One of the lead singles on Luke Sweeney’s carnivalesque new album, “Novel Tea,” is the puckish, “Subsidize Our Rent,” a cheeky plea to support artists living in a world that is increasingly untenable for creative types.

It feels particularly prescient—not only has their vanishingly small social safety net evaporated even further by devastating federal funding cuts, but algorithmic heavy steaming services have marginalized outsider artists in favor of pop stars and nefarious AI outfits.

And although that track feels wholly of the moment, it was actually written more than five years ago—a sadly clairvoyant statement made by Sweeney that has only gained resonance in the past half-decade.

“I wrote most of these songs a long time ago, and when I went to record them a few years later, I don’t think I changed a single lyric,” said Sweeney, who will play a record release party on August 29 at the 4-Star Theater as part of Andrew St. James’ Fast Times showcase. “The experience of going back to listen to those songs was just really heightened by the current climate. I don’t want to say those songs were prophetic in any way, because I was writing from a real perspective at the time. But those conditions have just grown—I feel like we’re getting more and more crowded, while at the same time getting more and more isolated and lonely. It’s a struggle out there.”

Those are heavy themes for sure, but “Novel Tea” is anything but a bummer album—in fact it’s the exact opposite. Infused with sardonic humor, the record is an impish, picaresque journey, filled with coming-of-age stories, prankish tales and, yeah, the occasional social commentary. 

Set against all these backdrops is Sweeney’s trademark penchant for sonic exploration. Each song is a blurry mix of offbeat instrumentation and whimsical arrangements, creating a Beach Boys-inflected atmosphere that imagines what kind of ingenuity Brian Wilson could conjure with a shoestring budget. 

“A lot of guitarists will insist upon touching the guitar every day—doing the Jimi Hendrick thing of like sleeping with the instrument—and for a long time, I did that kind of thing,” said Sweeney. “But after a while, things change and you get restless with that singular focus. For this album, I was literally using child toy instruments for a lot of the demos, and Robin [MacMillian], who I worked with on this album, just rolled with it. There’s a lot of fantastic musicians out there who takes themselves very seriously, but I’m just not one of them anymore.”

Those Casio-heavy histrionics naturally imbue the album with levity, a mood Sweeney sought to create after the beautiful poignancy of his prior album, “Rishi,” which delved into the tragic death of his daughter.

“It wasn’t so much a response to “Rishi,” but it was more about going back to making a record of songs and stories that didn’t have a specific focus or dedication,” said Sweeney. “There are songs here about my life just like any other record, but the themes are obviously a lot less heavy than ‘Rishi.’”

Some of the songs on “Novel Tea” back 10 years, to when Sweeney was still living in San Francisco (he now resides in Nevada City.) Sweeney said there wasn’t a specific impetus to release the songs now, other than the desire to avoid these tracks collecting “digital dust.” He already has material written for four new albums, so he was eager to address some of his back catalog of songs.

That doesn’t mean that “Novel Tea” is a disjointed collection of odds and ends—there is an uncanny sense of coherence to the tracks, with many of the songs sweetly delving into youthful nostalgia. “Young Kids” is a buoyant synthpop treat, a breezy number filled with faux-strings and paeans to the beauty of fledgling love. “Burn’n Ambition” is a chugging power pop anthem, deftly capturing the wide-eyed wonder of being young, and
“Sum’r Nights,” is a gorgeous ballad reminiscent of the Kinks’ masterpiece, “Waterloo Sunset.” 

Album standout “Probably Me” is a Calypso-inflected chamber pop piece, in which Sweeney humorously details the multiple versions of himself, and the aforementioned “Subsidize Our Rent” has him doing his best Randy Newman impression—all rollicking piano interjection and witty vocal deliveries. The central takeaway of that song “subsidize our rents/when shit gets hard,” is so simple it’s almost koan-like, serving as a reminder again that although many of Sweeney’s subjects—young love, maturation, discovering the world—feel timeless, others are despairingly still topical.

Whether it’s something as direct and literal as a plea for housing assistance or an idea as ephemeral as the fleeting, ineffable nature of adolescence, Sweeney understands that  music is a universal language—a way of actualizing a feeling or emotion that is waiting to be discovered.

“There are things communicated in music that we’re already feeling, but we’re unable to process them until we hear that one song,” said Sweeney. “There’s a certain lyric or a melody or a beat, that just hits us in a certain way, right? All the songs on this album are very personal and I’m not trying to generalize anything. But I try to find that place where we can all feel something together. Even though this album was written year ago, I think the emotions I describe are something we’re all feeling now—maybe even more so than ever.”

Show Details:
Luke Sweeney with Mayya and Andrew St. James
Where: 4-Star Theater
When: 8 p.m., Friday, August 29
Tickets: $14, available here.

In Photos: Keshi at the Chase Center

Keshi, the talented multi-instrumentalist who infuses a unique blend of lo-fi sensibilities to his arena rock level sounds, stopped by the Chase Center last week for a headlining performance in front of thousands of fans.

 Fresh off his first Coachella performance and a triumphant two-month jaunt through Asia, the Houston-based artist (born Casey Thai Luong), has been touring nearly nonstop since the release of his 2024 album, “Requiem.”

 Broken Dreams Club photographer Aaron Levy-Wolins captured the exciting energy of the August 12 show. A gallery of photos is below, all credited to Levy-Wolins.

Broken Dreams Club Interview: Wild Pink

Wild Pink, the ambient, heartland rock outfit headed by chief songwriter John Ross, is currently touring behind their outstanding 2024 album, “Dulling the Horns,” one of the absolute best records of last year. Continuing the band’s tradition of melding quiet, hushed moments of intimacy with bold, dynamic flourishes, “Dulling the Horns” also showcased a newfound musical muscularity for the band, adding yet another exciting dimension to Wild Pink’s ever-evolving oeuvre.

After opening for MJ Lenderman at the Independent in February, Ross and company are returning to San Francisco for a headlining performance at Bottom of the Hill on Thursday with Steakhouse and Fake Your Own Death.

Broken Dreams Club recently caught up with Ross–one of the truly, truly nicest musicians around–for a Q&A session that drifted away from the more traditional interview topics: 

You guys have been basically touring nonstop for more than a year now. That is A TON of time in the van. What’s been the group’s go-to tour albums for the road?

We actually don’t really listen to stuff in the van! 

 Any podcasts make it into the regular rotation? Or are you guys strictly tunes?

Lately I’ve been listening to Otherworld. I also really love Ghost Stories For The End Of The World. 

All those miles means a whole lot of potential opportunities to eat some disgustingly glorious (or gloriously disgusting?) fast food. If Wild Pink ends up capitulating to the fast food craving, what’s your spot? If not, what kind of grub are you looking to enjoy while touring? 

If we’re in the mood, Del Taco is probably the go-to. We try to keep it pretty healthy though and hit up a Whole Foods or something in the mornings.

You’re a self-avowed Bills fan. This is a huge year for the franchise. Will they FINALLY break through this season and win the Super Bowl?

This is a question for Dan Keegan, the drummer! He’s the most devout Bills fan I’ve ever met. I think any season with Josh Allen is a shot at the Super Bowl though. 

You called Florida home for years. Has that resulted in any uncomfortable conversations about the Dolphins with your Floridian pals?

I don’t know any Dolphins fans! Only Jags fans.

Keeping on the topic of sports—you’re one of the taller indie rock heroes in the game. You ever play any hoops as a kid? 

I was on the A team in the 8th grade and played in one game for a minute or two, but that’s about it. 

Last sports question, I promise, but gotta ask about this: your former touring mate MJ Lenderman is another tall musician with a penchant for writing about basketball—who wins a one-on-one contest between you two?

I think Jake would probably kick my ass at 1 v 1 bball, but I’m trying to get him to play tennis with me.

So now you’re in New York, but you spent your childhood in the DC Area. As someone with lived experiences in all these spots, give me a couple of pluses and minuses for the Northeast, the South, and the Mid-Atlantic Coast.

The South has great air conditioning, strip malls and grocery stores. The Northeast generally has better restaurants and bars, though. The Mid-Atlantic pretty much just has Camden Yards and blue crabs. If I had to rank the three I’d say 1. North 2. South 3. Mid-Atlantic.

What was the first show you went to as a kid? Who were your favorite bands and artists growing up?

First real show I went to was at the House of Blues in Orlando, which was Primus and Incubus with Buckethead opening. Also saw Dropkick Murphys with Lars Frederickson opening there. 

The New York Times recently released their list of best movies of the 21st Century. Have you had a chance to scope out this list—if so, any thoughts? Any major omissions? (I contend they dropped the ball big time by failing to include MacGruber.)

Where’s ‘The Town’??

Ok here’s a speed round interlude for themed Wild Pink questions:

• Have you ever eaten an egg whole, and if so, how was it prepared? Nope.

• Have you ever visited Stonehenge? Yes!

• Who’s the best-ever Dracula actor? Gary Oldman. 

• What’s prettier to look at—a cloud or a mountain? One that looks like the other.

• How would you describe a Wild shade of Pink? Is it more akin to salmon? Or flamingo? Coral!

And we’re back. I know the masses have been ABSOLUTELY CLAMORING* for me to update this list of the top 100 “indie” albums I put together in 2021. When I do get around to making changes, “A Billion Little Lights” will be one of a handful of recent albums (we’re talking maybe five) that will crack the coveted top 100. Are there any albums from the past five years that would you include in your own mythical “Top 100” list? 

In no order: “Genevieve” by Fust, “Box For Buddy, Box For Star” by This is Lorelei, “Beehive Cathedral” by Joseph Decosimo, Like Richardson and Cleek Shrey, and “Appalachia Borealis” by Phil Cook

*The “masses” being my friends Scott and Johnny and “clamoring” meaning they asked me once.

You’ve been coming to this city for years. What’s your favorite thing to do in San Francisco? 

Probably going to Oracle Park or getting a Mai Tai at Li Po.

What about a favorite venue to play here?

Bottom of the Hill for sure.

And keeping on the local topic, lets end on a fun one—favorite SF band of all time?

Ohh…I guess Third Eye Blind or Dead Kennedys.

Actually, let’s end on a super wholesome note—what’s the best thing about being a dad?

Taking my baby on a walk to get morning coffee is probably one of my favorite things.

Show Details:
Wild Pink with Steakhouse and Fake Your Own Death
Where: Bottom of the Hill
When: 8 p.m., Thursday, August 14
Tickets: $20, available here.

Horsegirl and Their Thrilling, Newfound Minimalism, Coming to GAMH on August 16

Photo Credit: Ruby Faye

For years, Penelope Lowenstein, the singer-guitarist of indie rock trio Horsegirl, looked for certain markers to determine if one of the band’s shows was a success. Those signs usually came in the form of frantically dancing crowds, crashing mosh pits and high-decibel roars of approval.

However, in the wake of the band’s recent shift from precocious noise-rock practitioners to minimalist auteurs, Lowenstein has reassessed the merits of a standout performance.

“I feel like my relationship to performing has completely changed from record one to record two,” said Lowenstein. “On this new album, there are slower songs in the set, there are love songs—there is a lot of empty space in the arrangements. Now, I see couples having intimate moments in the audience, or people signing along to the words and it’s such a different feeling. We’re tapping into something much more emotional now, and that’s really wild and fun as a musician to witness.”

That “record one” cited by Lowenstein was Horsegirl’s blistering debut album, “Versions of Modern Performance,” an electrifying blast of feedback and defiant dissonance inspired by acts like Sonic Youth and Television. Recorded while the band—bassist/vocalist Nora Cheng and drummer Gigi Reece round out the trio—were still in their teens, the album garnered widespread critical plaudits and earned the group opening spots on tours for indie rock legends like Pavement and Wilco.

 The band could have easily cloned that formula for their follow-up album, but instead Horsegirl took a daring left-turn, producing a sparse, toned-down and emotionally vulnerable follow-up, this year’s excellent “Phonetics On and On.”

Lowenstein and company will bring their newly found appreciation for restraint to the Great American Music Hall on August 16, where they’ll be joined by fellow minimalist maestros Cindy, the great San Francisco outfit that toured with Horsegirl last year.

For “Phonetics On and On,” which was released in February, Horsegirl pursued negative space and withdrawn, hushed atmospherics in lieu of cranked-out guitar histrionics. Inspired by the pared-down approach of the Welsh collective Young Marble Giants, who released one legendary album, “Colossal Youth,” in 1980, Lowenstein said the group found it thrilling to peel away layers of music until only the most elemental traces remained.

“We took a long break between our albums and it wasn’t something we really verbalized going into making this record, but I think we were all in the mindset of making something super different,” said Lowenstein. “It felt really exciting to us—to create something very minimal as a three-piece. We tried to think about strange ways of using our instruments—using the guitar as a percussion piece and then letting the bass carry the melody. There were so many fun possibilities, just letting different instruments take on these unusual roles.”

The result is an entrancing collection of barebones rock—as equally visceral as the band’s voluminous debut, albeit from a different emotional register. Tracks like “In Twos” and “Julie” are masterclasses in the realm of artful absence, hinting at grand, cathartic payoffs that never arrive. “Sport Meets Sound” is a playful, loping number full of earnest, slightly offset vocal harmonies, and “Well I Know You’re Shy” is another bass-driven piece that revels in its understated approach.

Perhaps the most jarring track on the new album is its most nakedly gorgeous one—the Americana-inflected ballad, “Frontrunner.” Full of thick, Twin Peaks-esque guitar chords and cooing, plaintive vocals, the song is unlike anything in the band’s catalog and represents an exhilarating glimpse into what might lie ahead for Horsegirl.

“We’ve been getting asked a lot about that song, because it is so different for us,” said Lowenstein. “It was from the time when Nora and I lived together and I was having just a terrible day with personal heartbreak—that kind of stuff. We just stayed in the apartment all day together and wrote that song. We ended up recording it basically exactly the same way it sounded when we captured it in our phone’s voice memo function. It’s the sound of two roommates living together who also happen to be in a band.”

All members of the band are still living together, although now they are in New York—removed from their hometown of Chicago, where they were a key member of an absolutely dynamic music scene. Alongside contemporaries like Friko, Lifeguard and Sharp Pins (the former put out one of the best albums of 2024 and the latter two have produced a couple of the finest records of 2025), Horsegirl helped make the midwestern metropolis ground zero for engaging indie rock (it’s also a decidedly family affair—Lowenstein’s brother, Isaac, is the drummer for Lifeguard.)

While forever indebted to Chicago, Lowenstein said the band is excited about living in New York, a change of scenery that mirrors the band’s fresh artistic aesthetic.

“I think it was important for us to move away and find our own footing somewhere,” said Lowenstein. “We’re not teenagers anymore—we needed to find ourselves, to do our own thing. And I think we’re really embracing that right now.”

Show Details:
Horsegirl with Cindy and Godcaster
Where: Great American Music Hall
When: 8 p.m., Saturday, August 16
Tickets: $20/$25 (Sold Out!)

In Photos: Gogol Bordello at the Mountain Winery

Gogol Bordello, the enduring cabaret-punk collective led by frontman Eugene Hutz, stopped by the Mountain Winery in Saratoga on July 30 for a typically raucous and memorable performance.

 Broken Dreams Club photographer Aaron Levy-Wolins was there to document the uproarious show. A gallery of photos is below, all credited to Levy-Wolins.