New Music Alert: A roundup of new releases from across the southern Maine music scene.
Septic Approval's new album "Apocolypse...Whenever" (Photo courtesy of Septic Approval)
By F.J. Gallagher
Party of One – Joe Sweeney
For a few minutes a couple of years ago, it seemed like the ukulele was having a pop-culture moment. They were everywhere; an inescapable dog whistle for a twee-indie aesthetic dripping with casual innocence and wide-eyed irony. But like everything in life, the moment passed, and the ukulele returned to the shelves alongside the Israel Kamakawiwoʻole records.
But Joe Sweeney, the mastermind behind the eclectic bookings at the Hair of the Pig showcases every Sunday at Portland’s Thirsty Pig, apparently didn’t get the memo. You can thank whatever deity you worship for that, because he’s just released a new record, Party of One, that’s laden with catchy little numbers whose lyrical weight transcends the ineffable irony the eye-rolling hipsters weaponized with the ukulele.
"Marsha P," for example, is a paean to the I’m-mad-as-hell-and-I’m-not-gonna-take-it-anymore stand taken by the Stonewall pioneer. "The Bagger" is a peppy little ska number that evokes the ennui of modern life with an appeal to the supermarket’s essential employee to please apply those skills to a life that’s spinning out of control.
And he’s got vinyl, which has just been made available on his Bandcamp page. Don’t sleep on this one. Party of One is a limited release, and it’s probably gonna sell out. Don’t say we never told ya.
Apocalypse … Whenever – Septic Approval
Southern Maine has a killer hardcore scene, packed with band after band doing their thing. And not to put too fine a point on it, but there’s a lot of crap out there. Three chords and a battle jacket do not a hardcore band make. It’s all about the songs.
Septic Approval understands that. These guys have been around, and they’ve seen some s*** since they came up back in 2021. With each new release, they’ve refined their sound, focusing on what works and setting aside what doesn’t. With this new one, Apocalypse … Whenever, they’ve got it firing on all cylinders.
Apocalypse … Whenever is filled with bangers, track after loud-as-hell track. 13 in all, that don’t sacrifice the tune for the attitude. Dial this one up on your playlist and strap in. Standout tracks: "Goin’ UTR Baby," "F*** That Guy."
Apocalypse … Whenever will be available on Septic Approval’s Bandcamp page and streaming on all platforms on Sept. 1, but you can get an advance copy of the CD when they play at Geno’s in Portland on Friday, Aug. 28, with Scotty Saints and the True Believers, Skum City (NYC), and Dave Strong.
"Just Like That" – Vices Inc.
Vices Inc. vocalist Eleanor Langthorne is, without a doubt, one of the best indie rock singers in Maine right now. Hell, maybe even beyond. But who you gonna believe, some basement-bound loser wannabe writing reviews in wretched obscurity, or your own ears? Check it out for yourself, because Vices Inc. dropped a new single, "Just Like That," recently, and Langthorne’s vocals are the star of the show.
Vices Inc. traffics in tuneful, hook-laden pop/punk gems, lushly produced and sumptuously presented, and "Just Like That" certainly follows suit. Langthorne’s vocals move effortlessly from breathy whisper to powerful projection over guitarist Jagger Hicks’s tightly crafted production, before she brings it home in the upper registers as the tune comes to a close. It’s a helluva trip, well worth taking.
Just Like That is available only on the streaming channels at the moment, but Vices Inc. will be live at Porchfest in Portland on Sunday, Sept. 13, and at the All Roads Music Festival in Belfast on Oct. 17.
"Domino" – Isaac Raven
Perhaps you caught Portland’s dreampop/shoegaze rocker Isaac Raven tearing it up at one of his many gigs on the southern Maine scene over the summer. He and his eponymous four-piece combo have emerged as a consistently killer live act, and the set they turned in at the Resurgam Fest back in June was a stunner. Now he’s got a recorded release that does justice to the power of his live show.
"Domino," available as a digital download on the band’s Bandcamp page, starts off with an angular, syncopated guitar riff that sets up Raven’s plaintive vocals before giving way to a wall of sound on the catchy chorus. The approach may not be groundbreaking, but it sure as hell works. Give it a download; odds are, it’ll end up in heavy rotation.
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