In 2012 Doug Kaplan and Max Allison, both members of local noise outfit Good Willsmith, launched an experimental microlabel called Hausu Mountain—maybe you remember the Reader covering the label’s killer mini fest at the Empty Bottle in January with Sam Prekop, Bitchin Bajas, and others. Anyway, last year Hausu Mountain began releasing split cassettes in its Mugen Series, where each side features a live solo performance from a drone or noise artist, recorded in one take without overdubs—the music can get pretty wild. On Tue 5/27 the label drops the second batch of Mugen Series tapes, including one that pairs Chicago’s Quicksails (aka Ben Billington) and San Francisco’s Headboggle.
Last September, Gossip Wolf mentioned that Brent Zmrhal of local bubblegum-garage duo Slushy—which also features Chris Kramer of the Lemons—was moving to Seattle. Slushy said they’d keep on rockin’ long-distance, and they’ve beaten the odds and done it—their debut LP, Pastime Gardens, was released last week via Grabbing Clouds Records on cassette and two colors of vinyl, “sea blue” and “milky clear with cyan haze.” Chicago peeps can save on shipping by having a copy hand-delivered—e-mail grabbingclouds@gmail.com.
Gossip Wolf is hooked on queercore two-piece Slurp’s Up, whose irresistibly catchy recent EP, Pop Radical, is available at the Slurp’s Up Bandcamp, bit.ly/slurpsup, for whatever you feel like paying. The band plays at Township on Mon 5/26.
Over the weekend local emo label Known Pleasure dropped a digital EP with four far-flung fourth-wave bands singing their hearts out. It’s technically free, but this wolf suggests spending a few bucks, not just to get Secoué‘s shoegaze-influenced track but also because donations benefit Texas shelter the SAAFE House (it stands for Sexual Assault & Abuse Free Environment). Download the EP at bit.ly/forway.
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