LOCOMOTION: The collaborative relationship between decades-long Athens musicians Joe Rowe and George Davidson is among the most fruitful I’ve heard. Just before we broke for the holidays the pair, under the moniker Exchains, slipped out the six-song EP Bumble Breeze. Listeners will note immediately the bass-driven nature of this release. The first track, “Dial Transient Neptune,” has an unmistakable tympanic kinship with Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” and this sets up the easy slide into the steady but strong “Tone Pony Eclipse.” Of course, Davidson’s tenor saxophone takes default center stage throughout this, but is never showboat-y or extraneous. Because of my deep appreciation for the propulsive nature of most of the tracks, I’m less inclined to flip over the slower ones like “Diune Spheres of Nan” and “The Color of Grace is Surrender,” even while those are also quite strong. Judge for yourself and enjoy on your own over at exchains.bandcamp.com.
PLAN AHEAD: Word has been spreading far and wide regarding the 25th anniversary of Perpetual Groove. While technically born in Savannah, the band has been an Athens band for all intents and purposes for the overwhelming bulk of its existence. The band has two nights, Mar. 13 and 14, slated to celebrate this milestone. The shows, which will absolutely sell out, happen at The Rialto Room at Hotel Indigo with official afterparties happening at Live Wire each night. The afterparty on Mar. 13 will feature The Core playing a H.O.R.D.E. Festival revival (if you don’t know what this is, ask your grandparents), and Mar. 14 will feature Funk You and feature some Perpetual Groove members sitting in, even. This is all presented by Aubrey Entertainment, and details are available on the individual venue websites, but why bother with all that? Just head to facebook.com/AubreyEntertainmentAthensGA and pgroove.net for all your ticket needs.
CARRY THE TORCH: The four-song EP pilot by Kathoey—which is a pretty clever name, I must say—snuck out right at the beginning of last month. As the saying goes, everything old is new again, and this is no different. Delivering a chef’s portion of the raw, ecstatic catharsis of early third-wave emo (think more muscular versions of, say, Cap’n Jazz and Braid) this was the pleasant surprise of the month for me. The third song, “The Wrong Idea,” kind of plods along, but the other three tracks here just smoke. So dig ‘em at kathoey.bandcamp.com.
ORGANIC INTELLIGENCE: Preorders are open now for guitarist Shane Parish’s new album Autechre Guitar. It arrives courtesy of Palilalia Records. The 10-track album, each a solo guitar performance of a track by English electronic duo Autechre, is slated for release Feb. 27. I’ve not yet been privy to the entire recording, but suffice it to say the two tracks currently available (“Maetl” and “Eggshell”) make the case for the whole thing quite convincingly. Parish’s acoustic interpretation of this wholly electronic music is a stunning achievement by even the loosest standards and, needless to say, Parish’s standards are far from loose. There are multiple preorder options available, but the test pressings are already sold out. Find this and bookmark it via shaneparish.bandcamp.com.
STACKS O’ WAX: Pretty much only matched by Merzbow when it comes to releasing an absolute landslide of recordings over the course of life, Killick Hinds is still releasing an impossibly steady stream of music. It’s a fool’s errand to attempt to cover each one. That said, I do like to weigh in every now and again to bring his name back into the public consciousness of experimental music fans. His latest was released last week and is titled Everybody Got Said Hey To (which is about as Southern a title as it comes, IYKYK). It features 13 tracks of Hinds performing on koto and K’Harp and was recorded in a single day back on July 3, 2025. Years ago Hinds took to describing much of his work as “Appalachian Trance Metal,” and those terms taken in full concert with each other fit hand in glove whereas individually they falter. The uninitiated will hear freak folk, acoustic drones, et al. Roll up at killick.bandcamp.com.
SO ALIVE: Athens promoter Ashthrone Booking will take over Ciné on Saturday, Jan. 17 with its Stay Dead Festival. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Featured acts for this event are Nothings Working, Blue, Cash Honey, Here Be Monsters, Schmooze, Kyle Lewis Is A Boring Name, Trvy & The Enemy, Intension, Phantom Dan, Spiritless and Rosie & The Ratdogs. At advance ticket prices this is only $1.81 per band (cheap!). Doors open at 5 p.m., and music starts at 6 p.m. For tickets, please see athenscine.com/movie/stay-dead-fest.
NEW YEAR ALERT: Pretty much exactly a year ago I told y’all about Seven Fangs (Myles Carlyle). Since that time he released a full-length album, Under The Griptape. He’s returned with a new single named “Don’t Be Like This.” It’s a slowly paced acoustic number replete with echoey vocals and slight psychedelic elements. Honestly there’s just not a lot to say about it other than it’s out. That said, Carlyle can write in a few different rock-related styles, and if you’ve not heard his full-length, you might maybe want to. Find this all on Spotify.
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