BLASST 93: New York City...Again

TRACKLIST
1. The Velvet Underground - "I'm Waiting For The Man" & Oki Remix
2. Talking Heads - "This Must Be The Place"
3. Suicide - "Ghost Rider"
4. Yuka Honda - "Humming Song (Alone Together)"
5. Haruomi Hosono - "Bara to Yaju"
6. DJ Haram - "BODY COUNT"
7. Sonic Youth - "The Sprawl"
8. DNA - "Blonde Redhead"
9. T.A.Z. - II
10. Kaleidoscope - "SCORCHED EARTH"
11. Pinocchio - "BEHIND YOU"
12. Murderer - "Juicy Fruit Dream"
13. Ramones - "Bonzo Goes To Bitburg" 

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NOTES
Today's BLASST is a sound poem of sorts. It's also a day late. WOOPS. Gimme a break, I'm out and about in the world! I'm actually just in New York City again, (see BLASST #23 for my first visit), but while it may be one city, it's filled with people, food, and languages from all over the world. An "American" city in that it is a prime example of how immigrants have managed to forge lives for themselves despite oppressive living conditions, ever-ascending rent rates, and a constantly changing world surrounding them. Even the homeless people make up a key component of what this city represents: possibility. I know that sounds silly, but the way I see it, even folks who don't have a roof over their heads and walk around reeking of their own urine refuse to leave, so that has to say something about what this place means to the people that live in it. I've only been here a few days and still have another few to go, but already I'm getting both exhausted (you have to walk everywhere, who thought that up?) and comfortable in my surroundings. I can even picture myself giving the city a shot one day. When will that day come? Who knows. But I think now more than ever I have to recognize that as inevitable.

- A

BLASST 92: L@s Skagaler@s - TRACKLIST + NOTES

BLASST 92 TRACKLIST
1. The Contraceptors - "Y So Salty?" 2. Carmen Fria - "123 Fuck CPCs"
3. L@s Skagaler@s - "Cunt Love"
4. L@s Skagaler@s - "2 Tales of the Working Class"

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NOTES: As you'll hear in today's episode, L@s Skagaler@s and I have a bit of a history. The band—a political powerhouse of a ska group—first appeared on the scene in late 2012 and quickly became one of the most popular groups in the Valley, turning every show they've ever played into a massive dance party (most notably their packed debut EP release show at Yerberia Cultura in 2016). Even though I may not be the biggest fan of modern ska myself, I can still acknowledge the skill and power with which this group creates their music and how much joy it brings to their audiences. 

Along with being incredible musicians, the band is also heavily involved in local reproductive justice activism, and has become well known for their yearly Skank 4 Choice benefit shows, which raise funds for local non-profits that help provide access to abortion services for those who need it. L@s Skagaler@s have proven themselves to be a band of action, and it is with that in mind that the band returns from a hiatus to headline this year's fourth Skank 4 Choice benefit, which is happening on Saturday, May 25th at Yerberia Cultura. To further illustrate the situation at hand, members of the group have also worked together to produce an EP, Tales from the Border, featuring songs by Carmen Fría (of the Skags & formerly Caldo Frío) and new group The Contraceptors, which will be self-released at the benefit show along with a zine.

On today's episode, I sit down with the band (all 8 of them) in a tiny room and talk about their story, Tales from the Border, their departure from and return to the stage, the attack on choice that is underway in this country, and how the band plans to do something about it! 

Most heroes don't wear capes, but in this case they totally make music!

-A

BLASST 91: THE OBJECTS - TRACKLIST + NOTES

BLASST 91 TRACKLIST
1. Pinocchio - “MY TIME VOL. I”
2. El Ultimo Sueño - “El Silencio De Los Cisnes”
3. The Objects - “Taboo”
4. Wurve - “Blowout”
5. Musta Paraati - “Hyvää Yötä”
6. The Cure - “One Hundred Years (Live)”
7. The Objects - “Regression”

KBYL (Know Before You Listen): Today's conversation contains a brief story of sexual assault from 18:08-19:50. Feel free to skip past that if it may make you uncomfortable.
 
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NOTES

Today's episode brings us a conversation with two-thirds of Brownsville's leading post-punk group, The Objects. I sit down with Fernie De La Garza and Xavier Castañeda to talk about their upcoming debut LP, Playground, which the band will be releasing themselves on a run of 100 cassettes this Friday, May 17th. The album is an exhibition of the band's development over the past year into a solid post-punk unit and songwriting trio. On today's show we feature two tracks from Playground, the lead single "Taboo" and the as-of-yet unreleased cathar-tune "Regression". I've known Xavier Castañeda for a few years now, his old bands and my old bands used to play shows together somewhat often, my favorite show being the night in June of 2013 when both our bands opened for Destruction Unit when they came down to McAllen. 

From L-R: Fernando De La Garza, Xavier Castañeda. Photo by Andres Sanchez.

A note from the corrections dept: Three Rose Charm is actually from Denton/Fort Worth, TX, not Houston as I say in the episode when we're talking about how the band is going to play San La Muerte Fest. TRC are still amazing and you should absolutely listen to them and buy their new album when it's out.

Be sure to attend the band's LP release show this Friday at the Carlotta Petrina Cultural Arts Center in Brownsville which features support from Austin's Wurve (who we also play on the program), Xavier's other excellent band Cutters, McAllen's hardcore slapshot Pussyfooter, and Harlingen's noise-pop scientist Pillowsnake, who I've been trying to see for the better part of a year now. Spinning music between sets will be Small Vortex, who I am still indebted to for introducing me to the greatness that is Jun Togawa a couple years ago. The show's being put together by BAM, so you know it's gonna be all-ages, and the cover's $7. Come down and say hello! Brownsville shows are always the best.

-A

BLASST 90 - JESIKA ESPIRICUETA - TRACKLIST + NOTES

BLASST 90 TRACKLIST
1. Ranil y Su Conjunto Tropical - "Las Oleadas"
2. Hooded Fang - "Ode to Subterrania"
3. La Femme - "La Femme Ressort"
4. Archy Marshall - "Eye's Drift"
5. Broadcast - "Tender Buttons"
6. Connie Converse - "Playboy of the Western World"
7. Helado Negro - "Pais Nublado"


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NOTES:
Jesika Espiricueta is one of the most hard-working artists I've ever met. Whether to acheive her musical dreams or build a vintage clothing company from the ground up, Jesika has poured every ounce of her energy into what she does. It's a dedication that you have to respect, especially considering how much she has been able to achieve despite facing some of life's most challenging obstacles both in her work and at homel. 

In 2016 she released her first EP, Hora Mística, which I consider her creative thesis statement; both a demonstration of everything she's learned and experienced in her first four years as a musician (a lot), and a sign of dreams to come. Following a whirlwind of a weekend opening for Mitski and Helado Negro on the Texas dates of their 2017 summer tour, Jesika began work on her ambitious first full-length album, Cardboard Angel, which was released last summer. 

Today, she is working on new music while also running Trash Brat Vintage, a rapidly growing company she started at the same time she began playing music. Her vintage discoveries (which she customizes) have taken the world (literally) by storm, as we discuss in today's conversation. I've known Jesika for a long time, so this conversation was one of the more comfortable I've had on the program, and perhaps you will be able to tell. We talk about everything from music to clothes to touring and our collective journeys as fans-turned-haters of Austin's premiere corporate music festival, SXSW. I missed so many opportunities to ask about a million other things, but perhaps Jesika will return to the program at a later date, where I can do so.

Please enjoy this conversation, I sure did. 

You can listen to Jesika's music here, and buy her vintage clothes here.

- A