Material Girls (Record Release Show)
"Not much information exists about recently-formed Atlanta band Material Girls, and the group likes it that way. The six-piece outfit featuring members of Slang, Concord America and Chief Scout debuted in late 2016 with just 33 copies of a lathe cut 7-inch record, sharing only one song online via a conspicuously sparse Soundcloud channel. The first single, “Drained,” tantalized with spooky sleigh bells, jangly piano, braying horns, and deep, moody vocals reminiscent of Ariel Pink and Leonard Cohen. It was a promising track, and for listeners left wanting more, there was almost nothing to be found. Today Material Girls tease the internet a bit more, releasing the B-side of the record with CL’s premiere of “Tightrope.” Though the dark vocals and signature trumpets and saxophones remain, the song reveals a jauntier and more sardonic tone. The energetic bass and spoken-word lyrics (“I ask for advice / I fuck it up twice”) evoke influences ranging from the Talking Heads to Ought."
https://soundcloud.com/materialgirlsusa

Omni
"Omni - the band, not the hotel - are from the former home of the Braves: Atlanta.  Playing lo-fi pop that channels the spectre of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Omni brings you back to an era where any sane person was reeling from the unfulfilled promise of the Space Age and Age of Aquarius bleeding into the looming threat of "Morning in America.” Omni distills the buzz and grit that snakes through the best of Television, Devo, and Pylon into surprisingly danceable, hook-laden slabs of raw, angular, sonic bliss. It’s still the summer of '78, and pushing the roots of rock & roll to its limits remains in vogue. "Deluxe" serves as a fresh reminder that rock music can work outside of blues rooted, formulaic progressions without playing it safe behind a wall of effects.  Arty enough to impress record enthusiasts, yet melodically attractive enough to transcend to those who’ve never asked: “’Sister Midnight’ or ‘Red Money’?”
https://www.facebook.com/omniatl/
https://omniatl.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/omni-band
https://twitter.com/omniatl

Jock Gang
"Atlanta foursome Jock Gang describe themselves as harsh art rock. This is both accurate yet eye-roll inducing, if only because such a categorization usually results in ponderous revisionism or unengaging noise. On their self-titled debut, the band avoids either extreme, mostly due to the wild diversity of tracks which defy comparison. The four-piece is a collaboration between guitarist Jonathan Merenivitch (Shepherds), drummer Adrian Switon (Shepherds, Bataille), bassist Kimberly Drew, and guitarist/vocalist Jared Collins, and while the careful listener can hear hints of both Shepherds and Bataille, this is a completely different animal from either of those groups. Out of the eight tracks, no two sound similar. Some drown the listener in stagnant lo-fi oceans while others cut through with brutal clarity. For the most part, Merenivitch discards his usual vintage hooks in favor of dissonant minimalism and quavering soundscapes. “They Vacation,” one of the strongest tracks on the record, is a pop song twisted inside out and deconstructed to the point that even the chromatic scale is unable to cope. On the other hand, “Tell Me About It” is a beautifully simple pastiche of dark psychedelia. The track was recently chosen for Danger Mouse’s first compilation for his new label 30th Century Records, so expect Jock Gang to start making waves soon. Less linear than their live performances, the record is filled with minute flourishes and idiosyncrasies which peek from beneath reverb and establish Jock Gang as a project more than as a band. Sure, anyone could make comparisons to Suicide, Bauhaus, or even David Lynch, but there is a willingness to experiment here that is so far from pretension, it might even be considered fun — albeit some pretty depressing fun." -Immersive Atlanta
https://www.facebook.com/Jockgangband/
https://jock-gang.bandcamp.com/

Deep State
"Take Deep State, toiling under the low lights of Athens, making some of the best, pure-bent, rock joy heard in a generation in their crook neck portion of the east coast. Power, volume, transition, and then suddenly, they’re here: one of your new favorite bands, wearing out the motor on your turntable. Deep State formed in Athens, Georgia not so long ago. Friends from bands, college, restaurant jobs — is there any other way this is done? Ryan was getting a master’s degree in guitar performance. Taylor wanted to form an aggressive/cathartic/punk band that was undeniably catchy. Melodies were floating around constantly in Taylor’s head until the noise became too much. He asked his friends for a hand fleshing out his ideas, and lo and behold, everything meshed in a beautiful way. The songs finished themselves. As the band tells it, Ryan, Michael, and Christian are the pros, and the most amateur musician in the band fronts it. A memorable, moment-producing formula. Athens, Georgia. Just saying those words references several chapters in the music history annals, and many of those tales rattle around in the brain of Deep State. Influences stacked like pennies on the dash of the tour van: Albert Camus, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen, Bent Outta Shape, Pride & Prejudice, dogs, cats, Silver Jews, NFL Football, State Champion, Devo, Harold Pinter, thousands and thousands of things, Blinky Palermo, myths. So much to answer for. Seated front to back on any given day, and given to bouts of lively conversation (trust us): Taylor Chmura (guitar, vocals), Christian Deroeck (bass), Michael Gonzalez (drums) and Ryan Gray Moore (guitar). Ideas abound, the list grows. And the best part? They’re just getting started. When searching for metaphors, forgo the thesaurus, and try these on for size: driving guitars, drums and bass, all competing for attention, while a singer describes affecting life events, whether it’s drunks in a bar or losing yourself in a guilty pleasure record. Deep State knows there’s a vapor trail of goodness that’s been spread across the planet, so there’s the challenge. Follow it. Do it."
https://www.facebook.com/deepstatega/
https://deepstate.bandcamp.com/

Soft Option
(Nashville, TN)

Glare
"On their debut single, Atlanta trio Glare stick to post-punk orthodoxy while twisting their penchant for the morose into a three-minute slab of ferocity. The thunderous track invokes the smog-covered alleys and dingy clubs of late ’70s London, but the band focuses the energy of “Cult of Culture” by deconstructing modern pop sensibilities and embracing latent punk aggression. Vocalist and guitarist Rachel Pagillo delivers each line with all the confidence of Siouxsie Sioux. She cleverly toys with dynamics, swaggering over a pounding bassline with a vibrancy occasionally lost in the band’s guitar-laden live performances. Give its title and dark, brooding aesthetic, “Cult of Culture” may seem like a pastiche of early post-punk. But though the band has an obvious knack for distilling a wide range of influences into a single, they never resort to anything as predictable as Joy Division hero worship. The end result is both energetic and unsettling." – Immersive Atlanta
https://www.facebook.com/glareatl/