As Ripley said, “That was too short.”
The brief but potent Barry Walker Unit tour of the PNW is over, but our skulls, cymbals, and strings will continue ringing for a long time. Thanks to all the lovely folks who came to join us and bless the ghost of Whitson who guided us along the invisible path!
Video: @yeschester
Brief but butter-braised @animalsurrender tour has come and gone… deepest thanks to all who sheltered and attended, hosted and offended! See you next time… not pictured but deeply treasured nonetheless: @michaelslyneisnttheonlydreamer
Announcing the release of Gray/Smith’s Heels in the Aisle. Available this October - Preorder through the link in the bio…
The sophomore effort from Gray/Smith refines their petroleum-based, hard-lullaby sound with a decidedly dusty precision. Formed in the outer-edges of Kings and Richmond counties circa 2020, Gray/Smith is something of an East-coast involution. L. Gray (guitar and vocals) and Rob Smith (drums, guitar and vocals) are both trusty veterans of “band’s bands” like Pigeons, No-Neck Blues Band, Rhyton, and the Suntanama, freewheeling groups known for mining from polyglot sources: rough-hewn folk and the spiritual avant-garde, bargain-bin hard rock and and collector’s-choice psychedelia alike. On their first, self-released LP Gray/Smith, serendipitously recorded at Gary’s Electric at the top of 2021, the pair trained their assured chops onto the great American song-form, honing a murky but tight approach that variously cribs “urban cowboy” and finger-picked primitivism.
To call this pair’s brand of country-rock détournement “cosmic” would be too breezy: L. Gray and Rob Smith prefer to stare into sunken depths, channeling their recondite affections for lay-by mauve zones and red-dirt guitar wanderings. Heels in the Aisle is the slipshod, burnt-out, mid-’70s unter-prog comedown to their debut’s backwoods, bushy-tailed, early-’70s, country-rock meanderings. For fans of Meat Puppets, Ronnie Milsap, Traffic’s John Barleycorn Must Die, the oceanic ebullience of the sacred, and the salty tang of the profane.
Gray/Smith is beyond thrilled to share the stage tonight with our friend @damejosephinefoster and the incredible Louise Landes Levi @_fouroneone_ and @blankforms_ have come together to make this very special night happen. If you don’t have a ticket it sounds like they will make some more available at the door, but otherwise we are sold out! I hope to see you there!
Hopkinson Smith is one of the most important musicians in my adult life, and I have to thank @williamgongine for putting this incredible night together in Amherst.
Getting to hear his intimate and mesmerizing concert from the front row was crazy enough, but when he turned to me after the show and said “where can we go grab some beers?” Wow. Hanging tough with Hoppy and @pigeonsband@williamgongine@northernroutes was a life highlight. Who knew his first love was bluegrass? Unbelievable.
Hey y’all!
Bandcamp Friday strikes again!
If you haven’t handed yourself, a friend or an enemy a copy of our self-released Gray/Smith debut, today would be a damned fine day to do it, as all the proceeds go straight to the artists themselves, aka Us!
Follow the link in the bio and thanks to all of y’all who’ve supported us already! It means the most.
Family photo by @weirdwolf_nyc
Joyous Night! @jordanmcasteel & @david_schulze_studio together forever! Love under the tent, so many fancy friends and food, thank you both for sharing it all. #castulze
