This Brooklyn-based duo consisting of singer and bassist Nathan Lithgow and drummer Garth MacAleavey actually have music available that's newer than this album; the pair are currently in the midst of a project whereby they're releasing a series of singles one at a time that collectively will eventually comprise the full album Ph�biac which is slated for release in 2018. In the meantime N�MADS continue to promote Ph�biac's predecessor, Free My Animal. The title is certainly apt as the post-punkers go on a feral romp here as the murky title cut devolves into a fuzzed-out freak-out so intense it sets off warning sirens. Meanwhile "Blood in the Water" rocks to a manic beat that simulates a frenzied getaway from some sort of aquatic predator, or perhaps even some type of supernatural waterborne evil. The music here generally conveys an ominous feeling but it is Lithgow's singing, always woozy and sometimes unhinged ("Disguises") that gives N�MADS their ear-catching hook. The band has a real good deal going for vinyl fans right now; get a copy of Free My Animal pressed on red vinyl for a mere $1.00 here:

All-Seeing Eyes
"Opening" b/w "Terror Plane Blues"
Herzog Recordings
Limited edition 7" numbered single

There's a real interesting backstory behind this recording from this Dayton, Kentucky (just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati) band, but first the music. "Opening" is a driving, carefree instrumental, a little bit surf and a little bit psych, loaded with reverb guitar, and a good choice for anyone in need of getting a little hopped-up from a fun and concise blast of aural energy. The flip side has a title that plays on the name of the old Robert Johnson blues saw "Terraplane Blues" but make no mistake this is not a tribute to the legendary blues man; "Terror Plane Blues," a vocal cut, rocks like a 737 skidding down the runway with no brakes. So, the backstory in a nutshell: Cincinnati has an incredible music history (King Records, studio sessions with Hank Williams) that for the most part is underrepresented as far as historic places or historical documentation available to the public, and there's a big movement on to rectify that situation. This record is the first recording that was made in the "new era" of the historic Herzog Studios space (in downtown Cincy) which is currently being revived as an open-to-the-public studio, museum, record store and music store. We will be reporting a little more in-depth on this wonderful project in a forthcoming article; until then you can keep tabs on the project and inquire about purchasing the single here.

Birdseed
Not Out of Time
Bird Records
10" EP