Greg Antista and the Lonely Streets- Tombstones in Their Eyes- F8TLSTK
We find new music from Greg Antista and the Lonely Streets, Tombstones in Their Eyes and F8TLSTK rising to the top of the RockPile this time out.
Greg Antista and the Lonely Streets - Under the Neon Heat
This sophomore release from Greg Antista sees a new edition to his band as Frank Agnew, former member of the Adolescents, has signed on with the Lonely Streets as lead guitarist. And Agnew's guitar is the first thing you hear on album opener "Down on Commonwealth," a punky power pop number with a title that references the nascent days of the Fullerton, CA punk scene and how it was rife with police brutality. The cut is bright and upbeat though as surprisingly is the very catchy "Tijuana Jail" with its lyrics about handcuffs and pepper spray and "cold beans and rice today." "One More Mistake" rocks with a bit of an Americana feel while "Together Tonight" is a speedy punk rocker that looks forward to a perfect evening on stage with the band that is also a fitting anthem for friends riding out troubling times. "Unfinished Business" begins as an acoustic number; the band kicks in to rock out, complete with a mid-song solo from Agnew, as Antista sings about a pair of lifelong buddies sticking together "until the bitter end." Hardcore Warren Zevon fans may have a fit over the band's take on Zevon's "Carmelita," with lyrics rewritten by the band's bass man Warren Renfrow, but "Carmelita (Warren Does Warren)" is funny, sticks to the original arrangement, and is in actuality a nice homage to the late singer. Out July 16.
Tombstones in Their Eyes - Looking for a Light
It's only fitting in this time of pandemic that an album called
Looking for a Light should begin with a song called "Quarantine Blues." Consisting mostly of front man John Treanor singing "quarantine blues" repeatedly over a droning music bed, the dissonant cut mimics the mental anguish we all endure while awaiting that light at the end of the tunnel. A sense of being lost is sort of a theme here; "Ship on the Sea" moves to a loping beat with a lo-fi melody that makes it seem like the ship is slogging through an impenetrable fog, "Maze" is about dealing with mental confusion and self-doubt and similarly the title cut is about trying to find a savior amongst the agony. "Hey" on the other hand recalls one of Neil Young and Crazy Horse's fuzzed-out anthems, with the subject matter being easier to relate to; it is about desire for a particular lover, maybe or maybe not unrequited. This eight song set will especially appeal to those who like psych-tinged desert rock and stoner rock.
F8TLSTK - Obsession
Fans will notice on this album's opening track "Open Up," where F8TLSTK speaks the intro that he sounds a lot like Iggy Pop. With a poppier sound than Iggy though, the cut rocks with only a hint of punk. F8TLSTK is a one-man band, working here with guitar, keys and drums in lo-fi and with incredibly catchy hooks on songs like "Cherry Pop," the New Wave-ish "First is Last" and the funky "Shiny Pearl." "Under a Hex" is a bit of a departure where the instruments purposely are at odds with each other; though not done in a T. Rex style, the song serves as an outre homage to that band. The title cut is super danceable as is the disco era-referencing "I'm Fine" while "Hemophiliac" is again Iggy-esque, if Iggy were into electronic dance music. This entirely self-composed set closes with the effects-laden "Beast of Babylon;" it is, if you will, F8TLSTK gone dub.
