Take a listen to these new releases
Aslew of new releases from local artists have hit, or are about to hit, major streaming platforms.
Even though these songs can be enjoyed on sites like YouTube, Spotify and iTunes, if you’d like to purchase them do so through bandcamp. com — when available — where the artists will receive the greatest compensation.
Indigo Hush, aka musician Scott Roberts, will release its latest single “Clever” on June 9.
This uptempo shoegazer (a musical subgenre) is a collaboration with singer Faith Angeles (who is gaining some impressive momentum of her own lately). The driving guitars growl and shimmer over bouncy, new wave drums and Roberts’ and Angeles’ voices intermingling seamlessly to great effect.
Lyrically, both singers take turns telling the time-worn tale of two people looking at the end of their relationship with both seething resentment and wistful, doomed hope who unite on the delusional realization, “It’s too late for now, but things could get better ...”
Caution: There is some minor explicit language.
Indigo Hush’s 2022 EP “Waiting” is also recommended to fans of wellcrafted blasts of indie pop.
Matt Salkeld is another talented multi-instrumentalist with an impressive penchant for quality with his projects, whether as an acoustic punk solo act or as a sideman like his time drumming with post-hardcore outfit If It Kills You.
Salkeld is definitely an artist who follows his muse wherever it takes him and with his latest project, Hooves, Salkeld has taken the reins and created a song — pretty much single-handedly — that’s both an artistic evolution sonically as well as a statement of purpose, integrity and craft.
The song, “W.K.W.W.A.” (We Know Who We Are) is an adrenaline shot of melodic punk rock with one heck of an outro where Salkeld performs a haunting cello melody on an Alesis MIDI keyboard.
“I recorded the whole thing in my apartment,” Salkeld said.
Salkeld sings in a gritty, high-end register here like Axl Rose, Jason Shevchuk from Kid Dynamite or Chester Bennington that cuts like a buzzsaw. The guitars are crunchy and razor-sharp but never get in the way of the mix, courtesy of Daniel Bubert who mixed the song at Maple Sound Studios in Santa Ana. The song was mastered by Brandon Fitzgerald and the vocals recorded locally by Justin Martin at The Noise Feed. The album art was created by Raul Gallardo.
“I played the music, whatever, but a lot of people put their time and energy into this song, and I try to give credit where credit is due,” Salkeld said.
Salkeld’s barometer for quality control is intertwined with his integrity. His entire identity as an artist depends on it. It isn’t just about putting out the best possible release or getting the best possible sounds, it’s about adhering to and achieving one fundamental tenet that all musicians should foster.
“More than anything, and I’ve always said this, is (that) I just care about the song. That’s it. That’s the most important thing to me is making the song as good as it can be,” Salkeld said.
“There’s a lot of stuff I want to say these days and I’m trying to put out there what it is I believe and feel passionate about and put it into a song and try to wrap it all up neat and nice.”
The best way to find the song in a sea of other acts with the same name is to type in “Hooves” and the acronym song title (with or without periods). Note: This release also features explicit language.
Singer-guitarist Andrew Tallent might be better known to local audiences by his stage name Andrew Royalty, were he performed solo or with his group the Penny Royalties. His cover of America’s “Horse With No Name” was a favorite.
He moved to Colorado a few years back and established himself there but will return to Bakersfield to perform Friday at 2nd Phase Brewing, 1004 19th St.
His band, Circles We Draw, will release its latest single “Endless Pathways” on June 16.
Its upcoming EP will be released in October and Tallent’s solo album, “Sacrificing Mental Stability For Your Art,” will be out in November. His free solo performance at 7 p.m. Friday will promote that solo release as well as his record label, Kinda Vague Records.
“The Long Way Home,” the latest single by Monty Byrom, is actually a holdover from his early 1990s Big House days, co-written with Big House bandmate David Neuhauser.
It has all the elements of a Monty Byrom song: soulful vocals, interesting harmonies and chord voicings, a rock solid rhythm section — as well as some fleet-fingered playing by bassist Gary Rink — and some impressive solo guitar work. Byrom also released the ballad “It’s Love” in March.
Lastly, irreverent punk act Latest Regret will release the first single off of its upcoming album released by Phantom Stranger Records on Friday.
The galloping “FOMO” (caution: explicit language) is recommended for fans of supercharged 1990s punk ala NOFX, Lagwagon and No Use For A Name. Their album release will be at 6 p.m. June 30 at Narducci’s Cafe, 622 E. 21st St. A music video will be filmed for “FOMO” at 3 p.m. June 25 at Jerry’s Pizza, 1817 Chester Ave. Admission for the release party is $5 and both shows are all ages.
CESAREO’S PICK ■ Tehachapi Winery Summer Mini Music Fest,
noon June 10, Tehachapi Winery, 22136 Bailey Road. $40, $60 VIP; tickets at eventbrite.com or call 661-821-9587.
Tehachapi Winery has been hosting live music every weekend for a good while now, keeping many Bakersfield original and cover acts employed in the process.
On June 10, the little winery that could will be trying something new: a music festival.
While the scope of the event seems to be bigger, the heart behind it will be much the same as the one beating with their usual weekend concerts. Dub Seeds, Caleb Henry and the Customs, and American Mile will perform at the outdoor festival. Marlon Mackey, from local band Tonight We Are, will DJ in between sets and host his own dance party after the bands are done at 7 p.m. up to the festival’s end at 8 p.m.
The tickets, before fees, are $40 for general admission or $60 for an upgraded VIP ticket, which includes VIP parking, VIP seating, access to a VIP lounge inside the winery and a complimentary glass. Honestly, the VIP upgrade sounds worth it, especially if you’re of a certain age that values comfort and convenience.
Food trucks and vendors will be on site.
If you’re looking for something interesting to do next weekend, you can do worse than a nice trip up Highway 58 to catch some fresh mountain air (and cooler temperatures) watching some entertaining live music.