Pinky Lemon, Pinky Hell
Pinky Lemon’s Pinky Hell is over long before you can get tired of that much pink. The six-song EP, which came out June 27, avoids what most every shoegaze and shoegaze-adjacent band does by wrapping things up quickly. Every track is under 4 minutes, 35 seconds long, most songs are near the 3-minute mark, and each has the potential to be twice as long. The “long” song on the record is actually two songs that share a track. There’s no fat on Pinky Hell, which is impressive considering who this five-piece may be inspired by. There are major Beach House vibes with some “Minerva”-era Deftones sprinkled in for good guitar measure. “I MIL” has a lot in common with acts like Tanukichan and SASAMI—both of whom would pair well with Pinky Lemon on a shared bill. But we’re not in My Bloody Valentine-inspired territory—it’s more reminiscent of Gish-era Smashing Pumpkins. (There are also some jungle and drum and bass-inspired interludes that break up the shoegaze.) All of those aforementioned acts like to play it loud and long. Pinky Lemon have nailed the ethos of the genre without getting into the more flights of fancy. This very quick EP does not sound like the past, instead it sounds like a group of musicians who spent a lot of time thinking about how to manipulate drums, guitar, and vocals into something wholly their own. Pinky Lemon’s 2022 self-titled LP highlighted some of the better aspects of the band. This EP delivers on those aspects. It’ll be great to hear what they do on their next full-length. Pinky Lemon open for Silver Spring act Eyefish Ink at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 at Songbyrd. $15–$18. —Brandon Wetherbee
Bed Maker, Bed Maker
Formed in 2019, Bed Maker are the perfect example of what can happen when elements of various D.C. bands come together to form their own powerhouse project. Bassist Arthur Noll and drummer Vin Novara (both from Alarms & Controls), guitarist Jeff Barsky (Insect Factory, Time Is Fire), and lead singer Amanda MacKaye (Desiderata, Routineers) began laying the groundwork for their eponymous debut album before the pandemic. Recorded at Inner Ear Studios and released May 31 via Dischord Records, Bed Maker is quintessential D.C. punk: zero frills and straight to the point. MacKaye recently described the process to the One Life One Chance Podcast with Toby Morse as “very 1987.” In the opening track, “Two Left Feet,” MacKaye calls for a “rally cry” that’s “sure to kick your teeth in.” (Pass me my Docs.) This rally cry and album is as much a wake-up call to young’uns testing out their punk legs as it is a reminder to older punks who may have lost their way. “If you think about people who follow the societal path that has been documented in countless punk songs,” MacKaye told Morse. “Graduate from college. Get married to somebody. Have two kids. Get a house. Then you turn 60 and you retire and then you slow down cause that’s what society says … Fuck a bunch of that noise.” MacKaye’s raw, unadulterated delivery contains all the passion and rage of a 1980s D.C. punk who happens to be dealing with life in 2024. “Fool’s Errand” finds MacKaye lamenting the busyness of life with “And all these fucking hours/ I can’t find what’s mine/ As long as I’m awake I never have the time.” Preach, sister. The trio of Noll, Novara, and Barsky lay down far more than your standard three-chords-and-a-dream fare throughout the album as MacKaye’s vocals tear all of the songs’ lyrics to shreds. While the 32-minute run time of their debut is short, it’s hardly sweet and instead packs a much-needed wallop that is much more than a bunch of noise. Bed Maker play with Kid Congo Powers at 8 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the Black Cat. $20. —Christina Smart
Pretty Bitter and Flowerbomb, Take Me Out
Back in February, two of D.C.’s most prolific bands joined forces in Chicago. The result is Take Me Out, a split EP from Pretty Bitter and Flowerbomb that drops on Aug. 1. The five-track EP—two songs from Pretty Bitter, two from Flowerbomb, and the collaborative title track—swings from indie rock to dream pop in an enjoyable and jive-able package. Pretty Bitter’s “Never Better” opens the split with the band’s shiny pop sensibilities. Em Bleker’s singsongy meets spoken-word vocals drive the track alongside a danceable drumbeat from Jason Hayes. The song contemplates moving on from a breakup with a sing-along chorus: “Baby, I needed more/ It’s not either of our faults,” and an equally catchy refrain, “If I saw you on the street/ I’d give you directions/ It’s no difference to me.” The Flowerbomb track “Nothing To Do With Me” follows, pulling the EP closer to a more cut-and-dried indie rock sound with its fuzzy, driving guitar riffs more suited for head-banging than bopping around the dance floor. Rachel Kline’s vocals channel the women of ’90s alt rock—throaty and powerful, brimming with attitude reminiscent of Alanis Morissette or Shirley Manson. As you might expect, the third song, “youbuiltafinelife,” comes from Pretty Bitter, the fourth, “I Always Knew,” from Flowerbomb. The sounds of the two bands blend best on these tracks, melding their shared genres from heart-on-sleeve emo to lush dream pop. The closing collaborative track, “Take Me Out,” centers Pretty Bitter’s upbeat pop, but the recurring guitar riff gives the song an unexpected—and very appealing—twang that’s everything I didn’t know I wanted. Flowerbomb and Pretty Bitter fit so well together, it’s near impossible to tell which band member is contributing what. Bits and pieces of tracks carry some of that unpolished DIY feel—there’s a little too much ’90s video game-esque synth in “I Always Knew,” but then it finds its footing when the guitar and drums power into the song just over the minute mark; the funky bass line in “youbuiltafinelife” sometimes feels mismatched with Bleker’s truly hypnotic voice and the darker undertones filling the second half of the song. Still, taken as a whole, Take Me Out demonstrates the type of growth in songwriting and finished product that only comes from years working together as a band. On first listen, Take Me Out is a fun summer release, but keep it on repeat and you’ll get lost in the music as the songs get stuck in your head. And that’s OK, they’re worthy of staying there. Pretty Bitter and Flowerbomb’s EP release show starts at 8 p.m on Aug. 9 at the Black Cat. $20. —Sarah Marloff
Juliet Lloyd, “Sorry Now”
Gaithersburg singer-songwriter Juliet Lloyd’s second single, “Sorry Now,” from her forthcoming album, is an introspective take on the aftermath of her divorce. With a blend of folk and pop elements, the song delves into moments of vulnerability and self-examination following the dissolution of her marriage. The house has already been emptied, the belongings divided, the boxes moved into two distinct homes, and our singer is just coming to a larger epiphany. “You were one of the good ones,” she laments, and then she does the grown-up thing and apologizes for past hurts and mistakes: “I wasn’t sorry then, but I’m sorry now.” In the first two verses, as Lloyd catalogs the broken household goods shoved into boxes, the divvying up of knife sets, photo frames, and mattresses, an inventory of the relationship outlines the emotional baggage of starting over. The production of the song, helmed by Todd Wright—who also plays bass, guitars, and synths—adds layers with lush strings, courtesy of David Henry, Steve Quintilian’s plaintive guitar, and Lloyd’s airy vocals. Following “Pretty,” the first single—a cautionary fairy tale about falling for a dashing villain—Lloyd’s evocative storytelling and raw honesty makes “Sorry Now,” released June 7, a captivating preview of Carnival, which will be released this fall. As a seasoned artist on the mid-Atlantic folk scene, the multiple Wammie nominee will be touring extensively in the area with upcoming shows listed on her website. “Sorry Now” is available on all streaming platforms. Lloyd and her band play the Montgomery County Parks Summer Concert Series at 6 p.m. on July 25 at Cabin John Regional Park; and the Bethesda Summer Concert Series at 6 p.m. on July 26 at the corner of Norfolk & St. Elmo Avenues in Bethesda. julietlloyd.com. —Colleen Kennedy
Cuni, “Misato”
Cuni, a tight four-piece that pulls from every electric guitar-based wave of emotional music, wave their emo flag proudly. They should. The band describe “Misasto,” the first single from their forthcoming LP, Prescribed Burn, out mid-September, as their “attempt to make an anime OST, the kind of song you’d see in the background of an early 2000s AMV, channeling equal parts of emo, American post-hardcore, and J-rock.” It’s not a bad description. The early 2000s sound is there with a bit of Taking Back Sunday meets Coheed and Cambria guitar play throughout the nearly four-minute jam. There’s some slightly older emo bleeding through too, with an instrumental line that feels like a nod to Sunny Day Real Estate. For better or worse, this should please fans of Brand New without any of the emotional baggage of listening to Brand New. This first taste from their upcoming record shows growth from earlier singles. The musicianship is tighter and the songwriting is more adventurous. There’s nothing wrong with their earlier stuff, especially 2023’s single “didymus,” but “Misato,” released on June 28, sounds more mature, even if the lyrical content is revisiting the same types of subjects (in 2023 it was about hanging by a noose, in 2024 it’s about drinking gasoline, different sounds, same end result). Jared Cunanan (vocals and rhythm guitar), Lucas Kirby (drums), Aaron Millison (lead guitar), and Franklin Parada (bass) have tightened their act and expanded their sound. Cuni play in Baltimore at 8 p.m. on Aug. 15 at the Undercroft. —Brandon Wetherbee
Other recent releases on our radar:
On June 13, the aforementioned Flowerbomb released the follow-up to their January EP, Gloom Scroll, Vol 1, with Vol. 2.