*** PODCAST #189 Mieke ***

    Straight up, MIEKE is a gem. This Kiwi singer/songwriter/artist/soup lord has been releasing some of the best music for years and I only found out about her this year. The excellent mixture of bedroom pop, shoegaze, noise, and acoustic guitar features some of the best vocals and lyrics I've ever heard. And it's not just me, she's amassed a loyal following, is fresh off winning the Te Tohu Kōwhiringa Tangata - People’s Choice award, and a physical release of 'Frau Eva' is in the works with my very own Softseed Music! I may have been sleep deprived during this interview, but that didn't stop us from having a rad time. Some choice things discussed: the Jim Jones tape, Pierce The Veil changing lives, doing stuff to feel like a person, the sound of a stunning orange sunset, inspiration as demotivation, crying while watching a video of yourself crying, the resurrection powers of K-Pop, entertaining Universal, losing yourself in someone else's idea of you, when "douchebag" is apt, Dave is an elitist piece of shit, the death of screamo man?, birthing Softseed Music, Mieke the Band, 'Frau Eva' and an avalanche of compliments, some insights into Wallflower, mystery merch!, farting as a genre, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Billie Holiday, Kurt Cobain, Magana, Sparkle Horse & PJ Harvey, Wisp, and Yage. Listen to podcast #189 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

MIEKE

Bandcamp

WALLFLOWER

Bandcamp

1 This Kid Needs to Turn Her Music Down
SPARKLE HORSE & PJ HARVEY "Piano Fire" (Mieke) [official music video]

WISP "Guide Light" (Dave)

2 Crying Into the Microphone

KURT COBAIN "Burn the Rain" (Mieke)

YAGE "Eyes to a Fist" (Dave)

3 Being a Little Less Self-Critical About...Everything

BILLIE HOLIDAY "Gloomy Sunday" (Mieke)

MAGANA "Paul" (Dave) [official music video]

4 Fartcore

~no music

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #189 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________

ALYVIA

Band: ALYVIA
For fans of: Atalanta, Nouveau, Bloom Dream, and Ten Thousand Leagues.
Genres: Punk / Post-Hardcore / Metallic Hardcore / Emo / Screamo / Skramz / Emo-violence

Related artists: Clay Birds and Kiowa.
Country: California U.S.A.
Years Active: 2025-present

Label(s): Self Released

     Oh shit I haven't posted in over two weeks. For shame. So here's a quickie discussing the debut five-track EP from this California four-piece that features Jack from Clay Birds and Kiowa on drums. I think the opener is the peak of the record, but all the songs have a personality, with "no crutch" beginning like an emo-violence song before sliding into epic noodles and groove, "cycle" exists as a 45-second romp through chugs and feedback, "as the glass shatters" is a dirty jam that really sinks its teeth in when it gets halfway through, and closer "grasp" is playful but constantly hints at a swelling darkness which is revealed and set loose on the listener at 1:25. Oh shit, look at me, I've skipped the opener. "malice" is fucking ace and utilizes some Maserati-esque guitar reverb across the midsection (before one helluva an ending), giving it a wicked posty feel that is an excellent side dish to the screamo main course. I would love if the band fleshed out this seesaw act more, as it really sets them apart from the crowd.

________________________________________

DISCOGRAPHY

2025 - alyvia digital EP (stream/buy/download here)

________________________________________

(2025) ALYVIA - "malice" (from 'alyvia')

https://youtu.be/7mVynyjNqhM

(2025) ALYVIA - "grasp" (from 'alyvia')

https://youtu.be/9DLce1hyAGo

(2025) ALYVIA - first live set

https://youtu.be/rcdLutQGams

________________________________________

*** PODCAST #190 Damian (Life, letterstoyou, Sadness, etc.) ***

    I've been hooked on Life since hearing "Ametic" a few years back. Since then I've been an avid Damian fan and his related projects, so when I asked him to join me on this podcast I simultaneously asked if he was the brains behind letterstoyou, to which he answered "yes" for both. So here's the podcast where I literally lose my mind and shovel out more compliments than perhaps ever before. Some things we touched on in this podcast: playing in East Avenue + RPG'97 + Border Abomination + Evocative Atmosphere + Avelyn + ser + I Will Always Remember + Trhä + Left Alone + Sadness + Life + Youreyesinmine + letterstoyou, the screamo god, work ethic at six years old, finding Dragonforce, the self-sufficient guitar, social isolation to social integration, best Baltimore band, backyard festivals, stupid spotify regulations, Dave shits his pants over letterstoyou, rhythm changes are the best, gettin' schooled on Canadian geography, perspectives on Life, back when music was elusive, On The Might Of Princes praise, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Congratulations, Expiration Date, Flora In Silence, Kiande Amedha, Thesamedeepwaterasyou, and Yarbo. Listen to podcast #190 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

LIFE

Bandcamp

LETTERSTOYOU

Bandcamp

YOUREYESINMINE

Bandcamp

SADNESS
Bandcamp

1 The Most Active and Amazing Person in the Scene
FLORA IN SILENCE "somuch of mylife thinking" (Damian)

THESAMEDEEPWATERASYOU "marsretrograde" (Dave)

2 Letterstoyou Breaks Dave's Brain

KIANDE AMEDHA "An Impossible Weight" (Damian)

YARBO "Anthem Shit" (Dave)

3 Life After Life

EXPIRATION DATE "Faye" (Damian)

4 Screamo AI and The Future

CONGRATULATIONS "Aren't You Frightened Skinny Scary Skeleton" (Dave)

~Dave

____________________________________________________________________

PODCAST #190 linked here

_____________________________________________________________________