Left of the Dial

Nic Brown is a graduate of Columbia University and the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop. He’s a professor of creative writing and the author of the novels In Every Way, Doubles, and Floodmarkers. He’s also a former (question mark) drummer whose forthcoming memoir Bang Bang Crash, out February 21st via Counterpoint, details his journey from high school student playing in the most popular band in Greensboro, NC to having a hugely popular song on the radio in the late 90s, when having a hugely popular song on the radio really seemed to mean something. He’s played with artists such as Ben Lee, Longwave, and Skeleton Key and is a founding member of the band Athenaeum. Nic joined Andrea on the podcast to talk about some of the music that forms the soundtrack to Bang Bang Crash, and of course, the book itself. 

You can (and should) pick up Bang Bang Crash now!

Bang Bang Crash Reading events (details for each here)

FEBRUARY 21 - Pendleton, SC

FEBRUARY 23 - Chapel Hill, N

MARCH 1 - Charlotte, NC

MARCH 3 - Spartanburg, SC

MARCH 6 - Iowa City, IA

MARCH 30 - Oxford, MS

Follow 

• Nic on Instagram.
• Left of the Dial on Twitter and Instagram.
• Andrea on Twitter and Instagram.

Gabby Relos is the self-described "head honcho" of New Jersey's Head Above Water Collective. She books and hosts some of the coolest DIY shows in South Jersey. Gabby also plays in a bunch of great bands, including Afloat, which Bobby Olivier at NJ.com called, "The best thing to hit Cherry Hill since Bahama Breeze opened at the mall." She joins us this week to talk about some of the bands playing Head Above Water's upcoming DIY Prom, happening March 4th at Old Post in Merchantville, New Jersey.

Get your DIY Prom tickets now!

"Slug Lord" – Ditz

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Sit Around" – Halogens

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Car Wreck" – Goalkeeper

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Fake Nice" – Afloat

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Closed Casket Material" – Regrown

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Follow:

• Head Above Water Collective.
• Left of the Dial on Twitter and Instagram.
• Andrea on Twitter and Instagram.
• Kitzy on Twitter and Instagram.

Andorra is a tried and true Philly band who’s been around for a decade. They joined us hot off the release of their newest album, Boogie Night Blues, the debut of which they celebrated right here in Philly with a show at Milkboy earlier this month. While Boogie Night Blues isn't a total departure from Andorra's prior albums, fans of the band will definitely notice a little bit of a shift in sound, and Kevin and Jordan were happy to break down what led them to make this record the way they did in the first place.

Pick up Boogie Night Blues now.

Check out Andorra's documentary.

Follow Andorra on Twitter and Instagram.

This week, we are super excited to have Screaming Females front-person Marissa Paternoster joining us to talk about Screaming Females' forthcoming album Desire Pathway, the artists playing their annual Garden Party this February, dying in New Jersey, Bart Simpson as a feeling in your heart, and so much more.

Screaming Females Garden Party is February 17th and 18th at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, and features all the artists listed below, plus a bunch more. Check out the full lineup and buy your tickets today!

Desire Pathway is due out February 17th on Don Giovanni Records. You can Pre-order and pre-save it now.

CW - Suicide is briefly discussed in this episode. Skip 15:45 - 21:15 if you'd prefer to avoid it.

Featured in this episode:

"You Were So Mad' – Nina Nastasia

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Jellyfish"– Laura Stevenson

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Vibefucker" – Gel

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

"Truth Cult" - The Bad Man

Bandcamp | Instagram

"Be Cool" - Sug Daniels

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

'Falling Out the Sky" - Armand Hammer (feat. Earl Sweatshirt)

Bandcamp | Backwoodz Studioz Twitter 

Follow:

• Screaming Females on Twitter and Instagram.
• Left of the Dial on Twitter and Instagram.
• Andrea on Twitter and Instagram.
• Kitzy on Twitter and Instagram.

When we started working on our 2022 Year End lists, Andrea quickly realized that she could have done an entire episode based on bands from Jersey who put out music last year. So that's what this is. Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of the great music that came outta the Garden State last year. Jersey seriously showed up in 2022. This episode could have been twice as long.

Slime - Pollyanna

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Soft Animal – Long Neck

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Love at Leeds – Mikey Erg

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Hell Is in Your Head – Senses Fail

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

The Rain Museum – Armor for Sleep

Shop | Twitter | Instagram

Past Lives – L.S. Dunes

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Waiting for God to Turn on the Lights - The Lower Aetna

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Becoming - Hit Like a Girl

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram | No More Dysphoria

Tickets to Franz Nicolay, Timeshares and The Tisburys at Kung Fu Necktie – 02.16

Follow us:

• Left of the Dial on Twitter and Instagram.
• Andrea on Twitter and Instagram.
• Kitzy on Twitter and Instagram.

For more Jersey-obsessing, check out Andrea's other project New Jersey Is the World

We're back with part two of our look back at 2022. This time, Kitzy's sharing some of their favorite albums that were released this year.

In Awe of Insignificance – Talker

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Finally, New - They Hate Change

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Running With the Hurricane – Camp Cope

Bandcamp | Instagram

IMPERA – Ghost

Shop | Twitter | Instagram

Death of a Cheerleader – Pom Pom Squad

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

• Devo on SNL

Nothing's Ever Fine – Oceanator

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Learning to be Happy – Kayleigh Goldsworthy

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

• Philly Rising Open Mic presented by REC Philly

Don't Know What You're in Until You're Out – Gladie

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Coming in under the wire, in this two-parter, Andrea and Kitzy are sharing their favorite music of 2022. Andrea's up first, but keep your eye out for Kitzy's episode to hear the rest!

Find links to everyone's everything below. Why not spend some of that holiday cash on some new-to-you music?

See You in Chemistry - Carly Cosgrove

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

The Great American Novel - Proper.

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Absolution - Riverby

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Dent - Signals Midwest

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Farm to Table - Bartees Strange

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

The Long Way The Slow Way - Camp Trash

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Pool KIds - Pool Kids

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

The Tisburys - Exile on Main Street

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

The Wonder Years - The Hum Goes on Forever

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Future Teens - Self Help

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Franz Nicolay - New River

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Tickets to Franz Nicolay, Timeshares and The Tisburys at Kung Fu Necktie - 02.16

Once again, we find ourselves fully inundated with so much great music, so Andrea and Jenn are sharing some recent favorites with you. There's a little something for everyone in this episode.

The City View – “The Ghost of the Living”

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Andorra – “Leather Jacket”

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

• Album release show Jan. 6th @ MilkBoy

Autumn Luz – “Heat”

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

hey, ily! – "3,2,1 Starve! (Why Do I Still Look the Same?)”

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

babyfang - "Goan Go"

Bandcamp | Twitter | Instagram

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Today's Left of the Dial guest is Dylan Gallimore, who Philly folks may be familiar with from his fantastic band Honeyjar (we’re big fans), but today he’s on the podcast to talk with us about his equally fantastic new project The Lower Aetna whose debut album Waiting For God to Turn on the Lights was released on November 4th. It's a really smart and thoughtful concept album about a family dealing with the fact that one of their members has become a deep believer in the QAnon conspiracy. Dylan shares his thoughtful perspective, taking us through the album's rotating points of view and what inspired him to begin writing it in the first place. And because–as two people from the best state in the country–they're legally required to, he and Andrea talk a bit about growing up in Jersey–specifically Dylan's idyllic upbringing in the straight-out-of-a-fairytale town of Medford Lakes.

If you're in the Philly area, go see The Lower Aetna at Kung Fu Necktie on Jan. 21.

Follow The Lower Aetna on Instagram.

Pick up Waiting for God to Turn on the Lights now.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

This week's guest, Josh Weichmann, is the artist and founder of Jawnaroo, an arts and music festival in South Jersey that debuted earlier this year. He joined Andrea to talk about the process of getting Jawnaroo up and running, making art of his own as RoseBear Arts, and to share a few songs from the bands who played Jawnaroo. There's so much cool stuff in this episode!

Keep up with Jawnaroo

Website | Instagram

RoseBear Arts

Instagram | Stickers | Etsy | TeePublic

Read Josh's comic. It's great.

Tim Reaper, A Philly Tale

Music Featured in This Episode

"Fake Nice" - Afloat

Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter

"SKADiving" - Take Today

Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter

"Royals" by Lorde - The Scotch Bonnets

Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter

"We're the Enemy" - The Ice Cold Killers

Bandcamp | Instagram

"Time Traveller" - Angelo Outlaw

Bandcamp | Instagram | Eraserhood Sound Review

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.