It’s easy to see why Capital City creative types have a chip on their shoulders. Surrounding the city are two cultural Meccas—Lafayette and New Orleans. They’ve heard it all before. “Those two cities are so much cooler,” and “Culture? What culture? In Baton Rouge?”
Yet, each year sees more and more examples of great music coming from the 225. As displayed by the following albums (listed in no particular order), Baton Rougeans have two options—complain or seek out the goods you can find any night around town. When you do the latter, you’ll be rewarded with talents who should be on your radar, not only for the great sounds they have released this year, but the potential they only seem to be hinting at.
Thou Heathen
Sludgy black metal may not be everyone’s bag. So what? Give Thou the credit it deserves. Since its inception, the band has been relentless in its pummeling riffs and touring schedule. Throughout the years, the band has built something that even tastemakers at iTunes and Pitchfork had to hear. The hard work has paid off, resulting in the band’s tightest and most focused work to date.
White Heat Fresh Meat
This four-piece band makes sunny psychedelic garage rock that would fit comfortably on a playlist full of Ty Segall, White Fence and Bass Drum of Death. White Heat’s debut EP reminds me of Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High—long-haired, loose and fun. In short, I need more than four songs of this, like, now.
Jason Martin Welcome Home
If you want modern classic rock, look no further. Jason Martin has crafted a six-song release that toes the line between hard rock heroes of the past, like ZZ Top and Thin Lizzy, and modern cats like Queens of the Stone Age and Ryan Adams.
Denton Hatcher Eucalyptus
Hatcher has soul swagger for days. His voice is something straight out of Memphis, and the sounds give a nod to legends like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. Those aren’t names you just throw around, I realize, but this is the type of record that makes you stand at attention and say, “Damn.”
Justin Garner We Only Have Forever
What a year it’s been for Justin Garner. The R&B singer keeps hustling, and the results keep getting better. We Only Have Forever is a huge statement record that should be played in the same rotation as the current crop of pop music radio kings and queens. Baton Rouge should pay attention before Garner moves on to a big-label city.
Prom Date Portraits
After years of flirting with dance music, Prom Date goes for broke on their latest release. It’s the band’s most fun/best release to date, layered with deliciously ’80s-esque beats and synths.
Kind Cousin Tremendous Hem Tremendous Hem is the kind of record that benefits from multiple spins and will have you doing double takes regularly. Allison Bohl DeHart (not from Baton Rouge, but close enough) writes tunes about jealous ex-girlfriends with epic, Ennio Morricone-like breaks. “Be Right Here” is hypnotic at first with jazz-like keys until humongous steamboat horns alter the mood. “Do You Care” one-ups Lykke Li’s throwback vibes and is an absolute stunner.
Honorable Mentions
Free Boosie! Yeah, whatever. Dude with No Name’s album Other. is the smartest hip-hop record I’ve heard this year.
Rondo Hatton doesn’t get enough credit for its instrumental surf music. Destination… Fun! is yet another example of how good this band is.
Terrible friends, gossip and catchy alternative rock make for a good cocktail on Teen Hustle’s Radio Spies.
On the Horizon
With 2014 in the rearview, 2015 promises to be another great year for local music. Here are some bands you should keep an eye on that are planning to release new music in 2015:
• Elsah
• Minos the Saint
• Listen, Earth
• Molly Taylor
• The Hitchhiker
• The Chambers
• Summer Fits
Editor’s note:One local band you might not have seen much in the pages of 225 is The Widowers. That’s mainly because the band’s founder is also our humble chief music writer, Matthew Sigur. The alt-rock band’s debut full-length, Mint Grizz, came out in October and probably deserves a place among the top local albums released this year, if Sigur wasn’t already in charge of developing that list. This collection of straight-up, no-frills rockers shines in part because of Sigur’s lyrics and delivery, as well as his economical use of sonic space in these 10 tight tracks. It’s worth your time, and that’s not just our bias talking.
Thou
