· Acclaimed Indie Rock band Wussy is preparing to record its follow-up to last year's Left For Dead, which received gushing reviews from Rolling Stone, Spin and numerous other press outlets. Singer/guitarist Lisa Walker says the band will play its last local show before heading into the studio this Saturday at the York Street Café in Newport, where they will test-drive some of the new material.
"We wanted to try out some of the brand-new stuff for the Cincinnati folk before committing them to tape," Walker says.
Saturday's show will feature support from Louisville's Second Story Man and Boston's Chris Brokaw, a "frequent travel partner" of Wussy's whose résumé includes the bands Codeine and Come, as well as collaborations with Evan Dando and Thurston Moore.
Wussy is also preparing another EP release to appease fans until the new full-length is ready. On July 26 at the Northside Tavern, the band will release an "official" version of its Rigor Mortis EP. The disc was originally self-released by the band last year and featured a few live tracks, an unreleased studio track and a cover of The Afghan Whigs' "Retarded." The new version — to be released by the band's label home, local imprint Shake It — will be expanded, with three non-album studio cuts and more live tracks, but no Whigs cover this time. (wussymusic.com)
· Crafty Jazz/Hip Hop group IsWhat?! is heading back to Europe shortly. The duo will do several tour dates with Jazz great Archie Shepp and French singer Fabienne Audeoud this summer.
Frontman Napoleon Maddox will also be performing with several other projects overseas this year — he'll do a residency with pianist Bojan Z at Festival Rio Loco in Toulouse, France, and several dates with Avant Jazz ensemble Sotto Voce.
Before leaving, IsWhat?! presents a free "tour kick-off" show at Baba Budan's in Clifton Wednesday. Sky Vivella and DJ Apryl Reign join the group for the 9 p.m. show. Maddox will also sit in with Andrea Cefalo and Billy Larkin this weekend — Thursday, they'll perform at the Taft Museum at 7 p.m.; Friday, they're at Beluga in Hyde Park at 8:30 p.m.
IsWhat?! promises "tasty treats" in the form of free music at the Baba Budan's show. In the meantime, head to myspace.com/iswhatsince1997 to download several free tracks, including a "Soul" remix of the title cut from their last album, The Life We Chose.
· Punk band Clause 83 — which harkens back to the ragged glory of the genre's roots, not the auto-tuned whininess of today — hosts a CD release show this Saturday at Baba Budan's. The disc, Frustration, Insomnia, and the New Police State, will be available. Meeoow Motherfucker and Dayton's My Latex Brain will join the band for the free 9:30 p.m. show. (myspace.com/clause83)
· Another benefit show for seriously injured local musician Chris Walker takes place Saturday at the Sandbar at the Four Seasons Marina on Kellogg Avenue, near the Lunken Airport. The all-day show starts at 4 p.m. and will feature music from Super-Massive, Da Muttss, Marvin and the Experience, the Elliott Ruther Trio, Jeremy Springer from the Sundresses, The Newbees and several others. Go to myspace.com/friendsforchriswalker for full details.
Contact Mike Breen: [email protected]
