New decade. Out with the old. If you’ve been following TRIPLE THREAT for the past several years, you’ll know the former intro lost whatever luster is had some time ago. But coming up with something new every week is a significant commitment, not to mention that it defeats the purpose of the column; the focus should be on the songs. But we did want to take the opportunity to make sure new readers understand what this particular feature is about in order to encourage them to keep coming back. After all, TT was created to provide a quick entry point into the local music scene for newcomers or for those who might be too busy to keep up with all the day-to-day activity that goes on. It’s simply a highlight of some of the best music we heard over the past week. So while this intro might change more often moving forward, the format, as always, will remain the same: three songs, some words, and we out. Enjoy.
Nag – “Future”
From the EP, Red Panda
The transition between the 2019 holidays and the beginning of 2020 has been as bizarre as it seems to be every year. Life and the pressures which entangle it has been rebirthed by yet another revolution of the Earth, and despite our celebrations and resolutions, we carry the baggage of the past forever no matter how many NYE parties we attend. It’s helpful then, as we return to the cycles which bind us to ourselves, to have a soundtrack that captures the moment while allowing hints of catharsis. Enter Nag’s new track “Future.”
The future will always be a strange confluence of the unknown with the same ‘ol shit, a fact which is in turns comforting, numbing, and maddening. Taken from their recent EP Red Panda, “Future” features the return of founding drummer Ryan Fetter and focuses on the unknown aspects of an eternal tomorrow. Like many (all) Nag tracks, “Future” relies on an unrelenting drip of caustic tension that sizzles and burns through tightly wound melodies and clattering drums. It’s more lo-fi than previous releases, but the grimy sound doesn’t dull the band’s classic punk attack, although the two-minute run-time leaves the listener begging for another hit. – Russell Rockwell
More Info
Bandcamp: werenag.bandcamp.com
Twelve25 – “Leather Seats”
From the standalone single
When you think about it, solace in the summertime is truly a privilege. Working adults with jobs outside the school curriculum can’t afford to spend three months idling on beaches and back porches when they have bills to pay and a future to build. When Twelve25 drift in with “Leather Seats” and their warped Mac DeMarco vibe, you might think things will unfurl into an eye-roll-inducing montage of summer bums. But once the mystery rapper introduces us to the boys smoking out back and Taj all up in the narrator’s halls, we see those rare golden hours as time wasted on nostalgia—or, as the song frames it, “all that dumb shit.” Sunny summer fun might be a luxury, but as “Leather Seats” shows us, grown-ups can’t afford to chase those fantasies anymore. It’s a very subtle subversion, but it’s enough shade to convince this writer that Twelve25—whoever they are—stand deliberately outside the gates to paradise. – Lee Adcock
More Info
Facebook: @twelve25band
Instagram: @twelve.25
SoundCloud: @twelvetwentyfive
Sarah to Nine – “Smoothie Queen”
From the standalone single
It’s real easy to lose yourself in the crystalline waters of “Smoothie Queen.” The lush production and tropical vibes make it seem like a luminous lagoon, some phospherescent fantasy, but dive a little deeper and the waters starts to grow murky. Despite the radiant vocals, breezy guitars, and all those percolating textures at play, all is not well with Sarah to Nine, aka the celestial soul pop project of singer-songwriter-producer Sarah Lock. This simple moment at her kitchen sink has turned existential; there are troubling health concerns, probably some relationship issues, too. And all this uncertainty is really fucking with her anxiety. So while everything on the surface may sound blissful like some distant ocean dream, there are tough choices to be made. Like the song says, sometimes you need to forego what you crave and accept what you need. Let’s hope Sarah feels better soon, and that she continues to cast ethereal spells like this. – Avery Shepherd
Sarah to Nine will perform on Thu., Jan. 30 at 529 alongside My Modern Office (Release Show), Mansell, and Ozello. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $8. 21+ to enter.
More Info
Instagram: @slocksounds