Here’s a very cool psychedelic blues rock band from Montreal. They also might be from the past as their greasy lo-fi sound was born in the days of the Stooges. The Shake Well Brothers released a 3 song EP last Christmas Eve so naturally it opens with a song titled “Hanukkah Tabarnak”. It’s a chaotic instrumental to set the tone of the quick and in-your-face record. The got some great tones and riffs goin’ on but I’ll admit that even just a little bit of vocals would really tie the record together. Either way just crank it up and enjoy. - Kris Gies

It’s getting harder and harder find someone who hasn’t at least heard about noise-rock band Gardener. From house shows to dive bars to PDX Pop Now, the band has found themselves on more than a few lineups. Most recently, they joined Nick Normal for a fall tour of the (mostly) West Coast. While their Bandcamp only has one song, “Self Rapture,” it’s uniquely polished and layered. The vocals are surprisingly gentle, even for a psychedelic song. They float smoothly over the high-wired electronic chords. Hints of gospel inspirations dance in and out of the song. The guitar solos are phenomenal, wonderful explosions reminiscent of rock legends such as Queen. The song pays homage to early psychedelic-rock acts while also showing us who Gardener is as a band. Make sure you give it a listen below.

-By Avril Carrillo, photo by Derek Wohlsein