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Houston Rock

The future of alt-rock arrived with Zegovia’s grungy punk-pierced protest, (It’s All Just) Noise

Posted on 3 June 2024

Imagine an immensely volatile lovechild of Dinosaur Jr and Pavement with punk proclivities, and you’ll get an idea of what Zegovia birthed with their latest single, (It’s All Just) Noise.

After the warm overdriven guitar chords swathe the pulsative drum rhythms with discordance in the intro, the rancour strips back as angular notes deliver intricately off-kilter melodies, creating a raw edgy aesthetic that speaks to how sharp Zegovia cut their teeth before they delivered the hook-rife controlled chaos in (It’s All Just) Noise.

So much more than your assimilative bubble of alt-90s nostalgia, Houston’s most inventively authentic alt-rock outfit rose up from the sludgy ennui of grunge, driven by the punk rock ferocity that is clearly running in their veins.

After feeling the full force of the visceralism in their latest release, it is evident that the four-piece’s determination to keep the pulse of rock beating in their rhythm won’t be in vain. Sleeping on a bed of nails would be easier than sleeping on Zegovia.

(It’s All Just) Noise arrived on the airwaves on May 24; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Proverbial Cool Aid sang the devil-may-care blues through imperturbable indie rock tones in ‘My Days’

Posted on 7 June 2023

Jim Jones may have forever given Kool-Aid a bad reputation, but the Houston alt-rock outfit, Proverbial Cool Aid, is far from tarred by the same brush. Case in point, their latest revelationary mellow indie rock single, My Days, which was written by singer-songwriter Damen Martin and instrumentally contributed to by Lulu on drums and Jack Law on bass.

With tinges of Jack Johnson in the vox and breezy instrumental arrangement, you won’t need all too much convincing to fill your proverbial cup with Proverbial Cool Aid. If any single has what it takes to breed self-compassion, it is My Days; if the roads on life’s journey have left you weary, bed your soul down into this euphonic Les Paul-carved masterpiece. The simplest records are often the hardest to write and get right; the simplicity stands as a testament to Damen Martin’s mellowly compelling songwriting chops.

Proverbial Cool Aid Said

“My Days is a song that means a lot to me. You know, going through life, we make mistakes. This song is about the exact moment you catch yourself in the midst of a bad decision and say to yourself, Man, you shouldn’t have done that. It’s about regret, which can instantly reprimand you and torture you for years to come.”

After being recorded in Wire Road Studios, produced by Josh Applebee and mastered by Chris Longwood, My Days was officially released on March 30. It is now available to stream on all major platforms.

Stream My Days on Spotify and YouTube.

Follow Proverbial Cool Aid on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast