NYC Scene Report – smush, Dinowalrus, & London Plane

This week’s NYC Scene Report features smush readying a wish, Dinowalrus being scavengers, and London Plane dealing with Villains Heroes Ghosts.

* Brooklyn-based band smush have expanded their lineup, and are readying their new album, i’ll always wish,, (not a typo), for a January release.

Founded by Emily Borrowman (bass/vocals) and Atley King (guitars) when the duo lived in Vancouver, smush has added Rudi Neubrander (drums) and Wilson Woods (keys) to their lineup, and the now foursome have an urgent rock sound on their recently released single, “milkweed butterfly,” which is the first song from i’ll always wish,,.

Discussing “milkweed butterfly” in a statement, King said, “Written from the perspective of a child experiencing anxiety and depression with no way to understand or contextualize those feelings, creating ‘milkweed butterfly’ was a way for Emily to make sense of the instability of immigrating to the United States.”

Check out the video, which features quite a bit of fencing in unlikely places. I mean, who isn’t down for that?

* Dinowalrus, a veteran psychedelic/post punk band from Brooklyn with an incredible name, has a new single titled “The Scavenger.”

Opening with the lyrics, “I was always proud of my fear of clowns, and the leaders of the free world,” “The Scavenger” is a commentary on modern life, and the hyper-connectedness of the digital world versus the want, and need, to experience life in the real world.

Utilizing both male and female vocals, the Britpop inspired song has wonderful melodic interplay between the band’s Pete Feigenbaum and Ana Breton.

While you may never see a Dinowalrus in the wild, perhaps you might see one on stage, and you can certainly see one by clicking play on “The Scavenger.”

* London Plane is currently working on their third LP, titled Villains Heroes Ghosts, the lead single off of which is “Nation Nation.”

Discussing the very of-the-times song in a statement, the band said, “‘Nation Nation’ is sung from the perspective of the sycophant. The idiot-turned-weapon. We allowed ourselves to be a bit absurd on this song, and producer Carlos Dengler encouraged and embraced the eccentric, even demented side of the band. The bright, frenetic, blitzkrieg guitars and vocals suggest that our subject is probably high, and quite ready to sacrifice himself on behalf of his dear leader. It is a somewhat uncomfortable place to be, but we put ourselves in his jackboots for nearly three minutes every time we perform the song.”

With some Devo-like influences, “Nation Nation” is equal parts biting, and bouncy, and certainly captures what’s going on in the present.

For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.