A lot of bands take a little while to find their sound or direction. The group Girls Know were remarkable to me for the way they emerged onto the scene last year with a fully formed vision that made them feel like they’d been around a lot longer.
Their debut single, “Some Words,” got stuck in my head immediately and has never really left. Now they’re releasing their debut EP, “All This Love Could Kill Me,” and it’s a perfect encapsulation of what they’ve developed so far. Dense swirls of guitar frame elegant melodies with just a hint of melancholy. The EP comes out Friday, Jan. 26. I know it’s early, but I have a strong suspicion it will be one of the best local recordings of the new year.
Paul Sawicki is the singer and songwriter of the group, and he’s got a knack for throwing a bunch of the best guitar pop styles of the last 40 years into a blender to come up with something new. You can hear plenty of influences like Interpol or Arctic Monkeys in the mix, but also classics like Siouxsie and the Banshees or the Cocteau Twins. Malia Fraser is on bass, Kai Fischer on drums and Kai’s brother Rylan fills out the lineup for live shows on guitar.
Besides the music, I appreciate the level of detail this band puts into their visual presentation, both online and in person. Right from the start they had a clear and consistent aesthetic (fuzzy black and white images, all caps sans serif text). They very obviously put a lot of thought into everything they do.
Unfortunately, they don’t have a local show right away I can tell you about but I expect they’ll have some more soon. When you put it all together, this is a band that can appeal to lots of different listeners, and they’ve gathered quite the following. Check out the EP, then catch them while you can!
News
Our music community was recently rocked by the news of Sean Meyer’s passing. Sean was an incredible musician, an all-around creative force and a remarkably nice guy. He might be most remembered for his David Bowie tribute “Scary Monster and the Super Creeps,” but he did all sorts of other fascinating projects, from the unsettling avant-garde blues of Guillotine Eyes to the pure pop of Spine Readers. I’ll have a fuller tribute to him in these pages soon, but I did want to send condolences to everyone who loved him.
I mentioned the forthcoming Girl Parallel album a few weeks ago, and it’s out now. “Future Flowers” is on all the streaming platforms, offering up an idiosyncratic blend of pop and R&B, with some hints of jazz and folk. Definitely worth checking out a distinctive new voice on the scene.
There have been a few other fun releases out recently that I want to mention. Acoustic guitar virtuoso Jacob Seyer has a new video for his song “Mothership,” showcasing his unbelievable technique against a cool backdrop that local music fans ought to recognize.
Sam Ashkenazy of Foxy Apollo and Ebony Harris have a new song out called “Strawberry Lemonade.” When I first heard it I was tempted to say they timed it wrong by not waiting for summer, since it has such strong summer vibes. But the more I think about it, maybe a groovy, jazzy R&B jam about lemonade is just what we all need in the middle of winter.
Finally, we’ve got two cool new ongoing, interactive music series developing. I’ve written before about how the jazz group The Problem love to find new venues and new collaborators. They’re now going to be hosting a jazz/funk/improv jam at Ramble Tamble every other Thursday. Bassist Mark Hunter is going to do something similar at the Honey Moon only with more of an experimental/avant-garde approach, with a new series called Stellar Sounds on the first Thursday of every month.
JESSE’S PICKS
D’vonne Lewis at FireHouse
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, FireHouse Arts and Events Center
The thunderously creative drummer D’vonne Lewis is no stranger to the local jazz scene, coming up from Seattle most Tuesdays to play at Aslan. On Wednesday, Jan. 24 he’s bringing his trio Triage up for a show at the FireHouse. I’ve always been a sucker for the concept of the drummer as the bandleader, especially in jazz.
Petunia and the Vipers at Conway Muse
8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26, Conway Muse
Fans of old-school country and western swing won’t want to miss Petunia and the Vipers at the Conway Muse on Friday, Jan. 26. If you’re looking for yodeling, steel guitar and skinny ties, they’ve got it all. Be ready to waltz and two-step.
True Loves at Wild Buffalo
9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27, Wild Buffalo
The True Loves are an instrumental soul ensemble with deep, dance-friendly grooves. It’s heavy on horns and percussion, plus the unbelievably funky guitar work of Jimmy James. They’re coming up for a show at the Wild Buffalo on Saturday, Jan. 27.
LIVE MUSIC LISTINGS
Friday, Jan. 19
- Aslan Depot: 7 p.m. North Country Highway (country/rock)
- Bistro at Shuksan: 5 p.m., Thomas Harris Quartet (jazz)
- The Blue Room: 7 p.m., Cantrip (Celtic), Tzepl (klezmer)
- Champlin Guitars: 3 p.m., Tom Bourne
- Fire and Story Festival: 5 p.m., West of Roan; 6 p.m., Earth Practice
- Fireside Martini and Wine Bar: 7 p.m., Free Harmony
- Honey Moon: 7:30 p.m., Pub Sing; 9:30 p.m., Pan-Celtic Jam
- Make.Shift: 8 p.m., Pure Halcyon, Trask, The Rain Station (rock)
- The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Kian Dye (bluegrass), Aaron Guest & Miles Harris
- Skagit Casino: 8 p.m., Dana Osborn
- Skagit Cellars: 6 p.m., Ben Starner (jazz)
- Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Little Big Band (classic/Southern rock)
- Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Neighborhood Songwriters Showcase ft. Claire Furtwangler, Paul Mart, Pete Ruble, Marie Eaton
- Thirsty Badger: 8 p.m., Walker Van Wingerden
- The Vault: 7 p.m. Marie, The Band (folk)
- WinkWink: 7 p.m., Girl Parallel, Dank Zavala, Ebony Harris (R&B/synth-pop/hip-hop)
- Wild Buffalo House of Music: 9 p.m., DMVU x Toadface
Saturday, Jan. 20
- Aslan Depot: 1 p.m., Record fair and DJs; 7 p.m., Heist & OK, Ca$h McClane, BlkSknn, AJ Suede (hip-hop)
- Birdsview: 6 p.m., Cascade Cody (country)
- The Blue Room: 12 p.m., Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira, Coty Hogue Trio, 5 p.m., Faux Paws, Golden Shoals
- Bison at the Granary: 2:30 p.m., Louis Ledford & Norah McLaughlin
- Brown Lantern: 9 p.m., Tom Savage
- Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Seattle House Rockers (blues)
- Culture Cafe: 8 p.m., Hip Hop Showcase ft. Adamneiro, Sbrockinnit, Jonah The Kid, more
- Fire and Story Festival: 5 p.m., Nathaniel Talbot; 6 p.m., Earth Practice; 7 p.m., Jenner Fox & Jeremy Elliott
- Greene’s Corner: 6 p.m., Sottile, O’Connor & Loeffler
- Honey Moon: 5:30 p.m., Grace Honeywell, 7 p.m., Kat Bula
- Jansen Art Center: 7:30 p.m., Between Two Worlds ft. BJ Block Trio, rioT (jazz/classical)
- Make.Shift: 8 p.m., 3mry & Jester, Evil Mob, guests
- Mount Baker Theatre: 7:30 p.m., Pink Martini (sold out)
- Old Edison: 8 p.m., The Dimes (rockabilly/blues)
- Ramble Tamble: 7 p.m., Cats Like Us, Stone Jones, Selena Mac (rock)
- Rockfish: 7:30 p.m., Joe Cook Blues Band
- The Shakedown: 8 p.m., Sweater Weather String Band, Nathaniel Talbot Duo
- Skagit Casino: 8 p.m., Dana Osborn
- Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Faast/Carr Duo (country/jazz)
- Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Tyler Clarke
- That’s What I Like! Island Grill: 6 p.m., Michael Dayvid
- Welcome Road Winery: 3:30 p.m., Spoon River (folk)
- Wild Buffalo House of Music: 9 p.m., Reposado (Latin/funk/soul)
- Zeeks Pizza: 7 p.m., The Sweet Goodbyes (folk)
Sunday, Jan. 21
- The Blue Room: 3 p.m., Devin Champlin, Schmid & Guest, Marie, The Band
- Kulshan: 5 p.m. Peter Ali (Native American flute)
- Mindport: 11 a.m., West of Roan
- Old Edison: 5:30 p.m., The Davanos (classic rock)
Monday, Jan. 22
- FireHouse Arts & Events Center: 3:30 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
- Kulshan: 6 p.m. Lightweight Champion
- Ramble Tamble: 7:30 p.m., Shady Groove (acoustic Dead/bluegrass)
Tuesday, Jan. 23
- Aslan Depot: 8 p.m., Jazz Night
- Culture Cafe: 7 p.m., Open Mic ft. Luke Moore
- Menace Brewing: 7 p.m., Invitational Blues Jam
- Ramble Tamble: 8 p.m., The Elevator Club (hip hop showcase with open cypher)
Wednesday, Jan. 24
- Culture Cafe: 7 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
- FireHouse Arts & Events Center: 6:30 p.m., D’vonne Lewis Triage (jazz)
- Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Open Mic
- Rockfish: 6 p.m., The Colonel
- Stones Throw: 6 p.m. The Hipocrats
Thursday, Jan. 25
- Admiralty Lounge: 7 p.m., Lucas Warford (cabaret folk)
- Brown Lantern: 8:30 p.m., Open Mic
- Farmstrong Brewing Co.: 6 p.m., Tom Buenger
- Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Bluegrass Jam
- Menace: 7 p.m., Hopnotic (jazz/funk)
- Thirsty Badger: 7 p.m., Open Mic
- That’s What I Like! Island Grill: 6 p.m., JP Falcon and Friends (folk/rock)
- Zeeks Pizza: 7 p.m., Deborah Hawley & The Groove Doctors
Friday, Jan. 26
- Aslan: 7 p.m. Caleb & Walter (Americana)
- Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Petunia & The Vipers (country/swing)
- Corner Taphouse: 7 p.m., Zach Michaud
- DownTime Taps: 7 p.m., JP Falcon Band
- Fireside Martini and Wine Bar: 7 p.m., Naughty Blokes
- Graham’s: 8 p.m., ELK
- Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Devin Champlin, Nathaniel Talbott
- Make.Shift: 8 p.m., Drayton, Back to the Loud, Shame Banger, Kids On Fire (rock)
- The Shakedown: 8:30 p.m., Pure Halcyon, Great Comet, Sour Fuzz (rock)
- Skagit Cellars: 6 p.m., Aloha Danny
- Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Marley Dzis (jazz/bossa nova/R&B)
- Stones Thow: 6 p.m., Tenderpile’s Smile Aisle (jazz)
- The Vault: 7 p.m., Michael Dayvid
Saturday, Jan. 27
- Birdsview Brewing: 6 p.m., Jack Parker
- The Blue Room: 8 p.m., No Mars, Alessandra Rose, Whiskey Class
- Conway Muse: 8 p.m., Polly O’Keary Band
- Honey Moon: 8 p.m., Luxien Dandelion
- Main Street Tavern: 8:30 p.m., Thermal Blues Express
- Make.Shift: 8 p.m., Somerfeld, Male Gaze, The Hobby (rock)
- Menace Brewing: 6 p.m., Michael Dayvid
- Mount Baker Theatre: 7:30 p.m., Martin Sexton (sold out)
- Old Edison: 8 p.m., The Dirty Pilots
- Presence Studio: 7 p.m., Three Wheels Turning
- Ramble Tamble: 8 p.m., Girl Parallel, Adam Greenberg, Kazmyn
- Rockfish: 7:30 p.m. Powerhouse (blues/rock)
- The Shakedown: 9 p.m., Feral Moon, Unsheather, Deep Recess (rock)
- Skylark’s: 8 p.m., Rose and Joel
- Stones Throw: 6 p.m., Katie & Kevin (folk/bluegrass)
- Wild Buffalo House of Music: 9 p.m., The True Loves (R&B/soul)
Sunday, Jan. 28
- FireHouse Arts and Events Center: 4 p.m., Josh Cook/Steve Treseler Quintet (jazz)
- Kulshan: 5 p.m., Broken Bow String Band
- Old Edison: 5:30 p.m. Ron Bailey & The Tangents
Before heading out to listen to live music, check with individual venues to make sure the event is still taking place as scheduled.
The Beat Goes On is published online Tuesdays and in print Fridays. Email: jsbhammusic@gmail.com or Twitter: @JSBhamMusic.
