It's a Big Week for Upstate Live Music - iOnGreenville: Your Guide to Greenville South Carolina

Brett Barest: An LP, A Single, & A Video Walk Into A Bar…

Ok, so I do not actually have a punchline to the above joke. I do, however, have something better which is an actual LP, single, and music video to talk about this week. They are three very different contributions to the local music scene but each one is well deserving of our attention.

New LP From Luxx

First up is the LP which we actually talked about last week when Luxx celebrated their album release party for Songs From the Simulation at The Radio Room. That album is now available online and, thanks to Spotify, I just sat down and gave it a listen. My short review is “Holy crap” but since iOnGreenville is kind enough to grant me this space to talk about music, I am happy to expand on that notion…

Holy crap, this is a great new release from an up and coming band that fills me with great hope for the future of the local scene. This is the kind of indie rock that takes me right back to my younger years when this was essentially the only genre I listened to. The stripped down, honest approach draws comparisons to all of my favorite artists from the 1980’s and 1990’s while maintaining Luxx’s very distinctive own modern sound. There are times where I wonder “What if Iggy Pop, Weezer, and Nirvana had a baby?” and I mean that entirely as a compliment as this child finds its voice in its own generation. Luxx is definitely planting a solid foundation for what I hope will be a long and prosperous musical journey ahead and I cannot wait to see where it goes.

New Single From Brooks Dixon

Next up is a single that dropped last week courtesy of local singer/songwriter Brooks Dixon. The new track “After All” might be my favorite release from Dixon yet, which is saying something as I tend to like just about everything he puts out. Here, though, the intensely reflective and thoughtful songwriting really stands out to me as what makes this track special. The song also benefits from contributions from Mipso’s Libby Rodenbough and Beach Tiger and Tarlatans’ Taylor McClesky. This is a perfectly written and delivered track from a local favorite that is more than worth a listen or three.

New Video From Vilai Harrington and the Hamptones

Lastly, Vilai Harrington and the Hamptones just released a video for the title track of their 2019 EP Sandhill Shaman. This is an utterly badass song that is long overdue for a video but I have to say that it was worth the wait. Brando Jones Films brings the song to life with a beautifully shot video recorded live at The Spinning Jenny. Additionally, the track was recorded and mixed at Other Southern Studio and mastered by Neil Brooks making this a complete collaboration of local talent.

I will probably get back to talking about live shows next week but, at least for this week, it is the recorded material that has all my attention. Many thanks to Luxx, Brooks Dixon, Vilai Harrington, and all the local talent that helped bring these projects to life. Well done, everybody.