Concrete City - "Break Up The Band"/"Strange Bodies!"

I don't write about a whole lot of "indie rock". But today I'm featuring a band from that universe that I've been enjoying tremendously. Concrete City hails from Baltimore, Maryland and is comprised of a star-studded cast of players from that great city's punk/indie scene. The lineup is Mike Hall (The Thumbs, Sick Sick Birds) on lead vocals, Tim Baier (Roads To Space Travel) on guitar, Elena Fox (Squaaks) on bass, and Lee Ashlin (The Fuses, ADVLTS) on drums. These four individuals bring together a wide array of musical influences, and what results is a cool, contemporary take on indie/alternative/college rock. I'm definitely catching the vibe of '80s British post-punk - particularly The Cure and New Order. But the influence isn't super obvious, and there are touches of more recent modern rock and indie pop in the mix as well. Concrete City has not one but two new-ish singles that are well worth checking out. "Break Up The Band" and "Strange Bodies!" are both available via Bandcamp. The latter is a $3 download, while the former is free. As you would imagine given the players involved, the musicianship and songwriting are top-notch. This is a great example of how to make rock music that's moody and sophisticated but not the least bit pretentious. And these songs have legit hooks to boot. This is really extraordinary stuff. If you long for the days when alternative rock ruled, this band will take you straight back there. A full album is in the works and should be out by year's end or whenever conditions allow. I'll keep you posted! 



-L.R.

https://concretecity.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ConcreteCityBand
https://www.instagram.com/concrete_city_band/