The earliest version of L.S. Dunes—the one that introduced themselves to the world at Chicago’s Riot Fest in 2022 and went on to release their blissfully chaotic debut, Past Lives, later that year—was birthed in turbulence. There was a pandemic. There were time and family constraints. There were members away on tour with one of their many other bands: Frank Iero’s My Chemical Romance, Anthony Green’s Saosin and Circa Survive, Travis Stever’s Coheed and Cambria, and Tim Payne and Tucker Rule’s Thursday, among them. But somehow, they managed to make it work, touring the globe for a growing and passionate fanbase and finding their footing as a distinct and singular band of their own design along the way.   Now, with the release of their second full-length album, Violet—once again helmed by Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip—L.S. Dunes live up to the promise set by their debut, and in many ways, open up an opportunity to rediscover the band in a different light: Where Past Lives takes its oxygen from the thrill of frenzy and impulsiveness, Violet breathes deeper with a more open and expansive palette. Whether it lives in the confident and steady pulse of a song like “Machines,” in the rousing lyrical empowerment of “Paper Tigers,” or in the way that “Forgiveness” forges itself as an anthem for love and unconditional acceptance in the face of our personal failures, Violet is a body of work that secures multiple outcomes: There is hindsight. There is hope. There is, in fact, magic.  

FROM INDIAN LAKES have returned with a new album titled HEAD VOID.  Incorporating elements of modern shoegaze paragons like DIIV and Nothing and even some traces of chillwave while maintaining vestiges of their emo origins. The album has received high praise from STEREOGUM (album of the week, best songs of 2024), PASTE (best new songs), BROOKLYN VEGAN, CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND, as well as various smaller blogs. The band went on a successful headlining tour to promote the new record, and recently returned home from a long stint with long time label mates FOXING as well as playing BFF Fest.  

Formed in 2008, the band carved a name for themselves in the Los Angeles club scene with their unhinged physical live shows and turbulent flavor of post-punk. Word was out that frontman Brandon Blaine’s enigmatic presence drew parallels with young Iggy Pop and Nick Cave. Their performances caught the attention of Epitaph Records owner Brett Gurewitz. He signed them to the label in 2013.   Their debut album Free To Eat clocked a combustible ten songs at seventeen minutes. It received critical acclaim drawing comparisons to Gun Club, Iggy & The Stooges, The Cramps, and Jesus Lizard.   The two follow up albums BLOODSWEAT and By Night bolstered up their reputation as a heavy hitting rock band who knew their way around a studio. These two albums showed Plague Vendor expanding on their sound by working with producers Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, The Walkmen) and John Congleton (St. Vincent et al.), respectively.   The band’s top-of-the-class live show has secured them spots opening for the likes of Muse, Deftones, The Offspring, Social Distortion, Refused and many others. They have received generous write-ups for their appearances in the US/UK festival and club circuits.   Plague Vendor is continuing to hold up their reputation as one of the hardest working bands on the stage with newly recruited Henri Cash (Starcrawler) on guitar duties. The band has been testing new material on the road.