Alt Citizen

In the fall, I experience two separate but equal sensations. Sometimes, I feel like Kathleen Kelly (You’ve Got Mail), a woman romantic for classic New York. There’s a great line that I always thought was pretty: “Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils.” On the other hand, when the weather gets colder I am reminded that the romance of fall is fleeting and most of it has been missed while I sat in a classroom for 16 years. It is then that I dip back into my reserves and pull out some garage punk.

If you’ve ever felt the same, take some time to listen to Lowbanks. Taking a page from the cannon of the Dead Kennedys and their early punk counterparts, the trio of John Graffo, Christian Self and Grey Duddlestonand revive gritty, classic garage punk without any unnecessary frills. The boys from Atlanta release their EP The Dogs on December 9th, just in time to blast in your headphones while the wind blasts you off the sidewalk. Listen to an exclusive track off their EP entitled “Street Rat” and get to know the band a little more below. From speed eating to classic cartoons, Lowbanks draws inspiration from just about anywhere. LISTEN HERE…

Despite the track’s ominous advisory in its title, Georgia’s own Grand Vapids’ “Worth Fearing,” the first single off of their upcoming debut album Guarantees, is nothing that’ll put you on edge. Quite the opposite, actually. The vocals feel like whiskey and a fireplace on a winter night — sort of similar to Father John Misty’s more tender side — and the lush layers of guitar provide a swirling, ambient undercurrent to get lost in. You can feel the carefulness of their melodic peaks and valleys, but what’s most refreshing is how this dreamy, well-mapped journey avoids careening into sterile territory. The slow sway will put you at ease, but there’s always a sonic surprise just around the corner. Dive in. LISTEN HERE…