On October 17th, Baums held a packed out show at The East Atlanta Restaurant and Lounge for the release of their debut album, Bad Embrace. The band hosted performances by local bands Assembly and Safety Switch. I spent the entire night dancing as did many in the crowd, a characteristic I’m unable to recall from any other show as of late. All three bands have notably been working on new music, building rapport for high energy performances. 

Baums (Seth Ramsay, Logan Adams, Matthew Frisina, Zachary Shetler, Jackie Hales, Ian Shoemaker, John Restivo Jr.) has seen heightened attention this year following a feature in the Mainline Records documentary “Standard Selects” in March, building steadily growing anticipation to debut the record for which the band has been eager to put out. The album itself is a thrilling intersection of dark new wave and 80’s house music, utilizing a heavy percussive drone with guitar arrangements of 7-note scales reminiscent of King Gizzard, or as Seth references, Trent Reznor. Sitting atop the eclectic compositions comprising each song are Ramsay’s cut and dry vocals. The album also derives elements of noise-funk comparable to Liquid Liquid. 

The performance of the album in its entirety was marked by seamless live transitions which sent the crowd into a perpetual groove, creating a sea of movement rarely experienced at the Earl. “Take”, already a well-received single released last month, proves to be a visceral live experience. A grainy, percussive bass riff is contrasted by a conga placement which I can only ascertain from the likes of Sade’s “Paradise”. The song then moves into a sharp, ghostly tenor sax solo performed by Isaac Bishop. Ramsay’s calm phrasing utilizes a lo-fi pocket modulation effect which echoes through the venue like a sermon via intercom. 

Frontman Seth Ramsay, who says he is in awe of the band’s ongoing reception, spoke briefly with me while I overstayed my welcome during loadout. The album cover features a photo of a hallway prayer from Ramsay’s grandparent’s high school yearbook, of which the object of worship has been edited out for a blank wall. “Stay” features samples of church bells and the commotion of a passing train from Ramsay’s honeymoon in Europe. These are a few examples he says exemplifies the labor of love gone into the creation process for this album. Ramsay also says he retains an aspiration to make music that gets people dancing, and was glad to know I had fulfilled that. 

Opening for Baums was local progressive rock quartet, Assembly. Assembly (Josh Rubin, Foster Wells, Robert Lloyd, Jack Pace) is best exemplified by their percussion fronted dynamics with dissonant synth and complex guitar phrasing. The set incorporated “Tower”, a shifting, suite-like composition sung by Pace often underutilized for live performances. When asked about the song, Pace explains his contribution to the piece’s lyrics is an “attempt at a story that begins but resolves in a way that's more spiritual. There probably won't be a real life resolution other than love.” The songs performed alternated voices between Rubin & Pace’s guitars and Loyd’s dynamic percussion. Complex bass phrases by Wells are contrasted by dissonant and frantic synth running through Rubin’s multitude of pedals. The combination had part of the room dancing, thrashing, and others staring in awe. When asked if they shared Ramsay’s creative aspirations tied to dance, Josh Rubin says he was not expecting so much positive feedback on their experimental noise rock being danceable. The band has been incorporating new untitled songs into their sets, Rubin described the direction of what they’ve been working on as experimental trance, dance, and noise; citing Polvo as a fundamental inspiration. Rubin says they look forward to writing and recording an LP early next year. 

Starting off the night was Safety Switch. Safety Switch (Anna Griffith, Tom Sinclair, Tim Holder, Mason Palanti), who have been working towards releasing and recording new music this year, performed their most recent release “Reallife” in anticipation of their EP Professor dropping this November. The group alternates vocalists through a mix of upbeat, indie rock songs, like the newest single which features Palanti singing while drumming. The group expressed delight on having a great run of shows, and they hope to continue with this streak upon the release of their upcoming EP on November 5th. 

I was delighted to be able to experience new music from each band that played this night at the Earl. It was a great night to be around a crowd of people able to get excited about the work these bands have put forward this month. It truly felt like an incredible community for new and experimental music. I look forward to what these bands will continue to do in the near future.