Record-Release Roundup

The Silent Comedy will throw an April 29 shindig at El Dorado to celebrate their new album Common Faults. “Last time we hosted a party there, we surprised everyone with an impromptu acoustic performance,” says singer-bassist Joshua Zimmerman, who fronts the band with brother Jeremiah. “This time, there may be a music video debut and a few other surprises.”

Also new this week is Underpowered and Overdriven, the debut full-length from Ristband. “The idea behind the title comes from the guts of an old guitar amp,” says front man Dave Gladish. “Little vacuum tubes that get pushed well past their intended design limits to perform at peak level. The cover art is an adaptation of an old RCA tube box.”

Circa Now launches Hotter Than a Pistol, produced by Alan Sanderson (Rolling Stones, Weezer), with a May 8 rooftop gig at downtown’s 10th Avenue Theatre. The show will also include Scarlet Symphony, DJs Artistic and Morgan Young, video art from AVicious, and a Jennafer Grace fashion show.

On May 15, Scottish singer-songwriter Colin Clyne debuts Doricana (mixing Scottish Doric dialect with Americana) at Hensley’s Flying Elephant in Carlsbad, where Skelpin and Cathryn Beeks will also perform. “Flogging Molly’s Matt Hensley performs on my record and will make a guest appearance,” says Clyne, “and my good friend and bagpipe player Robert Burns will pipe us onto stage.” Clyne’s album was also coproduced by Alan Sanderson.

Western crooner John Meeks spills Old Blood at the Casbah on May 21, with the Donkeys also on the bill. The album on Loud and Clear Records includes local luminaries Pall Jenkins and Jimmy LaValle.

May 22 sees the release of Living on the Rightside by country-gospel group Rightside, fronted by singer-songwriter Tom Smerk (whose solo album For the Faithful is slated for an October release).

Other locals with spankin’-new offerings include electrorockers White Apple Tree (Velvet Mustache), heavy headbangers As I Lay Dying (The Powerless Rise), Rafter (Animal Feelings), Ratt (Infestation), C-Money (Family Business), Jefferson Jay (Yellow), Republic of Letters (The Painted Hour EP), Shaun T. Morgan, Destructo Bunny, Tan Sister Radio, Holding Air Hostage, 3 the Hardway, and Emerson.

More new releases are due in May from rapper Jimmy Powers (Cali-Foreigner), retro-rockers Privatized Air, pop-tastic Sayvinyl, the road addicts of the Suicide Chords, metalheads Bitter Frost, and an instrumental album from the Taz Taylor Band. Also, new EPs from the Lennon-esque Hargo (The Faint Glow), and indie rockers the Midwinters, featuring Paul Donovan (Dryve) and Josh Hagquist (Beautiful Mistake), who also happen to be brothers-in-law.