Black Mountain College: Idea + Place Lower Level Gallery with Companion Digital Exhibition How can an idea inform a place? How can a place inform an idea? Would Black Mountain College have had the same identity and lifespan if it had been located in the urban Northeast, the desert Southwest, or coastal California? How did BMC’s rather isolated, rural, and mountainous setting during the era of the Great Depression and the Jim Crow South influence the college community’s decision-making and the evolution of ideas upon which it was based? This exhibition seeks to delve into these questions and others by exploring the places of Black Mountain College: its two very different campuses, its influential predecessor the Bauhaus in Germany, and the post-BMC diaspora. Curated by Alice Sebrell, Director of Preservation

adVANCE! Modernism, Black Liberation + Black Mountain College Upper Level Gallery with Companion Digital Exhibition Featuring the work of contemporary sculptor Larry Paul King in conversation with Black Mountain College modernist masters including Jacob Lawrence, Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence, Josef Albers, Leo Krikorian, and Sewell Sillman. Premiering three Jacob Lawrence lithographs new to the BMCM+AC permanent collection. adVANCE! celebrates Black Mountain College’s role in early civil rights and the ongoing role of Black, modernist artists in the pursuit of liberation and justice. Curated by Marie T. Cochran, Founder of the Affrilachian Artist Project

N. C. Wyeth, Eight Bells (Clyde Stanley and Andrew Wyeth aboard Eight Bells), 1937, oil on hardboard, 20 × 30 inches. Bank of America Collection

The Wyeths: Three Generations | Works from the Bank of America Collection provides a comprehensive survey of works by N. C. Wyeth, one of America’s finest illustrators; his son, Andrew, an important realist painter; his eldest daughter, Henriette, a realist painter; and Andrew’s son Jamie, a popular portraitist. Through the works of these artists from three generations of the Wyeth family, themes of American history, artistic techniques, and creative achievements can be explored. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall February 12 through May 30, 2022.

N. C. Wyeth (1882–1945) has long been considered one of the nation’s leading illustrators. In the early 1900s, he studied with illustrator Howard Pyle in Delaware. In 1911, he built a house and studio in nearby Chadds Ford, PA. Later, he bought a sea captain’s house in Maine and in 1931 built a small studio, which he shared with his son, Andrew, and his daughters, Henriette and Carolyn. The exhibition includes illustrations for books by Robert Louis Stevenson and Washington Irving as well as historical scenes, seascapes, and landscapes.

Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009) is one of the United States’ most popular artists, and his paintings follow the American Realist tradition. He was influenced by the works of Winslow Homer, whose watercolor technique he admired, as well as by the art of Howard Pyle and his father, N. C. While Andrew painted recognizable images, his use of line and space often imbue his works with an underlying abstract quality. The exhibition includes important works from the 1970s and 1980s as well as recent paintings.

Henriette Wyeth (1907–1997) was the eldest daughter of N.C. Wyeth and an older sister to Andrew Wyeth. Like other members of her family, her painting style was realist in a time when Impressionism and Abstraction were popular in the early 20th century. She studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and was an acclaimed portraitist, though perhaps not as widely known as her father and brother. Most notably she painted the portrait of First Lady, Pat Nixon, which is in the collection of The White House.

Jamie Wyeth (born 1946), like his father and grandfather, paints subjects of everyday life, in particular the landscapes, animals, and people of Pennsylvania and Maine. In contrast to his father—who painted with watercolor, drybrush, and tempera—Jamie works in oil and mixed media, creating lush painterly surfaces. The 18 paintings in the exhibition represent all periods of his career.

This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program.

Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge features a selection of functional silver works by Dodge drawn from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator, this exhibition will be on view in the Debra McClinton Gallery at the Museum from February 23 through October 17, 2022.

William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, DC 1895–1971 Asheville, NC) moved to Asheville in 1924 as a trained architect and a newly skilled silversmith. When he opened for business promoting his handwrought silver tableware, including plates, candlesticks, flatware (spoons, forks, and knives), and serving dishes, he did so in a true Arts and Crafts tradition. The aesthetics of the style were dictated by its philosophy: an artist’s handmade creation should reflect their hard work and skill, and the resulting artwork should highlight the material from which it was made. Dodge’s silver often displayed his hammer marks and inventive techniques, revealing the beauty of these useful household goods.

The Arts and Crafts style of England became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Asheville was an early adopter of the movement because of the popularity and abundance of Arts and Crafts architecture in neighborhoods like Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and the area around The Grove Park Inn. The title of this exhibition was taken from the famous quotation by one of the founding members of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris, who said, “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Not only did Dodge follow this suggestion; he contributed to American Arts and Crafts silver’s relevancy persisting almost halfway into the 20th century.

“It has been over 15 years since the Museum exhibited its collection of William Waldo Dodge silver and I am looking forward to displaying it in the new space with some new acquisitions added,” said Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Learn more at ashevilleart.org.

Tuesday, June 14th, and Thursday, June 16th

Option 1: Beginner Clawhammer Banjo with Amy Buckingham

Option 2: All- Instrument Jam Sessions with Mallory Carter & Will Trakas

Monday, June 13th, and Wednesday, June 15th

Option 3: Introduction to Improvisation for all instruments with Carson Moore

* *Sessions are $30 for one, $50 for two, $65 for three, and $72 for all 4**

The Africana Studies program at UNC Asheville invites you to an inter-institutional virtual panel of “Bare Feet, Bootstraps, and Liberation: Exploring the Complex Journey to Reconciliation in the USA.” This Truth, Empowerment & Healing: An Inter-Institutional Africana Studies Discussion will invite Western North Carolina scholars to converse and discuss their work dismantling white supremacy, reparations, reconciliation, and addressing generational trauma.

Featured panelists include Tiece Ruffin, interim director of Africana Studies and professor of Africana studies & education (University of North Carolina Asheville); Rima Vesely-Flad, director of Peace and Justice Studies and associate professor of philosophy (Warren Wilson College); David Walton, director of Global Black Studies Program and assistant professor of history (Western Carolina University); and Jonathan McCoy, director of the Center for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and an instructor of history (Mars Hill University). The group will discuss the scholarly and lived experience of the Black and African diaspora from their positions at various institutions around Western North Carolina. The panel will discuss the history of harm in the United States for Africana peoples, the arguments and movements surrounding reparations, highlighting community work and leaders towards equity, and the road to healing these inter-generational traumas.

Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 2:45-6pm
K-6th graders.
Does your child enjoy having fun and making new friends? Offering
arts, crafts, special events, homework assistance and more!
Families currently enrolled in the school system’s reduced or free
meal program, please contact your recreation center for discount
fee information.
Locations: Burton, Grant, Montford, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Hosted by: The Buddhist Studies Institute

FREE – ONLINE – 30 MINUTES – DAILY
🌺Guided meditation support and community🌺

🌸Stabilization and Liberation:
In order to liberate our minds– we need stable calm.

🌸Consistency & Commitment:
Stabilizing in calm clear presence takes consistent training.

🌸Support & Community:
Daily Meditation is a container and support for your meditation focus.

Expand your meditation circle- join us online any day or every day!

Formerly known as 100 Days of practice to support a Tibetan Yogis tradition to practice 100 days in the winter, this has now been expanded to continue daily. To learn more and register: https://buddhiststudiesinstitute.org/daily-meditation/

The City of Hendersonville has scheduled its seasonal mulch giveaway program to begin on Thursday, March 24, 2022. Mulch will be available for pick up on Thursdays and Fridays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. This schedule will continue until around May 7, or until the material is gone.

The mulch will be distributed at the old Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 80 Balfour Road in Hendersonville. The Public Works Department will have a staff member on-site to operate the backhoe and load the material.

In addition to the mulch, the City will be offering composted leaves as a separate material. These leaves were collected during the fall of 2020, ran through a grinder, and composted for a year. This material makes an excellent addition to vegetable and flower gardens.

Montford Pre-Teen Afterschool Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021 – June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
5th-6th graders.
New program designed to meet the needs of your pre-teen.
Providing time dedicated to school assignments, life skills, arts,
communication, leadership, fitness, nutrition, and loads of fun.
Location: Montford

Teen Leadership Program
Pre-registration required. FREE for the 2021-2022 school year
August 23, 2021-June 3, 2022 | Monday-Friday | 3:30-6pm
6th-9th graders.
Looking for a cool and enriching alternative for your Teen to attend
this school year? We offer creative activities, diverse projects,
field trips, and more.
Locations: Grant, Shiloh, Stephens-Lee

Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?

Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.

Literacy Together (formerly the Literacy Council of Buncombe County) is a nonprofit organization working with children, youth, and adults to increase comprehensive literacy and English language skills through access to literacy resources and specialized instruction by trained volunteer tutors. Literacy Together relies on volunteer tutors to offer students personal instruction and high-quality materials through various programs.

The Youth Literacy Program is seeking tutors to meet with students K-5 twice a week for 50 minutes, between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm. The Youth Literacy Program works with two after-school programs that primarily serve youth of color.  The two locations are in Asheville.

Youth Literacy tutors work with children from low-income families who read, write, and/or spell below their grade level. Tutors in this program complete an initial orientation and a 16-20 hours training, which includes some pre-course work and/or homework (short articles to read, short videos to watch). They then receive follow-up support and the option to attend in-service training throughout their tutoring commitment. Youth Literacy tutors commit to working with their students for at least one school year.

Time Commitment:

• Twice a week for 50-minute sessions between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm.
• Youth Literacy tutors commit to working with their students for at least one school year.

Requirements: 

• GED or High School diploma
• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to work patiently with various levels of literacy skills
• Access to reliable internet
• Ability to navigate virtual meetings with minimal distractions
• Complete a background check

Training:

• Tutors must complete 16-20 hours of training prior to being assigned a student

Cook teams of 4-6 individuals are invited to bring ingredients and prepare meals onsite or bring meals that have been prepared elsewhere.  To meet our dietary standards, we ask that each meal provides a meat, vegetable and starch.

Requirements:

• Background Check
• Brief orientation prior to service
• Ability to Multi-Task
• Friendly Demeanor

Health & Safety:

• We are asking volunteers to wear/bring their own face mask if you have not been fully vaccinated
• Temperatures will be checked and a COVID-19 disclosure will be signed at the volunteer entrance

• Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?

  Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.

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  ABCCM Transformation Village provides up to 100 beds of transitional housing and will provide emergency shelter beds, post Covid-19.  Transforming lives is through four developmental phases called Steps to Success including stabilization, life skills, education and reintegration.  We are honored to report that 8 out of 10 leave us with a living wage job and permanent housing.

  Transformation Village gives hope, healing, health and a home to single women, mothers with children, and female Veterans experiencing homelessness.  We provide residents a fresh start and a place to heal surrounded and supported by Christian love, trust, education and companionship.

  We are seeking energetic volunteers to prepare and serve meals for our residents for lunch and dinner. This opportunity provides you with the chance to prepare meals in our commercial kitchen alongside our trained staff while serving the women and children of Transformation Village. 

The 34th season of Downtown After 5, presented by Prestige Subaru, returns Fridays to downtown Asheville the 3rd Friday of the month from April to September. DTA5 is held on North Lexington Avenue and events are free and open to the public.

The Asheville Downtown Association is excited to add an April date to the Downtown After 5 Concert Series this year.

Downtown After 5 is sponsored by Prestige Subaru, Budweiser of Asheville, Empire Distributors, Skyland Distributing Company, Go Minis, Ingles Markets, Gillespie Dental Associates, Explore Asheville, Crooked Tree Creative, Central United Methodist Church, Mellow Mushroom, The City of Asheville, Hemingways Cuba, Cambria Suites, Country Inn & Suites, 97.7 The Brew, Star 104.3, Rabbit Rabbit, Asheville Color & Imaging and Strada Italiano.

The Asheville Downtown Association is adding safety measures including credit card payments and hand sanitizing stations. The ADA will monitor Covid-19 cases and trends in Buncombe County and consult with local officials prior to each event.

Visiting Asheville soon and looking for a fun way to fill your Friday night? The Asheville Drum Circle is a tradition unique to the area. While locals usually begin the beating of drums, tourists are welcome to join, dance, or simply take in the incredible atmosphere at any point.

If you’re looking for things to do in the area during your stay, this is a must! Here’s everything you should know about the Drum Circle.

The Asheville Drum Circle is a free event that’s open to all.

Game Highlight (2): Fireworks Night

Post-Game Fireworks Show Presented By Ingles

Game Highlight: Dollar Dog Friday

$1 hotdogs served every Friday, thanks to Blossman Gas!

  vs.

Combining the iconic talents of legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle, and the infectious vocal and guitar licks of son Chris Pyle, PYLETRIBE pushes the creative boundaries with their percussion influenced style dubbed “southern fried tribal boogie.”

Pyletribe’s music is featured in Artimus Pyle’s new movie, “Street Survivors,” the true story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane crash, which debuted February 18, 2020. Along with guitarist Josh Chassner and bassist Matt Pike, PYLETRIBE has quickly established their live shows as a ‘must see’ for fans of all ages.

CHRIS PYLE – Vocals, Guitar

ARTIMUS PYLE – Drums

JOSH CHASSNER – Guitar

MATT PIKE-Bass

Some music cannot be found on a map or within iTunes categories. Some music is so original it seems snatched from the great, invisible substrata that runs below all human activity, a sound aching to be born without a flag or fixed allegiance – free, questing, overflowing with immediate, tangible life. This is the music of Toubab Krewe, the vibrant Asheville, NC-based instrumental powerhouse that creates a sonic Pangaea that lustily swirls together rock, African traditions, jam sensibilities, international folk strains and more. While nearly impossible to put into any box, it takes only a few moments to realize in a very palpable way that one is face-to-face with a true original who recognizes no borders in a march towards a muscular, original, globally switched-on sound.

Formed in 2005, Toubab Krewe has tenaciously honed their craft through relentless touring and a fierce dedication to carving out something they can truly call their own. The fruits of this hard work can be heard on their latest release, STYLO, (March 2nd, 2018). What Justin Perkins (kora, kamelngoni, guitar, percussion), Terrence Houston (drumset), Drew Heller (guitar, organ), Justin Kimmel (bass, keys), and Luke Quaranta (djembe, dunun, sangban, kenkeni, kryn, karenye) have wrought on STYLO reflects the many miles and musical journeys that have transpired since their last studio album, TK2.

This is a band that actively draws inspiration from whatever source floats into their purview, something they’ve exhibited in their decade and a half of heavy gigging, including regular appearances at major U.S. festivals like Bonnaroo, High Sierra, Electric Forest, Wakarusa, Hulaween, and abroad at such legendary gatherings as the Festival In The Desert in Essakane, Mali, Shanghai World Music Festival, and Jam Cruise. Whether on their own or collaborating with luminaries like the Last Poets’ Umar Bin Hassan, Uncle Earl’s Rayna Gellert, or Weedie Braimah, Toubab Krewe has already earned the attention and respect of a broad musical community.

Toubab carries echoes of African greats like Ali Farka Toure, Orchestra Baobab and Salif Keita, no doubt picked up during the group’s travels to study and live in Guinea, Ivory Coast and Mali.  But what truly differentiates Toubab Krewe from other Statesiders inspired by African music is how they innovate on what they’ve learned instead of simply recreating tradition. Toubab Krewe carves out a new trail honoring the African originators they admire by making something alive and contemporary.

ABOUT THE NTH POWER:

The Nth Power believes in the healing power of music. This all-pro alignment of sharp and seasoned musical vets delivers a transcendent blend of soul, funk, rock and rhythm and blues with multi-part vocal harmonies and songs that inspire audiences to dance, groove, make love or just stand there with goose bumps.

The band’s electric live performances have been flooring audiences ever since the group formed in New Orleans during an impromptu jam during Jazzfest nearly a decade ago. After an EP, studio album and two live albums, the band returned in 2021 in support of their second full-length studio release, Reverence, which was featured on the first-round nominations ballot for the 2022 Grammy Awards.

The Nth Power hails from diverse musical backgrounds, races and creeds, but the universal language of love and its power to change lives is the thread that binds them. The trio features drummer Nikki Glaspie, whose credentials include Beyonce, Maceo Parker, Dumpstaphunk and countless more; guitarist and lead vocalist Nick Cassarino, known best for his previous work with Jennifer Hartswick and Big Daddy Kane; and bassist Nate Edgar of reggae giant John Brown’s Body.

“It’s my dream team,” said Glaspie, “each one of us is a songwriter, so when we get together, everything becomes that much stronger.” Beyond raw skill, however, Glaspie cites a deep spiritual connection as the glue that binds them together. “Music is what brought us together, but it’s the spiritual bond that makes us play so in touch with each other,” she explained.

The Nth Power’s inspirational sets have floored audiences at music festivals like Electric Forest, High Sierra, Peachfest, North Coast Music Festival and Hulaween. They maintain New Orleans as their spiritual home, and the celebratory essence of that city’s music culture is audible in each performance – garnering high profile festival appearances and national acclaim from outlets like Relix, Modern Drummer, Huffington Post, Glide, Consequence, Okayplayer and Sirius XM.

Simply put, there is something pretty magical happening in this band, and they’re only just getting started. “Were going as far as you can go on the planet Earth and playing music,” explains Glaspie, “I don’t know how many times we’ve said it, we are so blessed.”

Think outside the studio and enjoy the quiet of the Park after the gates have closed with this yoga practice for all levels of expertise. The mountains are said to be a natural vortex of spiritual energy, which makes Chimney Rock an ideal setting for connecting your spirit with nature at this outdoor class overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure. Lightweight yoga mats will be provided by your certified yoga teacher.

Winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award

Written by Tracy Letts

Directed by Stephanie Hickling Beckman

A vanished father. A pill-popping mother. Three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you’ve got a major play that unflinchingly—and uproariously—exposes the dark side of the Midwestern American family.

Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving.”

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, Frozen, the Tony^®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News).

Frozen features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar^®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards.

An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, Frozen is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.

Official Website

Leah Wellbaum has never been afraid of her own humility or honesty. But she’s never quite examined it the way she has now with Parallel Timeline.

On Slothrust’s latest album, bandleader Leah Wellbaum pushed herself to try and understand her own spirituality on a deeper level, putting a lens on the core wound of the human experience, the idea that we’re alone. With Parallel Timeline, Wellbaum explores the feeling of being trapped inside her own consciousness while simultaneously searching for a meaningful connection to the universe, and all the mysteries it contains.

During the writing process, Wellbaum sought to connect with her inner child – a voice that allows ideas to flow freely and without censorship. Ultimately, it allowed her to find poetic catharsis. The album’s artwork and visuals reflect that ethos as well. For her, inverted colored rainbows and orbs became a gateway to exploring the illusory things we see and experience in everyday life. The iconography of this record explores the space where science and the whimsical intersect, and where the unfamiliar becomes hardly recognizable. She is a strong believer that nothing is quite as it seems, and that a greater reality exists beyond what the human eye can see.

In advance of recording their fifth studio album, Leah, along with drummer Will Gorin, sought to dramatically expand the band’s sonic palette. Slothrust put an emphasis on incorporating new production techniques and processes into the established Slothrust sound, resulting in an extraordinary amount of experimental demo recordings, many elements of which appear themselves on the final record. They leaned into risk-taking — a freedom that comes with having been in a band together for more than 10 years, cultivating new sonic realms for each track. Leah sought to craft unique and calculated guitar parts instead of continuous bursts of wall-to-wall sound, and in turn delivers what will likely be considered a “how-to manual” for guitar playing in the next decade.

“On this record, I wanted to be even more precise with the guitar parts as opposed to creating a guitar palette, because a lot of artists, us included, have made songs that are so chock-full of guitar that distinct parts becomes a blur,” says Wellbaum. “I enjoy making that choice when it’s right but it’s the contrast of those things that I like to lean into. I strive to make the guitar sing like a human voice.”

Educated musicians all with backgrounds in classical, jazz and blues, the band’s newest work once again sees Slothrust leaning into improvisation — something that in the past has lent itself to the infectious energy of their live shows. Parallel Timeline, mixed by industry legend Billy Bush and mastered by Heba Kadry is a masterclass in balancing tenderness with the fierce guitar work Leah has become known for. With a distinct yet unified sound that blends progressive rock, acoustic and pop, Slothrust has never been more confident.

The backbone of the 10-track record is Leah’s spiritual journey and presence as a guitar god. Opener “Cranium” features a blues-tinged guitar solo inspired by Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain” that is so expressive it sings. ““The song addresses absurd ways to love someone or something, and feels very on-theme with things not always being what they appear at first,” says Wellbaum of the track. “It also touches on tenderness being painful, which I think is very true of me as someone who has spent a lot of my life trying to be very tough.”

With catchy grunge-rock jaunt “Once More For The Ocean” and the slow-burning ballad “King Arthur’s Seat,” Leah didn’t have access to an instrument when she wrote them. Instead the lyrics, she felt, were channeled through her as she stared into nature, reflecting the idea of oneness that she was searching for. Inspired by both Scotland and Billy Joel, “King Arthur’s Seat” also “addresses this core human wound that will come up time and time again for all of us, which is the feeling of being alone and separate and not really knowing what to do with that,” Wellbaum says.

With soaring guitar-riffs and Leah’s twinkling harmonies, the ethereal “Waiting” further contemplates the idea of wanting to heal yourself but not knowing how. In the track, connecting with nature – in this case, birds — is a balm. Penned with singer Donna Missal, “The Next Curse” was intended to be a “spell,” but it ended up being a curse. Flanked by thunderous guitars and Leah’s haunting vocals, the blistering rock anthem explores how even among the world’s destruction we still don’t take the time to take care of ourselves: “Earth’s gonna set on fire/But still I wait.” Producer Billy Bush’s influence shines on this track with burly guitars, Leah’s haunting vocals, and a fantastic display of vocal harmony in a feature from Halestorm singer Lzzy Hale. “Billy has that perfect balance of someone who is just easy to be around, totally gets the joke and is available to laugh and chat, but also is incredibly focused,” says Wellbaum. “His ears are magical.”

Slothrust shines particularly within its softer moments on the record. “Strange Astrology” is a stripped-down love song dedicated to Leah’s girlfriend of six years that meditates on astrological compatibility. The hymnal “Courtesy” ties into the record’s overall theme of spirituality and desire to feel connected. “I won’t ask you again if you give it to me/I won’t say it again if you get it the first time,” Leah sings.

While the majority of songs were written pre-pandemic, “A Giant Swallow” was not. The lullaby-like acoustic track unites the record and serves as a roadmap for Slothrust’s previous work, referencing lyrics spanning as early as their first record. Recalling the sweet harmonies of “Courtesy” and “Waiting,” Leah reflects on her search for the unified space. “I’ll return to the ocean/Return to the womb again/Inside of the Mother/Won’t have any questions then,” she sings with a gentle lilt. – Ilana Kaplan

CALVA LOUISE

Driven by vocalist & guitarist Jess’s creative vision, alt-trio CALVA LOUISE has just released their most multifaceted work to date, a 13 tracks album where their eclectic sound provides a mesmerising introduction to an alternate reality. EUPHORIC is a molotov cocktail, encompassing ambitious songwriting and searing guitar hooks that shows a multicultural proposal influenced by graphic novels and Sci-Fi movies.

Accompanied by a 45 minutes animation movie, created by Jess using softwares such as Blender and After Effects, the euphoric experience will continue through the second volume of the graphic novel also created by Jess, where Alizon and Ben will show clues about a EUPHORIC video game project.

The three musicians crossed paths in London during 2016, formed the band and started supporting artists like Razorlight, Albert Hammond Jr. and Highly Suspect. Since the beginning, their songs have found heavy rotation across BBC1 with Jack Saunders, Huw Stephens, Annie Mac and Abbie McCarthy; BBC6 Music with Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq, Shaun Keaveny and the legendary Iggy Pop; X-posure with John Kennedy and also a live session at BBC Maida Vale Studios.

After their explosive performances at Reading & Leeds, CALVA LOUISE are preparing their European tour for early 2022.