Local Releases: Killbot, The American Shakes

Well, October slightly sucked for releases. Not in that the albums were bad, but after the first week this state went dead. But all that gets a slight correction as there's a local release almost every week for November. And we'll start with the psychotic awesomeness that is Killbot! Nearly a year ago they released their full-length, Welcome To The Cometary, in December 2009. Since then they've mainly been rocking Club Vegas on a regular basis to near-packed shows. Now as a brief post script to that album, the group are releasing a fresh EP by the name of Horror. Four bonus tracks that didn't make it and new material from the metalheads. You can catch them Saturday night at Burt's Tiki Lounge with Speitre and Desolate. Just $7 at 9PM.

Then on Sunday night, Slowtrain Records plays host to a small release show for The American Shakes. Brent Dereling's side project gained attention over the summer, playing selective shows with members of Band Of Annuals while the group is taking a hiatus for their own recording sessions. With the eleven tracks written over 2009 and recorded over 2010 with twelve different musicians contributing to the album, Begin sounds like one of the more endearing and folk enriched albums of the year. You can't even call it a precursor of what's to come from BOA, because it seems to step just outside their own comfort zone and into new melodic territory. It really is just a good album, period. You can currently pick up the album in CD, vinyl and direct download (or all in one if you hit up their temporary website), or you can catch it live in Slowtrain's Subterranean Lounge, with BOA's Jay Henderson opening. Just $5 at 7PM.

Head out, love music, buy local.