*** PODCAST #180 Dan Riehl (Satsuma, The Reptilian, etc.) ***

    10 years in the making, I finally sat down with my good friend Dan Riehl of Satsuma, Suck City, Seventeen Again, and The Reptilian. His new band Satsuma just released their debut EP in late March of 2025 to a lot of positivity. We discussed lots of stuff including: Weird Al and UHF discussion (again), marching band, Dreamtheater is awful, The Mars Volta/At The Drive In door, Olin props and the last Yusuke show, goddamn you Hamilton, how to get the "pop", Count Your Lucky Stars, the best The Reptilian song, Dave and Dan's origin story, 'End Paths' and blazin' in the basement, twinkly emo overkill, Seventeen Again love and the 2014 screamo downturn, transition to wrestler, Satsuma formation, facebook sucks, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Blue Youth, Cloud Mouth, Colossal, Innards, Osceola, and Prize The Doubt. Listen to podcast #180 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

only 3 tapes left!!!

(2 in the US / 1 in Canada/Int'l store)

SATSUMA
Bandcamp

THE REPTILIAN
Bandcamp

SUCK CITY
Bandcamp

1 Talkin' Shit

CLOUD MOUTH "Quiet" (Dan)

OSCEOLA "Smile" (Dave)

2 The Reptilian

COLOSSAL "Table Setting" (Dan)

PRIZE THE DOUBT "People Magazine" (Dave)

3 Satsuma

INNARDS "S1mple Decisions" (Dan)

BLUE YOUTH "Patient Patient" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #180 linked here

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BOON

Band: BOON
For fans of: Blue Noise, September 22nd, Old Soul, Heaven In Her Arms, Nidare, Respire, Orphaned, Hope Drone, Love/Less, Nionde Plagan, and Envy.
Genres: Punk / Post-Rock / Hardcore / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Metal / Metallic Hardcore / Screamo / Skramz / Black Metal

Related artists: Nanette, Wolf Fang Fist, Slewfoot, and Guided Lily.
Country: Toronto/Barrie, Ontario CANADA
Years Active: 2023-present

Label(s): Lion's Jawbone

     My friend Van sent me his new band's debut EP a few weeks back and after two listens I was flabbergasted. Definitely the most "up my alley" band that he's been in, this gorgeously dark hardcore/black metal band shows insane signs of maturity and songwriting chops that lead to one of the best EPs of 2025 thus far. With just five tracks in 16 minutes, things are both condensed and interesting, leading to an addictive flow of heavy but restrained catharsis.

     Opener "Stay in the Car" begins wonderfully with a quick stab at atmospheric black metal which seems to called blackened screamo nowadays. It's beautiful and evil simultaneously. "November Something" sounds like a condensed Respire without the additional instrumentation but instills all the feels and brightness nonetheless. The melodic undertones in "Rifle Company" are awesome, and paired with the speedy yet atmospheric blackened screamo it's just a recipe for fuck yes, more please. "Minor Arcana" relies on chunky riffs with more bright guitars layered overtop, as this song nearly takes a few strides into metalcore territory but ends up being more of a post-hardcore/black metal crossover, and is also my pick for the best track. Closer "Supermodel" nears five minutes (while the others hover around three) and allows for more breathing during an expansive intro that feels like I'm taking a trip through Saturn's rings and getting a closeup of the majestic but prodigious swirling ice cliffs before a biting guitar riff throws the song into a controlled frenzy.

     I do believe the band is trying to work on a full length which I would throw my hat in to release without a second thought. Unreal debut EP and one of the best of 2025 in my opinion.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2025 - Thief digital EP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2025) BOON - "Minor Arcana" (from 'Thief')

https://youtu.be/E9ia4oc6-LA

(2025) BOON - "Stay in the Car" (from 'Thief')

https://youtu.be/tioEYow7h0c

(2025) BOON - "Rifle Company" (from 'Thief')

https://youtu.be/RuazUM3oig8

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*** PODCAST #179 Avery Friedman ***

    In late March I received an email from Audio Anti-hero, who had recently introduced to me to Magana through said PR company/label. It was about AVERY FRIEDMAN. Having never heard the artist but trusting the label, I checked out the advance copy of 'New Thing' and was flabbergasted at 1) how incredible it was and 2) how quickly and firmly it latched itself onto me. There hasn't been a day since that I haven't rocked at least one of the tracks - if not all 8. Her gentle yet dark songwriting style is right up my alley, and the ability to wind her vocals around each verse and chorus in such memorable and precise ways still leaves me staggering on every listen. The instrumentation is great to boot, with some songs using them aggressively to push the vocals further, some song use them as a solid foundation, while others recede into the corner and let the light shine fully on Avery's voice. Needless to say, I loved it so much I asked if I could do a small vinyl run /125 on my label Softseed Music, to which they agreed (and I couldn't be more honored). I also asked if Avery wanted to chat with me for this 179th podcast and as you've noticed, she said yes. So here we are discussing lots of stuff such as: 4th grade choir and Celine Dion, life-altering concerts on shrooms, being robbed at knifepoint, cheese factor fears, yoga classes with Eartheater, Ciao Malz and Audio Anti-Hero props, labels falling through, May 15th record release show, twangin' that shit up, etc. Bands played in this podcast: Beabadoobee, Biig Piig, Eartheater, Perfume Genius, Smush, and Squirrel Flower. Listen to podcast #179 which is available to stream and/or download for free via this link.

AVERY FRIEDMAN
Bandcamp

"Flowers Fell" music video

https://youtu.be/yEv257W1duY

1 You're gonna unlock this shit

BIIG PIIG "American Beauty" (Avery)

BEABADOOBEE "Bobby" (Dave)

2 Nervous Playing Nervous

SQUIRREL FLOWER "Almost Pulled Away" (Avery)

EARTHEATER "How to Fight" (Dave)

3 New Thing Discussion

PERFUME GENIUS "It's a Mirror" (Avery) [official music video]

SMUSH "Sweetheart" (Dave)

~Dave

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PODCAST #179 linked here

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