It’s time again for Steal This Track, your weekly opportunity to pick up hot new tracks from some of Colorado’s best and brightest musical artists.
Who doesn’t like free music, especially when it’s local? This week, we have a not-yet-released track from thundering fuzz rockers and weed-wired rappers & . Clear some space on your hard drive and start stealing!
Denver’s Gangcharger began as a side project for Ethan Ward of , but quickly garnered enough attention to demand more of Ward’s time. Between the band’s debut EP, “Metal Sun,” and its upcoming album, “Free Exhaust,” much has changed.
Now composed of Ward on guitars and vocals, singer and keyboardist Paige Peterson, bassist Adam Rojo (also of ) and drummer Dan Barnett, the band recorded with Jeff Shapiro (of ) in his new studio before handing the tracks over to Bryan Feuchtinger (of and the late ) for mixing at his Uneven Studios.
“Working with Bryan on mixing was interesting,” says Ward, “since he is generally known for a more ‘pop’ sound, and I think the record reflects that compared to our last EP.”
Hear the results for yourself by stealing “Vapor” right now.
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Gangcharger will release “Free Exhaust” in October at the three-day at the Weather Center, 1401 Zuni.
There’s a completely different kind of cloud gathering over in the lab where King F.O.E., Whygee and a boatload of hot, Colorado-based producers just cooked up “Dispensary Music.” Not to be confused with “Take a Bite Out of Dispensary Music,” the mixtape that the two rappers put out a couple months ago, this full-length album includes 15 tracks helmed by 12 different producers, and the results, if you’ll pardon the pun, are smoking.
Seriously, we had a hard time picking a favorite from this record because so many tracks tickled us. From the jaunty piano hook of “Outside of My Mind” (which features the captivating Karma on a verse) to the dark poetry of “Paranoid” and soulful groove of “Not Allowed,” “Dispensary Music” is a non-stop celebration of Denver’s dank delights that manages to hit hard while being laid back. FOE is at his most mellow through much of the record, while Whygee seems to have upped his energy a bit to close the gap between their very different styles. Producers like , , , and provide musical accompaniment that is diverse, but still maintains a cohesive, weeded-out mood. While there are a few moments where the beats aren’t as cushy or the lyrics get a little hazy, overall, the album is bound to be of Denver’s standout releases from any genre this year.
“Dispensary Music” is available as a digital download directly from the artists via or from iTunes, or you can pick up a physical copy at the release party on Oct 8 at . More details coming soon. In the meantime, steal “The Program,” produced by Es Nine of 3 the Hardway. The hook alone will have you smiling in no time.
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If you’re still jonesin’ for more after downloading “Dispensary Music,” just wait. FOE tells us that he and Whygee have 15 more tracks they recorded at the same time, soon to be released under the title “The Doobie Tracks.” We’ll keep you posted.
Please note that downloads offered via Steal This Track are intended to whet your appetite, and are NOT CD-quality recordings. If you want those, please support the artists by buying their music and/or seeing them live.
If you’re a band or musician ready to expose your fresh sounds to the readers of Reverb, email your tracks to Eryc Eyl for consideration.
Eryc Eyl is a veteran music journalist, critic and Colorado native who has been neck-deep in local music for many years. Check out every Tuesday for local music you can HEAR, and the every Friday. Against his mother’s advice, Eryc has also been known to . You can also follow Sorry, Mom.
