On Friday, April 12th, METZ will release Up On Gravity Hill, their first new album in four years, worldwide on Sub Pop and in Canada on Dine Alone. Today, the band is sharing an official video for the album highlight “Superior Mirage,” directed by John Andrews.
METZ frontman Alex Edkins shares this of the song, “It’s definitely new territory for us, and I really love the sounds we were able to achieve. We blended a Linn Drum with some homemade samples and made this ad-hoc junkyard drum sound that propels the song along. We really tried to make the backbeat the defining trait of the song. The lift on the chorus is pretty huge, too. We wanted the wall of guitars to knock you sideways.”
Up On Gravity Hill was engineered by Seth Manchester (Mdou Moctar, Lingua Ignota, Battles, The Body) and features guest performances from Amber Webber of Black Mountain and composer/string arranger Owen Pallett.
METZ, a band once known for blowing out eardrums with songs of joyous rage, have, over their past few records, begun exploring ways to turn abrasiveness into atmospherics, the evolution of their sound not only a reflection of the maturing of the band themselves but also of a changed world that demands nuance and compassion to comprehend and to survive. This is so on their latest effort, Up On Gravity Hill, which finds the band continuing to bend the raw power of rock music to its most delicate, intricate ends. Delivering a deep, detailed, and unyieldingly personal collection of songs that are fused together to form not only METZ’s most powerful record to date but also their most beautiful.
As previously announced, METZ has a headlining international tour scheduled supporting Up On Gravity Hill, with dates in North America from April 17th to May 17th and a run of UK and EU dates in the fall from November 3rd through November 29th. The band also has a series of UK and EU festival performances in August, including stops at The Green Man Festival in the UK, La Route Du Rock and Cabaret Vert Festival in France, and the Canela Party in Spain. See below for a full list of shows.
North America Fri. Apr. 12 - Toronto, ON - Sonic Boom Records - FREE In-Store Performance at 6pm Wed. Apr. 17 - Boston, MA - Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre $ Thurs. Apr. 18 - Troy, NY - No Fun $ Fri. Apr. 19 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom $ Sat. Apr. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts $ * Sun. Apr. 21 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar $ Tue. Apr. 23 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl $ Thu. Apr. 24 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn $ Fri. Apr. 25 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge $ Sat. Apr. 26 - Austin, TX - The Parish (Austin Psych Fest) $ Sun. Apr. 27 - Dallas, TX - Sons of Hermann Hall $ Mon. Apr. 29 - Sante Fe, NM - Meow Wolf $ Tues. Apr. 30 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar $ Wed. - May 01 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah $ Tue. May 02 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720 $ Wed. May 03 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz $ Thu. May 04 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel $ Mon. May 06 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom $ Tue. May 07 - Seattle, WA - Neumos $ Fri. May 10 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club $ Sat. May 11 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge $ Thu. May 16 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount $ Sat. May 17 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall $
$ w/ Gouge Away * w/ Rid of Me
UK/EU Thu. Aug. 15 - Crickhowell, UK - Green Man Festival Fri. Aug. 16 - St Malo, FR La Route Du Rock Sat. Aug. 17 - Charleville-Mezières, FR - Cabaret Vert Festival Fri. Aug. 23 - Malaga, ES - Canela Party Sat. Nov. 02 - Rennes, FR – L’Antipode Sun. Nov. 03 - La Rochelle, FR - La Sirène Mon. Nov. 04 - Paris, FR - La Maroquinerie Tue. Nov. 05 - Clermont-Ferrand, FR - La Coopérative de Mai Wed. Nov. 06 - Lyon, FR - Le Transbordeur Thu. Nov. 07 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Sat. Nov. 09 - Prague, CZ - Futurum Sun. Nov. 10 - Budapest, HU - Turbina Tue. Nov. 12 - Krakow, PL - Klub Zascianek Wed. Nov. 13 - Warsaw, PL - Klub Hydrozagadka Sat. Nov. 16 - Berlin, DE - Hole44 Mon. Nov. 18 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen Tue. Nov. 19 - Hamburg, DE - Hafenklang Wed. Nov. 20 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Thu. Nov. 21 - Groningen, NL - Vera Fri. Nov. 22- Antwerp, BE - Trix Sat. Nov. 23 - Lille, FR - L’Aéronef Mon. Nov. 25 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds % Tue. Nov. 26 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club % Wed. Nov. 27 - Birkenhead, UK - Future Yard % Thu. Nov. 28 - Bristol, UK - Strange Brew % Fri. Nov. 29 - London, UK - Village Underground %
% THE NONE
Up On Gravity Hill is available to preorder now on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com, and select independent retailers will receive the Loser Edition on Clear w/ Red Splatter vinyl. LP orders from independent retail stores & Mega Mart 2 in the UK and Europe will receive the Loser Edition on Opaque Yellow vinyl. A half-red/half-black LP from Dine Alone is also available in Canada. All three vinyl colors can also be purchased at the band’s live shows. All colored vinyl versions are available while stock lasts!
Tracklisting: 1. No Reservation / Love Comes Crashing 2. Glass Eye 3. Entwined (Street Light Buzz) 4. 99 5. Superior Mirage 6. Wound Tight 7. Never Still Again 8. Light Your Way Home
On April 12th, METZ will release their prodigious new album, Up On Gravity Hill, via Sub Pop (World, ex-Canada) and Dine Alone (Canada.) Following the previously released tracks “99” and “Entwined (Street Light Buzz)” comes the album’s gorgeous closer “Light Your Way Home,” which features vocal contributions from Amber Webber of Black Mountain.
METZ frontman Alex Edkins shares, ” ’Light Your Way Home’ is definitely one of our favorites from Up On Gravity Hill. I was listening to lots of Jesu and Low (as I do most winters) when writing this one. Lyrically, it’s about missing your loved ones to the point of losing your grip on reality. We distorted and added a mechanical slap back to the drums to create a wild and huge sound. I love how big we got the production on this one. It’s like nothing we’ve ever made before, sonically or lyrically. Amber Webber (Black Mountain, Lightning Dust) was so great to work with, and her voice just takes this song to another stratosphere. I think the video by Colin Medley perfectly captures the vibe and intent of the song.”
Click HERE to watch “Light Your Way Home, directed by Colin Medley.
As previously announced, METZ has headlining international tour dates scheduled supporting Up On Gravity Hill, with dates in North America from April 17th to May 17th and a run of UK and EU dates in the fall from November 3rd through November 29th. The band also has a series of UK and EU festival performances in August, including stops at The Green Man Festival in the UK, La Route Du Rock and Cabaret Vert Festival in France, and the Canela Party in Spain. See below for a full list of shows.
North America Wed. Apr. 17 - Boston, MA - Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre $ Fri. Apr. 19 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom $ Sat. Apr. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts $ * Sun. Apr. 21 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar $ Tue. Apr. 23 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl $ Thu. Apr. 24 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn $ Fri. Apr. 25 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge $ Sat. Apr. 26 - Austin, TX - The Parish (Austin Psych Fest) $ Sun. Apr. 27 - Dallas, TX - Sons of Hermann Hall $ Mon. Apr. 29 - Sante Fe, NM - Meow Wolf $ Tues. Apr. 30 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar $ Wed. - May 01 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah $ Tue. May 02 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720 $ Wed. May 03 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz $ Thu. May 04 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel $ Mon. May 06 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom $ Tue. May 07 - Seattle, WA - Neumos $ Fri. May 10 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club $ Sat. May 11 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge $ Thu. May 16 - Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount $ Sat. May 17 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall $
$ w/ Gouge Away * w/ Rid of Me
UK/EU Thu. Aug. 15 - Crickhowell, UK - Green Man Festival Fri. Aug. 16 - St Malo, FR La Route Du Rock Sat. Aug. 17 - Charleville-Mezières, FR - Cabaret Vert Festival Fri. Aug. 23 - Malaga, ES - Canela Party Sat. Nov. 02 - Rennes, FR – L’Antipode Sun. Nov. 03 - La Rochelle, FR - La Sirène Mon. Nov. 04 - Paris, FR - La Maroquinerie Tue. Nov. 05 - Clermont-Ferrand, FR - La Coopérative de Mai Wed. Nov. 06 - Lyon, FR - Le Transbordeur Thu. Nov. 07 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Sat. Nov. 09 - Prague, CZ - Futurum Sun. Nov. 10 - Budapest, HU - Turbina Tue. Nov. 12 - Krakow, PL - Klub Zascianek Wed. Nov. 13 - Warsaw, PL - Klub Hydrozagadka Sat. Nov. 16 - Berlin, DE - Hole44 Mon. Nov. 18 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen Tue. Nov. 19 - Hamburg, DE - Hafenklang Wed. Nov. 20 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Thu. Nov. 21 - Groningen, NL - Vera Fri. Nov. 22- Antwerp, BE - Trix Sat. Nov. 23 - Lille, FR - L’Aéronef Mon. Nov. 25 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds % Tue. Nov. 26 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club % Wed. Nov. 27 - Birkenhead, UK - Future Yard % Thu. Nov. 28 - Bristol, UK - Strange Brew % Fri. Nov. 29 - London, UK - Village Underground %
% THE NONE
Up On Gravity Hill is available to preorder now on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders in North America from megamart.subpop.com, and select independent retailers will receive the Loser Edition on clear w/ red splatter vinyl. LP orders from independent retail stores & Mega Mart 2 (the new, UK-based sibling site to the world-famous Sub Pop Mega Mart) in the UK and Europe will receive the Loser Edition on Opaque Yellow vinyl. And, a half-red/half-black LP is available in Canada from Dine Alone. All colored vinyl versions are available while stock lasts.
METZ Up On Gravity Hill
Tracklisting: 1. No Reservation / Love Comes Crashing 2. Glass Eye 3. Entwined (Street Light Buzz) 4. 99 5. Superior Mirage 6. Wound Tight 7. Never Still Again 8. Light Your Way Home
On April 12th, METZ will release Up On Gravity Hill, their first album in 4 years, on Sub Pop for the world ex-Canada and in Canada on Dine Alone. The album was engineered by Seth Manchester (Mdou Moctar, Lingua Ignota, Battles, The Body) and features guest performances from Amber Webber of Black Mountain and composer/string arranger Owen Pallett.
METZ, a band once known for blowing out eardrums with songs of joyous rage, have, over their past few records, begun exploring ways to turn abrasiveness into atmospherics, the evolution of their sound not only a reflection of the maturing of the band themselves but also of a changed world that demands nuance and compassion to comprehend and to survive. This is so on their latest effort, Up On Gravity Hill, which finds the band continuing to bend the raw power of rock music to its most delicate, intricate ends. Delivering a deep, detailed, and unyieldingly personal collection of songs that are fused together to form not only METZ’s most powerful record to date but also their most beautiful.
To spotlight this evolution, the band has shared two new contrasting singles: the stomping motorik “99,” and the charging and deeply melodic, “Entwined (Street Light Buzz)”, that offers a dreamier Swervedriver-esque guitar sheen never before utilized by the Canadian trio.
METZ frontman Alex Edkins says, “These two songs couldn’t be more stylistically and thematically dissimilar. ‘Entwined (Street Light Buzz)’ is a song about the deep connection humans can foster with one another and how we carry people with us forever, even after death. ‘99’ is about the scourge of corporate greed and bottom-line thinking that runs rampant in modern society. Anything for a buck is the message being sent to younger generations.”
METZ is also announcing headlining international tour dates supporting Up On Gravity Hill, with dates in North America from April 17th to May 17th and a run of UK and EU dates in the fall from November 3rd through November 29th. The band also has a series of UK and EU festival performances in August, including stops at The Green Man Festival in the UK, La Route Du Rock and Cabaret Vert Festival in France, and the Canela Party in Spain. See below for a full list of shows.
North America Wed. Apr. 17 - Boston, MA - Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre $ Fri. Apr. 19 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom $ Sat. Apr. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts $ * Sun. Apr. 21 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar $ Tue. Apr. 23 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl $ Thu. Apr. 24 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn $ Fri. Apr. 25 - Fayetteville, AR - George’s Majestic Lounge $ Sat. Apr. 26 - Austin, TX - The Parish (Austin Psych Fest) $ Sun. Apr. 27 - Dallas, TX - Sons of Hermann Hall $ Mon. Apr. 29 - Sante Fe, NM - Meow Wolf $ Tues. Apr. 30 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar $ Wed. - May 01 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah $ Tue. May 02 - Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre $ Wed. May 03 - San Jose, CA - The Ritz $ Thu. May 04 - San Francisco, CA - The Chapel $ Mon. May 06 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom $ Tue. May 07 - Seattle, WA - Neumos $ Fri. May 10 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club $ Sat. May 11 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge $ Thu. May 16 -Montreal, QE - Theatre Fairmount $ Sat. May 17 - Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall $
$ w/ Gouge Away * w/ Rid of Me
UK/EU Thu. Aug. 15 - Crickhowell, UK - Green Man Festival Fri. Aug. 16 - St Malo, FR La Route Du Rock Sat. Aug. 17 - Charleville-Mezières, FR - Cabaret Vert Festival Fri. Aug. 23 - Malaga, ES - Canela Party Sat. Nov. 02 - Rennes, FR – L’Antipode Sun. Nov. 03 - La Rochelle, FR - La Sirène Mon. Nov. 04 - Paris, FR - La Maroquinerie Tue. Nov. 05 - Clermont-Ferrand, FR - La Coopérative de Mai Wed. Nov. 06 - Lyon, FR - Le Transbordeur Thu. Nov. 07 - Zurich, CH - Bogen F Sat. Nov. 09 - Prague, CZ - Futurum Sun. Nov. 10 - Budapest, HU - Turbina Tue. Nov. 12 - Krakow, PL - Klub Zascianek Wed. Nov. 13 - Warsaw, PL - Klub Hydrozagadka Sat. Nov. 16 - Berlin, DE - Hole44 Mon. Nov. 18 - Copenhagen, DK - Loppen Tue. Nov. 19 - Hamburg, DE - Hafenklang Wed. Nov. 20 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Thu. Nov. 21 - Groningen, NL - Vera Fri. Nov. 22- Antwerp, BE - Trix Sat. Nov. 23 - Lille, FR - L’Aéronef Mon. Nov. 25 - Birmingham, UK - Hare & Hounds Tue. Nov. 26 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club Wed. Nov. 27 - Birkenhead, UK - Future Yard Thu. Nov. 28 - Bristol, UK - Strange Brew Fri. Nov. 29 - London, UK - Village Underground
Up On Gravity Hill is available to preorder now on CD/LP/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders in North America from megamart.subpop.com, and select independent retailers will receive the Loser Edition on clear w/ red splatter vinyl. LP orders from independent retail stores & Mega Mart 2 (the new, UK-based sibling site to the world-famous Sub Pop Mega Mart) in the UK and Europe will receive the Loser Edition on Opaque Yellow vinyl. All colored vinyl versions are available while stock lasts.
Tracklisting: 1. No Reservation / Love Comes Crashing 2. Glass Eye 3. Entwined (Street Light Buzz) 4. 99 5. Superior Mirage 6. Wound Tight 7. Never Still Again 8. Light Your Way Home
Weird Nightmare, the new project from Alex Edkins of METZ, has released a cover of the Ramones’ song “She’s the One.” Edkins delivers a refreshingly low-key rendition of this punk rock classic showcasing Beatles-esque harmonies, Duane Eddy-inspired fuzz guitar, and pedal steel played by Aaron Goldstein. “She’s the One” is available for your listening & viewing pleasure now. Watch the official animated skate video directed by Ladyhead Design that cruises through the streets of Toronto to some of Edkins’ favorite haunts. Weird Nightmare has confirmed new shows for summer and fall 2023 throughout Canada, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. These dates begin June 9th, with a performance at this year’s DO WEST FEST in Toronto, with an additional Canadian festival play on June 25th at the Sled Island Festival in Calgary. Edkins and co. will then head overseas in August and September, opening for Daniel Romano and Julianna Riolino throughout the Netherlands and Scandinavia. See below for a full list of shows.
Fri. Jun. 09 - Toronto, CA - DO WEST FEST Sun. Jun. 25 - Calgary, CA - Sled Island Festival Thu. Jul. 12 - Toronto, CA - Horseshoe Tavern $ Sat. Aug. 26 - Nijmegen, NL - Doornroosje # Sun. Aug. 27 - Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg # Tue. Aug. 29 - Gothenburg, SE - Pustervik # Wed. Aug. 30 - Malmo, SE - Folk å Rock # Fri. Sep. 01 - Kristiansand S, NO - KICK Nattklubb & Scene # Sat. Sep. 02 - Stavanger, NO - Folken # Sun. Sep. 03 - Bergen, NO - Landmark # Mon. Sep 04 - Oslo, NO - Rockefeller Music Hall # Tue. Sep 05 - Trondheim, NO - Byscenen # Wed. Sep. 06 - Östersund, SE - Nails Östersund # Thu. Sep. 07 - Solna, SE -Värdshuset Koppartälten # Fri. Sep. 08 - Copenhagen, DK - Global Copenhagen # Tue. Sep 12 - Gent, BE - Vooruit #
$ w/ Protomartyr # w/ Daniel Romano and Julianna Riolino
What people have been saying about Weird Nightmare: “The debut Weird Nightmare album from METZ guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins is a hook-filled set of blown-out power-pop with distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and bright pop melodies.” - KEXP
“The tension between chaos and order sparks gripping theater on songs like “Searching for You,” a descendant of “Anarchy in the UK,” the grunge-inclined “Lusitania” and the atypical, eight-minute ballad “Holding Out,” which suggests an angsty sleepwalker. Whatever the groove, Edkins sounds like a man on the verge of spontaneous combustion.” - THE BIG TAKEOVER
“Weird Nightmare is all about hooks and melody. Still delivered with levels in the red, but these are ultra catchy powerpop songs first and foremost, and really good ones at that.” - BROOKLYN VEGAN
“‘Weird Nightmare’ is Alex Edkins giving us an access-all-areas pass to his creative process. It’s an invite no-one should decline.” - NORTHERN TRANSMISSIONS
“Weird Nightmare isn’t something that will have listeners running away or falling asleep. Edkins’s 10-song tracklist is a fun, energetic and zany concoction of sounds and textures that recall his main band while simultaneously taking things in fresh directions.” - EXCLAIM!
“If having fun and being free was what Edkins most wanted to come through on the recording of Weird Nightmare, he undoubtedly achieved it on his delightfully distorted and warped debut solo album.” - EXCLAIM!
“On the 10 tracks that comprise the project’s self-titled Sub Pop debut, Edkins revels in magnetic hooks and brighter, sunny melodies, exploring explicitly an aspect of his songwriting that had previously been mostly implicit.” - TREBLE
“…Weird Nightmare will bring a little noisy sunshine to your day.” - NARC
In 2016 Toronto noise-rock behemoths METZ teamed up with Boston post-punk legends Mission of Burma on a split single for Record Store Day. METZ contributed a cover of “Good, Not Great,” a track from Mission of Burma’s 2006 album The Obliterati, while Mission of Burma covered METZ’s 2012 anthem, “Get Off,” from their self-titled debut. The split 7” was limited to 4,000 copies worldwide. Now for the first time ever these songs are available digitally; for Bandcamp Friday starting today, December 2nd, and in all other DSPs on December 20th.
METZ celebrate ten years of their massively acclaimed self-titled debut this year and will embark on a “10 Years Anniversary Tour” where they’ll be playing the album in full. Dates begin on December 7th in Phoenix with stops in Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Portland, St. Paul, and Chicago. Please find a full list of dates below. Tickets for all shows are on sale now.
To further celebrate the 10th anniversary of METZ, in October Sub Pop released a deluxe edition of the album on all streaming services. This updated, thirteen-track album features the original ten songs along with new versions of “Wet Blanket,” “Wasted,” and “Get Off” from a 2013 BBC Radio 1 session at Maida Vale Studios with host Huw Stephens.
10 Years Anniversary Tour Wed. Dec. 07 - Phoenix, AZ- Valley Bar + Thu. Dec. 08 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom + Fri. Dec. 09 - Oakland, CA - The New Parish + Sun. Dec. 11 - Seattle, WA - Neumos + Mon. Dec. 12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge * Thu. Dec. 15 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club * Fri. Dec. 16 - Chicago, IL - Metro *
Weird Nightmare’s gloriously distorted cover of The Troggs’ 1966 classic bummer ballad, “Our Love Will Still Be There” is out now. “British Invasion is a really big part of my musical DNA” shares Weird Nightmare’s Alex Edkins. “The Kinks, The Troggs, The Pretty Things are my go-to comfort music. I wear their influence pretty heavily on my sleeve on at least a couple Weird Nightmare songs, “I Think You Know” and “Lusitania” come to mind. The Troggs, and all the American garage bands they influenced, make distorted pop that, to my ears, sounds like the precursor to punk. Loose, gritty, immediate, and heartfelt.”
This new cover follows the band’s self-titled full length debut, as well as the double A-Side split, “I Think You Know” w/ “Bird With an Iron Head” with friends Ancient Shapes, in addition to the recently released single “So Far Gone.”
Weird Nightmare are currently on tour opening a batch of US dates w Archers of Loaf, before and then after Edkins heads out on a special 10 Years Anniversary Tour on the US west coast w METZ in December. See below for a full list of dates.
Weird Nightmare Tour Dates w/ Archers of Loaf: Fri. Dec. 02 - Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw Wed. Jan. 11 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace Thu. Jan. 12 - Detroit, MI - El Club Fri. Jan 13 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge Sat. Jan 14 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall Sun. Jan 15 - Nashville, TN - Basement East
METZ 10 Years Anniversary Tour Dates: Wed. Dec. 07 - Phoenix AZ - Valley Bar # Thu. Dec. 08 - Los Angeles, CA- Teragram Ballroom # Fri. Dec. 09 - Oakland, CA - New Parish # Sun. Dec. 11 - Seattle, WA - Neumos # Mon. Dec. 12 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge # Thu. Dec. 15 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club * Fri. Dec 16 - Chicago, IL - Metro *
# w/ Kowloon Walled City * w/ Spiritual Cramp
What people have been saying about Weird Nightmare: “The debut Weird Nightmare album from METZ guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins is a hook-filled set of blown-out power-pop with distorted guitars, punchy rhythms and bright pop melodies.” - KEXP
“The tension between chaos and order sparks gripping theater on songs like “Searching for You,” a descendant of “Anarchy in the UK,” the grunge-inclined “Lusitania” and the atypical, eight-minute ballad “Holding Out,” which suggests an angsty sleepwalker. Whatever the groove, Edkins sounds like a man on the verge of spontaneous combustion.” - The Big Takeover
“Weird Nightmare is all about hooks and melody. Still delivered with levels in the red, but these are ultracatchy powerpop songs first and foremost, and really good ones at that.” - Brooklyn Vegan
“‘Weird Nightmare’ is Alex Edkins giving us an access all areas pass to his creative process. It’s an invite no-one should decline.” - Northern Transmissions
“Weird Nightmare isn’t something that will have listeners running away or falling asleep. Edkins’s 10-song tracklist is a fun, energetic and zany concoction of sounds and textures that recall his main band while simultaneously taking things in fresh directions.” - Exclaim!
“If having fun and being free was what Edkins most wanted to come through on the recording of Weird Nightmare, he undoubtedly achieved it on his delightfully distorted and warped debut solo album.” - Exclaim!
“On the 10 tracks that comprise the project’s self-titled Sub Pop debut, Edkins revels in magnetic hooks and brighter, sunny melodies, exploring explicitly an aspect of his songwriting that had previously been mostly implicit.” - Treble
“…Weird Nightmare will bring a little noisy sunshine to your day.” - Narc
