Ears to the Ground: "Bllondes" by Ghostt Bllonde

Earlier this year Ghostt Bllonde made the announcement that we'd all been waiting for, signing to a local label. When a band experiences such a meteoric rise in the scene, it's really only a matter of time until they get a crew behind them that can assist with plugging the hell out of their music in ways that bands couldn't even imagine. Negative Fun has done such for Ghostt Bllonde, giving them not only their first vinyl release, but helping them raise their profile throughout the region by pairing them and various other locals with more regionally focused artists on the east coast through their singles series.

When the band announced their Negative Fun signing they'd announced that there would be a collection of demos and unreleased singles, and evidently that time is nigh. This Saturday marks the 2nd annual Cassette Store Day, and while Nice Price Books is the only local participant in Cassette Store Day, that didn't stop Ghostt Bllonde and the Negative Fun crew from rolling out the stops for the event.

This Saturday at Nice Price, and also at Lunchbox Records in Charlotte, copies of Ghostt Bllonde's new cassette will be available for purchase in advance of the official release on Oct. 7. So in honor of the band's new release, we're lucky enough to be able to debut the lead single off of the release, "Bllondes."

Throughout the past year of the band's existence we've seen Ghostt Bllonde solidify themselves as a band who's got a powerful sense of direction and potential. Not only does Marc Kuzio and company know where they want this band to go, they know exactly how to get there. The doo-wop inspired anxiety-fueled vibes that were present on their early work have become somewhat dissipated in their more recent releases, traded in for a sleek swagger that exudes confidence and creativity. Trash-pop no more, "Bllondes" opens with a slow build of reversed guitar lines and vocal melodies before quaintly unraveling into a subdued song that explores some seriously catchy melodies and guitar grooves. Harmonies are abound, both creating rich textures and a full-bodied sound for Kuzio vocals. With harmonies and guitar lines subtly panned to and fro, the band sounds much more polished than before. Whereas their self-recorded lo-fi sound worked for their debut, it seems the band has realized that progression is key, and they're certainly progressing in bunches.

You can check out the single below and purchase the entire cassette in advance tomorrow at Nice Price Books for Cassette Store Day:

Ghostt Bllonde Signs to Negative Fun Records

Ghostt Bllonde at WKNC's DBB 10 Day Party

Since around this time last year I've been touting the word of Ghostt Bllonde. What was once the project that rose from the ashes of Coastal Vision has swiftly snowballed into one of the region's most exciting new acts. Marc Kuzio's frantic, angst-ridden lyrics have resonated with countless listeners across the state, turning Ghostt Bllonde's shows into sing-along laden outings that are liable to get crazy quick. It's hard to imagine how a band can keep gathering so much steam, but Ghostt Bllonde is clearly determined to do just that. Earlier this morning it was announced that Ghostt Bllonde would be joining the Negative Fun roster in 2014 for multiple releases with the Raleigh/New Hampshire based label.

Negative Fun garnered a lot of local attention after their Hopscotch Day Party at Legends this year, and since then they've been following a similar trajectory to Ghostt Bllonde by putting on free First Friday events at Legends to help gain local visibility. The opening installment of their Let Feedback Ring series actually featured Ghostt Bllonde as the headliner, which should have been the first indication that something special could come to fruition between the two parties.

Throughout 2014 Ghostt Bllonde will release a handful of singles and demos which will lead up to their second full-length, currently slated for a late 2014 release. However, the footwork leading up to this full-length sounds equally enthralling, releases include a 7" split for a part of Negative Fun's Home and Home series (one side from North Carolina, one from New Hampshire) and an EP of demos on Negative Fun's new tape label imprint Antiquated Technology (run by Negative Fun's Chris DeFusco and local journalist/musician Corbie Hill).

To celebrate this slew of good news, Ghostt Bllonde will be headlining a stellar night at Kings Barcade on Friday, Jan. 3 with Hammer No More The Fingers and Museum Mouth. This three act lineup serves as an excellent start to the new year, giving local fans an even mix of one of the areas most revered local indie-rock acts and two quickly rising newcomers. It's hard to believe that a year ago the band was debuting their staple track "Love is Loathing"on The Bottom String and now they're already prepping for their second full-length, but when you're filled with that much unbridled energy it's gotta go somewhere!

The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1 to be released April 9th

The Bottom String Compilation Vol. 1
will be released on April 9, 2013
Artwork by Dan Barbour

No, this isn't some poorly organized April Fools joke.  Next Tuesday I will finally release the long-awaited, heavily labored over compilation that features some of my absolute favorite up and coming artists in the state.  It's been a mighty long, but incredibly invigorating process of getting all of these tracks together but I'm so excited to share all of this with you guys.  While it may be coming a bit later than expected, it's given me an actual grasp on how long it can take to get these things together!

When I started The Bottom String I did it because I wanted to be able to share the local music that I love with people I care about.  Nearly three years have passed since then and this has blossomed into something far greater than I could have imagined and it brings me great amounts of pride to know that so many people care about this incredibly talented crew of musicians that call North Carolina home.  While this may be the first compilation we release, it certainly won't be the last!  It's been an absolute joy to create conversation between musicians and fans within the area and I hope to continue this process for many years to come.