SMILE AN EVERLASTING SMILE: Jay Gonzalez, hot on the heels of his new album Roll Up a Song—which was recorded with longtime writer and lyricist Pete Smith (Adult Swim) and credited to Gonzalez Smith—will play a special show Thursday, Nov. 30 at Flicker Theatre & Bar. He’ll be joined by acclaimed band member Darren Jessee (Ben Folds Five, Hiss Golden Messenger, Sharon Van Etten, Hotel Lights), who has made quite a name for himself as a solo artist with his three albums released over the past five years. Gonzalez is headlining this show and reports that it will function as a sort of release party for Roll Up a Song. His collaborator on this (the aforementioned Pete Smith for those who weren’t paying attention) first appeared on the scene via late jazz artist Gary McFarland’s 1971 album Butterscotch Rum. Eventually his writing led him to Adult Swim, where he’s written for “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” and “The Brak Show” as well as lending voice talent to “The Squidbillies.” For more info on Gonzalez and Jessee, please see jaygonzalez.com and darrenjessee.com. Check out the new record on or after Dec. 1 at jaygonzalez.bandcamp.com.

WELCOME, MR. WAYNE: Every now and again I’ll come across some troubadour musician coming to town and be immediately charmed. So, while his appearance doesn’t exactly fit the generally tight parameters of this column, I wanted to point your attention to Greenville, SC’s Chris Wayne. He’ll be playing at Athentic Brewing Company Saturday, Dec. 30 from 6–8 p.m. Simply put, Wayne plays 1950s-style rockabilly, country, Americana and blues, along with original compositions. He’s got several singles under his belt (find ‘em on Spotify) and, I dunno, he’s just got a certain je ne sais quoi that piqued my interest. For more information, please head to this easy address instagram.com/chriswaynemusician or, for more in depth research, head to this cumbersome one facebook.com/profile.php?id=100060452332373.

HERE, HOLD THESE: Eric Hat (aka Eric The Hat) has been incredibly busy since the last time I mentioned him eight months ago. In this time, with his experimental projects partydead and criminal fantasy motion pictures, he’s undertaken nine new releases. While neither project is anywhere approaching the mainstream, or even its fringes, the more tune-oriented of these two projects is partydead, and the newest under that moniker is the three-track EP no rest for teh blest (sic). Back in October, he released the four-track EP deez dreams which has some nice moments of thoughtful bliss. Criminal fantasy motion pictures is a largely, nearly completely, inscrutable ambient noise release machine and, as such, your experience will be highly discrete. Find all this stuff over at ericthehat.bandcamp.com.

WOW AND FLUTTER: You ever recorded a record by using a cell phone leaned up against a tree outside? Well, experimental trio The New Pizzazz did that during this year’s Porchfest, and now we can all hear the four-track EP Live at Porchfest 2023. Honestly, this makes me regret missing them, because this is mesmerizing. It starts off a little bland but, on tracks two through four, becomes an incredibly rhythmic and hypnotizing experience full of purpose and drive. The group lists its instruments as simply “modular synth, guitar, bass, [and] drums” but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t sound like a whole lot more. Check this out at thenewpizzazz.bandcamp.com.

SURPRISE ME WHY DON’T YA?: Drew Kirby (Mothers, CDSM) and Jake Chisenhall (Delorean Gray), who each still have at least half a foot in the Athens music scene, are plowing along nicely with their band Sunset Honor Unit. The group is constructed around this core pair with a select set of additional players. They also have a brand new album Desire Paths out now on Kirby’s Marching Banana label. This album is mostly kind of a rough-hewn homage to classic 1960s psych pop (as well as its 1990s resurgence), but with more than a passing nod to Baroque pop (albeit without the extensive instrumentation and orchestration). And then, seemingly out of the blue, they’ll put indie rock rippers like “Capsules” right smack dab in the middle of the thing making my analyses less than spot on. No, it’s not essential, but it’s a solid listen, and I enjoyed it. Try it on over at marchingbanana.bandcamp.com.

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