Alone on the Moon * Ex-Optimists * Mojave Red * Cake Rangers

Rudyard’s presents Alone on the Moon * Ex-Optimists * Mojave Red * Cake Rangers.

Alone on the Moon (Houston, TX)
http://aloneonthemoonband.com/

Alone on the Moon is an American three piece instrumental rock/metal band from Houston.

Alone on the Moon formed in 2012 as a collaboration project between Joe Lovchik (guitar) and Seth Johnson (bass). Joe and Seth met through mutual friends and found they had the same vision for an instrumental sound. They quickly recruited Nathan Smith (drums) to fill out the trio and began writing. They debuted their music and live show in 2014 and are currently in the process of recording their first EP.

The Ex-Optimists (College Station, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/theexoptimists

“I’m honestly kicking myself now for not listening to this sooner. College Station band The Ex-Optimists have been on repeat in my headphones for a while now, drowning me in a turbulent squall of Sonic Youth guitars, driving ’90s indie-drone-rock melodies, and hazy, softspoken vocals, and I’m enjoying the hell out of it.

On “Nitemare City,” the guitars are watery and sharp-edged in equal measure, drifting around you like psychically-controlled knives that periodically dart in to gouge out a chunk of your flesh. In the meantime, frontman Kelly Minnis serenely murmurs and croons like he’s already lost in the swirling murk; that is, until the whole damn thing explodes in a ball of fury partway through before coalescing back into its more stable previous state. The closest thing I can come up with is Houston’s own Muhammad Ali, except that this quartet sounds like they’re fueled less by beer and more by green, leafy substances.

Then there’s B-side “February,” which dives sideways into nearly Dinosaur Jr., quick-stepping along through an insanely-catchy melody while the overfuzzed guitars set fire to the scenery. Occasionally feels like I’m listening to a rougher-edged Silversun Pickups — there’s definitely a hazy, shoegaze quality to it, beneath the out-and-out noise. “- Space City Rock

Mojave Red (Houston, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/mojaveredmusic

This lo-fi, downtempo rock oozes the same sensual energy as Canuck crooner Mac DeMarco, but filtered through a haze of pot smoke smoke and lysergic aloofness… [t]he music is psychedelic in nature without ever busting out of standard pop structure.”

Cake Rangers (Houston, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/cakerangers

A modern day carpetbagger wandered south and discovered that three Texans, like him, were receiving messages from Kim Il-sung’s ghost calling for the formation of a noisey, sludgy, stoner rock band in Houston.  Join us.

“I began receiving messages from Kim Il-sung at some point during the late 90s. He told me that I no longer needed to worry about making good music because, with his dying breath, he had set forth a series of events that would conclude with the formation of Cake Rangers. The Eternal Leader informed me that they would rock so hard that the global demand for rocking would be satisfied by them alone. That’s why most of the music I have released since then has kinda sucked.”-Billy Corgan

“Grumble? Grumble grumble grumble. Grumble grumble grumble GRUMBLE GRUMBLE CAKE RANGERS RULE!!!!!!!”-Phil Anselmo

“Not as good as the rumored concept album that will consist of Thom Yorke’s farts and the sounds Stephen Malkmus’ washing machine makes when its set to full.”-Pitchfork Media

“Cake Rangers? Never heard of them, they sound like a gay dance troupe. And who the hell are you? How did you get in my house?”-Willie Nelson