AstroGun, a Queens-based alternative rock band, has released their new LP The Underground Sessions. The 11 tracks are, as intended, raw and authentic with the hollow creaks of instruments and the echoes of underground jam sessions.
AstroGun is now in its sixth year with three previous LPs: Internalization, Truth & Lies and Liquid Love. The Underground Sessions takes the best of what these LPs had to offer for a powerful album that represents the best the band has to offer. The band has solidified with Astro Li as the drummer, Adam Anthony as bassist and vocalist, as well as Robby Thunders as the guitarist.
We wanted to capture our live sound on a recording, which we hadn’t done before. Something like what Radiohead did with From The Basement. We were also thinking of Nirvana’s Smart Sessions, we wanted it to be raw and organic.
Bassist and Vocalist Adam Anthony
The album has a distinct lyrical sound due to Anthony’s vocals, and maintains an energetic, raw vibe throughout the piece. Each song has an iconic opening the distinguishes one from the other. It occasionally plays with headphone panning, separating certain sounds into one or the other. This happens in “Mind Revolution,” which also contains some of Li’s best drumming with satisfying echoes and creaks. Li’s beats offer a strong foundation for this song.
“Writing on the Wall” is the final song on side A, and it has a satisfying opening using headphone panning. A lone guitar begins on the left side while the main instrumentals come roaring in on the right. It also carries that authentic styling with a small audio spike and the occasional sliding of fingers down a guitar. The lyrics are well mixed in “Writing on the Wall,” more distinct than in other pieces.
“Liquid Love” on side B takes the time for some slower moments that are missing from other songs. This makes it a unique entry, especially with the echoing guitar throughout the piece. The vocals are quieter, but are given space with an absence of clamor. While it is not always so, one of the background drum beats sounds like a dull heartbeat, which is perfect for “Liquid Love.”
The Underground Sessions, divided into separate entries for side A and side B, can be found on the band’s Spotify page.
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