HEAR THIS: the black watch

the black watch has a new LP Brilliant Failures, out 3/27 on A Turntable Friend Records. Like The Mekons Rock and Roll, it’s a watershed moment later on in a band’s career where all the elements just fall into place. John Andrew Frederick is the recurring character in the saga of the LA shoegaze mainstays, and this time out he’s made the call to loosen his control and let the band, (Scott Campbell, Rob Campanella, and Andy Creighton), take the wheel. The chemistry and cohesion pay off on lead single “Crying All The Time”, the title track, and “The Personal Statement”. Additional highlights are the double shot of “One Hundred Million Times Around The Sun” and “Anywhere/Everywhere”.

The UCSB grad started the project in the late 80’s, bobbing along in the alternative undercurrent of the ’90’s without every really breaking the surface of mainstream success. Operating out of LA, the dream pop traditionalists developed enough of a cult audience to support a consistent stream of releases. If you’re new to the game, coming to grips with the black watch catalog can be daunting. 2019’s 31 Years of Obscurity and 2013’s The End of When are great compilations, and we’ve taken the liberty of assembling some Nest Picks to get you started.