Bustello releasing a new song each month in 2012

Photo by Kevin Norris

Chapel Hill trio Bustello are taking part in a exercise they're calling the Song of the Month project in which they write and record a new song every month in 2012. Which three months already in the books, the guys have already released three new songs that they're giving away.

The songs released thus far are "Bluest Side of the Light," "Airline" and "Fatal Wave." Each song has a corresponding video, which you can check out below and you can download the songs HERE (scroll down for the download links).

We caught a bit of Bustello's set at Deep South the Bar during Hopscotch last year. Check out some photos and a write-up HERE.

Hopscotch 2011 Day 1: Last Year's Men at Lincoln Theatre & Bustello at Deep South

All photos by Kevin Norris

The Hopscotch Music Festival kicked into high gear on Wednesday night, and many local bands were among those driving at the wheel.

The young local lads of Last Year's Men got things started at the Lincoln Theatre. The club got more and more crowded as the band roared through their infectious, fuzzed out rock and roll. Check out photos of the band below.

A little later in the night, over at Deep South the Bar, Durham trio Bustello cut loose and played some fierce rock and roll to a smaller, yet attentive crowd. I only caught a couple of songs, but they sounded really tight. See a few photos of their set below as well.

Mitch Easter, LiLa, Bustello & more to play Music For Fences 2011

With August here, that means the annual Music For Fences benefit show is quickly approaching in Durham.

For those who don't know, the annual event in Durham's Central Park is a concert to benefit to Coalition to Unchain Dogs, which provides free fencing and spaying and neutering of dogs so they can run free as opposed to being tied up. Superchunk and the Mountain Goats headlined in 2009 and 2010.

This year's event will be on Saturday, August 27 and will feature headliner The Mitch Easter Sound as well as LiLa, Bustello, Billy Sugarfix's Carousel and Johnny Paul Johnson. Advance tickets are on sale now HERE for $12.

Album Review: Bustello - Bustello

Ben Clarke (Metal Flake Mother), John Plymale (The Pressure Boys, The Sex Police) and Jody Maxwell (The Sex Police, Gumption) are experienced Chapel Hill rockers and their self-titled, self-released debut record as Bustello sounds like it.

There’s a good amount of reverb throughout the album, but it’s never overwhelming. The album still sounds crisp and tight overall. Bustello is firmly rooted in early 90’s style rock, but there are sprinkles of surf, southern and latin rock influences.

The album starts off strong with catchy melodies on both “No Right of Mine” and “Ocean”, but it weakens after that. It feels like the focus shifts slightly from the melodies to the verses. It does help to give the album some sonic diversity, but it takes away from Bustello’s strength.