mssv to Release New Album 'Human Reaction' in September

mssv is releasing their second studio album Human Reaction in their typical style: with a 58-show tour in the U.S. and parts of Canada.

The band, composed of guitarist Mike Baggetta, Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits, David Lynch) on drums and avant-punk icon mike watt on bass, creates music that is a heretofore unimagined hybrid of a punk power-trio and a dreamy experimental rock band, though they prefer the term “post-genre.” Human Reaction is being released by BIG EGO Records as a digital download, 12” LP vinyl, and via streaming platforms on September 1.

Their latest full-length album finds the oddly memorable hooks of their noir-tinged adventure music with a lot more vocals from the Main Steam Stop Valve leader Baggetta, adding more personality than ever before, alongside his bandmates, Hodges and watt, who also share in the vocal duties throughout the album.

While working out the new music on the previous mssv tour in 2022 (48 shows in 48 days to celebrate their self-titled debut), Baggetta felt it important to take the step of singing his own words every night, rather than assigning them to anyone else, with a lot of support and encouragement from Stephen and mike.

 Recorded mostly on May Day immediately following that last tour, Human Reaction traverses a deeply broad sonic landscape, as expected from this nearly unclassifiable group, though with even deeper twists and turns. With inventively churning drum textures from Hodges (an instantly identifiable sound honed in his days with Tom Waits and David Lynch) and the full-steam-ahead all-in attitude from watt, (as he’s displayed throughout his storied career with MINUTEMEN, fIREHOSE, and Iggy & The Stooges), there is still the impression of “pressure, combustion, power, and hissing clouds of sonic poetry,” as Premier Guitar said. Also evident is the more fearless exploring that comes from a band that has spent a lot of time together crafting their vision, as well as making room for guests like J Mascis, Petra Haden and Nels Cline on some of their previous releases.

Baggetta has had the pleasure to work all over the world with a wide range of visionary musicians across many generations including David Torn, Jim Keltner, Nels Cline, Psychic Temple, Jeff Coffin, Henry Kaiser, Petra Haden, Rev. Fred Lane, Donny McCaslin, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, Joseph C. Philips’ Numinous, Imani Uzuri, Viktor Krauss, David Wax Museum, Julian Lage, Jon Irabagon, Jerome Harris, Tom Harrell, Eivind Opsvik, Jeremy Udden, and Ruth Brown among many others. 

Even though Baggetta wrote all the songs specifically for these bandmates to play, there’s no telling which way the band will turn at any given moment, a proposition that becomes a promise when they break down and reassemble these songs live, with an instinct for restraint and an openness to anarchy.

mssv Tour Dates

5 Sep - Tues - San Pedro, Ca - The Sardine

6 Sep - Wed - Bakersfield, Ca - Narducci's

7 Sep - Thurs - Oakland, Ca - Golden Bull

8 Sep - Fri - Sacramento, Ca - Old Ironsides

9 Sep - Sat - Grants Pass, Or - Sound Lounge

10 Sep - Sun - Portland, Or - Turn Turn Turn

11 Sep - Mon - Seattle, Wa - Royal Room

12 Sep - Tues - Cave Junction, Or - Bruno’s Cavern

13 Sep - Wed - Pacifica, Ca - Winters Tavern

14 Sep - Thurs - Atascadero, Ca - Raconteur Room

15 Sep - Fri - Oceanside, Ca - Pourhouse

16 Sep - Sat - Costa Mesa, Ca - Wayfarer

20 Sept - Wed - Joshua Tree, Ca - Firehouse Outpost

21 Sept - Thurs - Las Vegas, Nv - The Griffin

22 Sept - Fri - Flagstaff, Az - Orpheum Theater

23 Sept - Sat - Albuquerque, Nm - Sister

24 Sept - Sun - Amarillo, Tx - Golden Light Cantina

25 Sept - Mon - Dallas, Tx - Three Links

26 Sept - Tues - Oklahoma City, Ok - 89th St

27 Sept - Wed - Kansas City, Mo - Minibar

28 Sept - Thurs - Omaha, Ne - Reverb Lounge

29 Sept - Fri - Davenport, Ia - Raccoon Motel

30 Sept - Sat - Minneapolis, Mn - Turf Club

1 Oct - Sun - Madison, Wi - High Noon Saloon

2 Oct - Mon - Chicago, Il - Subterranean

3 Oct - Tues - Indianapolis, In - State Street Pub

4 Oct - Wed - Columbus, Oh - Spacebar

5 Oct - Thurs - Hamtramck, Mi - Small’s

6 Oct - Fri - Pittsburgh, Pa - Spirit Lodge

7 Oct - Sat - Cleveland, Oh - Beachland Tavern

8 Oct - Sun - Toronto, On - Horseshoe Tavern

9 Oct - Mon - Montreal, Qc - Bar Le Ritz, P.d.b.

10 Oct - Tues - Buffalo, Ny - Mohawk Place

11 Oct - Wed - Ithaca, Ny - Angry Mom Records

12 Oct - Thurs - Holyoke, Ma - Holyoke Media

13 Oct - Fri - Boston, Ma - Middle East

14 Oct - Sat - Philadelphia, Pa - Solar Myth

15 Oct - Sun - New York, Ny - Mercury Lounge 

16 Oct - Mon - Baltimore, Md - Ottobar 

17 Oct - Tues - Richmond, Va - The Camel 

18 Oct - Wed - Asheville, Nc - Grey Eagle Music Hall

19 Oct - Thurs - Knoxville, Tn - Pilot Light

20 Oct - Fri - W. Columbia, Sc - New Brookland Tavern

21 Oct - Sat - Jacksonville, Fl - Jack Rabbits

22 Oct - Sun - Orlando, Fl - Will’s Pub

23 Oct - Mon - Miami, Fl - South Florida Registry Of Alternative Music

24 Oct - Tues - Tampa, Fl - Hooch And Hive

25 Oct - Wed - Tallahassee, Fl - 926 Bar

26 Oct - Thurs - Atlanta, Ga - Boggs Social & Supply

27 Oct - Fri - Nashville, Tn - Blue Room @ 3rd Man Records 

28 Oct - Sat - Water Valley, Ms - Voyager's Rest

29 Oct - Sun - Birmingham, Al - Saturn  

30 Oct - Mon - New Orleans, La - Siberia

31 Oct - Tues - Houston, Tx - Super Happy Fun Land

1 Nov - Wed - Austin, Tx - Saddle Up

2 Nov - Thurs - Marfa, Tx - Planet Marfa

3 Nov - Fri - Tucson, Az - 191 Toole

4 Nov - Sat - Los Angeles, Ca - Zebulon