Purling Hiss celebrating the release of Water on Mars at Johnny Brenda’s on 4/5

Philly fuzz-rockers Purling Hiss have good reason to celebrate this spring – and it has to do with a little bit more than the photographic possibilities of foliage. The band’s brand new LP Water on Mars comes out on Drag City Records on March 19, and their local release party is set for April 5th at Johnny Brenda’s. The album covers a lot of ground under the guitar-rock umberella. There’s the heaviest of the heavy – “Lolita,” which you heard last year in a Shaking Through session – but then there are some moments that are roped-in and a little more “classic rock” (you’re gonna love “Mercury Retrograde”), others that are hooky and practically sing-along-able (check out “Rat Race,” filmed live at Johnny Brenda’s back in November by Pilgrim’s Progress). Tickets for the show go on sale Friday at noon; for more information, consult the WXPN Concert Calendar.