SINGLE REVIEWS: Consider this month’s FIVE Crop O’ Singles your spin through a 45′ bin at a record shop except here we give you the goods in the form of mp3’s. Cool right? We strongly recommend that you actually go and purchase or investigate all of these bands and better yet go out of your to see them live. Ultimately we leave it up to you and your own devices how you go about consuming music so here’s this month’s curated selects you bastards.
Lightouts – Have consistently been delivering flaming gong rock-n-roll at such a steady pace we’ve been happy to be at the listening end each ime. I don’t know why other bands don’t do it this way by releasing 2-3 songs at a time is the perfect cadence to saunter and appear yet again for a third time on the RS blog! The Eloise Suite the “A” side rock fire-stomper is reason enough to grab your chick and shake your hips and swill some PBRs but the real motivator that should peak your curiosity is the closer. “All I Want / Heroes which is a LCD Soundsystem & David Bowie cover packed into one song. The artwork series is pretty cool too! I hope they actually print and produce some of these. I would surely had noticed them in the bins.
Next up is Knifey Spooney from Oakland California. Here’s a actual 7″ that’s available as 00 and 11’s for you to grab here if your’re into real quirky rocknroll chordage. “Art for Show Press pass” is sloppy like Sorry Ma’ and fun like The Raging Lamos which is a odd reference just for the old Jersey Court Tavern crowd who will know exactly what I’m talking about. This is fun like a fast version of Black Diamond and a little sloppy version of the Melvins. OK a couple references for you in one paragraph should be motivation enough. Art Show Press Pass MP3 by KNIFY SPOONEY [BUY THE REST]
A little bit like Cheap Trick and The Knack combined in what is a band known as The Perms because it’s totally ok if you want to party all night staying up late watching The Legend of Billie Jean and drinking Dr. Peppers. Oh now that you have this 70-80’s hair image planked in your head with the 101 rock rhymes you’ll probably enjoy the straightforward nature of this band. Nothing too deep it’s just a good rock song kids by a trio of Canadians. Get with their 5th album coming out this month called Sofia Nights. High School High MP3 by The Perms [ BUY ]
Long band names scare me but not so much these days. Here’s a beautiful light shoegaze dream-pop band called Letting Up Despite Great Faults. “Teenage Tide” reminds me of Lush dark bits of The Ravenettes with their whispy reverb drenched moments making peppering of subtle feedback which makes for an incredibly & unmistakably catchy song. More of this secret formula can be found via their record Paper Crush. Teenage Tide MP3 by Letting Up Despite Great Faults [ OLD FLAME ]
ok if you spun some pavement delivery and the concrete soundscapes that i love by grandaddy with a UK band shoegaze outfit fit to support Manchester flower power scene they would sound like Silence Rises. This may have been their game-plan developed in the boardroom of some dank rehearsal space and I would have told you I have reservations because the groups name sounds like the name of a Emo band but in the end the creative department would be right and I’d be wiser after a good listen to the full track. Throw down some RadioheadBends era inspired guitar power and “Shallow Water” will help you get your rocks-off. Blues for a Dead Lover would be the case study for a well delivered execution. Shallow Water MP3 by Silence Rises [ OWN THE FULL EP ]
Something about these sounds that remind of that sound man: Hallucinations MP3 by The Ravenettes from Lust Lust Lust (2008) Grinding Process MP3 by Melvins from 10 Songs live 2 track C/Z (1986) He’s a Whore MP3 by Cheap Trick (1977) Miner At The Dial-A-View MP3 by Grandaddy from The Sophtware Slump (2000)
As this summer comes to a near close and stages are getting blown down by the mighty winds killing concert goers and Cheap Trick is getting their set shortened to 7 songs in Cooney Island due to crazy lighting; I’d say things are looking pretty grim for music. Natural disasters aside it’s mostly because somebody was hitting the super suck button with music submissions in my inbox. Well until this past week. I was hoping the fall submissions were going to shape-up. I honestly do try and listen to everything that comes over and I try to be fair so I can share better jems with you but if you are feeling charitable please do give to the Red Cross. We only review stuff that catches our ears but any way here’s a few. Enjoy!
Dave Rave - Live With What You Know
Anne-Marie MP3 by Dave Rave from his new release Live With What You Know This is a official Power Pop alert! This brightened my August of inbox releases that were getting smashed and trashed faster than a PABT street walker because before I knew it I streamed the whole record. If done well this genre of guitar rock never gets old. Catch Dave Rave live Aug 20 Hotel Utah Saloon San Fran buy his shit.
Bones Howell - Hair on The Dog 7"
Hair of the Dog MP3 by Bones Howell 7″ If New York grit and burned meat on the grill is your thing then you might actually appreciate this anti-hipster band. This is a Bauhaus cover done at a fast pace that would have a chick running as fast she could in her pair of trampy glittery gold Roman like heels in the meat packing district all away across the bridges. The flip is called “Nephritis” which was remixed by thee Daniel Ash. [Buy]
Talkdemonic - Ruins
Revival MP3 by Talkdemonic from their new one Ruins – Instrumental folk-art with some nice bass noodling mixed with some cello alla hugo largo meets Calexico in a strange alley with just a tinge of dust with the smooth edges massaged by the string arrangements. Hailing from Portland this is the 4th recorded collaboration between Kevin O’Connor & Lisa Molinero. Get the deal over from the fine folks at Glacial Pace.
The Trews - Hope & Ruin
One By One MP3 by The Trews from Hope & Ruin. This track is as about country alternative as I’ll go but I got to say the vocals and harmonies are great on this track. If your a timid Wilco fan or just like the Goo Goo dolls this should be the sounds in-between. Ripe for the plucking into your next playlist. I like the way the vocals follow the guitar riff on this track and electric guitar tethers right underneath the singer yammering on about North Ontario. You can feel the wind-burn on this seasoned band when the slide kicks in alla The Afghan Whigs like a sunrise beaming on the high-way with just a hint of Greg Dulli swagger. They know what the hell they are doing. [Check them out]
Happy Banjo MP3 by Dark Mean. On the face this song sounds like the title and builds in off-shoot homage to The Gaslight Anthem. With a modern take on old 70’s americana it is pretty authentic heart on your sleeve. This is the new american. Although the flag, suspenders and the beard are gone it’s got feel and on this track a banjo and horns for most of the first half. This music is recorded with care. Check them out.
Annie MP3 by New West from a coming release. I’m not sure how you start off as a Mars La Volta basement cover band then end-up making a pretty song like this one. Here’s Chris Zurich and his band which is more roots rock influenced than anything West Philly could ever offer. Band site.
Seventeen Once MP3 by Slothbear 7″ – This is the A side and it’s good in a undercooked New Order kind of way . It’s got jangly reverb and a arty atitude feedback solo suited for your late night drive with your teenage honey. The “B” side is a whole 46 seconds. Not sure what the point of that is since it’s not even speedcore or what you could accomplish in that kind of time (ok maybe I do…) except for the basic idea which we get “Oxus Armlets” and some chuckling at the end. Ok you’ve got my attention. Now what? Drop this track in your mix for sure.
Here’s a mish-mosh of some recent musical treats from the deep within the RS inbox for your listening pleasure.
Nothing Here Worth Staying For by JJ & The Rogues‘s EP Stare Down from Fort Worth Texas is somewhere in-between Elvis Costello my aim is true and a Monkees lunchbox with a rock-n-roll McCartney shake. Hold the Lennon in this Wilco salad as I say they seriously have lots of influences that come across in the right ways. Oh and did we mention this release is free like air? Yup get some »
And It Come And Goes MP3 by Lightsout from their self titled single. These Britishy sounding guys are based out of The Gowanus in Brooklyn and sound in the erie vain of early British Sea Power and The Wedding Present guitar style on this track. Somewhere there is a hi-watt amp on fire from their last gig as this guitar music bounces. Check them out »
Whitewash MP3 by MYTY KONKEROR from their 8 song record I miss the future. Mostly instrumental power psyche rock on this release with electricity driven guitars. Certainly nice to hear bands getting away from the vapid sticatto haircut rock. The singer when he pipes in sounds like lou barlow which is a very good thing. Bringing back the drug rock via twin lakes records. Get Some »
Cover Girl (Acoustic Demo) Live MP3 by Saints of Valory is a tune from their new Neon Eyes EP by this Austin Texas band which is a mix of live and studio tracks. Simply though I saved the best for last. These guys are going to be huge. Remove the pretension of things I personally hate about music and add a real rock singer with a band who has their shit down and they become elevated and almost saintly. Yup I said it. Shoot me. Doesn’t matter if it’s recorded or performed live they pull this pop-off effortlessly. No laptop magic just tunes that swirl in your ears with a touch of U2esque charm without the politics or spiderman antics and if some of the bad 80’s pop were hip it woulda sounded like SOV. Dig it »
As I sit here on this Saturday night drinking beers and it occurred to me how much I sickly like sharing my thoughts on music for the four or five of you who care. There are lots of new bands on the block these days as they seem to replicate faster than the rabbits do in my neighborhood. There are so many one internet hits that surely I’d think you would like to take advantage of since the kids these days all have smart recording devices. If there is good song they really do have the potential to sound good. Magically awesome sounds come right out of their pods and away they go! Here are a few of our picks for this month check them out while they are hot because then they will be gone starting another band trying to re-live the now.
MP3 – “A Brighter Sunday” Farmer Sea‘s Italian ass sounds more like Mathew Sweet, Dave Grohl and the song Solar Sister with some oohs and aaahs that give them a bit of a familiar majestic sound. This track is the lead song from their debut Low Fidelity in Relationships – BUY IT its like that lost strokes album that never followed Is this it. Well sorta.
MP3 – “I Am Blind” by Elephant Stone a little of more of the same as above and chip in with a little British new-wave pop ditty that is as pleasant as a setting sun down the beach. I suppose they have beaches in Canada where they are from but I think they are on lakes. This track is from their debut The Seven Seas. BUY IT. MP3 – “Pacific Nostalgia” by Fungi Girls from Texas is by far one of my favorite tracks with such a nice roughness to it alla No Age that it will be hard to beat it’s sincerity. Reverb is used like a knife that JAMC used to cut feedback out of their guitars with. You can tell these kids ( 15 – 16 years old) listen to a unreasonable amount of music and take advantage of their youth. They can’t even buy freakin’ cigarettes for Christ’s sake. Check out their id reverberations blog where they post a ton of RAR files (i dunno even how to open). They are not afraid of being uncool and sincerely remind me of my youth. Listening to this track feels like that High-fidelity scene when the John Cusack character discovers the skater’s tape. Anyway… I don’t even know where to send you to buy the Fungi Girls so good luck with that.
MP3 – “Wind Phoenix” – Cymbals Eat Guitars is more than likely on the top of their game. Who knew cool bands could be based out of Staten Island? I kid because I live in Jersey and well there are many. Anyway, this tune has lots of layers and floatty vocal melodies of the Shin’s variety but in this case they are not afraid to flip the volume knob all the way up. Doesn’t hurt either that pitchfork likes them. Lucky for them with so many different things going on in their music and all… CEG is on tour this fall. I will have to check them out live if somebody puts me on the guest list. They mention MMR in their bio which makes one of their band mates around my age. Ha! The good thing is they sound nothing like most of the crap in that old rag. Check out Why there are Mountains now. Buy it.
Other bands with singles in rotation at the homestead: Wolf Gang, The Watermarks, Memory Tapes, Local Natives and Real Estate.
Get your Radiohead stems and create your own remix of the tune, vote and create a widget of the single. Be the cool kid on the block. The Brits still do this single thing but you too can take part in the radio remix shenanigans. This is high fidelity in motion +
Next up is Knifey Spooney from Oakland California. Here’s a actual 7″ that’s available as 00 and 11’s for you to grab here if your’re into real quirky rocknroll chordage. “Art for Show Press pass” is sloppy like Sorry Ma’ and fun like The Raging Lamos which is a odd reference just for the old Jersey Court Tavern crowd who will know exactly what I’m talking about. This is fun like a fast version of Black Diamond and a little sloppy version of the Melvins. OK a couple references for you in one paragraph should be motivation enough.
A little bit like Cheap Trick and The Knack combined in what is a band known as The Perms because it’s totally ok if you want to party all night staying up late watching The Legend of Billie Jean and drinking Dr. Peppers. Oh now that you have this 70-80’s hair image planked in your head with the 101 rock rhymes you’ll probably enjoy the straightforward nature of this band. Nothing too deep it’s just a good rock song kids by a trio of Canadians. Get with their 5th album coming out this month called Sofia Nights.
Long band names scare me but not so much these days. Here’s a beautiful light shoegaze dream-pop band called Letting Up Despite Great Faults. “Teenage Tide” reminds me of Lush dark bits of The Ravenettes with their whispy reverb drenched moments making peppering of subtle feedback which makes for an incredibly & unmistakably catchy song. More of this secret formula can be found via their record Paper Crush.
ok if you spun some pavement delivery and the concrete soundscapes that i love by grandaddy with a UK band shoegaze outfit fit to support Manchester flower power scene they would sound like Silence Rises. This may have been their game-plan developed in the boardroom of some dank rehearsal space and I would have told you I have reservations because the groups name sounds like the name of a Emo band but in the end the creative department would be right and I’d be wiser after a good listen to the full track. Throw down some Radiohead Bends era inspired guitar power and “Shallow Water” will help you get your rocks-off. Blues for a Dead Lover would be the case study for a well delivered execution.
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