The Lees of Memory
Sisyphus Says
SideOneDummy
2014
Rating: 7.5 dental flossers out of 10
If you ever wondered what it would be like if Superdrag sounded more like My Bloody Valentine, you're old like me. Also, you're in luck - two of the members of the Drag (including singer John Davis) have a new act called the Lees of Memory. I've actually had this sitting on my computer for a while, reluctant for some reason to listen to it; a foolish move on my part (I'm good for a few of these every day). Bands that rise from the ashes of your favorites can often be disappointing, but that definitely isn't the case here. And that shouldn't really be a surprise - with Davis' voice, anything they put out is just going to sound like Superdrag, the only difference here is the addition of extra swirly/distorted guitar parts on some of the songs. My favorite track after the first few listens is "Not a Second More," which to be totally frank sounds exactly like a Superdrag song that would have been on their classic record "Regretfully Yours." Not complaining about that at all.
Allo Darlin'
We Come from the Same Place
Slumberland
2014
Rating: 7.5 easter candies out of 10
I love Allo Darlin' - I loved their first two records & as well as when I saw them perform live a couple of years ago - which makes it all the more puzzling that I slept so long on their newest release "We Come from the Same Place." And it's not like this third record by them is some great departure - if you told me this batch of indie twee pop was recorded at the exact same time as the rest of their material, it would be believable. They're a one-trick pony I suppose, but they're really, really damn good at that one trick. It might just me but it's impossible to not fall in love with singer Elizabeth Morris while listening to her perform - something about her tone drills right into my heart. Note to self: if Allo Darlin' release a fourth album, maybe listen to it right away okay?
Outer Spaces
Garbage Beach EP
Salinas
2014
Rating: 8 blue bags out of 10
I came across Outer Spaces, both the band and this record, when I caught them on tour with a band I love, Lace Curtains. They closed the night and had just intended to see a couple of songs to hear what they sounded like - I ended up staying for the whole set and rushing to the merch table to buy the record. With six songs at a little over 20 minutes long, I've found myself listening to this over and over and over since my first listen, mesmerized by Cara Beth Satalino's voice. Musically the closest comparison I would make might be our very own Mount Moriah, with a little less twang. There's also the occasional sheen of pop here, like on the Best Coast-ish "Rust." Not a bad song in the bunch, and I really couldn't recommend this more highly. Really looking forward to future recordings and future shows by this group.
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Singer's Grave / A Sea of Tongues
Drag City / Palace
2014
Rating: 7.5 overseen cambers out of 10
Usually one of the main draws for any Will Oldham aka Bonnie 'Prince' Billy record is his extremely sparse / spartan approach to folk and country and old time music. So I was quite shocked to put this album on and find out how big it sounded! Most of the songs here previously appeared on a release from a few years ago called "Wolfroy Goes to Town," and they sounded exactly as you would expect - quiet, introspective, haunting. This time around, the production is amped up like they were trying to emulate a hit Nashville record from the seventies...lots of instruments on every song, full choruses as backing vocals, and Oldham sounding more upbeat than ever when he delivers the vocals (or at least as upbeat as is possible out of him). It was all a bit of a shock at first, but as I sat with the record it really grew on me. I'm not saying I'd want Oldham to record all of his music like this, but it's a fantastic project and I wouldn't thumb my nose to hear other past recordings of his get this type of reworking just to see what we end up with.
Tweedy
Sukierae
Anti / dBpm
2014
Rating: 7.5 dreamy anglers out of 10
We can pretend this debut Tweedy album "Sukierae" isn't just another Wilco album if we really want to...but when Jeff Tweedy, the driving force, voice and main songwriter of Wilco puts out a solo (or in this case almost solo, with his son playing drums) release, and it sounds just like his main band, it's a little silly to pretend otherwise. How does this differ from Wilco? Well, the songs are mostly shorter, and there are a lot of them on this record. There are no annoying masturbatory Nels Cline guitar solos. And...that's about it. In fact if you told me this had been recorded around the same time as Wilco's best record, "Summerteeth," and was lost until now, I would totally believe you. The dude is a damn fine songwriter, but he writes a very specific type of song, so let's not kid ourselves.
Pampers
Right Tonight 7''
In The Red
2014
Rating: 8 empty pee jars out of 10
I'm not sure if I love or hate that this band named themselves Pampers, it's so goddamn stupid it might actually work. One thing I do know is the title track from this seven inch, "Right Tonight," is one of the most instantly catchy songs I've heard in quite a while. I want to listen to it on repeat again and again and again. The other three songs are great too, but goddamn that first track, it's like the good kind of kick to the nuts. Not sure exactly how I would describe their sound - like a distorted, scuzzy Hot Snakes crossed with A-Frames maybe. It works, it really works.
Morrissey
World Peace Is None of Your Business
EMI / Harvest
2014
Rating: Morrissey.
Yep, it sounds like a Morrissey record. A little pompous as always, a lot brilliant as always, and I'll listen to the shit out of this as always. Seriously, is there any need to write an actual, well thought out review of a Morrissey album at this point? Us fans simply don't give a shit what the critical take of the man is.
Whatever Brains
SSR-63 / SSR-64 EPs
Sorry State
2014
Rating: 8 broken pet hospitals out 10
I'm doing this review as a list because yes.
1. Whatever Brains is one of my favorite things in the entire world and they can do no wrong in my eyes. Know that going into reading any of this dribble.
2. I have been struggling for years to come up with a fitting comparison for them, to no avail. These days the closest you can come is parts of some of their songs sound like Liars somewhat, and I'm not sure anyone even agrees with me on that. I keep hearing it though.
3. I took the photo the band used for one of these EP covers (if you can't tell which one, it's the cover that is a photo and not a drawing). I didn't know the band at all before this, so them finding my photo out of the blue and asking to use it as a cover ranks pretty high on my list of life successes.
4. If item one didn't point to how biased this review might be, item three should have definitely given it away right?
5. As much as I love all of their records, live is the way to enjoy this band. They don't tour out of the area a ton but if they ever do, don't miss it. It's a cacophonous wall of enjoyable noise, and frontman Rich Ivey has a gift for performance.
6. Why release two EPs (with each EP one side a 12'' record) instead of just calling it a full length? Who knows. And yet somehow with this band it makes sense.
7. The "titles" of these EPs are actually the Sorry State catalog numbers, so as to differentiate them from the band's other releases. Technically both EPs are self-titled, just like the three LPs the band has already put out. For those that can't count, that is five self-titled albums by Whatever Brains. They really don't like thinking up titles for their records apparently.
8. The entire first EP SSR-63 is one 22 -minute long track called "///////," and it's all about the true story of a hermit Russian family living in Siberia that had not contacted another human in over 40 years. There was a long article about it in Smithsonian (read it here) - the article is as fascinating as the song is awesome. That is to say, very.
9. The second EP, SSR-64, is a more straight-forward four song affair. The band seems to slowly be moving into a more keyboard/noise/electronic beat direction, hence the previous mention of Liars. It works for them.
10. I don't have a tenth point, but I do have an affection for lists of ten. Go buy this record.
Solids
Blame Confusion
Dine Alone
2014
Rating: 7.5 annoying cats out of 10
A whole lot of what I said in the Paws review just below this one would apply to Solids - youngish kids from another country (in this case, Canada) heavily mining the nineties indie rock hooks I was raised on and continue to adore. In other words, it almost feels as if this album was made just for me. These cats lean fairly heavily towards the Superchunk side of the aisle, with a strong dose of ...Trail of Dead thrown in there (props to the review on Allmusic for that comparison, it was driving me crazy until I read it on there and it finally clicked in my brain). "Off White" is especially good, as well as the title track, but there isn't a dud on here.
Catchy indie punk, flannel shirts and beards - the nice thing about the world we live in is if you're stuck in a permanent rut like I am, eventually the trends will come around to what you've always been & loved.
Paws
Youth Culture Forever
Fat Cat
2014
Rating: 8 foggy trees out of 10
I love hearing something I like this much completely out of the blue. I had no idea who Paws was, or why this album "Youth Culture Forever" was even on my computer, but I decided to give it a listen. I wasn't even all that taken at first, but when I hit the third track "Someone New" my ears perked up; by the fifth track "Give Up," I was completely sold. It is so goddamn catchy, an album begging to be sung along to either live or while driving in your car, two of my favorite pastimes. There is an immediate"nineties indie rock" feel here, and as someone permanently stuck in that decade I welcomed it. The biggest comparison would be the Thermals, but you hear elements of Superchunk and Archers of Loaf and even a little Weezer (the Weezer of the first two albums, aka the "good" Weezer, obviously).
I'm going to listen to this so much I get sick of it, and that's ok. In fact I'm excited for it. New bands that give me this tingly happy vibe don't come along too often.
Fugazi
First Demo
Dischord
2014
Rating: 9 carbonated flyers out of 10
This isn't a review of this "new" record by Fugazi as much as it is a PSA in case you weren't aware it was recently released. The album is exactly what the name says - their first studio demo, where they began flashing out what would be their signature sound. It sounds exactly how you would expect it to - like a looser, not fully formed version of Fugazi. When you have all of these songs like "Merchandise" and "Waiting Room" and "Song #1" memorized like I do, it's fun to hear these slightly different versions. To be sure, if you've never listened to the band just go buy "Repeater" or either of their first two EPs and branch out from there, but for an old fan like myself, someone that considers these guys one of my top three favorite bands of all time, this is a special treat.
Various Artists
Radio Ready: Wisconsin - Lost Power Pop Hits 1979-1982
Cheap Rewards
2014
Rating: 8 felt glasses out of 10
You had me at power pop. The title kind of says it all - this is a collection of power pop songs from the prime years of the genre, all performed by Wisconsin bands. Some of the songs have been featured on other similar compilations and the the Shivvers are pretty well known, but it's still a collection worth digging up. Nearly every song is catchy beyond belief, as it should be. Some highlights include songs by the Shivvers "No Substitute" (also available on their recently reissued full-length), the Wigs "180 Degrees," and the Orbits "The Waiting Game." The material ranges from Dictators-like novelty pop to Elvis Costello-ish crooner jams, but there isn't a bad track in the bunch. The vinyl is already out of print at Cheap Rewards, but there are copies ot be found at some of the distros and on discogs for fair prices.
Run the Jewels
RTJ2
Mass Appeal
2014
Rating: 8 paint owners out of 10
Someone whose opinion I generally respect called this new record by Run the Jewels the best rap record of the last ten years. While I definitely don't feel that strongly about "RTJ2," I'll definitely give it the nod of best rap album of the year. I listen to so little rap these day though, that might be even less informed than my general musical opinion...regardless, I love the album. Both El-P and Killer Mike are firing on all cylinders, especially on tracks "Oh My Darling Don't Cry" and "Close Your Eyes (and Count to Fuck)," the latter which also features Zach from Rage Against the Machine, someone I hadn't thought of in decades. If there is a complaint it's that the record feels short - you really want more from this terrific duo.
The Rosebuds
Sand + Silence
Western Vinyl
2014
Rating: 7.5 scratching dogs out of 10
It's not like I ever wrote an unbiased review of any recording by the Rosebuds, but now with one of my best friends touring with them it's definitely right out the window. Nonetheless, I maintain this is a great collection of pop songs, possibly their best since 2005's "Birds Make Good Neighbors." Opener "In My Teeth" is an instant top five favorite by the band, and the following title track isn't that far behind. Unfortunately it goes downhill from there, but only on a slight downgrade; the fourth song "Blue Eyes" seems to be the one I get stuck in my head the most even if it does sound more like a tune from a decade ago they are just now putting on a record. This album is their first since their break with Merge, who have released all of their other full-lengths. Regardless of label, the Rosebuds still manage to churn out catchy songs that I would definitely love even if I didn't know these kids for nearly two decades.
Fujiya & Miyagi
Artificial Sweeteners
Yep Roc
2014
Rating: 7.5 blind snares out of 10
Fujiya & Miyagi is a band stuck between two worlds - the electronic party anthems of Daft Punk and the vintage krautrock of Kraftwerk. Well, stuck isn't the right word, because that makes it sound like they're in a position they don't wanna be in, when I'm guessing they're exactly where they hoped to be. You have an opener like "Flaws" that sound like it is destined for the dance floor, and then two songs later the instrumental "Rayleigh Scattering" sounds like a partner song for Kraftwerk's "Tour de France," and the next track "Artificial Sweeteners" employs the same type of lyrical repetitiveness as "Autobahn" or "Pocket Calculator." It's a nice mix that really works well for me, and I'm glad to have randomly stumbled upon this.
As a side note, it's totally weird this is out on Yep Roc, home to lots of aging (gracefully) rockers, adult pop, and alt-country, but it was totally smart on their part to infuse a little fresh (and hip) blood in with the vets.
Total Control
Typical System
Iron Lung
2014
Rating: 7.5 sassy dogs out of 10
I'm trying to think of a smart or witty way to say this Total Control record "Typical System" sounds pretty much exactly like an early Gary Numan record, but I can't find my way around it. Bear in mind this is definitely not a complaint - I've actually been listening to a fair amount of Numan lately, and this slides nicely into a playlist with him. The vocals are a little more laid back/less paranoid sounding than Numan, but I'd be hard pressed to find many more differences than that. I actually thought the second song "Expensive Dog" was a Tubeway Army cover at first, and don't get me started with the following song "Flesh War" - I'm pretty sure that synth line is directly lifted from Numan.
Let me really reiterate that I don't give a shit, not even a little one, that these songs sound just like Gary Numan. Catchy songs are catchy songs, and I plan on listening to these quite a bit...can't say that I give a good goddamn if it's a rip-off of someone else or not.
Spider Bags
Frozen Letter
Merge
2014
Rating: 7.5 stages of healing out of 10
There is much to like on this new album by the Spider Bags called "Frozen Letter" - but like in the past, the recorded material just doesn't do their live performances justice. On wax they come across as a very likeable but somewhat straight-forward garage rock band; not a damn thing wrong with that, and in fact I'm certain I'll listen to this record quite a lot just like I did with their previous effort "Shake My Head." The songs offer plenty of hooks paired with fuzz and distortion and even the occasional cowbell - immediate highlights include "Japanese Vacation" and "Summer of '79." There are also jams that fall out of the garage rock mold, "Coffin Car" and "Walking Bubble" specifically, that approach something akin to Giant Sand's take on fractured country.
But live, man...live they're a different beast, a squirming mass of caged animals in the form of a rock band, sweaty and ferocious and usually a little drunk and it's just a scene that is hard to adequately put into words no matter how many times I have the pleasure of seeing them. So listen to this record for sure - it may end up one of my favorites of the year. More importantly, if they ever play anywhere near you, drug your own father* and steal his car if that's what it takes to get to the gig.
*Don't be an asshole and actually drug your father or anyone else for that matter. Just steal his keys when he isn't looking.
Protomartyr
Under Color of Official Right
Hardly Art
2014
Rating: 7.5 pinched shovels out of 10
Similar to how I felt after seeing them live, I'm sort of at a loss as to what exactly Protomartyr sounds like...and god knows if can't compare one band to another, it will drive me completely crazy. You might call them an American version of the Fall after hearing a song like "Ain't So Simple" or "Bad Advice," but that doesn't quite capture it; plus, as great as Protomartyr singer Joe Casey is, he's no Mark E. Smith. Other tracks like "Trust Me Billy" sound like a punkish version of GBV, catchy and upbeat in the best sort of way. And this might be a stretch, but I even hear a little bit of the National here and there. Whatever the formula or combination of known and/or unknown vibes, I'm really into this album, definitely recommended.
Pontiak
Innocence
Thrill Jockey
2014
Rating: 8 puffy chairs out of 10
Somewhere between their last record "Echo Ono" and this new one called "Innocence," I went from Pontiak casual fan to a Pontiak super fan. We're talking "pre-order the record to get the special vinyl" level of fandom, something I rarely do. This was largely due to seeing them live three or four times, which made me appreciate the records more, which then made me love their live performances more, and so on and so on as the snake ate it's tail.
Their live shows tend to be pretty heavy from start to finish, but their albums mix things up a little, and "Innocence" is no different. You have "Ghosts" as likely the best song of the record, sounding like a new genre called kraut metal; and then shortly thereafter you get a pair of songs in "Noble Heads" and "Wildfires" that make me think of a folky version of Pink Floyd. It seems like this trio of brothers can go in pretty much any direction and do fantastic work, and this new album is only further proof of that.
Wye Oak
Shriek
Merge
2014
Rating: 7.5 savage balls out of 10
What do you do if you're a two-piece band with a front woman that is a shredder on guitar? You make an album heavy in keyboards and nearly devoid of guitar, obviously. Don't read that as my saying their new Wye Oak record "Shriek" isn't good - far from it - but it's a really damn confusing turn they've taken. I mean, shit like Lykki Li and Future Islands and Rhye are really popular these days, so why not give it a shot? Wye Oak are a little mellower, maybe even "jazzier" than those acts, but this sounds a hell of a lot more like those bands than it does like old Wye Oak records. I'm known to act like a petulant child and whine when bands I like drastically change their sound, but it works here.
