Divine Fits
My Love Is Real 7''
Merge
2012
Rating: 7 goddamn sweaters out of 10
I'm racking my brain but I can't think of a supergroup in the last few decades that made a lasting impression...I suppose Gorillaz might be the closest, but that was really just Damon Albarn, some fake cartoon band members, and the occasional hip hop guest star. Or maybe Electronic is a better option? That duo Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner always truck me more as just a new band they were in rather than a supergroup proper...it's a distinction that is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. Back in the sixties, those drugged out ding dongs formed these type of bands left and right...Blind Faith, CSNY, etc.
Divine Fits (Britt from Spoon, Dan from Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs, and Sam from New Bomb Turks) made a totally enjoyable record called "A Thing Called Divine Fits," but I couldn't tell you the last time I listened to it. I do know I liked it. The title track of this seven inch can also be found on that release, as is typical in these situations. I suppose the real draw of this wax is the b-side, "I Was Born In A Laundromat," a Camper Van Beethoven cover that is highly enjoyable. Is it worth making an effort to seek this out? If you're really into hearing Britt Daniel sing other people's songs, yes. It is a fine cover, and reminds me that I should try listening to Camper again...they didn't really take in my younger years despite being well regarded by my peers.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Infest The Rats’ Nest
Flightless
2019
Rating: 9.5 nervous tables out of 10
There’s an overused idiom “If you don’t like the weather in [insert town/state/country name here], just wait ten minutes!” that every single person seems to think applies to whatever podunk town in which they grew up. However, the alternate version that says “If you don’t like the newest King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard album, just wait ten minutes!” is incredibly truthful. The Giz release a lot of records, but unlike others of this ilk (I’m looking at you, Robert Pollard and Will Oldham) whose output is pretty stylistically similar, these Aussies put out entire albums that are all over the map. The last one I really loved was 2017’s “Murder Of The Universe,” a heavy, prog-laden rock opera about wizards or some nonsensical Flaming Lips-esque shit. Four rather forgettable records later, they have now gifted us with “Infest The Rats’ Nest,” possibly their best work ever depending on who you ask (if you ask me, the answer is yes). If you predicted this album would mostly be an homage to eighties-style thrash metal, you should be playing the lottery or the ponies. My best guess is they have a “Wheel of Fortune”-type wheel with all music genres listed on it, and then the band records an album of whatever style is randomly chosen. King Gizzard kick it off with the Metallica-like “Planet B,” later venture into Exodus territory with my personal favorite “Organ Farmer,” go a little bit more retro with the Black Sabbathy “Superbug” and Motorhead tribute “Venusian 2,”and last but not least enter the realm of Slayer with “Self-Immolate.” The nine song album is 35 minutes long, and I’ve listened to it from start to finish more times than I can count at this point – it’s akin to listening to a great metal mixtape, it just happens to be all from the same band. There’s no way this should work as well as it does from a bunch of Australian hipsters, but there is no hint of irony here – at least for this album, King Gizzard have genuinely become a metal band, and fuck me if “Infest The Rats’ Nest” isn’t the best heavy record of the year so far (my metal friends will definitely give me shit for this opinion, because no one applies more purity tests to their music than a goddamn metalhead).
Baroness
Gold & Grey
Abraxan Hymns
2019
Rating: 9 round wheels of cheese out of 10
In no way do I mean this as snarky, but most folks even consider Baroness a metal band anymore? Your estimation on what the band "is" might considerably color your feelings on the music they're currently releasing. They’re certainly still heavy live, but as a recorded release ”Gold & Grey” has more...uh, let's call it "dark folk" tracks than rockers, and the rockers that are there should be classified as proggy hard rock at best. Mind you, despite any quibbles over classification, this record fucking rules - the scope of the thing is epic. Front man (and only original member) John Baizley has damn near found the exact formula for blending heavy songs with pop sensibilities; more importantly, perhaps his greatest gift is finding quality individuals to replace departed band members. Sebastian Thomson has been with the group for a few years now, but I’m still going to mention him every time because it still blows my mind Baroness shares a drummer with Trans Am. And the most recent acquisition, Gina Gleason, should be an even bigger head scratcher as the bulk of her experience is from performing with Cirque du Soleil...that is until you see her live, where she proves herself to be one of the most impressive people I’ve ever seen play guitar in my entire life. Her skill and backing vocals add an extra layer the band has never had before. Baroness really show off their technical chops on tracks such as “Throw Me An Anchor” and “Seasons,” a couple of personal favorites. On first listen the plethora of "slow" songs might seem out of place on a record from this band, but it’s likely this duality that really makes the more upbeat numbers stand out so much. Baroness are truly post metal – not in terms of the "post metal" genre within the larger metal world, but rather that they have transcended the metal genre entirely and are now in their own world. No one else sounds like this – and if they tried, my guess is they would fail spectacularly.
Fruit Bats
Gold Past Life
Merge
2019
Rating: 7.5 face sprinklers out of 10
I’ve been in on the Fruit Bats for a long time, from their second album “Mouthfuls” until now, and I thought I had a pretty good handle on what to expect when Eric Johnson goes into the recording studio – he’s a man who has a great ear for catchy folk-pop with a heavy seventies AOR vibe. And that description would still fit much of “Gold Past Life,” their newest release. But what I wasn’t prepared for was the title track, which sounds as if the folk Era Bee Gees were covering the disco era Bee Gees. Fruit Bats have definitely had upbeat songs before, but not one that is quite so…dancey? I don’t think that’s a word, but the point conveys. If it were still the nineties this song would definitely get released as a single with dance mix versions on the b-side. There are a few other songs that are a little more upbeat than typical Fruit Bats material, and the album as a whole is really terrific, but man…the falsetto that Johnson breaks out for the track “Gold Past Life” is the earworm of all earworms this year, and even though it’s only one-eleventh of the release, it dominates my thinking about the whole damn thing. I guess if you’re going to have one song stand out so dramatically, it’s a good thing it’s damn enjoyable.
Jay Reatard
See Saw 7''
Matador
2008
Rating: 7.5 inmates with face tattoos out of 10
Thankfully (and I wish more bands/musicians did this) the good folks at Matador decided to compile all of their Jay Reatard singles into one full-length album, thus making this seven inch not quite as vital as they sometimes can be. That said, with the title track being one of my very favorite songs by Jay, when I saw it sitting in the used bin at a local record store for a decent price I figured why the hell not own it? Just because something is unnecessary doesn't mean it's not worth adding to the collection. WHY CAN'T I HAVE NICE THINGS TOO?!?
R.I.P. Jay - you were a damn fine songwriter and performer and drugs are stupid.
Pelican
Nighttime Stories
Southern Lord
2019
Rating: 8 corporate trend reports out of 10
This "review" is more a note of me saying that (a) Pelican have a new record out called "Nighttime Stories" and (b) it's really good. For the uninitiated, Pelican are an instrumental metal band from Chicago that occasionally include prog, sludge, and post-rock tendencies into their sound. They've released at least a half dozen consistently great records in their 15+ year career, and I'm not entirely sure what words I can throw out there to spice up what they are - you either like this type of music or you don't. Pelican are one of the godheads of the genre, and "Nighttime Stories" is a damn fine continuation of their legacy. I'm particularly a fan of the second track "Midnight and Mescaline," but the whole damn record is in top form.
House Of Large Sizes / Treepeople
Split 7''
Toxic Shock
1991
Rating: 6.5 slapped bastards out of 10
I bought this split seven inch for one reason - Treepeople. I mean, I guess the max number of reasons would be two so I'm not sure why I pointed this out, but...yeah. Their track is "Neil's Down," which is also available on their second album "Guilt Regret Embarrassment," but it's not like I paid much for this slab of repitition. Like most Treepeople songs it just sounds like a noiser, more chaotic version of Built To Spill (an inevitable comparison given I worked backwards from Built To Spill to this band). This particular track is almost a little Jawbreaker-ish, which is not something I've ever thought before when listening to Treepeople.
The other side is a band called House Of Large Sizes with "Bankrupt In Hoven." I had literally never even heard the name of this band before buying this, which is actually an accomplishment given the number of years I've been listening to exactly this genre of music. This track is mid-tempo, grunge-adjacent, and has a weird time signature...it sounds a bit like an old Chapel Hill band called Capsize 7, but since almost no one remembers them or even knew them in the first place, let's just say this band is definitely influenced by Sonic Youth. It's not bad - I'd be curious to hear more of their music.
Superchunk
AF (Acoustic Foolish)
Merge
1994 / 2019
Rating: Subdued perfection.
Superchunk are easily one of my top three favorite bands of all time. “Foolish,” their fourth record released in 1994, is easily one of my top three favorite albums by Superchunk. You want to make an educated guess on how I feel about a reworked, fully acoustic version of this classic album?
Given the nature of “AF,” there’s no real reason to rehash the content, but rather what makes it different and worthwhile. First, and most importantly, it sounds goddamn fantastic - any avenue with which you choose to listen to “AF” is a perfectly cromulent choice, but do yourself a favor and ingest this with some headphones at least once. It is perfection. Second are the guests – to no surprise, many members of the Merge family show up: Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak, Flock Of Dimes) and Allison Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) add backing vocals, Owen Pallett (Arcade Fire, Hidden Cameras) provides strings here and there, Matt Douglas (Mountain Goats) does his saxophone thing, and finally none other than the legendary Peter Holsapple (The dB’s) plugs away on the piano on a couple of tracks. On top of that, many of the songs have been slightly reworked – as an example, “Saving My Ticket” is almost a bossa nova song now. Third – it’s fucking Superchunk. Don’t be an idiot, buy everything they put out, it’s the only way to live life successfully.
Christian Fitness
You Are The Ambulance
Self-Released
2019
Rating: 7.5 skull tongues out of 10
It’s pretty exciting to come across an album from a new band that immediately sounds familiar – it sounds like a record you might already have in your collection, only you don’t know these particular songs. I had that feeling with the ridiculously named Christian Fitness and their newest release “You Are The Ambulance.” As is typical for me, my very next thought is who does this new band sound like? I hear elements of PIL, some Devo for sure, the Fall in their quirkier moments, but what it sounded most like was McClusky – a little less agro than McClusky could sometimes be, but the comparison was undeniable. Now, being a learned man of science, my next step was to do a little research on Christian Fitness (aka punch their name into Discogs) – it appears this is a solo project (it doesn’t sound like it), or they were just too lazy to list the rest of the band. The one member listed? Andy Falkous… and if that name sounds as familiar to you as it does to me, it’s because he used to be the frontman of… McClusky. I’m not sure If this means my band comparison skills are incredibly accurate, or it’s more of a “no shit they sound the same you simpleton, it’s the same dude playing basically the same type of music just under a different name.” Regardless, I like it, it scratches that spazzy/post-punk/angular/noise rock itch that I pretty much always have in the back of my brain, and that’s good enough for me. Also: apparently this is Andy’s sixth album under this moniker (all of which seem to be self-released & digital only), so not only is the artist not new, this particular outlet for him isn’t new either. Well it’s new to me, dammit!
Amyl And The Sniffers
Amyl And The Sniffers
ATO
2019
Rating: 7.5 speckled rock hens out of 10
Australia have absolutely dominated the punk scene for at least the last decade, and based on this self-titled offering from Amyl And The Sniffers, the land of koalas and kangaroos is showing no signs of letting up. I feel like I’ve been hearing about this band forever, having released a half-dozen singles/eps over the last few years, but this is surprisingly their debut full-length. I’m not sure why it took them so long to release a proper debut, but IMO it was a smart decision, as it allowed the band to refine their sound and channel their anger into this thirty minute survey of the entire punk landscape. At times they can come off as anything from garage (“Angel”) to verging on hardcore (“GFY”), and nearly every subgenre inbetween. But my favorite moments of the album are the opener (“Starfire 500”) and closer (“Some Mutts”), which are closer to a Stooges-esque proto-punk sound, and by far the best version of the band. “Some Mutts” is especially good, my pick for top song of the record, and a direction I hope these Aussies expand on in the future.
The Flaming Lips
King’s Mouth (Music And Songs)
Warner Bros
2019
Rating: 8.5 triangle pants out of 10
If you would have told me going in that on their fifteenth full-length release, “King’s Mouth (Music And Songs),” the Flaming Lips would release a (typically oddball for them) concept album about a hero taking down an evil king baby, with narration by Mick Jones from the Clash/Big Audio Dynamite throughout, and it would be the best record they’ve released since their career high water marks of “The Soft Bulletin” and “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots”…well, here we are, and I’m just as shocked as you are. Shocked that the narration and goofy story doesn’t annoy me, shocked that they have gone back to their sound from that perfect period of the early oughts, and more than anything, shocked that more people aren’t talking about this fantastic album. Part of that might be because it’s not been released widely yet (there was limited release for Record Store Day, with full release is coming in July), but in this modern age of internets and streamery it’s not that hard to find. Perhaps equally at play is fatigue for the band – maybe other folks are less willing to tolerate the silliness of Wayne Coyne and company in search of perfect psychedelic pop, but the Lip’s whole aesthetic still works on me. I totally get that the band isn’t for everyone, but as an avowed non-lyric person, their particular brand of nonsensical fantasy is so tied in with the idea of incredibly catchy songs that it’s hard to imagine it not being this way. I mean, and obviously I’m not the first to say this, all of this shit is just the continuation of the Beach Boys ethos in the “Pet Sounds” years or the Beatles during the heyday of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”…nothing is too weird if it sounds good and has a hook.
I know this whole record is tied in with some sort of art exhibit that Coyne created, but the true calling of “King’s Mouth” is to be the soundtrack of a fantastical cartoon…something along the lines of what Harry Nilsson did with “The Point,” just some beautiful, trippy animation that visually tells the story of this terrific album.
Marbled Eye
EP 2
Melters / Digital Regress
2017
Rating: 6.5 snake aunts out of 10
I legitimately don't remember buying this Marbled Eye seven inch, even though it's clearly brand new and not just something grabbed out of a bargain bin. It's a good thing I like it I guess! Four songs total (two each side), I'd describe it as by-the-books Sonic Youth-inspired post punk. Not new or original, but totally fine. My main complaint are the vocals are too low through the entire thing, making the lead guitar feel more like the lead than the actual vocals - and maybe that was intentional, but I'm not sure it's the right choice. There's something here though...like a baseball player that needs seasoning in the minor leagues for a couple of years, I'd like too check out what these kids are doing a couple of years from now and see how they've progressed.
Pavement
Trigger Cut Plus Two 7''
Matador
1992
Rating: How do you rate perfection? Oh yeah, 10. It's a 10.
How to put into words the strength of my feelings of one of the greatest songs ever, from one of the greatest albums ever, recorded by one of the best bands ever? Let's go with...it's pretty good. Pavement could do no wrong for the bulk of the nineties, and if "Trigger Cut" isn't the top of the heap it's real damn close.
And I know the b-sides here nearly as well as the title track...I'm not even sure how I know "Sue Me Jack" by heart (maybe an old mix tape?), but "So Stark (You're A Skyscraper)" was also on the bootleg "Stray Slack," which I might have as memorized as I do all of "Slanted & Enchanted." From an era when bootlegs had real value, and I may have spent WAY too much money on a few import ones.
For the love of god, buy this if you ever come across it.
Paws
Your Church On My Bonfire
Ernest Jenning
2019
Rating: 7 fixed conglomerates out of 10
Most know Paws as a pop-punk band from Scotland. Not that kind of pop punk, the kind you think of when you first hear that genre name mentioned, the kind that go on the Warped tour and put their releases out on Fat Wreck Chords. But it’s still an apt descriptor given their music (a) on the punk spectrum and (b) the songs are usually really goddamn catchy. The thing is, on their most recent offering “Your Church On My Bonfire,” Paws have shifted their location on that pop punk spectrum WAY more towards the pop end. I’m not complaining – it’s the hooks that drew me to this band in the first place, and there are still plenty of those on this fourth full-length release from this trio of Glaswegians. Standout tracks like “Not Enough” and “Honoured To Be Honest” still feel enough like classic Paws to hold the attention of old fans, but the mellower, more somber vibe definitely dominate the bulk of the album. It made sense after listening to “Your Church On My Bonfire” a few times that I found out Frightened Rabbit’s Andy Monaghan recorded the record, because…well, Frightened Rabbit is exactly the best comparison to this new, softer version of Paws. Which is fine, and honestly wouldn’t have been a surprising natural progression for the group even without the obvious connection, but once you hear it you can’t un-hear it.
Starflyer 59
Young In My Head
Tooth & Nail
2019
Rating: 7 hard pears out of 10
Outside of a few specific songs, I would likely be hard pressed to differentiate between Starflyer 59 records. There is a sameness to the music of Jason Martin, sure, but that’s ok: not everything has to be groundbreaking and new, it’s ok for some music to function basically as modern nostalgia (hell, that’s mostly what I listen to OLD PERSON ALERT). Or better yet: when you’re this damn good, why fuck with a sure thing? Martin has held steadfast to his version of laid-back, poppy shoegaze since the mid-nineties, and more than twenty five years and fifteen full-lengths later, nothing has really changed – nor should it IMO. When I saw there was a new Starflyer 59 record, I had very specific expectations on what this would sound like, and those expectations were fully met. The title track “Young In My Head,” easily my favorite of the release, could be stuck in the middle of any of Starflyer’s other records and fit perfectly. Even by my own usually short-and-pointless review standards I don’t have a lot to say here...this music is like an old favorite t-shirt: familiar, comfortable, and a part of your life for a long time. I look forward to entirely recycling this review for the sixteenth release.
Also, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, someone fucking re-issue their 1998 record “The Fashion Focus,” my personal favorite of all fifteen of the band’s albums. I mean, they need pretty much their entire catalog re-issued, but that’s the most important one. And make it more than 500 copies!!! They did a re-issue of their first record “Silver” last year (which I would also like to have) and it sold out quickly and now costs an arm and a leg.
