Husker Du: What's Going On

While I wait to get my hands on a copy of this, thought I'd write a short blog post to share my excitement about it. Andrew Earles, one part of the brilliant Earles and Jensen has written his first book on Husker Du. You can get a taster of it here and get copies here. Earles' blog, where you can view his other writing projects, also mentions he's on WFMU today!

The Zoltars 'The Zoltars'

Sundae Records has treated us all to one more release before 2010 draws to a close. Ending the year on a high note The Zoltar's new self titled 7" is a humdinger. The single was recorded at The Neckbeard Ranch, Dikes of Holland's studio with Chris Anton at the helm and mastering by Aaron Schroeder. The Zoltar's type of garage pop makes them Austin's answer to bands like Fresh & Onlys and Ty Segall. But it you think this means you've heard it all before, think again. Charismatic, heady guitar melodies, jangly rhythms come through an overlay of haze juxtaposed with a lovable cockiness in the idle/laid back tone in the vocals which begs for repeated listens. Before you know it you'll be catching yourself singing 'It's the batcay-ay-ay-ay-ave'! The trio's new single comes with a download and you can listen to it here!


Also available a split tape with Cowabunga Babes on Kill/Hurt

Also available a live tape on Voice Academy Records

RIP Shiny Beast

This short post is simply due to feeling like there isn't anything that can be typed here that hasn't already been said. Captain Beefheart, I love your music, sleep well magic music maker.

Short eulogy from The Guardian

Black Mamba Beat VS Wake Up Dead

New cassette tape from London based South Africans Black Mamba Beat is a split featuring new project Wake Up Dead. Black Mamba Beat have so far released material on European labels Clan Destine and Jeet Kune and now have aptly found a new home across the pond at Kind Turkey Records to debut Wake Up Dead songs. The quartet's current line up features members of Black Time, Atari, Live Fast Die, Black Mamba Beat, Snakes and Music, The Splinters and The Jazz June, AKA: Koala, Lemmy Caution, Mr. Stix and Mouse.

Side A: Black Mamba Beat! Full of rubbery bass, bashing rhythms and one male torpid voice accompanied by barking yelps and shouts. Abrasiveness from some of the vocals is balanced out nicely from simple and heady guitar melodies, especially on track 'Don't Care Show Me'. 'Hibernating' and 'Note From the Moat' break up this side well by including some piano arrangements and take things to a slower darker place. Side A finishes on a high note and somewhat echos how it started with a Cramps-esque style guitar intro.

Side B: Wake Up Dead. Still in the Punk Rock vein but colder, darker, I can't help feel like opening track 'Zombie Love' wouldn't sound totally out of place on a Misfits album. The out of tune guitar parts in 'Hospital' are curiously pleasant making this track a high light. Like Side A the recording fittingly has that made in a basement, bedroom feel to it eschewing any glitz or 'studio magic'. The bands' blog Shabeen Scene teases that they have just gone into More or Less Mono Studios to record some more songs. I hope this tape is a taste of things to come.

This tape is limited to 100 copies - first 25 are hand-painted and includes an insert! Black Mamba Beat VS Wake Up Dead is Kind Turkey Records first release and their website says there are less than 15 copies of this left - exclusively available globally, as in everywhere, as in right now!

10 of '10

It's that time of year where everyone is making their Top 10 lists, so if you'll indulge me, I made one too...


















ALBUMS
Nobunny - First Blood, Goner
Tyvek - Nothing Fits, In The Red
Wounded Lion - S/T, In The Red
Dikes of Holland - S/T, Sundae Records
Black Mamba Beat - S/T, Jeet Kune
Cheap Time - Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations), In The Red
Ty Segal - Melted, Goner
Sun City Girls - Funeral Mariachi, Abduction
Ex Humans - Ex Humans, Rob's House
The Fall - Your Future Our Clutter, Domino
The Young, Voyagers of Legend, Mexican Summer




















REISSUES
Ron House - Blind Boy in the Backseat, Columbus Discount
Sibylle Baier - Colour Green, Orange Twin
Witch - Lazy Bones!!, Shadocks Music
Blank Realm - Heartless Ark, Not Not Fun
Carl Simmons - Honeysuckle Tendrals, Sacred Bones
Flying Nun Reissues!
Fucking Flying Aheads - Swiss Cheese Back, De Stijl
Hasil Adkins - White Light/White Meat, Norton
Gibson Bros - Build a Raft, Columbus Discount
Abner Jay - Folk Song Stylist, Mississippi
Something Is Wrong - Vintage Recordings From East Africa, Honest Jons










SONGS
Nerve City - Sleepwalker, Sleepwalker EP
Puppy Hearts - When Kingdom Come, Yeti 9 compilation
Teenage Panzerkorps - Turn Your Lights Out, Yeti 9 compilation
Mannequin Men - Hobby Girl, Hozac 7"
Grass Widows - 11 of Diamonds, Past Times
Sibylle Baier - Tonight, Colour Green
Carl Simmons - Scotty Guffy Sings, Honeysuckle Tendrals
Rayon Beach - Wave Pool Ether, Memory Teeth EP
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - Second Guessing, Rush to Relax
Flight - My Business, Flight 10"
Magik Markers - White Map Laid With White Inks On White Walls, Tour Split 12" w/Sic Alps



















SHOWS
The Fall - Electric Ballroom
The Dead C - The Garage
Quintron & Miss Pussycat - The Dome
Magik Markers - Union Pool
The Ex - The Dome
Sic Alps - Bardens Boudouir
The Swans & James Blackshaw - Koko
Eat Skull - XOYO
Raionbashi & Kutzkelina - Lowest Form of Music Festival
The Rita - The Grovsenor

Dikes of Holland 'Dikes of Holland'

Exciting new bands have been erupting from Austin's bedrooms, basements and bars solidly for quite some time now. Earlier in the year this was celebrated on Matador's 'Casual Victim Pile Austin 2010' compilation. This garage rock treasure trove has seen many of the then unsigned bands snapped up and gone on to release their first albums. This is how I was introduced to the Dikes of Holland. (Track 'Little City Girl' featured on said compilation and isn't on this new record.)

Just last month Sundae Records released Dikes of Hollands' debut self titled LP, with art work by Jeff Swanson. Recorded by John Paul Bohon at the band's home studio, The Neck Beard Ranch, it sure does sounds like these guys rolled up, plugged in and belted the 11 songs out. In its energy the record brings the Carbonas stuff to mind. Make no mistake though, 'Dikes of Holland' is a solid party garage rock piece. The quintet amalgamates that familiar jangly sound that can be heard in contemporary acts, (Harlem are a one of my favourites for that) and 80s garage rock revival. Spewing catchy-as-hell hooks and unrelenting clobbering rhythms Dikes of Holland morphs 30 minutes of your time into a pummeling party. One for the Christmas list.