Oblivians are back with their first studio album in 16 years. 'Desperation' (In The Red) sees the return of rampant garage-rock-blues stylings they're known and so well loved for. These 14 blistering new songs are unmistakably our favourite Memphis trio as they beckon 50's rock 'n' roll, 60's garage, soul and blues. During their break Eric, Gregg and Jack have been continued to write music (Reigning Sound, Parting Gifts, Jack-O & the Tearjerkers, The Dutch Masters, True Sons of Thunder to name a few) and what sets 'Desperation' apart from previous albums is you can hear how working apart has brought something new to the table. The songs sound more slick without losing the wild and rambunctious nature of their approach. A great example is "Loving Cup" featuring hyper chugging rhythms, smokey vocals, crunchy guitars and a savage guitar solo sailing over the top of the whole thing. From there The Oblivians continue to turn up the heat with brawlers like "Run For Cover", "Fire Detector" and one of my highlights "Oblivion". 'Desperation' finishes with "Mama Guitar" playing out scratchy strings, rock 'n' roll howls and thumping beats seeing the album blasting on all cylinders before it leaves you in the dust. Really great new record, when it comes to trailblazing rock songs Oblivians dish 'em up in spades.
Ooga Boogas follow up their fantastic debut 'Romance and Adventure' with a self titled album that came out at the beginning of summer or there-abouts. The Melbourne four piece are: Mikey Young, Per Bystrom (whose Aunt also did the stunning artwork), Leon Stackpole and Richard Stanley - who has released the album on his own Aarght! Records label. 'Romance and Adventure' saw Ooga Boogas put their own stamp on garage rock in 2008, and these ten new songs take a look at rock through different lenses utilizing electronics, so don't be surprised to hear a few changes in their approach. Opener "Circle of Trust" features strutting bass & beats alongside guitars building and releasing tension with choppy sections intermittently smoothed over with fuzzed out riffage. My personal highlights: straight up chugging rock 'n' roll song "Ooga Boogas II", the incredible guitar solo at the end of "Mind Reader" AND "It's a Sign". "It's a sign that we're making it baby, it's sign that we're doing things right, when I'm looking at you and you're looking at me, when I'm smiling at you and you're laughing at me...", Stackpole sings in a heartfelt holler apace with saccharine guitars, low gulping bass and palpitating beats - he continues "Well it seems we've got something going on, when you take your panties off and don't put 'em back on,". 'Ooga Boogas' has been one of my records of the summer and I'm sure if you get a chance to pick up a copy it'll be yours too!
Ty Segall knocks another one out of the park with his latest album that came out at the tail end of last year, 'Twins' on Drag City. Albums leading up to this, 'Melted' and 'Goodbye Bread', had a ballad focus adding a new dimension to the garage rock approach Segall has become so well known for. Not only that, but moved the goal posts as to what garage rock can achieve. Just as we were immersed in these strung-out, sun-drenched numbers on Record Store Day 2012 Segall released an album with White Fence which saw the return of his hair-raising rock roots. 'Twins' picks up where this record leaves off and sure, Ty Segall has released a garage rock record before, but what sets him apart from his peers is he always keeping things innovative and exuberant.
"Thank God For The Sinners" and "Inside Your Heart" shows the sludgy, ballad-centric songs are fresh in mind as they ooze with sizzling guitars and that laid-back nature indicative of west-coasters. This doesn't last long though as Segall kicks things up a gear with manic numbers like "You're The Doctor". Highlight for me though is "Would You Be My Love", it just hits all the pop, rock, garage pleasure centres and gives on every listen - one of my favourite Segall songs period. 'Twins' offers head scratcher moments too by closing on folk track "Gold On The Shore" featuring layers acoustic guitar, vocals and bass. There's not many artists around where you can say two albums and some four singles in a year doesn't seem like enough - can't wait to see what Segall has up his sleeve for 2013.
Liminanas are a duo based in France who have one album released on Trouble In Mind and a handful of singles available to date. Lio and Marie Limiñana started out flirting with home recording and have now seen the project grow into a fully fledged band. Together the pair play out sugary guitars offset by razor sharp fuzz apace with jangly rhythms with an exotica twist. Delivered with sultry beatific pop touched by garage psychedelia moxie, this single is positively titillating. Another great release from SDZ.
Support from the most righteous punk rockin bands in the country universally loved SAUNA YOUTH HIPSHAKES back from the grave new Latino sensations RADIO SLAPS and fresh French psychsters Le PECHEUR
Wake Up Dead Members of Black Time and Black Mamba Beat celebrating the release of their first single. BandcampMyspaceBlog
Sauna Youth Rampant and savage punk rock from London four piece. Blog
Hipshakes Off kilter schizoid garage punk by trio based in Bakewell. FacebookMyspace
Radioslaps Spine grabbing righteous garage rawk brought to London via Spain. FacebookBandcamp
Le Pecheur Spooked and unhinged tangents of lo-fi psychedelia from Parisian band now based in London. BandcampFacebook
Michael Yonkers has been making music under the radar for 50 years in his home town of Minneapolis. Starting out strong his first album ‘Microminiature Love’ was recorded and initially set to be released on Sire 1968, for reasons that still remain unclear the piece was shelved. Yonkers recorded seven songs reflecting the psychedelic garage sounds of the time with traces of music that made impression in his formative years like Trashmen and Link Wray. Discouraged by Sire's reaction to 'Microminiature Love' the group disbanded that same year and Yonkers retreated to his family home where he began recording in the basement. Experimenting with synths, tape loops and his now famous home-made theramin Yonkers song-writing experienced a shift playing out Pentangle inspired loner-folk songs that would become second album 'Grimwood', a complete polar opposite to his debut. In retrospect rejection from Sire benefited Yonkers as he could enjoy flexibility in writing music that perhaps working for a bigwig label may not have afforded him. As a result going through his catalogue offers one surprise after the next with Yonkers tirelessly exploring different avenues of rock, blues and folk.
A few years after this album was recorded Yonkers suffered an accident while working in a warehouse that would leave him rendered in debilitating pain for the rest of his life. In 1971 a wall of computer equipment fell on him breaking his back. While in hospital further complications arose when Yonkers had an allergic reaction to the dye that was injected into his spine for use in an xray. To this day he continues to receive treatment to help with mobility and alleviate discomfort including dance-therapy, yet reading articles on Yonkers one common factor threads through pieces written on him; he is not defeated by the accident, he would rather talk about the next song he's going to write.
De Stijl reissued 'Microminiature Love' with 6 bonus tracks and 'Grimwood' a few years back catapulting Michael Yonkers virtually unheard of catalogue into the underground limelight. Drag City followed suit unearthing previously unreleased album 'Lovely Gold' originally recorded in 1977 on a "tube tape", a home-made device Yonkers built out of discarded machine parts. In the midst of these albums surfacing Michael Yonkers began playing with local band The Blind Shake and a simple jamming session turned into 2007 album 'Carbohydrates Hydrocarbons'. S-S Records have put out follow up album for Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake adding to the now historic and well loved Yonkers musical cannon. 'Period' is a psychedelic blues record tinged with the 60s garage rock from his roots, filled with pounders sounding comparatively meaner and more dense -- recommended for anyone who likes Psandwich. With so many worthy labels supporting him, now, is the perfect time to get stuck into Michael Yonkers' records.
Californian troubadour Mikal Cronin released a self titled debut last year for Trouble In Mind earning him a collective, heartfelt nod from just about every corner of the music loving underground - and with Ty Segall and Mikey Young in tow for the piece how could one expect anything less? Follow up single 'Tide' for Goner Records plays out his surfer tinged garage-rock and sure, you may think you've heard this all before however, Cronin laces pop, folk and psychedelia together to create something entirely unmatched by anything around today. At the heart of his songs are radiant melodies, strung out vocals and tapped fuzz. Another one to watch for 2012, he's hitting the road soon and he may be coming over to Europe, keep your eyes peeled for shows definitely one not to be missed!
You can find the single here Mikal Cronin Bandcamp
Thee Oh Sees latest offering on In The Red is the first full length by the San Francisco band that has really hit the spot. There's no rhyme or reason for it, but 'Carrion Crawler' just hits the garage rock pleasure centres. Having never disappointed in a live setting may be this record captures everything I love about watching Thee Oh Sees in action. Their unhinged guitars, feverish vocals and rigorous rhythms are immediately engaging on stage and this translates on 'Carrion Crawler'. "Chem-Farmer" is a four minute instrumental piece with a minimal guitar melody on repeat peppered with meticulous beats, under-stated rumbling bass and shredding roaming in and out of focus throughout. "The Dream" hands down is a real favourite on this album, urgent guitars and racing rhythms descend into brilliantly crafted freak outs boiling over with anxiety. Nine albums in and the ballistic 'Carrion Crawler' is the one that's made a believer out of me.
I know, I know, this has been out a while but here's the thing...when 1-2-3-4 GO! Records said they were putting out the new Shannon and the Clams record I went back to debut 'I Wanna Go Home' and the live session on WFMU, and they stayed in rotation for what seems like ayons. Then everyone's top 10 records of 2011 came out most of which featured 'Sleep Talk' and realized I'd left it behind, what a dummy! Because, this is such a great pop record, not least due to Shannon's incredible voice. Packed into twelve songs is something dreamy, ballsy and a little creepy. "The Cult Song" and "Old Man Winter" fall into the wonderful-weirdos camp letting vocals freely roam alongside melodies and arrangements you might expect from bands played on Mad Mike's radio show, but with a distinct West Coast/surfer feel. 'Sleep Talk' has softer moments with "The Woodsman" and "Done With You", setting a forlorn tone before launching into another raucous number. Cue "Toxic Revenge", a take-no-prisoner stomper with crunchy guitars, palpitating bass and howlin' vocals leveled off with crashing rhythms. Shannon and the Clams is everything you could want from a modern day girl-fronted garage band, taking the very best bits of the 60s and flipping them on their head 'Sleep Talk', as many worthy bands and labels have already said, is a great, great record.
The past week has been totally nuts for shows and I've been all over merch tables like white on rice, or yellow in custard, or pastry on mince pies...
Big Take Over hosted a show for Total Control at Oliver's Yard here in London a few days ago, BTO sure put on a fantastic gig and Total Control played to a crowd of besotted fans dumbstruck that they were here, THEY WERE REALLY HERE! It was at this show that I picked up a copy of their split 12" with Thee Oh Sees (Castleface). Both sides feature 4 previously unreleased tracks.
Thee Oh Sees feature on Side A with hyper garage rock numbers maintaining high energy throughout. I've always enjoyed Thee Oh Sees live but listening to their records has often left me deflated, not here though. Everything I love about them on stage is captured here and these are my favourite recorded songs from Thee Oh Sees to date. Side B cools off with Total Control's creeped out synth punk which departs a little from their 'Henge Beat' material, possibly showcasing what's in store for future records? I sure do hope so.
500 copies on limited edition half clear/half yellow vinyl 500 copies on black vinyl For those who missed the shows try Castle Face Records
LONDONERS! You have another chance to see Total Control next Thursday after their ATP appearance before they go. This band are not to be missed!
With a prolific catalogue of material behind him, Goner Records has culled 25 tracks of singles, demos and rarities from Ty Segall's work helping paint a picture of how his song writing has developed and arrived at this year's well received 'Goodbye Bread' (Drag City). This Double LP fills in some gaps for those of us missing now out-of-print tapes, EPs and 7"s from the Ty Segall cannon. Cannot wait for this to show up at my door..
Psandwich are a group based in Washington Beach Ohio featuring; Ron House (vocals), Brett Burleson (electric & acoustic guitar, bass), John Olexovitch (electric guitar, vocals) Bobby Silver (bass, keyboards & vocals), Zac Szymusiak (drums, piano & vocals). Some may already be familiar with Ron House from Columbus Discount's reissue last year of 'Blind Boy in the Backseat' and his other two projects Great Plains and Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments. House's distinct narrative heavy vocals coupled with a melodic bass secure a core allowing psyched out guitars to roam alongside pummeling rhythms. 'Northern Psych' is the first album from Psandwich debuting freaked out psychedelia you'd expect from Bubble Puppy or 13th Floor Elevators whilst racing with the pulse of avant-garde garage. Arresting opener "Ceiling" gives a taste of things to come as the five piece steam roll their way through these eleven charged songs. Moody undercurrents of paranoia in the first track resurface in wall climber "Not In Jail" where metronomic beats steer prowling siren guitars gradually ascending to feverish solos. Another highlight is otherworldly "Spinal Scroll Stroll" where the album takes things down a notch with foggy vocals drifting over spooked razor guitars anchored by a melody heavy bass lifted by crashing rhythms. Coming full circle 'Northern Psych' is a force unto itself testing the limits before finishing the way it started. Much like after a great night out - once the needle is off the LP this album has left me feeling like I need to lie down in a dark room with a flannel over my head.
It's surprising a band like Something Men are from the UK given that their songs heavily rooted in Rock 'n' Roll fit so well in with the recent garage rock revival across the pond. The foursome have just released with their debut single 'Birdy Roof' on EZPZ Records. These guys definitely sound like they spent their formative years listening to Bo Diddley and absorbing all the garage rock bands that followed him, 13th Floor Elevators immediately come to mind. And sure enough, Something Men put a contemporary spin on the genre much in the way The Beets do in their rock 'n' roll-slacker demeanor. This is another fine example of a band not challenging the past but having fun with a type of music they clearly love.
(These guys are looking to do some shows in London up until the end of the year if you know of anything - somethingmen@gmail.com)
Le Pecheur (The Sinner) formed in the ashes of garage punk band The Last Rapes of Mr Teach who broke up last month. Since then, Pier has accumulated solo material recorded over the last couple of years along with songs made this summer for this new project. Now complete with a live band Pier is joined by Xavier (The Last Rapes of Mr Teach) and Caelan on guitar, Le Pecheur have already played some shows with La Secte Du Futur and have released a split 7" with JC Satan. Pier's songwriting is driven by finding a way to put feelings to music using a four-track recorder bought some years ago. 'Demon 1' is rooted in 13th Floor Elevators style garage rock with a few modern day bands coming to mind as well like The Beets and The Mantles. What separates Le Pecheur from these bands is the balance of melodious yet off kilter guitars and curiously spooked vocals. Highlights come thick and fast like 'Black Death', 'Jesus De Nazareth' and 'Voodoo'. As I understand it, the presently unsigned Le Pecheur are planning to relocate from France to London and are planning a tour in December/January time.
Bad Sports new album 'Kings Of The Weekend' on Dirtnap follows up debut on Douchemaster (2009). Threesome Orville Neeley (Guitar/Vocals), Gregory Rutherford (Drums), TV's Daniel Fried (Bass/Vocals) featured on Matador's 'Casual Victim Pile 2010' encompassing many worthy bands displaying high caliber garage rock and punk outfits based in Texas. Outside of Bad Sports these guys have also played in Mind Spiders, OBN III and Wax Museums. Mark Ryan (Marked Men/Mind Spiders) recorded the album in his Fort Worth studio, Ryan's approach to super clean sound on his own records is used on Bad Sports second offering and certainly does it justice. 'Kings Of The Weekend' is a rabid punk record with a big rock feel to it that sounds like Ramones covering Big Star. It's wraps up an amalgam of influences from first wave punk, garage rock and bubblegum melodies delivered with a raw energy which sound like damaged power pop. Striking like a bolt from the blue 14 songs about being adolescent, horny and drunk rip through 30 minutes at a head-spinning pace. Highlights; "Can't Just Be Friends", "You Look Funny" and the heartfelt "Someday In The Future". 2 years in the making and it was definitely worth the wait, this second album feels like Bad Sports have hit their stride. 500 pressed, the first 100 on blue vinyl and you can find copies here.
J.C Satan's 'Sick Of Love' is a celebratory album for Slovenly Records marking the label's 100th release. This debut album is made by 2 girls from Turin, Italy and 3 guys from Bordeaux, France where the album was recorded. Sure, garage rock bands come dime a dozen at the moment, with the sheer volume of current albums taking cues from 13th Floor Elevators, Oblivions, Gories it's a feat unto itself to wade through it all (hence why this post is being made 8 months late). But, it's worth it when you dig and dig to find an album like 'Sick Of Love'. J.C Satan aren't trying to challenge garage rock, but bring new blood to a genre that's seen an immense revival lately.
'Sick Of Love' is made up of ramshackle garage rock numbers delivered with a feedback quality akin to The Jesus and Mary Chain. The songs vary from blasts of crunchy, fuzzed out guitars carrying pop melodies alongside unglued boy/girl vocals, to melancholic lonely pieces such as "Your Place". Even in these darker places lyricist Paula keeps a sense of humor, "Woke up late in the morning, In a bed full of Stories, There’s no love, No romance, Just a jerk in a coma". "Adventure Boat" and "Can You" are more highlights best showing J.C Satan's flare for unhinged garage stompers from the songwriting styles of Arthur Satan (Meatards, Magnetix). 'Sick Of Love' is like a 35 minute tornado that pushes and pulls you in every which direction 13 songs possibly can, this should please any Ty Segal or Oh Sees fan.
It was only a year ago that Ty Segall brought 'Melted' (Goner) to us. Steering away from his earlier ballistic sound Segall ground his songs down to strangled psychedelic garage rock that topped many end of year lists in 2010. To kick off summer 2011, the San Fran-pyscho troubadour is back with new album 'Goodbye Bread' (Drag City) and Segall's has once again knocked one out of the park.
These 10 strung out numbers feature sinewy guitars, ramshackle rhythms and lethargic yet sanguine tinged vocals creating 35 minutes of unglued swampy garage rock, delivered with an explosive sound you'd expect from TRex or The Troggs and finesse of 60s psychedelia. Ty Segall plays around with the structure of the songs throughout 'Goodbye Bread' and manipulates distortion and feedback heating things up then cooling them off, check out "My Head Explodes" to see what I mean! Another highlight is "I Am With You" which opens with chiming guitars morphing into frenzied rhythms, feverish distortion and unhinged vocals, before collapsing into a blazing solo. For those who weren't already initiated 'Melted' turned heads, and my only gripe with that record is it felt like the 30 minutes lasted longer. 'Goodbye Bread' is the opposite, there's something about the way Ty Segall plays with the arrangements that propels the album, for me at least. 'Goodbye Bread' is a great opportunity to pick up on Ty Segall if you haven't had the chance yet, as it feels like this album is building to something even bigger and better for what he puts out next.
Chicago's Mannequin Men are finishing up their third album following 2009's 'Lose Your Illusion, Too' (Flameshovel). In the interim while waiting for its release is track "Sally" accompanied by Jack Oblivion and the Tearjerkers "The Lone Ranger of Love" as part of the Scion A/V single series. Drawing from an amalgamation of influences Mannequin Men's songs assemble sounds from The Clean, Neil Young and Wipers to name a few and create something unmistakably their own. "Hobby Girl" (Hozac/2010) sounds like The Replacements covering Television Personalities and is one of their finest songs to date, further showing what we might expect from the new record. This is music lovingly made for record nerds by record nerds who unabashedly lay bare their influences and sound like they have a great time doing it. And, if you want to know how good it feels to be caning it down the motorway with Mannequin Men blasting out of the stereo - you'll just have to try it and see.
'Lounge Lizards' is the fourth LP from Purling Hiss (Mike Polizze, Kiel Everett, Mike Sneeringer) and the band's first release for Mexican Summer featuring blown out, grinding psychedelia with a garage rock wallop. These six new songs are super consistent taking all the best bits of astringent sludge and distortion from bands like Dinosaur Jr and Spacemen 3. Right off the bat from opener "The Hoodoo" pop melodies are laced through the album through crunchy guitars as are the simple and fitting "ooo/ooo" vocals. "Midnight Man" opens with a pulverizing drill aptly summing up what has inspired the sound of the album. Honeyed melodies woven into an onslaught of heavy riffs wailing through six hazy recordings bring a little sweet to go along with the sour on 'Lounge Lizards'. This record is another fine addition to the Mexican Summer cannon and will sound great when killing some time on an afternoon in the sunny months ahead.
Two incredible songs from two amazing bands for FREE! ScionA/V released this 7" as part of a single club series and also put this out as a download so no one gets left out.
Side A features Austin, Texas quartet Hex Dispensers track "Agatha's Antlers", a garage rock inspired punk number boiling over with forceful guitars and boy/girl vocals. It's exactly what you'd expect from the Hex Dispensers which why "Agatha's Antlers" is such a great song.
Side B features radiant pop from King Tuff with a reworked version of 'Hands', which some may recognize from 2006 album 'Mindblow' (Spirit of Orr). Enjoy trying to resist singing "HANDS!! Touching up on me!!!" at inopportune moments.
