Boyhood : When I'm Hungry

Wow wow wow.   This record from Boyhood came out at the tail end of last year on Bruised Tongue and I’m kind of obsessed with it.  It’s hard to find out much on Caylie Runciman’s career so far other than she’s from Ottawa, has one other EP/Tape out on the same label and ‘When I’m Hungry’ appears to be her first full length album.   Comprised of swampy pop and noise explorations these 12 songs are shrouded in psychedelic weirdness.   ‘When I’m Hungry’ is predominantly an electronic record however,  ‘Heat’ allows guitar to the fore in the closest thing this album comes to traditional indie, and a song that could be considered straight up indie on here still exceeds expectation by delivering something adventurous and electrifying.  Runciman’s vocals get filtered through chewy haze alongside a freely ambling melody line pitting loud and quiet arrangements against each other, and if you think you’ve heard this all before just give it a listen and see how her treatment moves the goal posts of where these sounds can go.  As the album progresses it reveals songs made from pimped subterranean beats, blissed out vocals and spooked guitar work.  Runciman wrote/performed all the songs on here and the interplay between drum machines and a drum kit gives the album different grains to latch on to, checking out ‘Maintaining My Uncool’ followed by ‘Cheddar’ is a great example of that.  ‘Where I’m Going’ fittingly shows how Boyhood captures an immersive pop sound that is sunny as it is sunless , and closer ‘Post Poc’ best describes these shady undertones intermittently emerging throughout.  ‘When I’m Hungry’ is an intimate search of the curiously twisted parts of bedroom pop.  It’s this creeper slant touched by saccharine glamour that makes the LP prevail as a blood-tingling debut release; executed with a forward thinking approach ‘When I’m Hungry’ is effortlessly unpredictable, exuberant and captivating.

Bruised Tongue's Bandcamp is here where the album has a few more track's on it than Boyhood's personal page, copies of the LP are still available too!

Fuzz : Fuzz

Roland Cosio, Ty Segall and Charles Moothart make up power trio Fuzz.  Their first album follows well received single 'Sleigh Ride' also released through In The Red.   'Fuzz' builds on the explosive rock sound from the 45 merging Black Sabbath-esque metal with Hendrix psychedelic stylings on guitar.  'Fuzz' even references grunge with their sludgy number "What's In My Head" that sees Moothart subvert the riff from Stiltskin's "Inside".  As the band name and title suggest there is fuzz accompanied by pounding drums, hefty bass and meteoric guitars, this is best shown on "Haze Maze".  "Hazy mazes tryin' to get to you, well it will end where it began, with your body placed beneath the sand, in again the cycle never ends, made of SKIN forgive your human sin", Segall sings in a strung out holler - and it's these ideas of morality and mortality that thread through the lyrics.  "Loose Sutures" continues, "Bleak futures on the run, I don't know what's to come, fate's forging, beams bent on burning me, run...", accompanied by 70's stadium style breakdown's in the music letting each instrument have their own joyous tangents (and you should have seen people freakout during this song during their show at The Dome recently).  'Fuzz' is made up of 8 interplanetary metal songs that is everything you want from a modern band interpreting 60's/70's rock sounds, for those who need fuzz in their life, here's Fuzz with 'Fuzz', get fuzzy, get Fuzz.

Fuzz : Sleigh Ride/You Won't See Me

Charlie Mootheart (guitar), Roland Cosio (bass) and Ty Segall (drums) make up new band on In The Red called Fuzz.  As the name suggests the power trio immerse themselves in muddied fuzztone offering up two songs comprised of 60s rock sounds, pop and a heavy-metal smack.  "Sleigh Ride" features thunderous guitars, pummeling beats and a rumbling bass making a brilliantly scuzzy metal number touched by freaked out psychedelia.  Flipping over we have "You Won't See Me", a sludge-fest of chewy guitars and crashing rhythms anchored by a rubbery by bass.  Fuzz certainly live up to comparisons with Jimi Hendrix, Blue Cheer and Black Sabbath and deliver a fantastic full-blown rock single - get a copy while there's still some around...

Freakapuss/Sic Alps split 7"

New split single out on Drag City features Freakapuss (Zarjaz formerly of Tronics) and Sic Alps.  Freakapuss designs a cosmic opus about golden elephants, crazy experiments and jeweled rock pools in track "Here Today Here Tomorrow".   This side of the single plays out feel good rock 'n' roll guitar alongside bongos, with cerebral teasing lyrics adding a psychedelic twist to the track.  Elements from the verse are depicted in Unica Zurn-esque drawings on an eye grabbing sleeve, a fitting image for Freakapuss' first vinyl release.  Regarding the reverse side Sic Alps offer up "New Trawgs III" featuring sun-kissed guitars, hand percussion and strung out vocals.  "New Trawgs III" follows on nicely from "Here Today Here Tomorrow" in its rock swagger and stripped down approach.  The cohesiveness of this release shows Freakapuss and Sic Alps a perfect pairing for a split single, well worth grabbing a copy.

UK copies here
US copies here

Sun Araw, M Geddes Gengras & The Congos 'ICON GIVE THANK'

RVNG Intl. have been working on a series of music and film releases pairing contemporary artists with predecessors that link them in style or mindset. For their ninth installment the New York based imprint brought together Sun Araw, M Geddes Gengras and St. Catherine, Jamaica dub reggae group The Congos, who offer up 'ICON GIVE THANK'. Accompanying the album is 'ICON EYE', a documentary revealing the recording process which took place at The Congos' studio/home in Jamaica whilst following Sun Araw (Cameron Stallones) in his new surroundings assimilating himself in The Congos' ways. Sun Araw's experimental psychedelic guitars balanced out by The Congos' mesmerizing, otherworldly vocals slowly creep in under your skin prompting repeated listens, enriching the album on every spin. The collective performed 'Icon Give Thank' on Friday just gone (22 June) in East London and the songs on stage lived up to the album in every single way, showing that the recordings had captured the extraordinary chemistry and energy they had forged. Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras and The Congos have created something transcendent with 'Icon Give Thank', striking like a bolt from the blue an unexpected summer favourite.



Find copies at RVNG Intl.

Liminanas 'AF3458 b/w Betty & Johnny'

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.

Find copies here

WAKE UP DEAD 7" release show w/SAUNA YOUTH, HIPSHAKES, RADIO SLAPS & Le PECHEUR

Shabeen Scene & Gilded Gutter present Wake Up Dead's release show for 3-track-double-A-side slab on EZPZ Records.

FRIDAY 15TH JUNE
POWERLUNCHES
446, Kingsland Road, Hackney, E8 4AE
Entry 5.00
Doors 8pm

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.
Bandcamp Myspace Blog

Sauna Youth
Rampant and savage punk rock from London four piece.
Blog

Hipshakes
Off kilter schizoid garage punk by trio based in Bakewell.
Facebook Myspace

Radioslaps
Spine grabbing righteous garage rawk brought to London via Spain.
Facebook Bandcamp

Le Pecheur
Spooked and unhinged tangents of lo-fi psychedelia from Parisian band now based in London.
Bandcamp Facebook

Michael Yonkers with The Blind Shake 'Period'

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.

More reading, links to hear songs and mail order can be found here --
De Stijl Drag City
S-S Records



Michael Yonkers "Puppeting" from 'Microminiature Love'

Mikal Cronin 'Tide'

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

John Wesley Coleman III 'Nightmare on Silly Street'

New album from Texan "trash poet" John Wesley Coleman III is now up for pre-order through Monofonus Press. The B-Side is a collection of wrong-footed pop songs Coleman recorded on 4 track, then embellished on Side-A by Morgan Coy.

Side B features core songs 'Wild Zoo', 'Cancer Inside', 'Psychiatrist', 'Curious Piano' and 'GG Allin for Mayor/President'. These chalky blank verses are accompanied by acoustic guitars allowing Coleman to turn his oddball (meant in the best possible way) stories loose. Side A amplifies the unvarnished 4 track recordings by adding synths, string arrangements, sitars, lush rhythms and polished vocals creating bright psychedelic pop. This new release is another addition to a catalogue of brilliantly beguiling work that extends from music (also see Golden Boys) to painting, writing and movie making, if you like your art to come from left field John Wesley Coleman III is your man.

Full Stream of Album & Pre-Order from Monofonus Press
John Wesley Coleman III Blog

Monofonus Press, John Wesley Coleman III and Morgan Coy also made a video game for you!
PLAY!

Human Eye 'They Came From the Sky'

'They Came From the Sky' is Human Eye's third album and first full length for the mighty Brooklyn label, Sacred Bones. This futuristic piece features Johnny Lzr (keyboards), Hurricane William (saxophone/percussion) and Brad Hales(bass) who along with Vulgar are based in Detroit. Stories of space travel and encounters with aliens are told alongside heavy-duty psychedelia rooted in rock 'n' roll resulting in eight songs that depict carnage on an apocolpytic scale. Firey, sinewed guitars, thundering rhythms and Vulgar's oracular vocals are an assult on all senses, and, the more I hear Timmy Vulgar's otherworldly freaked out songs (also check out Clone Defects and Timmy's Organism!) the more I like his stuff. When you let Vulgar take you into his universe it's clear to see everyone has their own way of losing their mind on record, and 'They Came From the Sky' certainly doesn't hold back.

Copies can be found at Sacred Bones