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.

Tyvek 'Nothing Fits'

Looking around the ICA's bookshop recently I stumbled on some short essays by John Berger, the first of which was on Van Gogh. Berger wrote about the inspiration Van Gogh found in everyday objects, people and scenes. He made art out of the mundane and environment that surrounded him. This got me thinking about Detroit's Tyvek. Even down to prosaically naming the group after a polyethylene fiber, it's these banal details of normal life that Tyvek take their queues from.

The new line up of the band, now a quartet must have discovered Wire in their formative years and channel that pummeling fury from 'Pink Flag' into second full length 'Nothing Fits', which even tears open with a blistering '4-3-1-2'! Full of feedback and distortion, 'Nothing Fits' should not be confused with lo-fi. Tyvek extracts the charged hostility from their first record and distills it into a concise 30 minute punk record.

Following a slew of flawless 7"s and debut LP there may be some who are apprehensive about 'Nothing Fits', can it be as good as their first? Is it possible to do a song I love even more than 'Honda' or 'Frustration Rock'?! When something is this good you don't need to question it, when you hear it, those speculations will be forgotten. Tyvek have gone and outdone themselves. These 12 new songs break down the boring and frustrating parts of the daily grind into brilliant 1:18 punk bursts. Don't over think it, you'll be sorry for not buying this record. In with a bullet one of my favorite releases of the year.

The Doozer 'Great Explorers'

Originally released here in the UK on Pickled Eggs Records, (Le Bleu, Daniel Johnston)
Cambridge's The Doozer has found a new home across the pond aptly at Siltbreeze following an introduction to the label from Matt Valentine (Tower Recordings). The one man act has already earned accolades from Byron Coley and Thurston Moore for second album 'Great Explorers'. The Doozer has drawn many comparisons to Syd Barrett, and sure it totally makes sense, for me though the first artists that came to mind were Tommy Jay and Ron House. But you get the idea nevertheless. His loner psyched out folk is completely hypnotic, full of drum machines accompanied with assuaging vocals and seamlessly incorporates spoken word passages throughout the songs. 'Great Explorers' is an outsider artist psych folk gem. Limited to a 500 pressing with download.

Puberty

Just before 6th album 'Males' hit the streets in August Intelligence launched a new project 'Puberty' and announced on Facebook that 'We Are Recording'! The Seattle based outfit are; Lars Finberg (ex A Frames, Intelligence), Susanna Welbourne (Intelligence), Drew Church, Curtis James, Dave Hernandez, Ryan Leyva and Mike Jawarski. So far, demos are available to hear on Facebook where they pledge their own genre of 'Sewer Pop'. There's an undeniable creepy underbelly to Puberty. Trance like, unaffected boy/girl vocals delivered in eerie two part harmonies are consistent through the 4 songs. 'Invitations' in all of it's slinky glory is a stand out track for sure, while 'Haunt My Trash' kinda reminds me of TV Ghost a little. Remembering, these are still demos of material it's going to be awesome to hear the finished product, as new band Puberty is hitting all the right spots - for this blogger anyway...

Super Wild Horses 'Fifteen'

Super Wild Horses is the latest band budding from the garages, basements and bedrooms of Australia's humming music scene. Their debut full length 'Fifteen' is out on 'Aarght!' in Australia, and HoZac for everywhere else. Amy Franz and Hayley Mckee make up the girl duo both playing keyboards, guitar and drums. The girls have already toured with the likes of Jon Spencer, The Drones and Eddy Current Suppression Ring. Mikey Young of ECSR also recorded their first (sold out) EP and went on to work on 'Fifteen' as well. 'Fifteen' is full of playful two part harmonies, minimalistic post punk wrapped up with 90s a pop feel to it. The Breeders, Black Tambourine both come to mind, but some of their songs wouldn't sound out of place on a Wetdog record either. These 12 new killer songs show just what these girls are capable of while being fun and unassuming at the same time, which makes the record that much more endearing.


Read full review of Fifteen - Super Wild Horses on Boomkat.com ©

Black Mamba Beat

Ever since killer 'Work That Skirt/Black Mamba Beat' split tape made its way around stereos in 2008, it's the height of understatement to say I was excited for this debut full length. And here it is! Courtesy of Jeektune Records the self titled first album from Black Mamba Beat is here! Celebrating it's release recently at Ryans' Bar, the London based South African band boasts none other than Mr Stix of the mighty Black Time as one of its members. Sure, it's fair to say if you like Black Time you'll dig Black Mamba Beat, but don't be surprised to find differences between the two. Scratchy guitars and lofi recordings are consistent with Black Time stuff, but, Black Mamba Beat is dominated by male vocals and takes post-punk in a pop-py direction. Featuring 'Where Was I?' and 'Indigo Skatecamp' from the the cassette plus ten new head bashing songs, Chief Sosati (guitar, vocals), Space Rat (Bass, vocals) and Rosie Skinz (drums) are some of UK's DIY finest. It seems few and far between with the sheer volume of records that get put out every day now, that you get excited before something comes out, save up money and go get it right on the release date - like we used to right? Black Mamba Beat is one of those bands that created that for me, may be they will for you too, I don't know...

Jeektune;
"BLACK MAMBA(Dendroaspis polylepis) is an elapid snake and is one of Africa's most dangerous snakes. It has been known to arrive at parties and inject patrons with its venomous beer bite which causes people to headbang or shake a tail feather, the "fuck it, let's have fun" ingredient in the venom eradicates all pretense and pose. Ingredients of said venom include obsession with Minutemen econo ethics, Beat Happenin' beats, CCR and Mat's flannel. “We walk like the lion!! We got the BEAT!”"

Cheap Time 'Fanstastic Explanations (And Similar Situations'

The wait is over! 'Fantastic Explanations (And Similar Situations)', follow up to 2008's universally loved debut from Cheap Time is out on In The Red. In the 10 or so years Jeffrey Novak has been releasing material, his song writing style has unfolded from his first project Jeffrey Novak's One Man Band, to teeth shattering Rat Traps stuff, to ritzy self released 'After the Ball'. The slew of Cheap Time's first singles on Douchemaster and Sweet Rot saw all of this rolled into one with sneaky references to Big Star, Milk 'n' Cookies and Redd Kross. Mixing 70s rock with contemporary garage punk using power pop to facilitate their inspiration, Cheap Time creates an irresistible glittering modern kind of glam-punk-watchimacallits. It's become something of internet fodder that original engineer Mike McHugh suffered a breakdown and chucked the band out of the studio at gunpoint during the recording of 'Fantastic Explanations'. The tapes were retrieved and then finished by Earle Mankey (ex Sparks). I'm a believer that the mistakes and screw ups can play just as (if not more than) an important part in art being made - and in this case, not that I like reading that people were held at gunpoint mind, Mankey has helped make one hell of a record. Highlights 'Down the Tube' and 'I'd Rather Be Alone'. This record is available exclusively in this stratosphere, as in world wide, as in right now!


Read full review of Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations) - Cheap Time on Boomkat.com ©