Jim Sullivan 'U.F.O'

Sometimes someone puts an album on while you're in a record store that stops you in your tracks, and Jim Sullivan's 'U.F.O' was this title for me last Saturday, unearthed by Light In The Attic (Jim Ford, Michael Chapman, Michael Hurley).

The mysterious way Jim Sullivan disappeared sets the tone for the record. In March 1975 his VW Bug was discovered ditched in Santa Rosa, New Mexico and the hotel he was staying in was found fully intact. Some think he walked into the desert and never came back, some think he got into trouble with a local family linked to the mafia and others theorize he was kidnapped by aliens. No one knows really what happened, the only fact that remains is Jim Sullivan was never seen again.

Recorded in 1969 'U.F.O' is American Pop woven with folk and a singer fraying at the edges. Complete with a Wurlitzer, string arrangements and wind instruments this album is both lush and bright weighed down with undercurrents of dejection in Sullivan's lyrics and singing, just listen to "Rosey" to see what I'm talking about! Turning the tables "Roll Back The Time" features a simple acoustic guitar and soft beats revealing a stripped down number that is just as moving. Closer "Sandman" is an exquisite weathered folk song that deals out feelings of love and loss in equal measure. 'U.F.O' is a mind-blowing piece of lost American folk/pop and well worth your time.

Jim Sullivan - Sandman by Gilded Gutter

Find copies at Light In the Attic

Thee Oh Sees 'Carrion Crawler'

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.

Thee Oh Sees - The Dream by Gilded Gutter

Thee Oh Sees Facebook Website

Graham Lambkin 'Dripping Junk'

Penultimate Press has published a catalogue of 100 drawings by Graham Lambkin (Call Back the Giants, Shadow Ring), made over a period of 5 days in Miami, Florida. There are 250 available; first 100 are hardcover, numbered, signed with a CD and the remaining 150 are hardcover, numbered accompanied by the CD. The CD is a curious ten minute piece of a small haunting sample, looped endlessly never quite resolving itself. A really wonderful book if you manage to pick up a copy.

Graham Lambkin - Dripping Junk by Gilded Gutter

Penultimate Press blog

Excepter 'Presidence'

A seven piece at the time of recording, New York's ever enigmatic Excepter made 'Presidence' in 2010. Their 13th full length recording poignantly is the last before a shift in line up and sadly, the loss of percussionist Clare Amory to cancer. Excepter seem like they find the part between notes and beats and play inside them, revealing a thrumming synthesized vortex morphing from one unsettling place to another. These guys are brain-twisters/mind-sleazers/riddle-makers/crypt-o-teasers, don't be afraid to step into the void, with Excepter as your guide you're in safe hands.

Terror Visions 'World of Shit' (Reissue)

What can be said that hasn't already about Jay Reatard? I'm going to resist gushing, although as an avid lover his records to be honest, it's kinda hard. FDH Records have given Jay's abrasive electronic record 'World of Shit' the reissue treatment. Released in 2007 this is the only album Terror Visions released, made just before Jay started to turn heads with his solo material. FDH dates the recordings between 2002 and 2006, not finding a suitable home in other projects Angry Angels, Lost Sounds et al it seems only fitting they were given their own identity with a new band. Boasting 4 new tracks, 2 which were previously only available on CD and two unreleased pieces including a cover of Brian Eno's "Baby's On Fire", FDH have certainly made sure you get your money's worth. Thoughtfully, they've repressed this on 180 gram vinyl, as the first edition was a picture disc the label have gone to the lengths of improving the sound on the LP, which sits in a gatefold sleeve featuring new artwork and rare pictures of Jay. Terror Visions allowed Jay to let loose unlike anything else he did, the only thing that is on par with the high levels of jittery turmoil is his earliest work in The Reatards. 'World of Shit', and his work in Angry Angels for that matter, pre-dates so much electronic-punk we hear today and attests to the fact Jay was not only prolific but one step ahead. This record best expresses the fearless person Jay came across to be.

You can find copies at FDH's store

Shannon and the Clams 'Sleep Talk'

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.

Shannon and the Clams - The Cult Song by Gilded Gutter

'I Wanna Go Home' - http://www.mediafire.com/?13fldzwnaiydfnn

Find copies at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records
Shannon and the Clams Facebook

Kim Phuc 'Copsucker'

There are some unbelievable punk bands around right now and Kim Phuc rates right up there with the best of them. 'Copsucker' (Iron Lung) is the long awaited debut album by the Pittsburgh 5 piece. The record channels raw, primal energy fluxed with menace creating a perfectly formed anxiety attack about the down-trodden, fed up and pissed off. These ten songs are super consistent and the album really kicks in for me at "Heathens", featuring swarming guitars, forthright vocals and pummeling rhythms producing something turbulent and arresting, a feeling that doesn't let up throughout the album. Another highlight is "Razorblades", loaded with heavy, moody guitars set to a metronomic pace, matched with Rob Henry's dead-pan holler- further enforcing frustrations with the daily grind. Kim Phuc have been together since 2004 but this feels like it's just the beginning, charged with animosity 'Copsucker' will hand your ass back to you on a plate.

Kim Phuc - Heathens by Gilded Gutter

Find copies at Iron Lung
Kim Phuc Blog Facebook