New Song: Best Coast-Our Deal

When Best Coast stops putting out great songs, I'll stop posting about them. Until then, indulge in Best Coast's latest offering "Our Deal". A mixture of their wonderful guitar meets beach sound with an added '50s vibe and about a million '60s hooks thrown in for good measure. It's only on stream, but you will still listen to this song over and over again. Someone please explain to me how it is possible that these two humans have not made a bad song yet?

Stream: Our Deal

Links:

Best Coast on Myspace

City Center at The Mohawk (4/24/10)

I owe a debt of thanks to Tom from The Great Pumpkin for this show. Due to his constant blogging on City Center, I have become a bigger and bigger fan of them and was ecstatic to be able to catch them that this year's Austin Psych Fest (unfortunately the only band I got to see as well). Still, the set was incredible for only two guys from Brooklyn. There was an Animal Collective feel to the show and sound with the guys constantly fiddling with all of their electronics and sound boards. Thankfully though, the whole set was not just two guys tinkering with knobs the entire time. They were pros with their songs, managing to bring the soundscapes to life on stage, louder and supercharged with Fred & Ryan's respective guitar and drum playing. Even though they had to cut it short to get to a show in Denton, it was still pitch perfect.

EP Review: No Paws (No Lions)-No Ghosts

Chalk another one up to good ol' Bridgetown Records. They have gotten their hands on and released this exquisite little EP into the world. No Paws (No Lions) are a three piece from California that perform very airy twee (almost post twee) with a little dabs of goth thrown in, but very lightly and only musically. The music has common threads running through every track, with the twinkling piano lines and mixture of drums and and drum machine popping up everywhere with no guitar to be found. Everything is also super coated in reverb, but not the in the lo-fi way. It's more like pure reverb, with every instrument gaining a minor echo effect that really complements the songs.

The songs are very sweet, very short bursts of very off kilter twee influenced pop. Nothing is close to the three minute mark and there's a child like feel to the whole EP as well, from the cover art to the simple instrumentation. The first track "Don't be Afraid Of Where You Live" is just the title repeated over and over. The title track "No Ghosts" is a cute tune about death and not wanting to die. It's done so well that when a spacier version of the same song called appropriately "No Ghosts (Version)" appears later, it feels in place rather than odd. "Content" stands out both for how restrained it sounds compared to the rest of the album and how good it is. All the songs "Kobe", "Hills", and "For Sean" follow suit, perfect in the dry sweetness of their sound and complete no matter how short they are. No anyone who says drum machines and synths can't sound original, please pick this up and enjoy being wrong. For everyone else, do the same.

(mp3) No Paws (No Lions)-Content

Links:

No Paws (No Lions) on Mysapce
Buy the EP on CD or cassette here, at Bridgetown Records

New Video: Jacuzzi Boys-Smells Dead

Just a few days after posting about their upcoming single, the Jacuzzi Boys drop another gem, this case in the form of a video for their song "Smells Dead". A disturbing mix of horror films, wierd avant-garde pieces, and the band performing with rave lights. They're taking the song title a bit to serious, but the song is still great not matter what they do to it. I'm sensing greater things coming from this band.

(mp3) Jacuzzi Boys-Smells Dead

Links:

Jacuzzi Boys on Myspace

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Announces Tour With Peal Harbor, Magic Kids

Since the release of the incredibly gooey, dancy, '80s style, and just plane great "Round and Round", Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti's movements have been at a constant surveillance, with people dying to know what he would do next. Beside the announcement of the cover art and date of the new album Before Today, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti has been relatively quiet. Until now. The band has announced a full scale United States tour with reverb and washed out as fuck girls Pearl Harbor and happiness and pop wunderkinds Magic Kids this July. Eclectic for sure, but what else would you expect from Ariel Pink?

(mp3) Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti-Round and Round

Tour Dates:

04-May New York, NY Mercury Lounge *
09-Jul Los Angeles, CA Echoplex#
10-Jul San Francisco, CA Bimbo's #
12-Jul Portland, OR Doug Fir #
13-Jul Seattle, WA Neumo's #
14-Jul Vancouver, BC Biltmore #
16-Jul Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge #
17-Jul Denver, CO Bluebird #
19-Jul Minneapolis, MN Entry #
20-Jul Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall #
21-Jul Detroit, MI Pike Room #
22-Jul Toronto, ONT Mod Club #
23-Jul Montreal, PQ La Sala Rosa #
24-Jul New York, NY The Fillmore / Irving Plaza #
25-Jul Boston, MA Middle East #
27-Jul Philadelphia, PA JB's #
28-Jul Washington, DC Rock N Roll Hotel #
29-Jul Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 #
30-Jul Atlanta, GA Earl #
31-Jul Birmingham, AL Bottle Tree #
02-Aug Denton, TX Hailey's #
03-Aug Austin, TX Mohawk #
05-Aug Tucson, AZ Plush #
06-Aug San Diego, CA Casbah #
07-Aug Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar #

* = w/ R. Stevie Moore
# = w/ Pearl Harbor & Magic Kids
-----------------------------------------------

As an added reminder, the "Round and Round" b/w "Mistaken Wedding" 7 inch on 4AD is coming out on April 26th both physical and digital.

Links:

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Website
Pearl Harbor on Myspace
Magic Kids on Myspace

Various Deficiencies Vol. 1

As part of the steady stream of indie labels putting out free, and really good, mp3 samplers of all their current and upcoming releases, Blackburn Recordings has put one out as well with CHOCOLATE BOBKA titled Various Deficiencies Vol. 1. For those who (understandably) don’t know, Blackburn Recordings is a brand new indie label who just put out Big Troubles’ newest 7". This 17-track sampler is an awesome mix and a great showing of what’s to come from this label. Note the new Cloud Nothings and Campfires tracks, as well as tracks from up and coming bands like City Center and Coasting. Also, this is apparently going to be put on a limited number of cassettes, so people can get their physical release fix in as well. I can’t wait to see what Blackburn puts out next.

Various Deficiencies Vol 1. Track List:

City Center - Grow Up Again
Big Troubles - Chalk Circles
Cloud Nothings - Leave You Forever
Campfires - Oh Golden Dawn
Sore Eros - Melting
Brett Marren - Love Is A Jawbreaker
Possum - Red Hot
Coasting - Snow Song (Live on WNYU)
Lame Drivers - Working Song
Metal Rouge - Fast Flora Lights
Cursillistas - Trail of Tears
sleep in sundays - Flour
Falsetto Boy - Hey Sue
mountainhood - Coney Island
Sleep Over - The Key
Island's Eyelids - Western Cameo
Sultan - There Goes My Girl

Download Various Deficiencies Vol. 1 here.

Check out Blackburn Recordings here.

Album Review: Effects Precede Causes-The Dawn of The Day

Well, this is a nice change of pace. So far, Stankhouse Records has released nothing but pretty weird but also pretty good punk records. Now they have released the debut LP of Effects Precede Causes, something that could not be further from that sound. Yet, it somehow makes sense for the label to put it out at the same time.

Effects Precede Causes is a Portland based band. They're relatively new, so there is little info on them, but I do believe that the band is made up of various band members from various D.I.Y. folk bands from that area. The sound of the LP produced from that mess is a bit hard to pin down. No one is doing music quite like these guys. It's a weird mix of current and old style folk along with a little bit of a '40s and '50s pop in there as well. There's also no scruffiness to the sound either. The sound is very clean and the lead singer seems to have been in some singing classes growing up.

The songs tend to follow a formula of a constant rhythm and melody with an instrument popping in for a few seconds to add a quick touch to the song. Opener "Come On" is great in its simple mantra of doing everything capsuled in the song's jangly piano and sweet vocals. The record dives into two slower jams with "You Picked A Fine Day To Say" a cry about losing a love that has a great 60's wilting guitar line. Then "Dragon Song" an even slower one with maracas, sand blocks, accordion, and a desire to do whatever you can for love. "Someday Monkey (Won't Play Piano Song)" picks up steam again in a silly little song that manages to be catchy while you picture the band playing it in the '30s on a train, washboard and all. The other side opens with a quick instrumental called "The Hunt" and with "Wasted on the Young" the band's love of Elton John comes to the forefront, but they manage to make it listenable. The classic rock a la piano vibe is continued with "Let Love Slowly In" with the higher placed vocals and weird "ooh laas", that thankfully ends on just the right spot before the joke gets bad. "Darkest Day" is a bleak little tune using imagery of rabbits scurrying and well placed cello to trigger dread, but in a good way. "Wooden Room" is the most conventional track, only a minute long with just the singer and an acoustic guitar, but after all that piano, it becomes the perfect pallet cleanser.

The Dawn of the Day winds up being just as different as everything Stankhouse has put out before, but for totally different reasons. The LP is both very familiar, but quirky at the same time. If you see it in a record shop, it wouldn't be a bad buy to add to your collection

(mp3) Effects Precede Causues-Someday Monkey (Won't Play Piano Song)

Links:

Buy The Dawn Of The Day at here, at Stankhouse Records

New Song: Jacuzzi Boys-Bricks or Coconuts

Jacuzzi Boys are a Florida band that plays really catchy, guitar jangle, 60's influenced style garage songs that... hey come back here! Trust me, I know you've read a post like this a million times else where over the course of a year, but this stuff is just ecstasy. As I was saying, the band sounds like a slightly more scuzzier White Wires which is great thing if you don't know. They released a raved about LP last year on FDying that I've been meaning to get for a long time. Now the band is going to release their latest single on Mexican Summer some time in mid-May and Weekly Tape Deck was able to snag the A side "Bricks or Coconuts". Download it and escape into the guitar based bliss.

(mp3) Jacuzzi Boys-Bricks or Cocounts (via Weekly Tape Deck)

Links:

Jacuzzi Boys on Myspace
Pre-order the single soon here, at Mexican Summer

Record Store Day: A Day in Review

Ah, Record Store Day. A day for music lovers (i.e. record nerds) where they can go to their favorite record shop to snatch up really neat exclusive singles and LPs put out by our favorite indie labels and bands, and a-holes go to make a ton of money on eBay. This being the third one, it was the biggest one yet and the most insane one as well. Here's how mine broke down.

8:00 A.M.-Wake up extremely early so I can mange to get to my record store on time. It doesn't open until 10:00 A.M.

9:20 A.M.-Arrive at Waterloo Record, my record shop of choice. Notice that there are already 20-30 people in line. Don't want to see what it looks like next year.

9:35 A.M.-Begin format debate with people in front of me. Say I love CDs and cassettes as much a vinyl. People in front begin to laugh hysterically.

10:00 A.M.-Doors finally open. Mad dash inside ensues.

10:02 A.M.-Being to madly grab at almost everything around me to make sure nothing is missed.

10:03 A.M.-Mass chaos in full effect already. Poor set up in shop causes massive vinyl fallings and some foot crushing of vinyl as well.

10:06 A.M.-Crowd around singles corner to try to get remaining vinyl. Store employee trapped by shoppers trying to get more singles from the box he has. Attempt to help pass them out to people who want them. More vinyl falls occur.

10:11 A.M.-Come to realization it is actually very unpleasant to be surround by 50+ people in two 10x3 halls trying to get the same exact thing you want.

10:25 A.M.-Get in line to pay for haul. Notice friends with huge stacks of vinyl swapping with each other so they can all get a copy. Hope they're not doing it for eBay.

10:55 A.M.-Still in line.

11:10 A.M.-Still in line.

11:20 A.M.-Finally pay. Get really cool Record Store Day bag too. Of course, it's pouring at this point as well.

11:30 A.M.-Sit down at diner next door to finally start eating my breakfast.

5:00 P.M.-Get home at last to listen to records. Upon listening to them, very happy to know the whole experience was worth it.

5:30 P.M.-Foolishly check eBay to see if the records are already on sale. They are and try to hold back gag reflex at the prices.

5:45 P.M.-Finish day by watching Record Store Day DVD I Need That Record! The Death (or Possible Survival) of the Independent Record Store, a great if slightly depressing documentary about independent record shops and their current state. Highly recommended.

The Haul:

Built to Spill-Water Sleeper 7"
Dum Dum Girls/Male Bonding split 7"

Fucked Up-"Waterloo" 7"

Happy Birthday-"Shampoo" b/w "Aliens" 7"

Let's Wrestle/The Love Language split 7"

The Rolling Stones-Plunder My Soul 7"

Superchunk-signed "Misfits and Mistakes" 7"

Surfer Blood/Holiday Shores split 7"

Beastie Boys-Super Special Record Store Day 12"

Pavement-Quarantine the Past 2xLPs (Record Store Day Version)

Long Live record stores and Record Store Day!

Video: Titus Androncius + Cassie Romane Cover Weezer's Undone (The Sweater Song)

Current contender for best cover of the year. Never thought something like this would ever happen, but it did, and the band's manage to make it look like not stupid but still silly at the same time. Plus the audio and video quality is great as well.