Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 22

Mode Moderne "Radio Heartbeat" Ghosts Emerging LP (Lust Neuvo) 2009
Terrorbird "White Lights" Sociopaths Are Glam CS (Night People) 2009
Pens "High In The Cinema" Hey Friend! What You Doing? LP (De Stijl) 2009
The Fresh and Onlys "Horrible Door" Laughter Is Contagious 7" (Trouble In Mind) 2009
Sex Church "Dead End" Dead End/Let Down 7" (Sweet Rot) 2009
Cheater Slicks "Part II" Bats In The Dead Trees LP (Lost Treasures of the Underworld) 2009
Twin Stumps "Beyond The Door" s/t LP (Dais) 2009
The Halflings "Trigger Fixation" Self Esteem LP (RRR) 2009
Solars "Nocturnal Circuit" split w/Ahna 7" (Soldier Pumps) 2009
Expo '70 "Meetings Of The Lunar Eclipse" Corridors To Infinity CS (Sonic Meditations) 2009
Mark Lord "Obscene Supremacy" Mark Lord split w/ Morgan Egg LP (No) 2009
Mark Lord "Blair House Nosebleed" Blair House Nosebleed CS (Chondritic Sound) 2009
Hematic Sunsets "Im Bett Auf Pepita" Aroma Club Paradox LP (Dekorder) 2009

Coupla' new Vancouver releases in various analog formats worth funnelin' into yr ear holes, and first up is the outta-nowhere-real-fast LP by Mode Moderne. Sang their praises once or twice in this here radio show, so 'magine my surprise when some copies of the LP were hand delivered by a coupla' members to the warm and cozy record shop I call home. First off, bang up of an album jacket featurin' some kinda fool wrapped in a sheet thinkin' he were a ghost or some such thing. The music inside is definitely reminiscent of some icy goth type stuff that'll get an obvious comparison to the forefathers of said movement. Well you can ferget that and just get to listenin' with yr own two ears, as their are plenty of ghoulishly good songs to be had. No one's askin' anyone to reinvent any such wheel, but what we do appreciate 'round here is some toe tappin' music with a bit a the ol' flesh and blood heart in it. These here fellas got it in spades.

Also hot on the Vancouver tip is a new cassette by our favorite local songstress. You can keep yr coffee shop diva (dime a frickin' dozen in this here town) and I'll take Nikki Never any ol' day. Outside of that 7" released a wee bit back, this is the first we've heard from Nikki and the gang in some time. That's okay because she makes up for it with a dozen tracks of glammed up and frosty cool synth gloomers. Hell, we even get a straight up cover of Bronski Beat's 'Small Town Boy' and a pretty rendition of Jesus and Mary Chain's 'Nine Million Rainy Days'.

Looks like Sex Church, 'nother local fave, is getting a bit of love for their top notch 7". That cranky ol' bastard, Doug Mosurock, even dropped a heap o' praise fer the boys and our little city. 'Cept he does site a few of their influences but he didn't detect that big pulsin' one at the lead of this multi-headed demon--Cheater frickin' Slicks.

Speakin' of the Slicks, looks like they got themselves a brand spanking new one, and it is rankin' pretty high up on the '09 must have list. Four scaldin' tracks of dark, dark psychedelic garage blues, done only as these ol' fuckers know. Missed out on that 300 run of signed 'n silkscreened LPs but managed to grip the second batch of 500. And if you know what's good fer ya, you'll be heading to the local grocer asap to get yr own damn copy. They even tossed in a CDR of the only live recording of this behemoth. I'll let you know when I get there.

Things got a little ugly mid-way through this week's show, and I ain't talkin' 'bout no train wrecks. Twin Stumps LPs finally made it through the pipeline (get in line for a copy in the comments...they're going fast) and it's proven to be worth the hype after that great WFMU live set. The New York foursome are clawing their way down the same path that's been forged by groups like Lamps and, hell, Brainbombs fer that matter. Swirls of feedback and jack hammering guitars and drums with a burly lumbering bass towing the line. Love it or be afraid of it. Ugly. Noise. Rock. Very recommended.

Speaking of the hairy and ugly, after hearing plenty 'bout these two fellers from Yellow Tears, I finally managed to track down a copy of their full length LP on RRR. Vicious and macho (they play shirtless!) power electronics from kids probably raised on the stuff. Not quite the next Whitehouse but, then again, who could be?

Found some time to play the Solars flip of the split with Ahna. Nicely executed guitar droner that works as a fluffy pillow comedown to the meaner, muscle-y Ahna side. I heard some rumors that those Solars cats got some releases in the works, including a new cassette on the local Halved tape label. You'll hear about it here first when that little number is ready to wear.

While we're gettin' on the topic of guitar drone, Expo '70 has had a nice steady year, and the man behind the drones, Justin Wright, has launched his own label, Sonic Meditations. Lotsa' space-y, drone-y cassettes with the utmost respect given to the packaging. Should have some more Sonic Meditations cassettes to play next week, including the daydream drifters Sounding The Deep. Look for Sonic Meditations to do some vinyl releases in the near future!

Ok, that's all I have the time for this week. Get listenin'.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 22 HERE. (Right click, then Save As)