Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 61

Vancouver's Flash Palace have been kickin' it around the city for close to two years now but have only just issued their debut release, Misinterpreted Sunsets, released on their own Mayan Chorus cassette label. Considering the fact that most of these guys wouldn't have even been in high school at the time, they manage to weld together some of the more innovative sounds that sprung up from the independent underground during the mid-late 90s, namely, post rock, IDM and math rock. Well, at least that's what these ears hear. Skittery electronics, sweeping guitar lines and watery vocals all come rolling out with a mathematical precision that hasn't been heard this side of the border since those early Constellation Records releases. Misinterpreted Sunsets can be purchased at Red Cat here in Vancouver or grabbed from the band via their myspace. The group have been garnering some attention outside of the city and are actually about to start building their own studio. Excited to see where these guys will take things next.


Second release for Chicago natives Brain Idea, but this one is a prelude to their upcoming vinyl debut later this year on Permanent Records. The Clean keep getting thrown their way, but these guys definitely have something a little darker and more cryptic going on. Clanging guitars, anthemic and shout-along vocals, and damn groovy basslines are the foundation of their sound. One of my favorite new bands right now. Get juiced for that vinyl release!

Dead Ghosts "Girl Across The Street" Live Songs one-sided LP (CMR TYZ) 2010
Indian Wars "Pick You Up" split w/Fungi Girls 7" (CMR TYZ) 2010
Paul Cary "On The Rise" Ghost Of A Man LP (Stankhouse) 2010
Here Comes A Big Black Cloud "Black Out" split w/Tiny Knives (Stankhouse) 2010
Frankie Rose & The Outs "Candy" s/t LP (Slumberland) *due Sept 21, 2010
Big Troubles "Drastic & Difficult" Drastic & Difficult 7" (Olde English Spelling Bee) 2010
Terrorbird "Who's Sorry Now?" split w/Certain Breeds 7" (Global Symphonic) 2010
Blessure Grave "Stranger In The House" s/t 7" (MishkaNYC) 2010
Brain Idea "One More Time" The Survival Scrolls CS (Permanent) 2010
Running "#1 Dad" s/t CS (Permanent) 2010
Heater "Black & Gold" God & Hair LP (Permanent) 2010
Puffy Areolas "$200 Jeans" s/t 7" (Die Stasi) 2010
Holy Cobras "May You Be Free To Roam" s/t 7" (Telephone Explosion) 2010
Unnatural Helpers "Earwax" s/t 7" (Dirty Knobby) 2010
San Francisco Water Cooler "August Receipt" II LP (self released) 2010
Prince Rama "Om Mane Padme Hum" Shadow Temple LP (Paw Tracks) 2010
aTelecine "Puget" ...And Six Dark Hours Pass LP (Dais) 2010
Flash Palace "moveice=blueair" Some Misinterpreted Sunsets CS (Mayan Chorus) 2010
I Just Died "Chalk Hearts" Chalk Hearts 8" square lathe (Smoke Filled Casket) 2010

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 61 here (right click link, then Save As)

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 60

Seattle's CMR TYZ art/clothing/record label duo have a coupla new releases, and they both revolve around Vancouver bands. Dead Ghosts have a live LP (playing it next week) and Indian Wars have a new split 7" with ETMS faves Fungi Girls. The first batch of the seven inches have hand drawn art on the cover and silkscreened backs. A nice handmade touch! For those that don't know, CMR TYZ have done the artwork for singles by The Radians, Myelin Sheaths, Amber Alerts, and a ton of others. Check out their work here. If you're looking to grab some of CMR TYZ's records then you'll have to hit up some of these bands up directly for copies, as they don't have a proper webstore up yet.


After the excellent seven inch on Trouble In Mind, a split 12" with Teenanger, and a handful of other seven inches and cassettes, The Moonhearts (formerly Charlie and the Moonhearts) deliver a helluva debut LP on Tic Tac Totally. Recorded by best bro Ty Segall, this LP is a total shredder from beginning and almost right up to the end. The boys get a little tender on the final and best track, I Can Go On, which conjures up the spooky garage of their neighbours, The Fresh & Onlys. The rest of the LP is a driving garage-punk affair, with plenty of hooks to spare. Highest recommendation!


NYC's Prince Rama (formerly Prince Rama of Ayodhya) are only a few weeks from unleashing their newest long player, which should prove to be the game changer for them after several lower profile releases. Heavy mantra psych here that would have fit in perfectly on Not Not Fun, though Paw Tracks have stepped up and will release this on Sept 14th (go here to pre-order the special "bejeweled" edition). Think of the extraterrestrial gospel of France's Magma, toss in some thunderous tribal drums and a light touch of majestic synths and you've got one of the best psych records of the year. Make sure to catch Prince Rama live in Vancouver on September 22nd at the Cobalt. Should prove to be an unmissable show. Check this interview with them here.

Electric Bunnies "I Swear I'll Never Let You Go" s/t 7" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Sex Church "Paralyze" s/t 7" (Hozac) 2010
Ty Segall "Girlfriend" Melted LP (Goner) 2010
Fungi Girls "Sun Blues" split w/ Indian Wars 7" (CMR TYZ) 2010
Moonhearts "Can't Find My Way" s/t LP (Tic Tac Totally) 2010
Red Mass "Weird Mess" s/t CD (Semprini) 2010
Tiny Knives "Nothing Was Meant To Last" split w/Here Comes A Big Black Cloud 7" (Stankhouse) 2010
Broken Water "Dead Light" Whet LP (Night People) 2010
Nu Sensae "New Lies" split w/Okie Dokie 7" (Swill Children) 2010
White Drugs "Untitled" Gold Magic LP (Amphetamine Reptile) 2010
Pygmy Shrews "Gimme Hidden" The Egyptian LP (Wantage) 2009
Unnatural Helpers "Brave Dumb Face" Cracked Love & Other Drugs LP (Hardly Art) 2010
Hot Guts "Did You Not Go To The Dance Alone?" s/t 7" (Badmaster) 2010
San Francisco Water Cooler "Reverie" II LP (self released) 2010
Puffy Areolas "Rock N Roll Express" s/t 7" (Die Stasi) 2010
Cosmetics "Sleepwalking" s/t 7" (Captured Tracks) 2010
Dirty Beaches "Sweet 17" True Blue 7" (Zoo Music) 2010
King Kong Ding Dong "Jample" Youth Culture Index LP (Dekorder) 2010
Prince Rama "Lightening Fossil" Shadow Temple LP (Paw Tracks) 2010

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 60 here (right click link, then Save As)

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 59

Amphetamine Reptile has resurfaced after over a decade of inactivity, and they've picked one doozy of a record to come swingin' back with. Gold Magic, the second full length from Denton, Texas' White Drugs, would've fit in perfectly alongside records by The Cows, Hammerhead and The Melvins back in AmRep's heyday. It's also the type of record that's gonna fit in snugly between contemporary records by the likes of Puffy Areolas, Twin Stumps or Pfisters. Only 350 records pressed, but you can still grab this one here. Highly recommended.



Excellent compilation of Neil Young covers was recently released to help raise money for a member of Sudden Oak who injured himself after falling three stories from the top of a building in San Francisco. Contributions from bigger names like Ducktails, Julian Lynch, Sun Araw, Metal Rouge, and Sam Goldberg sit alongside up and comers like Swanox and Avocet. These are not yr typical Neil covers, either. Metal Rouge split 'Helpless' wide open and reveal a version so blown out and hazy you'd never suspect it was Neil Young in the first place. Great song selections here as well, including a track taken from the underrated Transformer LP. Limited to 300 copies, silkscreen covers, all exclusive material, and all proceeds go to a good cause. Grab it here asap.

Timmy's Organism "Cold Pizza" s/t 7" (Cass) 2010
Cloud Nothings "Turning On" Turning On LP (Speakertree) 2010
Tim Cohen "A Mind Of Their Own" Laugh Tracks LP (Captured Tracks) 2010
The Bitters "Dark Wide Holes" Have A Nap Hotel EP 12" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Sex Church "209" s/t 7" (Hozac) 2010
Manic Attracts "Animals" unreleased mp3, 2010
Timecopz "In The Morning" unreleased mp3, 2010
Broken Water "Coming True" s/t CS (Night People) 2010
White Drugs "DMT" Gold Magic LP (Amphetamine Reptile) 2010
Hot Guts "Ballad Of Jon Simon" s/t 7" (Badmaster) 2010
The Chickens "Shit City" Chicken Shit 7" (Siltbreeze) 2010
Drunkdriver "Haunting" s/t LP (self released) 2010
Common Eider, King Eider "They Want To Dig For Gold But All They'll Find Is Blood" Worn LP (Root Strata) 2010
Topaz Rags "You Go On" s/t 7" (Not Not Fun) 2010
Sun Araw "Barstool Blues" A Fundamental Experiment comp. (A Fundamental Experiment) 2010
La Revelateur "Costiera Amalfitana" Motion Flares CS (Root Strata) 2010
Shit & Shine "Fuck You Folk Singers" Bass Puppy 12" (Badmaster) 2010

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 59 here (right click link, then Save As)

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 58

Amen Dunes "Diane" Murder Dull Mind 12" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Dizzy Eyes "Sugar Cain" split w/Mode Moderne CS (Lust Nuevo) 2010
Electric Bunnies "Pretty Joanna" s/t 7" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Mac Blackout "Don't Let Your Love Die" s/t 7" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Tonetta 777 "Toronto Is Starting To Stink" s/t LP (Black Tent Press) 2010
Timmy's Organism "I'm A Nice Guy Now" s/t 7" (Cass) 2010
Chickens "Drug Life" s/t 7" (Siltbreeze) 2010
Pfisters "Kavachi" Narcicity LP (Fan Death) 2010
Metal Rouge "Helpless" A Fundamental Experiment LP (Semina Tapes) 2010
Common Eider, King Eider "When We Sewed Skins" Worn LP (Root Strata) 2010
Mike Cooper "World Slide" s/t 12" (Ethbo) 2010
Sean McCann "The World He Left Behind" Chances Are Staying LP (DNT) 2010
Western Standards "untitled" Energy Centre LP (Western Standards) 2010
Shit & Shine "Bass Puppy" Bass Puppy 12" (Badmaster) 2010
Billy Bao "side A, excerpt" Urban Disease LP (Pan) 2010
International Hello "8 Seconds" s/t LP (Holy Mountain) 2010

Sorry for the lack of reviews. Been busy. To anyone who sent out records or tapes, reviews will be posted soon. Promise.

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 58 here (Right click link, then Save As) 2010

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 57

The Native Cats "The Image Of Annie and Ivan" s/t LP (Ride The Snake) 2010
Amen Dunes "Murder Dull Mind" Murder Dull Mind 12" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Mac Blackout "Sometimes" Don't Let Your Love Die" 7" (Sacred Bones) 2010
Male Bonding "Before It's Gone" Daytrotter CS (Sub Pop) 2010
Holy Cobras "Feed Yr Head" s/t 7" (Telephone Explosion) 2010
Pompoir "side B (excerpt)" split w/Meat Curtains CS (Isolated Now Waves) 2010
Mongst "Or Does It Explode" Kamira CDR (Isolated Now Waves) 2010
Fabulous Diamonds "Untitled 5" II LP (Siltbreeze) 2010
Outer Limits Recordings "Secret Track" Foxy Baby LP (Not Not Fun) 2010
The Savage Young Taterbug "Slumber Lordy" Syrupy Evenings CS (Night People) 2010
Raglani "untitled" split w/Outer Space LP (Nihilist) 2010
Expo 70 "Metensomatosis" Death Voyage CDR (Sonic Meditations) 2010
Secret Pyramid "Milk And Honey" Ghosts CDR (self released) 2010

Due to studio malfunctions, Episode 57 cannot be heard. Tune in live every Wednesday at 10:00am until 11:30am (PST) to hear Pop Drones live. www.citr.ca