Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 85

Plenty of great local action to report on this week. First up is the long awaited (at least around these parts) seven inch by the two-piece Koban. The duo combine Joy Division-esque guitar lines of misery with thumping bass and super simple drum machine beats. Sam's vocals are at the right level of buried and distorted, just enough to mask them but clear enough to hear the lyrics. He usually sounds like he's singing from the back of the room, while Brittany's vocals are up front, very clear and act as an excellent counterpoint. The band have really come into their own as a live act since forming in 2008 as Manta Ray Gun and are surprisingly entertaining to watch live, which is kinda rare for a duo with their minimalist tendencies. You can catch them live twice this weekend--Friday will see them at the Lion's Den for their seven inch release party and they'll be opening up for NYC's Silk Flowers at the Anza Club on Saturday.




Vancouver's Dizzy Eyes also have a new seven inch out this week, released on the new-ish Sub Pop subsidiary Hardly Art. Three breezy tracks of urgent pop garage that verges on the anthemic and brings to my mind late era Pixies. Absolutely addictive stuff. Two of the three songs here have been cleaned up from their original and long sold out appearance on a split cassette with Mode Moderne. An LP is apparently in the works for Hardly Art later this year, though, outside of an appearance at SXSW later this month, the band will be on hiatus for a good chunk of 2011. Snatch that limited single up here or grab it from yr local grocer.



Dizzy Eyes "Let's Break Up The Band" Let's Break Up The Band 7" (Hardly Art) 2011
Beach Fossils "Out In The Way (Feat. Jack Tatum)" What A Pleasure 12" (Captured Tracks) 2011
Tim Cohen "New House In Heaven" Magic Trick LP (Captured Tracks) 2011
The Sandwitches "In The Garden" Mrs. Jones Cookies LP (Empty Cellar) 2011
Julian Lynch "Canopy" Terra LP (Underwater Peoples) 2011
Trophy Wife "Light Socket" s/t 7" (Private Leisure Industries) 2011
Peaking Lights "Amazing And Wonderful" 936 LP (Not Not Fun) 2011
Sonny Smith "Broke Artist At The Turn Of The Century" 100 Records Vol. 2 5x7" (Turn Up) 2011
Dirty Beaches "Horses" Badlands LP (Zoo Music) 2011
Koban "Solid Gold" Solid Gold 7" (Broadway To Boundary) 2011
Julianna Barwick "Prizewinning" The Magic Place LP (Asthmatic Kitty) 2011
Factums "Slow Run" Gilding The Lilies CS (Night People) 2010
Bad Indians "Come Down" Don't Hang That (On Me) CS (On The Make Music) 2010
Pheromoans "Trusthouse Blues" It Still Rankles LP (Convulsive) 2011
Cheveu "Charlie Sheen" 1000 LP (Kill Shaman) 2011
Folded Shirt "Hello Telephone Pole" s/t LP (Fashionable Idiots) 2011
Los Llamarada "Restless Light (Was Made Flesh In Me)" Restless Light 7" (S-S) 2011
Pas Chic Chic "Premier Souffle" s/t 12" (Semprini) 2010

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 85 here (right click link, then Save As)