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)

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 21

First up this week is the highly anticipated (well, at least by a few of us) full length LP from SF's Mantles (pictured above). With two super tight 7"s under their belts the four-piece come out swingin' and are hittin' e'ry one of these tracks out the park. Breezy psych-pop that ain't too reliant on one pedal or one piece of fuzz. Nope, just simple songs through and through. On repeat!

Three full length LPs in just over a year and a smatterin' a singles I don't care to count have made these SF's garage rock killers into one of the most prolific (don't ferget consistent!) groups currently putting the fuzz down. New one from Captured Tracks was sent my way for the previewin' (physical LP coming in about a week or two) and I still can't wrap my skull 'round it. The kids have made us expect 'nother blast from the Nuggets past, but instead we got a record crammed full a sounds I can't quite label. Definitely still on the lo-fi touch of things, but these here are songs are...kinda warped. It's like they took some of them ol' OCS folk-y type tracks then tossed in a heap of warble, and then sped these tracks up a touch to make you think helium was involved in there somewhere. Yr shakin' yr head. I know. But it's damn good and a new direction was in the cards if you've been holdin' 'em in yr hands since them Coachwhips days.

Shearing Pinx finally crawl back to the wax after spending mucho time on the micro cassette releases, and let me tell you, this one is worth all them recent cassettes plus some. Neck crackin' now-wave bruisers stand side by side with lengthier excursions into tightly wound riffage, all of which comes spillin' out like so many bleedin' fingers and broken strings. If that Modern Creatures LP weren't so good, this would be the top of the top here for Vancouver full lengths. Apparently there'll be another Sh. Px. LP released on Divorce in the near future. Might just knock them Modern Creatures down a notch, not that this is a competition or nothin'.

After some pretty steady cassette releases and some CDR action, Eternal Tapestry make it back to the full length LP and deliver their finest moment yet (promise). The surrounding buzz on this was enough for the 500 copy run to disappear in a week or two. Anyhoo, if you've spent some time with ET before then you know what to expect; monumental psych mountains climbed and conquered. Re-press, so I'm told, is on the way. Contemporary fans of all things psych are urged not to sleep on it.

France's Natural Snow Buildings have finally made it to full length vinyl. The duo have released scads of tapes and CDRs, most of which'll drain that paypal account post-haste if you ever spot 'em on ebay, but this here is their first big splash on wax. 3 LPs (comes with 2 CDs of the same thing) and a comic book courtesy of the kind, wallet breaking man over at Blackest Rainbow, and you've got yerself a weekend tucked in with their shimmering mix of folk 'n drone. Edition of 500 was scooped up within days, though you can still grab copies of the 2 CD edition. Better that than nothin'.

After a few weeks off, we got another great phone call from my man Josh Rose, and we spent some time pontificatin' the wonders of one of the best local bands to splooge up on local sand in recent mem'ry. We are talking about the mighty Fortress. They hardly played a show or two 'fore I was urged to take 'em in live. Disappointed I was not. Somehow the 4 piece have managed to take the sharp 'n shrill attack of them Big Black albums that we all love so much, coiled em up into some sorta' nasty spring, and then let the top offa' that jar real quick-like. Rhythm section locks in while the guitar scrapes at yr ears and the howlin' of singer/synth slammer Kelly frightens the crap outta ya. Elements of Tunnel Canary, Mutators and whole buncha post-hardcore bands creep in but somehow none of 'em really rises to the top. They got themselves a real hard to nail down sound, which is just how we like 'round this here blog. Honest to Abe, one a the best bets out there right now. CDRs available at shows. Hey looks like you can catch 'em on Friday at the Secret Space, then Saturday at Main and Pender (?). Whatcha waitin' for?

Oh yeah, looks like Spencer Davis (geetar and vocals in Fortress) also likes to make some electronic noise in a solo thing he calls Nervous Operator. Borrowed myself a copy and gotta sit with it for a bit before I try to put fingers to keys, but you can grab that cassette at Fortress shows too. Solder and Sons should also be able to help you out with that.

Ok, that's it for this week. Plenty of stuff to wade through this week for next show, which should be a good 'un. Tune in.

Download Episode 21 here. (right click link, then Save As)

The Mantles "What We Do Matters" s/t LP (Siltbreeze) 2009
Thee Oh Sees "The Fizz" Dog Poison LP (Captured Tracks) 2009
Dan Melchior Und Das Menace "Blue Tentacles" Thank You Very Much 2LP (S-S) 2009
Meth Teeth "I Was Wrong" Everything Went Wrong LP (Woodsist) 2009
Shearing Pinx "I Am Jim O'Rourke" Weaponry LP (Divorce) 2009
Nu Sensae "Mens Rea" 3 Dreams 7" (Critiscum Internationale) 2009
Little Claw "Frozen In The Future" Human Taste LP (Not Not Fun) 2009
Eternal Tapestry "Cathedral Of Radiance" The Invisible Landscape LP (Not Not Fun) 2009
Wet Hair "Mesmerized Glass" Fountain LP (Not Not Fun) 2009
Natural Snow Buildings "The Fall of the Shadow Kingdom" Shadow Kingdom 3LP (Blackest Rainbow) 2009
Nervous Operator "Side A excerpt" s/t CS (Self Released) 2009
Fortress "Otoro" unreleased 2009

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 20

Not a lot of time to run through everything this week, so we'll keep it to the essentials...

The new A Sunny Day In Glasgow is another great slice of their shimmering Cocteau Twins via shoegaze production. Vinyl on this one is limited to a piddly 250 copies, so you'd be wise not to sleep on it too long. Nice heavy weight, pastel colored wax.

The UK lo-fi and garage underground has been finally pickin' up a bit of steam recently. The brand new Pens LP (pictured above) is definitely on the low end of lo-fi, but plenty of great melodies buried under the tape deck production. Anyone into the Shaggs or even Times New Viking should head their way.

Veronica Falls, also outta the UK, is a group that doesn't even seem to have a release yet, though, with Captured Tracks being in their top friends on their myspace, that should quickly change. Just two songs on their myspace right now, but both are amazing nuggets of dark and surfy garage dunkers. Keep an eye on these cats.

Two hot new 7" slabs courtesy of the label that apparently never sleeps, Sweet Rot. First local release from the Vancouver label is a mighty one and highly anticipated from yrs truly. Two dark garage rippers courtesy of the mighty (and mighty underrated) Sex Church (hey, Vancouver! Someone write an article on these guys asap). No one in Vancouver even remotely on the same plain as these dudes. Easily the best Vancouver 7" of 2009 and a nice notch in the lengthy Sweet Rot belt.

Sweet Rot also continues to come up with some of the best France has to offer, which is apparently a lot (see AH Kraken, Anals etc). 6 tracks crammed onto one 7" of tightly wound, one-man bedroom pop...of the dark and burly variety. Very recommended.

That's all we have time for this week, but we'll be seeing you all at the Wooden Shjips show this Sunday, right? Good.



DOWNLOAD EPISODE 20 HERE (right click link, then Save As)


A Sunny Day In Glasgow "Close Chorus" Ashes Grammar 2LP (Mis Ojos Discos) 2009
Grass Widow "Lulu's Lips" s/t 12" (Captured Tracks) 2009
Pens "Hate Your Calendar" Hey Friend! What You Doing LP (De Stijl) 2009
Veronica Falls "Beachy Head" unreleased 2009
Amen Dunes "Amen Dunes" Dia LP (Locust) 2009
Nerve City "Patience As A Virtue" I Fucked Death 10" (Kill Shaman) 2009
Six Finger Satellite "Half Contro"l Half Control LP (Load) 2009
The Dictaphone "It Tastes Better Than Before" s/t 7" (Sweet Rot) 2009
Sex Church "Let Down" s/t 7" (Sweet Rot) 2009
Pissed Jeans "Dream Smotherer" King Of Jeans LP (Sub Pop) 2009
Anals "She's The Man" Total Anal LP (Permanent) 2009
Billy Bao "untitled" May '08 LP (Parts Unknown) 2009
Wooden Shjips "Contact" Contact 12" (Mexican Summer) 2009
Moon Duo "Dead West" Killing Time 12" (Sacred Bones) 2009
Fossils "Young Guns" Young Guns one-sided 12" (Ketchup Cavern) 2009
Locrian "Rain Of Ashes" Rain Of Ashes CS (Fan Death Records) 2009

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 18

Ohh yes! New Sic Alps 7" is sitting nicely with their recent 2LP re-issue of "Long Way Around To A Shortcut", which compiles all them hard to snatch 7"s, 12"s and cassettes. The duo, now made a trio with the addition of Ty Segall, have been fairly quiet since "US EZ" dropped last year, though this rippin' new 7"er is fillin' all holes quite nicely. Pink vinyl via Slumberland. Snatch it up quick.

Hey, whaddyaknow? Amazing new band coming out of Portland!? Did not see that one coming. Seriously, what is in the water over there, kids? Anyhoo, the 3 ladies in Explode The Colors have managed to reign in elements of dub and post punk and then tossed in some melodica and head spinning drum work. You really gotta hear this one, asap. 'Nother 7" of theirs just dropped on KRS. Consider it on order! Oh hey, check out their blogspot page for some other merch, including a cassette.

Captured Tracks just can't seem to put out enough releases, luckily for us, most of 'em are pretty consistent. New Gary War sounds like, well, Gary War. If you can't get enough of his warbled space pop, then this 12" is for you. Best of the new batch, however, is a new 12"er by them ladies in Grass Widow (pictured at the top). Never managed to track down the LP on Make A Mess, but the tender and very memorable pop within this 12" has caused me to order up a whack of the re-press of said LP. Come by the shop in few weeks to snatch of 'em up.

The lovely people over at Fixture Records in Montreal just sent out a nice little package containing all their new releases. Seems as if the East Coast is having a a bit of an underground pop revival. I guess all those over-bloated East Coast powerhouse indie rock records released over the last few years have caused the kids to take it back to the bedroom and keep it nice 'n simple. CDs by both Freelove Fenner (Montreal) and Omon Ra (Halifax) are chock full of the warm 'n goopy stuff. Montreal's Dirty Beaches, on the other hand, has been steadily pumping out some woozy, fuzzy, lo-fi tape loops of the grimiest order. Watch out for a new cassette on Night People and a split 7" with US Girls. According to his myspace, looks like Dirty Beaches will be making their home in Vancouver very soon. Make sure to drop by Zulu and say hi!

Local musician and local musuc lover Tom Whalen (aka GR8 2000, 1/3 of Haunted Beard, guitarist/vocalist in Gross X-Mas, plus a few others I'm probably missing) has just released an amazing cassette-only compilation of twisted Vancouver electronic pop music. Featuring exclusive tracks by N. 213, MT-40, Cosmetics, Dandi Wind, and, of course, GR8 2000 himself. This cassette is an essential document of the here and now of underground Vancouver electronic pop. Not sure where you can cop this, but maybe Tom will be kind enough to bring some into the shop sometime soon...

Matt Mondanile and co. continue their 2009 onslaught with a coupla' new releases. Mondanile being the man behind Ducktails and his cohort Julian Lynch is in his psych dream pop band Real Estate. Lynch and Ducktails both have full length LPs on Olde English Spelling Bee, and the two also have a split 7" on the up and coming Underwater Peoples label. Lynch seems to be following in the beach worn footsteps of his comrade, as his debut LP features a lot of the same style of lo-fi, sun worn loops and effects. Not quite as grabbing as the Ducktails stuff, but worth a listen if that's yr thang. The Ducktails LP, however, is easily his best and most refined work to date. A lot of the listlessness of the Not Not Fun LP from earlier this year is gone and has been replaced by a much more concentrated work. 500 pressed, so don't sleep too long on it.

Veering far away from the beach and deep into a dank cellar prison is the new Wolf Eyes LP, which finally sees some vinyl action after being only available on CD for the last few months. Not quite as horror-scape-y as their last few Sub Pop albums, "Always Wrong" is a much more harsh outing. Fans of the "Stabbed In The Face" era should be content here.

Til next week...

Download Episode 18 here. (right click, then Save As)

Sic Alps "Super Lungs" Super Lungs 7" (Slumberland) 2009
Explode Into Colors "Coffins" s/t 7" (M'Lady) 2009
Grass Widow "Tattoo" s/t 12" (Captured Tracks) 2009
Gary War "Next Year" Galactic Citizens 12" (Captured Tracks) 2009
Freelove Fenner "Song For A New Elf" In The Bottle Garden CD (Fixture) 2009
Omon Ra "Aubade" Monolith 1 CD (Fixture) 2009
Dirty Beaches "The Death March" Horror LP CD (Fixture) 2009
Shearing Pinx "Hidden Now" s/t CS (Night People) 2009
N.213 "Meat Bend" Cool Sound Death CS (Vidkid) 2009
GR8-2000 "Hit By A Rock" Cool Sound Death CS (Vidkid) 2009
Julian Lynch "Venom" Orange You Glad LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) 2009
Ducktails "On The Boardwalk" Landscapes LP (Olde English Spelling Bee) 2009
Ducktails "Parasailing" split w/ Julian Lynch 7" (Underwater Peoples) 2009
Nudge "Two Hands" As Good As Gone LP (Kranky) 2009
Philip Jeck "A4.30" Spool CS (Tapeworm) 2009
Hanging Coffins "Monastil Disorders" s/t CS (Night People) 2009
Wolf Eyes "Cellar" Always Wrong LP (Hospital Productions) 2009
Wolf Eyes "Living Stone" Always Wrong LP (Hospital Productions) 2009

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 17

Plenty of new gnarliness this week, including the ripping new 7" by New York's Drunk Driver. Somewhere along the lines of early Touch and Go'ers Killdozer and the current new breed of post-post AmRep aggressors (FNU Ronnies, Pissed Jeans, Mayyors, Twin Stumps), Drunk Driver are a steady stab to the ears for pigfuckers everywhere. Their collaboration with Mattin of Billy Bao is a clear indication of their of where their allegiance lay. Brand new LP on Parts Unknown should rank pretty high on the year end list. More on that one later.

After mucho hype on the new Charles Albright 7" on S-S (thanks again, DJ Rick!) I finally managed to scoop up some copies of the stunner. Not quite as brutal as some others played on the show this week, Albright, however, is a lot catchier. Should be enough ripping, buzzing guitars to fill yr hole.

New TV Ghost should satisfy fans of the more frightening releases of In The Red's past. Goth-y synth and sharp sounding guitar combo, combined with throat ripping vocals make for a spook of a listen.

Also managed to grip some copies of the new and limited Anals LP (hit me up in the comments for one of my last copies...) that has fulfilled the promise made on the Sweet Rot 7" from last year. Definite Brainbombs vibe on this one, and not just in the lyrics. The hard swinging rhythm section sound as if they're constantly on the very of flying out of the grooves and into gut. Essential '09'er.

Also from France, Crash Normal have dropped not just one but four new releases recently (get a hold of S-S for some of these, not to mention many other tasty tidbits in his distro section), but this 7"er on Plastic Idol takes the cake. Weirdo garage psych that oughta make a nice come down after being jilted by The Anals. Hit up S-S for all 4, whydoncha?

Finally snagged me a piece of the elusive Wizzard Sleeve and was well worth the wait. The squad from Mobile, Alabama and their whiplash garage have made quite the impression and I anticipate a mighty full length...soon?

One last Smmr Bmmr purchase made the playlist this week, and it comes from San Diego's Beaters, who, I believe, share members with Christmas Island. The A Side of this is a chugging number with a bassy, blurting synth and a great sing-a-long chorus. On repeat, please!

Also managed to scoop up the ultra limited new LP (100 copies, and not sold out!) by Chicago's Black Math. Kinda goth-y new wave synth rock that wouldn't sound outta place next to Echo & The Bunnymen, Legendary Pink Dots or even some Bauhaus. The LP is long gone but there is a new 7" available from Lost Space. Or, hey, you can download an older EP here (via the band's myspace).

In anticipation of Sweet Rot's first full length LP, I grabbed some copies of the newest cassette by Virginia's Nerve City. Not quite the amped up garage rockers I recall from their 10" on Kill Shaman, but much more in line with the downer garage blues of Pink Reason. Hey, we dig it. That LP should be dropping in the next few weeks. You'll hear all about it when it does.

After a few delays on my part, Sade Sade finally got some airplay on the show. Sade Sade is the new moniker of Gabe, formerly of Yellow Swans. Gabe has wasted no time since moving to Vancouver in spreading his infectiously positive attitude in the local noise and arts scene. Anyone familiar with Yellow Swans should feel right at home here with his brand new CDr released on his own Diadem Discos imprint. Only available at his shows, so check him out when you can.

Rale finally makes it to the vinyl format after several cassette releases on labels like Ekhein, Monorail Trespassing, Callow God, and Peasant Magik, just to name a few. Same concentrated blissgaze of electronics on those aforementioned cassettes, but the sound is a little more dense this time around, possibly due to the transfer to vinyl. Forthcoming LP due sometime soon on Static Aktion.

And, finally, we arrive at the brand new White Rainbow, which isn't out for another few weeks, but a demo was sent my way recently. Anyone who found themselves loving 2007's "Prism Of Eternal Now" should be delighted with "New Clouds". He has, however, strayed a bit from the full on ambient tracks of the past and added another couple layers of texture with hypnotic tape loops. RSTB says it best, "'New Clouds' runs slow motion Krautrock to the precipice of consciousness, grabs sine waves by the hands and then pushes them down a hill, rolling in repeated waves of dizzying swells."

'Til next week...

Download Episode 17 here. (right click, then Save As)

Drunk Driver "Fire Sale" Fire Sale 7" (Fashionable Idiots) 2009
Charles Albright "I Wanna Hold You" I'm On Drugs 7" (S-S) 2009
UV Race "Malaria" Malaria 7" (S-S) 2009
TV Ghost "The Network" Cold Fish LP (In The Red) 2009
The Anals "She's The Man" Total Anal LP (Permanent) 2009
Wizzard Sleeve "Witchmouth" split w/ Static Static 7" (Jeth Row) 2009
Crash Normal "Flying To NY" Flying To NY 7" (Plastic Idol) 2009
Beaters "Fishage" Fishage 7" (Single Screen/Volar) 2009
Black Math "Eyes Water" s/t LP (Permanent) 2009
Nerve City "On The Rise" Hell CS (Amateur Depression) 2009
Sade Sade "De-Escalation" Peaceful Protest CDR (Diadem Discos) 2009
Rale "Folding Bedroom" Whispering Gallery 12" (Arbor) 2009
White Rainbow "Tuesday Rollers And Strollers" New Clouds 2LP (Kranky) 2009
Anemones "I Am The Breeze" Come Down Like A Cloud LP (St. Ives) 2007

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 16

My liver and I managed to survive the weekend-long, garage/punk/scuzz fest that was Smmr Bmmr, and I brought back some new scraps of wax to prove it. Highlight of the epic fest proved to be Mayyors, who created a a frothing fury of flying bodies the moment they hit the stage. The crowd was pretty laid back until those now-too-familiar buzzing riffs ripped through the Rotture speakers. Check the youtube videos below for some proof of the mayhem. Thee Oh Sees, who headlined the Friday night show, almost toppled the back patio that they'd set up on. It was kinda like watching the band while on a wooden trampoline filled with drunken, flailing bodies. Unfortunately they had to end a little earlier than expected due to the possible death of the entire crowd. Ganglians were another highlight, mostly because they eschewed their Beach Boys-esque harmonies for their noisier side, which I definitely prefer. Pens were a nice, yet unexpected, break from the macho punk strut of the bands that had been playing for the the last three days. The three UK cuties playfully stumbled through a half hour set of adorable, catchy garage pop that eventually won over the crowd. Expect big things from the ladies when their debut LP drops on De Stijl next month. Meth Teeth, with brand new LP (pictured at the top) in hand, played an amazing set of their distinct chiming, twangy garage, which was probably the best set I've seen from them yet. That new LP has risen to the top of my best of '09 list and is essential listening for all you listeners out there. Re-recorded versions of the best tracks from their 7"s and cassettes all make an appearance on the LP. Ty Segall, solo, and with Sic Alps was another winner of the weekend, though I was hoping to see Ty do his one-man blown-out garage set solo.

Of course, when in Portland, most of the daytime is reserved to hunting around in the many amazing record shops that the city has to offer. Mississippi and Exiled, neither of which I had been to when I was there last, receive the top marks, not to mention, most money spent.

Picked up during the hunt were some hard-to-find (at least up in Vancouver) newer LPs, including the Long Legged Woman LP, San Francisco Water Cooler's amazing LP from last year, The Hunches supposedly mail-order only LP of outtakes and live material, and the brand new LP from Eternal Tapestry. Plenty more where that came from, but you'll have to wait until next week for the rest.

In cassette news, Luke Meat from CiTR's Anoize show lent me brand new cassettes by Edmonton's Famines, which comes with an actual book, bound and filled with uneccessary info from all the band members and their families (easily the cassette package of the year!), and a new EP cassette from Calgary's Hunter Gatherer. The Famines, who've rocked Vancouver a few times now, laid an explosive live show on this new cassette, and is a great primer for anyone who hasn't laid ears on the 7"s yet. The Hunter Gatherer cassette is a great noisy pop affair, and I suspect something great coming from the trio in the near future. You can download the EP from their myspace for free, which I highly recommend you do...asap!

Also, the new set from Hozac's Hookup Klub dropped this week, and they were well worth the wait. Check out Raven Sings the Blues article on them here.

Download this week's episode here. (right click, then Save As)



Pens "The Weekend Starts Here" 4-Way Split w/Graffiti Island, Christmas Island & Dum Dum Girls 7" (Art Fag) 2009
White Mystery "Powerglove" Powerglove 7" (Hozac) 2009
Mother of Tears "Litte Ratty" Litte Ratty 7" (Hozac) 2009
Art Thieves "I've Had It" I've Had It 7" (Hozac) 2009
The Hunches "Floating Sinks" Home Alone 5 LP (In The Red) 2009
Meth Teeth "Unemployment Forever" Everything Went Wrong LP (Woodsist) 2009
Long Legged Woman "Vinegar" Nobody Knows This Is Nowhere LP (Pollen Season) 2009
Ebonics "Mexican Thunder" split w/ Gestapo Khazi 7" (self released?) 2009
The Famines "Gimme Some Numbers" July 14, 2008 CS (self released) 2009
Hunter Gatherer "Carrion Hearts" EP CS (self released) 2009
Black Pus "Bark Of The Tree" Down Da Drain 7" (Corleone) 2009
San Francisco Water Cooler "Rockers Escape" s/t LP (KDVS Recordings) 2008
Eternal Tapestry "Prism Light Traveller" Palace of the Night Skies LP (Three Lobed) 2009
Oneohtrix Point Never "Zones Without People" Zones Without People LP (Arbor) 2009
Stefan Roigk "Walkman" Up. Rising. LP (Tochnit Aleph) 2007

Mayyors@Smmr Bmmr Part1


Part 2


Part 3


Eat Skull@Smmr Bmmr


Meth Teeth@Smmr Bmmr


Ty Segall@Smmr Bmmr

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 15

Not a whole lot of time to write up reviews this week, as I'm getting ready to head out to Summer Bummer in Portland this weekend (sneak preview on this week's show). If I can, however, recommend one record this week, it's gotta be the brand new one from Billy Bao. Even harsher and more relentless than their full length from two years back, "May '08" is a monster akin to the g(l)ory days of Brainbombs. Since Mattin of Billy Bao is anti-copyright, you should be able to find this one for download somewhere out there, but I do recommend you snatch the vinyl up for maximum aural punishment.

That's it for this week. Full report on Summer Bummer when I get back.

Show will be uploaded later this week.


Cresting "Sashes" Waving Spades In The Air CDR EP (Fixture) 2009
Kurt Vile "I Wanted Everything" Meet The Philly Elite 4-way split 7" (Kraak) 2009
Woven Bones "Janie" Janie 7" (Needless) 2009
Womankind "untitled" unreleased CDR 2009
Pissed Jeans "Dream Smothers" King Of Jeans LP (Sub Pop) 2009
B-Lines "Crazy Glue" Burnt CDs 7" (Nominal) 2009

**Summer Bummer preview**
Meth Teeth "Failures Selected By God" s/t CS (self-release/re-issued by Night People) 2008/2009
Christmas Island "Morning Sunshine" split w/ Jonathan Reilly 7" (FDH) 2009
Box Elders "Stay" Alice & Friends LP (Goner) 2009
Ty Segall "Maria Stacks" split w/ Thee Oh Sees 7" (Castleface) 2009
Timecopz "Barely Alive" unreleased mp3 2009
Gestapo Khazi "Smoke Signals" s/t LP (Deadbeat Records) 2009
The Intelligence "Boys Annoy" Boys Annoy 12" (In The Red) 2006
*****

Cold Cave "Cebe & Me" Love Comes Close LP (Heartworm) 2009
Prurient "Earthworks/Buried In Secret" Pleasure Ground CD (Load) 2006
Prurient/Cold Cave "Presomnal" Stars Explode CS (Hospital) 2009
Billy Bao "untitled" May '08 LP (Parts Unknown) 2009
AFCGT "Old Spy" Live April 24 2009 CDR (Fire Breathing Turtle) 2009
Explorers "Side A excerpt" Bermuda Telepaths LP (Not Not Fun) 2009

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 14

Kicked off the show this week with a track from the stunning new LP by Tim Cohen (pictured above), who is also the main guitarist/keyboard/singer for the Pop Drones favorite The Fresh and Onlys. Not quite as poppy or jumpy as the Fresh and Onlys, this solo joint is a much more subdued and stripped down affair. 250 copies only, though I think you can still nab one through Aquarius Records or Fusetron. Do not sleep on this one, folks.

The Mayfair Set 12", after much teasing with their 7" earlier this year, finally dropped in the mail just in time for the show this week. So damn good I had to jam two tracks off it. Mayfair Set, for those that have better things to do than read blogs or Terminal Boredom, is a collaborative effort between Dee Dee of the Dum Dum Girls and Mike Sniper of Blank Dogs. Dee Dee, takes on most of the vocal duties, while it appears as if Sniper is the man behind the decks, though, who really knows? Dee Dee's beautiful, soaring vocals mesh amazingly with Sniper's lo-fi warble-y bedroom pop. Essential 2009 release here.

Sacred Bones dropped two beauties in a row this week. First up is Zola Jesus's new LP (tons of releases already this year and more to come) is easily her most refined work to date. Cold industrial beatwork backed up with her goth-y wail is a nice throwback to the part of the 80s that I still have a soft spot for. New Gary War LP dropped at the same time, which, admittedly, is not quite as infectious as last year's "New Raytheonport", but still consistent throughout. Both of these releases come in silkscreen sleeves adorned with that instantly recognizable Sacred Bones artwork. And that's just the regular edition. Keep an eye and an ear out for more SB releases in the near future, including a new one by Factums, a Blanks Dogs comp, Dead Luke LP, a Nerve City 12", and tons more. Keep 'em comin'.

The new Cave record is ranking up there pretty high for '09 releases. Not quite as stuttery and break neck as their Permanent Records debut, but still a raucous event nonetheless. Very reminiscent of early Oneida in that classic rock through a kraut rock grinder way. Eye bulging cover art, too!

New Sun Araw has lived up to the lofty expectations that the blogosphere has heaped up on the man. Not quite as dreamy, drifting or mystical as those initial release. Instead, he falls back on the dub inflections he only hinted at before. Fine by me, as dub is pretty much my favorite thing to have on the hi-fi durin' the summertime. Needless to say, this'll be stuck on the 'table at least through September.

Coupla' shows worth checking out this week. Sadly, the two I would recommend are both this Saturday night.

If yr more inclined towards the garage/punk side of things, then you should head down to the Astoria and wish Sex Church and Defektors a safe and prosperous trip down the West Coast. Both bands are playing shows in Washington, Portland, and, of course, California. In fact, it looks like they'll be hitting up damn near every city worth playing in California. DJ Rick over at Art For Spastics has already hyped up people down south, so I'm doin' my part up in this end. Seriously, two of Vancouver's finest. Not to be missed. Sex Church will be toting along a brand new cassette, which I highly recommend you snatch up while you can. Sweet Rot 7" is coming soon, so I'm told.


Also this Saturday is the mighty return of San Francisco's Barn Owl, who blew away the small but excited crowd last year at Hoko's. This time around they'll be playing at Little Mountain and will be sharing the night with local faves solars, who will have new cassette and possibly a new 7" split with Ahna for sale. Barn Owl should also have some new works for sale. Anyone who needs a Barn Owl sneak peak should check out this classic Expressway posting.

Saturday, August 15th @ The Astoria: Sex Church w/Defektors

Saturday, August 15th @ Little Mountain Studios: Barn Owl w/ solars & Thee Holee See//presented by Twee Death

Download this week's show here. (right click, then Save As)

Tim Cohen "Take Aim Goliath" Two Sides Of LP (Secret Seven/Empty Cellar) 2009
Mayfair Set "Junked!" Young One 12" (Captured Tracks/Woodsist) 2009
Mayfair Set "Let It Melt" Young One 12" (Captured Tracks/Woodsist) 2009
Dum Dum Girls "Mercury Mary" Long Hair 7" (Hozac) 2009
France Has the Bomb "Invisible Angles" s/t 7"(Hozac) 2009
Gary War "Sold Out" Horribles Parade LP (Sacred Bones) 2009
Zola Jesus "Six Feet (From My Baby)" The Spoils LP (Sacred Bones) 2009
Pissed Jeans "False Jesii Part II" King Of Jeans LP (Sub Pop) 2009
Mayyors "Ghost Punch" Deads 12" (Hurling Man) 2009
Francis Harold & The Holograms "Retreat" Mirror Of Fear b/w Retreat 7" (Hozac) 2009
Clockcleaner "Skinheaded Lady" Skinheaded Lady 7" (Stained Circles) 2009
Defektors "Secret Trials" Secret Trials 7" (Nominal) 2008
Sex Church " Mistaken" s/t CS (self released) 2009
Cave "Gamm" Psychic Psummer LP (Important) 2009
Cave "Boneyard" Made In Malaysia 7" (Important) 2009
Limosine "Only Poise, Only Prizes" s/t (self released) CDR 2009
Sun Araw "Heavy Deeds" Heavy Deeds LP (Not Not Fun) 2009
Elm "On Golden Wings" Woven Into Light CDR (Blackest Rainbow) 2009

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 13

Started things off this week with a bangin' track off the new Oneida, and I do mean bangin'. Upon first listen, Brownout In Lagos sounds like it coulda' come off last year's dubby dancehall record by the Bug. Anyone let down by the loose kraut explorations on Oneida's record from last year, 'Preteen Weaponry' (the opener in the 'Thank Your Parents' trilogy), will be pleasantly surprised. Though the triple LP does have some sitar-drenched kosmiche, but Oneida still find the time to rock it like it's 1999.

Brand new cassette (now sold out from the source) by France's High Wolf shows a brand new talent in the burgeoning cosmic-beach-world-psych genre. The man has played shows with Sun Araw, so you know he's in good company. He's also started a label called Winged Sun, which released the now-out-of-print debut cassette and CDR. Big things to come... In the meantime, you can snatch up the NNF cassette here, the Winged Sun cassette here, and the CDR here.

Came across a gnarly Big Black-styled band thanks to one of my favorite blogs, Still Single. A self-released 7"/CDR (order now!) has just been unleashed and it's pretty crushing. Definitely heavy on the Big Black, but much more blown out and textured, almost black metal styles at times. Required listening!

Just got the last batch of Goaty cassettes in the mail last week and Zully Adler (the NYC'er behind the label) has really upped the ante on the new batch. Thick cardstock sleeves, tons of inserts and other little goodies dropped inside make for some of the better packaging coming from the cassette underground right now. He's also managed to rope in some great, unheralded artists, including Bone Patrol, which is a collab between Dead Luke and Aaron from Peaking Lights. Nice meandering lo-fi psych drools. The flip of that cassette is Dead Luke going at it solo under the moniker Varlet Tarsod. Again, fans of Sun Araw et. al need to perk up and snatch a copy! (drop a comment below to cop one from yours truly...)

New CDR from my main man in Connect_icut, Sam Macklin, which was handed off last weekend, and it's turned out to be one of the best things I've heard from the man's fingertips/brain. The track I played on the show, Sea Bells On Sunday, is based around the opening of the Velvet Underground's Sunday Morning! Absolutely gorgeous...drop the man a line for a copy.

Coupla' shows this week worth mentioning...

Kris from Twee Death, Empress, Jeffrey Allport and Light Industry (NYC) present a night of experimental film and music. Check the Twee Death site for more info. This one is tonight and starts around 8pm. See you there...


Also, Sex Negatives will be playing with Damo Suzuki this Saturday on the 8th at the Biltmore. Should be an interesting Sex Negatives set with Keith and Justin out of the city for the time being. Apparently Brody has lined up some guest musicians. Defektors are opening, and I really can't wait to see them again after watching them kill it last night at Pat's pub, where they played with Detroit's Frustrations.


That's it for this week.

Download this week's episode here. (right click link, then save as)

Oneida "Brownout In Lagos" Rated O 3LP (Jagjaguwar) 2009
Future Blondes "Heartless" split w/Indian Jewelry 12" (Dull Knife) 2009
High Wolf "The Boto" Animal Totem CS (Not Not Fun) 2009
Kurt Vile "Subliminal Message" Fall Demons 7" (Skulltones) 2009
Magik Markers "Sleep Next To Me" Balf Quarry LP (Drag City) 2009
Woods "Echo Lake" Songs Of Shame LP (Woodsist) 2009
The Ramjac "Flee The Skin" Curserer 7" (self released) 2009
Francis Harold & The Holograms "Mirror Of Fear" 7" (Hozac) 2009
Action Swingers "Nothing To Me Now" The Complete London Toe Rag Sessions LP (Cheap Date) 2009
Tyvek "Flowers" The World Is Lousy With Ideas Vol. 8 LP (Almost Ready) 2009
Heavy Winged "Tidal Blackness" Washing, Shaking LP (aurora-borealis) 2009
Varlet Tarsod "Psychic Desert" split w/Bone Patrol CS (Goaty Tapes) 2009
Caethua "Surface Waters And Underground Seas" split w/Ancestral Diet CS (Goaty Tapes) 2009
Connect_icut "Sea Bells On Sunday" Fourier's Algorithm CDR (self released) 2009

Brown & Squim, A Story Of Rats, and Ahna. Tonight @ Little Mountain

Awesome drone show tonight at Little Mountain. Should start after 8pm.

From the mouth of Twee Death...

"

On Saturday, August 1st - that's tonight! - it's a night of deep drone/doom/ambient noise featuring Portland's Brown and Squim, Seattle's A Story of Rats, and Ahna.

Some of you may already be familiar with J. from Brown + Garek from A Story of Rats (also of Dull Knife) as two-thirds of drone-metal behemoth Tecumseh, who've released killer LPs on Important Records, Black Horizons + Anarchymoon Recordings. Here are some words on their projects from Keith Fullerton Whitman + the folks at Aquarius Records and The Wire:

Most shadowy + mysterious... weird and darkly evocative.

The perfect metallic drifting-off music, almost like they've discovered some new genre: sludge-ambient, doom-age... whatever you decide to call it, it's amazing + fans of all things slow motion, downtuned, and yes - heavy! will dig this big time.

Moments of Fennesz-ian clarity with misted atmosphere and granular environmental noise... very nice!