Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Pop Dr(((O)))nes: Episode 42





Couple of previews from some upcoming records, including the Dum Dum Girls LP, Woven Bones debut full length on Hozac and Indian Jewelry's 4th LP on We Are Free. First up is the DDG record, which I've had the opportunity to preview over the last month and I definitely foresee that it's bound to elicit some naysaying criticisms from those who were "there first, man". Yup, the sound is definitely cleaned up compared to those early lo-fi tracks that had over eager bloggers wetting themselves (myself included) early in 2009. But, if anything, the songs here are allowed to breath a little with the improved production, proving that Dee Dee doesn't need to hide behind a wall of fuzz to mask any shortcomings. Apparently, Vancouver will get their first opportunity to see the DDG at Venue (worst "new" venue in the city?) with Girls (don't even get me started), but their myspace says they'll be in Europe. Confirmation anyone?



It's still a couple months away, but I'm pretty juiced up for the Woven Bones LP on Hozac. The tinny MP3's I received will never do this record justice. No surprises here for those that've been following their spat of excellent seven inches over the last year, there's just more music to go through. The one exception on the record is album opener Blind Conscience (played in this episode), which is played at a quarter of their typical speed. The rest of the record rips out the gate in their normal white-knuckle, leather jacket cool. The LP is still a ways off, due May 28, but I'll be sure to play a few more tracks leading up to the release date.


After more than ten years and a handful of seven inches and CDRs, Columbus Ohio's Guinea Worms release their debut LP, and they made it well worth the wait with two LPs worth of unreleased material, which was apparently culled from over 12 CDRs worth of music. Of course, when you consider that Sorcererers is drawn from ten years worth of music, you end up with a mixed bag, revealing an almost schizophrenic band. And, like the range in topic and tempo, the genres seamlessly hopped across here flow from stumbling country bar band to overt Fall homage and back to barely-holding it together punk rock. Fans of Country Teasers-style rockinroll revisionism is urged to grab a copy asap (1st press already done but a second is on the way...)



Peaking Lights release their first piece of music since the much-loved Imaginary Falcons LP on Night People, and this time it's in cassette form on the recently re-ignited Fuck It Tapes label. If you were hoping for more of the Cluster/Eno and dub-inflected ambience, then you might be a bit caught off guard by Space Primitives. This one-sided cassette has a bit of everything; amped up and fried junk-boogie that makes their lo-fi LP sound downright professional, and super hissy grooves via beat up drum machine, complete with squealing guitars/FX and dank synth drops. These guys are all over the map on this release and remain impossible to pigeonhole.
Disgustingly limited to 100 copies and sold out within days, so try Fusetron or Scoop it here.
**update** this is to be reissued this year on 12" by Night People, so save your ebay funds for soemthin' else.



For over five years Kyle Bobby Dunn has been quietly releasing some of the best modern ambient music on labels that are, sadly, barely a blip on anyone's radar. This trend should, however, be remedied with this 2CD release on the higher profile Low Point label, collecting two hours worth of material recorded by KBD and co over the last five years. Twelve tracks of subtle and soothing ambience that definitely reminds me of the pre-orchestral days of Stars Of The Lid. Most of the tracks have a slow build, usually beginning with low-flying tones that are soon engulfed by subtle drones and lightly bubbling electronics. Perhaps my favorite piece from the entire set is a solo piano track that nears the end of the second disc, which is a heartbreaking work of melancholy. Fans of ambient music are highly recommended to seek this out.



Though there is no physical release as of yet, Vancouver's Heavy Chains (pictured at the top of the post) sent some MP3s my way of some recent recordings. The band features Andrea of Nu Sensae, Brody of Mutators and Anne Marie of White Lung, so you know they're probably coming up with something brutish. And brutish we get. The few songs I've heard so far are an intense mix of Brainbombs-style grooves and slashy metal/punk guitars, all topped off with what sounds like distant vocals run through half a dozen pedals, or are those just some noise generators? Well, you can find out for yourself out on the first night of the Fake Jazz Fest, March 24th at Lick. Speaking of that...



In case you haven't heard yet, Fake Jazz is having its first ever festival starting this Wednesday and heading through right to Sunday. Local favorites THE RITA (performing his Snorkel piece while submerged in a wading pool), Aerosol Constellations, V. Vecker (debuting a Branca-esque guitar symphony!), Josh Rose (aka Sick Buildings), Magneticring, Empress, and tons more play across several venues, including Lick, the Secret Location and The Western Front. Full passes are a mere $25 or you can pay to get into each individually. Details below....

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Wednesday March 24 / Lick 10 PM-1 AM Aerosol Constellations Heavy Chains Broken Sleep Empty Love Shipyards

Thursday March 25 / Western Front 8-11 PM Glaciers Archipelago Rachael Wadham + Shane Krause Scant Intone THE RITA

Friday March 26 / Western Front 9-11 PM The Sorrow and the Pity Flat Grey Whip of the UFO

Saturday March 27 / Western Front 8-11 PM Magneticring Empress V. Vecker Glass Armonica Giorgio Magnanensi, Kedrick James, Chad MacQuarrie

Saturday March 27 / Secret Location Doors 11 PM Monarch Shearing Pinx AHNA Josh Rose Catwrangler

Sunday March 28 / Casa del Artista Pancake Breakfast 1 PM Music 6 PM – Midnight Haunted Beard Stamina Mantis Twin Crystals Black Mage Diadem Coingutter Ejaculation Death Rattle


Cloud Nothings "Another Man" s/t 7" (Group Tightener) 2010
Wetdog "Tidy Up Your Bedroom" Frauhaus LP (Captured Tracks) 2010
Dum Dum Girls "It Only Takes One Night" I Will Be LP (Sub Pop/Hozac) 2010 *due Mar. 30
Woven Bones "Blind Conscience" In And Out And Back Again LP (Hozac) 2010 *due May 28
Nothing People "Enemy With An Invitation" s/t 7" (Permanent) 2010
Guinea Worms "Bugged" Sorcererers Of Maddness (4rd Years In A Row) 2LP (Columbus Discount) 2010
Guinea Worms "Haymaker" Sorcererers Of Maddness (4rd Years In A Row) 2LP (Columbus Discount) 2010
Rot Shit "Dead I" s/t 7" (Columbus Discount) 2010
The Spits "Planet Failure" s/t 7" (Slovenly) 2010
El Jesus De Magico "Dave Songs" Ragtime Hors CS (Goaty) 2010
The Factorymen "Blank Dream" Shitman LP (Richie) 2009
Balaclavas "True Believer" Roman Holiday LP (Dull Knife) 2010
Indian Jewelry "Oceans" Totaled LP (We Are Free) 2010 *due May 11
Heavy Chains "Kids In Heat" unreleased MP3, 2010
Trudgers "We Only Come Out At Night" Bedrooms On Fire CS (Goaty) 2010
Peaking Lights "untitled" Space Primitive CS (Fuck It Tapes) 2010
Sam Goldberg "untitled, Side A" Current LP (Weird Forest) 2009
Kyle Bobby Dunn "Empty Gazing" A Young Person's Guide To Kyle Bobby Dunn 2CD (Low Point) 2010

DOWNLOAD EPISODE 42 here (right click link, then Save As)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey dude, blind conscience aint the opener. how did yah get this? epecially in the wrong order.

- andy bones