Oh man, lots of music to catch up this week. Apologies for the lack of updates. The summer sun has finally hit Vancouver, resulting in, well, an inability to be able to sit in front of a computer for extended periods.
Anyways, right to the goods...
After a spate of releases when he first appeared, which quickly resulted in his announcement of retirement, Madison Wisconsin's
Dead Luke re-appears with a full length LP on Florida's Dying. Quite unlike the warped synth punk/garage heard on his
Sweet Rot,
Sacred Bones and
Sky-Fi releases from 2008,
American Haircut is more of a psychedelic blues record with almost gothic overtones that doesn't really sound of this time and era. Sitars, synths, acoustic guitar and hazy vocals intertwine and make for some uneasy summer listening. Limited to 500 copies. Eye popping cover art, too!
New York's
The Men have dropped their second vinyl release and topped the previous effort. Immaculada is a puzzling mix of wailing, bending shoegaze guitars, drone and hardcore-style vocals. A head scratching mix if there ever was one, but highly recommended if you like yr disparate genres ....
First press of 300 handmade, self released copies sold out quickly. Looks like a second press is due soon.
Check out this in depth review over at the always amazing
Built On A Weak Spot blog.
Speaking of self released records in the hardcore vein, Drunkdriver, after much hullabaloo, have decided to put out their new LP on their own (
buy it here). If you picked up the Fire Sale seven inch on
Fashionable Idiots or the LP on
Parts Unknown, you know what to expect--wrenching feedback, vein-popping vocals and pounding riffage of the
AmRep variety. Awesome looking record in a nice tip-on sleeve in a one-time pressing of 1000. Don't sleep on this...
Vancouver's own
Nu Sensae have finally released their debut LP. A nice advancement on the
Isolated Now Waves one-sided 12" from a few years back,
TV, Death And The Devil ups the ante considerably on the fidelity end, while also fine-tuning and honing their vicious bass/drums/scream assault. This record actually does their ear splitting live show justice. Not only a modern punk classic but one of the finest LP releases Vancouver has ever seen. Also comes with a poster about the size of a fridge. Released on the essential
Nominal Records, who earlier this year dropped another Vancouver insta-classic,
Defektors'
Bottom Of The City (
snatch those here).
After an impressive cassette on
Not Not Fun a few years back, LA's
Metal Rouge return with a heavy dose on their own
Emerald Cocoon record label. Diverging from the Eastern drone of earlier releases, Metal Rouge have opted for a decidedly more rock-based psych exploration, showcasing the bands muscles which were previously hidden from the listener. LP is limited to 300 copies.
Grab that here.
Montreal's Psychic Handshake has been culling some of the oddest and skewed punk/garage bands from across our nation, beginning with the
Nymphets, Red Mass and one of my 2010 favorites
The Wicked Awesomes LP. The label has recently issued two new seven inches, both Montreal-based bands.
Dead Wife make an urgent stab of noisy hardcore and snot garage, while
Tonstartssbandht have a blown-out, damaged psych vibe that seems to radiate off the turntable. 'I'm A Welsh Souper' is particularly anthemic and forceful, not to mention addictive. Easily one of the best singles of the year. Tonstartssbandht also have a new cassette of
Parson Sounds (!) covers that you can
snatch here. Psychic Handshake now have proper distribution across North America, so don't sleep on this limited number. Grab it
here if yr local grocer is sleeping. Looks like the band was ready to play Vancouver with
Run DMT this July but their myspace is saying otherwise. Anyone in Vancouver have any info on this? Drop a comment, please. Oh, and be sure to grab some of their free tunes from
Free Music Archive.
Tonsstartssbandht "I'm A Welsh Souper"
Midnite Cobra 7" (
Psychic Handshake) 2010
The Mantles "Cascades"
Pink Information 12" (
Mexican Summer) 2010
Gun Outfit "Dead Broke"
Possession LP (
PPM) 2010
Dead Luke "Dreaming Pt. 3"
American Haircut LP (
Florida's Dying) 2010
Broken Water "Feminism"
s/t CS (
Night People) 2010
Black Feelings "Magic Feeling"
split w/Grand Trine 7" (
Blue Skies Turn Black) 2010
The Men "Lazarus"
Immaculada LP (self released) 2010
Drunkdriver "Half Mast"
s/t LP (
self released) 2010
Veins "The Thrill Of Utter Defeat"
s/t CS 2010
Dead Wife "Gentleman Rapist"
DWSYHF 7" (Psychic Handshake) 2010
Nu Sensae "I'm A Body"
TV, Death and the Devil LP (
Nominal) 2010
Lumerians "Deathray Bradbury"
s/t 7" (
Rococo) 2010
Moon Duo "Set It On Fire"
s/t 7" (
Agitated) 2010
Cave "Hot Bricks"
Pure Moods LP (
Drag City) 2010
Gnod/
White Hills "Drop Out"
Gnod Drop Out With The White Hills II 2LP (
Rocket Recordings) 2010
Metal Rouge "The Sunshine Path"
Trails LP (
Emerald Cocoon) 2010
Oneohtrix Point Never "Returnal"
Returnal LP (
Editions Mego)
DOWNLOAD EPISODE 53 here (Right click link, then Save As)
