Nate Henricks - Apple Juice (2014)

The return of the much lauded Lawrence, Kansas-based experimental musician Nate Henricks. Followers of Spacerockmountain should recall the several previous posts on releases from Mr. Henricks and the interview with him on an earlier episode of our podcast. So I don't think it'll be a stretch to imagine my excitement at seeing that he's gone a released another album, I believe this to be his fifthteenth. Apple Juice carries on and simultaneously deviates from the themes of the recently preceding albums like NEON FOR NO ONE and HORSERADISH, that is as much as a theme can be applied to experimental pop. 

Overall, the songs are still very much in the camp of bedroom psych-pop that I've used to describe Henricks' music before, but the songs that begin the album have a harsher and cheerful tone, with more dissonance and erratic features that caused be some jostling upon the first listen, yet no means did I dislike it. In fact, the listener shall notice he circles back to this style with the track, "Tazareth," where some post-hardcore seems to have seemed in. Now, there are songs that'll fit the E6 sort of fuzzy psych that Henricks is a master at if he so chooses, and the two 'live' tracks "Vegetarian Dog" and "Your Arcade Prize" are instant earworms in this vein. I found myself humming each of these at work all week long. However, what makes Apple Juice as an album a truly awesome listen in the variation in throughout the short batch of songs. Being only 21 minutes it begs repeated listenings, and has I did so I found myself looking forward to all the weird, noisy and uncharacteristic parts as much as anything that could be considered a single out these tracks. The chiptune boops and beeps he throws in, the howling singing for a minute, the dark guitar riff and sound effects all add up into a wild display, which is more coherent than sound collage for sure but bears some relationship. The final number, "What is Not the Answer," is even a country tune, and a beautifully done one at that.

To be had here:
Nate Henricks - Apple Juice

EP Grab Bag vol. 75

All of these songs are straight out of the submission box, in a loose no corporal sense. I think they're solid listens of various genres, but that goes for most all these Grab Bags. So trust me, if you liked the prior 74, this one should be good for it too. I promise, pilgrims.

To be had here:

3FT - 3FT (2014)

This a Detroit band that I became aware of when I ran into some members at the Ty Segall show in town a couple of weeks back. Turns out I know one of the musicians and was aware of his prior work, yet as many musicians do he's kept busy and is in this band now as well. Though I found the EP through an acquaintance with a stake in it, it is every inch the sort of lo-fi garage rock that I count myself lucky to hear in Detroit so often. A healthy amount of washed out psychedelia in there and very good pounding drums and excellent guitar riffs. Can't wait to check them out live.

Guruzsmás - Demó I. (2014)

A band from Budapest who plays trippy progressive rock, or as their friends have dubbed it "post-folk." They share a sense of urgency and intense lo-fidelity akin to their Hungarian compatriots we've featured such as Piresian Beach, Gustave Tiger and Nohopekids. Guruzsmás is more diverse in style than those bands, almost as if it were several bands in the course this demo ranging from surf rock revival to post-metal. It is impressive, but I wonder which one they might settle on for a full-length or if they keep the scatter shot. Either way, I'm game.

Crashfaster - Superchroma (2014)

Electronic dance music with a heavy degree chiptune and synthpop infused. San Francisco's Crashfaster isn't my usual fare, but is undeniably catchy and the first time I heard the EP it ending too soon for my liking. The album art is a perfect summary for this music, it is like fantastical manga from Japan, but sung in English as they are Californians. It's pretty cool, particularly if you put a few beers in you and playing some video games, which is exactly what I did as I heard it.


Landlines - Log Out, Tune Up, Drop Dead (2014)

This is a group from Portland that Elvis wrote up previously, when their Loserly EP came out. Like that EP this new one is lo-fi indie pop/garage rock that sounds like an E6 band with even more fuzzy guitars. Meaning that I fucking love this EP. The EP is mesmerising and I have been listening to it all over and over ever since I got it onto my mp3 player. I sure hope Amazing Larry gets a chance to tell me what they're like in person, as I am way to far to get to Portland myself.

The Depreciation Guild - In Her Gentle Jaws (2007)

These guys really know how to merge genres. Consisting of two young men both brandishing guitars and backed up with Nitendo sounds, The Depreciation Guild has managed to overcome my initial weariness that this might be another spastic pop-rock with cartoonish sounds lain over thing. Fortunately, they knew exactly what the weakness of being too gleeful could expose them to, and took a more controlled and sober mood that I'd definately say fits with a shoegaze act. The use of the electronics does two things for the music really, allows them to get away without a conventional rhythm section and provides a uniqueness that seperates them from many other comtemporary shoegazers. The chiptune side really shows in the opening of the songs, with a gradual ease from electronic humming and synthetic drumming to guitar being brilliantly executed. The singing is more melodramatic than I'm used to, but it certainly isn't anything overpowering. A nice experience for fans of shoegaze.

To be had here:
The Depreciation Guild - In Her Gentle Jaws [256 VBR kbps]

Snoopdroop - Artificial Flavor (2005)

Hailing from San Jose, Snoopdrop is lone man's 8-bit challenge to the world. Artificial Flavor is has only 21 minutes of play time, thus making it more of an EP than a true album in my eyes, but it has much packed into those minutes. The tracks are made up of mainly gameboy sounds, which makes the album utterly chiptune. The mind behind Snoopdrop makes his wit and style apperant with his use of some very neat song titles like "Master Mango is in Trouble" and "Banana Split Havoc Gang." Moreover, I admire his use of what I remind me of runts fruit candies for the album art. Fruity candy is an excellent parallel in the food world to what chiptune is in the musical one. Artificial Flavor is abrasive, but in an attention-grabbing fashion opposed to an unlikable racket. Very quick, exciting and pretty in its own way I find it fun to play the album as soon as I wake up sometimes to wake myself up.

To be had here (192 kbps):
Snoopdroop - Artificial Flavor

Nanobot Auxiliary Ballet - Nanobot Auxiliary Ballet (2004)

Ahh, 8-bit sounds... how many of us recall you fondly. I never had a game system growing up, it was forbidden in my house (not from conservative attitudes but from practical costs and application). Yet even I can tell the noises made by video games without a moment of trouble. Fittingly, the local NPR station broadcast a brief report on chiptune music, but unsurprisingly they acted as if it was something just conceived. Well, we know better, that is has been firmly established by those that care for it for two decades; admittedly to a much lesser extend in North America than elsewhere. Nanobot Auxiliary Ballet is merely one is a line of successive groups and artists to make wonderful harmony from game systems supplemented with additional instrumentation. They are nevertheless good notably at it. The band features record label Ninja Tunes founder Jeff Wayne and CBC radio contributor Patti Schmidt of the show Brave New Waves. Schmidt lends some vocals to several tracks, like the lovely "Stopstart" amongst others. I'm partial to the finale "In Kode" because of the liberal overlaying and tempo shifts plied with brooding comments. Within the framework on the 8-bit and supplementary sounds Nanobot Auxiliary Ballet achieves overall pleasant album. As one might expect, there is the issue that it may come off as silly if not in the correct mindset. Hopefully, as I frequently say, you'll take it for what it is and savor it.

To be had here (192 kbps):
Nanobot Auxiliary Ballet - Nanobot Auxiliary Ballet