Mark Sultan - $ (2010)

Might seem like I've become a broken record by recommending that you get the music of the same handful of musicians, but I know there will be some readers on here upset if I don't share this album. Mark Sultan is, as you might suspect, BBQ of the King Khan & BBQ Show and a frequent collaborator of Khan's from previous bands and the recently posted Almighty Defenders. This is the second full-length release that Sultan has done solo (at least under this name), but the style isn't terrible distant from the stuff he's made in bands. If anything it is slowed down and subdued in tone. In fact, there is a different version of one of my favorite tracks from Invisible Girl, the upbeat "I'll Be Lovin' You" that is slower and more whimsical. I should make it clear that I got this album from the most excellently maintained Know Your Conjurer blog. It has been that most of my most recent listening has been taken from other blogs, so it might be a few days before I've gotten something I haven't seen floating around all over to share, but hold in there and maybe we'll get lucky and one of the many less active posters have something they'd like to spout off about.

To be had here:
Mark Sultan - $ [256 kbps]

Mark Sultan - Whatever I Want (2011) & Whenever I Want (2011)

Last year I got the good fortune to meet Ty Segall, Mikal Cronin and King Khan all here in Detroit, and if there was only one musician I could add to that list it'd undoubtedly be Mark Sultan. Couldn't think of a man I'd rather here belt out garage rock, in the King Khan and BBQ Show, Les Sexareenos, the Spaceshits, or solo. I've been sitting on these albums for no good reason, but realizing I'm a fool and need to correct my erroneous ways. Moreover, I'm gonna suggest you're a madman if you don't snatch up these twin LPs right away. The albums are each fantastically charming, being both retro and modern by combining contemporary garage rock and older styles of rock, doo wop and gospel. He even ends Whenever I Want with want I can best describe as a free jazz number. Whatever I Want naturally has all the jangled, distorted guitar Sultan excels at, and features a remarkably neat cover of Ultravox's "For Just a Moment" that if anything is too brief. This man is a true wizard of lo-fi rock and roll.

To be had here:




Whatever I Want [320 kbps]











Whenever I Want [320 kbps]

Les Sexareenos - 14 Frenzied Shakers (2001)

It was only a matter of time until I got to throwing up Les Sexareenos. This was Mark Sultan's band after the Spaceshits but before his solo albums under the moniker BBQ and rejoining his former bandmate in the King Khan & BBQ Show. As one might suspect, Les Sexareenos does sound like a chain in the evolution of that sound. Toward a more rockabilly, bluesy garage rock that became stronger in later projects and the heavily punk style of the Spaceshits. This is the second of two albums, but the one I'm more familiar with. It is naturally enough loud and distorted, to such a degree that the lyrics are muddled and drums like droning beats throughout. Mark Sultan, even when incomprehensible, is one of my favorite singers. My bread and butter sort of rock and roll.

To be had here:
Les Sexareenos - 14 Frenzied Shakers [192 kbps]

The Spaceshits

Although likely well known to fans of King Khan and Mark Sultan, for the benefit of the rest the Spaceshits was the group from which that pair of modern garage rock nobility cut their teeth. Before the Shrines, BBQ, or the Almighty Defenders the were making raunchy, loud, distorted and wild music in Montreal venues earning quite the reputation. These three offerings are there 2 full-lengths and an double 7" release. While I am certain there are several singles and obscure collections out there I can't find them for the time being. The sound of these albums is much more like King Khan and the Shrines than Mark Sultan's solo work if I had to pick, but really it is far more rough and unfocused. However, with this lies a large part of the charm of these songs: the pure barbarous rock spilling from them. If you've liked any of the later groups or projects of the members of this band I must insist that you take the time you hear these albums if you have already.

To had to here:




Winter Dance Party (1997) [192 kbps]












Misbehavin' (1999) [224 VBR kbps]













Fullfisted Action! (1996) [224 kbps]

The Ding-Dongs - The Ding-Dongs (2010)

I am almost embarrassed that I just found out about this band several days ago. The Ding-Dongs, besides sharing a name with the track I enjoyed from Thee Knights of Trashe by the Milkshakes, is a collaborative effort of Montreal's Bloodshot Bill and Mark Sultan. Perhaps this is sounding familiar to regular readers, as Bloodshot Bill paired with Sultan's most frequent bandmate, King Khan, to make Tandoori Knights. It's like they're pairing off in a round robin fashion for our pleasure. The Ding-Dongs are exactly what you'd imagine coming from a project with a garage rock wizard and a rockabilly genie, very soulful and exciting music with boisterous singing about any manner of thing like female police officers and jiggling the handle in the washroom. I'm a fan for sure, and hope you're because their are other albums and collaborations from these Montreal musicians I'm hankering to share.

To be had here:
The Ding-Dongs - The Ding-Dongs [320 kbps]

BBQ - Tie Your Noose (2005)

For months now I've been listening to this album in my all to frequent, long drives to college and back to the lifeless suburb I dwell in. And for nearly as long I've debated putting it up on the blog, unsure if it is just one of those really quirky things people do, in this case taking excessive pleasure in something rather simple. Like many of the albums posted to the blog over that last several months this is a prime example of lo-fi, fuzzed out, bluesy garage punk. Also, I'd be remiss not to re-explain that BBQ is Mark Sultan, who's been posted before and obviously part of the King Khan and BBQ Show and the Almighty Defenders. This is actually the second album that Sultan did solo, and I have had some real trouble locating this self-titled debut. If you got it, sharing is caring folks. Anyhow, I genuinely love this album and I doubt the reason of anyone that doesn't like the song "Shake Me Low."

To be had here:
BBQ - Tie Your Noose [192 kbps]

Jacuzzi Boys - Glazin' (2011) & No Seasons (2009)

This is a band I've meant to post for a long time now. I used to play these fellas at my now earstwhile employment regularly. So yeah, I dropped that job like a hot rock, motherfuckers had me using a low-quality light roast blend in an espresso machine. Much as I like listening to the Jacuzzi Boys at work, it isn't with that unacceptable bullshit. However, just more time for garage rock now. Jacuzzi Boys are a Florida garage rock outfit that anyone that likes Ty Segall, Mark Sultan, and the Strange Boys. I highly doubt these guys will be news to most of the readership, I just had the files and sharing is what it all about. I will start digging through the submitted material again after this and I think there are some real promising EPs and albums I've gotten lately, including garage rock and some more experimental fare. Keep checking back for so long as I maintain some disciple I'll keep those going.

To be had here:




Glazin' [320 kbps]











No Season [256 VBR kbps]

The Black Jaspers - The Black Jaspers (2009)

As I suggested I might, this is another project from one my favorites, King Khan. Instead of being with fellow Montreal musicians Mark Sultan or Bloodshot Bill, this is with Jasper Hood of Moorat Fingers. It is quintessentially what Khan is all about, punk made lo-fi as all fuck with silly lyrics. I'll be the first to admit though that this isn't nearly a catchy or well done as the King Khan & BBQ Show albums nor is it as conceptually curious as Tandoori Knights. However, all this is a bit more expected once informed that this album was actually recorded in 2001. Apparently King Khan just held on to without releasing the Black Jaspers for years but finally felt that 2009 was the year to do so. Thus the more primitive sound the reminds one of a very stripped down Spaceshits makes more sense. Boy howdy, did I ever go link heavy here. Anyhow, hope this tickles your fancy.

To be had here:
The Black Jaspers - The Black Jaspers [192 kbps]

Robby Fischer - Dogtown (2015)

I've still have more fuzzy garage rock that's been stuck in the inbox for far too long. Here is an album that came out in September but I was privy to for some time prior, enough to be embarrassed by the tardiness of this post. However, the moment I stop feeling ashamed I guess I'd better worry about being psychotic, massively drunk or dead. The music helps though, especially when so exquisitely lo-fi as Grand Rapid's Robby Fischer.

This is the second full-length from Robby Fischer after You've Changed came out earlier this year, though there's an earlier EP worth checking out as well. Dogtown keeps the pace of very outrageously fuzzy weirdness of his prior output, perhaps being even a bit more bombastically so. I welcome this completely, it is the sort of album that a fan of garage rock having actually take the time to play won't consider letting it end before it's done. The songs are rapid, washed out and full of very pleasing guitar and thunderous drums. What's more in the true tradition of garage rock he's made a selection of songs to make covers of, and even more on point they aren't songs you'd guess. Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" which reminds me of Mark Sultan's cover of Ultravox's "Just for a Moment" in sentiment and Tayler Swift's "Trouble," a song I'm only vaguely familiar with. I imagine I'm not a fan of the original nonetheless I really dug Fischer's version. All this isn't to say his own composition aren't stellar, for that are certainly relentlessly intense and enthralling throughout. If you've like any or all of the garage I've been post over the last couple of months you can't miss this.

To be had here:
Robby Fischer - Dogtown

Dommel Mosel - Crybaby (2015)

There's been times in the past I've espoused theories that my mental health waxes and wanes to some degree with how much and what sort of music I'm listening to. Usually it is an exceedingly gluttonous amount, only justifiable by having a blog wherein I praise the albums I enjoy and act as if I am contributing to a discourse. Yet this still can become a taxing and destabilizing effort in and of itself, causing me to pull back. This is what last month was for me. Disorientating and blurry overall, and a profound sense of unproductiveness.... Then the unavoidable evening where I'm going stir crazy while being mildly agoraphobic all at once and I rediscover music. This time the harbinger was Dommel Mosel.

Despite seeming like the name of an individual artist, Dommel Mosel is actually a band from Birmingham, Alabama that plays the songs of a fella called Adam Measel. I'm not sure what to make of them, really they've thrown me for a bit of a loop. I keep listening to them and enjoying the songs each time and all the time finding their sound charmingly perplexing. It's like they're doing two things at once, playing lo-fi garage-like rock music and making sweet singer-songwriter pop. Like Mark Sultan and Sondre Lerche all mixed together, or whatever examples work best for you. There album, Crybaby, is a lengthy effort and has many permutations of this combined sound. However, some tracks really nail it exceptionally well. Firstly, "I'm Afraid I Can't Stay" is a shimmery masterpiece with a unforgettably pleasing reframe of 'wahhh-wahhh-wahhh.' Then there's "Easy Come" wherein he sings the word 'greasy' in a way that's remarkable and my older brother would appreciate very much as it's how he says it. Finally, I can't shake the feeling that "Oh, Whoa" is a sweet rock anthem. Of course with even more continued listening I'm sure I'll out more songs I adore.

The album has been issued in cassette format by Happenin' Records, from which you can purchase it for a paltry $5, or naturally via bandcamp digitally.

To be had here:

Dommel Mosel - Crybaby

King Cayman - Dream (2014)

Another album from Spain,  this time a very different sort of lo-fi record from Madrid's King Cayman from what I've been writing up lately, but a style I am so very familiar with. King Cayman is a moniker for a one-man band of very trashy, bluesy garage punk and with nothing more than that description it already can summon references to Jeans Wilder, King Tuff and BBQ, which of course was name used by Mark Sultan's early name on his early albums and still does use when teamed with King Khan. Musically I find it hard to imagine that this Spaniard doesn't listen to all of these musicians and dozens more that could be dug up from the beer-soaked barrooms they tend to play in. 

The songs you'll hear on Dream are oscillate between heavier and trashier blues punk along the lines of a stripped down Jon Spencer project like Heavy Trash or Pussy Galore, yet other times he gets quirkily creative and offbeat in a way that reminds me of Jeffrey Novak's solo work. King Cayman's tunes are incredibly seeped in the DIY philosophy of punk; the album was done on a low budget as you can imagine, so low that real drums were out of the picture so a drum machine is substituted. Nevertheless, this guy clearly isn't any old fool playing rock music as he has an remarkable prowess for forging some energetic bursts of garage rock majesty. The songs became immediately stuck in my head and required a re-listening, all the while digging for whatever it was that compelled to me heard it again and again.

Not every album I hear and like causes me to want to hear the music, not even some albums I that've become favorites of mine and others I want to hear repeatedly sometimes burn me out and I don't wanna return for prolonged times. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to which albums take hold of me in these ways, but I'm fairly confident this could become a garage classic for me. King Cayman has captured a feeling of irreverence and bravado that I have a supreme longing and might only exist in works of art, in which case I might have to settle for imagining it to songs like these.

Should you desire to hear more of this fella's music he had a demo album released on the UK label Foxbourne Tapes.

To be had here:

King Cayman - Dream

Best of 2010

I know I am late, but I really could not get a damn chance to post this sooner. To save time I stole the idea of slapping up the album art and making a list from my pals over at Somatose. I highly recommend check out there favorites of the year too, a few overlaps with mine but all gold. These are in no order and all have been posted previously on the blog save the final two, which were all over the damn blogosphere but I enjoy incredibly much.


Pill Wonder - Jungle/Surf
Coolrunnings - Babes Forever EP
Ty Segall - Melted
Not Squares - Yeah OK
Ghost Animal - Summertime in Heaven
Foxes in Fiction - Swung from the Branches

Moonhearts - Moonhearts
Mark Sultan - $
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
Nerve City - Sleepwalker EP

Daddy Rockin' Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos (2010)

Almost embarrassingly I've only recently discovered the Detroit doo-wop titians, Nolan Strong and the Diablos. Never been one to hunt down much in the way of doo-wop, Nolan Strong's voice has ensured a change in my ways. However, the how experience was exponentially enhanced when I found out I was far from alone in this reverence and that in fact many of my favorite musicians had contributed to a compilations of covers in tribute to the singer. Detroit acts I just saw during the Blowout in Hamtramck: the Dirtbombs, Outrageous Cherry, and the Hentchmen are just part of the amazing assemblage the got for Daddy Rockin' Strong. There's also the phenomenal Mark Sultan, Demon's Claw, the A-Bones, Reigning Sound, Cub Koda... even ex-Gorie Danny Kroha's new outfit. I can't think of a better line up of musicians nor a better subject for a tribute compilation. Do indulge yourself in any Nolan Strong you can hunt down and share any good recordings you might find, I've yet to get anything comprehensive.

To be had here:
Daddy Rockin' Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos [256 VBR kbps]

The Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders (2009)

Earlier this month I shared King Khan & the Shrines, so I won't give the story on who he is again. I will tell you that he and his current bandmate, Mark Sultan who is BBQ in the King Khan and BBQ Show, have been up to some collaborating. In this case with the members of the Black Lips while holing up with Khan in Berlin. Basically a garage rock jam session branded as a band. Though I think it was fully recorded it the studio, it has the roughness of a live recording. This is made all the better in that a main source of inspiration seems to be gospel, which is naturally meant to be preformed live. It certainly possesses a feeling of nostalgic reflection on the earlier period of rock music, when the influence of soul and gospel were readily apparent. This album isn't as fast-paced and jazzy as Khan's work with the shrines, but does feel very close to the most recent album with BBQ.

To be had here:
The Almighty Defenders - The Almighty Defenders [192 kbps]

Shannon and the Clams - Sleep Talk (2011)

Jazzed as all fuck when I caught sight of this album on the Aggregatibacter blog. Even though it is posted up there, I feel compelled to do so over here as well, if simple to stress its majesty. Shannon and the Clams' first album I Wanna Go Home was a wonderful bunch of lo-fi garage punk tracks with deep soulful vocals. Sleep Talk takes that base and works a considerable degree of nostalgia and retro-vibes so as to make the band very Spector-esque or to cite a more modern comparison, very much like the King Khan & BBQ Show. Howling, shouting and crooning are all given a place in the hectic and brassy songs. Where the similarities to something Mark Sultan might record is strongest are in the slower numbers such as "The Woodsman" and "Done With You" which feature an intense throwback style. The softer trilling songs are paired with heavier, distortion-laden retro punk tracks to ensure a fast-paced listen, making the album feel much shorter than it is in reality. This is really topnotch and even though it is well-trodden ground, Shannon and the Clams keep it fresh, lively and most importantly irresistibly appealing.

To be had here:
Shannon and the Clams - Sleep Talk [192 VBR kbps]

Jeffery Drag Summer 'O12 Sampler

It's infrequent that I post up sampler albums from labels, but also it is uncommon for me to get one filled with so much great garage rock. Jeffery Drag Records really has its shit together and has cobbled together a fantastic line-up of musicians. All ten of these tracks are finely done lo-fi garage that should appeal to any fans of Ty Segall, the Gories or Mark Sultan (who I finally hope to see tomorrow night). To my shame only Useless Eaters, Natural Child and Ghost Dance (by way of their kindly referring me to the sampler) were known to me. Too much time shelving used books and too little time trolling the internet for sounds. Has taught me that I'm gonna have to breakdown and pay those motherfuckers the extortionist fee for home internet. Or I can just bitch about it while posting this stuff up at a local watering hole as always, in either case more music will be sought and I'm happier for knowing of these bands.

To be had here:
JDR Sampler 2k12

EP Grab Bag vol. 85

Finally a day off and no family obligations. Perfect time to spend an afternoon checking out all manner of musics sent in from all over. Not even two of these six EPs hail from the same country, nor to many of them really fit into the same genres, though I guess they often get close to it. Hope you enjoy them.

To be had here:

The Spectres - What Will It Be (2014)

A two-piece garage rock outfit from Pittsburgh. They're lo-fi, jangley and got more than a touch of the surf rock in their sound. The EP is eleven songs, but still only makes it to twenty minutes playtime, so you can just imagine that these are some short, sweet rock ditties. They get a pretty full sound by the drummer pulling double duty with a partial kit he plays with his feet as his wields a guitar, a real Mark Sultan move. Impressive for a new band, only been around from half a year from what they tell me. So hopefully there'll be more to come.

Swinging Balls - EP (2014)

Loud, howling, low-fidelity metal/punk from Coventry, UK. The noise they make is nearly as crass as balls on the album art are large. There's not so much as singing in the songs as something between a moan and a shout. In addition to this chaos they've thrown very sludgy guitar playing that provides a firm doom metal overtone to the whole effort. The influence Black Sabbath is obvious, so clearly that they labeled the second track "Sabbath," and it seems to be more akin to the early career of the heavy metal icons. You know, the real sweet stuff, and Swinging Balls does do a good job at making a homage without seeming redundant.

BlackboxRed - Beak to Beak (2014)

A duo from the city of Leeuwarden in the Netherlands who openly affiliates with a grunge sound. As I am still not sure what made a band "grunge," the post-grunge concept has eluded me as a genre I can recognize, let alone the "ghost grunge" they tagged this with. This isn't to say I don't like anything labeled as such, for quite the opposite as I think BackboxRed makes some compelling tunes. Beak to Beak in a powerhouse of an EP. Intense, fast and full of sounds that are simultaneously bleak and exciting. The songs are rocking and the singing is epic, she can really belt out some lyrics.

VidaGuerrilla - El Kreepo (2014)

Spain's VidaGuerrlia has been prolific lately, putting out four releases, all of EP length, since October. El Kreepo is the second one they've got out in December alone. What they play it is extremely fuzzy, to the point of nearly popping. The washed out songs lay between hardcore punk and garage rock in an way that's hard to describe be immediately recognizable when heard. Finally, I know they sent me a link to their album from July, but somehow I must've failed to post it because I can't find any evidence I did so.... Strange as I do recall hearing it and thinking it was mighty swell.

Glaze of Cathexis - Imaginary Beings EP

It is very rare for SRM to get submissions from Asia. I believe many can imagine why that might be the case, and in the exceptions to this it is mostly Westerners dwelling in Japan or Korea. This is the case for Glaze of Cathexis, a band headed by American ex-pat Matt Comegys and Australian native Scot Atkinson in Ueda, Japan. Imaginary Beings is a psychedelic EP with folk and electronic elements mingled within and is only one of a butt load of releases the outfit has put out and have available on bandcamp. Quite retro and at times far out, and very much worth checking out.

SARAJEVO - The double tailed devil (2014)

Named for the capital of Bosnia, residing in the capital of France. SARAJEVO appears to be a new affair, at least as far as their bandcamp presence is concerned. This two song release is just a mere sample of what I am sure they're capable of as it a well produced and excellent sounding as these couple of tracks are. Each are psychedelic songs with nicely washed out vocals and a well practiced retro style that manages to not be tired. Despite the vocals being blown out, it is clear they're in English, but I guess that is what often happens when you wanna make rock and roll. Wish these guys the best of luck and hope to get to hear more.

Dead Ghosts - Dead Ghosts (2010)

Dead Ghosts were recommended to me from a route I have already forgotten. Notwithstanding, they're an obvious fit for the style of music I've been embracing lately. Dead Ghosts are a Vancouver band that reminds me an awful lot of their fellow Canadians King Khan and Mark Sultan. They've got the sweet sounding garage rock that is infused with just the right about of country jangle and distorted vocals. In a nutshell, the music is damned catchy and I've been spending my meal breaks at work listening to it in my increasingly cold parked car. If you fancy to give them a try do yourself a service and make sure to give them a re-listen, as I've found they've grown on me with repetition.

To be had here:
Dead Ghosts - Dead Ghosts

Fun Guns - Dead In The Living Room (2012)

A fresh offering from the Fun Guns, a band from Los Angles you may remember releasing a couple of EPs earlier this year. So for the third time this year we're getting a fine EP filled with garage rock. While I was charmed by the stripped down lo-fi of This Frontier, there was an incredible use of gospel-blues-surf influences in Sleep When You're Dead that recurs here. There's a definite homage to the Black Lips in what they're doing, and I might add the Black Lips' work with King Khan and Mark Sultan in Almighty Defenders are recognizably similar. Soulful and loud with that warmness of a live performance, because it was basically a live recording (didn't mean to make the title's joke too obvious). Also, the submission made a point that help of some musicians with other noteworthy work was recruited. Some check out Straight Dimes and Black Boots if you're so inclined. Finally, they've got some neat short literature for you to read as you listen to the tracks on the bandcamp page, which is pretty neat.

To be had here:
Fun Guns - Dead In The Living Room