Mikal Cronin - Mikal Cronin (2011)

I've been eagerly looking forward to this album since Mikal Cronin mentioned that it was coming out when we had our happenstance meeting here in Detroit. Cronin has been on this blog several times with Moonhearts and Ty Segall, both in his band and the EPs the produced together. Most of those releases were noisy garage rock with surf influence to some degree. This solo album isn't that far away from the origins, but it is a psychedelic album instead of garage rock. It isn't hard to tell the album is a fantastic listen, right from the first track I was hooked. Acoustic guitar is more heavily featured and piano and organ make some neat appearances. The songs aren't always fast and wild but are very well composed. The whole thing seems like a reflection on psychedelic rock that undoubtedly informed a large part of Cronin's inspiration. It is really good and fans should not be turned off my the mild shift in style; it is still has all that lo-fi magic. Special thanks to Jack from The Roaches from sending me a link to this album, it was a great help to me in my semi-internetless living conditions.

To be had here:
Mikal Cronin - Mikal Cronin [320 kbps]

Ty Segall & Mikal Cronin

I've previously posted both of Ty Segall's previous albums on here, but as some of you will doubtlessly agree: the second album was a lackluster follow-up. While this is technically older than Lemons, this set of EPs done by Segall teamed with Mikal Cronin of Charlie & the Moonhearts is the remedy for those seeking more of the fuzzed-out, wild garage/surf rock. They're brief and spastic songs that fill me with vigor. However, I must keep this post short as I am going to a concert tonight, something I haven't done in a bit. Have fun listening.

To be had here:





Pop Songs (2009) [256 VBR kbps]











Reverse Shark Attack (2009) [256 VBR kbps]








Bonus:

Just giving a heads up for those interested on yet another excellent blog, The Last Swand of Zapan. You should really check out the brand new shit throw up on there, it is quite remarkable. I must recommend the full-length by Best Coast, as it is pretty mondo cool.

Ty Segall - Live in Aisle 5 (2011) & Goodbye Bread (2011)

This is the only album that is appropriate to post now that my internet connection is finally giving me a window of functionality. I saw Ty Segall live here in Detroit last night as part of the most righteous Awesome Fest. They were to play on the third night, and after my second night I was roughed up my alcohol consumption and working my new nonsense job. Anyhow, who the fuck wanders in when I was just about to fall asleep from lack for customers than Ty Segall and his whole band in tow. Nearly fucking shit myself serving coffee to Mikal Cronin. Charles Moothart must be one of the friendliest guys I've met. I've been in a state of bliss since I saw them put on the best show I've seen in years. And the joy that replaced the guilt I felt when Mikal Cronin just shrugged at the idea of me illegally sharing his music and that he'd even read this blog before, tops. So here are the long over due for a posting 2011 releases from Ty Segall, Live in Aisle 5, and this summer's album, Goodbye Bread. They'll speak for themselves I am sure enough.

To be had here:




Live in Aisle 5 [256 VBR kbps]












Goodbye Bread [256 VBR 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]

The Bleed Whites - The Bleed Whites (2011)

This is a three-piece band from Toronto who makes lo-fi rock. It is a bit hard to pin them down exactly for like AGE or Mikal Cronin albums I recently posted these guys jump around some. They've got folksy, melodic numbers and ones that definitely sound like garage rock songs. The most obvious feature is that they're skillful musicians that show a good range of influences, specifically they cited 90s alternative and "60s shit." Glad this got sent in now, as I've been listening to stuff not overly dissimilar like Tangiers, who're also from Toronto if memory serves. Now I just need to replace my good headphone of which the cord what mauled by my bicycle's gears so I don't have to hear them on dollar store substitutes.

To be had here:
The Bleed Whites - The Bleed Whites

Charlie & the Moonhearts - Thunderbeast (2008)

This is basically a follow-up to the last post on here of Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin. This is Cronin's band that I alluded to. After being impressed with what he did paired up with Segall I decided hunting down this group would likely be worth my trouble. I was not disappointed either, so I've just gotten off of work and thought that it be a mighty fine use of my morning beer consumption time to pass this out. If you listened to the EPs in the previous post you have a general idea of what this will sound like, garage punk/surf rock but this is a bit more surf while being a bit less intense on the loudness. Naturally, it is quite lo-fi as well. If I recall they're based in Los Angeles. This is suitable for their surf rock influences, as they are somewhat like a modern Surfaris (or better yet The Original Surfaris, there is a difference). Something to listen for is an wonderful cover Del Shannon's classic hit, "Runaway," which is stuck in the middle of the album. Thunderbeast is amazing title for a handsomely done album that epitomizes what surf after the coming of punk rock should be like in my humble opinion.

To be had here:
Charlie & the Moonhearts - Thunderbeast [192 kbps]

EP Grab Bag vol. 74

This installment of the EP Grab Bag is more of a guise for a collection of singles, as many of these are just two song releases though not all of them. However, these songs were great and I've been enjoying playing them so much and people seem to be fans of the Grab Bags, so here's what I fucking got, dudes. In perhaps some of the better coincides I've experienced lately all these are lo-fi rock and roll of garage rock and psychedelic sorts, oh and all-American to boot.

To be had here:

NUNS - SLOWVOW (2014)

This a musician for Atlanta that's got an erstwhile member of Atenat. A couple of lo-fi garage-drone-fuzz-punk that's a bit chaotic and hard to categorize any more clearly. However, it is doesn't long listening to this pair of songs to see how an full-length by this artist will be an event worth waiting for. The track "FERNS" has got me excited in the way that COOLRUNNINGS and Moondawg Jones truly got me all jazzed up. Eagerly looking forward to more NUNS.

Mexican Knives / Ritual Howls - Split 7" (2014)

I recently saw Ty Segall playing in Detroit and it was a most righteous experience. And aside from the highlight of getting to talk to Mikal Cronin and Charlie Moonheart again and having them remember me, I got to see the Detroit garage rock band Mexican Knives open the show for them. Turns out their members have been customers of mine at the bookstore and I can't believe I've yet to feature them. Very good lo-fi rock, highly recommend you click around on the bandcamp to see the other songs. Also, this is more first exposure to Ritual Howls but they're very solid too.

Aaron & the Burrs - Release the Bats! (2014)

This album's cover art was enough to invoke memories of flicking through drawers of CDs at the public library hunting for garage rock. I would have grab this up in a heartbeat. I've posted this group before, namely their self-titled full-length from 2012. On that post there bands I think they're akin to, but I think I left out how much they remind me of Midwestern garage rockers like the Yolks and the Soledad Brothers, in fact the b-side to this is a sweet instrumental garage number that'll join the ranks of other short and fast songs like that from those two bands and others I have for driving places quickly. Put out by Feral Kid Records and Ut Records.

Strange Lot - Walk of the Sun EP (2014)

As I said, not all of these are only two tracks, here's an EP proper from Arizona psychedelic band. Strange Lot is washed out rock that really has a drunkenly cheerful tone like playing on a beach, though it isn't very surf rock-ish. Addictively when listened to and it is excellently retro at times, playing with a foggy recollection of many past late nights hearing strange psychedelia for sure. I'd especially recommend it if you liked the Australian band Cobwebbs that was posted up yesterday.

Useless Eaters - Linear Movement (2014)

Useless Eaters loves fucking small releases. I've yet to find anything longer than four songs put out by them so far. I'll take whatever I can get though, as they are some of the most awesome garage punk outfits consistently putting out songs for our sonic consumption. This is just one of two releases of two songs from this past summer, and I do beseech you to check out Mother Earth if you liked this one and to go back and hear all those other EPs and singles they've been pumping out.

Party Fowl - Party Fowl CS (2006), Party Fowl 7'' (2008), & STD's 7" (2008)

Party Fowl is another relatively short-lived band that involved Ty Segall (The Traditonal Fools, Epsilons) on drums and Mikal Cronin (Moonhearts) on bass. While I might not be the best completist when it comes to discographies, I do try sometimes. Therefore I felt Party Fowl merited a post of their own like all the other bands of theirs I rave about. Party Fowl is really, really lo-fi, to the point I haven't a qualm saying no-fi. This isn't helped by the fact that I could only find it in 128 kbps. The self-titled cassette's fidelity is so minimal that it is next to impossible to even understand a word on it, but who needs words, right? The mildly more clear self-titled 7" and STD's 7" sound something like the Charlie & the Moonhearts because of the surf influence that can be heard. An interesting addition to a Segall fan's library for sure.

To be had here:





Party Fowl CS [128 kbps]















Party Fowl 7" [320 VBR kbps]












STD's 7" [320 VBR kbps]