Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Acid Kicks - Live at Silk City on January 11th, 2012

Acid Kicks released this live album straight after their show, the internet and digital recordings are amazing things. There's that sweetly lo-fi aspect that comes with live recordings, but unlike many of the others I've posted this isn't garage rock. Acid Kicks play a sort of psychedelic rock that is shoegazey and ethereal, which they have brilliantly tagged as dream punk. Pretty smooth and hypnotic, and while not instrumental the vocals are incomprehensible and echoing in a fantastic way. Features some tracks they didn't release prior to this gig as well, which always makes a live show all that more neat. Streaming and downloadable in a name your own price scheme.

To be had here:
Acid Kicks - Live at Silk City on January 11th, 2012

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Fat History Month - A Gorilla (2011) & Fucking Despair (2011)

The fine gentleman at Sweaters & Pearls Records was cool enough to send me some of their releases on 7" vinyl. First vinyl I've gotten in the mail and was quite jazzed to receive it, so many thanks. Fat History Month was just one of two bands I was given, in particular their A Gorilla EP. However, I felt each band had enough for me to write up separately. Fucking Despair was the full-length that came out before A Gorilla, on Sophomore Lounge Records. It is arty lo-fi rock with spoken word sections mingling with singing, sorta like Car Seat Headrest and Forest Porridge in that sense. Guitars that shuffle between droning and melodies are what stood out most strikingly to me when I first these these guys. The style of A Gorilla is the same, if perhaps a bit more brooding, which is to be expected when it was release right on the heels on the LP. However, they're both finely made releases. The goldenrod colored transparent vinyl that A Gorilla is pressed on is certainly a nice aesthetic touch as well. I'm linking to the bandcamp pages for the releases below where all the songs can be streamed and purchased, or if you want to go directly through the label you can find those links within this posting.

To be had here:




A Gorilla











Fucking Despair

Friday, January 27, 2012

Ty Segall/Charlie & The Moonhearts - 4th of July show tape (2008)

I still make a regular habit of listening to both Ty Segall and Charlie & the Moonhearts, even when customers look me me as if I'm running a nasty feedback loop through the terrible speaker at work. It is worth the horridly fucked up sound to get the intense garage rock these guys excel at. This release in particular has a warped effect, but I really must admit that makes me happier to play it. Recorded live on what I can only assume is the 4th of July in 2008, this was a show wherein both of these wonderful acts shared the bill. I wish I could have been there, for this shit showed righteous even in its remarkably lo-fi quality. Roughly eighteen minutes of garage punk delights. Finally, credit to where credit's due, I found this on iamtheleastmachiavelllian blog, which is filled with great garage rock downloads.

To be had here:
Ty Segall/Charlie & The Moonhearts - 4th of July show tape

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Random Singles part 7

This batch could almost as easily be called Random Demos, but in this digital age I can think it is worth my time to split hairs. Anyway, this shit showed up and I dug it.

Another single of frenzied garage punk by Greg Cee. Filled with highly distorted guitar and vocals, panicking hollers, and crashing cymbals. There's a new version of "My Satantrue" which was on the White Moon Digital Single I shared a bit ago, and it nearly twice as long and epic. Should a full-length from Greg Cee be released I'll be ready to hear it.


Stagnant Pools - Consistency (2012)

Shared two of this band's albums several months ago and they've been cool enough to let me know they've got a new single out. Very shoegaze, lo-fi and wall-of-sound. Wonderfully done, hope there's a new album on the way.





Holy Shakes - Demos (2011)

This band sent me their demos for a planned release. They haven't eve

n got this shit streaming anywhere according to what they told me, but I guess they want it passed around nonetheless. So here are the very catchy lo-fi rock of Arkansas's Holy Shakes.




E U N U C H S - Demos (2011)

Two brief and noisy tracks from this UK three-piece. Loud and wild in the fashion of Lightning Bolt, Mindflayer, or Liars. Lo-fi noise rock for sure and I promising start should the put something more lengthy out.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

YALL - They'll Say We're Only Dreaming (2012)

The new album by those Texan math/noise rockers, YALL. Features their earlier released single, GUM. It's a blissfully frantic affair to listen to this album for the first time, this is natural with most noisy rock. Moreover, these song sound incredibly lo-fidelity. Thus it mashes everything into a sonic paste. However, it becomes less cacophonous with repeated listens and assumes the invigorating mode the musicians intended. Admittedly, some of the tracks are far more toward math rock, such as the magnificently quick angular guitar playing in "Blastocyst" demostrates. I gotta say I liked the whole damn thing though, and I bet you will to you like any of their other releases. Available for download from the band's own mediafire upload.

To be had here:
YALL - They'll Sya We're Only Dreaming [320 kbps]

Monday, January 23, 2012

Zloty Dawai - Torso Apart (2011)

As promised here is Germany's Zloty Dawai. Submitted by their drummer, who's solo project R3000 I posted in the last Grab Bag. There music is, like R3000, is rather far out. However, it's dissimilar in that instead of being electronic, Zloty Dawai is improvised, free jazz. Now, if you've been following the blog I've been trying to understand and enjoy jazz more lately, and this was like jumping into the deep end, in a good sorta way. It is wild, gloomy, and energizing in a manner that's unique as far as the fare on this blog goes. Moreover, they got play on the influential independent radio station WFMU. There is a previous album from 2006, Dada Work Chant, that is worth checking out as well.

To be had here:
Zloty Dawai - Torso Apart

Thursday, January 19, 2012

EP Grab Bag vol. 12

These are the EPs I've gotten around to listen to since around mid-December. A mix of genres in this set, from garage rock to electro-acoustic oddities. Hope you find something you like.

To be had here:

R3000 - Muted Fog Delay (2012)

A strange hybrid of electronic and acoustic instrumentation along with a heavy use of sampling makes up R3000. The solo project of drummer of Germany's Zloty Dawai (on which I plan to post soon). I found the noisey and seemingly chaotic music of R3000 to be take on an ordered effect if given a chance, and is remarkably emotional.




Bear Baiting - Bear Bating E.P. (2011)

A Los Angeles instrumental group consisting of two basses, keys, and drums. I'd call it post-rock, but it does have some very math rock like aspects in the bass playing. It is intense and quick, I'd say good for you if you like Kinski, Lebanon or Maserati. Plus that album art is just grotesquely awesome.





Honeybear Forest - Bloody Bay (2011)

Out of Northeastern Pennsylvania is the electronic/ambient artist going under the moniker Honeybear Forest. The songs are spacey and ethereal, fantastic for chilling out with. I picked Bloody Bay so as to have specific album art, but there are several releases you can hear on the bandcamp site. Physical copies of his music can be gotten at Stress Carrier.




Dusty Mush - Demos (2012)

Dusty Mush is garage rock group from France. They've linked me their demos that were DIY recorded in a friend's attic with two microphones. Influenced by great garage rockers like the Gories, the Mummies, and the 13th Floor Elevators. There's even some surf vibes. Never one to shy from lo-fi techniques I greatly enjoyed these tracks.




Eric Silberberg - The Courtroom (2011)

This is the guy that sent in the Vostok 1 EP that I put on Grab Bag vol. 7. Like that EP this is an experimental eletro-acoustic release. At times it sounds only vaguely musical, so it might fall into the catagory of sound collage or field recording-esque. Much with the beeps, boops, jangling cords, and odd slices of conversation. Eerie in the best kind of way.




G. Zarapanecko - Glitterdämmerung (2010)

Despite the very German title, I believe this fella is from New Haven. Nevertheless, it is more electro-acoustic music. I picked this release as it is an EP to fit the theme, but he's got more releases out you can get to from if you poke around the bandcamp page. This shit has accordion too, that makes me indescribably happy. Washes over me like a prescription-strength painkiller.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess (1958)

Only once have I posted jazz before, Lou Donaldson's Blues Walk. That album I lucked upon at the public library as a sixteen year old. However, my knowledge of jazz is still rudimentary. So in new effort to learn to appreciate jazz music I've decided there's likely few better spots jump in at than Miles Davis. Now, I've done my research, I know these songs weren't written by Davis. They're George Gershwin's tunes from his folk opera Porgy and Bess as rearranged by Davis and Gil Evans. Because of this I found it a great starting point. Songs of an old composer played and arranged by musicians of the bebop period. Can't speak to how representative it is of the period's style, but holy shit have I loved listening to it lately. Anyhow, if you've got really good suggestions for an album that may help me get into jazz better let me know.

To be had here:
Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess [192 kbps]

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Peaking Lights - 936 (2011)

Can't believe I missed this album coming out. Then again tons of shit slips right by me. So thanks to Somatose for posting this one up, for I adore Peaking Lights. Listened to this album for the first time right after yesterday's posted band, Treasure Hunt, and I was surprised how similar in mood they were. Lightly droning, ethereal vocals, and echoing cords make quite close. Perhaps naturally enough as they're both lo-fi electronic music. However, this is a shift from Imaginary Falcons, which I posted about just after my old car's windows got bust out in this city I still perplexing live in. 936 isn't as darkly droning. Not really upbeat, except perhaps "Birds Of Paradise Dub Version," but as a whole more psychedelic and otherworldly. I also shared their EP released between the albums, Space Primitive, if you wanna grab that.

To be had here:
Peaking Lights - 936 [192 kbps]

Monday, January 16, 2012

Treasure Hunt - Seatec Astronomy (2012)

This is the second Treasure Hunt album posted on Spacerockmountain. Another of the fresh releases to come out with the changing over to a new year. Seatac Astronomy has a far more mellow mood. I'd easily place this as chillwave/glo-fi material whereas the last album was far more experimental, noisy and frantic in style. Nature sounds (largely chirping of birds), squeaking instruments, and light choir-like vocals fading in and out of the background all add up for a hypnotic listening experience. Mostly I find I'm pleased with the music submitted, but this certain exceeded by expectations for the band. To listen to the changing and developing group of artists that've chosen to repeated send in their releases has proven to be the best part of the blog. Top notch, fellas.

To be had here:
Treasure Hunt - Seatec Astronomy

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Coyotes in the Room - Right On (2012)

A new album from those kids in Indiana, Coyotes in the Room. I shared their full-length from last year, Hell Young Man. The comments I made trying to place them genre-wise are more or less consistent with this release, which is to say that undoubtedly lo-fi psychedelia but hard to get over specific. The songs here seem is anything a bit more far out and experimental, of course especially in the two tracks titled as improvisations. They're sounding fuller and stranger and I'll say more appealing because of it. Check out the lyrics on bandcamp, I thought it was wonderful that there are hardly any words written for any of the songs, for example "Baby D" has one line. Finally, they did a curious cover of a Billie Holiday song that's pretty awesome. They're giving this stuff away, pilgrims, like Jehovah's Witnesses with pamphlets.

To be had here:
Coyotes in the Room - Right On

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Prism Riot - Prism Riot (2010)

Listened to this wild album by Prism Riot after I was given a heads up Kyle Haish of Kitchen Wallet. A project of Travis Siegfried, who's from Michigan like yours truly, yet unsurprisingly I was unaware of. A tidal wave of experimental/noise/electronic with very math rock guitar and unrestrained drumming. While there are moments of respite from the intensity of dissonance, it never ceases being interestingly outlandish. However, some of the tracks are just brimming over with noise of drums and electronics that provides that seemingly contradictory affect of clearing the mind. A pretty damned righteous and I wish I'd known about it sooner.

To be had here:
Prism Riot - Prism Riot

Friday, January 13, 2012

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]

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Nu - The New Strokes Record (2011)

Bullet Records, the label for Rozwell Kid, send me the link to several of their other releases. Nu is a West Virginian garage rock act that came up with a rather witty title for their album. Really I wasn't attracted to the title which pales in might to the quick and dirty rock and roll that Nu pumps out in these short songs. In the vein of the Yolks, Different Skeletons, and Fe Fi Fo Fums. They've managed to capture much of the energy that a good garage punk show should have. I'll tell you, it is worth playing this album through a nice, loud set of speakers even if does annoy one's neighbors.

To be had here:
Nu - The New Strokes Record

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Teen Brigade - Into The Ocean (2011)

Into the Ocean is an epic album; it plays for nearly an hour and quarter. With only fifteen tracks one can easily imagine there are some real doozies. Electronic soundscapes with long, building, evolving and mood-shifting nature make up the first and third parts, but the middle ha stripped down songs with more guitar. The variety of fuzzed out or warped vocals are really what gives some of the songs personality though, such as "(1). Left The Club Last Night" where hip hop style singing is present or echoey, ethereal voice in "Chaos Reigns." I thought it was awesome that there's a clip of guy calling in about reading up on H.G. Wells wikipedia stuck in the middle of the album. Overall, it is hard to place Teen Brigade into any genre, for arguably many present here, including lo-fi rock, pop, ambient, glo-fi, and more. Perhaps the best way to put it is the Teen Brigade is a fine example of genre isn't anywhere near as important as making good music.

To be had here:
Teen Brigade - Into The Ocean

Monday, January 9, 2012

Twink - Itsy Bits & Bubbles (2011)

Found this in my inbox the other day and was rather curious about what the submitter had labelled the music, toytronica. Portmanteaus, as the cousin of the pun, is something I sometimes find myself drawn to. However, no matter how neat word play might be, I'm posting it because I found the music itself cool. Obviously, toy instruments matched with electronic techniques are the defining elements of Twink. What makes it worthwhile to listen to is the way songs aren't cloying with the cuteness of child's toys nor feel like a gimmick. Certainly unusual and strange, but I think there's something exciting about uncommon instrumentation. The mood of the music is rather upbeat, sorta reminds me of minimalistic version of Architecture In Helsinki where there are no singing, horns, etc. Probably the thing that made me the most jazzed was when I heard Twink's cover of Harold Faltermeyer's Axel F (titled here as Axel Foley) from Beverly Hills Cop. While the album does have a degree of novelty that could turn some off, I found it charming. Streamable on bandcamp, downloadable for $4.99 or a CD version for a bit more.

To be had here:
Twink - Itsy Bits & Bubbles

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Lasso - Lasso'd (2011)

This album stands out among what I've been sent lately. It has a pretty unique style compared to what's been playing in my headphones. Lasso is undoubtedly psychedelic rock but with a strong degree of country and Americana. The music is worth paying attention to just to hear the contrasting use of twangy and fuzzy instruments matched up to create something all the more wonderful. Taking a cue from the album art I imagined a dreamily colored western landscape as listened with my eyes shut. In the tracks that have vocals I found the singing pretty awesome and it varies throughout the album, augmented by brief sampling to create mood. Also, there's a ragtime/dixieland sorta number, "Creep St." that's a highlight for sure. The fella that sent to this album is not only in the band but runs a small label/studio in Kalamazoo called Double Phelix. The bandcamp page linked to has the album for free digitally or for a measly $5 on tape or CD. I highly recommended that you at very least stream it.

To be had here:
Lasso - Lasso'd

Friday, January 6, 2012

Dick Dale - Surfers' Choice (1962 [2006 reissue])

Dick Dale is legendary. Surfers' Choice was his first full-length album originally released in 1962, but I'm sharing a reissue featuring six additional tracks. The majority of the tracks are live recordings and a good deal are not purely instrumental like many surf rock numbers. In fact, the songs with vocals aren't too far off from the period's garage rock, or what would soon evolve into garage rock. However, the most overwhelming aspect is Dale's astounding guitar, which has won him the title King of the Surf Guitar. Several of these tracks are so commonly covered, sampled or had elements borrowed, such as "Let's Go Trippin'" and "Misirlou Twist," that it hard not to be familiar with them. I've even had confusion over where they came from previously, as I grew up on the Beach Boy's version of Let's Go Trippin' so long I never thought to look where it was from for years. This album can't be highly recommended if you haven't got it already for it really is the quintessential surf rock album.

To be had here:
Dick Dale - Surfer's Choice [320 kbps]

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Nate Henricks - NTH MERIDIAN (2012)

New album just out for the new year by Nate Henricks, whose Horse Carrot//Lemonade Guarantee I wrote up back in November. NTH MERIDIAN preserves the charming bedroom pop (or bedroom folk as he's tag it) of the previous album. It is definitely an amalgamation of styles and influences wherein Pet Sounds era Beach Boys, Elephant 6 indie pop like Apples in Stereo, and the multitude young artists outfitted with computers and guitars making music now. The first few tracks are rather pleasant and Brain Wilson-esque. Throughout the songs are delightfully psychedelic and craftily electronically augmented. I'm happy that Henricks sends his albums my way and hope he'll keep it up. The album is downloadable in a "pay your own price" fashion, in case your pockets are feeling heavy.

To be had here:
Nate Henricks - NTH MERIDIAN