White Poppy - White Poppy (2013)

Not Not Fun is one of the best record labels in California putting out psychedelic dance music, improvised jams, and off-kilter tunes. It was a stellar year for the label and more than a few of my favorite records from this year were released under their banner. White Poppy may be the strongest new release, and you have probably seen this release pop up on countless yearend Best Of lists.

White Poppy sounds like countless groups recording in their bedrooms on their IMac but with a sense of polish and perfection that is harder to come by. As this project is the brainchild of Crystal Dorval, it is amazing to see how much traction she gets out of the swirling melodies she laces with ethereal vocal stylings. Distant yet fun, and you know that is always worth a listen.

Get it here:
White Poppy - White Poppy (2013)

EP Grab Bag vol. 48

More goodness from the month of December that are just now getting the respect they deserve.

Soft Cure – Candy (2013)

Instrumental indie-surf tunes by a kid who is making the best of the DIY esthetic and has put together two pleasing songs you can use to dream about when covered in ice and death.

 

 

 

Land Lines (PDX) – Loserly EP (2013)

Fuzzed out garage pop from rainy Portland. I have a slew of 7 inch singles from the 90s that sound just like this. Still good in my estimation.

 

 

 

Beast & Flood – Forever Homes/Name Split EP

Sydney has more than kangaroos and guys who look like just fought a gang of crocs, it also has great post-punk like Beast and Flood. At the start of Forever Homes, I got a distinct Pavement feel that quickly faded behind the graceful and prodding baseline and howling vocals. Highly recommended.

 

 

Misled Navigator – Sense, Déjà vu (2013)

If you are going to experiment, it always helps to have some tunes that even the most jaded hipster could dance to. These Brooklyn kids picked up on this lesson, and put together what could best be described as alternative dance punk used to fuck to.

 

 

 

Bike Weak – Idle (2013)

This is some odd shit. Smooth R&B jams sung by a guy who is either completely high and/or drunk and taking a piss on the style, or so committed to his craft that he doesn’t care if he comes off crazy and psychopathic. Being a psychopath myself, I can usually smell one of my kind. More of this type of insanity please.

 

 

Svarta Stugan – A Mutation and a Madness (2013)

Because I am in a fucked up mood thanks to Bike Weak, I am not sure if I crave blood or love at the moment. Thankfully, this Swedish band gives me both, and delivers a dark set of songs that look bleak even under a cloudy Gothenburg sky.

EP Grab Bag vol. 47

Some great tunes that were sent our way during the month of December. I’ll be short and brief regarding each, but all are worth a listen or download.

Bully Mammoth – EP Two (2013)

Big bad guitars and drums that could push down the Great Wall if used effectively as artillery, this Portland band is back with another larger than life EP that fans of hard hitting psychedelic music with a bit of How Water Music thrown in are sure to enjoy.

 

 

 

Conspiracy A-Go-Go Compilation (2013)

The JFK assignation felt like just yesterday for an old ghoul like me, but for most of you, it is likely just another conspiracy theory that some nefarious agents carried out against a philandering Irish booze-hound. Turn Me on Dead Man Recordings has done something I am unfamiliar with, but a great idea that I will surely steal at some point. They put together a great comp of garage and punk rock bands making songs related to the JFK assassination. There is a lot of great material to comb through here, but my favorite from the first half of the record is Dark Fog’s “God Damn Texas.”

Judy’s Funeral – Down Deep/Lose Yourself (2013)

I love England in 1990. I was kicking it around London listening to lots of what would later be called shoegaze and doing copious amounts of acid. Kids: don’t let anyone tell you that drugs got boring after the 1960s! This group’s EP is a great mix of soaring reverb drenched guitar lines and the sneering bravado of a drunk lad from Glasgow at 6 in the morning coming home pissed from the pub. Highly recommended.

 

Cody Pie – Body (2013)

More bigger than life pop music from Montreal (or are these headphones just bloody awesome?), this short single would have been huge if these kids had been come out in 1993 and toured with Suede. I should add that the vocals are recorded just right for a release of this nature.

 

 

Word War 1 Compilation (2013)

This French label (Retard Records) is definitely going on my list of best new record labels. They put out a slew of great releases this month, but this compilation of French garage rock jams is the icing on the cake. If you do not immediately love Kaviar Special, you might be an ailment ridden idiot. Great cover, great tunes, great label.