Kramies - The Wooden Heart (2014)

This record has three things going for it:

1. It is being released by Hidden Shoal, one of the best labels around putting out dreamy pop music.

2. Folks involved with Guided by Voices and Grandaddy have helped with the production.

3. The recording quality is immaculate without sounding processed.

The layers of lush sound found on the EP's title track may not cure cancer, but it almost surely can cure canker sores. Did I ever mention that I studied medicine during the French Revolution? And by "study medicine", I mean I killed a lot of people and ate them. This EP is much more relaxing than that time period in my life, and any fan of the aforementioned bands who isn't taking this one out for a spin should be a patient at my lobotomy school.

Download it here:
Kramies - The Wooden Heart (2014)

Or buy the physical.

Passion Pusher - Your A Loser (2013)

Many folks have sat down, drank a liter of scotch, and rocked out lo-fi masterpieces over the ages. Some of my favorite recordings were made on an old shitty boombox that had a built in microphone. I would record over little skits I had taped as a wee demon. Passion Pusher is like a throwback to that era. These proper Edinburgh lads are likely less sauced than the average individual walking the city's streets, but they put their drunken state to good use and laid to tape some fuzzy goodness. Keep drinking my friends.



Get it here:

Passion Pusher - Your A Loser (2013)

Plastic Pinks/ Las Tias (2014)

Every poppy garage jam can use a few reverb drenched "oooohs" and "ahhhhs" over the chorus, and if you have ever heard any of my tunes, you would know that I have an ample supply in my arsenal of sound. Cheap Miami Records must be kindred souls, as they released this awesome split tape between Plastic Pinks and Las Tias. No filler here, just 5 great fuzzy pop jams. "Yo La Vi" is a snotty anthem to those days you find yourself stuck on a frozen highway in Atlanta. It's helping warm my ass as this stupid city gets its ass in gear. When Las Tias' "Vision" kicks in, I feel like getting on a plane and jetting to a Detroit roller-ring, where at least they know how to deal with snow fall. But I guess I'll just have to let these crunchy jams warm me while I sit here and wait.

Get it here:

Plastic Pinks/ Las Tias (2014)

Yorkshire Fields - Dummo (2013)

The 80s are back you say? Then why don't I see lines of coke at every club? I can't stand the stuff personally, but it did provide ample opportunity to taste the fairer sex.

Yorkshire Fields from Louisiana owe a lot to the synth/electro culture of the 1980s, but this is not a project built entirely out of retro-resurrection. After the funky pop of "Light Leaks," the band charts a path closer to the fuzzed out electronic indie rock than anything resembling Culture Club. My favorite track, "Did We Get Old" rests just off the coastline of my imagination with its buzzing guitar licks, calling me to swim at night even when I know sharks are out there waiting to take a bite. I saw Kisses play at the Soda Bar in San Diego last night, and these kids would have fit well on that bill.

No physical release (yet), but it is a free digitally, so grab it before they run out of free-downloads.

Get it here:
Yorkshire Fields - Dummo (2013)

EP Grab Bag vol. 49

Chelsea Wolfe - Pain is Beauty (2013)

When you are a dark lord like myself, you often require minions to carry out nefarious plans. Yet, minions provide little in the way of conversation and companionship, and thus a black queen is required. Chelsea Wolfe would be an ideal ruler of my evil domain in hell, and her 2013 is one of the best "pop" records I have heard in some time. "We Hit a Wall" showcases her haunting vocals as a cold beat lurches the track towards its ominous end. Even if she were to reject my advances, a shrine will be built to her visage in Hell.

Yosa Buson and Travel by Train - Izarra (2013)

My label-mates have crafted another fine set of drone and dark-synth inspired jams that were played while I tortured a few pirates from the 18th century.  Pirates from that era have a real aversion to experimental music, and my master on high wanted to send a message to all the miscreants on the open sea.

Atu - Pictures on Silence (2013)

Hip Hop is a new thing in your world, so we have only started to recruit members of the community into Hell's fold. Little do most humans know, but simply owning a Rap record is enough to get you a meeting with a dark lord once you have bitten the dust. I think we will make an exception for Atu. This is clean, bouncy Hip-Hop that is just odd enough to make it out of place at a high school dance party. Beautiful and enchanting beats that show what a producer can do when not confined to the whims and ego of a popstar.

Best of SpaceRockMountain 2013

2013 was a great year for independent music. I was exposed to a great number of acts while writing for this website, and these are just a few that continued to spin on my digital turntable well after they were posted.

Ubu Roi – Nice Dude EP (2013)

BlackBoxRed – Stripper (2013)

So Stressed – Attracted to Open Mouths (2013)

Thee Dang Dangs - For the People (2013)

The Future Primitives - Into The Primitive (2013)

The Sufis – Inventions (2013)

The Balcony Stars – She’s Going Down (2013)

Liam Singer – Arc Iris (2013)

Crown Larks - Catalytic Conversion (2013)

Shape Breaker - Eyes Wide (2013)