EP Grab Bag vol. 93

I've got a glut of EPs incoming lately. This is good news but also much time to be spent listening. Being the compulsive music fiend as usual I plowed through a bliss couple of evenings getting to know these six EPs and I don't think there's a single one to be scoffed at in the slightest way. In fact some of them are rather exceptionally brilliant. Mostly American with just a bit of Germany and the Down Under thrown in.

To be had here:
Caterwaulrus - Songs That Go Nowhere (2015)

It's been the better part of the year since Caterwaulrus appeared on the SRM, and now Austin-based musician has got a new EP out. In full disclosure, Larry wrote up his previous release, which I gave an all too cursory listen to but judging by the stunning quality of this new batch of tunes. No joke, these are stellar bedroom pop songs, quirky, psychedelic and charming as all get out. I am confindent enough to say fans of Nate Henricks, Tim Cohen, Slight Birching, Pill Wonder and so on will adore what Caterwaulrus is playing on Songs That Go Nowhere. I've already been texting the link to this album to my coworkers, which I'm sure they're jazzed about. But seriously, motherfucking listen to this EP.

Paar - Pure/She Brings the Rain (2015)

Paar is a band started by a member of German post-punk band, The Amount of Light We Give Off, that was featured exactly 30 Grab Bags ago. I'd say he kept with the post-punk that was so well displayed in that EP for these two new songs, adding more new wave as well. However they sound quite unique from the prior work as these are full of pumping, hypnotic bass and a most seductive singer. "Pure" is a striped down tune, as far as wall-of-sound songs go, and I really, truly fell in love with this band upon hearing the bleak yet sultry "She Brings the Rain." I gotta hear more of that sort of thing.

Little Star - The Romantic World of Little Star (2015)

A new band from a frequently mentioned city, it's Little Star of Portland, Oregon. Now, this band is called Little Star (they don't capitalize it but that shit drives me crazy to see while typing this out) and they've got a tag on their bandcamp for "Big Star." Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where they're inspiration came from. Nonetheless, I approached this EP openly and found myself incredibly endeared to the sweet, often acoustic, power pop tunes. Without a doubt these are well composed and delightful tunes that lack that annoyance factor much pop music creates for me. Like Big Star, who'd have guessed that?

Evasive Backflip - Pussy Up (2015)

Noisy, experimental, mathy jazz punk? Chicago? Naturally. Evasive Backflip put out this new EP on the superb indie label, Grandpa Bay Recordings, whose releases are regular occurrences on SRM at this point. Usually their releases are of an experimental sort, something that Pussy Up continues valiantly. The songs sound improvisational, a bit chaotic at moments but held together the excellent jazzy horn playing and angular guitar swirling around. "Disentanglement Puzzle" is an interesting, unique and very engaging introduction to this band's sound.

Feng Shui Police - Thank You (2015)

As I listened to this EP I very soon felt I was hearing a college kids, yet as I kept on it seems that might be an artful feint. So while I cannot be sure that Providence, RI's Feng Shui Police has anyone in college among its members, it was "Recorded in Dash's basement, powered by coffee and Thai food." Basically that sentence summarizes all I can remember about college anyway. What they've done here is make an acoustic garage rock album, if your mind can handle that concept. But it totally is, the drums are lower to make the guitars audible, the singing is lyric-centered like a young man liberated by use of language ought to embrace. Clever, in an cool, funny way.

White Lodge - Split 7" [w/ The Gorlons] (2015)

I'm not sure how this split came to be, but I know I have written up both these most excellent garage rock outfits, one from the Australian state of Queensland and other from American state of Missouri. These two songs are just from Brisbane's White Lodge made the fuzzy and fast psychedelic garage tune "Backwater Rumble" and another tune called "Ancient Tides," which is perhaps the more theatrically grungy of the two songs but they're very equally matched in overall lo-fi quality. The Gorlons have yet to release their half, but I look froward to it eagerly. God bless electronic communication allowing such far-flung artists to combine for a joint release, especially two I like so much.

The Lascope - Red Rough Fur (2015)

A few years back, I dug deep into the psychedelic sounds of Germany in the 60s and 70s. While the country is not the first to come to mind when considering the acid soaked genre, a fair share of classic bands came out of the country and influenced future sounds on the continent. The Lascope sound more like a bunch of American gents sitting around Santa Cruz to my ear, but the sound they create is worth a listen to even a passing fan of psych music. Just check out the title track; what starts off as an ethereal country ditty goes full on prog in its second half. Drunk motorcycle gangs grinding up lines of coke come to mind when the rustic bluesy riff of Speech for the Owls drops, and the outlaw status is completed when the distortion is turned up to 11. I would mix the vocals deeper into the rack if I were recording this bad boy, but it earned more than a few listens this morning. 

Get it here:

The Lascope - Red Rough Fur (2015)

EP Grab Bag vol. 87

So, after a prolonged period of of LPs there, it is finally time for me to come back to these EPs that have been burning a hole in my metaphorical pocket. I haven't much to say as a preliminary except that I am so happy that these tunes keep pouring and are so fucking good.

To be had here:

LOVEBYRD - LOVEBYRD (2015)

Ongakubaka Records, the blog turned indie label, has another EP out that is, of course, impeccable. LOVEBYRD is a German band that makes psychedelic music. It's hard to tell whether the near-hallucinogenic instrumentation or the amazing vocalist are more mesmerizing. She can really sing, the guitars are damned trippy and it all comes together for five otherwordly tracks. Fits in a fine middle ground of modern psych, incorporating enough retro and eastern sound but not so much as to be a rehash. It's a wonderful EP, and I told you before that Ongakubaka knows what the fuck is up. If they were printing money instead of issuing records it'd be as good as gold.

H. Grimace - Material EP (2015)

These songs mingle somewhere between garage rock and dream pop, sort of a space usually occupied by shoegaze in my mind, but I wouldn't necessarily categorize H. Grimace as such. It isn't about tags, as much as I like to throw them around. What matter is that the songs are good, and this is definitely the case on their Material EP. This is EP is put out by the United Kingdom's Soft Power Records, a label I should like to provide more attention to in the days to come. Looks like they've got a good catalog to pick over.

The Clearwings - The Outskirts EP (2014)

The Denver-based folk duo the Clearwings make some fine duets. That's right, they sing together and it is quite impressive how well the female and male voices meld and play off one another in these short songs. The call themselves alt-folk, but who knows what that means, what I can say is that they do mix in some blues and pop elements in, depending on which track you pick. Being quite partial to the blues myself, I found the songs "Long Way Down" and "Armies" to be my favorites on the EP. However, there isn't a dud among them, and it is a highly enjoyable release.

Dhruva Krishna - The Great Skedaddle (2013)

More folk, of a far more stripped down variety. Just a man playing his guitar, or sometimes tapping on a piano, and making you think about shit. Upbeat and bluegrass-infused folk makes up most of the songs, yet in the middle of it "Crazy" is a bare-bones piano piece that really resonated with me. Only the last track, a cover of the Beatles classic "Yesterday," has any vocals at all.  If the quality of the folk coming in keeps up with Clearwings and what Mr. Krishna have sent in, I welcome much more.

Sväva - We Have Just The Life We Want (2014)

Another Dutch band from the city of Leeuwarden. Sväva makes melodic, ethereal music with strong female vocals. The songs aren't very complex, but they needed be as Sväva seems to be aiming for a more emotional reaction to their music. I spent quite a bit of time listening to this EP as I tried to plow my way into a novel I decided to begin the other day. I kept putting down the book, not because I didn't like it, but because I kept check which track I was hearing. Turns out I am really digging the final song of this release, "Blue Moon." It's totally worth a whirl.

Wolf Mountains - Birthday Songs For Paul (2014)

A garage punk album has been overdue on the posts lately. It is always overdue in my day-to-day. I cannot ever get enough if it, though as you can very well see from what I've been posting recently I often stray for considerable periods of time nonetheless. Yet that time has come that I've hit a wall, and without seeing any garage floating around in the submissions (perhaps I didn't dig enough, but I am fundamentally lazy the inbox), I looked for something on my own. It took very little time to find Wold Mountain, who aren't to be confused with any of the other panalopy of bands that have "wolf" in this name, nor written off for the same reason.

Wolf Mountain are from Stuttgart, Germany and play a very lo-fidelity garage punk. The songs do get quite heavy and sleazy sounding, and overall the band does fall towards the trashy punk style. However, they don't just jump into it (not that there's anything wrong with that in punk rock). What I'm trying to say is they make a real show of it. It isn't all howling and fuzz though these have a prominent place. The songs are pretty complex and artsy as far as garage punk goes. Moreover, while there are likely many more contemporary comparisons to make I am gonna go grandiose and say they remind me of Television. This is about the highest praise I can give a band. Birthday Songs For Paul does many of the things I cherish in Television's albums, they're real and deep, songful compositions. In the sort period one gets to dwell within them they do more than satisfy the desire for noise done up with an overlay of melody. These Germans are musicians.

To be had here:
Wolf Mountains - Birthday Songs For Paul 

EP Grab Bag vol. 84

December must been when we are getting our shit together. I finally signed up for some healthcare on the last day possible, been thinking seriously about getting my teeth all fixed up, found a new job so I am not shifting piles of useless books from one spot to another all day for peanuts. Oh, and I found all these submissions to share with you all on top of all the shit we've already been posting up.

To be had here:

Honeybucket - Honeybucket EP (2015)

Damned charming lo-fi band from Portland, Oregon. Sounds like a garage band in the sense that they very well wrote these songs in a dusty garage and didn't change it up too much from there. Most excellent already as they're fuzzy and happy tunes, just a bit krauty. "Wizard Mountain pt. 2" makes me wish I got to hear a part one. Then again EP could have been 4 times and I long and I could have wanted more. Put out by what seems to be a cool indie label from Pacific (Hong Kong currently) called Metal Postcard. Oh, and it seems to be out despite not being 2015, so enjoy it now.

How Scandinavian - Drowning In Myself (2014)

The kids from Palmdale are back with another single. You might recall the Educator single from earlier this early, perhaps not, but you can always catch up. I'm not grading you, after all. "Drowning In Myself" is a quirky tune that's not easy to classify, but the lyrical delivery itself is worth checking out as it isn't very usual. How Scandinavian stick to a bit of the melodramatic tones of the emo I am sure we all endeared when we were younger yet didn't forget new wave had merits. Gotta keep it catchy, even with the slowcore. Fine work, and when is there gonna be a longer EP is what I'd like to know.

Tufo - "Aspettandoti" EP (2014) 

From the Southern Italian city of Mola Di Bari comes a drum and bass duo. No, not the electronic genre, but an actual drum kit and bass guitar doing it to it. They're playing math rock, and the bass is doing what the angular guitar usually handles, in a sort of double duty that actually sounds fucking remarkable. It is rather minimal, thrashing cymbals, pounding drums and quick cords changing melody rapidly. Tufo has done a wonderful thing on this EP, and all I can do is hope to get to hear more like this in the future.


Swutscher - OKIDOKI EP (2014)

A very brief three track EP from Germany. While short is packed with lo-fi goodness. Fuzzy, even when acoustic somehow, and tints of surf and garage rock. It is almost over before you know it but does very well in the middle of a mix of all the other lo-fi tunes we've all been throwing at you en masse lately. Just let the songs permeate every waking moment of your day, as you waltz around and do whatever the fuck people with real jobs do and be happier for it.


Amos val - A Foundry (2014)

Back to Portland, Oregon for this final EP. I heard you need for atmospheric post-rock. You remember saying say that? I am pretty sure you did and you'll like it just fine. Amos val has several releases under their belt, but this is the first I've gotten a chance to hear them. The songs are engaging and rather sophisticated instrumentally, and it has some melodic singing to boot. I'd certainly recommended A Foundry to anyone that liked Jura's self-titled album I posted up earlier in the month.

EP Grab Bag vol. 72

What we have here is an all European Grab Bag. As these are what was in the submitted material and what I have been fixated on personally for months now. I cannot get enough of European garage rock and basically anything lo-fi, psych or likewise. So tour Europe with me from French-German joint endeavors to Finland and back to darling Spain, not in that order for whatever reason.

To be had here:

Carton Sonore & Broken Jokes - Sleeping Water (2014)

Similar to the Italian-Turkish collaboration on Yellow, this release is a result of the combined multinational efforts of one man each from Paris and another in Berlin. Also, I'd say there's a folksy, acoustic nature with a purposefully Eastern style to both releases that further the association, but here the tracks are instrumental other than some vocal sounds that are sampled and altered in an artful fashion. Reminds one of a Hawk and a Hacksaw, especially the more striped down first album. Only six short songs left me eager to hear more, so hopefully they'll put our more through With A Messy Head (the label putting this out and the previously posted Monster Surprise).

Chickn - Single #2 (2014)

Sure, this is technically a single yet the songs are long so I believe that it qualifies for the Grab Bag easily. Plus after hearing the songs I could not pass up a chance to talk them up. Chickn is an duo from Athens, Greece who are still recent to pulling material out as you can tell. However, you'd ever be able to tell by the bluesy, kraut/psych/garage rock they've got in these 13 minutes of music. High quality, but lo-fi, as it should be.

Tropicalianegra - Tropicalianegra (2013)

Tropicalianegra is a band that appears to be made up of members of various other groups in separate towns in Spain. The at least got working together long enough to make these four very lo-fi garage rock tracks and get them put out on the Sevilla-based Saturno Records. The songs are fast and punk in tone, and of course I don't know what the fuck they're singing about, but I prefer it that way. Thought it was a short but awesome EP and we can only hope they want to make a longer release that'll be as sweet some time in the future.

Dot Dash - Dot Dash 7" (2014)

Viennese band that makes post-punk flavored pop tunes. I was trying to come up with something they're akin to and tonight the best I could come up with is Stereo Total, the Franco-German band that made weird electronic pop tunes like a decade ago. Dot Dash does sound more subtle than that band yet just as catchy. The seven inch is put out by the Austrian fettkakao, who seems to be a man and a label at same time. Either that or someone isn't good at translating.

The Achtungs - The Achtungs EP (2013)

Finnish punk rockers the Achtungs are incredibly lo-fi. The sound is like a 90s garage punk album from the Midwest or Southern United States, but is totally what these northern Europeans are up to right now, at least this band, and for that I am exceedingly happy. Looks like it was originally put released last year but was re-issued but attempts to find a non-digital version where a nonstarter for me. Maybe some Finnish reader out there knows better. Anyhow, they also put out a 7" recently that keeps up the same momentum called Total Punk.

Menschliche Energie - Billy EP (2014)

While I normally throw a group of EPs together into a longer post, for whatever reason I want to say a bit more about Menschliche Energie. Perhaps it'll be clearer to both you and I by the time I finish this write-up. Now I'd never heard of Menschliche Energie before I discovered Billy EP after rolling around on bandcamp pages for a few hours. That's not terribly unusual for any of us at Spacerockmountain to do, but I've always felt a strange need to assume the role of a champion for the music I find in this method. Sure I talk up and will recommend the shit out of submitted material, even follow the band myself and make sure I am not missing out on new releases, but I always envision myself as a loud fanboy in this scenario. I am cool with all this, in fact I enjoy the fantasy, or slight reality, that I'm your buddy giving you a heads up on some cool tunes. It changes, however so subtly, when I pull out of the infinite depths of the internet a particular EP, whether or not these fellas are actively seeking promotion or not, and tell you, "This is some real tight shit."

It is that infiniteness that is the issue. It isn't just infinite to me, but to everyone using the internet, and I am just making more infinity every time I feel the need to write something up and publish it here. Truth is I want you guys to be like "yeah, that's cool" but most of the time I am just staring at a void full of endless more music to hear, books to read and movies to watch that can make one feel uncultured despite a lifetime of consuming memes and media.

Yet in a desperate hope that this does fall down some endless void, I'm telling you that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Menschliche Energie's Billy EP. It is unsurprising at how well-crafted their songs are once I knocked around their bandcamp page. They've got releases from as far back as 2003. These guys are veterans at what they do. And what they do is snyth-heavy post-punk rock. It's absurdly able to blend a James Dean, leather jacket rocker style with the ultra-Mod and flamboyant 80s music that succeeded that notion. The songs are brief and don't jerk themselves off in anyway for having been a longstanding band from Nürtingen, Germany, but rather show a seasoned musicianship that knows excellently how to cut off the excess fat, leaving just enough to make it tasteful but not chewy.

To be had here (NYP):
Menschliche Energie - Billy EP

Elvis Dracula Dance Party 3 - Benny Goodman's Ghost

Had another party last, and the guests were to be subjected to a number of Satanic ritual that are unspeakable in front of mortals like yourself. However, we did drink fine spirits and listened to a slew of new releases, and you are all invited to play them along with us.

Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath (2014)

I drop the needle onto this slab of brown vinyl and realize I am in for a massive treat. Black Sabbath tracks, lovingly and professionally covered by a psychedelic band with a full horn section and Afro-Cuban rhythms? Yes please! I can almost feel the power of the Dark One emanating from the record, and said Dark One loves trumpets. Once the band's awesome rendition of "Into the Void" kicks in, I know this will be the funkiest ritual yet!

Black Train - ST (2014)

The Bad Vibrations has been sending tormented sounds into the atmosphere for some time now, and their newest release from the dark-psychedelic punk rockers known as Black Train is another feather in their already full cap. When "Losing Time" reaches the ear drums of my friend Surfin' Mummy, he can't help but head bang his soaking bandages right off his rotting head. Look's like we have our first casualty of the night.

XTR Human - Atavism (2014)

Most ghouls fear synthesizers. It is a little known fact, but since many of us have been around for hundreds of years, we are slow to adopt new sounds. When this German band's EP comes on, the dark synth lines raise some eyebrows, but the tortured vocals and ringing guitar lines put the group at ease. This is clearly a tortured soul like us! "Dysfunction" is a beautiful song that could be enjoyed by anyone with at least one working ear.

Sunfighter - Golden Eagle of Illumination (2014)

This is the very definition of meditative music. You know, before that label was conquered by bad Nu-Age music. This Parisian band's opus was instrumental in opening the gate to another world; one we hoped would bring about Satan or some like minded demon. Unfortunately, all that came through was a slightly disposed Benny Goodman. He did enjoy this record, especially after a handful of acid.

EP Grab Bag vol. 63

Here's a collection of EPs from America's eastern seaboard with a German group thrown in for good measure. Sure it is lo-fi, but it isn't garage rock which is perhaps usually for me in a grab bag but I am all about these solo and duo acts doing this insanely awesome stuff that bridges genres and influences to such a degree they are nearly rendering those taxonomies obsolete. Heavy on social commentary, which has really true for all these EPs, it makes me feel a bit down that the messages are true but comforting in how at least all these guys are here explaining it to us. Good summertime music to enjoy, then get a bit bummed out, then remember that gin is certainly a thing and you could sure could use some.

To be had here:
The Amount of Light We Give Off - LIST (2014)

Starting off with a motherfucking doozy, German post-punk that integrates some wonderful noise, new wave and darkwave. Had this album in the inbox for a minute so I have gotten a chance to hear this several times, each endearing me more to the merits of this EP. The songs are very catchy and sound much more dance-able than you might imagine with the kinda dark and moody genres they've blended. The single "Together Apart" is an epically fine track that I cannot get enough of.


Mason Mercer - SLOBBER (2014)

I just got this EP and was delighted by what I heard. New York-based bedroom pop musician Mason Mercer uses sampling, looping and bizarre chord progressions to make a surreal and very primal sound. This is absolutely prefect for anyone that is a fan of Nate Henricks or Pill Wonder. While the whole of this five track EP is pretty golden, "Scrappy-Doo" has climbed into my head like the most oppressive of earworms. But I don't mind, it is good shit.

J. Chance -  Tell the Dark a Secret EP (2014)

This is put out of the Connecticut label Obscure Me Records, who rather consistently submitted good tunes, but whether I get a chance to write up or not is different. This EP by J. Chance found me at the prefect time, I've been in the mood for shimmering, otherworldly lo-fi music and this met the bill and delivered beautifully. Genre-wise it is hard to place, so I'll call it folksy avant-pop. The cite both the Beach Boys and John Cale as influences and that seems like a match made in heaven.

Muteboy - Dreamlife (2014)

Alright, wanted more of the last two EPs? Well, this Dreamlife obviously unique it seems to share elements with each of them. Muteboy is New York by way of Cleveland musician that makes use of sampling and computerized effects to make psychedelic and surreal pop songs. The tracks are dreamy and can also be twangy, washed out and sweet. Sentimentality as it is meant to be heard.

Vintage Cucumber - Sing Sang Sung (2014)

Here's some music that would've been a cool soundtrack to the holiday last Sunday. No, not that holiday. That holiday. You know, the one that gives all the trustafarians in your city a reason to throw their "spare change for beer" signs into the backseat of their Landrovers and head over to the park to futz around with frisbees and devils sticks.

Now, I know some of you are all, "You're a little late, Larry. That was 4 days ago." Believe me, "a little late" is the story of my life. But isn't everyday 4/20 day? Isn't that what people say?

What we have here is a project by a Johannes Schulz, who apparently lives in a small town in Germany. Whoever he is, he's got a great album cover aesthetic, and is quite possibly the most prolific person on Bandcamp. He uploaded 9 albums in 2013 alone, for chrissakes. This EP, titled Sing Sang Sung, is already Vintage Cuke's 2nd release in 2014. Enclosed is some seriously atmospheric psychedelia. Slow jams lasting 5 to 10 minutes throw you into a daze, while the sounds of a babbling brook and chirping birds play accompaniment. These sounds actually accompany this whole EP, and several other Vintage Cucumber recordings, as if they are a member of the band. "Johannes Schulz on guitar. Nature on vibes."

Overall the music is very relaxing, cheesy, trippy, and will undoubtedly make you have to pee. For any non-smokers, Vintage Cucumber would serve as a wonderful soundtrack to your sleepy times.

Just make sure to pee first.

Vintage Cucumber - Sing Sang Sung

Majmoon - Procedure in a Case of Breakdown LP (2012)

Now here is something I really dropped the ball on. I was looking around at my last.fm which I hadn't done in quite some time and I saw that not only had Majmoon thanked me for posting them way back when but I that they had indeed released another album, two years ago at this point. My bad, guys. Anyway, I still love these German post-rockers so I am gonna post up regardless of how tardy. Majmoon makes epic post-rock, with the long, building sort of soundscapes that I so frequently praise. However, they're anything but a sleepy in their approach, the songs start straight off with remarkable playing and get spiral from there. I only wish that I could have an opportunity to hear these guys live someday, but I can't imagine I am gonna be jaunting through Munich again anytime soon. As usual most of us are gonna settle for the recording, but I believe you'll find that a rather pleasing consolation.

To be had here:
Majmoon -  Procedure in a Case of Breakdown LP