Paradise Brut - Violet Violence (2015)

So people are compelled to make music, well, many people are compelled. Not all of them are terribly good at it, not that that's a reason not to keep making it (unless there's gonna be the new Billy Joel or something equally ultra-horrific). However, it is even less common for someone to be awesome at two genres of music, and then to be a bedroom recording artist at that. Nonetheless, our friend Dani in Madrid has managed this feat.

A couple of times I've posted on a very noisy, messy garage rocker that uses the moniker King Cayman. You might recall how those albums are best heard loudly and with a beer in your system. Well, he has translated that notion into electronic rock with this release. It holds much of the same spirit as his garage punk music, but grinds it down to a sparser core that is only thereafter elaborated with electronic affectations. Few vocals are heard, though when they rarely do show up they are with his customarily spooky effects. Yet this is not where your focus should be. It is in the fundamental breakdown of lo-fi rock that he's offering up. I mean this in the same since that when you crush an orange it yield delicious juice, he's managed to mush up garage rock into core elements and giving them a wholly new texture. He's taken the components of most good lo-fi rock; angst, excitement, confusion and irreverence, and made them into bare sounds. It is like imagining your own irregular heartbeat and somehow knowing it has universal currency. I adore it.

To be had here:
PARADISE BRUT - VIOLET VIOLENCE

Swet Jafari Meck Mett - Error de continuidad (2015)

Gonna really make an effort to knock out some submitted albums. Finding I am in the mood for the tunes and holy fuck do I ever have a backlog of them. Sorta gonna randomly cherry-pick the submissions as there is more than I have time to handle. I suppose it is time to find some help again....

Here is what I stumbled on for tonight, a Chilean musician now residing in Palma De Mallorca, Spain. Living the dream of moving to a Mediterranean island and making noisy bedroom post-punk, like that is totally something I could only imagine. The music is damn fine as well. Very experimental, taking cues from all sorts of post-punk influences like Half Japanese, Sonic Youth and many others this guy likely knows that I haven't even heard of, it has a 80s vibe with a repetitive beats, guitars freaking out and highly distorted singing. Yet at times he steers more Nico & the Velvet Underground-esque with droney sounds and those elongated vocals Nico excelled at delivering. The album is broken up with gentle instrumental interludes, or "instancia" as he calls them. These make the cacophonous sounds of the rest of Error de continuidad really burst forth more powerfully. Finally, I'd be lying if I didn't say that was some of my favorite album art I've seen in months. Good packaging is always a plus.

To be had here:

Swet Jafari Meck Mett - Error de continuidad

EP Grab Bag vol. 98

Another truly international Grab Bag this week, pilgrims. From across Europe to Australia and of course some from these United States. Runs a range in genres as well, look at all the fucking tags I had to throw on this one, and I still feel that doesn't quite cover it.

To be had here:

Shortbus 1999 - Olga EP 2015

A Russian musician making wonderfully loud, lo-fi punk in his bedroom, at least I'm assuming this is largely a solo effort. It's all sung in Russian, which only adds to the considerable punk feeling of the thumping drum machine and fuzzy guitar. I adore this type of self-produced rock and found this EP a great example. This isn't the first effort by Shortbus 1999 either, nor the first appearance on Spacerockmountain. Elvis wrote up the self-titled release last year.



Daddy Issues - Double Loser EP (2015)

Actually stumbled on to this through twitter and couldn't be more happy to have across it. A four song EP by an all-girl garage rock/dreamy indie pop outfit hailing from Greensboro, NC. I'm completely on board, and the songs are every inch as good as I'd hoped for. Definitely a must listen and most especially for anyone that like the Pretty Greens from the last Grab Bag or any of the bands I referenced in that post. They've got a touch of surf in that guitar that's amazing, check out "So Hard" to hear what I am talking about.

Prisons - EP (2015)

Third Grab Bag in a row to feature a band from Sweden. More Scandinavians the better, I say, they can make a song. In particular for Prisons, they can make a heavy, distorted post-metal song. This shit is pretty dark and strangely alluring. The guitars are droney enough to lean a psychedelic tinge to the tracks of the EP. Finally, it has the trademark screaming vocals of metal. Something that as younger man I didn't get, but I've since come to appreciate the stark brutality it expresses.

Sounds Like Winter - Demos (2015)

Australians making new wave music. Sounds Like Winter saw that Killwave, a Chicago new wave band that bears a likeness, was posted about and wanted to get in on that. I can see how they'd assume I'd be into their music and indeed I am quite into it. More on upbeat and dancey end of snyth-heavy post-punk, but still has that gothy sing that faintly mimics the Scottish accent of many great 80s new wave bands. Seven tracks, so settle in and enjoy yourself.

Comfort Food - Dr. Faizan's Feel​-​Good Brain Pills (2013)

Now this band is from Chicago. Comfort Food makes sounds hard to categorize but I'll take a stab at it: experimental progressive jazz-funk. The key to know there is a beat, and it's funky, upon which all of the rest of the this EP formed around. The songs are way more compelling than this description might lead you to believe. The songs feel irreverent and lighthearted, yet they can't be discounted as poorly conceived. Quite the opposite, they're damned entertaining.


VidaGuerrilla - Blues pa cabras ácratas (2015)

Here we have a demo EP from Spain's VidaGuerrilla has put out. It seems to me they're still producing full-length albums at the same time and in fact it looks like they've got pretty damned new one up on bandcamp, but for whatever reason they sent me this. Guess what, I loved it. It is fuzzy, fairly slow-paced garage rock with exceptional bluesy sound compared to what I'd heard from them prior. Lo-fi bliss at its simplistic best. I just know that our boy Elvis Dracula is gonna dig this whenever he get it in his eardrums.

King Cayman - Mirror's Carnival (2015)

As promised the return of another artist that I highly, and I still believe rightly, praised. This time the Madrid-based extreme lo-fi garage rocker known a King Cayman. Although he's got more work out there, the only other album I've written up by this dude was last years Dream. The core of King Cayman's style has carried over into Mirror's Carnival, which specifically is an very intense lo-fi punk sound complete with harsh, growling vocals. Although those vocals bear an adorable Spanish accent. But truly, it is fast, loud and trashy in a way that makes me think of the King Khan & BBQ Show, Ty Segall or Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion in overdrive, even perhaps Jon Spencer's work with Pussy Galore mightn't measure up to quite how blown up King Cayman is aiming for. That said, it isn't all off the rails, he does take time to make more drawn out, though no less fuzzy and weird, tracks such as "Hole."

Also, when you download the whole album from the bandcamp it comes with a series of bonus tracks. Six in all, two of which were recorded in Venice and four from a basement of some place called Pad Pend's basement. These songs are all fucking totally great and worth your trouble.

To be had here:
King Cayman - Mirror's Carnival

EP Grab Bag vol. 85

Finally a day off and no family obligations. Perfect time to spend an afternoon checking out all manner of musics sent in from all over. Not even two of these six EPs hail from the same country, nor to many of them really fit into the same genres, though I guess they often get close to it. Hope you enjoy them.

To be had here:

The Spectres - What Will It Be (2014)

A two-piece garage rock outfit from Pittsburgh. They're lo-fi, jangley and got more than a touch of the surf rock in their sound. The EP is eleven songs, but still only makes it to twenty minutes playtime, so you can just imagine that these are some short, sweet rock ditties. They get a pretty full sound by the drummer pulling double duty with a partial kit he plays with his feet as his wields a guitar, a real Mark Sultan move. Impressive for a new band, only been around from half a year from what they tell me. So hopefully there'll be more to come.

Swinging Balls - EP (2014)

Loud, howling, low-fidelity metal/punk from Coventry, UK. The noise they make is nearly as crass as balls on the album art are large. There's not so much as singing in the songs as something between a moan and a shout. In addition to this chaos they've thrown very sludgy guitar playing that provides a firm doom metal overtone to the whole effort. The influence Black Sabbath is obvious, so clearly that they labeled the second track "Sabbath," and it seems to be more akin to the early career of the heavy metal icons. You know, the real sweet stuff, and Swinging Balls does do a good job at making a homage without seeming redundant.

BlackboxRed - Beak to Beak (2014)

A duo from the city of Leeuwarden in the Netherlands who openly affiliates with a grunge sound. As I am still not sure what made a band "grunge," the post-grunge concept has eluded me as a genre I can recognize, let alone the "ghost grunge" they tagged this with. This isn't to say I don't like anything labeled as such, for quite the opposite as I think BackboxRed makes some compelling tunes. Beak to Beak in a powerhouse of an EP. Intense, fast and full of sounds that are simultaneously bleak and exciting. The songs are rocking and the singing is epic, she can really belt out some lyrics.

VidaGuerrilla - El Kreepo (2014)

Spain's VidaGuerrlia has been prolific lately, putting out four releases, all of EP length, since October. El Kreepo is the second one they've got out in December alone. What they play it is extremely fuzzy, to the point of nearly popping. The washed out songs lay between hardcore punk and garage rock in an way that's hard to describe be immediately recognizable when heard. Finally, I know they sent me a link to their album from July, but somehow I must've failed to post it because I can't find any evidence I did so.... Strange as I do recall hearing it and thinking it was mighty swell.

Glaze of Cathexis - Imaginary Beings EP

It is very rare for SRM to get submissions from Asia. I believe many can imagine why that might be the case, and in the exceptions to this it is mostly Westerners dwelling in Japan or Korea. This is the case for Glaze of Cathexis, a band headed by American ex-pat Matt Comegys and Australian native Scot Atkinson in Ueda, Japan. Imaginary Beings is a psychedelic EP with folk and electronic elements mingled within and is only one of a butt load of releases the outfit has put out and have available on bandcamp. Quite retro and at times far out, and very much worth checking out.

SARAJEVO - The double tailed devil (2014)

Named for the capital of Bosnia, residing in the capital of France. SARAJEVO appears to be a new affair, at least as far as their bandcamp presence is concerned. This two song release is just a mere sample of what I am sure they're capable of as it a well produced and excellent sounding as these couple of tracks are. Each are psychedelic songs with nicely washed out vocals and a well practiced retro style that manages to not be tired. Despite the vocals being blown out, it is clear they're in English, but I guess that is what often happens when you wanna make rock and roll. Wish these guys the best of luck and hope to get to hear more.

EP Grab Bag vol. 78

This October has featured a heavy degree of returning artists and labels. I imagine it's those that have put me in their internet rolodex. I am happy see that people are responding well to the posts and that the musicians and persons running labels have felt it worthwhile to keep me in the loop with all their ongoing projects. If you haven't heard from me I am likely getting to it, but you can repeatedly email me. Some of you already do and I don't mind. Anyhow, here's the EPs I got in, some of them artists we've featured before, some even rather recently, to add the the train of Nate Henricks, Citradels, Sioux Trails and so on that've been so kind to share their music with us all to frequently.

To be had here:

NAYSA - Losing Weight EP (2014)

As promised this is a returning band to SRM, as I posted their wonderful EP, Troubled Heart, back in Grab Bag 62. Not to dis that prior EP, but this one is a incredible leap in execution. It among the most immediately likable EPs I've gotten all year. In the email alerting me to Losing Weight there's a mention to it being number one on a college radio station in their native Winnipeg. It does sound like college rock, meant in the very best possible way you might envision, the sort with a lot of indie pop influence. Only $4 Canadian, so that is like only some other amount in another currency (still cheap).

Ry Smith - They Don't Understand (2014)

What's this, Ry Smith so soon again? Yeah, pilgrims, his got an EP hot on the hells of his full-length, Rexroth, that I posted about just last month. So I downloaded this album without looking at a word about it, which isn't unusual for me, but that I recognized the first track as something I familiar with was abnormal. It took several moments for my dumb brain to realize that this was a Strokes song, and what is this? The whole EP is covers of Strokes songs? Yes, this excellent news is in fact what Ry Smith has gifted to us and it is awesome.

Lost Trail - Rural Entropy EP (2014)

A short experimental-ambient soundscape release. I mean it is brief, like five minutes, but it is priced accordingly as it goes for only a scant $1.25. It is a fine sample that could be a sign of a fine full-length to come. Additionally, I thought this might be something wholly new to the Grab Bag, but turns out I have posted the label that released this, two years ago, so thanks for coming back Silber Records, and sorry I posted stuff you worked on without mentioning you, but I am sloppy and very sleepy most of the time.

Slight - Spirit School / Tasting (2014)

Another Canadian band, yet this time from Montreal. Just two tracks, but more than enough to enlighten a listener to how they're making excellent hi-fi art pop. Yes, I can enjoy hi-fi music as well as my beloved lo-fi. Just so happens I'm multifaceted, like a gemstone, pilgrims. I found this pair of songs to be lovely in their blending of harmonic and chaotic elements, and quite soothing overall. Liked well enough that I even went back and heard their three song EP from last year called Melodion, which I'll also recommend. And this band is new to SRM.

Angel Kaplan - Broken Toys b​/​w Thank You (2010)

So those of you that found pleasure in hearing the full-length album, Pictures from the Past, from Angel Kaplan that I posted up early in the month will be happy to know that there is a 7" that predates it but is mighty fine to hear as well. Moreover it is purchasable in a physical format from Get Hip Records for a few dollars. These two songs are fucking great, the first is like the sweet psych-pop precursor of the later LP and the second an alt-country infused cover of the 1960s group, the Remains.

Angel Kaplan - Pictures From The Past (2012)

This album is something of a Scenes of a City: Gijón, Spain part 1.5. You see, in the course of finding the EPs I already shared from Gijón, I found various other albums I liked and I imagined it might bear doing a second part to the post. Little did I suspect that there lay much more to Gijón's musical history than I imagined and it may very well take a short series or a much longer post to discuss. This was made apparent to me after an email exchange with Angel Kaplan. He began giving me details of how there was a well-established music scene in the industrial and port city of Gijón and, like some Midwestern cities of the U.S., had disproportionate musical output from the blue collar populace. He gave me numerous examples of what was called the Xixón Sound (which is from the Asturian name for the city and was the name of a record label associated with some of the more famous acts), which he grew up listening to as a young man in the city (also a special thanks to Astor, who gave me Gijón bands to check out as well). However, I will get to more of Gijón/Xixón in the future. Today I'll focus on Angel Kaplan's solo album, Pictures From The Past. 

Just a touch of background on Angel Kaplan; he is a native of Gijón, Spain obviously, but does live in the United States these days, at least part of the time. He's played in various bands such as Bubblegum, Doctor Explosion, Peralta and currently is in the influential and longstanding garage rock band, the Cynics. Nonetheless, Pictures From The Past is not a garage album. Rather, it is a fine example of pop music with elements of psychedelic, country and folk. I'll admit, these don't seem like the sort of songs I normally holler about, with the fuzz and low-mixed vocals, but should one do something right I'd hate to deny it proper praise. From the first beachy notes of "Like a Ragged Old Puppet" I was eager to hear more of these tracks. Kaplan's voice is fantastic and he delivers emotional and charming lyrics with impeccable talent. While it's clear he's tremendously influenced by 60s pop music, the songs avoid blatant mimicry. The folksy guitar playing and the sensibly utilized background singers really show how well produced this is. The whole album is a breeze to listen to, ending sooner than I'd like it to each time, and has some particularly sweet highlights in "Hunting Dog" and "Ridiculous Love Song." Goddamn does he ever nail that latter song. This is exactly what I wish pop music sounded like more often, and if it did I might even consider listen to the radio again.

When I found this album I immediately enjoyed it and wanted to share it, yet it wasn't downloadable, free or otherwise, and I couldn't find a way to buy it physically despite it being fully streamable. This is why I wrote the musician, to see if he had a suggestion, and while it seems that Get Hip (the U.S. label for the release) has a few vinyl on hand, it isn't shown on their website, but you can email them. While there were plans to put it out on CD that idea seems to have dematerialized. However, we can only hope that someone will change their mind and put it out somehow: cassette, CD or vinyl re-issue. I'll be the first in line to snag a copy. However, in a boon for us all, he's made the album downloadable at a name your own price basis on bandcamp, so show him some support or at least some enthusiasm and get the album.

To be had here:

Angel Kaplan - Pictures From The Past

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.

Srasrsra - Magia de Muerte (2014)

More Spanish rock and roll. The country has been pre-occupying my mind lately, partially because of the great submitted material coming in from there and partially because of my infatuation with Spanish literature, especially the work of Miguel de Unamuno. Yet this album isn't a book by a dead Spaniard nor a submission, just something I found when kicking around on bandcamp. Sounded real legit, so here I am sharing it with everyone.

Srasrsra are from A Coruña, Galicia. They make short, fast punk rock. That intensely sloppy and fun shit. I have to imagine they make a fucking racket when they practice or play a live gig and that energy is captured rather well on Magia de Muerte. Naturally, the songs are sung in Spanish so I haven't a clue what the fuck they're going off about, yet I have a feeling it would not be terribly easy to figure out should I have understood the language. Mind you this isn't the harsh, hardcore sort of punk rock, at least not overwhelming so. Rather there's a more overriding feeling of entertaining irreverence to the songs, which have very catchy guitar riffs and the sort of drumming you can see a bunch of young Spaniards bopping around to at a concert. Magia de Muerte was put out by the rather awesome looking label, Discos Humeantes, which I believe is based in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias in northern Spain. On there site you can find a biography of the band that once run through google translator is confusing worded but begins with "Srasrsra (Mrs. lady lord) are two turkeys Coruna moved pretty touching." I am sure whatever it actually says in Spanish it isn't as neat as that.

To be had here:
Srasrsra - Magia de Muerte

This post was corrected after someone pointed out where the band really was from, as I had made a wrong assumption. So thanks to that dude.

King Cayman - Dream (2014)

Another album from Spain,  this time a very different sort of lo-fi record from Madrid's King Cayman from what I've been writing up lately, but a style I am so very familiar with. King Cayman is a moniker for a one-man band of very trashy, bluesy garage punk and with nothing more than that description it already can summon references to Jeans Wilder, King Tuff and BBQ, which of course was name used by Mark Sultan's early name on his early albums and still does use when teamed with King Khan. Musically I find it hard to imagine that this Spaniard doesn't listen to all of these musicians and dozens more that could be dug up from the beer-soaked barrooms they tend to play in. 

The songs you'll hear on Dream are oscillate between heavier and trashier blues punk along the lines of a stripped down Jon Spencer project like Heavy Trash or Pussy Galore, yet other times he gets quirkily creative and offbeat in a way that reminds me of Jeffrey Novak's solo work. King Cayman's tunes are incredibly seeped in the DIY philosophy of punk; the album was done on a low budget as you can imagine, so low that real drums were out of the picture so a drum machine is substituted. Nevertheless, this guy clearly isn't any old fool playing rock music as he has an remarkable prowess for forging some energetic bursts of garage rock majesty. The songs became immediately stuck in my head and required a re-listening, all the while digging for whatever it was that compelled to me heard it again and again.

Not every album I hear and like causes me to want to hear the music, not even some albums I that've become favorites of mine and others I want to hear repeatedly sometimes burn me out and I don't wanna return for prolonged times. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to which albums take hold of me in these ways, but I'm fairly confident this could become a garage classic for me. King Cayman has captured a feeling of irreverence and bravado that I have a supreme longing and might only exist in works of art, in which case I might have to settle for imagining it to songs like these.

Should you desire to hear more of this fella's music he had a demo album released on the UK label Foxbourne Tapes.

To be had here:

King Cayman - Dream

EP Grab Bag vol. 69

Ahhh, sixty-ninth Grab Bag, very nice...

To be had here:

Club de Surf - Sonic Death EP (2014)

A very fast, very loud and very punk EP to begin the Grab Bag with this week. Club de Surf is a garage punk outfit from Santiago, Chile. It is beautifully noisy and intense, with lyrics that are beyond even guessing at. I mean, just look at these cats in their shades, you know it's fucking rock and roll and you know you're down. The sort of thunderous percussion and fuzzed out guitar that makes me feel like I'm not doomed to wandering around confused at khakis shorts and graphic tees with Disney shit on it.


The Lost Day - The Lost Day EP (2014)

Now to Greece for more high volume guitar playing, this time instrumental psychedelic rock from two other fellas. Has a ever so tiny touch of pop sentimentality in between the heavy freak out sections to make an invigorating blend of fast and loose fucking around with thought out composition. Even gets a bit droney at times, which is always a welcome development. The final track is something to look forward to too with the Dick Dale style reverb layered on early then some crazy Asian spoken word on it.



Saint Julien -  Space​-​Age Politics Single (2014)

Three tracks from Nashville act Saint Julien of a bizarre variety. Hard to place, certainly experimental but that term doesn't mean much, I'd call it lo-fi electro-whatnot. It is very brief, feels like it is over just as it begins and leaves you stranded in a strange feeling, yet one that makes you want to click the button to replay it over and over. A full-length of this would be pretty fucking epic, I'd bet. We can only hope that is something the future has in store for us all.


Prude Boys - Demos from Lost Boys Days (2013)

There are four tracks from a Hamtramck band, and for those you not of the Detroit area Hamtramck is a city fully enclosed within Detroit know for its low rent, Polish food, small bars and rock shows. Anyhow, these are some cool garage rock songs that have nice fuzzy guitars and fine singing, though I would scale the vocals back but I always say that it seems. Exceptional fine for demos and very promising for the new material they're putting out. Seems they've got a six-part project of two track demo releases coming out, so keep an eye on these guys.

Grushemka - Enredo interesante (2014)

Back overseas with the Spanish band, Grushemka of Barcelona. The lyrics are in Spanish (or maybe Catalan, but I can't understand it regardless) but the music is some very tight dream pop. The first track is a very dancey sort of beat-driven pop song and the second is a lo-fi acoustic guitar number that is very sweetly done. Hope they're singing something sweet and not something gross to trick me, but if they did do that: good fucking work. Anyhow, just found them at random and thought it was worth sharing.

Juventud Juché - Quemadero (2013)

A little while back I was contacted by someone from Sonido Muchacho Records in Spain with this album. Because I am disorganized fool I thought, "I'll remember this, seems pretty legit" and then forgot it for weeks. After have an inkling that I was forgetting something for a few days I recalled I probably lost track of a slew of albums that were submitted. I should just work on the assumption I always forgot something I meant to do, but I guess that is a good way to work oneself into an early grave. Anyhow, here is a slightly belated review of Juventud Juché.

As Quemadero is sung entirely in Spanish I haven't a clue what they're saying, not completely sure I would know even if I was fluent as they're shouting lyrics on a lo-fi recording. As you might suspect, I don't mind not knowing the words to the songs, it isn't what I listen for in nearly anything. What is the most obviously great part of this album is the post-punk thumping bass line and angular guitar like good Gang of Four tune. In fact many features of this album remind me of the Gang of Four, which I find to be a rather tremendous thing. Not as harmonic of singing, more of a punk rock exasperated vibe going on, but the instrumentation is pretty damn dead on with the guitars shimmering into a wall of sound and the drums pounding rapidly in a faux-military march like many good songs from Entertainment!

To channel the little Craig that sit on my shoulder like a devil that has bad taste in beer (gotta listen to the podcast to get this), it does sound an awful lot like something most of already know. However, what we know isn't in Spanish doesn't feel quite this fast and loose about it. Lately I've been putting much thought towards the role of bravado in garage rock, and I think the same principle can hold true for other lo-fi rock styles like post-punk. There's a balance that can be struck between uniqueness and reworking of older themes if enough bravado in present. To use beer as a metaphor, it is like drinking an IPA, because they're bold and bitter and rather hard to fuck up. Sure a brewer can make something wild and unique, but it could suck hard. Even the IPAs aren't all the same, and those with the better hops and balance are sought out, sort of like a good post-punk revival act should be. Juventud Juché is one nice IPA.

To be had here:
Juventud Juché - Quemadero

Chiquita y Chatarra - Niagra Fallers (2013)

I take issue with our culture's current obsession with whimsy and cuteness. Wes Anderson making cute movies, girls wearing fake old-timey mustaches, selfies and band photos where eyes are up and to the side, hoodie's with fake animal ears sewed to them, kitten cams... and what's with the ukelele being everywhere all of a sudden? TV theme songs, radio advertisements, all-ukelele cover bands... It's like it's the 1980's but instead of synthesizers everywhere it's goddamn ukeleles. 

I'm just waiting for the turnaround, that inevitable revolt against the status quo where disco becomes post-punk; pop metal becomes grunge. I realize it's a process and it won't happen overnight, but my eyes and ears are feverishly hunting for examples where cute exists simultaneously with something a bit more dangerous. 

Enter Chiquita y Chatarra, a Spanish duo whose name one online translation interpreted as "Very Small and Scrap Metal", actually means (according to an NPR article about the band) "Tiny and Trashy".  So far so good. The band loves playing the kind of music I love: garage, psych, surf, punk. I know I know, been there done that. But what makes this band stand out for me, at least, is the voice of their lead singer. An alto with a barely restrained intensity, her voice reminds me at times of Jack White impersonating Charlie Day from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (though she is consistently more in key than both). Chiquita y Chatarra have the minimalism of Bratmobile and the 50's pop garage of Shannon and The Clams. But when they take it down a notch, as they do in the last song "All I want", one can almost hear the Pixies in there, too. 

I think this is a step in the right direction, people. Great stuff, pay what you want. If any are inclined to buy the bands vinyl, here's the link.

Chiquita y Chatarra - Niagra Fallers