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

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

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

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]

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

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

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

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

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]

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