The Strange Boys - Be Brave (2010)

This is another band that recommended to me through last.fm, which is surprisingly more accurate in recommendations that most other sites or programs designed to do such things. To the point though, the Strange Boys are a real solid act from what I heard on this album. They're garage, I suppose, but they're on the opposite end of the spectrum from the fuzzed out punk influenced bands I've posted previously. Just as easily this could be described as more lo-fi, less folksy version of The Tallest Man on Earth. In fact the singing reminds be on the Tallest Man on the Earth, that and Bob Dylan at his more high pitched moments. Pretty much the Strange Boys have done amazing job at combining aspects of different trends together to make a unique and powerful sound of their own. It is country, folk, garage, and even a bit rockabilly all at the same time without any influence overwhelming the others for the most part.

To be had here: they forced me to take this down...

Fela Kuti & the Afrika '70 - Live! with Ginger Baker (1971 [2001])

This is the 2001 reissue of the amazing collaboration of the king of afro-beat, Fela Kuti, and the former drummer of Cream, Ginger Baker. Fela Kuti's band the Afrika '70 numbered 12 preformers for the live sets recorded here, which accounts for the intense complexity of the music and truly shows the talent of all those involved to maintain the timing and cohesion so astoundingly. I find, as I'm willing to bet many others share, that the psychedelic hybrid of genres that is afro-beat is something to lose yourself in. The length of the tracks in conductive to this mood and I'm sure Kuti would've recommended enhancement via mind altering substances to those inclined (if you've never read the man's story you're really missing out on some wild shit). Anyhow, there is a difference between the original release and this reissue, namely the addition of the final song. This is a track of exclusively drumming by Ginger Baker and the drummer of Afrika '70, Tony Allen, recorded at the 1978 Berlin Jazz Festival. Well I've read reviews that disparage this track, but I don't agree. I think it is pretty righteous and unique. Judge for yourself, naturally. Note this is the album art of the original release displayed here.

To be had here:
Fela Kuti & the Afrika '70 - Live! with Ginger Baker [160 kbps]

Säkert! - Facit (2010)

Quite similar in tone to yesterday's posting, Seabear, this is another Scandinavian indie pop album. This is the second release by Säkert! after self-titled album in 2007. However, that is a bit misleading, for this is really just one of several outlets for the Swedish songwriter Annika Norlin. She has another two full-length out under the moniker of Hello Saferide. Anyhow, if you liked Hafdis Huld, Benni Hemm Hemm, or Leafes you might find this a most agreeable.

To be had here:
Säkert! - Facit [320 kbps]

Seabear - We Built A Fire (2010)

Those Nordic folks sure do seem to make a lot of pop music that tickles my fancy. Seabear came out with another LP this year and it is of the caliber one should expect from a band with such a solid track record. As is the norm for the band and its peers, there is plenty of sweetness and soft, warm feelings about. The thing I like about Seabear is the excellent employment of string instrumentation, gives the whole deal some real class. If take a shining to this you should be sure to hunt down their previous albums and I posted the album by Sin Fang Bous, which is just a pseudonym for the lead singer of Seabear, Sindri Mar Sigfusson. Gotta love those wild Icelandic names.

To be had here:
Seabear - We Built A Fire [224 VBR kbps]

Black Dice - Repo (2009)

Oh boy, how could I have missed this release? Somehow it never registered with me that Black Dice must've had new something out, and I am entirely sure one of the numerous bloggers I follow posted this album at sometime. Notwithstanding, I just downloaded and gave this album a good whirl. The style is very much similar to the earlier albums of the band, or as AllMusic aptly put it "as engaging and deranged as ever..." and that's nothing to scoff at. Repo is a great name for the album as it sounds like they took sound bites and melodies then shred them up and reconstituted it all as something remarkably fun to hear. If I had to pick a favorite song it'd be the cutely titled "Chicken Shit" but don't take my word for that. Anyhow, I think this band has been thoroughly enough spread about that you should know if you like their brand of electro-noise sensationalism.

To be had here:
Black Dice - Repo [224 VBR kbps]

Pit Er Pat - Flexible Entertainer (2010)

Yet another in this series of re-visitations bands have enjoyed in the past, Pit er Pat originally won me over with their debut album Emergency. And while I think I should consider sharing that album itself, for it does remain my favorite in this discography, Flexible Entertainer is a decent addition. The Chicago three-piece excels at making electronic post-rock with some of the better usage of vocals I've had the chance to hear from the genre. On this go the singing is far more prominent in the songs and does a fantastic job at pushing the surreal mood music, at least that holds true until the three tracks. The near-instrumental "Chavez Ravine" is perhaps the catchiest of the tracks in my opinion (near for it has some echo-like moaning in it if you count that sort of shit). I recommend this if yesterday's post of Maserati did anything for you or you'd just like something a bit strange.

To be had here:
Pit Er Pat - Flexible Entertainer [320 kbps]

Maserati - Pyramid of the Sun (2010)

Long have I been a fan of Maserati's epic post-rock. I've posted some of their prior albums, remain solidly listenable. The thing is about Maserati is that make some of my favorite instrumental music. It is intense, complex and quick yet doesn't confuse. Basically, you can focus on listening to it or you can use it as background to something else, such as reading Marvel Noir comics as I've been tonight. There are like most Maserati albums a couple of the epic tracks on Pyramid of the Sun that slowly build and transform in imaginative ways. It is the sorta album you could immediately replay and hardly notice you're rehearing anything. If you like any of their previous stuff or bands like Lebanon, Kinski or This Will Destroy You then you'll most likely enjoy this album.

To be had here:
Maserati - Pyramid of the Sun [320 kbps]

The Inclined Plane - I Am Pants (2009) & Paw Meds/Mary, All the Time 7" (2010)

Full disclosure first, this is my good pal Johnny's band and I am as huge ass for forgetting to post the full-length earlier. My assery aside, his band is well worth listening to and I'd almost definitely be posting it regardless of my associations. The Inclined Plane makes some remarkably flexible sound that fluxes between their undoubtedly diverse influences. Certainly a healthy dose of Elephant 6 style psychedelic experimentation can be heard, as well as underpinning informed by the Beach Boys and the Velvet Underground. In addition to last year's full-length I Am Pants, I was recently sent their newest 7" single. The Paw Meds/Mary, All the Time 7" is so new that you can still pre-order one of the vinyl pressings from February Records. The songs on the single have an even heavier Pet Sounds vibe in my opinion with its subdued harmonics and dreamy tones.

To be had here


I Am Pants [128 kbps] ~ Album art is around somewhere, I can't seem to get the jpeg from last.fm or whatever.







Paw Meds/Mary, All the Time 7" [192 kbps]

Remember you pre-order @ February Records!

Candy Claws - Hidden Lands (2010) & Two Airships / Exploder Falls (2008)

I shared this band's debut album In the Dream of the Sea Life previously on the blog. So in one of my rarer moments of follow-through I decided to see if they had any new out. Hidden Lands very much continues that theme of the first album, sharing the ethereal vocals and dreamlike instrumentation. Despite those qualities Candy Claws are able to make provocative pop music because of the quick pace and constantly shifting tempos found in nearly every song. Along with the full-length dream pop experience of Hidden Lands, while poking around on the internet I found a far more electronic and epic pair of songs entitled Two Airships / Exploder Falls. Surely too lengthy to be considered a single, with one track being over 12 minutes and the other greater than 17. Because of the band's penchant for changing up songs so dramatically throughout them it is more like an EP smashed together into two tracks. It is rather wild and quite the lucky find.

To be had here:





Hidden Lands











Two Airships / Exploder Falls

Ty Segall - Horn The Unicorn [Reissue] (2007) & miscellaneous 7"s

This is the only time I've posted a single artist/band five times on Spacerockmountain. This is a sort of prequel though, as this isn't his newest. In fact it includes what might be his earliest solo work. This Horn The Unicorn is reissue of Segall's first, basically demo release, full-length (the image to the left is the original album art before the longer reissue). The track list shares some songs with his self-titled album but are clearly from an preceding recording. They're even rougher, lower fidelity, and the vocals even more trilling. For whatever reason I find that sort of thing endearing in garage rock, so I was super jazzed to find this over a p2p. I really dig the instrumental track "Thee Jammm." It seems tailor made for a intro theme, even though it is in the middle of the album. If you didn't like Lemons or Melted you still might enjoy this release, and if you liked any of his other stuff you shouldn't think twice about giving it a good whirl.

Also I decided to just get this over with and post the 7" singles by Segall that I've downloaded. They're each a bit different, being issued over the course of three years. They changed as his sound shifted a bit into the more psychedelic form it current has taken. Some of this are singles off albums while others are independent of any full-length. I must really recommend Universal Momma as it is really a pair of golden garage punk songs.

To be had here:




Horn The Unicorn (reissue) [224 VBR kbps]













Skin 7" [2008] (256 VBR kbps)











Cents 7" [2009] (256 VBR kbps)










Universal Mamma (2009) [128 kbps]












My Sunshine 7" (2009) [160 kbps]











Caesar 7" (2010) [320 kbps]














Jeff the Brotherhood Ty Segall split (2010) [128 kbps]