Synth sounds are usually polished to the point of blinding, but one-man electro band Beat Ratio is adding analog back into techno.  This electrical banana-pants-wearing Londoner recently recorded two singles, “Monkey Girl” and “Island in the City,” which will be released as a free download via Plasticrane Prod. this Friday.

Beat Ratio told PREX that the squeaky-clean production quality of electronic music software was hampering his creativity.  “I felt I was becoming a slave of the unlimited possibilities of music software and kept losing myself in useless perfectionism,” Beat Ratio said. Read the rest of this entry »

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Oakland’s retro garage punks with some truly top-notch hairstyles, Bare Wires, recently released another single off of their upcoming Cheap Perfume record.  “Back on the Road,” which you can listen to here, works up a rough crescendo whose fury harkens back to the relentless thrust of Love’s “7 and 7 Is,” but ultimately sings of escape despite its instrumental confrontation.

Cheap Perfume drops next Tuesday, October 18th, on Southpaw Records.  In the meantime, take a listen to the new album’s title track here, and check out the video for their self-esteem single released earlier this year, “Don’t Ever Change,” below. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kurt Vile never stops.  Earlier this year, he released the phenomenal Smoke Ring for My Halo, but with his usual (perhaps contradictory) disregard for downtime, the prolific songwriter from Philadelphia is already back with new material for November.  His So Outta Reach EP is due to be released on November 8th, but he’s already let two singles leak from the upcoming album: the most recent, “Life’s a Beach,” and last month’s “The Creature.”

“Life’s a Beach” bounces along with a gentle, upbeat flavor reminiscent of Vile’s recent single, “Jesus Fever,” but sounds more like old school rock and roll, despite Kurt’s characteristically distorted vocals and hazy, atmospheric quality. Read the rest of this entry »

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Various Artists “Mad Men – A Musical Companion 1960-1965” (Hip-O Records)

I seldom watch television, so I’ve never seen “Mad Men,” but these songs are stone cold classics through and through. From the rockabilly scented romp of “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” by Connie Francis to the finger-clicking instrumental bounce of Billy Vaughn’s “Swingin’ Safari” to the blissful pop glory of Dusty Springfield’s “I Only Want To Be With You” to the smirking croon of “You’re Nobody Till Somebody Loves You” from Dean Martin to the organ happy garage punk of the Sir Douglas Quintet’s “She’s About A Mover,” this double set of songs firmly portrays the era in which they were recorded. The years 1960 to 1965 were a rabidly fertile period in pop and rock music, and “Mad Men” strongly emphasizes the diversity, imagination and plain old fun that adorned the radio dial the time. Clarence “Frogman” Henry’s heart-tugging, soul dripping “But I Do” has to be one of the best love songs ever transferred to tape, and for a dash of purebred British beat there’s Manfred Mann’s ridiculously contagious “Doo Wah Diddy Diddy.” Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar,” Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell,” Lloyd Price’s “Lady Luck” and Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” are always pleasures to hear as well. Proposing a nice mix of ballads, rockers, traditional pop movements, novelty ditties and rhythm and blues sounds, “Mad Men – A Musical Companion 1960-1965” is an essential investment.

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Listening to Icelandic songstress Soley‘s debut full-length record, We Sink, is like listening to sweetened silence, a collection of dream sequences caught in an atmospheric haze; perfect moments wrapped in cryptic pondering.  The twelve song album is meditative and quiet, although amidst the solidly set mood of the record, little sounds and variances stir the ears and keep full, sleepy comfort a step away.

Her accented voice and touch of tribal influences are reminiscent of Swedish singer and scene queen Lykke Li.  Soley even sings about dancing, just like the similarly mystical and toe-tapping songwriter, but her take, “Dance,” dips into the eye-locked battle of control and manipulation caught in the perpetual and more metaphorical dance between two people, repeating “Dance for us/Dance for us.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Two months ago, we reported that some of Hank William’s unfinished lyrical scribblings were being transformed into an exciting new compilation album, The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams, which was officially released yesterday.  Now, Rolling Stone has the first listen to a track off of the album, “You Know That I Know,” recorded by Jack White.

White tweaks his signature, wavering, and high-reaching voice to more closely emulate Williams’ country twang, playing it as straight as if Hank had walked out of the grave, dusted off his britches, and dyed his hair gothic black.  The track even has a similar sound to Williams’ “Cold, Cold Heart” and seems like it could be playing out of an old-time radio in The Last Picture Show.  Yet as much as White channels Williams, he leaves his mark on the tune, bringing his favorite muses in to play. Read the rest of this entry »

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Chicago’s Pool Holograph, a one-man experimental pop band comprised solely of the multi-talented Wyatt Grant, recently released a new single, “Incognito.”

“Incognito” slowly hums into existence, building into a breathy verse balanced by a creeping, tension-building beat that soon explodes into a sweet, almost wordless chorus.  Quiet and obscured, “Incognito” slips away from you with a sweet whisper.  Listen to the single (and download it for free) after the jump.

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Ty Segall’s latest release, Goodbye Bread, may be his most melodic and chilled-out to date, but his fans still thrive on the sweat and fury of Segall’s turbulent fuzz glory.  His sold-out show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC last night broke hearts and melted face, bringing some much-needed mosh madness to the generally stoic hipster crowd.

Segall started off his set with the slow and quiet title track from his latest album, “Goodbye Bread” (see the new video for the single below), but soon shot into heavy head-thumping numbers like “My Head Explodes,” “You Make the Sun Fry,” and “The Floor.”  Segall also played “The Drag,” his breakout solo hit, to happy screams and shrieks from the audience.  Sweat flew and elbows jumped through the air; stage divers leaped onstage and spastically surfed their way through the thrashing crowd.  A lucky mosher found himself singing into the microphone for a verse while Segall smiled and shredded at his side.  At the end of his set, Segall and company invited everyone up on stage to join the sublimity. Read the rest of this entry »

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On her first North American tour since the release of her self-titled debut album last year, Anika is planning to stop at Princeton University tomorrow night, September 29th.  Bridging the gap between dub, punk and 60s psychedelia, Anika sounds like Nico, if Lee “Scratch” Perry had produced her and Richard Hell had written the words she lived by.

Anika’s “Woman’s Dub” sound is the heaviest on her Bob Dylan cover, “Masters of War.” There are two versions of the cover on her album, one of which is an even thicker dub cut.  Its echoing drum machine definitely calls Perry to mind, but a sample towards the end of the original track takes the tune out of the past and into the present, turning “Masters of War” from a Vietnam-era protest song to an anti-war hymn that addresses the guilt of participating in the War on Terror and the unclear boundaries between heroes and villains. Read the rest of this entry »

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If She & Him were real human beings, and not just the unearthly pairing of an uber-cute hipster doll and the chilled-out reincarnation of Bob Dylan before his time of dying, they might sound a little more like Mahoney & the Moment.  This duo is a little less rock star, a little more kids you knew in high school.  Charming and heartfelt, their self-titled debut feels like a true collaborative effort and sounds soulfully sincere.  With a touch of country and a dollop of folk, listening to Mahoney & The Moment is like sinking into a pile of pillows — a comfortable lullaby. Read the rest of this entry »

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What makes Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty great?  Aside from memorable haircuts, it’s their ability to redefine simplicity and embrace the everyday, heading straight for the greater glory hidden in simple truths and shared experiences.  Local band The Grand Nationals‘ love for their all-American forefathers echoes through their debut record, Tennessee Rain.  The Grand Nationals’ folk-tinged tunes and like-able lyrics are absolutely enjoyable and reminiscent of the heartland rock of yore.

The Grand Nationals‘ “Movin’ On” is so heavily influenced by these kings of yesterday’s rock radio that I would almost swear I’ve heard it before.  With a bopping melody, narrative lyrics, and an unstoppable sunshine smile, “Movin’ On” sounds like a mix between Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia” or solo Simon’s “Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard” and John Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Megafaun may sound like the mightiest beasts in the wild, but their latest self-titled release is actually fairly mild.  With easily drawn comparisons to the Grateful Dead, Megafaun is chock-full of semi-Southern, sleepy rock that still sounds radio-ready.  Perhaps it’s that strange, almost nostalgic quality that’s left me a bit underwhelmed, dozing off halfway through the record when the band turns from old-fashioned, feel-good front-porch music (mixed with the occasional odd number) to the sort of tunes you expect a character in a rom-com to write.

Nothing against dancing cheek to cheek, but numbers like “Hope You Know” and “Kill the Horns” leave me feeling like I’m caught in a cheesy movie (Sleepy in Seattle?).  Slow but not soulful, these tunes wash over easily, leaving no lasting impression.

The biggest hits come early on, with the combined power and easy-to-love quality of the album’s first two tracks, “Real Slow” and “These Words.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Anticipation is not something I can say I have felt waiting for the release of the last few Dream Theater albums. Their frequency (no more than two years apart) doesn’t help, and ever since 2003′s Train of Thought I think they have been releasing music with the same kind of variations on a theme. The last two records, Systematic Chaos and Black Clouds really were pretty indistinguishable. They needed a break or a change. And as is well documented, they rejected the break idea and went for the change. No more Mike Portnoy, no more band leader. The time was now for the other four in Dream Theater to take the responsibility. They replaced Portnoy with Mike Mangini and got on with the music. The result of which meant I was actually keenly anticipating the new release, this their first album of the new era, A Dramatic Turn of Events
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Are you a cat lover or a dog lover?  Something to ponder as you watch the video for the latest single from Brooklyn’s new electro-pop-with-a-Coldplay/Grizzly Bear-edge band, Milagres.  The video is set to “Halfway,” the first single off the band’s debut, Glowing Mouth.  It involves a gorgeous redhead, a bath of potions, a transforming white kitten, and a Luck Dragon-esque ride through rainbow-colored space.

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Girl power! It may not be the 90s anymore, but Wild Flag definitely knows how to kick it old school, mostly because the members of this brand-new band were also members of 90s legends Sleater-Kinney, Helium, and The Minders.  But this act is no throw back: now, more than ever, Wild Flag’s touch of girly grunge is both fresh and fun.

The supergroup’s self-titled debut starts off with the energetic “Romance,” whose defined beat and relentless stride reminds me of The Knack’s “My Sharona,” minus the pedophilia and plus some serious attitude.  By the time the hand claps break in, “Romance” has spanned every genre from grunge to keyboard-driven pop to girl-group harmonies and vintage vibes.  Check out The Best Show host Tom Scharpling’s video for the single after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

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Slow and steady wins the race for this Black Animal.  The mysterious MH’s latest release, recorded in Chicago and New York, is a mix of hazy, dark folk reminiscent of Leonard Cohen and ambient Beach House-style tunes.

Independently released, this record falls heavy on your ears, driving the message home with a resounding, mournful tempo that ticks through the whole album.  Black Animal begins and ends slow and mellow, keeping a consistent mood but exploring variations within its sullen sound.  Black Animal is designed for lying on the floor, purring, and wallowing in thoughtful moments. Read the rest of this entry »

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Who are Gomez? Another great, esoteric band from a small town in England? Perhaps a truly great band from a small town in England? They haven’t made much of an impact in the US, just a small splash at the end of the 90s around the time of their debut Bring it On, and the follow up Liquid Skin. Since then, they have produced consistently and have a back catalogue of all sorts of wonderful and interesting music behind them. And here they are with their seventh album, Whatever’s On Your Mind which I picked up on a recent trip home. Another out of genre mix of this and that, diverse lyrics, tunes and melodies.

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This weekend, fang-bangers waved a fond farewell to True Blood (and a handful of its cast members) in the gory Season 4 finale.  As the blood dries and we shake off the bad vibes from that terrible season, there’s only one place left to turn for our supernatural fix: The Zombies!

Although the band reunited somewhat later on, The Zombies had their heyday in the late 60s.  Most lauded for their 1968 album, Odessey and Oracle, and most known for their hit single, “Time of the Season,” The Zombies have continued to make waves even today, not the least of which was this year’s cover of the Zombies tune, “She’s Not There,” for True Blood’s Season 4 premiere episode.  Hear the Nick Cave and Neko Case cover here.

But while the psychedelic madness of Odessey and Oracle reigns supreme and the moody melody of “Time of the Season” is inarguably one of the best moments of 60s pop, The Zombies have much more to offer. Read the rest of this entry »

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In preparation for their sixth album, their first real-live studio record, San Francisco psych-rockers Wooden Shjips have released a video for their new song, “Black Smoke Rise.”

The band’s new album, West, sounds like a journey not only through the desert, but through the mind.  Backed by more than the traditional guitar, the Shjips include Nash Whalen on organ, who adds a ghoulish tremble to “Black Smoke Rise.”  Out of the layered feedback and distortion, singer Ripley Johnson’s voice barely makes it through, echoing from a distance in an extremely inviting and mystical manner.  Check out the black-and-white video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

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