For any of you folks who haven’t seen Dave Goldberg’s exercise approach to the art of drumming, I think now is the time. This is going to sound like old news to long time followers of KLYAM, but Dave plays keyboard and drums simultaneously. How is that possible? It often involves placing a drumstick in the mouth.
Band: Harlem
Release: 5/2010
Label: Matador
1. “LSD Saves” – A
2. “Mood Ring” – A-
Comments: How did I not hear about this one? I don’t know! “LSD Saves” is a psychedelic (shocking for Harlem, I know!) rock and roller that sounds quite like a Brit invasion oldie or something. It’s quick and fun.. as driving fast on acid while getting your wing-wang squeezed. “Mood Ring” isn’t quite on the same level of “LSD,” but it’s vintage Harlem. You know? It’s cool.
Grade: A- (93)
Another band on Burger Records that pretty much kicks ass. Check out the songs on their MySpace…they play a neat blend of scuzzy, lo-fi bubblegum rock and roll. It’s kind of like listening to Mark Sultan through a tin can. The song “One,” what a helluva track.
Band: Avey Tare
Release: 10/2010
Label: Paw Tracks
1. “Laughing Hieroglyphic” – B
2. “3 Umbrellas” – B
3. “Oliver Twist” – B+
4. “Glass Bottom Boat” – B-
5. “Ghost of Books” – B–
6. “Cemeteries” – B-
7. “Heads Hammock” – B+
8. “Heather In The Hospital” – B+
9. “Lucky 1” – B
Comments: Primary song-writer and founding member of Animal Collective, Avey Tare decided to give a go at a solo album. Right from the start, it is fairly obvious that the sound is retro to the direction that Merriweather Post Pavilion went in. The first two tracks are of the experimental variety while “Oliver Twist” is still pretty weird, yet danceable. Credit the drum beat on that one. The next two are old time AC sounding. So yeah if anyone, anyone at all, was expecting some kind of clean pop MPP sort of stuff, you will be disappointed! Fans of early work might be like “yo, this is pretty good” and people sympathetic to these creative voyages might just think “yeah, it’s okay.” If Deerhunter and Atlas Sound and so forth make “efficient ambiance” than Avey makes rather run of the mill ambiance. Your mind won’t be blown after listening to this. In the rare event that it does, you better find a new brain. Then again you might have been listening to this on some kind of psychedelic substance, so who am I to judge such a subjective experience? I’m calling out “Heads Hammock” as the best thing on here. So, yeah, Avey, good attempt, bro. Real solid effort. You did your thing and people should respect it.
Grade: B (84)
By one of my new favorites…Wheels On Fire!
“I was really shocked at first. I was like “no way,” he’s just bullshitting with me. When he told me this is a legit thing, I was like “that’s really weird, but, that’s okay, sure, just don’t let me know about it.”
Link To The Documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTiVO8kbEvc&feature=related
Never heard before opinions on pick-up lines, hangover cures, lactating, and stock placement at Best Buy!
Band: Wheels on Fire
Release: 9/2010
Label: Kind Turkey Records
1. “Black Wave” – A
2. “Broken Up” – A
3. “Cherry Bomb” – A
4. “Go Give Yer Love Away” – B+
Comments: This 7″ is just another super fun garage pop nugget in a long line of 2000s/2010s era garage pop nuggets. I’m being constantly blown away by the sheer number of independent bands that are making catchy rock and roll music. It’s an amazing and great time to be a listener and reviewer of this stuff. “Black Wave” is an addictive primitive power-pop number. “Broken Up” has a sweet touch of organ and a flow that should put to shame whatever the hell is mainstream “pop rock” of today. “Cherry Bomb” is slower and bluesier. Good tune. “Go Give Yer Love” is even slower, but serves a solid closer to this fabulous 7″.
Grade: A- (92)
Wheels On Fire are on tour right now in the Netherlands and Germany! Word has it that they will be back in the U.S for a tour sometime soon.
Band: Cheap Time
Release: 2010
Label: In The Red
1. “When Tomorrow Comes” – B
2. “Everyone Knows” – A-
3. “I’d Rather Be Alone” – B
4. “Throwing It All Away” – C+
5. “Down the Tube” – B+
6. “Showboat” – C-
7. “Miss Apparent” – C+
8. “June Child” – C-
9. “Woodland Drive” – A-
10. “Lazy Days” – B
11. “Approximately Nowhere” – B
12. “Waiting Too Long” – C+
Comments: Young Jeffrey Novak had a ball on Cheap Time, the self-titled debut release of…Cheap Time! He and his boys created a pretty solid record of garage pop slingers that I thoroughly enjoyed. At his songwriting peak, he is just as awesome as former label-mates Black Lips and Jay Reatard. It’s unfortunately that really none of that great songwriting can be found on this record. Fantastic Explanations is a relaxed vacation on a island where everything is not all about speed. This approach isn’t as winning as I had hoped, but there is a decent moment or two to be listened to on here. Take the lazy “Everyone Knows,” which is simply a disgusted Jeffrey rambling over a hooky garage/grunge riff. The Ramones-esque “Woodland Drive” is a nice listen as well. Besides those songs there aren’t a whole lot of goodies.
Grade: B- (81)
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 