– There’s a new album in the works.
– The band has been writing it for the past year.
– 60 to 75 percent done according to Randy Randall.
– Two confirmed songs are “Fever Dreaming” and “New Two”
– It may or may not come out this summer.
– The band is also working on a documentary about all-ages venues.
What’s definitely coming out and when it’s coming out! Of course, I only post what I think looks interesting:
(2/16) – Dum Dum Girls – Jail La La 7″ – Sub Pop
(2/16) – Vivian Girls – My Love Will Follow Me 7″ – Wild World
(2/23) – Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me LP – Drag City
(2/23) – Shearwater – The Golden Archipeligo LP – Matador
(2/23) – The Strange Boys – Be Brave LP – In The Red
(3/02) – Rogue Wave – Permalight LP – Brushfire
(3/02) – The Ruby Suns – Fight Softly LP – Sub Pop
(3/09) – Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – The Brutalist Bricks LP – Matador
(3/16) – Ty Segall – Caesar 7″ – Goner
(3/16) – Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Rush To Relax LP – Goner
(3/30) – Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be LP – Sub Pop
The fact is King Khan and the Shrines have just announced a Spring 2010 in North America. Their little three week jaunt begins in Atlanta, Georgia and ends in Indio, California, which happens to be the site of the Coachella Festival. They are going to be heading up the East Coast to North Carolina, but just when you thought they’d keep going north, they will go west and back south again! They will be playing some major cities in the South/Southwest/Northwest region on route to California. The way I figure it, they will undoubtedly be coming back to Boston in April or May…most likely May. I’m hoping for that.
Band: Surfer Blood
Release: 1/2010
Label: Kanine
1. “Floating Vibes” – A-
2. “Swim” – B
3. “Take It Easy” – B
4. “Harmonix” – B
5. “Neighbour Riffs” – C-
6. “Twin Peaks” – B
7. “Fast Jabroni” – B+
8. “Slow Jabroni” – C
9. “Anchorage”- B
10. “Catholic Pagans” – B
Comments: What a fun way to start with “Floating Vibes”! There’s a very warm Spring/Summer feel to it. Certain parts of certain songs rescue them from being your average “chill-wave” offering. Now, now, I’m not going to be one of those critics who says this is exactly “chill-wave” because it’s not. I don’t even know what that means. This is a more sophisticated form of shoe-gaze rock that seems like it could either be loved or hated depending on who you ask. Side note: I have a feeling this band ran out of good song titles. Just to clarify. This album isn’t Best New Music material. In my books, a B- is just barely above average. So yeah, that’s exactly what this LP is.
Grade: B- (83)
Band: The Octagon
Release: 1/2010
Label: Serious Business
1. “Suicide Kings” – A
2. “Cross Tops” – A-
3. “Swindler Minnows” – A
4. “Radio Days” – A-
5. “Loulou” – A-
6. “Hound Adams” – B
7. “Stop Snitchin'” – B+
8. “To The Flame” – B
9. “Easton” – A-
10. “Tommy Bones” – B
11. “Clay Haywood” – A-
12. “Buffalo” – B+
13. “Heart Calming Meditation” – C+
14. “Charles Lavender” – B+
15. “One Five Five” – B-
16. “Revolution” – B
Comments: Mixing ’90s college rock with the sights and sounds of today’s West Coast psychedelic scene, The Octagon have done well for themselves on this album. On some songs, I sense some Built to Spill inspiration, while others are straight up garage punk. My one real criticism is that a bunch of these songs sound like unfinished demos. If the band maybe spent a little bit longer on production, I’d love this more.
Grade: B+ (87)
Band: Midlake
Release: 2/2010
Label: Bella Union/V2
1. “Acts of Man” – B-
2. “Winter Dies” – C+
3. “Small Mountain” – C
4. “Core of Nature” – C-
5. “Fortune” – B
6. “Rulers, Ruling All Things” – C+
7. “Children of the Grounds” – A-
8. “Bring Down” – C-
9. “The Horn” – C-
10. “The Courage of Others” – C
11. “In the Ground” – C
Comments: This is my first “official” experience with what they call progressive folk. All I can think of is Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan when I hear those two words. Actually listening to this record, it’s more than just folk. It has more sound and finish than what I’ve traditionally regarded as folk. Despite that, it can be a pretty boring thing. “Fortune” is pretty good until it ends in a flash. This is going to sound messed up, but I think the band should go full folk. Cut the prog shit and just go full folk. Something like Sunset Rubdown. It’s pretty clear when they make their best attempt at this (“Children of the Grounds”) and when they don’t (“Core of Nature”).
Grade: C (76)
Band: Titus Andronicus
Release: 2010
Label: XL
1. “A More Perfect Union” – B+
2. “Titus Andronicus Forever” – C+
3. “No Future Part Three” – B+
4. “Richard II” – B-
5. “A Pot In Which To Piss” – B
6. “Four Score And Seven” – B+
7. “Theme From ‘Cheers'” – B-
8. “To Old Friends And New” – B-
9. “…And Ever” – B-
10. “The Battle of Hampton Roads” – A
Comments: Opening up an album with a sample of an Abraham Lincoln address? That’s top marks in my books. Mixing noise with historical themes…what?! “A More Perfect Union” is nice, but might just go on for a bit too long. I like the repetition of “you will always be a loser” on “No Future…” At some times sounding like Cymbals Eat Guitars and other like Against Me! I also like the pace of “Four Score And Seven,” but it doesn’t really amount to the epicness oft associated with 8 minutes and 38 seconds long songs. Try listening to “The Battle of Hampton Roads” in one sitting. You will be pleased with the result.
Grade: B (84)
Band: Shout Out Louds
Release: 2010
Label: Merge
1. “1999” – B
2. “Fall Hard” – B
3. “Play the Game” – A+
4. “Walls” – A
5. “Candle Burned Out” – B+
6. “Throwing Stones” – A-
7. “Four by Four” – B+
8. “Moon” – A-
9. “Show Me Something New” – B
10. “Too Late, Too Slow” – A-
Comments: Shout Out Louds won me over in 2006 with “The Comeback” a song off their debut LP Howl Howl Gaff Gaff. I was so impressed with that track (which was on the MLB 2006 The Show soundtrack) that I decided to look up more songs from this band. And you know what? I found five other songs off that release that I really really liked. On this record the band ditched Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John (producer for 2007’s Our Ill Wills) for Phil Elk, a notable producer who has worked with the likes of Built to Spill, Fleet Foxes, and the Shins. “1999” is a little cheesy at first and simplistic and all that average stuff, but it does improve. “Play the Game” is really really awesome and has the kind of flow that really hooked me onto this band. “Walls” has a similar effect. “Candle” is slower than the previous two. They flirt with shoegaze on “Four by Four.” Really epic finish on “Moon.” “Too Late, Too Slow” isn’t really that. It’s a good kind of slow. Perfect timing. This album will grow on me, I’m sure, but right now I can’t say it will be among the best. It’s definitely the best album I’ve heard all week if that means anything!
Grade: B+ (89)
Bands: Mission of Burma, The Konks
Location: Paradise Rock Club (Boston, MA)
Date: January 15, 2010
Introduction: A last minute decision was made to go to this show. I heard about it back in December and I was really excited and planning on going. I sort of forgot about it until the day of so at that point I got a hold of some tickets. Ben and I made the grueling walk to Commonwealth Avenue from Ruggles Station. We made pretty good timing, with only the diehards (including a J. Mascis look-a-like) standing there before us.
The Konks: I hate to say that these guys are your typical middle age garage rock band, but they really do embody that persona. “With cheap guitars and only two lousy drums,” they play fast paced Bompalicious rock that sounds incredibly polished given their frugality. Drummer Kurt Davis (looks like he is going to kick your ass at any given moment) knows how to command his two lousy pieces with precision and the two guitarists do their thing well enough. Most of the time I couldn’t make out what the fuck Davis was saying, but I did happen to notice a song that really stuck out. “God says ‘woah, motherfucker’ God says” is pretty messed up and I’m sure that’s their point.
Mission of Burma: “Wait, who are we seeing tonight?” joked (or was he being serious?) Ben as we approached the venue. In the grand scheme of things, I’m not too familiar with MoB myself, but still I was able to have a pretty great time. I recognized their older classic “That’s When I Reach For My Revolver” and new hit “1, 2, 3, Partyy,” but unfortunately the buck stopped there. I’m sure they played a good chunk of material from 2009’s The Sound the Speed the Light, but shame on me for not extensively listening to that (even though I gave it a 9 out of 10 rating). Peter Prescott’s between song banter was humorous and Bob Weston did a tight job on audio engineering. I was convinced Miller said “here’s a Jay Reatard cover” at one point, but looking back I’m almost positive he said “here’s a new one.” So yeah, these guys gave us an awesome show. It was nice to see a few under 30s in the crowd. I mean they might as well make it 40+ instead of 18 for these guys.
Grade: B
Band: Magnetic Fields
Release: 2010
Label: Nonesuch Records
1. “You Must Be Out of Your Mind”- B+
2. “Interlude” – C-
3. “We Are Having A Hootenanny” – C
4. “I Don’t Know What To Say” – C-
5. “The Dolls Tea Party” – D
6. “Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree” – D+
7. “Walk Alone” – C
8. “Always Already Gone” – C-
9. “Seduced and Abandoned” – B-
10. “Better Things” – B+
11. “Painted Flower” – C-
12. “The Dada Polka” – C
13. “From A Sinking Boat” – C
Comments: Realism comes off as a joke, considering the lyrical content and light instrumentation. Even at their most amateur, Merritt and crew fail to win “cute” points, if that’s what they were shooting for. Jens Lekman, oft compared to Merritt, does well in that department (which, by the way, is a musical aesthetic not a physical characteristic). Some songs succeed when the cheese level is turned down. This album isn’t utter shit, but you have to be a patient listener to appreciate it.
Grade: C (74)
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 