Top Drawer – Solid Oak

Top Drawer is without a doubt one of those bands that has been long forgotten about. If it wasn’t for this wonderful compilation record, I don’t know if I ever would have stumbled upon these guys. This obscure band hailed from the rural center of the United States, coming right out of Kentucky. There aren’t many facts to be said about the band, considering they were around back in 1969-1970 and they only have one album that I am aware of. Their one and only album, titled “Solid Oak”, was recorded back in 1969 at Fultz Recording Studio over in Kentucky, and if you have one of these original records in mint condition, it could sell for well over a hundred dollars. The album is constantly being sought out due to it’s rarity. According to the record sleeve of the compilation I mentioned above, the album was only repressed one time back in 1980 on Akarma Records from Italy, and has never been pressed since. On top of that, none of the band’s original members have ever surfaced to talk about the music, and it’s not looking like they’re about to show up anytime soon. This song was included on the compilation in hopes that the band members would take notice of the praise that their almost-perfect record “Solid Oak” has continually received over the years. Then perhaps the band members can give us their side of the story on what it was like to be twenty-something years old in the middle of America and release a psychedelic masterpiece, and then vanish back into normal life without a trace. Listen to the first track of their forgotten masterpiece right here on YouTube. This track is the main reason the album is so sought out, with its monumental guitar soloing and the constant loop of the keyboard, this song undeniably flirts with perfection. That’s enough from me, now it’s time to find out for yourself. Check out the amazing “Solid Oak” with the link below…and…oh yeah…

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! I hope it’s the best one yet!

Solid Oak: Tracklist
1. Song of a Sinner
2. What Happened Before They Took the People Away
3. Middle Class America
4. Time Passes Much Too Quickly
5. Messed Up
6. Baker’s Boogie
7. What’s in Store
8. Sweet Memories
9. Lies

Solid Oak: BUY, good luck finding anything else. Try checking eBay.

Clutchy Hopkins – The Life of Clutchy Hopkins

“Clutchy Hopkins” is the name of a multi-instrumentalist musician who supposedly hails from California. Not much is known about Clutchy Hopkins, and his existence has yet to be verified. The name is widely believed to be a pseudonym for one of many popular DJs, although no true identity of the person behind the music has been publicly announced. There could be just one person behind the music, or it could be multiple people, but either way, it’s still worth hearing even though some songs sound like they’re from the inside of an elevators music playlist. Basically what that means is that some songs sound like elevator music. The name of the album I have for you today is simply titled “The Life of Clutchy Hopkins” and it has 12 unnamed tracks, thus making the moniker “Clutchy Hopkins” that much more mysterious. Check out the first track from the album right here on Youtube.

Clutchy Hopkins on Myspace
The Life of Clutchy Hopkins: BUY

Wild Nothing – Summer Holiday 7″

This one-man band is led by the 21 year old Virginian, Jack Tatum. This is his first release, and you can pick it up over at Captured Tracks. This 7″ has two songs, “Summer Holiday” on the A side, and “Vultures Like Lovers” on the flip side. These hazy bedroom pop songs are instantly catchy, and at times reminded me of The Cure. You can check out some other songs that aren’t on the record over at the Wild Nothing Myspace. Later next year he will have his debut LP released by Captured Tracks., and hopefully they won’t keep us waiting too long, because it look’s like a promising future. Short post today, check back for more tomorrow. Thanks!

Summer Holiday 7″: Tracklist
1.) Summer Holiday.
2.) Vultures Like Lovers

Wild Nothing on Myspace
Summer Holiday: BUY

Two Gallants – What the Toll Tells

Back in 2005, Two Gallants signed to Saddle Creek Records. One year and multiple controversial happenings later, they released their album called “What the Toll Tells”. For the two members of Two Gallants, Adam Stephens and Tyson Vogel, 2006 was quite an eventful year. First and foremost, they released their album. Then there was one night on October 13th, 2006, where Two Gallants were playing a show in Houston, Texas at Walters on Washington. Not long into their set, the band was attacked on-stage by a cop who was supposed to be there on account of a noise violation. Before long, the cop pulled out his taser and got a bit trigger happy. Here is one video of the incident on YouTube, and another right here. Unfortunately because of that cop, the show had to be cut short, and a 90 year old stand up bass was destroyed! Bummer! I know for a fact that I would have been extremely angry at that cop, and obviously every person attending that night was unhappy, just check the videos.
During the same year, the band even managed to receive more complaints because of their lyrical content. I’m not going to go to deep into this, but the song in question is the called “Long Summer Day“. The song is about a black slave man who has had enough of his righteous white owner, and decides to solve the problem through violence. This is portrayed in the lyrics below.

“Well if you should see my wife,
Tell her that I wont be home tonight,
So don’t leave on the light.
I got a little business down the road,
And If I’m dead by sunrise,
Kiss my baby girl for me.
It ain’t life if it ain’t free.
I’ve got a mighty burden to unload.”

Most of the songs from this album follow a similar pattern, being that most of them are like stories. Such tracks are “Las Cruces Jail”, “Long Summer Day”, and “Waves of Grain”, just to name a few. “Waves of Grain“, the albums closing track, is an epic track in itself. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, the song gradually gets louder and faster, with Vogels explosive and melodic drumming, he never ceases to amaze. If you never thought drummers were anything special, you need to watch the Waves of Grain video in the link above, because you will have a new found respect for drummers everywhere. A video can capture the action quite nicely, but nothing beats a live performance. Pick a spot right in front of the drummer at your next Two Gallants show, and you’re guaranteed to be entertained from beginning to end. As long as no power hungry cops try to come through and ruin your good time, that is.

What the Toll Tells: Tracklist
1.) “Las Cruces Jail” – 5:46
2.) “Steady Rollin'” – 4:28
3.) “Some Slender Rest” – 8:57
4.) “Long Summer Day” – 4:54
5.) “The Prodigal Son” – 3:13
6.) “Threnody” – 9:34
7.) “16th St. Dozens” – 5:15
8.) “Age of Assassins” – 8:01
9.) “Waves of Grain” – 9:34

Two Gallants: Official Website
What the Toll Tells: BUY

Underwater Peoples Winter Review

Merry Christmas and hello to everyone! There is something I would like to share with you on this very special Christmas day. Thanks to the nice people over at Underwater Peoples, they have made their new Winter Review CD available to download. Check it out over here at Chocolate Bobka. It’s full of wonderful tracks from the likes of Real Estate, Julian Lynch, Family Portrait and much more. Make it snappy though, because it’s only available for a limited time! Thanks! I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Check back for some more tomorrow!

UP Winter Review CD: Tracklist
1. Julian Lynch – Es’s
2. Pill Wonder – Restless
3. Ducktails – Apple Walk
4. Fluffy Lumbers – Adoration
5. Big Troubles – Former Selves
6. Andrew Cedermark – Ad Infinitum
7. Frat Dad – Totally Afraid
8. Dana Jewell – My T-Train Girl
9. Air Waves – Sweetness
10. Family Portrait – Killer Statements
11. Alex Bleeker – These Days
12. Mountain Man – Dog Song
13. Real Estate – Orchard
14. Rainbow Bridge – Rain Nair
15. Liam the Younger – Please See

White Denim – Fits

Well, it’s Christmas Eve day, which means tomorrow is Christmas (really?). The album I’m going to post today is like my gift to you for Christmas. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I have. The album is called “Fits” by White Denim, and it is my overall favorite album from 2009.
Okay, so on “Fits”, the music doesn’t start til about 45 seconds into the first track, “Radio Milk How Can You Stand It“. Up until then, the sounds and voices you can hear only leave you guessing what’s about to unfold. Then, all of a sudden, the drummer starts beating away at his snare, and seconds later, he is joined by a sprawling bass line. The two continue to play until they are joined by the guitarist, who signals the start and stop action that is present throughout the song. They continue to beat down on their instruments, never really letting you get too comfortable with anything they’re doing. By that I mean that this song has something new around every corner, and once you’re comfortable with the way it sounds, they’re going to completely change things up on you and catch you off guard. It’s like having a punk rock song fused with a bluesy-garage rock song. It’s extremely difficult to describe, but entertaining and satisfying nonetheless.
As you continue to listen to “Fits”, you’ll notice that a lot of the songs have this style. The second track, “All Consolation” follows the same structure. This song has a punky yet psychedelic feel to it with the guitar soloing and the sound effects used, but once again, things aren’t going to stay this way. They break it down for the last minute of the song, unexpectedly slowing things down, and even throwing in a cowbell to hold together all the spastic drumming. The following tracks all further prove that there is not one genre you can tag White Denim with; there is just too much going on in a single song. Another good example of this would be “Say What You Want” with its punk/garage rock feel that turns into a tropical islands version of a punk song. I’ll say it again, they’re extremely difficult to describe, but amazingly entertaining and beyond satisfying. Skipping ahead to the track “I Start to Run“, which starts off with it’s undeniably catchy bass line, is definitely a highlight from the album. With James Petralli claiming somebody is listening to the song in his head, you can’t help but sing along to this one. The album is made up entirely of highlights, with every song being just as good as the last. Now please, scroll down and check out this masterpiece for yourself. Thanks for reading and happy holidays to all. Considering tomorrow is Christmas, chances are there won’t be a new post, but if I find the time, I certainly will be here. Thanks for reading once again, and keep checking back for more!

White Denim – Official Website

White Denim – Syncn
White Denim – Everybody Somebody
White Denim – Regina Holding Hands
White Denim – Sex Prayer
Fits: BUY

The Wounded Knees – All Rise EP

Alright, here we go. For today’s entry, I am going to cover the Wounded Knees, hailing from Dublin, Ireland by Troy, New York. This band is led by the man known as Jimi Shields who has also been a part of other bands such as Rollerskate Skinny and Lotus Crown. Jimi is also the brother of the guitarist from My Bloody Valentine, and you might already know him as Kevin Shields. As far as music goes, the band hasn’t released much yet. I know they have one EP up to this point. This EP came out back in 2008 on the NY-PA label Specific Recordings. It is still available over on that website if you’re interested. They only pressed 200 of them, and it’s on colored brown vinyl with screen printed jackets. I have a copy of it sitting right here as I type, and I must say it is a beautiful record. The EP has 5 songs, all original in their own way, and it clocks in at just over 20 minutes worth of music. One highlight I can’t help but mention is the epic track “Dirty (Exploding Sonic Dogfight)“. If you’re listening to the album from the beginning, by the time you get to this track, you would already know that the band has a flute player, ex-Mercury Rev flautist Suzanne Thorpe. What you may not have known, is that she can totally TEAR SHIT UP. LISTEN TO THAT FLUTE! Okay, okay, so the flute action is good. When you’re done listening to the flute, move your concentration over to the guitar work of J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. This, my friends, is also COLOSSAL. Adding this flute along with the guitar is a recipe for complete destruction. Unfortunately this is the only track featuring Mascis, but this song will keep you coming back for more, as well as every song from the EP. This EP is certainly worth hearing, so don’t waste any more time…check it out with the link below.

The Wounded Knees on Myspace

All Rise EP: Tracklist
1.) Mainstream Hate School
2.) All Rise
3.) Dirty (Exploding Sonic Dogfight)
4.) Surf the Urge (To Explode)
5.) Sonny Payne

All Rise EP: BUY

Spacemen 3 – The Perfect Prescription

Good morning! I hope you’re having a good day so far. For those of you who are not, hopefully the album I have for you today will help you! That’s right! It’s that good! That album would be “The Perfect Prescription” by the band Spacemen 3. Spacemen 3 formed back in 1982 in Warwickshire, England, and they continued to be active until 1991, with the two consistent members being Jason Pierce and Peter Kember. During their existence, the band released a total of four studio albums, a compilation CD of their singles, and a bunch of other unofficial CD’s, live recordings, and demos.
Their album, “The Perfect Prescription” was the second studio album they had, and it was originally released in 1987 on Glass Records. This is one of those albums that you need to start from the beginning, and not interfere with it for the entire length. All of the songs flow together perfectly, and it all starts off with the crashing of “Take Me to the Other Side“. This was a great song to put for the first track. It has a steady beat throughout, and the lyrics and guitar go hand-in-hand as Jason Pierce yells, “Take me for a ride/take me to the other side”. For the last minute and a half of the song, the band continues to crash and smash on their instruments while Pierce goes on about taking him to the other side…hmmm, I wonder what he’s gonna do? Isn’t it obvious? The next track follows up beautifully, and it’s part of a conversation between Pierce and Jesus. Jesus is telling Pierce “you ain’t coming to me no way/you’ve found heaven on Earth/gonna burn for your sin”. Oh man, looks like someone isn’t getting into heaven. Pierce asks Jesus for forgiveness and claims that “I could have done me worse.”, which is probably very true. The third track is almost like Pierce’s review of his time with Jesus, as they talk about the things that are hard to see in life, and giving into temptation. If you continue to listen past that track, you will figure out that every song is solid gold and very original (except for the “Transparent Radiation” cover of the band Red Krayola). It’s a surprisingly difficult decision to pick just ONE personal favorite from this album, but I think I would have to go with the track “Come Down Easy“. But why keep reading my thoughts? Check out the links below and find out what you think for yourself! Please enjoy and check back for more tomorrow!

The Perfect Prescription – Tracklist
1.) Take Me to the Other Side
2.) Walking with Jesus
3.) Ode to Street Hassle
4.) Ecstasy Symphony
5.) Transparent Radiation (Flashback) (Red Krayola cover)
6.) Feel So Good
7.) Things’ll Never Be the Same
8.) Come Down Easy
9.) Call the Doctor
10.) Soul 1 (Bonus track)
11.) That’s Just Fine (Bonus track)

Spacemen 3 on Myspace
The Perfect Prescription: BUY

Luna – Penthouse

Soooo yesterday I attended the “Punk Rock Flea Market” in Philadelphia and I found this wonderful CD for only $1.00, amongst many other great gems for that price……but this awesome CD comes from the band Luna. The band formed after the breakup of the amazing Galaxie 500 back in 1991. The lead singer and guitarist, Dean Wareham, went on to form Luna in 1991 almost immediately after Galaxie 500 broke up. Over the course of their existence as a band, Luna had released numerous studio albums as well as countless EPs and singles. I have one of those studio albums here for you today, it’s called “Penthouse”. Check it out with the link below.

Penthouse Tracklist:
1. Chinatown – 4:39
2. Sideshow by the Seashore – 3:12
3. Moon Palace – 3:46
4. Double Feature – 4:27
5. 23 Minutes in Brussels – 6:40
6. Lost in Space – 3:44
7. Rhythm King – 3:16
8. Kalamazoo – 6:26
9. Hedgehog – 3:05
10. Freakin’ and Peakin’ – 6:12
11. Bonnie and Clyde – 5:27

Luna: Official Website
Penthouse: BUY

Looking Back on 2009

As any year comes to a close, it’s always entertaining to look back and figure out what kept you listening the most. Sometimes, it is intensely difficult to narrow down the albums that really mattered. Other times, you know right off the top of your head without a second thought. This year was definitely not as difficult as you might expect with all of the new music that’s been pouring out of artists lately.

Many artists in 2009 dominated with multiple releases for the year. Such artists would be: Animal Collective, with an LP, an EP, a single, and even a boxset, Javelin, with the Jamz n Jemz CD and with the Javelin 12″. Real Estate have just put out an LP, an EP is due out shortly, and now there is even a new “Live on the Radio” album on vinyl-format only. Kurt Vile released two full lengths, “Childish Prodigy” and “God is Saying This to You”, and also a couple of singles. Last but certainly not least would be Ganglians, releasing two LP’s on the Woodsist label, and then a great 7″ on Captured Tracks. Basically what this all means is that there was a lot to choose from for 2009.

Best Albums of 2009:
1.) White Denim – Fits
2.) Javelin – Jamz n Jemz
3.) Warpaint – Exquisite Corpse
4.) Double Dagger – More
5.) Real Estate – Real Estate
6.) Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
7.) Arctic Monkeys – Humbug
8.) Various Artists – Underwater Peoples Summertime Showcase CD
9.) The Smith Westerns – The Smith Westerns
10.) Ganglians – Ganglians
11.) Chain and the Gang – Down with Liberty…Up With Chains!
12.) Spider Bags – Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World
13.) Kurt Vile – Childish Prodigy
14.) The Entrance Band – The Entrance Band
15.) Do Make Say Think – Other Truths

Late Entries: The Strange Boys – And Girls Club
Foreign Born – Person to Person
Fungi Girls – Seafaring Pyramids

Tracks of 2009:
Washed Out – “Feel It All Around”
Akron/Family – “River”
Wooden Shjips – “For So Long”
Julian Lynch – “Banana Jam Pt. 1”
tune-yards – “Sunlight”
Animal Collective – “What Would I Want? Sky”
Andrew Cedermark – “Anchorite”
Kurt Vile and the Violators – “The Hunchback”
Memory Tapes – “Bicycle”
Ganglians – “Blood on the Sand”
Family Portrait – “Mega Secrets”
Fool’s Gold – “Suprise Hotel”