Sleepovers – Secret 7″

Does anybody remember being younger back in elementary school times and just straight up hanging out with friends on the weekends? You never had to worry about working, and you usually hung out at local “cool places” like the mall, the bowling alley, and movie theater, where other kids from your age group would walk around in their baggy jeans claiming they were in some sort of “gang” just because they hung out at the movies all day.

While I never thought those kids were cool, I’m sure the good people in the band SLEEPOVERS felt the same way, and I say this because this 7″ of theirs captures that young, happy, innocent and carefree attitude that most kids that age have. Once the movies were over or you finished your game of bowling, you’d head back to one of your best friends houses and proceed to stay up for as long as possible, playing video games and carrying on like there was no tomorrow, most likely keeping the hosts parents awake all night. But you would never show how tired you were actually getting, because everybody fears being the first person asleep at a sleepover. Kind of ironic too.

One of the first words that might come to mind when listening to this 7″ is “fun”, and it probably should! I’m pretty sure that’s what the Sleepovers were aiming for with this single, because when it comes down to it, that’s exactly what it is. Lively, catchy, fun-loving indie-pop with some awesome guitar work slipped in throughout. “Secret” has a beyond satisfying guitar lick that really helps the song hit that high mark, which will most likely force you to spin it for another quick listen. Three of the four members appear to be siblings, which also adds to the seemingly endless amusement that’s brought along with this band. Hell, their Facebook page even claims right from the beginning that they are indeed fun, so even they know what’s good. And if Sleepovers already know it, and I’m just learning it, that leaves one other person to learn – you. Be sure to check out these songs below, and don’t forget to snag their 7″ before it’s gone for good. There’s another track from the 7″ on their Myspace, so don’t forget to check that one out as well – it’s called “Sleepovers are Fun”.

Secret –

Together Forever –

My Rating: 6.8/10
Genre/ Tags: Pop, Lo-Fi, Rock & Roll
Secret 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Secret
2.) Sleepovers are Fun
3.) Together Forever

BUY this 7″ from Insound – Limited to 500 !
Sleepovers on Myspace
Sleepovers on Facebook
More info. on the Sleepovers @ Hozac Records

Soars – Soars

Hey dudes!! It was a busy weekend here at the Drone. After that post with the new Panda Bear 7″, the hit count shot up a significant amount – an amount big enough to shatter our previous record of pageviews (in a 24 hour period) by over 100 hits! So for that, I must thank all of you viewers. If I could personally shake each and every one of your hands, I would. Sadly, that probably won’t ever happen, although I would like it. So now you’re probably wondering what’s in store for the upcoming week. To start things off, we’ve got the debut LP from Pennsylvanian dark-pop band SOARS. This is their first official release, and it comes from La Société Expéditionnaire, also located in Pennsylvania.

For starters, this debut LP comes jam-packed with constantly fluctuating moods and feelings, as songs can go from one extreme to the other within short periods of time. For the most part, there’s almost always a creepy, foreboding feel weaved into the songs. The presence of a dark, murky energy hangs over your head, instigating you to make the wrong decisions – kind of like when the devil and an angel are depicted in movies and cartoons as hanging out on your shoulder, always giving you advice on what or what not to do. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, see this picture right here. While all of this goes on, there’s an uplifting, spiritual ambiance that without a doubt contradicts the other qualities of the music that I just described. Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to decide which one over-shadows the other more – like in the song “Figurehead”. The ambiance comes shining through, and once it does, it may make it hard for you to decide what you actually think of the music.

While all of this is going on, there’s still other qualities to the music. In just about every last song, there’s some sort of repetitive, electronic percussion. Considering that most of these songs fall into the longer category, this percussion tends to get a bit stale, and usually pretty quickly. It doesn’t give the songs that much depth, as it just continues to repeat over and over again, making some of these songs difficult to get into. Tracks like “Young Adult” and “Figurehead” escape this downfall by getting heavier and denser without ever loosening their grip, of course, until the song ends. Find out for yourself with the tracks I have for you below, and as always, don’t forget to come back for more tomorrow.

Throw Yourself Apart –

Figurehead –

Young Adult –

My Rating: 6/10
Genre/ Tags: Experimental, Pop, Ambient
Soars: Tracklist:
1.) Introduction
2.) The Sun Breaks Every Way But One
3.) Throw Yourself Apart
4.) Escape on High
5.) Ditches
6.) Figurehead
7.) Young Adult
8.) Monolith

Soars – Official Website
Soars on Myspace
BUY the self-titled LP directly from the label – Limited to 500 on colored vinyl !

Panda Bear – You Can Count On Me 7″

It’s another 7″ from PANDA BEAR today. That means we must be getting closer to the release of his much-anticipated full length album “Tomboy”, which they say is supposed to drop sometime in the Fall of 2010. Thus far, this is the second installment in a string of 7″ records that are being released up until the full album finally drops. As a quick side note, you can check out the first 7″ right here. With the second 7″ now released, there can’t be that much more time to go, because Winter is just around the corner. Which makes me wonder how many more of these 7-inchers there are still to come. I guess only time will tell, so while we wait, why don’t we check out this new 7″?

Most places across the web already have a decent description of these songs, so I kind of feel redundant going into anything specific. Plus, I have to be at work in under an hour, so I’m not going to go crazy. “You Can Count On Me” is a “gentle duet between Panda Bear and himself, glimmering with third world melodic overtones – an ethereal uplifting number that is over before you become too familiar.” The track barely lasts over two minutes long, so that definitely makes sense. You can hear it for yourself right below. Then flip over to the B-side for the deliciously awesome “Alsatian Darn”. It’s yet another shiny, glimmering track that nearly doubles the length of the first song. Lots of pitter-patter, clapping, and unusually clicking sound effects overshadow the song, bringing thoughts to mind like “What was that?” Be sure to check this one out below too, because it’s shaping up to be quite an awesome full length once it’s finally out. Not sure where you can still pick up this sold out, limited-edition-of-500 7″, but I left you guys with the best links I could find. Good luck!

You Can Count On Me –

Alsatian Darn –

My Rating: 7.5/10
Genre/ Tags: Experimental, Dub, Pop
You Can Count On Me 7″: Tracklist:
1.) You Can Count On Me
2.) Alsatian Darn

BUY the 7″ from Norman Records – from the UK
Panda Bear on Myspace
Panda Bear – Tomboy 7″ previously posted on the Drone
This is the best I could find on eBay!

Vermillion Sands – 20 Hours 7″

What’s up! If you were around at the beginning of last week, then you might remember me saying something about a new Vermillion Sands 7″. While the Sands were on their short tour of the United States, they stopped in Chicago to pick up some of their newly pressed records from Trouble in Mind. Now it’s about time they start to unleash the 7″ to the rest of the world, as they’ve began taking orders for the 7″ from multiple outlets. With this release, it adds yet ANOTHER 7″ to the ever-expanding Vermillion Sands discography, and it comes with one brand new, unheard song.

The A-side features the new song called “20 Hours”, while the B-side is filled out with a re-recorded version of their song “The Last Day” from their full length LP. Right away with the choppy guitar intro on “20 Hours”, you’ll be in familiar Vermillion Sands territory. Relentlessly rolling drums and a bouncing bass line help keep the song in order as Anna and the gang plow on through with fuzzy guitars, cowbell hits, and even a harmonica. That familiar freshly robbed bank feeling is certainly present in these songs, kind of like a bandit who just mounted up on his horse to make his daring escape. Now you just have to make it out alive, or it’s bound to be your LAST DAY. Ha, band joke. Listen to “20 Hours” below, along with the LP version of “The Last Day”, and don’t forget to check out the live videos of the Vermillion Sands playing in the basement. Good times.

20 Hours –

The Last Day (LP Version, not from this 7″) –

My Rating: 6.5/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Folk Rock, Country, Italian
20 Hours 7″: Tracklist:
1.) 20 Hours
2.) The Last Day

Check out the VERMILLION SANDS performing live in Philadelphia
BUY the 7″ either here or here – Limited to 500 on random colored vinyl !
Vermillion Sands on Myspace
All things Vermillion Sands from the Styrofoam Drone

The Wedding Present – Flying Saucer 7″

This 7″ we have today was easily the most difficult piece of wax I’ve encountered since I started this blog. For starters, the only clue to anything on the 7″ would be the name of the band, THE WEDDING PRESENT. The name of the record label – Ramona Records – wasn’t even good enough to supply us with any solid information. This meant drastic measures needed to be taken.

The two names on either side of the record weren’t even the actual song names for their respective sides. Side one reads “The world’s least complex pop group”, and the other side reads “It’s what you want that matters,” and you would probably assume that these are the track names, but their not! So Ramona Records is completely non-existent on the interweb, and then they make you guess what the tracks are. Fun! If it weren’t for the lyrics of these songs, I may have never found the names, because to be honest, I snagged this 7″ in the record store just for the hell of it one day. I had no idea what I was getting into or what it was all about – but now I’m glad I picked it up, and for only $3.99! Of course, only after going through the process of figuring out the names of these damn songs!

After some thorough searching, I found that the two tracks were called “Flying Saucer” and “Dalliance”. “Flying Saucer” originally came from a compilation album called “Hit Parade 2”, while “Dalliance” came from their third album “Seamonsters”. Any experienced Wedding Present listener would probably already have known this – hence why I had to do some careful searching myself. Both of the tracks sound as if they were performed in some sort of live setting, because you can hear people cheering and carrying on at the beginning and the end of the songs.

“Flying Saucer” starts out like any song would, but you’ll probably notice right away that there’s a feeling of something bigger and better to come shortly down the road. You can just feel it with the strum of the guitar. Then, sure enough, the song continues to build as the guitars get fuller, more intricate and detailed, and before you know it you’ll be dying to hear this song again. Please don’t miss it, it’s one of those songs that has that power to keep you coming back over and over again. I’m slowly but surely discovering this quality right now.

PS – If I was wrong about anything above, PLEASE correct me by leaving a comment below.

Flying Saucer –

Dalliance –

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Indie Rock, Alternative, Pop
Flying Saucer 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Flying Saucer
2.) Dalliance

The Wedding Present – Official Website
The Wedding Present on Myspace

Harlem – LSD Saves 7″

Here we go. Today we’ve got a 7″ from HARLEM, a band that once originated in Tucson, AZ and then relocated to Austin, TX. Upon moving to Austin these guys began to pick up a following, and then they released their first LP called “Free Drugs ;-)” in 2008. The progression would only prove to get better for the band, because then they were signed to Matador for a second LP, this time called “Hippies”. That LP just came out this past April, and the songs we have on this 7″ today come from the post-Hippies recordings. They were not included on “Hippies”, but very well could have been.

A-side “LSD Saves” starts off with a rowdy guitar hook and the feeling of party time on a Saturday night. While LSD may not exactly be regarded as a “party” drug, it seems like it could work with this song. Lead singer Michael Coomers sings about how he loves “hanging around with all my friends”, and also making claims that “LSD saves the human race.” Thoughts about how this drug can save the human race might sound like a bogus claim, but you probably shouldn’t judge until you’ve taken some for yourself. Because usually, these kinds of thoughts would only come to be if you are indeed tripping on acid. So step in his shoes, because it’s the only time it would make sense. The part about hanging with friends is just a given, because who wants to trip alone?

Flip over to the B-side for a song called “Mood Ring”. It’s equally as rowdy as the last, featuring even more addicting guitar hooks that get drilled into yr brain, forcing you to listen again and again. So check out these songs below! I’m uploading them both because I couldn’t find them ANYWHERE ELSE on the web before I ripped my 7″. So please enjoy.

LSD Saves –

Mood Ring –

My Rating: 7.5/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Indie Rock, Pop
LSD Saves 7″: Tracklist:
1.) LSD Saves
2.) Mood Ring

BUY the 7″ directly from Insound
Harlem on Myspace

Robedoor – Pacific Drift 7″

What’s up. There’s been a lot of stuff coming from the Not Not Fun label lately. One of those things was the Pocahaunted 7″ we covered a few days ago, and now we’re back with even more from them. Today we have the brand new ROBEDOOR 7″, but this doesn’t even appear to be their newest release. They’ve got even more listed up on their site now. It doesn’t really make a difference for anything, it just goes to show that these guys put out a shit-ton of awesome music for the world to enjoy. And for that, I thank them. You should too. But this new Robedoor 7″ is why we’re here today, and it’s quite a dark, moody slab of 7″ vinyl.

Robedoor walks the fine line of balancing between droned out ambient rock and heavy, moody psychedelic rock on this 7″, and you’ll figure this out pretty quickly right within the first track “Pacific Drift”. The first two minutes of the song are dominated by textured and grainy guitars, building up momentum as other elements start to come into play as the song progresses. It’s almost like you’re being thrown right into the middle of a dark tribal meeting of spirits as they summon their gods from above – yeah, it’s like that. The drums start to come through a little clearer, and that flute-like keyboard (it sounds like a flute!) acts as a lead guitar over the textured guitar storm that is brewing underneath everything else. Make sure you don’t miss this one below. Now it’s time we flip that 7″.

Next up is the song “Exploited”, and they get into it much quicker this time, taking on the psychedelic rock side of things. Their result – a huge, sprawling mess of a buildup that finally peaks off at the twenty second mark. All while the lead singer continues to ramble on, spitting out completely unintelligible lyrics. Somebody should have told him you can’t hear a damn word he’s saying. Next up would be the last track “Blanked Out”, and they take it back down a notch for this song. There’s some rainy day sounds weaved into the mix, almost giving it dream-like/ soundscape qualities, and it works perfectly for this slow-burner. Invigorating lead guitars start to reveal themselves towards the end, giving this song that much more personality than it already had. Great stuff right here – definitely don’t sleep on it. Get that 7″ before it’s all gone!

Pacific Drift –

Exploited –

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Psychedelic, Lo-Fi, Drone
Pacific Drift 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Pacific Drift
2.) Exploited
3.) Blanked Out

BUY this 7″ from Insound – Limited to 500 !
Robedoor on Myspace
A comprehensive layout of all things Robedoor – check it out

Women w/ dd/mm/yyyy Live in Philadelphia (10/10/10)

Who?: Women with dd/mm/yyyy
Where?: Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
When?: October 10th, 2010

Hey there – sorry for the post delay today. Tons of things needed to be done before this was made up. So as you might already know, last night two equally awesome Canadian bands were in Philly. Those bands were WOMEN, who hail from Calgary, and then DD/MM/YYYY, who hail from Toronto. At first glance, these two bands might not seem like they go together too well, but think about it a little more and you might change your mind. They both like to play as loud as possible, and they both tend to have noisy and rackety qualities. Lots of little intricacies (that aren’t always subtle) make up the bigger picture for both of these bands while they’re performing on stage. Whether it’s the unique, jaw-dropping guitar playing style found in Women, or the relentless full-on musical assault from dd/mm/yyyy, either of these bands are bound to entertain. Now see for yourself after the jump: Continue reading “Women w/ dd/mm/yyyy Live in Philadelphia (10/10/10)” →

Dead Meat – The King 7″

Hey all. We’ve got something nice for ya today. It’s the debut 7″ from DEAD MEAT. These guys originally came from Miami, but they relocated and are now based out of San Francisco. Before leaving Miami, the band forged some friendships with bands you’re probably already familiar with. The boys of Surfer Blood turn out to be old friends with Dead Meat, as well as with the Surfer Blood side-project Weird Wives. They too have showed their friendship with Dead Meat on their Blogspot page. That page is great for some insightful information, and that Kelly Williams website has a ton of cool stuff on it – who I am pretty sure is responsible for their cover art of the 7″, as seen above.

The 7″ comes packed with three Dead Meat songs, each dripping with a murky, foreboding attitude that is definitely far from the happy side of things. The heavy, grungy guitars dominate the songs as lead singer Joe Santarpia howls with much anguish, and you’ll learn pretty quickly that there’s absolutely nothing to be happy about. There’s even an “I don’t give a fuck” kind of attitude weaved into the songs, but I’m sure that’s far from true if you could ask the band members themselves. If they didn’t give a fuck they probably wouldn’t be in a band at all, know what I mean? The 7″ isn’t due out until the 30th of November, but we’ve got some stuff to hold you over until then. Check out these songs below, and then head over to their Myspace for some other songs and even some downloads.

The King –

Electric Head –

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Punk, Alternative, Hardcore
The King 7″: Tracklist:
1.) The King
2.) Electric Head
3.) Rubber Snake

Dead Meat on Myspace
Dead Meat – Official Website (umm…this is awesome)
More details on Dead Meat and their debut 7″ right here @ FSS

Pocahaunted – Threshold 7″

In case you weren’t already aware, I’ll fill you in. Pocahaunted is no longer a band. Sorry for being so blunt, but yes, it’s sad and true. They announced their break up back in August, and as that article states, “the band has been going on for four years in multiple configurations and after all this time we’ve just decided to move on.” There you have it, folks. You can read the rest of that article if you want more details, but nonetheless, that was certainly some crushing news when it was first announced. Now, about two months after the initial announcement, they’re putting the final nail in the Pocahaunted casket. This 7″ we have here today would be the final actions from Pocahaunted, coming from their premier label Not Not Fun out of Los Angeles, CA.

This final release from Pocahaunted comes with two songs, starting with “Threshold” on the A-side, and “Echolocation” on the flip side. Totaled together, both of these songs make for over ten minutes of pure Pocahaunted bliss. “Threshold” incorporates a complete mess of swirling sounds, dub-like bass lines, and a polished lead guitar that keeps you in it’s grip from beginning to end. During the final two minutes of the song is when things unquestionably start to get crazy, and then it all changes up again before the final minute of the song. After some tribal-like chants that intoxicating lead guitar comes back to do no other than force you to get up and move, and shortly after this you’re going to be aching to hear the song again. A great track indeed with unusual song patterns that evokes thoughts like “I wonder what’s coming next.” Without a doubt, a perfect fit-in with the rest of the Pocahaunted catalog. Flip that 7″ over for the slowed down and much more relaxed “Echolocation”. Check them both out right below!

Threshold –

Echolocation –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Psychedelic, Experimental, Trance
Threshold 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Threshold
2.) Echolocation

BUY this 7″ directly from Insound – Limited to 500 !
Pocahaunted on Myspace
More info. on the 7″ over @ Not Not Fun
Check out their extensive discography at Discogs