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
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
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
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
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)”→
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
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!
LUFTWAFFE is a band, and they hail from the far side of the Schuylkill River in West Philadelphia. If you’re from the area, maybe you’ve heard of them. If not, then you probably haven’t heard of Luftwaffe just yet. There’s another band named Luftwaffe from Chicago, but that’s not who were focused on, just so you don’t get confused. Our Luftwaffe, from Philadelphia, has been hard at work all Summer long to prepare their debut 7″ for the world. They recorded the record together themselves in their bedrooms this Summer, without the air-conditioning on, and now they’re putting out the record themselves as well. The 7″ should be ready sometime this month, so what better time to talk about Luftwaffe? I should probably mention that these guys are cool enough to also give away the entire 7″ for FREE on their Bandcamp page, so check that out while it’s still free!
If they had to describe their music themselves, they would call it “swampy, scattered pop music”. This is certainly an accurate description. The basis of their songs definitely comes from pop-influenced music, but it’s what they do with their sound effects and electronics that makes the songs unique – or “scattered”. They have a great balance of pop and electronics in their songs, and it stands out. The effects aren’t too overbearing or over the top – because seriously, how many times have you heard a song that was just too ridiculous with the sounds? These guys make their effects fit in just right, and it gives the songs much more depth, helping to create a significantly more interesting listen. Find out for yourself with the two songs below. “Old Friends” has a hazy layer of Summer humidity spread out over it’s constant, friendly beeping, while “Never Let Me Go” has an otherworldly, jungle-like feel to it. Get lost in the hypnotizing guitars and the shake of the tambourine as Luftwaffe takes you to the other side. This stuff is great – so please enjoy it. Don’t forget to download your copy of the 7″, because I’m sure it won’t be free forever.
Never Let Me Go –
Old Friends –
My Rating: 7/10 Genre/ Tags: Pop, Experimental, Electronic Quiet Summer 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Never Let Me Go
2.) Old Friends
3.) Warm Blood
DOWNLOAD the 7″ for FREE on the Luftwaffe Bandcamp
For a good while, the WHITE DENIM camp was pretty silent. No announcements of any new records or tours or anything of the sort, even through the past Summer. Been waiting for them to tour the East coast for waaay too long at this point – the waiting is starting to get old. And then – just over a week ago, seemingly out of nowhere – White Denim announced that they had a brand new, free full length record for everybody to download. Talk about surprises.
Packaged along with their exciting announcement, they revealed that they had a brand new guitarist in the band, that they would be touring the West coast in October (go figure), and that they had ANOTHER new record to share with the world in due time. So let’s recap that all real quick: They have a new guitarist and his name is Austin Jenkins. They’re starting their tour of the West coast on October 16th in their home state of Texas, and last but not least, the announcement of their TWO new records. The first is the one that’s free for download. The second would be their third official full length album. That third album is still untitled, but they’ve been hard at work all summer, and they should be wrapping it all up by the end of October. In case yr wondering where I got all this information (because I would be myself), then follow this link here, and here.
So in the mean time while we wait for this third record, White Denim was nice enough to set these other songs free and call it “Last Day of Summer”. They say “This record is something we made as a little summer retreat from our ongoing work on the third full length. Many of these tunes have been bouncing around since the formation of the band back in 06.” So there you have it – that’s the story behind the songs. You can read the rest of that quote right here, where you can also download the record, and even support the band for their efforts. And maybe you should think twice about supporting! Think about it – they just basically released a full length album for free – something that definitely takes up mounds of valuable time and effort. Something they could also make much more money on if they pleased – but no! They did this for the fans. So do them a huge favor and show some support! They’ll need it on their upcoming tour!
Now, divert your attention to the music – in case you can’t do that just yet, first download the album. Now start listening! You’ll first notice the track “I’d Have It Just the Way We Were”, which was originally on their second album “Fits”. Only they changed it up a bit this time. Then comes the joyous, smile-inducing piano in the beautiful mess of the second track “Home Together”.
Seriously though, it’s really hard to write about these White Denim songs. Nothing ever settles down – there’s constant movement all the time. They never keep a sound or pattern going for too long so you can pin it down. It’s like they don’t want you to stop dancing – ever. Things are usually like a huge, sprawling mess that only White Denim could decipher. One song ends, and the other one starts – no drawn out intros or anything that might get old too quickly. They’re constantly seeking out what’s next – whether it’s the chiming, jazzy, elevator-like music of “Incaviglia” with it’s gorgeous guitar playing and unsettling drums. Or the straight down and dirty grit of the song “Champ” – which kind of drifts into space about halfway through – there’s guaranteed to be something to tickle your fancy on this new batch of WD songs.
There’s so much that could be said about the music. Sadly, I’d probably be here all day talking about it if I could, too. Other songs like “Our Get” and “New Coat” start going in opposite directions, but nothing unfamiliar for White Denim. “Our Get” somewhat reminds me of “Syncn” from the end of “Fits”, with that head in the clouds feeling. While “New Coat” is just another undeniably perfect song. It’s got that reassuring and warm, sun-in yr-eyes feeling that only White Denim could possibly whip up. Just trust me when I say, that each and every one of these songs has something unique and fresh about them – there’s a reason to like every last song on the album. If this is how their free album turns out, just imagine what it’s gonna be like when we have to pay for the music! YES! BRING THAT SHIT ON RIGHT NOW!
Home Together –
Tony Fatti –
Champ –
Our Get –
New Coat –
My Rating: 9/10 Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Indie Rock, Experimental Last Day of Summer: Tracklist:
1.) I’d Have It Just the Way We Were
2.) Home Together
3.) Tony Fatti
4.) If You’re Changing
5.) Incaviglia
6.) Light Light Light
7.) Some Wild Going Outward
8.) Champ
9.) Shy Billy
10.) Our Get
11.) Through Your Windows
12.) New Coat
BUY White Denim releases directly from Insound DOWNLOAD Last Day of Summer completely for FREE – Don’t forget to donate!
White Denim on Myspace
White Denim – Fits & Workout Holiday previously on the Drone
If you haven’t heard of YOUNG ADULTS yet, stick around and learn a thing or two. These guys hail from Allston, Massachusetts, and they formed not very long ago in October of 2009. They definitely play a large part in the ever-growing scene that is constantly expanding up in the Boston area – which also includes a few other bands that have been featured on the Drone, like DOOMSTAR! and Girlfriends.
These bands all certainly have a little bit of something in common, and it’s not just their music. Part of it would be that they’re all responsible for the emerging punk and garage rock scene that is taking the Boston area by storm right now. There’s going to be a video documentary on this happening up in Boston, and Young Adults play a big role in that documentary. A film production company in Massachusetts called ExNoise, in association with Foundwaves, will be shooting the documentary and it’s going to be funded by Kickstarter. This will certainly be an interesting watch – can’t wait to hear more about it!
But yeah, put all that information aside for a second, and learn that the Young Adults debut LP is upon us! Yes, it’s true! In this coming November, AMDISCS – a record label based out of Prague in the Czech Republic – will release this debut LP in an edition of 500, and it will also be available digitally in places like iTunes. But seriously, I know you guys are all going to buy the vinyl, so I probably don’t even need that little digital format blurb – right?!
Buy it, and you get nearly 40 minutes of a heavy, glowing mix of garage rock and punk that’s just too good to forget about. Glowing because of all the invigorating, ambient lead guitar that dominates songs like “Let Us Out”, “Wasting Time”, “Rip it Up”, “Impression”, and “Campfires”, amongst many others – and punk because these guys just tear shit up without ever turning around to see the destruction they just caused. They even cover The Wipers song “Over the Edge”, which definitely confirms their punky influences. But no matter what you’re into, you should definitely free up some time to listen to these songs below. All three are highly recommended and shortly after listening, you’ll be eagerly awaiting this debut LP of theirs (as well as the documentary!). Hopefully this growing Boston scene will continue churning out new jams like these.
Wasting Time –
Rip It Up –
Drifting –
My Rating: 8.5/10 Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Punk, Ambient Black Hole: Tracklist:
1.) (Reverie 1)
2.) Let Us Out
3.) Wasting Time
4.) Black Surf
5.) Rip It Up
6.) Impression
7.) Over the Edge
8.) Life Under Review
9.) Annulation
10.) Bummer Summer
11.) Drifting
12.) (Reverie 2)
13.) Campfires
Young Adults on Facebook DOWNLOAD their demo for FREE! – features five songs from the coming LP!
More info. on Young Adults @ AMDISCS – Pre-orders (most likely) coming soon…
Styrofoam Drone 