Dead Ghosts – Dead Ghosts

The DEAD GHOSTS full length! It’s finally here!! This thing was originally said to drop sometime in October, but obviously that didn’t happen. November 9th turned out to be the official release date for the record, but I still don’t think there are any places you can buy it. Keep checking back at Florida’s Dying and it’s bound to pop up at some point, just a matter of when. If you were eagerly awaiting this one, patience is definitely a virtue, but that moment is surely upon us. When this thing is finally out there, you will be glad you waited for as long as you did. And now I’m here to prove that to you.

If you can remember back to the Summer and also in September, we covered a few other releases from Canada’s premier garage rockers. Now they’re back with the most exciting installment to their discography, and if you enjoyed those other releases, things are only about to get better. The new album comes jam-packed with 13 of your favorite Dead Ghosts numbers, most of which have been re-recorded for the purpose of this new album. Some of these songs can be heard in live form on their Live Tapes 12″, but this new album definitely takes the cake.

They bring back all of your favorite elements, including that uniquely rowdy and rambunctious energy paired with smart, honest lyrics – usually about women, getting fucked up, and just about anything else you think you hear. The rough and abrasive guitars are there once again to put you on your ass, and they do it all with a captivating bluesy twang that’s just too good to ignore. There’s also a bit of a folky, country Western mood mixed in at times, but that’s for you to decide. Most of the songs on the list have hooks that cut so deep you won’t be listening to anything else for at least this whole week, and that’s far from being an understatement. Hear for yourself with these tracks below, and let the addiction begin.

When it Comes to You –

Off the Hook –

Girl Across the Street –

How the West Was Fun –

My Rating: 8.5/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Lo-Fi, Blues Rock
Dead Ghosts: Tracklist:
1.) When it Comes to You
2.) Detroit Jerry
3.) Off the Hook
4.) Haunted House
5.) She Likes It
6.) Girl Across the Street
7.) I Want You to Know
8.) Dead Ghosts
9.) Getting Older
10.) How the West Was Fun
11.) What to Do
12.) James Brown
13.) I Want Your Love

Dead Ghosts on Myspace
BUY the LP from Florida’s Dying…whenever it’s available
Dead Ghosts – Live Tapes 12″ previously posted on the Drone
Dead Ghosts – That Old Feeling 7″ previously posted on the Drone
You can buy the album digitally from iTunes (which is no fun at all), or wait for the record. yr choice. 😉

Dunes – Old Souls 7″

Here’s something for you guys to go into the weekend with. It’s the Art Fag 7″ from DUNES, a three-piece band hailing from Los Angeles. This three person group is made up of Kate Hall, who is originally from the now defunct Mika Miko, Stephanie Chan from Finally Punk, and Mark Greshowak from Talbot Tagora.

Together these guys create some dreamy post-punk numbers with a hint towards a darker realm where forgotten souls woefully waste away. The songs generally have a slower, lazier energy, complemented by wonky, punchy bass lines and mysterious lead guitar work. At times I hear slight comparisons to Grass Widow, a band we just talked about at the beginning of the week. Maybe that has something to do with both bands being from California and both having female singers. Either way I’m sure these obscure, echoed-out dream-jams will steadily work their way into your rotation whether you planned on it or not.

Limited to only 500 copies on the first press, this 7″ sold out almost immediately the first time it was put out. There’s a repress from Art Fag in the works, but you can snag a copy over @ Insound right this very moment without waiting for a repress! This way you can listen to gorgeous songs like “Dream House” right from the comfort of your very own record player! The track starts out pretty slow but gains momentum from the guitars as they start to pick things up. A little before the two minute mark things change direction, and suddenly the lead guitar is in complete control as the song continues to get fuller and more tribal like. The guitars here are pretty hypnotizing as they continue to swirl and build above your head until the song finally comes to a close.

Hear this great track for yourself along with “Armor”, which begins with a dark desolate intro quickly transforming into a mystical jangly guitar jam. You can also hear “Little Stems” on the Dunes Myspace if you want more. That is all! Enjoy your weekend and see you on Monday – already got a few gems lined up!

Armor –

Dream House –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Psychedelic, Post-Punk, Lo-Fi, Slowcore
Old Souls 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Armor
2.) Little Stems
3.) Dream House

Dunes on Myspace
BUY the 7″ directly from Insound – Limited to 500 !
This article from Oh My Rockness has some info. on the band

Purling Hiss – Public Service Announcement

What’s up dudes. We’ve got the new full length player from PURLING HISS today, and it’s quite a brain-burner. Mike Polizze, who is from Philadelphia, is the main man behind the music, but this isn’t the only place you can find his work. You’ve probably also heard of Bird of Maya if you’re already familiar with Purling Hiss, but it seems as if he’s been concentrating on Purling Hiss a bit more lately. This is the second full-length to come from the band this year, only this time it’s a bit different from previous efforts.

Before this album, most Purling Hiss songs were long and drawn out heavy psych-jams that left you wondering what the hell just took place. This time around they went with more traditional song formats, keeping tracks no longer than the five minute mark. But don’t worry, they certainly didn’t get rid of the loud psych-y stuff. It’s a good thing too. Hopefully Polizze keeps it up at this moonlighting job, because these new Purling Hiss songs totally rock.

Things start off on a familiar note with this album. There’s no point where you’ll be wondering who this stuff came from. The first track “Run From the City” starts off right away with a screeching guitar hook, and soon enough you’ll begin to notice the song building up more and more. The squeal of Polizze’s guitar is enough to make your heart sing as he keeps tearing it up with that same hook. It doesn’t get much radder than that – a mind-blowing riff played over and over again while the drums and everything else tries to match the intensity. If anything is apparent after listening to this song, it’s that this dude has some serious talent. Next is the instrumental track “Porch Dude/ Slight Return”, and it’s a great way to follow up. This one has a funky urban feel to it. The guitars and whatnot continue to swirl over your head helping to progress the song, and this one should keep you grooving without a doubt. Then comes “Don’t Even Try It”, which is what music in a daze should sound like. It’s especially dreamy and hazy, which brings me to say that if warmth had a sound, this would be it. The shape shifting acoustic guitar goes great with the “woo-ooh-ooh”, making for a great sing along if you know the lyrics.

Skipping ahead to track five, “Ojos Locos” – which translates to “crazy eyes” in English. The first 30 seconds or so don’t really hint at what’s to come, wait til about 45 seconds in and the fun begins. Suddenly there’s a happy ska flair that comes along with that bouncy guitar riff, which makes the song upbeat but kind of muffled at the same time. It’s a strange balance, but once again this band dazzles as they manage to make it work out so nicely. Either way the happy vibes are flowing! Moving ahead to “Beautiful Earth Creature”, this song is bound to strike a soft spot. You can’t exactly understand everything Polizze is singing, but there’s some parts that are easier to decipher than others. The highlight of this song though comes in the lead guitar work, just listen below and you’ll know what I mean. Following that comes “Malice in Wonderland”, which definitely qualifies as the most obscure and out-of-line track on the album. I’m not entirely sure what’s making all those heavy sounds, but it certainly helps create some intense, vivid visualizations. The final two tracks “Doghouse” and “1976” shouldn’t be ignored, I’m just running out of time. Check out what I’ve left for ya below and leave some comments. I want more comments people can’t you tell!!? Let’s get the Styrofoam Drone community up and running!!

Run From the City –

Ojos Locos – https://styrofoamdrone.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/05-ojos-locos.mp3E

Beautiful Earth Creature –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Psychedelic, Lo-Fi, Punk
Public Service Announcement: Tracklist:
1.) Run From the City
2.) Porch Dude/ Slight Return
3.) Don’t Even Try It
4.) Bedroom
5.) Ojos Locos
6.) Gypsy
7.) Zor
8.) Goodbye Blue
9.) Beautiful Earth Creature
10.) Malice in Wonderland
11.) Doghouse
12.) 1976

Purling Hiss on Myspace !
BUY the LP directly from Insound, you’ll be glad you did

Grass Widow – Past Time

What’s up people, hopefully you all had a good Halloween weekend. Too bad it only comes once a year because it’s always a great time. But what’s done is done, so let’s get this week in music started.

First up to start things off we’ve got the most recent album from GRASS WIDOW. This thing came out right before Summer ended in August – from the Kill Rock Stars imprint out of Portland, OR and Olympia, WA. Grass Widow is comprised of three women known as Hanna Lew (bass), Raven Mahon (guitars), and Lilian Maring (drums). They each bring something special to the table when it comes to their instruments, but the vocals are a different story. The Grass Widow outfit probably wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for these three beautiful voices either. All three of the girls take part in the vocal efforts, and it’s easily probably the most striking and unique aspect to their music. This new album is their longest to date, clocking in at just over 26 minutes, and it’s overflowing with unsettling, fast-paced song structure, beyond-delightful harmonies, and the sure ability to drop your jaw.

If you know about anything from Grass Widow before this LP, then you probably already know what to expect, aside from the music being totally addicting. Short and quick little post-punk outbursts fill the album from beginning to end, never really venturing too far past the three minute mark. They keep it short, and that certainly helps make the music as addicting as it is. Warbled and wonky bass and guitar lines drive the songs as the drumming crashes along behind them, making for some seriously complex sounding music – almost as if there’s stuff flying in all different directions without the time to figure them all out before it’s too late.

The real deal though for these guys comes in the singing. A mess of gorgeous singing voices are always there to guide you through the song, with harmonies so gratifying and complicated it’s actually quite haunting at times. Don’t be surprised if this sends a chill up yr spine, because at times it literally can be haunting, no jokes. Sometimes there’s a strange sense of urgency weaved into the seriously dire tones. They even go as far as getting an orchestral type feel out of some of their songs, like “Uncertain Memory” and “Give Me Shapes”. There’s some violin and other string instruments of the sort in the songs that help give it that feel, and it really complements the serious qualities in their music. Sometimes they have fun, but not always, because it’s important to be determined sometimes. That way people can take you seriously. And it certainly works for Grass Widow – check out these songs below and let the infection begin. And if you’re a Grass Widow fan and have been seeking out their first LP from Make a Mess, this right here might be the last place you can get it.

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Post-Punk, Ethereal, Pop
Past Time: Tracklist:
1.) Uncertain Memory
2.) Shadow
3.) 11 of Diamonds
4.) Give Me Shapes
5.) Old Disguise
6.) Fried Egg
7.) Landscape
8.) Submarine
9.) Strangers Come
10.) Tuesday

Grass Widow on Myspace !
BUY the LP directly from Insound!

Crystal Stilts – Shake the Shackles 7″

Hey! Tons of new music just keeps pouring in these last few days. First we had Kurt Vile and his new 7″, and then there’s Real Estate with their new single, and don’t forget about the new Beach Fossils 7″ either.

All these better known bands are currently hard at work putting their new albums together for us (not sure if they all have new albums coming), most of which are set to come out in the new year, and CRYSTAL STILTS are certainly no exception to this happening. Although the band has been silent since their last release in 2009, that doesn’t exactly mean you should just forget about them. Crystal Stilts are indeed back on the scene, and these two new songs of theirs just might be their best.

Without any new material for most of 2009 and basically all of 2010, one might imagine that when a band comes back with new recordings, they might not be so special. That is FAR from being the case with this new single from the Stilts. And even though they weren’t putting out new stuff, that doesn’t mean they weren’t still touring and playing together as a band.

These two new tracks are stunningly awesome, and both have a darker, brooding tone, which is exactly what the Crystal Stilts are best at. Crunchy, noisy guitars, otherworldly keyboards, jangly drumming, a moody sounding Brad Hargett – they bring it all back to the table right from where they left off, only they do it bigger and better this time. If these tracks can garner this kind of praise, just imagine what their full length is going to be like come 2011. I can now say without regret that one of my most anticipated albums of 2011 is definitely whatever comes from these guys (and Woodsman).

Shake the Shackles –

Magnetic Moon –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Lo-Fi, Pop
Shake the Shackles 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Shake the Shackles
2.) Magnetic Moon

Crystal Stilts on Myspace
BUY the 7″ directly from Slumberland Recs – Only $4 on white vinyl !!

Circle Pit – Bruise Constellation

Hope everyone’s weekend went well! Unfortunately the Phillies couldn’t help make mine any better than it was, but hey, what’s done is done. Now it’s time to focus on some music, because let’s be serious, it’s everybody’s favorite thing 😉

Today’s music of focus comes all the way from Sydney, Australia, from a band you might already know as CIRCLE PIT. This looks like it’s their first official full length, coming from the local Siltbreeze Records label, which couldn’t be a more fitting home for the album. Besides this new full length, the only other material you can find from the band is either this 7″ right here, or the stuff they have for sale in this Myspace blog post.

So when listening to this stuff, a lot of different thoughts and describing words might come to mind. Some of the more prominent descriptors would be scrappy, trashy, scummy, scratchy…most of which stem from the grainy, sandpaper-like guitars that dominate the entire album. These abrasive guitars drive the songs, being impeccably heavy at times, and freakishly psyched-out at other times.

Their high energy approach also helps add to the madness, and when it’s mixed with their strangely rewarding slacker-esque type vocals, it makes for quite an interesting combination. The raspy, “I don’t give a fuck” tone of voice is definitely part of the sound, and once it’s paired with the boy-girl vocal harmonies, you’ll see how well it all fits together. This is definitely the kind of album that you will like at first listen, but keep at it and you’ll notice that the shit’s grown on you like no other, way more than you ever expected – the excellent guitar work, angsty vocals, and a driven attitude (not to mention an interesting cover art) will certainly keep you coming back for more and more.

Just about every last song on the record could count as a highlight, but the ones that stood out the most for me were Wave Machine, Dead Meat, Infinity (which is strangely different than anything else on the album), Hurricane, Another Trick, Drowning in the Dark, and Beginning and the End. Definitely don’t sleep on this stuff, because I must warn you that you will be sorry if you do. Check out the songs I left ya below, and soon you’ll love Circle Pit. And if that’s not enough for you, I’d recommend listening to Top Surprise – there’s definitely some similarities between the two.

Infinity –

Another Trick –

Drowning in the Dark –

Beginning and the End –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Post-Punk, Psychedelic, Indie Rock, Australian
Bruise Constellation: Tracklist:
1.) Wave Machine
2.) Dead Meat
3.) Speed Limits
4.) Infinity
5.) Hurricane
6.) Another Trick
7.) Drowning in the Dark
8.) Shallow Grave
9.) Strange Blue
10.) Beginning and the End

Circle Pit on Myspace !
Follow Circle Pit on Tumblr
BUY the LP directly from Insound

White Denim – Last Day of Summer

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!

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

Young Adults – Black Hole

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…

Dead Ghosts – Live Tapes 12″

Vancouver’s own DEAD GHOSTS have been pulling in quite a bit of excitement lately. I first heard of these guys with their awesome 7″ from the Goodbye Boozy label, and since then it’s kind of been like love at first listen. Soon enough they’re going to be back on the scene with a brand new full length record from the Florida’s Dying label, and it looks like that’s going to be out sometime in October. But before this full-length hit’s the shelves, Dead Ghosts just put out another 12″ from the Psychic Lunch imprint, featuring songs that were all recorded in a live setting. Originally, this release was put out in cassette form from Southpaw Records (more info. on the cassette version right here), and now it’s got a vinyl release with a slightly different tracklisting. Pretty cool.

So – we’ve got nine new Dead Ghosts songs on this beautiful slab of single-sided, clear vinyl, in a limited edition of 300. Luckily for you, this is the only item that isn’t sold out at the Psychic Lunch store (with the exception of a few t-shirts). So if you want this one, it’s probably best to buy it as soon as possible. I certainly wouldn’t wait too long.

As I already mentioned, each song was recorded live, and it puts on a fantastic display of what these Dead Ghosts would sound like in a live setting. The energy is certainly palpable as they rock out and plow through these nine new songs. This is a bunch of bros putting on a fine display of what garage rock should sound like – sometimes doing it up with bluesy qualities, and other times touching on the psychedelic side of the fence – but never forgetting about their women! The guitar twang is simply irresistible, and I’m pretty psyched to check out this new full length when it’s finally unleashed to the world. Until then, we’ll just have to sit tight. Check out these songs from the 12″ below – but be careful – these songs WILL get stuck in yr head. “Thunderbird ESQ” especially (which is a Gories cover)! You’ve been warned!

Girl Across the Street –

What to Do –

I Want Your Love –

Thunderbird ESQ –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Lo-Fi, Live
Live Tapes 12″: Tracklist:
1.) Staying In
2.) Girl Across the Street
3.) Messed Up
4.) What to Do
5.) Detroit Jerry
6.) I Want Your Love
7.) Getting Older
8.) Haunted House
9.) Thunderbird Esq

BUY it from Psychic Lunch Records – Limited to 300 on one-sided clear vinyl!
Dead Ghosts on Myspace !
Dead Ghosts on Facebook
Dead Ghosts – That Old Feeling 7″ previously posted on the Drone