Song of the Day #20: Guantanamo Baywatch – “Boomerenga”

GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH are currently putting the finishing touches on their 2nd full length LP. The album, titled Chest Crawl, drops May 22nd from the Dirtnap Records label which is surely a fitting home for their grimy, psyched-out strand of surf rock. “Boomerenga” is an excellent example of this sound being put on display. The song is guided along by twangy guitars with an evil edge while swift percussion and chunky bass lines work to keep the rhythm. These elements all combine for a ridiculously sloppy (and somehow sexy – did you see that album art??) blend of garage and surf rock that sounds particularly careless while also sounding wet. The lead guitar slithers and slides across the track which really helps create those slippery, unsettling vibes. Throughout the rest of Chest Crawl the Portland trio offers up plenty of tricks, the most notable being those blood-pumping instrumental tracks which have a truly vintage sound. See what they’re all about in the track below!

Boomerenga –

Genre/ Tags: Surf Rock, Garage Rock, Lo-Fi

BUY the LP directly from Dirtnap on May 22nd (no pre-orders)
Guantanamo Baywatch – Official Website
Guantanamo Baywatch on Facebook

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King Tuff – Wild Desire 7″

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from KING TUFF but his sophomore LP is just around the corner. Wild Desire is his latest effort coming from the Suicide Squeeze label and it’s an excellent indication of good things to come. Continue reading “King Tuff – Wild Desire 7″” →

V/A – Live at the Empty Bottle

For nearly twenty years the The Empty Bottle has remained one of Chicago’s most enduring rock and Roll venues. Beginning in 2010 audio engineer Shimby McCreery has been recording select performances and streaming them online through Bandcamp. Chicago based Hozac Records has just released a compilation entitled Live at the Empty Bottle which collects 14 highlights from the live series onto one incredible vinyl disk.  Continue reading “V/A – Live at the Empty Bottle” →

Song of the Day #19: Cousins – Speech

COUSINS are a four piece garage rock band that formed in Halifax in 2009 by Aaron Mangle. “The Palm at the End of the Mind” is the name of their sophomore LP on Saved By Vinyl, consisting of nine tracks of totally sharp and raucous garage-pop music that also manages to be quirky and highly energetic. Of the nine tracks, “Speech” just might be the most fitting example of this wildly frantic energy. This rowdy track starts out with a jangly bang and rarely ever settles back down afterward. The song is driven by crunchy guitars and a pounding, unpredictable drum pattern that will keep you guessing with each new pulsing measure, bringing the “manic energy and underlying calm” together in one strikingly memorable three-and-a-half minute track. You’d be a fool to miss it below – after the first 15 seconds you’ll see.

Speech –

Genre/ Tags: Pop, Garage Rock, Lo-Fi

Cousins on Bandcamp
Cousins on Myspace
Read about Cousins on Pigeon Row for a bit more info.
Not sure where to buy this one…sorry folks

A Brief Conversation With Pamela

Pamela: Ashely, Courtney, and Chris

San Francisco’s Pamela are putting together their next release. I sat in with them last Friday at Temple Randolph Studios to observe their first session for the new record. It is being recorded by Jasper Leach and Brian Davy, of the Myonics and Symbolic Jews, on a vintage Tascam Midistudio 688 cassette recorder. Continue reading “A Brief Conversation With Pamela” →

Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light LP

Sweet Heart Sweet Light is the latest offering and sacrament from Spirtualized. Throughout his career guitarist Jason Pierce (aka J. spacemen) has provided us with multicolored  galaxy uppers, downers, screamers, and laughers. This album is definitely a downer. Like a potent mixture of Darvon and Valium this is the sort of rock & roll that would have killed Lester Bangs. Continue reading “Spiritualized – Sweet Heart Sweet Light LP” →