Coming from Hamilton, Ontario in Canada is COWLICK. Their second full length album “Wires” was released to the masses at the end of the past summer, and it garnered a boat load of attention at the 2010 Hamilton Music Awards. Continue reading “Cowlick – Wires”
This bizarre 7″ comes from the Asthmatic Kitty label, coming four tracks deep from four different bands who all hail from the Indianapolis area. The idea is to get some attention aimed in the direction of the Indianapolis music scene, and they’ve come up with a great way to do so. Continue reading “Various Artists – Export 7″”
Anybody remember our boys from Australia named IOWA? We covered their first 7″ a little over a week ago. Now we’re back with their latest 7″, which comes from their own personal Desert Mouth Records label. Continue reading “Iowa – Lose Yourself 7″”
What’s up people? Today we’ve got what I believe is officially the fourth band from Australia here on the Drone. They’re simply known as IOWA, and they hail from Melbourne to be exact. They’re a three piece band taking the traditional set up with Dylan Stewart on guitar and vocals, Jordan Barczak on bass, and Matt Rooney on drums.
These guys have been quite busy in 2010, releasing two of their first records from their own label, Desert Mouth Records, and after that it looks like things will only continue to grow for the band. The 7″ we have here today was their first official release, and then in the near future we’ll talk about their second 7″ as well. Both come on opaque colored vinyl and are limited to some small number (I know it’s 150 for the green vinyl – not sure about the red one). So let’s dig in.
The A-side kicks off with a jam called “Stay Solo”, and it’s a slower paced number with a longing, gloomy feel. Lazy sounding guitars and a crunchy, dirty bass line take control while the drums and cymbals crash along to keep up. About three-quarters of the way through the song changes directions and an epic build-up begins to form right in front of your face, only to come plummeting back down with ridiculously heavy guitars and more crashing cymbals. This right here suggests these guys know a thing or two about psychedelia over in Australia, and they prove it immensely. Now flip that record and it’s time for the B-side, called “AM”.
“AM” starts off with a bang as they ditch the sadder feelings from the previous song and go for the gold in this track. A little bit past the halfway mark the ending starts to unfold with buzzy, humming bass lines and a shimmying guitar line, only to pop off into a dazzling display of cymbal smashing, heavy guitar hooks, and a “let the good times roll” vibe. It’s hard to pin down which of these two songs could qualify as the main highlight from this single, so how about we go with both? Seriously, check this stuff out and see for yourself. If you still want more, head over to their Bandcamp where you can find downloads and other songs to listen to, including the 7-minute epic bonus track “Weighed Down”. Enjoy!
Stay Solo –
AM –
My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Grunge, Alternative
Stay Solo 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Stay Solo
2.) AM
3.) Weighed Down (bonus track on CD)
Iowa on Myspace
Iowa – Official Website
BUY their releases from Desert Mouth Records
Check out the Iowa Bandcamp for some free downloads!
Today we’ve got a new release from a local Philly band that some of you city-dwellers from around the area may have already heard. They’re simply known as THE TRESSELS, and they’re from the outskirts of West Philadelphia, specifically from a place you might know as Drexel Hill.
These guys have been on the music scene for a good chunk of time in Philadelphia, releasing at least two full lengths and a handful of underground demos and EPs before “Bourbon Legend” was ever finished. That being said, “Bourbon Legend” took almost two and a half years to complete, finishing the album while jumping the hurdles that most bands would fall victim to, such as technical issues, long periods of inactivity, and difficulty in finding a consistent drummer who would stick around. Truth be told, The Tressels weathered the storm, found a solid drummer, and now today we have “Bourbon Legend” after it’s all said and done. So let’s listen, shall we?
Having nearly 30 songs ready to include on the tracklist, this Tressels album comes jam-packed with just ten new psyched-out face melters. Ten seems like a lot now, but after listening it’s obvious that ten isn’t quite enough. Two of the songs (“Autopsy” and “Don’t Look Down”) were taken from their past albums and re-recorded, making them fit in with the rest of this record. A good portion of these songs play over the four minute mark, giving the band ample time to lay down some nasty guitar work and build up enough energy for huge, mind-bending breakdowns.
One of those biggest break downs comes in the track “Brothel Blues”, in which lightning-like guitars rain down over the mix, complementing crashing drums and the like. The shit really hits the fan in the final minute as they take the guitar lick around for another spin, totally destroying everything in sight. Wouldn’t you LOVE to witness this in a live setting? Other highlights include, but are not limited to “Don’t Look Down”, featuring more fierce guitars and epic breakdowns, “South Beach Vampires” which has a moody, blues rock feel, and “Denim Jacket” which is a fantastic way to close out the album. Check out these songs below, experience the guitar madness for yourself, and let it take you away. See ya tomorrow.
Brothel Blues –
Don’t Look Down –
South Beach Vampires –
Denim Jacket –
My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Alternative, Psychedelic, Rock
Bourbon Legend: Tracklist:
1.) Autopsy
2.) Brothel Blues
3.) Stolen Kiss
4.) Guitar for a Gun
5.) Don’t Look Down
6.) South Beach Vampires
7.) Skeletons Dancing
8.) I Believe You
9.) Ethyl Alcohol
10.) Denim Jacket
The Tressels on Myspace
The Tressels Official Blogspot page
BUY the album digitally from iTunes
Listen to all of “Bourbon Legend” on Soundcloud
Yo dudes. Last we heard from KURT VILE, it was back in the beginning days of June when he put out his Summery good times EP called “Square Shells”. Now the local Philly bro is back once more, this time with a brand new 7″ from Matador records. This 7″ is like a preview for Vile’s upcoming studio album, which they say should be hitting the shelves during 2011. According to the words in that link, we’ll probably hear at least one of these songs on the new album, but it doesn’t seem like anything has been set in stone just yet. Until we know more, this new 7″ will have to keep us satisfied – which is due out digitally on October 25th, and in limited edition 7″ format, due November 7th.
“In My Time” is a warm, nostalgic song featuring Kurt’s unique playing styles, and just like anything else from him out there, it’s certainly “worthy of recognition”. For the most part, the song has an acoustic folksy vibe, reminiscent of the early days of Autumn when the leaves start to fall and it begins to get cold out. With that being said, his music always seems to go great with the weather, but this guitar driven song isn’t just acoustics and folk. Things change up a bit when the lead guitar gets a make-over and suddenly turns into a psyched-out mess – something we already know Kurt is highly capable of, only this time we probably didn’t see it coming. The song fades out on this guitar, and chances are it’s going to make you put the song on for another spin. Now if only we could hear the rest of the songs from the 7″. I don’t think I’ve ever featured something without hearing the full tracklist, so consider this post an exception. Enjoy.
In My Time –
My Rating: none-haven’t heard the whole 7″
Genre/ Tags: Folk Rock, Psychedelic, Alternative
In My Time: Tracklist:
1.) In My Time
2.) Early Dawnin’
3.) Sad Ghost
Kurt Vile on Myspace
PREORDER the 7″ right now @ Matador Records
Videos of Kurt Vile & Fucked Up live in Philadelphia – check it out
Kurt Vile – Square Shells EP previously posted on the Drone
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
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
Yo yo! So sorry for the past few post-less days. I spent my weekend in New York City with some awesome people. I got to see some fantastic bands like Pavement, Titus Andronicus, and Free Energy, and now I’m back in Philadelphia ready to get back to the usual daily grind. Which on top of blogging, unfortunately includes dreaded school work that I would rather not spend my precious time doing. Nobody really wants to do that shit, they just have to. Unless I’m totally wrong and you like sitting at a computer for three hours typing some paper you won’t care about ever again once you’re finished it.
Before I went away for the weekend, I stocked up my mp3 player with some righteous new tunes to listen to and check out to keep me blog-busy, and I think what stood out most was a 7″ from Anthens, Ohio natives WHEELS ON FIRE. It’s smart, honest, and guitar driven poppy garage rock that’s about as addicting as music comes these days. I just ordered the 7″ when I got home so I can spin it over and over again. I suggest you do the same!
The 7″ comes with four songs clocking in at just under 12 minutes long, and each track includes a memorable hook or catchy lyrics that’s bound to keep you coming back for more. Whether it’s the catchy guitar hook at the end of “Cherry Bomb”, or the witty break up lyrics in “Broken Up”, this band is bound to turn heads with their infectious take on the sometimes psych-ish, sometimes bluesy guitar-driven garage rock. Don’t forget to check out the two songs from the 7″ below, and then hopefully you’ll see what these dudes are all about. You should definitely consider snagging that 7″ while you can as well, because I’m sure it won’t be around forever. See ya tomorrow.
Broken Up –
Cherry Bomb –
My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Alternative, Blues Rock
The Cherry Bomb EP: Tracklist:
1.) Black Wave
2.) Broken Up
3.) Cherry Bomb
4.) Go Give Yer Love Away
Wheels on Fire on Myspace !
BUY the 7″ directly from Kind Turkey Records – 500 copies total w/ 100 on purple vinyl – GET SOME!
I’m loving all of these new Philly bands that have been popping up lately. Most recently coming into my radar would be Philadelphia’s own UNIVOX, and these guys definitely fit in quite nicely with the ever-growing band scene in Philadelphia. They certainly don’t waste any time, and they’re certainly not afraid to rock yr face off and send yr ass right to the damn floor. They quickly prove that statement with the song “Pi” as well. Right off the bat these guys already sound like they’re going ape-shit on their instruments, and then we have the singer shoving his words down our throat almost immediately. I don’t exactly know who is singing in “Pi”, but I have come to understand that all four of the dudes in the band take vocal duties, so I guess it wouldn’t really make a difference. Right after the electrified rock out that is “Pi”, they start up from a different level with the song “I’m a Lying Fuck”. A nasally acoustic guitar starts things off, and you’ll probably notice that it’s definitely a different guy singing. Or maybe not. But it definitely sounds that way.
It doesn’t stay that way for long though. Things change up right before the one minute mark when the singer counts off, and then the shit hits the fan. You may also notice the vocal harmonies, and there’s a shit-ton of them. They definitely use this feat to their advantage, too. I guess that’s the perks of having multiple singers in yr band. Stick around til the final minute of the song for some awesome guitar work as well. Next up would be “Cannonball”, the longest song included on the 7″. The singer sings deeply about being a carpet, a cow, a pyramid, and probably even a few other things that I missed. Then at the two minute mark things take a drastic turn. From here on out, a galloping drum beat and a small sprinkle of a country-music tinge take over the song, and you’re probably lying if you say you saw this part coming. That’s all I got for you today, but check out the songs below. If you’re from Philadelphia, you’ll feel pretty psyched after listening knowing that you come from the same city as the music.
Pi –
Cannonball –
My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Punk, Alternative, Garage Rock
Lying Fuck 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Pi
2.) I’m a Lying Fuck
3.) Cannonball
BUY the 7″ from Insound!
BUY their full-length while yr at it too. Why not??
Univox on Myspace !
Styrofoam Drone 