Christmas – Scenic Beauty 7″

Going by Last.fm, there seems to be a lot of bands using the name CHRISTMAS. The topic of our interest today would be the Christmas straight outta Olympia, Washington. Before today I had only heard of these guys, so when I had an e-mail in my inbox today from their label Highfives and Handshakes, I didn’t waste any time getting familiar with Olympia’s own Christmas. “Scenic Beauty” is their first 7″ from H&H that came out this past June, and then they put out a second 7″ just this month (also from H&H). Before both of these they put out another 7″ that came from the Endless Latino label, and you can buy it right now over @ Insound (it’s only $4.40!).

So for starters, this 7″ is quite the limited release. Apparently there’s only 57 copies pressed out there, and they come on clear, hand cut, flexi 7″ records. It doesn’t really get more limited than that either, folks. Starting off this 7″ is a song called “The Whips of Love”, and if it’s your first time listening to these guys, you might want to hold on to your seat. You’re immediately launched into a sea of spiny guitars and sprawling, quirky freak-outs led by lead singer Emily Beanblossom – who is almost always heard screaming and carrying on over the tense, jangly mess. Flip over to the B-side and your met with a springy bass line complemented by spaced out, squawking guitars that suddenly turns into a frantic freak-out with Emily yelping all up in our grill. This is the perfect example of a “freak-out” if there ever was one. They’re coming at us with full power from beginning to end on this 7″, and that’s pretty clear considering they just plow through both of these songs with almost no breaks at all and without any remote acknowledgment of the destruction that just took place whatsoever. Please listen to “Punch In” right below for some added excitement to your day, and please stay tuned in the near future as I’m definitely going to have that other 7″ up here in due time.

Punch In –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Noise Rock, Lo-Fi, Experimental
Scenic Beauty 7″: Tracklist:
1.) The Whips of Love
2.) Punch In

BUY the 7″ from their Bandcamp page
BUY their other 7″ (Endless Latino) directly from Insound!
Christmas on Myspace
Christmas on Bandcamp

The Unwed Teenage Mothers – Blonde Girls

Hello, hello. I originally planned on having this LP posted a bit sooner, but then I stumbled across that Lord Huron stuff over the weekend and my plans totally got destroyed. You can probably figure out why too – I wanted to share that stuff as soon as possible. I’m still having a tough time listening to other music right now too because that single is like the Nazi of my portable music device.

If you’re stuck on Lord Huron like me still, well, I got some bad news for ya. The Unwed Teenage Mothers are certainly not far off on the addiction scale. The songs on this LP are short little pop-punk outbursts that I’m sure will crawl under your skin, therefore forcing you to play them over and over again before you’re finally satisfied. Which brings me to my next point – it was a superb move by the Play Pinball! Records dudes to press the same songs on both sides of this “Blonde Girls” LP. If you’re confused on what that means, read this album description. Basically this LP has the same nine songs on both sides of the record, hereby doubling the life of your brand new record! It’s definitely a unique way to go about it too. I don’t think I’ve ever seen/heard of this before. It’s almost like buying two of the exact same record.

They pressed 420 copies of the vinyl total, with 100 on ‘blonde’ vinyl, 300 on black, and 20 on blue (apparently you have to talk to the band to get a blue copy), but they definitely still have plenty of copies of the blonde edition available, and I suggest you get on that right away before it’s too late. No matter which route you choose, you’ll still be happy though, because these Unwed Mothers are just great. It’s good, honest pop-punk with a bit of the lo-fi scuzz mixed in, and chances are the frenzy is only just beginning with these guys. Get on it now while it’s still early. Said best by the Play Pinball! folk, “The Unwed Teenage Mothers are gonna knock you down and then knock you up,” so please check out these songs from the record below. Happiness shall ensue. Hopefully not pregnancy. Enjoy.

PS – They updated the layout of my WordPress theme. What do you guys think? Give me some feedback, leave a comment on the post!

Uh Oh –

Wait (I Don’t Wanna Be Alone) –

No One Wants To –

My Rating: 8.5/10
Genre/ Tags: Pop, Punk, Lo-Fi
Blonde Girls: Tracklist:
1.) Little Allie
2.) Change Your Mind
3.) Uh Oh
4.) Baby You’re Dying
5.) Do You Wanna Be My Girl
6.) I Am a Ghost
7.) Wait (I Don’t Wanna Be Alone)
8.) That’s My Man
9.) No One Wants To

The Unwed Teenage Mothers on Myspace
BUY the LP directly from Play Pinball! Records – Only 100 of the ‘blonde’ edition!

Dead Ghosts – That Old Feeling 7″

Hey guys, let’s welcome a new band to the Styrofoam Drone today. Their name is DEAD GHOSTS and they hail from Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. They’ve had a successful run in the 7″ game, releasing a string of at least four different singles (one of them being split with Chicago’s own Smith Westerns), and they just continue to keep moving up the scale. They’re in the process of releasing some more material, only this time they’re going all-out and releasing a full-length record, and apparently it’s due out sometime this September from the Florida’s Dying label. I take this information directly from their Myspace page, wherein their headline reads “LP out in September on Florida’s Dying”. So after learning that, you’ll probably hope September comes around much sooner than you did before.

This is their most recent 7″, and it was released in quite a unique fashion. Three different labels had the liberty of releasing this great single, with each releasing a different quantity including a different cover art from each label. Goodbye Boozy released 105 of them, Krimen Records released 100 of them (cover art pictured), and Ghost Records released 95 of them. That’s 300 total, and each set of singles comes hand numbered from each label, and like I already said, each also has their own, unique cover art.

With this release the Dead Ghosts add three new songs to their constantly growing catalog, and they’re as gritty and noisy as you would expect them to be. A-side “That Old Feeling” becomes an instant classic, immediately roping you in with that twangy guitar hook and the relentless pound of the snare drum. By the time the end rolls around you’ll be lost in a sea of cacophony as the noise comes full force with an electrified guitar lick, hereby sealing the deal that you will want to play this song again and again. Flip on over to the B-side to reveal two more grainy garage jams including “Blak Kat” and the chantey “Comanche”, which both include some nasty guitar freak outs (“Comanche” especially). Hear “That Old Feeling” and “Comanche” below. You can check out “Blak Kat” on the Dead Ghosts Myspace!

That Old Feeling –

Comanche –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Lo-Fi
That Old Feeling 7″: Tracklist:
1.) That Old Feeling
2.) Blak Kat
3.) Comanche

BUY the 7″ from Play Pinball! Records (they’re selling it, t00)
More info. on the 7″ at the Goodbye Boozy Myspace
Dead Ghosts on Myspace
Dead Ghosts on Facebook

Weed – DC Hope EP

I was surfing around the web yesterday to find something new to post up, and I came across something that’s slightly different from everything else we’ve been listening to lately. It came from one of my favorite blogs Shoegazer Alive, and I think what originally caught my eye was that retro looking artwork you can see to the left, not to mention the name of the band – WEED. Yeah, Weed, but you could also call him Willy “Flip” Anderson, who happens to be main man behind the music. This is his first official release, and also the first release from the label putting it out, Moongadget.

Mr. Anderson creates these severely bent, lo-fi “bedrock” jams that are increasingly fuzzy and mangled, and each one brings you to a place on a hazy Summer afternoon where there wasn’t much else to do but hang out in your bedroom and make some music. Parts of the songs sound electronic, while other parts sound more instrumental, but either way there are definitely some nods to the chillwave sound (like the trippy track “Run to Cranes”) that’s been storming the web. While this stuff does chillwave justice, I still hope in the long run that the fad is starting to die down a bit, because it’s beginning to show up everywhere. Like my G-mail inbox.

I have two songs to share with you guys from the EP – the loose, easy going, bass-bumping jam “W.G.A.” and the twisted, gritty lo-fi madness of “Might as Well” which has enough fuzz to make your head explode, but at the same time it’s bound to make you smile. One last thing: this stuff WILL grow on you. But that’s all for today! Lots of new stuff coming in lately…stay tuned…

Might as Well –

W.G.A. –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Electronic, Psychedelic
DC Hope EP: Tracklist:
1.) Quilt
2.) Might as Well
3.) Cody Girl
4.) Run to Cranes
5.) W.G.A.

Weed on Myspace
BUY the EP on cassette – a limited edition of 50!
Weed – Moongadget Artist Page

Cloud Nothings – Didn’t You 7″

Dylan Baldi burst onto the scene last year with Cloud Nothings and the release of his first CD-R “Turning On”, and ever since then he hasn’t looked back. There’s a few other cassettes and singles out there with the Cloud Nothings name on it, but most recently would be this 7″ that we have here today. It was put out this past June by Old Flame Records, and it falls right in to place with the songs from the “Turning On” CD. Both of the songs are brand new, and they’re both instantly catchy and just aching rope you in. Check out “Didn’t You” right below, while you can check out “Even If It Worked Out” on the Cloud Nothings Myspace. You know, upon first listen these songs made me think of the First Base records we covered last week. Listen for yourself below and see what you think. Yo sorry for the short post dudes but I’m moving into a new house today and I need all the time I can get.

Didn’t You –

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Indie Rock, Pop
Didn’t You 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Didn’t You
2.) Even If It Worked Out

Cloud Nothings on Myspace
Buy the 7″ @ Insound!
Check out the “Turning On” CD-R from Bridgetown Records

Party Photographers – Let the Red Lights Riot 7″ EP

Today’s band comes from our hometown of Philadelphia, and that usually makes the music all the more interesting. It kind of gives you the feeling that you can reach out and contact these guys if you had to, and chances are you’ll always be nearby when they’re playing a show at home. Unfortunately they don’t have any shows listed at the moment, but we can be patient, right? These hometown-hero’s are going by the name PARTY PHOTOGRAPHERS, and this 7″ EP just happens to be their debut release of any sort! It’s also the debut release for Ian Records, so let’s give them a nice warm welcome.

Party Photographers are a four piece band consisting of two guys and two girls, and their names are Christian, Shane, Elizabeth, and Karlina. I’m not sure which person does what in the band, but together they play these mangled and moody lo-fi pop tunes with enough noise and fuzz to blow your mind. For example, B-side “D.A.F.H.B.” is a hard hitting track with face pounding drums that keep things moving along at a steady pace while the lead singer (Elizabeth or Karlina) urges us to tell her what we’re going through. I think I’d trust her, too. Also on the B-side is the song “Piano Vache”, which I’ve uploaded for you guys to listen below. The lead singers voice (again, Elizabeth or Karlina) sounds blissfully happy over the mix, leaving you with no other option but to smile and sing along with her “Na na na na naaa” harmonies. “It’s just imaginary,” she carelessly reminds us over and over again. The gritty lead guitar licks take her singing to the next level all while this song secretly buries itself under your skin. This was definitely a fantastic way for them to close out their debut 7″, and it leaves me with promising notions for their future releases. Hopefully we’ll hear more from these guys very soon. Check out their Myspace for other songs from the 7″.

Piano Vache –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Noise, Pop, Shoegaze
Let the Red Lights Riot 7″ EP: Tracklist:
1.) Let the Red Lights Riot
2.) Penn Treaty
3.) D.A.F.H.B.
4.) Piano Vache

Party Photographers on Myspace
BUY their 7″ from Ian Records

Son of Rams – Untitled LP

A little over a month ago a brand new band began making waves and hitting everybody’s inbox with words about their debut 7″. You might remember them as Family Trees.

There’s a dude who makes up 1/3 of Family Trees, and his name is Joseph Pruitt. Believe it or not, Mr. Pruitt has a solo-project when he’s not concentrating on Family Trees, and the name of the band is SON OF RAMS. He’s pretty much the only member of the band, taking the position on just about every instrument you can hear in the music. And if you’re expecting this to be somewhere in the same vein as Family Trees, then you’re sadly mistaken! He ditches that lazy, summery sound you hear in Family Trees and goes with his own blend of intoxicating guitar-driven weirdo-psych-rock that’s just fantastic. Each song features Pruitt shrieking and carrying on at excessive volumes, along side of some nasty lead-guitar work. No exaggeration either – just about every last song has a bad ass lead guitar hook (In Kind, This Wisdom, No Concept/No Logic, Spanish Mansions, The Veteran: James Page, Flying Tigers) or some crazy ass chicken-scratch solo (A Second Season, Ancients), and that’s about all it takes to get you to play the songs over and over again.

Since you guys have the ability to stream each song from the album (you can even download it all at once), I’m not going to go too in depth with any descriptions. Instead I’ll just say that the sooner you guys get into this stuff, the quicker you’ll be becoming addicted to all the unpredictable guitar madness that’s waiting for you around every corner of the album. If you don’t want to waste time downloading anything, just check out the few songs I’ve uploaded below. I’d recommend starting with “In Kind”. It’s a welcoming start to the album, as it almost comes off as a type of anthem when the lead guitar comes in during the second half.

In Kind –

No Concept/ No Logic –

Ancients –

Flying Tigers –

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Psychedelic, Rock, Experimental
Untitled LP: Tracklist:
1.) In Kind
2.) This Wisdom
3.) No Concept/ No Logic
4.) A Second Season
5.) Ancients
6.) Spanish Mansions
7.) 7th Wonder
8.) The Veteran: James Page
9.) Flying Tigers
10.) Masters
11.) Claude Monet

DOWNLOAD the Untitled LP for FREE!!!
Stream/Download each song from the LP right here!
Son of Rams on Last.fm

First Base – She’s Boy Crazy 7″ EP

If you’ve been having trouble smiling lately, First Base might be able to fix that for you. Their most recent release from Play Pinball! Records is about as poppy as they come these days, and there’s just no way you can wear a frown when listening to this stuff. They play these picture perfect pop songs, and if you’re not usually into this sort of thing, then chances are it will drive you crazy from their relentless pop approach. Each song is a rockin’ good time complete with boy-girl lyrics about relationships and things of that sort, and the band takes a minimalist approach to the music. The songs don’t last any more than three minutes, as each one starts just as quickly as it ends, and although it’s still not that long, this is the longest First Base release to date.

The EP features four songs, and they’re all just as shiny and glistening as the last First Base 7″ we covered. Only this time the 7″ takes on a much fuller sound than the previous one. Each song has it’s climax at some point, and it’s usually marked by a short but sweet guitar lick. One perfect example would be the song “You’re a Waste of My Time”. It’s nearly two minutes of in-yr-face pop action, and during the final minute comes some delicious guitar work that’s enough to make you spin the track again. This band probably doesn’t seem like much at first listen, but pay attention to the quick songs and you’re bound to fall in love. Beyond addicting.

You’re a Waste of My Time –

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Rock, Pop, Minimalist, Lo-Fi
She’s Boy Crazy 7″ EP: Tracklist:
1.) She’s Boy Crazy
2.) I’ll Be Your Hangover
3.) You’re a Waste of My Time
4.) Back to Japan

First Base on Myspace!
BUY the 7″ from Play Pinball! Records – just waiting for the repress!
Check out the other First Base single “I’ve Got a Girl”

Pure Ecstasy/ Sleep ∞ Over – Split 7″

By now I feel like most of you guys are already familiar with PURE ECSTASY. We’ve covered a handful of their 7″ records, and I’ve got another one here for you guys today. The only difference from the other two would be that this one is split with another band called SLEEP ∞ OVER. Sleep Over is a fairly new band led by Stefanie Franciotti, and some of you are probably already familiar with her. She’s the singer in her other band called the Silver Pines, and now she’s got a new band to share with the world. This appears to be the first Sleep Over release to be put out on vinyl, so if you’re interested you can buy a copy of it from Light Lodge.

The 7″ features one brand new song from each band, with one song on each side of the record. It’s starts off on the A-side with a track called “Dream Over” from Pure Ecstasy, and if you’ve already listened to Pure Ecstasy before this, then you’re going to be pretty psyched. Immediately from the start you’re thrown in the middle of familiar Pure Ecstasy territory, and Nate Grace is right there to greet us with his breezy vocals. He howls and woo’s over the grainy guitars throughout the song while lazy drums and buzzy bass lines hold down the slow rhythm – the perfect formula for a Pure Ecstasy song.

Now it’s time to flip over to the B-side, which is a song called “Your World is Night” by Sleep Over, and it’s a bit different from what we just heard. For the entire length of the song, these trippy, head spinning sound effects dominate everything, giving this song the feeling that you’re stuck in an endless dreamy-daze. Lots of echoing and obscure sounds, but I definitely think this stuff takes some getting used too. Chances are this song will have to grow on you a bit before you decide if you like it or not. With that being said, this stuff is also a bit far off from the Silver Pines, but that doesn’t mean you won’t like it!

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Dream Pop, Psychedelic, Witch House
Split 7″: Tracklist:
1.) Dream Over
2.) Your World is Night

Dream Over –

Your World is Night –

BUY the 7″ directly from Light Lodge
You can buy the sold out Voices 7″ too – Get it at insound!
Pure Ecstasy on Myspace
Sleep ∞ Over on Myspace
Check out other stuff from Pure Ecstasy – Easy 7″ – Voices 7″
Check out the Silver Pines while you’re at it too

First Base – I’ve Got a Girl 7″

Here’s something new for today. The name of the band is FIRST BASE, and they hail from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They’ve had their Myspace account since November of 2007, and since then it looks like they’ve released two 7″ records. The first was put out in 2009 by Pizza Party Records, and then the second was just released during 2010 on Play Pinball! Records. Today we’re gonna focus on the earlier of the two records, but don’t get too upset – I’ve ordered the other 7″ from Play Pinball! so we’ll see that up here eventually. Just sit tight.

Now on to the music. “I’ve Got a Girl” is an exceptionally short release (it barely passes three minutes), but those three minutes are so poppy and catchy that they’re bound to get stuck in your head and keep you coming back for more for days. That’s probably what they’re going for, too. The two songs are so clean sounding and polished up that it makes it really hard to deny this band. A short bit past the first minute of “I’ve Got a Girl” and you’ll be facing a nasty little guitar lick, and it might not seem like much at first, but it’s pretty sick. Of course, it doesn’t last very long, but it still fits in their perfectly, and it’s kind of like the climax of the song. Then before you even have a chance to change gears, it’s time for the B-side.

Now I know it’s a good thing that this guy doesn’t want anybody to make his girl cry, but shouldn’t he be a bit more cautious too? If he’s writing this song he’s probably made his girl cry at least once. But let’s not get into that…that’s a whole different story. I think that’s it for today guys, so check out the song below, and then go to the First Base Myspace if you would like to hear more (including the B-side) . So that’s it…now instead of singing songs about this girl in your bed, why not get in there, son?

I’ve Got a Girl –