Archive for the ‘CLASSIC ALBUMS’ Category

WAND – ” Pure Romance “

Posted: May 9, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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It’s summer at last and with all this fresh energy transferring through the air, none is fresher than that of Wand the Los Angeles psych-rock band’s video for “Pure Romance.” 

Both previously released singles from Perfume, Wand’s forthcoming 30-minute EP, show off the band’s range, from the hyperactive strobe-light-psych of the title track to the oh-so-pretty kaleidoscopic-pop of “The Gift.” “Pure Romance” features Wand in a floral strut that winds outward, reminiscent of The Left Banke’s fanciful baroque-pop minus the strings and French horns. “We both act very funny / The expressions that we hid,” Cory Hanson sings of timeless moments of desire, his voice hanging over guitars that interlock in and out of each other like new lovers. Within that span we’ve seen the line-up expand and evolve, as Wand enter a phase of maturation that must be seen to be believed. The sound, the energy, and the magic all held within Wand‘s orb are at full capacity – it’s a mesmerizing, super-sonic quake, are you ready for it?

Official music video for Wand’s “Pure Romance”, off of their Perfume EP.  comes out May 25th via Drag City.

SUN JUNE – ” Discotheque “

Posted: May 8, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      photo by Bryan Parker

Sun June makes regret pop in Austin, Texas. Laura Colwell and Stephen Salisbury formed the band while working long hours in director Terrence Malick’s editing rooms, practicing in the office whenever Malick was out of town.

They worked with Dan Duszynski (Cross Record; Loma) and fellow Malick alum Will Patterson (Sleep Good) on their first set of demos before solidifying the current line up of Michael Bain on guitar, Sarah Schultz on drums, and Justin Harris on bass.

In 2017 they began working on Years with Evan Kaspar at Estuary Recording Facility, recording live to tape. Tony Presley of the Austin label Keeled Scales was living above the studio at the time, and first heard Sun June through the floorboards. He contacted the band soon after. Years is a we’ve-been-broken-up-a-long-time record. It looks back on failed relationships from a distance. But its ten songs are filled with warm sounds and catchy melodies. Laura’s vocals, Sarah’s harmonies, and Michael’s layered guitar lines float over simple and spacious structures.

‘Discotheque’ by Sun June From Years, debut LP, out June 15th, 2018 via Keeled Scales

MIDDLE KIDS – ” Lost Friends “

Posted: May 8, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Middle Kids’ indie rock gem ‘Lost Friends’ is out today

After taking the world by storm fresh off the back of their self-titled debut EP in 2017, Middle Kids have dropped their stunning, highly anticipated debut full length Lost Friends.

The band have spent the last few months drumming up hype in the US, winning over crowds with their soaring sound on the stages of Jimmy Kimmel and headline sets across the country.

Lost Friends is Middle Kids cementing their status as total indie-rock trailblazers – it’s the perfect melding of dream pop and soft rock, a combination pulled off with aplomb that showcases both a burning wisdom and youthful jubilance in their songwriting. Tracks like ‘Maryland’ and ‘Don’t Be Hiding’ prove the band’s knack for impeccable, subtle yet emotionally driven songwriting – think Fleetwood Mac meets Alvvays, it’s a modern take on classic tropes that have soundtracked many life-milestones for years. The guitar tones are warm and sentimental, frontwoman Hannah Joy’s vocal performance is powerfully vulnerable, all culminating in a radiant feast.

Joy stated last month that the album revolves around the themes of “hope and love”, coming in abundance on Lost Friends. 

“In a time where a lot of division is growing, we want to be part of the conversation that unites people around certain ideas that are universal, like hope and love.”

MIKAELA DAVIS – ” Delivery “

Posted: May 8, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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MikaelaDavis_Cover

Mikaela Davis is a young harpist, pianist, singer and songwriter who crafts sweet and salty songs that straddle the lines of folk and funk, AM rock and 80s pop experimentation.  Mikaela had dreams of joining a symphony and studied classical harp at music conservatory, but after she began writing her own songs and touring them on school breaks her path changed course.  Mikaela will make her full-length debut with ‘Delivery’ on Rounder Records July 13th, which was produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Future Islands, Angel Olsen, Alvvays).  She is also about to embark on a nearly sold-out tour with Lake Street Dive beginning May 4.  ‘Delivery’ is a thrilling adventure over 10 tracks: a sonic exploration that challenges what the harp can do, and one that details the sometimes arduous path to self-acceptance and feeling comfortable in your own skin.

Album opener and title track “Delivery” is a stunning entry point, a touch of gospel piano and plucked bass that bursts into a wall of sound.  It begins with lyrics of disillusionment: “Well you know I tried prayin’ / tried to wish it all away / even tried to meditating / but the feeling stayed the same,” and shifts to a triumphant acceptance of steadfast love.  As the album unfurls, it’s dabbed with synths, fuzzed out bass and guitar, harp cascades and ping-pong effects.  Mikaela’s voice shines on top – a little raspy with a range that goes from whisper to wail.

Mikaela Davis – “Delivery” Debut album coming July 13th, 2018 on Rounder Records

WILD PINK – ” Lake Irie “

Posted: May 8, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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New York band Wild Pink released one of 2017’s strongest debut albums with their self-titled effort, but frontman John Ross isn’t ready to take a break just yet: He released an ambient solo album as Eerie Gaits last year, and now Wild Pink is already back with their second album: The band just announced that Yolk In The Fur and the opening single “Lake Eerie,” a bright alt-country single that manages to work in some of the grunge edge found on their debut album, although it definitely doesn’t focus on it. Ross said of the track, “This song is about growing up and moving on and about the struggle to not get caught up in anything that doesn’t really matter. It’s also for the Western New Yorkers in my life.”

I was a fan of this indie band’s 2017 debut, which applied mid-tempo emo dynamics to John Ross’ autobiographical storytelling songs. On the forthcoming Yolk In The Fur (out July 20), Wild Pink gets expansive, playing invigorating wide-screen synth rock that recalls Ross’ classic-rock heroes like Bruce Springsteen and Jackson Browne. This nouveau heartland rock sensibility comes across most vividly in “Lake Erie,” which will surely go down as the year’s best War On Drugs song in a year without a new War On Drugs record.

Wild Pink “Yolk In The Fur” out July 2018 on Tiny Engines Records

BEN FOLDS – ” Brick ” Box Set

Posted: May 8, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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In June, Edsel Records will issue “Brick – The Songs Of Ben Folds 1995–2012”, a huge 13CD box set that takes a detailed look at the output of American singer-songwriter Ben Folds.

It includes all four Ben Folds Five albums (including 2012’s comeback album, The Sound of the Life of the Mind), all of Folds’ solo albums (up until 2012), live recordings, b-sides and other bonus material.

In this new set the first album (1995’s Ben Folds Five) comes with five bonus tracks, while the second (Whatever and Ever Amen from ’97) features 19 extra tracks on a separate CD. The third album from the original era – The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner – also includes a two extra songs and a radio edit.

Ben’s first solo album, Rockin’ The Suburbs was issued in 2001 and is included here across two discs (with 14 bonus tracks) and 2005’s Songs For Silverman only includes a couple of bonus cuts, but this is because most of the extra material from this era can be found on disc nine of this set Songs For Goldfish (at the time bundled with Songs For Silverman and sold via Folds’ website).

Supersunnyspeedgraphic compiles song from a trio of EPs – Sunny 16, Speed Graphic and Super D – and Folds’ final solo album Way To Normal is present and correct in both standard and Stems and Seeds variant (the latter sees the album re-ordered and remastered with much less compression).

In 2011, Ben Folds Five got back together to record their first album for 13 years. The Sound of the Life of The Mind completes this new Brick box set (which also features Ben Folds Live)

Brick – The Songs Of Ben Folds 1995–2012 includes a 60 page booklet featuring a brand new interview with Paul Myers and comes in unique ‘brick’ packaging.

DEER TICK – ” Straight Into A Storm ” Documentary

Posted: May 7, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Reflecting on 10 years as a band, Deer Tick have announced a new documentary entitled Straight Into A Storm.

Straight Into a Storm, tells the story of how the band Deer Tick, fronted by John McCauley, surfed the waves and tempests of the rock & roll life to accumulate a diehard fan base and a cultish identity that has kept them on the road for well over a decade. With never-before-seen archival footage, interviews with friends like Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith and plenty of live shots to bring to life Deer Tick’s lengthy story.The film – directed by William Miller focuses on the band’s history as well as their 10-year anniversary run at Brooklyn Bowl over New Year’s 2014.

The film also shows how vital the band dynamic – now including Ian O’Neil, Chris Ryan and Dennis Ryan – is to Deer Tick’s sound.

“Our 10-year anniversary shows were a celebration for our fans and for us,” the band said in an official statement. “It was a lot of work, but also a blast! William Miller was there every night to capture that spirit. We’re proud and excited for his film to get an official release and proper distribution by partnering with Abramorama.”

On their last set of records, Deer Tick Vol. 1 and Deer Tick Vol. 2, the Nashville-based, Rhode Island-bred band made peace with their dual sides: one acoustic and one electric, it showcased the breadth of their range and their ability to hop from somber folk one moment to raucous, sweaty punk the next.

Straight Into A Storm will debut at New York City’s Roxy Cinema Tribeca, followed by a Q+A from the band and a concert cruise around Manhattan.

MONUMENTALS – ” Irregular Heads “

Posted: May 6, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Helmed by members of The Cult of Dom Keller, Monumentals are an instrumental soundtrack duo from Nottingham creating ethereal cinematic soundtracks that range from sci-fi westerns to krautrock-infused art rock to electronic space symphonies inspired by the likes of Morricone, Eno, & Vangelis with the shadows of Crowley & Lynch haunting their otherworldly cinematic soundscapes.

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Monumentals are Ryan DelGaudio & Neil Marsden. All tracks written, performed & produced by Monumentals.

HONEY RADAR – ” Psychic Cruise ” EP

Posted: May 6, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Honey Radar sound like a low-budget Clientele, all major-key arpeggios somewhere between psych and Felt.” Are you ready to go on a Psychic Cruise, this summer, Well strap in. Yet again, Honey Radar. What can you possibly say by now that’s not totally redundant at this point? Lo-fi master-class pop handyman rock sketches in the vein of Pavement or Syd Barrett.  “Psychic Cruise” is the third proper single that Chunklet has been fortunate enough to release by the Philly band. More splayed noise. More reverb. More racket. More hooks. Repeat. Five new jams. Never heard before. New Honey Radar will always be celebrated at Chunklet HQ. We’re told that next in the Honey Radar series will be a Fall tribute single featuring Chunklet’s Henry Owings. What will they be called? Henry Radar. Coming Fall ’18.

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“Five tracks of shambolic Syd Barrett burial rites that exhume the shaggy spirit of clang-clobbered pop, echoplexed to perfection and smeared with enough hooks to keep ya diggin’ for the long haul.”

VARIOUS ARTISTS – ” Fill Your Head with Rock ” CBS Released 1970

Posted: May 6, 2018 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Various Artists (Label Samplers) Fill Your Head With Rock album cover

“Fill Your Head with Rock” (1970) was the third release in the successful CBS Records “Rock Machine UK budget sampler album series. It broke new ground, by extending the format to a double album, and also featured far more UK artists than previous samplers.

Compiler David Howell  stated that while the earlier samplers were merely aimed at promoting specific full-price releases, this record was part of a major push to establish the label as “the top label in contemporary music” in the UK, and also to establish the market for double albums

For once a sampler album cover showed the featured artists, and even provided a key for identification. Laura Nyro can be seen at the top left, Taj Mahal next to her, and Al Kooper & Leonard Cohen at the top right. Four of the artists are not shown: Moondog, Amory Kane, Black Widow and Skin Alley. The front cover features Jerry Goodman of The Flock.

Tracks

“Listen” (R. Lamm) : Chicago (from the LP Chicago 66221)[3] (3:22) “Savour”[4] (Santana) : Santana (from the LP Santana 63815) (2:46) “Give A Life, Take A Life” (California/Adler) : Spirit (from the LP Clear 63729) (3:47) “Passing Through” (K. White) : Steamhammer (from the LP Steamhammer[5] 63694) (5:17) “Smiling Phases” (S. Winwood-J. Capaldi-C. Wood) : Blood, Sweat and Tears (from the LP Blood, Sweat & Tears 63504) (5:10) Side Two “Tired of Waiting” (Flock[6]) : Flock (from the LP Flock 63733) (4:35)[7] “Come To The Sabbat” (Clive Jones-Jim Gannon) : Black Widow (from the LP Sacrifice 63948) (4:55) “Dance In The Smoke” (R. Argent-C. White) : Argent (from the LP Argent 63781) (6:10) “Gunga Din” (G. Parsons) : The Byrds (from the LP Ballad of Easy Rider 63795) (3:02) “Living In Sin” (James) : Skin Alley (from the LP Skin Alley 63847) (4:35) Side Three “Gibsom Street” (L. Nyro) : Laura Nyro (from the LP New York Tendaberry 63410) (4:30) “You Know Who I Am” (L. Cohen) : Leonard Cohen (from the LP Songs from a Room 63587) (3:22) “Stamping Ground”[8] (L. Hardin) : Moondog (from the LP Moondog 63906) (2:36) “The Inbetween Man”[9] (A. Kane) : Amory Kane (from the LP The Inbetween Man 63849) (5:22) “The Garden of Jane Delawney” (T. Boswell[10]) : Trees (from the LP The Garden of Jane Delawney 63837) (4:05) “A Small Fruit Song” (Al Stewart) : Al Stewart (from the LP Zero She Flies 63848) (2:00) “Driving Wheel” (T. Rush[11]) : Tom Rush (from the LP Tom Rush 63940) (5:22) Side Four “Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)” (J. Ragavoy-C. Taylor) : Janis Joplin (from the LP I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!) (4:13) “One Room Country Shack” (Mercy Dee Walton) : Al Kooper (from the LP Kooper Session 63797) (3:35) “Six Days On The Road” (C. Montgomery-E.Greene) : Taj Mahal (from the LP Take A Giant Step 66226) (2:55) “Don’t Think About It Baby” (M. Bloomfield) : Mike Bloomfield (from the LP It’s Not Killing Me 63652) (3:34) “Bluesbuster” (C. Allen) : Pacific Gas & Electric (from the LP Pacific Gas and Electric 63822) (2:56) “I Love Everybody” (J. Winter) : Johnny Winter (from the LP Second Winter) (3:50)

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