Kinetic Stereokids hail from Flint, Michigan (third most dangerous city in the U.S. and one of the most depressing), where I reckon they hear a lot of car alarms. But you know what they say…when life gives you car alarms, make samples. And why stop with car alarms? KSK’s debut Basement Kids is an enticing grab bag of found sounds and samples, as well as free-range rap, folk and rock guitar, drowsy ballads, garage beats, cuttin’ and scratchin’, experimental knob noodling, and other random bits. Beck employed similar means to reach a different end on records like Mellow Gold and Odelay. Here there is a melancholy, desperate, and spiteful undercurrent which makes even the rough edges compelling to listen to. It won’t necessarily get the party started but makes an excellent public transportation soundtrack.
Ford & Fitzroy
Here I was, sitting down at the computer, relatively late at night, at least for me, wondering what on earth I was going to do about 3hive, when into the suggestion box came an email suggesting Ford & Fitzroy. One quick listen and my problem was solved! So enjoy the crisp, psych pop with the pleasantly unsteady vocals. Not to be confused with this guy.
Sister Vanilla
Props to Clay for digging up the Super 5 Thor gem! Speaking of The Jesus & Mary Chain…after ten long years the Reid brothers have made nice and have invited us all to their family reunion—including Jim and William’s sister Linda. We heard Linda on The Jesus and Mary Chain’s last album, Munki, and all I can really say is it’s about time. It’s about time the Reid brothers are back (along with TJ&MC alumin Ben Lurie), and it’s about time they get their sister in on the act. Her whispery delivery fits so well with her brothers’ fuzzed-out pop songs. The family recipe has been around for years, but it’s never sounded so fresh.
Super 5 Thor
In May 1996 I wrote this in grid magazine about the Super 5 Thor song below: “The Space side’s “Superstar” is a brilliant example of Super 5 Thor’s delicate Velvet Underground-meets-The Jesus and May Chain brand of rock. Sparse, vibrato-tinged and soaring guitars and drugged-out vocals that the Reid brothers can be envious of are backed up by simple, steady drumming.” After many years of hiatus, Manny and Scott are getting the band back together! Actually, Super 5 Thor wasn’t really a band. Manny and Scott had been in the Miss Alans together in Fresno, California, my wife’s hometown (she was a fan), but by the time they got around to Super 5 Thor, they lived in different states and traded tapes in the mail. So until they get going again, enjoy “Superstar,” with Manny’s permission, and also check out their only live performance on KCRW’s Brave New World. It’s what’s kept me going all these years.
The Besnard Lakes
Remember laser-rock shows? They were all the rage back in the late 80s, early 90s. They’d usually take place at planetariums: you’d kick back in these theater chairs staring at the ceiling while Pink Floyd blasted over the PA. A tripped out laser-light display flashed overhead. It was a drug-free trip for the straight-edge set. Stoners took advantage of the chance at doubling their fun. One listen to The Besnard Lakes and you’ll be wishing someone would light up a laser show in your neighborhood, tonight! This husband/wife led six-piece play big, epic, classic rock slowed down and spruced up with all manner of atmospherics. Their second record, The Besnard Lakes are the Dark Horse, will fill your head with skull-swelling psychedelia. The band reminds me a lot of Low, if, instead of stripping down their songs to bare-bone affairs, they turned it up to eleven and invited Roger Waters to the party.
The Rapture
More dance punk disco funk from the Rapture. Does anyone need more than that?
The Never
The Never are the erstwhile geek rock (think Weezer) outfit of songwriters Ari Picker and Noah Smith, along with college friends Joah and Jonny Tunnell. I say “erstwhile” not just because it’s such a geeky word but because The Never’s latest LP extends well beyond geek rock to an intricately crafted multimedia project, including a 50-page illustrated storybook (featuring 40 original oil paintings by Noah himself) and a corresponding suite of songs depicting a country boy’s journey to return a nuclear bomb to the city. Word is The Never are aiming to adapt Antarctica for the stage. And, given the cinematic leanings of Ari’s latest Lost in the Trees EP, I wouldn’t be surprised if a film version follows…
The Beauty Shop
Two things: 1. Good drumming really stands out sometimes. Think “The Bleeding Heart Show” by the New Pornographers, and all those great, tight drum fills in the last half of the song. The Beauty Shop’s “Monster” is kind of like that, at least with the fills. It’s a good, solid, catchy track reminiscent of Blue Mountain’s alt-country or maybe even The Promise Ring. 2. The other thing this Champaign, IL, band reminds me of is another Illinoisian, Chris Mills. In the mid-1990s, Mills was opening up for Wilco in their earliest gigs. (I was the guy always yelling for Jeff to play “Gun.” Sorry I was so obnoxious.) He had a deep, rich, twangy voice that seemed far older than his actual age, and I used to listen to his promo CD on the El all the time and stare forlornly out the window. (Sorry I was so obnoxious!) The Beauty Shop’s lead singer John Hoeffleur has that kind of voice and it works well on the re-release of their 2004 album Crisis Helpline, due in late February.
Welcome
I love it when I walk into a record store, hear something playing and am curious enough to buy it. It doesn’t happen often enough. And when I find myself bopping to something I’ve never heard despite an apocalyptically foul mood–well, shoo-oot, bring it on! Well, Welcome was that band for me this past weekend. These folks are a girl and boy band, of Seattle, and to me they sound like the English or maybe a little Twee-ish or, wait, is that some pixie-ish guitar? I have no idea. But it’s a happy mish-mash of influences that I was glad to add to the soundtrack of my downer day. The bummer? Not available stateside until March, so I didn’t get to buy it. But the rest of the world is currently enjoying it now. Can you say import? Oh and be sure to check “This Minute†on the myspace page when you are done with what is here.
Boy/Girl
Wow. It’s not hard to see why members of the JSBX seem to be fighting each other over getting the chance to produce Boy/Girl. Hmmm, who would win Judah Bauer vs. Russell Simins? The straddling-the-line-between-lo-and-no-fi fuzzed-out blues-inspired duo-rock of Boy/Girl interprets what the JSBX would have been like on downers.