The Mountain Goats

The Mountain Goats | Goths | 3hive.com

The Mountain Goats | Goths | 3hive.com
I wasn’t a fully committed goth in high school but I listened to my fair share of goth music, and sometimes dabbled awkwardly in goth fashion. The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle – nowadays known for his storytelling skills, as a lo-fi turned hi-fi musician and awarded novelist – spent his teen years as a “goth kid”, though I reckon we shared a similar awkwardness. So when Darnielle directs an entire album’s worth of songwriting to the genre/culture, it’s because he has enough material to work with.

Whether the Sisters of Mercy-esque strains of “Rain in Soho” or their tribute to the SoM frontman himself, “Andrew Elritch Is Moving Back to Leeds”, Darnielle and company deliver each track with a clear knowledge of and empathy for its subject matter. On “Stench of the Unburied” Darnielle sings, as someone who suffered his way through SoCal summers in all black: “Outside it’s 92 degrees/And KROQ plays Siouxsie and the Banshees”. In typical Mountain Goats fashion, it’s followed by a narrator’s wink and nod: “Ice chest full of Corona and Pineapple Crush/It’ll take 20 years for the toxins to flush.” It’s this tension that makes Darnielle’s songwriting so authentic, endearing, and surprising.

Goths avoids the trappings of a concept album. Musically it wanders, however coherently, from ominous minor key anthems to loungey new wave to flute-driven baroque pop to an entire bonus record of ambient mixes “for the all-night goths who need to reply to the dawn with total darkness.” The thread remains, but Darnielle trusts his listener to figure it out in their own way.

To me, Goths is about the sometimes tragic, sometimes humorous struggle of adolescent identity (which continues to plague some adults). The search for identity often chased by self-doubt and self-consciousness gets summed up in the album’s best line, the chorus to “The Grey King and the Silver Flame Attunement”: “I’m pretty hardcore, but I’m not that hardcore.”

Even without explanation, Goths is a great album. “We Do It Different on the West Coast” – while relevant here – would fit on any Mountain Goats record, with it’s perfectly Californian brand of self-deprecating coastal pride. It’s followed by “Unicorn Tolerance” which is just plain adorable. Do yourself a favor and listen to Goths, regardless of how much black eyeliner, white foundation, red lipstick, and hair spray you have on your person.

[Buy the deluxe edition of Goths on “vampire red” vinyl with the aforementioned bonus LP of ambient mixes in the 3hive Co-op Shop, while supplies last.]

May 17 Mixtape

May 17 Mixtape | 3hive.com

Better late than never. Here are 20 tracks to end May with.

1. The Cardigans – Iron Man (Black Sabbath Cover)
2. Alias – Resurgam
3. Hanni El Khatib – Freak Freely
4. Adolescents – LA Girl
5. Misfits – I Turned Into A Martian
6. Wooing – In Colour
7. Ha The Unclear – Big City
8. The Cure – Grinding Halt
9. Soft Limbs – Out There
10. No Sun – Honey Chain
11. Lubec – Failed Pilot
12. Jawbox – Jackpot Plus!
13. Prefuse 73 – Return From Home
14. Cohenbeats – Daily Affirmations (feat. Quelle Chris)
15. Thundercat – Show You The Way (feat. Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins)
16. Thievery Corporation – Firelight (feat. Lou Lou Ghelichkhani)
17. Trementina – Please, Let’s Go Away
18. Queue – Frontier
19. RUMTUM – Coastal Hustle
20. Monster Rally & RUMTUM – Forest

Timber Timbre

Timber Timbre | Sincerely, Future Pollution

Timber Timbre | Sincerely, Future Pollution

My introduction to Timber Timbre was back in 2011 whilst perusing the goods at, the now extinct, Slowtrain Records, and their latest release (at the time), Creep On Creepin’ On was playing in the store. Timber Timbre’s wonky, psychedelic groove mixed with Taylor Kirk’s smokey vocals hooked me instantly, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Their recently released, Sincerely, Future Pollution, still checks all those boxes that hooked me 6 years ago. Timber Timbre keeps getting better and better. It’s time to let their psychedelic groove hook you too. Enjoy.

[Buy Sincerely, Future Pollution on shiny black vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop – while supplies last.]

Homeboy Sandman

Homeboy Sandman | Veins | 3hive.com

Homeboy Sandman | Veins | 3hive.com
Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. Everything you need to know about the latest Homeboy Sandman album is right there: the stark black & white cover photo of our hero throwing a long shadow and – on the flip – the conspicuous absence of guest artists next to the song titles. This time around Boy Sand clears away any distractions and focuses on his fierce – and fiercely personal – flow. It pays off in spades. On Veins, you’re witnessing one of the best contemporary MCs at the top of this game. If you’re new to Homeboy Sandman, start here.

[Buy Veins on shiny black vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop – while supplies last. Or better yet, buy the bundle!]


Death Canyons

Death Canyons | Death Canyons II | 3hive.com

Death Canyons | Death Canyons II | 3hive.com

Germany’s Death Canyons smack you right in the teeth with their reverb filled, psychedelic, surf punk on their second release Death Canyons II. You can bounce around to their standout track “Dorian Gray Syndrome” (below), then head over to La Pochette Surprise Records and snag yourself a copy on cassette or grab a digital copy from Death Canyons’ Bandcamp page. Enjoy.

Woods

Woods | Love Is Love | 3hive.com

Woods | Love Is Love | 3hive.com

Woods’ latest album Love Is Love was written and recorded in the first few months following the election. It’s not necessarily a protest album as much as it’s a “…meditation on love, and on what life means now”. Love is Love is a 32-minute chilled-out, psychedelic, folk-rock effort. It is the perfect antidote for any bad feelings caused by the current mess we are in. Check out the awesome trumpet and flute play in standout track “Bleeding Blue” below.

[Feel the love and snag this on black vinyl – the way it’s meant to be listened to – from the 3hive Co-op Shop. While supplies last.]

Doug Tuttle

Doug Tuttle | Peace Potato | 3hive.com

Doug Tuttle | Peace Potato | 3hive.com

Just when I thought Doug Tuttle couldn’t outdo his incredible 2016 solo album, It Calls On Me, the former MMOSS frontman takes that thought and stomps it into oblivion with the release of his new LP Peace Potato. Not only does Mr. Tuttle’s songwriting keep getting stronger with every release, the way he constructs his songs gets stronger as well. The 15 tracks on Peace Potato weave in and out of each other or abruptly stop before taking off again with such precision it’s easy for the listener to get carried away into the lush landscapes of Mr. Tuttle’s “downer pop melodies”.

Give the George Harrison-esque “Can It be” and the way to short “It’s Alright With Me, Ma” a spin below. You won’t be sorry – I promise.

[Buy a copy of Peace Potato on limited edition clear vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop. While supplies last.]


Slowdive

Slowdive | Slowdive | 3hive.com

Slowdive | Slowdive | 3hive.com
The title of Slowdive’s first album in 24 years is surprising insightful. The self-titled Slowdive is perhaps the most Slowdive-ish album of them all. It could pulled out of today and slotted into their discography and at any point in between their past releases.
The haunting, soaring guitars still take center stage – either doling out delicate melodies a la “Catch the Breeze” or wall-of-sound as they did on Blue Day. No more toying with electronics, this is the core Slowdive.

Given the way Slowdive fell apart at the crashing end of shoegaze, there is comforting assurance from knowing that when these five musicians get together, this is the music they make. Neil and Rachel’s voices still slot seamlessly together, with subtle undercurrents throughout the songs that demonstrate the maturity gained from more time on this planet. While Pygmalion has its fans, today’s new album is the one Slowdive should have released instead.

[Buy a copy of Slowdive on limited edition silver vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop. While supplies last.]

Spotting

Spotting | Spotting | 3hive.com

Spotting | Spotting | 3hive.com

Melbourne’s Spotting will beat your ears into submission with their pounding, brain piercing, style of synth punk. Give the appropriately titled “Thumper”, from their new EP a spin below, you won’t be sorry.

Spotting’s self-titled EP is available now digitally from the band’s Bandcamp page and on wax through Aarght Records.

Luke Reed

Luke Reed | Won't Be There | 3hive.com

Luke Reed | Won't Be There | 3hive.com

Bent Shapes‘ Luke Reed has been writing and recording solo material over the years, amassing a large collection of unreleased bedroom pop songs. In July of 2016, without any publicity or even album art, Reed quietly released his solo debut, Won’t Be There, on his Bandcamp page.

Won’t Be There is 13 (now 16) tracks of everything from lonely bedroom pop to jangly indie – all soaked in that lo-fi warmth of home recordings. In March of 2017, the good dudes at The Native Sound rereleased Won’t Be There with 3 additional songs and album art too. Give “Won’t Be There” and “Watching TV” a spin below and head over to the Native Sounds Bandcamp page for a copy. Be sure to send some money their way so hopefully, one day, Won’t Be There can be pressed to vinyl, as it deserves to be.