UltraChorus
The title of this first UltraChorus track reminds me of my five-year-old. He started talking later than most children do and he often uses his own syntax and vocabulary (he named his stuffed puppy LLPP, pronounced “lil-lip”). When he gets tired of listening to me, or anyone for that matter, he’ll shake his hands and say, “Too many words, Dad.” We’ve quickly adapted, for better or for worse, his version of English and whenever we’re bored of anyone’s verbal tirades, anytime their words keep talking and we’ve stopped listening, we shake our hands and repeat our kid’s mantra. Their single artwork offers a keen graphic representation of this “too many words” phenomenon.
Musically, I can’t get enough of UltraChorus. These boys from Minneapolis have got pep! Chris from the band used to be in Sukpatch, and his latest project is an extension of the bedroom beats he cranked out for Grand Royal way back in the ’90s. Add the words “bubblegum disco” to the mix and you’ve got an idea of the party this duo dishes out.
The Books are Back
Secondstar
Upon entering the nondescript disc into my player and pressing play, unexpected sounds of the early ’60s folk revival greeted me. Upcoming solo musicians and bands alike attempt this sound often, aiming for the blues-rock appeal of Dylan and the Byrds. Despite many failures at this seemingly futile endeavor, Secondstar’s EP Teeth effortlessly masters it.
Liam Carey, the only permanent member of Secondstar, duplicates that mellow folksy-blues sound with the help of guest vocalists, lead banjo, and simple melodies. He says Teeth “is kind of a bridge from an older time of more tragic songs, to today, with more pop-influenced songs.” Although only five tracks long, Teeth boasts a mature, eerie quality, transcending many of his contemporaries. The EP opens with “Ravens†and its instantly infectious a capella harmonizing and hand-clapping intro. “Kites and Arrows†blends melodic whistling with melancholic lyrics in a minor key. However, “Pieces†maintains a slightly more upbeat tempo and employs additional banjo, lending it a dreamy, southern tone. Sink your teeth into “Ravens” and if you want more, a download of the entire EP is available here.
by Brie Roche-Lilliott
The Depreciation Guild
Favorite new song alert! As soon as I heard their new single, “Dream About Me,” I rushed to alert my friend Chet who’s a big fan of Ocean Blue and Prefab Sprout and while he hasn’t reported back yet, I expect to hear that The Depreciation Guild is right up his alley. The band’s sound transports me back to the early nineties, the years Chet and I were in radio together. The band takes the lush, dreamy pop sounds of early 4ad bands and distresses them a bit with fuzzy electronics and gentle reverb. Lots of other folks are taking note as well—they’ve sold out of their new single and Kanine records just reissued their 2007 album. Speaking of friends who’d like this band, I’m surprised our own Clay Calloway didn’t beat me to the punch on this one, especially considering two-thirds of the band also play in The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, one of Clay’s recent crushes he’s gushed about on this site. The moonlighters will be extra busy as both bands head over to play the UK later this month. The band has some Midwest and East Coast dates before then, so if you like what you hear do some homework and catch them live, geography permitting.
The Sky Drops
Sean and I were just trading jabs this week on Facebook regarding MBV comparisons on these pages. So it’s ironic that I’m gonna keep it going.
You gotta love it when a band fulfills its promises. How many times have you heard, “The new album will be out by the end of the year,” only to have it come out two years later or (in the case of MBV, a frequent reference when talking about the Sky Drops) not at all. The Sky Drops promised that despite a medical problem, their full album would be out in 2009, and they did it. Out now, the Sky Drops debut full length Bourgeois Beat, self-released on Fridabear Records, has them further fleshing out their wall of guitars with some mighty catchy hooks, moving from shoegazer fuzz-pop to fuzz-rock. I long ago gave up hope of another MBV album; with Bourgrois Beat filling that space, who needs it now?
From October 13, 2008:
Why didn’t someone tell me? Seriously, I feel like an idiot. My Bloody Valentine played somewhere where I actually live, and I MISSED it! Sure, I saw they were going to play some dates, but did I pay close attention? No. This review almost had me breaking my hand punching my desk. Next time, will someone please email me?
So in my misery, I turned to the Sky Drops for some comfort. These two songs are from last year and show them moving away from their MBV-infuenced shoegaze into their own territory, but the wall of guitar is still the focus. Their debut album, expected earlier this year, has been delayed due to Rob being unable to play the guitar, but they promise us it’ll be out in 2009.
From original post May 24, 2006:
Sean has baited me in the past making this comparison. I swore I would never do it, cause seriously, how can anyone ever approach the genius of Kevin Shields? Then I met the Sky Drops, Rob Montejo and Monika Bullette of Wilmington, Delaware. So when I make a My Bloody Valentine comparison here, I mean it. “Now Would Be” could be the last song on MBV’s Isn’t Anything, and “Green to Red” could have appeared on MBV’s Loveless right in between “When You Sleep” and “I Only Said.” Now, kind reader, a word. Please don’t assume I’m accusing the Sky Drops of plagiarism; au contraire, I’m paying them one of the highest compliments I can. And just think, they make all this racket with a guitar and drums!
3some: Too Hot to Trot
Hopefully this 3some will become a regular feature here. That’s the plan. The idea is to share more music more often and to do so in fun party packs, organized and gathered around some similarity, theme, sound, or anything else our pea-brains might dream up. First up, three takes on flames, fire and heating up, which the weather in L.A. threatens to do again this week, just as the Station fire is about to be contained. Inevitably, and regrettably, such weather brings out murderous kooks and their matches.
Burn It Down [MP3, 4.4MB, 160kbps]
by The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker
Available now on Outta Site Records
Ruckus Roboticus
At 28, Dan Haug, aka Ruckus Roboticus, is the youngest DJ to be inducted into the elite forces of Solid Steel, Coldcut’s famed radio programme (as they spell it in the UK) and podcast…if my math is right. One thing I’m sure of, he’s the only DJ from Dayton, Ohio, to roll with Solid Steel. I discovered him in catching up with my podcasts and his last session (featured below) is utter dopeness. Listen to any of his smiles-a-minute dance mixes — most of which are free for the downloading on his newly refurbished site — and you can see what all the hype is about. He takes this body moving seriously. And, after you fall in love with his ability to work with other people’s music, be sure to purchase his equally infectious LP of original tunes, 2007’s Playing With Scratches, using the convenient e-commerce links below. It’s a quirky and sample-tastic romp in the vein of Kid Koala or Dosh. Thank you.
Lord Newborn & The Magic Skulls
Well if this ain’t the musical equivalent of the Three Amigos. Three musical desperados gathered on the West Coast to create aural havoc and obviously had the time of their lives. The parties involved include: Money Mark, Tommy Guerrero, and Shawn Lee, three “sound scientists” who’ve all made their own marks flying below the mainstream radar, carving out a groove amidst all that is going to be cool tomorrow. Both Mark and Guerrero released music early on through Mo’ Wax and Shawn Lee recorded for Talking Loud and Wall of Sound early in his career. “Dirty Loco” is one of the two songs that serve as the dark heart of the record. The comparison is a bit ludicrous, but it sounds like a track off The Cure’s “Pornography” record if Robert Smith had grown up in Southern California, raised on funk and soul. The rest of the album is full of laid back, easy-listening funk tracks, improvised, trippy, and generally cheerful. Dare I say it, Lord Newborn is a rare-groove jam band that I’d be happy spending a summer or three trucking around the country following their wake.
Jimmy Ohio
Who says you can’t judge a book by its cover? Basic Black is not only the title of Jimmy Ohio’s first EP, but a fitting description of the raw, bluesy, and timeless rock ‘n’ roll found therein. Last year, the Brooklynite flew back to his one-time home of Detroit and holed up in a former Baptist church for four days with some old pals, Dan Kroha (The Gories, Demolition Doll Rods), Trevor Naud (Zoos of Berlin, PAS/CAL), and Tony Maimone (Pere Ubu). The four songs that emerged each paint heartbreak with a slightly different brush, and offer tastes of what might have come of a longer recording session. From the bristling energy of “Hello and Goodbye” to the delicate reflection of “Quiet Sound” — each track leaves you wanting more. So…when’s the long-player, Jimmy?