The Bomb – Speed is Everything (No Idea)
Please see my full review here.
The Rifles – The Great Escape (679/Nettwerk)
I wrote about this one a few months ago, but I recently returned to it and am blown away by how great it is. I liked their 1st Lp No Love Lost, but frankly I think this one is much better. It’s rare that I hear an Lp loaded with potential hit singles (well in the UK, at least, where a few of the songs have been modest hits) from front to back. From the opener great “Science is Violence” to the terrific “Someday” and the SMITHS-like (or perhaps more accurely, HOUSEMARTINS-like) “Winter Calls”, this is an Lp loaded with future mod-rock classics. It’s no wonder PAUL WELLER likes these guys so much that he offered them an opening slot on one of his tours after he jumped on stage with them to sing their version of THE JAM classic “Eton Rifles”!
Still, for all the obvious comparions to The Woking Wonders (i.e. The Jam) and much less fittingly, THE CLASH, that I’ve seen, they’re really closer to other revivalists like LEN PRICE 3 and certainly much, much better than most of their young British contemporaries.
The Comsat Angels – My Mind’s Eye (Caroline/Renascent)
By far the best post Fiction Comsats album, this one is more driving and reminiscent of other early ’90s bands they inspired, in particular those of the the nascent shoegazer movement. For “Fields of Tall Flowers” alone, this would be essential, but the entire album is excellent.
Herman Dune with Julie Doiron – World Cafe Live (Philadelphia, PA) – November 4, 2009
It has been more than 15 years since I’d seen Doiron play live and that was with her band ERIC’S TRIP, who released three Lps for Sub Pop in the early to mid ’90s before their breakup and were the first Canadian band to sign to that label.
I can definitely tell you all that Doiron’s solo material is an entirely different ball of wax. It’s much more intimate, hushed and quiet and much of the material she performed was in the vein of the only solo recording of hers I’ve heard, a split EP with OKKERVIL RIVER. For her last two songs, headliners Herman Dune joined her on guitar and drums, respectively. A French anti-folk duo, Herman Dune also put on an enjoyable performance and were similarly joined by Doiron at the end of their set. I like the collaborative spirit of the evening, as this was a show (and a tour) of acts who are clearly familiar with each other (having toured together several times)
The Damned – So, Who’s Paranoid? (English Channel)
I came back to this one after listening to The Black Album recently and boy is it great. In particular, the first five tracks are outstanding, as is “Little Miss Disaster” (which was released as a single before the album came out last year). This is their best album since Strawberries.
The Damned – The Black Album (Chiswick)
Last month, HENRY ROLLINS devoted an entire episode of his terrific weekly radio show on KCRW to this amazing album. You can listen to it here .
Gold Streets – Go EP (self-released)
Following several years after their debut Lp , 2007’s Looks Like Fireflies, the new EP is another stellar effort. Since their beginnings in 2004, I’ve found it hard not to think of late ’80s/early ’90s SONIC YOUTH or a whole host of dream-pop and shoegazer bands from that same time period and that’s still very much in evidence here and that especially pertains to the first track “Billy’s Dead”, which features singer/guitarist NORMAN VINO on lead vocals.
Overall, though, I think the songwriting has improved and the production has as well. The last track, “Dark Horse “, is a bit of a departure for the group, though, and has “indie dance hit” written all over it. Furthermore, bassist GISELLA OTTERSON and drummer TIFFANY ALMY (who also beautifully harmonizes with Vino, bringing to mind the indie-pop harmonies of the great New York band VERSUS) rev up more dance-oriented rhythms on the penultimate, titular track as well.
Sam Gopal – Escalator (Get Back)
Unbeknownst to many, LEMMY KILMISTER had a previous group before his tenure in HAWKWIND and of course, MOTORHEAD. I knew about his being a roadie for JIMI HENDRIX, but for whatever reason, I wasn’t aware of this group before a few months ago. The original pressing of this Lp can go for over $400, so it’s a good thing that’s available as a reissue again.
Anyway, this does not predict Lemmy’s future either vocally or musically, but rather taken on its own, it’s a great late ’60s pysch record with the band’s namesake on tablas and Lemmy on bass, occasional guitar and lead vocals. There’s a nice cover of DONOVAN‘s “Season of the Witch” on here as well.
Sonic Youth – “Starpower”
Sonic Youth recently rerecorded this 1986 classic from EVOL for their appearance on the TV show Gossip Girl. To tell the truth, it doesn’t add or subtract much from the original. It’s only available on their website as a download for 99 cents in lossless, wav format.
Wipers – Rarities (Zeno)
This is a cd-r available from GREG SAGE‘s Zeno label that’s the equivalent of an Italian double Lp bootleg. Going from super early material like the “Better Off Dead” 7” all the way to late ’80s performances (including some songs from Sage’s 1984 solo effort Straight Ahead), it’s essential for Wipers fans.
