The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar (Atlantic / Canvasback)
Gigantic and profound.
Supertouch – Lost My Way 7” (Reaper Records)
4 song EP, their first new recording since their appearance on Norman Brannon’s Anti-Matter Compilation in 1996.
Land of Talk – Cloak and Cipher (Saddle Creek)
Gave this another spin because it came out the same time as so many other good records late last year, it kind of got lost in the shuffle. And the second chance turned into a third, fourth and fifth chance.
Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (Sub Pop)
True. Worst fortune cookie ever.
Univox – s/t (ROIR)
Debut LP. Loud, densely layered post rock from Philly.
Iggy Pop – Zombie Birdhouse (Animal)
Love this record, I think it’s the best thing he did in the 80’s. Recorded at the height of his heroin addiction, before he took a three year break to get married and clean himself up. Similarly, at the height of my Iggy addiction, this was the one record you couldn’t find anywhere because it was out of print. So naturally I was drawn to it. One summer day in eighth grade, my friend Steven found one at a flea market in New Jersey. The cassette was dutifully copied and distributed. There are some awkward moments – “The Ballad of Cookie McBride” is one of them. I will admit that. But. There is also “Platonic”, “Angry Hills” and “The Villagers”, some of Iggy’s finest moments lyrically.
Wire – Chairs Missing (Four Men With Beards)
Is there such a thing as a sophomore slump?
Van Halen – Van Halen II (Warner)
Generation X – Valley of the Dolls (Chrysalis)
Tubeway Army – Replicas (Beggars Banquet)
