Sonic Youth – The Eternal (Matador)
Sonic Youth’s Matador debut is, contrary to what they’ve claimed, a very similar-sounding album to their last few (particularly 2004’s Sonic Nurse), though not quite as poppy, catchy or as immediately accessible as 2006’s excellent Rather Ripped. Either way, that’s welcome news and I think they’re on a roll.
Superchunk – Leaves in the Gutter EP (Merge)
Superchunk are like an indie-rock version of AC/DC, MOTORHEAD or THE RAMONES. Sure they tweak around with the formula on occasion and produce something slightly different, but most of the time you know what you’re gonna get. And what you get here on this new EP, their first recordings since 2001 (with the exception of a 7” from 2007), are four power-pop corkers that wouldn’t have been out of place on albums Here’s Where the Strings Come In. There’s also a nice acoustic version of “Learning to Surf”, the EP’s lead-off track.
The Reatards – Teenage Hate (Shattered)
As part of JAY REATARD‘s Singles Subscription Series, the first thing that subscribers get is a free, high-quality (320 kpbs) download of this, his old band The Reatards’ first album from 1998. Reatard was only 18 when this was recorded and though it’s noticeably rawer, harder, faster and snottier than his more recent solo material and most of his many side projects, his sense of melody, vocal style and overall je nais sais quoi that one identifies with Jay Reatard are already here. He would just develop on this style later.
In any case, this is rip-snortin’, at times PAGANS-inspired trash-punk that lays waste to most of its genre. It includes covers of THE DEAD BOYS‘ “Down in Flames” and FEAR‘s “I Love Livin’ in the City” that make the originals sounds like ABBA.
Crime – San Francisco’s Still Doomed (Swami)
A 2004 reissue of a 1990 compilation (similarly titled San Francisco’s Doomed) shows why Crime were “San Francisco’s Only Rock and Roll Band” in the mid ’70s. Like other recently-archived mid ’70s acts like Detroit’s DEATH, they served as a bridge between Raw Power-era STOOGES and the punk explosion that followed in the late ’70s. This disc features about a dozen demos, an almost equal number of rehearsals and alternate takes of their great single A-sides “Hotwire My Heart” (covered by Sonic Youth on Sister) and “Baby You’re So Repulsive”.
The sound of the source material on the rehearsals isn’t the greatest, but it’s still quite listenable and the quality on the demos is fine (and overall this collection is great), but it makes me wonder what could have been had they gone into a proper recording studio (like so many of their East Coast and UK contemporaries would in a few years) for more than just a few singles before their 1981 breakup.
Pixies – Trompe Le Monde (4AD)
Although like most fans I regard 1988’s Surfer Rosa and 1989’s Doolittle as masterpieces, I’ve always loved their 1991 swan song as well.
It’s not the most obvious candidate for one’s favorite Pixies album. Essentially it’s FRANK BLACK‘s first solo album with KIM DEAL contributing exactly zero songs, but I regard it less like THE REPLACEMENTS‘ finale All Shook Down (in which they only played together on one song) and more like THE BEATLES‘ Abbey Road. After 1990’s disappointing Bossanova, my feeling is that they just decided to go into the studio and cut one last great record, just like old times, though they knew that the band was essentially over. So, in other words, it still SOUNDS like a Pixies record whereas All Shook Down was a Replacements album in name only. I should note that I love All Shook Down, so please don’t take that comment as an insult.
In any case, pop gems like “Planet of Sound,” “Alec Eiffel” and the explosive cover of THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN‘s “Head On” just burst forth from this record. Heavier than their previous releases, they were allegedly inspired by OZZY OSBOURNE (who was recording No More Tears) recording in the studio next door.
Dinosaur Jr – “I Don’t Wanna Go There” EP (Jagjaguwar)
A free 7” that I picked up at their show last week in Lancaster, this contains two live-in-the-studio tracks recorded for Pitchfork.TV at their studio in Amherst, MA. The A-side “I Don’t Wanna Go There” is a typically great track that recalls 1990’s Green Mind or 1992’s Where You Been, though with noticeably rawer production values more similar to their late ’80s records (though with a cleaner sound). This definitely bodes well for their forthcoming album Farm on Jagjaguwar.
The B-side is a nice version of “Tarpit” (from 1987’s You’re Living All Over Me and a staple of their current live set).
The Joneses – Keeping Up with the Joneses (Dr. Dream)
Although this was reissued on CD a few years ago, I was lucky enough to find a vinyl copy of this 1986 album recently. Although the cover makes them appear like a typical LA hair metal band from the time period ala POISON, the music on here is anything but. Instead, it follows strictly in the NEW YORK DOLLS/HEARTBREAKERS template not just looks-wise and propels that sound into the ’80s. Instead of the usual production sheen of the time, this is raw, filthy, trashy, no-nonsense rock and roll. This also includes a cover of ELTON JOHN‘s “Crocodile Rock”.
Loney, Dear – Dear John (Polyvinyl)
This is another great album, a bit more electronic-influenced than its immediate predecessors (2006’s Sologne and 2005’s Loney Noir), but still distinctly the work of EMIL SVANANGEN.
Hermit Thrushes – Slight Fountain (Joyful Noise/Single Girl Married Girl)
This Philadelphia band’s press kit lists CAPTAIN BEEFHEART and POLVO as influences and upon listening to their forthcoming new album, it’s apparent that the main quality Hermit Thrushes shares with both of them (as well as bands like say, DEERHOOF) is the feeling of listening to something that’s just barely holding on. You feel like it could collapse at any minute, any second really, but it never does. Still, this is difficult listening, with few easy melodies, though repeat plays reveal folksy leanings along with other songs that remind me of some of the more experimental Elephant 6 type stuff (particularly OLIVIA TREMOR CONTROL).
Andrew Bird/Loney, Dear – split 7” (Polyvinyl)
I’ve never been the biggest Andrew Bird fan, but I like “The Privateers”, his side of this Record Store Day exclusive (which I was able to pick up at Loney, Dear’s show here the other night).
Loney, Dear, despite being the much lesser known artist, steals the show with his “I Got Lost”, a quieter number of hushed, gentle, almost meditative bliss.
