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Dum Dum Girls – Only in Dreams (Sub Pop)
Please see my full review here.
Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls (Slumberland)
This band has gotten a lot of hype over the past year or so, but one listen to their stellar debut Lp should quell any doubts as to if they live up to it or not. Much like many of their Slumberland label mates as well as those on Captured Tracks and other similar labels, they making early ’90s-ish indie-pop look and sound effortless, but they bring in a darkness and fall-like sensibility not often heard in this genre as well.
The Faith – Subject to Change plus First Demo (Dischord)
I’ve yet to get the vinyl version of this, but from streaming it on Spotify, it sounds absolutely amazing. Subject to Change is a much better record than I’ve given it credit for in the past. It’s not an absolute stomper like their side of the split Lp with Void (who also have an archival release on the way), but it’s a crucially important bridge between early ’80s hardcore and the more melodic DC sound to come just a short time later. And the demo rips! I think I like these versions more than the previously heard versions on the split Lp with Void and they sure sound better than the bootlegs I have, too!
Dry Feet – “I Can’t Sleep at Night” EP (Evil Weevil)
A 45 with only about 3 minutes of music, the titular A-side has vocals while the B-side, the hilariously-titled “Long Live Dry Feet”, is an instrumental surf-rock stomper that’s a better reflection of this local band’s strengths as a live band who have recently opened shows for the likes of Fucked Up, Ted Leo and Screaming Females.
Meg Baird – Seasons on Earth (Drag City)
Despite a flurry of musical activity including but not limited to albums with her band Espers, a collaboration with her sister Laura Baird (released as, appropriately enough, The Baird Sisters), her playing drums in Watery Love and a single released a few years ago around the time of her first solo album, this is only solo album number two from the Philadelphia-based chanteuse. And a chanteuse she is as her voice will captivate and soothe you to a place where Judee Sill, Sandy Denny and Karen Dalton meet. On this effort, there are mainly originals songs but a few covers thrown in as well, including “The Beatles and The Stones” by House of Love.
Jens Lekman with Geoffrey O’Connor – Ethical Society (Philadelphia) – October 6, 2011
In his first Philadelphia appearance in 4 years, Lekman put on a spectacular stripped down show featuring just him and occasionally, drummer Addison Rogers and for the encore, his opener O’Connor as well. The new songs worked much better in a live context when mixed in with far superior older material from Oh You’re So Silent Jens and Night Falls Over Kortedala.
Mekons – World Cafe Live (Philadelphia) – October 7, 2011
Playing their only Philadelphia show on a short East Coast tour to mark the release of their new album Ancient and Modern, the Mekons played a short, 45-minute set for a Friday Free at Noon concert that also included an encore and some hilarious stage banter (as per usual with this bunch) from Jon Langford and Sally Timms. The tunes played were a nice mix of new and old.
Descendents with X, Dead Milkmen, Plow United, Naked Raygun and 7 Seconds – Festival Pier (Philadelphia) – September 24, 2011
Please see my full review here.
ALL with Naked Raygun – TLA (Philadelphia) – September 24, 2011
Please see my full review here.
Mike Watt – hyphenated-man (Parabolica)
Although the vocals could be stronger on this 30 track opus, the music just kills! It’s the closest Mike Watt has gotten to the sound of The Minutemen since perhaps the debut Firehose Lp Ragin’ Full On. Apparently, it was written on D Boon‘s old Telecaster and one can tell!
