Dum Dum Girls with Crocodiles and Royal Baths – Union Transfer (Philadelphia) – October 23, 2011
Please see my full review here.
The Damned with Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers – Irving Plaza (New York) – October 22, 2011
Playing their first album Damned Damned Damned and The Black Album and following it with a 3-song encore that included “Eloise,” “Love Song” and “Smash It Up”, the new lineup of The Damned sounded amazingly better than they did just a few years ago at the TLA (review here).
Zounds – Brighton Bar (Long Branch, NJ) – October 21, 2011
Zounds played a short but great set on the penultimate night of their short U.S. tour. Steve Lake, backed by a band that included Big Takeover contributor Bryan Swirsky and Last Burning Embers frontman Dave Burokas, stuck to the early ’80s with not a single song from the new album The Redemption of Zounds being played. That was OK, though, as it may have been audiences’ last chances ever to hear classics like “Demystification,” “Little Bit More” and “Can’t Cheat Karma” performed live on these shores!
Wild Flag with Eleanor Friedberger – Union Transfer (Philadelphia) – October 19, 2011
Please see my full review here.
Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls (Slumberland)
I finally got a physical copy of what is shaping up to be one of my favorite albums of the year.
Scream – Complete Control (Side One Dummy)
This may be heresy, but aside from the forced attempt at covering the Bad Brains‘ “At the Atlantis” (retitled “Jammin’ at 606” for whatever reason), this might be the best thing that Scream has ever done. Just take a listen to songs like “Stopwatch” or their cover of The Ruts‘ “Demolition Dancing” for proof.
La Sera – La Sera (Hardly Art)
Katy Goodman of Vivian Girls‘ solo debut is a sheer delight. Her beautiful, soothing and yet unsettled voice and her sense of melody shine on songs like “Beating Heart,” “Never Come Around” and “Hold”. She already has another La Sera album recorded with the help of Darker My Love‘s Rob Barbato and I can’t wait to hear it!
The Raveonettes – Chain Gang of Love (Columbia)
Their 2003 full-length debut is what I always pull out when I wanna hear The Raveonettes. It’s also, at least in hindsight, a touchstone for bands that have come about in the last few years like Dum Dum Girls (The Raveonettes’ Sune Rose Wagner has produced their last few records).
Void – Sessions 1981-1983 (Dischord)
Please see my full review here.
Eleanor Friedberger – Last Summer (Merge)
This is catchier, more straightforward and more pop-oriented than almost anything that Friedberger’s band The Fiery Furnaces have ever done. As such, it’s a nice change of pace and a fine album.
