Real Estate – Days (Domino)
I really wish I’d have taken others’ advice and checked out this band earlier. Simply put, this record is amazing. Fans of The Feelies, Yo La Tengo, Luna, The Church and especially The Bats will gorge on this expansive, sun-kissed collection of blissed-out dream-pop. In fact, if I could use one phrase to describe their sound, I’d borrow “that striped sunlight sound”, the phrase the late, great Grant McLennan used to describe the sound of The Go-Betweens (another band I’m guess these folks are probably acquainted with). All in all, this is easily one of the year’s best records. Now I just have to check out their back catalog when I stop playing this!
The Sonics – Maxwells (Hoboken, NJ) – November 12, 2011
Please see my full review here.
Zounds – The Curse of Zounds (Broken Rekids)
Last week, I listed Broken Rekids’ amazing Singles box set from this band in the same spot, so this week I thought I’d list their reissue of the original Zounds lineup’s sole Lp. Please see my full review here.
Veronica Falls – Veronica Falls (Slumberland)
Here’s another Lp that I just can’t stop playing as of late. This is absolutely picture perfect indie-pop in addition to be enthralled with the Sarah, K and Slumberland catalogs also contains the darkness (as well as the post-punk riffage) of Echo and the Bunnymen with hints of Pixies as well.
Giggle the Ozone – Charge (Lazer Seizure Music)
Please see my full review here.
Codeine – Frigid Stars (Sub Pop)
After I learned the news that they are reuniting for some shows next year (including some U.S. dates; more on that here), I pulled out this, their first full-length and easily their finest hour. I really hope they play here and that they’re as transcendent as they were live in 1994.
Sharon Van Etten – “I’m Giving Up On You” EP (Polyvinyl)
Although this single has been out of print almost right after it appeared late last year, thanks to Spotify I’ve been able to stream it. Resembling her 1st Lp Because I Was in Love much more than her more recent epic, these songs were also cut at former Big Takeover contributor Greg Weeks‘ Hexham Head studio just like Because I Was in Love was.
TV Casualty – TV Casualty EP (Matador)
Please see my full review here.
Crisis of Conformity – “Fist Fight” (Drag City)
Similar somewhat in spirit (if not in origin) to the TV Casualty 7”, what started as one of Saturday Night Live’s best skits ever has blossomed into a two-song 7” on Drag City. The A-side is “Fist Fight”, an alternate take on the song featured in the SNL fit while the B-side is a just over minute long song called “Kick It Down and Drag it Around”. Fun stuff.
Kristin Hersh – Rat Girl (Penguin, 2010)
All of the praise that this book has gotten is justified. Structured without chapters and more akin to reading a well-edited journal or diary than a straightforward memoir, this reads a bit like one of Hersh’s songs.
