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The Avengers – The Avengers (Water)
Look for a full review up soon!
Justin Townes Earle – “Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me” EP (Bloodshot)
Having never listened to Earle (the son of notable singer/songwriter and actor Steve Earle) before this, I was drawn to this Record Store Day single because it’s B-side is a cover of Elvis Costello‘s “Sneaky Feelings”, a terrific deep cut from his debut album (the 1977 classic My Aim is True). While he does an admirable job on that track (Costello is not an easy artist to cover well), the highlight and surprise here is the A-side. It reminds me quite nicely of Jeff Tweedy‘s more ruminative moments.
Lydia Loveless – “Bad Way to Go” EP (Bloodshot)
Another Record Store Day 7” release on Bloodshot, I was also curious to check this out because yet again (and apparently without planning it this way), the young, Ohio=based alt-country singer-songwriter ALSO covered an Elvis Costello song as the B-side of this single. In this case, it’s also (again, coincidentally) a selection from _My Aim is True), the much well more known “Alison”. She does a bang-up job on it, too! The A-side isn’t bad, either (in fact, it’s a sharp rocker in contrast to the B-side and in the vein of early Neko Case)! I need to check out more of her stuff.
The Cult – Choice of Weapon (Cooking Vinyl)
I’ll be honest here. I haven’t heard any album by this long-running UK band since 1989’s Sonic Temple (an album I loved as a kid and one that still sounds good today along with their previous records, especially 1985’s Love). At the urging of an insistent friend, I’m glad I did, though, as it’s surprisingly fantastic! Bob Rock (who produced Sonic Temple and many other well-known hard rock and heavy metal records but who also goes back to the Vancouver punk scene of the late ’70s, producing The Pointed Sticks, amongst others) is back here, but the real story is how great Ian Astbury‘s voice still sounds and how surprisingly tight the songwriting and playing is along with a rawer, more streamlined sound than anything they did in the mid to late ’80s. This is great!
The Ruts DC – Rhythm Collision Promo Sampler EP (self-released)
While Ruts DC are still working on Rhythm Collision Part 2 (the long-awaited follow-up to 1982’s seminal dub classic Rhythm Collision, we have this 5 song EP to tide us over until then. And what an EP it is. If you close your eyes, these songs all sounds like outtakes from the original Rhythm Collision sessions and the album should be amazing! You can get it here.
The Beach Boys – That’s Why God Made the Radio (Capitol)
Many others will review it and note Brian Wilson‘s involvement, but simply put, their first album since 1993’s Summer in Paradise is also the best Beach Boys album since at least 1979’s L.A. (Light Album). It’s not perfect, but it’s quite enjoyable and when it works (especially on the terrific title track and others), it soars to the heavens. Here is a great review which sums this up quite nicely.
After 16 years in Belle and Sebastian and with some of his songs appearing on just about every album of theirs since 1998’s The Boy with the Arab Strap, it’s fitting that Stevie Jackson has finally made a solo album. While perhaps not as great as a compilation of his songs on Belle and Sebastian albums would be (nothing hear reaches the heights of “The Wrong Girl” or “To Be Myself Completely”), the songwriting here is very much in the same vein (i.e. heavily influenced by ’70s singer-songwriters and the r’n‘b/soul from that era and earlier as well) and is thus an enjoyable listen. This came out in the UK last fall, but will finally receive a domestic release later this month.
Les Demoniaques – “Teenage Lust” EP (True Panther Sounds)
I’ve written about this project before, but I finally got a hold of a physical copy of this record (a square-shaped, one-song flexi) and so I gave it another listen. It’s a blistering cover of a great song on The Jesus and Mary Chain‘s 1992 album Honey’s Dead (so not the similarly great MC5 song of the same name) by Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls and Tamaryn. I should also note once again that the project is named after a 1974 film by French director Jean Rollin.
Black Tambourine – OneTwoThreeFour (Slumberland)
The first new recordings by this legendary noise-pop band (featuring, amongst others, vocalist Pam Berry, guitarist Archie Moore (who was later in Velocity Girl) and drummer Mike Schulman, who also happens to run the venerable Slumberland label) is a double 7” featuring four Ramones covers (all from their incredible 1976-1979 prime) and is appropriately named as such. Basically, this sounds exactly like one would expect it to. They turn the classics “I Want You Around,” “What’s Your Game,” “I Remember You” and “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” (which actually dates to The Ramones’ 1975 demo) into songs that sound like Black Tambourine originals. If you like them (or if you don’t know them but love the style), pick this up!
DIVE – “Geist” EP (Captured Tracks)
Though they’ve now changed their name to DIIV and will release their much-anticipated debut album Oshins later this month, I’m still playing their third 7” (released earlier this year). The A-side is the highlight here, though the B-side (a version of the pre-Nirvana, Kurt Cobain-penned “Bambi Slaughter”) is worthwhile as well.
