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Jesse Jarnow – Big Day Coming: Yo La Tengo and the Rise of Indie Rock (Gotham, 2012)
Please see my full review here.
Best Coast with Those Darlins and DIIV – Union Transfer (Philadelphia) – July 16, 2012
Please see my full review here.
Infinite Void – Infinite Void (Poison City)
I’ve written about this great Australian post-punk-influenced band before, but now that I’ve acquired a physical copy of their Lp (on pretty blue vinyl, too), I’ve been playing it again. Get it here.
Nushu – Joystick EP (self-released)
This is infectious power-pop, a 5-song EP of covers of songs by The Knack (a great take on “Good Girls Don’t”), The Housemartins (“Happy Hour”), Phil Seymour‘s “ Precious to Me,” Kirsty MacColl‘s “They Don’t Know” (my favorite track here and my favorite version of this amazing song as well) and The Cars‘ “My Best Friend’s Girl”. Somewhere in style between the early work of The Bangles and the harder power-pop edge of bands like The Muffs or Visqueen, this is a great record. Get it here.
Rodriguez – Searching for Sugar Man (Legacy)
This is the recently-released soundtrack CD to the documentary of the same name about the now 70 year old Detroit singer-songwriter who though flopping in the U.S. and the U.K. when his records were released in the early ’70s, somehow became a huge star in South Africa and Australia. Rediscovered in recent years, his debut Cold Fact is now considered a classic of the era. This soundtrack compiles songs from Cold Fact, his 2nd Lp Coming from Reality and some previously unreleased tracks as well. Sublime.
Wicked Lady – Psychotic Overkill (Guerssen)
This is a very recent Spanish reissue of the obscure early ’70s proto-metal band’s first and I believe only Lp. Falling somewhere between the doom and sludge of early Black Sabbath and the later mania of Motörhead, this could very well be the missing link. “I’m a Freak”, the album’s opening track, was recently covered by JEFF the Brotherhood and the 8-track Lp culminates with the 20 minute (!) plus jam “Ship of Ghosts”. Essential.
Anchored by the title track, this new-ish LA band (they also have two collectible 7” singles out now as well; this release compiles both of them) sound like an early ’80s Paisley Underground band whose main influences seem to early singles by The Rolling Stones or perhaps The Seeds instead of say, The Velvet Underground on this new 4-song EP. This is very enjoyable stuff, in any case.
Jimmy Cliff – Rebirth (Universal)
Cliff is an ageless wonder and this Tim Armstrong-produced Lp sounds just like one of his late ’60s or early ’70s classics while the lyrics are as topical as ever, thus relegating it from being just an exercise in nostalgia.
Mission of Burma – Unsound (Fire)
Their fourth Lp since their early ’00s reunion finds them firing on all cylinders. If Mission of Burma have become a dependable institution in recent years, releasing a great Lp every 2-3 years, they’re one that should never be taken for granted.
River City Tanlines – Coast to Coast (Big Legal Mess)
My previous exposure to the work of Alicja Trout had been limited only to her old band Lost Sounds (with the late, great Jay Reatard), so if you’re in the same boat, this may surprise you. Instead of the dark-wave, synth-laced sonic assault of Lost Sounds, this is fun-sounding power-pop very much in the vein of a heavier take on The Go-Go’s circa Beauty and the Beat. As with much great power-pop, the uptempo, joyous-sounding music belie the lovelorn lyrics of songs like “Stop My Heart,” “Can’t Stand U Anymore” and “Can You Handle This Heart”.
