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The Left Banke – World Cafe Live (Philadelphia) – August 8, 2012
Please see my full review here.
Sebadoh with Lou Barlow and Circle of Buzzards – Union Transfer (Philadelphia) – August 7, 2012
Please see my full review here.
Infinite Void with HIRS – The Mitten (Philadelphia) – August 4, 2012
For their first of 3 (!) recent Philadelphia appearances on their current U.S. tour, the great Melbourne, Australia-based post-punk band Infinite Void played a 20 minute set in this hot, steamy basement. It was short and sweet, but absolutely raging! Locals HIRS played the same ultra-noisy, super-intense set we saw back in March at PiLam and couldn’t have been more different in style from Infinite Void, but it was an interesting mix for sure!
Trophy Wife with Infinite Void and Xanax – Cloud City (Philadelphia) – August 15, 2012
What a great triple bill! In an ultra-hot and stifling basement, 3 completely different bands played terrific sets. I’ve already written about Infinite Void many times on here and though they were great, I do wish the vocals were more audible as they have great harmonies! Locals Trophy Wife were terrific and made me check out their album (see below), finishing off the night, while locals Xanax, who started out the night, reminded me of Black Flag in 1982 (especially the guitar work) but with more screaming vocals! Intense!
The Raveonettes – “Into the Night” (Vice)
10 years into their career, The Raveonettes are making some of the best music of their career. Between this EP, released earlier this year, the now über-rare and stellar Rarities and B-Sides compilation released last year and last year Raven in the Grave, they are on quite a roll. I’m also eagerly awaiting their new album.
The Dicks – Kill from the Heart (Alternative Tentacles)
Please see my full review here.
Revealing more and more with each listen, DIIV’s debut is a highly enjoyable collection somewhere between The Cure‘s 17 Seconds and the sound of The Chameleons, but yet it doesn’t feel overly retro.
Trophy Wife – _Sing What Scares You _ (307Knox)
Trophy Wife are a Philadelphia area-based guitar and drums duo sounding somewhere between modern duos like The White Stripes, Black Keys, Shellshag, Coasting, etc., but with lots of ’90s post-rock and even prog-rock type inflections. It’s a really unique sound. I don’t have a physical copy of this record yet, but the lyrics seem to be intensely personal and heartfelt. Social commentary is also present on “It Gets Better?” (dealing with questioning the effectiveness the recent anti-bullying campaign of the same name). Definitely recommended!
Look Blue Go Purple – Compilation (Flying Nun)
One of the more obscure bands on the legendary New Zealand label Flying Nun’s ’80s roster, this long out-of-print collection combines their 3 EPs onto one disc. The sound here is proto-dream pop but also not a million miles from what modern greats in the somewhat similar vein like Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and others are doing. Highly recommended.
Ali Koehler – Dateland EP (Neotomic)
The former drummer for both Vivian Girls and Best Coast proves yet again that Vivian Girls have an incredible amount of talent when you count not only their own records, but all of their related side projects. These are extremely vulnerable, stripped-down bedroom recordings that would’ve made Lois or Beat Happening blush due to their disarming, ultra-personal qualities, but nonetheless are very much in that same spirit and Ali’s great voice and wonderful melodica flourishes anchor it. This release is available as a digital download and cassette (!) with two extra bonus tracks here.
