Bob Mould with Cymbals Eat Guitars – Union Transfer (Philadelphia) – September 11, 2012
Please see my full review here.
The Raveonettes – Observator (Vice)
Please forgive the Jesus and Mary Chain analogy as they have been compared to that great Scottish band since their beginnings in the early ’00s. However, the comparison fits, at least sometimes, and if you go with me here, this may be their Stoned and Dethroned. It’s a quieter, more subdued, gentler Raveonettes that feels closer to sophomore Lp Pretty in Black, but doesn’t drag as much. It is still a moody, subtle affair but a beautiful Lp that I will be playing a lot this fall. I’ve said this time and time again in the last year or so, but between their great (and now super-coveted) Rarities and B-Sides double Lp, the mind-blowing “Into the Night” EP, last year’s Raven in the Grave and now this fantastic new Lp, they are on a serious winning streak and are one of the best current bands going!
Maximo Park with Zambi and Stagnant Pools – World Cafe Live (Philadelphia) – September 12, 2012
Please see my full review here.
Neil Halstead – Palindrome Hunches (Brushfire)
Halstead’s first full-length since 2008’s great, overlooked Oh! Mighty Engine, this is his third overall solo Lp and second on the Brushfire label. As such, it’s very much in the same mold as the aforementioned Oh! Mighty Engine. This is just very beautiful, acoustic, singer-songwriter record miles removed from his previous bands (Slowdive and even the rootsier Mojave 3), but I enjoy it nonetheless!
Hostage Calm – “May Love Prevail”
Starting out with a sound influenced by mid to late ’80s melodic hardcore (think later Dag Nasty or Gorilla Biscuits) and later California practitioners like Good Riddance, this band (at least judging by this track on their forthcoming new album) has evolved into a full-fledged Brit-pop influenced outfit. I’m guessing that many of their original fans will hate this, but I like it a lot. Judge for yourself here.
The Pretty Greens – “Jealous Waves”
The Pretty Greens are a Philadelphia-based band that started writing original material after years spent in a Go-Gos cover band called Lust 2 Love. This track (which can be heard here) is a pretty, acoustic psychedelic indie-pop ditty and part of a super limited edition data CD(!) that you can get here.
Pitchfork (the band, not the website) existed between 1986 and 1990 and were the precursors to not just Drive Like Jehu, but the entire careers of John Reis and Rick Froberg. As such, this is like Drive Like Jehu as filtered through early Sub Pop. They only put out one album (this one) on Nemesis and Reis’ label Swami reissued it in 2003.
The Fall – Fall in a Hole (Flying Nun/Sanctuary)
Perhaps the very greatest of The Fall’s MANY live albums, the original Flying Nun release was a hard to find New Zealand only import that still fetches big bucks on vinyl. Fortunately, Sanctuary reissued it in 2006 with some bonus tracks from different shows (this is taken from their New Zealand tour of 1982). This may be not just The Fall’s live show with its most powerful lineup, but post-punk at its apex at least if you’re a nutty Fall fan like myself.
Salad Days: The Birth of Punk Rock in The Nation’s Capital trailer
Here is the brand spanking new trailer for an amazing-looking documentary about the DC punk scene. I hope it sees the light of day soon!
X – Live in Chicago 1983
I have to thank AJ Morocco for this amazing find as he mentioned it on his list last week. Even as a massive X fan, I had never heard this show (taken from the Park West and probably from a radio broadcast) and it may be the best X live recording out there.
