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Waxahatchee – American Weekend (Don Giovanni)
Though the brand new Cerulean Salt will be out this week, I’m still catching up with last year’s excellent debut album (not counting an earlier split cassette release with Chris Clavin) from the nom de plume of Katie Crutchfield (currently also in the band Great Thunder and formerly of PS Eliot and The Ackleys). Recorded featuring just Crutchfield’s voice and guitar, this is stark, confessional, 3 AM, end of your rope type music that is not unlike Jandek with melody. It’s rare to find music this raw and honest and this cuts to the bone, even for those of with our difficult early 20s far in the rear-view mirror.
Mrs. Magician – Strange Heaven (Swami)
Though this fine debut Lp came out in May of last year, I’ve recently rediscovered it because of their recent show here (they canceled a show at the Barbary last year due to the loss of their original bassist mid-tour). Anyhow, I’m glad I did because now I can’t stop playing it. Though on John Reis‘ great Swami label, this poppy, harmony-laden, hooky garage rock actually has as much if not more in common with say, Dum Dum Girls (who they name check in one song), than their label mates The Night Marchers (Reis’ current band) and others.
Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold (Dull Tools)
I wrote about this fantastic album a few weeks ago, so while I won’t repeat what I wrote, I was glad to finally find a vinyl copy at Co-Op 87 in Brooklyn.
Veronica Falls – Six Covers Vol. 2 (Bella Union)
Usually, releases like this (a UK only EP of covers released in conjunction with their incredible, new Waiting for Something to Happen) are extraneous. Veronica Falls, though, is not a usual band. Their cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” is simply extraordinary and this EP is worth it alone just for that, but don’t miss the totally unrecognizable cover of Cocksparrer‘s “Is Anybody There” or the four other covers here as they are all worthwhile.
Bob Mould with Now Now – Bowery Ballroom (New York) – February 27, 2013
Please see my full review here.
The Night Marchers with Dan Sartain and Mrs. Magician – Underground Arts (Philadelphia) – February 28, 2013
Please see my full review here.
Waxahatchee with Swearin’, Radiator Hospital and Cayetana – Golden Tea House (Philadelphia) – March 1, 2013
Look for a review up soon!
Bob Mould – “A Good Idea” live on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Yo La Tengo being interviewed by Matt Pinfield
You can listen to this podcast here.
Amor de Dias – The House at Sea (Merge)
The second album from the collaboration between The Clientele‘s Alisdair MacLean and Lupe Nunez-Fernandez of Pipas is an improvement over their 2011 debut Street of the Love of Days while trafficking in the same sonics. This is quiet, moody music that serves as a nice substitute for the hiatus of MacLean’s main band as he sings most of the material here.
