Redd Kross – Kung Fu Necktie (Philadelphia) – April 7, 2013
Playing an almost perfect set consisting of material from throughout their entire career, last Sunday’s show (the first time they’ve played Philadelphia in at least 16 years) had something for everybody. If you wanted the power-pop gems from last year’s great Researching the Blues and other ’90s classics like “Annie’s Gone” (from 1990’s underrated Third Eye), you got that in spades in the first set. After the encore, they played a lot of material from 1981’s Born Innocent to satisfy the fans who prefer them as a punk band. It was great either way.
Bleached – Ride Your Heart (Dead Oceans)
Why have I not checked out this band sooner? Their debut Lp follows three 7” singles and it’s fantastic from start to finish. This is two ex-members of Mika Miko playing much more straightforward, post-punk-influenced rock and roll with massive hooks not entirely dissimilar to Best Coast or more recent Dum Dum Girls (but with nowhere near as heavy subject matter). The best song is “Dead in Your Head.”
Bleeding Rainbow – Initiation Into Infinity (self-released)
A cassette tape limited to 80 copies and released last year, this is a rougher side of Bleeding Rainbow than is shown on their more recent singles and recent Lp Yeah Right. Though song titles like “Hollywood Babylon” made me think there were cover songs here, this is all original material here.
Redd Kross – Researching the Blues (Merge)
It’s not often that a band releases its best album thirty two years into their career, but then again Redd Kross is far from an ordinary band. Basically picking up right where they left off with 1997’s overlooked but great Show World, this one rocks like a hurricane with as much snark (just see the title track) and catchiness (“Stay Away from Downtown”) as anything in their back catalog, but with perhaps less silliness.
The Blanks – “Science Fiction/Science Fact”
Before The Star Spangles, there was this mid ’90s upstate New York band featuring future Star Spangles singer Ian Wilson and guitarist Tommy Volume. They recorded a demo featuring very early versions of songs (like this one) that would end up on the great Star Spangles debut album Bazooka!!!. You can hear it here.
The Joy Formidable- Spotify Session (no label)
An introduction, four songs from their great new Lp Wolf’s Law and one old song (“Whirring”) are performed acoustically here in a session for the streaming music service (which, as one might expect, is available for streaming there). Anyhow, this proves that even stripped-down, The Joy Formidable are a force to be reckoned with.
Waxahatchee – Cerulean Salt (Don Giovanni)
More of a full-band effort than last year’s American Weekend, but just as achingly personal and emotional, this record (especially with the attention it’s received from Pitchfork and other places) will no doubt widen Waxahatchee’s audience considerably.
Rodriguez – Cold Fact (Light in the Attic)
The vinyl release of this 1970 classic, lovingly restored in 2009 by Light in the Attic and now available again, has incredible sound, previously unseen photographs and extensive liner notes. Thus, it’s an absolute must buy.
Elvis Costello – “Tramp the Dirt Down”
I would be remiss not to mention the recent passing of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. This is from 1989’s Spike album and no matter what you think, it’s an impassioned protest song that communicates what many were thinking (and have continued to think) then and now.
The Newtown Neurotics – “Kick Out the Tories”
Now, just like when this was written and released in 1981, the leaders may have changed but the song’s message remains the same.
