Milk Music – Cruise Your Illusion (Fat Possum)
Ever wonder what the follow-up to the 1999 Wipers swan song The Power in One would sound like recorded by a modern band? Well now you can find out. Yes, this album is that good as guitarists Alex Coxen and Charles Waring manage to evoke the incredible guitar tones of Greg Sage at almost every turn on this wonderful debut Lp. It’s not all just Wipers worship, though. At times, Dinosaur Jr and Sonic Youth are evoked and Coxen’s voice reminds me a little of Jeffrey Lee Pierce on occasion. Furthermore, don’t miss the epic last track “The Final Scene”, which brilliantly recalls Television‘s “Guiding Light.” What an album!
New Bomb Turks – !!Destroy-Oh-Boy!! (Crypt)
This great 1993 debut by The New Bomb Turks is about to be given the 20th anniversary reissue treatment. I got a download (though not the physical product yet), so I’ve been spinning it. At the time, I wasn’t sure, but it definitely deserved all the accolades it got back when it came out. This is fiery, rip-snortin’, hold on to the edge of your seat punk rock with one foot in rock and roll’s roots not unlike the first few albums by The Saints. And did I mention that singer Eric Davidson has quite a way with words? It’s no surprise that he ended up writing a book about the ’90s and ’00s garage-punk scene the Turks were involved in a few years ago.
Game Theory – “Metal and Glass Exact”
There’s not much to say about this one other than it’s my favorite Game Theory song (by some distance). I have to thank Jill Rydman for playing it for me years ago and also RIP Scott Miller! If you haven’t done so yet, you can download all of their albums here.
The Thirteen – Lift-Off! (self-released)
Five years after Sal Cannestra and company’s debut The Secret History of The Thirteen comes the even better Lift-Off!. This time around, Peter Santa Maria from Jukebox Zeros nicely balances out Cannestra’s smoother vocals with several songs he wrote and sings with his more rough-hewn voice. It is still mostly Cannestra’s show, though, as the more introspective lyrics and sly references to everyone from The Who to late ’80s Hüsker Dü show off a talent who, almost 25 years after his bands Ratcatcher, Rule of Thumb and early an version of Serpico, still demands to be heard. The download code that comes with the Lp contains several bonus practice recordings including a cover of Steely Dan‘s “Barrytown” with a previous lineup.
Speedy Ortiz – Major Arcana (Carpark)
When I saw this band open for Thurston Moore and John Moloney late last year, I wasn’t particularly impressed. They weren’t bad or anything, but nothing I heard that night prepared me for the excellence found on this album. In other words, this is an improvement over their also fine singles and EPs that preceded it. Sure, it’s a throwback to when bands like Helium ruled college radio in the mid to late ’90s, but I’ll take it!
Parquet Courts – Light Up Gold (What’s Your Rupture)
Though this wonderful debut Lp was re-released earlier this year on What’s Your Rupture and I bought it back in February, I’m still spinning it regularly!
BELLS≥ – Solutions, Silence, or Affirmations (Cultural Society)
There’s admittedly not too much variation between this brand new record and their last few records (There Are Crashes and the digital-only Lamé). With that said, given the high level of quality and musicianship displayed here, it would be disingenuous for me or anyone else to complain! Simply put, we have one of the best instrumental bands going. You can call it post-hardcore or even post-rock if you must, but I just call them great.
The Replacements – “Favorite Thing”
It’s a shame that this rehearsal clip is only 19 seconds long as it’s so good that it makes me want to hear the entire song! If they are this good, I really hope they play here!
The Rezillos – Can’t Stand the Rezillos (Sire)
RIP William Mysterious, the bassist on this classic album!
Devo – Duty Now for the Future (Warner Brothers)
RIP to Alan Meyers, Devo’s drummer from 1976 to 1985!
