Friday, January 24, 2014

Vol. 5 Episode 1



The Silversun Pickups have a 7” singles box set scheduled for release on the 25th of February. There is a new song and an unreleased B-side in the box as well. The new song is called Cannibal and can be downloaded now from your favorite download store now.

My Chemical Romance have also got a greatest hits album coming out on the 25th of February. It will feature some unreleased demos, a DVD and an unreleased track from the last album. It is a bit spendy to get though. You can get it at the MCR store.

Broken Bells have a new album set for release on February 4th, just a few weeks away.

The Gaslight Anthem have a collection of B-sides to be released on the 28th of January.

Third Man Records have released the second set of SunRecords 45s. This time there are three singles, one each from Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and D.A. Hunt.

One of Beck’s two new albums for the year is scheduled for release on the 25th of February. This one is called Morning Phase and is said to be related to Sea Change in style and sound. Many of the same musicians from the Sea Change sessions have come back for this new record too, helping to keep the same sound as Sea Change. Preorders are up at beck.com and iTunes.

If your interested in the group Flowers, you can get their Early Demos and More Demos at a pay what you want price at their bandcamp page.

I am going to go to the Graveface Road Show when they come through town. I am disappointed that Dott will not be with the road show when they hit my town though. I will get to see The Stargazer Lilies though.

I have finally gotten a copy of the standard issue of Weekends’ Red EP. I am very happy about that.

I am still waiting to get my copies of the Withered Hand First full length album that I ordered back in November. I ordered directly from Absolutely Kosher Records.

Here we to with the first episode of the year (it's a singles post)...



This is a single created for the musical Chess. It was one of my favorite singles in the mid 80s. I had no idea what it was about it just had a cool sound. It reminded me of The Clash song Rock The Casbah. I really liked that song too. I can’t really put my finger on what made me link the two songs together, especially since they were released years apart.

I got the extended version of the song, One Night In Bangkok. The first time I listened to this version I got lost as there is a sort of solo part that was not on the radio version. There is what comes off as random singing in this solo part. It is like a radio was tuned into a classical station and recorded over the music for this song but it works. I kind of like the new parts of the song that I haven’t heard before getting this version though. It is something new and different that I had not heard before getting this version.

The B-side track is called Merano and is performed by The London Symphony Orchestra & The Ambrosian Singers with Murray Head adding some of the vocals on the song. The song comes off as classical music at first but then becomes synth-pop later when Murray Head comes in to sing his part. It is a good fusion of styles and keeps my interest all the way through the track.

It is a good nostalgic track if your into that kind of thing.


This song was released in November of 1957. The song was repressed as a part of the second series of the Sun Records/Third Man Records series. I have a hard time not collecting special releases and since I started with the first three why not continue collecting these special releases. I don’t have any thing from any of these artists either so this is probably a good way to get into them. I may not get anything else from them but having something that was popular from each of them is nice.

The A side is Great Balls of Fire. This song is a classic rock & roll track that is so famous it is hard to mistake for any other song. The song was featured in a performance by Jerry Lee Lewis and his band in the 1957 Warner Brothers rock and roll film Jamboree, which also featured Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Buddy Knox, and Dick Clark.

The B-side track is called You Win Again. This is a slower blues track that is reminiscent of classic country styles. It is a song that talks about wanting to leave but not being able to because the singer loves his significant other so much that he will let her win just to stay with her. It is a sweet idea that I could get behind easily.

This is a single released in 1956 and was repressed as part of the Sun Records/Third Man Records second set of represses. The A-side track was not played as much as the B-side was. Although both tracks have a really great rock & roll beat.

You’re My Baby is a great rocker that talks about his girl friend. The saxophone solo in the middle of the song is just killer. I really like the guitar work on the track too. The song just goes and goes and when it is over you just want more. It works very well.

Rockhouse is another great song about dancing at the rockhouse. This one has the same -type of rock beat that the A-side has but the solo is on the guitar rather then the saxophone. I think this gives it a more rock & roll feel.

This is probably one of the best singles that I own because both sides are kickin’.


This single was originally released in 1953 and repressed as part of the Sun Records/Third Man Records second set of represses. First pressing is mislabeled. A side is labeled as Greyhound Blues, but it is actually Lonesome Old Jail. And side B is labeled as Lonesome Old Jail, but it is actually Greyhound Blues. I have a first pressing I found as I listened to them after my recording of the tracks.

Both tracks are slow and drenched in the blues style. I am not a big fan of the blues but the songs are still enjoyable.




This was a split release through Tough Love Records and Slumberland Records. It is a double A-side split. There were only 600 pressings of this 7” record.

I Lose is a fast paced rocker that reminds me of the 60s sound with Joy Division styled vocals. It is an interesting combination that keeps my attention. The chorus break down catches me by surprise every time. It is unexpected but works so well.

You Win is another fast paced track that features light and airy female vocals. The song comes of as very twee because of this. I have never been interested in Brilliant Colors but could get into them very easily if this is the standard for their music. It is a lot of fun and easy to bop along to.


This is a 12” EP released in 2010. Some people just call it a self titled EP because it is not labeled as Don’t Let Me In on the cover. Either way it still has great music and a funny looking cover.

It is a four track EP with the title track, Don't Let Me In, being the first track on the record. As is the style of the vocalist, he has that characteristic Joy Division vocals making the music come off darker than it actually is. The music is fast paced with long soaring guitar parts that cover the quick paced rhythm guitar. It is an interesting juxtaposition.

The second track, Warm Hands, Cold Heart, is just as quick but doesn’t have the soaring lead part on this track. The chorus brings on a distorted sound in the guitar that makes me feel so good in side, warm and fuzzy almost. The bass matches that part to give it a slight boost making it sound even better in my opinion. It is another great indie track that will never get noticed except for those that are looking for it.

I Guess is the first track on the B side. It has a slightly depressed sound to it. I like the music but it kind of makes me feel funny. I guess slightly uncomfortable it the best way to describe it. It is a good song but, wow, does it make me feel odd.

The last track on the EP is called Graveyard. This is more of a electric folk track. This is interesting for the group since they are a rock group for the most part. I kind of dig the song because it really comes from left field from the group.

This is an interesting EP from the group that shows different sides that they don’t usually show. Great stuff from them and I hope they follow some of this stuff in the future.


I found out about this group from Kip Berman, from The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, and from Odd Box Records. I really like the vocals from the lead singer. She reminds me of a light version of Zooey Deschanel. This is a special release from Bleeding Gold Records.

Bleeding Gold said this about the original record, “This hand-made 6.7" plexi-glass 33rpm lathe-cut features an x-ray disc in a band-made cover, limited to 30 copies. A lathe-cut is a real-time groove cutting machine...basically...Google it. Sound quality is not what this is about - it is an art piece, lovingly created by the band and a lathe-cutting friend from Washington. Features exclusive B-side "I Don't Mind", not featured on the download. Every piece is unique. Sorry about the pricey shipping fees - shit's expensive. All sales are final.” It is a really cool idea and I am sad that I missed out on it.

The tracks are all moderate rockers with beautiful vocals and music. The songs were home recorded and sound slightly different from each other, like they were mastered separately from each other. They are all good music though. There are only three tracks on this single, which is one more than usual but one of them is only about a minute and a half. The songs are:Cut & Run, Meet Me, and All Over Again.


This is a four track 7” EP released on Cloudberry Records last February (2013). The record is still available at the Cloudberry web site if you’re interested. There is a music scene in the UK that they are calling DIY Music. It is just as DIY as anything else but the music is put out on super small record labels and being created by bands that are not as popular as the majors but are making really great music. Flowers and Gum, I have talked about in the past, are just a couple of those bands that are a part of this new music style.

The first track on the record is the title track, When YouLie. It starts off with a fast guitar and a steady drum beat. The vocals are a bit lower tone than she usually sings but sounds just as good as anything else. I really like the early stop in the song. Everything goes silent for a good measure or two then it all picks up again like nothing happened.

The second track, Watch and Wonder, starts off with the singers beautiful floaty vocals along with the rest of the band. Half way through the song the band cuts out and it is just her singing. She has a very beautiful voice and it is nice to hear a vocal solo in music. This doesn’t happen very often it seems. The band comes back in after a few measures and finish off the song together.

The third song is called You Held My Hand. This is a faster paced song and the vocals are double tracked in the chorus. It is very pretty and adds so much more the song. It gives it more depth than any of the other songs that I have heard from the group. I can’t say that they should do this for every song but this one does stand out because of it.

The last song on the EP is called Boat Song. It is a sweet song that features the lead singers’ vocals with only an acoustic guitar. It is a fast paced song but is so simple it makes it easy to like the song.


This is a three track 7” single from Fortuna Pop! It was originally released in June of 2013 in limited quantities on grey vinyl as part of the record companies Jukebox 45s Single Club. Quantities were limited but I have not seen a number for that quantity.

The first track is the title track again, Until You’re Dead. This is more of a noise/shoe gaze track with the vocals almost getting lost in the music. The lead guitar is distorted and just a little bit louder than the vocals. The key change in the chorus gets me every time. It is a perfect change in the song.

The second track is called Clover. This song s a bit simpler with a clear tone guitar at the  start, it keeps the distortion undertone though. It keeps the pretty airy vocals just barley under the surface of the music again. This is kind of an evolution for the band as the vocals were above the band on the previous EP.

The last song is called Stuck. It is a slower track with just the vocals and the bass playing. The bass guitar is very simple and supports the vocals perfectly. This is similar to the last track on When You Lie where there was only vocals and acoustic guitar. Sometimes simplicity is the best way to go.
 
That is it for the first episode...