Ever since I came across their compilation Tracks For Horses back in ’03, I’ve been a big fan of the Manchester label Melodic. That CD alone introduced me to Pedro, The Earlies, Psapp, Minotaur Shock, Micah P. Hinson and a slew of others. So I keep close tabs. Melodic recently announced a rare American signing, The Isles from New York City. Melodic tends towards electronic artists, so again The Isles are somewhat of a rarity for the label. Their debut album, due July 24th in the UK and on iTunes, is rooted in acoustic guitar. The Isles songwriting depends heavily on, well, songwriting. “We wanted to write songs that didn’t rely on volume or delivery to have an impact,” says Andrew Geller, singer and guitarist. “The traditional ‘campfire’ test is a great tool—does this song translate with one guitar and one voice, in the middle of the woods?” It is, and yes, the songs do hold up. The band’s influences are easy to hear, and I’ll avoid the obvious comparisons. Know this, their Manchester-based label is a fitting geography for The Isles acute take on the jangly, indie-pop music that consistenly flows forth from the city.
Damon Huss
The following post is courtesy of my co-desk jockey, Jerod:
There were two kinds of American indie-rock/college rock in the 1980s—the bands that everyone knew, R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven, Husker Du, et al. Yeah, I know, those bands were yours. You were there first. Before everyone else figured out how great they were. But then there was that awful night in 1987, you were walking past the local lame-fraternity/sorority bar and from inside you heard a group of drunken idiots singing every word to “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” at the top of their lungs. That was rough.
Lucky for you that you kept a secret stash of bands under your bed for just such an emergency. Bands you could still claim as yours, bands like Let’s Active, The dbs, Dumptruck, Love Tractor. Those doofuses from fraternity row will never get their hands on these bands. These bands are true, still slugging it out on their own terms, still making music for no other reason than to make music. These bands never let you down.
If he were around 20 years ago, Damon Huss would have been part of your secret stash. But he’s here today to keep a tradition alive of American indie rock that never aspired or cared to be anything more than indie rock. Like his underground heroes, Damon rolls the 8-track and throws it all out there for you in all its ragged, jangly, droney, angular, glory. The songs take their time and deliver on their own terms. I have no idea when this was recorded, it could have been yesterday it could have been 20 years ago. Whenever it was recorded, let’s just be thankful that there’s still an honest and great songwriter out there writing in a style that was pretty much forgotten after the underground heroes of the ’80s turned off the tape machines. So here’s Damon Huss, go get him, go hide him under your bed. He’s all yours.
Suburban Kids Get Minty + New MP3s
Of Montreal Remixed
Play It As It Lays #242
Thumbless DJ
Mighty Six Ninety
I must be losing it. I swear I’ve posted about Mighty Six Ninety before, but I can’t find any trace of them on the site. Feeling in a particularly ’80s mood today? Then queue up some John Hughes on Netflix and get Mighty Six Ninety rockin’ on the hi-fi. Mighty Six Ninety, an L.A. five-piece, is named after the great San Diego AM station—a Top 40 channel that dabbled early on in New Wave and post-Punk. This Mighty Six Ninety would make its namesake proud. Check the New Order bassline in “Northern Border,” and the soaring vocals complete with ’80s Alphaville-esque affectation. “Leave This World” reassembles a Freuer guitar riff and runs it head on into a more shimmering moment of The Cure. Throw in a bit of attitude from The Smiths and Ultravox synths and you’d think you’re listening to a cassette recording of Richard Blade’s show twenty years ago. Fittingly, they’re making their first waves in the UK, with two singles already under their belt.
Mighty Six Ninety usher in Summer tonight at Spaceland.
25 Years of Touch and Go
The 1900s
The bouncy organ riffs sold me immediately on The 1900’s. Lines like “wrap them in licorice and tie them to stones” and the strings and french horn that close out the song complete the psychedelic smorgasbord from this Chicago sextet. Speaking of sex, it sounds like there’s a few love triangles between band members. Keep those relationships in check kids! We wouldn’t want to spoil the party before things get going. Their debut “mini-album” Plume Delivery has been out less than a month. They’d make good summer mix tape neighbors with The Zombies, Stereolab, and the ol’ Elephant 6 crew.
The 1900s play with Midlake tonight at the Mercury Lounge in New York, with shows continuing in the city for the next two nights (Fontana’s and Arlene’s Grocery respectively). More tour dates here.