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Vertical Scratchers

Vertical Scratchers is the Los Angeles duo of John Schmersal (ex-Brainiac/Enon, live Caribou, and Crooks on Tape) and Christian Beaulieu (ex-Triclops!/Anywhere). Their excellent debut LP Daughter of Everything is 15 songs, all under 3 minutes, of frantic, yet light and jangly guitar playing alongside a grooved-out, driving rhythm section.

Schmersal’s voice matches up well with his guitar playing, while Beaulieu’s drums drive the songs on both “Turn Me Out” and “These Plains” (below). Daughter of Everything releases February 25 on Merge Records. I highly recommend it.

Vertical Scratchers – Turn Me Out from Daughter of Everything (2014)

Vertical Scratchers – These Plains from Daughter of Everything (2014)

Merge Records

Vertical Scratchers

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Best of 2013 (Todd’s List)

2013 was a great year for music. Below are my top 20 albums of 2013 and mix of my favorite songs from those albums. Happy new year!

20. BOOM! – Get A Grip (Burger)
19. Dim Peaks – Time of Joy (Gold Robot)
18. The Limiñanas – Costa Blanca (Trouble In Mind)
17. Lloyd Cole – Standards (Tapete)
16. Bill Callahan – Dream River (Drag City)
15. RUMTUM – Mystic Wonders (1320)
14. Crocodiles – Crimes of Passion (Frenchkiss)
13. The Go – Fiesta (Burger)
12. Johnny Marr – The Messenger (Sire)
11. Mikal Cronin – MCII (Merge)

10. Gap Dream – Shine Your Light (Burger)
9. Veronica Falls – Waiting For Something To Happen (Slumberland)
8. Eleanor Friedberger – Personal Record (Merge)
7. Jacco Gardner – Cabinet of Curiosities (Trouble In Mind)
6. Kurt Vile – Wakin On A Pretty Daze (Matador)
5. Yo La Tengo – Fade (Matador)
4. Wooden Shjips – Back To Land (Thrill Jockey)
3. Monster Rally – Return To Paradise (Gold Robot)
2. Thee Oh Sees – Floating Coffin (Castle Face)
1. Foxygen – We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic (Jagjaguwar)

Best of 2013 from simco1974 on 8tracks Radio.

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Boardwalk

Boardwalk is the Los Angeles based duo Mike Edge and Amber Quintero. They met through mutual acquaintances in 2012 and released their debut, self-titled LP with Stones Throw in the fall of 2013.

Dreamy, fuzzed-out vocals and lo-fi instrumentations of “Crying” (below) make it one of the standout tracks on the album. Boardwalk is available in whichever media suits your fancy on Stone Throw’s site. Enjoy.

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Wooden Shjips

After relocating to Portland, Oregon from San Francisco, Wooden Shjips are back with their newest release Back To Land with Thrill Jockey Records. Check out the mesmerizing, fuzzy, keyboard/guitar driven, psych’d-out title track below. It’s 5 minutes of head-nodding goodness.

Back To Land is a solid release and is quickly rising up my favorite albums of 2013. I highly recommend it. You can get the album in whichever format suits you from Thrill Jockey.

Wooden Shjips – Back To Land from Back To Land (2013)

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Mike Donovan

Former Sic Alps frontman, Mike Donovan, has recently released his new solo album Wot with Drag City. Check out the “chunk-a-chunk-a” acoustic guitar driven goodness of opening track “New Fieldhand Pop” below. If you like what you hear, and I’m pretty sure that you will, head over to Drag City‘s site and snag yourself a copy. Enjoy.

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November Mixtape

Here are 15 tracks that are sure to meet your fancy. Featuring hits from Monster Rally, The Chemical Brothers, Black Lips, The Hold Steady, Pixies, La Luz, Bill Callahan, First Base, The Limiñanas, The Velvet Underground, Epicycle, Troubadour Dali, The Undertones and Elvis Perkins In Dearland. Enjoy.

November ’13 from simco1974 on 8tracks Radio.

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La Luz

Lo-fi + surf guitar + 4 part harmonies + a bit of fuzz = Seattle’s La Luz. After putting out a single and an EP, La Luz have released their debut LP, It’s Alive on Hardly Art. Have a listen to the super cool “Big Big Blood” and “Pink Slime” below, they are sure to warm your bones during the upcoming winter months. It’s Alive is available now on Hardly Art’s site.

On a sad note, La Luz were just in a really bad accident, here is what Hardly Art has to say about it… “While on their way back to Seattle to play a sold out Neumos date, the members of La Luz were in a severe van accident that resulted in ruined gear, personal injuries, merch loss, and a totaled van. For anyone interested in making a donation to help the band get back on their feet, please click here or use the donation button below.”

Buy their new LP, you won’t regret it. If you can, send a little money their way, I’m sure they can use all the help they can get.

La Luz – Big Big Blood from It’s Alive (2013)

La Luz – Pink Slime from It’s Alive (2013)

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First Base

With 12 songs in roughly 26 minutes, songs about girls and more songs about girls, Toronto’s First Base are a pop punk band in every way. After releasing several singles and EPs over the past few years, First Base has finally released their debut self-titled LP with Hozac Records. Check out “You Can Come Over” (below), it’s pure teeth rotting candy for your ears. Snag yourself a copy now. Enjoy.

First Base – You Can Come Over from S/T (2013)

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Monster Rally

Ted Feighan is back with Return To Paradise, his best Monster Rally release yet. Check out opening track “Orchids” (below), it’s a killer mix of old vinyl crackle, hip hop beats and pure tropical bliss. This album is solid, and does just as it’s title suggests. Return To Paradise comes out on October 29. You can get it on vinyl from Gold Robot or digitally from Monster Rally’s Bandcamp page. I highly recommend it. Enjoy.

Monster Rally – Orchids from Return To Paradise (2013)

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Drunk Tigers

With influences like The Replacements attached firmly to their sleeves, Virginia’s Drunk Tigers pound out three solid songs on their new cassette EP, out now on Funny / Not Funny Records. Opening track “Taillights” (below) is packed with power chords and pounding drums, and is the standout song on this short but sweet release. Hopefully there will be a full length release soon. You can get yourself a copy directly from Drunk Tigers’ Bandcamp page or on cassette (highly recommended) from Funny / Not Funny. Enjoy.

Drunk Tigers – Taillights from S/T (2013)