Sharing the sharing.
Fuzzed out head-bobbing bassline. Yes.
Thumping floor tom. You betcha.
Falsetto harmonies. How could it not?
8-bit video game sounds, ’cause the song is actually a video game. Duh.
Catchy as all get out. Yep.
Robert Schneider of the Apples in Stereo and James Higgins of Elf Power/Of Montreal. Ah yeah.
Available as an online-only RSD release.
I first fell for Robyn Hitchcock in the summer of 1985 when a WNUR deejay played an hour of his songs. I couldn’t put my finger on it – he was trippier than the Beatles, catchier than Syd Barrett, more poetic than Nick Lowe. All I knew is that even after an hour I wanted to hear more.
Fast forward to 2017… Hitchcock has moved native England to Nashville, but he packed his usual bag of tricks – the wry wit, familiar sneer, and psychedelic charm – all of which meld very well with partner Emma Swift’s backing vocals, the touches of pedal steel, and moments of nostalgia. It’s a fantastic album and exactly how I hoped this chapter of Hitchcock’s wandering career would begin.
[Buy Robyn Hitchcock’s self-titled album in the 3hive Co-op Shop while supplies last.]
Portland, Oregon 3 piece, Lubec, are back with a new release, Cosmic Debt. Like, The Thrall (their 2014 debut), Lubec comes at you in full force again, with more fuzzed-out, swirling guitars and killer three-part vocal harmonies. For a taste, give the standout track “Breakup Haricut” (below) a spin. Cosmic Debt is available on cassette and digitally via Disposable America and Lubec’s Bandcamp page. Enjoy.
Lubec – Breakup Haircut from Cosmic Debt (2016)
Singer and guitarist Jake Xerxes Fussell’s new album, What In The Natural World, is an enthralling effort of somewhat dark, somewhat humorous folk songs that parallel themselves quite accurately with the nation’s current quandary. Give one of my favorite songs of the year (so far) “Have You Ever Seen Peaches Growing On A Sweet Potato Vine?” (below) a spin.
What In The Natural World is a solid album from start to finish. I highly suggest adding this to your collection – which we can help you with – just jump on over to our Co-op shop and get yourself a copy, at a dang good price too!
20 tracks to hopefully get your springtime started off on the right foot!
1. The Gain – You Should Know (vinyl rip)
2. Thee Oh Sees – Bloody Water
3. Gang of Four – Glass
4. DiCaprio – Ectoslavia
5. Tomorrow’s Tulips – Hotel Nowhere
6. Karriem Riggins – Other Side of The Track
7. DJ Okawari – Bounce (feat. Talib Kweli)
8. Grandaddy – That’s What You Get For Gettin’ Outta Bed
9. Say Hi – Elouise
10. Gum Country – Whoa Oh
11. Nice Legs – Ashtrays
12. Ultramagnetic MC’s – Critical Beatdown
13. Oddisee – Digging Deep
14. Pilkington – All Around The Neighborhood
15. Easy Love – I Want You To Know
16. Molly Burch – Please Be Mine
17. No Vacation – Mind Field
18. Idles – Well Done
19. Elastica – Stutter
20. Damaged Bug – Bog Dash
According to Spotify, Monster Treasure has only 44 monthly listeners. That’s gotta be a typo, or glitch, or data breach, or whatever the right modern term is… All I can say is I’m happy to be #45. This Stockton, California, trio has been on repeat since I found out about their 2016 self-titled album (somewhat circuitously) by way of the UK label Leisure + District. It’s a potent sonic cocktail of punk, garage, pop, and shoegaze that manages to bounce between giddy and melancholy, rambunctious and introspective, without missing a beat. Have a listen and see if you don’t become the next monthly listener. Or better yet, plunk down a few bucks for the long-player in the Co-op Shop. You won’t regret it.
With cover art like this*, who cares what Jakuzi sounds like? But I’ll give it shot anyway… Imagine Sisters of Mercy’s Andrew Eldritch singing Bryan Ferry covers in Turkish, with Future Islands as the backing band. Or Ian Curtis doing drunk karaoke. Or “The Love Boat” captained by Tim & Eric. Or maybe I should just let their ridiculous(ly awesome) music videos do the talking…
* If you want to see the sexy luchador in 12-inch glory, buy Fantezi Müzik on vinyl at the 3hive Co-op Shop.
Here’s some straight-up power pop to help us wish summer into existence: Imaginary Enemies, the debut LP from NYC’s Hiccup.
Hallie Bulleit and Alex Clute, who met as members of The Chris Gethard Show house band (Hallie is married to Mr. Gethard, FYI), take turns at lead vocals while the other provides harmonies – and plenty of “whoa-oh-oh”s – over a steady flow of catchy riffs reminiscent of Velocity Girl, Smoking Popes, and other ’90s wonderbands.
This album would sound particularly great in the tapedeck of your hatchback, though we prefer you buy it on “piss yellow” vinyl first – in the 3hive Co-op Shop, of course – for the full effect.
Toronto 4-piece Century Palm may wear their influences on their collective sleeves (bands like NEU! and Wire) but that doesn’t, in the least, diminish their take on angular pop/post-punk.
Their new album, Meet You, is a gold mine of tasty “post-punk/cold-wave” (I stole that from Sam) nuggets. Check out my favorite track “King of John St”, along with “Trapped Here” below.
Meet You belongs on your turntable, it’s a shoo-in for my Top 10 of 2017. I can’t stop spinning it. Enjoy!
[We have Meet You on shiny black vinyl in the 3hive Co-op Shop, while supplies last.]
One of my biggest bummers about not going to SXSW this year was missing the Discotexas showcase featuring Moullinex, Bufi, Da Chick and my favorite artist on the Portuguese label, Xinobi.
Xinobi is nom de plume of Bruno Cardoso, who co-founded Discotexas and puts out genre-omnivorous dance music such as you’ll find on his latest, On the Quiet. One moment you’ll hear Ian MacKaye extolling the virtues of skateboarding over delicate synths and a shuffling beat, the very next you’ll hear a club friendly slice of emo house.
As eclectic as it is, On the Quiet is a digestible delight to the ears, a funhouse labyrinth of minimalist beats, warm synths, and organic samples with an array of human voices to guide you through. And, if you opt for the physical format, you’ll be treated to ‘zine-style liner notes. So why not indulge?
[Buy On the Quiet as it was meant to be heard – on luxurious, imported vinyl – in the 3hive Co-op Shop, while supplies last.]