Posted on

Oozing Wound

Oozing Wound | We Cater To Cowards | 3hive.com

Chicago trio Oozing Wound have been melting faces and shredding ear drums since 2012, and I’m happy to report that nothing has changed over these last 11 years.

Zack Weil’s “David Yow-like” vocals and sharp like a hacksaw blade guitar licks tear their way through the muck and sludge provided by Kevin Cribbin (bass) and Kyle Reynolds (drums) on their latest album We Cater To Cowards.

Speaking of muck and sludge, give “Old Sludge” and “Face Without Eyes” (below) a spin for a taste.

We Cater To Cowards is out now via Thrill Jockey. It’s a smasher. Oozing Wound still brings the heat. Enjoy.

Posted on

Top Albums and Songs of 2015 (Sam List)

Inspired by Todd and a really great year for music, I’m coming out of hibernation with my tops of 2015…

Top Albums

Jamie xx In Colour (Young Turks)
I figured this collection of dancefloor etudes wouldn’t hold up to repeat listens but here I am, on the last day of the year, still unable to shake the hooks from my head.

Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment Surf (self-released)
A remarkably eclectic and powerful album. The fact you don’t see any of the guest stars credited in song titles tells you everything you need to know about how this “experiment” fared.

Protomartyr The Agent Intellect (Hardly Art)
Riveting post-punk from Detroit; kinda like Interpol without the pretense.

Young Guv Ripe 4 Luv (Slumberland)
Ben Cook set out to satirize bands like Cheap Trick, Big Star, Marshall Crenshaw, etc. only to end up creating a completely epic power pop album of his own.

Jose Gonzalez Vestiges and Claws (Mute)
I respect Jose’s absolute commitment to the whispery folk formula that made him famous, especially when it produces a gorgeous album like this one.

Sufjan Stevens Carrie & Lowell (Asthmatic Kitty)
Like Jose, Sufjan keeps doing his thing and it keeps getting better.

Thundercat The Beyond/Where the Giants Roam (Brainfeeder)
Yearning, confident, proggy, funky – like nothing else out there.

Colleen Captain of None (Thrill Jockey)
An art album that plays like a pop record.

Kamasi Washington The Epic (Brainfeeder)
I may be the only so-called music snob who thought Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly was just okay (or is that just me being extra snobby?) – but if the Kendrick Lamar phenomenon means former studio musicians like Kamasi see more sunshine, I’m all about it.

Beirut No No No (4AD)
Even a B+ record from Beirut will make my top 10.

Top Songs

Young Fathers “Shame” (Big Dada)
Nosaj Thing feat Chance the Rapper “Cold Stares” (Innovative Leisure/Timetable)
Baio “Sister of Pearl” (Glassnote)
The Arcs “Stay In My Corner” (Nonesuch)
Unknown Mortal Orchestra “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” (Jajaguwar)
Lonelady “Groove It Out” (Warp)
Bicep “Just” (K7)
Swervedriver “Last Rites” (Cobraside)
Spectres “Where Flies Sleep” (Sonic Cathedral)
Beliefs “Tidal Wave” (Hand Drawn Dracula)
Low “What Part of Me” (Sub Pop)
Helen “Motorcycle” (kranky)
Four Tet “Morning Side” (Text)
William Alexander “Strangest Things” (Yellow K)
Open Mike Eagle feat MC Paul Barman & Milo “Trickeration” (Mello Music)

Posted on

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.

Posted on

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)

Posted on

Glenn Jones

I’ve been sick with some damn virus for the past week. I’ve tried all kinds of things to get better, and so far I’m still feeling pretty lousy. Thank goodness for Glenn Jones’ new album on Thrill Jockey, My Garden State. This chilled-out, timeless guitar album has been just the medicine to get me through the long days of couch surfing and feeling like trash. Standout track “Across the Tappan Zee” (below) shows Glenn’s skills on the Banjo, along with Laura Baird’s banjo skills as well. I love this song and can’t get enough of it. Check it out. I hope you dig it as much as I do. Enjoy.

Glenn Jones – Across The Tappan Zee from My Garden State (2013)

Thrill Jockey

Posted on

Golden Void

Golden Void are a 4-piece band out of San Francisco. Their style is a throwback to the heavier rock bands of the 70’s, and they bring everything from that genre to the table, soaring vocals, heavy rhythms, huge riffs, plenty of hooks, and lots of organ. They are set to release their debut self-titled album with Thrill Jockey in November. Check out “The Curve” below, it’s four minutes and forty-six seconds of super heavy riffs, psychedelic swirled organs, and racing guitar solos that slows down for a bit in the middle, to let you catch your breath, before they pummel you into the ground for a solid minute and a half and leave you for dead. Enjoy.

Golden Void – The Curve from S/T (2012)

Golden Void

Thrill Jockey

Posted on

Luke Roberts

Nashville native Luke Roberts released his sophomore album, The Iron Gates At Throop And Newport, with Thrill Jockey a little over a month ago. It’s a warm, stripped-down, folk record with most of the songs featuring only Roberts and his guitar. However, on “His Song” provided below, Roberts employs the use of drums, and some electric guitar which adds even more warm goodness. Enjoy.

Luke Roberts – His Song from The Iron Gates At Throop And Newport (2012)

Thrill Jockey

Posted on

Pontiak

Pontiak is a trio out of Virginia. They are set to release their newest album Echo Ono with Thrill Jockey on February 21st. Their style is a blend of several different genres. No matter how you try to clasify them, psych, stoner rock, prog rock, they are simply a great rock band.

“Lions of Least”, the song provided below for your listening/downloading pleasure, has everything that makes a great rock ‘n’ roll song. Loud guitar, loud vocals, pounding drums, and a great driving bass line. This song is just a taste of  how good this entire album is, I highly recommend going out and picking it up.

Pontiak – Lions of Least from Echo Ono (2012)

Thrill Jockey

Pontiak

Posted on

School of Language

After their sophomore album, Tones of Town, the band Field Music called it quits, in a sense, momentarily, but not really. They didn’t break up, but instead kept working, individually, trying to be as productive and creative as they always wanted to be. I assume they have plans to make music as Field Music again. In the meantime, School of Language is the first product to surface from the hiatus. The first single, “Rockist Part 1” (there are four parts of the song on the album) finds David Brewis taking his School of Language moniker seriously as a barrage of looped and layered vowel sounds stream through the song, but thankfully not the album, in its entirety. By part 3 of “Rockist” the looped vocals take a backseat and sound like a more traditional instrument. Working by himself, the similarities between Brewis and Andy Partridge seem more prominent. If “Rockist” tickles your proverbial fancy, take a gander at the album stream. Brewis tours the States beginning in March, fleshing out his one man band with Doug McCombs (Tortoise) and Ryan Rapsys (Euphone).

Continue reading “School of Language”

Posted on

Angela Desveaux

So, the photo here might not do Angela Desveaux justice. Then again, if you see country girl instead of modern Lizzie Borden, maybe this does work. Montreal-based Desveaux’s layered country-pop calls to mind fellow countrywoman Kathleen Edwards, or fellow North American Lucinda Williams. (Yeah! Go continent!) (If you can’t tell, I need a holiday break right about NOW.) Angela’s debut album Wandering Eyes is likewise avaliable NOW. Peace for the season.

Continue reading “Angela Desveaux”