Cousin Brian - Closer to Dog (2015)

There is an innate felicity associated with purchasing and collecting records. Some enjoy spending entire evenings on the floor of their favorite local spot, sifting through cardboard discount bins of 45's hidden beneath the main displays. Every time a gem surfaces, a bit of their inner self dies happy. Others eagerly lie in wait for online deals in an attempt to triumph over the pesky, ever rising retail and shipping costs of wax. Perhaps my fondest record collecting moment was when I received my first ever music mail call. I had a shitty plinth and and a few other 7"s I had picked up at shows. My choices we're limited but there was nothing else in my mind that could compete with the idea of building a physical collection of music that I would never tire of and certainly never get rid of. Well for whatever reason I decided my first mail order would be from a lesser known, yet robust in spirit, label from Philadelphia called Evil Weevil (sadly now defunct). All I had ordered was a Cousin Brian 7" that up until that evening, was completely unknown to me. I could not say what prompted me to order it other than impulse control problems. There was a hand written thank you note in the package. The art had been done by one of the band members and the only markings on the 7" itself was an "A" scribbled on one side to annote which was which. It couldn't get any more authentic and I couldn't have been any more excited to drop the needle on it. The tracks were concise, branded by hurried licks with poppy undertones and clumsy drum's played on a kit that seemed as though it might have been kept upright by bubblegum and band-aids.

Thankfully, four years later, not much has changed. Their new (sophmore) LP gives off the same vibes at a slightly more reluctant pace. Unfortunately, their struggles to find a label that will adopt their baby means that these nine tracks may never feel the warm sunlight pouring in through the windows of a record store. However, they will surely be available for purchase online soon. Free samples below!

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Windian Subscription Series #3

If garage punk was a Christian denomination, Windian Records would be among it's patron saints. They've given one and all to further it's cause, spreading ideals of well-being and pleasure-having through bitter, virulent hooks driven by lead-footed gusto. But perhaps what really sets the crew behind this acclaimed label apart from it's fellow proletariats is the FUCKING RIGHTEOUS 7" Subscription Series they've come up with. $40 (after shipping) gets you six of their latest 7" releases, each essential in their own right. I won't delve into specifics as the music speaks for itself. All I can say is if you are looking for tantalizing, new ways to turn your brain into mush, turn your attention towards this choice bundle.

BUY IT HERE

(The first, equally enticing series is still available as well.)

Canyon Spree - Garden of Evil (2015)

Ever have that dream where you are trapped inside a tower, endlessly hiking up an ornate spiral staircase. Legs weak, breathing sparse, a distant melody compels you to trudge on. Organs and twangy guitars complete each other, echoing and lingering in your cochlea. An ocean of tranquilizing sound flowing into ribbon like streams of reverberation. This may just describe the way I feel when I lay back in bed and let this wonderful new LP by Canyon Spree carry me away. Similar dream states can be achieved by clicking the play button below.

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Jaromil Sabor & Prêcheur Loup - You Shall Use Your Time​.​.​.​ And Your Mama's Too (2014)

The first order of business in mending the damage I've done to my readership and all of the bands I should have been telling about you since my last post, is to peddle some noise you may have missed from around the time I abandoned you all. Jaromil Sabor & Prêcheur Loup is a breath of fresh air. The somewhat stale state garage has fallen into could be seen as dissapointing to some (though sometimes I can still get into it). Unwavering amp presets played at invariable speeds make up entire discographies of bands that could have been something so much more. Huffing paint, pounding this swill you call PBR and the idea of simply not giving any fucks have seemlingly taken over garage rock culture to a point that the music itself isn't important anymore. There is also no doubt that many bands have become known or respected by copying an established sound, knowing people would eat it up (there are too many Oh Sees copycats to count).

I really am sorry if you've been caught up in all that menial tomfoolery (yep, I said it), but you should know that you don't have to be a slave to it. There still exist bands that are strapping on their songwriting hats and making music that more than just satisfies, it seduces and suckerpunches right in the gut. It induces raw emotions in it's listeners. Jaromil Sabor & Prêcheur Loup is one such group. Of course there are clear influences, but they have carved these tracks out of something very unique. Each one sets itself apart from the others with just a dab of Elmers to keep it all together. Alternating between hard-driven beats living underneath crudely knarled vocals and balmy sun soakers that make you wishful of calm summer days made complete with endless opportunities to just sit and soak in the world around you. You may be thinking, "wow, this sounds like a bit of a rollercoaster", but I can assure you the finished package actually flows quite well.

I think these guys are more than fitting for my first post back from the dead so check the stream below. However, if you are still worried that you might be drowning in bullshit, I got plenty more coming up for you soon (for real).



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Frantic City

31Ø8 - S/t (2014)

Trouble In Mind seems to go through phases during which they find and pluck musicians and groups that fall into somewhat specific genres. When I first fell in love with the label they were crushing it release after release with garage punk staples from chumps like CoCoComa (whom the Roe's head up), Sonic Chicken 4 and Charlie & The Moonhearts among so many others. They have not forgotten the days of ripped jeans developed from spending so much time shredding on your knees, however, their current lineup is driven more by druggy dissertation, klutzy but melodic riffs and a connection you can feel deep down inside with the artist. Tyler Zypreksa aka 31Ø8 has created what is possibly the most focused of their newer releases. Every strum and sunny synth drop is made alone in the intimacy of his bedroom, a place where absolutely nothing is holding him back, and it shows. Check the free sample below and snag the LP (along with as many other TIM releases that you can afford) on some pretty hott flourescent pink vinyl here.



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Trouble In Mind

Druggy Pizza - Chili Cheese Crust (2014)

Druggy Pizza is Cédric Bottacchi whom you know for superintending squalid French freakazoids, Dusty Mush. His solo stylee does not stray far from those curdled, drowning-in-reverb slabs of cross-grained static. Instead, perhaps his sole mission is to redeem the pizza band, a theme utterly shat on by an actor pretending to be two things he is not, funny and musical. This seering speed-play will leave you upside down in a ditch with nothing but a slice of sausage and pepperoni to keep your genitals warm. Grab your free download below.


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White Lodge - Technicolour Visions EP (2014)

So I've missed the blog train on this one as you have probably seen this EP floating around, however, last time I shared their music I spent the whole time spewing untimely rhetoric about how nobody wants to earn their way in life anymore. I'm not going to link it, it's boring. White Lodge maintains the "It's all good holmes, here is some more free music" approach that suits their listeners so well, but I would be doing the band another huge disservice if I continued on about monetary bullshit. These guys take candy-coated pop punk strummers and throw them in a blender with a pinch of eternal darkness. Their roots ooze of metallic screams and deep stairwell double bass, but the finished package is much lighter at heart. Like an unexpected kiss on the cheek from the hottie across the way, every moment listening to these guys is a moment you will want back with a vengeance.

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Wiener Records (Cassette)