LOVEBYRD - s/t EP on Ongakubaka Records!

We're psyched to announce that the second release on Ongakubaka Records is also the first ever release from Southwest Germany's LOVEBYRD! We fell in love instantly with their laid-back psychedelic sound, and we think you guys will too. Whether it's the intergalactic space travels of "Spinning Around", the Temples-esque grooves of "Shot From the Sun", or the epic prologue and closing track, it's refreshing to hear a confident female-led psych band come out of the gate swinging. The digital version is available RIGHT NOW over at bandcamp, and the cassette, limited to 100 copies, can be preordered now (shipping 1/9/15). Check it!!!

- Dan

VIDEO: The Dunes - Badlands

I know tomorrow is Christmas, but if you're planning on doing a ton of peyote and going out into the desert to find God or something, Australian heavy psych-rockers The Dunes should be on your playlist. You can find "Badlands" on The Dunes' bandcamp page, or just lean back and soak in this trippy music video. It's like a spaghetti western filtered through the aesthetic of Lynch and Buñuel! I can't think of better holiday gift.

- Steve

Best Albums of 2014

Welcome to the 8th (and hopefully not the last) OngakuBaka Top 10 albums of the year list. Before we jump right in to our picks, we’ll explain the guidelines for the selection process. 

 1. These records are in no particular order. 

2. No live records, “Best of” collections, box sets, or re-issues. The albums chosen had to be material released in 2014. 

 3. This is a collaborative effort between the two of us, and if we didn’t agree that an album deserved to make the cut, it didn’t make the list. 

 4. There are plenty of full-lengths we never got a chance to listen to, forgot about, or never had time to fully digest, so don't freak out if you don't see your personal favorite in our list. 

 With that said, here are our honorable mentions for 2014:

Tobacco - Ultima II Massage
Jesuslesfilles - Le grain d'or
Cool Ghouls - A Swirling Fire Burning Through the Rye
Temples - Sun Structures
The Cosmic Dead - Easterfaust
Godflesh - A World Lit Only By Fire
Shellac - Dude Incredible

And now, without further ado, our top 10 records of 2014:


1. Holy Wave - Relax

2. Kikagaku Moyo - Forest of Lost Children

3. Amen Dunes - Love

4. Ty Segall - Manipulator

5. Run the Jewels - RTJ2

DOWNLOAD

6. Goat - Commune

7. The Cult of Dom Keller - The Second Bardo

8.  Protomartyr - Under Color of Official Right

9. Parquet Courts/Parkay Quarts - Sunbathing Animal/Content Nausea (we cheated)

10. Swans - To Be Kind

Brian Chippendale and Greg Saunier - s/t

A great collaboration between Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt and Greg Saunier of Deerhoof. An epic improvised drum battle released by Famous Class Records in conjunction with the Death By Audio mini-doc on both drummers. Pay what you want over at bandcamp for the audio and a download code for a video of the performance, and check out the documentary, "Checking in at 20," below. 

- Dan

The Baron Four - Out Of The Wild Come​.​.​.

It's nothing but hits on this debut LP from the UK's The Baron Four (ex-Thee Vicars). Early '60s beat garage-worshipping tunes that'll have you throwing your panties. The album is available digitally via bandcamp and the vinyl can be ordered through ebay (?????).

- Dan