Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil

Hits stores on 9/11. Some rock solid and catchy tracks here, but lovers of the live album released back in February may be disappointed, as it lacks the raw energy that their live show is known for and is heard on Los Valientes Del Mondo Nuevo. I'm sure Good Bad Not Evil will translate wonderfully into their live show, and, after getting a chance to see them in September, this new album will grow on me. We shall see.

- Dan

Link has been removed

Jay Reatard - Night of Broken Glass EP

The latest release from Jay Reatard, and his first record to follow the fantastic full length Blood Visions. Night of Broken Glass shows Jay branching out a bit by adding keyboards to most of the songs. While this is still undoubtedly the same blend of infectious throwback punk rock tunes, this EP has a distinct feel to it that separates it from Blood Visions and really has me anticipating Jay's next record.

- Steve

Download Night of Broken Glass

The Blow - Paper Television

Paper Television was released late last year to consistent positive reviews, but for whatever reason I remained defiant to giving it a listen, but little did I know, until a few months back, how inventive this album actually is. Great production, suprisingly interesting lyrics, charming vocals, and a perfect example of how to find alternatives within any genre. Unfortunately, the duo have already gone their seperate ways, with the male half choosing to pursue his solo project YACHT, but there's no doubt they left on a very high note. Some will fall in love with this album and embrace it instantly, and others will find it to be more of a guilty pleasure, but either way I promise this album will make both your vaginas and manginas moist. This is about as good as pop gets. Posted below is a well-made mashup video for the track "Parentheses".

- Dan

Download Paper Television

Disco Inferno - D.I. Go Pop

After an initial listen of D.I. Go Pop, you can't help but think about just how ironic the record's title is. With repeated listens though, the title of the album becomes more and more appropriate. Buried beneath the band's groundbreaking (and in many ways, still unmatched) use of layered guitars, bizarre sound samples, ambient noise, and at times industrial inspired tunes, are beautiful pop compositions. Unlike most bands, Disco Inferno challenges their listeners to find the hidden pop hooks, which creates a much more rewarding listening experience. I can't stress enough how essential this record is, just be patient and let it grow on you. Bands don't make albums like this anymore.

- Steve

Download D.I. Go Pop

Coachwhips - Bangers Versus Fuckers + Get Yer Body Next Ta Mine

(Links Fixed 4/7/2008)

To celebrate our 100th post, I decided to upload two albums from one of the most entertaining bands to ever exist in quite some time. For those who aren't familiar with Coachwhips, they're a hard-hitting rock and roll trio who broke up in late 2005, which is a shame because I would do anything to see them live. For fans of The Gories, Lightning Bolt, Pink & Brown, King Khan, or anything fucking badass.

- Dan



Download Bangers Versus Fuckers



Download Get Yer Body Next Ta Mine

King Khan & The Shrines - What Is?!

The problem with the entire garage rock genre is that most bands are derivative as hell; completely content with stealing some riffs from The Sonics and then calling it a day. King Khan and his many side projects may not be the most original music you'll ever hear, but Khan is light years ahead of his contemporaries. He seems to be heavily influenced by not only British invasion R&B; acts like The Kinks and The Animals, but groups like Funkadelic and Sly Stone, as well as Motown. Overall this record (and the same goes for King Khan's 2004 release with The Shrines, Mr. Supernatural) is a lot of fun and really catchy. If you haven't already, make sure to download The King Khan & BBQ show record I posted a few months back too.

- Steve

Download What Is?!

Suicidal Birds - Versus Life

There is something instantly likeable about this female guitar/bass duo. With the help of outdated amps, homemade pedals, and a drum machine, these girlies hailing from the Netherlands can make some pretty catchy punk/blues/garage rock tunes. Their sound is described on their website as "drenched in raw passion...intense, urgent, confronting, personal, sometimes treacherously playful, exciting and inescapable, with a voice full of character, uncompromisingly distorted guitar - and vocal sounds and at times overwhelming sound-orgy. they manage to give feelings of doubt craziness, tragedy, sex and drugs, hope and despair, believe and disbeleive. a musical fomat deeply rooted in the blues combined with the energy of punk emphasizing the rough and readiness, weirdness, and wilderness that s so essential in rock and roll." Below is a video for the track "Friendly Land".

- Dan

Download Versus Life

Sunn O))) - Oracle

If Satan rose from hell and decided to start a metal band for the sole purpose of finding the elusive brown note, it would probably sound a lot like this record, or any release from the crowned princes of doom metal, Sunn O))). I could go on and try to describe this band and this record to you, but I think Stephen O'Malley, one half of Sunn O)) and owner of their label Southern Lord has already summed up the band quite well with his description on their website:

"SUNN 0))) is the heavy rock equivalent of an institutional-size dose of Largactyl; when you finally get down, you stay down. SUNN 0))) makes sounds of weather formation size meditations, as monolithic as a brick of monosludge. SUNN 0))) music is huge and simple, like a future race of technologists who forgot how to build microchips so had to return to factory-sized computers. Its shamanic appeal is considerably enlivened by the sub-bass disfigurations caused to all bowels in the immediate proximity, whilst the lead guitar clings to your torso like a butter knife spreading Philly Lite first on a piece of toast, then on the bread board, then across the counter over the fridge and up the walls into adjacent rooms."

- Steve

Download Oracle

Comets on Fire - Comets on Fire

I would certainly hope that readers of this blog already know and love this album, but there's always the chance that someone not familiar with Comets of Fire may stumble across this post. If I was forced to to choose only one album as my "desert island album", this would be the winner, and even though I would be lonely, starving, and bearded, I would still feel like the biggest badass when listening to it. In my opinion, the psychedelic wonder that is Comets on Fire is best heard on this album. Each and every time I throw this CD into the player, I wonder why it ever left in the first place. About as highly recommended as I'll ever recommend anything.

- Dan

Download Comets on Fire

Adam Franklin - Bolts Of Melody + Swervedriver - Mezcal Head

Adam Franklin is the former frontman of one of the greatest rock bands of the 90’s, Swervedriver. You’d be hard pressed to find many records from that decade that can hold a candle to Mezcal Head or Ejector Seat Reservation. I tend to have low expectations for solo records of this nature, which is something I suppose I can blame on Frank Black and his long run of disappointing post-Pixies solo work. Its just tough for musicians from great bands to try to make a name for themselves on their own without always going back and comparing them to their previous band. Bolts Of Melody begins familiarly enough with a song that sounds like it's straight from Swervedriver’s heyday. Soon after though the album becomes much more diverse. "Song Of Solomon" seems to channel the spirit of Elliott Smith, while the appropriately titled "Theme From LSD" shows off Franklin’s ability to create a trippy instrumental soundscape. Overall this record isn’t groundbreaking or truly mind blowing but it is a solid effort, and well worth listening to. I’m also going to include a download for Swervedriver’s Mezcal Head, because as far as I’m concerned it is required listening.

- Steve

Download Bolts Of Melody

Download Mezcal Head

Pleasure Forever - Bodies Need Rest

I'm sorry about the lack of updates from me, but I was laying on a beach in Florida for the better part of the last week, so I haven't really had time for the Internet. Bodies Need Rest is a posthumous record consisting of unreleased tracks and b-sides. Usually collections like this are mediocre at best, tossing together a bunch of throwaway tracks for die hard fans only. This release actually sounds cohesive, and could easily pass itself off as a legitimate album. For those of you not familiar with the band, Pleasure Forever writes awesome psych-rock songs about doing drugs and having orgies, and mix things up with some interesting cabaret inspired piano parts. This probably isn't the best place to start if you've never heard the band before, but it still is a great listen and serves to reinforce the fact that these guys broke up way too soon.

- Steve

Download Bodies Need Rest

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam

Warning: Before you listen to this album, throw out every expectation you may have. Ignore previous albums and side projects. There's no doubt this is AC, and standing alone, this album is wonderful, but listeners expecting to hear something that lives up to the greatness of Feels (for example: me) will be thoroughly disappointed. I'm currently on my second spin of the record, and, fortunately, it is already growing on me. It almost sounds like an adolescent version of Feels, with a strange innocence to both it's lyrics as well as it's sound.

- Dan

Download Strawberry Jam

The Shins - Nature Bears a Vacuum

I don't have much time, so I needed a nice quick upload. It's been a good three or four years since I've listened to this EP, and it is just as good as I remember it. Released in 1999, this is easily The Shins finest work (and it's been gradually going downhill ever since). Although the four tracks total just under eight minutes, I probably spent more time listening to this EP than anything else in high school. This is pop music the way it is supposed to be made.

- Dan

Download Nature Bears a Vacuum