Weekend Music Roundup

I've returned from two days in the city, which were great by the way. It was great timing. Summer hit the streets in a rush this weekend. I love being on the streets of NYC when the winter breaks and people coming filing out into the streets like so many rats and roaches to soak up the sunshine. I had the headphones on, Oasis in the eardrums, sunshine on the brain, and I went to the record store. So next week promises a lot of listening to do. 

Here's what went down in the fuzzy warbles last week.

A Mountain of One - Institute of Joy: This is a great new album that really nails that sludgy psychedelic sound that I love so much (ala Blackmountian). Very good.

Wolf & Cub - Science and Sorcery: A sort of heavy sound created with electro-rock beats. I liked the combination. A nice up tempo addition to the lo-fi catalog that's been dominating my airwaves recently.

Pterodactyl - Worldwild: This is one of those sort of mash-up albums (see Animal Collective) that borderlines on psychedelic indie weirdness. I truly wanted to love it, I mean that cover is perfect. But all in all, I found a little flat. But I'm admittedly not a big fan of that niche genre, which is why put here. For those who are, it's probably worth a listen. 

MewithoutYou - It's All Crazy!.... : I really enjoy this album. It's very much in the strain of current indie rock, but a very good example. A swirling rich sound to each song, very much creating it's own world as you listen to it. (sort of reminds me of mellower Yeasayer or Menemona)

Cotton Jones - Paranoid Cocoon: A little bit of a cheat here, because I'm listening to it no (last song on in the background). First listen from the city pick-ups and WOW! I love this album. Very sunshine dream folk sounding (ala Skygreen Leopards, or the Earlies,) This is going to get a lot of listens.

Cato Salsa Experience - A Good Tip for a Good Time: This came out in 2000, and I have had it since about that time. But in the reorganzing of the collection last weekend, I realized I didn't quite know this album as intimately as I'd like. So I listened to this week and really enjoyed it. It's straight up part of the garage rock revival of the early 00's, but a good example. 

West Virginia Slim Electric Blues Band: This self-titled release from 1970 was the band's only release, but it's all that is needed. Very much in the style of John Mayall or the Groundhogs. In that area there was this movement of redoing the blues with electric sound. I've always loved it. This is good obscure example.

Shallow - High Flying Kid Stuff: When the wife and first cohabitated ten years ago, there was the inevitable blending of CD libraries. There were some of hers that I just never got around to exploring simply because I'm constant junky for getting new things. Well, thanks to aforementioned reorganization process, I uncovered a lot of them (the next two are also from the same mold). Shallow is a band from mid-90's Kansas City. I listened to all three of the their albums this week and liked them all. They are American shoegazer sound (like Drop Nineteens). The singer sounds like a child, but in a good way, and it's great dreampop. Any fans of Slowdive's Slouvaki should enjoy this.

Moloko - I Am Not a Doctor: This 1998 album is definitely part of the so-called, oft-hyped, but never-happened Trip Hop revolution. Back then, I was definitely onboard with the revolution (Tricky, Portishead, Massive Attack, Mo Wax records, DJ Krush, etc, etc). This album fits in that genre. Where Moloko's first album is very Massive Attack sounding, this one moves away a little bit. The vocals become much more soul sounding, with better, darker beats. A must for a fan of that period.

 Marion - This World and Body: This 1996 album is understandably put into the Britpop realm, though it's a little darker than most Britpop. But like most Britpop, amazing vocals stand out on the album. Reminded me of the first two Placebo albums. Highly recommend it to any Britpop fans to see the seedier side of the era.