Weekend Music Roundup

The Roundup returns this week after a week of being too overloaded to get around to putting the finishing touches on my thoughts. This week features a mix of old and new from my recent listening habits. There's some great psychedelic garage rock to be heard on here, and a few oldies but goodies that I picked up on the cheap. Hopefully there's something here that sparks your interest. Enjoy.

Ty Segall - Freedom's Goblin: Currently the most prolific artist out there, Ty has released his first album of the year and it's another stellar effort that continues his hot streak. Fitting right in where he left off on his self-titled album, this is a fuzzed out interpretation of blues rock translated into garage rock aesthetics. On an album without a truly weak track, "Fanny Dog," "Despoiler of Cadaver," "Cry Cry Cry," "She," and "The Main Pretender" are standouts. Another one his albums that will probably end up on my favorites of the year.

The Deviants - Ptooff!: The short-lived London band's 1967 debut is one of the lost masterpieces that serve as the foundation of psychedelic garage rock. They lasted only two years, but the rhythm section went on to become the rhythm section for Twink's Pink Fairies and Paul Rudolph had a brief stint in Hawkwind. I heard this gem while in the record store just before Christmas and was blown away. I could kick myself for not buying it then.

The Glorious Sons - Young Beauties and Fools: The second album from Canadian y'alternative band reminds me of Lucero in the way it interprets rock through a southern country lens. The singer has a raw and powerful voice which fits will with the bar rock sound. This is far from a perfect album, but in the right mood, it's an upbeat feel good foot-stomper. "My Poor Heart," "Everything's Alright," "Godless, Graceless and Young," "Sawed off Shotgun," and "So Much Love to Give" are my favorite songs on this decent record.

Adam Ant - Friend or Foe: After disbanding Adam and the Ants, the new wave icon released his first solo effort in 1982. This sees him move even farther from the punk roots of the Ants and further embrace the New Wave revolution. Much like David Johansen's Buster Poindexter, this finds Adam embrace different musical influence from reggae to ska, that merges with rockabilly and his own sense of weirdness to create a unique record that feels very unique in it's style. "Something Girls," "Desperate But Not Serious," and a fantastic version of The Doors "Hello, I Love You" are my personal favorites.

Grand Funk - Live Album: Released in November of 1970, a few months after the Flint band's third album, this is obvious attempt to capitalize on the band's rapid stardom with an offering for Christmas. But it's also attempt to catch the power of a band that is clearly a "live" band and bring some of that energy to the record. I'm actually not a believer of being able to capture the live experience and feel that bands always sound better on studio albums than live ones, and this is no exception. That's not to say this is a blistering record, it's just that the studio albums' sound is more blistering...and a lot less drum solo.