Weekend Music Roundup

After a weekend away due to a brief trip the sea shore, the Roundup is back. This week's list includes a few new releases that I'd been looking forward to, some that met expectations and others that were slightly disappointing for me. Most rock on here, old, new, and everything in between. Next week there will be more new releases that I've been making my way through, but in the meantime, find something to listen to and, as always, enjoy.

The Growlers - Casual Acquaintances: The sixth album from the psychedelic garage band out of L.A. comes out this September and, like their other work, it's pretty fantastic. I never noticed before the vocal similarities to Tom Petty, but they are there, though musically, this isn't Petty, it's a wonderful blend of garage rock and psychedelic rock, a sub-genre that seems to flourish out there on the left coast. 

nazz - nazz: The 1968 debut from the Philadelphia pysch garage band is one of those albums that bridges the sound of '60s and the harder sound that would follow in the '70s. It holds some resemblance to The Stooges debut, except where the Stooges sound would lead to punk, this leads to harder rock. This is a band I've been really getting into lately and happily picked up a near mint copy of this on vinyl a little while back. Absolutely fantastic stuff, this.

The Jayhawks - Back Roads and Abandoned Motels: Two years after their glorious return, the legendary Americana indie band returns with this album, which doesn't stray far from the sound they've established over the course of 20+ years, yet doesn't reach the heights of the last album. This album felt a little to 70's soft rock influenced for my taste, though I admit to enjoying that sound at times. This was an enjoyable album, just one that didn't leave a lasting impression.

Melody's Echo Chamber - Bon Voyage: The second album from the neo-psychedelic art pop artist is one that has been great buzz on the places I follow, so I took a chance. This is one of those crazy genre bending kind of albums that throws everything in the way a lot remix or trip-hop albums would. I definitely enjoy the many different influences and the way they all come together. It certainly explains the love it's getting, because there is something here for everyone. It's less of an album of individual songs, more of a art piece. Worth checking out.

Ulver - Childhood's End: This 2012 double album from the diverse and prolific Norwegian band is a covers album that sees the experimental psych band take on lost psych songs from the late 60's. It doesn't attempt to completely re-invent these tracks into something new, but translates them enough to make them unique. Being quite familiar with the genre, there were still some unknown tracks for me to discover, and some old favorites to re-enjoy.

Hammer - Hammer: The one and only album from this San Fran heavy prog band was released in '71 and I found it the other weekend on vinyl. Being from the Bay area, there's a definite hippy vibe to their brand of hard rock, and vocally there is a kinship with Joe Cocker that is nice to hear. There is a pleasant lightness to this record, despite what the title might suggest. "Hot and Cold," "Sad Song, Happy Song" and "Pains and Tears" are my favorites on an album with a solid groove.