Weekend Music Roundup

It's a blustery Saturday evening in the Hudson Valley, which can only mean one thing...more random ramblings about music that I've been digging lately. This week features some of my favorite new releases of the year, some recent discoveries, and a couple of wonderful old albums that I picked up over the last several weeks. There's a range of music on here from heavy psych to blues and a few things in between. Have fun checking things out and as always, enjoy.

Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats - Wasteland: This is the fifth album from the heavy psych band out of the UK and each of their previous four have been favorite albums of the year when they were released. This one is no different. They have created a masterful formula or heavy psych that plays out like the best movies every made. It plays out like avant garde novels. It is art at its best and this album is absolutely fantastic. I didn't think they could top Night Creeper, but I think they just might have with this. "No Return," "Bedovin," "Shockwave City," and the title track are standouts.

Jordaan Mason - Earth to Ursa Minor: The eighth solo album from the singer songwriter from Toronto who has been involved in tons of projects over the past two decades. Throughout his career, many have thought of him as a Jeff Mangum clone, but that's not really fair at all. While there are similarities to between his aesthetic and that of Neutral Milk Hotel, over the years Jordaan has proven to be a a very different kind of artist, one that deals brutally with honest emotions that most keep hidden. His music has always been like a portal into some liminal space for me, one that I enjoy visiting and am thankful that I'm able to retreat from. This is a fantastic record, possibly his most consistent from start to finish. 

Willie Dixon and Memphis Slim - Willie's Blues: The Chicago blues legend released this album in 1960 with frequent collaborator and also legendary Memphis Slim. I recently found a promo copy of this album and picked it up. I love old school blues, and it's nice to hear blues that is piano and bass rather than simply 12 bar guitar. "That's My Baby," "Slim's Thing," "Sittin' and Cryin' the Blues," and "Go Easy" are my personal favorites on this fantastic record.  

Rubblebucket - Sun Machine: This is the fifth album from the Brooklyn indie pop band, and my first introduction to their unique sound. This is a kind of genre-bending album that has roots in folk, soul, trip-hop and others. It all comes together to create something that sounds new and refreshing. I heard the first single on the radio and was intrigued, so I took a chance and was rewarded by a great record that is far more interesting than most of the music labeled "indie pop" these days. "Lemonade," "Fruity," and "Formless and New" are my personal favorites. 

T. Rex - T. Rex in Concert: Released in '81, a few years after Marc Bolan's death, this recording is actually from the Electric Warrior tour of '71, which was Bolan's most brilliant period in my opinion. This concert isn't the kind of crystal clear live album that some bands try to put out, but rather more like Bowie's Santa Monica '72 album, which showcases the rawness of a polished band. As with most glam bands, when the show is live, it's a different feel than the production creates in the studio. This album is no different, but I happen to love hearing the chaos of the live performances, the imperfections and feeling. A wonderful record if you can find it.

Parenthood

I'm three and half years into this parenthood thing...so you, know, an expert. (insert laughing emoji). The one thing that is a fact of parenthood is that it can be exhausting. No matter how well-behaved, or how awesome your child is (which mine is both), it can be exhausting. There's something to that thing that childless people say about liking kids but are happy to be able to leave. That's because there are things that a child does that on the surface seem harmless, but at the end of a long day, and after the seventh hundredth time they've done said thing, it's EXHAUSTING. 

I don't claim to have any answers or claim to know the right way to go about parenting, but I believe there a few things that parents should always keep in mind and thought I'd share those.

1. Stay calm, because if you start to overreact, they feed off that energy, creating a dangerous dynamic.

2. Patience, patience, patience. They will try to test this at every turn, and failure to remain patient never ends well.

3. Talk to them as if they understand, and if at any moment, you sense they don't understand, try to explain it a different way that they might understand. And always follow-up with them with questions to be sure they've comprehended the important points.

4. Show them love, especially at those points when you've reached your limit. Let them know that being angry or frustrated will never mean you don't love them.

5. Remember that they are real people (albeit small ones) with real emotions and thoughts, and that those thoughts and emotions are just as important and valuable to them as yours are to you. 

Weekend Music Roundup

As promised, this weekend the Roundup returns to its usual format of random ramblings about music that I've been listening to recently. There a few new releases from bands that I've long loved, as well as a new debut record that I'm really into. There's two older albums that I recently discovered on vinyl, both of which I really like. So all in all, lots of love on this week's list. Hopefully you will all find something to love as well. Enjoy.

Basement Revolver - Heavy Eyes: This is the debut album from the Canadian indie band. It has a decidedly 90's indie rock feel, reminding me of little known, but much liked, bands Enormous and Helium. But it's also very much of today, reminding me of Best Coast and others. The female vocals work great with the music. "Words," "Wait," "Johnny," "Johnny Pt. 2," and "Dancing" are standout tracks for me. 

Duke Ellington - Ellington Uptown: Released in 1953, when jazz was in full swing and drifting in many directions, this record is a bit of an artifact of that shift. The first side of the album is Ellington's Big Band sound that he'd done for years prior, while the second side sees the move into Hard Bop. I love Duke's blend of Big Band, but I really gravitate toward the second side, with two great tracks, "A Tone Parallel to Harlem," and "Perdido." Not to mention, that I love this cover.

The Coral - Move Through the Dawn: The ninth album from the UK indie band is their first in two years. This is a band I've been following since their debut 16 years ago, and this is a return to the more upbeat sound of their early years. Though I love the darker, quieter sound of their last album, it's nice to hear their bluesy Beatles-esque sound once again. Some of my favorites are "Stormbreaker," "Sweet Release," "Strangers in the Hollow," and "Eyes of the Moon." 

Erase Errata - Other Animals: The 2001 debut record from the No-Wave, noise rock outfit from San Fran was one I was lucky enough to find used on vinyl a ways back. My wife has known the bass player forever, long before the band existed, so it has a lot of personal significance for us. Oddly, this band emerged around the same time as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and have a similar feel in their debuts, except this is much more NYC sounding, ironically as the other band is from NYC. This takes the no-wave sound of the 80s, and improves it with the addition of some melody and structure. This is the kind of record that is not for everyone, or for all times, but when your in the mood, it's wonderful. "Tongue Tied," "Delivery," "1 Minute," and "Fault List" are my personal favorites.  

Suede - The Blue Hour: This is the ninth album in the London band's 25 year career, and their first in two years. I've followed this band since the mid-90's and like a lot of bands, there certainly isn't any comparing their early work with their contemporary work. In fact, I'm not really sure it's fair to try because the sensibilities of one in their 20s is different than it is in their 40s. Brett Anderson shouldn't be held to creating the revolutionary BritPop glam rock of three decades ago. That said, this is still a Suede record and it does feel like Suede. There is an eerie mood in the celebration of the fringes of the world in the tales told, as there always has been.

The End of the F***king World

I haven't watched much TV of late, but devoured this British series (on Netflix) over the past two weeks. Based on a graphic novel by Charles Forsman, this series is about two teenagers who brought together, not so much by fate, but more by chance. Both James and Alyssa have family problems and tough family histories and their shared misery brings them together...after James decides not to murder her, of course.

This plays out like a quirky Natural Born Killers with teens, and with characters that more realistic and identifiable. Told in alternating perspectives from Alyssa and James, the viewer gets to know and care about both characters in a way that makes them both relatable and likable, despite their worst flaws. I also loved how such a tragic love story is infused with so much humor. 

A very quick watch and I highly recommend it.

Weekend Music Roundup

Welcome to the weekend. This week, the theme is straight out of the garage. This is a list composed entirely of garage rock from the 60's, 80's and today. The genre has been going strong for over 40 years despite little change in the format or the sound. It's also a genre that I've been really into for most of my life and thought it was a good idea to group up a lot of the recent new discoveries I've made. If you don't like garage rock, don't worry, next week we'll return to our regularly scheduled ramblings. Enjoy.

The Creation Factory - The Creation Factory: The debut album from the Mystic Braves side project is a similar 60's inspired mod garage revival record. Fronted by Mystic Braves' Neil Soiland, this is a band that taps into the early Kinks energy to create wonderful tracks that sound straight out of time. Sure, there are people that will feel it's too derivative to be relevant, but I disagree. If you love that music, why not love a new record of that music. It's like finding an artifact from the past and it rocks. "Girl You're Out of Time," "I Don't Know What to Do," and "Without You" are my favorite tracks.  

The Cynics - Blue Train Station: This is the 1986 debut, from Pittsburgh garage rock revival band. It has the fury and chaotic energy of classic garage rock bands like The Sonics but also the complexitity of garage rock bands that followed, like Dead Moon. I was relatively unaware that this scene existed in the 80's and was pretty much blown away by this record. Sure, it's garage rock and all garage rock sounds like garage rock, but each period has it's own style. "On the Run," "Waste of Time," "No Friend of Mine," "Hold Me Right," "Why You Left Me," and "I Want Love" are amazing tracks on this amazing record.

Ty Segall and White Fence - Joy: This is a collaboration album with the Cali psychedelic garage band and the most prolific psychedelic garage rocker around. This is Ty's second album of the year (a third one is set for release later this year). It doesn't stray from the sound he's established over the years and is another great example of his talent. White Fence's contribution gives his sound a little more space to exist within, but this is very much a Ty album. "Please Don't Leave This Town," "Good Boy," and "My Friend" are my personal favorites. 

The Remains - The Remains (Deluxe Mono Edition): The Boston garage rock band released one album back in 1966. I recently came across them thanks to a new Live album that was just released. I came across the 2009 Mono reissue on Sundazed Records at the local shop and quickly snatched it up. This band had the energy and edge of The Rolling Stones and the same affinity for interpreting the old blues sound into rock. Along with other gems like Sonics Boom and The Ugly Ducklings this is one of those lost treasures that is worth picking up if you ever come across it. "Lonely Week-end," "Don't Look Back," "You Got a Hard Time Coming," "Time of Day," "I Can't Get Away From You," "Baby, I Believe in You," and "All Good Things" are my personal favorites. 

Bass Drum of Death - Just Business: The fourth album from the Oxford, Mississippi garage rock band is pretty much what one might expect from the band. Not much has changed in the four years since their last record. This is still straight up garage rock. If anything, it's a little less gritty than previous records, as is typically the case for a garage band that's been around 10 years or more. "Third Coast Dreaming," "Failing Up," "I Don't Wanna Know," and "Leaving" are my personal favorites.

The Vipers - Outta the Nest: The 1984 debut from the New York City garage rock band was a recent pick up. As I mentioned on a recent review of The Cynics, I was unaware of the 80s garage rock revival and feel as though I missed a whole genre of great music. This has an L.A. garage rock feel, with psychedelic joy mixed in with the grit. "Nothings From Today," "Now I Remember," and "Cheated and Lied" are my personal favorites. 

Juliet, Naked

This past weekend, I went to see Juliet, Naked with the Missus. It's a movie based on a novel by Nick Hornby, best known for High Fidelity. Like that story, this one is a sort of doomed love story rooted in a plot about music. What I love about his brand of love stories is how they are informed by the fact that love is often an intense form of friendship, and that real love can't exist without friendship.

The cast was wonderful in this movie. Ethan Hawke as the 90's indie songwriter that gave everything up and walked away, was brilliant. He was funny, yet moving when the reason for his walking away was revealed. Chris O'Dowd was hilarious, as always. But the real center of the movie is Rose Byrne who portrays a character's dissatisfaction with her current life, and the difficulties one faces in trying to change that situation. 

This is one of those movies that is probably not that memorable. The kind that years later, you might not remember the plot. But it's the kind of movie that affects you as you watch it, and those thoughts will stay with you even when the lights fade. I really enjoyed it and recommend it.