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.