HAILER. El Cósmico

"El Cósmico" és un treball d'un grup australià que es diu Hailer i amb una simple mirada ja vaig intuir de què anava el treball. Un altra disc d'americana vaig pensar, idò sí, un disc d'americana però molt interessant i amb una sèrie de grans temes que ens podrien recordar els millors moments dels Black Keys, sobretot a "Crucify the commodore" al meu entendre, la millor peça del disc. Americana "aussie", un cóctel que saben preparar perfectament aquesta genteta de les antípodes.

Hailer is a psychedelic rock band spawned from the innerwest of Sydney, Australia. Following the release of their highly-acclaimed 2013 album Another Way, the band toured the length of east coast Australia before continuing their journey to the USA. Hailer played over 40 shows in three months - from Florida all the way up to Boston, across to Chicago then down to New Orleans. From big cities to places you couldn’t find on the map, from venues holding over 3,000 to pizza joints and coffee shops… after all these shows it seems only a matter of time before they’re performing encores of Louie Louie with celebrity friends.

The tailwind of those gigs and highways blew them into the inland freak sanctuary of Austin, Texas, where EL COSMICO was recorded. It is a six track tale-of-tour mix tape, recorded and co-produced by Louie Lino (Nada Surf, Neko Case, All In A Golden Afternoon, The Wooden Birds). The music contains a raw, jangled-up energy that stems from serious time on the road. Weak coffee, sugary food, nutrient hits, lack of sleep, dust, smoke, beer, fumes and endless highways stretching out in front of the van.As Phil explains, “El Cosmico, or The Cosmic became our catchcry whilst on the last leg of the band’s 2013 US tour. Any spooky coincidence and slithery twist of fate was put down to the effects of El Cosmico. As we were driving back to Austin to play our final shows and record with Louie, we were confronted by the image seen on the album cover - a car by the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, emblazoned with those now sacred words across the side panel. We most definitely saw this as a sign - we pulled our van to the side of the road, screamed "IT LIVES!", took the photo and there you have it - El Cosmico physically manifested, it chose us…” Sometimes sweet, cerebral, classic rock and stoned… other times noisy and unhinged. Stories, beats, melody, psychedelic rock and roll. It’s the soundtrack of an improbable and unexpected road trip.

Hailer is Phil (guitar & vox) Angus (bass & vox) Scott (drums). The songs of EL COSMICO are all moody – Cold Outside is a drifty pop jam, Crucify… is a wild dare, Digging Holes is radio-ready riff rock, Life Is Holy is classic rock Americana, Machinemusic is a synth-layered noise mantra and Symbol and Allegory is naked acoustic and piano twinkles. Dig in! EL COSMICO LIVES!(The unearthed)

MUMMY SHORT ARMS. Face Full of Sand

El single que ens ocupa és una cançó d'un grup escocès que engana al seu començament. Les primeres notes i acords no fan preveure el torrent que arriba a continuació. Tot plegat el trob molt interessant. El remix ja és una altra cosa, ja sabeu que sempre els me mir amb una certa distància, deu ser perquè n'hi ha molts pocs que em cridin l'atenció. Aquest pot anar, vaja, no mata.

HEATHERS. Fear 7"

"Fear" és una d'aquelles cançons que a sa primera t'atrapen dins les seves xarxes a base de guitarres clares i tonades que no deixen de ressonar al teu cervell. "Life is elsewhere" no es queda enrere i totes dues juntes formen aquest 7" totalment recomable. No diguis que no t'hagi avisat.

“Miserablist pop” trio Heathers are back with a sophomore 7″ featuring singles, “Fear” and “Life Elsewhere”, out now on Death Party Records. The darkness of anxiety-filled insomnia gets a throttling-guitar and drum driven jam on A-side “Fear”, while the tender confessions that begin B-side “Life Is Elsewhere” are swallowed up and turned about in a burst of noise, the hushed professions from Michael Francis turning to screams. If you think these singles are great recorded just wait until you hear them live.(The Grey Estates)

RECOPILATORI ABRIL 2014

LIBÈL·LULA

WUSSY. Attica!

Wussy eón una de ses meves debilitats amagades, d'aquells grups que no saps com, però que quan obis la carpeta de cd's moltes vegades el treus com qui no vol la cosa i passes una estona agrable que se fa curta, el tornes deixar al seu lloc sabent que un altre dia et faran gaudir igualment. Un grup que no aconseguirà mai un concert ple de gom a gom, ni falta que fa. Després del memorable "Strawberry", ara ens ofereixen "Attica!" , una nova col·lecció de grans temes. "Teenage Wasteland", el tema que obri el treball ja et deixa un regust de dolçor a les orelles que no decau al llarg dels temes que el segueixen, tal vegada en destacaria "Rainbow and Butterflies" i el tema que dóna nom al disc, "Attica!". I així, tema rere tema arribes a l'acabament i a esperar una nova entrega.

Attica! is the 5th album from Cincinnati’s Wussy, and the first to be released in the UK following the 2012 compilation Buckeye. These 11 new tracks were recorded at John Curley’s (Afghan Whigs) Ultrasuede Studios, and mastered by Dave Davis at QCA, both of Cincinnati, Ohio. 2012 marked the first excursion outside of the US for Wussy’s Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker, and Attica! is partly drawn from their experiences. Former Ass Ponys guitarist John Erhardt joins the band as a fifth member on pedal steel, and the album as a whole sees Wussy incorporate new instrumentation including piano, organ, harmonium, synth, mellotron and e-bow. This, together with guests on Cello & Theremin, adds a greater range and depth to their sound.(damnably.com)

CONNECTIONS. Year One

32 peces en un mateix disc només tenc record dels primers discs de Guided by Voices. Per aquest motiu el disc de Connections ja em va cridar s'atenció. Temes curts i directes d'un indie rock d'alta escola. El disc però no és tal ja que es tracta de tot el material editat pel grup al llarg del 2013. El seu debut "Private Airplane" el seu segon treball "Body Language" i encara un Ep que duia per nom "Tough City". En un any ja hi ha prou material i a més la qualitat no decau en cap moment. 

The Columbus lo-fi pop-rockers Connections had a very busy 2013. In addition to being named one of our 40 Best New Bands and taking their exhilarating live show on the road with fellow Ohio indie-rock greats the Breeders, they kicked out two spectacular LPs, Private Airplane and Body Language plus the Tough City EP — for my money, their crowning achievement thus far. A third full-length is already recorded and ready for mixing, but first, before the Connections catalog gets too unwieldy, the group’s significant discography thus far is being reissued as one massive compendium appropriately entitled Year One. It’s a handy starter kit for a band that specializes in bracing basement anthems crafted with pop precision but delivered with crackling rock ’n’ roll urgency. Stream the whole thing below.(Stereogum)

TIGER DARE. Wires Over, Wired In

Una altre del mateix estil i també de Nova York. Avui ha vengut així.

NO WAVE CINEMA. Pace Ep

Els No Wave Cinema vénen de Nova York i podríem dir que pertanyen a l'escola post Galaxie 500. Dream pop perfecte per a una tarda de tardor. Música sense artificis plenament lo fi molt agradable d'escoltar.

EARL BOYKINS. Friends

Aquest grup de Nova York amb nom de jugador de bàsquet ha estat una de ses sorpreses dels darrers dies. Actitud punk sempre és sinònim de mala bava i de fer un poc allò que pot molestar a cert tipus d'orelles conservadores. Sempre és d'agraïr una actitud així davant la vida i ses empeses que ens dóna. Apareixeran de nou al recopilatori mensual i ja serà la segona vegada. I que duri!!

Earl Boykins started with Alex Antiuk and Noah London in January 2013. The two met at Purchase College and started a band through their shared love of punk rock and scuzzy, noisy rock ‘n’ roll. Taking their cues from bands like JEFF the Brotherhood, The Men, Neil Young, and Fucked Up, they began writing drunk-punk songs about life around the college experience. During the summer of 2013, Craig Vacek (Bass) and Alex Aitken (Drums) completed the line up and they released their first EP and toured the east coast.

This Spring, Earl Boykins are set to release their debut LP ‘FRIENDS’. The record was completed at Salvation Recording Co. in New Paltz, NY with Chris Daly (Summer People, Nelsonvillans, Porches). With this new LP, the band introduce a little maturity into the development of the songs, whilst retaining the same angst and aggression that got them playing together in the first place.(Music news nashville)

THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL. Bushwick Nights​/​Anthem For Beer Cans

Els de The Great American Novel acaben de publicar un nou 7" amb dos temes fidels a la seva trajectoria, power pop contagiós. Aquí els teniu al preu que vulgueu.

The Great American Novel are one of those bands you just love to listen to and I’m trying to hold back my tears because this is their last release. Yes, the band I’ve come to love are calling it quits. But, lets not be sad, I’m sure this isn’t the last we’re hearing from that cute boy Layne Montgomery (I’m winking right now, you can’t see it but at least I know I’m doing it).  ’Bushwick Nights’ is set to be the anthem of late nights, early mornings and 4 am burger runs. This two track single sounds like the ending to Empire Records. You know, rooftop dancing with your friends after the best night of your life. Thats The Great American Novel and no, I’m not overselling it. Layne Montgomery, you are the man. [Free Download] @LeahDingus