DICKIES, THE The Dawn Of The Dickies (Captain Oi) cd 15.98

DICKINSON, JAMES LUTHER Dixie Fried (Sepia Tone) cd 13.98
James Luther Dickinson (yes, the same Jim Dickinson who produced Big Star -- that's where I recognized his name from) has enjoyed a long and fruitful career as a highly-respected Memphis session player with everyone from Bob Dylan to Dr. John, Little Richard, the Stones (he played piano on "Wild Horses"), Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave, Taj Mahal, Brook Benton, and the list goes on and on, more recently including Mudhoney and Jon Spencer(!). The liner notes for this reissue go into great detail about his career; so I'll just say that this, his debut 1972 solo album, is a majorly sought-after collectors item (on vinyl that is), and is now finally available on disc from the fine archivists at Sepia Tone. The sound is a mix of swamp boogie a la Dr John, Jagger's swagger, and the twang rock of Gram Parsons on his upbeat numbers. This is a really good, tight, and fun unearthed find. Recommended.
RealAudio clip: "Casey Jones"
RealAudio clip: "Louise"

DICKS Hungry Butt (Hotbox Review) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
For some strange reason, this has been sitting on the shelf, generally unacknowledged, for ages. Which makes no sense at all, the Dicks from Austin, TX are one of the most legendary and outrageous American punk bands from the early '80s. Their songs have been covered by the likes of Mudhoney and fellow Texas nutjobs Scratch Acid. Crossdressing lead singer Gary Floyd, along with Randy "Biscuit" Turner of the Big Boys and Dave Dictor of MDC, represented one of the most unusual and politically radical punk scenes in the country - hell, WORLD. All three singers were hulking madmen, all completely gay and proud, and completely capable of beating the living shit out of anyone who might cross their paths.
Hungry Butt contains two Dicks shows, one from 2005 and the main attraction, a show from 1980. The reunited Dicks, however, still sound unbelievable and as good as they did in their initial run. In both settings the energy level is beyond comprehension as Floyd spits out hateful but hilarious musings in front of the enamored audience. The band appears to be straddling that fine line between keeping it together and plunging into pure chaos, and GODDAMN does it sound good, not to mention surprisingly musical. The album also contains two outtakes from the band's mythical Hate The Police single, "Pigs Run Wild" and "Hate The Police" (one of the best songs EVER). You don't even need to know anything about the Dicks to appreciate the timeless punk rock on display here, and considering the difficulty in finding any of their stuff, we can't recommend this highly enough. We don't have too many copies and are kinda unsure whether we can get more (this was released five years ago...) but we figured it would be criminal not to let people in on this opportunity.
MPEG Stream: "Wheelchair Epidemic (live 2005)"
MPEG Stream: "Kill From The Heart (live 1980)"
MPEG Stream: "Dicks Hate The Police (outtake 1980)"

DICKS Kill From The Heart (+ The Dicks Hate The Police) (Alternative Tentacles) cd 14.98
Kill From The Heart is the legendary debut from Texas / SF punks the Dicks, which featured a young Mr. Gary Floyd, who would later go on to form Sister Double Happiness. But back in 1980, in Austin Texas, Floyd was fronting the Dicks, a wild rambunctious band of political punks who terrorized and inspired in equal measure, Floyd was a seriously imposing frontman, the band confrontational and controversial, their first single a tale of a corrupt policeman abusing minorities ("The Dicks Hate The Police"), and songs featuring lyrics about homophobia and sexuality, amongst other charged topics. Their sound raw and feral, but still hooky and heavy, Floyd's voice super distinctive, their influence on other bands was immeasurable, even if some folks don't realize it. Mudhoney's "Hate The Police" is of course a Dicks cover, and Jesus Lizard covered the Dicks' "Wheelchair Epidemic", and the Butthole Surfers even wrote a song about Floyd called, of course "Gary Floyd".
This first incarnation of the band only lasted three years, with Floyd taking off for San Francisco, where he would reform the Dicks with a whole new lineup. Kill From The Heart was originally released in 1983 on SST and has been remastered by Jello Biafra, and for this reissue, the whole of the Dicks Hate The Police single has been tacked on as bonus tracks (they're included in the download with the lp version). We've been listening to this like crazy since it came out, and sort of forgot just how goddamn good this record was, and IS!
MPEG Stream: "Anti-Klan (Part One)"
MPEG Stream: "Rich Daddy"
MPEG Stream: "Little Boys' Feet"
MPEG Stream: "Dicks Hate The Police"

DICKS Kill From The Heart (+ The Dicks Hate The Police) (Alternative Tentacles) lp 14.98
Kill From The Heart is the legendary debut from Texas / SF punks the Dicks, which featured a young Mr. Gary Floyd, who would later go on to form Sister Double Happiness. But back in 1980, in Austin Texas, Floyd was fronting the Dicks, a wild rambunctious band of political punks who terrorized and inspired in equal measure, Floyd was a seriously imposing frontman, the band confrontational and controversial, their first single a tale of a corrupt policeman abusing minorities ("The Dicks Hate The Police"), and songs featuring lyrics about homophobia and sexuality, amongst other charged topics. Their sound raw and feral, but still hooky and heavy, Floyd's voice super distinctive, their influence on other bands was immeasurable, even if some folks don't realize it. Mudhoney's "Hate The Police" is of course a Dicks cover, and Jesus Lizard covered the Dicks' "Wheelchair Epidemic", and the Butthole Surfers even wrote a song about Floyd called, of course "Gary Floyd".
This first incarnation of the band only lasted three years, with Floyd taking off for San Francisco, where he would reform the Dicks with a whole new lineup. Kill From The Heart was originally released in 1983 on SST and has been remastered by Jello Biafra, and for this reissue, the whole of the Dicks Hate The Police single has been tacked on as bonus tracks (they're included in the download with the lp version). We've been listening to this like crazy since it came out, and sort of forgot just how goddamn good this record was, and IS!
MPEG Stream: "Anti-Klan (Part One)"
MPEG Stream: "Rich Daddy"
MPEG Stream: "Little Boys' Feet"
MPEG Stream: "Dicks Hate The Police"

DICKS These People (Alternative Tentacles) cd 14.98
These People is record number two legendary debut from Texas / SF punks the Dicks, which featured a young Mr. Gary Floyd (and at this point drummer Lynn Perko), both of whom would later go on to form Sister Double Happiness, but in 1983, the Dicks Mk II had just formed in SF after Floyd's relocation, and the new band reimagined the Dicks sound as something much more melodic and poppy, hinting at what was to come in SDH, and while it was definitely still punk, it was crazy catchy too, Floyd's voice much more controlled, the songs surprisingly polished, a few of the tracks here sounding almost like Sugar at times, hooks galore, but for every blast of pretty poppiness, there's another chunk of swaggery noisy punkiness, often some hybrid of the two, which is what made this record such a killer. And Floyd remained an imposing frontman, the band not shying away at all from the subject matter that made their first record so charged and controversial, in fact, the band found all sort of other injustices to rail against, including murdered Black Panther George Jackson, whose story is told in the album closer "George Jackson". But the sound of the band definitely alienated a segment of the punk rock community, and most likely contributed to the band's eventual breakup, and Floyd and Perko heading for poppy climes, but even now, after all these years, this record sounds better than ever. And the funny thing is back when we first discovered the Dicks, we sort of considered this the wussier record, with Kill From The Heart being THEE Dicks record, but some of these songs are hitting the spot big time, and giving Kill a run for its reissue money!
Originally released in 1985, on Alternative Tentacles, These People has been remastered by Jello Biafra, and for this reissue, the whole of the Peace? 7" single has been tacked on as bonus tracks (on both the vinyl and the cd).
MPEG Stream: "The Police (Force)"
MPEG Stream: "Off-Duty Sailor"
MPEG Stream: "Executive Dive"
MPEG Stream: "No Fuckin' War"

DICKS These People (Alternative Tentacles) lp 14.98
These People is record number two legendary debut from Texas / SF punks the Dicks, which featured a young Mr. Gary Floyd (and at this point drummer Lynn Perko), both of whom would later go on to form Sister Double Happiness, but in 1983, the Dicks Mk II had just formed in SF after Floyd's relocation, and the new band reimagined the Dicks sound as something much more melodic and poppy, hinting at what was to come in SDH, and while it was definitely still punk, it was crazy catchy too, Floyd's voice much more controlled, the songs surprisingly polished, a few of the tracks here sounding almost like Sugar at times, hooks galore, but for every blast of pretty poppiness, there's another chunk of swaggery noisy punkiness, often some hybrid of the two, which is what made this record such a killer. And Floyd remained an imposing frontman, the band not shying away at all from the subject matter that made their first record so charged and controversial, in fact, the band found all sort of other injustices to rail against, including murdered Black Panther George Jackson, whose story is told in the album closer "George Jackson". But the sound of the band definitely alienated a segment of the punk rock community, and most likely contributed to the band's eventual breakup, and Floyd and Perko heading for poppy climes, but even now, after all these years, this record sounds better than ever. And the funny thing is back when we first discovered the Dicks, we sort of considered this the wussier record, with Kill From The Heart being THEE Dicks record, but some of these songs are hitting the spot big time, and giving Kill a run for its reissue money!
Originally released in 1985, on Alternative Tentacles, These People has been remastered by Jello Biafra, and for this reissue, the whole of the Peace? 7" single has been tacked on as bonus tracks (on both the vinyl and the cd).
MPEG Stream: "The Police (Force)"
MPEG Stream: "Off-Duty Sailor"
MPEG Stream: "Executive Dive"
MPEG Stream: "No Fuckin' War"

DICTATORS Go Girl Crazy (Columbia) cd 5.00
**SALE **SALE* *SALE**

DIDDLEY, BO Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger (Geffen) cd 10.98
Almost 50 years after its release and still as raw, pleasing, and perfect sounding as ever. In lots of ways it seems as though Bo Diddley never really got his due. Besides being an electric guitar pioneer and rock n' roll forefather, Diddley knew something about soul, bare-bone execution, and smiling-with-purpose delivery that made his best records able to stand the test of time. You can't listen to Bo Diddley is a Gunslinger without your foot constantly bouncing up and down. You can't listen to his rendition of "Sixteen Tons" without your eyebrows raising in pleasant curiosity. You can't listen to him do the crawdaddy without wanting to join right along. Bo Diddley knew about that totally pure and raw space where you can feel music hit you in the greatest and most physical way. One of those timeless records that belongs in any music lovers collection. Whether your stereo is usually filled with the sounds of Japanese noise or no wave intensity or singer songwriter statements; this is a record that you can turn to and get refreshed by all the time. Diddley is an amazing example of someone who had the gift of making music that could ooze into our bodies and under our skin and next thing you know your whole body is moving your face is grinning and it feels so damn good. Thank you Mr. Diddley!
MPEG Stream: "Gun Slinger"
MPEG Stream: "Doing The Crawdaddy"

DIDDLEY, BO Bo Diddley Is A Gunslinger (Checker) lp 12.98
NOW REISSUED ON VINYL!
Almost 50 years after its release and still as raw, pleasing, and perfect sounding as ever. In lots of ways it seems as though Bo Diddley never really got his due. Besides being an electric guitar pioneer and rock n' roll forefather, Diddley knew something about soul, bare-bone execution, and smiling-with-purpose delivery that made his best records able to stand the test of time. You can't listen to Bo Diddley is a Gunslinger without your foot constantly bouncing up and down. You can't listen to his rendition of "Sixteen Tons" without your eyebrows raising in pleasant curiosity. You can't listen to him do the crawdaddy without wanting to join right along. Bo Diddley knew about that totally pure and raw space where you can feel music hit you in the greatest and most physical way. One of those timeless records that belongs in any music lovers collection. Whether your stereo is usually filled with the sounds of Japanese noise or no wave intensity or singer songwriter statements; this is a record that you can turn to and get refreshed by all the time. Diddley is an amazing example of someone who had the gift of making music that could ooze into our bodies and under our skin and next thing you know your whole body is moving your face is grinning and it feels so damn good. Thank you Mr. Diddley!
MPEG Stream: "Gun Slinger"
MPEG Stream: "Doing The Crawdaddy"

DIDDLEY, BO Have Guitar Will Travel (Chess) lp 12.98

DIDDLEY, BO The Black Gladiator (Future Days Recordings) cd 15.98
If there's any artists that really deserves some sort of epic retrospective that digs deeeeep into the archives, it's Bo Diddley. All too often he's celebrated for his unique charisma, but it's sometimes forgotten how many great records he actually made. Originally released in 1970, The Black Gladiator shows a much more psychedelic rock/blues side to Diddley's sound. The songs pack such a punch, and there's so much energy and conviction that you can almost feel Diddley's sweat oozing from every note. The lyrics cut to the core, perfect for the music, so raw, dirty, and full of attitude. Like a way more fucked up Booker T. & The MG's or Meters, or maybe Hendrix and Black Merda doing a tutorial for Lux from the Cramps. We're even reminded of that amazing weird blip in Chubby Checker's career that was documented on the mind blowing Chubby Checker Goes Psychedelic album.
There's no doubt that many future garage psych/blues masterminds were influenced by these sounds. You can pretty much hear the origins of folks like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Make Up, Dub Narcotic Sound System, The Gories, White Stripes and we even clocked a moment that The Beastie Boys sampled. And we're pretty sure that our favorite current garage rock artists like Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees either already treasure this album or would freak out if they were finally hearing it for the first time.

DIDDLEY, BO The Black Gladiator (Checker) lp 12.98
This reissue, also in stock on vinyl!
If there's any artists that really deserves some sort of epic retrospective that digs deeeeep into the archives, it's Bo Diddley. All too often he's celebrated for his unique charisma, but it's sometimes forgotten how many great records he actually made. Originally released in 1970, The Black Gladiator shows a much more psychedelic rock/blues side to Diddley's sound. The songs pack such a punch, and there's so much energy and conviction that you can almost feel Diddley's sweat oozing from every note. The lyrics cut to the core, perfect for the music, so raw, dirty, and full of attitude. Like a way more fucked up Booker T. & The MG's or Meters, or maybe Hendrix and Black Merda doing a tutorial for Lux from the Cramps. We're even reminded of that amazing weird blip in Chubby Checker's carreer that was documented on the mind blowing Chubby Checker Goes Psychedelic album.
There's no doubt that many future garage psych/blues masterminds were influenced by these sounds. You can pretty much hear the origins of folks like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Make Up, Dub Narcotic Sound System, The Gories, White Stripes and we even clocked a moment that The Beastie Boys sampled. And we're pretty sure that our favorite current garage rock artists like Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees either already treasure this album or would freak out if they were finally hearing it for the first time.
MPEG Stream: "Elephant Man"
MPEG Stream: "Black Soul"
MPEG Stream: "I Don't Like You"

DIDIMAO s/t (Cococonk Records) lp 11.98
Hell yeah! We've been experiencing a pretty rad renaissance in fucked up (in a great way) music coming out of the Bay Area recently. Didimao are for sure way fucked up and that fucked up sound just hits the spot so right on. Dark and spastic, psychedelic and eccentric, creepy and crawling - this is one of those awesome bands that you really can't sum up with one quick line or a single easy reference. But of course it is our job to try, so what we will say, is that they remind us a bit of the really exploratory stuff that came out of the post-punk scene back in the day, you know, like Saccharine Trust or Butthole Surfers as well as nice hints of Nurse With Wound, Mr. Bungle/Secret Chiefs, Silver Daggers, early Boredoms, Faust, Caroliner, Sun City Girls, 7 Year Rabbit Cycle etc. Anyone can be weird and out there, but Didimao have a true psychedelic spirit that really makes this record an awesome tripped out adventure to listen to, moving through so many sonic spaces and exploring each of them in such interesting and organic ways. Their cover of The Urinals "Surfing With The Shah" is taking us to some pretty fucking epic place where punks get hijacked by psychedelic droners which is, for lack of a better word sooooo rad! Makes perfect sense that Didimao used to jam in the same space Wildildlife, the two share a similar disregard for genre and are constantly blurring and melding different styles and sounds. Totally refreshing, confusing and rewarding. This is one fried and fucked up musical missive that we highly recommend!
MPEG Stream: "Fingernails"
MPEG Stream: "Surfing With The Shah"
MPEG Stream: "Pregnant Cop"

DIE ANTWOORD Ten$ion (Zef) cd 14.98
We've written a lot about super hyped YouTube phenoms, South African rave rappers Die Antwoord, do a quick search on the aQ site and check out the other DA reviews, we were pretty much obsessed with them from day one, as were most of our friends. It was hard not to be, especially after seeing the group's over the top videos, the tall gangly goofy tattooed redneck mainman, the impossibly cute elfin hype-girl, the over the top imagery, the ridiculous art design, the larger than life characters, the ridiculous rapping, the synth driven goofball anthems that actually KILLED, and were catchy as all get out. The band seemed to wear out their welcome, already dropped from their label, and with a sizable backlash, with people either proclaiming them stupid, or fakes, but as we mention in the other reviews, it doesn't matter. When we thought they were real South African ghetto rappers, we loved it, when we discovered it was a super well crafted musical art prank, we liked it even more. And you know what, the music STILL kills, the videos are still totally nuts, Yo-Landi, the elfin pixie with the coat made out of dead rats and the super severe (but impossibly hot) bleached white mullet, just gets more and more crush worthy, especially now what she's handling much of the vocal duties, before we go any further, take a second and watch the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uee_mcxvrw
How can you not be totally obsessed?! Still? Or AGAIN?! That's some total mindfuck / whatthefuck genius right there. And yeah, there is something to be said for Die Antwoord relying heavily on the visuals, and that removed from the videos, and without the larger than life characters, it's maybe not as immediate, but we defy folks who say the music sucks. Sure it's goofy and silly and dumb, puerile and ridiculous, but that's what makes it so goddamn fun. If you were in club, what would get your blood pumping more, a Rhianna song, some Lady Gaga hit, or "I Fink U Freeky", with that pulsing euro-rave synth, that inane but hypnotic chorus, that crazy rap, that speeds up weirdly midway through? No contest. And the record's pretty much overflowing with jams like that, huge buzzing synths, big dumb funky as fuck beats, bizarre vocals, over the top raps, if this was a record by some unknown producer, people would be flipping their shit, and rightfully so. Fuck the haters, and fuck the backlash, we love this shit, and it's pretty much all we want to listen to. And if we actually danced, you can bet this would be our JAM.
MPEG Stream: "Never Le Nkemise"
MPEG Stream: "I Fink U Freaky"
MPEG Stream: "Fatty Boom Boom"

DIE HAUT AND NICK CAVE Burnin' the Ice (Hit Thing) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
I (Andee) don't know too much about the super complex and convoluted history of eighties post punk / industrial / whatever music (Einsterzende Neubauten, Die Haut, Birthday Party, Lydia Lunch, etc.) but I do know how totally blown away I was the first time I heard this record (that was just about 2 weeks ago). Hey, sorry! In the early eighties I was busy beginning my rapid descent into metalheaddom! Anyway, this is Die Haut's 1983 debut full length, only now finally getting the deluxe reissue treatment 20 years later, and man has it withstood the test of time remarkably well. Perhaps most well known for Nick Cave's guest vocals (although guest vocalists on other Die Haut albums have included Kim Gordon, Lydia Lunch, Deborah Harry, Blixa Bargeld and loads more), Burnin' The Ice is a chaotic, jagged slab of swampy propulsive gloom rock. Acidic dual guitar melodies slither and intertwine over pounding heavily reverbed drums and throbbing distorted bass. Cave's wailing testifying is the perfect match for Die Haut's intensely bleak sludgescapes.
A dark and desolate mix of punk, surf, sludge and gloom. Think Joy Division, the Bad Seeds, Gun Club, Birthday Party and the like. Actually, a much more apt, but way more obscure comparison would be the late great Lubricated Goat (one of Allan and Andee's favorite bands). Not just because they are Australians like Mr. Cave, but because they too trafficked in the sludgy, driving darkness that Die Haut got so right on Burnin' The Ice. In fact now that I've finally heard this record, I'm a little suspicious that Lubricated Goat owe more than a passing nod to the band that was doin' the Lubricated Goat thing at least 4 years before they were. Burnin' The Ice is a relentless musical death march, blighted and austere, grim and funereal, and so so good.
MPEG Stream: "Stow-A-Way"
MPEG Stream: "Truck Love"

DIE HAUT AND NICK CAVE Burnin' the Ice (Hit Thing) lp + dvd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
I (Andee) don't know too much about the super complex and convoluted history of eighties post punk / industrial / whatever music (Einsterzende Neubauten, Die Haut, Birthday Party, Lydia Lunch, etc.) but I do know how totally blown away I was the first time I heard this record (that was just about 2 weeks ago). Hey, sorry! In the early eighties I was busy beginning my rapid descent into metalheaddom! Anyway, this is Die Haut's 1983 debut full length, only now finally getting the deluxe reissue treatment 20 years later, and man has it withstood the test of time remarkably well. Perhaps most well known for Nick Cave's guest vocals (although guest vocalists on other Die Haut albums have included Kim Gordon, Lydia Lunch, Deborah Harry, Blixa Bargeld and loads more), Burnin' The Ice is a chaotic, jagged slab of swampy propulsive gloom rock. Acidic dual guitar melodies slither and intertwine over pounding heavily reverbed drums and throbbing distorted bass. Cave's wailing testifying is the perfect match for Die Haut's intensely bleak sludgescapes.
A dark and desolate mix of punk, surf, sludge and gloom. Think Joy Division, the Bad Seeds, Gun Club, Birthday Party and the like. Actually, a much more apt, but way more obscure comparison would be the late great Lubricated Goat (one of Allan and Andee's favorite bands). Not just because they are Australians like Mr. Cave, but because they too trafficked in the sludgy, driving darkness that Die Haut got so right on Burnin' The Ice. In fact now that I've finally heard this record, I'm a little suspicious that Lubricated Goat owe more than a passing nod to the band that was doin' the Lubricated Goat thing at least 4 years before they were. Burnin' The Ice is a relentless musical death march, blighted and austere, grim and funereal, and so so good. Includes a bonus DVD of a live show recorded in 1982!
MPEG Stream: "Stow-A-Way"
MPEG Stream: "Truck Love"

DIE MONITR BATSS / MATMOS Di/vorce Series #2 (Ache) 7" 5.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
For the second installment of Ache Records' Di/vorce split 7" series, they've corralled AQ pals Matmos and the haphazard Die Monitr Batss from the Pacific Northwest. For their part of the bargain, Die Monitr Batss offer up some skronky, lo-fi, no-wave aspirations. Meanwhile on the flipside, Matmos tackle Gladys Knight & The Pips' "On And On" although it's pretty darn difficult to recognize it once it's been put through the duo's surgical choppity chop treatment. Indeed, their contribution is an assemblage of deep, gravelly fragments of funk. Limited pressing of 1000.

DIE TRIP COMPUTER DIE We Are Your Friends (Alcohol) cd 17.98
What makes me think Bobby Conn is behind this? Especially on the rollicking second song "America's Burning". A generous scattering of strange, effected movie dialogue samples, blankets of seething drones (check out the sixth track "Bad Weather Circuits" for an affecting, textured soundscape), quirky, noisy melodies, and the very Conn/William Shatner/Harvey Sid Fisher-esque vocal stylings make this quite a freakishly entertaining ride. A ride that comes to a bit of a wistful close with the sampled strains of the Carpenters' "Calling Occupants Of Inter Planetary Craft". Of course, Bobby Conn actually has nothing to do with this, it's a UK group with folks from the legendary Homosexuals.

DIE YELLOW SWANS / JOHN WIESE split (Jyrk) 7" 2.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
A couple of these singles came our way when Yellow Swans blew through town a while back. John Wiese is from Bastard Noise and Sissy Spacek; (Die/ Das/ Dance/ D.) Yellow Swans are from Portland and they use a table full of outdated electronics to make blisteringly distorted yet dancable noise punk, or sometimes simply blistering noise, depending on their mood. This record definitely falls into the latter category! Loud and crunchy.

DIE! DIE! DIE! Form (Flying Nun) cd 13.98
As we've no doubt mentioned before, there was a time, when aQuarius was one of the few places you could get NZ underground music, and in particular, Flying Nun records, and the Flying Nun sound sort of defined aQ, we were the source for so many amazing discs by bands like Tall Dwarfs, The Chills, The Bats, Bailter Space, The Dead C, The Renderers, The Terminals, The Gordons, Able Tasmans, Straightjacket Fits, The Clean, The Verlaines and so many more. All of them so different, but somehow all tied together by this distinctly NZ sound.
While over the years we continued to dig that NZ sound, but Flying Nun seemed to cease functioning, or at the very least began to focus more on New Zealand and less on getting those records overseas. Not sure what, but something happened recently, some new distribution deal we presume, maybe new management, but Flying Nun is still a going concern, and all the old classics are available again, legendary records by those abovementioned bands, available to a whole new generation who just might have discovered their new favorite label.
Along with all those classics, seems FN is also actively releasing records by a new wave of NZ underground rock, groups like The Mint Chicks, Ghost Club, Garageland, Grayson Gilmour (reviewed elsewhere on this list) and these guys, Die! Die! Die! We actually saw D!D!D! play in SF years ago, but that ramshackle somewhat underwhelming performance hardly prepared us for this killer collection of frantic shoegazey punky power/noise pop.
Apparently, the band have indeed and perhaps purposely transformed from a more angular noisy unit into this, a heavy, hooky, shoegazey pop band, capable of creating jangly indie rock one, dense brooding downer pop and frenetic caffeinated noise pop, more often some twisted hybrid of the three, we hear a LOT of Built To Spill, especially on tracks like "Daze", with its droney crunchy guitars and very Martsch-like croon (which the more we listen seems to pop up quite a bit), but we also hear bits of Maximo Park, My Bloody Valentine, Pixies, Wire, the sound alternatingly noisy and punky, tightly wound and almost new wave-y. There's a definite nineties inde rock vibe, with some crazy catchy songs, and a super lush, driving bass heavy sound that perfectly balances the big crunchy angular guitars. The more we listen to this, the more these songs grow on us, quickly becoming a new pop fave...
MPEG Stream: "Caseman"
MPEG Stream: "How Ye"
MPEG Stream: "We Built Our Own Oppressors"

DIE! DIE! DIE! Form (Flying Nun) lp 14.98
As we've no doubt mentioned before, there was a time, when aQuarius was one of the few places you could get NZ underground music, and in particular, Flying Nun records, and the Flying Nun sound sort of defined aQ, we were the source for so many amazing discs by bands like Tall Dwarfs, The Chills, The Bats, Bailter Space, The Dead C, The Renderers, The Terminals, The Gordons, Able Tasmans, Straightjacket Fits, The Clean, The Verlaines and so many more. All of them so different, but somehow all tied together by this distinctly NZ sound.
While over the years we continued to dig that NZ sound, but Flying Nun seemed to cease functioning, or at the very least began to focus more on New Zealand and less on getting those records overseas. Not sure what, but something happened recently, some new distribution deal we presume, maybe new management, but Flying Nun is still a going concern, and all the old classics are available again, legendary records by those abovementioned bands, available to a whole new generation who just might have discovered their new favorite label.
Along with all those classics, seems FN is also actively releasing records by a new wave of NZ underground rock, groups like The Mint Chicks, Ghost Club, Garageland, Grayson Gilmour (reviewed elsewhere on this list) and these guys, Die! Die! Die! We actually saw D!D!D! play in SF years ago, but that ramshackle somewhat underwhelming performance hardly prepared us for this killer collection of frantic shoegazey punky power/noise pop.
Apparently, the band have indeed and perhaps purposely transformed from a more angular noisy unit into this, a heavy, hooky, shoegazey pop band, capable of creating jangly indie rock one, dense brooding downer pop and frenetic caffeinated noise pop, more often some twisted hybrid of the three, we hear a LOT of Built To Spill, especially on tracks like "Daze", with its droney crunchy guitars and very Martsch-like croon (which the more we listen seems to pop up quite a bit), but we also hear bits of Maximo Park, My Bloody Valentine, Pixies, Wire, the sound alternatingly noisy and punky, tightly wound and almost new wave-y. There's a definite nineties inde rock vibe, with some crazy catchy songs, and a super lush, driving bass heavy sound that perfectly balances the big crunchy angular guitars. The more we listen to this, the more these songs grow on us, quickly becoming a new pop fave...
MPEG Stream: "Caseman"
MPEG Stream: "How Ye"
MPEG Stream: "We Built Our Own Oppressors"

DIESELHED Chico and the Flute (Bongload) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Even if all they had were their unbelievably catchy melodies and those heartbreakingly lovely harmonies, Dieselhed would fucking rule. But there's so much more. The band's brilliance lies in being able to set marvelously "regular" slice-of-life lyrics to the most unexpectedly epic song structures. (Example: One of their most epic pieces of bombastic melodicism, "Forklift Test", is set to lyrics about passing a forklift driver test.)
The band has always been foremost a rock band with twang in its heart, and often that heart is worn on Dieselhed's sleeve. Chico and the Flute, however, marks a very slight turn away from the twanginess and into a more gently-mocking AM-radio soft rock/soul flavor -- as evidenced by their cover of the classic Stax hit "Starting All Over Again". It's great stuff, and this album features three or four of their best songs ever. We recommend that if you're new to the band, you start with "Elephant Rest Home", their fourth album, first. If you're already as big a fan of Dieselhed as I am, though, then this record is pretty much a necessity.
RealAudio clip: "Gentle Grooming"
RealAudio clip: "Bright Lights"

DIESELHED Elephant Rest Home (Bongload) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Dieselhed's 4th album is a sweet collection of all of the slow songs and ballads that have become their well loved standards in their live sets, yet have not made their way onto tape until now! Their 'real life' catalog of straightforward, quotidian lyrics about life in Eureka, drunken mishaps on Alaskan fishing boats, lap dancing, etc... are perfectly complemented by twangy, melodic hooks and stunningly sublime harmonies worthy of comparisons to Louvin Brothers and Lennon-McCartney. One of Windy's all-time favorite bands.
RealAudio clip: "Trucker's Alibi"

DIESELHED Shallow Water Blackout (Amarillo) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE. SORRY
One of San Francisco's best bands breaks out with their 3rd full length, a little more twang and slow and a little less rock than their previous work but JUST AS GREAT. We can't stress enough how rewarding a close reading of Virgil and Zack's lyrics can be ("Is that paint, I can't tell / A white square where a picture fell"). And don't forget to wait for the last hidden track, "Yoga Instructor").

DIESELHED Tales of a Brown Dragon (Amarillo) cd 14.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT, SORRY. PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT.
My favorite local band has come the closest to recreating the glory of their live shows! All the recent favorites are here: "Brown Dragon" (which everyone thinks is the "Station Wagon Song"), "Pizza Box," "Wedding Song," "John the Butcher Boy," "Snow Blind in the Liquor Store." Bonus: all the lyrics are printed on various casks and teapots. Guests include "Neckhead" (Bungle's Trey Spruance) and Ralph Carney. The lyrics to "Forklift Test," one of Dieselhed's more epic songs are so brilliantly mundane:

this guy at work he just bought
a revolutionary car part.
it's called the ionizer and it reverses the electrical charge
as the gas hits the carb.
well he tried to sell me one
even though i did not have a car.

DIETER BIHLMAIER SELECTION The SWF-Session 1973 (Long Hair) cd 27.00
From the same studio that produced the amazing prog rock blowout that was the Cannabis India record from last list, comes this amazing flute led free jazz freakout from the Dieter Bihlmaier Selection, and as you probably know full well by now, we're suckers for the flute, especially when it's in the context of some fierce prog or far out jazz, as is the case here, a stripped down trio of just flute, bass and drums, recorded in 1973, this finds the band lean and mean, and so fierce, yet melodic and moody, groovy and jazzy and dreamy, slipping from fluttery drift to full on frenzy, Bihlmaier is an incredible player, expressive and all over the place, pure tones give way to stuttery breathy bursts, wild melodic runs, all tangled up with the bad ass rhythm section who lay down some seriously krautrocky jazz rhythms, locked in tight, mesmerizing and hypnotic, letting the flute do its thing over the top, but occasionally rising up and meeting the flute head on, the instruments doing a dense and dangerous dance, swirling, whirling and wild. The drums and bass get their time in the spotlight, but it's definitely all about the flute, and how the three mesh, even when they're all going full bore, which is much of the time. Hard to get your head around how three guys can be playing so wildly and so free, and yet the sounds can all fit together so perfectly. Heavy and heady and definitely far out, one of our new favorite jazz discoveries. Dying to find out what other amazing stuff SWR has tucked away in their vaults...
MPEG Stream: "Ovation"
MPEG Stream: "Roulette"

DIFF'RENT STROKES This Isn't It (Guided Missile) cd ep 6.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Usually it takes some time - months... even years - for muzak versions of "hits" to surface, but this one plopped out quite swiftly. A dorky, cheesy Bontempi organ-ified rush job of an EP covering four Strokes songs (dubbed a "heartfelt tribute to New York's finest band" huh?!). A very large, chubby-cheeked Gary Coleman face graces the CD... need we say more? No? How 'bout... pretty dumb.
RealAudio clip: "Last Nite"

DIFRANCO, ANI Canon (Righteous Babe) cd 21.00

DIFRANCO, ANI Educated Glass (Righteous Babe) cd 16.98
The seemingly tireless Ani Difranco pleases her legions of fans and herself with this new album, the follow-up to last year's Evolve. Ever since her first album back in 1989, she's proven herself an incredibly inspiring, consistent and prolific independent force. Now sixteen (or is it seventeen?) albums later, she's exploring some new sonic and songwriting territories, not to mention performing all of the instruments and vocals herself - so truly d.i.y.! But yes, it all still resonates with that distinct Difranco quirky poetic earthiness.
MPEG Stream: "Educated Guess"
MPEG Stream: "The True Story Of What Was"

DIFRANCO, ANI Evolve (Righteous Babe) cd 15.98
New Ani Difranco.

DIFRANCO, ANI Living In Clip (Righteous Babe) 2cd 23.00
Ani's "double live album containing over 2 hours of music and a spankin' 36 page photo book."

DIFRANCO, ANI Not a Pretty Girl (Righteous Babe) cd 15.98

DIFRANCO, ANI Revelling Reckoning (Righteous Babe) 2cd 23.00
As the cd package clearly states "Two discs. 29 new songs. Two hours of music. One righteous babe." Do you really need any more? I didn't think so.

DIFRANCO, ANI So Much Shouting / So Much Laughter (Righteous Babe) 2cd 23.00
More live Ani.

DIFRANCO, ANI Swing Set (Righteous Babe) cdep 8.98
The album cut "Swing" plus 4 otherwise unreleased songs, including a live Woody Guthrie cover with help from Gillian Welch and others. Also studio versions of songs by Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan, as America's #1 alt-folkie gives props to her heroes of the past.

DIFRANCO, ANI To The Teeth (Righteous Babe) cd 16.98
Newest record from everyone's favorite folk rock heroine/ businesswoman/ entrepeneur. This time with special guests Maceo Parker and Prince (!).

DIG THAT BODY UP, IT'S ALIVE A Corpse Is Forever (Rock Is Hell) lp 21.00
When you think Bay Area and 'metal', you probably think Metallica, or Exodus, maybe even Testament. But had things gone a little differently, you might be thinking Dig That Body Up, It's Alive. Okay, well, maybe not, but if you were us, and you had been lucky enough to experience the freaked out metallic damage of this SF trio back in the day, this record would be having you losing your mind. And hell, even if you missed out on the DTBUIA years, which most folks probably did, one listen to this record, will immediately transport you to some dark sweaty hole in the wall, right into the middle of a heaving mass of sweaty kids, while right at the center, a guitarist and a drummer duel to the death, while the vocalist grunts and growls, climbing into the rafters, hanging from pipes, leaping into the crowd, rolling around on the floor. You may not have been there, but it's easy to hear what it must have been like.
Dig The Body Up, It's Alive featured SF luminary John Dwyer (Coachwhips, OCS, Ohsees, Pink And Brown, Landed) on guitar and Oren Canfield (Child Abuse) on drums and the mighty Nate Denver (Total Shutdown, Nate Denver's Neck) on vocals. Dwyer's guitar is most definitely the focal point, his guitar emitting short bursts of convoluted metallic fury, the riffs squiggly and angular as often as downtuned and chugging, the drums the perfect foil, blasts of double kick, strange mathy grooves, full on blast beats, everything lurching and stumbling, stop start stop and start again, chaotic and furious, like some alien strain of death metal filtered through these three guys' cracked musical filter. Above it all, Denver growling and grunting, death metal gurgles, telling tales of dragons and monsters and other completely off the wall stuff.
Side A is a serious of brief metallic bursts, riff after riff, squealing and grinding, thrashing and flailing. Dizzying and confusional, heavy and dense and completely damaged sounding. The flip side however is a whole 'nother thing entirely. A single side long jam. A single riff, repeating and looping, mesmerizing and hypnotic. Like a more aggro and angular Circle. Totally crushing, but strangely trancelike. Near the half way point, everything stops, Denver hisses out some creepy lyrics and the band launch right back into it. A couple more false endings, but each time the band head right back in, picking up right where they left off, pounding that riff into utter oblivion.
Finally, when the song really does end, the last note rings out, a shimmering ominous metallic drone, over which Denver recites a lengthy and super tweaked chunk of spoken word, more princesses and monsters and the like... So awesome.
Originally slated to come out on tUMULt before the band died a premature death, this is finally seeing the light of day thanks to the always killer Rock Is Hell label. Vinyl only, limited to 333 copies. The covers are hand screened, inside and out, and there's an insert with Denver's history of the band.
And as if we even needed to say it, WAY RECOMMENDED!

DIGITAL LEATHER Sorcerer (Goner Records) cd 10.98

DIGITALISM Idealism (Astralwerks) cd 14.98
The debut album from this German crunchy synth-rock duo fuses lots of analog keyboard, fuzzy guitar, open/closed post-punk hi-hat repetition, mantric vocoder vocals, and a pretty killer remixed "Fire In Cairo" (Cure) sample. Most songs build at a calculated pace giving listeners an overall sense that the circuit board is about to explode. Idealism is a really impressive first album that is highly recommended for fans of The Faint, Justice, M83, New Order, Daft Punk, Fatboy Slim, and The Rapture.
MPEG Stream: "Idealistic"
MPEG Stream: "Moonlight"

DIGNAN PORCH Deluded (Captured Tracks) 12" 13.98
Brand new batch of twisted psychedelic summery druggy dream pop from this oddly monikered UK one man band, and it's simply more of what we loved about the last record. If anything, this new one sounds way less lo-fi, the guitars are alternatingly warm and jangly, crumbly and crunchy and fuzzy, the vocals are multi tracked into strange harmonies, the sound simple but so sweetly shimmery, the vocals reverbed and draped over lilting major key jangle pop, sounding almost like a more home brewed bedroom version of aQ pop faves Telekinesis.
But it's not all sunshine, the band do manage to get a little bit dour and minor key now and again, and those might be our favorites, "Like It Was Again" (a redone and polished up version of a song from the first record) is total mix tape heaven, simple propulsive drumming, fuzzy jangle, sweet vocals, and a haunting Cure like melody wrapped around everything, there's also a buzzy minimal guitar solo that just sort of replays the main melody. "Stream" is another one, a brooding strummer, with creepy fields of feedback, and a gorgeous main minor key melody, the song exploding into full psychedelia, the guitars distorted and heavily effected, before slipping right back into the lope and brood. And in fact, the record gets less and less summery feeling with each listen, maybe more like a rainy summer day, indoors, the sun hidden behind the clouds, the sound a little bit gloomy and barely cold wavey here and there, but so catchy, and as much as we dug Tendrils, this one sounds EVEN better. Most definitely a new fave. And fans of the Captured Tracks usual suspects (Beach Fossils, Blank Dogs, Hanoi Janes, Minks, Soft Moon), who have yet to check this guy out, well, this would be as good a place as any to start!
MPEG Stream: "Yards"
MPEG Stream: "Like It Was Again"
MPEG Stream: "Stream"

DIGNAN PORCH Nothing Bad Will Ever Happen (Captured Tracks) cd 13.98
Latest full length from UK garage poppers Dignan Porch, and like Tendrils before it, Nothing Bad Will Ever happen is another fantastic collection of sunshiney, jangly, crunchy, ramshackle pop, heavy on the hooks, lots of swirling keyboards, sad boy vox, and all the usual garage pop stuff we dig, but this time around, the band seems to rock a lot more (due in part to the fact that it really IS a band this time, whereas Tendrils was a one man band type deal), just check out "Sad Shape", which starts out all minor key and jangly, stripped down and spare, but soon, a heavily effected guitar swoops in, giving the song a seriously psychedelic vibe, and then the choruses, kind of crunchy and fuzzy, the drums busy, the guitars soaring, and then for the last minute, the band go full on psych rock freakout, and it sounds amazing! The swirling synths somehow keeping it grounded and firmly rooted in garage pop territory rather than psychedelic space rock, but it's a pretty potent combo, and one that suits DP pretty well. And while those moments tend to be fleeting, some crunchy riffing here, some weirdly sci-fi effected murky psychedelia there, stretches of super distorted fuzz guitar and some seriously heavy feedback drenched dirgery, they perfectly compliment the groups impeccable popsmithery, which is in full effect here, with the group delivering some of their catchiest songs yet, and even minus that extra heft, this record would be blowing up our stereo like crazy, but that extra fuzz and crunch just seals the deal. A new favorite for sure!
MPEG Stream: "Picking Up Dust"
MPEG Stream: "Sad Shape"
MPEG Stream: "She Is Landing"
MPEG Stream: "Darkness"

DIGNAN PORCH Nothing Bad Will Ever Happen (Captured Tracks) lp 15.98
Also now here on vinyl! We listed the cd version last time, thusly:
Latest full length from UK garage poppers Dignan Porch, and like Tendrils before it, Nothing Bad Will Ever happen is another fantastic collection of sunshiney, jangly, crunchy, ramshackle pop, heavy on the hooks, lots of swirling keyboards, sad boy vox, and all the usual garage pop stuff we dig, but this time around, the band seems to rock a lot more (due in part to the fact that it really IS a band this time, whereas Tendrils was a one man band type deal), just check out "Sad Shape", which starts out all minor key and jangly, stripped down and spare, but soon, a heavily effected guitar swoops in, giving the song a seriously psychedelic vibe, and then the choruses, kind of crunchy and fuzzy, the drums busy, the guitars soaring, and then for the last minute, the band go full on psych rock freakout, and it sounds amazing! The swirling synths somehow keeping it grounded and firmly rooted in garage pop territory rather than psychedelic space rock, but it's a pretty potent combo, and one that suits DP pretty well. And while those moments tend to be fleeting, some crunchy riffing here, some weirdly sci-fi effected murky psychedelia there, stretches of super distorted fuzz guitar and some seriously heavy feedback drenched dirgery, they perfectly compliment the groups impeccable popsmithery, which is in full effect here, with the group delivering some of their catchiest songs yet, and even minus that extra heft, this record would be blowing up our stereo like crazy, but that extra fuzz and crunch just seals the deal. A new favorite for sure!
MPEG Stream: "Picking Up Dust"
MPEG Stream: "Sad Shape"
MPEG Stream: "She Is Landing"
MPEG Stream: "Darkness"

DIGNAN PORCH On A Ride (Captured Tracks) 7" 7.98
One of FOUR new Captured Tracks 7"s on this week's list: Hanoi Janes, Cosmetics and Wetdog, all reviewed nearbly, but this one is from a UK outfit called weirdly Dignan Porch, whose sound is total summery feel good, lo-fi, jangly garage pop, with effects heavy guitars, rebverby lilting melancholic sad boy vocals, shuffly drums, very lo-fi but still in its own way a bit lush. Hazy, washed out, shuffly and slouchy and crazy catchy.
The B-side is way more stripped down, with acoustic guitars, and a vibe that's a bit more dour and gothy, kind of like some cold wave groove mashed into a Sebadoh / Guided By Voices chunk of jangle pop. So catchy and fun, and definitely reminiscent of that era in the nineties, when this sort of thing filled our every mix tape! Another winner for sure.

DIGNAN PORCH Tendrils (Captured Tracks) cd 13.98
Another Captured Tracks band, whose recent 7" had us all in a tizzy, with its reverby jangle and slouchy sad boy indie rock shuffle. We compared that Dignan Porch release to Sebadoh and Guided By Voices, which totally hit the spot.
The full length offers up more of the same, but with some subtle changes, a swirling folky, jangly swirl of weirdo distorted vocals, heavily effected guitars, short short songs, most hovering around the two minute mark, the vibe melancholy and minor key, the sound raw and rough and lo-fi, the hooks subtle, but definitely there, the indie jangle of the 7" infused with more of a dour doom folk vibe here too, with lots of acoustic guitar, hazy reverb, washed out ambience, the songs lilting and darkly personal, with vocals that shift from cockney croon, to distorted howl, to high keening falsetto, the tracks laced with buzz, a patina of grit, layered and murky and mysterious, and definitely poppy, but almost as if the poppiness was an accident, a byproduct of this soul baring, home brewed folk pop, a darkly dreamlike, bedroom-recorded, old crummy cassette, late night, druggy, summery mixtape, of strummy, starry mystery. Whew!
MPEG Stream: "The Game We Made"
MPEG Stream: "As You Were"
MPEG Stream: "Flowers In May"
MPEG Stream: "Footsteps"

DIGNAN PORCH Tendrils (Captured Tracks) lp 16.98
Whoo-hoo! Now on vinyl!!
Another Captured Tracks band, whose recent 7" had us all in a tizzy, with its reverby jangle and slouchy sad boy indie rock shuffle. We compared that Dignan Porch release to Sebadoh and Guided By Voices, which totally hit the spot.
The full length offers up more of the same, but with some subtle changes, a swirling folky, jangly swirl of weirdo distorted vocals, heavily effected guitars, short short songs, most hovering around the two minute mark, the vibe melancholy and minor key, the sound raw and rough and lo-fi, the hooks subtle, but definitely there, the indie jangle of the 7" infused with more of a dour doom folk vibe here too, with lots of acoustic guitar, hazy reverb, washed out ambience, the songs lilting and darkly personal, with vocals that shift from cockney croon, to distorted howl, to high keening falsetto, the tracks laced with buzz, a patina of grit, layered and murky and mysterious, and definitely poppy, but almost as if the poppiness was an accident, a byproduct of this soul baring, home brewed folk pop, a darkly dreamlike, bedroom-recorded, old crummy cassette, late night, druggy, summery mixtape, of strummy, starry mystery. Whew!
MPEG Stream: "The Game We Made"
MPEG Stream: "As You Were"
MPEG Stream: "Flowers In May"
MPEG Stream: "Footsteps"

DIIV Oshin (Captured Tracks) cd 14.98
Finally, the long awaited full length from these eighties beholden jangle pop shoegazers, formerly known by the same name, but with a much more standard (and already taken apparently) spelling. This Brooklyn outfit features members of aQ faves the Beach Fossils and the Smith Westerns, and takes the sound of both of those previous groups, tangles it all up and douses it in thick swaths of reverb and lush layers of crystalline guitars, the vocals nearly buried in the mix, a hazy washed out croon, that more often than not is simply another lush layer to add to the already blurry, bleary dreamscape. Within this fuzzy dreampop soundworld, Diiv manage to conjure up some surprisingly disparate sounds, sweet twee indie pop one second, and loping, almost krautrock like mesmer the next (just check out "Air Conditioning"), but the sound remains consistent, like listening through ears full of cotton, everything deliriously and dreamily hazy, with various elements slipping surreptitiously to the fore, whether it's a twangy bit of guitar, a soaring bit of Big Country / U2 like melody, or some slithery Joy Divisiony bassline, the tracks rife with hooks, and perfect melody, the group nearly obscuring their deft pop songsmithery with their druggy production, but it makes for a potent combo, and on repeated listens, what at first sounded like another entry in the already crowded reverb heavy retro pop field, has blossomed into what is fast becoming a new pop favorite. WAY recommended.
MPEG Stream: "(Druun)"
MPEG Stream: "Air Conditioning"
MPEG Stream: "Doused"
MPEG Stream: "Home"

DIIV Oshin (Captured Tracks) lp 16.98
Now here, at last, to list, on vinyl too... Finally, the long awaited full length from these eighties beholden jangle pop shoegazers, formerly known by the same name, but with a much more standard (and already taken apparently) spelling. This Brooklyn outfit features members of aQ faves the Beach Fossils and the Smith Westerns, and takes the sound of both of those previous groups, tangles it all up and douses it in thick swaths of reverb and lush layers of crystalline guitars, the vocals nearly buried in the mix, a hazy washed out croon, that more often than not is simply another lush layer to add to the already blurry, bleary dreamscape. Within this fuzzy dreampop soundworld, Diiv manage to conjure up some surprisingly disparate sounds, sweet twee indie pop one second, and loping, almost krautrock like mesmer the next (just check out "Air Conditioning"), but the sound remains consistent, like listening through ears full of cotton, everything deliriously and dreamily hazy, with various elements slipping surreptitiously to the fore, whether it's a twangy bit of guitar, a soaring bit of Big Country / U2 like melody, or some slithery Joy Divisiony bassline, the tracks rife with hooks, and perfect melody, the group nearly obscuring their deft pop songsmithery with their druggy production, but it makes for a potent combo, and on repeated listens, what at first sounded like another entry in the already crowded reverb heavy retro pop field, has blossomed into what is fast becoming a new pop favorite. WAY recommended.
MPEG Stream: "(Druun)"
MPEG Stream: "Air Conditioning"
MPEG Stream: "Doused"
MPEG Stream: "Home"

DIKES OF HOLLAND s/t (Sundae Records) lp 14.98

DILETTANTES, THE 101 Tambourines (Strange Touch) cd 13.98
This new(ish) SF quintet have some recognizable faces from the Bay Area music scene onboard. We suspect there might not be over a hundred tambourines on this album, but front man the mutton-chopped Joel Gion (formerly of Brian Jonestown Massacre) gives the one he's got a thorough workout here nonetheless. His band The Dilletantes blend the key sounds of all the '70s rock kingpins. Y'know, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, MC5! The tambourine and maraca peppered results are the kind of loose bluesy rawk'n'roll that never goes out of style!
MPEG Stream: "Ready To Go"
MPEG Stream: "Like Crazy"