DRILL MAN Rica On (FMN) cd 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Like the rest of the FMN roster, noise and punk have their place in the music of Drill Man, but it's really much more of a pop thing at heart with this band.

DRINK THE BLEACH s/t (self-released) cd ep 5.98
This came out a while ago, and for some reason we never reviewed it, but we were listening to it recently, and realized how fucking kick ass these guys were, and figured there were probably some other folks out there who would dig this as well.
SF heavies kicking out some serious skull crushing jams, falling somewhere between the punkish metal bombast of Northwestern groups like Karp and the Melvins, godheadSilo, and any of the heavier hitters from the classic Amphetamine Reptile stable, so you know what that means, relentlessly rocking churning chugging noise rock / punk metal blowouts, huge downtuned riffage, bad ass drumming, howled vox, the band locking into full on burly grooves, about as fierce and furious as it gets, not sure why these guys didn't blow up, never saw them live, but it sounds like they must have slayed, this stuff is dense and dark, loud and intense, frenzied but also right as fuck, with plenty of melodies, and lots of hooks hidden amidst the pound and pummel, fans of any of the above mentioned bands should grab these while they last, got a handful left, and as the band is dead and gone, we might not be able to get more.
MPEG Stream: "Freeway"
MPEG Stream: "There's Nothing"

DRISCOLL, DENNIS Hello Dennis Driscoll (Little Pad) cd 13.98
Up until now, young Olympia, WA pop pup Dennis Driscoll has released only a couple of 7"s, drawing a bunch of indie Oly acclaim, but finally a full length has emerged of his boyish Daniel Johnston / Jad Fair super-lo-fi, fragile, quirky pop. Shy boy odes to sweet, teenage romance. Fans of Mr. Johnston and Mr. Fair -- meet the new lad in town.

DRISCOLL, DENNIS I Hardly Ever See You (Little Pad) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Start 'em early in pop camp! Forget about all those indie Oly kids feigning prepubescence. Dennis Driscoll is the real thing. Writing and performing these four songs and drawing the record artwork. Charming and super sweet. On clear blue vinyl.

DRISCOLL, JULIE / BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY Streetnoise (PolyGram) cd 15.98

DRIVE LIKE JEHU Yank Crime (Swami) cd 13.98
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AT LONG LAST, AGAIN BACK IN PRINT!! Here's what we said seven years ago when Swami first reissued this (and we made it a Record Of The Week):
Sometimes it's hard to believe that certain records just go out of print. I mean who would let the Conet Project go out of print, or Souled American, or the Incredible String Band. It's even weirder when the record is not old or obscure. Then it's usually some bureaucratic red tape or major label bullshit that keeps people from hearing some great record. Such is the case with the second, ultimate release from San Diego's Drive Like Jehu, originally released on Interscope in 1994. A record Allan and Andee and Jim and Sadie and Windy and quite possibly the rest of the AQ staff would rank as one of the best rock records ever! Easily as good/important as Slint's Spiderland. For those who don't know, Drive Like Jehu was fronted by John Reis of Rocket From The Crypt (who has now reissued Yank Crime on his own Swami label) and featured vocalist Rick Farr (his rock name, he's also known as Eric Froberg) who later went on with Reis to play in the Hot Snakes. Drive Like Jehu also just happened to have one of the tightest rhythm sections EVER. E V E R! Yank Crime is a tightly wound record of 'post rock' (before post rock meant watered down instrumental indie rock bullshit) with head nodding, repetitive grooves, propulsive, ultra concise drumming, and some of the most inventive guitar playing we've ever heard. All topped off with Farr's distinctive high pitched vocals (familiar to all you folks who dig the Hot Snakes). The songs are looooong and hypnotic but never boring. The band locks into totally intense, static grooves, that can go on for minutes before exploding into mayhemic bursts of controlled fury. So goddamn good. Anyone who likes the Hot Snakes MUST own this record. Drive Like Jehu is like a hyper charged, heavier, more intense and complex, MUCH BETTER Hot Snakes. Anyone who likes Feuhler or Don Cab or Slint or Engine Kid or almost any post rock will discover what all those other comers had been shooting for. This is IT. Trust us. An automatic AQ "record of the week" selection as soon as we heard it was finally being re-released - with three bonus tracks to boot! ("Bullet Train To Vegas" and "Hand Over Fist" from their Merge label 7", and the original version of "Sinews" from a Cargo/Headhunter compilation.) So even if you have the original you might want to get this reissue for those.
MPEG Stream: "Do You Compute"
MPEG Stream: "Sinews"

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS A Blessing And A Curse (New West) cd 16.98
As the new Drive-By Truckers album kicks off, we were struck by what a transformation we thought the band has gone through since their 2004's The Dirty South. Today's DBT bear an uncanny resemblance to Buffalo Tom and old Wilco... or at least on the opening song which is loaded with poppiness. From there the now ten year old band get back into their more familiar lanky Southern bluesy rock a la Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman" or Skynyrd's "Gimme Three Steps". Still, the vocals continue to sound a whole lot like those of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy back in his Uncle Tupelo days... many of whose fans have surely found a new fave in DBT... or soon will! So, don't let their jokey name dissuade or mislead you, these guys are serious about their country rock, and they do it up rreeeaaall good on this their seventh full length!
MPEG Stream: "Feb. 14"
MPEG Stream: "Gravity's Gone"

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Brighter Than Creation's Dark (New West) cd 16.98

DRIVER, TOBY In the L..L..Library Loft (Tzadik) cd 16.98
Working in a record store I've learned that records released with merely someone's given name attached -- unless they're very famous -- often tend not to receive as much attention as something released under a more fanciful, made up "group" moniker. Maybe it's that a plain ol' person's name just doesn't fire the imagination. It seems wise that Jeff Mangum was Neutral Milk Hotel, that Chan Marshall calls herself Cat Power, that Campbell Kneale makes music as Birchville Cat Motel (and Black Boned Angel, etc.), and that Tara Burke is Fursaxa, amongst many other examples -- though we're not sure how Malefic recording as Xasthur, where you've got two made up names, fits into this. So, to anyone contemplating a solo project, we'd suggest making up a "band" name for it...
Which is our way of saying, don't ignore this cd, just 'cause it's being presented under the name of Toby Driver. He's actually the main guy from the avant-metal outfit Kayo Dot, whose debut album on John Zorn's Tzadik label has been quite a favorite 'round these parts since it was released in 2003. Heavy and weird and droney and strangely poppy too, all sorts of things we like.
In the L..L..Library Loft is a solo project from Toby, with some help from his friends -- there's eight other musicians credited, a remarkable number of 'em playing the lowly tuning fork, along with other things! Another unusual instrument credit is "remote snare drum". Plus there's a more conventional array of instruments like guitar, bass, piano, violin, cello, drums, trumpet, trombone, etc. That should give you the idea that this shares with Kayo Dot an interesting style of proggy chamber rock experimentation -- indeed, the four, fairly lengthy tracks here are kinda like Kayo Dot with most of the metal removed. Though, the rumbling waves of percussion, guitar distortion, and buried screams on the track "Kandu Vs. Corky (Horrorca)" still hint at Neurosis. But there's also many non-metallic elements here as well -- fragile singing and dark, quietly moody ambience. Definitely a disc worth exploring, especially if you're already a fan of Kayo Dot (or Kayo Dot's earlier formation as Maudlin Of The Well).
And look out for Kayo Dot's new album, just released on Crucial Blast, to be reviewed here next time, hopefully!
MPEG Stream: "Kandu Vs. Corky (Horrorca)"
MPEG Stream: "Eptaceros"

DRIVING STUPID, THE Horror Asparagus Stories (Sundazed) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
The Driving Stupid were naive, silly teenagers from New Jersey who, in the summer of 1966, decided to form a band, drive cross-country to Hollywood and become famous rock stars. Two out of three ain't bad. And apparently they did become minor celebrities on the Sunset Strip -- not from playing shows, but for cruising around always in barefeet and funny hats. They did manage to release one single, a deranged-sounding piece of nonsense called "Horror Asparagus Stories" (original title and sample lyric: "My Mother Was A Big Fat Pig") that quickly sank from sight but probably has been heard on Dr. Demento's show more than once since. The full album they recorded at the time was, not surprisingly, never released -- until now, courtesy of the weirdos over at Sundazed who apparently have nothing better to do. At long last, you can check out The Driving Stupid's complete ouevre of self-admittedly "incredibly stupid" songs (hence their name, actually, which also alluded to their "driving" beat). Such beyond-novelty numbers as "Hide The Lobsters", "The Reality of (Air) Fried Borsk" and "Green Things Have Entered My Skin, Gladys" were goofy garagey proto-punk numbers with some of the absurd humor of The Monks' 1966 "Black Monk Time" but none of their politics or malevolence. Ok, songs like "I'm Gonna Bash Your Brains In" sound scary but it's joke malevolence. All in all, this is assuredly silly stuff, that lives up to at least half of their motto "so stupid, it's fantastic!"
MPEG Stream: "Hide The Lobsters"

DRIZZOLETTO Live At KXLU (self-released) cd 8.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Drizzoletto is a quirky quartet of wonderful Bay Area veteran musicians, namely Ralph Carney, Ted Savarese, Danny Frankel and Ashley Adams. After the joyfully off-kilter first song "Shakin'", things settle into a more conventional (albeit still quite unconventional) country-rootsy tone. Just under a half hour of highly engaging music. Recorded live at KXLU.
MPEG Stream: "Shakin'"
MPEG Stream: "Hot Stove"

DROIDS Star Peace (Repressed) cd 17.98
Droids is the '70s French space disco project of Fabrice Cuitade, former Barclay Records employee and founder of their Egg imprint - which released the likes of Vangelis, Conrad Schnitzler, and Heldon, among others. The back of this disc claims Droids to be "the Daft Punk of the 70's," but even a quick listen will prove that claim reductive. Neither will the typical Giorgio Moroder comparison suffice. So the story goes that Cuitade saw Star Wars for the first time, and then decided to make his own musical interpretation. As we first listened to the album, we heard something much more nuanced than some sort of filtered French House prototype. Maybe if you picture Battiato partying in the studio with Patrick Cowley then you're getting close. That's right. This is nothing short of some seriously progged-out space disco. But whereas many artists in that arena seem to be cold, calculated, and sterile, Star Peace is an album that manages to hold on to the funk that disco originated with. Cuitade even foreshadows the piano stab-driven funky house of Chicago's Traxx label, while hinting at the celestial impulses of Italian cosmic-groover Daniele Baldelli. Fans of disco, prog, new wave, house, or anything electronic, arpeggiated, or dancey will positively need this. Essential. (Note: includes a track you might have heard already on the now sadly out of print compilation So Young But So Cold that we love love loved...)
MPEG Stream: "Do You Have the Force (Part 1)"
MPEG Stream: "Renaissance De L'Amour"

DRONA PARVA / ULTRASOUND Songs From The Entoptic Garden Volume One (Time-Lag) lp 17.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Beautifully packaged in Independent Project Press styled letterpress sleeve and dedicated to "Popul Vuh," this split release between Drona Parva and Ultrasound exists within the bleary eyed drone end of the post-rock spectrum. Ultrasound -- a collective with ties to Texas and the Netherlands -- accurately reflects Andee's hypothesis that George Winston was *the* father of post-rock. Keep in mind that Andee really likes George Winston and really likes Ultrasound, so don't take that comparison the wrong way! Here the Winston references become evident through the melancholic piano plinking coupled with delicate Pan-American-like guitar melodies washed out in a sea of shoegazing reverberation. Drona Parva -- who have previously appeared on Temporary Residence's Travels In Constants series -- persist in their subtle signature of dark drones, with this sullen composition for sustained analog synth chords, which slowly emerge into the audible realm, change slowly into a series of sad, vaguely carnivalesque melodies, and quietly fade away. Limited to 800 copies only.

DRONE (Freek) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Well we've had this for a while but I don't think it ever got listed before, and it should have, 'cause these New Zealanders (based in London UK though) create some beautiful music, not altogether drone-y despite their name. Chamber art rock with seeming influences ranging from Dead Can Dance to This Heat.

DRONES, THE Wait Long By The River And The Bodies Of Your Enemies Will Float By (ATP Recordings) cd 15.98

DROP DEAD (Clearview) 11" 9.98
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The band that embodies all that is great about grindcore/hardcore. Fast, furious, angry & political. Their entire discography on one shiny black 11".

DROP DEAD Discography 1991-1993 (Armageddon) cd 11.98
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DROP DEAD s/t 1993 (Armageddon) cd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

DROP DEAD s/t 1998 (Armageddon) cd 11.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

DROP THE LIME This Means Forever (Tigerbeat6) cd 14.98

DROPDEAD Discography (Armageddon) lp 14.98
If an argument had to be made for greatest modern American hardcore/grindcore band, it would be pretty tough to argue with Rhode Island's Dropdead. One of the heaviest, fastest, hardest, most pissed off and politically righteous punk rock bands EVER, devastating obliticore/blistercore/fastcore/powerviolence that KILLS, total thrashing metallic punk rock fury, beholden to classic Swedish hardcore, and old school UK D-beat, British anarcho punk and of course Japanese crust, yet somehow these guys took all those influences and wove them into something singularly epic and transcendent and about a million times better than pretty much every other punk rock band we can think of. Short, sharp blasts of blasting thrashing chaotic punk rock, the guitars grinding and chugging, the drums a furious flurry of lightning fast beats, the vox howled over the churning punk fury below, the lyrics covering everything from animal rights to pacifism, racism to religion, each record an epic onslaught micro grindpunk epics, most clocking it at less than a minute, many half that, but these guys cram as much musical and lyrical vitriol in a matter of seconds than most bands manage over the course of a whole record. Even after years of listening to metal and punk and pretty much every variation and permutation of both, black metal, doom metal, grindcore, crustcore, whatever, there's still something so pure and honest and intense about Dropdead, raw and primal and at the same time impossibly epic and emotional and personal, the sort of punk rock that was as concerned with changing minds and fighting against injustices as it was with getting the pit moving, and in the process, they somehow managed to make these 30 second blasts of sonic ultraviolence, catchy as fuck.
Any one into any sort of heavy music, who doesn't own these classic albums, is missing out big time. All three records have been reissued on vinyl for the first time in ages, their 1993 self titled debut, their 1998 second album (also confusingly self titled) and their insane and untouchable discography collection, which gathers up singles and comp tracks, as well as Dropdead stuff from splits with Rupture and Crossed Out. Hard to recommend one over any of the others, all three rule and are absolutely essential, if you can buy all three, you won't be sorry, but at least buy one, start with any of them, odds are you'll want the rest. One of our favorite bands EVER.
MPEG Stream: "Unjustified Murder"
MPEG Stream: "Doorway To Extinction"
MPEG Stream: "Strength In Your Conviction"
MPEG Stream: "Protest"

DROPDEAD s/t (1993) (Armageddon) lp 14.98
If an argument had to be made for greatest modern American hardcore/grindcore band, it would be pretty tough to argue with Rhode Island's Dropdead. One of the heaviest, fastest, hardest, most pissed off and politically righteous punk rock bands EVER, devastating obliticore/blistercore/fastcore/powerviolence that KILLS, total thrashing metallic punk rock fury, beholden to classic Swedish hardcore, and old school UK D-beat, British anarcho punk and of course Japanese crust, yet somehow these guys took all those influences and wove them into something singularly epic and transcendent and about a million times better than pretty much every other punk rock band we can think of. Short, sharp blasts of blasting thrashing chaotic punk rock, the guitars grinding and chugging, the drums a furious flurry of lightning fast beats, the vox howled over the churning punk fury below, the lyrics covering everything from animal rights to pacifism, racism to religion, each record an epic onslaught micro grindpunk epics, most clocking it at less than a minute, many half that, but these guys cram as much musical and lyrical vitriol in a matter of seconds than most bands manage over the course of a whole record. Even after years of listening to metal and punk and pretty much every variation and permutation of both, black metal, doom metal, grindcore, crustcore, whatever, there's still something so pure and honest and intense about Dropdead, raw and primal and at the same time impossibly epic and emotional and personal, the sort of punk rock that was as concerned with changing minds and fighting against injustices as it was with getting the pit moving, and in the process, they somehow managed to make these 30 second blasts of sonic ultraviolence, catchy as fuck.
Any one into any sort of heavy music, who doesn't own these classic albums, is missing out big time. All three records have been reissued on vinyl for the first time in ages, their 1993 self titled debut, their 1998 second album (also confusingly self titled) and their insane and untouchable discography collection, which gathers up singles and comp tracks, as well as Dropdead stuff from splits with Rupture and Crossed Out. Hard to recommend one over any of the others, all three rule and are absolutely essential, if you can buy all three, you won't be sorry, but at least buy one, start with any of them, odds are you'll want the rest. One of our favorite bands EVER.
MPEG Stream: "At The Cost Of An Animal"
MPEG Stream: "Hopeless"
MPEG Stream: "Bullshit Tradition"
MPEG Stream: "Sheep"
MPEG Stream: "A Nation Sleeps"

DROPDEAD s/t (1998) (Armageddon) lp 14.98
If an argument had to be made for greatest modern American hardcore/grindcore band, it would be pretty tough to argue with Rhode Island's Dropdead. One of the heaviest, fastest, hardest, most pissed off and politically righteous punk rock bands EVER, devastating obliticore/blistercore/fastcore/powerviolence that KILLS, total thrashing metallic punk rock fury, beholden to classic Swedish hardcore, and old school UK D-beat, British anarcho punk and of course Japanese crust, yet somehow these guys took all those influences and wove them into something singularly epic and transcendent and about a million times better than pretty much every other punk rock band we can think of. Short, sharp blasts of blasting thrashing chaotic punk rock, the guitars grinding and chugging, the drums a furious flurry of lightning fast beats, the vox howled over the churning punk fury below, the lyrics covering everything from animal rights to pacifism, racism to religion, each record an epic onslaught micro grindpunk epics, most clocking it at less than a minute, many half that, but these guys cram as much musical and lyrical vitriol in a matter of seconds than most bands manage over the course of a whole record. Even after years of listening to metal and punk and pretty much every variation and permutation of both, black metal, doom metal, grindcore, crustcore, whatever, there's still something so pure and honest and intense about Dropdead, raw and primal and at the same time impossibly epic and emotional and personal, the sort of punk rock that was as concerned with changing minds and fighting against injustices as it was with getting the pit moving, and in the process, they somehow managed to make these 30 second blasts of sonic ultraviolence, catchy as fuck.
Any one into any sort of heavy music, who doesn't own these classic albums, is missing out big time. All three records have been reissued on vinyl for the first time in ages, their 1993 self titled debut, their 1998 second album (also confusingly self titled) and their insane and untouchable discography collection, which gathers up singles and comp tracks, as well as Dropdead stuff from splits with Rupture and Crossed Out. Hard to recommend one over any of the others, all three rule and are absolutely essential, if you can buy all three, you won't be sorry, but at least buy one, start with any of them, odds are you'll want the rest. One of our favorite bands EVER.
MPEG Stream: "Superior"
MPEG Stream: "Bitter Fruit (The Seed)"
MPEG Stream: "Those Who We Deny"
MPEG Stream: "Tied Down For Survival"

DROPDEAD / TOTALITAR split (Prank) cd 4.50
Nine minutes of raging grinding mayhem from two of the fiercest bands in the land. You heard me, 9 MINUTES! Nine tracks. 6 tracks from Rhode Island's kings of crusty grind, Drop Dead, sounding as brutal as ever. And 3 tracks from Totalitar from Sweden, thrashing garage-y hardcore. Only nine minutes but it's only $4.50. Worth every penny.
RealAudio clip: DROPDEAD "A Disease Called Man"
RealAudio clip: TOTALITAR "Hur Orkar Vi"

DRUIDS OF STONEHENGE, THE s/t (Sundazed) 10" 13.98

DRUM CIRCUS Magic Theatre (Garden of Delights) cd 21.00
Here's a pretty cool, jazz-damaged, percussion-heavy Krautrock obscurity that we just got hip to, thanks to this recent cd reissue on Garden Of Delights. As you might expect from something called Drum Circus from 1971, this has a definite hippy attitude, full of Om-drones and space-jazz piano and cosmic Eastern raga moves. It's a bit like Alice Coltrane meets Lothar And The Hand People meets early (pre-robotic) Kraftwerk. On the 21+ minute title track you'll groove to martial drums, unison chanting of mystical slogans, ominous organs...what's not to like? I mean, this has got both free-jazz freakouts and ranting incantations -- with lotsa lyrics by none other than Timothy Leary! And Drum Circus then get into some '70s Miles Davis styled funk on the aptly titled "Groove Rock". There's even some nice melodic elements too -- Andee thinks the male singer on "All Things" sounds like Roger Daltrey. But overall though, this will probably appeal more to say, folks partial to recent Boredoms output than to fans of The Who...
MPEG Stream: "Magic Theatre"
MPEG Stream: "Now It Hurts You"

DRUMHEAD s/t (Perishable) cd 10.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

MPEG Stream: "Swamp"
MPEG Stream: "Shoes"

DRUMMOND, PAUL Eye Mind: The Saga of Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators (Process Paperback) book 22.95

DRUMS, THE Portamento (French Kiss / Universal) cd 14.98
We were crazy obsessed with last year's debut record from these guys, due in no small part to the track "Let's Go Surfing", which had to be the jam of 2010, to quote our review, "with its whistled melody, its sped up Joy Division bassline, clipped simple drumming, Smiths guitar jangle, handclaps(!), vocal harmonies, fuzzy synth bits and an absolutely KILLER summery sunshiney chorus." Also in that same review we described these guys as sounding like "some mix of Echo And The Bunnymen, the Cure, the Boo Radleys and Surfer Blood". That whole record was a dreamy collection of new wave jangle and sunshiney surf pop, and were really hoping for more of the same with Portamento, and we were not at all disappointed. Everything we loved about that record is present and accounted for, tons of jangle, a little gloom pop, dreamy vocals, lush harmonies, impossibly irresistible hooks. If anything, this new record seems a bit more understated, the sound more muted and minimal, the hooks more subtle, but the sort of subtle hooks that become less and less subtle with every listen, opener "Book Of Revelation" sounds like someone threw Animal Collective along with the above mentioned bands into a blender, and took the resulting sonic stew and let it steep in the warm summer sun. The record unfolds like some sort of new wave new romantic daydream, laced with lots of 'oooh's and 'aaah's, loads of jangle and swirl, all anchored by more of those sped up Joy Division basslines, at times sounding almost like a sunshine pop version of Interpol, but most often sounding like some lost eighties new wave combo transported here from the past, set up in a modern studio, and left to make a modern new wave classic, that sounds strangely as if it too was plucked from the past.
MPEG Stream: "Book Of Revelation"
MPEG Stream: "Days"
MPEG Stream: "What You Were"
MPEG Stream: "Money"

DRUMS, THE s/t (Island) cd 12.98
Somehow we never managed to review the debut ep from retro new wave poppers The Drums (not to be confused with local double drums duo also called The Drums, featuring members of Oh Sees and Ezeetiger), which is a shame cuz it was one of our favorite records. And then we managed to track down an import version of the full length, but couldn't get enough to review, and were forced to wait for the domestic version, which is finally here, so now we can gush over this fantastic chunk of moody retro pop.
Probably best to skip right to THEE JAM, "Let's Go Surfing", with its whistled melody, its sped up Joy Division bassline, clipped simple drumming, Smiths guitar jangle, handclaps(!), vocal harmonies, fuzzy synth bits and an absolutely KILLER summery sunshiney chorus. Imagine some mix of Echo And The Bunnymen, the Cure, the Boo Radleys and Surfer Blood, if that makes any sense, totally hook filled jangly new wave pop, with just enough modern weirdness to fit in with the current crop of retro pop futurists, but looking way back to the best of Creation and Factory records. "Best Friend" is all spidery guitars, earnest crooned vox, heartfelt lovelorn lyrics, plenty of ooooh's and aaaah's, all wrapped around an almost funky bassline and another stripped down rhythm. "Skippin' Town" is like "Let's Go Surfing" part 2, jaunty melodies, sweet vocals, more oooh's and aaah's, still more fuzzy synths and handclaps, and another dreamy hook. "It Will All End In Tears" is like a jauntier peppier take on Ultravox, "I'll Never Drop My Sword" adds a cool buzzy synth bassline, and some strange lyrics about Jesus, but all wrapped around that impossibly perfect jangle pop and some total minor key Cure synth shimmer. So good!
Totally catchy, impossibly irresistible, breezy and Britpoppy, perfect summery retro dream pop jams that we can't stop listening to...
MPEG Stream: "Let's Go Surfing"
MPEG Stream: "Best Friend"
MPEG Stream: "Me And The Moon"
MPEG Stream: "Down By The Water"

DRUMS, THE s/t (Island) lp 16.98
Somehow we never managed to review the debut ep from retro new wave poppers The Drums (not to be confused with local double drums duo also called The Drums, featuring members of Oh Sees and Ezeetiger), which is a shame cuz it was one of our favorite records. And then we managed to track down an import version of the full length, but couldn't get enough to review, and were forced to wait for the domestic version, which is finally here, so now we can gush over this fantastic chunk of moody retro pop.
Probably best to skip right to THEE JAM, "Let's Go Surfing", with its whistled melody, its sped up Joy Division bassline, clipped simple drumming, Smiths guitar jangle, handclaps(!), vocal harmonies, fuzzy synth bits and an absolutely KILLER summery sunshiney chorus. Imagine some mix of Echo And The Bunnymen, the Cure, the Boo Radleys and Surfer Blood, if that makes any sense, totally hook filled jangly new wave pop, with just enough modern weirdness to fit in with the current crop of retro pop futurists, but looking way back to the best of Creation and Factory records. "Best Friend" is all spidery guitars, earnest crooned vox, heartfelt lovelorn lyrics, plenty of ooooh's and aaaah's, all wrapped around an almost funky bassline and another stripped down rhythm. "Skippin' Town" is like "Let's Go Surfing" part 2, jaunty melodies, sweet vocals, more oooh's and aaah's, still more fuzzy synths and handclaps, and another dreamy hook. "It Will All End In Tears" is like a jauntier peppier take on Ultravox, "I'll Never Drop My Sword" adds a cool buzzy synth bassline, and some strange lyrics about Jesus, but all wrapped around that impossibly perfect jangle pop and some total minor key Cure synth shimmer. So good!
Totally catchy, impossibly irresistible, breezy and Britpoppy, perfect summery retro dream pop jams that we can't stop listening to...
MPEG Stream: "Let's Go Surfing"
MPEG Stream: "Best Friend"
MPEG Stream: "Me And The Moon"
MPEG Stream: "Down By The Water"

DRUNK Tableside Manners (Jagjaguwar) cd 13.98
Dynamic, jangly and sentimental with bits of Elephant 6 pop obtuseness put with Movietone's melancholic meanderings.

DRUNK HORSE In Tongues (Tee Pee) cd 15.98
Sheer rawk powah. Just tune into the first cut "Strange Trangressors" from this, the third and best album yet from Oakland-based hard rock throwbacks Drunk Horse, and get blown away by the power of riff and sweaty rhythm section action (and some tasty slide work courtesy of our pal Josh who used to play in Drunk Horse, after leaving The Champs). It's sophisticated riff rock, a bit more clever and complex than you might realize, when you're busy hoisting beers to their boogie as you should be.
Though titled In Tongues, this album certainly seems less overtly tongue-in-cheek than Drunk Horse has in the past... The jokey element is here pretty much limited to slightly humorous song titles like "Reformed Asshole" and "Nice Hooves". Drunk Horse have always taken themselves and their music seriously, but now they're letting us know it too. For sure Drunk Horse have grown, and gotten even better. One major area of improvement would be the vocals, Eli took a lot more care with his singing this time around and it shows. The band has always had a lot of chops in other areas, so now they're even closer to becoming the new millenium's answer to the classic likes of ZZ Top, Humble Pie and Thin Lizzy. In Tongues is bursting with clever arrangements, wicked leads, gorgeous twin guitar harmonies (there's the Thin Lizzy...), and pop hooks. And that aforementioned sheer rawk powah. Unbeatable.
MPEG Stream: "Strange Transgressors"
MPEG Stream: "Priestmaker"

DRUNK HORSE In Tongues (Wantage USA) lp 12.98
NOW ON VINYL!
Sheer rawk powah. Just tune into the first cut "Strange Trangressors" from this, the third and best album yet from Oakland-based hard rock throwbacks Drunk Horse, and get blown away by the power of riff and sweaty rhythm section action (and some tasty slide work courtesy of our pal Josh who used to play in Drunk Horse, after leaving The Champs). It's sophisticated riff rock, a bit more clever and complex than you might realize, when you're busy hoisting beers to their boogie as you should be.
Though titled In Tongues, this album certainly seems less overtly tongue-in-cheek than Drunk Horse has in the past... The jokey element is here pretty much limited to slightly humorous song titles like "Reformed Asshole" and "Nice Hooves". Drunk Horse have always taken themselves and their music seriously, but now they're letting us know it too. For sure Drunk Horse have grown, and gotten even better. One major area of improvement would be the vocals, Eli took a lot more care with his singing this time around and it shows. The band has always had a lot of chops in other areas, so now they're even closer to becoming the new millenium's answer to the classic likes of ZZ Top, Humble Pie and Thin Lizzy. In Tongues is bursting with clever arrangements, wicked leads, gorgeous twin guitar harmonies (there's the Thin Lizzy...), and pop hooks. And that aforementioned sheer rawk powah. Unbeatable.
MPEG Stream: "Strange Transgressors"
MPEG Stream: "Priestmaker"

DRUNK HORSE Unearthed Gems Vol. 2 (The Weed Elf b/w Pismo) (Unknown Controller) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Here's an interesting new single from Drunkhorse, that SF/Oakland crew of '70s lovin', hard rockin' stoner dudes who are smarter than you think they are. As the purported volume two in a series of "Unearthed Gems" releases, it features Drunkhorse covering two way rare, obscure tunes by their rock n' roll forebears: "The Weed Elf" by Sri Lankan '80s metallers Zilla, and "Pismo", by late '70s Cali bar-rockers Andy Sherman And The Sherms. Yes, we said obscure...maybe suspiciously so... Liner notes by Dr. Armando "Mondo" Johnson of Great Crates! Magazine (which, we must confess, we've never heard of either...) provide more info, in copious detail (Zilla's lone album was called "Heavy Yeti"...believe it, or not).
The Zilla tune, which in the hands of Drunkhorse comes across like a cover of something by Slough Feg, is a NWOBHM styled romp with jaunty, folky Thin Lizzyish guitars and Dio-esque lyrics. It's like Drunkhorse crossed with their pals the Fucking Champs. On the flip, the Andy Sherman and the Sherms composition is revealed to be a good-times, summer-time, all-the-time rocker, an ode to Pismo Beach were one can "relax and play hackysack".
Here's to Drunkhorse for digging up these "gems" and giving them such loving treatment -- hopefully we'll see these influences shine through on their next album of originals.

DRUNK INJUNS From Where The Sun Now Stands I Will Fight No More, Forever (Alternative Tentacles) cd 10.98

DRUNKDRIVER Born Pregnant (Parts Unknown) lp 13.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Full length number two from this East Coast noise rock trio, finally available, self released on vinyl by the band on their own label, whose recent set at the aQuarius / WFMU South By Southwest showcase blew us all away. An insanely kinetic display of tense mathy crush, pounding feral filth, and blasting, churning, grinding, blown out heaviness. It's hard to translate that sort of live energy to disc for sure, but this new album comes pretty close. The guitars impossibly distorted and in the red, pegging the meters and seemingly transforming into some strange looped and clipped chug, the drums pounding and relentless, the vocals howled and barked and buried in the mix, the band locking into full on feedback drenched hypnorock, before letting it splinter into strange stuttery stop starts, or almost blast beat driven bursts of black energy.
A few of the tracks slow it down a little, but that's about all the respite you'll get, and even the dirgier numbers are still oozing grit and filth, threatening to destroy your speakers and bloody your ears. A couple favorites, "All The Dead Dogs", with its super distorted riffy churn, bizarre blown out percussion, and killer main groove, all chug and thud, with little flurries of all out noise peppering the otherwise tightly controlled crush. "Quality Of My Life", with its opening salvo of layered feedback, pounding drum stutter, and the way the drums and guitars lock into this weird rhythmic throb, before exploding into some serious skull crushing heaviness. But hell, we could pick any of these jams, they're all fierce and fucked up and awesome, the whole record playing out like one massive, multi movement, damaged and demented noise rock epic. Essential ear punishment for fans of Brainbombs, Mayyors, No Balls, Twin Stumps, Rusted Shut, Billy Bao, White Mice, Anals, Liquorball and other similarly unhinged noiseniks.
It's worth noting, though, that Drunkdriver broke up recently, under difficult circumstances, as it turns out there were some serious allegations about DD's drummer and some alleged fucked up shit in his past, and while he vehemently denies everything, and his bandmates supported him (although some online sources report otherwise), the band finally decided they just didn't want to deal with all the rumors and the constant pressure of all that nothing-to-do-with-the-music bullshit, just so you know, even though we figure if you don't have a problem with a band called Drunkdriver to begin with, you can probably separate enjoying the album from any alleged problematic actions of the persons involved in making it, after all the music's still the same awesome noisy punk rock we liked before all this hit the fan.

DRUNKDRIVER Knife Day (Fandeath) 7" 4.50
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Been trying to get some Drunkdriver into the store before South By Southwest, as these guys are gonna be playing our showcase, and here we go, finally, their first (?) 7", and it's a fist in the face, ice pick in the ear doozy. It sounds exactly what you might imagine a Drunkdriver might sound like, if instead of getting behind the wheel, they got up on stage with a pile of amps and a beat up old drum it, a super chaotic, unhinged, wildly careening, ultra distorted in the red chunk of drugged out, FX drenched noise rock damage. Churning riffage, wild proggy drumming, feral throat shredding vox, but the sound is surprisingly dynamic, lurching start stops, catchy melodies, weirdly hooky riffs, the A-side, "Knife Day" could be some sort of noise rock anthem.
The B-side takes care of that right quick, even noisier, the band lock into a stuttery lurch, a controlled stumble, all crunch and crumble, the vocals unhinged and hysterical, with a killer, almost classic metal sounding breakdown, some more seriously hooky riffage, all kinds of good stuff buried beneath the blackened avalanche of skin peeling rooooaaaaar.
White vinyl!

DRUNKDRIVER s/t (Load) cd 15.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Full length number two, and the very first cd from this East Coast noise rock trio, whose recent set at the aQuarius / WFMU South By Southwest showcase blew us all away. An insanely kinetic display of tense mathy crush, pounding feral filth, and blasting, churning, grinding, blown out heaviness. It's hard to translate that sort of live energy to disc for sure, but this new disc comes pretty close. The guitars impossibly distorted and in the red, pegging the meters and seemingly transforming into some strange looped and clipped chug, the drums pounding and relentless, the vocals howled and barked and buried in the mix, the band locking into full on feedback drenched hypnorock, before letting it splinter into strange stuttery stop starts, or almost blast beat driven bursts of black energy.
A few of the tracks slow it down a little, but that's about all the respite you'll get, and even the dirgier numbers are still oozing grit and filth, threatening to destroy your speakers and bloody your ears. A couple favorites, "All The Dead Dogs", with its super distorted riffy churn, bizarre blown out percussion, and killer main groove, all chug and thud, with little flurries of all out noise peppering the otherwise tightly controlled crush. "Quality Of My Life", with its opening salvo of layered feedback, pounding drum stutter, and the way the drums and guitars lock into this weird rhythmic throb, before exploding into some serious skull crushing heaviness. But hell, we could pick any of these jams, they're all fierce and fucked up and awesome, the whole record playing out like one massive, multi movement, damaged and demented noise rock epic. Essential ear punishment for fans of Brainbombs, Mayyors, No Balls, Twin Stumps, Rusted Shut, Billy Bao, White Mice, Anals, Liquorball and other similarly unhinged noiseniks.
It's worth noting, that Drunkdriver just broke up, under sort of difficult circumstances, as it turns out there were some serious allegations about the drummer and some seriously fucked up shit in his past, and while he vehemently denies everything, his bandmates finally decided they didn't trust his story and couldn't be in a band with him anymore, just fyi, but we figure if you don't have a problem with a band called Drunkdriver to begin with, you can separate enjoying the album from approving of one of the persons involved in making it, after all the music's still the same awesome noisy punk rock we liked before all this hit the fan. Heck, we're listing the new Burzum, and he's in fact a convicted murderer, so, you can make the call.
MPEG Stream: "All The Dead Dogs"
MPEG Stream: "Quality Of My Life"
MPEG Stream: "The Accident"

DRUNKDRIVER s/t (self-released) lp 14.98
Full length number two from this East Coast noise rock trio, finally available, self-released on vinyl by the band on their own label, whose recent set at the aQuarius / WFMU South By Southwest showcase blew us all away. An insanely kinetic display of tense mathy crush, pounding feral filth, and blasting, churning, grinding, blown out heaviness. It's hard to translate that sort of live energy to disc for sure, but this new album comes pretty close. The guitars impossibly distorted and in the red, pegging the meters and seemingly transforming into some strange looped and clipped chug, the drums pounding and relentless, the vocals howled and barked and buried in the mix, the band locking into full on feedback drenched hypnorock, before letting it splinter into strange stuttery stop starts, or almost blast beat driven bursts of black energy.
A few of the tracks slow it down a little, but that's about all the respite you'll get, and even the dirgier numbers are still oozing grit and filth, threatening to destroy your speakers and bloody your ears. A couple favorites, "All The Dead Dogs", with its super distorted riffy churn, bizarre blown out percussion, and killer main groove, all chug and thud, with little flurries of all out noise peppering the otherwise tightly controlled crush. "Quality Of My Life", with its opening salvo of layered feedback, pounding drum stutter, and the way the drums and guitars lock into this weird rhythmic throb, before exploding into some serious skull crushing heaviness. But hell, we could pick any of these jams, they're all fierce and fucked up and awesome, the whole record playing out like one massive, multi movement, damaged and demented noise rock epic. Essential ear punishment for fans of Brainbombs, Mayyors, No Balls, Twin Stumps, Rusted Shut, Billy Bao, White Mice, Anals, Liquorball and other similarly unhinged noiseniks.
It's worth noting, though, that Drunkdriver broke up recently, under difficult circumstances, as it turns out there were some serious allegations about DD's drummer and some alleged fucked up shit in his past, and while he vehemently denies everything, and his bandmates supported him (although some online sources report otherwise), the band finally decided they just didn't want to deal with all the rumors and the constant pressure of all that nothing-to-do-with-the-music bullshit, just so you know, even though we figure if you don't have a problem with a band called Drunkdriver to begin with, you can probably separate enjoying the album from any alleged problematic actions of the persons involved in making it, after all the music's still the same awesome noisy punk rock we liked before all this hit the fan.
Pressed on super thick vinyl, packaged in really nice heavy jackets...
MPEG Stream: "All The Dead Dogs"
MPEG Stream: "Quality Of My Life"
MPEG Stream: "The Accident"

DRY RIB Whose Last Trickle (Hyped To Death) cd 12.98

DRY SPELLS, THE Too Soon For Flowers (Antenna Farm) cd 13.98
Gorgeous psychedelic folk from right here in SF, featuring members of aQ faves Citay, which will make sense once you hear this. Lush, eerie, dreamy and haunting, gorgeous vocal harmonies, minimal percussion, equal parts seventies British folk and seventies Laurel Canyon pop, woven into a witchy gothic brew that is totally enchanting.
Strings soar, unfurling melancholy melodies, and guitars jangle, but it's the female vocals that seal the deal, a la Sandy Denny, Jacqui McShee of Pentangle, Bobbie Watson from Comus, Stevie Nicks, you get the idea, bewitching and ethereal, raw and powerful and emotional, and the harmonies, so captivating and otherworldly, wow. The Dry Spells manage to sound so timeless, this record definitely sounds contemporary, but if the lush production was dialed back just a little, this could easily have been some lost seventies psych folk reissue. Absolutely stunning.
Most definitely for fans of Pentangle, Incredible String Band, Comus, as well as modern groups channeling that sound like Citay, Vetiver, Fleet Foxes...
The lp includes a download of the whole record, including a killer bonus track, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon", which is included on the cd version as well.
MPEG Stream: "Lost Daughter"
MPEG Stream: "Black Is The Color"
MPEG Stream: "Sruti"

DRY SPELLS, THE Too Soon For Flowers (Empty Cellar) lp 13.98
Gorgeous psychedelic folk from right here in SF, featuring members of aQ faves Citay, which will make sense once you hear this. Lush, eerie, dreamy and haunting, gorgeous vocal harmonies, minimal percussion, equal parts seventies British folk and seventies Laurel Canyon pop, woven into a witchy gothic brew that is totally enchanting.
Strings soar, unfurling melancholy melodies, and guitars jangle, but it's the female vocals that seal the deal, a la Sandy Denny, Jacqui McShee of Pentangle, Bobbie Watson from Comus, Stevie Nicks, you get the idea, bewitching and ethereal, raw and powerful and emotional, and the harmonies, so captivating and otherworldly, wow. The Dry Spells manage to sound so timeless, this record definitely sounds contemporary, but if the lush production was dialed back just a little, this could easily have been some lost seventies psych folk reissue. Absolutely stunning.
Most definitely for fans of Pentangle, Incredible String Band, Comus, as well as modern groups channeling that sound like Citay, Vetiver, Fleet Foxes...
The lp includes a download of the whole record, including a killer bonus track, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon", which is included on the cd version as well.
MPEG Stream: "Lost Daughter"
MPEG Stream: "Black Is The Color"
MPEG Stream: "Sruti"

DUB NARCOTIC Boot Party (k) lp 7.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.
Calvin & Co. continue to pack the dancefloor.

DUB NARCOTIC SOUNDSYSTEM Industrial Breakdown (Soul Static Sound/k) 12" 9.98
THIS IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE TO US AT THE MOMENT, SO PLEASE DO NOT ORDER IT. SORRY.

DUB TRIO New Heavy (Roir Reachout International) cd 15.98

DUCHESS s/t (Blackball) cd 13.98
A new dark pop gem! Check out this great self-titled debut from L.A. duo Duchess (namely Christy Schnabel formerly of Ugly Beauty and Jerry DiRienzo formerly of Cell). This kind of brooding sounds like it should be coming from New York or Boston circa 1992 (think Come or Versus) rather than Los Angeles circa now. It immediately seems familiar and singalong-able. Smolderingly heady yet catchy at the same time. Many songs conjure images of a stormy night occupied by much distraught handwringing and perhaps even some murderous thoughts. Schnabel's vocals are the key here, reminiscent of the deeply potent voices of Nathalie Merchant and Versus' Fontaine Toups. This cd was released on Adam Pfahler's (ex-Jawbreaker) label and it definitely fits well alongside the moodily dynamic air of his own band Whysall Lane which also features Richard Balayut (formerly of the abovementioned Versus) and whose own debut album should be out any day now too!
MPEG Stream: "Diamond Ring"
MPEG Stream: "Let Me Gain"

DUCHESS SAYS Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs (Alien8 Recordings) cd 14.98
We're not sure what the deal is with this Canadian band, who they are, if they're folks from other bands, if they're part of some scene, but it hardly matters, the music of Duchess Says is totally fucked up and freaked out and AWESOME. Totally reminiscent of a bunch of other stuff we like, but stuff that shouldn't and probably doesn't actually fit together all that well, but here, those sounds are twisted and pounded until they do fit together. The result is a sort of mathy, new wave-y riot grrl disco prog. Or something.
The opener begins with some super disco drumming, and burbling space bass, but then launches into some fractured Melt Banana stop start mathgrind weirdness, in between these bursts of whatthefuck, the band employ rubbery bass, hushed wordless vocals, and whirling synths. The second track begins like a new wave "Tom Sawyer", with washed out synths, and simple rock drumming, peppered with bursts of super blown out bass buzz, a dirgey groove, that quickly transforms into a super propulsive dancefloor destroying groove, but still way to thick with distorted synths, fractured riffing, and angry grrrrl vocals. Elsewhere the band stretch out into some Liquid Liquid style jamz but those too eventually morph into furious frenzied blasts of metallic new wave. Folks who remember that Black Bug 7" from a while back, this almost sounds like the full length they should have (or maybe will) make. Or maybe imagine a slightly dancier VSS with a female vocalist, or a female Six Finger Satellite - they even cover 6FS's "Rabies (Baby's Got The)", this is just fucking awesome! These folks must be so amazing live. Heavy and funky and fuzzy and new wave and angular and mathy and metallic and punk rock and fucked up and fun. Quickly becoming one of our new favorite records...
MPEG Stream: "Tenen No Neu"
MPEG Stream: "Ccut Up"
MPEG Stream: "La Friche"

DUCKTAILS Backyard (Release The Bats) cd 14.98
Another missive of gloriously murky tropical lo-fi garage surf pop from Ducktails, aka Matt Mondanile, this cd collecting tons of older out of print material from cassettes: the '1992' demo, recorded in 2007, a split tape from a little later on and the way out of print Ducktails II.
Even more warped and warbly than the Not Not Fun full length, these tracks drift and float through a hazy sonic dreamworld, slipping from looped cassette tape psychedelic calypso, to moody, sludgey bedroom balladry, to fuzzy proto garage rock, to dizzying super distorted sonic collages, to far out glistening new wave sparkle, to disembodied otherworldly Appalachia, to lonely sun dappled country twang, to lush lo-fi drum machine driven power pop, to dark brooding minimal indie jangle, to cinematic, almost Morricone sounding soundscapery, to super distorted GBV sounding fractured fragmented ADD pop, to hushed spaced out new age shimmer, all held together by that weird warped production, which wreathes everything in a washed out muted glow, like someone turned down the treble, or cut up the tweeters in your speakers with an exacto knife, the result is muddy and blurry and smeary and so gorgeous.
And be sure to stick around for the 12+ minute closing track, merely an excerpt of a much longer track, but it could be our favorite, an extended slow burning space drone, layered and textured, super distorted and effected, growing more so as it unfurls, eventually the sound begins to blow out, the notes begin to crumble, revealing a warm glowing center, surrounded by slowly decaying buzz and crunch!
MPEG Stream: "Crystal Vision"
MPEG Stream: "Why Am I Here?"
MPEG Stream: "Tropical Heat"

DUCKTAILS Hamilton Road (Olde English Spelling Bee) 7" 8.98
Yet another glorious little blast of warped and woozy jangle pop from Ducktails, the A side offers up a brief instrumental intro, all shuffling tempos and reverby melodies, before leading right into some pretty perfect old school style indie pop, softly swirly with echoey sad boy vox over a simpler stripped down beat, crystalline guitars, all wrapped in a gauze of lo-fi 4-track fuzz, with some serious hooks and a super catchy chorus, sounding a bit like a less fucked up, way more jangly Ariel Pink. The flipside is sonically similar, but just a bit darker, the tempo and arrangement a bit more convoluted, with flanged guitars, a weirdly lurching off kilter beat, but still plenty of acoustic guitar strum, indie jangle and sweetly sad minor key melodies.