VIDEO VACUUM - Trash Talk, Gross Relations, Youth Lagoon, Thralls

Ah, not long now til its holiday time for me. Two weeks of doing sweet f-all - other than more of this, and finishing up my novel. And seeing Sebadoh. And drinking with Akron/Family as Ill be their gracious host. And seeing Moon Duo. And watching Breaking Bad. And eating awesome breakfasts. And playing "old" Xbox games. And buying a suit. And buying a bed base and a chest of drawers - cos living like a smack addict, whilst having many perks, is getting a bit old... I guess I wont be relaxing too much then. But it will be 14 days of boozy malaise, so cant complain really...

Which is why Im starting off today's Video Vacuum with those crazy Sacramento kids Trash Talk and their video for 'Awake', off their new EP out next month through True Panther Records. Its typically balltearingly awesome...



We posted 'Blame The Records' earlier in the year, and now Brooklyn upstarts Gross Relations have just launched an EP, Come Clean. Its a fuzzy dream of garage pop, the hooks deceptively hidden yet razor sharp. This is the video for the eponymous track. Suffice to say, it's bloody good.

Gross Relations - Come Clean / Official Video from grossrelations on Vimeo.

Now, I thought about putting this video first. Not necessarily because the song is better than the others on display here - all tracks here are worthy. But this video for Youth Lagoon's 'Montana' (as done by Tyler T Williams) is fucking fantastic. Youth Lagoon is actually one hell of an exciting artist, and his forthcoming LP The Age Of Hibernation (out Sept 27 through Fat Possum) promises to be something special.

Youth Lagoon - Montana from Tyler T Williams on Vimeo.

Finally we have San Franciscans Thralls, whose 'Fogger' single follows up their nice Pomegranates 7" from earlier this year. It shows a nice natural progression for the band, and is a languid way out into the ether.



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!

Wavving Away That Trash Talk

What a strange match up. First we have Trash Talk, the bristling Sacramento hardcore band that blew all and sundry away in Australia earlier this year. Then we have Wavves, the perennially stoned Californian noise popsters. The guys from Trash Talk are rad, but I always thought that one cock-eyed comment from Nathan Williams would have them raining down vengeance on his doped-up ass. And yet here they are, splitting this 7" (first made available on Record Store Day). Wavves had already digitally released this track, 'TV Luv Song', but tis good to hear its shambolically rambunctious charms with the crackle and hiss of vinyl. And TT, well its just good to hear them full stop. So if you like either, or both of these dudes, you can try to snap up a pressing, although they are pretty low on the ground. Best just to get em below...

Trash Talk - Thorns
Wavves - TV Luv Song

Let The Bronx Stymie The Flood...

As you may already know, the Australian state of Queensland was ravaged by floods over Christmas 2010 and January 2011, culminating in over 30 lives lost and over $1 billion in damages, in what is one of the greatest natural disasters in the continent's history. There have been immeasurable amounts of support from volunteers up to celebrities doing auctions and giving donations, but there is still a long way to go.

So up steps LA hardcore clusterfucks The Bronx. In what is a left of field and yet fucking brilliant turn of events, The Bronx (one of my all time favourite live acts), along with Trash Talk (your 3rd chance to see these guys in a week!), Terror and H2O, are taking time out of their Soundwave festival obligations and are putting on a flood benefit of their own. Its to be held at the Step Inn on Friday February 25th. Tickets are $40(ish). The brilliant thing here is that $38 of that is going to the flood relief! Generous indeed, and well done to Soundwave and Custom-Made Touring for pushing this. And whats more, with the tiny venue that Step Inn offers, this is going to be a crazily unforgettable event. Get in quick - not only are you supporting the cause, but you are buying a ticket to one of 2011's best.

The Bronx - Knifeman
Kong - Count To Nine (ft Matt Caughtran - The Bronx)