Carpet Shrapnel Yanked From Sam's Brain

Sydney basement dreamers Shrapnel have released Carpet Yankers, a cool cat cassette from Sam Wilkinson (Day Ravies, Mope City, King Tears Mortuary etc etc, out through his Strange Pursuits label). Shrapnel is Wilkinson letting fly, embracing his inner Bob Pollard, Stephen Malkmus, Jason Lowenstein and Calvin Johnson. From the frayed slacker bilge of chugging opener 'Chicken Fantasy', to the Sebadoh-meets-wasted Lennon in Erskineville warp of 'Floss The Boss' and the Doug Martsch fronting Superchunk in a tin can of 'Face On The Desk' - there are a lot of cantankerous, haphazard, blistering in the shade rock on offer. But there is as much time for cracked reflection, as is heard on the thin synth and crackling vocals wasting away on the title track, or the nascent acoustic dement-folk of 'Procrastinate/Disintegrate'. By eschewing the warm wall of sound of Day Ravies and the lo-fi (S)andpit growl of Mope City, Shrapnel is an experiment in freefall thoughts, allowing everything to ferment and take root, no matter how weird and wild. My favourite tracks (for the moment, the mood shifts like a serpent in the sludge) is the wonky, anaesthetised rock with added Beatle riff 'Duty To Do' and the Breeders cruise closer 'Stewing With You'. Yeah, there are a shedload of references rolled out today, but when listening to Carpet Yankers that is what it feels like - a carefree, bloody talented performer playing with the hits - and winning. Grab it here.

Hits From The Box #114 - What's In The Box?

Finally - after months of being screwed around, the 8th Sonic Masala Records release arrived on the doorstep on Friday - Day Ravies' Liminal Zones. It will be out in all great record stores in Australia soon, as well as our first release to be distributed in Europe (through Beko Disques) and the US (Jigsaw Records). So I am pretty damn happy. Let's hear what else has me content this week...

Richmond band Positive No had me from the opening moments of 'Bonded Pair', which echoed Slint. They are a different beast, flirting with Breeders, Blonde Redhead and Screamfeeder territory, and their debut LP Glossa is a Petri dish of infectious harmonies with more abrasive instrumentation, moving sinuously between the extremes with an ambidextrous ease. 'Weird Hugs' is the perfect example of this balancing act. They are touring the States at the moment -

Portland's Helvetia have been in hiding of late, mainly due to their connection with Built To Spill and the exciting news that Doug Marstch et al have a new album in the can. Doubly exciting though is that there is also a new Helvetia album in the guise of Dromomania. First track off it is 'A Dot Running For The Dust', which has that sunswept haze and psych spin that Broken Social Scene are occasionally able to harness; while the news heightens further with the news that the initial album, believed lost to a dire hard-drive malfunction, has been recovered after Dromomania was recorded, so you can get the "original" debut LP too! It's all for a limited time only - you better head here to get it.

Let's move over to Duck Duck Grey Duck, a band so nice they had to say it three times. While their album Here Come... has been out for a while, this pretty great video for album track 'Spills and Chills' has just come out, and seeing as I haven't done a Video Vacuum in aaaaaaaages, I wanted to show it here. The album itself is garage blues baked in the sun - the hooks are plentiful, the songs ooze with cool, it's all effortless, although the trio aren't averse to sojourns into frenetic psych wailers such as 'Transworld'.

Now to Australia, although the name Magic America may throw you. Now these boys are more plainly enamoured with the psychedelic rock drawl, as is evidenced on opening track 'Comes and Goes' from their eponymous EP, all of which you can listen to below. While that track follows more well-worn modern psych trends (looking at Black Angels and their eternal acolytes there), they try other elements such as electronic undertones on a paisley psych theme on 'Shock Me Sober', a swooning dandy approach on 'I'm Not Dying', and some Pink Floyd outer reaches tinge 'I Thought I Told You'. Closer 'Holly' - no thanks - I felt like it was Alex Lloyd fronting Jet, so yeah, in the bin with that one. That said, they haven't really stamped an individual sound yet, but the strength of that opening number hints that they might be onto something - give it time.

Still in Oz, we have self-professed shoe-grungers Claws & Organs. The visceral trio are making a strong impression, and their track 'Alphabetti Spaghetti' is a belter. The grunge element is evident in part, but it's better when Heather Thomas keeps the growl on the edge of her lips; her silken vocals lend more menace in front of a wavering behemoth of noise that the band easily control. I'm looking forward to what comes next.

Flying back to finish in Vancouver where we can smash down some UCLA Yankee Cola with bratty four-piece TV Ugly. They are all about making compact, crunchy scuzz pop, where werewolfing and eating shit are viable options for any given day. There is a dark grit under the nails of these tracks at times, like on 'Slow Thighs' (which, at 2:47, is the longest song here by almost a minute). But hit the seas on TV Ugly's 'Thrash Party Island' and nothing can bring down your day. Plus they also put Cake's 'Comfort Eagle' in one of their Facebook posts - and this totally made my day even better. DUDE!


Happy Sunday, everyone!

Two Pieces Of Carsick Cars

I never thought I would see Carsick Cars. The idea of a Chinese no-wave inflicted guitar rock band even existing seemed unfathomable – but to see them hit the stage at Woodland back in 2012 felt like a heady hallucination. A true caterwaul, but one that felt imbued with real, honest and earned anguish. I hope to see them play again.

And if they continue to produce albums the calibre of 3, I reckon there's a hot chance that I will. It's been five years in the making, and the shift in sonic aesthetics is palpable. There is a stronger jamming vibe to these songs, and whilst the Western musical appropriation has always been evident in their abject love of Sonic Youth, 3 is littered with much further-reaching touchstones. I felt like 'Wei Cheng' was a mix of The Kinks and The Clean, all sunny, ebullient and crisp in execution (unbeknownst to me, The Clean's Hamish Kilgour actually produces this record alongside Peter Kember - yep, Sonic Boom). 'Fifteen Minutes Older' sounds crafted for Doug Martsch's inner ear only, so effortless is the tightly wound yet effervescent guitar pop carved out here. 'The Best VPN So Far' was pummelling in the engine room, the drums rolling forth like a harbinger of giants of yore, whilst the anguished growl of the guitars were of the netherworld - yet all was evocative of something positive in nature, regardless if experienced through headphones, stereo speakers or in a stadium. It's the pop strains that are stronger; the motorik seam richer; the psych permutations more striking. This album deserves to be heard by EVERYONE.


But that isn't enough - Carsick Cars just finished a Stateside tour with Minneapolis' psych-drone outfit Flavor Crystals (whose own newly released album is eerily called Three), and have a split blood-red 7" to stand as a marker of their time together. It was crafted for Record Store Day, but is now available to all (both releases are available here in Australia thanks to the inimitable Tenzenmen and Geijing Records). The Chinese trios contribution is 'Yoko' and is a perfect slice of rollicking guitar pop, the drums and organ effects driving the song at a frantic pace - Guided By Voices in hi fi. Flavor Crystals' effort is 'Mirror In My Mind', a much more wound-down, stargazed effort - the band has also recently toured with Brian Jonestown Massacre, so that gives you an idea into what psych realm we are drifting into. It's a great piece of Krautrock-inflicted glide, but the effervescent strength of 'Yoko' undercuts it somewhat (although if you dig Spacemen 3 - which I do a lot - you could take the split from the other side of the fence too...) Its still a must have though - both tracks a perfect exemplar of their oeuvre.


You can buy both releases here and here.

Spend A Full Ugly Afternoon With Me

We have written about Full Ugly in the past. We've liked what we've heard. But there was always something a little hollow for me, like as if the Melbourne outfit were having us on. As if the band were taking the piss, just playing the jangly slacker pop that has become a blessing/curse in this country because they could and nothing more. It's not like I didn't think Full Ugly could be good - they have members from Milk Teddy and Totally Mild taking up space. But they have released their debut LP, Spent The Afternoon, and there is so much going on here that I just did NOT expect to hear. The secret ingredients? Nathan Burgess' laconic, at times wistful vocals and lyrics ('Hilly Street'); the pastoral reverbed twang of the guitar - ESPECIALLY the guitar - taking us into an Antipodean Americana meets countrified Built To Spill ('Mount Barker'); the chugging faux-psych of 'Smug S' - I love the band's propensity to veer away from what's by now expected of sounds of this type. They still do that well too - songs like 'Nervous' reminds me of a larrikin Kinks supporting The Easybeats if they played the Town Hall Hotel at 3pm on a Friday afternoon. Its a deceptively strong album, one that is haunting me in daydream reveries and warming me at the surprising twists and turns. Thanks boys.

Grab Spent The Afternoon through either Bedroom Suck (Aust) here or Fire Records (Euro) here. Full Ugly are playing Brisbane this Friday night at the Brightside (what used to be Electric Playground - where Ela Stiles played a few weeks ago) alongside Rites Wild, Martyr Privates and Thigh Master. Other dates:

May 10 - The Metro, Adelaide w/ Parading + Bruff Superior

May 16 - The Brisbane, Hobart w/ Treehouse, Pines + Heart Beach

May 23 - The John Curtin, Melbourne w/ Bitch Prefect, Totally Mild + Moon Dice

Krack-a-lackin' Times At Sioux Falls

Back in action with Portland trio Sioux Falls. Big Krackel is an EP that marries the best parts of Doug Martsch, Paul Westerberg and a angst-riddled Fugazi into a broiling melting pot, tempered by the thinnest of veneers, ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. The title track does so, in fact - a few times. There is a blue collar strength that courses through these six songs' veins - people struggling to get by, eager to flee, to retreat, before baring their teeth and fighting against their plight. Great stuff.

Four Score Ebb And Thrall Of An Alpine Decline

I was sent one of those anonymous Bandcamp emails yesterday, telling me that Shaun over at Tenzenmen Records was releasing yet another album. I still haven't paid lip service to some of the killers that have come through this year (sorry Birdstriking, apologies White+), yet some are frontrunner favourite albums of 2013 (hello Yes I'm Leaving; hi there Bone) so I thought I'd head over and look. It was Disappearance, the third album from Beijing-based band Alpine Decline. But as I scrolled down the side, I saw that there were a glut of albums that Tenzenmen had put out, or were about to put out - and all were from Alpine Decline. Investigation, both aural and journalistic (well as journalistic as I get), was necessary.



Seems that the band released their self-titled debut in 2010 (which comes across like Built To Spill in a near murderous sonic sense of brutality) in LA, where they had formed, then travelled to China and into the Himalayas, before coming back and recording Visualisations later in the same year. It follows a similar pattern to Alpine Decline, yet with a wider expansive of crackle and drone - it was like the trek had started opening a hitherto unknown propensity for languidly and porous drone, albeit still kept in check by an innate drive for melody and conciseness.



Yet something had been awakened, and the band could not sate this creative hunger. In 2011 the duo returned to the studio where they recorded Vizualisations (again helmed by M Geddes - who had helmed productions of Robedoor and Pocahaunted records in the past), and the resultant works, collated into third album Disappearance (the album that brought me on this mystic journey) is decidedly more insular yet kinetic; more warped and yet more focused than their predecessors. The third eye was well and truly alive within these two. A deliberate exercise in hypnosis and concerted, controlled elongation (yet with the inherent melody and groove a cell-level mainstay), the twelve tracks on offer still remained succinct, yet each appeared to contain their own alien technology, their own enveloping worlds. Such strong and clear evolution in such a short timeframe is frightening.



Then the duo disappeared, back to the outskirts of Beijing, for a year. Finally they returned with a fourth album tucked firmly under their grimy arms, and Night of the Long Knives was another transmogrification of Alpine Decline - this time more contemplative, more glazed, more ethereal. There was more of a thousand yard stare here - like returning from self-imposed exile to find the world you left behind rent asunder, nothing left behind, nothing recognisable. There are songs that still echo the very best, maudlin BtS (see 'Sleeping Gas' for example) yet with a gauzy, dystopian hue.


These four albums are still sinking in - yet I think I may have stumbled across a band that is creating albums that I will fall in love with for different reasons; that will seep into my very being; that are, in other words, quintessentially essential listening. And the more that these albums are listened to, and embraced, and revered, the stronger Alpine Decline's id grows - the albums will continue to tumble forth, fully formed and magnificent - and the world will evolve along with them.

Grab all four albums here. Seriously, for the betterment of mankind.

Swept Away In Swift Armour

With a name like The Sweeps, I was in danger of immediately writing off this Chicago trio. I have made a habit of poring over every possibly decent release that comes my way though, so I dipped my toe into the waters that is their debut LP Swift Armour - and whilst it may be winter still here (albeit an Aussie winter, particularly a Queensland winter, doesn't often call for layers of clothing), rather than being frozen out, the temperature was just fine. This is raucous, edgy, yet edifying guitar rock - think the more rambunctious fringes of Built To Spill, the dingy breakdowns of Desaparecidos, the sonic sleekness of (dare I say it) early era Arcade Fire, with a lashing of the cantankerous scourings that likeminded bands Pile and Spook Houses to fill out the boisterous recipe. But Swift Armour is emblematic of the trio, staunch Chicago kids, who although not always hitting their mark, spray the speakers with gusto that most of their efforts indelibly stick. When everything explodes is when the band finds traction - a growl and expulsion of emotion that feels visceral and real. I still find it difficult to warm to the name - but dive into this album. It's fine, once you get in...

You can pick up Swift Armour from here.

Reaching For The Gar

I was talking to my Sonic Masala brother-in-arms Nathan just yesterday how it feels like Brisbane is approaching a golden age of bands, artists and personalities that are not only doing things creative, but are self-starters and willing to help others, a true productive and creative hub. It turns out to be the perfect time to talk about The City Of Burning Identities, the latest EP from Beijing band The Gar, as its excellent sunny disposition, Built To Spill aphorisms and (most honestly and tenuously) album title fit my thoughts about my hometown like a glove. It doesn't matter that The Gar are from China; that their songs are sung in Chinese; what matters is the urgency, the honesty, the fervent nature of these tracks. They are put out here by Tenzenmen Records, an outlet here in Australia that truly fosters that vibrant, DIY aesthetic. They stick out like sore thumbs in their scene but are embraced for and in spite of that, hence the Beijing/Shanghai scene having similar parallels. And they forge ahead through adversity to create a slick, textured slice of guitar pop that is often missing from the airwaves in this day and age (apart from the hallowed halls of the aforementioned Built To Spill that is).

You can pick up The City Of Burning Identities here - Tenzenmen have new stock on its way due to the first run selling out almost immediately!

Regretfully Depending On Hazels Wart

As you may have noticed I occasionally whinge about how I sometimes miss out on great new music, either because it slips through the cracks of my ever-overflowing inbox, because I'm overworked, because I drank five thousand beers and woke up in a strange bed. Whatever. It happens. There's lots of good stuff that hasn't graced this hallowed hall. But I always hope that when one of these bands bring about a new release, I can smash that one to the bleachers for all and sundry to scrabble over.

Today, that band is Hazel's Wart, a San Francisco trio whose sloppy emotive noise-pop has really struck a chord (three of my all-time records being The Lonesome Crowded West, Perfect From Now On (the dude sounds sooooo much like Doug Martsch!) and Dancer Equired!, it kinda makes sense). Back in 2011 they brought out a great scuzzy guitar pop album in Together We Didn't - not in the garage, throwaway sense, but more in tune to the early 90s alternative rock that pre-dated the "grunge" push, fuzzed-out guitars with slightly underdone production because that's all they knew how to do. But they are now onto a softer vibe that is akin to early Modest Mouse (which was always there from the beginning), if new cassette Regretful Dependencies is anything to go by - and the even lower frequency production actually makes this slight shift in sonic direction even better, steeping it in the era that its definitive influences come from. Hey, does that guitar on 'Checked' sound like a J Mascis-worshipping dip of the cap? I believe so!

 

Seriously, Hazel's Wart are a damn fine band, playing damn fine music that people seem to be a little adverse at taking on as their own anymore. I know, I know - trends and tastes shift etc etc. But that's for fools to embody - if it's this good, just like it already! You can grab Regretful Dependencies here, and I strongly suggest getting into Together We Didn't also - you can pick that up here.

Hazel's Wart - Cheap Thrill
Hazel's Wart - Checked

Nova Scotia's World Is More Than Enough

Brisbane five piece Nova Scotia have been doing the local thing now for near on five years, having collated two great, limited release EPs (Bear Smashes Photocopier and Maritime Disasters) and some stellar support slots, the most recent being Built To Spill. Their brand of off-kilter melodic guitar pop evokes such slacker icons as Pavement (hence the support slots for both Stephen Malkmus and Spiral Stairs) and Guided By Voices. So its exciting news to hear that they are about to unearth their debut LP (about time...) Nova Scotia in February through Lofly Records. And to mark the occasion they have given us their closing track, 'The World Is Not Enough', as well as the news that they will launch the album with a secret show on February 26th! If you want to get to this - which, lets face it, you all do - head over to Lofly for the deets. I dont know about you, but Im hoping this proves to be the first great guitar indie pop album of 2011. Only a month to find out...

Nova Scotia - The World Is Not Enough
Nova Scotia - Maritime Disasters

3 Way Cover dust-up - when one cover (or covers post) is never enough...

What a dilemma to be in! I realise, once again, Im treading on Paul's toes here - but so be it! Cant have enough (good) covers in my opinion... Besides I felt these were too good to ignore!

I was listening to Neil Young on the weekend. If anyone knows me, they would know that Neil is one of my idols. His biography Shakey is in my all time favourite books list - and I don't rate many biographies, due to their problematic nature, so its a good one, trust me. If you even just like Neil, devour Shakey now!!

So anyway, I was listening to his seminal album with Crazy Horse, Zuma. It is the album the contains the psych folk jamfest that is 'Cortez the Killer'. Now it seems almost impossible to do a terrible cover of this song - case in point, Dave Matthews Band (sorry Luke - but Dave Matthews is a twat, no matter how good his version is...). But it seemed serendipitious that I would stumble across not one, not two, but THREE covers of this track in the past 24 hours - and not once was I searching for it!

First it was Built to Spill. Everyone who is a fan should have heard their cover of the track that is on their Live album. Well, the version I heard today was a special recording, and so much better! Unfortunately it is too large to post here - Sonic Masala is growing, but not enough to hold 17 minute songs - yet... So here is the link so that you can peruse and abuse at your leisure (there are three other BtS tracks there that are well worth your time too).

Secondly I was hunting some information on Aussie noise folk garage grungers (wha? Well, YOU describe em!) The Drones to finish an article Im doing on their frontman Gareth Lilliard, and I came across a very crisp version of 'Cortez the Killer', showcasing Lilliard's cracked genuis guitar playing and wall of sound, his guttural Aussie drawl, and passion to burn.

Finally, just half an hour ago I was doing even more research - this time for a noise article Im tinkering with - and saw that Slint had done a version. So after 20 minutes of searching, here it is! Recorded not long before Spiderland was released, and before the band imploded, its a solid reworking. its not ultra clear either, but it is definitely Slint!!

Admittedly, the bands dont stray far from the Neil Young blueprint - nor would you - there is still so much room to move! So what do you think - who takes out the cover title between Built to Spill, The Drones and Slint? Voters, comment away...

(NB - if you think you know of better 'Cortez...' covers, let us here at SM know them too!)

Built to Spill - Cortez the Killer
The Drones - Cortez the Killer
Slint - Cortez the Killer

6 Degrees of Sonic Youth #3 - Violent Soho

The 3rd piece in my Sonic Youth triptych is an introduction for you (most likely anyway), and a reunion of sorts for me. Hailing from Queensland, Australia (and as they proudly attest, from Mansfield, postcode 4122), young grunge worshippers Violent Soho have been ripping apart all and sundry for the best part of 5 years now. I had the pleasure of seeing them just before I left Australia back in 2008, and once again they made my head explode with their energetic fury. I always thought they had the opportunity to go far. Not long after I had arrived in London, they did a whirligig tour of Europe, dropping in at the 100 Club to fuck things up before they disappeared surreptitiously from my radar. But the boys from Mansfield have been anything BUT quiet, and 2009 was a watershed year for them, seeing them touring the US extensively with the likes of Band of Skulls, Built to Spill and the Dead Weather, all under the watchful gaze of Thurston Moore, who has signed them onto his Ecstatic Peace label. It feels great to have a 'I told you so' moment of seeing a small group rise up and get the recognition you knew they always deserved. Their 2nd LP (and the 1st under Ecstatic Peace) Violent Soho is out in a week - get it!!!

Oh, and they are playing with Society's Ills AND Thurston Moore (solo) @ the Ecstatic Peace showcase gig at SXSW on March 19...

Now enjoy a couple clips of the band, including a chat with Moore...