It's A Shame About (Mincer) Ray

It's not often that I get a request for beer. Well, that's actually not true - I'm always being hit up for a beer, to buy a beer, to scull a beer, to shout a beer. But it's rare that such a request comes from Germany - yes, the land of the stein. That's what I received today from social reprobates Mincer Ray.

At first I couldn't work it out - the trio (two American, one Brazilian) are in Berlin! You can buy beer 24/7 from your local corner store for one euro (or something similar I'm sure, I havent been there since 2010). Beer in Australia comes at the cost of a kidney and your first born.

But then I played their new EP A Magnate's Reach, and goddamn if I wasn't reaching for the rusty scissors and an ice pack, just to help some brothers out. These five tracks are the right colour of demented guitar pop that sways between Guided By Voices (their moniker is a dead giveaway there) by way of a Jeff Magnum-led Black Lips, or Lee Ranaldo trying to go straight as the new frontman of Pavement. Such disparate swings are achieved by each member singing their own tunes, instruments being flung around restlessly with wanton abandon, all emotions present and accounted for before being discarded hastily like a sweaty condom wrapper, and you are left heaving, somewhat placated and riding the waves of ecstasy whilst still wishing it had all lasted for far longer. And to be fair, after such an effort, a beer probably is in order. The shout's on me, Rays.

Grab A Magnate's Reach here.

Seth Is Frightening - B.Hoo!

You might remember some time ago I introduced you to Seth Frightening (AKA Sean Kelly), a Sonorous Circle acolyte whose album The Prince and His Madness was one messed up anti-folk delight. Well he has a couple new releases under his belt, both of which came to light in the waning hours of 2011. B.Hoo and High School follow in the SF tradition, i.e. more than a little weird (and free! Grab em both here), yet it's the hooks that are buried deep within these tracks that truly delivers. Listen to 'Wake Up' from B.Hoo below and tell me that there isn't a cracked genius at work here. sure, it's mildly disturbing, like the elongated dream-state moments in a Lynch film before the hobo or the backwards-talking dwarf makes an entrance, and you can be assured that rather head down that terrain, we may just enter an aeroplane over the sea and land in a land where up is down and black is white, yet it all seems more than OK. I so want Seth Frightening to bring out a Jeff Mangum opus; here's hoping it's just around the corner.



Seth Frightening - Wake Up

No Shouts, No Calls From Within An Aeroplane Over A Field Day

Three bits of amazing news in the space of one day for lovers of music everywhere!

The first was the announcement that Brighton band Electrelane were calling an end to their hiatus and announcing some shows, one of which is Field Day. This is amazing news. I fell in love with them when I randomly bought 2005's Axes based on a written review, then fell in love with guitarist Mia Clarke when she rocked it in a Ramones T-shirt on a sweaty night in Brisbane the following year (and did a kick-ass guitar collaboration with Andy Moor of The Ex - she is my dream girl!). The all-girl four-piece have crafted an intricate middle ground of atmospheric instrumental rock and quirky indie pop (guided by Verity Susman's distinct vocals), one which has been devoid of any real quality since their departure.

So this news threaded immediately with the second tidbit - the first Field Day lineup announcement of 2011. Coming down on Victoria Park in August, the lineup features the aforementioned and celebrated Electrelane return, but also includes some doozies - Tortoise, Ariel Pink (possibly without Haunted Graffiti?), Actress, Oneohtrix Point Never, Twin Shadow, Omar Souleyman, John Cale, Hype Williams, Mark Kozelek, Gruff Rhys, Factory Floor...and that's just the beginning. Looks like one to put into the diary - or better yet, get your early bird tickets now for 35 clams! Do it!

Which leads me to the final piece of gooey goodness. Renowned recluse Jeff Mangum has been crawling out from under whatever nondescript rock he's been under to play some shows of recent times, including pieces from his seminal album In The Aeroplane Over The Sea under his non de plume Neutral Milk Hotel. If you havent heard this album, shame - it is one of the best albums ever made, without a question of a doubt. So the massive surprises continue as All Tomorrow's Parties announces that their next festival curator, for the end of the year at Butlins, Minehead, will be none other than Mr Mangum! With that confirmed, plus acts such as Superchunk and The Raincoats, with the latter confirming that they will play their self titled debut album in its entirety. Tickets for this bad boy go up on Friday at 9am (UK time) - get cracking on it!

Electrelane -Bells

Neutral Milk Hotel -Oh Comely