Holy Fuck, Congrats Tom Tom!

The first time I saw Holy Fuck was at ATP curated by The Breeders. As we were watching them, Kim Deal seemed to part the crowd, and I got to talk to her, if only for a brief moment (to ask her about solo stuff, and Kellie's knitting circle - hot button topics). I raced into the thick of the Canadian band's set and lost my shit. I don't remember many gigs since where I have legitimately danced myself to a sweaty, quivering mess without the aid of a "higher power". (Joints and booze don't count, of course). LP is still a record I listen to incessantly. When I go to the gym (stop laughing) it is right there, pulsing through my head. But can you believe it's been SIX YEARS since their last records, Latin? You don't have to worry though - 'Tom Tom', the new track from the forthcoming Congrats (out through Innovative Leisure), is a little different - the vocals are prominent, if distorted as hell, and the incessant rhythms, while still definitely there, are plodding and futurist militaristic in their insistence. It's barbed with hooks, as per the Holy Fuck way, and promises to stick to my brain like a burr. Can't wait til May to hear Congrats in full!

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.

Wild Movements In The Arabian Dunes

About this time last year I gave a little lip service to Brooklyn wonky popheads band Beach Arabs. They finally have a full-length out, also called Wild Movement, and it's jam-packed full of frenetic, off-kilter, sunny concoctions that rock and/or roll. Liz Hogg is a happy amalgam of Screaming Females' Marisa Paternoster and Kim Deal in a dialled-down Breeders mode, whilst Nathaniel Sabat's droll, Lee Ranaldo-esque drawled deliveries offers a poignant counterpoint, two roughies that rub together to make a diamond. The focus remains the manic tempo shifts and Hogg's pitch-perfect noodling however, the math-lite precision (see closer 'Under The Whale') that underpins these lo-fi ramblings and elevates them beyond mere garage also-rans into something more appealing, a whispier Deerhoof, a American slacker take on Trash Kit or an East Coast Raincoats. Not that Beach Arabs are scaling those heady heights just yet - but with Wild Movement, they have at least made it to base camp.

You can grab Wild Movement through Mouca Records here.

Hits From The Box #62 - Working Overtime In Overcast Times

God I'm tired. Started work at 6.30am today, don't finish til 10.30pm. Using my lunch break to write this. And it's still raining.I know a lot of people are over it - and I understand, because people have been flooded and everything - but I love Aussie rain. Maybe it's the fact that it isn't freezing cold, and it has that fresh smell. Although I don't love it today - the overcast weather just makes me want to sleep. That's all Ive got today - sorry. So time for some Hits From The Box, see what'll revive me...

Speedy Oritz AKA Sadie Dupuis released the EP Sports ages ago, and slack ol me am only getting to it now. It's a complete 90s throwback, reminding me of hanging out at my friend's place after school and watching his sister jump on the trampoline listening to Veruca Salt. It's much more innocent than it sounds, actually... The grungey, distorted haze reminiscent of those times is well and truly at the fore of these five tracks. That juxtaposition between the sweet vocals and abrasive lyrics, pop transitions to aggressive explosions of sound, are elements that were rife in 90s bands from the Pixies to the Breeders (and lots of bands without Kim Deal in them). You've heard it before, but the inherent verve and attitude, accompanied by sharp musicianship, means it's a winner. Sometimes you've gotta look backwards to look forward - and hey, this sound never gets old.

Speedy Oritz - Curling
Speedy Oritz - Indoor Soccer

Portfolio is an improvisational instrumental band from Italy, whose album The Standing Babas seesaws between ambiance and defiance without disappearing or bubbling over - a controlled medium. It bears some resemblances to local Brisbane band Ghost Notes, especially with the spectral presence of the trumpet. Portfolio at times feel a little too ephemeral, lacking the punch needed to sustain a languid, mood-building exercise, but there are many moments on this record that really shine. Laura Loriga's vocals swims over the top, or sometimes through the compositions, enmeshed within the melodies.
Portfolio - Beth Gibbons
Portfolio - Latre

Another ambient daydreaming act is Cliff Dweller, who is classically trained violist, multi-instrumentalist, and music producer whose strong predilection for soundtracks have led to an intriguing body of work. His latest record is Emerald City, a cinematic kaleidoscope that utilises a mix of orchestral instrumentation and electronic sounds across its nineteen tracks. There is an understated sense of desperation and unease throughout, giving it a noirish undercurrent that belies some of the sunnier moments such as 'Peace In The Valley'. Its the kind of art concept that can uproot and transport you even without the aid of visual cues, no easy task.

Cliff Dweller - Peace In The Valley

Last week's HFTB I spoke about Kiki Pau. Their Pines record was the second release from Brooklyn label Beyond Beyond Is Beyond. The first was Prince Rupert's Drops
' Run Slow EP, and it's a cracker. Straddling genres that sees them eat up garage rock, psychedelic malaise, alt-folk Americana and countrified truisms, and the result is electric. I've only sat down with this album for a bit, but it really got me the first time and continues to grow on me with repeated listens. I expect to make more hullabaloo about these guys before the year is out...

Prince Rupert's Drops - Almond Man

I have to admit that Younolovebunny is a strange name. The Danish artist is an overtly prolific songwriter, allegedly with more than 700 recorded songs under his belt. The latest release he has is Happy Nation II, and its quirky lo-fi sensibilities belie a rocky core that often lends the songs more gravitas than they probably would have otherwise. The record is out through Almost Musique (home of Shimmering Stars and Hhappiness) and is well worth checking out.

Finishing up is Radar Brothers, a Los Angeles rock band that have been doing the traps for almost twenty years now. The latest record Eight is a cracker. They are probably a little better know than most bands that first sweep through HFTBM, but I wanted everyone to discuss this song and band.

Radar Brothers - If We Were Banished

Sorry that's it. I'm falling asleep. I hope you enjoy. Happy Tuesday people!

Wild Movements On The Arabian Beach

 

A quick catch up post about a little Brooklyn band called Beach Arabs. They are prepping their Wild Movement release and it’s the kind of discordant post-punk that doesn’t take itself very seriously – so the punch and jaggedness is tempered by a grin and a hug. Imagine if Kim Deal fronted Screaming Females, or a sped up, sun blessed Life Without Buildings (although there is no ‘New Town’ here).

 

Wild Movement has been sitting on the shelf for a few months now – we here in Australia would love it to come out, just so it can soundtrack our summer. Especially for those gearing up for a carefree, care less, loose and easy summer that is all about casual impromptu parties, hook ups and skinny dips.

Disconnect The Videotape

The jangly fuzzy that permeates This Is Disconnect, the debut LP by Chicago five-piece Videotape, is juxtaposed by the angelic/acerbic vocal interplay of Sophie Leigh. Think The Breeders and Fonda becoming a Mazzy Star/Sonic Youth hybrid - a shoegaze band grunging it up just to the precipice of static abyss before reining it in for a bit of La's-centric alt-pop... The sweet/jagged confection is a little off putting at times, yet on tracks like the glistening 'Static' or the growler 'The Creeps', everything aligns perfectly. It's a bit schizophrenic at times, but the melancholy of 'Walking In Circles' or the almost post-rock of 'Form' haunts as well. It has everything, and everything is done well, even if it doesn't cohere perfectly as an album. Well worth a few listens though - some of these tracks are absolute killer.


This Is Disconnect is out next week - you can get it here.

Videotape - Static
Videotape - No One
Videotape - Form

An Eternal Summer Requires Correct Behavio(u)r

Eternal Summers are preparing to launch the follow-up to the excellent debut LP Silver with Correct Behavior (that's their American misspelling, not mine!) and they have handed out some tasty morsels to get your teeth into. The Virginia trio (the duo have added a bassist) aren't so much a scrap pop band in the same realm as compatriots Reading Rainbow as they are treading a new line that wavers between the Sundays ('Millions') and the Breeders ('Able To' - although a track not on the album). I'm really looking forward to see how this sucker works out.


Correct Behavior is out July 24 through Kanine Records.

Eternal Summers - Millions
Eternal Summers - Able To

Buffalo Killers Come In 3's

It's weird sometimes how people come together over music. I met a young lady some time back whose musical interests did not mirror mine in the slightest - Lykke Li and Joanna Newsom was the closest we came to a compromise. Lucky there were other things that worked for us... Anyway, I had just seen Buffalo Killers play a solid show at the Breeders curated ATP, and literally the following week she was playing it on her stereo. I knew I hadnt mentioned them to her, so I felt almost betrayed that she had some good taste and hadnt bothered to share with me. Turns out she loved the Black Angels too. That fact alone prolonged the relationship for a couple more months...

Anyway, before more personal asides get me into trouble, we have a new Buffalo Killers album on the loose. 3 harbours more quiet moments than psych wigouts - therefore more reminiscent of Neil Young and his spiritual brethren Crazy Horse fucking things up (think a less drunken, more thought-provoking Tonight's The Night...). Its pretty tasty stuff.

Buffalo Killers - Love Is Gold

Peter Pants Are Falling Down, Falling Down, Falling Down...

LA riot grrl outfit Peter Pants LA riot grrl outfit consists of a co-ed line-up with two girl singers and two handsome men holding down the bass and guitar. Nikki Godinez (guitar/vocals) and Lia Braswell (drums/vocals) met in Feb 2010 and were instantly bandmates in Ostrich Eyes. They have since found Michael Reyder (guitar) and Greg Shilton (bass/drums), having morphed into Peter Pants, and have just released Handsome Women, their new EP. Their influences and sounds are many - 'Streets Or No Streets' holds some of the Pretty Girls Make Graves style punk, whilst silly tunes such as 'Beaker' evoke the more obvious comparison to Dalston trio Trash Kit for their irreverence and mania. Overall, its a short (but sweet) garage punk album.

Handsome Women is out now.

Peter Pants - Streets Or Not Streets
Peter Pants - Beaker

Holy Fuck Hit The Americas

Holy Fuck were one of my favourite aspects of The Breeders curated ATP last May. Their self titled LP is also a cracker. So I am elated to be able to share with you the first 'cut' from their follow up album. They tore SXSW apart, and their ascendency looks set to continue unabated. Enjoy!

Holy Fuck - Latin America