Getting Ttotalled

One of my favourite releases from last year was the bruised blues drone that is 7" Spectrums Of Light. Nashville duo Ttotals have returned with full-length Let Everything Come Through (again on Twin Lakes Records). It is even more atmospheric - 'Tricks of the Trade' has a goth post punk crawl about it, while 'Life Thus Far-Out' thumps forward like Crystal Stilts stripping a Wooden Shjips jam to its barest bones. 'Hearts Always Start Up' marches forward inexorably, a trampling heartbeat that blooms into a guttural groan swirling in the mists. Yet my favourite track (right now at least) is opener 'Take Care Of Me' - a soft blowing harmonic breeze that explodes in a caterwaul of noise. Expect this one to grow, and grow, and grow - and for me to mention this come the end of December. Get it here.

Get The Shovels Out And DIG

I have been a big fan of San Francisco native Michael Beach for some time. He came floating into my sonic peripherals with his solo fare; firstly his A Horse 7" through Twin Lakes Records back in 2011, but most prominently when he released Golden Theft, one of my favourite albums of 2013. I even had the privilege of putting him on a show at the Beetle Bar in Brisbane back in November (with a stellar line-up of Soda Eaves, Tiny Migrants and Tape/Off – but due to torrential rain it was a poorly attended show, despite it being one of my favourite of the year also). He was joined with a backing band, bassist Adam Camilleri and drummer Peter Warden. But they aren’t really just a backing band – the trio form Shovels, and their debut LP (out through Homeless Records) is one of apocryphal dirges and imploding delights.


There are moments throughout Shovels where I felt I was listening to one of Australia’s truly underrated rock bands, Turnpike. Whilst nowhere near as intricately frenetic, there is an incessant gnarled tension throughout these tracks, such as opener 'MB Jacket' or 'Multiple Farrow', from the deathmarch basslines and cathartic drums to Beach’s impassioned howls and sharp guitar stabs and swathes. The monolithic ‘Clyde’ stands stark here, just over five minutes of drowning militaristic rancour; as Beach shouts ‘the leader of the FBI’ there is a nascent aura pervading, as if the anger is on the cusp of being superseded by impotent exasperation. But the muscularity remains, and therein lies one of the secret ingredients that so many bands forget – you can strut and bluster all you want, you can turn things up as loud as they will go, but if you don’t wield your strengths at the right time, with tempered aggression, with knowledge of when to strike and when to recede into the shadows, you are nothing but a cardboard cutout. Even the sparse, foreboding languidity of ‘Expire’ holds more strength in its aural tendrils than most bombastic offerings. There is nothing impotent about Shovels – contrary, this album digs mass graves for us all to gratefully slumber in, led by Pied Pipers of angularity.

Grab Shovels here – it’s a necessity.

Thieving These Golden Beaches

Aussie ex-pat Michael Beach never sits still, whether it be with the excellent Colossal Yes, his rock band Electric Jellyfish (which left San Fran earlier this year to alight on these southern shores, but didn't make it up to Queensland unfortunately, even though I pleaded), and of course his stellar solo gear. His latest offering though, Golden Theft (out on Twin Lakes Records), is the best thing he has put together. If you can't get into opening track 'The Exhilarating Rise', then you are dead inside (and to me). Seriously, I listened to this track incessantly for a week before I even took in the rest of the album. Rest assured the remainder is just as golden. Teaming up with drummer Utrillo Kushner (Comets On Fire), recorded by the idiosyncratic Phil Manley and mastered by Bob Weston, Golden Theft is a rollicking rustic pastiche pulse through raucous rambles and frayed flake-outs. Beach is alienated yet sane, voicing his internal concerns with passion, and he's never sounded better.

Beach has been playing some excellent shows of late with the likes of Estrogen Highs and Scout Niblett, and there are a few more on the horizon (one at the Hemlock Tavern with MV & EE on the 21st is of particular merit). If you haven't checked him out yet, do the whole world a favour and do so - it'll change your mind for the better. Word is he will be out this way again this year as part of Newcastle's excellent Sound Summit in November (which already includes the likes of Oval, Tyvek, Heatsick, Ooga Boogas, Bushwalking, Unity Floors, Cured Pink - the list goes on and on...) so hopefully he will venture north this time. I might see if he'd be keen for a Sonic Masala show? You can buy Golden Theft in limited edition vinyl here.

Hits From The Box #65 - Get Psyched

This weekend marks the 6th Austin Psych Fest, an event that I've wanted to go to since its inception...six years ago (funny, that). The closest I've come though is seeing Brissie band Dreamtime get on the bill this year. There will be a chance in the near future where I will be partaking in a weekend of excellent psych rock from around the globe, but until then, here are six bands that are on the bill, and for whatever reason I haven't posted about them yet (or for a while).

JJUUJJUU is a duo from LA that love their music long, elongated, a little weird, and very astrally inclined. They have just released their debut LP FRST (through Beyond Beyond Is Beyond - you can grab it here) which is a burnt slab of distorted retina burners. Already the band is gleaning shows with the likes of Cosmonauts and some pretty amazing festivals such as Desert Daze and Psych De Mayo, and are worthy of the high praise.

JJUUJJUU - G 4 A G

Another impressive duo dirge is Nashville's Ttotals, who have just released Spectrums Of Light 7" yesterday through Twin Lakes Records. The squalling echo that emanates on the periphery should be familiar - the tracks were mastered by Sonic Boom (Spacemen 3/Spectrum). These blue desert wanderers delve elbow deep into the dark stuff before launching forth with a crashing fury. Remember when QOTSA where kinda exciting? 'Tricks Of The Trade' holds much of that Rated R magic in its veins, whilst 'Sometimes You Just Are' plays back like a record in reverse, and is just as menacing. Get it here.

Ttotals - Tricks Of The Trade

Continuing on with the unintentional trend of psych duos, most of you will be familiar with the swirling psychedelia of Chile's The Holydrug Couple. They brought out Noctuary a couple months ago through Sacred Bones, and it's a cracker. At its core is a golden hue that emanates out of the speakers and cocoons you, a natural high of the highest supply. Everything feels out of sync, at half-pace, ethereal and enraptured in the paisley underground of 60s psych pop (they even have a song called 'Paisley' for Chrissakes!). Its lustrous, its elegant, above all its excellent. Get it here.

The Holydrug Couple - It's Dawning

Cosa Mesa's favourite junkyard bums The Growlers have just released a new album, Hung At Heart, through Everloving Records. You might remember that one of my favourite songs from the last few years is their 'Graveyard's Full'. And although there hasn't been a song on this album that grabbed me like that one did, it's a solid slice of lo-fi doo-wop skewering, shanties for the disenchanted, ballads for the murderous. I really want to see this band - and if you're in Austin this weekend, you lucky devils, you really should. Dusty Box Social twinkles from Hell. Get Hung At Heart here.

Now I mentioned Brisbane's Dreamtime were in Austin for the APF. Well they aren't the only Aussie reps, as The Black Ryder, The Laurels, and these guys will be blowing all and sundry away. Adelaide's Ride Into The Sun have an added in here - their upcoming album was recorded by none other than Black Angels frontman Alex Maas last year whilst the band toured the Harvest festivals. While we wait for that to drop with sweaty palms, here is the 7" they released to tantalise the third eye.

I bought World Music on Record Store Day for a number of reasons. Firstly, the cover art - of many vibrant colours, with W's and M's cut out of the front - was pretty spectacular. Secondly, it was in 180gm clear vinyl and look delectable. Finally (and most importantly) it's the new album from Swedish psych band Goat. This is hands down one of the best psych records I have heard in years - IN YEARS. Writing only this much is not giving it justice, but trust me, it will be in the reckoning for top honours come year's end. You can get it via Stranded Rekords here.

Goat - Diarabi
Goat - Goatman

And I thought I'd end off with The Black Angels, who themselves have just brought out their latest album Indigo Meadow. Here's the title song from it. I interviewed Alex Maas earlier in the week - more about that to come.

The Black Angels - Indigo Meadow

Happy Saturday!

T(t)otal Source Of Yellow/Silver/Black

I don't know what it's like in your end of the world, but here in "sunny" Brisbane it's gloomy, grey and raining. So I thought that I would get all gloomy myself by locking myself away in order to listen to two of Twin Lakes Records' newest releases.

First up is The Said, a three-track EP from Source of Yellow. The Brooklyn-based band borrow heavily from psych touchstones, as is most evident on opening title track and clear standout, but they also play with the genre, focusing on groove and rhythm more than languid noise jams. This combined with their debut release back in 2010 pinpoints Source of Yellow as a band of great import, and The Said is the perfect introduction into their world.

Then there is Ttotals, the Nashville duo whose Silver On Black 7" is more straight up space blues jams a la Black Mountain, White Hills and The Black Angels. These three tracks are a great hazy rumble when combined, and prove that these dudes rule the outer blues. Awesome stuff!

Beaching Jellyfish

Electric Jellyfish features Michael Beach, whose Mountains & Valleys tape on Twin Lakes Records last year was a delightful, underrated gem. Electric Jellyfish is a different kettle of...er...fish though. The Melbourne 3 piece bark up David Yow's rancid tree, yet there is more space lurking in the shadows that focuses less on the abuse and more on the tension. They are a rad little band, and whilst its taken almost forever for me to post about, they have released a little number that is bound to melt that stupid grin off your face. Available through Twin Lakes Records as a limited edition cassette, Trouble Coming Down is well worth the pennies - grab it here. Get back over here, stat!

Electric Jellyfish - Trouble Coming Down

In Between Mountains & Valleys Lies The Beach

Displaced Aussie Michael Beach had a nice little 7" out at the dawn of the year, A Horse (have a read and listen here). I really liked it. Well, he is releasing a mini-album to coincide with his forthcoming US tour, and it's the best thing he's done yet. Mountains + Valleys (through Spectacular Commodity and Twin Lakes) is a ballsy and accomplished collection of rustic rust, and it sounds amazing. This could do with the people he has roped in to help out - drummer Utrillo Kushner (Comets On Fire), Raymond Raposa (Castanets) on guitar and vocals, and Trans Am’s Phil Manley on the desk (Wooden Shjips and Barn Owl have enlisted his services in the past), Mountains + Valleys traverses darker terrain with more bluster than before, and is all the better because of it.


There are only 100 copies of these suckers (possibly much, much less), so try grab one here. Otherwise head here to get the digital. Its fantastic stuff. Reminds me of Jim Ward's or Jason Molina's solo stuff, but with Sonic Youth tracks occasionally coming across the radio wavelength. Really great stuff.

Michael Beach - Straight Spines
Michael Beach - Mountains + Valleys

Rising Up Off The Beach

Twin Lakes Records, the new label started by members of MYTY KONKEROR (whose LP I miss the future. was a great release late last year - hear about it here), is releasing its first ever 7" piece o' vinyl. The lucky contributor? Michael Beach, former member of Australia's Electric Jellyfish. He has made the move from Melbourne to San Francisco, and his prepping a new album with producer Raymond Raposa (Castanets) and engineer Seth Lorinczi (Corin Tucker Band). The two tracks showcase the troubadour within Beach, my favourite being the B side 'The Exhilarating Rise' due to its Velvet Underground sound, hiss and attitude.

The vinyl is out February 8th, which you can pre-order now, or you can name your price for a digital copy over on Beach's Bandcamp.

Michael Beach - The Exhilarating Rise

A Mai Tai For the Conquering Hordes

The folks over at Twin Lakes Records slung me a demo copy of this LP, MYTY KONKEROR's I Miss The Future - and its already high up on my must haves for 2011. It is out now, but the limited first pressing (in Clear vinyl!) is all but sold out, and a white vinyl version is coming out in January, thus making this a 2010 release - and it is stellar, even Impose Magazine thinks so. The album undulates from rolling psych rock (''sus Envy') to shoegaze ('Whitewash') effortlessly, embodying both styles with aplomb. In fact, when I first heard 'Cell Division' I had to check - and double check - that I hadnt put the wrong album on. Its stylish, melodic, but above all LOUD. With what is on show here, I feel that there is room to grow and expand also, which is an amazing thing to be able to say about a band clearly marking its territory. (Love the cover art too...)

MYTY KONKEROR - Cell Division