Bay Area Brief Blasts: Featuring Mall Walk-S/T EP, Pang-Young Professionals EP, Cold Beat-Over Me

     There were many awesome cassette releases this year and the debut by Oakland's Mall Walk is certainly one of 'em. Opening track, 'False Living' contains the word, "revival" and it sounds just like Echo and The Bunnymen's take on psych revival. There is an air of romanticism permeating each of these five tunes; ideas about running away, not getting beat by various systems, etc. The solid rhythm section keeps everything grounded, while the mostly clean  (save for a few occasions when they channel their inner Sonic Youth) guitar plays over it sparingly.

     Mall Walk has considerable drone chops (complete with shakers), as 'Treadmill' sounds like a Yo La Tengo single. Closing track, 'Pales In Comparison', is a drawn-out heart breaker, mourning the loss of a father, wishing the loss of a mother, and "singing CCR". Creedence Clearwater in an old car reminds me of The Big Lebowski and that's always great. I love what Mall Walk are doing. I love this first EP. I can't wait to hear more.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

     Pang is (or was...it's uncertain now) a super talented, spirited, all-female, Bay Area band in the vein of Grass Widow; double guitars, double or triple vocals, driving bass, lots of cymbal strikes. Young Professionals is their second release in two years. What anyone can now hear of it (only two tracks currently available) is amazing.

     This thing was released in August on Grazer to a pressing of only 250. It's since sold out. I can't find mp3s any-damn-where and I'm totally dejected. Who knows if the label will issue a repress. If Pang is no longer active, the chances of that are unlikely. Sad news for 2014 in my world. I can't honestly review this but I wanted to mention it since I love the two tracks that're available. I strongly encourage all readers to

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                                                                                                                                                                                              Verdict Pending

    Cold Beat's 'Over Me' is all about Hannah Lew taking Radiohead's 'How To Disappear Completely' to heart. Sample lyrics include:

"...you don't have a need...feel numb for a while..." ('Rain')

"...no heart attached...break apart..." ('Tinted Glass')

The entirety of 'Mirror'

"...cast me aside..." ('Rumors')

"...turn away into oblivion..." ('Out of Time')

"...turn to dust..." ('Falling Skyline')

     Almost every song mentions light (typically from the sun), a lack of vision, and paralysis. 'Over Me' is nothing if not meditative. The words seem to have been culled from Lew's dream journal or something. As much as the lyrics represent a struggle, the music is driven and ethereal. Hannah's cooked up a fine dream pop record, one in which many a teen (and the rest of us "at-hearts") should consume as a substitute for expensive therapy.

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                                                                                                                             The  Verdict: 3 Bedpans

Brief Blasts 3: Featuring Matthew Melton-Outside of Paradise, Haley Bonar-Last War, TIT-S/T EP

     At this point, the title of "Man, Myth, Legend" can be deservedly ascribed to Matthew Melton. If he'd like to rip off Search and Destroy on 'Images On The Sand', listeners won't complain 'cause he's paid his damn dues.

     The cover of 'Outside Paradise' might say it all, but if the words "myth" or "legend" aren't quite conveyed by it, I'm lost. The cover of his first solo outing, 2010's 'Still Misunderstood' found him in a concrete jungle setting, near a beat up car that may or may not be his, without a belt. Now we see him in what could be just any green hillside or Middle Earth, with a belt and now a bat in-hand. Of course, just like other punk legends, Iggy Pop and Eugene Hutz, (the latter to whom he bears a striking resemblance) he has no need for a shirt. That bat is very curious; either he's looking for a mystical sandlot somewhere or he's zombie hunting. In any case, he's sure to produce some hits and those hits my sail outside Paradise.

     He surely made this album outside Paradise. According to a recent interview, he was a vagrant for most of the seven years in which this was compiled, living in his then Oakland-based studio. I guess if I lived  a vagrant life, I wouldn't want to wear a shirt either. But he also lets us know he means business 'cause his pants are always very rock-star-form-fitting. Here's hoping Matthew Melton never associates with Paradise.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

     Haley Bonar's 'Last War' is the album that Frankie Rose should've made this year. It's not quite as bombastic as Rose's style. Bonar likes to keep the propulsive rhythms more subdued, but the synthscapes she creates here are just as expansive as anything on Rose's 'Interstellar'. 

     'From A Cage', 'Woke Up in My Future' and 'Bad Reputation' are a meaty, satisfying trifecta of Americana delivered via nothing that sounds the least bit rootsy. 'Eat for Free' is the only sparsely acoustic track, a haunting, heartbreaking and well-sequenced closer.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 3 Bedpans

     Earlier this year The Hussy and Digital Leather released a Split 12". As these types of collaborations go, not only did they share wax, they also shared song duties. I'm gonna guess that TIT was the genesis and not the result of said 12". I feel like the last track on this EP, '8m 50s', an eight-minute, fifty-second drone-out set all this madness into motion. 

     I don't really hear Bobby Hussy's influence in TIT. It mostly sounds like a druggier version of Shawn Foree's normal output. So, okay, Bobby wanted to turn some knobs and just use his guitar chops as an accent for a change; nothing wrong with that. I wonder if TIT will next release four more songs that basically sound like The Hussy on quaaludes with heavy synthery in the mix.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 3 Bedpans

Brief Blasts 2: Featuring The Paperhead-Africa Avenue, Weed Hounds-S/T, Teledrome-S/T

    I'd honestly thought Nashville's The Paperhead had dissolved. I wasn't very much impressed with 2011's Self-Titled offering and since that one felt pretty uninspired, I'd figured the band itself didn't have the staying power. Africa Avenue fixes just about everything that was blah about the last record. They now give us tunes that mostly push the three-minute mark with varied tempos, rhythms, instrumentation, and styles. 

     It's great to hear The Paperhead pull off everything they try for on Africa Avenue; a one-stop psych shop. If they have it in them to make more albums like this one, three years won't be too long a wait for the newly-acquainted legions of fans they're bound to acquire.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

     Brooklyn's Weed Hounds are the reverse-mullet of the shoegaze genre; party-in-the-front (moniker), business-in-the-back (music). Maybe it took them five years to get this album realized because they truly are weed hounds. Or maybe they just didn't want to scrimp on anything production-wise and that requires more time and money. They certainly picked a solid industry vet in Ben Greenberg to record them. This debut has no feeling of haste to it and I'm thankful for whatever care was put into it 'cause it amounts to one if not the best shoegaze albums of 2014.

     Their sound isn't as self-serious as most shoegaze acts; it leans towards the poppier side of the spectrum, in vein of The Breeders. That's not to say the rhythm section isn't plenty punishing. The bass is eagle wing-span wide and there's no shortage of crash cymbals. Of course, a two-guitar assault reigns atop everything. Weed Hounds pack an undeniable WHALLOP, not unlike certain edibles that'll sequester users in restricted, all-day sitting positions.

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                                                                                                              The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

   I think Teledrome's Canadian label, Mammoth Cave, sent out a memo as part of one their newsletters stating something to the effect of this most likely being the band's only record. I can't remember the reason behind the dissolution. Maybe I'm mistaken, but if it's true, it's a damn shame 'cause talent like this needs to be showcased.

     This Self-Titled, 16-wheeled Mack Truck of synth dominance is some of the most fun listeners will have in 2014. Ten tracks finishing in twenty minutes is all I needed to become a slobbering, self-loathing, key-and-knob-worshiping mess. Not only do I want to listen to this thing three times a day, I can. Teledrome possesses endlessly hummable hooks played by some hardcore Devo disciples. It compliments figuring out Dungeons & Dragons game scenarios whilst pining for the girl or guy next-door.

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                                                 The Verdict: 3 Bedpans

Music Review: Cool Ghouls-A Swirling Fire Burning Through The Rye

     

     I'm a sucker for a live-to-tape recordings. I'm also a sucker for boot-stomping, blunt-blazing, hallelujah-hailing psych rock the way only San Francisco produces. On behalf of my ears, I'd like to thank Sonny Smith for making Cool Ghouls' A Swirling Fire Burning Through The Rye sound outright amazing. He even manages to fit in a saxophone on 'Insight'.

     Cool Ghouls may never make a better album than A Swirling Fire. I certainly believe they could, but any band's lifespan is unknown and thousand small instances usually factor into the making of an album so that it's nearly impossible to make music that so beautifully destroys quite like what they've given us here. What A Swirling Fire captures and what Cool Ghouls have been able to conjure up in 2014 is magical; not only transportative (What a Dream I Had) but immediate (Reelin'). I won't even complain that, aside from 'And It Grows' and 'What a Dream I Had', there's a curious lack of soloing here.

     A Swirling Fire sets Cool Ghouls up as the new kings of Bay Area psych rock in my mind; especially since what I recently heard from Howlin' Rain is decidedly far-leaning-country influenced. They deserve recognition for getting or allowing every moving piece to work so well together.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

Music Review: Circles-Shadowgraph

     If Shadowgraph didn't have to compete with two other albums for my undying affection, it'd certainly rank first of my favorite pop records this year. In fact, 'Walk for Days', 'Fives and Tens', and 'Curses' are so infectious, they could take down some of the better songs in the other not-mentioned albums. I'll go ahead and name Circles The Best Chicago/Wisconsin band of 2014. I'm elated that Circles exist 'cause I'm gonna need them in the event that Soft Pack breaks-up.

     Circles definitely know their way around a tune. Having five members in a band should guarantee maximum sonic impact and Circles don't allow anyone to waste space. 'Ghost Walking' alone employs a reed instrument and piano. Most songs feature vocal harmony by, what sounds to be, at least three (two of whom are women) band members. The bass anchors and propels most of Shadowgraph's tracks, bouncing around mid-tempo range.

    Circles' lead guy is Black. He uses Shadowgraph as an opportunity to share his African-American heritage by name-checking Marcus Garvey and having someone read an excerpt from Leroi Jones's 'Black Music' aloud over an organ-based ditty (a-la VU's 'The Gift'). This element of pride and social history is a welcome layer added to an already stacked album, which also includes, lastly, a cover of Toy Love's 'Photographs of Naked Ladies'.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

Brief Blasts: Featuring Bad Indians-Keep Losin', White Laces-Trance, Pink Slime-Harmony EP

     For Bad Indians' 3rd album, lead guy, Jules Nehring,  gets to rhyme the words blessing and coalescing on the nearly 12 minute closer, "Marble Orchard".  That is only one of many highlights on Keep Losin'. Bad Indians continue to kick out the psych jams, be they less (4 tracks) or more (4 tracks) than 4 minutes long. Nothing sounds too serious here and that's a strong characteristic for Bad Indians. The production is still so lo-fi and the music so loose that they just sound like kids having the time of their lives, sharing what they love with the world.

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                                                                                                                     The Verdict: 3 Bedpans

      

     Compared with 2012's Moves' darker, semi-menacing vibe, White Laces' Trance is more forlorn and lovesick. They still carry the 4AD dream pop torch proudly. They know just where to place every synth accent. Their song construction lacks nothing. All tools are used to maximum effect. Of course, this is a perfect album for long night drives, preferably in wooded areas.

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                                                 The Verdict: 3 Bedpans

  

     Pink Slime's Harmony EP is 14 minutes of post-punk perfection. I can't imagine what else they could've added to make it better. EPs are amazing that way; an exercise in minimalism, allowing for only the best material. Pink Slime tunes on Harmony are slightly excessive and it suits them well. I don't think they should ever write a song that tracks less than 4:30. They have the chops to extend their badassery as long as they'd like.

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                                                 The Verdict: 4 Bedpans

Music Review: Adam Widener-Vesuvio Nights

     I'm down with anyone wanting to pay homage to the great Elvis Costello. Adam Widener's idea for a great album cover isn't where the brilliance of Vesuvio Nights ends. The reason he's holding a bass on said cover, as opposed to Costello holding a guitar, is because bass is Widener's primary instrument here. Every song except maybe 'Telephone Traps' is framed by the bass and the bass is heavy in the mix. The bass is crucial to these tunes because they're pretty standard power pop fare unless Widener injects what are essentially punk bass lines into each of them.

     Widener plays everything on Vesuvio Nights and he's able to pull off that sound-like-a-band trick. Every tune is tightly wound and quickly paced. Of the 14 songs, 4 are under 2 minutes, 9 are under 3 minutes, and only 'Pools of Light' slightly passes 3 minutes. The title track starts off as a mid-temp album anomaly but kicks into gear around the :20 mark. There're two guitar parts in every song. but the lead is mostly used as a tasteful accent. Solos are employed very sparingly. The longest of them arrives towards the end of 'Gentle Swarm' and it's certainly a near-Mascis-esque album highlight. Widener's vocals here are akin to John Dwyer and his predilection for reverb-y howling, a psychedelic staple.

     Vesuvio Nights is pop done right. There's absolutely nothing to pick at here. It's great for driving and dance halls. It actually sounds a bit like early Strokes. If anyone can present me with a better example of where Vesuvio Nights is aiming, I'll show them Adam Wideners next album.

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                                                                                                                             The Verdict: 4 Bedpans