Monthly Roundup #04: Miscellaneous May Madness

warm swords la pochette surprise records 2018 cs monthly roundup demostruction Welcome to the May 2018 edition of the Monthly Roundup. The deal here is to give a shout out to all of those submissions that became victims of time in our inbox over the past 30-ish days. This month was loaded with some dirty (and downright pretty) gems that we simply did not have the time to cover, but they still deserve attention from your little ears. See below for a list, with some purposely brief and succinct summaries of what you will encounter while listening. Keep it thorough and listen to as many as you can – it’ll be good for you! Promise!
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Omni, Zula, Mavis the Dog – Live in Philadelphia (05/14/18)

omni live in philadelphia 051418

Of all of the live music events in Philadelphia last night, those who made it out to see OMNI were the ones who made the right decision. The Atlanta-based trio was supported by hometown heroes MAVIS THE DOG and ZULA, who came in from New York City.

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Cool Sounds – Gristle EP

cool sounds gristle ep 2018 With their latest EP Gristle, Melbourne’s COOL SOUNDS have crafted a fine collection of bittersweet indie pop. It was cobbled together by group leader Dainis Lacey following the sessions for the band’s upcoming second album. Gristle boasts a sound as instantly familiar and warm as a worn vinyl copy of any of Todd Rundgren’s early records or those well-loved d.i.y. vinyl seven inches from the 90’s that you keep close. The EP also marks a departure from the group’s more 80’s-inspired debut and finds them leaning further into singer/songwriter territory with even a few folk and country inspired moves lurking around the corners. Continue reading “Cool Sounds – Gristle EP” →

Bubble Boys – Sticky Sitch CS

bubble boys sticky sitch cs godless america records 2018 The BUBBLE BOYS of Orlando, FL have a brand new, just-shy-of-a-full-length cassette tape via Godless America Records (also based in Orlando) titled Sticky Sitch. The trio plays a tightly-wound and clean-cut brand of invigorating garage rock. Their new cassette includes 8 scorching outbursts loaded up with words about love and baseball bats.

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Sensation – s/t LP

sensation lp folk evaluation records 2018 The kind folks at Folk Evaluation have excavated another fine privately pressed gem in the form of SENSATION’s self-titled 1976 album. SENSATION was the collaboration between two University of Wisconsin students, Donald S. Fisher and Jeffrey S. Engel, and it’s one helluva fine slice of lost, pastoral sunshine folk rock with just the right dash of power pop. Continue reading “Sensation – s/t LP” →

Omni – Sunset Preacher 7″

omni sunset preacher 7 chunklet industries records 2018 Chunklet Industries is not paying us to cover their records. They’re just on fire, as we’ve covered 2 of their 3 latest singles from April 2018 alone. The latest is from Atlanta garage-pop knee jerkers OMNI and it’s their second single for the label since 2017. It’s a fantastic snapshot of their body of work until now, which also includes two excellent albums on Trouble In Mind Records.

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In Retrospect: The Airing of Grievances, 10 Years Later

titus andronicus airing of grievances lp merok troubleman unlimited merge 2008

Ten years ago tomorrow, a band from Glen Rock, NJ dropped their debut album, The Airing of Grievances. It was initially released by Troubleman Unlimited in New Jersey, and then brought to Europe by Merok Records (and later reissued by XL Recordings in 2009). Before this, the band had little to their name aside from a couple of 7″ records and a handful of often inaudible live videos on YouTube.

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Honey Radar – Psychic Cruise 7″ EP

honey radar psychic cruise 7 ep chunklet 2018 Jason Henn has been churning out weird pop fuzz on singles, full-length albums and cassette tapes as HONEY RADAR since as early as what, 2008? The year is probably up for debate, but it makes no difference and there’s no end in sight anyway, being that Henn just dropped a brand new 7″ EP via Chunklet Industries called Psychic Cruise. Continue reading “Honey Radar – Psychic Cruise 7″ EP” →

Shopping – The Official Body

shopping the official body lp fat cat records 2018 With the quick count of a steel drum, The Official Body takes off, putting you in the passenger seat of wild, 31-minute ride through the nooks and crannies of the minds of SHOPPING. Falling somewhere between angular pop, post-punk and danceable alternative, their third album is a staggering accomplishment that does not let its guard down for a single moment. Continue reading “Shopping – The Official Body” →

TH da Freak – The Hood

TH da freak the hood lp howlin banana records 2018 Thoineau Palis, or TH DA FREAK, is the man behind every element heard in the following grooves. This project is the outlet for his reverb-rigged pop tunes, proudly released by the folks at Howlin’ Banana Records in Saint-Denis, France. The Hood marks the second full-length album from Palis, who was taken under the wings of Howlin’ Banana back in the Spring of 2017. Since, the man has churned out a pair of EPs and his debut LP in just short of a years time.