Shearing Pinx/Silver Daggers
(split single)
Arbor
The Pinx' "Gold Sleeper" is reminiscent of "Burning Spear"-era Sonic Youth, that is skronk with a steady badass bass groove. Danceteria, dub style. But "Baton" simply bides time until we get to the no wave killer "Slaughterhaus." Silver Daggers, meanwhile, grace us with a forgettable live recording incorporating drum machine rhythm with samples from a rehearsal cassette. Thanks for the effort.
The Shudders
"Battleground"
self-released
NorCal's belated answer to Bikini Kill. The Shudders' spray-painted cover sleeves tantalize, as the dissonant distorto rumble on the grooves features lyrics about body, lipstick and "My pussy's gone platinum." All of which are sure to empower. A great moment in herstory.
Suttree
"Dark Hollow"
Genderless
Recorded by his highness Greg Cartwright of Reigning Sound, this is dusty lonely Southwestern highway desert blues. Vocally sparse and percussively simple, the B-side is too much like Blanche for its own good. But the listener will still benefit from a listen. And the letterpress sleeve lends itself to the overall ambience of the band.
Blank Dogs
"Yellow Mice Sleep"
HoZac
Beneath the shitty, flattened fidelity are some damn impressive songs. "Yellow Mice Sleep" recalls a creepier early Cure demo, while "Housefly" abuses the privileges that come with a delay pedal. "Smashed Up People" sounds like it could almost be French. But can we please call a moratorium on unexplained "found" photos for cover art?
Robedoor/Yellow Swans
(split)
Arbor
Modern hieroglyphs mixed with aimless drone make Robedoor's "Tremor Deliverance" almost completely indiscernible from Yellow Swans untitled track on the flip. But how can anybody tell when or if a noise record is incorrectly mastered? Hey, I believe we've been duped! Nevertheless, that, coupled with the white noise factor, almost makes me like this.
Alabama Chrome
"Knoxville Girl"
Yakisakana
This actually makes me hate garage rock. The cover of the Come-Ons' "Dollar In My Pocket" was unexpected ... and still a letdown.
Coconut Coolouts
"The Spinaround"
Head's Up
Now, this makes me love garage rock. Quick, and to the point, with the danceability of a long-forgotten Hank Ballard B-side, "The Spinaround" burrows into your subconscious with a title that could possibly become the next big dance craze. Fresh and adding new twists to a tired genre, these Seattle slicks are party-proven and approved.
The Gaye Blades
"I'll Brave Anything For You"
Rob's House/Die Slaugtherhaus
A dude's take on the '60s girl-group sound but with blatant homosexual overtones. Hey, just like the Ramones, right? Featuring Jared of the Black Lips and Bobby Ubangi of the Lids, this comes complete with a hand-written love letter reminiscing about bruised souls, high kicks and more than a few Brokeback Mountain references. Essential stuff.
Occasional Detroit
"Occasional Bomb"
I Just Live Here/Human Conduct
Experimental beats are cut-and-pasted to the high heavens here, as laid-back femme vox flow sweetly. The broken breaks, sliced scratching and stray samples collide in what can affectionately be praised as "outsider hip-hop." Is anyone else doing anything this remotely interesting?
The Ridiculous Trio
"Plays the Stooges"
Slovenly
Tuba, trombone, drums and no vocals tackle three tracks from the world's forgotten boys. The brass is overblown and wicked and replicates Iggy's vocal melodies to a T. This is not a novelty...this shit is the real deal. Prepare to be amazed.
Ben Blackwell writes about music for Metro Times. Send comments to [email protected]
