Moon Duo - Mazes

Psychedelic/Shoegaze (Psyche-gaze? Shoe-delic?) Hypnotic Proto-Punk.

Moon Duo is a duo (duh?) from SF consisting from the dude from Wooden Shijps, Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada (just look how cute/badass they look together). The duo's older stuff on Sacred Bones and Woodist Records was much more psychedelic than this album. This album has a decidedly more pop-feel to it. It's an album thats takes the simplicity of pop and layers reverb, distortion and draws it out in a hypnotic way.

It's the pop element that really caught me on this album, especially on the title track "Mazes" (listen to it below). Moon Duo has crafted a pop/distortion thing more in the vein on The Modern Lovers than JAMC. There's a minimal feel that draws you into the hazy swirl in other songs like the opener "Seer". This and a few others have more of a Suicide feel to the songs. These songs are less successful in my opinion. In both cases, you are awash with psychedelic distortion of guitars and keys.

The album is a success, but it does suffer from its own sound. While the hypnotic nature of the simple beat and chords (popularized by Nue!'s metorik) give the music character, it also drags it out at times too. This is worth a listen to any fans of psyche-rock, shoegaze, post-punk that enjoy a fair dose of pop once in a while.

Similar: The Modern Lovers, Suicide, Wooden Shijps

Rating: 8.5

Sacred Bones Records

Released: March 29th, 2011

Moon Duo- Mazes by sacredbones

Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring For My Halo

Kurt Vile explores a more classic rock n' roll sound, moving away from previous experimentation.

Smoke Ring For My Halo is Kurt Vile's fourth solo album since departing War On Drugs. One of the reasons for his departure, evident through Vile's earlier solo albums, is that he was interested in exploring more of an experimental sound than the Springsteen-influenced classic rock sound of his former band. But this album is interesting because of how closely he has come back to his former band's sound.

Kurt Vile has defiantly made a truly American classic rock n' roll album here. There is no doubt about it. Even my mom was in the kitchen when I was playing this album the other night (yes I'm currently living at home. It's only temporary I swear) and she remarked how it sounded like Tom Petty and the Dire Straights. I will defer to her 40-plus years of listening to rock n' roll and agree. Tom Petty is far and away the most obvious influence.

This shift back to a stream-lined rock n' roll sound thankfully has paid off. Although the experimentation in sonic layers and textures are largely missing from this album, the strength of the song writing more than makes up for this. Kurt Vile has penned some really great rock songs like "Jesus Fever" and my favorite "Society Is My Friend" on the album. Although the music isn't pushing any boundaries, this is still a great album to just sit back and listen to.

Similar: Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, War On Drugs

Rating: 8.5

Matador Records

Released: March 8th 2011

Arbouretum - The Gathering

Sludgey stoner-rock with some epic, mythological droning folk-vibes.

The Gathering marks Arbouretum's fourth album and is a mix of stoner-metal, drone, folk-rock and an americana-style feel. The feel to album is very old. Old like a tree (duh) or a dusty old old town off the highway. Not old like your Dad's record collection or some lame retro vibe. Old like the Earth.

I just recently traveled around the country on the train. I saw so much of this country and this album reminds me a lot of it. When I listen to this I think of plains, rivers, forests, mountains, deserts, snow and oceans. This album has a very earthy feel to it, but not in a cheesy hippy way. This is an album not celebrating the Earth but revering it as a force not to fuck with.

The opening track "The White Bird" is already one of my favorite songs of the year. It's just so fucking epic. The whole album is an awesome listen front to back. The other big highlight is their cover of "The Highwayman" (popularized by Glen Campbell and the Cash, Nelson, Jennings and Kristofferson super-group) which is an absolutely perfect song for this album. The Gathering is a weighty album and if you like epic-shit, this album is right up your alley. Spark a joint and enjoy, mannnn (or don't. I enjoyed the album perfectly fine without doing that.)

Similar: Dead Meadow, Midlake, The Highwaymen

Rating: 8.5

Thrill Jockey Records

Released: February 15th, 2011

3 EP Reviews: Sports Bar, Dum Dum Girls & Milk Music

Here's a few EP reviews for you...

Sports Bar - Sports Bar Demo

Super-Fun Garage Punk.

Sports Bar are a Garage-Punk and Rock n' Fuckin' Roll band from Richmond, VA. This demo cassette is really fucking fun. Good party music: Booze. Girls. Drugs. The 22-minute cassette has 10-tracks. "Anisa, Nah She Don't Live Here No More" is far and away the hit on this EP. I fully expect it to be on all the mix-tapes this summer. "Camo Face" is an ode to hunting and is a perfect closing song. This band is awesome and I can't wait to see them live, they should be a lot of fun.

Sweet Dreams Records

Released: January, 2011

Similar: The Black Lips, King Kahn and The Shrines, The Sonics

Rating: 8.5

Dum Dum Girls - He Get's Me High EP

All-Female Dream Pop.

For my money I like the Dum Dum Girls so much better than Best Coast. Both are recent female-fronted bands playing fuzzed-out garage-pop. I just think that this band does it so much better, and I think that Best Coast are waaaaaay too overrated. The newest Sub Pop release from these girls is a four-song EP with three originals and a cover of the Smiths "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" (which is amazing and the DDGs manage to make the song non-mopey). The title track "He Get's Me High" is a dreamy swirling mix of the girls voices, guitars and melodies and I highly suggest checking it out. This band is seems to be moving towards more of a Dream-Pop sound and I really like it.

Sub Pop Records

Released: March 1st, 2011

Similar: Asobi Seksu, Best Coast, The Smiths

Rating: 8.0

Milk Music - Beyond Living EP

Fuzzed-out early-sounding indie-rock and garage-punk.

This band fucking rocks. They have a great fuzzed-out sound that reminds me a lot of early Dinosaur Jr and maybe a bit of The Wipers. Driving rhythms and epic courses. They're from Olympia, WA which comes through with their sound, as the use of the fuzzed out guitars has a bit of Mudhoney ring to it as well. The title track is fucking epic, but the whole EP is worth the listen. I want to hear more!

Self Released

January, 2011

Similar: Dinosaur Jr, The Wipers, Bloody Gears

Rating: 7.5

Music for Headphones - Life.in.Mono

Electronic Krautrock with a dash Post-Punk and Post-Rock for good measure.

Ok let's first start off by saying this band has a stupid name. I mean it is fitting but COME ON! But after get over the Philadelphia band's (well dude, Jonathan Allen's) name, this is some excellent Neu! style Krautrock. It might not have that snazzy drum beat that Neu! is known for but it does have some pretty epic synths like the German inspiration. Plus like the cover would suggest Music for Headphones would make some excellent driving music.

Refreshingly Life.in.Mono does vary from the Krautrock template at points. There a couple songs that have an almost angular Post-Punk sound (a-la newer The Fall), such as the stand-out track "Drive Motorik". A Post-Rock sound comes through in other songs like "123GO!!!"

But all in all this is some straight up Neu! worship if I've ever heard any. It is really good too. Good music for driving or working on some project. It's get-shit-done kind of music. The type of album you put it on and after 40 minutes of solid work-time and you realize the album is done.

Similar: Neu!, The Fall, Mogwai

Rating: 7.5

Self-Released (Website)

Released: January 4th 2011

Wire - Red Barked Tree

Pink Flag Records

Released: January 10th, 2011

New Post-Punk from one of the originals of the genre.

Wire has been around for a looooong time. They started off in the first wave of English punkrock bands in 1977. But even 1977's iconic Pink Flag LP was something more than punkrock. They were a band striving for their own unique sound, like so many other acts of the time. In the process of striving for a sound of their own, they, along with other bands at the time crafted what is now know as post-punk.

While Pink Flag stands as one of the albums that defined a genre, Wire's new album is anything but genre defining. Don't get me wrong, I think its a good album and certain songs like "Clay" and "Two Minutes" contain some of the old Wire sound, but this album lacks the cutting social commentary and guitar riffs of songs like "12XU".

The first track off the album, "Please Take" is far and away the "hit song" of the disc, but it is a lot more easily digestible than the abrasive and angular guitars and lyrics of Wire's 70's and 80's output. All in all a good listen and worth picking up if your a fan of the genre or the band, but if you've never listened to this band (Ahem. Really?) pick up Pink Flag instead.

Similar: The Fall, Buzzcocks, Gang of Four

Rating: 6.5

Top 50 Songs of 2010

1. Deerhunter - "Desire Lines"

2. Beach House - "Walk in the Park"

3. Phosphorescent - "The Mermaid Parade"

4. Alcest - "Percées de Lumière"

5. Arcade Fire - "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"

6. Kayne West - "Lost in the World" (feat. Bon Iver)

7. The Rival Mob - "Hardcore for Hardcore"

8. Zola Jesus - "Tower"

9. No Joy - "Ghost Blonde"

10. Phosphorescent - "Los Angeles"

11. Prince Rama - "Lightning Fossil"

12. Kylesa - "Tired Climb"

13. Yeasayer - "O.N.E."

14. The War On Drugs - "Brothers"

15. Swans - "No Words/No Thoughts"

16. Defiance, Ohio - "You are Loved"

17. Das Racist - "hahahaha j/k?"

18. Wooden Wand - "Tiny Confessions"

19. Yeasayer - "Madder Red"

20. Yellow Swans - "Limited Space"

21. The Soft Pack - "Tides of Time"

22. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Menopause Man"

23. The Books - "I Didn't Know That"

24. Sufjan Stevens - "Vesuvius"

25. Monster Movie - "Bored Beyond Oblivion"

26. Pantha Du Prince - "Stick to My Side"

27. Dom - "Living in America"

28. Salem - "Sick"

29. LCD Soundsystem - "You Wanted a Hit"

30. Prince Rama - "Raghupati"

31. Beach House - "Silver Soul"

32. Zola Jesus - "Night"

33. Crystal Castles - "Celestica"

34. Hot Chip - "We Have Love"

35. Real Estate - "Out of Tune"

36. Gogol Bordello - "When Universes Collide"

37. Grinderman - "Mickey Mouse and the Goodbye Man"

38. Asian Women on the Telephone - "Horny Moose"

39. Four Tet - "This Unfolds"

40. Neil Young - "Hitchhiker"

41. Method Man, Ghostface & Raekwon - "Gunshowers"

42. Pocahaunted - "Make it Real"

43. Zoroaster - "Old World"

44. Gil Scott-Heron - "Me and the Devil"

45. Woods - "Blood Dries Darker"

46. Mi Ami - "Secrets"

47. Warpaint - "Baby"

48. Pop. 1280 - "Midget"

49. Tobacco - "Grape Aerosmith" (feat. Beck)

50. Kayne West - "All of the Lights"