Dungen & Woods – Myths 003. Collab album that sounds pretty much what you’d expect a record by these two bands to sound like. The Woods sound – upbeat psych-folk – is perhaps more dominant, augmented nicely by Dungen’s 70s prog/jazz stylings.
Chris Carter – Chemistry Lessons Vol 1. He’s back! (if, like me, you didn’t know he’d been away). Anyway, his first (as a solo artist) in 17 years apparently is a perfectly nice collection of cosmic/industrial electronica, mostly short pieces under three minutes long. A few stand-outs, but mainly designed as one long trip… https://youtu.be/o93kEo1jBbo
Thick Syrup – Living In Leeds. Thumpingly heavy pop rock fronted by one of the ladies from The Wharves, and sounding very much like it’s been made in Leeds. Quirky enough to warrant attention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShWrIvXJJQo
The Myrrors – Lunar Halo: Archives vol 1 / Live Roughs: Archives vol 2. Some live improvisations from Arizonan psychonauts, not essential, but a great illustration that while there are hundreds, if not thousands, of bands around like this these days, you have to have a real understanding of what you’re doing to make it compelling: https://themyrrors.bandcamp.com/album/archives-vol-i-lunar-halo
Malady – Toinen Toista. Finnish prog band looking to reinvent the 70s here. Camel/Canterbury Sound fans will approve: https://soundcloud.com/svart-records/malady-toinen-toista
VA – The Reverb Conspiracy vol. 5. Sampler from the Fuzz Club label, who specialise in that modern ‘psych’ sound which is actually a mash-up of shoegaze, post-punk, Krautrock, and bog-standard indie. Nothing too objectionable, though nothing particularly amazing either. This is nicely spiky though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f1i7Xj1__Y
Anna Von Hausswolff – Dead Magic. OK, this is blumin’ huge, Swans meet Floyd.
Seven That Spells – The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock: Omega.
Lars Finberg – Moon Over Bakersfield
Ouzo Bazooka – 1001 Nights. Had somehow missed the fact first time round that this sounds quite a bit like 80s Hawkwind in places (when it’s not sounding like Erkin Koray).
Listen With Father:
Still rocking my intro to rock compilation. Will need to make another one soon, but still getting plenty of value out this. Highlights this week include Iron Butterfly’s monstrously stupid/brilliant ‘In A Gadda Da Vida’, the very definition of an ur-riff, and Shocking Blue’s ‘Venus’, which along with ‘Radar Love’ and ‘Hocus Pocus’ (must get those two on the next comp), is clearly a highpoint of Dutch music, perhaps.
The Vinyl Countdown – A:
Au Pairs – Live In Berlin. So, having enjoyed my trawl through my CD shelves, I thought I’d have a dig through the vinyl this year, in a methodical fashion of course. First up is this fine live album from feminist post-punkers the Au Pairs, who I heard from a friend at university at a time when my main bands were Hawkwind and VDGG – not sure why, but I loved them straight away. Anyway, this is basically an in concert version of their first album, with the tracks a bit rougher and harder, and all the better for it. Love this song, one of the best basslines ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm6Y0ccjiFY
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