The Black Angels returned this year with an excellent follow-up to Passover. The first single from the new album kicks as heavy and sweaty as would be expected on both sides.

	The Black Angles - Doves 7" "Doves" is one of the poppier tracks from the new album but that doesn't mean its any less of a grease streaked rocker in the true vein of the Angels. The B-Side is a bit harder and throbs with the best of the band's catalog, so much so that
it seems like it just barely missed the cut on the album. The title "Drone in G# Major" is a bit misleading as this is no free floating instrumental, so much for truth in advertising. Excellently complimentary artwork following the 60's-esque red/green theme from the album. This one's available digitally but you know you want this burning in the palm of your hands. Download: [MP3] The Black Angels - Drone (in G# Major) Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Head of Wantastiquet

Sunburned's Paul Labrecque takes a solo excursion and delves into late night, pre-dawn psych musings. The pieces are extraordinarily downtempo but manage to keep a little menace at their edges through ambient drone beds and the occasional ominous field recording. The album is a long awaited follow up to Labrecque's last tape and a split with his wife Valerie Webb on Eclipse a while back. He mixes arid high plains string work with crisp Appalachian banjo tracks set against sweaty images of rolling summer storefronts; with the dull rumble of thunder threatening in the distance. The plains and mountain influences seep into on another creating a perfect distillation of American loner psych. Labrecque's world may be dark but its never filled with too much despair as he seems to wrangle beauty from the bleakest of temperaments; exposing the brightness that lies in all pain and even turning his strings to tempered celebration as the album draws to a close.

Download:
[MP3] Head of Wantastiquet - la mauvais ètoile
[MP3] Head of Wantastiquet - This is the Spade That Descends

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Fennesz

Christian Fennesz' latest dark wonderland comes in the form of Black Sea and its appropriately dense tracks are nothing if not submerged in an expansive depth that's befitting of the title. His first solo recording in 4 years keeps the same tenuous balance between deliberate, skeletal guitar passages and crushingly heavy drones. Still an innovator in his field, Fennesz has pushed the expression associated with electronic music to higher emotional depths with each release he's involved in. Here he lets the beauty that's been previously hidden under layers of manipulation breathe, unfolding the slow and desperate sadness that wells up in his string work. At the edges though there's constantly the notion of cold technological encasement, leaving a balance between the natural world and the man made intrusions that evoke such crushing emotions. This is a definite highlight in Fennesz' already stellar catalog.

Download:
[MP3] Fennesz - Grey Scale
[MP3] Fennesz - Perfume for Winter

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Though Can and Neu are almost house hold names, not all of the bands that made up the early 70's Krautrock phenomenon get held up to such reverence. However, even those left behind still packed a unique rhythmic and dynamic punch that can't be ignored.

	Guru Guru - UFO On their debut album, Guru Guru combine classic Krautrock rhythmic grinds with some prog/psych styled freakouts. The band is at their best in the former style but never underestimate the necessity of a good old fashioned noise blowout.
The band would keep up the Kraut/psych flag for almost a decade after this release but following several lineup changes along the way and a change in direction when keyboardist Ingo Bischof joined the group, the band would eventually dissolve into the Guru Sun Band. This record stands as one of the most compelling of the band's largely overlooked career. Download: [MP3] Guru Guru - Girl Call [MP3] Guru Guru - Next Time See You At The Dalai Llama Support the artist. Buy it HERE
	German Oak - German Oak (Bunker) Kicking in probably one of the most German oriented Krautrock albums is German Oak, whose dark and menacing first album served as a reaction to their parents WWII generation. The band went so far to
create the perfect detached vibe for the album that they recorded it in an abandoned German Air Raid bunker. The result is a stunningly acerbic album that mixes 70's German rhythmic structures with fuzzed and tortured leads into a fierce sonic statement that's both lonesome and burning with trapped emotion. There are some shorter interludes but its the three winding, extended tracks that really form the stunning centerpiece of this album. The band only created only one other album after this, but their debut stands as one of the most interesting and strange albums to come out of the German underground at this time. Thankfully this has been reissued for the generations that missed it the first time around. Download: [MP3] German Oak - The Third Reich [MP3] German Oak - Airalert Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Kria Brekkan

Kria follows up her wonderfully unexpected 7" from earlier this year with a creepy yet beautiful self-released CD-r. APOTROPAIOSONG ARMOUR, pulses with off kilter drones and the subtle clang of strings but as usual Brekkan's voice takes center stage with its otherworldly tones, this time wrapped into formless vocals that sound as if several condemned children are trying to break through from the other side. Minus the misstep with Avey in reverse, Kria's works are always captivating and this icy bit of experimental clamor is no different. The disc is extremely limited but the capable staff over at Other Music have a bit of a stash on their hands. I'd highly recommended picking one up.

Download:
[MP3] Kria Brekkan - Giddy Walks In Sand Without Skin On
[MP3] Kria Brekkan - Armor

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

His Electro Blue Voice add a dash of Italian post-punk to the stable at Sacred Bones with this excellent 7".

	His Electro Blue Voice - Duuug 7" Knocking out a third 7", the band are at their best for the Bones label. Full of aggro edged post-punk that grinds a lot harder than most offerings on the label. It'll be interesting to see if the band can keep this kind of consistent intensity for a full long
player but for now they've only gotten better with each release. This one's already getting scarce but you can still track it down in a few places. I'd highly recommend doing so. Download: [MP3] His Electro Blue Voice - Fury Eyes Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Vetiver

More covers from the Vetiver camp hit the public in the form of the More of the Past EP. This was apparently scheduled as a primer to the album that came out earlier this year but somehow got pushed behind the album. Oh well its out now and just as sweet as the last batch. Among other great tracks is a sweet cover of the Wizzards "See You Tonight" which appears on the great Swedish comp Who Will Buy These Wonderful Evils. The rest trades in typical 70's AM sounds that Vetiver has been known for. This is just another teaser leading up to their next album Tight Knit which arrives on Sub Pop February 17th. As can be expected we're pretty eager around here to check that out and kudos to Sub Pop for spreading the Vetiver love. There are more details and a full tracklist for Tight Knit HERE.

Download:
[MP3] Vetiver - See You Tonight

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Ulaan Khol

This is the second installment in Stephen R. Smith's series as Ulaan Khol. Again comprised of several untitled pieces but this time the clouds don't gather quite as grim as on I. The second in the series, which as a whole is titled "Ceremony," still swarms with struggle. The edges of each composition are smudged black with ash and soot, but underneath there's a warm ember of hope that begins to glow; a sense that Smith's world isn't quite as bleak as the first record would let on. One can only hope that the final chapter will let in the sudden cold rush of fresh air, it's either that or it'll have to plunge so dark that the beginning chapter seems like a cheery respite by comparison. However as a stand alone piece, II is a wondrous world of drone that showcases Smith's depth of control and skill with his guitar. The final piece of the puzzle will have to wait until next year, but for now let this help you usher in the oncoming winter.

Download:
[MP3] Ulaan Khol - Untitled 3
[MP3] Ulaan Khol - Untitled 6

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Yussuf Jerusalem

This slab checks in as a pretty strong debut full of lo-fi goodness from this Frenchman. YJ's A Heart Full of Sorrow LP on Flordia's Dying blasts a grim piece of pure black hate at the top of the platter but quickly moves into friendlier waters that churn evenly between garage laced pop and a blurry new wave haze. Tapping into pretty catchy territory that feels tip of the tongue nostalgic on first listen, much of the album is quick mixtape fodder that would easily bring curious responses from any recipients. With eyes cast firmly on the bedroom floor YJ brings the soft touch of pop to the bummer psych ward and the results become firmly swirled in your brain. All told, with the exception of the black metal grind of the opener, Yussuf peaks some pretty strong interest. Add this alongside a stunner earlier this year from Cheveu and France's underground is looking more interesting every day.

Download:
[MP3] Yussuf Jerusalem - We Ain't Coming Back
[MP3] Yussuf Jerusalem - With You In Mind

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

The Beatles influence never comes as a surprise but some of the better imitators got a bad rap for coming too close to the sun as it were. Both these bands had a heavy dose of pop talent and while one got help from the Beatles themselves and the other was picked up by the Beach Boys, it seems that even friends in high places can't always save you.

	Grapefruit - Around Grapefruit One listen to the debut album by Grapefruit leaves little in the way of doubt that the band had pop sensibilities or talent, but despite plenty of help from the Beatles themselves the band failed to make more than a passing mark on the
pop scene. The band received some PR help from John and was reportedly aided in much of their orchestration by the rest of the group, but unfortunately having been signed prior to Apple's existence left them too far outside the core influence financially. The band had some chart success with a couple of songs from this album but after a follow-up was poorly received while their compatriots themselves were dissolving their own band, it seemed that no one was left to save Grapefruit. The band leaves behind this rather solid, but not brilliant album as a testament to their skill. Download: [MP3] Grapefruit - Ain't It Good [MP3] Grapefruit - Elevator Support the artist. Buy it HERE
	The Flame - The Flame The Flame were local stars in South Africa before they relocated to the UK and were noticed by Carl Wilson. Wilson brought the band stateside and recorded this S/T album. The album was well received critically and its easy to see why, with thick
Lennon/Harrison Beatles affectations and Wilson at the helm they should have been a certain success. Unfortunately the band wasn't as well received by the public as they were by the press and eventually the band dissolved with two members going on to join the latter day Beach Boys touring ensemble. Recently though, this has been rightly heralded as an overlooked classic. Download: [MP3] The Flame - See The Light [MP3] The Flame - Get Your Mind Made Up Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Fire On Fire

Making good on promises they laid down on their brief 5 song EP earlier this year, Fire on Fire tip in a late year release for Young God that's full of life and brimming with charm. A far cry from their roots in Cerberus Shoal, but not so much from the members' respective solo ventures, The Orchard mixes 60's folk leanings with a bit of wild Appalachian fervor into a beautifully secluded record that feels like a glimpse into private campfire celebration sessions. You can smell the decaying leaves wet under foot and I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a thick veneer of wood smoke and soot ground into the edges of the group's outpouring of songs. It seems that the isolation up in Maine has gone to the quintet's head and quite possibly in the best of ways, the album is filled with the kind of communal folk that no longer exists, a warmth of playing for joy rather than adulation, giving the sense that even if the tape weren't turned on they'd still play with just as much passion. Again some of the credit here goes to Michael Gira for recognizing the beauty in Fire on Fire and insisting that it be thrust out of Maine and onto the larger world.

Download:
[MP3] Fire On Fire - Sirocco
[MP3] Fire On Fire - Flordinese

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

It's been a solid year for No Age and this 7" just continues the stream of good things from that camp.

	No Age - Teen Creeps 7" Sporting a nice Smiths nod with the pink washed cover here, the duo follow the "Eraser" single with probably the most infectious track off of their new album. The flip side boasts a slow floater full of the tumbling click of sticks and some
electronic growl and though it doesn't elicit the anthemic fist punch of the A-side, it’s a pretty sweet piece of No Age haze if there ever was one. So far these boys haven't done me wrong and I'm always eager to see what they'll turn out next. Download: [MP3] No Age - Intimate Descriptions Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Wax Museums

Wax Museums play off the best 80's punk spirits; loud, fast and with a mix of humor and witty lyricism. Though the band opens the album with "Lost in the Mall," they drop back to the Descendents' variety of punk with a healthy dose of Angry Samoans, rather than your little brother's tween-pop mall punk. With an obvious bent of boredom fueling a good number of tracks the band carry on the garage-punk torch that Douchemaster Records seems to be fanning the flames of pretty well. The band have struck a nice balance between not taking themselves too seriously (a song dedicated to glass miniatures) and blood-sweating punk rock; which, though not in short supply is always a welcome sound. Another DMR classic capping off a banner year for the label.

Download:
[MP3] Wax Museums - The Smell
[MP3] Wax Museums - Safety In Numbers

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

The Blithe Sons

Glenn Donaldson and Loren Chasse return from their respective separate ventures floating atop the morning haze settled on the Jewelled Antler valley, to join up once more under the guise of The Blithe Sons. It's been a while since the two have summoned up the moniker but its certainly a welcome return. Traditionally one of the pair's more minimalist forms, they have in the past embraced outdoor recording and ambient sounds as a key part of their composition. Here, though they bring some shorter works with distinct vocals into the equation but at its heart it bears the stamp of both artists quite admirably. This time they split the album half indoors and half outside, with the first half being the more song based affair and the flip again utilizing the acoustics of a sea-side cave to bring a certain natural tone to their songs. The Great Orthochromatic Wheel is a beautiful split between the past and present of both artists work and an enticing new direction for the Sons.

Download:
[MP3] The Blithe Sons - Try to Find a Memory In a Dark Room

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Ducktails

New Jersey's Ducktails has hit the ground sprinting and he doesn't show signs of letting up. Working under both the names Predator Vision and Ducktails, Matt Mondanile's released a few cassettes and a recent 7" that bear some attention. Taking a laid-back beach guitar vibe and mixing in a healthy dose of dubby synth and dime-store drum machine, the rough early works have matured into a swirling stew of duct tape psychedelia. Perplexingly full of California sun for a Jersey native, the newest batch of tracks on the Beach Point Pleasant 7" are a tad late for summer beach parties, but should you need to recreate the balmy feeling of July at home they're a perfect fit. It seems that ample notice has been paid to Mondanile's prowess as he prepares a split with Wavves, a full length for Not Not Fun as well as a split under the Predator Vision name with Sun Araw (which couldn't be a more perfect pairing) also on Not Not Fun with many more on the horizon. Check out the full upcoming schedule here.

Download:
[MP3] Ducktails - Beach Point Pleasant Ducktails 7"
[MP3] Ducktails - Tropical Heat From II Cassette

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Another sampling of garage, psych and a bit of proto-metal this week on the RSTB Jukebox, with a bit of melody sneaking its way in at the edges. As always, enjoy!

[MP3] Samson - Traffic
Though signed to Andrew Oldham's Immediate label, Samson made this sole album before fading into the background. For the most part the album is spotty but this opening track shows promise of what they could have been. A fun, rollicking psych jam.

[MP3] Goldenrod - Descent of the Cyclopeans
This band delivered a hard rock instrumental punch and while the album is pretty short, each of the tracks is pretty decent. DOTC plays up the heavy blues factor in their proto-metal universe. The band didn't go on much further than this album but it has become prized in some hard rock circles.

[MP3] JD Blackfoot - Pink Sun
A Native American artist who worked his way through garage bands like the Ebb Tides before finally becoming a solo artist. His brand of Americana + prog became especially popular in New Zealand but ultimately he would become more well known as a label owner than as a musician.

[MP3] Them - Walking In The Queen's Garden
Them should be no strangers to the RSTB crowd but its not as often that the band skewed psychedelic. This single cut off of Now and Them is Them at their psychedelic best, with a driving beat and an eastern bridge that adds a bit of ethereal flavor to their typically garage palette.

[MP3] Virgin Sleep - Secret
Originally called Themselves, the band changed its name and issued two singles on Deram before being completely lost to time. This piece of lush psychedelia has orchestral overtones but doesn't lose any of its punch in flowery string sections. Definitely a band that might have accomplished more.

Nodzzz

As many of the Brooklyn lo-fi set continue to dominate people's radar this year (Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts) it seems more than likely that Nodzzz will soon slot themselves in amongst these names. With their first 7" unleashing the instantly catchy garage-pop of "I Don't Wanna Smoke Marijuana" on the world and their following 12" now appropriately landing on What's Your Rupture?, good things seem to be lining up for the band. More jangly and instantly catchy than either of the aforementioned bands, they split the difference between scrappy garage aesthetics and lo-fi jangle but the real gem is their endearing ability to craft effortlessly catchy songs. Though the WYR 12" tops out at just under 18 minutes, it leaves you salivating for more. This is a perfect cherry on a year full of lo-fi goodness.

Download:
[MP3] Nodzzz - Is She There
[MP3] Nodzzz - I Can't Wait

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

So this split falls under the "things I should probably be a little bit embarrassed to like but I'll be damned if it isn't too catchy not to" category. A stupidly fun split 7" from Lover! and Live Fast Die

	Lover!/ Live Fast Die - Split 7"Both sides of this platter are rife with ridiculousness, youthful exuberance and tastelessness, and in all truth it would probably be lost to the ages if it weren't so incredibly catchy. Douchemaster has made quite a name for themselves bringing back
infectious teen leaning punk that rolls the dial back a few decades and this 7" only reinforces that aesthetic. Lover's side of this lodges itself in your brain until you find yourself embarrassingly singing the chorus in the most inopportune of places. Download: [MP3] Lover! - Booger In My Asshole Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Peter and the Wolf

Following in his tradition of handmade releases and self-distribution, Red Hunter pumps out another record full of hushed and tender tunes. Mellow Owl floats easy on the same sunlit dreams that permeate most of Hunter's catalog; full of breezy love songs and just a tinge of rambling loneliness. This one is a bit fuller sounding than Ivori Palms with lush instrumentation and some wonderful background vocals. It's closest cousin in the PATW canon is probably Lightness, and he even revisits that collection's lovely piece of transient pop, "Safe Travels". By now those that are fans of Red's should know what to expect and so far he's yet to let any of them down. For those that are uninitiated, once you get these songs under your skin, its hard to let go. Start here and work backwards as best you can.

Download:
[MP3] Peter and the Wolf - Ballad of Redhook
[MP3] Peter and the Wolf - This Kid I Knew


Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

MV & EE with the Golden Road

MV & EE stumble away from Ecstatic Peace (not too far though) but keep the Golden Road in tow on their latest LP for DiChristina. Andy Cabic's label seem another fitting home for the two mischief makers and Drone Trailer, despite its imposing name, keeps the vibe pastoral with just a hint of burnt embers in the air. Clean recording seems to compliment them well with this batch of 60's psych-folk romps leaning to the pretty side of their spectrum and leaving behind some of the more elaborate measures of albums like Ragas of the Culvert. With the exception of the opener and closer, an amped up rocker and down-tempo space blues number respectively, the album hits strums its way steady and true, though the bookends do seem to compliment the folk tracks nicely. A perfect autumn album that feels like a day passed from strains of morning sun to afternoon clouds and ending in night rain; leaving just a hint of chill in your bones.

Download:
[MP3] MV & EE with the Golden Road - The Hungry Stones
[MP3] MV & EE with the Golden Road - Huna Cosm


Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

Two entries that map the rapid spread of British blues and impending proto-metal to continents beyond. This trend picked up especially well in Japan, as I've listed in the past but South America was no slouch in the hard rock department herself.

	Dias De Blues - Dias De Blues This little known and poorly documented band hailed from Uruguay, and they hit the mix of blues and emerging hard rock squarely on the head. The all Spanish album documented the turmoil in their home country, which
they eventually left in order to record this album. The weight of their political strain hangs in every note of their S/T album and the blues seem to fit perfectly into the feelings expressed within. Little became of this album on its release but thankfully Akarma snagged a rogue original and has presented this classic 30 years later as a tribute to the South American rock prowess. Download: [MP3] Dias De Blues - Amasijando Los Blues [MP3] Dias De Blues - No Podran Conmigo Support the artist. Buy it HERE
	Blues Creation - Demon and Eleven Children I've featured Blues Creation before but this album is where it all began. After the spread of British Blues and hard rock to Japan, many bands picked up the style and within their own right birthed their own sound
that continues today through a vibrant psychedelic underground. Blues Creation were some of the original pioneers and along with Flower Travelin' Band and Strawberry Path, they stand as one of my favorites from late 60's/ early 70's Japanese rock. This album is as heavy as the best of them but unlike FTB or SP it's much more rooted in the blues sound that birthed later instances of hard rock. A true classic that easily stands the test of time. Download: [MP3] Blues Creation - Atomic Bombs Away [MP3] Blues Creation - Mississippi Mountain Blues Support the artist. Buy it HERE

Super Minerals

Another great release from the Magic Lantern family this week. Where Sun Araw picks up the dubby side of psych and the main band have the scorching guitar in tow, Super Minerals leans to the beautiful ambient side of the spectrum in the psychedelic universe. The project is a collaboration between Stunned Records' Phil French and the Lanterns' William Giacchi. With tracks that document the 5 depth zones of the Ocean, this disc lives in a world of dark echo and murky atmospheres. Working its way further and further from surface reality, the initial tracks swirl with Giacchi's spectral guitar but by the time you've reached Bathyal depth, things begin to lose their distinct shapes and once you've settled to the final abyssal depth, its just the implication of sounds and the long lost reverberation of tones that reach you. Again, every offshoot of Magic Lantern has been equally impressive and The Pelagics is a great feat for Super Minerals. This was released, as with Sun Araw's Boat Trip in a small run on Stunned so we'll have to hope for a good vinyl reissued to come along, maybe Woodist will make a habit of picking these things up.

Download:
[MP3] Super Minerals - Bathyal

Support the artist. Buy it: HERE