White Wires

White Wires have always had a handle on the crunch and swagger of garage and a fine handle on jagged bits of punk but they've never shown through their power pop hearts with as much finesse and style as their latest album WWIII. Its predecessor and the debut had punch but this one's tapped into a legacy that stretches from The Records through Canadian punk heroes Teenage Head with stops off in Shivvers territory. Its their most melodic, which I'm sure some garage cranks would call a sad commercial departure but that melodic edge gives them the most infectious, danceable, blue-eyed thumper of their career. They barely slow down long enough to let the crisp guitar chunks and mic-bent vocal whorls wash over the listener. It requires multiple listens to let this one settle into your bones but once its there, the album catches hold tight. Your turntable bekons and aches for a night with White Wires' latest.

Download:
[MP3] White Wires - Down On My Own

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The UFO Club

The collaboration between The Black Angels’ Christian Bland and Night Beats’ Lee Blackwell that resulted in a limited and rapidly sold out 10" has now spawned a proper full length and its every bit the album you'd expect from the crossed paths of the two collaborators under homage to a club from London's psychedelic 60's. Leaning on much of that era's reverb drenched, hazy-eyed swagger the album stomps and shifts between enough garage-soul, higher consciousness drifting to make most psych nuts immediately place this in the purchase bin. Though there are a few missteps, which include a back to back double shot of a cover of The Ronnettes' "Be My Baby" (sorry kids Dirty Dancing will forever make me grit my teeth when this comes on, no matter who's playing it) and a Bo Diddly retread that could have been better left to the b-sides, its a pretty great romp, and for fans of either or both band, the grease on hot pavement approach is a thing of beauty. Like the 10" this comes via Austin Psych Fest's in house label and thus garners the seal of approval from that vaunted enterprise. Multiple fun vinyl packages await so get to it.

Download:
[MP3] The UFO Club - July

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Deep Magic

Many may know Alex Gray as a member of Sun Araw but his solo work under the name Deep Magic has taken a life of its own in the past couple of years. His third album proper, Closed Eyes is an immersive, album that jars like deep sea vertigo. Full sail synth tones waver and clash, wash and stutter before melting away in a froth of piano or a clatter of chimes. Terrestrial sonic landforms raise and flourish and are swept away in a memory fog of clangs and plunks that feel all too real and render the engrossing synthforms a hazed recollection that lingers sweetly on the tongue; a waking dream or perhaps just a false remembrance that seems difficult to shake. Gray has a talent for pulling the listener in and out of this dream state and subsequent consciousnesses before lobbing the album off the precipice entirely into the blissful twelve-minute closer "Dark Retreat" that feels like the release that finally melts you to the pavement.

Download:
[MP3] Deep Magic - Motionless

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	Toy Love - Toy Love Last week on vacation, a nice interview in The Big Takeover with Roger Shepherd from Flying Nun sent me on a spin back through the label's catalog, offshoots and alumni on the plane and I chanced again on Chris Knox's pre-Tall
Dwarfs band Toy Love (on WEA, not Flying Nun). Often cited as one of the ignition points of the Dunedin sound, the band were usually remarked more for their live show than for their debut album, but it stands up over time to be a great crossroads of New Wave and punk. Its brittle and caustic in some places and alternately melodic in others, in a way that The Clean would come to own shortly afterward (see: "Swimming Pool"). The band were only together two years and were never happy with the sound of this album, which tended to round off the jagged edges of their sound for a bit more pop polish but in the rearview its a worthwhile piece of the puzzle for a developing regional sound. Knox and band member Alec Bathgate formed Tall Dwarfs after the demise of the band and gained a further (and well deserved) notoriety with them. The Toy Love album is usually found coupled with demos and unreleased material as the renamed Cuts but there's a digital reissue of the album proper out now as well. Download: [MP3] Toy Love - Ain't It Nice Support the artist, buy it HERE

Sic Alps - "Glyphs" Video

Sic Alps have a new one on the ways and this first video gives a taste of what's to come. Great, loose-jammin' garage by way of ramshackle ruckus just like we expect from the Alps. Be sure to keep an eye out for this one on Drag City soon.

Support the band. Buy it HERE.

Thee Oh Sees

Another Oh Sees release is upon us, and though their output isn't as fevered as last year, it seems that good things come with patience. Purifiers II is a more concentrated and potent affair than either the ambitious, sprawling Castlemania or its fiery, jam induced follow-up Carrion Crawler/The Dream. Starting with a ferocious guitar blast the album pushes all the qualities that make Thee Oh Sees a live juggernaut; bass torrents, Dwyer's echo-plexed wails, and combustible energy that feels as if it might burst through your skin. But the album is also a distillation of their ability to mix melody and energy into a fine candied crunch that's addictive as hell. They shift between soft sway and the jump and shock fire of their rock persona with an ease and agenda so perfectly paced on Purifiers II that it makes the previous two albums seem like a blueprint for its success. I've no doubt that each new chapter in Thee Oh Sees catalog will uncover new shades of their prowess, but for now it seems that they've nailed a perfect narrative on this one.

Download:
[MP3] Thee Oh Sees - Flood's New Light

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King Tuff Video

Hey RSTB-ers (is that a thing, who knows) I'm gonna be out of town this week but will return soon, in the meantime check out the great new video from King Tuff above and Raven will return before you know it.

Six Organs of Admittance

You know, it’s been a while since a Six Organs of Admittance album appeared here. Not for lack of trying, it’s just that the last few have felt like retreading the path that is Six Organs. Quality work for sure but not necessarily the albums that made a man jump to the keys and knock out a call to arms to pick it up. Well forget the intervening years because Chasney’s found his thunder again and somehow it comes as no surprise that he's found it through reuniting with a few old contacts from Comets on Fire. Ascent starts out with the declarative, incendiary flames of "Waswasa" and never lets up from there. This is no haunted ghost of psych-folk, this is Chasney running his Jansch picking through a butane torch and letting it sizzle. Even when the flames don't lap, the record smolders and that's, perhaps, what was missing from the last couple. Well congratulations Ben, you gotcha smolder back and this is damn well one of the countless reasons to be excited for music in 2012.

Download:
[MP3] Six Organs of Admittance - Waswasa

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Gravys Drop

Despite the name, there's no connection here to Gravy Train or even Hunx for that matter. Gravys Drop is the alias of Billy Grave who knocks out some rock chords with Nobunny and Rock N Roll Adventure Kids. Stripped down but never naked rockers with a shakin' swagger that puts him cleanly in the Nobunny camp with a gritty, even rootsier feel. And while Grave may not have the larger than life persona of the Bunny, he's got the love and dedication to pull out a guitar pumpin' cassette without pulling any punches. Its best left with the volume on high, the windows open and the neighbors yelling protests. There are plenty of past reaching touchstones to throw at this one but none that should surprise the garage slurpin' set (see: Stones, Rocky Erickson). This is dirty rock n roll for those who like it just that way. Limited tapes as usual for the Burger and quality as always. Recommended that you pop one on the spools and pick up a few beers to make it an afternoon.

Download:
[MP3] Gravys Drop - Secret Stash

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The Limiñanas

Our favorite French garage rockers return, with a heavy dose of cool stamped all over their sophomore release, Crystal Anis. This one puts them right back in HoZac's hands where our obsession began. Noir as ever, the band adds a disaffected charm to no frills jangle, fuzz and the slow clank of percussion without haste. They haven't really shaken the formula but hell, when the formula's already spot on who cares? Black leather and Beatle boots in the sweltering sun kinda cool all wrapped in a subtle hip swing that would make the most strident among you swoon. A few familiar faces crop up among the tracks including both sides of recent single smasher "AF3458" and a seemingly extraneous instrumental version of their HoZac rocker "I'm Dead" but the new installments are pure Limiñanas and they slink low and sink into the sun like we've been needing all summer. Pick this one up, you'll regret it if you don't. That's a promise.

Listen:


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Nice Face - Equipped Video

More visual goodness from one of our 2012 favorites. This straight fuzz killer from Horizon Fires gets a video to match its bite. If you've managed to make it this far into the year and not pick this gem up then do yourself a damn favor and treat yo'self. Your turntable will thank you. Support the artist. Buy it: HERE

	Scientist - In The Kingdom of Dub Whether by chance or fate, another non-trad dub label has dumped a wealth of the plate echoed essentials our way. Important hasn't always been the source for long lost classics, especially not from the ranks of Kingston's finest but they've
revived two of Scientists best offerings and put them back into the hands and tables of needy collectors everywhere. Though not the inventor of the dub aesthetic (that honor typically goes to his mentor King Tubby) young Hopeton Brown is credited with delving the sound deeper into the psychedelic waters than most others at the time and because of it, he earned a spot as an engineer at Channel One Studios at only eighteen. His debut may have established his name but I've leaned further into the bluesier, rootsier follow-up In The Kingdom of Dub which retains the effects laden approach but shows great respect for the traditions of reggae as well. Both are a great introduction to Scientist's approach and legacy and Important has placed these LPs back into the market where they belong, and with the blessing of the man himself, who's often had bad luck with labels and litigation. Download: [MP3] Scientist - 305 Spanish Town Road Dub Support the artist, buy it HERE

Seekersinternational

Digitalis has covered a lot of territory in the years I've known them but this is the first dip into the dub pool that comes to memory, though The Call From Below is by no means a traditional take on the dub template. It grinds the dark, blurred edges of the dub plate universe into a film grain resin of nighttime echoes. Its a haunted record that crosses into the destroyed techno aspects and ambient noise resonances that lie beneath the surface of dub, rather than bending dub to a psychedelic will, like some contemporaries. SKRS manage to pull off an album that feels reverential without being overly derivative of the past masters they obviously take inspiration from, steamrolling a Burial level of degraded film and bass through the Channel One waiting room. Perfect timing to line this one up with the sweltering depths of August. Limited like all Digitalis platters so be quick!

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	The People's Temple - Looter's Game 7" New double shot of rock goodness from The People's Temple. Much in the same vein as their well loved album from last year, the cuts run down the Stones/Seeds/Count Five alley of swaggerin' goodness. The
a-side's as strong as we've heard them and after catching the group live a few times its good to know they've got the steam on stage as well as on record. The b-side cools things down in tempo but keeps the steam billowing between the fan blades. Its a slow groove with plenty of bite. Can't wait for what these guys do next! Download: [MP3] The People's Temple - Looter's Game Support the artist, buy it HERE

Fabulous Diamonds

Aussie soundcrafters Fabulous Diamonds have thickened their sonic soup with bilious clouds of doom dusted throb and a stark-throated vocal approach that feels little if not apocalyptic. Many of the hallmarks of their past two releases remain; the motorik throb, the sine wave keys, but here it all feels much heavier and for the most part much more substantial. Hell this one even has track titles, they must be knuckling down on something serious to put a name on the dread, and there's plenty of dread. Somehow Commercial Music ends up feeling like the Peaking Lights album I was waiting for all year. Instead of plastic dub and baby samples, Fabulous Diamonds bring the thunder of drums and the dark creeping panic of grey thatched skies filled with swarming birds. Its not anywhere near the crowd pleaser the title would imply but its a damn fine piece of doom-psych if I've heard one this year.

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Woods

There are some bands whose sound is intrinsically tied to a season. Try as you might but Sigur Ros doesn't sound quite right unless the ground is frozen, Wavves seems to have a lock on summer weekends and in turn Woods always seems to bring to mind the late summer into autumn nights around here. Timing would seem perfect then for Woods to release their seventh (7th!) album, Bend Beyond in the crook of September. The album evolves the usual balance between fried psychedelics and the unequivocal permanence of Jeremy Earl's falsetto sunshine. And though the delivery is sunny the tone and temperament of the surrounding songs have gotten darker, slanted more bittersweet than they've driven in the past. In turn, with the complex emotions the complexity of the arrangements has grown, but without ever becoming encumbered by ideas. No matter what the supporting cast, the shuffle of drums, the short strums and Earl's voice remain the gravitational point of any Woods album. It seems a year for bands to make definitive statements in the form of albums. Former labelmates Fresh & Onlys have laid their gauntlet down, written one of the years best and Woods has answered right back with an equally heartbreaking, gorgeous distillation of their sound. For the ardent fan, this is a gift, for the uninitiated, a great place to start.

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	Cottonwood - Camaraderie Within the ranks of the re-released pages there are a lot of hard luck stories, missed chances and bad decisions but for Cottonwood they barely got off the ground before tragedy struck them down. The band, comprised of Gary Rowles (of
Love) and prominent 60's equipment designer Dave Weyer, was cut short in their run for recognition when their singer died of an overdose on the day it was released. Sadly they dispersed soon afterward, unable to recover from the loss. The album has plenty of charm though, walking the common 70's lines of country-rock and folk with a sad-eyed vein running throughout. The musicianship is every bit the caliber you'd expect from players that Rowles would surround himself with and sadly it seems that praise will only come in hindsight (and well it should) as this reissue on Kismet resurrects the album from its untimely grave. Download: [MP3] Cottonwood - Passing Through Support the artist, buy it HERE

The Fresh & Onlys

This album feels like a long time coming. Not that the pace at which The Fresh & Onlys record is slow, in fact its somewhat furious, but this feels like the most distilled version of F&O's sound yet. It bears all the hallmarks that have made them great; minor key heartbreak, layered strums and plenty of winding hooks from Tim Cohen. Maybe its the influence of guitarist Wymond Miles 80's veined solo work or maybe Phil Manley's production just finally gelled everything, but the band's R.E.M/Morrisey/Echo axis has come together in a way that seems perfect. Long Slow Dance is the record this band has been looking to make for the last four albums and countless interstitial EPs. It’s glossy and ragged in all the right places. Its had its heart broken and sobered up alone. As long as I've been listening to the band evolve, its nice to see them find themselves and refine that voice that's always been swimming in the din.

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The Sufis

There seem to be a rash of bands stuck cleanly in Pink Floyd's Piper period and the ensuing Syd solo fallout that immediately followed. Slotting themselves in neatly between The Paperhead's studied recreations and White Fence's psychedelic on a shoestring aesthetic come The Sufis trying out their most ardent backward trills and liquid vocal filters and generally enjoying the finest moves '67 had to offer. Coming on a split release between Burger and the Cornershop's Ample Play Records in the UK, the album, while not necessarily the most outwardly original vantage, is nonetheless a haven for psychedelic pop miners young and old and the musicianship is excellently top notch. The moves are solid and the dedication clearly in tact and if you're as huge a fan of lost gems from the bygone era like we are then this should be a fairly easy pickup. Its a Nugget dropped from a closer vantage but if you close your eyes its just the same.

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Pausal

Pausal's second release for Barge is a sweeping panorama of glacial tones and softly blown static interruptions lain out in an epic litany of movements that rise and swell with a cinematic scope. The first half of the album is all tectonic movement and slow crawling intonation but as the album progresses the songs grow fins and begin to move in, at fist subtle sweeps, then more ambitious jabs and quavering twitches. Though only four tracks, each track is broken down into pieces that evolve over the course of a cut, blending in minor key moods with temporal electronics and masterful subtleties that recall Mountains at their most classically minded.

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Panabrite

Panabrite arrives as the latest offering from the carefully curated and woefully limited Preservation Records (Deep Magic, Area C, Fabio Orsi, Sparlkling Wide Pressure). As equally enchanting as his early 2012 release on Digitalis, Norm Chambers continues to find a way to make the artificial pastoral. His synth journeys burble and hum but underneath the soft glow of electric lights there's the imperceptible rustle of wings, the light touch of breeze. If there's a musician out there who's creating the musical equivalent of delicately crafted, dystopian clockwork dioramas, it’s Chambers. His visions feel the line between nature and technology break down buzzing softly as the coexisting hum of a colony of wasps built into a nest on high tension wires. The album's subtle punch is slow to strike but by the end it’s completely apparent that Chambers is among the masters of the new synth class.

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Support the artist. Buy it: HERE