Oh, Maxed Out On Distractions, where have you been the past three years? I tend to be one of those hyper focused people that always has something going on, from a 50 hour work week to slinging the occasional record to make room for more, to a billion house projects. Not to mention this blog.… Continue reading Maxed Out on Distractions with LA Post-Punk Band Corners
Depending on which article you read, and what your own personal definition of various sub-genres may be, Tactics fit into the realm of post-punk, art rock, and/or new wave. The band formed in the late 70s as an answer to the growing presence of these styles of music in Europe and the US, but somewhat… Continue reading Tactics: A New Australian Favorite (From Decades Ago) Has Been Discovered
Alright, so a few years back there was a resurgence of sorts in the underground that found modern day bands releasing new albums on cassette. This fad, to an extent, lives on today with notable indie labels such as Sub Pop and Suicide Squeeze joining the ranks of releasing their artists on this format. I… Continue reading Cassette Nostalgia: Rediscovering Forgotten Favorites from Forever Ago
The best compilations can be likened to the mixtape. Scoring the track list, and getting it right so it flows flawlessly, requires an impeccable level of detail. I think Nick Hornby was spot-on in High Fidelity: The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do, and takes ages longer than… Continue reading The Making of a Great Compilation Record: I’m A Cult Hero Chapter 2
I’m somewhat smitten by the upbeat pop sounds of one of Sub Pop‘s new signings from the past year or two. It’s a little band out of Australia with a weird, long band name: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. If I didn’t have better things to do, like listen to this EP again unhindered by the… Continue reading One Weird, Long Band Name: A Peek at Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s New EP ‘The French Press’
I’ve had my eye on Melody Prochet of Melody’s Echo Chamber since the release of her self-titled debut LP way back in 2012. The stunning hazy psychedelic-drenched pop blew me away with singles like “Crystalized” and “Some Time Alone, Alone” and of course “I Follow You”. Well, since it’s her birthday today, she announced the… Continue reading Finally Back: Melody’s Echo Chamber Gives us “Cross My Heart”
For as long as I’ve followed the band, Moon Duo has always created music that is dark, mystical and filled with substantial space rock drone. So it was with intrigue that I approached their new 2017 project, two LPs dubbed Occult Architecture Vol. 1 and Occult Architecture Vol. 2. The first was released by Sacred… Continue reading Moon Duo Step Out from the Dark with Occult Architecture Vol. 2
I can still say I am super excited for their return, 22 years after their last release. The band released a new video for “Sugar for the Pill” this week. It’s off their forthcoming self-titled LP out May 5 on Dead Oceans. “Sugar for the Pill” sees a slightly different side of Slowdive. Many of… Continue reading Slowdive Returns After 22 Years with “Sugar for the Pill” Video
It’s been a few years since I fell down the rabbit hole and into an obsession with the original era of psychedelic rock. Those days found me obsessing over everything from classics like The 13th Floor Elevators and Bubble Puppy to discovering lesser known favorites like St. John Green and The Druids of Stonehenge. And… Continue reading “Not Me Sir” by Wolf People: Watch the Psychedelic Video, Hear the Psychedelic Song
By this time, Saint Etienne has at least a dozen LPs to their name. They’ve released countless singles, several EPs, and you can find their work remixed and worked over by DJs across the globe. They are among the more prolific of European dance pop artists. And they are back. The new album is called… Continue reading The Poltergeist in Saint Etienne’s “Heather” will Seduce and Haunt You
