Anenon – “Mansana”
Tongue
A lonely, quietly wild wind solo metamorphosizes into something more layered and yet also more delicate. When I’m not paying attention and this track comes on, it always arrests my attention halfway through and I can never remember how the transformation took place, or when. (bandcamp)
Big Thief – “Paul”
Masterpiece
The lonesome peaks and valleys of the verses in “Paul” call out to me to whistle them, but they sound incomplete without their gentle harmonic backing and lyrical punctuation; the richly layered yet monotone chorus likewise defy reproduction without every component. That’s the sound of truly excellent and cohesive songwriting. (bandcamp)
La Luz – “Easy Baby”
Damp Face EP
Channeling Roy Orbison on the closing track, this was La Luz in their early but impeccable surf-sway mode instead of the sparking, driven surf-psych of Weirdo Shrine. (bandcamp)
The Shadows – “See You In My Drums”
The Shadows
A few of The Shadows’ surfy ‘60s tunes may sound familiar, as songs from that era often do. But there are others where they hit their stride and do something they like and you feel they wish they could jam on it forever. This is one, with a wonderful extended drum solo by Tony Meehan.
The Blue Rondos – “Little Baby”
Produced by Joe Meeks, this and a handful of others were all this short-lived British band put out in the early ‘60s. Still, “Little Baby” is note-perfect: very much a bouncy pop song, yet ever so slightly bent. (official site – watch for autoplaying music)
Cue – “Wedding Song for Living Things and Dead Things”
Wedding Song
This energetic instrumental has the feel of a frenzied, multi-species jig. The combination of piercing violin, crashing percussion, and noisy guitars could easily have been muddled but it’s done well here, especially the quiet moments that have you waiting for the return of the jangly fury.
Imprints – “The Sea & Electricity”
Data Trails
The sparkling conclusion of a lush, dark, and beautiful album, this track’s cohesive sound stands in stark contradiction to the fact that the whole LP was recorded over just three days. Another excellent record from Serein. (bandcamp)
Teebs – “Shoouss Lullaby”
E s t a r a
The incongruity of this song being played loudly at a nearby dive bar caused it to stick in my memory. Its warbling, jangly meandering is a good primer for the rest of the record – and indeed, the Teebs discography. (Ninja Tune)
La Luz – “Sleep Till They Die”
Weirdo Shrine
Weirdo Shrine is one of the most end-to-end-solid records I’ve heard in a long time. The band’s surfy psychedelia is equally good in quiet and explosive modes, always tonally consistent but never repetitive. The closing three tracks (not distant from this opening track; the album is a tight 31 minutes) demonstrate this especially well, so listen all the way through. (bandcamp)
Elvis Depressedly – “A Bible in a Bath of Bleach”
Mickey’s Dead
A minimal yet tone-rich album that sounds like it was recorded in a bedroom, Mickey’s Dead finds a middle ground somewhere between Sparklehorse and Midlake circa Bamnan and Silvercork. And despite the sad-sack trappings of the band’s name, the album’s name, and the song’s name, this isn’t some weepy tale of woe. (NB: be prepared to turn down the volume for the wash of distortion at the end) (bandcamp)
