20 April 2020

Lifemines / Kangbucket 'She Slays Demons' Demos '10-'19

Former member of Pots & Powercells and AOI, folks, offering instrumental new weird Americana from CT by way of NY & NJ & housed in a beautifully drawn j-card. Piano, acoustic guitar, electric bass guitar, drums and synth, mostly played solo and sometimes as a duo. It has the intimacy of bedroom rockers, Pendulum Floors & the wobble of the finest organ playing by Michael Hurley. Raw edges & some cheap gear make it a winner (be it the strings or the recording device). These jams sound triumphant and somber at the same time. Although these musical bits stand very well on their own, Kangbucket provides his address to potential collaborators. In my head, I can hear the electric version of these tunes, which I know, would also, slay. God bless.

03 April 2020

Transit Moth•er 'Tarde, Sed Certe' 7inch (Cephia's Treat)

Received another fine transmission from the kind & generous folks at Cephia's Treat Records. Not sure when this was released, because, like Sun Ra's original stuff, these records ain't dated. These folks've been putting some of the weirdest musical & visual artifacts on the East Coast since the 90's, slow and sure like. Transit Moms deliver. They play a variety of sub-underground genres on this 7inch all with a worn-out-with-time sound quality like a VHS in 2020. The grit and 'verb is top notch here folks. Back to th' genres. They play a reverbin and sorta hypnogogic indie psych (think Bloody Valentine/Bardo, executed as a duo) then they wake up reverbin an E & A string garage bonk but still with the old VHS sound. Their track from 'Heavy On Th' Gunk' cassette comp (put out by me) is a 'Daydream Nation' label hugger on this 7inch, with new (to my ears) vocal parts. The sleeve is a real treat too with Pengo style ancient etching cover and a nice collage revealing some of Cephia's secrets. Get this 7inch and stay on the train to Tampa.

01 April 2020

Bill Nace in New Brunswick, NJ Canceled

Sorrry. th' show on Sat April 11th @ ITW has been canceled. Bummer. Maybe we can reschedule it when sh*t gets better. On a related note this repost of the poster was pretty cool. Thanks Kim!

07 March 2020

Big Blood 'Do You Wanna Have A Skeleton Dream' (Feeding Tube)

Well, freak folk family, Big Blood, cranked out another one. No not a another child! That's terrible to think of that term, in that way! Shheessh. Another Lp but their child appears on the record. This LP is my favorite in years. Cant really go wrong with any Big Blood LP, but this one is really special in my opinion. Vocalist, Colleen once spoke about her bandmate and husband, Caleb's tendency to take a dark subject and fit it with a pop tune. On 'Sugar' Colleen does that with a doo wop-esque melody. It's more like a call to be more compassionate in dire times. Shit. Loud and clear Colleen. Thank u. This record has a less busy sound than last year's 'Daughter's Union' LP. It works really well, if that's what u dig. As I said earlier their daughter has written her own tunes on this album; about a sly boy and some video game addicted peers. Keen tween this Quinn is. I identify as somewhat of an objective spiritual tourist, that being said, the religious label hugger of the B side stopped me in my tracks. Well stopped me in my Saturday morning pancake making. As a result, a few were overdone. No spoilers here though. Buy the record to hear it yourself folks. I am grateful for these friends. I am grateful for the at-least-yearly Big Blood transmission. A+.