17 June 2008

Untitled Record Reviews


Two quick recommendations from bands delivering that rare listening experience- the instant winner. Time will only tell (I've only heard both about five times each) how these will hold up, but The Pets' Misdirection and the new Eddy Current Suppression Ring came jumping out of the speakers in equally compelling but very different ways. The Pets bring convertible punk for your summer- mid-tempo punk anthems with all the hooks and background yeas yeas that will make that drive down the PCH so filled with hope as you make your way to that Big Sur campground. Five songs per side with no stinkers, ballads or noodling. Lean to the aural bone, the perfect soundtrack across the bridge and over to Sam's for afternoon beers and seagulls. Same three chords in all the right places- I'm betting this be like that summer romance that thrills for six weeks and then gets placed quietly in the backburner of your mind. But what a six weeks...

Eddy Current's second applies the hook adhesive and keeps it sticky all the way through, but these guys ain't afraid to stretch it out and jam a little, assuming your idea of jam means repetitive hypnotic dance grooves and not stoned Gauchos doing couch axe training. A bit slower than the fantastic debut, this one ain't afraid to find new ways to get your fat ass moving without alienating dear listener with indulgence musique. It probably helps that the rhythm section are clones bred in George Clinton's Lab for Funkbringers. Now, would somebody get my belated father's day gift by dropping the import price load to get the vinyl in my greasy mitts?

3 comments:

Dr. D said...

i dig the pets! who put it out? did you get an LP?

sonny house said...

I think they put it out themselves- yea, got the lp from that tiny place on 40th St- it's pretty damn toe-tapping- not sure what's untitled about it, though

Anonymous said...

I will check both out. The following albums represent my 2008 purchases to date:

The Black Keys- Attack and Release. The use of Danger Mouse as a producer could have really sucked. Instead it adds some nice touches. Love Dan Auerbach's fat blues guitar. Hot shit.

Cheap Time-Too Late. Good but not as great as I had hoped. The vocals sound way too kid like and precious. Be a man and quit with the cutesy shit. B-.

CoCoComa- s/t. Awesome garage rock. I could do without the organ which sounds rinky dinky at times, but solid. A-.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring (1st one)- A Ken Derr rec. Solid. Reminds me of Wire.

Hex Dispensors- s/t. Sort of like the Ramones, but heavier. Every song is in the same time measure. But what the fuck? It works.

Looking Glass "Brady" Absolutely brilliant song. It has it all- story lyrics, over the top instrumentation and terrific arrangements (check out the horns). This is what 70s session musicians sounded like, I guess. Terrific.

The Pink Fits-super mini lp. Maybe the best album here. Just straight up rocknroll, all loud and ragged as hell.

Black Time- Blackout. Kinda sucks. The Cramps without talent.

Beasts of Burbon- Little Animals- 2or 3 good songs. The rest are poorly written and just so bleak in sentiment it bums me out listening to this for more than 10 minutes straight. C.

Carbon/Silicon- Jones and James are UK punk royalty. Sadly age hasnt provided any insight. Tell me how a 50 yo can seriously write a tune called Why Do Men Fight? The answer obviously is bc their forced to endure trite shit like this. My God.

Dirtbombs- the latest one. Still sounds crappy. Just bad songs IMHO.

Betty Wright-I Love the Way You Love. Mojo mag had a guide to the best of femal soul singers. This was on it. Betty has a terrific voice and the whole album just exudes a 70s black vibe that I totally dig. The last golden era of black music for me. A.