The cover to this week's mix is not available at Spencer Gifts, though that's the first thing I thought of when I saw it. Design courtesy Jimbo Matison and this wasn't some clip art job — dude actually hired a model. Maybe not just for this cover but probably mostly. I'm not sure how well it matches with the music, but the guitar she's slinging is very indie rock which is — surprise! — what you're getting this week. With temperatures in the upper '90s here yesterday, it's definitely bikini weather. Which way to the beach?
Here's the tracklist:
- Magic Kids – Summer
- Family Fodder – Film Music
- Big Troubles – Wouldn't Mind
- Title Tracks – Hello There
- Wavves – Super Soaker
- The Fresh & Onlys – Vanishing Cream
- The Wedding Present – Convertible
- Mystery Jets – Dreaming of Another World
- Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be
- Blake Babies – Out There
- Aias – Canvis
- Drop Nineteens – Wynona
- Jacuzi Boys – Bricks or Coconuts
- Sky Larkin – Kalide
- HollAnd – Anna Winter Stasi
- Mad V – A La Mode
- Cloud Nothings – Didn't You
- Sisters – Wake Me Up
- Revolver – Red All Over
- Ty Segall – Bees
You know the drill — don't play this on shuffle as the songs are actually mixed together. I mean, I can't really stop you from doing it but it's not going to sound right. Go ahead and listen to it WRONG if you want, dummy. It's a free country. Liner notes after the jump
Magic Kids – Summer
First track to be heard from Memphis' undeniably talented, maybe a little smarmy, collective's debut album, due out later this summer on True Panther Sounds.
Family Fodder – Film Music
While produced nearly 30 years ago, mysterious collective Family Fodder still sound fresh and weird and all over the place. Definitely ahead of their time. At their most accessible, like on "Film Music," it's not miles away from Kleenex/LiLiPUT. Read more about them here.
Big Troubles – Wouldn't Mind
It may not be 100% detectable on this song, from their new 7" EP, that Big Troubles are totally, completely in love with '90s shoegaze, but see them live and it's instantly clear. They're only in their '20s but they own Revolver albums. (More on that in a minute.) How did that happen? Catchy songs too.
Title Tracks – Hello There
John Davis was half of the much-missed Georgie James, who now makes superior power pop as Title Tracks. For fans of Sloan, especially.
Wavves – Super Soaker
See, there were good songs under all that sludgy non-production. Dennis Herring (who worked on Camper Van Beethoven LPs amongst others) produced Wavves new album, which is really good. "Super Soaker" has an almost My Bloody Valentine thing going on, yeah?
The Fresh & Onlys – Vanishing Cream
Probably my favorite new band of the last year. They release at an alarmingly prolific rate, and the quality never lets up. For example, this is from a 7" only released in France. It's awesome.
The Wedding Present – Convertible
The main character in this song is a despicable cheat, but what a catchy song.
Mystery Jets – Dreaming of Another World
First single from Mystery Jets' third album, Serotonin, which downplays the '80s-ness of 2008's Twenty-One, despite the cheesy keyboards all over this. Guitarist Will Rees sings lead on this one, he seems to be the pop maestro in the band.
Dum Dum Girls – I Will Be
Title track from DDG's great debut and I think it's my favorite song on the album. It's like what I wanted The Cary Nations to sound like in Beyond the Valley of The Dolls (but didn't).
Blake Babies – Out There
I wasn't much of a fan of Julianna Hatfield's solo albums, but man Blake Babies' Sunburn is a great album, and still holds up as "Out There" proves. Here songs just weren't the same without John Strohm's inventive guitar-playing.
Aias – Canvis
The b-side from this Spanish, all-girl trio's 7" on Captured Tracks. It is as catchy as the members are cute. Which is to say, very.
Drop Nineteens – Wynona
How many songs were written about Wynona Rider in the early '90s. Let's see. Matthew Sweet had one. Unrest had one (which was actually a cover of Family Fodder's "Martina Navratilova" with new lyrics!)…there's gotta be more. But the best was by Drop Nineteens, generally considered to be America's only credible shoegazers of the OG '91 scene.
Jacuzi Boys – Bricks or Coconuts
This guy's got a great voice, not unlike Juan of the Beets, and the songs are stick-in-your-head and not too blown out. Clean garage, Miami style.
Sky Larkin – Kalide
Title track from Sky Larkin's forthcoming second album. Pretty rockin'! This is an underrated lot.
HollAnd – Anna Winter Stasi
I wish HollAnd were playing these Teen Beet anniversary shows, they sort of sounded like every band on the label mixed together.
Mad V – A La Mode
I know absolutely nothing about this Belgian band whose (sole?) single I downloaded off Regal Degal's blog. RD frontman Josh has great taste in weird, obscure post-punk. This circa-80 track's a winner, for fans of Monochrome Set and Plastic Bertrand.
Cloud Nothings – Didn't You
New single from Cleveland's Cloud Nothings who are more pop-punky live than on their fuzzy recordings. Also their drummer is a beast.
Sisters – Wake Me Up
Speaking of beast drummers, Sisters basher Matt Conboy makes Keith Moon look like a slacker. (And not just because he's dead.) It's all fills and smashing things all the time. Yet it works. This is from their debut album, due out sometime in the fall on Dim Mak. I'd call this an exclusive, but I'm not that kind of guy.
Revolver – Red All Over
I mentioned Revolver up in the Big Troubles part above and here's my favorite song by them. These guys couldn't really catch a break, but some great dreamy guitar pop…worth digging through the internet (or record crates) for.
Ty Segall – Bees
For my money, it doesn't get better in the "garage" genre than Ty Segall. He cranks out records, they're all good, and each record goes somewhere new. The new one, Melted, just out on Goner Records, adds some nice '60s psych pop touches. Look for John Dwyer playing flute on one track…not this song though.
Magic Kids are from MEMPHIS… Nashville sucks.