The past few weeks have seen the release of a ton of rockin’ new music. From Palm’s “Rock Island” to the re-recording and release of Car Seat Headrest’s “Twin Fantasy,” there’s a lot going on. That being said, you’ve likely heard of these albums already, or if you haven’t, you could look them up and read a review by someone far more eloquent than myself. This week, I thought I’d throw some of the smaller-time acts I’ve really been digging out there, and hopefully you’ll enjoy them as well.
Haord Records is home to brightly hued, weirdo-freak, synth-rock compositions of acts like Macula Dog and Cabo Boing. Notes of Devo are heavy throughout Cabo Boing’s ” Blob on A Grid,” with toy-like synth and robotic vocals. And as the name suggests, abstract beachy elements such as reggae-like upstrokes on the guitar are littered in between the more electronic moments. This record is experimental, playful and slightly demented — everything I could ask for and more. For an “R2D2 covers Disneyland music” or “Kraftwerk plays in Pee Wee’s playhouse” kind of sound, “Blob On A Grid” is the obvious choice. If you’re a fan of this one, check out the rest of Haord’s releases as well. They’re equally as wacky and just as fun.
Gecko‘s “Enter the Gecko” is the only thing they have listed on their Bandcamp page, which makes me sad, but listening to this record makes me happy. Gecko throws together harcore riffs with a lil’ bit of post-punk dissonance peeking through. Drips and drops of slimey sludginess a la Lumpy and the Dumpers or Toxic State Records seep through to make something gritty, dark and chaotic. Gecko is a local hardcore band, and the art for this tape is pretty dang sick. My personal favorite track is “Flowers.” Give ’em a listen and check ’em out on Bandcamp.
American Pleasure Club is the latest project of Sam Ray, the force behind Teen Suicide and Ricky Eat Acid. He’s had a fair amount of hype in the lo-fi community for quite a while now, touring with acts like Elvis Depressedly. The new record ” A Whole Fucking Lifetime Of This,” features some heavier, rock-poppier moments among the band’s more popular, quieter sound on tracks like “this is heaven & id die for it” and “new years eve.” Sam Ray is well known for his all-over-the-place musical stylings, so it comes as no surprise that the record does a complete 180 on tracks like “just a mistake,” featuring a complete drum and bass, very EDM rhythm. All in all, this record has some really serene, beautiful moments and some completely unexpected, out-there moments as well. It’s a weird variety but a nice one. Generally, it’s nice to hear all of their influences and projects flowing into one record to form something cohesive (in context) and well-rounded.
These records and a bunch more are spinning on Radio 1190. As always, tune in and stop by.
By Jolie Klefeker