When not sharing the stage with Nick Bindeman in Eternal Tapestry, Dewey Mahood creates his own sonic adventures as Plankton Wat.Ā The arrival of fresh sounds from Plankton Wat is alwaysĀ cause for anticipation. Typically a Plankton Wat album is delivered on cassette,Ā orĀ sometimesĀ CD-R, so having an LP release is even more special. Plankton Wat rides a thin… Continue reading The genre of Plankton Wat’s Spirits? Who cares.
Category: Album Reviews
A not-too-late look at Daniel Rossen’s wild and free Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP
Daniel Rossen builds a world of craggy cliffs and lapping seas, calling sirens and fireside revelations. He sings a whole world into being in five tracks; a starlit world full of shrines, deserts to traipse and promises to fulfill. Listening to this record feels a bit like reading a novel that begins right in the… Continue reading A not-too-late look at Daniel Rossen’s wild and free Silent Hour/Golden Mile EP
Jon Porras’ Black Mesa oozes warmth and intimacy
Taking a step back from his duties in Barn Owl seems like a golden opportunity for Jon Porras to break out and make a record that sounds nothing like Barn Owl. Iām envisioning a quiet folk record or a more rock-inspired, Sonic Youth-esque instrumental album. Instead Porras returns a solo effort that draws directly from… Continue reading Jon Porras’ Black Mesa oozes warmth and intimacy
Beware and Be Grateful and be happy because Maps & Atlases’ new album is extraordinary
The latest record from Maps & Atlases, Beware and Be Grateful, opens with just the tiniest sample of sound that seems like it could be taken from an episode of Twin Peaks, then fades directly into a song that has the bones of at least three other songs wrapped up in it. This amalgam of… Continue reading Beware and Be Grateful and be happy because Maps & Atlases’ new album is extraordinary
White Hills’ Frying on this Rock is space-rock at its finest
The heavy freight train that is White Hills seems to stop for no man. It’s not even been a full year since the release of the classic H-p1 and we now have a new epic space-rock document in the form of Frying on this Rock. This record is much more raw and blunt in its… Continue reading White Hills’ Frying on this Rock is space-rock at its finest
Wooden Shjips’ Remixes 12” makes me curious
I will confess that Iām usually not a fan of remixes. I find that remixes usually just end up sucking the life out of a song by adding a lot of drum machines and loops, thereby creating a new version that tends to be a shadow of the original. This is the stuff of DJ… Continue reading Wooden Shjips’ Remixes 12” makes me curious
Pontiak’s Echo Ono is a road trip record with a heavy emphasis on trip
One of the first great rock records of 2012 has landed in the form of Pontiakās latest, Echo Ono. The nine tracks that make up this record have only one purpose: to take you on a room-shaking, mind-altering, jaw-dropping trip to anywhere but here. Echo Ono is a magical mystery tour for heavy psychedelic rock… Continue reading Pontiak’s Echo Ono is a road trip record with a heavy emphasis on trip
[The Past Presents] Unrest – “Perfect Teeth”
The Past Presents revisits revered albums from the past 20-25 years to ask the question, āIs this album still a classic, or has it lost its edge over the years?ā. Was it a great record for that particular time and place, or is it something weāll be passing on to our kids? It also looks… Continue reading [The Past Presents] Unrest – “Perfect Teeth”
Rachel Grimes – Marion County 1938 EP
Some days music owns you. Sometimes you come across a piece of music that literally stops you in your tracks. As each phrase passes you donāt move an inch, voluntarily paralyzed, for fear of missing or accidentally drowning out some subtle nuance. This music reaches deeper than other music. Rachel Grimes’ latest release, Marion County… Continue reading Rachel Grimes – Marion County 1938 EP
The Willow & The Builder
Connecticut’s The Willow & The Builder is technically Richard Miron and Adrian Simon, but they’re joined by a whole slew of musicians on their debut s/t record. The ever-changing dynamic of the debut is impressive, as Miron and Simon’s exuberant youthfulness is on full display. But there’s also a keen sense of sorrow, and the… Continue reading The Willow & The Builder