STRFKR "Being No One, Going Nowhere Remixes (Polyvinyl)"
On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, what would you rate your fandom of 2016’s STRFKR LP Being No One, Going Nowhere. If you’re anything over like… say… 6, then do I have good news for you! (and if you’re lower than a 6 I have some bad news for you… you should reexamine your tastes in music.) The cool peeps at Polyvinyl are releasing a remix collection of that aforementioned album, featuring reimaginings from artists like Chrome Sparks, Xiu Xiu, Juan MacLean, and tons more. Check out the silky smooth Chrome Sparks redo of “Open Your Eyes.”
Dragon Inn 3 "Double Line (American Laundromat)"
I really like this new Dragon Inn 3 record. I also really like this new Dragon Inn 3 record press. Seriously. Check this quote out “Combining sugary pop hooks, hypnotic beats, and huge MOOG synths, Double Line’s playful take on 80s pop could double as the soundtrack to a John Hughes movie (if John Hughes directed Blade Runner).” Hot damn! I couldn’t have described the sound of this band-comprised of Philip Dickey (of Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin) along with his wife and sister, and the director of the short film Ghoul School-better. So I didn’t. I instead chose the easy way out and let the press do much of the heavy lifting. Thanks American Laundromat! Check out the hypnotic bounce of “Club Sauce” (bonus points if you read the song title in Gob’s voice.”
Free Cake For Every Creature "The Bluest Star (Double Double Whammy)"
There I was, walking down the street and minding my own business. A song in my heart and a hunger in my belly. All of a sudden, a sign caught my eye. It read: Free Cake For Every Creature and there was an arrow pointing to a door. I’m no dummy, if a sign promises “free cake” I follow it. When I went into the room, I immediately noticed a definite lack of baked goods. “Let them eat cake indeed…” I thought to myself as I noticed the sweet sounds that were filling the room. The room was filled with records. I was in a record store. I pointed up to the ceiling and looked blankly at the record store clerk-the universal sign for “what is this playing?” “It’s Katie Bennett’s band Free Cake For Every Creature” she replied without looking up from her phone. It didn’t matter, I was sold. The jangly indie strains and warm vocals had me hooked like the best slice of Black Forest money could buy. But money couldn’t buy cake at a record shop (though, I suppose, it could buy Cake). It could, however, buy the latest FCFEC LP The Bluest Star (Double Double Whammy), with it’s DIY/lighter side of The Vaselines vibes. Check out “Around You.”
Little Ugly Girls "Little Ugly Girls (Chapter Music)"
The debut LP from Australia’s Little Ugly Girls has been 20+ years in the making. They made their bones touring live, never having released more than a handful of CDRs. They’ve opened for Fugazi, The White Stripes, and Bikini Kill, all before they ever released a proper album. Well this self-titled debut on Chapter Music is here to change that story, my friend. Full of high energy tunes, punishing drums, and guitars feeding back, it’s quite a trick to sound this punk and vital on your debut LP when you’ve been at it longer than 2 decades. For evidence of this, check out the first single “Tractor.”