REVIEW // Halloween Summer by Neil Jarvis

Happy Tuesday everyone! Are you just the bees knees about today? If not then let me try and turn that around with a new album review. 

Today we got Halloween Summer, a new album from Greater Manchester based band, Neil Jarvis, which is now a full-fledged band! Hooray for having all your bells and whistles and stuff! Halloween Summer is the follow up to the Jarvis' 2012 release, Weekends. 

Weekends was a good album but it wasn’t great. Now, don’t take that the wrong way, you should definitely still listen to Weekends (and read my review!), as it was both the debut release of Neil Jarvis and also just a good album. But as stated on the On the Grind Records page, Weekends was an experiment in sun-drenched pop and hypnagogic rock, a dreamy and hypnotic (hence the name) sub-genre of rock. As with most normal experiments there are good and bad results which is no different here.

Fast-forward to the present and now Jarvis is back with his sophomore release, Halloween Summer. This album really shows the band progressing in the right direction and learning from some of the mistakes of the previous record (or cassette tape in this case). But not all of these mistakes are corrected as there are still a couple tracks that I had a lot of trouble with. One of these tracks is definitely "Young As Me". Although it is definitely one of the more carefree sounding songs on this album it seems to not care a little too much as the vocalising and distortion of guitars seem to hinder to songs quality. This distortion was present in a couple tracks from Weekends too but luckily only really makes a reappearance in this track. 

On the flip-side Halloween Summer really shines on it's fast-paced rock tracks and its more instrumentally driven tracks. "Help", "Shred Met", "Good Years", "Shootin' the Breeze" along with many others help to make a very good album all in all. If you are at all a fan of Kurt Vile, Hibou, or even if you just like jam bands or surf rock, then you'll really love this album. Right now you can purchase Halloween Summer by Neil Jarvis on On the Grind Records for £3.00. Purchase comes with a cassette tape and digital download of the album. Below you can listen to a couple of songs off the album.

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NEWS // Modest Mouse announce new album, Strangers to Ourselves

Well the wait is almost over everyone. Last night an apparent special fan of Modest Mouse received his copy of the band's test pressing of "Lampshades On Fire" (which I am beyond jealous about. How much do you want for it?). In a twitter post from the fan you can see that this pressing came with an accompanying letter which read:

"...'Lampshades On Fire' is a new single from our new album Strangers to Ourselves, which will be released on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015."

You can listen to the new single, "Lampshades On Fire" below.

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REVIEW // Automata by Low Voltage Rangers

Low Voltage Rangers have returned this past month with a brand new full-length, called Automata. The 10 track long LP is the band's second full-length and shows the group continuing to explore different musical techniques. A major exploration in Automata is that of fermatas and other ways of holding notes. Look no further than the very first song and you'll hear this. For the majority of the album frontman Jeremy Toltzman executes this wonderfully and adds a lot of power and punch to the tracks, but there is maybe 1 or 2 tracks where this kind of singing becomes slightly distracting to the rest of the music. So what's the verdict? Is this album worth your time and money? Let's dive in and find out.

The Good
Automata has a wealth of really great tracks in it. In fact, I would say the second half of the LP is really where the album shines. Tracks like "Around the Greenbox", "Something Beautiful", and the absolutely outstanding closer "How to Say Goodbye" are among my favorites. Want an example of when everything falls together perfectly? Listen to "Something Beautiful" and tell me it's not a beautiful song.

The Bad
Some tracks in this new LP can be forgettable, most notably the opener, "Out of Mind". Also, just like I mentioned at the top of this article, the singing has a potential to be hit or miss in Automata. I will say that at least it doesn't miss too often, but it does happen from time to time in this album. "Runaway" is a perfect example of this. This track starts out sounding pretty cool with the almost western sounding guitar in the opening, but it's really just the singing in this song that brings it down.

Conclusion
So what's the conclusion? Is it worth your time and money? The short answer is yes. Automata suffers from a couple short-comings like every album does, but this is nothing too horrible to actually ruin the enjoyment of the album as a whole. Also insanely awesome tracks like "Stealing an Angel", "Our Parade", and the wealth of outstanding tracks mentioned above in the "Good" section make it easy to ignore the rocky moments in Low Voltage Rangers sophomore album. Automata is being sold for a mere $8 over at their website: www.lowvoltagerangers.com and at their bandcamp page. If this sounds like an album you'd enjoy you should also like their Facebook page!

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MIXTAPES // Up from the Underground presented by Ultimate Underground

I would like to introduce you to the Ultimate Underground. No, this is not an amazing new band that you have to check out. It is something equally as cool though... and it does have to do with "amazing new bands you have to check out". The Ultimate Underground is a project from one of my college friends who's actually just graduated this past spring, (congratulations dude!) and brings together the best in, you guessed it, underground music for us to discover and become unnaturally obsessed with!

Ultimate Underground's birth comes from the inevitable end of my friend Jake King's college radio station, Ultimate Kickback, when he graduated. I could paraphrase more things that Jake has told me but he could say it better so here is a statement from the Ultimate Underground's Facebook:

"Ultimate Underground is a website and fully functional internet radio station that highlights new independent, D.I.Y., and underground music. Many of the bands featured on here are working class individuals who are just trying to break into the seemingly impenetrable wall known as the "mainstream." Ultimate Underground is designed so bands have a voice off stage and into the press. 

On this website, you'll see news, reviews, upcoming releases, exclusive premieres, concert information, and more on the bands that you may have never heard of, but you wish you had. The radio feed will stream 24/7 via Radionomy and will compensate the bands for what's being played through SoundExchange in the US, and other services around the world."

Jake's been hard at work too and recently has released the site's first compilation, Up from the Underground: Volume 1. This 18-track compilation features over an hour of great rock and grunge bands from all over the world. The entire compilation is great, but some favorites of mine are "Leech" by Northbound, "I am" by CRUMN, and "In Vain" by JACT, among others. Listen to it below and check out the Ultimate Underground here!

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LISTEN // "How to Walk Through the Fire" by If Anything Happens to the Cat

If Anything Happens to the Cat are back with a new song! Their new track, entitled "How to Walk Through the Fire" is the opening track off their upcoming album, Sun Drunk Moon, due out hopefully sometime this October. The band recently lost their drummer Mikel to his first love, psychedelic punk rock, and he is now part of a group called Mind Rays, so this has no doubtedly delayed the release of the album, but they have said on Facebook that it should be here this October.

"How to Walk Through the Fire" is a great and interesting new track from the band. While still, post-rock for the most part, it definitely leans more toward the rock side of things, especially around the 2 minute mark. Highly reminiscent of the super awesome track from 28 Days Later, "In the House, In a Heartbeat" by John Murphy, this is for sure one song you have to check out!

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NEWS // New album on the way for Cymbals Eat Guitars. Hear the opening track.

This week Cymbals Eat Guitars announced their new album, LOSE as well as shared a new song called "Jackson". LOSE will be the third album from the New York based rock group and possibly their most emotional release to date. This is because the album is about coping with loss, specifically the loss of frontman Joseph D'Agostino's friend and collaborator Ben High. Below is a statement from D'Agostino on LOSE:

LOSE is a very apropos title because it refers not only to losing Ben, but also it's about a sort of nostalgia, a longing for a time when music meant everything to you and your friends, and it seemed like one great rock record could change everyone's life the way it changed yours. It's about being in mourning for your long-held belief that music could literally change the world. That's the contradiction at the heart of LOSE... You're disillusioned, but somehow you can do nothing else but rail against that feeling mightily and try, once again, to make a record that makes you and everyone else "wake up wanting to listen to records."

As for the song, "Jackson" is wonderful and powerful return for the band. The piano in the opening of the song is actually very reminiscent of the guitar from "...And the Hazy Sea" and is a great introduction for those less familiar with Cymbals Eat Guitars, and it only gets better from there. "Jackson" has already become one of my most favorite CEG songs, and will definitely be making a return to the blog in this years Best of 2014. You can listen to the modern masterpiece below and make sure to mark you calendars for LOSE, out August 26!

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NEWS // The Drums to release new album.

"celebrating the only way we know how. Album 3 is finished" 

That was the word (and photo) from surf-rock group The Drums this afternoon on Facebook. Their new album finished and hopefully on the way relatively soon for us listeners and fans.

It's been a good 3 years since their last release (if you don't count a single they released in 2012 where only the B Side was a new song) and I'm definitely ready for some new drums. It is a long time to wait though, so if you need a refresher on The Drums, below you can listen to my top 5 favorite songs from them. Happy Sunday! (or whatever day it is that you're reading this!)

The Top 5 Best Songs from the Drums

5.  Saddest Summer Ever (from their 2009 release, Summertime!)
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4.  Best Friend (from their 2010 release, The Drums)

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3.  Me and the Moon (from their 2010 release, The Drums)

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2.  In the Cold (from their 2011 release, Portamento)
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1.  How It Ended (from their 2011 release, Portamento)

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LISTEN // New single from Cloud Nothings.

Above you can hear Cloud Nothings first single off their upcoming album Here and Nowhere Else. It's reminiscent of their earlier pop/noise rock albums with it's catchy, repetitive choruses (and honestly verses for that matter!) like "I'm not, I'm not you / You're a part me! You're a part of me!" but not at all in a bad way. The song, though a little rough around the edges, shows good potential for the upcoming album and suggests maybe another pop or noise rock release. Hopefully Dylan Baldi will throw in a couple good garage rock tracks in there for good measure too as I have fallen in love waaaay too hard with "Wasted Days". Here and Nowhere Else comes out this April 1st.

Pre-order Here and Nowhere Else here! (and nowhere else!)

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LISTEN // New single from Bombay Bicycle Club!

Happy 2014 readers! Only less than a month left till Bombay Bicycle Club's new album is released. till then, check out their new single, "Luna" below! In contrast to the other single released last year, "Carry Me", "Luna" falls in line with their previous songs in musical style and sounds just as awesome. So, all you people who were worried it'll be just "techno" as this fan was, you're wrong!.....probably. I mean we don't know till its here so you might be right but...

Look for So Long, See You Tomorrow this February 3rd!

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LISTEN // Old Flame Records 2013 Sampler

There is a new Fall sampler out from Old Flame Records. It features songs from a lot of great talent including MillionYoung, Ing, Yuno, Gross Relations, and more. Currently they are selling it on their bandcamp for "Name your price" which is awesome! So all you poor college students have no excuse to not have this gem! Click the above image to listen to or download it. (and if you do listen to it, make sure it starts at number one. Unless you're a rebel like that...)

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LISTEN // Colours: A Compilation by On the Grind.

This past September On the Grind records released their first compilation, Colours. It features a plethora of great talent from around Manchester and Sheffield England. Some of these artists include Ratfangs, glocks, Cactus Knife, Neil Jarvis, and others. A full band list can be viewed below along with a couple previews of the compilation!

Buy Colours on On the Grind's website!

Bands featured in Colours: A Compilation by On the Grind
The Bell Peppers
Ratfangs
Toucans
Hitodama
Neil Jarvis
Cactus Knife
Glocks
Death Masks

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LISTEN // New single from Of Montreal off their upcoming album Lousy with Sylvianbriar

Yesterday Of Montreal shared a link to their new single off their upcoming album Lousy with Sylvianbriar called "Belle Glade Missionaries". It's a psychedelic pop track with an western feel to it.

Their new album which is due out October 8th will be their twelfth full-length. You can preorder Lousy with Sylvianbriar on Polyvinyl Records.

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NEWS // Noah and the Whale release a new album called "Heart of Nowhere"

After about a year of nothing Noah and the Whale are back with a new album called Heart of Nowhere. This new LP came out today and is available at various online music stores like iTunes, their website, Amazon, and others. 

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NEWS // Generationals announce the release date of their newest thing.

Good news for all you Generationals fans out there. They've recently announced the release date for their newest LP. Heza will be out April 2nd on polyvinyl records.

Download a free song off the upcoming album from their twitter here: http://www.twitmusic.com/generationals/songs/spinoza

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NEWS // Listen to Wavves' new album Afraid of Heights now on NPR.

Notice anything different about the website? Yeah, me neither, looks pretty much the same. There definitely wasn't a complete overhaul of ALL the things over the weekend. I am really happy with the way it's turning out right now. I still have some things to do to make it perfect but it's pretty stellar for now.

Do you know what's also stellar? You can listen right now to Wavves' new album Afraid of Heights in full below thanks to NPR! I'm about a third through it as I type this and so far it's sound pretty damn awesome. A full review will come soon but for now listen to the entire album for free below.

As a sort of post-script: I have that exact same varsity jacket.....just saying...

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NEWS // Hear four new Yeah Yeah Yeahs songs from SXSW.

Happy Thursday readers! If you're there, are you enjoying SXSW? One of these years when I have the time man...one of these years. Anyway, yesterday New York indie rock group Yeah Yeah Yeahs performed a few new songs at SXSW from their upcoming album Mosquito (due out April 16). These songs performed include the title track, "Under the Earth", "Subway", and the new single "Sacrilege" along with other older songs. Watch their performance below but be warned, the audio in this video isn't amazing.  

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LISTEN // Wavves - Demon to Lean On

Forgot to show you guys this when it originally came out. This is a new song from beach punk band Wavves and will be on their upcoming LP Afraid of Heights out March 26. For the most part I liked their last album King of the Beach but I wished at times that it wasn't so rough around the edges. This new track from them sounds really refined and put-together and I am excited to hear what Afraid of Heights will sound like! What about you?

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SINGLE REVIEW // The Bilinda Butchers release a new single called The Lovers' Suicide!

Are you guys excited or what? Long-time favorite The Bilinda Butchers have released a new single off their upcoming album The Lovers' Suicide! by the same name and as I've said in the past, it sports a new sound for the San-Fran duo. 

Judging from this track, The Lovers' Suicide! is looking like it's going to be a pleasant surprise. Like a normal BB track that drank too much coffee, "The Lovers' Suicide" is a fast-paced drum and synth driven marvel of what two people can create. It's a change in sound from previous releases like goodbyes and regret, love, guilt, dreams but not a complete one if we can trust what we hear in the second half of their album preview video. Take a listen below and tell me what you think. If you're new to The Bilinda Butchers check one of my favorites here called "Boyfriend".

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LISTEN // Enjoy this stellar new track from Temple Songs

I hope your weekend is as groovy and fun-filled as this newly released track from psychedelic rockband Temple Songs. Whatever you're doing this weekend have fun and stay safe!
Caribbean Moon by Temple Songs

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NEWS // FIDLAR announces upcoming shows in CA

Happy Thursday! Today I have a bit of good news for anyone that lives in California. I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that FIDLAR has announced that they will be playing multiple shows this coming January with  the bands Pangaea and Meat Market. The times and locations can be found below and if you haven't familiarized yourself with FIDLAR click here to hear one of their songs.

Califonia Dates  / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Jan 17  Davis // House Party at Babeylon
Jan 18  San Francisco // Amoeba at 6:00 PM Bottom of the Hill
Jan 19  Santa Cruz // The Atrium (inside the Catalyst)
Jan 20  Santa Ana // Constellation Room (inside the Observatory)
Jan 22  Los Angeles // location TBA
Jan 24  Los Angeles // Amoeba at 6:00 PM
Jan 25  San Diego // Che Cafe

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