Built on a Weak Spot

I think the recent surge of heat around here has gotten me a bit down. To the point where I have just found myself indifferent to doing just about anything I’ve been meaning to do, including updating the blog. I can’t say listening to this new LP from Francis Harold & The Holograms has lifted my spirits any, but I don’t think it’s a record that was intended to. With that said, Who Said These Were Happy Times was just recently released through Going Underground and comes right around the same time as a new single on Hozac that rips just about as much this record. I may not be in the best of moods lately due to being confined by this awful heat, but Francis Harold & The Holograms have assured me with this fantastic LP that being confrontational and downright nasty is perfectly a-ok. However, despite there being quite the downer vibe going on here (along with plenty of feedback/noise) the band very obviously is having a good time being angry. Does that make any sense? I doubt it, but of all the records that I’ve come across in the past few years this is one that certainly revels in all of its disgusting glory. The band members are wrapped in a bit of mystery, apparently sporting hooded masks in all public performances. However, after following along with the lyric sheet included…they are probably wise to hide their identities. The full blown out noise the band creates is more than plenty to get the average person uneasy, however dig further and it’s bound to creep out far more than just that.

Francis Harold & The Holograms – Glitter Girls [MP3]

For anyone wanting to pick up Who Said These Were Happy Times then hit up Going Underground or take a look for it in your preferred distro. Either way, don’t miss out on this.

Back in 2005 Lostmusic Recordings released this seven song EP titled Smoking at Gas Stations from the one man band project The Crack Babies based out of Sweden. During its initial run of very limited copies it sold out and was then offered as a free download, which amassed quite a few of those. However with the aforementioned label now gone and nowhere to download, Odd Box Records has risen to the demand after persistent requests to do another limited run of the album on CD for anyone that missed out the first time. If you’re a big fan of 80’s noise-pop, lo-fi, or just JAMC worship in general then by all means don’t miss out on it again.

The Crack Babies are very much what you think they are, incredibly blown out shoegazy noise. However, on this EP the decibels are driven even further upward landing them in the same area as fellow past limit pushers Skywave. Whether the aesthetics of the record were intentional or not (it was recorded with an extremely low budget), the results greatly work to its advantage. At times the vocals hit a high blown out yet muffled pitch that often reminds me of Scott Cortez’s work under the Astrobrite moniker. Anyway, check out the tune below.

The Crack Babies – Shine [MP3]

For anyone interested in pre-ordering a copy of this re-issued limited run of this EP, then head on over to Odd Box Records to get in on that. I definitely recommend it for anyone that considers themselves a fan of noise-pop or any of the other mentioned artists in this piece. Enjoy!

Just picked this up a couple or so weeks ago and have been enjoying the tunes included within courtesy of the Olympia, WA based band Sisters. Despite coming out through the Parts Unknown label late last year I haven’t seen a whole about this record, I guess maybe it’s a bit too much of a throwback for some? Who knows? Either way, I am digging it and anything that manages to successfully channel the likes of Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, and My Bloody Valentine to create this sort of raucous lo-fi mess is absolutely fine by me. The band effortlessly mixes up tempos quite nice with tunes that range from garage punk intensity and bite to the wonderful psych inspired slow burn featured on the albums final track “Caspian Term”. All of which are continually wrapped in a fair amount of needle tapping distortion. Give it a listen if you will.

Sisters – Fire Escape [MP3]

For those interested in picking up the self-titled record from Sisters, then it can be had over at Parts Unknown. It’s worth it.