Just a couple of days ago, I reviewed Black Mountain's blistering show at The Beachland Ballroom (see HERE).  My electronic mail woke me up this morning with a new cut from Black Mountain's upcoming LP, Wilderness Heart.  One of the things I loved most about In the Future was its psychedelic take on both the sludgier elements of early 70's blues-rock and the psychedelic modalities of their best acid-rock predecessors.  This newest track, "The Hair Song," fits right in line with what McBean has alluded to when discussing the upcoming album.  There's immediately a lighter and more airy feel to this, as opposed to the all out subterranean feel of In The Future.  The song absolutely shreds with a killer gypsy-like riff throughout the song, and Webber and McBean's vocals link together with more lively vigor.  This isn't Pink Mountaintops, but I don't quite think it's signature Black Mountain, either.  I'm absolutely revved to hear the new album in its entirety.  McBean has mentioned that the new release will carry more of this lighter feel.  More pop, in other words, but that doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't rock.  Listen to "The Hair Song" and you'll get the idea.

Black Mountain – The Hair Song

Now that the disclaimer bit is out of the way, let's dispose of one more piece of business.  Mines is good.  Really good.  To contextualize, consider, for a moment, the way the I interact with records.  As our own Justin (currently on hiatus in the Paris of the South.  Or maybe the Brooklyn of the East.  Can't recall exactly.) has pointed out, I base a lot of my critical perspective on my impression of a piece of work's longevity.  I latch onto records that I think I'll be listening to ten years from now.  I am only passingly interested in the ephemeral; I want to hitch my heart's wagon to records that I'll listen to for a long time.  This year, I've only purchased three physical copies of new releases (Local Natives, Suckers, and the record up for discussion today).  Those are the records that, to this point, I see myself wanting to hear when I'm 40.  Do I love, say, Sleigh Bells?  Of course.  But I think we can all acknowledge that that's a bit flash-in-the-pannish.  No reason to do anything other than an electronic copy there.  But a record like Mines is one that I want to know will exist in my life even if my hard drive explodes; I need the comfort of knowing  that I'll still be able to listen to it if my ipod falls down a well or society collapses and we get our music solely from hand-crank gramophones. 

In our internal Dick work sessions, I encouraged my colleagues to listen to two tracks on Mines. (We try to save each other some hassle on records we're trying to foist on others by pointing out the key cuts.  Kevin, for instance has sworn for a year the I'll love A.A. Bondy if I just listen to "A Slow Parade." I'm holding out to torture him.)  I told the other dicks to listen to "BOTE" and "Oh Pretty Boy, You're Such a Big Boy."  I'd urge you, dear reader, to do the same.  Wrap your brain around those two songs and you're halfway to loving Mines.  (Sidebar: I have no clue what's going on with the all caps thing in several song titles.  a.) BOTE, as far as I can tell, isn't a word.  Neither are the other all caps song titles, "TAOS" and "INTIL."  They also don't appear to be readily applicable acronyms.  b.) All caps?  For what?  Emphasis?  Visual counterpoint?  No clue.  If you are reading this and are Menomena, please clarify in the comments.)  "BOTE" starts with a frenetic drum beat, a pleading, snappily figurative lyric ("Oh sea legs please don't fail me now/I pray lord please help me right/This ship today/Cause I can't take much more/Of this strain on my battered hull.") and slowly integrates a wicked little saxophone blurb, spiraling guitar work (notably around the three minute mark) and some soaring, angelic harmonies.  There's a ton to like in the track's six minutes.  As a whole, it sums up what a lot of Mines is about: playful sonics (with the slow integration and methodical iteration of sounds, almost in a DJ Shadow "Building Steam WIth a Grain of Salt Way," but not at all electronic) buttressing lyrics that point to the bleakness of human affairs.  It's a doozy.  "Oh Pretty Boy, You're Such a Big Boy" is damn near a dirge about the fleeting nature of time, but it's saved from overt murkiness by a wildly unexpected piano riff and some killer synthesizer work.  If "BOTE" captures the up-tempo half of the record, "Oh Pretty Boy, You're Such a Big Boy" snags the quieter, more introspective chunk of Mines.  The hushed drums, squelched guitar wails and sneaky bass line underpin a near-funk song wrapped in gloom.  Good times.

We could do the song by song dissection of the rest of Mines, but it's probably as functional to just tell you that there isn't a clunker on the album.  A few words on some standouts are probably in order, however.  "Tithe" opens with a minute of what sounds to be a bottle solo (a la "Accidentally Kelly Street" crossed with Billy Martin; it's kind of like the sound a ghost might make at a bachelor party) then segues into a swaying, piano driven near-hymn, punctuated by frenetic drums and power chords.  (Also, "Tithe" bears a strong resemblance to Billy Joel's "Goodnight Saigon," at least to my ear.  That's the first and last time you'll hear an indie band of some renown sincerely and non-snarkily linked to the Piano Man, I'd guess.)  "Sleeping Beauty" is a hot mess of distortion and dance beats.  "INTIL" (another sonic doppelganger, this time for Radiohead's "Videotape") closes the record on an elegiac note and is particularly stirring.  I don't have anything clever to say about "Lunchmeat" and "Dirty Cartoons;" they're good. 

Two thoughts to close: First, I kind of like the idea of geographically polar bands.  Local Natives, for instance, as the west coast Grizzly Bear is the kind of thing I can hang my hat on.  Menomena may well be the Oregonian Akron/Family.  The extremes aren't as extreme here and there's a sort of northwestern pall over much of the album, but I'd bet that if you raided both bands' closets, you'd find the same records.  Secondly, Megafaun's Brad Cook told us in March that he'd heard a rough cut of Mines and was jaw-on-the-floor-excited about it. (I recognize how evil and pretentious name-dropping is, but it seemed warranted this one time.)  If Brad's stoked, you should be too.  We've got two tracks to get you primed, both of which are top drawer.  (And, we'll be discussing The Suburbs at some point this week; I'll wager that even that gem doesn't have a more cutting lyric about North American ennui than the one in the middle of "Five Little Rooms."  You'll know it when you hear it.)

Menomena – Five Little Rooms

Menomena – TAOS

Grab Mines at Insound.

Lastly, there's this, just for tickles.

Filmstrip describes themselves on their Myspace as, “a band from Cleveland, Ohio made up of two brothers with white blood and an Arabic name (Matt and Dave Taha) who were raised by a catholic, a muslim, and a kuwaiti drop-out, and a guy (Nick Riley) who thinks Allah/God/Krisna/Buddah must be or have been, a drummer."  I'm still wrapping my brain around this desription, and have been for a couple of hours.  Nonetheless, they're really three irish dudes who are putting a little sheen on their in-your-face garage rock anthems.  This track, "In My Mind," begins with fuzzy central riff and maintains a consistent Cleveland thumbprint throughout.  We wear the furrowed brow of the blue collar.  Our fashion is based on durability and we drink real beer in real bars.  Our attorneys shake hands with steelworkers in rustbelt brotherhood.  Filmstrip fights right in here.  What initially pops off as something infectiously melodic is actually quite a bit more complex.  These guys have chops and we're excited to hear the rest of the album.  So much regional music rarely bounces out of the local scene that births it.  I don't see that happening with these guys.  They had the opportunity to play at Sundance recently and have enjoyed the flirtation with national exposure.  We'll stamp our approval on it right now.  If you're in Cleveland, there's no reason to be out of the loop.  If you're from elsewhere, check out their myspace HERE.  The band is having their record (self) release party at one of our favorite venues, Happy Dog, and will be supported by local favorites Hot Cha Cha and Founding Fathers.

Filmstrip – In My Mind

Sometimes strangled, sometimes assaulting with strobelight intensity, Marnie's back, and I couldn't be more excited.  There is not a soul in music producing this kind of sound, and I can't wait for the October 5th Kill Rock Star's release of Marnie Stern. Describing Marnie's guitar virtuosity is fruitless at this point, because descriptors are difficult to hone in on.  The blistering chorus of "For Ash" manages to sound like someone karate-chopping her in the throat, yet it's entirely melodic at the same time.  When it comes to staggering and colorful experimentation, Stern reigns as queen with smoke flying from her fingertips. As far as early comparisons to her back catalog, I'm intrigued slightly by the backseat the noodling takes in this one, leaving Marnie's alien-starship vocals front and center.  This isn't a huge leap away from her last record, at least parts of it.  She's left us with the album's opener here, and if this is your first listen, have a seat and tie your shoes tightly.

Marnie Stern – For Ash

Last winter, Brian and I had the opportunity to rap a bit with Annuals frontman and producer, Adam Baker, just outside The Grog Shop entrance.  An immediate endearing quality of Baker's is that he's entirely humble and loves performing.  Repeatedly, he mentioned how excited he was that people even showed up on a cold and blustery Cleveland night.  Self-deprecation can look ugly, but not in this situation.  Annuals kicks into full octane when seen live, and in the wake of all the hullabaloo surrounding Arcade Fire's upcoming release, at least to me, it'll be nice to enjoy the Arcade Fire-Light sounds of Annuals as they are releasing a full collection of b-sides and unreleased material on September 7th.  Count the Rings opens with "Eyes in the Darkness," a colorful jam, devoid of some of the more brooding folk energy usually infused into Annuals material.  It's vibrant electronically and only vaguely resembles the back catalog, until it shifts into Baker's signature chorus vocals.  The sextet is worth checking out live if you've not gotten the opportunity.  When people begin to drop 60 bucks a ticket to see Arcade Fire this fall, I'll be clutching familiarly onto the last three of these dudes' albums.  Yeah, I might buy The Suburbs, too.

Annuals – Eyes in the Darkness

Not long after writing the Dreamend post earlier today I got an e-mail featuring a pretty cool cover of Devendra Banhart's “Body Breaks,” so I figured I would continue the freak folk theme of the day and post it up. Pegi Young is best known for her role as backup singer for her iconic husband, the Legendary Neil Young. Pegi recently released a new solo record of her own called Foul Deeds, available now on Vapor Records (you can stream the whole thing this week only via AOL's Spinner.com). The record features a mix of original songs and covers like this one. Being a big fan of Devendra, and “Body Breaks” being one of my favorite tracks, I am pleased to say that this rendition delivers. It skews a good bit more country than the original, but it is unbelievably earnest and a little bit retro (think old-school Dolly or Loretta). Check it below.

Pegi Young – Body Breaks (Devendra Banhart Cover)

Dreamend is Ryan Graveface, the guitarist/bassist of famed synth-poppers Black Moth Super Rainbow. I mention that strictly for biographical purposes, because this solo effort is a drastic departure from the sound he perfected in his work with the band. His upcoming debut album under the new moniker is called So I Ate Myself, Bite by Bite, a pshycadelic folk concept record chronicling the life of a serial killer. The release is scheduled for 8/10 but today we have the first track from the album, "Magnesium Light," which is a rambling freak-out highlighted by Graveface's sunny (almost Silversum Pickups-esque) vocals and a whole lot of banjo. Yeah, banjo.

Dreamend – Magnesium Light

Brooklyn's own April Smith is coming to The Bell House in Park Slope on Thursday, and your favorite Dicks would like to send one lucky reader and a friend to see her. On us. In case you missed it, April Smith and the Great Picture Show released Songs from a Sinking Ship back in November to a host of acclaim. The record is an explosion of loungy jazz-pop, and by all accounts the live translation is not to be missed.

All you have to do to enter is drop us a line via THIS FORM and tell us why we should send you to the show. We will be accepting entries through the end of the day on Tuesday 7/20, and the winner will be chosen at random and notified by Wednesday morning. Good luck!

To get you ready for the show, we have a couple of tracks from Songs from a Sinking Ship posted below for your llistening pleasure.

April Smith and the Great Picture Show – Movie Loves a Screen

April Smith and the Great Picture Show – Colors

We got turned on to Conrad Plymouth by friend and fellow blogger Ryan over at Muzzle of Bees (check it out on the off chance you haven't already). We were reading MoB long before Citizen Dick was even a glimmer in our eye, and we pretty much take Ryan's word as gospel when it comes to folky Americana music, so when he let us know that he was working with the band on the release of their debut EP we knew we would be fans. After a few days of listening, that suspicion has been confirmed.

The Wilco influence is evident throughout the four tracks found here, but Conrad Plymouth also delves into A.A. Bondy and Iron & Wine territory at times as well. Though not as dark and brooding as Bondy, there is a distinct ominous tone at play, most evident on the opener "Metamora." Elsewhere there is a more delicate, almost desperate vibe. That tortured element of the music is particularly present on "Captain Video," where frontman Christopher Porterfield proclaims to drown is sorrows in "rosemary-infused everclear," one of my favorite lines on the EP. On closer "Fergus Falls" we find him channeling his best Springsteen as he sings about being a misplaced city boy while harkening back to his small town roots, a track I'm sure plenty of us can relate to.

Below is a free download of my personal favorite from the EP, "Metamora." If you dig it, please check out the rest HERE. The band is doing a Radiohead-style pay-what-you-want download thing with this, so please support them if you can.

Conrad Plymouth – Metamora

Back in 2004 Cut Copy's Bright Like Neon Love was on heavy rotation in my now-ancient click wheel iPod. Though I have largely ignored their last few efforts, I was still intrigued to see a new track from the Australian crew show up in my inbox today. "Where I'm Going" is a one-off single intended to pass the time while the band works on a brand new LP slated for a January 2011 release. This latest tune finds Cut Copy light years ahead of the dance rock sound they pioneered in the their earlier days, moving into a lush, hazy almost orchestral pop realm. Self-describes as "the kind of track Brian Wilson would've written if he took ecstacy and hung out in 60's London instead of California," the reinvented Cut Copy reminds me more of Polyphonic Spree than Hot Chip, who I previously would have compared them to. Needless to say I am looking forward to what comes next.

Cut Copy – Where I'm Going

Despite the fact that you probably already know about them and that they aren't really my bag, I feel that we would be remiss to go on acting as though Best Coast doesn't exist. Their first full-length record hasn't even dropped, yet the duo has managed to take the Interwebs by storm over the last few months. I find this curious because in addition to being less-than-mediocre (IMO), they don't seem to have many fans in the world of critics and journalists either. Why everyone is talking about them anyway is beyond me. That said, it is difficult to write them off completely if for no other reason than their cultural significance at this particular moment. While it isn't something I would reach for under normal circumstances, I could definitely see myself jamming out to it while enjoying a cocktail (something fruity, this ain't whiskey drinkin' music) on a rooftop in Brooklyn. To draw the obvious comparison (partially because Beth is banging him), they sound like Wavves with a uterus. Hazy, beachy melodies with a pronounced punk influence and seemingly no regard for composition is what we are talking about here. Like I said, not really my thing, and it all comes off as just a bit self-indulgent to me, but certainly not without it's own little niche.

The aforementioned debut LP, called Crazy for You, is out 7/27 on Mexican Summer in the USA and Rough Trade in the UK.

Best Coast – Boyfriend

GIven that I have been jamming out to Common Prayer for well over a month now, I feel pretty lame for just now getting around to posting about them. Fronted by Mercury Rev alum Jason Russo, the band soundls like the gritty lovechild of Jeff Buckley and Wolf Parade, if you can imagine that. Their debut effort There Is a Mountain was releasd digitally in the States on the band's own label last month, with a physical UK release on the way next week. Unfortunately I missed these guys on their last US dates here in NYC last week, but if you happen to reside across the pond check the band's website for a list of UK tour dates.

Common Prayer – Us vs. Them

When it comes to David Bowie, I'm on board with our friends The Modern Electric. The man is a legend and I personally hold him very high in my eschelon of all-time greats. I have even gone so far as to name my prized kitty cat after The Thin White Duke. As such it is only fitting to me that some of the most esteemed indie artist of our generation pay tribute to the man on the upcoming War Child benefit album, a charity that Bowie himself has been very vocal about supporting. As in the past, all proceeds from the record will go to help children in areas across the world that are affected by war (more info on the charity HERE).

The collection, appropriately, will be called We Were So Turned On and is set to release on September 14th via Manimal Vinyl. Check out the mind-blowing track listing below:

Disc one:

Exitmusic "Space Oddity"/ Duran Duran "Boys Keep Swinging"/ Megapuss "Sound+Vision"/ Warpaint "Ashes to Ashes"/ Corridor "Be My Wife"/ Chairlift "Always Crashing in the Same Car"/ Vivian Girls "John, I'm Only Dancing"/ All Leather "Fame"/ We Are the World "Afraid of Americans"/ A Place to Bury Strangers "Suffragette City"/ Tearist "Repetition"/ Halloween Swim Team "Look Back in Anger"/ Afghan Raiders "Fashion"/ Polyamorous Affair "Theme from Cat People"/ Swahili Blonde "Red Money"/ Jessica 6 "I'm Deranged"/ Aska + Bobby Evans ft. Moon & Moon "African Night Flight"/ Xu Xu Fang "China Girl"

Dics Two:

VoicesVoices "Heroes"/ Carla Bruni "Absolute Beginners"/ Papercanes "Blue Jean"/ Keren Ann "Life on Mars?"/ Lewis & Clarke "Changes"/ Zaza "It Ain't Easy"/ Genuflex "Soul Love"/ Sister Crayon "Bewlay Brothers"/ Marco Benevento "Art Decade"/ Mick Karn "Ashes to Ashes"/ Lights (NYC) "World Falls Down"/ Aquaserge "The Supermen"/ Caroline Weeks "Starman"/ Rainbow Arabia "Quicksand"/ Mechanical Bride "Sound+Vision"/ Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros "Memory of a Free Festival"

Bonus Tracks (iTunes Only):

Viv Albertine "Letter to Hermoine"/ Ariana Delawari "Ziggy Stardust"/ Gangi "Oh You Pretty Things"/ Amanda Jo Williams "The Man Who Sold the World"/ Laco$te "Within You"/ Universe "Heathen"/ St. Clair Board "Secret Life of Arabia"/ Pizza! "Modern Love"

We have the Edward Sharpe cover of "Memory of a Free Festival" to share with you today, so check it out below and then pre-order your copy pronto.

**Please be aware that this album is for charity. Manimal Vinyl is offering a slew of great tracks at an incredible price, so please support a great cause and purchase a copy. Enter your e-mail HERE to stay update on the release details.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Memory of a Free Festival (Bowie Cover)

Not having summer employment provides benefits in more ways than just sloth and weight gain.  I trolled over to Chocolate Bobka, which is where I usually end up when I'm looking for something ethereal or eclectic to put my ears to.  Since we've been sort of absentee landlords over the last month or so, we've missed a few things.  If this is your first taste of Pigeons material, expect an excellent start to your morning.  The band just released Si Faustine via Olde English Spelling Bee, and additionally released The Curatorial Club 006, a cassette with brand new material and an entirely live B-side.  The folks at Chocolate Bobka used the terms "luminous" and "intoxicating" to describe the TCC006 track, "en rêve," and these descriptors are more than pinpoint.  I've grown so tired of lullaby synthesizers and if I'm going to be entranced, I'd much prefer some meat to the bone.  Pigeons is satiating my ears like nothing else has over the last few weeks.  It's sonorous and methodical, yet entirely expansive and wandering at the same time.  Kettle drum percussion, interwoven synths and warbly guitar fills sit behind beautiful vocal harmonies.  Si Faustine's "Wrong Man" has given my speakers a nice coat of darkened oil over the last two days.  "en rêve" goes into the foreign realm, but it's equally as intriguing.  Sweeping guitar fills bleed into a gripping solo.  Yeah, sign me up.  Pick up Si Faustine by clicking HERE.

Pigeons – "en rêve"

Pigeons – Wrong Man

Folks, if you weren't living underneath a big mossy rock last year, then you know how gorgeous Bonfires on the Heath was, right?  It doesn't get more pristine and well-produced than that.  Not only was it one of our Best Albums of 2009, but it was one of those albums that manages to fill the belly regardless of mood or location.  The heavily orchestrated album weaved through a myriad of styles and instrumentation, never once abandoning the jazzy and psychedelic ethos that they've always maintained.  In a surprising move, the band is quickly turning around and following their creative muses up the flagpole.  Minotaur, a quick hitting thirty minute, 8-new track album is hitting shelves on August 31st through Merge.  However, don't bank on this thing being available physically by that point, because it's being limited to 1000 copies.  Enjoy the first taste of the albu, "Jerry," below.  You can preorder Minotaur right now by clicking HERE.

The Clientele – Jerry

Nearly one year ago today, James and I snuck up to the front of the side stage at The Pitchfork Music Festival to catch Jagjaguwar's newest flagship band, Women, for their stripped down and fairly mellow set.  Their self-titled 2008 release received quite a bit of critical acclaim, and I'm a fan of the eclectic arrangment with solid-body rock core of most of their tracks.  The band is releasing their sophomore effort, Public Strain (produced by Chad VanGaalen), the last week of September.  The initial taste, "Eyesore" has me completely in a conundrum.  Women always manages to foster the brooding sense of darkness in me, while keeping me completely addicted for more.  "Eyesore" is the closing track of the record and has me fairly excited to see if the first part of the album toes the line in this direction.  If so, this is going to be an excellent follow up.

Women – Eyesore

Who is that dude with his jugular vein bulging out of his neck as he snarkily belts out power pop hooks big enough to travel on?  Oh, that's Hutch Harris, that's who.

A sneaky secret – The Thermals 2009 effort, Now We Can See, never left my rotation once.  We talked about Hutch Harris at length last year, and regardless of how polished and power-pop-esque the record was, I couldn't stop spinning it.  As far as the power pop genre, there is absolutely nobody doing it as well as these guys.  The songs are catchy, infectious, and injected with suprisingly intelligent lyricism.  The band is poised to pull off  a well-executed and fast turn around with the forthcoming album, Personal Life on September 7th.  Although that's a ways off, you can snag the first single, being released in early August, called "I Don't Believe You."  If this is the first taste of the upcoming album, fans can expect more of what they're used to.  This album begins at high octane and ends just as energized.

The Thermals – I Don't Believe You

On Record Store Day, we had the pleasure of having Portland's Casey Dienel (AKA White Hinterland) in town to play The Beachland to close out the festivities on Waterloo.  Beforehand, she rolled in and hit a half-hour DJ set at Music Saves.  We've had our hands on Kairos, WH's full length LP, for quite awhile and it's still sitting atop my playlist.  Generously filling and hauntingly satiating, the album is beautiful from top to bottom.  Trolling the internets for music has its perks.  Here's her cover of Neon Indian's "6669 (I Don't Know if You Know)."  I don't have a lot to comment on this one, other than I love both versions.  Enjoy, pals of the interwebs.

White Hinterland – 6669 (I Don't Know if You Know)

Continuing the Citizen Dick summer of remixes, we just got a brand new Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros track in our inbox literally moments ago. This Turbotito interpretation of "Desert Song" is a pretty radical departure from the original, bringing a decidedly electronic touch to the track. I don't think you will be hearing Edward Sharpe in da club anytime soon, but it's good to know that the possibility is there.

In addition to this new remix, the band is also offering a deluxe edition of their acclaimed Up From Below record, featuring live versions of "Up From Below" and "Carries On" plus the videos for "Home" and "Desert Song" and also a demo recording of "Home." Snag a copy of that HERE, then check below for the remix and original versions of "Desert Song."

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Desert Song (Turbotito Remix)

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Desert Song (Album Version)

As you fill your day with cookouts and booze, I thought I'd drop the hammer down with a bit of a buzzkill, brought straight from my home state, but with enough Akron punch to wake you up this morning.  A few months ago, you couldn't turn on the local news without hearing about Anthony Sowell, the ex-marine turned serial killer that somehow managed to lure and kill 11 women and stow the bodies in various spots around his yard and house (he lived next to a meatpacking plant, and the residents on the street believed that the odor was caused from the packing process).  The house currently still stands with a ten foot fence around the perimeter and Cleveland's finest sit outside 24/7 making sure the house remains empty.

Akron-based outfit, Fistula (which isn't typically the type of music we throw up on the site), still gets the nod today based on local ties, and at least partly because I remember how shockingly intrigued I was when this case began to surface throughout the year.  Just as quickly as the news came out, the press died away much like the Cleveland winter.  This song is screaming and loud, but that doesn't take away from the massive guitar riff that jars the listener immediately.  It's a creepy, creepy song, perhaps amplified by the recent and echoing subject matter.  Cleveland's on the map for quite a few unsavory things, but Sowell's exploits could have happened anywhere, and it's damn possible that's what makes it so disgusting. The guitar heavy barrage is infused with local news footage which makes it hit even harder.

On a lighter note, I haven't seen a metal concert in years, but I may be driving down to Akron to catch these guys.  You can pick up Fistula's new EP, Goat, by clicking HERE.

Fistula – Ohio Death Toll Rising

Given that today officially kicks off the annual celebration of America's independence, I thought it would be more than appropriate to share some good old fashioned bluesey rock and roll. I've always been a big fan of bands with that stripped-down dirty sound, so when I read the words "raunchy rock" in the subject line of Wake Up Lucid's press release, my ears immediately perked up. The LA trio self-released their debut EP Look Alive People, and are setting off on a small west coast tour in support. Sounding like a cross between Deep Purple and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, I can only imagine that their live set would deliver in spades. I'm excited to hear more from these guys and hope that they bring their act eastward in the near future. In the meantime, crack open a cold brew, check out their new single "Black Hair Woman" below, and get a head start on that 4th of July weekend. 

Wake Up Lucid – Black Up Lucid

There's not much we can say about School of Seven Bells at this point that hasn't alreadt been said, but we wanted to give you a heads up that their upcoming record is currently streaming in its entirety on the band's website. Disconnect from Desire is set to release on July 13th, but you can hear the whole thing right now if you point your browser to SVIIB.com and enter your e-mail address. As an added bonus, the band is offering an early download of the track "Dust Devil" for fans who pre-order now. Check out the free download of "Windstorm" below and then head over to hear the rest of the album.

School of Seven Bells – Windstorm

Every once in a while I get an e-mail about a band and I can instantly tell what they are going to sound like before I even listen to the track. Such is the case with France's Revolver. Named after the iconic Beatles record, these guys have been pretty huge in France for a while now and are just now bringing their act Stateside. The trio's debut record Music For A While, already certified Gold in their home country, is set to drop here in late August on Astralwerks. Based on the lead single "Get Around Town," I can only imagine that these guys are to France what Kings of Leon were to us Americans when they broke onto the scene. Just swap the southern blues for some jangly chamber pop and you should get the idea. I like to imagine this is probably what country music would sound like if it had originated in Paris rather than Memphis. There's a little twang, and overall the vibe is a little rough around the edges, but at the same time you can totally tell that's exactly what they were going for. Take a listen below and feel free to make your own journalistic analogies:

Revolver – Get Around Town

I'm not sure why, but we literally get daily e-mails full of random Don Diablo tracks. Well, maybe not literally but we really do get a shitload of them. On the whole we're not big on remixes, and I am personally even more averse to them than the rest of my Dick bretheren. In fact, it is rare that I even open a Don Diablo e-mail at all these days. Today's edition, however, mentioned The White Stripes, and as some of you may recall I have a serious man-crush on Jack White. I've listened to it once, and I really don't think I like it, but I figured maybe someone out there would have a greater appreciation so I figured I may as well share it. And if this sort of thing is your bag, you will be happy to know that Mr. Diablo has a proper LP coming sometime this fall. Me? I'll probably be sticking with Girl Talk for my occassional remix indulgement.

Don Diablo vs The White Stripes – Seven Nation Daddy

(Editor's Note:  This is the third installment of a new feature we're throwing against the wall, "Dicks Talking About…"  The gist: we listen to a record and then use this forum to semi-argue about it's quality.  Read part one and part two, then dive into this bit.  If you like the concept, drop us a line in the comments.  Word.)

Here's the dirty secret:  I like Shame, Shame. Kind of a lot.  And more every time I listen to it.  I'd call my colleagues responses to Dr. Dog's most recent effort tepid at best.  To keep the temperature imagery, if they're a slow simmer, I'm a soft boil.  (Editor's note:  it probably looks contrived that on day three of our exploration into a new feature, I'm taking a totally different critical approach than Kevin and Justin.  It's not; we wouldn't bullshit you.  Not our style.  I legitimately think the record is good.)

The argument against Shame, Shame seems to be, in part, that it isn't Fate or We All Belong.  I'd argue that this is a function of the fickle nature of the music consumer. If a band puts out the same record over and over, we say they're stuck in a rut. (Can anybody really tell the difference between any of the three Band of Horses records?  They're all good, but it's essentially one long album, right?).  We say that the artist isn't taking chances or growing or whatever.  When a band takes a left turn, we pillory them for abandoning their roots. (We gave Heartless Bastards a ton of shit for making a third record that sounded almost nothing like the first two, for instance. (That was probably deserved, but whatever.)) We say they read too many reviews or want to sell more records or whatever.  What other endeavor works like this?  What system, in the first case, demeans folks who find their niche? What system criticizes its practitioners, in the second case, for trying to grow and change and evolve and improve?  Unless you're Neil Young, you're fucked.

All that to say that Shame, Shame is a departure from earlier Dr. Dog material.  I love the last two records as much as anybody, but I'm glad the band didn't try to make that record again.  I'm glad they're taking chances.  Is there a song on the new record that is a strongly psychedelic and jammingly awesome as "Ain't it Strange?"  No.  Is there a song that imitates Joe Cocker as well as "Army of Ancients?" No.  Is there a song as fun as "Alaska?" No. 

But. 

There's not a song in the Dr. Dog catalog that's as insidiously catchy as "Unbearable Why."  (Buy the record, listen to that track.  If you're not humming the harmony all day, I'll buy you lunch.)  "Later" sounds like some long-evolved distant cousin of "I Can't Fly" (all the way back on Toothbrush) and is cool and funny and smart and sharp as hell.  "Where'd All the Time Go" takes that spontaneity that Kevin (and, to be honest, your man Brian as well) craves so much and filters it through a smoother pipe.  There are a couple of yelped "yeah"s in that track that remind you that this band is as much about free expression as anybody, but it's in a slicker context.  Do I love that slickness?  Probably not.  Can I live with it?  Totally.  Would I have told these dudes to stay away from an outside producer?  You bet your ass.  Not my call though.  In the end, this is not going to by my favorite Dr. Dog record.  But, happily, it doesn't have to be.  I already own my favorite Dr. Dog record.  I'm just happy that I get to listen to this one as well.

It does bum me out that these dudes left their label.  I'm not privy to any of the relevant details, but I'm not going to be cool with that sort of thing in general.  But.  You still with your first ever girlfriend?  Just asking.

We've got another track from Shame, Shame below.  As you listen, imagine it's a band that you don't know anything about.  That should help.  As an added bonus, I've got some more amazing 80s Yugoslavian pop.  I swear to god this one sounds like Shane McGowan fronting a klezmer band.  (Is there any way I could crown myself svengali of Euro-pop in much the same way that Aquarium Drunkard has taken the conch shell for Africa?)

Dr. Dog – The Stranger

Azra – Fa Fa Fa

Citizen Dick writer, Rob, must sleep on The Black Keys' Akron doorstep, eagerly awaiting any new material that drops.  "Ohio" is a track that was previously a 7" exclusive, and is now being offered at the band's website.  Enter in your email address and get the free download.  I feel as though I dropped the ball a bit yesterday, seeing that it was the 40th anniversary of the Kent State tragedy, an event my own grandfather was involved in as a school administrator.  I've not always been on The Black Keys bandwagon even though I live in northeastern Ohio.  However, I think the integrity of the band is amplified by how much they give back to their home state.  They're always playing small town gigs and never quite lose sight of their roots.  I'll also add that I've been wearing the grooves off of Brothers.  It's hitting me from a whole host of different directions compared to 2009's Attack and Release.  "Ohio" jams out in true Keys fashion.  Their gearing up for the August Lollapalooza date, and you can probably be sure to sneak into some unanounced shows if you live in the Akron/Kent/Cleveland area. Be sure to head to the website to register, and enjoy the track.

The Black Keys – Ohio

Pre-Order Brothers at Insound Now!

Brian and I have seen Dr. Dog on two dates within the last 365.  I'll make the argument that there are very few jam-band, energetic, and completely fluid rock acts performing at the level Dr. Dog is when the amps are switched on.   Even more important when dissecting Shame, Shame is the idea that I originally blew off their previous album, Fate, as a kind of boring stab at bluesy jam rock.  It really wasn't until I begrudgingly joined Brian on a roadtrip to Dr. Dog's Columbus show that I really began to understand how fabulous their 2008 album is.  Their recorded material hits eleven when translated into a live setting.  You know the drill, right?  An album gets a few repeat spins here and there, but somehow catapults into heavy rotation once you've seen them perform the songs live; well, Fate, to me, transcends even that kind of revelation.  The instant I heard "Army of Ancients" in a dimly lit bar basement, Dr. Dog easily became one of my favorite "simple to love" bands.  I currently play Fate at least a few times per month, usually toggling back and forth between the aforementioned gem, "The Breeze," "My Friend," "The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reinder," and the heavy-testicled "The Beach."  Folks, if you havent heard Dr. Dog's back catalog, there's not a lot of need to worry.  They have toed the line  as a sort of bubbly mixture of southern blues and deadhead monster jamming, hoisting singalong hooks aplenty.  I'll always be a fan, simply on the basis of Fate alone, and regardless of how I retaliate here against Shame, Shame, I know I'll shell out more dollars to see them again….and again….and again.

On first glance, Shame, Shame is unfortunately only moderately efficient.  It meanders through the apropos fodder to appease long-time fans.  It's really about the major shift in sound that leaves the newest effort flat, however.  There's  this candy-coated shell of 70's solid gold sound that hugely detracts from the entire vibe of the album.  I realize it's sometimes a poor decision to pit same-artist albums against one another.  After all, art can stand alone, right?  That's damn near impossible for a band that's been molded in a consistent ethos, though.  The central problem is that a mega-producer got a hold of this, and the grit and spontanaiety that was omnipresent in Fate is nowhere to be found on Shame, Shame.  Case in point, "The Rabbit, the Bat and the Reindeer" would chew and spit out all 13 unlucky tracks of Shame, Shame.  Fellas, where's the jamming?  Where is that spontanaiety that grabs hold of listeners and doesn't let go?  I'll add the caveat that this album will still get a chance from me.  It took quite a few listens before, Fate sunk in, and we all know it's sometimes a bad decision to rule out the underdog.  I reserve heavy judgment until I see these tracks performed live.

Throughout this week, I've attempted to dive in.  The album is not bad, and I don't mean to sound callous, but after a week of listening, I've quickly conceded to only press repeat on three of the tracks.  "Shadow People" is the real deal, as Justin mentioned in his post earlier in the week.  It's edgy lyrically, but includes the juvenile cheekiness that makes Fate tick.  "Mirror, Mirror" works in a similar mode, even if it seems a little tired and overly sentimental.  "Jackie Wants a Black Eye" has been doing the trick, as well.  The major issue is that I love these three tracks singularly because they remind me of the last record, and while they jam, they also stand out compared to the overall gloss of the remaining ten songs.  The album has way too much polish.  It's a left turn stylistically, and to be blunt, that's a dangerous move for a band that's garnered a huge following doing the little things so well. Dr. Dog has to make a few decisions.  They've obviously had a stellar career, but where does this ship move next? The jump to 4AD should be a promising start.  The central conundrum is whether or not they allow themselves to become a studio act or a band of traveling jammers.  A listener needs to look no further than the differences between these last two albums to figure out the direction they just stepped; I just hope they reconsider and take the road more traveled by.  For them, it's a formula that just plain works.

Dr. Dog – Shadow People

Buy Shame, Shame at Insound by clicking HERE

Dr. Dog Official Site

Click here to view the embedded video.

While waiting in the long line almost 2 hours before the bands started, the Grog opened up another entrance for "21 and over with a hard ticket" and apparently only about 3% of the concert goers were able to chose that option. I began to get the vibe that I was going to be enjoying this show from quite a distance.  Teens don't drink much, so they don't go to the bar, so they don't pee, hence they don't have to move. They had the stage surrounded 15 feet deep, with 90 minutes left before Sleigh Bells came on. So after I got my wristband, I went to the only place I'm aware of in Coventry that serves good old gluten free Redbridge. The Winking Lizard. By the time I got back from the bar, the Grog was packed to the back. Anyway, I'm not hating on the teens, I definitely remember those days. It was so routine to get there early, go up to the front, and wait. You had a fucking blast and wondered why people needed to drink alcohol to have a good time. Back when crowd surfing was still socially acceptable. I was supposed to meet back up with friends at the Lizard before the show, but somehow they lost track of time. I discovered their whereabouts during the break, shortly before Yeasayer was about to go on. They were hanging out back in the car. It smelled like a skunk was in there and they were giggling like schoolgirls. The skunk was either really funny or it beared a strinking resemblance to Justin Bieber.

If Clevelanders were surprised that April concluded with a sweaty 84 degree day, they shouldn't have been. Sleigh Bells were in town and they brought the noise.  After almost a minute in the dark, listening to an anxious little intro beat, they "dropped the hammer down" with the first song of the set, "Tell Em". The sold out and very attentive crowd lost their shit in one way or another. Lead singer Alexis Krauss burst all over the stage like a force to be reckoned with, entrancing the entire room with her dashing looks, full throttle force and charismatic voice. She makes fireworks seem dull and fireworks are illegal in Ohio, so that's quite a feat if you ask me.   Sleigh Bells continued to keep the audience jumping and shouting for more. They engulfed the crowd with their thumping laser beam beats and chomping minimalist guitar riffs, while smashing through several songs off their upcoming album Treats. There was some question regarding how they would translate live and they pulled it off, sometimes sounding much better than their previous recordings. They delivered on a storm of hot tracks and high energy. Except for one moment.  When Alexis gave a shout out to Pittsburgh at the beginning of "Kids". WTF. We're really looking forward to Pitchfork and they're still one of the reasons why. If you get a chance, go see them, you won't be disappointed. Unless Alexis gives a shout out to Ann Arbor.

Below is the new track they opened the show with. Below that is a video from the first song of Yeasayer's set, featuring Chris Keating lip syncing over a rare recording from Optimus Prime's spoken word poetry kick, and brought to you by Cleveland's own kingofthecastle7. That dude doesn't mess around, after holding his arm up for 3 hours a night, I'm pretty sure he could decapitate you with his closeline. Enjoy!!

Sleigh Bells – Tell Em

Click here to view the embedded video.

Caribou's Swim came out earlier this week, but to most, the album seems like it's been here since January.  The marketing behind this record was superbly executed, and album leaks aside, the return of Caribou has been a refreshing wind into the music scene.  The album is top notch, and it's probably appropriate, or at least mildly respectful, for the remix train to continue rolling.  The Sprituals remix of "Sun" is seven minutes of sputtering intrigue.  Fragmentation, blips, and a smoothed groove develops early and situates itself somewhere between dubstep and smooth retro electronica (yes, folks, I refuse to use the genre name here).  It's good, and while it's dissonant and harsh at times, it doesn't fuly take away frome the ambient qualities.  The Caribou side of this lassos listeners back into the vibe.

Caribou – Sun (Spirituals Remix)

The B-side to Pure Ecstasy's previously released 7" entitled, Voices, rolls through like an ambient dreamscape with enough grainy edges to provide friction for the ears.  The sound is as if listeners are moving through a tunnel with distant voices shouting down from above.  Erratic percussion and a low feedback groans underneath throughout the track.  Perhaps it's way too personal of an endorsement, but for the last two days I've had this on repeat as I've graded a stack of horribly written essays.  I hear new things with each listen.  This Austin lineup is worth the foray.

Pure Ecstasy – Alexandria

Jonathan Clancy, AKA His Clancyness, has some new material hitting the ether and "Summer Majestic" is an immdiate winner.  It blends multiple genres into a more gutteral yet accesible hodgepodge of sound.  A rhythmic percussion drum roll incessantly gnaws at listeners throughout the song.  Vocal looping and overlapping rises and falls in intensity, as well.  While the epicenter of the track is largely pop-oriented, there's enough pulsing back and forth of sound to move this into stratospheric arenas.  As with the Pure Ecstacy track above, this one requires multiple listens to let it surround you.  The fourth listen allowed the track to blossom into a super inspiring and and emotional delivery.  There's peace amidst all of this sound, and even with very little effort, you may find yourself taking this one everywhere you go for awhile.

His Clancyness – Summer Majestic

This past Saturday, as I've mentioned all week, was a big day for the Cleveland scenesters, and most were out in full force, braving the brisk sub 40 temperatures to snag lots of vinyl at Music Saves.  Six doors down at Blue Arrow, the management was treating folks like royalty.  Celery sticks, tostitos, ranch and salsa on a big silver plate.  Nothing spells vinyl-buying hypnotism like a poor-man's deli tray. Several bands bopped in and out of Blue Arrow all day, but one band, in particular, managed to polish the salt off the tostitos and wilt all the plants across the street with a blistering five song in-store to a completely packed crowd.

Local up and coming Cleveland act, Prisoners, is a no nonsense garage-styled band that steers into the gritty underbelly that embodies the blue collar, rustbelt attitudes of our peeps. Equal parts frivolity, wickedness, and bravado, they immediately snag an audience's attention with amazing stage command.  The music is tightly coiled, yet sloppy and wobbly enough to be damn near perfect for what they're trying to do.  I find it interesting that so many of the sludgy garage acts these days are coming from geographical locations that are incongruent with this ethos.  Sometimes musical feeling is best transmitted from a reliable source; I'd take a factory-workin' Clevelander's low-fi over an Orange County pretty-boy's version 10 days out of 7.  This isn't to say I can't absolutely love bands like The Soft Pack (which I do), but if you can package musical talent, low-fi fuzz and unique vocal delivery with sincerity, to boot, then you've got a great formula.

Prisoners' debut album is set to drop on June 19th via Smog Veil Records.  "Teenage Shatner" may be in the running for best track titles of the year.  We'll keep you posted as news develops. If you live in Cleveland, get to any show they put on.

Prisoners – Teenage Shatner