Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Marmots* - Sheath and Knife - Treacle Wall (Rat-Drifting)
Ron Davis* - Jaggy Dance - Pocket Symphronica (Really)
John Abercrombie - What Are the Rules - The First Quartet (ECM)
Hypercolor - Forget - Hypercolor (Tzadik)
Linsey Wellman* - Avec Laquelle - Manifesto (Independent)
Glenn White - Beeblebrox - Quirk EP (Independent)
Pugs and Crows and Tony Wilson* - Run That Body Down - Everyone Knows Everyone (Independent)
Food - Where Dry Desert Ends - This is Not a Miracle (ECM)
The xx - Infinity - The xx (Young Turks)
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Best of 2015 #2: Faith Healer - Cosmic Troubles (Mint)
When I first heard Faith Healer's debut back in March of 2015, I knew I was hearing something special. I got a copy of the album to review for Earshot and I praised it then as I praise it now. I was already a fan of Renny Wilson, one half of the band, and I loved everything Mint Records had been putting out in the past couple of years. Renny Wilson is fast becoming one of the most underrated musicians in Canada and everything he seems to make turns to gold. He's a true musical chameleon, turning in textured indy poptronica with his debut 2104's Sugarglider, the drugged out indy pop here with Cosmic Troubles, then later in 2015, his Punk Explosion project mining garage and punk for a bombastically noisy album.
But back to Cosmic Troubles. This album was unlike a lot of music I heard this year. It was dense, it was cute, it was simultaneously obscure and intimately accessible. Renny Wilson's music has a slow, drugged out burn to it, fuzzing out in places, then rising up to twee, jangly indy pop in others, sometimes in the same song. Vocalist Jessica Jalbert's distracted, half-asleep voice added to the oddly trance-like vibe the album has. There's twinges of the Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Velocity City and My Bloody Valentine here. You never know where this album is going to take you next. You feel like your head is swimming and you're a bit unsure of where you are after a couple of listens.
Renny and Jessica's next album (I hope there'll be a next album!) will be a marvelous, droning mess and it'll be glorious. I can't wait!
But back to Cosmic Troubles. This album was unlike a lot of music I heard this year. It was dense, it was cute, it was simultaneously obscure and intimately accessible. Renny Wilson's music has a slow, drugged out burn to it, fuzzing out in places, then rising up to twee, jangly indy pop in others, sometimes in the same song. Vocalist Jessica Jalbert's distracted, half-asleep voice added to the oddly trance-like vibe the album has. There's twinges of the Velvet Underground, David Bowie, Velocity City and My Bloody Valentine here. You never know where this album is going to take you next. You feel like your head is swimming and you're a bit unsure of where you are after a couple of listens.
Renny and Jessica's next album (I hope there'll be a next album!) will be a marvelous, droning mess and it'll be glorious. I can't wait!
Sunday, March 20, 2016
DNTTA Playlist for March 18, 2016
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Death from Above 1979* - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine (Last Gang)
Phono D'Enfant* - Towers of Pine - Ambrose Psychic (Independent)
Homeshake* - Haters - The Homeshake Tape (Fixture)
Girlfriend* - Smoke Rings - Lovers and Other Strangers (Shake!)
Slow Spirit* - Rain Cloud - Transmissions from UMFM 2015 (Independent)
Bodyfather - White Beams - Heavy Rest EP (Independent)
Iceage - Morals - You're Nothing (Matador)
Dinosaur Jr. - Watch the Corners - I Bet on Sky (Jagjaguwar)
The Red Daggers* - All Empires Fall - Opium Clouds (Shake!)
Like Animals* - Caterwaul - Feral EP (Independent)
Ruby Karinto* - Zoot Suit - Ruby Karinto EP (Independent)
Crashing Into Things* - I Saw it Coming - To Consume and to Be Consumed (Querc)
Oingo Boingo - Just a Lad - Best of Boingo (MCA)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Death from Above 1979* - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine (Last Gang)
Phono D'Enfant* - Towers of Pine - Ambrose Psychic (Independent)
Homeshake* - Haters - The Homeshake Tape (Fixture)
Girlfriend* - Smoke Rings - Lovers and Other Strangers (Shake!)
Slow Spirit* - Rain Cloud - Transmissions from UMFM 2015 (Independent)
Bodyfather - White Beams - Heavy Rest EP (Independent)
Iceage - Morals - You're Nothing (Matador)
Dinosaur Jr. - Watch the Corners - I Bet on Sky (Jagjaguwar)
The Red Daggers* - All Empires Fall - Opium Clouds (Shake!)
Like Animals* - Caterwaul - Feral EP (Independent)
Ruby Karinto* - Zoot Suit - Ruby Karinto EP (Independent)
Crashing Into Things* - I Saw it Coming - To Consume and to Be Consumed (Querc)
Oingo Boingo - Just a Lad - Best of Boingo (MCA)
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Earshot Reviews March 2016
Took a while, but the last of my latest big load of reviews got published. Enjoy!
Galerie Stratique - Reves de Beton
Aidan Knight - Each Other
Steven Page - Heal Thyself Part 1: Instinct
Brandon Wolfe Scott - The Postcard Writer
AA Wallace = In Alpha Zones
Lindsey White - Renegade
Galerie Stratique - Reves de Beton
Aidan Knight - Each Other
Steven Page - Heal Thyself Part 1: Instinct
Brandon Wolfe Scott - The Postcard Writer
AA Wallace = In Alpha Zones
Lindsey White - Renegade
DNTTA Playlist for March 11, 2016
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Little You Little Me* - Greed - I'd Watch the Day Til it Died (Independent)
Majical Cloudz* - Control - Are You Alone? (Arts and Crafts)
Crocodile!* - Kobani - Yoma OST (Croco)
The Flowers of Hell* - Wall of Oblivion - Aria 51 EP (Optical Sounds)
Savages - Evil - Adore Life (Matador)
Knotted Cord - Dissolution - Polyphonic Beasts Expand in Parallel (Independent)
X-Ray Spex - The Day the World Turned Day-Glo
Lederhosen Lucil* - The Best Dishwasher I Ever Had - Tales from the Pantry (Hypo)
Dead Moon - Dead Moon Night - Echoes from the Past (Sub Pop)
Cold Cave - The Trees Grew Emotions and Died - Love Comes Close (Matador)
Sonar - Black Light - Black Light (Cuneiform)
Chet Faker - Talk is Cheap - Built on Glass (Opulent)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Little You Little Me* - Greed - I'd Watch the Day Til it Died (Independent)
Majical Cloudz* - Control - Are You Alone? (Arts and Crafts)
Crocodile!* - Kobani - Yoma OST (Croco)
The Flowers of Hell* - Wall of Oblivion - Aria 51 EP (Optical Sounds)
Savages - Evil - Adore Life (Matador)
Knotted Cord - Dissolution - Polyphonic Beasts Expand in Parallel (Independent)
X-Ray Spex - The Day the World Turned Day-Glo
Lederhosen Lucil* - The Best Dishwasher I Ever Had - Tales from the Pantry (Hypo)
Dead Moon - Dead Moon Night - Echoes from the Past (Sub Pop)
Cold Cave - The Trees Grew Emotions and Died - Love Comes Close (Matador)
Sonar - Black Light - Black Light (Cuneiform)
Chet Faker - Talk is Cheap - Built on Glass (Opulent)
Sunday, March 13, 2016
DNTTA Playlist for March 4, 2016
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Sleepwreck* - Moment of Truth - Disasterpiece EP (East Van Digital)
Ace Martens* - Hiding - CiTR Pop Alliance Vol. 4 (Mint)
Minotaurs* - Stayed Too Long - Weird Waves (Static Clang)
SIRR* - Doodlysquat - Liar Cake (Independent)
Screaming Trees - Love or Confusion - Sub Pop 200 (Sub Pop)
Reversing Falls* - Secret Goth - Reversing Falls 2 (Independent)
Wet Ones - I Live Life Recklessly - Wet Ones (Black Gladiator)
Healing Waters* - Lord, Strike Me Down - Water (Shake!)
Snake River Conspiracy - Breed - Sonic Jihad (BMG)
Psychic Pollution* - Shark Wasser - Tanz fur Dunklen Seelen (Eat Glass)
AA Wallace* - Secret Name - In Alpha Zones (Culvert)
Jennylee - Bully - Right On (Rough Trade)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Sleepwreck* - Moment of Truth - Disasterpiece EP (East Van Digital)
Ace Martens* - Hiding - CiTR Pop Alliance Vol. 4 (Mint)
Minotaurs* - Stayed Too Long - Weird Waves (Static Clang)
SIRR* - Doodlysquat - Liar Cake (Independent)
Screaming Trees - Love or Confusion - Sub Pop 200 (Sub Pop)
Reversing Falls* - Secret Goth - Reversing Falls 2 (Independent)
Wet Ones - I Live Life Recklessly - Wet Ones (Black Gladiator)
Healing Waters* - Lord, Strike Me Down - Water (Shake!)
Snake River Conspiracy - Breed - Sonic Jihad (BMG)
Psychic Pollution* - Shark Wasser - Tanz fur Dunklen Seelen (Eat Glass)
AA Wallace* - Secret Name - In Alpha Zones (Culvert)
Jennylee - Bully - Right On (Rough Trade)
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
DNTTA Playlist for February 26, 2015 - All Covers show
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Crystal Castles* - Not in Love (Platinum Blonde) - Crystal Castles (II) (Last Gang)
Milos Karadaglic - Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles) - Blackbird: The Beatles Album (Mercury Classics)
Change of Heart* - Black Widow (Donovan) - Island of Circles (Nettwerk)
Homer Simpson and Linda Ronstadt - Funny How Time Slips Away (Willie Nelson) - The Yellow Album (Geffen)
Rockpile - If Sugar Was As Sweet As You (Joe Tex) - Seconds of Pleasure (Sire)
The Cramps - She Said (Hasil Adkins) - Bad Music for Bad People (IRS)
Emily Haines and James Shaw* - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (Bob Dylan) - Help: A Day in the Live (Sony BMG)
Failure - Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode) - Music for the Masses (A&M)
David Bowie - Rosalyn (The Pretty Things - Pin Ups (EMI)
Jenny Omnichord* - Pork Roll Egg and Cheese (Ween) - Guelph Ween Satan (Independent)
Devo - Satisfaction (Rolling Stones) - Hardcore Live (Booji Boy)
Forbidden Dimension* - Vampire's Dream (Personality Crisis) - Oh Canaduh! (Lance Rock)
The Thermals - Tangerine (Led Zeppelin) - Bridging the Distance: A Portland, OR Covers Compilation (Arena Rock)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
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Crystal Castles* - Not in Love (Platinum Blonde) - Crystal Castles (II) (Last Gang)
Milos Karadaglic - Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles) - Blackbird: The Beatles Album (Mercury Classics)
Change of Heart* - Black Widow (Donovan) - Island of Circles (Nettwerk)
Homer Simpson and Linda Ronstadt - Funny How Time Slips Away (Willie Nelson) - The Yellow Album (Geffen)
Rockpile - If Sugar Was As Sweet As You (Joe Tex) - Seconds of Pleasure (Sire)
The Cramps - She Said (Hasil Adkins) - Bad Music for Bad People (IRS)
Emily Haines and James Shaw* - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright (Bob Dylan) - Help: A Day in the Live (Sony BMG)
Failure - Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode) - Music for the Masses (A&M)
David Bowie - Rosalyn (The Pretty Things - Pin Ups (EMI)
Jenny Omnichord* - Pork Roll Egg and Cheese (Ween) - Guelph Ween Satan (Independent)
Devo - Satisfaction (Rolling Stones) - Hardcore Live (Booji Boy)
Forbidden Dimension* - Vampire's Dream (Personality Crisis) - Oh Canaduh! (Lance Rock)
The Thermals - Tangerine (Led Zeppelin) - Bridging the Distance: A Portland, OR Covers Compilation (Arena Rock)
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Best of 2015 #3: METZ - METZ II (Sub Pop)
METZ's debut self-titled album in 2012 was a revelatory album, a shining beacon of energetic noise-punk and just a taste of what was to come. Their second album, II, is a continuation of that sound, and expansion to a certain extent. The music is similar: bruising, sludgy walls of noise-rock and punk. Their sound is very similar to the work of the Jesus Lizard or Big Black. They call their shots, hit hard, then move on. The album is quite short too. They don't waste time making their point. "Spit You Out" is a perfect microcosm of their sound. It has a wall of textural guitar noise propelling anti-social screaming lyrics. A more perfect noise-rock album you won't find in 2015.
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