FUCK YEAH: Danava

MP3: Danava - Quiet Babies Astray In A Manger

I honestly have no idea how I missed out on Danava for so long. I saw promos of it lying around all the time when I was working at a record store, they're on the wonderful/near flawless Kemado Records and they're from Portland. But they went over my head, until recently when my friend was bumping their self titled record on red wax. It was described to me as Black Sabbath meets Led Zeppelin, which I can totally agree with, though I'd suggest you add drugs into that.

The songs are long (I don't think any of them are under six minutes) but they fucking rule beyond all belief. It's an album that will have you pressing play over and over again, as it flows into itself. 5 songs never sounded so good.

{purchase danava recordings from kemado}

Akron/Family

MP3: Akron/Family - Crickets
MP3: Akron/Family - Phenomena

While on my adventurous train ride to Salt Lake City, Utah (which also explains my absence from the blog world) I was able to stop in Chicago to grab the new Akron/Family masterpiece "Love Is Simple". I had a long walk back to the train station and while sitting I opened up the cd to find I was given 2 dvds instead of the expected cd/dvd package. So I walked back, exchanged it, and again walked back. I almost collapsed. Then my train got delayed for almost 10 hours.

So thank you to Akron/Family for making it all worth it and giving my sanity a soundtrack. I was excited for "Love Is Simple" and it did not disappoint. The boys seem to put out records yearly and (as of last year) will yearly end up on my best of list. Fuck yeah.

{purchase akron/family recordings from insound}

The Owls

MP3: The Owls - Air

In my relationship history, I find that I never learn of any new music from my ladyfriend. I don't know if that is because I date girls with shitty taste or that I'm stubborn (probably a cocktail of the two), but at the end they walk away with new favourite bands and I've got nothing.

Luckily, once upon a time, I did get a band out of it. That bands is the Owls, a band with feather light vocals and butterfly kisses of instruments. My first song was "Air", a gentle pop gem that was like a seed, and before I knew it I loved the Owls so much, they were as a big as a tree in my heart.

They've been low key for many years (the "Our Hopes and Dreams" ep came out in 2004), but researching for this post brought me great news: They will release the 14 song "Daughters and Suns" this October (I think once again on the great Portland label Magic Marker). The first pressing even comes with a dvd! I have no idea what to expect, but if they expand on the potential brought on by "Air" and the rest of their ep, it will be a contender for your best of 2007 list. Bring it on Owls.

{purchase the owls recordings from magic marker records}

Juvelen

MP3: Juvelen - Watch Your Step

NOTE: Today's contribution comes from the original gangsta Matt Giordano, who hopes to get the band back together in December. Fuck yeah.

Juvelen is currently making some of the best flat-out pop music these days, and that's quite an accomplishment. He released his debut EP, which this track is from, this past January with an LP proper due later this fall. Resurrecting all that is great about pop music—and coincidentally what has been missing from it for almost two decades—Juvelen has actually brought sexy back, as opposed to those who have claimed to.

{purchase juvelen recordings from it's a trap}

Wooden Shjips

MP3: Wooden Shjips - We Ask You to Ride

The 5 song, half hour plus self titled lp from Wooden Shjips is simply put a maze. You enter through "We Ask You to Ride", which starts off innocently enough and then before you know it, you're lost. Every time you get somewhere new, you realize you're still getting deeper longer and longer each time. By the time you've exited after the 10:18 "Shine Like Suns", you feel an emptiness and get ready to enter the maze again.

Seriously, this is a wonderful effort of psychedelic drone, spilling over your body and near perfectly hypnotizes you through it's currents, rocking your fucking skull apart. Recommended with some fresh air and a thick coat.

{purchase wooden shjips recordings from insound}

Black Lips

MP3: Black Lips - Navajo
MP3: Black Lips - Bad Kids

NOTE: Today's contribution comes from the beloved Matt Giordano, whom I'll hopefully be having a serious bro down with this weekend. High fives and a couple of pints? Fuck yeah.

Sometimes it may better to wait for an album to actually be released to it give a listen, and such was the case for me with the new Black Lips album "Good Bad Not Evil". I wish this album was released in June, as its rather sunny, and could easily have been one of the feel-good hits of said just past summer (although technically speaking we'll have to wait a few more days). Anyway, the two tracks I'm giving you here are just great pop songs filtered through that lo-fi jangle of the Black Lips.

{purchase black lips recordings from insound}

Scout Niblett

MP3: Scout Niblett - Kiss

"Kiss" hit the blogs hard. You might be over it, but I certainly am not. It is a track good enough to tease you and get you beyond amped for the upcoming "This Fool Can Die Now" from Scout Niblett. How do you start the hype? A duet with Will Oldham of course, a man who 87% never does wrong. Niblett provides audible glue, sticking with you and sprinkling glee all over your heart.

"This Fool Can Die Now" is released in the cd/lp formats October 15th from Too Pure.

{purchase scout niblett recordings from insound}

No Age

MP3: No Age - I Wanna Sleep

NOTE: Today's contribution comes from Matt Giordano, who actually wrote this a couple of weeks ago, before the album came out here in the states. So he had crazy cred, except I took forever to post it, thus robbing him of all possible kudos. Sorry? Fuck yeah.

It's slightly humourous that I found out about this band whilst in London two months ago, seeing as how they're from L.A. and all, but it just seems appropriate due to the fact I was surrounded by a couple of great up-and-coming designers and noise enthusiasts. To put it bluntly, No Age fucking rips, but not in the typical sense. Their songs mirror angst and drip punk ethos, yet are so well written and arranged that the listener empathises with the subject and recognises the beauty in what's being lost. Their debut compilation "Weirdo Rippers" is available on 28 August in North America (it's already been out in the UK for two months). Not only does this disc come highly recommended, but it is one of the years most fully-realized debut outputs, and that's quite an accomplishment.

{buy no age recordings from insound}

Jens Lekman

MP3: Jens Lekman - And I Remember Every Kiss

MP3: Jens Lekman - Friday Night At the Drive-In Bingo

Yes friends. Today is the day. I was thinking "Wednesday, a good day to continue neglecting the blog" but no. I was wrong. So here you are, the first and last track from Jens Lekman's "Night Falls Over Kortedala". It's big, it's sweet, it's pop gold.

This album is sure to make a fan out of anyone (do people still not like Jens? Are they in prison, where you cannot hear his songs?) and it's by far his most consistent to date.

"Night Falls Over Kortedala", out October 9th in the states from Secretly Canadian.

Health

MP3: Health - Crimewave

MP3: Health - Perfect Skin

The best thing about about the upcoming self titled cd from Los Angeles foursome Health? It sounds fucking good. Recorded at the Smell, an all ages venue with vintage equipment (such as ribbon microphones used for 1930 radio broadcasts), this 11 song album will sound like pure gold through your speakers during it's near 29 minute run. While it's short and sweet, it manages to cut through the bullshit and deliver something so grand that it requires countless repeat listens.

The album tends to challenge the listener with droning beats before bursting into absolute brilliance, best seen in the dreaminess found in the middle of "// M \\" which is bookended by pounding drums before coming to it's center of goodness. Speaking of the drums, they sound beyond huge. The band, giving off hints of Lightning Bolt and Liars at times, make use of their creativity and push into noises so interesting and catchy it becomes a new form of infectious.

Rarely will you find an album that is different but flows completely throughout it's run in your cd player. This is that album, and it is highly recommended. With many high profile remixes and a tour coming to (most likely) your city this month and next, now is the time to hop on the Health bandwagon. I will bet this band will make plenty of waves soon enough.

{pre-order health's self titled cd from insound and get a free 7 inch}

FUCK YEAH: Huey Lewis & the News

MP3: Huey Lewis & the News - You Crack Me Up

NOTE: Today's contribution, in his first FUCK YEAH! post, comes from Matt Giordano, who clearly is enjoying his weekend off. Are you? Fuck yeah.

For my latest post I'd like to revisit one of the most influential bands of the past twenty-five years, Huey Lewis & the News. Huey and the lads are still touring these days, and what better way to move into the Labour Day week than hearing an anthem you'll be more than likely to play at that weekend's cookout most of you will be having. The News provided a generation of people with songs perfect for blasting outdoors at any type of celebration, and you'd be rocking to it with a Budweiser in hand and your Wayfarers on. Pure, classic rock'n'roll about not drunk driving, which is even more appropriate for the upcoming Labour Day weekend. Booyah.