Grouper - "The Man Who Died In His Boat"

Sorry for the lack of updates yesterday and today, humanoids.  It's just been one of those lazy summer weeks.  Chill out and be lazy with Portland's Liz Harris as she sings you to sleep under the alias of Grouper.  Sit under a big shady tree and nap to this.

GROUPER - "THE MAN WHO DIED IN HIS BOAT"

Kranky Records 2013

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Bleached - "Ride Your Heart"

Okay, so you've gotten out of bed, taken that shower, and now you want to head to the beach.  But you need some driving music for that road trip!  And what to listen to on the boom box when you are playing volleyball or flipping burgers?  Don't worry, humanoids.  Monster Poison loves you, as do Jennifer and Jessica Clavin.  The two sisters who make up the backbone of Bleached have mastered the art of brewing up tasty garage punk concoctions.  Their debut album was released last year, and if you haven't been exposed to "Ride Your Heart," then you have been missing out this whole time.  The combination of riffs and Jen Clavin's melodic caterwauling is so charmingly endearing that you can't help but smile when this band plays.  Slather on the sunscreen, because "Waiting By The Telephone" is a scorching slice of yearning for that special guy.  Jump in the water and splash along with the bouncy girl-group harmonies of "Searching Through The Past."  "Dead Boy" builds up fuzzy low-end sandcastles before stomping them flat with childlike glee.  Hey, I think those burgers are done!  But don't worry,  these Burger Girls will still be kicking out the jams for your beach blanket bonanza even after you start to feel sick from pounding one too many in the hot sun.

BLEACHED - "RIDE YOUR HEART"

Dead Oceans Records 2013

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Blue Hawaii - "Untogether"

Alex Cowan & Raphaelle Standell-Preston have made a fantastic debut LP together under the moniker Blue Hawaii.  Relaxing and hypnotic, the softly kinetic acoustics of "Try To Be" skitter under an ethereal new age wash.  Dubstep-esque drops harken the arrival of "In Two" before the song takes on new life as a trance-forged butterfly.  Unlike so much electronic music being made these days, Blue Hawaii manage to avoid so many of the same cliches and pitfalls that ensnare their contemporaries.  Infusing their sound with ambient and new age influences gives the entire affair a feeling of intimacy and meditative sensuality that will titillate devotees of The xx.  This is baby-making music that has depth and substance from a compositional standpoint.  Light some Nag Champa and get lost.

 

BLUE HAWAII - "UNTOGETHER"

Arbutus Records 2013

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Cult Ritual - "LP1"

Taken from Wikipedia: "The mineral pyrite or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the formula FeS₂. This mineral's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue give it a superficial resemblance to gold, hence the well-known nickname of "fool's gold.""  That being said, feel free to enjoy the debut and final LP from Cult Ritual.  Ugly, abrasive, and frightening at times, it's a perfect listen for a bad day.  I missed them on tour in 2009 because I'm a poser who only got into them that summer, but I'll never forget the first time I listened to these songs.  I was on a bicycle around midnight, and I felt like someone was going to dart out of an alleyway with a knife at some point.  A truly unsettling experience if you have the guts to listen to it on headphones at full volume.  I've also decided to be kind & include a link to the lyrics sheet so you can sing along at home.  You remember "Disney's Sing Along Songs," right?  This is just like that.  Come on, kids, follow the bouncing ball!

"JUST CRUSH MY FACE UNDER THE WEIGHT OF YOUR SUCCESS"

CULT RITUAL - "LP1"

Youth Attack Records 2009

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Hank Wood & The Hammerheads - "Stay Home"

Hoo boy, is this ever a corker.  Hank Wood & The Hammerheads have really outdone themselves on their sophomore outing.  Debut "Go Home" was a rawkin' slab of garage punk that captured hearts and repulsed ears all over the country.  I wondered how they'd ever be able to top the vitriolic disgust of "Murder" and "I Don't Play Games."  However, "Stay Home" doesn't go down that road.  Still an ugly, bumpy, distorted ride, Mr. Hill & Co. have instead decided to focus on adding keyboard flourishes and jamming as many killer riffs into these songs as possible.  The result is something as compellingly nauseating as Chicken McNuggets: you know there's pink slime underneath the synth breading of "The Ghost" (the circle),  "In Bookings" (the boot) and "In Space" (the diamond), but you just want to keep cramming them into your mouth.  More fries please, and keep the sauce coming.

HANK WOOD & THE HAMMERHEADS - "STAY HOME!"

Toxic State Records 2014

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The Range - "Nonfiction"

A seemingly out-of-nowhere release, "Nonfiction" was a pleasant surprise to me during the cool autumn months of 2013.  The Range has created an album which reminds me of some of my favorite parts of Bonobo and Four Tet without ever compromising his unique sound.  Jungle drums and R&B-indebted keyboards coalesce into a compelling froth, adding a signature twist to the downtempo goodness.  Not quite a total chillout album, as some of these albums could take on new life on the dance floor, "Nonfiction" is still a remarkably relaxing listen.  I've spent many a late night and early morning immersed in it, and it continues to draw me in nearly a year later.

THE RANGE - "NONFICTION"

Donkey Pitch/Project: Mooncircle 2013

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Zola Jesus - "Dangerous Days"/"Diamonds" (Rihanna Cover)

A preview from her upcoming album "Taiga," new single "Dangerous Days" may be the best thing I've heard yet from Zola Jesus. This shimmering, ethereal electronic composition is far more suited for play in the club than anything Nika Roza Danilova has produced to date. Zola's early work seemed more rooted in noise and experimentation, while recent years have found her flirting with mainstream pop sensibilities. As further evidence of this metamorphosis, I've also included her cover of Rihanna's "Diamonds." "Taiga" will be released October 7 on Mute Records.