I Locked The Door

Native America

Get Well Soon

Digital

Pop Rock

New Orleans’ incredible indie rock scene has brought me another gem in the form of Native America. Since Birmingham and Nola are relatively close, Native America plays here a lot, and their live set is mind blowing. They are one of the tightest indie rock bands out right now. Even through all their dynamic changes and shifting grooves they remain completely locked and the tones are crystal clear. On “Get Well Soon” they have the bounce and pluck of Dr. Dog, but without the whole fake vintage schtick. Album opener Reminded is a perfect pop song, but Native America don’t limit this record to three minute rock jams. Pictures is a nine minute epic in the dead center of the record that slips and slides through several movements and completely justifies it’s length with an explosively blown out and beautiful ending. The whole thing is available for free on their website, so go click it.

Violent Reaction

Demo Tape

Cassette Mind Rot Records

Hardcore Punk

I had never heard Violent Reaction until I saw them with Hounds of Hate a few weeks ago, and they destroyed it. Their distinctly British aesthetic combined with the fact that they’re a straight edge band separates them from most of the current wave of (awesome) rawpunk. Their pummeling, minute long songs are perfect boot stomping anthems. This tape is really short, so I don’t want to write a whole long winded thing… just listen to it and get one of these tapes before the tapes sell out, VR become huge, and you’re like “oh I wish I had that demo tape.”

Generifus

The World

Cassette Sultan Serves

Vaguely Folkish Acousta Rock

On the heels of his most lush and full record Back in Time, Olympia Washington’s Generifus is back with a collection of intimate, acoustic recordings. I feel like I’ve said a lot about Spencer’s guitar playing on this blog. Regardless, his technical fingerpicking is incredible, not just because it’s hard to do, but because it’s so accessible and melodic. A lot of guitarists have an issue with writing something that is both intricate and catchy. Spencer does not. Generifus is one of the only guys in the DIY world right now that can write a song that is both shredding and delicate.

Lyrically this may be my favorite Generifus material to date. When I was mixing the “Live at God’s Butt” tape I listened to Headed Down about a hundred times, and it got me every time. There’s a perfect balance of sorrow and optimism  in lines like “as long as you’re not headed down, then I’d like to come along” and “I’ll be golden. When you want me I’ll be bronze. I’ll wear gold and when you want me I’ll be gone.” 

Listen to it here.

El Hollin

Holey Smokes

CD-R Athens Horse Party

Athens Pop

So this week everyone is freaking out about Athens pop because of the new Neutral Milk Hotel reunion, which is awesome, but I’ve got to take this opportunity to point out that the Athens pop scene is as strong as ever right now. Almost every time I go to/play a show over there I’m introduced to another awesome, current Athens band. Why this scene isn’t getting the same kind of attention Elephant 6 got back in the day is completely beyond me. El Holin’s new record “Holey Smokes” is a perfect example of what Athens is doing right in 2013. Classic Athens style flowery arrangements adorn the bands best release to date. The huge orchestrations of the albums more straight foreword bangers like My Nose, and Amy and Jordan make up the backbone of the record. Interspersed are songs like the bouncing Night of Theory and the melancholy Music Tapes vibe of Driver that give this album a lot of depth and variety. If the Neutral Milk Hotel reunion has you jazzed on AthPop right now, let “Holey Smokes” be a reminder that theres more than one band from Athens.

cassette anarchy: the principle reason you should get your hands on an old tape deck

Coliseum

Sister Faith

CD/LP Temporary Residence

Rock

Coliseum has been a staple of the metal/punk scene as long as I can remember. I was a teenager the first time I saw them and I’ll be 25 this month, so you do the math there. On their last two records, The House With a Curse LP and Parasites EP the band has been moving away from the busy, technical heaviness of it’s earlier efforts and settling into a more rock and roll sound akin to a heavier Hot Snakes. Hot Snakes own Rick Froberg actually did the art for the Parasites EP (which is awesome.) Sister Faith finds the band really stretching it’s legs. It’s a natural progression, not only of the most recent records but of the bands whole catalog. The first two tracks “Disappear From Sight” and “Last/Lost” live in the same ripping territory that Coliseum’s long time fans are sure to be psyched on, real motorcycle in the desert music, but rather than staying at that blistering pace the album has a series of ebbs and flows that move in and out of several tempos and textures. I think my favorite departure on this album is the downtempo, almost PJ Harvey-esque groove of the B side’s opener Everything in Glass. It churns with a dark swampiness that balances the fast and furious rock of songs like “Dissapear From Sight” perfectly. The album isn’t out yet, but it’s closer Fuzzbang has an awesome video that’s you can see at the adjacent hyperlink. Fuzzbang may be the most triumphant Coliseum song ever, and it’s a perfect close to the bands most adventurous record to date.

P.S. The packaging is great, the insert is a 16 page zine of artwork from the bands own graphic design wizard Ryan. The record it’s self (or at least my copy) is a purple splatter vinyl with little hits of translucent green, and it looks incredible, especially paired with the cover art. Temporary Residence has really been pushing the packaging envelope recently. Anyone else see that Explosions record that folds out into a house!? You can preorder Sister Faith from Temp Res here.

Ever Ending Kicks

Weird Priorities

Cassette Holy Page

Minimalist Pop

“Weird Priorities” is beautifully sparse and masterfully repetitive. This record is a little bit like black coffee. The first time you aren’t sure how you feel about it, but a week later you find yourself craving it, and a week after that you’re hooked. Most of these tracks use a limited palette of a couple synths and simple drum machines. The space it creates is refreshing. In this golden age of multi tracking it’s easier than ever to layer and layer and layer (which is not always a bad thing, but it’s become a crutch for some) so It’s really nice to hear someone so successfully embrace minimalism. 

If I had to choose a single banger it would be Impressed. Listen to the whole thing here. Also buy the tape. As with all Holy Page releases, the physical product is killer.