A crazy week in our house, for a bunch of reasons, so my comments on this week’s batch of music will be even more half-assed than normal. Never fear, the songs are still good!
“Focus” – Preoccupations
This band’s sound never changes much, even though their name has changed over the years. They still have this great, timeless, post-punk sound.
“Champagne Taste” – Sunflower Bean
Maybe a little Veruca Salt…salt? in this latest SB track?
“Draggin’ On” – Pink Chameleons
This band reminds me of The Jesus and Mary Chain with the psychedelic slider cranked all the way up.
“This Town” – Brooke Combe
If I gave you a million chances, would you ever have guessed that this wonderful piece of neo-soul comes from Scotland? Doesn’t exactly fit the standard, Scottish sound, does it? And Combe isn’t even from Glasgow or Edinburgh proper, she’s from a tiny town on the far outskirts of Edinburgh.
“Pushing Daisies” – Star 99
If you took mid-90s J. Mascis, in his Dinosaur Jr. form, and added a heathy dose of classic R.E.M., it might sound like this San Jose band.
“Volume Control” – Swervedriver
This band doesn’t sound like anyone but themselves. Swervedriver making a comeback about 10 years ago and then sticking around to keep making more solid music was a very good thing.
“Damage” – Salim Nourallah
Two weeks in a row we have a song that features vocals that sound like Soul Asylum singer Dave Piner. That seems super random, no?
“If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Nest” – Manic Street Preachers
The Manics have new music out, which is ok. But it made me think of their greatest song and how it applies to the current state of the world.