Five: Projekt A-ko's Yoyodyne

There has been a 57:32-sized gap in the 21st century Internet for years, and it has been a source of regular disappointment, not being able to easily recommend to the attention of friends one of our very favorite records, Glaswegian noise-pop act Projekt A-ko's titanic 2009 full-length Yoyodyne. The album was released five years ago yesterday, and while we have very happy personal associations that go along with the record, Yoyodyne is remarkable for a number of reasons any indie rock fan can grasp: amazing hooks, massive guitars, visionary songcraft, engaging dynamics and mind-boggling lyrics. We named it our second-favorite record of 2009 here, and band fronter Fergus Lawrie kindly wrote a track-by-track guide to the record for Clicky Clicky readers here back in the day.

While the album has a purposely glacial opening fade-in that may stymy impatient listeners (an homage to bygone Boston chimp rock heroes Drop Nineteens and the title track to that band's watermark 1990 LP Delaware), Yoyodyne presents an embarrassment of hits, all in a row, straight across the record. Commencing with the alternately skittering, dreamy and thunderous "Hey Palooka!" and closing with the uncharacteristically spare, powerfully poignant and horribly resigned ballad "Don't Listen To This Song," it's impossible for us to pick favorite tracks from the album. But we've certainly got favorite moments, moments we carry around with us every day. There's the break-down at the beginning of the second verse of "Palooka!," when Mr. Lawrie sings "and all the stars are out, they kiss you on the mouth, they kiss you on the...." There's the repeated observation "every day you fail" in "Nothing Works Twice;" the barreling beginning of "Supertriste Duxelle;" and the repeated exclamation "Dear God" in "Here Comes New Challenger!" (the second of two songs on the album whose title contains an exclamation point, from an album on which every song title could just be piles of exclamation points). The album does not let up.

Maybe you've noticed: we unreservedly love Yoyodyne. Sure, it reminds us of spring, it makes us think of the birth of our daughter, but most important of all it is fucking awesome. So awesome, in fact, that we asked Lawrie personally if we could post the record to YouTube for a while so people could have a listen and then buy it. It's excellent, and people need to hear it, and we are thrilled to have received his consent in time to post the record for this anniversary. While a follow-up was mentioned as soon as Yoyodyne was released, and in the intervening years has apparently been started and stopped numerous times and as recently as two years ago, and there is a fairly active rumor mill regarding new music from the trio, there has not yet been any formal successive release from Projekt A-ko. Mr. Lawrie's interests have led him deep into both documentary work and Glasgow's improvised noise scene, and besides a thrilling cover of Drop Nineteens' "Winona" that was emailed to certain fans years ago, the wait for new music from the act has been, well, a wait. But we'll always have Yoyodyne, and we continue to be hopeful that we have not yet heard the last from Projekt A-ko.

Buy Yoyodyne here.

Projekt A-ko: Facebook | Last.FM | MySpace

Related Coverage:
Today's Hotness: Projekt A-ko
Today's Hotness: Projekt A-ko
Today's Hotness: Projekt A-ko
Today's Hotness: Projekt A-ko
Today's Hotness: Projekt A-ko
Fergus Lawrie On Album Of The Year Contender Yoyodyne
Today's Hotness: Projekt A-ko
Projekt A-ko Is Awesome And This Is A Post About Them

20: Drop Nineteens | Delaware

We planned this small tribute so far ahead that we lost track of it when it rolled around. But it is worth noting that on June 5, 1992 -- twenty years ago last month -- Boston's own Drop Nineteens released their full-length debut Delaware on Caroline. An impossibly important record for us, on par with Ride's Nowhere and, well, a lot of other things that came out between 1990 and 1993 or so, when all the important records came out (LOLzy LOLzy ha ha ha wink wink). Or so it seemed at the time. This cover shot still pretty much exists, and every time we drive by it in Brighton Boston's South End we are awe-struck, because the cover itself seemed from a fantasy world when we were kids [thanks for the correction, Brad -- Ed.]. The fact that it is a place you can go stand and, if you are young, smoke a cigarette, that still amazes us. Delaware brims with amazing, melodic shoegaze and dream pop, from the title track, to "Winona" to the eight-minute epic "Kick The Tragedy," which, if you listen to it, now seems like an important precursor to a whole lot of the more recent M83 catalog. Just sayin'. If you don't have this, you need to do whatever it takes to acquire it. Don't believe us? Catch the stream on Spotify. Delaware, happy belated birthday to you.

Today's Hotness: Young Prisms, Violens, Speedy Ortiz

>> Shoegaze purists rejoice! While waiting for the next Ringo Deathstarr platter to come along and provoke the tinnitus, might we suggest checking out another group of revivalists who have done their homework: San Francisco's Young Prisms. The quintet's second full-length, In Between, is due March 27 on the venerable Kanine Records, and the album's wide-eyed take on the genre evokes memories of a certain strata of superlative, bygone American pedal pushers (Ultra Cindy, Drop Nineteens, Astrobrite). While Young Prisms breaks no new ground either compositionally or sonically here, In Between's understated boy/girl vocals, churning guitar chords, and dazed, reverberant snare drum marches will delight enthusiasts of the genre (present company included). Throughout the mostly mid-tempo set, Young Prisms cultivates some great melodies, including that of lead single "Four Hours (Away)," the vocal of which notably taps a Mazzy Star-like lilt while the instrumentation strikes a light, Motown-flavored contrapposto. The real winner of the collection, however, is "Better Days," a wonderful tribute to "Sarah Sitting" by the mighty, beloved Boston group The Swirlies that touts a shifting melody and queasy guitar lead. In the way that Interpol took the vibe of The Chameleons and sexed it up for a new generation, Young Prisms aims to inspire a rising legion of 'gazers with seldom-heard references that have always deserved more attention. Pre-order In Between from Kanine right here, and check out the marvelous live set recorded at Shea Stadium last October via the embed below -- Edward Charlton



>> In a wonderful surprise last week, Slumberland Records posted to its Soundcloud page a new track from New York-based chord merchants Violens (an act which, incidentally, has remixed Young Prisms' "Floating In Blue"). The song, "Der Microarc," is from the act's upcoming album True, slated for release May 15th. Violens isa five-year-old progressive pop band that combines elements of '80s alternative rock sounds with early electro and broad vocal harmonies. Utilizing these tools, the band concocts a rare form of psychedelia via compositional weirdness, rather than relying on effects. Beautiful, odd chords and melodic turns can leave the listener disoriented even as they are dancing along. It's a rare musical feat that speaks of a musical intelligence and playfulness that the indie world can always use more of. "Der Microarc" is a quickly paced jam that displays a clarity that was missing on Amoral, the group's crowded yet superb 2010 debut. The song follows an effective four chord strum; a kraut groove filtered through the prickly surrealism of Daydream Nation. Better yet, the band seem to be tapping into the vibes of Mahogany's smashing Connectivity! album and its internationalist cosmo-pop. The signing of Violens could signal a welcome shift in the recent Slumberland roster, which lately has seemed to focus primarily on somewhat predictable presentations of the C86/ Black Tambourine legacy, as opposed to the label's more experimental past, including ground breaking releases from bands like Hood, Lorelei, Stereolab and Whorl. This thought alone is enough to make the anticipation for True unbearable. -- Edward Charlton



>> We don't know the age of Sarah Dupuis and the rest of Western Mass.-based Speedy Ortiz, but we imagine that they wish they were born 20 years ago. Because there's little doubt that Speedy Ortiz's recent single "Taylor Swift" would be garnering scads of major market FM radio play on the fledgling alternative rock-formatted stations that were springing up back then. And on the strength of the single Speedy Ortiz would probably be aboard a commercial flight to Los Angeles right now (well, right now 1992) to record a full-length for one of those major-backed, faux indie labels we had back then. But, of course, it is not the bizarro world of the early '90s we're currently living in. That, however, does not weaken the impact of "Taylor Swift," a crunchy, feedback-spangled, grunge-pop gem with a ridiculously catchy, swaggering chorus. The single, backed with the even-heavier but still delicious and angular "Swim Fan," was recorded by Paul Q. Kolderie at Mad Oak Studios and mixed by Justin Pizzoferrato, whose name you know from his work with Dinosaur Jr. and Young Adults, among many others. And, if a post on the band's Facebook page is to be believed, apparently naming their single "Taylor Swift" is a trademark violation, so the song title may be changing. Speedy Ortiz are slated to play the Pipeline! radio show on MIT's WMBR on April 24, and the band has a short series of tour dates in the Northeastern United States in late March that are posted to its Bandcamp page right here. It appears the band is currently recording a five-track EP at the Sex Dungeon in Philadelphia titled Sports, which we are now very eager to hear. Check out "Taylor Swift" and "Swim Fan" via the embed below.

Today's Hotness: Big Deal, Whirr, Projekt A-ko

>> Please do not construe our silence on the release of Big Deal's full-length debut Lights Out as anything other than a lack of time on our part. We followed the band closely through the release of their early singles in 2010 and 2011, and wrote about Big Deal most recently here in October. We are pleased that the charming and hazy full-length Lights Out lives up to all that early promise. As Mr. Yang pointed out in his spot-on assessment here, yes, the London-based duo is working with a limited palette (two voices, two guitars), but through some beautiful alchemy the melodies, production and performances meld into the proverbial sum-greater-than-its-parts. Perhaps it is the performances -- earnest, hurt, lovelorn -- that make songs like "Chair" and "Cool Like Kurt" so powerful. The latter song so magically crystallizes the feelings of fragile, youthful romance: uncertainty, longing, the fleeting nature of the enterprise. Out of context this lyric is a little creepy, but we can't think of any more perfect way to sum up feelings that at this point in our lives are barely accessible via memory: "take me to your bed, don't take me home, before this is oh, before this is over." Lights Out was finally released in America on Mute Jan. 24 in the wake of an eponymous EP; the set was issued in the UK Sept. 5. Big Deal plays what we believe are its first U.S. shows next month (full dates below), despite male half of the duo Kacey Underwood being an American. The band has completed a new video for the song "Talk," which you can expect to see online soon. In the meantime, in case you've forgotten what it sounds like, you can stream below. Dig in.



03.11 -- The Glasslands -- Brooklyn, NY
03.12 -- Mercury Lounge -- New York, NY
03.13-03.18 -- SXSW TBA -- Austin, TX
03.20 -- The Echo -- Los Angeles, CA

>> Pun Canoes was the first outlet we saw to report that Whirr's hotly anticipated full length Pipe Dream will be released by Tee Pee Records March 13. The venerable publication characterizes the set as Whirr's second full length, but we think that is incorrect: the act -- when it was going by its previous nomme de rock Whirl -- released its Distressor EP in 2010. So, right, this will be its first full-length. Pipe Dream contains the title track from the excellent June EP, "Junebouvier" (but not the b-side "Sundae") that we first wrote about here in September, as well as eight other numbers we are very eager to hear. Peruse the full track listing at Pun Canoes right here. Whirr will tour out to Austin in March for the obligatory strand of SXSW performances, and full dates are posted right here. "Junebouvier," in case you missed it, is a stunningly beautiful dream-pop track that we highly recommend (having included it during our October New Music Night set). Listen to it:



>> Projekt A-ko fans have reason for optimism, as an email this week from fronter Fergus Lawrie states that progress has resumed on a new album. Lawrie, as we wrote here in October, has been keeping busy with noisier, improvisational pasttimes including Angel Of Everyone Murder. A video featuring that project is included in a new DVD from Kovorox Sound titled Video Vomit Volume 1. As for Projekt A-ko, Mr. Lawrie says a new track may be posted online "in the next couple of months." The new song would be the first since the release of the fan-only cover of Drop Nineteens' "Winona." Projekt A-ko's towering, monumental, incredible, terrific, etc. full-length debut Yoyodyne! was our second favorite record of 2009. It is mammoth.

Today's Hotness: The Swirlies, Good Dangers

>> [PHOTO CREDIT: Brad Searles] That distant rumbling you half-hear and half-feel can only mean that legendary chimp rock superheroes The Swirlies are powering up for an indeterminate span of time. We caught wind of the activity via a well-informed Facebook friend Tuesday, and confirmed this afternoon that, yes, in fact The Swirlies will play Philadelphia's Johnny Brenda's Saturday July 23rd. Curiously, the gig will be a matinee. We can't find other dates, not even at The Swirlies' web dojo, but we did notice that the band's bio was updated only last week. We have heard pretty credible information that additional but limited East Coast appearances beyond the JB's date are a possibility. Watch this space for more information. The Swirlies are best known for a series of spectacular releases on Taang! records in the early '90s, including 1992's What To Do About Them EP [MP3s], 1993's mind-blowing Blonder Tongue Audio Baton [MP3s] and 1994's Brokedick Car EP [MP3s]. The mercurial act last roared to life in the winter of 2009, and we wrote about the Philly and Cambridge shows here and here respectively.

The Swirlies' "Wrong Tube"

>> Speaking of 2009: it's been a long time coming, but Good Dangers, the London-based guitar pop outfit that rose from the ashes of spiky pop purveyors Assembly Now, has finally issued a debut single. We'd been in touch with the quintet -- which touts the core members of Assembly Now along with new member Jenny on keys -- as far back as November 2009 and had been waiting on new recordings ever since. We are happy to report it has been well worth the wait. The digital-only single -- a split with Peppercorn issued by Cosine Records May 31 -- features the Good Dangers' "So Unkind;" catch the stream below and watch the video right here. The music isn't jarringly different from the latter Assembly Now efforts, particularly the earnest vocals, but there is a new lush density and hypnotic repetition that clearly sets "So Unkind" apart. While the song is the band's first official release, we are excited to find that there are already three other videos posted to Vimeo: "Brasilia;" "Waves;" and "Beat Of Your Heart." All of the tracks are strong, and we're hopeful an EP or even full length is in the offing. Longtime readers may recall that Assembly Now's song "It's Magnetic" was [still is] one of our favorites of 2007, although our blog post from December 2007 saying as much was rendered useless by the shuttering of web playlister Imeem.

Good Dangers' "So Unkind"

That Was The Show That Was: Yuck | Paradise Rock Club | 28 April

[We are pleased to welcome back to these digital pages longtime friend and former editor Ric Dube. Mr. Dube these days hosts the thoroughly wonderful More Lost Time rare indie rock podcast. Subscribe right here -- we heartily endorse his product and/or service. -- Ed.]

Oddly, even though Bryan Adams used to sing "everywhere I go the kids wanna rock," all he ever served up was that Canadian, Phil Collins-type ballad gunk. Maybe his observation was one of despair. "I'd like to help," he was trying to say, "but I only know these songs about Robin Hood."

And this is where we're at with rock n' roll these days. The kids want to rock but so many of the bands are still heavily involved with the bleeps and the la-la-la. Sure, there are plenty out there that would like to bring it, but they just don’t have the songs.

Which is why it was so damned exciting to see the audience at the Paradise last night love Yuck.

The beauty of Yuck is that the London-based quartet's songs are deceptively simple and extremely influenced by much of the best classic alternative rock of the '90s (Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Sugar, Pixies, Lemonheads) and thus, fantastically well written and about as common these days as a Drop Nineteens reunion.

For a quartet of near children -- two members of the band were without wrist bands, suggesting they are not of drinking age -- Yuck boasts a road-weathered confidence. The 45-minute set consisted of tunes from its debut record released in February, performed on a pair of Fender Jaguars with a self-assurance that follows from constant touring over the past 12 months throughout England and Europe. On one hand, tight performance sound can make an act seem unenergetic. But to Yuck's credit, this professionalism made the songs extremely accessible for anyone there to see the evening's headliner, Australia's Tame Impala, and not already familiar with the act.

Also, there's something to be said for pacing a set; at this early phase in its career Yuck is finding a performance style. For now that means keeping things moderately restrained and focusing on the songs for most of a set ("The Wall," "Get Away," "Suck") so that its finale ("Rubber") is that much more effective when it's time to really open up stage presence.

The few simple tones of "Rubber" throbbed within a haze of feedback, a young artist’s punk rock symphony about hoping away his virginity. The room groaned and surged, as if the floor might suddenly part to reveal a layer of fossilized music that might explain this as sound left behind decades ago, when Dinosaur Jr. and Galaxie 500 had procreated and left behind a fertilized guitar pick that was covered in volcanic Rolling Rock (your father’s PBR). Fans already familiar with every note became indistinguishable from the undetermined number of immediate converts. Both stood thoroughly involved -- closed eyes, heads slowly nodding in unison. -- Ric Dube

Yuck: Internerds | YouTube | Facebook | Flickr | SoundCloud

Previous Yuck Coverage:
Today's Hotness: Oupa
YouTube Rodeo: Yuck's "Get Away"
Be Prepared: Yuck | Self-titled | 15 February
Footage: Yuck's "Rubber" [NSFW]
Footage: Yuck's "The Base Of A Dream Is Empty"
YouTube Rodeo: Yuck's "Suicide Policeman" Live
Footage: Yuck's "Weakend"
Footage: Yuck's "Automatic"
Today's Hotness: Yuck
Today's Hotness: Yuck

Playlist: Indie Rock vs. Baby Wakefulness, Vol. 1

This is currently the go-to soundtrack to our efforts to get our baby girl to go to sleep and stay asleep. A sad by-product is the fact that we are starting to get sick of a lot of these songs, some of which have been favorites forever and ever (we first got The Glove record around 1989 or 1990, for example). That said, we still find almost all of these to this day to be very moving in their way whenever we stop and sit and listen to them go by on the IPod docked in the nursery. The Logh and Spent tracks in particular are sublime and evocative. We've started piecing together a second mix for nighttime in the nursery. But for now, this is on heavy rotation.

1. The Glove -- "A Blues In Drag" -- Blue Sunshine [AmazonMP3]
2. Sam Prekop -- "A Cloud To The Back" -- Sam Prekop [Emusic]
3. The For Carnation -- "On The Swing" -- Marshmallows EP/Promised Works [Emusic]
4. Esquivel -- "Snowfall" -- More Of Other Worlds, Other Sounds [AmazonMP3]
5. Haywood -- "Plow" -- We Are Amateurs, You And I [Emusic]
6. Logh -- "The Big Sleep" -- A Sunset Panorama [Emusic]
7. Mogwai -- "Christmas Song" -- Mogwai EP+6 [AmazonMP3]
8. Jon Brion -- "Spotless Mind" -- Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind [AmazonMP3]
9. Jon Brion -- "Phone Call" -- Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind [AmazonMP3]
10. Jon Brion -- "Bookstore" -- Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind [AmazonMP3]
11. Archer Prewitt -- "Along The Coast" -- Gerroa Songs [Emusic]
12. Drop Nineteens -- "My Aquarium" -- Delaware [AmazonMP3]
13. Spent -- "Brighter Than Day" -- Songs Of Drinking And Rebellion [Emusic]
14. September 67 -- "Bring Back The Weight" -- Lucky Shoe [Emusic]
15. Lilys -- "Kodiak (Alternate)" -- Send In The Subs [Unreleased/MP3]
16. Velocity Girl -- "Wake Up, I'm Leaving" -- Simpatico! [AmazonMP3]

Muxtape #5: Just Like You Said, Everything Is Happening

As promised to Twitter scrapers and Facebook noseys, here is the link to the new Muxtape. Assorted notes and musings below.

1. Come -- "Yr Reign" -- Don't Ask, Don't Tell
(In an era of good feel-bad songs, this one might take the cake. Perhaps the closest Come gets to sounding like Nirvana, with the same sort of primordial, the-gods-are-against-me pathos. The title to this Muxtape comes from the terribly affecting lyric in this number. This song is a four-minute rain of sledgehammers with the word "BUMMER" embossed on one of the long dimensions.)

2. Moped -- "Does Your Back Hurt?" -- It Won't Sound Any Better Tomorrow
(We saw what might have been the final Moped show at Philadelphia's Silk City Lounge. They may or may not have opened for Idaho, those dudes with all the custom four-string guitars. We requested this song. And then they played it. And for a moment we had the world by the tail. This whole song is a best part, but perhaps the best part of the best part is the screamed backing vocal in one of the final verses. Exhilarating. We used to scream along in our silver Volvo sedan after charging 12 packs of beer to the family gas card when we were sequestered in Virginia. A memory that makes us wonder where our copy of Bardo Pond's Amanita is.)

3. Drop Nineteens -- "Delaware" -- Delaware
(Title track from important record from erstwhile Boston act. Not as catchy as "Winona" and not as epic as "Kick The Tragedy," but even so this song provides the blueprints to the exceptional first iteration of this band. With My Bloody Valentine reunited and hosting that jawn in New York state in September -- which we can't go to because of work -- and with Lilys now on the bill, the only thing that would make our non-attendance at the event more tragic would be if Drop Nineteens reformed to play this record front to back.)

4. Kimbashing -- "Ultraeasy" -- Parades Of Homes EP
(We loved the K logo this band used. The act featured future members of every Philly band except the ones you were in. We recall there was a Pro-Teen single these guys did that had a blue sleeve, and if you really want to be our friend you'll email us MP3s of that. There also may have been a 10-inch, although we may be confusing Kimbashing with Buddy Sevaris on that one. Anyway, this song requires playback at heroic volumes so the churning muck of the guitars rises to waist-level. An argument could be made that this is the best track on the Parade Of Homes vinyl EP, as Haywood's "Devon Lanes" ends up sounding relatively one-dimensional compared to the exceptional material that followed it, and Barnabys/Sweeney never quite got a version of "Tiny Ships" recorded that matched the live versions we witnessed.)

5. Drunk -- "Gizmo" -- A Derby Spiritual
(Mrs. Clicky Clicky says this song sounds like it should have been on "The Muppet Movie" soundtrack. And of course she's right. Incidentally, word is our boss' cousin, who you know from popular movies and television programs, has inked an agreement to write a new script for the Muppets film franchise. Anyway, back to Drunk. This track graced an early Jagjaguwar release. When we lived in Virginia the dude who ran Jagjaguwar was the graphic designer at the arts weekly where we sold classified ads. We can't remember any of the other tracks on the record, as this song eclipses them all.)

6. Hip Young Things -- "Gizmo" -- Shrug
(This German act's record seems largely overlooked, which is too bad. It was released around 1995 and is on par with the 18th Dyes and occasionally even the Pavements of the era. We select this one because it is good, and also because it is interesting to hear two songs named "Gizmo" in a row. Every band should have a song named "Gizmo.")

7. The 6ths -- "Falling Out Of Love (With You)" -- Wasps' Nest
(Dean Wareham sings Stephin Merrit, to thrilling effect, if your idea of a thrill is hearing songs that are sad delivered by a guy who does deadpan better than most, probably without trying.)

8. Ted Minsky -- "Porque No Hablo" -- Madame Le Ted
(A curveball track from a record filled with curveballs. We've searched the Internetz now and again to see if Ms. Minsky ever released another record besides this one on the Austrian Angelika Kohlermann label, but we never find anything. Which is too bad. This record is special.)

9. Spoon -- "Me And The Bean" -- Girls Can Tell
(Many of the songs on this Muxtape were selected in response to having watched the popular film "There Will Be Blood" Friday night. The line "I have your blood inside my heart" in this track has particular relevance. We just received our copy of the vinyl reissue of Girls Can Tell and have been enjoying it thoroughly.)

10. Blonde Redhead -- "Jetstar" -- Zero Hour Threadwaxing Space compilation
(The stylistic development of Blonde Redhead is fairly remarkable if one stops to think about it. Nothing they've done this decade has really resonated with us, but there was a time in the mid-'90s when the band was dark, dangerous and boundlessly sexxy with two x's. That time was probably after this song was recorded, as we pinpoint it to the material released on the peerless La Mia Vita Violenta record. But still, this is a stirring ballad.)

11. Crooked Fingers -- "When U Were Mine" -- Reservoir Songs
(Bachmann's spin on Prince's classic is revelatory. Great backing vocal in here. If anything, Bachmann's sorrowful take seems more appropriate to Prince's tale of the lover that would not be controlled, and the lovee too weak-willed to do anything about it.)

12. Palace -- "You Have *** In Your Hair And Your D*ck Is Hanging Out" -- Arise Therefore
(This is one of the songs that plays in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life. Incidentally, you've been chosen as an extra. You have just been told off in the hotel lobby right in front of all the bellboys and the over-friendly concierge. She walks out. This is the saddest song ever recorded, and something about the weird mix of Oldham's voice, the creaky first-wave drum machine, guitar, piano and Albini's spare production gives this the song the impact of an entire shelf of books collapsing on your heart.)

Today's Hotness: Drop Nineteens, The Elevator Drops

>> The spoken-word bit in M83's swirling joy of a new single "Graveyard Girl" continues to remind us of a similar (but better) spoken-word section in the middle of Drop Nineteens' peerless droner "Kick The Tragedy," the dramatic centerpiece to the Boston quintet's amazing and out-of-print 1992 Caroline Records release Delaware. Feast your ears below; the bit we're talking about comes about five-and-a-half minutes in. M83's Saturdays=Youth came out earlier this month and the French act will tour selected North American markets between May 20 and June 7. At no point do we expect M83 will play any Drop Nineteens tracks, although that would be awesome. Particularly "Ease It Halen" [thanks for the copy edit, Good Doctor]. For those not familiar with Drop Nineteens, the chimp rock survivors-turned-shoegaze matinee idols-turned Pixies worshipers issued two records and two EPs between 1992 and 1994 before disbanding. Folks with a yen for more can likely track down BBC sessions and even the very, very good Mayfield demos if they look around long enough.

Drop Nineteens -- "Kick The Tragedy" -- Delaware
[right click and save as]
[buy -- for a stiff premium -- Delaware from MusicStack here]

>> Something that has been lost in the shuffle here in the last couple of weeks is a brief notice from the mysteriously there-and-then-not-there, possibly re-animated Boston power pop trio The Elevator Drops. According to a MySpace bulletin, the band had accidentally been selling at ITunes since Christmas the demo mixes for the recently issued fourth full-length OK Commuter instead of the finished recordings. The problem has since been rectified, and the band quips that anyone who mistakenly received the demos now are in possession of a collector's item. Those who mistakenly received the demo mixes are invited to write The Elevator Drops at the band's MySpace garage in order to receive satisfaction in the form of a password to a secret site that contains the correct version. The trio has yet to tour in support of OK Commuter, but we certainly look forward to seeing The Elevator Drops live when they do.

>> We've spent a substantial amount of our leisure time recently exploring the possibilities of ditching ITunes in favor of MediaMonkey as we look toward what software we will install on our new machine once it arrives. MediaMonkey -- recommended to us by the boundlessly wise Mr. Pixelnated -- does a lot of things, but one of those things that will have substantial amount of application for us is the ability to transcode files on the fly (such as the Drop Nineteens track above, incidentally). As we've bemoaned in our suddenly weekly Muxtape posts, we ripped a lot of our music to AAC files when we purchased our first laptop of the modern era in 2003. That's become more and more problematic in situations where MP3s are required. So there. Check out MediaMonkey yourself at the link supra if you are as much of a contrarian as we are.

That Which Is Good: Adam Franklin's "Seize The Day" [MP3]

Swervedriver was one of the those bands that we learned about picking up Villanova University's college radio station while in high school in the early '90s, along with RIDE and Drop Nineteens and a little act called Nirvana among others. We never dropped the money to get the Swervedriver records because our hombre WPRS did. But we know the big tracks and can recognize the band when it pops up on college radio, as it still does now and again even these days. So, while not a student of Swervedriver or the more contemporary goings-on of former band fronter Adam Franklin (despite coverage -- 1, 2 -- of Mr. Franklin's recent work over at The 'Nac), we can say without reservation that the lead-off track from his forthcoming set is a hot one. We've linked to an MP3 of "Seize The Day" below, which opens Bolts Of Melody, which is slated for release June 26. Bolts Of Melody is Franklin's seventh post-Swervedriver release since the band broke up in 1999 and the first album issued under his own name. If you like what you hear you can get several more downloads at Franklin's InterNet Home Page right here [click "downloads"].

Adam Franklin -- "Seize The Day" -- Bolts Of Melody
[right click and save as]

Adam Franklin: InterWeb | MySpace | YouTube | Flickr