Today's Hotness: Fennesz/O'Rourke, Cold Pumas, Sneeze, Flout

>> This reviewer is an expert on neither the vast, sprawling output of Tokyo-based Jim O'Rourke (long a mainstay of both Chicago and New York's experimental and avante garde scenes) nor the stirring oeuvre of Vienna's electronic sound sculptor Christian Fennesz, but he is certain of one thing: these artists deservedly command massive respect from a devoted global following. But even novitiates will find appealing the melodic warp and textured weft of the duo's forthcoming Editions Mego set, It's Hard For Me To Say I'm Sorry. The two-track collection, due June 24, spans an LP and captures the familiar signatures of each composers as the sides unfold. Based on the preview excerpt -- a generous six minutes extracted from the amorous "I Just Want You To Stay" -- the unfolding occurs at a slow, Steve Reich-ian pace. The tune's soft churning reveals endlessly delayed melody lines, otherworldly, convulsing synthesizers and a guitar sound that resembles industrial sawing. The sum of the parts calls to mind peers in the contemporary ambient electronic artists such as Tim Hecker, particularly his Virgins album, as well as the gifted stable of artists that annually populates Kompakt's compelling Pop Ambient series. "I Just Want You To Stay" largely floats throughout the excerpt, a whorl of melodies cinematic and futuristic. At least for O'Rourke, the song could signal exciting new territory for the endlessly restless and creative compositional mind to explore. Editions Mego is offering It's Hard For Me To Say I'm Sorry as a vinyl LP, CD or digital download; pre-orders are already available right here. Stream the excerpt of "I Just Want You To Stay" via the embed below. -- Edward Charlton



>> Despite having been released four years ago, love for Brighton, England quartet Cold Pumas' debut long-player Persistent Malaise endures, and quite strongly in certain strata of the American undercosm. This reviewer has noted the continued inclusion of Malaise shoulda-been hits "Fog Cutter" and "Sherry Island" on late-night Portland house party playlists, alongside related efforts of Cold Pumas fronter Dan Reeves and his label Faux Discx. It was heartening to learn earlier this spring that the band are still at it, apparently further tweaking its mechanized noise-pop for a pending Faux Discx and Gringo Records release The Hanging Valley. Due July 1, the set includes nine new tracks; based on two fetching preview tunes, the group remains faithful to its favored motorik rhythms and wistful bummer-pop. Leading preview single "A Change of Course" is strikingly more dense and melodic than what we've come to expect from the band; it takes the two-chord pull formula of earlier tunes such as "Sherry Island" and compacts it to fit a sub-three-minute pop framework that echoes the more shoegazey side of early Deerhunter. It may very well be the best thing the Brighton combo has released (to date). Second single "Fugue States" stretches into a longer runtime, and employs open, ringing chords alongside a rambling, Ian Curtis-styled deadpan that reminds listeners that Cold Pumas know their classic gloomy post-punk inside and out. Based on these two rich samples, Clicky Clicky can only expect that the forthcoming The Hanging Valley will be as timeless and tasteful as its predecessor. Faux Discx is offering the record in a limited edition of 1,000 vinyl LPs (half of them black, half of them an undisclosed color), as well on CDs and as a digital download. Pre-order the set right here, and stream both preview tracks via the embeds below. -- Edward Charlton





>> Sneeze effectively predicted the au courant grunge-rock house-show wave currently gripping swathes of the American underground with its releases dating back to 2011, and now the celebrated Boston power trio stands at the ready to cement its O.G. status with a forthcoming new EP, Rot. The short set arrives this fall -- yes, way off in the distance on September 23 -- via Glory Kid Records, which also released the three's excoriating slay-fest Wilt in 2014. Rot's lead single "Food" doesn't deviate far from the act's established, thrashy punk-pop template, but its more lively feel and chunky, bristling distortion and feedback connects its efforts at least spiritually with those of some of the genre's current DIY stars, including Oakland's mighty Happy Diving. Indeed, the humid, overdriven guitar production and ever-crashing cymbals that are the hallmark of Happy Diving producer Jack Shirley and his Atomic Garden studio are prominent here, although for Sneeze the sound was realized by Western Mass.-based, hit-making engineer Justin Pizzoferrato -- known for his work with everyone from Dinosaur Jr. to Parquet Courts to Kindling. So the vim, hooks and production of "Food" makes it a pit-ready bomb of a tune that packs enough smarts and chugging melodrama in its brief minutes to drive the crowd to the merch table, where they'll hopefully be lucky enough to get their hands on one of the only 300 LPs being pressed (200 to traditional black media and another 100 to transparent black; the set will also be available as a digital download). Pre-order Rot from Glory Kid right here. -- Edward Charlton



>> When we last wrote of Warwick, New York home recorder Flout last year, we noted mastermind John DeRosso's skillful embrace of atypical production techniques and the way they enhanced the lo-fi project's charm. That same charm marks his recently released collection Norman Doors, a terrific and understated set that surreptitiously slipped onto Bandcamp with eleven more tracks of beautiful, and beautifully intimate, indie pop. Amazingly, Norman Doors was recorded throughout DeRosso's parent's house on an iPhone 6, yet the songs sound as great as ever, and feature as many overdubs and coincidental quirks as Flout's fantastic 2014 debut, Gims. Early track "Safelight" opens with present and confident vocal lines -- the first intriguing line is "I want a broken windshield" -- before masterful harmony lines shepherd a brief, electric sunshine-pop section replete with a toy synth line that soon collapses under its own communion. Like many of DeRosso's compositions, the success of the piece often rests in its ability to hold back, never outstaying its welcome. "Seven*Five" charts an opposite course, allowing itself time to open up with warm electric palm muting, drums and the laments of an unfolding relationship. "17M" further limns what DeRosso does so well. Beginning with fragile acoustic guitar and soft vocals and with the hiss of the room in the background, the song inevitably erupts into a Guided By Voices-inspired rocker that marries thick and chunky power chords with a simple, flute-like synth and dueling leads. Vibrant closer and set highlight "R.E.A." further illuminates DeRosso's range -- the blazing tambourine, ringing acoustics and smooth, watery vocals prove that Flout needs nothing more than a $100 device and an affordable carrier to capture his minimal pop world in the magic of his bedroom. Norman Doors is available to download for any price right here, and we highly recommend it. -- Edward Charlton

Today's Hotness: White Laces, Fennesz, Hymnals

>> It's a bit of an understatement to say things have timed out pretty nicely for White Laces of late. Hot on the heels of finishing the recording of a sophomore LP with renowned Philadelphia producer Jeff Zeigler in December, the hotly tipped, Richmond-based futurepop four was selected to support The War On Drugs' current U.S. tour, which has its penultimate stop at Boston's Paradise Rock Club tomorrow. Reviews of the Laces' supporting slots have been solid, and we've heard reports that the guys have stayed healthy and sane (and, importantly, literally on the road, when that sort of thing counted). But for those not lucky enough to be on the tour rout, the most exciting thing of late coming out of the White Laces camp is the first taste of the forthcoming LP, Trance, a bombastic, kinetic and fluid groover called "Skate Or Die." The sounds are bigger, fronter Landis Wine's vocals more desperate, and one can literally hear the band expanding on its sonic proposition, becoming bigger and bolder, on the new tune. There are as yet no public plans for the release of Trance, but the looks and listens White Laces have been garnering on the current tour -- the band's first circumnavigation of the U.S. -- will likely prove invaluable when it comes to finding a home for the collection. So get to the Paradise early on Thursday, Boston -- you will be glad you did (at least for now, tickets remain available). Last we saw the act live, it was playing a third-floor living room in J.P. in 2011, so needless to say the band has already come very far; we expect the next year will bring more of the bigger and better. Press play on "Skate Or Die" via the embed below and get ready to rawk. We reviewed White Laces debut long-player Moves right here in August 2012.



>> A reader tipped us off to the presence on YouTube of a new Fennesz song titled "Liminality," which is a slowly spiraling delight of fuzzy electric guitar and icy electronic tones. The 10-minute meditation is the third to surface from the forthcoming, seven-song collection Bécs, which will be released by Editions Mego on LP, compact disc and as a digital download April 28; Pantsfork premiered the substantially more ominous "The Liar" here in February, and the escapist fantasy "Static Kings" here in March (although the author of the latter piece seemed unaware of the former). Bécs is Vienna-based Fennesz' first solo long-player in six years (although the song "Sav" is co-written by Cédric Stevens), and it is apparently intended as a follow-up to Fennesz' ground-breaking 2001 collection Endless Summer. "Liminality" certainly seems akin to the music from that tremendous earlier LP, in terms of tone and texture. Loosely gathered electric guitar notes cluster together into jangling, fuzzy chords, and then billow loosely in the composition's quieter moments, in much the same way Bill Frisell's guitar is at its most beautiful when it just serenely sustains. Those quieter moments eventually recede as Fennesz constructs a wall of melodic distortion that undulates and ripples like the surface of a warm pool of water. It's a mesmerizing piece, one that is distinctly Fennesz. Pre-order Bécs right here, and stream the stunner "Liminality" via the embed below, while it lasts.



>> So you're one half of rad indie rock duo Kindling, and your partner in crime is out of town for a week: what do you do? Make monolithic, fuzz-blasted rock music, that's what. Seven days to himself was enough of an opportunity for Stephen, the surnameless male component of the Western Mass.-based act Kindling, to dream up "When You're Away," which he has released here under the moniker Hymnals. It's unclear how active this project will actually be, dependent as it would seem to be on Gretchen Kindling's travel schedule. The duo certainly has kept busy since we first wrote about the band right here last month. Although progress on the pair's ever-expanding demos set Spare Room would seem to have stalled, in fact the apparent inactivity is the result of the fact that Kindling has a four-song 7" in the offing, according to this Facebook status. They are still finishing up vocals, so there's no telling when we might hear this 7", so it's nice to have a new little sumpin' sumpin' from Hymnals to tide us over. Stream the blunt, concise swirl "When You're Away" via the embed below.

Today's Hotness: Markus Mehr, Joey Fourr, Eagulls

>> Although Clicky HQ typically focuses on matters guitar and pop -- whatever that means these days -- we also enjoy the kaleidoscopic world of electronic music, and we're endeavoring to re-engage with it editorially after some time away. We've warmly received the new full-length from Augsburg, Germany-based ambient electronic artist Markus Mehr. Out July 17th on Hidden Shoal Recordings, On is Mr. Mehr's third record working under his own name; it is filled with immaculately constructed instrumentals, appointed with imaginative instrumentation and illuminating samples, that are as soothing as they are transporting. While much non-"pop" electronic music is rooted firmly in repetition, Mehr impresses with his ability to proffer a different approach to his craft with each song here. Lead single "Flaming Youth" doesn't develop dramatically, with its buzzing stereo entrance and a locked-groove horn sample instead steadily exhaling and inhaling across seven minutes. The intro evokes the summertime sounds of a busy bug zapper, before settling into a lush and beautiful motif that recalls the Canadian-metropolitan beauty of certain Broken Social Scene instrumentals. The real gems of On are the one-two punch at the close of the record. The aptly titled "Monks On The Beach" presents an ethereal chant smothered with static and multiple tracks of childish conversation tied together with a subtle, distorted bass guitar pulse. The song builds to the massive finale "Tunnels," itself a gradually swelling behemoth. Chirping phasing sounds give way to a persistent three-chord piano figure that suddenly yields to a series of gargantuan distorted piano slams. With each strike Mehr subtly tweaks the fuzz with flanges and clipping until the tempo climaxes and the song implodes. Like a lot of the best artists within this genre attracting wider audiences (Fennesz, Eluvium and the great William Basinski to name a few), Mehr is able to infuse his art with cool effortlessness and power sufficient to hold a mirror to the listener's soul with a series of patient epiphanies. Buy On from Hidden Shoal right here and download "Flaming Youth" via the embed below. -- Edward Charlton



>> Given the great degree to which we've enjoyed the music the label puts out (seriously, have you heard this?), it is surprising we're only just now mentioning Art Is Hard's delightful biweekly 5" Pizza Club single series (each pizza-printed CD comes in a limited physical edition of ONE in a handmade pizza box). One recent track from the series has burrowed particularly deeply into the Clicky Clicky hive mind, the lightly psychedelic single "Cross Dresser" from Joey Fourr, a nom de rock of Joseph Prendergast, fronter of English alt-rockers Tubelord. The single is a galloping indie rocker with a trampled lead falsetto vocal and very cool production flourishes. Starting with a dance floor-ready electronic beat and distorted rhythm guitars, the tune showcases an insistent lead riff that repeatedly crops up throughout. And what a lead it is, effectively winning the award for the "What Instrument Is Making That Weird Sound?" category. Like some sort of hell-bent whistling, the genius of "Cross Dresser" is in how hard it is to place the source material. Is that a maniacal guitar? A broken synthesizer? The lone physical manifestation of "Cross Dresser" is of course sold out, but the song will appear in/on an upcoming Joey Fourr zine/EP titled How To Buy Happiness from Art Is Hard, so stay tuned. The Pizza Club series is worth following not just for the quality of the tunes offered, but also the sheer generosity of a label that is so willing to give away quality tunes twice a month. We're currently unable to make the embed of "Cross Dresser" work, so make certain to do yourself a favor and get the track for free right here. -- Edward Charlton

>> Leeds-based rockers Eagulls recently announced a self-titled 12" vinyl EP for release July 16th on the Sexbeat Records imprint whose lead track "Coffin" is a unabashed, collar-grabbing, big-guitar anthem. Like the critically acclaimed newcomers Iceage, Eagulls top precise drumming and hotly-recorded, progressive guitars with classic punk yelping, all on display here with "Coffin," an embed of which is below. The opening guitar riff sets things up with an inviting and detailed flange that falsely advertises as a Catherine Wheel song before the rhythm section snaps listeners to attention. The self-described "progressive punks" would seem to be part of a rising European scene of tough yet intellectual rockers that borrow as much from America's post-hardcore heritage as their own dreamier and excogitated indie pedigree. And perhaps the song is a narrative for this generation of European indie bands: with a crumbling EU economy, mass unemployment and other tensions continually pervading every facet of life, what's a young person to do but sit in their room and come to terms with the fact that it's a different world than was promised, much as Leeds' post-punk godfathers Gang Of Four did three decades ago. The Eagulls EP comes on green vinyl and features a poster drawn by the band themselves. Order direct from the label here. -- Edward Charlton

Today's Hotness: M83, Johnny Foreigner, Ecstatic Sunshine

>> That new M83 single is brilliant, innit? Less bleary and more pop than the stuff we recall from the prior record, although we must admit having a hard time differentiating M83 and Amusement Parks On Fire in our memories. But "Graveyard" is a perfect synthesis of New Order and The Cure and big melodic washes and ringing guitars that we have been constantly searching for over the last 22 years (we date our interest in indie music to the release of The Cure's Standing On A Beach). Check out the video for "Graveyard" posted above. Mute unleashes M83's fifth studio album Saturdays = Youth, from which the single is taken, Tuesday. M83 plays The Middle East in Cambridge, Mass. Monday June 2; you can review all of the tour dates at the M83 YouTube page here.

>> So not only does Johnny Foreigner's forthcoming debut full-length now have a release date, it has a whole other market. The hotly anticipated Waited Up 'Til It Was Light will be issued in the UK June 2. On the same day it will also be issued in Japan on the Fabtone Records label, through a deal disclosed Friday. Fabtone has released in Japan records by notable Western indie rockers Dirty On Purpose and The Lodger. The Japanese release of Waited Up 'Til It Was Light will have two bonus tracks (we bet we know one of them, a cover, just guessing) and shmancier art work. We're sure we'll buy it for a crazy amount off EBay. To punctuate the Birmingham, England-based trio's conquest of Japan it will play the SummerSonic festival in Japan August 9. If you've read guitarist Alexei Berrow's March missive in DrownedInSound you know dude and his honchos Kelly and Junior just rock, smoke, drink and record rock, all with little rest and occasional illness. We can't imagine plying their wares is going to get Johnny Foreigner any more rest, but perhaps they'll be able to sleep on the plane? As we've reported over and over, Waited Up 'Til It Was Light will be preceded May 19 by the single "Eyes Wide Terrified," the video of which we posted below some days ago before our laptop exploded. See this little square picture to the left? It's the sleeve art for "Eyes Wide Terrified." 'Tis small, but it is obviously another Lewes Herriot design that we can't wait to see rendered in a seven-inch square. Anyway, what with the band's third single "Our Bipolar Friends" selling out, here's an MP3.

Johnny Foreigner -- "Our Bipolar Friends" -- "Our Bipolar Friends" b/w "The House Party Scene Is Killing You"
[right click and save as]
[buy the entire single at EMusic here]

>> The smoldering track "Herrons" from Baltimore trio Ecstatic Sunshine's newly released sophomore collection Way has been moving us this morning. We never reviewed the band's 2006 debut on Carpark, but we certainly listened to it a lot. And while Freckle Wars featured tunes constructed by trebly, slithering guitars, "Herrons" displays a decidedly murkier -- even Fennesz-esque -- Ecstatic Sunshine. The band's recently enlarged line-up (it had formerly been a duo) apparently hasn't resulted in more slithering. In fact, at this point the act touts only co-founder Matt Papich on guitar, while co-founder Dustin Wong and new-ish Kieran Gillan wrangle electronics and loops. "Herrons" was recently PantsCasted and you can catch the stream at IMeem here. Highly recommended. You can download Freckle Wars and the acclaimed EP Living from EMusic here, and we don't expect it will be too long before you can get the three-track full-length Way -- which was issued by Cardboard Records Tuesday -- there as well. Ecstatic Sunshine will be on tour from April 17 through May 17. There's no Boston date among those currently booked; review all of the dates at the band's MySpace cabin here.

>> As we reported previously, Glaswegian indie rock quartet Frightened Rabbit will return to the U.S. next month to support the release of The Midnight Organ Fight. The dates have now been disclosed and we post them below as a public service. The boys curiously start things off and round them out in Ohio on May 28 and June 11 respectively. Between those two dates Frightened Rabbit heads up and down, but not to either coast. Anyway, The Midnight Organ Fight will be released digitally this week; a manufacturing delay apparently is keeping the physical product off of North American shelves until April 29, which means you can use your tax return to pick it up. We reviewed the band's two recent Boston shows here and here respectively, and in the event you missed it, here is our review of the new record.

05.28 -- Cleveland, OH -- Grog Shop
05.29 -- Chicago, IL -- Double Door
05.30 -- Madison, WI -- High Noon Saloon
05.31 -- Minneapolis, MN -- 400 Bar
06.01 -- Chicago, IL -- Do Division Festival*
06.02 -- Kansas City, MO -- Record Bar
06.04 -- Dallas, TX -- Granada Theatre
06.05 -- Austin, TX -- The Mohawk
06.06 -- Houston, TX -- Walters
06.07 -- Baton Rouge, LA -- Spanish Moon
06.09 -- Birmingham, AL -- Bottletree
06.10 -- Nashville, TN -- Exit/In
06.11 -- Columbus, OH -- The Basement

Today's Hotness: The A-Sides, Prefuse 73, The Answering Machine

>> Philadelphia's The A-Sides said here a family emergency precipitated the cancellation of its set Thursday night at Cambridge, Mass.'s Middle East Rock Club. So obviously we won't be covering it as we said we would here. The quintet had been slated to support Calla. The A-Sides promised to make up the date during a planned U.S. tour in October. The band will release its sophomore set Silver Storms on Vagrant next month. In a more recent blog post here A-Sides posted a live clip of themselves performing the new cut "We're The Trees." Check it out.

>> Electronic music phenom Prefuse 73 will release the new set Preparations in late October on Warp. The label reports that the first single "The Class of 73 Bells" will be released Sept. 17. It features Prefuse principal Scott Herren collaborating with New York psych band School Of Seven Bells and Battles drummer John Stanier. Mr. Herren will tour the UK and Europe with a band in October, and U.S. dates are planned.

>> Christian Fennesz's solo debut Hotel Paral.lel will be reissued by Editions Mego Sept. 24. Mego released the initial version of the set ten years earlier. Hotel Paral.lel is apparently "an investigation into the sonic possibilities residing in guitar-based digital music, recorded just before mobile computing devices became the norm." The reissue appends two items to the original twelve: the song "5" was originally released as a 7" in 1996 on Syntactic; a video for the album track "Aus" is the other addition. More information including the details on a a pre-order discount are located here.

>> The release of Okay Paddy's new EP Where You Went?, which we recently reviewed here, has been moved to Sept. 4. As planned, label Prison Jazz today released a pretty solid EP from another act, New Motels, entitled Domestic Life.

>> According to a blog post here, scruffy English pop luminaries The Answering Machine are breaking in a new drummer, which sets our mind slightly at ease, because there is something spooky about a guitar band that has no drummer, yeh? Anyway, the new drummer is not named, so maybe he or she still has to prove him or herself or survive some odd hazing or something. The Answering Machine has scads of tour dates booked between now and early November, so the new drummer will certainly have plenty of chances to settle in with the band between now and then. Check all the tour dates at the band's MySpace yert here.

>> It's been far too long since we've mentioned Birmingham, UK-based noise pop trio Johnny Foreigner. So the latest and greatest is that the band will be recording some tracks in London early next week. Can't wait to hear them. Also, in case we didn't already say so, Johnny Foreigner is now booked to support not one, but two Meneguar UK tour dates: Sept. 26 in Leeds and Oct. 4 in Cambridge. Those will be amazing shows. Someone shoot video.

>> With music bloggers all up in the news nowadays, we were wondering when our next star turn will be, which made us wonder what the deal was with Boston's NEMO fest this year (we sat on a panel last year moderated by DoneWaiting.com's Rob Duffy). Anyway, according to the NEMO Internet Home Page, the conference will not be held this year. Here's part of the message: "We have decided to take a year off from the NEMO Music Festival while we focus on the 20th Anniversary of the Boston Music Awards, the [Popular Coffee Retailer] Music Makers Competition, the Verge College Music Conference and other entertainment related projects. We plan to revamp NEMO and do something bigger and better in 2008." You can read more here.