Today's Hotness: Noveller, Thisquietarmy, Ultimate Painting

>> Just as we were in danger of wearing out our Auburn Lull Hiber cassette with an umpteenth zoned-out play, we were pleased to discover the similarly zone-worthy Reveries. The four-song set is the latest release from the international and experimentally inclined duo comprised by experimental guitar musicians Noveller (a/k/a Brooklyn's Sarah Lipstate) and Thisquietarmy (a Montrealer whose given name is Eric Quach). The pair's collaborative effort presents masterful exercises in guitar pedal drone, as evidenced by two sublime preview tracks. "Reverie 1" commences with a sustained sullenness before incrementally building steam via the application of layer upon layer of guitar signal treatments. Like some moments on the aforementioned Hiber, which we wrote about here in June, Reveries captures textures and sounds that simply do not sound like guitars, and in very compelling ways. Subtle and long-form melodies fill the first three minutes of "Reverie 1," and then -- at 3:22 -- something quite special transpires. Here a snappy, chiming melody manifests and dances atop the piece. Whatever the source instrument is, its tone is rich and soothing, leading one to wonder just how Noveller and Thisquietarmy -- whose press materials claim that they are a guitar duo -- are able to conjure such a sound. We may never know, but the effect is entrancing and psychedelic and comforts this reviewer with the knowledge that there are still artists out there driving the traditional six-string to new heights and into exciting sonic terrain. And like Hiber again, Reveries comes in a gorgeous package -- all stark white architecture against a PVC sleeve which houses a thick slab of 160g white vinyl. Shelter Press released Reveries July 1. Buy the vinyl, which is pressed in a limited edition of 500 pieces, right here, or snatch the digital download from Noveller's Bandcamp page right here. Then turn the lights out, will ya? -- Edward Charlton





>> Chicago label Trouble In Mind made news last month that we didn't want to let slip by, namely that it will issue in August a single from Ultimate Painting. The relatively new act, if you don't know, features James Hoare of the stellar London indie pop outfit Veronica Falls alongside Jack Cooper of Mazes. An eponymous preview track is as good a mission statement as the pair could hope for, and evidences that Ultimate Painting is in part a vehicle for Mssrs. Hoare and Cooper's classic rock leanings. Indeed, "Ultimate Painting" grooves in a rare and tasteful way, capturing the spirit of New York circa 1969. The tune touts a chin-out strut that evokes the Velvet Underground around the time of its self-titled third record, when clean electric guitars and a Mo Tucker beat were all that was required to spark youthful transcendence. A simple bass line chugs along to a steady snare cadence, keeping the pace but making room for dual guitars that trade in spare, bent licks. Plaintive, unadorned vocals enter, all quick lines and wordless repeats. A brief chorus separates the verses, but otherwise the vocals get over with the typical pop structure quickly, knowing full well that the real hero of "Ultimate Painting" is the warm, natural production and feel-good chord progression. The seeming ease with which Ultimate Painting evokes a breezy, classic spirit calls to mind New Zealand greats The Clean or even Stereolab. We can't wait to hear the b-side, and for that matter the duo's inevitable full-length, which is said to contain five songs each from Hoare and Cooper and is slated for release by Trouble In Mind this fall. Keep an eye out for pre-order information regarding the single and album right here, and in the meantime you can stream "Ultimate Painting" via the embed below. Bostonians and psych-pop aficionadoes will recall Trouble In Mind previously released Doug Tuttle's solo set. -- Edward Charlton

Today's Hotness: M.G. Lederman, The Collected Fictions, The Weaks

>> Indie rock lifer M.G. Lederman keeps busy playing alongside such Boston notables as the legendary Thalia Zedek (with whom he is presently touring) as well as part of the ensemble No Love, but that didn't keep him from recording in late 2012 a new collection with his trio, a sophomore set titled I'm Ghosts. The collection will finally see the proverbial light of day later this month, but Mr. Lederman first made a name for himself years ago as part of respected turn-of-the-century Boston outfit Victory At Sea. In that trio, Lederman played bass next to the haunting Mona Elliot (the band, among many other things, released a very fine split single with the phenomenal Helms). I'm Ghosts presents a transporting half-hour of music; the surprise of the set is that it flies by so fast, given the deep, dark vibes contained within. The songs are built around Mr. Lederman's work at the piano and his gravelly voice (which now and then reasonably approximates that of Lou Reed, or a suicidal Neil Diamond), and present beery glimpses of relationships run afoul, of tired lives in the city. I'm Ghosts reaches a thrilling crescendo with the bar-room belter "Restaurant," an anthemic tune that repeatedly bends the hook from The Supremes' classic "I Hear A Symphony" to drive a tight and anxious ode about how summer isn't an escape for everyone, but rather something to be escaped from. The tune touts the album's biggest chorus, one that attests to the set's punk heart: "I'm sitting in Mass Ave traffic covered in sweat, after working all day in a restaurant wishing that this summer would end." The album's biggest moment, however, comes at its close, where Lederman delivers the crushing ballad "Union Square." To begin, the song establishes a sedate, dreamy atmosphere with a spare snare cadence, quietly flowing piano and single guitar notes. Verses gently swell, careful to not betray the torpedo coming from below: an explosive, face-stinging coda carrying the realization, "Why'd you go to bed so early? You must have been pretty sick of me." "Union Square" is both a career-defining song and a raw psychic wound, the kind you train your mind to skirt around with hopes it will eventually fade away. Midriff Records will release I'm Ghosts as a digital download Feb. 25; the record is presently streaming via the Midriff blog right here. M.G. Lederman play a release show to celebrate the record Feb. 19 at TT The Bear's Place in Cambridge, Mass., and evening that also includes sets from respected rockers The Rationales, indie pop sensations Reindeer, and Thick Wilde. M.G. Lederman's debut What Ifs And Bad Memories was released in 2010.





>> The Collected Fictions are an exciting young three-piece hailing from Manchester, England, whose fresh-faced indie pop compares quite favorably to the decades-old sounds it emulates, from acts like The Clean, The Pastels and Aztec Camera. The act formed two years ago as a vehicle for the songs of guitarist Paris Thompson, and four of these songs have found a home on a ridiculously listenable self-titled EP that surfaced on Bandcamp late last month. Mr. Thompson shares writing credits on the EP with bassist Daniel McMillan, and the trio is rounded out by drummer by Isaac McInnes, who recorded and mixed the The Collected Fictions EP. "It Don't Matter Much" is the collection's lively opener, which touts a low, thrumming verse that recalls Unrest's fantastic "Yes, She Is My Skinhead Girl;" bright chords and Thompson's wispy vocals dramatically elevate the chorus and alter the secretive tone of the tune. Indeed, Thompson's voice has an instantly relateable quality, drawling words just slightly, occasionally stretching vowels away from the frame of the words that contain them and into another strand of melody, as in the tune "Talk." The closer "Wait" perhaps best showcases Mr. McMillan's agile work on the bass guitar, which certainly recalls the almost lyrical playing of the bassist for legendary Mancunian forebearers The Smiths, Andy Rourke. And here in "Wait" Thompson's pleading may be at its most affecting. The trio's short set is available as a physical CD in a very limited edition of 100 pieces via the same Bandcamp page; an earlier track, "See Through You," was posted to Soundcloud last year but appears to have been sucked back into the cosmos, so completists among you, deep breath, exhale. Or ask around? We are blown away by how good this early effort is from The Collected Fictions, and are very eager to here more from these fellows. Stream the entire EP below, and click through to download.

>> The Internet is not real life, and really we should all be doing something better with our time most of the time. But we are human: we are weak. Which, surprisingly, is not the segue we're going to use to talk about young Philadelphia indie heroes The Weaks. Instead, let's back up to earlier this week and one of the Interpants' many tempests in a teapot, that piece in Noisey about how the Philly punk scene is the best one in America right now. Clicky Clicky has always championed Philly and its underground, since the city is where our executive director once called home; we remember the hype about The Hooters, we remember the hype about The Interpreters, we've seen the hype come and go. But we think, despite the obvious faults of the Noisey piece, the biggest thing it got wrong was omitting The Weaks from its roll-call of prominent contemporary punk acts. Readers here have seen that band name a lot, and hopefully are intimately familiar with at the very least The Weaks' transcendent contribution to last year's Lilys tribute comp. And while there has been a steady stream of new songs from The Weaks for the last two years, the combo has only recently solidified a live lineup and begun playing shows. This week the act issues its first physical product, a masterful set of guitar pop titled The World Is A Terrible Place And I Hate Myself And I Want To Die that showcases the mighty chops of chief songwriter (and former Dangerous Ponies cats) Evan Bernard and Chris Baglivo. From the shimmering chorus of the big strummer "Nietzsche's Harvest Song" to the earnest pop of the undeniable closer "Dunce Pageant," the compact and potent jams grip your ears and don't let go. The six-song collection will be released Tuesday by Lame-O Records as a one-sided 12" vinyl disc, with a screen-printed flipside, in a limited edition of 300 pieces. Deluxe packings of the LP come with handmade hot sauce and an awesome t-shirt, but the best stuff is right there on the record: big melodies, big guitars, ridiculous hooks. The entire shebang is streaming over at Brooklyn Vegan, and while we are loathe to point you over there to a land characteristically overrun by caustic, misogynist and homophobic troll commenters, well, you don't have to read the comments to get all this rock into your life. And you need it. So go get it. Then buy the 12" right here for eight clams. You're welcome.

Today's Hotness: Joanna Gruesome, Bailterspace

>> A wise man once said, "All great records remain misunderstood." Take for instance the debut from recent Slumberland Records signatories Joanna Gruesome. The Cardiff, Wales-based quintet's Weird Sister hit finer retail outlets this morning in the wake of substantial buzz. Despite that fanfare this reviewer didn't love Joanna Gruesome at the outset, when the early preview track popped up on Soundcloud. This is admittedly surprising, something we attribute to the fact that lead single "Sugarcrush" at first blush seemed too pale an imitation of the band's influences. Evoking plenty of buzzing C86 groups like The Shop Assistants or The Flatmates, with a pinch of split octave melodies and a notable absonous chord a la MBV's "You Made Me Realise," "Sugarcrush" seemed too calculated an appeal to this hipster's most sacred devices. However, after a listen to the even more aggressive call-to-arms "Secret Surprise," I was convincingly won over and made a point to revisit and reassess "Sugarcrush." Upon further inspection, the song can be seen as an exercise in the group's worthy fascination with coordinated strumming. Guitarists Owen and George achieve such an amazing conglomerated rhythm with their lacerating dual attack that the choppy sounds merge into something like a punky crest. Of course, what becomes very apparent is that Slumberland was right all along: Joanna Gruesome are no amanuensis, but rather the spiritual heirs to at least one bygone SLR standard-bearer, the legendary Henry's Dress. In context, then, the Gruesome's grinding noise-pop represents another mile marker along the road toward Slumberland's inevitable domination of the underground. Weird Sister is available now from the Slumberland store right here. The record is presently streaming here in its entirety for the next week at Pitchfork. Fans may be interested in hearing an earlier version of the aforementioned "Sugarcrush," which is on offer (for free!) from Joanna Grueseome's Bandcamp right here. The vocals of the old iteration are louder, there is some creative stereo panning and overdriven cymbals splash to the fore. However, the older version lacks the great chaotic ending. Why not listen for yourself and judge? Both versions can be streamed via the embeds below. -- Edward Charlton





>> Lazy journos will surely tie the reunion of New Zealand's mighty indie-space-rock trio Bailterspace to the growing list of original ultimate alternative wavers that have famously reunited. It's easy to imagine a statement about how the trio is "following in the footsteps of Pixies and Dinosaur Jr" into a festival-lined sunset. Well, that's baloney. Bailterspace have followed few, if any, since it first formed in the mid '80s. And with their latest album, called trinine and due Sept. 30 via Fire Records, that's still the case. Indeed, like the recently reunited Swervedriver and Lorelei, Bailterspace's return sounds like much more than a victory lap for an aging fan base. Instead, they pick up where they left off and clearly have more to say. The band's progressive, dreamy and dour distortion couldn't be more relevant at this moment in rock and roll music, and the preview single "Films of You" from the forthcoming set is a stark reminder to listeners of the threesome's rarified position within noise-pop. After shaking off the dust with a loose, jammy opening, the tune locks into a mid-range-filling bass and snare groove akin to those that defined Bailterspace's 1995 masterwork Wammo. Not long after, a pleasing tremoloed synth maps out a melodic cadence that is slowly overwhelmed by pings and scrapes across a guitar bridge. Bubbling to the top is Alister Parker's mysterious, accented vocals, which recall the Anglo everyman stylings of fronters from acts such as Mclusky, The Clean or Dead C. At less than two-and-a-half minutes, the number quickly dissipates into its own heavy psychedelic storm, but even so it makes an indelible impression as a potent, sunglasses-at-night fuzz mover. "Films Of You" makes plain that Bailterspace's plan hasn't changed during its thirteen-year caesura. Listen to the tune via the embed below, and click right here to pre-order the collection from Fire on LP or CD. -- Edward Charlton