Footage: Yuck's "Rubber" [NSFW]

Every new song we hear from London-based indie upstarts Yuck is the newest reason why we love the band. And while the quartet has been giving away "Rubber" for free since October, only today did it drop this visually stunning and curiously provocative video for the track. The clip conflates lingering and rapidly looped footage of dog grooming with lingering footage of a woman washing herself in a shower. It's just weird. But the images have that super crisp quality that you'll remember started cropping up in MTV videos of a certain late era. The song, of course, is perhaps the sludgiest thing Yuck has offered to date, and it is the lead track to a 12" EP released by The Pharmacy Recording Company in the U.K. on Nov. 1. That label will also issue Yuck's debut full-length in the U.K. in early 2011; Fat Possum recently signed Yuck for North America, and will release the full-length here around the same time, as we reported here last month. Fat Possum releases the single "Georgia" b/w "The Base of A Dream Is Empty" in the U.S. Nov. 23 [pre-order], and we posted a video clip for the b-side right here recently. If you have a little extra time, watch this very good video interview with Yuck's Daniel. Two things we did not know: drummer Johnny is actually American, from New Jersey even. And Daniel is heavy into Silver Jews.

Rubber by Yuck

Rock Over Boston: Guided By Voices | Paradise | 11.05.2010

[Guided By Voices at the Paradise, Boston, MA 11/5/2010. Photo by Michael Piantigini. A few more photos here.]
Guided By Voices in 2010 might be what it would be like if your drunk uncle’s band had really, really amazing songs.

On December 31, 2004, with the name being more brand than band at that point, Bob Pollard retired the final lineup of Guided By Voices with a delirious 4-hour set in Chicago. Judging by The Electrifying Conclusion (Plexifilm), the DVD account of that night, it’s a wonder anyone survived.

But survive they did, and here they are. Owing largely - much like this year’s Pavement reunion - to the fact that Matador Records asked them headline their big 21st anniversary shindig in Vegas (grrrr). Pollard credited Matador’s founders the other night, telling us “they’re not stupid.” Apparently not - unlike Pollard's last few tours, as well as recent visits by this lineup's contemporaries like Teenage Fanclub and Superchunk, Guided By Voices’ Boston date sold out instantly. As it should have, since this is this particular sub-culture's Beatles, Stones, and Replacements all rolled into one.

The “classic lineup” on the road now is – and always was – a bit rough around the edges. But if you’re looking for precision musicianship, you best look someplace else because Guided By Voices – as the name implies – is about a spirit. Whether Pollard's making records with pals in the basement or dragging those pals on tour for the kids, this stuff connects and makes a club feel like family. Maybe it’s frat rock for music nerds?

One can quibble over who precisely makes up the "classic" lineup (there have been many members), but the period that this tour is covering is incontrovertibly classic: their string of albums from 1992-1996 beginning with Propeller, and continuing with Vampire on Titus, Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, and Under the Bushes Under the Stars is a staggering 5 album run that is nearly unmatched.

But GBV are a different animal live than on record. Basement cassette four-trackers become windmill-slashing, beer-raising, fist-pumping anthems on stage. However unlikely sounding, "Exit Flagger," "My Valuable Hunting Knife," and "I Am A Scientist" feel every bit as important as any Springsteen anthem when the entire club is shouting along in a boozy bliss. Every song feels like an anthem from this period, and they drew not just from those five albums, but a host of singles and EPs as well. There was a lot to choose from, but when a band is giving you upwards of 40 songs, chances are you'll hear your favorites. That being said, Under the Bushes... felt a little under-represented.

Guitarist Mitch Mitchell - who, by all accounts, seems to be having the most fun on this tour - is so very rock and roll. His late-show stage banter about the, ahem, ladies in the audience (a distinct minority) would have made Steven Tyler blush. In stark contrast, mild-mannered guitarist Tobin Sprout held down the other side of the stage, and his being the George Harrison to Pollard’s Lennon AND McCartney, his songs were a gentle respite throughout the 2-hour set.

Bob Pollard presided over it all, of course. Addressing us, like always, as “kids,” which gets more hilarious with each passing year. Though we all kinda felt like kids for those couple of hours.

Later lineups may have been a little tighter (though some of them were often just as drunk), but this Guided By Voices is the real deal. The hard-partying must be getting tougher, but hopefully they'll survive this round too.

-Michael Piantigini

Robert Pollard/Guided By Voices: Intertubes

Be Prepared: Greg Lyon | Nowhere Near Poughkeepsie | 4 Dec.

We can't cite you chapter and verse everything that multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and Boston scene stalwart Greg Lyon has done in the last five years or so that we've been aware of his work. But we can tell you that his forthcoming solo set Nowhere Near Poughkeepsie -- whose songs are characterized in promotional materials as stuff that wasn't a good fit for the many, many bands he's played with -- is terrific, from the Grandaddy-esque title track to the stripped strut of the trebly rocker "Trainwreck." The 11-song record, largely recorded in a practice space with whichever cohorts were on hand, will be released by the mighty Boston and New York label concern Midriff Records on Dec. 4. A record release show is slated for the same night at P.A.'s Lounge in Somerville, MA, with support from rising noise rock foursome Soccermom.

The December release date likely means Nowhere Near Poughkeepsie will be passed over as a contender for many year-end lists. Which is a shame, because the depth and breadth of the often sadly beautiful (particularly the ballad "The Best Of Times"), always carefully appointed indie rock Mr. Lyon collects here is worthy of more attention than we fear it will get. The songs eschew the literal and figurative heaviness of Lyon's work with Pending Disappointment, and are more tightly focused and tuneful than what we recollect from his work with other Midriff bands including Spanish Armada. You can stream all of Nowhere Near Poughkeepsie right here, and we recommend you do. These days we think Lyon is most often seen on area stages in his latest role as fifth man with Boston noise rock heros The Beatings, who perform this Friday at the Middle East supporting the completely wonderful Bottomless Pit.

Hear It Now: Johnny Foreigner's "Tru Punx"

It's not available for sale until Nov. 15 (and we've learned it will be available digitally via Amazon here, likely elsewhere obvs too). But the lovely folks at Alcopop! just posted "Tru Punx," one of two Johnny Foreigner tracks gracing that band's forthcoming split single with Stagecoach. The song is awesome. You should listen to it over and over again until you get dizzy from not eating or breathing. We've heard pre-orders are booking fast, so if you have not yet given Alcopop! your money for this thing, you'd best do so soon. Here's the link.

Tru Punx - Johnny Foreigner by alcopop

Today's Hotness: Satellite Stories, The Texas Governor

>> For reasons we don't fully understand, bands that arrive on the scene playing excellent spiky guitar-pop tend to quickly discard the style like it was an embarrasing childhood toy. Bloc Party, The Answering Machine and others wasted little time changing the formula that broke them into the consciousness of indie cognoscenti. Well, news flash, rock bands: we happen to like excellent spiky guitar pop, and when you discard the style, it makes us sad. Thankfully, there is a hot young Finnish quartet named Satellite Stories that is currently delivering the goods. The Oulu-based foursome formed only this year, if the rudimentary timeline at its MySpace tent is to be believed (we'll also point out to noone in particular that our college freshman year roommate once went to Oulu and to our knowledge has never returned -- maybe it's the hot rock that keeps him there?). The song "Helsinki Art Scene" is driven by a textbook new wave beat (sixteenth notes on the hi-hat and stuttering blasts of snare), delicious guitars and well-proportioned dynamics. "Mexico" doesn't sound Mexican at all, but instead approximates the jittery pop sound of British wonder-where-they-are-nows Look See Proof, but with dreamier vocals. It's all fantastic, and we recommend hitting Satellite Stories' Soundcloud streams below. The band plays a record release show for its debut EP Nov. 12 in Oulu. No word on how those outside Finland can get the EP, but full show information is posted at the band's MySpace dojo right here.

Satellite Stories' "Helsinki Art Scene"

Satellite Stories' "Mexico"

>> Indie rock savant David Goolkasian has apparently resuscitated his The Texas Governor project, at least based on the evidence of a new digital single bearing the act's name that is now on offer at EMusic and ITunes. For those of you who say "so what," we'll remind you that Mr. Goolkasian once fronted the astonishingly good indie rock trio The Elevator Drops. A new single attributed to The Texas Governor & The Starlight Orchestra, "Angels To Sleep," is 108 seconds of glistening pop swirl pinned to delay-pedaled reggae guitar chords. A quick jaunt over the The Texas Governor's web hacienda turns up news that a third Texas Governor CD, the combo's first since 2005's The Experiment, is being "casually finalized." This is welcome news; the set may or may not be called 13 Totally Broken-Hearted Love Songs. No release as of yet.

YouTube Rodeo: Tellison's "Collarbone"

London-based emo standouts Tellison first popped onto our radar when it was announced they would be touring alongside Johnny Foreigner in October 2009. However, by that time the seven-year-old quartet had already issued a full length and numerous singles. Tellison's forthcoming vinyl single "Collarbone" b/w "Mountain" will be released by the increasingly formidable British indie Big Scary Monsters Nov. 22. The single -- available for pre-order here right now -- comes with a digital EP that includes three additional tracks, "Experience," "Edith Wharton (2XL Remix)" and "Collarbone (Rolo Tomassi Remix)." All that for four pounds, although for a bit more BSM will sell you a t-shirt bundle. Tellison recorded its sophomore full-length record from June to August 2010, and "Collarbone" is included on the set, but we haven't turned up any release information -- or even a title -- to share as of yet. If "Collarbone" is any indication, the collection will be a barnburner.

YouTube Rodeo: Wrapping Paper's "You Don't Hold Back Anything"

Sometimes it is just nice to see people sticking with it. We downloaded Wrapping Paper's jaunty lo-fi gem "Hold Up The Neon Sign" from the band's MySpace casa way back in 2006, and played the track a fair amount over the last four years. The Sioux Falls-based act, as far as we recollect, is a one-man affair (the man being a dude named Tim, according to an email we received recently) that notably wrote personalized songs for anyone who purchased the Hold Up The Neon Sign EP when it was finally released in 2008. The new news is that Wrapping Paper released late last month a 10-song, digital-only set called Superhero, and those who purchase the collection may once again avail themselves of the customized song offer. Pretty ace, right? Equally cool is the band's new tune "You Don't Hold Back Anything," a delightful, instantly hummable piece of sunny power pop with Beach Boys harmonies and dense guitars. We think we like it even more than "Hold Up The Neon Sign." Dig the video above. Superhero is available through Wrapping Paper's label Giantship Records right here; the entire record can be previewed here.