Rock and Other Wild Sounds, Dec – March 2015

Mind Brains – Mind Brains – Orange Twin Records

This disc came to me sandwiched between two pieces of bread in a Ziploc bag. While that was certainly the most original press kit I’ve seen, the music was by far the most gripping thing in the box.  Described as a band with heavy psyche roots (many of the band members have been in psyche and pop rock bands) and a group that loves to break old electronic instruments and rebuild them to create something new, Mind Brains certainly stands as a group that lovers of psyche music should be listening to.  Even after just two tracks, I feel like they’re influenced by the likes of Conny Plank, early Kraftwerk, the Flaming Lips, Eno, the more psyche side of the Beatles, and the psyche side of Athens, GA.  Synth heavy grooves, vocal harmonies and off the wall arrangements of the two with a plethora of sounds, clips, texturing styles, and far out lyrics make this one hell of a ride.  It’s one of the most experimental nodern psyche albums I’ve heard from the US.  The world needs to take notice of this.  Awesome (4.9 out of 5)

Sea Rocket Jasmine – The Window – self-released

From the mind behind the jazz/electronic project TranceLucid comes this full album of pure jazzy goodness. Piano, bass, organ, percussion and the occasional flute create an engaging and lively The tracks themselves hop between toe tapping and slower paced grooves.  The album as a whole is both relaxing and engaging. Its fun and god knows it’s been a while since I’ve had a fun jazz album in my paws as something to review.  Fans of the genre and its subgenres will dig this release and for those of you not terribly familiar with jazz as a whole, this would make a good jumping off point.  Can’t wait for a second album!  (4.8 out of 5)

Troy Meadows – Vol III: Love Songs for Astronomers – self-released

Acoustic songwriting mixes it up with Boards of Canada-esque ambient music.  Now that’s a mixture for the ages!  Originally released in 2012, this album has a deep space feel while hitting close to home. There are hints of Mountain Goats, Tom Waits in here as well, perhaps with dashes of the Flaming Lips – it’s safe to say that there are lot of influences at work here, creating a unique sound over all.  And all in all, I find this really enjoyable, engaging and emotionally provoking.  Seeing as this has been out for three years now, one would argue that this has passed under the radar for too long.  So get your copy! (4.9 out of5)

Harpoon Forever – American Flag EP 7” – Sweaters and Pearls

A four track vinyl EP, this release avoids trends and dives more into an interesting blend of indie rock, math and punk pop.  And while that genre blending sounds good, the tempo changes alone on track one are enough to keep me engaged – I’m a geek about those.  The whole release is catchy, extremely well written and makes me hungry for anything else the band’s put together.  It’s hard for me to draw comparisons to other bands/artists; while I do identify some of genres that have influenced this, I can’t quite put my finger on anything more specific.  It’s quite original and is a clear standout in my stash of seven inches.  Rock on! (4.8 out of 5) – Check out S&P’s 7” review blog!

The Fireworks – Switch Me On – Shelflife Records

Another sweet record from Shelflife! The debut album for the Fireworks showcases some sweet punk-pop-indie fueled goodness that’s by far the freshest rock-ish-stuff I’ve heard out of the UK in a few months.  The tunes remind me a bit of the Vaselines (mainly the guy-girl back and forth vocals) yet this is rather unique, proving that they are a force in the rock world that will only get better with each release.  Fans of the aforementioned, September Girls, Dott, and Blur will enjoy this without a doubt.  Fans of the band’s first two singles will be happy and eager for more.  And I have to agree with the kit on this one… this isn’t just an album with one or two singles.  This is an album with 13 A-sides! Crank it! (5 out of 5)