A very poignant song by a very poignant songwriter. If you don’t know who Bradley Manning is, a simple google search will suffice.

Cass McCombs – Bradley Manning by DominoRecordCo

Geez, everything that Double Denim Records releases is shear gold. Nine 7”s in (the majority of which I’ve already covered on this site), and they keep finding a way to knock my socks off. Their latest (and possibly greatest) comes courtesy of Tokyo’s soundscape creator Jesse Ruins. This dude is so good, he even caught the attention of The Guardian (with M83 and Grimes comparisons, nonetheless).

I’ll just let the music speak for itself with this one. Listen to the DD A-side “A Bookshelf Sinks Into The Sand” (which you can cop the 7” here) as well as an extra track “Sofija” that he produced a while back.

DD009 A1: Jesse Ruins // A Bookshelf Sinks Into The Sand by Double Denim Records

Sofija by Jesse Ruins

It seems that when I moved from Portland, I completely dropped out of following up-and-coming PDX bands. It’s a shame because groups like the retro-pop Orca Team deserve better…

The trio’s latest release is a fun-filled eight track cassette whose title, Kissing Cousins, can only be described as Arrested Development-esque. Got to say, there are few bands out there that I like AND would feel comfortable letting my grandfather listen to. I’m sure he would tell me that the 50s-inspired sound of Orca Team reminds him of the spontaneous dance numbers that always seemed to crop up at the local soda fountain station. You can download my favorite track “You’ve Got Everything Made” below as well as stream the whole album via the label’s bandcamp page:

Orca Team // You’ve Got Everything Made

Seriously, this is getting fucking ridiculous how good every single release from Whoa Whoa Records is. Their latest (and possibly greatest) comes from the NYC “soul band” The Immaculates in the form of a co-release with Death Class Records.

All you need for convincing is one listen to “Hey Joe Kelly” (below). If you don’t like this then you don’t have a soul. Cop the tape from Whoa Whoa’s store here.

The Immaculates – Hey joe kelly by Immaculates

Wow, can’t believe I missed this one! My favorite Norwegian band, Casiokids, is releasing a follow-up LP a year after their stellar debut Topp stemning på lokal bar hit the shelves stateside. Consequence of Sound is streaming the whole album, verbosely (and Norwegian-ly) entitled Aabenbaringen over aaskammen, right here. Go ahead and download the darker, synth heavy single “Det haster!” below:

Casiokids // Det haster!

Sick new track from Knoxville octet Coolrunnings latest record Dracula Is Only The Beginning, out now in cassette form via Wonder Beard Records. “Brunettes” features some blistering bass playing and oddball percussion that bursts with energy at the seams — you know, a typical Coolrunnings track. Check it out below and order the eight-track tape for a measly $5 + shipping here.

Just got this tasty nugget of news dropped in my inbox: San Fran’s Young Prisms is dropping a cassette of demo recordings on Portland’s Gnar Tapes (a label founded by White Fang’s Erik Gage). Here’s what the label had to say about the release:

Not to blow our horn, but this release is one of Young Prisms best and showcases a more gentle and dreamy sound that is beautifully in-step with their classic stoner-fuzz gazer tendencies. Stef’s vocals are particularly haunting and beautiful, allowing for a level lyrical clarity thus far unmatched by any of their previous releases. This cassette is overflowing with the kind of “lazy” pop sounds that are hard not to love.

After listening to the seven track cassette digitally via their bandcamp (which you can check out below), I’d have to agree. I always like demo recordings because it’s a way to get inside the head of a band as they hash shit out trying to make pieces come together, and this Young Prisms release is a perfect example of that. The acoustic tracks feel a bit tentative and the demos are grittier, but it’s nice to see where stuff like “Sugar” and “Eleni” came from. Head over to the Gnar Tapes’ shop to cop this release while it’s still available.

As longtime readers of the site will know, I hardly ever shine the spotlight on local bands from wherever I am living at the moment. There are a couple of reasons for this, but the chief one is I don’t like to give preferential treatment to groups just because I know them and hang-out with them. I guess my philosophy is, if the music is great it’ll speak for itself regardless of where it was made – and I’ve maintained that attitude with the site since its inception.

With that in mind, Salt Lake City’s Albino Father has added their name to the relatively small list of relative local bands that deserve wider attention, and the group’s debut LP Age is just the release to help them do that. Clocking in at just under forty minutes, the twelve track album is a psych/garage/blues rock swirling orb of sound that you can’t help but be caught up in. If you’re a fan of messy guitars, heavy pedal effects, and guitar solos that you hope don’t end, then you are sure to find something you like with each track. I’ve gone through the album four times in total, and each time I can’t help but to press replay afterwards.

It’s tough to pick stand outs on this records as each song has its own personality and personal (or personable) sound. Do I go with the slow-paced guitar-centric ballad “Dirty Mirror” that’s suited perfectly for the smoke-filled, cramp venues of Anywhere USA? Or how about the surf-rock jam appropriately titled “Deth Jam” that bands like The Allah Las (PT-Music’s Cali favorite) would be chomping at the bit to play? Or maybe the blazing sub-two minute “Little Girls” that leaves you in a trail of dust wandering what just happened by the end?

If I had to choose, I would say I dig “Dirty Window” the most because what you finish with is so radically different than where you started. The track opens with the smoothest of smooth guitar line that’s straight out of the classic rock playbook and continues that way for the first two minutes. Before your high from “Ghost Dad,” the previous track, has completely mellowed out, in comes the raucous drums and kick-ass, fist-pumping rips that boost your energy more than a six-pack of Red Bull. Talk about a roller coaster ride of a song!

You can stream the whole album from Albino Father’s bandcamp page (and buy it via a “Name Your Price” scheme) and head over to their facebook to “like” them because I’m pretty sure you will after listening to this album.

Albino Father // Deth Jam

I’ve been waiting for this for a while, and now, six months after its short-lived digital release, RxRy’s Alpha LP is coming to a turntable near you. You can check out my initial impression of the album here and order you a slick physical copy from RxRy’s store or from the label’s site.

To celebrate the release, RxRy has made available a mini-remix album of re-imaginations of his tracks which you can stream from his soundcloud. Below is my favorite track of the bunch:

RxRy // Huumid_v (Bioglass Edit)