Z Tapes always produces charming, simple surprises. This one comes in the form of Australian/Serbian troupe Lalić, whose album reminds me of what demos of early Railway Children, Movement-era New Order and maybe something a tape collection inside the Postcard Records post box might sound like. Worthy.
Indie
[Music] Refuge For Abandoned Souls by Rothko —Toneshift Magazine
If I recall correctly, it was my brother, Ralph, who hipped me to Rothko years ago. Thanks to him, and to Ljubinko Zivkovic for the great article. Toneshift is always worth sharing.
Rothko | Refuge For Abandoned SoulsTrace Recordings (LP/CD/DL) It seems that 20 years ago, back in London, Mark Beazley, Crawford Blair and John Meade took the name Rothko for their three bass guitar band to resemble the paintings of the visual artist of the same name. Blair and Meade have been gone for a while […]
[Music] Da Voile – Heitt Hjortu
Da Voile are a one-man post-rock band out of Minsk, Belarus. They compare favorably to bands like Sigur Rós or Explosions In The Sky. This EP has turned out to be a very impressive release.
If you are a fan of the genre, this release will not leave you feeling disappointed at all. The guitar work is excellent, as it soars and dives effortlessly, and is supplemented with a fair amount of noise that doesn’t overwhelm the beauty of the tracks.
[Music] Bob Mould – I Don’t Mind
What a pleasant surprise this is! Former Hüsker Dü and Sugar front man Bob Mould does a quite good cover of a song made famous by The Buzzcocks! It doesn’t get much more power-pop than this.
[Music] Benjamin Finney – Warmth Within These Walls X Cut Me Loose
Benjamin Finney’s work has been reviewed on our blog in the past, as he’s really a fine guitarist, but it finally dawned on me whose work seems to influence and inform his playing. John Fahey. No doubt about it. He has the American primitive sound mastered so well that he’s able to mold it however he wishes. Fahey was utterly brilliant at that. Expect Benjamin to have that same legacy one of these days.
[Music] fuvk – you like blue and i like you
Z Tapes continues to put out wonderfully emotive indie music, whether it’s of the bedroom pop variety or something straight-up weird. They rarely, if ever, seem to fail with their releases. All credit should go to Filip Zemcik for his near-perfect curation abilities.
fuvk are a emo/indie-pop band out of Austin, Texas who please greatly with music that is pleasing to the ear, but not fluffy or boring. The tape recordings were a bit unsettling to hear, and they add a bit of spark to an already good EP’s worth of tuneage.
[Music] Joel Sarakula – Northern Soul
Even down to his personal look, Joel Sarakula has a 70’s vintage vibe. He offers two tracks of exceptionally good soul music that would not have sounded out of place 40 years ago, even with the much better studio recording equipment.
[Music] Various Artists – Portrety LP
U Know Me Records has produced a magnificent compilation concentrating on drum sounds. The artists range in genre from post-punk to soul and modern hip-hop, but done in a style that makes them barely recognizable to each category. A refreshing introduction to that which is good in Poland.
[Music] Tindersticks – Across Six Leap Years
Some albums bear emotional scars of the artist and the listener equally well. I cannot recommend Tindersticks highly enough if you are having a drink of vodka and lime and either reminiscing about a lost love or wondering how the hell you managed to land into the situation you’re currently in. We need albums for wistful moments. This one should be filed next to your Chet Baker and Joy Division albums when a profound case of the blues hit you.
Think of a baritone-voiced Nick Cave with a more whiskey-drenched voice singing with a Stax Records house band. Dark, but full of soul. Recommended.
[Music] Cloud – Live at Kulak’s Woodshed
Thanks to the wonders of Bandcamp, I am able to catch up on old friends’ bands from Los Angeles (like Tunnelmental, Farflung, The Secret Society of the Sonic Six), but it’s also quite pleasing to discover bands I missed out on. Cloud have a vibe that is not dissimilar to bands like Galaxie 500 or Luna, but add a touch of Los Angeles to their work. I’m not quite sure how I can qualify that, but growing up hearing so many bands in this area, there’s something in their music that makes it familiar. I’m really enjoying this band.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 