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    1. The Devil's Blood The Thousandfold Epicentre
      17 January 2012

      The Devil’s Blood – The Thousandfold Epicentre (Metal Blade)

      Who knew Black Widow‘s 1970 occult rock LP Sacrifice would become such a sacred text?

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      The Compulsions Beat the Devil
      15 January 2012

      The Compulsions – Beat the Devil (self-released)

      Leader Rob Carlyle‘s long-simmering brainchild boasts all the sex, sin and sleaze we’d expect from the purveyors of the song “Big Fat Sexy Mama.”

      Read more...

      Gene Clark White Light
      13 January 2012

      Gene Clark – reissues (Sundazed)

      We finally get domestic versions of Clark’s early albums, and they provide a clear argument that Clark should be as venerated as any better-known name of his generation.

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      Dixie Witch Let It Roll
      11 January 2012

      Dixie Witch – Let It Roll (Small Stone)

      It’s always nice when a band goes the extra mile and decides to compose songs instead of stringing together riffs.

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      Mike Viola Electro De Perfecto
      9 January 2012

      Mike Viola – Electro De Perfecto (Good Morning Monkey/Hornblow)

      Like a lot of artists who put a ton of hard work into making it look easy, Viola is a master of subterfuge.

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      Soriah Eztica
      19 December 2011

      Soriah with Ashkelon Sain – Eztica (Projekt)

      On Eztica, Soriah (Enrique Ugalde to his folks) seems to emerge from some other dimension, one in which sunlight, sand and smoke intermingle, reflecting at odd angles off the droning soundwaves that flow from his throat.

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      The Bevis Frond The Leaving of London
      17 December 2011

      The Bevis Frond – The Leaving of London (Woronzow)

      Seven long years have passed since we last had a LP from the Bevis Frond. The Leaving of London makes clear what empty, empty years those were.

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      Human Switchboard Who's Landing in My Hangar?
      15 December 2011

      Human Switchboard – Who’s Landing in My Hangar? Anthology 1977-1984 (Bar/None)

      Basing itself around Human Switchboard’s lone 1981 album, the collection adds various studio, demo and live sessions for a fairly comprehensive portrait.

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      Edward Rogers Porcelain
      7 December 2011

      Edward Rogers – Porcelain (Zip)

      For Porcelain, Rogers moves forward from the 60s and into the early 70s, especially the Rolling Stones-style glam rock balladry of Mott the Hoople.

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      Golden Bear Alive
      14 October 2011

      Golden Bear – Alive (C-Side)

      Austin’s Golden Bear has been quietly releasing sterling guitar pop records for several years now, with nary a ripple on the radar of the hipster faithful.

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      Mekons Ancient & Modern
      14 September 2011

      The Mekons – Ancient & Modern (Sin/Bloodshot)

      It’s been so long since the uncompromising, indefatigable Mekons have released a record that many had suspected a quiet retirement.

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      Jack Oblivian Rat City
      4 September 2011

      Jack Oblivian – Rat City (Big Legal Mess/Fat Possum)

      Though he doesn’t get the attention of his Oblivians bandmate Greg Cartwright, Jack Yarber, AKA Jack Oblivian, has a growing catalog of strong recordings as well, of which Rat City is the latest.

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      Trance To the Sun The Blue Obscurities
      1 September 2011

      Trance To the Sun – The Blue Obscurities (Below Sea Level/Projekt)

      The Blue Obscurities may contain work that the band considers ephemera, but it makes as strong a case for Trance To the Sun’s existence as any best-of ever could.

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      The Dawn Band Agents of Sentimentality
      29 August 2011

      The Dawn Band – Agents of Sentimentality (Elektrohasch)

      Germany’s Dawn Band is one of those groups who love so many iterations of music that the members couldn’t decide on a single direction, and thus head off in several at once.

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      Patti Smith Outside Society
      26 August 2011

      Patti Smith – Outside Society (Arista/Columbia/Legacy)

      One could easily, and justifiably, make the argument that it’s impossible to condense Patti Smith‘s visionary 35+ year career onto one disk.

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      Atrium Animae Dies Irae
      24 August 2011

      Atrium Animae – Dies Irae (Projekt)

      It’s strangely refreshing to hear the apocalypse transmitted with such haunting beauty.

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      The Breakers
      13 August 2011

      The Breakers – self-titled (Wicked Cool)

      Singer Toke Nisted makes the most of his resemblance to Rod the Mod, as the rest of the band channels the 60s European obsession with Motown and Stax through its rock & roll wringer.

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      Archers of Loaf Icky Mettle
      2 August 2011

      Archers of Loaf – Icky Mettle (reissue) (Merge)

      It’s hard to believe that Icky Mettle, the debut LP from indie rock heroes Archers of Loaf, is nearly 20 years old.

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      Jaksyzk, Fripp and Collins - A Scarcity of Miracles
      20 July 2011

      Jaksyzk, Fripp and Collins – A Scarcity of Miracles (Inner Knot/DGM)

      Like the work of David Sylvian, No-Man or Mark Hollis, A Scarcity of Miracles requires patience and multiple exposures to truly appreciate.

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      Sam Phillips Solid State
      15 July 2011

      Sam Phillips – Solid State: Songs From the Long Play (Littlebox)

      For what’s essentially a compilation, there’s an amazing consistency here, as if all the songs were recorded in one burst of creative urgency.

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      Latebirds Last of the Good Ol' Days
      7 July 2011

      The Latebirds – Last of the Good Ol’ Days (Second Motion)

      Last of the Good Ol’ Days, the third record from the Latebirds, is further proof that a term like “Americana” refers more to genre than country of origin.

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      Old Californio Sundrunk Angels
      25 June 2011

      Old Californio – Sundrunk Angels (Californio)

      Equally comfortable with rocking roll, folk ramble and country snap, the quintet has its style down well enough that it can concentrate on songs.

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      Wobbler Rites of Dawn
      23 June 2011

      Wobbler – Rites at Dawn (Termo)

      Wobbler pledges allegiance to the classic era of progressive rock – i.e. the 70s.

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      Centro-matic Candidate Waltz
      21 June 2011

      Centro-matic – Candidate Waltz (Undertow)

      Described by Johnson as the band’s “meat and potatoes pop record,” Candidate Waltz contains the most focused, melodic tunes of Centro-matic’s career.

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      Base3 - Darkmatter
      19 June 2011

      Base3 – Darkmatter/Live From Earth (1K)

      On Darkmatter cuts like “De:Vision” and “No Time For Silence,” the trio plays as straightforwardly as possible, placing their feet firmly in the jazz fusion sandbox and letting the melodies and propulsion carry the tunes forward as much as the improvisation.

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      Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side Magnetic Island
      17 June 2011

      Gentle Ben & His Sensitive Side – Magnetic Island

      Coming up through the Australian underground is a process that doesn’t usually allow for a softer side to survive, but Corbett does it by being sensitive but unsentimental.

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      Icons Appointment With Destiny
      15 June 2011

      The Icons – Appointment With Destiny!(Green Monkey)

      Green Monkey mastermind Tom Dyer promised to revive the Icons after releasing the band’s 80s recordings as Masters of Disaster, and sure enough, the Seattle troop is back with its sophomore effort Appointment With Destiny!

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      The Phoenix Foundation Buffalo
      13 June 2011

      The Phoenix Foundation – Buffalo (Memphis Industries)

      The sextet doesn’t break any new ground, but that’s doubtless not its intention.

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      Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud
      11 June 2011

      Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud – s/t (Projekt)

      Sounds like Sigur Ros, doesn’t it? Or maybe Explosions in the Sky? Or maybe both at once.

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      Pendragon Passion
      9 June 2011

      Pendragon – Passion (Madfish)

      Passion is pretty much state-of-the-art 21st century prog rock, with heavy guitars powering melodies that move back and forth between minor key darkness and major chord uplift.

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      Air Shine Ghost Town Directory
      7 June 2011

      Ari Shine – Ghost Town Directory (Beverly Martel)

      Regardless of stylistic permutation, though, Shine’s strong songcraft drives the tunes home with ease.

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      The Bakelite Age Flytrap
      5 June 2011

      The Bakelite Age – Flytrap (Spooky)

      Is the Australian quartet a garage band? A psychedelic act? A noisy indie band? The answer is, of course, all of the above.

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      MoTel Aviv Post Modern Nation
      3 June 2011

      MoTel Aviv – Post Modern Nation (self-released)

      On Post Modern Nation, MoTel Aviv evokes a specific era of postpunk pop music, when guitars soared over nimble, danceable rhythm sections and the vocalist sang unabashedly to the furthest seat in the hall.

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      Sungrazer
      1 June 2011

      Sungrazer – s/t (Elektrohasch)

      The Netherlands’ Sungrazer hands out sweet slabs of psychedelic heavy rock like pieces of warm chocolate – thick, almost sensual, but with enough air between the molecules to keep the sound from becoming oppressive.

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      The Church Starfish
      30 May 2011

      The Church – Starfish (Second Motion)

      It’s not unusual for an artist’s most popular record to contain a couple of classic singles and little else, but that’s not the case here.

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      Antietam Tenth Life
      28 May 2011

      Antietam – Tenth Life (Carrot Top)

      Tenth Life, its ninth LP, offers ten tracks of good old-fashioned guitar rock – crunchy, loud and tuneful.

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      The Sea and Cake The Moonlight Butterfly
      26 May 2011

      The Sea and Cake – The Moonlight Butterfly (Thrill Jockey)

      While most folks were praising the pop genius of leader Sam Prekop I always thought him inconsistent, with dangerous leanings toward the worst 70s soft rock pap.

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      Robert Johnson The Centennial Collection
      24 May 2011

      Robert Johnson – The Centennial Collection (Columbia/Legacy)

      Released to celebrate the blues pioneer’s 100th birthday, The Centennial Collection serves as one-stop shopping for newcomers to singer/guitarist Robert Johnson‘s brief but extremely important oeuvre.

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      Mia Doi Todd Cosmic Ocean Ship
      22 May 2011

      Mia Doi Todd – Cosmic Ocean Ship (City Zen)

      Funny how one generation’s soft-rock is another’s indie rock.

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      Should Like a Fire Without Sound
      20 May 2011

      Should – Like a Fire Without Sound (Words On Music)

      The sound of Should has always tended toward the delicate, but on Like a Fire Without a Sound, the popgaze duo has crafted a record so gossamer and sedate as to be almost fragile.

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      Amor de Dias Street of the Love of Days
      17 May 2011

      Amor de Dias – Street of the Love of Days (Merge)

      Almost impossibly lovely, Street of the Love of Days speaks loudly at low volume.

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      Mira The Echo Lingers On
      14 May 2011

      Mira – The Echo Lingers On (Projekt)

      Tallahassee dreampop combo Mira hasn’t existed in several years, but in, celebration of the eleventh anniversary of its debut LP, guitarist Tom Parker assembled The Echo Lingers On, a compilation of non-album cuts.

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      Sloan The Double Cross
      11 May 2011

      Sloan – The Double Cross (Yep Roc)

      With not a melody, harmony or note wasted, Sloan is at its memorable, well-crafted best on _The Double Cross.

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      Peter Case The Case Files
      8 May 2011

      Peter Case – The Case Files (Alive)

      In case you’re wondering what could possibly justify such a cheeseball album title, The Case Files is a compilation of Peter Case‘s “demos, outtakes, one live shot & other rarities” from as recent as 2009 and as far back as the mid-80s.

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      Gary Lucas The Ordeal of Civility
      5 May 2011

      Gary Lucas & Gods and Monsters – The Ordeal of Civility (Knitting Factory)

      Lucas has flirted with pop on most of the Gods and Monsters disks, of course, but this is the first album on which he’s carried a vision of succinct, catchy songs all the way through.

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      Rasputina Great American Gingerbread
      2 May 2011

      Rasputina – Great American Gingerbread (Filthy Bonnet Co.)

      Now that Rasputina has been in existence for nearly two decades, it’s obviously time to clean out the closet.

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      Alexander Tucker Dorwytch
      29 April 2011

      Alexander Tucker – Dorwytch (Thrill Jockey)

      British musician Alexander Tucker made his rep as an electronic experimentalist, but apparently the lure of the song was too strong.

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      Ted Russell Kamp Get Back To the Land
      26 April 2011

      Ted Russell Kamp – Get Back To the Land (Poetry of the Moment/Dualtone)

      One of the best bits about this music critic gig is watching gifted artists get better and better.

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      Tracksuit Where Have All the Good Tiimes Gone?
      23 April 2011

      Tracksuit – Where Have All the Good Times Gone? (self-released)

      “She’s Damaged,” “Mr Mower” and “Little Man” balance jangle and oomph with an aplomb spawned of expert craft and giddy enthusiasm.

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      David Kilgour Left By Soft
      20 April 2011

      David Kilgour and the Heavy 8s – Left By Soft (Merge)

      Recording quickly and simply, Kilgour and his band don’t mess about trying to be innovative or genre-bending – they simply get on with the business of making great guitar pop.

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      Gazpacho Missa Atropos
      17 April 2011

      Gazpacho – Missa Atropos (K Scope)

      Clearly influenced by Radiohead and Porcupine Tree and sharing space with peers Engineers, Anathema and Nosound, Gazpacho is far more interested in melody and texture than in virtuosity or complexity.

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      Tia Carrera Cosmic Priestess
      14 April 2011

      Tia Carrera – Cosmic Priestess (Small Stone)

      Power trio Tia Carrera has been serving giant fistfuls of improvised psychedelic heavy rock for long enough now to become grizzled veterans of the Austin music scene.

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      Bruce Cockburn Small Source of Comfort
      11 April 2011

      Bruce Cockburn – Small Source of Comfort (True North)

      Small Source of Comfort, his 25th studio album, hearkens back to his roots, with a variety of easy melodies set in acoustic arrangements that highlight his nimble guitar work as much as his carefully wrought lyrics.

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      Thomas Giles Pulse
      8 April 2011

      Thomas Giles - Pulse

      Apparently leading rising progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me isn’t quite enough for Tommy Rogers, AKA Thomas Giles, so he lets his muse out to play on Pulse.

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      Beady Eye Different Gear Still Speeding
      5 April 2011

      Beady Eye – Different Gear Still Speeding (Dangerbird)

      This is the sound of a band worried less about having to prove themselves as Oasis Mk. II and more about simply making a good record with cracking tunes.

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      Robbie Robertson How to Become Clairvoyant
      2 April 2011

      Robbie Robertson – How to Become Clairvoyant (429)

      Robertson keeps his sonic ambitions in check, eschewing gimmicks and letting the songs speak for themselves.

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      Richard X. Heyman Tiers and Other Stories
      30 March 2011

      Richard X. Heyman – Tiers and Other Stories (Turn-Up)

      Tiers and Other Stories, the latest opus from pop auteur Richard X. Heyman, is at once both ambitious and modest.

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      Willie Nile The Innocent Ones
      27 March 2011

      Willie Nile – The Innocent Ones (River House)

      Let’s hear it for the rock & roll true believers, the ones who pick up that guitar and step up to that microphone with the confidence that rock & roll will save your soul.

      Read more...

      Autumn's Grey Solace Eifelian
      24 March 2011

      Autumn’s Grey Solace – Eifelian (Projekt)

      Those who find ghostly wisps of shoegazing faerie dust appealing will likely find Eifelian similarly appealing.

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      If By Yes Salt On Sea Glass
      21 March 2011

      If By Yes – Salt On Sea Glass (Chimera)

      If By Yes is, in the main, a collaboration of singer Petra Haden and keyboardist/producer Yuka Honda, a project born out of nearly a decade of casual songwriting and friendship.

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      20 March 2011

      South By Southwest 2011: Saturday 3/19/11

      Tonight began with one of those wake-up calls that made me realize how disconnected I am from whatever’s making a buzzing noise in the music world.

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      19 March 2011

      South By Southwest 2011: Friday 3/18/11

      A bicycle shop isn’t the first place one might think to find a great rock & roll performance, but in a town like Austin, every building is a potential music club.

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      18 March 2011

      South By Southwest 2011: Thursday 3/17/11

      Local café the Spider House has become particularly busy with SXSW every year, hosting a ton of free shows with some great acts, including this afternoon’s Australian-heavy lineup.

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      Edwin Collins - Losing Sleep
      18 March 2011

      Edwyn Collins – Losing Sleep (Heavenly/Cooperation Music/Downtown)

      Co-authoring and performing with his friends and disciples in the Scottish pop scene, Collins knocks out gem after pop rock gem in a manner that would seem casual if you didn’t know his recent history.

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      17 March 2011

      South By Southwest 2011: Wednesday 3/16/11

      Attendance seems to be up this year, which will make show attendance more challenging, but, as usual, there’s too many good gigs happening not to try.

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      Nick Lowe Labour of Lust
      15 March 2011

      Nick Lowe – Labour of Lust (Yep Roc)

      A couple of years ago, Yep Roc did the universe a service and rescued Jesus of Cool, the trailblazing solo debut of the irrepressible Nick Lowe, from oblivion. Now the label does the same for his 1979 follow-up, the equally delightful Labour of Lust.

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      Phil Spector - Wall of Sound
      12 March 2011

      Phil Spector/Crystals/Ronettes/Darlene Love – Very Best of (Phil Spector/Legacy)

      No matter Spector’s faults as a human being (and let’s face it – there are plenty), his work as a producer and songwriter has held up extremely well, even half a century on.

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      Jakko M. Jakszyk The Bruised Romantic Glee Club
      9 March 2011

      Jakko M. Jakszyk – The Bruised Romantic Glee Club (Inner Knot)

      A double-CD set, the record spotlights Jakszyk’s compositions on one disk and a set of covers on the other.

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      Lifeguards Waving at the Astronauts
      6 March 2011

      Lifeguards – Waving at the Astronauts (Serious Business/Ernest Jenning)

      Tight and tuneful, Waving at the Astronauts is one of Pollard’s best efforts in a while.

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      Wino Adrift
      3 March 2011

      Wino – Adrift (Exile On Mainstream/E1)

      Armed with just his guitars, Wino lays himself and his vision out as nakedly as possible – no thundering rhythm section, no co-vocalist, just the man, his fingers, six strings and his exposed heart.

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      Inna Zhelannaya Cocoon
      28 February 2011

      Inna Zhelannaya feat. Trey Gunn – Cocoon (7d Media)

      Working with touch guitarist/co-producer Trey Gunn, Zhelannaya takes a batch of elderly songs – some over 1000 years old – and lays them in atmospheric, almost ambient electronic beds that often twist worldbeat clichés and rock dynamics into new shapes.

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      The Hitmen Smashface
      25 February 2011

      The Hitmen – Smashface (Green Monkey)

      Smashface mixes an eclectic batch of influences into an infectious set of songs that will alternatively have you shaking your head and singing along.

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      The Witches A Haunted Person's Guide
      22 February 2011

      The Witches – A Haunted Person’s Guide to the Witches (Alive)

      Like contemporaries The Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Witches see psych rock as contemporary art, rather than nostalgic exercise, and if Gregory is less enamored of shoegazing and the Paisley Underground than Anton Newcombe, he sees eye-to-eye on the idea that psych doesn’t have to be about peace, love and pretty flowers.

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      Earth Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1
      19 February 2011

      Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light 1 (Southern Lord)

      The Southwestern atmospheres the band has been exploring have been shifted to a sound that evokes a wide, cloudy sky at dusk rather than the desert at night.

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      Destroyer Kaputt
      16 February 2011

      Destroyer – Kaputt (Merge)

      Not that prior records didn’t feature plenty of hooks, but on Kaputt Bejar’s really indulging himself in instantly appealing melodies and lyrics a shade less dense and enigmatic.

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      Rick Rizzo & Tara Key Double Star
      13 February 2011

      Rick Rizzo & Tara Key – Double Star (Thrill Jockey)

      Double Star is the sound of two old buddies expressing a different, equally valid side of their extraordinary talents.

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      King Crimson In the Wake of Poseidon
      10 February 2011

      King Crimson – 40th anniversary reissues (Inner Knot)

      These albums tend to be dismissed offhand by a lot of fans, but some diehards cite them as their favorites.

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      The Shadow Theory Behind the Black Veil
      7 February 2011

      The Shadow Theory – Behind the Black Veil (InsideOut)

      As with most concept albums, the tale is less important than the telling, and it’s far easier to simply enjoy the band’s dynamic arrangements and dramatic melodies than to follow the plot.

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      Nova Mob The Last Days of Pompeii
      4 February 2011

      Nova Mob – The Last Days of Pompeii (Special Edition) (Cond’or/MVD)

      The storyline gets lost in the singalong choruses and headlong rush of melody that has always been Hart’s forte, but that’s hardly a flaw here

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      CloverSeeds The Opening
      1 February 2011

      CloverSeeds – The Opening (The Laser’s Edge)

      CloverSeeds use the dramatic sweep of metal anthemry to provide character for their widescreen tunes.

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      Jayhawks Tomorrow the Green Grass
      29 January 2011

      The Jayhawks – reissues (American/Legacy)

      It’s hard for me to wrap my head around it, but the *Jayhawks*’ Hollywood Town Hall is almost 20 years old.

      Read more...

      Garfields Birthday More Sense Than Money
      26 January 2011

      Garfields Birthday – More Sense Than Money (Pink Hedgehog)

      More Sense Than Money is once again the kind of excellent record that leaves one wondering why Garfields Birthday aren’t legends in the power pop underground.

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      Lunatic Soul 2
      23 January 2011

      Lunatic Soul – 2 (K Scope)

      Still rather blatantly under the sway of Porcupine Tree and Talk Talk, Duda uses keyboards, acoustic guitars and swaying grooves to create lush prog/pop tunes, with an even finer edge than on the first record.

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      Gang of Four Content
      20 January 2011

      Gang of Four – Content (Yep Roc)

      It’s been nearly 30 years since GoF’s illustrious original catalog was released, and to think or desire that the band would simply ape its old self is unfair.

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      Drive-By Truckers Go-Go Boots
      17 January 2011

      Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots (ATO)

      Go-Go Boots has been described by Drive-By Truckers leader Patterson Hood as the band’s “country/soul/murder ballad” record.

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      Giant Sand Valley of Rain
      14 January 2011

      Giant Sand – reissues (Fire)

      Thus will one of indie rock’s pioneering talents be introduced (hopefully) to a new generation.

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      Social Distortion Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes
      11 January 2011

      Social Distortion – Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (Epitaph)

      Ness is zooming down a well-traveled road, but he’s doing it full throttle, and his band is right there with him.

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      The Medicine Bow Songs From the Floor
      8 January 2011

      The Medicine Bow – Songs From the Floor (Wood Shampoo)

      Like an unholy cross between the Pogues at their most shambolic and the Dogs D’amour at their most out of control, the Medicine Bow kicks out the crusty cowpunk jams.

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      Ghost Opus Eponymous
      5 January 2011

      Ghost – Opus Eponymous (Rise Above/Metal Blade)

      For cosmic reasons unknown, there’s been resurgence in Satanic-themed hard rock bands, especially with Scandinavian origin.

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      Ion Immaculada
      2 January 2011

      Ion – Immaculada (Restricted Release)

      With a sound driven by various mandolins and bouzoukis and a small posse of lead singers on hand, Patterson eschews pretty much everything from his past to delve into string-based world music, particularly the Celtic/Middle Eastern fusion pioneered by obvious inspiration Dead Can Dance.

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      Kimberley Rew Best
      30 December 2010

      Kimberley Rew - The Best of (Kyboside)

      The Best of Kimberley Rew collects 14 cuts from those LPs, covering a nearly 30-year time span, and makes a strong case for Rew’s strengths as a power pop auteur.

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      Trey Gunn I'll Tell What I Saw
      27 December 2010

      Trey Gunn – I’ll Tell What I Saw (7d Media)

      The breadth of that career is the subject of I’ll Tell You What I Saw, a compilation of Gunn’s work over the past couple of decades that showcases not only his acclaimed solo material, but also his work with musicians from Russia, Finland, Italy and Mexico.

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      Yardbirds Little Games
      22 December 2010

      The Yardbirds – Little Games (Sundazed)

      Some tunes work better than others, naturally, but regardless of quality the cuts sound like they were recorded by a dozen different bands, instead of one band with diverse interests.

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      Tim Lee 3 Raucous Americanus
      19 December 2010

      Tim Lee 3 – Raucous Americanus (Cool Dog Sound)

      The TL3 channels its breadth of talent into 21 tracks of warm, melodic and vibrant rock & roll.

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      Demians Mute
      16 December 2010

      Demians – Mute (InsideOut)

      Nicholas Chapel, the songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who trades under the name Demians, need never seek therapy, if his band’s second album Mute is any indication.

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      Tangents - One Little Light Year
      13 December 2010

      Tangents – One Little Light Year (Angel Side Side/Restricted Release)

      Tangents unleash one of the better post- Radiohead rock albums in recent memory with its debut One Little Light Year.

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      Pure Reason Revolution Hammer & Anvil
      10 December 2010

      Pure Reason Revolution – Hammer and Anvil (Superball)

      This isn’t a dance or ambient album – the electronica forms more of a pulse behind the otherwise rocking music, giving the songs a driving groove.

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      Exit Calm
      7 December 2010

      Exit Calm – s/t (Sonic Unyon)

      The self-titled debut overfloweth with mountain-scaled melodies, pealing guitars, lung-filled vocals and song titles like “Forgiveness” and “Atone.”

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      Antibalas Who is This America?
      4 December 2010

      Antibalas – Who is This America? (Ropeadope)

      With the profile of Antibalas higher than ever thanks to the band providing the score for the award-winning musical Fela!, its former label takes the opportunity to reissue one of its seminal works.

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    2. Michael Toland’s Top 10

      Week of January 29

      Recent stuff in play

      1. David MichaelsSchulz and Peanuts (Harper 1817, 2007)

      2. Pat MastellottoRecidivate (7d Media)

      3. Cotton MatherKon Tiki (Deluxe Edition (The Star Apple Kingdom)

      4. RushRetrospective 3 (Anthem/Atlantic)

      5. Otis TaylorContraband (Telarc)

      6. Lucero1372 Overton Park (Universal Republic)

      7. The Saint James SocietyPray For Us (Tee Pee)

      8. Esperanza SpaldingRadio Music Society (Heads Up)

      9. The Lucy ShowRemembrances (Words On Music)

      10. The MagnoliasStreet Date Tuesday (TRG)

      About Michael Toland

      Michael Toland began scribbling about music in 1988 for the photocopied ‘zine FHT Music Notes. He’s since written for various print and online publications, including Pop Culture Press (for whom he was reviews editor for several years), Texas Music (of which he was a founding editor), Trouser Press, Sleazegrinder, Sonic Ruin, Amplifier, Goldmine, Austin Citysearch and the Austin American Statesman. He was also the creator and grand poobah of the music-obsessive web site High Bias (2001-2006). He lives in Austin, Texas and works for public television.