On this edition of Pump Up The Jam: Ty Segall, Dion Lunadon, Peacers, Psymon Spine, Croatian Amor, Kite Base, and Ora Cogan.
Ty Segall’s latest video is for “Break a Guitar,” which in radio terms, might be called his latest album’s “focus track.” It’s a recursive, hypnotic video with a few surprising guest stars and a typically humorous Ty Segall-style ending.
Speaking of Ty Segall (and I often do), A Place To Bury Strangers’ Dion Lunadon has a new self-titled album out on June 9 from Agitated Records. If you enjoy the noisy garage rock selections from Segall’s long list of releases, you’ll probably really dig “Howl” and “Fire.” The album also boasts mixing from Chris Woodhouse, who has worked with (wait for it!) Ty Segall. “Fire” has a totally fantastic, found-footage video that reminds me a lot of the ones Jonny Redman made for Demdike Stare a few years back.
Another band that should intrigue fans of Mr. Segall is Peacers, which includes members of Sic Alps, Thee Oh Sees, and Fresh & Onlys. They have a charming new song out called “R.J.D. (Salam)” that feels a lot like early T.Rex with Donavan on vocals. It’s fairly addictive, so be forewarned.
The band’s debut album (which came out a couple of years ago from Drag City) was produced by… Ty Segall. Seriously, this column is turning into “Six Degrees of Ty Segall,” today, isn’t it? http://www.dragcity.com/products/peacers
There is something beguilingly psychedelic about Brooklyn’s Psymon Spine, and it’s not just their evocative name. “Yoana” is one of those weirdly unclassifiable tunes that fairly begs for repeat listening. (Here’s a link to the NSFW video.)
The band’s album You Are Coming To My Birthday will be released June 9 from Axis Mundi Records.
Last fall, I shared a track from Croation Amor, a band featuring Danish post-punk darling Loke Rahbek. Croatian Amor’s 12”, Finding People, is out today from Posh Isolation. You can stream it in full via FACT. It’s been described by Rahbek as “bubblegum industrial” and that’s a good description. It’s surprisingly soothing, too.
Kite Base is a new project from Ayse Hassan (Savages) and Kendra Frost. Check out three songs from the band’s full-length album Latent Whispers (out on May 26; check out the Pledgemusic site). The stark quality of the post-punk/electronica music is given added vibrancy from the vocals, which are quite reminiscent of early P.J. Harvey at times.
More powerful vocals can be found in the track “Crickets” from Ora Cogan. It’s something akin to “dark folk” and it’s truly captivating.
Cogan’s seventh LP will be out later this year.
This week’s #FlashbackFriday is from The Damned, who I saw perform this past Sunday for the first time ever. I’ve been waiting for that night since I was 14 years old and the band did not disappoint. As fans of The Damned know, the show was cut short when Captain Sensible fell off the stage and broke a rib. It was not something I ever hoped to see and was incredibly scary and upsetting. After rescheduling a few dates, the band will pick up their 40th Anniversary Tour Saturday in Asbury Park (the show is sold out).
Here is one of the many, many examples of why Captain Sensible is one of the best unsung guitar heroes of any genre in music, “Life Goes On.”
And just so you know, I haven’t forgotten my favorite vampire, Dave Vanian. Here’s a double dose of The Damned: their cover of Love’s “Alone Again, Or.”
