Wreck And Reference - No Youth (2012)

Full Length, Self-released/Independent
April 15th, 2012

Genre: Experimental/Electronic Doom/Noise/Industrial/Post-Punk
Region: USA

This is a pleasant surprise. Wreck And Reference have just released their new album No Youth as a pay-what-you-want digital download on their bandcamp. They've requested I get this up here for you guys to check out. Be kind and give them something for their extreme generosity.

Another record mastered by Colin Marston (this guy is fuckin busy), but self-released by this duo that seem to be the only group outside of possibly Bad Life that approach the great Have A Nice Life in terms of strange weighted beauty, haunting ethereality, and their ability to escape categorization with their sound.

Wreck And Reference continue to develop and hone their unique style to new interesting levels with No Youth. It still retains that despondent atmosphere. No Youth is a little more tame and symphonic at the outset compared to Black Cassette, but and at various points this is contrasted with the ever-changing vocals and with many more sections of black metal percussion as well — for instance on "Cannot", "Inverted Soul", and "Nausea", with the MPC being subtly introduced underneath, buzzing and pulsing between the craters of silence and eerie sounds. "Nausea" has some excellent soothing vocals that contrast sharply with the blasts present and is one of my favorites on this album, next to "Cannot".

Moments of doom-like heaviness do appear though among the spoken passages laced with ambiance (the opener "Spectrum", "I Am A Sieve", or "The Solstitial"). Far less often than on Black Cassette admittedly but not to the album's detriment: No Youth is still plenty heavy but the approach has shifted slightly. Many tracks like "Obsession", "Edifice of Silt", and "Stage Collapse" are heavily symphonic, thick with cold entrancing melody and gloom. Sparks of industrial noise, humming, cycling psychedelia created by the MPC are far more haunting this time around.

As mentioned the vocals can be soothing and soft or droning, then in the next track they're scratchy and blackened, only to be followed by sombre speech or shaky singing. This can all occur within a single track ("I Am A Sieve", "Cannot"). It always works in the strange spectral atmosphere they create. And again the drumming drifts through multiple genres as well, sometimes tribal or semi-jazzy, sometimes doomy or black metal but as a key component it draws a lot of attention and is consistently entrancing.

Big recommendation for those who enjoyed their last one, another trip through the eletronic-industrial doom haze. Unlike Black Cassette I'm not sleeping on No Youth. I'll updated this if there's ever news of a physical release but their is no comment on that topic yet.

DOWNLOAD (Bandcamp)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Whirr - Pipe Dreams (2012)

Full Length, Tee Pee Reecords
March 13, 2012

Genre: Shoegaze/Dream Pop
Region: USA

I loved their Distressor EP a fuckload, and their June EP was just as nice. This is their long awaited first album.

It's true that after bands like Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Lush, Cocteau Twins, etc. created and perfected the shoegaze/dream pop sound that one could argue there wasn't many ways to elevate the sound — unless you took it into directions that Have A Nice Life, Sweet Trip, Alcest, Crooked Necks, The Twilight Sad and The Angelic Process have taken it, and then it's hardly even the same genre. Still bands like Ringo Deathstarr, Asobi Seksu and Whirr show that the genre can birth some beautiful groups and sounds.

Whirr (formerly Whirl) have perfected their sound well with Pipe Dreams. The album is just over 30 minutes of floating ethereal chords with an angelic vocal performance from Byanca (occasionally harmonized with the guitarist Loren), lush synths that drift in and out, and hypnotizing, vibrant drumming all coming together to create a hazy, dreamy, warm ocean of noisey shoegaze. The vocals are definitely my favorite aspect here as they couple with breathing, effect drenched instruments to mold some beautiful textures.

At times it is a sedated and soft experience, either sad or euphoric while in other tracks it's upbeat, noisy and twangy, more pop oriented and catchy. It's always loud. There is no particularly jarring moments though as the album seems to effortlessly flow together and the songs are edited down (nice and short) so as to leave one feeling pleased; there is no wear from Pipe Dreams.

In the end I love this record. It definitely improves on their first EP which was already stellar. I really recommend picking this one up. Tee Pee Records has the album for order go over there and grab a copy if you like what you hear. You can also follow them on tumblr or listen to previous albums on bandcamp.

DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare)

Crooked Necks - Alright Is Exactly What It Isn't (2011)

Full Length, Handmade Birds Records
October 1st, 2011

Genre: Shoegaze/Post-Punk
Region: USA

Someone a month back requested that if I could get my hands on this record to post it up, so here it is.

I've seen Crooked Necks labeled black metal. To be honest I've had no exposure to this act previous to Alright Is Exactly What It Isn't, but if my ears are still working I'd say they're far more on the shoegaze (or even post-rock) side of things than black metal. The vocals (when not clean and drenched in reverb) are definitely ugly and strangled so in that respect the comparison is accurate but in every other respect they're definitely shoegaze or some variation of post-punk. Perhaps when they were known as Frail the black metal influence was far more prevalent. They have released a much lauded split with the enigmatic experimenters Circle of Ouroborus so there's obviously a connection to the genre. I'm just ignorant I suppose.

Alright Is Exactly What It Isn't is this three piece's first full length album in any of their incarnations and it is certainly a bright, glistening and delicate example of heartfelt longing in aural form. All of the songs here are soft, frail and shine brilliantly as they peak and dip, only contrasted with the strained and ghostly creaking voices. Throughout the album the solid bass lines flow and groove beneath the siren-like vocals and riffs — it creates both a tragic and euphoric feeling.

While each song has a similar feel they approach it differently. This Place Is Violent leads with clean vocals that creep up on you while melodic tones ebb softly when everything gets louder and the shrieks emerge; this pattern repeats to great effect. Streets With Teeth has a similar vibe including more strong tremolo sections but they don't last long. Some tracks definitely give off a My Bloody Valentine feel for a moment before settling into something more their own, as can be heard in Hearts and Colors.

Every Step Seems Backwards begins with an almost southern/western feel when it suddenly turns dreamy with echoing murmurs, quiet bright notes, and barely-there drums. The blackened vocals emerge for a time here and there, and in the final third of the track noise swirls in the background as the fragile notes build; it becomes strangely nostalgic and eerie. Songs like this, Taste The Sounds and Lead Clouds conjure up fond memories the long lost summers of youth for me.

A purists nightmare one might say. Alright Is Exactly What It Isn't is another beautiful record that I missed in 2011, as I'm sure many others did as well. It's a shame they're not more well known. There's only 250 copies of this album in print and the 100 purple copies are long gone so get on top of this release — go to Handmade Birds.

DOWNLOAD (Zippyshare) (correct track list 23/03/2012)

The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know (2012)

Full Length, Fatcat Records
February 7th, 2012

Genre: Shoegaze/Indie Rock/Post-Punk
Region: Scotland

Ah... the new The Twilight Sad record has arrived, and with some slight shifts in sound compared to previous releases too. There's far more synth/post-punkish or new wavy influence this time around while the guitars slide back a little more but this does not bring the album down at all to me. Their style has slowly been shifting with each record and it's never fucked up their gloomy atmosphere or ability to write quality tunes.

Once again James' vocals pull you in with that hypnotic, heavy accent and excellent cadence while the lyrics still encompass strange innocence, familial struggles and not-knowing with relatability despite their quirky nature and structure. As mentioned the synths are pushed to the front, shining and creeping over all the tracks without becoming tiresome and really bring a 80's sort of vibe into their noisey, shoegazey sound — it sets this album apart from the rest of their catalogue without a doubt. Guitar is still laced in feedback and reverb hazing the background up with a thick bass lead in front of it and steady, strong drumming acting perfectly to draw everything together with some great beats. No One Can Ever Know is momentarily upbeat at points but this always collapses into a melancholic tone with a spectral touch.

Clearly another win for The Twilight Sad. I really like the change in direction they've taken with this one. A depressive, mysterious, ghostly journey soak up. Pick this up in whatever form you please over at Fatcat Records if you enjoy it, I'll be picking up my copy when they pass through Toronto at the end of this month.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Bad Life - The Day You Die (2011)

Full Length, Music Ruins Lives
October 11th, 2011

Genre: Experimental/Post-Punk/Shoegaze
Region: USA

More weird and gloomy DIY hipster experimental shit that I was made aware of recently. From Music Ruins Lives:

"Every day blurs the same. The lines under your eyes are a map of your mistakes. The day you die, nothing changes. Bad Life is a procession of every half-heard sound that ever seeped through heat-cracked walls distorted. The Day You Die is eleven death rattles as rallying cries, grinding against the walls of this world."

Less bizarre and experimental than Wreck And Reference but still falling within that sound for the most part, Bad Life bring elements of doom, post-punk, shoegaze and pop together to create some strange but accessible experimental tunes. The vocals at times remind me of The Cure or The Killers with a clean, shaky, gloomy droning tone and this is put alongside the mix of sparkling synths, midi elements, sometimes shoegaze/sometimes doomy riffs bringing the depressive feeling even further into focus.

It's a distinctive sound and can be a little jarring at first but as is the case with this genre-splitting style as you continue listening it becomes less grating and more hypnotizing, with most songs not sounding to similar to each other. It's dark, warped and quirky but at the same time deceptively easy to grasp. A weird mix that works surprisingly well without becoming tired.

Definitely a sleeper of 2011. Highly recommended for fans of Wreck And Reference, Have A Nice Life, Swans, Hateful Abandon, etc. The final track of the album is not available online so you should pick up the cd from Music Ruins Lives. You can however hear the rest of the album on the label's bandcamp, and the rest of their material on Bad Life's bandcamp. Follow them over here.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters (2007)

Full Length, Fat Cat
April 3rd, 2007

Genre: Shoegaze/Indie
Region: Scotland

This might not go over well with everyone here (though we seem to have a pretty well rounded following) but fuck it. The Twilight Sad are excellent, they have a new album coming out soon and I'm seeing them live at the end of February.

Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters is a very warm and full album overall with a sad atmosphere draped over the majority of tracks. Dreamy and some what depressive. Not exactly full-on shoegaze or noise rock/indie rock but the elements are certainly there.

I love the thick Scottish accent from the vocalist and the vast amounts of reverb and noise behind him from the guitars which are very bright, whining and twinkling over the thick bass lines and the strong drumming which is supporting everything proudly. The lyrics are excellent if you can pick them up through that accent. I find myself repeating them in an admittedly awful version of his accent but it's very addictive and comforting, especially the cadence he uses. Subtle use of keyboard and accordion at points adds greatly to the unique feel of the record without being forced or cheesy.

Definitely my favorite of their releases. You can pick this up at Fat Cat's webstore in cd and vinyl form, and I highly recommend you do so. Follow them on their site.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Enemies List Home Recordings - Santa Is Real (2012)

Full Length, Enemies List Home Recordings
January 7th, 2012

Genre: Industrial/Shoegaze/Post-Punk/Pop/Electronic/Noise
Region: USA

"For the first time ever, the misanthropes and bedroom weirdos of ENEMIES LIST HOME RECORDINGS have banded together to celebrate the disappearance of the sun from the skies of New England with a completely free digital release featuring disturbing and turgid meditations on holiday gloom." - Enemies List Home Recordings

I was waiting for this. The only Christmas album worthy of spreading around.

The strange dudes over at Enemies List Home Recordings have composed 9 tracks for this album, 4 covers and 5 originals that read as follows:

1. Guggenheim Wax Museum – HAVE A NICE LIFE
2. Marches – Sleep In
3. The Icon and The Axe (HAVE A NICE LIFE Cover) – Giles Corey
4. Basic – HAVE A NICE LIFE
5. Way Down In The Hole (Tom Waits Cover) – The Flowers of Saint Francis
6. TALK AGAIN – Sleep In
7. A World Well Lost – America Addio
8. All Teeth (Afterlives Cover) – HAVE A NICE LIFE
9. Just Like Christmas (Low Cover) – Giles Corey

Yeah that's right: among the greatness there's 2 new Have A Nice Life tracks plus a Afterlives cover, a Have A Nice Life cover and Low cover by Giles Corey, and a Tom Waits cover by Tim's noise project The Flowers of Saint Francis. Those two Giles Corey covers man — wow. New Have A Nice Life is excellent and a perfect gift for the holidays, and everything else is just a tasty bonus for any ELHR fan.

They put this up for free and only ask in return that if you can, donate to the Enough Project. Enjoy and support ELHR however you can.

DOWNLOAD (Direct via ELHR)

Wreck And Reference - Black Cassette (2011)

EP, Flenser Records / Music Ruins Lives
February 25, 2011

Genre: Experimental/Electronic Doom/Noise/Industrial/Post-Punk
Region: USA

Here's one of those 2011 releases that I didn't listen to soon enough but had heard of vaguely throughout the year.

Wreck and Reference are a hard one to place and describe. The Flenser describes them as "pure misanthropic electronic doom". They're clearly influenced by the likes of Big Black and Swans to some degree, and I would even compare them to Have A Nice Life and The Angelic Process in some sense. Lo-fi, noisy, DIY basement/bedroom industrial doomgaze pop? Sounds idiotic and contrived but Black Cassette is definitely a unique and challenging record which really can't be boxed in by genres. One of those love or hate releases.

Vocals are what I noticed right away, clean and a little off key with that Dan Barrett style of singing from your heart, and there are very short sections where he reaches a yell you might hear in hardcore or screamo. Lyrics are focused on the "darker components of existentialist philosophy including the non-existence of god and fated death."  From what I can glean from other sources the only other elements used outside of vocals are live drums and an MPC which other than samples takes the place of a guitar and bass, and to be honest until I read up on it I almost couldn't tell it wasn't a guitar/bass. It's used exceedingly well throughout the record to conjure a bleary, despair-filled atmosphere. Drums range from slow and sludgy to jazzy to a hardcore/black metal pace, doing a great job of throwing you off before laying a nice foundation to the gloom.

There are some interesting sounds to be heard here and a big dose of atmosphere to be enveloped in. Black Cassette has very ethereal and melodic moments interlaced with the heavier machine-like trudging. "Surrendering" starts off quiet with what you would swear was a bass with creaking samples behind it, eventually squirming into a dense and noisey haze with a wicked warped synth section. Melodic, intense and depressive.

"In Chains, Awakening" throws you for a loop with a fast drum section that moves into a satisfying bassy, distorted groove that grows, getting louder and louder as the drums pound and the vocals dive below the noise. "Evening Redness" starts of twangy and sludgy with pained yells and ends with a bouncy coda heavily affected by the volume nob and some ace drumming. Halfway through "Desire, Ether" a huge switch to a psychedelic and very heavy industrial doom sound is made, very gloomy and dark. All the way through its strange knowing what you hear is not a guitar though some moments do jar you just enough to question it.

I think Wreck And Reference show great promise and have laid down something strange and bold here. This definitely isn't for everyone but I certainly suggest giving it a try. It's grown on me immensely. Those who like Have A Nice Life, Swans, Big Black, Mamaleek, etc. should take a chance on Black Cassette. You can get a copy on vinyl over at The Flenser and you can download it for free on bandcamp.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Megaupload)

Various - Have a Nice Life Covers (2011)

Full Length, Unknown/Unofficial
September, 2011































Genre: Shoegaze/Post-Punk/Experimental/Pop
Region: Various

This interesting compilation album has been in the works under the radar for a little while and I've only heard pieces of it until now. Originally compiled here, nine tracks consisting of covers and variations on Have a Nice Life's 2008 album "Deathconsciousness", a few from EPs, etc. done by Sun Devoured Earth, Airs, Seth Belier, Aceta, Wahlheim and Mackenzie. Some great interpretations of heavy tracks from a brilliant album.

1. Trespassers W, covered by Sun Devoured Earth

2. Woe Unto Us, covered by Airs

3. I Don’t Love, covered by Seth Beiler

4. Earthmover, covered by Aceta

5. Deep, Deep, covered by Wahlheim

6. Bloodhail, covered by Sun Devoured Earth

7. There Is No Food, covered by Sun Devoured Earth

8. Variations on the Theme from Top Gun, covered by Airs

9. I Don’t Love, covered by Mackenzie

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)
DOWNLOAD (Megaupload)
DOWNLOAD (Direct from Leontopithecus)

Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip (2011)

Full Length, Club AC30
February 14th, 2011



Genre: Shoegaze/Dream Pop
Region: USA

Some are calling it a Lovless ripoff, others are enjoying it to the fullest. There's no denying where the influence comes from (My Bloody Valentine/The Jesus and Mary Chain) but if you enjoy some fuzzy, warm, noisy dream pop in that vein I see no reason why you shouldn't give this a listen.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head [2009/VBR]

Shoegaze infused with Noise Rock. Really great album, reminiscent of Veil Veil Vanish at times but with a mix of punk to its sound that really lends itself well to the shoegaze elements. Had this on my computer for a long time but it has taken me forever to finally listen to it, until now, and I'm really digging it. Will update this with a 320 link soon-ish.

Artist: A Place to Bury Strangers

Album: Exploding Head

Release Year: 2009

Genre: Noise Rock/Shoegaze

1. It is Nothing

2. In Your Heart

3. Lost Feeling

4. Deadbeat

5. Keep Slipping Away

6. Ego Death

7. Smile When You Smile

8. Everything Always Goes Wrong

9. Exploding Head

10. I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow of Your Heart

Download VBR (Megaupload)

True Widow - As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth (2011)

Full Length, Kemado Records
March 29, 2011



Genre: Shoegaze/Doom Metal
Region: USA

A mighty slow and droning album from True Widow. Described as "stonegaze" by one of the members which, upon listening, is a very accurate tag. Mixing shoegaze elements like reverb-drenched clean vocals alongside lumbering doomy/stoner bass lines and dream-like guitar melodies which have a slight country/western tint to them over steady drumming, True Widow have made another soothing, dense record.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Giles Corey - Giles Corey (2011)

Full Length, Enemies List Home Recordings
April 30th, 2011



Genre: Acoustic/Folk/Shoegaze
Region: USA

Intensely personal and depressive as fuck. The first full length of Dan Barrett's (half of Have a Nice Life) solo project. If you like it get on ordering a copy here.

DOWNLOAD (Megaupload)
DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

Veil Veil Vanish - Change in the Neon Light [2010/256]

Where was the attention to this album when it came out? I didn't even hear about it until I started browsing for some new shoegaze bands to listen to. My search was soon diverted once I stumbled upon this beautiful piece of musicianship. There are elements of shoegaze and post-punk in it, but it's mainly an indie rock/pop effort. Sometimes the album feels a bit too convoluted, and at other times a bit too generic, but those moments are few and far between. This is definitely an album not to miss out on.

Artist: Veil Veil Vanish

Album: Change in the Neon Light

Release Year: 2010

Genre: Indie Rock/Pop

1. Change in the Neon Light

2. Anthem for a Doomed Youth

3. Exile City

4. Modern Lust

5. Pharmaceutical Party Platform

6. Secondhand Daylight

7. This is Violet

8. Detachment

9. Wilderness

Download 256 (Megaupload)

Asobi Seksu - Fluorescence (2011)

Genre: Shoegaze/Dream Pop whatever

256 kbps

New album from well known band, Asobi Seksu. I haven't given this a full listen just quite yet but here it is.

DOWNLOAD (Megaupload)

Have a Nice Life - Time of Land EP (2010)

EP, Enemies List
March 5th, 2010



Genre: Shoegaze/Drone
Region: USA

New EP "Time of Land" with four tracks, sold at the first HANL show in New York. Free download at Enimies List here.

DOWNLOAD (Mediafire)

The World Comes To An End In The End Of A Journey (6-Way Split)

Since most splits are two bands of similar genres, but rarely the same, I'll spare the genre names and just say, if you like Depressive Black Metal or Shoegaze, you owe it to yourself to listen to this split.

Ethereal Beauty
1. The Sun Shines Tomorrow
2. There's A Grey Cloud Above Us
Shyy
3. The White Sheet Faces The Dark
4. As I Fly
Heretoir
5. Trummerwelten
6. Herbstwind
Soliness
7. Longing For...
8. Skygaze
Dernier Martyr
9. Follow The River, Towards The Sea...
10. 937 KM
11. Tortured By Time
Dopamine
12. Melting

Download (Mediafire)

Have A Nice Life - Deathconsciousness (2008)

Full Length, Enemies List Home Recordings
2008



Holy fucking shit, 40000!!! Shoegaze for the hipster in us all.

CD-1: The Plow That Broke The Plains
1. A Quick One Before The Eternal Worm Devours Connecticut
2. Bloodhail
3. The Big Gloom
4. Hunter
5. Telefony
6. Who Would Leave Their Son Out In The Sun
7. There Is No Food

CD-2: The Future
1. Waiting For Black Metal Records To Come In The Mail
2. Holy Fucking Shit: 40,000!
3. The Future
4. Deep, Deep
5. I Don't Love
6. Earthmover

Download (Mediafire, CD-1)
Download (Mediafire, CD-2)

Asobi Seksu - Citrus

Shoegaze

1	Everything Is On		0:17
2	Strawberries		3:57
3	New Years		3:01
4	Thursday		4:17
5	Strings		5:28
6	Pink Cloud Tracing Paper		3:27
7	Red Sea		7:45
8	Goodbye		3:44
9	Lions and Tigers		4:09
10	Nefi and Girly		4:38
11	Exotic Animal Paradise		4:07
12	Mizu Asobi		2:40

DOWNLOAD(megaupload)

Makes me happy. =]

The Angelic Process - Weighing Souls With Sand

Doom Metal

1	The Promise of Snakes		9:32
2	Million Year Summer		3:52
3	The Resonance of Goodbye		5:14
4	We All Die Laughing		6:05
5	Dying in A-Minor		8:19
6	Weighing Souls With Sand		5:19
7	Mouvement - World Deafening Eclipse		1:59
8	Burning in the Undertow of God		6:46
9	Mouvement - The Smoke of Her Burning		4:16
10	[silence]		0:04
11	[silence]		0:04
12	[silence]		0:04
13	[silence]		0:04
14	[silence]		0:04
15	[silence]		0:04
16	[silence]		0:04
17	How to Build a Time Machine		5:44

DOWNLOAD(megaupload)