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Q's Compilations
Vol #146 – October to
November 2022
Hurtling towards the end of the year, I’m writing these notes the week of Thanksgiving (now finishing them the week after…) and there’s a world cup playing which is weird on multiple levels…. November has been a fruitful month for shows and there have been some excellent new releases, so let’s just dive in.
01) The Men - Hard Livin': I’ve felt a bit of a kinship with The Men since I moved to New York in January 2012; Open Your Heart came out that year and they’ve been releasing consistently good records since (and for a few years before that, even). Aptly titled new record New York City (their ninth) will come out in February and this song opens the album. This tune has a Stooges vibe to it and I’ve no doubt the album will be another success.
02) Current – Representation: Reissue kings Numero struck again by releasing Yesterday’s Tomorrow Is Not Today, compiling their entire discography. The band burnt brightly over the course of a couple of years, issuing an album and a couple of Eps, I’m very grateful for their work to find a new audience as it’s as good as any of the early 90s Dischord act that they were so clearly influenced by.
03) Thus Love – Inamorato: It shouldn’t shock anyone hearing this song for the first time to hear that this Brattleboro, Vermont trio just released their debut album on Captured Tracks, who have long been a perfect label for this brand of 80s goth. The record, Memorial, just came out at the start of October and this is one of those tracks I almost held back for the “best of 2022” mix that will come next but I couldn’t help myself.
04) Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Mr Medicine: Another record coming out in February, Newcastle sludge greats will unlease Land of Sleeper on the 17th. Unfortunately their NYC show at Saint Vitus in March clashes with one of the Unwound shows I have tickets for so hopefully they’ll be back later in the year. This lead single isn’t necessarily breaking new ground for the band but in their case that’s not a bad thing at all.
05) Milly – Illuminate: Bandcamp struck gold again with one of their “if you like X, you might like Y” suggestions with this heavy shoegaze act from LA. This song opens Eternal Ring, that came out at the end of September and gives off those Ride/Swervedriver vibes that are irresistible.
06) Gladie – Nothing: Augusta Koch’s post-Cayetana band Gladie was the last band I saw before (at the beginning of?) the pandemic in March 2020 and their new album, Don't Know What You're In Until You're Out, just came out a few days ago (the 18th of November to be exact) and I had the pleasure of seeing them in Garwood, NJ opening for Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!. The record is excellent and has a nice mix of bangers like this and a few slower numbers. “Fruit gets ripe before it gets rotten, and I keep seeking advice that I’ve already gotten”
07) Hurray for the Riff Raff - Pierced Arrows: I’ve been fortunate to see a number of shows at the beautiful King’s Theatre in Brooklyn a few minutes walk from my apartment recently, one of which was Bright Eyes where Hurray for the Riff Raff opened. Alynda Segarr’s latest record, Life on Earth, came out in February and I think this is the stand-out tune.
08) Vanishing Twin - The Lift: London quintet Vanishing Twin are led by Cathy Lucas, who I didn’t realise until just checking their wiki page to write these notes, is in Fanfarlo, who admittedly I haven’t really thought much about since their debut 2009 record, but I’m digressing here… Vanishing Twin’s Ookii Gekkou album came out in October 2021 but I only recently heard about them after they played a show here recently. The album is an excellent psych/kraut record that hits perfectly if you’re in the right mood for it, there’s something about the rhythm section that is magnetic.
09) Breanna Barbara - Diamond Light: This is the first single from (and also opens) Breanna’s second album, Nothin’ But Time, which came out on the 28th of October. It’s definitely a throwback to 60s psych-pop and the whole record is awash with that 60s west coast vibe.
10) Matt Kivel - Find Love: Singer/songwriter Matt Kivel’s latest record, bend reality ~ like a wave, came out in October and features Bonnie “Prince” Billy on three tracks, one of which is obviously this song. I tend to write these notes as I listen along and have had to play the track three times in a row having not typed anything, maybe some things can be too pleasant?
11) Broken Bells – Saturdays: I must admit I’ve never really listened to Broken Bells until their new album, Into the Blue was released on the 22nd of October. I had 3 minutes available after I’d mixed everything and then realised this song fit here perfectly.
12) White Reaper – Pages: It has been three years since White Reaper’s last record, You Deserve Love, which was one of my favourite 2019 records, but the band just announced new album Asking for a Ride that will come out at the end of January. This lead single is a pretty simple banger and gets better the more you listen.
13) M.A.G.S – Smile: I saw M.A.G.S (Marijuana and Good Sex) open for Oso Oso at Warsaw recently and they were the best kind of opening band – knowing nothing about them before they started playing to being an instant convert, the band confidently ripped through their set of early-00s influenced indie-pop, with some songs leaning into pure pop.
14) Joyer – Blistered: I’m not sure how I missed this 2020 slowcore record at the time, but I was enjoying Knifeplay’s new record (more on that later) and noticed this band were opening a show with them so found their bandcamp page and liked what I heard – this is actually how I end up hearing a lot of bands! Anyway, I ordered this album, Sun Into Flies on a bandcamp Friday. To give a slowcore caveat, this is the up-tempo song on the album.
15) Ken Mode - A Love Letter: Hankering for a metal show, I noticed Ken Mode were playing a show at Saint Vitus with Frail Body (who featured on Q#144), I hadn’t seen Ken Mode since 2013 so it seemed like a good idea to bridge that gap. The band’s new album, Null is a bit of a tour de force of sludge with this tune kicking off the record.
16) Fleshwater - The Razors Apple: This band have been described as grunge-gaze and that’s a pretty apt description for their debut album We’re Not Here to be Loved, this song is probably the most “grunge-gaze” with the record probably leaving a bit more on the grunge side overall.
17) Stuck - Do Not Reply: It has been a couple of years since Chicago act Stuck released their last album, Change Is Bad, though they did release EP in 2021. This tune came out on the 18th of October on Born Yesterday records and is hopefully a preview for an upcoming record?
18) Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Different Today: Those first three YYYs albums are still pretty dear to my heart, but I can’t remember the last time I listened to 2013’s Mosquito, so eight years later I’m still not entirely sure how excited I am by a new album, and while Cool It Down doesn’t seem likely to make a “best of” 2022 list for me, I am glad their back and I’ve enjoyed the album.
19) Elder - Endless Return: I love stoner rock and progressive rock, so Elder’s slow and masterful transformation from the former to the latter is all good with me. Their most recent album, Innate Passage, just came out on the 25th of November.
20) Knifeplay – Hearts: I mentioned Knifeplay earlier and they recently released Animal Drowning on the 19th of October. I ordered the vinyl which isn’t due to ship until August 2023… vinyl supply side issues are crazy! Anyway, it’s a nice slowcore/shoegaze, sometimes a little goth, record that I’m still digesting, but this song gave me the kind of early Red House Painters vibes that I miss.
Anyway,
I’m thankful for anyone who takes the time to listen to these mixes or reads
the notes. See you in 2023 for the best of the year round-up!
As
always, Peace and Love - Q
