POW! One Eyed Scorpion (Grazer)
This EP is deliciously retro and yet still very much of the current SF musical moment, catchy garage rock-slash-pop-slash-punk with some excellent synth action to boot. It's no coincidence either that their recent debut full-length (that saw heavy rotation on KALX) was released on John Dwyer's Castle Face label. Dig that awesome cover art by Gina Clyne, and listen to the title track here.
Mental Terror Impossible Mission (Rock Is Hell)
I can't rightly tell you how many songs are on this slab of one-sided transparent green vinyl (the B-side is devoted to a screenprint of flying skeleton-demons) because all of the tracks blend together into nigh-indistinguishable slices of awesomely damaged weirdness. In fact I let the whole 6-minute side play from end to end on my show last Sunday just to give the full effect. Highly recommended if you like Shit and Shine or anything else on the Rock Is Hell label.
Burnt Ones / The Mallard split (Mt. St. Mtn.)
Two of my favorite local garage rock/fuzz pop bands that taste great together. The Mallard is very sadly now defunct, but recapture some of the magic on their splattered-pink-vinyl side. Meanwhile you can listen to the still-going-strong Burnt One's new track here. Double-sided cover art is by Jay Howell (you may know him from Bob's Burgers), and the sleeve also has a very sexy debossed overprint going on.
Agalloch w/ Nathanaël Larochette Alpha Serpentis (Anthem Records)
Agalloch normally operates in the realm of thoughtful black metal, but here they team up with Nathanaël Larochette of Musk Ox (who also collaborated with them on their recent album The Serpent & The Sphere) for a single short side of gorgeous instrumental acoustic folk. Pressed on transparent vinyl too, the better to show off that astral ouroboros artwork on the sleeve interior.
Circle Kumiluoti (Full Contact / Ektro)
Finnish band Circle made their reputation by trafficking in a sound that can best be described as "hypno-rock", but they are also never afraid of mixing things up and on this 7" land firmly in punk territory. Death to Society, Corpse of Capitalist Machinery punk, to be precise, all intense and in-your-face and totally awesome. And the lyrics are printed on the back of the sleeve if you'd like to practice your Finnish.
A Place To Bury Strangers / Ceremony split (LAMC #1) Famous Class
I've already plugged a number of these awesome LAMC split 7-inches, but this is the one that started it all oh so many years ago in 2012. A Place To Bury Strangers bring the skitter and the drum machines on the A-side, toning down their trademark wall-of-noise approach just ever so slightly. They selected Ceremony for the B-side, who deliver a psychedelic swirl of delicious shoegaze dirginess. Check it.
Residual Echoes Secret Museum of Kind Men Vol. 3 (Casual Acid Tea)
The Secret Museum of Mankind compilations of ethnographic recordings are invaluable documents, capturing as they do rare sounds from around the world, and I love that Casual Acid Tea has been releasing this series of 7-inches with bands covering select tracks from the comps. Residual Echoes here take on a song each from India and Tajikstan with wonderful and psychedelic results. Previous installations of the series have Ramble Tamble visiting Epirus and Tunisia, and Gongtrain having a wander through Greece and Japan. Collect 'em all.
The Soft Moon Feel (self-released)
Local musician Luis Vasquez is one of my all-time fave Captured Tracks artists (oh, that show he did years ago at the much-missed 21 Grand!), and these self-released songs are up to his customary awesome gloom pop standards. He will make you want to dance even as he chills you to the bone. Minimal wave at its finest.
Mr. Peter Hayden We Fly High (Doognad / Ramekuukkeli / Mikrofoni)
Mr. Peter Hayden is not one distinct individual but instead a five-piece psych/drone outfit from Finland (in case you hadn't already guessed their country of origin from the label names above). I loved their recent Born A Trip record that consisted of a single song spread out over an entire album, and they go long-form again here, splitting a 13+-minute track between the two sides. Put it on and prepare to trance out.
Whitby Bay Unextinguishable Candle / Black Cape (self-released)
Looking at that cover art you wouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that this is black metal, but when you find out the UK trio worked with Weasel Walter of the Flying Luttenbachers to record this noise-infused gem it all starts to make sense. According to the band the A-side is "the battle cry of the crazed Dane warriors as they pierced the eyes and cut the tongues from the throats of Whitby Abby monks." So there you go, you get some history with your metal too.