Hell's Belles

New Psych Freakout Roundup

TT — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 11:41:03 +0000

This morning’s Soundcloud trawl has turned up a few beauties:

Fat Cat is no stranger to the scuzz, having given us the Awesome-Squared Odonis Odonis at the end of last year. The parade of excellence continues with Milk Maid. From their album ‘Mostly No’, out on July 9th.

I admit to being somewhat skeptical of Broken Hands when I turned up to see them at an A&R-packed show at the Bull and Gate several months ago. Being on the young side, they literally wore their influences (Britpop) on their sleeves (and haircuts). My internal chants of “pleasedon’tbelikeBrother pleasedon’tbelikeBrother pleasedon’tbelikeBrother” were cut violently short at the first chord. Dudes can play. I expected (feared) a dirtier Oasis or Libertines, and got a psychedelic cocktail of Tame Impala and The Stooges. If You Need To Lie is their second single, independently released on 7″ vinyl and download on May 28th.

Pepe Deluxe have been motoring for years, but they still manage to stay on the right side of kitsch. Go Supersonic is a fizzy J-pop-esque gem.

Stepping away from the 60s for a moment, I’ve pilfered this one from The Quietus’s Soundcloud feed – Gazelle Twin’s Changelings is given a dreamy electro-noire treatment by John Foxx and the Maths.

Snake and Jet’s Amazing Bullit Band – Black Egg

TT — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:10:00 +0000

SEX HANDS – ICHIBAN

TT — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:48:19 +0000

A nice little bit of lo-fi pop sludge that probably owes Lou Barlow a pint or two. You can line their pockets with beer money buy purchasing their split 7″ from Manchester-based “micro-label” Iceapades. Or you can get it on Bandcamp:

Gigs:

Sunday 29th April @ Common, Edge Street, MANCHESTER – w/ Brown Brogues & Former Bullies SINGLE LAUNCH
Saturday 5th May @ The Black Cap, Camden Crawl, LONDON – Moshi Moshi stage
Sunday 6th May @ Rover Return, Sounds From the Other City, SALFORD
Sunday 27th May @ Trof Fallowfield, MANCHESTER – w/ Beta Blocker & the Body Clock, King of Cats & No Womb

TODAY: Y Niwl, The Nuns, Sparrow and the Workshop

TT — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:57:46 +0000

Welsh surf, all-woman Monks tribute, and free BBQ. It’s stupid not to, really.

Brixton Windmill from 4pm today.

Termites psych freakout

TT — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:42 +0000

Nearly a decade between the first single and the album, but this taster suggests it might well have been worth the wait:

Mark Stewart – Fireside Chat

TT — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:56:16 +0000

Red Bull Music Academy Radio have an excellent archive of online radio shows. Being the obsessive music historian type, my favourite is Fireside Chat. It’s an hour long show with a single legendary artist talking his (or her) way through their career highlights. It’s very handy for swotting up on those artists that your favourite bands worship, but you just haven’t yet got round to listening to. It’s like a musical version of Cliff’s Notes. Mark Stewart did one recently, and it’s well worth a listen:

Goodnight, Davy Jones.

TT — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:52:34 +0000

My obsession with the 60s started here, with this song:

My second ever “real” concert (i.e., my parents let me go without them) was the Monkees, minus Mike Nesmith of course, because this was the late 80s and it was Monkee Mania 2, and he’d politely declined the reunion tour. I even did a school project on the Monkees in what would have been the 6th grade (I went to a Montessori school, we didn’t have grades. And they let me do history projects about the Monkees). It was an illustrated history, with a timeline that stretched from the auditions (complete with pic of Stephen Stills, who didn’t make the cut), to Monkee-Mania, to Head (I saw it in the cinema, 2nd time around), and finally to Monkee Mania 2. It ran from my classroom all through the hall, round the corner, and practially into the stairwell.

Peter Tork:

”It is with great sadness that I reflect on the sudden passing of my long-time friend and fellow-adventurer, David Jones. His talent will be much missed; his gifts will be with us always. My deepest sympathy to Jessica and the rest of his family. Adios, to the Manchester Cowboy.

Peace and love, Peter T.”

Micky Dolenz:

“I am in a state of shock; Davy and I grew up together and shared in the unique success of what became The Monkees phenomena. The time we worked together and had together is something I’ll never forget. He was the brother I never had and this leaves a gigantic hole in my heart. The memories have and will last a lifetime. My condolences go out to his family.”

Mike Nesmith:

All the lovely people. Where do they all come from?

So many lovely and heartfelt messages of condolence and sympathy, I don’t know what to say, except my sincere thank you to all. I share and appreciate your feelings.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.

While it is jarring, and sometimes seems unjust, or strange, this transition we call dying and death is a constant in the mortal experience that we know almost nothing about. I am of the mind that it is a transition and I carry with me a certainty of the continuity of existence. While I don’t exactly know what happens in these times, there is an ongoing sense of life that reaches in my mind out far beyond the near horizons of mortality and into the reaches of infinity.

That David has stepped beyond my view causes me the sadness that it does many of you. I will miss him, but I won’t abandon him to mortality. I will think of him as existing within the animating life that insures existence. I will think of him and his family with that gentle regard in spite of all the contrary appearances on the mortal plane.

David’s spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us.

I have fond memories. I wish him safe travels.

MP3: The Monkees – Porpoise Song (Theme From Head)

Remembering Michael Davis

TT — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:22:27 +0000

Andy Barding over at Louder Than War has written a thoughtful tribute to the MC5′s Michael Davis, who passed away this past weekend.

Andy co-ordinated the research for the feature-length documentary MC5: A True Testimonial. It’s well worth a read.

Jack White Announces Solo Record. Internet explodes.

TT — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:16:05 +0000

Lovely bit of news to wake up to: Jack White is doing a solo album. The first track, Love Interruption, is to be released as a 7″ vinyl through Third Man on February 7th. The album, Blunderbuss, is due on April 23rd, via Third Man / XL. Bring on the wave of ebullient bloggers.

The extremely nerdy amongst you will notice that the 7″ is via Third Man only, so that might convince you to click the pre-order link on Jack White’s website now. I did, and I discovered that for a mere $53.90, I could have this in my hands and onto ebay pretty much instantly.

(NO, I WOULD NOT DO THAT. I did actually order it though.)

What’s more interesting is that this is off his own steam – while I rate all of the Dead Weather members highly on their own, I thought the album kind of just sounded like a jam band with really amazing tone.

Anyway. Below is a little video thing for Love Interruption. Enjoy.

Crunchy Frog takes Crunchy Club Londonwards

TT — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:52:09 +0000

Danish purveyors of garage rock goodness Crunchy Frog (they who brought us Jon Spencer‘s Heavy Trash and The Raveonettes) are bringing their fuzztastic trash palace to London for three wondrous Thursdays at The Wheelbarrow in Camden from February 23rd. Joing the mayhem will be PowerSolo, who have already graced this site’s pages, Snake and Jets Amazing Bullit Band, Thee Attacks, Lars and the Hands of Light, and more to be announced.

I’m also extremely honoured to have been asked to join the ranks of the Crunchy Frog DJs for the first show with Thee Attacks and Lars and the Hands of Light on February 23rd. Expect even more fuzz, filth and tittyshakers between the bands and beyond.

The shows look a little something like this:

23 Feb Thee Attacks + Lars and the Hands of Light (facebook event)
08 Mar Snake and Jets Amazing Bullit Band + support TBC
04 Apr Powersolo + support TBC

Thee Attacks’ debut album, That’s Mister Attack To You (produced by Liam Watson of Toe Rag studios, and the White Stripes’ Elephant) is a slice of Scandi fuzz par excellance. Sample one of its delights here:

Thee Attacks – Love in Disguise by hells-belles