New releases last four weeks: Psych/Garage Rock

Review: On Your Feet Or On Your Knees was the band's first compilation and helped them shoot to stardom. With the rise of successful greatest hits albums, the label at the time pressured the young band to bring out a collection of previously released music, with then 12 songs featured here the result of collecting three songs per prior album that the band felt were their strongest. This album features some of the most beloved live songs by the band like 'Buck's Boogie'. For those that are new to the band, this is a great introduction to the history of BOC prior to their landmark hit 'Don't Fear The Reaper' smash the following year and this reissue comes on silver & black marbled vinyl.

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Review: Clutch's cult and debut recording back in 1993 has never before been available on vinyl, but it is now thanks to Weathermaker Music who have pressed it up to a limited 180 gram sea glass blue vinyl and included a numbered and autographed insert. Transnational Speedway League is a great work from the band's Tim Sul and it comes with great artwork which has been redesigned by Dan Winters and Sult. The limited pressing is a must-own for fans that reminds of the band's very earliest sonic roots, raw riffs and guttural vocals that all make for an intense and arresting album still now all these years later.

Review: Originally released at the turn of the new millennium, America's Volume Dealer marked the sixth full-length from North Carolina sludging southern metal legends Corrosion Of Conformity, and would be the last to feature longtime drummer Reed Mullin before his return a decade later in 2010. Noted for being the band's most accessible or "radio-friendly" project due to the more polished production and increased reliance on melody, there's no denying that while the dank stoner-heft grooves of old are largely absent, the more alternative rock-leaning approach to their signature brand of metallic, southern blues, in hindsight, was a remarkable breath of fresh air within their back catalogue.

Review: A third album of wonderfully intimate, idiosyncratic songwriting from multi-instrumentalist Stephen Gilchrist - formerly the Stuffy in the much loved Stuffy & The Fuses - in his Stephen EvEns guise. The name may be singular, but from the choir of voices singing the opening tune 'A Song For Europe' to the child's voice at the end of seafaring epic 'Hello Salty Salty', this is very much a community effort and feels like it, with Stephen's core collaborators Jimi Scandal (guitar) and Crompton Whesp (drums) joined by guests like former Curve/Echobelly bassist Debbie Smith, longtime Cardiacs keyboard player William D Drake and Hurtling/My Bloody Valentine guitarist and keyboard player Jen Macro. The mood palate is on just as grand a scale as the personnel list, from the Nick Drake-style acoustic guitar/strings interplay of 'Firefly' to the beefy hip-hop backbeat of 'BBQ Head & 7 Bells', a two part track, the first half dedicated to the joys of cooking in the garden, the second about paranoia and the threat of violence. Elements of psychedelia, some gorgeous analogue synth tones, a penchant for a quirky time signature and/or arrangement all add to what's already a very tasty concoction that anyone with an ear for a tenacious earworm or two will love.

Review: Goat's World Music offers a captivating blend of Aboriginal, Nordic, psychedelia, acid Rock and tribal influences, exuding strong rock overtones driven by powerful female vocals that command attention with their intensity and strength. Throughout the album, listeners are treated to mesmerizing organ leads that add an ethereal dimension to the music, while abrasive and rash guitar work injects a raw energy into the sound. Tribal percussion rhythms further enhance the album's immersive atmosphere, transporting listeners on a sonic journey. With its diverse range of influences and eclectic instrumentation, World Music defies traditional genre boundaries, making this a listening experience that stands out.

Review: Desert funkers Khruangbin announce their latest album A La Sala, turning their efforts inward to a more personal recollection of childhood and origination, and to reach a firmer understanding of what exact influences made this troupe who they are today. In contrast to their last record Mordechai (2020), uniquely conceived as a party record from the jump of its making, A La Sala (translation: 'to the room') is the measured, self-reflective morning after; lead singles 'May Ninth' and 'A Love International' pare back the layers even further than we could imagine Khruangbin pulling otherwise, making for emotional ponderings of the external world, inextricably tied to the internal as it is.

Review: Texas-based trio Khruangbin returns with their highly anticipated album, A La Sala, blending Thai funk, psychedelic rock and world music influences. Laura Lee's funky basslines, Mark Speer's intricate guitar work, and Donald "DJ" Johnson's precise drumming define each hypnotic groove. Tracks like 'Farolim De Felgueiras' and 'A Love International' emit a laid-back aura, ideal for lazy summer days, while 'Juegos Y Nubes' adds Latin rhythms with a psychedelic twist. 'A La Sala' offers a rich journey through diverse musical landscapes, solidifying Khruangbin's mastery of genre fusion and their ability to create sonic euphoria.

Review: The eagerly awaited album A La Sala marks the return of Texas-based trio Khruangbin, seamlessly blending Thai funk, psychedelic rock, and world music influences. Laura Lee's groovy basslines, Mark Speer's intricate guitar melodies, and Donald "DJ" Johnson's precise drumming define each mesmerizing groove. Tracks like 'Farolim De Felgueiras' and 'A Love International' exude a relaxed vibe, perfect for lazy summer days, while 'Juegos Y Nubes' infuses Latin rhythms with a psychedelic twist. A La Sala takes listeners on a captivating journey through diverse musical landscapes, showcasing Khruangbin's adeptness at genre fusion and their talent for crafting sonic euphoria.

Review: Texas-based trio Khruangbin returns with their highly anticipated album, A La Sala. Blending Thai funk, psychedelic rock, and world music influences, the record mesmerizes with hypnotic grooves. Laura Lee's funky basslines, Mark Speer's intricate guitar, and Donald 'DJ' Johnson's precise drumming shine throughout. Tracks like 'Farolim De Felgueiras' and 'A Love International' exude laid-back vibes, ideal for lazy summer afternoons, while 'Juegos Y Nubes' adds a psychedelic twist to Latin rhythms. 'A La Sala' is a captivating journey through diverse musical landscapes, reaffirming Khruangbin's mastery of genre fusion and their ability to create sonic bliss.

Review: The KVB's forthcoming album Tremors, marks a significant return for the coldwave duo. Described as 'dystopian pop,' the album promises a fusion of industrial-tainted synths with post-punk percussive patterns, capturing the warped energy of their live performances. Lead single 'Labyrinths' offers a visceral experience, with sloping bass-lines and imposing production delivering unbridled aggression reminiscent of the band's early releases. The album represents a culmination of the duo's evolution, blending emotive impact and pop hooks within a uniquely shadowy atmosphere. As pioneers in atmosphere mastery. A cinematic journey through themes of loss, resistance and inevitable change, making it their most complete album to date.

Review: Indonesian groove merchants Lair are back on Guruguru Brain with their second LP, which finds them digging even deeper into themes as well as the instrumental psych sound they established themselves on. The album reflects on the land in the region of their hometown Jatiwangi, on the northern shores of Java, and the tension between love for their home and the grim portent of industrialisation. Led by the strident, meandering guitar sound as it careers through all manner of moody landscapes, it's an engrossing trip-out and a sincere expression from a community which neatly proves the international power of psych rock as a vessel for a message.

Review: Diamonds, Rhinestones and Hard Rain is the fourth album from the Stockholm institution Les Big Byrd, the band consisting of Joakim Ahlund (Caesars, Teddybears), Frans Johansson (Fireside), Christian Olsson and Nino Keller (Caesars). Having established a fearsome catalogue for themselves following their formation in 2011, the Stockholm psychonauts' most recent LP continues their notable taking back control of production duties - which began with their release Eternal Light Brigade - and here results in an expansion on their own authentic sound. The sound in question is a heady fusion of prog, alt-pysch and synthpop, glued together by a many-faced exploration of every end of this sound, from the refractive ambiences of 'Lycka Farden' to the downtempo IDM of 'Ensam...' and the post-punky slow smoulders of 'The Night Bus'.

Review: The Lovely Eggs are teasing their new album Eggsistentialism which arrives on Egg Records at the end of April with this lovely 7" release, 'Nothing/Everything'. It is the third time they have worked with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Fridmann and is another masterful mystic and psychedelic sound that shows a new sound f the band. Ban member Holly has said the singles reprint the yin and yang of life in that they capture "hope and despair, patience and frustration, birth and death, the mundane and the extraordinary." It's a great direction that has got us even more ready for the album later in the month.

Review: Clem Alford's one-shot project presents a captivating fusion of Westernized ragas, featuring Alisha Sufit's enchanting vocals and Jim Moyes's psych-leaning guitar elements. Tracks like 'Alan's Christmas Card' and 'Black Cat' showcase the unique blend of Indian instruments with Western touches, while 'La La' and 'Take Away Kesh' delve into more traditional compositions. This album serves as a fascinating historical piece, highlighting the skill of Alford and Moyes in blending Indian and Western sounds. Recommended for fans of indo-prog and world music, it captures a technical zeitgeist at the intersection of cultural influences. With its creativity and historical significance, this album earns high marks for cultural reasons as much as musically.

Review: MELTS' sophomore album Field Theory is a captivating exploration of interpersonal connections set against a backdrop of turbulent electronic psych-rock. Recorded live to tape and produced by Daniel Fox, the album delves into the intricate dynamics between individuals, drawing inspiration from the scientific concept of Field Theory. Through bulldozing motorik synth lines, layered guitars, primal percussion and Eoin Kenny's cavernous vocals, the band navigates the unseen forces that bind us together. Moving away from the macroscopic scale of their debut, Maelstrom, Field Theory delves into the intimate spaces between people, capturing the gravitational pull and light waves of human interaction. It's a hypnotic sonic journey that reminds us of the profound impact we have on each other's lives, resonating with the pulsating energy of our interconnected world.

Review: Dublin-based electro-rock four-piece MELTS are back with a stunning follow up to their knockout 2022 debut Malestrom. This is a band who know exactly how to draw the best out of their psych-leaning rock and fuzzy analogue electronics for a maximum energy rush, as perfectly demonstrated on the album's fiery opener 'Figment'. Recorded and produced with Gilla Band's Daniel Fox, the album explores themes of human interaction on a micro and macro level, and with a sound fit for massive festival stage grandstanding they're poised to bring together vast swathes of people for all manner of massive shared experiences.

Review: Message From The Country marks a pivotal moment for The Move in 1971, signaling changes on the horizon. The album showcases the band pushing their sound to its limits, incorporating intricate harmonies, lush arrangements, and Beatles-esque influences. Led by Jeff Lynne's songwriting and arranging, the record exhibits a charmingly ornate yet accessible blend of rock and pop-psych elements. Despite facing challenges as a reduced trio and shifting away from live performances, the Move delivered their most complex and cohesive album. From the post-psychedelic title track to the driving energy of 'Ella James' and the airy pop-psychedelia of 'No Time,' each song contributes to a unified and powerful listening experience. Message From The Country holds its own against the White Album with its blend of musical innovation and accessibility. While it may have been overshadowed by the emergence of Electric Light Orchestra, the album remains essential for fans of the Move, ELO, and Roy Wood alike.

Review: Though soliciting some confusion as to whether it was written in 1977 or 2023, Pleasants' latest sonic gut-jab Rocanrol In Mono is a raw and toothy nostalgic throwback. Recorded in its entirety by frontman Al Uminium on four-track cassette, this whirlwind of an album revels in the unserious and fleeting, squashing every blues lick, top-reg solo and/or drum line under flattening walls of compression that nonetheless allow for much hilarity and dynamism and finding joy in the little things in life ('Loose Change', 'Interwebs', Rubix Cube').

Review: Paul Osborne, the mastermind behind Project Gemini, delivers a majestic body of work that seamlessly blends folk rock, psych soundtracks, and hazy cinematic funk. Colours & Light exudes a growing confidence and ease, reflecting Osborne's maturation as an artist. With a more layered and diverse sound, the album shines brightly with Osborne's global influences and collaborations with other musicians. The album's theme, developed through introspective lyrics inspired by insomnia, relationships, and the human condition, is expertly woven into a mesmerizing soundscape. From acid folk to psych-funk, the album incorporates elements from various cultures and scenes, resulting in a kaleidoscopic sonic experience. Overall, Colours & Light is a testament to Project Gemini's artistic growth and ability to create a rich and immersive musical journey that resonates deeply with audiences.

Review: Famous as the nephew of the world famous sitarist Ravi Shankar, Ananda Shankar carried the torch by contributing several greats to the continuing tide of prog rock and Western electronica. One such project was Sa-Re-Ga Machan, first released in 1981, and which lent a jungle-safari theme to the already established electronic rock fusions he'd laid down on his earlier self-titled record. Seguing through rollicking, schools-out psychedelic odysseys, not to mention humid, wonderfully sublime tropical soundscapes on which we can't tell what's synthetic and what isn't, this is an worthy new reissue from Life Goes On; worth every penny.

Review: Nimbus by Sunburned Hand of the Man is a special journey into the band's enigmatic world, that is an ever-evolving experimental project. Recorded during a wintery week of sessions in Turner's Falls, MA, the album exudes a familial warmth and creative spontaneity as band members come together in a cozy setting to cook meals, reminisce, and make music. The album's sonic landscape is rich and varied, blending elements of psych-rock, spoken word, and instrumental improvisation. From the jaunty earworm Ishkabibble Magoo, featuring Phil Franklin's witty wordplay and infectious melody, to the haunting poetry-based pieces like 'Consider the Wound,' read by Peter Gizzi, the album traverses a wide emotional spectrum. Instrumental tracks like 'The Lollygagger' and 'Brainticket' showcase the band's musical dexterity, with dreamy synths, swirling guitars, and hypnotic rhythms creating immersive sonic textures. Each track feels like a sonic exploration, with layers of sound intertwining to create a captivating listening experience. Nimbus is a kaleidoscopic collage of sound and imagery that defies categorization and invites listeners to immerse themselves in Sunburned Hand of the Man's unique musical universe.

Review: Much contemporary and so-called cosmic American music lacks true cosmic essence, appearing more as imitation than innovation. Trummors' fifth album, 5, defies this norm with refreshing originality and exquisite execution. With lyrics akin to Robert Creeley's poetry and melodies that feel timeless, songs like 'Hey Babe' captivate with fatalistic beauty. Lerner and Cunningham's harmonies, complemented by skilled musicianship, create a captivating atmosphere and subtly blend genre conventions. Despite its rapid creation amidst uncertainty, 5 exudes both weight and airiness, ancient resonance and contemporary charm. Trummors' achievement in transcending tradition with confidence and immediacy is truly remarkable.

Review: Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, of Cramps fame, team up to deliver Leather Jackets and Diesel Smoke, a whopping 50-track compilation that documents their utmost personal favourite rock recordings, in the micro-veins of acid folk, rockabilly and psychobilly. We'll doff and eat our hats if both said punk legends' rising signs aren't Scorpio. With madcap performances from Donnie James with the Mighty Joe Houston Orchestra, Tall Tonio And The Mello-Dees, Chris Christian And The Chordaires, Elisabeth Waldo, Fred Katz and John Reedy and His Stone Mountain Trio among many more, this is a cavalcade of no-hit wonders, every last one of them a gem. Amounting to a contemporaneous account of the music that The Cramps heard and loved during their rise to notoriety, not to mention the lesser-known music that would've graced the halls of New York's CBGB club, of which they were favourite performers.

Review: Skep Wax's first Under The Bridge compilation, released in 2022, reunited the bands, songwriters and producers who populated cult early '90s indie label Sarah Records. This hotly anticipated follow-up repeats the trick, presenting 20 recently recorded cuts from the Bristol-based imprint's original roster of artists. It too, is a hugely successful - and understandably nostalgic - exercise, with hi9ghlights including the bright-and-breezy indie jangliness of Action Painting's 'Just Who Are The Cockleshell Heroes', the shoegaze-influenced dream pop haziness of Soundwire's 'Everything Is Real', the near Balearic soft focus shuffle of 'Double Nine' by GNAC, and the saucer-eyed excellence of The Orchids' 'A Final Love Song'.

Review: Under The Bridge was a compilation of work by artists who had, at some point or another, recorded on the cult imprint Sarah Records. It should already be on your radar. If not, we recommend digging for it. Now here's part two, a 2024 update which takes that idea much further, presenting a more expansive track list and platforming some brand new projects to boot. Timeless stuff comes thick and, quite often, pretty fast, with plenty of driving garage rock to feel propelled by. Old favourites are here, for example Even As We Speak and Secret Shine, Action Painting! and The Hit Parade. And there are also new groups, such as Michael Hiscock of The Field Mice leading an act called Gentle Spring, and a collaboration between Mark Tranmer and James Hackett, both usually of The Orchids (who also appear on here), but recording as Vetchinsky Settings. A feast, basically.

Review: This is, indeed, a compilation of mod, curator Dean Rudland's focus here is Ace Records, whose whopping catalogue provides a historic snapshot of Black American funk and southern soul. A dynamic selection of faintly jazz-intoned US soul and r&b is hauled from the net here, as delights from the likes of Richard Berry, The Merced Blue Notes, Jimmy Hughes, James Carr, Timmy Thomas and Lowell Fulsom hear them engaging in various thematic staples of the time: pining after girls, deliberating over faux pas, riffing against Hammonds, and revelling - finding joy, in fact - in the everyday blues. With a few Northern soul treats also peppered in there to contrast to the introductory southerly comforts, this is the perfect intro compilation for those seeking the best music to go with their mohair.

Review: "The album was inspired by my many happy DJ nights promoting my club night 'Club Pod' down in Brighton in the 1990s and my love of all things Sixties Freakbeat. I wanted to put as many great tracks as I could on one compilation to hopefully bring across the feeling of sheer joy from spinning these awesome tracks in a club and seeing the place go off," says Mark McQuillan, the man responsible for this expansive compendium to a driving 1960s sub genre of UK and US guitar undergrounds. The Haunted, The Birds, The Wimple Winch, The Remains, The Kinks, The Eyes, The Shadows of Knight, and The Action, all make appearances. As do other bands that don't start with 'the'. For example, Davie Allan & The Arrows, Count Five, and Spencer Matthews Band (just kidding). If you know, you know.