Sore Eros released a wonderfully hazy psychedelic album last year, Second Chants, perfect for these hot days that we are experiencing here in the North East, and today brings us a new track from the mind of Robert Robinson.
“Levitate” is a short sweet song with a wavering melody. The hollow strum of the guitar carries the melodic electronics, keyboard, and if I’m hearing it right…melodica all as a background for Robinson’s vocals. Sore Eros seem to be moving is a slightly lighter direction putting more emphasis on the folk aspect of their music, and it is working well for them producing delicate and beautiful songs(also see “Taal Compass” below). ”Levitate” a taste of what is to come on the new Sore Eros album that is having the finishing touches put on it right now (or maybe it’s done).
This track comes just on the heels of Sore Eros new 7″ on Blackburn Recordings, and just leaves you wanting more. Second Chants was one of those albums that is hard to get a way from, and Robinson has the ability to make music that seems both psychedelic without being abrasive or heavy, while keeping an air of sadness to his music. These new tracks are just the tip of the ice berg, and if the new album is half as good as Second Chants it will be an instant classic. Check out the previously posted “Taal Compass” from the Blackburn Recordings release:
Tomorrow, Friday May 7th, Blackburn Recordings will host a night at Cake Shop as part of the beloved New York City’s music venue’s fifth anniversary. This party will also kick off the budding relationship between Blackburn Recordings and Connecticut’s masters of hazy psychedelica Sore Eros.
This show will be the 7″ Release party for the new Sore Ero’s record on Blackburn Recordings! I was a big fan of Sore Eros’ amazing full length from last year, Second Chants, and the teaser video for the Taal Compass 7″ evokes the same emotions as the full length, and makes me very excited to hold a copy of this new piece of vinyl in my hands. Here is a sample of the B side of the 7″ that will be released tomorrow which features Gary War on synths:
Blackburn was nice enough to send over the a-side from this new single for download. ”Taal Compass,” the title track of the 7″, shares some of the same qualities as Sore Ero’s other works, but brings more of a olde timey folk side to the forefront. A perfect song for a breezy cool morning like today:
On top of Sore Eros playing Alex Bleeker and his Freaks will be headlining the show, and they also have a new 7″ out on Group Tightener Records! This record is the perfect follow up to his Underwater Peoples debut LP, and keeps with the same folky classic rock vibe that made us all fall in love with Bleeker in the first place. ”Getting By” was premiered by Chocolate Bobka a while back, and could very well be the anthem of your summer, and the b-side “Never Going Back” can be a story that is very telling for many of us in our late 20′s…I know for me it rings home particularly hard over the past couple weeks.
I can’t talk about this show and not mention one of my favorite newer bands that are opening up this show as well. Big Troubles have been tearing up my stereo for some time now, and the new 7″ (which I wrote about here) is just wonderful. I feel like every person I play this band for ends up tracking down a 7″ or at least looking for more songs to download…they just get in your head and stay there. These guys are indie rock at it’s finest, and if you haven’t heard them yet I would take this chance to download a couple tracks. First up is what started the magic for me:
Also take note: BIG TROUBLES will PERFORM LIVE on WFMU‘s TALK’s CHEAP with JASON SIGAL this coming Tuesday May 11th between 9am and noon. Tune and and listen, or check the archives!
(please note I’ve posted these before, follow the links to reviews of the songs)
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Last but not least Black Burn Recordings released a wonderful digital comp that has not only Big Troubles and Sore Eros on it, but other Great Pumpkin favorites like City Center, Lame Drivers, Sleep Over, Cloud Nothings and many more.
Big Troubles have been on constant rotation for me since I initially heard “Freudian Slips” (which I originally posted about back in November). Chocolate Bobka recently brought us a post on their new 7″ (picture of the sleeve below via Bobka) which includes the live staple “Drastic and Difficult,” which also appeared on one of the wonderful Friendship Bracelet compilations.
Drastic and Difficult also happens to be the title of Big Troubles new 7″ on Olde English Spelling Bee, which will be the precursor to their LP that will come out on the same label. The picture of the 7″ is actually a picture of the limited test press version that the band has been selling at their live shows. The 7″ will feature “Bad People” and “Bat Bomb” on the A side, and “Drastic & Difficult” and “Grey Dayz” on the B-side.
On “Drastic and Difficult” Big Troubles bring their fuzzed out 80′s influenced rock to a new plain of existence. The signature of the 4-track is omnipresent on this track from the metronome like tick of the drum machine, to the singled out guitar lines, and the fuzzed over vocals. While the 4-track is a common medium for recording (both for Big Troubles and many others) this song particularly channels the likes of who I consider 4-track gods…Guided By Voices(specifically their early years) …this influence is not only is this present in the the sound of the 4-track recording, but the guitars and even in the vocals, almost eerily so. I can’t get this track out of my head…some damn great indie rock:
“Gray Dayz” which fits into the the overall vision Big Troubles brings more of a surf vibe than the GBV of the previous track. Bringing to mind Shadowy Men from A Shadowy Planet as well as other surf greats, a bit of the shoegaze of the 90′s, and hints from some of their contemporaries like Real Estate and Pure Ecstasy. The vocals on this track bring me back to why I fell for this band in the first place mellow slightly crooning vocals. I can’t wait to hear the A side of this record if the b-side is this fucking good.
The Drastic and Difficult 7″ will eventually be available for purchase here (left over hand made editions soon, and regular edition toward the end of April).
If you want this record now…go see them live and get it from the band:
April 3rd- Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel w/ Smith Westerns
April 8th- Brooklyn, NY @ Death By Audio w/ The Library is on Fire, and Doug Gillard of GBV!
April 10th- Swarthmore, PA @ Swarthmore College w/ Liam the Younger and Sore Eros
I’m really impressed with the diversity this band has shown in the short time that their mp3s have been flying around. Big Troubles have depth and 2010 might be the year of Big Troubles. They have already release of two 7″s in the first three months, and an LP to come soon. I’m very happy for these dudes, and can’t wait to spin this new 45.
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If you haven’t already picked up the Freudian Slips 7″ from Black Burn Recordings do that here. This record was limited to 375 copies, and I’m shocked that it is still available. So good…featuring the title track that I have been obsessed with, and three other hits.
The photo of Big Troubles is from the White Lodge. If you would like to use this photo please link back to the flickr page, and credit the White Lodge. More posts featuring photos from the White Lodge can be found here.
What is Speed Dating? Well on the Great Pumpkin that is where a bunch of singles get together, and hang out, but this time it’s mp3s, 7″s, and EPs rather than people. Speed Dating is where I highlight some tracks that I have been listening to lately. Whether I like them, hate them, am intrigued by them… no matter what I think they are note worthy for one reason or another. Each post will feature one to five songs by different bands, and aim to get my thoughts out on music that I have been trying to write about, but might not have formed a strong enough opinion to write a full post on. Hence I think that Speed Dating is an appropriate heading for these posts….brief thoughts on singles from my record player and the web.
CO.is from Charleston South Carolina, and first caught my attention earlier this year when I heard “Waiting for Saints to Arrive” on Somebody Come and Play. That song again showed up on the Charleston 2009 Compilation Zine (which if you are wondering what is going on artistically in Charleston, SC right now email Kim (at) maltedmilk.org for availability of the zine…lots of good stuff on there…and some more of it will be showing up here on the Great Pumpkin). “Waiting for Saints to Arrive” is a fuzzy stoner jam that brings me back to college in a very good way. As bored college kids in the south this song feels very true to life, but then again I feel that it is an anthem for bored youth everywhere. It really captures something important about life, and the first time I heard it remember rewinding the Somebody Come podcast to listen to it five times in a row. Starting off with just an electric guitar and vocals for almost the first thirty seconds I almost didn’t expect the rest of the band to kick in, but when it does it goes from a minimalist to full blown 90′s influenced indie guitar rock. It’s a song I find myself returning to now, even months after I initially heard it.
CO. seems to be moving away from the fuzzy guitar pop in favor of more complex, almost classic rock driven, jams. They have posted five tracks from their upcoming full length, The Shepherd’s Ocean, on their myspace (and a lot more) for your listening pleasure.
Sole is one of those artists that I can credit with turning me on to hip hop, but I unfortunately haven’t been following him that closely in recent years. Bottles of Humans, Sole’s debut, is possibly my favorite hip hop album ever, but in recent years he picked up a backing band…the Skyrider Band. As expected this new track has what I remember best about Sole…his lyrics. This particular track was remixed by Tobacco of Black Moth Super Rainbow, and adds a touch that I didn’t expect to hear in a hip hop track, even with a live band…Tobacco successfully gives Sole a synthy psychedelic touch…not overwhelming, but enough to make the track unique and still let Sole shine. Either way it was enough to make me seek out the EP, and check out the new full length.
Big Troubles? The initial information about this group only pointed to good things…from Ridgewood, NJ…associated with Underwater Peoples…and now I read that they have a 7″ and an LP coming out on Olde English Spelling Bee, another 7″ on Blackburn, a split with Fluffy Lumbers scheduled for Transparent, and will also be on the Underwater Peeps Winter compilation. Musically Big Troubles has a bit of the fuzzy beachy surfiness you would expect hailing from this New Jersey crew, but unlike the rest portrays an almost authentic 80′s vibe on the track “Freudian Slips.” This track got me hooked, and so far Underwater Peeps and OESB can do no wrong…can’t wait to hear the LP…only good things can come from these guys. Keep an eye on the record labels listed above for ordering info (and from the looks of it…I’ll be writing about some of these releases in the future).
This is it for Speed Dating Vol. One, but I hope to have another edition up next week. I’m really looking forward to this new segment on the Great Pumpkin, and I feel like I will be able to cover some bands that I have been meaning to talk about for a long time. Cheers, Tom.
the white lodge is a photography collaboration between klk and myself. We specialize in analog photography using both 35mm and medium format film. Please check out our flickr.
i occasionally post mp3s and videos on this blog for the sole purpose of promoting artists that I believe deserve attention. all songs are for sampling purposes only, if you like it there will be a link to buy music from the artist (or tour dates...go see them!). if by chance I post an mp3 or video with audio that you own, and you would like me to take it down please let me know. you can reach me at:
(tom at gprecs.com)
in this instance i am very sorry.
it's a slippery slope. RT: @mattlemay: This whole "hit the 'like' button to access this content" thing on Facebook is incredibly obnoxious.about 14 hours agofrom Echofon
