For those of you who feel a little bit lost by the recent artistic experimentations by the excellent Richard Swift, please take the time to download his newest release, a free EP entitled Grownd Trouble Jaw. The five songs on there find Swift both expanding on the sounds found on recent works and going back to his more traditional songwriting. In fact, I want to say that "Lady Luck" and "The Bully" are expanded versions of songs on his latest two-EP garage-rock outing.

I'm loving everything on this EP, but I'm most impressed by this EP, because it supports my claims that Swift is our generation's Randy Newman. Just listen to the following songs and tell me it ain't so! Enjoy it while it lasts, he's probably going to change again soon!

Listen To: "The Original Thought"
Listen To: "A Song for Milton Feher"

Labels: Richard Swift, richard swift rules while the indie kids drool

posted by joseph kyle @ 9:25 AM 0 comments

My First Days On Junk No Order

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Oh, my, this record is AMAZING! My First Days On Junk has a new record out, and it is not only miles better than their excellent debut, but this is one of the best records I have heard in a while. I have to say, too, that I am amazed at how lead singer and all-around nice guy Colin Clary has quite nicely turned into Wayne Coyne, Jim Reid, and Jonathan Donahue! Starting with a scratchy and sad little ditty, No Order begins in a rather unassuming manner, but things take a turn for the blissful quite quickly, with "Try Hard" Colin's vocals fit quite nicely within the folds of the loud sheets of sound, and throughout the rest of the record.

Not all of the record is shoegazing, though. There are moments of gentle, pretty balladry, such as on "Your Shirts Are My Favorite Color" and a nice cover of The Lucksmiths' "A Little Distraction," and the band has a tendency towards the hopefully sad and optimistic, such as on "Old Jaguar" and "Walk In The Rain. This balance of the loud and the soft that makes No Order so wonderful; it is a record that sounds great LOUD, but also sounds nice QUIET. Plus, Colin Clary, who I have liked almost as long as I have been writing about music, is in top form here. Thus, it is with great pride that I give you this generous preview of No Order.

Now go, spread the news, and let the world know one of the best records of 2008 has been released! Between MFDOJ and Ringo Deathstarr, I have to say that 2008 has been a pretty good year for blissed-out pop.

Listen To: "Try Hard"
Listen To: "Count Me In, I'm Good to Go"
Listen To: "I Will Do Anything"

No Order will be released 8/18/08 on State Capital Records

Labels: My First Days On Junk, Reviews M, State Capital Records

posted by joseph kyle @ 10:07 AM 1 comments

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