Song Obsessions for January

British Sea Power – "Waving Flags" off Do You Like Rock Music? (2008)

The return of these Brighton indie rockers couldn't please me more. This song combines the strained urgency of their debut with the relaxed, lush sound of their second release, presenting them with an altogether fuller sound. It doesn't hurt that it also features ex-Arcade Fire drummer Howard Bilerman and Godspeed You! Black Emperor's Efrim Menuck.




Dame Satan – "Sirens" off Dame Satan/Two Sheds [Split 7"] (2007)

When I first came across this song, I could have sworn I had heard it long ago. "Sirens" perfectly captures the overlap of late-60's psychedelic with early-70's blues-inspired rock. The fact that they're 35 years late is of no importance.




Rain Parade - "No Easy Way Down" off Explosions in the Glass Palace (1984)

Part of the Los Angeles 'Paisley Underground' scene back in the mid-80s, this band received brief critical praise for bringing 60's psychedelia into a then-modern college rock sound. The shaky keyboards which seem to hover over the entire song are a perfect compliment to the loose, meandering guitars.

Holy Fuck - LP (2007)

When you decide to name your band Holy Fuck, several consequences will follow: (1) you won't see your albums shelved at Best Buy, (2) you're going to piss off a lot of critics if your awesomeness does not live up to that of your name, and (3) you will sell a lot of t-shirts. Thank goodness that Holy Fuck surpasses all expectations and conditions of requisite awesomeness. As for Best Buy, I highly doubt you'd find them there anyway given their unabashedly non-mainstream style.

Their debut features nine excellent tracks of instrumental electronic ecstasy with the occasional distorted yelps thrown in for good measure. Your brain will have a difficult time deciding if it wants to latch onto every minute modulation or drift back and enjoy the soundscapes as a whole.

There is one downside to the album: it clocks in at just under 37 minutes. Thankfully, when the album ends, you’re free to start it again from the top. In fact, it continues to sound better with each listen. Oh, and this is most definitely a headphones album. You should really stop listening to music on your crappy laptop speaker anyway.

Streamable Track: "Lovely Allen"


Artist Website / Album Purchase

The Whitsundays - The Whitsundays (2008)

Say what you will about Canada, but they know how to raise some inspired musicians. Hailing from Edmonton, the Whitsundays bring us pleasant indie pop that's heavy on 60's psychedelic-pop influence circa the Zombies and the Kinks. An additional note of interest: they share members with groups Faunts (dream pop) and Shout Out Out Out Out (electro rock).

A few tracks play through without leaving too much of a lasting impression, but when they hit the mark it's pop bliss. Tracks like "Sorry James" and "Falling Over" have me transfixed for their respective 2:44 and 3:41 durations. Another strong tune is "It Must Be Me," which shares a passing resemblence to the Zombies' "The Way I Feel Inside." Overall it's a fairly strong debut, and I can't wait to see where they go from here.

Streamable Track: "Falling Over"


Artist Website / Album Purchase