A Few Excellent Recent Releases

Some of these are just released, others within the past 6 months, but all are recommended. Here's the list. Go out and get 'em:


The Madd - Are Pretty Quick (Beatlesqe, but not overly derivative)
The Meadows - 1st Nervous Breakdown (The second best band in LA)
Farrah - Farrah (Their fourth effort, single is very XTC-ish)
Green Pajamas - Book Of Hours Reissue(best Psych-pop disc of the 80's)
Hoodoo Gurus - Purity of Essence (30 years and Faulkner still kicks ass)
Graham Parker - Imaginary Television (NY's Poet Laureate, or should be)
Seth Swirsky - Watercolor Days (may be the best disc of 2010)
American Professionals - The Specialist (MUCH more energy than "Faking It")
Well Wishers - Post Modern Romantic (Lots of guitars! I love this record)
Greg Pope - Popmonster (some really good singles here)


All these discs are available though Kool Kat Musik, btw.

Exile On Main Street Reissued!

Many Stones reissues have hit the market over the years, often shrewdly timed to a new tour or technology. But none has matched the anticipation and nostalgia stoked by this Tuesday’s deluxe re-release treatment of “Exile,’’ which will include 10 previously unreleased tracks as well as reworked “Exile’’-era songs. For several generations of fans and critics (most of whom have radically revised their initial assessments of the album), the Stones’ 1972 opus remains the band’s definitive, enduring statement.

The New Improved Farah

I've liked this band for a long time since 2001's "Mustache". The second full length, "Me Too" was fairly good as well as their EP which followed shortly after. They've gotten progressively better and the new release simply entitled "Farrah" is their best effort yet. Standout tracks include "Stereotype", "If You Were Mine", "Heavy Metal", and the single (if there is such a thing anymore) "Swings and Roundabouts". Imagine a heavy dose of ELO with a small dash of XTC and you get an idea how infectious "Swings and Roundabouts" is. I've heard it only twice yet I've heard the song's been sticking in my head all morning..and that's a very good thing! Highly recommended!