All of our DJs receive hundreds of CDs a month to consider for airplay. In this regular feature, KCRW DJ Chuck P catalogues his musical bounty from the Post Office each week.
Greetings and salutations. Welcome to another (and long overdue) episode of the mail grab bag of fun.
Weather has been pretty hot past couple of weeks, but that finally seems to be dying down a bit. Let’s hope it lasts. Now playing: Extreme Music From Russia compilation that’s peeling the skin back from my skull. I like to listen to experimental music all of Monday and part of Tuesday every week. It’s a great palate cleanser and allows me to go back to pop music with a wagging tail instead of a rolling of the eyes.
On to the countdown…
1) LP’s X 3! – Apologies for the weird formatting on this pic. My iPhone is experiencing some technical difficulties right now, so try to ignore the poorly processed pix, peeps.
Blistering duo, Palo Verde, tossed me their latest and it does not disappoint. I feel like I should point out that it’s two women, but f*ck the qualifiers, this shreds. Instru-metal of the highest order. Matthew at Ceremony sent over the Bam Spacey 12″. It’s corners were crinkled during shipment, but I’m thinking it’s gonna sound just fine. Punk terrorists Fist City released the LP It’s 1983, Grow Up! (and I really should).
Listening to their energetic rock flailings is making me tired just thinking about it, but the great songs stick in my head like peanut butter to the roof of your mouth. Unless you’re allergic, in which case, why the hell are you eating peanut butter?
2) 7″s x 3! – An even worse picture (anyone know what’s up with this?) of some beautiful 7″s that showed up in the past few weeks.
LA duo It’s Casual split a 7 with Early Man in a nice black cloth sleeve. Super cool and rifftastic. HOTT MT (is it mountain? I should ask…) released a 7″ on a new record label by the store, Origami Vinyl, called… uh, Origami Vinyl. You’ve already heard the story of how this band went to OK to find Mr. Coyne (Flaming Lips madman), landed on his doorstep and asked him to be on their record. After realizing they were not there to kill him, this new single was born.
While I would not suggest doing with Danzig, someone please get that guy to tour with the Misfits again. I know this has nothing to do with the story I just told, but I just want it to happen.
Third in line there is a new 7″ by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma (formally of dreamy SF groop Tarentel) on the Emerald Cocoon label, who are on a roll.
3) Nude Beach “II” – Another record store that’s begun releasing amazing music is Other Music in NYC. Been a fan of their mail order goodness for well over a decade now, the releases I’ve seen so far have been stellar. The CD above, and one of my favorites so far in 2012, the latest from Shintaro Sakamoto. One of those ‘holy heck’ albums I keep listening to over and over. If you like Steely Dan (and you know you do), do yourself a favor.
Nude Beach are indie rock of the highest order. Great, singalongable tunes to keep you from losing your cool in traffic.
4) Fleetwood Mac tribute – … and when I think of losing my cool in traffic… no seriously, I’ve never been a big fan of the ‘Mac, but there’s a pretty great lineup here doing justice to the band. MGMT‘s 9 minute brain melting version of Future Games is pretty great, Sweeney & Oldham turn in a pretty good rendition of Storms, but my favorite might be Lee Ranaldo & J. Mascis taking on the Peter Greene era ‘Mac track, Albatross. All in all, pretty good, but I’ve just heard these songs too many times to be too excited to listen again, even if the covers are amazeballs.
Digital promos of the week go to Heliotropes & Las Cafeteras for their amazing new singles and Thee Oh Sees, Regina Spektor & Redd Kross for their new full lengths.
Honorable mentions? Heh, too many to list, but I will anyway… Konkoma, Lorn, Yeasayer, Bill Fay, Acid Mothers Temple, Terakaft, Antony, Staff Benda Bilili, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Grizzly Bear…
Thanks for reading and remember that we love you… so give us money. No, seriously… it’s fund drive time and we can use your help. Especially Henry Rollins. Did you hear that guy last weekend? Talk about someone needing help…
Okay, enough or I’m going to get punched.
Hugs,
Chuck P.
@chuckp8 on twitter and instagram