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The Clientele —"Bookshop Cassanova"
From God Save The Clientele on Merge
The band are setting free their inner Monkees; a lovely blend of Big Star twisted power-pop and country achin’, with flashes of the Beatles at their most joyful and upbeat. The ghosts, half-light and uncertainties remain, but I sense a new found optimism in the music. Perhaps born of new love? Definitely a new era for the Clientele.
Shapes and Sizes —"Alone/Alive"
From Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner on Asthmatic Kitty
Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner kicks off with a solid rock march ambitious enough to soundtrack the first 10 miles of any road trip. The opening track is one that Shapes and Sizes could very well have penned during their recent 30 kilometer move from Victoria, where the band members met through the city’s vibrant artistic community, to Vancouver, B.C.
Dinosaur Jr. —"Almost Ready"
From Beyond on Fat Possum
Although always as loud as god, it was easy to convince yourself the music of Dinosaur Jr. was far more passive than aggressive. This myth exploded in a hail of flaming toads in the spring of 1989, when the band’s original trio line-up burst like a ripe sac of pus. In the intervening years there have been various versions of Dinosaur Jr., several of which made use of ur-drummer, Murph; but none of them included prodigal bassist, Lou Barlow. Until now. Until Beyond.
Shannon Wright —"St. Pete"
From Let In The Light on Quarterstick
You might be tempted to compare Shannon Wright to whatever ingénue’s tearing up the internet at the moment or some other gal with a guitar and something to say. That’s missing the point, though. After four solo records on Quarterstick, as well as her earlier work with Florida’s Crowsdell, Shannon’s been around the block a few times, each time growing stronger and more sincere, and that’s what makes her different. She takes the clarity and artistic sensibility of Lou Reed, mixes them with the subdued simplicity of Erik Satie and the explosive abilities of Jimmy Page, and emerges as her own artist.
