In The Pharmacy #98 – April 2016

Thirty-five new tracks from Denmark, USA, Australia, Canada and the UK. Over two hours of great tunes from The Raveonettes (pictured), Violent Soho, Tacocat, Woods, Kevin Morby, Yeasayer, Julia Jacklin, White Denim, Parquet Courts, Damien Jurado, The Thermals, The Goon Sax, Case / Lang / Veirs, Kyle Craft, Horror My Friend, Autolux, Black Honey, Keeps, Xenia Rubinos, The Gotobeds, Bleached, Gold Class, Moonface and Siinai, A Giant Dog, Lisa Prank, Winterpills, Gorgeous Bully, Mere Women, Psychic Ills featuring Hope Sandoval, Plush, Mhairi, Marissa Nadler, Deardarkhead, Black Mountain, and Stars.

The Raveonettes ‘Excuses’
The latest from the Danish band’s Rave Sound of The Month series, written and recorded in 24 hours after they failed to get the mechanical licence for their planned cover version in time.
[The Raveonettes]

Violent Soho ‘Blanket’
Formerly based in the US and signed to Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label, Violent Soho relocated back to Australia five years ago and it seems to agree with them. Killer performances at this year’s Laneway Festival, tours that sell out in minutes and the current #1 album in Australia with Waco.
[Violent Soho]

Tacocat ‘Dana Katherine Scully’
From the title (Lost Time, out now, Hardly Art) on down, X-files references abound on the third album from the Seattle surf punks. This opening track is merely the most overt, a tribute to the more reason-led half of the the paranormal searching duo.
[Tacocat]

Woods ‘I See In The Dark’
Mournful horns, afro-funk, and west coast psychedelia meet on the first taste of the band’s forthcoming ninth album Sun City Eater in the River of Light (April 8, Woodsist). Can’t wait to hear the rest of it.
[Woods]

Kevin Morby ‘Dorothy’
Former Woods and sometimes Babies man Kevin Morby follows up 2014’s excellent Still Life with another track from his album Singing Saw (April 15, Dead Oceans).
[Kevin Morby]

Yeasayer ‘Dead Sea Scrolls’
Another stand out track from the forthcoming Yeasayer album, Amen & Goodbye. There’s a lot going on here, led and held together by the bass and percussion, there’s various synths, horns and woodwind coming in and out plus cameos from guitar and piano and a wordless vocal refrain (April 8th)
[Yeasayer]

Julia Jacklin ‘Pool Party’
It often seems that Sydney is awash with mediocre singer songwriters, so it’s always great when someone with talent comes along. Immediately prior to causing a buzz at SxSW (and weathering what could easily be crushing comparison’s to Angel Olsen), the Blue Mountains artist slipped this song out, and it’s a corker.
[Julia Jacklin]

White Denim ‘Had 2 Know (Personal)’
From the garage/blues rock band’s new album Stiff (out now, Downtown Records).
[White Denim]

Parquet Courts ‘Human Performance’
After the unnecessary, tuneless dirge of the last year’s Monastic Living EP (why?), Parquet Courts return with a proper record, of which this is the charming slacker fuzz title track.
[Parquet Courts]

Damien Jurado ‘QACHINA’
The mystic journey of discovery trilogy that started with Maroqopa (2012) and continued with Brothers and Sisters of The Eternal Son (201$) ends with Visions of Us on the Land, Jurado’s 12th (!) album (out now, Secretly Canadian). Proof that 21st Century Cosmic American music doesn’t need to sound like bad country.
[Damien Jurado]

The Goon Sax ‘Target’
Urbane indie pop trio from Brisbane-band which features Robert Forster’s son Louis, but who have enough talent of their own that people like me will probably stop mentioning the connection in about 20 years. From their excellent debut, Up To Anything (Chapter Music, out now).
[The Goon Sax]

The Thermals ‘Thinking of You’
With albums on Sub Pop, Kill Rock Stars and Saddle Creek, this Portland band are indie rock lifers. Hard to believe it’s a decade since their excellent The Body, The Blood, The Machine, which in itself was bookended by two other great albums (2004’s Fuckin’ A and 2009’s Now We Can See). Now they are back with their best album in 10 years, We Disappear (Saddle Creek, out now). Even on an album where tracks only break the three-minute mark twice, this one is a lesson in post-pop punk brevity.
[The Thermals]

Case / Lang / Veirs ‘Best Kept Secret’
Following on from the Neko-led ‘Atomic Number’, here’s a catchy Laura Veirs sung number from the forthcoming collaborative album from Neko Case, KD Lang and Laura Veirs (June 17, Ant- / Epitaph).
[Case / Lang / Veirs]

Kyle Craft ‘Eye of A Hurricane’
Another track from the Portland, OR via Louisiana musician’s forthcoming debut album Dolls of Highland (Sub Pop, April 29).
[Kyle Craft]

Horror My Friend ‘Easy Going’
Taken from their debut Stay In, Do Nothing that came out a couple of months back (Poison City), but worth flagging up now as the band have just completed their album launch tour here in Australia.
[Horror My Friend]

Autolux ‘Becker’
One album every six years is a bit slack, but Pussy’s Dead, the third effort from the Los Angeles shoegaze / krautrock / space rock trio has been worth the wait, upping the electronics.
[Autolux]

Black Honey ‘All My Pride’
First track from the Brighton-based retro indie pop band’s forthcoming Headspin EP (29 April).
[Black Honey]

Keeps ‘Let It Fall (Keeping Time)’
From the Nashville dreampop band’s debut album Brief Spirit (out now, Old Flame Records).
[Keeps]

Xenia Rubinos ‘Lonely Lover’
Smooth and smokey stuff from Rubinos’ forthcoming second album Black Terry Cat (June 3, Anti-), the follow up to 2013’s Magic Trix.
[Xenia Rubinos]

The Gotobeds ‘Real Maths / Too Much’
Catchy indie punk rock from the Pittsburgh band’s forthcoming album
BLOOD // SUGAR // SECS // TRAFFIC‘ (Sub Pop, June 10).
[The Gotobeds]

Bleached ‘Chemical Air’
LA based sisters Jen and Jessica Clavin delivered one of 2013’s best albums with Ride Your Heart their Shangri-Las-meets-garage-pop debut as Bleached (they’d previously played together in Mika Miko). The follow up finds the Clavins bringing bassist Micayla Grace into the songwriting and recording with veteran producer Joe Chiccarelli, who cut is teeth with Frank Zappa and has recordied everyone from Poco to Spoon to My Morning Jacket and the Front Bottoms. This second preview track from Welcome the Worms is driven by simple girl-group inspired rhythm, fuzz guitar and a topped by the vocal melody and the repeated hook of “I’ve been giving in, in to giving up, up to nothing but trying to kill time / you’ve been missing now, out on everything, everything is passing you by” (out now, Dead Oceans).
[Bleached]

Gold Class ‘Standing At The Fault Line’
Melbourne gothy post-punksters follow up their excellent debut album with this track, one side of a split single with Sydney-side kindred spirits Mere Women.
[Gold Class]

Moonface and Siinai ‘Risto’s Riff’
Spencer Krug of the recently re-activated Wolf Parade returns with the third of his collboaration with Finnish band Siinai, My Best Human Face (Jagjaguwar, June 3).
This is the first track to surface, featuring Krug’s inimitable vocal style, heavily sustained guitar riff and driving beat.
[Moonface and Siinai]

A Giant Dog ‘Get With You and Get High’
Houston band enlist fellow Texan Bitt Daniel on this out of character slow number taken from their forthcoming third album, Pile (Merge, 6 May).
[A Giant Dog]

Lisa Prank ‘Starting Again’
Lisa Prank, aka Seattle-via-Dnver-based singer guitarist Robin Edwards and her Roland 505 drum machine with the first single from her Adult Teen album (June 24, Father/Daughter / Miscreant).
[Lisa Prank]

Winterpills ‘Freeze Your Light’
Northampton, MA indie folksters follow up their low key covers record Echolalia (2014) with their fifth album proper, Love Songs (Signature Sound, out now), from which this is one of many highlights.
[Winterpills]

Gorgeous Bully ’Beaucoup’
Nineties-indebted minimal indie rock from the Manchester band. One side of a split 7” with Something Anorak (May 27, Art Is Hard).
[Gorgeous Bully]

Mere Women ‘Numb’
The other side of the split single with Gold Class, more post-puk vibes, but harder-edged and less forgiving.
[Mere Women]

Psychic Ills featuring Hope Sandoval ‘I Dont Mind’
New York duo enlist Hope Sandoval just to underline the debt this desert-blues number owes to Mazzy Star.
[Psychic Ills]

Plush ‘Please Don’t Let Me Go’
This San Franciscan band who have never heard of Google (time to pick another name, dudes!) deal in lo-fi sob rock, of which this is a rather lovely slice.
[Plush]

Mhairi ‘Crystalline’
Smokey trip-hop influenced electronic noir pop from 20 year old Bournemouth musician.
[Mhairi]

Marissa Nadler ‘All The Colors of The Dark’
Massachusetts gothic folk singer songwriter follows up 2014’s wonderful July with a new album Strangers (Sacred Bones / Bella Union, May 20th). This is the second track to be featured here after last month’s ‘Janie in Love’.
[Marissa Nadler]

Deardarkhead ‘Falling Upward’
New Jersey’s veteran post-punk influenced shoegazers who parted ways with their vocalist in 2009 have found a renewed focus since they now deal exclusively in instrumental music. This is from their rather excellent Strange Weather EP (out now, Saint Marie Records).
[Deardarkhead]

Black Mountain ‘Space To Bakersfield’
Epic space rock closer from the Canadian band’s new IV album (out now, Jagjaguwar).
[Black Mountain]

Stars ‘Wonderful Life’
Lovely Amy Milan-fronted tribute to the late Colin Vearncombe as part of Stars monthly cover series.
[Stars]

In The Pharmacy #97 – Late March 2016

Nineteen new tracks from the US, UK, Niger and Denmark. Garage punk, indie rock, dreampop, powerpunk, indiepop, psych pop, shoegaze, electronic pop. New music from Sheer Mag, Big Deal, CFM, Bleached, Bob Mould, Darkstar / Empress Of, Bombino, Frankie Cosmos, Keeps, Quilt, Hipshot Killer, Holy Wave, Adult Books, Beverly (pictured), Silences, Baby In Vain, Cullen Omori, Big Ups, Attic Abasement, and Eddi Front.

Sheer Mag ‘Nobody’s Baby’
Philly garage punks with the closing track from their their third 7” EP, III (out now, Wilsuns RC).
[Sheer Mag]

Big Deal ‘Say Yes’
Superior grunge-noise pop title track from the forthcoming third album (June 17, Fat Cat).
[Big Deal]

CFM ‘Glass Eye’
Bay Area garage-punk-revival mainstay Charles Francis Moothart II is a frequent Ty Segall collaborator (with the Ty Segall band, Pervert, Fuzz and GØGGS) as well as having formed Moonhearts with Mikal Cronin. Now he’s going out on his own as CFM. This is taken from the debut album, Still Life of Citrus and Slime (April 8, In the Red).
[CFM]

Bleached ‘Sour Candy’
LA based sisters Jen and Jessica Clavin delivered one of 2013’s best albums with Ride Your Heart their Shangri-Las-meets-garage-pop debut as Bleached (they’d previously played together in Mika Miko). The follow up finds the Clavins bringing bassist Micayla Grace into the songwriting and recording with veteran producer Joe Chiccarelli, who cut is teeth with Frank Zappa and has recorded everyone from Poco to Spoon to My Morning Jacket and the Front Bottoms. This second preview track from Welcome the Worms is driven by simple girl-group inspired rhythm, fuzz guitar and a topped by the vocal melody and the repeated hook of “I’ve been giving in, in to giving up, up to nothing but trying to kill time / you’ve been missing now, out on everything, everything is passing you by” (April 1, Dead Oceans).
[Bleached]

Bob Mould ‘The End of Things’
While Bob Mould’s post-Husker Du solo career may lack the sheer ambition and scope of Grant Hart’s sporadic output, he’s done a good job of playing to his strengths, especially since he’s been releasing records on Merge. This classic slice of fuzz pop with Mould’s inimitable vocals is the second taste of Patch The Sky (March 25, Merge), following on from January’s excellent Workbook-like ‘Voices In My Head’, and serves to raise expectations for another excellent album.
[Bob Mould]

Darkstar Featuring Empress Of ‘Reformer’ [Radio Edit]
The London electronic trio preview their forthcoming EP with this collaboration with Lorely Rodriguez.
[Empress Of]
[Darkstar]

Bombino ‘Timtar (Memories)’
After recording his last album Nomad (2013) with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Tuareg guitarist Bombino prepares to release his new album Azel (April 1, Partisan), this time produced by The Dirty Projectors’ David Longstreth.
[Bombino]

Frankie Cosmos ‘On The Lips’
Another track from Greta Kline’s second album under the Frankie Cosmos name, New Thing (April 1, Bayonet).
[Frankie Cosmos]

Keeps ‘I Don’t Mind’
Breezy psych pop tinged shoegaze from the Nashville duo’s debut album Brief Spirit (out now, Old Flame Records).
[Keeps]

Quilt ‘Roller’
Anna Rochinski takes lead vocals on this stand out track taken from the Cambridge, MA indie folk /psych pop band’s latest album Plaza (out now, Mexican Summer).
[Quilt]

Hipshot Killer ‘Gimme Something Better’
Power punk from the Kansas City, MO band’s They Will Try To Kill Us All album (out now, Throwing Things Records).
[Hipshot Killer]

Holy Wave ‘She Put A Seed In My Ear’
From the El Paso, TX band’s Freaks of Nurture album (out now, Reverberation Appreciation Society/Burger Records).
[Holy Wave]

Adult Books ‘Firewalking’
From the Orange County band’s lo-fi shoegaze meets new wave / surf pop album Running From The Blows (out now Burger Records / Lollipop).
[Adult Books]

Beverly ‘Contact’
Brooklyn indiepop band led by Drew Citron with another track from their forthcoming second album Blue Swell (May 6th, Kanine).
[Beverly]

Silences ‘There’s A Wolf’
Armagh band project fronted by singer-songwriter Conchúr White with a track from their third EP Luna (out April 15, Decisive).
[Silences]

Baby In Vain ‘Martha’s View’
Stoner-grunge from the Danish three-piece’s forthcoming For The Kids EP (April 29, Partisan Records).
[Baby In Vain]

Cullen Omori ‘Synthetic Romance’
Following on from ‘Cinnamon’ another track taken from the former Smith Western man’s forthcoming solo album, New Misery (March 18, Sub Pop).
[Cullen Omori]

Big Ups ‘Capitalized’
From the New York punks album Before A Million Universes (out now, Tough Love / Exploding In Sound).
[Big Ups]

Attic Abasement ‘Statuesque Mess’
Following on from ‘Guarantee Jesus’ (ITP #95) another track from the lo-fi Rochester, NY band’s first album in six years Dream News (May 27, Father/Daughter Records).
[Attic Abasement]

Eddi Front ‘Play Ball’
Eddi Front was first featured here four years ago way back on ITP #14 with the gorgeous ‘Gigantic’, this track is taken from the long awaited debut album, which also records a remixed version of ‘Gigantic’ (out now, self-released).
[Eddi Front]

In The Pharmacy #96 – March 2016

Twenty-five new tracks from the US, Canada, Norway, Australia and the UK. New music from Yeasayer. Woods, Tacocat, Kyle Craft, Kristin Kontrol, Animal Collective, Operators, Nada Surf, Bleached, Frøkedal (pictured), Wild Nothing, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Doug Tuttle, Marissa Nadler, Seize The Chair, Major Leagues-Better, The Donkeys, Fear of Men, Case Long Veirs, Crater, Hovvdy, Holy Fuck, Charles Rumback + Ryley Walker, Heliocentrics, and Heron Oblivion.

In The Pharmacy #95 – February 2016

Nineteen new tracks from the US, UK, New Zealand, The Netherlands and Canada. New music from Two Cartoons (pictured), Kyle Craft, Kevin Morby, Bombay, Gemini, Emma Pollock, Dr. Dog, A Giant Dog, Plates of Cake, Wild Nothing, Black Mountain, Gun Outfit, Heron Oblivion, Chris Bathgate, Trevor Sensor, Spawts, John Joseph Brill, Attic Abasement, and Mass Gothic.

Two Cartoons ‘Chaos Comfort’
Dunedin duo of Isaac McFarlane and Bradley Craig with a track from their debut album Happiness in Trouble.
[Two Cartoons]

Kyle Craft ‘Lady of The Ark’
Portland-via-Louisiana musician Kyle Craft hams it up nicely on this track from his forthcoming debut album Dolls of Highland (Sub Pop, April 29)
[Kyle Craft]

Kevin Morby ‘I Have Been to the Mountain’
Former Woods and sometimes Babies man Kevin Morby follows up 2014’s excellent Still Life with the first taste of Singing Saw (April 15, Dead Oceans).
[Kevin Morby]

Bombay ‘Slow Motion’
Amsterdam indie rock trio with a track from their rather good second album Show Your Teeth (out now on most digital services).
[Bombay]

Gemini ‘Time to Share’
UK electronic artist Gemini (aka Thomas Slinger) returns after a couple of years away with this track featuring a bit of mandolin. The dubstep version of folktronica?
[Gemini]

Emma Pollock ‘Cannot Keep A Secret’
Former Delgados frontwoman with the opening track from her wonderful third solo album In Search of Harperfield (Chemikal Underground, out now).
[Emma Pollock]

Dr. Dog ‘Good Grief’
Following on from ‘Bring My Baby Back’ (ITP #93) another piece of shuffling psych pop taken from the veteran Philadelphia band’s new album Psychedelic Swamp (out now, Anti-).
[Dr Dog]

A Giant Dog ‘Sex Drugs’
Austin-via-Houston band with a track from their forthcoming debut album PILE (Merge, May 6)
[A Giant Dog]

Plates of Cake ‘Faces in the Dirt’
Brooklyn garage / power pop band with a track from their excellent third album Becoming Double album (self-released, out now).
[Plates of Cake]

Wild Nothing ‘Aliens’

Jack Tatum’s third Wild Nothing album Life of Pause (Feb 19, Captured Tracks) touches on dreampop, R&B, krautrock and lush 80s pop. Here’s one of the atmospheric, spacey highlights.
[Wild Nothing]

Black Mountain ‘Mothers of the Sun’
First single of the Canadian space rockers’ fourth album IV features vocals from both Stephen McBean and Amber Webber.
[Black Mountain]

Gun Outfit ‘King of Hearts’
After January’s Dylan Sharp fronted ‘Expansion Pact’ (ITP #93) here’s another new desert noir track from the forthcoming five track EP, Two Way Player ( March 18, Wharf Cat), this one featuring Carrie Keith on vocals.
[Gun Outfit]

Heron Oblivion ‘Your Hollows’
Another taste of the San Francisco psych-folk-outsider-jam band’s debut album (March 4, Sub Pop).
[Heron Oblivion]

Chris Bathgate ‘Acorns’

Taken from the hardly prolific, but always interesting indie folk dude’s new EP Old Factory (out now, Quite Scientific).
[Chris Bathgate]

Trevor Sensor ‘Texas Girls and Jesus Christ’
Twenty-two year-old Illinois singer-songwriter channels Dylan on the title track from his debut EP for Jagjaguwar (out March 25).
[Trevor Sensor]

Spawts ‘Dobis’
Christchurch, NZ garage punk duo of Jamie Hannah (Drums) and Kieran Ormandy (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) with a track taken from their forthcoming debut EP.
[Spawts]

John Joseph Brill ‘False Names’
Sounds like the Americana end of The National, surprising for a Liverpool-based-Londoner.
[John Joseph Brill]

Attic Abasement ‘Guarantee Jesus’
Lo-fi Rochester, NY band prepare their first album in six years, Dream News (May 27, Father/Daughter Records). This is opening track.
[Attic Abasement]

Mass Gothic ‘Every Night You’ve Got to Save Me’
Upbeat bright pop number belies the band’s name. Taken fromtheir eponymous album Sub Pop (out now).
[Mass Gothic]