#unblinking ear

[bestreasonstowriterecordreviews]

PLATES OF CAKE "Papa Didn't Leave No Number" (Unblinking Ear - 2016)

Been ignoring Plates Of Cake for too long, but if Mosurock is gonna stand up for them at @still-single, then by golly, FRR will give ‘em their due. And they are due! The Becoming Double long player from January 2016 is even better, if only cuz there are ten equally memorable hymns to me:  Sparkling Brinsley Schwarz guitar tone framing some unforgettable tunes wiil keep this locked for a month, at least. Excellent.  

The downloadable single above is #12 in Unblinking Ear’s superb Office Supplies series, collect them all! 

Best Reasons To Write Fuckin’ Record Reviews In 2016 presents…

THIS AIN’T THE SUMMER OF LOVE

Rune 26: [last round!] And this ain't the summer of love!!

Rune one: Feeling easy on the outside  (WORMSTAR)  

Rune two:  But not so funny on the inside  (ASHTRAY NAVIGATIONS)

Rune three:  Feel the sound, pray for rain (WILD COMBO)

Rune four:  For this is the night we ride! (NAG)

Rune five:  This ain’t the Garden of Eden (SANDRA BELL)

Rune six:  There ain’t no angels above (RIK AND THE PIGS)

Rune seven:  And things ain’t like what they used to be(SUZUKI JUNZO)

Rune eight:  And this ain’t the summer of love!  (MARAUDEUR)

Rune nine:  Lock all your doors from the outside (POST-MATERIALISTS/GARGAMELEK split)

Rune ten:  The key will dangle by the inside (CARL SAGAN”S SKATE SHOES)

Rune eleven:  You may begin to understand (BIB)

Rune twelve:  That this is the night we ride!  (BIKINI COPS)

Rune thirteen:  This ain’t the Garden of Eden (DIRK SERRIES)

Rune fourteen:  There ain’t no angels above (RADIATION RISKS)

Rune fifteen:  And things ain’t like they used to be (SAM FLEISCH)

Rune sixteen:  And this ain’t the summer of love! (PAUL K & the WEATHERMEN)

Rune seventeen:  THE SUMMER OF LOVE! (WORN LEATHER)

Rune eighteen:  On the night we ride…this ain’t the summer of love 4x (The LINDA SHARROCK NETWORK)

Rune nineteen:  This ain’t the Garden of Eden(HEADROOM)

Rune 20:  There ain’t no angels above (CHOOK RACE)

Rune 21:  And things ain’t like they used to be (ANXIETY)

Rune 22: And this ain’t, this ain’t, this ain’t, this ain’t… (JULIE KJÆR 3)

Rune 23:  [last round!] This ain’t the garden of eden (the RANGOONS)

Rune 24:  [last round!] There ain’t no angels above( CRAIG BELL

Rune 25:  [last round!] And things ain’t like what they used to be (WOLFGANG FUCHS)

[immersionina90mphworld]

Scupper- “Scupper” (2014, Blue Cheese Tooth Paste)

Scupper! by Scupper

Scupper’s debut EP was recorded solely by song writer Mike Janson, and has the lo-fi magic of some of my favorite recordings from the 90′s or 00′s.  “Scene of the Crime” is a pop gem and when the understated guitar solo kicks in at the one minute mark it makes me want to fucking melt. It’s the perfect addition to push the track over the edge to pop brilliance.  “Barf in the Tube” is easily the single on the seven inch with it’s up beat and on the surface comical nature, but once you flip the record it goes into rock n’ roll. “No Dime” and “Beehive” make the jump to being stand bys in any punk or garage rock DJs 45 case bringing a bit of a scuzzier crunch to Scuppers pop aesthetics. They are the slow burns, truly B-sides as they weren’t the songs that hooked me on the single, but they are the ones that made it a mainstay on my turntable and in my playlists.  

Fans of power pop, pop punk, and garage rock should check in because this is pretty much a perfect 7″.  Mike now has a full band playing with Scupper so look for them on a show around the New York area & and a new single out on Ever / Never in the near future. 

Facebook || Bandcamp || Vinyl ----> from Blue Cheese Tooth Paste // Scupper

An extra Scupper track, not on the 7″ appeared on Unblinking Ear’s massive compilation SERIOUS ROCKERS with a ton of other great bands:

Serious Rockers - An Unblinking Ear Mixtape by Scupper

[bestreasonstowriterecordreviews]

“Maura & Dana”

"Maura & Dana"/"Style & Pace"  7" (Unblinking Ear - 2015)

What, you think it’s easy to burn with an original glow in the 21st century when infected by disparate elements of the pop narcotic 80′s underground? Well, it ain’t. And yet, BIG QUIET’s Marisa Cerio + Steve Perry of Journey* (looks different in real life though) and Chris Matheson pull it off with aplomb. Their seven inch and cassette weren’t tops in each category respectively (as it was) on our list of ✰BEST REASONS TO WRITE FUCKIN’ RECORD REVIEWS IN 2015✰  for no reason. 

BIG QUIET are playing Cake Shop in NYC on 1/16/16 with Anyway Records’ and @belakoe‘s CONNECTIONS and MOTEL BEDS.  Lovin’, touchin’, squeezin’? You’ll have to show up and see for yourself.

Video shot on Super 8 in California 2015 by Shannon Lintner 

*had to use that Journey thing at least once

[boaws]

Big Quiet – Maura & Dana 7'' (Unblinking Ear)

I hadn't realized how long it had been since I'd heard something like this until I gave a listen to this two song single from Big Quiet. It's surprising to me, because this type of jangly but occasional crunchy indie-pop was a heavy force in the early mid-90's and I guess I hadn't realized how rare of a commodity something such as this is now with the influx of bands injecting a syringe and drawing the last ounce of blood that they can from the early to prime years of post-punk. Big Quiet aren't even glancing in that direction, unabashedly harvesting the sunshine driven and bouncy rhythms of indie-pop bands in the area of Velocity Girl, Superchunk, Tsunami, Lemonheads, and etc.. The type of music that exudes fun and serves as almost a guaranteed mood changer. So essentially carefree and good vibe college-rock. But whatever it may be, I'm fairly excited that this exists in this day and age and hope that Big Quiet grace us with an album somewhere down the line. If not, at least savor the two songs on this one. Big Quiet - Maura & Dana (stream) BUY IT!

[bestreasonstowriterecordreviews]

JARED LEIBOWICH  Welcome Late Bloomers  cassette (Unblinking Ear - 2015)

It’s no secret that Fuckin’ Record Reviews swoons at the feet of Jared Zoltar’s spillage. Excellent new solo gobble from the man via unblinkingearrecords, flying free like a free bird, and this bird you can not change.   

Listen/purchase: Welcome Late Bloomers by Jared Leibowich

[gimmetinnitus]

Maura & Dana by Big Quiet

[boaws]

Kerbivore – All Dressed (Unblinking Ear)

I really don't think I'll ever get tired of solidly crafted power-pop, the likes of which Kerbivore bring to the table with their five song EP All Dressed. Even as Kansas City enters the end stretch of an overcast/rainy week, this is the type of material that drastically alters bad moods. If I were to get specific, I would honestly say that the trio falls somewhere within the breezy but overpowering ways of Sugar but with a hint of a quirky side that kind of reminds me a bit of The Wrens. Primarily the vehicle for Sean Kuhl, it's his guitar work that kind of sets things apart here, with a style of playing that is vaguely in a frenetic math-rock territory but manages to never trample over the melodic punch that is firmly in the drivers seat here. Quick and to the point, the type of tried and true music that when needing a quick injection of, serves its purpose very well. Kerbivore - Oppurtunity Costs (stream) BUY IT!

[unblinkingearrecords]

Though several names and lineup changes, Kerbivore's constant has been singer/guitarist/songwriter Sean Kuhl. Taking clear inspiration fromthe holy trinity of U.S. post-punk axemen –J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü) and Roger Miller (Mission of Burma) – Kuhl has long impressed New York crowds with his masterful fretwork. On the All Dressed EP, Kuhl arrives as a songwriter; 5 songs whose melodies are as powerful as the brute force of the band's instrumental attack, displaying chops that put most of the "melodic punk" crowd to shame. Equally sweet and gnarled, the effect is not unlike your favorite quirky indie band developing a sudden (unhealthy?) fixation with Killed By Death–style punk compilations. Or perhaps the groups of the Paisley Underground ditching Roger McGuinn as their guitar hero in favor of the Stooges' Ron Asheton. Fans of the Thermals, No Age and Cloud Nothings will find plenty to love in Kerbivore.

Kerbivore - All Dressed EP is available for steam and download at unblinkingearrecords.bandcamp.com

Cassette available for pre-orders. Ships May 12, 2015.