Author: mike

Pinkshinyultrablast at All Music

Working the revivalist angle can be a dicey proposition at best. It’s easy to fall into the realm of being a mere copycat with nothing new or interesting to add to the pre-existing template, and many artists do exactly that, with results that pale in comparison to the originals. Some try to update or modernize… Continue reading Pinkshinyultrablast at All Music

Black Watch at All Music

Named after an obscure John Lennon quip on an outtake of A Day in the Life, Sugarplum Fairy, Sugarplum Fairy is the 18th record by prolific L.A. indie stalwarts the Black Watch. At this point in their 26-year career, the band is (and generally has been) essentially singer/songwriter John Andrew Fredrick, who plays every instrument… Continue reading Black Watch at All Music

Mind Brains at Athens Banner-Herald

There are certain truisms when it comes to Athens music. One constant is the unusual nature of anything released from those within the Elephant 6 collective. It will be weird, experimental, ranging and often “out-there,” but in a way that is neither unfocused or boring. The latest creation to join this formidable list of musical… Continue reading Mind Brains at Athens Banner-Herald

Pinkshinyultrablast at Wondering Sound

The Russian group Pinkshinyultrablast are already garnering raves from the likes of the Guardian, the NME and BBC Radio, and all it takes is a few seconds of the radiant “Land’s End” to see why. The song is both beautiful and mysterious: filmy guitars form a mirage-like backdrop for Lyubov’s (one name only, thank you)… Continue reading Pinkshinyultrablast at Wondering Sound

Black Watch at When You Motor Away

The Black Watch is a long-standing cult band founded by John Andrew Fredrick in the late ’80s.  They have released a number of LPs with various line-ups.  The one constant is Fredrick — singer, songwriter and, forSugarplum Fairy, Sugarplum Fairy, the sole musician for all instruments other than drums.  I confess to being thoroughly impressed by… Continue reading Black Watch at When You Motor Away

Mind Brains at Flagpole

Mind Brains’ self-titled debut pushes the psychedelic sounds of Elephant 6 deeper and higher into the outer limits. As the CD’s opening number, “Happy Stomp,” unravels its long, drawn-out rhythms, Kraftwerk’s “Europe Endless” and Faust’s “It’s a Rainy Day (Sunshine Girl)” are musical touchstones. These Krautrock staples light the path that Mind Brains—a group whose… Continue reading Mind Brains at Flagpole