Asobi Seksu

title:: Asobi Seksu
label:: Friendly Fire Recordings

This is a good example of a contemporary group attempting to align themselves with a particular aesthetic (or two incompatible styles--in this case, 50s Japan and 90s Shoegaze) without really thinking it through.

The band seems to carry their affections by the numbers. This is what I find disappointing. They have rendered the subject matter of their songs irrelevant by issuing them in this kind of packaging. In the end, Asobi Seksu are all surface and no style.

The Bellrays

title:: In the Light of the Sun
label:: In Music We Trust

In the Light of the Sun is an album from 1992 originally released on cassette.

The vocals of Lisa Kekaula remind me of Daisy Marley from Noonday Underground and Rachel Nagy of The Detroit Cobras. All three vocalists have strong clear voices projected from the lungs instead of simply by amplified microphone - they belt it out!

Come To The Sunshine

various artists
label:: Rhino Handmade

Come To The Sunshine spotlights the softer, poppier side of 60s music with some well known and documented groups along side lesser known obscure acts.

As with all Rhino Handmade discs, there's extra care taken in the packaging and liner notes to make these cds worth the extra bucks, and Come To The Sunshine has really cool artwork which includes a rotating kaleidoscope wheel along with the usual liner notes and archival photos.

Felix Da Housecat

title:: Rocket Ride
label:: Emperor Norton Records

Starting off with a stun guitar out of early Blue Oyster Cult and a drum part Peter Criss would kick up in Kiss, Rocket Ride is not like any other Felix da Housecat music I have heard.

The feel of the track (and even the graphics on the sleeve) remind me of Andreas Dorau's classic Fred Vom Jupiter. The song is very upbeat and easy to sing along with, and the vocals are done by the group of women who call themselves The Neon Fever.

Putsch 79

title:: Putsch
label:: Clone Records

Putsch 79's disc is a warm, energetic classic sounding disc.

It sounds like if Kraftwerk had set about doing a disco album with all the best intentions, or if Giorgio Moroder never had the chance to work with Donna Summer, all pure pounding beats, slinky synth lines and retro pings.