On ‘Via Delarosa’, the third release from Philadelphian blues rockers St. James & The Apostles, their heavy guitar and organ driven sound ensures plenty of old style chops are at the forefront of almost everything, allowing listeners with a retro ear a chance to really let their hair down. In terms of grittiness, the analogue sound of this LP’s ten heavy rollers just couldn’t be improved: if you like music to have a live in the studio feel, then look no further…
Tag Archives: garage
¡VAMANOS! – EP
As blusterous as Jon Spencer’s Blues Explosion yet accessible in their slide guitar fixated approach, The Dead Exs were just one of many blues duos to take the stage in the wake of The White Stripes’ popularity. Their debut release ‘Ressurection’ was raw yet focused…possessing power and groove, in short, everything garage blues should be. If The Dead Exs channelled the power and charm of the Blues Explosion’s classic work, then King Pizza signings ¡Vamanos! are almost the ugly Pussy Galore by default – their brand of garage blues making all but the very rawest noisemakers sound like major label puppets.
FRANCIE MOON – Glass House EP
If ‘Free To a Good Home’ showed Francie Moon’s craft at its rawest – seven demo recordings of unreleased tunes – the ‘Glass House EP’ provides the perfect counterpart with four more polished recordings showing off the subtler side to her work. On this, Moon’s third release of 2014, the idea of subtle is relative; even in a setting that sounds far less “live” than before, she insists on drenching almost everything with a cloud of distortion. This, of course, is not necessarily a bad thing.
FRANCIE MOON – Free To A Good Home
Following a self-released digital EP in 2013 and split cassette with Darkwing in the first half of 2014, ‘Free To a Good Home’ brings more previously unreleased music from New Jersey’s Francie Moon (aka Melissa Lucciola). Released to tie in with a summer tour – and acting as a stopgap before the appearance of ‘Glass House’, a studio recorded four track 7” – its seven recordings are very DIY in origin, but there are still times where they provide an excellent example of the performer’s talents.
THE END MEN – Odds & Ends
With heavy blues grooves and a hoarse vocal, The End Men made a huge impression on their second release ‘Play With Your Toys’. Uncompromising, loud and brash on the surface, yet home of a carnival of characters, the band pushed the limits of the two-musician format. Their follow up ‘Odds & Ends’ does exactly what it says on the rusted tin gathering together some unheard gems, plus providing a proper home for 2013’s two track release ‘Work’/’Ratking’.