Rocket From The Crypt |

i finally got around to giving the night marchers debut, see you in magic, a full on listen and as expected it kicks all kind of ass. it sounds exactly what you would expect a john reis record to sound like. sure, everything he does is a little different but the guy has such a distinctive voice that its really hard to change up styles and progress without sounding a little bit like everything that came before it. still, the dude fuckin rocks and i really hate change. so, here’s to knowing what john reis is getting me into before i even hop on board.

closed for inventory

here come the rome plows off drive like jehu’s yank crime

do you compute

born in 69 off rocket from the crypt’s rip

ditch digger

the night marchers myspace

i dont know where you live, but down here summer sure as hell seems to have sprung. that means the hyundai’s windows are coming down with even greater frequency even when its 90 plus degrees, but even sometimes i puss out and put that air on. i cant deal with africa hot. in any event, here is round one of two of my top 20 summer records for the ‘08.

the avalanches.since i left you

i dont know much about dj records, but i do know that since i left you is one chill and inspiring piece of work. its a patchwork of cool. if ya havent heard it, you are sorely missing out.

since i left you

stay another season

the avalanches site

the afghan whigs.1965

crazy. sexy. cool. nuff said.

crazy

somethin hot

the afghan whigs via summer’s kiss

rocket from the crypt.r.i.p.

if i were to make a movie of the debauchery that summer brings including but not limited to: random hookups, drunken brawls, driving your car off a cliff, spur of the moment road trips, going out in a blaze of glory, etc, r.i.p. would be the soundtrack.

born in 69

ditch digger

rocket from the crypt site

the hold steady.separation sunday

sure stay positive is coming out just in time for summer, but frankly it just doesnt stack up to the cocksure attitude and swagger of seperation sunday.

stevie nix

your little hoodrat friend

the hold steady site

the black crowes.the southern harmony and musical companion

granted, i am a northerner placed in the heart of dixie so i dont know shit about the southern thang. but no other record feels summer time in the hot, sweaty, complicated south quite like southern harmony.

hotel illness

sometimes salvation

the black crowes site

the smoking popes.destination failure

who doesnt love poppy/punky songs about girls, self doubt and even more songs about girls? my favorite line comes from the opener “star struck one” which pretty much sets the tone for the whole record, “my heart tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear “dont be a pussy all your life.” if it weren’t so fuckin catchy the shit would be depressing.

no more smiles

megan

smoking popes site

ted leo & the pharamcists.the tyranny of distance

as far as i am concerned the tyranny of distance is a solid choice for all seasons, but there’s nothing like “jamming out” to that guitar hook in “timorous me” with the windows rolled down and the person next to ya givin ya the what the fuck is he doin look.

dial up

timorous me

ted leo site / myspace

the cool kids.bake sale

songs about bmx bikes and other suburban inspired nonsense. perfect for cruising for nerdy chicks.

oscar

action figures

the cool kids myspace

suicide bill and the liquors.a little bit…burned

i cant think of a better way to spend 5 bucks this summer. fuck that gallon of gas and/or 3 pbrs! you like the mats? husker du? jack logan? anthemic rock via some dudes garage in rhode island? huh? this will do for the lonely drinkers what the meadowlands did for disillusioned 30 somethings.

original lonely

alligator arms

suicide bill and the liquors myspace

why?.alopecia

when’s a pop record not a pop record? if i were to venture a guess it would have to be alopecia. the beats say hip hop, but the hooks say pop. i’m all confused, but whatever the hell it is it’s like a hot room that had a weed bomb go off in it.

fatalist palmistry

the hollows

why myspace