I hope that my weeks aren’t going to continue to be so swamped that I can’t dedicate a second or two of my day to detail something new or good that I heard/saw. But, such is the case for now. Consequently, here’s another long entry, but with some good music attached: Wavves — "Post-Acid" Though aware that I posted this song a while ago , the video is satisfyingly juvenile and there's an alien on a half-pipe. I'm happy to end my summer with visions of extra terrestrials in the California sun while sk8er-baked surf rock jams out one last "hurrah." King Of The Beach was released on August 3rd via Fat Possum Records . And, his band is still touring. Via Force Field PR: 08/27 Victoria, BC Sugar 08/30 Davis, CA Sol Collective 08/31 Visalia, CA Howie and Sons Pizza Parlor 09/04 Los Angeles, CA FYF Fest 09/10 Memphis, TN Hi-Tone * 09/11 St. Louis, MO Billiken * 09/12 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall * 09/14 Bloomington, IN Rhinos * 0...

Black Mountain Wilderness Heart Jagjaguwar Released: 9.14.10 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Via Speakeasy PR: REKORDS REKORDS TO RELEASE THREE TITLES THIS FALL: ALAIN JOHANNES, MINI MANSIONS AND WIDELY ANTICIPATED QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE REISSUE LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 -- Joshua Homme 's Rekords Rekords, through a partnership with Ipecac Recordings, will release three albums this fall: Alain Johannes ' Spark (Oct. 5), Mini Mansions self-titled debut (Nov. 2) and a reissue of Queens of The Stone Age 's self-titled debut with three additional songs (Nov. 26). An artist-driven label, Rekords Rekords' newly formed affiliation with Ipecac Recordings actually dates back to 2003 when Homme's ongoing Desert Sessions series released an installment on Ipecac, re-connecting Homme with longtime friends and Ipecac co-owners Mike Patton and Greg Werckman . “Reports on the death of the record label have been greatly exaggerated," said Werckman. "Record labels like Rekords Rekords and artists like Joshua Homme continue to wage an assault on mediocrity an...

Around December of last year , I posted the video for the song "The Flood" by Philadelphia's own, Ruse Of Fools . Since then, the band has been doing their damnedest to make their mark out in the UK and Canada as, for some reason, their home region doesn't seem too interested. I find this sort of strange. The track that I'm posting tonight, a sonically charged ballad entitled, "Well Wished," doesn't seem like something that would inspire disinterest from a Philadelphia crowd. Or, even an American crowd. But, Ruse Of Fools seems to be getting noticed overseas, so maybe the stateside fandom will eventually germinate and bloom. In the meantime, here's "Well Wished." Give it a listen and support a local band. According to their press release, Princeton, NJ's WPRB 103.3 's Slow Flood Radio show said of the song that "the standard for 21st Century Rock has just been set." "Well Wished" Sincerely, Letters Fro...

Issue #2 of Kicking Against The Pricks has posted: http://kickingagainstthepricks.org/#home I contributed reviews for the following: Wild Nothing Gemini Captured Tracks 5.25.10 > Kicking Against The Pricks review I also wrote an article on Stewart Copeland ’s soundtrack for the film, Rumble Fish , which is something I’ve been meaning to do for quite some time. Stewart Copeland Rumble Fish: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack A&M 10.21.83 Kicking Against The Pricks review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Not that I want to burden anyone with an overabundance of music that caught my attention, but I’m going to anyway. The week, unfortunately, didn’t allow for me to post as regularly as I originally intended, but the songs just kept coming and I feel compelled to give them their due. Plus, some of the upcoming releases tied to these songs could be/are worthwhile. Just an opinion, of course. Unnatural Helpers : “Girl In The Window” This is the second single from Unnatural Helpers’ latest album, Cracked Love And Other Drugs , stop motion peeping tomfoolery to go along with their garage vibe. The girl in the window’s got some “seismic waves,” apparently. I wonder if they’re talking about her tits. Their first single, “She Was Your Girlfriend,” has a great video with hysterical and argumentative couples yelling and flipping middle fingers . Screaming Females : “I Don’t Mind It” Screaming Females will be releasing their new album, Castle Talk , on September 14th via Don Giovanni R...

Neurosis Enemy of the Sun Neurot Recordings Originally released: 8.17.93 (on Alternative Tentacles ) This version: 8.30.10 Enemy of the Sun escaped me in 1993. In 2010, it's been a fixation. I received a copy in the mail maybe two weeks ago, no doubt a result of the ink I offered the Neurosis reissue back in May . That was an exciting package to open: all black matte slipcover, silver reconsideration of the dilapidated and deteriorating face and figure on its otherwise apocalyptic cover, the fires now arterial translations of the fiery background. Something about the slipcover seems a sophisticate's variation of "menacing," but the doom therein is somehow more threatening with a cover this understated. That became apparent once "Lost" reached that operatic tone when fallen seraphim seemed to willingly organize choir-like behind the heavy walls of guitar and sound loops abruptly appeared and repeated nonsensically within the band's assault. The ef...

Via Earsplit PR: Legendary stoner metallers SLEEP , who recently announced their long-anticipated reunion tour, have added several new stops to the impending trek including additional shows in Brooklyn and San Francisco. Dubbed the Marijuanaut's Return US Tour 2010 , the journey will commence on September 3 at the prestigious All Tomorrow's Parties Music Fest in Monticello, New York and draw to a close on the second of two dates at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California. Support will be provided by a revolving roster of bands throughout the tour including: Doomriders, Unearthly Trance, A Storm Of Light, Lichens, Sub Oslo, Scott Kelly, YOB and Thrones . Check out the David D'Andrea tour poster, which will be available at each show as a 26" x 26" glow-in-the-dark screen print, here: SLEEP split in 1997 after two hugely influential albums. Members went on to form underground heroes OM and High On Fire , and more recently metal supergroup Shrinebuilder ...

The garage-infused static of No Age will be getting another go around with Everything In Between , which will be out September 28th via Sub Pop. The first single from the album, “Glitter,” will be released twice as a 12” and 7,” each with a different B-side, (12” — “In Rebound” and “Vision II;” 7” — “Inflorescence”). Sub Pop is offering “Glitter” as a download and a stream of “Inflorescence,” which actually sounds kind of gross. Or, you can just check out “Glitter” below. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Crawdaddy posted a link to a free Primus download. It’s four rehearsal tracks from their current tour and it can be yours for the price of an email address. The songs featured are: 1). “Pudding Time” 2). “American Life” 3). “Duchess And The Proverbial Mind Spread” 4). “Harold Of The Rocks” I really like the midway jam during “American Life.” Old songs, but it’s so good to hear them played. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Shapes and Sizes Candle To Your Eyes Asthmatic Kitty Released: 8.3.10 No Ripcord review Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

It had to have been true in the pre-Internet days that there were certain bands destined to be appreciated only by the aficionados as the rock rags, city papers and word-of-mouth networking could only reach so many ears. I’d never heard of Poobah till a week ago when a press release from Ripple Music reached my inbox and informed me of the “fuzzed-out, psychedelic, proto-metal masterpiece” entitled, Let Me In , that will be reissued this coming October. Here are the details via Ripple Music: With the original 1972 LP fetching upwards of $300 a piece at various auction sites, Poobah and Ripple Music decided it was time to "re-unleash" the album that started the madness. The fuzzed-out, psychedelic, proto-metal masterpiece is set to hit the streets on October 12th, 2010 and will be available in CD, digital, and deluxe double gatefold 12" vinyl versions. Fully remastered by T. Dallas Reed (Stone Axe/Mos Generator) the songs have a fresh vitality while never losing the ...

Since posting about their split 7” with Golden Triangle back in April , The Fresh & Onlys are a name I’ve been seeing more and more over the course of the year. Aside from their collaborative 7,” and an apparent slew of other 7” singles, the band released their August In My Mind EP in early Spring and are now finishing up their upcoming LP, Play It Strange . Check out “Diamond In The Dark” from August In My Mind . ”Diamond In The Dark” Via ForceField PR: This has been a decisive year for San Francisco's The Fresh & Onlys - including invitations to play All Tomorrow's Parties and then join Deerhunter for a UK tour, extensive treks throughout the US, and standout performances at the Woodsist festivals in NY and Big Sur. Keeping with their notorious urgent pace the Fresh & Onlys released a handful of exclusive 7" singles, and Captured Tracks issued the lush and anthemic August In My Mind EP. Now to cap off the year, Play It Strange arrives this Fall from t...

Prefixmag.com posted a short video promoting the second album for Nick Cave ’s Grinderman , Grinderman 2 . A complete video for their latest single, “Heathen Child,” is available through NME . Take warning: the video’s B-movie homage coupled with Cave and Co.’s Trojan garb are both hilarious, but there’s some nudity so you may want to wait until employers and busybody co-workers are out of sight. Or, just check out the video when you go home. In the meantime, you can find a review of Grinderman’s self-titled debut here . Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Paul A. Rosales Wonder Wheel I Care In The Community Released: 8.3.10 Over the last couple years, (and this has been acknowledged on more than few occasions by me and everyone else with two ears and a blog), D.I.Y., albeit under the influence of modern methodology, has resurfaced with a vengeance. This is good: Truth be known, indie music has to some degree devolved to a castrated millennial take on prog rock, the excess of instrumentation and wallowing of whine less interesting next to the noted self-indulgence of arena-based prog and jam rock of the 70s. I got tired of indie rock and I don’t think I’m alone. How many Arcade Fire and Neutral Milk Hotel clones can you really listen to before it all sounds overwrought and dull? And as creative heights are reached, the art form must fall time and time again. This will always be true, thankfully. Big band jazz went be-bop, hippie rock went metal, pop rock went punk rock and 00 indie rock has gone lo-fi. Granted the label “lo-fi” ...

“The Hair Song,” a new single from Black Mountain ’s upcoming album Wilderness Heart , is available for download. It was also announced yesterday that they’ll be touring with The Black Angels (cue jokes about “dark tours”). ”The Hair Song" Via Jagjaguwar : Black Mountain is teaming up with fellow psych rockers The Black Angels for what promises to be the stand out co-headline tour this Fall. Beginning at Chicago's Metro on October 28, the "Dropout Boogie" tour rolls through 24 cities, before winding up in Vancouver on Nov 30. Both bands new album releases coincide on Sept 14. To mark the launch of the double header tour and simultaneous album releases, Ticketmaster is offering a pre-sale starting Aug 4th where tickets can be purchased along with digital copies of both albums. The bundle includes an instant free download of The Black Angels cover of Black Mountain's classic "No Satisfaction." Black Mountain returns to Europe next month to embark on...