7" Garage

UPCOMING RELEASE: SMALL BLACK / WASHED OUT – SPLIT

Too much dreamy synth-pop goodness! Brooklyn duo Small Black is uniting with Georgia one-man band and Pitchfork ‘Rising’ artist Washed Out to release a split on Lovepump United Records.

For this split, each band takes one of the other’s hot songs from 2009 and makes it their own through a remix. Small Black re-imagines Washed Out’s “You’ll See It,” and Washed Out rearranges Small Black’s “Despicable Dogs.” The results promise to be gorgeously catatonic, like a sugar-induced coma.

“You’ll See It/Despicable Dogs” drops January 26. Insound is taking pre-orders.

Here are the original mixes:
Washed Out - You'll See It

UPCOMING RELEASE: SPOON – “WRITTEN IN REVERSE”

Indie giants (it happens!) Spoon are probably one of the bigger acts still releasing singles to vinyl. They’re dropping their seventh full-length studio album, Transference, on January 19, and they’re releasing a new 7”, “Written in Reverse,” ahead of it.

“Written in Reverse” is the first single off Transference. The record is backed with “Mean Red Spider,” a true B-side the band says will not appear on any future release or on iTunes. Showing they still get record collectors, “Written in Reverse” will be released on bright pink colored vinyl.

“Written in Reverse” drops January 5 (according to the band’s website, which doesn’t have it up for sale) or January 12 (Insound, which is offering pre-orders). Merge Records says it will come out “on or around Jan. 5.”

7 Questions with The Twerps

Aussie rockers The Twerps just released their Good Advice EP, packaged with a 7″ of “Dance Alone,” a spoken-word nod to American life in the ’50s. Just don’t expect the words spoken to be the same when you see them live. They’re coming Stateside from their native Melbourne this June with hometown buddies Eddy Current Suppression Ring. We spoke with frontman Marty about 7″ records and drinking beers; “What more could you fucking want mate?!”

How did the Twerps come together?

Julia and I had played in previous bands before The Twerps. She had played in Batrider, who had relocated from New Zealand to Melbourne, and I had played in a noisy guitar band called You Will Die Alone. YWDA only lasted a few months but we managed to get an EP out. It was more me playing with a good friend and him teaching me how to play.

After playing a while there, I started to write some of my own tunes, which became most of the early Twerps tracks. Rick (bassist) and I started mucking around with the songs—he’s never played before, so he’s still learning and loving it! He’s got a great sense of music—he’s worked in record stores and always had a big interest in a vast amount of different music. We then asked our friend Pat to jam with us–he had no previous lessons or experience on drums. We just started out about a year ago as a fun thing to do whilst drinking beers. Julia was a good friend and later asked if she could play, finally completing the twerps line up.

What music inspired you early on?

We were probably all listening to heaps of different things, but all had pretty much similar tastes—stuff like The Verlaines, The Bats, The Stones (of New Zealand), Velvet Underground, Wire, Ariel Pink. We’ve been able to hear more stuff just playing with other bands though. We’re all pretty into any type of music really, all genres are interesting in their own ways. I fucking love reggae and hip hop and Rick’s into heaps of different hardcore. You can’t limit yourselves with music! Listen to it all, I say!

Where did the inspiration come for “Dance Alone?” Why spoken word?

I’d made the song with all its different instruments at home and showed it to the guys. They dug it so we learned it and recorded it when we were doing the other tracks. I had only worked out the chorus, so once it came time to record the lyrics, I just decided I’d rap over the top of it about being what I would think it would be like to be me in a small American town in the ’50s. We only did one take and that was the one.

I had to listen back to the lyrics to learn the song and still now I try and make it up. It usually has to do with whatever the fuck we’re going to get up to after the show or during it.

I was probably listening to a fair bit of The Shangri Las when I wrote the chords for that song and I guess it’s noticeable. Even though they’re from the ’60s, I’ve always loved the idea of the ’50s. It looks like it would have been sweet—music from back then was so cool! The style was banging; everyone was polite and wholesome as fuck!

The track has a wispy, dreamy sort of sound on the recording; how was that achieved?

We recorded to a four-track with our mate Mikey Young from Eddy Current Suppression Ring in two hours, then did the vocals at his gaf a few weeks later. They were meant to be used as demos—we’d only been together for a few weeks—so we could work out the songs and such, but he just did such a cool job with it, and people liked it, so we kept it like that. I’ve always been a big fan of a shit load of reverb, and so we tried to make our guitars soaked in reverb and Mikey did the rest from the recording he had done. The dude’s a bit of a genius really; he knows the music we like and knows what we wanted it to sound like without us having to tell him. He just had a good idea from what he heard in the songs.

Why did you guys decide to press a 7inch?

Rick and I have always said if we ever had a band, we would have to have a 7″. We’ve always collected 7″s more than LPs ’cause they’re a really cool little package, and there’s something romantic about them for me, I guess. They are a sexy little package. Usually the artwork’s fucking cool, and they are usually under ten bucks; what more could you fucking want mate?!

What’s the first 7″ record you ever bought?

Marty: Go Betweens – “Streets Of Your Town”

Pat: Sesame St. of some description

Rick: Black Flag – “TV Party”

Julia: Hole – “Pretty on the Inside”

Which is your all time favorite?

Pat: Jay Reatard and Deerhunter split were they cover each other.

Rick: The Moffs – “Another Day In The Sun”

Marty: Any Eddy Current sevens which are laying around after a half a slab!

Julia: Too hard … I love them all!

New Release: Barreracudas – “Dog Food”

The Barreracudas have an incredible formula for making a catchy garage punk song — they write about how much they like dog food. The song is essentially a list of every sort of dog foods that they eat: Alpo, Beggin’ Strips, biscuits, dry food, wet food. Then, when there’s no dog food, they eat cat food (Meow Mix and Fancy Feast). And of course, they don’t stop there. They eat tampons, table scraps, homework. And if they were a zombie? They would eat a dog’s soul (a bit misguided, really, as dog zombies would probably eat dog brains).

It’s brilliant. The details of how you can get your hands on this piece of wax are here.

New Release: Wussy / The Fervor – Split

Cincinnati band Wussy and Louisville, Kentucky natives the Fervor have teamed up for a split. The bands have been touring partners before, and Wussy’s website describes them as “longtime pals.” The single is the second of The Belt Series, and pressed on green vinyl, limited to 500 copies (vinyl only, no digital). The Fervor track, “No Apology,” is representative of the band’s garage aesthetic. The sound on this Wussy track “Fly, Fly, Fly.” is emblematic of their raw rock sound, different from their early work (the band formed in 2001), which was often described as drone, or articulated drone. Singer Lisa Walker’s voice soars, and her songwriting skills in concert with bandmate and co-founder Chuck Cleaver’s mesh seamlessly with the instrumentation of bass player Mark Messerly and drummer Dawn Burman. The Fervor and Wussy will tour together sometime in 2010, so watch for dates. The split is available on Karate Body Records.

Collector Files: David Anthony

David Anthony is a musician and collector from Hammond, Indiana, just outside Chicago. David plays guitar and sings backup vocals in local power-punk band The New Brunette, and plays drums in local melodic punk band the Burbs, who plan to release their first 7” sometime next spring. David and other members of the New Brunette, the Burbs and brother/sister band Dreadnok Ripper also have plans to eventually start up their own record label. David, who is also a student at Columbia College Chicago, took some time out of his busy schedule to chat about his 7” collection.

How long have you been collecting vinyl?

Since I was twelve years old. This was when CDs were still crazy prices, and I discovered that I could get albums for cheaper.

Do you remember the first 7” you ever bought?

I remember it vividly. It was Green Day’s “Slappy” EP, which was one of the first they put out on Lookout Records. I think I was thirteen. My friend and I were in the mall and found all these cheap Green Days EPs…and we each bought one.

Do you have some favorite or prized 7”s in your collection?

I have a few test pressing from Asian Man Records that I’m really proud of. I have one from Tuesday, which was the band (bass player/vocalist) Dan Adriano was in before Alkaline Trio. I also have some O Pioneers test pressings.

A couple years ago I found the Alkaline Trio 7” from the show they played at Metro on Halloween one year. When I found it I nearly crapped my pants…I wasn’t able to make it to the show, and it almost made up for not being there.

I have some singles from a Chuck Ragan 7” series that was released on No Idea. The concept was…you signed up and you got one every month for a year, and I got it for Christmas. Well…they’re always kind of behind there, so some months I wouldn’t get one, and other months I’d get three all at once and be like, ‘All right, awesome!’

Another one of my favorites is the Small Brown Bike/Cursive split…because the packaging is so non-traditional and weird. It’s this…ugly lime green that’s kind of fucking hideous, but I like it a lot.

One of the most meaningful ones I own is a Shook Ones/Easel split. They pressed both American and Japanese tour versions but they didn’t come to Chicago. So I contacted the Shook Ones…and they actually got me one of the rare Japanese pressings. Their side of it is this…brilliant but heartbreaking song called ‘Order Form’ where this guy…is singing about how much he loves his girlfriend…but he won’t get married until gay people have the same right to get married as everyone else. I heard that song right before the issue seemed to get so huge…to hear that from a hardcore band…which is traditionally like this big Boy’s Club, literally made my jaw hit the floor. It was like…everything I want to say on this issue but could never find the words for.

Is there anything in particular that attracts you to the 7” format or is really exciting to you about singles?

Well if it’s a band I love, I’m going to get excited. And you can really do a lot with the medium. I love to see an EP with interesting packaging. Like recently, I got this Arms Aloft 7” with all this cool stuff like glow in the dark packaging, patches, download codes…

What drew me to 7”s and what I really love about them…is when I know that this is where I can hear these songs, and it’s the only place. And bands are putting out these things because they really care…I really like special event or tour pressings with songs you can’t get anywhere else…I get excited when there’s actually incentive like that.

Do you have any favorite record labels or stores?

No Idea Records out of Gainesville (Florida) is one of my favorite labels. They really make an effort to keep most of their stuff in print, so it’s not some exclusive club…they also do stuff like print things on scraps of leftover vinyl, so you get a lot of different colors and unique things…I think they’re a great model.

I also like Asian Man Records…because they’re cheap and staunchly independent. The guy still runs it out of his Mom’s garage. And Mike Park (label founder) is probably the nicest guy in punk rock.

In Chicago, I really like Underground Communiqué, because I love seeing people who really and truly give a shit about what they’re doing. I also do a lot of buying at Reckless. They know me by name…it’s like they’ve watched me grow up there.

Lately I’ve also been into Paper and Plastick, because their art and packaging is ridiculously awesome. They don’t sell CDs; it’s all vinyl, downloads and art prints…They know who their demographic is. They really get it. I love it when a label…puts in the time and effort to make something totally awesome.

Is there a particular 7″ you are or have been on a long search for?

There sure is. Alkaline Trio is one of my favorite bands…because I got into them when I was so young. Growing up in and around Chicago, I feel like I grew up with them. I’ve been looking for their first 7”…pretty much since I started collecting. But it’s crazy expensive. I’ve never seen it for less than $150, and it kind of ranges anywhere from $150 to $300…I’m always conscious of it…it’s always sort of in the back of my mind. Someday I know I’ll get lucky and get it…I just can’t justify it yet.

I’m also looking for ‘Goliath’ from Paint it Black. It’s hand-numbered…and the only way to get that song. It’s a one-song 7”, which is kind of a pain in the ass…I think the lyrics are screen printed on the reverse side or something…but I’d really like to have it.

I’m looking for one by Ink and Dagger…I’ve held it in my hands at the record store a few times…but decided I just couldn’t shell out the cash. “I’m also trying to track down a few things from Jawbreaker…

I just try to be patient when looking for things that are rare and expensive. I know that some day I’ll come across them…but I never spend money I don’t have. See for now, I just think of record as a harmless vice slash hobby. I mean really…my only vices in this world are records and baked goods…so I figure I can’t be doing too bad in the end.

You can check out David’s whole collection here. He’ll be playing a cover show with other local bands in February called Cash Bash in honor of Johnny Cash’s birthday.

7 Questions With Reading Rainbow

Philadelphia duo Reading Rainbow just put out a new 7″ of their single “Restless” via Zoo Music — a driving rhythm track with spacey vocals and beautiful pop melodies. Its B-side is a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Stephanie Says.” The band is currently mapping out their trip to SXSW, so keep an eye on their tour schedule. 7″ Garage caught up with Reading Rainbow’s axeman Rob Garcia for 7 Questions.

When did you all first pick up your respective instruments?

I first started playing guitar when I was 15. Sarah had never played drums before Reading Rainbow started around March of 2008. We used to play music together in another band, but then that drummer backed out of a show. Sarah’s drumming all came really fast. In a two-week span, we wrote and recorded eight songs (most of which are on the Mystical Participation 12″) and then played two out-of-town shows. It was a lot of fun.

What bands were you listening to then, and how has your taste evolved since?

Back then I was ridiculously obsessed with Jimi Hendrix and Cream. I got really into ’60s psychedelic music and jazz, then into Britpop and then really into late ’70s punk. I think when Reading Rainbow started, we were listening to a lot of Wire’s Pink Flag, Urinals, Modern Lovers, Sun Ra, Half Japanese. Not too much contemporary stuff.

How has Philadelphia influenced your music? What Philly bands should folks check out?

I think Philly has a kind of grungy toughness to it. I don’t think the music scene here has really influenced us that much, more so the environment. Like any big city, there is a huge range of bands. I think our favorites are US Girls, Hot Guts, and PoPo.

Where did the inspiration come for “Restless?”

It’s based from the point of view of somebody who wants to be productive and contribute but never following through—just thinking about it instead of doing anything at all. It’s something that we see a lot in people our age. Of course everyone needs time to chill, but we got the fire inside us!

How did you guys achieve the ambient, echo-like sound of the vocals on that track?

For all of our recordings we run the vocals through a lot of reverb, and then through a small amp, and then mic the amp for the recording. We have a really great eight channel reel-to-reel that we’ve used for all of our recordings so far. It gives everything a really nice quality.

Who does most of the songwriting in the band?

I write the chord progressions and think of melodies and then we both write the lyrics together. I remember having the chords and melody for “Restless” way back in the fall of 2008, but I guess it took a while to fully materialize.

Why a Velvet Underground cover?  Why Stephanie Says?

Sarah had the idea for a recording project called Seasick Sarah where we did our own interpretations of Velvet Underground songs. The intent was to help us learn how to record better. This was back at the beginning of this year. We only recorded two songs and then got super busy with other stuff.

“Stephanie Says” has always been a favorite of ours. I think the night before we recorded it, we decided that we would do this project and so I figured out the chords. The following day, I think, we recorded it all in an afternoon. It was all very spontaneous and I think it comes off really well in the recording. Sarah did two vocal tracks back-to-back and didn’t even realize she was harmonizing with herself. It was one of those special moments that accidentally happen.

New Reissue: The Spits – “Pain”

At last, they’ve reissued one of the greatest covers of all time. The Spits, one of the world’s finest skate punk bands, released “Pain” on Slovenly Records. And who is it a cover of? The band “Pain” from the “Battle of the Bands” episode of C.H.I.P.S. In the episode, Ponch chases down a bunch of hoodlum punks, who teach the gang in the ways off “slam dancing.” Pain, the bad guys of the episode, perform one of the all-time greatest original songs from a television show (it’s really hilariously terrible), “Pain.” That’s right. The band is called Pain and so is the song. Magnificent.

You can buy it at Permanent or Goner. Here’s the inspiration for the song:

New Release: YACHT – “Psychic City”

The DFA label has done so much good for music in this decade. Between Hercules & Love Affair, Hot Chip and, of course, LCD Soundsystem, it was hard to imagine a way for the label to top itself. And this year, YACHT released See Mystery Lights, a brilliant work of dance music.

The high point of the record is “Psychic City (Voodoo City),” a song about a trippy party. The band doesn’t stick to the strict dance rock stuff like other bands on the label. More so than their labelmates, YACHT would’ve held their own with the greats in the early ’80s New Wave scene and still be an incredible electronic band. This week, DFA released the song in 7″ format. And it’s a picture disc! Buy it here.

YACHT – Psychic City (Voodoo City) from Jona Bechtolt on Vimeo.

New Release: Gesellschaft Zur Emanzipation Des Samples – “Circulations”

With 21st century technology and the emergence of mash-up DJs in the last decade, sampling has been a pretty hot-button issue in music over the last couple years. So what kind of sampling should musicians pay for today? And what how do we determine what is legal and not legal?

Those are questions that Gesellschraft Zur Emanzipation Des Samples – trans. Society for the Emancipation of Sampling – isn’t afraid to ask. In fact, they outright challenge copyright law with their newest album, “Circulations”. “Circulations” features recordings that present samples of music in public spaces with a potentially contentious sample woven in somewhere. In some cases the public aspect is noticeable; others not so much. Either way, Gesellschraft Zur Emanzipation Des Samples still manages to create a unique, experimental sound that breaks all the rules (literally).

For all you EP fans, the band recently released selected tracks off of “Circulations” on 7″ vinyl. They’ve only pressed 300 copies, so pick it up while you can.