You can't beat....

...a bit of stoner/psychedelic rock 'n' blues now and then - and here's a first class chunk of that. All Them Witches tick all the right boxes for swirling guitars, stoner riffs and general all-round psychedelic trippiness. They've just released a new 'EP' (well, 5 tracks and 57 minutes) called A Sweet Release, available as a 'pay what you want' download. Get it here

The opening track is a 25 minute journey through fuzzy head-trip blues through quiet laid back passages and to full on rock. Here's one of the bands' official videos that'll give you some idea. Enjoy.

Relax.....

This is a great EP. Check out Beatnik for more decent, independent stuff.

 

Viper Smoke

Taman Shud - difficult as it may be, imagine The Birthday Party meets Hawkwind. All for the insanely low price of £4 for the digi-download or £11 for the vinyl.

Get it here
This is a great record. The opening track 'The Hissing Priest's Remains' is a pure sound deluge with a guitar sound not unlike Roland S. Howard, hence The Birthday Party mention. 'The Hex Inverted' and 'I tego arcana dei' carry on in the same uncompromising way, although with a slightly more structured (if that's the correct word) sound, reminiscent of Hawkwind's 'Brainstorm' from Space Ritual. 'Crime Cycle' rocks along at a fair old pace with more of the same high pitch guitar sqealing that characterises this debut release. A great first album. If this is anything to go by, live shows should be quite something 


 

Prong alert!

Many years ago - in about 1988 - I bought an album by Prong called 'Force Fed'. Great album.Short slices of proper metal that ripped along at 90mph. I think it was Prong's second independent release before the band was signed by Epic Records. Fast forward 27 years and imagine the delight when checking out Bandcamp and finding  Prong's 'Unleashed in the West - Live in Berlin' recording for $1.Yes, that's $1 for 17 Prong tracks. 27 years may have passed since Force Fed but this proves the band can still rock at 90mph and that the Prong sound hasn't really changed in all that time. Do yourself a favour. Buy it. For $1 you can't go wrong.

Get Prong

New Beech Coma release..

Good news - Beech Coma Vol.3 has been released. Check it out at the Beech Coma website or at Bandcamp......

Some time in Japan.....

A couple of weeks away during which time I went to Japan. The main purpose for going there was to run the Tokyo Marathon. I did and I finished. It was fun but painful.

I can never go to Japan without visiting the area around Ochanomizu railway station. This area is known for its music shops and all kind of instrument shops (mainly guitars). A year ago I decided I would like to play the guitar. Guitarists always look 'cool'. I completed a few on-line lessons and now study with a local guitar teacher. Going to Tokyo would give me the chance to check what is available in Ochanomizu. The problem, I soon discovered is not the language - many shops do have staff that can speak a bit of English.No, It's the fact that I'm left handed. I visited a number of shops and found perhaps 5 left handed guitars. I was even told by one staff member that I was the first left handed person he had met. Oh dear. Here are some pictures of right handed guitars.

The one shop that appears at the top of my 'must visit' list in Tokyo is Disk Union. There are branches all over the city. Disk Union is THE place for new and used CD's and vinyl. Whatever your taste in music, this place is pretty much guaranteed to stock it. The Shinjuku shop is 5 floors of musical goodness. This time I visited the Ochanomizu branch and found all kinds of rarities - first pressing Led Zeppelin debut album and a signed-by-the-man David Bowie 'Ziggy Stardust' first pressing for about £400. Sadly the staff were not keen on me taking pictures of these treasures. I didn't get either as that would have probably ended in divorce. Here's Disk Union Ochanomizu

Back again....

So,back again after a break. Well, if the truth be known I just couldn't find the enthusiasm to post anything. But here we are again with more tunes/labels/bands that will hopefully be of interest and expand your listening pleasure.

First up this year is a label that I'd not heard of before (apologies....) but if the releases that it's put out and the bands it's working with are anything to go by, it should standard listening for everyone. Originally based in Leeds and now based in London, Beech Coma is putting out some great independent music. Check the website and Facebook page for details of the compilation albums. The music is a combination of lo-fi jangly guitars and fuzziness - and it's brilliantly catchy. Expect bigger things from Beech Coma!