Kevin Morby Still Life Woodsist Records 2014

Kevin Morby Still Life Woodsist Records 2014 CAT# WOODSIST075

This was Kevin Morby's 2nd solo LP and is a collection of songs he wrote as part of his band the Woods as well as some after leaving the band as the inner indicates the songs were written between 2012 and 2014.

The title of the LP isn't clear as the inner states, "Still Life A Collection of songs Written between 2012 and 2014", the cover however states, "Still Live With Rejects From the Land of Misiftoys", yet, the spine and LP state the simple title, "Still Life". The titles seem to indicate what the album is; a collection of tracks Morby couldn't fit onto his prior LP, "Harlem River" and tracks he didn't see fitting onto his next album which became "Singing Saw". This was his second LP released in 2014 and the front cover states "Misifitoys" (yeah, it's misspelled) which would indicate this is just a collection of tunes Morby didn't know what to do with other than record them.

For the most part, "Still Life" feels like a collection or a compilation. There's incredible tracks, some of Morby's best, but there's no feel to the album. He jumps from aggressive Dylan-esque rockers, to sprawling alt. country experiments. Overall, it's an amazing mix-tape presented by Kevin Morby, the highlights being when he channels Dylan's thin-mercury sound as it's a step away from his other two albums.

Full Album

Kathlyn Conroy Jessica and Nathan Reusch Wedding Flexi-disc May 24th, 2014

Kathlyn Conroy Jessica and Nathan Reusch Wedding Flexi-disc May 24th, 2014 NO CAT#

While I should probably discuss Cowboy, Indian, Bear before I jump into this, it's great and I due to the hassle of playing a flexidisc, I'm jumping in on this.

Kathlyn Conroy is a member of Cowboy, Indian, Bear and fronts her solo-project, La Guerra. Both of which are great, however, La Guerra isn't on vinyl, just CD. Nathan Reusch is an old friend and founder of The Record Machine . His label threw out a 5 LP bundle at a site called, Sound Supply and I wanted in on it, but had a couple of the featured records. I asked Nathan if rather than sending me dupes he could throw a few 45s I didn't have, and he threw this at me.

It was done as a party favor for his wedding. Kathlyn Conroy does an amazing rendition of the Christian hymn, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing". It was penned in 1757 and typically centered around a folk backdrop. Conroy throws atmospheric keyboard sounds and her echoed distant voice on top, it's beautiful. The second track, Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End" has been covered many times. Most of the covers help to showcase what a remarkable songwriter Johnston is, Conroy's is no different. She drops a single guitar line, more atmospheric synth sounds and her distant voice, it's very clever.

Shyboys Life is Peachy B/W Follow the Leader High Dive Records 2014

Shyboys 45 EP High/Dive Records 2014 CAT# HDR005

If I had the energy to continually get up and flip sides, I would wear this 45 out. More lo-fi, Beach Boys influenced pop from Kansas City's Shyboys.

"Life is Peachy" on side A is perfect. It may be lifted or have some borrowed chord progressions, but soaked in all this honesty and lo-fidelity, it doesn't really matter. Things are fast, the drums sound trashy, and the guitars twang. But, those sun-drenched whispered vocals and harmonies, that's the sweet spot. Just makes you want to play it again and again.

The B-Side, "Follow the Leader", isn't on the same level as "Life is Peachy," but it's a solid tune. Slow and drenched in the same type of thing that makes the A-Side great. It's just a bit too long for it's own good, but the length gives it a super-lazy Sunday vibe which is kinda nice.

Life Is Peachy

Bulbous Creation You Won't Remember Dying Numero Group 2014

Bulbous Creation You Won't Remember Dying Numero Group 2014 CAT# NUM1227

A now legendary story surrounds this release and the first thing to point out when telling it is that this album was never actually "released."

It seems the tunes are primarily the brainchild of Prairie Village, KS native Paul Parkinson.  He returned home from tour in Vietnam, put together this band and they cut an album's worth of dark, boogie-rock in Independence, Missouri's Cavern Studios circa 1970.  The band didn't stay together long enough to put out any sort of private release.  Further, they probably didn't hand out many demos of the group's sound.

Despite the fact that band would have only played a handful of shows and demos were probably limited to a few friends of the band, the gloom and doom of the recordings got heard.  Those that did hear even snippets of the groups work were likely overwhelmed by not only all the dark, satanic references, but the band's adept psych rock arrangement.  The songs were recorded in the Cavern, so there's a echo and basement feel to everything.  The tunes go from the morose, war-damaged opener, "End of the Page", to basic blues-rock based psych and stoner jams.  It occasionally borders on Sabbath inspired proto-metal, but the real surprise is the lyrical themes and content: 1970's suburban Kansas is not the place you'd expect to find a group tackling topics like death and drug use, but this band went one-step further titling a song "Satan."  It's all very war-damaged and serves as a reminder to what these young guys like this were dealing with when coming back from Vietnam.

In 1995, 8 of the Bulbous Creation songs were issued on Rockadelic Records (same label that issued a Wizards of Kansas posthumous release of Cavern recorded tracks).  It was unauthorized release and doesn't sound that great, but it represented Bulbous Creation's first release 20 years after it recorded the material.

The Rockadelic become somewhat of a collector's LP as it soon went out of print and word spread on the band.  In 2001 Paul Parkinson passed away.  It's reported that while going through his belongings, his brother found a complete copy of the Bulbous Creation LP, previously, the Rockadelic material was thought to be it, but 2 additional tracks were unearthed.  So there you have it, 10 songs, representing a single band's short-lived existence, now released officially 44 years after it was initially recorded; that's legendary.

Check out the tunes.

Cavern Sound Local Customs Compilation Numero Group 2014

Cavern Sound Local Customs Compilation Numero Group 2014 CAT #b054

The Numero Group, despite their location in Chicago, is quickly becoming my favorite local record abel.  First, the Eccentric Soul comp for the Forte Label, the Titan box set, several 45s (that I have yet to pick up), and now this amazing collection of fuzzed out, acid drenched, rockers from the Kansas City area all of which were recorded at the Cavern in Independence, Missouri.  Granted, not all tracks are garage rockers, but of the 24 tracks, most are.

I've discussed the Cavern before, it's an actual cave in Independence that was turned into a recording studio.  A number of regional labels used the facility to record their groups, Pearce being the main one featured here along with several other labels and few private press items.  It's a cool story, no doubt, but reading Numero Groups extensive liners you'd think the thing was on legendary status.  I think it's more of a fond memory here in KC, but, that's cool, let all the out of towners think our 60's weren't square, we were just a bunch of hippies and stoners recording shit in a cave.

It's an insanely well packaged set, an extensive booklet with notes on all the bands, heavyweight packaging with info on the Cavern on the inside, and two 180 gram discs to enjoy.  As stated, mostly covers on what is now termed garage-rock, from the pop end to the acid psych end of it, but there's a few oddballs in there that don't fit any billing.  Each selected track is worth paying attention to and I've gave my rundown below:

Pretty-Mustache in Your Face  This band is rad enough to lead the set off and also have a double 7" released by Numero.  The original 7" features a crazy label with the center hole as the mouth of a face drawn around it.  It's a legend around town, but does show up from time to time.  The group was highly psychedelic in the vein of 13th Floor Elevators, which given the vast array of teen bands in the 60's isn't surprising, but for dudes from Kansas City, pretty far out.  The song is a scorcher.

Fraight-One Girl  Hey, something from Manhattan, KS, how about that.  Thinking about it, it would have been pretty long trek from Manhattan to Independence as the K7 highway didn't even exist at the time, you had to back road the trip until you reached KC.  The band was probably hot-shit at K-State, but I would think that's like be being the best ice skater from Australia.  Not that big of deal.  Decent harmonies, but stuck in a swamp of 60s pop sounds.

American Sound Ltd.-Aunt Marie  The founder of this band was from Granby, Missouri before gigging in KC, then getting shipped off to war.  Upon his return to KC, he founded this band.  This track is pumped full of blue-eyed soul and horns.  It's a killer track, with a sweet vocal on the chorus.  It's similar to the Chicago's and Blood, Sweat, and Tears of the world but this is such an undeniable dance track, it's a killer.

The Classmen-Doin' Me Right  The drummer of this band looks like he's 12 years old in the photo, but the singer has some definite age to him.  This was a family band of brothers from Independence, MO and dad controlled the show.  It's a nice little blue-eyed, soul ballad.  The singers baritone (or attempt at it) clashes well with the boys in the back shouting out a falsetto chorus.

Jaded-Lovin' You's Blues  Folky-psych sounds from a group of Kansas City Insurance employees.  It's got some tripped out effects on a flute and a dark subject matter, surprising that these guys thought people would be into something this dark around KC.

Larry Sands & The Sound Affair-You'll Know the Words  Kansas City based band, this is a spaced out attempt at country rock, falling in the middle and leaning towards neither.  That's not a bad thing as it just kind of floats in space with light whispered vocals and guitar effects floating all over.

Sheriff-I Don't Really Love You  Cool, upbeat pop sounds.  Singer has a nice Midwestern twang he brings to his vocals.  This could have easily been a hit in any state, just a good pop song.

Tide-I Wish it Had Ended That Way  Lawrence, KS band with a gritty rock sound and a very clumsy chorus.  It's a decent track, but could have had a bigger bottom and maybe some more stoner rock tossed in.

Bulbous Creation-The End of the Page  Extremely dark, psych folk from a Prairie Village,KS Vietnam vet.  Numero Group is re-releasing the sole album by this band...it's so un-Prairie Village I'll have to save my breath and talk about it when I grab a copy.  Very interesting story as the album wasn't released until the group's creative force, Paul Parkinson, was found dead in his home.  His brother found the acetate of his Cavern recordings and was smart enough to let people hear it.

Mulligan-Think Before You Leave  This band actually is from Tennessee, story indicates they were kicked out of their studio by Elvis Presley and told to drive to Missouri for a session?  In actuality, not that far, but still, really?  This can't be true.  Not a bad rock sound soaked in Nashville country-soul.

Montaris-7 And 7 Is  This was a Plattsburg, MO band that plow through Love's 7 And 7 Is.  Considering Love wasn't a huge hit almost everywhere outside of San Francisco, CA, these dudes had to be the coolest guys in Plattsurg back in their day.

Stone Wall-Living Today  Not to be confused with the obscure garage rockers from Indiana, these kids were from Shawnee Mission and the surrounding Kansas City area.  Pretty fantastic track with huge high and lows.  Great guitar work, pretty killer mid-tempo garage rock.

Morningstar-Little By Little  Before becoming an unoriginal, major-label, pomp-rock band Morningstar could do some garage rave-ups.  Female vocals with wound up sound, it's the best thing the band ever did.  Granted, only one member from this line-up makes it to crap-Morningstar, but the band's history just got a million times cooler for me.

Baxters' Chat-Love's Other Other Side  Great name for a band from Baxter Springs, KS, eh?  The bands teenage dance garage was released on two singles by the Pearce label, this song isn't killer, but it's got a nice pop-psych sound.

Burlington Express-One Day Girl (Twenty Four)  Decent garage pop out of Topeka, Kansas.  The band photo shows some shaggy hair kids, but they were trying to go at the mod scene (they are dressed spiffy).  Of note, the band once opened for the Who and featured Greg Gucker who later performed in a band called White Clover who later gave way Kansas.  However, Gucker didn't make the cut and was never featured on a Kansas LP to my knowledge.

The Reaction-In My Grave  This is pure garage rock greatness.  Amateur-hour, stagnated guitar solos, organ riffs, and drum banging, it's perfect.  Their band photo doesn't make them look half as cool as this song, but these were Jr. High kids from Rolla, MO, what do you expect?

21st Century Sound Movement-Feelin' Down  Great band name for sure, these dudes were from the Hickman Mills area of KC.  Pretty psychedlized scorcher with some nifty fuzz guitar thrown in.

The Dantes-Any Number Can Win There's a band photo in the extended liners to this comp and these guys look young...but, the liners also indicate some of the members had graduated from KU.  The band was formed at Shawnee Mission High, so from the Kansas side and do some somewhat psychedelic raving, but nothing shocking.

Larry Sands & the Sound Affair-If I Didn't Want to See You Anymore  Pretty wimpy folk-pysch with an out of place heavy bottom that includes a dark organ and some nice vocal harmonies.

Fraight-William Jones  This is dark and moody, a bit boring, but interesting given the time period.  It's slow, but not in a ballad style, just kind of a creepy tune with drawn out lyrics and harmonies.

The Classmen-Any Old Time   It's decent enough garage pop, nothing that really jumps out on the tune.  It's pleasant enough for pop radio and has a lo-fi aesthetic to it.

Jaded-The King Was  Tons of effects and wah-wah guitar.  Heavy into the pyschedelic scene as well.  As with the other tune featured by the band, it was never released officially, only acetates were cut.

The Dantes-She's Part of Me  Yawn, 60's ballad style stuff.  The band's panty dropper and slow dance original.  Does have a nice soul inspired moment though with some blue-eyed yearning.

A.J. Rowe-Smoke My Pipe (The Sign Ain't Right)  Kind of mystery man, but this is pretty awesome.  Sparse, lo-fi, funk work out with off-the-wall lyrics and attitude.  The 7" it was featured on is out there, approximately 1000 exist and was funded and put out by Rowe himself.

Radkey Feed My Brain Little Man Records 2014

Radkey Feed My Brain Little Man Records 2014 CAT# LMR04

Radkey continues to develop and you can hear it on this super cheap 7".  I got it from the Love Garden for the basement price of $3.  That price is pretty punk rock, the music though, that's going the way of metal.

The closest the two songs featured here, "Feed My Brain" and "Digging the Grave", come to punk is a comparison to the Danzig fronted Misfits.  "Feed My Brain", is dark and bombastic, it employs all sorts of sonic metal tricks, a driving rhythm, screamed chorus, and just a killer guitar riff that drives the song.  The B-Side, "Digging the Grave" is admittedly punk rock.  It's got sweet moves and is reminiscent of the late-70's scene, when punk band had talent, but were labeled as such because they couldn't be classified elsewhere.

Kids are smart, too.  This is a well put togther 7" is on their own Little Man Records.  For one, there's no point in getting an actual label, they can keep the price down on this by doing it themselves and likely recover more.  Further the presentation is clever.  "Feed My Brain" centers around an education theme and on the inside of the sleeve is chalkboard repetition of the title.  But, favorite part is use of the old standardized testing multiple choice fill-in sheets as the label on the 7".  Nice touch.

Feed My Brain in Glasgow

Josh Berwanger Oh Bis! B/W Back of My Hand Too Much Rock 2014

Josh Berwanger Oh Bis! B/W Back of My Hand Too Much Rock 2014 CAT# 003

The transformation is complete.  Josh Berwanger has gone form Blue Valley teenage hipster, to emo heartthrob, to retro rocker, to a power pop craftsmen.  This is the third in Sid Sowder's Too Much Rock series and will be released on June 3rd, 2014.  There will be a party June 5th, 2014 at Mills Records in Westport.  You should go.  I'm probably not gonna go...don't want to be the weird, old, fat belly, looking awkward and shit.

So yeah, Berwanger's power pop stick is growing on me.  Moments on his solo LP are brilliant, but the LP wasn't completely drenched in big hooks and jangly guitars.  His original tune on this 7", "Oh Bis!", is nothing but power pop, clocking under 3 minutes of actual song before Berwanger goes into a short roller-hockey story about the song's title.  There's woo-hooing, oohhs and aahhs on the chorus, and it's about getting the girl.  It's so power pop it comes off a bit formulaic, but, all is forgiven since Cheap Trick stopped writing good songs in the 80's and the most great power pop groups disbanded prior to the end of the 1970's.

As with all releases in the series, Too Much Rock selects a song to cover on the flip side.  Berwanger gets the Jags "Back of My Hand", which is an obscure track to most Stateside, but was a hit in the band's home of England.  Berwanger's version is solid.  The Jags were a little too clean and sharp versus American bands of the same era like the Nerves or the Real Kids.  I had an issue with the singer's affliction and the band's slick production.  Berwanger's breathy vocals and hurried production do the song a favor.  Also, love the use of female backing vocals rather than dual tracking dude's vocals to perfection (kind of the auto-tune of it's time wasn't it?).  Further, big fan of the acoustic guitar break, it's a nice touch.

Oh, and I'm not going to talk about the cover...I don't get it, but whatever, I guess it's supposed to be funny?

UPDATE: Apparently there is a limited run of color variants that will be available for this release, my guess would be at Mills Records show.  109 colored 7"s in blue, green, purple and what appears to be a Coke Bottle clear.  Also, the cover I don't get...  It's done by Jay Shaw, an artist who does alternate movie posters...I get it now.

Check out the Tune, Too Much Rock.com

Your Friend Jekyll/Hyde Domino 2014

Your Friend Jekyll/Hyde Domino 2014 CAT# RUG583T

I should title this post, Best Lunch Hour Ever, but I'll get back to that..  Recently, I've been hearing Your Friend on a public radio station and been really impressed.  Atmospheric, drawn out, and spacious tunes...really, interesting, and really good.  Previously, a friend had tipped me off about this Lawrence, KS girl being signed to Domino Records and seeing how Domino Records is kind of a big deal, I started reading up on Your Friend.  She put out a self-released cassette locally, I'm sure she's played some shows and such, but not much available to purchase (yeah, I'm not buying a cassette to listen to music, sorry).  So yeah, if you're getting signed to Domino on the strength of your cassette, it must be pretty good.

I listened to a few things on-line, I'm not much for getting into music online through crappy computer speakers, but thought everything sounded promising.  When they started playing her on The Bridge 90.9 locally, though, that's when I started to get excited (and, I'm sure I would have gotten equally as excited if I heard her on KJHK, but I can't pick that station up in Overland Park, KS).  Looked at the Domino website to check the news and saw they're going to release a version of the cassette on vinyl April 19th.  Figured that's great, I would order that shit.

Then I thought, why should I order the record?  I live in KC, I'll just shop local.  Plan was in place, but to my surprise Lawernce's Love Garden Sounds started posting photos of the LP.  I asked today (not shitting you, today) if they had the record for purchase, their response was affirmative.

So, I got a lunch hour, why not, right?  I mean, who wants to wait 11 days?  So, I drove to Lawrence. Got there and while walking to the shop I saw a Get Up Kid, Ryan Pope.  Said hi, haven't seen you in a long time, all that, then I explained I was just in Lawrence for 10 minutes to buy the Your Friend record.  Ryan responded he was headed the same direction to purchase the same record.  He explained Taryn Miller who  is Your Friend is a super sweet, super great girl, and an amazing songwriter.  That got me more excited about the record, Ryan has always provided me with great recommendations (introduced me to Elliott Smith, Built To Spill, Richard Swift, all good stuff).  So my friend had nothing but good things to say about Your Friend.

When I got to the Love Garden, I grabbed the record and knew lunch was over in about 10 minutes, but I now had the, "Oh man, sorry I'm late, I bumped into an old friend," excuse.  I started flipping through the new arrivals bin.  I wasn't planning on purchasing anything further (on a budget), just kind of glancing.  I switched over to a new row and this dude just lunges at me from the other side of the rack.  I backed off and he grabs a Grateful Dead album and in a panicked voice states, "I had pulled that one out!"  I said, "Oh, it's cool," and held my tongue from asking him if he just wanted to save some money, give me $10 instead of the $20 for that album and I could get Ryan to play a 20 minute drum solo while he smokes pot and talks to me about Jimmy Buffet or whoever else he is into.  Then Mr. Middle Age says to me, "I looked through those stacks, got all the good stuff, see any J.J. Cale on this side?"  Well, at least he's not a parrot-head like I thought, but I replied, "I don't know, wasn't looking to buy any Cale, or anything."  Seriously, though?  What the fuck?  The dude pulled a Grateful Dead album and told me he "got everything good."  Really?  I don't hate the Dead or anything, I kind of like Workingman's Dead and American Beauty, but did this guy think everybody was in the store to buy what he likes?  Did he grab the album and think to himself, 'Well, everybody else should just go home now.'  Strange, he must have been from Topeka.

Anyway, I purchased the record.  Taryn Miller works at Love Garden (probably the reason they got the LP so early) and I was hoping she could ring up her own album for me and I could take a photo to put it on Instagram and show off to the 5 people that read my blog, but that didn't happen.  I parted ways with Ryan and drove back to KC for work.  Total time spent away from work, 1 hour 45 minutes, and no one gave a shit, but you know, can't make that type of thing a habit, there's work to be done, blah blah blah.

Now I'm home, listened to the 6 songs featured here about 3 times.  It's really good.  I kind of wish I had the desire to seek out rare cassette tapes, because the tracks here are remastered/reworked versions of the songs on the tape.  I'd like to compare this to her homespun versions.  Everything is top quality, mastered by Bob Weston if that tells you anything.  Can't help but think the early versions would sound a bit more honest and not as epic.  These songs do sound big.  Taryn Miller stretches her vocals over the top of things, you can't really understand what she's singing at times, but the effect is nice.  There's other times when she's able to make her voice sound so fragile that it almost cracks.  It adds moments of vulnerability to the songs, the big epic soundscapes calm down for a moment and you remember you're listening to a female that just kicked your ass.

Part of me can't help thinking what Pitchfork is going to say...I'm guessing they'll give it a 6.5 and say it's a promising debut from a genuine talent, however, the songs meander and lose focus.  They'd be wrong; space in music is the new loud and Pitchfork just isn't as hip as they think they are.

Tame One
Live on KJHK 90.7