DOWNLOAD: PONTIAK - Shell Skull & ARBOURETUM - Buffalo Ballet
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Pontiak are slow and heavy and from Baltimore, kind of like some of my favorite characters on The Wire. The trio recently signed to Thrill Jockey, who is re-releasing their album Sun on Sun next month, which they recorded live, in single takes, in a Virginia cabin. "Shell Skull" is equal parts Sabbath, Slint, and Sunn (I'm taking the "S" thing too far). They also recently released a split LP with label-mates and fellow Charm City residents Arbouretum – take a listen to their cover of John Cale's "Buffalo Ballet," which has a palpable Will Oldham feel to it, a logical byproduct of the time that member Dave Heumann spent touring with the Bonnie Prince. Download both for the price of none.
Sounds like: Dead Meadow, Sunn, Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Download: Pontiak - Shell Skull
DOWNLOAD: Witch Hats - Pepperman + Stupid Arrangements
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Photo by: Ben Butcher
A bit of history: New South Wales, Australia was settled in 1770 and the transportation of convicts to the colony started almost immediately and continued until 1848. Van Diemen's Land, now known as Tasmania, was settled in 1803. In 2005, four lads emerged from the Tasmanian undergrowth, sounding more like convicts given guitars then nice boys trying to make girls dance, or get girls to pay attention, or even trying to get laid. Witch Hats are a violently sludgey, darkly churning group of misfits. Images of the band feature them in their underwear covered in unknown blood, sneering at the camera covered in their own blood and live surrounded by screaming lights and hazy smog.
Witch Hats are more than the visuals and more than the initial assault of dangerously pounding bass and slurringly jagged vocals. There's a wicked humor to be found above the stabbing guitars and somehow the band manages to cover both the Breeders and Spacemen 3 convincingly. So convincingly in fact, the original Birthday Party drummer, Phil Calvert, became a convert and produced their first 7"s and EP. America - prepare for the invasion. Beginning tomorrow in Portland, Witch Hats are bringing their dark magic over here, snaking around the country playing with everyone from the Vivian Girls to Heavy Trash and ending up at the F-Yeah Fest in LA. I won't get to see them til they come to Chicago on the 27th, but I'd imagine missing the show would qualify you for deportation.
Sounds like: Vivian Girls, Daily Void, Titus Andronicus, Tyrades
Download: Witch Hats - Pepperman
STREAM: Russian Circles - Harper Lewis
Russian Circles, the Chicago-based instrumental post-rock group, are about to release their second album of haunting, alluring guitar music on Suicide Squeeze records this spring. We have a little teaser for you, in the form of “Harper Lewis”, the band’s first MP3 with us and an awesome, heavy slice of the upcoming LP Station. Enjoy…
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