Raybo

User type Normal User since 10/28/2011

Recent activity

3 days ago: Raybo listened to She Bathes In Bud by Calavera Electrica

4 days ago: Dominion released by King Fu and the Shank Punch Pow

4 days ago: King Fu and the Shank Punch Pow are in the studio

4 days ago: Raybo listened to Witness Hell by Living Monstrosity

4 days ago: Raybo bought Witness Hell by Living Monstrosity

6 days ago: Raybo listened to radio silence by x-muffin-x

6 days ago: Raybo listened to The Grace Parade by Pragmatica

6 days ago: Raybo listened to Sacred Geometry by Pragmatica

6 days ago: Raybo listened to Time Flies... by Stoned Ambition

6 days ago: Raybo is a fan of Stoned Ambition

Recent Albums / EPs

Thems the Breaks

Date Released: 10/28/2011 Tracks: 13 Sales: 7 Listens: 8

Hot Water Burn Baby proves once and for all, that rock... is not... DEAD! Merely sleeping. But not anymore. No mere mortal could ever sleep through the thunderous double-bass drum infused opener, "The Breaks", let alone the follow-up arena rocker, "Show Your Bones". But don't take our word for it... Burn the baby for yourself!

Carnal Asada

Date Released: 10/30/2011 Tracks: 11 Sales: 5 Listens: 5

The debut album from roots-rock juggernauts, THE SCUD MUSSELS, is the best thing to happen to music in a long time. Lloyd Molinar's vocals bounce between hard-charging falsetto and down & dirty roots reggae with the ease of butter sliding down a warm pancake. The energized melodic undertones woven by the majestic lead guitars of Jasper Van Den Haas are the backbone of a very sturdy torso of sound. CARNAL ASADA is the bastard child of Hot Water Burn Baby, Peter Tosh, and The Eagles... a rousing debut from a band who tears down the barriers of soulful, hard-chargin' music.

Blowhole Sessions

Date Released: 10/31/2011 Tracks: 14 Sales: 5 Listens: 9

Recorded over two weeks at Byron Bay's famed Rockinghorse Studios, BLOWHOLE SESSIONS, gets it's name from the first day of recording, when earlier in the morning drummer Matt Loganshire and vocalist Remy Holt were surfing when a distressed Humpback whale surfaced less than ten feet away. Initially startled and fearing a dangerous shark encounter, Loganshire and Holt noticed something odd about the huge mammal, it had something stuck in it's blowhole and seemed to be looking for assistance. Holt paddled over to the gentle giant and realized the whale was wrapped in netting and a plastic buoy had gotten lodged in the animal's blowhole. Lucky for Holt he had a knife strapped to his ankle and after almost an hour of cutting, he finally freed the Humpback, which displayed his gratitude with a spectacular show of leaps and water breaches. Holt and Loganshire nicknamed the whale, Ringo, and waved him on as he slowly swam away. They took this as a good omen and went on to record their incredible debut album and wrote the song, "Waving at Ringo", to commemorate the experience. It turned out to be one of the best songs they had ever recorded. The first single, "Dang Stupor" includes a hook you won't soon get out of your head, and it has become an unofficial anthem of the denizens of Byron Bay. This album is not just filled to the brim with great surf rock, it's pure, unadulterated fun.

Bear Bar

Date Released: 11/3/2011 Tracks: 11 Sales: 1 Listens: 1

FISTS OF FURRY's debut album, BEAR BAR, is what summer rock is all about. Even in the winter. Especially in the winter. Nothing gets you through those long, winter months like a hook-lined, fun-as-fuck, jam band ruminating with a cocoa-butter and hemp haze. And BEAR BAR is vacation rock at it's best. FISTS OF FURRY don't bring their native San Diego to you... they bring you to San Diego, complete with allusions to summer surf, balls-out BBQ's, and bikini-based boobies. This album is just plain fun. Not to be taken too seriously, BEAR BAR is jam-packed with ironical songs and self-deprecating lyrics (and also quite a social commentary bordering on conspiracy-drenched). For a debut album, it doesn't get much better than, BEAR BAR.

Cowpoke

Date Released: 11/28/2011 Tracks: 13 Sales: 6 Listens: 7

As if they couldn't go any higher, HOT WATER BURN BABY, turns things all the way up to 11 with the follow-up to their smash debut album, THEMS THE BREAKS. With COWPOKE, this hard rocking group from Phoenix, AZ, cement themselves in the rock history books and ignite the fires of rock all over again. COWPOKE is nothing short of new rock classic. From the power chord intro of the first track, "Into the Out Of", you can't help but be mesmerized by the melodic infusion of sound and fury this band creates. The western rock anthem, "Javelina Sands" sounds like it dripped off an old EAGLES album and got caught in a metal blender. It is fantastic. New drummer, Duncan Kriswich, hits the ground running and leaves it all on the floor with his 2 minute solo on the barn-burner, "The Denizens of Leap Year". Just when you thought the Rock Gods couldn't be any prouder of this enigmatic band, COWPOKE comes along and ups the ante, creating an unforgettable rock album in the process.

Tidal Fires

Date Released: 12/5/2011 Tracks: 11 Sales: 5 Listens: 7

The follow-up album to FISTS OF FURRY's smash debut, BEAR BAR, has finally arrived. With TIDAL FIRES, the band takes a decidedly serious turn and will be donating all proceeds from the album to the "Home for Children Fund", which helps feed, clothe and find shelter for homeless children all over the United States. With the beautiful acoustic opener, "This Rash Just Won't Go Away", the band brings up an interesting point when Magnus Jansen sings, "It's hard to see with the lights turned off." Although this new direction for the San Diego quartet might seem dour at first, it is startlingly beautiful, melodic, and haunting. Many of the tracks rise to the occasion and change form throughout the album, and it is almost as if a sonic butterfly is coming into existence before our very ears. Heck, "Shoe Shine Gal" is an unexpected laugher that ends in the most wonderful way, bridging itself between the album's show-stopper (and obvious future single), "The Bell Steam Brigade". The album's most heartfelt and haunting track, "Dragging An Island Behind You", is a fitting anthem for the Everyman in all of us. It contains a chorus so memorable that it will keep you humming along until this talented band can present us with their next amazing effort.

Live in Byron

Date Released: 12/5/2011 Tracks: 6 Sales: 4 Listens: 6

If you are a member of The Fist Initiative, FISTS OF FURRY's online fan club, chances are you received a copy of this accompaniment to their new LP release, TIDAL FIRES. Recorded from a live show last September (2011) at THE HOTEL GREAT NORTHERN in Byron Bay, Australia, this exclusive "bootleg" CD is an electrifying smattering of FOF's fan favorites and two never-before-heard new songs. Dip your toes in the water of LIVE IN BYRON and hear why this band is one of the best in the business. *-previously unreleased track

Dead Soldiers

Date Released: 12/6/2011 Tracks: 10 Sales: 9 Listens: 14

The 2nd album from seminal Surf Rock Gods, KING FU AND THE SHANK PUNCH POW, picks up right where they left off. DEAD SOLDIERS is a surprisingly ranged and sonically contagious effort from this rising force in the musical world. Like a friendly tsunami, this album has agreeable destructive tendencies and a penchant for Asian women on tropical beaches. Jasper Van Den Haas delivers infectious hooks and sweeping guitar arcs like he's handing out candy at a Fat Kid Convention. Everything is there for the taking, but none more so than on the hypnotizing, "Hurry, The Quicksand's Coming!", or the album's title track and magnum opus closer, "Dead Soldiers". Lloyd Molinar shows amazing range and immortalizes his Mother Ocean in the subtle hysteria of "Surface Issues". All in all, this follow-up to the cult classic, BLOWHOLE SESSIONS, is a step in the same direction. The same one.

Hang Time

Date Released: 12/7/2011 Tracks: 11 Sales: 4 Listens: 5

A lullaby for children of all ages (with the obvious exception of actual children, who would be shocked and confused by the language and themes found within this album), HANG TIME is an epic follow-up to the band's fantastic debut, CARNAL ASADA. You can almost smell the Nag Champa and kind bud burning as HANG TIME's first track, "From Wence It Came", whittles it's way into your head. The roots-rock trilogy punch of the meandering, "Yonder Hills", "Legend of the Shogun Coal Miner" and "Ruins of Raleigh", are almost an album unto themselves. The narrative spins a mystical tongue-in-cheek yarn that will spawn countless laser light shows and is destined to become a cult classic. The quick, 2 minute sonic jaunt, "Squandering Your Inheritance on Sea Glass & Track Suits" is so much fun to listen to, you'll be hitting replay for hours on end. HANG TIME is an album you won't mind hanging around with!

Bang and a Whimper

Date Released: 12/7/2011 Tracks: 13 Sales: 7 Listens: 7

Northern Arizona was already home to one of the 7 Wonders of the World, and now, with the release of their debut album, HURRICANE ABEL is added to that impressive list. BANG AND A WHIMPER is misleading. You would never in a million years guess that the sounds produced on this major label debut were created by three band members. But it is. Every track on this album is a delight, even when the message is difficult to hear. Take for instance the powerful, "The Western Melody & Apocalyptic Companion", a powerhouse epic that rocks your socks off for 7 minutes while bestowing the virtues of being prepared in the event of a Doomsday scenario. But it's got one hell of a catchy hook. Ms. Gordon sings solo on the album's softest song, "Unwound Towels", and it leads one to wonder why she doesn't sing lead more on the album. But then, cool Johnny Proud pokes his head back in and you realize, this is the man for the job. His vocals on, "Avid Japanners","A Run Through Chop House", and "Kiss Me or Hit Me", are incendiary. And the chilling, "One Without Nothing", is without question one of the better acoustic ballads to come along this year. HURRICANE ABEL is one storm we're glad hit home.

The Yonder Hills Trilogy

Date Released: 12/12/2011 Tracks: 6 Sales: 3 Listens: 3

After the overwhelming acclaim for The Scud Mussels "Yonder Hills Trilogy", from their terrific 2nd album, HANG TIME, the band decided to release the songs as a stand-alone EP. Also included on this limited edition release are two previously unreleased tracks and an instrumental version of the the barnyard stomp, "Goat Soda". Lower the lights, burn the incense, and set THE YONDER HILLS TRILOGY to stun. Because that is exactly what it was designed to do.

Shrapnel Wagoneers

Date Released: 12/14/2011 Tracks: 10 Sales: 5 Listens: 6

With the first studio effort by Santa Fe's own, SHRAPNEL WAGONEERS, Southern/Western rock gets a kick in the nuts. These boys can rock. And their self-titled debut really struts it's stuff.

Limelight Revisited

Date Released: 12/28/2011 Tracks: 16 Sales: 5 Listens: 7

After the stage collapse tragedy of 2011's Prague Music & Arts Festival, which claimed the lives of 11 people, including all 4 members of the up and coming punk act, THE MABEL CRAVEN BAND, HOT WATER BURN BABY counted their lucky stars. MABEL CRAVEN's set ran long and that's when it happened. Due to faulty construction, the stage collapsed and a fire broke killing 5 roadies, 4 musicians and 2 members of TMCB's management team. Yes, it was a devastating accident. And, yes, HOT WATER BURN BABY was incredibly saddened by the event. But the band knew, from the oldest musical idiom in the book: they must play on. HWBB's third studio album is a work of stark contrasts and staggering beauty. They pay tribute to the fallen members of THE MABEL CRAVEN BAND on the strangely uplifting track, "They Call Themselves Courageous". There seems to have been a change in the band that runs though the entire album. And this is most definitely as good thing. An already talented band, just found it's center, and music lovers around the globe will be glad they did. The soul shines through on this amazing effort from one track to the other, and songs like, "Red Rabbit" and "I Heard You Paint Houses" show a depth the band never even knew it had. "She's a Torpedo" is the ultimate brokenhearted dude anthem. A instant classic, for damn sure. Funny how a near-death experience brings out the best in people. Lucky for us, LIMELIGHT REVISITED, brought out the best of HOT WATER BURN BABY.

Latch Key Kids with Diamond Star Halos

Date Released: 1/6/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 7 Listens: 7

Magnus Jansen ushers in FISTS OF FURRY's third studio album with a primal scream that seems completely out of character. This is after all the same Magnus Jansen who was a guest judge during Amsterdam's 2011 Cannabis Cup, and also, a man known for his tender speaking voice and somewhat sedated fluidity of motion. For all intense and purposes, it's as if Jerry Garcia himself had suddenly taken to howling like a banshee on the midnight stage. But, low and behold: it works. LATCH KEY KIDS WITH DIAMOND STAR HALOS is at once a departure and a welcomed return to a place FISTS OF FURRY have never been. This album comes alive in it's very first seconds, and it never lets up. Drummer Wesley Roy Robinson was quoted as saying in the midst of recording the new album, "We woke up on this [one]. As giants roaring to life after a long winter's nap, we woke." The closest the band comes to resembling the wonderful, meandering landscape of TIDAL FIRES, is in the form of the ambitious instrumental, "Saddle Bags & Coffee Rags". It's not to say the band has changed it's seminal hippie-surf-indie sound, they've just kicked it up a few notches. Instead of humming these tracks around a campfire, FISTS OF FURRY arm their fans with torches, urging them to carry their campfires into the urban sprawl. This is take charge music. Have fun. Live life to the fullest. But take charge. Jansen almost dares the listener to take control of their own destiny on the track, "Give a Fuck", when he spouts the lyrics: "Raise your head up, when you weep... be shepherd, not a sheep..." Whatever you say about FISTS OF FURRY, one thing you can't say, is that they're not awake.

Mane Pagan

Date Released: 1/9/2012 Tracks: 14 Sales: 6 Listens: 6

The third outing from KING FU AND THE SHANK PUNCH POW puts them atop a perch few bands ever reach. With MANE PAGAN, they become legends. There has never been an album quite like MANE PAGAN. Part old school rock'n'roller, part new world arena rocker, with twists and turns around every corner, this album doesn't just fly... it soars. With tracks like, "Soot Singer Dunes", "Particle Pawn", and "Lachesis", the band reaches new heights of emotional and musical complexity while staying true to their stoner rock roots. Recorded over two months in Christchurch, New Zealand, MANE PAGAN has a sound all it's own. And it's an extraordinary one.

Surface Issues

Date Released: 1/11/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 6 Listens: 7

The Flagstaff Trio returns with SURFACE ISSUES, their second album. A grand leap into the arcane, this follow up to last year's BANG AND A WHIMPER is large and in charge. The lyrical whimsy that singer/song writer Johnny Proud employs on this vast collection of thoughtful and magnetic songs, is inspiring in ways that modern music seldom gets right. This is a throwback band after-all, and every one of the tracks found this album could have been ripped from the radio, circa 1979. Good radio. None of that disco shit here. SURFACE ISSUES is a positive example of how music with a social conscience can still be relevant, fun and popular. The album's stand out tracks include, "Coconut Stutter", "Vagabond Blonde", the Ginger Gordon/John Proud duet, "The Hippo and the Hidden Bloom", and the foot-stomping closer, "Liquidator". HURRICANE ABEL lives to rock another day in an exciting and old school way... Exactly the way rock'n'roll was initially intended to be: Raw and real.

One For the Rose-Colored Glasses

Date Released: 1/11/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 3 Listens: 3

When THE SCUD MUSSELS went into the studio to create their latest LP, ONE FOR THE ROSE-COLORED GLASSES, they took off the kid gloves. This album is thunderous, loud, and unabashedly ballsy. It's what a rock album is meant to be. And, if he were still alive today, Lester Bangs would be paying his boner overtime. ONE FOR THE ROSE-COLORED GLASSES is a true modern marvel and a tight, methodical collection of songs that force the listener to face their own demons, and question, not only where they came from, but where they plan on waking in the future. To say that this is an introspective album is the understatement of the year. Tracks like, "Red Ranger", and "Slow-Motion Scissor Kick" have so much testosterone (and rage) packed into them, that you'll need a jockstrap and cup just to keep from getting your nuts knocked through the top of your head. Jim-Jam Lester Jr.'s cranked-up Hammond sounds like a church organ on steroids and cocaine on the simply brilliant, "Flak Jacket Pasture". And when Lloyd Molinar stumbles into, "Carbondale", no one is safe. His vocals could light up half of New York City. The other half would be lit by Jasper Van Den Haas as he pulls the oxygen from the air on tracks like, "The Dovetail Louie", and "Two in the Pink". For all intents and purposes, ONE FOR THE ROSE-COLORED GLASSES, makes angry sound good.

Eve's Garden

Date Released: 1/12/2012 Tracks: 6 Sales: 3 Listens: 4

EVE'S GARDEN is a European only export and was initially put together as a promotional recording in support of the band's new album, "SURFACE ISSUES". Comprised of previously unreleased tracks recorded during the BANG AND A WHIMPER and SURFACE ISSUES sessions, EVE'S GARDEN is a triumph of understated glory and a damn fine addition to HURRICANE ABEL's impressive catalog.

Eye Sore

Date Released: 1/16/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 12 Listens: 25

After the shooting death of percussionist Jimmy Landon, SHRAPNEL WAGONEERS took some time off to re-group, so to speak. The band didn't even sign a new drummer until 2 days before they went into the studio to record their follow-up to last year's self-titled debut. Now immortalized on the cover of the band's second studio release, Landon, who had a penchant for heavy drinking and two-fisted bar brawls, will forever be remembered as the intense fellow that he was. "We will always love Jimmy," guitarist Randy Basha said during the recording of EYE SORE. "But he was a gnarly dude with a hard-core living arrangement with himself." "He struggled with booze, pills, punches, and pussy," singer Deke Dillon continued. "Basically, Jimmy was the archetypal image of a rock star... and he died being that." The song, "The Day the Well Ran Dry" is a fitting tribute for the talented drummer. "We took a drum beat Jimmy had laid down for the first record and turned it into a song for him," Basha grinned. "We think of him all the time." EYE SORE is a raucous return from the proverbial dead and a fresh new start for one of America's great new rock acts.

I Heard You Paint Houses

Date Released: 1/20/2012 Tracks: 6 Sales: 5 Listens: 6

This limited edition release by HOT WATER BURN BABY contains rare tracks and b-sides recorded during the LIMELIGHT REVISTED sessions. It's hard to believe a few of these cuts didn't make the original album, but avid fans of HWBB will be enthused that the songs are included in this collector's edition. EARTHQUAKE ETIQUETTE is a roaming epic reminiscent of STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, broken into three separate acts. At 7 minutes long, the song cruises a melodic path paved with prophetic lyrics and a super-charged power-chords. Brady St. Claire blends his meandering vocals in perfect harmony with Jasper Van Den Haas's acoustic stylings on the incredible, EVERY SUNRISE STANDS ALONE. Also on the collection from which it takes it's name, is an acoustic version of I HEARD YOU PAINT HOUSES. St. Claire has stated that this was the original arrangement of the song and he always believed it to be the best version. I HEARD YOU PAINT HOUSES is a righteous rocker with tracks that were once the red-headed-step-children, but now, they are front and center and commanding your attention. Which they do... in spades! *-alternate track

Trick of the Light

Date Released: 2/1/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 7 Listens: 8

J.T. Florence delivers a knock-out punch on his first studio outing, TRICK OF THE LIGHT. The sonic carnival begins with a bang on the first track, "Rain Strangers", a carnivorous foot-stomper with an epic hook. "Nobody listens to the stuff from above, when rain soaked sedation is passing for love," Florence sings with his almighty falsetto. Recorded in Laguna Beach, CA, this album spits out sunshine and venom alike, almost combing the two in a flavorful brew that makes the listener happy to be angry. "Looks Like a Suicide" is an amazing virtuoso performance caught in one take. The title track, "Trick of the Light" is surprisingly gentle and the lyrics are enough to break anyone's heart. J.T. Florence is on fire with his debut album. There's no telling where the musical prodigy will go next, but we're hoping it's back into the studio soon, because we can't get enough.

Do It For the Pussy

Date Released: 2/1/2012 Tracks: 6 Sales: 4 Listens: 4

The renegade reggae rockers return with an international pressing of a VINYL ONLY EP recorded on the Greek island of Corfu during the band's European Tour this past summer (2012). These rare tracks are already being considered some of the best that THE SCUD MUSSELS have ever recorded. "Wax Statue" is a raucous romp that combines the band's usual flowing style with hard-edged beats, while "Faceless and Wasted" returns TSM to Earth with a chorus of Hammond organs. A true departure for the band comes in the form of, "The Tenants of Whistling River", a sonic saga that spans 11 minutes... every one of them, spellbinding. The song ends with a cavalcade of vocals, symphonic guitars, and fierce steel drums. "I don't think I'll ever be prouder of a song, as I am of this one," drummer Quint Millberry stated this week. Singer Lloyd Molinar seconds the emotion saying, "I'll never forget all of us sitting in the booth, sharing a joint and listening to the final edit of 'Tenants'. That was one of the coolest moments I've ever had being in a band." After listening to DO IT FOR THE PUSSY, we think you'll agree.

Grim Weaver

Date Released: 2/3/2012 Tracks: 6 Sales: 5 Listens: 8

J.T. Florence was adamant when signing with his major label that he would be able to produce a smattering of avant garde recordings, songs that might be construed as less commercial in the eyes of a corporate behemoth. GRIM WEAVER is Florence delivering on that notion. A collection of strangely alluring tracks ranging from wistful to downright haunting, this EP is a bold representation of the musical genius behind WUN. "Lice Comb Sightings" is a stand-out here with it's electronic string arrangements ebbing and flowing like a sonic tide. "Ayahuasca" is equally good, combining a strong helping of layered vocals and tribal rhythms. Available for free download on WUN's website, GRIM WEAVER, is an exceptionally deep effort from a perpetually inventive young artist.

Tabernacle

Date Released: 2/7/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 5 Listens: 5

TABERNACLE has arrived. The eagerly awaited new studio album from FISTS OF FURRY hit the shelves today (2/7/12), and it's a stunning collectionthe best music they've ever recorded. Magnus Jansen begins the album with a primal scream on the title cut, "Tabernacle", a riff-rocker with a ground-shaking chorus. Somehow, this album feels more raw, more alive, more connected than anything the quartet has ever done before. Recorded in New York and Madrid (where guitarist Pat Satchel and his family moved after the band's last tour), TABERNACLE seems to be divided into two halves, equally light and dark. For instance, the track "Around the Way Down Easy" is a mid-tempo gem that doesn't take itself too seriously while charming the pants of you. Yet, the following track, "Quicksand Picnic" is a double-kick drum rocker that melts your face while extolling the virtues of being prepared in the face of an Armageddon scenario. Heavy stuff here. But the beauty is in the balance, and FISTS OF FURRY have pulled off an incredible Yin-Yang of sound for their 4th studio release. For every heavy-handed track, there's a more approachable sister song like, "Does This Fat Make Me Look Fat?". On the whole, this is by far FISTS best effort to date. And the depths to which TABERNACLE takes us, is difficult to escape. But why would you want to?

Shamanic Symphonica

Date Released: 2/9/2012 Tracks: 14 Sales: 6 Listens: 7

Every band has an album that defines them, not merely as artists and musicians, but as human beings. For KING FU AND THE SHANK PUNCH POW, SHAMANIC SYMPHONICA is that album. Each member of the band has a different reason why they think SHAMANIC SYMPHONICA is the best album they will ever record. Lead singer, Remy Holt, attributes the strength of this album to his impending fatherhood. Drummer and band leader, Matt Loganshire, has stated that his hallucinogenic experiences on the Amazon River gave him otherworldly insight into multi-dimensional sounds. Loganshire said he wrote songs for SHAMANIC SYMPHONICA that seemed to have been "plucked from the aether of all things." Guitarist, Stu Leonard, gets a little emotional when talking about the experience of recording this album. "It really pulled the four of us together," Leonard regales. "We were already close, but now we're brothers. I really love these guys." The opening track, "Too Proud to Pull Punches", pulls you into the mystical realm that is SHAMANIC SYMPHONICA... and by the time the song is over, you'll follow the band anywhere. "Gypsy Moth" and "Adelaide" show a softer side to this ever-evolving quartet, and contain some of the most thoughtful lyrics Holt has ever written. "The Swell" and "Frag Out" are an excellent reminder of why KING FU AND THE SHANK PUNCH POW are considered one of the best "party bands" in the world. It would be hard to imagine not listening to those tracks with a beer in your hand and a bang of your head. The instrumental majesty of "A Rodeo on Rollerskates" and "Base/Summit/Base" open new dimensions as well. The final track on the album, "Thank Me When It's Over", is the most beautiful song KING FU has ever written and will undoubtedly be considered their, "Stairway to Heaven". SHAMANIC SYMPHONICA is not only a multi-layered sonic triumph but a musical experience to behold for years to come.

Cydonian Fire/Sumerian Frost

Date Released: 2/9/2012 Tracks: 4 Sales: 2 Listens: 2

Officially classified by the band as a "Double", and not a "Single", this delightful nugget of an EP contains the back-to-back tracks "Cydonian Fire" and "Sumerian Frost". Considered by the members of FISTS OF FURRY to be one song split into halves, these tracks resonate on a primal level. Telling the (forbidden) story of our forgotten ancestors from other worlds (and dimensions), "Cydonian Fire" uses lyrical and harmonic imagery to paint a picture of the ultimate family tree. The other side of that coin is "Sumerian Frost", a song that spins a sonic tale of the lost (secret) civilizations that had been the keepers of humankind's cosmic knowledge for millions of years. The track concludes in present day and weaves all of the themes expressed in both songs together in a triumphant chorus of, "It's on and on we came from... and on and on we go...". The complete saga of these two epic tracks is a work of art unto themselves and worthy of this stand-alone release. As a bonus for hardcore FISTS OF FURRY fans, the band has included two previously unreleased tracks from the TABERNACLE sessions. *-previously unreleased track

Evolver

Date Released: 2/25/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 13 Listens: 23

The evolution of HURRICANE ABEL will most certainly be televised... EVOLVER breaks new ground for the Flagstaff power trio and sets a high-water mark for musical excellence in the era of modern rock. Bassist Ginger Gordon makes a greater vocal impression on ABEL's third studio outing, taking lead singing duties on some of the albums best tracks. "Ain't She Sweet" is a prime example of what Gordon can accomplish when she's at her most down and dirty. The ballad "The Mulch Hound's Lament" is going to burn out more than a few lighters when the band tours late in the year. It is magnificent. John Proud goes to work on the skins with such fervor, you'd think he was trying to wake the Gods. And his voice is in top notch shape. On the arena rocker, "Minotauresque", Proud warbles the refrain, "You need that borrowed blood, to get back in the flow... No chance to repent, my friend... so just enjoy the show!" And we do. *EVOLVER was recorded at the band's Flagstaff, AZ recording studio, ABEL LABEL SOUNDS, and mixed at Santa Monica's HORNETHROP STUDIOS.

Cabin Pressure

Date Released: 2/29/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 5 Listens: 5

THE SCUD MUSSELS recorded CABIN PRESSURE while traversing the globe on their lastest world tour. The raw and rollicking sounds that jump from this primal collection of songs is a slap in the face to the overly polished recording artists of today's music scene. And the slap is heard, loud and clear. Hell, two of the songs were actually recorded on a tour bus traveling from Portugal to Spain, blemishes and all. The result is some of the best music they have ever recorded. Taking a more acoustic approach than ever before, the roots rockers get down to brass tacks, sticking with the basics of great live music, melody and rhythm. This is the kind of album played at a beach party or more intimate gathering. It actually feels as if Lloyd Molinar is signing to the listener directly, breaking barriers of space and time. Trying something old has transpired into something completely new for this talented band of mischief makers. The title track says it all when it states, "When the going gets tough, we can't enough..." With tracks like these, we never will.

Pest Wishes

Date Released: 3/6/2012 Tracks: 15 Sales: 8 Listens: 12

J.T. Florence walks the walk with PEST WISHES, his 2nd full-length album and his first foray into what he calls, "transcendental pop music". Florence and his engineer/DJ brother, Matthias, have crafted some incredible tracks here. Ranging from simple acoustic machinations ("Flavourless Ava", "The Midnight Medicinal Listener") to house-beat infused show ponies ("Scotch & Pop Rocks", "Bison Time", and "Dopamine Scream"), PEST WISHES is a deeply affecting musical mosaic of rich flavors and opulent rhythms. **It's rumored that Florence leaked the PEST WISHES tracks to the internet 3 days ahead of his label's official release date. A new stipulation in their contract had prevented WUN from releasing new tracks for free, much to the chagrin of Florence, who has always been vocal about his music being a "given right, created by the consciousness of All things."

Killing 'Em With Kindness

Date Released: 3/7/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 9 Listens: 15

HOT WATER BURN BABY recorded and mixed KILLING 'EM WITH KINDNESS before lead singer Brady St. Claire was arrested on statutory rape charges this past winter. St. Claire is adamant that the alleged victim, Kristin Wills (16), lied to him about her age when the two met after a HWBB show in late 2011. The two carried on a physical relationship for two months following their initial introduction, until Wills parents became suspicious after seeing St. Claire drop her off in a stretch limousine at their home. The coming trial will decide St. Claire's fate, along with the fate of HWBB's tour schedule (tentatively scheduled to begin in May 2012). St. Claire could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. Band drama aside, KILLING 'EM WITH KINDNESS is a raucous return to form for the hard-charging quintet. In a ironic twist, one of the best tracks on the new album is the up-tempo arena rocker, "Young Tongues". This could very well be a swan song of sorts for the band who once proclaimed themselves, "the once and future Kings of Rock." Let's hope for the sake of music fans everywhere, St. Claire leaves the courthouse singing, a free man.

How to Get Away With Murder

Date Released: 3/12/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 8 Listens: 16

KING FU brandishes their new album, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, with reckless abandon. Taking on the governing body of the world at large, KING FU questions the ethics and motives of our "so-called leaders" with this new album of hard-edged folk rock. A new direction for the Masters of Fu, these tracks hold levity and ponder our path as a species... and those who lead us down it. The paranoia and conspiracy laden tracks include a biting commentary on the USA and their money-centric ties to the natural order. HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER sounds like an anarchist's handbook for the End Times. And it kind of is. The FU have stated that they never know which recording will be there last, so they give it their all here, and might just have you questioning EVERYTHING in the process. All hail the mighty FU. They're as good a moral compass as anyone today.

Busted Knuckles

Date Released: 3/16/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 4 Listens: 4

This collection of B-Sides and previously unreleased tracks from San Diego's criminally underrated FISTS OF FURRY, is an epic portrayal of hidden treasure in sonic form. The psychedelic rockers put their best feet forward on tracks like, Drown Me on the Rio Grande" and "Unknown Roses", the latter of which is a tribute to F.O.F.'s unsigned brothers and sisters of the San Diego music scene. Lead singer, Magnus Jansen, say's that about 80% of the album's tracks were recorded in and around Australia during their travels and recording sessions down under. One such track, "Bioluminescence" was recorded during a mushroom enhanced beach party on famed Tallow Beach in Byron Bay, NSW. The track begins with people laughing around a crackling fire and only grows in jubilation as the bongos and acoustic guitars take center stage. In fact, this whole album feels like a beach party. And it's a party you're gonna have a hard time leaving.

Nobody Likes a Snitch

Date Released: 3/17/2012 Tracks: 4 Sales: 4 Listens: 4

In keeping with J.T. Florence's tradition of releasing avant garde, internet only (free) releases for WUN's eccentric and rabid fan base, we are presented with NOBODY LIKES A SNITCH. In a fun, albeit slightly frustrating twist, Florence has provided his fans with his first "vinyl only" release, that must be ordered via WUN's website. Charging only shipping fees (a paltry $2.99), Florence sets free this ambitious quartet of songs that he says, "Are best suited for stereophonic turntables." The multi-layered listening experience of NOBODY LIKES A SNITCH comes in the form of one incredible tale (told over an hour) in a beautiful 4-part soundscape. Florence breaks new ground for himself with this altruistic endeavor, and the story he unfolds is one for the ages.

Echopraxia (Single)

Date Released: 3/18/2012 Tracks: 5 Sales: 5 Listens: 5

The latest single from HOT WATER BURN BABY's 4th studio LP, KILLING 'EM WITH KINDNESS comes hot off the heels of the band's latest world tour announcement. The single contains the originally released studio version of the track, as well as an alternate version featuring background vocals by the Los Angeles Baptist Baptist Choir. The EP also includes an acoustic version of the band's classic track, JAVELINA SANDS, and two previously unreleased tracks from the KILLING 'EM WITH KINDNESS sessions. *-previously unreleased track

Freaky Matariki

Date Released: 4/5/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 7 Listens: 7

Matariki is the Maori tribe's word for the Pleiades star cluster and also the term used for the season of it's first rising in the skies of the Southern Hemisphere. Ata McElwain is SHRAPNEL WAGONEERS' new drummer and an honored member of New Zealand's Maori people. He also believes his people's origins are to be found in the stars. The Pleiadian stars, to be exact. The band was so ecstatic to find McElwain playing with a second rate opening act while on the New Zealand leg of their first world tour, that they fired their interim drummer on the spot, hired the hulking Maori to finish up their few remaining dates, and then flew him to Santa Fe to record their third studio album. "He has easily become one of my favorite people on the planet," laughed keyboard player, Fred Craig. "He lives in my guest house right now and I never want him to move out." "For a 6-foot-4 warrior with face tats, he sure is a sweetheart," chimed in singer, Deke Dillon. "He looks like a nightmare, but with the heart of a kitten." And something unexpected happened to SHRAP WAGS' music when McElwain joined the band: it got better. The soul and amplified thunder that McElwain supplies on tracks like, "Black Bonnet", "Thresher" and "In the Weeds", sets a high-water mark for a band already on the rise.

Pick Your Poison

Date Released: 4/9/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 7 Listens: 7

The reggae-metal-monks return with PICK YOUR POISON, a rollicking and contagious collection of original new tracks. Recorded in Amsterdam, PICK YOUR POISON, is an album that seems to exist only to make people forget everything but the moment. The beats and hooks and metal riffs envelop the listener and pour a strong cocktail of ecstasy and escapism over their very soul. It's like a drug for which there are no words. It just is. PICK YOUR POISON is a world class vacation in your head. Your head-banging head.

Singularity Now

Date Released: 4/9/2012 Tracks: 17 Sales: 8 Listens: 10

J.T. Florence wades into friendly waters (and a more commercial sound) with his latest effort, SINGULARITY NOW. Sure to be considered "WUN For Dummies" by his die-hard fans, this thick stack of tracks could be construed as Florence's official cross-over into pop music. But, buyer beware, there are still plenty of unstable elements lurking within this stellar playlist. Even at his most commercial, Florence holds all the cards. And he plays them wisely. The album's title track is squirrelly and engaging all at once. You get sucked in just long enough to be thrown off course, as the ever-changing hook jigs right when you were expecting a jag. It is most definitely the most WUN-ish track on the album. The first single, "A Month of Sundays", is like Cookies'n'Cream Ice Cream in sound form: nearly impossible to resist. The anti-love anthem, "Quiverless", really gets it's point across when Florence whispers the refrain, "Our kisses are quiverless..." *Guest guitarist, Jasper Van Den Haas, lends his galloping riffs to the trance infused, "Cryogen Violets". SINGULARITY NOW is everything you could want in a musical odyssey, even if it wasn't what you were expecting.

Ray's Place

Date Released: 4/16/2012 Tracks: 13 Sales: 6 Listens: 6

Recorded in secret at Magnus Jansen's home (away from home) studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, RAY'S PLACE is a smorgasbord of sound and atmosphere. Unknown to the band's own label. F.O.F. began crafting a collection of songs under the radar, so as not to feel pressured by "dark suits in the dungeon". By all accounts, they found the process to be extremely liberating. Part backwater blues, part whitewater rock, and all FISTS OF FURRY, this southern-soaked outing feels like a juke-joint on acid. Guitarist Pat Satchel has found a new friend in his custom-built Fender Slidewinder. He manages to glide through the various tracks, combining new sounds and old, like a fiery batch of psychedelic gumbo. And Jansen himself has risen to the challenge, bringing an understated machismo to F.O.F.'s particular brand of blues-riddled rock. For a band that continually pushes the envelope of their ever evolving sound, FISTS OF FURRY may have finally found a niche' all their own.

Done & Under

Date Released: 5/16/2012 Tracks: 14 Sales: 10 Listens: 10

No one was more shocked by the suicide of Matthias Florence than his older brother and best friend, J.T. The only note left behind was addressed to J.T. and contained a single sentence: "It's never to late to grow a garden." DONE & UNDER is that garden. This album feels like a ghostly symphony of electronic particles, both light and dark. Florence's voice is a swirling elixir of poignant reflection, unfocused anger, and mortal confusion. Florence, having been the one to find his brother's body in their family's mountain cabin outside Big Bear Lake, CA, wasted no time getting in the studio to work out his grief and resentment issues. "Ultimately, this life is a dream," Florence says. "You wake up and you go to bed. And you do that for as long as you can. Matty hated waking up since... forever. I just know he's a much happier man where he is now. I feel it." By the time Florence finished DONE & UNDER, his first studio album without Matthias, he had gone through what he refers to as his, "cycle of strife". The songs, "I Called But You Were Busy" and "This Time I Mean It" are particularly personal. Florence was heard saying that they're actually two halves of one song. It makes sense, given the subject matter. "It's not fair of me to say that I made this album without Matty. His blood is in everything WUN has, or will EVER, make. Take a walk through the garden, but don't stray too far from the path. It's easy to get lost in here.

Dominion

Date Released: 5/18/2012 Tracks: 11 Sales: 4 Listens: 4

It is said, in Biblical times, God granted human beings DOMINION over the animal kingdom. Somehow, shit got lost in translation. The FU have never been much for Biblical ramblings (or authoritative doctrines in general) but one thing they stand for is the ethical treatment of animals. Singer, Remy Holt, has been a vegetarian and active member of several animal rights organizations for years, so it comes as no surprise that the band of FU have decided to donate 100% of all proceeds from their latest studio album to the cause. Matt Loganshire (drummer and, some might say, band leader) has taken several trips aboard the Greenpeace anti-whaling ships in the Asian Pacific. He wrote the title track while sitting on the porch of his Byron Bay, Australia home, gazing at the migrating Humpbacks a few hundred yards in front of him. And that was the seed that grew to be DOMINION. A poignant album from a group of rebel-rousers and mischievous expatriots, DOMINION is a no-holds-barred example what you can achieve by putting a cause behind the music. This isn't a one-trick-pony though. There are many levels to DOMINION... And all of them rock.