The thing about Shannon and the Clams that really sold me was catching them live a few times, it's obvious that Shannon is an incredible vocalist, and they really capture it on her records but live she's a serious force, and I really don't know how she can do that night after night. Looks like the west coast will get to check them out throughout August but you in the meantime can pick up this single from 1,2,3,4 Go Records.
The track below is the A-Side, and the texture plastered all over this thing is from another time, you can picture those huge vocal mic's, everything's overdriven just slightly especially when she goes for it on the chorus. So completely catchy and what I've always wanted from those old R and B singles in the plain sleeves at the flea market but only deliver a sliver of this. Honestly this is why I can't even think of working backwards when there's talent like this happening right now. The plucked high melody, the backup singers, the raw room tone...it can't be played loud enough. Looking forward to this one. Thought the B-Side might have been a cover of Wounded Lion but it's the real Jim Henson deal, nuts.
OUT AUGUST 21ST! Finally a new single from Shannon & The Clams! Ozma is perhaps one of the sweetest odes to a dearly departed, snoring, rabbit munching mutt! Muppet Babies is the long time crowd pleasing cover of the theme song from the Jim Henson cartoon classic from the 80's. We've got color vinyl for mail order only and black vinyl for everyone else.
This one pretty much kicked this whole list off the beginning of last year sometime. Remixes have always pissed me off, especially when they waste the B-Side of a 7 inch, they are predictable and always boring, and nothing made less sense for a remix then the stripped down messy garage of the Coathangers. A real bummer of a single from Suicide Squeeze.
This one I knew early would make the list too....from the Mammoth Cave Recording Co. Winner of best insert 2010 is from their Bloodstains across Alberta single. At the same time hilarious and personal, it tied the whole Alberta theme together explaining the references and the ache's and pains of recording all these maniacs...hands down wins the best Canadian single category as well..nice work, there's something for everyone on this diverse 10 way split, that reminds me, this one won for most tracks on a single as well. That's three gold singles coming your way...a new record.
Winner of best xmas themed single is the angelicly vocaled, Shannon and the Clams on 1,2,3,4 Go. They aren't ruining Christmas at all....You know, I haven't actually heard this, but I'm into the couple of singles they've put out so far, capturing that garage nostalgia, wrapping it in pop punk and giving it to you in new ways...and Shannons voice is ridiculous. This better have been under the tree or Santa hates you. I honestly think I haven't ordered this yet is because they tell you how many copies are left....so I keep putting it off.
Jack White won in two categories this year:
Most expensive single.... by a longshot was this Dead Weather test pressing that went for $3200 from a live show at the 3rd man store...photo booth pics, handpainted sleeve, signed by all members. This is all Jack White, creating an entire blackmarket for records, controvertially putting 3rd man stuff directly on ebay and all with a not great band...impressive.
He also winds hands down the coveted 7inch prize for format innovation, with the Triple Decker Record®, and the hair record:
Finally for PT1.....Best single not actually reviewed on 7Inches: Home Blitz - 'Perpetual Night'. Any label want to step up and give this guy another single? I tracked down the full length, and he just gets better and better. The Northeast answer to Seth's Useless Eaters. Fucking great raw garage no-fi whatever....none of those labels matter, it's great, frantic, the 4-track's on fire songs...this B-Side Searchers cover 'Murder in my Heart' is game changing. The art doesn't need to shock you because the music on that single is better than anything all year.
Having been hard at work on reviews lately, I often fail to get a chance to post about 7"'s that just came out, or are available for preorder. This Shannon and the Clams holiday single was announced yesterday from 1,2,3,4 Go Records. It's already Christmas this year and they were smart and must have gotten started on this a while ago..and they look so jazzed about the holiday! Oh joy! It looks like one of those Kmart portraits...they set up a tree and everything.
BLACK VINYL LUMP OF COAL edition. Limited to 100 copies!
The Clams ruin yet another family gathering! This one on christmas of all days!!! Bless em they're trying to make up for it with four christmas classics! Only available for the holiday season! 600 copies total are being made this year!
1. Melekalikimaka 2. All I Want For Christmas Is You 3. Blue Christmas 4. Fat Daddy
Now wait a second...the color vinyl on the site is 4.99, but the lump of coal, black edition is 5.99? It's bizzarro xmas prices.
Bringing more holiday spirit is Blessure Grave is at it with a split with Bestial Mouths. They tease with an acoustic and then bring it heavy with toms and their weird timing. Bestial Mouths sound like a good combo, minimal, heavy echo vocals and that feeling of dread.
Blessure Grave follow up their full length debut showcasing yet another hit single, while Los Angeles’s Bestial Mouths make their debut proper blasting through two epics loaded with torrential vocals and synthesizer led melodies. These bands do not upset, this is an excellent split single.
Then Stones Throw had to go and release this massive set that reminds me to go I have to go watch that 45 battle with DJ shadow on netflix again.
Ten 7-inch singles. Hip-hop music from the Stones Throw archive never before on 45, selected by Peanut Butter Wolf.
Debuted at our 10/10/10 event in Los Angeles, this is a box set of ten 7-inch singles - hip hop music from the Stones Throw archive never before on 45, selected by Peanut Butter Wolf. This will be released October 25, 2010, and is available now exclusively on Stones Throw's web store.
Finally this Blackbird Blackbird single on Firetalk Records. Warbly electronic haze with buried vocals. Playing all over overwhelming CMJ which is coming up this weekend...along with the WFMU record fair. Yikes.
As prolific as he wants to be San Francisco's Blackbird Blackbird drops an undeniable gem with the help of Emily Reo. Get lost in the shimmery production and ride a dream boat down a river of bliss. Dig!
LIMITED TO 500 COPIES
A - Fade To White (Feat. Emily Reo)
B- Letting Go
THIS IS A PRE ORDER THIS 7 INCH WILL SHIP ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 23rd 2010
The other day when I caught that Bare Wires single on Southpaw, which is great by the way.... I got an email immediately about this Shannon and the Clams single the next day....Damn. Still haven't gotten around to checking out their full length but I heard nothing but good things from places I trust...actually I think it's pretty much sold out from the source. All I could think of when I saw this was Shannon's vocals. It takes this from another garage, kind of punk, laid back, west coast three piece to something weirdly timeless. She just has an amazing voice...it's got all the '50s Spectre girl group sounds, but with a ton of punk attitude. I mean she's almost too perfect to be singing this garage Shagri La's styled song...has she changed her voice to fit the idea of this era? Did it develop in working out this style of music?...or does she just sing naturally like this? It's seriously a voice you're not going to hear in this type of music ever again. She's a complete bad ass without sounding too over the top good....because she definitely could....it's scary how perfectly she captures that 50's sound...but with more toughness...she could have never gotten away with this 50 years ago and she takes advantage of it. You can hear the kind of defiance...in kind of taking this stereotyped male role in the songs and turning them around. She's just a fucking talent, plain and simple. It's something I have to catch live, I know this is only going to get better seeing her destory an audience while rocking out basslines.
Shannon and the Clams remind me of something straight out of a John Waters movie in both their fashion and sound. On this brand new 7”, the Clams pump out two superb pop ballads and throw in a 30-second surf punk jam to clock in at just under 10 minutes. A great follow up to their amazing LP from last year.
Shannon and the clams want bowties on everything...burgers, wolfmen, dolphins. It's weirdly appropriate. It's a little B-Movie, 50's surf/greaser sound. Complete with a grindhouse ballad at the end of the B-Side that just kills...in the best possible way. It's a perfect John Waters-esque moment. All is not right in suburbia, or in this case, Oakland. Well, was it ever right in Oakland? Williamsburg is a far cry from that part of Cali, I have to hand it to them, it's a rough part of the west coast, let me tell you....and I know next to nothing.
This really succeeds ultimately because it never gets kitch, that can be an easy line to cross in this style of reminiscent garage. Even the first track on the B-Side 'Hunk Hunt', with an a capella chorus at the start, going heavy with surf rock twang vibrato guitarthen shifting down on the next track 'Heart Break' a reverb heavy ballad. Her classic sounding vocals give something extra to that era that's usually missing this real mean edge. The drums are booming, slow guitar twang melody.I think Shannon nails the tone on all these tracks, she has a really incredible voice which immediately sets this apart. It sounds dangerous all while belting it out. She's got a gift, which goes further than just being a great vocalist, it's all feeling.
More perfection on 'Would you love me if I was dead?' The second track on the A-Side. There's a serious dark tone to the reverb 50's pop harmonies. They genuinely pay homage to this sound, it's seriously transporting.
Playing this all at 33 just adds to the grittinessGet it on weird hug who is batting 1000 so far...I love everything, teepee, bundle of fags...nice freaking work. Keep it up.
If you're pressing 7" vinyl - you aren't in it for the money. I appreciate it.
*********************************
WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS AT THIS TIME
**********************************
Check out the friends links for other safe places for scared singles.
