Plateaus on Art Fag Records

I remember that first single from Plateaus, Beachcomber, which has this kind of Suicide meets JAMC sound, big static snare hits, and a No Age huge chorus to sing along to. This latest from Art Fag is hitting the same notes in a more surfier direction... poppy and reverb, a cavernous hip sound...sort of a polished Wavves. Sunny fuzz on a single. Garage harmonies for a beach bonfire.

Get it from Art Fag Records

We're chiming in again to let you know that we have the new Plateaus in and we're putting it up for sale to the mailing list first. It's a 3 song 7" called "Open Skies" and it builds on the ramshackle melodies of the prior Art Fag and Hozac 7"s to a new peak. No artistic plateau here.

CROCODILES / GRAFFITI ISLAND / DUM DUM GIRLS / PENS split on Art Fag Records

This is one hell of a split, I'm surprised is still available. I first heard Pens from Mark's show out of Vancouver, PopDrones, I highly recommend his podcast, especially the 2 best of '09 shows, they are killer. I think he even played this single, which I saw I made a note about but never posted...just checked and ordered a copy from Midheaven:

CROCODILES / GRAFFITI ISLAND / DUM DUM GIRLS / PENS - Four Way Split - Art Fag - AF 005 - 7" - $ 7.00

***A four-way split 7-inch from these up-and-coming young faves. You get CROCODILES' "Hollow Hollow Eyes," GRAFFITI ISLAND's "Moon Tan," DUM DUM GIRLS' "Brite Futures," and PENS' "The Weekend Starts Here."

A 4-way split is guaranteed to have at least one band you're interested in, between the 4 of these guys their fans should have picked up every one. The Crocodiles, for instance have sold out on every other single...this is the last one left!
The Dum Dum Girls sound is that crazy Crystal Stilts echo chamber overload, with sort of Zola Jesus vocals...I mean that's a supergroup combo sound right there. The Hozac single, and captured tracks released are excellent. I love those girls, I hope to see them in NY at some point, I missed them too much.... That's right, they are coming to Mercury Lounge at the end of Feb.
Been hearing tons about the Crocodiles. They were on that 3 way split with blessure grave, the Down in the ground one, have to go back and pay attention...see that's what these spits are all about. They made enough year end lists to get my attention, didn't realize they were on Fat Possum, they seem to be going in all kinds of directions lately. I have to say I kind of trust this, if they are willing to release Wavves and Townes Van Zandt on the same imprint...well, I'll go along for that ride.
Graffiti Island, another band I've been coming across but haven't given them a proper listen. They have 4 import singles that I can't bring myself to pay shipping for, so this is the next best. I keep wondering if I saw them at Monster Island...or I'm confusing them with Christmas Island. Wow, a lot of choices there.
Last up is Pens, like I said I owe Mark, I can't get enough of these guys...and their from the UK? What!? Way to go... but of course it's too bad they won't be touring here anytime soon. Their full length is that perfect mix of tune, no-fi, punk, melody and 80 track livingroom jams. Like the Yips, who I romanticise, but just were the punk duo no fidelity ideal. Pens are just great, this is the track I'm getting this for. The rest honestly is just a bonus.

I don't think any of thee tracks show up anywhere else, I didn't look too extensively, but they should be exclusive to this...right? Wait, the Pens myspace calls the track I thought was called 'High in the Cinema', 'The weekend starts here'? Oh crap. Well that's a great song. One of their best. Why don't I ever check that before I paypal? I don't have any answers. I order first and ask questions later.

Get it from Midheaven, I think I said this before but I'll be damned if I can't find the Art Fag site, or blog...just the myspace, it keeps jumping to some bullshit ad's search pages....what the hell?! I want to order your records!

Best Coast on Group Tightener / Art Fag Records

Pocahaunted has split (?, I'm pretty sure) and Bethany has moved on to her Best Coast project with Bob Bruno of Goliath Bird Eater...they have a drummer too, but played recent NYC shows with some recorded rhythm accompanyment. Monster Island, The Cake Shop...I missed them all...what a jerk.
Based on the myspace tracks, (still haven't picked any of these up yet, and that's gong to change) it's distorted vocal heavy and melodic. Slow droning guitar, great....well pop songs really...I'm a little surprised. I'm not hearing much of Pocahaunted here...I would never think it's related. Every track seems to be about literal relationships, 'When I'm with you, 'Wish he was you.'. 'ooooooo, baby.' It's that Shangri-La's full harmony and hand claps filter on an old mono speaker that can't handle the new sound. That's going around a lot. The ooooooo's are sung through bad mic's with the old MXR distortion...it's not even a voice anymore. That's a great sound, the blurring of the source into something else. It's right alongside Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls, Christmas Island, Wavves...you're going to get into this.

This Group Tightener single is really a mini-EP with four tracks, one of them a cover of the Beach Boys 'In My Room', which I have to hear. They are such an influence on everything lately, I guess always...so I'm forced to listen to Pet Sounds again and try to get it this time....or just stick with the Best Coast and all the ways it's reinterpreted. It's better.
No, I have to appreciate what came before all this, it just feels like work...and Brian Wilsons autobiography was terrible.
Did you record music? Oh I forgot because ALL I READ ABOUT WAS YOUR STUPID PATHETIC DRUG HABITS AND DOUCHEBAG THERAPIST!

Artist: BEST COAST
Title: Make You Mine
Format: 7"
Label: Group Tightener
Country: USA
Price: $6.50
"Former POCAHAUNTED member BETHANY COSENTINO (aka BEST COAST) embodies California. Her songs are effortlessly ramshackle, layers of fuzzed guitar and a voice with enough heft and soul that it brings to mind 1950s girl soul groups or even a female-centric Beach Boys. Theres also a sense of permanent longing, an inescapable melancholy that can only come from living near the beach, perpetually sunny but a little sad too. Her four-song Make you Mine 7-inch was recorded with longtime friend BOBB BRUNO, and is packed with enough hooks and gorgeous melodies to fill an entire album. It is Group Tighteners first release." - GroupTightener - fusetron



Artist: BEST COAST
Title: Sun Was High (So Was I)
Format: 7"
Label: Art Fag
Country: USA
Price: $6.50 - fusetron

Fusetron has got the Art Fag single still...