The Neighbourhood Strange, Oddcuts & Rarities

Oddcuts and Rarities is the latest release from Salisbury's sons of psychedelia The Neighbourhood Strange, and it's flipping great. With three fabulous 7'' vinyl singles under their belts The Neighbourhood Strange have yet to release an album; having seen them perform live several times, and knowing they definitely have the material, that's a crime if you ask me. The release of Oddcuts and Rarities goes some ways to putting that right, consummate musicians skilled at their craft, what you have here are eight tracks of top quality modernist psychedelia with a garage aesthetic, all performed with the Strange's trade mark energy and panache. I can't recommend this album or the band highly enough. If this is what they describe as 'a collection of out takes and demos' just imagine how good a The Neighbourhood Strange Album would be. Vinyl release of course, no pressure.

The Locker Room Cowboys

Here's a band you need to look out for. I first heard The Locker Room Cowboys on Fruits de Mer's excellent recent compilation 'The Three Seasons' an interpretation of mid sixties classic psyche (see post), The Locker Room Cowboys did a wonderfully original interpretation of the Stones 'We love you', the stand out track in my opinion. It has an eerily weird music box sounding introduction, leading to a deep and laid back rhythm, at times it sounds as if it's slowing down and stretching out, like it's been dipped in psychedelic treacle or is running out of juice, whatever, it makes for a nice trippy feel and sound to it, throughout everything’s just right, guitar, keyboards, vocals, everything, and the addition of some sumptuous female harmonies was inspired, just topping it of beautifully. Smashing track. I remember listening to it, then immediately lifting the tone arm and listening again, on checking out who they were, it transpired The Locker Room Cowboys were an ensemble of leading lights in contemporary psychedelia, Andy Budge, Gregory Curvey, Crystal Jacqueline, Icarus Peel and Victoria Reyes (I shan’t list all the bands they're all associated with, as they're legion). That track alone is reason enough to keep your eye on The Locker Room Cowboys, and got me wondering what else they might have up their musical sleeves. Well, over the last couple of days they've dropped some tantalizing demo’s and, man, they're excellent! I know they're only demo's, raw, unpolished and unfinished, but they suggest some really good things to come from the The Locker Room Cowboys. The Amen Revolution is a fat funky psychedelic dance number, with some fruity bass, you can only imagine how flippin brilliant the finished track is going to sound! Troublefunk #1 too is damn funky, but in an entirely different way, bloody lovely. Finally, there's Saturday Morning Fuzz, something quite different, more rock orientated though none the less ace. Fantastic stuff! Give them a listen, and I'm sure you'll join me in being excited and eagerly awaiting their album and live dates?

On the eight day of Christmas

On the eight day of Christmas music gave me the wonder and nightmare which is bandcamp, and all the magic therein. I'd used bandcamp a few times over the last few years to buy a track or two, here and there, though it was always after being directed to the site, I'd never really explored the site until this year. As I say, it's a real wonder, so much good music to be found and I know I've only just scratched the surface. I'd say most days this year I've listened to at least one new band on bandcamp, more often than not though, I've listened to several more. And, my musical world has expanded exponentially. It's not merely the amount of bands on there, but the immense range of genres and styles, I've found bands I know I'd never have come across otherwise. Bands like 'Stones from the Sky' a French psych/rock/garage whose release 'Live in Agger' is a fantastic listen, 'Between the Buttons' psychedelic pop at it's best, or early 70's Neo-folk 'Comus' who returned for a 21st century reunion album which is great, and I could go on and on. Without bandcamp I'd have missed all of that and more, so, I'm currently loving bandcamp.  I also suggested the site was a nightmare, which it is, the downsides being, there's just so much good music to be found, and my pockets are shallow, if not drought ridden for the most part, and a major bugbear of mine, the prohibitive cost of shipping from the states if you want hard copies of some of the music. Bummer! That said, much of the stuff on there is reasonably priced, or much even name your own price, though that too can pose a dilemma, how much do you give; as much as you can, though what if that's not a lot. Bandcamp is a gift that keeps on giving. A few other bands I've found through the site and I'd recommend you check out are Psychic Lemon, 62 Miles from Space, The Paperweight Array and Nathan Hall and the Sinister Locals. And that really only a few of my recommendations. Once your on the site you've dropped down the rabbit hole into a world of opportunities to feed your ears, my bandcamp 'wish-list' grows daily.