I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

Let me tell you about one of the many ways you know you’re old.

When fresh, young bands start revivals of scenes you saw the first time around.

So, lots of stuff coming out of Australia on the rock front these days. I assumed from the label involved, that Woolen Kits were from Melbourne. And while I listened, I was amazed they weren’t from New Zealand.

Anyway, I knew they were from New Zealand (even though they aren’t) from their jangly, gangly, clean lo-fi pop. The stuff that seems to grow so well in the verdant land of mountains and hobbit folk. Reminds me of the (underground) explosion of the Dunedin Sound, Flying Nun Records, all the stuff you should probably know about.

Four Girls is charmingly shambolic, and probably shouldn’t work as good as it does. A couple really good ear worms, and mind worms stick with me for hours after a listen. I often contemplate how if I look good, I feel good, and if I feel good, I get shit done.

I’m thinking that a few more practices, and a few more songs, and they’ll put out a solid album that isn’t nearly as charming as this. But, I’m often wrong. Don’t listen to me. Listen to Four Girls! And come to your own wrong conclusion!

Check it out!!

I like music. I have a band. I’m gonna tell you all about it. 

 What I look for in rock: guitars, melody, guitars, energy, guitars, and guitars.

Today’s review starts with two thoughts: My Bloody Valentine and Treepeople. Let me see if I can merge them for you.

I asked Rich at practice yesterday if he had picked up the new My Bloody Valentine album, 22 years in the making. He previewed it, and passed. It’s good. But he’s not the same record buyer he was 22 years ago. So the album is probably 18 years too late.

I bought the new Karl Hendricks Trio after hearing a track on the freeform station to the nation, WFMU. Didn’t even know the track title, but I was humming the chorus to The Adult Section while doing dishes. This convinced me that I had to buy it.

And it reminded me of something. And that something was Treepeople. Treepeople hail from MBV times.

Following so far?

So, that means that I’m listening to the same stuff I was 22 years ago, right? I have not evolved one iota. Unlike Rich.

Wrong.

Look, you can’t play a player. The Adult Section drips with the bitter aftertaste of someone who has been playing in a band for 22 years, and not a guy coasting on a ancient breakthrough album. I’m not familiar with Karl, or his past band history. But his music says he had a band in the 90’s. But he’s making music for today. Unlike, apparently, Kevin Shields from My Bloody Valentine.

The title track is a great pop song, and there’s some fine, meandering guitar all over the place. I’m not so into the bitter stuff, but that’s just a personal thing. I’m bitter enough, and I’d like to not be.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed the scenic route!

Okay, now I’m off to Wikipedia to see if I got Karl pegged correctly!

Check ’em out!!