The Book-Burners, “People’s Songs” LP

cover - book-burnersStarting off sounding like a Midwestern band gone Seattle on “Quick,” the Book-Burners quickly establish themselves as a band loathe to embrace modern trends on People’s Songs, their debut full-length release on Latest Flame.

However, despite being a band that looks backward in terms of sonic dimensions, the advantageous part is that they’re doing so from a remove of a decade and a half, meaning they’ve the ability to pick and choose, keeping the good bits and discarding that which doesn’t work. There’s some early R.E.M. angularity, the droning fuzz of In Utero-era Nirvana, some Kill Rock Stars looseness … it’s fun.
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Like Like The The Death, “Cave Jenny” LP

cover - like like the the deathUsually, when someone talks about how a record’s not left their turntable for however long, it’s a bit of hyperbole. In my case, with Like Like The The Death‘s Cave Jenny, it’s absolutely literal. The LP showed up about a week or so ago, and once it went on, it pretty much stayed there.

I’d go over to grab it off and put it away, but would then figure, “Well, I should really give that another listen …” Next thing you know, I’d be hearing the opening chords of “Here Comes Irregular,” and I’d be working my way through the album once agin. This happened once or twice a day for five days straight.

It’s a hard album to describe, Cave Jenny is. The fact that it’s absolutely fascinating isn’t to be denied, but how to communicate what it is? Frankly, it’s one of those frustratingly wonderful records that leaves you in the position of telling people, “You really just have to hear it.”
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Waxeater, “Baltimore Record” LP

cover - waxeater baltimore recordListening to Waxeater‘s Baltimore Record makes me really wish I’d been able to get into The Wire. I certainly would like to be able to analyze exactly how the lyrical content specifically relates to the plight of Omar or the whole Baltimore drug trade.

But I didn’t, and I can’t, so rather than blather on about what I’m missing in analyzing Waxeater’s latest, let’s discuss what makes it so appealing for those such as myself, who came to the band only knowing that their split 7-inch with Lawrence’s Jabberjosh a few years back was flipping intense.
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