Hellshovel, ‘Sleep Walking’


I’ve not talked about the Hellshovel album that Slovenly put out last month. This is a shame, but it’s just that there’s so much going on with Hated By The Sun that I can’t possibly describe it. The LP is the auditory equivalent of trying to think after a massive bong rip. Everything takes an extra second or two to come to you, and when it does, it’s wrapped in layers of fuzz and you’re more confused than when you started. Then you giggle about how awesome everything is. Go buy a copy from the Slovenly webstore (coincidentally, you can also check out a track while you’re there).

Lose your sight with the Psyched

cover-psychedIs “vision-obscuring” a proper compliment for an album? Let’s say so. Basically, I found myself regularly having to brush my hair out of my face, as it was going everywhere while I was listening to this. The Psyched‘s self-titled LP (a joint production of Slovenly Records and Black Gladiator) is the very definition of a stomping record.

The way the Psyched build to anthemic, pounding choruses means that you’re going to find yourself doing that thing so eloquently described by Mr. Homer J. Simpson:
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Four new releases from Slovenly Recordings (three of which are pretty great)

Slovenly Recordings has put out a slew of fantastic releases in the last few months, and as they’ve piled up on the desk down here in the basement, it seemed like a great idea to compile them all into one handy-dandy guide. Let’s explore, shall we?
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Podcast #66, “The Writing On the Wall”

Banksy

Banksy

Such a fun show this week. It seemed like the whole thing breezed by. There’s a lot of new music from Slovenly and Windian, as well as some Internet-sourced tracks. Legal gets, of course – Soundcloud and Bandcamp streaming tracks – but they certainly make the show a little more well-rounded.

The focus of the show will remain vinyl, as always, but the fact remains that many great songs won’t make it onto wax, and there’s no reason to exclude them because they’re in a different format. Honestly, the whole thing ends up mixed down to 128 Kbps mp3 files, anyway. Sonic fidelity is pretty null.

Podcast #66, “The Writing On the Wall”
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Los Vigilantes, “Los Vigilantes” LP

cover-los-vigilantesLos Vigilantes
Los Vigilantes
(Slovenly Records)

While it may be hyperbole to state this, I feel fairly comfortable in encouraging you to purchase Los Vigilantes‘ self-titled LP for nothing more than the album’s first track, “Ven Vamos.” While the remaining 13 tracks are wonderful and entertaining in their own right, the ramshackle ditty that opens the record is such a winner, I had trouble moving past it.
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Thee Oops, “Taste of Zimbabwe” LP

cover-thee-oopsThee Oops
Taste of Zimbabwe
(Slovenly Records)

Thee Oops are so very very fast. They are a garage punk band with the heart of a hardcore act. This is like listening to Minor Threat cover a bunch of classic Nuggets numbers. Honestly, this release speeds by so fast, jumping from number to number so quickly that it’s difficult to determine where one song ends and the next begins.

I am frankly afraid to listen to this LP in conjunction with the consumption of caffeine. I fear I might to harm to myself as I thrash about in my desk chair. Alcohol is needed to prevent the listener from being too intensely rocked.
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