Poor Lily - Vuxola

Poor Lily is a hardcore punk band from Bronx. This is their second full-length album, Vuxola, released on August 13. If you are familiar with the sound of bands such as Cerebral Ballzy and Ceremony, you're going to have a great time with Poor Lily. The songs Ego Killed the Dinosaurs, Microwave and Hawkin' Jesus are somewhere between those two bands and these are my favorite songs. They draw their influences from old school hardcore punk bands and  anti-hardcore bands such as Flipper. Poor Lily has really fucking interesting style. Imagine this: Jello Biafra lookalike vocal, deadly dangerous rhythm, sometimes fast sometimes slower broken down rhythm on the edge of becoming fast. On all of that add raw, noizy, loud and tough instrumentals. The songs Hooliganism, Puritan Nation, Baby! and Vending Machine are slightly different than the others. Hooliganism has some strange grindy sounds, Vending Machine has rad fifteen seconds long solo that I really like and song Puritan Nation is just strangely awesome. Everything you need on one punk album!

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Retro Secrets Compilation

This is another release from Retroflex Records, eclectic flamboyant record label from Louisville, Tennessee. On this compilation you can hear various stars, from Cooper Burton (Withoutahoe on Cooper Burton), Axelrod Nemoy, Hank Paradis, Eli Kleinsmith, Saint Nick from White Reaper (Withoutahoe on White Reaper), Alex Major, Nina Ryser, Bob Bobcat, Vern and Leopold Zimmerman. Vern, Bob Bobcat and Hank Paradis are playing sci-fi Ariel Pinkish 80's tones. Alex Major is more into raw lo-fi mixed with awesome crazy vocals. Nina Ryser and Leopold Zimmerman have similar aesthetic, freak folk psychedelia. Axelrod Nemoy's skate punk songs are really catchy and I caught my self singing I Think I'm in Love With You for the first time I heard the song. Saint Nick and Cooper are playing faster and more intensive songs. Saint Nick's song Give Me Hell 2012 is the best stuff on this compilation. Eli Kleinsmith's music is twisted take on r&b and it is taking souls and kicking asses in the same time. So if this compilation was a basketball field, the artists would be dream team.

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Blood Ocean / Spreaders split

Blood Ocean / Spreaders split is the latest release of Grand Imperial Record Co.. Blood Ocean is an alias of John Milano, certainly a mysterious persona about whom I couldn't find anything on the internet. His first song, Claire, is mainly instrumental with some vocal samples. The beat is sincere hip-hop, backing track has that summer vibe with dreamy and cloudy melodies, so the song reminds me of 80's soap operas theme songs. Intensive vocal and catchy melody make the second song, Vampire, potential top-lists hit. Blood's genre is basement pop because it sounds like you're listening to someone rehearsing from the basement. 

Spreaders are making different but truly attractive music. Their songs are prototypes of something that Grand Imperial defined as a future hyper-noize. Song Frank Peru would perfectly match some movie soundtrack with it's oriental moments. Pat Price reminds me of the sea waves which are heavily splashing stones making white, airy foam. Both songs are ambiental and dark, filled with mystic atmospheres, heavy drones and real life sounds.

This is a really interesting release and these guys can make it to the stars with their contemporary music, so you should give it a try.

Blood Ocean / Spreaders split

GARUDA - Chains & Shadows

GARUDA is a band from Paris. This is their first EP launched a few weeks ago. First song, A Million Armed Bees is a form of an entry into their stoner/psychedelic/sludge trip. Next song Chains & Shadows is an extension of the first one. They both rest on the same rhythmical transition platform and share the same vibe. But Chains is quite faster and tougher. The last two tracks Chelsea and Alexander remind me of post screamo hardcore bands from France Amanda Woodward and Aussitôt Mort because of the similar guitar riffs. All in all, they do sound like an american band in general. Vocals are neat because they resemble some old school heavy metal bands. Instrumentals are precise and complex therefore deserve compliments. To conclude, all the songs are compound into one unit so each next song is a perfect sequel to the previous one. GARUDA is certainly an interesting band and if you are up for some awesome drive you should get into their car!

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