Saturday 30 November 2013

Devonian Gardens - Solar Shifting (2013)


We often feel weird for our obsessions with (a) local music and (b) cassette tapes, but the good folk down at Melodiya made us feel downright dirty about it when we picked up this one. There's nothing like having to ask, "can I see one of the tapes under the counter?" to make you feel like the dirty old man that Gene Poole is.

Anyways, so here's the tape in question, a recent release from the band formerly known as Deadhorse. Devonian Gardens play spacey psych rock, with an unapologetic hippie flair. Which we'll put up with as long as they keep turning out tracks like the opener, "Swallow the Sun."

Get their tape like a dirty old man, or download it off bandcamp.

Thursday 28 November 2013

Sissys - Sissys Sleep (2013)


We were starting to get a bit worried, as we hadn't seen a release from Bart Records in an alarmingly long while. So we were quite excited to see this, the second tape from what is quite possibly the loudest band in Calgary.

Seriously, all of the stereos in the CCPS office together can't match the volume and might of a Sissys live show. There's a certain physical quality to their shows, having your internal organs pummelled by Darrell Hartsook's massively over-the-top guitar rig. So we won't try to match that with this tape - we'll just take these anti-lullabies at whatever volume our aging eardrums can withstand.



Get the tape from Bart Records or the download from the Sissys bandcamp.

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Pygmies - Inside Your Mind (2013)


We suspect that Nuggets-revivalists the Pygmies put out their newest album on both LP and cassette at least partly as a way to get included in this blog. Which we're more than happy to do: the CCPS office stereo tends to play a lot of garage rock, and this time around the Pygmies have upped the psych quotient a bit to put together that Gene Poole has termed "a real humdinger." We think Gene needs to get out more.


You can get inside the Pygmies' minds at your favourite local record shoppe, or through their bandcamp.

Sunday 24 November 2013

Ron Matsalla and the Unusuals - I See Red (1991)



So, while we're digging into the oeuvre of Ron Matsalla, we'd best include this 1991 CD that Doug Wong helped to put out. This is big, well-produced power pop stuff that may or may not be leftovers from the days of the Unusuals... this video of the title track looks like it came from about the same era as the other Unusuals videos scattered around the youtubes.



See red here.

Saturday 23 November 2013

Unusuals - The More I Drink the Better She Looks to Me/So Goode (1981)


So, the reason why we accidentally found that Rikki and the Rokkits record is that we had been looking for this one, the Unusuals' second 7". Which, as you probably guessed by now, we found.

Two things about this CD: first, there's no cover - which is sad, because their 44U EP art is so amazing. Second... it's maybe not as consistent as that first record. The A side is Raspberries-ish power pop, the B side is more reminiscent of New York scene pre-punk. Good songs, but an odd mix.



But maybe the more we drink, the better they will sound together.


Friday 15 November 2013

Rikki and the Rokkits - New Wave/They Never Know (1980)


It's always exciting and terrifying when you find a record you didn't know about. Exciting because, look, it gets the CCPS collection one step closer to being complete! Terrifying because, yikes, how many more records are there out there that we don't know about? Will this thing ever be complete?

So, this one. This record was, as the MOCM tells us, featured on the Dr. Demento Show in 1980. Which gives this pretty high nerd factor. Side A is the novelty song you'd expect (if this had cover art, it would probably be a scathingly satirical illustration by Warren Kinsella), while side B is Raspberries-esque power pop.

More importantly, the songs are authored by Living Room Records guru Richard Harrow and Miles Jackson, both of whom appear to still be active in the recording business.

Get the 7" here.

Sunday 10 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - Trouble's A-Brewin' (1997)



Before we bail from the Huevos posts completely, we might as well include this beauty, a CD that looks like it was put out for the band's, well, September 1997 tour of Spain. We had to go to Google translate to figure that out - our Mexican exchange student turned out to have a not-quite-perfectly-in-order student visa.

Our ever-present proofreader has pointed out the typo of "Tokio" on the track listing. We have suggested that she build a time machine so that (a) she can go back in time and point this out to the label and (b) we can go back in time to when we had more room on our credit cards and buy more records.

Saturday 9 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - Wild Turkey Surprise 7" (1999)



We're sad, not just because this is the final Huevos single, but rather because the line art on the back cover is so terrible. Seriously, Mint, would it have killed you to call Bagley for a cover illustration?

Oh, also of note - this is latter day Huevos, with one-time Cooper bandmate Tom Kennedy on bass.

That's about as factual as we can get here. We're going to go pour a glass of turkey and toast the memory of one of Calgary's greatest garage rock bands.

Friday 8 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - Jezebel 7" (1995)


1994 was a busy year for singles with thee Huevis (is that plural for Huevos? Our research intern claims it is, but he also claims there's no more bourbon, which we know can't be true... there's got to be more bourbon!) as evidenced by this split with another band, another one not released by a Calgary label. Uh... we actually haven't listened to the other band's side of this thing.

Mostly because the cover art for their side isn't nearly as good as the Huevos side.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - The Various Boss Sounds from Beyond the Far Reaches and Then Some! (split with Man or Astroman?) (1994)



This one brings back bad memories for Gene. Surprisingly recent ones, too: earlier this year he knew he was going to be in Portland when Man or Astroman? was playing and didn't buy and advance ticket. So, Gene got to see the outside of the Doug Fir Lounge rather than the stage (and Man or Astroman?'s legendary live show).

Not even Tom Bagley's cover art can make up for that much regret.

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - Rockin' in the Henhouse (1994)



You know we were starting to wonder about the cover art on those last singles. Where was the Bagley art? Well, thankfully it's back with this one. To make up for it, though, it's released on a UK label.



What the cluck?

Sunday 3 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - Go West Young Bee 7" (1994)



You know, judging from the labels that put out Huevos' records, you'd think they were from, well let's just guess Bellingham. But WE know better, don't we?

We like this record because it includes a track that Coop did back with the Cryin' Helicopters. And also because the band are wearing matching glasses on the back cover.

But what happened to Coop's hair?!?!

Friday 1 November 2013

Huevos Rancheros - Cindy with an 'S' 7" (1993)



We should have made an astute comment about how Huevos Rancheros' first 7" was released not locally, but rather on an American label from thee mighty Pacific northwest. Actually, it's a good thing we didn't because now we have something to say about this one.

Behold! Huevos Rancheros' second 7" record, release on an American label from thee mighty Pacific northwest!

Behold further! Video of Brent Cooper with Thee Big Hair!



Get thee sin-gle here (see what we did there?).