::Robosexual::

The Willowz - Cons and Tricks

A true one-song post - I've never heard another song by these guys, ever.  I heard this on the radio probably a year ago and it's as good now as it was then.  It's got a kind of spitting Sonic Youth spirit, but it's more poppy.  I can't say I enjoy the singer's enunciation (wrong = rahhh-ow-ong) but it works in the context of the song.  It's basically good straightforward noisy guitar rock, with a little twist of extra instrumentation.  Not much else to say; just give it a listen, eh?  I said, EH?
Here's "Cons and Tricks," by the Willowz.

Grails - Black Tar Prophecies Vol.'s 1, 2, and 3

It's trouble for the humble music reviewer when a band likens itself to nothing in recent memory.  The closest thing on the map is probably Cul De Sac, and those guys are pretty much off the map to begin with.  These people don't even have the common decency to pigeonhole themselves into something as vague as "post-rock"!  And with members hailing from Neurosis, Yellow Swans, and M. Ward, you can't even categorize them on origins, as Slint-based or Pumpkins-based bands can be.  Of course, in the end, no one really cares what box they check under "genre" - because their music is awesome, categorized or not.

The first two tracks are relatively easygoing, letting you into their weird, mystical little world with a little hand-holding.  "Belgian Wake-Up Drill" tricks you into thinking it's like that too, but just when you think you're listening to Colleen, Grails headbutts you in the kneecaps.  The laid-back Cuban stylings of "Smokey Room" soothe your aching joints, though.  The rest of the album is just as solid as the first half, and the undefinable antics of the remaining tracks are both entertaining and compelling.

I found this album very easy to like and surprisingly easy to listen to considering how variable and unorthodox the sound is.  Several times I've listened through the whole thing without realizing it, but not because it's wallpaper music, but because it's easy to get lost in, like Charalambides and other mystical-type music.  I really think people should give this a shot.  Furthermore, they're now releasing their new album on Temporary Residence, easily one of the best labels out there, so you know they have good taste.

Here's "Belgian Wake-Up Drill," and "Erosion Blues," by Grails.