update on Shameless Plug, WGAJCITS, etc.

So to all the bands who send me EP's and what not, i have not ignored you but let me tell you there are MANY of you. As you might have noticed I've been a little inconsistent lately, that's because i'm in league with some people on a very top secret website that is now officially up and running ( do not spam me with invite asks, i'm not giving them out, i mostly do html code for them cus their morons). However some other other friends and i threw together a little site called WGAJCITS where we will be posting some shit for a while i guess.

BUT GUMPY, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THEBATCAVEBELOW????????

Well nothing basically, im still going to post here all the shit that i really think you should listen to, covet, obsess over, fuck to, etc. I'm just also going to post stuff on there that maybe you should take a peak at. Other people will be posting there too so, if you decide you have a grievance with the music, odds are it wont be with me.

WHAT ABOUT US, THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP SENDING YOU STUFF????

You're all (and i say you're all cus their are a fucking ton of you) going to be featured on WGAJCITS in a section we are calling Shameless Plug. NOW, if for some reason i become obsessed with your band or i think you are particularly good then you'll probably end up here. If you don't see your bands stuff on WGAJCITS it's one of three reasons:

1. cus i haven't gotten to you yet (my inbox is 327 band requests right now)
2. i accidentally deleted your shit cus it looked like you were a nun from the UK who wants to send me 1000,000,000£
3. because you fucking suck and i will not be responsible for exposing your shitty ass music to people who trust me or this site.

I haven't run into any number 3's yet, but im sure there's one in there.

The Owls - (2007) Daughters and Suns

sound: Indie/Pop
length: 14 songs, 39.3 minutes
myspace
1.The Way On
2.Yellow Flowers
3.Welcome Monday
4.Peppermint Patty
5.All Those Favor
6.Bury Your Mind
7.The Lucky Ones
8.Apocalypse
9.Isaac B Singer
10.Peaceful Place
11.Little Stranger
12.Black Hands
13.Airplane
14.Channel

This is a very simple, intimate record from a pretty straight forward band. I would suggest this for fans of Mates of State or the Fruit Bats. Very chill acoustic album, gentle vocals, great summer zonk out.

sounds like: the Fruit Bats, Said the Whale, Suturee

Ding.

Ladyfinger - (2009) Dusk

sound: Indie Rock
length: 10 songs,
myspace
01. Over & Over (2:50)
02. A.D.D. (4:28)
03. Little Things (3:53)
04. Two Years (4:37)
05. Read The Will (4:48)
06. Work Party (3:46)
07. Bones (3:04)
08. Plums (4:12)
09. Let’s Get Married (2:58)
10. Born In The Eighties (7:00)

I love when people want me to find stuff, and then it is actually music i would want to listen to. I love the track A.D.D., nothing complex here just very straight forward guitar lines and lyrics that resonate in the brain ages after a listen. Somewhere between sounding like old school rock (like a well loved band of mine Riddle of Steel) and the newer breed that bands like Queens of the Stone Age bring. A possible listen for fans of both, and also is the album art not gorgeous?

sounds like: Queens of the Stone Age, Thrice, Riddle of Steel

Boom.

Post War Years - (2009) The Greats and Happenings

sound: Indie/Funk/Poolhall
length: 12 songs, 47.3 minutes
myspace
1 red room
2 death march
3 whole world on its head
4 den
5 white lies
6 red and blue
7 soul owl
8 ghost door
9 false starts
10 latin holiday
11 tubular
12 that's all

So here's another very hip indie/alt. feeling record. Very catchy, but clearly a very talented group of guys. This band is very exciting as a musician to hear, because it reminds you in a land of soundless noise i.e. Metro Station that folks are still trying to put forth something completely authentic. From it's light guitar tapping, to heavy electro lines back into four timed drum beats, it will certainly get you moving around. Take a peak cus honestly Red Room is such a great intro track to this band I don't see how you wont get up and dance.

sounds like: Dartz, Foreign Born, Hot Club de Paris, Tapes 'n Tapes, Tokyo Police Club

Ding!

White Denim - (2008) Workout Holiday

sound: Indie/Funk/Progressive
length: 12 songs, 37.4 minutes
myspace
1. "Let's Talk About It" - 3:53
2. "Shake Shake Shake" - 2:37
3. "Sitting" - 2:16
4. "I Can Tell You" - 1:57
5. "Mess Your Hair Up" - 4:48
6. "Heart From Us All" - 3:10
7. "All You Really Have To Do" - 2:48
8. "Look That Way At It" - 3:25
9. "Darksided Computer Mouth" - 2:15
10. "WDA" - 3:03
11. "Don't Look That Way At It" - 4:03
12. "IEIEI" - 3:13

Good morning my beautiful and educated following, are you ready for something completely from left field? Well then strap on your moon boots and give White Denim a listen. Three guys straight out of Austin, Texas coming at you with what can only truly be called an eclectic mix of musical genius. Blaring out of the gate with garage rock fav. Lets Talk About It, this record boasts in my opinion such a wide variety of genres styles and sounds, there's gotta be a gem in here for everyone. From the jazzy Sitting to the wild loops and industry sound of Messed Up Your Hair to the Tower of Power like funk of Darksided Computer Mouth. I implore you all the be adventurous and get down on this record.

sounds like: The Unicorns, The Gossip, The Mars Volta, Post War Years

Woosh.

So Many Dynamos - (2009) The Loud Wars

sound: Indie/Funk/Progressive
length: 10 songs, 39.9 minutes
myspace
1 Artifacts of Sound
2 Glaciers
3 The Novelty of Haunting
4 New Bones
5 If You Didn’t Want To Know
6 Oh, The Devastation
7 Keep It Simple
8 Friendarmy
9 It’s Gonna Rain
10 The Formula

After discovering this band a couple months back i was instantly hooked. While the musical techniques are not necessarily something completely original to the mathrock or progressive genre, i still feel their delivery is 100% heartfelt, catchy, and completely fascinating. This record is far more electronic, phazers, pedals, so on and so forth then i was expecting. And while half the time on first listen it seemed as though they were trying to emulate the excellence of their previous album Flashlights (which fucking rules by the way and is also on this site) there's gems like the strangely exciting almost progrock of New Bones. I'd say give it a listen though if you like listening to drummers or you enjoyed We Are Scientists latest press Brain Thrust Mastery.



sounds like: the Plastic Constellations, Blood Red Shoes, Fugazi, For the Mathematics

Boom!

Pedro the Lion - (2000) Winners Never Quit

sound: Indie/Chill Sauce
length: 8 songs, 34 minutes
myspace
#1 "Slow and Steady Wins the Race" – 3:44
#2 "Simple Economics" – 4:22
#3 "To Protect the Family Name" – 5:29
#4"A Mind of Her Own" – 3:56
#5 "Never Leave a Job Half Done" – 3:12
#6 "Eye on the Finish Line" – 4:37
#7 "Bad Things to Such Good People" – 3:24
#8 "Winners Never Quit" – 5:16

As far as Pedro the Lion goes my heart will always belong to It's Hard to Find a Friend. However, this record can come in a close second. Mostly impressive do to the fact that Bazan played every instrument on the record, it boasts the mind and soul of a Lucero Press and the future of Manchester Orchestra. If Bazan's gravely undertones don't seep your life spirit while simultaneously filling your heart with warm fuzz then i don't know what will. Enjoy.

sounds like: Manchester Orchestra, Lucero, Walkmen

Ding.

Alexisonfire - (2009) Old Crows/ Young Cardinals

sound: Post Hardcore/Screamo
length: 11 songs, 42.24 minutes
myspace
1. "Old Crows" 4:19
2. "Young Cardinals" 3:39
3. "Sons of Privilege" 3:23
4. "Born and Raised" 4:03
5. "No Rest" 3:39
6. "The Northern" 4:30
7. "Midnight Regulations" 4:13
8. "Emerald Street" 3:17
9. "Heading for the Sun" 3:47
10. "Accept Crime" 3:16
11. "Burial" 4:18
*12. "Wayfarer Youth" 3:41
Let me begin with, Alexisonfire is still, to me, theonlybandever.com . However, if you fans of AOF haven't made peace with Crisis odds are your not going to give this record a chance. And if you are that guy, then fuck you my friend because this record is pretty damn good. So far the biggest problem people have with this album is that George "sounds different". News flash, it's been 9 fucking years since the self titled press. This record is not the poetic guitars of that record, but what it lacks in musicality it makes up for with rough edges and pure rockability.
Honestly in this record especially, AOF learned how best to utilize both George's scratchy vocals and Dallas's lovely tones to create one gorgeous harmony instead of two dueling vocalist as in the past. Gems include Born and Raised and Heading for the Sun. Also The Northern is fucking TOUGH kids. Dallas gets me every fucking time with that deceptively gorgeous shit, and Ratbeard is still one of the baddest drummers of all time and space.

sounds like: Moneen, A Static Lullaby

Listen. and then please, please Purchase.

Moving to the AK

So i move to Valdez Alaska today, it looks nice in the picture right?
I know what you guys are thinking and yes, they do have the internet up there so don't worry i will be posting more regularly now that schools out. Also now is a great time for requests as I will have nothing but time on my hands for a while. So stay Classy, Cheney and "Wednesday Karaoke Nights" R.I.P.

-gumpy

p.s. the new Alexisonfire record is fucking fantastic, i will drop it off to you lot once i get settled.

My Heart To Joy - (2009) Seasons in Verse

sound: Indie Rock/Progressive/Post Hardcore
length: 11 songs, 30.5 minutes
myspace
1. Time Spent Breathing
2. Empty Homes
3. Seasons In Verse
4. All of Life is Coming Home
5. Worn Out Weather
6. Giving My Hands Away
7. Old Capitals
8. Serpent Bearer
9. Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory
10. Thirsty Corner of the Forest
11. Watch Me Live

Saw these guys live last week, and i would like to say these guys boast superb musicianship. Also they seemed like genuine nice guys who enjoy playing their fucking hearts and throats out for a crowd of like 29 people. Their sound is something like Algernon Cadwallader with more melody and less crunchy boredom. This is a pretty sweet record imo, dig in.

*Also sorry about the long absence, i didn't forget you guys I've just been getting ready to move to Alaska on Monday.

sounds like: Algernon Cadwallader, Bridge in Tunnel

Bang!