I tend to listen to music in themes and genres that sort of phase in and out as my mood dictates, and right now I've been trying to escape the winter doldrums. It's cold and grim outside and I want something different, so I've been feeding my head with music that sounds like sunshine to me. Here's what's been playing in my headphones lately; click the band name to hear a representative track from each:
Golden Void - Golden Void - I vote this album the "Best Record of 1973 That Was Actually Released in 2012." Seriously, everything about this record makes you think of late-stage psychedelia when it was being mixed up with big 70's rock, right down to the warm analog production. Golden Void is actually a supergroup of sorts, being comprised of members of Earthless and Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound, along with assorted other friends. Stellar guitar sounds all over this record and it all meshes together to create a satisfying album with a ton of replay value.
Indian Handcrafts - Civil Disobedience for Losers - Fun stoner rock mixed with a little early 80's hardcore action for maximum enjoyment. Indian Handcrafts is actually a duo, with a drummer and a singer playing a downtuned guitar to cover the bass. They pull out a lot of neat little tricks to fill out the sound, from performance to recording, and it works well, especially the clever but judicious use of the whammy pedal on the guitar.
Samsara Blues Experiment - Long Distance Trip - Sprawling, cosmic, guitar-driven psychedelia. The songs are ten minutes long and only have like eight lines of lyrics. Huge, mindbending solo work is the order of the day here, and they do not disappoint. Within minutes, long ropes of pentatonic scales will fill your room like incense smoke. Lay down, close your eyes, and take it in.
Truckfighters - Mania - I really dug Truckfighters' self-titled debut, but have just now gotten around to hearing their latest, and was surprised to hear the difference. They began as a very enjoyable, if slightly standard, Swedish stoner metal band, but on Mania, they've really added a lot of songwriting twists and melodic structure to their songs that leans toward the proggy/psychedelic. It sounds like they've been working hard, and the results make for a great listen.
Derrick Morgan - Moon Hop 1960-1969 - Jamaican ska and reggae from the 1960's. This 2 CD collection is a classic, and if you enjoy Jamaican music at all, you need to get this. Morgan has a beautiful voice, and his songs in the 60's helped define the musical vocabulary of reggae, ska, and rocksteady.
Toots and the Maytals - Very Best Of (Polygram) - Another legendary reggae/ska group, Toots and the Maytals feature the soulful vocals of frontman Toots Hibbert (who also wins the Awesome Name award). Even if you've never purposely listened to the Maytals, you've still heard their songs somewhere, and most people would recognize some form of their classic song "Pressure Drop," which was featured on the soundtrack to "The Harder They Come" and has been covered by the likes of The Clash, The Oppressed, and The Specials.
