Elephant Stone: Elephant Stone (Hidden Pony, 2/5/13)
“Masters of War”
Elephant Stone – Masters of War
Founded by bassist and sitar performer Rishi Dhir, Elephant Stone is a magic-eye poster brought to life. The band is releasing a self-titled record on February 5 and then setting out on tour with The Black Angels, and now we’re getting a taste of another track from the album after NPR premiered “Heavy Moon” earlier this month.
Beachwood Sparks: The Tarnished Gold (Sub Pop, 6/26/12)
“Forget the Song”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Beachwood_Sparks_Forget_the_Song.mp3|titles=Beachwood Sparks: “Forget the Song”]Beachwood Sparks was at once a throwback and, from a 2012 perspective, ahead of the wave. In the early aughties, the band of former college-radio chums single-handedly revived a laidback, country-rocking West Coast sound famously pioneered in the late ’60s by Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers. The band’s spacier second album, Once We Were Trees, flirted with psychedelia. And by 2003, it had said its peace—and it was left to the likes of Fleet Foxes to win over the indie masses with CSNY harmonies and flower-power earnestness in folk-rock 2.0, all territory the Sparks had well under control.
Viva Voce: The Future Will Destroy You (Vanguard, 6/21/11)
Viva Voce: “Analog Woodland Song”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Viva-Voce-Analog-Woodland-Song.mp3|titles=Viva Voce: “Analog Woodland Song”]Kevin and Anita Robinson comprise Portland, Oregon-based rock-n-roll band Viva Voce. The married couple has released six full-length albums since the late ’90s, the latest of which is called The Future Will Destroy You. With Kevin hammering the drums with machine-like precision and Anita producing catchy hooks and riffs with classic-rock cool, it’s a surprisingly lighthearted sound for such a foreboding title. The band’s sticking by its claim, though, and recently compiled this apocalyptic playlist for ALARM.
1. The Stooges: “Search & Destroy”
I’m a streetwalking cheetah with a heart full of napalm. ‘Nuff said.
Though it’s known for its loud, largely improvised live shows, Bay Area psych-rock band Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound focused on creating intricate songs full of textured classic-rock fuzz on its 2009 album, When Sweet Sleep Returned.