Download: Brilliant Colors – “English Cities”

(from Introducing Brilliant Colors out now on Slumberland Records)

Don’t be discouraged by the lackluster cover art, a watery-looking band photo topped with the album title in scribbly font–San Francisco’s Brilliant Colors triumphantly deliver ten noise-pop nuggets on their debut album Introducing Brilliant Colors.  Taking cues from C86-era British outfits like The Shop Assistants and The Flatmates, singer/guitarist Jess Scott layers pretty (but not afraid to be fierce) female vocals under plenty of reverb and fuzzy guitar. Diane Anastasio (drums) and Michelle Hill (bass) anchor Scott’s buried vocals and blissed-out guitar wash with their combination of tight, rhythmic beats and hooky bass lines. My favorite track on the album, “English Cities,” blends edgy and angular guitar pop in equal proportions,  suitable for both disaffected former riot grrrls and postpunk DJs alike. Other standout tracks include “Short Sleeves at Night” (my vote for indie pop song title of the year) and “Over There,” the latter reminding me that you should never need more than two or three chords to write a great song.

Comparisons to fellow contemporary C86-inspired ladies the Vivian Girls will undoubtedly crop up for Brilliant Colors. While both bands employ similar sound textures and production styles (think Creation Records circa 1991), Brilliant Colors’ songwriting prowess stands out amongst the other Girls. Beneath all the echo and fuzz you still need a well-crafted melody to keep the listener engaged, and Brilliant Colors get this.  Introducing Brilliant Colors is an impressive full-length debut.

-Natalie Hill

Stream: Kim Fowley “Underground Lady”

(from One Man’s Garbage available this October on Norton)

We here at L.A. RECORD are diligent students of L.A.’s Animal God of the Streets and so we are happy to learn that Kim Fowley’s classic ’60s output (as producer, musician and fearsome inspiration) will be corraled on two separate LPs for the unstoppable Norton this October—One Man’s Garbage and Another Man’s Gold! Huge news for all reality seekers, and if you’re reading this and you didn’t get that Black Randy reissue, you best … get right. Details below:

ONE MAN’S GARBAGE IS ANOTHER MAN’S GOLD!

Norton presents a Golden Decade (1959-69) of Kim Fowley’s elusive, previously properly unheralded mega genius escapades that reinforce the fact that Kim is… GODHEAD! Posh gatefold LPs feature extensive liner notes from Mr. Fowley, presented in his own inimitable MEGA GENIUS steeltrap-memory way. Stand now and salute the man, and each of these great records which blast right today as they did back when the chicken was the egg!

KIM FOWLEY – ONE MAN’S GARBAGE (Norton 355)
BRUCE AND JERRY – I Saw Her First/PATTERNS – Late Late Show/U.S. ROCKETS – Bodacious/RITUALS – This Is Paradise/DONNIE AND THE OUTCASTS – Big Fat Alaskan/RENEGADES – Charge/PLAYERS – The Rebel/KIM AND THE SKIPPERS – Daybreaker/MO AND JO – The Yo Yo Song/JOHNNY C AND THE BLAZES – Inferno/KIM FOWLEY – Music Is The Magic/BLUE BELLS – Moccasin/ALTHEA AND THE MEMORIES – Dedication Time/KIM FOWLEY – Underground Lady/KIM FOWLEY AND MARS BONFIRE – Surf Pigs*/ALTHEA AND THE MEMORIES – Worst Record Ever Made (* = previously unissued)

KIM FOWLEY – ANOTHER MAN’S GOLD (Norton 356)
RENEGADES – Geronimo/KIM FOWLEY – Big Sur, Bear Mountain, Ciro’s, Flip Side Protest Song/GAMBLERS – Teen Machine/VAQUEROS – Vaquero Beat/PLAYERS – Memories Of A High School Bride/ASTON MARTIN AND THE MOON DISCS – Fallout/COVER GIRLS – Gone But Not Forgotten/DAYWINS – Heartbeat/RITUALS – Surfers Rule/BONNIE AND THE TREASURES – Eleventh Commandment Of Love*/RENEGADES – Ghost Train*/ HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES – Long Hair, Unsquare Dude Called Jack/DONNIE AND THE OUTCASTS – Bounty Hunter/ALTHEA AND THE MEMORIES – Daddy Said/U.S. ROCKETS – March Of The Siamese Children/RITUALS – Gone (* = previously unissued)

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Download: Arthur Verocai “Presente Grego”

(from the self-titled LP coming soon on Ubiquity)

Costa Mesa label Ubiquity—and its reissue arm Luv N Haight—have quietly announced a very limited vinyl repress of the long-gone Arthur Verocai LP, a lost masterpiece that surfaced only in 2002 and which provoked such a powerful response (Madlib has said he’d listen to it every single day!) that Verocai was able to perform his first American shows ever in Los Angeles last month. (We even got to interview him—read it here!) This record is an easy lock for any DJs—people always come running up asking what it is—and a satisfying listen start to finish. Folks into Os Mutantes, Azymuth, Jorge Ben, Norman Whitfield, Shuggie Otis, Sly Stone, Charles Stepney (of Rotary Connection) or any of those lone visionary types who made the studio into their own psychedelic instrument will want to get this and will be particularly unhappy if they miss the second chance. The album remains available on CD and iTunes, however.

Pre-order the reissue of the Verocai LP here!

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