There are a few new and/or reissued releases out by artists I've covered before, so it's time for some quick updates -- particularly since these all hit my desk in the past week and I haven't had time to absorb any of them enough for a full-length review! I had hoped to also include the new Quintron disc reportedly out this week, but haven't seen it yet.
play the Frequency on Wednesday, April 20. That show gets underway with openers Laarks and The Spring Standards at 9 p.m.; earlier in the evening, at 7 p.m., Ha Ha Tonka will also play a free in-store set at Strictly Discs. (Bloodshot Records, 2011)
Nobunny: Raw Romance
This is a welcome vinyl reissue of a previously cassette-only release compiling demos or alternate versions of otherwise issued songs, along with a few new ones and a stray single-only track -- the essential "Hippy Witch," from a World's Lousy with Ideas comp 7-inch. For something that wasn't intended as an official album, this conceptually holds together extremely well under the title's umbrella, due to Nobunny's uniquely frank vignettes on the search for love (or, at least a real good time). There's also a couple covers and a song previously released as by The Golden Boots. The LP version is already in its second pressing, so grab one before they're gone again. (Burger Records, 2010)
Conspiracy of Owls: Conspiracy of Owls
Right now, dedicated Vinyl Cave followers may be saying "You haven't reviewed this band before." That is technically true; however, Conspiracy of Owls is a project including the remaining three members of the semi-missing-in-action Detroiters known as The Go, who have been covered here.
The first time I saw Conspiracy mentioned, it was described as something along the lines of an electronica side project, which left me with reservations about picking up any music which eventually emerged -- and there is indeed one song here which sounds like The Go was kidnapped by ELO's synthesizers ("The Lesson"). But for the most part the album just sounds as if singers/songwriters Robert Harlow and John Krautner decided to move their base of operations from '60s pop-psych to a more mellow, dreamy-'70s version (or, maybe just absorbed a lot of Moody Blues albums before writing these songs).
This LP sneaked out last summer and went out of print before I even knew it existed, but a second limited run just emerged; a new dub of the cassette version even includes two bonus tracks. Conspiracy of Owls is well worth checking out for fans of The Go's more recent work, and should also appeal to both fans of '70s classic rock and the '90s indie rock bands who recycled the '70s. (Burger, 2010)
