Kowloon Walled City - Gambling on the Richter Scale (2009)

Here is a doosy of a record. I have mentioned this before, but I have been upping the par on my heavy music dosage and this record definitely fits the bill. Added bonus, they toke their name after a city within a city in China that at one point had the most dense population within a given small space. Look it up, it is rather wacky.

Gamlbing on the Richter Scale is almost as though Neurosis, Unsane, and Helmet had one hell of a baby. This is a low-end, rhythm driven band bent on pummelling you with their music. Super heavy sludge metal drenched in the most precise tones. Added bonus, the vocals, though lacking in production, aren't the usual guttural or shrill scream this music tends to have. Instead going with a raspy yell to accompany the music. Listen to "Diabetic Feet", and try to not have your mind decimated by tones. If you are looking for one band doing this sound right, look no further.

1. Annandale
2. Diabetic Feet
3. Clockwork
4. Sleep Debt
5. Paper Houses
6. Gambling on the Richter Scale
7. Bone Loss
8. More like Shit Factory

Heavy stuff, dude.

Anne - Dream Punx (2011)

I'll be the first to admit that I know very little about shoegaze. Aside from the pinnacle bands of the late 80's/early 90's, most of it is out the window for me. Besides, it seems that these days shoegaze, or even dream pop, has quickly become an over saturated genre, everyone and their brother doing their best to emulate My Bloody Valentine. I could really do without all that posturing or arguing over the merits of the production quality of a given work. I'll just take Ride over any of that.

That being said, I have thrown Anne's aptly titled Dream Punx, into several playlists and have enjoyed most of what I have heard. At this current moment of vegetation I can't necessarily point out what songs I like/dislike, but there are some great songs among the mix. It ranges from deriving MBV's soaring hooks, to Chapterhouse's melodic meandering. Either way, is it the best record in the world, no. But it is a refreshing take on the genre.

Tracks:

1. All Your Time
2. Virginal Plight
3. Thrush
4. Lower Faiths
5. Tarvantovaara
6. Get It How You Live
7. Perfect Teeth
8. Summer Babies
9. Punk Bike

Nothing clever here....