Received a 7.4 rating from Pitchfork. On their debut full-length, Ideal Cities, ROOMRUNNER refract the past 25 years’ worth of Guitar Rock innovations into their fully-realized vision of “chunch and bunge,” in which echoes of shoegaze noise-blur, grunge squall and snark, math-rock chops, and meaty Alternative Rock power moves coalesce into the essential guitar record of 2013. Recorded by bassist DAN FROME at his studio, Ideal Cities is the first Roomrunner offering recorded as a full band. Prior EPs, the self-titled Roomrunner (2011) and Super Vague (2012), were written and played by Roomrunner singer/guitarist DENNY BOWEN, and while landmarks in their own right, the full-band Roomrunner is a whole different animal, ready to come down there and kick their collective boots around. The record starts off full-bore, with the truTV-inspired anthem “Bait Car.” Their rhythmic pedigree is showcased on tracks like the stuttering “Wojtek,” where start-stop verses and propulsive drumming recall ‘90s titans like Helmet and Drive Like Jehu before the song collapses into one of their most melodic moments yet during the chorus. Side B starts with the one-two punch of “Weird” and “Duno,” two long-time staples of their live set driven by squealing feedback, which spark mosh pits and crowd-surfing in sweaty Baltimore warehouses. Tracks like “May” and “Snac Error” give a bit of breathing room, fusing the off-kilter guitar work of Polvo and Chavez, with the quiet-loud tension of ‘90s legends like Slint and Hum. The names they garner comparisons to may be heavy, but Roomrunner’s catalog...
LP $14.00
05/21/2013
CD $10.50
05/21/2013
***TACO LEG are the best band in the world. No, seriously. The Perth trio of ANDREW MURRAY, SIMON MORRISON and RICHARD INGHAM has been blowing us away since we first came across their Myspace page shortly after starting Fan Death. The currently out of print Freemason's Hall 7" (FDR-004) may initially have confused and irritated listeners from Cottesloe to College Park, but the record itself is an essential document of the recent Australian underground, two trebly tracks about architecture and boredom in Western Australia. Following that, Taco Leg released Painted Gold, a three-song 7" on noted Philadelphia rock label Richie Records/TestosterTunes, and had a US tour in late 2010 that coincided with the release of the McRib. Taco Leg's self-titled LP wastes no time in making its mark, its 12 tracks clocking in at just under 20 minutes. Many of these tracks barely crack the minute mark, but like their Perth punk ancestors from the Victims to Extortion, their songs are direct and lodge in your brain until you find yourself thinking about "Raiders of the Lost Ark". If you're familiar with Taco Leg, the elements are all there—minimal guitar lines and stripped-down, proto-punk drumming, with singer Murray's unforgettable voice intoning cryptic lyrics. This is the record where they've fully honed their sound, and very nearly have learned how to play their instruments. Whether it's on the shambling swagger of "Shut It Down," self-described "Detroit Hardcore" song "Find Me," or the tension of "I Can't Decide" (not a Black Flag ...
LP $12.25
12/04/2012
***We are proud to announce the release of The Cortège, the final studio session from legendary freak collective TO LIVE AND SHAVE IN L.A. Recorded by DON FLEMING in 2007 at Think Tank studios in Hoboken, NJ, The Cortège is a completely different journey from what one might expect from TLASILA. Songs like "Flattering Circles of Hell" and "'Til Their Legs Gave Way'" go far beyond the usual noise exercises they are known for and drifts into a darker yet beautiful place that will surprise even the most TLASILA completist. This final LP features members of the 2007 TLASILA collective: BEN WOLCOTT, ANDREW W.K., PATRICK SPURLOCK, TOM SMITH, MARK SHELLHAAS, NONDOR NEVAI, MARK MORGAN, GRAHAM MOORE, MISTY MARTINEZ, CHERIE LILY, KELLY JAMISON, CHRIS GRIER, DON FLEMING, FRANK “RAT BASTARD” FALESTRA, DIMTHINGSHIRE, and ANDREW “GAYBOMB” BARRANCA. Includes a poster insert.
LP $17.50
11/22/2011