After two exceptional albums, I think its safe to say that Belgium’s Creature with the Atom Brain are one of the best rock bands out there right now. There are times when I’m tempted to go ahead and say they’re the best. This brainchild of Aldo Struyf (Millionaire, Mark Lanegan Band) is always completely fun to listen to, even though its frayed edges cast a moody, sometimes uneasy aura over the proceedings. Their first album, I Am the Golden Gate Bridge, lyrically and sonically, was the psychedelic embodiment of paranoid schizophrenia. They demonstrated a knack for immediate pop hooks and a willingness to subvert them with layers of menacing distortion and angular chords lying just underneath the surface. Those elements bubbled up more and more as the album drew on, overtaking the more accessible first half. Perfectly fitting for a band named after a Roky Erickson song, that was itself named after a B-horror movie.

The late-night creepiness of Transylvania, presents a madness that is under control, but still is felt lurking, ready to explode. The tone is often darkly psychedelic and sometimes sinister, but almost always maintains a fun spirit that will keep you moving as you listen. This isn’t overly somber, or cerebral. Its rock n’ roll that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that comes through to the listener. Opener “I Rise the Moon,” is immensely catchy with its sing-song quality and the psych-stomp of “The Color of Sundown” continues to pull you in with its 60s vibe. “Transylvania” is the centerpiece, enveloped in a dark groove that breaks into squalling guitars, synths, and processed vocals - reminiscent of Golden Gate. “Lonely Light” finds guest vocalist Mark Lanegan recalling his days in The Screaming Trees in the most light-hearted thing here. The broken, heavy psych-folk of “Spinnin’ the Black Hole” is wonderful. “Sound of Confusion” is a slinky rocker. “The Lonesome Whistle” ends the album with a walk into the ethereal night.

It amazes me that these guys don’t have distribution in the US. Transylvania is currently only available (physically- vinyl and CD) through Dutch label Munich Records. You can find both of their albums on Amazon and iTunes, however. I Am The Golden Gate Bridge might be a little better, but Transylvania is more cohesive and accessible, without sacrificing any of the qualities that make this band great. Highly recommended, and a candidate for my album of the year. Check out the videos for “Transylvania” and “Spinnin’ the Black Hole” below. The former is kinda cool, the latter is…well, its Struyf lip-syncing, staring into the camera. A little scary. But you can hear the song, at any rate.

Remember when people still bought music? Or when you had to physically get up out of your chair to buy it? Call me old-fashioned, but I still like going to stores and browsing through the vinyl, and even CDs. I like having something tangible, instead of a bunch of 1s and 0s on my hard drive. Anyway, much of the time the music you download has been ripped at an unlistenable bitrate. Please people, just say no to anything less than 320kbps. Of course, downloading is a great way to find music without blowing a ton of cash, but when you find something awesome, support the people who made it.

And that brings me back to my subject. Today is Record Store Day! So go support your local independent record store! There are some cool exclusive items available today including  a live Tom Waits 7″ (!!), a new 12″ EP from The Breeders, two split 7″s from Sonic Youth - one with Jay Reatard and one with Beck-, a live Iron & Wine CD and much more.

If you’re in Baltimore, go here (In-store performances in parentheses):

Celebrated Summer Records

!El Suprimo! Records (Mopar Mountain Daredevils)

Dimensions in Music

Record & Tape Traders - Towson (The Herd of Main Street - 12pm, Eureka Birds -2pm, Whistling Charlie - 4pm)

The Sound Garden (Youth Group - 4pm)

Check it out here.

I’m not quite sure what to say about this record. I’ll say this, first: I like it. And if it was the first Marissa Nadler record I had ever heard, I would probably think it was fantastic. It is a departure from her previous work, which was mostly limited to her voice and guitar. The songs on this album are much more lush in their arrangements and production. This should appeal somewhat more to indie fans. I have to commend her for trying something a bit different. This may help shed the innapropriate freak-folk label she has often been stuck with. Thankfully, Nadler’s folk songs are still the heart of this material. The record takes strength from its novel approach, but neglects Nadler’s greatest assets at times: her voice and guitar.

Nadler is the owner of one of most beautiful voices in music. Its airy, haunting qualities render it out of time, suiting it wonderfully to her tales of isolation, loss, and death (cheery stuff, I know). Opener “Heart Paper Lover,” marries this voice to wurlitzer and theremin to great effect. The only true misstep comes with “Mary Come Alive.” The drum machine just sounds so out of place here. The middle of the album is the highlight. Nadler’s fingerpicked guitar is a thing of beauty. While she plays throughout, “Ghosts & Lovers” and “Brittle, Crushed, & Torn” are really the only two songs that utilize her skill to the fullest. She is accompanied only by a staccato piano on “The Whole is Wide,” maybe my favorite song here. Silvia, one of the characters from her last album, the triumphant Song’s III: Bird on the Water, makes a return appearance on the song. Its a perfect fit in Nadler’s canon. “Loner” tracks her voice against itself to create a chorus of ghosts, and the organ only heightens the effect. A problem on a few of the more arranged tracks is that Nadler’s fluid voice isn’t given enough room to expand. The (relatively) upbeat closer, “Mistress on a Sunny Day,” is an example.

Bottom-line: This is a very good record, and absolutely worth a listen. But my advice is for those new to Marissa Nadler is to listen to Songs III first, then Little Hells, and finally to her earliest two albums.

Also, check out the excellent video for the song “River of Dirt,” below (Nadler isn’t in it, in case you’re wondering). The song works well with the more fleshed out sound.

Marissa Nadler - River of Dirt - Directed by Joana Linda from Kemado Records on Vimeo.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Just released, a free mixtape that remixes Sufjan Steven’s “Illinoise” with some hip-hop via Outkast, Aesop Rock and others. Check it out, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Cerebral Ballzy’s a great, rough-around-the-edges New York think guitared rock band that fits in nicely at the Ottobar. Listening to them makes me want to run in a circle with Thomas Hintze (although who knows if he’d want to do the same… :sigh:). They’re playing with a Team Robspierre, a band that I know at least Ziegs really digs. You can listen to a sample song of Cerebral Baltzy here.

Ryan