For Your Achy Breaky Heart: Sampler #2 Tracks 16-20

Been listening to a truly daunting amount of 70s rock these days, in anticipation of tonight's premiere Twice Shy Thursday. There's only so much Yes a man can take. Later this afternoon, I'll post some pictures from the inside of the store, since me and Chi are supposed to scope things out this afternoon. But for now, here's the last bunch of tracks. If I haven't already, I should mention that the credit for the cover photo goes to Sarah Schendel, from her Bonaroo Adventure.

Brandenburg- Beirut
Zach Condon is an unfairly talented 19 year old, who is the newest member of the "Compared to Jeff Mangum Club". While the muted horns on "Gulag Orkestar" may bring back Neutral Milk Hotel memories (NMH vet Jeremy Barnes also contributes to the album), Condon's vocals and guitar work seem more like a gypsified version of the cinematic country practiced by 16 Horsepower or the Pinetop Seven.

Dr. Monroe- Casey Dienel
Does she sound like a less self-absorbed Tori Amos? A girl Randy Newman? Casey Dienel writes little storysongs and sprinkles them with jazz lounge piano and croon, and her debut full-length, "Wind Up Canary" is by turns melancholic and funny, while avoiding the hokey pitfalls often encountered by folks who bring their baby grand out on tour.

Queen of the Rummage Sale- Bishop Allen
Nothing says summer like garage sales and this is the best tribute I'm aware of to that stately institution. Bishop Allen are one of the great unsigned bands out there and are currently in the middle of my favorite weird ambitious project in the offing. The band is self-releasing a four sond EP for every month of the year 2006, which is way more reasonable than a 22-song epic for every state (there are only 12 months, after all). Halfway in, the Brooklyn popsters have shown a diversity their album only hinted at. if these guys don't have a record deal by the end of the year, there is no justice in these united states.

This Heart's On Fire- Wolf Parade
Wolf bands are so last year, true, but this non-Spencer Krug track from "Apologies to the Queen Mary" sees the Quebeckers in top form, turning essentially one line into an emotional bludgeon, Dan Boeckner's smooth Shins-like vocals degenerating into a beautiful raw rasp by the end.

Woman- Wolfmother remixed by The Avalanches
It’s just so nice to see something be utterly destroyed! I’ll freely admit that I’m not swooning over Wolfmother. The vocals sound too much like Led Zeppelin, the guitars sound too much like Led Zeppelin, the drums, well you get the idea. Which is why listening to the Avalanches reduce the bombastic guitars to sparse piano parts and off-beat blurts of noise is pretty spectacular. Maybe the song is frustrating, ultimately unsatisfying and annoying, but it feels like a perfect deconstruction of a metal band to me.

Pictures later! I'm off to pick out which walls must be destroyed.