Rainy River “Summer Place”

there used to be a band called the can-am connection, that i really liked. sadly, they broke up a few months ago. perhaps ill put up a track of theirs but for now, ill deal. thankfully, two of the guys from that band formed a new project called rainy river. hot rumor on the street is that this stuff is coming out on polyvinyl records, but i cant even tell you if thats right. hence, the reason i called it a rumor.

not to jump off on a tangent where, but whats up with polyvinyl and philly? they’ve released records by matt pond pa [now a philly ex-pat] and soon will be releasing stuff by hail social, audible and this band. im not complaining at all because i think its about fucking time that our local bands receive national attention. however, i am very curious as to why there is no label here in philly, thats bothering to release local stuff. i really hope someone doesnt make me do it. my days of being a productive young whippernsapper are over.

so its no big surprise when i say in some ways i identify with this songs lyrics, especially the part of getting out of the city and doing nothing but hanging out. hanging out doesnt have any deadlines and hanging out doesn’t ask you to pay a band out at the end of the night. hanging out always means songs have steel guitar, brushed snares and cute little back-up vocals. these kinds of songs are the sonic embodiment of summertime’s golden hours, knowing that there’s plenty of cold beer and your friends couch is always there for you to pass out, especially after late-night heart-to-heart sessions.

in fact, i think there are so many bands of the easy-breezy, freewheelin’ variety here in philly, i think id like to dub this kind of music hammock-core. you know what im talking about even though most of us city folk dont own one. its the idea, the feeling!

Cordalene “This City Is A Catalyst”
The more things change, the more they stay the same. And vice versa, thats how the cliche goes. And more importantly, thats how it goes in the City of Brotherly Shove. However, that is not how I’d describe Cordalene, whose brand of clearly articulated aggression puts the “POW!” in power pop. Joe Boyle pounds away on his kick drum, as if he’s waiting for the band to pick it the fuck up. Rest assured, the band gets the hint. This song might be short on time but doesn’t rest one damn moment to tick off its list of frustrations.

And they have every reason to be pissed. For those who haven’t heard, the practice space shared by Cordalene and One Star Hotel was robbed in late November. The culprits made off with most of their gear [much of which was vintage and/or sentimentally irreplaceable], totaling at a whopping $10,000 between the two bands.

For information about the planned benefit happening this Saturday…
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my name is maria and all i want to do is listen to the first two helium 7″s, non-stop. i promise to give you more content. soon. ’cause that’s all you want from me.

if there is a god, or a santa, or just a nice person with some extra cash to spare, all i really want for christmas this year is that helium t-shirt, the one id wear in high school a lot but somehow lost… well, i want it back.

i dont ask for much.

Okay Paddy, “Quell Down All of Your Mushy”

When bands start aping 90’s indie rock again, OK Paddy are going to be at the top of the heap. “Quell” is a whip-smart song that borrows heavily from Wowee Zowee-era Pavement but doesnt feel forced in its homage. Which is good because when guys [and its always a guy because no woman would pull this kind of garbage] purposely take on Malkmus affectations and get all “abstract grad student” on us, it drives me fucking nuts. Like, please, go back to being a Weezer fanboy.

Buy this record from Prison Jazz!