CMM's 17 Favorite Videos of 2017

The year was full of amazing songs and some equally amazing videos. It was tough to narrow it down to just a few but here are my 17 favorite video clips from 2017.

1. The Psychotic Monks "It's Gone"

The band name says it all as "It's Gone" is truly one of the most intense tracks and videos you will come across anywhere. The Paris based dark psych unit are a relentless force to be reckoned with and this lead single from their album "Silence Slowly and Madly Shines" is sure to melt faces with each and every listen.

2. Palehound "Flowing Over"

Damn this is a good song from an amazing album and who couldn't love a video made up of footage from "The Boston League Of Women's Wrestlers". Brilliant in every sense of the word.

3. Death Valley Rally "Until It Melts Away"

Fresh off a west coast tour with Citrus Clouds Virginia's Death Valley Rally have been impressing audiences new and old with their latest album "Northern Lights". Lead single "Until It Melts Away" creates the perfect combination of indie pop and shoegaze while the captivating video draws you in and gives you even more of a sense of what this band is all about.

4. Citrus Clouds "Life Happens"

Delightful from beginning to end Phoenix Arizona's Citrus Clouds impress again with this devastatingly beautiful video clip for "Life Happens" directed by Anthony Sziklay.

5. Ty Segall "Break A Guitar"

A most impressive riff and a relentless rock n roll stance throughout are what makes me come back to this clip time and time again.

6. Washed Out "The Mister Mellow Show"

Incredible record and unbelievable visuals/art/animation that is just mind melting. I've watched this countless times and am happy I got to see this performed in a live setting as well.

7. TIMO ELLIS "SCANNERD"

Timo Ellis is one of the most talented and most proficient musicians going today and I love everything he makes be it the dirge driven "atomic punk"/metal with The Netherlands or this amazing solo track and frantic video that literally never lets up till the very end.

8. Elora "Carlo"

I couldn't be more proud of these guys. "Carlo" from their latest album "Dembitsky" is one of my favorites from the record and this video makes me miss my days being out on the road all over the USA with these guys.

9. The Morelings "Before"

Beautiful thought provoking track with visuals that accompany things perfectly. Come dive into their world of mysterious shoegaze bliss.

10. Klute "Far From You"

I can't get enough of this bands 3 chord, catchy punk rock madness and I love the grit and grain of this video. Taken from their new album "No Youth" these guys show no signs of slowing down when it comes to making some of the most inspiring rock n roll on the planet.

11. Potential Red "Broken"

A delightful track that merges indie pop and shoegaze in fine form. The stunning visuals and chiming guitars blend together so well.

12. Benjamin Gibbard "The Concept"

A great take on the classic Teenage Fanclub song by Deathcab For Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard. I love the simplicity of this animated video and all the little nuances and details it puts out.

13. Lee Ranaldo ""Circular (Right As Rain)"

I read a lot of interviews where Lee talked about how much of an enjoyable experience making this record was and besides this being an incredible song I also love the video because it captures so much of that recording experience in it and all of the fun the people who made it were having in the studio.

14. This Blinding Light "Star"

Taken from their latest E.P. "Mountains", "Star" is an infectious blast of no frills rock n roll that's backed by an undeniable groove and laced with traces of dark psych and shoegaze sensibilities. This colorful and hypnotic video enhances the performance even more.

15. La Terminal - Besando El Suelo (con letra)

A crushing blast of no frills post punk rock n roll backed by a simple yet enticing video that stirs up plenty of mystical vibes.

16. Waxahatchee "Silver"

Clearly one of the best songs of 2017. Amazing lyrics and big dynamic guitar sounds throughout. I love the lulling effect that the video gives off as it captures the band performing but also adds a sense of peacefulness to the presentation that works really well.

17. faUSt "Lights Flickr"

From their latest album "Fresh Air", "Lights Flickr" features the lyrics "Lights Flickr as I blink my eyes to the beat to the beat to the beat" as a frantic saxophone and sea of feedback blast over top of a thunderous beat. Simply put the video is equally as INSANE. What more could you ask for???

CMM : News And Notes For Thursday April 20th 2017

JACK HARDY "FOR THE SAKE OF FINDING YOUR CLOTHES" VINYL EDITION

Custom Made Music are so excited to announce the Limited Vinyl Pressing of Jack Hardy's "For The Sake Of Finding Your Clothes". The album was released last year as a CD and Cassette and we couldn't be more thrilled to have it out on vinyl too. Each copy is hand stamped and comes packaged in a beautiful maroon colored silk screened jacket. Copies will be available this coming Friday April 21st at www.custommademusicva.com.

CITRUS CLOUDS RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR "SHAPES AND THINGS"

Citrus Clouds have released this beautiful video for their latest single "Shapes And Things". The track is from their debut album "Imagination" out now on CD and Cassette from CMM. Filmed and Edited by Anthony "Tall Tony" Sziklay the psychedelic visuals really enhance the bands blissful shoegaze sound. We also couldn't help post this recent painting of Jake "The Snake" Roberts by the bands Vocalist/Guitarist Erick Pineda.

TONALS RELEASE "HOLY WATER" CASSETTE AND NEW DIGITAL E.P.

Canadian shoegaze/indie rock outfit TONALS will release their E.P. "Holy Water" this Friday April 21st on CMM. Their shimmering, reverb drenched songs are some of our favorite tracks to come along in some time. On top of the cassette the project has released a new digital E.P. featuring two new songs titled "Smog" and "Hitchhiker".

BAY AREA NOISE ROCK TRIO PORCH EMBARK ON THEIR FIRST EUROPEAN TOUR

Long running Bay Area noise rock unit Porch have made it to Budapest to begin their first ever European tour which runs from April 21st through May 14th. CMM had the privilege of releasing a 4 cassette discography set from these guys a couple of years back and the band also self released their most recent album "Walking Boss" on 180 Gram Vinyl. Check out the promo video and all the tour dates below.

21 APR - Budapest HU @ Robot

22 APR - Szeged HU @ Grand Cafe Verkert w/Pozvakowski

23 APR - Belgrade RS @ Elektropionir w/Mnjenje, Casillas

27 APR - Brussels BE @ Magasin-4 w/Sects Tape

28 APR - Cologne DE @ Limes Köln w/Octo

29 APR - Berlin DE @ Tiefgrund w/Grant National

01 MAY - Lausanne CH @ Squat FMR

03 MAY - Mulhouse FR

04 MAY - Reims FR @ L'APPART Cafe w/Harpon

05 MAY - Paris FR @ Espace B w/Harpon, Conformists

06 MAY - Lille FR @ Centre Cultural Libertaire w/Harpon

07 MAY - Dour BE @ XTRM Scandalous LABO w/Harpon

10 MAY - S Manchester UK @ Fuel

11 MAY - London UK @ Windmill Brixton w/Buzz Rodeo

12 MAY - Brighton UK @ Sticky Mikes w'Buzz Rodeo

14 MAY - Guildsford UK @ Buffalo Club w/Buzz Rodeo

Custom Made Music Radio Episode 8

Check out Episode 8 of Custom Made Music Radio featuring tracks from A Deer A Horse, Telespace, Dares, Orations, The Red Shift, Rolling Blackouts, Citrus Clouds, Tall Tall Trees, Meatbodies, Joan Of Arc, The Birth Defects, The Blow Up, The Undertones, Death Valley Rally and Chuck Berry.

Custom Made Music Radio Episode 2

Check out Episode 2 of Custom Made Music Radio featuring tracks from Rev Rev Rev Death Valley Rally, Astral Tide, The Retinas,, Comasummer, Citrus Clouds, Hose Got. Cable., Lizards, Turkish Delight, Fugazi Void, Lungfish, The Make Up, Poomse, VoirVoir and Dog, Paper, Submarine.

Custom Made Music Radio Episode 1

Join us for the premier episode of the Custom Made Music Radio Podcast hosted by Dave Allison (Custom Made Music/Last Remaining Pinnacle) and Dave Dembitsky (House Of Lou Studios/Last Remaining Pinnacle). Episode 1 features tracks from Mayflower Madame, Citrus Clouds, You People, A Deer A Horse, Hands That Work, Last Remaining Pinnacle, Elora, The One2's, Juliana Hatfield, The Foreign Resort, Boris The Sprinkler, This Blinding Light, Clustersun, Spirit System, Creepoid and Clifffs.

"Five For Friday" with Erick Pineda of Citrus Clouds

Citrus Clouds are an incredible new shoegaze/dream pop band based in Phoenix Arizona. Their debut E.P. "In Time I Am" merges beautiful dual vocals with a heavy dose of ethereal dive bombing guitars and a spot on rhythm section. Guitarist/vocalist Erick Pineda shares some of his favorite songs in this weeks edition of "Five For Friday" but first enjoy the hypnotic sounds of "In Time I Am".

Marcos Valle- Voo Cego

This song has a really timeless, effortless. dreamy sound. The way the melodies intertwine and layer is really nice. A near perfect song.

Blouse- Imperium

This record was a huge reason Citrus Clouds started. After hearing Imperium, we were inspired to create a band heavy on melodies and a super tight rhythm section. This song in particular has a cool sound.The punchy bass drives everything, the vocals are dreamy and ethereal.

Slowdive- Alison

Another massive influence on our sound. The interplay between the female and male vocals is beautiful. We love how dense and layered and moody Alison is. All the reverb and delay creates a nice tapestry of sound that paints pictures inside the mind.

No Joy- Hare Tarot Lies

One of our favorite songs.10 seconds in are you can't help but be hooked. Once the verse kicks in, the muff on the bass part just punches you and we love how the vocal melody snakes around the drone guitars. A soundtrack to many parties.

My Bloody Valentine- What You Want

An amazing song that seems to be swimming in an ocean of guitar swells, distortion and reverb. It's a cool juxtaposition to have this really aggressive, raw guitar and very soft vocals. The guitar work on this song is particularly amazing.

Six Records CMM Wants You To Know

Citrus Clouds "In Time I Am" E.P. (citrusclouds.bandcamp.com)

Citrus Clouds are an incredible new shoegaze/dream pop unit based in Phoenix Arizona. Their debut E.P. "In Time I Am" merges beautiful male/female vocals with a heavy dose of ethereal dive bombing guitars and a spot on rhythm section. "Anymore" sets the pace with it's chiming tones and atmospheric presence before lunching into the more menacing yet colorful attack of "Dreamer". Title track "In Time I Am" is an absolute gem. From it's spectacular vocal delivery, catchy hook and precise musicianship it's sure to have you singing along midway through the first listen. The grim tone of "Love Is" adds a much welcomed shade of grey to the mix while the uplifting spirit of "Forever Friends" makes it another one of the records stand out tracks. The blissful wash of "The Colors" and melody driven "Days Glow (circus fluffy elephant)" cap things off in fine form sending you off into a mystical jungle of vibrant psychedelic sounds that are welcoming and warm. A fine collection of reverb drench rock n roll from one of 2015's best new bands.

Cruiser "Pinner" B/W "Everybody Knows" Single (cruiser69.bandcamp.com)

An excellent new single from this promising indie rock unit out of Limerick, Ireland. "Pinner" is a guitar driven rocker that echoes the spirits of Dinosaur Jr, Gumball and Pavement. It's a full on barn burner, stacked with walls of distortion and fuzz that builds up to a frantic ear bleeding solo. It's got that classic college rock element to it that's charming and comforting and uplifting all at once. "Everybody Knows" is also a crushing blast of angst ridden rock that delivers in a big way. The pounding drum sounds really make this song as they add a huge dynamic to the already established nasty guitar tones and I enjoy the "matter of fact" vocal presence that's projected throughout the song as well. A top notch release that harnesses relentless energy. Highly recommended.

Jake And Elizabeth "Gimme The Stars" B/W "Heaven Knows Now" Single (jakeandelizabeth.bandcamp.com)

Brooklyn's Jake & Elizabeth offer up one of the best singles of 2015 with the enigmatic "Gimme The Stars". It's colorful wash of swirling guitars and passionate vocals are backed by a hypnotic riff that is second to none and it's shimmering assortment of sonic dynamics keep things vibrant and bright. "Heaven Knows How" is a lulling number that's textured ambient sound creates a glowing effect that you can feel throughout. It draws you in and cradles you with it's sea of flourishing tones that are peaceful and kind. A breathtakingly beautiful release that ventures into an other worldly like realm.

Rei Clone S/T E.P. (reiclone.bandcamp.com)

Layers of angular guitars, dreamy and shouted vocals, hypnotic violins, thunderous bass lines and crushing percussion are what you will hear on this seven song debut E.P. from the Denton Texas based band Rei Clone. The grooved out riff of "senketsu" starts things off in grand fashion and sets the tone with it's dream inducing, liquid like flow. Fast paced songs like "Junketsu" and "Magical Girl" have a primal punk rock rhythm and energy that add a nice bit of diversity to the bands sound and give a bit of a nod to the D.C. post hardcore scene of the 90's. "Yuki" floats along with elegance and grace, while "Wash" is more drawn out, desolate and grey and closing track "So Slow" exemplifies classic mind bending indie pop. A most impressive E.P. that is heartfelt, experimental and intense.

See You At Home "Everything Is OK" E.P. (seeyouathome.bandcamp.com)

London's, See You At Home play an enticing blend of indie rock and dream pop that adds in experimental elements and an eclectic nature that makes for a sound that's truly their own. The ambient flair of "Cherry Blossom" is an excellent opener and makes you wonder what will come next. "At Least The Weather's Nice" is a beautiful piece full of highly textured guitars and warm heartfelt vocals that's like a modern take on a song you might have heard in a classic John Hughes film. The mood of "Postmodern Art" really projects a spirit and passion that is open and honest while my favorite track has to be the uplifting "Open Frames" with it's long drawn out guitar chords that seem to move through you and the dainty percussion leading up to the end. Hands down a brilliantly executed debut.

Tired Eyes "Static" (tired-eyes.bandcamp.com)

Tired Eyes submerge you in a wash of reverb drenched guitars and shoegaze swagger on their stellar new E.P. "Static". Opening track "Smile" is a slow paced blast of enlightening sounds that are packed with intensity and psychedelic undertones. Next up is a stunning cover of Local Natives "Mt. Washington" as the band certainly do justice to the original and add their own flavor of atmospherics and shimmering nuances while "The Static Spoke" is like waking up in a field in the middle of nowhere with a sky full of stars shining down upon you. It's a wonderful ending to a wonderful E.P. that leaves me wanting more.