Six Records CMM Wants You To Know

Animal Youth "Animal" LP (Weyrd Son Records)

Animal Youth were formed in Brussels in 2016 from the ashes of the group Siamese Queens. Their debut album "Animal" is a vibrant one that mixes elements of post punk and shoegaze familiarity with crushing delivery and fantastic song arrangements full of blissful underlying melodies. Opening number "Darkest Place" is a high energy barn burner while "Rainy Day" and "Eat You Alive" come off like The Pixies doing covers of "Pornography" era Cure. The infectious rhythm of "Feeling" has all the makings of an 80's new wave pop anthem as it's stunning bass line and desolate guitar work blend perfectly with it's moody yet comforting vocal delivery while the rugged romp of "Love You When You're Dead" rounds things out in fine form. Overall "Animal" is an incredible display of mesmerizing post punk brilliance. The band will be playing a round of shows in support of the album including a spot on the Weyrd Son Records Festival this weekend in Brussels which also features performances from Drab Majesty and Soft Kill.

Chuck Berry "Lady B. Goode" Single (Dualtone)

Here's another track from "Chuck" the final album from the true king of rock n roll CHUCK BERRY!!! Berry referred to the song as a “spiritual sequel” to his classic “Johnny B. Goode.”. The album features Berry's regular backing group The Blueberry Hill Band which includes Robert Lohr on piano, Jimmy Marsala on bass and drummer Keith Robinson plus guest appearances by Charles Berry Jr., Tom Morello and Gary Clarke Jr. "Chuck" will be available on June 9th coutesy of Dulatone Records.

Jeff Tweedy "Laminated Cat" Single (dB PM Records)

Jeff Tweedy is set to release a new solo acoustic album, "Together At Last". The record is a collection of remakes of classic songs by Wilco and his various side projects. "Laminated Cat" was originally release by Loose Fur, a project that also featured Jim O'Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche. This stripped down heartfelt version is pretty damn inspiring as Tweedy's signature voice sounds as amazing as ever. "Together At Last" is set to be released on June 23rd courtesy of dB PM Records.

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis "War Machine"-War Machine Original Soundtrack (Lakeshore Records)

War Machine, a new Netflix original movie starring Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, Topher Grace and others also includes a beautiful soundtrack scored by non other than Nick Cave and his longtime Badseeds band mate Warren Ellis. “Together we made a score that was both light and dark, propulsive and meditative at the same time. Reflecting on putting together the score Cave and Ellis stated, "We developed a kind of ‘spiritual electronics’ that captured both the melancholy and the terrible absurdity of the Afghan war,” “It was a great pleasure to work with David Michôd, who is not only an extraordinary filmmaker but a musician too. Our favorite score!”. War Machine is out today and the soundtrack is available courtesy of Lakeshore Records.

Night Things "Reasons" Single (theofficeofnightthings.com)

Los Angeles based musician Zach Shields met vocalist Maize LaRue when he was part of Dead Man's Bones with Ryan Gosling. The two started playing covers together and eventually formed their own group Night Things. The duo's brand new single "Reasons" is a delightful dose of indie pop beauty highlighted by LaRue's dynamic voice. It's rich production and compelling arrangement give a solid nod to classic 80's pop, as layers of liquid like synths and an uplifting rhythm make it the perfect track for spring. Be sure to check out this track as well as their other recent single "Cost Of The Summer" and stay tuned for the bands debut album due out this coming Fall.

Roger Waters "The Last Refugee" Single (roger-waters.com)

Pink Floyd mastermind Roger Waters has returned with "Is This The Life We Really Want" his first studio album in nearly 25 years. "The Last Refugee" the albums latest single features Waters one of a kind vocal delivery alongside a sea of cosmic sounds led by an ominous piano and steady stream of fluttering percussion. The album was recorded between 2010 and 2017 with producer Nigel Godrich and also features vocals from Holly Laessig and Jessica Wolfe from the band Lucius."Is This The Life We Really Want" is set for release next Friday June 2nd.

6 Records CMM Wants You To Know

Big Safari "Elephant Walk" Single (bigsafari.bandcamp.com)

Big Safari's latest single "Elephant Walk" is simply spectacular with it's heavy 70's glam rock attack and 60's garage rock flair. Think Bowie, Alvin Stardust, Mick Ronson and Slade with a heavy dose of The Cramps. There's also a cool Nick Cave vocal vibe going on here as well. Top notch guitar tones and swinging drums only enhance it more. Bottom line is this is awesome.

Human Hymn S/T E.P. (humanhymn.bandcamp.com)

Great debut from this new dream pop outfit headed by Chicago's Patrick Hodge. "Are You Free" is a smooth sounding psychedelic piece that tele-ports you to another place in time. There are so many refreshing sounds that loom under Patrick's enticing falsetto vocals. "Windy Mind" is another moody mind bender that moves into neo-folk territory. There's certainly a feeling of travel that I get when listening to these songs. Spacey, comforting and pure.

LEAF "Wait Until" Single (leaflosangeles.bandcamp.com)

Playing a brilliant combination of 70's arena rock and 90's alternative, "Wait Until" is the second single from the L.A. based band LEAF. This slow paced number is full of fuzzed out riffs in the vein of Dinosaur Jr, Pavement and 70's garage rockers Dust. There's also a charming quality to the vocals that make me think of early Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev. It's honest and warm and I can't wait to hear more.

On Wings Of Wax "The Long Way Home" LP (onwingsofwax.bandcamp.com)

Beautiful yet heavy ambient sounds from Melbourne. Opener "The Innocence Of Youth" has a blissful tone backed by a pounding distorted bass line that makes for one of the more unique combinations I've heard in a while. "Oh This Isn't So Bad" has a driving force that sets the foundation for an almost orchestral middle section with some really nice shimmering guitar work that builds to more intense forceful riffs. "I Love The Way You Dance" reaches into classic ambient drone mode giving way to the albums closer "When I Was Your Age" which is a mass of chugging guitar riffs and under lying melodies. I'm impressed with the combination of intensity and beauty throughout this album. An excellent combination of shoegaze and sludge.

Quali "The Familiar And The Other" LP (qualiband.bandcamp.com)

Quali is a promising new shoegaze/dream pop band from San Diego. Their debut album "The Familiar And The Other" starts with the pleasing sounds and moody guitar picking of "Reach" with it's Beatles like vocals and atmospheric undertones. "Choke" is more upbeat and captures a nice in the pocket rhythm that builds to a blast of distortion and angular guitar noise. One of the stand out tracks is "Bleed/Breathe". It has some really beautiful verses that give way to some seriously nasty fuzz tones and wha wha pedal power. A truly crushing number for sure. The end of the song has a nice sound collage bit that I really love. "Mirror" also packs some force but with dialed up swagger and sway. Think a more spaced out Teenage Fanclub. A very impressive debut from one of the bands to watch in 2015.

Yard Dogs "Delphi" E.P. (yarddogs.bandcamp.com)

Channeling early Tom Petty, and the sounds of fellow Atlanta bands like Drivin N Cryin, Yard Dogs add a bit of indie rock flair to the familiar jangley rock n roll sound. Opening track "Victoria" reminds of Joe Walsh if he were fronting The Replacements. Follow that up with an instrumental titled "Better Musicianship With Louder Amplifiers" and we're off to a great start. "Since You've Asked" has a killer Cheap Trick vibe with a blazing guitar solo and bouncy rhythm. "Outta Commission" is certainly the grittiest track of the batch as the guitars are packed with more distortion adding a bit more punch. A solid collection of well crafted energetic rock n roll songs with that familiar Georgia twang.

"Five For Friday" with Sam & Hugo of Gillbanks

Hailing from London, Gillbanks made up of Sam Gillbanks and Hugo Heaverman have just released their debut single "Anxious?" which is a brilliant combination of blistering alternative rock and melodic Brit pop. Sam & Hugo have shared a collection of their favorite songs for this weeks "Five For Friday" feature but first enjoy "Anxious?" taken from their upcoming album 'Lived-In'.

Sam: Flying Lotus - 1983

I am a strong believer that Flying Lotus is currently the don of electronic music. His use of rhythm, dynamics and instrumentation is extremely inspirational and impressive. '1983' showcases a different side to him. It's less hectic compared to recent release 'You're Dead!' but still has a similar feel to it. I love how the sounds wouldn't seem out of place in a Sci-Fi movie. This track really opened up my mind and encouraged me to experiment with different tempo's and rhythm's. I guess that's why it's special to me. It's not every ones favorite album or track of his, but I don't care, I love it.

Sam: Radiohead - 2 + 2 = 5

Radiohead are my favorite band due to how diverse they are. Each album is different but never fails to impress me. It's really hard to pick one Radiohead track that has influenced me, mainly down to the fact I could easily name at least 20. However I've decided to go with '2+2=5' because it's f***ing great! The way the track builds throughout is beautiful and the jagged riff at 2:25 just makes the song for me. The sounds and the dynamics created throughout this track have really influenced the music I create and along with many other Radiohead songs will continue to influence me for a very long time.

Sam: Broken Social Scene - 7/4 (Shoreline)

This was the first ever Broken Social Scene song that graced my ears. I remember the moment well. I was around 18, sat in my car, in a Tesco (a horrible British Supermarket) car park with one of my good friends and he said "have you heard this? You'll love it" and he was damn right. Right from the start I was in love. The production, the vocal melodies, the dynamics, the drums, the guitars, the brass creeping in towards the end; pretty much everything was ringing alarm bells in my head saying why haven't I heard this song or band before? Whenever I hear this song it makes me feel something positive and inspires me to create.

Hugo: Brian Jonestown Massacre - Anemone

Jonestown is actually a fairly recent interest of mine. I bought “Their Satanic Majesties’ Second Request” on record not long ago, and haven't been able to put it down. It’s that dreamy vibe that sets me up before I get stuff done. I get lost in like a blanket of soft touch instruments that caress my ears, and this is the kind of stuff I’m going to be feeding off when I make some stuff of my own at some point. This track in particular just has a completely care free attitude, and sometimes I need that to relieve myself from getting choked up by everything that is so “important”.

Hugo: Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - No More Shall We Part / Jeff Buckley - Grace

This final choice has to be a tie between Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds’ “No More Shall We Part” album, and Jeff Buckley’s “Grace”. The f***ing energy and extreme emotion that’s gone into these tracks can only be felt, and the lyrics make you explode. I love how the aggressive moments in both albums build, and how at most times the stories they are singing about are so sad, yet you feel amazing! The dynamics are really important to me, especially when faced with such powerful lyrics, and this is something that myself and Sam always had in mind when working on the album. In fact, I sometimes used the track “Dream Brother” off the “Grace” album as a reference when mastering the album.