From Seattle to New Zealand

Seattle is a fun place to hang out. They have bars like the Cha Cha and Linda's where you can go and be surrounded by a scene without feeling like you need to dress up -- most of the time. There are lots of live shows, and until it was shut down a few years ago, my favorite concert venue: the Sit & Spin (a laundromat/restaurant/club). On the weekends, you can drive to fun spots like Mt. Rainier in less than two hours.

The Dead Science are from Seattle, and have a new album out on Absolutely Kosher, from which Dirty Magneto is sourced. The other two tracks date back to 2003.

This is not easy listening; take your time.

The Dead Science - Dirty Magneto
The Dead Science - Threnody
The Dead Science - Ossuary

---

I covered New Zealand's The Shocking Pinks a few months ago, but here they are again, because I finally tracked down their (almost) most recent CD, "Mathematical Warfare," and it's excellent.

The guitars on this record swirl in the most pleasant of shoegaze melodies, but it's the crunchy drums, and dense - muddy - production that really sells it. MBV comparisons are inevitable; just listen to how they've re-interpreted the sound on Roquaril -- it's wonderful. And check the Liquid Liquid beats through I Want Ice Tornado, coupled with sparse, echoed and flanged guitars. This is exactly what I've been looking for lately.

The Shocking Pinks - E-Haired Girl
The Shocking Pinks - I Want Ice Tornado
The Shocking Pinks - Roquaril

---

Tomorrow night (Thursday) I am DJing at The Queenshead in Toronto, with Daughter Of Invention, Jaime Sin. Come by and drink cheap beer and dance with us. It's always fun.