I know, I know… I’m shredding whatever credibility I’ve built up over these last weeks… but… it’s…

EPIC! TUESDAYS!

So, ya know, suckit. I do what I want! Besides, I’m in good company.

I’m not sure how we could possibly get much more epic than this. Over 9mins of burnin’ rock funk dedicated to the praise of cheeba. God bless them geezers.

A few observations before sending you off: First, check the bassline starting around 3:07. If it goes BOOM, one is all you need kids. Second, notice how the kick drum has a sort of skip to it? That’s Don’s big move. Ol’ skipfoot Brewer. All the good acceptable Grand Funk tracks have that little flourish.

Artist: Grand Funk Railroad
Album: Grand Funk
Year: 1969
Label: Capitol

I’m pretty sure you can buy this anywhere they sell music beer. Especially truck stops in the Midwest.

Hey everybody!  Guess what?  Your friendly neighborhood Brobots! (form of Raliegh Fingers!) are DJ-ing the record release party for hometown heroes Hands and Knees.  Their album “Et Tu, Fluffy” (Midriff Records) is out just in time for the great weather here in the Northeast.

There are many great musical comparisons that could be made to describe this album (Pixies, My Morning Jacket, Tegan & Sara, Violent Femmes) but i don’t think that does these guys justice.  It never feels like they are directly imitating a style and, even though it’s there first album, it always sounds like a Hands and Knees album.

The thing that stands out about this album, oddly, is fun.  It genuinely sounds like they are having fun making music (and making fun music), which shouldn’t be something that stands out on a modern album (what could be more fun than making music for a living) but it does.   To borrow their phrase “they’ve got pop, they’ve got style”…and again - hand claps, c’mon!

So, come on out and show your support.  We’ll be at River Gods in Cambridge tonight starting at 9.  They’ll also be playing a record release show at Great Scott in Allston on Thursday (4/30)

A bit of a dogleg here but such is the way of Brobots! I first got wind of this via the fabulous WFMU Blog. Thanks dudes! (Take it easy on the weird shit ok? Yr starting to turn into Dr. Demento). Ehrm…

“Link Wray” was something of a comeback album for the trail blazing axeman and also a bit of a departure from his signature sound. Legend has it he recorded it on a 3-track (!?) in a converted chicken coop on the rural Wray family farm in Maryland. While this particular track retains some of his fiery fuzzed up guitar action, for the most part this collection is a rootsy, down-home affair.

My cut finds Link recounting advice he got from the wind: Son, come out west…

Ever notice the wind never says things like: Fuckit, here’s nice…

Stupid wind! Anyway, Deets:

Artist: Link Wray
Album: S/T
Label: Polydor
Production: Steve Verroca & Ray Vernon

Thankfully, this one was recently reissued and seems pretty easy to get. Amazon has the CD & MP3s. It’s worth picking up - the CD nicely reproduces the original vinyl artwork and the album has a number of really nice cuts including: “La De Da,” “Fire and Brimstone,” “Black River Swamp,” & “Juke Box Mama.”

This is one of my favorite new bands.  Although this album only came out a year or two ago, they’ve created a nearly timeless sound that is reminiscent of Leonard Cohen, early Stones (think “She Smiled Sweetly”) and (i think) most similarly to Smokey and his Sister.  They’ve got great harmonies over steady,simple, and stripped down melodies AND hand claps!  Who doesn’t like hand claps?

You can find all the information, bio and buying information at Hardly Art.

“Recorded on an 8-track in a basement in Seattle” works as a description of the sound as much as a where and how.

Artist: The Duchess and the Duke
Album: “She’s The Duchess, He’s The Duke” 
Year: 2007?  Maybe 2008
Label: Hardly Art