buon viaggio

I heard someone say the other day in a drawl that had a challenging languor about it, "you ain't posted nuthin' in more than a year."

"Relax" I said.  "I had the label blog set to automatically update every ten (10) site visits, so we'll get there soon... maybe"

Placing the blame at the foot of the fans [sic].   Childish?  Of course.   Appropriate?   That's debatable.    True?

Anybody who has ever run a small record label knows it's always hand-to-mouth and the bottom can drop out pretty quickly.  Particularly so if you're employing the always vain methods of putting out material by specialty acts that are obscure other than to small groups of pals and shackled to the efforts of documentation no matter how shitty the qualities of the music or recording.   "you heard these guys?   they only practiced once and then 'broke up' but we recorded 5 minutes of gutbucket skronk with our phone!"

get to the point, jerkoff... nobody's reading this anyway

Point:  The label is closed.  Done.   All releases are currently out of print, though some are still in stock.    Prices will drop for anything we can sell.   In a lot of ways however we lucked out cause there's not a whole lot left.

We may still crank out some of the slated lathe-cut series records that were recorded but just have not gotten off our asses to have produced.  Then again, we failed the artists so we may just offer them guidance on self-releasing.    My hope is that we can do it, because the fact that we offered a series of hyper-limited lathe cut records is still something at least I personally was proud of.   But that's it for releases, and those typically were done in such small runs that we sold a few here, and then gave the rest to the bands, who typically just gave them amongst their respective crew.   Not a whole lot of revenue generated.  

For anyone interested (and we truly think you will be) the Soda Diet LP that we so laborously promised for years WILL still come out, but just not by us.  No idea what label will pick it up, but the Soda Diet guys have options.   We are going to "help" [sic] them by selling some here.   All our in-stock releases will stay in print.    For scant updates on any of the others on the label roster, check our links page.   But truth is, most of the bands are now sacrificed to the altar of history. (ooh good one, that'll make 'em sound more important)

It was sincerely wonderful knowing anyone associated, the bands, the press who reviewed our stuff, people who wrote or submitted demo material, people who came to our SXSW showcases.    Thank you all for being friends of the label and/or putting up with all the barrelhouse.  

---Bombay Cove

Quarterly YUCKdate

It's time again for our Quarterly Update.  And though we've released a few records this year, our roster has been taking it on the chin. Hüsky Düdes bit the dust, Bonnibonita is on aerosmith style permanent vacation, Broke Beads is (all but) broke UP.  All we've got is PA.RTS, Followed By Static, Sun Recs, Gil San Marcos, and Soda Diet.   And of those we don't have much.   

Gil San Marcos has been spending time in PA.RTS as the primary soundscape outlet (scroll down).

Sun Recs miiiiiight do a gig around the holidays here in Austin, it's still up in the air for these part-timers.

Followed By Static is (rightfully so) distancing themselves from us.  Why?   Cause we can't help them, we did a neato little slab of wax for them and they've moved on and since done a handful of other things.   That's just how it goes.   They're great, go see them or go see Eric Static perform solo around town.   

PA.RTS is one of our two remaining bright spots.   Our most recent release, their "Greatest Hiss" 7" is available in our store.   It's gotten a little love from DEAD ANGEL online zine.   As well as radio play and a little shout from KFJC    ...The guys are even doing a show at the end of this month (see poster below)

Soda Diet is the other band we have actively... uh... active.    They are recording for a full length as your greeezy little eyes pore over this page.    This is a long-planned release that we will put out early next year.   Afro-Cuban-Fusion-Jazz...    

in other words... we don't have much to offer in the waning months of the two thousand and twelve...

Check this show, call the band at 554-8185 for more info.   

"you come in here swingin' yer big dack!"

NEW REVIEW ON 7 INCH BLOG!!!

Hell Yeah!!!   Now we're talkin'

This is the most accurate review we've seen of this piece.   Admittedly "hardcoah" bros, this rips!    A forehanded insult.    This makes us proud.

Follow this blog!

new release: PA.RTS "Greatest Hiss" 7"

BMBC 029 -- PA.RTS "Greatest Hiss" 7" (on GREEN MARBLE SWIRL vinyl - includes download code) -- About 3 years ago these guys started playing the drone scene without the pretense of a band theme or even a name.  They just got together, brewed beer and jammed while the yeast was devouring the sugar.   Originally just Pat and Robert, when it came time to do shows they'd play under "Pat Roberts" or "PR" as a defacto name.   Soon after, Gil (also using the name "Robert") joined and they solidified their sound to an ethereal ambient or drone using instruments both traditional and home-built.  They released cassettes and played shows also under names like "Apart" or "PMRC" usually adapting their name to whatever type of situation they were playing.


Late in 2011, we began talking to them about taking the best of their cassettes and doing a "greatest hits" 7"... The idea being both that we liked their sound and wanted more people to hear it, and also the tongue-in-cheek idea of a hits collection on the short format 7" record.  They readily agreed and also decided to mutate their name, this time for good, to PA.RTS and began playing shows with film or video accompaniment.   Constantly improvising live and even sampling available sounds at the shows and re-interpreting them, PA.RTS shows are an experience.   And yeah, they're still brewing beer.

For fans of:  Brian Eno, Jana Winderen, Barn Owl, Nels Cline, and even Sunn 0))) or Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music."     Buy it here in our store.    Stream the whole she-bang on BANDCAMP

filling the gaps between pukes

Normally we go all in for a SXSW list, but since it's nearly a month too late we're just gonna post a list of the things we really liked.    No additional dislikes, quirky moments, silliness this time.    We had a good time though.  Partied raw.   Here's the stuff that was cool in no particular order:

CAPSULA (spain) - Friday @ Grackle, inside

PEAKING LIGHTS - Saturday @ Longbranch

VIDEO - Saturday @ Beerland

COXCOMBS - Thursday @ 29th St. Ballroom, main

THE MEN - Thursday @ 1100 Warehouse

SLEEPYTIME TRIO - Thursday @ 1808

PUJOL - Wednesday @ Hotel Vegas

THE YOUNG - Saturday @ Red Eyed Fly, patio

AUDREY RYAN - Friday @ Sahara

THE TEENAGE NEWS - Saturday @ 29th St. Ballroom, bar

AMEN DUNES - Saturday @ Red Eyed Fly, inside

MEAN JEANS - Wednesday @ Trailer Space

A. TOM COLLINS - Saturday @ Peckerheads (don't ask)

RESTAVRANT - Friday @ Moose Lodge

from Maximum Rock N Roll - April 2012

Middle of the road review.  Can't say i'm super stoked on this. Can't say I disagree with what they said either.    Regardless, kudos to MRR man, they do a good job getting exposure for small-fry bands and running a rad zine.  Doin' it a long long time. (click to make bigger if it's hard to read)

Quarterly Dispatch

here's the latest news on our beloved "roster"

Bonnibonita appeared to be on the outs as of late 2011.  Anita had quit the band and things seemed to fizzle.  But not before absolutely claiming the shit out of a house party show last weekend.  There's owning and then there's OWNING.  We were only there to get drunk and have a good time at the party, and then they turned it into a nice little surprise.  Seriously one of their most fun shows.  Proof that you don't have to be loud and "punk" to play an intense house show.   Super ladies, that bunch.  They may be able to crank out another show or two here and there.   We still have a small amount of their 7"s.

Broke Beads haven't been doing much lately, but Ben Taylor the former keyboard player has a new band called The Bellmen who are worth your while to check out.  However, if you want to hear some Broke Beads, here is a good place to start.   The "Wave High" LP is still available in our store. 

Followed By Static is still "kicking ass" all over the world.   The loveable chaps are trotting out the full band again for SXSW (...in chaps [ass-less]). Additionally, Eric has been playing solo shows as well and logging time in the studio and the results so far have been impressive.  Here's a taste.


Gil San Marcos "Domes" LP scored another review this time from experimental zine Monk Mink Pink Punk, we just found this or we would have posted it earlier when it came out back in September '11.   Gil is currently playing in PA.RTS (see below).   We're hoping to get to work soon on a split series release with Gil and somebody fun.

Guns n Roses is not on our label, but dang...  go listen to Appetite.   Still rules and it's been TWENTY FIVE YEARS.   (and it's just an opinion but everything else they did sucked... even Lies)

Hüsky Düdes got a little love from the Chron-dogs in this review of their 7".    Buy it here in our store, or at shows from the band, or at record stores.    They're tearing through shows right now.   They recently got shit-faced at a show at Trophy's and tossed from there.   They're taking their furtive-guy hardcore show on the road for the first time with a show in the middle of the half-pipe at La Dute Ranch in Houston.    We also know of a dayparty during SXSW that they'll be playing.

Kyle James Smith is going through another lineup change but nothing can stop them.   Go see them sometime at the Broken Spoke.  When I texted him to get any further updates the response was "KJS gonna play chorizo sxsw with some new songs.  rad party dude, grubby food, dirty music, and shitty tits" (Relax ladies, I'm fairly certain he's speaking of his own vested chest)

PA.RTS is a band that has been swimming the ambient drone scene in the dark of night.   They played and released under several names usually adapting it to the situation.  Mostly with a few limited cassette releases.   We didn't think that was fair enough so we told them if they'd lock in a name and do some shows to promote it we'd love to gather the gravy from their tapes and compile them onto a 7" and they readily agreed.
We think this is gonna be pretty sick.  We got the records in a week or so ago and they sound fantastic.   They will release it the week of South By Southwest with a show at Sahara Lounge.   Cover image to the left.   Proper post on this coming soon.  

Soda Diet is bawawawawack and practicing.  And YES we are still still doing the LP, these guys are just... well, musicians and sometimes musicans are fickle.  But it's gonna be cool black blankets, dark jazz, deep grooves, sun ra worship, psych crushing, cruisin' in a Hawaiian bronco, heavier than a mountain, lighter than clouds, blight of the fumble bee, sunrises, here... smoke that...

Sun Recs has nothing new to report...  Other than having a killer name.   They're the most ephemeral of any of our artists...   down to just a couple shows a year.   But it's still a pulse.  

also... we are NOT throwing our own SXSW party this year.   Sadly, we just didn't feel the effort.  South-by kinda sucks now anyway.   But our pals over at Chorizo Approved Records are nice enough to prop up a couple of our bands including KJS and HüDü at their events. And Followed by Static will always have shows.

"...calling to tell you that your band has arrived"

Hüsky Düdes new 7" has taken off and is selling.   Getting some nice reviews from Gumshoe Grove and R.A.D. Vinyl

here:
Gumshoe Grove Review

R.A.D. Vinyl Review

The official release party is THIS FRIDAY at Trailer Space with a couple other friends.   Come and drink some lonestars and join the party.   You can pick up a copy of the record from the band for only $5

new release: Hüsky Düdes EP 7"

BMBC 026--Hüsky Düdes EP on WHITE VINYL 7" (includes download coupon) - Grease-slick punk sorta mixes old hardcore stuff like Black Flag and Misfits with a little 90's east bay hardcore sound and some garagey Nation Of Ulysses stuff in there.  Screw it man, Los Crudos too...  Not sure if there's a way to describe straightforward angry punk in the year 2012 without allowing for some references.   And these guys are definitely doing the 30-year-old dudes banging out some throwback to honor it all.   So you should to!!!  

Not that you give a shit (yeah, BE punk about it) but members were previously in Followed By Static, The Associates, and Toumai...   See their bandcamp for show listings.


Hüsky Düdes - "Destroy My Kind" by bombay cove

Year-End Heave List (a "best of the meager amounts we bought")

7" Singles

5. JOHN WIESE "Exhausted Spectral Incantation" - Interesting ONLY for the idea.   A single lock groove of never-ending white noise on one side of a 7"     …really it's a smug joke on the buyer but I gotta admit, I like showing it off.  

4. EVENS 2 song 7" - I heard something more special in these two songs than in their whole previous album.  

3. PART CHIMP "You Decide/Big Bird" - Scoring higher cause it's Part Chimp's swan song or something. 

2. SMASH DETOX 7" - hardcoah

1. THIRD MAN RELEASES - (LANIE LANE, JEFF THE BRO-HOOD, EDGAR OLIVER, JERRY KING, AMY WALKER) - I couldn't really decide on which Third Man record I bought this year that I liked best so I'm just picking them all as a tie.   And even then it's really more of a props for the label.  I like what Jack White does with the blue series and I LOVE what he does with the green series.    

Albums

10. EARTH "Angels of Darkness" - similar to Hex and …Lions Skull, but somehow, less interesting to me than those.   I'm buying less each year so an "ok" record by a band I really like always has a chance.

9. ZOMES "Earth Grid" - Fans will appreciate this, and I put myself there too.   I think I liked the first Zomes album a little better, but with more listens I might change my mind.  It's solid and I'm always gonna buy the Lungfish side projects.   

8. JOE LALLY - "Why Should I Get Used To It" - I hated the first LP, ignored the 2nd… then (illegally) downloaded this one to check it out.   Surprisingly good to my ears.   It's basement-jazzy, grooves, laid back vox… 

7. FREDDIE T AND THE PEOPLE "People In" - Fred is kinda in the fraternity with the Golden/Extra Golden guys… this is similar to the world music vibe of those bands and still got the blues stamp of his older band The Boom.  

6. CRAIG WEDREN "Wand" - Lapland it aint, but still cool.   I think Cupid and Make Me Hurt You are the two best songs of the year.  

5. TIA CARRERA "Cosmic Priestess" - Heavy stoner rhythms.  All recorded on the fly.   Instrumental Improvisational Heavy Metal.   A little more blues in this one than their older pure-stoner albums.   But side B is a must-repeat over and over again. 

4. NASA SPACE UNIVERSE "Across the Wounded Galaxies" - Pissed off punk, fast enough for me.   Some like it faster if they have something to prove.   But I like my punk this way.   Best "hardcore" (don’t even debate this shit with me, I don’t care) album of the year.  

3. VOID "Sessions" - I always liked their side of the Faith split better, and the FYH songs, but I wasn't sure this was a necessary vault issue… I was wrong.   Even with 3 or 4 variations of the same 10 songs I find this amazing and interesting.  I don’t really get tired of the reapeating guitar assaults.  

2. MITCHELL and MANLEY "Norcal Values" - Not for everyone, but for fans of ambient, Earth, Gary Hoey.  It's a sound track for waking up on the beach with Bodhi and Johnny Utah, then going hang-gliding and landing it on the deck of an aircraft carrier with the jets roaring. 

1. THE MEN "Leave Home" - The levels on this record had to have been all in the red on the mixing console.   Blistering, Repeating punk… with hooks.    You've all heard this.  

info on this show revised

Quarterly Reports

Broke Beads are still some sick folks only.   They don't get together much due to Geoff and Jack living in New Orleans and Robert and Lonny living in Austin.   But they still have a scorching LP on green vinyl that you can get at record stores or right here in our store!

the Esbat lathe-cut series 7" earned a glowing review in Maximum Rock n Roll recently.  To celebrate we have selected a video of them as the video of the month.   Yeah yeah.. more like video of the four months... we'll try to keep on track better.   Anyway, Esbat...  they'll be up to shows again when Jay gets back in 2012.   We're running low on the 7" so get one NOW.

Followed by Static released their split LP with John Wesley Coleman III and it has been selling well and gathering amazing reviews.   There's talk of a European tour next year.   Whoa.   Eric Static has been playing solo shows shaking the dust off of some of his older tunes, and has been recording with Brian Schmitz of the Golden Boys.

Hüsky Düdes first 7" is gonna drop at the beginning of 2012.   They  are trying to play as many shows as they can.   Listen here for awesomeness.   "Cat Basement" is gonna be the song you yell for them to play live.  The 7" should have been out already but a miscommunication at the mastering studio delayed it.


Bombay Cove wants to announce that we are releasing a 7" by PA.RTS, a 3 piece experimental/noise band.   Power Electronics, Treated Instruments, Processed Loops and Feedback...    the 7" will come out in the spring.  Look for them where fine shows happen.

Kyle James Smith will be auditioning for a highly-coveted slot at the famed Broken Spoke saloon on S. Lamar.   If he gets his band in there it would be a huge honor.   Might even cause us to release some of the secret recordings he has been working on.    He has a new guitar player named Nick "Nick" Alaggio ...Kyle also has been working on a considerably bigger gig, his upcoming wedding.

Sun Recs have a year-ender homestand with Hog Van Dog.   2011 will be closed out the right way.

The store is running low on the Y'all lathe cut 10", the Followed by Static/Bonnibonita split 7", the BMBC No.20 Sampler, and the Esbat 7"... but we DO still have all of these.

Stay tuned for announcements on more 2012 releases, a potential SXSW dayparty, shows, sales, yahhhhhhhhh

now... i have a machine gun... ho. ho. ho.

we've been busy lately...  will post some scratch soon...  for now you've got this.

Esbat record "jocked" in Maximum Rock n Roll

Our most recent release, a 4 song 7" by Esbat was well received by legendary punk zine Maximum RocknRoll in the November Issue.   It was written up as "Up The Ante" EP but it doesn't really have a title.   We're guessing that's the song they really liked.  If they want to call it Up The Ante then you can too.  Look for them to be playing some shows again in early 2012.  Up The Antez.

Get it HERE in our store

'preesh from R.A.D. Vinyl

killer new vinyl blog R.A.D. propped up a couple of our recent releases...   Read about it HERE

contiuned warning...

new release: Esbat 7"

BMBC 023 - Esbat (4-song) 7" - Esbat is a small but furious power in the vein of Die Kreuzen or VSS. One half-Japanese guy, one Mexican guy, and a guy from China, they create a UN-of-post-hardcore feel. The four tracks on this cycle between driving-jangle, bombastic-force, or blissed-out drone.
The band came together in 2009 and cut a year-long swath in the ATX scene. As of 2011 they are on a hiatus while J (vocals/drones) is back in China, but shows are to resume again in 2012. This record is to document their unabashed and incensed live energy and balls-to-the-wall style.

Esbat - "Dig" by bombay cove

This is a super-rare 7" record, mastered by JJ Golden at Golden Mastering, Ventura CA and hand cut by lathe record specialist Peter King in New Zealand

Followed By Static and John Wesley Coleman III drop the breakfast bomb

*warning: homer alert*
This is not a real review in the sense that we were sent a record and a press release with a note taped to it reading "review or die (or skate)" ...we know these dudes, we even put out a stellar Followed By Static track on a split 7". However, here is our take...

John Wesley Coleman has filled time between full lengths (last year's "Bad Lady Goes To Jail" is exceptional) with a host of singles on top of a steady touring schedule. Need we also mention that he plays guitar in Austin panty droppers The Golden Boys? On his side of this 12" entitled the Personality Pancake EP he is backed by local duo Rhett & Dean for some swampy lo-fi rock n roll. It keeps with his tendencies to hit record and catch lightning in a bottle and "fuck'm if they can't take a joke." All four songs are solid, with the title track seemingly glowing as the hit. Our personal favorite is closer "If Giuseppe Andrews Hears This Song, Tell Him To Give Me A Call And Let's Party" which stomps its way home to Coleman's roots as a prolific and poetic self-described "trash artist." This record was released on Italian upstart label Way Out There Records.

JWCIII-Personality Pancake
John Wesley Coleman III - Personality Pancake by Way Out There Records

On the flipside, entitled Bacon Bear EP, Followed By Static has made their statement record. Though it's difficult to pigeonhole them as any one particular sub-genre under the indie rock umbrella, that variety has actually been their trademark throughout their lifespan. Playing the punk show? Amps go to 11. Beer saloon? Send for the hollow-body guitars. You get the point. It's not easy to span the noiserock, psych, garage, country, shoegaze themes and put on all those belts at once sometimes. Nevertheless, Followed By Static DOES, and it's all displayed here on this split 12". "Cop Gloves" is the single that's making the airwaves, but all four songs deserve the ears, and we at Bombay Cove want to give a personal hoot to opening thrasher "Trash" ...what are you going to do about it?

Followed By Static - Cop Gloves
Followed By Static - Cop Gloves by Way Out There Records

Buy or read more below:
Way Out There Records
Subservient Experiment
Los Grillos
Spacecase Records
Get Bent
Side One Track One
Austin360
Ryan Leach personal review
Salad Days (italian)

Y'ALL photos surface!

(act like an) ass and ye shall receive...

As soon as we release a cuddly 10" record of the infamous Y'ALL, we start getting some reciprocation. Got these photos the other day. These guys dismembered right on the cusp of everybody having a digital camera in their pocket, so like a lot of older obscure bands, "pics or it didn't happen" is a lesson learned the hard way.

... you were warned

Damage Pants LP on SALE and other info

Apparently the company that handled the download cards for the Damage Pants S/T LP+download changed their policy so that the cards must be renewed every 2 years. They will issue us more cards (for a cost) but we can't slip them into jackets that are shrink wrapped and can't get them into jackets that are currently distributed.

If your card does not work, please email us and we will have no problem sending you a zip archive of the files.

We're sorry for this inconvenience. To offset your angst, we have lowered the price of the Damage Pants LP in our store and at Interpunk.

new release: Y'ALL "Last Show Ever" 10"

BMBC 021 - Y'ALL "Last Show Ever" 10" - At long last, the complete re-issue of our classic 2nd release. In the fall of 2003, Austin's pseudo-semi-quasi-legendary noise punk freakouts Y'ALL played their final show of their storied career at a party at a South Austin flophouse. What took place that night was a chaotic scene of wrecked equipment, non-life-threatening injuries, punk energy, bitter beer faces, true melding of audience and performer, soggy cig butt earplugs, and minimalist art in the most minimal sense.

The live show was captured in this recording, they lasted 20 minutes before "everything went shit-ass" ...perfect length for a ten inch record. All the artwork is brand new for this release, complete with a recounting of the show by a friend of the band, Zack (don't think we ever got a last name).

It seems like everyone who saw this band remembers them differently, but comparisons tend to be in the way of Mindflayer, Men's Recovery Project, Arab on Radar, Landed, and Six Finger Satellite. The guys who were in this band can delight in this as well as their other pedigree, including The Snores, Need Shade, SARS App, and Dark Dong.


Y'ALL - "Juan Tear" by bombay cove


***THIS 10" IS OUT NOW, HIT THE STORE!!!

Quarterly Digest

We have been quiet thus far in 2011, busy with other projects and jobs. But summer's here and the time is right for figthing in the street. Here are updates coming round...


Followed By Static has been playing shows and getting love from the Austin Chronicle. They have an upcoming split 12" vinyl EP with the immortal John Wesley Coleman on Way Out There Records (Italy). FBS side is called "Bacon Bear EP" JWCIII side is called "Personality Pancake EP" ...Who's hungry for breakfast?


Broke Beads played a mini-tour in February and plan to have a couple shows this summer in Austin. Half the band still lives in New Orleans so they get together when they can to write, record, and play shows. Their intensely popular "Wave High" LP is still available in our store.


the Kyle James Smith band has expanded and still features Kyle on upright bass & vocals and Chris Walker on drums/percussion. Dare Lamberson has moved from guitar to pedal steel, and Cary Daniels has joined on guitar. When asked for updates, Kyle texted "We had an awesome show at Plantescape, the next day we played a horrible show at Katy" ...he also added "thanks for asking, bro"


Hüsky Düdes are recording what will likely be a fall release on Bombay Cove. Until then they Dü what they please.


Bonnibonita is still going. They are keeping true to their foundation mission of "house party band" but they do hit the clubs once every while. We're told they are making recordings with no real release planned. They have fun with it.

We have upcoming releases:

Y'all "Last Show Ever" 10"
Esbat 7"

Hüsky Düdes - s/t EP (12"?)

scratchin' the surface at SXSW

We had a tame South by Southwest in 2011 due to a host of other obligations and issues. Still Robert made it out for a little bit and results are in on his meager experience.

FIVE BANDS I WANTED TO SEE BUT COULDN'T FOR WHATEVER REASON:
Wild Flag
Pujol
Lower Dens
Smith Westerns
Freakwater

TOP TEN:
10. My Lord Buffalo @ the Grackle - Cowboy Hats, Reverb. Talked to these dudes after and found out they have a record lathe-cutting machine. I suggested edison cylinders on old pepsi 2-liter bottles and I think I detected a smile through a thick beard.

9. Social Studies @ Liberty - Could have cracked the top 3 in a weak year if everyone in the band pulled their weight. The singer/keyboard player did it all. She could probably fire her bandmates, but I'm sure they bring in the fans with their ass-shaking and "killers of leon" hair.

8. Boone Graham @ PlantEscape - I haven't seen Boone in a long time and It's been even longer since I've seen him doing the old Hap Fam tunes. He looked like Christian Banal at the end of Rescue Dawn though. ...eat something.

7. Bryson Turner @ New Movement Theater - It IS a weak year when a stand-up comic makes the list. I dropped by the theater to see a friend and caught this guy's act. I liked it. Introspective observationalist humorisms.

6. The Oh Sees @ Beerland - Everybody knows these guys and everybody knows what the show is gonna be like. Can't argue with decent garage rock though. (Again, it was a weeeeak year). See the next list for more.

5. White Mystery @ Shangri La - Two gingers playing some greeeeeezy rock. Kinda like a female-fronted Cheeseburger if you want a comparison. Dug it a lot except the "i got an idea, let's partay" song. Literally those were the only words in a 4 minute song.

4. The Night Beats @ Shangri La - The "i'll hang at this bar and watch one song while i finish my tallboy" surprise of the year. Took a while to figure out who they were cause nobody gives their name much these days. Thank baby jesus for spraypaint stencils on guitar cases.

3. Dum Dum Girls @ Longbranch - Heard their sub pop album, hadn't seen them before. Great shit. Any band that flashes peace signs at the crowd is ok in my book. One of the guitarists asked for a shot of Jamison and the hipster male groupie boys bought out the bar.

2. OFF! @ East Side Drive-In - My most anticipated act... I think they were actually better than I'd hoped they'd be... musically. My only knock is the 3 minutes of talking to the crowd in between 30-second buzzsaw ripper songs. Gonna make you crawl.

1. Craig Wedren @ Clive Bar - Anybody who just read his name and knows who he is just thought "shit, how did I miss that?" Dude was so amazing. So amazing. I know you have to be a fan to enjoy it but it was pretty unbelievable. The mic check alone should be on youtube.


TEN "FUCK YOU'S" IN RANDOM ORDER:

Austin bands playing way way too many shows - Exposure is great and all, but chill. I think Zorch is playing as you read this, hoping that some LA stragglers are still in town.

The Sun - I only have myself to blame for not applying sunscreen, but shit. My forehead is peeling.

The 3 Bangbros at the Pub - During a break from music, having a beer. I grabbed the best spot on the back patio. Opened the door and waved to my friends. 3 young dudes thought I meant them and came out and sat right around me. I ended up talking to them and they were ok but my friends saw them snatch the seats and left.

That FAT THUMB from Fungi Girls - No explanation necessary. It's tiring to even see their band's name on the showlist.

Unidentified Singer/guitar player who shall not be named - Smug motherfucker to say the least. Kyle Smith knows who i'm talking about. I guess I got revenge by downing half his brand new dos equiis (with a lime, natch) while he had his back turned to the drummer "goin off"

The Oh Sees - While we're on annoying bands. It kills me that these guys do the play-the-floor thing everywhere. I get it, I know that's the point, intimacy, legit cred for not being too big, yada... But you can't get on stage at beerland? It's a 2x4 on it's side. It's a heel. You could have maybe 50 people experience the show instead of just 10. (still like em, but fuck that tactic).

SXSW Nazis at the Convention Center - Read me the riot act for trying to go up an escalator to find a friend who just got done at a panel discussion.

Sailor Jerry Rum - So cutting edge they have their own exclusive south-by within a south-by. Bi.

The two jerkoffs with no ID in line in front of me who argued with the door man while I stood behind them and missed a show - If the door guy had punched one of them, I was gonna take the other.

Longbranch Inn - 51 weeks out of the year, this is my favorite bar in austin. Not this week. About 60 people beyond capacity, and meaner n' hell, they started looking for reasons to throw people out. They found one when I was standing too close to the little slit where bartenders scoot in and out from behind the bar. Gain'd my ass out the front door.

BMBC bands & related "goof off" on "the road"

If these camera phone pics are any indication, the members of Bonnibonita and Kyle James Smith had a few guffaws, snickers, and chortles as they traipsed across Texas with Portland, ME's Wesley Hartley & The Traveling Trees. I mean when pizza ends up in the pool... Word has it Jersey Mike skipped a slice of cheese 4 times on the surface...

Kyle James Smith

Kyle from Damage Pants, Esbat, and Mastertape has been playing some country and western music under his given name Kyle James Smith. No word yet on recordings but I would liken it to some reflective, earthy sounds of the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Willie Nelson's "Stardust" album, and a man-Nanci Griffith...

Over the coming weeks he is joining Portland ME's Wesley Hartley & The Traveling Trees on the road for their dates in Texas, and playing a few shows over SXSW.

SXSW

Just to clear things up, after a few questions have been asked of us... We are not throwing a SXSW dayparty this year.

Sorry, we wish we were.

they're coming...

also, there's a new video of the month up... check the MEDIA section.

STILL SINGLE review of our newest release!

the Followed By Static / Bonnibonita 7" earned a side-by-side review along with FBS's awesome new 7" on Sundae Records. We couldn't be more pleased. Thanks to STILL SINGLE for being probably the best music blog out there for underground releases.

Another good review for Gil San Marcos "Domes" LP

this new shot from awesome experimental site Foxy Digitalis

also see the Digitalis Industries label for ripe cassettes

new release: Followed By Static / Bonnibonita 7"

Followed By Static
“OK”
Following the release of their debut Lullaby 7”,
Austin TX’s Followed By Static got busy adding new
members and recording more songs from their
explosive live sets. As 2009 came to a close,
Followed By Static split time between their home
Soul Korea Studio and Skyler McGlothin’s Laguna
Studio, crafting a number of new recordings. This
track demonstrates the textured results of these
sessions, along with the tracks from their Smiles 7"
(Sundae Records), also from 2010.
Followed By Static - "Ok" by bombay cove

Bonnibonita
“Full Throttle Cookie Monster”
Everyone loves a good party, and this party platter Bside
should serve as your introduction to a fresh new
band. Born in 2010 and unveiled at some feral SXSW
shows, these ladies (ahem... and one gentleman) have
been tickling crowds and leaving whiskey bottles in
their wake. This track was recorded and mixed
themselves with DIY fashion (pun intended) and has
been mastered by JJ Golden to help spawn only the
finest in garage doo-wop. This is their first release of
any kind. Cookie crumbs and cleavage... best
combination ever!
Bonnibonita - "Full Throttle Cookie Monster" by bombay cove

Each record comes with a free download coupon. Hit our store to get a copy for yourself. It's LIMITED!

"Domes" picked in a year-end "Best of" List!

The spectacular 12" LP by Gil San Marcos "Domes" was picked in Olive Music's top 20 releases of 2010. We at Bombay Cove are honored. Gil is proud.

Read all about it HERE

2010 Record Picks

We don't review records, and we don't listen to 1% of things that come out each year. But we still love sharing our favorites at year's end. We'd love to rank our 2010 releases: Gil San Marcos "Domes" LP and the Broke Beads "Wave High" LP as a tie for number 1... but they already rank so high on everyone else's list, we disqualified them.

7"s: Singles/7"s were back in 2010 baby so here's our top 5

5. Talk Is Poison "Rage To Infinity" (self) - Title track not so great, picks up after that. Still tough for this record to make this list after the real rager, which was their singles collection LP from a few years back.

4. Followed By Static "Smiles/Bones" (Sundae Records) - a ringer? maybe. good? indeed. These guys are locks to blow it up in 2011. "Smiles" is one of the best songs of the year.

3. California Love 7" (self) - Not even huge on grindcore around here, and didn't like their previous record, but this clear vinyl shredder has us wishing we were tight with some grinders so we could release something this good.

2. Lower Dens "I Get Nervous" (Gnomonsong) - Stuck on this band after only one listen. Indie press darlings Jana Hunter and co. live up to their hype. Very good stuff. Check their full length as well.

1. Pujol "Black Rabbit" blue series 7" (Third Man) - Really it was a tie between this excellent 7" and the Lower Dens one but this gets a nod because of the wonderful Third Man Records label. Solid vanity releases, live and spoken word records (the Conan O'Brien 7" also 2010 is surprisingly un-annoying), in-house turn-key operations, and series' that they actually follow up on. Putting out what they want instead of following trends. It's inspirational for a diapers label like us. Jack White has won us over.

REISSUES: we always do a wild-card category, this year we'll do top reissues.

5. John Wiese "Circle Snare" (Post Present Medium) - Technically a first time LP issue of a 2008 CD release, count it.

4. Washed Out "Life of Leisure" (Mexican Summer) - Ditto. 2009 release, on LP in 2010. They call it chill-wave, and you can too. Sounds better if you're drunk.

3. Dag Nasty "Dag With Shawn" (Dischord) - Finally released proper on LP after years of circulation as a boot tape. Basically the whole "Can I Say" record but the session where they had Shawn Brown on vox before 86'ing his ass to the shitter for Dave Smalley. Universally seen as a knife in the back, our take is that it was the right move. The "Can I Say" record is better. But this is still a solid as hell punk record with more holler-able vocals.

2. Pavement "Crooked Rain" (Matador) - Matador came through with lower weight budget reissues of a lot of their catalog in 2010. Solid move to bring the music (what's important here?) to the people. Gave us a shot to replace an old cassette copy of this that had basically turned to dust.

1. Thomas Koner "Teimo" (Type) - With all the great experimental releases that came out in 2010, it was phenomenal to see this one hit the shelves again (one of a 3-part reissue of Koner's first three LPs). You want to know what winter sounds like in the arctic circle? Listen to this. Glaciers moving across the tundra, frost crackling and refreezing. So good that if this was a brand new release it would have been far and away our top pick for the year.

TOP TEN RECORDS OF THE YEAR:

Hon. Mench.

Surfer Blood "Astro Coast" - too much hype for a record with one catchy song

Mexican Summer Waterloo Records SXSW Comp - decent enough

Casual Victim Pile Comp - could have been better (or just sounded better, recording quality is a joke, sounds like every single band spent the studio budget on beer and did it on a tascam porta) even if you're picking beerland lineups.

10. Sun Araw "On Patrol" (Not Not Fun) - By most accounts a letdown compared to previous stuff. Combine it with the Sun Ark 7" and it's good for #10 spot on this list.

9. Medications "Completely Removed" (Dischord) - Didn't want to buy this LP but heard a few tracks and found it worthy. Side A is near perfect. Side B... well... it knocks it near the bottom of this list.

8. Infinite Body "Carve out the Face of My God" (Post Present Medium) - There were better experimental releases, but this one is solid top to bottom and sports probably the most interesting (so simple it's genius) record cover design of the year.

7. Shipping News "One Less Heartless To Fear" (Karate Body) - Under the radar till it's release due to the italian label it came out on and one member's illness keeping them mostly off stages. This record is strange: a couple of the songs were on their previous album, it's strangely heavy and rocking for a band that had been increasingly more ambient and symphonic in their compositions. A bright surprise, and a great record.

6. Dead Weather "Sea of Cowards" (Warner Bros.) - Downloaded illegally, which makes the cost vs reward a total win here. I think everyone's heard this band so what are we going to say that is going to influence you. Hustle and Cuss y'all!!!

5. OFF! "First Four EPs" (Vice) - Got it... good one. Former Black Flag member Keith Morris sounding almost exactly like his former band did in the days he sang for them, and even knocking on the eponymous record by said former band with the title of this record. Expensive joke. And with so many bands out there sounding like this, it makes you really wonder how much a band's pedigree comes into play, as this was praised everywhere. Still, there's no denying that these old dudes smoked almost every punk record to come out this year. Don't break the formula. It ain't that hard.

4. Jana Winderen "Energy Field" (Touch) - As previously stated, experimental records were big again in 2010. Tons of hype on Oneohtrix, Emeralds, and Keith Fullerton Whitman... Euro reissues... mainstays like Dan Higgs, Eric Copeland and Yellow Swans checking in... but the best one slipped by most people who looked for hip labels Load, NNF, or Editions Mego to drop the bomb. This record is beautiful ambient field recordings and enough processing to drone you out of a bad hangover.

3. Chicago Underground Duo "Boca Negra" (Thrill Jockey) - More like free jazz than experimental really, these dudes DO have some drone-like parts, but mostly it's jazzy cornet & trap kit featured here. Put this on at your next party and you'll be answering questions about it all night from people who want to hear more or buy it immediately.

2. Git Some "Loose Control" (Alternative Tentacles) - After struggling through a few early plays this big guy won out. Absolutely powerful punk rock played by longhairs from Denver who used to be in cheesy-ass Planes Mistaken For Stars. Still Single said in their review of this that the singer sounds like Bobcat Golthwaite. Please don't let that discourage you... IT WORKS. Heavy as shit punk for fans of Born Against, Dead and Gone, Jesus Lizard, Murder City... (could keep going)

1. Zola Jesus "Stridulum I & II" (Sacred Bones) - Lumping two EPs into one really isn't cheating cause Stride I would have probably been enough. "Witch House" is maybe the sub-sub- genre getting kicked around for stuff like this (or as Van Slyke calls it "Goth Britney Spears"). Not sure if it'll last, but looking back at this whole list... could just be a place and time thing. For now, this is our favorite of 2010. Two things to add here: 1. ) It's amazing how much difference a drummer makes to this band live. and 2.) it's amazing how much praise (worthy though) that a record can get when the best way to describe it is "like that Cranberries 'zombie' song... only if you weren't so sick of hearing it"