Pansy Division, That’s So Gay. After six years, the
gay band returns with another batch of endearingly explicit and funny
pop-punk. While Jon Ginoli’s lyrics have always been Pansy Division’s
selling point, its sturdy sound has become its greatest strength.
Underneath it all is subtle social commentary, making it a top-rate SF
export. (Alternative Tentacles)
Winfred E. Eye, Til I Prune. It comes as no surprise
while listening to Til I Prune that Aaron Calvert and Mikel
Garmendia have played together for a decade. Calvert recently released
a solo album of children’s songs, but this mellow collection skews more
toward the shadowy side: Think Sparklehorse, Red House Painters, and
Tom Waits incubating over a lifetime. (Antenna Farm Records)
The Love X Nowhere, High Score Blackout. San
Francisco’s TLXN finally emerges with its first full-length disc: a
slick, somewhat druggy rock record encompassing both U2 bombast and
Pink Floyd understatement. On the macro level it feels like a success,
but closeup it’s not as impactful as it could be — except for
“The Gyre,” one of the few times you’ll ever hear freestyle rap over
shoegaze. (self-released)
Albino!, Peralta House. This 52-minute Afrobeat groove
was recorded with all eleven members in the same room at the same time,
explaining why it feels like a jam session. The rhythm section is king,
with sax and vocal parts woven between the lines; more musical moments,
such as a jazz guitar solo topping a straight funk bassline in the
title track, tend to be the most memorable. (self-released)
