My Goodness - C'Mon Doll

It wasn't all that long ago that blues duos could only be found in juke houses of America's deep south. However since Jack and Meg White saved rock 'n' roll 10 years ago in the time honoured fashion of re-packaging  music of black origin for white folk, it looks like the duo format is here to stay. I'm all for it. Just geetar, drums and voice. Such a stripped down sound means you better have something to say and it better be said succinctly, make people feel good, and be punky and funky. There's nothing extraneous. No overdubs, no hiding behind smoke, mirrors or massive production so you'd best make it good punks.

A pleasure then to learn that Seattle garage duo are currently on tour in the UK this May supporting We Are Augustines. A double pleasure to find that their debut single C'Mon Doll is released at the end of the month. If you dig Fat Possum Records, The White Stripes, The Black Keys, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, raw blues, or gritty and grainy garage rock this is right up your alley. There's to be a full length album later in the year but for now this will do nicely.


Click over the jump to see the video for C'Mon Doll by My Goodness.

Three Minute Tease - Three Minute Tease

Latest band and album from the criminally unknown Anton Barbeau and pals.

Got a favourite song with the word onion in the title? The Beatles' Glass Onion maybe? Green Onions? What about Cheese And Onions by The Rutles? OK, there's not that many to choose from I guess. Right up there with the best of them is Love Is Onion, the opening track on this eponymous album from Three Minute Tease. A perfectly constructed piece of psych-pop, with spiralling raga guitar scales, mid '60s McCartney bass-line, and best of all, cryptically engaging lyrics that challenge the very notion of what pop music can say, and how it might say it.

Led by Sacramento born songwriter Anton Barbeau, and ably abetted by former Soft Boys Andy Metcalfe (bass) and Morris Windsor (drums), Three Minute Tease are proof that great pop is no longer simply the property of youth. In fact, if anything Barbeau's knack of knocking out ever so slightly lysergic guitar pop has been perfected by years of relative obscurity. He could well be the greatest cult songwriter that you've yet to hear. I previously reviewed Anton Barbeau's career overview compilation Empire Of Potential (to read my review click here). Whereas that album by its very nature was something of a sonic shapeshifter and showcased different eras of Barbeau's long career, this latest album benefits from it's coherent band sound. OK, so it breaks no new ground musically but then why should it? It's sweetly melodic and accessible but spiked by the acidity of Barbeau's top notch lyrics.

It's hard to resist song titles such as the previously mentioned Love Is Onion, Thanks For Lifting My Leg and Sensual Pleasure Of Pie. And with cryptic mentions of Cuban heels, The Beatles, Jan & Dean and Norman Mailer you can be sure you're in the company of a unique songsmith, a rare commodity these days. Like all the best art (and drugs) it may change the way you look at the world, and you may never be the same again. But in a good way, and without a nasty taste in your mouth come morning time.

www.threeminutetease.com

Rob Johnson Music - Throw The Sun Into The Sea

One of the albums I've enjoyed recently has been Fawn, the debut offering from Young Astronaut (see post here), so it was a very welcome surprise to find out that the album's producer, Geoff Swan, has also produced “Throw The Sun Into The Sea” by London-based composer Rob Johnson. Beautifully recorded, the album slowly reveals its charms over the course of the ten instrumental tracks. It's an album that owes more to film scores and neo-classsical composers than it does to rock, dance or pop, and would happily sit alongside albums by the likes of Mike Oldfield or Nitin Sawhney.

Click over the jump for more on Rob Johnson