The Sonic Parthenon Playlist: Summer 2010, Vol. 2

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Say No To Love"
Along with the Hold Steady's "The Weekenders" and the Joy Formidable's "Whirring", here is the third piece of the puzzle. One of the best songs of the year from one of the best bands of the last few. They don't have much of a catalog yet, and they don't seem intent on deviating from what they know, but they already appear to be in it for the long haul. Here's to them.

Secret History - "My Life with the Living Dead"
A cute number about the biography of a rock star. Zombie-allusions intentional.

Saint Motel - "Butch"
A slick LA rock band? Perhaps. A heck of a song? For sure. That's the thing about Los Angeles. It's a city that can't shake a professional-level talent to apply to the nitty gritty (see the aforementioned Franks, see the not-until-now mentioned Fear whose legendary The Record has recently finally come around here with all its hardcore-with-hooks poetry). Is Rock n Roll TV, the LA-based video podcast with Share Ross, profiling Los Angeles bands again? She should be. Start with these guys.

Sally Seltmann - "Dream About Changing"
Is 60's girl-group back AGAIN? Maybe. Either way, I'll take this.

Stars - "Fixed"
There's no excuse really for why I haven't listened to all of the new Stars record, The Five Ghosts. Nor was there an excuse for missing them at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. There is an excuse for avoiding the upcoming Terminal 5 show. It's at Terminal 5. Anyway, "Fixed" is amazing.

Sweet Apple - "Do You Remember"
Take some J. Mascis, stir it up with other side projects of his and other guys side projects from other bands, and behold Sweet Apple (it took a lot for me to not begin this with a "take a bite of the delicious..."...oops). YOU WANT YOUR ROCK TO ROCK?! AND YOU WANT YOUR ROCK TO SOUND LIKE THE 70'S NEVER WENT OUT OF STYLE?! AND YOU WANT YOUR ROCK TO SOUND LIKE THE BIG ASS ARENA SOUND THAT DIDN'T TURN INTO THE STEAMING TURD OF NEGLECT AND BANALITY THAT IT DID IN ACTUALITY? THEN HERE!

Tokyo Police Club - "Boots of Danger (Wait Up)"
I didn't catch the wave the first time or two this hyped-band came around though I did pay some attention. They've certainly got it now. This song is a wannabe-hit, which in my book is an actual bona fide hit.

We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut 1988-2001
For the second time this year, a book is dictating what I am listening to. Eric Davidson of the New Bomb Turks has put out this half-memoir, half-oral history of the period that essentially picks up where Our Band Could Be Your Life left off. It's brought the Gories, the Mummies, and the Jon Spencer musical family back into my listening fold but now with their return come new old faces and sounds: the Devil Dogs, Didjits, Dwarves, (lots of bands beginning with D) Rocket from the Crypt, the Gibson Brothers, Raunch Hands, etc. And actual A-Bones music on record! Holy crap!

Wolf Parade - "What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way)" and "Yulia"
I was into Dan Boeckner's Handsome Furs before I finally got into Wolf Parade. That's ass backwards but can you blame me? Listen to these songs from the new Expo '86.

Honorable Mentions:
Cochemea Gastelum - "Carlito!"
Cults - "Go Outside"
Ferraby Lionheart - "Harry and Bess"
Frazey Ford - "If You Gonna Go" (Former Be Good Tanyas!)
The Redwood Plan - "How The Game Is Played" (second track from this Northwest band that doesn't get out much - who ARE these guys?)
Ugly Casanova - "Here's To Now" (surprising that an Isaac Brock side project making a comeback has received little traction).