Friday Cover Up - Supporting Beautiful Magnolia

So we reach another Friday. Its cold and wet here in Brisbane, and Im feeling a little maudlin. Ill perk up very soon, what with tonight's stellar Sonic Masala Presents... show and all, but I thought Id end off the week with this. I mentioned earlier this week Shimmering Stars' cover of Jason Molina's 'Hold On, Magnolia', the closing track of the last album recorded under the Songs:Ohia moniker (and in my opinion by far the best thing he has ever done), The Magnolia Electric Co in 2003. I got to see Molina in his Magnolia Electric Co. format at Bush Hall in London back in 2009, and I was a little disappointed, mainly due to the fact that I wasn't enamoured with the later stuff he had done with this band. Still, when they kicked out this song, along with 'Farewell Transmission', it fucking slayed me. So to think this genius is hanging on to life in a metaphysical sense by the skin of his teeth is some of the worst news to bear. It's bloody fantastic that Shimmering Stars are using their latest 7" EP to shed a light on this tragedy and are donating 10% of all earnings from this release to Molina to get him back on his feet. If you want to donate directly, head here - it's an incredibly worthwhile cause. Below is the A-side - click forward for the cover.



The cover itself is faithful to a T - but this song is faultless as is, so why fuck with it? I liked Shimmering Stars before this - I love them now. You should too.

Happy weekend folks.

Almost Musique To Mine Ears Times Three

Paris-based label Almost Musique have set up a 7" series that features new and unreleased material from new, promsing bands from all around the world. The most notable of these acts to appear in the series so far (to SM acolytes, at loeast) is Vancouver's Shimmering Stars, their throwback doo wop guitar pop never sounding better on this, their Ghosts Past EP. Furthermore, the band have a cover of the excellent 'Hold On, Magnolia' and are donating 10% of the proceeds to Jason Molina to help out with his financial and medical maladies, all the more reason to buy it. The other two acts to appear thus far are also exciting prospects. Hhappiness (that is not a typo...) hails from Sweden, and their brand of woozy slacker pop is perfectly implemented on double A-sides 'Bananas' and 'All Kinds Of Trouble'. Then we have France's own Arlt, and this baroque act really spin the wheel on 'Le Pistolet', playing around with conventions and holding their tongues firmly in their cheeks, although B-side 'Chien Mort, Mi Amor' is a superior track in my humble opinion. These are great pieces of wax, and with more in the pipeline (including the next one from a Manchester band called Money), it's an electric project from a devoted label. Check it out.

Shimmering Stars - When I See You Again

Hhappiness - Bananas
Hhappiness - All Kinds Of Trouble

Arlt - Le Pistolet

In Between Mountains & Valleys Lies The Beach

Displaced Aussie Michael Beach had a nice little 7" out at the dawn of the year, A Horse (have a read and listen here). I really liked it. Well, he is releasing a mini-album to coincide with his forthcoming US tour, and it's the best thing he's done yet. Mountains + Valleys (through Spectacular Commodity and Twin Lakes) is a ballsy and accomplished collection of rustic rust, and it sounds amazing. This could do with the people he has roped in to help out - drummer Utrillo Kushner (Comets On Fire), Raymond Raposa (Castanets) on guitar and vocals, and Trans Am’s Phil Manley on the desk (Wooden Shjips and Barn Owl have enlisted his services in the past), Mountains + Valleys traverses darker terrain with more bluster than before, and is all the better because of it.


There are only 100 copies of these suckers (possibly much, much less), so try grab one here. Otherwise head here to get the digital. Its fantastic stuff. Reminds me of Jim Ward's or Jason Molina's solo stuff, but with Sonic Youth tracks occasionally coming across the radio wavelength. Really great stuff.

Michael Beach - Straight Spines
Michael Beach - Mountains + Valleys