Coolrunnings Is Only The Beginning

Knoxville Tennessee aren't likely to be enamoured with some of their progeny - let's face it, who is? - but I'm sure they have given Coolrunnings the keys to the city. If they haven't, I call shenanigans! The 4 piece have put out a glut of recordings, such as self releasing two EPs Babes Forever and Buffalo on their own label Dracula Horse and a 7", Fool Moon, on Too Pure. The latest purge from these dudes is Dracula Is Only The Beginning (Type Records), an LP that seriously slides all over the FM dial. It may not surprise you that one of the members is an ex-member of Royal Bangs; it may surprise you that this album, with an emphasis on new wave, psychedelia, afro beat and synth pop, actually makes perfect sense. There are moments that I thought this may have been a mixtape. In fact, when put into Windows Media Player (yes, I still use that thing, leave me alone OK?) a bunch of different band names and album covers spring out at me. There is a little Animal Collective and Akron/Family in opener 'Chorus', then the Elvis aping, doo wop debauchery of 'Behold The Cunt' (yes, that is the title) throws everything on its arse. And so it goes. Such a mess should be exactly that, but instead Dracula Is Only The Beginning doesn't lie - Coolrunnings are only getting started on getting your collective lards up and dancing. Rock the casbah, you bloodsucking fiends!


Dracula Is Only The Beginning can be got at here - please do. This review, in retrospect, doesn't do this quirky gem justice. Buy the vinyl, there are only 100. Go on, DO IT! Or not - Ill beat you to it...

Coolrunnings - Chorus
Coolrunnings - Behold The Cunt

Time To Get Your Beaks Crushed

We have another shimmering noise shoegaze pop band from London. And yep, they're good too.

Duo Matt Poile and Alex Morris, better known as Crushed Beaks. Having formed in 2010 through a shared love of Italian horror films (and seriously, haven't we all fallen a bit harder for someone when they get their Fulci hard-on?), Crushed Beaks set about putting their fuzzy wall of melodic noise to record. Their mixture of relentless, pounding drums and salacious, swirling melodies found the two creating a live force to be reckoned with, yet they have chosen their first single proper to take the step into different surroundings to their DIY recording norm. Whilst the guitars were kept in their natural Wendy House environment, the drums were taken to New Cross’ Zion Chapel where they were given the somehow ghostly strength the songs so demanded. It really pays dividends, as you can hear below.

They are set to release their debut single proper through the Too Pure Singles Club on November 21st in the form of ‘Close-Ups/Sun Dogs’. It's the B-side we have streaming below. It's pretty fucking awesome, I'm sure you'd agree! The vinyl will be white, thus luscious, and can be pre-ordered right now.

Sun Dogs by Crushed Beaks