DIRT FRIENDS "Sunsets & Night Sweats" C46 (Baby Tooth Records / Commercial Appeal Records)

Everything you’ve ever loved about upbeat jangle-pop (think the Cure or Psychedelic Furs) has been culled, distilled, and, dare I say it, improved upon by this Tuscson quintet. Dirt Friends’ two guitar players have chemistry for daaaaaays & their unceasingly complimentary playing, along with the in-the-pocket bass & drumming make this one rock solid psych/pop album that’ll never get old. The vocals, themselves, are the perfect blend of Robert Smith and Richard Butler’s impassioned, unapologetic, full-to-fried throatedness. This shit was already brilliant, & then they threw in a few piano riffs out of nowhere to seal the deal. If you enjoy noodle-heavy indie rock, this tape has your name written all over it.

https://dirtfriends.bandcamp.com/album/sunsets-night-sweats

and/or

http://www.commercialappealrecords.com/

https://babytoothtucson.bandcamp.com/

-- Jacob An Kittenplan

CARBON CANYON "Von Bargen" C20 (Baby Tooth Records)

Carbon Canyon are a 4 piece instrumental post-rock band from Tucson, Arizona. The angle that sets them most apart from others in their genre is the fact that they have not one but TWO bass players, which’ll probably stand out more in a live setting that it does recorded, but, suffice it to say, the sound is notably heavier, and, yes, it does sound much better with the volume cranked up. Think of a less trebly Maserati and a more upbeat Ghosts & Vodka.

For me, the most stand out parts of the album are the all too short intro and criminally underexplored outro, where the book-ending swaths of feedback (from the guitar and one of the bass players) dance around each other whilst the other bass player keeps a low key pulse. The space created is very engaging, and I’ll bet a real beast to try & pull off live.

https://babytoothtucson.bandcamp.com/album/von-bargen

and/or

http://carboncanyonband.tumblr.com/

-- Jacob An Kittenplan