DC's Young Rapids are back! "Melt," the lead single off their forthcoming second LP Pretty Ugly (on DC's Chimes Records), is an epic psychedelic trip. A majestic collection of tones, sparkly and dirty, smooth and gnarly, all folding on each other and pushing the next along in waves. Guitars, organs, Beatlesy tape sounds, walls of shimmering metal and light necessitate repeated listens, as each instrument's unique sonic journey takes the listener to a different place. Dream guitar-pop with a heavy dose of Magical Mystery Tour era Beatles, and Soft Bulletin era Flaming Lips. Excellent.

Don't miss Young Rapids live, November 22nd, at Black Cat with Drop Electric and Cigarette. --Natan Press

DC's Opal Rose recently teamed up with Triple Threat to create a fantastic electro-RnB cover of the jazz classic "Strange Fruit" (on Brave New Breed). The two are developing a sound they're calling "Doom&B," and the track is an epic journey. A run through jungle drums launches the vocal to flight over the canopy of rainforest instruments and insects. I get the impression Opal has emerged from some ancient haunted psychadelic pyramid. And I love the ending, hinting at a space launch, easing the listener into oblivion. Look for more from Opal and her collaborators in the comming months. --Natan Press

 Richmond's The Milkstains put up a preview stream of their new album Broken Bones (officially due September 4th). I knew I liked this band already, but this album surpasses expectations, seemingly running down a checklist of my favorite sounds and styles. Every track makes me love them more.

"La Adelita" is an expertly crafted surf instrumental, psyching the listener up for what's to come. "Sidewalk" is Replacementsy pop-rock, as engaging as that description can suggest. "Let Us Down" is an 80's proto-indie rocker, ferocious and meek, strong and sweet. "Caroline O'Keeffe" is some wacky low-fi garage version of Leiber/Stoller pop (with a blistering guitar solo). "Carrion Crow" is the desert and death, heat and haze, all gritty and sexy, like the loners and rebels your mom warned you about. "Heart of Mine" is a straightforward garage stomper, pounding drums and kinetic guitar-work. "Invisible Friends" is more dynamic garage with clever psychedelia conjured by the all analog studio. "Heavy Water" is the appropriate name for the next song; another instrumental surf track, but truly heavy, deep, crushing guitars. "Sonic Kick" fools you at the start with another heavy growling tone out of the bass, but turns immediately into a sweet and smooth indie-rocker, with shimmering guitars playing anthemic hooks. All too soon the album ends on title-track "Broken Bones," an even more anthemic indie-rocker with room to jam on some noise, like a combo of early 90's Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr., riding waves of electricity, blazing through hooks, into Siamese Dream-like walls of sound.

Broken Bones is a triumph of non-stop excitement, head-shaking goodness, taste and ambition. It's like a shrine to analog sound and psychedelia, collecting iconography from 60's surf to 90's alt-rock, and everything in between. The Milkstains aren't copycats however. They channel an energy all their own through each song, a growling tiger ready to pounce from beneath each track, and harness their musicianship and the skills of their producers to create a seemless passionate journey.  

You can catch them next at Richmond's Fall Line Fest, where they'll have the first solid copies of the album for sale. Get this album, however you can. --Natan Press  

Night Kitchen’s Thai Iced Tea 7” is a refreshingly original two-song album. Repetitive psychedelic guitar refrains and riffs will put you in a trance, as the percussion carries you throughout the song. The minimalistic vocals, occasional synth mixed into the drums, bass and electric guitar are imaginative and energizing.

You can find Night Kitchen on Facebook and BandCamp.

--Hannah Brady

The Almond Butters' debut EP, From The Grave, is my new favorite thing in local music (they're from Williamsburg, VA). I'm a really big fan of psych-rock, and roots music, and crazy psychedelic rootsy music. Captain Beefheart's Safe As Milk. I'm trying to think of other good examples, but my mind is busy being blown by this new EP I finally got around to listening to. If you know how amazing Safe As Milk is, then you know why I'm so mesmerized by From The Grave. I'm so happy this exists. I'm so sad that this was released on July 8th and I only got around to it now. I'm truly sorry that I'm a month late sharing this, and that we haven't all been enjoying it from the second it came out. 

Every track is a different idea. There's blues, and rock, and jazz but in a super psych-rock kinda way, and rap (yes, rap--Crackbilly, dude. Hell Yes). All kinds of fuzziness and echo and electricity and them changes coming at you from all directions. But it's not messy. This is not some Trout Mask Replica bullshit. Every song is a tight and forceful statement. It's a bit lo-fi, which is cool, but I'd love to hear what these guys put together in a serious analog studio. I can't find any upcoming live dates and this makes me sad. For now we'll have to settle for these 6 songs streaming below (and a bunch of other worthwhile stuff on their soundcloud). --Natan Press