The Stayawakes “Dogs and Cats / Living Together”
Portsmouth, UK band The Stayawakes will keep you on your toes with a blend of pounding percussion and guitars similar in spirit to Gin Blossoms, Lemondheads, or the Goo Goo Dolls. “Slumbers ” and “Keepsakes” jump out at you right away. Lead singer Andrew Ricks delivers more of a character study with “Jake” and the infectious chorus helps. “Little Explorer” also stands out with its dense production and late ’90s vibe.
While this did come out under the radar in 2018, Kool Kat decided to reissue this and it definitely deserves to be heard. The music here is consistently very good, although the band tends to step on the gas and not ease the tempo until “Sophie,” the lone mid-tempo ballad. The bonus tracks here include acoustic versions of “No Shame” and “Inevitable Truth” that outshine the originals.
Guided By Voices “La La Land”
The prolific Guided By Voices seems omnipresent. Robert Pollard and his band have always dabbled in power pop, raw garage energy, and creativity for over 40 years. La La Land is a classic addition to the band’s extensive discography. Although the influences start with Pete Townshend and Peter Gabriel, Pollard’s rough-around-the-edges quality and haunting diversions always make GBV a unique experience.
The opening track “Another Day to Heal” sets the tone with its driving guitar riffs and the album never lets up from there. The songs are perfectly sequenced as “Released Into Dementia” envelops the listener in glorious fuzz. Standout tracks like the jangling “Ballroom Etiquette” offset the more intense “Insect Dwelling” which gives us Robert Pollard’s brilliant lyrical skills. Slower mood pieces like “Queen of Spaces” and “Wild Kingdom” serve to balance out the more upbeat songs, but even here it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Pollard and his band and a reminder of why they’ve been such a beloved part of the indie rock scene for so many years. Overall it’s another triumph for Guided By Voices. Highly Recommended.
