Greetings, readers! You still there? I’m watching a documentary on Metal and when they got to the interview with Ronnie James Dio, I lost it. Fuck, he was a legend. From the moment he saved Black Sabbath from the Ozzy-shaped hole to his cameo in The Pick of Destiny, he was always rad!

This week’s singles are presented by the armed kookaburras that Cognitive Dissonance Records sent our way. WE SURRENDER.

Ah, singles, right:

Firesuite – Red World

Fuck yeah! One of the best songs on their live set is finally recorded, mixed, mastered, sealed with a wet sloppy kiss and ebow-ed for your listening pleasure. ‘Red World’ has that emotional imprint that all Firesuite songs carry in their veins, spiralling like a galaxy. As always, the vocal duality tears apart expectations, while a bass with swagger and those uncontrollable drums ride the chaotic wave all the way to the end, where a mournful synth stands alone, like a flickering ghost light in a now empty theatre. Superb. – Sam “Hulefante” Valdés. 

Cats:For:Peru – Three Brothers / Million Colours

This is where people yell “once more unto the breach, my reviewing friends!”, as the real deal is back in town (no pisstakes this time ’round). Cats:For:Peru offer a double A side (out on the ace House vs Home label – check their other stuff!). Both songs offer the usual genre hopping, time signature slashing approach that the band has crafted and honed and refined over the years. ‘Three brothers’ goes a bit post rock (all about that drumming) whilst the bubbly synths are both charming and otherworldly. A very happy track with some delightful bass and guitar attacks for your aural delight.

‘Million colours’ tells the story of those drunk women on West Street, every Saturday night. Wait, I might be overanalysing this one. Let’s try again: ‘Million Colours’ starts with a quirky choon tah tah rhythm (vals!) and after crouching for a few seconds, starts to leapfrog. Somehow, what started like a very fun song seems to have escalated into a very chaotic, loud and sobering experience. Fun became serious and then we are told “you are a disaster”. No more fishbowls of bright coloured liquid for you, lady. Ace double single, which you can get from House vs Home‘s Bandcamp. Sam “Funkysaurio” Valdés

Niña – Rompiendo la ley en el espacio

Whooo! Those fun song writing cuates from Niña offer up this song that closes their upcoming EP Cool como fresco? O como yo? (that’s “Cool as fresh? Or as me?”). The lyrics are so yearning, like those lost journal entries you wrote on bitter cold nights, when the Moon shone its brightest through the window and the action figures in your windowsill create tall, nightmarish monsters that kept you awake. It’s rock with a bit of dream pop for you dreamers out there who still want to believe. If you are one of them, believe in Niña, they have been unto something for so long it ain’t funny they aren’t bigger. – Sam “Tan fresco como agua de Jamaica de El Safari Izcalli” Valdés

Death Rays of Ardilla – Daggers / Diamonds

Okay, I’ve figured out the sound of Death Rays of Ardilla (which is not a silly name, random reviewer from {redacted}*). Their sound is surf music for the desert. It’s what would’ve happened if the Tsar Bomb had gone off in the USA, mutating the classic, gritty rock and roll (think The Sonics) and created a guitar that’s being piloted by Chuck Yeager and a drummer following Buddy Rich’s steps.

Sidetracked. Sorry. ‘Daggers’ is simply stunning, feeling a bit like the Repo Man theme tune while still holding its own in the realm of psychedelia (check out those feedback moments, chunky and heavy). The ending of the track is pure Death Rays of Ardilla: chaotic, funny and heavy. Love the laughter.

‘Diamonds’ is less straightforward. ‘Daggers’ is a straight road, where you can step on the gas and reach 110 mph. ‘Diamonds’ is the same road at night, on the bits near the mountains where curves come up to you without any warning and a false movement means you’ll end up being an statistic. Less distorted, more psychedelic, absolutely a trippy pleasure. – Orestes “P. is for Phunky!” Xistos

City Reign – Ahead of Ideas

Usually indie gets an undeserved bad rep and I for one are confused about this (mind you, I’m always shitfaced on rhubarb tea). City Reign may appear to be “indie” but there’s something else in their sound on this track, ‘Ahead of ideas’: a dab of experimentation, a splash of reverb and a veritable catchy chorus for a song that thankfully hasn’t been overcompressed (my current bugbear). It’s sweet butterscotch, this one- Orestes “P. is for the real Phunkasaurus!” Xistos

Ellen and the Escapades – Without You

Yeeehaaaw! It’s time to square dance in the barnstormin’ party (or whatever equivalent you Limeys do – Ceilidh?). Ellen and the Escapades’ ‘Without you’ is short and sweet, like a toffee candy that melts and dissolves rather fast, but leaves a very lingering aftertaste that proves it’s the real thing. Shades of good ol’ Dolly Parton are here, but the solid performance of the band makes it a keeper. Harmonica solo rules, yo! – Orestes “P. is for Phorajido” Xistos

Guards – Silver Lining

The utterly huggable (consent required, though) Guards are back with this magnificent, bubbly lil’ track called ‘Silver Lining’, with that nice reverb that’s like those effervescent vitamin C pastilles (probably as necessary in this weather). The album is a loooong way into the future, as in, 2013, so the Mayans better be fucking wrong again or I’ll be severely angry at those Kukulcán-followers. Love Guards and love this! – Orestes “P. for Phraud” Xistos

Carajo, I miss Arkansas…  Until next time, I’m Orestes Xistos and I one of dem good ole boys. No, wait, I’m just fat and full of lard.  See ya and kisses and (((sholay))) (((hugs))).

Links: 

Firesuite Bandcamp. Twitter. Facebook. Last.fm. Myspace. Soundcloud.

Cats:For:Peru  Website. Facebook.  Twitter.  Spotify. Soundcloud.

Niña Website. Facebook. Twitter. Last.fm. 

Death Rays of Ardilla Tumblr. Facebook. Twitter.

City Reign Website. Facebook. Myspace. Twitter. Last.fm. Soundcloud. Youtube.

Ellen and the Escapades Website. Facebook. Soundcloud. Twitter.

Guards Bandcamp. Twitter. Facebook. Website. Soundcloud.

*Vas, gago.