If you know anything about Profound Lore Records you're probably scratching your head right now & asking yourself why this cd isn't in the metal section. You'll know why after just a few seconds. ALCEST is a project of NEIGE, a French multi-instrumentalist who is also a member of two other Reckless faves AMESOEURS & PESTE NOIRE. The thing is, they are black metal bands & ALCEST is FAR from black metal. If you've heard AMESOEURS, this record may not surprise you much because in a way it's a logical extension of that band. Reverby male & female vocals that sound straight from a MY BLOODY VALENTINE or SLOWDIVE album (though NEIGE claims to have never heard either band!) & heavy but melodic riffs that will haunt you for hours & hours. Every now & again he'll throw in some blast beats over one of the mellow parts & it actually works in a weird way that doesn't sound metal. We think some metal heads will most likely hate this but if you're into the fact that most black metal would probably be pretty catchy without all of the screaming & noise (XASTHUR?) then this is the album for you. THIS WILL WITHOUT A DOUBT BE ONE OF OUR FAVORITE RECORDS OF 2007 SO WHY AREN'T YOU BUYING THIS NOW? *** Limited edition domestic pressing on HYPERREALIST records.

split album between ALK3 and ONE MAN ARMY. track two has ALK3 sounding more like BAD RELIGION than BAD RELIGION does. Jeff Pezzati (NAKED RAYGUN) guests on track three. ALK3 finish off their half of the record with a note for note cover of the DAMNED's 'wait for the blackout'.

Third album from Los Angeles' ALLAH LAS might finally be the band's breakout album (we hope). They've made the jump from Innovative Leisure to the larger Mexican Summer label, so here's hoping their mellow, psych- influenced tunes reach a wider audience. Think TAME IMPALA, DYLAN, LOVE, & so on. RECOMMENDED.

WITH THE SAME LINEUP AS BROTHERS & SISTERS, CONTAINS THE EPIC JAM HIGH FALLS!

Now with three LPs under their belt, it's safe to say that ALVVAYS are a very consistent band - almost 40 songs in 8 years and not a bad one in the bunch. The name of the game here is still the excellent indie-pop they've built their rep on, but now with heavier guitar scuzz and some neat production tricks like the synth line on "Very Online Guy" (which feels to us almost like a 2022 update of KRAFTWERK's "The Model"). Another draw is Molly Rankin's lyrics - perfectly wry and poignant and ready to meet you where you're at. It's not hard to imagine ALVVAYS still cranking out great records like this one every few years a decade or two down the line, just like YO LA TENGO or TEENAGE FANCLUB. They have a big and bright future ahead of them, that's for sure. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Ambarchi's third solo album for Touch finds the guitar player expanding his palette from mere guitar ambience to a fine tuned balance between his love for songcraft and his obsession with pure sound; on "Grapes From The Estate" Ambarchi shakes things up by exerting his genius on not only guitar but bells, organ, percussion and others that can only be guessed at. The result is an album that meets droney guitar ambience head on with luscious rhythmic forays only to come out as a piece that eludes all definitions. Volume is a must, and it's not really surprising to know that this has been a staple in the SUNN O))) dj crates as of late. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

MeTV.FM FAVORITES A HORSE WITH NO NAME I NEED YOU VENTURA HIGHWAY TIN MAN SISTER GOLDEN HAIR

Muskrat Love!