Buildings: Everything in Parallel

A couple of weeks back we picked up two LPs from DC’s Sockets Records to sell through the webstore. Among these: Buildings’ Everything in Parallel.

Buildings started out sometime around ’08 as a trio with guitarist Collin Crowe, drummer David Rich, and bassist Nick McCarthy (though a few other folks drifted in and out of the fold over the years, myself included). Collin’s old band, Sentai , took a lot of cues from early ’00s DC groups like Q and Not U and El Guapo, but also dumped a lot of old-school Nintendo sounds into the mix. It was sort of the missing link between Black Eyes and, like, Nyan Cat, I guess.

But Buildings had a more focused, meditative character. Collin stopped singing in order to concentrate on his guitar playing, which had become heavily informed by the Sublime Frequencies LPs, old school new age music, and goofball Japanese psych-rock. Nick’s tastes skewed a little more toward indie-pop, so he was writing basslines that were highly melodic, but sort of shaky and off-center. David was sort of forced to dwell in the space between those two poles. By the time they recorded Everything in Parallel, they had somehow made all of these elements align with one another. The first track, “Upwards Through Ever-Expanding Light” is pretty unstoppable. The record came out last year, but it’s still well worth picking up.

Heavy Breathing: Body Problems

The debut record by Heavy Breathing, a new band featuring Amanda Kleinman, Erick Jackson, and Jeff Schmidt, all formerly of The Apes. Seven heavy, kraut-rock-style psychedelic tunes.

Marriage: Gelatin Roots 7”

The two-song debut-single by Marriage, an Austin, Texas-based quintet that features former Black Eyes member Michael Kanin on Drums. Heavy percussion and eerie, damaged vibes.

Make-Up: I Want Some

Make-Up’s double LP singles collection, first released by K Records in 1999, is back in print via M’Lady’s. Includes many of the band’s best-loved cuts – “Blue is Beautiful,” “Born on the Floor,” “Walking on the Dune,” etc. Essential listening.

— Aaron Leitko