They probably knew that people would love or hate it, but they did it anyway. Japancakes, an eccentric instrumental band from Athens (featured previously on NRT for the release of Giving Machines), have released a full-length album cover version of My Bloody Valentine's 1991 instant classic. While reactions have been mixed, we feel that the decision to take on such a publicly adored album is ballsy, exciting, and makes us feel that the band must have made the decision to do it based on a willingness to work in challenging territories. Since Loveless isn't just a revered record, but also one with an intensely curated sound, the challenge is to represent that without merely copying, promote and honor it without defacing, but also bring something new to the table. These renditions are unique, but not blasphemous, loving but not masturbatory. Shields' signature wall of sound epics, dense with layers of feedback, fuzz, and vocals, many treated with copious amounts of reverse delay; and Japancakes have taken that density and distilled it a bit. Where the original tracks seem tightly packed and assaulting, the Japancakes versions are often slightly looser, more ethereal. The pedal steel and string vocal replacements nimbly arrange themselves around the rest of the arrangements, and though there's clearly a lot of production work involved, the songs are a kind of morning-after versions of the originals. It's not elevator-MBV, but it is softer and less pummeling. All in all we approve highly of this record, given the listener's willingness to do Loveless with less Spector-ish guitars and more strings, distantly marching sleigh bells, and space, lots of space.

Japancakes MySpace
Japancakes @ Darla

English situationists Wire have been recording albums since the '70s, and for those uninitiated, are considered by many to be the godfathers of post-punk and art rock world-wide. Their debut full-length, Pink Flag, was issued in 1977 and remains a classic for anyone who grew up listening to bands like the Ramones, Eno, the Minutemen, and Velvet Underground. Their brush stroke over the rock scene has been incredibly broad, as ability to bring chameleon-like persona and sound to each new venture keeps them on the bleeding edge of whatever genre they decide to dabble in. The band's Research & Development series, which hasn't had an installment since 2002, is rearing its head again with this four song EP, which continues to antagonize listeners the same way Wire antagonized them in the '70s: by dazzling the listeners with challenging but appealing tunes that in this day and age, make post-punk art rock seem like something from the future, not the past. Hold on to your seats, because a full-length with all new material will be surfacing very soon.

Wire Official
Wire MySpace
Wire @ PostEverything
Wire "Heartbeat" - 1979 (YouTube)

It's a big day for Hitchcock fans, and in the spirit of bringing back things that we've seen and loved before, Hitchcock (for many) is closely tied to the scene that Wire inhabited in the late '70s and early '80s, as his previous project, the Soft Boys, fused art rock values and angular, metalic guitars together with an underground pop feel to astound audiences everywhere. Hitchcock (obviously) continued to make records after the Soft Boys dissolved, and today marks the release of five reissues: I Wanna Go Backwards, Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream of Trains, Eye, and While Thatcher Mauled Britain Parts 1 & 2. I Wanna Go Backwards is actually a box set (though you can buy the albums individually) with the first three albums that were simply Hitchcock records (sans Egyptians). The centerpiece, we think, is the 1984 (mostly) acoustic collection, I Often Dream of Trains, which features the curious mind of Hitchcock stripped down to its most essential parts, enabling the rich imagery and confounding thought processes to float effortlessly alongside the hummable tunes. If you're feeling angsty, grab some Wire and a Soft Boys album, but if you're craving a more subdued and patient listen.

Robyn Hitchcock Official
Robyn Hitchcock MySpace
Robyn Hitchcock "I Often Dream of Trains" (YouTube)

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Aarktica: Matchless Years
Alicia Keys: As I Am
Ana Egge: Lazy Days
Aretha Franklin: Jewels In The Crown: Duets With The Queen Of Soul
Auburn Lull: Begin Civil Twilight
Black Crowes: Amorica (reissue)
Black Crowes: By Your Side (reissue)
Black Crowes: Greatest Hits 1990-1999: A Tribute to a Work in Progress (reissue)
Black Crowes: Shake Your Money Maker (reissue)
Black Crowes: The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (reissue)
Black Crowes: Three Snakes and One Charm (reissue)
Christine Fellows: Nevertheless
Club 8: The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming
Dane Cook: Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garden
Dirty on Purpose: Like Bees EP
Duran Duran: Red Carpet Massacre
Efterklang: Parades
Fancey: Schmancey
Goo Goo Dolls: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1--The Singles
High Violets: Satellite Remixes
The Hives: The Black and White Album
House & Parish: One, One-Thousand EP
Japancakes: Loveless
Johnny Cash: American III
Johnny Cash: American Recordings
The Killers: Sawdust
King Crimson: The Great Deceiver, Vol. 1
King Crimson: The Great Deceiver, Vol. 2 [dvd]
LCD Soundsystem: 45:33
Led Zeppelin: Mothership (limited edition with DVD)
Os Mutantes: Os Mutantes Live
Queensryche: Take Cover
Richmond Fontaine: Live at The Doug Fir Lounge
Robyn Hitchcock: Eye (reissue)
Robyn Hitchcock: I Often Dream of Trains (reissue)
Robyn Hitchcock: I Wanna Go Backwards (box set)
Seal: System
Various Artists: August Rush: Music From The Motion Picture
Various Artists: Baby Love Lullabye: Lullabye Versions of Jay-Z
Vashti Bunyan: Some Things Just Stick in Your Mind: Singles and Demos 1964-1967
Wire: Read & Burn 03 EP