After over eight years of international touring and 1,000+ shows, the Detroit-based Koffin Kats’ new home is on the road. Koffin Kats take the Motor City attitude and mix it into a toxic blend of hair grease, tattoos, and psychobilly punk ‘n’ roll. The trio kicked it off in June 2003, putting together songs with subjects ranging from sci-fi to dealing with the horrors of the real world. In recent years they have made a name for themselves in the US & Europe, included on tours with top psychobilly acts such as Mad Sin, Nekromantix, and The Meteors. Now the Koffin Kats have signed with Sailors Grave Records for the release of Our Way & The Highway, with their rich history, road scars, and outlaw-psycho punk blood running furiously through every ear-ripping track.

In the world of mind.in.a.box, imprisoned minds are generally unaware of their confinement. It is a metaphor for everything that prevents our minds from truly being free, from the shackles of everyday life to the fundamental feeling of solitude in an increasingly self-centered world. With Revelations, MIAB once again takes us into the world it has created as voices, lush sounds, and elaborate rhythms blend into a staggering sonic mélange.

When Candy Claws and Mike Adams At His Honest Weight realized they shared a primary influence in cult favorites Starflyer 59, it made sense for the two critically acclaimed acts to record a couple of SF59 classics for this limited edition split 10” record. Each unique interpretation of these nearly 20-year-old songs brings an invigorating freshness that makes the covers essential works in their own right, whether you are a die-hard Starflyer completist or are hearing their songs for the very first time.

SUNBEARS!
YOU WILL LIVE FOREVER
NGR-New Granada Records
Allegro Price: $15.99

An indie/psychedelic pop duo hailing from Jacksonville, SUNBEARS! were selected as one of the Best Unsigned Bands by Alternative Press, recorded a song for hit children’s TV show Yo Gabba Gabba, and performed several dates on the southeast tour of YGG’s “Super Music Friends Show.” Their amazing live show and the sheer joy that their songs exude have put SUNBEARS! in high demand on the road, with support slots on national tours with Mates of State (Barsuk), Black Kids (Columbia Records), Dredg, and Gil Mantera’s Party Dream.

After exploring their creative impulses through strings, horns, pianos, and varied folk influences, Mi and L’au decided to venture into a newer, more electric environment on their newest record. If Beauty is a Crime doesn’t feature a single guitar. In fact, you won’t find a traditional instrument anywhere on it. The simple, stripped-down sound for which they’ve become so well known is transformed on this latest album, shaped unexpectedly by circuits, programs, and mechanical processes. But, along with Mira and Laurent’s redefined approach, something familiar found its way into their music. While making the album, both musicians noticed the specter of familiar melodies and rhythms haunting their work; the inspiration wasn’t from a specific song or melodic line, but from a mood or an idea buried somewhere in the past. As they investigated this anomalous influence, they uncovered a shared memory of films enjoyed during childhood, specifically those scored by French composer François de Roubaix. Responsible for the music in well over 30 films, de Roubaix was known for his use of synthesizers and drum machines, and for his use of folk elements. The connection between his work and their current endeavor was obvious. Subsequently, Mi and L’au immersed themselves in his music even as they continued to produce their own. Whether by fate or by coincidence, de Roubaix’s music found its way into their lives just as they were beginning to explore what electronic sounds could do for them. So, in the end, they dedicated If Beauty is a Crime to François. Through their newly discovered electronic voice something older and more familiar sounded out, and the result is a stunning fusion of ideas and feelings that completely redefines Mi and L’au’s sound.

The first proper solo full-length from Cap’n Jazz mastermind guitarist Victor Villarreal. Limited to 250 hand-numbered copies on clear vinyl, this album embodies Villarreal’s innovative, otherworldly guitar style. The music ranges from lush indie rock slow dance (“Enters”) to meditative percussive drone (“Out Of My Hands”) to what Victor does best: how-the-fuck-did-he-possibly-play-that-on-one-instrument-andwhat- the-hell-is-the-time-signature acoustic guitar work.