Regolith Vol. 1 (Moon Glyph Compilation) Review

93/100

There are moments when I feel a bit Pollyannaish about our local music scene, praising it every chance I get.  I sometimes wonder if I am being too kind on our local musicians, simply overlooking shortcomings and focusing on the strengths our scene have to offer.  Then an album like Regolith Vol. 1, a compilation from the excellent local label Moon Glyph, comes along and any doubts I have are quickly and completely washed away.

The 10 song record, featuring some of the best local bands, is a collection of songs that should equally please longtime fans of the scene and people who are looking to find out more about why people like me keep ranting and raving.  Starting with the buoyant surf/garage rock of “Burn the Beach” by Leisure Birds, the record stays pretty close to the noisy/garage rock genres.  Tracks like “Patron Saints” by Magic Castles and “Waiting for the Moon” by Dante and the Lobster show off bands using pretty straightforward garage/pop ideas but still making them interesting and engaging.  Another garage/classic rock jam is , “3D Yin Yang” by Vampire Hands, who are coming into their own since losing Colin Johnson.  While I still prefer their Me and You Cherry Red/Hannah in the Mansion weirdo pop, their latest track shows the group making the best of their new lineup and really sharpening their sound.  The one band I wasn’t familiar with, Camden, added in a drony, noisy soundscape to the A side of the record.  The B Side takes the noise to another level with four of the most inventive bands of the last few years.  Daughters of the Sun  bring their organic and hazy tribal rock with “Mystical Babe,”  The Blind Shake provide pummeling garage rock with their instrumental track “Lucky Day” and Skoal Kodiak end up somewhere in the middle with their usual wild styling’s, this time with “Tinsel Tongue.”  The record ends with the gospel-prog of Moonstone, who close out the record with the wild “Exhortations of the Prophet M.” The song that falls somewhere in the middle of the two prevailing genres is the outsider pop of local buzz band Velvet Davenport.  Their track, featuring genre kingpin Areil Pink, is the strange but weirdly alluring track “Surfer Girl,” which is infinitely weirder than the song title would imply.

I really can’t say enough good things about this record.  One of the best labels in the city pulls together some of our very best bands to contribute excellent unreleased tracks to a compilation.  Regolith Vol.1 is like a mix tape the coolest person you know made just for you.  If you know the bands, you should already be excited (and heading over to buy this record).  If you don’t know these bands, do yourself a favor and check out some of the most exciting and innovative bands performing right now in the Minneapolis music scene.  Then, hopefully, you will understand what people like me keep ranting and raving about. 

Leisure Birds- Burn the Beach

     -Josh

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