via//chicago

np: "Destroyer" - King Khan & The Shrines

Okay, wow. I never would have expected a Berlin-based band fronted by a Canadian to be so great at recapturing the spirit and soulfulness of American psychedelic garage rock, but damn do these guys bring it! I've been listening to the band's new compilation on Vice, The Supreme Genius of King Khan & The Shrines, obsessively over the last few days and I've yet to find a negative thing to say about it. King Khan, also known as Blacksnake when he was a member of Montreal band The Spaceshits with Mark Sultan, is one hell of a charismatic frontman; but it's the rest of the Shrines that make this stuff absolutely slam. Vintage organ, a ballsy horn section, and a funky rhythm section all sound so authentic that you'll find it hard to believe this is a current, ongoing concern and not another Nuggets-style time capsule of a long gone band. I cannot recommend this album enough. If you are at all a fan of vintage sounding garage rock, or hell... rock and roll in general, you absolutely NEED to hear this collection of the Shrines' best work. Here's a couple tunes to get you started, but believe me - you're going to want to have this thing for yourself.

King Khan & The Shrines - "Destroyer" (taken from The Supreme Genius of...)
King Khan & The Shrines - "No Regrets" (taken from The Supreme Genius of...)

A couple of side observations:
1. I'm not sure how I managed to drop this album from my list of the best of the year so far, but that new Panic at the Disco album deserves attention. For real.

2. Someone needs to tell Chicago boys The M's that the Elephant 6 collective isn't going to grant them retroactive membership status, so they should stop trying. The new disc, Real Close Ones, is a big disappointment on first listen - that thin, muddy production does no favors.

3. Seven Cubs on the All-Star roster? Fantastic. I'm really enjoying this season. Unlike, say, those Mets fans out there.