Album Picks:

Wavves - Afraid Of Heights

CD $13.98

LP $22.98

Wavves’ latest album album mostly ditches the “King of the Beach” surf-punk notions of previous releases for a big, warm, alt-rock embrace that does wonders to highlight the quality of Nathan Williams’ songwriting. “Sail to the Sun” starts out with sparkling synths and moves into a thumping, surging rocker. “Demon to Lean On” is built for rock radio, with a catchy, two-note riff leading into its soaring chorus. It’s reminiscent of mid-’90s radio gems from the likes of Weezer and their brethren, but it’s also smartly built, with watery guitars and castanets seeping beneath the surface of its Pixies-inspired, quiet-to-loud dynamics and Nathan Williams’ paranoid lyrics. After starting out boldly, the album takes dark turns that should please fans of Wavves previous work, including the lo-fi attack of “Mystic,” which buries Williams under stacks of distorted sound before engaging with a singular synth riff. But he always brings it back to some of his hookiest songs yet, like the soaring title track, which makes use of backup vocals by Jenny Lewis and delivers another instantly recognizable, could-be radio hit from 1996. If only all pop-punk, surf-alt or what have you was this catchy, smartly written and unafraid of hooks! Afraid of Heights succeeds as Williams’ clearest bid yet for crossover success, yet it doesn’t sacrifice his essential slackery appeal. File it next to your Dookie, Blue Album and Doolittle records and embrace the fuzzy pop of Afraid of Heights.

Whew, there was a ton of crap released this week. I’ll have to make this snappy.

Victory – “Play It” video

I have never heard of Victory before, but he’s LA-based multi-instrumentalist Robert Fleming and he makes really catchy, well-produced lo-fi pop. His video for “Play It” is similarly minded with its VHS vibes. It’s not just more ’80s worship, though — there are some serious psych waves moving through that fuzz bass. His self-titled EP is out now; his first full-length record is due April 23, just after SXSW! That’s kind of coming up, guys, we’re into 2013.

VICTORY - "Play It" from Victory on Vimeo.

Tera Melos – “Tropic Lame”

Sacramento-based Tera Melos have a new album called X’ed Out coming April 16 via Sargent House. “Tropic Lame” is streaming now via RollingStone. I’m such a sucker for this tasteful, shoegazey alt-rock via Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. but also lesser-known bands like American Analog Set, Lilys and Ides of Space. “Tropic Lame” is not lame. It seriously rocks.