No Hits 8.29.05

Prairie Fire (mp3) - Dying Californian

Sometimes you just need a musical catharsis. Something big, sloppy, boozy and bombastic that you can sing along to. Rough harmonies are good, as are noisy, fuzzed-out guitars and no-nonsense beats that barely keep the whole thing from slipping into chaos.

Dying Californian--a band that is, in fact, from California (Santa Cruz)--might remind you of REM, Pavement's Nashville experiments, Phosphorescent and Grandaddy (they've toured with the last). Their music is a nice mix of indie rock and Americana, though probably a little more road house than rock club.

The beautiful mess that is "Prairie Fire" appears on We Are The Birds That Stay on Turn Records. These are also recommended:

My Heaven Knows No Reign (mp3) - Dying Californian

Live tracks:

Scene Of The Crime (mp3) - Dying Californian

Phobos & Deimos (mp3) - Dying Californian

From an untitled, forthcoming LP:

The Martyrdom of Perpetua (mp3) - Dying Californian

What'll I Do (mp3) - Dying Californian