Record Rawk: March 2006 Pt. 1

March easily trumps the first couple months of the year, so we’ll do this in a pair of installments because I don’t want to shortchange anybody. I recommend buying any album direct from the label, but you can always get them at an online retailer or your local record store.

March, Pt. 1:

Centro-matic – Fort Recovery
Centro-matic – “Calling Thermatico”: mp3
Centro-matic – “Triggers and Trash Heaps”: mp3

Centro-matic play great American rock music, with perhaps the strongest spiritual kinship to Neil Young’s combination of gorgeous folk and rough-edged grunge. These songs will grapple for your heart as easily as they set up camp in your head, heavy vocals and heavier guitars and all.

Buy + Stream the album at Misra

Neko Case – Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Neko Case – “Star Witness”: mp3
Neko Case – “Hold On, Hold On”: mp3

This album is just too good to drop into the “also recommended” category. I’ve listened to it at least 9 times and I still have trouble getting a handle on it – there’s just something that keeps you coming back, be it the brevity of the songs, the dark worlds hiding within the lyrics, or Case’s absolutely incredible voice and her equally capable backing band, which features members of The Sadies and Calexico. “Star Witness” might be the song of the year.

Buy + hear more at Anti-

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Record Rawk (or “rack,” natch) is a monthly buyer’s guide for only the finest in new releases. Previously in 2006: January / February

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