Tuesday Bazaar: Feeling forever young

Time for our weekly trip to the record store. Here are a few of my picks, and one tout by a friendly neighborhood record-store employee:

Top shelf

Youth Group, "Casino Twilight Dogs" (Epitaph/Anti-): Don't hate these Aussies because they're beautiful ... well, their music, that is. Cut from the same emotional cloth as contemporary bands such as Snow Patrol, the quartet's winsome, driving pop sounds as if it could come out of London in 1992 rather than Sydney this decade. Canny guitar work and singer Toby Martin's uncanny vocal resemblance to Tim Booth of James give the album a Britpop feel, but Martin's imagery is more intimate and his delivery less theatrical. Listeners who discovered Youth Group because they heard its cover of Alphaville's "Forever Young" on "The O.C." won't be disappointed by the band's own stuff.

Other recommendations

Busdriver, "RoadKillOvercoat" (Epitaph/Anti-): Project Blowed MC makes good with a flow all his own, rapping of a wild variety backing tracks.

Young Love, "Too Young to Fight It" (Island): Maybe the 17-year-old in your household hasn't discovered disco pop. Or maybe your inner 17-year-old still has a sweet tooth. Hum through the cliches; this is your sugar.

The Early Years, "The Early Years" (Beggars Banquet): Reverb-drenched British trio make me long for the early days ... of Spiritualized, Spacemen 3.

From behind the counter
 
Today's recommendation comes from Sylvia Villarreal, known for the past 3-plus years as "the other person who works there" at Sea Level Records, 1716 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park:

Lily Allen, "Alright, Still" (Capitol): Dominating the U.K. in 2006, Allen promises to be the hottest female clogging the airwaves this spring. Filling a much-needed void left by the likes of the Spice Girls, her witty lyrics and steady beats are sure to please hipsters and teeny boppers alike. A fine choice to shake off those winter blues.

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Tonight's touts: The Nightwatchman, which is Tom Morello's solo project, continues his residency at the Hotel Cafe, with Chicagoan Ike Reilly among his guests. ... The Black Pine headline the Echo. ...  Kissing Cousins, who just released "EP3," and Wait Think Fast open for the Spider Problem at Spaceland. ... Get Set Go finishes off its residency at the Key Club's Ruby Tuesday. ... Earl Greyhound rocks El Cid, with support from the Front.

Comments

[peggs]

I must be 17 yrs old then - because I LOVVVVVVE Young Love!

:)