Music Mondays - Mike Campbell of Latterman

I know this record has been out for a while, but it's seriously one of the best records to come out of the New York DIY scene in a really long time. I've basically seen these grow up playing in bands on Long Island, and seen the progression of all their projects (together or separate). I think all their influences and talent have converged in a really exciting way on this record. There's some really great songwriting in the style of Bent Outta Shape's Jaime Ewing, or what you'd get if you put Tom Petty's "Wildflowers" LP on at 45RPM. I really love the production too, with Chuck's vocals affected in just the way the songs call for. Yeah!

Listen to Boss Song

This over-the-top titled box set is pretty Super Deluxe, with the original LA mix on disc one, outtakes, instrumental jam versions of the originals, crazy dense liner notes, and the famously scrapped and un-Marvin Gaye-approved "Detroit Mix" of the record which is more raw, fast soul and less sugary sweet. If you haven't bought this record already in it's many different re-issues, re-masters, deluxe blah blah blah editions, this would be a good version to get.

Seriously, how awesome are Archers Of Loaf? I just got tickets to the reunion show at Webster Hall, and have been listening to these records for the past few months in anticipation for these shows. Merge Records just announced this week that they are reissuing all four LPs, starting with their classic debut "Icky Mettle" on August 2 (which will be a limited edition double LP on blue vinyl with bonus tracks from the era, and the entire "vs. The Greatest of All Time" EP included). Even though I definitely will not be able to afford these, I'm going to have to dig deep in my pockets to grab these reissues before they're out of print.

The James Boys were a boy bubble gum pop group from the early seventies that my friend and hardcore lifer Mark McCoy introduced me to. They had a few really great albums with songs like "Love Me, Love My Dog" and "Your Mama Don't Dance". This video shows how they were attempting to market this band as England's answer to the Jackson 5 (minus all the charm, soul and perfectly choreographed dance moves). Check out how unenthused the studio audience is the entire time, and how terrifying the kid on the left is. Despite all these things, this song is great.

Is there anything that we missed this week? Let us know in the comments.