QUICK SPINS: Bandcamp Friday With Extra Arms, The Lemon Twigs, and S. Raekwon!

A few quick suggestions for this Bandcamp Friday! I had something different in mind, but some tech glitches are getting worked out ... hence a quick 'n dirty post here, just to get the word out!

Extra Arms is lead by Ryan Allen, but after hearing him on so many solo releases and side projects, this LP is clearly a group effort. Allen's impeccable pop smarts (and sharp lyrics) are a constant in all his work, but his compatriots in Extra Arms help add just a teensy extra oomph and clarity to his tunes. You literally can't go wrong choosing any project Allen is associated with, but RADAR is an excellent place to start if you're still unfamiliar with his work. For everyone else? You're gonna really enjoy this.

After seeing them play live at Lolla a few years ago, I fell in love with The Lemon Twigs. I'd heard their recordings earlier, but had unwisely written them off as paying homage to a past period of sound with little more to offer.  But once I saw them live it was clear that the sibling duo at the core of the group are honest to gawd rock stars, living and breathing the music, with a stage show that left me gasping at the effort they were expending during an all too short set. Their last album—released last year—ventured more into the realms of sounds familiar to Laurel Canyon and softened their approach. But they return to some harder rocking tunes on A Dream Is All We Know, tempering it with a light psychedelic sixties approach, amped up by their ever-growing expertise keeping their tunes fresh while adding studio clarity that doesn't eat away at the energy in the music. It's a fun ride!

S. Raekwon's Steven features terrific vocals, an amazing live in the room feel, and while it's hard to pin down a single genre to describe the musical approach, I'd call it "singer/songwriter with a '70s R&B production mind, but not really R&B?" A really arresting listen though. Immersive, warm, and human. Give it a chance.