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A little while ago I did a ‘like an old friend‘ on my two year old Albam Japanese denims. As that post showed, they’re starting to wear in/out nicely, with a decent fade, some whiskers and the odd hole here and there. Plus now the top button has come off so I’ve sewn a plastic one on (which I think looks ace) and the pockets have gone through again.

The thing is though I keep wearing them and wondering; what would they look like lighter?

I’ve got so many pairs of dark jeans that maybe a pair that are more blue than indigo would be nice. I’ve got a pair of Albam’s first Japanese selvedge that I wear for just knocking about and doing housework in that I wash regularly and they’re a nice blue. I wondered if my favorites will look that good after a wash? There would be only one was to find out – they’d need to go in the washing machine…

I’ll admit that I was worried about this, I love these jeans and would be gutted if I ruined them (shrinkage man, shrinkage!) but if worst came to worst I’ve already got another pair on their way and with me it’s usually all or nothing – so at the weekend I turned them inside out, bunged them in the machine and put it on a 30c wash ( I didn’t want to do a 40 as I didn’t want to lose any leg length on them). After they were done I hung them on the line to dry and then ironed them to get all of the creasing out and get a good idea of exactly which bits had faded.

Well, as the above images show, they’ve come out pretty well and I’m rather happy with them. There’s been a massive amount of colour loss and they’re much more blue than indigo now (which is what I wanted), the holes have got bigger so I’ve patched them up and the whiskers and wear patches around the pockets are more prominent (unfortunately the camera hasn’t picked this up that well). The denim itself has softened up now I’ve been wearing them all day (I didn’t use fabric conditioner in the wash) and they’ve got a really nice broken in feel to them.

The plan now is to leave them for another 12 months or so and then wash them again. By then there should be a huge amount of wear and I imagine that I’ll have had to patch them up a whole lot more. I bet they’ll look great though.

With the smell of paint still in the air, they’ve done a great job of taking the space and ‘Albaming’ it. They’ve got all the same stock as the other stores, including a re-stock of the Quoddy Deck Chukka (in both burgundy and blue) and some nice accessories. The service is typical Albam – friendly, knowledgeable and just generally very good.

So if you’re a North London resident and are far too lazy to get the tube into town, let alone to trek out East, the boys have now got you covered. The shop opened on bank holiday Monday and I’ve no doubt it’ll be doing a roaring trade in no time. As said the store is at 286 Upper Street, Islington, London. For more information on the brand have a look at their website here: Albam

Good luck chaps!

This bag can be purchased from Albam.

These glasses can be purchased from Prism.

I just want to look nerdy, I guess.

I’ll openly admit that I’ve never really done chinos, I once bought a pair in New York but that was when I skated and they had a 36″ waist (I’m a 29″) and were massive, I used to team them up with a Stüssy T-shirt and Etnies Skols, they were great to skate in but I soon wore a hole in them and they went in the bin.

Apart form that I’ve stayed away – mainly because I’ve always thought of them as trousers for posh sod’s over the age of 40, and I am neither. Well as with other things I’ve come round to recently, last week I bought a pair of Albam’s chinos – for nothing else than just to get out of wearing denim all of the time.

Well guess what? I like wearing chinos. They really do make a nice change, being lighter and softer than jeans and looking quite smart to boot. They’re in a lovely grey cotton twill with a brushed finish, they’ve got a really nice taper ending in a hem somewhere in the 7.5″ region. They’ve also got good sized pockets and a zip fly.

The boys have also done a navy version which I might have a think about for a bit of further variation. I don’t think I’ll be wearing beige chinos for a while though, they’re just far too ‘grandad’ for my liking – never say never though!

You can find these in store or to get them over the interweb go here: Albam chinos.

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It has to be said they don’t disappoint either. So far they’ve got three blue stripes, two large checks and a chambray, all in their ‘painter’ cut. They look perfect for the upcoming spring months. I’ll be purchasing the ‘Jude’ check this lunchtime and might treat myself to the chambray too.

Here’s a look at some of the range.

All are now available in store or online here: New Albam shirts.

And when I say ‘new’, I mean it: last night was the launch party. See, told you.

The party was in Shoreditch (like, obviously) at the Book Club – a venue which encases the possessors of East London’s most logic-and-gravity defying facial hair and trousers. Let us just say it’s a venue known only to those in the know what know about it already.

Let’s deal with the clothes first though. They’re great. Fact. I wasn’t expecting it…two graphic designers with no fashion experience aiming to achieve what masses of disillusioned LCF alumni have failed to do: make clothes people want to wear. It’s probably too early to be touting potential stockists, but Percival can sit proudly on shelves next to (or maybe instead of?) brands like Folk and Albam.

Craft and construction were themes running through the debut collection, with items laden with hidden features, secretive sections of lining, toggles, removable aspects and double sided pieces. Workwear was referenced a bit, for sure, but the playful nature of the collection really stood out.

Needless to say, the garments are NOT crudely assembled using turkey-cotton and Calpol, a production method known in the industry as ‘The American Apparel’.

Instead, the boys (by which I mean Luke Stenzhorn and Chris Gove) use fabrics such as Harris Tweed, beeswax cotton from Scotland and heavy weight melton from Yorkshire…whatsmore it’s all manufactured in London.

After being shop girl on Saturday I found myself with feet on a dancefloor with friends of gold, and a dress that made me feel like a woman. Electro and swing in one night…topped off with a piping bag of Pulp, disco 2000, just as we were pulling on our coats.

We skirted the night, and ended up in arms.

Sunday morning brought a train journey to London. The day was blue. I wore my dark red brogues and stepped aboard the red ship. (After having stepped off the DLR which was immense-heart pop views over the water).

It was a beautiful ship…
with a warm kitchen, a couple in Love, candles and Ella playing from the table,
a tiny room with portholes looking out over to my most hated building (The artist formerly known as the Millenium Dome)…but it made me smile seeing it there, in all it’s spiky ridiculousness, through a round window, in the belly of a boat.
I think I love it,
but I’m still thinking.
Hmmm. Can I see myself/feel myself living on a ship?
I’m so clumsy…the stairs so steep…
but what fun!?
 

After the boat trip, up onto a bus, sailing into the city- Canary wharf so proud, a stones throw, and Canada Water and the shiny cleanliness
made my eyes wide.

Up, round and up-through Bow,
Hackney…Victoria Park- so pretty. Fountains and romance.
It suddenly soft punched me- I had been here before, with Laura-
we went to some goddamnawful one day festival there the year before last…
aaaaaaaaah.

Yes!

 Up, to a party I should have been at miles earlier, near Hackney Central- an apartment to knock the spots on your socks off…

The beautiful brunch, and Alice, so pretty…I got to meet her nearest and dearest, such WARMTH! teapots on the carpet and mugs and the most amazing vegan muffin-a quiche fit for a very tired lady, and just such a lot of love…it was quite dreamy. I wanted to stay forever, with all the beautiful, friendly girls and get to know each and every one of them…but I had to go. I miss Miss A so much. Seeing her was the treat of the day…
I very almost let her down by not coming (or going) but I managed not to…and I’m *so* glad I did not. I just wish one thing-I wish I did not get so *nervous* when meeting new people *in groups* sometimes (always). I need to work on this.

Leaving the Love-into more Love, in the shape of ROD!

Another dream. Stoke Newington as darkness fell. I met her at wholefoods sanctuary (I got there early, so made her up a care package of yoghurt, tea, shower gel and bears wearing fig leaves) We bought wine with a bicycle on it (which was so delicious, but I have completely forgotten the name). taking it back to her new abode, and
wow
I felt so homely.  Her new pad is like a true home…her bedroom is a haven and the kitchen had the largest oven I have ever seen in my life.
Two incredible houses in one afternoon!

I helped her frame a Moschino scarf, we drank our wine and heart spoke and smiled.
Piles of smiles for miles and miles.

I met her lovely housemates and we put some music on.
She made me fish fingers on soda bread with greens (classic Rod cuisine <3 )…
skipped out into the night
and made it back to Tunbridge Wells by midnight…
the taxi taking me back to the village where I grew up…the stars so sharp in their sockets- I could have looked up at them and kept looking
and kept looking.

So, today was seabass, and a silk dress.
A bath in a big bath and a set of ideas
plucked from my weekend of smiles… I cannot tell you how incredibly excited I am to be moving to London.
My heart is in it’s element…I don’t think I have felt like *this* for

a long time?

Yup.

A long time.

It won’t be long.
It’s going to be
so
much
fun.
God.
I’m tired.
Sleep///

A few things I saw that I liked at Albam today when I went to re-visit Rod:

Glory men.

In Scotland, the daytime high today was 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  In Los Angeles, the daytime high today was 64.  Not quite the same, granted, but winter is here my friends.  Therefore, I’m doing this new feature with the blog.  I realize most of my readers aren’t the usual blog readers and actually could use a bit of advice and some “buyer’s guides” this coming holiday season.  Therefore, I’ll kick it off with one of the absolute essentials: the shawl collar sweater.

This piece has been around for a long time.  I mentioned in a post months ago about a particular book purchase I made at the Rose Bowl.  The Harley Davidson book featured tons of old pictures of motorcyclists wearing shawl collared sweaters underneath their jackets, or even as outerwear alone.  To me, that speaks to the functionality of this particular sweater, because essentially the collar could be rolled up to warm your neck, and taken down and unbuttoned when it gets rather warm.  I own an Engineered Garments shawl and I happen to wear it almost every day here in Scotland.  I usually layer it over a flannel, a dress shirt, or even a t-shirt, and if its cold enough, I’ll usually have a coat over it and call it a day.  Versatile, functional, and good looking, which works for me.

One of the things that bothers me the most with people is that they buy an obscene amount of clothing every year that are a) mediocre b) fit awfully c)made horribly.  All 3 equals you not getting the most out of what you’re buying.  So buy 1, or 2, and wear it to pieces or until you pass it on to your kids, and then, my friends, you call it an investment.  Here’s a rundown on the sweaters I’ve posted.

1.  Inverallan x Inventory Shawl Cardigan – Pre-Order – Ryan who owns Inventory is one of my favorite dudes in blogging.  He’s hit a major collaboration with a major Scottish knitter called Inverallan, who make beautiful knits that take 6 weeks to finish.  Price will probably be high but for once I think it’s worth it.

2.  Inverallan Shawl Collar Cardigan – $196 – Or get it right from the source for a very reasonable price.  Exchange rate turns it to around $196, and this would be the best $196 you could spend.  Fully customized, they’ll even send you sample yarn.  You can get it in a certain pattern,color, design (varsity stripes?), or whatever, for the same price.

3.  Gap Shawl Collar Cardigan – $78 – The gap!  They make good things too my friends, this is a great buy for a good price, has the nice top button detail that really helps keep the wind out.  The bargain of this bunch.

4.  Orvis Cashmere Shawl Collar Cardigan – $295 - For the rich dad in you, or for your rich dad.  Orvis makes some of the most classic outdoor clothing and they don’t shy away from quality, or price.  Pure cashmere, this is some of the best.

5.  Albam Shawl Collar Cardigan – $266 – My favorite label out in the UK right now.  Albam does a great job with their knits.  Though I’ve never tried or scene this one in hand, from what I’ve experienced, it should be of top quality and craftsmenship.

6.  J.Crew Wool-Cashmere Cable Shawl Cardigan – $126 – You want to hate them.  I want to hate them.  It’s not possible, they keep coming out with quality clothing, with questionable fits, and awesome styling.  This should be a gem, for a good sale price as well.  This is one their pricier sweaters as well, bunch of shawls from J.Crew well under $100.  Here’s to the King of Mall Brands.

Albam Hunting Cagoule. Very similar to the Albam Fisherman’s Cagoule,  which I got for Christmas last year, but heavier in fabric. Not as stylish as the Fisherman’s but still nice and a good one for the autumn/winter season. Barbour have a nice new jaiket out they call Dunelm. Looks very similar to the Durham, which I also own, but has more pockets and looks a heavier waxed cotton. It looks like a good rain jacket and i’ll consider it once the Durham has given up on me. Now I’m not really a parka wearer, but I like Volcom and they have normally have some nice little details on their garments. The Discovery Parka, quite plain in black, but probably has some nice features and those Volcom angled pockets are always distinguishing.

You could do a lot worse than to mack one of these this winter.

Hunting

Fisherman's Cagoule

Barbour Dunelm

Volcom Discovery Parka

The hunt for the perfect grey sweatshirt is as troubling as the quest to find that special white t-shirt. Other clothes can come and go, but the glorious neutrality of the marl grey sweat is the piece that comes out season after season, year after year. It swoops above subcultural pigeonholes too.

Curiously, while I’ve grown in stature, I’ve reduced my sizing since my days pausing MTV Raps to gauge branding – in 1993 I was submerged in an extra-extra large oatmeal-coloured mass of hooded Carhartt. A year or so later, infuriated by the sagging waistband, intended at portly welders rather than my pre-pubescent scrawn, I downsized to a volumnious extra large. It’s notable that the sweats I sported had more longevity in crewneck form. But now I’m inclined to feel (Japanese brands aside) like a Nurishment supping car thief when I go beyond a large.

It’s a shame, because for every five that rose to bottom of the belly level, yet retained oversized sleeves like a pagan high priest’s gowns, after fifty-plus washes, some of those sweatshirts would reach what I percieved to be the perfect size – in culinary terms, a cotton reduction of remarkable depth.

I know that a sweatshirt is meant for…well, sweating in, but I don’t want some Mexican constructed creation designed with Matt Hughes’s torso in mind. Being built like a brick shithouse seems to be expected with some cuts, leaving cavernous spaces for chest muscles and treetrunk necks when a sapling is supporting your noggin. You don’t need your own clothes taunting you.

Too many Japanese Americana remakes might be painstakingly loomed, but the microscopic sizing means even utilising my old sizing excesses, a piece could be climbing up my sleeve after a couple of rinses, with that vanishing ten percent of fabric on a first clean proving particularly detrimental. I don’t care which way it’s woven – like death and taxes, it’s inevitable.

The perfect sweatshirt could be my companion for a decade to come, yet in buying what’s effectively a staple, I’m unwilling to part with foolhardy sums. And that cheap vintage eBay bargain can turn up smedium, regardless of seller description. The big brands always fall short. Too shapeless, too thin or too bulky. Gap’s 1969 vintage range circa. 2000 was the best high street effort I’ve seen. I’ve talked at length here about Champion’s current shortcomings. As much as I like Buzz Rickson, that slimness can feel as restricting as it is authentic.

Far East fetishes aside, I genuinely believe that some I’m holding made in Portugal and Canada (though some CYC bits can practically stand up by themselves, a feat unseen by a popular garment since twill carpenter pants and 24oz denim could perform a similarly spooky wearer-free stance) have as much merit as more expensive Asian replicas.

The UK however, has quietly carved its own niche, born of obsessives like Ian Paley and his Garbstore (One True Saxon, back when he was involved, released a killer plain sweat) who’s keen to keep a plain sweatshirt in seasonally, and Albam. Albam might be so good that buzzwords will give way to backlashes, such is the nature of self-hating clobber junkies, but when you’ve become a misleading addition (’6876, Oi Polloi, Albam’) to auction site listings, you’ve arrived. Soon opening their east London operation, last year’s addition of a sweatshirt to the brand/store’s fomidable artillery seemed short-lived. I wondered if it was their own exacting quality control standards, but I was crestfallen that I never had an opportunity to dabble.

Until the last few days.

Wandering into the store, the Albam sweatshirt is back. UK-made, in a medium weight, initially the soft, less elastically synthetic appearance of the cuffs and waistband had me wondering whether I’d been fooled by a knitted imposter taking a sweatshirt form. I apologise to the heads at the store for making an assumption that they’d ever create something so unnecessary. This sweatshirt is as close to my ideal as I’ve seen for a sub-hundred pound pricepoint, or the Russian roulette of proxy bidding prior to awaiting and recieving minature garments. What could have been ruinous quirks in the hands of a lesser company – a ‘stash’ pocket and metal eyelet ventilation, add some extra style, with the pocket’s stitching quietly visible externally. Like their best shirting, the elbows are reinforced too, with the detail kept tonal.

Then there’s the fit. Relatively slim on the body, but relaxed enough when it comes to arm length and width for a comfortable wear. The neck isn’t restrictive, allowing a peek of Hanes white, but isn’t gaping either. Avoiding the temptation for a ribbed side panel – a pitfall with so many other brands, boxiness is avoided too.

The folk at Albam are clearly on an Ahab-style mission to create definitives. I’m holding off perfect status, because I think their approach remains a work-in-progress. Rumour has it there’s a slightly thicker variation in a heavier weight jersey dropping soon to correlate with the colder weather. I’ll take ‘em all on the marl-coloured road to sweatshirt Valhalla. I accidentally copped a medium (2) by mistake and suffered a brief weight crisis, until I realised the mistake. I’ve downsized my sweats in the last fifteen years, but not quite that much.

Hanes ‘Beefy-T’ – Before a wash (right) & after one wash (left).

“Fuck ya cowboy boots, this Timbos on my feet/Some boys bear the names, I rather rock a white tee/Go against ya dress code and still be V.I.P.”

I wear a white tee most days, but the quest to find the perfect specimen of the shirt has been relatively fruitless. I’m certainly not the first person to blog about the white tee either Mr. Andrew Bunney and Jake Davis have logged their journey to white tee perfection (ultimately never finding the ‘one’ despite numerous suggestions) – Andrew’s post from a few years back inspired this one, but what he searches for in a shirt is different to mine. He was looking for a thinner undershirt, with a printed rather than sewn tag. For the most part, I’m not thinking Brando or ’50s rebel yells, but just looking for a thicker cotton number that isn’t boxy or too ‘Soulja Boy’ – can’t knock the man’s hustle, but too long makes me feel too old.

Then there’s the neck – I’ve got a big head, on a Mardi Gras paper mache tip…like James Spader’s ‘Seinfeld’ character and his earlier refusal to lend George a cashmere sweater, I have a habit of stretching a shirt’s neck the minute my noggin emerges through it. A resilient neck is a must. Biggest points lost here are if that neck is already vast. If I buy large, I don’t expect a ribbed hole that looks like a meteor passed through it.

Pricepoint is paramount too. Yes, there’s great white shirts out there for a price, but they’re like brioche bunned burgers ironically served in some smartarse restaurant. The white shirt is disposable. The above picture shows a Hanes Beefy brand new (right) against Hanes Beefy washed once. The change has begun. The slow road to boxiness, amplified by the stiffness 6.1oz of cotton creates has begun – oddly they feel stiffer after a wash too. The 5.4oz more standardised weights occasionally feel lacking in substance – even more prone to shrinkage, but admittedly less like body armour under a shirt or sweatshirt. The white tee is subjective – noone seems to agree on a particular favourite. Then there’s the gossamer thin three-pack versions, with a slimmer fit and shorter arms (I prefer at least 3/4 bicep coverage), intended as underwear. Within hours of a wear, that peculiar bounce in your step a fresh white tee induces begins to subside – staying pristine (deodorant mark underarms, grey necks) is nigh-on impossible. Beyond corner boy uniform anonymity, on a hip-hop level the disposable fresh nature of them correlates perfectly with the easy-to-dog nature of wheat Timbs or white Uptowns. Disposable style. Sheeeeeeiiiiit…I need a ‘Bubble’s Depot’ style enterprise following me around and selling me a new white tee 24/7.

I’ve had several Mexican-assembled Champions over the years, but the type available in Japanese spots like Oshimans with a slimmer fit, ’50s-style layered ringer neck, overlocked seams and embroidered sleeve ‘C’ branding eludes me. Garbstore occasionally makes something similar though. Other types I’ve yet to try include Stafford, Wings & Horns, Stedman Comforts (though I suspect I’ve got a fair few in a printed disguise) and at a more affordable level – frequently acclaimed though always absent whenever a Target store rears its head on a Stateside trip, packs of Pro Clubs. Some of my favourite Supreme prints were apparently (unconfirmed) printed on the mysterious ‘AAA Allstar’ blank. Mr. Matt George, Ransom honcho had a blank custom-made that’s outstanding, but I’ve not obtained one yet. Same goes for any made from the mysterious Pima cotton.

Predictably, the Far East gets some special versions of all your favourite brands, and the beautifully packaged Deluxe shirts looked worth a try.

Ultimately, at present that moment of pristine white tee perfection is, like attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion, or C-beams glittering in the dark near the Tannhauser gate, a momentary one. I hope I’m proven wrong in the near future.

What follows is some unnecessary white tee closeups of 12 shirts, along with some pros and cons. Notable omissions are AA (overpriced, too prone to shrinking), Primark (bad quality, shrank to bellybutton level), Footlocker (once tolerable in three packs – fell off hard) and Gap (a quite good shirt – not cheap, but alas, my sole example was too repulsively grey to withstand the macro lens treatment without humiliation).

HANES ‘BEEFY-T’

PROS  – Thick, if you like that sort of shirt. Heavyweight status matched by a neck that refuses to stretch too. Long-lasting.

CONS – That borderline ‘polo-neck’ splits opinion. Heavyweight status makes them poor for layering. Defiantly shapeless and ultimately, borderline ‘boxy’. Not that easy to find locally beyond specialist tee printing spots. Double stitching isn’t to all tastes.

AAA (ALSTYLE APPAREL & ACTIVEWEAR)

PROS – Decent quality – neither too thick nor too thin. Large feels like an ‘acceptable’ rather than workwear large.

CONS – Neck doesn’t hug (theoretically, that could be a pro for many). Arms are short from the get-go before any washes.

HOUSE 33

PROS – Amazing shirt – thick cotton, thin neck detailing and a great fit that’s not too spacious. That’s because the House team had this made as the ultimate white tee. Label branding in the arm stitching is nifty too.

CONS – Not sure if the blanks ever officially made it out House33 HQ en masse. Not an easy find.

FRUIT OF THE LOOM ‘SUPER PREMIUM’

PROS – Cheap. Neck isn’t too loose. Sizing is fairly true.

CONS – Feels cheap rather than premium. Too lightweight in feel to carry that lofty ‘premium’ tag.

HANES ‘COMFORTSOFT’

PROS – Cheap. Bought at K-Mart as a ten pack for very little. Good bulk packaging. A decent undershirt. Nice printed branding.

CONS – Useless worn anywhere but beneath a garment. Virtually transparent. ‘Smedium’ feel – even in large.

POLO BY RALPH LAUREN

PROS – Flyest branding ever. Thin neck – this feels ‘custom made’, flattering fit.

CONS – There’s a sense this was intended as underwear, though not to the same extent as the thinner, tighter shirts with the Polo man just above your hip rather than chest. Small sizing - try going one up and it gets vast, with a huge neck to match.

CHAMPION U.S.A.

PROS – Cheap. Big fit minus a vast neck if that’s your thing. Who doesn’t love the Champion ‘C’? Printed neck rather than sewn label (strangely sitting in the waist stitching). Not too prone to shrinkage.

CONS – Pretty thin and vast in overall size. Athletics rather than casual wear seem to be the intent. The assembly (see the seams fixing the arms below) is scrappy and cheap looking.

CARHARTT

PROS – Another big ‘C’ everyone loves. Pretty heavyweight. Nice embroidered sleeve branding.

CONS – This is intended as workwear. It’s shapeless and huge. The neck is practically off-the-shoulder on me.

ALBAM

PROS – Feels like an even more refined version of the Polo fit – semi-fitted cut works well. Thin collar. UK-made. Uses Egyptian cotton for a luxury feel.

CONS - For a white tee it isn’t cheap. Because of sizing it’s a try before you buy affair. Seems to crease easily – though this could be my sloppy storage techniques.

GILDAN ‘ULTRA COTTON’

PROS – Cheap. The ‘everyman’ of  t-shirts. Feels ruggedly constructed from all that double stitching. Lighter than a ‘Beefy’.

CONS – Shapeless fit. Shrink-risk. Can be a little too lightweigh for the heavyweight shirt fans.

CAMBER

PROS – US -made, and it feels rugged. Collar is free of any vulgar excess seams. Thick – it feels like you could roll this up and knock someone out with it (Western sizing aside, it feels like those late ’90s BAPE releases in weight). Fit isn’t half as bad as the Carhartt variation.

CONS - Still assumes a large is LARGE. Fairly shapeless. That BIG collar might alienate non Beefy-fans (it’s close to the Hanes in shape).

UNIQLO

PROS -Cheap if you’re in Uniqlo at the right time. Okay as an undershirt.

CONS – Considering that Uniqlo pushes the tees so hard, you’d expect something  great. In the early ’00s, their cotton and polyester blends were decent. These 100% cotton shirts have their fans, but they’re thin and that weird jutting shoulder makes them fit in an oddly jarring way. Too lightweight.

Everyone loves a good Chambray, but the salmon Chambrays lately have been looking really nice. I’m not a huge fan of red shirts, but this is a nice shade that could be pulled off well. Get on it over at Oi Polloi.

“Holy Smokes

You’re definitely a garage-rock band if you record your debut album in your garage and it sounds about right. Though their self-titled disc is the definition of rough-around-the-edges, Tony Smokes and the Ladykillers wear it well. Sounding like everything might be funneled through a single mic hanging from the ceiling, the drums are thin, the bass is way forward, and the vocals echo with reverb, but damn it’s a lot of fun. Owen Keiter’s ape of David Byrne in the delightfully silly “Total Disco!” is alone worth the investment in the album. But there are also power-rock ballads, thrash-punk chaos, and even a Jimmy Buffett-like acoustic number to keep you on your toes.

To call this a demo does a disservice to most demos nowadays, but there’s a ton of charm in these 11 tracks, including a reminder of why some of us went to all those grange hall gigs in the first place.”

A big thank you to Sam Pfiefle for reviewing the album!

If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, be sure to click the “Buy Our CD” button and find out how to get one (through local indie retail or online).

–Dylan

MORE FREE ***SONGS*** malluvideo.weebly.com

Albam is a young UK based clothing company who strive to produce all of their garments on home soil (where possible). Recently, a few standout items have catapulted the brand into the limelight; in particular the Fisherman’s Cagoule, which would make a brilliant addition to anyone’s wardbrobe and has been on my hit list for some time now. Strong recent additions to the brand’s lineup include, Japanese selvage denim, a pair of excellently constructed deck shoes and the low-profile crepe rubber soled Grizzly Shoe. I haven’t yet seen the denim (below) in person but look forward to trying a pair if these results are anything to go by:

For further insight into the brand and the making of their clothes get yourself over to the Albam behind the scenes blog. Also, if you’re ever in London be sure to pop into their store on Beak street (near Carnaby) for a browse.  More pics below.

Available from Albam and Oi Polloi

Grenson

Info and pics via: Selectism.