Another Wednesday means another I Love Tapes! I have been listening to a lot of music, so I thought I might tell you all about it.

Includes: Wry, Thee Oh Sees, Titus Andronicus, Terrible Twos, The Mint Chicks, Matt & Kim, Computerclub and Spokes (in that order).

Quick judgemental and often wrong reviews of the bands on the mixtape:

Wry have a little bit of that Modest Mouse vibe without being entirely overwrought. I do not think the singer is in any risk of cutting himself, unlike the Modest Mouse guy, is what I am trying to say.

Thee Oh Sees were marketed to me as an art rock/noise band, which usually means you get something really cool like Sonic Youth or something that makes you want to tear your ear drums like Lydia Lunch or you get something that is so pretentious you want to fly to Portland and set fire to a “squat” (that is really some dude’s parents house while they are on a Big Game Safari).

I got none of that, its got this cool 50s, 60s and 80s vibe. No hint of pretentiousness and a lot less contrived than most revivalist bands.

Titus Andronicus has a bunch of problems. I find the vocals are pretty rough but endearing in parts. The self titled track has parts of an out of control Joe Strummer, without the accent and punk rock. I know this song sounds like some old punk tune but I have completely forgotten.

Terrible Twos remind me of what it was great and cool to be able to yell in music. You can hear every influence of the band in his voice. A little Guy Piccioto, occasionally Henry Rollins. It is just a really smart punk album that no one will call punk because it is actually good and punk has become shorthand for dog shit these days.

The Mint Chicks are a great New Zealand band, if you haven’t heard of them you are totally missing out. They just released their third album Screens. All of their albums are good, but this one is missing a founding member in bassist Mike Logie. The lack of grounding has resulted in a really fascinating album, lots of treble. And go figure that I pick the bassiest of all the tunes. Buy everything they have made and if you are stateside, they can be seen around Portland a lot nowadays.

I do not have an opinion on Matt & Kim yet, I just know I like the song I put on the mixtape.

Spokes are on Ninja Tune, a really great UK hip hop label. They branch out with glitchy stuff like Amon Tobin and the now epic Jaga Jazzist. This takes the post-rock aspect of Jaga Jazzist that was present on their second album and truly runs with it. It somehow fits on the label, even though it is a rock album. I believe they are actually on a subsidiary but I am not surprised they are on the label at all. It is epic enough that Jacques would like it, but not so ridiculous that it would be unlistenable (see: Godspeed You Black So & So). Has a little bit of that M83 guitar to it, but none of the synth or Creation Records influence, if that makes sense?

Check out our other mixes at 8tracks.com/tapes. Oh and follow us on twitter: Ned & Frank!