Attack of the Ripple Bursts - Featuring The Cold Beat, Cancer Killing Gemini, Daniel G. Harmann & The Trouble Starts, Shades of Rhythm, Dragontears, and Shuteye Unison

So much music to catch up with:

Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s spinning in the Ripple CD player.

The Cold Beat  - Get Safe

Hailing from Allston, MA, The Cold Beat could be defined as a sleeves-rolled up, working class, roots-level indy rock band with an arm full of punk tattoos.  Having delved deeply into their recently released split 7”, I eagerly anticipated Get Safe, the trio’s first long player, and I wasn’t disappointed.  Think of the Replacements as your starting point, throw them into a beat up 1957 Mercury driving through the heartland of the USA, toss in some punk spittle and snot and a touch of emo energy and what arrives at its destination is a rousing album full of urgent modern anthems.   Melodies are never overlooked amongst the clashing guitars and wild-eyed bass and drums.  Never is this more clear than on the album stunner, “Copper Green,” with it’s clear Replacements-spawned verses and sing-along chorus.  There’s even a chunk of the Gin Blossoms here, if they’d grown up with a love of punk.   Nothing safe here, just good rock and roll.


Buy here mp3: Get Safe

Cancer Killing Gemini – It Only Hurts When We Breathe

In this post-Nine Inch Nails world, it’s hard to be an industrial band without falling upon the common comparisons.  Trent Reznor cast such a long shadow.  But Cancer Killing Gemini are just the band to crawl out from underneath that shadow, forge ahead, and create shadows all their own.  Sure we got the requisite percolating synths, the synthetic throbbing bass, and walls-upon-walls of distorted guitars.  But CKG don’t stop there.  Mix in some truly captivating melodies, a sense of drama and cinematic scope, a willingness to experiment with tempo, and a dirty grunge edge, and you’ll get a feeling for It Only Hurts When We Breathe.  I can think of no logical reason that lead track “Christcontrol,” shouldn’t lead-off every Industrial compilation or radio station for years to come.  The song is absolutely addictive.    The rest of the album follows suit, with gems like “Prescription Drugs.”  Industrial fans, check it.

Buy here mp3: It only hurts when we breathe
Buy here: It only hurts when we breathe

Daniel G. Harmann & The Trouble Starts – Risk

Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Japan, particularly their later period stuff, which coincidentally put me into a perfect frame of mind to enjoy Risk.  Daniel G. Harmann & The Trouble Starts delve into moody, lush, atmospheric pop with the same aplomb as Japan or Blue Nile, never sacrificing listenability or becoming too full of themselves.  This is serious music, not because it dwells in its own self-importance but serious in the intent, the rigor and the craftsmanship.  Ambient passages collide with noisepop, breathy vocals bleed into delicate piano chords.  Crashing guitars explode and disappear at a moments notice.  Moody, atmospheric drone,art pop at it’s finest.  Japan’s been gone for far too long now.  Nice to have Daniel Harmann & the Trouble Starts here to fill the void.

Buy here: Risk
Buy here mp3: Risk

Shades of Rhythm – Shades of Rhythm (Extacy Edition)

Another killer reissue from the vaults of ZTT, sure to please even the most hardened dance/club fan.  Right around the late 80’s and early ‘90’s, the dance, club, warehouse rave scene exploded in London.  I was there, living near King’s Cross for a spell in 1989, and it was impossible not to get caught up in the frenzy created by some of these dynamite dance-music collectives like Soul II Soul.  Shades of Rhythm jumped into that fray releasing platter after platter of rave-inducing, dancefloor madness.  Hyperkinetic rhythms, inspired piano, and a generous helping of joy fueled Shades’ rise up the charts.  Here, you’ll relive those heady days when a happy face, a thumping bass really were the sign of a loving race.  “Sweet Sensation is here as are some true dance, proto-lounge masterpieces like “Shakers,” and “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights.”  If you’re a dance fan, this two-disc deluxe edition is sure to put a smile on your face.

Buy here: Shades of Rhythm (Extacy Edition)



Dragontears – Turn On, Tune In, Fuck Off!!

Another demented masterpiece from the heavily fuzzed mind of Lorenzo Woodrose, mastermind behind Baby Woodrose.  Here, the THC’d-one cranks the fuzz quotient up to ‘11’ and unleashes 6 masterful garage-psych fuzz sunbursts.  Both hands dip deep into the candybowl of multi-colored pills as Dragontears unleash this 40-minute headtrip, the band’s farewell statement.  If you find that guitars simply can not swirl enough to satisfy your tastes, if garage rock can’t crunch enough to fill your belly, have we got a treat for you.  Huge looping bass runs, crunchy guitars, crackling percussion and enough left over, second hand smoke to light up the nation.  Turn on, tune in, fuck off!!

Buy here mp3: Turn On Tune In Fuck Off [Explicit]



Shuteye Unison – Our Future Selves


It’s fitting that Shuteye Unison’s killer new disc arrived on my desk as the autumn rains began their torrential attack.  Two years ago, I included Shuteye’s amazing self-titled debut in my Autumn Listening Guide.  Then, the delicate, dreamy, indy pop reminded me of a pensive walking through a changing colorful landscape.  But this autumn is different.  Winds are blowing, rain is pounding.  And seeming to match that, Our Future Selves finds Shuteye Unison taking a far more aggressive stance.  Crunchy guitars kick off  “Be Kimball,” with a violent sense of foreboding, bringing in a charging post-punk, post-Fugazi groove far and away from the introspective self-titled debut.  But rest assured, Shuteye Unison aren't content to leave it there.  Our Future Selves acts like a reconnaissance mission though the badlands of indy pop.  At times lush and atmospheric, at times dense and mean, and at times sprawling and droning, Our Future Selves is and album for listening.  Don’t think about putting this one on by the fire and ignoring it while you play monopoly.  Our Future Selves demands your attention.  It grabs your inner ear, your brain, and your imagination and insists you go on the journey with them.  What waits around the next corner is a mystery until you actually approach it, and still, it seems to change with each listen.  A remarkable album.

Buy here mp3: Our Future Selves

A Sunday Conversation with Parks and Records

First coming to our attention on the strength of their stunning, ShutEye Unison CD, Parks and Records is the little label that could, combining their love of the great outdoors and indy music. The label was started by young lovers Jon and Mimi Fee whose mission is to build a community of like-minded musicians and fans, release passionate indie-pop/ noise-rock albums, reduce waste through 100% recycled/reused packaging, and support organizations dedicated to making our planet greener.  With all that said, we couldn't wait to get John from Parks and Records to come on over to the Ripple Office and take his seat on the red leather interview couch.


How did you get started running an independent record label?

Mimi and I started Parks and Records about 3 years ago after coming to the realization that independent music would forever play an integral part in our lives. It’s our passion and brings us a lot of happiness.





What motivated you? Did you tap into a particular local scene or were you aiming to capture a sound?

We were motivated by our love of independent music, experience as artists, and a little business plan I pulled together for an “eco label” while attending business school at USF.

Which was your first release?

Our first release was Carcrashlander (S/T). At the time of its release Performer Magazine declared it “one of the most sustainable records of the year”. We are still proud to this day!



There's so much to learn about running a label, share with us some of the lessons you've learned along the way.

Like any business, organization and dedication is key! It’s also very important for you to be honest with yourself and everyone you interact with. Unfortunately the biggest lesson we learned was a total heartbreaker – your friends and family are not your customers. This was a tough lesson because we assumed all of our friends and family would be super fans of Parks and Records, buy all of our releases, and always wear our t-shirts.



What's been your label's high point? Low point?

The highest of high-points has certainly been to work with such amazing musicians (Grandchildren, Carcrashlander) and fall in love with their records. Not too far behind that has been to connect with so many great fans from around the world.




Who would you like to work with, but haven't yet?

Where do we begin? We would actually like to add a San Diego band to our roster. We also wouldn’t mind doing a four-way split 7” with The Cure, Radiohead, The Melvins, and Wilco.

What changes do you see ahead for the music industry?

Same changes you always see; new technology, new genres, new bullshit, a reversion to the mean and then for a brief period of time the underground surfaces and good original song writing prevails.




What are you doing to stay on top of new and emerging technology?

Not much.




What's the biggest challenge facing you today as an independent label?

Really the biggest challenge is finding new ways to promote our artists without a huge budget.




Seems that the sound of the bands you sign keeps evolving. What do you look for in your bands?

We have never aimed for a particular sound or scene, but we do migrate towards bands that possess ability to write great original songs. We basically look for artists that write traditional melodic songs while embracing experimentation to the point short of self-indulgence and at the same time are really intelligent about it. The sound might feel like an evolution, but beneath the surface everyone is basically working off the same fundamentals.




How do you find your artists?

Unsolicited demos (yes we do listen) and word-of-mouth.



Are you a club rat, constantly searching live venues for cool acts?

To be honest, when I’m at a club I’m either playing a show or there to enjoy the night’s line-up. In both instances I’m not thinking about signing a band or discovering someone.

What are you looking for now?

We are actually looking to connect with some old defunct indie-labels that want to part with supplies – vinyl bags, envelopes, etc. True to the ethos of Parks and Records, we are all about recycling, reusing, and repurposing.




What would you like to see happen for the future of the music industry and your label in particular?

In the short-term, I would love to see this interview spark some interest with a couple folks and maybe connect them with one of our releases. In the long-term, I would like to see more folks take a chance on independent music and buy it based on what you hear and not what you see.


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www.parksandrecords.com
www.myspace.com/parksandrecordsmyspace