I have always been an earphone user due to the cheap, easily portable options that it offers. However, after a particularly horrific incident when BOTH of the ears of my favourite set broke, I have found myself using headphones. I have had two pair just sitting around collecting dust and as I was experiencing a particularly short week, I had to resort to using them. So, I fight off spiders the size of my fist to get to them and after some TLC I have fallen in love. Despite their clunky, large appearance they are comfortable and offer a superior sound feedback.
The first audio delight I listened to upon unlocking their potential? NeighboursAugust EP and what a delight it was!
The Brooklyn based band formed in 2009 and consisting of Noah Stitelman, Evan Johnson, Brian Harney, Steph McParty and Anne Mino it is brilliance. I love the simple set up that has depth and the great lyrics that accompany it.
“August” is the title track and my personal favourite. With clicking and clapping, clean guitars, crisp vocals and an upbeat fun sound it is really good to listen to. Teamed up with punchy, catchy, “up yours!” lyrics- Perfection.
“You're full of shit don't you know it, I think I get the gist. I hear you sweet talking baby but I don't feel no passion. The words that you throw and you got your little fists, But no matter how you throw them, they don't get no action”
“Ophelia” slows the EP down a little and introduces a more synthetic sound. Don't get me wrong! This is not full blast 80's synth, this is tasteful, gentle synthetics that create a warm, fuzzy feeling, even with lyrics like-
“If you opened up my scar, And took apart my mind, Do you know what you'd find? Do you even want to know? Inside you'd find and empty hole”
Do not dismay! The funky sounds come back with “Gone Too Long” being a mix of “August” cleanliness and “Ophelia” synths.
“There's no need to say, what there's no sense knowing.... No theres need to say, what there's no use knowing I'd better go, shut the door, there's a storm thats blowing.”
“Bad Timing” is a sad, unblemished song to tie August EP off with. “Holding on to you was the hardest thing to do”
Smooth, clean, fun, sad. NeighborsAugust EP and thanks to my headphones my love of Neighbors was solidified, and thanks the Neighbors, my love of headphones was too.
--Koala
I hear you! I hear you! Well, not really because the music is too loud, but here, you can listen too!
By now everyone is aware or should be aware of a man named Justin Pearson. It seems as though he is part of every important new and past noise rock, powerviolence or grindcore band. Most notably known for being in the bands: The Locust, Holy Molar, Swing Kids, All Leather and Some Girls. Justin's new project is Retox and this is the Retox EP.
Retox hits you straight in the face with the first track “Ready to Spit” Classic noise and powerviolence wrapped in a 41 second song. Lyrically Justin gets me, he speaks of people being handed stuff there whole life and being ungrateful. “Don‟t worry you jerks, we each have a day job among peasants. Our folks don't have to pay off our college tuition for a career. You have received a notice to quit your pointless bitching.”
“I Rub the Wrong Way” is the second track off this 8 track EP. Blistering fast drums and Justin's relentless vocals make this song about hating people for no reason great. “Because God told you to work retail at Wal-Mart. Because God told you to hate fags and foreigners. Because God told you to sell old gold to treat beat meat. Because God told you to live in goat town where gold turns brown. And if I'd agree with you, we would both be wrong.”
“Piss Elegant” is the final track on the album. This is the longest track on the album at just under 2 minutes. It speaks of laziness and dead beats. Two things I hate....which again makes this song right up my alley. “Beats are so dead, we hear a dead beat. We pee between our high heals, and the beat still goes on. Pass around an arm for the kids to get real beat. We hear dead beats, and dumb fucks looks dumb. We see slash hear cons with good luck charms and post-existed conditions lick like two tongues in a cheek. Cons piss up and down life‟s back till we‟re around. Go get adopted and let the beat go on…Beats are so dead, we hear a dead beat and a dumb fuck looks dumb.”
Retox's new EP is a violent album that speaks about the relationship between society and the music it creates Music can tell many stories. Whether it is a story of love, hate or something in between. Retox is the violent answer to the society around us. It is a giant “Fuck You” in the face of hatred and shitty ideals.
Garage rock has always seemed like a broad, sweeping genre to me. Spawning in the 1960s, it can range from anything to the raw sound of early punk to songs like “Louie, Louie”, a song that I could easily go the rest of my life without ever hearing again. Thankfully, Wheels On Fire, hailing from Athens, OH, are clearly targeting the garage punk sound on their new EP, Cherry Bomb. Using the same, fairly simple style found in the 60s, Wheels On Fire manage to bring a fresh sound to a garage scene that has been searching for someone to rise to the top, and they seem poised to do just that.
The EP opens up with “Black Wave”, which will immediately have you hooked right from the get go. From an intro that slowly invites the listener in with a catchy guitar hook, then lyrics that will keep you riveted from start to finish. The first time I was listening, I found myself repeating this song over and over, which ended up becoming a recurring theme throughout the four songs. The sound they invoke reminds me slightly of Black Lips songs like “It Feels Alright” or “Veni Vidi Vici”, with a distinct garage sound, yet a twinge of pop stirred in there, just to make it a little more interesting.
As far as this EP goes, the best song they offer up is “Broken Up”. This song reminds me of mostly forgotten garage punkers like The Alarm Clocks or Banshees. It just has that feel that makes you want to go digging through your old records combing for that Alarm Clocks 7-inch with “No Reason To Complain” and “Yeah” on it. However, “Broken Up” kick a little more ass than either of those other songs, or any other song on this record, just by nature of being a little faster and slightly more aggressive. I can not think of enough superlatives to say about this song, so just do yourself a favor and listen. The last two songs, “Cherry Bomb” and “Go Give Yer Love Away”, are a little bit slower than the other two songs, but still essentially more of the same, still offering tons of energy despite the slower tempo. I look forward to seeing what this band has to offer in future releases, not to mention hunting down their past stuff and giving it a listen through.
--Genesis
Lecherous Gaze - S/T EP
Lecherous Gaze's self-titled EP is a quick, four-track, fifteen-minute rocker, melding stoner rock and punkish themes. Actually I hear a bit of the classic era of punk hidden in there; British acts like The Clash and The Sex Pistols. It's partially in the muddled, over-exposed vocals, and part in the quick guitar and drum rhythms.
The EP seems to be split into two stylistic types; the first half - "Phaze" and "Sold" - fall solidly into the punk/stoner crossover I mentioned above. The licks are catchy and plentiful, the vocals are simple and quick (if not easily understood), reminding me of the 80s heyday of punk. The songs kind of blend into each other, and as I'm not a connoisseur of punk, not the high point of the disc for my ears.
The second half of the album - "Graveyard" and "R 'n' R Lust" - strike a different set of chords, ones more in my direction. "Graveyard" is a bluesy riff-heavy track, where the vocals are more intelligible. It is slower then the previous (although for the last minute of the song it speeds up drastically into a fade out) and gets your head bobbing with the energy behind the guitars.
The last track of the EP, "R 'n' R Lust" (I'm going to say that's short for Rock 'n' Roll Lust, based on the lyrics), is an old-fashioned 60s/70s rocker. It does contain a hint of the punk themes found int he first half of the disc, but this makes the song come off more as psychobilly then anything else. It's a nice ending to the should-have-been-a-LP EP.
Lecherous Gaze's debut EP shows the act's skills and potential. The four-song release crosses into at least three of the sub-genres of stoner rock, with great success in each. While I am a fan of the blues and rock 'n roll tracks more so then the punk ones, every song has some degree of merit. I've got one more track from the band, a Danava/Earthless/Lecherous Gaze three-way split, that I may just have to break into to see what direction that song is. I will be looking forward to their debut full-length, as the group shows major promise.
--Klepto
The Queue - Turn it up, Turn me on
Writing a perfect pop song is a lot harder than it may seem. Sure there are some formulas to rely on, some old tricks to fall back on. But if it was really that simple, that cookbook-ready to write a hit song, then everyone would do it. No, in truth, there's a tremendous skill in making the hard seem simple. Making the catchy seem routine.
Along those lines, The Queue have got it all lined up for their shot at radio domination. They got the looks, they got the chops, and yes, they have the songs. Turn it up, Turn me on is four perfect bite-sized morsels of pop perfection, each one with enough sweetness and meatiness to satisfy as rock and roll ear candy. "Turn it up, Turn me on," begins the boys quest for the airwaves, literally, with a plea to turn up the radio and blast that Queue music around the world. But without being too precious about it, the boys lace their plea with some truly tasty guitar chops and a non-stop feel good beat. Sean Michael Mulligan is a perfect lead singer for their sound; modern sounding enough to catch the ears of the indy, but completely devoid of the annoying whine that seems to be so damn prevalent these days. James Marshall Duich brings on some significant lead licks, while Mike Schiff and Aaron Bouslog make sure the song never lags. Hey, this ain't rocket science, it's pop music, but I'll tell, The Queue manage to make the whole thing seem effortless. This is the sort of feel good pop that makes the summer worthwhile.
While "Turn it Up," is the title track here, it's not my favorite song on the EP. I prefer the way-cool, downtempo, acoustic intro building to the explosive big hook chorus of "Settle Down Your Gun." The subdued vocals work real well here, then the band cranks it up a notch to full-on psych-garage-pop mayhem a la Oasis, or preferably Grand Atlantic. This is the song I'll be cranking this summer as I drive the convertible Ripple Ghia to the beach. "God Save The Queen" draws on a Beatles-esque opener before launching headlong into their "American Woman"-inspired guitar riff. Meaty and muscular. This is pop music I can get behind. A big lead guitar riff, a touch of garage-psych fuzz, and enough melody to keep the young ones singing for days. Reminds me of some of my favorite songs from the Morningstars. In a club, I'm sure this songs cooks.
"You Against Me," rounds the EP out with another Guess Who-vibed platter of gentle pop confectionery. A nice nod to the breadth these cats bring to the table.
In reality I was sitting in a terminal inside Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados waiting to board my flight back to the US. My mind however was traveling very quickly from memory to memory, recalling the fantastic events of my now-ending vacation. I’d had a wonderful week packed full of engaging activities such as an ATV safari, a submarine tour, a scuba diving expedition, and even an exploration of an underground cave! Trust me when I say if you haven’t been to Barbados, you’ve got to go. You’ve got to go! Looking back though, perhaps the best discovery from my vacation was a band named NexCyx.
It was Thursday night. The week was winding down and I was looking for a little excitement to spice up my evening. Thankfully, I overheard another traveler in the hotel lobby talk about this Irish pub and cookhouse called McBride’s that not only had great food, but great music as well. An authentic Irish pub in Barbados? This I had to see for myself, so off I went. Sure enough, I was soon eating steak and potatoes and preparing to groove the night away. About fifteen minutes after I had finished my meal, an announcer brought the band out onto the house stage.
NexCyx is a four piece hip-hop/pop/rock band from Bridgetown, Barbados. The members are vocalist Mahalia Philllips, keyboardist Andre Clarke, bassist Kris Clarke, and guitarist Russell Padmore (two additional members are added for live performances). Together, these musicians produce enticing sonic concoctions that will stick in your mind like stubborn taffy. They are set to release a new five song EP entitled Queen that, based on its many merits, should garner them an awful lot of positive attention.
Defying it’s relatively short running time, the Queen EP shows off many different facets of the band. Opening track “Bass” would fit easily into any night club’s playlist with big organic basslines layered over an insistent drum track. “On the Floor” juxtaposes big metal-like choruses with more laid back, funky verses. “Queen” is a full on modern pop music assault that doesn’t take no for an answer. My favorite track on the EP, “A Little Bit”, comes next. After the previous three tracks I was certainly not expecting a guitar dominated affair that sounds to me like some lost radio hit from the 1980’s. The song simply stands out. Wrapping up the proceedings the EP closes with the beautiful, socially conscious ballad “Take a Minute”.
Not to downplay any members’ contribution, but I would be remiss if I did not make special mention of Mahalia Phillips’ entire performance. It is her voice and charisma which anchors the entire EP. Her vocals are very clean and powerful when called upon throughout each of these five songs. Also she exhibits a great deal of swagger and confidence when rhyming over the hip hop beats. Bottom line? This is really good stuff! Really enjoyable music! Well worth an investigatory look-see.
Julie The Band - Wild As The Sky EP
Thanks to my early arrival at the airport I was one of the first passengers able to board the plane. Once I was onboard I found my designated seat in economy class, stowed my carry-on luggage in an overhead bin, and made myself comfortable in my window seat. Before too long a group of four men, who obviously knew each other well based on their demeanor and the snippets of conversation I was able to overhear, made their way back to my section of the plane. They analyzed their tickets, stowed their luggage, and took their seats; two in the row in front of me, one in the row behind me, and the last in the seat right next to me.
I greeted the man next to me and introduced myself. We shook hands and I learned that his name was Nathan Blumenfeld-James. He asked me what I did for a living and I replied with the usual…nothing fun. Possibly perplexed by my smile, he then asked me what I did for fun. His eyes noticeably lit up when I told him that I enjoy music more than anything else in the world. It turns out that he’s the lead singer/guitarist for a band named Julie The Band. The group’s backup vocalist/lead guitarist Dustin Bath was sitting in front of me with drummer Nick Adams, and the bass player Jon Spence sat behind us. Mr. Blumenfeld-James quickly stood up and rifled through his carry-on bag. He brought out a CD, handed it to me, and told me I might like what I heard.
It was from this simple beginning that my infatuation with Julie The Band’s Wild As The Sky EP came to be. Granted, it’s hard not to love this band’s downright wonderful feel-good music. They combine elements of pop rock and alternative country with soulful, uplifting vocals, resulting in all the negative thoughts floating around inside your head being put in a devastating submission hold. Negativity is forced to tap out, and will be banished for the foreseeable future. It’s pretty cut and dried. There is just no other option when listening to these songs. Happiness reigns supreme!
“Working for the Wind” saunters confidently out of the gate and immediately puts the listener under the band’s spell. I especially like the post guitar solo breakdown featuring gang vocals and clapping hands leading right back to the main melody line and the song’s conclusion. “Memories in my Head” slows things down a bit. It’s a more delicate song with tasteful guitar flourishes throughout, and the vocals will haunt you with their tenderness. The third song, “Wild as the Sky”, brings the alt-country elements strongly to the fore. Acoustic guitar strumming functions as the backbone for the song, allowing a banjo to add all kinds of flavor to the overall atmosphere. “Big Boned” is glorious and spiritual. “Perfect Match” is another delicate song, similar to “Memories…”, only more so with a sparse arrangement that gives each note and chord ample room to breathe. The band saves the best for last in my opinion with the triumphant “Free as a Cowboy”. Rebellious attitude, soaring vocals, punchy guitars and drums; this song is ultra-powerful and ultra-memorable.
As you might have guessed the plane ride back to the US was spent listening to this EP on repeat over and over again, smiling the entire time. The only momentary break from the music occurred when the in-flight meal was served. The band members all knew what was going on, and they gave me a few winks and knowing grins before going about entertaining themselves. Long story short, the EP went home with me that evening. Do yourself a favor waveriders and check it out for yourself. Your inner self will thank you.
When the formation of Black Thai was announced in 2009 I couldn’t stop making references to ye olde Thai stick that you just can’t find anymore. No one ever invites me out for Thai food because they’re tired of hearing me complain about it. Turns out the name Black Thai has something to do with a drunken conversation about a restaurant, and luckily for me these guys are good sports and are polite when I bring up the subject of forgotten weeds.
I’d give them a good review just for that but luckily the music rocks, which is a nice bonus. Black Thai’s debut EP is 6 songs in 30 minutes – a perfect introduction to a heavy band like this. I wish more bands would put out all killer no filler EP’s. “Leave ‘em wanting more” is the one showbiz tactic that never goes out of style. These guys are sort of a Boston supergroup with Jim Healey (from We’re All Gonna Die) on vocals/guitar/red beard and Scotty Fuse from Cortez on guitar/black beard. Kyle Rasmussen played drums on the record but has been replaced by the Cozy Powell loving Jeremy Hemond, also of Cortez and Roadsaw. Cory Cocomazzi has the best Italian metal bass playing name since Anthony Fragnito of Black Lace.
There’s a strong Soundgarden feel to this band, but you can also tell that these guys grew up on a lot of the same bands that Soundgarden were influenced by – Black Sabbath, obviously, but maybe even some early Killing Joke mixed up with 70’s Judas Priest. Jim’s voice is very powerful, somewhere in between Chris Cornell and Bobby Liebling of Pentagram, and his lyrics are good, too. Too many bands concentrate on making the music heavy and then writing throw away lyrics. The dueling Les Paul guitars are heavy but not tuned down to mush and the rhythm section swings with authority.
Opener “The Ladder” has a heavy “Hole In The Sky” groove that gets your noggin moving and contains a great guitar solo. “Satan’s Toolshed,” “Saturation Point” and “333” are all over 6 minutes but never get dull. “333” is my favorite song on the EP and sounds like the type of song that if Johnny Cash was still alive, Rick Rubin would have him do a version of it. There’s also a killer Black Sabbath/Bad Brains riff at the end that they jam out and then ends unexpectedly. “Sinking Ships” is the shortest song at 4 and a half minutes that has a pissed off Motorhead vibe to it.
As good as this EP is, their live show is even better. I was lucky enough to catch them on their recent East Coast tour in Brooklyn at the acoustically perfect Hank’s Saloon. Despite an exclusive Sunday night crowd they blew the roof off the place and gave me a nice 2 day hangover. Is there anything better than that?
Somewhere between The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde and Heart’s Ann Wilson lies Hayley Mary, the lead singer for The Jezabels. It is a nice place to be, especially when your band writes incredible lyrics and ably backs your beautiful, soon to be iconic, voice.
The Jezabels are Aussies whose most recent release, Dark Storm, is the final five track EP in a trilogy that includes 2009 EP releases of “The Man Is Dead” and “She's So Hard.” Mary, along with guitarist Sam Lockwood, drummer Nik Kaloper and keyboardist Heather Shannon co-write The Jezabels’ material and do it extremely well. It is a distinguishing feature of this band. For example, visualize this imagery in the EP’s namesake song “Dark Storm:”
Bright white Cockatoo, baby how I ponder your shadow. How you rip me off my feet, rape me of my time to sleep shallow. And from the sky, she speaks to me and, through her melody, lingers. I said, :No, I don’t want your love, no, I don’t care anymore, Finger.
* * * The second song, “Mace Spray,” has gotten all the press as the “standout” song on the EP. It has an exciting swell of instruments and pop sensibility. Still, it is the combination Mary’s voice and the lyrics that make this band special. Check out these lines:
There’s a place in the town, a statue, she’d make me wait beneath, but its magnificent archways, archways, that’s where I’d go to weep. I’m right up onto the counter, showgirl, perfect the slow body-roll. And break away from the anger, oh hoe, just got to let it all go.
* * * “Sahara Mahala” is the least accessible song on the EP. It reminded me of something the 18th century writer of the poem “Kubla Khan,” Samuel Taylor Coleridge, would have written after an opium-induced dream if he had chosen to express himself in lyric rather than poem.
“A Little Piece” is a brooding, building piece of sorrowful, then powerful, orchestration. Mary is again blessed with singing wonderful lyrics:
. . . Biting cold, thrashing, scolding, drown me under our street. Perfect hips, perfect hips she was, perfect lips, pieces of your heart splattered on the cliff. We go home watch a movie. Tell me can you feel the beat? Getting loose, getting loose she was, letting those feeling loose, she was, becoming a monster.
* * * The final song on the EP is “She’s So Hard.” In my opinion it is better than “Mace Spray.” Here, Mary sings a much more rhythmical and catchy tune with the band set on making this one the most accessible. It is magical combination of beat, pop hook, and voice. Yet, it also contains amazing lyrics:
I will go out, steal birthday cakes from babyface. I will go out, steal the piñata, if I wanna. All that really matters is love, but, if it’s all you really care about, then tough, I’m all out, for the war. I guess love wasn’t what I was looking for.
* * * Ultimately, The Jezabels are evolving from their humble beginnings in a 2007 Sydney University Band Competition. They are on the right track. With Mary’s voice and the bands’ writing a large following cannot be far off.
The Last Royals - Crystal Vases b/w Backseat Lovers
It’s sad, but my very profitable work as genealogist for the two royal families of New York may quickly be coming to an end. You see dear waveriders, at the moment the future of these two grand bloodlines is in serious jeopardy. Only one young man from each family is left to carry on each esteemed line. In a bold stroke of luck for this writer the two men in question, Eric James and Mason Ingram, have decided to join forces in a musical venture appropriately titled The Last Royals. I sincerely hope this title is in jest. I’m not well suited for any other profession.
Now let’s talk about this musical venture, shall we? These two debut singles taken from a recently released EP represent pop music near the summit of Mount Perfection. Seriously, these songs are extraordinary! The Last Royals describe themselves as ‘urban walking music’. If that is true, you should expect to see people in downtown cityscapes either happily skipping along or walking at a quickened pace while undulating wildly. I know that is how I would be transporting myself while under the influence of that soundtrack!
“Crystal Vases” is the first song on offer. The vocals tell a bittersweet tale of a man admiring a vase that has survived a bad break up and now functions as an ashtray. Would you think a song concerning this topic would be depressing? While that is certainly a reasonable assumption, the music played behind this sullen tale makes it strangely jovial and celebratory. The song is very well structured. It gradually builds itself up from a humble guitar/vocal start, crescendos with added instrumentation to the chorus, then brings the energy level back down in order to build once again to the finish. And then there is “Backseat Lovers”. This synthesizer driven monster will have you bouncing off the walls! I’m reminded of Cake at their funkiest. The highest compliment I can pay The Last Royals is that after listening to these songs repeatedly, I’m most upset that I can’t have the instant gratification of immediately hearing more of their music. Download these songs now!
You know, sometimes it’s really not enjoyable being a royal appointee. This is one of those times…but hey, it’s a job. After having cut ties with my previous genealogist position in New York, I moved south to Atlanta where an old friend of mine put in a good word for me with the royal family of Georgia. Upon my arrival I appeared before the court, ingratiated myself with the important parties involved, and thus became the new royal image manager. The first order of business requiring my attention was to hear applicants wishing to become the ‘Official Thunder Manufacturer’ of the royal family. Apparently the royals of Georgia were big meteorology buffs who already employed people in the positions of ‘Official’ lightning catcher, tornado chaser, hurricane designator, and cloudscape portrait maker. ‘Thunder Manufacturer’ was simply the next position that needed to be filled.
And that waveriders is how I found myself sitting behind a table in an empty gymnasium, judging the merits of hopeful ‘thunder’ applicants, bored out of my skull. You would not believe how many people took to the stage before me and simply yelled “BOOM!” as loud as they could. It was stunning and baffling at first, but eventually it became mind-numbing. That’s not to say there were no standouts, however bad they might have been. First there was a one-man-band with two bass drums on his back and cymbals in his hands. That guy was interesting. Second, there was the smug DJ who simply laid his large speakers face down and played a series of bass tracks at extreme volume. Yeah, no. Lastly there was the old, manic traditionalist who brought in a thin sheet of metal which he expertly manipulated to produce the sound of a clap and several rolls of thunder. Impressive, but not what I really wanted. Thankfully Royal Thunder (how appropriate) eventually took the stage for their audition.
The three members of the band set up their gear onstage, tuned their instruments, and proceeded to demonstrate their power. All seven songs from their EP, counting the introductory track, were played in order. It was uncanny how easily the band’s music could be compared to an actual thunderstorm. The introduction utilizes the female lead singer’s haunting voice to create the first hint of tension, as if you can just make out dark clouds forming on the horizon. You can feel something heavy is approaching. “Sleeping Witch”, the first proper song, simulates the cloud mass rapidly overtaking your postion and the rain pouring down. “Mouth of Fire” and “Low” represent the brunt of the storm. Thunder and lightning abound and the rain is being blown almost sideways from gale force winds. “Grave Dance” quiets things down for a few moments, as if you are in the eye of the monster swirling around you, but before long the full force of the storm has returned. “Hotel Bend” mimics the sound of the storm winding down, and the last song “Deacon” proves that one needs to be cautious no matter how quiet and seemingly peaceful things become. Many storms throw one last round of brute force your way before finally leaving the area for good.
Okay, now that I’ve gone on perhaps too long concerning what the music reminds me of, it’s time to acquaint you with what the band actually sounds like. As I mentioned before, there are three members in this band. Mlny Parsonz plays bass and sings, Josh Weaver strums the guitar, and Jesse Stuber beats on the drums. Together they create some haunting, groovy, doomy, muscular, beautiful tunes. Instrumentally I often think of the mighty Black Sabbath, but the vocals are another matter. It is a failing of mine that I can not come up with an adequate comparison for Ms. Parsonz’s exquisite vocals. I’m certainly reminded of someone but I can’t quite put my finger on it, and for that I apologize. What I will say is that the vocals are truly fantastic, and are definitely a highlight of the listening experience!
Obviously after listening to Royal Thunder I had found my new ‘Thunder Manufacturers’. All of the remaining applicants were dismissed, and I hurried to inform my employers of the hiring. They were going to be thrilled!
Electronic distortion - to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately by changing the frequencies or unequally changing the delay or amplitude of the components of the output wave. (The “Filth.”)
Audio feedback - when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output. The frequency of the resulting sound is determined by resonance frequencies in the microphone, amplifier, and loudspeaker, the acoustics of the room, the directional pick-up and emission patterns of the microphone and loudspeaker, and the distance between them. (The “Fury”)
Add the two together and you have The Filth and The Fury. Use it skillfully and surround it with expert guitar playing, world class rock drums, driving bass, catchy lyrics, and soulful vocals, and you have Heavy Glow’s The Filth and The Fury EP.
Although the EP’s name is the same as a 1999 video rock documentary on the Sex Pistols by Julien Temple, Heavy Glow’s performances are more akin to the 1969 psychedelia of Jimi Hendrix. Guitarist and vocalist Jared Mullins displays his axe virtuosity like a circus ringmaster. He tames feedback and turns it into melodious waves of sound in much of the same way Hendrix did during his performance of “Can You See Me?” at the Monterey Pop Festival. He adds various distortions - from Hendrix’s and Clapton’s fuzzboxes to Link Wray’s dislodged amplifier tube sputter. Mullins’ guitar playing is a master class in tone. Mullins’ vocals fit beautifully and provide an expressive and accessible foundation for the power trio.
Joe Brooks provides the bottom. He thumps and bumps crunch in a way Dickie Peterson of Blue Cheer fame would fully appreciate. Dan Kurtz is a madman. He is a power drummer, with exacting rhythm, that would have Buddy Miles and Ian Paice on their feet waiving flicked Bic lighters.
Now here’s the kicker. The EP was cut live in one room over a period of six hours. Let me say that one more time - the EP was cut live in one room over a period of six hours. Incredible!
How did they do it? Well, talent helps - so does the steady hand of guitarist and producer Stevie Salas. Salas has worked with Rod Stewart, Mick Jagger, George Clinton - even Justin Timberlake. He just seems to know how to get the best out of these boys.
The EP contains five songs - all of them gems. The most radio ready are "I Almost Prayed" and "Bourgeois Baby" which share a certain drive and complexity that have you up and rockin’. Then there is "Hot Mess" with a riff that descends directly from Hendrix’s "Manic Depression" "Love Ghost" does things with feedback and fuzz that make you know the band was reared on a steady diet of hard rock. To finish the EP Heavy Glow performs "Red July," an early 1970’s power rock ballad of Bootsy Collin-esque bass combined with Clapton’s Cream-era guitar tones, accented by Stewart Copeland-like drumming, over which Mullins croons about “hot summer, red July” with mantra-like repetition.
Don’t know where the band name Heavy Glow came from. At first I thought it might have originated from the lyrics of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ song "By The Way." After listening to the EP I’m not so sure. It might just be taken from the light at the end of a burning medical marijuana cigarette. Now, that’s more like Heavy Glow.
Have you ever pondered what makes a band great? Is it years slogging away on the toilet circuit honing your craft playing covers to disinterested crowds…that seemed to work for The Beatles and Black Sabbath. Maybe it’s a case of constantly refining and redefining your sound by pumping out numerous demos until, at last, you get it right. Or maybe, just maybe it’s a little thing called chemistry. Below the Fall have come, seemingly from nowhere. As yet the band have yet to play a single gig, have released nothing prior to this recording and don’t appear to have been together for more than 5 minutes yet on this two track recording have, not only secured a label release through the newly formed Witch Hunter Records, have produced a release absolutely brimming with class, power and style.
Eschewing most of the current trends the band create and emotionally charged (but not emo) sound that draws heavily on bands such as Far, Deftones and Hundred Reasons (anyone remember them?). This is big on atmosphere, heavy of guitar and hypnotic of groove. Below The Fall are not out to show how clever they are on their instruments, there is very little excess fat in the structures and certainly no unsightly public displays of masturbation to contend with. Instead the band are solely about the tunes. Both tracks here, “Commissioner” and “Just Run Away” display a musical awareness and grasp on song writing that is as impressive as it is refreshing. The guitars weave subtle melodies around each other before coming together in orgasmic crescendos of heaviness, the vocals are clear, clean, precise and naggingly catchy. The apparent simplicity of the music allows the voice to carry the melody and drive it into your memories. As for the drumming, based on this display I would have assumed that drummer Alex had been playing for years but such is his innate skill, groove and flair it’s hard to believe he’s still a relative newcomer to this game…Dave Grohl watch your ass!!!
While I’m praising the shit out of the music on offer here I may as well mention the production. Most bands on their first outings may settle for a rehearsal tape or some shitty back street 4 track studio to get their ideas down. Not so Below The Fall. Despite being recorded quickly in a local studio this would be worthy of any major release…the guitars sound rich and full of depth, the bass underpins proceedings with a lovely weight and the drums snap and pound in all the right places. If you’d told me this had been recorded at Abbey Road I’d have no reason to doubt you.
At only two tracks this is very much a tease…I’ve just listened to it three times straight on my ipod whilst writing this and could easily go again…so I guess we’ll have to wait patiently for more in future. Hopefully the guys will get some decent gigs off the back of this excellent release and take this to a world in which I think they’re due to find a very warm welcome.
If you do want to grab a nice physical copy of this in its screen printed, environmentally friendly recycled sleeve it is limited to 150 copies in the first instance. Alternatively it is available as a “pay what you like” download from their Bandcamp page but I would strongly urge you to throw a few notes their way for this, it’s more than worth it.
Ed: By the way, we'd like to welcome Ollie to the Ripple family. Main beast of Grifter, he joins Woody's Mighty High as Ripplers who rock. Welcome aboard Ollie!
Only one band can say they are the hottest and best thing to come out of South Africa since Charlize Theron. That band is Die Antwoord, a hip hop/rap group that heavily relies on electronics or as they describe it, new zef gang$ta rap. Their name is Afrikaans for "The Answer.” The lineup is reminiscent of Salt-N-Peppa and Run DMC with two excellent emcees backed by a remarkable DJ.Die Antwoord consists of lead vocalist Ninja, Yo-Landi Vi$$er also contributing vocals as a hype-man similar to Flavor Flav of Public Enemy and DJ Hi-Tekspinning their beats (Note: Vuilgeboost aka Hi-Tek Junior spins for the band occasionally). Over the past two years, the band has become a YouTube and Internet sensation with their music videos, especially their “Enter the Ninja” music video.
The best way to describe the band is they are absolutely addictive. Their viral hit song, “Enter the Ninja” kicks of the "5" EP and is a tease of what lies ahead for the group. The obnoxiously catchy song is filled with smooth rapid flowing lyrics. And if you’re still haunted by the song and want some more, a danceable remix of “Enter the Ninja” is included as the fifth and final track.
Their next song, “Wat Kyk Jy,” an Afrikaan slang for “what are you looking at?”, shows the gritty side of the band with a lazy rap. Yo-Landi and Ninja exchange in English and Afrikan between persistent hooks. Their unpredictable vocal choice, beats and lyrics is what makes this band so unique and remarkable. This is followed up by “I Don’t Need You,” an infectious dance song that is more of a rave/ dance song. It completely catches you off guard at first, but once you recognize Ninja’s rapping its quite enjoyable. Ninja’s monotone rhyming and spacey sound is extremely enticing in a weird way, but it somehow works on this song.
“Enter the Ninja” is the song that catapulted them to fame, but it’s “Fish Paste” that will bring Die Antwoord more mainstream success and their careers to a whole new level. This is easily by far the most accessible song of the bunch and proves this band isn’t one of those bands who will disappear. Ninja, Vi$$ser and DJ Hi-Tek are having fun with their music and so should you. This particular song is reminiscent of a Drake and Kid Cudi song, but it’s a smoother, ridiculous fun song.
Die Antwoord is a breath of fresh air to the rap industry and that cannot be emphasized enough. This EP is merely a warm up act to a revamped version of their debut $0$ album, which was previously released through Die Antwoord’s website. Their odd, eclectic sound is what makes them such a fantastic and exciting band to listen to in this current dreary filled rap music scene. The future looks bright. If you enjoy this band, also check out similar artists Jack Parow and MaxNormal.Tv. -- Mr Brownstone
Every once in a while, a band comes along that is absolutely addicting and you can’t seem to get their music out of your mind. I love unexpectedly coming across bands that turn out to be hidden gems. Such was the case when I first came across The Colourist. Last September I visited the Troubadour in Los Angeles to see The Honey Brothers, a New York new wave folk band, playing their first Los Angeles show in almost two years and the first West Coast concert with drummer Adrian Grenier, star of the hit HBO show Entourage. Finally seeing The Honey Brothers was awesome, but I was blown away by the first opening band, The Colourist, and became completely captivated by their music. Immediately I came home that night and bought their EP off iTunes. Unfortunately it got mixed up inmy iTunes Library until recently.
With an energetic and enticing female drummer, you can’t help but get a Matt & Kim vibe from Maya Tuttle as she pounds the skins on her drum kit and sings beautifully with backup vocals. Guitarist Adam Castilla commands lead vocalswhile Justin Wagner (keyboards/vocals) and Kollin Johannsen (bass/guitar) keep the band in place. The self-proclaimed Orange County “jungle rock” quartet is one of those catchy bands you can’t stop thinking about once you hear their music. Their music sweeps listeners away with their catchy choruses that take the listener on a pop melody adventure. Their Death Cab for Cutie sound is the perfect soundtrack for summertime and even better for a laid back time. They blend dance, electro-pop, rock, and folk to create a sound that is completely their own. It’s truly troublesome trying to label this band, but why does that even matter when they sound amazing?
The four song self-titled EP leads off with “Oh Goodbye,” which was nominated last year for best song at the 2009 Orange County Music Awards. Simply irresistible, you can’t help but get caught up in this song. This is one of the best pop songs I have heard in the past five years! The band blends perfectly on “Oh Goodbye” that will leave you wanting more. “Fair Weather Friends” begins with a xylophone creating a soft sound before building into a heavier sound with pounding drums and energetic guitar riffs. This song shows the diversity and potential the band has transitioning from genre to genre flawlessly. The distinguished drumming styles of Tuttle, the charisma of Castilla and the hypnotic harmonies in “Cold October” just elevate this EP to a whole new level. The EP ends with “Yes Yes” an electronic pop song that has hook, after hook leaving you singing along the entire time.
Overall, this entire EP has one hook after the other and you might even catch yourself singing the songs long after you stopped listening. The future looks bright for this unsigned band as they continue to make great music in Southern California.
The Shirks – Dangerous/Young and Filthy b/w Get Out
Coming from Big Neck Records, I had a pretty good idea what this platter’s gonna sound like before I even put the needle to vinyl. One of the finest purveyors of rattling, grease-stained garage punk out there, The Shirks fit comfortably into their asylum. Each song here is an adrenaline-infused, learning-how-to-string-a-guitar blast of raw and primal garage punk. Rough, raw, indecent and probably banned in some countries, the Shirks ply their trade with unbridled adoration and love for all things ragged and fast. Put away your cerebral neurons and just go with it. Trashy good fun.
Pistola – Chugs and Squeals (At the Amusement Park) b/w Out and About with Danny Rowe
Don’t know if it’s just my copy or not, but this was one of the more creative packagings I’ve seen. A nifty, red vinyl 45 7” with a complete copy of the full-length CD dropped inside. Granted, they may have dropped that in just as a promo, but it’s still a cool concept. Buy the single, get the album.
Of course that only works if the single is worth buying, and fortunately this one is. “Chugs and Squeals” post-hardcore dissonant screamer of Helmet-styled aggression with some nasty pop smarts. “Danny Rowe,” kinda brings on a Blondie-meets-Quicksand-and-then-beats-the-shit-outta-them-in-a-public-restroom vibe of heavy guitars, strong melodies, and intent female vocals. Not metal, not pop, not indy, not post-anything core. Just music. Rocking, hard and soft at the same time. Don’t try and name it, just check it out.
Stegosaur – Adventure
Three song little ditty from these ernest pop/punk emo rockers. Riding big guitars, “Headache,” is catch and grating, ingratiating and infectious. Guitars wallop into walls of sound under the big nasal ride of the vocals. There’s no doubting the emotion here. Good dynamics mix the tune up enough to bring me along. “Big Breath,” ups the melodic aspects of the band, brimming like a nascent Weezer. Tones of Cursive pervade throughout. Second side’s “Bloooooood,” adds a beat of handclaps and gangland vocals to bring some quirk-pop to the affair, meshing it all into a massively engaging alt-pop affair. Vocals and guitars build with rising intensity, then drop back down, shifting the pattern, changing the tempo, keeping the ears hooked. This song clearly shows that Stegosaur are no plodding emo-imitation act, but got the chops to break through to a bigger audience.
Junior Battles – 7” S/T EP
Reading the bio of Junior Battles, it seems that the entire formation of the Toronto band and their subsequent success was a total accident, a sublime fluke of destiny that befell four teenaged lovers of old school pop-punk. Well, let me tell you, what’s happened to them since is no fluke. Launching into a rousing 4-song blitz of choppy guitars, soaring chorues, candy-melodies, and infectious grooves, the 13 minutes of this EP pass as effortlessly as listening to your old favorites. Each song is rooted in the hook, without sacrificing true dynamic to get there. Hooky, poppy and fun. Just the way pop-punk is supposed to be.
In truth, we get so much music slogged in through the Ripple doors by Postman Sal, that sometimes it’s hard to keep track of it all. That’s definitely the case with this nifty little debut E.P. by Los Angelenos, Dirty Madame. I have no idea how this disc made it’s way to our office, who mailed it in, where it came from, and no idea how it wound up on my desk in my ever-expanding, leaning-tower-of-CD's to review stack. But there it was.
As is Ripple policy, everything that comes in gets listened to, so this fine blustery morning, Dirty Madame found it’s way into the Ripple player and . . . damn! Where did this disc come from?
Dirty Madame play an intensely groove-oriented brand of quirky pop/rock that is a lot heavier and riff oriented than that simple description might lead you to believe. Over the track of these four cuts, the four-piece hunt down the inherent grooviness in each song like a tribe of bone-pierced Brazilian rainforest hunters tracking down some fresh game. And they do it with astonishing confidence and an ease that belies the complexity of the songs. In short, these tracks rock, plain and simple, with a style all their own. And that style is pure fun.
“June,” brings some off-kilter tones to the opening riff that immediately caught my ear. Back that up with an incessantly strong rhythm section and my ass was moving all around in the driver’s seat before I’d even hit second gear. Topping this off is the decidedly original vocals of Greg Davis, who manages to sound distinctly indy yet commercial at the same time. At times his voice most reminds me of Colin Hay the old lead-singer of Men at Work, and that’s a compliment. Greg let’s his voice rise and fall all around these songs, weaving in and in between the groove. "June" starts off with a donkey-kick to the ass and just keeps on going from there. The more I hear it, the more I like it.
Check out the band’s myspace and they list a stack of influences that’s about nineteen country miles long. In truth, I don’t really hear any of those in the music. Maybe a touch of Kings of Leon in the quirkiness of the guitar work? A smattering of White Stripes in the straight-ahead delivery? A flavor of Franz Ferdinand in their ambition? Some Strokes? And Men at Work, damn it! If not just in the tone of the vocals, then in the instantaneous catchiness of their melodies. (I’m working that Men at Work angle here, and I’m not gonna let it go. Particularly if Men at Work knew how to rock this hard.)
“Michelangelo,” brings back more of that near-off time riffing with some propulsive rhythm work and a serious freak out on bass. Let me toss in fIREHOSE here. Maybe? Not sure, but there’s something subversive yet infinitely cool at work here. The whole affair reminds me of Jonathan Richman’s ode to Picasso, if not in execution than in intent. Expect this song on Ripple Radio soon. And often.
Ok, so now that the boys got my attention, they switch gears in a dramatic way with “Santa Anna,” probably my favorite song on the album. (Yeah, I know I raved about the others already. I still like this one best.). Riding more of a mid-tempo pace (though you wouldn’t know it from the hyper-kinetic drums), this song is a slow burner, with killer harmonies and that distinctly Colin Hay-ish vocal delivery (I told you I wasn’t done with that line of thought).
“Like the Sound,” finishes us off just as strong as we started, and in fact, a bit more rocking. Blaring out a fuzzed guitar riff that sounds like one half of the “You Really Got Me,” riff by the Kinks, Dirty Madame reveal their inner garage here. Straight ahead and ballsy, a fitting end to a surprising debut.
Brimming with confidence and the chops to back it up, Dirty Madame got me to give them the double eye-brow raised salute. In fact as this was playing, my son stepped into my office and declared that Dirty Madame are everything the Ripple is about: the best music you're not listening to.
Don't make that mistake. Check these cats out. They're definitely a band we at the Ripple are gonna keep our collective eye on.
