Or: why the "change" pocket in cargo shorts is truly, genuinely great and useful:
Said pocket holds an iPod nano nearly perfectly, which in turn holds the digital version of the above record, which in turn--
allows Radio Music Society to permeate me while I go about my normal day: washing dishes, vacuuming and whatnot...
Radio Music Society is undeniably "pop" music (a term I'd normally consider an insult) at its very best (perhaps hence Esperanza's recent Grammy win): innovative music with clever, inspirational lyrics, while still melodically memorable: it's George Clinton-- if he played bass, came from a jazz background, and wrote less-sexualized lyrics.
It's adventurous, creative pop music. It's also, pretty obviously, an attempted "crossover" record (from jazz to pop), though it's pretty much successful in this regard (there's no instrumentals; it's all vocal-led pieces with a jazzy though pop-led sensibility):
"Endangered Species" is the best intro tune/ "crossover" example here: previously she just did the somewhat-famous Wayne Shorter piece (while singing the tenor sax line as scat); however, now there's intelligible lyrics (i.e., what's normally called "vocalese," which is normally a terrible thing, particularly in tunes like Monk's "'Round Midnight") but in this case, it pretty much works.
With the "deluxe edition" (normally a semantic indicative of a cash-grab by iTunes or whomever), you actually get an hour-long video of the "making of" the record-- and it's worth getting in and of itself.
Specific tracks, you ask?
"Land of the Free," which is just Esperanza and a bass with lyrics, is the most overly political tune here: It's George Clinton + Scott LaFaro + Public Enemy, ca. 1988.
"Black Gold," the initial single, still holds up, and in general I really enjoy Spalding as a "New Jazz Artist" (especially since she's a hot black chick playing bass guitar and singing!)-- how is this not hot...?
On track six, "I can't help it," you get this lyric:
"Like a trip to heaven, heaven is the prize..." (featuring Joe Lovano, one of the few tenor guys of the last, say, 40 years, whose tone, via his $1000 custom-made wood mouthpiece, I angrily covet)....
"Hold on Me," is Mickey Spillane (i.e., Dashiell Hammett over the top) as melody and mood... jazz as you probably think it is if you don't listen to much jazz)....
Basically? She's a "jazz"-borne ingenue, one who's decided to write jazz tunes that a very-literate public will chat about while drunk....
Evaluate that as you will, for good, or for bad....
I stood staring out the open door, watching the earth move 15,000 feet below me.
I'd taken many a dive before, so I had no reason to be anxious, but as the wind belted my face, I couldn't help but think something was about to go terribly wrong. Fastening the earbuds into my ears, I hit my iPod and the Pagan Folk Metal of Dutch band, Heidevolk, burst into my ears. It seemed like the perfect accompaniment to my jump. Swallowing my fear, I leaped from the plane, flinging myself into the vastness of the early morning sky. The air buffeted my cheeks, icy daggers of pain digging into my face as if a butcher were filleting my face with tiny scalpels. Adrenaline seared though me, but not in the sense of the normal rush. It was the fear of the unknown.
Lightning cracked. A vortex swirled around me, a maelstrom of darkened clouds and stinging rain. Thunder resounded within the whirlpool of whipping clouds and ice particles. The Earth disappeared. My body descended into nothingness.
Then, just as quickly as the vortex arrived, it was gone. I was on the earth, unharmed, yet I hadn't ever deployed my chute. How was that possible? And where was I? The darkened forest around me was a far cry from the windswept, brown grassy fields of my landing zone. Rain fell about me. I crawled onto my knees in the mud.
Then, they were there.
I saw them before I heard them. Pounding drums and chants of a long-lost time. A time of dark ages and lost Germanic tribes. Terror seized my heart as the foliage parted and out they stepped. The Batavi. Yes, I know they existed over a thousand years ago when they dared to rise up and fight against the oppression of the Roman Empire. But there they were. In single file formation. Battle armaments at the ready. The regiment began chanting in unison "Een Nieuw Begin." I don't know how they had electric guitars, but they did, and they crushed out one brutal metallic riff after another, searing up and around the melody of the chorus and back into the group chant. I should have been terrified, but I wasn't. The Batavi didn't want to harm me. They knew I wasn't from a lost Roman Legion. No . . . they wanted me to join them.
We marched back to their village and the feast began. In the main hall, mead and ale poured like a sexual fluids as the guitar whipped into the melodic lines that rode over the staggering metal riff of "De Toekomst Lonkt." Paired clean vocals rose above the fray of rousing metal guitars, leading the men into the hall, ushering them forward to celebrate the upcoming battle. And the men did. Rushing in amid a tempo change and perfect thrash riff, they gathered and chanted in unison. I don't know what they were singing, some Germanic dialect, but I was totally wrapped with them. Mead flagons held aloft. A God was going to bless them that night and the men planned to meet that God drunk off their asses.
We feasted on boar and deer, tearing the meet from the animals bones with our teeth, juices dripping down our chins, as a funeral mall fell over the group. The dirge of "Het Verbond Met Rome" settled over the large room, walls of guitar screaming and echoing as if in mirror of the dying that would happen tomorrow. The reality of our situation settled in. We were about to face the world's mightiest army--the mere few of us. But we weren't going to falter. Picking up the mead flagons we jumped upon the table as the crushing thrash riff picked up the tempo. Another group chant. Another rousing metallic riff. A brotherly slap to the warrior besides me. If I was to die, these would be the men I would meet my maker with.
"Wapenbroeders" brought us to the frenzy. Crushing blast beats accompanied by the mournful wail of a violin filled the air as we lined up single file, grabbing our weapons. A battleaxe in my right hand, I grabbed a metallic mace in my left. I steadied the shield that protected my left forearm and pulled the helmet down over my bald scalp. Our leader called out to us as the cacophony broke into a raging guitar riff. "Hey" we screamed back in time with the band. Battleaxe raised. "Hey!"
Adrenaline speeding through our veins and the taste of blood lust in our mouths, we marched through the village to the raging metal of "In Het Woud Gezworen." The women stepped out of the earthen huts, babies draped on their hips. Then it was time for a moments reflection. A lone violin stepped in above a delicately strummed acoustic guitar as we took the two minutes of the mournfully beautiful "Veleda" to say our goodbyes. Tears stained their cheeks and even the bravest man felt the knot grow in their throats as the reality of our eventual battle set in. Not many of us would return to our homes, but fight we must. For freedom. For our children.
And fight we did. To the hyper-intense death scream blitzkrieg of "Als De Dood Weer Naar Ons Lacht" and on through the thrash metal assault of "Einde der Zege" we fought. Limbs rendered from torso. Heads split open under the crushing might of my mace. I defended my brothers, fighting for my new adopted land. Blood splayed, flesh tore. The band played on in furious thrash metal as the lone violinist joined in, lending her mournful gaze to the bloodshed.
And then, as quickly as it had started, it was over. "Vrijgevochten" rang out, a lone guitar scratching out a metal riff, soon accompanied by the full band and the rousing gang vocals of us survivors. We rose above the dead, our arms locked with each other. We raised our voices to the Gods, giving thanks for our victory and remembering the brave deaths of our fallen comrades. As sweet as victory is, the muted metal of "Vrijgevochten" reminds us that nothing comes without a cost. We gather up our dead and wounded and head back to the village. Women and mead await.
As for me, I have no desire to go home. I'm one of the Heidevolk now. I live with the Batavi. Romans beware.
The first time I heard the phrase “Nine Pound Gun” was when I was partridge and pheasant hunting near the Madison River in Montana. As we practiced with 12 gauge shotguns on some skeet before heading out into the fields near the river, one of the guides pulled out an old Civil War-era Springfield rifle and quickly hit, reloaded and hit, two clays. The second guide, who had been tending to the dogs, yelled back at the group of us hootin’ and hollerin’ over the accomplishment and said “Hey, Eagle-Eye, showing off with your 9 lb gun?” I didn’t understand the odd reference until I later found out that the rifle weighed 9 pounds and that a 9 lb gun was actually a European cannon found mounted on vessels of the English and Spanish armadas of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Nine Pound Gun (9LB GUN) is also a great power trio that fires classic, country-tinged southern folk rock in the tradition of Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo. Jeremy Phillips provides lead guitar and vocals. Ross Kinsler plays a left-handed bass and Bob (The Drummer) Lovvorn provides skins and cymbal play. Both Kinsler and Lovvorn ably provide back-up vocals. Phillips and Lovvorn have shot it up together, off and on, for the past 20 years. The band is from Lafayette, IN - Middle America - and they sound the part. They only recently pulled the trigger on forming a trio with Kinsler.
9LB GUN has released one locked and loaded album and it is explosive It contains ten targeted tracks, is called Twelve, Twelve, and it goes off just like an over under shotgun. One barrel is full of bar room rock - the other, alternative rock backseat ballads. It all packs a one-two punch and can do some major damage when properly aimed. It is great beer bar music loaded with a bit of two-stepping - and it is American as apple pie.
By the way, 9LB GUN says on Facebook it is looking for a manager. Doing it that way is kind of a field artillery approach to a sniper problem, don’t you think? Hope it works out for them. 9LB GUN is definitely worth a shot.
Alestorm's genre was listed as Scottish Pirate Metal. I am not kidding you. This is possibly the coolest, weirdest thing I have ever had the fortune to stumble upon. And the album cover of Back Through Time fits perfectly within the genre description. A bloodied skeleton warrior wielding a sword that's impaling a severed head, you really cannot get any cooler than that. Well, maybe add a bit more corpes and spookiness, but you get the idea.
Back Through Time starts with the sound of wind whistling through sails while gutteral voices shout admidst cannon sounds. No, I'm not joking, they really went that extra mile. The lyrical content continues the pirate theme, talking of traveling through time to fight vikings, causing shipwrecks, while taking heads and.....treasure, of course. Really? Is this a novelty act, or are these guys actually this seriously obsessed with pirates? Racer, are you trying to make me lighten up a bit by sending me this album? Yes, it's very funny that a band is literally parading around as modern day pirates, but it's not quite as funny when you realize that the entire....album...talks.....of...nothing....but...pirates. The joke wears thin by the middle of the album.
If you forget the slight immaturity for a minute, these lads are actually talented. I really liked the doubling done by the keyboards and the guitars. The drumming chugs along like a runaway train, or ship, I guess *rolls eyes*. There were also orchestral acompanyments, including trumpets, many other horns, flutes, and what sounded like bagpipes at one point. Well, they are Scottish, so, there you go. I liked it, it added a nice cultural point, you can tell the lads are proud of their background. Alestorm's sound combines the chugga-chugga of death metal, guitars pushing the limit of speeds with the flighty meideval sound of pagan metal. Lots of old fashioned Scottish folk music mixed in with the heavy metal and of course the yells of "YAAHH, TREASURE LADDIES!" Sad part is, I'm not joking, that's almost a direct lyric right there.
I eventually stopped listening to the lyrics because they were just getting silly after a while. Getting past the whole silliness, Alestorm is really a pioneer in their sound. Flawlessly combining speed metal with pagan metal while piling on shouted lyrics, it's different, a good different. Pirate-ness aside, I would listen to this band again, possibly while on a road trip so I can pretend I'm a pirate too. Why not? Goths and pirates could go together quite nicely I think.
I walk around town looking like a teenage Adora BatBrat (just kidding, I wish I looked like her!) so I can't really be casting about judgement on looking weird, now can I? If Alestorm really follow through with this pirates thing and walk about in pantaloons and 1600 styled jackets, more power to them. Eh, cheers mates, may we all be freaky together!
There I was - an American in Barcelona in the late 1970’s. I paid for a small habitación off Las Ramblas. The city was, and is, a dizzyingly strange merger of cultures. The Romans conquered it and it is said to have been settled by the crew of one of the nine ships of Hercules and Jason and the Argonauts when they shipwrecked in search of the Golden Fleece. The City has been run by the Christians, overrun by the Visigoths, conquered by the Muslim Moors, and tended by the French. All that cultural clash has led to an interesting eclecticism in the architecture (just look at the Gaudi Cathedral) and in the City’s population. Modern influences, Western European and American influences, mix with the old.
As I walked up Las Ramblas I was surrounded by birds in bird cages, vendors, artists, musicians, singers, acrobats and dancers, all performing simultaneously, The influences changed as I walked. It was like the Doppler Effect of ambient sound - changing volume, timbre, tempo, style and pattern every few steps with a merger of two in the space between. I wondered whether these amazing and seemingly disparate influences I heard - flamenco, pop, jazz, rock, gypsy, middle eastern and classical - could ever be melded together by a band of musicians to capture the feel of a modern Barcelona.
I finally found that band in Ojos De Brujo, which in English means “Eyes Of The Sorcerer.” The band now has several albums under its belt and is marketed in North America by Six Degree Records located in San Francisco, CA. My first experience with Ojos De Brujo was their 2006 release entitled Techarí. It consists of a CD with fourteen tracks (all en español) and a CD-ROM of four videos, photos of the making of the album, lyric translations in 15 languages and a booklet pdf of album illustrations.
Band vocalist Marina “la Canillas” Abad has a fascinating voice that ably handles an incredible variety of musical styles - sometimes within the same song. Maxwell Wright handles male vocal duties and plays some percussion. Panko (yes, that is his full name) plays keyboards but also scratches like a NYC Club DJ at 1a.m. on a Saturday morning. Ramon Gimenez and Paco Lomena are flamenco guitar masters. Javi Martin plays bass. Xavi Turull pounds on the cajón, tabla, congas and percussion. and Sergio Ramos assists on the cajón and plays drums.
It is incredibly difficult to characterize the sound of Ojos De Brujo. It is crisp, clean, clear - an amalgam of influences and flamenco-tinged. It all comes together to form a fascinating and entirely enjoyable aural experience. - much like the band’s hometown of Barcelona. There are pop, jazz, rock, hip-hop, gypsy, middle eastern and classical influences, yet the music is thoroughly modern.
Really, though, back in 1978 I did wonder whether such a mixture of cultural musical aesthetics could ever amalgamate and synthesize. I realized that someday they would when I walked in and sat down at a table in a small steak restaurant/bar near the Barcelona bullring. Along with the torero clothing, bull horns, capes, hats, swords, picas and other bullfighting memorabilia that covered the walls, was a small television. The bar patrons’ eyes were transfixed on the TV. As I looked up I heard, “Mamacita!, Mamacita!” and saw on the screen a small girl running across a field to Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon. A man’s voice melodically intoned over the scene. “La casa de la pradera” - Little House On The Prairie. Fusion had already started.
Acephalix' last full-length, Interminable Night, was my no. 7 album of last year, so I was excited to hear this one.
It's very similar to Black Breath's newest, in that there's a marriage of Entombed to New York City Hardcore-- the difference here is that Acephalix are much closer to Entombed than the NYHC-- they're boldly detuned, and overall slower than BB.
"Tomb of Our Fathers" is the first standout, with its groovy, Asphyx-like riffing and completely unintelligible lyrics... "Raw Life" is a lurching, undead-Golem of a riff/song, and highlights one of the qualities of this record-- it's just as rawly-produced as its predecessor-- you can hear absolutely every ambient sound during the recording, and (during the silences at least), it's pretty fucking cool; it underscores the heavier riffs once they start back up, and "Raw Life" clearly shows this effect.
"Blood of Desire" roars out of the gate, blastbeats at first then D-beats, then, with a Zeus/ Odin-like bellow, hits what is arguably the most "memorable" of the tunes here....
Short version: they're Entombed, got very fat and very pissed off-- can't move quickly at all, weighs 300 pounds (136 kilograms to my European brothers and sisters, 21 1/2 stone to my Irish homies) and would squash you without even thinking twice about it, though probably wheezing through the whole endeavor.
"In Arms of Nothing" intros with the same badass bass than Interminable Night started with....
Overall, there's a very slight change (I hesitate to say "evolution") from their previous record, and this consists in inching further down the death metal spectrum, ever-so-slightly away from the D-beat that characterized their previous record, Interminable Night. I can't say it's better or worse; just very slightly different.
To reuse a metaphor, it's death metal Coca-Cola. It's not new Coke, it's not diet Coke, and it's definitely not Cherry or Vanilla coke, what with their increased sweetness....
But how many Cokes have you drunk in your life so far? Hundreds to thousands, right? And they were all pretty good, yeah?
Deathless Master is your latest two-liter of D-beat-ish Death Metal.
If you love this very particular beverage, this is for you.
Black Earth. Dwell on the words for a second. Imagine it. Inhale it. Feel it in your hands. Black. Rich. Pungent. Dirty. Fertile. Moist.
Six words that best describe the uber talented shit kickin’ powerhouse three piece from Austin, Texas. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you Black Earth.
The essence of our existence is the earth itself. Where all good things come from. Under the sun. Holding the water. The earth. Black loam. The kind that gets under the nails and stains your cuticles. (cute testicals?). In the same gritty vein as Americana rocker greats Leroy Justice and the Brought Low from New York City, and sparked with a renewed vigor, Black Earth come roaring back with their euphoric sophomore album “Pink Champagne” produced by Chris “Frenchie” Smith.
Make no mistake, they have “that sound”. The sound that’s going to go big come hell or highwater. You can hear it in the strength and depth of their song writing prowess and musicianship, the sheer power of their delivery and the interwoven, in each other’s pocket, synchronous gel jamability of their live show. The chemistry is more than evident. These guys would KILL live! And they have a reputation for doing just that. As their bio reads, “they demonstrate a lot of versatility. They’re tenacious live and can perform at will”. They’re apt to “go off the deep end into an improvisational tangent”. According to legend, they once did a thirty minute set and only played three songs. The crowd ate it up. Singer/guitar player Jason Calise captures a potent vocal combination of Mark Lanegan from the Screaming Trees and Ian Astbury from The Cult. Influential moments from the Rolling Stones, Sheepdogs, Seven Mary Three, Faces also leak into their sound like friends dropping by for a drink and a tickle.
Their bio continues – “Lots of indie bands use titles so generic that their fans have no clue about the light and dark places in the heart that the songs emerge from. Not so with Black Earth, who declared ‘Hell Yeah’ from the get go on their 2008 album ‘That’s Right, We’re Goin’ Balls Deep’—a collection that also included high energy fare like ‘Whatever Happened to Drinkin’ Whiskey and Kickin’ Ass?’.
Don’t sugar coat it boys.
“Continuing the theme of high hopes followed by shattered expectations, the three began work on Pink Champagne during some of the darkest, heaviest individual periods of their lives. Yet amidst the darkness and personal crossroads, there’s also a feeling that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. This record also shows a different side of the band. ‘We've been through a lot of difficult times, member changes, you name it’ says bassist Dave Rangel. ‘The one thing that has kept us together is the fact that we persevere and our love for music. Through this perseverance, we've been able to create some of our greatest moments. When the chips are down, we keep stepping up’. Pink Champagne begins in and then emerges from a much darker place resulting in an emotionally compelling work”.
Ten songs in ten days. Take no prisoners fellas.
The album kicks off with the twangy bluesy, somewhat countrified DEAR LADY LEAN. It offers up a grass chewin’, tabacco spittin’ feel featuring the rich, raspy vocal work of Jason Calise. The keys sweetly blend the instrumentation on this number. To quote Gord Downie from The Tragically Hip, it conjures up images strollin’ down a corduroy dirt country road on a dusty hot summer’s day pondering where the next paycheck’s coming from and whether the power will still be on when you get home.
The opening chords of FACE DOWN IN THE GUTTER kick ass! The freakin’ tone drips with so much texture and taste it would make Gordon Ramsey blush. It transitions into a flat out rocker while the vocals take on a more condensed, urgent feel - a perfect fit. Skins monger Jason Reece performs rhythmic gymnastics on the kit while Dave Rangel ‘s bass runs are lockstep. A couple of timely fuzzed out reprieves in the middle and near the end paint a different perspective. Calise opens up the throttle on his otherworldly tone towards the end - just fucking epic intonations on the solo. Lots of way cool FX here too and he works the baby wah like he’s spankin’ a wayward bastard child. This stubborn number just does not want to quit!
HER SONG – if this song was written for somebody’s wife or girlfriend then she must be a pretty special person. It has a very delicate Pearl Jam-esque quality to the guitar sound and song structure. Supported by a magnificent background Hammond wash, the song explodes in a Billy Duffy inspired burst in the middle and again at the end before it returns to its original introspective roots. Once again, Jason Calise squeezes out an exquisite fuzzed out solo near the end dripping with thick, savoury overmodulated tone! This puppy’s spewing chunks. Up front backup vocals bring it home.
LIVIN’ AND LOVIN’ is a hard driving, raucous rocker with an intro. reminiscent of the opening of Rod Stewart’s “Stay With Me” - only on speed. Eventually things settle back into a steady rock groove augmented by a fun, quirky bridge. Total live show fist pumper.
MY PRIVATE HELL – the title speaks for itself and the distorted guitar drives the dark point home and then some. This dark little ditty’s a no holds barred, straight up, no bullshit rocker featuring even grittier vocals with no shortage of cowbell, a sweet chorus and a raunchy, rippin’ solo that’s a perfectly imperfect fit (you read that right). Things pick up toward the end as the pace morphs into a full on gallop. The Brought Low salute.
NO WAY BACK assaults your earholes with classic Bad Company/BTO type power chords right off the top. It’s a simple, catchy tune that will ignite crowds into a rousing round of the chorus at a live show. A tried, tested and true head banger for those down front.
The title track PINK CHAMPAGNE is a sweet, complex acoustic number that really smacks of the Screaming Trees in terms of feel and tone, highlighted by some newly minted, prominent, lip smacking female background vocals.
SHE DON’T WANT IT – the Valient Thorr inspired rolling riff off the top has you grasping for your pint of the good stuff and raising it in a collective salute to this hard chugging, tongue-in-cheek rocker that hollers out a delectable chorus once again smacking of the mighty Brought Low. Who’s complaining?
SINGLE STITCH is a great example of Black Earth’s superior song writing talent. Epic in the most pulchritudinous haunting way. Sublime reverbed mouth harp sets up the laid back feel of the song. About three quarters of the way through, the guitar chimes in with more outrageous , over-modulated fuzzed out tones on the solo. Finger lickin’ good!
SOMETHING ABOUT YOU is the longest song on the album and that’s a good thing. It’s a stunning piece of song writing. Right from the peeling opening chords and subsequent gloriously refined fuzzed out tones. Jason Reece works the kit like a blacksmith pounding out a heavy masterpiece with gorgeous fills. The song is intensely percussive and he attacks the skins once again like a mad rhythmic magician. There’s more than a scent of the mighty Brought Low on this number as well which is certainly a welcome influence. I also detect a slight Ray Davies/Kinks thing goin’ on too. The reprieve in the middle showcases some mouth watering, hollowed out voice work as the BE boys take us on an extended psychedelic magic carpet ride exploring distant sonic galaxies. This song is VERY indicative of what they’re capable of pulling off live. It moves to a full gallop about three quarters in, right through to a rowdy, fist frenzied finish.
“As the title Pink Champagne indicates, Black Earth has a lot to celebrate. Successful tours of Europe and the U.S. have allowed them to share the stage with killer bands from both sides of the pond like Blue Cheer, Throw Rag, Burning Brides, The Meatmen, Supersuckers, Red Fang, Early Man, Atomic Bitchwax, Gogol Bordello, Jimmy Chamberlain Complex, Peter Pan Speedrock, Jingo De Lunch, Sasquatch, Dixie Witch, Young Heart Attack and Nashville Pussy. Black Earth was also featured in Classic Rock Magazine's October Issue # 150 with their song “Face Down in the Gutter” added to the compilation ‘The First Cut is the Deepest”.
And so they raise a toast to you.
Black Earth is Jason “Ving” Calise on vocals and guitar, Dave Rangel on vocals and bass and Jason Reece on drums (also of “And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead”).
Hailing from the Midwest, (I’ve seen that they are from Kansas and Kansas City, and there is a Kansas City, Kansas, so both could be right), we have Stonehaven. They’ve come through Seattle a couple of times in the past year but unfortunately I did not catch their live shows, but I will rectify that in short order the next time they come through town, because this is the good stuff. The Midwest is not known as a stronghold of black metal, but these guys certainly own what they do.
This is as grim and frosty a release as any Norwegian black metallers could put out. Upon first listen I was positive this band had to be from Europe, so yay America for putting out some of the classic sounding stuff. And actually, classic sounding isn’t entirely true; because Stonehaven do mix it up a bit. I hear some slight nods to straight up death metal in their music, and they are also not so tied into the tremolo picking drone that a lot of black metal bands fall into. That drone stuff can be very good when it is done well, but in my humble opinion very few bands actually do it well, so you can wind up listening to a nine minute track that bores you to tears. These guys avoid that by mixing up tempos, mixing up progressions, etc, and as I said above, it’s really good stuff.
Album opener “Suffering The Swine Array” pulls no punches and just starts things off right at full speed. There are no classical or operatic type openings with this band, just good old fashioned black metal coming right at you. This leads right into “Death Fetter” which has some spots that have a death metal feel to them in terms of tempo and the playing. I think my favorite track on the album is the fourth, “Addressing The Scorn Pole”. It alternates between straight up black metal time signatures and a waltz time, almost folk metal feel, and the transitions are done really well. I have to say that the songwriting is one of the big strengths of this band. Every track on this release is well written. Nothing on this album sounds out of place or extraneous. It all fits, it all sounds good together, and makes my black metal heart feel good.
I have to talk for a minute about the album cover. It was designed by one of the band members to represent an actual event in Norwegian history from the late 10th century. King Olaf apparently wanted his subjects to convert to Christianity and was very adamant about it, to the point that when a particular pagan priest refused to convert, he wanted to make an example of the guy. So King Olaf and his henchmen tortured this priest publicly and the culmination was forcing the priest to eat a live snake. While I don’t condone the forced Christianity, I always love the zeal of the Norwegians and the other Scandinavian folks who brought us the Vikings and so much great mythology.
There are a total of 8 songs on this release and they are all top notch black metal. Do yourself a favor, check out this album, check these guys out live if they come through your town, and just dig the black metal goodness that is Stonehaven.
Exceptional experimental musicians make me ecstatic. Every so often there comes a wave of really good music and an argument can be made the most recent occurrence came on January 31, 2012. Two of my favorite albums of the year, Gotye’s Making Mirrors and Lana Del Rey’s Born to Die, were released on the same day.
You can argue its pure coincidence, but I think not. The old proverb “all good things come in threes” comes to mind when discussing this auspicious occurrence and Grimes latest album Visions, which was also released on January 31, 2012, proves my point. This dream pop damsel first came to my attention when she toured with one of my favorite singers Lykke Li last year. Recently, my awesome friend Amy reintroduced Grimes to me and I couldn’t be happier.
Last year while I was composing an article about Record Store Day I came across my first unique Grimes memorabilia and introduction to this amazing artist. For those unaware, like the recent resurgence of vinyl, cassettes have become the latest and coolest boutique items music collectors can purchase. Lately, many underground artists have self-released their EPs on cassette tapes to give locals a fun throwback feel with their music listening experience. Believe me the whole nostalgia thing really resonates with yours truly. As a result I became exposed to many new artists because of this cassette phenomenon, especially when I visited Vacation Vinyl in Silver Lake for the first time. During that first visit I discovered Grimes debut Geidi Primes on cassette and was immediately intrigued by the cover.
Shortly thereafter, Grimes started touring with Lykke Li and Grimes was now on my radar. However, searching for her music (physically) proved challenging. Even though I still purchase music (YES, I REALLY DO BUY ALL MY OWN MUSIC) I refused to order online and waited to purchase her music at a record store. Luckily, Amy made me a mix CD to hold me over until I was able to find Grimes. As luck would have it, by the time I actually found her debut CD Geidi Primes I managed to purchase her entire catalog including Halfaxa and the recently released Visions, which is why I’m writing this review.
Visions delivers a diverse, yet distinctive avant-garde album comprised with unmistakable hook-heavy songs that transcend genres. Grimes greets her audience with an astonishing repertoire that it’s hard to believe the range she possesses. Some songs are perfect for the dance floor while others feel out of this world with a nod to 80s pop music. If you enjoy artists like Lykke Li, Crystal Castles, and the Cocteau Twins, Grimes is a must listen!
“Infinite Love Without Fulfillment” opens Visions and packs a wallop with weaving witch house and electropop sounds mashed up. From the beginning, listeners are pleasantly exposed to Grimes’ vocal experimentation with her infectious melodies.
“Genesis” is an absolutely addictive track that transports your body and mind to a whole new level. The layered vocals on this track truly enhance this delightful dreamscape visionary song. “Genesis” is arguably the best song of 2012 and easily one of the year’s Top 10 songs. Listening to this song, it’s easy to understand why Grimes is so mesmerizing.
Considering how much I enjoyed Cliff Martinez’s Drive soundtrack and The Social Network soundtrack by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor, “Oblivion” seems like an obvious choice for a song to enjoy. The slick synth structured beats are so infectious it’s hard not to fall in love with this song.
Like I said, the range for this bedroom belladonna is unbelievable. Imagine Nine Inch Nails with robotic backing vocals and you would get Grimes’ “Eight.” The eerily excellent electronic “Circumambient” conjures crazy imagery perfect for strobe lights. One of the highlights on Visions is when Grimes demonstrates her octave range a la Minnie Riperton (“Lovin’ You”) around the 2:44 mark. Wow, she has an amazing pair of pipes. Even something more accessible like “Vowels = Space and Time” feels perfect for the club. Grimes loves it all.
The absurdly awesome bassline on “Be a Body” really recharges this song halfway through and makes it a must “dance to” track. The Crystal Castles sounding “Colour of Moonlight (Antiochus)” featuring Doldrums follows. The soothing "Symphonia IX (My Wait Is U)" is a beautiful flowing dark dream while the ever enticing “Nightmusic” featuring Majical Cloudz possesses rich, remarkable rhythms. Two delicious dream pop tracks, “Skin” and “Know the Way” finish Visions.
Grimes showcases the odd world we all live in with each of her albums. Whether utilizing computer generated genres, grimewave, industrial, dream pop, new age, etc., Grimes retains an ever expanding repertoire of influences that permeates through her ingenious music.
Death/grind is the new thrash metal, updated from around 1985, to now:
it's sophisticated in terms of musical structure, rapid key changes, and challenging melodic (riff) formations-- it's hard to play, yet blisteringly furious (i.e., aggressive and fast)... a great balance of savagery and technical ability: witness Danny Lilker's definition: technical and yet intense....
Death/Grind, as a genre, is useless played at anything less than loudest-sound-possible (194 Db) volume: that's where it's made to be.
Like extreme forms of free jazz, this music is meant to permeate you, to absolutely be your everything for the time you're listening to it-- or to be nothing.
This is the complete opposite of background music.
BUT: give it the chance, and this will OWN you. It's perfectly, ridiculously extreme in that Death/Grind way, but is also full of surprises and tiny evolutions and tempo, key and texture changes enough to keep your cerebellum interested, while your reptile brain writhes in ectothermic ecstasy....
There's sweep-picked solos, blast beats, breakdown (all while being respectably detuned), blah blah blah-- you like extreme metal?
Monolith of Humanity is worth your while.
--Horn
[Monolith of Inhumanity is released worldwide on Metal Blade records on May 8, 2012.]
This may be less a story about a solid band than about a great city close to my heart. And it’s not because the band is less deserving. It’s because the story of the city is tightly interwoven with the raison d’etre of the band.
The city is Detroit. The band is KNIFE.
You’d have to be living under a rock to be oblivious about the incredibly hard times D’town’s endured over the last several years, even before the bottom fell out of the auto industry in 2008. Boarded up factories. Boarded up schools. Boarded up hotels. Boarded up neighbourhoods. The economic devastation is staggering. It’s enough to break your heart . Their heart. But in the midst of this bleak wasteland there’s still hope. They’re fighting back. Pockets of vibrancy and vitality fueled by the driven, focused and resilient SOB’s that call Detroit home. Despite the desolation and adversity, they’ve kept their eye on the prize and never wavered from their “damn the torpedoes” point of view. They didn’t let their dire circumstances affect their outlook on life. Bottom line is, Detroiters are good people and they know how to fuckin’ rock.
Such is KNIFE. Like a firey Phoenix rising up from the ashes, Knife embodies the same resilient attitude of their hometown in everything they do – their music, their lyrics, their performance and their in your face, fuck you attitude. They play with heart after a full transplant. Knife fearlessly leaps headlong into the moshpit of hard times doing it their way come hell or high water. Just like how D’town has always done it. They don’t fuck around. It’s their way or the highway. A bastion of artistic freedom in an over regulated, politically correct conformist world. They cut straight through the bullshit.
Knife has shared the stage with heavy weights like Tool, Intronaut, Fu-Manchu, Black Tusk, Hellmouth, Easy Action and Lo-Pan just to name just a few. When bands of that calibre are paying attention it means it’s time for the rest of us to sit up and take notice. Wakey, wakey waveriders. An enhanced Teedified edited version of their smart bio says it best: “Knife is a sonic colossus. They cast a huge, riffladen shadow over the metropolitan Detroit area. This beast is devouring the city block by block and venue by venue. Drawing on their eclectic heritage, Knife coalesces around the riff much like their forefathers did in Black Sabbath. You can trace their auditory bloodline to pioneering bands like Rollins Band, Crowbar, Danzig, Kyuss and Led Zeppelin as well. Knife powers forth an inimitable, stand alone and individual reinterpretation of the music that fuels them. They are a razor sharp conduit of doom, brooding anger and the powerfully destructive side of mother nature. You can hear the history and soul in their craft. And yet the band is intent on carving out their own unique brand of heavy blues quite unlike anything we’ve heard before. Their metal is tempered with mature hooks, cast iron song writing and articulate, soulful solos that firmly plant them in a whole other arena”.
The bio continues: “Knife is pedigree. When you put five masters of their respective crafts in a Detroit cellar together, you’re gonna get something that stands out from the tepid bullshit people try to pass off as music these days. You’re gonna get something sincere, something with perspective and something that will cut your goddam head clean off your shoulders. Knife isn’t fucking around”. They sure aren’t . They’ll gut your earholes.
As we all know, Detroit has a long line of legendary, original pioneering rock acts - MC5, Iggy Pop & the Stooges, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, The Muggs… the list goes on. Knife continues that musical legacy/dynasty. They’ve captured a hybrid sound that’s as varied as their musical heritage. “Each member draws from a wide range of experience in the punk, blues, stoner, metal and rock scenes. From playing in Andrew WK’s early death metal band Kathode to rocking in Seduce. From pioneering Michigan metal band Thoughts of Ionesco to seminal punks The Meatmen. From LA’s Mother to Detroit’s Speedball. From crust punks Nema to the wrecking ball that is Year of the Pig. From Heresy to the Holy Fire”. I think you’re getting the big picture.
Make no mistake. This is no bullshit, balls out, hEAVy ass, blue collar machine shop metal folks. But not machine shop in the meathead sense. Machine shop in the master class sense. It’s what these bad ass steel mongers are conjuring up in that cold, hard, dark, dank space that’s putting a dent in the collective earholes of rockdom. They’re creating tightly torqued high octane sonic power plants with monster thrust from molten iron, pressed and rolled, bent and banged through grinder sparks and acetylene blow torch licks forged out of their massive, swaggering riffs and smothered in a undercoating of audible rust.
Standout tracks include THE MESS… a brazen, bitchin’, frothing-at-the-mouth chugfest that spawns a rabid, full throttle hounds of hell gate charger reminiscent of some top shelf stoner bands like House of Broken Promises and Canadian east coast behemoths, Iron Giant. THIS FIELD WAS MADE FOR KILLING… when was the last time you heard slide guitar in a freakin’ metal song saddled right next to a scorching Tony Iommi-esque solo? How about never. And the thundiferous OUTRIDER? Who wouldn’t want to be in the mosh pit for this bad ass mutha.
Jeff Uberti from the band Hellmouth summed Knife up best. “Their songs are thick and contain just the right balance of pure rock fury and sludgy heaviness to make the most discerning head bang”. Couldn’t agree more.
Knife are Eric Blanchard on guitar, Nathan LeLandais-Miller on bass, Curt Massof on vocals, Chuck Burns on guitar and John Lehl on drums.
I went to a metal show last night and it just hit me how much I really love metal. I hadn’t been to a show for a while, as I’ve mostly been attending shows on the mellower side of the spectrum. It was in a sweaty little bar, on a Monday night, the bands were either locals or out of town with just enough resources to put a small tour together. There weren’t any big name bands, there were maybe 75 of my fellow metal heads there, but it was just awesome. I listen to a lot of metal either for these reviews or for my radio show, but there is nothing quite like being at a show, and feeling the metal. For me, there are very few better things in life, when it all comes together and you have a great time at a show.
So what does all that have to do with the new Job For A Cowboy CD? Not much, honestly. Except I really dig this new CD too. I’ve been a fan of the band since their beginnings. This seems to be another of those really polarizing bands, people seem to really love them, or really hate them, with not much in between. I know there are those who feel that the band just happened to be in the right place at the right time and that is the only reason they are successful, at least by metal standards. There are those who will tell you that you can’t tell one song from another, and yeah, there is a little of that. But they are damn good band and this new release really shows that.
Job For A Cowboy have gone through some lineup changes since their last release, and in my opinion the changes are for the better. They seem to have injected some new energy into the band and it is immediately noticeable. One of the previous criticisms of the band is that they played the much reviled “deathcore” style of metal. That is gone, let me tell you. Opener “Children Of Deceit” is a full on death metal assault and everything continues on from there. “Nourishment Through Bloodshed” and “Imperium Wolves” continue the bludgeoning. Then, lo and behold, something to shut up the haters. “Tongueless And Bound” comes along with an intro that verges on the black metal side, and there is some actual variance in tempo in this track. With this new lineup, there seems to be a new found sense of dynamics and variety in the song writing. I’d love this CD anyway, but these added features in the songs are pure gravy for me.
Tracks 5 and 6, “Black Discharge” and “The Manipulation Stream”, respectively, continue the brutality, but with some nice twists and turns. Many metal releases start out strong and seem to fizzle at the end, but “Demonocracy” ends on a high note, with a trio of powerful, hard hitting tracks in “The Deity Misconception”, “Fearmonger”, possibly the best JFAC track in their catalog, and “Tarnished Gluttony”. The final track is over 6 minutes, an eternity for this band, and really shows off their new song writing chops. This one is a definite change of pace from anything else they’ve ever recorded and a great way to close out the album.
If you’re determined to hate them, this release probably doesn’t go quite far enough to change your mind. But if you can keep your mind open, you’ll find a very strong release from a band that just keeps getting better as they go along.
An awesome album name. That’s all it took for me to get hooked on The Vaccines with their infectious, impressive debut, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? Immediately, the title reminded me of Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (which is one of my favorite albums of all time) and as a result I became drawn to this band.
As you can tell, my music tastes are quite diverse and extremely eclectic with what I want to write about. As a result, it’s difficult deciding what bands to discuss. Sometimes to my surprise there are bands everyone knows while there are others “they are just discovering.” Today is a case of the latter. Like most of my inspirations, a friend recently reminded me about a band I first fell in love with last year, The Vaccines.
While discussing the current Coachella lineup my friend asked, “Who are The Vaccines?” Knowing very well he enjoyed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, I decided to play him The Vaccines’ debut album. My friend was surprised that he thoroughly enjoyed The Vaccines and with a big smile I responded, “What Did You Expect?”
What I love most about The Vaccines is they possess an indie rock sound that transcends the Atlantic. They’re part alternative and post-punk revival, yet seem to resonate with fans from all mainstream genres. Some bands remain nothing more than “local” because they lack a widespread appeal. That does not necessarily mean mainstream success, but the quality and musical message they present lack substance worthy of attention outside their various locales. This is not the case at all for The Vaccines. Everyone can relate to their songs.
For those unfamiliar about the aforementioned English bands, The Vaccines are similar to bands like The Drums, Grouplove, Noah and The Whale, The Strokes, Two Door Cinema Club, and Vampire Weekend. This English quartet is comprised of Justin Young (guitars and vocals), Árni Hjörvar (bass), Freddie Cowan (guitar) and Pete Robertson (drums).
What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? is a delightful debut that delivers one terrific track after the other. This full-length debut demonstrates it’s possible to create an 11 track album worthy of your time that’s not cookie cutter bullshit. Young’s vocals permeate incredible rawness that knocks these songs out of the park.
Beginning with the contagious “Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra),” The Vaccines immediately expose you to fantastic, fresh catchy lyrics. “ Pretty girl, wreckin’ bar/ Ra, ra, ra, ra, here you are/ Blowing up ‘bout twice a night/ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, here I am/ The Angel’s Game, F. Scott Fitzgerald/ The Evening News and the Morning Herald/ I know they’re not from very far/ But les femmes la-bas, c’est pas de joie.”
One of my personal favorites, “If You Wanna” follows. Regardless if it’s your first time or the 20th time, I guarantee you will sing along, “I don’t wanna do things independently/But I can’t make you stay/ That’s what all the friends/ I do not like as much as you say/ But if you wanna come back it’s alright, it’s alright.” Declaring your love for someone is one of the easiest, yet hardest things to do. Personal heartache is never easy to overcome and I absolutely love their songs dealing with this subject matter.
Even on the track, “A Lack of Understanding,” this heartache really resonates with me and for people still hung up on that special someone. Just the other day I stumbled upon some old photos of past girlfriends and this song came on. Boy did it really hit home with several former flames who no longer talk to me. This genuine grieving tune brings chills all over my body with its haunting, yet true lyrics: “It’s only been a year/ But it feels like a lifetime here/ How’s it been for you? / Does it feel like a lifetime? / What would you do now in light of it all? I don’t regret it in spite of it all/ If I can’t convince you/ Then nobody can, I guess/ I’ve got too much time on my hands/ But you don’t understand/ Or you won’t understand.”
Justin Young sounds reminiscent of Joey Ramone on the peculiar “Blow It Up,” but I find it quite perplexing why this simple song persists amongst such gut-wrenching tales of woe. The captivating, catchy “Wetsuit,” with its infectious chorus “Put a wetsuit on, come on, come on/ Grow your hair out long, come on, come/ Put a T-shirt on/ Do me wrong, do me wrong, do me wrong,” is also a must listen.
Sex is all you need. It doesn’t get better than “Post Break-Up Sex,” which address the depressing subject matter in a charming way. Overcoming a relationship encompasses enduring one awkward moment after the other and this absolutely addictive song, much like that relationship, lingers in your mind for weeks. This frank and forthright tune deserves your attention in an age where vulnerability should always be recognized.
The song starts off, “I can barely look at you, Don’t tell me who you lost it to/ Didn’t we say we had a deal? / Didn’t I say how bad I feel? / Everyone needs a helping hand/ Who said I would not understand? / Someone up the social scale/ For when you’re going off the rail/ Post break up sex that helps you forget your ex/ What did you expect from post break-up sex?/ Leave it ‘til the guilt consumes/ I found you in the nearest room/ All our friends were unaware/ Most had just passed out downstairs/ To think I hoped you’d be okay/ Now I can’t think of what to say/ Maybe I misunderstood/ But I can’t believe you’re feeling good” and all I can say is wow! A barrage of emotions overtake us when we experience breakups and those feelings persist throughout our life. For everyone who has experienced distress, this song should resonate with you.
Down to the final four tracks, The Vaccines surrender some sensational and emotional tunes that highlight them speaking from their heart. “Under Your Thumb” feels like Kings of Leon meets The Smiths, the overwhelming bassline on “All in White” brilliantly captures their vulnerability, the tight tempo “Wolf Pack” leaves you begging for more and the album concludes with the enchanting, evolving and epic “Family Friend.
If you’re looking for that next great English band then The Vaccines is the band for you. Last year when I compiled my Top 10 Albums of 2011, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? narrowly missed the cut and persists to be one of the best debuts albums to emerge in the past five years. Fortunately for fans, their sophomore album is due out later this year and I can hardly wait.
Last year I reviewed a great compilation of Bossa Nova music from the 1960's released on the UK label Soul Jazz called Bossa Nova & The Rise of Brazilian Music in the 1960s (http://ripplemusic.blogspot.com/2011/04/bossa-nova-rise-of-brazilian-music-in.html). Soul Jazz also released the great companion piece Bossa Nova And The Story Of Elenco Records, Brazil that is mandatory listening if you like this type of music. As great as those records are, this new Bossa Jazz compilation is the one I've been waiting for. Bossa Nova started off as a mixture the Brazilian samba and American jazz music, usually the so-called "cool" style from the West Coast. But pretty quickly it started mutating. Many "hard bop" jazz players like Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, etc added the bossa influence into their repertoire. That in turn inspired the musicians in Brazil. And one of the great things about this music is that, while it may be musically complex, it is completely irresistible and very appealing to a mass audience. Who needs The Beatles when you can boogie to Sergio Mendes?
The title of this collection tells you everything you need to know. If you've checked out some bossa nova and it's a little too jazzy for you, then steer clear of this collection. If sometimes you wish the solos went on a little longer, then this is right up your alley. Me, I like it all. Even though these are definitely more jazz oriented songs, the arrangements are very tight and rarely go on for more than 5 minutes. I'm far from an expert in Brazilian music but many of the artist names were familiar to me - Sergio Mendes, Antonio Carlos, Jobim, Quarteto Novo, Airto Moreira and, my favorite, Walter Wanderley. There are many more who I've never heard of and will never be able to properly pronounce their names but at least I can type them, including Sambalanca Tio, Edu Lobo, Joao Donato, Tenorio Jr.
Instrumentation varies from piano led trios, to others where acoustic guitar and/or trombone are the lead instruments. There are some vocals, but this is primarily an instrumental record. I have no idea what any of the songs are about and it's a lot of fun to try and sing along. But even more fun is to drive my wife crazy by banging on a coffee can with a fork. Even better is when my 4 year old daughter chimes in with her own vocal and percussive additions. Eventually my wife will surrender and join in. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. There are no duds on either of the 2 discs. The packaging is excellent and comes with a nice booklet full of information and great photos. I really can't say more about this collection because I'd rather be listening to it. Spring is here and it's time to turn off the computer, get in the car and go space truckin with this one playing loud.
(Love it when two writers report on the same album. Nice to see their various opinions. Now Crimson King chimes in on Syven's newest)
For those, like myself, that think the darkness is like a warm soft blanket, cover yourselves with SYVEN.
This is what I would consider dark, but not sinister, new age electronic tribal folk (Did I just coin a new musical genre?). HEAVY beats that conjure an animalistic instinct, long forgotten in our psyche. Though our tribal instincts are dormant now, this music.... the heavy beat of an ancient heart, cuts through millenia of evolution, and touches our inner, primal selves.
It's drone vibrates the soul. You arrive in a meditative state with an audio mantra sung by SYVEN. If you let it, the sound can take you from your body and lead you on a journey of night flight. Stars watch over you, nocturnal creatures stare in wonderment as you float passed them in a dream.
"An incredible ambient musical entity born of a collaboration between Aslak Tolonen (Nest) and Andy Koski-Semmens (Ereipia) -- on February 7th, 2012." The date of a new birth of sound that surrounds you, speaks to your soul, calms the violent nature of the days impact, and sends you on an adventure in time, space and sound. I love this!!!!
Never. Never. Never have anyone sing in your band but David Lee Roth.
That's the only conclusion I can make after giving the much hyped/anticipated/debated new Van Halen album a serious couple of spins.
Yes, Diamond Dave is back in the microphone seat of what was once one of the greatest rock bands in the land. And let me tell you, I approached this project with a ton of trepidation and about as much caution as I'd approach eating fish out of a swamp full of toxic waste. At best, I had no interest in it whatsoever. At worst, I was afraid it would be a major embarrassment and do even more to tarnish the memory/reputation of what used to be a cool band.
See, I used to dig Van Halen. Man, when that first album came out and I heard it for the first time. Wow! Blew me away. Yes, Eddie's technique was out of this world, but it was more than that. I've never been a guitar-God kinda guy. It was the songs. The attitude. The thrusting drive of Anthony's bass, the propulsion of Alex's drumming, and yes, Dave's very different, sleazy, campy, and somehow dangerous singing. No one sounded like VH in the glory days. No one ever will.
I lost interest as the years went on and then came the Van Hagar years which to me were an abomination. And I'm not sure why. I dug Sammy in Montrose, and was ok with most of his early (read pre-Standing Hampton) albums. But Hagar in Halen was a disaster for me. It was like they took the worst of Hagar's tendencies and added those to the worst of Van Halen's. Really, there's not one song I enjoyed there.
Then came the whole Mark III version of the band, which most people forget even existed, then the countless reformations with Dave and breakups and rumors, etc. etc. Too much drama for any one band's reputation to handle.
So when this album was announced, I wasn't standing in line for it. I never saw the early single/video that became the fodder of so much Facebook/forum discussion. I read some reviews from people saying the album "rocked" and simply didn't believe them. In fact, the only reason I ever listened to it is because a free copy literally dropped into my lap. And even then I wasn't interested. But it was Van Halen, and I had to know. I hesitated, took a deep breath and put it in.
And immediately, my worst fears were realized. Opening song "Tattoo" is abysmal. Really, simply horrid, with the retro '80's production on the intro vocal, the boring riff, the lackadaisical singing, the non-interesting bass work of Wolfgang and the flat chorus. There's really just not much life in the whole song for me. And worst of all, it's totally generic. I could play this song for anybody who didn't know what was going on and I'd bet no one would guess it's Van Halen. In summary, it's a stinker.
That was it for me. I was ready to eject the disc and swear that I paid too much for it (even though it was free) but fate intervened. The traffic light changed. I had to stop rather suddenly and couldn't get to the eject button. While I was regrouping, the most amazing thing happened. Van Halen came back into my life.
"She's the Woman," cooks. Simply cooks. Eddie's guitar intro is violent and heavy and immediately drops down into a simply cooking groove. Alex is back there, pounding the skins and Wolfgang holds thing steady. I was bopping, head in full swing. Then came the big moment. Diamond Dave entered the fray and you know what? It was Van Halen, through and through.
Let's face it, Dave has never been a great singer, but he's a great singer for this band. He may have lost a bit of higher end range over the years, but he can still wail and screech and he injects his vocal phrasing with tons of personality and attitude. Everything that had been missing from Van Halen over the years. And during the chorus, when the band harmonizes together . . .that's Van Halen! That's the sound we all know. Add to all this a brief but cutting Eddie solo and we got the best VH song in ages.
So, was it a flash in the pan or the beginning of something real? "You and Your Blues" answers that question right away. Dave sings away over a stuttering, scratching guitar line as the song builds to a low roar right into a driving chorus. "China Town" is even mightier, tearing into a classic VH riff-fest after Eddie's brief blinding guitar intro. Then, lest you think the boys are slowing down, they up the ante, as the song literally explodes in a flurry of adrenaline, Eddie whipping through a verse section guitar riff that's so blindingly fast and mean it's breathtaking. Toss in a few harmonics, some feedback -- all within the structure of the riff -- and I'm flying. Dave sounds pissed and angry and sneers his way through the song. It's perfect all the way down to the hammer-on guitar solo sounding like days of old.
"Bullethead" ups the anger quotient coming on so fast and mean-spirited it's almost punk. "The Trouble with Never," "Outta Space," and "Big River" are all massive guitar-athons with killer riffs and Dave's driving vocals. And if it's Eddie's guitar you want, you won't have to look far. He simply has not sounded this inspired in . . . a helluva long time. "Honeybabysweetiedoll" is a quasi-instrumental assault. Yes, there are some vocals, so it's not "Eruption" but the song ain't about the vocals. This is all Eddie and he's all over the place playing as fast and brutal as I've heard.
Yes, there's a few problems here. "Stay Frosty" takes the place of any one of Diamond Dave's more "jokey" songs, Dave Anthony's propulsive bass is hardly replaced by Wolfgang's more rudimentary style, and inexplicably Alex's driving drums are mostly buried in the mix when what we need is a huge drum sound. But overall this album has the right to be officially called a Van Halen album. It doesn't sound like VH so much from back in the day, but it's exactly what VH would've sounded like if they'd kept on making music together.
And that's a helluva lot better than I originally expected.
Van Halen haven't embarrassed themselves this time. In fact, I have to add their name to the ranks of UFO who've also released one of their best albums in years at this late date in their career.
So Eddie. So Alex. Keep Dave around. Trust me, the magic is still there. The special combustible something that made Van Halen so damn incendiary. It's still there.
The Dallas/ Fort Worth area of a little state called Texas is known for many things. TV shows, the JFK assassination but more importantly the ever growing Texas Punks scene. One of the forefront bands in that scene was Unit 21. Unit 21 garnered much respect in the Dallas Punk scene as well as traveling abroad and were even able to do tours in Japan. Back a few years ago Unit 21 stopped touring and really doing shows. From the ashes of Unit 21, Wild//Tribe has emerged to keep the crust punk alive in Texas. In November of 2011 Wild//Tribe released their first album, Endless Nights.
From the first song, "Power" to the last track, "Midnight Tribes', Wild//Tribe has one thing in mind, destroy everything. And destroy everything they most certainly do. This six track album makes you want to get in the pit, fuck shit up and destroy everything around you. It's deferentially the soundtrack for the youth of today.
Lyrically Wild//Tribe is just plain pissed off. You know me I love a good set of angry lyrics. My favorite song comes in the form of the song "Cross Bearer". It's a mix of crust, d-beat drums and brutal vocals.
"Righteous god crippled faith what's the point of going on living in fear self-inflicted wound of life judgement day not for me follow in the word of god this text of lies self-inflicted life of shit righteous god crippled faith swing your gabble cross bearer live and die paranoid gaze upon the masses with such ill content vile disregard of self judgement day crippled faith heavy lies the sacred cross it snaps your back and the will to leave me be judgement day every day cross bearer take your fucking splintered cross cross bearer shove it up your fucking ass you think you know salvation but your sight is weak and loss save the strength your god gives you to beat your fucking cross what's the point of going on living in fear righteous god crippled faith self-inflicted world of shit judgement day every day"
For those who love great hardcore punk with bits of metal thrown in, Endless Nights is your album. As the expression goes, "everything is bigger in Texas". When it comes to crust punk, "everything is crustier in Texas".
-Cicatriz
Wild//Tribe goes good with: Unit 21, Tolar, Weak Minds, Life Erased, Tragedy, From Ashes Rise, His Hero Is Gone
So it's Friday night and the party is just starting to get underway. You've already played both sides of Foghat - Live and you're wondering what live album to play next. It's too early to break out heavy hitters like If You Want Blood, No Sleep Til Hammersmith or Strangers In The Night. Then you see the perfect solution - Status Quo's double live beast from 1976, Quo Live.
Status Quo is a band who's been on my radar for many years but have barely heard anything by. They were never big in America and the only time I'd ever heard any of their music was from a lame albums from the 80's. On a recent Mighty High road gig in Rochester, NY our guitarists brother in law recommended that I check out any of Status Quo's albums form 1971 and up to the live one. As a live album fanatic, I picked it up the same day I also finally got a copy of Whitesnake's Live…In The Heart Of The City. Both of them have been in constant rotation ever since. All I need is a giant pile of vintage Sounds magazines and I'd be glad to stay home and live in a pre-Kerrang imaginary world.
I still haven't checked out any of Status Quo's 70's studio output yet, but Quo Live is definitely the missing link I've been looking for that bridges Foghat and AC/DC. Their catchphrase "Heads Down No Nonsense Boogie" was proven the second opening jam "Junior's Wailing" kicked into mid-tempo heavy rock gear. Quo's groove is based entirely on primo Chuck Berry boogaloo. Not as bluesy as Foghat and not as pummeling as AC/DC. "Is There a Better Way" points the way towards "Bad Boy Boogie" and before there was "Whole Lotta Rosie" there was "Big Fat Mama." Just about every song is a moderately fast paced Chuck Berry influenced boogie fest with only a few exceptions. "In My Chair" is a slower Jimmy Reed-type of blues song. Their cover of "Roadhouse Blues" goes on way too long and is the only dud on the record. "Forty-Five Hundred Times" is way longer, but way better.
Recorded live and loud at the infamous Glasgow Apollo in front of a very rowdy crowd over 2 nights in October 1976, it's interesting to compare this to what was considered a lot of punk rock, or roots of punk, in the UK. The British press probably loved calling Status Quo dinosaurs but they sound an awful lot like Eddie & The Hot Rods. Must have been the long hair and bell bottoms. Either way, this album rocks hard and belongs in the home of everyone who ever played air guitar with a tennis racket in the mirror.
From deep within the smug, *ahem,* I mean, fog of San Francisco, Midnite Brain emerge.
Aside from being newly formed, Midnite Brain is one of the better named hardcore bands from the city. They've recently cut an impressive 4-track demo - a harsh lesson in 80s-style HC.
It's short, but hella sweet, as it kicks off with a cool arrangement that reminded me of the beginning of Raw Power's Screams from the Gutter. What persists is an unrelenting sequence of fast, overdriven riffing that's held down by some hard-hitting drums, all in all sounding more like Death Side or Lipcream. The vocals and shouts sound great, too.
I can hear more trace elements of 80s Japanese HC as clever, well-executed stop/start's and catchy solos drop-in recurrently. I asked drummer Midnight Dan what they were all about. You know, their "band philosophy.."
"It's all about being crazy and seeing beyond, ya know? There are these cosmic brains that are always flying around. You have to be inebriated to see them. Huffing glue helps," said the Brain's Midnight Dan.
Indeed.
Don't worry, one needn't huff glue in order to enjoy Midnite Brain. I'm pretty sure that it's some of the better HC I've heard come out of the Bay Area in recent years. So, If you're in the Bay Area and like honest, no-nonsense hardcore punk that kills all the bogus nonsense that has hijacked the genre, then I really suggest you drop in to check 'em out live!
On Friday, March 30th, Midnite Brain will be delivering their sonic assault, live to the masses, at 24th and Vermont in S.F. with Ratface (Pittsburgh) and Permanent Ruin (San Jose). On Sunday, May 27th, Midnite Brain supports legendary UK punks, Antisect, at the Rocket Room in S.F.
Can't make it to the show? Don't fret! You can check out the demo on Youtube. Just click the link below. Also, be on the lookout for a 7" flexi to be self-released sometime this Summer.
Sentenced to Life is pretty much an album of Entombed covering hardcore acts like Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front, Sick of It All, Discharge, and even Bad Religion. It's on Southern Lord.
For most of you reading this, that's pretty much all you need to know. I don't even need to make a judgment call here; you've already decided if this if this is for you.
For the rest of you, it's really. Goddamn. cool.
It's the detuned death metal Sunlight Sound from Sweden, interpreting the rage of NYHC.
Like Sons of Satan Praise the Lord (an Entombed covers album) or Slayer's Undisputed Attitude, in other words.
Opener "Feast of the Damned," is stupidly riff-tastic, and at 1:44 drops into a great sludge riff breakdown before taking off again....
This formula is maintained during the first four tunes, and is only broken on "Endless Corpse," with its slow-burning building up over "The Small Hours"-esque chords.
That is, until 1:38-- when shit just got real.
At this point, I actually feel bad for the drummer-- this shit has been flying, all-out, at redicu-fast tempos-- this guy's hands have got to be shredded by now.
Ah, and there it is-- about two minutes later we get the slow-down, into something like Overkill would've put on Horrorscope, particularly, well... "Horrorscope."
Of course, the next tune, "Mother Abyss" flies even harder and faster than anything before it, like they're suicidal geriatrics on a treadmill, determined to induce their own heart attack from sheer velocity... "Of Flesh" starts with a Left Hand Path-type trill riff that's fucking sweet....
ANyhoo, prolly top 10 of 2012. Take that as you will....
![Pink Champagne [Explicit]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51wCcbLiG4L._SL500_AA280_.jpg)
