Crosses ††† - EP ††

For those you living under a rock and have yet to hear about Crosses †††, go read my review for their first EP released last year. Go on...I'll be here when you get back. (Cicatriz makes a turkey sandwich). Oh back already? (swallows last bite of sandwich). Crosses †††, they're awesome, right? Why yes, that is Chino Moreno of the Deftones on vocals. What is that you say, you want more Crosses †††. Well you're in luck. On January 24th they released their second EP entitled EP ††. Yes it is as good as the last.

What can I say about Crosses ††† that I haven't already said? This side project consists crooner Chino Moreno of Deftones/Team Sleep fame and Shaun Lopez of Far. Chino's vocals sooth the soul track by track over atmospheric electronics,  amazing guitar riffs and funky bass lines.

The song "Fron†iers" starts things off. This is one of my favorite tracks off the album. Crosses ††† picks right up where they left of on EP †.
"from the haze in your chambers
to your legs on the stage
I'm consumed by your danger
i can lose my restraint yea
i can take you even further
Oh yeah I
I'll let you enter
from the stage we shoot our guns
then we sail off into the sun
while the cold world freezes on."

The final track on the album, "1987" ends hings nicely. Chalked full of distortion and drone style vocals. Short but sweet...well actually kind of depressing...but in a good way.
"In the waves a shoebox of ashes,
a silver casket,
a mother dressed for eternities breath."

All in all, I would say this was a good follow up to last year's Crosses ††† EP.  I can only hope they release a third before the end of the year.

-Cicatriz

Crosses ††† goes good with: Deftones, Team Sleep, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, Junius, Will Haven, Glassjaw, Far

Buy this album here: http://www.crossesmusic.com/

Waveriders - Here's what the Ripple has in store for you

Waveriders!  First of all, thank you all so much for popping in with us and checking out reviews on the "best music you're not listening to."  Our goal is for our writers to find music that truly excites them, then unleash themselves upon their keyboards to write missives and spread the word.

We've been growing like crazy recently, as we've crossed over 3,000,000 hits and our staff keeps on expanding so here's a preview of what each week has in store for you.  Of course, sometimes things change because of schedules, but basically, here's the rundown.

Sunday begins our week with Cicatriz laying down the hardcore punk and metal, grindcore, deathcore, and occasional variation followed by The Slapphappy Mortician digging into weird worlds of electronica and interesting pop.

Monday is Racer and the Pope writing about whatever catches their ears.  Look for a resurrection of the regular columns we used to do so frequently, like the Proto-metal Report, Musical Martyrs, On the Ripple Desk, and Single Life.  You never know what might catch Racer or Pope's ears for writing that week, but it will probably be full of ambient metal, stoner groove, retro-rock, post-punk, garage and punk.

Tuesday brings on the fuzz with Heddbuzz laying into the stoner groove, doom, and riff rock, followed by Ripple's very own graphic artist, Boogs, writing about what ever rocks his world.  But it will rock.

Wednesday is filled with the missives of Penfold and his regalia of tales as he explores the worlds of avant-metal, hip hop, and pop darkness.  Following which comes our own NW radio personality, Odin, who's all metal all the time. 

Thursday we get entertained by the punky, rocky, metallic, off-the-cuff world of Woody as he delves into his love of all things Motorhead, Stooges, Grand Funk and more.  And don't forget his occasional reading list suggestions, The Ripple Library, with books full of rich rock history.  Then, on days when we're lucky, England's Grifter, Ollie, lays down some heavy riff-rock love.

Friday is heavy, with Horn and his love of metal, sludge, doom and jazz followed by Ripple's newest scribe, Gorgeous Nightmare who delves into metal of all sorts from gothic, to sleaze, to power.

Saturday brings the varied and entertaining worlds of Mr Brownstone and Old School who's ears perk up with wonderously different sounds.  Expect lots of alternative pop, classic rock, blues, jazz and even a touch of bluegrass.  But really, we never know what's going to come next. 

On top of that, we'll still publish the odd bit of news, free compilation links, and interviews.  And the Blogtalkradio link updates every month with the latest podcast from the Ripple Radio Show.

And don't forget to pop over to our companion facebook page, where we'll publish every week (if not every day) links to free downloadable singles, albums, and compilations.

Yes, it's all here on the Ripple.

Silver Rocket - Old Fashioned

 
Even though Silver Rocket's genre is listed as post-punk, I wouldn't be surprised if their album "Old Fashioned was in the possesion of a few perky-goths. Most of the album incorporates the old tried-and-true methods of deeper somewhat monotonous vocals, and the bass being brought forth in the sound, rather than being buried under the guitar. Such lyrics as, "The worst is yet to come....so kiss me," sound like shadowy laments that could have come from Robert Smith.

Stylistically, Old Fashioned takes the simple three chord song, adds 90's indie flavor to it, slides some 50's crooner style in there, and it's just magical. The songs are simple, they sound old-but also like nothing else at the same time. I almost can't describe it. Listening to it was like the feeling of a lazy Sunday, sprawled out on your living room floor, just nodding along to great, emotional rock.

But, then again, that's not the only feeling you get while listening. It's almost hypnotic. You're drawn in by the comfy vocals, and held in place by the careful, simple guitar, and carried away by elegant basslines. Ah! I know what it reminds me of now! Think Iggy Pop on downers. It's energetic but sleepy at the same time.

I loved the album, it made half of me want to curl up and watch old movies, and nap. The other half of me wanted to drive really fast with my head out of the sunroof down a busy street at sunset during late summer. It's fifties ballads meets sixties psychadelia meets ninties punk revival.

The whole album is a swaying tribute to everyone from Frank Sinatra to The Ramones and The Sex Pistols. It's old-but new. It's slow but fast. It's....It's just lovely.


--Gorgeous Nightmare

Principe Valiente - S/T

As my friends well know, I have a soft spot for late ‘70’s and ‘80’s rock, particularly the bands who first delved into the darker, more atmospheric soundscapes.  Joy Division led the way and could have owned the dark side of rock had it not been for a number of innovative bands such as Echo & The Bunnymen, The Chameleons (UK), Bauhaus, The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy and others who have expanded the genre with their own unique visions, songs and arrangements.

The ‘90’s zeitgeist moved away from these gloom artists to more overtly angry forms of Grunge and Hip Hop.  Brooding gave way to screaming and luridly vivid lyrical explorations of urban decay set to a more urgent set of beats.

Now in our post-9/11 world, music has taken a more introspective turn.  Bands such as Interpol  and more recently The Xx began returning to the shadowy underground sound with ruminations steeped in the legacy of the early masters of gloom rock.  Enter Sweden’s Principe Valiente, whose  eponymous debut mines this rich vein of rock with a new vitality.

Principe Valiente opens with “Intro”, a solo piano prelude awash in reverberation and building to a crescendo leading into “Before You Knew Me”, a spare and pounding track driven by the drums of Joakim Janthe and Fernando Honorato’s muscular and riffy bassline.  Honorato also provides the vocals in his darkly rich baritone.  Floating over the top is a spare yet melodic guitar line by Alexander Lehto.   The song’s relentless beat comes to a sudden close with several pitched and distorted snare hits

Principe Valiente’s ten tracks following the intro sound like one long track with few distinguishing features from track to track.  This may read as a negative but actually serves to deliver a cohesive album that holds together well during a full listening.  At times, Honorato’s voice, with the tone and delivery of Bauhaus-era Peter Murphy, soars above the din like a gothic angel filling a candlelit cathedral with passion.  The arrangements are strong, hooky and dynamic.

Standout tracks are “In My Arms”, (video linked here)which opens with a gorgeous pair of rhythm guitars panned wide left and right with a chiming lead guitar part dead center which pulls you right into the song as the verse kicks in, and “The Night”, (video linked here) sounding like a vintage Martin Hannett Factory Records production, complete with deep warehouse ambience and dominant lead bassline Peter Hook would approve of.

Despite wearing their collective influences on their sleeves, Principe Valiente delivers a solid album that manages to sound modern and yet echoes with the reverb generated back in Manchester all those years ago.  I look forward to hearing more from this band.

--Jones

http://principevaliente.com/


Principe Valiente - In My Arms from Principe Valiente on Vimeo.

A Sunday Conversatin with Green Monkey Records

Don't get me wrong.  It's not that I'm jaded, but having been doing this Ripple thing for the better part of three years, I've heard a lot of music come through the Ripple doors.  And while a good chunk of that music's been pretty good, not much of it has been surprising. Most of it just fits nicely into the preconceived notions of genre and category.  That was until the Green Monkey Anthology came through my door.  To put it bluntly, I expected one thing and got another thing entirely.


And what I got was good.  Very good.  Garage, psych, powerpop.  Keen original post punk pop the likes of which went right to my happy zone.


With that, it was only a matter of time before we had to get Tom Dyer, the main monkey, to stop by the Ripple office, plop on down on the red leather couch and spill the beans on all things green and monkey.

You detail the entire history of Green Monkey Records in the insert of your excellent CD anthology, but for our readers, let's refresh.  How did you get started running an independent record label?

Well, traditionally there are two main ways people start labels. Either as business to make some dough off artists or as artists to get their skwak out. Occasionally there is something in between. For me it was definitely case #2. I was a late bloomer. Though always a music lover and a singer of sorts, I didn’t start playing guitar until I was 25. Had an art/punk band in Seattle around 1980 that was pretty cool in a tortured sort of way that really didn’t get too far – couple demos –but enough to convince me I needed recording gear. Did a bunch of one-man-band (me) recording and started recording my friends’ bands. By ’83 I had enough stuff of my own and other peoples’ that wasn’t getting put out anywhere I decided to start putting it out. Green Monkey was born and the next level of personal entertainment was up and running.


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

We were mostly limited to the sound we could get by the kind of gear that we used and the dinky studio space I had. That said, there was and is now an esthetic to my work. I have always had a greater leaning toward dissonance than your average American. When we were kids my brother bough Beatles and I bought Stones. When I was 17-18 it was all about Trout Mask Replica (drove my mom nuts). Later I was more interested in Ornette and Coltrane than Miles (Miles is great!), way more interested in Harry Partch and Stockhausen than Beethoven (z-z-z-z) and at one point I definitely wanted John Lee Hooker to be my personal savior. He was a guitar genius and had an even cooler voice than Johnny Cash.

Back in the 80’s when I had a little 8-track studio, I mostly got my clients word-of-mouth. Some of them like The Hitmen or the Fallouts became GMR artists for a while. Some folks I sought out like the Green Pajamas (after I bought their cassette) or The Life (got told about ‘em). Some would send me stuff like Glass Penguins that I liked and we would try to get something done on the cheap. I think the music we put out at that point was fairly inconsistent stylistically. It was just whatever was around that I liked.

I will say that over time there is a certain sound to my work that moves beyond the gear. It has something to do with intent and will.

Which was your first release?

GM001 Local Product (various artists) and GM002 Tom Dyer – Truth or Consequences were released simultaneously in ‘83, in a no doubt calculated manner to seem more important than we actually were. Both were totally recorded on Tascam 2340 4 track reel to reel with a little 6 channel Tapco board, a spring reverb, an analog delay and crappy mikes. We were totally living. We could overdub for crissakes! Kids in the Garage Band world have no way to understand how totally fucking cool that was to be able to do at that point.  Put ‘em out on cassette – 150 copies each – off to the big time.



Who's been your biggest selling artist to date?

The Green Pajamas by a mile. Book of Hours by the PJs is the top seller at around 5 thousand copies worldwide. It was released in the US, Germany, Greece and Australia – each version with different tracks. I just reissued it on CD after 24 years with all the tracks from every version, plus an unreleased track. Made me very happy. Still work with Jeff Kelly (PJ #1). I think he is doing brilliant stuff at the present.



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

Well, lesson one is it was always hard to get paid and still is. I became pretty conscious of cash flow back when as it really became difficult to keep funding the next project. I think it is a lot easier to get your music out to an audience in the internet age, but don’t kid yourself – it’s still work. As Andy Warhol said, it’s all about work. I like to work. I like to do things that I think have artistic merit. I think the trick is to know what you want to do and not get too sidetracked by all the silly extra stuff that will suck up all your time.



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

Two high points, one low point. First hight point, 1987 when we did the Green Pajamas - Book of Hours and The Life - Alone. It felt like we were in the verge of something in regards to commercial success. Wasn’t able to get it to go to the next step, which led to the low point, ’91 or so. It had become a chore. At that point I had put so much time and energy into it with diminishing returns, I was a dad, needed to back off, make a living and take care of life. Had to let it go.

Second highlight is now. I am at a place in my life I can do this at a level that I find satisfying. I am putting out my music and other peoples’ music I like. I don’t really care if somebody thinks it is crap or not, it is just what I am doing and I will let it get to whatever level it can get to.

What's inspired you to jump back into the ring and relaunch the label?

In the period after the initial output, I went back to school, got my bachelors, masters and doctorate while working full-time and raising kids. I never stopped recording (thus Songs From Academia, Vols. 1 & 2), but it was a lot smaller part of my life. Have my doctorate, have a job, kids are out of the house. Time to rock. Beside my gig as president of a small college, this is mostly what I do with my time nowadays.


The music industry has changed significantly since the pre-grunge days?  What changes have you seen and how are you approaching dealing with this changes?

Obviously the biggest change is the internet. It used to be that record companies were the filter to decide what was “good music” – people that were too crummy couldn’t make records. That started changing with the whole DIY thing in the 80’s – then the internet blew it up. Record labels don’t matter anymore. Anybody can get their music in front of the world. The filters used to be at the front – can you get stuff released – now they are at the end – how do you differentiate yourself from the 2 million crummy bands on MySpace. It is about reviews, PR, social networking and as always playing live, which by the way, I rarely do.

 

What changes do you see ahead for the music industry?

Well, the death of plastic seems pretty inevitable. There is still a shrinking market for CDs and vinyl, but your average person is pretty happy with their iPod and that seems irreversible.

On a more musical note, I see no more significant changes in popular music. Ever.

In the 20th century music changed as the technology to make it changed. First, there was the ability to record music. Changed everything, Then the ability to overdub made it possible to record music you could not perform live. Then the electric guitar changed everything again, making sounds that were previously impossible to make. Analog synthesis created the last batch of new timbres that popular music would require. Digital sampling was the final piece, as the hip hop guys brought John Cage’s notion that all sounds have musical validity to the mainstream.

In the past technological change in making sounds drove new music. I do not think there are any significant departures left on the kind of sounds that can be made. We can make them all.

I think what you have going forward is simply differing combinations of styles – personalization. Jazz is a great example. It runs a progressive course from New Orleans Jazz in the early century and by the end of the 60’s it has hit avant garde squawking and fusion. Sweet to scratchy – all been done. Everybody in jazz now works somewhere within that range. No place new left to go.

By the way, I hope I am completely wrong about this.

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

Just finding time to get things done. I’m pretty much a 1 ½ person operation. If I had greater ambitions there would be larger challenges, but at this point I am pretty happy to put things out at small but consistent level and let thing go where they go.



Are you working now primarily with your old catalog of artists?  Will you be looking for new artists?

My plan is to do a few things.

First, put out my own TD music. I’ve mostly got the old stuff out that I want out, so from here on it will be pretty much new. Second, is to re-release old catalog, just cuz I think it is great stuff that should be heard. Third is to put out new music from some old GMR folks, mostly Jeff Kelly/Green Pajamas, but we’ll see. Fourth is to put out completely new stuff by people that I’ve never done anything with. I’ve got a new band, Sigourney Reverb, that I like and may do some stuff with.

As time goes on I expect I will shift out of old stuff entirely. It will be all done. Probably take a few years though.



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

Nope. Never was, always was a record guy. If I go out and see a band, it is very deliberate; I know about them from hearing something and check it out.



What are you looking for now?

The ecstatic experience. Music that makes me feel. Someone that can replace John Lee Hooker as my personal savior.



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

Well, I am of course perfectly fine with becoming an international superstar and having Jeff Kelly be bigger than Lady Gaga.

As for the industry, I think the decentralization of popular music that is ongoing is an unstoppable trend. I think digital music is here to stay, but I think due to increase storage crappy MP3s will go away.



Any final words for our waveriders?

Buy all our stuff. It’s better than everybody else’s.

Black Elk - Always A Six, Never A Nine

Since Racer and I have been doing this whole Ripple Effect blog thing and reviewing all of this great music that we’ve been discovering, there’s been this weird phenomenon going on where we’ll both receive a piece of music that we listen to once . . . twice . . . three hundred times and we know somehow, in some whacky way, said piece of music is one of the most important pieces of music that we’ve stumbled on. The problem is . . . we just don’t know what to say about it.

Sure, we could throw together a bunch of clever words that highlight our faux intelligence and have the reader reaching for a dictionary (faux means not real,) but that doesn’t necessarily tell you what the music is all about. We want you, oh dear reader, to go out and pick up these albums that we write about coz’ we want to share the excitement that we still find in music. So . . . enter Black Elk.

Black Elk’s album Always A Six, Never A Nine has been in and out of my player for something like two years. I feel a little bad because I’ve wanted to write this thing up all this time, but I knew that whatever I wrote wouldn’t be quite correct, wouldn’t be adequate enough. Always A Six, Never A Nine is an album that takes time to understand, even though I’m still not totally sure I do. But, I do finally feel that I’m in a place where I can at least throw together the right combination of words that best describes the music contained within to give you the best possible understanding of what you’re gonna get into when you buy this beasty-beast.

This album is defies categorization, however, it has elements of post-hardcore, noise, drone, doom, and several avant elements to boot. If you can imagine, Always A Six, Never A Nine would fall somewhere in the no man’s land between the primordial droning sludge riffery of Neurosis and the wildly eclectic avant garde sounds of We Insist! Black Elk has this way of lulling the listener into a state of complacency, carving out our existence and leaving a hollowed out husk, devoid of emotion and then . . . suddenly shoving all of the human elements and emotions into that mesmerized form, shocking our systems into a overly heightened sensitivity, and bringing us back to the immediate futility of our reality. The music has these great metallic moments, but is far from any metal I’ve ever heard. The music also has this great anti-everything attitude to it, but it’s not like any punk music I’ve ever heard. The music has a free form ambience and emotion to it, but it’s unlike any jazz that I’ve laid ears upon. Black Elk simply defy any standard musical categorization.

There are a few songs that I gravitate towards more than others, but the album as a whole is still a stunning experience. “Hospital” is downright killer! The songs opens with a bizarre guitar intro that is quickly accompanied by vocals that sound like they belong to someone strapped to a table with a leather strap shoved in their mouth. Maniacal and laced with paranoia, the vocals have an edge of all sorts of creepy . . . and the way they burst from dude’s mouth in time with the power and aggression of the music is a thing of cryptic beauty. The song has a deranged quality to it, but it’s not out of control. As the songs roils through a chaotic frenzy of heaviness, note the subtle bass lines juke and the warden of inmates. There’s an underlying melody that stands in striking contrast to the darkened lunatic outbursts. By the time the song fades into unconsciousness, odds are you’ll be a little winded and wondering what the hell just happened.

“Pig Crazy” follows along the same lines as “Hospital,” driven by throbbing and pulsating rhythms and highlighted by layers of feedback that creates an eerie texture to the overall sound. The vocals are tortured and frightening, almost like having a conversation with a schizophrenic . . . never knowing if this person is going to turn on us and use violence as some means to an end. The music on this one shifts between heavily distorted guitar riffing to quasi-psychedelic soundscapes, lending an even eerier element to the paranoid visions of the vocalist. This is one of those songs that acts like a sharpened instrument to carve out our being and quickly replaces everything for maximum emotional shock. I love the breakdown towards the end of the track when the guitars completely drop out of the mix and we’re left rumbling along with the bass and drums. That bass tone is thunderous and imposing, giving the listener the impression that something terrifying was lurking around the corner of the next time change. And, for certain, you want to walk down that darkened hallway with both eyes wide open!

“She Pulled Machete” is a drunken narrative about a chick with a machete. Plain and simple. But only Black Elk could pull off a song like this. I love the imagery in this one . . . it doesn’t take much to imagine a guy at some desert truck stop in New Mexico or Arizona, sitting in a Dodge Dart with a fifth of whiskey, sober enough to question what’s going on, but just drunk enough to sit in the dark trying to piece together the puzzle . . . and this all may not be how it plays out, but in my mind, dude’s gonna get chopped up into itsy-bitsy bits and left as coyote chum. Gotta’ love music that let’s your imagination run crazy like that! And damn . . . she sure is sexy!

Always A Six, Never A Nine is the hairy chest on a super model. It’s bizarre and beautiful, it’s unreal and fascinating . . . it’s art! Black Elk have created a monstrous epic of an album that’s haunting and horrifying, a mind fuck in so many ways . . . kind of like David Lynch at his freaky best. It defies logic, it defies reality, yet . . . at the same time, it captures reality in all of its imperfection. It’s an album of serene madness and chaotic elegance, a contrast in every conventional thought. It’s a nightmare choreographed to sound and custom made for each individual listener. I can’t listen to it at night in fear that it will awaken some ancient evil buried deep within my psyche. I must have more!  -  Pope  

buy here:  Always a Six, Never a Nine
Always A Six, Never A Nine (mp3)

www.blackelk.net

www.crucialblast.net/blackelk_alwaysasix.html

Melvins – The Bride Screamed Murder

Prior to hearing The Bride Screamed Murder from Melvins, I knew very little about the group. Now, after listening to The Bride Screamed Murder several times back to back to back, I know even less about them. I can say this, though . . . Melvins approach the creation of music unique to their own perspective, a perspective forged from the fires in the bellies of stars in solar systems light years away from what we may perceive as normal. That’s not to say that the music is unlistenable or so avant that it won’t fit into the average persons everyday scheme of minutia, its more akin to working a logic problem where the solution to the puzzle isn’t directly in front of you or obvious. Listening to Melvins made me rethink the way I think about music, challenged my perception of logical sound flow, dared me to push the envelope on what I thought I already knew (or was confused by) in music. This album really should come with a condom . . . the raping that my mind took has me in living in fear on how I will listen to the next album submissions.

“The Water Glass” kicks off with a ballsy, detuned guitar riff . . . all sludge-y and fat, oppressive and overwhelming . . . but it’s not the tonal quality that makes me rethink what I thought I already knew. No . . . no, that would be coming from the odd time signature of the riff and how the flourishes that drums add to the mix. Then, the washes of feedback bathe my ears in waves of septic brilliance, drenching my audio receptors with dense and sticky sound.  All of this happening within the first minute and half before seamlessly shifting into a wild high school marching band tirade of beats and vocal chants. Are you kidding me with this?!?!? In-freaking-sane! Leave it to Melvins to push music to the fringes of reality! The majority of this tune is bereft of any instruments outside of the drums and vocals, yet it remains one of the heaviest tracks that have assaulted my headset in months. What any of this has to do with a water glass is beyond, but I’m okay with that. I like the mystery. It gives me something to come back to during those future listens when I need to have my mind impregnated by fresh ideas.

“Evil New War God” is another burly, dense onslaught of sludge toned guitars . . . all playing this massive riff that doesn’t make logical sense to me. Just go with the flow, friends, and the happy conclusion will show itself in time. Listen for the majestic ball crushing riff at the 1:38 mark. Crom! That’s the kind of sludgery that makes me think of St. Vitus. A massive wall of distortion with the capability of deflecting the blast from a nuclear bomb. Note the little flourish of cowbell that these guys mix in there. Awesome! And the vocals . . . again, the sinister quality and paranoid menace permeates from between the flurry of dense notes that barrage the listener. And just to make sure you’re paying attention, the band drop this beast of a tune down to a quasi-jazz beat, cymbal ride, and soft bass drum pattern, before the eerie keyboards add some texture. This entire composition has more in common with jazz than hardcore or punk or metal or whatever genre people lump Melvins in these days. Absolutely spectacular song!

The Bride Screamed Murder is a roller coaster ride for certain, but Melvins have created a thrill ride that’s more than just senseless left turns and corkscrew loops. They’ve composed an epic listen by weaving bizarre nuances in between solid riffs and straight forward ass kicking. “Electric Flower” is one such song as it incorporates a pseudo- surf vibe with a five finger formed fist and a crushing blow to the bridge of the nose. Mixed in all of this chaos, the band still works in portions of magnificent musical performances that highlight the individualism of the musicians at hand. These guys have one of the busiest drummers in all the land. Tons of rolls, little cymbal flourishes, crazy fills that defy reason . . . simply mad! Listen for the guitar solo as it cuts through the din of frenetic chaos with a touch of class. So much going, so much emotion, so much sonic violence . . . and all within three and a half minutes.

Then, as it should come as no surprise, the band throws in a psychedelic track in “Hospital Up,” filled with weaving and shimmering guitar lines, all of it making me feel like I’m bathing in a lava lamp. The guitar tones aren’t as dense as some of their more straight forward rockers and heavy tunes, but there’s still an imposing vibe fluttering throughout all of the music. The vocals have a gritty crooning quality to them, almost reminding me of moments from Farflung (fantastic psychedelic stoner doom band) and I’m digging how the nuance within the voice conveys an element of manic paranoia. Again, the band work well together to create a song that would fall to pieces if it were performed by any other group of musicians. The individualistic qualities of the players shines on and I go back to my earlier ascertainment that Melvins are more of a jazz band than anything else. Hell . . . listen to the end of the tune when all hell is breaking loose. The keys . . . the bass . . . the horns . . . jazz.

Finally, strap your asses in and assume a crash position. “Inhumanity and Death” is a hundred mile an hour death trip down a winding one lane deer path through oncoming traffic. Don’t look up, just pray that you’ll make it to the bottom of the hill in one piece . . . and alive. The opening bass line and subsequent vocal scream is enough to fill the most seasoned thrill seeker with terror, and as the song careens to its conclusion, there will undoubtedly be soiled shorts amongst the riders. I stink now, but I’m smiling . . . and I’m happy.

Dudes . . . and Dudettes . . . I simply love The Bride Screamed Murder. I can’t tell you if Melvins as a whole area good band, but based on this album alone, I’d call them gods. The musicianship is insane and the musical perspective is refreshing. I don’t suggest diving into this one head first without any previous understanding of what these guys are about. Busy yourself with something on your initial listen to familiarize yourself with the aural assault that is wrapped up in this disc before completely immersing yourself in the music. Once you do go back to giving it your full attention, it won’t hurt as much . . . well, at least, it shouldn’t. The Bride Screamed Murder is a brilliant execution of avant jazz metal that will surprise you every time you listen to it.  -  Pope

buy here: Bride Screamed Murder

www.myspace.com/themelvins

www,melvins.com

Victor! Fix the Sun - Person Place or Thing

I’m not really sure who Victor is, or why the sun even needs fixing, but I can say with some relative certainty that Person Place or Thing is one of the cooler discs that’s been spending time rotating on my turntable. This Michigan based trio floored me with their post-punky, hard rockin’, devil may care sound the instant the needle hit the groove. This is the kind of band that you can’t completely or accurately pin down into one genre. Musically, they’re complex, yet raw; dynamic in sound, yet never sounding planned. Thought out, but never feeling scripted, Person Place or Thing is as edge-y an album as I’ve heard, making me think back on the later years of my teenage life and being reminded of the attitudes of a band like Fugazi, or on a more local SoCal level, Forced Down. But possibly most important is that every time I listen to this album, the more I like it. And I don’t mean simply like like it. I’m talking, well . . . y’know, LIKE it.


And what’s not to LIKE? From the opening of the album, as “My Friend the Guru” pipes out of the speakers, I’m instantly compelled by the initial thirty seconds or so of the drum roll to off time beat, the shimmering guitars cascading across the sonic soundscape, and then the explosive volley of notes as the tune starts moving. The music, up to this point, is working to perfection, so it was with a cocked eyebrow that I waited for the vocals to enter the mix. This was my point of defining whether this was going to be worth a second listen, let alone a keeper. Folks . . . the vocals sold me. Coming in with a hint of melody and then shifting to impassioned howl, the vocals captured my emotions and clung on like an agitated ferret in a tragic legging incident. Everything works so damn well that I can’t help but want to listen to this song over and over again. The bass is all over the place, but holds a steady groove throughout. The guitars never hit the seriously heavy crunch that I’ve grown accustomed to in recent weeks, and that’s okay. There are dynamics to the guitar work of Ryan Martin that are understated, but have a complexity all its own. Dare I say, virtuosity? Not in the Steve Vai sense of the word, but more in an emotional conveyance. The entire song seamlessly flows from one bizarre transition to another, and the whole thing is executed impeccably.

Remember folks . . . that was only the first song. We still have five more tracks to key into. Don’t worry, I won’t give away all of the little aural treasures on this one, but I will highlight a couple more of my favorite points and then I’ll usher you to the store to pick this baby up. “Paperthin Feather Fuck” blipped on my radar, mainly because it had a sound that I wasn’t expecting. It starts off almost sparse, propelled only by a guitar and those ever so compelling vocals. Once the entire band kicks in, the song takes on a feel of something leaning towards alt-country, and then suddenly disappears into a swirling cloud of distortion. Filled with great vocal melodies, this song has a vibrancy to it that is highlighted by the up tempo beat and primal vocal tirade as the song takes its final steps towards closure.

I mentioned that Victor! Fix the Sun have a great sense of dynamics, and no song captures this as well as the title track. Packed with off time starts and stops, manic and frantic vocals, instruments coming in and out of the mix and creating space between the flurries of notes, “Person Place or Thing” is an ambitious and majestic tune. One minute it grooves along at a nice and easy pace, the next, the band is in hyper-drive, throwing a tantrum on the floor of a supermarket. I’m highlighting the guitar work again on this one. Martin does a fantastic job of mixing in textures to the riffs and then backing away from the flurries of sound by creating huge waves of ambience. This song is a micro look at the entire album. The song takes the listener on a journey, riding the notes as they collapse into the next, ultimately depositing a weary form on the jagged rocks of some outlying island of the mind. “Person Place or Thing” is an example of three musicians who are so in key with one another that they’re practically one person. Everything about this song feels symbiotic. How else do three different personalities combine such loose effects with such tight execution of composition?

Person Place or Thing shocked me out of a bit of a rut. Recently, I’ve been transfixed by some of the darkest, creepiest, dreariest metal to ever assail an eardrum and having the opportunity to listen to a band with a number of fresh ideas, as well as an uncanny knack for delivering skin crawling emotion, was an unsuspected and welcome surprise. I never knew what post-punk meant until a few weeks ago (and I’m not totally sure I understand it now,) so I’ll use that term to describe where these guys are coming from sonically. I can’t tell you where they’re coming from emotionally. That’s completely up to you, Waverider. They use some progressive sounds and convey their ideas with power and conviction, and they have a unique enough approach that I can’t say they sound like one band or another. If you like guitars that come from a different part of the brain, Victor! Fix the Sun are the band for you. After listening to this, I’m sure you’ll find you LIKE these guys as much as I do. - Pope JTE

Requiem for a Band (The Death of Talent) - Nakatomi Plaza - Ghosts

             What will you steal when there is nothing left of any value?

On September 12th, 2009, post-hardcore, indy rockers, Nakatomi Plaza, finished a sweat-soaked performance at Brooklyn's Shea Stadium, thanked their fans, put down their instruments, and walked away from a career that spanned 10 years, four albums, a handful of EP's and a pocketful of singles.  In leaving, the band held their collective heads high, choosing to walk away from the band they loved, rather than continue to watch the industry idolize the talentless, posers around them while supposed "fans" found it always justifiable to download -- "not steal" -- Nakatomi's music without paying for it.

To be honest, I'd never heard of Nakatomi Plaza before their final disc, Ghosts, arrived at my doorstep.  And let's be more honest.  I'm not a punk rocker.  I'm not "hip to the underground." I'm not some infinitely cool music-insider scratching out a living while I suck up all the marrow that the punk rock world has to offer.  Many of you would be repulsed, others would laugh, if you knew what my day job was.  The point is, I'm not a part of the scene that spawned and then slowly and silently killed the spirit of Nakatomi Plaza.

But I feel their pain.


               What will you steal, when there is nothing left of any value?


Nakatomi Plaza drove their beat-up van thousands of miles, on their own dime, over hundreds of allnighters, just to play a gig.  They reached out to the "music industry" only to be courted, lied to, spat upon, and promise-broken, while they sat by and watched some mercilessly untalented collection of mascara-wearing posers gobble up the media and the money.  Nakatomi Plaza wasn't hoping to make it rich, but a living would've been nice.  Some exposure by the industry that supposedly supported them would've been nice.  But did Nakatomi Plaza ever appear on the cover of AP or was that space reserved only for the pretty ones?  Was it the fact that Nakatomi Plaza was a trio consisting of a short lead-singing/guitar wielding Asian guy, a chick singer/bassist and a Latino drummer, that made the band so seemingly "unmarketable" to the mainstream/alternative press?  To the record labels?

In the end, does it really matter?  New bands come and go every day, new songs are always available to steal from a myriad of download sites.  Any shithead with a blog can link up a rapidshare or megaupload of a band's hard-created music, and shield himself from any guilt by placing a disclaimer, "this music is for illustrative purposes only. If you object to your copyright being violated in this way, please contact the blog author."

Well, you know what, I object.


                 What will you steal, when there is nothing left of any value?


I've heard the crap that the mainstream media continues to ram down our throats, like a Nazi thought reconditioning camp, trying to mold our minds into what's good and what's commercial.  At the Ripple, we tend to only write about the bands we love, but when I was writing for another site, I was told to be brutally honest about everything I heard.  One Band I heard, was so horrible, so pathetically, blindly, vacantly untalented, that I had no choice but to write the most scathing review of my career.  (you can read that here.) That Crappy Band, boosted by a big budget, is continuing to pump out gorgeously packaged, horribly vacuous music, counting their sponsorship agreements like poker winnings, and arguing about which eyeliner looks best at which photoshoot.  That Crappy Band has another new album out, a merchandise store, a couple of new endorsements, and a US and UK tour on the books.

Nakatomi Plaza have called it quits.

This wouldn't chafe me so much, if Nakatomi Plaza weren't so fucking good.  Take the time, really take the time, to listen to Ghosts.  Lose yourself in the passion and the infinite groove of "Bomb Shelter."   Punk rock?  Maybe.  Punky rocky that's for sure.  Dynamic and energetic, fricking explosive, sung with real, convincing passion, played with sensitivity and aggression.  "The Ghost Intrigue," blows everything off that Crappy Band's album away.  And I mean hurricane force devastating winds, blown away.   How can that Crappy Band get a moment's recognition when real talent is hanging there, withering on the vine, slowly dying from starvation and lack of attention?  Listen to the vocal interplay of Oscar and the female tones of Al.  Let your heart quicken to the thundering drums.  Allow the more ambient, spacey passages to wrap around you, engulf you.  Don't miss that chance!

"Artificial Light," is pissed and angry, from the first moment of throat-wrenching vocals to the dissonance of the guitar rampage that follows.  Music for mass consumption?  Hell no, but that's not the point.  It's the music that the Alternative Press is supposed to champion, if they cared about the principles of their craft, not the dollars fed to them by the advertising.   "It Came From Outside," champions post-punk ethic, bridling with vim and vigor, bass heavy-breakdowns, chattering drums, darkness in themes.  While "Words," hints at the subtlety and beauty of their songwriting craft and sensitivity. 

In the CD's liner notes, Nakatomi Plaza say goodbye to their fans and followers, closing the book on their career.  They speak of the frustration of being an oil slick on the music industry highway.  They speak to the prejudice that smacked them in the face as a band that dared to be fronted by an Asian and featuring a woman and a Hispanic, instead of pretty, perfectly-combed white boys.  And they speak of the hypocrisy of the underground that smirks with a self-satisfied smile as it pats itself on the back for being so "inclusive" while it remains completely blind to the multitude of "-isms" that still fester in its ranks.

I don't know about all that.  Again, I'm not part of any underground.  I'm not cool.   I just run a fun little website with my like-minded brethren, writing about the music I love, trying to shine one tiny photon of light on the bands that are going criminally unnoticed.

But there is one thing I do know.  If you like a band, support them.  Buy their albums, the product of their labor, don't steal them.  Don't pay to download one track, buy them all.  See them play.  Pick up the t-shirt.  Tell your friends, your family.  Write about em on your facebook or myspace or whatever.  Just don't take it for granted that they will always be there, slaving away, creating the music you love.  The music that has become the soundtrack to your own, individual life

Because I know one more thing.  Unless you do support the bands you love, and buy (not steal) their product, then one day they too will put down their instruments and walk away, and Crappy Corporate Bands will be all that you have left.   Don't let that happen.  Don't let the passing of Nakatomi Plaza not raise an alarm in your mid-brain.  Buy Ghosts, it really is good.  It may be too late to save the band, but they can still earn some gas money from it.  Maybe rent.  Isn't your ten bucks worth that?

Otherwise, one after the next, they will all just fade away.


              What will you steal when there is nothing left of any value?

--Racer

Buy here: Ghosts

www.nakatomiplaza.com/

A Sunday Conversation with Engineer Records

Continuing on with our series on the dynamite, independent record labels that are keeping the indy music flag flying high, today we have the masterminds of the purely punk inspired, Engineer Records, taking their spot on the red leather Ripple Interview couch.  Sit back and relax, brew a cup of tea and be prepared to learn all the ins and outs of the indy music scene.


How did you get started running an independent record label?

Dave: It was way back in 1999 that we officially started the label. We’d all been playing in bands up to that point and helping run other labels, zines and gig nights, the usual d.i.y. positive punk stuff and I wanted to do something even more permanent that I could really develop. The label I’d been helping to run, called Scene Police, was doing quite well and had some great releases out, but the two other guys involved, Dennis and Emre, were going to college and wanted to slow things down. Also my band, Rydell, were gigging less right then and it gave me a little more time to do other things. Through Rydell’s touring and the other promotions I’d been involved in I knew a lot of great bands but this was still well before the main internet took off with MySpace and MP3’s with easily burnt Cds, etc so bands really needed help and the word had to be spread. Bands had to work hard to get releases out and it wasn’t easy to find labels. Often it was vinyl singles or EPs and CD albums if they could afford the studio time and even then, getting any kind of promotion or distribution beyond the hand to hand underground methods was difficult. We figured that we could at least help a few of our friends.

We set up initially as Ignition Records and from day one intended to release the highest quality records and treat any bands we had equally and well. We had friends in the UK, Europe and USA and had no real preference on style or clique, just good alternative music. It was mainly hardcore, but more often on the melodic side of things. Leaning towards emo I suppose, but with all sorts of great bands really. Our early releases were all bands I know personally and had either played with, put on shows for or corresponded with regularly. They included Hunter Gatherer and Hot Water Music – our first two releases, both of whom had toured with Rydell. San Geronimo, with ex-members of Lifetime, one of my all time favourite bands and Dead Red Sea, with ex-members of Cross My Heart, another of my fave bands. We also released compilations to get more new bands out there and heard. We produced the Firework Anatomy compilation as our third release to try to get coverage for some great bands who weren’t really well known then – these included Grade, Penfold, The Casket Lottery and Red Animal War – all well known now, as well as Speedwell, Crosstide, A Rocket Sent To You and That Very Time I Saw - all great bands that we later produced their own releases for on the label. We also set up a tribute CD to cover tracks by Shudder To Think, and this included tracks by Joshua and Elemae, amongst others - two more great bands who went on to release their own records on the label too. We just built the relationships as we went along.

The tenth release was Speedwell’s ‘My life is a series of vacations’ CD with a translucent foil printed cover wrap which we ended up having to press the entire run twice due to a mastering glitch. We gave away the entire first press of 1000 free at shows in London as promos as one track jumped. It helped raise the labels profile early on. The Planes Mistaken For Stars CD ep release was in the shape of a skull. The Chamberlain (Ex-Split Lip) albums, both Exit 263 and Five Year Diary, were on both CD and vinyl, with Five Year Diary being a double CD and gatefold double LP. The other vinyls we had were all coloured or specials with fold out sleeves and the CDs all had lyric sheet booklets, etc.

About 6 years ago now, Craig Cirinelli joined me as label partner, and opened up his own USA office in Northern New Jersey. It's not easy to jump into a label, but he wet his feet right away, picked up a lot, namely ANY stock of bands we still carried releases from, and stocked them in his USA webstore for Engineer that enabled North American fans/customers to purchase at a much more affordable rate due to decreased shipping (than only from the UK). Then he started scouting bands, and brought forth a healthy crop of bands that were up and coming in the tri-state area (NY, NJ, PA). Of them were Merciana, The Moirai, My Shining One, The Fire Still Burns, Catalyst, Calm.Murder and was impressed by a Kentucky band called Squarewell, enough to foster a relationship and in-turn assist in 4 releases for the band during their days of bandhood.

We also worked as closely as possible with other labels and we still do. The whole thing was about getting the releases out there and the bands heard by as many people as possible so the more labels involved the better as far as we were concerned. We have several split label releases and are working on more even now. Our label partners include Rise Records, Pop Up Records, Deep Elm Records, Schrodinger Records, Koi Records, Samuel Records, Funtime Records, Azteca Records and Embrace Records. We are always on the look out for more partners too.

The releases came out fairly fast, even from the start, as we found that most of the distribution companies would only deal with labels who had ten or more releases. We had to get rolling. I guessed that this reluctance on the distros part to new indie labels was due to the set up costs or admin or something but I have to say that none of the big distribution companies have ever done much to help the label. In fact, we are still owed money and stock by most of those we’ve worked with and any decent promotions we have ever done have been done by ourselves and our bands. It is a tough business out there beyond the underground. A couple of years in we found that out the hard way again as our name, Ignition Records, was starting to be used by the management company of a little known band then called Oasis. They threatened us with court action and costs and although we’d had the name longer we had no contracts or legal proof so had no choice but to change the labels name from Ignition to Engineer Records. Ignition can be seen on all the early releases, about the first twenty, and then it changes to Engineer Records taking us up to date. This also explains our catalogue numbers, all starting with IGN and now appearing on the spines of well over one hundred great releases.

Back when we started we were living in a shared house with a band practice room in the basement and a record store and office on the main floor. We would go to every gig possible to support our bands and sell our releases, giving out flyers and promos every time. We would tour with the bands too and frantically answer post and emails. From sweaty shirts and breathless lungs at shows, to battered fingers and tired eyes in the office from late night promo packing sessions. We just kept on and on, keeping our local post office very busy and pushing our bands to anyone who would listen. It was a passion then and it still is, so it continues how it started.

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

Craig: I assume the answer to that one would be neither and both. Both David and I enjoy one facet of music together (melodic post-hardcore), yet stray from one another outside of the common bond. We've worked with both "local" bands from our regions, as well as many, many bands abroad. It's more about the music that moves us—for better or worse—not the marketability. We realize our fault, yet stick with it.


Which was your first release?

IGN001 - Hunter Gatherer: Low Standards For High Fives - CD




Who's been your biggest selling artist to date?

David: Hmmm. We don't really have big selling artists, more's the pity. We press a minimum of 1000 copies of each release and repress if we need to as we go along. We do send a lot of promotional copies and we also trade stock with other labels - this often accounts for a large percentage of the pressing but isn't really sales. We also have a lot of stock out at distributors at any given time too - this is awaiting sale. The most repressed release was the Rydell / Hot Water Music split 7" single, we did six pressings of that. We also did ok with the Chamberlain albums, the Canaan and Eden Maine CDs. We have quite a lot of releases more or less sold out now, but can't really justify represses now as everything has gone to downloads.

Craig: Many of our releases that are "out-of-stock" have been not only been sold retail--many need to understand how the underground ways of promotion work. They have largely been traded, wholesaled, given out in contests/promotions. Over the last few years, it's become quite necessary to do this just to get promotion rolling for a band—you know the routine—a D.I.Y. styled label such as ourselves uses elbow grease over income. There is a reward in getting music out there regardless of cost, or return---the awareness a band gets to help them jump to the next level. Whether that be hitting fans across the world they would have never reached prior, getting their CD in various underground distros, getting other labels to hear their stuff, etc...all of this is as important (if not more) than landing an indie band's CD into bigger distribution. We can tell you firsthand, as we do both, that the payoff is in the underground---to better your band. If band's know where they stand and work from the ground up, and rest assured knowing that we do too, we can better climb the rungs of the ladder together. Much better than staring at the stars and expecting to be whisked up by a gust of wind the moment their CD's street date arrives. Better chance at being abducted by aliens if you ask me.

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

Craig: Distribution is tough. You can get music out there, but you can't expect it to sell. Know who you're working with. We were burned by a few distributors over time, having financial difficulty themselves. (Partially I feel sad for them, partially anger that our stock/bands got roped in the mess. A hit like that is a nightmare.) It was a huge blow to us--knocked the wind right out. Limited resources gone. (BUT--we kept the heart of why we did this and built ourselves back in creative underground ways...every period is still a new challenge. We've tried to make better decisions since then. We are currently set up with a few distributors who are very up front with us. So the past couple years, as selling CDs get's increasingly tough, we are at least in the know of what's going on, and try to make decisions off this.

Another lesson is you need bands that are grounded, down-to-earth, hardworking, and don't pose for "rockstardom." Those bands make it more difficult and expect a silver platter, and quite frankly don't do shit. We've made some decisions on awesome bands that are blessed with a gift of music but cursed with traits of need/want/inexperience in getting their hands dirty. We are a tool—bands need to work with us, not against. Many bands though, make each day worthwhile.

One other lesson learned: 24-hour days are very, very, unfair.



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

Craig: An office staff. (hahahaaa)



What changes do you see ahead for the music industry?

David: We are already seeing the changes. Our physical sales are getting less and less and our digital / download sales are increasing. Things are more instant and online now, fast and easy I suppose, but it lacks the depth - the artwork, lyrics, etc. There also seems to be a lot more web based mags and zines for reviews, obviously, but also more internet radio stations now too, which looks set to keep increasing and we may get into.

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


Craig: David and I probably have different views on this, but of recent memory, my personal high-point is assembling the Seaweed Tribute. (IGN110: Hours &; Hours: A Tribute To Seaweed). Such a rewarding experience. Labor of love for a band I hold in high regard. Most of the bands on there were a pleasure to work with and turned in what made a worthwhile album.



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

Craig: Selling Music. In-turn, funds for promotion, upkeep, etc...on the bands and label. I'm honestly not against the whole downloading for free trend. I'd by hypocritical to lead on that I haven't been passed many albums by bands I would have never heard of, and become quite large fans of. I talk to other indie labels--often trading goes on at all of them, even back/forth. I'm still such a music fan, I go to shows. I buy shirts and albums at gigs. So I can't deny the theory that using an album as promo, still helps out the band. Until someone finds a way to download shirts, merch and physically transport people under the radar of on-line tickets and door entrance fees, the band's still have an aim to make it. They just need to conduct their main business from the street. (merch stands, gigs/tours) Bands that play more, are further rewarded in on-point sales, and eyes set upon them. For the label though, the purpose of providing the band with an album release and to back it with gaining a fanbase is a labor of love.


How is most of your product sold? Mail order? Web-based? At shows? Is this changing?

David: Certainly if we have the personal time, we sell most of our product at shows, the old fashioned (and still the best) way. Though we have less time now, we're older, family obligations, etc, yet it's good fun too. We sell some through the label website by mailorder and some through distributers too. We are now starting to mainly sell through online digital downloads of tracks though.

Craig: Digital sales can't be returned - amazing fact that is importantly different than the physical CD sales. Returns on CD's from stores/distributors that stock are a main source of deprivation from the label. In turn, digital sales are more covering for these losses, and hopefully down the line will afford us to keep going with both formats without regret.



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

Craig: We just look for a connection to bands in something that moves us. That's a broad answer, I know, but their truly is no formula. We don't look for commercialism, we look for personality. We have so many releases &; styles across the board, we can only define ourselves as "Alternative" and not so much else. David and myself have a background we share musically, that brought us together years ago. We've both evolved since then, in different directions. I think this has aided in our diversity.


How do you find your artists?

Craig: Word of mouth, demos, already established Engineer bands whispering in our ear on other bands they've toured with, etc... Pretty much the norm.  Online music has made less "clutter" around, in terms of presskits, yet way too easy to be solicited via copy/paste from everyone's band in the world. There are far too many of these happening, and I've been copied into careless bands soliciting to a hundred labels at a time. Do these bands really think that "looks good." Presentation goes a long way.


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

David: I used to see at least two or three shows every week, and that was when I wasn't playing at them myself, then it could be even more. Now it is more like one or two a month. I still really enjoy them but have other priorities on my time. We mainly get new bands through word of mouth and demo Cds sent, and then if we like them we go and check them out live.

Craig: I still go out and see live shows all the time. It's the fuel that feeds these inspirations, I suppose. These are namely shows I seek out--but as far as seeing new acts and scouting for the label, that has and never will be a priority. As David mentioned above, we hear of bands all the time, get solicited daily by the over abundance of bans out there and have a lot of friends telling friends telling us type of thing going on. the more action a band has, gigging, in the press, etc.. the more chance they'll have in getting on our radar.


What are you looking for now?

Craig: David and I have decide to slow down. We need to pull in the reigns, take care of what is already in motion/on the plate for the both of us and not take on any new artists for the immediate future. There is label "clean up" such as web maintenance, label compilations that need to be tended to. We have a few releases in the pipeline, mostly on the UK end right now.


Are you involved in all the creative decisions?

Craig: For the bands...Involved? Yes. Dictating them? Definitely not. We try and make sure that things are professional and up to par but the bands manifest their own presence pretty much. David and I could care less about the frills and the fashion. The resolution on a printed piece of artwork, yes.



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

David: I'd like to see more tours for our bands. Getting gigs has become the hardest part as there are so many average bands all after the same shows. Things will keep developing and changing but the underlying message of independence and creativity is always there. Big labels will look for ways to charge more for online content, but I have to say, I think the kids expect it all for free now. There may be some life in merchandise such as shirts, but unless the kids get into it in an underground way of their own, even that will be controlled by big business. I'd like to see more d.i.y. punk underground ethics with small labels all helping each other.



Thanks guys.  Really, amazing, insightful answers.  Thanks for coming.

Craig: Thanks very much for the interview. We enjoyed it. Come see us and chat at www.EngineerRecords.com

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Mammut – Karkari

Let’s get it out of the way right off the bat, shall we.

The Icelandic origin of Mammut combined with Kata's startlingly original lead vocals will bring every reviewer at some point to make an off-the-mark comparison to Bjork. Yes, Kata inflects her vocals with a freakishly dynamic range, and punctuates her singing with a generous dollop of vocal hiccups, coos, and spasms. But that’s the point where all comparisons should end. Referring to Mammut’s music as being even remotely related to Bjork brings an unbearable disservice to the creative, dramatic, and stunningly punchy post punk odyssey that Mammut and their listeners embark upon.

And that’s what Karkari is. An odyssey. A journey. An epic voyage past the point of no return, where the flat earth ends, and the gravitational field melts away. A place where a lesser ship would lose its way, journey off course and careen off the edge, plunging into the deepest darkness of the abyss. But not Mammut. Comprised of three guys, three girls, all between 19 and 24 years of age, Mammut are stunningly experienced navigators, plotting a course through these dangerous waters with an eye always on the horizon. Through the stop-start, twitchy time changes, megalithic swirling psychedelic flourishes, and haunting post-punk sensibilities, Mammut never lose sight of their destination. Karkari is that most remarkable of all albums, one that reveals itself in a totally unique light with each listen. Lush and melodic one time, surging and angular the next. You can take the Mammut journey endlessly and still make it home a different way each time.

“Endir,” starts off unassuming enough, familiar enough, to welcome new travelers upon the Mammut mother ship. A vamp of a drum intro, followed by the low rumble of a disembodied bass call us in, non threatening. Welcoming. Spasms of itchy guitar riffs suddenly slashes through the ether before the whole world suddenly breaks down into the glorious, previously unexplored world of Kata's voice. And what a world it is. A domain of infinite space and ragged beauty. It is a domain entirely of Mammut’s own creation. A netherworld of postpunk spasms still laced with the driving intensity of all that was punk. The bass rumbles with an focus that’d make Joy Division run for shelter while the guitars attack and drop back, seemingly at random. But really, its all part of one larger, glorious plan. The Captains have control of this ship and at this time all we can do is sit back and be prepared for wherever it is that they may be taking us.

What "Endir" brought in pure unflinching abandon, “Geimpra,” brings in a disjointed Bauhaus-esque fury of darkened beauty. Stark, at times discordant, Siouxie has fled to Iceland and is having the time of her life. Large, funky bass combines with staggering, chunky riffs. Scintillating guitar echoes and dances, the whole song swirls and revolves, elevates and ascends. At times familiar, at others completely alien to these U.S. bred ears. Either way, it’s remarkable. An atmospheric dimension unfolds graciously at the wave of Marmmut’s collective hand. Never does the album fail to capture the imagination, exploding with an infectious charisma.

“Svenfnsykt” chugs and plows, lurching and steaming the Mammut mothership closer to the psychedelic edge from which it may never return. What an amazing song! At first chugging along in a near hard rock intensity, big industrial sized guitar riffs layer on like molten steel added from the refinery. Then in a moment, a frenetic shift sends us racing through turbulent seas of agit-pop. The guitar sound is meaty and beefy, and when combined with Kata's otherworldly vocal cooing , the result is as addictive as ale to a sailor. Big washes of synth effects sweep by in a ferocious current, while the entire vessel heaves and seethes in the rampaging white waters. Then, just as suddenly, the pure funk punk bass of “Gun” literally picks the Mammut vessel up and tosses it into another ocean altogether. Twitching like fast muscle fibers on crack cocaine, spasming like a boxer with a head injury. “Gun” races down a riveting post punk shotgun barrel like a charge of gun powder, leading to the best vocal wails and clicks on the album. A stunning, frenetic song that reaches, and then surpasses perfection.

Don’t let the Icelandic lyrics detour you from taking this journey. Kata's voice wrapping around her native tongue has a profoundly powerful, near hypnotic effect. The starkness of the syllables lends itself to the cooing, creating an otherworldly effect. A brimming passion burning through the golden melodies that still rings out clear and accessible. A uniqueness to the journey that is totally foreign to my ears. It’s a mesmerizing effect, wholly organic and real. I doubt I’d enjoy this album one billionth as much if it was sung in English. But as it is, sung entirely in Icelandic, Karkari has already earned its place on my Top 10 list for 2009.

This is an album the world need to hear. To savor. To absorb.

I’m onboard the Mammut voyager. I don’t know where I’m going. I don’t know where I’ll land. But nothing on this earth will get me to step off.

--Racer

www.myspace.com/mammut


Mammút - Svefnsykt

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