See what I saw part 2

Torche: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNNh_Ast7g

Yeah, I was nowhere near the font for this one- way, way too loud. But still not a bad representation.

So, New to me

I'm not just a nostalgia act, I swear!

I'm also listening to some stuff that's new for me. Four bands- Thelema, Nonagon ,Tennis Bafra and Kathy's Clowns.

Thelema is neither original in their name, nor musical intent- but they execute quite nicely. I got Thelema! from Bandcamp, and that's about all I know about them biographically. I thought they were either the Italian goth band, or the Russian metal band, but evidently they're a stoner band from Argentina. Yes, I called them "Stoner' but it's not really true. This stuff is grunge from the metallic end of the spectrum- a lot of Alice in Chains, with some early Soundgarden, and more than a dash of Candlebox. But, on the fast tracks, like my favorite "Dystopia", they have enough swing and propulsion that I'll group 'em in with the harsher Stoner stuff. Good, not fantastic.

I've mentioned before when I've gotten something because it was a promo. It's that time, again. Nonagon sent me a promo email, and I downloaded their People Live Everywhere promo ep. I suspect it's because I'm a big fan of the United Sons of Toil, because I can hear some carryover. But, Nonagon sound a bit more traditional than USOT. Oh, this is still some dissonant skronky stuff, but I'm hearing more traditional structure to the songs, less math. Still, Rusty ( and I really cannot imagine that you haven't), if you haven't heard them, I think you'd like them. Still what does all this insider trading type talk have to do with why I'm writing about them? Here's what, this is another very rare example of a promo item I really like. They've got some heft and swing to the songs, and no matter how non-traditional the chord progression, time signature, or tuning, ultimately, I, as a listener want something that moves me both emotionally as well as mentally. So, much like USOT, I can tell they know what they're doing, and the craft shows. See, back in the day, Punk Rock said 'Anyone can do it", and ever since people have mistaken that for an invitation to disregard songcraft, which isn't what Punk Rock seemed to be about, if you ask me. Punk Rock was pretty much the opposite- it was saying "look, there are methods and ways of creating culture, and none of it is magic, or arcane formula- anyone can learn how to make a song, or design a shirt, or entertain their friends- follow the craft, and you can do it, too". So I'd much prefer to hear a band like Jawbox, Unwound, USOT, Jesus Lizard, or Nonagon who have a solid understanding of the craft behind making music, and then, want to play with the formula than hear some band who never understood the craft, to begin with- though, that can be fun, in limited doses ( See Germs, Flipper, "Fun House" Stooges, etc)- because that's the best chance of actually communicating through music. See, to me, the band should be something more than emphasis for the singer. I think that the music, itself, should communicate thoughts and feelings. That's next to impossible, if the players don't know what they're doing. I have to break it to any moody, artistic teenaged romantics out there- if you want me to see your heartbreaking genius, you're going to have to know how to display it properly. Anyway, so this is meticulously well crafted post-punk with a mathy approach. Yes, that's a good thing. The songs go zoom, thud, strum and smack in a most satisfying way, and the overall sense of angst, and wry humour with just a bit of nervous anxiety is a great formula.

Then, there's Tennis Bafra. Slackers! Seriously, they've been at it how long, and they're now releasing this? I've heard elsewhere that they sound like a more-organized Sonic Youth. I can hear a lot of Sonic Youth, and yes, there's more pop-song structure than Sonic Youth are wont to display, but these guys are just slackers. The songs, even when uptempo on Abulia Jubilee, seem to meander, and they seem to be coasting along on the tunes. I think that's why people hear Pavement and Sonic Youth, and so on, but the difference is this- Sonic Youth was pursuing a pose- these were well-educated Art school dropouts who were doing Rock as a kind of performance art, while Pavement were Ivy League dropouts who were defiantly rejecting the type A lifestyles that they were told to expect. Tennis Bafra seem like Skaters who get off on noise. And you know what? I get off on noise, too. Call this one a guilty pleasure. I dig it, because they do the kind of tough jams that Sonic Youth grew too tired to do, but I have no pretense that it's great Art. It's more or less a tribute to 1990, but I'm good with that, just as entertainment.

Kathy's Clowns win instant points with me for copping their name from You Am I. yes, it's possible they copped the name from elsewhere, but they are related, in some fashion, to the Blue Chairs, who really love the Church, which makes me think they're more familiar with Australian music than the Everly Brothers, or tropical fish. This is another band that I've got next to no biography on- I just saw the name, and the profile on Jamendo, and was impressed by the sound. Some clues seem to indicate they may prior have been known as the Tales, but I can't tell 100%. What I can tell you is they do some great classic power pop- some vocal resemblance to The Cranberries, but mostly is sounds more 1980's- Bangles, Pandoras- that sort of retro mod fascinated stuff.

COF'inC and Torche

So, yeah, I saw Torche, and COC last night. Yes Valient Thorr and A Storm of Light played, too, but I was there for Torche and COC. Torche were awesome, as per usual, as was the New/Old COC.

I'm not going to review the show other than to say- liked those bands, hated the venue.

But I bring it up to say you really should check out both Torche and Corrosion of Conformity. COC even has a brand new record, called "Corrosion of Conformity", and if you like southern-based sludge metal, these are the three guys who invented it. They still play their southern Sabbath/Hardcore punk mix, and Mike Dean still sounds and looks ridiculous. In case you still don't feel like showing up, here's their new video, but it doesn't do em justice- they're both heavier and more energetic live.

Torche really need to just release the new stuff. I don't think I'll make it to the end of April. The new stuff is as good as Meanderthal, if not better. Download what you legally can. Right now. It's the best pop-stoner-sludge rock you'll hear this spring.

Metallica, an Indie band?

Read this interview/blurb then get back to me.

Ok, a little history: I heard Metallica pretty early on. My friend, DH (no that wasn't his nickname, I'm just anonymizing him, on the off chance someone knows someone) played an import copy of Kill 'em All- I think before it even got wide release in the States, and no, I wasn't in the US of Eyyy at that time, hence my uncertainty. I'll admit, I liked that record. I also liked parts of Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets, but that's when I stopped being a fan. It wasn't that they "sold out" although if anyone deserves that hoary tag, it'd be them. It was that they started to really become a different band. I don't know if it was the loss of Cliff Burton, or what, but all the punk rock/indie/ underground elements of what they were doing seemed to go away- even if they started being a lot more open about the Punk rock stuff they liked. The band that made Kill 'em all ween't exactly a Punk Rock band, but they seemed a bit like fellow travellers. The band that made The Black Album never heard the band that made Kill 'em All, as far as I can tell- but they sure as hell had heard Danzig and Slayer, and they sounded derivative of both. Yes, I know all the irony in that- but I live in a pretty unique aesthetic space- I'm good with the idea that Sugar ripped off the Pixies, who were ripping off Husker Du, and I think Sugar didn't do it (ripping another band off) as good as the Pixies, even if they did a great job of being Sugar. Anyway- the point is that I thought Metallica sucked years before most people thought they rooled. By that point, I'd moved on to everything from Godflesh to Sepultura for my metal-head fellow travellers. It's at the point where, honestly, I cannot say I've heard an entire song of theirs in years. I shut them off and out generally before the first chorus. Hell, someone tried to play "St. Anger' for me, and I didn't last past the 3rd detuned snare hit. I tried to play them some Disfear instead. Turned out they liked Disfear better than Metallica.

I also cannot stand the things they have come to stand for- Lars turning into a midget Danish equivalent to Tony Mottola, James becoming the Neo-Nuge, Kirk becoming Ritchie Blackmore, and I honestly don't know the bass player past what Mike Muir had to say about him.

But, taking the intense dislike I have for them as both band and people aside, I find it interesting the argument they are trying to make- they want to try to stick to the old industry model of record distribution, even as an indie band, because they see it as the only way to effectively do worldwide distribution. How utterly backwards! the evidence has been mounting for 10 years that Indie bands are far better off going for a niche market on the long tail- and that worldwide distribution happens when actual fans distribute. Take a look at Die Antwoord- they have incredibly wide distribution, and they don't have a record deal, and are actively trying to subvert the old industry standard. Take a look at Radiohead, take a look at Hip Hop Mixtapes, hell, take a look at virtually any of the successful indie records labels- as Jay Z might put it- they've got a million ways to get it, choose one. But there you have it- Metallica burned all those possible bridges, and are stuck with the old Model, and we can all see that it doesn't work. That's why it's impossible for Metallica to be an Indie band, now- that's why I'd say they sold out, and why they cannot seem to understand the market any more- they cut off and burned out any connections they had to alternatives to the industrial model of commerce. For all those who still maintain that Art and Commerce are not linked in any way, there's your counter-example: Metallica's lack of understanding even the basics of modern commerce has destroyed the aesthetics they had as a band.