Shindig- 2014

I'm starting to get to that part of life where more things are ending than beginning. It's part of the bargain we make at birth- that there's a beginning, a story, an ending, and then, you get an epitaph. I understand, and I'm cool with it, but it makes me make some strange choices at this stage in the game. So, even though I'm not really a "festival" guy, I went to the Shindig in Baltimore. Why? Several bands on the bill, it was basically my farewell. On the line up, I was there to see Fishbone, Clutch, Gogol Bordello, and Jane's Addiction. I figure that Fishbone doesn't have long, so chances are this is it for me and them. With Neil's Stenosis, I know quite well that despite the strong new LP, Clutch are on a time-line ( basically, with spinal stenosis, the spine gets narrower and narrower, and physical strain makes it worse. I know from horrific experience that if you have spinal stenosis somewhere in you top 7 vertebrae, serious strain can paralyze, and injury can mean death. I watched a guy choke out, go into cardiac arrest, and die when his neck got wrenched, and he hadn't told anyone of his stenosis in the neck.). Perry is currently 55. Dave is my age, 47, Stephen is a little younger than me, but is still 47. Now, they're in great physical shape. But there have been times where they have hated each other. I know from my own experiences, as you get older, you're less likely to put up with uncomfortable situations, regardless of the benefits. I could easily see Jane's Addiction exploding onstage again, at any moment. Eric Avery, who was the secret engine of the band ( besides listening to the music, read the writing credits- he really was one of the two driving forces in the band) already signed off- and I'm sure for good. So basically, I went because I really cannot count on seeing three of my favorite bands, again. If it happens, awesome, but I have to count on this being farewell.
So, how was it? Fishbone clearly are a "review" act, now, despite the new LP. It was play to the crowd, do a few antics to remind folks, and play some blissed out ska for senior stoners. I had a word or two with Angelo, and mentally, he's still clear, if addled, but physically, he was not in the best shape. So, I understand. Play the hits to remind people why you're here, then, settle into some jazzy, relaxed grooves, just to please yourself. I don't blame them. But, this is a far cry from the crazed Ska-punk-jazz-gospel-rock that was so inspiring that I even joined a ska band. So, again, a fond farewell. I bid them a pleasant rest, and you should buy their records so they have a comfortable retirement.
Clutch, like every act on the bill, was plagued by bad sound. Now, there's good sound, Stadium acceptable sound, mediocre festival sound, understandably flawed festival sound, and just plain poorly mixed sound. My next post will be photos, you'll see where I was. From that vantage point, I should have been able to hear all instruments. Several points were marred by whoever the wannabe DJ was that had control of the PA. I can tell this jackass' musical taste runs towards rap, because the bass, and snare were the only things audible at several points, and "dub versions" of say "The Mob goes Wild" are fine for home listening, but in a park? It's just annoying. Still, Clutch played well, and leaned heavy on their stunning last LP. In terms of musicianship, they owned the place- beating out my personal heroes in Angelo Moore, John Fisher, Stephen Perkins, and Dave Navarro. In terms of showmanship, Neil did his thing as best he could, but in an obviously restricted way. Lots of grasping at invisible oranges.
Gogol Bordello are much more a ladies' act. By that I mean- I saw loads of girls who were freaked out gonzo for the band, but nowhere near as many guys. I'm totally down for that, and think it's great. There are way too many acts that are for the dudes. I'm a little bit of a manly man, and I'll readily admit I can be a bit sexist- and I know that a lot of my preferred styles- from Hardcore punk to Aluminum Beard post-noise-rock cater almost exclusively to males, but even most other acts on the bill made music designed mostly to be enjoyed by the guys. If a girl dug it, that's cool, but Gogol Bordello, along with Perry from Jane's Addiction, were out-and-out trying to play for the women- and that, to me, is awesome! I'm not hopeful for a segregated audience. I'm hopeful for as inclusive a space as possible. I want all races, creeds, genders, and inclinations to feel like they belong. That's part of what made the music of my college years ( late 1980's) so great- I could go to the "boy's own" punk rock or noise rock show, but I could also go to the college rock or later, Alternative show, and dance with folks of all types. You don't see that so much, any more- everything is getting so tribal- so, seeing a bunch of girls go nuts for a band that I enjoy was great. I'm in no position to discuss Gogol Bordello's music- I can play a couple of klezmer songs, but I'm no expert of eastern European or Gypsy musical styles. But, yes, the sound was off, again- even cutting out entirely on a couple of songs. Seriously, I would fire whoever was running sound. I worked as a for-real professional in that job for over a decade, and I fired people for less than the sound cutting out for a full five minutes, mid-set. I've fired people for not properly installing a snake- which I noticed all the snakes were installed poorly, with exposed connections, and obviously loose connections. I never had to fire anyone for not properly grounding equipment, because that would never have come to it, and yet, at this show I saw several sparks. I know I'm getting into some nerdery here, so I'll stop, but even non- geeks were noticing how bad the sound was throughout.
So, that leaves me with the headliner- Jane's Addiction. For many there, this was it- they had come to fulfill a "bucket list"- I heard the comment many, many times ( including the most priceless comment I've ever heard from one of my neighboring rednecks- dude was full-bore "West Virginny" Nascarized Mud boggin, catfish noodling,  buck huntin' REHHDDNEHHCKUH- "Well, I finally saw Jane's, now, if I can jam with Pearl Jam, and punch Obama in the face, you can check me off, and bury me right there 'cause I'd be done" ) so they got the full "Jane's Addiction Experience" that they wanted- They played "Nothing's Shocking" start to finish, complete with bringing out Angelo and Jay for Idiot's Rule, then played the "hits". The audience got to be as debauched as they intended- I saw everything from boobie flashing to drug overdoses. There is a line of thinking that says that entertaining is the fulfillment of fantasies. If that's the case- this succeeded. However, I look for something else in my entertainment, For that, it was a bit mixed. Perry just cannot hit the notes anymore, and the mix was bad, again- so what should have been a crushing wave of sound on Ocean Sized was instead a bass thrum with wails of microphonic feedback. Perry did his shaman by way of Vegas showman shtick that he's been doing since the turn of the millenia- which is entertaining, but gets a bit awkward when you realize that this is a middle aged dude, with his wife backstage, singing songs about his ex girlfriend and making eyes at a girl half his age in the front row. I'm not saying I was offended, I'm saying the act would be better if Perry was less of a rock star, and more of an artist about it- which I know him to be. Sincerely, despite his multimillions, and despite how turned around his head may have gotten from the excesses available to him, I know of few people so utterly dedicated to art at their core. Back in 1987, he had what Burning Man became and what Jane's Addiction would soon become, and a Stanley Kubrick film and an Ernst Fuchs painting, and a Jeff Koons sculpture in his head, while living in near flophouse squalor in Venice beach. That's an artist with a vision, and that wouldn't need to be age-specific.
Dave can pull out riffs that reference Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, and Robin Guthrie, at the same time, at will. He still has that. He can improvise on a dime, and he can make sonic sculptures instantly. I never much cared for his exact tone- finding it a bit shrill and histrionic- but his playing is just plain gorgeous. I think his public persona is a bit undercutting- he comes across as a bit flakey and goofy, and that sells the real man underneath short. I know that the guy inside is carrying a ton of pain, and has been using his own rock star dreams to self-medicate that pain. So, yes, he played really well, not that hardly anyone noticed. He's like Mick Ronson in that regard- a brilliant player, with an equally brilliant showman for a front man, and he tries to do his own version of that showmanship, but it devalues his actual talent. They both make me a little sad- but I really think the world of their talents.
And Stephen... I dig other drummers. Big Paul Ferguson, Ted Parsons, Zach Barocas and a few others. But Stephen is it, for me. There is no other better. The combination of John Bonham, Buddy Rich,  and Tony Allen, with a metalhead's Id and a hippie's superego- he's the reason why Jane's Addiction didn't become some Roxy Music styled goth-art-metal band- but instead expanded to include far more interesting tribal and jazz elements as well. He played superbly, as per usual, with self deprecating charm but he was clearly held back by the nostalgia. I could tell he wanted to fly off into outer space, repeatedly, but had to stick to the script.
The bass player was good, no doubt, and it's not fair that I do this, but for me, there is no other that Eric to play in Jane's Addiction. I understand why he's not involved, and even agree with him a bit,  but anyone up there is going to be a cardboard cut out with Eric looming like a ghost behind him. That the guy they got looks like Eric doesn't help.
 ( By the way, yes, I saw all the other acts, but I'm not a fan of any of them, and so, it's really not fair for me just to rip on them for doing whatever it is they do for their fans. Since that's what I would do were I to talk about them, I won't. Get it?)
So, yes, it was worth it. I would classify it as good, but flawed. Enjoy the photos.

Aeges- Above & Down Below, take 2

As promised, I want to babble a bit more about this new one.

First, I want to scare some off. Aeges do music that, like QOTSA and the Foo Fighters, is designed for a more broad audience- There are some pop rock tracks here, and some heavy songs. So, much like Red Fang, or the aforementioned Foos, some of this can come across as if it is some kind of pandering. So, for the "too hip for the room" avant gardists, and the More Metal than Metal types, this will surely disappoint, not delight.
For the rest of us, there's some great stuff to enjoy.
Track one, "Echoes" is a statement of intent- the drums come in first, hard, loud and tom-heavy. It's a definite old school QOTSA beat ( You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar... Style) but the the bass comes in, and it's thick, and raw- way too fuzzed out and heavy for a polite bunch of thugs like QOTSA have become. When the heavily effected ( distortion, octave up and delay, if I'm right)   lead guitars answer, playing a harmony off the beat and against the sweet vocals we're off and running- minor key surge and all.
But then Track 2, "Hunter" stomps over everything. You remember Al's motto about Ministry? "Everything Louder than Everything Else"- this is everything distorted more than everything else, and downtuned, too. Seriously, the effect is H-E-A-V-Y. Yes, there's the sweet candy center of a pop melody- but you remember the "bitcrushed' sound? This is more the "Bit run over by a mack truck" sound.
Track 3 " Clouds" continues on the Tao of stompbox- but introduces some of the "Metalgaze" sound- you know, like Junius, Boris, and Hum.
Then, Track 4 mixes all these elements- a hard beat, loads of heavy distortion ( more than ZVex, gearheads) some dreamscape echoes, with a throwback early 1990's underground sound- the effect is "Bored" era Deftones, meets "White Pony" Deftones, but gets beat up by members of "We Care a Lot" Faith No More  and Soundgarden. The track is called "Parasite" and here's a video.
I'm deeply in love with the guitar tone of the next track "Fault". I can't quite tease out what all they used, but I suspect Whammy pedal, with something else- or multiple Whammy pedals, because I hear the Octave Sweep, the detune warble, and the harmonist thing. Then, it segues into the aforementioned Bitcrushing, and plays the most heavy/melodic line this side of first LP QOTSA. Great stuff, and if I fail to mention the innovative double bass drum runs, it's because the drums rock, throughout.
The next track, "My Last Words" NEEDS to be a single- it's a hazy, shoegazy swirl, but so damn heavy, with a downtuned bass line- it's like a much more melodic and dynamic American version of Jesu- yes, that good. Best American heavy dream pop since Hum. No lie.
After that "Rats" is a little step back. It sounds like it could have fit on the last LP, which is fine, and for Quicksand fiends, like me, it's very welcome, but I'm digging the new direction, so I want  to get back to the Thud and Crunch, then wave that's been the rest.
Fortunately, "Halos" the next track seems to answer that need for a big, fat, beat. And, the vocals are like an improved version of what Chris Cornell does. See, I'm ok with Chris's "regular" voice, but you know that Plant wail he tries? Hate it. Sounds like a redneck in pain to me. These guys do it right- hit the note, don't go for a mannered vocal effect that was tired in 1985. Again, a big mix of early 1990's sounds- some Faith No More, some Soundgarden, a little Deftones, and some My Bloody Valentine.
But where's the Heavy? Well, try on "Leech"- it makes a Melvins beat dance with a slide guitar and an Jerry Cantrell vocal riff. It's a Bulldozer of a song, and, again, no bad tracks, here.
I'm skipping a couple of tracks, not because they're forgettable, but because I want to get to the bonus tracks-
They could release an LP of covers, and it would rule! They didn't include this monster, but they did have a great take on Cheap Trick's "He's a Whore", Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay"- done like a Nirvana style, and an altogether appropriate take on COC's  " Hungry Child"- bass rumble and all. If they only did covers- on that alone, they'd rule, heavily.
As it stands, they remind me most of a genius band from the early-to-mid 1990's that never got their due- Low Pop Suicide. For those that don't know- LPS was Dave Allen from Gang of Four/ Shriekback, Jeff Ward from Ministry, and the incredible Rick Boston ( name me another guy who convincingly  did Industrial dance music, Heavy guitar Alt Rock, Rickie Lee Jones styled confessional pop folk, and retro twee soft pop ) - they could do songs that referenced Jane's Addiction, Roxy Music, and Front 242, then, do songs that referenced Bauhaus, and Bob Dylan, back to back- and it was coherent.
See, Aeges is a Los Angeles band- like Low Pop Suicide, and QOTSA, and  the best Los Angeles bands mash up sounds like spinning a radio dial- Now Aeges stick to the heavy end of the dial- Post Hardcore, Stoner Metal, and Metalgaze, but it still is such a broad range of sounds that they could only be in a cosmopolitan place like LA. Wish it was DC, so I could see 'em, but, such is life.
So, why did I need to babble more about them- because they're at that nexus point between noise and melody, aggression and serenity, and easy-going pop and burn down the churches rock that they hit several sweet spots. I really hope it hits a sweet spot for some of my friends, as well.

Aeges- Above & Down Below

Do you like "Alternative" rock? What I mean, and what's meant by the quotes- there's a type of rock music that's hard to pigeonhole- so, in the late 1980's some genius PR dude came up with Alternative to cover it. Suddenly, there was a label that encompassed everything from Jane's Addiction styled Goth-Cock Rock to the mannered psyche folk of REM. It never meant anything, of course, but it was a useful false flag in the same way that "New Wave" was- it's not punk, it's not fueled by rage, and reaction, but does have the iconoclastic spirit of exploration.
So, what Aeges does is an "Alternative" for today. It's got elements of more metallic grunge ( Soundgarden, maybe Alice in Chains) and exploratory Nu-metal ( Tool,  Barkmarket) but isn't afraid of a pretty, shoegazer styled shimmer ( My Bloody Valentine, Catherine Wheel, and early Smashing Pumpkins), or the greasy thrill of Stoner Rock ( QOTSA, Torche, Etc) but it builds all this around a post-hardcore framework ( Quicksand, Cave In) . Got that? It puts them as contemporary to Pelican, Baroness, Boris, and precious few others. This is straight up Rock, not punk or metal, but it's dedicated to a very loud iteration of the rock gene- basses get distorted here, and feedback occupies a sacred place.
So, I was a little late to their first record "The Bridge", but I've corrected that, now. I am right on their new one. I'm not going on about every track, but on first blush, the tracks  "Echoes" "Parasite" "my Last Words" "Halos" "Wasted Time" and the Cheap Trick cover "He's a Whore" are getting multiple repeat listens out of me.
Expect me to babble more about it, but if you're one of my friends more on the Heavy Stoner/ Big Block Rock side than the Shellac-y mannered noise rock end- you already have this. For the rest, look into it. They have the Rock, for real.

Shellac Dude Incredible

So, it's been seven years. So, Touch and Go "retired" back in 2009. I can understand why folks might be excited at a new Shellac record on Corey Rusk's label. It is a good record, yes. I like it, but a few things nag at me about it. I want to just say " It's awesome, you need this", but that doesn't feel honest. I've seen the positive reviews, and they seem a bit forced and hyperbolic to me.  I'm not saying that I hate it. I've listened to it about six times already, and I just got it on Saturday. But, like I said, something about it nags at me.
One thing, right away, is that I'm just not in love with the sound of it. The bass is too clean and rubbery- like a jazz bass sound. The guitars are a bit too stately, with just a "tasteful" amount of distortion. I'm willing to bet it's the usual  guitar, into pre-amp, into tube amp. The microphone placement is superb, like Tony Visconti's on Bowie's "Heroes"- and creates an atmosphere that's both "dry" and ambient at the same time.
There are some new elements- a bit of country blues pedal tones on some tracks, some Jazz time signatures on others, and things keep on getting clearer to me- I have  heard this sound, Thirty five years ago, I heard a band that sounded a lot like this, only they played with fire, passion, and a steely eye on cutting out all distractions. In 2014, Shellac sounds like a jam session I heard the Minutemen playing in 1979. Only slower, and more academic, and dry.
Now, don't get me wrong, The Minutemen were glorious. Quite possibly the best American Punk Rock band, ever. But, after you've seen Dennes and Mike and George lay down the law- effortlessly fusing the British Art Punk of Gang of Four and Wire with Creedence Clearwater Revival roots, and Steely Dan  pop jazz, and doing so while stoned and spouting poetry that cannot be repeated- it's like a Sunrise over the Vermilion lakes in Banff National- the world comes alive in a way it never will again, and somebody pointing out another sunrise to you, and saying "See? See? Isn't this like it?"- you have sympathy for them, because they weren't there, but you just smile and hide your annoyance, and say "Yeah, that's kinda like it". You realize that it isn't fair, and that your experiences are yours alone, but it's hard to generate enough enthusiasm to  cover up your wistful nostalgia.
So, yes, it's a good record, but no,  I cannot play along to the hype. It's just a good record. A pleasing combination of notes. No Satori to be found here. My favorite tracks are " The People's Microphone" and "Gary". But, really, if you want  slightly mathy, slightly rootsy, super precise but noisey rock, with some punk, and post punk Aesthetics? Get some Minutemen records. Sorry to be such an old hipster about this, but truthfully, it's like the difference between glimpsing something  sublime, and seeing something pretty.

Marquee Release

So, as I type, I'm watching last night's Colbert Report, with his opening bit about Hilary Clinton's obnoxious "I'm Baack"- and it dovetails into what I want to talk about: We've got a new U2 and a new Shellac record this week.  I've heard, and enjoyed both, but I've got reservations about both, and those reservations have to do with fame, expectations, and hype. See, U2's new record came bundled with the new Apple's product, and the new Shellac record came out on a "retired" record label.  In both cases, the attempt is to create a "marquee" release- the assumption is "Hey, you like this band, and therefore you'll like us". That rankles me a bit. I won't do Apple products, and Touch and Go is just a record label to me, not a mark of quality. Still, I did get both, and I do like both. I'm not going to automatically do anything- I won't judge based upon anything other than the quality of the music. So far, both have some strengths and weaknesses. Neither one is what I'd call "10 out of 10"- both feature some coasting on the part of the band, and both follow some worn out tropes. But, I'll actually go over what I think of each a bit later- right now, I'm talking about the machine behind either release.
So, the point is?
Here's my point: I don't care that U2's record was auto-bundled with the new I-whatever, and I don't care that Shellac are "Indie Stalwarts", coming out on a hoary old label. I don't think anyone should care if U2 are this or that, or if Shellac are comprised of Uber producers, or whatever- the ONLY thing that should matter is if you dig the music. That's it. It's disheartening how little the actual music matters, whether people hate the machine ( U2) or love it ( Shellac).
This where Hilary comes in- people are talking about whether she'll run or not- but it's based upon her "profile"- just once, I wish it would be about her policies, instead.  Once again, it's about the machine, which is narcissism disguised as news. That has infected out discussion of art, philosophy, and aesthetics for too long- so, yes, I still want to know how long must we tolerate mass culture?

Just a mention because we're old

In a way, it hasn't been fair for new music. With the advent of digital music becoming acceptable, it's easy to find almost any recording ever, and listen, if not own, within minutes. So, with every great recording ever standing against, who can be for the untried, and untested new thing?
Well, I  do look for the new, all the time. But, I cannot ignore the old, either. Two recent classics have been given the delux treatment, and I must admit, they have been dominating my time, recently. You already know how I feel about them: Coliseum's first record, and Clutch's Earth Rocker. If you don't already have them, having missed them when new, I'd suggest you rectify that.

Moutheater Passing Key

I've had a little bit of a rough summer. I've had friends, family, and pets die. I've had a moderate depression, and lost friends because of that. I've had car problems, broken stuff in the house, and even a few minor ( or maybe not minor, we don't know, yet)  neurological issues . So, yeah, a bit rough.
However, Andrew Aircraft had a really rough time, at some point, because these are some seriously depressed and self- excoriating lyrics- like, even I am impressed enough to mutter "Dude, you need help" at certain points. So, please understand, despite the ridiculous name, and the type of music, this stuff is serious business.
So, what kind of music do Moutheater make? I think the shorthand would be "Grunge"- but that sells it short. A better descriptor would involve "Led Sabbath" style early 70's hard rock,  "Unsane Lizard" noise rock, with a large amount of Melvins at their most metallic. Soundgarden, this is not.
So, everything I've said so far makes it seem pretty harrowing, right? Why would you want to hear that? Because, as Bauhaus would have it, they "swing the heartache"- they make the anger, depression, and self recrimination ROCK. It's post modern blues- you go through the pain to overcome the pain. At least, that's the function it's serving for me.
So, just to do my usual thing- I'm hearing a fair amount of Gibson on this- probably a Les Paul of some description, but there are bits that sound distinctly sweeter with a more focused gain structure, so possibly something with a mini humbucker. There are bits where the feedback and hum overcome the signal completely, so I don't think we're talking about modern amps- I'm thinking more 1970's Fender, or Ampeg to get what the kids call a "bitcrushed" sound ( really it's just completely saturated on the even harmonics, but why bring sound engineering to a metaphor party?) The bass is your standard  Jazz bass into Ampeg- I don't think there's any doubt on that, and the drums, though close-mic'ed are ye olde trap set- no Neil Peart-isms here. Just hit those toms with clubs...

Bereft- Lost Ages

Hey, while I'm not strictly into Doom or Death or Black Metal- I'm aware of the stuff, and even like a few things on the periphery of those genres. If, however, you're more into blackened Doom, with a small side of Post-Metal, I think you might dig Madison, Wisconsin's Bereft. They have a new one/debut coming out named "Lost Ages" that comes to me highly recommended.  I have to admit, the aesthetics lose me, a bit- but I'm impressed with the sincerity and passion for the form- so, yes, I'd still consider it valid, and worth your time if that's your thing...

Yob- Clearing The Path to Ascend

So, I've heard of YOB before, but I've never heard a full length by them. I heard they signed to Neurot, and got interested a lot more. So I was really happy to see this in the mail. I think I understand what the hype is about. Much like Baroness, Boris, and Neurosis, they play metal devoid of the genre restrictions- and, paradoxically, fulfill the genre requirements. These are 10 minute plus songs, with tempos that rarely get up to a heartbeat, yet there's power, beauty and excitement in them. Bottom line- yes, it meets the hype.

I'll be back

Sorry I've be quiet. I did an experiment that failed, and I'll be back to the known, soon. As was said a generation ago- "A man's got to know his limitations."