Why "Overdue"- because head V&A guy Conan Neutron has been on my radar since, umm, I think, August. So, given my parameters, you'd be forgiven for thinking that I didn't care for this- which isn't the case- but the truth is that it got a bit lost in the shuffle, so this is an overdue discussion.
So, Victory and Associates play what could best be described as "post punk", but it's more unique than what that might seem to describe. See, the thing is, if you date Punk Rock to 1977, it's "classic rock", right? Because, if Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who and Led Zeppelin are "classic rock"- how many years different is that? Likewise, the secret to what became "post punk" is that it was just when Punk Rockers started to inject Punk with whatever pre-punk music they were into. The usual suspects were David Bowie, Dub Reggae, and Chic, but could include everything from Jazz to Country to Rockabilly. My personal stance is that's what made Post punk great- the cross-pollination of various music types. So, Victory and Associates mix some punk rock aesthetics with a whole lot of early 1970's pop hard rock- FM radio circa 1974 mixed with the rawness of mid 1980's bedroom raw lo-fi punk rock ( as opposed to hardcore). This is a formula that can be applied to everyone from Tom Petty to Guided By Voices, so why do I say they are unique? Because while the sound design is a lot closer to Bob Pollard & company, the actual core song-writing is a lot closer to Tom Petty. Which is- this is traditional rock songwriting, classic rock songwriting, almost entirely, but given a garage punk outfit. I don't hear a lot of that, these days. Also, as per the FM radio songwriting, this doesn't sound as good over headphones as it does on a small, cranked stereo. I bet it sounds best on somewhat worn vinyl, but that's a theory I cannot test, just yet. Which, again, brings us back to that early 1970's thing- you really don't want a CD of Bad Company, or Foghat, or Bachman Turner Overdrive, you want that Vinyl copy you got when you were 9, and played 800 times on your radio shack turntable, until your poorly maintained needle wrecked your record.
But, let's get a little closer- tracks like album closer "Taste the Danger" demonstrate just how right I am- at first, you might think it sounds like early Fugazi, but it's too relaxed, and too "in the pocket" for DC postpunk, and then, you realize how poppy the structure is, so you start thinking of Sloan, but then Sloan and Fugazi have very little in common, right? Well, except a secret affinity for Blue Oyster Cult- and then, it all falls into place. Album opener "We'll Have to be Our Own Heroes" might sound like Quicksand, until you realize how big of a Who fan Walter Schreifels is, making this into a mod power pop song. Even the most "punk" sounding track 'The End of Memory" shares DNA with both TSOL and Ted Nugent.
That a Melvins producer (Toshi Kasai) recorded it makes total sense, now, doesn't it?
However, the earnestness, and the sincerity lyrically espoused keeps this from Grunge/Alternative Nation/ Generation X irony, so Conan Neutron's vocal similarity to David Byrne should not be taken for distance from the music made- he's got a singer-songwriter's heart, but a cock rocker's golden god guitar, and, in the end, that's the best way to view this- an LP from a group of Rocknroll true believers- fanatics, even- of a type that most of us can't muster up the courage to be much after the age of 20.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
New To Me
So, I've been, shall we say, a bit underwhelmed with the music that's been coming to me. No big secret there, right? ( Although the new Capsula came in the post yesterday, and I've not yet listened to it- I'm psyched, to coin a bad pun) So, I did what I always do when the situation declares it- I've been rooting around on Bandcamp. Seriously, for a music fiend like me, there is no better resource. Yes, I know Record store day, Vinyl vs Mp3, and la di da. I stand by that. There is no way that a noise rock band from Yucaipa can get their 7 inch record to my local indie retailer. But, I can find them in a few clicks on Bandcamp. Then, when I purchase the MP3's it's about as direct as is possible- I know that both paypal and Bandcamp will take their cut, but I am pretty sure its not as bad as distribution costs are for selling vinyl. So, I'm still really into Bandcamp.
What have I found? Well, music that while maybe not entirely new, is new to me.
First, I found Stella. They're from Columbus Ohio, and I had to triple check that. They really are from 1984, somewhere in the south bay near Pedro in the greater Los Angeles area. What I mean is I have rarely heard a band that sounds more like they belong on the SST label, back when that was a good thing. I'm hearing Black Flag, the Minutemen, a lot of Saccharine Trust, some Slovenly, maybe even some DC3 or Das Damen. Which means, for people who aren't total music geeks like me, they sound like raw mathy noisey post hardcore punk rock. Really excellent stuff, and if they ever read this, might I suggest they move to Chicago, as they'd fit right into the current noise/math/post hardcore scene there. Even my cats think so.
Next I found "From Indian Lakes" who must be from northern California, but I really don't know. All I know is they do a really intriguing sound. It's very pretty in a New Zealand kind of way- I mean the Dunedin sound, like they belong on the Flying Nun label. Ok, I know that's pretty obscure- how's this- They play swirling, gentle psyche rock like a lo-fi and prettier version of what The Church used to do. But, they add some of the drone and dynamic of Deftones post-shoegazer metallic post hardcore- just a little mind you- enough that they might qualify on the "post metal" genre, but only if you really stretch the definition. What I mean is that they end up somewhere in the Echo and the Bunnymen territory, only with pretty falsetto vocals that sometime scream, but they're approaching that from a totally different direction. Folksiness, yes, but almost zero hippie neo-1960's . I realize that this might not seem like my cup of fur, but I've really enjoyed their stuff from the "Able Bodies" release.
Finally, I found Ma Jolie from just up the road from me. Now, I'm not a big fan of Pop punk, but this is done right. Very "Americana" styled, in the New Jersey kind of way. By that I mean Gaslight Anthem, Titus Andronicus, you know, that Springsteenian, without sounding like Bruce Springsteen sound? But with a lot of midwestern energy- like Dillinger Four, Bear Vs Shark, Lawrence Arms- that sort of thing. The end result is like a less southern Hot Water Music. I hope they do well in Gainesville, though. I think they belong at that fest, and whatever the case might actually be, I definitely want to see them live, because, unless studio trickery is involved, they have that tightness and interplay that makes a band sound like friends in a club, or a gang. I will admit I prefer the new one, but get both LPs if this description has you interested at all. Calling pop punk, while accurate, does them a disservice. This is intricate, melodic, passionate music, that clearly is coming from an honest place that, unlike the pop music on Vevo or MTV, isn't about to insult either your intelligence or your humbleness. It's real music made by real musicians, and if the only round hole to fit their square peg is "PopPunk" then, I guess I'll use it, but don't expect either Green Day or NoFX- this is oceans away, and mountains more elevated than that.
That, by the way, is why I still hunt for new music- to be taken by surprise by people I've never met, and expanding my appreciation of life by doing so.
What have I found? Well, music that while maybe not entirely new, is new to me.
First, I found Stella. They're from Columbus Ohio, and I had to triple check that. They really are from 1984, somewhere in the south bay near Pedro in the greater Los Angeles area. What I mean is I have rarely heard a band that sounds more like they belong on the SST label, back when that was a good thing. I'm hearing Black Flag, the Minutemen, a lot of Saccharine Trust, some Slovenly, maybe even some DC3 or Das Damen. Which means, for people who aren't total music geeks like me, they sound like raw mathy noisey post hardcore punk rock. Really excellent stuff, and if they ever read this, might I suggest they move to Chicago, as they'd fit right into the current noise/math/post hardcore scene there. Even my cats think so.
Next I found "From Indian Lakes" who must be from northern California, but I really don't know. All I know is they do a really intriguing sound. It's very pretty in a New Zealand kind of way- I mean the Dunedin sound, like they belong on the Flying Nun label. Ok, I know that's pretty obscure- how's this- They play swirling, gentle psyche rock like a lo-fi and prettier version of what The Church used to do. But, they add some of the drone and dynamic of Deftones post-shoegazer metallic post hardcore- just a little mind you- enough that they might qualify on the "post metal" genre, but only if you really stretch the definition. What I mean is that they end up somewhere in the Echo and the Bunnymen territory, only with pretty falsetto vocals that sometime scream, but they're approaching that from a totally different direction. Folksiness, yes, but almost zero hippie neo-1960's . I realize that this might not seem like my cup of fur, but I've really enjoyed their stuff from the "Able Bodies" release.
Finally, I found Ma Jolie from just up the road from me. Now, I'm not a big fan of Pop punk, but this is done right. Very "Americana" styled, in the New Jersey kind of way. By that I mean Gaslight Anthem, Titus Andronicus, you know, that Springsteenian, without sounding like Bruce Springsteen sound? But with a lot of midwestern energy- like Dillinger Four, Bear Vs Shark, Lawrence Arms- that sort of thing. The end result is like a less southern Hot Water Music. I hope they do well in Gainesville, though. I think they belong at that fest, and whatever the case might actually be, I definitely want to see them live, because, unless studio trickery is involved, they have that tightness and interplay that makes a band sound like friends in a club, or a gang. I will admit I prefer the new one, but get both LPs if this description has you interested at all. Calling pop punk, while accurate, does them a disservice. This is intricate, melodic, passionate music, that clearly is coming from an honest place that, unlike the pop music on Vevo or MTV, isn't about to insult either your intelligence or your humbleness. It's real music made by real musicians, and if the only round hole to fit their square peg is "PopPunk" then, I guess I'll use it, but don't expect either Green Day or NoFX- this is oceans away, and mountains more elevated than that.
That, by the way, is why I still hunt for new music- to be taken by surprise by people I've never met, and expanding my appreciation of life by doing so.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Slow week
So, yes, I've still been listening to a lot of music, and watching a lot of TV, and reading books, magazines and websites. But, nothing has truly stood out in a huge way for me- except a few things that have been better discussed elsewhere. Still, just for the record- I like Lily Allen's new single. Yes, she's a racist, but no more so than me- which is to say, as a white male, I don't hate black people, brown people, tan people, or whatever else you can to mention. No, I don't think of anyone as less than me- even the most stupid probably have a value to society that equals mine- but I cannot help but be a little bit racist in that I am still white, and as much as I oppose the culture I was raised in, I was still raised in it. So, yes, Lily Allen, too, is a racist, but I think racist in the cultural sense, not in the personal sense. That she lampoons stuff in hip hop culture says less about her beliefs than it does about the industry she's in- I am willing to bet that her production company wouldn't have touched the project if she didn't include twerking, gold chains, bling and rims. ( Do you really think Miley freakin' Cyrus discovered hip hop on her own? Madonna? Lily Allen? Don't you realize these people have a mountain of handlers, advisers, choreographers, managers, and assorted people around them who pretty much keep them in a total bubble? We're far away from Elvis Costello making drunken racist remarks about Ray Charles, here. ) My only problem is Lily's unwillingness to really bite the hand that feeds- tell her fans to go to hell, and record a record of songs she both wrote, and performed on her own, without any concern over what will resonate with anyone else, and then we can talk about how hard it is.
I also will admit I like Chris Hardwick's new show @Midnight. I really have no defense for it. I know Hardwick is clearly an industry mole sent to exploit internet geekery, and that the pseudo game show is just a ruse to get us to watch yet another formatted clip show, complete with formulaic "outrage"- but you know what? It makes me laugh. Out loud, and embarrassingly so. So I'm not going to lie and say i hate it, because I really do enjoy it.
But, that's what happens, sometimes. Some weeks you end up just being a bit boring. I'm not yet up to the task of making my trip to NL seem interesting, but know that I'm still on it...
I also will admit I like Chris Hardwick's new show @Midnight. I really have no defense for it. I know Hardwick is clearly an industry mole sent to exploit internet geekery, and that the pseudo game show is just a ruse to get us to watch yet another formatted clip show, complete with formulaic "outrage"- but you know what? It makes me laugh. Out loud, and embarrassingly so. So I'm not going to lie and say i hate it, because I really do enjoy it.
But, that's what happens, sometimes. Some weeks you end up just being a bit boring. I'm not yet up to the task of making my trip to NL seem interesting, but know that I'm still on it...
Sunday, November 10, 2013
And if Passion ends in Fashion...
Yes, I have been away, and I bet you didn't notice. That's good. See, I write this stuff more for me than for you. I guess the best way to describe it is that I have a certain kind of arrogance. I truly believe that I have the best handle on my tastes of anyone in the world. I believe that I know what I like. So, following this conceit, I am writing, in blog form, the reviews and views I wish I was seeing everywhere, as if the world shared my excellent tastes. I know that the world, however, is slow to catch up to me, and is not yet ready to cater to my every whim. So, it's a sign of how very far advanced I have become that I can stop writing for a week or two, and no one is the wiser, because no one has caught up to me, yet.
Ok, ok, Archness filters off- truthfully, I write this blog as a real "web- Log"- this is still more journal than journalism, so I'm amusing myself. However, if anyone is keeping track, I have been away, off to the Netherlands. Not that I'm in the business of travel reviews, but while the country is still light years ahead of this dingy little backwater where I make my home, The Netherlands has nothing on Scandinavia. I'm dutch by birth, and so, dutch I will remain, but, if I could have my wishes, I'd be Scandinavian- Finn, Swede, Norwegian, or Dane, I think they've got the best overall culture on the planet, right now. That's not to say that we lowlanders have nothing to offer- I picked up a Triggerfinger T shirt and CD, replaced a dEUS CD, drank some great beer, saw the Van Gogh museum, and marvelled at the Dutch ingenuity with the turbines, windmills, dykes, et al- but really, when it comes down to where I'd rather live, give me Porvoo over Lisse, give me Copenhagen over Amsterdam, give me Gothenburg over Groningen, and give me Stavenger over Utrecht. If anyone is really interested, let me know, and I'll do a full travelogue on my trip, but honestly, I think there are few things more boring than "Let me show you my vacation photos"
Anyway, what's prompting this entry is a combination of a few factors- amoung the other things I've been hearing, reading and watching in the past ten or so days, has been the new Eminem "Marshall Mathers 2" release, the new Zeromancer "best of" compilation, and MIA's new one "Matangi" and the pitchfork review of Matangi, as well as the Youtube music video awards. My reaction to all of the above is a reflection upon Adam Ant's great song "Press Darlings" ( no irony, there, I think it's a great song and I've covered it in two separate bands I've been in) - I wonder why people write about music, in the first place. To get it out of the way- I think "Matangi" is a triumph, and, if the world were honest, she'd be getting Kanye West's press. I think Eminem has a couple of good tracks, here, mostly when he apes the Beastie Boys. Zeromancer are cheesy industrial goth dance music, but I like that stuff from time to time.
So, I'm reading this review in Pitchfork, and I'm struck by how much of the review of the Album ( you know, an album of music, like an album of jpegs?) is spent basically reviewing Maya as an interview subject, and media figure. There's not much spent on what the music actually sounds like- and when they do, they throw out references to archetypes of songs, rather than actual discussions of the music ( not one actual reference to a musical instrument, not one mention of a note, not one discussion of a production technique, not a reference to tempo, or even an allusion to key) . Now, I know that I don't get as technical as I could on here, because I reckon it's boring for non-musicians, and condescending to musicians, but I do reckon that I write about music more than I write about books or TV because I actually like music. Probably much more than you do. So, for example, I can state that part of the appeal of "Bad Girls' is taking the off-key, high pitched whine of gangsta rap, and turning it into a mode . I can see the rest, too, of course, and know the political undertones to what MIA is doing, and can appreciate how she's doing a dance with western media not unlike the contempt a prostitute has for a john, but music is what brought me here- not trend, not image, and certainly not ego- I don't care what you think of me, and would be unimpressed if you thought of me as a music business insider- but I'm willing to bet that's exactly what brings in most of the writers for high profile industry crap like Pitchfork. Because, if they were honest, they'd see how what MIA is doing has more to do with the Zeromancers of the world than the Eminems.
Then, I saw the Youtube music Awards, and I nearly despaired- it was such a mess of pseudo hipster, fake indie industry bullshit that I reckoned that western culture was doomed. Then, I saw Eminem's performance of "Rap God"- a throwback to mid 1990's utterly corporate unapologetic fake music- and slowly, the camera allows us to see the musicians, playing in darkness in comparison to the washout white light on the celebrity- and that's my one hope- there are still people toiling in darkness, maybe, but still following their muse, still playing real instruments, still trying to actually create, not just look cool, and it brought back to mind the Adam Ant song- " If Passion ends in Fashion, Nick Kent is the best dressed man in Town"- which was a sarcastic dig at a truly great music journalist getting a song wrong ( Kent thought that an early Ants song " Deutscher Girls" was evidence of Nazi sympathies- the song is actually a reminder of what happened to people who went along with something awful, simply because it was liked by the majority- the line is " remember the curls of the deutscher girls?" which calls up the image of Nazi prostitutes who were shaved bald and paraded through the French streets after the war ) So, my point is that I still need this, for me- I need to carry my little light for what I think is valuable because Passion doesn't end in fashion- all this will be forgotten and lost, even by me, unless I keep it, if only for me.
Ok, ok, Archness filters off- truthfully, I write this blog as a real "web- Log"- this is still more journal than journalism, so I'm amusing myself. However, if anyone is keeping track, I have been away, off to the Netherlands. Not that I'm in the business of travel reviews, but while the country is still light years ahead of this dingy little backwater where I make my home, The Netherlands has nothing on Scandinavia. I'm dutch by birth, and so, dutch I will remain, but, if I could have my wishes, I'd be Scandinavian- Finn, Swede, Norwegian, or Dane, I think they've got the best overall culture on the planet, right now. That's not to say that we lowlanders have nothing to offer- I picked up a Triggerfinger T shirt and CD, replaced a dEUS CD, drank some great beer, saw the Van Gogh museum, and marvelled at the Dutch ingenuity with the turbines, windmills, dykes, et al- but really, when it comes down to where I'd rather live, give me Porvoo over Lisse, give me Copenhagen over Amsterdam, give me Gothenburg over Groningen, and give me Stavenger over Utrecht. If anyone is really interested, let me know, and I'll do a full travelogue on my trip, but honestly, I think there are few things more boring than "Let me show you my vacation photos"
Anyway, what's prompting this entry is a combination of a few factors- amoung the other things I've been hearing, reading and watching in the past ten or so days, has been the new Eminem "Marshall Mathers 2" release, the new Zeromancer "best of" compilation, and MIA's new one "Matangi" and the pitchfork review of Matangi, as well as the Youtube music video awards. My reaction to all of the above is a reflection upon Adam Ant's great song "Press Darlings" ( no irony, there, I think it's a great song and I've covered it in two separate bands I've been in) - I wonder why people write about music, in the first place. To get it out of the way- I think "Matangi" is a triumph, and, if the world were honest, she'd be getting Kanye West's press. I think Eminem has a couple of good tracks, here, mostly when he apes the Beastie Boys. Zeromancer are cheesy industrial goth dance music, but I like that stuff from time to time.
So, I'm reading this review in Pitchfork, and I'm struck by how much of the review of the Album ( you know, an album of music, like an album of jpegs?) is spent basically reviewing Maya as an interview subject, and media figure. There's not much spent on what the music actually sounds like- and when they do, they throw out references to archetypes of songs, rather than actual discussions of the music ( not one actual reference to a musical instrument, not one mention of a note, not one discussion of a production technique, not a reference to tempo, or even an allusion to key) . Now, I know that I don't get as technical as I could on here, because I reckon it's boring for non-musicians, and condescending to musicians, but I do reckon that I write about music more than I write about books or TV because I actually like music. Probably much more than you do. So, for example, I can state that part of the appeal of "Bad Girls' is taking the off-key, high pitched whine of gangsta rap, and turning it into a mode . I can see the rest, too, of course, and know the political undertones to what MIA is doing, and can appreciate how she's doing a dance with western media not unlike the contempt a prostitute has for a john, but music is what brought me here- not trend, not image, and certainly not ego- I don't care what you think of me, and would be unimpressed if you thought of me as a music business insider- but I'm willing to bet that's exactly what brings in most of the writers for high profile industry crap like Pitchfork. Because, if they were honest, they'd see how what MIA is doing has more to do with the Zeromancers of the world than the Eminems.
Then, I saw the Youtube music Awards, and I nearly despaired- it was such a mess of pseudo hipster, fake indie industry bullshit that I reckoned that western culture was doomed. Then, I saw Eminem's performance of "Rap God"- a throwback to mid 1990's utterly corporate unapologetic fake music- and slowly, the camera allows us to see the musicians, playing in darkness in comparison to the washout white light on the celebrity- and that's my one hope- there are still people toiling in darkness, maybe, but still following their muse, still playing real instruments, still trying to actually create, not just look cool, and it brought back to mind the Adam Ant song- " If Passion ends in Fashion, Nick Kent is the best dressed man in Town"- which was a sarcastic dig at a truly great music journalist getting a song wrong ( Kent thought that an early Ants song " Deutscher Girls" was evidence of Nazi sympathies- the song is actually a reminder of what happened to people who went along with something awful, simply because it was liked by the majority- the line is " remember the curls of the deutscher girls?" which calls up the image of Nazi prostitutes who were shaved bald and paraded through the French streets after the war ) So, my point is that I still need this, for me- I need to carry my little light for what I think is valuable because Passion doesn't end in fashion- all this will be forgotten and lost, even by me, unless I keep it, if only for me.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Melvins Tres Cabrones
Yes, it's a "new" Melvins LP- about 1/3 comedy, about 1/3 heavy rock, and about 1/3 Punk attitude. As per the past few LPs, it's a collection of odds and sods, hence not entirely new, even if the songs are newly composed. It's on Ipecac, which, if you're paying attention, tells you volumes.. . If you can handle really experimental rock- that splits the difference between the Butthole Surfers at their most psychotronic and grunge at its most droning- you're ready for the Melvins, but more than most, the Melvins are just the Melvins- I don't think anyone else has ever done what they have made their stock-in-trade, music that is simultaneously Punk and retro-proto Metal in ways that allow them to sound goofy and tough in equal measure.
But, jeez, look at me, trying to explain the Melvins...
Just a side note, BTW- I'm not sure if I have faithful readers or not- I suspect Not- and that's actually a huge relief- but, just in case, I'm going to be gone for a little bit. Going off to the Netherlands on Saturday, and I'm not taking computerized devices- I'm taking a watch, camera and an MP3 player. No phone, no tablet, no laptop- so, hopefully something good in a few weeks...
But, jeez, look at me, trying to explain the Melvins...
Just a side note, BTW- I'm not sure if I have faithful readers or not- I suspect Not- and that's actually a huge relief- but, just in case, I'm going to be gone for a little bit. Going off to the Netherlands on Saturday, and I'm not taking computerized devices- I'm taking a watch, camera and an MP3 player. No phone, no tablet, no laptop- so, hopefully something good in a few weeks...
Friday, October 18, 2013
Like Like The The The Death- Cave Jenny
So, I have this theory- bad band names result in better bands. I'm really sorry to start off with this, but "Like Like The The The Death" has got to be one of the worst band names I have ever heard. Heck, it's hard to even read that thing- and go ahead, try to say it. Out loud. Yeah, you see what I mean? ( Yes, as a matter of fact I have heard of the Silver Jews, what of it?)
However, the theory holds up- This is some good music. For me. Your mileage may vary. See, the basic framework is this- take the spastic energy of one of the New Wave of New Wave bands from the early 2000's- say the Futureheads, or the Briefs, now apply that to grungy Noise rock, but don't let up on the punk-pop emphasis on simple melodies. Got that? Now have Rick Sims sing. ( I don't know if it's Kyle or Anthony, but one of them reminds me of Rick when the Didjits were new. And I would really like to hear them do a cover of either "Skull Baby" or "Plate in my Head" ) .For seasoning, play some math-y time signatures. Then, slowly stew the whole thing so that more and more chaos creeps in, so that by the 9th or 11th track the audience will accept more dissonance and abstract, irregular, angular music than they thought they could. I think the wry, geeky humour helps, too. If you like just about anything on the noisy, speedy side, I think you'll like the ride. If you don't , you must be one of those Laughing Hyenas fans, or something.
Per my understanding, there's even a tie-in to the Almighty Die Kreuzen here. Mark me as sold.
Now, I've seen the name before, but this is my first go-round with them, and I gotta say- between this, War Brides, Nonagon , Tyranny is Tyranny, etc- I really need to make a trip up to either Chicago or Wisconsin a priority. Something is going on there in terms of noisy rock.
However, the theory holds up- This is some good music. For me. Your mileage may vary. See, the basic framework is this- take the spastic energy of one of the New Wave of New Wave bands from the early 2000's- say the Futureheads, or the Briefs, now apply that to grungy Noise rock, but don't let up on the punk-pop emphasis on simple melodies. Got that? Now have Rick Sims sing. ( I don't know if it's Kyle or Anthony, but one of them reminds me of Rick when the Didjits were new. And I would really like to hear them do a cover of either "Skull Baby" or "Plate in my Head" ) .For seasoning, play some math-y time signatures. Then, slowly stew the whole thing so that more and more chaos creeps in, so that by the 9th or 11th track the audience will accept more dissonance and abstract, irregular, angular music than they thought they could. I think the wry, geeky humour helps, too. If you like just about anything on the noisy, speedy side, I think you'll like the ride. If you don't , you must be one of those Laughing Hyenas fans, or something.
Per my understanding, there's even a tie-in to the Almighty Die Kreuzen here. Mark me as sold.
Now, I've seen the name before, but this is my first go-round with them, and I gotta say- between this, War Brides, Nonagon , Tyranny is Tyranny, etc- I really need to make a trip up to either Chicago or Wisconsin a priority. Something is going on there in terms of noisy rock.
Luder Adelphophagia
I was going to damn Luder with faint praise, and talk about how I liked them, but knew it was mushy, sugary ear candy, but then, I found myself listening again and again, and I started to realize they're really good.
So, on the first listen, you'll hear a band that sounds exactly like Medicine meets Lacuna Coil. Yes, it's a hybrid thing, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't ( For example, I've seen several blogs going all runny over Watertank. Watertank are a great idea on paper- post-hardcore, a la Quicksand and Helmet meets Stoner Rock a la QOTSA. In practice, the result is Nu Metal. Seriously, several tracks end up sounding like Taproot. I still think they have some talent, but, ultimately, they're not for me) . But, upon a repeat listen or two, I started to realize it was a bit more progressive than all that- more like Medicine ( Singer Sue Lott is a sonic dead ringer for Beth Thompson) meets Isis, or maybe Pelican. Yes, it gets a bit drone-y, and yes, they can beat a riff into the ground, but mostly, it's pretty engaging stuff. It takes some patience, but ultimately, I think what they could put up on the website would be " Luder is not Stoner Rock. Luder is rock that will make you stoned" .
So, despite the death metal title ( something to do with baby death in the womb) this isn't obscuro progressive, either-but, well, I can say this by way of a negative- one problem I have with psychedelic music is that most of the time, the band sounds like they're about to break into either "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "Sweet Emotion"- there's none of that here. More like they sound like they're going to beat up A Perfect Circle. If you're a hard sell, try starting with the crushing twisted metal cover of "I'm Afraid of Americans" then, try "Ask the Sky" then go back and listen to the whole LP- this is truly progressive rock, if that term is supposed to mean rock music that's going somewhere, not just guys showing off how many scales they can play. I'm thinking , for example, of the difference between Jane's Addiction, and Phish. Both could be said to play "progressive rock" yet which one pushed things further? Luder are pushing things forward. I don't want to put down Small Stone, but give this band the kind of budget and push that Relapse and above can afford? They'd eclipse bands like Royal Thunder and Blood Ceremony.
So, despite my initial doubts, I'm really glad I gave this hybrid a chance to grow on me. What I'd really like now is to see them on tour...
So, on the first listen, you'll hear a band that sounds exactly like Medicine meets Lacuna Coil. Yes, it's a hybrid thing, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't ( For example, I've seen several blogs going all runny over Watertank. Watertank are a great idea on paper- post-hardcore, a la Quicksand and Helmet meets Stoner Rock a la QOTSA. In practice, the result is Nu Metal. Seriously, several tracks end up sounding like Taproot. I still think they have some talent, but, ultimately, they're not for me) . But, upon a repeat listen or two, I started to realize it was a bit more progressive than all that- more like Medicine ( Singer Sue Lott is a sonic dead ringer for Beth Thompson) meets Isis, or maybe Pelican. Yes, it gets a bit drone-y, and yes, they can beat a riff into the ground, but mostly, it's pretty engaging stuff. It takes some patience, but ultimately, I think what they could put up on the website would be " Luder is not Stoner Rock. Luder is rock that will make you stoned" .
So, despite the death metal title ( something to do with baby death in the womb) this isn't obscuro progressive, either-but, well, I can say this by way of a negative- one problem I have with psychedelic music is that most of the time, the band sounds like they're about to break into either "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "Sweet Emotion"- there's none of that here. More like they sound like they're going to beat up A Perfect Circle. If you're a hard sell, try starting with the crushing twisted metal cover of "I'm Afraid of Americans" then, try "Ask the Sky" then go back and listen to the whole LP- this is truly progressive rock, if that term is supposed to mean rock music that's going somewhere, not just guys showing off how many scales they can play. I'm thinking , for example, of the difference between Jane's Addiction, and Phish. Both could be said to play "progressive rock" yet which one pushed things further? Luder are pushing things forward. I don't want to put down Small Stone, but give this band the kind of budget and push that Relapse and above can afford? They'd eclipse bands like Royal Thunder and Blood Ceremony.
So, despite my initial doubts, I'm really glad I gave this hybrid a chance to grow on me. What I'd really like now is to see them on tour...
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Red Fang- Whales and Leeches
I'm sure you've read a review or two of this already. I'm not so full of myself that I think I'll have some big new revelation for you, or that I understand Red Fang somehow more. I just want to point out a couple of things about what they're doing that I like.
First, they have tightened up to an unreal degree- several songs on here have near prog-rock time signatures but you'd have to be a freak like me to notice because they're such an efficient machine. For guys noted mostly for beer and laughs, this is like technical death metal. Even then, one thing I never liked about Metal is how often the song gets "broken" so that somebody can solo. Awkward key changes, sudden tempo shifts, and so on that just take me right out of enjoying the song as a listener, and suddenly I'm back at school learning scales. Well, there's none of that here- all the changes seem organic, and logical for the song.
Second, topics include vampires, despair, cannibalism, and family vacations- what, exactly could be heavier?
Third, and last- I'm blown away by just how solid this record is- I find myself listening to it straight through, sitting in my car for the two bonus songs, late for work, but trying to hear the whole thing, again.
So, yes, if you like tight, solid, heavy rock, you need this record. As for any more review, hell, the band do it best....
First, they have tightened up to an unreal degree- several songs on here have near prog-rock time signatures but you'd have to be a freak like me to notice because they're such an efficient machine. For guys noted mostly for beer and laughs, this is like technical death metal. Even then, one thing I never liked about Metal is how often the song gets "broken" so that somebody can solo. Awkward key changes, sudden tempo shifts, and so on that just take me right out of enjoying the song as a listener, and suddenly I'm back at school learning scales. Well, there's none of that here- all the changes seem organic, and logical for the song.
Second, topics include vampires, despair, cannibalism, and family vacations- what, exactly could be heavier?
Third, and last- I'm blown away by just how solid this record is- I find myself listening to it straight through, sitting in my car for the two bonus songs, late for work, but trying to hear the whole thing, again.
So, yes, if you like tight, solid, heavy rock, you need this record. As for any more review, hell, the band do it best....
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Paul McCartney - New
I cannot begin to pretend to review the new Paul Mccartney. It's good, and it reminds me of Muse and Death Cab for Cutie, at the same time.
But, there's plenty of places to get a review of it. I just have a thought about it- can you imagine the weight Paul McCartney lives with? He really does carry the weight of the Beatles- probably the biggest name in pop music since World War 2. Possibly, this biggest name in pop music, period. If he wants to release new music, that's the weight he has to carry. Alone. John and George are dead, and Ringo hasn't done anything new in years. But still, Paul soldiers on. How does one write a song that anyone can relate to, if that's the weight you carry? Then, yet more difficult, how does one please multiple generations- again, with that weight? So, my hat is off to the guy for even attempting a new record. That I find some value in it should say something- I'm pretty far afield from his target demographic, so that's some pretty broad appeal, there. All done with with this giant mountain of expectations and desires that the Beatles culturally represent. I'm impressed...
But, there's plenty of places to get a review of it. I just have a thought about it- can you imagine the weight Paul McCartney lives with? He really does carry the weight of the Beatles- probably the biggest name in pop music since World War 2. Possibly, this biggest name in pop music, period. If he wants to release new music, that's the weight he has to carry. Alone. John and George are dead, and Ringo hasn't done anything new in years. But still, Paul soldiers on. How does one write a song that anyone can relate to, if that's the weight you carry? Then, yet more difficult, how does one please multiple generations- again, with that weight? So, my hat is off to the guy for even attempting a new record. That I find some value in it should say something- I'm pretty far afield from his target demographic, so that's some pretty broad appeal, there. All done with with this giant mountain of expectations and desires that the Beatles culturally represent. I'm impressed...
Monster Magnet-The Last Patrol
I think we all owe Dave Wyndorf. Before Kyuss, and alongside the Melvins, Monster Magnet basically invented the "Stoner Rock" thing. Sure, you had your early 1970's influences- Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and The Stooges on the one side, with Hawkwind, Iron Butterfly and Blue Cheer on the other, but I really think it was Monster Magnet who first thought to filter all that through the lens of late 1980's "Alternative"- what made it something new is that Dave Wyndorf filtered all his early 1970's childhood through his punk rock experiences of his teens- so Monster Magnet was heavy psychedelic rock, with a Ramones/Misfits attitude. Everybody from Clutch to Kyuss to Rob Zombie took little bits from it.
So all hail- but do we need a new LP? I think we do. I think it's not enough to leave it with Mastermind, which was good, but not the end cap to a career as brilliant as Monster Magnet. I don't really foresee an End Cap ... I don't think Dave is out of ideas, yet, either. I mean, I love Lemmy, and I own too many Motorhead LPs, and T shirts, but Lemmy hasn't really had a good, new idea since 1995. Dave is like Lemmy on Orgasmatron: still coming up with new ways of doing a garage proto-Metal take on Space Rock. What does that mean? Pure riffs, met with drones, and sound effects, played with enthusiasm, to support psychedelic/Science Fiction/ surreal lyrics. It's a bit more introspective, but this is still the psychotronic Space Lord. It's dynamic, and thrilling, and it'll make you think in small doses, and will switch your brain off, if you listen to the whole thing. So get your mind blown.
So all hail- but do we need a new LP? I think we do. I think it's not enough to leave it with Mastermind, which was good, but not the end cap to a career as brilliant as Monster Magnet. I don't really foresee an End Cap ... I don't think Dave is out of ideas, yet, either. I mean, I love Lemmy, and I own too many Motorhead LPs, and T shirts, but Lemmy hasn't really had a good, new idea since 1995. Dave is like Lemmy on Orgasmatron: still coming up with new ways of doing a garage proto-Metal take on Space Rock. What does that mean? Pure riffs, met with drones, and sound effects, played with enthusiasm, to support psychedelic/Science Fiction/ surreal lyrics. It's a bit more introspective, but this is still the psychotronic Space Lord. It's dynamic, and thrilling, and it'll make you think in small doses, and will switch your brain off, if you listen to the whole thing. So get your mind blown.
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