Yea man there are so many cool online start-up music programs that remind us of the days of cable access we think there is room for even more like this. Dirty Laundry is no Uncle Floyd Show but the premise is pure and the execution is simple. Bands at some point are on tour need to stop and clean their undies. Host Karrie K (ex-Delta Mirror) and sometimes Special Guest Host Katy Goodman (Vivian Girls, La Sera) interview bands cleaning their jeans or at least interview them in local laundromats sometimes. They talk and sometimes they might be under the influences that our bros in Deer Tick. Simple, real and devoid of pretension. Enjoy!
ALBUM REVIEW: M. Ward is americana really. He chose to criss-cross our nation and record A Wasteland Companion with 8 different engineers and 18 musicians from Steve Shelley on percussion and Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis on organ to drop a couple names. The music here is diversely as R&Bish as it a country with a nod to some of things you may not admit you like from 70’s music. In particular on songs like “Sweetheart” that almost sounds a little like ABBA moved down to Texarcana. Then there is the very pretty japinated video single “The First time I Ran Away”… where he’s singing about voices in the storm with many layers of “ooohhhs” and a simple drum thumbing behind the melody it this creates desolate place.
The title track goes the way of being Nick Drake mystery folk acoustic inspired with fiddles fiddling in the background and ends up being pretty dark, almost as if created for a sounscape in some desolate movie where something bad is going to go down.
Sounds some what like: Way To Blue MP3 by Nick Drake (1969) Christ Jesus MP3 by Deer Tick from The Black Dirt Sessions (2010) Loveskulls MP3 from Bonnie Prince on Billy & Mariee Sioux Baby Lemonade MP3 by Syd Barrett
Dear 2012, can we put on our wish list that PULASKI the band of Baltimorians make some more music for us this year? Whiskey and beer can sometimes coax the muse out of the best of bands in Pulaski’s case it’s the simple motivation like these except for maybe breakfast food. Ok they’re prone to write the occasional break-up song like their classic “I want my records back” or the religious anthem the “Black Hand of g*d”? The inspiration is pleasantly misanthropic my friends so help reel in the vibe. They’ll brew a song about almost anything using any device that is of particular amusement at their disposal including toilet paper rolls and snoring. Beneath it all tho they have great handle on the song craft and really put the joy in music. They haven’t put out any new rock music in awhile except for the below version of “Frosty” but we can hope that the descendent’s of Sick and other Balmer bands can get a few hours away from their families and make some concerted noise together. I even hear there is a unapproved Documentary on the band that probably is not suitable for the general public on facebook but we’ll see about that.
If your a fan of these bands you’ll like Pulaski: Prom Night At Hater High MP3 by The Long Winters from When I Pretend to Fail Wasted MP3 by Camper Van Beethoven from Telephone Free Landslide Victory She Don’t Use Jelly MP3 by The Flaming Lips from Transmissions From The Satellite Heart (1993)
There is no scientific methodology to picking the best of album of 2011. Every year it does not seem like any good music is on the horizon then the music that matters start to tickle our ears. We go with the gut check versus a pedantic drivel as our motto around here. Sometime music is able to surprise you on first listen -sometimes second but if it does nothing after third pass we just move on along. Other times you respect a few words someone else says and you suddenly see the light. These are the various reasons we like making Best of Lists. Some folks just go for cool, while me try, we’re ok with failing. Hard to do as we recognize the lenses and filters of other as unique to them. So here it goes nothing.
This is a alternatively spooky monster that grows from first stringed note. You wonder why is this violin doing this to me? Instruments and simple beats played with a devilish flare the likes we have not heard in years since the art compositions of Hugo Largo where the bass and cello interplayed and built up so nicely without sounding like some bad brooklyn keyboard experiment gone wrong. This instrumental music is dark like The Velvet Underground with guts spilling in the soundscape of it’s wake.
10) Ruins by Talkdemonic
Download: Revival MP3
We’re a sucker for the psychedelic rock. Give to us this music anyway you want just don’t serve it with no reverb. That would be cruel. The Black Lips shuffle, crank and conquer here in the rockin way they only can. This is probably not on many folks lists. What we like is their consistency and homage to bands The Creation and Psych genre even when they may be arguable a little pitchy in vocal performance we’ve identified as one of the elements we like. Where the best of 12 strung guitar keys are tested on homages to Spiderman.
09) Arabia Mountains by The Black Lips
Download: Modern Art MP3
This is a total NPR lift. We kicked out a record from the list because it was a old release. We dropped the scrubber on this one and then suddenly what De La Soul was trying to do made even more sense all over again. What a total compliment to a pioneering hip band to be mashed up with Fela Kuti. I don’t think musical compliments get higher in the soul universe my brothers and sisters.
08) Fela Soul by Amerigo Gazaway of Gummy Soul [get it]
Download: Ooh (featuring Redman) MP3
This music has guys and is tough as all get-out. As Lee Fields would ask “are they rough”? It’d say hells yes. If you suddenly were inspired to play music from working at a pawn shop and make tunes with guts like this. You’ve got the blues my brothers.
07) Scandelous by Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
Download: Mustang Ranch MP3
I feel like this record came out of left field for me this year. Nothing like it since The Sophtware Slump has the keyboard pop charm been captured. Funny that such a simple little sound can put out so many luscious little melodies.
06) Aabenbaringen over aaskammen by Casiokids
Download: Det haster!
This is a oddly familiar Feelies record. They have a style that’s never been able to be mimic’d not even the shins who come close to a cover band version. Here Before is a winner. Once your fan of this band you’ll always be a fan because they create these effortless folk-american rock songs that many emulate and pitch right out their playbook. Essential listening that when witnessed live it’s shear manic joy.
05) Here Before by The Feelies
Download: Should Be Gone MP3
We love the re-interpretation of something like the pysche genre when it’s just done so naturally it’s all new all over again. That’s true musical influence. This band boils down the basic ingredients of a organ, bass, guitar and drums and somehow create their magic out of the steam.
04) Lil Daggers – Self titled debut
Download: Slave Exchange MP3 – Right or wrong this is a great song.
We dig this record at the RS blog. We even bought the Looser edition and had the fuckin band autograph the damn thing. Actually had the band carve their names with a ball-point pen on the back cover. They inspected it after I removed the plastic saying I as getting a good deal and they should keep some. Fuck them for making such great record and thank you John Agnello for capturing something as brilliant as bandwagonesque.
03) Endless Now by Male Bonding Bones MP3 – Great long epic closing concert jam.
02) Divine Providence by Deer Tick
This was late comer on our radar but the first time I heard the music it peaked my interest. Then I heard the Westerbergian style party lyrics and I was fan. A band you mates can all mumble or shout at the concerts or in the car. Lets go out to the bar! The Bump MP3 Is this a song about getting in trouble? Does it really matter?
01) Dance Valhalla by British Sea Power
Download: We Are Sound MP3 – A defining sound and song.
ALBUM REVIEW: Somewhere in-between a white trash hero and flippant grandpa boy is what indie folkster John McCauley has been repainting. Deer Tick is the story of American Gothic recovering from a binge. If the Deervana stunt is any evidence. He’s literally wearing and proud of his choice of flannel rock. I’ve always been a fan of the music coming out of Providence RI, it’s always a little dark and pleasantly seedy. I think they have more Go Go Bars per square mile in their city limits juxtaposed against the art school RISD. Of course right? So is the album title Divine Providence ironic? Facial hair management may not have something to do with this combo but this band has soul and in the end it’s a simple formula. This music is the kind of thing that happens in Edge City’s like Providence, RI.
“We’re fucking men but we act like kids, We’ll Face the music next time we roll-in” – The Bump
The rock meter on this record falls somewhere in the neighborhood of The Hold Steady side of a true american bar bands and les affaire back porch of Uncle Tupelo. No flash. No real Posers. No bullshit. The exit sign here always flickers and welcomes you in. These tunes squeak authentically which at times means it’s sloppy and purposely under produced giving it that twinkle of drunken hopeless charm. Leading-off with “The Bump” it reminds me of some juke joint where PBR is the top shelf and there are no labels on the vodka you recognize but there are plenty of badly cut trucker rails being shared in the bathroom. I’ve been to this bar akin to something like The Plumb St pub in New Brunswick NJ that closes at 4am and opens at 6am for the knight workers. I don’t really want to go back but I’m glad these guys are telling me about it again. Somebody needs to experience the night ending with the sun coming up when everything looks blurry but I don’t need my eyes to hear that. The music’s all right here.
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