Latest Partial Musical Ponderings……March 2018!

Latest Partial Musical Ponderings……March 2018!

Image result for buffalo tom let me come over

 

Sooo, what have I been listening to as of late…..?

Well, for starters and definitely a no-brainer, I have been gobbling up the new Buffalo Tom release, Quiet and Peace by the plateful.  Released as an early present on Christmas Eve 2017 to all those Pledge Music band donatees and finally released to the masses earlier this month with some extra bonus tracks, my Boston heroes have proven once again that they still have a lot of shake left in their tush with this solid release.   Such stand out tracks like “All Be Gone”, the Big-Star-ish flirtations of “Roman Cars”, “Freckles” to 1998’s Smitten feel of “Least That We Can Do” and the Brit-Pop lyrical positivity of “Slow Down”, there are many great tunes to be found here that blend well with the rest of their discography.   My pal Jerry Lardieri of NJ sensation The Brixton Riot is going to guest spot a more in depth review of album in the near future (right Jerr?).

So what else, oh….been becoming re-acquainted with Memphis, Tennessee’s “alt-country” kings, Lucero, especially since missing a recent acoustic gig by front-man Ben Nichols at Garwood, NJ’s Crossroads recently. I find myself returning to such great records as 2009’s  1372 Overton Park and 2002’s Tennessee more often.

Also lately (re-) discovering Gainesville, Fla. punk-n-roll heroes, Hot Water Music in a major way. Heard a lot about them over the years and took a dive with their album A Flight and a Crash (2001) back in the day , which in hindsight, was the wrong place to start. After multiple false starts, I hastily and unfairly chalked up the band as meh and moved along. And then with a lot of nudging from Snapcase front man Daryl Taberski, I slowly discovered the absolute beauty the band has to offer with such records as Caution (2002), No Division (1999) and their first release Finding the Rhythms (1995),  which kicked my ass upon first listen on a 7 mile weekend run. Their latest offering, Light It Up (2017) rocks and they even release a couple of awesome live albums (Chicago and at their hometown Hardback Cafe) the same year.  Not sure what took so long but I am now an official convert!

Unfortunately The latest Superchunk, What A Time To Be Alive (2018) is predictable, quick and uneventful, at least for me.  Some songs like “Lost My Brain” and title track aren’t too shabby, but I’ll take Foolish (1994), And Here’s Where the Strings Come In (1995), even Majesty Shredding (2010) over this new offering.

The latest offering by ex-Gaslight Anthem front-man Brian Fallon, Sleepwalkers (2018), is pretty decent.  The three singles released up to the album debut, “Forget Me Not,” See You On the Side” and “If Your Prayers Don’t Get To Heaven,” all solidly rock, but other tracks like “Etta James”, “Little Nightmares” and “Her Majesty’s Service”, to name just a few, all hold their weight.  Fallon sounds much more comfortable and confident with this sophomore effort when compared to his premier solo efforts Painkillers (2016), which is a great album, but does sound like he is trying to find his footing at times.

Tripped over a cool Spotify Sessions with Weezer playing a number of acoustic tracks that span their career. After last years disastrous release, Pacific Daydream, it is refreshing to hear their old songs stripped down. I love the band best when they stop trying so hard to not take themselves seriously.

Also rocking out to The Bouncing Souls a lot these days and good timing with the recent acoustic set announced at Crossroads recently. This awesome club just 15 minutes from my house is having a lot a great shows lately….Dag Nasty (with Shawn on vocals) is coming up on March with three nights with The Menzingers a few weeks ago…with more punk-based shows to come!

I am sure this going to sound very “America-centric” but when I think of straight edge, posi-core bands the last place I tend to think is well….nowhere else on the planet except for the USA, which is clearly my bad. But the genre is internationally alive and kicking and in full force, especially in the UK and especially in cities like Manchester where bands like The Smiths, Oasis, Joy Division and The Stone Roses come to mind but not bands like Insist.  Such bands are bringing back the posi-core sound of 80’s and 90’s which is definitely a breath of fresh air with so many American bands beating the dead Hate Breed horse to death with the dark, metallic flirtations and modulated vocals, all while draped in black clothing.

Not that metallic hardcore is bad, in fact I recently discovered Brooklyn’s Incendiary with their latest release Thousand Mile Stare which has very in your face Inside out/Rage Against the Machine groove/vocal metallic vibe.

Speaking of new bands that are replicating the awesome sounds of yesterday, Los Angeles’ Fireburn is another “Super Group” and the legendary Bad Brains reincarnate for a new generation of kids with their hardcore punk/reggae dub sound.  But despite the glaring similarities, the former still refreshingly rock.

I also finally got around to listening to the band Bane (I know, weird right?) and love their debut record, 1998’s Holding This Moment.  

One band/album that I always missed and could never find for years is BL’AST “In My Blood” (1987) which use to kick me square in the balls every time my younger self listened to it.  It sounded so later Black Flag-ish too the point that Henry Rollins and Greg Ginn allegedly hated them so much that the latter still released it on the infamous hot mess label, SST Records.   Lo and Behold, it is apparently Dave Grohl’s (yeah, that fucker) favorite record too from back in the Scream days and he remixed it a few years ago, stripping it down to what BL’AST would sound (driving and loud) and releasing it under the name Blood!  I may give Grohl shit but man,  he and the band teamed up and  nailed this project perfectly with this re-release.  Check out this cool video of the project and original recording below.

My other pal, Mark Segal (of NJ powerhouse, Atom Driver ) turned me on to the Brooklyn punk sensation The Royal They with his own recent Reviewstalker.com review. Holy fuck moly this band is good and their latest release, Foreign Being has already made it on my top of 2018 list.

Finally, more Brooklyn bias as power duo Tuffy returns with another killer release, Lighting Things On Fire with 15 songs of witty, indie pop brilliance.  Like her days of Bear Trap, I can listen to front woman’s Yasmin Dalisay sing soft and sultry all day….

Until next time, enjoy the Spotify Playlist below with songs from the bands above ! xoxo

-PJH

 

 

What Caught My Musical Attention In 2017 AD…Part 2 of 2

What Caught My Musical Attention In 2017 AD…Part 2 of 2

Ladies and Gentlemen, I humbly present to you part 2 of 2…..

I have updated the Spotify playlist from Part I to include songs from each of the bands below…..see below it is now COMPLETE.

I am now stuffed, sun-burned and enlightened, hence I shall deep dive back into the musical past…but from what I heard with some early musical releases by the likes of Buffalo Tom (GODS), Superchunk, Brian Fallon, Mudhoney, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Royal They, among others, sounding like 2018 is going to be a kick butt musical year!

Will find you at the tail end…

17. Iron Chic – You Can’t Stay Here- I accidentally stumbled upon this band via Spotify following a Gaslight Anthem playlist with their “hit” “Cutesy Monster” while shopping at a Wegmans in a far away, foreign NJ town while waiting out a birthday party my son was attending. The Menzinger’s nuttier first cousin from Long Island, NY, this punk -n- roll band makes a surprising return after some testing personal challenges with this new release.  I can’t get enough of the song “You Can’t Stay Safe.”

18. Matthew Ryan – Hustle Up Starlings a solid release from this Pennsylvania bred veteran whom I first heard sharing the same stage at a Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem, The Horrible Crowes) acoustic show. While it doesn’t kick me as square in the groin like 2014’s Boxers, a lot of ground is made up with songs like “(I Just Died) Like an Aviator.”  and the beautifully chilling “Maybe, I’ll Just Disappear”.

19. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Who Built the Moon? –/Liam Gallagher – As You Were –The Gallagher brothers automatically make my list for numerous reason- OASIS, their working class bravado, their worship for Man City, etc.   The usual warring siblings apparently have buried the hatchet (though I strongly suspect it is part of a larger conspiracy), but you would never guess it from listening to younger Liam’s debut solo release, who clearly has/had a serious bones to pick with his older brother.  While the British Press is eating it up, Paul Weller (legendary front man for the Jam) and I agree the music it is just more Beady Eye (dressed in a shorter skirt), Liam’s first post-Oasis effort that had inspirations for the stars but never quite made it out of the stratosphere to crash and burn.    Songs like “For What It’s Worth” and “Greedy Soul” aren’t too shabby.  On the other hand, after two albums of Oasis-tinged guitar rock, Noel Gallagher decides to explore some of his other musical interest and have fun with this latest offering. “Holy Mountain”, “Black and White Sunshine” and “Dead In the Water” are some of the songs I gravitate towards.   Ultimately, nothing mind-blowing from either brother which gives further proof for them to cut the shit, re-unite Oasis and conquer the universe.

20. The 65s – Wolves And Men – This 2 song EP from this  Lyndhurst, NJ band continues to proves they are veterans in playing rock music properly since 2009 – that is, heavy, loud and raw.  I really dig the song “As My Body Numbs.”

22. Battery – For the Rejected by the Rejected – After a 20 year hiatus, this nation’s capital “youth crew”  who I have seen live many times return with more straight ahead blazing hardcore with some gut-chuckling song titles (“Has Been”, “Go Back to the Gym”).  Another great gym workout motivator.

 

24.  Morrissey-Low In High School – Similar to 2014’s  World Peace Is None of Your Business, Moz’s latest release wasn’t designed to win over a huge legion of new fans and quite possibly an (deliberate?) effort to shave off a couple of layers of old.  Rather, it is for us die-hard fans that will blindly defend him to death with one eye while rolling the other at his ongoing antics.  But dig deep and you find some gems, like the opening track, “My Love, I’d Do Anything for You”, along “I Wish you Lonely” and “Jacky’s Only Happy When She is Up On the Stage.”  More importantly, Morrissey remains what we all love about him – brutally honest, beautifully brilliant,Wildeanly witty and at times, annoyingly infuriating.  It is unfortunate that many critics allow their own biases get in the way, frustrated that they can’t pigeonhole the Mancunian God  into a neatly social/political package with a bow, hence taking swipes at his art.


25. French Postcard –Misc. – another SOMA NJ band turning heads with kick-ass music with their heavy dream-swirl,  fuzz-gaze, psych-rock approach to their art, resulting in many fine tunes. (Bandcamp only: https://frenchpostcard.bandcamp.com/).


26. Quicksand – Interiors – Despite the original band lineup, not sure what makes this a “new album” from these NYHC post-hardcore kings since the music lost a lot of that relied upon “groove” found perfectly on 1990’s S/T, 1993’s Slip and 1995’s Manic Compression.  Front-man Walter Schreifels  is singing more like he is in Rivals Schools or Walking Concert and is still hooked on his guitar effect pedals he discovered in Dead Heavens.  Don’t get me wrong, it is a great record and one of 2017’s best releases, just not very Quicksand, IMHO, and if someone played it for me with out disclosing the band, I would immediately recognize Walter’ vocals for just another one of many of his projects.  If you approach Interiors album like, let’s say the latest Star Wars film, it is definitely a decent, fun release, just don’t ask too many questions.

27. Nihiloceros — S/T- from the ashes of the fab Samantha (RIP) comes Brooklyn’s finest moment in “Trash Pop.” Their debut 5 song EP showcases heavy rocking, pumping, fun songs that will put a shake in your rump and a pep in your promenading.   Front man Mike Borchardt and Co. sounds like they are having a blast and the last laugh at the same time.

 

28. The National – Sleep Well Beast – Like Radiohead, I consider The National a “mood band”, an interesting phenomena where 1.) no other music is working, 2.) hear a “mood band” 3.)have an epiphany that it was the”mood band” you were craving but would have never figured it out unless you heard them.  Interestingly, this baby steps, better than expected release from this Ohio born band has many Kid A/Amnesiac noise flirtations scattered throughout, with songs like, “Turtleneck” and “No One Else Will Be There” and “Day I Die” being some of the many standouts with the latter tune easily fitting nicely on 2013’s Trouble Will Find Me.

29. Plaid Dracula – Plaid Sabbath –  This Brooklyn, NY fuzz drenched glam rock trio are taken no prisoners with their this 3 song EP release.  Their song “Bitch Cannon III” is worth the price of admission alone.  If still too much, just steal it….it’s worth the jail time….

 

 

30. Dead Stars – Perfect Patterns – The Brooklyn, NY trio continue their straight forward, 12 song barrage of fuzzed out pop that doesn’t miss a note from last years Bright Colors.  Songs like “Precious Things” and “Pink Clouds” will have your foot tapping and head bobbing.

 

31. Husker Du -Savage Young Du – a huge 4 LP/3 CDs release (with massive amounts of photos, a hardcover book, “flyerography” and even reported matching packing tape) of remastered, original board tapes, demos, and session masters before the St. Paul (you heard me right) trio landed on the infamous SST Records.  Too many good songs to choose from, so be my guess…

 


32 . Atom Driver -Slack JawFor fans of the West Coast, Rocket From the Crypt/Night Marchers (hey Jay!),/Drive Like Jehu thingy, this New Brunswick, NJ super-group trio banded in 2016 and already offering you this ball-crushing 5 song EP of post-punk mayhem that knocks the wind out of you and have you begging for more.  Don’t believe me…try songs like “Slack Jaw” and “Hate Me Now.”  And if that aint enough, check out their other ass-whupping 2017 released EP, In The West, on Bandcamp:(https://atomdriver.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-west).

Ok…ready for it….and yes, I saved for last on purpose.


33. U2 – Songs of Experience yeah no shit, I can’t even believe it made the list either but after multiple listens, something finally clicked in the middle of a 10 mile run, which reminded of similar click with the same said band 30+ years ago, when I openly despised them at Red Rocks and adored them by Live Aid 85, which made me realize that my perspective may have been stubbornly a tad off after so much recent bouts of disappointment. Yes, ridiculously over-produced, but if you can manage to look beyond the shimmering packaging, the borderline electronic drums that I can’t even believe Larry Mullen Jr. allowed to be released, the obvious band boardroom scheming with their marketing team and attorneys close by,  and finally the Rolling Stone Magazine  $Blind$ Protectionism (they have payroll to meet, you know), songs like “Get Out of Your Own Way” into “American Soul”, “The Showman” and “Red Flag Day” are decent and will fit in nicely with their 35 year backlog.  Not sure how much I will listen to this latest offering, but I can’t honestly keep ripping on a band when I sometimes have two delay pedals on my pedal board, nor can I play favorites with the kids and turn a blind eye to adore the vain antics of Stephen Patrick while pretending to tsk tsk Paul for doing the same.  Besides, their anthem “With Or Without You” is etched into the bottom of my soul as it was on the car radio 30 years ago when I first learned of the eventual inevitable passing of my mom, marking the first and only time I ever cried about it and still makes me think of that moment every time I’ve heard it since.  And being an 1/2 Mick, it is definitely an Irish thang….

At least maybe I can ween my boys off Coldplay with this offering…who knows….

OK, going to lawyer up now…then diving adieu xoxo

Throw it back covers with Sonic Youth, Erectus Monotone, Redd Kross + More

Throw it back covers with Sonic Youth, Erectus Monotone, Redd Kross + More

Here’s a few covers from the FREEDOM OF CHOICE compilation album released on Caroline Records in 1992.

01: CA Plane Pour Moi MP3 Performed by SONIC YOUTH. Originally written by a Belgian born Roger Allen François Jouret in Plastic Bertrand (1977)

02: Rock And Roll Girl MP3 Performed by The Muffs, originally written by Paul Collins from the band called The Beat.

03: Destination Unknown MP3 Performed by Erectus Monotone, originally Written By the Bozzio’sand Cuccurullo in their group Missing Persons.

04: How Much More MP3 Performed by Redd Kross, originally by The Go Go’s

05: 5′ 1″ MP3 Performed by the Hoboken based band Tiny Lights. Originally written by James Newell Osterberg, Jr. AKA Iggy Pop

06: Pump It Up MP3 Performed by Mudhoney, originally composed and performed by Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus AKA Elvis Costello in 1978.

07: The Wait MP3 Performed by Das Damen, originally by The Pretenders.

08: Tainted Love MP3 Performed by The Finger, originally written by Ed Cobb for Gloria Jones but made famouse in the new wave scene by the Soft Cell version in the 1980’s.

____________________________________________________

HOUSE AD: VIDEO PRODUCTION IN NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK CONTACT VIVA! LA HARA FILMS FOR A FREE CONSULT.
____________________________________________________

WATCH SOFT CELL – “TAINTED LOVE”

Soft Cell – Tainted Love (1981) – Original Music Video from Francis Craig on Vimeo.

LISTEN TO THE ORIGINAL VERSION BY GLORIA JONES WRITTEN BY ED COBB
Check out Northern Soul for more like this. Incredible sounds.

09: Wishing MP3 Performed by It’s OK, Original by A Flock Of Seagulls. From what I can tell It’s OK was a session band that put a cover together. Anybody?

WFMU YO LA TENGO COVERS

10: Dreaming MP3 Performed by Yo La Tengo, original by Blondie, Make sure to catch YLT on wfmu’s fund drive marathon where they play a all request a cover set!

11: Wuthering Heights MP3 Performed by White Flag originally by Kate Bush

12: I Got You MP3 Performed by The Connells, Originally written by Tim Finn from New Zealand from the Split Enz.

13: Homosapien MP3 Performed by Big Dipper, originally written by Pete Shelley from The Buzzcocks.

WATCH WALL OF VOODOO – “MEXICAN RADIO”

14: Mexican Radio MP3 by Polvo, originally written and performed by Wall Of Voodoo. The original one for this was one of better MTV videos back in the day. Also song is full of hooks. So there is that.

15: Antmusic MP3 Performed by Hypnolovewheel, originally by Adam and The Ants.

16: Don’t You Want Me Baby MP3 Performed by Chia Pet who were a Kokopop band one of Kramer from Shimmy Disc off-shoot labels. This song was originally by Human League.

17: Hero Worship MP3 Performed by Permanent Green Light, Originally written by Ricky Helston Wilson (RIP 1953-1985) from The B-52’s.

18: Girl U Want MP3 Performed by Superchunk, originally written by Casale and Mothersbaugh from Devo.

Give this a liker, you liker.

Video of the Day: FOH by Superchunk

Video of the Day: FOH by Superchunk

Superchunk Lego Video FOH stop motion
VIDEO OF THE DAY: Youtuber Tasha R claims she made this Superchunk video of their song “FOH” for her son because “he loves legos!” The band’s drummer Jon Wurster says on the facebook they don’t know her. Now we don’t know if her next one will be Kraftwerk backed by Erector sets but time will tell where this goes. It’s really fun stop gap motion 9-fiver storyline and you know how “projects” go when you are doing them for your kid(s). Your more into than they are but this turned out great. Never under estimate the power of the brick.

” God, I remember when the Brick Haus would only book Zeppelin cover bands and Star Wars characters.”

Cymbals Eat Guitars with Lenses Alien in space

Cymbals Eat Guitars with Lenses Alien in space

Cymbals Eat Guitars Lenses Alien Album Review
ALBUM REVIEW: If we were to shoot a band up in space in the late 1990’s and then they landed back on earth in late 2011 they would probably sound similar to the music on Lenses Alien by Cymbals Eat Guitars. Ageless and pure indie rock that was somehow incapsulated in this experiment of fluid guitars; almost as if anything that may have come before may have somehow influenced them in a magnetically sealed hyperbolic chamber. Never afraid to just let it fucking rip Joe & his rock-o-naughts launch you into the outer rim in a slow explosion that is every bit Trail of the Dead sounding without being formulaic as telling you a very long story via their music. Maybe it’s easier for you to imagine what The Shins would sound like with balls except in this incarnation they have volume behind the yapping. A track like “Plainclothes” is ever as much a hit as they showed us on their debut Why There Are Mountains. All the notes on here are as passionate as they are live except they give you much more this time. Lucky for them their command was steered by Jersey City denizen John Agnello so we have him to thank for capturing this space magic. But here they are playing awesomely with dynamics and layers of thick amp goodness that will clear the ear wax right out of the dormant state you were in while maybe you were up in the black. People who have since gone deaf to good music with this sonic landscape will be awakened at least for a brief respite their muscles will do a awesome convulsion they did not think they had in them.

We highly recommend this band as a cure for your rock guitar slump and bad posture. Enough of these words. Just fucking buy the shit for yourself. Catch them on tour, buy a t-shirt and whatever they say on your planet. We’re all only here temporarily so enjoy.

Definite Darkness MP3 by Cymbals Eat Guitars from Lenses Alien (2011 Barsuk)

Remember what the 90’s sounded like?
Randy Described Eternity MP3 by Built To Spill from Perfect from Now On (1997)
Punch Me Harder MP3 by Superchunk (vinyl rip) from No pocky for Kitty (1991)
high-wire moves MP3 by Polvo from Exploding Drawing (1996)
breadcrumb trail MP3 by Slint from Spiderland (1991)

Charles Bissell (Wrens) & Joe from Cymbal Eat Guitars projectmatters.org


Related Stories & Stuff:
Project Matters Benefit Maxwells – Kick out the jams