Music News – To good to be a lie w/o 2.10.14

Music News – To good to be a lie w/o 2.10.14

The Wrens recording
The Wrens – album working title is Prepare To Be Disappointed. Sarcasm yes. Is Charles Bissell busy. Yes. But it’s coming… revisit The Meadowlands and remind yourself why you love them deep in your heart because they live to keep you waiting. Yes we used this joke twice but seriously they tour this fall to help shape your expectations.

We have no clue what the hell the “Digital Prophet” David Shing is talking about. Let us know if you can decipher what he’s saying because he seems to be made of spare parts and bits the way this is edited. It’s so out of context. The editor botched this up or there really is no saving this dudes haircut. He’s just fried. He needs to actually unplug for a decade!

Mike Watt Hello europe folks can get Mike Watt’s picture book ‘on and off bass’ more econo now (saving big time on shipping) as reported via the press room. On and Off the bass on Amazon. Apparently lots pelicans and his hometown of Pedro. For hardcore fans of firehose and minutemen according to the reviews.

DOWNLOAD: arrow-pierced-egg-man MP3 by Mike Watt from hyphenated-man(2011)

Sludge popster Torche sign to our favorite metal label Relapse Records. Currently recording in Florida on the next release as of yet untitled. Playing show at St Vitus Bar in NYC Feb 26th. Guest listy please!

Radiohead launch a official app called Polyfauna. That is pretty normal as they have more concerns with being a art project and not a band anymore. Do you guys remember King of Limbs at all? Because that was awhile go. So this is like them releasing the song “Bloom” as an app, as a very tardy single. Try it and let us know. Other devoted fans seems to dig it.

Speaking of which. Here’s the SLINT BREADCRUMB TRAIL THEATRICAL TRAILER – this were just crazy kids from Kentucky. Emphasize kids. Super young dudes. Check out this trailer.

RANDOM DOWNLOADS:
Lefty’s DeceiverEx-Patriots MP3 from Cheats 92003) on My Pal God.
Anderson Council –Don’t You Think_ MP3 from Looking At the Stars (2013) Great NJ guitar pop via The Sinclair Recording Co. Check them out.
Lightouts – The Eloise Suite MP3 from Want(2013)

What else happened this past week?

We reviewed new grungsters Vomitface‘s 7″ and a even younger band from buffalo called Made Violent
Posted a bunch of free singles + MP3s by Pedal Distorsionador, Arc Rev One, Martin Van Ruin, Saintseneca, Emil and Caroline
Last weeks Rock news: RIP Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Criminal Hygiene Releases a new 7″ and much more interesting bullshit.

Why Green Arrows & The Project Matters

Why Green Arrows & The Project Matters

Green Arrows Music Written by Benjamin High


ALBUM REVIEW: Benjamin High’s Green Arrows record Matters is pure like salt. The music and lyrics can melt the ice off young and old hearts in it’s simplicity, confidence and cadent delivery. Ben was a regular young man. He played video games, listened and wrote music with his friends. His pal Joe D’Agostino even tattooed a simple note on his right wrist “1,2.3” which is a song on this incredible record to remind him of those halcyon days. See Ben even had a stint in a early version of Joe’s band Cymbals Eat Guitars and if you’ve ever seen CEG play. You know that Joe plays with a vengeance as if his guitar owed him something. But this story is about Ben’s recorded zest for life which is apparent in this New Jersey Freehold’s kids music. He wears his low-fi 4 track culture on his sleeve with influences in all the right places and I’m sure nothing could have prepared him for his exit. At times this record rings a lot like uncle tupelo while it echoes working man themes and it rings it’s simple refrains freeness alla Guided by Voices & EELs. One thing is certain though, his soul has been here/there and everywhere before and with that in mind the music is free from pretense and pure like golden indie honey.

Untitled MP3 shows Green Arrows Pavement influence pretty nicely. Super catchy indie song. Like a teenage dream so buy it!

His music legacy on Matters is documented here clearly and in his honor his family and friends have created an organization dedicated to helping young musicians like Ben called The Project Matters because it really actually fucking matters. There is no label perse but a youth movement. TPM organization hopes to support other musicians like him to sheppard them into pursuing their passion for music by helping them with a show or just good advise.

Here’s some Green Arrow Influences listed from his 1-Up page:
(If only all young musicians had taste like this)
Living Life (Daniel Johnston Cover) MP3 By Eels [Buy]
Zurich Is Stained MP3 by Pavement from Slanted & Enchanted [Buy]
Here comes a regular MP3 by The Replacements from Tim [Somebody made a stinking Mats T-shirt]
Closer You Are MP3 by Guided by Voices from Alien Lanes [Game of Pricks over here]
Hopeless MP3 by The Wrens from The Meadowlands [The House that guilt built]
Barbarism Begins At Home MP3 By The Smiths from Meat is Murder [Start w/ the very best of]
California MP3 By Low From The Great Destroyer [Love you some Low]
Where Have All the Good Boys Gone MP3 By American Analog Set from From Our Living Room To Yours [Get some 4track crooners here]

Related Articles:
The Project Matters Benefit pre-show review Kick out the jams! The Show featured: Carah Faye Charnow, Escape Directors, Cymbals Eat Guitars and Charles Bissell(solo) from The Wrens . See Charles Bissell live at Maxwells Video »

Project Matters Benefit Maxwells – Kick out the jams

Project Matters Benefit Maxwells – Kick out the jams

charles bissell the wrens live

The Project Matters Benefit w/ Charles Bissell + music by Green Arrows


BENEFIT SHOW: From what I can gather the Project Matters Organization will help fund and give good advise to young musicians under 21 who aspire to play music. Sort of a PAL for kids who maybe went to School of Rock but maybe just need some good legal advise. Which I think is great. I wish this sort resource was available to guide me as I figured out the music scene landscape.

TPM’S goal is to empower and encourage these young musicians to reach their creative potential.

TPM sounds benevolent enough and they are looking for young bands and mentors so get in touch. Back in the day at Westfield, Highschool in Jersey we had the Radical Rock Reactionaries where we took matter into our own hands with a actual club designed to put on shows. Was also a place where some misfits happened to gather and rally around music. The jocks had their sports we had R.R.R. This organization honors a kid named Ben High who was recording a record for his band Green Arrows and Cymbols Eat Guitar with Charles Bissell from the Wrens when he passed away. This show is in effect postumous record release as he and Cymbals Eat Guitars, Escape Directors, and singer Carah Faye Charnow of the band Versant will be playing a song from the record at Maxwells, Jan 23rd,2011 (TOMORROW!). The interesting thing about Charles Bissell solo is that it’s pretty dynamic sounding and trilly at times. The sounds go right up your spine. Meaning if you check out the couple live solo tracks below he’s full electric as if the wrens were behind him filling the space with guitar squealing effects and a subtle groove all around you. We’ll see what he does for this coming show. Lord knows the fans are starving for some new wrens music so maybe he’ll play one (that is if they’ve written any) I’m not sure the 10 years are up since the meadowlands was released. Other than that never heard of these other groups but here’s a couple track reviews. There’s a pretty good backstory on the wrens site for his benefit and that goes into the Cymbals Eat Guitars connection.

DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN:
1. Heartbeats by Versant s/t features Carah Faye Charnow. Think a modern rock version of ABBA with some keyboards whipping around your ears. [BUY]
2. Car Crash by Escape Directors from their release Ladders. There’s a nice balled on her called “Take Me on Home” alla goo goo dolls. The hit “Chicago” is lyrically up there with Gaslight Anthem in it’s narrative form but a little bit more modern rock mid-western. Over-all really good stuff for such young band. One to watch for sure! [ GET THEIR RECORD FREE ]
3. Indiana by Cymbals Eat Guitars from Why There Are Mountains. This is outstanding rock guitar record and totally makes sense the wrens were involved somehow. This track is spooky and spacey which actually sounds like a happy drive through the state of Indiana. [BUY]
4. Everyone Choose Sides Charles Bissell Live at Maxwells 09/26/2004
5. This Boy Is Exhausted Live at Schubas 08/19/2004