Somehow the kids dig prog rock. I’m not quiete sure how you get to Captain Beefheart from what it is today as a truly misunderstood and wide genre of music. Prog rock used to be a dirty hippie word until the math geeks slowly adopted copious notes and the notion that it’s ok to mix your metal with your jazz. Mostly though it’s just a “Other” category. Now it’s cool. Not sure how the leap happended but it did. Somewhere in the basement stax is the vinyl for Songs for the Terrestrially Challenged(1995) LP which is The Speaking Canaries first release. I have no freaking clue if it’s the hi-fi or low-fi version. I’ll have to dig it up and remind myself. The first and only time I saw Damon Che’s “other” band was them opening for Chavez at Brownies on Ave A. I dragged my friend Elie and Walter promising the guitar riffage was akin to Eddie Van Halen so we could get there early. Secretly I was checking them out as through a friend I was asked if I wanted to play bass in the band through my housemate Brett Martin from Nasty Little Man. Needless to say I didn’t take them up on it or even try out (stupidly) because I think I was in like 3 bands at the time. Anyway, already drunk and sullen from the bar the E-man was telling us “these guys don’t sound nothing like Van Fucking Halen -Chamo”. Walt did. Well at least the guitar tone and occasional note hammering made for a good segue and ocasional leg-kick. No DLR for sure. Thinking back I should of gone for it. Anyway fast forward from 1996 to 2012 and this stuff still holds up on the latest and most available Canaries release up on the emusic Get Out Alive: The Last Type Story (2003).
In 1976 Marnie Stern was born into progressive rock. She’s had critical acclaim early on and been wearing her influences on the sleeve with her brand of Vai inspired guitar tapping. Personally I always thought the Zappa prodigy looked like a goon then he went solo and I was proven correct. I guess the point is once you start adding the guitar noodling bringing you back to the one become irrelevant which is what is so interesting to hear how these groups with no choruses perceive music. They have no anchors except for the drums and the melody if you can find it; is just out there floating in space for you to get it and grab on to the vocals. Marnie does her brand pretty girl makes indie music fairly damn well with the drums really tightening the reigns. If you like her singing I think you may also like Le Butcherettes. End of the day her music is enjoyable. Check out her most recent self titled music.
Get some music:
Terristrial Famous / No Space MP3 By The Speaking Canaries from Songs For The Terrestrially Challenged
I Wear Glasses in the Most Brutal Sport Ever Invented MP3 by The Speaking Canaries from Get Out Alive: The Last Type Story
Transformer MP3 by Marnie Stern from one of the longest ever album tittles ever called This Is It And I Am It And You Are It And So Is That And He Is It And She Is It And It Is It And That Is That Seriously?
Obey Your Concert By U.S. Maple from Acre Thrills
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