MUSIC REVIEW:It’s been 7 Years since The Bigger Lovers haunted a stage and about 10 years since their debut How I Learned to Stop Worrying came out. In celebration you can order a 500 limited edition pressing of this 2001 release. I think we need to check the math but regardless here’s a fresh Little Giant Maxi Single from them. Their follow-up Honey in the Hive also delivered succinct pop songs any girl would fall for like a bushel of un-thorned roses. I go back a little with these guys over the year. Bret Tobias used to play drums in Moped & Sonny Sixkiller and were label mates of Aviso’Hara; as was Scott Jefferson the bassplayer who’s solo work was also on the same label with the Diane Linkletter Experience (Vital Cog Records)- We were a little family of indie bands. Before that Scott was also in Gerrymander Bob who also used to play with Aviso’ waaaaaaaaay back in the Brighton Bar days before grunge and music broke (pre-interwebs). Regardless these guys have been working on their pop music craft for some time and it’s super awesome to hear some material and a show coming out of the woodwork March 12th at John & Brenda’s. This is good for the Philly music scene.
If you dig early Costello, Big Star, Posies and your usual poptopia suspects you can put the Lovers right in the line-up. Their soaring guitars and sweeping vocal stylings drift you to different places like Peter Pan in the night could in theory make-up lines like “classic school girls and circus clowns”. A little dream pop never hurt anybody it’s a good thing they found some magic in the basement. The opener “Talon Show” is a acoustic ditty that is sweet as much as it is a vicious little love song. The regular mix of “Little Giant” is destined to some commercial placement that has the potential to bring these guys out of obscurity. It’s a pollination of Pernice Brothers and The Shins but somehow the song craft is all their own. Don’t get fooled by the “Walk This Way” beat as it takes a life of it’s own with this Haircut 100 feel. The thing is about guitar pop music; by it’s very nature it can’t exist on it’s own as it lives in a fishbowl that all these cats keep pawing at, trying to tip the water but the illusivenes little buggers are fast and ever changing colors. We’re happy to just listen and stare to the action over and over again as these songs are like charms on your high-school sweetheart’s wrist you can treasure for another 10 years!
Check them out live at their last farewell show in 2005
Misuser MP3 By Gerrymander Bob from Meat Town Shimmy Disc (1993) Never Gonna Tell MP3 by Diane Linkletter Experience from too hard to DISGUISE Vital Cog Records (2000) Recorded by Brad Morrison Halo MP3 By Sonny Sixkiller from this is your heaven. Features Bret on drums and songstress Kara Lafty guitar/vocals (Vital Cog 2000)
Sounds Like: Love Plus One MP3 by Haircut 100 from Pelican West (1982) One by One All Day MP3 by The Shins from Oh, Inverted World (2001) [BUY] There Goes The Sun MP3 By Pernice Brothers from Discover a Lovelier You (2005) [Buy]
The Young Leaves Life Underneath is all punk & shit
ALBUM REVIEW: Were happy to say we’ve been fans of The Young Leaves from Massachusetts since their first singles and happy to see them put a vinyl version with some of the tracks included on Life Underneath via Drunken Sailor Records. They wear their influences on their proverbial tattoo’d sleeves. It’s straight forward like Hüsker Dü, Dinosaur Jr., Jawbreaker were. The singer guitarist Christopher from the band will tell you that straight up. Their demands are simple and have four point win win situation. 1) get in the van 2) tour 3) Put out their records 4) Give them a floor to sleep on. In return they promise to rock and drink your beer. We think you should listen to these simple terms based solely on the fact they make good punk to get drunk with your buddies with. I bet if you put on Rancid along with The Leaves no one would be none the wiser. There may be less poser cali-punk and more heart in this trio’s distorted music than you might be able to handle but alas it won’t be the last time we led you someplace like the music you should expect in this dank basement.
Stuff we hear: Collide by Ff (aka fat Fuck) from We’re #1(1996) – Best NJ jawbreaker/mats sounding punk rock this side of the Hudson. When I listen to The Leaves I hear the heart of these guys just slaying it. Want MP3 by Jawbreaker from Unfun (1992)
ALBUM REVIEW: If you like psychedelic rock too much then ignore this because you’ll be addicted to Dumbo Gets Mad’s sounds from tail to snout on Elephant At The Door from the first walk. Wedging itself on the wake of some big bass riff from the get go on “Plumy Tale” the undertow will drag you right in. What makes this record believable is that no computer chips were used in the raw recording of this music. It’s not laptop rock and was executed with care via Big Panda Records. This singing and keyboard sounds are vintage late 60’s- early 70’s analog so it’s all very authentic halogenated reverb. Imagine your in a sexy leopard pleather lounge called “San Tropez”. In this futuristic situation your inhaling the best of imported air at this purest oxygen bar from 2011. Listening to this collection of psychadelia – kicking back feeling the pulse of speakers vibrate your very sensitive eardrums. It’s blissful.
Distributed as a Free digital download the vinyl is available for you audiowhores who deserve these type of Meddle like soundscapes that a blind man could surf too — so I would get on this and buy some stock. Yup that’s right they aren’t super heavy but definitely amplify the volume when required. At time it reminds me of Pink Floyd jams and other moments it’s sweet like lemon iced tea made from some lost mountain spring. Maybe just the gear they are using where certain moog settings are unswappable it feels like another successful genre retro-record with enough variety you might find at your regular whirling dervish bionic hashish market. Other times it’s a Jonestown Massacre happening and a little female birdy is telling you to set your ears on right because the dream and feeling is real. Take it for a ride.
PLACES:Sound Station, Westfield NJ. You can always count on Bob and Liz to have some great stuff right there on the waterfall rack begging for you take them home. So if your’re wondering where to take a drive to one Saturday afternoon set your garmond on this music lovers destination.
They know their customers and if your a connoisseur of the rare to the obscure funk, soul, alternative rock, punk or blues record or no wave -whatever; chances are they’ll have something interesting in for you to check out. Consider them your music curators. Their stock is not huge because of these changes times but they will certainly try and track down whatever you want and will enjoy talking about it. This is the record store experience you won’t get online. This is how shopping for music should be.
Here’s a few samples of the great finds in just the past few months. I often talk about accidental discovery and the Sound Station is the place to do it in. Just open your ears and audio fun will follow. You won’t be able to follow them on twitter or anything fancy like that. Just not they are closed Sundays and Mondays.
Mochilla Presents: DJ Nu-Mark – Take Me With You – Holy crap this is a great collection of inspired funk rhthms from Uncle NU via his travels. Amazing mix of Samba, Cumbia, Calypso, Rumba, Afro and Balkan beats. Features “Tropicalifornia” from his record Broken Sunlight. Total summertime party album from Mark Potsic the ex-Jurassic 5 member. This will make you want to travel be a professional vacationeer. Sample this beat: 42 Take Me With You (Track 42) MP3 DJ Numark from Take Me With You. Oh no clue what this track is called no listing to be found. Help!
Truth & Soul Records presents Lee Fields & The Expressions in an incredible authentic soul journey in his 2009 release My World. This has just enough modern beats to make this a complete groove thing. Check out the title track for starters then work your way around the whole record. Great find. Apparently he lives in Plainfield New Jersey. My World MP3 by Lee Fields [Buy Some]
Charles Bradley No Time for Dreaming
Here’s Charles Bradley featuring Menahan Street Band. Saying this music is not heavily influenced by James Brown would be a complete lie. Raised in Brooklyn born in the south. This music is the real soul ordeal. Books are written about these guys as if they were history. He’s very much alive and doing his thing. Check it out. The World (Is Going Up In Flames) MP3 Dig it from No Time For Dreaming [Buy]
SINGLE REVIEW: I’m Not surprised this video is weird Radiohead style. Parts Clockwork orange with the bolo hat on Thom Yorke – part strung out hippie. Weird handclaps with seemingly no effects on them on the song. This is raw and showcased in black and white. Makes you focus on the drone music really. It’s got all the new keyboard sound we like from Amesiac and hail to the thief loaded up in it. Is this how they see their fans though? Dancing on drugs or something? I mean this is what i do in the privacy of my kitchen sometimes. When nobody is looking. Or is he really pretending to be a flower child? I’m still chewing on the lotus flower metaphors but in all a very solid tune “do what you want”. Part of the lotus chanting is repeating things over and over so this song makes sense if you are going to pray to a flower. a form of dance medication. Think of it that way and you will see the light. You will see the light and colors in thevideo. You will become the light and the colors. You will see. See. See. See it.
Check it out in the headphone in the gym: Radiohead – Lotus Flower MP3 They are selling you Wave files today
Some of the lyrics translated from Sanskrit. 🙂
I will sneak myself into your pocket
Invisible, do what you want, do what you want
I will sink and I will disappear
I will slip into the groove and cut me up and cut me up
There’s an empty space inside my heart
Where the wings take root
So now I’ll set you free
I’ll set you free
There’s an empty space inside my heart
And it won’t take root
Tonight I’ll set you free
I’ll set you free
See this video by performance artist Suran Song she talks all about effects of space and drawing flowers and their space.
ALBUM REVIEW:Le ButcherettesSin Sin Sin is some sabroso (delicious) rock via nuevo feminist and the multi talented Teri Gender Bender (Vocals/Keys/Guitar). Originated as a experimental duo with drummer Auryn Jolene in Guadalajara Mexico in 2007. They made it about the show complete with real pig head props (Which I thought you could only get away with that shit in Tijuana). When she slops the blood around her face like she got cut in a Rob Zombie movie in the seemingly anti-male video “I’m Queen” it quickly reminded me of the Australian singer from the Divinyls Christina Amphlett live performances (when they were punk) slopping lipstick all over her face. Le Butcherettes are a lot less pop and this breed of punk are not exactly touching themselves. The lyrics are equal part titillating as they are taunting. This is a female driven brain game though for sure. I know I’m going back but her look reminds of her voice (see Divinyls Roxy Music cover below) really too. This band is as edgy as they were in their early days. And luckily Teri has been empowered with more talent than Bikini Kill could ever had dreamed of with a nice share of literary references sprinkled about in the songs. One of my favorite songs on the record is “Dress Of” which is her just ranting and singing with just the drums wailing “take my dress off, take my fucking dress off- honey- honey o-o-o”. Who says songs need other instruments? Right after that one she adds a keyboard to the mix with the drums on “Empty Dimes” that has a Spoon thing going on with no guitar to be found.
This music is about the uncomplicated deep honest parts. Fuzzed out keyboard sounds and simple rock akin to Greg Dulli(The Afghan Whigs) but the female version with a sultry delivery of which maple trees will just pore out their sweet nectar if she happened to walk by. When she gets vicious from the ladies side of bar like on a track like “Bang!” You can’t help but think there is some Courtney Love angst of course (but not the fake crazy kind). But I think you need to look beyond the man killer because Teri is doing it from her soul and sure it’s dark like most young artists. If she were locked in some dismally lit room her soul would blow it up with her writing & playing and escape. What may seem like random episodes of passion orchestrated directly at you are in fact a fuck you to Judy Blume. Look what you did Teri like on “Henry Don’t Got Love” is great follow-up lead single to “I’m Queen” so fasten your pants. I can only imagine what the Henry video is going to be like!
Teresa Suaréz (Aka Teri Gender Bender) is US born to parent actors, moved to Mexico, started a band, had some differences with Jolene, moved permanently to LA and is now with her third drummer and a bass player. The coming long player via Rodriguez-Lopez Productions features all new songs since their debut EP Kiss & Kill (2008). All of the elements are in place for her success with some serious management in place most bands would kill to have behind them. It will be interesting to see how intensity builds-up. A whole load of shows are coming. With her in this round she has drummer Gabe Serbian and bassist Jonathan Hischke to help round out Le Butcherettes as a trio. Anyway, SIN SIN SIN is coming your way this May. Don’t say I didn’t warn you but in meantime if you get a chance check them out live and report in.
Get some: New York MP3 Short and sweet ode to golden whiskey and your hate. Ah the old grungy romantic nyc. Track 2 on SIN SIN SIN. Henry Don’t Got Love MP3 She gives a shout out to Henry Miller on this #1 hit from SIN SIN SIN. Kiss & Kill MP3 EP Title track
Sorta sounds like the naughty bits of: Love Is The Drug MP3 Roxy Music music cover by Divinyls 66 MP3 by The Afghan Whigs from 1965.
ALBUM REVIEW:Tom Williams and The Boat’s record Too Slow [Self Released – Coming Feb 21st] is actually like a nice cruise of genres between the righteousnesses campfire vamping of Nick Cave and the jagged orchestrated edges of David Gedge’s guitar play. Floating at sea are the sounds of our greatest minds in this vessel. Tom Williams rants are not all about maritime trips at all. Trust me I’d be the first one over board who would be hurling and begging for the shore line. These crooners takes you on a journey in particular on tracks like “Get Older” which has this fiddle playing that digs in deep revenge mode or a fight. There’s “24” which seems to be about a girl, varsity baseball and Oklahoma with somebody playing a PS2- poetic right? Needless to say there is a lots of variety on this record with a recognizable British swagger which seems to be making fun of teen cultures and gang fights. Regardless of the absurdity you could not ignore the narrative comparisons that might come-up. From either the likes of Billy Bragg, Brian Fallon or Craig “huck” Finn; Tom belongs to this new school of bands telling local stories that paint different parties, show you different post-cards from the edge of town. The fights are always same but everytime they happen you forget how you got there in the first place. So you drive in your cars and let these stories whiz you by as familiar scenery you may know already. Which might not be able to see unless they sung it to you. Mastered by few you buy the ticket and let The Boat drive because it’s familiar on the level that you can easily relate. This makes it authentic. Drink up my friends.
Sound like these other Story tellers: People Ain_t No Good MP3 by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds from The Boatman’s Call(1997) Venus MP3 by The Wedding Present from Saturnalia (1996) [Buy] Miles Davis & The Cool MP3 by The Gaslight Anthem from 59′ Sound [Buy] Never Had No One Ever (The Smiths) MP3 by Billy Bragg from The Smiths Is Dead. Walt Whitman’s Niece MP3 by Wilco & Billy Bragg sining the songs of Woody Guthrie he never wrote on Mermaid Avenue. [Buy]
We recently did a bunch posts of women in rock that matter so here’s our favorite Jersey GirlNicole Atkins doing a couple covers and a series of video vignettes from her new record Mondo Amore (Lots of love) for her single “Dark Magic in Your Eyes”. She’s remisicent of a rocking Patti Smith and the country style of Juliana Hatfield but with her own vocal style. When listening to her music and watching her videos you get this sense there’s a lot of demons but not in a evil Courtney Love way but more of a Anais Nin old soul kind of way. If in victorian times there was rock music she’d be the queen of the scene. Which is passion recomposed for 2011.
Sexy Nicole Atkins Photos by Lucia Holm
She’s been at this music thing probably since her birth 32 or so years ago and putting out records, playing and singing on other people’s records. A hardworking musician with a mission slowly building up a following from North Carolina to New York and about to embark on a short tour to make her mark a little deeper in your heart. Lets see kicking it off with Bowery Ballroom show ain’t too shabby.
Here’s a Video of another track called “Vultures” directed by my pal Mandy Bisesti and photographer Lucia Holm (actually I think these Jerzy girls have done all of the videos from Ms. Atkins’s new album). This one seems to have been shot in Monmouth County from the looks of it along the banks of Red Bank, New Jersey — one of my old stomping, rocking and drinking grounds. It’s deep, dark and beautifully shot; really giving the song and the listener a baptism.
Download music and covers: Inside Of Love MP3 Nada Surf cover by Nicole Atkins from Digs Other People’s Song’s – Probably one my favorite Matthew Caws tracks and she builds it beautifully. [Buy] Under The Milky Way MP3 Cover by The Church Also unadulteratedly good. She was 10 when Starfish came out. Must have discovered them when lived in Australia. Cool Enough MP3 from Neptune City (2007 Columbia)
SINGLE REVIEW: So here’s The “new” Strokes song “Under Cover of the Darkness”. These jean jacket city boys are back to their quirky guitar play that they ripped-off in 1st place but hey you know the 30 something and milfy chicks are going to follow them right? They are the 2003 Mick Jagger of alt-bands. I mean why mess up a sound they borrowed in the first place -lord knows there is a lot of really pathetic disco out there. Also compared to their 2003 guitar playing this is much much better. Here’s their new single in video form. Still waiting on my mp3 to get to my inbox though but whatever.
Nothing really original. Is This it? Is still a hell of a lot more catchy so far. Full length gets released in March so we’ll give them a chance and lets certainly not blame Justin Beiber on them either ok? i want in on the guest list because it’s gonna be quasi comeback as the boys have been busy touring and doing solo stuff.
I think oh myrockness said it best on Twitter today. “The new Strokes song is totally ripping off The Strokes.” Which is totally their right to put up a follow-up record that’s late to their sound everybody expected them to release on their sophomore release but here it is leading the wave four records later. Or maybe it’s a trick? Releasing this single to remind you of what they once were and then BAM! Something new as a follow-up single. we’ll see. If so these guys are fucking geniuses! So lets see…
Because Julian did his 80’s EMF/New Order disco thing and Albert Hammond Jr kept it real on his solo effort.
Downloads: 11th Dimension MP3 by Julian Casablancas from Phrazes For The Young In Transit MP3 by Albert Hammond Jr. from Yours to Keep by himself somewhat reminds of Britt Daniel’s singing from Spoon.
ALBUM REVIEW: Firesuite – You’re An Ocean Deep, My Brother delivers on all sorts of levels. Imagine postal workers being let loose in an empty warehouse full of your unopened mail. With so many possibilities in these communications this band is here to make the rounds. Their stories are told through chilling guitar notes and none are spared during the assault of this shoegaze firestorm and a fire suit is indeed needed! The machine-gun tactics of the track “Sammy Davis Jr Jr” will wake your ass-up in a Municipal Waste company kind of way causing a ruckus when your hung-over in a earthquake in-between the dreamy guitar and male/female singing inter-play spread throughout this record’s songs. They are fallen angels putting you in a rock trance direct from the ministry of Heaven. The track SDJJ is actually named after the dog in movie the Everything Is Illuminated and the tune will surely get your attention as it rocks you out of the pleasant scene of your dream into an entirely different level. The 2112 bass playing drives some Toolesque sounds with a healthy walloping of guitar flange in particular on songs like “Beneath the roses.” In all this music will uplift your day and make it go much better like a pleasant note from a loved one on the fridge. You’ll hear the choruses and before you know it you’ll nod out to that dream again where some hot actress is singing Sci-Fi Lullabys in your ear.
Firesuite’s story is a “normal” one. Connected by equal parts melody and noise. Chris Anderson (vox, guitar), alongside Chris Minor (bass), Sarah Griffiths (vox, guitar) & Richard Storer (drums) deliver some pretty thick music all in here. Anderson met Storer dressed in white (not sure if they were his summer whites) and Minor while they were both unemployed taking a music course. They were fans of Griffiths’s who sang in a band called Bolster and they asked her to join. She’s been playing with the group for better part of year now. Influence wise it’s a eclectic mix. Anderson been listening to soundtracks, recently like “Inception” by composer Hans Zimmer. Storer listens to a lot of Jaco Pastorius and Sufjan Stevens, Chris Minor and Sarah listen to oodles of 4AD bands and the songs from Pingu. Which I think is part of the magic when the music comes together in this warm cocoon because if we all listened to just the Ramones we’d look like Joey Ramone as a butterfly. I asked Anderson some of the bands they think are very cool or need championing and he candidly mentioned two of Aereogramme’s new bands; Athletics and The Unwinding Hours are very, very cool. Mogwai’s new material sounds wonderful and Vessels.” Much inspiring which leads us to their video/single “Amity” cut by newbie auteur “Euston Piret“, which is the musical alter-ego of Ray Russell. This very cordial tune reminds us of a noisy mix of Stereolab and Sunny Day on that alone you should all be all over this band like hippies are to the 60’s to this re-imagined homage to The 90’s.
This music reminds of: Pillars MP3 by Sunny Day Real Estate’sHow It Feels to Be Something On (1998) or anything of their s/t pink one like Friday MP3 [Buy] Code Breaker MP3 by The Sleepover Disaster from their 2009 release via Devil in the Woods called Hover. TSD are from San Joaquin Valley in California and their music is vast like a desert storm. Kyberneticka Babicka Part 1 MP3 by Stereolab from Fab Four Suture [Buy] Knut MP3 by The Unwinding Hours
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