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.
ALBUM REVIEW: A Slothbear is what do you get when you mix some mammals and paint in Staten Island which forms the release they call Cantor On. Some may write this part of New York off as just a breeding ground for lap dance vixens but we won’t be so narrow minded. We thought we heard something deeper when we featured them in our Crop-O-Singles over the summer and here we are proven right. They do have more moves than a Go-Go dancer! This release is a wonderful dark trip of texture, mirrors and classic indie guitar maneuvers. Convulsively atonal which I’m ok with because the vocals give this music just a little bit more heart in the performance department. Making the music real and seem like it’s off the flannel and comforting in the right lighting. They particularity get their point across in a song called “Goodnight Retrograde” which is a 10 minute meandering jam that hints at the bands spontaneity at it’s best. Like we hear in long player songs that we love in punk art bands like The Fall. Then other times the technical Denison-Kimball like jazz proficiency surprises you like on their song “Sleep Daze”. A one trick circus dance pony they are not. As another track like “Ex-Teen” is a hopeful song about procreating in the future. What ever your pleasure be sure to tip them with a beer or buck. I’m sure they won’t mind. XOX.
Galloping by Slothbear MP3 from Cantor On [ Get some ] Show: Saturday Nov 12 The Grove, 64 Grove St. Brooklyn,NY
Something about their sound reminds me of these sounds: Prole Art Threat MP3 by The Fall from Totally Wired – The Rough Trade Anthology (1980-1983) False Jesii Part 2 MP3 by Pissed Jeans from King of Jeans Guitar Named Desire MP3 by Big Dipper from Heavens (1987) Private Party MP3 by The Bigger Lovers from How I Learned To Stop Worrying (2001) Tabby and Lucy MP3 by Boston Spaceships from Let It Beard (2011) featuring Robert Pollard
ALBUM REVIEW: So if you’re a ex-metal head what do you do after lighting strikes you and you are enlightened? One thing is you make a record called we are night sky and you call the band deadboy & the Elephantmen. The main dude Dax Riggs (what rock minikor) was in the slowcore metal band Acid Bath and the rock anthem group Agents of Oblivion before deadboy came together. However, the metamorphosis happened we don’t care because this is a great heaven and hell themed record that marks this dark line in the sky. Ok maybe we do care because the transformation is an exploration from something sinister to something dark and deeper. Which has moments in the music when it’s a curious brew of Craig Wedren’s Shudder to Think like dischordant indie rock, Jack White’s rock-n-roll parts and the folk spice of Jeff Magnum all in one scary fucked-up dream. I’ll admit it. I don’t know jack shit but yesterday I was in the Sound Station in New Jersey and Bob was spinning this record and it it immediately caught my ear. The guitar tones were just right and I picked it right up. Released officially via Fat Possum Records way back in 2006. This is a record worth revisiting if you’ve never heard it. Highly recommended with 5 upside down crosses all the way through and I can rarely say that. Seriously. Even though this band is out of commission you should add this piece of music to your permanent record/cd collection. There one acoustic things on here called “No Rainbow” certainly could be considered direct lift from On the Aeroplane Over the Sea , other time they even borrows from Mick Jagger with the sung melody parts. These songwriting tactics are all good because the music is killer and because a well borrowed hook that is nicely interwoven is really in my heart a homage to something great. ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ Enjoy!
Evil Friend MP3 by deadboy & the elephantmen (2005) Dr. Seuss Is Dead MP3 by Acid Bath from When the kite strings pop (1994). Fantastic slowcore metal outfit. Nasty and evil. Dead Girl MP3 by Agents of Oblivion s/t (2000) The Terrors of Nightlife MP3 by Dax Riggs from We Sing of Only Blood or Love (2007). This particular track is more inline with deadboy which subtly reminds me of Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse’s album with David Lynch, Dark Night of the Soul.
Bonus songs: Revenge MP3 by Sparkle Horse & Dangermouse from Dark Night of Soul featuring your favorite Halloween friend Wayne Coyne. Crush You MP3 by Craig Wedren from his new one called Wand (2011). This is classic Shudder to Think in my humble opinion. Another find from the Sound Station yesterday. Otherwise I would have no clue it was out. Still listening. Watch out for the review! Hit Liquor MP3 by Shudder To Think from Pony Express (1994) Wishing He Was Dead MP3 by The Like from Release Me (2010). Girl pop with a 60’s vibe created in this decade.
RECORD REVIEW: Son of The Sun make music for the universe of rock fans who miss the late 70’s and nostalgia surrounding smokey club jams. Almost Not There is a extended EP with 6 varied songs with at least two number #1 hit “10,000” and another called “My Best Mistake”, the guitars have a little retro delay on it and vocals chime in a sort of Brian Fallon kind of way. There’s also something a little spooky with the way the keyboards on other tracks like “Henry’s England” are used channelling some retro. Their sense of layers make Son Of The Sun a good band that like to play with your sense of song that take you on a interesting rock journey. Hailing from Buffalo, NY with a few previous releases under their belt we urge you check them out at a local venue near you and report in. Like we were saying there is a lot of variety with this units rock-n-roll twists – if you like the picking found on “Friction” by Television and on 10k electric Dylan-esque jams really come through – they will keep you guessing as to their true retro-influences.
10,000 MP3 single by Son of The Sun from Almost Not there
Sounds like this sound man: Friction MP3 by Television from Marquee Moon (1977) Mr. Pharmacist MP3 by The Fall from Bend Sinister (1986) No More Heroes MP3 by The Stranglers from Golden Brown Mirror People MP3 by Love & Rockets from Earth, Sun & Moon (1987)
We have no clue what Aabenbaringen over aaskammen means...
ALBUM REVIEW: Ok we lie, it’s Norwegian for roughly the “revelation over the mountain” but after a whole slew of singles this is technically their first end to end record after releasing piles of singles. I of course because I technically live in a cave on the weekend and during the week untangle a mountain of real work related riddles & sniglets it’s no surprise i never heard of them but thankfully I’m on Polyvinyl’s distro list so some sort of culture does make it my way. In order to describe this group we’ll need to take you into our 80’s time machine bit by bit. In order to confirm what the big corporate mags are onto. Quickly line-up if your a Kid A Moon Safari or Kraftwerk fan. We’re going take you a little deeper but not Autobahn deep (Ok maybe that is another lie). We’re going to keep it to one hot summer in 1986 or 88 and my Walkman was playing a couple OMD tracks, a bunch of Scottish songs by APB and even some DM. I know a girlfriend was making me listen to Yaz and I countered with APB. Anyway, Electronic pop is the kind of music that you either hate or like it very little as much as you do meaningless anagrams which happens to be another language. There is certain sense of soundscape artistry that vocalist Ketil Kinden Endresen has explained is a “result of them expanding their palette”. We’re not all about the grunge on the RS blog but however you want to explain these Casiokids make some pretty good ecstatic music. We get it. One day it will be re-interpreted music for time travel. We do think their is a need for analog electro pop music and just spacing-out in general with the sweet sounds of Casio’s holding down those giant monotone notes. Enjoy.
Det haster! MP3 by CasioKids from Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen
Something about this bands sounds man: Shoot You Down MP3 APB
Da Da Da MP3 by Trio (Ich Lieb Dich Nitch Du)- 1982
There are 5 great toe-tappers on this EP by The Eversons from New Zealand. I am always amazed that young bands can always improve on this genre or keep it fresh. With just the right amount of jam, a dash marmalade reverb and friendly vocal melodies the music becomes instantly familiar like your favorite order at the local deli. Although I would not know what to order in New Zealand eatery I’d imagine it may have to be the lamb with some sort of goat cheese right and side of local chips? Anyway, the point is there is a nice ring to their self narrated style lyrical musings. The music is overly familiar not too far away indeed of the self referential conversational sounds the Modern Lovers created. It would be nice for you to invite them to your next house party as I’m sure they may be just as chatty as they are good band.
You will like them if you like: Year’s Not Long MP3 by Male Bonding from Nothing Hurts (2010) Real Thing MP3 By The Wedding Present from Saturnalia (1996) Ill Love MP3 by Pete & The Pirates from Little Death (2008) Road runner MP3 by The Original Modern Lovers (1973)
ALBUM REVIEW: Florida has some general weirdness. Kramer from Bongwater moved there some time back, there’s a decent agency and an art school in Miami. It’s got modern scenic architecture and a psychedelic band called Lil Daggers. One of my favorite Butthole Surfers song’s is even named after the flattened state. Can’t say much about the voting habits of a song like “Dead Golden Girls” but there is something nice and sinister about this music. They take the garage tinkering seriously and use a 1967 Vox Continental keyboard for example to show their commitment. There is some dedication and attention to detail in paying respect to the psych genre in this release. Some of songs could be soundtracks for erie swamp scenes where no one gets out alive like on “give me the pill” or you can think of it as a sequel to a good trip equal to Live at Pomeii. The opener “wasting” is probably their most jaring and upbeat tune and the record just submerges you into their waste from there. Can’t you see the trails man?
ALBUM REVIEW: Captured nicely in the British neo-psychedelia vessels were alternative bands like Railway Children, The Mighty Lemon Drops and The Wonderstuff. All trying to sound in parts like Echo & The Bunnymen and sometimes unconsciously like the poppier side of Dinosour Jr. Years later it’s Two Thousand Eleven and enters Red Light Driver‘s 4th release. These Indianapolis, US rockers are as much a flashback to this sound as they are filled with spot-on swirly pop guitars like said music movement from the late 80’s. This band shows that they are actually from the midwest on tracks like “The Away Anthem” but I question their passport in a very British Sea Power kind of way (insert stuffy accent here) on the opening self titled cut “Celeste Celeste” and then later on “Diamond Rough” – leave it to some Americans to give you incomplete song titles. Anyway, this comparison mostly has to do with the call and response vocals and drums on choruses and use of twangy guitars and effects. The band freely admits this so no harm done. This combo is going to bring the genre back into vogue as they present their case in a oversaturated market of internet bands who care more care about how cool their beards looks than the music. This well groomed Celeste Celeste EP shines a bright light on the genre where the bands were veering away from punk in order to be pop-stars and who did not quite survive the grunge era. In this case each cut has the naughty rock-n-roll bits re-exposed and re-examined and not in a lame Jim Morrison kind of way.
80’s Brit Alternative Pop: That’s Entertainment MP3 by The Wonder Stuff from Never Loved Elvis Another Town MP3 by The Railway Children Inside Out MP3 by The Mighty Lemon Drops (1988)
Bonus Cover: Paint It Black MP3 Stones cover by The Mighty Lemon Drops
ALBUM REVIEW: Howdy psychedelic music fans here’s some jams from a Moscow band called June Hunters. If you are a aficionado of Psych Rock and house of LSD’s light touch like faves 13th Floor Elevators or Black Angels you might dig this trip. They are pretty good genre emulators and I think we have the internets to thank. They verge a little on a 80’s alternative interpretation similar to The Psychedelic Furs with the use of some of the extra keyboard sounds. They are power trio and none too far off of what The Faint were sorta trying to pull off except with a actual drummer, nothing to do with Disco though and the ability to sling a tambourine track like Jonestown Massacre as logged by their track called “More” available exclusively here for the first time with that unmistakable Rickenbacker bass sound to drive this closing track on the EP. Now where are my bell bottoms and funky shades?
More MP3 by June Hunters from their self titled EP.
Something Psychedelic like music: Love My Way MP3 by The Psychedelic Furs Reverberation(Doubt) MP3 by The 13th Floor Elevators (1967) The Black Angel’s Death Song MP3 by The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967). The Black Angels named their band after this song. Which features this repetitive violin sound with this amazing sense of melody by Lou Reed in-between the noise. Amazing song.
MUSIC REVIEW: The music is so doom and gloom and lowly tuned it sounds like it’s distorted beyond recognition. Might be because my ears are really trashed or this Davis, California band Wreck and Reference actually recorded Black Cassette to tape. All good things with the proper hiss management and noise gates off. So imagine the slow drum thumping of Shellac’s 1,000 hurt’s scratchy guitars on “Prayer to God mixed” with the loneliness of Low and then you suddenly grind up the fader to the point it sounds like a septic tank truck is sucking the life out of you. Yup those are you guts and yes that metal ringing is what’s this band has documented on this chrome. Safe for generous use by fans of neurosis, melvins and unsane who like experimental metal.
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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