Wartgore Hellniscker– Imagine black sabbath’s war pigs mashed up with rage against the machine with some horns and a double kick-drum with some bizarre marztmitsfah music. This may give mr bungle fans something to ponder. I’m not judging. I’m just sharing. Karl Vs. Groucho MP3
Lightsout – have a good sound here. Nice and thick distortion with non pretentious singing. Sort superchunk sorta not a loud version of the cure. See the hair on their site. And it Comes and Goes MP3
What? How did this happen all of a sudden? Sort of rellavation that two very different musical trail blazers turned 50 this year along with many other singing alternative icons. Daniel Johnston’s Birthday was in January and Henry Rollins’s was 02.13.61 to be exact. I know this because it says it on the spine of the Black Flag tour diary he wrote called Get In The Van||||. Fast forward and the Rollins Band is playing a show at The Fastlane II in Asbury Park and he mentions he just turned 30 and you could not trust him anymore. I can’t believe that was 20 motherfucking years ago! Daniel Johnston’s child like lyrics always were and will be trust worthy but Hank was trying to tell me something. Then Rollins released a song called “Liar” pre-shotgun in mouth right as everyone including were cashing in or checking out as the case may be. So I laughed so hard when I first saw the video in a AIM Marketing meeting. He was dressed up like a cop and I thought this has to be a joke. He hates cops but the other young phone retailers had never been exposed to him before and the company owners in particular didn’t understand this outburst. This was serious business marking the punk. We had to help sell this record into stores across North America and we did. That job didn’t last long mostly because I used to gather my info and then chat with folks on the companies dime about other cool music to help pass the time. Oh well. Ancient history but I guess the point is this was the moment when i knew alternative music was over as I knew it.
I’m not sure I buy the whole 50 is the new 40, and 40 is the new 30 because how do you explain those random gray hairs by my balls? The goods news is that these gateway artists are still looking from right side of the grass but who’s going to cary the torch now?
Boys Don’t Cry MP3 by The Cure – Robert James Smith. Born, 21 April 1959 It’s Over MP3 by Daniel Johnston from Hi, How Are You? [BUY] Happy Death Men MP3 by Echo & The Bunnymen from Crocodiles – Ian Stephen McCulloch, born 5 May 1959 [BUY] Gun In My Mouth Blues MP3 by Rollins Band from Lifetime [DO IT] I Will Dare MP3 by The Replacements from Let it Be – Paul Westerberg born December 31, 1959 [I HATE YOUR MTV} Catapult MP3 by R.E.M. from Murmur John Michael Stipe, born January 4, 1960 [CHRONIC TOWN] Master-dik MP3 by Ciccone Youth Thurston Joseph Moore born July 25, 1958
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)
MUSIC REVIEW: Putting hair on a band based out of Brooklyn that sounds like a real rock band is not so difficult. I’m personally tired of bands with headbands and mustaches. That’s so 2010 on the bad breath-o-meter. Give me regular dudes who make music with a tight rythem section and a singer who has some British swagger although from North America and can hit some notes alla Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) on vocals any day and we’re in good shape. A sense of humor is optional at that point but sticking with any carny’s breakfast heroes storyline protects the Mojo community pretty well. Add some milk and Jack Pot, Chocferatu, Anton Tigrrre, Admiral Munch and Tweaks Bunny will tell you a story that will go on in infamy. So, here’s a concept video that came about after Jim the guitarist for Midnight Spin saw a mural in Williamsburg of cereal mascots decked out like murderous villains (You know like serial killers with a itchy trigger finger) with some help from Model Citizen Productions; whoala a rock crime caper video right of the box for their debut EP Through the Mojo Wire. Nice start for a new band as they prepare for their first tour and figure out how to keep gas in the van. The bass riffs on “Brooklyn’s Weary” and “Mr. Slate” have this cool distorted thing going on too as John Paul Jones is my witness. In fact the whole EP has charms that are worth chewing on. The Rivers Cuomo rock-n-roll mojo fan club is proud.
The band formed around 07 with some parts Boston and DC to solidify the line-up and your usual craig’s list nightmare auditions. It’s short and sweet and not a clunker to be had. Thus a EP you can take for a drive. Who wants filler anyway unless it’s in a donut? File under: Alternative rock with just enough grit and bounce to make the girls dance. Check them out! DOWNLOAD & LISTEN:Trigger Finger Itch MP3 by Midnight Spin.
Other songs about 12 0’Clock: Joe Strummer’s Midnight Dream by Angeldust (formerly Challenger) features Chris Hartford. Recorded at the Zion House of Flesh by Andrew Weiss At Midnight by The Mighty Lemon Drops from the CD Laughter (1989) Automatic Midnight by Hot Snakes s/t Midnight Cowboy by Cows from Cunning Stunts(2000)
Hundreds of bands have sprung from the very ripe boon-dock known as the New Brunswick N.J. Hub City/Rock City scene, even though some of is straight-up emo basement level variety hardcore. ExVegas was one of the more promising urban alternative legends that morphed into another band called Prosolar Mechanics. EV had a double guitar storm featuring Alex(Saville) the sonic reducer and T.Sands on the V2 Rocket which were more Chicago sounding than anything from Chicagoland(you know jesus lizard, rapeman, etc) Their guitar combo was as serious as a trailer truck on biodiesel fuel injected with amphetamines with a starfire voice led by Amy (now married with children to the sonic reducer). This 7″ cover artwork was illustrated by the very talented and sorely missed E.Gun Aka Eric Gundry (RIP) who used to book The Court Tavern in New Brunswick NJ after Tom Crow for awhile in the early 90’s. This music was recorded at Trax East by Steve Evetts (Supultura, deadguy, Nudeswirl, buzzkill) and was pretty damn close to what they sounded like live. Everything is thick and messy sometimes like rock should be.
Fast forward the time continuum and put the date below in your rock calendar in advance because I’m emailing your from the future. Their next show is gonna be spacey if their latest tune that I have “Primer” is any indication of your coming future. Prosolar Mechanics Live March 12, 2011 Maxwells! BONUS MP3’s: The Future of Sex from Kitra Vol 2 Impact Primer from the web release Last song of the Month – Orchestra of distorted noise meets angry mountain of insects yelling and crawling on your skin like a jungle of mites on your scalp is the best way I could describe it with a electronic infusion of something ecstasy like.
DAISYCUTTER SHITHAMMER 45 Rockville
It’s not a secret around these parts were big on the grunge psychedelic scene. In particular when it about the home grown NJ Variety. So here’s Daisycutter from the Jersey Shore noise scene from back in the day when drug references were still cool on the Rockville label. These folks were more big black tribal jam rock. So if your’re a Monster Magnet fan you’ll like it but more than likely if your a Jersey MM fan you know this schwagg already since at one time it featured Ed Mundel on guitar and of course Reg Hogan on drums and Jim Hogan on the slithering bass. Drop in, dope out & do some crimes with the Shithammer. Download MP3s: Pull Glutton (5 mg) Glutton (10 mg)
ALBUM REVIEW: Please meet Sam Forrest’s 3rd solo effort No Imagination which finds him moving away from the straight up acoustic/folksy guy in the back shed to the do-it all himself rockband (including drums). This North Yorkshire creator/guitarist has added some noise on rediscovery of the sonic youth adding some nice layers of feedback to the palette of man vs songs and is at the top of his craft. No Imagination will give purveyors of sounds a couple subtle winterly chills that creeps in various textures along the way but even that would not do this release any justice. The music throughout seem to be telling us something; like on the song “The things you need” on the piano before it blares out into this lost episodic wall of feedback or some Jason Lytle(grandaddy) like dream in “Homesick Lullaby”. The problem is these are Sam’s dream-scapes and he’s owning them all like “silent actors with broken tongues” there is a great escape in the mindscape. Connecting the dots organically like the steps one makes along a venerated decision tree wrapped in the plain old frustrations of making music you like,etc. Slightly maddening for sure and then what would it be like if you had no thoughts to build on?
Somehow musicians like Sam get to the sweet spot. Some of the vocals remind me of the recorded style of Elliot Smith and the gospel harmonization of David Crosby from If I Could Only Remember My Name…. all this mixed together like a kids water color painting –a little bury at times but the choices of color seem just right in these portraits. These obfuscations and strong song sensibilities are not unlike The Posies with a Revolveresque influence beening called into the outbuilding where this music was recorded somehow but I’m not sure which song voodoo is more prevalent other than to say it’s spread out keenly with no drudgery on any given instrument. NI fires on all song cylinders not afraid to take risks in it’s travels.
I don’t think the journey to this point has been an easy one having his band Nine Black Alps being dropped by Island/Interscope Records for lack of sales (Happens a lot) and it obviously seems to have encouraged him to keep at it having had a taste of a band on the road to just keep making music with future releases planned out already. This is artist survival and I’ll say the instinct has enabled something really great. If that were not enough he also has project with his girlfriend Hayley Hutchinson called Sorry Kisses. OK, I’ll admit I never heard of either or Sam for that matter until literally 48 hrs ago but just goes to prove a point around the RSHQ. I still don’t know anything. The world has been flattened by the internet and anything can happen or maybe not but one thing is for certain it’s great listening to music that is the fruit of somebody else’s labor of love. Enjoy.
LISTEN & DOWNLOAD:Echo Godless MP3 by Sam Forrest from No Imagination [BUY]
ALBUM REVIEW: Working too much. Too tired to write or listen to music most of the time. I am so pathetic but i did just manage to pick-up Phosphene Dream by The Black Angels. It’s killer psych and i am willing to sacrifice my will.
This is music without the need for acid and the hang-over. [Insert pot reference here] All of it is in here though with the audio experience via tremolo and lots of reverb and stereo panning. Better and bigger than Passover but just as trippy with citar riffs and puffy clouds of dust. Psychedelic slow rock for your dreams. I saw them play during the day time at the All Points West fest and was impressed. This music is better suited for a Apocalypse Now type soundtrack as it floats you down a river of chaos. The track “Telephone” is the only odd ball throwback on here in a jonestown massacre kind of way. I swear it’s a Kinks or Zombies cover. All the tracks are great though and worth a careful listen.
Based out of New Brunswick, NJ in the early 90’s there was prog funk alternative rock metalish band called Mr. Thumb. The group had two singers and a running gaggle of drummers. Above is the cover for a 3 song ep called “This time it’s gonna fuckin’ Hurt” on Hub city label Well Primed Records. The track we are featuring in this post was supposed to appear on a follow-up 7″ and self titled album on Behemoth Records but it never was released due to financial issues at the time(isn’t this always the case?). The band recorded its full length at Trax East in South River New jersey with Eric Rachel and Steve Evetts. Drumming on said record was Dave Rosenberg (AKA Dave Crayola from Deadguy). The original singer Karl Munzel only appears on the Well Primed released. For the rest of the duration of the band the torch was carried by D.Buzz operating the bassness, Bil Weis vox and Jhon Thumb as the nutty jazz rock professor on guitar. You can still catch the Jhon Thumb band or something very close to it. If you ever get the opportunity to see him play it comes as a highly recommended live experience. The kind of thing you should see before you die in lieu of seeing Frank Zappa, Hendrix or a wasted John Frustrante. D.Buzz went on to form Aviso’Hara.
Hey so Eastern Anchors are about to drop anchors on our shores as they dock up at Trax East and begin the mastering process for the full length debut. The sirens are talking and it may include LP version. If you like trail of dead, sonic youth, hot snakes, hum or poster children chances are these mates are right up your alley. For a few ale swilling downloads grab some free tracks from last.fm. The album has been a long time coming.
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