TRUNKWEED - Days Of Haze
(trunkweed.bandcamp.com)

Lo-fi trio TrunkWeed are one of Baltimore’s best new flourishing groups, and their latest release Days Of Haze is evidence of that. The album - coated with relaxed surf rock riffs and smoky organs - stimulates a gorgeous vista of worriless and seemingly-endless summer days.

“On Your Own” and “Youth Society” mirror Wavves’ garage rock mannerisms, but without the distortion. Let’s say American Football were to transform their aesthetic into a beachy sound. I wouldn’t be surprised if the result felt just like TrunkWeed’s “Time Enough At Last.”

Winter is imminent. When it arrives, we’ll be plummeted into its freezing onslaught of vast, macabre desolation - well, I will at least. If winter depresses you too, then Days Of Haze is the perfect remedy. Take out some beach towels, turn up the thermostat, and let TrunkWeed’s debut album turn your bedroom into a summer paradise.

THE BRITANYS – “It’s Alright” EP (thebritanys.bandcamp.com)

FUNERALBLOOM - Petals (funeralbloom.bandcamp.com)

East Haven, Connecticut label Broken World Media houses a wonderful variety of emo-themed bands: Posture & The Grizzly make crisp, eruptive pop punk, Old Gray pour out wretched screamo laments, and I Kill Giants create mathy tunes about pain and inner conflict. Texas quintet Funeralbloom are the latest addition to Broken World’s colorful lineup, and their debut full-length Petals gives the label some hard metal cred.

On the album, they emulate Deafheaven’s colossal blackened ambient metal, combining it with the murky, gothic production-style of Have A Nice Life. The result is four songs, each overflowing with breathtaking guitars, lyrical poetry about heartbreak and hopelessness, and thunderous, chaotic black metal instrumentation. Petals’ best moment of emo pain is with the shiver-inducing line, “It’s time to choose, baby./ Is it gonna be him or is it gonna be me?/ I’ve squandered everything to prove my worth to you and it’s left me desolate.”

From the opening bars of “Black Shoes” all the way through the closing breakdown of “Naked,” Funeralbloom’s Petals is 45 irresistible minutes of beautiful, insurmountable metal justice.

THE GRADIENTS – S/T (thegradients.bandcamp.com)

THE HOLD STEADY/DRIVE BY TRUCKERS – Stone Pony Summerstage, Asbury Park – June 27, 2014

Brooklyn rockers the Hold Steady came by the Stone Pony Summerstage this past Friday as part of their co-headlining tour with alt-country vets Drive-By Truckers. They staged an ecstatic, captivating rock show against a crisp ocean breeze and an ebullient array of die-hard Hold Steady fans.

Concertgoers ranged from tweens to, surprisingly, boomers (I spotted a clan of three 60 year old women casually enjoying the show). Rowdy Hold Steady lovers were at the front of the stage jumping around and belting lyrics back at frontman Craig Finn. The fans with less ferocity were scattered throughout the Summerstage lot, joyfully singing along.

Dazzling punk onslaught “Constructive Summer” began The Hold Steady’s set. Audience capacity was low at first, but by the time “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” came on, the crowd had increased to 1,000+ people. The quintet played powerhouse tracks like “Spinners” and “I Hope This Whole Thing Didn’t Frighten You” from this year’s monstrous Teeth Dreams, while Finn commanded the crowd with violent arm waves and excitedly spasmodic dancing. Guitarists Tad Kubler and Steve Selvidge dominated their axes, especially on later-played songs like “Southtown Girls” and “Massive Nights.”

Following their gratifying hour and 20 minute set, the players said their goodbyes and exited the stage. After seeing them at the Summerstage, it’s obvious that The Hold Steady are much more than just a bar rock band - which is how many sites and publications frequently tag them; their showmanship was a deluge of grand, arena-sized vitality and fierceness.

Drive-By Truckers followed. Their playing was fairly appealing, albeit the mix wasn’t as clean (bass was muddy and organs had too much high-end) and their onstage energy was noticeably lower than The Hold Steady’s. I really dig Drive-By Truckers’ heartfelt, rootsy sound (I love “This Fucking Job” and “Go-Go Boots”), but The Hold Steady truly made my night.

KILLED THE FICTION - KTFNJ EP (ktfnj.com)

They’re heavy, melodic, and they can’t spell “fiction.” The sound of New Jersey metal quartet Killed The Fixtion collides the nasty groove metal of Down with Metallica’s seminal bombastic rock n’ roll.

“Roots Of The Mountain” - from their KTFNJ EP on Soundcloud - starts with eerie noise, transitioning after a few seconds into a slaughterous, guitar groove. KTF implants an unexpected percussion breakdown at just under two minutes into the song; it’s tribal-sounding and a bit spectral. I dig it.

A robust, straightforward riff in C minor begins “Moonlite Blue.” The song’s most appealing attribute is a classic blues progression at around the 1:45 mark, where it steadily gains energy and turns into a sludgy, Kyuss-esque blues explosion (not a reference to Jon Spencer’s band).

Now although they’re good, Killed The Fixtion doesn’t really fit into my metal taste - which tends toward lo-fi, gritty bands like Eyehategod and avant-garde acts like Locrian (KTF’s sound is much different). However, the band is extremely vigorous and hooky. “Roots Of The Mountain” and “Moonlite Blue” are ideal tracks for WDHA to blast on-air.

AURELIO VALLE – Acme Power Transmission (Nuevo Leon Recordings)

Acme Power Transmission - the latest from New York-based experimental singer/songwriter Aurelio Valle - is a raspily-produced, demented half hour of really out-there, yet elegant music. After the grim, Mororder-esque synth intro of “Bruised and Diffused” comes a gravelly, lo-fi drum shuffle that finally sails off on a creepy keyboard line you’d hear in A Nightmare on Elm Street. “Deadbeat” sounds like Muse if they needed an exorcism and the ghostly ballad “Cowboy” would’ve been perfect for the Twin Peaks soundtrack. If you’re a fan of Valle’s oddball band Calla or you crave the avant-garde stylings of Young God Records, you’ll love the beautiful freakiness of Acme Power Transmission.

NO NO: A DOCKUMENTARY – Directed by Jeffrey Radice

No No: A Dockumentary (directed by Jeffrey Radice) tells the exciting life story of beloved Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis. The film shows that he was more than just the guy who pitched a no-hitter while on LSD. Ellis was a bold, outspoken, and engaging character.

During his years with the Pirates, he pulled crazy stunts, like wearing hair-curlers at pre-game practices, almost getting into a fight with Muhammad Ali, and planting marijuana in the outfield. Some of the things he did were very progressive, which included sporting shirts that said “Every Nigger is a Star” and showing his dismay towards unjust MLB actions.

Here’s an interesting Ellis anecdote from No No: Before the 1971 All-Star Game, it had been announced that the Oakland A’s Vida Blue - who was black - would be the starting pitcher for the American League. This prompted Ellis to famously say “they wouldn’t pitch two brothers against each other” because he assumed that the National League would start a white pitcher. Ellis’ comment was heavily publicized and he received tremendous praise from Jackie Robinson. To his surprise, Dock Ellis was chosen to be starting pitcher for the N.L. at that year’s All-Star Game.

Towards the end of his career, Ellis became an alcoholic and drug addict. Following a dramatic mental breakdown - which included chasing his wife around the house while aiming rifles and shotguns at her - he checked into rehab. After getting help, Ellis not only cleaned himself up, he also became a dedicated drug counselor in California.

Statistically, Dock Ellis pitched a fairly strong career: He had a 138-119 record and an ERA of 3.46 (according to Baseball-Reference.com). However, Ellis’ accomplishments went beyond those numbers. He was such a well-rounded, rebellious character and remains a legendary figure in baseball history.

Even if you’re not a Pittsburgh Pirates fan or you don’t follow baseball, you’ll enjoy No No. Check it out at this year’s Montclair Film Festival on Saturday, May 3 at the Clairidge Cinema in Montclair, NJ.

SLEEP IN - Settling (self-released)

Settling is the debut full-length from Cherry Hill, NJ emo rock quintet Sleep In. It carries 10 songs of catchy melodies and twinkly guitar riffs.

“I Do Know and I’m Not Sorry,” is like A Day To Remember trying to play “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”. It’s poppy, but a little slow. “Small Scars” layers sedate harmonies over a straight-ahead alt. rock groove. “Settling” closes the release. It’s one of the album’s most touching songs, with heartfelt lines like, “I won’t let ‘em shake me or criticize the shape that I’m in/ What’s it gonna take to make this real.”

Sleep In isn’t really my kind of emo band. Their sound is a bit too safe and polished for me (I’m into more outlandish groups like Owls and Nai Harvest). However, Sleep In is amazing at creating fetching, radio-friendly emo tunes. You’ll love these guys if you’re into bands like Citizen and Turnover.

TROPHY SCARS – Holy Vacants (Monotreme Records)

In the late 70’s early 80’s, rock operas - concept albums that told a story through epic, lavish rock songs - were immensely popular. Renowned ones included Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Queensryche’s Operation: Mindcrime, and The Who’s Tommy.

Now, it’s hard to find any, but that doesn’t mean that the rock opera trend is extinct. Holy Vacants, the latest full-length from Morristown, NJ art punk quartet Trophy Scars, is as chaotic and suspenseful as any classic rock opera album.

Holy Vacants features 12 songs that combine the gritty punk energy of Titus Andronicus with the psychotic vibes of The Mars Volta. According to Trophy Scars’ website, Holy Vacants tells the story “of two lovers who have discovered not only that the blood of angels contains the fountain of youth, but also the formula for Qeres. This ancient Egyptian perfume is claimed to be the only substance that can kill angels and Nephilites, who are supposedly the offspring of angel/human unions. Armed with this knowledge and a supply of precious Qeres, the couple embark on a killing spree, drinking spilled Nephilitic blood to stop growing old.” That’s fuckin’ berzerk man! Now, let’s talk about the tunes.

The atmospheric lead-off track “Extant” is three minutes of bluesy guitar riffs and choral hums. “Qeres” follows. It’s the album’s longest track (seven minutes) and is packed with tough organs and sweeping percussive grooves. Brooding drum beats synchronize with eerie guitars and whispered vocals on “Burning Mirror,” easily making it the scariest track on Holy Vacants. The sludgy, waltzing “Gutted” and the soulful, violin-basked “Everything Disappearing” are two other great tracks on the album.

Holy Vacants is an intense, poignant listen. If you wanna experience the enchantment of Broadway merged with the spirit of hardcore punk, you must purchase Trophy Scars’ magnificent rock opera. It’s easily one of the year’s standout releases.

THE HOLD STEADY – Teeth Dreams (Washington Square)

There’s always gonna be that classic band you never got into. Y’know, the one group that’ll make your friend’s jaw drop when you tell him/her you never checked them out. For me, that classic band was The Hold Steady. After countless hours of drooling over Pitchfork “Best Of” lists and AllMusic indie rock reviews, I somehow managed to overlook them.

Since 2004, the Brooklyn-based quartet has been putting an alt-rock spin on Springsteen-esque heartland rock, which has gathered heavy, widespread acclaim: NPR said that The Hold Steady “might just be the best bar band in America,” Pitchfork donned frontman Craig Finn "a born storyteller who's chosen rock as his medium," and the band’s LPs have appeared on “Best Albums of the 2000’s” lists for Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, NME, and Uncut,- along with helluva lot more sites (including this one! – Editor.)

The Hold Steady have just released their 10-songer Teeth Dreams, the first since 2010’s Heaven Is Whenever, which most fans and critics regarded as a disappointed. But Teeth Dreams was the first time that I really dove into the group, and boy, was it worth it.

The opening track “I Hope This Whole Thing Didn’t Frighten You” is blazing powerpop with a lovely, post-rock-sounding bridge at around 2:35. “Spinners” follows. After a heavy, in-your-face intro, Finn goes on to croon a great story about a country girl who finds solace in bars, singing,”Heartbreak hurts but you can dance it off/Sure some night she'll curse these clubs/She’s two years on some prairie town/She goes out almost every night/She dresses up and she spins around/The same guy buys another round/To let her know he’s interested.” “The Ambassador” is chilled out and packed with slide-guitars. It really brings out Finn’s husky vocals, which sound a lot like Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner.

Teeth Dreams closes with “Oaks.” It seems as if the sole purpose of this long, slow, boring track was to make the album run longer. Totally unmemorable and unnecessary. Also, I wish there were more tranquil songs on the album like “The Ambassador” and the acoustic track, “Almost Everything.” Other than that, though, Teeth Dreams really slayed.

Eli Zeger is a 15 year-old sophomore at Montclair High School in Montclair, NJ. His writing has appeared in publications such as The Huffington Post, The Wild Honey Pie, CVLT Nation, and Scene Point Blank. Check out his blog at eztunefeed.tumblr.com.

back to jerseybeat.com l back to top