Jersey Beat Music Fanzine
 

This has been a big year for Kevin Devine: His Kickstarter campaign to fund two new albums raised a whopping $115,000, and next weekend he'll reunite with his old band The Miracle of '86 for shows at Maxwell's and the Mercury Lounge. We talked with Kevin about his career, his Kickstarter, his old band, and his future plans; read Jim Testa's interview here....



Asbury Lanes mounted its own production of The Rocky Horror Show, complete with
transvestites, monsters, dancing girls, and lots of fun. Phil Rainone reporters here...



Our friends from North of the Border, the baseball-obsessed pop-punk band the Isotopes, recently toured through the U.S. and kept a journal for us.

Here is Part One of The Isotopes Tour Diary here...

Part Two is here...

Part Three is the funniest episode yet. A catastrophic breakdown, a redneck mechanic, all the fun of tour! Read it here...

Springsteen On Springsteen - Interviews, Speeches, and Encounters Edited by Jeff Burger (Chicago Review Press)

Springsteen On Springsteen creates an endearing portrait of the artist: Caring, responsible, well-versed in those musical heroes who came before him. He loves all the same artists I love. His eloquence in the interview situation is yet another art form and you get to know him…I mean, really know him this time. Coming, as this book does, on the heels of Peter Ames Carlin’s highly recommended and epic Bruce biography, this one was more than pleasant surprise. It was a mini-revelation. Read Phil Rainones's review here...



Take a few thousand heavily tattooed, severely dysfunctional punk-rock lifers, a couple dozen of the world's best punk rock bands, marinate everything in alcohol, tobacco, and recreational whatevers, and then dump the whole shebang into the center of the most debauched city in America. That's Punk Rock Bowling, and Jersey Beat was there. Read Jim Testa's report here...


Art Rock Diva Rallies To Save Mermaid Parade

Amanda Palmer's been a lightning rod for criticism in recent months, but she also rushed in to help save Brooklyn's beloved Mermaid Parade at a gala benefit. Deb Draisin talks fins and finances with the controversial art-rock diva here...



The weather sucked, the logistics left much to be desired, and the roller coasters often seemed like a better alternative than the music, but the Skate & Surf Festival managed to return to New Jersey this year. Deb Draisin braved the weather and the trek to Great Adventure, read her report here...


The Front Bottoms return with their second album, one of the most anticipated New Jersey releases of the year, and all that talk about maps and swimming pools seems to have turned dark and moody. In contrast, the second album from Connecticut's The-All-About hums with post-adolescent energy and earnestness, even if its protagonist is more lovelorn than a lover. Recorded and then abandoned in 1991, Eleventh Dream Day''s New Moodio been resurrected and proves to be on of the Chicago indie stalwarts' best albums to day. Jim Testa also reviews the buzzed about new releases from Deerhunter and Vampire Weekend.
Read Jim's reviews here...



Jon D'Amore grew up in New Jersey. In fact, we went to high school together. What I didn't know then was that in just a few years, I would be at Rutgers buried in books and the student newspaper, while Jon would be in Las Vegas, helping the mob run a multi-million dollar scam. The ups, the downs, the sex and drugs, the good guys and bad guys, double crosses and surly bosses, it's all here in this alternately funny, touching, and at times gripping roman a'clef.

Read Jim Testa's review here...

 



Click here for listings...



Ageless Jersey Rockers Invade Middle School

New Jersey power-pop kings The Smithereens performed a rare local concert at Woodbridge Middle School recently, and our Phil Rainone was there for every ringing power chord. Read his review here...


Deb Draisin tracks down one of rock's most flamboyant frontmen, Jimmy Urine of the electro-trash-inustry-punk-reggae-techno-metal combo Mindless Self Indulgence. Read her interview here...


You've read those rants online: Punk is dead. Rock 'n' roll is over. Why music sucks. Brooklyn What frontman and sometimes Jersey Beat scribe Jamie Frey disagrees.
Read his argument here...




Night Birds to play bassist Joe Keller's alma mater

The Night Birds, our favorite NJ punk/hardcore/metal combo, recently performed at Stevens Institute of Technology, which just happens to be bassist Joe Keller's alma mater. We asked Joe what it was like studying to be an engineer while minoring in punk rock, and you can read his answers here...






MIKE MUIR: The Ageless Frontman Speaks Out

The ageless Suicidal Tendencies celebrated its 30th anniversary this year with the release of a new album, 13. Deb Draisin caught up with frontman Mike Muir to talk about the band and the ceaseless march of time. Read her interview here...


Deb reviews Suicidal Tendencies live at NYC's Best Buy Theater here...


Mindless Self Indulgence rocks Irving Plaza

New York City's first "industrial, jungle, rock, punk, techno freaks" had a homecoming at Irving Plaza, and Deborah Draisin was there to capture all the insanity. Read her report here...




EMILY'S ARMY - Lost At 17 (Rise Records)


THE EVERYMEN - A Very Short Tribute to Jonathan Richman

NIGHT BIRDS - "Maimed For The Masses" EP

FACE TO FACE - Three Chords And A Half Truth

RED HARE - Nights Of Midnite (Dischord)

THE PORCHISTAS - The Porchistas Live

WYLDLIFE - The Time Has Come To Rock N Roll

GHOST PAL - God Save MCFK EP

Mindless Self Indulgence - How I Learned To Stop Worrying...

Fairmont- The Grand And Grandiose

“Yes, yet another Fairmont album. This will be full-length number 7 and is around our 15th or 16th release. In a lot of ways this new record was not very fun to write because it was being written during the worst year of my life. It’s all very personal and I don’t really want to cheapen the gravity of the situation I was in by writing about it in a press release. While I was going through my own personal problems our drummer Andy Applegate almost died on two different occasions due to chronic health problems. Honestly I don’t even know how this album got written, I’m not sure if it’s terrible or amazing. All I know is here it is and it’s finished. Things have improved dramatically for all involved and this album is the lasting document of a period of my life I would like to, but will never forget.” – Neil Sabatino

We appreciate you downloading this album. If you’d like to hear more Fairmont you can purchase MP3’s of everything we’ve released everywhere MP3’s are sold or you can stream us on Spotify, or visit our websites. Clilck on the download button for your free album.

Read Deb Draisin's review of The Grand & Grandiose here...

www.fairmontmusic.com
www.mint400records.com


VS.

Adam Bird of Those Mockingbirds and Mikey V of The Everymen are two of New Jersey's most vital scenemakers, both as musicians and as part of the state's DIY music community. The duo approached us with a novel idea: What if, instead of each band being interview by Jersey Beat, they just interviewed each other? We loved the idea, so here is Adam Bird  interrogating the Everymen's Mike, followed by Mike grilling Those Mockingbirds' Adam. Read their joint interviews here...





Ever wonder what it takes to not only start an indie record label, but keep it going for ten years in the current economy? Brooke Parciak talks to Neil Sabatino, owner/operator of New Jersey's Mint 400 Records, not so much about music but about the nuts and bolts of keeping a label alive. Read her interview here...



The Bronx' blue collar punk continues to rock on band's fourth release

Damien Ellinghaus digs into the fourth self-titled album from Los Angeles-based rockers The Bronx and finds it frothing with the same fervor as the band's excellent earlier releases. Read his review here... 


NJ's Death By Improv troupe brings its comedy

stylings to To Be Continued bookstore

The Death By Improv improvisational comedy troupe has competed in national competitions and performed in clubs across the state, and recently put on a show at the multi-use To Be Continued Bookstore in Metuchen, which has been hosting a variety of events. Phil Rainone reports on the yuks here...




Editor Jim Testa catches up with two overlooked albums from 2012 - Anderson Council's Britpop-infused Looking At The Stars and the new-wavy pop of the ageless Catholic Girls' Exposed. He also reviews new EP's from NJ bands Boxed Wine and Holy City Zoo. Read his reviews here...

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Oliver Ignatius & Co. craft a new Brooklyn sound


It's an industrial building in a largely residential Brooklyn neighborhood. There's a cemetery across the street and a karate school upstairs. But in this non-descript basement space, dubbed Mama Coco's Funky Kitchen, a uniquely talented producer in his early twenties is churning out a series of indie rock recordings by unknown young bands with names like Oh! My Blackbird, Sons of An Illustrious Father, the Harmonica Lewinskies, and The Great American Novel. Jim Testa visits with Oliver Ignatius, the guru of Mama Coco's, to find out how so much great music is coming out of this virtually unknown studio. Read his story here...

Jim Testa Interviews The Harmonica Lewinskies here and the Great American Novel here...

 



by Joe Wawzyrniak

The "lively and passionate" Jersey City combo Snowball 37 kick things off in Joe's column, followed by new releases from Hoboken's Rainbow Fresh, the Anatomy of Frank, MS MR, the Diemakers, and singer songwriter Joe Hertler. The swaying sounds of the tropics fuel the debut EP from Brooklyn's Swaai Boys, followed by bracing American folk rock from Asbury Park troubadour Rick Barry and the cracked Tom Waites-ian post-prog of Walter Sicklert & The Army of Broken Toys.

Read Joe's column here...


Hot on the heels of several other Bruce Springsteen biographies, Phil finds Springsteen On Springsteen provides deep insight into the man and the artist. Phil also reviews new releases from teen punks Emily's Army, Jersey ska punk kings Streetlight Manifesto, Asbury Park songstress Eryn Shewell, singer songwriters Shannon McNally and Jann Klose, as well as new releases from Pepper, Catbirds Say Yeah, and Salt. Phil checks out the latest from Celtic rockers The Tossers, the Record Store Day vinyl repackaging of Joan Jett's classic Album, and new releases from Mike Lefton, Mission South, and the Scotch Bonnets. Read Phil's column here...



Paul checks out young NJ punk The Antics, the Chapin Sisters' beautiful tribute album to the Everly Brothers, the latest from New Wave avatars Depeche Mode, a new album from Minneapolis folkies Patches & Gretchen, and a slew of pop punk records from Rad Girlfriend Records. Paul also raves about the latest from edgy pop punks RVIVR, and also reviews a slew of new albums from the Deer Tracks, the Isotopes, Luxury Liners, The Manx, Marine Electric, the Recues, NJ's Risk Relay, buzzed-about garage rockers Thee Oh Sees, Thinking Machines, and Your Future Lovers.

Read Paul's column here...




Rich reviews the debut full-length from Brooklyn-turned-Seattle pop punkers Big Eyes, discovers a rich vein of Nineties worship from Lawnmower, and checks out the latest from NJ punks Man Overboard."Staggeringly passionate and explosive," Jowls impresses Rich with their new album Cursed on the reliable Tiny Engines label. Rich also reviews the weird but wonderful Land Of Blood And Sunshine and the latest from Run,Forever. Can't judge a book by its cover, or a band by its publicity photo. One look at NJ's Dinosaur Eyelids and you'd never guess such cleancut gents would be capable of the thunderous roar of their new album, Conflagration.

Read Rich's column here...




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BY AUDREY ZEE WHITESIDES

Columnist Audrey Zee Whitesides sounds off on the latest release from Cat Power, political punk rockers The Capitalist Kids, and longtime pop punkers Toys That Kill. Read his column here




Zac Coe reviews Wheel, the latest from Laura Stevenson. On Bad Books' II, the collaboration between Kevin Devine and Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull continues in another engrossing and enjoyable album that plays off the strengths of both of its "supergroup" participants. On Safe Travels, the latest album from Jukebox The Ghost, the band's two songwriters finally manage to focus on common themes. "They meet somewhere melancholy and triumph, both reckoning with loss, love and death in a broad, relatable and utterly danceable way," says our Zac Coe, resulting in "the best pop album you wil hear this year." Read his column here...


Jersey Beat's Dominick Knowles dissects the new Thom Yorke solo project, Atoms For Peace; the latest from Brooklyn duo Beacon, whom Dom hails as "a bright guidepost for groove-based electronic;" Peter Hook's largely negligible electro experiment Low Ends; and the latest release from Henry Laufer, aka Shlomo, " consistently inconsistent, but also consistently interesting."

In his first column, Dominick takes a pretty tough look at three recent releases: Qluster, Naked Lunch, and The Epilogues. Stay tuned for more, and if you're a local electronic band looking to be reviewed, get in touch. Read Dominick's column here...


JerseyBeat.com is an independently published music fanzine covering punk, alternative, ska, techno and garage music, focusing on New Jersey and the Tri-State area. For the past 30 years, the Jersey Beat music fanzine has been the authority on the latest upcoming bands and a resource for all those interested in rock and roll.


 

 
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