 CHOKEHOLD
- With This Thread I Hold On (Good Fight Music https://goodfightmusic.merchnow.com)
Certain bands are needed for specific times, and the world
needs Chokehold right now. Fortunately, the band heard the
cosmic cry for their classic brutality and answered the call
with With This Thread I Hold On, a devestaing work of sheer
aural barbarism. The chugging riff, screamed vocals, and riotous
low-end force of the opening “2.0” announces the
bold return of this much beloved but woefully underappreciated
act. Complete with spin kick inducing breakdowns, the work
of Chokehold is pummeling but not without an adherence to
the power and the lure of a huge hook. These vets craft songs;
they are not merely stringing together angry rants under the
guise of twenty-first century hardcore. “Profit Over
People” thunders along a path of mosh-ready hardcore
power, blending politics with intelligent lyrics and bone-shattering
intensity. The guys attempt to burn down the world on “Silenced”,
as Chokehold’s raw, violent playing illicit comparisons
to other weathered gods such as Terror , Vision of Disorder,
or Earth Crisis, along with the fury of a young act like Knocked
Loose. The results are virulent blasts of blood-spitting rage
such as “G.O.D.” and “Instilled” that
seamlessly blend hardcore and thick metal grooves into slabs
of relentless intensity. I cannot hear this enough.
 MASKED
INTRUDER III (Pure Noise Records http://www.purenoise.net)
Masked Intruder return with their brand of free-flowing, good
time punk. Borrowing from 50s rock n’ roll (“Mine
All Mine”) or playing with more reckless bombast (“B&E”),
the guys hold every song together with an affinity for soaring
guitar, richly harmonic vocals, and clean production. The
classic Queers influence abounds on III and there is nothing
wrong with that. The driving “All of My Love”
is a textbook example of guitar-fueled power punk-pop. Despite
the sheen that one hears across this record, there is also
just enough grit to prevent Masked Intruder from crossing
over from melodic to unnecessarily saccharine. The sun-kissed
fare of “I’m Free (At Last)” and “Please
Come Back to me” are still rooted in punk’s most
raw nature, and even the loving “Maybe Even” still
rattles. Masked Intruder are not afraid to sing songs of lost
love and frustration, but their work is also accented by a
resounding faith hat life can get better, as heard wonderfully
on “Stay with Me Tonight” and through the fuzzed-out
guitars of “Dream a Little Dream”. This is a perfect
band when your anger has subsided, but not your need for assertive
guitar punk.
 DEAD
SWORDS - Enders (Human Blood Records https://deadswords.bandcamp.com)
Dead Swords features Alex Rosamilia from Gaslight Anthem and
former I Am the Avalanche member Corey Perez, and together,
the two produce chilling, deeply haunting musical beauty through
vastly panoramic songs that are each a complete and complex
musical journey. While this could be played in coffee houses,
the impact of more forceful guitars makes this a stirring
collection of staggering magnificence. “Tonight”
is largely acoustic, and its lush nature is obvious, but the
more bombastic aspects of the song, highlighted by stirring
keys, provide majestic, celebratory moments. “Black”
and “Fumetsu” hum with a controlled but readily
identifiable rage, as the duo deliver shoegaze with the addition
of crushing, antagonistic qualities. Bands like Ride and My
Bloody Valentine are instant comparisons, but the guitar playing
on “Letters” slices through the calm with the
intensity of a black metal outfit. The ghostly figure in black
that adorns the cover is a perfect representation of this
band’s collective vision. The music is intriguing more
than terrifying, but that does not take away from the eerie
elements still heard within. Dead Swords balance aesthetic
pleasantry with doom-laden intimidation, most expertly heard
through the chugging riff of “Perception”. The
song propels itself into a realm of conventional metal before
launching skyward into a lush crescendo. Two mysterious “interludes”
(numbered 4 and 5) are spooky reminders of the band’s
breadth of creativity, as odd spoken word pieces are delivered
in whispered vocals over a wall of subtle hiss and noise.
The title track is a ten-minute excursion into the sonic depths
of splendor, meshing walls of sound with intimate songwriting.
Masterfully mixed by Kevin Dye, the record is a journey trough
sound that is both intriguing and unnerving. The musical complexity
and sense of dynamic power make Dead Swords a staggering achievement.
 THE
DEAFENING COLORS - Run Pass Option (www.thedeafeningcolors.com)
The Deafening Colors are a band with a deft touch for serene,
atmospheric beauty that sounds distinctly unique yet somehow
familiar. The six tracks on Run Pass Option hang in the air
like melodic apparitions as minimalist lyrics, genteel song
structures, and understated guitar playing, specifically from
John Arthur, work together to create a swirling mass of beauty.
The hushed singing on “Saracen Revisited” provides
the track with a subtle uneasiness that juxtaposes the more
kinetic, musically disjointed “Count on a Crime”.
The latter includes fuzzy guitar but still retains an adroitly
soft pop touch. “Crash Course” mirrors this approach
as well, while soft riffs and beautiful melodies, particularly
a strikingly warm two-part harmony, enliven “Love on
Television”. The lonesome “She Moved to Oklahoma”
includes woeful keys accompanying soulful, ethereal vocals
that revel in 1980s studio antics. The band sounds like they
are from another time and planet, not a bunch a guys who recorded
this little gem in Weehawken.
 SUNBATHERS
- A Heat Wave (https://sunbathersmusic.bandcamp.com)
Sunbathers cannot wait for summer, and this four song EP is
the perfect way to shed late-winter/early spring ennui. “Honeysuk”
opens with 80s synth-pop sensibilities and a devotion to funked-up,
dance club energy. The song radiates fun with the refrain
“I want you all the time” driven by a steady bassline.
The same approach is heard on “Bare”, an equally
light-hearted blast of sunshine that blends modern R&B
with splashes of indie pop. This is screaming for mainstream
success, and I can easily hear much of this featured in a
commercial for mass consumption. The appropriately titled
“Intimacy” bumps and grinds with varying degrees
of enthusiasm, eventually finding a groove that climaxes with
the lines “I feel like an animal/make me beautiful”.
The closing “Sugar” is the most gentle of the
bunch, delicately kissed by affectionate sax. I would not
normally gravitate towards this style, but sitting in my basement
with dirty snow on the ground and a chilled rain falling,
A Heat Wave is just what I want.
 FEMME
DE CHAMPAGNE - Impulsive Sky (reverbnation.com/femmedechampagne)
Everything about this is stunningly beautiful, maybe too pretty
in fact, at least for my more hardscrabble tastes. The delicate
piano riffs that runs “Sois Gentil” is lush and
majestic, matching the equally stirring vocals of Babette
Novak. Sophisticated, refined, and mature, Femme De Champagne
play music for adult cocktail parties in which only the finest
liquor is served and everyone knows their limits. Sung largely,
but not entirely in French, Novak has an angelic voice, and
“Shimmering Lights” and my favorite, the soaring
“Famished Heart” are masterworks in song structure
and deft performance. Only a trio, Novak is supported by Fran
Kondorf and Mike Collins on bass and drums respectively, Femme
De Champagne have a massive sound, enveloping a room with
their ethereal prowess. My mouth left agape and me utterly
speechless, I am drawn to talent such as that displayed by
this Chicago outfit. Impulsive Sky exists for lovers of jazz,
blues, and old-fashioned Broadway-level skill. It is refreshing
to know that artists like this still exist.
 NAT
FREEDBERG - Better Late Than Never (Rum Bar Records rumbarrecords.bandcamp.com)
Nat Freedberg, known for his work in the legendary Upper Crust
and the Satanics, brings bluesy, sultry rock n’ roll
for clubs that overuse the smoke machine and the audience
left their phones in their cars. Freedberg displays impressive
chops through Better Late Than Never, with “All My Love”
and “I Think I Die and Went to Heaven” as examples
of dusty slabs of gritty rock n’ roll steeped in rockabilly
blues. “If I Could be the One” struts with exuberant
confidence with Freedberg adopting a subtle twang for the
chorus. I could not help but love a song called “Heavy
Metal Cow”, and rightly so as it includes the lyric,
“heavy metal cow/I wish that you loved me”. Everything
on Better Late Than Never combines early rock brazen attitude
with punk’s snarky quality and wraps it around huge
hooks and soaring choruses. The lead single “Madame
Butterfly” is a roundhouse punch of a tune that is the
embodiment of everything one is treated to throughout the
record. It is a delight to hear Freedberg express himself
and place his various skills on display.
 THE
SUCK - In-Cog-Neat-O (Mom’s Basement Records www.facebook.com/MomsBasementRecords)
Here is a band that does not live up to its name. The Suck
play fast, agitated, blasts of pop punk in the purest of fashions,
blending speedy riffs and smart-aleck lyrics. “#youredead”
may sound like a collection of kids trying too hard to make
a contemporary cultural reference with a song title, but the
track’s buoyant energy grabs the listener from the opening
second, and this theme carries through the next seven pieces.
With The Cola on vocals and the Dunk and the Alien on guitar,
The Suck already have a great nucleus, but it is the drumming
of the Basement and the bass playing from the Problem that
set the band apart on tunes like “Death Machine”,
“Catfish”, and the very funny “Vape Store”.
The stodgy among us with grunt and say they have heard this
all before and that Ben or Joe did it better, but The Suck
have the same energy and love for the genre as the giants
who preceded them. It is next to impossible to listen to “Basement
Buzz” and not have the urge to throw things round, and
that to me, is all I need to hear. Go find this now.
 THE
CARVELS NYC - “Life Is Not a Waiting Room” EP
(Tarbeach Records www.tarbeachmusic.com)
Some bands make life very to understand; simply put, if you
do not love the Carvels, you do not love rock n’ roll.
If rock should be swagger and attitude wrapped around angst-fueled
talent, then Lynne Von Pang and her crew are all you need.
Printed on gorgeous, deep-blue vinyl, the record opens with
“Life is not a Waiting Room”, a track that jumps
out of the speakers with a blaring sax from “Sweet”
David Spinley, rousing guitar, and Von Pang’s snarky
and richly melodic vocals. Incorporating classic NYC punk
vibes with rock’s original sense of bombast, the Carvels
make the past the present with an explosive mixture of fun
and frustration. While they do not take themselves overly
seriously, the Carvels craft sharp lyrics, particularly on
“Scarcity”, with its opening line of “I
just write a love letter to the person I might have been”.
The song’s mid-tempo pacing and garage meets doo-wop
approach mirrors what one hears on the soaring cover of “I
Fell in Love with a Dead Boy”. Both tracks allow Von
Pang to fully explore her dynamic vocal range and masterful
delivery as guitarist Brian Morgan, bassist Mike Dee, and
drummer Steve Pang play with a simmering boil that balances
raucous energy and refined prowess. The three songs are over
far too quickly, and I can now sit anxiously and wait for
a full length.
 DOC
ROTTEN - Illusion to Choose (docrotten.bandcamp.com)
Produced by Bouncing Soul Pete Steinkopf, Trenton’s
Doc Rotten play old time hardcore that puts the listener in
a headlock and never loosens his grip. “Mind Control”
is merely a fleeting sample of the twelve blistering tracks
on Illusion to Choose, as the band injects heartfelt harmony
into the work one hears here, highlighted by “Questions”,
striking a balance between teeth-rattling power and refined
song-crafting talent. “Hold Fast”, “So Long”,
and “Listen Up” are all sing-along anthems with
high energy and a hint of Rancid-style groove. With a pair
of guitar players (Andy K and Wes) who also share vocals,
Doc Rotten produce a rich sound that resonates both warmth
and fury, rounded out by bassist Doug and drummer AJ. With
an ability to play with a tempo on “Federation”
and the bluesy “Sick and Suffering”, the band
proves that they have the chops to write much more than just
two minute blasts of rage. Smart, insightful, and at times
even downright fun, Illusion to Choose is contemporary punk
with a true, but not worn, sensibility.
 LOST
WAX PROCESS - “Mix Tape” b/w “Pushing
Out” (Sonopherique Records https://lostwaxprocess.bandcamp.com)
As a person who was recently hired as a Political Science
professor, I adore three of the members of Lost Wax Process
who share the same job. Mark Copelovitch, Andrew Kydd, Michael
O’Russa, and Jon Pevehouse play intelligent and interesting
pop. “Mix Tape” is an ode to late 80s and early
90s indie pop with an ethereal guitar riff and easy on the
ears vocals from O’Russa. I prefer the slightly darker
groove of “Pushing Out”. While still resonating
with a pop-kissed jangle, the song reverberates with more
energy and tells a rich story. Fitting to the job of three
quarters of the band, this is the embodiment of college rock,
harkening back to the days of indie rock’s earliest
rejections of over-production and celebrates songwriting.
Familiar yet still invigoratingly fresh, Lost Wax Process
is gem I am thrilled to discover.
 TULLYCRAFT
- The Railway Prince Hotel (HHBTM Records www.hhbtm.com)
Having been immersed in college radio in the mid-90s, I did
become aware of the twee and cuddlecore movements and lovingly
remember my first encounter with Tullycraft. Incredibly, more
than twenty years later, this Seattle outfit continues to
hang on to their collective innocence, blending the most pop-friendly
tempos and sprinkling in lighthearted, sentimental lyrics
that point out the most minute of details with good natured
sarcasm. Titles like “Has Your Boyfriend Lost His Flavor
on the Bedpost Overnight?” and “Lost Our Friends
to Heavy Metal” reveal the band’s penchant for
writing buoyant tales of self-awareness and growth that sound
like 1995 never ended. “It’s Not Explained, it’s
Delaware” is a quirky, slightly faster effort that rattles
more than the majority of the other songs on The Railway Prince
Hotel and features a subtle country giddy-up along with more
pronounced guitar, while the jazzy “The Cat’s
Miaow in a Spacesuit” is a demonstration of shrewd instrumental
control. The genteel nature of the title track and the closing
“Vacaville” can sometimes overshadow the intricacy
of the songs, but there is a great deal happening here. Tullycraft
is incredibly impressive all these years later.
 PAVO
PAVO - Mystery Hour (Bella Union Records www.ballaunion.com)
This is the type of story that always gets to me-Pavo Pavo
is the work of prolific musical duo Oliver Hill and Eliza
Bagg, or at least it was; the pair are no longer together
as a couple but continue to produce majestic music together.
Beginning as a friendship while studying at Yale, the two
came to collaborate on various musical entities, and Pavo
Pavo’s work is a soaring testament to two highly distinctive
talents. The record began as a form of therapy as the two
addressed the realization of a crumbling relationship, and
the hunting nature of Mystery Hour reflects the anguish felt
during the recording. The songs ache as they swim through
the air with Hill’s voice resonating with anguish on
“Mon Cheri”, lamenting as he gazes at a picture
and notes how he “will never adjust to the dark”,
while Bagg’s exquisite soprano vocals often carry the
majority of the material. Deeply emotive keys along with poignant
guitar work create an individual universe for each song, at
times both intimate and expansive. “Check the Weather”
is extraordinarily beautiful, as a mid-tempo dance beat propels
an 80s synth groove with shared vocals longingly stating to
“stay here at night”. “Close to Your Ego”
is a gripping tribute to the challenges of any emotionally
strained relationship, as two people balance what they want
for each other along with what they need for themselves. Lush
and gorgeous, “Around Part I” and the instrumental
“Around Part II” are stirring works, while the
sullen closer “Goldenrod” features the vocals
of Hill and Bagg working in such close proximity that they
seem to blend together as one. It is a fitting metaphor for
the pair and they work effortlessly well together but still
look for aspects of individuality. This is a lovely record
about a painful process.
 THE
SAXOPHONES - "Singing Desperately Suite" EP (Full
Time Hobby Records www.fulltimehobby.co.uk)
The saxophones do not play music for the upbeat and celebratory.
Singing Desperately Suite is an EP of heartbreaking work that
resonates with sadness and negative self-reflection through
the lyrics of vocalist Alexi Erenkov. Written sporadically
throughout 2018, including the appropriately crafted “Crude
Advance” during the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings,
the band, accented by the dynamic Alison Alderdice and Richard
Laws, offer ambient folk that is far more griping than one
may expect from such a genre. The jazzy, thirty-second introduction
of “Prelude” gives way to the morose “Singing
Desperately”, a song of dark introspection and regret.
Minimalist musical accompaniment allows for Erenkov’s
vocals to garner full attention as he bemoans the failures
of relationships with the recognition that the blame should
be placed aggressively on his shoulders. While “Crude
Advance” moves at sloth’s pace, the lyrics of
loneliness and longing become all the more affecting due to
the haunting instrumentation. The closing “You Seem
Upset” is a brief piece with hushed vocals and delicate
playing. The dreamlike atmosphere may induce some to become
somnambulistic, but I was enticed by the openness expressed
by Erenkov. He is wrestling with his own lack of empathy and
why it exists throughout the world. The song ends too quickly,
much like the release itself, and one feels as if The Saxophones
have only begun to explore an issue of great significance.
 AGEIST
- Babyface (Arctic Rodeo Records http://arcticrodeorecordings.com)
Whenever a band is described as “old men playing in
a band no one has heard of”, I know I am gong to be
a fan. Ageist is much more than old guys still bashing out
noise like if they stop they will die, for there are truly
gifted musicians here. Go do a little research on your Google
machines, kids, and look up the resumes of members Eric Odness,
Frank Bevan, Arty Shepherd, and Tucker Rule, then be prepared
to be highly impressed. The opening “Lead Legs”
is an eruption of distortion-laden, 90s grunge guitar on top
of relentless drumming and warped vocals. The title track
teeters on chaos and displays a masterful control as the riff
ebbs and flows to allow the vocals to alternate between violent
diatribe and controlled purposefulness in manner than embodies
the record as a whole. For a collection of grizzled, seen-it-all
men of experience, there is not a second of rest to be heard
on Babyface, as “Breathe In” and “Kicked
in the Head” include angular, thick bass lines that
wrap themselves around the sharp guitar segments to create
dense and heavily melodic songs that revive the sounds of
twenty-five years ago with ease, largely because guys like
Ageist invented the sounds from twenty-five years ago. “USA
vs. USSR” is built around a thriving guitar riff and
a pulsating bassline that deftly alternates in a loud/soft
power-play that creates a tension that is nearly tangible.
For those interested in bands that attempt to recreate the
intricate ferocity of 90s indie punk, go listen to Ageist
and gain yourself an education in how this style should truly
sound.
 JD
HANGOVER s/t (Hound Gawd Records www.houndgawd.com)
This six song EP delivers distorted, stomping, punishing blues
and does so effortlessly. Stiv and Roberto Villa make the
blues sound dirtier and muddier than ever on “Broken
Bones Blues”, a distortion pedal snapping romp that
quivers with energy, while the steady thump that opens “Barrelhouse
Queen” is instantly riveting. The two sound as if they
are sitting right next to the listener, as each song has an
intimacy that conveys a rough and tumble fury accented by
flashes of cutting guitar noise and drone. “Headspinner
Blues” is aptly named with its thunderous low end and
heavily distorted slide riff, but I fell for the meandering
grind of “Down at the Public House”. Sounding
as if it is crawling along a liquor slicked barroom floor
in desperate search for an exit, the track is a unsettling
display of blunt guitar angst and waves of noisy power. I
could listen to this for hours as long as the drinks keep
coming and there was no need to go home. Entertain your inner
deviant and celebrate debauchery with a wild ride of a release.
Hound Gawd knows how to find the real jewels hiding in the
world.
 BOB
MOULD - Sunshine Rock (Merge Records www.mergerecords.com)
Bob Mould may have moved to Berlin and grown a beard that
provides him with a grandfatherly appearance, but his fury
has not come close to dissipating. Do not be fooled by the
cheery disposition of “Sunshine Rock”-the buoyant
title track to Mould’s latest collection of sardonic
guitar angst-for this not a light-hearted romp, but by Mould’s
standards, it, along with “Sunny Love Song”, and
“Camp Sunshine” are downright dreamy odes. The
consistency of the term “sunshine” is intentional
but not overbearing as the sun motif does not become redundant.
Instead, it is juxtaposed with the biting guitar force of
“What Do You Want Me to Do?”, a track in which
Mould seems to be oscillating between overwhelming frustration
and begging for forgiveness (“Now you’re home
and I’m a total mess”). Truly flexing experienced
guitar muscle, “Send Me a Postcard”, a cover of
the Shocking Blue anthem, and the biting “I Fought”
are two of the more iconic moments on a superbly delivered
collection of powerful tracks. Harkening back to his 90s solo
work, “Sin King” is a clever play on words (“You’re
sin king our democracy”) while a blanket of distorted
guitar spreads across a vast musical panorama. With a subtle,
danceable quality, “Lost Faith” is a somber lament
(“I’ve lost faith in everything”) before
Mould gives himself a rousing pep talk and declares, “Life
is so complicated, don’t let your hopes and dreams disappear”.
“30 Dozen Roses” is a painful tale of a broken
heart on the jagged rocks of a searing riff with Mould proclaiming,
“olive branches piled up at your door, you don’t
let me come inside your place no more”, and one is treated
to a reflective, more wistful veteran on “The Final
Years”, as Mould ponders about his “sense of misplaced
rage”. Sunshine Rock is a snarky title for unsteady
times crafted by a master who still produces voluminous gems
at a crushing level of intensity.
 WILLIAM
TYLER - Goes West (Merge Records www.mergerecords.com)
William Tyler leads an adroitly skilled collection of players
through ten serene and expansive tracks, each progressively
more sprawling in scope. While delicate, Goes West is still
able to capture the rugged terrain of the untamed West with
an intimacy that is both haunting and soothing. The tracks
seem to mesh effortlessly into each other, specifically “Call
Me When I’m Breathing Again” and “Eventual
Surrender”, two pristine works of genteel guitar playing
from Tyler and Meg Duffy and expertly placed percussion from
Griffin Goldsmith. “Rebecca” exudes a joy that
is clearly a celebration of the person for whom the song is
named, while “Not in Our Stars” has an ethereal
and atmospheric quality befitting its name. “Venus in
Aquarius” and “Virginia is for Loners” both
exude a more country feel that could easily be the soundtrack
for your next covered wagon journey through the Oregon Trail.
As I listened, I was perpetually curious about what lyrics
would have done for these tracks, but ultimately, the record
was exquisite without any vocals, allowing the songs to breath
and roam unencumbered. Like the land it references.
 DAN
FRANCIA Come Back to Life (Exploding in Sound Records http://www.explodinginsoundrecords.
com)
Much of Dan Francia’s new solo record was written
as he was working at New York’s Noguchi Museum, and
that is important to note; for like the legendary sculptor,
Francia does not adhere to any one school of thought in
regards to his art. His songs are consistently beautiful
in nature, but vary in degree of experimentalism, from the
refined beauty of the title track (including the poignant
lyric, “tell me you love me before you go to bed”),
to the subtle cacophony of “Pass it On” to the
more direct, sixteen-second noise-fest “I’m
Not Insane”. With polyrhythmic structures merging
with free form horns, “Ghost Stories” is a perfect
embodiment of all Francia is as an artist. The song begins
as if it is simply a collection of gifted players each performing
a solo piece collectively en mass before settling into a
more cohesive groove until that structure completely unravels
into a John Zorn-like eruption of sound before once again
finding a more well worn path, and then launching into a
full meltdown as the song moves towards its conclusion.
Challenging, intriguing, and even a little exhausting, it
is a fascinating four minutes of creative genius. The fist
single is the antithesis of much of the record, as it is
an iPhone recorded pop gem called “Stereotype”
that features Nora Dabdoub of Shea Stadium as the centerpiece
of the song, and Francia harkens back to Lou Reed’s
work from the 1980s as a source of inspiration for the song’s
tone. Meanwhile, the keys that carry the nineteen seconds
of “I’m Ready for Death” possess a haunting
quality to them and they mysteriously dissipate in favor
of the lush “No Matter What”, clearly the most
conventional of the works here. With gorgeous backing vocals,
the song is a delicate ode to trust, optimism, and love.
“Can’t Forget” opens rather serenely before
devolving into a furious mountain of rage with noisy, angular
guitar ripping and shredding through the air as brazen and
relentlessly intense vocals define the song’s vitriolic
nature. This is a brilliant start to the new year.
-----------------------------------------2019-------------------------------------------------------
 GRIM
DEEDS - Gree! (https://grimdeeds.bandcamp.com /album/gree)
Well, the calendar has turned to a new year but existence
is still dismal for Grim Deeds, and we all benefit from his
misery. Gree! is another collection of biting, cynical tracks
that discuss problems but offer a dearth of solutions. For
those who love self-loathing and punk rock guitars, Grim Deeds
is all one needs in life. The jangly guitar on “I’m
Not Allowed” (a brilliant song about how life takes
away all of one’s fun), “Four Letter Words”
(which include the terms “life” and “love”)
and “Mostly Miserable”) are closer to pop nuggets,
but the more aggressive “Shithole Town” and “Life
is a Nightmare” are two of the bright spots (relatively
speaking) on Gree!. Grim Deeds comes through boldly through
a very commendable cover of the Motorhead classic “Ramones”
and highlights the stupidity of social media on “Facebook
Wisdom”. The rapid fire playing of “Stress Addict”
and the dark humor of “Sad Cannibal” embody all
the Grim deeds is-a wildly self-flagellating, twisted musical
visionary whose suffering helps me, and I am sure many others,
fight through life’s daily tribulations.
 KLEENEX
GIRL WONDER - White Lacuna (Reasonable Records https://kgw.me/album/white-lacuna)
Kleenex Girl Wonder, aka Graham Smith, has been kicking around
for more than two decades producing gorgeous and whip smart
pop. White Lacuna is another step forward in the evolution
of this vision, as the ten songs presented here are soaring
blasts of pristine pop goodness that are both remarkably light
in texture but are not without depth, both lyrically and musically.
Although drummer Matt LeMay, keyboardist Ryan Smith, and guitarist
Thayer McClanahan assist Smith at times, Kleenex Girl Wonder
is a vehicle for Graham Smith’s unique outlook on life.
“A Sweet Person” overflows with grace as free
flowing, jangly guitar works in perfect congress with Smith’s
vocals. “Hope All is Lost” admits that “giving
up has a certain seductiveness” and the expansive “Angelina”
is a shimmering jewel of a song. The danceable “White
Witch” seems to fit perfectly alongside the more raw,
acoustic energy one hears on “Emerita”, and Smith
commands both songs with glorious ease. “History of
Ice” is a sterling opener with a density to the ethereal
pop sweetness, while “Worry the Well” has a bouncing
bassline and biting lyrics (“you’re still broken
hearted and impotent”) that makes the song my favorite
of White Lacuna. The longevity and the continuous creativity
of Kleenex Girl Wonder remains incredibly impressive.
 OBNOX
- Bang Messiah (Smog Veil Records www.smogveil.com)
Bim Thomas is noisy, one-man wrecking crew whose legendary
status is well earned and expands far outside his home of
Cleveland. Bang Messiah will only continue to enhance that
reputation, as the record is a sprawling mountain of occasionally
chaotic, at times refined, and constantly engaging fury. The
opening “Steve Albini Thinks We Suck” is a visceral
punch to the face through a mass of noise, but when one reaches
“I Hate Everything”, the song plays out like a
1960s psychedelic garage gem replete with harmonious vocals
accented by soaring cymbal crashes and a ethereal guitar riff.
This dichotomy of the unbridled and the precise makes Bang
Messiah such an enchanting listen. While “Cream”
is an atmospheric beauty, “Enter the Hater” is
a rugged, muscular wall of guitar force. Thomas mixes and
matches hip-hop (“Rally on the Block”) with distorted
noise-core (“Off Ya Ass”) and he excels at all
he attempts. This is not an easy listen but nothing experimental
should be; rather, this is a wild ride across numerous genres
and styles with Thomas continuing to refuse to cower to the
expected. Bang Messiah is too dark in nature to correctly
label as “fun” and doing so would minimize the
impact of a visionary artist, but there is something inherently
enjoyable about being bashed from limitless directions throughout
the dozen songs one finds within this record.
 THE
BLANKZ - “It’s a Breakdown” b/w “You’re
Not my Friend Anymore” (Slope Records www.sloperecords.com)
The Blankz provide another glorious explosion of punk-pop
goodness that explores just how bad things really are but
do so without entirely ruining the listener’s day. The
Blankz have an uncanny ability to inject Blondie-esque, New
Wave keys into rugged punk riffs to produce apologetically
catchy tales of sarcastic woe. “It’s Breakdown”
sums up the current state of affairs in this nation with the
line “hang myself or hang around/It’s a breakdown”
as an infectious hook propels the track. “You’re
Not my Friend Anymore” addresses the pitfalls of living
through social media with references to disliking posts and
the sorrow associated with disconnecting virtually. This Phoenix
band plays angry, passionate punk for confusing and frustrating
times.
 BURLY
- Self Titled Demon (Five Kill Records https://www.fivekillrecords.com)
This upstate New York outfit plays gentile, nearly fragile
music that is majestic in its beauty. The songs on Self Titled
Demon revolve around fragments of memories and faded glimpses
of events in one’s life and are lush in their beauty.
Each of the songs meanders along at a steady, albeit deliberate
pace that incorporate muted jazz-inspired sax and the exuberate
warmth of the vocals. Everything the band tries works here,
from the inconspicuous genius of the drumming to the whistling
that accents “Snowden”. With references to smoking
pot through a corn cob pipe (“Happy Bday”) and
meeting with friends in Providence, Rhode Island (“Kent
Lame”; a song whose dissident guitar is rapturous),
the music of Burly brings the listeners into intimate moments
as if all parties involved are old friends. “Branches
of Blood” has an understated darkness, while the line
“You’re not a person that I think about a lot/
And I don’t mean for that to come off as a slight”
in “Happy Birthday” is somehow both illuminating
and heartbreaking. This is a gorgeous collection of five lovely
and painstakingly constructed songs.
 GRANDCHILDREN
(https://grandchildren.bandcamp.com)
I am a sucker for great romances, and Grandchildren is just
that, plus a dazzling band musically. The seven songs are
the tales of Alecks Martray and Shari Bolar, two highly skilled
songwriters who met while Martray was on his first tour with
Grandchildren, and nearly a decade later, the two present
seven musically dense and powerful tracks. The opening “Ok,
I’m Waiting” is more traditional pop fare with
soaring harmonies and a staggering gorgeous arrangement. It
is an intriguing start to the record, as Grandchildren pride
themselves on their highly eclectic mixture of folk, rock,
pop, lo-fi, and electronic touches. The rollicking “Zuni”
possesses a hootenanny, front-porch sing-along sensibility
accented by lush atmospheric beauty and the shared brilliance
of Bolar and Martray. The bluesy “Phantom Pains”
has a thicker guitar riff that exists is sharp contrast to
the spectral nature of “Want it Bad”, a song of
engaging warmth. The shared vocals and lyrical refrain of
“I don’t believe the wicked/I don’t believe
the poor” make “Gravity” another highlight
from a collection of distinctive tracks. “Motherboard”
feels as if it fell from the late 1960s as it blends pop and
psychedelia into a flawless mass. The genteel closer, “Only
One” exudes a sensuality while a quietly infectious
drum loop propels the effort. This is striking and impossible
to hear without being moved.
 MARSHMALLOW
COAST - Memory Girls (HHBTM Records www.hhbtm.com)
The opening “Warm Bodies” sets the tone for delightfully
canorous release from a truly distinctive band. Marshmallow
Coast play electronica for those who normally hate electronica,
as this is largely pop-kissed gems that have hints of electronic
flavoring. The beats are understated and heavily groove-oriented,
occasionally co-existing with both serene keys and more bombastic
guitar playing, best heard on the masterful “Take You
On”. “K. Freeman Enslaved” is a perfect
encapsulation of all the band is-jangly guitar holds hands
with a retro dance beat and a layered vocal delivery hovers
between a whisper and a panicked conversation. “Sinz
of my Father” radiates with a tangible 1980s vibe from
the robotic vocals to the instantly catchy groove, the song
is akin to opening a vault from the past and one can nearly
envision the dancers from a JJ Fad video grinding to this.
The playful “Foxy Boy” is anchored by a steady
throb and spacious, jazzy saxophone that pushes the song into
R&B territory. As we approach a new year and hope for
the best, it may be difficult to find anything more unique
than the work of Marshmallow Coast.
 NIGHT
BEATS - Myth of a Man (Heavenly Records http://heavenlyrecordings.com)
Danny Lee Blackwell leads Night Beats through twelve tracks
that sound like they have arrived from another era. From the
flamenco sounding, sultry “I Wonder” to the 1960s
pop bounce of “There She Goes”, Myth of a Man
is the type of record that takes the listener far away from
current troubles and places them firmly in the grasp of a
highly gifted songsmith. The closing “Too Young to Pray”
is a gentle love ballad ensconced in a web of haunting lyrics.
The innuendo-laden “On Thing” has a guitar riff
that ricochets off the walls and reverberates with psychedelic
energy and encapsulates the varied talents on display throughout
the work. It is among the finest pieces on Myth of a Man,
which is a record that strolls and saunters with Texas-sized
confidence on “Wasting Time” and “Let Me
Guess”. The theme of the work addresses how many people
seem to exist solely to hurt and manipulate others, and just
how painful it can be when it happens to you. Blackwell examines
fleeting moments of happiness, such as the refined beauty
of “Footsteps”, a sterling gem that is matched
by the jazzy groove of “Stand With Me”, a rack
with a guitar riff that would make Carlos Santana beam. This
is wonderful musical escapism delivered by a collection of
highly skilled players.
 TRANSGRESSORS
- They Made Her a Criminal (Super Secret Records https://supersecretrecords.bigcartel.com)
This Texas act plays old time rock n’ roll with a heavy
drawl and a gun-slinger’s sense of confidence. Exuding
cowboy swagger, the Transgressors rumble through “You’re
Running Wild” and “Ask Me No Questions”,
while the Americana vibe of “Maddux Creek” channels
Johnny Cash as the song gallops along while telling a wild
yarn of potential violence. (“Put that knife away, son”)
This same tone returns on “Driving Nails in the Floor
for You”, as The Transgressors again infuse their work
with Southern fried colloquialisms and slide guitar. “I’d
Die to Kill for You” saunters forward with a strong
bassline and more lyrics of murder and mayhem. For those who
believe that the Stratocaster is the be all, end all of rock
instruments, The Transgressors are your band-a gritty, hard-driving
collection of players who clearly believe that the trends
be damned and they stay true to rock’s honest and earnest
outlaw origins.
For more Rich Quinlan reviews, click here...
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