 GRADUATION
SPEECH - Maintenance Needed (Black Numbers Records www.theblacknumbers.com)
Kevin Day is normally out in front of Aspiga, but he steps
out alone (well, nearly) for a second time as Graduation Speech
on Maintenance Needed, a jangly collection of emo-lashed pop
with deeply heartfelt lyrics. The dark riff buried within
“Your Heart, My Lungs” balances the otherwise
upbeat tempo of the track. The five song EP is fairly fleeting,
but there is a multitude of ideas flowing through each track.
Day is a skilled wordsmith and he surrounds himself with highly
talented players, specifically Devin Carr on drums), but this
is a bold solo project. “Ourselves” is a shrewdly
delivered effort led by acoustic guitar and soulful honesty.
The moody “Small Apartment” is musically claustrophobic
with its subdued but steady drumming and eerily atmospheric
guitar. “Shedding Myself” is equally minimalist
with highly descriptive storytelling as Day admits, “I
don’t measure up that way that I thought I would”
with delicate keys from Pat Pie adding just the appropriate
amount of nuance. “Love and Patience” concludes
the EP with another emotive delivery, proving that Kevin Day
is perhaps more daring as a solo artist, as he takes chances
that will strike a chord with those who are new to his work,
without risking alienating fans of Aspiga.
 VON
HAYES - Moderate Rock (https://vonhayes.bandcamp.com)
The demented pair of geniuses that make up Von Hayes are back
with Moderate Rock, an expansive collection of everything
these two do best-make noise, make melodic noise, and make
really noisy noise. Moderate Rock, a lovingly obscure homage
to Nirvana’s “Tourette’s”, is eleven
songs fun-loving, reckless experimentalism. The opening “Urinal
Cookies” is exactly how this record should begin; the
song is a short blast of chaos that knocks the listener off-balance
before being struck by the surprising melody baked into “December
Sun”. “Hot Roger” reverberates with a thick,
repetitive riff and heavily distorted, fuzzy vocals meshing
garage and grunge exquisitely. A similar beautiful mess is
heard on “Babysitting”, albeit this tune emphasizes
the lo-fi fun and the grunge touches are slightly less overt.
My favorite track here is the Ramones meets The Troggs blast
of force “Oscar’s Grind (Beth Goes for Broke)”,
a relentless burst of buzzsaw guitar and high intensity energy.
The aforementioned Nirvana is most clearly honored on “Man
of Few Verbs”, a song whose title is matched only by
the intricate nature of the guitar squalls that repeatedly
pierce it. There are not enough bands like Von Hayes out there,
but these two cassette only demons have perfected their style.
 …AND
THE BLACK FEATHERS - Sociallusions (andtheblackfeathers.bandcamp.com)
…And The Black Feathers most likely find themselves
often confused with a folk duo known as Black Feathers, but
this Denver outfit has nothing in common with quiet folk music.
Instead, these guys tear up old fashioned, pop infused, rattling,
rock n’ roll, playing the four songs on Sociallusions
with a joy that is nearly tangible. When Danny and the boys
shout out “gimme some danger” on the opening “Danger”,
it is not youthful, misguided boasting-this is unadulterated
rock and roll attitude delivered at a time when it is desperately
needed. The filthy, hazy blues riff on “Scandalous”
makes it my personal favorite of the four, as the song shakes
but never loses composure. The same can be said of “Feature”,
a mid-tempo nugget of dense guitar playing and surprisingly
airy vocals. The closing “Leash” has a noise-pop
aesthetic that is conveyed through the song’s delightfully
off-kilter groove. Still richly harmonic, the song captures
what this band does so, well; namely, create tireless rock
with very modern characteristics.
 GABRIEL
BIRNBAUM - Not Alone (Arrowhawk Records https://arrowhawkrecords.com/)
Gabriel Birnbaum’s heart-breaking collection of self-exploration
begins with the striking sentiment, “I like to see your
name appear on my phone” on the haunting title track,
and this line acts as a first step into the aching emotion
Birnbaum conveys over the span of nine lovely tracks. His
work is stark, harrowing, and at times desperately lonely,
but never without hope. Even the mournful “Oh, Jesus”
has a Leonard Cohen-esque honesty and warmth. Birnbaum is
a musical lifer, a man who, while barely creeping into his
thirties, has lived far more than most his age. A touring
musician since his teens, he has traveled the nation, visiting
the areas of America few think about or hope to see; the rugged
life experiences of flailing for a taste of success shine
through on Not Alone. “Mistakes” is a bluesy anecdote,
a yard woven with the skills of Lou Reed, while “Comeback
Song” is the tale of redemption one needs to hear every
so (or perhaps very) often in life. The hushed power of “I
Got Friends” celebrates the fact that, despite even
what the title of record may say, Birnbaum is not as isolated
as he may believe, and that truth extends out to the rest
of us. Birnbaum’s music, particularly the subtle jazz
sensibility of “Blue Kentucky Miles”, is the type
of playing that was born and thrives in dimly lit bars where
people know the bartender, the beer selection never changes,
and no one there is looking for anything more than a few moments
away from life’s disappointments. This is beautiful
suffering and elevates emotional pain to a majestic level.
Revel in the brilliance and raw fragility of Gabriel Birnbaum.
 GROW
RICH - Frantic Semantic EP (growrich.bandcamp.com/)
There are moments when one comes to truly appreciate technology;
without the wonders of the interwebs, I never would have encountered
the driving, fuzzy pop brilliance of Grow Rich. Hailing from
Jakarta, Indonesia, Abdur Rahim Latada is a one-man show,
although he does have a few friends join him for the four
songs on Frantic Semantic. Grow Rich is a project whose music
reverberates with a mixture of Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
and Sugar while the members of those bands scour the Sub Pop
catalog seeking out new 7 inch singles. “Bounce Back”
repeatedly asks if the listener is ready to “bounce
back”, and I know that it is this simplicity that makes
the song so endearing. The rattling bass throb of “Kawan
Lama” envelopes Latada’s voice while squalls of
guitar noise dissects the air. “Tenderfoot” may
only last sixty seconds, but when one hears the cries of “Fear,
anxiety, don’t let them stop you”, anyone would
be hard pressed to not jump off the couch and try to rule
the world. “Cat Flag” is a charismatic track highlighted
by a spoken word intro from Cika Fransisca about how people
let her down, powerful guitar playing, and lyrics including,
“I heart you so much I can’t breathe”. Grow
Rich is innocent, pure, and positively impossible to dislike.
 EVEN
EDEN - A Ghost (eveneden.bandcamp.com)
Even Eden creates a swirling, atmospheric sound that pulls
the listener into a densely harmonious realm on “Taking
Flight”, the rumbling, pummeling track that opens
the four-song Ep. Madeleine St. Jacques has a lush vocal
delivery overflowing with warmth and while her delivery
is composed to the point of being nearly understated, each
word she utters has profound impact. She reveals a broader
range on “Minefield”, a track that is dense
and heavy, but intriguingly melodic as she speaks of “rising
waters”, “shifting sands”, and “revelations”
in a spiritually engaging effort. Mike Random, who many
should recognize from his lengthy career as a Jersey area
stalwart, plays drums here and whether he is pounding away
on “Taking Flight” or playing with refined bombast
on “Welcome to the White Room”, his powerful
playing is the centerpiece of the band. The tracks are built
around this thunderous foundation, with Zachary Smith’s
bass playing and St. Jacques opaque guitar playing completing
Even Eden’s wall of sound. The juxtaposition between
intensity and delicacy makes the band’s style difficult
to accurately summarize but limitlessly interesting to hear.
“White Room” has traces of haunting 90s shoegaze
pop across the breadth of a sprawling, feedback drenched
tableau, while “Armoured” has an off-kilter,
grinding post-punk structure and richly poetic lyrics. It
is rare to hear playing that is truly distinctive, and Even
Eden is a band that requires multiple listens.
 RIVER
DRIVERS - Big Oak Road (riverdrivers.bandcamp.com)
When one hears the phrase “Celtic-rock”, one may
be inclined to think that the River Divers are another Pogues-inspired
band, but there is so much more here. The songs on Big Oak
Road are delivered with a rage for the mistreatment of those
incapable of defending themselves. The opening “Children’s
March (Mother Jones)” speaks of America’s great
reformer of child labor laws who once led a march right up
the front steps of President Teddy Roosevelt’s beautiful
Sagamore Hill residence in Oyster Bay, NY only to have the
twenty-sixth president “slam his door”. The band
features shared vocals between Kevin McCloskey (who also plays
guitar, mandolin, and banjo) and Mindy Murray (who additional
talents include guitar, banjo, bass, frame drum), with Murray
carrying “Going Once”, a song telling the tale
of a farm sold out from under its owners in the style of John
Mellencamp or Bruce Springsteen. The tales of woe may features
subjects long dead or topics not relatable to many of those
who listen to Big Oak Road, but the lyrics bring these individuals
and experiences to life. The suffering of “Crooked Jack”
illustrates the hardships of Irish immigrants who often spent
all they had to voyage to America in hopes of a life for their
children that was better than what existed in the motherland,
and “Si, Se Puede” captures the demands of migrant
workers in the West, led by Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez,
striving for a union to protect them and allow for their labor
to be viewed with the honor it deserved. Along with Marian
Moran on tin whistle, low whistle, concertina, and melodica,
and Meagan Ratini providing fiddle, tin whistle, and frame
drum, the music has a poignant authenticity on the heartbreaking
“Isn’t It Grand Boys (Look at the Coffin)”
featuring the truly Irish philosophy of “the longer
you live, the sooner you bloody well die”. The folksy
title track rattles with the passion of Phil Ochs and Tom
Paxton with Murray telling the story of a teenage laborer
up working in the fields before “the school bell even
rings”, while “Moonshiner” takes listeners
into the deep American South for a beautiful, yet heartbreaking
tale of hard drinking and equally hard living. “Union
Man” is a quintessential work of Americana, due both
to its musical structure and its lyrics of struggles the working
poor. (“Which side are you on, boy?/Which side are you
on? You’re either for the rich man or the union standing
strong”) Closing with the delicate heartrending “Farewell
Johnny Miner”, the River Drivers have created a masterful
collection of gripping, romantic, and deeply impactful songs.
 THE
DREADNOUGHTS - Into the North (Stomp Records)
The meshing of folk and punk has been done with great success
by acts from The Pogues to The Tossers, but The Dreadnoughts
add their own unique flair to this fine art by immersing themselves
into the sea, namely the sea shanty, on Into the North.
The sprawling collection of fifteen pirate sing-alongs will
have you reaching for your bottle of rum and an eye patch,
but this is not some type of cheeky tribute; the boys from
Vancouver live the hard-drinking, brawling lifestyle emblazoned
within these songs. Even if you are a person who loves the
sea from the comfort and safety of a beach chair, the songs
will strike a chord due to their intensity and beauty. The
shared vocals are stirringly harmonic across the entire record,
but “Pique le Baleine”, “Paddy Lay Back”,
and “Sacramento” are especially engaging, with
the latter providing the foundation for “Camptown Ladies”.
This felt like a live action history lesson interspersed with
modern oceanic tributes to a life of risk and independence.
The Dreadnoughts are best known for rowdy, chaotic punk ferocity,
and while Into the North is much more controlled, it is no
less satisfying. Played with a keen sense of synchronization,
the collective voices work as additional instruments, bringing
depth and refinement to each song. The fiddle of “Northwest
Passage” and the squeeze box of “Whup! Jamboree”
may not be readily associated with punk rock, but it is impossible
to not be energized by what one hears here. The Dreadnoughts
have created the soundtrack for a night out to grab a grog,
pillar a village, and set sail for another adventure. I am
still stunned at just how much I love this.
 IT’S
KARMA IT’S COOL - "Hipsters And Aeroplanes"
EP (www.koolkatmusik.com)
There are bands that attempt to recapture sounds of the past
and then there are those who perfect it, and It’s Karma
It’s Cool are definitely the latter on "Hipsters
and Aeroplanes." Unapologetically poppy and jangly, the
six songs on this EP resonate with the bubbly goodness of
suit-wearing Beatles and the fuzzy warmth of 80s Brit-pop
sweetness such as The Mighty Lemon Drops on efforts like “Raised
by Engineers” and the gentle “Daydream Days”.
James Styring has a voice that floats effortlessly over the
top of equally ethereal playing from Mikey Barraclough, Martyn
Bewick, and Danny Krash, and while “United States of
No Regret” or “Shannon’s Waltz” will
not rekindle lost teen angst, but it will certainly remind
listeners about the beauty of serenely delivered pop-rock.
It’s Karma It’s Cool do not possess the fire of
Cheap Trick or the political leanings of REM; instead, they
deliver traditional rock n’ roll kissed judiciously
by sugar-coated lips and they are proud of it. The jangly
guitar tones and subdued vocals are not my personal first
choice, but when performed by seasoned veterans, it can be
difficult to dislike.
 TSUNAMI
BOMB - The Spine That Binds (www.alternativetentacles.com)
Tsunami Bomb is a band that one does not fully realize how
badly they are needed until it is suddenly fifteen years since
their last release. The Spine That Binds is a declaration
of energy and power from a band that boldly announces its
resurrection on “Tidal” and does not let up over
the course of eleven blistering songs. Kate Jacobi is a fierce
vocalist, spitting lines of frustration and rage on “Naysayers”
(highlighted by blithely commenting that these “are
the good old days”) and the biting “Dead Men Can’t
Catcall”, a scathing rebuke of those who abused positions
of power for far too long. Andrew Pohl’s guitar blisters
throughout The Spine That Binds while founding members Dominic
Devi (whose bass punches up efforts like “Sinkhole”
and “Lullaby for the End of the World”), Oobliette
Sparks and drummer Gabriel Linderman act as the foundation
of one of the most tragically underappreciated gems in modern
punk rock. Sparks’ keyboards open several tracks with
her impressive impact heard on “Persephone”, a
boisterous assault that is built around infectious backing
vocals and a huge riff, and “Wake the Dead”, the
song that should be the theme for Tsunami Bomb’s return
with its combination of rousing energy and richly harmonic
structure. As the world around us becomes increasingly more
dark, cynical, and inexplicable, at least one can take solace
in Tsunami Bomb and their commitment to rebellion, summed
up best on the closing title track as Jacobi reminds all within
earshot that “this is our story, our fight,our song,"
and we all are lucky to hear it again.
 PHONY
- Songs You’ll Never Sing (Smartpunk Records www.smartpunk.com)
Phony is the brainchild of Neil Berthier, and Songs You’ll
Never Sing is a logical progression for a remarkably
inventive player who initially dazzled me with his work in
Donovan Wolfington. For a young man, Berthier has already
lived quite a life, bouncing round the country in recent years,
from New Orleans, to Nashville, to Chicago, before now settling
in Boston. Along the way, he has honed and refined his musical
visions, and the opening “Claustrophobia” is a
fitting introduction to the record. Noisy and musically busy,
the song has multiple ideas happening concurrently, creating
an atmosphere that matches the titles. Songs is a multi-layered
testament to the glory of pop-oriented rock, for Berthier
moves brazenly from the experimental nature of the opener
into the lush “”Nvr Play Urself”, a song
bathed in guitar warmth with a very traditional song structure.
However, before one begins to feel comfortable, Berthier unleashes
“Dr. Ayahuasca”, a Weezer-esque, wild tale of
taking hallucinogenics in a bathtub, playing with a ribbon,
and listening to classic rock. “Most Comfortable Bed”
and “Restaurant” are both propelled by massive,
buoyant guitar hooks that invoke the finest moments of Matthew
Sweet’s 90 heyday, while “Teeth” flirts
with In Utero era Nirvana by swirling an infectious hooks
with a disquieting lyrical delivery and odd time sequences.
Berthier has the ability to appeal to those looking for classically
formulated rock hooks as readily as those desperately seeking
a more loose interpretation of what pop can be; “Hesitate”
drifts by all too quickly with Berthier’s gritty vocals
buried within a luxuriant mix; this is matched perfectly on
“Awake”, as understated singing is awash in a
sea of plush as guitar fuzz. Through the hazy, dreamy nature
of “Awake” as well as “No Other Way”,
allows listeners to hear Berthier play with a loud/soft dynamic
in manner that makes its sound fresh. Songs You’ll Never
Sing is the perfect record for your most jaded friend who
is convinced that there is nothing new or exciting in the
world musically or that everything is merely a reboot-let
Phony prove that person wrong.
 DISJAWN
- Loud Kush Assault (Ranch Jams Records ranchjams.bigcartel.com)
This is exactly what I need on a rainy, miserable Sunday,
or any day of the week really, regardless of weather. Disjawn
is a furious Philly punk outfit with a great name and an even
better musical delivery. “Planning Out the War”
and “Pain is Reality” sound like the best two
songs Magrudergrind never recorded, as Disjawn unfurl a devastating
wave of destructive powerviolence. That trend continues on
the title track, only the song opens with a Black Flag-style
riff that is then overwhelmed by exhaustive force. Three of
the five songs clock in at under a minute, so Disjawn does
not hang around very long, but what an impact they make. A
dark, Orwellian dystopia is captured on “What Have We
Done” as the lyrics include the terms “cyanide”,
“genocide”, and “radiation”, while
“Tortured Life” includes this moment of societal
observation: “Everyone’s mind has collapsed, most
are dead or have relapsed”. I cannot wait for more from
these guys.
 ESPECTROPLASMA
- “Pyramid” b/w “Monster” (Devil
in the Woods Records www.devilinthewoods.mx)
I was vaguely familiar with the work of Espectroplasma, and
loved their take on surf-driven rock, and their nickname of
the Mexican Man or Astroman?, but this new single is unlike
any of their past catalog. “Pyramid” is a mechanized
blast of classic krautrock, as if Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic
Orchestra shared a rehearsal space. The synth-fueled psych-pop
is trippy but yet still built around a rhythmic groove, partially
mirroring Devo’s pre-MTV days. The flipside “Monster”
follows in the same vain, as it is a swirling mass of sci-fi
inspired synth noise, landing somewhere between the score
of Logan’s Run and the theme for “Stranger Things”.
Within the alien technology is another oddly danceable hook
inspired by German musical engineering and efficiency. To
the credit of the four mysterious members of Espectroplasma,
“Monster” still resonates with humanity despite
the heavily tech influenced sound.
 NIK
FREITAS - “Aviso Amor” (Devil in the Woods Records
www.devilinthewoods.mx)
Nik Freitas is remarkable in his soulful delivery on both
tracks of this beautiful single. “Aviso Amor”
is a truly unique take on the standard piano ballad with
an up-tempo vibe, soaring vocals and rich production. Meshing
Roxy Music with indie college rock tones, the song is an
invigorating love song without ever sounding trite. When
Freitas says, “I want to tell you how it feels to
be connected to a heart that wasn’t yours”,
it is difficult to not be swept away by the earnest nature
of his playing. “Normal #3” is a lush, piano
based pop song that floats effortlessly whose lyrics are
utterly heartbreaking. (“The buildings grew too tall,
I get kinda used to feeling small”) The song’s
pacing allows for the tale of sorrow and loneliness to fully
impact the listener as Freitas’ voice radiates an
emotional honesty reminiscent of Double Fantasy-era Lennon.
A limitlessly gorgeous release.
 THE
FULL COUNTS - Next Up (Phratry Records www.phratryrecords.com)
The Full Counts could initially be categorized as “dad
rock”, a blending of jangly guitar and upbeat, hopeful
tempos that are quite easy on the ears. The opening “She
Said” captures this aesthetic perfectly, but as Next
Up continues, the four vets, led by Eric Vermillion (formerly
of Stump Wizards and Gumball) produce harder hitting, but
still traditional, no-frills rock in the style of The Smithereens
or The Plimsouls, particularly on the moody, quasi-blues-kissed
“I Know” and “Song #5 (Have to Want It)”.
The rollicking thump of “Let’s Go” and “Don’t
Waste My Time” are two of the punchier tracks here,
and credit must be given to any band willing to truly channel
the legends of rock through a song with the chorus “I
wanna hold your hand” from the appropriately titled
“Hold Your Hand”. The oose, free-flowing fun of
“Another Way (Egagda)” is overflowing with infectious
energy, and the closing “Oh Whoa Oh” strips rock
n’ roll to its bare bones essentials. The song is a
perfect closer as the Full Counts leave the listener singing
along as a fleeting wave of reverb finishes the ride, wrapping
up a record of nothing but catchy hooks and uncompromising
melody.
 MICHUL
KUUN - Great (Then After Awhile, It Didn’t Mean Anything
to Them) (Ranch Jams Records www.ranchjams.bigcartel.com)
Michul Kuun is determined to make people think through his
music. Great is a collection of wild, ambient, free jazz noise-core
with at times, a crushing punk aesthetic. The dance floor
intro “Great Intro” is a fun beginning before
Kuun brings in Wiki to join him on “Who This”,
a distinctive hip-hop soundscape. “Pay Me” featuring
Isaiah Barr, is a quick blast of experimental noise in the
form free jazz, but the din is stirring in its originality.
Only the closing “Great Ending” extends itself
over three minutes, yet every idea feels completely fleshed
out and fully developed. The ethereal trip-hop beauty of “Magic
If Work” matches the richly engaging “Entrance
to the Dawning of My Night Shop”, a song with delicate
percussion and gorgeous production. Massive beats overwhelm
“Be/Have/Oh”, a song driven by a playful yet pointed
construction, and one hears jazz-infused hip hop on “Snarls
Big with the End Part”, but Kuun proves moment to moment
that he can generate limitless surprises. “Wonderful
and Nice” has a metallic fury that becomes grating in
the most glorious of manners and “Slip Talking”
featuring Klein is driven by room shaking bombast. There is
nothing else quite like this, and one must take time in the
listening and digesting Great.
 THE
CUTTHROAT BROTHERS - Taste for Evil (Hound Gawd! Records
www.houndgawd.com)
Halloween music does not always have to be spooky and ethereal
in order to bring about a fright. The Cutthroat Brothers bring
rollicking, no frills rock n roll back from the grave with
Taste For Evil, a raw, energized blast of garage rock replete
with ghouls, zombies, and old fashioned swagger. For those
who long for the days when a band would simply make the room
shake for three minutes per song then move on to their next
treat, the Cutthroat Brothers deliver exactly that over the
course of ten blistering songs played with both conviction
and a wry sense of fun. Anyone who has listened to the stable
of bands on Hound Gawd! should have a sense of what to expect,
but Jason Cutthroat and Donny Paycheck bash their way through
bluesy, swamp sludge on “Shake Move Howl Kill”,
and the sludgy “The King is Dead”, as legendary
producer Jack Endino emphasizes the thunderous guitar chops
that dominate each track. The title track, “Get Haunted”,
and “Candy Cane” are full bodied, high-speed gems
of Cramps-style punk glory that are a trio of highlights,
even though “Candy Cane” is perhaps more fitting
for the band’s Christmas record. Blending speed and
a tightly wound backbeat, everything on Taste for Evil is
celebration of rock’s defiant nature that ahs been tragically
watered down over the years, but “Out of Control”
and “Killing Time” (“you wanna dance?/You
wanna fight?/Get high and stay up all night?”) both
shimmy with FM radio sleekness and inspire images of pen highways
leading to long nights of drunken debauchery. Donny paycheck
has a mind-numbing resume, with lengthy stints in the peerless
Zeke accented by stints with bands Toxic Holocaust and Camarosmith.
To be released on October 31st, this is the coolest Halloween
treat since the night your friends found the house that actually
gave away full candy bars.
 MAGNAPOP
- The Circle is Round (HHBTM Records www.hhbtm.com)
This is just awesome-simply a glorious release from a band
that ahs been quiet but not dormant over the past decade.
Magnapop was rightfully a darling of the mid-90s indie rock
explosion, and The Circle is Round transports listeners to
that era through the raw energy of “Super Size Me”,
as well as quite literally going back in time in the form
two demos from 1992, “Leo”, and “Pretty
Awful”. Vocalist Linda Hopper’s infectious voice
has never sounded more fluid and strong than on “Change
Your Hair” (s song written “before there was a
band” according to guitarist Ruthie Morris) or “Dog
on the Door”. The Circle is Round is a stirring collection
of fun pop that bubbles with an undercurrent of raucous indie
spirit played by people who were there when it was all getting
started. While there are efforts like “What can I Do”
and “Rain Rain” that posses a jangly innocence,
the bombast is always there, sounding like cuddlecore crowd-surfing
with garage punk in a perfect intermingling of styles. While
the second side begins a bit more quietly than the A-side,
“Rip the Wreck” is a ferocious blast of speed
and strength that hits hard but does so with soaring harmonies.
Magnapop has never shied away from writing songs with infectious
hooks that balance anxiety and splendor, but that can be a
challenging formula to maintain for more than a quarter of
a century. If one is to learn anything from The Circle is
Round, it is that Magnapop is fully back and sound as vital
as ever.
 MARK
LANEGAN BAND - Somebody’s Knocking (Heavenly Records
www.heavenlyrecordings.com)
Mark Lanegan is best remembered for his genre defining work
with Screaming Trees, but his solo work has allowed him to
travel down a multitude of paths, and this sense of experimentation
continues on Somebody’s Knocking. The bluster of guitars
are nowhere to be found, repacked by subtle dance beats, atmospheric
instrumentation, and subdued vocals. What has not changed
is Lanegan’s ability to deliver heartfelt, poetic lyrics.
It is not surprising that someone with the emotional breadth
of Lanegan can capture the sense of disbelief and nearly palpable
fear that defines the current global state of politics. “Disbelief
Suspension” opens the record with edgy, slashing guitar
interspersed with biting kick drum and sharp electronic qualities,
and this nervous ball of energy is an ideal metaphor for what
so many are feeling right now. “Night Flight to Kabul”
not only name drops one of the world’s most unsettled
cities in one of the globe’s most perpetually unsteady
regions, but the song rolls along with seamless energy permeated
with an unnamed but instantly identifiable darkness. Interspersing
electronic angst into a mass of pop harmonies, “Stitch
it Up” and “Radio Silence” quaver with massive
hooks, and one feels transplanted into a different time, as
80s synth touches provide majestic backing grooves. Conversely,
“Paper Hat” and “War Horse” move with
far greater deliberation, minimizing the musicianship in exchange
for a greater emphasis upon Lanegan’s gruff, exhausted
but not expired, vocals. The expansive “Two Bells Ringing
at Once” closes the record with a tale of suffering
and physical pain, and as the song fades delicately into the
air, one is gently released from an immensely powerful record.
This may not be what some would expect from Lanegan, but Somebody’s
Knocking is exactly the music he wants to make, and he does
so beautifully.
 A.M.
NICE - “Scooter” b/w “Man On a Wire”
(Phratry Records www.phratryrecords.com)
I have followed A.M. Nice’s career for several releases
now, and the trio continues to get better. This Cincinnati
band provides a menagerie of influences through two glorious
songs, three if one acquires the digital download. “Scooter”
includes some of the best qualities of 90s indie rock, ranging
from Archers of Loaf to Polvo to Sebadoh, with a little Teenage
Fanclub thrown in for good measure. The tightly wound, energized
rythym section of bassist Nick Hill and drummer Jerry Dirr
supports Adam Nice’s soaring guitar work and equally
stirring vocals. “Man on a Wire” is a track featuring
jangly guitar and an anxious structure that rattles with clear
XTC overtones. It is a pop song that makes the listener feel
uneasy, and has a richly textured sensibility during its scant
three-plus minute existence. I strongly urge a digital purchase
for this EP as “Elliot the Man” is a fast, noisy
explosion of energy that smashes its way through walls with
a constant barrage of raw punk energy. In only three songs,
one hears what sounds like three distinct bands, but this
only solidifies the talents of A.M. Nice.
 INHUMANWICH
- Original Soundtrack (Phratry Records www.phratryrecords.com)
As a kid, I remember Channel 56 out of Boston would present
the “Creature Double Feature” on Saturdays: back
to back 50s horror films, ranging from Godzilla movies to
films about giant ants, zombies, and other classic fare. If
you share similar nostalgia, love horror films that do not
take themselves too seriously, or simply have a sense of humor,
one must check out Inhumanwich. The film is the produce of
Argo One productions, led by Dave Cornelius, a veteran of
Cincinnati television. The film can be found through Leomark
Studios (www.leomarkstudios.com), who also bring you such
classics as “Wedding Swingers” and “Sex
Galaxy”, and is absolutely worth your time. The good
people at Phratry Records have released the soundtrack and
the songs “Meat is Murder” and “Mitch’s
Song” include members of two long-standing Phratry bands,
Swear Jar and Knife the Symphony. The two tracks are punked-up
rockabilly, particularly “Mitch’s Song”
(including the lyrics, “I took her to the dance, but
I couldn’t get in…her father’s good graces”),
and are much fun as the film. The majority of the release,
especially the digital version, includes songs from the film
in which the phrase “Death to” is found, including
death to the following: cinema, science montages, sidekicks,
monologues, wives, inspirational speeches, date night, Cincinnati,
and even this movie, to name just a handful. Inhumanwich garnered
a series of awards upon its release in 2017, including Best
Comedy Feature (Experimental Edge Film Festival), Best Comedy
Feature (Highway 61 Film Festival), and both the Audience
and Best Sci-Fi Awards at the Origins Film Festival. This
is not for the serious, the dour, the uptight, or the dull,
so avoid all of those people and make your life better with
a classic that would have Joe Bob Briggs and the original
cast of Mystery Science 3000 roaring with laughter and appreciation.
 SLEEPCRAWLER
- “HTN” b/w “Albatross” (Phratry
Records www.phratryrecords.com)
Sleepcrawler features Scot Torres and Matt Hemingway from
State Song, but if one believes that Sleepcrawler will be
simply an extension of that band, one could not be more wrong.
“HTN” sounds like what would happen if Ride was
stuck in a room listening to Sleep for hours without rest.
Meshing doom metal with Torres’ emotionally tinged vocals
and shoegaze pacing, the song is a thunderous wall of guitar
bombast and low-end power compliments of bassist Ryan Hickman
and the aforementioned Hemingway. As much as I adore “HTN”,
“Albatross” leaves me with stunned with its beauty
and heaviness. The song is richly textured and highly engaging
through its raw dynamics. Equally engrossing and challenging,
the song opens with off-kilter guitar playing one normally
hears from Radiohead or Flaming Lips, before shifting into
a crushing track. Both songs are over five minutes in length,
providing ample room for ideas to nestle and grow without
ever becoming exhausted. Like the rest of the Phratry label,
Sleepcrawler defies genres and easy classification, and simply
produces intriguing and meaningful music.
 WESDARULER
- Ocean Drive (HHBTM Records www.hhbtm.com)
Wesley Johnson is a highly skilled wordsmith who spins stories
of life’s monotonies as well as its triumphs and struggles
throughout Ocean Drive. The grooves are gentle, R&B flavored
beats over which Johnson delivers a Barry White style baritone
and Ocean Drive is not about boasting or battles, but rather,
Johnson come across as instantly relatable. He admits he does
not want to go out or do anything on “Stay At Home”,
essentially a perfect soundtrack for anyone who reaches Saturday
night and decides that Netflix and Grub Hub sounds a lot better
than crowds, noise, and overpriced drinks. The instrumentals
are lush and beautiful, including the psychedelic rythym of
“Dreaming” and the warm “Interlude”,
but none more so than the concluding title track, but Johnson’s
poetry is the highlight of “Let da Music Play”,
a song who’s message of “letting it go right now”
is uttered with a subdued style that juxtaposes lyrics of
getting out and going wild, although even Johnson admits that
he is “not sure” of what he “is trying to
say”. This same style is heard on “GetUrAssintheCar”,
which asserts that he will not “let you down”
and pledges that he loves his wife, and that sense of positive
feelings drives the life of WesDaRuler. The jazzy piano that
opens “Loseit4tonite” is quickly balanced by a
bass heavy beat as Johnson spins a story about his mother’s
abilities on the dance floor. The record is both fun and introspective,
uplifting and solemn; in short, it is a reflection of most
people’s realities.
 BLACK
BEACH - Tapeworm (blackbeachma.bandcamp.com)
Black Beach opens “Luxury Car” with a wall of
distorted feedback, and it sets the tone for the rest of the
record. Tapeworm is a noisy, highly agitated collection that
reflects the angst and discordant nature of the world at this
moment. Blending lo-fi angst and garage rock fury, Tapeworm
is a mass of swirling, anxiety-driven anthems led by the impassioned
vocals of guitarist Stephen Instasi as he spits out modern
concerns on “Sage “ (“I spend all my time
worrying if everyone’s gone”) and “Modern
World” (“There’s a war inside my head/ I’ve
been feeling guilty for things I haven’t done”)
backed up by the pummeling duo of bassist Ben Semeta and drummer
Ryan Nicholson. The Middleboro, Massachusetts outfit deliver
songs that rattle with kinetic energy on “Broken Computer”
and “Shampoo” (“I wash my hair twice a week,
I try to be nice to all the people I meet”), conflating
Mission of Burma’s perpetual shaking with thick, post-punk
density. “Dumpster Fire” is a more deliberate
effort, exploring the weight associated with the taxing nature
of simply trying to get along, while “It Feels Nice
Just to Care About Anything” both perfectly summarizes
so many people’s feelings right now, but also reveals
how heavy music has limitless avenues of exploration. The
band’s hardcore background is readily apparent on “Positive
Feedback Loop” as Black Beach incorporates punk’s
fiercest qualities and “Nervous Laughter” builds
slowly from its initial clamor and remains on the edge of
self-destruction for well over three unnerving and exhilarating
minutes. The panic-stricken power of “Sometimes This
Body Lets Me Down” and the Nirvana-esque confrontation
of “Burning World” are two sterling moments on
an effusively powerful release.
 VINNY
CARUANA - Aging Frontman (Know Hope Records www.knowhoperecords.com)
Vinny Caruana has established himself as a highly emotive
vocalist with a sharp eye for the nature of daily struggles
through his time with Movielife and I Am the Avalanche, and
while the title Aging Frontman is clearly a self-deprecating
swipe at what it means to be forty and still baring one’s
soul, the record is six beautiful songs of gut-wrenching honesty.
The brief instrumental interlude “I Love You, Please
Watch Over Us” is needed after the emotionally exhaustive
honesty of the opening trio of “Better”, “Alone”,
and “Dying in the Living Room”. When Caruana asks,
“Do I make you better?”, one hears a man longing
for a hopeful answer but also tormented but what the reply
may be, revealing a fragility and self-reflection that defines
Aging Frontman. “Alone” includes the confession,
“I could never take how much you hated me, I vow to
die alone. I did some talking to God/ We spoke of the flowers
of forgiveness, until the sidewalk swallowed me whole”,
as glistening production from Brett Romnes (who also plays
drums) allows the song to shimmer brilliantly. “Tex
‘The Rock’ Johnson” injects little country
twang into the record, with lyrics about having “splinters
from a bar stool” and “slithering out of bed”,
offering a lighthearted narrative about growing old but remaining
true to one’s self. The six songs scoot by too quickly,
and it is a requirement to have this on repeat to fully capture
the nuances and intuitive qualities of Caruana’s writing.
Fans of his work already know how insightful Caruana is a
songwriter, and one does not need any prerequisite knowledge
of his earlier bands to find Aging Frontman engaging, occasionally
uplifting, sometimes painful, but fully engrossing.
CROSSED KEYS - Saviors (Hellminded Records www.hellmindedrecords.com)
Saviors is seven fleeting tracks played with a sense of anxious
energy by a band of veterans with impressive resumes. Vocalist
Joshua Alvarez bares his soul on “True to You”
when he declares “my heart is broken over you/ my heart
is broken and I’m over you” as drummer Dave Wagenschutz,
who has played with Good Riddance and Kid Dynamite opens with
a thunderous roll and never lets up over the course of the
song’s blistering two minutes. Guitarists Beau Brendley
and Dave Adoff create an impressive barrage of riffs on “The
Rays Effect”, a rumbling blast punk angst anchored by
the low-end thump of Wagenschutz and bassist Andrew Wellbrock
that also features a perfectly delivered homage to the Replacements’
“Here Comes a Regular”. In many respects. Crossed
Keys has similarities to the aforementioned drunken geniuses
from Minneapolis, as the playing on Saviors is furious, noisy,
and intentionally raw with lyrics about heartbreak and personal
frustrations that match the desperation of the music, particularly
on “Everything Breaks”. “RJA” embodies
the ideals of melodic hardcore as the song’s tightly
wound chorus explodes into a burst of infectious energy, while
“1212” includes backing “woah-oh”
vocals that pushes the song away from the traditional hardcore
structure and into the realm of mid-90s indie punk. The closing
title track is a return to scorching speed and roaring intensity
while also retaining unmistakable harmony. The punk of Crossed
Keys may not inspire pits that will send people to the hospital,
but the band may help those alone and suffering get over the
person that shattered their hearts and there’s something
celebratory in that.
 DAYSTAR
- The Complete Recordings (daystarpdx.bandcamp.com/)
Portland’s Daystar sound like a soothing ride through
the past to the days of lush AM rock throughout The Complete
Recordings. The opulent melodies of “Right at Home”
and “People Get Lonely” will make Jeff Lynne beam
with pride with the band’s flawless meshing of airy
harmonies, layered guitars, and understated drumming. It is
obvious to all who even offer a fleeting listen to this that
Derek Phillips truly adores the Beatles, and while that fact
itself is not terribly unusual, I am repeatedly struck by
how often Daystar drifts into the realms of George’s
finest moments and Ringo’s immediate post-Beatles catalog,
sparsely emulating the more traditional Lennon-McCartney path.
Rounded out by fellow guitarist Joel Roth, Kelly Simmons on
bass, and Nick Foltz on drums, Daystar’s music seems
to levitate and waft with extraordinary tenderness on the
cello-kissed “Warped Reality”, a song that could
have easily earned the band a contract with Apple Records.
“Buttons and Brass” includes crunchier guitars
but retains the satiny vocals that come to define the band’s
sound, particularly around the lovely chorus. Daystar channels
Rare Earth, Badfinger, and other late 60s/dawn of the “me
decade” rock, but does so with a staggering authenticity.
The circuitous “Angelina” allows for Phillips’
vice to sound movingly poignant, and it is difficult to hear
“The Ballad of Sister Sadie May” and not mentally
reference “Sexy Sadie” from The White Album. The
closing “Fade Away, Love” is a cosmic gem, caressing
the listener with spacious guitar playing and a warm vocal
embrace. This is not nostalgia but rather a brilliant modern
interpretation of richly melodious rock.
 JAIL
WEDDINGS - Wilted Eden (Tru Vow Records ;jailweddings.bandcamp.com/album/wilted-eden)
It is a steep challenge for one to begin to describe a band
that has coined the term “death doo wop”, but
Jail Weddings is well worth the effort. Blending blues, psych-pop,
and sporadic synth, the band’s chameleon-like nature
makes Wilted Eden a fascinating musical journey. “A
Haunted Song” has Gabriel Hart’s rich vocals out
in front of a swirling, passionate track that fades politely
into the rousing, emotionally charged “Woman Happy”
that allows Mary Animaux to also step forward, offering stirring
backing vocals accompanied by flaying saxophone from Hart.
The passion and power of this song was matched, and even surpassed,
by “Skin Invocation”, a sultry, sexually-furious
song that pits two highly adept singers in an emotional cage
match over the course of six powerful minutes. There are moments
on Wilted Eden on which Jail Weddings play more driving, sophisticated
rock n’ roll, particularly “Face of Kindness”
which invokes the finest elements of erudite postpunk, and
the country twang fury of (“Can’t Wait to Get
to) Nowhere”. “Do Anything You Want to Me”
bounds with youthful vibrancy with a spiraling chorus and
infectious hook, and is a classic single. The mesmerizing
“Blood Moon Blue” opens with a controlled wave
of feedback and Hart’s deep-throated vocals and Cramps-style
guitar reverb that continues to escalate in hot blooded intensity
until the track sprawls itself out and brazenly exposes its
vulnerability. After twelve years, Jail Weddings has developed
both the skills and confidence necessary to produce a song
like the closing “Love Me Like I’m Dead”,
a massive, nearly nine-minute long effort of staggering beauty.
From the late-night street corner sax to the haunting keys,
the song builds upon itself in a cathartic explosion of emotion,
highlighted by the line “I guess I really love sex as
inspiration”, as the keys only become more symphonic
and the song expands into a majestic panorama of finite skills.
This may only be Jail Weddings’ third release, but they
provide a career’s worth of musicianship on Wilted Eden.
 SUGGESTED
FRIENDS - Turtle Taxi (HHBTM Records hhbtm.com)
This London quartet (“a small choir of mostly lesbians”
according to their bio) plays a wonderfully jangly and spirited
form of modern indie pop. The tracks snap with enthusiasm,
and Faith’s vocals are a beautiful combination of exuberance
and refined tone. The title track has folksy underpinnings
buttressing the more pop-kissed indie flavoring of Jack’s
guitar playing, while “Pretty Soon Your Grave will be
a Landfill” is not only my current favorite song title
of 2019, but it also alternates tempos between fuzzy 90s bedroom
punk-pop and more sophisticated songwriting as the band attacks
the nature of contemporary politics. Clearly the instability
of American political institutions is closely mirrored in
England, and Suggested Friends wrote this song long before
Boris Johnson’s ascension to PM, but it sounds as if
they saw his failures coming. The sweetness of “The
Apocalypse (Is Just a Day Away)” is a wonderful juxtaposition
with the song’s title, as buoyant, refined playing cascades
for three minutes. Blending aspects of good-natured, new wave
pop, “For Jokes” is among the band’s finest
moments on the record as its chorus is a louder, more pronounced
declaration of musical muscle but still retains a delicate
quality as well. Faith’s voice is angelic throughout
Turtle Taxi, revealing both an impressive range and sense
of control, for she never feels compelled to express herself
through outburst of anger, even when detailing frustrating
aspects of life. Rather, efforts like “Magnolia”
and “At Ease” are carried but her melodious and
warm delivery. A cursory listen may trick some into hearing
Suggested Friends as airy, somewhat simplistic pop fare, but
a more deliberate listen reveals a band of skilled players
taking chances with their sound. As I listen to Suggested
Friends, I could only wonder if this what a band like Tiger
Trap would have evolved into had they stuck around a while
longer; namely, a band capable of crafting lush pop aesthetics
but driven by so much more. This is worth finding, and the
band is another example of all the great material HHBTM releases.
 SHARP
VIOLET - “Domino Effect” (https://sharpviolet.bandcamp.com/track/
domino-effect)
Sharp Violet, Long Island's most astute and biting riot grrl
act, is back with a new single, and the timing could not be
better. While Jeffrey Epstein may have exited this world before
rightfully facing his victims, “Domino Effect"
is dedicated to the impact of the #MeToo movement, confronting
monsters like Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men who
use money and influence to lead lives as serial rapists and
sexual predators. Sharp Violet continues to refine its sound,
adding a second guitarist (Marie Tornetto joining Jessica
Benenati) to bolster an already impressive groove-oriented
brand of grungy punk angst. Liz Meehan does not need to scream
to make her point on "Domino Effect," as she delivers
each line with a controlled anger, noting that "all the
headlines will say/you're going down in flames/the press will
have a field day/justice will be...served", and one can
nearly hear Meehan's satisfied grin as she imagines Weinstein
and his abominable ilk led away in cuffs, with their overpriced
designer clothes replaced with an orange jumpsuit. Meehan
captures Liz Phair’s self-assured vocal style, offering
cutting observations about the false remorse of the accused,
saying “you’re only sorry cause you got caught/
for a crime that couldn’t be bought”. Channeling
90's acts like Veruca Salt and L7, Sharp Violet generates
powerful, thought provoking, guitar-driven punk for those
who still believe that music should have depth. The low-end
strength of bassist Alli Sondergrass and drummer Jasmine Fuentes
establish a wall of blunt intensity for the fleeting three
minutes of erudite proto-punk that is “Domino Effect”.
Recent shifts in musical responsibilities within the band
now has Sondergrass on guitar, having re-entered the fold
after becoming a mother, and Tornetto exchanging her guitar
for a bass. Regardless of which instrument is held and by
whom, the resulting song is Sharp Violet's strongest thus
far, as they continue to elevate themselves into a realm of
more polished production and mature song structures. I can
attest that the band is a fierce live act, and “Domino
Effect” captures the energy of the band’s lshows.
There needs to be more acts willing to mesh political statements
and impactful playing, and Sharp Violet should gain a expansive
following.
 BIG
CHEESE - Wild to Be Born (bigcheeseband.bandcamp.com)
When a band uses a Nirvana song as their moniker, it is
safe to assume that classic grunge qualities will abound,
and that is certainly true of Big Cheese. However, rather
then coming across as a collection of fanboys attempting
to recapture Bleach-ear Nirvana, the Brooklyn outfit places
a new spin on the early 90s movement. “In This World”
is a song dedicated to celebrating confusion and isolation,
whole “Golden” is a snarky relationship song
that is a glorious mockery of happy couples, as the song
addresses how it feels when one is the victim of mistreatment
by someone entrusted with your heart. This honesty is a
significant component of the band’s lyrics, making
them awkwardly relatable through the acknowledgment of their
own failings. “Nowhere Scene (Get Free)” is
a violent cacophony of raw guitar-driven punk that will
remind most of In Utero Nirvana when that band abandoned
pop sensibilities and challenged the millions of kids who
bought Nevermind to see if they could stomach a more abrasive
record. The song flies by like scenery on the highway when
driving eighty miles an hour and leaves the listener exhausted.
“I don’t care if you find me appealing”
announces Adam Patten on “In the Living Room”
as drummer Justin Iwinski hammers away at his kit with no
regard for his safety, creating a foundation of relentless
energy that is the hallmark of the band. Sure, the influences
are obvious on “I’m A Sloth”, a Mudhoney-like
barrage of rumbling dynamism, but it does not matter for
this band honors the past with reverence. Before anyone
think of this band as a repetitive group of trickster, the
buoyant “Blank” abandons reckless chaos for
a more streamlined delivery anchored by a blunt low-end
groove as “Pattern” screams “I’ll
just fade away” again with a scream born of earnest
frustration. Wild to be Born concludes with the
more reserved “Long Way Off” that does reduce
the tempo but not the band’s adherence to cutting
guitar work and angular song structure. This may be a trip
down memory lane for some, but Big Cheese brings some haughtiness
to rock at a time when it is desperately needed.
 THE
MONOCHROME SET - Fabula Mendax (Tapete Records www.tapeterecords.com)
As the punk began to become a cannibalistic caricature of
itself at the end of the 1970s, the world became a wide-open
canvas for those willing to produce daring, unconventional
new music. One such band was The Monochrome Set, an artistically
minded, delightfully quirky band from London. Like many acts
who are ahead of their times, The Monochrome Set never enjoyed
extraordinary commercial success, but their influence upon
the burgeoning post-punk movement was undeniable and they
continue to positively impact artists looking to place new
interpretations upon pop song structures. After spending periods
both highly active and terminally dormant, the band has worked
steadily over the past decade releasing a string of consistently
unique collections. Fabula Mendax takes lyrically inspiration
from a portion of the fifteenth-century writings of Armande
de Pange, a contemporary of Joan of Arc, with the majority
of songs driven by warm guitar hooks orchestrated by Bid,
often quite beautiful, even as Bid declares “I want
all of them to die/hang them high” on “Eux Tous”
(“They All”). “Come to Me, Oh My Beautiful”
is a pristine example of flawless pop and expert storytelling,
a quality found throughout the record. “Rest, Unquiet
Spirit” opens with a burst of Iberian Peninsula-inspired
guitar playing, a similar component one hears on the fragile
closer “La Chanson de la Pucelle” (“The
Song of the Maid”) as well, while horns blare as the
poetic title is delivered with breathy intensity. The richly
harmonic “Summer of the Demon” is a clear example
of the impact The Monochrome Set had upon bands such as The
Smiths, Orange Juice, XTC, and Aztec Camera, to name but a
few. “I Can’t Sleep” impishly tells the
story of being kept awake by a bird and heat, but there is
a tangible frustration for the song’s protagonist which
shines through Bid’s nearly panic-stricken delivery
singed with a sharp sense of humor (“Don’t tell
me I need yoga/Because I’ll dislocate my shoulder”).
The Monochrome Set slithers effortlessly into boisterous blues
on “Sliding Icicle”, a track carried by soaring
slide guitar. The Monochrome Set clearly play intricate music,
but the complexity does not overwhelm the listener; instead,
one is allowed to simple gorge upon the talent and realize
that there are visionaries at work here.
 SANTACRUZ
- Katharsis (M-Theory Audio)
After releasing a trio of strong releases, Finland’s
Santa Cruz fell apart as a band roughly a year ago, and Archie
Cruz has spent the past twelve months creating a record about
self-discovery as he put his band and his career back together.
Katharsis is a driving, classic hard rock record
that teems with energy and incorporates more than a few metal
touches, especially the heavier vocal components on “Bang
Bang”. Much of what one hears on Katharsis is a tribute
to Sunset Strip rock n’ roll that celebrated non conformity
during a time when all people wanted to do was to have as
much fun as possible without worrying about likes, public
shaming, or losing followers. The pop dynamics of “Salvation”
and the rounded edges of “Into the War” allow
for Archie Cruz’s voice to shine over the top of a driving
riff that comes straight from the late 80s. Speaking of that
era of excess, the power ballads that made that decade musically
(in)famous are here as well, particularly the moody “I
Want You to Mean It”, and the guys even put their own,
testosterone-fueled spin on Cyndi Lauper’s “Time
After Time”. However, while cheeky covers are always
fun, Santa Cruz are at their finest when they simply want
to be a rock band. To that end, “True Believer”
is a pounding guitar stomp of a track that hits hard and often,
highlighted by a hook-laden, catchy chorus and “Tell
Me Why” is deliciously sleazy attempt at a love song.
The “woah-oh-ohs” that kick off “Smoke Signals”
will make Bon Jovi fans squeal, while “It Was You”
is a dark tale of a failed relationship that alternates between
pulsating fury and more reflective qualities. Santa Cruz proves
that there is new modern rock being produced; I just hope
there are still outlets for this.
 CHERUBS
- Immaculada High (Relapse Records www.relapserecords.com)
Relapse Records has created a wild niche for itself since
the early 90s with raging hardcore and especially death metal
from around the country and the world. As the label matured,
it adopted a more experimental nature, even launching the
limitlessly visionary Release subsidiary, and Austin’s
Cherubs are a perfect reflection of what Relapse now readily
unleashes upon an unsuspecting world. Creating swirling masses
of noisy, frenzied riffs and abrasive vocals, one has to work
to hear the traditional song structures that lie beneath the
din. Opening with the visceral explosion of “Turista”,
Immaculada High announces itself with a devastating kick to
the head. The record is the band’s third record since
their comeback in 2014 after two decades in limbo. While there
are several brief blasts of heavily distorted force (“18
The Number”, “Old Lady Shoe” and “Pacemaker”),
much of Immaculada High includes more expansive songs that
incorporate psychedelic elements to add a level of ethereal
complexity to the band’s already layered sound. “Sooey
Pig” slows the tempo down to a simmer, allowing vocalist
Kevin Whitley to push his voice to new heights as a dense
wall of sound surrounds him. It is all too fitting that the
band recorded this record at a place in Austin called Cacophony
Studios for blaring eruptions “Tigers in the Sky”
and “Breath U Can C” feature equal parts searing
guitar and low end ferocity, an overwhelming amount of force
one also hears on “IMCG”. “Cry Real Wolves”
is a modern interpretation of grunge’s heaviest qualities
and the finest aspects of noisecore. The panoramic closer
“Nobodies” acts as a perfect example of how discord,
when perfectly harnessed, can be thrilling, and the screeching
final seconds are an ideal ending. As other labels have long
faded or regressed, Relapse continues to redefine extreme
music.
 JACK
AND THE ME OFFS - Greatest Hits Vol. II (Universal Warning
Records ; store.universalwarningrecords.com/ pages/news)
Wow! This is great-the Queers have a new record out and Joe
sounds younger than ever! On a second listen, I realize that
this is not the Queers, but rather a band under the tutorage
of the mighty Joe King, something instantly apparent from
the opening chords of “Rise and Shine”. Jack and
The Me Offs are a classic, fun-loving punk pop band, blatantly
unapologetic in their adoration of Screeching Weasel, Mr.
T Experience, Teenage Bottlerocket, and legions of others
and that is just fine with me. Every track on Greatest Hits
Volume II is explodes with energy and sugary sweet harmonies
anchored by infectious choruses. The lyrics are lighthearted
tales about girls who dress like it’s still 1992 (“Green
Day”), refusing to bow down before obnoxious club owners
(“Pay to Play”), and proper hygiene (“Please
Be Neat (Clean the Seat))” with blazing riffs from vocalist
Jack Bravstein and the hyperactive rythym section of bassist
Sam Crisci and drummer Gio Occhipinti. The trio blares through
the goofy, Descendants-flavored “Too Spicy” (“We
don’t need ketchup-too spicy”) with teenage irreverence
and a sincere exuberance, and the acerbic “Squashin’
Doves” is an ideal closer. This Jersey trio will help
listeners escape the repetitive nature of a continuously dire
news cycle as the band stays clear of politics, except for
the quite astute “Designer Fascist” that makes
a serious social point without naming anyone specifically,
but it is clear that the guys have specific targets in mind.
While I love this entire record, “Offended” is
my favorite (“I’m sick and tired of censoring
myself”) as Jack and the Me Offs celebrate of free speech
and give me hope that there are young kids out there who are
not running for cover or furiously tweeting because someone
used a trigger word. This is a wonderful return to punk-pop
authenticity, proudly carrying the banner made legendary by
The Queers all those years ago.
 MESSTHETICS
- Anthropcosmic Nest (Dischord Records www.dischord.com)
When two thirds of a band includes members of Fugazi (Joe
Lally and drummer Brendan Canty), I am instantly drawn to
it, and this instrumental act is a dizzying display of musical
virtuosity meshed with limitless creativity. Rounded out with
guitarist Anthony Pirog, Messthetics’ music is as idiosyncratic
as the tile of their sophomore release. At times delicate
followed by stop-on-a-dime intensity, Anthropcosmic Nest is
a rousing ride through eleven songs. “Drop Foot”
blends dense riffs with playful components and “Better
Wings” highlights Pirog’s nimble adroitness. The
are fleeting moments of noisy, challenging qualities that
invoke Fugazi’s finest days without recycling ideas.
The forty-one second dissonance of “The Assignment”
is matched by the equally gaunt “Insect Conference”
as Messthetics provide a master class in how to utilize avant-garde
ideas without coming across as contrived . The guys embrace
freeform jazz touches throughout the record, but truly highlight
this skill on “Pay Dust”, a track that while brief
is among the highlights of the record. The richly atmospheric
“Because the Mountain Says So” captures a sense
of walking alone through nature, as the trio integrates progressive
jazz with controlled bombast, building slowly throughout he
song until hitting a soaring guitar frenzy by Pirog who truly
emerges as a star throughout Anthropcosmic Nest. Not to be
labeled solely as a jazz-fusion meets indie punk act, the
guys play a loose, rollicking style of driving rock on “La
Lonta”, another song that does not hang round for very
long but leaves a lasting impression. Wrapping up with the
six minute “Touch Earth Touch Sky”, each member
is given an opportunity to highlight his skills across a capacious
anthem. There is a vast audience who will appreciate what
is produced here as Dischord contuse a decades-long tradition
of pushing boundaries and celebrating individuality that confronts
listeners and demands one’s complete attention.
 MONOGRAMS
- Living Wire (Paper Cup Music www.papercupmusic.com)
Monograms, yet another incredible act emerging from the seemingly
endless talent pool that is Brooklyn, labels their work “nuke
wave”, and it fits perfectly, as the band channels the
80s when fear of nuclear annihilation was a daily occupation.
The nervous bassline that propels “Sounds Like Mean
Spirit” is Joy Division and DIY indie pop wrapping around
each other in a loving embrace of musical soul mates. On “Don’t
Fight For It”, vocalist and one-time sole creator of
Monograms, Ian Jacobs, admits, “It takes guts to tell
yourself a lie” as an ocean of 80s dark wave that has
hints of The Cure at their most haunting. While the band may
have started in a bedroom and he des provide myriad of instrumentation
for Monograms, Jacobs now surrounds himself with a bevy of
impressive talent, highlighted by the synth work of Michelle
Feliciano who takes center stage on nearly every one of the
eight songs on Living Wire. Bassist Sam Bartos and drummer
Rich Carrillo augment Jacobs’ contribution with tight
rythyms of their own, shining on the punchy “Century”,
another song of modern frustration (“The centuries keep
coming alive/You don’t know why we should survive”).
“Buzz Choir”, my personal favorite of the lot,
is a combination of pop hooks woven into a patchwork tapestry
of angular, dense playing, opening discreetly before methodically
elevating its intensity. “Nose Dive” is steeped
in 80s nostalgia, and the line “No one cares if we don’t
care” sounds like a youthful call to arms from a band
who are quite daring in their willful injection of modern
rock styling into the boastful flaunting of Jacobs’
new wave and 90s indie fetishes. Living Wire closes with “Prate
Government”, a track that begins with ethereal keys
and introduces a mechanized, machine-gun drum rattle before
settling into an uneasy calm in which Jacobs uses his voice
as an accompanying instrument to add another layer to the
density of the song. There is a theme about giving up or at
least attempting to escape the trappings of contemporary life,
perhaps retreating to the days of MTV and ubiquitous synth,
but Monograms are not suggesting that life is empty. Instead,
the record buzzes with an infectious energy that illustrates
that those of us who are frustrated by what we see each day
are not alone, and there are plenty of others who share in
the confusion and angst. Monograms critique the world without
fully condemning it and do so through imaginative playing.
 PINEWALKER
- Migration (pinewalker.bandcamp.com)
In what has to be Salt Lake City’s heaviest band, Pinewalker
delivers sludge metal played with one foot in the darkness
of 70s Sabbath and the other in the refined brutality of High
on Fire. “Sentinel” builds slowly , incorporating
jarring blasts of thunderous riffs along with ample feedback
to brew a storm of punishing power. Their groove-laden metal
becomes unmistakable and the closing ninety seconds of the
track slams a taste of the New Wave of British heavy metal
with Crowbar into a vulgar display of power. The chunky rythym
of “Bone Collector” is a blues-soaked stomp led
by guitarist Tarren Mead, Jason Kennington, and Sam Roe. A
trio of guitar players can be a difficult balance, but Pinewalker
creates a wall of pummeling sound that elevates this band
out of the tar pits of simply being doom metal, and makes
it much more complex and distinctive. “Burning Earth”
injects noticeable speed and pronounced death metal vocals
during an exhilarating three and a half minutes. Over the
course of the opening trio of tracks of Migration, one hears
three different versions of Pinewalker, reinforcing just how
atypical this band is. The centerpiece of the record is the
massive magnum opus “Maelstrom”. Sprawled over
nine minutes, the track’s gentle intro belies a substantial
wave of seismic force that rumbles across the land with a
musical scorched earth campaign. This is followed by the eight
minutes of “Space Witch”, highlighted by a dreamy
lead that quickly becomes an effort awash in raw power. The
crunchy “Self Vs. Self” comes across as a grunge
band’s interpretation of death metal or vice versa,
but it is a glorious celebration of polished heaviness either
way. The song embodies Pinewalker’s willingness to dabble
in experimental territory as the bottom drops out of the middle
of the song before returning with a flurry of speed. The closing
“The Thaw” is another eight-minute monstrosity
marked by a fearless level of daring. Pinewalker is an example
of contemporary metal’s best elements and also its potential
future.
 UNIVERSAL
THEORY - The Most Attractive Force (universaltheory.bandcamp.com)
Universal Theory plays music with a strong gothic influence,
augmented with Sisters of Mercy inspired darkness; that is,
aspects of pain that somehow sound lush and lovely. This is
due largely to the stirring vocals of María José
Martos who compliments the gloomy delivery of Jesús
Pinilla perfectly. This Madrid-based duo is the brainchild
of Pinilla, and his adoration of 80s Goth and dark, atmospheric
metal shines throughout the record, but there are twists along
that way to offer aspects of distinct originality. The nearly
flamenco-esque guitar break on the emotive “Romance
I” was a delightful touch before the song returns to
a buzzing riff and the pair’s shared vocals meshing
into one powerful delivery. Lyrically, the songs play out
as a poetic ode to heartbreak and longing, heard with overwhelming
emotion on “Unfinished Fire” and “Deeper
Than You Know”. The latter is a more reserved work highlighted
by strings that generate the song’s eerie, mesmerizing
ambiance as Pinilla explores profound sorrow and crushing
depression (
Now It´s Time To Suffer This Life/Now It´s Time
To Walk And Cry/Stay In My Mind
Stay In The Night”). This not celebratory or even hopeful
music, but the musicianship is worthy of great praise, as
Universal Theory create individualized world within each track,
from the rhythmic force of “Romance II” to the
hard driving, metal-tinged “Before Sunrise” that
highlights Pinilla’s ability to channel Peter Murphy’s
most distressing vocal tone and Martos’ dynamic range.
Integrating synth into aggressive music can be a delicate
line to walk, as too much can overpower the intensity of the
band, but Universal Theory strikes a nimble balance throughout
The Most Attractive Force. At times menacing, other moments
reminiscent of church pip organs, the placement of the synthesizer
only helps to emphasize the breadth of passion one hears.
The concluding pair of tracks, “The Wall of Darkness”
and the lush instrumental “Light Vein” are gentle
works driven by wraithlike and hypnotic piano with the former
interspersed with spiraling vocal beauty from Martos. “Light
Vein”, written by Beth Hart, brings ideal closure to
this expressively exhausting work. One can breathe and be
lulled into a state of relaxation following what feels like
a gripping therapy session. Introspective and daring in its
exposure of raw emotion, I am intrigued by what Universal
Theory offers.
 YAWN
MOWER - Why Work Harder Than You Have To? (Mint 400 Records;
yawnmower.bandcamp.com)
This wonderfully laid-back, blissfully lawless act has a long
history of brilliant covers, from “Margaritaville”
to an entire Christmas Ep on which they “ruin”
holiday classics. This time, Yawn Mower play five more covers,
most of which seem in line with the type of band they are,
beginning with “Doctor Worm” from They Might Be
Giants’ 1998 Severe Tire Damage record. A song about
an actual worm who is indeed a doctor, Yawn Mower offer a
heartfelt and loving tribute to this obscure gem. On “Fume”,
the B-side to the slightly more well known “Loser”
from Beck, the guys smash their way through the track, offering
far more energy and guitar crunch than the original. The next
nugget is “Jersey Shore” from the The Promise
Ring, a band forever associated with emo’s salad days
and not an easy act to cover. Yawn Mower again adds a shot
of adrenaline and crisper guiar to bring a sparkling energy
to their interpretation. I was never of fan of The Presidents
of the United States as I just never understood how and why
they briefly caught fire, and “Lump” stood out
as particularly annoying. Even with the punk enthusiasm delivered
here, the song still remains beyond my grasp. I’ll go
with “Weird Al” and “Gump”, but Yawn
Mower’s take is far more entertaining than the original.
Closing with a fuzzy, distortion soaked version of Tom Petty’s
“You Don’t Know How it Feels”, Why Work
Harder Than You Have To? is a fun ride through some memories
and memorable tracks. Now I want some new originals for this
band.
 ALL
EYES WEST - Like Lightning (Jump Start Records www.jumpstartrecords.com)
If one is of a certain age (i.e. getting older), there s something
instantly recognizable about the sound of All Eyes West that
is both comforting and exciting. Like Lightning has Jawbox,
Drive Like Jehu, Seaweed, and even some Hüsker Dü
influences crawling all over it, and there is nothing bad
about that. All Eyes West previously worked with J Robbins,
so that helps to explain some of the similarities, but while
Robbins is not turning knobs on Like Lightning, his impact
lingers across the breadth of the experimentalism heard on
these works. It is fitting that the record has “As I
Bleed” and “Bruised” as musical bookends,
as the two tracks are both rugged and abrasive efforts driven
by masses of focused rage that bring levels of intellectualism
and meticulousness into the turbulence. “Too Alive”
has an uneasy warmth about it, as the riffs from Jeff Dean
are huge, the vocals of bassist Justin Miller are soaring,
and the thunderous rolls provided by Ronnie DiCola are rattling;
these components collide in a perfect stew of early indie
force and sneaky harmonies. The bass throb that drives “Interference”
and the ferocious “Death Wave” is matched by the
slash and burn guitar playing on “Dream of a Nightmare”,
as that song that moves with sinewy precision between inert
power and brief ethereal pauses. It is obvious that All Eyes
West could choose to simply hammer away at listeners if that
was their wont, but instead, the guys clearly take great pride
in their prowess to juggle varied, jarring time sequences
and delightfully off-kilter song structures. All Eyes West
play with a style that sounds like it is collapsing upon itself
and the listener is trapped in the middle of this imploding
racket, for “Chasing Light” is a bellicose anthem
that elbows people out of the way at the bar, while “Holding
on a Holdout” triumphantly manipulates an alternating
loud and soft dynamic range into something that sounds wholly
original. I am so angry that I am only hearing of this band
now, but I love every aspect of All Eyes West.
 THE
DRIPPERS - Action Rock (The Sign Records www.thesignrecords.com)
Sweden currently ranks seventh according to the World Happiness
Report, but that should jump up even higher after a listen
to The Drippers. This is everything rock n’ roll is
supposed to be, namely, loud, greasy, and injected with limitless
energy. Imagine if one can, the New Bomb Turks sharing a garage
with Electric Frankenstein while the Night Birds drink beer
and nod approvingly; that is only beginning of an understanding
of the brilliance that is The Drippers. Opening with the eight-five
seconds of “(Ain’t No) Shangri-La”, the
dual vocals of bassist Viktor Skatt and guitarist William
Dickborn work in flawless tandem, as drummer Niclas Kristoferson
is a machine of a human being. Every song is a screaming,
fuzzed-out explosion of punky, catchy rock drenched in Scandinavian
sleaze, but “Gimme the Shakes” and “White
Light” are nearly flawless. The lo-fi aesthetics of
“Backbeat” makes the song sound sweaty through
my speakers and shimmies with Stones-style confidence and
Iggy Pop’s reckless fury. “Bottle Blues”
and “Finskt Blood” are two high adrenaline tracks
that borrow from Motorhead as much as they do the Candy Snatchers
or Zeke. Every few years a band or two comes along and are
labeled as the “next great saviors” of rock; I
hesitate to put that moniker on The Drippers only because
I do not want to curse them, as these three guys are special.
People can debate about the health of rock music at this point
in the twenty-first century and whether it still connects
with people as it once did, but a person would have be long
dead to hear this and not be moved. The Drippers better get
a significant slot on a major tour of the U.S. because the
nineteenth happiest country in the world could use this maybe
more than ever, and I want to hear “Day Turns to Night”
and “Sweet Action” in a club filled to the ceiling.
 PAT
TODD & THE RANKOUTSIDERS - The Past Came Callin’
(Hound Gawd Records www.houndgawd.com)
Pat Todd and his Rankoutsiders do not cheat the fans. The
Past came Callin’ is fourteen songs of old fashion rock
n’ roll that emphasize loud guitars and good storytelling.
Part garage rock, part cowboy swagger, this is a rollicking
trip through classic riffs and bold energy. The band offers
new work along with a few pieces that had been in the vault,
had the dust blown off of them, and finally given a chance
to see the light of day. The hard driving opener, “If
Only I Could Fly Backwards in Time” is nearly old enough
to drive, while “Yeah, I Had a Bad Night” is on
the cusp of celebrating its first legal drink. Traditional
themes of feeling unsettled and unsatisfied with life are
heard throughout the record but never sound recycled, especially
“Call You on Sunday Night” and “Run”,
the latter featuring the liner notes joke of “no song
writing clichés were harmed in the making of this song”.
With a bar band aesthetic and downhome honesty, Pat Todd and
his mates keep the playing direct and the emotions raw on
“A New Pair of Eyes” and “Just Between You
and Me”, a subdued tale of pain that closes the record
without providing a happy ending to send everyone home hopeful
for a better future. At times folksy and bluesy (“Down
in the Bourne” sounds like a Southern-friend hootenanny),
but more often octane-fueled (“The Future Callin’”),
The Past Came Callin’ reveals a band caught between
looking back and yet still enthused about the present.
 DE
LA NOCHE - Blue Days, Black Nights (Get Loud Records; getloudrecordings.bandcamp.com)
Everything about De la Noche is smooth, from the supple nature
of the velvety jazz and haunting sax that one hears across
the eleven, single-word titled songs, to the warm vocals of
Howard Ivans. This is mature, lovely music for adults but
it is not going to be heard in the background of your local
supermarket anytime soon. The songs are intentionally melancholy
and deeply emotionally penetrating, for when Howard asks “Don’t
you miss me?’ on “Blue”, the question s
soul-shaking in its pain, transcending simple crushes and
truly connecting with people who are lost and wandering without
a guide. “Gold” is a lush, suave jazz track with
profoundly emotive vocals and perfectly placed sax that captures
one of Ivans’ influences, the 80s hit maker Sade (perhaps
the first mention of her in Jersey Beat?). Robert Rogan and
Seth Weeks are the remarkable players behind the words, and
their ethereal soundscapes paint heartrending pictures through
haunting arrangements on the up-tempo “Run” on
which Ivans invokes Brian Ferry, mixing robust sensuality
with poignant fragility and vulnerability, (“I should
run away/but I stay”), and the penetrating humanism
of “Spooky”. “Lover” is gentle and
deeply moving and when the simple lyric of “true love”
is repeated, it is difficult to avoid being swept away. The
kindness of “Lover, it’s killing me to see you
in so much pain” is a punch to the stomach and a daring
revelation about one’s mistakes and regrets. If loud
and fast rules solely in one’s playlist, De La Noche
may not be a band of choice, but those looking for fully developed,
intricately performed works of sheer beauty, go find Blue
Days, Black Nights immediately.
 FLORAL
PRINT - S/T (floralprint.bandcamp.com)
The opening line of Floral Print’s self –titled
EP is “you’ve been fucking with my head/in a good
way” (“Six Pillows”). This juxtaposition
of ideas reflects the band’s music as well; part classic
indie jangle, part jazz-inspired improvisational freedom,
the band’s six songs are a wild ride through lovesick
loss and the hopes for a better future. “I Go Down on
the Breeze” has an ambling nature interrupted by bursts
of fuzzy guitar blasts that reminded me of the oft-kilter
noise of Archers of Loaf and lyrics of desperation and sadness
tinged with a subtle helplessness (“I can’t stand
when you fall/keep it all on track, let the reel of film recall”).
The song is given a minute-long reprise with only stripped
down acoustic guitar, providing a very different approach
to a beautiful piece. The fleeting instrumental “Vermillion”
offers a tender reprise before the band once again takes the
listener down a rabbit hole of profound emotion on “Alice
Arm”. Subdued guitars and vocals mesh together to craft
a song that frequently manipulates complex time sequences
and should hold all who hear it with rapt attention. The closing
“Viridian” is my favorite of the bunch, with the
earnest opening lyric “”I want to show you the
better parts of me/Or drown in a deep, dark sea” and
the crushing concluding admittance “I wanted to show
you all the things that we could be/If you were patient with
the cutting parts of me”. The track finishes with a
flurry and leaves one desperately hoping that a full length
is on the way soon. This is not uplifting, but well crafted,
daring, and refreshingly unique.
 OUTSIDER
- When Love Dies (Flatspot Records www.flatspotrecords.com)
By this point in my life, I have heard a voluminous amount
of stomping, metallic hardcore, but when the cry of “Apocalypse
now when the countdown starts…” launches Outsider
into a thunderous breakdown that acts as the focal point of
the bone-liquefying ninety second firestorm of “Path
You’ve Earned”, I am hooked on this young and
ferociously talented Richmond outfit. Playing with the blinding
speed of acts like Dropdead or Magrudergrind matched with
Madball’s penchant for mind-altering heaviness, Outsider
makes one wonder where the hardcore ends and the metal begins,
as the two styles mesh flawlessly and effortlessly. “Mind
of Misery” is a chunky, thunderous effort reminiscent
of the finest moments of Sick of It All with guitar riffs
that owe as much to Dave Mustaine as they do Vinnie Stigma.
“Let Myself Go” experiments with tempo a bit more
loosely than the other tracks on the EP, alternating between
more pensive qualities and chugging metalcore intensity, all
accompanied by rugged, angered vocals. The concluding title
track may have a sullen intro, but it quickly converts itself
into an abrasive effort that would fit as easily on a 90s
Earache Records roster as on the continuously impressive Flatspot
stable. It can be easy to imagine that this is just another
genre-blending hardcore outfit that is recycling old ideas
in a anew package, but Outsider is genuinely different due
to both their musical proficiency and the sheer power of their
playing. I would suggest having a few EMTs on stand-by for
their shows.
 PETER
LAUGHNER - Peter Laughner (Smog Veil Records www.smogveil.com)
For those too young to remember the career of Peter Laughner
as it happened, this massive five volume retrospective will
provide people with a thorough overview of his visionary
brilliance. While Laughner’s career began in the mid-60s,
he truly emerged as a burgeoning rock n’ roll legend
in the early to late 1970s, and the focus of this box set
is the heart of his expansive repertoire between 1972 until
his tragic passing in 1977. From his time as part of the
brain trust that comprised Pere Ubu to his immortal status
within Cleveland’s long-standing place as a musical
haven through bands like Rocket From the Tombs and the Fins,
few encompassed so much of rock’s potential as singer,
songwriter, and performer, and all of his genius is captured
in this wide-ranging box set. Along the way, listeners are
treated to a range of musical visions that are poignant,
heartfelt, and remarkably intimate. Volumes One, Three,
and Five are acoustic, authentic and intense pieces of Americana
that sound as if those listening are sitting with Laughner
in his living room as he introduces the songs and plays
gritty bur delicate anthems about loneliness (“Love
Minus Zero”), drinking, (“’Drunkards Lament”,)
and New York City (“Sidewalks of New York”,
“Eyes of a New York Woman”). The blues played
a significant role in Laughner’s music, and one hears
the influence most obviously on “Hesitation Blues”
and his majestic versions of Robert Johnson’s “32-20
Blues” and “Me and the Devil Blues”, but
also on efforts such as “Dear Richard”, a song
introduced as “an answer to an unwritten suicide note”.
Each of the tracks, lovingly restored by Maria Rice and
Jeff Lipton, sounds fresh and overflowing with lively passion,
which defined Laughner as an artist. His music was both
a tribute to rock’s glorious and occasionally unsteady
inception as well as a predictor of what punk and indie
rock would become. His grimy, angst-ridden classic “Ain’t
It Fun” drips with the same rage and frustration later
spewed forth by Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys featuring
former Rocket From the Tombs member Cheetah Chrome.
I cannot decide which style of Laughner’s work I appreciate
and enjoy more deeply; the rollicking, noisy garage rock
or the more genteel acoustic work. “Junkman”
is heartbreaking as Laughner laments about “the blues
you get from reading other people’s notebooks”
and how “my sister sold her heart to the junkman”,
while “Sylvia Plath” includes lyrics that cannot
help but make one smile “Sylvia Plath was never too
good at math/but they tell me that she finished at the head
of her class/ And if she lost any virginity, she didn’t
lose it too fast”) despite being a song about a melancholy
figure. The various covers are scintillating and reveal
the breadth of Laughner’s musical knowledge and his
daring. He and band slow “All Along the Watchtower”
to a soulful crawl, embrace the electric Bob Dylan that
caused a near riot at the Newport Blues Festival with “It
Takes a Lot to Laugh”, and deliver a loving and whiskey-soaked
version of “Wild Horses” found on Volumes Two,
Four, and Five respectively. At sixty-one songs, this is
both comprehensive and perhaps exhaustive for one sitting,
but it is difficult to turn away from the box set once it
gets rolling. The concluding Fifth section contains haunting
works that hang wistfully in the air, such as “Come
On In”, a fragile love song that is immensely powerful
in its barebones, Mississippi Delta blues delivery in which
the lines of “I got a lot of plans/I’ve got
a lot future” are uttered which become all the more
heart-rending when one considers Laughner’s early
death. The collection finishes with a high-energy acoustic
take on Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues”.
At only one minute, this truncated interpretation acts a
metaphoric representation of Laughner’s life-inspired,
energized, and over far too soon.
 GOOD
SERVICE - Please (https://goodservice.bandcamp.com/)
Noah Fardon is a one-man force known as Good Service and his
new record is a musical journey as varied and distinctive
as this young man’s life. Although only twenty-five,
Fardon has lived a sojourner’s existence, beginning
in Nashville where he spent time hanging around deep thinkers
on the porch of a coffee shop before traveling northward to
Maine. Vacationland turned out to be anything but for Fardon
as he formed a band and ultimately began living and recording
as Good Service. While a fleeting collection, only nine songs
around half hour in total, Please transports one back in time
to a mixture of 1960s and 70s vibes that may reflect a mixed
sense of hope and concern. “Summer Muses” and
“MaPaw” are two ideal examples of this structure,
for the tracks meander with a lassitude that belies the emotional
depth found within. “Summer Muses” is particularly
griping, telling a tale of drug use that is becoming somewhat
confounding from the protagonist’s perspective, as it
is unclear if the drugs are having a positive or negative
effect. (“Not to say these hours have been useless;
wish I could do this more”) This is an artist born at
the wrong time, but Fardon is doing all he can to bring classic
jangly, groovy aesthetics into digital age. “Washington
Avenue” is a warm, frills-free acoustic piece that projects
subtle warmth through its chilly, airy atmosphere. The record
revolves around the questioning and the stark realization
of one’s mortality, as Fardon became tragically inspired
to pursue this line of thinking following his grandmother’s
diagnosis with a terminal illness, a disease that took her
life nearly eighteen months later. The cleverly titled “Sys’ro”
includes genteel waves of swirling noise as a buttress to
the haunting vocal delivery turned in by Fardon. Please is
a work of minimalist mastery and deep-rooted emotion that
leaves a significant impact upon the listener.
 HIGH
ON FIRE - Bat Salad (eOneMusic)
This three-song EP is both a celebration of High On Fire’s
musical influences as well as a triumphant farewell to drummer
Des Kensel who has left the band after more than twenty-one
years of service and one of the band’s founders. “Bat
Salad” is a clever homage to Black Sabbath both in terms
of title (see Sabbath’s thunderous “Rat Salad”)
and musical force. Dense and muscular musicianship carry the
five and half minute instrumental with Matt Pike’s guitar
prowess on prominent display. The aforementioned Kensel and
rhythm section mate, bassist Jeff Matz, are a punishing combination
one last time as the song is a relentless parade of intelligent
metal. The two covers are crushing tributes to legendary acts,
the invaluable Celtic Frost and true D.C. icons Bad Brains.
“Into the Crypts of Rays” is my favorite CF anthem,
and while others have done sterling jobs recapturing the power
of the original (check out Goatwhore’s scathing version,
for example), High On Fire embraces the frantic nature of
the song and celebrates the raw, punk nature of Celtic Frost’s
early work. Along with Kurt Ballou’s brilliance behind
the scenes, HOF crafts a version that, as blasphemous as this
may be to some, surpasses the original. The EP concludes with
Bad Brains’ “Don’t Bother Me”, and
HOF are again able to perfectly express the unfettered rage
that drove the caustic original. This is a testament to High
On Fire’s strength as an act, for these three songs
would be the pinnacle of many careers, but for them, it was
a fun release for Record Store Day. Go immediately and treat
yourself to this.
 PEARER
- A Healthy Earth (Tiny Engines Records www.tinyengines.net)
This Brooklyn outfit is another step in the evolution of indie
pop rock. The opening “Circle” is a taut whirlwind
of hypnotic riffs and Peter Katz’s sublimely emotive
voice that introduces the band with a mixture of quiet beauty
and precise delivery. The same holds true with “Ollie”,
a playful two minutes of dreamy pop about Katz’s puppy,
accented by a sense of innocence through a bass clarinet solo.
The more capacious “Like You” features fragile
guitar playing as Katz says, “I’m like you because
I want to be” celebrating an admitted sense of imitation
and conformity that one usually does not hear within rock,
but this is a tale of two songs. Roughly halfway through the
track, “Like You” adopts a more rambunctious spirit
with Katz’s guitar force taking a more prominent position
as a larger and louder wave of guitar crunch builds around
a steady backing groove created by bassist Thom Lombardi and
drummer Jeremy Kinney. “Don’t” has an understated
anger beneath its sophisticated, math rock exterior and is
among the record’s most intriguing songs. The start/stop,
unsteady time sequences of the song make it simultaneously
unnerving and enticing, and when Katz’s feedback drenched
solo hits its crescendo, the song collapses upon itself from
its own musical inertia and sheer exhaustion. This is complicated
playing overflowing with resentment for the equally complicated
nature of the times. In “Multiverse”, Katz theorizes
of another time and place when he was not himself and had
“never touched a guitar”. It is unclear if he
is seeking escapism or simply giving in to a form of good-natured
conjuncture. Remaining largely quite subdued, “Multiverse”
is a tour through Katz’s mind done with a sense of bold
bravery. On “Joke”, the band plays a tightly wound
mix of blithe pop and monotone, deadpan vocals (“I told
a joke/ at least it started as a joke/ It was supposed to
stay a joke/ now I’m sorry that I spoke”). The
opening ethereal seconds of “In My Belly” briskly
steps aside and allows for 90s style indie noise to rush through
the heart of the track, only to have the song dissipate again
into a hushed conclusion, thus encompassing the larger nature
of this band; the songs are not quite schizophrenic, but there
are certainly personality conflicts that exist within them.
On “Wilbur”, Katz gruffly declares that he “left
his body behind in pursuit of the mind” over the top
of a breezy, acoustic riff. This stripped down approach is
also heard on the closing “Have Fun” but the song
appears to struggle to wiggle free from its old skin and emerge
as something boisterous, but ultimately, the tracks recedes
into a musical gloaming. This is not an easy listen, but certainly
a riveting one.
 THE
DARLING FIRE - Dark Ceremony (Spartan records www.spartanrecords.com)
It is safe to assume that the members of The darling Fire
bristle at the term “super group”, but when one
looks at the resumes here, it is hard to ignore the vast amount
of talent within the band’s ranks. Featuring members
Dashboard Confessional (Jolie Lindholm), Further Seems Forever
(Steven Kleisath), and Poison the Well (Jeronimo Gomez) to
name but a few, the band has all the prerequisites needed
for a special release. However, if sports has taught us anything,
it is sometimes difficult to transfer greatness on paper to
greatness in action; luckily, that is not the case on The
Darling Fire. This Florida based outfit creates a record with
a perfect name. Dark Celebration is just that-a rumbling,
pounding, dense mass of emotionally driven force. The opening
“For the Loveless” is appropriately heart wrenching
and atmospherically lush, with Lindholm’s vocals existing
beautifully between the realms of sullen and passionate, exuding
a breathy, strong delivery that is a staple of Dark celebration.
It is not a surprise that the band can create tightly constructed
grooves, as their previous acts were famous for this trait
as well, but “Omaha” and “Catatonia “are
a pair of ethereal body punches masking monolithic strength
behind shrewdly layered harmonies. The Darling Fire is a band
that repeatedly and effortlessly delivers intoxicatingly intricate
tracks without ever overwhelming he listener. Borrowing subtle
touches of 90s shoegaze on “Silver Spade”, Lindholm,
Gomez, and Matthew Short produce a warm, dreamlike world of
guitar hum. Each of the songs stays with the listener, lasting
on average around five minutes, so people can enjoy the stirring
dynamics of J Robbins’ production. Each anthem is a
fully matured gem with a separate identity. Drummer Kleisath
fuels the meandering “The Constant”, while the
closing “In Twilight” is bathed in translucent
beauty interspersed with a massive riff. The songs are emotionally
emotive, poignant, and dazzling. This is a great band that
invokes elements of the 90s indie uprising, but makes those
tones also inherently contemporary.
 SPIDER
- Energy Gone Wrong (CPYRT CNTRL RCRDS)
This three-song EP is more than enough to alert people that
Spider is a seriously punk rock juggernaut. If you do not
believe my words, check out their scathing version of Black
Flag’s immortal “Depression”. It takes guts
to cover one of the true legends of the genre, and even more
courage to put a unique stamp on a classic, but Spider makes
the song their own with ease. Hector Martinez does not simply
attempt a Rollins impression, but delivers the lyrics with
a chilling intensity. The other surrounding pieces are equally
rattling, as the closing effort, the brutal “The Reeperbahn”,
is a heavy, crunchy track that takes rock by the throat and
shakes some punk angst into its aging body. Guitarist Karl
Izumi works in seemly tandem with bassist Jeff Abarta and
drummer Alf Silva on the opening title effort. Abarta and
Izumi also contribute surprisingly harmonious backing vocals
that keep the bad one foot in the garage and the other in
a vomit-strewn gutter. I loved this little teaser and the
full length is hopefully coming soon.
 DIVINE
DIRT - From the Underworld (www.facebook.com/Divine-Dirt)
Bloody F. Mess will always have a special place in my heart.
I first learned of him as the leader of Bloody Mess and the
Skabs, a band that infamously opened for one of GG Allin’s
parole-dodging tours, and later, Mr. Mess declared O.J. Simpson
an “innocent man” more than a year before the
end of that trial with song rightfully called “O.J.
Simpson” which I played into the ground during my salad
days of college radio. All these years later, he returns with
his new act, Divine Dirt, and delivers From the Underground,
a rocking, transcendental collection of trashy punk gems.
Divine Dirt is largely more rock than punk, particularly on
the ultra-catchy ode to the band itself (“Divine Dirt”)
and the Sabbath-like stomp of “Lifting the Veil”.
While the songs may play with tempo, there are more than a
few true punk nuggets to be found, especially “Everyone’s
On Drugs” which chronicles the legal drug trade that
keeps more Americans than ever artificially able to get through
their days, and “My Mind’s Diseased” ( including
a new mantra of modern life-“My mind’s diseased
with daily life”). The plodding “Skeletons”
grinds slowly while Mess does his best Alice Cooper impression,
a style matched in both tone and tenor by “Howling at
the Moon”. The low-end thump of “Thieves Dressed
as Kings” meshes sludge and a classic Judas Priest metallic
assault to produce a slab of fun that could have illuminated
parking lot parties in the early 80s. It is always great to
have Bloody Mess back, and Divine Dirt displays, dare I say,
some maturity from Peoria’s finest product.
 UV-TV
- Happy (Deranged Records www.derangedrecords.com)
UV-TV is able to create music that both bubbles over with
energy and exuberance but the joy is also skillfully muted
throughout Happy. The noisy, occasionally ambient, but always-impressive
guitar work of Ian Bernacett and the remarkable vocal prowess
of Rose Vastola lead the outfit originally from Gainesville,
Florida. On the title track, Vastola’s sweetly sarcastic
tone highlights the song’s declaration that “I’m
so happy for you/Well it’s true/I’ll tell you/
it’s just a lot of shit”, while crunchy punk guitar
dominates. There are aspects of the band’s earlier,
more cuddle-core style, but UV-TV is embracing their angst
on “inside Out” as raw, slashing guitar accents
Vastola’s passionate delivery. (“You’re
always upside down/I’m always inside out”) Subtle
sweetness is heard on “Hide” and “Untitled”
as both songs radiate enthusiasm along with rich harmonies.
“World” is a more refined work as both it and
the closing “Falling Down” are lengthier efforts
that reveal the evolving nature of the band, as the members
have the confidence to grant more air between notes. The work
on Happy proves that UV-TV can strike at a listener’s
head and heart with equal poise.
 CHEMTRAIL
- Collider (Good Fight Records https://goodfightmusic.bandcamp.com)
Instrumental bands deserve limitless respect; it is extremely
difficult to produce music that is both stirring and relatable
without a vocalist and lyrics to connect the listener to the
band. An act like Animals as Leaders comes to mind in terms
of bands that are capable of creating such an impact, and
Chemtrail deserve to be within this conversation as well.
Collider is a richly textured, complex mass of musical expertise
from Ashbury Park. The band has three members who play guitar
(Mike Burke and Chris Camano also offer their skills as keyboardists
as well) and Chemtrail’s prowess is placed on full display
with the opening “Void Crawler”. Ambient and innovative
with sharp time structures, the song is a beautiful wall of
sound that is stunningly lush and intricate but still graspable
even for those of us who could never play like this. The spiritual
nature of “Young Warrior” emerges again during
the second half of “Collider”. This treasure of
a song opens with aggressive guitar work before injecting
a wave of distortion that cleanses the palate before the track
drifts into a mist of unnerving calm that becomes hypnotic
in its soothing nature. While “Parameters” and
“Frozen Dream” are fleeting and beautiful, the
fleshed out majesty of “Safe Passage” takes the
listener on yet another astral expedition. There is something
wholly unique about what Chemtrail does and they are a band
for those who can appreciate truly refined musicianship as
well as those who simply want to be swept away by dazzling
compositions.
 SUB
DIO (undercomm.org/records.sidewithus.com/)
I love a band with a great backstory and Sub Dio certainly
has that. Brian Moss has kicked around in a number of impressive
bands throughout his life and has also spent time as a middle
school teacher in San Francisco, and Danaca Von Hartwig is
a social justice lawyer. Alongside Shane Hendry on drums,
Danthrax on guitar (although Rob carter appears here) and
Ran Marshall on bass, the band rampages through five blistering
efforts of intelligent, hardcore flavored tracks. Von Hartwig
and Moss share vocals and the give and take between them gives
each song an aura of chaos while thunderous playing swirls
around their impassioned voices. Each effort retains a similar
sound that blends speed with raw emotion starting with “Takies”.
With lyrics inspired by Von Hartwig’s critical but often
times frustrating work, the band demands that listeners sit
up and pay attention. “Skeeters” builds slowly
and methodically before detonating into a mushroom cloud of
fervent emotion. There is a clear nod to vintage DC post-punk
on “Credible Fear”, particular the dissonant and
discordant guitar playing that acts as the foundation of the
song, and “Peachy Keen” is a flesh-ripping assault
of a song. With Hendry’s breakneck drumming opening
the song, Moss and Von Hartwig once again throw themselves
into the musical fray, roaring and screaming about “hating
the feeling” and “staring at the ceiling”
with the repeating cry of “so peachy keen” taking
on a sense of biting sarcasm. The concluding “Pardon
Me” acts a perfect bookend to a five-song thrill ride
of uncompromisingly abrasive and potent playing. I hope these
guys can push their day jobs to the side and tour for a while.
 CRO-MAGS
- "Don’t Give In" EP (Victory Records, www.victoryrecords.com)
It is nightmarishly redundant to say that the Cro-Mags are
one of the defining forces of American hardcore, but their
history is important to understand as one listens to the new
three-song EP. Granted, only one original member remains,
but there is still something greatly endearing to hear Harley
Flanagan bark, “Can’t let the circumstances define
who you are” on “No One’s Victim”,
the blistering final song of the three. The past two decades
have been wrought with legal battles about the band’s
name that were as bitter as the nastiest child custody case,
with Flanagan finally gaining the right to record and tour
under the moniker “Cro-Mags," the band he started
when the vocalist was barely out of middle school. The trio
of tracks are heavy, crossover hardcore that is done extremely
well; it may not be revolutionary, but just having new Cro-Mags
music after nearly twenty years is exciting. The band features
the well-traveled Rocky George on guitar, and the opening
“Don’t Give In” has aspects of Suicidal
Tendencies running through it as Flanagan scowls his affirmations
of toughness and self-reliance over three minutes of thunderous
playing. It is a phrase Flanagan must know well, for not giving
in defines his musical career. Guitarist Gabby Abularach and
drummer Garry “G-Man” Sullivan bring their own
brands of raw energy to the EP, and the Cro-Mags sound like
they could throw down with kids more than half their ages,
as the scathing “Drag You Under” proves. For those
who were around to see the Cro-Mags in their early days of
80s New York City hardcore, it may be difficult to imagine
that the band is still alive and vital in 2019, but of course,
no one in the NYC of the 80s could imagine Times Square with
a Disney store and family-style restaurants, so much has changed.
However, one constant is Flanagan’s commitment to the
spirit of the bare-knuckled brutality that defines the Cro-Mags.
These three songs are not announcing a comeback as the legend
and influence of the Cro-Mags never left. Instead, this is
a declaration that the sleeping beast has once again risen.
 THE
GIRAFFES - Flower of the Cosmos (Silver Sleeves Records
https://www.facebook.com/ silversleeverecords)
The Giraffes have been a long time staple of Brooklyn, particularly
the Brooklyn prior to gentrification and rents that rival
Manhattan. Their shows are infamous, and while Flower of the
Cosmos may not necessarily capture the insanity of their gigs,
the record is a collection of simmering blasts of metal-tinged
rock. The opening “Can’t Do This in Your Head”
is a noisy, guitar-heavy festival that is equal parts garage
noise and hard-driving rock n’ roll. The Giraffes exist
somewhere within those murky punk rock waters that infuse
punchy force with just enough musical sophistication to know
that the members are pros and not just a gang of guys slapping
instruments around a rehearsal space. “FAKS” rattles
like “No One Knows” from Queens of the Stone Age
and a similar vibe is captured on “Golden Door”,
with the latter delicately flavored with just enough atmospheric
haze. The superbly titled “Raising Kids in the End Times”
leaps skyward with a energized bass line that correlates with
equally bombastic guitar riffs blending in with smoothly delivered
lyrics from Aaron Lazar as he notes that “nothing’s
gonna change”, and we are all “just living day
to day”; this sad acknowledgment of man’s futility
feels all too poignant right now. Lazar and fellow guitarist
Damien Paris dominate “Bubble Scum”, an effort
that oozes bluesy sensuality, while “Dorito Dreams”
shakes with uncontrollable energy. Lazar declares on “Fill
Up Glass”, “we’ll change your minds tonight”,
and while the masses who attend the sweaty, furiously intense
live performances from The Giraffes may not to have their
opinions of the band changed, for those who are new to this
outfit, Flower of the Cosmos is a perfect introduction. This
is a record of progressive thinking rock as the band delivers
hard-hitting tracks with a musical dexterity that is highly
impressive. Now I just have to get to one of their gigs.
 LOLA
MONTEZ - Dissonant Dreams (lolamontezband.com)
Most people know Lola Montez as the famous mistress of King
Ludwig I of Bavaria who fled the Germanic states during the
ill-fated revolutions of 1848. However, if history does not
interest you, the new reference point for Lola Montez will
be this outstanding trio from Nashville. The band plays an
infectious brand of well-crafted modern rock with a few playful
nods to other genres. The majority of the work revolves around
the guitar work of Blake Scopino and the beautiful vocals
of Inga Rudin. Rudin’s voice soars majestically throughout
the record, cutting through the songs like blazing comet in
the night sky, and she even matches the power of Grace Slick
on the band’s bold cover Jefferson Airplane’s
“White Rabbit”. Scopino provides a wide array
of guitar tricks and displays impressive nimbleness without
ever becoming redundant. “Sacred” is one such
example of this dynamic, but the song also possesses a subtle
ambient nature also heard on “End of the Rainbow”
that provides a sense of mystery and experimentation not always
found in modern hard rock. Lola Montez also allows each of
their songs to have air to breathe and room to roam as most
of the tracks clock in at over four minutes in length. Maintaining
the attention span of fans today can be challenging, but each
of the ten songs resonate with warm harmonies and large, sweeping
hooks, best heard on “Cyanide”. “Can You
Feel Me” includes a funky, impish structure that allows
Scopino to shine, while “Monster” has a heavy
low-end groove. The song also features one of Rudin’s
finest vocal performances, for her warning of “don’t
touch me there” is delivered with a mixture of sensuality
and caution. The shared vocals on “Break Up” gives
the effort extra musical depth and is reminiscent of classic
FM rock radio from a bygone era. Lola Montez does not solely
clubber listeners for ten songs, but rather, the band alternates
their fits of intensity with elements of serenity and sophistication.
This is a band to which people need to pay attention.
 BRUCE
SPRINGSTEEN - Western Stars (Columbia Records www.columbiarecords.com)
I have seen the future of rock n' roll and he is now nearly
seventy, but Bruce Springsteen continues to write songs of
brilliant Americana that convey images of blue-collar struggles
in a manner that makes him rock's Steinbeck. Springsteen famously
invoked that legendary author on his Ghost of Tom Joad record,
and Western Stars will undoubtedly remind many of that work,
along with those who traveled with The Boss to Nebraska. Springsteen
is once again alone on the road, traveling through the forgotten
and ignored places such as the "lonely town" detailed
on "Sundown" as the narrator simply travels "from
bar to bar" lamenting a lost love. Rather than taking
listeners to the heartland, Western Stars is a tribute to
the rugged, still somewhat untamed aspects of the American
West represented by figures racked by loneliness, depression,
and painfully self-destructive regret. Self-reflection and
the crushing sorrow of failure dominate the lives of the characters
captured by Springsteen, whether this takes the form of the
dissipation of a relationship ("There Goes My Miracle")
or a desire to shed one's skin and start anew only to meet
more disappointments ("Tucson Train"). The opening
"Chasing Wild Horses" invokes sentiments of youthful
anger that carried far too deeply into adulthood, while "Somewhere
North of Nashville" includes the line, "I traded
this song for you" offering a poignant emptiness that
Springsteen referenced in both his autobiography and his sold-out
Broadway show.
Springsteen's strength has always been his ability to capture
a fleeting snapshot of American life and make it broadly
relatable; on "Drive Fast (Stunt Man)", the protagonist
lists his ills and the lasting suffering caused by his profession.
In the hands of a weaker writer, the story could come across
as clichéd, but Springsteen makes the tattered stunt
man an analogy for anyone who has been battered and bruised
by life's struggles. The work here is gentle, largely acoustic,
and richly country-flavored, with Springsteen's gravely,
well-worn voice and stunning musicianship granting each
syllable uttered increased significance, accented by stirring
strings, such as the lushly constructed "Stones"
("I woke up this morning/stones in my mouth")
and the desperate self-deprecation of "Hello Sunshine"
("I always had a soft spot for the rain"). While
"Sleep Joe's Café" is a divergence from
this style with its buoyant tempo, "Moonlight Motel"
has a lullaby sensibility and a haunting fragility in which
memories flood back as the speaker gazes at a location of
transitory contentment and offers "one last shot"
of Jack Daniels to honor a place of past happiness, acting
as a template reflective of the collective work of Western
Stars. The career of Bruce Springsteen has included numerous
aspects of rock's best qualities, but there is nothing in
his catalogue that sounds quite like what one hears on Western
Stars. The familiarity of the lyrical style remains in tact,
but the musical structure takes the legend down yet another
path, this one dusty and isolated replete with cowboys and
the big sky of the West. Sit by the campfire and allow New
Jersey's best to transplant all who listen to a majestically
heartbreaking corner of the world.
 AAN
-- Losing My Shadow (Fresh Selects Records www.freshselects.bandcamp.com)
Aan is another wildly creative act from Portland, Oregon that
shape-shifts genres by blending atmospheric keys with dreamy
soundscapes and injections of sharp pop harmonies. Woven throughout
the fabric of Losing My Shadow are tales of complex personal
revelations and self-awareness, as Bud Wilson admits on the
title track, “In my head I knew something my heart wasn’t
ready to face/You wanted my love and I wanted your trust/But
I was telling you lies/I was down in the dust” as psychedelic
guitar riffs and a minimalist beat float around him. “Truly
Massive” feels as if could exist in the late 60s as
swirling, ethereal beauty envelopes equally beautiful lyrics
(“Your touch is such a deception/Each kiss is a lesson
I can’t seem to learn/It’s truly massive the way
the world spins round you/I’m a blip in your atmosphere”),
while “Born a Sucker” is propelled by warm programming
compliments of Cameron Spies. The resplendent “Mistakes”
is a serene, poignant effort that possesses a subdued R&B
groove deftly accented by warm keys. This ability to balance
humanity with the use of digital assistance is a fine line
to walk, and Aan does so with remarkable grace. Much the way
that Sgt.Peppers or Pet Sounds utilized every inch of the
studio, Losing My Shadow conveys a similar sentiment for each
song is overflowing with ideas and waves of sound. The songs
never become cluttered or overly busy but are certainly complex
in their majestic approach. The heartwrenching “Hurts
to be Alone” is not a standard lament about feeling
ignored, but is rather a declaration of pain and confusion
by Wilson as he proclaims to the world, “I’ve
got love for everyone” while gentle keys caress each
syllable. Aan does not shy away from challenging the listener,
as Losing My Shadow is not a record that one simply puts on
as background noise; the nine songs demand rapt attention
and are layered, adroitly textured works that are both similar
in nature and yet still distinctly unique from each other.
The closing “Life of the Party” has an aura that
is the antithesis of the title as the song has a wraithlike
quality hat perfectly captures the line, “I’m
just a ghost in the room”. The loneliness and self-doubt
Aan explores is quite painful and one can almost hear the
anguish Wilson is suffering, but his ability to express these
motions with such daring clarity makes Losing My Shadow
a powerful listening experience.
 CORPORATE
CITIZEN - A Brief Moment of Sanity (El Topo Records www.eltoporecors.com)
Corporate Citizen labels itself a hardcore band but unlike
acts that play fleeting blasts of speed that come and leave
within a blink, Corporate Citizen flesh out their songs and
develop a highly distinctive sound. This is not to say that
the band does not hit with authority, as the opening “Batten
Down the Hatches” is a sonic blast of power, but the
track also demonstrates several tempo shifts and plays with
chord progressions that displays more sophistication than
sometimes heard within the genre, as Corporate Citizen even
write identifiable choruses. Some of the themes addressed
on A Brief Moment of Sanity are standard hardcore fare, particularly
on “Next Big Thing” on which vocalist Bob Meder
admits that he is “just fine with where I’m at”
and eschews capitalist pursuits through musical conformity,
butt he topics are addressed with a more mature level of experience.
The work of Corporate Citizen retains hardcore’s driving
intensity and gang vocals that will undoubtedly inspire massive
spin-kick karaoke, as heard on “Got No Time” and
“Just Walk Away”, but there is a depth to the
nine songs that will provoke as many thoughts as stage-dives.
The closing “The Good One” is a rugged beast of
guitar crunch offset by an unapologetically harmonious chorus.
The song is rife with emotion as Meder says farewell to an
unwanted acquaintance with this biting dismissal: “To
me you are inconsequential/A bump in the road that I will
always avoid”. Bitter and still melodic, Corporate Citizen
are not afraid to expand the boundaries of what hardcore can
be.
 PRETTIEST
EYES - Vol. 3 (Castle Face Records)
This L.A. based post-industrial outfit returns with a distinctive
mixture of angular rhythms and Devo-esque quirkiness. Prettiest
Eyes experiment with tempos and intensity levels throughout
Vol. 3 granting the band the rare quality of originality,
for while they honor their influences they do not simply imitate
past heroes. The wildly infectious “It Costs to be Austere”
bobs with the energy of “Uncontrollable Urge”
and has a chorus that resonates long after the song fades.
“I Don’t Know” and “Mr. President”
have a more deliberate pace that allows for the subtle noise
and carefully placed effects to gain greater attention. Drummer
and lead vocalist Pachy Garcia has a voice that streaks like
a comet at times, capturing extraordinary emotion while still
retaining a great sense of humanity even while being profoundly
impacted by mechanized alterations. This balance between man
and machine is the band’s greatest strength, as the
quality of the songwriting is not lost within a mass of studio
tricks. It can be easy for bands like Prettiest Eyes to be
lured into a trap of overwhelming the listener with layers
of density that, while technically impressive, ultimately
suffocate the songs; rather than becoming laborious masses,
the textured force heard on Vol. 3 straddles the line before
aggression and refinement. The work and contributions of keyboardist/noise
fiend Paco Casanova and bassist Marcos Rodriquez are audibly
identifiable even at the band’s most chaotic moments,
such as the blaring “The Shame”, a song that blends
the fury of the Screamers and the mind-altering passion of
Suicide to be my personal favorite of the bunch. The sullen,
quiet soundscape “Another Earth” is disturbing
in its subtle darkness, matched in apparitional beauty and
by “Strange Distance”, with Garcia’s disturbingly
ethereal voice hovering just above streaking blasts of guitar
and intermittent keys. “Marihuana” is thunderous
blast of danceable punk that fits snuggly in the midst of
the swirling forces that surround it. “Summer in L.A.”
captures a similar vibe and sounds like Brainiac jamming with
early-90s Ministry while listening to Dead Kennedys to create
a grinding, swirling ball of power. The closing “La
Maldad” concludes with song collapsing upon itself in
a heap of exhaustion, capturing the emotions of the listeners
after completing their vital work.
 TOMMY
AND JUNE s/t (Fat Wreck Chords www.fatwreck.com)
This is quite the departure for Fat Wreck; Tommy and June
are true folk duo playing jangly, predominantly acoustic nuggets
that are fleeting in nature and often darkly comical. “Jetlag
Blues” describes hassles at LAX, as the song details
spending “six hours at the gate because I look like
someone who may be smuggling drugs” and “Monogamist”
offers this realization: “I fell into this/I would never
choose this way of life/It may fit for someone ready to give
up his teenage dreams”. While self-deprecating ,the
lyrics never come across as pining for lost youth, in fact
Tommy and June recognize on “Adulthood” that we
are all in this aging process together, and while it may not
enjoyable, there really is no gain in simply complaining about
it. The raucous “Ghost of Paris” slams itself
with a far greater ferocity than the rest of the material
but it still recalls 60s garage rock more than the punk one
usually associates with Fat Wreck. At first listen, the song
may sound out of place, but the frustration expressed by the
song is matched by the sarcasm of “Better Life Story”.
In the latter, Tommy and June laugh at their friends who decided
to have kids, now go to bed at 10pm, and surrendered their
lives of independence. The record is a primer for those learning
to come to grips with enhanced responsibility and the recognition
that life may become more serious, but it does not mean that
all the fun disappears. The music one hears here proves that
claim to be true.
 ELECTRIC
FRANKENSTEIN - How to Make a Monster (Re-issue) (Victory
Records www.victoryrecords.com)
Well, I guess I am officially old; I remember sitting in my
small, basement apartment twenty years ago writing a review
of the new Electric Frankenstein record, How to Make a
Monster. I distinctly recall thinking how this band was
kicking rock n’ roll in its bored and tired face, and
twenty years later, the impact is exactly the same. A scathing
set of blistering garage rock with an uncanny ability to blend
big choruses with unfettered speed and angst, How to Make
a Monster can rightfully take its place as a true rock
classic. From Steve Miller’s full-throated vocal delivery
to the dual guitar power of Jim Foster and Sal Canzonieri,
the songs only know one gear and the band is supremely tight.
Capturing EF at perhaps their creative peak, Monster
is a bluesy, greasy record that leaves you exhausted and bloodied,
but it is impossible to not love every second of it, from
the campy intro “I Was a Modern Prometheus” through
the concluding 50s-tinged rocker, “Phatty Boom Batty”.
While “Use Me” was an early favorite of mine,
I find that many of the deeper tracks hold up with equal ease.
“My World”, “Don’t Know How to Stop
You” and the scorching “Something for the Pain”
are flawless bursts of sarcastic, biting punk rock that does
not shy away from the desire to balance speed with precision,
as heard by the driving low end force of bassist Dan Canzonieri
and drummer Ron Sefcik. “I’m Not Your Nothing”
is an affirmation of revulsion accented by a defiant sense
of pride and sums up this essential listen. Gather around
children, EF is about to reintroduce to what rock should be.
 HAYBABY
- They Get There (Tiny Engines Records www.tinyengines.net)
Haybaby lists their music on their Bandcamp page as “post-nap
sludge pop”, and while I love the cheeky nature of this
depiction, there is an apt accuracy to it as well. “Total
Bore” saunters with a Kelly Deal-like bassline and subdued
vocals. One waits patiently for an explosion of force that
never comes, and this sets a tone for the record. Haybaby
experiments with song structure and gives the aforementioned
opener, “Monster” and “My Mother Tells Me”
ample room to breathe, stretching ideas over tableaus lasting
up to six minutes. “Monster” is particularly captivating
as it a progressive increase in intensity before falling back
into a tightly wound groove of fuzzy grunge. “Animosity”
manipulates the definition of dark pop as Leslie Hong asks,
“hey baby, why can’t you keep it together for
a minute?” and her oneiric vocals are the centerpiece
of the song, and this deft ability is heard again on the start/stop
structure of “I’ll Wait”, giving the song
a tangible urgency. Heartache, loss, and disgust fuels the
music of They Get There as “Witch Like Me” addresses
the long and trouble history of abuse towards women with Hong’s
vitriolic delivery on full display. Noisy and furious, the
song is a two-minute juggernaut. The equally menacing “Empathy”
has a latter day Nirvana sensibility, as it balances rage
with an infectious hook compliments of Sam Yield and Jeremy
Duvall. Yet another great release from Tiny Engines.
 NECKING
- Cut Your Teeth (Mint Records www.mintrecs.com)
I am thrilled to see this, as Mint Records has been a favorite
source of music since my earliest college radio days in 1991.
A particularly fond memory was actually bringing cuddlecore
giants Cub to my school where they delighted an audience comprised
almost entirely of my college radio geek friends; to that
end, Mint has delighted me for over twenty-five years and
Necking only continues that proud legacy. The roaring opener
”Big Mouth announces the arrival of Necking’s
second release and first full length. With thunderous drumming
and Nada Hayek’s declaration of “Big mouth/you
got a really big mouth”, one hears traditional riot
grrl fury funneled through a contemporary filter. “Drag
Me Out” taps into Sleater-Kinney’s finest sonic
force and hook-crafting skills, traits equaled on the biting
“Boss” which attacks sexism within the workplace
with laser focused lyrics that will undoubtedly ring true
for far too many. The nine songs of Cur Your Teeth are fleeting
blasts of erudite song writing, meshing blunt force with uncompromising
lyrics but doing so in a way that is more than standing on
the shoulders of the giants that proceeded Necking. The four-piece
from Vancouver turns up the punk-pop speed on “Go Getter”
while also creating a darkly tinged sing along on “Rover”.
(“I’m a dog calling home/crawling back can be
alone”). “Spare Me” is driven by a highly
kinetic bass line and leaves a lasting influence long after
its scant one hundred seconds fade. The finale, “Habbo
Hotel”, begins with a slower, deliberate pacing reminiscent
of Bikini Kill’s more controlled moments before closing
with a searing blast of aggression.
ACQUAINTANCES - 8 ½ Lives (File 13 Records www.file-13.com)
There are bands that one knows will be good before pressing
play due simply to the line-up, and Acquaintances definitely
meets this description. Featuring Jared Gummere of the Ponys
and Patrick Morris of Don Caballero, Thumbnail’s Stephen
Schmidt and Justin Sinkovich, along with drummer Chris Wilson
who has done time with Titus Andronicus and Ted Leo and the
Pharmacists, this is an all-star cast. It can sometimes be
difficult to have all of this talent collaborate effectively,
but everything on 8 1/2 Lives flows with streamlined expertise,
from the refrain about a “beautiful collapse”
on “Mutual Denial” to the opening blast of driving
guitar on “And it All Went Black”. The hyperactive
energy of “Bermuda Triangle” shakes with passion
while the title track rumbles along driven by a thick bass
hook and a classic 90s indie-style riff. “Mistakes I
Made” balances a droning groove with bursts of noise
to emerge as one of the strongest pieces of the bunch, and
the expansive “The Last Page” moves with the ease
of a light-hearted jam session, which is close to what Acquaintances
is as a band. With members in Philly, Chicago, and Portland,
this is a long-distance relationship that actually works,
and all of us are the beneficiaries.
B-BOYS - Dudu (Captured Tracks www.capturedtracks.com)
Despite the moniker, B-Boys has nothing to do with old-school
hip-hop; if any comparison is to be made, these guys sound
like something that should have ripped apart the stage at
Max’s Kansas City in the late 70s. Discordant, blaring,
and usually fleeting in length, the songs of Dudu are intriguing
puzzles of fuzzy force. When vocalist Andrew Kerr shouts,
“It’s been revoked” on the opening “Cognitive
Dissonance”, the song begins to spin out of control
and crashes in a glorious blaze. “Pressure Inside”
captures the confusion of the modern age with the declaration,
“I’m always busy in my mind/can’t think
things through” as an intensive swirl of guitar noise
dominates the air. The tightly wound playing consistently
sounds as if it is on the verge of exploding into a pile of
unrecognizable rubble and this creates a sense of tension
and anxiety for those listening, keeping an audience permanently
uncertain about what will happen next. This quality makes
the music of B-Boys, the band also including Britton Walker
and Brandon Avalos, particularly exciting, best heard on the
tense “Closer”. “Automation” has curt
guitar riffs that slice through biting lyrics before erupting
is a speedball of punk angst. Even what the band offers highly
truncated efforts, such as “No”, and the punishing
“Smoke You” the B Boys make statements, but they
excel when the songs have more room to move, such as the sardonic
“I Want” which includes Veronica Torres of Pill
(“ I want pretty things/I want poetry”, “I
want intelligence”, “I want quite a lot”)
which rattles with a Feelies style nervousness. Snarky and
overflowing with boredom, “Can’t Stand It”
is the encapsulation of contemporary dissatisfaction. At fifteen
songs, one may worry that the record may become redundant,
but everything on Dudu slams and clangs with consistent potency,
including the engaging off-kilter nature of the fifty-second
instrumental closing title track and the speedy “Taste
for Trash” (“I’ve got no taste for trash”).
It always does my heart good to hear something new and exciting,
and B Boys deliver on both accounts.
LITE - Multiple (Topshelf Records www.topshelfrecords.com)
The sixth album from this limitlessly unique Japanese band
is not just genre bending, but genre smashing in its approach.
Jazz, funk, guitar rock, and soul are seamlessly meshed together,
occasionally all on one song. The opening ‘Double”
is track played with dizzying speed but coherent enough to
grant the listener an appreciation for the talent on display.
A thick, danceable bass line thumps alongside rapid riffs
and tempo shifts that are the musical equivalent of doctoral
level trigonometry. To Lite’s credit, this is not just
a collection of virtuosos simply cramming any many brilliant
ideas into an incoherent mass; each song has a clearly defined
start, middle, and end, even if may take a while or multiple
listens, to identify them. The effervescent “Blizzard”
is one such example. Featuring minimalist vocals, slap bass,
and a more controlled, jazz-fusion style guitar work, the
song is both a musical departure and yet still representative
of their larger aural approach, which “Maze” is
a two-minute long anthem for the coolest after-hours club
imaginable. The jagged, start-stop nature of “Last Mile”
gives the song a sense of schizophrenic energy that is equally
thrilling as it is unnerving. “Ring” offers a
new bend to the path of contemporary hip-hop as rapper Tokyo-based
Maco Merets commands the mic over the top of a blissfully
smooth, island-influenced beat. “Temple” meanders
along gracefully, at times interrupted by bursts of metallic
force before pausing for just a fleeting few seconds before
reinventing itself as a nearly entirely different song. “4mg
Warmth” has a lush, atmospheric nature that wraps itself
around hypnotic rythyms., and the song leads majestically
into the scintillating closer, “Clockwork”. With
potential eruptions of sound hovering just beneath the surface,
the song acts as a perfect conclusion to an immensely entertaining
release.
PRETTIEST EYES Vol. 3 (Castle Face wwwcastlefacerecords.com)
This L.A. based post-industrial outfit returns with a distinctive
mixture of angular rhythms and Devo-esque quirkiness. There
is truly nothing quite like this, as Prettiest Eyes experiment
with tempos and intensity levels throughout Vol. 3. The wildly
infectious “It Costs to be Austere” bobs with
the energy of “Uncontrollable Urge” and has a
chorus that resonates long after the song fades. “I
Don’t Know” and “Mr. President” have
a more deliberate pace that allows for the subtle noise and
carefully placed effects to gain greater attention. Drummer
and lead vocalist Pachy Garcia has a voice that streaks like
a comet at times and retains a great sense of humanity even
while being profoundly impacted by mechanized alterations.
This balance between man and machine is the band’s greatest
strength, as the quality of the songwriting is lost within
a mass of studio tricks. The work and contributions of keyboardist/noise
fiend Paco Casanova and bassist Marcos Rodriquez are audibly
identifiable even at the band’s most chaotic moments,
such as the blaring “The Shame”, a song that blends
the fury of the Screamers and the mind-altering passion of
Suicide to be my personal favorite of the bunch. The sullen,
quiet soundscape “Another Earth” is disturbing
in its subtle darkness, matched in apparitional beauty and
by “Strange Distance”, with Garcia’s disturbingly
ethereal voice hovering just above streaking blasts of guitar
and intermittent keys. “Marihuana” is thunderous
blast of danceable punk that fits snuggly in the midst of
the swirling forces that surround it. “Summer in L.A.”
captures a similar vibe and sounds like Brainiac jamming with
early-90s Ministry while listening to Dead Kennedys to create
a grinding, swirling ball of power. The closing “La
Maldad” concludes with song collapsing upon itself in
a heap of exhaustion, capturing the emotions of the listeners
after completing their vital work.
SUMMER CANNIBALS - Can’t Tell Me No (Tiny Engines
www.tinyengines.net)
I always love a release with a fascinating backstory, and
Summer Cannibals’ Can’t Tell Me No is one of most
inspirational I have heard in a very long. The band, led by
Jessica Boudreaux, discarded an entirely finished record in
order to craft something in defiance of a person Boudreaux
described as “abusive and manipulative” that worked
on the now abandoned work. In its stead came the songs for
Can’t Tell Me No, a bold, confident collection of anthems
that reflect personal strength and a commitment to one’s
principles. Boudreaux’s voice roars with focused rage
on “False Anthem”, a song that directly confronts
abusers and those who do not listens to victims’ stories,
and “Behave” on which Boudreaux confesses, “I
try to behave/it’s gets harder everyday” and asks,
“What if I can’t change?” Blending indie
rock with a solid dose of riot grrl strength, Summer Cannibals
confront gender roles with biting social commentary on “Innocent
Man” (“An innocent man doesn’t scream, doesn’t
cry when he’s right”), a song that proves that
one need not play with reckless fury in order to be effective.
The trifecta of “One of Many”, “Staring
at the Sun” and “Start Breaking” are flawlessly
delivered piece of pop-kissed indie rock that also deliver
a devastating punch to the jaw when one loses focus and each
accents the talents of Casi Blum who devoted numerous fourteen
hour days with Boudreaux to create Can’t Tell Me No,
Devon Shirley, and Ethan Butman. The serene “Innocent
Gold” finishes the record on a tender note musically,
but the lyrics reflect extraordinary strength (“Out
of the dark and back into gold”) and that quality encapsulates
Summer Cannibals.
CHERRY POP - Sue Me (https://cherrypopli.bandcamp.com/releases)
I had the distinct pleasure of watching this band open up
for the Murder Junkies a few weeks back, and they absolutely
owned the club that night. Cherry Pop is a Long Island four-piece
that injects a healthy dose of sleaze back into punk rock.
Vocalist Cherry B, who also handles all lyrical responsibilities,
commands scathing and sexually anthems "Complicated"
and "Whore" as guitarist Austin Vomit proves that
he is anything but simply a three-chord wonder. On "Fool",
the band throws itself into high gear, delivering a track
of blazing speed dripping with unabashed anger. Bassist TJ
Dirt and drummer Nick Hero are a punishing low-end duo that
provide a devastating backbeat for the biting "Past Your
Prime" and the grinding "Garbage". This may
only be a six song EP, but Sue Me is a bold introduction to
a band with outstanding promise.
STRANGEWEATHER - Of the Reeds(strangeweatherpdx.bandcamp.com)
For people wondering where one can hear quality musicianship
with a healthy dose of glockenspiel, one need only look to
Strangeweather. This intriguing Portland, Oregon outfit plays
a hypnotic blend of haunting darkwave and soaring chamber
music. Rhone Lachner makes an immediate impression on the
majestic opener "Syrinx", an expansive, profoundly
lush anthem of delicate beauty. While the song concludes with
a subtle bit of clamor, her flute playing seats a particularly
soothing aura. "The Wind and the Wheel" is replete
with perspicacious lyrics ("Everything you love/everything
you hate/time will turn into dust blowing past your grave").
Invoking Etruscan mythology, "Born in Armor" references
the lives and adventures of Minerva and Diana in a sprawling
anthem with prominence given to bassist Joshum Hardy who also
handles vocals on "The Wind and the Wheel". "Wooden
Cage" is the darkest of the six pieces here ("Fell
to pieces in the blink of an eye/ and then reveled in the
pain") and its atmospheric intensity is almost unnerving.
The poetic nature of "Five of Cups" is particularly
serene as sparse lyrics are uttered throughout a richly textured
song. The band fittingly references winter for there is a
penetrating chill created on "Ace of Swords", another
stirringly delicate that seems as if it could shatter into
pieces at any second, highlighted by the cello playing of
Brenna Sahatjian and intricate percussion from Dirt Deodara.
Sounding like the soundtrack to a seance, the song, and the
larger record, is simply mesmerizing.
 ABOLITIONIST
- Ugly Feeling (Between the Days Records; http://betweenthedays.storenvy.com/)
Apparently, this is Abolitionist’s swan song as the
band is moving on, and if this is the case, what a way to
exit. Ugly feeling is twelve blasts of melodic punk, textured
with a dual guitar sound compliments of vocalist Dustin Herron
and Jeremy Dunlap. The songs balance rage and control as Herron
emotes, “He’s just not getting it/ yell a little
bit louder/he’s just not getting it” on “Yelling”
and he asks “Is the byproduct of patriarchy to consider
only yourself?” Or is it a human thing?” on “The
Selfish Gene”, a track driven by the drumming prowess
of Sean Rule. The songs all focus introspective, contemplative
lyrics that address the complexities of being human “in
such a weird time” (“Ambivalent Nerd”).
Throughout the record, the band, including bassist Joey Mohler,
examines the human condition on tracks like “World Inside”,
“Shelter”(“It wasn’t too bad living
“in the sticks” surrounded by the trees and the
loneliness”), and “Walls”. The songs shake
with frustration and the insecurity that comes with feeling
like an outsider; Abolitionist capture teen angst but make
it clear that those feelings do not dissipate with the onset
of adulthood. Instead of looking for blame, Herron bravely
reveals a reality known by many on the title track when he
admits, “It wasn’t all that bad growing up in
the rural life, being shredded by the eggshells of an unhappy
marriage of two unhappy souls” while driving riffs propel
the song along at a furious pace. I am always drawn to intelligent
songwriting, and that trait abounds on Ugly Feeling as Herron
bares his soul throughout the fleeting tracks and asks profound
and painful questions on “Family Affair” and Crossroads”;
the types of questions that are not solved by simplistic answers,
but rather may remain permanently unresolved. I do hope this
is not the last of Abolitionist because punk needs more thoughtful
acts such as this. Listeners may see themselves within these
songs and may feel uneasy; however, the music of Abolitionist
proves that feelings of disillusionment and uncertainty are
not isolated emotions.
 MYKEL
BOARD AND THE CLEAN BOYS - “It’s Punk Rock”
EP (The Only Label in the World; facebook.com/mykel.board)
Legendary punk gadfly Mykel Board returns with a roaring three-song
release. Featuring the Clean Boys (Danish punks with an impressive
discography of their own,) "It's Punk Rock” is a blazingly
fast and noisy anthem that reminded me of an ode in the vain
of Sebadoh’s “Gimme Indie Rock.” Defiant
and proud of it, the song rumbles along with all the anger
one would expect compressed neatly into about two minutes.
“Fight Fight Buy” has a tone reminiscent of something
the Jabbers would have recorded, overflowing with traditional
punk disgust with society but delivered with a keen sense
of melody.
The B-side is when things take a turn for the very weird:
Singing along with the lovely voice of Persille Ingersler,
Board delivers a lounge version of the Paul Anka hit “Having
My Baby”. Played gently along with Peter Peter with
a hint of sarcasm, the song seems particularly snotty in an
era of the #MeToo movement and abortion laws driving women
back to draconian measures concerning personal freedoms. While
Board’s vocals do not approach the velvet tones of Anka,
the song does not mimic Sid Vicious’ vomit-covered take
on Sinatra, either. No one actually needs this, but the world
should appreciate its existence.
 THE
CANDY SNATCHERS - Moronic Pleasures (www.houndgawd.com)
There are legions of stories of bands that should have been
huge but through a combination of bad luck, bad timing, or
bad habits, it just simply did not come to fruition. One of
the most heartbreaking of these tales to me is The Candy Snatchers,
a riotous act of sweat, beer, and violence that never disappointed.
For those who never caught the band live, they missed unpredictable
evenings of on-stage fights, an often-bloody vocalist in the
form of Larry May, and the most ripping punk rock one would
ever want to experience. All of this reckless energy burned
itself out too quickly, culminating with the tragic loss of
guitarist Matthew Odietus, although, to be fair, no one ever
expected The Candy Snatchers to retire gracefully and quietly.
Moronic Pleasures is an expansive collection of songs that
is often labeled a “lost album”. Whatever label
one wants to affix here, it is nineteen blasts of fearless
aggression, with nothing even coming close to hitting three
minutes in length. Everything on this record just crushes
the listener, but good luck not throwing things around the
room when “Pissed Off, Ripped Off, Screwed”, “Gone
for Good”, or “Killing my Buzz” come through
the speakers. The band was a searing mass of garage rock aesthetics
and blunt punk rock force. Nothing about the band was subtle
or refined, but the tongue in cheek humor of “She Sure
Can Blow” and ”Ass Casserole” makes it clear
that the guys, rounded out by bassist and frequent sparring
partner of May, Willy Johns, and the thunderous Sergio Ponce
on drums, took their fun seriously. While May has moved on
to sing for the great Born Loose, his legacy will always be
the front man of The Candy Snatchers. There is nothing to
not absolutely worship here, and I have already worn out the
vinyl. The Candy Snatchers may be gone, but their legacy should
be a blueprint for any group of kids picking up instruments
in a garage right now.
 ROD
HAMDALLAH - "Think About It " EP (www.houndgawd.com)
Rod Hamdallah has been creating his brand of rock n’
roll chaos since he was only sixteen, and while "Think
About It" is only five songs, every second is a pleasure.
The record meshes bluesy garage force with heartfelt lyrics
about being lovesick, lost, and lonely. Hamdallah declares,
“my heart is beating/beating on the ground”, and
the refrain comes to carry the song “Heartbeat”,
a sultry march accented by accordion that slowly grinds under
Hamdallah’s vocal prowess. Each song celebrates Hamdallah’s
highly emotive voice, but the most significant calling card
is the explosive nature of the songs that rises and falls
with seamless ease. When one hears the scream “take
me back” during the song of the same name, the combination
of anger, lust, and hope converges into a richly textured
chorus that goes well beyond a standard love tale. “Carry
You Home” bounds with soaring rythyms as Hamdallah announcs,
“ain’t nobody loves you the way I do”, a
statement of personal bombast as Adam Holliday delivering
outstanding Hammond organ. The record radiates with a lo-fi
aesthetic and it’s clear that this young man was influenced
by the legends of the delta blues genre as “I Don’t
Mind”, featuring the lyrics “I don’t care
who you’re loving as long as you love me so”,
would make Muddy Waters proud, while the scathing solo will
delight any true rock aficionado. This one is a gem.
 NEBULA
- Holy Shit (Heavy Psych Sounds; www.heavypsychsounds.com)
Certain bands know how to characterize their music in only
a few words, and Nebula has that done perfectly with Holy
Shit, the name of their first release in ten years. A decade
away would usually place most bands in the either the “recycled”
or “nostalgia” categories, but not here. The Sabbath
style riffs abound, particularly on the pummeling “Witching
Hour” in which guitarist /vocalist Eddie Glass leads
the band through a rollicking feedback drenched dirge that
retains a highly melodic groove. Bassist Tom Davies and drummer
Michael Amster are airtight anchors of the band’s heavy
low-end rumble, from the hazy opening “Man’s Best
Friend” to the Stooges-esque instrumental “Handful
of Pills”. The songs elevate themselves above the typical
stoner-doom genre but adding an atmospheric tone that both
harkens back to 70s guitar rock and is still surprisingly
contemporary. The meandering crawl of “Tomorrow Never
Comes” is seven minutes of fuzzy, hypnotic power that
will have every head in the crowd bobbing in rhythmic unison,
and includes a dramatic tempo shift into a rambunctious mix
of intricacy and truly heavy force before finding its original
anthemic nature again. Despite Holy Shit being Nebula’s
sixth release, this is my introduction to them, and I guess
the old adage of better late than never applies here, for
I am better for hearing this. “Gates of Eden”
has a subtle Southern rock boogie to its otherwise meandering
psychedelic sound, and would be an ideal blast for rock radio
if that still existed. With touches of everything from Deep
Purple to Iron Butterfly to Spirit, Nebula brings expansive
headspace rock into the twenty-first century, perhaps truly
highlighted by the blazing (pun intended) “Let’s
Get Lost”, a punishing assault of scathing wah-wah effects
pedal guitar work and impassioned vocals demanding “Let’s
get lost/ let’s feel something”. It could be a
“Sweetleaf” or “Dazed and Confused”
for the vape generation or simply a new anthem for those of
us looking for a return to rock’s more experimental
nature. Concluding with “Cry of a Tortured World”,
Nebula boldly announces their return and people should sit
up and take note.
 THE
NEXT GREAT AMERICAN NOVELIST - I’ll See You in the
Art You Love (store.cdbaby.com/ cd/thenextgreatamericannove2)
This New York City band eschews the dirt and grime of the
City in exchange for beautiful, richly harmonious folk with
a healthy dose of pop. What is easily appreciated here is
the juxtaposition of buoyant playing with shockingly dark
lyrics, as one hears on “American Queen” (“Here
I am with the razor blade/ too good for my body”)
and “Clover Color Blooms” (“Love will
bring you laughter/then hang you from the rafter”).
The songs are delivered with a sense of hopelessness that
conveys early adulthood depression with the reality of life
through the passionate vocals of Sean Cahill, who channels
the best of Elliot Smith on “Mental Highway”
and “Blue”, a song in which Cahill laments,
“Nobody’s on my side”. The band has subsequently
evolved from the release of Art You Love to become
a louder act, as Cahill joined forces with Jason Cummings
and Danny Sher, but the delicate beauty of the songs here
are deeply moving. The sadness is unavoidable throughout
Art You Love, and the record plays like one long break-up,
but for anyone who has ever had their heart broken, the
songs are a testament to a pain that is all too real and
often indefinably penetrating. What I admire most here is
that Cahill remains devoted to his suffering; there are
no happy endings to these songs nor is there any silver
lining-everything he feels hurts and he is boldly exorcising
these obsessive thoughts for all to hear. Despite the similarities
in tone and topic, the songs never become redundant, and
even the six minute “Prosthetic Memories” moves
along briskly and poignantly. Closing with the ethereal
title track, the record closes with a breathy, solemn statement
that reinforces the anguish Cahill feels. His suffering
is the world’s gain and I can clearly understand why
the Boss of Jersey Beat wanted this one to get some attention.
 NOT
A PART OF IT - Defiant Indifference (Next 7 Exits Records
https://www.facebook.com/next7exits)
Not a Part of It returns with more ultra fast, biting political
punk. The Trump era has inspired the most incensed politically
motivated punk since Reagan and this highly skilled trio makes
it clear that America is in trouble. On “And?”,
the band warns that “they are coming for you”,
and the ominous nature of the line is intensified when one
considers that the band does not designate who the targeted
group actually is. The denser but equally speedy “So?”
reminds us all that it is “not enough”, while
guitarist/vocalist Jason Burton expels biting frustrations.
The B-side “Yeah?” demonstrates the complete talents
of the band, particularly bassist Daylon Liles and drummer
Rush Lamb-ah! Harkening back to the sound of the Damned and
Stiff Little Fingers, the track speaks of a nation that has
voluntarily made itself “emotionally blind”. This
is menacing music for unsettled times.
 HEATHER
WOODS BRODERICK - Invitation (heatherwoodsbroderick.bandcamp.com)
While Heather Woods Broderick may be known for being a band
mate and collaborator of Sharon Van Etten, she excels on her
own throughout the deeply stirring Invitation. Written largely
in solitude in Oregon, the songs permeate the listener as
Broderick blends intimate fragility with incredible soul.
A gentle piano riff and a massive chorus drive “Nightcrawler”;
the song acts as a perfect companion for a day with a low,
grey cloud ceiling and constant rain. The minimalist beauty
of “Slow Dazzle” is my favorite moment of the
record until I hear Broderick describe herself “moving
through the white tail of the jet stream” (“White
Tail”), and there in lies my only challenge with the
record: just as one stirring anthem finishes, another begins
and it is easy to get lost in Broderick’s vocals as
she explores raw emotion with a daring vulnerability. “Quicksand”
is a gem from this virtuoso, as Broderick takes the listener
on a journey that ebbs and flows through heartfelt waves of
emotion. The tile track is where I truly fell in love with
all Broderick does, as she declares, “I dreamt it took
me last night into the darker side of life. I accept the invitation”.
The song is a wistful, richly personal song that encapsulates
the brilliance of the entire record. From this point forward,
people should boast of ever working with Heather Woods Broderick.
 KITTENHEAD
- NYB (www.kittenheadla.com)
Kittenhead play riot grrl anthems for a new generation with
their own unique spin on the angst that fuels the music. The
LA based five-piece understand the power of a towering hook
and memorable chorus, and the opening duo of “Numb”
and “Bloom” certainly illustrate that point. Vocalist
Kivi Kittenhead is not a screamer, but a truly refined singer
whose voice conveys elements of sensuality, fear, rage, and
disgust all with equal aplomb and with excellent range. “Bloom”
hums along at a mid-tempo pace with hazy guitar from VJJ and
Daddy Kittenhead as Kivi’s vocals soar majestically
above the refined chaos. The feedback that ends the song illustrates
the band has its foot (paw?) squarely in punk aesthetics,
but as “Confusion” opens, the hook is undeniable
and one quickly learns that this is a well-honed rock n’
roll animal of a band that can balance harmony and fury with
expert ease. Yet, for those looking for a bit more frenzy
in their music, the title track will leave listeners exhausted
and richly satisfied. An acronym for “not your bitch”,
“NYB” is a ripping assault upon the Harvey Weinsteins
and Donald Trumps of the world as Kivi spits out “I’m
not your toy/ I’m not your test/ I’m not your
pick up game” over the top of a thumping bass line from
dd Kittenhead and the punishing low end of O-Face Kittenhead.
The song breaks down into a sarcastic lecture that needs to
heard on repeat at least ten to twelve times to be fully appreciated,
and this one is easily my favorite track of the bunch. The
closing “143” is a speedy, punk-pop nugget overflowing
with bratty arrogance and a great sing along line of “we
don’t care”. I can only hope that Kittenhead make
their way to the east cast soon because they are a rare mix
of smarts, humor, and a killer set of songwriting talents.
 THE
YAWPERS - Human Question (Bloodshot Records www.bloodshotrecords.com)
Taking their name from Walt Whitman is always a great start
in my book, and the Yawpers only improve their standing with
me from that point forward. The band plays a unique blend
of bluesy, breathy, rock n’ roll, particularly the ultra
cool “Dancing on my Knees”, a track accented by
unexpected blasts of noisy guitar. The title track is a harmonious,
bubbling work with understated yet impressive guitar work
and thought provoking lyrics, matched by the erudite folk
of “Man as a Ghost”. The fuzzy, reverb-fueled
guitar on “Earn Your Heaven” is rugged, but still
has rounded edges for greater accessibility and incudes beautiful
Wurlitzer piano from Alex Hall who also masterfully produces
the record. “Carry Me” soars like a religious
revival while the bluesy stomp of “Forgiveness Through
Pain” swaggers with confidence. The trio tap into their
love of 60s pop on the jangly “can’t wait”
as the guys channel The Byrds and then later borrow from the
masters on the Beatles-esque “Where the Winters End”.
The Yawpers give listeners a little taste of all forms of
American music and excel at every turn.
 THE
GET UP KIDS - Problems (polyvinylrecords.com)
The Get Up Kids may no longer be kids, as they now have children
of their own, but their commitment to warm, lyrically introspective
playing remains intact. The work of this band has traditionally
been accented by a shrewd pop sensibility, and that is certainly
heard throughout Problems. From the self-deprecation
of "Lou Barlow" (“I saw Lou Barlow on the
street/I don’t think he noticed me”) to the equally
critical “The Problem is Me”, the songs here resonate
with lyrics of self-contemplation and memorable choruses.
The guys do deviate a bit and take more chances throughout
Problems, particularly on the keyboard-laden “Waking
Up Alone”, as the song recoils, lunges, and bounds with
sugar-fueled energy without the sole focus remaining on the
guitar. The same holds true on the piano-kissed “The
Advocate” which becomes a bit darker after the subtle
beauty of the intro. Matt Pryor continues to craft songs of
hope, sorrow, and loneliness, but now he does it for those
of us who have deeper concerns than fleeting crushes. His
heartfelt, genuine emotional breadth is heard around the heavier
riff of “Symphony of Silence” as he admits “I
used to be good once/I used to be gorgeous”. The closing
“Your Ghost is Gone” is a churning piano ballad
that does not end the record on a whimper, but rather with
a devastating emotional punch. Problems illustrates how after
more than twenty years, the Get UP Kids still appreciate the
combination of heartbreak and pop hooks.
 MEKONS
- Deserted (bloodshotrecords.com)
From the second of their inception in 1977, Mekons have been
one of the most confounding, fascinating, and erudite bands
in punk. Perhaps too punk for some art folks and too art for
the punks, the band has long existed in a sphere of their
own genius. Finally returning after eight long years away,
Deserted continues this brilliant combination of
off-kilter musicianship and stirring storytelling. “Weimar
Vending Machine” is just one of the numerous gems found
within this collection, and the song is a varied, winding
tale of references to the German government post-Kaiser Wilhelm,
Iggy Pop at a Berlin vending machine, and the fact that the
world has been teetering on the edge of complete self-induced
destruction for far longer than just the past few years. Always
imbued with elements of folk, Mekons embrace go full on Southern
boys (considering they are original from Leeds, England) on
“Andromeda” as singer John Langford carries the
song with his lush vocal range, and again on the closing “After
the Rain”, propelled by the shared vocals of Sally Timms
and Langford over the top of haunting fiddle. “Lawrence
of California” is a brilliant introduction to the record,
as the song opens with a slowly developing wave of feedback
before launching into a rousing chorus as the band pays homage
to Joshua Tree State Park which surrounded the studio in which
they recorded the virtuosity that is Deserted. “How
Many Stars?” is a gentle slice of subtle beauty that
envelopes the listener, while the atmospheric nature of “In
the Deserted” is established by the remarkable voice
of Timms who once again is rightfully among the Mekons ranks.
Bouncy, fuzzy guitar abounds on yet another historical reference,
“Harar 1883”. The song is a nod to French poet
Arthur Rimbaud who, while searching for more dramatic life
experiences, traveled to the city in what was Abyssinia (today
Ethiopia) in his early twenties. Some bands defy comparisons
and peer groups, and Mekons are such a band. It is good for
all of us that they have again graced the world.
 RICHARD
VAIN - Night Jammer (bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com)
The thunderous rumble of guitar reverb that opens the appropriately
titled “Tremors” by Richard Vain act as a forbearer
of what is to come over the scope of nine largely expansive
tracks. At times, the work is offset by moments of more delicate,
jangly riffs, such as what one hears on “Castles”,
but even this effort has bursts of skull rattling guitar force.
Merging 80s alternative with the darkest aspects of grunge,
Night Jammer is a powerful record from a deftly adroit songwriter
named Jared accompanied by a keyboardist/drinking buddy called
Carbomb and a drummer named Lugs. There is a experimental
vibe that runs through tracks like “Encounter”
as ethereal keys hover sparingly above an angular guitar hook
that introduces itself and recedes quickly throughout the
song while Jared’s slightly hushed vocals fight to be
heard above the controlled din. Briefer flashes of manic force,
namely “Rats” and “Tar Pits” tap into
the band’s affinity for punk energy, but still retain
a musical dexterity that elevates Richard Vain above standard
punk fare. The blasting force of “Punks Inbred”
takes me back to Dinosaur Jr.’s finest moments in which
melody is not lost in the midst of blunt force. There is a
delicate line to walk between merging styles and sounding
recycled, and Richard Vain masterfully celebrate the past
while contributing something distinctive to modern punk.
 SWEET
JAP - Be My Venus (bigneckrecords1.bandcamp.com)
I love this type of story, albeit a bit heartbreaking. Sweet
Jap was a band that existed between 2000 and 2004 and they
vanished with only one official release to their name, but
left behind a legion of devoted fans, a few magazine covers,
and sweat-soaked tours. Big Neck Records brazenly declared
that fifteen years after the break-up the world needs Sweet
Jap and released this collection of lost and never released
efforts. Opening with the scathing “I’m Only Moonlight”,
one is transported back to the time when The Mooney Suzuki,
the Vines, and others were in the business of “saving”
rock n’ roll. With driving grooves, raw, abrasive guitar,
and rugged vocals, “La Rock” embodies everything
a rock song should be-two and half minutes of attitude and
grit. The blistering one hundred and twenty seconds of “Found
There No Go” is exhausting and pure fun as the song
hovers dangerously on the edge of simultaneous combustion.
The one-two punch of “SJAP” and “You Know
Reno” are inspired, scream-along anthems that take hardcore
speed and combine it with a Dead Boys-inspired snarl that
works perfectly. Closing with “Oh, My Pretty Face”,
one is left lamenting about what could have been and wondering
if these guys just ran too furiously to have an extended lifespan.
At any rate, one should be grateful for what they did produce
and to Big Neck for their genius to release it.
 GANG
OF FOUR - Happy Now? (Gilmusic)
“We’ve got so much catching up to do”,
says vocalist John Sterry on “Toreador”, the
first track on gang of Four’s new record, Happy
Now?. Blending mechanized and industrial with pop aesthetics
is never easy, but all of Happy Now? is biting and drenched
in sarcasm. Certainly the presidency of Donald Trump has
brought a sense of concern to the world, but Gang of Four
shoot for Trump’s most sensitive area with “Ivanka:
My Name’s On It”. With references to Moscow
hotel rooms embedded within a steady, throbbing beat, the
song is much more than a wave of insults hurled at the current
occupant of the White House; it is an exploration of the
hyper-sensationalized age in which we all find ourselves.
Gang of Four, led by sole original member Andy Gill is not
here to answer questions or provide solace-the guys know
the word is a mess, but hopefully we can get through this
together. The danceable darkness of “I’m a Liar”
moves effortlessly into the foreboding “White Lies”
that warns, “time destroys empires”. The more
up-tempo but equally serious “Alpha male” is
another example of the band’s ability to spotlight
bassist Thomas McNeice and drummer Tobias Humble. Gang of
Four first illuminated the world forty years ago with Entertainment!,
a brilliant, biting post-punk gem. Four decades later, Gang
of Four has changed personnel, altered their sound, but
the remarkable insight and creativity remains.
 CLUB
NIGHT - What Life (Tiny Engines www.tinyengines.net)
I love this band-Club Night is comprised of five veterans
from Oakland California’s music scene, and the result
is a genre-smashing assault upon indie rock. “Path”
explodes with a blast of childlike energy and enthusiasm with
undeniable passion. Emotive and highly intelligent, the song
is led by the guitar playing of Ian Tatum and vocalist Josh
Bertram, whose soaring vocals reach beyond the occasional
din that accompanies the majority of the work on What Life,
whose songs are at times accented beautifully through the
synth work of Rebecca Lukens and even cello from Robin Miliken.
The lyrics, compliments of Bertram, capture fleeting snapshots
of life with remarkable detail and poignancy and often examine
one’s struggles and reflections upon life with a mixture
of sorrow and a realistic optimism for the future, all the
while stunned by the rapid passage of the years. (“I
took the ashes off our mantle/the white linen cloth on the
dining table”) The songs are each stirring manifestos
about not achieving dreams quite yet and the realization and
acceptance that life may not be what one wants. This record
helps people realize that they are not alone in these frustrations,
particularly on the fleeting pop of “Village”.
By Club Night’s parameters, the song is a sugary little
gem, and when Bertram says, “Love does us in over and
over again”, one cannot help but heave a heavy sigh
and bask in the pain. The ambling, delightfully quirky “Mute”
plays with the definition of what indie rock can be, as the
song is a light-hearted effort with a more serious underside.
(“It is strange the sound of your own voice bleating
out against the wind/I hope the sad buzzards don’t notice
our death /The years they have made a mess”) The song
is the embodiment of the feeling of being just on the verge
of tears but being able to just hold one’s self together.
“Cherry” is an equally brilliant ride (“Feeling
like a tourist in my own mind”), blending subdued indie
pop with wildly beautiful, double-jointed riffs to create
challenging harmonies. The closing, seven-minute “Thousands”
notes, “not everyone I know is poisoned by the fear
of the unknown” as a stirring mass of cacophonous angst
erupts around the listener, driven by drummer Josiah Majetich
and bassist Devin Trainer. All I hear on What Life wonderfully
stuns me, and I cannot wait to tell my friends about this
band.
 LO-PAN
- Subtle (Aqualamb Records www.aqualamb.org)
Lo-Pan plays modern hard rock and they do not care what anyone
thinks about that. That later statement is made abundantly
clear throughout Subtle because nothing here is subtle-there
are no studio tricks, cute instrumental accents, or experimentation.
The guitars from Chris Thompson are loud, the low-end of drummer
Jesse Bartz and bassist Skot Thompson is heavy, and vocalist
Jeff Martin can hit notes that the vast majority of humans
cannot reach. Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I give you
what you thought was no more-rock n’ roll. The question
for Lo-Pan is how can they get themselves known in a world
that seems to have a dearth of these acts. I cannot answer
that for right now, but the music on Subtle speaks for itself
as “Old News” grinds with a nice blues-based touch,
while “10 Days” and “Bring Me a War”
craft something that many bands fail to incorporate into their
songs, and that is a hook. The traditional bombast of big
time arena rock is present on every track, whether it is the
bitter love song of “Savage Heart” or the varied
tempo and multi-textured “Butcher’s Bill”.
These guys can play, have strong structures throughout all
eleven tracks and the record never grows repetitive. Lo pan
helps to demonstrate that there is more than just Greta van
Fleet playing rock right now.
 CLOWNS
- Nature/Nurture (Fat Wreck Chords www.fatwreck.com)
It takes bravery for bands to alter their sound, especially
when an act begins as a hardcore band. Typically, audiences
can be quick to scream “sell out” or reject a
band outright if they deviate from the initiate intensity
that first won people’s hearts. For Melbourne Australia’s
Clowns, they began as a hardcore band and remain a hardcore
band, only a sharper, more mature, and musically focused outfit.
The opening of Nature/Nurture is “Bland is the new Black”,
a searing, decimating slab of classic punk barbarism which
is quickly supported by the equally crushing “Soul for
Sale”. By the time one reaches “I Wanna Feel Alive
Again”, however, something changes, and the variations
of song structure is exciting. Rather than solely kicking
one’s head inside out for two and half minutes, Clowns,
led by vocalist Stevie Williams, begins to delightfully play
with eccentricities in tempo and mood. Guitarists Rod Goon
and Will Robinson drive the song’s meandering shift
from melancholy to self-actualized through riffs that alternate
between ethereal and slashing. “I Shaved my Legs for
You” and “May I Be Exhumed” are snarky both
musically and with their titles as the song are tightly wound
blasts of energized punk in the more classic definition of
the form, with the latter as ninety seconds of brain rattling,
angular noise. Bassist Hanny J and drummer Jake Laderman shine
most brilliantly on “Prey for Us”, a track that
rattles with the pomp and circumstance of arena rock without
sacrificing street punk credibility. However, the concluding
title track is the biggest deviation; a five-minute journey
that climbs slowly and steadily towards a massive hook, the
song is the culmination of a band’s evolution thus far.
One gets the feeling that Clowns will continue to experiment
and challenge themselves and their fans as the years and records
progress. To me, that is a sign of both confidence and impressive
ability, which Clowns clearly possess. This is a great find.
 GIRLS
ON GRASS - Dirty Power (https://www.girlsongrassband.com/)
One finds interesting results when doing a quick Google search
for “girls on grass”, but this band, led by Barbara
Endes on vocals, plays a mixture of bluesy, country-fried
rock with limitless self-confidence and tough-chick attitude.
“Down at the Bottom” is a rollicking opener that
allows Endes to shine, along with David Weiss on guitar. Drummer
Nancy Polstein hits fervently throughout the record, but truly
makes quite the first impression. “Got to Laugh to Keep
From Cryin’” has both a classic country title
as well as a battle-tested country delivery through which
one can almost hear the truck driving down a dusty road. Girls
on Grass, rounded out by Dave Mendl on bass, are skilled storytellers
that do their best to stay out of the political maelstrom
that currently envelopes this country, but try as one might,
it is difficult to not comment on the state of our land, and
“Commander-in-Their” is a less than subtle summary
about Washington D.C.’s most famous spray-tanned inhabitant.
Additionally, “Because Capitalism” is a scathing
critique of how politicians take on their jobs “for
the cash and the underage ass” and revel in the elimination
of food stamps despite starving families and ignore the homeless
living in train stations, while twangy guitar rattles overhead.
This is blistering Americana that injects indie rock rebellion
into traditional bluegrass licks. The title is perfect, as
there is a grizzled veteran quality to the playing here; Girls
on Grass deliver forceful songs with a sense of knowing defiance
that only comes with age; namely the age when one stops caring
about what others think. Go get this.
 HEAVENSAKE
- Post-Chroma (https://heavensake.bandcamp.com)
I always appreciate when a band is willing to embrace who
they are without attempting to create some type of pseudo-intellectual,
sub-genre label. Heavensake formed in 2016 and readily declared
themselves part of an “emo revival” and everything
on their five song EP Post-Chroma sounds like a return to
the best moments of the Deep Elm Records roster, replete with
biting lyrics from vocalist Mikey Lince, intricate guitar
playing from Pat Wood and Sean Burke, and derisive titles.
All of the above meshes perfectly on “If You’re
a God, Then I’m an Atheist” featuring the lines,
“The hate I have for everything inside me” and
“I can never seem to get you out of my head”.
The Philly via New Jersey five piece (including bassist Skeeter
Seifert and drummer Anthony Massimini) sound like a band with
four times their experience throughout the release. “Aftercoulour”
starts everything off with a new interpretation of loud/soft
song dynamics by injecting a combination of youthful exuberance
and streamlined precision. A thunderous low end carries “Bleach”
as Lince asks sarcastically, “so this is what you call
your best life?”. “L’appel Du Vide”
is the most traditionally melodic of the bunch, allowing Lince
to show off his impressive vocal range, but my favorite effort
is the poignant “Did I Leave Everyone, or Did Everyone
Leave Me?”. Opening with a hazy, near shoegazing groove,
the song is a multi-faceted demonstration of this band’s
great reservoir of talent.
 FAT
CHANCE - Do Not Resuscitate (https://fat-chance.bandcamp.com)
Eight years in the making, this DIY Jersey band plays an aggressive
form of true ska punk. I find the horn playing in most ska
often creates an artificially happy construct, but that does
not happen here; Fat Chance are singing songs of real pain,
loss, and a seemingly endless quest for redemption, and the
sadness is only enhanced through the sax work of Lacey Liptak.
I am instantly impressed on “Quit Bitchin’!”
and the reference to ‘Where Eagles Dare” by the
Misfits, but that is merely the start of a remarkable musical
journey. The stark lyrics of “Blue” (“I
woke up this morning and I started thinking suicidal thoughts”),
“Running”, and “Pathetic” each feature
a speaker in distress, and there is no silver lining or neatly
arranged ending. “Rise or Die” and “Capitalism”
both express a disgust and hatred for the current conditions
in America, with the latter delivering these concerns over
a mid-tempo groove that is unapologetically rhythmic. Vocalist
Ferris Denequolo adroitly adjusts his voice from a rugged
shout to a melancholy melody, best heard on the majestic closing
title track that also allows the duo of bassist Weston Mohr
and drummer Shawn Werman to truly shine. Boldly baring his
soul, Denequolo offers lines of raw despondency, noting, “These
visions I have in my head keep on changing/ and they’re
changing until I’m dead/ So I stay withdrawn/I create
my own meds/Cigarette burns on my hands/and your texts before
bed” before bellowing out a heartsick demand of “do
not resuscitate”. The nearly twelve minutes associated
with this song may appear daunting, but be sure to hang around
for the special bonus track which will leave the listener
smiling a bit after the preceding bakers’ dozen of anguish.
Fat Chance allows people to truly enjoy being miserable.
 JONNY
KOSMO s/t (https://jonnykosmo.bandcamp.com)
This L.A.-based act opens this release with an ethereal “Prelude”,
a concoction of church-like organs that hovers with a sense
of gravitas and leaves the listener completely befuddled as
to where the self-titled work is going. “Come Down to
Get Down” bounces with a 1970s disco groove that makes
Jonny Kosmo sound as if he could have been a guest on the
old Dinah Shore Show. The blithe retro-themed fare continues
throughout the record, as “Jessica’s Triangle”
sways gently beneath Kosmo’s warm, falsetto vocals.
It is interesting that he labels his music as “pop-strange”,
when in actuality, Kosmo is blending 70s soft-rock melodies
and varying degrees of non-threatening vocals that range from
sweetly delivered to breathy. Perhaps this sounds “strange”
to those who are too young to remember the “Music”
part of MTV, but for those of us of a certain age, Jonny Kosmo
is mainstream pop goodness. KC Rabbit’s relaxed rap
delivery on “Strawberry Vision exists over the top of
a hook reminiscent of Van McCoy’s “The Hustle”.
“Lazy Susan” and “Overgrown” are far
more ethereal in their deliveries, as Kosmo’s vocals
drift and glisten through the musical equivalent of dazzling
light. This feels like an artist looking to recapture the
past but not in a contrived manner; one gets the sense that
Jonny Kosmo loves the bedazzled relics of the past and is
looking to inject new life into them. I’m fine with
allowing the past to be the past, but Jonny Kosmo makes yesterday
today.
 ELIZA
NEALS AND THE NARCOTICS s/t (www.elizaneals.com)
The sexiest record of 2019 has already been determined and
it the steamy blues of Eliza Neals and the Narcotics. The
highly emotive singer-songwriter is a treasure, and every
moment of the self-titled release overflows with sultry eroticism.
The opening “Jekyll and a Hound” is a gorgeous,
textbook version of how classic, American, blues should sound
and I am hooked before the track concludes. Without giving
listeners time to collect themselves, the band hits with “You
Ain’t My Dog No More”, and when Neals coos “no
more licking my face”, I understand that I am in the
presence of true greatness. The slide guitar of Howard Glazer
is the centerpiece of the track, but Neals is irresistible
with an extraordinarily inviting vocal performance. Clearly
raised on a steady diet of Mississippi Delta blues legends,
along with B.B. King, Bo Diddley, a little Motown swing, and
maybe some Georg Thorogood thrown in for fun, the Detroit
native has a scotch-soaked voice that perfectly conveys tales
of frustration and heartbreak, accented by a limitless sexuality.
“Breaking and Entering” is perhaps the most enticing
anthem of the bunch, but it is still laced with a tongue in
cheek sense of humor, as Neals admits that seducing a man
is “like robbing an armored car” and concludes
the track by announcing how she will “feel your gun
pop”. A splash of funk drives the infectious grove of
“Love Dr. Love”, while she slows the tempo majestically
on “Cold, Cold Night” and the equally sensual
and dazzling “At the Crossroads”. Get ready to
find your next and last true crush.
 JEFF
WHALEN - 10 More Super Rock Hits (Supermegabot Music www.supermegabot.com)
This is pure fun. Jeff Whalen plays lighthearted, sing-along
power pop that does not reflect the angst that so dominates
the first two decades of the twenty-first century. It may
be criminally impossible to get the hooks of “Goofing
Around” or “Jendi” out of one’s head
after only a single listen. Much of 10 More Super Rock Hits
sounds like the Knack hopped up on Pop Rocks and soda as the
songs shake and shimmy with an uncontrollable energy. Sugary
efforts such as “Ground Game for Worm” and “Man
of Devotion” bubble with a warmth and happiness that
make some of this seem out of place within contemporary political
and social climates, but that may be the entire point: Whalen
is rebelling through his sense of innocence, hope, and overall
positivism. Rather than following the depressed, angry heard
of malcontents, Whalen wants people to smile and celebrate.
Even when he slows down a bit, Whalen’s love of lush
pop is obvious on the piano-laced “Soylent Blues”,
and he goes back in time to the silent-film era with the ragtime
jam “Shanghai Surprise”. (And no, there’s
no reference to the historically bad Madonna-Sean Penn film
project) It takes an astounding amount of confidence to deliver
this type of music, for one risks being laughed out of the
room by those who do not appreciate Whalen’s commitment
to the integrity of true Americana. The backing “woah-woah”
vocals on “Don’t Give it Up” are wonderfully
appropriate as the song harkens back to the glory days of
AM radio with an affinity for harmonies that would make the
Bee Gees, Seals and Crofts, or even Captain and Tennille jealous.
I am old enough to remember Columbia Record Club and their
ads for “super hits” on cassettes and my misspent
youth came flying back on the closing title track. I want
to buy this on 8-track.
 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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