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February Reviews Artist of the Month: The Elected During the past couple years of Rilo Kiley’s explosion into the consciousness of mainstream audiences, folks have been commenting on Blake Sennett’s shrinking spotlight vis-à-vis Jenny Lewis’ indie sweetheart image. Sennett has seemingly been painted as playing second fiddle to Lewis; people mostly go to Rilo shows to watch her and, well, listen to brilliant music. The press freaked out that Lewis is releasing a debut solo album (Rabbit Fur Coat) and people squealed with joy over Lewis’ involvement with the Postal Service. Yet, Sennett has thrown down the gauntlet on The Elected’s sophomore record and clearly establishes that there is no Rilo without him and that indie rock inherently flows through his fingers; and also that his “solo” records are way better than Lewis’ offerings (xoxo). The Elected first record Me First came in early 2004 and featured an excellent collection of indie and alt-country whispers enhanced with electronics with the production help of Saddle Creek master Mike Mogis and the Postal Service’s Jimmy Tamborello. Trading out the busy Jason Boesel for mainly Ryland Steen on drums, Sun, Sun, Sun is still a collective effort featuring musicians from a variety of persuasions. The core remains the same with Sennett joined by Mike Bloom on guitars and Daniel Brummel on bass. Recorded with Bloom in LA and various spots on tour with Rilo Kiley, Sun, Sun, Sun shifts off Me First’s electronic moments and concentrates on solid alt-country songs with the right indie pop appeal. Sun, Sun, Sun kicks off on the short little ditty “Clouds Parting (8:14 am)” that merely shepherds you into the terrific “Would You Come With Me.” “Would You Come With Me” is perfect alt-country indie guitar with guitar slides and ooh oohs – some may call this LA-chic country. “Fireflies in a Steel Mill” moves at a consistent pace as the previous number, but builds into a glorious crescendo with the enhancements of horns. In some respects, the inclusion of horns makes “Fireflies in a Steel Mill” come off like a Burt Bacharach song. “Not Going Home” follows and is the first real “rock” song on Sun, Sun, Sun; closer in form to Rilo Kiley songs. Thanks to an impressive chorus “Not Going Home” is an early favorite as a single. These first three songs clearly establishes the Elected and Sennett as an awesome indie rock force; further, it shows how well Bloom’s and Sennett’s vocals come together. Things slow down on “It Was Love” with Jenny Lewis adding background vocals, Bloom heading over to pedal steel and Ryan Maynes offering piano and accordion. The acoustic rambling title track is average by comparison, but still has its moments. I’m not one for dissecting lyrics and meanings, for a number of reasons, so when something seems to standout I got to tell someone. There’s always been scuttlebutt on Sennett and Lewis’ relationship, and the bluesy “Did Me Good” sounds like a response to Lewis on “Portion For Foxes” from More Adventurous. Probably doesn’t mean shit, but with lines like “Cause I have seen that other man//And baby, he ain’t doin’ you no good//So come back.” Lewis was quoted in Rolling Stone awhile back saying that the two just assume each other’s songs are about one another; whether that is still true is an open question. With the help of Lewis’ lyrics, “The Bank and Trust” stands out as one of the best on Sun, Sun, Sun. “The Bank and Trust” is crammed with pedal steel, excellent lyrics and appealing melodies. Further, the mood of “The Bank and Trust” seems to perfectly suited to complement Sennett’s vocals. With enough play, “The Bank and Trust” has the elements to be an indie classic. The slow “Old Times” follows, and save for a strong chorus, is rather ordinary, while the brief “Desiree” features Sennett on harmonica and reminds one of a Maria Taylor song. The twinkling magic comes back in force on “I’ll Be Your Man” with Stacy Dupree setting the tone with bom-bom-boms. Though crawling along, “I’ll Be Your Man” is one of the better tracks and features such choice lines as “You don’t have to go and die to show people you are hurting.” “Beautiful Rainbow” is the type of song that makes people marginalize Sennett’s vocal lead songs for Rilo Kiley. Sun, Sun, Sun officially closes on “At Home (Time Unknown)” which is the same as the opening number, but the record really closes on the seven-minute journey of “Biggest Star.” Save for some low-end rattling on the recording, “Biggest Star” is strong number that closes like Sennett became possessed by Pinkerton which is fabulous. After several close spins of Sun, Sun, Sun, you make the simple conclusion that you want Sennett and the Elected to be your friends. Beyond that, Sun, Sun, Sun makes clear what Sennett brings to the table on Rilo Kiley; and how Mike Bloom and Sennett fit so damn well. The only song that Sennett led on More Adventurous totally sucked, but this record makes clear Rilo should have him doing more vocal duties on the next album. Even if you weren’t impressed by the Elected’s debut or Sennett’s other endeavors, take a chance on Sun, Sun, Sun, as you will pleasantly surprised.
Blood on the Tracks Only together for a year, the three-piece of Blood on the Tracks piece together a solid six-song debut EP for Em Dash. Composed of the interestingly-named Millhows (guitar/vocals), Christian Hayden (drums) and Robert Ong (bass), Blood sound like a mainstream contemporary band wanted to write songs that sound like Jimmy Eat World. As you can imagine this makes for a compelling and non-threatening sound. What can move Blood from mainstream rock bands – that shall not be mentioned – is Millhows’ singing and guitar. Yet, this separation is only apparent on certain songs. For instance, take “In Flames” where the guitars are soaring and Millhows sounds like he just got done singing for the Get Up Kids on Something to Write Home About; but the song is placed between the more pop friendly “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” and “Tonight.” Couple that with dance-inducing rhythms on “Love is Dead” and Blood is ready for a radio assault. Still, check out the cool chorus on the closer “Without You.” It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see Blood on the Tracks being groomed as the next big thing.
Boysetsfire As part of Boysetsfire’s and EVR’s strategy of clearing the air before they release their new record, The Misery Index: Notes From the Plague Years (see the EVR reissue of The Day the Sun Went Out), [Reissues. Odds and Ends. Rarities] is literally just that. After BSF’s million-and-a-half label changes and random releases, they wanted to compile a bunch of the scattered pieces on one record for fans. Besides from the included In Chrysalis EP that came out on Initial, the rest of the fifteen songs are hard to track down. The record opens with four songs from BSF’s first demo – “One Subject Notebook,” “Parasite Candy,” “Three Lefts” and “Harlot” – and while crudely recorded on a four-track it is pretty damn good. To think of the quality of demo you could come up with on a four-track during the mid-90s – this is one of the better and hints at better things to come. The next three songs – “Vehicle,” “The Burning Of” and “Turn the Key” – are from the band’s the second demo and first recorded in a studio. The betterness continues and “Vehicle” winds up on the band’s first full-length The Day the Sun Went Out. The two songs from BSF’s Consider 7” follow and the vinyl creakiness of “Consider the Numbers” and “Feudal” remain. The next five songs are from the In Chrysalis, which many BSF fans already have, and are clearly the best recorded songs here. This EP served as a link point between The Day and After the Eulogy (Victory) and is a smoker. Check out “The Tyranny of What Everyone Knows,” the melodic “Loser of the Year Award” and the cover of the Dead Kennedys “Holiday in Cambodia.” In another ‘label screwed us’ story from BSF, they reclaim their Suckerpunch Training EP from the powers that be and give you “Suckerpunch Training,” and the brilliant “Rocket Man” (which is one of BSF’s best melodic numbers). The final four songs of [Reissues. Odds and Ends. Rarities] are the assorted rarities bin. Up first is “No Time Safe” from a WXDR benefit CD followed by “Bucket of Rain” from the Dad I Can’t Breathe comp (Creep Records), “With Cold Eyes” from the For the Kids comp and the weird acoustic “Fashion as a Weapon” from a comp called Can’t Stop This Train. Compared with most other BSF material, these four don’t offer much. [Reissues. Odds and Ends. Rarities] is must have for Boysetsfire fans with holes in their collection. For casual onlookers, you should start with the Day the Sun Went Out and progress from there.
Bracket California’s pop punk veterans Bracket took six years in-between their last record and Requiem (with a live record in 2002); and in all honesty they might have been better waiting another six. Formed in 1992 and part of Fat Wreck’s 1990s Left Coast punk assault, Bracket have six previous records under their belts and enormous cred for sticking it out all these years. Part of their layover was due to the band building their own studio in a trailer – entitled Trailer Park Studios. So what’s the deal with Requiem? The seventeen-songs here – all named “Warren’s Song Pt.” and then a number – sound like the Beach Boys’ evil clone went out and wrote a rock opera. Across Requiem, Bracket approaches with a moderate tempo, super simple power chords and an over-indulgence of BB harmonies. There are a couple of moments that break from the trend, including “Warren’s Song Pt. 24,” but you are ultimately worn down by the mediocre. To older folks Requiem is a disappointment, but it’ll be interesting to see how the kids react to it.
Brother JT We certainly weren’t expecting the quasi-Indian space-out instrumental love fest on the opener “Indoor Sunshine.” And that makes it all the more cooler. Recorded at home with assistance from Steve Gigante, the eleven songs on Indoor Sunshine do more than just take you to a worry-free environment. Brother JT mostly trades in stretched out minimalist rock songs where vocals tend to be slightly more than a whisper and slow moving fuzzed guitars rule the day. You are also met with a more traditional acoustic constructions on the strong “Warm’s the New Cool,” the odd hip-hop-like “Poor God,” and the 60s pop of “Dear Mr. Sun.” While Indoor Sunshine isn’t exactly accessible by the common listener, Brother JT has more to offer than you may initially perceive. Just don’t play Indoor Sunshine if you are trying to stay awake ‘cause it will mellow you out.
Campus Ladies Christen Sussin and Carrie Aizley star in the sit-com show called Campus Ladies, which airs on the Oxygen Network. This brainstorm of two members of the Comedy troupe the Groundlings is based on the premise of two forty-somethings starting over and returning to college, albeit the fictitious University of the Midwest. Barri (Christen Sussin) stars as the recent divorcee, who decides to return to college life after she finds her husband cheating on her. At times overly enthusiastic, her character portrays the naivety that many enter into college with. Behaviorally quite the opposite is Joan (Carrie Aizley) who enters with apprehension, however she is a recent widow and also at a time in her life which allows her this drastic change. The show details their college experiences, twice as awkward as any other entering college freshmen because of their age. The show as a whole is quite reminiscent of Strangers with Candy, the late Comedy Central show starring Amy Sedaris. Although Strangers with Candy has a bit more raunch being as it is based on a much more scandalous character. Since it airs on the Oxygen network, a network designed for the age group of the ladies, it makes sense why I feel that perhaps this is designed for an older viewing audience then me. I spent much of the episodes waiting for the show to pick up its slack. But I give them an E for effort.
Crime in Stereo Even though this is a blistering three-song EP from NY’s Crime in Stereo, the three really short songs don’t give you enough ass kicking for the hardcore punk junkie. At only six minutes, Fuel.Transit.Sleep. fulfills it’s job as an interest teaser for a future full-length on Crime’s new label Nitro; and these songs will be on the full-length. Still, Crime’s fast-paced, guitar solo punk packs a punch in similar fashion to Strike Anywhere and easily quickens your pulse across “Slow Math,” “I’m on the Guestlist Motherfucker,” and “When the Women Come Out to Dance.” We are pumped for Crime’s upcoming full-length The Troubled Stateside; and so should you.
Daniel Tosh Although I’d never heard of Daniel Tosh, immediately I was able to follow his stand-up delivery style and was laughing along with the audience. This CD/DVD combo package was very amusing. Listening to him at first made me think of a cross between Jim Gaffigan and Mike Birbiglia (two comedic favorites), but watching him gave no reminders of the two. The nice thing about this set was that the comedic routine was not the same on the CD and DVD, there were overlapping areas but for the most part they were separate. The CD nicely separated the routine into 10 different areas, so it was easy to pick up where you had left off without missing half of the joke. This is a great comedian, you will hear more of him in the future I’m sure. My only recommendation is to watch the DVD first if you get a chance, then listen to the CD because it helps on a few jokes to actually see his gestures.
Dead Hearts Coming out of the dismal-weathered Buffalo, Dead Hearts offer nine songs of gut punching hardcore on this quick EP for State of Mind. Recently signed to Ferret, Dead Hearts attack with traditional hardcore structures, but rely considerable more on rock riffs and tempo shifts than many other bands. This may be a function of the often heavier sound employed by Buffalo bands – or the shape shifting of Snapcase – but either way Dead Hearts make up ground with rockers like “Dear Jane Letter” and “Heart Shaped Coffin.” This EP is appealing in spite of the vocals - which are generically annoying and include too many lame gang vocals. If Dead Hearts had a more dynamic vocalist, they could be brilliant. Look for more from Dead Hearts on Ferret.
Eurythmics Partially growing up in the 80s, I probably know more Eurythmics’ songs than I care to remember. And that is part of the scariness of Ultimate Collection. If you’ve done your work in sufficiently suppressing the 80s in your mind, you don’t want to listen to this record. This nineteen-track best of will make you massively depressed for a variety of reasons including that 80s pop music was so awful. If you could never bring yourself to own any of the Eurythmics eight records, but want a ‘best of’ – including the requisite “Sweet Dreams [Are Made of This]” then Ultimate Collection is perfect. I need a drink.
Ester Drang On Ester Drang’s first record since a serious accident in support of 2003’s Infinite Keys, Rocinate finds the band offering mature, mod-tempo, spaced-out rock that suits your preference for both background soundtrack and right in the front listening. Taking time to record their third full-length, and second for Jade Tree, Ester Drang explored the recording confines of Chapel Hill, Seattle, Hunting Beach, and Tulsa before settling in with Scott Solter in San Francisco to record and put the previous pieces in place. You may need to check your sleeping pills at the door though, as Rocinate can relax you to knock off if you’re not careful (as on “Grave Mistake”). Still, the more aggressive string-induced atmospheric songs like “Hooker with a Heart of Gold” will get you swaying. The low-energy ‘attack’ on these ten songs creates a perfect setting to chill out to, but you’d be hard pressed to single out highlight numbers and little to quickly impress non-involved acquaintances. Naturally some are better than others (“Come Back Alive,” “Valencia’s Dying Dream,” “Smoke and Air”) and Bryce Chambers’ smooth vocals and synths lead you through the fog. If you want hip high-concentration work music from a rock band then you can’t do much better than Rocinate.
Excepter After listening to the five-song Sunbomber EP, it really comes as no surprise that it was recorded in an hour over the summer. As you search through the extremely esoteric movements of this NYC-based outfit, you find that there are only marginal redeeming qualities. As a piece of installation art, Sunbomber might make a nice addition. As with most of Tarentel’s material, it is exceptionally hard to imagine the appeal of bands like Excepter. Yet, if random electronic noise blips are your thing, then Excepter’s latest is for you.
The Films Unquestionably, the Films are hitting the right sounds for today’s rock environment; just don’t ask for innovation on this three-song single. The Films play simple throwback 60s pop rock that is focused on creating massive doses of melody into a very conservative song structures. That all combines for a pleasant listening experience – though not enough to write home about. Not as garage as the recent, slowly passé trend, the Films still come off like a junior Strokes. The highlight on this single release is the final song “Come On,” thanks mostly to a strong chorus that comes on like “Sweet Caroline.” Obviously the melody is here, but what the Films need are more ball-punching choruses like on “Come On.”
The Flakes If you randomly put on the Flakes latest record Back to School for someone and asked them to peg when it was recorded – as in the decade – they might massively miss fire. Back to School could have been recorded at any time between the 60s and today. The reason is that the Flakes play straight up garage rock and do it in such a way that says ‘evolution, schevolution.’ Near all the fourteen tracks are two-and-a-half minutes long and feature simple beats, simple chords and a requisite guitar solo. And while this could have been from the 60s, it easily could be from the early days of Lookout Records – which is convenient for the Bay Area-located Flakes. The Flakes seem a band best explored live at a dive with cheap beer – the fun is only marginally captured with a record.
Green Carnation Sans previous experience with Norway’s Green Carnation, there is little hint at the true sound of the band from Acoustic Verses. Formed in 1990, Green Carnation are actually a metal band – though one that has explored more of the esoteric and eclectic sides of the genre; particularly in the 30 musician Light of Day, Day of Darkness. With a rapid succession of releases this millennium, Acoustic Verses is the first release for the band’s Sublife Productions. The only hints that this record is not on the up-and-up are the creepy mist-filled album photo and the slightly dark-themed songs. The seven songs on Acoustic Verses don’t come off like a black metal band decided to go unplugged, but there is just something off from what you might expect from your average acoustic outfit. In many respects, Acoustic Verses sounds like Coldplay exploded with the abstruse instrumental offerings from a label like North East Indie. This is particularly case when Green Carnation heavily utilize strings as on “Alone.” For those preferring a Cerberus Shoal with more structure and ‘pop’ appeal, then this latest from Green Carnation is nearly perfect.
Harland Williams Harland Williams, the former host of Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, gets a 45 minute opportunity to amuse in this cd. His stand-up routine often involves questioning the audience (chock full of Arby’s employees), but as a listener it doesn’t matter that you can’t see. The comedic routine is well planned as one to be solely listened to. I’ve listened to stand-up routines before where I missed half of the jokes because I couldn’t see, and this is not one of those cds. There is a good flow of jokes as well as connecting references to earlier jokes. Many of Harland’s jokes are told in a questioning format. After a while, you get sick of his intentional mispronunciation of the word al Qaeda, but perhaps that is part of the joke. Harland uses his skill of animal noises to entertain, mimicking crows and cicadas. A lightening experience to add to your day, Har-Larious is just that. More information can be reached through harlandwilliams.com. KFC- the only thing missing is u.
The Hero and the Victor A couple years removed from this Santa Barbara-based mostly instrumental rock outfits’ debut EP comes their first full-length. As first established on the EP and now again across the eleven songs of the Villainy of the Ordinary, the Hero and the Victor have a proclivity of acting as second cousin to glorious instrumental rock heroes like Explosions in the Sky. When Hero are focusing on such missions, they are endearing and make you wish they pursued it further. Instead, Hero reps more as a traditional rock outfit that prefers to extend songs with spacey guitars; and there is nothing wrong with that. Yet, when you hear this foursome offering such riffs as on “Holes,” you wish they would keep going with it, drop the vocals, and bring you to a different level of awesomeness. At the same time, pushing the Hero to follow Explosions may be setting them up to fail. As such we can simply enjoy what the Hero is actually rocking. With that in mind, standout tracks come from the aforementioned “Holes,” the short instrumental “Begin To No End,” the Advantage-like Nintendo riffs on “On a Mission,” the brilliant instrumental “Lemon Scented,” and “All Things Will Be” one of the better word-filled songs here. Still when the Hero play the instrumental magic of “Lemon Scented” and “Holes,” they have understand what they are really capable of. We are waiting for Temporary Residence to pick these guys up.
The Lashes Initially conceived in 2000, Seattle’s the Lashes have worked their way up through the ranks, along the obligatory billion different drummers, to arrive at the uber-catchy Get It. Fronted by Ben Clark on vocals and filled out by guitarists Scotty Rickard and Erik Howk, bassist Nate Mooter, keyboardist Jacob Hoffman, and drummer Mike Loggins, the Lashes’ first offering for the national audience was an EP on the unfortunately-sinking Lookout Records entitled The Stupid Stupid. Do the Lashes really need six members? Their stripped-down catchy garage punk anthems give the definitive answer of no. But, at the same time, it is not as if the Lashes have three guitarists all playing three chords; most songs are multi-layered with Hoffman’s keyboards doing more than just mimicking the guitars. Still…. Opening with uptempo “New Best Friend” and cruising through ten more songs, Get It is a solid record but the Lashes might have trouble differentiating themselves from bands like Hot Hot Heat. Still you find good times on songs like “Sometimes the Sun,” “Safe to Say,” “Please Please Please,” and “The World Needs More Love Letters” with its heavy keys and catchy chorus. Save for finding space in the crowded contemporary rock field, the Lashes have enough catchiness to keep you interested beyond the first listening or two.
Malcolm Palmer That I didn’t feel the need to throw Malcolm Palmer’s fifth full-length Between the Womb and the Tomb against the wall says much of Palmer’s appeal. Originally from Albuquerque, but now fully transplanted in Chicago, Palmer’s music is a merging of hip-hop and folk music. The folk music here isn’t what you might assume, but it is more like stripped down acoustic rock and jazz that provides accompaniment to Palmer’s wordy verses. In essence, Palmer is a poet who gets his words out with the help of music – not unlike Saul Williams. Except, Palmer is considerably more conventional than Williams particularly in the construction of music; saying nothing of the awful sax throughout on Between the Womb. As a modern day urban poet, Palmer would probably be better off without the music, at least this music, and to focus solely on verses. Go to Palmer for words, not for music.
Martha Berner At first glance, you don’t expect much from Martha Berner’s …This Side of Yesterday, as the opener “Lady of Plenty” is a solid though average song. But good things come from letting Berner take you through her thought process on the next nine songs. Out of Chicago, though from all over, Berner utilizes an array of studio musicians at various studios in Lexington, Lake Geneva (WI) and Madison to complete …This Side of Yesterday. Berner’s talent lies not ingenuity, but in taking past standards in roots music, folk and alt-country and wrapping it in a contemporary blanket of goodness. That may initially give the impression of a coffee shop, folky hippie huckster, but instead Berner comes from a place not unlike Iron & Wine. You might call the police for the early Bob Dylan rip on “A Town Called Happiness,” but you can’t deny that the song is a hot alt-country joint. In fact, “A Town Called Happiness” might be the perfect example of the melding of sounds that Berner has mastered. Other times highlight a Natalie Merchant-like vocal tone and cadence (e.g., “Or Anyway”), but it is neither a transgression nor unpleasant. Besides from “A Town Called Happiness” and “Or Anyway” highlights on …This Side of Yesterday include the slow “Poor Little Me,” “Fantastic Ordinary” and the enjoyable piano rambling on “Good Company.” With the right exposure and tour, Martha Berner should do great things in the near future and we can’t wait for a follow-up to …This Side of Yesterday.
Mellowdrone Led by the talented Jonathan Bates, LA’s Mellowdrone trades in low-energy synth-based rock that is riddled with melody and pop appeal. Recently signed by Columbia-imprint Red Ink, Mellowdrone have been making headway for a few years including releasing their own EP and opening for Johnny Marr of the Smiths. Once a one-man show, Mellowdrone is, relatively, filled out as a band on the thirteen-track Box. While Bates and Mellowdrone trade in hip eclecticism across the record, there is unquestionably a core structure to the many offerings. That comes courtesy of drum machine beats, synths, electronic loops and Bates’ appealing vocals. Given the current fashion that description may make them sound like they’re ‘new wave,’ and they do at times, but Mellowdrone sound more like a wise European electro-rock outfit. Bates’ low energy approach can come off as depressingly pushing himself to get out of bed, but it is more for mood than actual content. While none of the songs smack you as ‘radio hit,’ which Bates enhances by often dropping f-bombs, Box is filled with enough great songs to have to check back often. Among the best are strong rock of “Oh My,” the mild Strokes-like “Fashionably Uninvited,” “Fuck It Man” which rocks an awesome chorus but you probably won’t be hearing it on the radio anytime soon, “Whatever the Deal,” and “Bone Marrow.” Even if Mellowdrone has trouble in the U.S., they will unquestionably be a hit on the Euro rock circuit.
Nagg Featuring members of the Flakes, Nagg unleash their own unbridled, sleazy rock and roll from out of their Bay Area HQ on this twelve-track self-titled record. Besides from the heavy riff and solo attack, the defining characteristic of Nagg is the vocals of Amy Ward. At first, on the opener “Beauty of the Bitch,” you don’t think that Ward’s vocals are anything except a female-version of slurred rock. Yet, as you progress through the record it becomes apparent that Ward’s shouts and guitars of Greg Fenwick and Brian Krepshaw are a great match. That first moment of insight comes on the smoking “My My My,” which is southern rock with Ward leading the charge. Without greater detail or my own knowledge, it appears that this record is about half originals and half covers – as noted with the song credits. Who wrote what is relatively irrelevant as you should check out Nagg rocking “Endless Sleep,” the amazing version of “She’s In Love With You” (again, very familiar) and “So, What if I Am?” Coming from more of an indie rock angle, if you like bands like the Gossip, you’ll love Nagg.
The Never Enders Even though Air Raid Romance was recorded in my hometown – Babylon, NY – that doesn’t give the Never Enders a free pass. Recorded by bassist Tomas Constanza (ex-Diffuser) at his SoundRoom Studios, Air Raid Romance is a contemporary example of melodic hardcore, though with mainstream aspirations. Accompanying Constanza on this mission are vocalist Michael Sonbert, guitarists Chris DeMeo and Gerry Soman and drummer Chachi. The Never Enders introduce sporadic screaming to enliven their sound, particularly on choruses, but they mostly follow a melodic distorted punk sound. There are also images of mid-late NYC mainstream hardcore – like Orange 9mm – on songs like “Top of the World” and the rather off “Fall Down.” Highlights on Air Raid Romance include “Something Beautiful,” the first single “Broken” which is the most commercial sounding here, the catchy chorus of “California Against New York” and the closer “Part of Me.” Not massively innovative, but still a nice treat, The Never Enders should be the toast of Long Island scene – they should especially pack the Downtown. Some love from fellow LI-ers Bayside, etc., would certainly help the band move to the next level. Meanwhile, where the hell is there a studio in Babylon?
No Roses Although this seven-song EP from Philly’s No Roses is complete mindless four-on-the-floor old school hardcore (reverb of Give Up the Ghost), it is not immediately forgettable as many others of this ilk tend to be. With none of the songs peaking over two minutes, a band needs to cram a lot in for the song to be unique. In this regard, No Roses talents lie in Jon Hunt’s honest vocals and the band’s sporadic melodic guitars. With this in mind, the obvious highlight of Hell or High Water comes on the second track “Snapshots” that brims with punk enthusiasm thanks to guitar work and vocal inflection. If all of the songs were as clearly awesome as “Snapshots,” No Roses would be a contender.
North to Emerson North to Emerson’s latest …Anywhere But Here has been staring at my from the shelf for a few weeks and just pissing me off. Why? Because the one-sheet has the lamest band photo ever and one of the praise’s is a random dude saying it was best CD he’s brought all summer; like a weight loss drug testimonial, incredibly disturbing. Yet, this four-piece from St. Cloud, MN isn’t nearly as terrible as appearance may hint across the stereotypical fourteen pop punk songs on …Anywhere But Here. Getting past poorly mixed drums, North to Emerson’s high-tempo, power chord-driven songs paint the perfect portrait of a local fav punk band that will struggle to make it outside their hometown. The main reason is that North to Emerson aren’t talented enough to put a signature stamp on the stereotypical pop punk sound. North to Emerson might have been greeted with more open arms about ten years ago during the Left Coast melodic punk upheaval, but as of now their just holding down the fort in St. Cloud.
Some Girls After last spring’s six-minute EP The DNA Will Have It’s Say on 3.1.G., the all-star punk noise outfit is back with the full-length Heaven’s Pregnant Teens – their first on Epitaph. Even if you haven’t heard of Some Girls, their lineup will quickly paint the picture for you – members of such groups at the Locust, Give Up the Ghost, The Plot…, Unbroken, Head Wound City. When faced with one of these balls-out, million-miles-an-hour audio assaults you need to square with how the band fits in the world. Since Some Girls are lead by Wes Eisold on vocals, they come off more as if a noise crew squirreled into an old school hardcore band. And that’s refreshing. Unlike the EP, several of the tracks here are actually over two minutes and present some semblance of orthodox order; not to mention the nine-minute closer. Like some of their other groups, Some Girls is probably best enjoyed live and then records like Heaven’s Pregnant Teens will find a new meaning in your collection.
Struck Down It is not clear how Struck Down are doing anything different from any other basic hardcore band right now or twenty years ago. Naturally formed out of bands you have never heard of, Erie’s Struck Down just hit you with a series of ordinary hardcore songs that will put you asleep; also the recording and mixing is off as it sounds like Struck Down are stuck in a quagmire – which is surprising for such a solid label as Indianola. There are lots of bands that don’t deviate from the structure of old-school hardcore, but somehow Revolution just sounds worse than the usual fair. I’m sure that among those in Erie’s hardcore scene, Struck Down are a live favorite but outside of that environment these guys don’t have much to offer.
Taea Pushing past the awkward Big Foot-type comic book album art – which makes you question what the hell the music within may sound like – Virginia’s Taea stay to a tight line of two-minute old school hardcore songs. As with most of State of Mind’s records, Taea is a competent hardcore band that doesn’t annoy nor blow you away. And in such a narrow window, a band needs to ultra-tight and have the perfect mix of ingredients to separate. Taea doesn’t. The main questions come in the form of burnt out chord vocals and too much distortion which makes Taea sound less tight than they may actually be. So instead of tight stops-starts and sharp guitar attacks, there is a wall of sound that limits enjoyment. Unless you are metal band, it is always best to turn down the distortion when recording – guitars simply get picked up better. Yet, as is typically the case, fans of Taea are created live and not through an EP.
This is Hell As part of State of Mind’s growing posse of hardcore bands, Long Island’s This Is Hell unleashes six tracks of fast paced hardcore on this self-titled EP. Given the old school core of This is Hell, you can imagine that the songs aren’t all that innovative. Yet, this five-piece manages to add just enough vocal ummphhh, with the help of Daryl Palumbo, and are just tight enough to pull it off. Often times, bands like these are made by their vocalist and guitarists. It is safe to say that vocalist Travis Reilly (ex-Scraps and Heart Attacks) and guitarists Joe Osolin and Rick Jimenez help distinguish This is Hell in a sea of morass. Along with a cover of 108’s “When Death Closes Your Eyes,” this self-titled EP establishes that This is Hell is at least equivalent with the best that Bridge Nine has to offer; just slightly farther down the coast.
Tony Travalini Unlike many small time mainstream rock bands, Tony Travalini and his band has something more to offer than bad rehashing of the past. After fronting All the Rage in the 90s, Travalini is back with a drawn-out fourteen-track offering. You are immediately struck by Travalini’s vocals that are oddly distinctive – like a less whiny J. Mascis. Yet, behind Travalini’s vocals are well-planned and orchestrated rock songs that simultaneously aren’t entirely new but don’t sound like anyone either. With songs like “Broken Promises,” “Another Dull Night,” “Better Quit (While I’m Behind)” and “What You Wanted,” Tony Travalini could get some serious attention with a little image crafting. That is, many of these songs are not unlike many countrified indie rock numbers – that are almost cool by definition – though I don’t know how much effort is pointed in that direction by the band. If Travalini were able to hook up as an opening act for a respected indie band, they could get really noticed.
Troy Lukkarila In all likelihood Troy Lukkarila is certifiable insane. Lukkarila’s odd fascination with trailer trash ramblings and art, coupled with a separate fetish with cats, makes for a strange combination to begin with. Add to that Lukkarila’s billion-and-a-half different sounds, inside jokes and Unsafe Structure is an adventure in patience. Save for a song here and there – “Julie” – few of the fourteen songs on Unsafe Structure follow any type of recognizable song construction. Lukkarila’s eclecticism may actually come off better if he was a more stoic musician. For instance, take “Make Her Happy” which paces around for five minutes but echoes some Explosions guitars and space. If the content matched the musical atmosphere, people may take more to Lukkarila. In another way, Lukkarila’s 1920’s crooning in parts of the opener “When You Get Home” is actually endearing. If nothing else Troy Lukkarila is having great fun.
V/A During the year that the guys at American Laundromat et al. took to get this compilation together, the comp was making its own news thanks to the heavy hitters the labels were lining up. People were like ‘how did such a tiny label get Matthew Sweet, Frank Black, Kristin Hersh, etc. to agree to this?’ Regardless, they did. And, oh, this comp, as the title suggests, takes the best songs from the best 80s teen movies and redoes them. The 20 renditions here, though, tend to be hit or miss. Sure, some of the original songs aren’t as smoking as others, but a handful of bands here completely drop the ball on some of these standards. You also might think that the songs seem overly represented by Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink – but those are the classics. Let’s start with the covers that deserve their own special place in Hell. First, is the awful cover of “Turning Japanese” by Blank Pages (from Sixteen Candles) – though it may be my massive bias towards Skankin’ Pickles mid-1990s version. The next song is another pothole in the form of “Weird Science” from the Bennies – it’s hard to mimic Oingo Boingo. But probably the worst cover here is AM’s “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (from The Breakfast Club). This cover is so horrible I would rather have all my teeth removed than listen to it. This is the perfect example of how to totally fuck up an awesome song. The unfortunate thing is that these three terrible covers come right in a row near the beginning, and while other covers may be suspect none are as bad as these. At the same time, there are a bunch of refreshing covers. This includes the opening three songs – John P. Strohm’s version of “Somebody’s Baby” (from Fast Times), Dipsomaniacs’ version of “A Million Miles Away” (Valley Girl), and Matthew Sweet’s “American Girl” (Fast Times). “Somebody’s Baby” and “American Girl” are so rock that you get chills thinking about the movie. Other covers to take time on include Lori McKenna’s version of “In Your Eyes” (from Say Anything), Kitty Hawk’s cover of “If You Were Here” (from Sixteen Candles), The Atomic Hep Cats’ version of “Bring on the Dancing Horses” (from Pretty in Pink), The Commons’ “Moving in Stereo” (from Fast Times), The Dresden Dolls’ cover of “Pretty in Pink,” the sort-of-like-cheating cover of “Wave of Mutilation” from Kristin Hersh (of the film Pump up the Volume), and the Caulfield Sisters’ version of “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want.” If nothing else, this compilation will get the all grown-up 80s kids to reminisce about John Hughes’ films and all their intangibles. Though you better be prepared to take that trip, because it can hit your hard….
V/A Invite Them up is a weekly comedy show featuring stand-up comedians from New York’s East Village. Bobby Tisdale and Eugene Mirman host the weekly variety show and this 3-cd collection and DVD compile some of the best of Invite Them Up. These performances were mostly odd, and I can only think that they would appeal to you if you were close friends with the comedians, or heavily sedated. I was very disappointed with some of the performances of names I recognized and mostly puzzled by the performances of the unknown names. I especially looked forward to Michael Showalter’s performances after loving his tv show in the mid-90's, The State. Each comedian is given about 8 minutes to perform, so it takes a bit to get used to their style of delivery, and by about the time you get a joke, or appreciate it, their stint is over. Mike Birbiglia was one of the only acts I appreciated. The DVD was disturbing, as some of the acts just made me feel dirty and confused at the same time. Each new act I hoped was better and repeatedly was smacked in the face with incomprehensionable anecdotes. I really wanted to enjoy this set of CDs but I didn’t, and it’s not because they aren’t yet famous, it’s that for the most part they just weren’t funny.
V/A For the longest time I put off renting Underworld due to an array of bad reviews that I had seen on the film. After exploring nearly all other options, I finally watched Underworld and, completely surprisingly, actually loved it. Now, you need to have proclivity to vampire/monster movies to even enter in with an open mind, but if you do it dazzles. Following on the unexpected success comes the follow-up Underworld: Evolution and this expansive sixteen-track metal & hardcore soundtrack. Basically, every band on this comp has a dark side to them and many often employ vampire imagery. Witness Cradle of Filth, Atreyu, My Chemical Romance and Alkaline Trio, among others. And just in case the bands weren’t able to bring enough electro-vampire music to the table, it appears a quorum of remixers were available to work the songs over. To varying degrees this soundtrack claims exclusive music from these outfits either in the form of new songs or remixes. The highlights include Linkin Park headman Chester Bennington vs. Julien K’s “Morning After” which flashes several melodic moments that suggest a commercial appeal; the awesome drum-and-bass remix of Hawthorne Heights’ “Where Do I Stab Myself in the Ears,” like Atari Teenage Riot or Kid606 entered HH; the possibly too-obvious-to-not-include remixed “To the End” by My Chemical Romance; the remixed “Burn” from Alkaline Trio; Trivium’s “Washing Away Me In the Tides”; and the quasi “HW2” Cradle of Filth. Although appealing on their own right, the downside to many of the remixes is that they contain such common elements that it can wear on you. Even if the movie sucks, at least the accompanying music should smoke.
When Girls Collide With album art designed to make you vomit, When Girls Collide features LC Messinger’s latest upbeat punk electronica for the unwitting masses. Previously the frontwoman of Unknown Gender, Messinger’s influence has floated through Euro punk dance clubs for the past couple of decades. On Hit Me With Your Tail Wag she offers eleven intriguing songs where you often find yourself saying ‘I can’t believe that I like this.’ With slightly crackling electronics, drum machine, and guitar strums, Messinger’s voice is impressively and unconsciously enticing as a new wave love fest. Uninformed ears might relate a more aggressive female-version of Air to When Girls Collide. Among the standout numbers are the opener “Song for Me,” “Josephine,” and “Swept Away.” You also get some super scary 80s songs like “Talk to Me” and “Imagination.” It shouldn’t have to be the case, but if Hit Me With Your Tail Wag was repackaged with a cool minimalist design it would be more enticing to the market.
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