Newer blog, greater consistency

I am now co-contributor to a blog by the name of VIRULENT STAIN. With to brains at the helm, expect greater consistency of posts and, of course, more quality features. Thanks to everyone who had been reading this at one point or another. I might find my way back to this blog later on, but for now, be sure to check out VIRULENT STAIN (also re-read the Vast Majority entry that I have since re-posted).

Thanks!

Muslims - Parasites 7"

Most people who know me are aware of my fascination with the Wipers. Because of this I was initially pleased to note the somewhat recent trend of bands tastefully robbing Greg Sage blind by copying everything from his songwriting structure to his guitar tone to his vocal stylings. Inevitably, the old adage stating that "too much of anything is a bad thing" began to rear its ugly head. And while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it doesn't help you write better songs and its even worse when your immitation is downright bad. I could name specific instances, but let's not be negative. Rather, let's shine the spotlight on those bands who pull of a remarkably accurate job and also add enough novel elements that keep things, ultimately, interesting.

San Diego's The Muslims (currently known as The Soft Pack) were a great example of an interesting and pleasant amalgamation of sounds. The specific creative effort in question, the 2008 single 'Parasites' on I Hate Rock N Roll, is an infectiously catchy, simple slab of wax that digs itself into your brain and hangs on tight. And while that obvious Wipers vibe maintains throughout the 2 tracks, one cannot deny an obvious nod to The Clean as well. The A side is a midtempo gem that should act as the soundtrack to any early-evening car ride to anywhere USA. The B side didn't stay with me like the A side did, but compliments the initial track nicely. Overall a great single that only gets better with repeated listens.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?vynynmt5ten

Superchunk - Hit Self Destruct EP (1993)

This gem of an EP includes the catchy single 'Cadmium' along with an acoustic version of 'Throwing Things' and their rendition of the Verlaine's 'Lying In State'.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/zz659z

Dead Moon - Echoes Of The Past

The tale of Dead Moon is a story within a story. The band itself helped set the standard for bands of this region: the sly sense of humor, ethos, and raw energy that bands from the Pacific Northwest are reknown for. From 1987 til 2006, Fred Cole, his wife Toody Cole, and Andrew Loomis consistently churned out an amalgamation of punk, garage rock, and country music that was beyond reproach. Dead Moon is often discussed with great reverence by many, even if they aren't familiar with the band's bounty of material. Their reputation precedes them.

Within the tale of Dead Moon is that of Fred Cole. Fred began playing in bands at the age of 13, starting The Lords in 1964. By the age of 15, Cole was being touted as "the white Stevie Wonder". Cole started and played in a beavy of bands between 1964 and the conception of Dead Moon in 1987 including (to name a few): Deep Soul Cole, The Weeds, The Lollipop Shoppe, Zipper, King Bee, The Rats, The Desperate Edge, and The Western Front.

44 years. 44 years of playing in bands, touring and recording. It simply boggles the mind. I could only dream of such perseverence!

While Dead Moon eventually called it a day (fear not, as both Fred and Toody have since started a new project called Pierced Arrows), their legacy is an enduring one that will only grow and develop with time. It would be incredibly difficult to make any attempt to designate one specific record to encapsulate their genius. With that in mind, I have decided to share the band's self-compiled 'best of' collection (released by Sub Pop in 2006).

You can buy other available Dead Moon merchandise (including the DVD 'Unknown Passage') here.

Echoes Of the Past - Disc One: http://sharebee.com/a69ff10c
Echoes Of the Past - Disc Two: http://sharebee.com/91cefca9

Vast Majority - I Wanna Be A Number 7"

Vast Majority formed in 1979 after vocalist Scott Telles had been hyping his own fictional outfit called Shit Snotnose and the Scabsuckers. The band was eventually flyerbooked and decided to get together and write a few songs.

I Wanna Be A Number reflects this haste and lack of experience. To be truthful this record has some of the worst drumming and bass playing that comes to mind. And yet there is a quality to this record that keeps me coming back for more. The catchy vocal hooks perhaps? The melody that I keep humming 20 minutes after I listen to the song? Even I am unsure what brings me back each time.

After being featured in Killed By Death 8.5, this rough and tumble single now fetches for a pretty penny. Thankfully all you need to do is check out the link below for this punk rock gem.

http://sharebee.com/be1f1b91

J.F.A. - Blatant Localism EP

J.F.A. represent an embrace toward the innocence and strength of youth and the purity of a life before bills and 9 to 5 jobs get in the way. Founded in 1981, this foursome of skatepunks from Phoenix AZ played their first show opening for Black Flag. They very quickly generated not only a strong local and regional following (due to their geographic proximity to southern California) but also a strong national following due to their being consistently covered by Thrasher Magazine that would continue throughout the decade. Their songs focused on the toils of daily life, ageist marginalization, and the frustrations that arise from such generalizations.

Their debut EP, Blatant Localism, is a classic within most hardcore circles, with its surprisingly quality recording, lightning-quick pace, and catchy melodies. Check it out at the link below.

http://sharebee.com/f7ea64ff

Dove - s/t

The band Floor was introduced to my circle of friends via their No Idea Records self-titled debut in 2002.

By this point, Floor had been around for a decade, only rising to a newfound level of national prominence shortly before the band's eventual demise around 2004. During Floor's final days, drummer Henry Wilson had started a new project, named Dove (Dove being the name of Floor's then unreleased full-length LP recorded in the mid-90's, eventually to be released in 2004 on No Idea Records). Additionally, Dove and Floor appeared together on a split 7" EP. Wilson provided guitars and vocals for this new project.

Shortly after the break up of Floor, however, Dove quickly came out with a self-titled (and self-released) LP. The record continues the general direction of Floor's self-titled LP, with similar tone, tempo, and vocal stylings. If I were more of a cynic, I would probably refer to this record as 'Floor-lite' but I do think the band is able to create a unique identity for itself via this record. The track 'Goes Without Saying' is a great example of this identity, with its galloping pace and sudden mid-song bust.

As best I can tell, this band disappeared somewhat shortly after the release of this record (their former website www.wallofdove.com is now a site that sells Dove beauty products). At the very least we can enjoy these 14 tracks. Enjoy!

http://sharebee.com/ab347407

Connecticut Gems Vol 4: China Pig

I must admit that I didn't know much about China Pig until roughly 3 weeks ago. This CD was suggested to me by a friend at the WESU radio station, who was familiar with my penchant for local punk bands of yore. I can tell you that this record, recorded at Studio 45 in Hartford and released in 1994 on Bloomfield CT's own MUDD Industries, combined aspects of AmRep heaviness with a more ambient, Constellation Records-esque atmospheric vibe. I wish I knew more about this band, so if you happen to have more information on this band, please feel free to get in touch. In the meantime, enjoy their record, Tip-Toe Through The Hatching Chamber.

http://sharebee.com/d58081c2

Brian's favorite music videos, Part 1

So if you have paid careful attention to this blog, you might recall that one of my initial posts was regarding an incredible video by That Dog. While I still maintain that video is one of the better things I have ever seen, a recent discussion had me thinking about my favorite music videos of all time. Since, arguably, that format is somewhat dead or at least dormant in lieu of MTV's refusal to play actual videos, deeming a particular video as my favorite "of all time" shouldn't be too damning due to lack of competition.

At any rate, here are my top 2 (for the time being).

First and foremost: Sonic Youth, 'Dirty Boots' from the album Goo (Geffen, 1990). The plot of this video is fairly predictable and yet there's something about it that solidifies it as my favorite video of all time. Let me paint the picture for you:

A young man attends a local "underground punk" show in his town. Whilst playing pool, the young man happens to notice the arrival of a young woman, roughly his age, wearing a leather jacket, Doc Martins, and a t-shirt by a young, upstart band of the time (that band, of course, being Nirvana...specifically, the "Fudge Packin', Crack Smokin', Satan Worshipin' Mother Fucker" t-shirt [white shirt, red print] sold on the Bleach tour...be still my beating heart!).
As the show progresses and Sonic Youth happens to bust into one of the finest singles off their newest record at the time, the two exchange glances whilst pogo-ing and continue to watch the band. Then, during a lull in the song, they catch the stares of the other from across the room (see 3:41 through 4:01 in the video for the BEST NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION EVER PORTRAYED THROUGH FILM) and decide to run onstage. They embrace, exchange a kiss that will be felt throughout the ages, and are rapidly forced to dive offstage by 1990's bouncer stereotypes (note that the dude has proper form in that he turns to his backside while jumping, whereas the young woman makes the unfortunate decision to jump FEET FIRST into the apathetic indie crowd [maybe she's more punk than we give her credit for, no?]), and the song/video comes to a rapid end.
We will forget about the weird subplot regarding the 2 "punks" in the other leather jackets who can't seem to get along the whole night until Steve Shelley miraculously throws a drum stick into the crowd, thus saving everyone's evening. It's not really important. What IS important, however, is that this video encapsulates a large amount of most of my personal fantasies to tape. It's mind-boggling, really.
I feel as though I was victim of some weird time-travelling scheme where someone from the past came into the future, found out all the things that I wished had happened to me in my adolescence, and put them to film in a 1990 music video (all of course while I was 8 years old and thereby unaware of my desire for such things). I must say, I feel slightly used.
In the meantime, you can enjoy this pleasantly dated romp through times past over and over again. See the video below for an inside look into my twisted psyche:



My second favorite video: Nine Inch Nails' 'The Perfect Drug' from the Lost Highway soundtrack. Whereas the Sonic Youth video was predictable and quaint, this video makes nearly no sense at all (much like the actual film, Lost Highway), and yet I am strangely drawn to it. To extrapolate further:

Let it be known that I generally LOVE Nine Inch Nails. Don't give me that punker-than-thou bullshit. Did you live in a cave with your hands over your ears for most of the 90's or something? My personal revelations removed, Nine Inch Nails videos ( in the 90's at least) were creepy. Not even creepy, but downright scary. Reznor and company simply didn't screw around. Did you ever see the original video for 'Hurt'?? I mean, its just atomic bomb blasts and dead animal bodies decomposing on fast-forward...pretty messed up if you ask me. And yet, somehow, the video for 'The Perfect Drug' surpasses that level of creepiness. Overcast skies, foreboding castles, and Trent Reznor in a sketchy goatee make for, ultimately, one scary video. The fact that 'The Perfect Drug' is, in my opinion, one of Nine Inch Nails' best songs, also helps this video's awesomeness factor. However, since it was seen by many as a mere soundtrack video, it was left to rot in the annals of YouTube, hoping that someone would stumble upon it. Thankfully, I have helped circumvent the process and thereby request that you do yourself the favor of watching the video below, if only to remind yourself of how incredible this song/video actually was/is:

obligatory Jay Reatard entry

Before becoming the darling of the indie world, Jay Reatard was a pissed off 16 year old, fronting his namesake band, The Reatards. Notorious for their confrontational and destructive live shows, The Reatards' blistering brand of rock and roll carried a heavy KBD influence. They were also a rather prolific band, writing and releasing a slew of albums before their eventual break up. While the recording quality on these recordings can vary, I personally find their album Grown Up, Fucked Up to embody many of the band's finer qualities. Gritty and rough around the edges, this record escapes the confines of much of the over-produced punk rock that was coming out toward the end of the 90's. Be sure to check out the track 'Saturday Night Suicide', it will melt your face off.

http://sharebee.com/160cbf02

Blank Stare - s/t EP

About 5 seconds into Blank Stare's 'White Corpse', the bassline bends, drops out, and then the entire band presents the musical equivalent to a punch in the face. This musical pummelling continues for the next 3 minutes and 44 seconds, the running length of this far-too-short EP from one of Boston's best kept secrets.

I found recently that even those who have developed an unfortunate cynical attitude toward hardcore and punk can, at the very least, still appreciate a damn good band when they hear one. And for my assorted lot of hard-to-impress elder statesmen, Blank Stare is one of those bands. Unrelenting in their approach, impeccably tight in their execution, and lyrics so incredibly pissed off you'll wonder how these guys don't just walk around throwing haymakers at the nearest passer-by. Their scathing yet self-referential politics are at the very least intriguing, at the very best ingenious.

Word on the street is that this band might not be around for much longer (you can stay tuned to their blog for updates) so if you happen to hear about Blank Stare coming around to your area and/or you don't live incredibly far from the Boston area, I highly recommend you make the trip.

You can buy this record here
or listen to it here: http://sharebee.com/9dc2ae6b

Even more end of summer fun: Atomic Rooster

In a similar vein to the below piece regarding Grand Funk Railroad, I bring you this awesome/incredible/hilarious video of Atomic Rooster playing on the UK's The Top Of The Pops. Awkward dancing abounds!

End of summer fun with Grand Funk Railroad

If the splendid yet sometimes awkward transformation from 1960's acid soaked rock into the hard rock/heavy metal sound of the early 1970's could be trapped in a bottle and unfairly condensed into an easy-to-digest 1 album summary, I think Grand Funk Railroad's On Time would suffice nicely. This grainy footage from a live show in 1969/1970 exemplifies just how perplexed the audience was at the time, unsure of how to react (it's quite funny, actually...see about 0:46 into the clip below) to Grand Funk's thumping basslines, sped up tempo, and bluesy riffage.

As many around me are sure to know, Grand Funk has been a large part of my personal summertime playlist. A live version of the track 'Are You Ready?' from the aforementioned On Time LP is posted below. Throw your misconceptions out the window and open your mind. It'll pay off in the end, trust me.

Fang - Landshark

Bay area punk band Fang came to prominence in the early 1980's with their debut LP, Landshark, an edgy LP that dealt with the ever-growing self-aware nature of the punk/hardcore scene of the day (specifically seen in the classic track 'The Money Will Roll Right In'). This LP was released shortly after their contribution on the Not So Quiet On The Western Front compilation LP was released.

In 1989, singer Sam McBride was sentenced to six years in prison for murdering his girlfriend, Dixie Lee Carney. While that factoid certainly won't win him any humanitarian awards, it is difficult to deny the influence that Fang's dirgy tone, speed, and ruthless attitude had on the punk and hardcore scene of the late 1980's/early 1990's (both Nirvana and Mudhoney would cover 'The Money Will Roll Right In' live on multiple occasions, Mudhoney eventually deciding to properly record the cover as a b-side).

http://sharebee.com/91adbc3a

Big Black - Kerosene

"I was born in this town. Lived here my whole life. Probably come to die in this town. Lived here my whole life."

While I would argue that these lyrics are almost too relative for most, the sheer 'I don't give a fuck' nature of Albini's prose, combined with the maniacal-yet-mechanical nature of the song itself cannot be challenged. Many would agree that the concept of suburban hostility is somewhat cliche in the grand scheme of all things 'punk', but I dare say that Big Black set the bar rather high with this specific track off of 1986's Atomizer.

This song encapsulates an anger and frustration that many punk and/or hardcore songwriters wish they could obtain. Albini's distinct ability to bottle up frustration, anger, and cynicism is ever present and unparalleled. Even funnier, people still try to pull this shtick off when they can simply put on the A side of Atomizer and cease dabbling with inferior imitations.

Check it out for yourself and make your own decision:

http://sharebee.com/08dc1cc1

Flower Travellin' Band - Satori

For the love of whatever you hold dear, do not deny it. Let it take over you. Let it become you. Live it. Embrace it.

http://sharebee.com/508f293d

Goatsnake - Flower Of Disease

With all of my talk about things related to Scott 'Wino' Weinrich, I find it hard to believe that we have yet to discuss Goatsnake. Strangely enough, Goatsnake is made up of members of some rather often overlooked, yet incredibly talented bands, creating one uber-talented band that reigns supreme over many.

Goatsnake rose from the ashes of The Obsessed, as the band's rhythm section began jamming with the likes of legendary metal mastermind Greg Anderson (of Thorr's Hammer, Burning Witch, and SunnO))) fame). The trio finished their lineup with the addition of Pete Stahl (who had previously played alongside a young Dave Grohl in the D.C. hardcore band Scream). The band was able to record some tracks and tour a bit before becoming overwhelmed by Anderson's other projects and fading into obscurity. Eventually, in 2000, Goatsnake (with a new rhythm section) headed back into the studio to record what would become their greatest effort, 2000's Flower Of Disease.

This album (the band's second, released on Anderson's Southern Lord label) would perfectly encapsulate the band's sound, one that was both classic and yet contemporary...a sound that, in my opinion, is second to none. See for yourself via the link below. Be sure to check out the standout track, 'El Coyote', a track so chocked full of boogie rock that you might just not know what to do with yourself. Enjoy!

http://sharebee.com/ead178fd

Holy Neglected July, Batman!

Okay, okay, so I realize it's been nearly a month since I've posted anything on here. I should point out that I've been out and about having some summertime fun and therefore unable to upload some raging tunes for y'all.

Ultimately, that's no excuse. Therefore, I've broken out some big guns to post for what remains of July to make up for lost time. Hopefully you will share my enthusiasm for these tracks and we can all happily enjoy what remains of our sticky summer weeks.....





So by now we are well aware of my tendencies toward all things "grunge" related. We know of my weird obsession with Nirvana, the Melvins, and other related bands. We also might know that recently I finished my Soundgarden vinyl collection (all LPs and 12" EPs) and that I recently picked up a fresh, mint copy of C/Z records' 1985 compilation, Deep Six. For those not familiar with this compilation, it is considered the very first evidence of what would be later considered "grunge" music. This compilation contains tracks from six different bands (Green River, Malfunkshun, the Melvins, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, and the U-Men), that would collectively encapsulate what would later become known as the 'Seattle sound'. This comp has some excellent cuts on it, including Malfunkshun's highly underrated track, 'With Yo' Heart(Not Yo' Hands' and some excellent early material by Soundgarden.

If you think you are too "punk" or so musically advanced that you are beyond this compilation, I strongly suggest that you pull your head from out of your ass and try again. If there is one thing that the mid 1980's Seattle music scene did, it allowed for various musical genres that seemed unrelatable to co-exist. A wondrous cornucopia of sounds and influences that, ultimately (for better or for worse), would captivate the pop-culture world.

Without further ado, I give you C/Z Records' Deep Six compilation:

Sharebee

Connecticut Gems Vol 3: Vatican Commandos

There are some that are only aware of the Vatican Commandos for the pop-culture factoid that a young man by the name of Richard Hall (later to rise to fame as Moby) performed with them for a brief time. Formed in 1982, The Vatican Commandos released an excellent series of EPs in their brief tenure as a band (1982-1985), notably appearing on the excellent compilation Connecticut Fun. Hit Squad For God, their debut EP, was a fresh and solid piece of hardcore, something that wouldn't have been expected from the posh shoreline town of Madison, Connecticut. On this release, the band plows through 6 cuts of pissed off suburban hardcore. And while the topics aren't exactly unfamiliar, the Vatican Commandos are a fine example of the development of punk rock within the sometimes difficult and alienating confines of the wonderous nutmeg state. Check out the record below and no longer be limited to soundbite-esque factoids!

http://sharebee.com/386c0f79

For Against - December

Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, many would be surprised by For Against's sound, as their proto-shoegaze tendencies would have most thinking that they were from the UK. And while their influences are rather apparent, it does not take away from the solid songwriting that December, their second full length, displays. Upbeat tempos, intermixed with somber lyrics and haunting melodies, this album seems to borrow characteristics from many ideologically related artists at the time. As a result, you get a band that appears to be incredibly multi-faceted, a band that cannot be pigeon-holed by the definitions of a mere genre. And while some could argue that the album's overall sound is somewhat dated, I think listening to a record with such an unmistakable sound is not only enjoyable, but rather refreshing. This record is carried out so well that it makes the timewarp an incredibly enjoyable experience. A quality release overall, be sure to check it out!

http://sharebee.com/a15e3ad8