Lost Tricks Play CD Release Show at Mercury Lounge on Jan. 2nd

Lost Tricks are having a CD release party for their new 6-track EP, "Keep It Together", on January 2nd @ Mercury Lounge. All of the tracks are streaming on the band's MySpace page and sounds pretty cool. What's even cooler is that there are additional tracks, rough mixes and demos from the "Keep It Together" session posted to the band's website (under the 'Music' link).

The band plays piano-based rock in the style of Keane and Ben Folds. Having caught Keane's sold-out show at the Mercury a couple years ago, I'm thinking that Lost Tricks is also heading for bigger shows in bigger rooms in 2008. On the band's MySpace page (and on the new EP), check out "Something Out of Nothing" which features vocal contributions from Eliot Sloan from Blessed Union of Souls and "FreeMan" which is a great piano-pop song.

Lost Tricks are playing at 9:30PM on the 2nd, admission is $8.00 and you get a free copy of the EP with your ticket.

Links:
Lost Tricks' MySpace page
Lost Tricks' Website

From Autumn To Ashes Play Looney Tunes Benefit on 01/08/08

From Autumn to Ashes is playing a benefit for Long Island record store Looney Tunes on January 8th. The store has been around for 35 years but a massive fire destroyed the store in August and the rebuilt store just reopened on December 1st.



Francis Mark said: “When I was 13 years old I bought my first hardcore CD from Looney Tunes, which was Earth Crisis' "All Out War" EP. That was a huge turning point in my life and I've been going there ever since.”

The band is off in the UK and Europe until April so this is the only area appearance. To gain admission, you have to pre-order the live EP (of this night's performance) via the following link. The EP is only $7.99 so this looks like a great bargain for a good cause.

From Autumn to Ashes tour dates:

UK (supporting Hundred Reasons)
1/11/2008 Exeter, UK @ Lemon Grove
1/12/2008 Cardiff, UK @ The Point
1/13/2008 Plymouth, UK @ The Hub
1/14/2008 Southampton, UK @ The University
1/15/2008 Brighton, UK @ Concorde II
1/17/2008 Wolverhampton, UK @ Wulfrun Hall
1/18/2008 Manchester, UK @ MDH
1/19/2008 Glasgow, UK @ QMU
1/20/2008 Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
1/21/2008 Newcastle, UK @ Academy II
1/23/2008 London, UK @ Astoria
1/24/2008 Norwich, UK @ Waterfront

EURO HEADLINING TOUR
1/26/2008 Brussels, Belgium @ MOD
1/28/2008 Utrecht, Holland @ Helling (not Headline - supporting Hundred Reasons)
1/29/2008 Paris, France @ Nouveau Casino
1/30/2008 Cologne, Germany @ Underground
1/31/2008 Hamburg, Germany @ Logo
2/01/2008 Berlin, Germany @ Kato
2/02/2008 Schewinfurt, Germany @ Alter Stattbhf
2/03/2008 Prague, Czech Republic @ Rock Cafe
2/05/2008 Vienna, Austria @ Arena
2/06/2008 Munich, Germany @ Backstage Club
2/08/2008 Cesena, Italy @ Vidia Club
2/10/2008 Lindau, Germany @ Club Vaudville
2/11/2008 Zurich, Switzerland @ Abart
2/12/2008 Saabrucken, Germany @ Roxy

AUSTRALIA (all shows SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL unless otherwise noted)
2/23/08 Brisbane, QLD - Riverstage & Parklands
2/24/08 Sydney, NSW - Sydney Park
2/29/08 Melbourne, VIC - Melbourne Showgrounds
3/01/08 Adelaide, SA - TBA
3/03/08 Perth, WA - Bassendean Oval

JAPAN
4/06/08 Tokyo, Japan - Punkspring

Links:
From Autumn to Ashes' Website
From Autumn to Ashes' MySpace page

Blood Red Throne - Come Death (Earache) CD Review

This is the fourth release from the Norwegian death-metalers Blood Red Throne and this CD shows significant growth in the band's songwriting. While "Come Death" is a true death metal album, it follows the same structured songwriting as Morbid Angel and other late 80's American death metal bands. Each track stands on its own as a real song (there are real vocals and melodies on each track). While the tracks still retain their brutality, clean production highlights the down-turned twin-lead guitars and a solid groove-based rhythm section.

New vocalist Vald's has more vocal diversity than Mr. Hustler and his voice seems better suited to the more structured songs. The band said the following about this new release:

"This time, we aim for a more classic death metal sound, ala GORGUTS 'Considered Dead' / SUFFOCATION 'Despise the Sun' kind of sound...We have grown tired with the over-produced and fully triggered drum kits that so many bands use today, besides we have taken a slightly new direction with our music and the analog and dynamic sound fits the music better. We have also chosen a different approach to the recording process of the instruments."

The YouTube clip below gives a good sense of what the new album is all about. For anyone into death metal, this release is well worth picking up.


Links:
Blood Red Thrones' MySpace page

Unsound Announces Big Show in January with Jarboe (x-Swans), James Plotkin (x-Khanate), Scott Kelly (Neurosis) and More

The Unsound crew have a major show at The Pussycat Lounge on Saturday, January 26th. This looks like one of those 'must see' shows and here is the complete lineup:

UNEARTHLY TRANCE

SCOTT KELLY (NEUROSIS)

JARBOE versus love is nothing

JAMES PLOTKIN

STEVE MOORE (ZOMBI)

INSWARM


Tickets are only $15 (a bargain for all these bands) and here is a link for advance tickets

Cold War Kids Rerelease First EP "Mulberry Street" as Free Download

The folks at Downtown Records are giving away the first EP by the Cold War Kids, "Mulberry Street" as a free download on the RCRD LBL blog.

Here is what Nathan Willett had to say about the recording process:

"Cold War Kids recorded three 6 song EPs before releasing Robbers & Cowards. The first of the three EPs is called Mulberry Street. It was recorded in a day in M. Wignall's garage/studio for some design job favors from Maust and sixty bucks. In between takes, Wignall would play an album over the speakers, like Iggy Pop's Lust For Life or Neil Young's After the Gold Rush, and go on long rants, pointing out sounds and talking about how good these musicians were and how we would be lucky if in ten years we could play a song anywhere near this good. We thought 'Who cares! We just want him to record our songs for us!' Then he showed us how to record vocals while he went to mow the lawn."

John Joseph (Cro-Mags/Bloodclot) Reading and Book Signing Tomorrow at Generation Records

Bloodclot/Cro-Mags front-man, John Joseph will be reading from and signing his new book "Evolution of a Cro-Magnon" tomorrow night at 8PM.

This is at Generation Records which is located at 210 Thompson Street.

Bloodclot plays Club Highline with Sick of it All on February 9th and L'Amour on February 17th.

Year End List -- BrooklynRocks' Top 10 CDs of 2007

Well...here is my list of "Top 10" albums for 2007 (in no particular order):

1) Mink - Self-Titled
Raw NYC glam/power punk

2) Evile - Enter the Grave
The spirit of early 80's San Francisco thrash rock lives on in the UK

3) Tulsa - I Was Submerged
Moody, melodic, almost shoe-gazer rock

4) SSS - Short Sharp Shock
Great debut CD from UK trash metalers

5) Wombats - Self-Titled EP
"Moving to New York" and "Kill The Director" (How can you argue with the opening line: "I have met someone who makes me feel seasick") are destined classic post-punk dance tracks

6) Brian Grosz - Bedlam Nights
"Tom Waits + Nine Inch Nails + a BAD attitude = one cool ass, mutha f-cking CD!"
-- Dee Snider (Twisted Sister, Strangeland)--

7) The Kin - Rise and Fall
Amazing voices coupled with great songwriting

8) Shriekback - Glory Bumps
A return to the psycho/swamp sounds of "Oil and Gold"

9) Sunn O))) - Oracle
Another great slab of doom

10)Psychic TV - "Hell is Invisible...Heaven is Here"
Genesis' first effort as PTV3 doesn't disappoint

Honorable Mention:
The Whitsundays (CD is due out in January '08)

Cassettes Won't Listen (Jason Drake) Release Free EP of 90's Covers

Jason Drake aka Cassettes Won't Listen has posted a free downloadable EP of 90's covers. Drake, who is well-known for his remixes, has also included in the download "the instrumentals and accapellas for you to f*ck around with."

Here is the tracklist for the "One Alternative" EP:

1. Cut Your Hair (originally written and performed by Pavement)
2. Butter of 69 (originally written and performed by Butter 08)
3. Fuck and Run (originally written and performed by Liz Phair)
4. The Freed Pig (originally written and performed by Sebadoh)
5. Change (originally written and performed by Blind Melon)

A disc of new songs, "Small-Time Machine", is coming in March and one track from this upcoming release is streaming on Cassettes Won't Listen's MySpace page.

Toilet Boys' CD Release Party is at The Marquee on Wednesday, December 12th

After four years of silence, The Toilet Boys are "back" for one final release, "Sex Music". Most of the tracks on "Sex Music" were written and demo'd in the year before Toilet Boys went on their final tour.

"Four years later, the Boys have come together to re-record some of these demo's that would have made up their next release. The energy of the sessions even inspired a brand new track -- “Drug of Choice” – complete with a remix by each member of the band.”

Here is the complete track list for the new CD:
1 Sex Music
2 Nothing To Lose
3 Gimme Everything
4 Astrological
5 Gods And Monsters
6 Carbona Not Glue (Ramones cover)
7 Drug Of Choice
8 Let's Do It Again

Remixes:
9 XXX Music (The Cult of Sean Pierce Remix)
10 Nothing To Lose (Miss Guy Loves Daddy mix)
11 Drug Of Choice (Electric Eddie Meets Bryin Dall Remix)

The record release party is at The Marquee, 289 10th Avenue.

Links:
Toilet Boys' MySpace page
Dead City Records

The Ropes Play Southpaw Tonight (Sunday - December 9th)

The Ropes, along with Beasts of Eden and Ice Palace are playing a show at Southpaw tonight. This is a pretty cool lineup of bands and tickets are only $8.00.

The Ropes have sort of an early Garbage/Shirley Manson thing going on that works well for them. The band started getting a buzz with the last year's release of their debut EP. The EP hit the CMJ Top 200 list and the band has sold over 5,000 copies to-date. The new EP, "Cry to the Beat" is now out and a number of tracks from both EPs are streaming on the band's MySpace page. The video for "Kill Her Off" (from the first EP) is below.

The Ropes - Kill Her Off


Links:
The Ropes' MySpace page

Evile - Enter The Grave CD Review

I just started compiling my Top 10 list of 2007 CDs and this CD will likely make the list. Evile plays old school thrash in the style of early Metallica, Slayer and Exodus and this is an insanely strong debut CD.

The band generated quite a following within the metal scene with their two independently released demos ("All Hallows Eve" and "Hell") along with some high profile UK festival gigs last year. The band signed to Earache late last year and Enter The Grave was released this past September.

Metal Mayhem UK interviewed singer Matt Drake and Drake describes Evile's sound as follows "If you're fed up with the state of current day metal, and no bands are producing great songs that you're going to remember in 20 years time anymore, then you might like us, expect metal cultivated from its roots, where the songs have character all of their own, and each band sounded like themselves, not anyone else. Oh yeah and we play thrash fucking metal, heavy fast epic blistering fucking metal."

If you check out the live video of the CD title track, "Enter the Grave" (filmed at the Virgin Store in Manchester in August), you will quickly get a feel for the 10 tracks on this disc. Simply put - this is a return to the raw, balls-out Bay-Area style 80's metal.



The band's strong playing and Drake's singing is complemented by top-notch production by Flemming Rassmussen (producer of Metallica's Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning) The band doesn't shake off the 80's thrash label but actively embraces it.

This is an excellent debut release by a band whose career should take off explosively.

Links:
Evile's MySpace Page
Evile's Website
Earache Records

Cheyenne CD Release Party at Joe's Pub Tomorrow (12/8/07) + Beau Jennings Releases Xmas Song

Cheyenne's CD Release Party for "The Whale" is tomorrow night at Joe's Pub. The show starts at 11:30PM and tickets are only $10. Cheyenne just finished a 3-week residency at Piano's last month and drew a good sized crowd at each show so I would recommend getting tickets in advance.

If you haven't heard Cheyenne, here is a link to the title track from the new CD, "The Whale". In keeping with the holiday spirit, frontman Beau Jennings and friends just issued a pretty funny Christmas single entitled "All My Friends Are Snowmen".

Below are some pictures from the second night of the band's residency at Piano's.







Links:
Cheyenne's Website
Cheyenne's MySpace Page

MRNORTH - Mercury Lounge, NYC November 15, 2007

Irish transplants MRNORTH opened for Something for Rockets a few weeks ago at the Mercury Lounge. This was my first time seeing the band and I came away impressed. The band has that full atmopheric sound that has been associated with bands like Gene Loves Jezebel, Big Country and U2.

The band released their second CD, Fear and Desire, earlier this year and have a couple tunes from this release streaming on their MySpace page. Check out "Sleeping Dogs" as it was a big crowd pleaser.





The band's next show is on December, 15 2007 at Ulysses. The club is located at 95 Pearl Street (NYC) and the cover is $10.





I have additional pictures from the band's show posted to my Imeem page(BrooklynRocks on Imeem).

Links:
MRNORTH's Website
MRNORTH's MySpace Page

Law and Order play Reunion Show at L'Amour (with American Angel guesting)

On January 12, Law and Order play a rare reunion show at L'Amour. The reunion shows in 2004 & 2007 were fabulous so this should be a great night.

Also on the bill is the reunited American Angel. Rocco Fury is back and the new American Angel CD, Vanity, has to be one of the best metal albums of the year. Chavis Records just announced that Vanity had hit the #1 position on Billboard's Heatseeker (Northeast) chart.

Rocco Fury had this to say when notified; "Where is the candid camera, are you joking with me, is this a hoax? WOW! I am ecstatic and very very happy about this. I knew this was a solid project when we recorded it and I believe whole heartedly in the songs and album. And when we're all gone, VANITY will still stand on its own."

Links:
L'Amour's MySpace Page
American Angel's MySpace Page
Law And Order's MySpace Page
Chavis Records' MySpace Page

The Lemonheads Play Highline Ballroom and Maxwell's Later This Month

I don't think anyone expected Evan Dando to reform The Lemonheads after an eight year absence. Last year's self-titled CD (on Vagrant) was a surprising return to the clear-headed power punk sound of the early 90's Lemonheads' lineup.


Drummer Bill Stevenson and bassist Karl Alvarez played on last year's CD and this tour (which started 11/30) marks the first time the trio has played together live. Both musicians are perfect foils for Dando's powerpunk sound given that they both spent years honing their chops in The Descendent and All.



The Lemonheads were in town at the beginning of the year and their February show at Southpaw was filmed by Baeble Music.


The band is at the Highline Ballroom in NYC on December 21st and at Maxwell's in Hoboken on December 23rd. Surprisingly, there are still tickets available for both shows.

Links:
The Lemonheads' Website

The Saints Imperious Delirium Tour Pictures - Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ 10/30/07

I promise to get off my Saints kick (until they come through town again) after I post these pictures from the Maxwell's show.











I have more pictures from The Saints' show posted to my Imeem profile (BrooklynRocks on Imeem).

Links:
The Saints' Website
The Saints' MySpace Page

Consider The Source Plays Village Underground on December 8th

Polyrhythmic progressive rockers Consider The Source are playing Saturday night, December 8th, at the Village Underground.

They are filming a live DVD at the show and the band is scheduled to go on at 8PM. Cover is $10 and there is free beer from 6-7PM. The show is 18+.

I haven't seen Consider The Source play live but I was really impressed by the tracks streaming on their MySpace page. The tunes have a jazz-based, middle-eastern feel to them that falls somewhere between the Bruford/Levin 80's lineup of King Crimson and Mars Volta.

Check out a live video of the band performing last year at CBGBs. It looks like it will be a wild show on Saturday.

Consider the Source Live @ CBGB's 7/21/06

Mink @ Southpaw, Brooklyn, 11/9/07

I have just started to put together my Top 10 list for 2007 and Mink's debut CD is definately one of the more exciting CDs of the year. The band has a great live energy and they were in top form for their show at Southpaw.

While the band is playing the majority of their debut CD in concert, a couple new songs have started to surface. A cover of Bowie's "Suffragette City" now seems to be a permanent part of the set, there was a three song promo containing all new songs distributed at CMJ and "Little Drummer Boy" is streaming on the band's MySpace page.

Mink's show at Southpaw was a double-bill with Care Bears on Fire. A lot of the Care Bears crowd stayed for Mink's set and took the stage toward the end of the set to dance with Neal.



Here are some of my pictures from the show:













I have some more pictures of both Mink and Care Bears on Fire posted to my Imeem page (BrooklynRocks on Imeem).

Links:
Mink's MySpace Page
Mink's Website

Bring Me The Horizon - "This Is What The Edge of Your Seat Was Made For" CD Review

Bring Me the Horizon made their US debut in August playing a show at BB King’s in Times Square with Kittie. The band has a major following in the UK (where they are signed to Visible Noise) and Earche has picked up US distribution rights. Earache recently reissued the band’s debut 4-track EP, This is What The Edge of Your Seat Was Made For, from 2005 along with the band’s full-length followup CD (2006) Count Your Blessings.

The band has created quite a buzz with their live shows. Gigwise.com described a 2006 show at Hammersmith Apollo as “Mix into the equation a few stage dives, somersaults and a well-orchestrated wall of death ([Sykes]parts the crowd and gets them to run at each other ‘Braveheart’-style)." Over the past two years, Bring Me The Horizon have played major festivals like Download and have toured with a number of high profile bands that have included Lostprophets and Killswitch Engage.

The music on This Is What The Edge of Your Seat Was Made For doesn’t break any new ground but this isn't a bad thing as the band is a solid metal/screamo act. The four songs on this EP are aggressive metalcore. The four musicians (two guitars, bass and drum) are very technically proficient but flash doesn’t get in the way of substance. Most of the songs are powered by melodic guitar work and Oli Skykes’ voice.

Lyrically, the four tracks on the EP have emo themes that range from having lousy friends who treat you badly, living life to the fullest in the present, and trying to convince yourself that it is ok to cheat on a girlfriend. Here is the video for the last track on the EP, "Traitors Never Play Hang Man":



The song is pretty wild and representative of the other tracks on this EP. You can see the wild mosh pit, the breakdowns and the song grinds to a slow halt with Oli’s gurgling scream “I fucking love you”. He seems to be trying to convince himself of his love for his girlfriend.

Here is the track listing for the EP:
1) re: They Have No Reflections
2) Who Wants Flowers When You're Dead? Nobody
3) Rawwwrr!
4) Traitors Never Play Hang Man

There are a number of Bring Me The Horizon videos on YouTube - one of the more recent is the live video for "They Have No Reflections" (below).



Bring Me The Horizon has a lot of potential so I'll be looking forward to their next release. This Is What The Edge of Your Seat Was Made For is only $5.00 if you purchase it directly from Earache.

Links:
Bring Me The Horizon's MySpace page
Earache Records
Bring Me The Horizon on BuzzNet