Meat Puppets - "Up On the Sun" CD Review (MVD Audio)

DOWNLOAD: Meat Puppets - Live @ McCabe's Guitar Show, Santa Monica, CA 5-3-85 (Up on the Sun tour)

In 1985, the Meat Puppets released their third full-length, Up On the Sun, and this disc was the turning point for the band’s sound. There is no sign of the band’s hardcore roots on any of the disc’s twelve tracks as the music continues on the acid-drenched, country-punk path that the band started down on Meat Puppets II. The music on this disc has held up well over the years and there seems to be an ongoing debate among fans over whether this disc or Meat Puppets II is the band’s strongest.

Looking back at this disc, it must be near impossible for anyone who wasn’t there to understand how a bunch of speedballing freaks who were recording for Black Flag’s label could transform themselves into a punk version of the Grateful Dead. In an interview with Goldmine Magazine, Derrick Bostrom described some of the impetus behind the band’s evolution in sound: “Being with SST gave us the opportunity to do even more gigs, expand our base,” Bostrom said. “And also play to their audience, which we found somewhat distasteful. So it led us to, like, blow off punk rock, and kind of go into the more mainstream sound. We started doing country-rock, or Creedence-y sort of stuff, or whatever we’re kind of still known for [today]. “

Curt’s cover art for Up On the Sun, which shows a coffee mug adorned with a pot leaf, establishes the mood for this disc. Cris and Curt mix intertwined, noodling jams with mellow vocals and deliciously off-key harmonies to come up with a sound that pre-dates the “jam bands” that started to surface in the later part of the 80’s. The music, which is a mixture of mellow jams and blissed-out shoegazing, combined with Curt’s surrealist lyrics led Robert Christgau to declare “Curt Kirkwood is the David Thomas of endearing sloppiness “.



“Up On the Sun” Lyrics
A long time ago / I turned to myself / And said,”you are my daughter” / I saw that the image / I saw there was well, / “so you are my daughter” / Well then maybe we’ve got / Something to talk about. / Who told you so? / That gold burns slow / Like coal camper’s candles / All lost in the snow / Lay down — you’re on / The warmth that I’m weaving / Is for you alone / Up on the sun where it never rains or snows / There’s an ocean / With a wind that never blows / And if you see it closer / Then the finer points will show / Not too much more / Too much more

This is a fun and undemanding disc that you can ‘sink into’ and sail away. Two of the stronger tracks are the refelctive title track and the instrumental “Maiden’s Milk”. The later features an intertwined bass and guitar jam mixed with the band members whistling in harmony.

There are a strong set of bonus tracks on this reissue (the first four tracks are from a scraped recording session for what Derrick Bostrom called a “psychedelic epic” and the last track is an extended instrumental demo of “Hot Pink” (from 1983). The disc also holds a video of a live performance of “Swimming Ground” (which is surprisingly not apparently posted to YouTube).

Up On the Sun Bonus Tracks
1. "Hot Pink (Demo Version 1)" - 3:56
2. "Up on the Sun (Demo Version)" - 4:29
3. "Mother American Marshmallow" - 4:28 (Early version of “Maiden’s Milk”)
4. "Embodiment of Evil" - 1:53
5. "Hot Pink (Demo Version 2)" - 8:35

Links:
Meat Puppets

The Buddies (x-Welcome to Ashley) - Live Video From Bowery Electric, NYC 1/6/12

After watching a show at Pianos a couple years ago, where the European opening band made their NYC debut to an audience of three (myself and two other bloggers), I'm always impressed when an out-of-town opening band can fill the room.

Last Friday night, The Buddies played a strong 40+ minute set of memorable whiskey-drenched songs reminiscent of The Replacements or a "Southern rock" version of The Pogues and the crowd stayed at the front of the stage throughout the band's set. The band wrapped up their set by playing their final number, which sounded like an Irish drinking song, from the center of floor and it was met with an enthusiastic response. Obviously, I wasn't the only convert that night as The Buddies have been invited back to Bowery Electric and are playing a show on April 21st.



The Buddies combines three members of Chicago post-punk band Welcome to Ashley (bassist The Mouse [aka Jeremy Barrett], guitarist Pete Javier and vocalist Coley Kennedy) with Justin, Kim and Scott Collins from Nashville's Pale Blue Dot and the band just released their first full-length F*ck the Buddies.

Links:
The Buddies

LA Guns (Phil Lewis) Cancel January 29th Show at Bowery Electric

There must be something about NYC that disagrees with the members of L.A. Guns.

Last November, the Tracii Guns-led band was scheduled to play a poorly publicized show at Club Rebel. All I can find online about the show is a one line comment: "L.A. Guns (Tracii Guns version) were supposed to headline but had a dispute with the club and walked out."



The Phil Lewis / Steve Riley lineup were scheduled to play Bowery Electric on Jan. 29th and the show description listed on Reverb Nation read "Shar Gorgiiss's BIRTHDAY BASH With LA GUNS Phil Lewis and Steve Riley with Panzie* The Mighty Pragmatics, and Suicide Boulevard." I don't know what happened but it looks like Wildstreet is now playing this show in place of LA Guns.



The Phil Lewis lineup's recent signing to Cleopatra may be what derailed this show as the band announced that they are: "currently in pre-production and expect to start tracking in early February with legendary producer, and old friend, Andy Johns (LED ZEPPELIN, THE ROLLING STONES, CINDERELLA, VAN HALEN, as well as the last three L.A. GUNS albums). A CD and vinyl release, as well as bonus tracks available only on iTunes, is set for early summer. A nine-month world tour following the release is also currently being planned."

Links:
LA Guns

Automatic Children Will Be Premiering New Songs at Spike Hill on Friday, Feb. 3rd

"The holidays have come and gone. 2012 is well underway, and we have some exciting plans for the new year. We plan to record several new songs by the summer and release them later in the year. Perhaps you’ve heard some of them at our recent CMJ and Bowery Electric shows last fall. We are really looking forward to getting them out there for you as soon as we can.

On Friday, February 3rd we will be playing them in a stripped down three-piece format at Spike Hill, as well as some of our ‘classics’. We had intended to do this at CMJ, but this time it's really happening! Spike Hill is conveniently located right upstairs from the Bedford Avenue L train stop in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Air Traffic Controller and Swear and Shake round out the bill. It turns out Swear and Shake also have a song called “Johnnie” (ok well the spelling is different), so it must be fate. We are also really looking forward to playing with Air Traffic Controller, an amazing band from Boston. We hope you can make it, it will be a special night for sure. Buy your tickets here. It’s only $5. We play at 10pm sharp."
- Automatic Children





Links:
Automatic Children

Church of Misery - "Master of Brutality" Reissue CD Review (Metal Blade/Rise Above)

Church Of Misery "Megalomania (Herbert Mullin)" by Metal Blade Records

While waiting for the Black Sabbath reunion album, Rise Above/Metal Blade’s reissue of Church of Misery’s full-length debut, Master of Brutality, should be a good holdover. Master of Brutality was Church of Misery’s first full-length and the disc originally came out on Southern Lord in 2001. This new reissue adds three bonus tracks which extends the total running time by an additional 33 minutes.

While a lot of bands were inspired by early Black Sabbath, Church of Misery is the first band that I’ve heard that writes songs that sound like they came straight out of the Sabbath catalogue. Guitarist Tomohiro Nishimura lays down chunky, blues-based, doom riffs on top of an ultra-heavy rhythm section and the only noticeable differentiation from Black Sabbath’s sound is that vocalist Yoshiaki Negishi has more of a Lemmy/Roddy Stone (Viking Skull) rasp. A quote that was included as part of the packaging with the disc’s original issue tells you everything that you need to know about Church of Misery: “We hate trend. We hate corporate attitude. We hate the word ‘stoner’. Death to false stoners!! Let there be DOOM!!”



Six of the disc’s nine tracks are about famous serial killers (Peter Sutcliffe, John Wayne Gacy, Albert de Salvo, etc.) and, for anyone who can’t understand the band’s disturbing lyrics; the tracks include voice-over sound bytes from the killers themselves. The remaining three tracks are a Blue Oyster Cult cover “Cities on Fire”, a (brief) instrumental “Green River” (4:30 minutes – which is one of the shortest tracks on this disc), and a 17+ minute live version of “Lucifer Rising” (which I presume is a cover of a portion of the Kenneth Anger film soundtrack). In keeping with the band’s obsession with serial killers, prior to the Masters of Reality tribute cover on this reissue, an earlier cover showed John Wayne Gacy’s face covered with blood spatter.

Church of Misery didn’t play outside of Japan prior to 2005 and this band is finally making their US debut, which will take place at the 2012 edition of Maryland Death Fest.

Links:
Church of Misery

First Aid Kit Release - "The Lion's Roar" CD Review (Wichita Recordings)

Sweden's First Aid Kit is releasing their sophomore full-length album The Lion's Roar on January 24th, 2012 via Wichita Recordings. Where the bands 2010’s debut, The Big Black and the Blue, was lonely and intimate, The Lion’s Roar is a full band effort that is comparable to the recordings of American folk/country artists like Emmylou Harris and Nanci Griffth.

Klara and Johanna Söderberg recorded their new disc in Omaha with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) and contributing musicians include the girls’ father Benkt on bass, Mattias Bergqvist on drums along with Mogis, Nate Walcott and Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes along with a cast of Omaha-based musicians to round out the affair. In a recent interview the band was asked about how they discovered the distinctly American influences that are heard on this new disc. Klara responded: “I can say that it all sort of started when I heard Bright Eyes when I was 12, and I was like, “Well, OK, what did Conor Oberst listen to when he wrote this music? What has inspired him?” And through that [process] I found Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash and all those amazing musicians. It’s sort of been like that—through searching for their influences—and through Bob Dylan we found the Carter family and Bill Monroe and even older stuff. “

The disc’s title track opener, "The Lion's Roar" is a glorious, punchy waltz that sets the mood for the disc. In an interview with NPR, the band described the history of the song as being “written during a U.K. tour when we drove through very dramatic moorland in Scotland. During the tour, we listened a lot to Townes Van Zandt in the car. We were inspired by this mystic scenery, as well as Townes Van Zandt's beautiful melodies. By far our darkest song to date. It was the first song we wrote for the new record, and we chose to name the record after it. 'The Lion's Roar' marked a new stage in our songwriting, and the mystic feeling of this song came to characterize a big part of the new record.”

The disc continues strong with the wistful “Emmylou”, which is sure to quickly become a fan favorite. This track is full of acoustic guitar, pedal steel and piano, over which Klara's bell-clear voice name-checks heroes Ms. Harris, Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash, and June Carter. "It's about the connection you get when you sing with someone else," said Johanna. "It's a love song, but we name-drop some country artists!"



The disc ends on an upbeat notes and wraps up with the exuberate number, "King of the World", which features handclaps, fiddle, accordion, and mariachi horns. Conor Oberst wrote a verse for this song and sings on the track and The Felice Brothers (who happened to roll through town during the recording session) added some violin and accordion.

First Aid Kit recorded a nine song set live in the studio for KCRW last November and the new CD includes a link where you can download six of these songs.

First Aid Kit Live on KCRW, Nov. ‘11
The Lion’s Roar*
You’re Not Coming Home Tonight
Heavy Storm
Marianne’s Son*
Hard Believer*
Emmylou*
Ghost Town*
I Met Up with the King*
Our Own Pretty Ways
* The Lion’s Roar bonus track





As expected, First Aid Kit has made the transition out of the clubs and into the larger halls. First Aid Kit is kicking off their Spring North American tour at Webster Hall on March 28th. Tickets for this show are $20 and doors are at 8PM.

First Aid Kit - 2012 Spring Tour
MAR. 28 -- NEW YORK, NY, WEBSTER HALL
MAR. 30 -- WASHINGTON, DC, BLACK CAT
MAR. 31 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNION TRANSFER
APR. 02 -- BOSTON, MA, BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL
APR. 03 -- MONTREAL, QC, LA SALA ROSSA
APR. 04 -- TORONTO, ON, THE GREAT HALL
APR. 06 -- CHICAGO, IL, LINCOLN HALL
APR. 07 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN, CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER
APR. 10 -- VANCOUVER, BC, VENUE
APR. 11 -- SEATTLE, WA, THE CROCODILE
APR. 12 -- PORTLAND, OR, DOUG FIR LOUNGE
APR. 18 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA, SLIM’S

Links:
First Aid Kit

School of Seven Bells Post "Lafaye" from Upcoming Disc "Ghostory" (out Feb. 28th on Vagrant)

School of Seven Bells - Lafaye by Vagrant Records

School of Seven Bells have just posted the first official single, “Lafaye”, from their upcoming third CD, Ghostory. The track will be available as a single through all digital retailers on Tuesday, January 17th, along with an exclusive b-side titled "Love From A Stone."

School Of Seven Bells' third release, Ghostory, comes out February 28 on Vagrant Records/Ghostly International. Recorded in-between tours, Ghostory exemplifies a fervent progression of SVIIB’s growth as artists, preserving the common themes found on their last two releases but exposing them in different fashions. The familiar ethereal and enigmatic tones are omnipresent, surrounded by layers of influences from ‘80s pop, shoegaze and ambient electronic sounds. However, Ghostory comes with a story in mind; the tale of a young girl named Lafaye and the ghosts that surround her life.

“Everyone has ghosts”, says Alejandra Deheza; “They're every love you've ever had, every hurt, every betrayal, every heartbreak. They follow you, stay with you.” This detailed storytelling is evident from start to finish on the record, weaving a tale that moves between a fervent synthesized adventure and spacious lyrical euphoria. Tracks like “Love Play” and “Show Me Love” create a hauntingly indelible atmosphere that grab attention with the ambitious wordplay in the center of it all. Surrounding tracks like “Lafaye” and “Scavenger” entice the vibe of previous School of Seven Bells releases with their steadily dance-centric tempo and uplifting melodic progressions. Ghostory flows seamlessly and effortlessly, a result of the shared songwriting process.

School of Seven Bells is playing Feb. 28 and Mar. 1st at Mercury Lounge but both shows are already sold out.

Links:
School of Seven Bells

Sunn O))) - "ØØ VOID / The Iron Soul of Nothing" CD Review (Southern Lord)

Sunn O)))’s newest release, ØØ VOID, brings back into print the band’s second disc, which was recorded in Hollywood in 2000 with producer (and Goatsnake / Kyuss bassist) Scott Reeder and originally issued on Hydra Head.

Like most Southern Lord releases, ØØ VOID is available as a limited edition vinyl pressing (1K on cream colored vinyl / 5K total pressing). There is also a limited 2CD edition of ØØ VOID (1,000 copies) being sold through Southern Lord’s web store that includes a bonus disc that features the ØØ VOID album remixed by Nurse with Wound. (Note: this bonus disc was originally released on the 2CD edition of ØØ VOID that came out on the Japanese label Daymare Recordings in 2008). Stephen O’Malley is also selling a vinyl edition of the Nurse with Wound remixes entitled “The Iron Soul of Nothing” through his new Ideologic Organ label.

ØØ VOID epitomizes the band’s “Maximum Volume Yields Maximum Results” philosophy as the disc is composed of four epic-length (~15 minutes each) tracks of menacing, monolithic drone. Each of the songs moves at a glacial pace and the band builds up layer upon layer of notes and riffs that are held to their limit and then crash like an ocean wave prior to rising again with the next riff. These pieces (I can’t really call them songs) are like aural sculptures that are designed to be felt and experienced so this disc requires a time commitment to really appreciate its power.

For this release, the band is joined by guest bassist Stuart Dahlquist (Burning Witch, Goatsnake) and the disc includes contributions from both Petra Haden (violinist/vocals) and Pete Stahl (vocals). I haven’t pinpointed where Haden’s contributions are woven within this thick sonic tapestry but there are a lot of different layers and dimensions within these recording so different facets become visible after multiple listens. Pete Stahl’s adds ‘vocals’ to “NN O)))” which are buried under waves of buzzing electronics with the end result sounding like a ghost in the machine.



“The group approached the compositions of this album in a different way than their previous recordings: each member focused intently on one composition/piece and brought it into the recording session. Then, each of those songs that were brought in were translated to the other members and nuances were worked out, on the spot, in the studio. Greg Anderson (aka The Duke) brought in “NNO)))”, Stephen O’Malley (aka Mk Ultra Blizzard) brought in RA at Dusk, Stuart Dahlquist (aka G.Subharmonia) brought in Richard. The exception to all this was the inclusion of a rendition of a obscure Melvins song called Rabbits Revenge. This song was actually never recorded in the studio by the Melvins and the riffs were salvaged from a live tape that Anderson had of the band playing the Gorilla Gardens in Seattle from March of 1985!”—from SouthernLord.com

The Nurse with Wound remixes amount to a complete re-working of ØØVOID so there really isn’t a one-to-one mapping between this disc and the original recordings. There is a bit more “light” and ambiance in this reworking and one of the highlights is “Ash on the Trees (The Sudden Ebb of a Diatribe)” where Pete Stahl’s vocals are pulled out from beneath the wall of noise of the original track to become a menacing instrument of unease onto itself.

"In 2007 we commissioned Nurse With Wound to re-work the masters of SUNN O)))’s second album “ØØVOID” to be included as a bonus CD on the Japanese reissue of said album released a year later on Daymare Recordings. We dug up the original 2" reels from the 2000 session, had Mell Dettmer bake the tapes, made the multitrack transfers and send the drive over to IC studios. The initial brief was to hopefully come up with to come up with something in the vein of Nurse’s legendary Soliloquy for Lilith set (my favorite release of the collective). What was returned was way beyond our expectations, completely transformed and rediscovered material, including highlighting formerly obscured vocals of the legendary Pete Stahl (Scream, Wool, Goatsnake). A vast creepy sonic journey some part drone/depth of SUNN O))), other part concrete weirdness of Nurse, third part just downright out there in surreality and obscure referencing." —Stephen O'Malley

Links:
Southern Lord

EULA opens for Mission of Burma at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Jan. 19th

In late 2009, New Haven-to-Brooklyn post-punk band EULA was selected by Mission of Burma (through Matador's 'Battle for Burma' competition) to open for MOB at a free show at M.I.T. for Boston's "Mission of Burma Day". EULA has now been tapped to open for Mission of Burma at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Jan. 19th. Tickets are $20 and doors are at 8PM.

EULA's most recent release, Maurice Narcisse, came out last May and Paper Garden Records described the disc as "a playful treatise on pretension, part lamenting part castigating the metaphorical ‘character’ for his egotism. Alyses’ punching lyrics find their match in aggressive drums and plunging melodies, so despite the aforementioned woes, Maurice Narcisse is an undeniably fun listen. Give a listen to the record’s titular track, a smoldering, discombobulated pop song that EULA has made their specialty. It’s indubitably technical and well-crafted, every detail fired off with conviction and purpose."



Links:
EULA

Margot & The Nuclear So and So's Post "Prozac Rock" from forthcoming "Rot Gut, Domestic" CD (Out 3/20)

Prozac Rock by MargotCloud

Margot & The Nuclear So and So's have recently posted the first single from the band's forthcoming studio album Rot Gut, Domestic. The single is currently available via iTunes and Amazon and a limited edition 7-inch is available in the band's webstore. Rot Gut, Domestic was produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, The Walkmen) and comes out on March 20th, 2012 via the band's Mariel Recording Company.

Rot Gut, Domestic is the Nukes' rawest take on their evocative, soaring brand of guitar-centric pop. The album follows in the footsteps of the more brazen, rocking songs that comprised 2010's Buzzard (called "masterpieces of controlled tension" by SPIN) and the first four tracks provide a fittingly booming intro. Opener "Disease Tobacco Free" is a propulsive low-end led rumble; squealing guitars and rough-hewn edges augment the sinister air of "Books About Trains"; "Shannon" is a bleary-eyed and grimy, fuzzy bass stomp; and undulating first single "Prozac Rock" is a modern pop song's frenetic, slightly spooky sister. The swinging, sweetly twisted tale of "A Journalist Falls In Love" and the rolling "Ludlow Junk Hustle" ease the album's pace, and The Nukes still pen some of the most moving, lush songs today, heard here in the gorgeous, sweeping guitar lilt of "Coonskin Cap".

Links:
Margot & The Nuclear So and So's

The Coastals (DC Power-Punk) Play National Underground on Thursday, Jan. 12th

The Coastals - Burn White Hot by thecoastals

DC power-punk band The Coastals just released their second disc, Burn White Hot, and the band is playing a show this Thursday at National Underground with Greg Burroughs, Neil Davis, and Will McCranie.

On this new disc, the band delivers 17 songs about love, anger, addiction, mental illness, class warfare, and mortality, pervaded by the themes of resilience and finding strength in adversity. The band describes their music as mixing reggae, modern indie, and British invasion influences into the bedrock of raw punk rock and that is probably a pretty fair comparison. In listening to the band's disc, comparisons to a mellowed-out Ruth Ruth, Matthew Sweet and The Pilmsouls all come to mind.

The Coastals are playing upstairs at National Underground and I think those shows are free (though don't hold me to this). The band is scheduled to play from 9PM - 11PM.



Links:
The Coastals

WATERS (x-Port O'Brien) Announces Spring Tour / Show at Webster Hall on March 29th

Following winter dates supporting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, WATERS has announced a lengthy new run of spring tour dates supporting Delta Spirit. The tour will travel throughout the US and into Canada, and launches on March 19th at the Revolution Music Room in Little Rock, AR, before wrapping up on May 11th at The Music Box in Los Angeles, CA. The dates include a March 29th New York show at Webster Hall.



WATERS - whose debut LP Out In The Light was released in September via TBD Records - filmed a live session for Quit Mumbling while in Los Angeles this past fall, and stripped-down versions of album tracks "Mickey Mantle" (below), "For The One", "Back To You" and "O Holy Break Of Day" are posted on Quit Mumbling's site.



WATERS Tour Dates:
MAR. 14-17 -- AUSTIN, TX -- SXSW
MAR. 19 -- LITTLE ROCK, AR -- REVOLUTION MUSIC ROOM*
MAR. 20 -- ST. LOUIS, MO -- THE OLD ROCK HOUSE*
MAR. 21 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- FINE LINE MUSIC CAFÉ*
MAR. 22 -- MILWAUKEE, WI -- TURNER HALL*
MAR. 23 -- CHICAGO, IL -- METRO*
MAR. 24 -- INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- RADIO RADIO*
MAR. 26 -- CLEVELAND, OH -- BEACHLAND BALLROOM*
MAR. 27 -- BOSTON, MA -- PARADISE ROCK CLUB*
MAR. 29 -- NEW YORK, NY -- WEBSTER HALL*
(Tickets are $20 and go on sale on Fri., Jan 13th at 12PM)
MAR. 30 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- UNION TRANSFER*
MAR. 31 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- 9:30 CLUB*
APR. 2 -- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- JEFFERSON THEATER*
APR. 3 -- CARRBORO, NC -- CAT'S CRADLE*
APR. 4 -- ASHEVILLE, NC -- GREY EAGLE TAVERN*
APR. 6 -- NASHVILLE, TN -- CANNERY BALLROOM*
APR. 7 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE MASQUERADE (Hell Stage)*
APR. 9 -- BIRMINGHAM, AL -- WORKPLAY THEATER*
APR. 10 -- NEW ORLEANS, LA -- ONE EYED JACKS*
APR. 12 -- HOUSTON, TX -- FITZGERALD'S*
APR. 13 -- AUSTIN, TX -- EMO'S EAST*
APR. 14 -- DALLAS, TX -- GRANADA THEATRE*
APR. 30 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- URBAN LOUNGE*
MAY 1 -- BOULDER, CO -- FOX THEATRE*
MAY 2 -- BOISE, ID -- THE NEUROLUX*
MAY 4 -- SEATTLE, WA -- NEUMO'S*
MAY 5 -- PORTLAND, OR -- WONDER BALLROOM*
MAY 6 -- VANCOUVER, BC -- ELECTRIC OWL*
MAY 8 -- SACRAMENTO, CA -- ACE OF SPADES*
MAY 10 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- FILLMORE*
MAY 11 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- THE MUSIC BOX (Henry Fonda Theater)*
* supporting Delta Spirit

Links:
WATERS

Poison Idea - "Darby Crash Rides Again - The Early Years" CD Review (Southern Lord)

"We were going to write some self-righteous diatribe about the 'good old day' - but those days weren't good - we were pissed off then and we are pissed off now - go die. Positive = Boring"
- from "Darby Crash Rides Again" 7" inner-sleeve

Portland hardcore stalwarts Poison Idea are the beast that will never die. While guitarist “Pig Champion” died in 2006 and one-time drummer Steve "Thee Slayer Hippy" Hanford was arrested for a string of pharmacy robberies in 2008, the band continues to soldier on under the leadership of vocalist Jerry A. Poison Idea made their recorded debut in 1983 with “Pick Your King”, a 7” (which was issued with a two-sided cover showing Elvis on one side and Jesus on the other) that blasts through thirteen song of hardcore fury in sixteen minutes. While this was one h*ll of a debut, Poison Idea reached further back in their catalog in 1989 and released a 7” of 1982 demos entitled “Darby Crash Rides Again” (American Leather Records) which was clearly influenced by The Germs in both sound and lyrical outlook.

Southern Lord will be reissuing a number of Poison Idea titles this year on CD and the first of these, Darby Crash Rides Again: The Early Years, comes out on January 30th. This disc contains twenty-nine tracks (53 minutes) from the band’s earliest days, the 100% previously unreleased Boner’s Kitchen demo from 1981, the complete "Darby Crash Rides Again" demo from 1982, the complete uncut live-on-the-air set from the 1983 KBOO radio benefit, and outtakes from the Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes recording session. Much of this material has either been out-of-print or never before officially released! All the recordings have been meticulously restored and mastered by Jack Control at Enormous Door Mastering. The booklet contains liner notes, old flyers and tons of previously unpublished photos from the band’s beginnings.

The Boner’s Kitchen demos are similar to The Germs’ "What We Do Is Secret" EP as the band careens through six lo-fi hardcore blasts like a runaway freight train that is consistently on the verge on derailing. The tape is continuously rolling during this demo session so you can hear both bum notes and band dialogue between the songs. Prior to "Poser" kicking in, you can hear Jerry A., in a faux-British accent (similar to Darby's) say "Don't erase that, keep that". The eleven songs on "Darby Crash Rides Again" are similar blasts of hardcore fury that all clock in around the one minute mark. This recording has better sound quality and production (production is cheekily credited to Joan Jett, producer of The Germs' (GI)) than the 1981 demos but that doesn’t take away from or diminish the intensity of the band’s attack. The KBOO radio benefit is hilarious as the band plays a solidly sloppy set while alternatively threatening to stop playing if more pledges don’t come in and following that by threatening “if you don’t call in, we are going to keep playing this f@cking noise until it drives you crazy”.

Some songs are repeated between the four different recordings on this disc but that should be of little worry as I don’t think the band played any song the same way more than once. What is particularly enjoyable is the band’s deconstruction of the Lemmy-penned Hawkwind tune “Motorhead” which shows up in live in the KBOO benefit set and as an outtake from the Record Collectors session.





As Poison Idea seems to have fallen off the radar in recent years (due to infrequent touring and most of their discs going out of print at various times), this disc is essentially listening for fans of old school hardcore. After listening to this, I’m going to see if I can find my tape of the band’s 2002 CBGB show and ‘re-live’ the Poison Idea live experience.

Note: The CD reissues are coming out Southern Lord while TKO Records is handling the vinyl reissues.

Links:
Poison Idea

Van Halen: Download First Three Songs from Show at Cafe Wha?, NYC 1-5-12

DOWNLOAD: Jim Florentine's Comedy Metal Midgets Podcast

Comedian Jim Florentine just posted live audio of the first three songs from Van Halen's set at Cafe Wha? and there are all kinds of quality live videos posted on YouTube.



Cafe Wha? Set List:
You Really Got Me
Runnin' With the Devil
Somebody Get Me a Doctor
Everybody Wants Some
She's the Woman
Dance The Night Away
Ice Cream Man
Hot for Teacher
Ain't Talking About Love
Jump

Van Halen 2012 North American Tour:
2/18/12 - KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY
2/20/12 - The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
2/22/12 - Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
2/24/12 - United Center, Chicago, IL
2/28/12 - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
3/1/12 - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
3/3/12 - Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
3/5/12 - Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
3/9/12 - First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY
3/11/12 - TD Garden, Boston, MA
3/15/12 - Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
3/17/12 - Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
3/21/12 - Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, ON
3/24/12 - Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ
3/28/12 - Verizon Center, Washington, DC
3/30/12 - Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
4/1/12 - Allstate Arena, Rosemont, IL
4/10/12 - BankAtlantic Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL
4/12/12 - St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
4/14/12 - Amway Arena, Orlando, FL
4/16/12 - Jacksonville Arena, Jacksonville, FL
4/19/12 - Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
4/21/12 - Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
4/25/12 - Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, NC
4/27/12 - Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
5/1/12 - BOK Center, Tulsa, OK
5/5/12 - Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
5/7/12 - Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
5/9/12 - Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
5/11/12, Rexall Place, Edmonton, AB
5/17/12 - MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB
5/19/12 - Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
5/22/12 - Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
5/24/12 - Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
5/27/12 - MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
6/1/12 - STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, CA
6/3/12 - Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
6/5/12 - HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA
6/12/12 - Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
6/14/12 - Viejas Arena, San Diego, CA
6/16/12 - US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
6/20/12 - American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
6/22/12 - AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
6/24/12 - Toyota Center, Houston, TX
6/26/12 - New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA

Links:
Van Halen

120 Days (Norwegian Electronic/Dance) Announce Sophomore Disc Out March 6th / New Track "Osaka" Posted as Free Download

120 Days- Osaka by JasiJasi

I neve got around to checking out Norwegian electronic/dance band 120 Days when they came through in 2008 (for show at the Merc) but I gave a listen to the first track off the band's sophomore disc (120 Days II) and got pulled in by the band's teutonic New Order meets Kraftwork sound. The band just released the first single from this upcoming disc, "Osaka", as a free download and this track is also the first release on Club Mod, a new singles imprint by Modular and both Sidwho? and Diskjokke remixed it.

If a year is a long time in politics, five years in music can be a career. The fact that 120 Days have taken half a decade to deliver the follow up to their debut album might have counted against them, especially in a world where things have never seemed more ephemeral, even more so since they flippantly admit that they spent as much time “lucid dreaming and partying” as they did “recording and touring”. But there’s no point making a record when you’re not ready, as any band forced to return to the studio prematurely will tell you. The old adage about having a lifetime to make your first record and only a few months to make the second is based upon truth, and 120 Days will testify to that, having entirely scrapped their original follow up. They had good reason: by the time they’d concluded the heavy touring that followed the late 2006 release of their self-titled debut, they were, quite simply, “sick of seeing each other’s faces”.

120 Days II is darker, dirtier, fiercer and sharper than the band's debut disc. The roots of their new, advanced level of savagery are varied: time spent working with other artists, including Serena Maneesh, Bygdin and Masselys, have undoubtedly broadened their horizons, and their equally broadened tastes in music have no doubt done wonders for their writing. Alongside Kraftwerk, Joy Divison, Neu!, The Cure and Primal Scream – XTRMNTR-era, naturally – new influences have come into play: “the hard minimalist industrial sound of Detroit Techno, the transcendental drone jazz of (early) Alice Coltrane, and the over-the-top orchestral maximalism of Wagnerian opera,” they claim rather magnificently. “When we recorded our debut, we were very much into minimalism, and a ‘changing chords is for pussies’ dogma. In the first years after we released it, we went even further in that direction, so, in a way, you could say that the scrapped sessions were our minimalist peak, and after that we started playing around with song structure again. 120 Days 2.0 sometimes likes listening to the Carpenters. We would never admit that before!”



120 Days are: Jonas Dahl, Kjetil Ovesen, Arne Kvalvik, Ådne Meisfjord

Links:
120 Days

Cursive Release "The Sun and Moon" As Free Download // Shows at Bowery Ballroom on Apr. 3 & 4

Cursive's seventh disc, I Am Gemini, will be released February 21st, 2012 via Saddle Creek and the band just posted the first MP3, "The Sun and Moon", from this disc as a free download.

I Am Gemini is currently available for pre-order in Saddle Creek's online store and via iTunes. The album can be purchased in multiple formats (CD, LP, digital) and bundles through Saddle Creek, including a deluxe package that contains: exclusive colored vinyl; CD; a limited edition (only 500 copies printed) 10" picture disc featuring "The Sun and Moon" and "The Cat and Mouse" plus two B-sides; t-shirt; and poster, among other goods. MP3s of "The Sun and Moon" and "The Cat and Mouse" can be downloaded instantly after placing a pre-order, and all pre-orders will ship two weeks ahead of release on February 7th (at which point the album will also be available to purchasers as a full MP3 download).

Known for their explosive, cathartic live show, Cursive has announced an additional four weeks of shows this spring, from March 22nd to April 21st. This new run of dates includes two shows in New York City on April 3rd and 4th at the Bowery Ballroom. Tickets for these shows go on-sale on Fri., Jan. 06 at 12PM and are $16.

The band had previously announced shows throughout the west coast, southwest, and midwest, and is also now confirmed to perform at the 20th anniversary Noise Pop festival in San Francisco, CA on February 22nd. Cursive also recently added two early March shows, at Abode in Wichita, KS on the 1st and Record Bar in Kansas City, MO on the 2nd. A current itinerary is below.

I Am Gemini is the surreal and powerful musical tale of Cassius and Pollock, twin brothers separated at birth. One good and one evil, their unexpected reunion in a house that is not a home ignites a classic struggle for the soul, played out with a cast of supporting characters that includes a chorus of angels and devils, and twin sisters conjoined at the head. Recorded at Omaha, NE's ARC Studios and mixed at Red Room in Seattle, WA with producer Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Minus The Bear, Isis), the album marks the first time front man Tim Kasher, with the completed story already in mind, wrote album lyrics in a linear fashion from song 1 to song 13. The result is thirteen singularly cohesive song chapters that blend effortlessly into one unique narrative to create a dynamic, mind-bending, and imaginative ride.

Cursive is the longtime trio of Kasher (vocals, guitar), Matt Maginn (bass), and Ted Stevens (guitar, vocals), with Patrick Newbery (keys) and Cully Symington (drums).

Cursive Tour Dates:
FEB. 12 -- DENVER, CO -- LARIMER LOUNGE*
FEB. 14 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- URBAN LOUNGE^
FEB. 15 -- BOISE, ID -- NEUROLUX^
FEB. 17 -- SEATTLE, WA -- NEUMO'S**
FEB. 18 -- VANCOUVER, BC -- MEDIA CLUB**
FEB. 19 -- PORTLAND, OR -- BUNK BAR**
FEB. 22 -- SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL**
FEB. 24 -- LOS ANGELES, CA -- TROUBADOUR**
FEB. 25 -- POMONA, CA -- GLASSHOUSE**
FEB. 26 -- SAN DIEGO, CA -- CASBAH**
FEB. 27 -- TEMPE, AZ -- CRESCENT BALLROOM**
FEB. 28 -- ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- LAUNCHPAD**
MAR. 1 -- WICHITA, KS -- ABODE**
MAR. 2 -- KANSAS CITY, MO -- RECORD BAR**
MAR. 3 -- OMAHA, NE -- SLOWDOWN**
MAR. 22 -- IOWA CITY, IA -- THE MILL#
MAR. 23 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- 400 BAR#
MAR. 24 -- MADISON, WI -- HIGH NOON SALOON#
MAR. 25 -- CHICAGO, IL -- LINCOLN HALL#
MAR. 26 -- CHAMPAIGN, IL -- HIGH DIVE#
MAR. 27 -- ANN ARBOR, MI -- THE BLIND PIG#
MAR. 28 -- PITTSBURGH, PA -- MR. SMALL'S#
MAR. 29 -- CLEVELAND, OH -- GROG SHOP#
MAR. 30 -- BUFFALO, NY -- MOHAWK#
MAR. 31 -- TORONTO, ONT -- HORSESHOE TAVERN#
APR. 2 -- BOSTON, MA -- MIDDLE EAST#
APR. 3 -- NEW YORK, NY -- BOWERY BALLROOM#
APR. 4 -- NEW YORK, NY -- BOWERY BALLROOM#
APR. 5 -- PHILADELPHIA, PA -- UNION TRANSFER#
APR. 6 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- BLACK CAT#
APR. 7 -- RALEIGH, NC -- KING'S BARCADE#
APR. 8 -- ATLANTA, GA -- THE EARL#
APR. 9 -- ST. AUGUSTINE, FL -- CAFÉ ELEVEN#
APR. 10 -- ORLANDO, FL -- THE SOCIAL#
APR. 11 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL -- CLUB DOWN UNDER#
APR. 13 -- HOUSTON, TX -- FITZGERALD'S#
APR. 14 -- AUSTIN, TX -- MOHAWK#
APR. 15 -- DALLAS, TX -- TREES#
APR. 17 -- MEMPHIS, TN -- HI TONE#
APR. 18 -- LEXINGTON, KY -- COSMIC CHARLIE'S#
APR. 20 -- ST. LOUIS, MO -- OFF BROADWAY#
APR. 21 -- COLUMBIA, MO -- MOJOS#
* Ume support
^ Ume and M. Moriah support
** Ume and Virgin Islands support
# Cymbals Eat Guitars and Conduits support

Links:
Cursive

Mission of Burma and The Static Jacks Play Music Hall of Williamsburg on Jan. 19th

Mission of Burma Sampler by Fenway Recordings

Please note that the poster is from Mission of Burma's show at MHOW 2008 which was coincidently the same date. This year's show is on Thursday, Jan. 19th. Tickets are $20 and doors are at 8PM.

Mission of Burma, cited as an influence by such artists as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, the Foo Fighters, Moby and the Pixies, are returning to New York for the first time since playing last summer’s successful Seaport Music Festival on NYC’s Pier 17. The band has defied expectations throughout its more than three decade career is currently at work in the studio recording the follow up to 2009’s The Sound The Speed The Light. Describing the band’s approach to recording, drummer Peter Prescott explains, “Everything is in a constant state of flux, including the 4 of us. One thing remains the same when we make a record; a grim and relentless determination to not humiliate ourselves.”

New Jersey five piece The Static Jacks, whose debut record You Are Young (released August 30 on Fearless Records) was chosen as one of Newsday’s top albums of 2011, will support Mission of Burma on this bill. The Static Jacks, who have toured with Manchester Orchestra, The Wombats, White Denim, Young the Giant and the Futureheads among others, will head to the UK for their second visit in as many months following this opening slot with Mission of Burma.



Links:
Mission of Burma

Frank Zappa - "AAAFNRAAAAAM Birthday Bundle 2011" CD Review (Digital Only Release)

I hate to sound like Tom Hanks in the movie Big but “I don’t get it”.

On December 21st, Frank Zappa’s estate released The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAAAM Birthday Bundle 2011 which is a digital-only release of Zappa covers and previously unreleased live recordings by Zappa himself. The “challenge” with this compilation is that there appears to be no unifying theme linking either the tracks included or the selection of cover artists. Without this – this compilation comes off as a random hodge-podge of songs.

Here is how this compilation breaks down – you have nine cover tracks by predominately little-known artists. The two “known” artists are Van Morrison and Serj Tankian who respectively cover “Dead Girls of London” and “Yellow Snow”. “Dead Girls of London” dates from a 1979 recording session and was “originally supposed to be sung by Van Morrison, but since Morrison was signed to the Warner Bros. Records record label who Zappa was in a legal dispute with at the time, Zappa was unable to release the song on his label with Morrison's vocals, and so they were re-recorded. This early version was heavily bootlegged before its official release.” (Wikipedia) Serj’s version of “Yellow Snow” is ‘middle-of-the-road’ as his straight-forward cover noticeably lacks the vocal timing of the original. The remaining tracks are straight-forward covers as well with no particular stand-outs with the exception of “Bobby Brown (Se Upp För F-N)” which is bizarrely sung in Swedish.

There are two Zappa originals that have been digitally ‘played with’ by members of the family. The first, “Wowie Zowie”, takes the original Freak Out track and overdubs vocals from Zappa granddaughter Mathilda Plum Doucette Zappa. The second, “Cosmik Debris”, adds Frank’s guitar and vocals to the ZPZ lineup. Remembering the Jim Morrison and Marc Bolan spoken word sessions later set to music after the artist’s death (bad idea) and Natalie Cole superimposing herself alongside her passed-away father in the video “Unforgettable” (unforgivable), I firmly believe this sort of digital slicing and dicing completely violates the artist’s integrity.

Lastly, there are two previously unreleased Zappa tracks. The first is “Another Variation of the Formerly Secret” which was recorded at The Palladium on 10/30/80. Personally, I always thought Frank’s Tinsletown Rebellion band was one of his strongest post-Mothers lineups so I’d love to hear the full show. The second track is a stellar live recording of “Peaches” which was recorded in Vienna on May 8, 1988 with the jazzier Broadway the Hard Way lineup.

Aside for the two live tracks from Frank Zappa and the Van Morrison cover, caveat emptor.

“Wowie Zowie” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Mathilda Plum Doucette Zappa
Produced by Gail Zappa
Vocals Recorded & Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin for UMRK
Lead Vocals – Mathilda Plum Doucette Zappa
All Background Vocals – Joe Travers
Original Track Produced by Frank Zappa:
Guitar – Frank Zappa
Rhythm Guitar – Elliot Ingber
Tambourine – Ray Collins
Xylophone – Gene Estes
Bass – Roy Estrada
Drums – Jimmy Carl Black
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Bobby Brown (Se Upp För F-N)” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Lise & Gertrud
Vocals – Lise Hummel & Gertrud Stenung
Cello – Gertrud Stenung
Lyrics by Lise & Gertrud by permission of The Zappa Family Trust © 2009 ZFT

“Yellow Snow” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Serj Tankian
Engineered, Produced & Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin
Backround Vocals – S Gonzalez, B Thomas, C Norton
Guitar – Orbel Babayan, Jamie Kime
Horns – Scheila Gonzalez, Ben Thomas
Keys – Chris Norton
Vibes – Billy Hulting
Bass – Kurt Morgan
Drums – Joe Travers
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Magic Fingers” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Rama Duke
Engineered, Produced & Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin
Vocals – Rama Duke
Guitar – Orbel Babayan
Keys – Zoux
Bass – Kurt Morgan
Drums – Joe Travers
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Dirty Love” by Frank Zappa
Artist: The Dirty Diamond
Engineered, Produced & Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin
Lead Vocal – Sam Babayan
Background Vocals – Rama Duke
Guitar – Adam Schalke, Orbel Babayan, Sam Babayan
Keys – Zoux
Bass – Narek Pogosyan
Drums – Shay Godwin
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Pancho and Sancho
Engineered, Produced & Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin
Guitar, Vocals – Orbel “Pancho” Babayan
Guitar, Vocals – Alexy “Sancho” Yeghikian
Trumpets – Brian Garfield
Saxamaphone – Colin Kupka
Trombone – Craig Kupka
Keys – Sandro Rebel & Chris Norton
Bass – Artyom Manukyan
Drums – Mike Schron
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Dead Girls of London (vm)” by L Shankar & Frank Zappa
Artist/Producer: Frank Zappa
Lead Vocal – Van Morrison
Background Vocals – Vicky Blumenthal
Acoustic & 5 string Electric Violin – Shankar
Acoustic & Electric Guitars – Phil Palmer
Fender Rhodes, Organ, Acoustic Piano, Synthesizer – James Lascelles
Bass – Dave Marquee
Drums – Simon Phillips
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Another Variation Of The Formerly Secret” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Frank Zappa
(Recorded live at The Palladium, NYC, 30 October 1980)
Produced by Frank Zappa
Mixed with Bob Stone at UMRK, ca. 1981
Original Recording Engineer: George Douglas
Digitally transferred from original 1/4″ analog stereo mix master at 96K 24B by Joe Travers, UMRK
Players:
Lead Guitar – Frank Zappa
Rhythm Guitar – Steve Vai, Ray White, Ike Willis
Keyboards – Tommy Mars, Bob Harris
Bass – Arthur Barrow
Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Peaches (Vienna 88)” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Frank Zappa
Recorded Live at Stadhall 8 May 1988
Produced by Frank Zappa
Mixed with Bob Stone, UMRK
Transferred from 1630 digital mix master by Joe Travers, UMRK
Players:
Guitar – FZ
Guitar, Keyboards – Mike Keneally
Keyboards – Bobby Martin
Trumpet, Flugel Horn, Synth – Walt Fowler
Trombone – Bruce Fowler
Saxes – Paul Carman
Tenor Sax – Albert Wing
Baritone Sax, Contrabass Clarinet – Kurt McGettrick
Percussion – Ed Mann
Bass – Scott Thunes
Drums, Electronic Percussion – Chad Wackerman
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Cosmik Debris” by Frank Zappa
Artist: FZ with DZ/ZPZ
Vocals, Guitar – Frank Zappa
Guitar – Dweezil Zappa
Guitar – Jamie Kime
Vocal – Ray White
Sax, Keys, Vocals – Scheila Gonzales
Keys – Aaron Arntz
Percussion – Billy Hulting
Bass – Pete Griffin
Drums, Vocals – Joe Travers
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Sleep Dirt” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Pete Griffin
Recorded, Produced, Mix by Pete Griffin
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Evelyn, A Modified Dog” by Frank Zappa
Artist: Jamie Kime
Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin, UMRK
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

“Love of My Life” by Frank Zappa
Artist – Jerry Lawson
Produced by Gail Zappa
Recorded, Mix by Jared Lee Gosselin
Mastered by John Polito, Audio Mechanics

Links:
Frank Zappa

One Stop Beer Shop - A New "Beer Mixology" Bar Opens in East Williamsburg

On Dec. 28th, One Stop Beer Shop opened in East Williamsburg. This new bar has over 100 diverse beers, 16 taps and specialty beer mixology cocktails. The tap selection currently includes beers from Van Steenberge (Belgium), Brooklyn Brewery (New York), Sly Fox (Pennsylvania) and Dogfish Head (Delaware) along with the non-alcoholic Kombucha Brooklyn (a fermented tea beverage) and the selection will change from season to season. For anyone who lives in the area, the bar also offers 64 oz. growlers to-go and is planning on offering delivery service later this year.







While the beer selection is great (and there was a food menu that I didn’t pay a lot of attention to…though the Cajun-spiced popcorn on the bar was frighteningly addictive), the real attraction at One Stop Beer Shop is the beer mixology cocktails. The concept behind beer mixology is to creatively do more with beer, using a variety of beer blends and quality spirits. For opening night, there were four cocktails being served and all of the drinks were patiently hand-made (as opposed to the recently sprung-up trend of “cocktails on tap”).

I tried three of the four cocktails and the “Orange You Glad?” cocktail was the highlight. This drink consisted of: The Original Moonshine whiskey, orange juice, agave, muddled orange and lemon which is then topped with Brooklyn Winter Ale. “Sinfully Original” was a close second and this drink is made with Original Sin Cider over tea infused Tito’s Vodka. The bloody mary tasting “MiShinelada”, which is made with The Original Moonshine whiskey, tomato juice, lime juice, Sriracha sauce, Chipotle Tabasco and topped off with Brooklyn Lager was a bit too esoteric for my taste and I never got around to the whiskey, mint and blueberry flavored “Clandestine Moon” .

One Stop Beer Shop is located in a pre-war storefront and the interior is beautiful with a lot of wide open spaces (though it was standing room only on opening night but I got to meet some great people). The bar was designed by Tanya Beuyukian who “was inspired by the property’s original 1920’s aesthetic and features an eclectic collection of furniture, floor to ceiling brick walls, and many reclaimed materials within an open bar space.”

One Stop Beer Shop is located at 134 Kingsland Avenue and it is about a 10 minute walk from the Graham Avenue stop on the L. The bar is open Sunday-Wednesday 11am-2am; Thursday-Saturday 11am-3:30am.

Links:
www.onestopbeershopny.com
www.facebook.com/onestopbeershop
http://www.twitter.com/onestopbeershop

The Buddies (x-Welcome to Ashley) Play Bowery Electric on Friday, Jan. 6th

DOWNLOAD: The Buddies - "All the Beer is Gone" (from F*ck the Buddies)



I really enjoyed the music of Chicago post-punk band Welcome to Ashley (which sounded something like The Smiths crossed with Urge Overkill) and the band has now morphed into The Buddies (which has been called a "southern rock version of The Clash"...though I'm thinking more of The Pogues or Jason and the Scorchers).

The Buddies combines three members of Welcome to Ashley (bassist The Mouse [aka Jeremy Barrett], guitarist Pete Javier and vocalist Coley Kennedy) with Justin, Kim and Scott Collins from Nashville's Pale Blue Dot and the band just released their first full-length F*ck the Buddies.

In a recent interview with Chicago blog DO312, Collie described the band's sound as "Garbage-rock!” (As Justin once referred to our sound). The Mouse and I love old rockabilly music. We are also really into bands like The Smiths, Echo and The Bunny Men, and Jesus & Mary Chain (as is Pete). I think the front-porch/alt-folk/’60s/grunge-ier sounds The Buddies make are the result of Justin, Scott and Kim. The six of us all place a lot of importance on a really strong melody. We all share adoration for bands such as The Clash, The Faces, The Replacements, The Pogues, and The Stones. Throw all of our influences in a trash can, shake it up and dump it out … voila! The Buddies!"



At the show at Bowery Electric, The Buddies are playing with American Darlings and Sangsara. Cover is $8 and doors are at 7:30PM.

Links:
The Buddies

This Frontier Needs Heroes Posts New Single "2012"

2012 by thisfrontierneedsheroes

This Frontier Needs Heroes’ sophomore release The Future (released last May) was one of my favorite discs of the year. Brother-sister duo Brad and Jessica Lauretti wrapped textured vocal harmonies with a minimalist guitar work and various hazy electronica to create a mood around their rich narrative lyrics.

The band has recently posted a new single "2012" (streaming above) which was recorded with Jason from Justice of the Unicorns. The band has also posted a free download of a solo show Brad played in Jacksonville, FL.

Links:
This Frontier Needs Heroes

Craig Finn Posts Acoustic Performance of "Jackson" from Forthcoming Solo Disc (out Jan. 24th)

"In July 2011, I went to Austin Texas to make a record. The Hold Steady was on a four month break, and I wanted to try something a little different. Earlier in the year, I had written a bunch of songs that were outside of the norm for The Hold Steady, a little quieter and perhaps more narrative. I also wanted to gain some experience and insight into the process of making a record by working with new
people.

I'm calling this record “Clear Heart Full Eyes”. It's a juxtaposed reference to Friday Night Lights, a TV show that excited and moved me and also happened in Texas. Further, “Clear Heart” signifies honesty and transparency, and “Full Eyes” suggests experience. Thus, it's about being optimistic and open without succumbing to the weariness or doubt that comes with age and experience. To me, that is what it's all about." - Craig Finn

Finn invited The A.V. Club to his Brooklyn apartment where he discussed the making-of his debut solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes, and performed an acoustic version of the excellent song "Jackson" for their One Track Mind series.


Craig Finn discusses and performs "Jackson"

Craig Finn Tour Dates:
2/01 - Dallas, TX @ Club Dada
2/02 - Oklahoma City, OK @ The Conservatory
2/03 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
2/04 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
2/06 - Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
2/07 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
2/08 - Detroit, MI @ The Lager House
2/09 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
2/10 - St Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
2/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
2/13 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
2/19 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
2/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
2/21 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
2/23 - Portland, OR @ The Doug Fir Lounge
2/24 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
2/27 - Ringwood, NJ @ Live @ Drew’s House
2/28 - Allston, MA @ Great Scott
2/29 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (Early Show) SOLD OUT
2/29 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge (Late Show) SOLD OUT
3/1 - Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s (Tickets are $15 and are still available)
3/2 - Washington, DC @ Rock N Roll Hotel
3/3 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
3/5 - Atlanta, GA @ Earl

Links:
Craig Finn

Camper Van Beethoven Will be Debuting New Material @ Highline Ballroom on Sat., Jan. 14th

DOWNLOAD: Camper Van Beethoven - Live at The Independent, San Francisco, CA 12-28-11

Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven's annual year-end California trek is underway and the last night of this run of shows is Dec. 29th in Petaluma. After which, Cracker heads further north to Portland on December 30th for a special one-off with bluegrass jam band Leftover Salmon, where the two bands will perform their highly-lauded 2003 album O Cracker, Where Art Thou? together in its entirety.

The following night, Cracker & CVB will be in Chicago for a celebratory New Year's Eve bash at Chicago's House Of Blues. Camper Van Beethoven will open, followed by Cracker ringing in the new year, and then Big Head Todd & The Monsters playing into the wee hours.

Then Camper Van Beethoven will start off the year with their own headlining shows in Milwaukee, Madison and Iowa City, before hooking up with Cracker again for shows in St. Louis and Minneapolis. The two bands will then head east for their annual winter run through the Northeast. As David Lowery (frontman for both bands) told the Boston Herald earlier this year,"We always do it in January when it’s really cold and not many bands go up to the Northeast. It started from the fact that it was the only time that was slow for the Camper Van Beethoven guys who have real careers. Then we accidentally figured out nobody else is touring, so it’s seen as this mid-winter cabin-fever kind of party."

Both Cracker and CVB will be running through their career-spanning canons of hits and fan favorites, while, perhaps even more exciting, Camper Van Beethoven will be performing a handful of new songs slated for their new studio album - their first in over seven years!

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN & CRACKER'S WINTER 2011-12 TOUR
Thu., Dec. 29 - Mystic Theatre, Petaluma, CA [CRACKER / CVB]
Fri., Dec. 30 - The Roseland Theater, Portland, OR [CRACKER & LEFTOVER SALMON perform O Cracker Where Art Thou?album]
Sat., Dec. 31 - House Of Blues, Chicago, IL
[CVB 8pm / CRACKER 10pm / Big Head Todd & The Monsters 12:30am]
Tue., Jan. 3 - Shank Hall. Milwaukee, WI [CVB ONLY]
Wed., Jan. 4 - High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI [CVB ONLY]
Thu., Jan. 5 - The Mill, Iowa City, IA [CVB ONLY]
Fri., Jan. 6 - The Pageant, St Louis, MO [CRACKER / CVB]
Sat., Jan. 7 - TBA, Minneapolis, MN [CRACKER / CVB]
Fri., Jan. 13 - World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA [CRACKER / CVB]
Sat., Jan. 14 - Highline Ballroom, New York, NY [CRACKER / CVB]
(Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 DOS)
Sun., Jan. 15 - Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA [CRACKER / CVB]

Links:
Cracker
Camper Van Beethoven

Jim Florentine - "Cringe and Purge" CD Review (Metal Blade)

Jim Florentine "Kids" by Metal Blade Records

Wikipedia defines cringe comedy as “a comedy genre that uses awkward and embarrassing situations to cause audiences to feel uneasy”. The problem with this definition is that uber-PC folks need to realize that everyday life has a large number of “awkward and embarrassing situations” and Florentine touches on a number of these situations over the course of his new disc.

While Jim Florentine is well-known for his "Special Ed" and "Bobby Fletcher" characters, Cringe and Purge (Metal Blade) is straight-forward stand-up comedy delivered in a matter-of-fact tone similar to Richard Pryor’s Live on the Sunset Strip. It should be fair warning to the easily offended that Florentine recently opened up for the Big 4 tour (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax) but for those who didn’t get the hint, he starts his show with the comment “if you DVR the show “Glee”, this is going to end badly for you”.

This 45 minute disc is divided into nine tracks and Florentine’s subject matter ranges from the inanity of modern life (“Superstitions”, “Old School Parents”) to the potentially inflammatory (“Gay Guys”, “Religion”, “Hip-Hop Sticks”). Florentine takes on each of these topics with well-developed stories and anecdotes which allow the audience to relate to his feelings and observations. Some of his funnier narratives touch on parents, sex and Catholic priests, the typical angry meathead fans at a Slayer show, and the stupidity of today’s “matching bling” hip-hop culture.



While there are shocks, surprises and stepped-on toes over the course of Florentine’s delivery, his stories and the rhythm of his delivery separate him from comedians who use “shock for the sake of shock”. Florentine will drop a bomb in the middle of one of these narratives and nonchalantly move on to the next topic.

For anyone who appreciates stand-up comedy, Florentine’s social commentary on Cringe and Purge is funny, poignant and most often dead-on.

Links:
Jim Florentine

Austrian Death Machine - "Jingle All The Way" CD EP Review (Metal Blade)

Austrian Death Machine "It's Turbo Time" by Metal Blade Records

When Austrian Death Machine’s (ADM) first disc came our in 2008, Tim Lambesis describes it as "a tribute to the great Arnold movies. It is a band fronted by Ahhnold with music I wrote and recorded in my free time. But, most importantly, I had so much fun!" Tim and the boys are back with a new three-song EP where the songs are based on Das Ahnold’s 1996 (very painful) holiday movie Jingle All the Way.

Similar to ADM’s earlier releases, all three tracks “I’m Not a Pervert”, “It’s Turbo Time” and “Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies” contain dialogue related to Arnie’s pursuit of a Turbo Man doll in Jingle All the Way. Given the problems that Arnie ran into earlier this year with his love child and messy divorce from Maria Schriver, you can’t help but chuckle embarrassedly when you hear Das Ahnold roar on the first track “I’m not a pervert – I was just looking for a Turbo Man doll”. The last track, “Who Told You You Could Eat My Cookies?”, was first heard on 2009’s Double Brutal and Das Ahnold sets the stage for the death metal growls that follow by saying “If you're going to sound like Cookie Monster, then we might as well write a song about cookies”.

Musically, ADM play thrashed-up metalcore which utilizes a mix of chugging guitars, technical death metal solos and mosh-ready blast beats and breakdowns that are “totally brutal”. Ahnold calls for the solo at the end of “It’s Turbo Time” with the comment: “What the hell's the matter with you? You totally forgot the guitar solo, you idiots! Play it...Play it now!" As you can gather from all of this, the vocals are a mix of Tim’s Cookie Monster death metal growls and Das Ahnold voice-overs.



While this release doesn’t break any new ground, it is simply a fun disc…and a great counterpoint to sappy Xmas discs like Scott Weiland’s cringe-inducing disc It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Links:
Austrian Death Machine