Slanted and Enchanted

Album Review: The Beets' Stay Home

2011-02-07T13:09:00.002-05:00

Straight out of Queens, The Beets strive for a sound 50 years in the making. Taking cues from seminal British Invasion bands, '60s west coast surf-garage rock and more directly, New York icons such as The Velvets and Television, The Beets' vintage, garage rock is stripped down, back to the basics retro. The past year saw the band touring behind their 2009 release, Spit In The Face Of People Who Don't Want To Be Cool, and releasing several singles including, (just so you know where their heads are at) a drunken rendition of "The Locomotion" (yes, the one and only, but without the chart topping results earned by Little Eva, Grand Funk and Kylie). Needless to say, many weren't quite ready for a band with such a wry sense of humor and a recorded sound that was willfully underproduced.

The band's sophomore release, Stay Home, picks up where the trio's previous effort left off. The jangly hooks are still very raw and outweigh any notions of studio amateurism - oddly, it's what makes The Beets' sound so charming. "Cold Lips," kicks the album into full gear with its singalong qualities while "Dead" could be mistaken for a Stones b-side.

Spanning 13 songs with a running time under half an hour, the album isn't much to dissect. In fact, many songs are about staying home - go figure. "Watching TV" and "Pops N' Me" are pretty self explanatory. "Hens and Roasters," meanwhile, is a soft story about isolation: "Now I wanna go back to my head," sings guitarist/vocalist Juan Wauters and bass player Jose Garcia as they harmonize through the outro as they so often do on the record. When the duo aren't singing in unison, they often take a few bars to break down in psychedelic Velvets' inspired freakouts like the "Knock On Wood" outro or the second half of "Your Name Is On My Bones."

While The Beets approach their music with the type of inspiration that isn't new - the charm factor and overall sincerely has high appeal. As Spit In The Face... may have shown promise, its fidelity surely lacked, hiding the talent behind a wall fuzz. Stay Home sheds a layer allowing the audience to hear what they've been missing - and they have been missing out - and allowing the band to step out of the cult-y, art-house world and into the clubs.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Smith Westerns' Dye It Blonde

2011-01-17T18:50:00.002-05:00

Last year was a growing period for Smith Westerns, the Chicago garage pop quartet whose prior year's self-titled debut caught many by surprise with dreamy, innocent pop harmonies and overall maturity from a band who at the time, were still in high school. The band toured non-stop in 2010, honing their chops, learning to play tighter and ultimately working as a well-oiled machine. In doing so, they have expanded their audience exponentially, all the while gaining solid critical success. And with more experience comes a brand new stage for the band as they offer up an excellent sophomore set in Dye It Blonde.

In November, leading up to the album, the band released the first single, "Weekend," which naturally stirred up hype and anticipation, and with good reason. The song kicks things off with signature guitar jangle and three-minute power-pop structure, not to mention a memorable chorus of blissful falsetto harmonies. What stands out across this new set is the heightened level of maturity to the band's garage rock stylings -- "Imagine Pt.3" is an unabashedly catchy love pop song, with frontman Cullen Omori delivering lines like, "You've always got me coming back for more." Influences like T Rex shine through on tracks like "All Die Young" while the band sticks to their bread-and-butter lo-fi hooks on "End Of The Night" and "Dance Away."

It is hard to believe at times that the band is collectively around 19 years old - "Smile" ends with a prog-rock, singalong outro, revealing ambition and craftsmanship far beyond their years. With the jump to Fat Possum, the songs are crisp and better produced, but still remain lo-fi and often ooze a retro feel - something that carries over from the debut.

With a solid new set of material, Smith Westerns have returned to reveal how much creative growth they've undergone in such a short amount of time. Resurrecting all the right bits of T. Rex and The Replacements, while echoing contemporary sidekicks like Girls, Smith Westerns have released the first great album of 2011. The great thing, though, is that they have only just begun.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Weekend's Sports

2010-12-08T22:00:00.001-05:00

The term 'post-punk' could not be any more ambiguous - hell, it basically sums up everything ever recorded past 1977. But of course, labeling music gets more precise - 'shoegazer' and 'industrial' are more pedantic and help music listeners understand time and place rather than broad generalizations. We've come a long way since the birth of the punk, shoegaze and industrial nomenclatures and for many, these genres have been carved and copied endlessly, to the point of becoming completely cliché. However, every once in a while bands spring up resurrecting new sounds and styles and completely make it their own. If done right, those old sounds again sound fresh and restore faith in diehard music lovers - it is why what some people may call obsessive compulsive, we call religion.

San Francisco's Weekend have joined the ranks of few bands to shuffle up old sounding, '80s ambiance and give it a new twist. Their recent LP, Sports, is a unique flavor of, dare I say it, "post punk squall," It indeed embodies the strongest elements of noise pop ambiance, gloomy dream pop and a hard, garage-y guitar sound. Even better, it incorporates later versions of the same elements, such a No Wave era Sonic Youth, most notably the album's opener "Coma Summer." Clocking in at almost seven minutes, the song reveals Weekend to be ambitious songwriters, to say the least, yet sure to keep their listeners in rapt attention.

The heavily textured and semi-instrumental (weird backwards sounding vocals if you could call it that) " Monday Morning," is pure noise. Fans of No Age-esque interlude ambiance and power-drone can definitely get behind the weirdness of this track, which leads into the thunderous, Joy Division-inspired "Monongah, WV." Beginning with a watery and melodic bassline, this song encapsulates elements of dreamy shoegazer much to the tune of My Bloody Valentine and is easily one of the standout tracks of the album. Elements of Killing Joke can be heard on tracks such as "Landscape" and "Age Class," while "Veil" is a spiritually moving in its own right. Beginning slowly, the track builds momentum leading to a mind-blowing climax and one of many 'holy shit' moments on the album.

The album ends on a high note, with "Untitled," a powerful crescendo of straight ahead drumming and a loud guitar wale seeping in a long, far away vocal echo - another Weekend staple. Where many bands fail to deliver, Weekend nail the coffin shut with a rare and delightful twist to an old sound and, like few before it, restore my faith in trusting in post-punk generalizations.

PS I Love You's Meet Me At The Muster Station

2010-11-16T14:33:00.001-05:00

Those familiar with Canada, or Canadian music for that matter, should already know that Kingston, Ontario, just outside the country's capital, is home to both the most arguably successful Canuck band, the Tragically Hip and the county's largest penitentiary. The city houses both a thriving artistic community and societal throwaways. It isn't the largest or well-known city either, much like its most recent export, PS I Love You, who have crafted their debut Meet Me At The Muster Station with a level of frustration and alienation that only manifests itself in a place like Kingston.

The odd pairing of Paul Saulnier (guitar/vocals) and Benjamin Nelson (drums) comprise the ability to both scorn and encapsulate a listener. Their sound is rooted in '80s college fuzz and Saulnier, much like those '80s college rock heroes, displays a monumental amount of emotion. His softer side translates into something in the realm of Black Francis-esque singing - throaty and filled with occasional yelps. Their go-to track, "Facelove" can vouch for that honest display of emotion, as Saulnier sings what sounds like a love-letter gone wrong before breaking down into a jam session instead for the remaining half of the song. What Saulnier isn't able to express lyrically, he leaves it for his guitar. The fret picking on "Butterflies and Boners" is a brilliant piece of axe-wielding, wailing like legendary guitar slayer J Mascis. I was lucky enough to catch the pair live and even their stage appearance is enjoyably off kilter. Nelson, a skinny, garage rock hipster-like figure plays second stage to the hefty Saulnier, who looks more like Tad or D. Boon.

PS I Love You's songs are often very epic - the apocalyptic undertones of "2012" are both unsettling, yet intriguing while the rawness of "Get Over" oozes the overall theme of being passive aggressive and unable to adequately pinpoint where things went wrong. Saulnier seems shy and weary about letting us into his world, which is lucky for us, because he is a unique talent. While Nelson's drumming is sometimes not the tightest, it is strong and the duo creates a sound much larger in comparison. Muster Station fuses teen angst and a lonely yearning with an untapped sense of male aggression and while PS I Love You might not be the toughest name on the block, don't let that mislead you. They show a commitment to rock from track one.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Demon's Claws' The Defrosting Of...

2010-11-16T14:32:00.002-05:00

The Demon's Claws' influences range far and wide, spanning most of contemporary rock and roll. The Claws' sound is vast, fusing punk and garage rock sloppiness with '60s pop, and often as haunting as a ritual killing. Hailing from Montreal, the band have garnered a reputation for putting the pedal to the floor, playing harrowing and distorted classic rock and roll arrangements resurrecting some of the greats, such as The Rolling Stones, 13th Floor Elevators and the Kinks. Binging since 2004, the boys in Demon's Claws follow up their debut, 2007's Satan's Little Pet Pig, with The Defrosting Of... A title that has been left semi-censored and incomplete due to the referencing of a particular, well known animator rumored to be cryogenically frozen.

As you can tell by the titles, Demon's Claws approach their music with an intense level of rebellion and danger - the 'fuck you' attitude is all too apparent on the new record. The band continue to revel in the folk-psych, garage rock spectrum - the guitar sound of Jeff Clark remains rough around the edges (purposely) and jangles with a certain level of underproduction ("Laser Beams" and "Trip to the Clinic") that allows the raw emotion shine through; it is something very pure.

The lo-fi production is something that doesn't always work for bands, but for a band like Demon's Claws, who may constantly have alcohol running rampant through their veins, it brings full circle a sense of balance in equilibrium. The band talking amongst themselves in between songs could even confuse a listener into thinking they're listening to a live album, but one cannot deny the good-ol'-days-of-rock feel. A hard hit of nostalgia, "Anny Lou" could be confused as a Stones throwaway, while the album's opener, "Fed From Her Hand" is reminiscent of early Eric Burdon songs. Other times, the album is a firm push forward for contemporary music. "Weird Ways" and "You Will Always Be My Friend" sound a lot like something from fellow Canadian outfit The Sadies, while "At The Disco" leans toward labelmates Black Lips.

Rock and roll has continuously retreated underground to rebuild itself in the sixty years it has had an impact. While electronica is very prevalent in the indie circuit, Demon's Claws take a step back, turn the amps to 11 and explore the true roots of rock and roll. To ignore this record would be a complete folly for a true music lover. The only added effects (other than distortion) are minimal synth sounds ("All Three Eyes") and the echo-y vocal tracks from Clark, reminiscent of Roky Erickson. What the band lacks in fidelity is made up for in raw emotion and good fun. Keep dancing.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin's Let It Sway

2010-11-07T16:51:00.002-05:00

When Someone Still Loves You Boris Yelsin recorded their second LP, Pershing, the band almost succumbed to the pressure of recording and the overwhelming inner tension that comes with self production. For their third release, however, the band decided to enlist Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla to help with finding a skilled producer. Walla had the perfect man for the job: himself, and accompanied by fellow producer Beau Sorenson, he helped ease the pressure of recording, allowing SSLYBY to focus solely on laying down the tracks.

Appropriately titled, Let it Sway, possibly a representation of the band's new approach to recording, finds SSLYBY going back to their roots. Their 2005 debut, Broom, was acclaimed for it's colorful pop jangles while Pershing wasn't so much, often criticized for it's overproduction. Let it Sway's songwriting is in the same vein as the peppy, breezy Broom, while mixing in a polished production sound as heard on Pershing.

The album begins with a strong opening; the folky "Back in the Saddle," could be interpreted as a new form of confidence the band has garnered over the past two years. "Sink/Let it Sway," is an interesting approach to what Vampire Weekend or the Shins are doing while "Banned (by the Man)" is pure indie pop, boasting the singalong qualities of Weezer, while embracing a New Pornographers-like glam-pop sound.

But before long, the album begins to lose steam. The repetitiveness of "In Paris" diminishes the momentum the album had built up in the first few songs. "Not all of God's creatures come in pairs y'know," sings vocalist Will Knauer, which signifies a sense of clever overachievement that SSLYBY constantly embraces. Sure, clever can be a great shtick when in an indie band, but at times they lose me with ostentation and weird attempts at progression ("Everlyn" and "Animalkind"). Ballad-wise, "Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro," is a definite stand out track and some of the best SSLYBY songwriting to date, while "Phantomwise" evokes Blue Album nostalgia, if you can sit long enough.

SSLYBY have tried to recapture the essence of their first album, while continuing to embrace some of the more frustrating elements displayed on their second. As a whole, it is an interestingly odd way to go about sound progression. While the band may have the best interest of songwriting at heart, fans who fell in love with the warm home recording and honest sound of Broom, may end up feeling a tad alienated.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Cheap Time's Fantastic Explanation (and Similar Situations)

2010-11-02T12:16:00.002-04:00

Cheap Time's power pop artistry has grown in leaps and bounds over the course of three years. From releasing their first seven-inch to their debut self-titled album, many people had no idea what to make of the trio. I'll admit, it is difficult to categorize the Cheap Time sound – it's punk, though not in its fastest or hardest form, but still too abrasive to be anything else. Frontman Jeffery Novak's style of garage punk fence-sitting is no doubt genre expanding and on the band's new release, Fantastic Explanations (and Similar Situations), Novak and crew, bassist Stephen Braren and new recruit Ryan Sweeny keeping time, have taken another giant step forward in artistic growth.

The Cheap Time aesthetic has become more complex, while holding true to the band's roots. Arrangements are more experimental, as is the case in "When Tomorrow Comes," which is still bubblegum garage punk, yet incorporates fills and more complex structures and melodies than earlier releases. The album starts full throttle and powers through 12 songs in just over 30 minutes. Songs can be as tight as anything from the Strokes' catalogue ("I'd Be Alone" and "Lazy Days"), or as sloppy as anything Johnny Thunders recorded ("Down the Tube" and "Woodland Drive"). The constant love/hate, back and forth between sloppy punk and garage-y lo-finess helps in keeping the listener focused and music inevitably fresh.

If there sound was to be presented in any one song, "Lazy Days," might be that song. The music is often dark and raw, but ultimately poppy – the most successful of dichotomies. If Girls and JEFF the Brotherhood were to have a baby, you would have Cheap Time. This is a band that constantly throws you a curveball when you feel like you've figured them out. Fantastic Explanations shows a band on the cusp of something no one can really get their finger on. It's this, but it's that – it's marvelous.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Vaselines' Sex With an X

2010-10-01T12:49:00.002-04:00

During two years in the late 1980s, The Vaselines released two singles and an LP to little notice - to say the band flew under the radar is an understatement. But we all know how Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain brought them out of obscurity and into the limelight covering three of their songs in total, one of which appeared in their MTV Unplugged performance. The fact that more than 20 years later The Vaselines are finally releasing a sophomore album and the hype surrounding it goes to show not only how important and influential of a band Nirvana were, but how good of a band The Vaselines are.

The pressure surrounding sophomore albums is always high; just ask the Stone Roses. Sex With An X, however, doesn't exactly have that sophomore feeling. To be honest, I never expected anything else from the core duo and founding members, Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee. Sure they released solo material, even playing the old tracks together live in recent years, but a proper LP was never anything the band had to do; their story is already legendary.

The album's first single and title track, still encompasses a warm and innocent, 'clap along' sound we've grown so fond of over the years. Lyrically, Kelly and McKee seem to be writing about the same things: the devil ("The Devil's Inside Me"), kissing ("Mouth to Mouth") and attacking misogyny, ("My God's Bigger Than Your God"): "Put you in a headlock and twist your arm, listen boy I'm going to do you harm," sings Kelly.

But after 20 years, some things about the Vaselines have indeed changed. Many songs seem to be an attempt to distance themselves from their previous work and reestablish themselves as contemporary artists. "Overweight and Over You," perfectly expresses what the Vaselines are all about - they're older but still a tad angsty. Then there is the song titled, "I Hate the '80s," a sweet throwback to the 'Me Generation' reminding us "It wasn't all Duran Duran."

The Vaselines have established themselves, once again, as contemporary artists. Twenty years later, their fuzzy innocent sound, which has been cleaned up a little, is still there, even if it doeesn't quite have the same charm as the classics. What we do get is some new Vaselines songs that, for awhile, will be in our stereos, getting plenty of revolutions, but in time we will gradually opt for Enter the Vaselines.

Published by Treble Magazine

Concert Review: Male Bonding & Best Coast @ Lee's Palace "Fury & Complexity"

2010-09-27T17:24:00.007-04:00

Two of the biggest buzz bands right now, UK’s Male Bonding & California’s Best Coast roared through Toronto on Saturday night, playing to a packed and rambunctious crowd at Lee’s Palace. Both acts are currently touring North America in support of their magnificent debut albums: Male Bonding’s Nothing Hurts & Best Coast’s Crazy For You

The modest Englishmen took the stage first, to many people who came out early to see the evenings opening act. Male Bonding ripped through their opener, “All Things This Way,” furiously – without letting anyone catch their breath and then quickly went into their recent single, “Weird Feelings.” Male Bonding, who’ve been on tour since May, have become a solid and tight unit. John Arthur Webb (on guitar) is composed yet shy, often thanking the crowd in between songs. But his distorted surf chords were played with precision. Kevin Hendricks (on bass) is a key component to the band’s rhythm section and was uniquely dancing throughout the band’s set – you would be able to spot those weird slide steps from anywhere. When a young lady asked to shake his hand and tried to pull him into the crowd, he pushed back, fighting to keep his footing. The band might not be comfortable with, or used to, all the recent attention. “Stop fraternizing with us, you’re making us screw up!” Webb joked with the crowd.

Through all the “You Rock!” shout outs, the band remained highly focused, playing the majority of Nothing Hurts. The exceptional, stand out drumming from Robin Christian is maybe the best in scene today, pounding with such fury and complexity on tracks such as“Crooked Scene,” “T.U.F.F.” & “Pumpkin.” However, what really excited the crowd was when the band played their first single, “Year’s Not Long.” In a small venue that holds roughly 250 people, the sound reverberated so perfectly that the bartenders stopped selling drinks for that one. The band finished on a high note with a sped up version of new song, “Can’t Dream,” which the band recorded for their Daytrotter session this summer. Best Coast drummer and former Vivian Girl, Ali Koehler came on stage to supply back up vocals (which she and her former band supplied on the recording). The band may be shy, but that may be because all the focus is on the music. It is easy to lose yourself during a Male Bonding show, that or either start smashing beer bottles and throwing chairs – their sound translates flawlessly in a live setting.

Best Coast front woman, Bethany Cosentino apologized to the crowd for being ill before picking up her guitar when she walked on stage, but being as her band from Los Angeles is the ‘it’ act at the moment, the crowd didn’t seem to care. As Best Coast broke into their first song, you couldn’t tell Cosentino was sick besides from occasionally horking into the back corner and guzzling water. Best Coast showcased many tracks from Crazy For You, including “Boyfriend,” “I Want To” and “Our Deal,” which were completely commended for by the crowd. You would think, with everyone gripping so closely to Crazy For You, it would be difficult to play your back catalog, but they did, courageously, and at times, no one moved because the songs were unfamiliar. Best Coast’s early EPs and out-of-print 7 inches cost a pretty penny these days.

As Bethany struggled with her cold, she delivered, rocking out in heels and floral pants, she took a second in between songs to hit a joint someone from the audience passed to her. “You’re all getting sick, y’know,” she coughed. Guitar player, Bobb Bruno, also hit the joint and thanked the crowd. Bruno supplies the 60′s surf and R&B elements to Best Coat’s sound and is one of the reasons that “Honey” was the climax of the night. Before they encored, Bobb sentimentally thanked Toronto and the band played “Something In The Way.” Plagued by illness and fighting vomit most of the show, Cosentino fought on lifted by the positive vibes from the crowd. Best Coast showed they are one of the premiere indie bands of the moment and since their success has come overnight, we may not be lucky enough to see them in such a small venue for long.

Published by A Heart Is A Spade

Album Review: Crocodiles' Sleep Forever

2010-09-27T17:21:00.002-04:00

When Crocodiles made their debut last year with the release of Summer of Hate, amid praise from other critics and bloggers, Rolling Stone called the album, "scuzzily addictive punk pop." And it was, or is. However, at times, Crocodiles' sound is hard to pinpoint; dabbling in krautrock and electronica, new wave and no wave, punk, shoegaze and even industrial aspects had them sounding a little like No Age, albeit with more drum machines.

Crocodiles second LP, Sleep Forever, is an extension of the sound and energy behind the praise and confusion earned via the band's first album. Members Charles Rowell and Brandon Welchez have described it as, "more krauty, more dub." Says Rowell, "The album's still gritty and punk, but it's also really big and loud and psychedelic. It's just a lot more organic."

The signature Crocs sound that draws you in for awhile begins with the first track, "Mirrors." The song takes roughly two minutes before reaching full tempo and is soaked in shoegazer mysticism; the lyrics echo over a soft synth harmony. Many of the songs are presented in this manner -- a crunchy guitar riff with synth overtones and distant vocals; this is the sound of contemporary art punk. But for the Crocs, it's much darker than anything by contemporaries such as The Soft Pack, who also call San Diego home.

The title track is the definite standout track on the album, ranking up there with the best the Crocodiles have ever written, utilizing a highly melodic chorus reminiscent of The Jesus and Mary Chain or The Stone Roses. The Crocs also dabble in Oasis-esque surf rock ("Billy Speed") and signature post pop punk riffage with, "Hearts of Love," also an impressive progression from Summer of Hate.

Crocodiles have put together a solid and interesting album on Sleep Forever. It is eclectic in the sense that it dabbles in many genres: German techno, electronica, shoegaze, dream pop and well, punk. One should be careful when using the 'punk' nomenclature, however. To say it is punk, one could just as easily lump the band into a category with Fucked Up or The Buzzcocks or Pennywise, none of whom sound much alike. However, The Crocodiles have an impressive sound that borrows from both post- and proto-punk, much more steeped in the realm of bands like Devo than the Clash, which pushes the boundaries of contemporary art punk.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Edom's Hope and Destruction

2010-09-26T10:50:00.003-04:00

When assembling your band, you naturally hash it out until you develop a sound. Finding that sound can take any amount of time and can incorporate a plethora of different genres and influences. When Eyal Maoz, a New York composer and guitarist, assembled Edom, it would be difficult for most people to try and be as open-minded as Maoz was during the ensemble’s infancy. Fusing nu-metal, electronica, jazz, unorthodox chord progressions and Middle Eastern harmonies, Edom is an interesting eclectic mix of influences and musical output.
Maoz, a guitar wizard in his own right, is joined by Brain Marsella, a master of the Hammond B3 organ and synthesizers, Shanir Blumenkranz (who has been on over fifteen Tzadik Records recordings) on bass, and Yuval Lion, who thunders away on drums with the bands Pink Noise and Pharaoh’s Daughter. Moaz, too, is part of a self-titled duo with Asaf Sirkis and is a guest guitarist with John Zorn’s Cobra.

Edom recently released the new record Hope and Destruction on Tzadik Records, an album that pushes musical bounds to new and interesting levels. The album touches on many musical forms beginning with the atonal elegy, “Somewhere.” “Rocks” is one of the more emotional songs on the album; it begins with with an epic synth solo over a rather slow tempo, picking up slowly, and sounding much like an Elliot Smith song before Maoz’s distorted and complex instrumentation takes over. Tracks such as “Shuki” and “Two” highlight the album’s overall approach to experimentation while the often distressed, toneless sounds of “Skies” may not be an avid Jazz lover’s cup of tea, but more along the lines of Serj Tankian’s solo endeavours. Since Hope and Destruction explores so much new ground, it should be commended for its emotional range. The album juxtaposes a slow, rageful sound with an upbeat and dance-worthy combo.

Maoz and crew have put together an interesting record with loads of creativity and cutting edge musicianship. Pushing against what popular music tries to accomplish, Edom would rather have you think and feel – a truly noble, musical intent.

Published by this Zine

Album Review: The Oh Sees' Warm Slime

2010-09-24T10:12:00.001-04:00

Being that San Francisco is the birthplace of psychedelia, one may come to expect that a considerable plurality of bands that come from there still has traces of LSD running through their veins. The ones daring enough to start bands ultimately have a knack for spaced out, flower jams in their blood. Thee Oh Sees channel that historic sound, but also blues, garage rock and elements of punk rock, honing a very honest and well crafted interpretation of these archetypal genres. Yet the sound The Oh Sees broadcast is very much their own.

Thee Oh Sees' latest effort, Warm Slime, which follows their last In The Red release, Help, shows the band embracing the same type of hard rock and pushing themselves to the edge musically. The album takes off like a rocket, beginning with the title track, which clocks in around 13-and-a-half minutes. The song is a high tempo, raw mess of epic proportions - in the vein of rawer My Bloody Valentine or Lou Reed's songs with the Velvet Underground.

The Fogerty-inspired "I Was Denied" is a rocking take on old blue's riffage, while "Everything Went Black" touches on Stiff Little Fingers-esque punk rock. Thee Oh Sees continuously refresh familiarities from all aspects of rock and roll, flirting with The Cramps' rugged glam rock sound ("Castiatic Tackle") or creating their own version of "Heroin" ("Flash Bats").

After The Oh Sees resurrect The Saints for their closing track, "MT Work," one cannot help but feel satisfied. Thee Oh Sees have incorporated an abundance of the greatest rock and roll yet only to spew it out into a rough and rugged party album - I can't help but have fun. Don't let this one be a 'ghost in the trees.'

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Not Cool's Rugged Raw

2010-09-17T10:26:00.002-04:00

There is something about Not Cool that makes them more than just a typical hipster band. Sure, the sound is there, the "wooos" harmonizing in between lyrics, and the warm, fuzzy guitars, but the musical output is dynamic and multifaceted. On their first release, Rugged Raw, which is either a long running EP (eat your heart out Sufjan Stevens) or a short running LP, no two songs sound the same. Touching on influences like Fugazi, The Replacements, Blur, and Pavement, as well as a pretty ironic and blunt name and 'gutter pop' self proclamation, Not Cool are born of a strong indie rock pedigree.

The London based band got together in the winter of 2008 after two seemingly no name UK acts, Lost Penguin and The Violets, disbanded, their debut album arriving after the band released and sold out of a slew of split 7-inches this year with the likes of Male Bonding, as well as playing the UK festival circuit and touring with Crocodiles. The album begins with the first introduction to the Not Cool lo-fi guitar sound; a captivatingly warm guitar fuzz that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. The next track is the undeniably Fugazi influenced, if perhaps ironically titled, "SST" - ballsy.

"Perfect Hair Forever," is the catchiest song on the album, hands down. The jangly guitar riff is in the realm of newer acts like Male Bonding and the Crocodiles. "Retired to Stud," begins with a simple bass line before the charming lyric, "I can take you anywhere," by Matthew J Gilbert, and an interesting guitar solo emulating Pavement-esque chord progressions, circa Wowee Zowee.

The most raw track, "Queens," resurrects more '90s lo-fi. Touches of Guided by Voices and even Love Battery, Sub Pop's most underrated band, shine throughout, particularly in the drum work of Andrew Moran. The album ends with "Hideous Men," an amusing, personal portrayal of singer, Gilbert: "I can't fit/ But I eat well." Bassist William Riley, keeps a stellar rhythm section, as he does throughout the album.

Not Cool deliver something unique in a very homogeneous time in music. Their music is beyond the beach and a perfect outlook for fall. The album packs a punch, and if you're into hooky lo-fi and warm fuzzy guitars, his album should easily capture your attention. Play this one loud.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Screaming Females - "Castle Talk"

2010-09-02T20:59:00.004-04:00

At first listen, it's easy to overlook that the thunderous sound of Screaming Females is made by not only a three-piece, but one with a female leader - not in a sexist way, of course, but because their music has bigger balls than most. The lady in question is Marissa Paternoster; a high-energy lightning rod with a voice in the range of Siouxsie Sioux or Jemina Pearl (with some Bessie Smith in there for good measure). Her awesome pipes are matched with a '90s guitar sound that's at times as dreamy as James Iha and others as off-the-wall as J Mascis.

Paternoster and her male counterparts, Jarrett Dougherty on drums and Michael Abbate on bass, carved their way through the rural New Jersey basement circuit releasing two DIY mini-albums, 2006's, Baby Teeth followed by 2007's, What If Someone Is Watching Their TV? (which has since been reissued). But, it wasn't until they signed with local label Don Giovanni Records and released their first proper studio LP, Power Move, that the band finally gained some outside-New Jersey recognition. With their thrash-heavy hooks and high energy permeating from furious live performances, Paternoster, at times, seems to be channeling the late, Mia Zapata.

Castle Talk has the signature Paternoster guitar sound; the album's opener, "Laura and Marty" begins with a few chords of pure distortion. But as the song plays out the listener is introduced to a cleaner and more mature sound, structurally. Paternoster's impressive talents are to be expected after two excellent releases, though her playing and songwriting has taken a step forward. Instead of the howling choruses we've seen in earlier releases, she takes a more melodic singing approach this time around, as on "I Don't Mind It" and the ultra hooky "Normal."

The rest of the band have taken cues from Paternoster's progression and equally stepped up their own games - Abbate's rhythm section is repetitive and hooky, much attuned to that of Krist Noveselic, while Dougherty's knack for timing is most noticeable in "Nothing At All." "Sheep" is Paternoster going acoustic, which works - and is a pleasant change of pace before the building climax, "Ghost Solo," in which Paternoster puts her guitar wisdom to the test, and for that matter, succeeds.

With their new sense of maturity and a cleaner sound, the album doesn't detract from their DIY, garage rock roots. The album is sure to put the band back into the indie spotlight; with so much blog-talk surrounding Power Move, Castle Talk is the Females 'make or break' album. Based on the talent on hand, the levees should hold.

Published by Treble Magazine

D.O.A. Pulled Out All The Stops In Toronto

2010-08-17T23:29:00.008-04:00

Almost 30 years since the release of their seminal album, Hardcore ‘81, DOA and their charismatic frontman, Joey Keithley, were the hardcore punk voice for Canada during the hardcore heyday in the early 80’s. It would seem so fitting to have them play the after-party on a night celebrating art, tattoos, film and music organized by the multifaceted Sailor Jerry Presents, in Toronto on August 5th.

The night began at with a screening of Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry – a full length documentary chronicling the life of legendary tattoo artist Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins followed by an intimate, full throttle performance by DOA across town.

What DOA has, and what most hardcore bands don’t, is longevity – the band has never compromised their sound in a career spanning more than 30 years. It is this loyalty to their roots that has kept, and gained many diehard fans glued to the band’s every move.

Keithley and co. smashed through staples from Hardcore ‘81 while slipping in rockers off their new album, Talk Minus Action = Zero, their fourteenth studio album (even throwing in a Subhuman’s cover for good measure). Keithley still kicks higher then Eddie Van Halen or Pete Towsend ever did, entertaining the crowd by playing his guitar with his teeth and encouraging them to enjoy the Sailor Jerry brand rum, which was complementary of course. All in all it was a complete night entirely in the spirit of Norman Collins and in celebration of a budding alternative culture.

Published by Sailor Jerry's Presents

Review: Wounded Lion Self Titled LP

2010-07-30T12:48:00.001-04:00

Wounded Lion blends an array of often repetitive, simplistic rhythms that, when presented as a complete package, display something much more complex. Their guitar driven sound can get as jangly as Pavement's older material or as noisy as a Modest Mouse b-side. The lyrics are often humorous and charming, and tackle such subject matter as living in primitive and uncomfortable places, ("Creatures in the Creatures") and singer Brad Eberhard has a similar pitch to the late Wesley Willis - albeit not so tone-deaf.

The dichotomy of rhythmic thud and pop sensibility are WL's shtick and battle simultaneously for the length of the album. The album begins with the strongest track, "Hungry?", is a force of repetition and built from almost childlike lyrics ("I think it's hungry/ yeah, I think it's hungry"), which, when standing alone, hold nothing, but together create an impressive pop song. This formula repeats itself 12 times through the course of the record and for listeners, you either get it or you don't. "Degoba System" is simply about Yoda's hideout planet from The Empire Strikes Back, while "Pony People" either examines a new breed of humans or the variety of phony people we meet in life. The later half of the album picks it up a notch however, at this point, the songs begin to get a bit goofy - immature almost. "Block Socks" is more about the music than having something important to say, while "Silver People" is about Coors Light enthusiasts.

Whether raw or mystical, having something to say with a song is trumped by the feeling a song can produce. Although Wounded Lion's songs can be about astrology ("Belt of Orion") or geography ("Hunan Province"), they're simply just titles - these songs are chunky party tunes - they're goofy and fun and meant to be taken at face value.

Published by Treble Magazine

Album Review: Wavves - "King of the Beach"

2010-07-26T09:35:00.003-04:00

A lot can be said, and has been said, about 2009, for Nathan Williams and his band Wavves. He manifested two impressive self-produced albums in his parents home in San Diego, which garnered buzz from high profile music press, and toured relentlessly around the world in an alcohol-induced stupor. However, 2009 also had its low points. At the Primavera Sound Festival in Spain, Williams' performance was a complete disaster and ended in a personal meltdown. Fortunately, the Primavera debacle may have been a blessing in disguise. Not long after, Williams hooked up with ex-Jay Reatard cronies, bassist Steven Pope and drummer Billy Hayes to back him on tour both musically and as a coping mechanism - things have since been on the up-swing.

Now that Wavves is not quite the one-man show it used to be, Williams & Co. have their chins up in 2010. On the cusp of the release of their ambitious third LP, King of the Beach, and the first on Fat Possum Records, the confidence resonating from the band is difficult to ignore - just look at the album title.

The album is soaked in '60s surf style riffage, beginning with the title track anthem about the greatest summer pastime, hanging out at the beach with a cold one and getting a sunburn. But as the song gets to the chorus, Williams' confidence is front and center: "You're never going to stop me," he sings.

What stands out most, looking back on Wavves' past LP's, is the level of production used in the recording process and how much the sound benefits from proper recording. The album was recorded at Sweet Tea Recording in Oxford, Miss. and the home of producer Dennis Herring, a sound perfectionist, known for his work with such acts as Modest Mouse. Sweet Tea is an obvious step up for Wavves, whose previous recordings were produced on a laptop in the suburbs.

The production is most noticeable on signature songs we have come to expect from Wavves, "Super Soaker" and "Post Acid" are straight ahead garage rock with those signature Williams vocal harmony overtones. Williams also slows it down at times, the hippy sway of "Baseball Cards" and the hopelessly romantic "Green Eyes," show a leap in his song writing, but the subject matter is often very much the same - alienation, angst and self loathing - "I don't ever want to leave home/I have everything in the back of my brain," Williams sings on "Mickey Mouse."

The new Wavves sound is most prevalent in "Idiot" - sure, Williams has used some form of primitive electronics to make weird spacey synth jams, like "Convertible Balloons" - but that, Beach-Boys-at-their-best '60s surf-pop that makes the band so easy to get behind, is at the forefront.

Wavves has definitely made their masterpiece (for now). The band allows the raw emotion of Williams' lyrics to shine through, all the while playing tighter and sounding cleaner, thanks to Herring's production. For Williams, to take on the world really would be something, and in the era of beach themed indie-pop, we may have a new king of the beach.

Published by Treble Magazine

Review: Mystery Jets' Serotonin

2010-07-23T22:43:00.001-04:00

To explain the sound of UK outfit Mystery Jets, take a slick '80s post-punk band, much like The Cure, and mix it with the kind of imagery reminiscent of a Brett Easton Ellis novel. Produced by the legendary, Chris Thomas, who has been involved with The Sex Pistols, The Pretenders and even The Beatles, Serotonin's polished sound is certainly a throwback to the glory days of synth driven pop. Familiar though that aesthetic may be, the album touches on the best aspects of that signature '80s pop sound, most notably anthem-like choruses, like the album's opener "Alice Springs," which uses countless vocal harmonies and lyrics that dabble in self pity to create an interesting sing-along love song.

"Flash a Hungry Smile" is a definite highlight and is more reminiscent of that signature Mystery Jets sound that astounded critics on the first release, Making Dens. But barring a few exceptions, each song is essentially a carbon copy of the one that preceded it. Don't get me wrong, these are obviously well crafted pop songs, but that certain formula gets repetitive when taking the album in as a whole. The album's first single, "Dreaming of Another World" is one of the few songs that doesn't sound like a typical Mystery Jets song. In fact, it sounds more like a Peter Bjorn and John song (without the whistling) and is the best song the second side has to offer.

Mystery Jets, more specifically, Blaine Harrison and father Harrison, have crafted a well produced but formulaic album, soaked in a synth-driven nostalgic pop sound we've seen many times over, even more so now that the 1980s are a distant memory. The band does create a few gems throughout the album that are worth a listen, but the album as a whole doesn't manage to sustain the same overall captivating effect.

Published by Treble Magazine

Review: LIVE FROM SPACE (DVD) Paul Wertico's Mid-East/Mid-West Alliance

2010-07-23T22:40:00.001-04:00

I could never imagine being a professional drummer at age 15, unlike Chicago jazz drummer, Paul Wertico who, I should also mention, is a seven-time Grammy award winner. To be frank, Wertico receives praise up the arse: being voted “Fusion! Drummer of the Year” in the 1997 DRUM! Magazine reader's poll and placed in the top five in the modern day, “Electric Jazz” category in Modern Drummer Magazine's reader's poll in 1997/1998. The Chicago Tribune also named Wertico one of the, “Chicagoans of the Year,” in 2004. Besides his accolades, Wertico has played on many modern day jazz classics including his work with the Pat Metheny Group during the 1980s and '90s, up until he left the group in 2001. When not touring, Wertico engages himself in numerous creative activities in the Chicago area and has since played with ethnomusicologist Paul Berliner and KUDU and the Memphis Nighthawks.

Wertico and his new quintet, Paul Wertico's Mid-East/Mid-West Alliance, comprised of Israeli duo Marbin and Chicago's Paul Wertico Trio, recently released a live DVD titled Live From Space. The DVD takes place during the album release party for the band's album, Impressions of a City, and consists of the band's second time playing together (the first was the recording of the album).

The show is presented, visually, in a very professional manner – multiple camera angles accompanied by a fully mixed and mastered multi-track audio recording so every viewer can witness/listen to every note. The show begins with a 43 minute fully improvised, acid-jazz jam session, reminiscent of the album itself. The band then kick into Wertico's back catalog, playing “African Sunset,” an eight minute masterpiece followed by a terrific, four minute drum solo from Wertico himself, so viewers can see what all the fuss is about. The latter half of the DVD is a half hour of Wertico's most precious work, ending with the spacious and groovy, “Testament.” For Wertico fans, this DVD is a must have, showcasing innovative, finely tuned jazz talent. For new fans of modern jazz, this would be a staple, and a great place to start before your journey backwards.

Published by This Zine

Music Review: Microphonies “Time Kills”

2010-07-22T21:33:00.004-04:00

Microphonies is the brainchild of Sam Farfsing, an LA/NYC based artist concerned with more than just the audio aspects to his music but also the visual. Sam has taken part in numerous bands, including the noise-pop Unk-Cegi, the indie-folk project Bananacorn and his post-punk band Hello Fever, which released two records on Sound Virus in 2005 and makes Sam a busy musician and artist, which translates into his newest effort, Microphonies.

Microphonies recently released the LP Time Kills on LA label Track Number Records, which is, according to Terrorbird Media, “a much needed slice of snarky, spazzy 8-bit synth/noise punk,” to say the least. For close followers of the California electronica sound, the album is a unique piece of artwork, but for listeners interested in something a little more palatable, don’t expect it. The road of musical crystalizing is a long progression if you are to to find yourself on Farfsing’s doorstep.

Farfsing’s creation is genre splitting nonetheless, fusing many drum and bass sounds similar to Aphex Twin (“Mr. And Mrs. Blank”), while remaining raw in the same vain as the glory days of Universal Indicator and their brand of acid techno (“In 3′s”).

Microphonies are easy to get behind because the sampling is obscure and the sound is fresh and in your face. Top tracks include “Vexxed” and “Vatican City Pretties.”

Published by This Zine

Music Review: Geronimo!'s Fuzzy Dreams

2010-06-19T10:44:00.005-04:00

Fuzzy Dreams could not be a better album title for Chicago’s, fuzz-rock band Geronimo! The recent, great 90′s resurgence shares not only sound similarities, but ethos too. Bands like Vivian Girls, Male Bonding, and Dum Dum Girls are embracing the ‘rough around the edges’ sound of the 20th Century’s final decade opposed to the electronica that seems to influence many A-list indie acts at the moment. However, the 90′s aren’t exactly being ripped off – the aforementioned bands are embracing melody, low-fidelity and simplicity, all the while staying undeniably fresh like candy to the ears.

The introduction to Fuzzy Dreams begins with feedback and a host of offbeat sounds that meld together into “Thunderbattles.” The album’s opening track is spearheaded by a warm distortion and shoegaze akin to the sound of fellow Chicago natives Smashing Pumpkins. Luckily vocalist Ben Grigg isn’t as whiny as Billy Corgan.

“Design Yourself a Heart,” takes a different turn, blending intricate guitar riffs and possesses Modest Mouse cred, while the slow building, 7-minute-plus, “Battery Acid Moustache” shows a darker side of the band and their willingness to let the music dictate itself. Guitarist, KJ Blaze, displays an epic double-tracked guitar solo around the half-way point making ‘Battery’ one the strongest tracks on the album.

“Nakajima” displays the band’s softer side, while “Approaching the Skyline” has a confident, upbeat pop sound. Each song is layered and structurally sound, taking in a host of influential 90′s sounds – the drum breakdowns in “Deep Warmth” pleasantly resemble Repeater-era Fugazi while the album’s last, most epic and poignant ballad, “Judgement Day,” resembles Radiohead guitar strums and dreamy Syd Barrett-esque vocal harmonies. As the album softly fades away with a Beta Band-like horn section denouement, Fuzzy Dreams ends on a high note.

Geronimo! has successfully blended 20 years worth of indie and alternative influences into an impressive debut and a sound that ultimately belongs to themselves. Fuzzy Dreams is a complex and great display of the American underground that deserves whatever buzz it receives.

Published by This Zine

Live Show Review: Fucked Up

2010-06-19T10:27:00.005-04:00

Two Friday nights ago was a bit of a homecoming for Toronto’s Fucked Up who played a high energy, hour long set at the landmark, Toronto Reference Library in the heart of downtown. The five story building, home to approximately two million books, was filled with kids and members of the media who stood anxiously atop the library’s blood red carpet during the nights opening act, $100.

Fucked Up threw the crowd a curveball, opening with “Two Snakes,” instead of their go-to opener, “Son the Father.” The acoustics rang loud and clear within the library’s open concept. The band played in the main foyer which is five stories high – each level circles around the walls all the way up – giving the show an almost outside concert feel.

The band then took some time to introduce a new song, which they have been playing live for some time, and the B-side to a recent single entitled, “Heir Apparent” (AKA “Holden”), after lead singer, Damian “Pink Eyes” Abraham’s son. Soon after, the singer characteristically took off his shirt stating to the crowd, “I have to be the first person in the library to not be thrown out right away for not having a shirt on.”

As the crowd enthusiastically embraced new material and classics such as, “David Comes to Life,” and “Crusades,” from their first LP, Hidden World, the band brought up a string section and placed a podium center stage in order to play the band’s new single, “Year of the Ox.” The song spanned 12 minutes and Abraham had trouble reading the French lyrics, which are sung by a duet partner on the recording. Musically, the song was tight and it kept the audience enthralled enough to stop moshing for a few minutes and just listen.

To inject the energy back into the room, the band played their most rambunctious tune, the fan favourite, “Baiting the Public,” which needed library security and friends of the band to help hold up the stage lighting and monitors. Being that the show was in a library, there were no barricades and as fans rushed the band, they began filling onto the stage and either jumping back or circling the 6-piece into a pocket of chaotic energy.

The show wound down with a staple from the band’s back catalogue, “Police.” Abraham asked the crowd which would they rather hear, the aforementioned or “Black Albino Bones,” from their Polaris Music Prize winning, Chemistry of Common Life. But to cater to new fans, Fucked Up played the albums thunderous opener, “Son the Father,” before wishing everyone happy trails and reminding us all to, “support your public library.”

Published by This Zine

TMS ALBUM REVIEW: RATATAT – LP4

2010-06-04T13:46:00.002-04:00

Ratatat has cranked up the complexities of their arrangements by trying out new sounds and gadgets to bring listeners a fresh collection of ambient electro dance-pop.

The album opens with “Bilar”, a groovy head-bobber which even features some spoken German text. “Drugs” melds psychedelia and Daft Punk-esque guitar ‘wa-wa’ sounds (I think I heard a bong toke in there).

“Bob Gandhi” is a stand-out track with a heart-racing tempo, followed by “Mandy” – a fun and mysterious tune with circuit-bending techniques and multiple layers. “Party With Children” shows off Evan Mast’s talents with the synthesizer while guitarist, Mike Stroud, is equally as strong making this one of the album’s most impressive jams.

“Sunblocks” is easily the album’s best selection – it’s melodic yet transfixing and leads well into “Bare Feast” which pulls in worldly influences (particularly African rhythms). The album ends with “Alps” – an optimistic and Cure-esque tune. Ratatat has successfully topped LP3 while bringing a fresh outlook to the present.

Published by The Music Slut

TMS ALBUM REVIEW: HOLY FUCK – LATIN

2010-05-18T21:06:00.003-04:00

Holy Fuck’s Brian Borcherdt and his bandmate Graham Walsh, have received massive critical success without a concrete line-up since their inception in 2004. But the two may have a good thing going with bassist Matt McQuaid and drummer Matt Schultz (who have been around longer than most), in terms of the band’s third LP, Latin.

The returning foursome and their instrumental melodies sound incredibly tight. Holy Fuck’s philosophy of “anything goes” still holds true on their latest release. “Red Lights”, which follows the album’s climactic & ambient opening track, is one of the groovier segments.

The strongest tune, “Pigs”, is harder than many other selections on the record, while “Stilettos” & “Positive Ghosts” are definite high points as well.

Holy Fuck delivers with an eclectic and stylish affair which should have your skull pulsating with the proper headphones. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

Published by The Music Slut

Male Bonding Release Debut LP, Nothing Hurts on Sub Pop, May 11th

2010-04-25T23:11:00.006-04:00

Male Bonding Biography

Male Bonding is a noise-pop trio from Daltson, UK, a London suburb with a budding D.I.Y. scene, who fuse elements of garage/indie-rock guitars, punk sensibility, surf influences and the most important aspect to their originality, speed. Yes, Male Bonding’s sound is highly melodic, filled with all the necessary hooks to bounce around in your cranium, all the while, kicking it up a notch.

The band, consisting of John Arthur Webb, on guitars and vocals, Kevin Hendrick, on bass and vocals and Robin Silas Christian, on drums, have been at it for the past two years. They have been touring relentlessly around Europe and North America and penning a name for themselves releasing split singles on Paradise Vendors and later Sub Pop Records, while winning over crowds with their up tempo, noisey and unforgettable stage performances. With that being said, Male Bonding is finally set to release their much anticipated first full length album, Nothing Hurts on Sub Pop Records.

Male Bonding’s First LP, Nothing Hurts

The album begins with the straight ahead, 2-chord, guitar driven, “Year’s Not Long,” which epitomizes the Male Bonding sound – melodic and captivatingly sped up – at times sounding like pre-Sire, Replacements and showcases Hendrick’s ability as a hooky rhythm section. The next couple of songs breeze by, each about 2 minutes long, like many of the songs on the album, but are equally as memorable.

But then we are introduced to other aspects of Male Bonding’s song writing. “Weird Feelings” introduces the listener to the 60’s surfer influences with a jangly guitar melody, while “Franklin,” shows off the bands slower and spacey side, fusing an almost Fleet Foxes-esque guitar tone during the verses and a Flamming Lips-like, flowing chorus drenched in echoic vocals.

Male Bonding MySpace
Male Bonding at Sub Pop Records
Male Bonding Blog

Songs like “Crooked Scene” and “Pirate Key” are noisier than the first half of the album, but remain equally melodic and memorable showcasing a heavy, garage guitar sound from Webb and a pounding drum sound which carries the majority of the songs by Christian.

The standout track of the second side is “Pumpkin,” once again showing off the bands love for jangly, surfer riffs and loud melodies. The album concludes with “Worst to Come,” an acoustic number featuring The Vivian Girls, putting the finishing touches on an album spanning 13 songs and a half hour.

Male Bonding’s debut is nothing short of impressive. It is a unique sound internally contradicting itself with heavy and noisey guitars, with hooky bass lines and thunderous drums – a punk rock pedigree, while melding whimsical and dreamy vocal harmonies. Bassist Hendrick even stats in an interview, “There’s a hippie in me and it’s fighting with the inner punk.”

Published by Now Public/The Music Slut

Forgotten Rebels at Brantford's Alex: Mickey De Sadist Punk Rock

2010-04-25T23:07:00.002-04:00

Named after hometown hero, Alexander Grand Bell, Brantford Ontario’s “the Alex” has morphed into the city’s counterculture hub, showcasing Canadian punk rock. Saturday night they hosted the Forgotten Rebels and didn't disappoint.

The Forgotten Rebels Official Website
The Forgotten Rebels Artist Page

The Alex’s low ceilings blanket a few hundred wily veterans who easily find a spot around a tiny stage in a dingy bar, ready to see the most popular bands of the not-so-popular musical genres.

The Forgotten Rebels Live

The Forgotten Rebels, Hamilton punk rock icons, formed in 1977 and are lead by singer Mickey De Sadist, the only remaining original member and a legend in his own right.

The Rebels play material from 2000’s, Nobody’s Hero’s. But it is the classics that garner the most enthusiasm like their first number – the anthem-like “Bomb the Boats," “Tell Me You Love Me,” “The Me Generation” and “In Love with the System.”

No Forgotten Rebels show would be complete without alcohol-induced fighting. So was the case as the Rebels finished their set with “Hello, I’m Back Again,” ending the night with “Fuck Me Dead” and most notable Rebels song, “Surfing on Heroin.”

Forgotten Rebels' Mickey De Sadist

Tonight, De Sadist sats solemnly at the merchandise table signing the occasional autograph and nursing injuries suffered from a cycling accident leaving him gripping a cane with his ankle in a brace.

This affliction doesn’t hinder De Sadist’s ability to take the stage, drink in hand. De Sadist bobs his dyed red-ish long hair and although the cane does affect his normal stage swagger, De Sadist never misses a note.

During the final number, De Sadist invited the crowd to come up and sing with him. As the crowd sang the final verse, De Sadist limped off stage signalling the end of an energetic and entertaining evening.

Published by Now Public

Norway's Serena-Maneesh New Abyss in B Minor: Play SXSW, NA To

2010-04-25T22:56:00.002-04:00

Norway's Serena-Manesh will release their anticipated 2nd LP (and first on 4AD) entitled, Serena-Manesh 2: Abyss in B Minor, followed by a few dates at SXSW and a North American tour.

Serena-Maneesh Recording of Abyss in B Minor

Serena-Maneesh began recording the album in 2008 in, literally, a cave in Oslo, Norway. Over the next year and a half, they carefully crafted an 8-song, 39-minute wall of sound that will indeed get you tapping, and starring at, your feet.

The album begins with the 8 minute epic “Ayisha Abyss,” a psychedelic bass-propelled dance number, but quickly changes pace with the album’s first single, “I Just Want To See Your Face.” The song is a 3 minute electro-pop zinger with a dark and twisted undertone, sure to be on your iPod if it hasn’t found its way there already.

“Melody For Jaana” is an introspective 6-minute synth melody combined with an acoustic guitar. It is hypnotic and owes a lot to the band’s “shoegaze” predecessors.

Much of the second side consists of dancy, electro pop numbers fusing tempo drum beats, synth and an array of guitar sounds until the final song, “Magdalena (Symphony #8),” a complex arrangement of acoustic guitar, flute and a bongo drum beat with a dreamy female vocal track.

Each of the 8 songs was mixed for 8 days and was mastered at Air Studios by Ray Staff, who did the same for, among many others, Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti.

Serena-Maneesh Band History

Serena-Maneesh released its first LP in 2005, which was well received by some of the most respected critics on both sides of the Atlantic, including Pitchfork and Drowned In Sound.

The Serena-Maneesh sound is precisely crafted and a cross between bands like My Bloody Valentine and Primal Scream, black metal, and Norwegian composers like Grieg.

S-M’s Post SXSW American Tour Schedule

3/22: Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
3/23: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill
3/25: Portland, OR @ Berbati's Pan
3/26: Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
3/27: Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
3/30: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
3/31: Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
4/1: Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
4/2: Toronto, ON @ Opera House
4/3: Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
4/4: Cambridge, MA @ TT THe Bears
4/5: Milford, CT @ Daniel Street
4/6: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
4/7: Washington, DC @ DC9
4/8: New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

Published by Now Public

Harlem Releases Hippies Album April 6th: SXSW Dates and NA Tour

2010-04-25T22:53:00.002-04:00

Harlem started out in Tucson, Arizona and relocated to Austin, Texas garnering buzz for their live shows and their self-released Free Drugs. They'll follow that with a new album called Hippies, in stories April 6th.

Harlem's trio - Michael Coomers and Curtis O’Mara, who rotate on vocal, guitar, and drum duties, and Jose Boyer on bass - freshly blend bluesy garage rock with a pop sensibility.

Hippies the New Album from Harlem on Matador

The album’s first track, “Someday Soon 1,” is one of the more up-tempo songs taking cues from The Strokes and The Velvet Underground (most notably in guitar sound).

“Friendly Ghost” is a clever jangly number about living in a graveyard and “Number One” is the most intricate and skillful song on the album, while “Be Your Baby” and “Cloud Pleaser” show a softer side, but all remain clap-your-hands danceable.

Other songs of note include, “Gay Human Bones,” which is groovy and melodic – an ode to songs that appear on Harlem’s older material. However, songs such as “Faces” and “Prairie My Heart” are a large step forward in style and songwriting.

The drums on “Scare You” stand-out while the concluding track, “Poolside,” is a 3.5-minute honest love song.

Harlem's SXSW Gig and Tour Dates

Harlem has created a very hip album that should get its share of listening. The songwriting is more mature and structurally more impressive.

Harlem will be at SXSW later this month and continue to tour in support of Hippies throughout the spring. Here is the full list of shows:

3/13 – Aquarium Drunkard party, Red Eyed Fly, Austin, 3pm
3/16 – House Of Guys, 1907 Rio Grande, Austin, (with The Beets, Fungi Girls, Air Waves)
3/18 – Red 7, Austin (official SXSW event with Bad Sports, Pierced Arrows, Ravonettes)
3/19 – Levi’s Fader Fort, Austin, 2:15 pm
3/19 – Spin Party, Stubbs (indoors), Austin, 3:40pm
4/1 – Mohawk, Austin (record release bash)
4/13 -One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans, LA
4/14 – Bottletree, Birmingham, AL
4/15 – The Earl, Atlanta, GA
4/16 – JJ’s Bohemia, Chattanooga, TN
4/17 – Night Light, Chapel Hill, NC
4/19 – DC 9, Washington DC
4/20 – Golden West, Baltimore, MD
4/21 – Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA
4/22 – Mercury Lounge, NYC, NY (early show)
4/23 – Market Hotel, Brooklyn, NY
4/24- Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ (with Titus Andronicus)
4/25 – Great Scott, Allston, MA
4/27 – Green Room, Montreal, Quebec
4/28 – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario
4/29 – Now That’s Class, Cleveland, OH
4.30 – Majestic Cafe, Detroit, MI
5/01- Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
5/02 – Mad Planet, Milwaukee, WI (with Jail)
5/04 - 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN
5/05 – Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA
5/06 – Waiting Room, Lincoln, NE
5/07 – Riot Room, Kansas City, MO (with Gil Mantera)
5/08 - Firebird, St. Louis, MO
5/10 – The Summit, Columbus, OH
5/11 – Southgate House, Newport, KY
5/12 – Zanzibar, Louisville, KY
5/13 – The End, Nashville, TN
5/14 – Hi Tone, Memphis, TN
5/15 – City Tavern, Dallas, TX

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2010 JUNO Nominees: Michael Buble, Nickleback, Metric, Plaskett

2010-04-25T22:50:00.002-04:00

The 2010 Juno Awards (AKA The Canadian Music Awards) will be held in St. John's April 18th and the nominees were announced today. Fan Choice Award nominees include Ginette Reno, Johnny Reid, Maxime Landry, Michael Buble and Nickleback.

The first wave of Juno Awards performers were also released today and include Billy Talent and Blue Rodeo.

Best Rock Album Juno

Only the latter two, up for Best Rock Album, are nominated for another category. In the Adult Alternative Album of the Year category hopefuls Amy Millan with Masters of the Burial, Cuff the Duke's Way Down Here and Joel Plaskett's,Three all getting a nod.

Juno Alternative Album of the Year

The best and closest category of 2010 is Alternative Album of the Year including Handsome Furs' Face Control, Japandroids' Post-Nothing, Julie Doiron's I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day, Metric's Fantasies and Tegan and Sara's Sainthood. Vancouver's Japandroids may surprise and edge out Julie Doiron rumoured to be a sure bet.

Rap and Francophone Albums of the Year

Malajube was not nominated for Francophone Album of the Year, a significant oversight. Other notable mentions include, Classified's Self Explanatory, K-Os' Yes! album and Drake, of Degrassi High fame, who is nominated twice in the Rap Album of the Year category.

The Junos will air on Sunday, April 18th on CTV, for the second time from the Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland.

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Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Will Release Beat the Devil's Tattoo

2010-04-25T22:45:00.002-04:00

Hailing originally from San Francisco, California (now Los Angeles) On March 9th Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will unleash their unique brand of garage, post-punk, shoegaze, alternative rock with their 6th LP, entitled Beat the Devil's Tattoo.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Sites

BRMC Official Site
BRMC MySpace
BRMC Upcoming Tour

In recent years, the band has had trouble with their record labels - most publicly, BRMC's feud with Virgin Records, resulting in the first release on the band's own label, Abstract Dragon. For over a decade they've been with record labels Virgin Records, RCA/BMG and Island, respectively.

Beat the Devil's Tattoo

The album kicks off with the thunderous, shoe-stompin' title track fusing a psychedelic guitar riff and a tambourine as percussion sets the bar for the album as a whole. The second track, “Conscience Killer,” pays homage to garage rock gods, The New York Dolls and even, The Saints. Also, the song is a take on contemporary lesser known outfits like The Black Lips.

Songs like “Bad Blood”and “Sweet Feeling” are definitely rooted in the band's UK influences like The Verve and My Bloody Valentine and showcase singer Peter Hayes' pretend English accent. “The Toll” sounds like one of Beck's Sea Change-era throwaways, but works nonetheless.

“Shadow's Keeper” is the loud, lo-fi and highly melodic focal point of the 2nd side, touching on influences like T-Rex, or the Vines.The album concludes with “Half-State,” a slow and echo-y, 10 minute epic which rightfully ends Beat the Devil's Tattoo.

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Titus Andronicus' The Monitor: Patrick Stickles' Civil War Album

2010-04-25T22:40:00.002-04:00

Titus Andronicus are a punk-y, shoegaze-y, 5-piece from Glen Rock, New Jersey. Their first album, The Airing of Grievances, released on Troubleman Unlimited, was well received by critics and fans alike.

Pitchfork even named it the 25th best album of 2008 and the album was re-released on XL Recordings in January, 2009. The band gained instant notoriety because of vocalist/guitarist, Patrick Stickles’ irreverent and clever lyrical content and the bands lo-fi guitar hooks. To see for yourself, check out these sites:

Titus Andronicus MySpace
Titus Andronicus Website

Titus Andronicus' The Monitor

On March 9th, TA will release their much anticipated sophomore LP, The Monitor, also on XL Recordings. First impressions are that many followers of the band, and fans of their first album, will find the album different due in part to a line-up change (there is less screaming).

The album kicks off with the seven-minute epic, “A More Perfect Union.” The “Union” may reference the link the album has to the American Civil War. The title, The Monitor, is a takeoff on the USS Monitor, the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy.

Stickles’ anthem- like lyric, “You’ll always be a loser” is chanted continuously to close out the album's third track, “No Future Part Three: Escape from No Future” and is not only humourous, but catchy.

The Monitor's Influences & Guest Appearances

The album dabbles in a slew of influences, ranging from California, second-wave punk, on “Titus Andronicus Forever” to a bluesy-folk angle on “Four Score and Seven.” The album’s best track is the 14 minute, “The Battle of Hampton Roads,” which takes its title from the battle between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia, which took place on March 8–9, 1862. The album embraces 5-minute-plus tracks, clocking in at 10 songs spanning 65 minutes.

The album also features guest appearances by members of Ponytail, Wye Oak, Hallelujah the Hills, Spider Bags, Vivian Girls, and The Hold Steady.

Patrick Stickles may have put it best, “Through and through, it is a whole-hearted and potentially ill-advised grab for some sort of imaginary brass ring, the sound of a band desperate for success and defiantly unafraid of failure. That was the idea, at least.”

Titus Andronicus at SXSW 2010

The album is a definite must for any fan of Titus Andronicus and if you’re a newcomer, it is worth a listen. Whether you’re into lo-fi, Modest Mouse-esque indie rock or something a little more up tempo, the album is sure to strike a chord with a wide array of music fans.

Titus Andronicus will be on tour in support of the record, dubbed the "Monitour," including stops at SXSW in March.

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Polaris Prize-winning Band Fucked Up Plays L3 in St. Catharines

2010-04-25T22:25:00.006-04:00

Toronto hardcore sextet, Fucked Up, made the drive down central Ontario's Queen Elizabeth Way to play an enthusiastic show at L3 Nightclub in St. Catharines to an eager crowd February 23rd.

This was the last show of a tour that spanned the month, taking the band through the eastern United States, which guaranteed their set was tight and they were on their game. If you're not familiar with them, check out:

Fucked Up Myspace page
Fucked Up Matador Records page
SXSW Listing for Fucked Up
Looking for Gold blog

Chemistry of Common Life and Hidden World LPs

The band was uncharacteristically late for their set due to a broken guitar string, but when they did hit the stage they began with their epic opener to their Polaris Prize-winning LP, Chemistry of Common Life, “Son the Father,” which quickly gave way to the complex and enthralling, “Magic Word.”

It was not long after this that lead singer Damian “Pink Eyes” Abraham removed his shirt to belt out a few more well-known tunes – the melodic “David Comes to Life” off their first LP, Hidden World and the pop-y, “Black Albino Bones.”

During the song, Abraham proceeded to jump into the crowd picking up an audience member, slinging him over his shoulder and carrying him into a slew of onlookers – chaos ensued as two microphones temporarily shorted and someone lost a drink as the singer suctioned their plastic cup to his forehead. Abraham finished the song standing on a table.

Once everyone stopped for a breather and the audio tech fixed the microphones, the band took the opportunity to showcase 3 new songs. The first was entitled, “Holden” – named after Abraham’s 9-month old child. The next was the band’s most recent charity single, “David’s Plan” and “I Hate Summer,” which the audience fully embraced given February's chilly climes.

Damian Abraham's Stage Antics

The band rewarded the audience by playing a crowd favourite, “Baiting the Public,” which sent everyone on the dance floor into a frenzy. They ended the set by playing a cover of The Sex Pistols’ “Bodies” and a lesser known, “Police,” which capped off the relatively quick and high tempo set.

The band’s musicianship is hypnotic by itself, but fused with the stage antics of Abraham, it made for a highly entertaining evening. Fucked Up will be playing the Opera House in Toronto on Friday February, 26th.

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Pavement Tours for 'Best Of' Record: Quarantine the Past

2010-04-25T22:18:00.005-04:00

When Pavement announced a reunion earlier this year, fans were thrilled one of Indie Rock's finest bands agreed to give it another go-around. So would it be safe to say that in the wake of all the reunion talk, they would release a greatest hits collection? The answer is an emphatic yes.

The album, Quarantine the Past, will be released on March 9th and spans their 10-year career (1989 – 1999) and is an amalgamation of 4 LPs, from their noisy, vinyl-only releases to their more complex and humble later years, plus a few EPs. The complete track listing is as follows:

1. Gold Soundz (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
2. Frontwards (WATERY, DOMESTIC EP)
3. Mellow Jazz Docent (PERFECT SOUND FOREVER EP)
4. Stereo (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
5. In The Mouth A Desert (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
6. Two States (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
7. Cut Your Hair (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
8. Shady Lane / J Vs. S (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
9. Here (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
10. Unfair (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
11. Grounded (WOWEE ZOWEE)
12. Summer Babe (Winter Version) (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
13. Range Life (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
14. Date w/ IKEA (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
15. Debris Slide (PERFECT SOUND FOREVER EP)
16. Shoot The Singer (1 Sick Verse) (WATERY, DOMESTIC EP)
17. Spit On A Stranger (TERROR TWILIGHT)
18. Heaven Is a Truck (CROOKED RAIN, CROOKED RAIN)
19. Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At :17 (SLANTED & ENCHANTED)
20. Embassy Row (BRIGHTEN THE CORNERS)
21. Box Elder (SLAY TRACKS 1933-1969 EP)
22. Unseen Power Of The Picket Fence (NO ALTERNATIVE COMP)
23. Fight This Generation (WOWEE ZOWEE)

Courtesy of Matador Records (All tracks are available for pre-order as well)

It would be a tad redundant to review a greatest hits release, but all 23 tracks are re-mastered and mixed to flow as if it were your typical Pavement record. Upon release, Pavement will embark on a world tour starting in New Zealand, but won't touch North American soil until May, when they play the Sasquatch Festival.

However, this “best of” release is sure to tide us over and for music fans that aren’t aware of this group, now is your chance – and please, do take advantage.

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PISSED JEANS @ HORSESHOE TAVERN: MUSCLING THROUGH

2010-04-13T20:28:00.005-04:00

Pissed Jeans unleashed what can only be described as a circus-act-like performance at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto last night. A quiet hum may still be waning this morning after the all-out sound assault brought forth by the Pennsylvanian quartet. So much sound, in fact, that the show, which was poignantly plagued by microphone amp shortages, was ultimately cut short due to similar technical difficulties. This only fueled the angry and frustrated sludge-noise hardcore foursome into an even greater self-destructive and entertaining performance.

The madness began as the band broke into ‘Science Fiction’, which went according to plan, turning the crowd into a frenzy of pumping fists. Also witnessed: flying articles of clothing, eye-level roundhouse kicks and spilled alcohol. The group’s second number, however, went vocal-less as singer Brad Korvette’s microphone shorted - resulting in a fit of rage by the front man. As Korvette walked around stage attempting to find a mic that functioned, he quickly accepted the notion they would have to wait until after the song was completed to fix the problem, to which he picked up his mic monitor and played it as if it was a guitar.

Once the microphone was fixed and everything seemed to be copacetic, the band charged through ‘Fantasy World’, erupting in pandemonium-like behavior from the audience. One onlooker was able to grab hold of a lead pipe running along the ceiling to which he hung himself upside-down, while another pair, sporting V For Vendetta masks ran on stage and began the show-lasting cycle of stage dives.

Mid-set, the band steamrolled through ‘Secret Admirer’, off their second LP (2007’s Hope For Men), which was pleasantly ear-splitting. It was followed by ‘False Jesii Part 2′ from their third and most recent LP, King Of Jeans.

But as the band was playing ‘Fantasy World’, a wedge was thrown into the gears affecting the rest of the set. First, guitarist Bradly Fry’s pedal began acting up, resulting in him dropping his guitar and getting down on his knees to fix it. All the while, frustration began to show as Korvette picked up the guitar and smacked it into the drum set. Not long after, an amp blew and the show seemed to be over. The band semi-destroyed the set: drums hurled across stage and the blown amp reverberated harrowingly across the venue. But the gear was mildly put back together and with the crowd on PJ’s side, the band played one last song, ‘Boring Girls’.

With a slew of problems, Pissed Jeans, with their veteran stage cool, were able to put it together pleasingly. Spearheaded by the undeniably large stage presence of singer, Brad Korvette, PJ muscled through a tough night and gave the crowd something to celebrate - a fantastic time and no sleep due to bleeding ears.

Published by The Music Slut

Interview: The Soft Pack's Matt Lamkin`

2010-04-09T15:06:00.004-04:00

1. How has the name change affected the band’s progression?

It probably threw a wrench in the gears & a lot of people got annoyed by it, or something like that, that wanted us to keep that name. That’s probably the only thing it did, there’s a bit of a backlash against us. Maybe we lost some fans, but whatever. It was something that we wanted to do, so we went with it.

2. Since moving to LA, what is it like to now play in San Diego?

It’s good. I mean San Diego has always been good. Of course, there are people who think we are, once again, selling out by moving to Los Angeles. But anyone that knows us - I studied film in San Diego so that’s why I moved to Los Angeles because that’s the only place I can work and I don’t think Los Angeles was integral in any success that we have had. It is still good when we play San Diego and it’s good when we play Los Angeles. It’s like we have two hometowns at this point, but we’re definitely a San Diego band for life.

3. Who do you secretly rip off on stage?

I’d say I secretly rip off Mark E. Smith, Jonathan Richman and I try to do John Lennon – maybe some Paul Westerberg.

4. Why hasn’t The Soft Pack recorded for a label twice?

Basically The Muslims songs were all recorded at one time and split up into EPs. So, that’s how that went. And then they were complied on the 1928 one with the bullet holes and then we got signed to Kemado.

5. Do you see future releases on Kemado?

Yeah, hopefully.

6. What’s in your stereo right now?

I have been listening to Ween and a lot of Leonard Cohen. He’s like the best shit in the world. I could listen to Leonard Cohen albums over and over and over again, like back to back. If we’re on a long drive, I might do any given album like three times in a row, but I guess any given album is stretching it because I’ve only gotten up to, chronologically, I’m Your Man, which is 1988, I think. I haven’t gotten to the ’90s and that stuff yet, but I’m sure it is all good. That guy is fucking genius.

7. What is the best story of the tour so far?

I don’t know – there hasn’t been very much that has been very eventful. We try and keep it low key. We try and pace ourselves because we probably have a tendency to party hard. That’s not our thing, but it’s a good way to blow off steam when you’re on tour or when you’re bored. So we’ve been conscious of pacing ourselves. So this has actually been a low key tour, but I’m sure there is something I can give you that’s funny. We got pulled over because we have dents in our van and there was some cop who asked, ‘What have you guys been doing’? Apparently there was some hit-and-run by some van that was just like ours. We were just peeing in a parking lot and this cop came up and wouldn’t let us go and, well I guess that’s not very eventful.

8. What are The Soft Pack’s plans for the rest of the year?

Looks like, after this tour, we’ll take a month or two off. We have some new material kicking around. We’re really excited about the next one, so we’ll work on that. And then I think another North American tour in the fall. Maybe, if we’re lucky, some festivals in the summer. We are doing Coachella, which is awesome because we are from southern California. We are hoping for that or maybe some stuff in England and Europe so keep an ear out for that, but nothing is confirmed except for Coachella.

Published by The Music Slut

Interview: Fucked Up's Damian "Pink Eyes" Abraham

2010-03-03T10:59:00.005-05:00

1. What were your overall thoughts on Do They Know It’s Xmas?

I think it went really well, it was one of those weird things that had to come together at the real last minute and thankfully like, this is not a corporate plug, but, this guy at iTunes, by the name of Lane, was totally on board and helped me with getting the MP3 up. Normally there is like a 6 week lee-time or two month lee-time when you give a song to iTunes from when they put it up. He got it up in like 12 hours - 6 hours. Everyone, every artist involved who appears on the song was a dream to work with, like everyone went like above and beyond the call of duty. In retrospect, it really showed how willing people are to help when you kind of explain a cause to them and they all kind of agree with the cause. I also learned that managers are terrible, terrible people in some cases and management is just there to frustrate people trying to work with an artist. Not in the case of the people who appear on the record, those managers were good, but I found if I, normally if I could get right to the person and explain my cause to them, they were more than willing to help, but a lot of the time I would get stuck dealing with managers and get the run around. With the exception, Tegan & Sara’s manager was really helpful and unbelievable to work with, but a lot of the cases, there were a lot of people who were supposed to be on the record, but didn’t because their management was such a pain in the ass. It just frustrated me to no end.

2. How did your recent duet with Dinosaur Jr. come about?

One of those really weird things. J. Mascis came to see us a couple years ago in Texas (SXSW) and we hit it off, him and I. He and I just kept close and I know they have covered that song and I was like, “we should do ‘Chunks’ tonight, I want to do it, as a joke”. Because he is like a pretty funny guy. A lot of people think he’s like super, “Oh, he’s just a stoner, blah blah blah”. But he doesn’t, he’s pretty much straight edge, y’know, he’s a really funny guy. So we always just joke back and forth and he sent me, like he was like, “Yup, we’re going to do it in the encore. ‘Sludge’, then you”. And I’m like, “No way”. And then, sure enough, we did it and it was like so funny because the first concert I ever went to, like without my parents, like I went to see AC/DC with my stepfather. I went to see Rod Stewart with my mom. But the first concert I went to by myself, when I was like 13 was Dinosaur Jr. And here I was, seventeen years later. He gave me the last song y’know? I ruined everyone’s experience, like having a really shitty thing to eat after a really good meal.

3. How does Polaris Prize attention translate in other places?

It’s really surprising how many people know about the Polaris, over there (Europe). It definitely means more, in Canada to people than it means over there, but I’m surprised how many people have heard of the award and I think it helps that we weren’t the first people to win it. We can kind of ride on the prestige of Final Fantasy and stuff. They’ve awarded it to such artists that have received critical acclaim worldwide so now there by, the award, kind of recognizes a benchmark. It has been really good, the last tour of the US went really well. Every time I kinda think it is over for the band, I think, well this is kinda wind down after this, but then something will happen, be it the Polaris award, be it some other insane moment where I’m like, “Oh, wow, I guess we’ll keep going for a little bit more”. I think as soon as it gets boring, we’re just going to stop because no one is going to get rich off this. We’re not in it for the money, that’s for sure. We’ll I’m in it a little bit for the money.

4. Whose stage personas do you rip off the most?

I rip off Cleveland, Ohio. I’m going to pick up all that and, I’m going to say the Midwest because I’m, I’m going to say, Iggy. Definitely Chris Urber, from the H100s. Sabouh, the professional wrestler. Bruiser Brody is another one I rip off, professional wrestling-wise. Uh, Jerry A., Jeff Clayton from Anti-Scene. If I was going to narrow it down, Jeff Clayton from Anti-Scene, Jerry A. from Poison Idea and Andrew W.K. are the people that I rip off.

5. What’s in your stereo right now?

Right now, I just got this brand new 7 inch by this band, I don’t even remember what the band is called, the song is called ‘Death To Disco’. It’s a brand new 45 I just picked up yesterday, or two days ago in Boston. My favourite thing to do is find a record by a band I have never heard of, preferably Canadian, but I’ll take it from anywhere because there is such a prolific period of independent music from the years, basically 1979 to about 1984. There is just like so much, absolutely Canada, the US, Europe, South America even, there is stuff coming out. Like in Europe, Asia, there is like a birth of independent music and I think there is so many undiscovered gems.

6. Is there ever record label pressure to record a proper LP?

Every label is in the business of making money and no label we have ever been involved with, no matter how small… actually that’s not true, we have been involved in some losing money ventures, but most labels want to break even or make money. So Matador, they want us to put out LPs, but also at the same time, it’s a label run by record collectors and record nerds. They would be pissed if tomorrow we put out a 12 inch on another label, but they are really happy we do 7 inches because they are collectors and they kind of appreciate that fact. It is a weird relationship, because we do run into conflict with them sometimes because, you know, R.A. the Rugged Man said, “Every record label sucks dick”, and it’s like – no I wouldn’t ever say something that homophobic – but there is, he’s on a right point, that labels exist in conflict with artists. Everything between a band and the person watching the band, including the band themselves sometimes, is an obstacle to keep people away from the band. For us, it has always been to try and find that middle ground. Matador seems to be, of all the labels we’ve worked with, the best yet.

7. Is there any information of ‘Year Of The Ox’?

D: We finished it, it is coming out in ten years. In ten years, ‘Year Of The Ox’ will be out. No, it’ll probably be out relatively speaking, soon. Hopefully before, well I guess we missed Chinese New Year, so hopefully before the next year. It is coming out on Merge now, it looks like. This is one of the conflicts we’ve had with label stuff, trying to find a way to please Matador and trying to please ourselves at the same time. I met Mac (McCaughan) this summer at Coachella and it was an amazing thrill because I am a huge fan of Superchunk. Even bigger thrill for me was meeting Jon Wurster, because I am a huge fan of the Best Show on WFMU and meeting him was like a double celebrity dose. It’s weird, I would gladly forgo success in a commercial setting for the kind of experiences we’ve had, which is like meeting people that I respect and really like and having them say, “I like what you do”. Maybe they’re lying to me, but even if they’re lying to me, I will buy the lie. I will believe the lie. That’s probably the biggest thrill about being in this band so far, you know, meeting these people that I grew up worshipping.

8. What are your plans for 2010?

Kind of taking it slow right now, my wife and I just had a baby about a year ago almost, 9 months, four weeks exactly and we’re going to start working on the new record, trying to write it. Got a few splits and collaborations coming up that we are working on. Something with the GZA and something with NOFX. That’s just sort of what we are doing now. Just taking it, just relaxing and resting on what was the most insane year of our lives. The last 2 years have been pretty much. Probably more touring too and stuff like that.

Published at The Music Slut

Review: YSPWSD's XXXX

2010-02-23T15:19:00.005-05:00

Vancouver’s You Say Party! We Say Die! has been filling the need for two-and-a-half minute dance-pop punk songs since February 9th, when their third LP, XXXX was unleashed on the American public.

The band remains loyal to their new wave sound but XXXX is more mature, slick and tighter than their previous recordings. YSPWSD’s newfound maturity is something not to be ignored. They’ve managed to sound a little less like The B-52s than fans are accustomed to and more like Siouxsie & The Banshees – darker and driven by more emotion.

The first track, ‘There Is XXXX (Within My Heart)’ is one of the album’s danciest - fusing a groovy base line drenched in synth harmonies. This selection also allows the listener to decipher the meaning of XXXX – love. ‘Glory’, the next tune, pays homage to bands like Be Your Own Pet from a few years ago. It’s also one of the LP’s few guitar driven songs.

Other notable tracks include the Devo-esque ‘Cosmic Wanship Avengers’ & ‘Heart Of Gold’ (which undoubtedly exemplifies YSPWSD’s aforementioned emotional fondness). It’s the mellowest but clearly the most epic.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists' The Brutalist Bricks

2010-02-17T20:23:00.004-05:00

On March 9th, Washington DC’s Ted Leo & The Pharmacists will unveil their sixth release entitled The Brutalist Bricks. The album is an interesting fusion of indie and hard rock songs that express a new sense of pop sensibility resembling that of Can-rocker Sam Roberts alongside the swagger of The Boss.

The LP begins with the amped up ‘Mighty Sparrow’ which contains all the necessary hooks and is a definite stand-out track. After a few more similar songs, track five, ‘The Stick’, will hit any listener upside the head and will surely get you on your feet. The tune is a signature Leo number and reminds me of older more palatable Pharmacists selections.

Other notable tracks include ‘Where Was My Brain’ - a more up-tempo song than most of the record and finally a tune with a little muscle/attitude. ‘Bartolomeo And The Buzzing Of Bees’ has an interestingly hooky bass line and the album’s best track, ‘Gimme The Wire’, owes Husker Du a big nod.

The band has been successful in recent years, playing Coachella and the Pitchfork Festival in 2007, but if I had to say all the hype surrounding this release is accurate, I’d declare that the album is full of both hits and misses.

Published by The Music Slut

THE MAGNETIC FIELDS @ QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE: BEAUTIFUL, CLEVER & PECULIAR

2010-02-09T17:33:00.007-05:00

Did you know that in the Canadian Governmental hierarchy, the Prime Minister is actually third in line? In fact, it is actually the Queen of England who legitimately sits as top ranked head of state (or province) - she even has her mug on all of the Canadian coins & has an intimate acoustically sound theatre named after her based at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. This seven-dollar-a-beer venue housed an up close & entertaining night with The Magnetic Fields on Monday showcasing their most recent release Realism.

Magnetic Fields shows are an amalgamation of witty banter & depressing tunes spearheaded by the band’s chief singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt’s signature baritone, Calvin Johnston-esque voice and soft strum of the ukulele alongside his musical partner, pianist and second vocalist, Claudia Gonson. Both however, were a tad under the weather, suffering from a cold (laryngitis in Gonson’s case).

Nonetheless, the show went on as The Magnetic Fields opened with ‘Lindy-Lou’, which is actually a 6ths song (one of Merritt’s other projects) and foreshadowing of the peculiarity of the night to come. The second tune, ‘You Must Be Out Of Your Mind’, was the first of many Realism selections. Others included ‘Hootenanny’ & ‘Walk A Lonely Road’.

In the midst of new material, TMF did find the time to play a wide range of their older, Merge-era material. Off of their most recognizable release, 69 Love Songs, TMF performed ‘Acoustic Guitar’ (which Gonson may have struggled with due to her illness) as well as about a half dozen other classics. There were also snippets of The Wayward Bus & another 6ths song, ‘Falling Out Of Love With You’ (one of the best tracks of the night).

Luckily, for the drinkers in the crowd, there was a fifteen minute intermission. The second set ended with ‘Summer Lies’, before an encore consisting of ‘I’m Tongue-Tied’ & ‘100,000 Fireflies’ which Merritt humorously & ironically introduced earlier in the evening as the first song. ‘He’s joking’ Gonson informed us.

In essence, it was a sincere performance by Merritt, Gonson and company. My personal highlights were the quiet seconds it took for the audience to get some of the more clever jokes made by Merritt and the cello solo on ‘Fall In Love With The Wolf Boy’ by Sam Davol.

There are few artists that come across with as much honesty as Merritt. If you’ve seen him and The Magnetic Fields before, then you know how intimate & personal the shows can be. Regardless of how much Merritt hates performing, it is a blessing to witness him in action (even if he hides under that hideous ball cap and/or is sick). ‘We’ve had a bunch of cold medicine’ he proclaimed in between songs - a peculiar night indeed.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Shearwater's The Golden Archipelago

2010-02-04T15:27:00.003-05:00

Later this month, Shearwater will release The Great Archipelago on Matador, their sixth LP since their inception, and the third in a series of theme linked albums (the first two being 2006’s Palo Santo and Rook in 2008). The Great Archipelago is Shearwater’s most accomplished work to date fusing soft melodies with an array of instruments.

Taking in a host of worldly sounds and influences, Archipelago begins with a tribal chant which then melts into a soft acoustic ballad, ‘Meridian’, and so begins a groovy journey along the coastal lines of a far-away paradise. Songs such as ‘Black Eyes’, the first single, and ‘Corridors’ go in a different direction than the album’s beginnings, taking a quicker up-tempo composition, which is almost Flaming Lips esque.

The latter half of the record calms down, intertwining folk structures – blending piano and even a string section such as ‘Runners…’ (a personal favorite) and the slow, almost salsa dance-inspiring, ‘An Insular Life’. After the epic, Pink Floyd influenced ‘Uniforms’, the album ends with the warm aubade, ‘Missing…’, naturally bringing the LP full circle to the soft touch that kicked it all off. It achieves its intentions - taking its listener on a journey of the world, celebrating existence & our linkages to everything within it.

Published by The Music Slut

DINOSAUR JR. @ THE PHOENIX: A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

2010-01-24T17:53:00.002-05:00

The Rock Band crowd was certainly out as Dinosaur Jr. seemingly took the Phoenix, in Toronto, by storm on Thursday night. A sold out, sardine can-like venue witnessed the band lackadaisically inspire continuous awe, starting from the first five-minute-plus, ‘Thumb’ all the way to ‘Chunks’, a semi-rare b-side which featured the likes of Damian ‘Pink Eyes Abraham, of the hardcore outfit, Fucked Up.

For a band that is technically giving it a second go around, fans have been more than pleased to see music from one of the original Alt-rock bands of the 80’s. 2009’s Farm made it on plenty of ‘Best Of The Year’ lists and the set included Farm titles such as ‘Over It’ and ‘Imagination Blind’ (which Lou Barlow pleasantly belted out).

Barlow remains a discernible accent to J Mascis’s now legendary lassitude, chugging away at the bass, power chord after power chord, with his wavy mop in his eyes. He even graced the crowd with a heartfelt solo acoustic set at the beginning of the night.

What can be said about Mascis? Every time he struck a chord, my chest felt like it had a hole in it. Surrounded by a wall of amplifiers, the venue just barely withstood his sound. Mascis scarcely opened his eyes during the hour and a half set and subconsciously taunted the crowd with ‘Out There’. He, Barlow and recruited drummer, Kyle Spence, of J Mascis & The Fog, (Murph, the actual drummer, was held up at the border) cranked up the classics, as it were, and sounded amazing.

To top off an already memorable set, D Jr. pulled a few tracks from You’re Living All Over Me – ‘Sludgefest’ and ‘Kracked’ for an encore. The night ended with the aforementioned, ‘Chunks’, with Damian Abraham, who excitingly and unexpectedly took to the stage.

Five years after the original member reunion, I remain ecstatic to see what this band has left – they have continuously caught me by surprise. Twenty-five years after their inception, they have been able to write, hands down, better music than most of their successors, and blown away sold out crowds in a cogently regal and youthful fashion.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Fucked Up's Couple Tracks

2010-01-20T23:57:00.008-05:00

If you’re like me, an avid collector of rare and obscure LPs and EPs, to the point of obsession (don’t get me started on seven inches), and a fan of the Canadian hardcore sextet, Fucked Up, then maybe you can empathize with how frustrating it is to be a follower of this band. Singles seem to come out of the Fucked Up woodwork, and it can be virtually impossible to keep up with. Lucky enough for us consumers, the band is releasing their second collection of singles entitled, Couple Tracks, slated for January 26, on Matador Records.

There is a giant list of “must listens” on this compilation including: “No Pasaran,” their first single, “Neat Parts,” Generation,” “Dangerous Fumes,” “Triumph of Life” and remixes of “No Epiphany” and “Crooked Head” (both of which appeared on their critically acclaimed sophomore release Chemistry of Common Life). And that’s just the first disc.

If you really like this band, you’ll appreciate how the collection spans their entire career (’02 – ’09) and incorporates their most impressive releases to date, while truly documenting their growth into a contemporary punk rock powerhouse. Five stars, two thumbs up, whatever.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Vampire Weekend's Contra

2010-01-09T21:48:00.006-05:00

To date, Vampire Weekend has repeatedly lived up to their hype – Spin magazine gave them a cover shot prior to releasing their debut album and now their sophomore release, Contra, is already slated as one of the most anticipated of 2010, and it’s January.

Let’s take a second to ponder the importance of the second LP in any bands career. Will the band stick around or will they fade away into a one record wonderness? It is safe to say that VW has failed to disappoint many and anyone serious about what they let into their ears should really hear this record.

The opening track, “Horchata,” is an interesting, eclectic mix of African rhythms fused with a few bars reserved for what sounds like a xylophone and it also has a string section – very danceable, short and catchy pop tune that definitely sets the tempo of the album.

The album continues in a rhythmic style with bopping synth effects on “White Sky” and “Holiday” and surfer riff interludes on “California English” and the album’s first single, “Cousins.”

Side B offers more electro pop, almost reggae-ish – a Bedouin Soundclash with a synthesizer, like “Diplomats Son.” The album’s final track, “I Think UR A Contra,” is the slowest and most heartfelt jam – an excellent piece of songwriting.

Definite influences like the Clash come through in many ways. It has been said that the title, Contra itself, is an ode to Sandinista! The album consists of an array of (almost) tribal sounds, with string sections and electro-pop effects that seem to be the most overused commodity at the moment, but they manage to keep it fresh.

Overall, Contra is a collection of catchy, danceable, three minute pop songs. The record clocks in at 36 minutes. After a thorough listen, VW lives up to their hype. But really, did you expect anything less?

Published by The Music Slut

Review : Dinowalrus' %

2010-01-04T15:28:00.003-05:00

Dinowalrus’ sole purpose as a band is to make your head explode. Fusing psychedelic noise over menacing guitars met with a powerful percussion core, Dinowalrus, a trio based within the ever growing electropop Brooklyn scene, attempt at blowing minds with their first LP, % (Percent).

The first track, East German Western, offers a quick glance at DW’s unpredictable nature. The song isn’t quite a song at all, rather a dreary collection of sounds and hymn-like vocals – something my spaced out, Pink Floyd freak of an uncle could get into.

But the album quickly shifts its focus. Electric Car Gas Guitar, is one of the album’s strongest, tracks, fusing loud and freaky guitars, rampant drums, Ian Curtis-like monotone vocals – oh yeah, and lasers. It seems like an odd combination, but I guarantee this track will get your feet tapping.

The album continues to stay true to this theme. Every song is a drastic reinvention of the one before it. They quickly shift from chaotic and jazzy, like the track, BEAD, to the brink of insanity, like the tracks, I Hate Letters and I Hate Numbers.

Overall, the album is a promising debut – it’s groovy and carries some revolutionary qualities, but in order to get the full effect, please see Dinowalrus live when they come to your town (especially if you’re into Animal Collective and other electropop space rock).

Notable tracks include the bluesy surf rocker, Cage the Pythons, and the seven minute, acid trip epic, CMYK.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Basia Bulat's Heart Of My Own

2010-01-04T15:18:00.003-05:00

I once met a drunken woman on a train who told me folk music was dead – it progressed into modern day country. She was on her way to a Keith Urban concert.

I, like many, know that folk music is very much alive. For instance, Basia Bulat will release her highly anticipated second LP, Heart Of My Own, later this month on Rough Trade Records.

Bulat’s first release, Oh, My Darling, gained much attention pushing Bulat into the underground spotlight where she triumphantly won over crowds across the United States, Australia, Europe and her home land of Canada. Oh, My Darling, even received the prestigious Polaris Prize nod (a huge deal in Canada) in 2008.

In a nutshell, Heart Of My Own, picks up where Bulat left off on her first album. What stands out is the softness of Bulat’s voice and her dainty strumming in tracks like, Sparrow and The Shore.

Bulat’s songs are often courageously vulnerable – almost haunting - and one can sense the inspiration Bulat gathered from her long travels across the world. The songs were written during Bulat’s rigorous touring schedule over the past year. Bulat even took on Canada’s great white north, spending five days in Dawson City, in the Yukon Territory. "I felt my mind was overwhelmed with ideas. It had been a long-time dream of mine to make it to the Yukon, so to finally accomplish that, and for it to be possible because of my music, was also a very overwhelming thing," says Bulat.

Anyone interested in the likes of Tiny Vipers, Fleet Foxes, or even, Julie Doiron or the Arcade Fire – to name a few Canadians – is sure to appreciate Heart Of My Own, and lovers of Bulat’s first LP are sure to embrace her new material with little to no hesitation.

Notable tracks include, If Only You, Sugar and Spice, Gold Rush (Neil Young nod perhaps?) and the quickest song on the album, Walk You Down.
For the drunken, train riding non-believers in your life – remind them folk music is still alive and kicking.

Buyers on iTunes will receive a bonus track, so there’s some added incentive to purchase online.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Shlomo's Shlomoshun Deluxe

2010-01-04T15:13:00.005-05:00

Shlomo, aka Henry Laufer’s Shlomoshun Deluxe, is a collection of low-fi sounds that were literally downloaded onto his laptop and were molded into a hypnotic wall of bass and dub.

The album is truly organic in its creation – it is ballsy in its layers of complex ambiance, such as the track, Hotboxing the Cockpit, which is the albums strongest arrangement. The title alone, however, alludes to a green, leafy substance that may ultimately allow the listener to absorb the album in a more suitable state.

Tracks worth listening to include, 7am, which takes you deep into a video game world, and transcends best on headphones, and Spoons, a fierce pounding of bass rhythms that will make any listener’s head bob. Antigravity is also a groovy little number, which showcases the current happenings in the LA beatbox scene among other neu-bass contemporaries like Flying Lotus and Ras G.

The album also includes remixes of Antigravity, by Fulgeance and Low Limit, which are quite enjoyable takes on the tracks.

Published by The Music Slut

Review: Cursed Arrows' Telepathic High Five

2009-12-18T00:15:00.005-05:00

When I first saw Cursed Arrows in the summer of 2009, I was blown away by their thunderous drums and loud guitar. Not only does their music inspire an overwhelming guttural reaction, but they tore through a cover of Nirvana’s “Tourettes” and did it more than just justice. Their garage, post-punk sound may not fit in with their techno-synth contemporaries in the Ontario independent music realm, but I always thought there was something to say about sounding different.

The band consists of two members, Ryan and Jackie Stanley. They’re set up like a White Stripes outfit, but they actually embrace that they’re married. Ryan was in the well-loved Brantford, ON band, The Vermicious Knid, before recording a number of solo albums. “Our telepathic connection and combined artistic frustrations lead us to start writing loud songs in our basement apartment, armed simply with a tiny amp and an awful drum kit,” Jackie outlines on the band’s blog.

Ryan’s guitar playing is intricate and embraces the effects board (the crunchier and often weirder, the better), while Jackie’s drumming is precise and dainty, matched with a violence fit for any heroine. Sharing vocals and harmonies, the pair at times, often reminds me of a heavier and to-the- point, Sonic Youth, but can get as melodic as the Pixies and as soulful as Nirvana.

Their first album, “Knives Are Falling From The Sky,” mostly garnered attention in south western Ontario. The band acknowledges it as a shot in the dark, but fans quickly embraced it as something more. The duo, now on Noyes Records, recently released their second full-length album, “Telepathic High Five,” which is more identifiable, more melodic, and most importantly – loud.

The two wear their alternative rock influences on their sleeve, and I’m not talking about their impressive tattoo sleeves. The lyrics are often tragically personal and introverted. The first track, “Run Forever,” features challenging lyrics like, “They’ll always tell you what’s right/comes down to will and to might/or you can run forever.”

The album times in at 43 minutes and displays a constant complexity of melodies, raw emotion and is rooted in thunderous rock and roll. The album’s title track is delightfully distorted over peaceful harmonies. Other earth-shakers include, “Gate Crasher,” and “Chop You Up.” Another notable track is the emotionally-charged, “Deep Wound.” But nothing is as intimately potent as, “Oubliette,” the album’s memorable final song.

Please listen to this album, your ears will thank you.

Published by NxEW

Review: James and Blackburn EP

2009-12-17T21:48:00.007-05:00

James and Blackburn’s first EP shows promise for a mellow, introspective indie pop band.

The band’s founding members and cousins, guitar and vocalist, Owen, and bassist, Landon, “have grown up writing and playing music together.” It wasn’t until a little under a year that they formed J&B with the addition of drummer, Sebastien and recorded their first EP in the summer of 2009. “I met Sebastien while working in an Italian restaurant [in] downtown Ottawa,” said Landon.

Any veteran can hear the well-placed shoegaze influence in J&B's EP, but it's the unique tempos and intricate sound that steps these young lads into the realm of bands like Wintersleep. The album's first track, 'In My Head,' is the heaviest and yet calmingly mellow track, with lyrics that throttle you into a moment of soul searching.

The album’s best and most promising track, ‘Loose Leaf,’ is cleverly interworks influences such as Modest Mouse, Tokyo Police Club and, dare I say it, Radiohead.
The Ottawa based three-piece will be playing Zaphod Beeblebrox, in Ottawa on December 21st and The Blacksheep Inn Wakefield in Wakefield, Quebec on the 27th. Taking in one of the shows

If this sounds like your thing, any and all news can be found at their Myspace: www.myspace.com/jamesandblackburn

Published by NxEW

Review: Noah and the Whale’s The First Days of Spring

2009-12-03T18:23:00.004-05:00

2009 has been a good year for Noah and the Whale, having played the main stage at both the Reading and Leeds Festivals, respectively, and marking the release of their second LP, The First Days of Spring in late August.

Citing both punk and folk as influences, the English quintet have taken a step away from previous recordings adopting a more narrative style of music writing – a style oriented around film. The band’s name is taken from Academy Award-nominated American writer, director and independent filmmaker, Noah Baumback, and his 2006 film, The Squid and the Whale, and have also proclaimed their love of Wes Anderson films. It comes as no surprise that the singer/guitarist, Charlie Fink, has adapted an accompanying film in conjuncture to the album (the film runs the same length of the album and shares the same name).

The album itself displays sophisticated and emotional craftsmanship. It has been documented that the album is, in part, about Fink’s breakup with Laura Marling – a former member - and is why the album possesses no female vocals. The album’s opening and title track, displays an unbridled melancholy, backed by intricate harmonies. Other notable tunes, “My Broken Heart” and the first official single, “Blue Skies,” showcases the bands pleasing, sombre and dramatic writing style.

This album is bound to stick around in your stereo pile for some time – a definitive break up album that can be fun to make out to.

Published by themusicslut.com

Food For Thought

2009-11-16T10:55:00.005-05:00

I’m called upon and asked to continue slicing up a pineapple. In the dimly lit classroom I stand up and approach the task at hand, feeling the piercing glare from the rest of my peers. I take a squirt from the hand sanitizer that accompanies my spread out newspaper, a plastic cutting board, an array of sharp knives and of course, the focal point of the project: a pineapple. It’s time to slice and dice.

I picture at once a herbaceous perennial plant baring a fruit wrapped in rigid bark locking in a tender, ripe fruit. A fleshy inside. Layered, resembling the sedimentary rock of the Canadian Shield, that easily tears and as you eat it, the moist nectar drips around the fingers and lips, running down the chin revealing a unique tang. I have no choice but to taste it, and the tang accentuates the taste buds, reminding me of summer. I forget there’s snow outside.

It reminds me of scorching summer days and how my father would cut up chunks of the fruit and bring it into the backyard for my friends and me to eat while we guzzle copious amounts of beer. We share the fruit and celebrate vacation and drunken debauchery, and it brings us closer together; a topper to the alcohol – a chaser in some instances. I can’t help but remember my father having chunks of pineapple stuck in his moustache and failing to realize it from the numbing effects of the ice cold drink.

I slice another slab and toss it on the plate, like dad does. I cut out the core, the dead left behinds. “Sometimes you just have to cut away the dead flesh,” as my father would often remind me.

“Like a coyote in a bear trap, in order to survive they eat off their own paw; you’ve seen three-legged dogs haven’t you?”

I can picture the stump now actually, and the memory fades.

I plop down another piece. I feel the power of the knife, the gliding motion of the razor sharp blade penetrating and slicing through the yellow, tangy fruit. I can smell the pineapple – the unique smell of the juice – a juice which is easily mixed with rum to great appeal. Try a “Pineapple Spritzer”:

Pour rum over pineapple chunk in a tall glass
Add pineapple juice and sweet and sour.
Top with Sprite.
Stir and serve.

The smell associated with a pineapple isn’t easy to describe; a tang that reminds me of summer, a sensory trigger that makes sense because of pineapple’s association to the tropics.

People say pineapples remind them of Hawaii, but I think of my own personal Hawaii, how the accompaniment of the fruit mixed with heat, rum, friends and family by the pool is no different than Hawaii- with addition of the occasional lei for good measure.

We played football with one once, it tore apart my nipples because I bit the bullet and was on “Team Skins.” There’s nothing more rewarding than catching a pineapple Hail Mary only to have its crown leaves penetrate your eyes, ears and nose. My grandmother told me once she would feed me cantaloupe and pineapple when I was teething which amazes me because she’s always been off her rocker. Knowing her, she would probably have bought a pineapple infested with mealybugs. Mealybugs vector wilt disease and I could picture my fruit sticky body wilting like a rose and looking something like a young/old Benjamin Button (thank you F. Scott Fitzgerald).

Remaining at the desk, I continue to chizzle out the core of the ripe fruit. They say the core can’t be eaten without effect, but I’m sure it has been done. People act like the core is Plan 9 or something, but really it’s no different than a peach pit: both will apparently make you extremely constipated.

The amount of congeries my professor will come across in these proceedings crosses my mind and my stomach begins to rumble. Naturally, I begin to see food in my near future. I ingest another slab of pineapple and think of pizza; cheesy, gooey, Hawaiian pizza. You know that feeling you get stepping into a pizza parlour, and that smell of baking dough punches you in the face, that bell rings signaling your arrival and the entire staff peers over like Linda Blair in The Exorcist? Or Pineapple glazed ham, glistening in the oven with toothpicks holding bits of ham in place all around the moist slab of meat. I’m a long ways from class at this moment. Did you know that Chicago is a slang term for pineapple? “One Chicago sundae please.”

The movie, Little Nicky, starring Adam Sandler as Lucifer’s son makes clever usage of the pineapple. There is a scene in which Hitler, in a maid’s uniform (dust feather and all), enters to choose a pineapple out of a cabinet only to have it inserted rectally by none other than Satan himself. And with that I suddenly have no desire to eat anymore.

“Alright, who’s next?” shouts my professor.

“Phew.”

Published in Blueprint Magazine

Concert Review: ‘Fucked Up Weekend’ Begins With a Bang

2009-11-07T18:39:00.002-05:00

Fucked Up's annual 'Fucked Up Weekend,' kicked off Friday night at the Kathedral, with the band playing a high energy, 45 minute show to an enthusiastic crowd of 250 plus. The band used the show to showcase their Polaris Music Prize winning album, 'The Chemistry of Common Life' to a hometown crowd.

The band opened with the album's first track, 'Son the Father,' and continued the trend with songs like, 'Black Albino Bones' and 'Twice Born.' The band also indulged in older material, like the high powered, 'Crusades,' which had fans leaping, every which way, off the stage.

Amongst the swirl of media, beer and limbs, Fucked Up delivered, showcasing the reason for their recent acclaim. However, the band still remains grounded, unaffected by the recent attention. Damian Abraham, AKA Pink Eyes, was seen in the washroom before the show splashing water in his armpits; the band has yet to loose its nerves.
Pink Eyes also took time in between songs to scorn Metric, which is becoming commonplace since Metric responded to Fucked Up's, Polaris victory on their Twitter page, stating, "Wow, Pop-Core takes the Polaris prize! Surprise!"

'Fucked Up Weekend' continues tonight (Halloween) at Sneaky D's with the band headlining - they're slated to go on at 11:30 (the band is never late).
For a complete list of shows and 'Fucked Up Weekend' news and happenings, go here.

Photo courtesy of coast.ca

Published by NxEW

All Your Fault, Catherine of Aragon

2009-11-07T18:29:00.000-05:00

I decide to skip the shower
Because your stale sweat coats my body
Reminding me of precious memories
That fails to abscond

You are the paragon
I am the grey hound
Now bite the bullet, Catherine of Aragon
Now, put the whiskey down

Steal and thieve, aboard the ghost ship
Mother, oh Mother, drive faster
Faster down the strip
Quickly, avoided upon disaster

I breathe, and I teethe
What hold me gone, but my sweet Demaree?
Dipped the hand for a seethe
What’s lost is memory

In the Basement Chapter 1

2009-10-22T22:45:00.000-04:00

These are the times I find fugacious – by myself, but surrounded by others – in my own world. I flip through records in a begrimed and decrepit cardboard box.
Flip. Flip.
Black Flag, Slip it In. Flip.
Beck, Mellow Gold. Flip.
Jay Reatard. Fugazi. Big Black. Replacements.
Flip. Flip. Flip. “Ah, Pavement. This alright?” I ask, holding the record up for approval.
No one answers.
“Randle, when do your parents get home?” someone says.
I take a sip of beer and exhale my satisfaction. “Hello, Randle, when do your parents get home, we want to spark this,” my friend asks, igniting his lighter and holding it up to the joint in his mouth.
“Nah, outside,” I reply.
A chosen few get up fitting their arms into the sleeves of their jackets. John, his jacket is flannel - blue and yellow and lined with wool. His shoulder length hair tucked back behind his ears and secured by a white, backwards trucker hat with the slogan, ‘Grim City Super Rat.’ “Well I’m having a cigarette,” he says taking out another beer from the fridge.
John followed Eric, a leather jacket clad fellow with tight black jeans – his hair gelled into the same position since elementary school. Reggie was amongst this pack as well, supporting short blond hair with mutton chops and glasses. The cigarette hanging out of his mouth accentuates his flannel jacket and ripped jeans.
As they go outside, I lie on my back and listen to the music. Vinyl sounds like ecstasy in my basement. I have it all worked out – the speakers are tilted just slightly as to face me for the ultimate in home music experience. I’m lying; my speakers are from, ‘Mike’s,’ the local thrift store. I can only picture myself having something worth stealing.
I turn to this music because my friends came over on this rainy Saturday evening, ready for cigarettes and beer. I don’t mind the beer, it’s the cigarette, I’ve recently quit and I was sick of waiting for a good time to do it. The problem is - there is never a good time to quit smoking, only now, and cold turkey no less. Saturday nights are lonely in our small suburb just outside of Toronto. Your typical small town boredom haunted us relentlessly, so much as to take baseball bats to mailboxes, egg cars, light garbage cans on fire, but we had outgrown these mischieves many years previous. We were now young men, angry, unemployed, and raised by spoiled, free-spirited parents who had for the most part, forgotten we existed. Too self absorbed and in denial to the possibility anything had gone to shit. Oblivious.
Here, the days were long and the nights even longer. But oddly, I seemed to be the only one wanting to get out. Get away from it all. But for now, I’ll drink to that.

Stale

2009-09-30T17:41:00.000-04:00

The smell of stale, dry sweat lines her smooth flesh. Lightly pale, she smells of me. I was one of the lucky ones; lucky enough to sleep with her. In death, sex becomes futile. There is a point in ones life where sex’s only meaning is life. Necrophilia comes to mind as an unorthodox way to venture. As I inhale another breath of dry sweat I cannot help but embrace the warmth. “Don’t ever get cold, okay?” I say to her.
“What do you mean?”
I realize I have dug myself yet another witless hole I so often find myself in with her. “I don’t know, never mind,” I answer.
“Would you be surprised if I hadn’t asked what the fuck you’re talking about?”
“Necrophilia,” I answer.
“Why?”
I sit up letting the sheets drape off me as I turn my legs out and over the side of the bed reaching the flat, grey coloured carpet. I reach to the night stand and grab my cigarettes, removing one and lighting it quiet fluently. I have been smoking for eleven years, nine months and twenty-one days. I remember my first, my fathers Benson and Hedges. I never looked back.
“Well, do you mind why something so crude would come up at a time like this?” she asks again.
“I don’t know, my mind was just wandering.”
I stand up and stretch my legs, which are cramped from such a passionate romp. I exhale the sweet carbon monoxide, taking in the formaldehyde and benzene because I need it in such a moment. I ignore her as I walk towards the washroom and listen to her sigh and get out of bed distend for the kitchen.
I stare at myself in the mirror. This is often not the greatest idea. Looking deep into my empty eyes the cigarette burns slowly. The smoke travels upwards, canvassing the contours of my face and into my eye, stinging it horribly, breaking me out of my trance. One last drag and I flick the cigarette butt into the toilet.
A farrago of hostility lingers throughout the room. “I’m getting out of here for awhile,” I yell, “need to clear my head.”
“I’m making you food you inconsiderate!” she replies.