Ryan Lawson: You and I from Music Video Picks on Vimeo.
Thanks to Oklahoma Rock News Blog for the find.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
CD Spotlight: The Rebirth of Venus
I first heard Ben Lee in 1995 when his debut solo album, Grandpaw Would was released (he was 16 at the time). After that I lost track of Mr. Lee until a little over a year ago when I started checking out some of his videos on YouTube. I like what I saw/heard and proceeded to track down as many of his CDs as I could get my hands on.
The Rebirth of Venus is Lee’s most recent release and one of his best (I would say that it and Awake is the New Sleep are his best albums). The record opens with the incredibly catchy and uplifting “What’s So Bad (About Feeling Good)?” before jumping right into the sing-a-long of “Surrender.” The album continues with uplifting and catchy pop songs that by all rights should have been big hits. Highlights include the amazing “I Love Pop Music,” “Yoko Ono,” “Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe,” and the two aforementioned songs.
If you are a fan of acoustic based pop music, the Ben Lee is for you. There are plenty of his videos on YouTube to check out before getting his CDs, but you should just get some of them anyway because they really are worth the money.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Glenn Beck Doesn’t Get Glee
Unlike most liberals, I actually like Glenn Beck. I’ve listened to his show for quite a few years now and I think that I actually get him. I don’t agree with him a lot of the time, but I get him. He’s a regular guy who is speaking his mind about what he thinks is wrong with the world. Often I agree with him about what is wrong and the fact that our society is losing touch with our heritage, and maybe more importantly things like our common sense and common decency. But unlike Mr. Beck, I think that Glee sends some terrific messages…to the appropriate age group.
According to this story, Glenn is equally amazed and horrified by Glee (watch the video in the link for full context) –
"I've watched it in stunned horror combined with a sense of admiring awe," he said. "It is a brilliant brilliant show...but it is a horror show...everybody in here is somebody your kids would want to be like, except everyone is sleeping with everyone else, it's all about self-gratification...it's a nightmare."He goes on to site the lyrics of the My Chemical Romance that the New Directions were performing. He saw the lyrics as propaganda (the song in question is called "Sing," you can read the lyrics here and see a video here). I’d hate to see what he would think if he got a hold of a Dead Kennedys lyric sheet. His criticism about the premarital sex on the show is valid, but sadly that is life in high school. I’m not condoning or condemning, just stating the facts.
The real message that Glee sends is the one that I think Mr. Beck is missing. It’s a show about empowerment, individuality (something that I thought conservatives valued), and acceptance. This show is completely and totally about being who and what you are, being true to yourself. How bad can that be? Also there are quite a few characters that are Christians and have professed their faith in various episodes.
I think that it is possible that Mr. Beck is so focused on seeing the bad (and progressive/communist/socialist/radical) in everything that he has missed all of the great lessons that this show does teach. Is it perfect? No. Is Beck’s point about limiting a child’s TV consumption a good one? Hell yes! There is a reason why we don’t have cable or satellite TV in our house (even though we can get the latter for free). Despite the fact that there are a handful of channels that we would all enjoy having, I really don’t want to have that floodgate open at all times in my house. It just really isn’t worth the time and effort to get some kind of pay TV when there are so many other options for accessing the things that we want to see.
So Glenn I think that you should sit back, forget about the evil communists lurking behind ever corner, and give Glee another shot. You might actually find all of the good things that you’ve been missing.
Superman an American No More
I first saw this story when I got up this morning and was checking my email. I can’t tell you how many times it has popped up in my Google Reader since then.
The long and short of it is as follows – Superman goes to a protest in Iran, someone assumes that he is working for the US government (which he is not) thus causing additional international strife, and then the Man of Steel basically saying “I’m my own person” and that he is sick of his actions being interpreted as official American policy.
A lot is going to be read into this. People are going to accuse the folks at DC Comics of all kinds of horrible things, but I honestly don’t see this as a big deal. Superman is simply taking that next step making “Truth, justice, and the American way” even more inspiring by taking it to the world and doing it as an individual, not as a representative of a country.
One thing is certain…the Man of Tomorrow hasn’t gotten this much press since he died.
For Those Who May Have Noticed…
I’ve recently changed my blogging focus to be primarily about entertainment, specifically about music. I still do posts about politics and religion but when I sit down to write I have no real desire to write about politics or religion anymore. This blog is cathartic for me in many ways and spending my time writing about the horrid news of the day just doesn’t help me release any tension or stress. I still pay attention to the news and consider myself fairly well informed but going forward I prefer to write about music because that is honestly what I am most passionate about.
EP Reviews: Hayseed Cassette, Woodsporn, and Twin Lakes
Title(s): Hayseed Cassette (Band Camp, Last.fm), Woodsporn (Band Camp, Last.fm), Twin Lakes
Three things came to mind while listening to The Purple Church’s EPs Hayseed Cassette, Woodsporn, and Twin Lakes
The EPs don’t actually sound like separate releases, but instead feel like one album. This may have something to do with the short amount of time between each release, or it may have to do with the fact that I listened to them one right after the other. Either way these releases do show a band with a lot of promise. I have to admit that this is not really my cup of tea, but that has nothing to do with the quality of the releases.
Hayseed Cassette was released early October 2010 and contains two songs. Woodsporn came next, released on October 31, 2010 , and includes four sings. Finally Twin Lakes
Great for fans of The Jesus & Mary Chain, Bauhaus, Joy Division, and My Bloody Valentine.
Currently Listening
1. “Turn In On” by The Flaming Lips (from Transmissions from the Satellite Heart)
2. “Frogs” by The Flaming Lips (from Hit to Death in the Future Head)
3. “Raised That Way” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
4. “Girl Talk” by Euclid Crash (from Nice People NMF Preview)
5. “They Don’t Make Gravel Roads Like They Used To” by Red City Radio (from Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug)
6. “Two for Flinching” by Red City Radio (from The Dangers of Standing Still)
7. “Drive Into the Sunset” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things I Can’t Control)
8. “Don’t Come Around” by John Moreland (from Earthbound Blues)
9. “The Game” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)
10. “No Surrender” by Roustabouts (from Midwest Rules, Vol. 2: You’re Weak – We’re Strong)
2. “Frogs” by The Flaming Lips (from Hit to Death in the Future Head)
3. “Raised That Way” by Euclid Crash (from F.M.O.)
4. “Girl Talk” by Euclid Crash (from Nice People NMF Preview)
5. “They Don’t Make Gravel Roads Like They Used To” by Red City Radio (from Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug)
6. “Two for Flinching” by Red City Radio (from The Dangers of Standing Still)
7. “Drive Into the Sunset” by John Moreland & the Black Gold Band (from Things I Can’t Control)
8. “Don’t Come Around” by John Moreland (from Earthbound Blues)
9. “The Game” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)
10. “No Surrender” by Roustabouts (from Midwest Rules, Vol. 2: You’re Weak – We’re Strong)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Who are the Top 10 Most Memorable High School Movie Nerds?
Moviefone has put together a list of The Top 10 Most Memorable High School Movie Nerds. Overall it is a pretty good list and I completely agree with numbers one and two on the list.
Don’t Forget Norman Music Fest!
Norman Music Festival starts tonight. Oklahoma Rock News Blog has a breakdown of the schedule with music from some of the artists. If you’re able to go and don’t get freak out by the crowds, it should be a great time.
Fugazi Digitally Archiving Live Shows
And not just some of them either. According to this story, the Washington , DC
How cool is that?
How cool is that?
Just for fun here is one of my favorite, probably lesser known, Fugazi songs --
Video of the Day
"All Right Here" by The Wurly Birds
Thanks to Oklahoma Rock News Blog for the find.
The Wurly Birds: All Right Here from Music Video Picks on Vimeo.
Thanks to Oklahoma Rock News Blog for the find.
New Swingin’ Utters Album Streaming on AOL Music
AOL Music is streaming the new Swingin’ Utters album Here Under Protest. I haven’t had a chance to really absorb the album yet but so far it is really good. Once I get to listen to this more or am able to get down to Guestroom in Norman and pick up the CD, I'll do a proper review.
One quick standout is the Utters' take on the Re-Volts' "Kick It Over." This isn't the first time that a song has gone from one Utters related project to another (the Utters' recorded a version of the Filthy Thieving Bastards "Hopeless Vows" on Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass and Bones and Druglords of the Avenues took their name and also did a version of the Filthy Thieving Bastards "Drug Lord of the Avenues").
Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.
Which State has the Lowest Belief in God?
Well it’s not Oklahoma Maine followed by Massachusetts , Alaska , California , and Nevada Mississippi
The Flaming Lips as Lullabies
Ever wonder what your favorite Flaming Lips songs would sound like sound like as lullabies? Now thanks to the good folks at Rockabye Baby you can – check out Lullabye Renditions of The Flaming Lips. The CD includes “She Don’t Use Jelly,” “Flight Test,” and “Do You Realize” among others. Sadly they didn’t include a version of “Frogs.”
Take a listen to their version of “She Don’t Use Jelly.”
She Don't Use Jelly by rockabyebabymusicThanks to Oklahoma Rock News Blog for the find.
Blast from the Past: Bill
Hailing from Dallas , TX
Overall Bill is a descent record. It’s not fantastic but it’s not terrible either. There are good songs and some very forgettable songs, but luckily the good ones are good enough to make up for the not-so-good ones. In fact some songs on this CD I would consider ‘90s classics. You simply can’t go wrong with “Blown Away,” “One Through Four,” “Lost and Found,” or the extremely catchy “My Umbrella” (my personal favorite).
Most people know of Tripping Daisy through their moderate hit “I Got a Girl” from their sophomore album I Am an Elastic Firecracker but to me they will always be the band that got kicked out of Wal-Mart in the video for “My Umbrella.”
Currently Listening
1. “Twenty Nine” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)
2. “Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug” by Red City Radio (from The Dangers of Standing Still)
3. “No Surrender” by Roustabouts (from Midwest Rules, Vol. 2: You’re Weak-We’re Strong)
4. “Punk Rock Girl” by The Dead Milkmen (from Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the ‘80s Underground Disc 2)
5. “Stay with Me” by Hudson Falcons (from For Those Whose Hearts and Souls are True)
6. “Thankful All the Same” by Mike Park (from For the Love of Music)
7. “Size of the Moon” by Candy Hearts (from Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams)
8. “Team Sixteen” by The A.G.’s (from This Earth Sucks)
9. “Trusty Chords” by Hot Water Music (from Caution)
10. “Summer Babe [Winter Version]” by Pavement (from Slanted & Enchanted)
2. “Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug” by Red City Radio (from The Dangers of Standing Still)
3. “No Surrender” by Roustabouts (from Midwest Rules, Vol. 2: You’re Weak-We’re Strong)
4. “Punk Rock Girl” by The Dead Milkmen (from Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the ‘80s Underground Disc 2)
5. “Stay with Me” by Hudson Falcons (from For Those Whose Hearts and Souls are True)
6. “Thankful All the Same” by Mike Park (from For the Love of Music)
7. “Size of the Moon” by Candy Hearts (from Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams)
8. “Team Sixteen” by The A.G.’s (from This Earth Sucks)
9. “Trusty Chords” by Hot Water Music (from Caution)
10. “Summer Babe [Winter Version]” by Pavement (from Slanted & Enchanted)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
10 Questions with Skating Polly
Skating Polly is a kick ass duo made up by 15 year-old Peyton Suitor and 10 year-old Kelli Mayo that play a mixture of riot grrrl indie rock, pop, and punk. The girls have released their debut album, Taking Over the World, late last year on Nice People Records and are in the process of writing material for their second record (you can read my review of Taking Over the World here).
This interview was conducted via email April 22 – 27, 2011 .
For more information on Skating Polly check out Band Camp, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm. The Oklahoma Daily also did an excellent piece on the band which can be found here.
Dave: How did the band get together?
Peyton Suitor: We were just playing music together at our Halloween party. I was on drums and Kelli was on her basitar, and we were just making stuff up. We played a version of a song that Kelli wrote when she was younger, which is Mars.
Kelli Mayo: Our parents met in law school and ever since then we've been hanging out and we've always had instruments laying around an one day on Halloween we just started playing.
Dave: You released your debut CD, Taking Over the World, through Nice People Records. How did you get hooked up with the label?
Peyton: David called Chris Harris to have him come over an help him out with his recorder and learn about microphones, so we gave him one of our cards that we made on notecards. He listened to some of our demos, and that how that happened.
Kelli: We had Chris come Over to help us with our home recorder and we just got set up with him there.
Dave: It’s been said that you have either met or corresponded with Kimya Dawson (The Moldy Peaches), Kelly Ogden (The Dollyrots), and Exene Cervenka (X). How’d all of this happen?
Peyton: We have met everyone by going to their shows and just introducing ourselves. We would tell them about Skating Polly and show them some songs that we recorded on a phone. We got email addresses from them and they've helped us out a lot.
Kelli: Kimya Dawson was at a show and we met her there and we met Exene and Kelly Ogden at the Conservatory.
Dave: If you could record a record with anyone (i.e. any producer or recording studio) who would it be?
Peyton: Jack Endino or Calvin Johnson, would be so cool, and recording with Chris Harris is lots of fun, also.
Kelli: Subpop
Dave: Have you ever thought of adding an additional member to the band or do you prefer the dynamic of working as a duo?
Peyton: We don't think that we would want another band member. It might get too complicated with someone that doesn't live with us, and we like the simplicity of it.
Kelli: No.
Dave: Who are your favorite bands to play with, what are your favorite venues to play? Are there any specific shows that stick out in your mind as being extremely memorable?
Peyton: Some of our favorite bands to play with are The Boom Bang, Broncho, Feel Spectres, and Gang Starr Museum
Kelli: The indie craft bazaar was extremely memorable because everything went wrong at first but then we fixed it.
Dave: Being so young, do you feel that the folks in the Oklahoma
Peyton: I think that most people have accepted us. Everyone we've played with has been so cool to us, and the people that come to the shows really like us. The only people I can think of that had some sort of resentment toward us were the one's at Edmond Music, but that was because we were asking for guitars that were out of make. And it wasn't resentment as much as they thought we were ridiculous or even asking about mosrites and jacaranda. (Editor’s note: I have no idea what those are. Now I feel dumb.)
Kelli: Yeah
Dave: This is a High Fidelity inspired question. What are your top 5 favorite bands, albums, movies, TV shows, books/authors?
Peyton: Currently bands are Nirvana, Neutral Milk Hotel, Elliott Smith, Starlight Mints and Best Coast; Albums are Etiqutte (Casiotone for the Painfully Alone), Crazy for You (Best Coast), Album (Girls), What the He'll Do I Know (Illinois), and Antics (Interpol); Movies: Goodfellas, Scott Pilgrim, American History X, Dog Day Afternoon, and Scharamoushe (The spelling is probably wrong on that); TV shows; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Parks and Recreation, SNL, The Office and 30 Rock; Books: The Outsiders, Please Kill Me, Exit Here, Rumble Fish, Tex. S.E Hinton is my favorite author.
Kelli: Luis Satcher, Harry Potter, Scott Pilgrim, Juno, Whip It, IRM, Regina Spektor, X, White Stripes, Hole, Nirvana
Dave: What’s next for Skating Polly?
Peyton: We are working on another album, Now We Wanna Live On Mars, right now; hopefully it will be ready by my birthday so my birthday party can be the CD release.
Kelli: We're gonna try and go on tour during the summer.
Dave: Any final thoughts?
Peyton: I can have Kelli answer these, too, on Monday when she gets back from her mom's house, if you would like.
Kelli: (Editor’s note: Kelli didn’t answer this question but at the bottom of the email it stated “Sent from my iPhone.” I thought that was just too fitting not to include.)
CD Spotlight: Gold Country
Best known for his time in the seminal post hardcore band Hot Water Music, Chuck Ragan has become a genuine country singer/songwriter (okay, technically it’s alt country but let’s not parse words here). His debut solo album Feast or Famine was good but his sophomore record Gold Country is exceptional. This CD has had more of an affect on me than any other I’ve heard in 2011. In fact there are a few songs herein that I’d like played at my funeral.
For those who never heard Mr. Ragan, he has a raspy voice that can easily capture the softer moments of folk and country as it can the screaming rage of punk rock. On top of that his lyrics have a soul searching depth that I can easily get lost in for hours on end. And if that wasn’t enough, many of these songs will have your boots taping, hands clapping, and singing along at the top of your lungs. Gold Country is truly a phenomenal album.
I’d say more, but I think I’ll just include a couple of videos of some of the standout moments. Enjoy.
Smashing Pumpkins to Reissue Entire Catalogue
The Smashing Pumpkins will be re-releasing their entire back catalogue, re-mastered and with bonus material, starting this fall. The first two to be released will be Gish and Siamese Dream. What the bonus material is exactly hasn’t been announced yet (and sounds like it won’t be until the CDs are released). In-between Gish and Siamese Dream the Pumpkins released an EP titled Lull. I wonder if that will get reissued as well or just included on the Gish disc. Also I wonder if the song “Drown” will appear on either reissue (the song originally appeared on the Singles soundtrack and is probably the best thing that the band has ever written).
Admittedly I am not a big fan of the Smashing Pumpkins. I think the first two records are amazing but after that I really couldn’t care less. Hopefully these reissues will have some good stuff on them and not be too expensive, otherwise they might not be worth getting.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Ducky Boys Reunite
PunkNews.org is reporting that Boston
This is indeed great news!
Movie Review: Red Riding Hood
Red Riding Hood is a modern take on the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale that transforms the original cautionary story into a werewolf fantasy with varying degrees of success.
First what’s good about the film. The production is fantastic making this an excellent looking movie. The acting is also surprisingly good (I wasn’t expecting much considering all of the negative things that I’ve heard about the filmbut Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman both did excellent jobs). The special effects were also quite good.
Now the bad. The story was weak and the writing lackluster. The film tried to make you unsure of the identity of the werewolf but the writing was so mediocre that the execution of these moments just fell flat. That having been said I was surprised by the identity of the wolf but didn’t care that much.
Overall this isn’t a terrible movie but it certainly isn’t worth seeing at full price (I went to the dollar movie myself). If you at all interested in how folklore tales are portrayed in modern films, then you should check out Red Riding Hood but don’t expect anything reminiscent of the tales told by Charles Perrault or the Brothers Grimm.
Blast from the Past: To See the Sun
Originally from Stillwater , OK
To See the Sun, the band’s second album, was another great release from a band that seemed poised to become the next big thing. Sadly for Wakeland two things conspired against them: first the major label that they signed to, Giant, went through a major restructuring soon after they joined the roster; and second the Gin Blossoms. You see Toad the Wet Sprocket had a couple of really big hits from their 1991 album Fear in “All I Want” and “Walk on the Ocean” and the musical landscape was just itching for the next band that essential did what Toad did. Wakeland should have been that band but instead those shoes were filled by the Gin Blossoms when they released New Miserable Experience in 1992 and landed hits with the songs “Hey Jealousy,” “Found Out About You,” and “Until I Fall Away.” The Gin Blossoms success, like many of that era, was limited to one album (and a couple of soundtrack appearances), so Wakeland never really stood a chance at commercial success after that. Which is a shame because songs like “Misconstrued” from To See the Sun and “Half of You” from Wanting (it was also re-recorded for their only release on Giant, Magnetic) should have been huge hits.
Despite the fact that Wakeland missed their big break, they did leave a back catalog of great power pop records, even if they do sound a bit dated now.
Currently Listening
1. “Breaking Down Again” by Armchair Martin (from Good Guys, Bad Band)
2. “All Hail Me” by Veruca Salt (American Thighs)
3. “The Electric Co.” by U2 (from Boy [Deluxe Edition] Disc 1)
4. “We Were Sick” by The Thermals (from Now We Can See)
5. “Black Gold” by Soul Asylum (from Black Gold: The Best of Soul Asylum)
6. “Your Kisses are Wasted on Me” by The Pipettes (from We Are The Pipettes)
7. “Living and Learning” by Old Man Markley (from Guts n’ Teeth)
8. “Your Revolution Song” by Mark Lind & the Unloved (from The Truth Can Be Brutal)
9. “Type” by Living Colour (from Everything is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour)
10. “Country Boy” by Johnny Cash (from Unchained)
2. “All Hail Me” by Veruca Salt (American Thighs)
3. “The Electric Co.” by U2 (from Boy [Deluxe Edition] Disc 1)
4. “We Were Sick” by The Thermals (from Now We Can See)
5. “Black Gold” by Soul Asylum (from Black Gold: The Best of Soul Asylum)
6. “Your Kisses are Wasted on Me” by The Pipettes (from We Are The Pipettes)
7. “Living and Learning” by Old Man Markley (from Guts n’ Teeth)
8. “Your Revolution Song” by Mark Lind & the Unloved (from The Truth Can Be Brutal)
9. “Type” by Living Colour (from Everything is Possible: The Very Best of Living Colour)
10. “Country Boy” by Johnny Cash (from Unchained)
Monday, April 25, 2011
Good Things Can Come from a Misinterpreted Tweet
Like Soundgarden reuniting.
From the story –
A post on Twitter early last year from frontman Chris Cornell about the relaunch of the Soundgarden fan club led to overeager fans mistakingly thinking the Seattle band was reforming -- and word soon went viral.
In an interview with Kerrang! (via The Guardian), guitarist Kim Thayil revealed that talk of the band's 'return' led to the group being offered shows -- and after thinking it would be "fun" to play a Seattle show, the rest, they say, is history.
He said, "We had neglected our legacy and our fans, so we were just starting the fan club up again."
But a less-than-clear tweet from Cornell -- which said, "The 12-year break is over & school is back in session" -- led to mistaken hopes that the band were reuniting. He added: "I spent a lot of time trying to explain to my friends that we weren't back together. My mother called and said, 'We've heard the news, why didn't you tell us?'"
"It generated a lot of interest and my phone was ringing off the hook with people offering us shows. We turned most of them down, but thought it would be fun to play that show in Seattle [in April 2010] and eventually Lollapalooza. It was only around then that there was talk about doing some new material."
I Get the Feeling that I Really Should Like Fleet Foxes But…
I just can’t get into them. NPR is streaming their new record and I tried to listen to it but it really did nothing for me. It’s not like I have a thing against folk music, because I don’t. I’ve gotten a lot of folk type stuff this year and have enjoyed it (in fact I’m a HUGE Chuck Ragan fan) but there’s something about Fleet Foxes that I just can’t get. What am I missing?
Interestingly, while going through the NPR Music posts in my Google Reader I came across this story about Eliza Doolittle and decided to check out some of her videos on YouTube and was very impressed with what I heard. She has a sultry voice and great pop sensibilities. She kind of reminds me of a more soulful Lily Allen. I’m definitely going to have to get some of her stuff.
I just found it kind of interesting that it was the pop artist that I really liked and the alt country/folk artist that I didn’t like. Weird.
Here is an Eliza Doolittle video and a Fleet Foxes video. Which do you prefer?
Does Anyone Know How to Turn Off that Inner Monologue?
You know, that incessant conversation without yourself that tends to obsess with whatever problems that you are having. Yeah I’d like to turn that off.
New to Me: Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams
As I mentioned in my recent Great Band Alert post, the Candy Hearts is an excellent indie rock / pop punk and Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams is an extremely solid debut album. The album was released last March and I’m honestly sad that I haven’t heard it until now. The album starts out with the extremely catchy “What I Want” and is followed by the equally catchy and fun “Blocking the Sunshine.” Those two songs pretty much set the mood for the entire record. There are some slower moments but they in no way detract from the record. In fact I think that it is those moment that prove that Candy Hearts are more than your average female-fronted pop punk band, because there’s a lot more going on here than that.
Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams truly sounds like something that could have come out in the glory days of the ‘90s indie scene along side the likes of The Blake Babies, The Lemonheads, and The Muffs. In fact it is The Muffs that Candy Hearts really remind me of, which could be do to the vocal similarities but I think it has more to do with the fact that these are bands that know how to write great pop songs. I think that is also why I keep thinking of The Thermals as well. In fact if The Muffs and The Thermals had a kid, it would probably be the Candy Hearts.
If you are a fan of any of the aforementioned bands, the do yourself a favor and check out the Candy Hearts!
Currently Listening
1. “Shoot the Moon” by Face to Face (from How to Ruin Everything)
2. “Back & Forth” by Foo Fighters (from Wasting Light)
3. “What I Want” by Candy Hearts (from Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams)
4. “Looking Back” by The Ducky Boys (from Three Chords and the Truth)
5. “Dead Ends” by The GC5 (from Never Bet the Devil Your Head)
6. “Can We Get Together?” by Hunx & His Punx (from Too Young to Be in Love)
7. “Anyway” by The Lemonheads (from Lick)
8. “Leash” by Pearl Jam (from Vs.)
9. “Fall Into Line” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)
10. “Sexual Healing” by Soul Asylum (from No Alternative)
2. “Back & Forth” by Foo Fighters (from Wasting Light)
3. “What I Want” by Candy Hearts (from Ripped Up Jeans and Silly Dreams)
4. “Looking Back” by The Ducky Boys (from Three Chords and the Truth)
5. “Dead Ends” by The GC5 (from Never Bet the Devil Your Head)
6. “Can We Get Together?” by Hunx & His Punx (from Too Young to Be in Love)
7. “Anyway” by The Lemonheads (from Lick)
8. “Leash” by Pearl Jam (from Vs.)
9. “Fall Into Line” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)
10. “Sexual Healing” by Soul Asylum (from No Alternative)
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Are Indie Artists Improving Pop Music?
Richard Trapunski of Spinner certainly thinks so.
From the story –
I have to admit that I haven’t listened to a lot of the artists mentioned in the story, but there does seem to be more pop music that isn’t terrible these days. Hopefully this is a trend that continues long into the future.In the last few years, pop music started taking risks and this began, as most such movements do, in the indie scene.
It's no secret that the musical landscape is evolving rapidly and that tried-and-true methods are no longer infallible. The internet has democratized the record industry and even proven stars are often unable to adapt to the increasingly uncertain terrain.
[...]
Still, the fact that edgy, forward-thinking music is coming from the realm of pop is surprising to say the least. Inextricably linked to record sales, the pop industry is typically perceived as one of the last major bastions of musical conservatism, a genre mired in a system that often resists adaptation.
Morrissey Completes Autobiography
Spinner is reporting that Morrissey has completed a 600 page memoir and is hoping to release it through Penguin Books. Apparently the Moz isn’t sure if anyone would want to read about his life and I have to admit I’m not sure if I could sit through 600 pages of it either, but then I’m not a diehard fan. I would be interested in reading his take on the story of The Smiths and a bit about his early solo career but beyond that I just don’t really care (no offense or anything).
Money Quote –
It can be assumed that the singer will dish on everything from Johnny Marr toPrime Minister David Cameron. But we really just want to know why he's so sad. UK
CD Review: Wasting Light
Aside from being the band’s first number one album, Wasting Light is pretty much what you’d expect from a Foo Fighters record—catchy songs with bog choruses. About the best way I can think to describe the Foo Fighters’ music is to say that it is a mixture of post hardcore (ala Sunny Day Real Estate and Hot Water Music) and classic arena rock (ala Boston and Kiss). On the surface one might not think that these would be two great tastes that actually taste great together, but Dave Grohl and company have pulled it off and have done so for the past 16 years. And if Wasting Light is any indication, this band is no where near to slowing down.
Up to this point, the Foo Fights have not put out a bad record and Wasting Light continues in that tradition. In fact I’d go so far as to say that this is not only a great record but one of the best of the year. Stand out tracks include “Back & Forth,” “These Days,” “Bridge Burning,” and “A Matter of Time” but to be honest the entire thing is great. My only concern going into this record was that with the Pat Smear back in the band (as the third guitarist) that the record would feel busy but it doesn’t. In fact I think the inclusion of Smear has made the band that much stronger.
One thing that I’ve always liked about this band is how down to earth they seem. Granted I’ve never met them and am going entirely off of the interviews that I have seen and read, but these guys all seem extremely well grounded and I don’t detect an ounce of rock star attitude. That is impressive.
An Explanation of the Different Types of Posts About CDs & Albums
Every day I like to try to do a post about a specific CD or album. So far these have been my Blast from the Past and Review posts. I’m going to be adding two more types to this group of posts but I figured that I should explain them all a bit first.
- Blast from the Past – These are posts about albums that were released over 10 years ago. Often they are also records that I have personal stories about, but not always.
- Reviews – These are posts about albums that have been released within the past year.
- New to Me – These are posts about albums that I have just recently discovered, but are over a year old (thus not eligible for the Reviews post).
- Spotlight – These are posts about albums that don’t fit into any of the other categories. Sometimes they will be things that I’ve known about for a long time but aren’t old enough for the Blast from the Past posts and sometimes they are albums that are fairly new to me but not new enough to fit into the New to Me group (a perfect example of this would be the album Gold Country by Chuck Ragan; I got this earlier in the year so it is not “new to me” anymore but it doesn’t fit in any of the other categories either).
One last thing… When I use the term Album in the title Album Review it is referring to something that I have downloaded (the same is said for EP). I use the term CD in the title when I physically have a copy of the CD.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Save the Date: Red City Radio & Roustabouts May 20th
Blast from the Past: Kisses From Hanoi
In 2000 The GC5 released their debut album, Kisses From Hanoi, on Outsider Records. The record is a blistering blast of punk rock reminiscent of Stiff Little Fingers, The Replacements, and The Clash with double lead vocals by bassist Doug McKean and guitarist Pete Kyrou. Lyrically the songs talk about the plight of the working class, failures of the American economic system, and friendship. Sonically Kisses From Hanoi is one of the hardest hitting and most energetic albums out there.
I first saw The GC5 when they opened up for the Hudson Falcons in the back of Music Dimensions and was totally blown away by their performance. And if that wasn’t cool enough, when I met them after the show then turned out to be super awesome guys. I was lucky enough to see them at least one other time before they called it a day and was always impressed that they remembered me.
In 2003 Think Records reissued Kisses From Hanoi along with the import EP Horseshoes & Handgrenades on one CD. The result is 19 of the best tracks that punk rock has to offer. Stand out tracks include “One for Eugene,” “Bodies,” “A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing,” “City Lights,” “White Flag,” their cover of The Replacements’ classic “Bastards of Young,” and my personal favorite “Refused.” The CG5 was one of those bands that got well know in the late ‘90s, early ‘00s as part of the oi/street punk scene. Like many of those bands (the Hudson Falcons and OKC’s own Roustabouts) that label really didn’t fit this band or their music. The CG5 were never an oi or street punk band. They were a fantastic rock ‘n’ roll band and put out two of the best records that not near enough people have heard.
Friday, April 22, 2011
The Top 10 Pop Punk Albums of All Time?
Thomas Nassiff has put together a list of The Top 10 Pop-Punk Albums of All Time as interpreted by Thomas Nassiff. My initial reaction to the list was “WTF?!? This is a terrible list!” The more I think about it though I think that this list just shows the tastes of someone who has probably never bothered to learn the history of pop punk beyond Green Day. And to be fair I suspect that Mr. Nassiff is young, probably in his early 20s so he may not have had a chance to learn the history and amazing bands that laid the foundation for those he has listed. That having been said though, when I first got involved in underground music, I did my homework. I read up on bands, poured over album liner notes, got mail order catalogues, and read through books on the history of rock ‘n’ roll. I did all of that without the internet. So what is his excuse?
Someone in the comments of the post stated that he should have called this list My Favorite Pop Punk Albums of All Time, to which he responded that he did by inserting “as interpreted” in the title. I guess he has a point, but seeing as he is working as a writer I would hope that he would understand the drastic difference between those two titles. If I was to list my personal favorite pop punk records of all time it would be a different list than if I listed what I saw as the greatest records of the genre. But then again I may just be parsing words here.
Someone in the comments of the post stated that he should have called this list My Favorite Pop Punk Albums of All Time, to which he responded that he did by inserting “as interpreted” in the title. I guess he has a point, but seeing as he is working as a writer I would hope that he would understand the drastic difference between those two titles. If I was to list my personal favorite pop punk records of all time it would be a different list than if I listed what I saw as the greatest records of the genre. But then again I may just be parsing words here.
So what do I think are the greatest and most important pop punk records of all time? Great question. I’m going to do my best to come up with this list off the top of my head and with a little bit of internet searching, but it is not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the means. Also before I start the list, let me state that these are the albums that I think have been the most important to the genre and are not necessarily my personal favorites. Also I have left out records by bands that aren’t actually pop punk, even though they have influenced pop punk (Bad Religion’s Suffer and pretty much anything by The Bouncing Souls comes to mind).
- Ramones by Ramones
- Milo Goes to College by Descendents
- My Brain Hurts by Screeching Weasel
- Allroy’s Revenge by ALL
- Dookie by Green Day
- Riverdales by Riverdales
- Love Songs for the Retarded by The Queers
- Love is Dead by The Mr. T Experience
- Punk in Drublic by NOFX
- They Came from the Shadows by Teenage Bottlerocket *
* I couldn’t let the entire list consist of albums from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s now could I?
*Update 4/23 10:04 AM* After sleeping on it I realized that I left Jawreaker’s 24 Hour Revenge Therapy off the list (one could also make the case that Dear You belongs on the list as well).
I also purposefully avoided including any of the bands that mix pop punk with emo (like Alkaline Trio, New Found Glory, Jimmy Eat World, etc.). I forgot to mention that last night.
And on a related note, check out my post The Greatest Pop Punk Bands That Didn’t Get Their Due.
Quote of the Day
-- Dave Grohl“It’s weird when there’s a kid on the bill who comes up and says, ‘Your band was my first concert,’” he muses. “You just think, ‘Oh no. I’m that guy, now? What am I, f—ing Gandalf?’”
Ian Holm Will Return in The Hobbit
Despite the fact that Martin Freeman is playing Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, Peter Jackson has confirmed that Ian Holm will also be reprising the role of Bilbo in the film. Since they are bringing back Elijah Wood as Frodo, I’m glad to see that Holm will be returning as well.
Great Band Alert: Candy Hearts
Candy Hearts is an indie rock, pop punk band from Purchase, NY that is dripping with ‘90s nostalgia. Their debut album, Ripped Jeans and Silly Dreams, was released last year and is available for free through BandCamp (see link below). If you are a fan of bands like The Muffs and The Thermals then I highly suggest you checking out Candy Hearts.
For more information on Candy Hearts check out their Official website, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Last.fm, BandCamp.
Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.
Blast from the Past: Trompe Le Monde
In 1991 the Pixies released what would end up being their last album in the musical tour de force Trompe Le Monde. Trompe Le Monde and Doolittle were my introductions to the band and remain my two favorite Pixies records to this day. One criticism often put on Trompe Le Monde is the lack of any songs by Kim Deal (and the lack of her on backing vocals as well). AllMusic critic went so far as to say that this was “essentially Black Francis' solo debut.” She went on to say that “the band sounds revitalized on Trompe le Monde, as if it were planned as their last hurrah.” I’m not sure if the band had planned on this being their last record or not (I tend to doubt it) but it certainly does have that feeling of a “last hurrah.”
Trompe Le Monde is a powerful record that mixes pop, punk, and surf with Black Francis’ science fiction themed lyrics (many of which I still can’t grasp, even after 20 years of listening to this record) and includes a blistering cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain’s “Head On.” Other highlights include “U-Mass” with its area rock-like guitar riff, the sweet love song “Letter to Memphis
While many of the bands that they influenced went on to be huge rock stars, the Pixies remain in the underground as cult heroes. In 2004 the band reunited and has since gone on a slew of tours but there’s no word of a new record. In a way I hope that they don’t record anything new so that Trompe Le Monde can always be the record that they used to go out with, with a bang and a scream.
Happy Earth Day!!!!
Check out these amazing pictures of our beautiful planet from space.
Be nice to Mother Nature today and recycle something!
Currently Listening
1. “Don’t Let Me Down” by Automatic Loveletter (from Truth or Dare)
2. “Blocking the Sunshine” by Candy Hearts (from Ripped Jeans and Silly Dreams)
3. “Never Noticed” by Buffalo Tom (from Besides: A Collection of B-Sides and Rarities)
4. “The Curse of Being Young” by Hunx & His Punx (from Too Young to Be in Love)
5. “Tombstone Bonus” by John Moreland (from Hope Springs Ephemeral [EP])
6. “Finally” by Jon Snodgrass (from Visitor’s Band)
7. “Ugly Truth Rock” by Matthew Sweet (from Altered Beast)
8. “I Don’t Believe You” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
9. “Down with the Kids” by Teenage Frames (from More Songs, Less Music)
10. “Hyper Enough” by Superchunk (from Here’s Where the Strings Come In)
2. “Blocking the Sunshine” by Candy Hearts (from Ripped Jeans and Silly Dreams)
3. “Never Noticed” by Buffalo Tom (from Besides: A Collection of B-Sides and Rarities)
4. “The Curse of Being Young” by Hunx & His Punx (from Too Young to Be in Love)
5. “Tombstone Bonus” by John Moreland (from Hope Springs Ephemeral [EP])
6. “Finally” by Jon Snodgrass (from Visitor’s Band)
7. “Ugly Truth Rock” by Matthew Sweet (from Altered Beast)
8. “I Don’t Believe You” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)
9. “Down with the Kids” by Teenage Frames (from More Songs, Less Music)
10. “Hyper Enough” by Superchunk (from Here’s Where the Strings Come In)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Finally 1991: The Year Punk Broke is Coming to DVD
Pitchfork is reporting that the Sonic Youth documentary 1991: The Year Punk Broke will finally be making its way to DVD. The film is an excellent look at the underground music scene in 1991 and includes Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Gumball, Babes in Toyland, and the Ramones.
I used to have this on VHS but sold it at some point when I was poor (wait…I’m still poor). I can’t wait to get this!
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