Descendents/ALL Documentary

PunkNews.org is reporting that directors Deedle Lacour and Matt Riggle are working on a documentary chronicling the one group’s quest for “the total extent” entitled Filmage: The Story of Descendents / ALL. 

Needless to say I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s the film's teaser –

Filmage Teaser from Deedle LaCour on Vimeo.

And just for a bit of fun here are a couple of Allular videos –

Listen to England Keep My Bones

Frank Turner’s latest album, England Keep My Bones, in now streaming on NME’s website and it sounds great!  Listen to it below. 

 

Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.

Listen to Sasquatch 2011

NPR Music is streaming practically every performance from this years Sasquatch festival.  You can check out entire sets by the likes of Bob Mould, Foo Fighters, The Thermals, Archers of Loaf, Flogging Molly, Guided By Voices, Wilco, and our very own The Flaming Lips.      

Do You Fall in Love with Bands or Records?

In an episode of the show Vinyl Vision Travis Searle from Guestroom Records made a statement that he doesn’t love bands.

I have a weird policy about not falling in love with bands because I think ultimately bands will disappoint you.  So I love records.  Like, I love specific albums that document because that album is never going to disappoint you.  If you’re a fan of a specific band you know, that band is going to put out five or ten or 20 or two, whatever, number of records and one of them is the one that you fall in love with and then the next one “yeah it’s good, meh it’s ok.”  It’s hard to be in love with an artist over an extended period of time because the material changes as they evolve so I love albums and I love singles.  I love that specific document that I’m never gonna fall out of love with. 

Personally I’ve (nearly) always been a person who falls in love with bands.  And when I fall for a band, I fall hard and become an often obsessive fan.  What Travis said is true about bands disappointing you (as I discussed in the post Falling Out of Love with Your Favorite Band), but even with that being the case I still see myself as someone who loves bands and artists more so than just records.  Are there cases where I have fallen in love with a record but not the artists?  Absolutely, in fact Teenage Fanclub’s Bandwagonesque immediately comes to mind as a record that I love but a band that I don’t. 

Are there times when my favorite bands disappoint me?  Absolutely.  There are records by ALL and the Descendents that I think are mediocre at best but in both cases they came back with stellar releases.  With the exception of Achtung Baby, pretty much everything that U2 did in the 1990s was a disappointment.  The same can be said for R.E.M. in the post-Bill Berry years.  In the case of U2 and R.E.M., I love specific eras of the bands and in the case of ALL and the Descendents I just love the bands.  I also love Drag the River, Chuck Ragan, 7 Seconds, Dag Nasty, The Replacements, The GC5, and Swingin’ Utters (just to name a few).  In each of these cases there are releases that I prefer more than others, but none of them have disappointed me to the point of wanting to completely stop loving the artist.  Maybe I’m weird like that. 

What do you think?  Are you someone who falls in love with bands or albums or maybe just songs? 

Video of the Day

"Tack" by Descendents

Happy Memorial Day!

Thank you to all of the men and women in our armed services past, present, and future for your hard work, dedication, and sacrifices.  Because of you, we are free. 

Falling Out of Love with Your Favorite Band

The other day I heard the Dropkick Murphys’ “Going Out In Style” on the KATT and it kind of made me ill.  My reaction was based on two things: 1) the way that the DJ acted like they were doing something amazing by playing DKM and 2) the fact that the song in question isn’t that great.  In fact the more I hear the band’s latest album of the same name, the more disappointed I get.  Dropkick Murphys were once a powerhouse of a band that had the potential to become one of the most important bands in the world but Going Out In Style sounds more like shtick, a band going through the motions than a band playing passionate music.  I could be off base of course and simply not enjoying this record as much due to my evolving musical tastes, but I’m not sure that is totally the case. 

I’ve been a long-time fan of DKM going all the way back to their early seven inch record releases before Do or Die.  I’ve watched this band change, grow, and evolve and it just seems to me that they have settled on something that they know works and have decided to simply churn out “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”-esque records.  There’s nothing wrong at all with them doing this, especially if that means continued success (they do have families they have to support and all), but the music lacks that passion and spark that made their previous albums so special.  Because of that I’ve really stopped listening to DKM.  I deleted most of their albums from my computer (I’m running out of hard drive space and thus have to get picky about what I keep on there) and haven’t picked up a copy of any of their albums to listen to in the kitchen for months (I listen to music while cooking a lot).  In a lot of ways the connection that I used to feel to this band is almost completely severed.  At this point I think of DKM the same way that I think of U2, as a band that was hugely import to me at one point in my life but will probably not make any music that comes close to their brilliant previous records.  Ironically I used to think of DKM as the next U2 so in a way it is fitting that they now occupy the same space in my mind. 

For a music junkie, it’s never fun realizing that you no longer love a band in the same way that you used to.  Sometimes it happens because your personal tastes have changed.  Sometimes it happens because something in the band or their music changed.  For me I think it is a bit of both that has caused me to fall out of love with the Dropkick Murphys.  That having been said, DKM are still one of my top five favorite bands of all time and there are some really good songs on Going Out In Style (the workers anthem “Take ‘Em Down” comes to mind), I just feel that I’ve lost that intimate connection with them and their music.  I’m not the only one that’s gone through these type of musical breakups either.  Recently NPR’s All Songs Considered covered this very topic.  You can check out their coverage here and here.  Also on a related note, you can read my original review of Going Out In Style here and my review of the Swingin’ Utters new album Here, Under Protest here (it’s related, trust me). 

Have you ever fallen out of love or broken up with one of your favorite bands? 

Video of the Day

"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons

Who Would’ve Guessed?

It seems that Courtney Love is the lady that the young starlets with drug problems like to call when in a fix.  Hey, at least she knows CPR. 

Currently Listening

1. “Let It Rain” by Chuck Ragan (from Gold Country)
2. “Civil Twilight” by Doug McKean (from Esperanto Sessions)
3. “Don’t Wanna Know” by Feel Spectres (from Feel Spectres)
4. “All Heads Down” by Hot Water Music (from The New What Next)
5. “Not That Rad” by Jon Snodgrass (from Visitor’s Band)
6. “Ugly Truth Rock” by Matthew Sweet (from Altered Beast)
7. “Tie Me Up” by The Pavers (from Local 1500)
8. “August” by Rilo Kiley (from Take Offs and Landings)
9. “Ok Alright” by Same Day Service (from Same Day Service E.P.)
10. “I Need Feedback” by The Departed (from Untitled 21: A Juvenile Tribute to Swingin’ Utters)

Video of the Day

"Eulogy" by The Flatliners

17 Lost Pyramids Discovered

Thanks to inferred satellite imaging, 17 lost pyramids have been discovered in Egypt.  Read all about it here and here.

I Think That it is Pretty Safe to Say…

That unless she wants to be in court forever, then someone needs to take away Courtney Love’s access to Twitter. 

Underappreciated Band Alert: Teenage Frames

Teenage Frames are a garage rock / power pop / rock ‘n’ roll band that formed in Chicago, IL and now live in Los Angeles, CA.  Since forming in 1997 the band has released two full-length albums and four EPs.  Sadly these are not the easiest CDs to get a hold of (the folks at Guestroom Records have thus far been unable to get me any of their releases).  I lucked into a copy of the Kingsize Sessions EP at a Hastings and have a burned copy of More Songs, Less Music.  The band is selling all of their releases through CD Baby (see link below) so hopefully I’ll be able to get my hands on more of their stuff soon. 

For those who have never heard Teenage Frames, they have a sound that mixes The Jam with The Ramones with The Rolling Stones while at the same time sounding fresh and original.  This is great stuff for fans of the aforementioned bands and the likes of The Devil Dogs, Cheap Trick, and Material Issue. 

For more information on Teenage Frames check out their Official website, Facebook, MySpace, AllMusic, CD Baby, Yahoo Music, Rhapsody Music.

Blast from the Past: East Side Drive

Title:  East Side Drive (Amazon, Interpunk, CD Universe, AllMusic)

Artist:  The Heartdrops (MySpace, AllMusic)

The Heartdrops was a greaser rock / garage rock / pop punk band from NYC.  During their all too short career the band released a handful of seven inch EPs and two full-length albums, both on Melted Records.  East Side Drive, the band’s second and final record, showed a band that had come completely into itself.  The Heartdrops’ debut album, This is The Heartdrops, was a very good record but East Side Drive was a great record.

Released in 1999, at the end of the decade/century/millennium East Side Drive harkens back to all of the great moments in rock ‘n’ roll history mixing elements of Elvis Presley, The Ramones, and The Devil Dogs (just to name a few).  In fact, it is The Devil Dogs that The Heartdrops were most compared to at the time and while I think it is a very fair comparison, the singing on both of The Heartdrops records was far superior to that of The Devil Dogs. 

Sadly I missed the one time that The Heartdrops played OKC (and it was at The Hole no less), but I’ve still got both of their CDs and highly recommend them, especially East Side Drive. 

10 Questions with OK SWEETHEART

OK SWEETHEART is an indie pop duo that hails, at least sometimes, from Tulsa, OK.  Their music is reminiscent of ‘60s pop with a hint of jazz in the smooth vocals. 

This interview was conducted via email with Erin Austin, May 18-27, 2011.    

For more information on OK SWEETHEART check out their Official website, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, YouTube.

Dave:  How did the band get together?

Erin Austin:  Rob and I met in 2003 in music theory class in college.  We started working together on my solo project in December of 2006. After beginning the recording process in October of 2008, for my solo record, they began thinking about releasing the record under a band name instead. In September of 2009, OK SWEETHEART was officially formed.

Dave:  You recently released your debut album Home digitally through your own label.  Do you have any plans for a physical release of the record?

Erin:  We don't have our own label. The record was released independently with the help of Medallion Music out of Chicago. We have physical copies of the record that we sell in a few independent music stores and such but we are not currently pursuing physical distribution.

Dave:  What made you decide to release the album through your own label?  Have you received any interest from any other record labels?  Are there any labels that you’d like to work with?

Erin:  Yes, we have received interest from a few labels but nothing concrete. We're going to keep doing with we're doing and if a good offer comes along that seems to work for us and it just so happens to be with really good people, we'll definitely consider it. For now, what we have going is working just fine for where we are.

Dave:  You’ve described your music as a “vintage '60s pop sound with a jazz/Billie Holiday sounding voice.”  Is that the kind of music that you grew up on?  What has drawn you to writing/performing this type of music?

Erin:  I never listened to jazz until after college. I actually don't know much of Billie Holiday's repertoire. People compare the sound and timbre of my voice to hers. The writing style that I used for this particular record was inspired but bands like The Beattles, at first, and then I started branching out and listening to the likes of Harry Nillsson, Neal Young, Randy Newman and The Zombies. In December of 2007, I decided that if I was going to be a writer, I had to take it seriously and actually do it. Rob suggested a strict diet of The Beattles just so I could get classic pop song writing form, melody and feel down pat.

Dave:  What are your thoughts on the music scene in Oklahoma?  How does it compare to the music scenes in Denton, TX and New York City?

Erin:   I've only been touring and "in" the music scene for about a year and a half now. What I'm realizing the longer I'm in it is that it's a very small scene and it's all encompassing. My friends from Denton play with band from NYC and Tulsa. My friends from Norman, play with friends from LA and the connections go on and on. There are some incredible talents in Oklahoma, Ryan Lindsey (as a solo artist and in a collective punk project called BRONCH) is an incredible writer, Brine Webb has a stunning voice and great writing, Samantha Crain and Sherree Chamberlin ... Wink Burcham ... the list goes on. My biggest complaint about the music scene in Oklahoma is that people can get really lazy because it's easy to live cheaply there. If people arent self motivated, they wont get stuff done and they spend half the day getting high of there bums playing video games. I'm not dogging on either of those things ... hell, they are both fun, but if you don't make yourself produce something, they your talent is being wasted. Also, people are finicky about support in Oklahoma. If you get too mainstream an your not struggling enough, you're not cool enough for the cool kids. If you're not mainstream enough, regular folks won't show support. It can be a strange dynamic.

Dave:  Your song “Home” has appeared on episodes of 90210 and One Tree Hill.  How did that happen?  Have you gotten a lot of response/interest from people who heard the song on those shows?

Erin:  I signed a sync licensing deal with a company that places your songs in TV and Film. Once it aired on One Tree Hill, 90210 wanted it for their season finally. They company works hard but it's also a snow ball kind of deal. I have paid too much attention to the response but I assume some folks that heard the song might have bought it on itunes, if they liked it.

Dave:  Will you be touring this year in support of the new album?  Any chance for a show in the OKC metro area?

Erin:  Yes, We are on the road most of this year. We just got done with a three month tour and have two weeks off and are back out mid-June. Yes, we are playing at the Opolis in Norman with Mr. Ryan Lindsey (mentioned above) on June 21st.

Dave:  This is a High Fidelity inspired question.  What are your top five all time favorite bands, albums, movies, TV shows, books/authors?

Erin:  Awe shucks ... These questions are the worst because I'm so not in touch with things and I think the answers always change. I don't know about Rob, but for me, I'll give it a go.

Bands:

(1) The Beattles

(2) Harry Nillsson

(3) Neal Young

(4) Randy Newman

(5) The Zombies

Albums:

(1) Revolver

(2) Harvest
(3) Little Criminals
(4) That last Andrew Bird record I went a little nutzo for
(5) Van Occupanther

Movies:

(1) An Affair To Remember
(2) Dan in Real Life
(3) It's a Wonderful Life
(4) Anything James Bond
(5) I can't do horror movies ... at all. I scream like a little girl and get really uptight.

Books
(1) The Great Gatspy
(2) Night
(3) On The Road
(4) Pride and Prejudice
(5) The Picture of Dorian Gray

Dave:  What’s next for OK SWEETHEART?

Erin:  We have another tour starting in mid-June. I'm in NYC writing for two weeks and Rob is in LA setting up a recording studio there where we'll record our next record. We started recording again a few weeks ago in Austin, TX and would like this next record to come out next year.

Dave:  Any final thoughts?

Erin: Nope :). If you need clarification or have anymore questions, I'd be pleased to answer 'em. Just let me know.

Thank you!

Hugs,
Erin

Cover Wars: "Wayfarer"

Hot Water Music vs. The Bouncing Souls




My Vote:  Again, both are great. 

Great Band Alert: The Front Bottoms

The Front Bottoms is an indie pop / folk duo from Westwood, NJ.  The band’s sound is a bit hard to place.  It’s not that it sounds strikingly new, because it doesn’t, but it doesn’t really sound like anything else either.  It’s new and familiar all at the same time.  They have two releases that you can get through BandCamp (see link below).  I look forward to seeing what these guys do next. 

For more information on The Front Bottoms check out BandCamp, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, PureVolume, and Last.fm. 

Thanks to AbsolutePunk for the find.

EP Review: Come Out

Title:  Come Out (BandCamp, SoundCloud)

Artist:  Judas Booth (Official, BandCamp, MySpace)

Judas Booth is an electronic/industrial project that is based in New York City.  Come Out, a five song EP, is the act’s latest release and available to download for free (see links above).  I’m not a big fan of electronic or industrial music.  In fact my knowledge of these genres is fairly limited to stuff released in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s by the likes of KMFDM, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, and Nine Inch Nails, so I feel fairly unqualified in providing an opinion on this EP.  The production and recording are all of a very high quality and the instruments are well played, but I just don’t like it.  This isn’t my thing, but that’s not to say that it’s not good.  If you are a fan of electronic and industrial music then I’d suggest giving Come Out a listen.  Be warned though (in case this type of thing bothers you), it is very bad-word heavy.   

Amended Review 5/29 –

The opening track “Chopped and Screwed” starts out with a distorted voice talking about the “perverse society” and then moves into a dance beat with a chorus that includes some guttural vocals. I’ve tried to discern the lyrics to the song but have had little success (other than the reoccurring use of the phrase “fuck buddy”). There is no real break between this and the second track “Hypnosis Murderer” which is a faster and shorter track that includes the repeated refrain “aren’t you sick of you.” “Used As A Verb” is the third and strongest track on the EP with a strong and catchy beat and a good hook in the chorus. “Pretty Deadly” really reminds me of KMFDM with a extremely fast and catchy verse, but the chorus returns to the death metal-esque guttural vocals. Come Out closes with “The Big Chill,” the slowest number on the EP. For some reason this song really reminded me of ‘80s new wave acts like the Human League.

I must admit that the EP grew on me with subsequent listens and that this has been a good exercise for future reviews.

Quote of the Day

I'm not saying that students should disregard the financial impact of selecting a major. Of course not. College is expensive, and everyone should take the time to do the math as it relates to their choices. But college isn't just about the monetary return on investment. And to reduce an education to such a blunt calculation is to ignore the multitude of rewards that have both nothing and everything to do with long-term success. Specifically, the opportunity to learn how to interact with people from all over the world, the ability to question what you know, the chance to push your limits, and to explore the unknown with the relative safety net of knowing that the worst-case scenario for failure is probably little more than a bad grade on a paper.

-- Loren Berlin from the piece Oh, the Humanities: Why Not to Pick a College Major Based on a Salary Chart

Currently Listening

1. “Where the Hell is Bill?” by Camper Van Beethoven (from Telephone Free Landslide Victory [Bonus Tracks])
2. “Why I Had to Go” by Bam!Bam! (from Unicorn)
3. “I Wouldn’t Cry” by Dag Nasty (from Daghouse MP3’s)
4. “Heels Up” by Doug McKean (from Unquiet)
5. “Average” by Armstrong (from Dick: The Lion Hearted)
6. “That’s Youth” by The Bouncing Souls (from BYO Split Series, Vol. IV)
7. “Simple Life” by Austin Lucas & Chuck Ragan (from Bristle Ridge)
8. “Work for Food” by Dramarama (from The Best of Dramarama: 18 Big Ones)
9. “Fight to Live” by Hudson Falcons (from Desire to Burn)
10. “You Bring Me Down” by The Like (from Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?)

Talk About Getting Your Geek On

Space Invaders chairs.

Video of the Day

"Here Comes Trouble" by The Lazy Cowgirls

Snape’s Farewell

Actor Alan Rickman has posted a goodbye letter to Harry Potter.  I can’t imagine anyone else having brought the character of Severus Snape to life as brilliantly as Rickman has.  I cannot wait to see the final Harry Potter film! 

Next Fall is Shaping Up to Be Pretty Good for TV

So far there are three new series that I’m really looking forward to checkout out next fall: Grimm, The Secret Circle, and Ringer.  Hopefully all three will be as good as their previews make them out to be. 

Great Band Alert: Emily’s Army

This band honestly doesn’t need any press from me seeing as it is Billie Joe Armstrong’s son’s band but I can’t help but think that this stuff is freaking great.  As you’d probably expect, Emily’s Army play catchy pop punk. 

For more information on Emily’s Army check out Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Last.fm. 

Thanks to MTV Newsroom for the find.

EP Review: L’OWL EP

Title:  L’OWL EP (BandCamp)

Artist:  The Pizza Thieves (BandCamp, Facebook, MySpace, iLike)

The Pizza Thieves is a low fi / surf rock duo from Norman, OK.  Their latest release is the five song EP L’OWL.  The EP opens with the minimal “”Someone Said It All.”  Up next is probably the best song on L’OWL, “Real American Boy,” which is a catchy low fi indie rock number.  Next is “Gurlz Eyes” which seems a bit manic at times.  Fourth on the EP is “Way Out West!” a song that is catchy but drags on just a bit too long for my tastes.  Finally the track ends with “L’OWL” which is seven minutes of feedback and noise.  There may be a song under there somewhere but if there is I couldn’t make it out. 

Overall The Pizza Thieves sound like early Guided By Voices playing ‘60s surf rock.  The songs are pretty good and show potential but tend to get lost in the feedback and low fi nature of the recordings. 

Thanks to OklahomaRock.com News Blog for the find.

Currently Listening

1. “A Brief Lesson in Repetition” by Red City Radio (from Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug)
2. “We Hate It When We’re Well Respected” by Teenage Frames (from More Songs, Less Music)
3. “Darkness” by They Stay Dead (from They Stay Dead)
4. “Idle Idlylist” by Tim Barry (from Laurel Street Demo 2005)
5. “I’m Gonna Wait” by Wretch Like Me (from The Blasting Room)
6. “Good Things” by Swingin’ Utters (from Here, Under Protest)
6. “Glad I Don’t Know” by The Lemonheads (from Lick)
7. “Feels Right” by Feel Spectres (from Feel Spectres)
8. “What I’m Made Of” by Candy Hearts (from Get a Better Comp)
9. “Take It or Leave It” by The GC5 (from Everything’s Too Fast to Last – Rarities and Unreleased)
10. “I Can’t Turn You Loose” by Otis Redding (from The Definitive Soul Collection Disc 1)

Picture of the Day

Thanks to Dave Town for the find.

Interesting Music/Tech Stat

81% of iTunes music libraries are never played.

Thanks to AbsolutePunk for the find.   

So What Exactly is Selling Out?

That’s what the folks over at AbsolutePunk are discussing.  Personally I think that doing something that goes against your morals/ethics just for money or completely changing your style/sound at the direction of a record executive would constitute selling out, but as a parent I honestly couldn’t blame someone for selling out if he/she did.  Making a living is hard to do, especially in music.  If you have the chance to bank, even if for only a short period of time, you might as well take it – just as long as you’re not stupid with the money and go all MC Hammer because then you’re no better off then you were before…hell you’d probably be worse off. 

The thing is there is a line that we all have that we won’t cross for money.  For some people there isn’t much that they wouldn’t do for money and generally those people are whores (maybe not in the prostitution sense of the word but I think you get my drift).  To me selling out is when someone crosses that line.  This probably has less to do with music than with life in general.  There are things that we all do at our jobs that we hate and there are probably things that we just refuse to do.  Selling out is when you give in and do those things.  Now sometimes this has to be done if you are going to continue making a living.  And sometimes you learn that whatever it was that you had been so against really isn’t the unethical monster that you first thought and thus you reevaluate your line. 

This can easily be the case with music.  A band can start out on an independent record label and swear up and down that they will never sign to a major, only to do just that a few years later.  Said band could have a) sold out for a huge wad of cash, b) decided that working with a major label probably wasn’t an evil thing to and figured what the heck, or c) realized that in order to continue to function they needed the financial support that a major label could provide in order to continue on in their music career.  Only that first option is one that truly compromises the band’s work ethics.  Obviously there are other reasons why a band would sign to a major label (some good and some bad) and there have been many times when good bands signed to majors in good faith only to get screwed in the process. 

At the end of the day it is all a matter of personal ethics and the lines that we each draw in the sand.  And in some cases, at least with music, is selling out really that bad if it means that you are able to support your family?

Video of the Day

"Wait for it . . . Wait for it!!" by Dead To Me

Video of the Day

"American Static" by Two Cow Garage

Underappreciated Band Alert: Sinkhole

This is a new feature that is the sister to the Great Band Alert posts but instead features bands that I think were great but too often forgotten. 

Sinkhole was one of the best and far too often forgotten pop punk bands of the 1990s.  Hailing from the northeast, Sinkhole produced three albums, numerous seven inches, and one retrospective before calling it a day in 1997.  If you can find any of their CDs, they are well worth picking up.  In fact I would go so far as to call all of them classics.  For those who missed the ‘90s this is one of those hidden gem bands that you really should check out. 

Great for fans of ALL, Big Drill Car, The Copyrights, Descendents, and Teenage Bottlerocket. 

For more information on Sinkhole check out their Official website, MySpace, Last.fm, AllMusic.

CD Review: Feel Spectres

Title:  Feel Spectres (Nice People, BandCamp, Amazon)

Artist:  Feel Spectres (Official, Facebook, MySpace, BandCamp, Last.fm)

Oklahoma City’s Feel Spectres describe their music as “If Lou Reed, The B-52s and Edgar Allen Poe started a Pop group.”  Based on their self-titled debut album, I’d say that this is a pretty fair description of the band’s music.  Release last June, Feel Spectres contains 12 indie pop tunes that pull from ‘60s era pop and ‘90s indie rock. 

The album opens with the rockin’ “Moon” and moves into the Guided By Voices-eaque “Blow Up the Moon” and “Feels Right.”  The rest of the album proceeds in much the same vein, with moments that feel like Phil Spector produced pop to moments that feel like forgotten Guided By Voices gems.  The only real moments that don’t jump out as great are the kind of silly “Vampire Bop,” the drawn out “Keep It In Your Head,” the trudging “Don’t Wanna Know,” and the slow “Cold Woman Blue.”  But even with those weaker moments, this is a great debut album that shows a lot of promise. 

Great for fans of Guided By Voices, Hunx & His Punx, and The Pipettes.     

Our Band Could Be Your Life

Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991 (Amazon, Wikipedia) is a book by that I really want to get and read and after listening to this story on NPR, I really want to get it even more! 

Here is the Library Journal blurb from the Amazon entry --

Music journalist Azerrad (Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana) makes it clear through his tales of 13 highly influential punk and indie rock bands from Black Flag to Beat Happening that his subjects could have easily been any misshapen, angst-filled, morbidly creative teens on the planet. In painting the portrait of the volatile 1980s underground music scene, he reveals the importance of subversive-minded musicians in an industry controlled by hit-hungry executives. Azerrad, however, is careful not to glorify this era: sprinkled throughout his inspiring pictures of musical revolt are details of the poverty and drug-induced dilemmas each band faced on its path to cult icon status. Featuring original interviews with the scene's leading lights (e.g., Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth), this collective biography is written in a cultured voice that even low-brow, in-the-know fanzine readers will appreciate.

And if that wasn't cool enough, you can listen to the entire tribute concert here.

Video of the Day

"Sunburnt Hand" by Julia Nunes

Great Band Alert: Bam!Bam!

Bam!Bam! is an indie pop duo from Oakland/Berkley, CA area.  They have breathy vocals with strong harmonies.  Great for fans of The Pipettes, Kate Nash, Hunx & His Punx, and OKC’s own Feel Spectres. 

For more information on Bam!Bam! check out Facebook, Twitter, MySpace.

CD Review: They Stay Dead

Title:  They Stay Dead (BandCamp)

Artist:  They Stay Dead (BandCamp, Facebook, Twitter)

They Stay Dead’s three song self-titled debut EP is nothing short of fantastic.  Formed out of the ashes of Euclid Crash, They Stay Dead play a blistering combination of melodic hardcore and pop punk that harkens back to the likes of Dag Nasty, Wretch Like Me, and Gameface.  The only problem with this EP is that there’s not more of it. 

The EP opens with “Paper” which includes some excellent guitar work and clips from local newscasts about the band (there was a standoff a few months back at a house near where They Stay Dead was practicing).  Next is “Transmission,” another melodic gem with tight guitar and bass work.  “Darkness” closes out the EP with more of the same great melodic punk. 

I’m about to get really picky here, but I’m a music nerd so please forgive me.  To me They Stay Dead sound more like a melodic hardcore band than a pop punk band.  What’s the difference you ask?  Well to some there’s not a lot and even I must admit the differences are subtly but they are there.  The best way that I can think to explain the differences are by providing examples of each subgenre/style.  Melodic hardcore was essentially started by Dag Nasty and Bad Religion (I would also say that these two bands are the best examples of the style).  Both bands were from the hardcore scene but added melody to their driving music.  Pop punk is a style the blends elements of pop music with punk, the best two examples being the Descendents and Screeching Weasel.  All four of these bands write music that is catchy but the Dag Nasty and Bad Religion material is more melodic in nature while the Descendents and Screeching Weasel material is more poppy in nature.  Make sense?  Anyway, to my ear They Stay Dead seem to have more in common, sonically at least, with Dag Nasty and Bad Religion than the Descendents and Screeching Weasel.  Not that they haven’t obviously spent many an hour at the alter of Bill Stevenson mind you, but their sound seems to me at least to rely more on melody than pop.  Either way though, this is a band and an EP that fans of pop punk should love and definitely check out.  Now if they could just hurry up and get back into the studio to record a full length album, that’d be great! 

Currently Listening

1. “Transmission” by They Stay Dead (from They Stay Dead)
2. “The Secret Man” by Feel Spectres (from Feel Spectres)
3. “Aggressive Passion” by Doug McKean (from Esperanto Sessions)
4. “Heavy Head” by Swingin’ Utters (from Here, Under Protest)
5. “Take It or Leave It” by The GC5 (from Everything’s Too Fast to Last – Rarities and Unreleased)
6. “Chasing Heather Crazy” by Guided By Voices (from The Best of Guided By Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates)
7. “Napalm Beach” by Othermothers (from No Place Like Home)
8. “Ok Alright” by Same Day Service (from Same Day Service E.P.)
9. “Never Is Now” by Sinkhole (from Groping for Trout)
10. “I Don’t Believe You” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)

I Need This Magnet

If you are so inclined, you can buy it for me here.

R.I.P. Randy Savage

Professional wrestler Randy Savage died in a car crash on Friday.  Rest well Randy. 

And I know that it is probably too early for this, but it appears that Randy may have helped stave off the rapture yesterday.

Headline of the Day

Headline:  5 Lessons Learned from the Apocalypse Fail, Or, It’s Not the End of the World as We Know It, and I Feel So-So

Video of the Day

"Crossed Wires" by Superchunk


Thanks to Spinner for the find.

Show Review: Red City Radio, Roustabouts, & They Stay Dead at The Conservatory

Artists:  Red City Radio (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Last.fm, PureVolume), Roustabouts (Facebook, MySpace, PureVolume), They Stay Dead (BandCamp, Facebook, Twitter)

Venue:  The Conservatory (Official, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace)

Date:  May 20, 2011

I don’t get out to shows very often but this was one that I wasn’t going to miss! 

The show opened with They Stay Dead, an Edmund melodic hardcore / pop punk band that formed out of the ashes of Euclid Crash.  And boy what an opening it was.  They Stay Dead ripped through a fantastic set of melodic punk rock that left me wanting more.  After their set I picked up their self-titled debut EP which I shall be reviewing in the next few days.  I am looking forward to great things from They Stay Dead! 

Up next, my all time favorite band from the Sooner State, the Roustabouts!  Seeing these guys play again was amazing, even if they didn’t play anything from their fantastic album The Only One.  The set included new songs (some written prior to their hiatus and some that are new) and two covers (one song by The GC5 and one by Guided By Voices; sadly I cannot remember the name of either of these songs either and it is driving me crazy).  The new songs were catchy and powerful and the band hasn’t lost one bit of its energy.  According to the band, they should be heading into the studio sometime soon to record this new material.  Needless to say I am eagerly awaiting the next Roustabouts album!!! 

Finally hometown heroes Red City Radio took the stage for a blistering set of songs from their new album The Dangers of Standing Still and their EP To The Sons and Daughters Of Woody Guthrie.  Before taking the stage, RCR had the lights extinguished, an OKC Thunder banner hung behind the drum kit, and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” blaring to help get the already excited crowd, pumped up (who knew that there were so many basketball fans in punk rock?).  From that point forward it was a pretty crazy show.  The crowd was going nuts and the band completely rocked.  I’d only seen RCR one time prior to this show, years ago when they opened up for the Hudson Falcons, and while they were good then, they have grown into an excellent band.  This is a band that really could go far (in the national punk scene at least) and create a loyal following.  They are also extremely proud of their hometown and that is something that is great to see in a band (in fact I felt my Oklahoma pride billowing up during the show). 

The best part about this show was getting to see the Roustabouts play again and see some folks that I rarely get to see.  Beyond that though, each band put on fantastic performances and left me wanting more.  You really couldn’t ask for a better night of fun, music, and friends. 

Blast from the Past: Fossils

Title:  Fossils (Amazon, CD Universe, Last.fm, Yahoo Music, AllMusic)

Artist:  Dinosaur Jr. (Official, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia)

Fossils is a collection of singles released by Dinosaur Jr. during their years on SST Records.  It was also my first introduction to the band.  The collection is made up of the “Little Fury Things,” “Freak Scene,” and “Just Like Heaven” singles and includes some of the best tracks that this band produced during those years.   

I first picked up Fossils on cassette sometime in 1992 or so and instantly fell in love with it.  The two songs that immediately jumped out at me were “Freak Scene” and Dinosaur Jr.’s amazing cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.”  I remember playing this for my girlfriend (now my wife) and her not really digging it.  Then months later we heard “Start Choppin’” (which incidentally is probably my favorite Dinosaur Jr. song of all time) on the radio and she commented that she really like the song.  I was amazed and thrilled to hear that she finally like Dinosaur Jr.  The thing with this band is you have to like the sound of J Mascis’ voice, otherwise you’ll never be able to appreciate his brilliant guitar playing and the stellar bass work of Lou Barlow and drumming of Murphy, or the fact that these are some great songs. 

For those who have never heard Dinosaur Jr., their sound is a mix of classic rock and punk that at times is equal parts Black Sabbath and Black Flag.  They are one of the original bands that pioneered the sound that became known as grunge (along with Sonic Youth and Husker Du) and were a huge influence on Nirvana.  Sadly Fossils is out of print but these songs are pretty much all available on the reissues of You’re Living All Over Me and Bug.  That having been said, if you can find a copy of Fossils and it isn't too expensive, it is worth picking up, if for nothing else because the cover is so freaking awesome!

Video of the Day

"Save Me" by The Donnas

Blast from the Past: Sink with Kalifornija

Title:  Sink with Kalifornija (Amazon, Interpunk, CD Universe, Last.fm, Wikipedia)

Artist:  Youth Brigade (BYO Records, MySpace, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia)

The Sink with Kalifornija CD is a compilation that includes the Sound & Fury album (the 1983 re-release version), the What Price EP, and live tracks from a show in 1985.  While being one of the lesser known bands to come out of the late ‘70s / early ‘80s California punk scene, Youth Brigade is one of the most important.  They aren’t important because of the quality of their music (which isn’t bad by any stretch of the means but it isn’t breathtaking either) but because of the record label that they started – BYO Records. 

I was never able to get my hands on any Youth Brigade releases until I discovered Music Dimensions sometime in 1995/96 because you just couldn’t find it anywhere.  I picked up the tape of Sound & Fury soon after finding Music D’s and instantly became a fan of the band.  The song that stood out to me, and still does, is the anthem “Sink with California” which calls on people to ditch nationalities in favor of embracing our common humanity.  Other stand out moments included “Fight to Unite,” “Modest Proposal,” “What Will the Revolution Change,” and “Men in Blue, Pt. 1” (which includes an awesome rap).  One thing that Youth Brigade was never afraid to do was write songs that broke the four minute mark.  In fact this band never really seemed to adhere to the loud fast rules of the early hardcore punk scene.  That is the strength of Sound & Fury and the Sink with Kalifornija CD. 

Sadly Youth Brigade will probably never gain the notoriety of their CA counterparts (Social Distortion, Agent Orange, Descendents) or some of the bands that they signed to BYO Records (7 Seconds, The Bouncing Souls) but they still played an extremely important part in the formation of the American underground and to this day continue to run one of the great independent record labels in this country.   

Video of the Day

"Spinning In Circles Is A Gateway Drug" by Red City Radio

Happy Birthday Cher!!!!

It’s hard to believe that she is 65. 

EP Review: Black Waxy

Title: Black Waxy (Amazon, iTunes)

Artist:  Oil Boom (Official, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, ReverbNation)

Oil Boom play bluesy southern rock with smooth vocals. I think that it is safe to say that the members of Oil Boom either grew up on or have spent a lot of time listening to the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan. The band hails from Dallas, TX but includes former Oklahoma natives (Brian Whitten, Ryan Taylor) and a St. Louis transplant (Dugan Connors).

Black Waxy is a six song EP. The stand out moment is the funky (in a bluesy kind of way) “Eyes Get Bigger,” which is one of the most upbeat (in tempo, not lyrically) songs on the release. The entire EP really reminds me of the aforementioned Stevie Ray Vaughan with a hint of The Doors (especially in the track “There May Or May Not Be Blood”).

If you are a fan of southern rock or the blues then you should give Black Waxy a listen, I think you’ll like what you hear.

Currently Listening

1. “Dry Land” by Buffalo Tom (from Big Red Letter Day)
2. “Just Like Heaven” by Dinosaur Jr. (from Fossils)
3. “Down to Nothing” by Doug McKean (from Unquiet)
4. “Locked In” by fIREHOSE (from Ragin’, Full-On)
5. “I Apologize” by Husker Du (from New Day Rising)
6. “Paris” by Kate Nash (from My Best Friend Is You)
7. “Alison’s Starting to Happen” by The Lemonheads (from It’s a Shame About Ray)
8. “Skull” by Sebadoh (from Bakesale)
9. “Talk Me To Sleep” by Red City Radio (from The Dangers of Standing Still)
10. “The Game” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)

I Liked This Movie and All…

But do we really need to see Titanic in 3D?

10 Questions with Two Suns

Two Suns is the brainchild of Norman’s Jake Davidson.  He recently released a self-titled debut EP available through Band Camp (see link below; you can read my review here) which was recorded and produced entirely in his home studio, late at night while his two sons slept (hence the name). 

This interview was conducted via email May 17 – 19, 2011. 

For more information on Two Suns check out BandCamp, Facebook, MySpace, SoundCloud, ReverbNation, Last.fm.

Dave:  When did you start playing music?

Jake Davidson:  I got a guitar when I was about 7 (inspired by the movie La Bamba), but I didn't really play much.  I had a few lessons, but they were on Saturdays mornings...so it seemed other things were always getting in the way (cartoons, sleep-overs)...then I played trumpet in school band starting in 6th grade...but I really fell in love with music when I got The Crow soundtrack and then Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral when I was about 13.  After that, I decided I would like to be a singer in a band, but I figured I better know how to do something else also, so I got bass for my 14th birthday...and it's my bass playing that's really enabled me to be involved in music since then.

Dave:  The Two Suns EP was recorded in your home studio late at night.  Was that a challenging process?  How were you able to get such a large sound from those sessions (I can’t imagine that you were able to record at a very high volume)?

Jake:  It was challenging, but in a great way.  Like I've mentioned, I would wait until after my two sons were asleep to begin recording, and I feel like that really influenced the music.  Everywhere in our house was pretty close to someone sleeping, so out of necessity, most of the vocals came in a hushed/chilled delivery (but I think it worked out).  The large sounds you mention (thanks for that, by the way), are just a result of layering and using decent hardware and software.  

Dave:  The sound of the EP really reminded me of the shoegazing band Chapterhouse (especially the vocals).  One of the tags listed on your BandCamp profile is shoegaze.  Were you a big fan of the shoegaze scene/bands (or the somewhat related Manchester, and baggy scenes)? 

Jake:  To be honest, I couldn't have really told you what Shoegaze was/is...On an early review of this EP, a reviewer mentioned that it sounded very shoegaze, so I just went with it.  I wasn't really sure what label to slap on this project...I always just thought of it as my attempt to make music that I would like to listen to.

Dave:  Have you performed live yet?

Jake:  Not with this project...and I don't really have any plans to.  It's funny...you spend time writing the main parts of the songs (which I generally remember), but then these little secondary parts can just pop up while you're recording, and all of the sudden you have all these interwoven parts and you can't remember half of them once they're put onto the track. 

Dave:  What are your thoughts on the music scene in Oklahoma?

Jake:  I feel somewhat disconnected from the scene.  This is completely on me, because I just don't make it out to a lot of local shows.  When I did play live with different groups around Norman and OKC, I would make it to shows...but days jobs, second jobs, and just wanting to be a very present husband and father take precedence now.  Don't get me wrong, hanging out playing and drinking until 2 am certainly was fun at a certain point in my life...but now, I really enjoy family and the creative aspect of writing and recording original music.  

Dave:  What drew you to electronic music?

Jake:  Necessity...I wanted to make original music, but I didn't really want the burdens of playing in a band or group setting.  Also, I can play a few instruments competently, but I'm a terrible drummer, and I need many takes (and maybe a slowed tempo) to hit a good keyboard part...so I lean on machines to help me with my deficiencies.  

Dave:  Have you had any interest from any record labels?  Are there any labels that you’d like to work with?

Jake:  No.  I don't really expect any labels to be knocking down the door of a solo, bedroom project recordist who never plans on touring...but you never know.  The music industry, production and distribution-wise is so different now...it seems like labels have really had to shift the way they operate...it will be really interesting to see where the industry as a whole goes.

Dave:  This is a High Fidelity inspired question.  What are your top five all time favorite bands, albums, movies, TV shows, books/authors?

Jake:  Albums (no particular order):

-hopefully this isn't cheating...my Dad had this 4 cassette Golden Oldies collection that he wore out when I was a kid...things like the Everly Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Ricky Nelson, Diana Ross and the Supremes.

-The Downward Spiral (Nine Inch Nails) - one of the reasons I became a musician.

-Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd) - I spent countless hours of my early and mid teenage years driving around with this so loud you couldn't hear anything else.

-The Very Best of John Coltrane - It took about 3 years of playing and listening to jazz to actually feel an emotional, and not just technical/intellectual, connection with the music...this was the album that finally broke through for me.

-Abby Road - I knew the about the Beatles growing up, but really it was my wife's love for their music that opened my ears.

Bands (not solo artists):

in no order...

-The Beatles

-The Red Hot Chili Peppers

-Cynic

-Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys

-The Flaming Lips

Movies:

once again (no order)

-Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

-Momento

-It's a Wonderful Life

-Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

-Forrest Gump

TV Shows:

-Seinfeld

-24

-The Daily Show

-The Chapelle Show

-Yo Gabba Gabba

Books/Authors:

-Harry Potter Series

-Ishmael (Daniel Quinn)

-I wish my literary chops were bit more impressive, but hey, I spend and have spent most of my free time in music.

Dave:  What’s next for Two Suns?

Jake:  I'm working on another EP right now...I'm roughly three songs in (it will probably be 5 songs), and I hope to have it finished in the next 2 or 3 months. 

Dave:  Any final thoughts?

Jake:  Make the music you want to hear.