Video of the Day

"Astro Zombies" by Misfits

Currently Listening

1. “Take It As It Comes” by Hot Water Music (from BYO Split Series, Vol. 1)
2. “Eaters of the Dead” by Riot Squad (from Scary Picture Show)
3. “Cartoon” by Soul Asylum (from Hang Time)
4. “Crater” by Hagfish (from …Rocks Your Lame Ass)
5. “Back in the Day” by Frank Turner (from Sleep is for the Weak)
6. “All Ages Show” by Dag Nasty (from 85/86)
7. “We All Sing Along” by The Bouncing Souls (from Ghosts on the Boardwalk)
8. “One More Time” by Bash & Pop (from Friday Night is Killing Me)
9. “Lucky” by Descendents (from I’m the One)
10. “Flip Your Wig” by Husker Du (from Flip Your Wig)

Something to Ponder

Thanks to Juan Cole at Informed Comment for the find.

Mental Health Break

Video of the Day

"Eulogy" by Frank Turner

Video of the Day

"Rumor Mill" by We Are The In Crowd

Video of the Day

"If I Had A Hammer" by Peter, Paul & Mary

Currently Listening

1. “Whatever Happened To?” by Buzzcocks (from Singles Going Steady)
2. “When One Falls” by 7 Seconds (from Ourselves)
3. “Lucky” by Descendents (from I’m the One)
4. “Sink, Florida, Sink” by Against Me! (from As the Eternal Cowboy)
5. “The Freaks, Nerds, & Romantics” by The Bouncing Souls (from Maniacal Laughter)
6. “Roger” by Dag Nasty (from Wig Out at Denko’s [Bonus Tracks])
7. “Knock Me Down” by The Outlets (from The Outlets)
8. “Boxer” by The Gaslight Anthem (from American Slang)
9. “Live Fast Die Old” by Frank Turner (from Poetry of the Deed)
10. “Just Fade Away” by Stiff Little Fingers (from All the Best Disc 2)

Video of the Day

"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" by U2

EP Review: Dead End Story

Title:  Dead End Story (BandCamp, Spotify)

Artist:  Dead End Story (Official, BandCamp, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Hitlantis, SoundCloud, Stereokiller, Grooveshark, Last.fm)

Dead End Story is a melodic hardcore band from Oulu, Finland.  The band’s self-titled debut EP includes the songs “Workaholic” and “Yesterday’s Burden” and serves as a very strong first release.  Both songs are driven by crunchy, melodic guitar riffs that are reminiscent of Rise Against, and Oklahoma’s own They Stay Dead.  “Workaholic” opens the EP with blasting drums and guitar pushing the anger of the song’s lyrics.  “Yesterday’s Burden” changes things up a bit by throwing some hints of ska into the guitar work.  Both songs are melodic and catchy with a lot of energy behind them.  The production is also quit good, making this an enjoyable EP and definitely leaves me wanting to hear what else this band has to offer. 

Dead End Story is great for fans of Hot Water Music, Dag Nasty, Rise Against, and They Stay Dead.  

Video of the Day

"Skinny Genes" by Eliza Doolittle

Video of the Day

"Daydream Believer" by Shonen Knife

Currently Listening

1. “Your Paralyzing Wings” by Chad Price (from Smile Sweet Face)
2. “Trixie” by Hagfish (from Buick Men)
3. “Nowhere Is My Home” by The Replacements (from Tim [Expanded Edition])
4. “All the Way” by One Man Army (from BYO Split Series, Vol. 5)
5. “Sunday Nights” by Frank Turner (from Poetry of the Deed)
6. “The Spirit of Jazz” by The Gaslight Anthem (from American Slang)
7. “Scary Brittle Frame” by Swingin’ Utters (from Here, Under Protest)
8. “Come Around” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)
9. “Last Chance Afternoon” by Hudson Falcons (from Dancing Underneath the Moonlight)
10. “September Holiday” by Samiam (from Trips)

Video of the Day

"Is It Done" by J Mascis


Thanks to Pitchfork for the find.

Top 7 Bands from New Jersey

My good friend Steve from The Otter Limits was looking for something to blog about yesterday and I suggested that he do a list of his favorite bands from New Jersey.  Liking the idea, he put together the post Top 5 Bands from New Jersey.  After reading his post I figured I’d put together my own list of my favorite bands from the Garden State and include a video of one of my favorite songs from each band/artist. 

7.  The Misfits

6.  The Smithereens

5.  The Gaslight Anthem

4.  Those Unknown

3.  Bruce Springsteen

2.  The Bouncing Souls

1.  Hudson Falcons

Does the News Need a Nutrition Label?

Some folks think so.    

Some Good Daily Advice

Thanks to DaveTown for the find.

Album Review: Don’t Be a Dick

Title:  Don’t Be a Dick (Amazon, iTunes, Interpunk, AllMusic)

Artist:  Emily’s Army (Official, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia)

Emily’s Army’s debut album Don’t Be a Dick is a 14-song, high energy, pop punk romp.  The songs include a wide variety of teenage angst driven themes like disgust with sports figures (“Asslete”), frustration with lack of good music on the radio (“Broadcast This”), and All Hallows Eve shenanigans (“Ho-lloween”).  Sonically the record is deeply influenced by the Bay Area punk scene, especially the pop punk records released by Lookout! Records (there are some very Mr. T Experience moments on Don’t Be a Dick) but there are also moments of ‘60s power pop (“Burn Apollo”) that show this band’s potential.  The fact that these kids are barely able to legally start learning how to drive and have still put out a record that is this good is quite impressive.  The album’s standout moment is the anthem “”I Wanna Be Remembered.” 

Don’t Be a Dick is a great debut album from a band that shows a great deal of promise.  I highly recommend giving Emily’s Army a listen if you are a fan of any of the high number of Bay Area pop punk bands.  

Video of the Day

"We've Been Had" by Uncle Tupelo

Need Help Determining the Right Religion for You?

Try this handy dandy flowchart. 

Thanks to Kristina Robb-Dover from Beliefnet’s Fellowship of Saints & Sinners blog for the find. 

Currently Listening

1. “Burn Apollo” by Emily’s Army (from Don’t Be a Dick)
2. “Average” by Armstrong (from Dick: The Lion Hearted)
3. “Undertow” by Dead To Me (from Moscow Penny Ante)
4. “Stuart and the Ave.” by Green Day (from Insomniac)
5. “Static Shock” by The New Rochelles (from It’s New!)
6. “Never is Now” by Sinkhole (from Retrospectacles)
7. “Scales” by Re-Volts (from Re-Volts)
8. “Maybeing” by Armchair Martian (from Hong on Ted)
9. “Crew Of One” by Samiam (from Trips)
10. “Drive Away” by ALL (from Problematic)

Video of the Day

"Monkey Wrench" by Foo Fighters

Currently Reading: Vampire A Go-Go & The Faiths of the Founding Fathers

I’ve started two books recently, one fiction and one nonfiction.  I took a break from Our Band Could Be Your Life to read the latest books by Michael Scott and Terry Brooks.  I’m still working on Our Band… but will dive back into it more fully later. 

Title:  Vampire A Go-Go (Official, Amazon)

Author:  Victor Gischler (Blogpocalypse, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, MySpace, LinkedIn, GoodReads, Wikipedia)

Vampire A Go-Go is a satirical horror novel.  Author Victor Gischler described the book on its website by stating

What's Vampire A Go-Go like?  Well, a pal of mine recently said it was very Joss Whedon-ish.  I think that's a pretty cool way to describe it, but you'll have to read it and decide for yourself.  In short, I wanted to take all of my favorite horror stuff -- vampires, witches, werewolves, zombies, alchemists, wizards, everything and the kitchen sink -- and wrap it all up in a Dan Brown, Clive Cussler find-the-ancient-treasure style story, complete with a thick frosting of parody on top.  I hope you'll follow our hapless hero Allen Cabbot as he journeys to Prague to poke his nose into dark dungeons and old libraries in a quest for the lost secrets of the alchemists.

So far I’m only about 30 pages in but I can certainly agree that the protagonist Allen Cabbot is fairly hapless.  The book is also a fun a comfortable read up to this point.  I can’t wait to see what the vampires, witches, werewolves, and company are like in Gischler’s world. 

Title:  The Faiths of the Founding Fathers (Oxford University Press, Amazon, Wikipedia)

Author:  David L. Holmes (Wikipedia)

The Faiths of the Founding Fathers takes a look not only at the religious views of the Founding Father themselves but also at the religious climate of the colonies that would become the United States.  The following is from the Wikipedia entry about the book –

The main thesis of the book is that the American (U.S.) Founding Fathers fell into three religious categories: first, the smallest group, founders who had left their Judeo-Christian heritages and become advocates of the Enlightenment religion of nature and reason called "Deism". These figures included Thomas Paine and Ethan Allen.

The second smallest group consisted of the founders who remained practicing Christians. They retained a supernaturalist worldview, a belief in the divinity of Jesus Christ, and an adherence to the teachings of their denomination. These founders included Patrick Henry, John Jay, and Samuel Adams. Holmes also finds that most of the wives and daughters of the founders fell into this category.

The largest group, he declares, consisted of founders who retained Christian loyalties and practice but were influenced by Deism. They believed in little or none of the miracles and supernaturalism inherent in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Holmes finds a spectrum of such Deistic Christians among the founders, ranging from John Adams and George Washington on the conservative right to Benjamin Franklin and James Monroe on the skeptical left.

Currently Listening

1. “These Days” by Foo Fighters (from Wasting Light)
2. “With Honours” by Junior Battles (from Idle Ages)
3. “Living and Learning” by Old Man Markley (from Guts n’ Teeth)
4. “Keep Fighting On” by The Rockettops (from Blast Off)
5. “She’s Not Your Thing” by Buffalo Tom (from Skins)
6. “Fool Like Me” by Cobra Starship (from Nightshades)
7. “South Dakota Nights” by Hudson Falcons (from Dancing Underneath the Moonlight)
8. “Punk Band” by Smoking Popes (from This is Only a Test)
9. “Running Wild” by Wagers (from New Guilt)
10. “100 Pages of Lies” by John Moreland (from Earthbound Blues)

Video of the Day

"When The Angels Sing" by Social Distortion

I Just Can’t Do It Anymore

For years I have said that The Beatles were an amazingly talented and important band but that I just didn’t like their music.  Heck for a long time I even went so far as to say that I hated The Beatles.  Well I honestly can’t say that anymore.  And it all started with one song. 

The fact that I never liked The Beatles honestly made very little sense considering how many bands that I like that were influenced by the Fab Four (hell at times Guided By Voices sounded exactly like The Beatles).  Not only that but I loved the soundtrack to the movie BackBeat (see my Blast from the Past post about that record) and loved The Heartdrops cover of “Eight Days a Week.” 

So a few months ago when in the car The Beatles “Revolution” came on the radio and I found myself really liking the song.  Since then I’ve actually found myself listening to any Beatles songs that come on the radio and enjoying them.  I’m still a complete novice where it comes to their stuff, but I can no longer say that I hate their music. 

Here are the two songs in question that sent me over the edge.   

Video of the Day

"White Shirt" by The Charlatans UK

Video of the Day

"Bedlam Bridge" by Midnight Oil

Dying Scene Streaming Two New They Stay Dead Songs

Dying Scene is streaming two songs from Edmund’s They Stay Dead upcoming EP.  The songs are entitled “Betray” and “Never Forget” and you can check them out here.  If these twos songs are any indication, then this EP should be outstanding!  

The band released their excellent debut EP earlier this year, which you can check out and download here (and you can read my review of it here).

Currently Listening

1.  “This Cross” by Chad Price (from Smile Sweet Face)

2.  “Searchlight” by Doug McKean (from Concerto for Second Fiddle)

3.  “Long Live the Queen” by Frank Turner (from Love Ire & Song)

4.  “How Would You Know” by Samiam (from Trips)

5.  “Sagacity Gone” by Tim Barry (from Manchester)

6.  “Sink or Swim” by Armstrong (from Dick: The Lion Hearted)

7.  “Seems We’re OK” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)

8.  “…Screws In” by Armchair Martian (from Good Guys, Bad Band)

9.  “This Is Letting Go” by Rise Against (from Endgame)

10.  “Alone, a Fool” by The Thermals (from Personal Life)

Video of the Day

"Searchlight" by Doug McKean

My Favorite Voices: Chad Price

If I had to pick one singer as my all-time favorite it would probably be Chad Price.  As Stephen Egerton said in the liner notes of his The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton album “What a staggering voice.  He could sing the phone book and I’d be listening, and probably crying.”  I couldn’t agree more.  Whether belting out songs with ALL, Drag the River, or on his own, Chad Price has a voice like no other with the ability to hit the highest notes, produce the most ferocious roar, and the gentlest melody (often all within the same song).  On top of that, he as also provided killer backing vocals for the likes of the Descendents, Rise Against, and Armstrong.  And if that isn’t enough, he’s written some of the most heart wrenching songs ever recorded (see Drag the River’s “Beautiful & Damned,” “Cursed,” and ALL’s “Silence”).  And best of all, he is a super nice and humble guy.   

For more information on Chad Price check out the following pages –

ALL:  Official website, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia

Drag the River:  Official website, BandCamp, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm, Suburban Home Records, AllMusic, Wikipedia

Solo:  MySpace, Last.fm, Suburban Home Records, AllMusic, Wikipedia

Top 5 Classic Rock Artists

The term “classic rock” has come to mean a lot of things but originally it referred to bands that came along in the late ‘60s and 1970s, that were not part of the original rock ‘n’ roll movement of the 1950’s and early ‘60s.  For example, bands like Cream, Rush, The Doors, and Journey were considered classic rock while the likes of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Kinks were considered oldies.  Now since a lot of these oldies artists were still putting out records in the ‘70s their music was a significant part of classic radio programming. 

Since that time the definitions of both classic rock and oldies have morphed quite a bit.  At this point classic rock has come to mean just about anything rock ‘n’ roll that was released about 20 years ago (see 94.7 The Brew) and oldies has come to include the likes of Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp (see the True Oldies Channel).  In fact locally in the OKC market, we have three “classic rock” stations (107.7 KRXO, 96.9 Bob FM, and the aforementioned Brew), two “oldies” stations (92.5 KOMA and a TOC affiliate), one rock station (Rock 100.5 the KATT) and one easy listening station (Magic 104.1 KMGL), so there is a lot of classic rock on our airwaves.  Too much honestly. 

That having been said, there are some classic rock artists that I really like, if not love.  Just to clarify, in this case at least, I’m using the term classic rock in its original sense.  Below are my Top 5 favorite all-time classic rock bands.  These are bands that I will pretty much stop and listen to anytime I hear them on the radio.  For fun I’ve also included a video for my favorite song by each band (note: some of these songs were recorded well after the classic rock era on the 1970s). 

5. Van Halen


4. AC/DC


3. Cheap Trick


2. Boston


1. Queen

Currently Listening

1. “Average” by Armstrong (from Dick: The Lion Hearted)
2. “Medicine” by Drag the River (from Closed)
3. “Architects” by Rise Against (from Endgame)
4. “Funny Face” by Stephen Egerton & Chad Price (from The Seven Degrees of Stephen Egerton)
5. “Refrain” by ALL (from Mass Nerder)
6. “Cursed” by Chad Price (from Smile Sweet Face)
7. “She Loves Me” by Descendents (from Everything Sucks)
8. “Wessex Boy” by Frank Turner (from England Keep My Bones)
9. “Valentine” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)
10. “The Gutter” by Emily’s Army (from Don’t Be a Dick)

Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon & Thurston Moore Separate

Pitchfork is reporting that the first couple of indie rock, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, are separating.  The couple has a 17-year-old daughter and has been married since 1984.  As far as Sonic Youth is concerned, the band’s future is “uncertain.” 

This separation is almost as surprising as the Susan Sarandon / Tim Robins split in late 2009.  I figured these two would be together forever.  Hell, if they can’t make it, who can?  I think Pitchfork’s Amy Phillips’ put it best–

So.... yeah. I no longer believe in true love. 

Here are a few of my favorite Sonic Youth videos.  

Here’s Another One

This is the band Orange.

Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.

I'm Amazed...This Actually Looks Good

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows, Full Episodes

More Pretentious Band Photos

Ugh, even this band’s name is pretentious – Pierce the Veil. 

Thanks to PunkNews.org for the find.

Video of the Day

"Without A Trace" by Soul Asylum

“For the Bottom”

The following was something I wrote late last night before going to sleep. To give the poem/lyrics a bit of context, a few months ago I started a new job. As it turns out I’m not doing that well and may not make it passed our 90 day review. Last night I had a pretty intense coaching session with my boss and have been sufficiently freaked out and depressed ever since. Lord knows that I need this job and the last thing I want to do is fail, but I’m starting to think that is exactly what is going to happen.

Also when I write lyrics, I often do it to the rhythm/melody of a song that I really like.  At the time I wrote this I had Frank Turner’s “Long Live the Queen” and “Love Ire & Song” going through my head.

“For the Bottom”

It’s hard that moment you realize you suck
At everything you ever tried
It’s so hard to believe
That all your dreams have turned to lies

Found myself face down, not wanting to get up
The defeat of it all making me want to give up
How do you go on another day?
And how do you right the sinking ship?
For the bottom’s about to hit.

It’s those moments when you look in your child’s eyes
And you realize
That the life that they deserve
Is something that you can never give them
No matter what they may have earned

Found myself face down, not wanting to get up
The defeat of it all making me want to give up
How do you go on to fight another day?
Trying to pretend that everything’s okay
And how do you right a sinking ship?
For the bottom this one’s about to hit.

You’ve worked hard, done your best
At least that’s what you thought
But in the end it’s just a scam
And in this hole you’ll surely rot

It’s hard that moment when you realize just how much you suck
There’s nothing left, you’re completely giving up
How do you go on after utter failure?
How do you fix, your own sinking ship?

Found myself face down, not wanting to get up
This time I’ve really given up
How do you fight through another day?
To give your life some meaning, a presence, and a way
You’re the captain on this sinking ship
And down to the bottom you will go with it.

-- Monday, October 17, 2011 12:02AM

Currently Listening

1. “He Will Too” by The GC5 (from The Singles Collection [1997-2000])
2. “Love Ire & Song” by Frank Turner (from Love Ire & Song)
3. “I Wanna Be Remembered” by Emily’s Army (from Don’t Be a Dick)
4. “Crack Whore” by The Fluffy Whites (from Crack Whore)
5. “Casualty” by One Man Army (from Rumors and Headlines)
6. “Lost and Found” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)
7. “Don Quixote” by ALL (from Allroy Sez)
8. “Unwelcomed Guest” by Mark Linskey (from Stay Hard Stay Hungry Stay Alive – Songs of Freedom)
9. “God Damn Job” by The Replacements (from Stink)
10. “Idle Idylist” by Tim Barry (from Laurel Street Demo 2005)

Video of the Day

"Annette's Got the Hits" by Redd Kross

Quote of the Day & My Thoughts on Occupy Wall Street

This is a bit of a long one, but it’s worth it.

So what do the 99% want? That's a common complaint among the media class, many of whom seem incapable of covering any news story that can't be reduced to a quick headline or an easily deconstructed ideology. The Occupy movement is messy, it's unfocused, it's dangerous, it's scary, it's full of anarchists in black masks throwing gasoline cans at cops, it's hippies with bongoes, it's communists, it's…it's…

It's frustration. It's millions of people around the world who are sick and tired of feeling isolated. It's a direct reaction to the extremist individualism and austerity and "me first" ideology that has been so dominant in our discourse of late – the "if you don't have a job it's your fault" that seems to be on the lips of every Tea Partier and Republican presidential candidate – the notion of "I'm rich, so you should be able to get rich, and if you can't, well I shouldn't pay for it." People who have been unemployed for 2 years even though they thought they were doing everything right, following the rules, being good citizens – they're sick of that kind of rhetoric. People losing their houses because they were scammed into an unsustainable mortgage by predatory lenders don't want to hear that they shouldn't have signed that contract, and they should bail themselves out.

People also don't want to hear that kind of rhetoric because the people spouting it only point the judgment finger one way. A single mother struggling to pay bills and hold down two jobs who gets laid off and ends up living on the street with her kids shouldn't rely on the State to help her back on her feet. Yet a bank that bets on shady mortgages and ends up on the brink of collapse – that bank is deserving of billions of dollars in tax money. The notion of "shared sacrifice" always seems to be spouted by rich people who don't want to pay higher taxes on their foie gras and corporate jets, but think cutting Medicaid spending is just fine.  

And that single mother, and the man who has been unemployed for two years, and spends every waking hour sending out thousands of resumes, and who works his tail off trying to get a job – they don't want to hear about shared sacrifice. The college graduate drowning in student loans who can't find a job – she doesn't want to hear about shared sacrifice. The veteran living on the street doesn't want to hear about shared sacrifice. Especially not now, at a time when corporate profits are at their highest level – and wages at their lowest – in decades. And when Congress is at its lowest approval rating ever because the majority party in the House would prefer to let the economy tank in order to defeat a President in an election a year from now than do anything about jobs, and the other party is the picture of impotence.  

Thus, the grievances are many, but the impulse to organize has commonalities. Neither the government nor the "free market" seem to be capable of fixing anything, and what's more, they seem to be in bed together, with a shared goal of making the rich and powerful more rich and more powerful at the expense of everyone else. The 99% are being screwed on so many levels that it's a wonder it took this long to get everyone out onto the streets.  

But now that they're out there, the goal should be simple. Communication. The consensus model of decision-making that has developed from this movement is messy and time-consuming, but it should serve as a model for building a new spirit of community and social consciousness. This is a leaderless movement that spontaneously organized, and its participants are as diverse as their grievances. And yet, they're able to come together, sit down, talk, and make decisions. Because at the heart of this movement is a recognition that the only way to win is to work together, and that any socially conscious, humane, truly democratic society is one in which each person recognizes the humanity in every other person, and recognizes the need for mutual cooperation and respect.

[...] 

Thus, the lasting legacy of the Occupy movement, even if it doesn't succeed in changing any major laws, may be this notion of communal responsibility - this notion that we have to talk to one another in order to create a functioning society. If we can't depend on the powers that be, then we have to be able to depend on one another. Perhaps, then, the best bit of truth that comes out of the Occupy movement is simply this: that the tired argument over government vs. the "free market" is actually a false choice, and only by working together can the 99% can create a new, more humane, more democratic system within the shell of the old. If we can reach that kind of collective realization, then we'll have really made significant progress.

-- Ethan Jones from the post Thoughts on the Occupy movement

I haven’t written about the Occupy movement because I honestly haven’t followed it that closely.  In fact, the most that I have heard about the movement has come from bits and pieces of the Glenn Beck show, and while I like Beck I take his opinion on this matter with a grain of salt (he seems to see communists and evil progressives hiding behind every corner).  Other than that I read Steve’s post Sounding Off on Occupy Wall Street and have heard a smidgen of stories on the movement on NPR, so needless to say I am not an expert. 

Based on everything that I have read and heard however, I think that Ethan has summed things up pretty well with his analysis above.  I do not believe that this is an evil movement orchestrated by communists and progressives to destroy the capitalist system.  That having been said, it is clear that there are some incredibly unintelligent people in these protests that don’t understand a lick about economics or politics or history.  There are also folks there simply for the drugs.  But at its core I think this is a movement of people who are simply fed up with corporate greed and the inability of Washington, DC to accomplish anything.  It truly is the mirror image of the Tea Party movement.  And just like the Tea Party it is comprised of a multitude of different people with different agendas.  Also like the Tea Party it has its fair share of nutjobs and crazies that make the entire movement look bad. 

But also like the Tea Party, the Occupy movement has some very legitimate grievances.  In fact I tend to find myself personally agreeing and disagree with both movements, depending on the specific issue.  The fact is that we are taxed too much and that it is completely wrong that only the ultra-rich hold any real power in this country.  The average folks are getting squeezed and screwed by those in power and that stick to which we are holding the short end, is being handed to us by the elite and powerful on the left and the right.  At the end of the day, the powerful tend to only care about their power and not the people.  Both the Tea Party and the Occupy movements are the people trying to stand up and make their voices heard.  This is a very good thing.

Currently Listening

1. “Little Face” by Emily’s Army (from Don’t Be a Dick)
2. “Wish on the Moon” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)
3. “Dirty Lips” by Drag the River (from Bad at Breaking Up)
4. “Good Things” by Swingin’ Utters (from Here, Under Protest)
5. “Demon” by Samiam (from Trips)
6. “Drinking Ourselves Into the Future” by Red City Radio (from The Dangers of Standing Still)
7. “Redemption” by Frank Turner (from England Keep My Bones)
8. “Kingdom Come” by Direct Hit! (from Domesplitter)
9. “Punk Band” by Smoking Popes (from This is Only a Test)
10. “Proper Taste” by Sleeper Agent (from Celabrasion)

Video of the Day

"I Wanna be Sedated" by Shonen Knife

Guest Post: Blast from the Past: Monster

The following is a guest post written by my good friend Steve from The Otter Limits. 

Title: Monster (Amazon, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia)
Artist: R.E.M. (Official, Facebook, MySpace, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia)

R.E.M.s Monster has not left my car's CD player in the last week and I just had to write a review for it.

First some background on the album.

Monster was released by R.E.M. in September 1994 by Warner Brothers. It was produced by Scott Litt, who also produced Document, Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi (basically all of the really good albums that were released prior to drummer Bill Berry's departure from the band). It was recorded at several studios in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Los Angeles between in April and May of 1994. It reached #1 on the US Billboard 200, as well as #1 on several other record charts worldwide. It has sold almost 3 million copies in the United State alone. It gave us the singles "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" "Bang and Blame" "Strange Currencies" "Crush with Eyeliner" and "Tongue."

This album by far is my favorite R.E.M. album. Sonically, it is a bit different than previous albums (and subsequent albums for that matter). Peter Buck's use of distortion of several other guitar effects stand out quite a bit in this album. It was quite the departure for R.E.M. in my opinion. In fact, in some ways it is kind of like R.E.M.s Achtung Baby (U2's 1991 album) in that is represented a slight change of pace musically for the band.

If I had to choose my favorite songs on the album they would be "What's the Frequency Kenneth?", "Crush with Eyeliner," "I Don't Sleep, I Dream," "Star 69," "Bang and Blame," and "I Took Your Name." But to be completely honest, this entire album is some great candy for the ears. The only song I can in all honesty say that I'm not too fond of would be "King of Comedy" and I can't really say for certain why I don't care for that song. In fact, it isn't that I don't like it, I just consider it the, for lack of a better term, the weakest song on the record.

Overall, however, this is a really strong record and to be completely honest, I think they started going slightly downhill after this. Sure, they had some good songs on the albums that were released after this album, but overall the records weren't anything to jump up and down about.

As I said previously, this is definitely my favorite R.E.M. album and if someone that has never heard any R.E.M. material (are there any people like that left out there?) asked me to suggest some, I would advise them to purchase Monster, Document, and Out of Time, in that order.

Currently Listening

1. “Cruel World” by Dead To Me (from African Elephants)
2. “Undertow” by Dead To Me (from Moscow Penny Ante)
3. “Interstate Bound” by Hudson Falcons (from Dancing Underneath the Moonlight)
4. “Back Out on the Road” by Hudson Falcons (from Desire to Burn)
5. “Warfare” by Uncle Tupelo (from March 16-20, 1992 [Bonus Tracks])
6. “Life Worth Livin’” by Uncle Tupelo (from No Depression [Bonus Tracks])
7. “1 Look, 1 Try” by Wagers (from Shit Summer EP)
8. “Spun” by Wagers (from New Guilt)
9. “Reasons Not to Be an Idiot” by Frank Turner (from Love Ire & Song)
10. “Try This at Home” by Frank Turner (from Poetry of the Deed)

Video of the Day

"This Land Is Your Land" by Johnny Cash

Video of the Day

"Punch Drunk" by Uncle Tupelo

Hunting Sasquatch

According to this story, a team of scientists are “95 percent sure that the fabled Russian version of the Abominable Snowman or Bigfoot lives in the Kemerovo region of Siberia.”  The team has found what they believe to be “footprints, a probable den and various markers that Yetis mark their territory with.” 

Can you imagine if someone actually found Bigfoot?  Part of me thinks that it would be great and another part thinks that it would be terribly sad.  Like the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti is one of the great mysteries that is permeated throughout our folktales and it would almost be a shame to lose that mystery.   

Thanks to Blastr for the find. 

Quote of the Day

The fact is that Obama is less a socialist than a corporatist. His objective is not government ownership, but government management. To control the economy -- and all of our lives -- he needs to get rid of small banks and small business and consolidate it all in a few big banks and big corporations; hence his friendliness to Goldman-Sachs and General Motors. When wealthy tycoons go to dinners and give Obama $35,000 donations, they know what they are doing. It is not liberal Democratic masochism at work, it is a conscious investment in central planning where big labor, big government, big business and big banks meet and divvy up the pie, just as they do in Germany and France. That is Obama's game.

His former supporters have taken to the streets to protest his corporatist alliances. Sure, they oppose the Republicans and the conservatives, but they have more in common with the Tea Party than they realize. Both are acting out against big business. Wall Street is as much the enemy of Main Street as it is of college campuses.    

The unions and the professional left are scrambling, along with Obama and the Democrats, to head off the stampede among their followers in the Occupy Wall Street movement. They are trying to make up for their pro-Wall Street policies by seeming to take on rich people in their tax program. But the young demonstrators will not be fooled. They invested their dreams for Obama in 2008 and, since then, have gotten only compromises, half-measures, incompetence and a ruined economy in return.

The conservatives and Republicans no longer own the anti-Obama movement. They have to share ownership with disenchanted liberals, those who recognize incompetence when they see it, and the many who are turned off by the growing perception of corruption in the wake of Solyndra. The bad economy has led to an impression of presidential weakness and inability akin to that which took over the image of Jimmy Carter in the late '70s. More and more, the opposition to Obama is based on the outcomes of his policies, not on their ideological bias or their liberal intent.

-- Dick Morris from the column PROTESTS PERIL FOR OBAMA

EP Review: Sparks

Title:  Sparks (Official, iTunes)

Artist:  Breanne Duren (Official, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Last.fm, PureVolume, ARTISTdirect, Wikipedia)

Breanne Duren is a pop singer best known for her work with the group Owl City.  Her new EP Sparks is a five song pop masterpiece.  Duren’s voice is breathy and beautiful and the five songs on the EP are simple pop gems.  I know that the term “pop” is really a broad one, but that’s the only way that I can think to describe Duren’s music.  Here are two of the videos from the EP for the opening, and my favorite, track “Gold Mine” and “No One Else.”

Video of the Day

"The Happiest Lamb" by Audra Mae

EP Review: Electric Flower

Title:  Electric Flower (Narnack Records)

Artist:  Electric Flower (Official, Facebook, Twitter)

Electric Flower is a psych rock duo consisting of Imaad Wasif and Secret Machines drummer Josh Garza.  Their self-titled debut EP, coming out next month on Narnack Records, contains three songs that remind me a lot of The Jesus & Mary Chain, especially the opening track “Flour16” (which you can check out here).  All three songs on the EP have a larger than life sound, which is pretty impressive considering this band consists solely of a guitar and drums.  My only real complaint is that it is only three songs, but that is much better than being an album that drags on and on and on.  This band shows a lot of promise.  

Video of the Day

"Learned to Surf" by Superchunk

TOMORROW: Hudson Falcons at The Conservatory

New Jersey’s working class warriors the Hudson Falcons will be playing tomorrow night (Wednesday October 12^th) at The Conservatory (8911 N. Western, OKC, OK 73114).  If you’ve never seen the Falcons play then you have missed out on one of the truly great American rock ‘n’ roll bands of our time, but you can remedy that situation tomorrow night.  Doors open at 8PM. 

Here’s a little sample of what you may hear tonight…

EP Review: Pre-Columbians EP

Title:  Pre-Columbians EP (BandCamp, iTunes)

Artist:  Edelweiss (BandCamp, Facebook, Twitter, PureVolume)

Edelweiss is a synth-pop group in the vein of New Order.  Hailing from Stroudsburg, PA these kids (literally; the oldest member of the band is 17) have put together a strong debut in the Pew-Columbians EP.  From start to finish, Pre-Columbians is synth-pop excellence that could have easily been produced during the genre’s heyday in the early ‘80s.  The five-song EP is tight, well produced, and does a great job at introducing this band to the world.  Standout moments include “A Sound From Pennsylvania” and “(No).”  Great for fans of New Order, Depeche Mode, The Killers, and Joy Division.

Currently Listening

1. “Come Around” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)
2. “Undertow” by Dead To Me (from Moscow Penny Ante)
3. “Substitute” by Frank Turner (from Love Ire & Song)
4. “Mile Marker 141” by Hudson Falcons (from Dancing Underneath the Moonlight)
5. “I’ll Buy” by The Replacements (from Tim [Expanded Edition])
6. “This Is Only A Test” by Smoking Popes (from This Is Only A Test)
7. “No News from North” by Tim Barry (from Laurel Street Demo 2005)
8. “Civil Twilight” by Doug McKean (from Esperanto Sessions)
9. “Not Saying Sorry” by Great Cynics (from Don’t Need Much)
10. “Demon” by Samiam (from Trips)

Video of the Day

"There's a Party in the USA" by Doug McKean

Image of the Day

Why do science fiction fans drink Earl Grey tea?

Thanks to Bastr for the find.

Album Review: The Big Red Sessions and Ten New Songs (2011)

Title:  The Big Red Sessions (Official) and Ten New Songs [2011] (Official)

Artist:  David Rovics (Official, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, SoundClick, Last.fm, Wikipedia)

David Rovics is a political activist / singer-songwriter, his two latest albums, The Big Red Sessions and Ten New Songs (2011), were released this year on Liberation Records.  Both records are politically driven with songs that deal with current events (especially Ten New Songs which was written during the spring of 2011). 

Even though both records were recorded and released in 2011, they are sonically different.  Ten New Songs (2011) is a simple folk record with Rovics playing an acoustic guitar while The Big Red Sessions was recorded with a full band.  Between the two, I think that Ten New Songs works the best.  This type of music is best when kept simple and while there are some very good songs on The Big Red Sessions (I’m especially fond of “I’m a Better Anarchist than You” and “Burn It Down”), the execution on Ten New Songs just works better.  In a lot of ways, Rovics reminds me a lot of Ryan Harvey, especially on Ten New Songs.  I’m not sure that Rovics would fall into the folk punk sub-genre but I can certainly see him playing alongside the likes of Harvey and the Andrew Jackson Jihad (both of which play very simple music).  The songs on The Big Red Sessions would have benefited from the more stripped down and simplistic treatment. 

Rovics is obviously a very passionate and committed activist but that doesn’t always translate into great music.  Rovics is a very capable songwriter but I get the sense that the music is simply an outlet for his politics.  This isn’t a bad thing mind you, but after a while it gets tiresome.  Case in point—the Dead Kennedys.  Throughout their career Jello Biafra and company wrote songs specifically dealing with the politics of the time (i.e the 1980s).  Some of that material was brilliant (“Where Do You Draw the Line?” and the entire Fresh Fruit… record) but a lot of it got old after a while and almost more importantly it made their material incredibly dated.  The best political songs make general statements that sing to our spirits and not attack specific issues (see Midnight Oil, U2, and Dropkick Murphys).  These two records are my first exposure to Rovics’ music so I am in no way an expert on his catalog or past output. 

On a local note, Rovices will be playing Studio 360 in Norman on Wednesday October 18^th and LunaBread in Tulsa on Thursday October 20^th.  I’ve included the poster for the Tulsa show because I was unable to find any cover artwork for either record. 

If you are a fan of politically driven folk music or are a fan of the work of Ryan Harvey, Woody Guthrie, and Billy Bragg, then I highly suggest you check out David Rovics.  Even if you are not a fan of his politics, you have to applaud and admire this man’s DIY attitude and work ethic.  

Video of the Day

"King of the Mountain" by midnight Oil

SST Records vs. YouTube

It seems that a lot of videos have been pulled from YouTube recently due to claims of copyright infringement by SST Records.  The entire case seems kind of sad to me.  Read all about it here, here, and here.

And while you’re at it, go and enjoy Black Flag’s video for “TV Party”   
 

Zoroastrianism – A Dying Faith

Many in the world don’t realize the importance of Zoroastrianism or the impact that this Persian faith—the first monotheistic faith in the world—had on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  Sadly, that great faith is now on the verge of dying out.

According to their own estimates, only 11,000 Zoroastrians remain in the U.S. They are following one of the oldest known religions, founded perhaps 1,000 years before Christ’s birth. Its philosophy is based on the teachings of prophet Zarathustra and was the predominant religion in Persia until it the invasion of Macedonia’s Alexander the Great in 334 BC.

It teaches that the god Ahura Mazda is creator of all good and no evil originates from him.

“We were once at least 40, 50 million — can you imagine?” mused Illinois psychologist Kersey Antia, senior priest at one of the few Zoroastrian temples left. “At one point, we had reached the pinnacle of glory of the Persian Empire and had a beautiful religious philosophy that governed the Persian kings.

“Where are we now? Completely wiped out,” Antia recently told Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times. “It pains me to say, in 100 years we won’t have many Zoroastrians.”

“There is a palpable panic among Zoroastrians today — not only in the United States, but also around the world — that they are fighting the extinction of their faith, a monotheistic religion that most scholars say is at least 3,000 years old,” writes Goodstein:

While Zoroastrians once dominated an area stretching from what is now Rome and Greece to India and Russia, their global population has dwindled to 190,000 at most, and perhaps as few as 124,000, according to a survey in 2004 by Fezana Journal, published quarterly by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America.

[…]

Why is the religion vanishing? Zoroastrians believe in free will, so in matters of religion they do not believe in compulsion. They do not proselytize, so there is little growth from newcomers, notes Goodstein:

They can pray at home instead of going to a temple. While there are priests, there is no hierarchy to set policy.

Some Zoroastrian priests refuse to accept converts or to perform initiation ceremonies for children of intermarried couples, especially when the father is not Zoroastrian. The North American Mobed Council is so divided on the issue of accepting intermarried spouses and children that it has been unable to take a position.

It’s always sad when any tradition, language, or culture is lost to the pages of history, but in this case I think it is even sadder considering how important Zoroastrianism was laying the foundation for the modern concepts of good and evil and the influence that it had on the Abrahamic faiths.  

Currently Listening

1. “Latin Knights” by Hudson Falcons (from La Famiglia)
2. “Interstate Bound” by Hudson Falcons (from Dancing Underneath the Moonlight)
3. “Lonely Girl” by Hudson Falcons (from Desire to Burn)
4. “Undertow” by Dead To Me (from Moscow Penny Ante)
5. “Try This at Home” by Frank Turner (from Poetry of the Deed)
6. “Wessex Boy” by Frank Turner (from England Keep My Bones)
7. “Substitute” by Frank Turner (from Love Ire & Song)
8. “Homesick” by Eugenius (from Mary Queen of Scots)
9. “Hollywood” by Austin Lucas (from Putting the Hammer Down)
10. “Last Song for a Sweetheart” by Austin Lucas (from Common Cold)

Video of the Day

"Shake a Tail Feather" by Ray Charles & the Blues Brothers

The New Record

The New Record is a music based social network site run by independent record labels. 

From the sites FAQs –

TheNewRecord.com is the first ever free music discovery platform curated by independent record labels. Labels include Anti-, Kill Rock Stars, Sub Pop, Century Media, Daptone, Rhymesayers, Brushfire Records, and Side One Dummy among the 30+ labels, with more still being added.

The New Record is a digital newsstand that offers users a free, filtered environment to play and download new songs (often weeks in advance of release) FOR FREE.

And from the October 7, 2011 SideOneDummy Records Newsletter –

The New Record is the first-ever free music discovery platform curated by independent record labels and made possible by SideOneDummy co-owner, Bill Armstrong.

TheNewRecord.com has announced a partnership with over 30 independent labels to create a digital newsstand where, every week, the site will offer users a free filtered environment to play and download new songs weeks in advance of release. This first-ever music social network is curated by independent labels. Head HERE to check it out!

New This Week:
Banner Pilot ”Alchemy” off their upcoming album Heart Beats Pacific (Fat Wreck Chords)
Dead To Me ”Undertow” off their upcoming album Moscow Penny Ante (Fat Wreck Chords)

This is a great site for fans of independent music and definitely worth signing up for.  You can check out my profile here.

Why I Oppose School Vouchers

Check out my latest piece for The Otter Limits entitled Why I Oppose School Vouchers.

Currently Listening

1.  “Sunday Nights” by Frank Turner (from Poetry of the Deed)

2.  “Down to Nothing” by Doug McKean (from Unquiet)

3.  “Teenage FBI” by Guided By Voices (from The Best of Guided By Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates)

4.  “Hey Dennis” by Jon Snodgrass & Friends (from Tri-State Record)

5.  “Seen Your Video” by The Replacements (from Let It Be [Deluxe Edition])

6.  “Over Now” by Samiam (from Trips)

7.  “New Guilt” by Wagers (from New Guilt)

8.  “Lessons Learned” by Roustabouts (from The Only One)

9.  “Wish on the Moon” by Chuck Ragan (from Covering Ground)

10.  “Back & Forth” by Foo Fighters (from Wasting Light)

Video of the Day

"I Love Rock 'N' Roll" by The Jesus And Mary Chain

Image of the Day

Thanks to Steve for the find.

Edmond’s They Stay Dead Spotlighted on Dying Scene

Punk news site Dying Scene is highlighting Edmond’s They Stay Dead on their current Band Spotlight.  Here’s what Johnny X from Dying Scene had to say about the band –

Twenty seconds into the first song I ever heard from Edmond, Oklahoma’s They Stay Dead I knew I’d be writing a spotlight for them.  Awesome guitar solos, catchy choruses, and enough diversity in their writing to make songs actually stand out from one another.  But don’t take my word for it.  Stream and/or download for free their debut 3 song EP right here.  If you’re a fan of skate punk you can’t afford to not give these guys a listen.

I’m not sure that I’d describe They Stay Dead’s music as skate punk but other than that Mr. X is spot on.  They Stay Dead is an outstanding band and their self-titled EP is one of my favorite releases of 2011 (you can read my review of it here).    

Currently Listening

1. “Darkness” by They Stay Dead (from They Stay Dead)
2. “Take It or Leave It” by The GC5 (from Everything’s Too Fast to Last – Rarities and Unreleased)
3. “Your Screen Door” by Title Flight (from Shed)
4. “Photosynthesis” by Frank Turner (from Love Ire & Song)
5. “Radio” by Junior Battles (from Idle Ages)
6. “Finally” by Jon Snodgrass (from Visitor’s Band)
7. “Up to Nothing” by Hot Water Music (from The Fire, The Steel, The Tread / Up To Nothing EP)
8. “Silence” by ALL (from Mass Nerder)
9. “This Mess” by Euclid Crash (from FMO)
10. “Don’t Let the Bastards Bring You Down” by Hudson Falcos (from Dancing Underneath the Moonlight)

Video of the Day

"Nothing With You" by Descendents

Show Review: Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls

Artist:  Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls (Official, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Last.fm, AllMusic, Wikipedia)

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

Date:  October 5, 2011

Frank Turner made his first ever stop in Oklahoma last night at The Conservatory with his tour companions Andrew Jackson Jihad and Into It Over It.  By the time I got to the show Into It Over It had already played and Andrew Jackson Jihad was into their set so I wasn’t able to really absorb either.  The crowd was definitely into AJJ though. 

When Turner and his band The Sleeping Souls took the stage and dove into “Eulogy,” opening track from his latest record England Keep My Bones the crowd went nuts and sang along at the top of their lungs.  The set included material from all sides of Turner’s catalog, most of which was greeted by enthusiastic and boisterous sing-a-longs.  The entire set was inspiring and brilliant, my only complaint was that I didn’t know more of the material (up until the show the only FT record that I owed was England Keep My Bones, but I picked up copies of Poetry of the Deed and Love Ire & Song from the merch table). 

Turner is the consummate rock ‘n’ roll front man.  His command of the music and his ability to work the crowd were breathtaking.  One of the many fantastic moments in the show came towards the end when he and The Sleeping Souls broke into Queen’s “Somebody to Love.”  Now covering Queen is a risky proposition because they were one of the most talented band ever in the history of rock ‘n’ roll and it is extremely difficult to do their songs justice.  Well Turner and company did just that.  While Frank can’t sing like Freddy Mercury (no offense intended, Turner is a very capable singer but Mercury had one of the greatest voices of all time and is in league with the likes of Aretha Franklin) he pulled off the song brilliantly and had the crowd going crazy the entire time.  After a great encore, the show ended with a huge sing-a-long to “Photosynthesis” from his 2008 record Love Ire & Song. 

After the show, Turner hung out at the merch table to talk with fans and pose for pictures.  He was extremely thankful and gracious to everyone that stood in line to speak with, taking time to chat and promised to return.  When I spoke with Turner I was extremely impressed with how genuine, humble, and thankful he was (it didn’t hurt either that he had kind things to say about the interview questions that I sent him).  So not only was the music amazing, the man was great as well.  Needless to say, Mr. Turner has gained a huge lifelong fan.  Now all I need to do is track down all of his CDs… 

You can read my recent interview with Frank Turner here and my review of England Keep My Bones here.