Miracle Legion--The Backyard looks so Empty now....

Here's a little something from Miracle Legion, a band that hailed from New Haven, Connecticut. Robert Christgau of the Village Voice gave their little Ep a sterling grade, and I went out and picked it up. Mark Mulcahy is indeed an excellent songwriter, well respected among his peers. In 2009 Ciao My Shining Star was released which was a tribute to his songs, and also a fundraiser for Mulcahy, whose wife had recently died. There was a litany of well-known artists contributing, including Thom York, Michael Stipe, Frank Black, Dinosaur, Jr., Frank Turner, Josh Rouse, and The National. Check out the Mezzotint label and you will see available most of Mulcahy's solo works, some Miracle Legion in a variety of formats, and even Polaris, where Mulcahy made music for the wonderful series on Nickelodeon Pete and Pete. But the title song of The Backyard ep is a janglepop song that always evokes for me what childhood was like, probably as spot-on as any songwriter could. That song is available as a track on Volume 14 of Rhino's Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the 80's.

Secret Shine--A Tribute To Tim Morris---1974-2005--Shoegaze Unplugged

I heard about this 2005 self released charity recording by Bristol Shoegazers Secret Shine via the Big Takeover. It is a tribute to the memory of Tim Morris, their drummer, who died tragically in a workplace accident. The band reformed and put together an acoustic record of some of their songs plus some songs by Junkie, which was a band that included Tim and two other bandmembers, Scott and Dean Purnell. I tried to find it on the Internet, which led me to a nifty little site called Tonevendor, which is a place any shoegaze fanatic ought to check out. As far as I can tell, Morris is long out of print, but Tonevendor nonetheless stocks sonically challenging music from all around the world.

So Morris essentially is a shoegaze album, but without the special effects. If you took away the special effects from epic science fiction movies and summer blockbusters, would you be as impressed by the dialogue. It just to show you how strong the songwriting is in Secret Shine. And how strong the vocals of Jamie Gingell and Kathryn Smith are. Of course, even with acoustic instruments shoegazers know how to make beautiful sounds. (Probably like the Professor from Gilligan's Island building short wave radios with coconuts shells). But  what a wonderful tribute--I don't know what higher praise you could give someone than create a heartfelt work of art dedicated to their memory. Like the closing song Decay, where the band sings over and over, "What am I supposed to do, what am I supposed to do without you?" For a self released work, I was surprised to find that this was really great. Morris completely exceeded my expectations.

Many of the songs here have a reflective quality, well chosen given the subject. Silver Machine is one of my favorites here:  the lyrics  start "if we share the pain, will it make it go away?". Tim's Song obviously was made especially for this project, but songs like You Are Inside, Lost All Your Friends, and Ignite The Air evoke the strong emotions the bandmembers clearly feel for their fallen comrade.




And the proceeds went to a charitable cause, Medecins Sans Frontieres, who provide humanitarian medical aid (http://www.msf.org/). So I felt even better about picking this Cd up, if only in a small way. At this point it would probably be difficult to find this anywhere, but the next best thing would be to get some of their label released work, like the compilation After Years, which has a lot of their early output in one handy place. Their Beyond Sea and Sky ep is an equally excellent choice. Since reforming, they have put out two new albums, All of The Stars and The Beginning and The End. So the band has taken a sad event and somehow they have managed to put a positive spin on things, in the way a group like New Order emerged from Joy Division, persevering despite the loss of Ian Curtis. The past can't be changed, but we all keep living.

Bailter Space--Fisheye--The Original

Just a quick note here. Fisheye is one of my favorite songs by the New Zealand noise trio Bailter Space, who I probably saw half a dozen times in their heyday. They are originals. The Sonic Youth comparisons made do not hold water, as they were making heads explode halfway around the globe before anyone knew about Sonic Youth. Sui Generis. Today they are fairly unheralded--here's an example of why I hold them in such high esteem and why I keep doing what I am doing tonight after midnight on this blog.





Fisheye is on Bailter Space's Thermos album. Grader Spader is also pretty amazing.

But I would try to find their albums, rather than the greatest hits Cd on Flying Nun. It just doesn't seem representative, or maybe the mix is a little off. Anyway, these guys are favorites of mine and I think other people out there just might be in agreement.

Danbury--First there were hats...Then There Was Rock--Monsterland--Destroy What You Love

Certainly most of you cognoscenti out there know that in the mid-1800's, no city was manufacturing more hats then Danbury, Connecticut. Sure, you've heard about the Susquehanna Hat factory from the famous Abbott & Costello skit, but Susquehanna had nothing on this town. But, wait, there's more. A great band emerged from the rubble of the once thriving millinery industry. These days they may seem unheralded, forgotten by the next generations of musics, but I tell you they existed, that they once roamed freely on the stages of clubs of Western Connecticut. I tell you truly; Monsterland was real.

Doesn't Henry Rollins have a tattoo like this?

Monsterland was a trio formed in the early 90's in a town roughly 45 minutes from my hometown, Danbury, where I would occasionally visit to purchase hockey equipment from the excellent store on Route 7 just past Costco. When I was a toddler I used to go to the giant annual fair there, which is now buried beneath a shopping mall just off of I-95. Danbury also heralded the beginning of my commute to College--Connecticut was the state I had to drive through to get to Worcester Mass, through the aforementioned Hat Town, through ancient Waterbury and past their now defunct religious amusement park Holy Land USA, and finally coming to a screeching halt in traffic in sprawling Hartford. (They have reduced a lot of that problem in more recent years). Even though the state was the source of my commuting frustrations, I can find little fault with the beautiful noise this band briefly made just across state lines.

Monsterland was comprised of Thom Monahan (vocals, bass), Greg Vegas (guitar, vocals) and Todd Cronin (drums), and they were around from 1991-1994. Destroy What You Love was their only full length album, and it is quite good. They remind me of a bunch of old alternative bands from the era, Sonic Youth, Husker Du, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., Mission of Burma drumbeats. But they also have a pop element to their sound, like The Posies, or early period Sloan. You can pick this album and two of their eps (Loser Friendly and At One With Time) up dirt cheap, and they are well  worth getting acquainted with. When you hear their best songs you wonder why they were not more successful. But on this blog I find I am saying this a lot about some great bands.

You know, woulda coulda shoulda...been Contendahs.

I first heard about this band because in a review of this album, I learned that they did a cover of Bailter Space's astounding tune Fisheye. When I heard that, I assumed that these guys were kindred spirits, as I was and am a big fan of those Kiwi ear-bludgeoners. If I had a musical time machine, going back to see the band when they were known as The Gordons would be pretty high on my list. And my suspicions were confirmed when I listened to this album. Glorious noise and pop smarts as harmonious as a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

Of course, while they do a credible job on Fisheye, its not quite the match of the hard sleek pop of the original. Their originals are where they truly shine, like on the opening song, Insulation. Simply a shoe-gazing juggernaut. Makes my ears tingle happily.





Maybe the best song on the album is the shimmering Lobsterhead, which is in the vein of Amherst's Dinosaur, Jr. Greg Vegas does a great job throughout the album wringing out a inventive variety of guitar sounds. I still feel embarrassed that a band this good was in my area and I never knew about it until it was too late. Another thing I like about this album is that the songs don't overstay their welcome--some shoegaze bands have fairly lengthy songs. At their longest, the songs here are four minutes and change, which is enough time to develop an idea and fade out.

Other favorite here are the pummelling Angel Scraper, The Sloany Twice at The End, and the riff rockin Clashing Teenage Crush. But there isn't much not to love here. The band sounds so great. They are really peers of the better known bands I have compared them to. I don't know about the other guys, but Thom Monahan was a member of the amazing Pernice Brothers for a number of years. I wonder what happened to Greg Vegas, because the guitar is pretty superlative here. Even if things didn't work out here, you would imagine his talent would be shining elsewhere. Anyway, if you've never heard these guys and liked the bands I've mentioned, or the shoegazing scene, I am confident that you will enjoy this album a lot.

We're On a Mission from Sweet Sweet Satan--Didjits--Hornet Pinata!!!

If the Blue Brothers were on a mission from God, I think the Didjits received their instructions from somewhere in the Deepest South. Where all great rock originates from, as we hapless connoisseurs of musical obscurity know so well. But then again, maybe only evolution could explain how farmboys from Champaign-Urbana could mutate into this over the top, world class, annihilating monster truck of a band.

Champaign Wishes, Caviar Dreams

It might be because Champaign might be the flattest place in the world--I don't really have the answer. I hadn't listened to one in a while, and I forgot what a great rock n roll album these guys made. Coming out you at the Crossroads between Big Black and Husker Du off their meds (or funny Nirvana), this is a classic rock and roll album that spans the continuum between Little Richard, The Stooges, up to the aforementioned band. They even end the album with a bottom heavy cover of  Hendrix's Foxy Lady and MC5's Call Me Animal. An album so aggressive it could tear your head off, tightly performed, irrerverant, appalling, hedonistically hilarious. One of 1990's best. This album definitely is in the rock n roll Hall of Fame of my delusions. 13 songs in 28 minutes. They were the real deal.

The Didjits were a three piece juggernaut from Champaign-Urbana, the home of the University of Illinois. Rick Sims sang and played guitar. Doug Evans was on bass, and Rick's brother Brad was on the drums. Hornet Pinata was their second full length album, released on Touch and Go records. Sims is a pretty amazing, charismatic frontman who somehow manages to tower above the musical maelstrom. Despite the velocity and ferocity, there is a surprising amount of melodicism to the music. And makes me want to drive my car fast. Take one look at the album art and you know where they're at. I remember downtown on the weekends and how all the local kids would just drive around and around that downtown area in their cars all night like some sort of a teenage parade. Maybe that whole car/speed thing is something that comes through in this music. Or more than likely not. But they put out their first records shortly after I came back East. I never got to see them. Damn.

Hornet Pinata starts out with Killboy Powerhead, which actually got some critical attention in its day. And deservedly so. Probably the Offspring cover is better known. But just the start of many special moments on the record. I especially like the riff pummel of Gold Eldorado.




Of course, their hallucinatory Evel Knievel tribute is a beautiful thing--a lot of bands sing about the American Daredevil and Hero but so few deliver the real goods. These guys are the exception to the rule.



Sweet Sweet Satan is one of those songs that draws a line in the sand--I don't think they were thinking about topping the College charts. Overall this disc is quite solid, no disappointing songs here, in my opinion. Other nice tracks are Cutting Carol, Goodbye Mr Policeman, and Joker Express. There are those who would pan the lyrical content of the record, but I find it hard to believe people would take these songs so seriously. This is goofy, gross out humor, and it should be taken in that spirit.



So if you want to listen to some loud over the top hard rocking alternative tunes with a lot of humor and chops, I think you will really appreciate this band if you give them a chance.

Another Hockey Season Ends--Fire and Ice in Vancouver--But The Zamboni's Still Rock Connecticut

Kind of a sad rough ending to the holiday season. I have to admit I stopped paying attention when my NY Rangers were unceremoniously eliminated in the first round. Hopefully they will stick with the youth movement and not start trading for old washed up superstars like they normally do when they start getting good. I think a lot of Americans were surprised about all the rioting that occurred in Vancouver after the disappointing result by the hometown Canucks--I know when I talk about hockey to a typical American, their eyes start to glaze over in about 15 seconds. But as most fans know, if you finish with the best record in the NHL in the regular season, you probably will be eliminated in the first round. Hockey is an unpredictable game--the puck takes funny bounces during a long rough physical playoff series.

But now that it's over, we can relax, regain our composure, and start preparing for next season. And what better way to deal with the long summer off from professional hockey than to listen to some good old American-style Puck rock.

The Fans all go insane....

And the Number 1 Hockey band south of the 49th parallel is of course Connecticut's own Zambonis, a clever bunch of hockey obsessed guys with musical chops and a great sense of humor. While I moan about the Rangers not advancing in this years playoffs, these guys have still not recovered from the loss of their Hartford Whalers (they are now the Carolina Hurricanes). And as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to music and sports, hockey is the best medium by far. Sure, you have your proponents of  badminton, curling, and chess punk. You even have the legendary Madras golf punks, The Divots, from North of Beantown. Some people like wrestling and rock (kudos to The Cramps take on "The Crusher") or those rap songs put out by 300 pound pro football players right before the Super Bowl. Give me my hockey rock any day.

The Zambonis are Dave Schneider, Pete Katis, Jon Aley, Tarquin Katis.

A perfect introduction to the group is the 7 song Ep, Play-Off Fever!, which showcases the bands abilities to play in a variety of styles. The first song is the excellent Avalanche!, a hi-energy tribute to the ex-Quebec Nordiques, the upstart team that would soon hold Lord Stanley's Cup! They quickly segue into the Band-like country of Great Zamboni of Devotion. A love song!--could anything be more romantic than comparing your girl to a Zamboni? Or the mustard on your knish? Then its off to the world of the moshpit, with the hardcore tune Lost My Teeth.

But the boys save the best for the latter part of the disc, first of all with their plea for hockey safety, C.C.M. P.S.A. (The Helmet Song).

Hey, Craig McTavish
You've got a lot of hair on your head,
But if you lose your balance,
You just might end up dead.

But if you wear a helmet
You'll be fine
And if you wear a helmet
It'll be alright.

As you can see, this band has filled a basic gap. As is often brought up in the academic world, hockey is one of the few topics William Shakespeare didn't live long enough to adequately cover. After the novelty instrumental/ dance number, Here Comes The Zamboni!, they really come up big with Hockey Holidays, which ought to be played in heavy rotation throughout Canada in December. A lesson maybe some of those crazed Canucks fans could take to heart.

All I want for Christmas
Are some brand new shoulder pads
To protect me from the enemy
when he cross checks me really badly....

So lets remember its December
before we drop the gloves
Even goons like yourself
Deep down... need to be loved.
So lower your high stick,
and remember jolly old St Nick

Hey you big idiot!!
Happy Holidays
Hockey Holidays...




And like any self respecting hockey tribute group, they end with the mighty Hockey Song by Canadian troubadour, Stompin' Tom Connors. They begin the song with a country twang, but with each chorus, the music gets faster, louder and more frenetic. Maybe not the equal of The Hanson Brothers Ramones avatar take on the tune, but nonetheless, well played, well played.

If you are a music loving hockey fan, you will fall over when you hear their music. Just don't get too excited and start rioting. Their official website has all kinds of crap on it, t-shirts, discs, even a Zambonis' cowbell. In addition to the Ep, they have put out two worthy full length albums, 100% hockey and other stuff, and More Songs about Hockey... and buildings and food. So check these guys out--get out of the alley and back out onto the ice.

This post goes out to my friend, the King of All Goons, the only man Tony Twist ever called "Sir".



Hingis Hatin Hockey Hooligan

 

Terrific bursts, Climbing Forgettable Ruins, Indifferent Longings, Ennui... Sun City Girls' Torch of The Mystics

What Goes Around....

I've been listening to this extraordinary recording for the past few days. I was pretty lucky to pick this up at a fairly reasonable price, as this has been out of print for close to twenty years and I see what people are asking for this Cd. I would have to say that this Phoenix band was fairly unique. They are certainly well known for their incorporation of musical styles from around the globe in their music, but for me its difficult to see where one thing starts and another ends here. One thing is very clear is that these guys are by no means imitative: the music on Torch of the Mystics is informed by Asian music, east Asia, India, Tibet and the Middle East and Spain, but for the most part they are using a basic guitar and drums set-up here, and there are a lot of rock, psychedelic surf guitar and traditional folk elements going on, not to mention some Spaghetti Western. Maybe its something about the desert, but they remind me a bit of the Meat Puppets at times.



The Band:
Richard Bishop: Guitar & Vocals
Alan Bishop: Bass & Vocals
Charles Gocher: Drums & Vocals

Or its just hard to say sometimes. What struck me at times on this recording was how similar elements seemed to exist in the different musical styles here. One type of music ultimately became an echo in another part of the world. I sometimes think that people got around and mingled back in the old days a lot more than a lot of people care to admit. Sometimes the guitar work is clearly inspired by Middle East or Indian Ragas, I hear Richard Thompson's guitar work. Amazingly, the work here seems so improvisational and spontaneously alive that you wonder whether the album was recorded in a few hours live. But I have to believe that these guys make what they do appear easy, when clearly there was a lot of thought and musical research going into the creation of this. Buddhist chants and Tuvan throat singing coexist with bluegrass. It makes no sense, but all the disparate elements for some reason work together as a whole.

I would admit that this album is not for everybody. Not everyone has the patience or a wide ranging enough interest in music to enjoy this album. But I believe that is one of the more amazing musical works. There probably aren't a lot of recordings like this. The musicianship on this is superb, and although there is singing and chanting throughout, I keep telling myself that this is an instrumental album.



When drummer Charles Gocher died in 2007, the remaining band members decided not to continue the group. Richard Bishop has subsequently made a number of solo recordings as Sir Richard Bishop (While My Guitar Violently Bleeds is a favorite), and his brother Alan runs the Sublime Frequencies music label, which releases interesting artists' music from around the globe, including many countries whose music is pretty unknown to Americans. Sun City Girls have made numerous albums, some of which are available on the Abduction Label, but many were produced in small numbers and are rare and out of print. Their last studio album, Funeral Mariachi was released last year, to critical acclaim. Still haven't picked that one up. But Torch of the Mystics comes highly recommended if you can find it for a reasonable amount. Definitely a unique record that ought to be reissued sooner than later.