While you were busy the last few weeks organizing your Grammy party, you may not have realized music has already moved on.
Here is a big fat slice of punk-pop excitement from Dublin's #1's. I think they have a few singles out, maybe a cassette. And I think a beer coozie, which tells me they mean business. No long-player out yet, but you've gotta love this song and the video accompanying it! Yeah, you've heard it before (maybe from a little group from Derry), but it still sounds great!
I think you'll be hearing a lot more from these 4 likely lads soon.
The 7" Single is on Sorry State records and also Alien Snatch records for those interested.
I first heard about these guys via Music Ruined My Life, a terrific music blog which is well worth
checking out.
Addendum:
I neglected to mention originally that I thought these guys had a little Kiwi punch in their arsenal. Check out their version of The Clean's Odditty! Yowza!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Mythology, Perception, and Reality--Hari Kunzru-- Gods Without Men
I read Hari Kunzru's remarkable book Gods Without Men last year. I've been meaning to say a little about it for a while but just haven't got around to it until now. This novel is probably the best fictional work I've read in a while. I believe that it was a NY Times notable book from 2012. So I'm sure for a lot of people Gods Without Men is far from being a hidden gem. But I like to write about things that impress me, whether they are obscure or less well-known. Usually, my posts lean toward obscurity, I guess.....
I don't really want to give away too much about the book. It would be very unfair.
Something strange going on out in the Desert. For years people are being drawn there. But for what, if anything? Is there something beyond our human knowledge and understanding in this remote area, or is this some sort of illusion imposed on the real world by human consciousness?
While reading Gods Without Men I was reminded of some dialogue from Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, where someone commented that if God did not exist, than man would have to invent him. Looking into it a little more, I'm now finding the quote in the book is a reiteration of a remark originally made by Voltaire.
Gods Without Men to me is in some ways a vehicle to discuss this issue. Not so much about religion but about human nature and how we perceive and process things. How our minds are wired to create a semblance of order even when any order is nonexistent. The novel is expansive however, covering psychology of human relationships, the possible underpinnings of mythology in the real world, popular delusions and the madness of crowds, the Culture of Celebrity. Artificial Intelligence. UFOs. Native American Folklore. And we aren't being enlightened here by an all-knowing narrator with X-ray vision. Kunzru's narrative is a contradictory weave created from the perspectives of numerous people.
Throughout the book I found myself being pulled back and forth, wondering what actually is happening. The tension produced by superb pacing of the narrative is both exhilarating and at times disconcerting. So often, events proceed, and as much as people understand reality, in many cases they are inert actors that can't control the outcomes as the world deteriorates before them. Part of the story exists in the present, but the narrative also goes back to earlier historical eras, which would lead you to believe that there is a pattern recurring. And this adds to the mystery. But certainly the nature of what this pattern may actually be is up for debate. At each point in time the explanations for what is happening are different, based on changing knowledge and cultural mores/conceits of the different eras.
But the beauty of this novel is that the contents are so rich, that I would be more surprised if someone came away with the exact same opinions that I have processed. And I don't think that this is an unintentional outcome. And while the going gets extremely rough for individuals in the novel, optimism seems to persist on some level. I find that there is a great humanistic spirit running throughout this book, despite the many weaknesses and failings of human beings.
Sure, I have read books that are good reads, that are interesting and even astonishing in scope. I might appreciate novelists' inventive use of language, or their ability to create unbelievably imaginative literary frameworks. Gods Without Men, in addition to being a great read, is packed full of philosophical and intellectual digressions. This aspect places the novel to a whole other level of quality.
I found God Without Men to be brilliant. It's a novel that interacts with you, forces you to think about pretty much the nature of everything. Certainly there are people who wouldn't want to bother with a work this challenging, but my view is that Hari Kunzru's writing would be an excellent source of sustenance for your intellect.
 |
| Atop the tallest of earth's peaks dwell the gods of earth, who suffer not man to tell that he hath looked upon them.... |
I don't really want to give away too much about the book. It would be very unfair.
Something strange going on out in the Desert. For years people are being drawn there. But for what, if anything? Is there something beyond our human knowledge and understanding in this remote area, or is this some sort of illusion imposed on the real world by human consciousness?
While reading Gods Without Men I was reminded of some dialogue from Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov, where someone commented that if God did not exist, than man would have to invent him. Looking into it a little more, I'm now finding the quote in the book is a reiteration of a remark originally made by Voltaire.
Gods Without Men to me is in some ways a vehicle to discuss this issue. Not so much about religion but about human nature and how we perceive and process things. How our minds are wired to create a semblance of order even when any order is nonexistent. The novel is expansive however, covering psychology of human relationships, the possible underpinnings of mythology in the real world, popular delusions and the madness of crowds, the Culture of Celebrity. Artificial Intelligence. UFOs. Native American Folklore. And we aren't being enlightened here by an all-knowing narrator with X-ray vision. Kunzru's narrative is a contradictory weave created from the perspectives of numerous people.
Throughout the book I found myself being pulled back and forth, wondering what actually is happening. The tension produced by superb pacing of the narrative is both exhilarating and at times disconcerting. So often, events proceed, and as much as people understand reality, in many cases they are inert actors that can't control the outcomes as the world deteriorates before them. Part of the story exists in the present, but the narrative also goes back to earlier historical eras, which would lead you to believe that there is a pattern recurring. And this adds to the mystery. But certainly the nature of what this pattern may actually be is up for debate. At each point in time the explanations for what is happening are different, based on changing knowledge and cultural mores/conceits of the different eras.
But the beauty of this novel is that the contents are so rich, that I would be more surprised if someone came away with the exact same opinions that I have processed. And I don't think that this is an unintentional outcome. And while the going gets extremely rough for individuals in the novel, optimism seems to persist on some level. I find that there is a great humanistic spirit running throughout this book, despite the many weaknesses and failings of human beings.
Sure, I have read books that are good reads, that are interesting and even astonishing in scope. I might appreciate novelists' inventive use of language, or their ability to create unbelievably imaginative literary frameworks. Gods Without Men, in addition to being a great read, is packed full of philosophical and intellectual digressions. This aspect places the novel to a whole other level of quality.
I found God Without Men to be brilliant. It's a novel that interacts with you, forces you to think about pretty much the nature of everything. Certainly there are people who wouldn't want to bother with a work this challenging, but my view is that Hari Kunzru's writing would be an excellent source of sustenance for your intellect.
Monday, January 20, 2014
When the Cave Comes Alive!!!---An Emerald City--Circa Scaria!
An Emerald City is an amazing New Zealand band that I have neglected to mention until now. I first heard about the group when I stumbled upon Graham Reid's site, Elsewhere, which I would definitely recommend taking a peek at. He definitely has interesting taste in music. I was quite fortunate to get a physical copy of their first album, Circa Scaria, since for at least the time being the item is hard to find. But the album is readily available in digital format, so no worries as to obtaining the music. But I must say the Cd artwork is quite gorgeous.
Circa Scaria came out in 2009 on the label Banished By the Universe, which appears to be run by members of the band. The label seemed to be a bit of a mystery to me, but at the letter end of 2013 they have reorganized with a bona fide website and a new distributor. In addition to An Emerald City, there is an interesting and diverse roster of bands, including Mountaineater, James Duncan, Alizarin Lizard, Rackets, and Bond Street Bridge. Well worth checking out the site.
For me, An Emerald City is probably one of those odd circumstances where a band is actually playing a type of music that I always wanted to hear but to a great extent has been denied to me. A
mixture of improvisational world music based around Arabic, Indian, African sources combined with noise.
Musically they are simply astounding. Trance inducing percussion, at times dubby, capable of subtlety, fantastic use of dynamics. For all comparisons you could make to Kiwi antecedents like Bailter Space, The Clean, Dead C and Roy Montgomery, they have at certain moments that sinister sound of early era Live Skull, or Mission of Burma, or Sonic Youth. With improvisational chops like the Sun City Girls. Or Anne Dudley and Jaz Coleman's Songs from the Victorious City. But these name checks only semi-describe what is going on here.
Amazingly Circa Scaria was recorded in an unusual studio. Actually, not a studio at all, but within the Great Cave of Whatipu on the West Coast of Auckland! Per the liner notes, the album was recorded live over a two day period. So they are definitely trying some ambitious things. And succeeding.
Reuben Bonner: Guitars, Voices, Percussion
Rob Croft: Oud, Darabukka, Electronics, Sitar, Percussion
Ede Giesen: Persian Long Necked Lute, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Voices
Sam Handley: Organ, Guitars, Percussion
Reyahn Leng: Drums, Tabla, Percussion
Felix Lun: Violin, Percussion
I was absolutely floored by this album. This is definitely music that more people need to hear, music of the highest artistic calibre. I'm amazed how all the disparate elements here mesh together so well. I wound up getting their other releases (eponymous ep and their 2nd album, Fourth), and they are all great. Circa Scaria--one of the most revelatory recordings for me in 2013, though it came out 4 years earlier.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Methadones----21st Century Power Pop Riot---Reinterpreting the 20th Century Masters
Happy 2014 everybody!
Hey, even inveterate punk rockers can feel the urge for the crunch of power pop. Though Chicago punks The Methadones are not talking about first wavers like Raspberries, Big Star, or Badfinger here. They mean "New Wave" classics, which is just the sort of music they are reverently honoring on 21st Century Power Pop Riot.
Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Nick Lowe, Paul Collins and the Beat, The Records. Bands they heard and were inspired by.
Yeah, covers. There seems to be a bit of this going on lately. The difference on this 2006 release from Red Scare Records is that is one of the good ones! Basically we have harder, more punked out versions of the originals. But they don't try to destroy what they love, the monstrous pop hooks remain intact. If you've heard Down By Law cover The Proclaimers' 500 Miles or Big Country's In a Big Country you get the spirit of this, of what my fuss is all about.
Dan Schaefer: Lead vocals, Guitar
Mike Byrne: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike Soucy: Drums, Backing Vocals
Pete Mittler: Just Bass
The whole record sounds inspired, like a fantasy bar band. In addition to the aforementioned bands, there are some groups that had one hit, like The Jags, Back of My Hand. Great song. My college band used to play a version of this also. Of course The Jags had other songs that were pretty good, but that's how they are remembered.
And there are bands that everybody should know more about, like Vancouver's Pointed Sticks. That band holds there own with the best punk bands of the era in my opinion. The Methadones do their magnificent Out of Luck. They cover a song by Minneapolis' Crash Street Kids also, into you. They are a band that made only one album in the 80's, which apparently has never been reissued! And Off Broadway's Full Moon Turn My Head Around. I never heard of them before, and now I definitely need to investigate.
One of the high points on 21st is their version of Scandal's Goodbye to You. I always liked that song, but wasn't thrilled with what music the Patti Smythe did later on. The Methadones hand the mic over to the capable Annie Soviette of The Soviettes on this, and she and the band absolutely crush. I like version 2.0 better than the original.
Other covers of note are their amazing take on The Record Starry Eyes, with a smoking hot guitar take on the classic riff. You can't really beat the original, but they do it justice. The same can be said on Nick Lowe's Heart of the City. Cheap Trick is represented here also, with crunching run through. He's A Whore. Not as memorable as Big Black's version, but not bad at all.
Nice song selections here, with a good balance of new wave standards and lesser known songs. The Methadones rip through this setlist with enthusiasm and heart. What more could you ask for?
Hey, even inveterate punk rockers can feel the urge for the crunch of power pop. Though Chicago punks The Methadones are not talking about first wavers like Raspberries, Big Star, or Badfinger here. They mean "New Wave" classics, which is just the sort of music they are reverently honoring on 21st Century Power Pop Riot.
 |
| Don't Want to Argue, Don't Wanna Budge..... |
Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Nick Lowe, Paul Collins and the Beat, The Records. Bands they heard and were inspired by.
Yeah, covers. There seems to be a bit of this going on lately. The difference on this 2006 release from Red Scare Records is that is one of the good ones! Basically we have harder, more punked out versions of the originals. But they don't try to destroy what they love, the monstrous pop hooks remain intact. If you've heard Down By Law cover The Proclaimers' 500 Miles or Big Country's In a Big Country you get the spirit of this, of what my fuss is all about.
Dan Schaefer: Lead vocals, Guitar
Mike Byrne: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike Soucy: Drums, Backing Vocals
Pete Mittler: Just Bass
The whole record sounds inspired, like a fantasy bar band. In addition to the aforementioned bands, there are some groups that had one hit, like The Jags, Back of My Hand. Great song. My college band used to play a version of this also. Of course The Jags had other songs that were pretty good, but that's how they are remembered.
And there are bands that everybody should know more about, like Vancouver's Pointed Sticks. That band holds there own with the best punk bands of the era in my opinion. The Methadones do their magnificent Out of Luck. They cover a song by Minneapolis' Crash Street Kids also, into you. They are a band that made only one album in the 80's, which apparently has never been reissued! And Off Broadway's Full Moon Turn My Head Around. I never heard of them before, and now I definitely need to investigate.
One of the high points on 21st is their version of Scandal's Goodbye to You. I always liked that song, but wasn't thrilled with what music the Patti Smythe did later on. The Methadones hand the mic over to the capable Annie Soviette of The Soviettes on this, and she and the band absolutely crush. I like version 2.0 better than the original.
Other covers of note are their amazing take on The Record Starry Eyes, with a smoking hot guitar take on the classic riff. You can't really beat the original, but they do it justice. The same can be said on Nick Lowe's Heart of the City. Cheap Trick is represented here also, with crunching run through. He's A Whore. Not as memorable as Big Black's version, but not bad at all.
Nice song selections here, with a good balance of new wave standards and lesser known songs. The Methadones rip through this setlist with enthusiasm and heart. What more could you ask for?
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Farewell to Holidays--A Southern Christmas Song from The Long Ryders!
A little holiday sentimentality from Paisley Pop Alt-Country Superstars The Long Ryders.
Happy New Year to All!
Happy New Year to All!
Monday, December 30, 2013
Western Industrial Dance and Trance---Red Lorry Yellow Lorry--Paint Your Wagon!
I bought Red Lorry Yellow Lorry's 2nd album without knowing a thing about them. They are from Leeds, England. I got it in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois at the Record Stop. The combination of the fiery Wagon Wheel cover art (and the always helpful spot-on handwritten descriptions on the albums penned on little quarter sized stickies on the plastic slipcovers) were what sold me. Turned out to be a good decision. Back in the 80's, I know I listened to this a lot.
I'm not sure what the album is about--singer Chris Reed plays the role of a deep voiced disco religious revivalist here. He certainly does a lot of chanting short mantras on this album. Between the album art and the song titles, thematically the music is about the American West. But overall it sounds like proto-industrial dance music to me, and without the aforementioned cues, I probably would not view this as a Western Album.
The disc I am listening to is an old Cherry Red reissue which also contains their 1st album, Talk About the Weather. Talk about the Weather is a perfectly good album, and Reed is noticeably singing in the style of Ian Curtis. But there are other elements at work, in the music, like early Killing Joke and Gang of Four. Maybe Jesus & Mary Chain. This particular release is a very nice twofer.
Chris Reed: Vocals and Guitar
David Wolfenden: Guitar
Leon Phillips: Bass
Chris Oldroyd: Drums
Having the two albums on the same disc allows the listener an opportunity to really contrast how the music changed in a short period of time. They are sounding much more original. Right out of the gate, on Walking on Your Hands you hear the assertive drumming right up front in the mix. The droning shrapnelly guitar riffs sync up nicely with the beats, with the malevolent vocals laying over the top. They are sonically impressive on this record, noisy yet somehow pop accessible. Certainly this is functional music, like an noisy engine built for use the dance floor. And while the band is in a groove throughout the recording, the songs don't all sound the same.
The Lorries wound up recording 5 albums in total before splitting up. Though it does seem like they have gotten back together and performed as recently as this year.
When I listen to the great sound that they achieved on Paint Your Wagon, I have to conclude that they were an innovative bunch. Don't go looking for profundity in the lyrics--it wasn't really the point here. There simply were not a lot of lyrics, and they were repeated and repeated in order to create a mesmerizing affect. Overall a pretty successful effort by a talented band well worth investigating.
I'm not sure what the album is about--singer Chris Reed plays the role of a deep voiced disco religious revivalist here. He certainly does a lot of chanting short mantras on this album. Between the album art and the song titles, thematically the music is about the American West. But overall it sounds like proto-industrial dance music to me, and without the aforementioned cues, I probably would not view this as a Western Album.
The disc I am listening to is an old Cherry Red reissue which also contains their 1st album, Talk About the Weather. Talk about the Weather is a perfectly good album, and Reed is noticeably singing in the style of Ian Curtis. But there are other elements at work, in the music, like early Killing Joke and Gang of Four. Maybe Jesus & Mary Chain. This particular release is a very nice twofer.
Chris Reed: Vocals and Guitar
David Wolfenden: Guitar
Leon Phillips: Bass
Chris Oldroyd: Drums
Having the two albums on the same disc allows the listener an opportunity to really contrast how the music changed in a short period of time. They are sounding much more original. Right out of the gate, on Walking on Your Hands you hear the assertive drumming right up front in the mix. The droning shrapnelly guitar riffs sync up nicely with the beats, with the malevolent vocals laying over the top. They are sonically impressive on this record, noisy yet somehow pop accessible. Certainly this is functional music, like an noisy engine built for use the dance floor. And while the band is in a groove throughout the recording, the songs don't all sound the same.
The Lorries wound up recording 5 albums in total before splitting up. Though it does seem like they have gotten back together and performed as recently as this year.
When I listen to the great sound that they achieved on Paint Your Wagon, I have to conclude that they were an innovative bunch. Don't go looking for profundity in the lyrics--it wasn't really the point here. There simply were not a lot of lyrics, and they were repeated and repeated in order to create a mesmerizing affect. Overall a pretty successful effort by a talented band well worth investigating.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Stars Fell on the Magic City......Birmingham's Primitons Anthologized At Last
Been listening to a pretty fine little reissue from Arena Rock Records, Don't Go Away: Collected Works by Primitons, a very good 80's melodic rock band from Birmingham, Alabama. The record collects their entire recorded output, through several lineup changes. I don't recall hearing about them when they were originally putting out records, but I wish I had. The band name is a mash-up of "Primitive Tones".
R.E.M. comparison are inevitable with the Primiton's music, but not entirely accurate. If you love the music of R.E.M., I don't think this album would be a tough sell. But in some ways they are poppier, and other points they rock out a bit more. They actually remind me a bit of the Country Punk of Jason and the Scorchers at times. They rock out fairly righteously when not jangling. They must have been a very great act to see in a club.
At times they are kind of Psychedelic garage sounding like the raga-like guitar coda on Gabrielle. And three passes through this album I'm listening to Seeing is Believing, and I keep thinking that they were influenced by 60's groups like The Monkees. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. The Monkees got to me through the television at an impressionable age and have left an indelible impact on my pop sensibilities. And whether or not they wrote a lot of their more memorable songs, I don't care all that much. They left the musical world a great body of work. And probably any kid with access to a TV watched them.
The tendency for some people is to disparage their music, but if you don't believe me, read Robert Forster's excellent essay on The Monkees from his 10 Rules of Rock N' Roll. The former Go-Between is nearly as excellent as a music essayist as he is at penning song lyrics. While you're at it, I recommend you read all the essays in his book!
Primitons definitely have a southern charm to them, without falling into cliches. It's like having a sensibility and world view from being born and raised in a place, but not necessarily fitting into longstanding traditions. Like on the song You'll Never Know, Mats Roden sings about his "hair being on fire". In the album liner notes, he said that the song was about his closeted sexuality, sort of like, C'mon do I really need to say it?
Mats Roden:Vocals, Guitar, Keys
Brad Dorset: Vocals, Guitar, Keys
Leif Bondarenko: Drums, Accordian
Don Tinsley: Bass, Vocals
Stephanie Truelove Wright: Lyrics
Don't Go Away is chock full of highpoints, like the melodic jangle of Stars Falling on Alabama, which was one of their most popular songs. Or Something on My Mind, which sounds like a long lost Hollies song. Or a beautiful ballad with subtle harmonizing like Happy All the Time. Don't Go Away, the title track is a pop monster. Randomly put a track on and it will probably be terrific.
For all the 20, 25, 30, 40 year deluxe anniversary reissues of well-know albums that keep coming out, it's more gratifying for me when a compilation like this comes out after all these years. Seemingly out of left field. Primitons were a really great band that have finally gotten their body of work released. Fans of Athens Georgia's finest, The dB's, Big Star, Velvet Crush, Lets Active, Jason Ringenberg & Co., will be delighted with this recording! Please support labels that put out releases like this, because people who produce reissues of this caliber definitely need to be incentivized.
 |
| Don't forget the Magic City.... |
R.E.M. comparison are inevitable with the Primiton's music, but not entirely accurate. If you love the music of R.E.M., I don't think this album would be a tough sell. But in some ways they are poppier, and other points they rock out a bit more. They actually remind me a bit of the Country Punk of Jason and the Scorchers at times. They rock out fairly righteously when not jangling. They must have been a very great act to see in a club.
At times they are kind of Psychedelic garage sounding like the raga-like guitar coda on Gabrielle. And three passes through this album I'm listening to Seeing is Believing, and I keep thinking that they were influenced by 60's groups like The Monkees. And I mean that in the most complimentary way. The Monkees got to me through the television at an impressionable age and have left an indelible impact on my pop sensibilities. And whether or not they wrote a lot of their more memorable songs, I don't care all that much. They left the musical world a great body of work. And probably any kid with access to a TV watched them.
The tendency for some people is to disparage their music, but if you don't believe me, read Robert Forster's excellent essay on The Monkees from his 10 Rules of Rock N' Roll. The former Go-Between is nearly as excellent as a music essayist as he is at penning song lyrics. While you're at it, I recommend you read all the essays in his book!
Primitons definitely have a southern charm to them, without falling into cliches. It's like having a sensibility and world view from being born and raised in a place, but not necessarily fitting into longstanding traditions. Like on the song You'll Never Know, Mats Roden sings about his "hair being on fire". In the album liner notes, he said that the song was about his closeted sexuality, sort of like, C'mon do I really need to say it?
Mats Roden:Vocals, Guitar, Keys
Brad Dorset: Vocals, Guitar, Keys
Leif Bondarenko: Drums, Accordian
Don Tinsley: Bass, Vocals
Stephanie Truelove Wright: Lyrics
Don't Go Away is chock full of highpoints, like the melodic jangle of Stars Falling on Alabama, which was one of their most popular songs. Or Something on My Mind, which sounds like a long lost Hollies song. Or a beautiful ballad with subtle harmonizing like Happy All the Time. Don't Go Away, the title track is a pop monster. Randomly put a track on and it will probably be terrific.
For all the 20, 25, 30, 40 year deluxe anniversary reissues of well-know albums that keep coming out, it's more gratifying for me when a compilation like this comes out after all these years. Seemingly out of left field. Primitons were a really great band that have finally gotten their body of work released. Fans of Athens Georgia's finest, The dB's, Big Star, Velvet Crush, Lets Active, Jason Ringenberg & Co., will be delighted with this recording! Please support labels that put out releases like this, because people who produce reissues of this caliber definitely need to be incentivized.
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