Un Disparo al Centro is the second album by Chilean band Como Asesinar a Felipes. Their style is unique, mixing rap vocals, jazz drumming, a piano, the Juvenile National Symphony Orchestra of Santiago, and DJ Sp@cio providing scratches and samples. Vocalist Koala Contreras’ rap vocals, all in Spanish, give a ghetto feel to the album which is in deep contrast to the orchestral arrangements; it’s street yet lounge, savage yet affectionate.
The first two tracks seem to act as an introduction to the album, providing just a hint of what may be coming before La Puerta No Se Abre Sola features all the aforementioned characteristics and more. A jazz arrangement is quickly layered with scratches, samples, and aggressive vocals creating something quite dramatic, this theme is followed until the music starts to mimic the vocals and become somewhat wild, calming itself down ever so slowly thereafter.
Title track Un Disparo al Centro adds another element with a female operatic vocals complimenting, and at the same time contrasting, Contreras’ street rhymes. Cuando La Verdad No Encaja is the centerpiece of the album; the title, meaning “when the truth does not fit”, is enforced by Contreras and accompanied by heavy bass and a delightfully delicate piano arrangement.
Nuevo Dia Para Comenzar rounds out the album with DJ Sp@cio’s turntable tricks giving way to a dramatic and enchanting arrangement void of Contreras vocals. And then it’s over… all too soon. Just seven tracks make up the album, two of which barely register a minute long, but it is a bargain and well worth a listen as it is definitely something different and unlikely to be replicated.
The Company Band is a rock supergroup consisting of Neil Fallon (Clutch), James Rota (Fireball Ministry), Brad Davis (Fu Manchu), Jess Margera (CKY), and Dave Bone. That alone tells you that this album is going to be pretty darn good and it doesn’t disappoint.
Fallon, a small man with a big beard and even bigger voice, sounds aggressive and disgruntled on lead track Zombie Barricades, providing the listener with an immediate wake up call. From there the mix of Fallon’s harsh, Southern vocal styles contrast with the catchy guitar hooks and fun, Californian styles of Rota and Davis. It’s a Confusing World has a real Fu Manchu feel to it while Fallon’s lyrics about quantum mechanics for Djinn and Pentatonic are more akin to the intelligent wordplay used in many Clutch songs.
The band keeps the album fairly straightforward; Rota and Bone provide guitar licks during breaks in Fallon’s raspy vocals while Margera effortlessly bangs away on the drums throughout. Inline Six reads like a Hitcher type horror movie where a man is about to get rundown by a truck, although it all seems a little inevitable rather than scary. Who Else But Us? contains the line “defibrillate 'em, sedate 'em, then kick 'em in the nuts!” which is pretty much what this song does and CDANDW, standing for “chaos, destruction, and war” sums up how this track sounds.
Love Means Never Having to Say You’re Ugly is possibly the strongest track on the album with a lift in tempo and energy. This provides a final punch for the listener before the album concludes with a slow, grandstand finish on Lethe Waters where all members have a chance to show their wares.
It seems as if the star lineup just got together, jammed, and banged out these ten tracks for The Company Band, it sounds effortless and rocks from start to finish; heavy enough to thrash around to but also restrained enough to sit back and enjoy. Fans of any one of CKY, Fireball Ministry, or Fu Manchu would definitely get a kick out of this release with Fallon’s distinctive vocals making it most appealing to fans of Clutch.
The Melvins and High on Fire arrived in Wellington a day later than planned after the Christchurch earthquake left them stranded at Christchurch airport the night before. Every measure was taken to ensure the touring party made it to Wellington including getting the ferry over from Picton. These two bands were now ready to rock the Bodega; just like they themselves had been rocked in Christchurch.
First was High on Fire who came highly recommended and they certainly didn’t disappoint, the first two songs (I have no idea what they were) had heads banging and bodies flying. The band was tight, and the sound was better than usual for the Bodega; it had me already anticipating what the Melvins would do once onstage. There was still much more of High on Fire to be seen though and I found my eyes glued to bassist Jeff Matz’s rapid finger work while guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike’s beer belly was also a sight to behold. This was stoner doom heaven; a full on rocking set was played before they finished off with Bastard Samurai and Snakes for the Divine, dedicating the show to “anyone who got fucked on by the Christchurch earthquake”. The performance best summed up by someone remarking; “Fuck Metallica; this is heavy metal!”
By the time High on Fire were finished the Bodega was packed. The late cancellation of Queens of the Stone Age (who were due to perform a few blocks away at the Town Hall) may have been a factor; Josh Homme was probably scared some “cocksmoker” would throw a shoe at him. Most were in attendance to see timeless sludge rockers the Melvins. King Buzzo and Jared Warren came out looking larger than life, imposing figures on the tiny stage, while Dale Crover and Coady Willis could hardly be seen behind their monstrous drum kits. Buzz sported a turtle neck and moo moo, the other three looked sort of like vikings.
Opening track The Water Glass had the Melvins declaring they were ready; the raucous crowd in attendance were certainly ready, ready, ready. The band ran through a relentless set which included The Kicking Machine, Bar-X-The Rocking M,AMAZON, The Bit, Blood Witch, and the more recent Evil New War God, and Electric Flower; the only let up being early on when some idiot tried to look cool by dancing on stage. Jared did his best Josh Homme impersonation explaining that the idiot not only did not look cool but he also kicked a plug out of Buzz’s guitar, forcing them to stop while Buzz calmly fixed himself up.
The highlights of the show were Civilized Worm, Let It All Be, and Coady’s frenetic drumming. I could only see Dale’s sweaty hair from my position, but he would have done well to keep up with the younger, fitter Coady who was constantly pounding away. The show finished after Buzz casually strolled off leaving Coady and Dale providing a thunderous drum duet while Jared screamed into the microphone. The three of them then waved their goodbyes; a half-expected encore did not come but was not really necessary.
If the band were a little “freaked out” by their experience in Christchurch it certainly didn’t show. They gave the Bodega a magnitude 6.3 earthquake of their own, leaving the still shaking crowd to wind down to the Disney classic Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.
Nick Oliveri has a penchant for pissing people off. This is clearly evident on A Drug Problem That Never Existed which was inspired by Oliveri’s divorce, substance abuses, and the death of his father. The opening track Meth I Hear You Calling sets the tone for the album and is filled with abusive messages from a fuming (ex) girlfriend, before Here We Come (“We’re coming to get you!”) signals Oliveri’s intentions with his signature screams.
So High, So Low displays a collection of feelings ranging from love to regret, and was later re-produced for the 2006 Dead Planet album but became over polished and radio friendly which nullified the raw emotion seen here. Do The Headright is my pick off this album, it chugs along violently with Oliveri screaming throughout but a bouncy, fun vibe comes across.
Mondo Generator is largely Oliveri’s work; however he does call up some big name friends to help him out. Josh Homme features on Detroit and gives it a real laid back Queens of the Stone Age feel, a welcome respite from Oliveri’s screaming. Brant Bjork, Dave Catching, Josh Freese, and Alain Johannes also make an appearance or two and Mark Lanegan puts his stamp all over Four Corners, a slow, retrospective way to wind down the album.
Jr. High Love is a fun track from the past coming off Volumes 3 & 4 of the Desert Sessions while Girls Like Christ is the reworking of an old Dwarves track and, although interesting, does not really fit in with the rest of the album.
All I Can Do and Day I Die are sombre acoustic numbers and a prelude to later years when Oliveri undertook an acoustic tour. When I saw him in 2009 he seemed appreciative and humbled that the small crowd had come along to hear him, just happy to be playing music; a far cry from the intense and, at times, brutal delivery of A Drug Problem That Never Existed.
Look What I Did are an American post hardcore/info-punk band. I caught up with vocalist, and co-founder of upcoming music service Gazzmic, Barry Donegan. He touches on hot topics such as Mr. Bungle, the CIA, Atlas Shrugged, and changing the history of music. Here's what he had to say:
Beez: Can you give a brief background of when and how you guys got together to form the band?
Barry: The band formed in 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee. The original lineup included Colby Shea and Miles McPherson (who now plays drums for Kelly Clarkson). Jake and Ty joined us at different intervals during the heavy touring cycle after Minuteman for the Moment, and they both have been involved in the writing process fully from that point on including on Atlas Drugged and Zanzibar III which is being written right now.
Beez: When I first heard Atlas Drugged, it was the music itself with its lack of traditional song structure which I found quite unique and interesting. What influences do have (either musically or otherwise) which help create this and separate you from other bands which likely grew up listening to the same artists as you?
Barry: Mr. Bungle was influential on us in the sense that they paved the way for bands who enjoy the counterculture and the heavier and punkier side of music to actually experiment as a true musician rather than just ramming power chords down and calling it a day. While there is always room for simpler and more traditional musical styles, someone has to break new ground. I think what differentiates us from a lot of our peers in other bands is that we intentionally resist trends and try our hardest to deviate from our influences rather than trying harder and harder to sound like a preexisting thing and thus becoming a somewhat simpler version of an existing band. I'm not in the business of hating on other bands, but originality is just a serious focus for Look What I Did, and I'm not sure it is for most bands right now.
We could have played rap metal in 1999. We could have played youth crew in 2001.We could have played breakdowns in 2003. We could have played arpeggio sweeps in 2008. It's not that we didn't know how or didn't realize that it would have made us more popular, it's that it is not our job to do that. It is Look What I Did's job to innovate and experiment and break ground for other bands to use in the future.
Beez: Upon listening further, I found the lyrics on Atlas Drugged make it a truly great album. You question topics such as religion, the Federal Reserve, CIA conspiracies, and have a dig at Leo Strauss. Was it always the intention of the band to raise issues such as these or were you just particularly irked by certain aspects of society at the time?
Barry: Lyrics for me flow with inspiration. I have always been somewhat interested in those subjects, but they are especially pertinent in modern times. We are living through a paradigm shift, and I don't pull punches on the message. At the same time, I take caution to pick very specific and less obvious subjects so as to not force people to accept the views in the songs in order to enjoy them.
On the other hand, some issues transcend even ideology and politics. The Federal Reserve, the CIA, the impact of Leo Strauss, those are intellectual subjects forever tied to the modern era that should be expected to appear in art, in my view. However, I write about nearly any subject in lyrics, and no subject matter remains on the table or would ever be off the table. It is important to flow with what inspires you at the time. In my mind, that's the most efficient way to make good stuff consistently.
Beez: Can you describe the process you go through in coming up with songs. Are the lyrics totally Barry’s ideas or does the band sit down and work out what messages they want to convey?
Barry: The lyrics are more my idea in most cases, though Chris wrote a few lines on Atlas Drugged. Sometimes the core idea comes from another band member, and I've had some lyrics vetoed by everyone else as well. Everyone has their own contribution to the writing process. Ty and Chris are the most concerned with the overall sound once the song begins taking a bit of shape. Skeet and Ty often come up with the basis of riffs. Chris is usually the most involved on the back end. I feel like Jake might have written some guitar riffs as well, and he is charged with keeping the chaos together.
During the Minuteman for the Moment phase, Colby and Miles were the most dominant during the writing process, so that was an entirely different procedure. Overall, we have a very democratic process when we write music, and that makes it take a little bit longer than a band who uses the Nirvana formula where a single member pretty much writes the song and everyone else just adds flair. We write by debating the parts out until they become something completely else than what they were in the beginning.
Beez: Are you looking forward to the release of the Atlas Shrugged film/s?
Barry: Absolutely! What strange timing! I believe in individual freedom and detest subjugation by institutions. I resist institutions, institutionally. So, Atlas Shrugged is right up my ally in that sense. Ayn Rand is a controversial figure, but her influence on society is undeniable, and she has introduced a very cohesive philosophy for those of us that don't like submitting to arbitrary and unchecked authority in life.
Beez: You recently wrote a blog entry on the Gazzmic website about the selection of band names. Would you go back and change the name Look What I Did (Liquid Eyelid) if you had the opportunity?
Barry: Actually, I'm pretty satisfied with the name personally. It's probably possible to pick names in different ways now, but it is a good phrase, and we've managed to continue to keep the front page of Google full despite the fact that the phrase is used by millions of people online every day, and we're competing head-on with a corporate television show by the same name and generally winning according to the algorithms of notability online. We've been using the name substantially longer, so that helps quite a lot I'm sure.
Beez: Staying on the topic of Gazzmic; can you give a relatively simple description of how it will help both bands and fans to easily connect with each other and find (new) music?
Barry: Regarding Gazzmic, I can only talk about certain things at this phase due to the non-disclosure agreements involved in starting a new online music service that is still in development. The first thing we have on the menu is a band iPhone app platform that will also be portable to the Android Market. Bands need a presence they can control on a mobile app since so many people are using smartphones now. There is a much bigger picture to this, though, that I can't go into great detail on just yet. We're taking Gazzmic one phase at a time, and our first objective is creating the platform and all the technology involved in that. From there, it will expand into something that changes everything.
Beez: What stage are you at with Gazzmic, and when could we likely see a launch of the iPhone/Android app? Can you give any details on what it will provide for users?
Barry: Gazzmic is in the development stage, and we are close to the start of closed beta. A launch date isn't set yet, but will be in time. I can't discuss too many specific features of the service yet, simply because too many of them are unique and innovative, and we don't want to begin explaining them until we can demonstrate them in action.
It will also have all the traditional stuff that people expect from a content delivery system for a band. Obviously, musicians will be able to offer the typical material like MP3 downloads, tour dates, biographical information, and streaming content, but there will be a lot of unique and new features that will be true game-changers. Each of them will be announced in great detail when they are about ready to be implemented.
Beez: How have “mainstream” artists and labels reacted to Gazzmic? Have any become involved in the project?
Barry: Mainstream artists are very receptive to what we are doing with Gazzmic. Some major artists and noteworthy labels have already requested beta keys so that they can be involved in the beta testing process. I won't spill the beans on who just yet, though, but I'm sure everyone will know when their profiles launch. We have a mind-blowing number of bands signed up to beta test Gazzmic already, and we haven't even started closed beta yet. We get a growing number of requests every day. The hype has definitely taken on a life of its own.
Beez: I think everyone (except the major labels themselves) can agree that the current business model of selling records/cd’s is dead/dying. Where do you see the future of music headed?
Barry: The current model is dead, and there will be a new way to monetize music. I am certain that we have it figured out, and I have typed up this new system into a manuscript which we will allow everyone to read just as soon as we finish building the technology to make it possible. Ordinarily I would be more transparent with my thinking, but the Gazzmic team is investing serious financial and sweat-equity resources into making this happen, so I must conduct myself in a manner befitting of a founder of an online service that is about to change the world and the history of music.
Beez: What are the upcoming plans for Look What I Did? I’ve seen rumours of a possible tour with Polkadot Cadaver and Creature Feature, plus also a trip to Europe.
Barry: There will be a specific announcement regarding this general subject very soon which I can't specifically comment on right now. :) I can say though that we would love to tour Europe some day, and if any of our European fans can assist us in reaching new fans, getting press, developing booking contacts, and anything else, we'd appreciate your support. The more grass roots support we receive in Europe, the easier it will be to tour there.
Beez: Do you know if you have any sort of fan base in Australia or here in New Zealand? If so, any chance of a tour?
Barry: I know that we do, and those would be great places to tour. Once again, the more support we get from our fans on other continents, the easier it is for us to tour in those specific places. Generally, Look What I Did is more popular in other countries than we are in the United States. I'm not sure why that is, because we've toured the US 12 or so times, and we've never toured in any other country. But online, our stats are very favorable in other countries around the world.
Beez: Any other comments/opinions you would like to add?
Barry: I'd encourage your readers to check out the Look What I Did blog http://ihatelookwhatidid.blogspot.com and, if they are musicians, to visit http://www.gazzmic.com and apply for the closed beta program which will allow them to use the band iPhone and Android app platform for free before it launches to the general public.
Once again, thanks Barry for your time and effort. It is greatly appreciated, you rule!
The Melvins are headed for the upcoming Soundwave Festival across Australia, but before then will be stopping in New Zealand for a whopping five shows! So I thought I’d do a quick little guide on them in time for their first show of the tour tomorrow night at the Kings Arms in Auckland.
The complete schedule for New Zealand, with Oakland’s High On Fire supporting, is:
February 19 – The Kings Arms, Auckland
February 20 – ReFuel, Dunedin
February 21 – Al's Bar, Christchurch
February 22 – Bodega, Wellington
February 23 – Whammy Bar, Auckland (w/ Kylesa)
Formed in 1983, with an original lineup consisting of Buzz Osborne, Mike Dillard, and Matt Lukin, the Melvins are still going strong almost 30 years later with at least 18 full-length albums and countless other releases to their name. Buzz (guitar) was joined in 1984 by Dale Crover on drums while a long list of bassists have come and gone. The current lineup features two drummers after a merger with Big Business members Coady Willis and Jared Warren (bass).
Here are a few albums to check out (if you don’t have time to sit down and listen to all 20 to 30-odd releases):
Houdini
& Houdini Live 2005: A Live History of Gluttony and Lust
(Atlantic, 1993 & Ipecac, 2005)
The definitive Melvins album, Houdini is straight up heavy sludge/grunge from start to finish. Songs such as Hooch, Night Goat, Lizzy, Hag Me, Set Me Straight, and Sky Pup remain amongst the best of their kind. The lineup had Buzz and Dale joined by Lori Black on bass and Kurt Cobain adding guitars for Sky Pup.
A Live History of Gluttony and Lust came about after repeated calls from fans to play the Houdini album and proving its legendary status. They updated the tracks giving them a live yet very polished feel with Trevor Dunn (Mr. Bungle, Fantomas) providing the bass.
Stag
(Atlantic, 1996)
Stag opens with The Bit, a thunderous beast which generates momentum for the rest of the album. What follows are a real mixture of styles; Bar-X-The Rocking M includes a trombone and turn-table like effects making it feel ahead of its time, Black Bock is almost Melvins unplugged sounding more like Blind Melon, Skin Horse has some downright freaky helium vocal effects, and The Bloat is just classic Melvins sludge.
(A) Senile Animal
(Ipecac, 2006)
(A) Senile Animal marked the start of the current formation of the Melvins; half Melvins, half Big Business. After over 20 years together, the band gained a new edge with the two drummers providing extra crunch and a somewhat more cohesive feel. The addition of Jared Warren’s vocals to accompany Buzz gives extra force to an already powerful sound. Standout tracks include; The Talking Horse, Blood Witch, Civilized Worm, A History of Drunks… shit, I could just name the whole album.
The Maggot, The Bootlicker, & The Crybaby
(Ipecac, 1999-2000)
I was going to put Honky here as it is considered the Melvins most experimental release, however putting out three albums in the space of a year to help kick start the Ipecac label is a more Melvins type thing to do and these three albums are pretty strange in their own right.
The Maggot starts off with two tracks called amazonAMAZON, telling you all you need to know about the Melvins; they don’t operate like other bands. The move to Ipecac Recordings allowed them the creative freedom to do whatever they wanted (although they seem to be doing this anyway). and
The Bootlicker is the best of this trio of albums; it’s typically slow, and at times haunting. Up the Dumper and Lone Rose Holding Now are great but the centerpiece is Let It All Be which is almost two tracks joined together by ambient noise creating 10 minutes of brilliance.
A distant hint of Nirvana ends The Bootlicker and The Crybaby runs with this by opening with a cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit and then adding covers of Jesus Lizard and a couple of country artists. Mike Patton also makes an appearance on G.I. Joe.
There is a lot more Melvins to check so go and do so. Here’s their latest video for Electric Worm off last year’s album The Bride Screamed Murder:
"New Zealand weed is better than Australian weed;" an appropriate way to introduce a Nas & Damian Marley concert. It started later than expected, it was almost 10pm by the time they hit the stage but once they did they got straight into it.
First up was the lead single As We Enter which had Nas waving his hands and getting the audience bouncing around. This was swiftly followed by Tribes at War where Damian Marley came into his own; whereas Nas had encouraged the crowd’s participation, Marley commanded their attention through his powerful lyrics. “Every man deserves to earn, and every child deserves to learn,” indeed.
Nas, decked out in an All Blacks jersey, had his turn with a couple of songs before he once again teamed up with Marley, churning out Count Your Blessings, Land of Promise, and Dispear, with Strong Will Continue and Leaders being particularly powerful in their message. “Let’s all change the world!”
A brilliantly reworked “Jr Gong” version of Exodus was followed by the crowd pleasing Welcome to Jamrock complete with Ini Kamoze’s; “out in the streets, they call it murder!” Marley had lighters (and cellphones) in the air for Road to Zion and kept the crowd awake for Africa Must Wake Up; “the sleeping sons of Jacob.”
For the encore, Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight provided the introduction to Nas’ One Mic, complete with Marley on the bongos. And soon it was Nas’ turn on bongos while Marley had the crowd in a frenzy performing his father Bob’s hit Could You Be Loved. Fittingly Nas and Marley walked off stage, brothers in arms, while the band played on.
Both hip-hop and reggae fans made up the three-quarter full TSB Arena, some a mixture of both, any that weren’t had certainly been swayed one way or the other by the end of the night. All the while one of Marley’s crew kept the reggae flag flying, never tiring, caught up in the infectious enthusiasm of it all.
CarverCity sadly wasn’t quite the hit it should have been for CKY. Released in 2009, it failed to capitalise on the success and support the band had with their first three albums due to problems within the band prior to its release and later Roadrunner Records who did a weak job promoting it.
That’s not to say the content is poor however; it still has that unmistakable CKY sound with longtime band members Deron Miller (vocals), Chad I Ginsburg (guitar), and Jess Magera (drums) joined by Matt Deis on bass. Deis left soon after and was replaced by Matt “Matty J” Jaunitis.
Opening track Hellions On Parade continues the legacy of 96 Bitter Beings and Escape From Hellview, transporting the listener straight into a horror movie. Listening on, it becomes clear that this is more than just a collection of tunes stuck together but rather a concept album revolving around the dark happenings of the seemingly pleasant CarverCity. …And She Never Returned tells of the disappearance of a girl, while Boardwalk Body (which Miller based on a real life experience of his) later follows up on this with the discovery of a body by the water.
Songs such as Rats In The Infirmary and A#1 Roller Rager still have the usual CKY skater/stoner rock sound but the vocals and subject matter give the impression of a dark spirit watching and lurking within CarverCity. Karmaworks and the instrumental Fisherman’s Wharf are especially haunting, Old Carver’s Bones is straight up terrifying, and The Era Of An End sees them once again include a slower, hold up your lighter type song near the end of an album; it can hold its own next to Don’t Hold Your Breath but won’t be knocking Close Yet Far off their setlist.
This could quite possibly be the best release from CKY; it still has that distinctive sound with abundant use of moog synth with the ongoing storyline giving it an intelligent edge encouraging the listener to hear the whole album. The one letdown is the cheesy video (above) for A#1 Roller Rager.
…Tot Licht! is Indonesian progressive rock group Discus’ second release; their first (aptly named 1st), from what I can gather was more of a jazz rock album. What immediately stands out on this album is the myriad of different instruments, sound changes, languages, and vocal techniques used; not only throughout the album, but also within each track.
Lead track System Manipulation starts off with a blend of wind and string instruments before introducing progressively heavier guitars, bass, and percussion. A sudden stop has the song change direction and the first set of vocals from the lead female vocalist are heard. Her calm, soothing vocals are later offset by the lead male vocals of Iwan Hasan; he manages to seamlessly shift his style which sounds like it has been influenced by heavy and fast rock bands from the 1980’s, persuasive punk shouts, deep heavy metal grunts, and distinctive hair metal shrills are all included in his repertoire.
The live show captures both the beauty and madness of Discus; however the album is well produced and sounds very polished putting an emphasis on the musicianship as well. The long list of instruments used includes a heavy use of clarinet, flute, saxophone, violins, and keyboards, while a harp-guitar and rindik also make an appearance.
There are only six songs on the album but they range in length from five minutes up to the epic final track, Anne, which clocks in at just less than twenty.
Verso Kartini, Door Duisternis Tot Licht! is 12 minutes of music mastery, sounding like a man creeping into a posh home; growing more comfortable and making himself at home, he listens to the stereo and watches a movie before falling asleep. The single female owner of the house soon awakes to find the movie’s credits rolling on her television and a strange man asleep on her couch. After the initial surprise of seeing him there the woman notices something beautiful about him. They fall in love and quickly move in together, but tensions rise between them and he is back out on the street again. It all ends happily though as the two realise they can’t live without each other and end up getting married. Note: the lyrics of this song are all Indonesian so I have no idea what the song is actually about.
Throughout …Tot Licht! Discus lets the imagination run freely, however the future of the band appears unclear as, sadly, co-founder and wind player Anto Praboe passed away last year due to a heart attack and singer Iwan Hasan has now left the band also. It would have been interesting to see how the group would follow up this eccentric album.
Action suspense with a dash of humour. Thrust into a frantic scene; the threat of danger is placed immediately upon the listener. What follows is one climatic affair after another.
The Venture Bros.: The Music of JG Thirlwell is the soundtrack for The Venture Bros., an animated television show on Adult Swim. I have never seen Venture Bros., and have no idea what it is about, but this selection of music is extravagant and fast paced, fitting for the execution of a daring plan.
Straight away Thirlwell hits you with immense power; big band pounding away, string section creating drama, and keyboards giving it a modern, somewhat comical feel. Tuff and Tenssacts are perfect for an elaborate chase scene, Node Wrestling is a perfectly planned jewel heist with a flute merrily playing its own little tune. Assclamp! charges along at a million miles an hour, and Spag has spaghetti western written all over it.
While much of the album is a real hit to the system, there are touches of caution in amongst the action. Damion presents us with the calm before a certain storm, Bolly is busy plotting away, getting closer to its goal of destruction throughout, while Descension could quite easily be the aftermath of this destruction. The Music of JG Thirlwell gives the imagination a workout for almost an hour as he works his magic.
Cartoons and movies are not really my thing, so I’ll give watching Venture Bros. a miss and stick to the soundtrack; the explosion of noise here is already enough to overload my senses.
Desert rock pioneer Chris Goss continues to plod along with Masters of Reality in between all the other projects he has going on. 2009 saw the release of Pine/Cross Dover, their sixth studio album, and first since 2004.
King Richard TLH sets the mood with a typical upbeat Masters of Reality melody with soothing vocals over intricate guitar playing. Absinthe Jim And Methe upbeat dreamlike feel of the opening track and turns it on its head; an alarming few seconds leads the listener into a dark and mysterious new world, building up a sense of danger towards Worm In The Silk where the female backing vocals give the looming threat an eerie religious like feel to it. Perhaps this is appropriate given we are listening to a desert rock god. takes
Always provides a classic Masters of Reality mix of trippy rock before Johnny’s Dream once again lures the listener into an odd dreamy/nightmarish like state, reminiscent of the work of Goon Moon. The first five tracks make up Pine, a much darker side compared to the second half Cross Dover.
Up In It has all the modern desert rock characteristics, illustrating the influence Goss has over the likes of Josh Homme. Dreamtime Stomp, Rosie’s Presence, and The Whore Of New Orleans have a timeless quality and wouldn’t be out of place on any Masters of Reality album.
The dark, brooding Testify To Love has Goss searching for, and finding, hope and strength; this signals an end to the album before closing track Alfalfa provides a wonderfully improvised, 12 minute long, instrumental.
Pine/Cross Dover, an album which flew under the radar somewhat when it was released,takes the listener through a range of dreamlike stages, bordering on psychedelic, before the listener is put back at ease by the close; Goss’ distinctive, and at times delicate vocals often contrast the dark feel created by heavy bass and droning guitar.
Brooklyn dub rockers Dub Trio, consisting of DP Holmes (guitar), StuBrooks (bass), and Joe Tomino (drums), have got progressively heavier in sound since their debut album in 2004. Their third studio album, Another Sound is Dying, comes out of the blocks sounding like it could be a heavy metal album, that is until we are reminded of the groups original dub origins.
The lead track Not For Nothing starts off with a heavy sludge metal feel to it before giving just a hint of their dub influences and then adding an atmospheric, post-metal layer to the mix. From there the band seamlessly shifts between hard, heavy rock sounds and relaxed reggae/dub grooves throughout, allowing the listener the opportunity to both rock out or sit back and relax.
Mortar Dub is the one track which holds it shape from start to end, paying respect to the styles of King Tubby. This is quickly wiped away however by the machine-like start to Regression Line, its power reinforced by a laid-back bridge two-thirds of the way through.
Mike Patton provides the only vocals on the album for No Flag. This track proves more dark and sinister than their previous collaboration, Not Alone, for Patton’s Peeping Tom project. Whilst the vocals from Patton are a welcome addition to the album, they also demonstrate that having no vocals is what makes Dub Trio sound unique. There’s a real focus on minor effects and variations in sound, something that a vocalist would distract from.
Dub Trio have fused post-metal and dub together much like Bad Brains managed to mix reggae/dub with a punk attitude. This album is an experience whereby listeners can sit back and enjoy or really concentrate and pick up little nuances with each listen.
Last installment of releases from 2010, a few from here in New Zealand this time:
Cornerstone Roots – Future Is Now (Rhythm Method/MLR, 2010)
Lines such as “Plant the seeds of positivity, little by little grow your crop” (Seeds), and “Hold on to your roots, maintain your integrity” (Roots) sum up the Cornerstone Roots ethos. Once again Raglan roots husband and wife duo Brian Ruawai and Naomi Tuao have put together a bunch of tunes inspiring positive and proactive thinking for their third album Future Is Now. Joining Cornerstone Roots are appearances from heavyweight Jamaican reggae deejay Ranking Joe (on Rising Sun), local vocalist MC Mana (on Roots), and the introduction of Brian and Naomi’s 10-year-old son Reiki who contributes backing vocals on Everybody before taking the lead role on the album’s final track Bedlam.
With only eight tracks on Future Is Now I was expecting a few longer songs to fill the record up, so I was a little disappointed when it clocked in at little over 36 minutes. Still its 36 minutes packed with good vibes as one would expect from them… future is now, future is here.
Disasteradio – Charisma (A Low Hum, 2010)
Picture a group of girls straight out of the eighties; frizzy hair, big sunglasses, fluro spandex, jumping around and waving their arms. Recall the sound effects from your favourite Atari or Commodore 64 game. Chuck in a couple of electronic dogs barking and a synthesizer or two. Add Luke Rowell to the mix and you have the lead track You Win off the latest Disasteradio offering Charisma. The rest of the album has more of the Disasteradio formula; geek from nineties playing with technology from the eighties making music to appeal to robots of the future. I’m stuck for more ways to describe this album so I’ll let the video for No Pulsedo it for me.
The other great things about Charisma are the cover artwork (see above) and a name your price method to share all this goodness. Go get it here.
Matiu Te Huki with My Golden Soul – EP (Independent, 2010)
More goodness here with a small taste of the talent of Matiu “The Hook” Te Huki. Matiu has lent his voice to many Kiwi acts over the years but he is at his best when performing originals from the heart. It is clearly evident that he sees beauty in everybody, reassuring listeners of their potential and encouraging them to follow their passions. The EP contains five tracks; Poppies, What’s This Thing, and two versions of Come To Me Now which reflect the positive vibes of Matiu’s home on the KapitiCoast. Also added is a remix of Poppies offering an alternate take and filled with heavy bass.
This is a small offering filled with love and best enjoyed with family and friends out in the summer sun. Hopefully a full-length release is on its way.
More stuff from 2010 (with a little more to come):
Tub Ring – Secret Handshakes (The End Records, 2010)
Tub Ring’s sound changes from album to album with Secret Handshakes continuing this trend by having a slightly electronic feel to it. The early Mr. Bungle-ish/punk feel is still there but there’s a tinge of cheesy 80’s electronic/new wave about it. This is a good thing. There’s plenty of energy and the cheesiness shines through in Gold Finger; the tongue-in-cheek cockiness from vocalist Kevin Gibson this song wouldn’t be out of place on an Eagles of Death Metal record. The electronic/cheap 80’s computer sound takes over in Touching the Enemy while Cryonic Love Song sounds like a couple of dying computers crying out for some love before heavy crunching riffs, a few more whimpers, and an abrupt end to the song. I Shot Your Faggot Horse Bitch sounding more like it should be somewhere in Trent Reznor’s back catalogue, is strangely placed in the middle of the album before the rest of the tracks are business as usual for Tub Ring.
Throw in a brilliantly updated cover of Queen’s 1984 hit Flash and, with the exception of I Shot, it’s a action packed album from start to finish. Apparently there’s a remix album on the way too.
Mike Patton – Mondo Cane (Ipecac Recordings, 2010)
Everybody loves Mike Patton performing covers (except maybe Anthony Kiedis); and here’s a whole album of them! On Mondo Cane, Patton has taken his favourite Italian pop songs from the 1950’s and 1960’s and put his own, over-the-top, spin on them. In typical Patton fashion, he is backed up for a 40-odd person orchestra. It is project which had been a long time coming, inspired by the music he heard while living in Italy. Barring Deep, Deep Down it features Patton singing (yes, singing) entirely in Italian; my Italian is non-exsistent so I won’t judge how well he did here, but he is, for the most part, a perfectionist when it comes to his musical projects. He does manage to pull out a few of his famous screams for Urlo Negro, making it the standout track on the album for me.
Patton finally got around to recording the album last year after a few live performances in 2008. The recorded versions have lost a bit of the power of the live sound but it remains a solid and passionate performance from Patton. A live dvd would be a nice document of Mondo Cane but hopefully he gets back to work on more Fantomas and Tomahawk.
Californian stoner rock group Fireball Ministry’s fourth album is perhaps their most commercial release. It seems a lot more work has gone into the production with the album sounding very polished. Gone are the deep, grunting vocals of earlier releases with vocalist James A. Rota coming across as more refined and smooth. Followed By A Fall and Common Enemy are very much like former Fireball Ministry releases, however overall there is a real Fu Manchu feel to his album. It comes as no surprise seeing it is produced by Andrew Alekel who has worked with Fu Manchu numerous times, and given Fu Manchu bassist Brad Davis spent a brief period in Fireball Ministry.
Fireball Ministry seem to fly under the radar a little, which is surprising given they have a sound comparable to Fu Manchu with hints of Queens of the Stone Age and Metallica thrown in.
