Sebadoh - Bubble and Scrape

After countless attempts to update this blog with my presence (only to be hindered by a lack of inspiration, apathy, and most recently sickness) here I am in what will hopefully be the first of many posts. First up is the 1993 album Bubble and Scrape by lo-fi indie rockers Sebadoh.

For indie fans living under a rock for the past two decades, Sebadoh is the main recording outlet for Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr and Deep Wound fame. Barlow who was often overshadowed by J Mascis immense songwriting talents formed Sebadoh with percussionist/songwriter Eric Gaffney in 1987 as a way to further showcase his own. The duo released two albums 1987's Weed Forestin' (although essentially a Barlow solo release) and 1988's The Freed Man and were soon joined by multi-instrumentalist Jason Lowenstein. This is the lineup the would go on to record 1991's Sebadoh III and th Smash Your Head on the Punk Rock compilation. Shortly after the release of The Freed Man Barlow was kicked out of Dinosaur Jr. causing much tension and bitterness that would shine through on later Sebadoh recordings.

After a couple EP releases the band released their debut Sub Pop full length 1993's Bubble and Scrape. The album is an overall eclectic mix of the three members songwriting talents with Barlow contributing seven tracks, Gaffney with six, and Lowenstein with four. With it's release it sold over 10,000 copies in it's first week solidifying the band as alternative rock mainstays throughout the 90's.

Barlow's songs are easily the most accessible on this recording often heralding back to the indie pop, love and break up songs of his previous band. While Lowenstein's tracks also hold onto a certain pop awareness although shorter and less traditionally structured. Gaffney's tend to be the real oddballs of this collection often delving into more experimental territory. Weird, disjointed, and seemingly all over the place, his songs are a strange mix of 60's Psychedelic and Minutemen punk rock sensibility. This record would prove to be his last with the band.

Despite the noticeable changes in style the songs manage to meld into a collective whole to form one surprisingly cohesive and solid album. It is a perfect mix of the lo-fi experimentation of earlier records and the more polished pop friendly work that would follow.

Recommended Tracks:
Soul and Fire, Sacred Attention, Homemade (Barlow)
Bouquet for a Siren (Gaffney)
Happily Divided, Sister (Lowenstein)

Bubble and Scrape - if you enjoy the album please support the band and your favorite independent record store by purchasing a copy.

Spiral Architect - A Sceptic's Universe

Spiral Architect is an extremely technical and progressive metal band. It is also one of those “super groups” in the metal world. Just look at the line up and the members past and present bands:

Øyvind Hægeland - Vocals, Keyboards (Arcturus (Nor), Scariot, Manitou (Nor), Lunaris)
Steinar Gundersen - Lead Guitar (Satyricon, Lunaris, King's Quest)
Andreas Jonsson - Guitar (Lunaris)
Lars Koppang Norberg - Bass, Programming (Anesthesia (Nor), Ihsahn)
Asgeir Mickelson - Drums (Borknagar, Enslavement of Beauty, Ihsahn, Lunaris, Scariot, Thornbound, Vintersorg)

A Sceptic's Universe is the only studio release by Spiral Architect, which isn’t too surprising since this is mainly a side project and the band members all have their other bands to focus on.

The album is full of constant changing time signatures alone are enough to boggle some. The technicality of the playing is amazing, and it doesn’t feel soulless. The music is top notch and some of the more interesting technical stuff I’ve heard in the past. Singer Øyvind Hægeland has an amazing ranger and the vocals are actually done clean, no cookie monsters on this album.

So a few metal heads that I have suggested this album to in the past to a few enjoy the music but can’t seem to get over the vocals. The songs are each a wonderful master piece with amazing technical prowess shown by all the members of the band. The lyrics are also a thing of odd beauty, poetic even on their own. The lyrics tend to be philosophical in nature, a mixture of metaphors and fragments of ideas. An example would be the lyrics for the song “Cloud Constructor”:

Life as it seemed to the circling man
As he gazed into discarded land
Was a ride on a carousel of faith
Then he flew away

He traveled far through his worn out mind
Through sorrow and pain, what had he gained?
Still his dreams they could never take away
So he flew into the sun again

Emptiness struck as he realized
There's no answer to "who am I? what am I?"
He then saw why men must construct for themselves
A cloud of Unknowing


Do yourself a favor and check out this album, listen to the whole thing in one sitting. If after that you don’t like it, delete it. If you do find yourself liking the album, purchase it.

-Christian

DL: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?hibmm11nidn

Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime

(I just want to thank mike and dan for letting me take part on this blog before I start. Hopefully this will turn out better than my last blogging endeavor. haha.)

Its funny how you can hear about a band over and over again, and never check them out. I have no real reason why it took me so long to listen to Drive Like Jehu. Their name would constantly pop up in my “music quests.” They were compared to lots and lots of bands that I like. And for some reason, it was only last year that I heard them. YES, LET THE CRUCIFIXION COME! Haha.

The band only released two albums. “Yank Crime” was their second. I think a lot of people, myself included, view this as the better album. Which is strange because it was a major label release. And as a lot of people know, often times when a indie band gets signed to a major, they change. And usually not for the better. Somehow, this album is even more aggressive than their first album. Taking all things into consideration, this is quite a feat. Their intense energy is constant through the entire album. Whether it be in the slower song “Luau” or the album’s opening track “Here Come The Rome Plows”. Rick Froberg & John Reis’s guitar interplay set a new standard for the post hardcore genre. Its right up there with Guy and Ian of Fugazi if you ask me. “Do You Compute?” might be one of the best examples of this on the Yank Crime album. Its not hard to see why Drive Like Jehu are/were cited at a big influence on the then emerging “emo” scene. There are a lot of elements from the music on this album that reappear in later “emo” releases, as well as post hardcore albums. Its great that such a short lived band could have such wide spread influence. Its just a bummer that they were so short lived in the first place.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yxyuy3dlyig

Buy it if you like it

-matthew saint laurent

Elektric Music - Esperanto

Elektric Music is the pseudonym of Karl Bartos, a former member of the almighty Kraftwerk. Esperanto was released in 1993, several years after he left the group.

Several of the songs were co-written by Andy McClusky of the synth pop group Orchestral Maneouvers in the Dark (OMD). McClusky even provides lead vocals on the track Kissing the Machine.

This album is pretty cool in the sense that it draws influence from places and artists which had been influenced by Bartos' previous work a few decades earlier. It still has a real Kraftwerk feel throughout the album but also contains elements of rave music, industrial and synthpop groups such has Human League and, of course, OMD. The track TV shows a striking resemblance to the only Kraftwerk song Bartos takes full credit for writing (you'll find out what track that is later on).

Karl Bartos has since then dropped the Elektric Music name and now records just as Karl Bartos. Some people argue that his solo material beats Kraftwerks later werks (see what I did there?).

http://www.mediafire.com/file/ycn2iamzojy/elektric music - esperanto.rar

Top 3 Tracks: Show Buisness, Crosstalk, Esperanto


PS. you can expect an 8 part Kraftwerk retrospective from me sometime in the near future. I bet you can hardly contain yourself.

Let it all hang out,
-mungmike

First post / Meat Puppets "Mirage"

So, welcome to the first post of this run-of-the-mill music blog. It seems these things are a dime a dozen these days.

Anyways its going to stick to the basic formula of 4-5 other people and I posting every so often about records we enjoy and hope other people will check out.

For this first post I picked Meat Puppet's 1987 album Mirage. It's considered the groups most experimental album. It still has traces of alt-country as heard on their earlier album II, but also has a more psychedelia-esq sound as well as some new wave thrown into the mix. Out of the 6 albums I've heard from this band this is the one I always go back to. In my opinion this record would be a much better candidate for their Don't Look Back concert.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/tt2umhntzzz/[1987] mirage.rar


Top three tracks: Quit It, I Am a Machine, Love Our Children Forever


Buy it

-mungmike


note: When I say this is the first post, its the first post for this blog. Dan uploaded all this posts from a previous blog that came before this one. Fuck me, right?

Insomnia Soundtrack

Due to issues that shall remain unmentioned I stopped writing for Listen To This Once and started this blog with a Kraftwerk obsessed human being named mungmike. Please excuse us while we work out the kinks and figure out what we want to do and who we want to contribute. We hope to have a viable option for the stimulation of your eyes and ears operating a.s.a.p. Thank you for checking us out.

-Daniel Marc Cafferty

Oh, Canada (Part 4): North Of America

I decided to go right for the golden ring with this post. North Of America is probably my favorite of all the Canadian bands I planned on covering in this "ongoing" series. And since this could very well be my last post for awhile, I figured, go out with a bang. North Of America went from originally sounding like Pavement and Polvo had a love child, to getting heavier and more technical. Eventually getting to a point where they sounded fairly similar to singer/guitarist Michael Catano's other band, The Plan. They broke up in 2003. But have reunited numerous times. In 05 they got back together to do a Canadian tour with Ted Leo. And they just recently played a couple shows at the end of this past December which marked their 10th anniversary as a band. I fucking hate myself for missing those shows because now I'll probably have to wait for some other anniversary or special occasion to see them. They will always have a special place in my heart. Fans of blah, blah and blah should definitely listen to them.

-matthew st.

their stuff I have in chronological order...

Elements Of An Incomplete Map

These Songs Are Cursed

The Sepultura

This Is Dance Floor Numerology*

Brothers, Sisters

CJLO - SONiCs Session 10-2-05

Buy them from a independent record store if you like them

Or you can get them all from Rewika Records Online.

Knot Feeder - Lights Flares

(I'm not going to go into the details of this band because I already wrote about them once on here. You can view that post here. )

This album is as great as I expected it would be. The instrumental math rock quartet has their shit down. Not that its really a surprise all things considered. Hard hitting and heavy and other times bringing it down and having a cello or glockenspiel join in.  One surprise for me listening through, was that a couple of songs have singing in them. It works for those songs and whats cool is, they don't feel out of place. I'm really excited on this band. And this is only their first album. I hope they continue to put out good music. 

-matthew st. 

p.s. Look forward in the near future to a interview with Mike Banfield from Knot Feeder once I can get my shit together enough so I wont seem like a giddy school girl talking to him. haha.

Here's an archive file of a few of my fave songs off the album

I highly recommend you buying yourself a copy 

You can get it here directly from the band

You can also listen to the track "You Are My First Choice (To Be Thrown Out The Window)" from the album on Knot Feeder's Myspace Page

Built To Spill - Keep It Like A Secret

I don't know if anyone else remembers, but HBO used to have a weekly show called "reverb". It showcased live music from alot of bands that were around at the time. One of my favorite episodes, that I can remember, was Pavement & Built To Spill (another great one was Björk & Sigur Rós). It successfully got me into two of my favorite bands. I guess this album has always had a special place in my heart because it was the first I heard by them. The reverb episode featured mostly songs from this album if I remember correctly. Overall, its a great indie rock album by one of the great indie bands. For fans of good 90's indie music. And though I HATE to say this, some people have made comparisons between them and Modest Mouse. So I guess if you like Modest Mouse (their old stuff preferably) check it out? But I have to say...

Built to Spill > Modest Mouse

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Sed Non Satiata

I wish that so many of my favorite bands weren't from places far away. Toulouse, France for instance. That's where Sed Non Satiata is from. The band is a screamo band. (Or I guess the kids are calling real screamo skramz now. wtf youths? Get the fuck out of here with that shit.) They play passionate heavy music. Often, the songs have an epic feeling to them. Post rock-esc build ups. Its so weird to hear a part in a song and think "This is so fucking beautiful, and so fucking heavy at the same time." But this band nails it. If you like any real screamo or post hardcore, definitely listen to this band.

-matthew st. 

I uploaded there Full Length, Two Splits and their Demo

Download them here (in one archive file)

I believe its all they have released as of yet

Listen to the song "Les Hommes Sans Visage" on this fan myspace page if you want to hear what they sound like before downloading all their stuff.

Slint - Spiderland

preface: Touch & Go Records is one of the most important labels in underground history. They are right up there with Dischord. I had quite the scare today when I read that they were pretty much going to cease to exist as a record label. I literally shouted “NO!” when I read it. That ended up not being true (turns out that they are going to be cutting their distribution of other labels records, which is still a big deal)  but it just made me realize how important the label was to me. So today I decided to post one of my favorite records the label has put out. 

I'm not going to go too much into this album. Slint were one of the first "math rock" bands, along with Chavez and Polvo. The genre has changed alot since then. Initially it was more related to post rock, which you can hear on this album. Angular quiet/loud guitar parts. Speaking/screaming lyrics. Changing/shifting time signatures. Great album.

-matthew st. 

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Or better yet, get it directly from Touch & Go's Online Store

Please support the Touch & Go Record Label

Adebisi Shank

High energy dancy mathy type instrumental music from Ireland. Often some thing happens in their songs that reminds me of the 8bit glory days of yore. For me, their songs are like that old slogan for Lay’s potato chips. Substitute "eat" with "listen" mind you.  I really cant think of a band that they sound like. But I will say that my description of what they sound like is pretty accurate, so if that’s intriguing to you, have a field day. 

-matthew st.

This Is The EP Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank

This Is The Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank

Buy them from a independent record store if you like them

Better yet, head over to Adebisi Shank's Myspace Page and buy from them directly.

Red House Painters - First Self Titled LP

Red House Painters tend to be a sad fucking band. I said it. Mark Kozelek must have had some super duper awful stuff happen to him. I really hope that description doesn’t turn you off. Cause I really love this band. This is my favorite Red House Painters album. Start to finish its awesome. Great guitar work, lyrics, just the overall feeling. Almost shoegaze-y at points. If you’ve ever heard of the “genres” of  sadcore or slowcore and wondered “what the fuck is that?” I guess this would be sort of a defining album and band. For fans of 90’s alternative rock and shoegaze. There might also be some interest from people into singer/songwriters from the 70’s. Also, if you love sad music. Haha. 

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Dasha - Damned If We Do

I wasn’t too sure what I should write about today, being Valentines Day. But when I arrived home from work and looked in my mailbox, there starring back at me was the answer. 

I’ve loved this band from the first time I heard them. I had been waiting to hear this album as long as I knew it existed in some unfinished form. The female fronted Rochester quintet plays upbeat indie rock. Very pretty guitar work, powerful rhythm section, and heartfelt singing and lyrics. I could easily see this band on a label like Polyvinyl or Jade Tree. Their sound just sits so well with those bands. This album is great and I highly recommend you purchasing a copy for yourself A.S.A.P. 

On a personal note I would like to say that I wish Colleen Vasey was my Valentine. Listening to her sing today has made my day. Awww! She’ll never read this blog. Haha. Tomorrow I’ll post death metal to make up for that emo slip. Haha.

-matthew st.

Listen to a couple tracks from the record on Dasha's Myspace Page

You can buy the album from Whaleplane Records.

Uzeda - Different Section Wires

Italian. Way Awesome. End review. Haha. Just kidding. 

I first started listening to this band back in the early 00’s. I couldn’t find anyone locally who listened to them or had even heard of them. And believe me I asked the people you’d think to ask (ex. Grant J.). I just wanted someone to talk about how awesome I thought they were. The band falls somewhere in between the genres of math rock, noise rock, post hardcore, maybe even post punk. Hard hitting drums. A more noodlely/riffy Shellac guitar sound. Solid pounding basslines. All the while with lyrics/poetry being shouted over in a discordant way. Its not really a surprise that Albini has recorded the majority of this bands releases. This is probably my favorite of their albums. If you like Shellac or Touch & Go, you need to hear this.

-matthew st. 

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Or you can get it online from Touch & Go's Website

(disclaimer: it has been brought to my attention that Touch & Go has a history of killing uploads of their albums. try to get this album before they kill the link.  if you find the link dead, report it to me. like i said above, if you like the album, support the band and the label and buy it!)

Castevet - I Know What A Lion Is EP

This is a band that is strange because I don't think they should work, but they do. Really well in fact. Chicago Indie rock in the vein of Cap'n Jazz, American Football, etc. BUT, with a singer that I've heard some people describe as a "beardo". What does that even mean? I have no clue. I should know. Should I know? Is this a new genre of music? haha. Honestly, and I don't want this to upset the band or people that like them, but the singer's singing sometimes reminds me of when Jimmy from Polar Bear Club screams. That's really all I have to relate it to with my limited musical knowledge. Just go from the bands they kind of sound like. If you like them, there's a good chance you will like Castevet. They've only been around for a few years. Expect, more great shit from them in the near future. They have a full length set to come out this summer. 

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

If you like it, please support the band!

Castevet's Myspace Page

Hum - Downward Is Heavenward

My hot plate of the day today (haha) is one of my all time favorite albums by one of my all time favorite bands. Hum had a hit in the mid 90’s with the song “Stars” off of their 3rd album “You'd Prefer An Astronaut”. For a lot of people, I think that’s where it began and ended for them and their interest in the band sadly. Popular music is a cruel bitch mother. Its too bad for them. “Downward Is Heavenward” is a really great follow up. A lot of people, myself included, consider this Hum’s best album. Considering what it had to follow, its outrageous what they created and were able to accomplish. If you have any interest in 90’s alternative rock, you need to hear this album. Hum is one of the most underrated bands of the 90’s.

-matthew st. 

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

BA-NA-NAs

BA-NA-NAs is a 3 piece instrumental math rock band from Somerville, Mass. I just heard this band recently. Which is surprising. Because Paul Joyce from Lynx plays bass in the band. And I've always tried to keep up to date on his projects. Anyhow, check them. Some of the stuff I've heard reminds me of the more melodic side of Lynx. For fans of instrumental mathy bands. 

-matthew st.

listen to songs @ BA-NA-NAs Myspace Page

this fellow has some live videos of them

Oh, Canada (Part 3): Rockets Red Glare

What a band! I don’t know why more people haven’t heard of them. 2/3 were in the popular Canadian math/emocore band Blake (who I will no doubt be writing about in this blog at some point). Rockets Red Glare played mathy post hardcore with elements of heavier post rock. Their rhythm section destroys my life. Dissonant/angular guitar parts with shouting over top. If I haven’t established it yet, this kind of music is sort of my thing. Haha. They’ve been compared to bands like Slint, Shellac and Mission Of Burma. But they’ve also been compared to Neurosis. So yes, they were quite the treat. I personally don’t think they sound like any of those bands, but I guess I always need a point of reference. Just listen and see what you think.

-matthew st.

7 inch

Self Titled

Moonlight Desires

All of this stuff is quite hard to find. 

Tailings

Syracuse, NY's newest indie super group. The guitarist from Com Veo. The drummer of Ladies & Everyone, One Hundred Metronomes and Know Nothing. And the drummer of Sever The Hands(Awake) and Monolith, but playing bass and singing this time around. All of that pedigree awesomeness aside, Tailings play a style unlike any of those bands. Heavy rhythm section joined with pretty, often arpeggiated, guitar lines. Lyrics are shouted in a way and with a urgency that reminds me of Sinaloa. For fans of the Touch & Go/Chicago style of indie music. Hopefully these young turks keep on keepin' on. Syracuse needs more good bands that aren't afraid to not be hardcore or "punx".

-matthew st.

Download Their Demo Here

Fugazi - Steady Diet Of Nothing

Here comes the surprise. This is my favorite Fugazi album. Yep, fuck all of you, I don’t care. Haha. Though "13 Songs" was the first album I owned by them, as I assume it was/is the first album most people have heard by them, this album has continually been my fave. I’m not going to get into what the band sounds like or “for fans of whatever.” It’s Fugazi. If you haven’t listened to them, there is something fucking wrong with you. Especially if you consider yourself to have any knowledge of underground or indie music. They have influenced a lot of the bands you probably listen to. And even some mainstream bands claim to have been influenced by them. I pretty much view them as one of the best examples, and pretty much the definition, of post hardcore music.

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Or get it at the Dischord Records online store

Know Think - Clean Closet EP

I randomly downloaded this EP, and was pleasantly surprised. Honestly, I think anyone that digs anything the Kinsella boys have done would be down with this, and should def listen to it. Not to be that cut and dry, but there you go. Okay okay…fine. For fans of American Football, Cap’n Jazz, Braid, Aloha, Look Mexico, blah blah blah…are you fucking happy now?

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

I don't honestly know if the band is still together, but please go to their myspace page and try to support them

This EP was self released

Chevelle - Point #1

I hate this band! I fucking despise them. And this album is why. Most people who have ever heard of Chevelle have never heard this album I bet. Because, well, this is when the band was GOOD and wasn’t "radio rock". This was actually released on the now defunct christian record label Squint Entertainment. This album pretty much sounds like a band of young kids who listen to too much Helmet. Their singer kinda reminds me of the singer of Tool from time to time. But not enough to dissuade you from listening. Recorded by Steve Albini, the album has the sound you’d expect from his expertise. And it works really well for the youths of Chevelle. If you listen to Chevelle and haven’t heard “Point #1” , go fucking kill yourself right now. You’re a waste. That also goes for anyone who listens to them whose favorite album is another of their releases. If you have never heard the band before, this is definitely where you should begin, and end. 

-matthew st.

Download The Album Here

Buy it from a independent record store if you like it

Knot Feeder

This band is a super group for anyone into instrumental math rock. Its headed by Mike Banfield, one of the founding members of Don Caballero.  You should be interested right off the bat with that little tidbit. Considering he sort of disappeared from music after the release of “What Burns Never Returns.” Their drummer and guitarist come from the band Tabula Rasa and their bassist is from the band Southpaw. All from Pittsburgh. What can be expected of their sound? To me, its reminiscent of a less “Che’d” Don Cab. “For Respect” era plus the good, actual cohesive, musical ideas from “What Burns Never Returns.” But who cares what I think, listen to them for yourself. 

-matthew st.

You can listen to a couple of songs at Knot Feeder's Myspace Page.

Here is a short clip of them in studio recording their album "Light Flares" with J. Robbins.

And here is a live video from their record release show last month. 

(Pretty sure it was taken with a cell or something. Dont mind the video quality, just listen to the music. haha.)

Jeff Buckley - Grace

One of the greatest song writers to live in my life time. One of the most amazing debut albums I can think of. One album you definitely need to hear at least once before you die. 

-matthew st.

Download the album here

If you like it, buy it.

Big Bear

This Mass band destroys my life. Weird mathy metal with girl singer. Screamer would be the better term. I love her voice actually. This probably will be a surprising pick to people who know me. Oh well. I have no clue who they sound like, but definitely listen to them if you like mathy screamy metal-ish stuff.

-matthew st.

Download Their Full Length Here

You can listen to newer songs at Big Bear's Myspace Page

They aren't as heavy and the girl yells more now.

She kind of sounds like the singer Uzeda now.

American Football

I'm posting this because of the event that is today. 

pretty guitar parts, technical/polyrhythmic drum lines and heart felt lyrics.

indie gold.

-matthew st.

CD Single Series

Full Length

Live @ The Fireside Bowl

Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out

Today's installment to my part of the Listen to this Once blogosphere is the 1997 album "Dig Me Out" by the foremothers of the riotgrrrl movement Sleater-Kinney. Sleater-Kinney like most bands started rather inconspicuously when then couple guitarist Carrie Brownstein and guitarist/lead vocalist Corin Tucker took a post graduation trip to Australia. Toward the end of their trip they took to writing and recording what would eventually shape up to be their debut album. Upon returning Corin and Carrie began to play out their compositions with various musicians before solidifying their permanent lineup with drummer Janet Weiss.

Dig Me Out retains the urgency and emotion of SK's earlier discography while sounding much cleaner and more musically proficient thus hinting to what was to come from this beloved indie rock band. Corin Tuckers unique voice howls about everything from relationships, anti-traditionalism, and abolishing gender roles. The vocals although cringe worthy to some remain one of the most passionate cries to ever be heard from the underground.

Sleater-Kinney would continue to release universally acclaimed records well into the new decade and are often heralded as one of the defining and most successful indie rock bands of the 90's/early-mid 2000s. Unfortunately for us, Corin Tucker would eventually concentrate most of her efforts towards motherhood leading the band into an indefinate hiatus in 2006. Regardless their influence remains and continues to be heard today by the likes of Mika Miko, Screaming Females, and many others. Dig Me Out is the perfect introduction to the S.K. discography and incredibly worthy of gracing your ears at least once. "We just want to say that we're not here to fuck the band. We are the band."

-Daniel Marc Cafferty

Personal album highlights:
- Dig Me Out
- The Drama You've Been Craving
- Dance Song 97

Dig Me Out - if you enjoy the album please support the band and your favorite independent record store by purchasing a copy.

"The Drama You've Been Craving" live @ CBGBs 1997

Eyes Averted - Self Titled EP

I love Eyes Averted. They are one of the best, most original acts the Syracuse, NY area has offered. Yep, I said it. I’ve known these guys for an incredibly long time and I’ve seen them progress and get better and better over the years. In my personal opinion, they have really peaked with the sound they established on their full length “Paralyzing Passion and Motion”, released in 2006. Having seen pretty much every incarnation of the band leading up to that album and hearing all the different sounds they produced up to that point, I can easily say that they hit their sweet spot. The power trio. Time tested, mother approved. 

The “Eyes Averted” EP continues with their trade mark style, and they are still on top of their game. 4 songs, almost all of them under 3 mins long. But from the brief inhale of breathe at the beginning of “Epidemic Of Disaster” to the end of “Casting Shadows” this EP does not let you down for a second. The opening track immediately kicks in with EA’s high energy. Powerful screams, vocal harmonies, noodlely/riffy guitar parts, technical drumming and equally technical bass work. I mean, this is Eyes Averted’s bread and butter.  If you’ve heard them before, none of this will be a surprise to you. This EP is a great follow up to “Paralyzing Passion and Motion.” Pretty much continuing, and expanding where they left off.

If you havent heard them, well, where the fuck have you been? A Disturbed concert? While so many bands out there, that I suppose could be considered contemporaries to EA, are trying to make Calculating Infinity: Part Deux, Eyes Averted plays there own kind of mathy metal that in no way sounds anything like that. Its spazzy. Its all over the place. Start/Stop dynamics. Overall, its refreshing. 

How this band is not signed and the biggest thing around is beyond me. Honor Bright is on MTV with all their mediocrity and yet this band sleeps in obscurity? I’ll never understand why things are the way they are in music. Hopefully someday soon Eyes Averted will get the credit they deserve. The members of EA are all over the country now but expect them to keep releasing amazing music in the future. Please just do yourself a favor and check out this band!

On a personal note, I would just like to thank the band for allowing me to hear and review this EP before its even released. You can trust I've listened to it more times then I can count in the couple days I've had it. Haha.

-matthew st.

The EP I reviewed is going to be coming out in the near future. "For The Weary", one of the tracks off of the EP, is on Eye Averted's Myspace page. Go listen to that track and the other songs they have up there. 

I also highly recommend purchasing their full length “Paralyzing Passion and Motion”

You can buy it online here.

Lynx

Lynx was a four piece instrumental math rock band from Boston that ended up moving to Chicago and then broke up. They were only around for a couple years. Short lived, but very good. Their guitarist, David Konopka, went on to be in Battles. I’m sure that’s how most people hear about this band. Fuck, its how I heard about them honestly. But personally, their bassist Paul Joyce’s musical track record is much more impressive to me (I’ll be reviewing at least one more of his bands in the near future). Anyway, they’ve been compared to bands like Oxes, Don Caballero, and even Tristeza. So definitely give them a listen.

-matthew st.

Personal LP Highlights:

-Prynx

-Explosive Diarrhea

-Look At That Table And Make It Spin In Your Head

Lynx EP

Lynx LP

Both of these releases are from now defunct record labels. They arent made anymore and you probably cant get them. You can always check your local independent record store though.

This fan myspace page has unreleased songs and a full live show! Get into it!

Oh, Canada (Part 2): Jakartah - In The Nervous Lights Of Coincidence

Even though this band is a recent find for me, they are from Canada, so I will include them in my ongoing “Oh, Canada!” series. Also, they are fucking great, so why not show people another awesome Canadian band?

After much pondering, I think I have come up with a short description of this band, and more specifically this album, that is at least mostly accurate.  Jakartah sound like a more riffy Jawbox, or a heavier Burning Airlines, with a singer that sort of sounds like the singer of Young Widows. Weird right? Haha. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think. I recommend it to any fans of Jawbox and other good post hardcore bands in that vein. And though I’m not sure if fans of Young Widows would like it, I still say at least give it a listen. Cause you never know. This is the Vancouver band’s first and only full length. They broke up. Which is bummer fo shaw. But it’s also kind of amazing, considering they released stuff of this caliber right off the bat.

-matthew st.

Personal Album Highlights:

-A Young Boy Forgets About Heaven

-Rosa Unida drinks Anxiety

-A Thousand Miles Connects You To Me

-Liaisons At The Woodward Building

Download The Album Here

If you like it, please purchase it from your local independent record store

Torche - Meanderthal

Once upon a time a tour of mythical sludge proportions dredged through the unprepared city of Syracuse, NY leaving a total wake of destruction and perpetual head banging in it's path. The year was 2005, and that tour featured three bands that have since grown incredibly popular in the underground metal scene; the then recently formed Torche, 'Cuse mainstays Coliseum (I could always count on seeing this band every few months despite being from Kentucky), and Georgia's own proprietors of mayhem Kylesa.

When it came time for Torche to play the PA began to malfunction much to the delight of singer/guitarist Steve Brooks who memorably proclaimed "Sweet, instrumental set!" before launching into a thirty minute jam session with his bandmates. Initially put off by his vocals, I certainly wasn't complaining. I enjoyed the other bands sets throughly, and with a cloud of smoke (literary) the tour carried on. That was that...

Fast forward three years, and a couple records later to their Hydrahead Records debut "Meanderthal". As soon as "Grenades" hit my speakers any misgivings I had about the vocals were torn away and spit back into my face. Meanderthal seems so much more smooth and well rounded without losing any of the heavy stoner charm of their previous releases. The crossover appeal of this record is also quite evident; had this come out fifteen years earlier I'm convinced it would have garnered some major airplay. With heavy nods to everyone from Jawbox to Queens of the Stone Age these boys managed to release one of the catchiest and melodic rock records of last year and should not be overlooked. Highly recommended for fans of the previously mentioned bands, Helmet, and stoner rock in general.

-Daniel Marc Cafferty

P.S. Did I mention the art direction/packaging is absolutely phenomenal as well? The jacket folds out into a mountain!

Personal album highlights:
- Grenades
- Across the Shields
- Without a Sound
- Fat Waves

Meanderthal - if you enjoy the album please support the band and your favorite independent record store by purchasing a copy

Here's a fan made video for "Grenades" utilizing a picture from when they played Syracuse (Halloween):

Cult Ritual - 2nd EP

I wasn’t positive on what record I thought I should first review until I read everyone else’s entries. I think this is a good starting point as it’s a dramatic change in style from what’s been featured thus far (which is killer, mind you). There are a few records I’ve found myself listening to over and over for the past few months, and this one’s near the top of the list.

It’s been thought that perhaps Tampa, FL’s Cult Ritual is only receiving a lot of attention because of their association with the infamous Youth Attack Records. While there are certainly some questionable releases YA’s done, I’d say Cult Ritual deserves all the credit they receive and more for perfectly bringing the urgency of their live sound straight to record. All 4 songs here are spastic, noisy, and ferocious hardcore punk in its purest form. While the band seems to fit snugly into a rising niche of noisy hardcore(ala Total Abuse, Sex/Vid, etc.), Cult Ritual’s sound and visual aesthetics set them apart from their contemporaries. There aren’t enough adjectives to properly describe how quickly this record will drag you into its discordant soundscapes, violently shake you up and leave you wondering what happened. Each song runs into the next so frantically, it’s hard to sift through the wall of noise on first listen. Before a song begins, it’s on to the next one. Instead of coming off as too brief, they make you feel an intended panic. Trust me that they’re worth repeated listens.

While I feel I could go on and on about all 3 of Cult Ritual’s EPs, this particular one was selected for it being the best representation of Cult Ritual as a band sound and art-wise (I can’t describe this, you need to see it). Also, was the fact that because of how obnoxiously limited and expensive this record was to begin with (how goes the cult morale, Youth Attack?) you won’t be able to physically own one unless you want to drop $70 on ebay (owning the physical copy is rad, but everything should have its limit). Thankfully, the boys in Cult Ritual have made all their current releases to date, including this one, available for free to download at: http://cultmaternal.blogspot.com/

-weston.


Leaves you wanting more:
-Haunted Ground
-Leather

Joiya

I'm going to try to keep it short today as per Tisdale's request/expectations of us contributors. But believe me that I could go on and on about Joiya. They are great people and good friends of mine. They are also probably one of my all time favorite bands I've ever seen live.

This Michigan band blew my fucking mind when I first saw them 5 years ago. It was another case of “why does this awesome band, like my shitty band?” haha. The four piece consisted of a guitarist, drummer, cello player and a piano/violin player. Both male and female vocalists. They played an awesome blend of mellow and high energy indie rock. They also did some extremely mathy and technical stuff. These guys are real musicians and their music can easily be appreciated by other musicians. But I think fans of bands like Aloha and Rachel’s could easily get into them. They sadly don’t play anymore because the members are spread all over the country. Its truly sad because they created some really beautiful and original music together. One can only hope that Joiya will someday be able to reunite and produce more awesomeness. 

-matthew st.

Here is their amazing full length Sometimes Is And Kinda

I've also uploaded their unfinished album. Just note that the unfinished album is just that, unfinished. Its unmixed and alot of the songs are just ideas. The few "finished" songs are quality though. Included with that is a track off a Xmas comp that they did and a demo song "Rogue", which would go on to be called "Rivers."

You can get all of that right here.

Sometimes Is And Kinda personal  highlights     (even though i love the entire album):

-We're Just Gonna...

-Kill Colours With Kindness

-June/July

Unfinished Album personal highlights:

-Suicide Is Painless

-Death and Departed

-The Funearl

Joiya @ Myspace

37500 Yens - Astero

So oh hey France, when the fuck did this happen? And I guess the better question would be, why was I so late to notice this? It seems that somewhere along the line, all of these instrumental mathy guitar/drum duos popped up all over the country. I’m going to be talking about the band 37500 Yens, but I have a feeling that in the future Tisdale will do a review of another French duo, Cheval de Frise.

Of these French bands I have recently heard, I can honestly say that 37500 Yens is probably the most heavy  and aggressive. This record opens up with a dissonant guitar arpeggio that becomes the building block for the rhythmic guitar and drum interplay that punches in and asserts itself for the remainder of the record. This band sounds more like A Minor Forest hopped up on super cool then it does Hella. Jumping from here to there, but never sounding overly bombastic or riffy. From the first song on, you’ll realize that though 37500 Yens is only guitar and drums, they use loops and samples to fill in space when it is needed. Even a saxophone pops up to spread some free jazz love. “Astero” ends with a moment that is the complete opposite to how the record begins. Almost as if the whole album is a build up to that moment. Listen for yourself. 

If you are into A Minor Forest, Don Caballero (Mike Banfield era), Hella, Tera Melos, or pretty much any heavy mathy instrumental bands, I highly recommend this album. 

-matthew st.

Personal album highlights:

-Carnard Boiteux

- The Sullivan's Quartet

Download the album here

If you like this album, please try to buy it from your local independent record store

37500 Yens @ Myspace