Deadly Snakes
Porcella
In The Red Records
Still venomous, the Deadly Snakes fourth release is the antidote to
formulaic rock ‘n’ roll. Not quite as joyous as Ode To Joy (my favorite rock
record of 2003), the tone here is darker and more reflective. The Snakes
keep things interesting, laying toy piano, Mellotron, and strings over their
inspired R & B ballads and stomps.
Read the DPP review of Ode to Joy
Deadstring Brothers
Starving Winter Report
Bloodshot
You’ve already heard all the Exile-era Stones comparisons, which are true,
but there is much more to the latest outing by Deadstring Brothers. This is
Roots Rock from Detroit (!), played and sung with passion and confidence.
The songs are masterful, with Kurt Marschke and Masha Marjieh’s
harmony vocals creating a sound that is sweet as honey. On occasion,
Marschke’s voices sounds much like Ryan Adams from the Whiskeytown
days. Gritty Telecasters and Hammond organ textures abound, giving the
tunes an early ‘70’s feel. Dig it!
--C9
Rebecca Zapen
Japanese Bathhouse
KiraKira
Listening to these breezy, jazzy tunes you can picture the graceful
Rebecca Zapen humming to herself as she walks along the beach in her
native Florida. Zapen’s warm, perfect pitch vocals are beautiful and her
songs are effortlessly hip. Without a trace of irony Zapen pulls off a
tropical “Girl from Ipanema” vocal style so warm and comforting that it
cradles my cold Michigan soul (really, try it).
At times Japanese Bathhouse is reminiscent of Suzanne Vega, Yo La
Tengo and other mature indie pop, but Zapen is more consumed with
traditional forms. Zapen plays violin along with guitar, ukulele and acoustic
keyboards and is backed up with shuffling drums and an ensemble of
remarkable jazz and classical musicians. The gentle clash of the modern
and traditional, the purity of the music, and the subtle melancholy feel
keep this album interesting, refreshing, and delightful. I think Rebecca
should write songs for a Muppets movie.
Eels
Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Vagrant
The thing about eels is they are kinda slippery. This guy is like Beck
embodied by Tom Waits singing Leonard Cohen outtakes. And of course
that could only be beautiful.
Sonic Youth su Tim Barnes
Koncertas Stan Brakhage Prisiminimui
SYR
This is volume six in Sonic Youth’s ambient noise series. While I listened to
it I was thinking what a shame it would be if some kid, having heard about
the legendary Sonic Youth, plunked down fifteen bucks for this at the mall.
“What the hell is this?!” would be the likely reaction. (My first SY album
was actually The Whitey Album. Thurston’s version of Madonna’s “Get Into
the Groove” had hooked me when I was listening to college radio…soon
after I got Daydream Nation and realized they weren’t exactly a goof punk
band.) Sonic Youth is known for improvisational noise freak-outs in the
middle of actual songs; this series is for those of you who want to hear
more of just that, the early, eerie, experimental Sonic Youth.
The Loons
Paraphernalia
UT Records
Mike Stax’s Loons exhibit crafty 60s psychedelia and gritty garage groove
on this follow up to Love’s Dead Leaves. Mike Stax, publisher of the
garage rock bible, Ugly Things has spent plenty of hours in his time
machine. The Loons have a unique, original sound with one foot in the
past and one foot in the future; if you are fan of the Pretty Things, the
Yardbirds and Love this is required paraphernalia.
Ugly Things #23 (zine)
At 192 pages I hesitate to call this a zine. It has been said before, but Ugly
Things is the Bible, Tora and Koran of 60s garage, beat and psychedelia
(with forays into 1920s rural blues to 1950s R&B to obscure '70/'80s punk
rock). Inside you will find in-depth articles, interviews and reviews of
reissues. Beautiful layout and lots of great pictures. You should feel some
shame if you are into this stuff and don’t have an Ugly Things lying around
your record stack. I’m giving you permission to leave my web site to go
order your copy.
DEVO
Live 1980 (DVD/CD)
MVD
There are still people who discount DEVO as a novelty act, a one-hit-
wonder and an electronic band (not that there is anything wrong with that).
Show those mongoloids this document. DEVO slays here. The quality of
the video is about what you could expect for 1980, but the musical
performance is stellar. There is one synth in this band and it is
outnumbered by two guitars, a bass and acoustic drums. The static
tightness doesn’t come from a studio gimmicks; these guys were tight and
dangerous. DEVO had more in common with the Ramones than Kraftwerk.
DEVO has the notoriety, but it also deserves the respect that the band’s
peers, in the first and second wave of punk have, and they earn it here.
Me You and Everyone We Know (Soundtrack)
Everloving
The music that fueled the remarkable film is available as the soundtrack to
your life. Fill your awkward moments with this dreamy ambient electronica
for a much richer experience. Written and performed by Michael Andrews
who also scored the Donnie Darko soundtrack.
Inara George
All Rise
Everloving
If you want to hear Michael Andrew's influence in a band instead of a film,
look no further than All Rise. Here he creates a shimmering platform for
Inara George’s lovely voice. The daughter of Little Feat founder Lowell
George, Inara’s music has little in common with dad’s country and blues
rock. All Rise has a relaxed tone, but throughout Andrews subtlety pushes
songs into slightly stranger territory. All Rise is crafty electro-folk for
listeners comfortable with music that fits into the AAA format.
The Planet The
You Absorb My Vision
(I gave this CD to Steve to review because I thought he might like it more
than I did; apparently I was wrong. That said, fans of Hot Hot Heat and
Whirlwind Heat kinda stuff might dig these fellas. –Ed.)
The blind date. Many of us have been subjected to the meddling efforts of
would be-cupids. In those situations you are invariably at the mercy of
your matchmaking friends. For those of you who have not been set up by
friends I am sure that you know the phrase that should hoist the red flag in
your head, “He/She has a nice personality.” Sometimes a nice personality
simply isn’t enough. I was duped by friends with the vague description,
“She has really nice hair.” And she did, but it was a very brief date, though.
As I sit here listening to The Planet The’s You Absorb My Vision I am
trying to pick out those ambiguous details to entice you, my friends. Does
the band have a nice personality? Not particularly. Does the music shine
despite the lead vocals and meandering lyrics? Absolutely not, but the
drummer is okay. Is the packaging nice? No, but it certainly is misleading.
The collage and mirror effect of band members in the throws of musical
bliss on the cover hint at a garage band with psychedelic tendencies that
just are not there.
The Planet The comes across as a musical novelty act with little
substance. The music is bare with little texture and the relentless
keyboards dominate every song on the disc. Once you get past this
keyboard attack there is little left to sustain the listener. The guitars are
sparse and the lead vocals, which are guttural noises at times, relate
nothing but gibberish. Imagine a stripped down DEVO without the
creativity, songwriting, or eccentric appeal.
--Steven Miller
| READ SOME MOLDY BRIEFS: |
| THE DETROIT COBRAS CALVIN JOHNSON FRONTIER INDEX BROAD DAYLIGHT ANNA OXYGEN GINA GO FASTER GOGOL BORDELLO ALL INDIA RADIO THE OCTOPUS PROJECT |
| CLICK COVER ART FOR LABEL LINKS: |