Black Lips are playing Rock On! Concert Cruises this summer in Boston and New York.
The Boston boat, which departs from Rowes Wharf on Thursday July 29, is 21+!
The New York boat will leave from World Yacht Marina on Monday August 2, but is just 18+!
Black Lips were all talk leading up to the Converse Band of Ballers basketball tournament. Could four flower-punks from Atlanta even compete with the likes of Jim Jones and and Shawty Lo? Nah, not at all. They came in dead last, tied with another tandem of rockers, Of Montreal. Jim Jones was victorious.
Hopes: They play “Speed Is Deceiving,” as that it is the only tune I know by them lol. I hope it is a terrific show.
Expectations: It’s a good show, they play that song and I enjoy myself, but it’s not one of the best I’ve seen.
Chris
Uninhabitable Mansions!
I’m very excited for this show. Along with UM, there is Ketman, an extremely catchy rock band from Boston, who have drew comparisons to Shellac and Mission of Burma, Thalia Zedek, a band from Allston that’s hard to describe, but is both on the noisy and soft side, and finally The Big Big Bucks, a powerpop/punk group from Allston as well.
I wish PJ Soles was my girlfriend :)
Chris
Not What you expected? What do you think we are some kind of music blog…
Chris
Yeahhhhhhhhh Rock and Roll All Nite and Party Every Day!
Chris
Hahahahahhahah. You tell em’ Jello!
Chris
Band: Male Bonding
Release: 5/2010
Label: Sub Pop
1. “Year’s Not Long” – A-
2. “All Things This Way” – B+
3. “Your Contact” – A-
4. “Weird Feelings” – A-
5. “Franklin” – B+
6. “Crooked Scene” – A
7. “T.U.F.F” – B+
8. “Nothing Remains” – A-
9. “Nothing Use To Hurt” – B+
10. “Pirate Key” – B
11. “Paradise Vendors” – A-
12. “Pumpkin” – A-
13. “Worst to Come” – A-
Comments: A band that did not excite me at all live, Male Bonding was actually a “band that I wanted to like.” Could the record make up for their lackluster performance? The answer is “yes!” I’m sort of glad this record isn’t of a terribly low fidelity. Thank you… Sub Pop? Anyway, there are really fun spots in a bunch of these songs. For example, the hook in “Your Contact” is welcoming and the high string notes in “Weird Feelings” save the song from drum-centricness. For some kind of modern reference point, I’d have to point in the direction of Abe Vigoda. Male Bonding is from Dalston, England, which would seem to be like the California of that country, but it really isn’t that at all. I’m getting tropical vibes on “Crooked Scene,” although it may just be the structure of that song that conjures Abe. A casual or first time listener might have alarms going off in their head along the lines of: song A sounds like song B sounds like C. That kind of sucks as it’s hard to make distinctions between tracks, especially at the early stages of familiarity. At other times, the group sounds like Wavves. Bottom line: is this good? Yes. Is it great? Sometimes. There’s even Vivian Girls’ Cassie Ramone singing on the last track.
Grade: B+ (89)
Band: Brian Flannel
Release: 2/2010
Label: N/A
1. “Restraining Order” – A
2. “Date Rape (Real Estate)” – B
3. “Symptom Set” – B+
4. “Dogs Not Dead” – B
5. “RMPM” – A-
6. “Bonus Track” – A
Comments: Damn catchy start to the cassette. The chorus is really awesome as it features a male/female harmonious assault. “Date Rape” is more lo-fidelity and faster. I’m thinking “Symptom Set” is similar to some heavier Sonic Youth punk jams. “RMPM” is a notable jam. The exchange between the dude and chick leads to a really solid ending in the Bonus Track.
Grade: B+ (89)
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 