Location: Chicago, Illinois
Sound: Fuzz Pop
Description: Haven’t been this excited about a new band for a while. They got the garage rock revival thing per se going in the innate catchiness of their music, but have what I would consider a world of fuzz that just kind of builds on top of said greatness.
Top Songs: Pretty much all of the ones on their MySpace
Comparison: Ty Segall
Link: http://www.myspace.com/themonstertones
Video:
Band: The Modern Lovers
Release: 1981
Label: Bomp! Records
Side One
1. “Road Runner #1” – A-
2. “She Cracked” – B+
3. “Astral Plain” – A
4. “Walk up the Street” – A
Side Two
1. “I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms” – A-
2. “Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste” – B+
3. “Dance With Me” – B
4. “Girlfren” – A+
5. “Road Runner #2” – A+
Comments: These recordings were made in the summer of 1972, before the punk rock explosion. Like the proto-punk of the Velvet Underground, Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers created pretty basic rock and roll — talk and roll, I’d call it. Mumbling, attempted singing, uncomplicated musical structures. “Road Runner” is no shrills Boston — mentioning Stop n Shop and Route 93 among other things. “Walk up the Street” speaks of waking up in the Back Bay. “Girlfren” has the MFA thrown in the mix. Flows so good. What a song, for real, though! On this tune particularly, the guitars and tone in general call to mind a future Bomp! release — Black Lips! On the back cover, Richman states “if it wasn’t for Iggy and Lou Reed this record wouldn’t have existed.” Sounds about right. “Astral Plain” is more Iggy than anything. Perhaps though, if this record hadn’t existed many underground bands wouldn’t exist. In fact, the inspiration that this record had on future records probably spills over into the realm of Beat Happening and such.
Grade: A-
I was on the computer and I heard Davila 666’s “Basura” playing on a TV from the other room. What the fudge I thought, since when is that Scion Garage Documentary airing on TV? But that was not the case. It’s used in a commercial for The North Face, you know the maker of winter jackets and stuff like that.
Watch: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=479897391560&oid=6550003123&comments
I’ve always liked this one.
Listen to those fuckin horns, man! The whole production is somethin else
A previous KLYAM band of the week — White Wires from Ottawa, Canada — are playing at the Starlab, a DIY venue in Somerville on April 29! This is a show highly recommended to all Bostonians/people that are going to be in the area.
A long time ago I started a little feature along these lines…historical concerts that actually happened. Well, of course, every band has to start somewhere and most do indeed start at or near the bottom of the totem pole. No exception was made even for Nirvana when they played TT the Bears Place to a mere seven people and no exception for this show: a sold out November 12, 2004 night: Arcade Fire at TTs. At that time, the band was a young one — having just released their debut LP Funeral two months prior. Funeral became an instant (and lasting) classic. The fact that this show took place at TT’s and not somewhere like the Paradise is a testament to the changed landscape of the national underground music scene. We’ve all heard it a bunch of times, how blogs and social media outlets have altered our engagement with musicians and the like. Simply said, had Arcade Fire emerged with Funeral in 2010 not 2004, they’d be playing bigger venues immediately nationwide.
(Photo: Bradley’s Almanac)
Read about this show here: http://www.bradleysalmanac.com/2004/11/live-arcade-fire.htm
A sucker for slowcore a la Galaxie 500 and so on and so forth I am, so here’s something of that persuasion:
Make no mistake about the Galaxie 500 comparison, though DCAS is not as reverby/dreamy
Band: Frank Zappa
Release: 1983
Label: Barking Pumpkin
Side One
1. “Cocaine Decisions” – A
2. “The Dangerous Kitchen” – A-
3. “Tink Walks Amok” – B
4. “The Radio Is Broken” – B-
5. “Moggio” – B-
Side Two
1. “The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou” – B-
2. “Stick Together” – A-
3. “SEX” – B+
4. “The Jazz Discharge Party Hats” – A-
5. “We Are Not Alone” – B+
Comments: If this record has any worth, it gets said worth from “Cocaine Decisions” and “The Dangerous Kitchen.” This is a hilarious 1-2 punch showcasing Zappa’s deviant delivery and way with words. “Stick Together” about the ills of unions is another goodie: “The labor movement’s got the Mafia curse.” “The Jazz Discharge Party Hats” has its merits too about skinny dipping girls in COLL-egeeeeeeee!
Grade: B+
Puerto Rican rock ‘n’ rollers!
Release date is March 1 on In The Red.
Band: Talking Heads
Release: 1978
Label: Sire
Side One
1. “Thank You For Sending Me An Angel” – A-
2. “With Our Love” – B
3. “The Good Thing” – A-
4. “Warning Sign” – B
5. “The Girls Want to be With the Girls” – B+
6. “Found a Job” – B
Side Two
1. “Artists Only” – B-
2. “I’m Not In Love” – B
3. “Stay Hungry” – B+
4. “Take Me to the River” – B+
5. “The Big Country” – A-
Comments: Straight up, Talking Heads are hugely influential. How influential exactly is up for debate, but try telling me The Strokes didn’t have “The Good Thing” in mind while conjuring up Is This It? In any case, Byrne’s innate weirdo brand of new wave/punk was extremely fresh and different at the time — a combination not explored by too many other bands. That said, the songs themselves aren’t extraordinary by any means — creative tunes catchy, but not overly. Best song? The closer, “The Big Country.”
Grade: B
