Category Archives: Music

Music, The Walkmen

The Walkmen Recording New Album

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The Walkmen are back at the recording thing again. They’ve apparently recorded 15 songs and might just finish the thing by November. In customary Walkmen style, they’ve been road-testing the new batch of songs. It’s never a good idea to get too excited about these new ones. As we know from past experience, the end products of these new live songs are certainly subject to change. At any rate, big fans over at the Walkmen Forum (accessible through here) are buzzing about the new songs. I believe you can still download their Austin City Limits set (new songs included, of course) in one of those threads. So how exactly are the new songs? See for yourself, but I will say they are over the place. We’ve got something that wouldn’t be exactly out of place on Lisbon tentatively [on the internet, anyway] titled “In The House You Made”. It’s a stripped down, fairly slow one, with a very strong finish! Another is “Love You Love,” which is heavier, but can’t quite say I’m much of a fan of it. Back to the basics with “Southern Heart,” just good ole electric guitar. “I’m Not Your Heartbreaker” is where it’s at. Sounds at first like some quasi-Bows and Arrows shizzle and has one of the catchiest choruses we’ve heard since You & Me. Finally there’s “Radio City,” which is a pretty funny song. It reminds me of The Recoys. Ham’s vocal delivery is as spirited as it was back in the ole ‘garage’ ’98 days… “Song of the Paper Dolls” kind of thing. Well anyway, I look forward to hearing more news come out about this album.

Band Recommendation, Music, Star Spangled KGB

Band Recommendation: Star Spangled KGB

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Star Spangled KGB are psychedelic rock n rollers from the Chicago area. The band is Jon, Alex, Thom, and Pat. They’ve just recently released their debut album Life As It Was Pt. 1 & 2. It’s chalk-full of catchy numbers from the Donnie Darko referencing “All Is Well” all the way through to the crunchy, warping psychedelia of “Monkshood.” The production particularly stands out; the album is loud and clear in being dirty. If that makes any sense. You’ll see. Songwriter Jon cites The Brian Jamestown Massacre as an influence in addition to the Mamas and the Papas. and Pixies. It’s hard losing concentration in the great mess of being swept away by the lead guitar riffs and wailing vocals. These young folks have caught my attention and probably wouldn’t mind yours.

Check out the album via Bandcamp: HERE
Facebook Page: HERE


Art, concert review, Girls, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, Nobunny, Punk, reviews, Video

Concert Review: Girls & Nobunny @ Paramount Theater (9/24/11)

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Artists: Girls, Nobunny, and Papa (we missed :( )
Venue: Paramount Theater @ Emerson College, Boston
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011
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Act I (That KLYAM saw): Nobunny: Welly, welly, welly, well, look what we have here. That horrible monster, Nobunny is back in Boston, ready to burn the place to smithereens. And, he brought with him his co-conspirators Elvis Christ (on drums AND backing vocals) and Touchy Tony (on bass); he rocked on the gee tar himself. But y’all pussies don’t have to worry, before the set Mr.Bunny apologized to the city of Boston, assuring that he will not attempt to set it ablaze again. Despite, the absence of Danimal, the three piece still rocked hard, sounded better than ever and they have seriously come into their own as a full rock band, not just a backing band for Nobunny. For all involved this was a bizarre experience: seeing Nobunny in a rather large theater and in the balcony to boot! It seemed like the KLYAM and merely a few other devotees in the house were aware of the bunnyman and his music. To fuck with the people’s sense of rigt and wrong even further the band opened with “Your Mouth,” one of the creepiest (and sweetest too!) tunes in their catalog. The rest of the set consisted of various classics including “Nobunny Loves You,” “I Am a Girlfiend,” “Chuck Berry Holiday,” “Live It Up,” as well as two songs I had never seen live in previous Nobunny shows; First Blood (2010) essentials, “Ain’t It a Shame,” and “(Do the) Fuck Yourself.” The set also featured two incredible covers: Hunx and His Punx’s “U Don’t Like Rock and Roll” and the Sneaky Pinks’ (of which Nobunny has lineage) “Can’t Wait.”

Act II: Girls– I’m not sure which is freakier. Seeing Nobunny in a theater setting period or seeing Girls in the nosebleeds? Either way, like Nobunny, Girls sounded better than ever. I thought they were solid at the dise in April ’10, but they defintely have ameliorated their live show in the time since. Album (2009) stand outs included “Lust For Life,”- probably still my favorite Girls song, “Laura,” “Ghost Mouth,” and “Hellhole Ratrace,”- always a strong, epic live anthem. In general, with the new LP Father Son, Holy Ghost (2011), Girls have upped the ante, becoming more ambitious and adventerous. The music just hits you harder. This is certainly reflected in their live set and best represented in the new song, “Vomit,” especially when it gets really heavy. Live, this was exhilerating, Girls definitely impressed me beyond my expecatations. Other recent classcics from the new album included, “Honey Bunny,” “Magic,” and “Saying I love You,” amongst others. All in all, Girls have become a powerhouse live.

Grade: 8/10

Damn, I wish I had been this close!

Art, Bill Hicks, Black Lips, Honorary KLAYMERS, Ian St. Pe, Lists, Music, pictures, Pixies, Punk, Rage Against the Machine, Uncategorized

KLYAMER Shuffle: Chris

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Inspired by Glen’s earlier post, I hit shuffle on my ipod and this is what came up….

Black Lips– “Born to be a Man” (2006)- The best way to kick off the list.

Bill Hicks– “My One Man Show” (1990)- Another one of my favorites!

Pixies– “Here Comes Your Man” (1989)- Wow, the third song in a row with the word “man” in the title.

Beat Happening– “Black Candy” (1989)- The first BH song I ever heard; one of their greatest offerings.

Descendents– “Clean Sheets” (live) (1987)- Damn, I’d love to have been present for this recording.

Elvis Costello– “Accidents Will Happen” (1979)- FUN FACT: In E.T. (1982), the character Michael (Robert MacNaughton) can be heard singing this in the scene when he comes home from school and is looking in the refrigerator.

Rage Against the Machine– “Mic Check” (1999)- Top five best 90s bands, end of story.

Minutemen– “This Ain’t No Picnic” (1984)- A lot of 80s underground shit in this mix.

Primus– “My Name is Mud” (1993)- I remember hearing this as a kid and thinking it was the most fucked up thing I had ever heard, until Frank Zappa….

Hüsker Dü– “Turn On the News” (1984)- Maybe the huskers’ best.

I would not say this list is totally representative of my tastes in music, but I enjoy everything here and I have for quite some time.

Music, Random

Random KLYAMdom

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Fourteen songs played at random and the results are in:

1. The Hussy - Peace Bro
2. Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe
3. Reigning Sound - If You Can't Give Me Everything
4. Adam Green - Breaking Locks
5. Maine Coons - Uniform Choice
6. The Belles - Melvin
7. Wolf Parade - Call It A Ritual
8. Radiohead - I Want You
9. Aesop Rock - Flashflood
10. The Drones- Minotaur
11. J.C Lodge (Diplo Mix) - Telephone Love
12. Of Montreal - Keep Sending Me Black Fireworks
13. Mando Diao - Blue Lining White Trenchcoat
14. Deerhunter - He Would Have Laughed

Notice the first six songs are tru rock N roll, the next two kind of go together , and the next six after that are quite random. A skeptic might be thinking oh well it was all random BY chance. That is true, but why were the first six tru rock N roll. There has to be a reason.