Category Archives: Music

Upcoming Album Releases!

Upcoming Releases!
Lupe Fiasco – Lasers – December 15, 2009

In The Queue For Review!
Devendra Banhart – What Will We Be – October 27, 2009
Stellastarr – Civilized – July 7, 2009
The Raveonettes – In and Out of Control – October 6, 2009
Muse – The Resistance – September 14, 2009
Kasabian – West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum – June 6, 2009
Franz Ferdinand – Tonight: Franz Ferdinand – January 26, 2009

CD Review: Help

Band: Thee Oh Sees
Release: April 28, 2009
Label: In The Red Records

1. “Enemy Destruct” – 9.4
2. “Ruby Go Home” – 8.9
3. “Meat Step Lively” – 9.2
4. “A Flag In The Court” – 8.3
5. “The Turn Around” – 7.5
6. “Can You See?” – 8.6
7. “Rainbow” – 9.4
8. “Go Meet The Seed” – 9.3
9. “I Can’t Get No” – 8.9
10. “Soda St. #1” – 8.6
11. “Destroyed Fortress Reappers” – 9.2
12. “Peanut Butter Oven” – 9.0

Comments: Pursuing a recommendation from No Bunny drummer Billy, I decided to give this esteemed album a listen. Reminds me to some degree of the kind of rock that good old Chuck Berry was spitting out in his day, though this is dirtier and more prone to experiment. So I can see why this band has been influential to the emerging “coaster” garage scene that includes No Bunny and company. But at a few points throughout, I feel like there are too many layers of different instruments that distort the main rhythm and vocals, making the listening experience a sort of pain in the ass. At a few points, I hear a simplicity reminiscent of Jay Reatard lyrically and musically. It’s the kind of garage-y music that I can’t call awesome, but that I can give a pretty decent amount of respect to. A band I probably won’t make an exaggerated effort to go see, but might if they are playing alongside another good band.

Grade: 8.9

Top Tracks

These are my favorites from my (modern) favorites.

Black Lips:

Black Lips (2003):
Throw It Away, Freakout, Ain’t No Deal, I’ve Got A Knife, Fad, Sweet Kin, Everybody Loves a Cocksucker

We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow (2004):
Nothing At All/100 New Fears, Notown Blues, Ghetto Cross, Jumpin Around

Let It Bloom (2005):
Sea of Blashemy, Feeling Gay, Empassant,

Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo (2007):
The entire album!

Good Bad Not Evil (2007):
I Saw A Ghost (Lean), O Katrina, Veni Vidi Vici, Navajo, Lock and Key How Do You Tell A Child That Someone Has Died, Bad Kids

200 Million Thousand (2009):
Take My Heart, Drugs, Starting Over, Let It Grow, Trapped In a Basement, Short Fuse, I’ll Be With You, Big Black Baby Jesus of Today, Old Man, The Drop I Hold

Jay Reatard:

Blood Visions (2006):
Blood Visions, It’s So Easy, My Shadow, My Family, Death Is Forming, Nightmares, Fading All Away, Turning Blue, Puppet Man, Waiting For Something

Singles ’06-’07 (2008):
Night of Broken Glass, Hammer I Miss You, I Know a Place

Matador Singles ’08 (2008):
See/Saw, Screaming Hand, Painted Shut, An Ugly Death, Always Wanting More, Trapped Here, DOA, No Time, You Were Sleeping, I’m Watching You

Watch Me Fall (2009):
It Ain’t Gonna Save Me, Rotten Mind, Faking It

King Khan & BBQ Show
:

The King Khan & BBQ Show (2004):
Waddlin’ Around, Fish Fight, Get Down, Hold Me Tight, Love You So, Pig Pig, Shake Real Low

What’s For Dinner?
(2006):
Treat Me Like a Dog, I’ll Never Belong, Dock It #8, Into the Snow, Why Don’t You Lie?, Too Much In Love, What’s For Dinner?, Zombies

Invisible Girl (2009):
Invisible Girl

No Age:

Weirdo Rippers (2007):
Neck Escaper, Everybody’s Down

Nouns (2008):
Brain Burner, Eraser, Here Should Be My Home, Ripped Knees, Sleeper Hold, Teen Creeps

Losing Feeling EP (2009):
You’re A Target, Genie

King Khan & The Shrines:

Spread Your Love… Like Peanut Butter! (2001):
Took My Lady to Dinner

Three Hairs and You’re Mine
(2002):
Fool Like Me, Live Fast Die Strong, Tell Me, Crackin Up, Shivers Down My Spine,

Mr. Supernatural (2004):
Destroyer

What Is? (2007):
(How Can I Keep You) Outta Harm’s Way, I Wanna Be a Girl, Welfare Bread, Land of the Freak, No Regrets

and “Torture” and “Sweet Tooth” whihc are on the Supreme Genius compilation, but I don’t know where they originate

Animmal Collective:

Here Comes the Indian
(2003):
Hey Light

Sung Tongs (2004):
Who Could Win a Rabbit

Grass (single) (2005):
Grass, Fickle Cycle

Feels (2005):
Did You See the Words, Grass, The Purple Bottle, Flesh Canoe, Banshee Beat

Strawberry Jam (2007):
Peacebone, Unsolved Mysteries, Chores, For Reverend Green, Fireworks, Derek

Merriweather Post Pavillion
(2009):
My Girls, Summertime Clothes, Lion In a Coma, Brothersport

Arcade Fire:

Funeral (2005):
Rebellion (Lies)

Neon Bible
(2007):
Black Mirror, Keep the Car Running, Neon Bible, Intervention, Black Wave/Bad Vibrations, Ocean of Noise, The Well and the Lighthouse, No Cars Go, My Body Is a Cage

The Almighty Defenders:

The Almighty Defenders (2009):
All My Loving, The Ghost With the Most, Bow Down and Die, Cone of Light, Over the Horizon, She Came Before Me

The Nightwatchman
:

One Man Revolution (2007):
California’s Dark, One Man Revolution, Let Freedom Ring, The Road I Must Travel, Battle Hymns, Maximum Firepower, Union Song, No One Left, Dark Clouds Above

The Fabled City (2008):
Whatever It Takes

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart (2009):
Contender, Come Saturday, Everything With You, Young Adult Friction, This Love Is Fucking Right!, Stay Alive, A Teenage In Love, Hey Paul

Arctic Monkeys:

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)
The View From the Afternoon, I Bet That You Look Good On the Dancefloor, Fake Tales of San Francisco, Dancing Shoes, Riot Van, Mardy Bum

Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007):
Fluorescent Adolescent

Head Automatica:

Decadence (2004):
At the Speed of a Yellow Bullet, Brooklyn Is Burning, Beating Heart Baby, Please, Please, Please (Young Hollywood), King Caesar, The Razor, Dance Party Plus, I Shot William H. Macy

Popaganda (2006):
Graduation Day, Laughing At You

Editors:

The Back Room (2005):
Munich, All Sparks, Bullets, Distance

An End Has a Start (2007):
Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors, An End Has a Start, The Racing Rats

And “Dust In the Sunlight,” not sure where this appears

Deerhunter:

Rainwater Cassette Exchange (2009):
Entire EP

MewithoutYou:

Brother, Sister (2006):
Messes of Men, The Drynes and the Rain, Yellow Spider, A Glass Can Only Spill What It Contains, Orange Spider, In a Sweater Poorly Knit

Stange Boys:

The Strange Boys and Girls Club (2009):
Woe Is You and Me, Should’ve Shot Paul, MLKs, No Way For a Slave to Behave, Most Things, Then

Wavves:

Wavves (2008):
Lover

Wavvves (2009):
So Bored, No Hope Kids, California Goths, Summer Goth

Immortal Technique:

Revolutionary Volume 1 (2001):
Dance With the Devil

Revolutionary Volume 2 (2003):
The Cause of Death, Freedom of Speech

and “Bin Laden” (Remix)

Chris

EP Reviews: Teabag Party 7″ and Animal Party 7″

Band: King Khan & BBQ Show
Title: Teabag Party 7″
Label: Crypt
Release: 2008

1. “Teabag Party” – 9.6 A straight up ancient garage-comedy sucker with lyrics like “Well I’m gonna put my balls/
on top of your head/then you gonna wish oh/wish you were dead. ” Imagine a Fish Fight, but with Teabags.

2. “Larry Is A Gay Blade” – 9.8Hahahahahahahaha! A hiliarious 12 seconder in the tune of “Learn My Language.”

3. “Teenage Foetus” – 9.7From my perspective this song rings true about the ills of the abortion industry. “Teenage foetus, you can’t beat us,” shows how the fetus is left powerless in an abortion situation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure KK and BBQ didn’t think of it this way when they made it, but it’s up for interpretation I’m sure.

4. “What’s Yours Is Mine” – 9.5 – Pretty fuckin’ sweet doo-wop, but not really high high class.

5. “Gangbang Gordon” – 9.9Hahhahahahahahahaha shit! Guess what song(s) this sounds like? Here’s the lyrics: “1..2..3 Gonna Gangbang Gordon, We’re Gonna Eat His Organs! We’re Gonna Fuckin’ Gangbang  Gordon, We’re Gonna Eat His Organs! Dip-pa-dap-da-pa-dip…” Hahaha!
———————


Band: King Khan & BBQ Show
Title: Animal Party 7″
Label: Fat Possum
Release: 2008

1. “Animal Party” – 9.2Funny, but not too awesome. A really solid rhythm and very inviting. “Open the door/come on in/let the Animal Party begin!”

2. “God Of Raisins” – 9.3Gospel gone wrong, but not musically wrong.

CD Review: The King Khan & BBQ Show

Artist: The King Khan & BBQ Show
Title: The King Khan & BBQ Show aka The Supreme Genius of Mark Sultan*
Label: In the Red (2007 Re-release), Goner (U.S), Hazelwood (Europe)
Year: 2004

1) Waddlin’ Around- 9.8- Classic King Khan! Perfect opener and terrific love song. Truly amazing, soulful vocals from Mark Sultan, just a harbinger of what is to come.

2) Fish Fight- 10- Instant classic! This one is a highly catchy rocker. Great for pogoing and moshing (I can imagine and will get back to you after I see them live!). Great, simple, guitar work

3) Get Down- 9.6- Catchy lyrics, nice, fast paced guitar and drums. Gets me in the mood to “get down.”

4) Hold Me Tight- 9.7- Wow! One word to describe this song: Cool. You could roll down the street picking up some fine looking ladies to this guitar riff…. probably not though, but it gives us hope haha. My favorite part is the “Holdddd Me Tight.” Brings me back to Montrose Elementary School Halloween dances when they played those old ‘Graveyard Smash’ songs. The vocals in that part are extremely reminescent of said tunes. Brought back some great memories.

5) Love You So- 9.9- One of the top tracks on this record and in their entire discography for that matter. It’s another love ballad from the BBQ, Mark Sultan. Incredibly simple lyrics, yet ultimately endearing in both sound and passion. Doo Wop influence is most prevalent here.

6) Got It Made- 9.5- Poppy, BBQ Ballad. Catchy lyrics, innocent song.

7) Am I the One- 8.8- Decent, but didn’t really hit me like the others. Cool King song about his gee tar.

8) Take Me Back- 8.5- It’s a good song, but does not bring as much new to the table. Sultan’s vocals and the overall song really, sound too much like previous tracks. Fine song, but nothing new.

9) Pig Pig- 9.9- Love this one. Balls out rock, screeching vocals, fast guitars, loud drums. In this track, King’s gal is a little, diryt, piggy, “covered in shit” haha. No lovey dovey innocence here, which makes this number really stick out. Perhaps the punk rock influence clawing it’s way into the recording.

10) Shake Real Low- 9.7- Fun (as stated in the song) Rock and Roll you can shake your ass to. Kids and everyone else should flooding the dance floor, rocking to this music, instead of the bullshit they play at dances and clubs, which sucks the fun right outta of the music. I don’t understand how our world works. Ohh well, I’m still having fun.

11) Bimbo’s Theme- 8.8- It’s somewhat catchy, but I think it goes on for too long. I dig the dueling vocals of King and the BBQ at the end though. I also really like when King freaks out and wildly screams.

12) L’il Girl In the Woods- 8.9- Sounds pretty hot lol. Cool song, but nothing special compared to the other greats. I liked when the ‘L’il Girl’ chimed in too.

13) Outta My Mind- 9.0- Funny number, great vocals from both the King and the BBQ. Very catchy. One of my favorite lines from this album, ” Ohh baby, you just ripped my heart out and left it out to dry,” which are spoken. In fact, there’s a little section of King doing some funky spoken word. I can feel the pain of not being able to get some gal ‘outta your mind.’ The emotion is very effective on this track.

14) Mind, Body, and Soul- 8.5- Doesn’t do all that much for me per se, but certainly not a bad track. It is one of those album closers that is specifically longer than other tracks, just to have an epic closing. I typically am not a fan of those. I would have preferred some catchy tune as a closer, like “Outta My Mind.”

Overall Grade- A: Fun, romantic, raw, garagey doo woppy, punky, dirty, rock and roll. These guys have recustiated the early 60s doo wop/pop genre of rock better than anyone in the universe… and they do have some fierce competition.

* Not actual title lol.

Chris

Band Spotlight: Beirut

History: Formed in 2006 by a then 19 year old college student named Zach Condon. A few others, a short while later, joined the band and collectively began work on a debut LP titled Gulag Orkestar.

Years Active: 2006 to Present

Label: Ba Da Bing!

Members:
Zach Condon, Perrin Cloutier, Hari Ziznewski, Jason Poranski, Nick Petree, Kristin Ferebee, Paul Collins, Jon Natchez, Kelly Pratt, and Ben Lanz

Genre: Balkan Folk

Musical Style: “Gulag Orkestar,” the first track off their 2006 album of the same name, is very dramatic and folksy, featuring a delightful contrast of imposing horns and drums and light and playful tambourines. But Beirut also has songs like “Postcards From Italy” that don’t sound all that differently than your typical non-American independent folk, like Jens Lekman.

Moods:

Mark Sultan/KK+BBQ News!

http://www.marksultan.com
The King Khan & BBQ Show tour dates!! Check: http://www.myspace.com/thekingkhanbbqshow there are a few that are left to be determined. as well as a couple of kids show that we will add on there. that should be cool! this will all be to play some of our new album ‘INVISIBLE GIRL’ which drops in a couple of weeks. we may have a couple limited edition LPs for sale in portland! supporting us for most of the tour and at various points are Dum Dum Girls and Those Darlins! here is the best part: The King Khan & BBQ Show have been working on a new live show (aside from playing a bunch of new songs) which harkens back to the original intent of our band. it should be really fun! this also means the inclusion of our old pal Leo Chips into the fold. you’ll see!! it’s gonna be extravagant! check in to the myspace now and again for news! also, look for The Almighty Defenders in both Portland and also on the 25th at Maxwell’s in Hoboken! And maybe another show for CMJ? who knows? My new Mark Sultan is also DONE and will be out in February. I decided to hold off on its release cuz too much shit is coming out. But a single on In The Red of non-LP cuts will rear its ugly head in a couple of weeks! see you on tour!

Indeed, see you on tour, Mark.