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Review: Fat History Month, Big Mess, Masingo @ UML Fox Common (9/13/12)

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Photo not from tonight’s show, taken from http://www.radioutd.com/2012/02/05/reviewinterview-fat-history-month/

Artists: Fat History Month, Big Mess, Masingo
Date: Thursday, September 13, 2012
Venue: UMass Lowell Fox Common (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Big Mess–  Two months is way too long. It has been two long months since I have seen the mighty Big Mess. Their music has always struck me as the perfect soundtrack for  *insert your favorite action here* “Fucking!” Okay sir, fucking sounds good, we’ll go with that. So, it’s no surprise to me that guitarist, Nicholas Wiedeman introduces their perennial set opener, “The Hook,” as a song about making love. Indeed, it is a passionate tune that consistently energizes my spirit at each Big Mess show. The next song “Side A,” from last year’s split with S’eance is equally if not more effective, but perhaps not a number to do the wild thing to, well maybe if your more of the aggressive type, which hopefully you are. This song and the track “Drone Bee” demonstrate the band’s ability to produce powerful, headbanging guitar riffs and sledgehammer drums. In a live setting, truly the best way you can experience this trio, these songs are richer and naturally heavier. In general, Big Mess’s music has always made me conjure up images of classic horror movie madmen such as one, Jack Torrence.The whole set consists of classics and most of the crowd tonight appear to be fans that have experienced Big Mess time and time again; you can see in their eyes a deep admiration for their peers. I share this sense of admiration for the band and hope to see them again sometime soon. http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess

Act II: Fat History Month– The show begins with Seanhistorymonth standing amongst the kids at The Fox Common, strumming his guitar and with his co-conspirator Markhistorymonth on drums, the duo sink into their weird, little world, taking all the kids aboard. Much like Big Mess, Fat History is a sound band in the studio,  but are perhaps better appreciated in a live setting. On stage,  you truly get to witness the unbeatable chemistry between Sean and Mark that you cannot experience simply from listening to one of their records. As always, the pair dish out some of my favorites, including, but certainly not limited to “Free As A Cat,”  “Old Lady Smokers,  and the Bad History demo “Everyday Is Christmas.” At one point, Sean expresses an appreciation for the decent turn out of bodies in attendance, much greater than he expected. This is no surprise to me however, in fact I would hope more kids got turned on to their music. But, those that show up are immersed in their peformance and when it comes time for requests, someone shouts NATURE! I find this to be hilarious because this is at least the third or fourth time now that I have heard “Nature” requested at a Fat History show. It is a terrific song, so why not?! What is great about this performance is the fact that they follow up “Nature” with the epic track “You Can Pick Your Nose, You Can Pick Your Friend’s Nose, But You Can’t Escape Your Horrible Family.” Up until this point I don’t believe I have ever heard this song live, so that is a definite plus. Not to mention that these two songs are next  to each other on their LP Fucking Despair (pick that thang up btw), thus giving this set a further feeling of completion. I am so glad we have a band like Fat History Month in Boston; it is always a pleasure to see them live and they play a shit TON of shows in this area and beyond, so get yer ass out to any or all of them! Man, I wish I had heard all of this great music when I was a little kid, instead of reading about Fidel Castro, watching old porn movies from the 70s, and getting placed in figure-four locks. Sure, Fat History Month is probably a little bit too bizarre for most children, but in this crazy world we live in they are going to get exposed to some fucked up shit anyway, might as well make sure it’s constructive, beautiful, fucked up shit. Why fill their little heads with hope now? Why not give them a tip before the weight of the the world wipes away all their precious dreams? Jeeze Chris, way to kill the party. Ahh, I’m only teasing, as they say everyday is Christmas, or at least everyday feels like Christmas when you have great bands like Fat History Month around you. Cheers. http://fathistorymonth.bandcamp.com/album/fucking-despair

Act III: Masingo– Masingo, damn Masingo I knew I had seen you before (on a bill with SARALEE @ the Ant Cellar last May), but for the life of me I could not remember them. My bad. Then when Masingo hits the stage, I have some flashbacks, still cannot recall too much, but now I remember these young lads. In particular the vocalist/guitarist has a great attitude and I do remember this quality from before. He is interactive with the audience, inquiring about college and informing the students about endorphins and other matters. He hops around quite a bit, shaking his shaggy hair in the process.  The other two members are equally skilled and their fast, punk delivery is admirable. I am not quite sure if it is my cup of tea, but they are entertaining. My favorite moment is when the vocalist/guitarist flies off the stage, with his guitar in his arms, and falls flat on his back, only to hop right back on stage as if nothing had happened. Check out their bandcamp page: http://masingo.bandcamp.com/

Art, Colleen Green, concert review, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Colleen Green, Plateaus, Empty Phrases @ unchARTed (9/10/12)

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Artists: Colleen Green, Plateaus, Empty Phrases
Date: Monday, September 10, 2012
Venue: unchARTed (Lowell, MA)

Comments: Tonight is my first time stepping foot into the unchARTed gallery in downtown Lowell and I am impressed by its small, but cozy and enticing atmosphere. The walls are covered with various, intriguing portraits, I don’t know much about art, but I can recommend art enthusiasts and purveyors to check this place out! Though, this is my first unchARTed show, I have heard of the place for a while now, so I am glad my introduction is with one of my favorite artists, Colleen Green!

Act I: Empty Phrases– Ahh my boys, the Empty Phrases, a budding four piece fresh out of Lowell and ready to take on the world. Alas, tonight they are missing guitarist Evan Walters :( next time brother! Fortunately, the group manages more than fine as a three piece and I can honestly say this is the finest performance I have experienced from these gentlemen. Tonight, they display a much more aggressive, almost a hardcore/noise rock possessed version of Empty Phrases, giving their summery, dream like sound an oddly  enchanting, sinister touch. All in all, a fun, loud, rocking set from one of Lowell’s most promising bands. http://emptyphrases1.bandcamp.com/album/empty-phrases%20

Act II: Plateaus– Plateaus were sick last night when I saw them at the Middle East Upstairs, but I prefer them even more tonight. The PA at unchARTed is a motherfucker, making all the bands sound quite loud, I love it! This is definitely the case for Plateaus, for their power pop sounds even better with the thunderous volume added to the mix. I don’t know if it’s just me, but their set tonight hit me like a ton of bricks and leaves me with an even greater impression of their music.  Check out this badass band! http://plateausband.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Colleen Green– Wooooooo! Night 2 of my Colleen Green extravaganza. KLYAM has the whole Colleen Green coverage as Empty Phrases vocalist/guitarist Ben Raymond puts it. Indeed, the Massachusetts coverage anyway. It has been a privilege of mine to see one of my favorite singers and her glorious backing band two nights in a row. I say this not to sound like a kiss ass as I am sure it may come off that way haha, but I love her music so as a fan the pleasure is all mine, and who wouldn’t want to experience something they love two nights in a row? Masochists that’s who. Anyway, Colleen and crew delivered a fantastic set last night at the Middle East Upstairs, so going into this performance I was ecstatic, rightfully so. The unchARTEd gallery truly is one of the best venues for a Colleen Green show in all of MASS and definitely the DIY atmosphere of this place feels fitting. Once again, I have to give props to the sound system here, I definitely think this is the best way to experience Colleen. When the bands gets their thing on, Colleen introduces the whole band as “Colleen Green,” which I think is awesome. Just like the previous night they rock into the Descendents tune “Good Good Things,” and transition into the fast, punk, Ramones ode “I Wanna Be Degraded.” The PA is nasty here and from what I am told it often unleashes some unpleasant noises (though tonight everything I have heard has been awesome), but the Colleen Green band is able to make everything sound great; nothing sounds harsh; in fact it’s all very soothing to my ears, which at this point are horribly damaged. Seriously, Colleen is one of my favorite singers, her vocals are so soft,  yet powerful, it’s incredible and I cannot think of anyone else that compares to her. Overall, the Colleen Green band destroys and I am a happy camper. I can’t wait to see her and her band again! KLYAM loves you! http://colleengreen.bandcamp.com/

Art, Colleen Green, concert review, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Uncategorized

Concert Review: Colleen Green, Plateaus, Bent Shapes, Bugs and Rats @ Middle East Upstairs (9/9/12)

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Artists: Colleen Green, Plateaus, Bent Shapes, Bugs and Rats
Date: Sunday, September 9, 2012
Venue: Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge, MA)

Comments:

Act I: Bugs and Rats– These motherfuckers diminish what is left of my eardrums, which is great. Bugs and Rats are a powerhouse band, a three piece that is LOUD and guaranteed to wake up the neighbors. They would serve as a terrific alarm clock, I must say. I’ll admit much of the music I listen to is of the “wimpy” variety so I’m not as big into Bugs and Rats, but damn they are a solid band and they rock pretty hard. Their music is easy to head-bang to – in fact I would find it hard not to. Though it’s not necessarily my cup of tea, I can definitely recommend it. I also admire the band’s overall enthusiasm, which makes this performance even more fun. The drummer looks like he is going berserk! Lastly, I notice there is a picture of Anne Frank on the guitarist’s guitar, I do not know why, but I find this interesting. I mean I think it is Anne Frank. Either it is her or I am a fucking idiot.
Go nuts http://bugsandrats.bandcamp.com/


Act II: Bent Shapes–  So, y’all know Bent Shapes were formerly known as Girlfriends, right? Alright good. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen this band since they opened for Harlem at Great Scott back in April 2010, so it is a real pleasure to see them tonight.  I was always struck by their music before and I have been meaning to see them again for quite some time now, but for whatever reason it just never worked out. Fortunately, tonight is my night and I get a chance to see this excellent band.  Bent Shapes definitely has some outstanding pop hooks and they remind me of one of my favorite bands, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart.  I also hear a lot of pop punk a la Wavves in their music. Glen concurs on this point. Without a doubt my favorite moment is when they play “I Was Here, But I Disappear,” a favorite of mine. Not just a favorite from the band, but one of my favorite songs of all time. I did not expect them to play this song at all, so this is a real treat. Admittedly, I need to listen to more of their material and I plan to. You should too! http://bentshapes.bandcamp.com/

Set List:
Public
Brat (“Brat Poison”)
Panel (“Panel of Experts”)
Bites (“Bits and Scratches”)
Big M (“Big Machines”)
Space
Bhead?
Disappear (“I Was Here But I Disappear”)
Hex (“Hex Maneuvers”)
Leave (“Leave It Till You Need It”)
Boys (“Boys to Men”)


Act III: Plateaus– Before tonight’s performance I have never heard of Plateaus, but now I am convinced they are a sound band and I plan on checking out their music. Their songs are not as stripped down and catchy as those of Bent Shapes, but they keep up the same power pop/ pop punk sensibility. I am also feeling some strong garage vibes and in this way I can see them fitting well with the kind of music we typically champion on KLYAM. Their set is definitely fun and gets me pumped up for Colleen, even more so than I already was. http://plateausband.bandcamp.com/


Act IV: Colleen Green– Before I start my little babbling, I am going to take a mini trip back to April 2011. April 29, 2011 to be exact. Glen and I had had little exposure to basement venues (a couple of shows in Lowell and that was about it) and so when we arrived at the Starlab in Somerville to see one of Ottawa’s finest, The White Wires, we were a bit perplexed. As I recall we paid the seven bucks or so for admission (which included a stamp of the word “fuck” on my hand) and then we left the venue momentarily to smoke a bowl. One of the dudes running the show caught up with us and said that it was cool for us to smoke inside. So, we did. More importantly, why am I telling this story?! What I forgot to mention was that Colleen Green was headlining this bill, but at the time we had no idea who Colleen Green was, we came to see White Wires as I had mentioned earlier. I remember sitting down Indian style in the basement of the Starlab, waiting for the band to play- actually the dudes from Luau (also on the bill that evening) were setting up their equipment and I began to aggressively converse about G.G. Allin and Charles Manson the way I often do when I’m left unsupervised. Around this time, Colleen approached Glen and me, oh and Dan, damn I forgot that motherfucker came with us, he’s the man! She sarcastically said something to the effect of “You aren’t those guys that are smoking weed are you?” She then politely introduced herself as Colleen and within seconds I began vigorously raving about my favorite bands as I tend to do if given even the slightest opportunity. I stated that my top three current favorite bands were/are 1)Black Lips 2)Deerhunter, and 3) Hunx and His Punx. This led to a brief discussion of the Hunx tune “Cruisin,” a fabulous song indeed. Alas, we weren’t able to stay long enough to catch Colleen’s set that night, but I remember thinking anyone that appreciates greats like Hunx and His Punx is worth checking out. So, I YouTube’d a few songs and live vids and I was instantly hooked. But, between 21+ shows and lack of transportation we KLYAMERS missed out on all the remaining Colleen Boston gigs :( Until now! Ahh shit, it’s 4:20 (I didn’t plan this btw) why am I still writing this? Why am I still up? I need to be awake and alert in a vapid classroom setting within four hours. Oh well. So yeah, tonight is very exciting on the account that not only do Glen and I get to see Colleen Green live for the first time, but with a whole band including members of Plateaus. The Colleen Green Band opens with a cover of the fine Descendents tune, “Good Good Things,” before moving into what may just be my favorite Colleen number “I Wanna Be Degraded,” goddamn that song is catchy! The whole set is spectacular. Colleen can be pure rock ‘n’ roll and totally mellow all at once. It’s like she doesn’t have to shout, but you can hear every little nuance of her vocals. I don’t know what I’m talking about- to quote a friend of mine-“I don’t know art, but I know what I like!” One of my other favorites is “Dance the Night Away,” a killer tune that surely stood out as one of 2011’s finest. Colleen and crew close the set with “Nice Boy (I Want A),” another classic that leaves me in great anticipation for tomorrow night’s performance in Lowell. I can’t wait! http://colleengreen.bandcamp.com/

Art, Fat Creeps, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

EP Review: Fagettes- “If I See Him Again” (2012)

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Artist: Fagettes
Release Date: July 17, 2012
Label: Self-Released
Track List:
1) If I See Him Again
2) On Drugs
3) My Girl Looks Like Johnny Thunders

Comments: Fagettes! Here’s a band that delivers just what the doctor ordered. It’s raining like a motherfucker right now, so I might as well stay inside my dorm and put on some nice, soothing music. Enter Fagettes. One of the hardest working bands in the Boston underground music scene, Fagettes have been around the block for a few years now and have played with the likes of Hunx and His Punx and Shannon and The Clams; after listening to this EP I can strongly recommend them to fans of those bands and like minded weirdos across the galaxy. “If I See Him Again” is pleasing to my ears, bringing some sunshine to this rainy day. The title track is fun and brings to mind the aforementioned Shannon and The Clams, Velvet Underground, Violent Femmes, The Vaselines, and local heroes, Fat Creeps. “On Drugs” sounds just like what it is, but in the best possible way. Fagettes seem to live in some strange, hazy world and with this tune they do their best to wrap you up real tight and take you with them. I’m turned on.  I love the mix of male and female vocals, and this song feels like a grand ode to Beat Happening- with the vocals specifically reminding me of Heather Lewis.  Beat Happening, but more savage, slip some acid in dat hot chocolate boy!  The band continues in this mellow, almost apathetic approach in the EP’s final song “My Girl Looks Like Johnny Thunders,” and this time they whip out a funky harmonica, which helps make the track stand out on its own. Thunders culminates in some fantastic shrieks from the two lead vocalists, with each ferociously shouting “FEEL ALRIGHT!” Yes, I do feel alright. The weather may be shitty, but after hearing this little ditty, I’m feeling alright.  Actually, more than alright, I’m feeling pretty sexy. Listen to Fagettes today, if you want to feel sexy:
http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/releases

Hey, hey, by the way! Catch Fagettes playing a Halloween show along with Fat Creeps, Earthquake Party, and Fedavees on Friday, October 13 at the Rosebud in Somerville, MA! Shit just got even spookier…

Art, Film Review, Films, Honorary KLAYMERS, Jay Reatard, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Film Review: Better Than Something (2011)

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Full Title: Better Than Something Jay Reatard
Year: 2011
Director(s): Alex Hammond & Ian Markiewicz
Film Screening: Museum Of Fine Arts (MFA) – Remis Auditorium (Thursday, August 30, 2012)
Comments: Preliminary Happenings –
So, movie starts at 8 we arrive at the Museum of Fine Arts at 7:58, an unbelievable feeling of relief washes over me because in my mind we have two minutes to spare- buy the ticket, take the ride. Batta bing, batta boom. Well, unfortunately I’ve never been to the Museum of Fine Arts! Yeah “art” art and KLYAM don’t really mix, we’re tards after all. Needless to say we spent the next ten minutes or so searching for the auditorium. If one were to take a shot of us from the sky we would have looked like mice on speed rushing through a maze, scurrying to find the Remis Auditorium. At one point, I felt like I was being played. Jay Reatard at the Museum of Fine Arts; I never thought the words Jay Reatard and museum would ever find themselves together in the same sentence. But, here we are. Thankfully, with the help of some kind  employees we found our way, only to discover four other mutants in attendance. WTF?! I was/am disappointed in you Boston music fans. Glen and I caught a nice seat in the second or third row – just like pretty much every other show we want to be as close as we can until we get too close for comfort.  Then again, comfort is the last thing on my mind when it comes to Jay Reatard.

Review: The film opens almost abruptly with footage of Jay playing in France, all pumped up and ready to go, but his mic won’t work. He is screaming his heart out, but there is no sound. Finally when the vocals come through Jay mutters something to the effect of “glad, we have a fucking professional.” I can’t think of a more perfect way to introduce the story of Jay Reatard. This brief live clip and the painfully awkward, but hilarious interview that accompanies it, in many ways sums up Jay’s entire persona. He was going to do his own thing with total commitment and if you were not on the same page as him then you were just a creep. I must say this opening scene is brilliant in its own little way and a very wise choice from directors Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz. If you didn’t know Jay coming into the film then you know from this moment on that you are not watching some bullshit Behind the Music story on a David Cassidy wannabe, instead this Tard is the real deal. Now, just to give a little bit of  background on this documentary, before Jay passed he put out his final LP Watch Me Fall on Matador Records and the label wanted to make a short video to promote the record. This little video transformed into an insightful portrait of the man from Memphis – far beyond anyone’s expectations.  Waiting For Something was a Tard creep such as myself’s wet dream! For once, fans were able to see Jay Reatard, not just as some tough guy rocker, but as an actual human being. Fast forward a few months and fans and friends all around the world are devastated to discover that one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest practitioners passed away at the age of 29.  Alex and Ian’s film Better Than Something builds off of their initial project and includes additional footage, interviews, and other appearances that put the overall story in a better perspective. I was obviously a tremendous fan of the first film, so going into this show knowing that there would be mostly new material, I didn’t know how this would factor into the overall quality of the documentary. In other words, I wasn’t sure how strong this new material would be: would it just be filler? Or would it develop the story of Jay even further? Well, my friends, it certainly was the latter.  In fact I was pleasantly surprised at how awesome some of this new material was. Not to say I thought it would be pointless or what have you, but damn it was pretty cool. I mean there is some priceless, invaluable archive footage here. Great, great live videos of Jay performing at house shows with The Reatards and The Lost Sounds. Not to mention numerous other performances including some at various Gonerfests over the years.  I also must note the sheer number of new scenes in this movie. For those that saw the last flick, please don’t think you pretty much already saw the movie before. There are new, fascinating interviews with Jay’s family (dad, mom, sisters) and through these interviews we get to see Jay through the eyes of the people that love him. I know that seems obvious, but honestly it is necessary because 90% of the time you either hear folks talk about Jay being a total miscreant or you hear people suck his dick off about how amazing he was and how many records he put out and so forth. His family doesn’t see him as this giant rock star, which he wasn’t anyway, but they simply see him as their son/brother- Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr.

Through meeting his family and tracing Jay’s Memphis roots, the audience gets to see how Jay came from extreme poverty and grew into an accomplished musician responsible for a vast, intimidating discography that dates back to his teens.  With this in mind, every viewer knows Jay had to work his ass off to get to where he was at the time of his death, but I worry that some viewers might not understand just how much music he actually created with his previous bands and for how long they were active. For example, we see some stunning archival footage of Jay’s two prominent earlier bands, The Reatards and Lost Sounds on tour. And the way in which the filmmakers use this footage to tackle some of the main themes of Jay’s story such as his wild behavior and his aggression towards his peers is outstanding and appropriate. My only complaint is that viewers that don’t have a ton of knowledge about Jay and more specifically the underground “garage scene” that he was a part of, will they think “ohh, it’s cool to see these early videos of Jay before he took off and did his thing.” But, the truth is The Reatards and the Lost Sounds were well established bands for a while  (7-10 years) and they were the main musical acts consuming Jay’s life/career. I just hope people don’t get the wrong impression. In other words, these bands were not mere stepping stones to his solo career, they are entities unto themselves. I don’t think the filmmakers intended any harm or anything like that, but I just think some clarification might have helped. Maybe more of a historical, chronological approach, explaining the significance of each band? I don’t know, perhaps that would fuck up the flow of the film, which is sound and consistently captivating. One of my other qualms with the documentary is the lack of narrative. I do appreciate the fact that Alex and Ian truly let Jay and those close to Jay communicate directly to the audience instead of having some random yahoos tell the story. That is a special touch which I think distinguishes this documentary. But, at the same time, I kind of feel like had Alex and Ian placed themselves in the picture then maybe we would have a more unified story. They do an excellent job of articulating the various themes of Jay’s life/story; I guess I am just looking for some sort of narrative like the one we see Todd Phillips deliver in the G.G. Allin documentary Hated (1993). In that film, Todd is not really visible on screen per se, but he provides a voice over that frames the narrative in an incredible way. Then again, I can totally respect them for choosing not to include themselves in the film.

Lastly, I want to make it a point that I enjoy this film very much, so do not get discouraged from viewing it because of some of my minor gripes! I like to leave reviews on a positive note, so let me tell you one of the best things about Better Than Something is the way in which the filmmakers let the interviews linger, often revealing some oddly thoughtful and/or comical comments from their interviewees. It’s like they kept in the stuff that most directors would toss in the trash can , deeming it as outtakes or deleted scenes. Some of my favorite examples of this are parts of conversations that are omitted from the first documentary Waiting For Something i.e.  Eric Oblivian and Jay’s discussion of retired professional wrestlers such as Jake the Snake and Koko B. Ware. Firstly, I love this scene because I grew up watching WWF religiously. More importantly, this scene makes a great point about Jay. On the surface this appears to be merely humorous banter between two friends (and in a way it is), but within the context of the film, we realize that this is Jay’s way of laughing at all of the shit life is hurling at him. He points to the fate of Jake the Snake as a sixty year old man locked inside a character, wrestling his personal demons in front of a camera for the whole world to see. Being nearly half Jake’s age Jay declares that he cannot go down this road and just be another TV figure, another face on a magazine, another talented individual destroyed at an early age. Regardless of the outcome, I agree with Jay and I think we should see him in the same light, as a man above all of that “tragic rock star dies young” junk. Jay knew he was more than that. Better than something.

Cheers to Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz for bringing the story of Jay Reatard to the big screen! Your film is an astounding portrait of a man sadly most people never knew, hopefully your work will help Jay reach greater audiences than ever imagined, as I am confident it already has.

Art, CD Review, Classic Album Review, Classic CD Review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Jay Reatard, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Classic Album Review: The Final Solutions – Disco Eraser (2003)

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Artist: The Final Solutions
Year: 2003
Label: Misprint
Tracklist:
1) Deep Six
2) Bottom Of The Chain
3) I See You On A Path
4) Eat Shit, Hologram
5) No Final Solution
6) Need Me
7) I Can’t Sing Through My Fuzz Pedal
8) Electrofied
9) Disco Eraser
10) Russian Interpreter
11) Not Good
12) You Make Me Laugh
13) Die In The City
14) 40 Licks

Comments: Expecting Disco? You boring fucks! Well yes sir, Disco Eraser that is. The 2003 LP released by Jay Reatard side project- The Final Solutions. I bet you weren’t expecting a review in 2012 however. Why now you may ask. Well, this week KLYAM and friends will be attending the Boston screening of the Jay doc Better Than Something and I want to see everyone there! And if you are not a Boston denizen then hit up a local theater when the flick hits your town. So, in honor of this great event I decided to review a Jay record and with this being my most recent listen, why not? Here it goes…

I have always been one to judge a book (in this case an album) by its cover. Here we see five gentlemen standing outside a brick building just hanging around pounding back some Busch Lights. And that’s the feel of this record for me.  It’s very much a “let’s get shitty and jam” kinda record. No real female touch involved.  There’s an odd masculine (not macho) presence throughout most of Jay’s work and I certainly see it here. Just a bunch of dudes having fun and getting rowdy, but with instruments. Jay under the psudonym “Jimmie Jewlz” and his cronies (Quinn, Tommy, Justice, and Zac) mix together the raw, trashy sound of The Reatards with the more experimental, synth heavy style of the Lost Sounds (in fact fellow Lost Sound Alicja Trout co-produced the album with Jay). This is a fine piece of punk slime, the punk slime we champion on this site. Final Solutions definitely fill your little bellies with dark, vicious jam after jam. Nearly each song is under the two minute mark. The band cuts out any hint of filler, which truly makes the listener have a hard time hating this thing. And if you’re like me you already get a stiffy anyway when you hear most Jay recordings. Purchasing this record is the sonic equivalent of paying for a scantily clad woman to toss you around the room for twenty minutes, beating you mercilessly with each punch representing a new song. The opening track, “Deep Six” certainly wraps its noose around your neck and sets the tone for the rest of the record. Fast, futuristic, and instantly stuck in your skull. It smoothly translates into “Bottom  Of The Chain” a powerhouse song that is extremely catchy and diabolical, leading us to the LP’s greatest moment, “I See You On a Path.” The latter is a true pop gem, and though this album has loads of hooks, this track is a standout that foreshadows Jay’s incredible talents as a pop musician (however Tommy is actually the main songwriter on this song). The “oohhhhhoohwoooo” vocals are insane! coupled with the simple drum work, it doesn’t get any better. Then of course there’s classic Jay mantras in songs such as “Eat Shit, Hologram” where lead vocalist Zac Ives constantly declares “EAT SHIT!!!” Poor Hologram. One of my favorite tracks is the humorous, “I Can’t Sing Through My Fuzz Pedal,” which kicks off with some poorly recorded vocals that are naturally fitting. Not every song is a knock out, but like I said earlier these numbers are so brief, there’s not enough time to dislike them, you just go a long for the ride. There’s nothing earth shattering on this record and it pretty much sticks with the same sound/style, but it’s a fucking awesome sound and the whole band destroys.  I will make one exception actually. The final song “40 Licks” feels pleasantly out of place- it’s like an 80’s pop song. It’s really cool though – not a pussy song – I assure you no wavers out there. I have a burning desire to sync it up with that club scene in  The Terminator when Arnold finally finds Sarah Connor and he pushes through all the dancers in slo-mo! So yeah, a solid album from The Final Solutions – absolutely one of Jay Reatard’s greatest musical contributions, not quite as amazing as his later output, but certainly worthy of (high) recommendation. This shit has incredible replay power; I’ve listened to it three times while writing this review!

Art, concert review, Fat Creeps, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Fat Creeps, Muck and the Mires, Electric Mess @ Precinct (8/17/12)

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Artists: Fat Creeps, Electric Mess, Muck and the MIres, Paul Collins Beat
Date: Friday, August 17, 2012
Comments:


Act I: Fat Creeps– Fuck, this past week I have been blasting the Fat Creeps EP I purchased last Friday and I have just been in this Fat Creeps zone for a while now. It takes me back to when I caught Black Lips fever back in ’08, and you can see how that turned out…  Intensely listening to the FC recordings has made me love their music  even more. Perhaps I have not painstakingly analyzed every line of their lyrics like some jokers I know (haha jk!) but I definitely have gained a bigger appreciation for these tunes. So yeah, hearing the songs live tonight is just another shot of Fat Creeps in my life. It is funny cuz when I hear “Leave Her Alone,” (especially towards the end) all I can think of is John Travolta injecting heroin into his arm, a lovely image. “Sex Beat,” The Gun Club cover you motherfuckers ought to know by now is definitely beefed up tonight, the band rocks pretty fucking hard and it is zee best rendition I have heard from them. Jim Leonard pounds those damn drums. I am paying close attention to his drum-work like a wacky detective and I like it, dude keeps a steady beat. Man oh man, the whole band rocks… a little too good. Like I was given some drug ahead of time (minus the drugs already in my system), that’s the way I feel when I see/hear these Creeps. You can’t deny the power of a fantastic pop song like “Nancy Drew,” another cool detective. Earlier in the evening I had a conversation with some lads about the excitement of seeing bands live and how I get a boner every time I get to see a favorite of mine; a No Bunny or a Black Lip or a Deer Hunter, if you will. Well sir, I go bananas whenever I can see a fat creep (or three) and it has been six times now and it’s just as splendid, I am grateful for that. Seriously, cannot wait for the next show. Until then, take it easy, where we’re going we don’t need roads… http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/


Act II: Electric Mess–  Electric Mess came all the way from New York and I am glad I got a chance to catch their set. I enjoy their straight up rock ‘n’ roll  sound, delivery, and overall attitude- who can’t forget their dress; ties, Beatles-esque hair doos, and the whole nine. Electric Mess have a slick, garage sound, wow I don’t think I have ever used those two words in the same sentence before! EM is a fun, energetic band and they keep up the momentum Fat Creeps initiated. The lead singer is especially outgoing, dancing in the crowd during one of their songs. Not as solid as their openers, but still a cool group to check out, here’s their BandCamp page:  http://theelectricmess.bandcamp.com/


Act III: Muck and the Mires–  Hell yeah, the rock ‘n’ roll continues with Muck and the Mires!  These dudes seem to generate the most reaction, with plenty of dancing  from various femmes in the audience. In fact, I would say that Muck  and the Mires brings out the MILFS at a Boston rock show or at least the overwhelmingly attractive older women at a rock show. Muck’s set is filled with fabulous odes to The Beatles  and they really just capture the good time vibes of that era altogether. I cannot say I am as spastic  as a  schoolgirl in Liverpool  1963, but hey Muck and the Mires can put on damn  fine show and for that KLYAM salutes you. (Raises PBR as a token of appreciation). http://www.muckandthemires.com/muckhome.html

Act IV: Paul Collins Beat–  Aww shucks we missed it :(   Check it – http://thepaulcollinsbeat.com/

CD Review, Music, reviews, Thee Oh Sees

Album Review: Putrifiers II (Thee Oh Sees)

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Band: Thee Oh Sees
Release: September 18, 2012
Label: In The Red

Comments: Thirteen albums deep, Thee Oh Sees made me think: just what will their next album sound like? If there were any indications before we got to preview some of the songs, it was that this was not a full band album. It was primarily written by John Dwyer in the role of multi-instrumental captain with help from long-time engineer Chris Woodhouse (drums) and Mikal Cronin (sax) just to name two. Dwyer’s done this before; actually, just last year with Castlemania. I love Castlemania’s wildly psychedelic moments and distinctive tape production. With the longest song clocking in at 3 minutes and 20 seconds, that record stands in contrast to the full band’s lengthy inclinations on Carrion Crawler/The Dream. With Putrifiers II, it sounds like Dwyer is interested in trying some new things, but with a keen remembrance of past successes. On the opener, “Wax Face,” I think of Carrion Crawler/The Dream, with its buzzing bass-line, fast pace, and array of effects for Dwyer’s guitar playing. The one thing that stands out on this track and stays that way for the rest of the album is Dwyer’s vocals. Dwyer doesn’t seem to be straining himself too much, just letting melodies stand as most distinct and the vocals as a creepy, yet squeaky clean and well-mixed after-thought. “Hang A Picture” is more Castlemania than Carrion, thanks to that acoustic guitar that Dwyer likes to bring out on record sometimes. It’s also easy to get lost in the sea of instrumentation. You might miss some horns if you aren’t paying attention. The fuzz sounds like a synthesizer, maybe it is, maybe it is.  “So Nice” is a stand-out track for me. “Remember a day when fat kids got high? A light twisted sky enlightening me.” With a Velvet Underground styling (eastern influence and all — is that a viola?), this song marches along, sounding much briefer than its near 4 minutes. Ya wouldn’t know this on record though with “Cloud #1” serving as a continuation/instrumental. “Flood’s New Light” – which has just made the online media rounds, receiving very high praise – seems to channel the supreme energies that resulted in Help, the 2009 release that had some “ba-ba-ba-ba-ba” hooks to its own credit! You might even stop and think, ‘wait is that King Khan and the Shrines?’ at the beginning. I did. By “Putrifiers II,” Dwyer’s talent becomes abundantly clear. He makes some strange music (with some strange titles and some strange album art), but can so easily craft an identifiable pop gem, which I’d say this title track is. The flute and saxophone parts toward the close of the track are superb additions and slightly surprising – I wasn’t sure if Dwyer would break out into a full-out jam or some experimentally savvy finish or something of that nature. “Will We Be Scared” has me thinking Atlas Sound in more ways than one: 1) vocals (namely!) and 2) that old timer chord progression. Still, though, “Will” is distinctively Oh Sees, credit some extra psychedelic moments and choice picking. If I could see the band perform any of these Putrifiers II live, I’d bet “Lupine Dominus” would be one of them. It’s as ‘complete’ as they come on this record. It surprises me when it ends. “Goodbye Baby” is an odd-duck, culled from a long line of brief ’60s pop songs. “Wicked Park” is much the same way, but is just about a perfect closer. That acoustic guitar makes a comeback and for me I imagine Dwyer just strumming along on someone’s abandoned back porch. Just fun loving stuff that might serve as a nightcap to bizarre entertainment. With Putrifiers II, I feel like there will be a new breed of listeners that are just starting to get into Thee Oh Sees, perhaps because they caught them live after going to a show with a friend or saw the name on some high capacity music site. I sure hope they take this album for what it is — a few left and right turns within a familiar framework of past work. Great, awesome, cool, whatever, I feel it’s necessary to end this review with the mindset of how it started. What will #15 sound like? Not that it matters because I sense this will be getting many spins throughout the fall.

Top Three Tracks:
(1) Putrifiers II
(2) Will We Be Scared
(3) Flood’s New Light

Art, concert review, Fat Creeps, Fat History Month, Freak Flag, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, The Migs, Video

Concert Review: Freak Flag Presents Fat Creeps, Migs, Fancytramp, Pile @ Moe’s Lounge (8/10/12)

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Artists: Freak Flag Presents- The Migs, Fat Creeps (EP Release), Fancytramp, Pile
Date: Friday, August 10, 2012
Venue: Moe’s Lounge (@ Radio) (Somerville, MA)
Comments:
Act I: The Migs!–   Alright hotshot you think you know your rock ‘n’ roll? You don’t know shit if you don’t know the Migs. The Migs are Dover, New Hampshire’s greatest creation and one of thee finest rock ‘n’ roll/garage/punk slime bands KLYAM has had the privilege to see live. Not to mention our Band of the Week (month). Tonight is my third time seeing these fine gentlemen, but Glen has never had the pleasure and part of my excitement stems from observing Glen’s reaction to their fun filled performance. Surely, Migs on recording is peachy keen, but Migs in the flesh rubbing up against you is a whole other beast.  From the first few seconds of the band’s perennial chant “WE’RE THE MIGS!” to the final, frantic moments of guitar feedback, The Migs put on one helluva show, a real physical performance of never ending enthusiasm and joy.  I seriously cannot think of too many other  bands that are having as much fun on stage as these guys. Their energy and rock ‘n’ roll spirit is fun to experience and in particular what I love about the Migs is how they make their show interactive with the audience. Singer/guitarist Kevin Lareau spends most of the set lurking around the crowd, which is always great!  I dig his display of showmanship, the whole band truly put their balls into this performance, making the loose, garage styled music they champion come all the more to life. Alas, the spectators do not seem to give back the energy the Migs offer them, but these dudes don’t give a fuck, they just keep rockin like true party animals. In fact fuck garage, call it “party rock.”  If it was 1960 they would all be in jail.
Hey Burger Recrords or any other amazing record label click this: http://themigs.bandcamp.com/

P.S. Hope y’all have a swell tour :)

Act II: Fat Creeps-  To put it simply, over the past few months Fat Creeps have become a massive KLYAM fave, not just one of best around Boston, but one of best bands in general. I know that may sound crazy to some readers, but it is true. Their songs are stripped down, no filler, instant pop gems. I stress the instant quality. Each number has a clear and catchy hook(s) that rests smoothly in my gulliver for hours at a time, often making work significantly less painful. Tonight, the Creeps are releasing their EP, which contains most of the classics, including my personal favorite, “Secrets.”  Much like the Migs, the Fat Creeps are awesome in the studio, but the live experience is outstanding. I know I am really sucking the band’s  dick (which would actually only be one dick), but I am truly flabbergasted by their performance. Mariam Saleh’s vocals on “Secrets” are even more powerful live, and it hit me during this show that her voice reminds me of Sara’s from local fave SARALEE. I don’t know if anyone else hears this, but I definitely see some resemblances. Or maybe I am just really fucked up? Which is a definite possiblity (reality). The band introduces us to some new tracks entitled “Dad Weed” and “Daydreaming,” which can be seen in the You Tube clip below.  They also play two kickass covers in the form of Gun Club’s “Sex Beat” and Devo’s “Gates of Steel,” both of which have become  Creeps  classics in their own right.  Overall, this is the best show I have seen from them, each time gets better! Or I have become more of an excessive fan.  I think it is a little bit of both.
Here is the tracklist for the EP:
1) Secrets
2) Horoscope
3) Fooled
4) Leave Her Alone
5) Cherry
6) 700 Parts
LISTEN TO IT HERE! http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Fancytramp– Cool band name! Fancytramp are fresh out of Nashville, Tennessee- a place which has unleashed several fine bands in the past few years and these dudes are no exception to that. They have a nice blend of garage rock and noise, and I am definitely feeling Sonic Youth vibes. What I really like about Fancytramp is the way they communicate with the audience, making jokes and praisng the other bands on the bill, amongst other in between song banter. Their set certainly does a number on my ears and this serves as a healthy reminder that I need to pick up some earplugs soon. The volume of their music is not a bad thing though. I also want to note the fact that one of the member’s mothers came out to the show (well for the whole tour I presume), which is great! I would like to see that kind of parental support more often at rock shows.  Check out Fancytramp’s new EP Singing Tower At Sunset: http://fancytramp.bandcamp.com/

Act IV: Pile– Pile is a band that frequently comes up in conversation when discussing noteworthy Boston bands; hell they toured with Fat History Month! That right there is enough to spark my interest. Admittedly, I do not know too much about Pile coming into this show and honestly I cannot remember most of their performance. BUT! I do notice that they garner the biggest crowd response the whole evening, with some moshing erupting during their set. Listening to their Bandcamp now, I can defintely see what folks are raving about,  check it out here: http://pile.bandcamp.com/ I will have to see the band again in the future and give them the attention they deserve.

So, this was KLYAM’s first time seeing a show at  Moe’s Lounge and it was a blast! It’s a cool, little, “basement” esque venue, I’d recommend the place. I was also glad to see some familiar faces, I think this show gets the award for most kids from my hometown haha. More importantly thank you to FREAK FLAG (Cory, Ellie, Anya) for being totally rad and putting on this show!!! Their DJ’n was superb and fit really well with the music and mood of Moe’s Lounge on this particular evening. I especially loved hearing Black Flag’s “TV Party” (the EP version)!

Art, concert review, Gentleman Jesse and His Men, Honorary KLAYMERS, King Khan, King Khan and the Shrines, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Concert Review: King Khan & The Shrines & Hector’s Pets @ Brighton Music Hall (7/23/12)

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Bands: King Khan & The Shrines, Hector’s Pets
Venue: Brighton Music Hall (Brighton, MA)
Date: Monday, July 23, 2012

Act One:Hector’s Pets – Hector’s Pets is an exciting five piece rock and roll band. Excitement comes in many forms, but with Hector’s Pets, my major source comes from the oddity of the group. They are an interesting visual: a front-man singing and clapping with a tambourine, a surfer-type dude on vocals and guitar, a Ty Segall look-a-like on bass, a ’70s glam rocker on lead guitar, and a cool as an autumn breeze drummer with sunglasses. Those are rough descriptions; I am not trying to aesthetically diss the guys. Musically, I recognize one song towards the end of their set. I am surprised that I recall it, because I only saw a few clips of the band weeks before the show. The song is “Station Wagon“. It’s good. The rest of the songs — I couldn’t quite get into them as much as I wanted to. I’m not incredibly hard to please so this was surprising, but they seemed in a bit of a rock and roll middle ground; heavier than stand-still groups like Real Estate, but considerably slower than an all-out blitz a la Jay Reatard. On an optimistic front, maybe they will become a 2012 Brighton Music Hall version of 2009’s Box Elders at the old Harpers Ferry. By that I mean to say I found myself more curious about the band’s on-stage persona than the music itself. I came around to the Elders and I was hooked by the time I saw them for a second time opening for Black Lips at Middle East Downstairs in March 2010. I keenly anticipate listening to more of Hector’s Pets.

The Final Act: King Khan and the Shrines – It sure is humorous to recall the mysticism surrounding the first time I saw King Khan and the Shrines. Reading about Jared Swilley’s premier experience was a bit like cracking open Fear and Loathing — there’s a bunch of vivid imagery about wild times, but it’s hard to make sense of them until they’ve happened to you. Needless to say, Khan and crew clicked on all levels that very May night at the Paradise Rock Club – their biggest Boston gig by far at that time. The sound was superb, the crowd went extra crazy, and the Shrines still had Bamboorella as their lead dancer. Fast forward a little more than a year to October 2010. The Shrines are back in Boston, this time at the Royale. The event is undersold, but features a fantastic opening line-up of Red Mass and Gentleman Jesse and His Men. The show is a great one, but it’s a toned down event, in sound and in performance. Now, it’s July 2012 at the Brighton Music Hall. Upon announcement, the choice of venue is surprising given the past two much larger locales, but with a lot of college kids gone for summer, it makes more sense for the Shrines to play Brighton. As the days draw closer to the event, I smirk as I do before all shows involving my favorite bands. An incredible time is ahead! And it was quite the show! No Bamboorella, one less man on horns, one less man on guitar. These are just some minor things I noticed. The sound wasn’t quite as solid as it was during the previous two shows. Opener “(How Can I Keep You)” felt less ‘complete’ this time around for sure. But what suffered in sound was made up for in practically every facet of the performance. You could tell King Khan was especially grateful for the audience’s reaction of singing along, dancing crazy, jumping up and down, etc. He did his part as well, especially in the encore as he wrapped the front-row in his cape and high-fived several people. Others in the band leaped into the crowd at various junctures, sometimes playing their instruments, sometimes just soaking in the fun. I remember thinking to myself, “wow, they keep playing hit after hit,” at one point and then thinking the same thing a couple of songs later. Great. A good chunk of the band’s live material was taken from Supreme Genius and What Is?!, but there was a nice bit of new and old — the old being “Stoned Soup” (for example) and the new being “So Wild” (a tribute to Jay Reatard) and “Bite My Tongue,” both of which will be released on an upcoming LP. The classics for me (and for others..judging by reaction) were “Took My Lady To Dinner,” “Welfare Bread,” and “I Wanna Be A Girl”. It was nice to see a lot of familiar faces having loads of fun. A moment of weirdness came after the band finished playing. An older gentleman with a saxophone in his hand climbed on stage and started playing solo. Most people were confused, but we seemed to embrace this peculiar occurrence. His performance lasted five or so minutes longer than I would have liked if I had a choice, but I did not. He kept playing. Eventually and fortunately, the Shrines made their way back on stage (thanks to percussionist Ron Streeter, who is a master of bringing the band out of the green room) and ripped into a few more tunes. There was hope for a second encore after several moments of silence and darkness and pleas from Streeter, but the PA music came back on and the show was officially over. The Shrines will be back soon. I was assured of this after the show by Shrines trumpet player Simon Says. Just when… we’ll see!

All Photos courtesy of KLYAM’s soul brother Glenn Delrossi. Thanks buddy!