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Art, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, King Khan, Mark Sultan, Music, Punk, reviews, The SInbusters, Video

Concert Review: Mark Sultan & Sinbusters @ Magic Room Gallery (12/2/11)

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Artists: Mark Sultan, Sinbusters, Squall
Date: Friday, December 2, 2011
Location: Magic Room Gallery (Brighton, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Squall (Unfortunately we missed :( )

Act II: The Sinbusters– The Sinbusters are a kickass garage inspired punk outfit from Lowell, MA. Their sets pretty much consist of balls to the wall, fun, rock and roll. Loud, noisy, but ultimately satisfying. Tonight they are a three piece: vocals/guitar, drums, keyboards. They rock pretty hard and get the stiff crowd moving at times. Nick, the lead singer, hops into the audience for a bit, whilst strumming away on his guitar. I am still getting into the band, but I really like what I hear, and they are definitely amongst the top live bands I have seen in Boston this year. They place artists such as Thee Oh Sees and Thick Shakes amongs their contemporaries, and I think that is pretty accurate. So, definitely check out The Sinbusters if you have not.

Act III: Mark Sultan– Mark Sultan is the real deal. What does that even mean? It means, there is no bullshit, what you get is real rock and roll, at least what I think is real rock and roll, and obviously I am not alone. Mark mixes it up a lot, diving through numerous styles: Doo Wop, Soul, Psychedlic, and Punk, rocking hard through all of them. Tonight he is feeling under the weather or “gonnorrhea in the throat” as he calls it, but when he sings you can hardly notice the difference, it is amazing. The Magic Room Gallery is a nice, little venue, and when he plays he looks right at home, or at least he makes everyone feel involved, often cracking jokes and encouraging the crowd to dance. Indeed, Mark plays several of his classic, danceable, rock and roll songs, many of which I hold near and dear to me. “Beautfiul Girl” from 2007’s Sultanic Verses (2007) is one of the highlights of the set, and perhaps my favorite performed live. The vocals are incredible in the studio version, but they get me pumped even more live. Some other cuts I really enjoy include “I Am the End” from $ (2010). Once again, the vocals are mind blowing, and in general I usually show people either this song or “Ten of Hearts” if I am introducing them to Mark Sultan, mainly because of the vocals. The set also includes a number of King Khan & BBQ Show tunes including everyone’s favorite “Shake Real Low,” a stellar closer for a stellar set.

I did not recognize all of the songs, but here are the ones I did, in order of album:
Tie Your Noose (2005):
“Waddlin’ Around”*
“Shake Real Low”*
“Out of Time” (The Rolling Stones)

* Also can be heard on The King Khan & BBQ Show (2004)

The Sultanic Verses (2007):
“Beautiful Girl”
“Spinning Ceiling”

The King Khan & BBQ Show- Invisible Girl (2009):
“Third Ave”
“I’ll Be Loving You”

$ (2010):
“I Am The End”
“I’ll Be Loving You”
“Nobody But You”

Grade: 8/10

 

Check out Mark Sultan’s two current records, Whatever I Want and Whenever I Want and/or the compilation Whatever/Whenever.

 

Sinbusters– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usIbLYaiMFc&feature=related

Squall- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGXGZcFDeWg&feature=related

Art, Fat History Month, Music, music video, Punk, reviews, Video

Review: Fat History Month, Florida=Death, Big Mess, SARALEE @ Gay Gardens (11/19/11)

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“Is this G.G. Allin’s broken dick?” Glen shouted as we stumbled upon our desired location. Upon hearing the confirmation that it was in fact G.G Allin’s Broken….you name it, we entered the Allston venue, hoping to see some kick ass local bands, and as always we did.

Artists: Fat History Month, Flordia=Death, Big Mess, Saralee
Date: Saturday, November 19, 2011
Location: Gay Gardens/G.G. Allin’s Broken Home/Nose/Dick (Allston, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Saralee– Ahh I saw this cute duo before and they were pretty sick that first time. I remember truly enjoying their set, but for whatever reason I never really checked out their material, a high crime indeed. Anyway, when I heard they were playing this show (which was only news to me like an hour before their set!) I was excited. When their set began I was still upstairs, but as I was walking down the steps, they were kind of fucked up steps as one other G.G. Allin disicple had noted, the music sounded incredibly familar. I recognized the song from their last set, which is weird because that never happens, unless I check it out again, but I knew it and I loved it! The song is called “Circle of Hands,” and it is fantastic, my favorite Saralee song by far. The song exemplifies what is great about this band. Just really warm, almost comforting music; simple, steady drums from lee and Sarah’s amazing, unique voice. Her vocals are probably my favorite part of the band because they are simultaneously in the background, but also in your face. At least that’s how I hear it. Anyway, it was a chill set, and has stuck with me since the show. I listen to them frequently now, one of the best bands in Boston. See them live if you get a chance.

Act II: Big Mess– Big Mess is another highly notable local band. This instrumental trio hails from Lowell and I have seen them four times now and they get better each time. Big Mess is easily one of the tightest bands I have seen recently, just no fucking around, here we go, let’s rock kinda music. Both live and on studio recordings, but especially live, the band evokes various thoughts in my brain. Firstly, I always think these guys are fucking badass, like this is the soundtrack to what it is like to be badass and/or live a badass lifestyle. You know those horrible car ads with terrible country rock/overly masculine singing, well it is nothing like that, but it is just as badass, if not more. Just take the cheesiness out of that formulaic music and insert the pulsing guitars and pounding drums of early metal greats like Black Sabbath and AC/DC at their prime and you have Big Mess. The purest style of badass rock, like Shellac. Get up, crack open a beer, and crack some skulls. Well, maybe not that harsh, but you get the picture hopefully.

Act III: Florida=Death: First off, wonderful band name! I dug these Connecticut natives, but I did not feel as big of a connection to them or their music than the other bands. I feel like they were going for an electronic sort of thing, not sure, maybe I have to give them another chance. They were decent, just did not stand out to me at the end of the day.

Act IV: Fat History Month– Fat History Month is definitely the best Boston band I have seen this past year. I saw them for the first time a few months ago and I could tell from that performance that they were pretty special. I did not fall in love with them right away, but I got the impression that they were a band I could not keep my eyes off. So, I started listening to their music more and more. Saw them again and really dug it. Now, they are one of my favorite bands from twenty eleven. So yeah, I was really pumped for this performance. At the two previous Fat History shows I attended, the crowd was small and people were not overly enthusiastic, but this time around the audience seemed pretty into it and rightuflly so. There was a decent amount of moshing and it was pretty awesome, just the kind of reaction I was looking for. The duo rocked out per usual and I think it is safe to say this was the best show I had seen from them. In particular, “Old Lady Smokers,” was a pleastant experience, as it is a KLYAM favorite for sure. When the set hit its finale, vocalist/guitarist, Sean walked right through the crowd as if we were ghosts, it was pretty cool. Fin.

Grade: 7/10

Fat History Month-Things I Enjoy from Michael Wissig on Vimeo.

Art, Black Lips, Cole Alexander, concert review, Davila 666, Honorary KLAYMERS, Ian St. Pe, Jared Swilley, Joe Bradley, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Hell at the Hall: Black Lips, Davila 666, X-Ray Eyeballs @ Webster Hall (10/29/11)

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Artists: Black Lips, Davila 666, and Xray Eyeballs
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2011
Venue: Webster Hall (NYC)
Comments:
Act I: X Ray Eyeballs: X Ray Eyeballs are a pretty sweet band. I sadly know very little of their material, so I am not totally wrapped up in their performance, but it sets the stage for the next two acts very well. I definitely plan on checking out their work in the future; I see their name pop up all the time now, it seems.

Act II: Davila 666: I have been anticipating seeing these cats for quite some time. I am a casual fan of Davila and like most other fans, I think the energy and rarely matched enthusiasm they bring to the table is probably their greatest feature. In general, they have the whole “garage rock” style down to a tee. It’s just really fun, balls out rock and roll. In particular, the crowd goes wild when they blast into “Patitas,” a favorite of mine as well. The whole performance is solid, every member gives it their all, which is exactly why they are one of the finest live acts around, for sure.

Act III: Black Lips!!!: As you all may or may not know, we are devout Lips fans and making the bi-annual trip from Boston to New York to see our favorite band is a requirement of such excessive fandom. Lips have been my number one live act for a few years now and this night is no exception. The boys in blue hit the stage, decked out in their “Raw Meat” video tinged NYPD uniforms. Per usual they erupt into the classic (and my favorite) “Sea of Blasphemy.” It never gets old! Five Lips shows deep, which I am sure to some is nothing, I can safely say “Sea of Blasphemy” should always be their opener. The crowd simulates the excitement on stage and my composure and sense of right and wrong is suspended for the next hour. Between Cole’s proclamations of DMT Parties and threats of hauling all the dope smokin’ kids off to jail, he busts out one of his best performances, spitting, kissing, and beer can headbutting in all. Jared mans the center of the stage, looking like the classic frontman (though I have never thought of any of them specificially as frontmen, just to note). His vocals on relatively new live cuts, such as “New Direction,” and “Noc-a-Homa,” sound better than ever. To the right of Jared, Ian stands proudly, dishing out all the classic Lips riffs, with that ubiquitous smile he always maintains, kind of like your crazy uncle. In the back, but always on top is Joe, bashing away at the drums with the spirit of a six year old. Joe’s vocal driven songs constantly seem to garner the greatest crowd reactions. Arabia Mountain cut, “Go Out and Get It,” is arugably their most danceable tune and appears to get that extra umph outta everyone, especially the ladies. And naturally, “Bad Kids,” the band’s biggest song makes the kids go wild more than the other songs. In general, this show focuses on their latest record Arabia more than any other Lips performance I have attended. In total, we see/hear seven songs from Arabia, which is more than any other album. This is unusual for the Lips, since their standard is playing mostly Let It Bloom (2005) songs (if you had to name one record that dominated their set lists). With that being said, this does not really affect the overall performance too much and I am actually happy to see more new songs being performed. But, a Lips fan of any and all eras (such as myself) can find plenty to admire. The group even harks back to oldies like “Stone Cold.” Of course, Halloween being the theme, the quartet unleashes some garage soaked horror classics such as “Jack the Ripper,” (though they play this off-season as well). “Wildman,” by The Tamrons is another cover I have never seen them perform live and have waited to see for a while now. One of my qualms about this show, however, is the sound quality. It is not terrible, but it could be much better. Things like that fortunately do not interfere too much with the charisma of a Black Lips show. Not the best I have seen, but definitely up there, one for the books.

Grade: 9/10

Set List (in order by album):

Black Lips (2003):
“Stone Cold”

Let It Bloom (2005):
“Sea of Blasphemy”
“Hippie Hippie Hoorah”
“Boone”
“Fairy Stories”
“Dirty Hands”

Good Bad, Not Evil (2007):
“O Katrina”
“Bad Kids”

Arabia Mountain (2011):
“Family Tree”
“Modern Art”
“Go Out and Get It”
“Raw Meat”
“Dumpster Dive”
“New Direction”
“Noc-a-Homa”

Non Album/Cover Songs:
“Make It”
“Wild Man” (The Tamrons)
“Jack the Ripper” (Pierced Arrows)
ENCORE:
“Bow Down and Die” (The Almighty Defenders)
“Too Much Monkey Business” (Chuck Berry)

Art, Atlantic Thrills, concert review, Music, music video, Punk, reviews, Those Darlins, Video

Concert Review: Those Darlins, Movers and Shakers, Atlantic Thrills @ Mid East Downstairs (10/15/11)

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*This photo is not of the Middle East*

Artists: Those Darlins, Movers and Shakers (we missed :( ), Atlantic Thrills
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011
Venue: Middle East Downstairs (Cambridge, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Atlantic Thrills– Atlantic Skillz is kind of like what would happen if the Black Lips were a twelve year old kid caught masturbating by their shady uncle Los Saicos and were forced to sing and dance for a half hour. I’m not sure how that makes any sense whatsover, but in more common terms you could say these guys have that nice Punk Slime flavor of garage rock found in the Lips music amongst other practicioners of said style. Just fun, rock and roll you can dance and drink along to- I mean what kind of rock and roll can you not do that to? Well, if you can, then you don’t like rock and roll and I don’t like you, but that’s another whole can o’ worms. The Thrills set some nice vibes for the evening and “Acid Rain,” everyone’s fave was a particular stand out; got me all revved up and ready to go. And when that happens, you know to move back about five feet or else*…

Act II (That KLYAM saw): Those Darlins– Those Darlins have been a favorite of mine for about two years now; a band I often recommend to those kids lurking around, asking for “new” or “good” music. Apparently, they have yet to discover the internet, but that is okay. That’s what I was put here for, to spread my love. The Darlins put on a great, rockin show per usual- well at least in my experience, they have been a fun, live band; I saw them last year at T.T the Bears. That was a cool show, but I’d say they rocked even harder this time around and the PA at the Middle East was/is superior, so that definitely amplified the greatness. The set consisted of tunes from both their studio albums, Those Darlins (2009) and Screws Get Loose (2011). I prefer the former, and “Red Light Love,” “The Whole Damn Thing,” and “Wild One,” got me real excited as they always do, definitely some of their finest songs to date. I really dug their encore (I noted this the last time I saw them) which featured some sick classics including “Night Jogger” and “Funstix Party.” FP is a Darlins fave of mine for sure, it sorta reminds me of King Khan & BBQ at their raunchiest. In any case, it was a fun show, so if Those Darlins are stopping by your town, GO AND SEE THEM!

Grade : 7/10

Here’s the relatively new music video for “Scews Get Loose”:

*Or else absolutely NOTHING will happen.

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
Comments:

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, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, Punk, reviews, Video, Wavves

Concert Review: Wavves & Fucked Up @ Royale (9/23/11)

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Artists: Wavves & Fucked Up
Venue: Royale, Boston, MA
Date: Friday, September 23, 2011
Comments:
Act I: Wavves– Anyone that has shared a room with me for at least a few days can name at least one or two Wavves songs. If you’re Chris’s roommate you will be inundated with a plethora of Wavves and other Punk Slimers. So yeah for KLYAM, seeing Wavves is like Opening Day of the Baseball Season (seeing Black Lips is our Super Bowl X 100), big stuff, big stuff. The boys, with new addition, Alex Gates (Boston Chinks, Barbaras, Magic Kids), bring their best game yet.  The set begins with the Wavves (2009) classic “Beach Demon,” a terrific choice for opener, but sadly the crowd seems unenthusiastic.  The band sounded great and with BD being one of my top Wavves tunes, I was quite excited, but my awe apparently was not shared with the other attendees, until the next song…  “Idiot,” one of King of the Beach’s (2010)  strongest tracks . Perhaps, the kiddies did not recognize  BD? but when Idiot kicked in the crowd exploded per usual, and everything was right again in the KLYAM- Wavves universe.  Idiot truly is one of the quintessential Wavves songs. Just perfect Wavves, in every sense. I often think of what song I would use to introduce the unconverted, and definitely Idiot is in the top three. In general, the group is probably the biggest youthful anthem oriented band of our generation, like Nirvana, The Replacements, Cheap Trick, The Who, and Chuck Berry in generations past. Now, I know to most reading this you must have a look on your face like I interrupted your birthday party, hopped up on the table, and in front of you and all your disgusted friends and family members, I took a massive dump right on your precious cake. Well, that may be so, but if you look at Wavves, not just their music, but their fans, it is like a mirror of this generation, good or bad.  That is what I noticed at the Royale, the few times I was able to stand on my two feet.  The sweaty crowd enjoyed all of the various Wavves numbers on display for the evening. And that is certainly one of the greatest treats of seeing Wavves live: hit after hit. They play all the classic songs a die hard fan (or even casual fan for that matter) would want them to play.  Songs from the first Wave (insert the obnoxious laughter that appears before the track “Idiot”) a la “So Bored,” Kingdabeech era, and lastly 4/6 of the new EP Life Sux.  Can you dig it? It is dug, son.  Honestly, one of the few bands that have consistently satsified that element of a great concert for me. Actually the only band really.  The second major aspect of what makes Wavves stand out is the nice little touches, they, particularly, singer/guitarist, Nathan Williams, sprinkle into the songs.  One of my favorite moments was when they started playing “To the Dregs,”- a song that makes me hard on a regular basis, and Nathan is just calmly strummin’ the guitar and softly singing the “wooooooooooo” vocals, indicating that it is in fact Dregs and seriously pumping me up for the song. “In the Sand,” was another major stand out, and when Nathan sings the lines “Say what you wanted to sayyyy…” you can see in his eyes that he even he knows he is the shit.  Alright, well I’ve sucked his dong long enough now, and that’s not my job, that job is for another Bratty B.

Set List (from album to album):

Wavves (2008):
“Wavves”

Wavvves (2009):
“Beach Demon”
“To the Dregs”
“So Bored”
“No Hope Kids”

“Friends Were Gone”

King of the Beach (2010):
“King of the Beach”
“Super Soaker”
“Idiot”
“Post Acid”
“Take On the World”
“Green Eyes”
“Linus Spacehead”

Life Sux (2011):
“Bug”
“I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl”
“Nodding Off”
“In the Sand”

Act II: Fucked Up– I have to admit I came for Wavves; I often come for Wavves, but Fucked Up has been on the KLYAM back burner for a couple of years. I am at best a casual FU fan, but nontheless I do dabble in their work and I appreciate it. Seeing them live enhances that appreciation for sure. They sounded great and while I cannot say I recognized any of the songs, I was massively entertained by the showmanship of frontman Damian Abraham aka Pink Eyes. This dude serioulsy appreciates his fans; interacting with the audience the whole time, even going so far as to hop off stage into the sea of fans and literally, with mic in hand, strolling all the way to the very back of the club to sing along and “bro down” with anyone in sight. Everyone was having a gay olde time, until there was some unexpected commotion that briefly dettered the evening’s momentum.  Long story short, an enraged stage diver got into a physical altercation with a body guard- he swung his fist at the guard, the guard swung back and his cronies joined in, a field day ensued, leading to his excommunication.  Damian settled the score, explaining how he saw the confrontation go down. He affirmed that despite this little disturbance, everyone else can still have fun. And we did. We all lived happily ever after. The End.

Grade: 9/10- Wavves always kicks ass and Fucked Up was pretty sick too!

** THIS WAS THE MOST HOMOEROTIC REVIEW SINCE HUNX!**

Art, Best Coast, EP Review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, reviews, Video, Wavves

EP Review: Wavves- Life Sux (2011)

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Artist: Wavves
Full Title: Life Sux EP
Year: 2011
Label: Ghost Ramp
Tracks:
1) Bug- 9
2) I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl- 9
3) Nodding off (featuring Best Coast)- 8
4) Poor Lenore- 8
5) Destroy (featuring Fucked Up)- 6/7
6- In the Sand (live)- 9

Comments: I often hear younglings shout and scream that OUR generation sucks [sux], our music, our culture, our society SUX. Well, this is Wavves, this a Wavves review, so I am going to stick with number one and tackle thee other two another time. Sure, I will agree that the mainstream music is putrid, but dig a little bit deeper (as if in this modern age it is a hard task) and there are plenty of true rock and rollers, true ganstas. In mine eyes, Wavves is chief amongst these proud, few folk and in the past few years they have demonstrated their quality and skill. Now, in Twenty Eleven we have Life Sux. Wavves does it again. I have always said with Wavves that if it was anyone else, they would have fucked it up. LS is a further testament to Wavves’s prowse as great pop songwriters- in fact I hate the very idea that to some people they are just a hip, indie trend. As a massive, obsessive fan of Wavves that just seems grotesque. Of course, it does not take a Steve Jobs to realize that with this new EP Wavves have moved into a poppier direction or maintained the pop punk angle they have grounded and become known for. Well, I say amen brother. As long as it works, I am all for it. And with this EP it definitely works. So, let’s take a look at it finally! “Bug,” is the the first track and it is certainly a catchy motherfucker. With this first track we do get the sense tht Wavves are capturing what they perfected with their last LP King of the Beach (2010), in both a sonic and lyrical sense. Sonically, the guitars are very thick and loud and overall the song hits you hard and demands your attention, it is hard to ignore- I couldn’t, if I wanted to. Lyrically, the song is classic Wavves; downer, angst ridden lyrics (to upbeat music)-“you’re NO FUN, you’re JUST DUMBBBB!” It’s a fun sad song. The negative aspect of this record is definitely more apparent than ever before in the Wavves universe. Ever since day one, their music has been filled with anxiety, insecurity, and self-hatred, but they take it to the extreme on this release, as if the title was not an indicator… No sunny beach, no super soakers, and no convertible balloons. At the same time, the music is just as ascending. Anywho, next up is “I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl,” maybe the strongest track on this EP. I reviewed Grohl’ in a previous post about a month back- https://klyam.com/2011/08/29/wavves-i-wanna-meet-dave-grohl/. Another strong, heavy hiting cut, and despite it’s length (surpassing the five minute mark, a rarity for a Wavves tune) it never drags on you. Nathan Williams’s vocals are top notch here and after hearing this number a zillion times, I am still so wrapped up in its sentiment. At times, I forget that this is a song “about” Dave Grohl. I feel like this could be retarded novelty song, almost Nickelbeck esque-AHHHH!, essentially a song about being a rich and famous, and cool rock star, but it is nothing like that. Instead, it is about personal problems like any other Wavves song and so when Nathan sings “I Wanna Be Dave Grohl” it feels all the more powerful. “Nodding Off,” features Best Coast’s Bethany Consentino on guest vocals and here she is used mainly to complement the overall sound of the song and also Nathan’s vocals, not standing out as just a “guest voice” or letting her personality flood the song. This definitely works out and makes it a stronger track as opposed to “Destroy,” which features Fucked Up’s Damian Abraham. This track unfortunately is more typical, in the sense that while Damian’s vocals are cool and well done, they call too much attention to him instead of the song itself. It’s more akin to saying “HEY EVERYBODY, IT’S THE DUDE FROM FUCKED UP!” If it was more subtle like Bethany’s appearance then it would be more effective, at least for my money. I suppose if this was some special single release it would be more acceptable, but it takes the EP down a notch, not too bad though. Don’t get me wrong, “Destroy” is not a bad song and it maintains the catchiness of the rest of the record; not to mention solid, simple drumming from Jacob Cooper. The final track, “In the Sand, (live)” is definitely one of the finest from the EP. And indeed, it feels like a song intended to be heard live (as I gloriously experienced at the Royale in Boston a couple of weeks back). The lines, “Say…. What you wanted Sayyyyy” are great live and easy to sing along to; a stellar closer to a stellar record. All in all, a fantastic EP from Wavves, all fast, driving, loud, youthful anthems. This is not a throw away, forgettable item, that is never the case with Wavves. True Gangsta.

Grade : 8/10

* A review of Wavves’s performance w/ Fucked Up @ the Royale will be up shortly. Keep your panties on.**

** Scratch that.

*

Art, Box Elders, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Jay Reatard, Music, Nobunny, pictures, Punk, reviews, Tours, Video

Two Years Ago Today….

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Two years ago today was one of the most incredible days of my life. Jay Reatard and his Shattered Records Tour came to town and being a huge creep I was naturally in attendance. At the time, I had never heard of any of the supporting bands: Useless Eaters (a Jay side project), Box Elders, Hunx and His Punx, and Nobunny. This show served as the perfect introduction to those bands and the last three have gone on to become some of my all time favorite artists. Jay put on an amazing show (sadly, one of his last as most of you know), the best I saw from him and one of the greatest performances I have ever seen. I can honestly say I have never experienced anything like the Shattered Records show before or since.

This video is a terrific example of what made Jay a unique live experience and on top of that this interview nicely illustrates his attitude toward live shows.

Here is thee original review: https://klyam.com/2009/10/03/no-reatardation-jay-reatard-concert-review/

Comedy, humor, reviews, TV

My Thoughts On It’s Always Sunny Premiere…

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“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has been my second favorite TV show for quite some time, second only to the glorious “Simpsons.” A full list of my top TV shows can be seen here:  https://klyam.com/2011/01/10/chriss-top-tv-shows/  , though there have been some differences in their order since the time I published it.  Anyway, as some of you may or may not know last night was the seventh season premiere of Sunny and unfortunately I was unaware of this, initially.  So, when I read on Facebook  that Alvin (from “The Cosby Show!”) made a second appearance on Sunny, I went bonkers! Seeing that it was 11:10  P.M. I rushed to my TV set and tried to catch the following 2/3 of last night’s premiere. Now, I know I said I was (am) a gigantic Sunny fan, but I must say I felt let down about last season. In fact, I will not purchase it on DVD as I consistently have for every other season, but to each his own, I know folks that adore Season Six. So, going into this premiere- missing the first ten minutes to boot, I was not sure how I would feel twenty minutes later. As I watched with my eyes glued to the boob tube, with the utmost fascination, all I could think about  was how more fucked up, dirty (figuratively and literally), and deranged can these characters get? Seriously, we have watched these people sink to the lowest of the lows, and I realized as this puke, crack, and has been-micro TV celeb drenched episode came smashing to its conclusion that that is specifically what every doe eyed sunny fan loves about this show. The fact that seemingly nowhere else will you ever see such high quality, live action sitcoms involving characters that are unabashedly immoral, to say the very least. It’s cathartic. Honestly as a viewer, there’s nothing greater than sitting back with an icy cold beer  (or several) after a long, tiring day and just watching four people fuck over everyone they encounter, including themselves. Every other show people are either acting nice or searching for a moral (even “South Park,” obviously). Sunny doesn’t give a fuck, it serves as a mirror for our own fucked up society, but in the form of a comedy, so we don’t have to take it too seriously. But, when I saw that dead hooker, just left abandoned, lying on the floor of Frank and Charlie’s shady, seedy apartment buidling to the tune of “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison I had to applaud the creators for reigniting the spark that I missed last year and that kept me invested in the series in the first place. If this level of dark and savage comedy is any harbinger of what we can expect from the rest of  the season then I am totally excited and relieved from last year’s dissapointment.  It’s just that over the top satire that makes the show what it is. Dead hookers, crackheads, the whole nine. If you were channel surfing last night from 10-11:30 P.M. you may have came across a similar nasty scene on the news. In this horrible (yet hilarious) world, there is nothing much left you can do, but point, laugh, and make a pop culture reference. 

P.S. I dig fat Mac!

Art, concert review, Music, Punk, reviews, Video

Concert Review: Fat History Month, Kitchen’s Floor, New Highway Hymnal @ Ant Cellar (9/1/11)

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Artists: Fat History Month, Kitchen’s Floor, and The New Highway Hymnal
Venue: Ant Cellar (Lowell, MA)
Date:  Thursday, September 1, 2011

Comments:
Act I: Fat History Month– These fly cats are the real deal. You know when people say read between the lines, well Fat History Month is what lies between those lines. The band consists of one dude on vocals and guitar and his comrade working the drums. Together they create a mess of noises often drifting from completely fucked up, off kilter ramblings in the traditions of The Shaggs, Captain Beefheart, The Moldy Peaches, The Beets, The Maine Coons to garagey, instrumental jammin a la Vivian Girls- at least to this kid’s ears. In fact, if I had to pick just one band to compare FHM to, I’d pick the Coons, at least in terms of their personality. While the latter are far more pop based, FHM has moments of pop brilliance, but they often delve int the more sinister regions of the musical landscape. I will make note of the fact that this duo has made the rare feat of conquering my mental divide in terms of getting turned on to new music. I rarely see a band and think YESS I need to listen to this! Which is not to say I don’t come across good bands, more often than not I see quality acts, but they simply do not demand my attention like say these guys do. From the opening chords, I felt something, not necessarily good or bad, but it was something special and unique, it reminded me of the first time I saw the Box Elders- wow, I’m getting hard just thinking about that right now. An almost instantaneous wavelength. The Box Elders went on to become one of my favorite bands, now I can’t say that yet about Fat History Month, it’s only been one date, but perhaps we’ll get more intimate in the future. My friend said I have a good feeling about this. As, Lorraine Baines (McFly) says after her first kiss/dance with George McFly toward the end of Back to the Future (1985), “I have a feeling too.” In any case, I hope to see Fat History Month again in this time zone or any other.

Act II: Kitchen’s Floor– Next in line are some Aussies, making a nice little pit stop in Lowell to treat us kids to some sweet tunes. I got some great Punk vibes, especially old school, first wave shit of the Stiff Little Fingers, Adverts variety. I can’t say I was head over heels about these guys, but all in all a fun, tight set. Kitchen’s Floor is on tour right now (with none other than Fat History Month!!!)- be sure to catch these pilgrams when they roll into your town.

Act III: The New Highway Hymnal: Before I saw them play, I heard a healthy chunk of accolades and admiration for this band, some people even directly saying to me that I would like them based on their gauge of my tastes in music. It turns out these brothers and sisters were correct. I really dug their short, but sweet set, particularly the bass- well at least I could hear that the best. But, what I noticed about The New Highway Hymnal, more than the other acts that night was that they had the finest interaction with the audience. Some nice showmanship, in the vein of Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. Just brtualitizing guitars as if you caught them laying naked in your band with both your mother and your girlfriend at the same time. No Fun. This was further complemented by the sonic influence of Sonic Youth, no pun intended. I have to admit, I knew going into their performance that at least one of the members was a massive Sonic Youth lunatic, but frankly having this knowledge ahead of time was irrelevent, I’m positive I would have come to that conclusion anyway. Definitely KLYAM recommended.