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Concert Review: Best Coast, Wavves, No Joy @ Paradise (2/4/11)

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Artist(s): Best Coast, Wavves, and No Joy
Date: Friday, February 4, 2011
Venue: Paradise Rock Club (Boston, MA)
Comments: For starters, it was a blessing that we actually made it to this show alone. Long story short, the concert sold out and we had no tickets! After a frusturating 24 hour journey, thee  Best Coast/Wavves tickets were finally in the palms of our hands and all was well in the KLYAM Concert Atending Universe.

Act I: No Joy-

If their name was their aim, then they did not succeed. I felt plenty of joy seeing this “female Deerhunter” as Glen put it (though half the band consisted of men) and from the moment they picked up their instruments I could tell we were in for a loud band. I know fans always say stupid shit like that ” from the very first moment it was gold blah blah blah.” Nah, it wasn’t earth shattering and I’m not saying I knew immediately they would be a sound opener, I didn’t, but I had a feeling from the first guitar riffs that whether good or bad they weren’t a band you could turn away from. Luckily, they put on a decent set and though they didn’t share the same pop qualities as their headliners, they did give off some summery vibes that fit with the mood of the evening. Overall, they rocked hard and clearly weren’t a band that begged for your attention, but rather let their music do the talking. I will be sure to further check out No Joy one way or another in the future, hopefully they will swing by Boston again sometime soon.

Act II: Wavves!-

Yes Best Coast is superb, but unlike most of the attendees on Friday, the KLYAMers were perhaps the few that hail Wavves as the one and only King of the Beach. That’s right, our boys Nathan, Stephen, and Jacob unleashed their best KLYAM attended set thus far- playing all the hits one would hope one of their favorite bands would play. Immediately following  a jab about innerband analingus, the trio exploded into King of the Beach classic, “Idiot” and the crowd erupted into moshing and pogoing and the whole nine. I could tell just from this intro that the band sounded better than they did the last time I saw them in June and that was a great performance unto itself. I could hear everything Nathan uttered, making it easier to sing along to all my beloved Wavves tunes. Speaking of which the group played a fair amount of the old (“Wavves,” “Beach Demon,” To the Dregs,” “So Bored,” “No Hope Kids,)  the new (“Bug,” “In the Sand,”) but mostly cuts from last year’s landmark record King of the Beach- (“Super Soaker, “Take On the World, “Linus Spacehead,” etc.).  All in all they were tighter than ever and the sound was great; there’s just this undeniable musical onslaught that hits you so hard, it’s terrific. I think their musicianship has definitely increased over this past year as well as their roles as performers. This time around they really came off as a “Rock Band,” in a good way. The set concluded with the 90s commericalish pop esque sounding “Post Acid,” a great choice for a closer, certainly leaving me with a smile.

Setlist (not actual set list, but songs they did play in no particular order):

Idiot
King of the Beach
Super Soaker
Friends Were Gone
Wavves
Beach Demon
To the Dregs
Linus Spacehead
Bug
In the Sand
Nervous Breakdown (Black Flag)
Take On the World
Green Eyes
So Bored
No Hope Kids
Post Acid

Act III: Best Coast-

Right now, I’m a little crazy for Best Coast and this set just jostled me into insanity. Bethany Cosentino, Bobb Bruno, and Ali Koehler offered Boston a 60 minute taste of the Summer, California, and youthful AM Pop heartbreak drenched in vintage, reverby Rock and Roll. The reverb was done just right, you could hear everything Bethany sang, which for this kind of music that is key. I noticed throughout their invigorating set the crowd enthusiastically sang along as if they knew the pain Bethany articulated (probably because they did)- though it was mostly the ladies that felt this connection, it seems. Right off the bat with “Crazy For You,” Bethany displayed excellent showomanship and almost naturally shared a wavelength (no pun intended) with the audience. Stand outs from the performance included “Boyfriend,” “When I’m With You,” “Our Deal” (a song NOT about weed, but mentions it!), “Bratty B,” amongst others. One of the most powerful moments of the evening was without a doubt the finale of “Each and Every Day” (CFY’s closer)- the trio rocked hard into the breakdown building up to Bethany’s soft, gentle vocals at the very end of the ballad. When she cried “Every day I wake up and I thank the stars above for sending me a man who I could really love if only I could convince you to feel the same way we could be so very happy each and every day” I could see the passion in some of the girls’ eyes and in just that alone I think Bethany and Best Coast have accomplished what they set out to do.

Setlist (Not in any particular order and I’m definitely missing some songs):
Crazy For You
The End
Goodbye
Summer Mood
Wish He Was You
Our Deal
Sun Was High (So Was I)
Bratty B*
When I’m With You
Something In the Way
When the Sun Don’t Shine
Fist City (Loretta Lynn)
Each and Everyday*

* For these songs seeing them live jolted me into excessive fandom for each in their own right; for whatever reason they never hit me before, but now I’m addicted :)

Final Comments: Some shows deliver surprises (Shattered Records Tour), others offer extreme visceral euphoria (Black Lips, No Age), and then there are simply those shows that satisfy exactly what you anticipated they would and a little bit more. This concert was definitely one of those shows. I can’t say anything was unexpected, but it didn’t have to be. All corniness aside, I think Best Coast/Wavves/No Joy did bring some Summer cheer to this froid as fuck region of the world. And as for first KLYAM attended concerts of 2011, what a way to kick off the year!

Grade: Strong 8 to Light 9

Art, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Song Review, Video

NEW HUNX AND HIS PUNX SINGLE!: “Lovers Lane”/ TOUR!

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Song: “Lovers Lane”
Artist: Hunx and His Punx
Label: Hardly Art

Comments: “Lovers Lane” is the first single from the upcoming Hunx and His Punx debut album (their first release was a singles compilation and a great one at that!- Gay Singles), Too Young to Be in Love, set to be released in March.  I can’t wait! If the rest of this record is as solid as this first single then we are in for a real treat. I am a huge Hunx fan and I haved followed this song as a demo and as a favorite Youtube video of mine for nearly a year now. Before I could tell there was something definitely special brewing, but now finally hearing the completed studio version I am confident this will go down as one of the finest Hunx singles ever released. Okay, so  to the music itself. This shouldn’t be any surprise for Hunx devotees, it’s still the same old Hunx and Seth Bogart’s vocals are typical in this sense, but are top notch as usual.  His singing recalls 60s girl groups, which the group perfected in their previous release, and in this tune Seth really wraps himself in the song instead of simply being the Hunx persona. Though, you totally have a Hunx feel here, it definitely expands beyond that, and I’d say this is their most “60’s” song so far.  Much of this is due to the incredible vocal range of singer , Shannon Shaw of Shannon and The Clams. I’d wager her vocals are the star of the show and they truly sound exactly like the female bubble gum pop singers of the 60s.  Overall, I’m hardpressed to find anything I dislike about the production or any specific aspect of the recording. Other things I noticed were the guitar “solo” toward the end of the song, which didn’t feel pretentious at all and simply added to the song’s awesomeness , for lack of a better word. Erin Emslie’s drumming is spot on as well; simple, but certainly effective and makes the song feel almost epic in a way. In terms of lyrics, I honestly was so enthralled by the music itself, it just hit me now after countless listens that this is a  Teen Tragedy, a staple of the aforementioned decade/era and a favorite of mine. And just like “Leader of the Pack” and “Dead Man’s Curve” the lover parishes and will be missed for the rest of time. In short,  I will be listening to this obsessively in anticipation for the forthcoming LP, until then I can be found at Lovers Lane…

Grade: 9/10

————————–

Tour dates (Boston = TT The Bears Sunday April 24! )
4/2 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill
4/8 – Los Angeles, CA – The Ech
4/9 – San Diego, CA – Tin Can Ale House
4/10 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
4/12 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
4/13 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s
4/14 – New Orleans, LA – Spellcaster Lodge
4/15 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
4/16 – Nashville, TN – The End
4/18 – Durham, NC – Duke Coffee House
4/19 – Baltimore, MD – Golden West Cafe
4/20 – New York, NY – Cake Shop
4/21 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
4/22 – Swarthmore, PA – Olde Club
4/23 – Brooklyn, NY – Glasslands
4/24 – Cambridge, MA – T.T. The Bear’s
4/26 – Montreal, QC – La Sala Rossa
4/27 – Toronto, ON – The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
4/28 – Detroit, MI – The Old Miami
4/29 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
4/30 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
5/1 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St. Entry
5/3 – Fargo, ND – The Aquarium
5/4 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown Jr.
5/5 – Kansas City, MO – The Record Bar
5/7 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive

Art, CD Review, Classic Album Review, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Classic Album Review: Lightning Bolt- Wonderful Rainbow

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Full Title: Wonderful Rainbow
Artist: Lightning Bolt
Year: 2003
Label: Load
Tracks:
1) Hello Morning- 7
2) Assassins- 8
3) Dracula Mountain- 7
4) 2 Towers- 7
5) On Fire- 8/9
6) Crown of Storms- 8
7) Longstockings- 6/7
8) Wonderful Rainbow- 4
9) 30,000 Monkies- 6
10) Duel in the Deep- 7

Comments: Every now and then as a fan of music I get a particular urge to go out and purchase a record I wouldn’t typically listen to or venture into a style that is less common on my ipod. Enter Lightning Bolt. Before I listened to Wonderful Rainbow I knew LB for about a year. I listened to several of their songs, researched the duo, and watched many a youtube video. I do this with various groups from time to time, so I when I got the aforementioned urge, I turned to these noise rockers and what do you know this LP was exactly what I was looking for; a musical (earthly) delight! From what I have read, this album is supposed to be their most accessible and I can definitely see why. The basslines are invigorating, memorable, and even hooky at times. As always the pair deliver a savage, brutal attack to your ears and never let up, not one bit. This may not be their harshest release, but without a doubt this is a euphoric onslaught of all different kinds of sounds and in many ways for a curious fella like me that’s part of the appeal. Just being blown away and perplexed, not knowing what the hell they are doing! It should be noted though that this isn’t just noise or collages of noise, it’s noisy alright, but has structure (amidst chaos) and certainly has musicality. It may be complex, but not too complex, if you are looking to just rock out, you can really enjoy this album. If you’re a musician or a recording engineer, you probably will appreciate the near flawless recording, production, and attention to the musicianship. Brian Gibson makes the bass sound more like a guitar, at least to me and he shreds like crazy. Brian Chippendale is easily one of the best drummers I have ever heard and brings a lot of force and intensity to his playing; his vocals are also extremely menacing, considering he (as always) uses a microphone that is made for a household telephone receiver. His yalps are eerie and sound like he is trapped somewhere, screaming for help from some damaged speaker. In any case, the group’s unconvential recording methods are not only unique, but ultimately effective in reeling the listener in and demanding their attention, unlike many other unconventional artists that usually end up boring you and me. In terms of tracks, I feel like this whole record is an entire experience and should be judged that way. But, at the same time each track has their own story, so to speak. The ratings listed above are more based on levels of enjoyment and not necessarily quality. Highlights for me include the transistion from “Hello Morning,” into “Assassins,” simply amazing. “Assassins” as a whole is one of the best tracks from the record and perhaps the easiest for the casual listener to get turned on to. “On Fire” is by far my favorite track, the riff is pretty damn catchy and ropes you in and never lets go. I really dig the variety of the tune and how it switches into gentler vibes toward the end, all while maintaining a pounding wall of bass. This continues on “Crown of Storms,” one of the other stand out tracks. I guess for my tastes the rest of the album, while still kickass in its overwheleming heaviness, didn’t WOW me as much as the earlier songs on the record, but this is more of a personal thing as I’m sure folks can find plenty to desire in these remaining songs. Lastly, another great thing about LB and this record is its recording; some of the best recorded music I have had the pleasure of hearing, with Shellac as the closest comparison that comes to my mind. Overall, this is not a record I will listen to all the time or through and through over and over again, but it is a little masterpiece in its own right and if I was more into the noise scene then I would probably rank this higher. All in all, a sound addition to my record collection, and I will be sure to listen to another record from the mighty Lightning Bolt again sometime in the future.

Grade: 7/10- I highly recommend, but I can’t give it a higher rating, because of my ultra pop loving soul.

Too bad they didn’t have “On Fire” live, since I wanted to post a live video. Here’s “Dracula Mountain” live instead, just as badass. I plan on seeing them live one day as they are on my concert bucket list. Looks insane!

Art, Bill Hicks, CD Review, Classic CD Review, Comedy, Hicks Vid of the Day, Honorary KLAYMERS, humor, Music, Philosophy, pictures, Politics, Quotes, rant, reviews, Video

Box Set Review: Bill Hicks The Essential Collection

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Full Title: Bill Hicks: The Essential Collection
Year: 2010
What’s On It?: “Ryko is proud to announce the release of The Essential Collection, a four disc set (2 CD/2 DVD) that encompasses Bill Hicks’ short but influential career as a satirist, social critic and stand-up comedian. The package contains double DVD discs with over five hours of footage from Bill Hicks’ personal archives including rare, never-before-seen performances from the early 80’s, the cult short film Ninja Bachelor Party (starring Bill Hicks, Kevin Booth and David Johndrow), in-depth interviews with Hicks and a photo gallery from his family’s keepsakes. The 2 CD discs offer over two hours of his best stand-up material with never-before-released performance pieces from a San Ramon , CA show recorded by Bill Hicks that was found in his archives. The box set also features new liner notes written by family members as well as renowned figures (including Henry Rollins, Eric Bogosian, noted UK author Paul Outhwaite, and UK journalist/tv personality, Clive Anderson), and a download card containing original song recordings by Hicks (that were mastered at Abbey Road Studios – London, England) entitled, Lo-Fi Troubadour.”- http://www.billhicks.com/essentialcollection.html

Comments: I am a die hard Bill Hicks fan (if you visit the site frequently, you should know that- hence the “Hicks Vid of The Day” posts), so when I heard about this box set I knew I had to have it. First, I threw in the CDs only to be somewhat dissapointed that I knew all the material. Hicks fans should be warned (though it was advertised) that the CDs on here are essentially the same as those found on Rant In E-Minor, Dangerous, and other Hicks albums. I had the impression that this would be new material and already owning all of Hicks’ recordings pretty much made nearly half of this box set obsolete. With that being said, considering this is an Essential Collection, it should have his best material. So, I guess I can’t complain. Now, the DVDs are another story. With a few exceptions, I had never seen any of the live performances they offer us here. They truly are rare, never before seen shows. Mostly we see early Hicks, all the way back to his teen years (or close to it) mocking his parents, teachers, and the drinkers of the world. Then just a couple of years later he, himself is pounding them back and discussing his experiences with cocaine and acid; I’ve never seen Hicks talk about doing blow before and being a Hicksian scholar, I knew he did plenty of it, but this just goes to show you how obscure and old some of these performances are. With some exceptions out there, before this collection was released you would be hard pressed to find footage of entire performances of Hicks from 81-88 (the wild, drunken, drugged out Hicks era). Though, on this DVD, his sets are all comedy and there’s no hullabaloo a la audience members heckling “YOU SUCK!” and Hicks retaliating with verbal rape. His routines range from school/home life to his earliest forays into the realm of politics/society, jokes about the military and government, amongst other topics. Some of the material you have seen/heard before, but there is plenty on the plate I guarantee you have not. Besides performances, the interviews are fun to watch as well as the epic kun-fu classic, Ninja Bachelor Party, which I was already a big fan of. If you’re into Hicks, I recommend this and if you have never heard of him or are not that familiar with his work, then this is a good place to start.

In the spirit of Bill

Grade: 8/10

Art, Film Review, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Classic DVD Review: Dinosaur Jr Live in the Middle East

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Full Title: Dinosaur Jr: Live in the Middle East
Director: Philipp Virus
Artists: Dinosaur Jr: J Mascis- Vocals, Guitar. Lou Barlow- Vocals, Bass. Murph- Drums
Year: Filmed in 2005, released in 2006
Set List:
1) Gargoyle
2) Kracked
3) Bulbs of Passion
4) Little Furry Things
5) Lose
6) Forget the Swan
7) The Post
8) Budge
9) The Lung
10) The Wagon
11) Raisans
12) Sludgefeast
13) Mountain Man
14) Chunks
15) In a Jar
16) Repulsion
17) Just Like Heaven

Comments: I’ve seen Dinosaur Jr live and without a doubt they are a tour de force, one of the most powerful live bands in the world. This concert in particular is special for two reasons: 1) It was not too long after their reunion, sixteen years after the demise of the original line up. 2) This concert is shot at the Middle East in Cambridge, MA (for the most part) the home state of Dinosaur. The venue is a small, comfy place and gives the band/DVD a certain character. It makes the performance feel homey and intimate. Typically, most Concert DVDs you see feel the total opposite. Since, the Middle East is my favorite venue, I also felt a greater connection and it seemed like Dinosaur was right at home. Overall, I enjoyed the performance and the band were incredible as usual, playing mostly 80s, You’re Living All Over Me (1987) material, which naturally added its own vibes and made the concert/DVD feel all the more like the good old times of the original Dinosaur years. With that being said, the band really carries this DVD. In other words, the DVD offers very little beyond filming the band and a few crowd shots, not much more. It is akin to a youtube video and for me this is surely not enough. In terms of bonus features, we have some treats: interviews with Thurston Moore, Kim Gordan, Steve Albini, Mike Watt, Mat Dillon, and others. They provide great insight and clear appreaciaton for the group. Here, we also see the lack of dedication for this DVD, for the footage itself is given little treatment and poor audio/lightning, but once again the content saves the viewer from running away. We also see a few performances from the band and a radio station performance/interview, which are decent.

Grade: 7/10- Great band, great show, but not a great DVD per se. Still if you’re a big fan I’d recommend it, I will watch it and enjoy it over and over again, because I’m just one of those kinda guys.

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

Classic Concert Review: Shattered Records Tour

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Artist(s): Jay Reatard, Nobunny, Hunx and His Punx, Box Elders, and Useless Eaters
Location: Harpers Ferry, Alston, MA
Date: October 2, 2009

Pre-Show Activity: Doors opened at 8, so we arrived at 8, but that was not good enough apparently. Doors were now to open at 8:30. In the meantime we shot the shit with Billy, drummer for Nobunny, whom would later play before Jay Reatard. Billy was a great guy and provided Glen and myself with insight on the real world of garage rock: Grueling tour schedules (driving in vans to and fro, none of that pussy bus shit), partying, and fun fun Rock and Roll! Having played with Jay for some time, Billy voiced his admiration for the band, particularly the incredibly fast guitar playing. He also mentioned the light and dark sides of Mr. Reatard (calm at one moment and gonzo the next); no surprise.

The Show:
Useless Eaters:
Chris: This duo composed of Reatard on bass with a fierce, energetic comrade on guitar and vocals. Clearly, guitar-driven music; vocals were weak. But, I thought it was decent, a good start to the show. I am glad to see Jay keeps busy with side projects.

Glen: Played hard punk-influenced garage rock that sounded at times like early Jay Reatard. Jay’s bass play is what made this band, but I got to complement the guitarist on his fine solos. The last song, which was at leat over five minutes long, stood out in my mind as the group’s best. Jay played the same bass line over and over again while the guitarist went through a few different effects.

Box Elders:
Chris: With this group we see a slight progression in crowd reaction. This progression would sharply follow with each group up to and including Jay Reatard. Anyway, Box Elders (I thought they were “Box Cutters” until just now haha) offered me a rare experience. Only once in a blue moon, if that, do I see a live band, especially an opening act and almost immediately find myself singing along to their tune. So, props to Box Elders for that. They displayed plenty of passion and high energy, particularly the drummer, who stood up the entire and simultaneously played keyboards the entire set! He also made goofy faces and body movements, which was funny and entertaining, to say the least. The guitarist sported a fancy, double guitar, which I have never seen in person, so that was cool. Well, I can really see their music appearing on my ipod in the future.

Glen: Really really catchy. Old sounding garage-pop, fun for the entire family! The drummer made this band in my opinion. He was quite the character, doing aerobics and stretches all whilst playing the drums with one hand and using the other to hit some organ keys. The two singers voices went well and definitely this is a band I’ll keep a fine eye on in the future. Their best two songs in my opinion were “Jackie Wood” (brought back memory of Ramones + arm aerobics!) and “Librarians” (awesome little keyboard part).

Hunx and His Punx:
Chris: Wow! Bruno Live! Which I’m sure disgusted or irritated, or possibly enticed many. For me, I just laughed my ass off in bewilderment. If you think you have seen homocore or queercore, then look again. Hunx and His Punx is just about as gay as it gets and unabashedly so. I will admit, the music was fine, but nothing special. Wit that beings said, singer Hunx (? lol) demonstrated fabulous showmanship, albeit in tight spandex, which he disrobed until her was down to a thong. The guy next to me had his face planted in the singer’s crotch…. it looked like he enjoyed it though haha. By the way, he looked like Cole Alexander.

Glen: When it comes down to it, Hunx and His Punx played some pretty awesome good music. That’s beside their stage presence which made everyone in the audience except for one guy feel really awkward. A homo-punk band taken to the most literal sense, the singer chanted about how he “likes [his] boys like meat – juicy and raw.” The singer actually reminded me of a really flamboyant Dean Allen Spunt plus an intense lisp.

Set List:
1. You Don’t Like Rock & Roll
2. Hey Rocky
3. Cruisin”
4. Teardrops
5. Do the Makeup
6. GOOD Kisser
7. Gimme Gimme Back Your Love

*On October 1, 2009, Hunx and His Punx arrived at the Holiday Inn in Montreal. How much did it cost to accommodate five individuals? Why 126.99, in case you wondering. Seth Bogard made the reservation. Yeah, next time don’t put your set list on the back of your hotel invoice. Good times.

Nobunny:
Chris: Perhaps the best band to play straight before Jay. These wild bunnymen, (yes there was a bunny!) continued the trend of charisma Hunx created. Playing loud, fast, garage punk, they garnered the crowd in to intense dancing, moshing, pogoing and just about any -ing you can think of. The guitarist (drummer, Billy’s bro) spent most of their set at the very front of the stage with and sometimes in the audience. I even grabbed one of his fluffy bunny tails, which he proceeded to Jay(ha!) with. The set concluded with some good old fashion Pyrotechnics! Unfortunately, the security stomped them out merely after seconds of ignition. I dug the last line of their performance, right after the pyro was put out, “We still have seven more songs to play.” Something to that effect.

Glen: The crowd really got into Nobunny. They fuckin’ rocked the place. Their formula for success was essentially the same as the other bands, except they just seemed to have a little something extra. The singer was really interactive, jumping into the crowd on a few occasions. The bassist also didn’t hate going up to the crowd. We met the drummer Billy! Such a cool dude…besides him dressing in only underwear. That’s what the singer did too and a bunny mask too. Apparently, the lead singer of Hunx is the lead singer of Nobunny, but I can’t confirm this. They pulled similar antics on stage, except Nobunny was far less gay. “BoneYard” was probably their biggest hit.

Jay Reatard!!!!!:
Chris: Looking back at my earlier post, “Jay Hopes and Expectations,” I can say most were ultimately satisfied in this great concert. He played over half of the favorites I envisioned him playing. He did not get pissed and leave abruptly. There was no animosity between the audience and the performers. His set was about forty minutes I believe that is the exact time or longer than I expected. Unfortunately, he did not play all of my favorites; these are songs I wish he would have played: “Blood Visions,” “Waiting For Something,” “Screaming Hand,” “Always Wanting More,” “DOA,” “No Time,” “You Were Sleeping,” and “Rotten Mind.” It seems like he will never play those really soft songs like “No Time,” “You Were Sleeping,”etc. Nahh, Jay has to maintain that unrelenting, brutal, live assault. His music live is much different than on record. I know this true of all artists, but especially true of him. Live, sometimes you cannot even tell which song it is, even if it is a number you would normally recognize if you heard the recording; it’s all heavy, great for rocking out, moshing, crowd surfing, stage diving, etc. And our crowd certainly did so. We Reatards had tons of fun bashing around and singing along to his malevolent, anti-social lyrics. “My Shadow,” “It’s So Easy,” and “See/Saw” evoked tremendous crowd response, more than any other tracks. Fans, self-included, got a massive kick out of screaming “IT’S SO EASY WHEN YOUR FRIENDS ARE DEAD! IT’S SO MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU DON’T EVEN CARE! ALL THESE FACES MEAN NOTHING TO ME! ALL THESE FACES MEAN NOTHING TO ME! ALL THESE FACES MEAN NOTHING TO ME!” Just taking a quick gander at the set list (which is featured below) one will notice most of the songs were from Reatard’s earlier albums, Blood Visions (7) and Singles ‘06-’07 (8, though some of those are BV tracks). This is another indication that he plays mostly raw, heavy, guitar fuzz-driven songs in his concerts, since these albums feature such music much more than his past two releases: Matador Singles ‘08 and Watch Me Fall

Glen: I was pleasantly surprised that the crowd was 10X more into Jay this time around than they were in July. He played all good ones. He’s rocked for a while and probably will for years to come. “See/Saw” certainly got me the most excited.

The following is Jay’s set list for the night; in parentheses is the album/compilation of which the song appears:

An Ugly Death (Matador Singles ‘08)
Nightmares (Blood Visions and Singles ‘06-’07 but under the name “Haunting You”)
Fading All Away (BV and S0607 as “Searching For You”)
It Ain’t Gonna Save Me (Watch Me Fall)
Trapped Here (MS08)
Greed Money Useless Children (BV)
_*_*_- Switch To Acoustic- _*_8_
All Over Again (S0607)
I Know A Place (S0607)
I’m Watching You (MS08 and WMF)
–_*_*_-Switch Back-_*_*_–
It’s So Easy (BV and S0607)
Not A Substitute (BV)
MY Shadow (BV)
Oh It’s Such A Shame (BV and S0607)
See/Saw (MS08)
Hammer I Miss You (S0607)
Faking It (WMF)
A Whisper (demo)
Let It All Go (S0607)

Final Thoughts:
Chris: My 3rd favorite concert! Behind Black Lips, King Khan & The Shrines and just ahead of good old No Age. Four solid opening bands, a lot of charisma/energy, highly entertaining. I always get really exited when I see my ABSOLUTE FAVORITES and Jay is #2 for me, so this was big time. Pure Rock And Roll Fun!

Glen: Overall the experience was similar to the best concerts I’ve gone to…and that’s always awesome!

Grade: A

Footage not from the actual concert! lol

Art, CD Review, Classic Album Review, Films, Music, pictures, reviews, Video

Classic Soundtrack Review: American Graffiti

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Full Title: American Graffiti
Year: 1973
Tracks:

Side One:
1) (We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & the Comets (1954)- 9
2) Sixteen Candles by The Crests (1958)- 9
3) Runaway by Del Shannon (1961)- 10
4) Why Do Fools Fall in Love? by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers (1956)- 10
5) That’ll Be the Day by Buddy Holly (1957)- 9
6) Fanny Mae by Buster Brown (1959)- 7/8
7) At the Hop by Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids (1973)- 9
8) She’s So Fine by Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids (1973)- 8
9) The Stroll by The Diamonds (1957)- 7
10) See You In September by The Tempos (1959)- 10

Side Two:
1) Surfin’ Safari by The Beach Boys (1962)- 9
2) He’s The Great Imposter by The Fleetwoods (1961)- 10
3) Almost Grown by Chuck Berry (1959)- 7
4) Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by The Platters (1959)- 10
5) Little Darlin’ by The Diamonds (1957)- 7/8
6) Peppermint Twist by Joey Dee and the Starlighters (1961)- 7
7) Barbara Anne by The Regents (1961)- 8
8) Book of Love by The Monotones (1958)- 9
9) Maybe Baby by Buddy Holly (1958)- 8
10) Ya Ya by Lee Dorsey (1961)- 6
11) The Great Pretender by The Platters (1955)- 8

Side Three :
1) Ain’t That a Shame by Fats Domino (1955)- 8
2) Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry (1958)- 9
3) I Only Have Eyes for You by The Flamingos (1959)- 8
4) Get a Job by The Silhouettes (1958)- 7
5) To The Aisle by The Five Satins (1957)- 9
6) Do You Wanna Dance by Bobby Freeman (1958)- 5
7) Party Doll by Buddy Knox (1957)- 8
8) Come Go with Me by The Del-Vikings (1956)- 7
9) You’re Sixteen – You’re Beautiful (And You’re Mine) by Johnny Burnette (1960)- 7
10) Love Potion No. 9 by The Clovers (1959)- 7

Side Four :
1) Since I Don’t Have You by The Skyliners (1958)- 8
2) Chantilly Lace by The Big Bopper (1958)- 7
3) Teen Angel by Mark Dinning (1960)- 9
4) Crying in the Chapel by Sonny Till & the Orioles (1953)- 7/8
5) A Thousand Miles Away by The Heartbeats (1957)- 8
6) Heart and Soul by The Cleftones (1961)- 8
7) Green Onions by Booker T. & the M.G.’s (1962)- 8
8) Only You (and You Alone) by The Platters (1954)- 8
9) Goodnight, Well it’s Time to Go by The Spaniels (1953)- 7/8
10) All Summer Long by The Beach Boys (1964)- 9

Comments: This is pure, good old, fun Rock and Roll from one of the best eras of music! Since, the film American Graffiti is set in 1962 all of the music is from 1950s and early 1960s. We hear a wide variety of hits, but overall the soundtrack has a cohesive, consistent sound. Mostly hoppin and boppin rockers (“Rock Around the Clock,” “Barabara Anne,” etc.), teen oriented love and dance numbers (“Sixteen Candles,” “At the Hop,” etc.), some slow ballads (“He’s the Great Imposter,” “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” etc.), and best of all the advent of surf rock in the form of the legendary Beach Boys (“Surfin’ Safari,” and “All Summer Long,”), a genre new at the time of the story’s setting. For my money, this is one of the greatest soundtracks of all times and the music is perfectly placed in each scene, literally. It should be noted that the film’s use of music is significant in the history of cinema for it was the first or at least one of the first movies to strictly use populars songs as its sole soundtrack instead of a more conventional score. Nowadays, this is more common, but at the time it was unheard of. On the other hand, looking at this in terms of a record, the second half is not nearly as contagious as the first and not all the songs on here are as strong as some of the others, but I suppose that’s custom. The top tracks for me are “Runaway,” (the structure of this song is incredible, there’s at least four or five stand out, pop hooks) by Del Shannon, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, “See You in September” by The Tempos, “He’s the Great Imposter” by The Fleetwoods, and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” by The Platters. All in all, this is simply a great record to just kick back, relax, and rock out to!

Grade: 8/10- I highly recommend you pick this up if you’re a huge fan of early Rock and Roll and/or the movie.

Art, Film Review, Films, pictures, reviews, Video

Film Review: The Fighter

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Full Title: The Fighter
Year: 2010
Director: Davd O. Russell
Comments: From the very first shot of Marky Mark (“Irish” Micky Ward) and Christian Bale (Dicky Eklund) in a private, documentary, interview I had a feeling I was in for something special. Which, in retrospect seems retarded, but I just had the feeling and it turns out my gut was right. Since the film was set in Lowell it was nice being able to recognize the scenery and really makes the city a character. Overall, I enjoyed this film very much, much more than most movies I see, for two main reasons: 1) It’s heart. It sounds cliched, a boxing movie with heart, but the emotion here is real. It feels real. When Dicky reaches his worst bouts as a crackhead it’s more than painful to watch. I don’t want to give away too much, but in one particular scene we watch Dicky and his family as they watch a documentary about Dicky on what it is like to truly be addicted to crack. This is easily the most chilling part of the film. Which goes into my second point. 2) The flawless acting of Christian Bale. Bale is not himself. He is 100% Dicky, it’s scary how well he plays the part. In many ways he is the film, or at least its backbone, but considering this is supposed to be a biopic on Micky Ward, Walhberg’s character that takes this flick down a few notches. Walhberg and the crew do a decent job, but they pale next to Bale; his performance criticizes everyone else’s acting. I’d be suprised if he didn’t win the acamedy award for Best Supporting Actor or at least the nomination. With that being said, it’s just not the Dicky situation lol, it’s also the film’s structure itself. It tries too hard to do too many things. In other words, it should stick to emulating Raging Bull (1980) or emulating Rocky (1976), neither of which it comes close to. At some points it seems like they are tossing a love story at us, but this storyline is never quite pursued. And most significantly, the character of Micky isn’t developed enough for me to really care as much about him as say Dicky, whom I’m far more concerned with. Considering this is the main character in the film this should be noted. With all of these shortcomings one might think The Fighter
is a bad film… no way! Far from it. This movie is better and more entertaining than most flicks you will see at the show and I’d go as far as to say this is probably one of the better films of twenty ten, certainly amongst the best I’ve seen. So, in spite of it’s somewhat shambling screenplay, I really enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it. All in all, not an “excellent” film, but an above average film filled with some moments/scenes of excellence. I’ve heard some reviewers say the film should have been about Dicky instead of Micky, after reflecting on the movie myself, I share the same sentiment.

Grade: 8/10

Here is the link for High On Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell, the actual documentary on Dicky Eklund and crack addiction in Lowell, MA. http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/high_on_crack_street_lost_lives_in_lowell/

Art, Film Review, Films, pictures, reviews, Video

Classic Film Review: Punch Drunk Love

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Full Title: Punch Drunk Love
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Year: 2002
Comments: Ever since I was a little kid I have been a fan of Adam Sandler as a comedian, but after watching this film I have gained more respect/appreciation for him than ever before. For years people told me to see this film and I put it off for whatever reasons (now, I’m kicking myself in the teeth for waiting so long!). I have seen Sandler in “serious” roles in Reign Over Me (2007) and Funny People (2009), but neither of these films convinced me that Sandler was (or could be) a terrific actor. PDL has done just that for me and so much more. Firstly, the story tells the tale of Barry Egan (Sandler), a businessman that suffers from severe social issues and has yet to make any real connection with anyone in his life, particularly a romantic relationship, which he clearly desires. Soon, he finds his sister hooking him up with a sweet friend from her work, Lena (Emily Watson), whom oddly takes a liking to Barry (and vice versa) and attempts to understand his peculiar, little world. Now, it is time for the timid, introverted Barry to obliterate his defense mechanisms and for once actually live his life. All in all, this is a top notch flick, Paul Thomas Anderson is a master raconteur: the story is slow, but purposefully slow, if that makes any sense. It revels in its characters, letting them develop, so when they finally ACT it is all the more meaninful. Also, the music is incredible and nicely complements what is happening on screen. We hear a loud, pounding score that perfectly corresponds to the mayhem occuring in the paranoid, disturbed brain of Barry’s. Without a doubt, one of the finest films of the last decade. I plan on revisiting this in the future.

Grade: A- (9/10)

Art, Best of 2010, Film Review, Films, pictures, reviews

Chris’s Top Films of Twenty Ten

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So, I’m back with another list of my “Tops of Twenty Ten.” This time it is films. It should be known up front, I have only seen a few films released this year and by no means am an authority on what “The best” films of 2010 are. This is simply a list of my favorites from this year and I do think they are each unique in their own little way. Here we go!

5) Machete:

Director(s) : Ethan Maniquis and Robert Rodriguez
Comments: This is vintage Rodriguez here. Nothing more than campy, B-Movie, exploitation fun! Boobs, bullets, and buckets of blood make this the greatest action flick all year.
Grade: 7/10

4) Trash Humpers:

Director: Harmony Korine
Comments: Okay, I’m cheating a bit here, because this is a film from last year, but it is still garnering attention and being screened this year and I just saw it a month ago, and above all this is my list! so, it will stay. In any case, old Harmful is back with another unique, shocking, and arguably groundbreaking film. At its best it conveys a haunting beauty and at its worst it looks just like a snuff film. Either way, I find it impossible to not have some sort of emotional reaction. In the end, the trash humpers are us, they just have the courage and freedom to fuck in public.
Grade: 8/10

3) Toy Story 3:

Director: Lee Unkrich
Comments: Wow what a list! To go from Trash Humpers to Toy Story 3! Anyway, I rarely develop an emotional connection with kids or animated films, but I can honestly say the Toy Story series is an exception. I had a feeling this would be at least decent, but I was surprised at how exceptional it really was for a third installemnt. Without a doubt, the Toy Story saga is one of the best trilogies in all of cinema. I seriously hope they don’t make a sequel, with this film the story feels complete.
Grade: 8/10

2) Shutter Island:

Director: Martin Scorcesse
Comments: Scorcesse brings us another suspenseful, character driven film. The performances here are near flawless, as I said in my review earlier this year, oscar nominations and wins for that matter are well deserved for at least two or three actors. Shutter isn’t one of Scorcesse’s best, but a second rate Scorcesse film is a first rate Hollywood creation and an excellent time at the movies. WAYYY BETTER THAN INCEPTION! There I said it.
Grade: 8/10

Note: 2 and 3 are basically interchangable.

1) The Social Network:

Director: David Fincher
Comments: Wow, I’m still feeling the residual effects of this film’s awesomeness. I acutally went to the theater twice to see this, which I almost never do. Of all the great features of this film, chiefly the screenplay reigns supreme. This is a dialogue drenched work of art, in fact most of the movie is simply people talking and yet it’s one of the most entertaining films I have ever seen. Definitely one of David Fincher’s finest and one cannot forget Trent Reznor’s terrific soundtrack. With no hyperbole, I concur to the claim that this is a generation defining film. How can it not be?
Grade: 9/10

Just For Fun, here is a list of the top five films I saw for the first time this year though they are not “new” releases.

1) Gummo (Harmony Korine)- 1997
2) Welcome to the Dollhouse (Todd Solondz)- 1996
3) Over the Edge (Jonathan Kaplan)- 1979
4) Platoon (Oliver Stone)- 1986
5) From Dusk Till Dawn (Robert Rodriguez)- 1996