Art work by Keven Lareau
Come out to Out of the Blue Too tonight to witness the holiness that is the Nice Guys/Free Pizza split out NOW on BUFU Records. KLYAM is teaming up with BUFU to present an epic show tonight in honor of this momentous event. Joining Nice Guys are (New England) Patriots, Power Masters (Providence), Jim Leonard, and our very own G.Gordon Gritty!
$7, 8PM, ALL AGES. Be there or be somewhere significantly less fun…
This is Boston’s House of the Rising Fuzz compilation. Who, what, when, where, and why. Well let’s see, read on! It’s a physical artifact, a tangible, audible documentary. It’s a beauty and it’s so mid-2010s, underground garage and punk and noise and dirty pop. A full effort coordinated by the inspiring bands on here and also 456 Records, Primordial Sounds, Theives Grotto, Boston Hassle, and Ben Semeta. It took a while to get here, but honestly is there a better time than now? Just days away (August 6th through 8th) is the Boston Fuzzstival – curated by the one and only Jason Treft’s Illegally Blind – and featuring most of the bands included on this compilation. Both the Fuzzstival and the release of House of the Rising Fuzz are dream come true events not only for the people directly taking part, but those slimers, those fanatics, like us, like You and Me, who can’t get enough of that F word.
From my perspective, I’ve seen all of these bands perform – some maybe just a couple of time, others a dozen or more – and a few (Barbazons, Nice Guys, and Miami Doritos) we are grateful to have released records and tapes for on our own label. We share a similar fondness for rock ‘n roll music that’s nicely being built up through the abovementioned proponents of underground culture here in Boston. There’s no reason why House of the Rising Fuzz can’t be our Casual Victim Pile. For those unfamiliar, that was a compilation of Austin TX rock ‘n roll bands released in 2010 by Boston area native Gerard Cosloy and his Matador Records. Where that album definitely had more innate spotlight given Austin’s reputation for live music and the big independent label distribution, House of the Rising Fuzz is a decentralized group effort that is very indicative of the spirit and community vibes in Boston. It’s one of those situations where the people that are fortunate to live here or tour through here can literally feel this energy, however, the larger, national music media sources don’t cover our bands anywhere near as much as groups from San Francisco, Los Angeles, or Memphis.
I can say for certain that House of the Rising Fuzz captures all the bands at their highest moments. I agree with Ben in his interview with Allston Pudding where he’s like for every band it’s “their best song yet”. In fact, his band Black Beach’s contribution “Kreep” is in the early lead for my favorite thing on this compilation. It is crunchy, punchy, slippery – an exhilarating blender of spacey garage punk tropes and odes. Bless its soul. I could get real nerdy and boring with descriptions and stuff, but the main thing I note is that I can toss this thing on and be like oh yeah That’s New Highway Hymnal. “Isolation” yup – I recognize Hadden’s vocals, Amelia’s bass, and Travis’ drumming style. They groovy. With The Monsieurs
“Shadow,” there’s also no mistaking. Except, they work over there in the blown out bubblegum punk department. There’s a reason why that group is universally revered around these parts. They make ya crazy with their memorable ramble and stampeding swagger.
The bands that I am least familiar with – Midriffs and Dinoczar – do a helluva job saying HI THERE… Midriffs offering “White Washed” is the longest journey at 5 minutes and 37 seconds, but one would be damned to call this a psych slowburner. It’s more comparable to what we know and love from NHH and The Televibes, the ole penchant for intoxicating instrumental freakouts. And speaking of which, the North Shore’s own Televibes “DMT” takes this style to every ticklish cavity of what has been revealed to us as psychedelic rock and roll music. Dinoczar might be the sludgiest and rawest talent on the compilation – their “Cream” unlocks the doors to the Slaughterhouse, if ya catch my drift.
It’d be a shame for me to not mention Miami Doritos and Nice Guys together. Subconscious and literal promotion and testimony to the greatness of their Splifft 7″ aside – they’ve lived together, toured together, and what not. I’ll tell you briefly the sonic difference. Miami Doritos is a guitar and drums duo but they make for a brutally concise, maximalist use of that nice fuzz, that nice noise. It’s intimidating, lovely on “Cut the Rope”. Now as for the “Chips” boys, the four Nice Guys. Their contribution is the previously UNreleased “Chips in the Moonlight” (though, if you’re keeping track – and you should be – they released an EP with this name. If you’ve never heard Nice Guys, you might want to start with this tune and work forwards, backwards, etc. At the heart, these fellas write catchy riffs. Also at the heart, they breakaway from these winner choruses and verses to what amounts to best-in-class dueling guitar breakdowns like in “Chips.”
This leaves us with Barbazons and Creaturos. Both have been around for some time now (Barbazons since 2010, formerly as Fagettes, and Creaturos since 2011) causing a racket but mainly making a name for themselves because they perform lush garage pop. Who am I to say, but if I’m trying to show someone whose only experience with Fuzz is the police what’s up, I might first direct them to Barbazons “Jake” which is surely many bits chaotic, but it is sunny and breezy and shiny. If they respond positively and I know they will, I’ll send them over to Creaturos “Bleeding Like A Stone,” which plays out as a psyched up slap to the best of good times ‘classic’ rock. I believe I’ve always felt this way with Creaturos and it is a compliment owed to their distinct playing.
Listen to these bands, support them at shows, book them. It might sound cheesy and everyone says it about everything, but seriously this is special. It’s super fun and rewarding for those who know and love these bands and the same for those who might be all ‘why should I care about Boston rock & roll in the year 2015’? I hope this reaches far beyond a local scope — it would not be nice for the thousands of appreciators of this kind of music to miss hearing this compilation!
Written By Joanna Trachtenberg
Stopples were mandatory tonight. Opening the mini fest was Negative One, a band containing Mr. Boston Hassle himself Sam Potrykus. They were led by former Weirdo Records owner and fiery front woman Angela Sawyer who before starting the first song armed herself with a sharpie and was marking members of the crowd. This continued throughout the 10 minute or so long set. Their songs were short maybe one song was over a minute long. They were quite tight for a band that has only been together for a few months. A few of their songs were about fingers.
Next were Vehement Caress. He was one guy and a whole lotta equipment including synths, Tone imodulators, cables, buttons and switches. He created a lot dirty drone complete with screams, beeps, buzzes and other little aural knickknacks. He ended with a church educated on deliverance and the power of the devil. It was now time for Worcester’s own Eaten.
They kept the death grind alive with songs that I can only assume we’re about butterflies, fairies and rainbows (or maybe not) I wasn’t sure because I couldn’t make out the words. I guess I’d say they reminded me of bands like Napalm Death and Cannibal Corpse but with a teence bit more hardcore punk.
Mayor Daley were next to scorch your delicate ears. They started with a white flashing warning light placed right under the drum kit. They weren’t quite as in your face as the three previous bands. They did have the heavy riffs going but they were the first band to not have a screaming lead vocalist. Her voice was hypnotic, almost tribal at times. I liked that. It certainly fit their music well. They came all the way from Chicago to rawk. I hope they come back.
Next was the bubblegum pop of Demon Brother. Oops did I say bubblegum pop? What I meant to say was powerviolence. I didn’t see any mosh pits at all throughout the night. I guess that the Elks Lodge doesn’t allow them or the crowd was too scared and intimidated by the crushing noise to move much. Like Vehement Caress they also had weird talking at the end of one of their songs. I couldn’t really understand what it was saying. If there was ever a tv show or movie of Buffy the Demon Slayer, these guys would probably kill Buffy in the first episode.
Closing up shop was Sissy Spacek the only grindcore band fronted by a famous actress. The whole place just filled with white hot noise. I think I heard a few guttural screams through the sonic wall. Them and Demon Brother were probably the most brutal bands of the night.
Head down to Armageddon Records in Harvard Square to pick up copies of the latest KLYAM Records releases: The Barbazons – Avec Plaisir (KLYAM-005) and G. Gordon Gritty – Still Not a Musician (KLYAM-006)!
ALL previous KLYAM Records releases are also available at Armageddon as well as Deep Thoughts in Jamaica Plain and The Traphaus in New Bedford.
And if you’re feeling lazy, you could always order anything your little heart desires directly from us; http://klyam.bigcartel.com/
Flyer by Arielle Winchester
Welly welly well, we have quite the weekend in front of us here at KLYAM. Tonight (7/24/15), we’re throwing down hard with a show at Club Bohemia (Cantab Lounge basement) featuring Dinoczar, Idiot Genes (Tim’s last show), Rosie and the Rosies, and The Forgotten Jam. It all kicks off around 8:30 in Central Square, Cambridge. $8, 21+. See you there!
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1422773584718508/
Tomorrow (7/25/15), I (Chris) will be yapping my mouth off and playing some songs – both KLYAM Records homies and just some good ol’ fashioned KLYAM beloved homies – on WEMF’s Sleeper Radio show. Tune in to http://sleeperradio.com/live around 12 PM tomorrow to hear all that punk slimy goodness.
This write-up is a necessity because I’ve just listened to a life-changing record. It’s The Hunches final album Exit Dreams released in 2009 on, here goes, my favorite label: In The Red Records. I ordered the CD a few weeks ago (no mo’ vinyl, at least not through the label) and it arrived last week. My previous experience listening to The Hunches was sort of here and there and I’m thinking Pandora had something to do with that. I’ve heard of their reputation as the greatest band, not really sure from where. That is pretty accurate though. Listening to this comes at a perfect time ’cause I’ve been absorbing plenty of bizarre noisy pop. I’ll credit this recent spell to finding the band Eat Skull and buying their record.
The situation with Eat Skull, The Hunches, and Girls of the Gravitron (can’t name drop this no-more Memphis group enough, one of my very very favorites) is that the music and the instrumentation is mad expansive and not ya average rock ‘n roll or garage. These crews make even the greatest of the greatest that we KLYAMers champion seem a bit dull. And yes, that sentence creeps me out as much as you’re probably thinking. The Hunches and the other bands I just mentioned have some slow movers in their catalog with overt pop elements – these usually are standouts and favorites. But the harder to digest distorted multi-layer guitar and feedback explosions sound like perfect accidents to me. Exit Dreams is filled to the brim with these moments where I’m like yo this could be Pixies, Pavement, Velvet Underground and I love all three of those so that’s great. BUT there’s much more subversive playing and truly unexpected change-ups with The Hunches here. There’s no sympathy to any style and ‘garage’ is a tag that probably does this a bunch of disservice given the terrain this disc covers. I also can’t really identify a lot of unity in how this was recorded; some tracks are really brutal and upfront (this is a way positive comment), others sound comparatively immaculate. So, major props to how this was mixed and mastered.
If you want to listen to a record that is the opposite of stale and safe, this here Exit Dreams is choice. I’m not saying it’s the most experimental record, but I really love it for its playfulness. It’s not happy or optimistic really, sort of the opposite. It fits where the band was at its time, for whatever reason, on the brink of collapse with not a care in the world. I listen to this and get that feeling that ya, we can move beyond present or past uncertainties and situations. the noise and clutter are haunting and personal, but the catchy and familiar vibes win out and save the day. All is well, but it’s a trip for sure.
Flyer by Jim Leonard
Six fucking years. It’s been a wacky, wild journey. From seeing Jay Reatard’s final moments on stage as we entered a new decade to slithering our way into Boston’s underground (quite literally) music scene via our first basement shows to starting a record label and throwing shows of our own, it’s been nuts.
To celebrate Kids Like You & Me’s sixth year of existence on this planet and every other, we’re having a big ass blowout at our favorite venue, the Middle East (upstairs) in Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
This show is reserved for the top tier of Boston KLYAM bands: The Barbazons, Nice Guys, and G. Gordon Gritty – all KLYAM Records bands as well as longtime KLYAM favorite Atlantic Thrills from Providence, Rhode Island.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1ST @ THE MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS. $10, 18+ 8PM.
FB EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/366507700220363/
PUNK SLIME ALL OF THE TIME
Flyer by G. Gordon Gritty
Hot damn, we have one helluva show in store for you tomorrow night (June 8th). Come out to the Middle East’s ZuZu in Central Square, Cambridge to see Madison’s finest garage punk duo The Hussy! Joining them will be local KLYAM Records homies, Nice Guys and G. Gordon Gritty. This is one not to miss. Oh and did I mention that it’s FREE!
10 PM, 21+ FB Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/691123214350486/
For those of you non Boston/New England folks, here’s the rest of The Hussy’s tour dates:
Tues June 9th – NYC (Manhattan) @ Elvis Guesthouse
Weds June 10th – NYC (Brooklyn) @ Baby’s All Right
Thurs June 11th – Baltimore, MD @ Windup w/ Guantanamo Baywatch
https://www.facebook.com/events/1441285252852025/
Fri June 12th – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Institute, Lost Tribe, Nervous Ticks
https://www.facebook.com/events/1571506393107079/
Sat June 13th – Wilmington, NC @ Reggies w/ Deadly Lo-Fi – PORT CITY FEST!
https://www.facebook.com/events/447612688753430/
Sun June 14th – Savannah, GA @ Cathaus
https://www.facebook.com/events/1422705561382140/
Mon June 15th – Atlanta, GA @ 529 w/ Lowbanks
https://www.facebook.com/events/1570806459859917/
Tues June 16th – Birmingham, AL @ Spring Street Firehouse
Weds June 17th – Jackson, MS @ CS’s w/ No Ma’am, Que Pasa
https://www.facebook.com/events/747362258716223/
Thurs June 18th – New Orleans, LA @ Saturn Bar w/ Planchettes, Fez, Que Pasa
Fri June 19th – Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlies w/ A Giant Dog, Xetas, Lochness Mobsters, Party Girl
https://www.facebook.com/events/101851070154069/
Sat June 20th (DAY) – Austin, TX @ Yellow Jacket
Sat June 20th (NIGHT) – Dallas, TX @ The Foundry w/ Beth Israel
https://www.facebook.com/events/821866527899970/
Sun June 21st – Little Rock, AR @ Sticky’z w/ Bombay Harambee
Mon June 22nd – Memphis, TN @ Murphy’s w/ Liquid Teens, DJ Vomitor
https://www.facebook.com/events/750644435050451/
Tues June 23rd – DAY OFF
Weds June 24th – Fayetteville, AR @ JRs w/ Pagiins
https://www.facebook.com/events/1617516315156621/
Thurs June 25th – Springfield, MO @ The Outland w/ Chris Gnarly
Fri June 26th – Kansas City, MO @ Minibar w/ Wet Ones https://www.facebook.com/events/359909417539664/
Sat June 27th – Omaha, NE @ O’Leaver’s w/ Digital Leather
Weds July 15th – Spring Green, WI @ The Shitty Barn w/ Tree Blood
Flyer by Gritty himself
Tonight, G. Gordon Gritty sonically joins the KLYAM Records family. No longer just the KLYAM haus band. Kids Like You & Me and BUFU Records are teaming up to release G. Gordon’s Gritty’s latest 33 song magnum opus entitled “Still Not a Musician,” a compilation spanning ten years worth of gritty material.
The show takes place at our monthly stomping ground: Club Bohemia (the Cantab Lounge basement) located in Central Square, Cambridge.
Local outlaws, The Shallow End Divers and Underwater Bear Ballet will assist Gritty in a fun filled night of loose, slovenly rock ‘n’ roll. Queens, NY/BUFU Record’s own Tall Juan (of Beets/Juan Wauters fame and glory) will shake your hips and stimulate your mind with his epic Ramones odes; only a true Queens man could deliver. Oh and he’s bringing the whole band.
21+ :( sorry kids… $8. Doors at 8:30, show starts at 9. See you soon.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1611879172387740/
P.S. G. Gordon Gritty is hitting up Chris Collins’ “Mass Ave and Beyond” Radio show on WZBC from 5-7PM before the show. Tune in to 90.3 around 6 or a little after to hear the band play before you catch em’ in the flesh.
It is another TeleVibes release show at the Middle East Upstairs and we KLYAMers of course remember just how nice these occasions are. The last one was over a year ago in celebration of Washed Up, but tonight it’s all about High Or Die, seven songs of sheer guitar psychedelia and Pete Coldpack inspired freak-outs. They’ve been playing some of these numbers for a while, ya basically feel at home in Boston’s finest green beer guzziln basements listening to the Tellies. YET, bro, these are arena sized jams and I don’t usually say that in a good way. The grooves are bustling too hard and Out There for something like “Acyd” to not be loved by any kind person who fancies rock ‘n roll shoved to its spaciest noisiest outer boundaries.
Well then listen below or hop over to their BANDCAMP (where you can listen to High Or Die) and do your part in supporting our No Sho pals – come through to see them tonight MAY 24th 8 PM Middle East Upstairs with a very musically linkminded crew – Holy Wave on tour from Austin, Texas, and two local psych shimmies Soft Eyes and Fedavees.
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 