The Flaming Lips and Lightning Bolt by the Flaming Lips and Lightning Bolt (2011)

Kind of Like: Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Lightning Bolt (duh)
Genres: Experimental, Noise Rock, Indie, Electronica




"The first three minutes of "I'm Working at NASA on Acid," a track from a new collaborative EP between the Flaming Lips and Lightning Bolt, sounds very much like the Lips in melancholy psychedelia mode. After that point, though, Lighting Bolt's signature pummeling beats drop in, pushing the song toward a ego-shattering climax. It's probably exactly like working at NASA while dropping LSD – at least if you assume it would be a very bad trip."
-Rolling Stone

The Flaming Lips just released a collaborative effort with Neon Indian not too long ago, and I wasn't really too into it.  I am liking this combination a lot more.  The first two songs are The Flaming Lips with Lightning Bolt, and the last two songs is Lightning Bolt with The Flaming Lips.  Whatever that means.  Long story short, if you like either of these bands, you probably will like this.  If you like both of them, what are you waiting for, ya dingus?

Oh yeah, and I may wanna pick this up on vinyl, it's damn sexy.  I'm just having a hard time finding places that have it.

Listen Here:

Transit EP by SLOTHS (2011)

Kind of Like: Botch, Off Minor, Ampere, Pulling Teeth
Genres: Punk, Hardcore, Sludge (sometimes), Mathcore (sometimes), Post-rock (sometimes)
Preview: Bandcamp

"SLOTHS are a band from Portland OR, that plays heavy music with a wide range of influences. The music is at once sludgey and slow, fast and discordant, melodic and occasionally mathy. Each of the 3 members brings a different set of influences and sounds to the band. Formed in 2010. "
-Last.fm

"A band from Portland" doesn't really narrow down things too much.  Still digging this stuff.  Wander over to their bandcamp, and give it a listen.  The title track is just ambience, but the other three songs are tight and have their own feel.  I am kind of getting lost in the album art....

Listen Here:

Drunk Neighbours (2011) Demo tape

Drunk Neighbours Demo release - Mediafire

Genre: Acoustic, Hardcore, Punk.

FFO: Dave Hause, Defeater, Koji, Titus Andronicus

Website: I've plugged this before, but Nick doesn't ask for money for his music. Just visit his Blog and leave your regards

'if a man cries to the stars, does he also weep to the moon?'

This isn't going to be a regular post. Today is not a regular day. This morning, for one, I went for a run, for only the second time this year, I rose from sleeplessness and went jogging. My mind is so cruel that the only time I think its good and productive to exercise is after a great night of punishing my liver, when I can't sleep because of the unnatural pressures in my head. Finally at 6AM I say, fuck it the only thing that can make me sleep is more punishing behaviour, this has become a trend. My plan was to run to the ocean harbour and back, a 5km run in total--my realistic plan was to run there and collapse on the beach. I ended up crumbling into a heaving and wheezing pile at a public school about 3 blocks from my house. It was a glorious sight for all the dog walkers and old early risers to see a youth in more pain than them.

'Every morning I wake with a fire in my belly, so every morning I run' I don't mean to hate on my cousin, but fuck that shit. I felt like I swallowed a dragon this morning, but his inspirational words almost cost me my life. After this, I was in desperate need of something I like to call Bowls Before Breakfast. This includes marijuana, tobacco & a pipe, and a beer for the shower. This all comes before the eggs and cereal, no doubt. Healthy, right? Just play some Touche Amore and its a party.

Now, why was I drinking on a Tuesday in the first place, you might ask? This has a simply illogical answer. When God sends me a flower, I am so socially detrimental to the world, I tend to flourish in the opportunity, giving myself, and the girl a false pretence of rightness or connectivity. Whatever, you know what I mean. So when I got home and started drinking through the hours of 4pm-2am to celebrate the sweet tea time and success of getting her number, its only natural for me to sabotage that mid flight. Here's what I did, I slowly made evident to myself the wisdom of avoiding future pains by deleting her number so to never think about her again by babbling my drunk head off and stumbling through the grocery store. Evenly consider these premises: a man who chooses solitude hasn't the right to feel loneliness. and I mean I don't see these angels staying up at night racking their brains why I don't call or respond to their texts or make advances when they're in my living room staring at me, or in a towel where I might be reading a goddamn book. No, if I leave them to they're busy days of knocking some other licentious guys out, showing interest in cooler things than my poetry, and sharing a laugh over coffee, they wont spare me a single thought when I'm gone, they're girls.

I suppose I'm telling you this because it didn't all work out this time, but it all lead to something greater than a date. I believe its called an epiphany, but anyway, I didn't forget about her after dropping the info into the abyssal of the cyber trashcan, and because my celebration turned lamentation with my room mates and their friends faced me against a mirror of the same problems I've been trying to suppress for the past four months I made some kind of breakthrough with the help of my friends. I wish I slept last night, but above all, I wish I didn't have to pour all the shards of my broken life into my two best friends hands every time I get heavy boots. Brad just withstands my insanity as long as he can, and even if I'm hurting him or ruining his fun, he just beats it out through his drums later on. I appreciate this so much because its really my only grounding, and I've driven other friend's crazy in a shorter period of time with my selfish antics and by dwelling on my problems.

I hate my own art and so I rely on my friend Nick for the music that's closest to my heart. Seriously check the demo he sent me last night. As a close personal friend I feel my experience with this music could be taken as a reflection of the artist's introspection that is the music. First and foremost, this is a story of growth between homes, it is very situational to this early part of maturity and it has a very bitter-sweet feeling towards the past. Everything is celebrated because we made it, but there is not a sign of a smile through the demo. I first heard these songs performed live when I was running from everything and losing the race about three weeks ago. I had returned to my home province Ontario for a visit because I was losing my mind in Halifax. It was there I realized my old life was entirely gone, the friends I always thought would be there, they dispersed when I left, and I knew I had grown apart from each one, except Nick seemingly grew at my rate, just like 2 thousand miles apart. That's why I rely on his reassurances to keep my morality intact. These songs saved my life that night, I swear that much, and these recordings have forced me to stare at the facts, at how far past those days we are, how I'm not a kid any more, but I'm no man either (I'm literally some unbalanced, stretched out freak), and that even if I don't think I deserve happiness its downright unethical to treat myself like I'm not human and therefore hide myself away from all things natural. Most importantly it decided for me that I can't act like I don't need something to rely on any more, for too long I told myself I'd make myself content to be alone and I strived for the unattainable independence by severing too many ties and making the conscious effort to make people dislike me. This was all just the painful aspects of my immaturity I never accepted. If you've ever wondered what the consequences of being raised in the city with the fastest population growth in the world (and its little sister township) you have found the underground that best demonstrates a retrospective look at these growing pains in what I like to call 'little, little America' (because Toronto is fucking Mephistopheles if the States is Satan).

A Great Big Pile of Leaves discography (2007-2010)

Kind of Like: The Republic of Wolves, Look Mexico, Minus the Bear
Genres: Indie, Math Rock, Rock, Surf Rock, Emo
Preview: Bandcamp


Kenny hates this band.  I don't.  Actually I rather enjoy them.  Which is probably why I am putting them on here.  You may have read in a previous post about how they played with Joan of Arc a couple weeks ago.  Joan of Arc was headlining, but these guys stole the show in my opinion.  I think their guitarist/singer looks slightly like Bradley Cooper.  Catchy indiemo with some noodles and an overall surfy feel at times.  They are also one of those cool bands that puts all there music on their website for free.  Oh yeah, and apparently Topshelf will be releasing two acoustic EP's by them; one live and one studio.  So, look out for that.

I haven't been posting much; I've been working a lot and going out a bit and maybe playing a shitload of Spore, badass game I found on Demonoid.  But in the next month or so expect an announcement relating to the next edition of the zine.

Listen Here (Click the Merch tab)

Circle Takes The Square - Rites of Initiation EP (2011)

FFO: general post-hardcore

Genre: Post-hardcore
Listen Here: be sure to check this free stream . This is their bandcamp , (2002) EP ,

Mediafire of their "[First Album]" and, for measure the NPR article which owns the single stream.

The important link is the streamline preview for one of the 2011 EP songs. I'm working on getting the full EP after I eat, but even this is going to leave us all hungry. Rites of Initiation EP is only the first segment, chapter 1, of the upcoming full length Decompositions. This is the first Circle takes the Square album since the 2004 As The Roots Undo, which means seven years of silence has just been smashed to pieces. The song that brought all his hype to my front doorstep is called Way of Ever Branching Paths, and it is described as the Hymn Like Labyrinthine Chaos: it does not disappoint.

Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (2008)

FFO: The Rural Alberta

Genre: Indie

Listen Here: Mediafire , Myspace

Please dig the second of three albums from Scotland's indie rock band, Frightened Rabbits. I really enjoy this album, especially Old Old Fashioned, which is how I discovered this band, through a great mixtape.

Prophet, Said I - Demo (2010)

Prophet, Said I - (2010) Demo

Kind of Like: Defeater, Pianos Become the Teeth

Genre: Screamo, Hardcore

Where to Listen: Mediafire

Not just the vocalist, but the band has that rasp and strain through every note that leave ghosts. This band has everything going for them, and I pretty well accept the fact now that I most of all enjoy this sub-genre of genres. If I had to pinpoint what that was cl

assified under, I'd type some crud like relentless and indulgent shouting, but I think that'd be just ridiculous.

You'll Live - Things Would Change if You Heard This (2011)

Kind of Like: Featherweight, Ravachol

Genre: Post-Punk, Screamo, Hardcore, emo

Where to listen: Bandcamp

Death by Whiskey put this in the top rank of his EP list of 2011 thus far. I would have to agree. I came across this EP months ago, and my re-ignited passion for hardcore has been utterly shook into life since. Its admittedly been tough keeping up with my music downloads, with so many quality vinyl readily available to me, this album has satisfied me most when I craved scramz, which we most desperately lack. I'd like to describe it simply as a clean screamo, in the sense of having displays of wickedly performed vocals and a punk driven backdrop that feels like conveying its message in melodic fashion.

Dads - Brush Your Teeth, Again ;) (2011)

Kind of Like: Pizza and Regrets, Dowsing, You Blew It!

Genre: Post-rock, emo

Where to listen: Bandcamp

The basement video for the original release of Brush Your Teeth is what really hooked me to these two tapes. Especially, Dan's Christopher Walken Impression, its just a great song, warming and tickling. Their music has a unique energy that isn't quite summed in either of their vocals, or the sometimes frantic, post-rock guitar. I guess, its the feeling of remembering that 35 year old dude leading his little kid holding half-a-watermelon hes stoked on to the sidelines of the big brother's soccer game-and just then you want to say, ya, mad nice fold-chair little dude, loud enough for his dad to hear-and just when he has to turn around to see what punk talked to his kid so he trips on the dog's leash but only a little. ha dads in reality are so awesome

Daniel Striped Tiger, No Difference LP (2011)

Kind of Like: Ampere, Loma Prieta

Genre: Post-Punk, Hardcore, Ambient, math rock

Where to Listen: Mediafire

This is solid-punk with more than a little edge and dissonance to swing around in. At moments it may sound, 'like garbage cans falling down stairs, with distortion and feedback." I had to agree. The vocals ground everything nicely, though, frequent rests and guitar hammerings make the bulk of their songs a bit jarring, and yet they show an appeal for instrumental speed and urgency. This couples with a traditional punk vocal delivery and with repetition to avoid what might seemingly become a definitively metallic feel.

The Joys of Living 2008-2010 by Sharks (2011)

Kind of Like: Dave Hause, The Gaslight Anthem

Genre: Punk, UK psychobilly

Where to Listen: Mediafire
The Joys of Living. I couldn't help myself from not posting this any longer, despite my feelings of utter redundancy. Sharks' album incorporates so many elements of the timeless punk I love I'm alone somewhere familiar, or with a group of new people I don't much enjoy, and the familiarity of old EPs comforts me such life's bearable; like now ancient drum patterns, and great catchy jams that are irresistible to not sing to; to add a modern feel to the music giving a subtly progressive sounds to the punk, is as easy as harmonicas, an extensive drum kit, and most importantly, the un-stripped, and unaccompanied vocals, strained and executed purposefully, like that french figurehead Robespierre.

Thursday - No Devolucion (2011)

FFO: United Nations, Glassjaw

Genre: Post-hardcore, indie, emo

Where to listen: Follow this link (sorry)

6th Thursday studio album. I'll edit after I give this more time.

Taking Back Sunday - Self Titled EP (Faith [When I Let You Down]) (2011)

FFO: The Wonder Years, Thursday

Genre: Indie, Emo

Where to Listen: Mediafire

I got super stoked for this album when I heard the first single and noted the energy--the overall attitude that I really loved about their first EP and album revived for this release.

Get Your Heavies Out by Bearcubbin'! (2011)

Kind of like: These arms are snakes, Young Widows, ASIWYFA, Daughters
Genres: Math rock, Post Hardcore, Noise rock
Preview/DL:Bandcamp

Bearcubbin'! are back with 4 (technically 3) new tracks that focus on the heavier side of their catchy and intricately layered mathy grooves.

"The new heaviness of Bearcubbin'!. We wanted to try writing something more in the vein of These Arms are Snakes and Young Widows and leave alot of the looping aside. It turned out amazingly well." -Bandcamp

DL link above. Their older release and better description of Bearcubbin'! can be found Here.

Weathervanes by Freelance Whales (2010)

Kind of like: Blind Pilot, Local Natives, Miniature Tigers
Genres: Indie, Folk, pop
preview:

I can't remember where I found this group, but they are super rad. Seriously check them out. This is (hopefully) the end of my hiatus and I am on my way out the door to go to a show tonight, so it's a shitty, short review, but listen to this album.

Listen here

Vancouver by La Dispute (2006)

Kind of like: Touche Amore, Victor! Fix the Sun, Saetia

Genre: Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Blues, Progressive

Listen Here: Mediafire , Bandcamp

Order Here: No Sleep Records

I noticed to my surprise that there is only one post containing the music of La Dispute. I'm near certain everyone should listen to this band, perhaps more that everyone reading this blog has before, however, La Dispute is one of those few rocks, and I can happily write about them in nearly any mood. This probably goes hand in hand with my ability to listen to this same band at any given, inappropriate moment to be listening to hardcore, and not give a single fuck. The bastards probably think I'm mad, because I listen to La Dispute in public. I've been telling myself "fuck'em" the lyrics are poetic and conversational, the music finds artistically drawn out patterns, and each band member is talented enough to push a segment of each song in his own manner. Besides, so what if they're right, they're goddam dirty bastards and it helps me get in the mood to write, and now I feel like writing a tome of a review about this group so bear with finding the links strewn about the post, please.

J'adore their two LPs (I hate speaking french, since I can only kind of, but I'm trying to be romantic here). But more about them later: first their 7 inch [Untitled] (2008), and their (2010) split with Touche Amore, titled Searching For A Pulse/The Worth Of The World are. These too, along with their full lengths, are the essentially noble pieces of the dissonance which I love as hardcore music. The 7inch feels typical heavier than other releases, Shall Never Lose Its Power is my midday jam when I've just started drinking. The split with Touche Amore is just incredible, I think I might like Touche's side better, but the contributions are perfectly traded, as little as they may be and I just pray La Dispute is as visibly influenced by this collaboration as Touche was on their latest release Parting the Seas Between Brightness and Me. As I said, they are subtle additions, but to me it makes a world of difference.

One great thing about Somewhere at the Bottom of the River between Vega and Altair (2008) is that it has one of the best post-hardcore intro ever, Such Small Hands, and the outro, Nobody Not Even The Rain works as its delicate balance, if played on repeat (or track 13 then 1) they recreate the title of an EE Cummings poem. The concept of this album isn't mind boggling, but it follows the general concept of EE's poem, and thank christ I have yet to marry, let alone divorce, I sing to every single track as if it were my heart-ache's anthem. My favourite part of the album might be in the bass flows of Bury Your Flame, but quite honestly I just deleted a 4 segment sentence justifying why other songs are the best. This album, more than the rest, can really capture a moment/emotion and sustain it through the entire segment of their song. Though lead singer Jordan may want his exes dead, this is undoubtedly the most romantic and lost-love-lust-driven lyrics in hardcore I've ever listened to, that wasn't complete wailing. Call that enough wanking.

There is much I'd like to say of their first album that is only realized when in contrast between the two LPs, and minds make this easiest when we are looking back, through Somewhere... into Vancouver (2006). First we can say it is perhaps the least produced of La Dispute's releases. Every song is just as incredibly poetic and instrumentally built as any one off Vega and Altair, I just feel they really matured as a band while making the second albums which shows through the more complete and closed feeling in those 13 tracks. Their first album, I think possesses the direction, feelings for the same woman maybe, but it all feels less refined. Their guitar riffs don't feel quite as wholesome, but this roughness adds to the emotional builds behind songs like See You In Vancouver and Fairmount. The track titled He Is Here He Is Not Afraid kills me--it may be the sickest track they've ever recorded. Once I missed them play in my hometown in Ontario, and I think ever since they remind me with this hollowing intro riff, and that piano in the Untitled track. Its so good, does anyone know if they ever confessed to composing or sampling it because it seems mad familiar.

See this post for the Koji split, titled Never Come Undone (2011). and get stoked for their new LP dropping this winter.

We butter the bread with butter - Das Monster Aus Dem Schrank (2008)

Genre: Deathcore

Listen: download here , (2010) album here

I love this German band, I think they're absolutely hilarious. First, the name. Second, they combine a doom-grind attitude, heavy bass and powerful vocals with some real electronic finesse. A majority of the duo's songs are very influenced, even worked after German folklore. As I am unfamiliar with both the language and lore I admit to not fully understanding this band, however the breakdowns, powerful vocals, and musicianship entertain me nonetheless.

Henry Thomas - Ragtime Texas (1929)

Fans of: The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Uncle Dave Macon

Genre: Blues
Get it here

I'll be honest, I don't listen to too much old blues so the related tags reflect the notable bands who've covered this man's work. I've listened to this album about a thousand times since finding it, and like my blues, it never gets old. Henry Thomas is the oldest African-American blues artist (born 1987), his songs were recorded over 1927-1929 and this discography has some of my favourite music of all time. I hope you can all dig it enough to slip it into a lonely afternoon on a stoop or some shit. Shout to Nick for giving me the greatest music.

Old Pride by Pianos Become the Teeth (2009)

Fans of : Touche Amore, La Dispute, Make Do and Mend

Genre: Screamo, Post-hardcore

Preview: Here, Download Here

One of my favourite punk bands to come from The Wave is Pianos Become the Teeth. Their Saltwater EP (2008) is probably my favourite of their releases thus far, but that doesn't mean their first full length isn't loaded with insights of the same incredible energy. You should also check their split with The Saddest Landscape (2010), and their split with Ezra Joyce, which has some really energetic, long songs.

The White EP by Agalloch (2008)

Genre: Neofolk, Dark Ambient

Akin to: The Morning Side, Les Discrets, Devin Townsend

Listen Here

Agalloch is a fairly old band, formed in 1995 in Portland, Oregon. This 2008 EP is a follow up of The Grey EP recorded over a three year period Agalloch combines dark ambience with a metal folk sound that is unbeatable for its genres. If you enjoy this music you should research into their Pale Folklore full album. Listening to this band at full blast in moderate lighting is a sure-fire way to simultaneously release tension, alienate everybody, and enhance your active forms of escapism.

Dark Saber Jedi by Gorilla Warfare Tactics (2011)

Kind of Like: City Aviv, Jay Electronica, Kanye
Genres: Hip-Hop

New track from Gorilla Warfare Tactics just dropped.  I don't think it's nearly as strong as their other songs, and I was kind of hoping that would improve on the potential they showed from the beginning.  I always dug their choice of samples and their verses.  They are pretty much mostly clever verses, which I appreciate way more than corny/cliche choruses that is part of mainstream hip-hop.  However, what I don't like is that it's pretty much the same 4 second loop over and over again with and occasional break to highlight a clever rhyme.  That's all and good and they've been doing that with most of their material, but it would be nice to throw something else in there.  Sampling has sooooo much potential, and it always bug me when an artist picks a sample to loop for the entire song when with a little more effort there could be a lot more variety.   Why not have the clever spitting and a variety of equally clever beats?

Listen Here

Té Discography (2005-2010)

Kind of Like: Ovum, Enemies, Adebisi Shank, Appleseed Cast, Moving Mountains
Genres: Post-rock, Math Rock, Emo, Post-hardcore

Preview:

I first found out about this band when Kidcrash posted this video on their facebook a year or two ago.  If you're looking for good new bands, Kidcrash usually posts good shit on their facebook.  They are an instrumental band from Japan that probably holds the record for longest song/album titles ever.  I love how bad japanese translates to english.  They are really trying to sound introspective, but it just doesn't work, haha.  It's a good thing their music is awesome.

The song names and album name on the last album are all messed up from being in japanese, you can go to their website to find the right names to fix the song names on your music player.

Listen Here:
If That Is What Is Being Thought, Liberated Sound Talks The Depth Of ''Musical'' World (2005)
It Is A Thought To Try To ''Sing'' The Realistic Sound From The Deeply Resonated World (2007)
Beyond That, If Your Soul Agrees With Your Five Senses, Everything Turns Into The Greatest "Music"(2008)
Intending "promises" outside of entangled voices and texts through hopes of apprehension (2010)

Indian Summer - Science 1994 (2002)

Fans of: Futurerecordings label music

Listen at : Bandcamp

Look at: Delirious LP (2010 DO NOT LISTEN)

I highly recommend this album to any fans of avante garde hardcore. for 2002 I feel this was progressively loud and a great post punk effort. They did some recent changes to the album, after their second LP released and all I can think is I'm a continent away, but man can Vancouver throw a party, they hear it from California too.

Amesoeurs : Swallowed By the Hive... LP (2009)

Like: its like stepping into a past that hardly happens and no one ever sings about....i got nothin

Genre: Black Metal, experimental, lore, post punk

Proceed to: Listen Here , Download Here

Something about a self titled album cleverly opens that avenue towards classic beyond a description that might perish. in ease it may remind me of my college days. at moments you feel that each note is fresh and often also that you're watching a really awesome movie scene. I think its the fact that this three piece is absolutely crazy, that with talent at that level, musicians can became unappreciative of everything but their own art. Be it as it may, they kicked it.

"Amesoeurs is a spit, the only way we have to spew out the anxiety and frustration tied to the difficulties of existence and the pursuit of happiness in our modern society. "

Le Prè Où Je Suis Mort + Dolcim + Men As Trees + Dying In Motion - 4 way split (2011)

Kind of like: a red hot post-rock flaring screamo from hell, no a sky haven

Genre: Screamo, post-rock

Listen: d to load

As a huge fan of Le Prè Où Je Suis Mort, self-title LP, and Men as Trees, (the Six Waves of 2007) and (Weltschmerz in 2008) this is extremely exciting, to by chance cross this Swiss influenced split. I'll be honest I have yet to check their releases, Dolcim and Dying in Motion, but I hope its a kind of crime to say this, because its become easy to dig every part of this split. nevertheless this album has my entire ear while I figure the elements of each band.

Shady Grove by The Quicksilver Messenger Service (1969)

Kind of like: Quick-silver Hermes himself

Genres: Psychedelic, piano, rock-blues

Listen here: Mediafire

This band may be a stretch for this blog, but I think the music is fantastic and the pianist is the English nomad Nicky Hopkins, who plays with The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles. This is the only Quicksilver record I really enjoy, and its the only one Nicky plays and composes on. If you find yourself impartial to the album, at least give Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder a listen and you shan't be regretting it.

The Congos - The Heart of the Congos (1993)

For fans of: Bob Marley, The Abyssinian

Genre: Reggae, Culture Roots, Dub

Download: Mediafire

There is only one, simple way of describing this record: it is the fuckin finest dub reggae around man! The production value is phenomenal and, as Lee "Scratch" Perry is involved it should come as no surprise that through an experimental feel, the very essence of The Congos survives. As this is a second look at the initial 1977 recording of The Heart of the Congos by Cedric Myton and Roy Johnson, I implore everyone to look further into this cultural phenomena, as the entirety of these recordings and mixes are numerous and quite elusive.

so drunk its fuckin Thursday II: Look out for #1 Brothers Johnson

For the fans of: The Jackson 5, Sly & the Family Stone, The Supremes

Genre: Funk

Listen here: Mediafire

Look out for #1 is the debut album of the brothers. Probably my favourite funk album of all time, George (left) and Louis (right) have got 'it' all, and as their producer Quincy Jones puts it, "These are the baddest cats I've ever heard!" Boasting the stage-names Lightning Licks and Thunder Thumbs, respectively, the versatility of style is an outstanding asset for their first album. Though, the licks can at times take you strait into that 70's studio-session atmosphere, dancin' and prancin' about; for me, its the instrumental tracks like Tomorrow that really furnish the album. Look for more of these brothers, as they aged through the 80's their music really takes a turn towards discotheque, not to say its for the worse, but needless to say this is a house specialty. Louis, the younger brother, became a very prominent studio bassist for Quincy productions, recording on a large variety of albums, most popularly, Michael's Off the Wall and Thriller.

Great Moments in the Void EP by Ravachol (2011)

Kind of like: Kerouac, We Came Like Tigers, Old Gray

Genres: Screamo, emo, post-hardcore,
Listen: Bandcamp

yo

Ravachol is a UK based scream band that was formed just this year. I first listened to Ravachol, lying face-flat on the floorboards of my musical mentor's bedroom. As I sat incapacitated with mild heat stroke-oh, and a belly of pills, he proceeded to play the 'heavys' playlist he created, intending to educate me while we tripped out and discussed our year's accomplishments. Ravachol came on and I was blown away, these guys have a bold sound, stellar instruments, and a wailing vocalist. with an accent ..this is just my cup of tea. And get this, their named after a French anarchist, François Claudius Koenigstein. I'm just thankful they didn't make band name Louis Reil before I could snatch it up!

I consider this particular scramz to be personal since I discovered it. Welcome to the stage, Toru Okada - 8 songs (2003)

A violent-screamo band from Austin, Texas, with high powered and emotional tracks. This band gets their name from a Japanese novel, titled The Wind-Up Birds Chronicle (some guy loses a cat) They have one full length release, refered to as 8 songs and one 7" split with Olive Tree. In a 90s emo tone, witness, the raw vocal performances of two seemingly teenage screamers, coupled to the powerfully melodic jams of chaotic guitars. This heavy emo band broke up in 2006, and might I add, as a *disclaimer* that listening to the 8 Songs, perhaps too much, may've brought about a couple break ups of my own.

You can Listen Here, on their Myspace

Download link above.

~Sam

B EP by Animal Skins (2011)

Kind of Like: Blackcloud, Former Theives, Bone Dance
Genres: Sludge, Hardcore, Mathcore, Chaotic Hardcore
Preview: Bandcamp

I can't listen to this music too loud because I am sitting at a gate at the airport waiting for a flight to come in.  I don't have my headphones on me, so I'm playing it out loud amongst a bunch of people.  It's pretty coarse, ruthless sounding stuff, and I don't think people around me would like if I were blasting it.  Although I'm pretty sure the people that are having a stressful layover have this music playing in their heads right now as they curse the airline for all their problems.  Also, I didn't notice that guys mouth on the album cover when I first looked at it; it made me shit bricks when I saw it.  I just added another person that will probably be contributing stuff soon.  He is from Halifax, Canada (at least that's what I think he means by Hali, east coast of Canada).  I've always wanted to visit Nova Scotia; the closest I've been is Montreal and I loved it there.  He gave me a nice rundown of his living situation and all the cool stuff he likes to do, which I really appreciated because I like to know the people I collaborate with.  He says he likes funk, old punk, dub, reggae, but mostly hardcore and screams.  So, maybe he will dig this too.

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Contributors for this site and this fall's zine

So, seeing that I have been slowing down on posts, and that Kenny and Poppelganger are seemingly on hiatus, I would like to extend offers to people wanting to contribute to this site.  All that I ask is that you have a somewhat similar taste in the music featured on here (negotiable), and you provide the following: album, artist, release year, link where it is available, site where you can preview their work, and a short little review on it.  Send an e-mail to sometimesigetdrunk@hotmail.com if interested.

Also, I would like to have the fall edition of the zine done by late September, so if you would like to contribute artwork/literature/comics/porn to the effort also send an e-mail to said address.  That is all.

Funky Thursday: Sly & The Family Stone, Stanley Clarke, Edwin Starr, Jackson 5

Kind of Like: Funkadelic, James Brown, War, Prince, The Temptations
Genres: Funk, Soul, Rock, Motown, Pop
Preview: Boobtube


It's time to expose yourself to something a little bit outside of the box.  I've recently been buying lots of old funk records.  They are not only inexpensive, but they are fucking awesome.  I know Stanley Clarke wasn't as well received as the other bands on here, but I'm going to continue to force shit like this down your throats.    Here are a few records that I have been spinning lately.  Fact: Edwin Starr invented hardcore.

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Glamorous Thoughts EP by Some Mistakes (2010)

Kind of Like: Touche Amore, Harbours, Maths
Genres: Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Punk, Hardcore
Preview: Bandcamp


These guys are a self-proclaimed melodic hardcore band.  But last.fm users agree with me in thinking they are more of a post-hardcore/screamo band.  Whatever they are, I can dig.  These boys are from the ATL, so is Outkast.  They are completely unrelated.

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Pizza & Regret by Ted Nguyent (2011)

Kind of Like: Joyce Manor, Dads, So Many Dynamos
Genres: Punk, Post-Hardcore, Math Rock, Experimental
Preview: Bandcamp

“Ted Nguyent is an American rock band originally comprised of founding members Michael McGilloway, Travis Arterburn, and James Dobrowolski. They later added Kian Sorouri on the bass after deciding that James wasn’t a competent enough instrumentalist (though they can all agree that the bass is not what one might call a ‘difficult’ instrument). James now acts merely as eye candy. Their music has been described as ‘an amorphous blend of post-hardcore song structure and punk rock ethos, with a lyrical style reminiscent of the great pop music jokester Weird Al.’”
-Last.fm

It’s been awhile since I stumbled upon a band that’s like this.  They seem like a really fun band and really fun dudes.  If I learned anything from starting to interview/try to interview bands is that many of the people I consider to be idols are straight-up stuck-up assholes in real life.  I wouldn’t imagine these guys to be that way.  So they better not fuck that up if I actually get to meet them.

I also love the band name.  I see the name “Nguyen” at work all the time, and it usually ends up being someone that doesn’t tip me.  Also, Ted Nugent is insane and a Michiganian like myself.  The album art is trippy and cool looking.  Finally, the background of their bandcamp makes me start laughing for some reason.  These guys are what Charlie Sheen would call “winning”.  Fun fact:  By some estimates, approximately 40 percent of Vietnamese have the surname, Nguyen.

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A Million Sunsets EP by Terracotta Blue (2011)

Kind of Like: Robot Science, Air France
Genres: Electronica, Hip-hop, Chillwave
Preview: Bandcamp

This will be the first time I post something first on here instead of blogger because blogger is down right now for the next half hour.  I case anyone has noticed, I really haven’t been posting as much as I used to.  I would like to keep going at that machine-like pace, but I actually have a lot of shit going on in real life right now.  It’s crazy, you know, having a personal life sometimes.  I would like to get back into that groove again soon, but for right now you’re going to have to deal with less updates.

Here is some more chill electronic music to listen to.  It is a lot like Robot Science and has a chillwave feel too it.  The dude that makes this music, Jay, says people that enjoy chillwave like it and so do people that like hip-hop.  I like both of those, so it works out pretty well.

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No Way Down EP by Air France (2008)

Kind of Like: Boat Club, Delorean, Memory Tapes
Genres: Electronica, Ambient, Indie, Pop, Chillwave(?)
Preview: Pitchfork

The track on Pitchfork is a new track from his forthcoming debut LP, and following this little blurb is a download of his 2008 EP, No Way Down.  Not usually big on Pitchfork, but whatevs, I like this.

"Air France is a band from Gothenburg, Sweden. Their music has been described as “post-rave bliss”, “beach foam pop”, and “Balearic disco”, although they refer to their music as, “Disco Dub”. Their No Way Down EP received favorable reviews."
-Last.fm

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Bee Control Self-titled 7 Inch (2011)

Kind of Like: Joan of Arc, Pelican, Milemarker
Genres: Punk, Hardcore
Preview: Punk News


"Bee Control is a hardcore trio composed of Dave Laney (Milemarker, Auxes, Challenger), Trevor de Brauw (Pelican, Tusk, Chord) and Theo Katsaounis (Joan of Arc, Locks, Hey Tonal, et al ad infinitum). The four quick blasts that comprise the tracklisting of the group’s debut 7″ are a distillation of the ferocity and simplicity of early 80′s hardcore with the willful avantisms and lyrical nihilism that informed the mid-90′s punk scene in which these musicians originally got their start. At the core of the EP is a desire to tap into the same fertile soil in which their musical lives originally took root, to recapture and reevaluate their youthful rage with wisened eyes, and to eradicate any misconceptions of middle aged contentment – the bitterness increases by the day."
-Band Blog

I went to the Great Big Pile of Leaves/Joan of Arc show last night.  The Summer Pledge opened, they played all new material and I like how things are going for them.  The lead singer said hopefully their new LP will be out in the fall.  I featured You are You on here already, so check that out.  Destroy this Place was next, and they were a fun little garage rock band.  I will probably feature them on here at some point.  A Great Big Pile of Leaves absolutely killed it.  They played a great collection of songs and it was a blast.  Joan of Arc....was somewhat disappointing.  They had a rough start.  They were using vintage small Fender amps and the one was on the fritz so they had to switch amps.  Then he had to switch guitars as well, and I'm not sure if the second guitar was tuned right because the first song was pretty rough.  They got better as they went along, but they never really carried the energy that a Great Big Pile of Leaves built up.

So, what does this have to do with this album?  Well this seven inch was on Joan of Arc's merch table.  It said "members of Joan of Arc and Pelican" and that sounded like a cool mix to me.  The result is an intense hardcore/punk album.  I know it doesn't sound like the bands that are in the "Kind of Like" but I figured the band members brought all their own influences from their past bands.  And quite frankly I'm feeling lazy.

Also, if you pick up the 7 inch (it's only 5 bucks), Side A is 45 rpm and Side B is 33 rpm.  Which is something I never have really seen before up until now.  Weird.

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Patience, Communication, Understanding, Go EP by Mental Architects (2011)

Kind of Like: Battles, And So I Watch You From Afar, Adebisi Shank
Genres: Math Rock, Post-Rock
Preview: Bandcamp


Mental Architects are a math/post/rock trio which is currently fresh out of the studio for their debut EP.The raw material was recorded in Bulgaria and mixed/ mastered/ produced by Chris Common of These Arms Are Snakes fame at Red Room Recording studios in Seattle. The effort was dedicated to the process of strengthening the relationship of the members within the band. Right now they are in the middle of writing their full length album and Aaron Harris of Isis is going to produce and engineer it.

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Lost in the Glare by Barn Owl (2011)

Kind of Like: Elm, Earth
Genres: Drone, Psychedelic, Ambient, Experimental
Preview: Myspace

"Barn Owl is a drone / psychedelic band from San Francisco, California, formed by Evan Caminiti and Jon Porras (Elm) in 2006."
-Last.fm

“Barn Owl’s specific brand of drone-noise is akin to placing your ear against the Dalai Lama’s stomach and catching the sound of his reincarnation juices flowing”
-LA Weekly

Time for a chill out sesh.  I had a bunch of shit to do today still, but now I kinda just feel like laying around and listening to this.

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Fracture EP by Telepathy (2011)

Kind of Like: Russian Circles, Red Sparowes, Pelican
Genres: Metal, Post-rock, Ambient
Preview: Bandcamp

"Telepathy formed in the summer of 2010, aiming to create a fresh and interesting take on modern heavy music. Combining elements such as complex time signatures, ambience, dynamic textures, post rock guitars and unrelenting heaviness to create a fresh and exciting sound."
-Last.fm

I wouldn't necessarily say this is a very fresh new sound; there are many bands that go for this sound.  Just take a look at the "Kind of Like" part, and there are a bunch more that fall into the whole "post-metal" genre.  That being said, I really dig this EP a lot.  It reminds me of Russian Circles before they started to drift away from what they did on Enter, which is still an amazing album.  I really hope they keep going in this direction in future efforts.

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