Review: Annabel - Now That We're Alive

Label: self-released

Released: Summer 2008

My wife is a great cook. When she makes something, it tastes great, but it also looks great. She tells me that the appearance is important, that the appearance shows that she cares about what she's prepared for us to eat. I may never have thought of that had she not brought it to my attention. I'm too busy stuffing myself with Hippy Burritos to notice, so she doesn't do it to entice me to eat, she does it because she cares about what she's doing.

What does this have to do with record reviews, you ask? Everything if the record is Annabel's Now That We're Alive. You see, before even playing the album, it's clear that they care about what they've done. The CD and card come in a handmade cloth pouch. When was the last time you got a CD in something like that? Probably never, because you just don't come across that many bands who care that deeply for what they've produced and choose to honor their work in a similar fashion. So, before even listening, I'm already impressed.

Of course, the album (like the burritos) has to have more than just a nice exterior or the appearance, no matter how much care went into it, is meaningless. So the question still remains: How is the music?

Annabel play a low-key indie rock that combines hints of both noise and twee pop. The jangley guitars and throbbing bass line of the opening track are instantly engaging, but that does nothing to prepare your ears for "Castles in the Air," a more understated twee-oriented song whose sublime pop sense would make Brian Wilson jealous. They push the pop envelope even further on "Bouquet Mines" whose Woo-ooo's layer pre-Bealtes AM pop over angular rhythms. It says a lot about those two tracks that the Casiotone pop of "...And Elsewhere," which is nearly on par with the Postal Service, is actually a bit of a let down. While the album finishes, as it began, on an edgier note, it's the pair of songs in the middle that make it.

So, like one of my wife's meals, Annabel not only shows that they care enough about their music to wrap it up in a unique and personal package, but that the music itself is worthy of that honor. Better yet, it's great in a way that's almost impossible to pinpoint, so don't bother thinking, just let the pop wash over you.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.


Contact me if you want the recipe. They're seriously good.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Kristina Grossmann of Rock for Health

One of the great things about the Warped Tour is its desire to showcase activist and charitable organizations. Rock for Health is one such organization whose goals center around health care and advice for musicians who are frequently without any resources. Kristina Grossmann, president of Rock for Health, answered a few questions about the organization and its presence on the tour.

RnRnMN: You are a relatively new organization, formed in October of last year. How much have you been able to accomplish in the last 10 months?

KG: ROCK FOR HEALTH has accomplished a great amount in the last 10 months. By December of last year, when we were two months old, we already had Warped Tour confirmed. We received an invitation to SXSW this year, have done numerous press such as FUSE TV and Radio&Records Magazine, locked down a few tours, and have helped countless artists! The organization is growing very quickly - I'm very pleased!


RnRnMN: With the election this year and health care being an increasingly big issue at the state and federal levels, do you do (or hope to do) any advocacy work?

KG: Part of RFH's mission statement is advocating health and preventative care for artists. The biggest misconception about my organization is that we are an insurance provider -which we are not. We partner up with health insurance and health benefit agencies to help artists get affordable care. In advocating preventative care, we work with nutritional companies and other health companies to educate and offer artists healthy alternatives. I created a tour manual for artists that contains locations of free clinics, hospitals, ambulance services, pharmacies, ear/nose/throat doctors, chiropractors - you get the gist - in every major touring city. It also has information on how to stay healthy on the road, such as tour exercises and what to eat when at a gas station. RFH is an organization that makes people thing - "Why didn't I think of that?"


RnRnMN: Is your goal strictly health advice for musicians or do you hope to ultimately provide a means for musicians to obtain health insurance?

KG: One of the companies that we work with is a health benefit agency called MEDILINQ. We have a plan with MEDILINQ that for $39.95 a month, a whole entire band up to 15 members receives 40-60% off on prescription drugs, doctor visits, dental, urgent care, chiropractors, etc. We have already signed a few bands up for this service and they absolutely love it. I had a client save over $600 on a root canal! I have since been dubbed "The Healthcare Angel."

RnRnMN: How has your presence with the Warped Tour helped?

KG: Warped Tour has helped RFH immensely! With over 130 bands on the tour and an average venue size of 15,000 kids, Warped has been great. The best part is seeing how fast the company grows everyday while on the tour. I get more and more people coming up to me on the tour telling me how they heard about us or how they saw a certain artist on the tour wearing one of our shirts. More and more kids buy shirts everyday, more and more artists wear the shirts everyday, and we are helping so many more people in such a short period of time that we ever would have been able to. It's very humbling meeting people that are so genuinely thankful for an organization like this, and seeing the happiness of bands when they find out that someone is
tackling an issue like this. We are the only non-profit on this tour that is for the musicians themselves. With so many bands on the tour and so many people within the scene with connections to other artists, this tour is a no-brainer.


RnRnMN: Have you been able to enjoy the music or has it been all work on the tour?

KG: With me, it's always all work! But I love it. I absolutely get to watch bands on the tour - especially the bands that I am working with. Some of them are so hard to find that sometimes finding them at their set is the only option! I show them support for their support of ROCK FOR HEALTH.


RnRnMN: How do you envision Rock for Health growing over the next few years?

KG: In the future, I would like to have the funds to sponsor research on musician related illnesses, such as an ear/nose/throat doctor studying a singers vocal chords. I'm going to be having ROCK FOR HEALTH sponsored tours, benefit shows, etc, as well as being able to donate money to artists who are in some sort of health bind.


RnRnMN: Other than donations, how can fans help?

KG: To make a donation, you can visit our webpage or myspace. Donations are tax-deductible! Buying tee-shirts also helps, as that money goes into helping the artists. Fans can help by adding me on myspace and volunteering at shows and tours that we participate in. Everything from handing out fliers, posting our banner on your site, wearing tee shirts, to telling people about the organization helps us out so much!



Website

Myspace

Facebook

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: We the Kings

Here's some shots from We the Kings' set at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Song-a-Day 3.0

There are plenty of this-a-day and that-a-day (and don't forget Skull-a-Day) sites out there these days. Matt Green is doing Song-a-Day. It's not an original concept in and of itself, but Green isn't just churning out songs for the sake of it. It's an exercise for him to grow as a songwriter, so he's giving you a glimpse into his own evolution. He's done this before and on July 23rd, he's giving it another shot with Song-a-Day 3.0.

Website

Myspace

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Brian Fallon of the Gaslight Anthem

When you go to a fest like the Warped Tour, there's so many bands that you have to make choices, but the Gaslight Anthem made it easy, because there wasn't anything that could trump catching their set. After a listen to their upcoming album, The '59 Sound, I had high expectations and the band met them. I had a chance to catch up with singer Brian Fallon to find out how the Warped Tour was (this was their last date) and what's up next for them (and a little talk about Springsteen).



RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

BF: The Warped Tour was pretty fun for us. It was hot, but of course it was hot, it's July! We were in a van and trailer, but hey, we make due. We had a good time.


RnRnMN: What made you decide to join the Warped Tour this year? Has it lived up to your expectations?

BF: We did it to see the Bronx for free. We just wanted to do it. It's all about gaining experiences when you're a touring band and the warped tour is definitely an experience. It's really a pretty good time if you don't sit around and complain all day about the heat.


RnRnMN: Are these the biggest crowds you've played for? How does it compare to playing smaller shows?

BF: Actually we were on one of the smallest stages. We get much bigger crowds on our own tours. We really had to fight to get seen, so we just turned the live show up a notch and it worked. By the last day, there were a lot of kids watching us.


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

BF: The Bronx, the Bronx, the Bronx. Amazing!


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

BF: You won't see any other band doing what we do live. I'm not saying we're the best, I'm just saying we're making a noise you don't hear so often nowadays. We've got our hands in the Motown pot. That's where we're drawing from.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

BF: I don't know man. I don't think everything can be mom and pop, but truthfully, I'm not into all that. That's jive to me. To me, it's about treating people right. I haven't gotten that perfect yet myself. When I do, then I'll start pointing fingers. For now, I'm busy trying to sort my own shortcomings out. Everything's sponsored, baseball, everything, but I'm not into all that though. I don't know AT&T from IPods. It's all out of my peripheral right now.


RnRnMN: Your new album, The 59 Sound, is like punk rock Springsteen. Do you guys like Springsteen a lot or is it just something that happens when you grow up in New Jersey?

BF: The Boss is the Boss applesauce.


RnRnMN: Springsteen is clearly not playing punk rock. How do you see the connection between Springsteen and punk? It seems like something that should have been done before. Why do you think that boat's been missed up until now?

BF: You watch live at Hammersmith Odean 1975 DVD and then you see punk rock. I don't think half the kids waving springsteen flags sound like Springsteen, I think there's a bit of a band wagon, tell 'em come down to Asbury Park and spend a few minutes here, then we can talk Bruce.


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

BF: We're going to Australia tomorrow and then Redding and Leeds, then the US from fall to winter. We're road tested, mother approved. Plus, we can't get no real jobs.



Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Gaslight Anthem

Here's some shots from Gaslight Anthem's set at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Toyota Yaris and Urban Outfitters announce latest Free Yr Radio concert dates to benefit independent radio

The Secret Machines, Dave P, Dan Deacon, and Tokyo Police Club added to concert series lineup

Seattle, WA – July, 25 2008 – The Free Yr Radio campaign, created by Toyota Yaris and Urban Outfitters to generate awareness and support for partner independent radio stations, today announced three additional concert dates that will benefit independent radio stations in Philadelphia, Omaha, and Salt Lake City.

Hosted by each partner station, the upcoming Free Yr Radio concerts are free to the public and include:

Philadelphia – Princeton, New Jersey-based WPRB will feature DJ Dave P with The Secret Machines on Tuesday, August 12 at 7 p.m. in the Urban Outfitters store located at 110 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA.

Omaha – KIWR will feature Dan Deacon on Sunday, September 7 at 8 p.m. in Slowdown, a bar and club next door to the Urban Outfitters located at 745 N 14th St., Omaha, NE.

Salt Lake City – KRCL will feature Tokyo Police Club on Wednesday, September 24 in the Urban Outfitters located at 12 S. 400 W. St., Salt Lake City, UT. The time of the show is TBD.

Secret Machines, Dan Deacon and Tokyo Police Club join previously-announced Free Yr Radio 2008 artists White Williams, !!!, Mudhoney, No Age and Yeasayer.

Each aspect of the Free Yr Radio campaign is designed to give partner independent stations tools to build awareness and help raise additional funds from their listener communities. Partner stations co-host concerts as a means to increase exposure, introduce themselves to new listeners, and generate support.

The campaign also features a vehicle sweepstakes that enables stations to award a brand new Yaris to one listener during their fundraising or awareness-boosting activities. The final component of the Free Yr Radio campaign is the benefit compilation album. Slated for release in late summer, this year's compilation will feature tracks donated by participating bands and other artists interested in the mission to support independent radio. All proceeds from the album are divided equally among the participating stations.

All Free Yr Radio concerts are free of charge, though show-goers must print and present an e-ticket (available from www.FreeYrRadio.com) for entry. Guests will be admitted until the venue is full. This year's Free Yr Radio concert series will run from May through October. Details about more of the upcoming concerts—including participating bands and cities—will be announced in the coming months.

"We are very excited to continue building buzz and awareness for independent radio stations across the country by providing fans with unique and memorable concert experiences," said Keith Dahl, National Marketing Manager for Toyota. "Between the exceptional Free Yr Radio concert series and the Yaris giveaway sweepstakes, we’re hopeful that our partner independent stations around the country will generate excitement in their listener communities that will translate into new listeners and additional support."

Another previously announced Free Yr Radio concert is set for Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 30 when independent station The Current hosts a performance by Yeasayer at 7 p.m. in the Urban Outfitters located at 3006 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN.

Review: New Found Glory - Tip of the Iceberg / International Superheroes of Hardcore - Takin' It Ova

Label: Bridge Nine

Released: April 29, 2008

This release finds the latest EP from pop-punks New Found Glory and a full-length from NFG side-project International Superheroes of Hardcore. Without a doubt, NFG are a band that could use a fresh start and a return to writing meaningful songs rather than the sap that made up their major label years. ISHC had a limited release that preceded this, but this is their first exposure to a broader world. So, both bands have something to prove.

NFG's Tip of the Iceberg EP certainly shows more heart than the band has exhibited since 1999's Nothing Gold Can Stay and for the first time, it's more punk than pop. While NFG members have been in these waters before, the band has never been here on record. Most of the songs still have a heavy dose of pop, but it doesn't drown the punk element like NFG have done for years.

The six songs on Tip of the Iceberg include three covers. NFG lighten up Gorilla Biscuits' "No Reason Why" to something akin to early 7 Seconds, but they're even more at home taking on one of Shelter's more melodic moments on "Here We Go Again." But every track, covers and originals alike, certainly has more substance than the band has had in quite some time.

ISHC waste no time separating themselves from NFG's lighter legacy. With a blistering pace and aggressive vocals, they lay down some serious East Coast hardcore grooves along the lines of Madball. It's not the most original work in the genre, but they could hold their own with all but perhaps the top handful of hardcore bands. It's full of heart-on-the-sleeve songs about the scene and the meaning of hardcore and what it means to really live the life. Still, they also exhibit a sense of humor on songs like "Screamo Gotta Go" and that's always refreshing in the all-too-serious world of hardcore.

Tip of the Iceberg/Takin' It Ova is an interesting packaging with pop-punk that hardcore fans can stomach and hardcore that won't scare the pop out of anyone. Both discs show bands at the top of their game and, for NFG anyway, that's somewhere they haven't been in a long time.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

NFG:
Website

Myspace

ISHC:
Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Dillan Wheeler of A Cursive Memory

Barely out of high school, A Cursive Memory is one of several young bands on the Warped Tour. Don't be fooled by their age though, because these guys are already making waves with their debut full-length, Changes, and the fabulous success of their video for the single "Everything." Here's drummer Dillan Wheeler's take on the band's Warped Tour experience.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

DW: A Cursive Memory and the Warped Tour go together better than cheese and crackers. If I had one criticism, it would be the heat on the east coast is too intense, to which I suggest Kevin Lyman turn the sun down a little bit next time.


RnRnMN: What made you decide to join the Warped Tour this year? Has it lived up to your expectations?

DW: We had never done it before and the fact that we were able to play this year made it a done deal. We are just happy to be here. It has definitely exceeded my expectations.


RnRnMN: Are these the biggest crowds you've played for? How does it compare to playing smaller shows?

DW: We have been lucky enough to play to pretty big crowds. The Bamboozle Road Show treated us really nicely in that department. The only difference is with those shows we were a small, new band and got to play for a lot of people who had not heard us before. The cool thing about this tour is that we have had plenty of people stop by, just to see us, when there are other bands playing at the same time. It is encouraging to know that people want to come watch us and it really makes our day.


RnRnMN: You guys are among the tours youngest bands. What benefit do you think there has been for you in touring with bands who have been around longer and have more experience?

DW: Playing with older more experienced bands really makes you check yourself. We got to see how they prepare for a show, the way they transition between songs, how they organize among themselves on stage, and the business aspect of it all. It allows us to constantly reevaluate how we play personally and together as a band.


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

DW: It is way too hard for me to choose one band that is the “best”, but here have been my favorites to watch: Say Anything, Jack’s Mannequin, Set Your Goals, Every Time I Die, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Dr. Manhattan. I love watching Dr. Manhattan. They are absolutely nuts and I love it.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has been called "punk rock summer camp" in the past. Not really being a punk band, do you think that's still an accurate description of the tour? Does it create any tension with so many different kinds of artists? Are there any cliques?

DW: There definitely are cliques, but none of these groups are completely closed off. I haven’t noticed much tension between groups either. It just doesn’t seem like the kind of issue it was in the past where one band was talking trash about another band playing right next to them (i.e. NOFX vs. Underoath). Maybe I just have not been around it if it is happening. Naturally, bands of the same genre know of each other and tend to hang out the most together. I would still say it is like “punk rock summer camp.” No, we are not a “punk band,” although we do incorporate some aspects of the genre into our songs. The truth of the matter is that if there is a band that you think is not “punk” enough to be on the Warped tour, the REAL punk thing to do is not care.


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

DW: People should come see us because if they don’t, they are not invited to my birthday party.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

DW: It is necessary I guess. For all I know the AT&T sponsorship is funding the stage that my favorite band is playing on, so it would be very bold of anyone to yell "sellout."


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

DW: Since we hop off warped tour on the east coast, we are hitting shows on the way back home from 7/29-8/9 and we are getting our fall shows lined up. More soon!



Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Bouncing Souls

No strangers to the Warped Tour, the Bouncing Souls' set didn't disappoint. Here they are at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Review: Protest the Hero - Fortress

Label: Vagrant Records

Released: February 11, 2008

There is a musical gray area that exists between good bands that live within their limitations and great bands that have no limitations. Bands in that gray area are clearly very, very good and deserve credit for their willingness to push the envelope of their sound. At the same time, they get dinged for lacking the self-knowledge to know when to stop pushing and to start concentrating on songwriting rather than theory. These bands avoid the perfection that can be achieved on either side of them and the degree to which they avoid it determines whether their album flirts with greatness or disaster.

Protest the Hero's second full-length album, Fortress, certainly falls into that gray area. These guys' chops far exceed most of their peers'. The rhythms are tight and dynamic, their dual guitar attack can be both lightning fast and beautifully melodic and Rody Walker's vocals are as effective when smooth as when brutal. They incorporate hardcore's brutality and thrash's speed with moments of symphonic metal that actually aren't all that gratuitous. In their best moments they knock on the door of the Mars Volta, but unlike Volta, their songs often lack the cohesiveness that turns experimentation into song. That and perhaps the thinness of the production are the limiting factors of the soaring potential of Fortress.

All members of Protest the Hero are under the legal drinking age (here in the US, but not in their Canadian home), yet they've been playing together for nine years. That may account for both their incredible ability to play together as well as their struggle to write focused songs. For such a young band, they are incredibly literate, writing lyrics that sensible enough to get a feel for the song, yet cryptic enough to keep you guessing. If they could translate that same ability into the music, they would get out of that gray area and do more than just flirt with greatness.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 4/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Shwayze

One of several hip-hop acts on the tour this year, Shwayze's laid back jams and good-time vibe stood out amongst punk, hardcore and emo...and the ladies loved 'em.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

S: Warped has been really cool.. I think over the years its become more diverse, which is great for a group like us. We'll play in between two hardcore bands and still have our fan base in full effect, also we get to touch fans that may not normally be exposed to our music.


RnRnMN: What made you decide to join the Warped Tour this year? Has it lived up to your expectations?

S: When we got the call to do Warped Tour we were stoked to do it. It's been a lot of fun.


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

S: I have to say my boys in 3OH!3, these rappers out of Denver Colorado. Check them out!

RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

S: Because we're the dopest! And all the girls come to our stage!


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

S: A necessary evil. I mean the tour has been going on for 15 years. They must be doing somthing right! Right?


RnRnMN: When you guys played, girls went crazy. It was like you guys were the Beatles. What's up with that?

S: Ha ha. I dont know. Girls were the inspiration while making the record so I would only hope they come to the show.


RnRnMN: I'm a happily married guy. I don't drink or smoke pot. What does Shwayze have to offer me?

S: You don't have to drink or smoke pot to have a good time. Our DJ Skeet Skeet is straight edge, so if you come hang he'll be sober with you and as far as the wife goes...you gotta resist your own temptation playa! Ha ha!


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

S: Another tour! We have some shows lined up with Tyga and Sean Kingston. Also, our TV Show premiers on MTV July 23rd and our record comes out August 19th. Keep an eye out for Shwayze!



Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Shwayze

Shwayze put on a good show at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Video: Confide - "If We Were A Sinking Ship"

Confide "If We Were A Sinking Ship" from Daniel Chesnut on Vimeo.

Myspace

Review: Mad Juana - Acoustic Voodoo

Label: Azra Records

Released: September 11, 2007

I'll make no secret that songs of hopelessness and despair that have no sense of redemption or salvation have an uphill battle to resonate with me. That's not to say that none do, just that it's harder for them, because they run against the grain of my soul. Mad Juana's Acoustic Voodoo is a dark record and runs counter to my nature almost throughout. It's also excellent.

The record is dark and mysterious and downright witchy. It draws heavily on Celtic, Eastern European and even Middle Eastern folk traditions. "Ecstasy" incorporates African jazz and "Steel Will" mixes blues and burlesque with a mantra-like chorus. Their cover of the Velvet Underground's "Venus in Furs" nails the song's sense of worldly depravity. Mad Juana manages to jump around without losing focus, because they maintain their thematic darkness which is more than anything maintained by Karmen Guy's voice. It is at times rich, full, breathy and sensual and always, with one exception, the comparatively uplifting "Ecstasy," vaguely tortured.

Featuring Sami Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks and now New York Dolls fame, one might expect a rock record, so Mad Juana requires a shift. However, despite influences and instrumentation that makes it non-rock, Acoustic Voodoo is very much a rock record. Better yet, it has soul which gives it an underlying hope, even in despair.

Ratings
Satriani: 8/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: The Devil and the Sea - Heart vs Spine

Label: Acerbic Noise Development

Released: January 29, 2008

When an album runs wild, there's not usually a whole lot of middle ground. It's either on the verge of brilliance or on the verge of disaster. The Devil and the Sea are certainly wild. Like Black Flag before them, they take the spirit of free jazz (call it free punk, if you will) and apply it within the sphere of their own genre. Into this mix, they throw early thrash elements, doom and post-metal drone and the vocal stylings of a soul in turmoil.

While the album does rein in its wild abandon for a few tracks, it's at its best when it pushes. The drums are wild, the bass fuzzy and the overall character is manic.
At times, the band seems on the verge of disintegration, but always manages to hold it together by the sheer force of will that pushed the music to its limit in the first place. Heart vs Spine is not a melodic record so much so that the little bit of melody that sneaks in on "My Soul Is My Abacus" is shocking. Instead, it has the slow, lumbering energy of a very large beast that plods deliberately along and then suddenly breaks into a stampede.

Growling has become such a common convention in heavy music that it's almost an instant turn-off, but the Devil and the Sea is one instance where anything less would be inappropriate and, unlike other bands who are simply following the formula, this growl conveys real emotion and the manic fragility of being on the very edge. It goes beyond inarticulate anger and, most importantly, it works. It thrives on being harsh, not smooth.

Plenty of bands go for crazy, but so few succeed. I guess it's just one of those things that's hard to fake. The Devil and the Sea are either really good actors...or they're just nuts. Listen and decide for yourself.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

They And The Children - Tour / Full Album Stream

They and the Children - East Coast Tour (July 25 - Aug 03)
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* In support of debut full-length Home
* Stream the entire album at Punknews.org

Middletown, Connecticut's They and the Children is leaving today for a short tour of the East Coast in support of their debut full-length Home.

The record - which is available in both CD and vinyl formats - was released by Kill Normal on July 1st, 2008. You can pick up a copy from the band on tour or from the label here.

Expanding on TATC's brand of crushing, epic hardcore laid out on their 2005 EP, Thoughts On Becoming a Ghost (Tor Johnson Records), Home is even more bombastic and vibrantly dynamic, alternating between thrash-inspired riffage, slowly-churning, ominous grooves and soaring, melodic interludes. The album is a testament to the band's commitment to the DIY community, as well as a call for solidarity between those of us who realize that society is becoming so commercialized that it can barely be considered a "culture" any more.

Head on over to Punknews.org and stream the album in its entirety. You can also grab two free mp3s for the songs "Mechanical" and "Invisible."

TOUR
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JUL 25 - Wilmington, DE @ 700 Club w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 26 - Richmond, VA @ Rumors w/ Dead Uncles

JUL 27 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Roboto Project w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 29 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Wreck Room w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 30 - Burlington, VT @ Metronome w/ Dead Uncles
JUL 31 - Peterborough, NH @ Peterborough Public Library w/ Dead Uncles

AUG 01 - Boston, MA @ Wadzilla Mansion w/ Dead Uncles
AUG 02 - Providence, RI @ TBA w/ Dead Uncles
AUG 03 - New Haven, CT @ Summerfest

TATC play blazing, fuming anthems, but they also slow the tempo at times, creating labyrinthine efforts that simply are awe-inspiring. - Jersey Beat

TATC have found a point where hardcore, drone and psychedelia meet and the confluence of the three is akin to rocket fuel. - RnRNonsense.com

Home is an epic, sludgy, bubbling blend of crescendo-crammed creation. - Punktastic

Home is a lush and beautiful album with a rough edge. - Late Night Wallflower

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Donovan Welsh of Animo

Animo is one of the Warped Tour's younger bands, but this isn't their first time out. A few years ago, they lobbied Kevin Lyman directly for a shot at playing and they've been out each year since. Here's what bassist Donovan Welsh had to say about this year's tour and what the band is up to otherwise.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

DW: Its been pretty rad. The shows have been great and we have had a limited amount of rain out here. The days are long but its so much fun.


RnRnMN: You had to track down Kevin Lyman to get your first Warped Tour gig. How crucial was that to you as a band?

DW: It was one of the most if not the most crucial part of us keeping the band going. The Warped Tour is the perfect place for a band like ours. The audience knows that there will be new bands to check out, and they are geared towards our type of music. Kevin Lyman allows that to happen.


RnRnMN: How have things on the tour changed since those days?

DW: The bands change but the enviroment has always been cool. The biggest difference I think would be gas prices as they affect evrything to do with touring.


RnRnMN: How does paying to the big Warped Tour crowds compare to playing smaller shows?

DW: Playing Warped Tour is totally different as you have to "win over" the crowd. The competiton out here is thick, and you have a bunch of different stuff happening.


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

DW: Against Me! is the best sounding band out here, they are nearly perfect everyday.


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

DW: Our show rules! Well, you are going to have fun at our show, thats for sure. We give it our all everyday out here and it shows.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

DW: I feel fine about it as it helps keep the ticket prices low and that means kids who don't normally go to shows to see new bands will be at Warped. Where else can you see that many bands for a low price?


RnRnMN: Blood in the Water has been out a few weeks. How has the reaction been?

DW: The reaction has been awesome. The record is selling well and kids are really into the new songs live. The record has been getting really great reviews so thats good.


RnRnMN: Tell me one good story from this year's tour.

DW: They have a sumo wrestling tournament once a week out here with those big suits. Brian, our guitar, player entered the other night and destroyed everyone. The matches are 2 out of 3 and Brian didn't lose once, it was so funny.


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

DW: We are up for a few tours and waiting to hear whats happening with that. But look for us to be on the road in the fall!



Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Relient K

Here's a few from Relient K's set early in the day at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Review: War of Ages - Arise & Conquer

Label: Facedown Records

Released: July 22, 2008

Over the past decade or so, the old notion that Christian rock was just a watered-down attempt to infiltrate youth culture has been dispelled by a new breed of Christian band. Not one that's trying to evangelize by tapping into the latest thing, but one who's intensity is the very expression of their own religious experience. Unlike the Petras and Strypers of the old days, these new bands can reach out to Christians and non-Christians alike, because you can get into the details of the message or just the vibe of their righteous anger and love.

Among this new breed, War of Ages has upped the ante in both aggression and skill, making them a conversion experience unto themselves. That conversion can be anything the listener needs it to be. While their themes are largely religious, they speak in musical terms that anyone can understand. There is a war, between right and wrong, good and evil, truth and lies, and Arise & Conquer brings that war to your stereo. This isn't about out of control anger either. While the whole album just boils over, it is also incredibly tight and uses melody well. The aggression is controlled, but not tempered.

Don't be fooled by the album art either. While it may bring to mind World of Warcraft, this album is not a game. It's the real thing.

Ratings
Satriani: 8/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: John Mellencamp - Life Death Love and Freedom

Label: Hear Music

Released: July 15, 2008

By many, John Mellencamp has long been thought of as kind of a heartland Springsteen and Life Death Love and Freedom won't do much to dispel that notion. However, Mellencamp exercises a grittiness that has long been absent from Springsteen's work. Where the Boss has more than once attempted to recreated the raw honesty of Nebraska and failed, Mellencamp actually succeeds, in his poor man's Springsteen way at least.

Life Death Love and Freedom has the human connections that Mellencamp's best work has thrived on. This time, however, it seems more personal. At 56, he seems too young to be contemplating his own death, but much of the album seems that way. Recurring themes of religion, the afterlife and the passage of time permeate this rootsy, bluesy album. Only "My Sweet Love" is upbeat. The rest of the album ranges from dark rock dirges to melancholy folk.

While Mellencamp isn't as good at introspection as he is at observation, Life Death Love and Freedom is still among his better albums. He doesn't shake his principal influence, but embraces it, so this record doesn't make a case for greatness. But it is honest and easy to connect with.

Here's the video for "My Sweet Love":


My Sweet Love (official) from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Static Radio NJ - An Evening of Bad Decisions

Label: Black Numbers

Released: September 9, 2008

Back in the early 80s, Minor Threat discovered something about hardcore: Melody and intensity aren't mutually exclusive. As seminal as MacKaye and company were, that's still a lesson that's been lost on a lot of bands. But not Static Radio NJ.

An Evening of Bad Decisions finds Static Radio NJ progressing from solid, but common hardcore to the top of the game. They haven't jumped on the metal-core, post-hardcore or (thank God) emo bandwagons. This is hardcore the way it's meant to be played, just a bit more on the melodic side. Sure, songs like "Places" back away from the edge a bit, but even there the emotional level of the record stays high. Unlike so many hardcore albums, this one sings to you, not at you.

The bottom line is the sound is crunchy, the tempo fast and the vocals passionate. All that and you can sing along as well. It's not the next big thing, but it is just about the best thing going.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Aaron Barrett of Reel Big Fish

Reel Big Fish were right in the thick of that third wave of ska ten or so years back, but they're one of the few bands to not only stick around, but to still be vital and their Warped Tour performance on Columbia, MD on July 16th was evidence of that. Singer Aaron Barrett gave me some feedback on why they're still going strong and how the tour has been thus far.


RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

AB: We are having an amazing time on the warped tour! Awesome crowds, lots of great bands and lots of stuff to keep us busy every day!


RnRnMN: How many times have you played the Warped Tour and how has it changed over the years? How does this year compare?

AB: I don't know if it’s just been so long that I don't remember or what but it just seems that the whole thing runs a whole lot more smoothly than ever! The catering is a thousand times better than ever too!


RnRnMN: Ten years ago, ska bands were everywhere, but not so much now. What do you have that's kept you around when so many of your peers have fallen by the wayside?

AB: I think the important thing that has kept us around and going strong is that we never listened to the record company, we listened to the fans! The record labels would cluelessly ask for "modern rock singles" and mixes of songs with "the horns turned off," but we always stuck to what WE wanted to do and we knew that the fans were there supporting us and loving what we did too!


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

AB: Against me, Oreskaband, Gil Mantera's Part Dream


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

AB: Well, luckily for us, a lot of people know about our band and have heard the name, so that might draw them over to our stage while we're playing. Also, our reputation of being fun and entertaining helps bring people over too!


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

AB: Well it has always had corporate sponsors like Vans and such, it's just a way to get more money so that the production is better and everybody can enjoy the experience that much more. It does get kind of annoying to be constantly aurally and visually assaulted by ads everywhere, but that's just the world we live in right now, I guess.
___________________________________________________________

Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Reel Big Fish

Reel Big Fish have been at it awhile, but they haven't lost a step (or their sense of humor). Here they are at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.


See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Video: Gaslight Anthem - "The '59 Sound"

Here's the video for the title track from the Gaslight Anthem's new album, The '59 Sound. Check out the review and pick up a copy.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Jason LaRocca of the Briggs

I was able to catch up with Briggs' guitarist Jason LaRocca to find out how the tour was going, what the reaction has been to their new album, Come All You Madmen, and what's up next.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

JL: Been good, we have our crew of bands that we are having a great time with; The Aggrolites, Against Me!, The Bouncing Souls, Reel Big Fish. It's going very well.


RnRnMN: Have you played Warped Tours in the past? If so, how does this year compare?

JL: We have done bits and pieces of the tour since 2002. I would say that so far this one has been the toughest as far as the punk scene goes. There aren't that many of us out on the tour this year. So far I would say that 2007 was the best line up in my opinion. The tour this year is by no means however bumming me out. It's great. It isn't the same however without a band like Bad Religion on the tour.


RnRnMN: Are these the biggest crowds you've played for?

JL: Some yes, some no. Sometimes we play very early and a lot of our fans miss our set. Sometimes you play right in the middle of the day and play for a thousand people or more.


RnRnMN: How does it compare to playing smaller shows?

JL: The smaller shows are great. They are intimate and always are a great time. It is fun though to be able to see so much music in the course of a single day. It's a different animal.


RnRnMN: How has the reaction been to the songs off the new album, Come All You Madmen?

JL: A lot better than I was expecting. Even before the record came out when we started the tour there were tons of kids singing along to the new songs. That is a great feeling!!


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

JL: Dillinger Escape Plan


RnRnMN: There are a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

JL: Well, in the first place someone who is coming to see a punk show only has about four bands to choose from this year. It actually makes the decision process nice and easy.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

JL: All I know is that I show up and there is a stage and a bunch of kids and we go completely fucking nuts and that's that. It doesn't really affect my world any different than any other "non-sponsored" show would. Maybe it's nicer to someone else's pocket? But not mine.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour used to be called "punk rock summer camp." It sounds like that's no longer an accurate description. Do you think this is the year that changed?

JL: Yes. We are the odd band out on this tour. It feels very strange. The Bouncing Souls are out for a few days though and that's cool. Other than that it's just us, The Aggrolites and Pennywise.


RnRnMN: Has it created hard feelings or dissension within the tour?

JL: Well I don't think that we are very well liked by most of the bands. We call out some of the bands we hate on tour while we are on stage. That hasn't gone over very well with some of the other bands on tour. Oh well!


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

JL: Leeds and Reading Fest in the UK with Rage Against The Machine!



Check out the Briggs' latest video for "Charge At The Sun".

Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Annabel - Summer of Fun Tour (July 23 - Aug 02)

* Tour of Southeast with Delay begins today
* In support of debut EP Now That We're Alive


Beginning today, Annabel (Kent, OH) is hitting the road for a little southern lovin' in support of its well-received debut EP Now That We're Alive. Playing an infectious brand of indie pop laced with feverish melodies, Annabel balances it all with post-punk dynamics that convey a heightened sense of urgency. The trio takes the best from several different genres, forging their own unique path as Now That We're Alive shines a bright light on the band's future.

Check out a free mp3s for the song "Boquet Mines."

You can also watch Annabel's Pink Couch Session where they perform a great acoustic version of "Parade Rest." The video comes courtesy of the always entertaining and endlessly explorable If You Make It.

TOUR
-------------------------------------------------------

JUL 23 - Durham, NC @ Bull City Headquarters w/ Delay, Friendly Fire, Resist Not
JUL 24 - Saint Augustine, FL @ Nobby's Sports Bar w/ Delay, The Winslows, Cough, Dark Castle
JUL 25 - Jacksonville, FL @ Shanty Town Pub w/ Delay, Monikers
JUL 26 - Orlando, FL @ The Black Box Collective w/ Delay, Monikers
JUL 27 - Naples, FL @ TBA w/ Delay
JUL 28 - Tampa, FL @ Skate Park of Tampa w/ The Tim Version, New Bruises, Inertia!, Crow's Path
JUL 29 - Gainesville, FL @ Wayward Council w/ Jammy Dodgers
JUL 30 - Tallahassee, FL @ Oafhouse
JUL 31 - Pensacola, FL @ Sluggo's w/ Delay
AUG 01 - Atlanta, GA @ 141 Moreland w/ Delay, Shang-A-Lang, Jonsin'
AUG 02 - Athens, GA @ The Hangar w/ Delay, Nana Grizol

A collection of infectious indie pop tunes with sharp melodies, released just in time to serve as the soundtrack for the spring and summer months. - Absolutepunk

Packing in driving, spiraling shoegaze guitars with the vocals hidden behind the ever so pleasant sounds they deliver. Highly recommended! - Collective Zine

Songs explode with lush layers of harmony vocals that take your breath away. This is a record you should own. - Jersey Beat

Annabel have the cojones to stand with some of the powerhouses in indie and post-rock. - Pastepunk

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Angels and Airwaves

This set is from Angels and Airwaves' set on the Highway 1 stage.



See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

War of Ages on tour, Arise and Conquer out today!

From Facedown Records:

Today we are happy to finally announce the release of the highly anticipated War of Ages album Arise and Conquer! War of Ages' collaboration with Tim Lambesis has produced incredible results and now you can hear the album in its entirety. See the Facedown website for more information on where to pick up a copy of Arise and Conquer. High quality DRM-free mp3s are also available directly from the Facedown site.

War of Ages is finishing up the Scream the Prayer tour right now in the northwest and will then play a couple of cd release shows in Erie, PA in August before they head out on the road again with Oh, Sleeper.


TOUR DATES:

July 22 - Portland, OR @ Rock N Roll Pizza
July 23 - Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
July 24 - Spokane, WA @ Service Station
July 25 - Boise, ID @ The Venue
July 26 - Orangevale, CA @ Club Retro
Aug. 8 – Erie, PA @ Forward Hall
Aug. 9 – Erie, PA @ Forward Hall

(Aug. 11 – 24 w/ Oh Sleeper, A Kiss For Jersey, Agraceful)
Aug. 12 - Chattanooga, TN @ The Warehouse
Aug. 13 - Toledo, OH @ Frankies
Aug. 14 - Westland, MI @ Skateland West
Aug. 15 - Dover, OH @ The Rock Bottom
Aug. 16 - Lewisberry, PA @ Ski Roundtop(Purple Door Festival)
Aug. 17 - Davidisonville, MD @ Riva Trace
Aug. 18 - Fredericksburg, VA @ The Refuge
Aug. 19 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Club Relevant
Aug. 20 - Raleigh, NC @ The Brewery
Aug. 21 - Pilot Mountain,NC @ Downtown Pilot Mountain
Aug. 22 - Danville, VA @ Plan B
Aug. 23 - Jacksonville, NC @ Jacksonville USO
Aug. 24 - Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
Aug. 25 - Jacksonville, FL @ Fuel Coffeehouse
Aug. 26 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
Aug. 27 - Pensacola, FL @ The Red Door w/ In Fear and Faith
Aug. 28 - Metairie, LA @ The High Ground w/ In Fear and Faith

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Cory Brandan of Norma Jean

Norma Jean is no stranger to touring festivals. They're one of the few bands that have played both Ozzfest and the Warped Tour. I caught their set at the tour stop in Columbia, MD on July 16th and they tore it up. I got a chance to check in with vocalist Cory Brandan to see how the tour has been going and what else is going on with the band.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

CB: She has been really good to us. She makes us pancakes every morning and showers us with gifts… it’s been a good time needless to say.


RnRnMN: You've also played Ozzfest. How do the two tours compare? Do you have a preference?

CB: They don’t really, two totally different vibes. The age difference alone will make you explode… or at least think really hard about how different the ages are. I honestly prefer Warped though. We have had such a good response on this tour.


RnRnMN: What did you expect from the Warped Tour going in? Has it lived up to your expectations?

CB: We played five dates last year and loved it. We had no real expectations but whatever they were I am sure that they were surpassed. This tour rules. How much more do I need to pump up this tour really??


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

CB: I would definitely say Every Time I Die, they are some of our best friends in the world and it just so happens that they have one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen.


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get there and look at the schedule. Theres no way to see everyone. Why should someone see you?

CB: If you come see Norma Jean it will rain million dollar bills and ice cream. You won’t be hot at all and your God will suddenly know English. I don’t know… it’s a freakin party though.


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

CB: I have no problem with that at all. They are supporting this tour and these bands ultimately, including Norma Jean, so we have no complaints. I think it’s actually really great they are supporting music.


RnRnMN: For years, Christian rock meant things like Stryper and Petra as well as a host of Christian pop artists that just never seemed all that inspiring or intense. Over the last decade or so though, there seems to be an increasing number of Christian bands playing very heavy and intense music like Demon Hunter, Spitfire, you and others. What do you think accounts for that? Is there any conflict between rock and roll and Christianity?

CB: Not at all… something I always tell people is that a sound can’t hold a belief. Whether its whistling, clapping, humming or a riff. A sound can’t be Christian or non-Christian, good or evil. It’s music. The content behind the music is a different story, but even then we are no different from our peers… we sing about what we believe in as most bands do.


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

CB: Our new record The Anti Mother comes out on August 5th in stores and online everywhere. We will be playing this years Revelation Generation festival in New Jersey, after that we be headlining the US on the Solid State Records tour this fall. Heck yeah!!

__________________________________________________________

Website

Myspace

See all of my coverage from the Warped Tour in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Warped Tour 2008 Pictures: Every Time I Die

Here's a few from Every Time I Die's blistering set at the Warped Tour, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD on 7/16/2008.

Review: Cinematic Sunrise - A Coloring Storybook and Long Playing Record

Label: Equal Vision

Released: May 13, 2008

The presense of Chiodos' Craig Owens and Bradley Bell will likely lead listeners to expect that band's bold and expansive offshoot from hardcore, but nothing could be further from Cinematic Sunrise. This project replaces punch with pop and challenges with safety. While that might not make every Chiodos fan happy, it at least gives this side-project a purpose and life of its own.

Cinematic Sunrise leans heavily on 80s pop style and production values and mixes it up with more recent emo crunchiness without creating a harder sound. Whether they're drawing on 80s piano-pop or folk-pop along the lines of the Church, it all taps into that long tradition of teenage drama songs.

These songs are all well-played, but lite and that begs the question: Is the material believable? The hooks make me want to believe, yet they're just so slick that there's that nagging feeling that there isn't much under the surface. Perhaps the answer comes on the EP's final track, "You Told Me You Loved Me." It rings about as true as "Sister Christian" and makes me think more of those K-Tel collections from the 80s that compiled "rock's sensitive side."

While the songs are well-crafted and the packaging (see below) shows a great sense of childlike fun, in the end they are, like the band's name implies, ultimately just an image even when they seem beautiful.



All that being said, I did catch their set on the Warped Tour and the music has some teeth live. Don't get me wrong, it's still nothing like Chiodos, but some of the slickness is tempered by hints of edginess and a lot of good-natured fun.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 4/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 4/10
Overall: 5/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Warped Tour 2008 Interview: Chap Stique of Family Force 5

Family Force 5 have played all but a few dates on the Warped Tour since it began last month. Their brand of Voltron-inspired electro-punk certainly makes them one of the more unique bands on the tour. I got the chance to catch up with guitarist Chap Stique to see how things have been going.

RnRnMN: How has the Warped Tour been treating you?

CS: It's been incredible! Warped has seen the debut of the Family Force 5000, a 6 foot-tall, 760-pound drum machine that inhales electricity and exhales lightning. It looks like a giant NASA experiment that illuminates when you punch it. So the question isn't, how as the Warped Tour treated us..." it's really, "How has the Family Force 5000 treated Warped Tour?"


RnRnMN: What made you decide to join the Warped Tour this year? Has it lived up to your expectations?

CS: The catering rules, the crowds are insane, and the water comes in a can, so it was a no-brainer decision for us. Warped has certainly lived up to our expectations, but the distinct detail in our tank-top tans has been the most awe-inspiring part thus far.


RnRnMN: Are these the biggest crowds you've played for? How does it compare to playing smaller shows?

CS: No, our crowds were a bit bigger on the Van Halen, U2, Devo, Prince, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, and Family Force 5 tour. We headlined.

We have a blast playing anywhere. Three years ago, our band played a show in Pittsburgh for two people. We bought a bunch of He-man action figures and threw them around the club while we danced on tables and sprinted in circles. It was one of the most amazing shows we've ever done!


RnRnMN: Who is the best band you've seen on the Warped Tour this year?

CS: Maylene and the Sons of Disaster. Those guys kill it every day. They throw a football with the crowd and smash cans on one another's faces throughout the show. Soul Glow sang with them sans shirt last night because Dallas (their lead vocalist) was sick. Crouton and I played air-guitar and stage-dove during the last song.

I also like Norma Jean, Cobra Starship, Story of the Year, and Katy Perry.


RnRnMN: There's a lot of bands to choose from. It's overwhelming when you get here and look at the schedule. Why should someone see you?

CS: Because we dress up in Voltron-esque spacesuits! We also have the biggest drum machine in the universe, and our lead singer wears silver hulk fists that glow in the dark. We have a professional dancer named Xanadu...nobody else has that.

Somebody once said, "Watching Family Force 5 is like watching 5 A-D-D kids who forgot to take their Ritalin and broke into the Red Bull truck." That's a pretty accurate description, except now it's progressed to being like 5 A-D-D kids in the future that forgot to take their electrons, and their shocking the system!


RnRnMN: The Warped Tour has corporate sponsors like AT&T. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing, a necessary evil or a sellout?

CS: Although a lot of Warped Tour kids don't think it's "punk" to create a partnership with a company (I respect and understand this stance), they don't realize that without the help of companies like AT&T, Hurley, and Monster, their favorite bands aren't able to eat. It's definitely crappy when bands or tours become overly corporate and lose their identities or compromise their beliefs, but partnering with other companies is essential in an era in which record labels are dying and album sales are plummeting. Sponsors are the new labels, and without them, artists won't be able to tour or record.


RnRnMN: You're considered a Christian band, but your songs contain little overt Christian lyrics. Is that by design or just the way you write? Do feel like you can reach more people by keeping the direct religious references to a minimum?

CS: Christian music has pigeon-holed itself into a predictable formula, and we strive to break out of that mold. God is much bigger than JPM (Jesus' per minute)'s and watered-down, cuss-word-free versions of mainstream pop music. We try to convey that in our message. Jesus didn't simply give answers: he spoke in enigmatic parables that made people think. We feel that Christianity and Christian music should do the same.

Family Force 5 tries to be real and to be relevant. We have written a lot of songs about faith and spiritual experiences ("Luv Addict," "Replace Me," "Radiator," "Face Down," "Never Let Me Go," etc.), but plenty of our tunes are about break-dancing and ex-girlfriends! Our hearts don't desire to have big alter-calls. We'd rather hug a kid who might not normally get a hug than beat him or her over the head with a Bible. We don't believe that statistics reach people the way relationships do, so we spend a lot of time writing our fans, hanging out with them, and giving them high-5's. We find a lot of significance in these interactions.


RnRnMN: Christian bands have made serious inroads into both the punk and metal scenes. What bands do you think have done the most to accomplish that? How do you see your role in that scene?

CS: Stryper, DC Talk, and Jars of Clay were some of the first Christian rockers to gain acceptance from the mainstream audience. They paved the way for the next stream of bands like MXPX, Blindside, and Zao. Now, it's becoming more and more common for spiritual bands to appear on tours like Warped, Ozzfest, etc. Underoath, Norma Jean, The Devil Wears Prada, Anberlin, and countless others are continuing to accomplish similar feats, but each in their own unique way.

Throughout this gradual growth, we have watched the purpose of Christian music change. It used to serve as a safe alternative that allowed kids to listen to music without foul language or explicit material. Now, we hope that it goes much deeper and follows an inclusive approach that allows people to connect on deep, personal levels. We want Family Force 5 to resonate with anybody, and to be relevant to people of any faith, race, gender, or galaxy. We don't want to sound melodramatic, but we're a part of a movement, and we hope that the movement will tear away the box that has been put around "Christian" culture and music. Family Force 5 would rather see the word “Christian” be used as a noun than an adjective.


RnRnMN: What should we expect from the new album, Dance or Die? When will it be available?

CS: Bombs, lasers, explosions, aliens, robots, and love. It's available August 19 in Hot Topic, Best Buy, Wal Mart, iTunes, and hopefully many other locations.


RnRnMN: What are your plans after the Warped Tour?

CS: We start our headlining club tour (called Dance Rawr Dance II) on October 6. It will feature Play Radio Play, Ultraviolet Sound, and Danger Radio. We just had a production meeting for the tour last night, and it's going to be crazier than a Kiss show!

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Website

See all of my coverage from Warped Tour date in Columbia, MD on July 16, 2008 here.

Review: Billy Idol - Idolize Yourself: The Very Best of Billy Idol

Label: Capitol Records

Released: June 24, 2008

Billy Idol's early career in Generation X is of questionable importance, even in the UK where they had a handful of charting singles. If you like early British punk, Generation X put out a couple records worth hearing, but neither is a definitive album in any way. It was as a solo artist however, that Idol found his niche by melding his punk roots with two burgeoning sounds of the early 80s: guitar-driven hard rock and danceable synth pop.

The best material on Idolize Yourself is really in the first seven tracks, culled from his self-titled album and Rebel Yell. Whiplash Smile gives old rock n roll an 80s production treatment which in retrospect does it no favors. It's listenable, but also forgettable. Things things go downhill from there until Idol sinks to his lowest with his butchering of "LA Woman" and the title track to the Speed soundtrack. However, "World Comin' Down," from 2005's quickly forgotten Devil's Playground and two new tracks are pleasant surprises (at least relatively speaking) to close the album.

One thing that often gets lost in the overly commercial legacy of Billy Idol is that he had a pretty good guitarist with him through it all. Someone once said to me that Steve Stevens was doing for electronic effects what Hendrix did for distortion. That's an overstatement, but not an overly dramatic one. Stevens was more than just another flashy guitarist from a period that churned them out as fast as their ridiculous runs up and down the fretboard. He did a lot with effects to give himself a distinctive sound and his playing is perhaps the music's most valuable element.

To really put Idol's career into perspective, Idolize Yourself comes with a DVD collection of his music videos. From the low-budget charm of "Dancing with Myself" to the high-end production of "Cradle of Love" an "LA Woman," the DVD shows both why Idol was such a big hit in the early days of music videos as well as the quick progression of those videos from inexpensive promotional material to big-budget mini-movies. He simply wasn't timid about making silly videos with not just a straight face, but a believable commitment that prouder artists would have balked at. "White Wedding" for instance is pleasantly goofy now, but 25 years ago (when I was 12 mind you), it was cool and it remains a classic of the golden age of music video. Billy Idol was one of the first rock artists to fully embrace the video age and he's continued to reap the benefits of that early foresight. In fact, Idol's image was so ubiquitous at the time, that we all forgot he stole that sneering lip from Elvis. Without the DVD, this hits retrospective would only give a small, very limited picture of Billy Idol. With it, however, the package is really all the Billy Idol you need (and then some).

Whether Billy Idol was a commercial visionary or just a major label tool, he remains an icon of 80s rock. Not one of his albums is essential, but his continued presence in my generation's collective conscience makes a collection like this convenient and worthwhile, particularly with the DVD.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 4/10
Overall: 6/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

One Small Step for Landmines release Good Men Die Young and I'm Not Feeling Well digital EP

One Small Step for Landmines Good Men Die Young And I'm Not Feeling Well - Digital EP Out Now
-------------------------------------------------------
* Includes title track, Jim Ward cover, unreleased B-side


One Small Step For Landmines (Tallahassee, F.L.) has just released a digital EP for the single "Good Men Die Young And I'm Not Feeling Well." In total, the EP contains the title track, a cover version of "Good Men Die Young" by Jim Ward (Sparta / Sleepercar) and an unreleased B-side from the band's 2007 Self-titled full-length which features guest vocals from Look Mexico's Matt Agrella.

For pure downloading rapture, click here.

Additionally, you can check out a video of "Good Men Die Young" here. It was conceived and directed by Jerrod Landon Porter, who also also designed the art for the EP. There are plans for a seven-inch version of the EP later this year as well. It will feature a bonus fourth track - a cover of "Girlfriend In A Coma" by the Smiths.

In other news, front man Kevin Allen recently recorded a few new songs in Los Angeles with drummer Tony Hajjar (Sparta, At The Drive In) and Sol Snyder (Year of the Rabbit) on bass duty. More news on the future of those tracks soon...

One Small Step For Landmines' Self-titled debut full-length was released in September of 2007 by Doghouse imprint Civil Defense League. Angular-yet-driving rock built around unforgettable melodies, massively catchy songs and a propulsive rhythm section, this Florida three piece is dynamically compelling as they are unpredictable and explosive.

"Take Me, Seriously" mp3

- One Small Step For Landmines have done something very, very right with their debut. - For The Sound

- A prime example of how to promote joy and quality in pop music, two essential qualities all too often forgotten. - New-Noise

- Landmines churns out fun, straight ahead rock, but there is a deeper significance to their work that makes this so compelling. - Jersey Beat

- An astonishingly energetic and fresh piece of work that makes the overwrought whining of the haircut bands look irrelevant and tired. - Subba-Cultcha

- Boasting pleasantly unexpected complexities - off-kilter drumbeats, bittersweet melodies and a certain battered charm - watch out for this trio. - Rock Sound

Review: David Bowie - Live Santa Monica '72

Label: Virgin

Released: July 22, 2008

This set has long been known to Bowie fans, because of its quality and accessibility (it was broadcast on LA's now-defunct KMET after all). But there's more to it than just that. The show finds Bowie on his first US tour, completely immersed in his new Ziggy Stardust persona and at the first of his several artistic peaks. As far as his live performances go, his later, more refined periods probably couldn't match this for theatrics and raw power.

The great thing about Live Santa Monica '72 is that it captures Bowie's flamboyance, but also reveals the substance beneath. Without the benefit of a visual, the album still shows just how over-the-top the Spiders from Mars were. In the middle of the set, three acoustic tracks scale things back and make the set more intimate without losing its drama. Bowie's fearless improvisation of the things he couldn't bring from the studio to the live setting show tremendous trust for his music.

Something else of interest on Live Santa Monica '72 is that it makes two things even more clear than they are on his studio albums. First, he was heavily influenced by the Velvet Underground. His cover of "Waiting for the Man" is far from the only evidence of the connection as Bowie dips into Lou Reed's arty minimalism over the full course of the concert. Second, Bowie was a huge influence on punk. The raw energy and disregard for perfection on this album had to be an injection into the already bloated world of rock music. Even the extended jam of "The Width of a Circle" maintains an intensity that doesn't let up over its 10 minutes.

This had to be a pretty incredible time to see David Bowie and even though I'm sure the recording pales in comparison to being there, it manages to convey an amazing breadth of what he was doing. It's raw, yet theatrical. It's flamboyant, but never grandiose.

Check out that ticket on the album cover. Wouldn't you love to see Bowie for $5.50 today?!?!?

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 8/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Vans Warped Tour 2008!

I spent all day yesterday enjoying plenty of sunshine and rock and roll at the Baltimore/Washington stop of the Vans Warped Tour. Coverage and pictures are on the way, but here's a quick shot of the huge circle pit that the Street Dogs had going around the sound tent.



See all of my Warped Tour coverage here.

Review: Mötley Crüe - Saints of Los Angeles

Label: Motley Records
Released: June 24, 2008

What should we expect from Mötley Crüe at this point? They're 25 years past their prime and they certainly didn't continue to release material worthy of their recent resurgence over the years. On the other hand, they did manage to bounce back once and make a decent album with 1989's Dr Feelgood after a pair of stinkers (despite those albums' fantastic commercial success). The recent Carnival of Sins live album showed that they had enough life to put together an entertaining live set, but there they thrived on old material. At this point, Saints of Los Angeles is a crap shoot. It could go either way.

The reality is that it goes both ways. While the Crüe never even comes close to their prime, they do manage to come pretty close to their late 80s second wind at times. Maybe I'm just grateful that "Welcome to the Machine" isn't a Pink Floyd cover, but it's the first time on the album that I think the band sounds energized. Following it up with "Just Another Psycho" isn't a bad one-two punch and for a few minutes, the album really seems to be on track. They release that energy on a few tracks down the back stretch, but none more so than the closer, "Goin' Out Swingin'," which comes close to the calculated energy of "Dr Feelgood" or "Kickstart My Heart." Most of the time though, the songs just never get a good head of steam to give the impression at least that the album matters to the band. Vince Neil is particularly guilty as his voice is erratic at best. He does sound good at times, but just as often, his voice is thin and hollow.

They do attempt to incorporate some of the things that have happened since they were a good band, but the updated sound does them no favors. "Mutherfucker of the Year," for instance, incorporates a lot of the electronic effects that have been adopted by more recent rock and metal bands, but it's kludgey and unnatural. Creatively, there's simply not much that works, leaving the Crüe at their best when trying to recreate the past.

Lyrically, songs like "Chicks=Trouble" find the band at the very pinnacle of their stupidity while the we-have-to-fight-our-way-to-the-top theme of "What's It Gonna Take" couldn't even be believed by the most naive fan. While the reminiscences of "Down at the Whiskey" may have some roots in the truth, it's a rosy recollection of behavior so moronic that it simply couldn't have been that good.

In the end, Saints of Los Angeles has a few moments that aren't bad for four old guys, but the reality is still that they are way past their prime. When they try to update their sound, they fail, and when they try to relive their past, it's just a reminder of how much time has passed.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 4/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 3/10
Overall: 4/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Tanya Tagaq - Auk ~ Blood

Label: Jericho Beach

Released: July 29, 2008

When I was 16, my parents took me on a trip out West. On that trip, we spent three days at the Grand Canyon. Oddly enough, it wasn't the most striking thing I saw on that trip, not because it wasn't amazing, but because it was just too much to take in at once. The beauty of the Grand Canyon was unlike anything I'd ever seen before, too much to be appreciated in three short days. Ever since, I've wanted to return to see it again and let it sink in. That's kind of the way I feel about Tanya Tagaq's Auk~Blood. There's so much going on and it's so unlike everything else that I can't quite get my head around it. And I want to return over and over.

The album is avant garde to the extreme. Tagaq is, after all, one of the only Inuit throat singers to work as a soloist. While throat singing is a vital part of her music, it isn't that obscure practice alone that makes Auk ~ Blood though. There are songs here, not just experiments or vehicles for her voice. It's not an easy listen, but there is definite substance and passion and emotion that is worth the time to discover. The two tracks featuring Buck 65 are certainly more down to earth, but even their hip-hop leanings don't exactly make this radio friendly. It takes time.

So often, experimental music loses its sense of song and its soul. Tagaq navigates successfully past both perils. These songs are out there on the fringes without a doubt, yet they're consistently cohesive, pushing to the limits without breaking down the structure into something entirely inaccessible. The songs have an emotional character, particularly evidenced by the conflict between desire and naivité in "Hunger." Perhaps it is the ancient tradition of which she is a part mixed with her experimentalism, but the album is at once primal and sophisticated. Even a guest appearance by none other than Mike Patton could easily slip by. Tagaq is simply good enough to assimilate him.

It takes time, but come back to see the strange beauty of this album grow. It's just too much to expect to appreciate all at once.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 8/10

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If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Son of Dave - 03

Label: Sparks Music

Released: August 12, 2008

In a world that is so often style over substance, it's easy to get caught up in something clever only to find that there's no substance under the covers. Having been bit more than a few times, it's also easy to go to the other extreme and forget there are artists out there like Beck and They Might Be Giants and the late (and sadly underknown) Logan Whitehurst...and now, Son of Dave.

Son of Dave (ex-Crash Test Dummies guitarist/mandolin player, Benjamin Darvill) creates a quirky melting pot of folk and funk, country and hip-hop with a healthy dose of blues and ZZ Top Texas boogie. From the gospel-heavy "Your Mercedes (Intro)" to shuffling blues of "Roller Boogie," the album takes gritty, everyman folk music and mixes it with funk and hip-hop beats. The thing is, this isn't folk music with samples of funk hits or synth beats. The loops themselves are as organic as the pure folk elements, just used in a manner that still manages to be as funky as the best hip-hop can deliver.

Son of Dave's cover of "Lowrider" discards the most common interpretations of the song and re-creates it in a way that exhibits a deep understanding of its nature. That really illustrates what makes Son of Dave more than just some novelty act. Sure, the music is clever on the surface, but beneath that, there's something real, an understanding and appreciation for music, to come back to long after the novelty wears off.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

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Review: Judas Priest - Nostradamus

Label: Epic

Released: June 17, 2008

By basing their latest album on the life of the famous 16th Century French clairvoyant, Judas Priest opened themselves up to a wide variety of clever (and not-so-clever) quips. In anticipation of the release, I think I've gotten most of that out of my system over the last few months. Nonetheless, I will do something special for this review: I'll write two, one (in the spirit of Nostradamus' foretelling of disaster) will be a prediction before I listen and the other a reaction after I listen. In the end, I guess we'll see if I share any of Nostradamus' gifts. (Would that make me Nostrabobus?)

Prediction: While Judas Priest is surely one of the giants of heavy metal (in the shadow of perhaps only Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath), their recent history isn't that inspiring. When Rob Halford left, they replaced him with Ripper Owens, a guy who was making his money trying to sound like Halford in a cover band. That doesn't exactly show a desire to move on. The non-Halford albums apparently weren't anything to get excited about, but Halford's return on 2005's Angel of Retribution proved that Halford wasn't the only missing ingredient. So, Judas Priest is coming off of their sketchiest period since 1986's Turbo and what do they decide to do to rejuvenate themselves? They make a concept album (and a long one at that) about perhaps the silliest, most clichéd subject they could find. They may just as well have written a concept album about Sasquatch (of course at least that one would have the potential for humor). So, my prediction, whether calculated or clairvoyant, is that Nostradamus will be an overwrought, egotistical debacle. I believe that it will be long on pretentious attempts at high art so to speak and short on the concise, driving metal that made Judas Priest great. The lyrics will be silly, yet will also be taken way too seriously by the band, as if the story of Nostradamus is important to history and philosophy rather than just just a persistent pop culture fascination. Basically, the album is gonna suck.

Review: First of all, what's up with all the synth? More than once, I expected Judas Priest to break in "The Final Countdown." A Judas Priest album should never make me think of Europe. And where are the songs that the album is structured around? I understand that a concept album is a different animal and I won't begrudge a good one a few extra filler songs that can't stand on their own, but Nostradamus is over 100 minutes long, so it needs more than a few songs to be standouts. As it is, there are only a couple songs that actually have any focus. Aside from those, there are just so-so Priest moments adrift in an otherwise aimless album. Those two forgivable songs have Priest pretending to be their metal rivals from 25 years ago. It seems a shame that band who did so much to establish their own sound, and an oft-copied one at that, should release an album whose best songs wear their Maiden-envy on their sleeves. Rob Halford's voice is still among the best in metal, but if he wants to make an album like this, perhaps he should try opera instead.

All of that makes for a bad album, but their is a more fundamental problem. I'd be glad to see Judas Priest push past their established sound and stretch out into new territory, making a case for their continued existence. However, it isn't their music that they were trying to stretch here, it was their egos. I can't help but think that Priest wanted to prove that they weren't just a bunch of "dumb metalheads," but perhaps they should have consulted Iron Maiden about more than just their sound, because Maiden based songs on epic poems, history and the Book of Revelations. Judas Priest wants us to take Nostradamus, based on what amounts to a persistent pop culture icon, just as seriously. As much as the lackluster, unfocused music, the overly processed sound and the bow to their rivals are bad, their attempt to pass off the story of Nostradamus as a serious topic is just insulting. Maybe they are just "dumb metalheads."

So, am I Nostrabobus? Perhaps. My prediction was fairly accurate, but probably more due reason than any sixth sense, and like Nostradamus, being a little vague didn't hurt my cause. So, clairvoyant or not, there's one thing I know: Nostradamus is awful.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 4/10
Dylan: 3/10
Aretha: 1/10
Overall: 2/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: The Feelings Mutual - s/t

Label: Ares Records

Released: June 24, 2008

The Feelings Mutual take off where 90s alt rock left off, adding some hard rock riffs to hints of both darkness and pop gloss around each turn. They open with the riff-heavy rock of "Monolith," but quickly scale that back into slower guitar-driven pop. At times they hint at Queens of the Stone Age, but lack Josh Homme's ability to find that intersection of heaviness, quirkiness and catchiness. "Black Cloud Dream" captures Nirvana's dark pop sense, but the chorus is glossier than even Cobain would have been willing to try. "Ring Me Out" even dabbles in the drunk rock swagger of the Replacements. The EP finishes strong with the 80s hooks of "Sleep," but overall it's hard not to think of the bands The Feelings Mutual sounds like rather than concentrating on what they're doing now. The songs are listenable, but simply not distinguishable from the successes of their influences.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 5/10
Overall: 5/10

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Found in the Shuffle: Real Life - "Send Me an Angel"

Song: Send Me an Angel
Artist: Real Life
Album: Heartland

This is perhaps a bit dated, but I've always liked it. It's kind of haunting. I'm not sure that it stands head and shoulders above its over-synthed peers, but it seems to have that...something...that sets it apart. This is the original version from 1983, not the one remixed in 1988.

DVD: Hanoi Rocks - The Nottingham Tapes

Label: MVD Entertainment Group

Released: June 10, 2008

Recorded 24 years ago in England, The Nottingham Tapes finds Hanoi Rocks at the time of their major label debut, but don't expect any of that Bob Ezrin slickness to be a part of this live show. This is more along the lines of a home video. When the lights go down, the screen is nearly black. The camera angles aren't great and at times obscured. Visually, it might not be a great experience. While that does have it's downside, the film's strengths can't be discounted.

Hanoi Rocks were never about high-fidelity and choreography like their watered-down followers, they were about rock n roll purity and that's just what you get here. This is real glam, not a bunch of guys trying to look pretty, but the raw swagger that was once portrayed by the New York Dolls and is now practiced by the Gypsy Pistoleros with few other than Hanoi Rocks in between. The crowd participation on their cover of the Ramones' "Blitzkreig Bop" that closes the show is just more evidence that Hanoi Rocks had a lot more in common with punk than with the pseudo-glam hard rock that permeated the 80s.

Michael Monroe and Andy McCoy are still at it today (with one of last years finest albums, Street Poetry) and they still seem to have plenty of steam, with as much swagger and sleaze as ever. As good as they are on The Nottingham Tapes, I bet they can live up to that today and until they come around, this DVD is a pretty satisfying consolation. For all its lumps, it's as close as you can get to being there for rock n roll at its best.

Rating: 8/10

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

The Gaslight Anthem annouce tour in support of new album

Los Angeles, CA - July 11, 2008. To mark the release of their upcoming album, THE '59 SOUND (SideOneDummy Records) on August 19, The Gaslight Anthem will be hitting the road with American Steel on a co-headlining tour of the Eastern US this September. Polar Bear Club and O Pioneers!!! will round out the bill on separate legs of the tour, which kicks off on September 13 in Columbus, OH and runs through the end of the month.

The Gaslight Anthem have also confirmed album release shows in NYC (Aug 16) and Boston (Aug 17), joined by Polar Bear Club and We're All Broken, as well as in-store performances at Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ and at Looney Tunes in Long Island.

CONFIRMED SHOWS:

Saturday Aug 16 New York, NY - Knitting Factory *
Sunday Aug 17 Boston, MA - Middle East **
Tuesday Aug 19 Fords, NJ - day of release in-store at Vintage Vinyl
Wednesday Aug 20 West Babylon, NY - in-store at Looney Tunes
Saturday Sept 13 Columbus, OH - Bernie's Distillery #
Sunday Sept 14 Cincinnati, OH - Mad Hatter #
Monday Sept 15 Rochester, NY - The Club at Water Street #
Tuesday Sept 16 Albany, NY - Valentine's #
Thursday Sept 18 Wilkes-Barre, PA - Café Metropolis #
Friday Sept 19 Richmond, VA - Canal Club #
Saturday Sept 20 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 #
Sunday Sept 21 Nashville, TN - Exit-In #
Tuesday Sept 23 Jacksonville, FL - Jack Rabbits %
Wednesday Sept 24 Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds %
Friday Sept 26 New Orleans, LA - HOB Parish Room %
Saturday Sept 27 San Antonio, TX - Rock Bottom %

Note: additional dates with American Steel and O Pioneers!!! to follow!

*: w/Polar Bear Club and We're All Broken
**: w/Polar Bear Club, Movers & Shakers and We're All Broken
#: w/American Steel and Polar Bear Club
%: w/American Steel and O Pioneers!!!

Review: Joe Jackson - Volume 4

Label: Rykodisc

Released: March 11, 2003

Joe Jackson is a recent discovery for me. It's not that I've just heard his music for the first time, just that I've only recently spent the time to get to know it and really appreciate it. In the midst of my Joe Jackson discovery, I came across 2003's Volume 4 which finds Jackson reunited with the band that gave us Look Sharp, I'm the Man and Beat Crazy, arguably his three best albums. Like Jackson himself, these guys haven't lost much over the years. They have that rare quality of being top-notch technicians that never lost the ability to play from the heart. They're downright inspiring.

Volume 4 goes back to Jackson's punk roots (don't call it new wave, because that's just too watered down for what Jackson does). "Little Bit Stupid" has all the angular bite of 1977, but still shows that Jackson can pretty much write circles around his peers, past and present. "Love at First Sight" hints at Billy Joel much in the way that earlier hits "Is She Really Going Out with Him" and "Steppin' Out" hint at Rick Springfield and Christopher Cross respectively. While Joel is certainly not so bad as the others, the amazing thing about Joe Jackson is that he gets within a stones throw of artists who've done some pretty egregious work, yet his songs ring with an honesty and edge that keep him solidly on the good (actually outstanding) side of the line. The funky "Fairy Dust" stretches out and gets down. Even a lighter song like "Chrome" has a biting intensity beneath its smooth surfaces.

Is Volume 4 every bit as good as the first three albums recorded by this group of musicians? Not quite. You'd be hard pressed to find a moment of weakness on the first three volumes and there are a few here. However, it does live up to the legacy, because Joe Jackson and company never sound like a bunch of old guys rehashing their past. If all reunions were like this, I certainly wouldn't take such issue with them.

The album comes with a bonus EP of the band performing some of their older favorites live. It might not be Live 1980/86, but it rocks with the same spirit if not the incredible ambition.

For another opinion on this album, check out Chuck's review at Pratt Songs.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

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Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Buffalo Killers new album and tour

BUFFALO KILLERS NEW ALBUM LET IT RIDE IN STORES JULY 22nd
PRODUCED BY DAN AUERBACH OF THE BLACK KEYS

SOLO WEST COAST RUN STARTS JULY 18
OPENING SLOT ON THE BLACK CROWES TOUR THIS FALL
ADDITIONAL U.S. DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED

"Ride simmers, then explodes with the fuzzy psychedelia of southern rockers crowding classic rock playlists, but without sounding dated or overtly derivative." – Cincinnati Magazine

Los Angeles, CA –Cincinnati psychedelic blues trio, Buffalo Killers, will hit the road this summer supporting their soon to be released album Let it Ride on July 22nd. Recently coming off tour with the Black Keys, the Buffalo Killers will begin a solo run of the west coast on July 18th running from Chicago to Seattle and San Francisco to Los Angeles, before opening for the Black Crowes again this fall.

Earlier this year, after wrapping their opening run for the Black Crowes, the Buffalo Killers returned to the Midwest to complete recording sessions in Akron, Ohio with producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys at his Akron Analog studio. The result is a 10-track album titled Let it Ride that remains deeply rooted in their signature 60s psychedelic and 70s blues rock inspired sound.

Drawing comparisons in sound to Blue Cheer, Cream, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Mountain and the Allman Brothers Band, the trio released their self-titled debut to critical raves praising them and their music as "the real raw deal" (Amplifier), "well played sludgy blues-rock" (Variety) and "deftly captures the sweaty, grimy feel of the era's best-loved soul-and blues-influenced rock" (Hartford Courant). Simply said, this is as authentic as they come.

The initial pressing of the Let it Ride vinyl version, limited to 500 copies, includes a bonus "bootleg" live concert LP recorded in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theatre during the Black Crowes tour by Mikey Jones, a fan that taped the concert and sent the band a copy. The six-track set features a mix of songs from both their self-titled debut album and "Let it Ride." Additionally, the Buffalo Killers have posted an outtake from that concert recording, their signature cover of Neil Young’s "Homegrown," on their MySpace page and website. Rolling Stone recently offered a "sneak peek" of the opening track, "Get Together Now Today," online at www.rollingstone.com.

The Buffalo Killers are brothers Zachary (vox/bass) and Andrew Gabbard (vox/guitar) with Joseph Sebaali (drums).

For more information on Alive Records, please visit their website.

Buffalo Killers
Website and Myspace

Buffalo Killers confirmed U.S. tour dates:
July 18 @ Busted Lift - Dubuque, IA
July 19 @ Deep Blues Festival - Lake Elmo, MN
July 23 @ Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
July 24 @ The Aquarium - Fargo, ND
July 26 @ Big Railroad Blues Festival - Livingston, MT
July 28 @ Sunset Tavern - Seattle, WA
July 29 @ Slabtown - Portland, OR
July 30 @ Big Pete’s - Arcata, CA
July 31 @ Hemlock Tavern - San Francisco, CA
August 2 @ Safari Sam’s - Los Angeles, CA
August 5 @ B-Side Lounge - Boulder, CO
August 6 @ Lincoln State Theater - Lincoln, NE
August 15 @ Indie Summer/Fountain Square - Cincinnati, OH
August 16 @ Peach's - Yellow Springs, OH
October 27 @ Hammerstein Ballroom - NY, NY w/The Black Crowes
Nov 8 @ Lincoln Theater - Raleigh, NC w/The Black Crowes
Nov 10 @ Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL w/The Black Crowes
Nov 11 @ House of Blues - Orlando, FL w/The Black Crowes
Nov 12 @ The Fillmore - Miami Beach, FL w/The Black Crowes
Nov 15 @ Alabama Theatre - Birmingham, AL w/The Black Crowes
Nov 16 @ Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN w/The Black Crowes
Nov 18 @ House of Blues - New Orleans, LA w/The Black Crowes
* * * additional dates TBA

Review: Prints - Just Thoughts

Label: Temporary Residence Limited

Released: August 5, 2008

I hear enough Prince on Just Thoughts to make me wonder if Prints is really a clever play on the Purple One's name. Either way, the four tracks on this EP show both similarities and key differences between Prints and Prince.

Prints does manage to find a similar ability to find solid hooks in their synth-laden music just as Prince did, particularly in the 1999 era. These are catchy songs that don't let go easily despite an overall coldness that plagues them. Even on the organic indie pop of "Fire Days," the measured approach has more in common with engineering than creativity. And therein lies the fundamental difference between Prints and Prince (or any other truly great pop songwriter): They think it more than feel it. Where 1999 had deep funk roots that warmed up its cold, processed instrumentation, Just Thoughts lacks a similar heat source.

The songs on Just Thoughts are catchy and memorable, but not always moving because they just come off too cold. So, Prints is halfway there. They have the songs, now they just need to infuse them with life.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 4/10
Overall: 5/10

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Review: Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen - Parasols and Pekingese

Label: Late Bloomers Works

Released: May 31, 2008

One look at the cover of Parasols and Pekingese leaves little doubt where the album is going. It mixes art deco style with the painted effects of a pre-linen postcard. As the cover suggests, Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen look back to simpler, more honest times. There's nothing new in that. Americana bands and folk-punk bands among others have been at it for quite awhile. The better artists are steeped in these days gone by while others just have a kitschy veneer. It doesn't take long (probably a matter of seconds, not minutes) to recognize that Tippy and her band are the former.

From the rollicking rootsy country of "Mass Transmissions" to the dark sensuality of "Sleep, Sleep My Dear" and everything in between, Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen prove that theirs is more than a passing interest in the treasure trove of the past. Tippy's voice can tap both Patsy Cline and Billie Holiday and the Paddlemen themselves are so good they're easy to miss in a sense. There isn't a self-serving note played with all focus on the songs and not the players.

While "Neighbor of the Tell-Tale Heart" is the album's most memorable track with it's rich, old time country sound and undeniable hook, it is perhaps "Champs-Élysées" that gives greatest testament to the band's strength. Anytime, a band can fit the Pretenders into an old-time album this seemlessly, they have to be good, pure and simple.

While looking to the past for inspiration is fairly common these days, Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen easily stand out. Not only is their music completely immersed in the past, but it also exists very much in the present.

Ratings
Satriani: 8/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

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War of Ages on tour

War of Ages continue their summer tour extravaganza as the street date for their new album Arise and Conquer closes in. On the Scream the Prayer Tour with Impending Doom and Sleeping Giant they are plowing through the north east and mid-west before ending up back where they started on the west coast.

After Scream The Prayer, War of Ages will hook up with Oh Sleeper and A Kiss For Jersey for the Stand Your Ground Tour in August.

War of Ages will release the Tim Lambesis-produced Arise and Conquer on July 22. Until then you can check out the new single Through The Flame on the band's myspace.

Stand Your Ground Tour Dates:
Aug 12 – East Ridge, TN @ The Warehouse
Aug 13 – Toledo, OH @ Frankies
Aug 14 – Westland, MI @ Skateland West
Aug 15 – Dover, OH @ The Rock Bottom
Aug 16 – Lewisberry, PA @ Ski Roundtop
Aug 17 – Davidsonville, MD @ Riva Trace
Aug 18 – Fredericksburg, VA @ The Refuge
Aug 19 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Club Relevant
Aug 20 – Raleigh, NC @ The Brewery
Aug 21 – Pilot Mountain, NC @ Downtown Pilot Mountain
Aug 22 – Danville, VA @ Plan B
Aug 23 – Jacksonville, NC @ Jacksonville USO
Aug 24 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
Aug 25 – Jacksonville, FL @ Fuel Coffeehouse
Aug 26 – Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
Aug 27 – Pensacola, FL @ The Red Door
Aug 28 – Metairie, LA @ The High Ground

Review: Catfight - In Stereo

Label: self-released

Released: September 30, 2008

While the album art for Catfight's In Stereo is totally 80s (like, totally), their music spends an awful lot of time in the sixties as well. Eschewing all that is delicate, everything about their songs is based on their simple deliberate rhythms. They don't waste time with frivolities like riffs or solos.

The album starts off with two flat out garage rockers, but takes an angular turn into neo-new wave on "Ready Steady Go" (despite the name, intentionally or not, referencing the British pop music program from the 60s). The album finishes up with "Sheila," a dark, slightly more ethereal new wave tune that is easily their broadest song. Despite being a duo with only guitar and drums to accompany their voices, they sound nothing like the White Stripes or Black Keys who share that odd configuration.

Catfight doesn't cover any ground that hasn't already been remade by the likes of the Strokes and Franz Ferdinand earlier in the decade. They are however intimately involved in their music, writing, performing and producing. Plus, the angles they take are interesting and that makes In Stereo more fun than many of the other bands crowding the field.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 6/10
Overall: 6/10

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Review: Grave Robber - Be Afraid

Label: Retroactive Records

Released: June 9, 2008

I've liked the Misfits (a lot) since I was about 15, even if the themes never quite sat well with me since I'm not a big horror fan and I have little tolerance for the celebration of evil. But the Misfits weren't that serious and the B-movie quality of their music always made it more fun than truly dark. Now Grave Robber provide an even healthier alternative though. They capture a lot of the Ed Wood low budget horror fun of the Misfits, but it's for those of us who don't want to bathe in the devil's rain.

Musically, Grave Robber largely stick to Danzig and company's formula of writing simple rock n roll that is both catchy and dark. Lyrically, their angle is best described as "horror for Jesus," the idea being that these horror themes will reach out to a subset of society abandoned by traditional Christianity. That's what really makes them unique. The music has been done before for the most part, but they're turning the focus of that music onto a new audience.

It's a great idea, but their black and white approach (Hey, I'm a pro-lifer too, but making women the scapegoat for abortion won't gain any ground with those on the fence and it lets guys off way too easy) may drive off those who are skeptical of Christians' ability to put that "judge not, lest ye be judged" thing into practice. Still, for the most part, Grave Robber really is reaching out, much like Christ did, to society's outcasts and that's commendable. On top of that, they make it fun. The masks might be a bit much, but how can you argue with a band that features the likes of Dr Cadaver, Wretched, Lamentor and Plague? That has to be a good time, right?

All in all, Be Afraid is a welcome addition. They're almost as fun as the Misfits and their hearts are in the right place to boot.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

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Review: Hit the Lights - Skip School, Start Fights

Label: Triple Crown Records

Released: July 8, 2008

From the piano pop of the opening track, it's clear that rock n roll isn't high on the agenda for Hit the Lights. Somewhere in the last decade or so, pop punk and emo took a wrong turn and Skip School, Start Fights finds itself pretty far down that unfortunate detour.

There's no doubt that these guys are tight, even after adjusting to guitarist Nick Thompson taking over vocal duties after the departure of Colin Ross. They have the formula nailed. The vocals are just a hair shy of smooth, the guitars are just a tad cleaner than crunchy and the rhythms are just short of driving. Underlying Hit the Lights' pop punk exterior are hints of artists like the Gin Blossoms and Rick Springfield, both of whom were masters of making hollow copies of the real music of their respective times.

If you enjoy your pop a little on the raw and/or whiny side or your punk a whole lot on the safe side, Skip School, Start Fights is a great album. The songs are catchy even if they don't stand out in the emo/pop-punk crowd and the energy level is consistently high, bolstered by plenty of whoa-ohs to which to sing along. The trouble is, if you prefer something with teeth, it doesn't take long to recognize that there's no bite to go along with this bark.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 3/10
Overall: 4/10

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Found in the Shuffle: The Velvet Teen - Chimera Obscurant

Song: Chimera Obscurant
Artist: The Velvet Teen
Album: Elysium

bob_vinyl put this song on a mix CD he made a few years ago. It blew me away, and then I promptly forgot about it. Having it show up on shuffle was like having an old friend show up at my front door.

You can hear it for free at Last.fm.

Review: Beat Union - Disconnected

Label: Science Records

Released: April 22, 2008

Pop punk today is a lot like new wave was almost three decades ago. A few great artists, Elvis Costello, for example, managed to both establish and transcend the genre and in their wake, literally thousands of bands tried to follow. Some, like the Cars, wrote some outstanding songs and broke the strict limits of the genre. Others, like say the Knack, were just knock offs who would play the flavor of the month regardless of what it happened to be. So it is with pop punk as well and Beat Union is among the thousands who are following the likes of NOFX and Weezer.

Now, at this point, I often feel like I'd rather gouge my eyes with a hot poker than listen to the next pop punk contrivance to come down the pike. Beat Union, however, find themselves among pop punk's Cars rather than its Knacks. Disconnected offers up eleven tracks of punk that's so catchy, you'll wonder how they did it. True, there's a thousand bands that sound almost the same, but Beat Union are such masters of the pop hook that it's hard to even put your finger on just what makes them special. In the end, it's really the subtle differences, a note going up instead of down or a stutter in the rhythm, that sets them apart. Interestingly, they frequently channel early Elvis Costello and perhaps it is the lessons they learned from him that give them that sixth sense.

Beat Union doesn't quite transcend their pop-punk and neo-new wave pigeonhole, but they come close at times. That makes them a pretty good listen for even those most skeptical of pop punk's sad addiction to formula. They do stick to the book for the most part, but it's where they deviate that makes them special in a sea of normalcy.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 6/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Totimoshi - Milagrosa

Label:

Released: July 8, 2008

Totimoshi will have a hard time living down the White Stripes comparisons on Milagrosa, but at the same time leaving a description of the album at simply that is incredibly short-sighted. There's no doubt that they've found that same rich, heavy groove as Jack and Meg, but from the first lead break, they start establishing that they're not just some knock-off.

Unlike the White Stripes or Totimoshi's own stoner rock beginnings, Milagrosa overflows with mad psychedelic energy. Not just the really heavy stuff, but also a fair taste of Deadhead psych that they likely came upon filtered through the Meat Puppets. A wall of noise, under the influence of producer Page Hamilton (of Helmet), washes over their psych/hard rock soundscape in waves that alternate with the album's outright trippiness. Even slower tracks like "Last Refrain" (which features harmonies on par with Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains) and the acoustic "Forever in Bone (Los Dos)" maintain an awesome power.

Totimoshi has come quite a way from their beginnings to make an album that draws on a variety of sources to create sonic madness. Milagrosa has the dynamics of a pot ready to boil, that crazy state that's between calm and rage.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

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Happy 4th of July!

Here's a few videos to remind everyone that protest is patriotism.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Fortunate Son"


MC5 - "American Ruse"


COC - "Intervention"


Edwin Starr - "War"


Phil Ochs - "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore"


Patti Smith - "People Have the Power"


Billy Bragg - "Help Save the Youth of America"


Fugazi - "Repeater"


Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"


and last but not least...

Woody Guthrie - "This Land is Your Land"

(I apologize that the really great verse is missing from this version)

Review: Violent Femmes - Crazy

Label: The Secret of Life Records

Released: June 24, 2008

The Violent Femmes return the favor to Gnarls Barkley (who covered "Gone Daddy Gone" on 2006's St Elsewhere) with this EP containing a cover of "Crazy." The trouble with Gnarls Barkley's offering was that it left the song entirely too intact. It sounds fine, but simply does too little to be truly interesting. "Crazy," on the other hand, gets a much larger injection of the Femmes wildly imperfect version of American roots music.

Gordon Gano's voice leaves an indelible mark on everything he touches and this is no exception. The a cappella version (which is really just the vocal track, not a vocal-only arrangement as I had vainly hoped) shows Gano's weaknesses as a vocalist, but as always, those weaknesses are strengths within the Femmes.

The loose sloppiness of the Femmes is certainly a departure from the technically superior Gnarls Barkley version, but even here it would have been nice had they taken it a bit further and really gone out on a limb to create something that has greater standalone value. Nonetheless, theirs is a version worth hearing and the "you cover my song, I'll cover yours" relationship makes this a great novelty (as does the limited edition, beautiful baby blue vinyl!).

Oh yeah, don't be put off if you don't have a turntable, because the fine folks at the label throw in a CD as well.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: 28 Degrees Taurus - How Do You Like Your Love?

Label: self-released

Released: 2008

William Blake divided his poems into Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience to reflect his view of the world before and after that crucial point at which the ugliness of the world becomes apparent. However, Blake left out that gray area in between as experience opens doors (the doors of perception perhaps?), but hasn't yet jaded the eyes and mind and heart.

Capturing both the darkness (check out the harshness of "Crash & Burn") and naiveté of the journey into the unknown gives this whole album the hippie-trippy sense of 60s psychedelia. While songs like "Freeze, Die, Come Back to Life" keep one foot firmly in that 60s haze, How Do You Like Your Love? musically falls more into line with the noise pop of My Bloody Valentine as well as the haunting, ethereal vocals and ambient textures of Lush. Like the echo-drenched voice(s) of "Endless Sea," it is at once both an ambling and persistent advance into a world whose deepening chaos is both frightening and enticing.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: They and the Children - Home

Label: Kill Normal Records

Released: July 1, 2008

There are angry bands and then there are really angry bands. They and the Children are the latter. Their latest offering, Home, cuts right to the chase, brimming over with outright rage from the very start. The intensity level is so high in fact that it's quite a shock that the whole thing doesn't devolve into an inarticulate mess. Perfectly good bands have cracked under less pressure. TATC, however, become more articulate even as the rage factor goes up.

It starts with mix of speed and drone and slowly, subtly layers add to the music's density. The next thing you know, you're simultaneous drowning in hardcore and swimming in psychedelia. By "Invisible," the album's fourth track, the mind-bending space rock is no surprise and, while it provides a breather from the breakneck pace, it by no means takes it easy. In fact, it has perhaps Home's most burning moments.

TATC have found some strange point where hardcore, drone and psychedelia meet and the
confluence of the three turns out to be something akin to rocket fuel. You might get burned along the way, but it's a healing fire.

Ratings
Satriani: 8/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 10/10
Overall: 9/10

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Static Radio NJ on tour (and free mp3s)

Static Radio NJ - Summer Tours (July 02 - 10 / Aug 09 - 19)
-------------------------------------------------------
* In support of debut full-length An Evening Of Bad Decisions
* July tour with Shot Baker begins today
* August tour with Let Me Run
* Pre-order the album now


Static Radio NJ (New Brunswick, N.J.) is hitting the road today for an East Coast tour with Chicago's Shot Baker. The band is also booking an August tour with Let Me Run (XOXO Records).

Both tours are in support of Static Radio NJ's debut full-length An Evening Of Bad Decisions, out later this summer on Black Numbers. You can pre-order the record here or pick up a copy from the band at shows.

An Evening Of Bad Decisions was recorded in Hoboken, New Jersey with acclaimed production company The Machine Shop (Armor For Sleep, Boys Night Out, Every Time I Die). Not only does the album deliver on the foundation laid down by the band's terrific debut EP,One for the Good Guys, it builds a towering skyscraper of soaring melodic punk rock anthems squarely on top of it.

Bad Decisions is the record we all thought Static Radio NJ was capable of making. Sometimes it's nice to be right...

Check out two free mp3s for the songs "Marc" and "Places."

TOUR w/ Shot Baker
-------------------------------------------------------

JUL 02 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Volume Records
JUL 03 - Richmond, VA @ Ramakins
JUL 04 - Charlestown, WV @ Jumpin Java Cafe
JUL 05 - Newark, DE @ The East End Cafe
JUL 06 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes w/ Dead Tired, Tommy Brunett
JUL 07 - New Brunswick, NJ @ Court Tavern (upstairs show!) w/ Chokepoint
JUL 08 - Manchester, NJ @ Ridgeway Firehall
JUL 09 - Providence, RI @ TBA
JUL 10 - Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Loft

TOUR w/ Let Me Run
-------------------------------------------------------
AUG 09 - Locustdale, PA @ Locust Dale Firehall
AUG 10 - Blairsville, PA @ The Corner Pocket
AUG 11 - New York @ TBA
AUG 12 - New York @ TBA
AUG 13 - Massachusetts @ TBA
AUG 14 - Vermont @ TBA
AUG 15 - Dover, NH @ The Aviary
AUG 16 - Maine @ TBA
AUG 17 - Rhode Island @ TBA
AUG 18 - Connecticut @ TBA
AUG 19 - Greenpoint (Brooklyn), NY @ The Lost and Found Bar w/ The Reveling

DVD: Joy Division

Label: Miriam Collection

Released: June 17, 2008

This documentary was clearly released in tandem with Control and, while that was surely a good move commercially, it makes it difficult to get as involved in this versus Anton Corbijn's brilliant dramatization. Of course, the two aren't quite the same, Control being the story of Ian Curtis and Joy Division the story of the band itself. Nevertheless, this documentary has a hard time getting out of the shadows of Control.

Director Grant Gee tries to draw parallels between the band and the city of Manchester, focusing on the city's and the band's rise and fall as well as all the landmarks for each that are no longer there. It's a clever idea, but it seems to get lost at times and never flows smoothly.

Clever conventions aside, the film does a good job of telling Joy Division's story. The bulk of the interviews are with surviving band members Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris as well as Factory Records founder Tony Wilson and Curtis' girlfriend Annik Honoré, but it also got insights from those outside of the inner circle such as the Buzzcocks' Pete Shelley and other contemporaries. Oddly enough, all contributions for Deborah Curtis are quotes on the screen and not filmed interviews (a convention understandably used also for the late Rob Gretton).

Joy Division deals more with the band than with Curtis' personal life and therefore sheds a kinder light upon him. While I'm not sure he should get a pass, there is more to the story than his personal problems and they did a very good job of dealing only with those parts that directly affected the band.

Overall, this is a good rock documentary. It's intelligent and clever, but offers no truly great insight into Joy Division. As Peter Hook says in the film, they were four guys who had no idea what they were doing...unless Ian did and we'll never know. It's certainly not as riveting as Control, but this one is about music more than people and that is both its strength and its weakness.

Rating: 6/10

Free Controlled Bleeding download

Controlled Bleeding, one of the earliest American acts to pioneer industrial music, is celebrating its 30 year anniversary with a free download of "Wall of China Love Letters," the second track on Before the Quiet, just released by MVD Audio. Oddly, although the song was recorded in 1978, the abrasive, bouncing, instrumental could be a musical blueprint for the bands coming out of Williamsburg’s disco punk scene.

"Wall of China Love Letters" mp3

Although Controlled Bleeding has been and always will be lumped into the genre of old school industrial music, their earliest inspirations were steeped in the first wave of New York City punk bands like The Dictators, Dead Boys, the Ramones and the brooding technical brilliance of King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Henry Cow. Before the Quiet, a collection of music from the early formations of the group, infused with the hunger and intensity of youth, clearly illustrates the collision of these seemingly opposing influences. Recordings from 1978-1982, assembled by main man Paul Lemos capture the different early eras of Controlled Bleeding. Before the Quiet is an incredible peek back into the early days of "anything goes" alternative music.

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Other Controlled Bleeding side projects include The Breastfed Yak, Skin Chamber and Fat Hacker.

Video: Minutemen - "History Lesson Part II"

This is a great one from the oft-forgotten Minutemen. Rock n roll wouldn't be the same without them.

Review: Microtia - Distance is Oval

Label: Exigent Records (available through CDBaby.com)

Released: July 15, 2008

Microtia clearly loves the Mars Volta, but the Mars Volta they are not. Of course, that's not the worst knock in the world. Trying to play TMV's game and not fully succeeding is kind of like being a guitarist that isn't as good as Hendrix or a sax player that isn't as good as Coltrane. There's still plenty of room to be awfully good without reaching the pinnacle of your craft. The question isn't whether Microtia is as good as TMV so much as how they fill that area just below the very top of the prog genre.

Microtia have a clear love for all things prog. Their arrangements are complex and avoid simple verse-chorus-verse structures, yet they maintain some of the ferocity of hardcore. They don't exhibit the amazing technical skill that is a prog hallmark and that may be a strike against them among the more serious prog-heads, but for the rest of us, the music is more grounded and dabbling in grunge (check out "Organ Harvest" in particular) makes it more organic. They also aren't afraid of at least a few pop touches and that coupled with a desire to be bigger than just rock gives them moments that hint at Faith No More's genre-bending assault on the conventions of their day.

The biggest problem Microtia faces on Distance is Oval is simply keeping the intensity up, partly because they stretch too far and partly because the production doesn't afford them the crisp sound they need. Often enough though, they do find a fair balance between their chops and their hooks. The problem is not, as their name suggests, a problem with their ears, but a problem of getting their hearts in sync with some of the rather cool things their ears seem to want to hear.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 5/10
Overall: 6/10

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