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January 30, 2007
toothbears: not quite as good as teddybears
Quick news: since I'm working on a different computer these days, I won't be able to directly host any music for a little while. Trying to figure out a solution though, hopefully one which doesn't involve clumsy Yousendit links (it may come to that, unfortunately).
Free Blood: a year and a half ago, I saw this name and a description somewhere (and that two members were from !!!), and started imagining the sounds this band would produce. I originally thought their music would follow along the lines of !!!'s, with long, guitar-driven jams, full of nice, dancey grooves, maybe a little more emphasis on electronic effects, etc. When I finally heard two of the songs ("Quick and Painful" and "Never Hear Surf Music") last year, I was astonished- Free Blood produce swampy, bass-rich, thick, percussion-heavy, sex-sweating pop songs. It's exactly the kind of music I had hoped for, and it matches up with every considered judgment I've ever had about what the term 'dance-punk' should actually designate. Free Blood work with the same sounds as Excepter, to some degree, but build their songs in a much different, more accessible way.
Anyway, fawning aside, this band has produced only a few, tantalizing songs, the newest of which is 'WDWD', which they put up on their website recently. 'WDWD' is a weird little song, with a beginning that's reminiscent of Alternative TV's 'Facing up to the Facts', distended piano chords ringing out through the foundation of the track, and Madeline and John's vocals doing their familiar back-and-forth. Lyrically, 'WDWD' is a bit of a change of pace for them- it's a semi-linear narrative that's got a nursery rhyme setting with some lascivious touches, then it takes a quick detour into John chanting a phone number (best vocalized digits hook since T. Tutone's "Jenny/867-5309"? Yes). The end of the song is the usual Free Blood bliss: wild bass, lusty voices, undeniable beats, comfortable fuzz.
Free Blood are playing two shows in the next few days. Tomorrow night they're at the North Six, in Brooklyn, playing at 9:00 p.m., and Thursday night, they're playing at 11:00 p.m. at the HIRO Ballroom in Manhattan.
Also, if you're interested, there's a nice video of the band playing at the Knitting Factory a few weeks ago (it sounds like the song is called 'Monster in/of the Basement').
Previously here and here, and go read Banana Nutrament's great interview with John Pugh.
Posted by Kevin at 09:08 PM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2007
The longest logical truth tree
So. I can barely remember how to do this, but I'm going to ease back into it.
Ungdomskulen, whom I discussed here and here, have put a new song up on their website, "Witches Mate in the Underground". Like most of their songs, "Witches Mate..." is a tightly controlled, guitar-scrawled track, and as with the amazing "Ordinary Son", the band stretches it out well past the six minute mark. Ungdomskulen do an exceptional job of taking elements that, extracontextually, would be considered harsh and abrasive, and putting them (these sandpapery noises) into songs that are bustling with hooks and intensely catchy phrases. Along the lines of what I said before- they're a melody-minded, Norwegian, sharp, brittle rock band. I think they must be about done recording their new album, so let's cross our fingers that it comes out (stateside) sometime in the near future. It's recommended that you listen to this song while engaging in the following activities: building a deck, getting pumped up for ghostbusting ( a la Venkman, Stanz, Spengler, and Zedmore), crossing a river on a high rope bridge, and chasing down someone you love. All good things.
Posted by Kevin at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)
January 11, 2007
Fret Fret Fretting Full Time Now
Cannot wait to be done with this grad school bullshit. I can only write so many essays about my personal and professional goals. Here are the bands coming up in this space soon:
Racecar
Photo Atlas
Parenthetical Girls
Ungdomskulen
Animal Collective (always)
Paul Duncan
Some recommendations:
Schramsberg champagne
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon ('02 if you can find it)
Tony D'Souza's "Whiteman"
Russell Edson's poetry
Mt. Soledad in San Diego
South Yuba River State Park
Reading old emails (both sent and received)
More before the end of the month. January will have at least two posts!
Posted by Kevin at 10:43 PM | Comments (0)