THE BIG PINK – VELVET (4AD)

THE BIG PINK – VELVET (4AD)

The Big Pink come on like a smoothed out, well ironed version of the Jesus & Mary Chain, in a way benefiting from such a glossy makeover while at the same time struggling to appear sincere and pure of origin.

As the drums open up the store a person would be forgiven for thinking they were about to be introduced to “Life’s What You Make It” by Talk Talk, the drum sound similarity is just uncanny. Soon however all gets revealed as being a dank, nonchalant sheet metal assault on the senses which does truly exhilarated in its execution. There is a fair bit of power attached to this record and its scorching guitar sound but not really quite enough to get overly excited about as the storm soon descend into nothing.

Unfortunately this is a band it feels almost impossible to fall in love with. In addition to the obvious comparisons made early they are also reminiscent of the Ravonettes, which while not necessarily being a bad thing, is not a great thing either. There is just not a band feel attached to the act, truly it feels more like an exploration in the studio and a solo effort that is perhaps a tad too clean without enough external influence.

In the process of this band going overground and reaching daytime it comes with a sense of keenness to pander and impress, one that you feel will eventually dilute the sound pushing the glorious guitar sound into the background while the cringeworthy vocals and lyrical content step out more into the forefront. Eventually I can’t help but feel this band will sound like Mansun.

Get it while you can.

Thesaurus moment: fleet.

The Big Pink
4AD

ISNAJ DUI – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 5 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

ISNAJ DUI – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 5 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

Described as standing somewhere between “neo-impressionism and electronica”, Isnaj Dui is the vehicle of Katie English who is a classically train flautist experimenting with new music forms and techniques while retaining an appreciation for the tradition of the form and craft.  Her sounds are made from manipulated flutes and homemade instruments to form unique sonic assertions.

A regular question I find myself thinking while listening to these workings is: was the menace already there when they are started or are these acts of being sinister.

The latest version/take of the first track is subtly expansive and could almost be used to suggest that there are other life forms out there making music and making busy.

As things progress so does the anxiety as the second track begins with the kind of excruciating shard of white noise only broken televisions seem able to make.  Then things motion further old school with the reappearance of dot matrix rhythms and a crushing sonic blow in general.  My ears thank the author for keeping it under two minutes.

The following four minutes add another hazy degree to proceedings as the echoing flute soars through proceedings and other a new day rising sensibility before the heaviness of an equally distorted wind instrument adds a gnarly heartbeat and pulse to the ensuing activity.  Then you notice the cowbell and the suggestion of an invader, an alien presence.  Within minutes life has moved from optimistic to pessimistic in a groaning fashion.  That was not polite.

It all closes in dizzying fashion with a hectic stance and subtle stampede.  The contradictions of this version feel like they’re never going to end.

Thesaurus moment: paradoxical.

Isnaj Dui

Long Division With Remainders

Front And Follow

SOULSAVERS – SUNRISE (V2)

SOULSAVERS – SUNRISE (V2)

Providing something of a vehicle for the finest voices of our generation’s alternative rock voices this is a very solid single making the most of what god has handed them to work with.

This release sees Will Oldham going head to head with Mark Lanegan. A number of years ago I used to belittle the efforts of Oldham to my friend, choosing to instead expound on the offerings of Lanegan as being far superior. This was evening before he had gained a surge in credibility but unsurprisingly I found myself being lambasted, which I think was the intention of my comment in the first place. The words “to me they inhabit different worlds” have always stuck with me. However here they both are exchanging sides of a single, covering each other’s songs. I guess I wasn’t so far after all, undeserving of my indie lambasting.

“Sunrise” is a Lanegan composition to which Oldham does a great service as do the Soulsavers with a classy backing that eventually finds itself drenched with harmonica in most exhilarating and haunting fashion. To his credit Oldham does not attempt to ape Lanegan’s vocals but he does audibly stretch his own range. By the end of proceedings I feel I am listening to the best thing Oldham has done in a very long time. This weighs heavy.

On the flipside Lanegan has a crack at “You Will Miss Me When I Burn”, which in my opinion happens to be one of Oldham’s strongest songs and definitely one of my favourite. Here however Lanegan unfortunately sounds achingly like something towards Bruce Springsteen and as a horrid strings drop in on the action the song is ultimately butchered as it loses it emotional impact as every facet of this interpretation is just wrong. It might as well be fucking Chris Martin covering it for all the impression that it leaves. Scumbag.

Thesaurus moment: standards.

Soulsavers
Will Oldham
Mark Lanegan
V2

ANDY NICE – THE SECRETS OF ME (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

ANDY NICE – THE SECRETS OF ME (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

Sometimes it takes the most traditional of instruments to make the most personal statement of music. The depth of one man not relying on the lazy method of speech to communicate is one that surprisingly speaks volumes in this case and example, echoing lost moments of pleasure and pain in a very non stifling or exclusive way.

In modern music history often the cello has appeared on the recordings of some of the greatest acts ever but only in a sneaky saboteur type role that fills out and lends weight and strength to the sound. Often it can appear to be something of a lazy gesture for an act to introduce a string section as it exploits the reality that it is an instrument that sits very uneasy in the centre stage, especially in more modern settings.

With this in mind seldom in modern composition, away from soundtracks and generic classical recordings, has the cello been given the breadth to lead in such a context and manner (indie/alternative). As a result Andy Nice stands out in this field inhabiting a similar sort of territory as the Dirty Three but in a more direct manner.

The comparatives that echo most in mind are a nod to the Penguin Café Orchestra at their most beautifully downbeat as well as the kind of score music that you will fortuitously often come across by accident in Asian movies such as In The Mood For Love and Sympathy For Lady Vengeance.

Spread over seven tracks Andy Nice is a true professional and dedicated veteran to his trade and has worked hard to earn his stripes as a master of his instruments. Currently part of the string section in The Tindersticks his musical resume includes Baader Meinhof, Cradle Of Filth and Sade.

The reflective nature and journey of the music on show serves as a perfect calming companion to the most contemplative of moments. Prozac on ice.

Thesaurus moment: meditative.

Andy Nice
Front And Follow

LA ROUX – BULLETPROOF (POLYDOR)

LA ROUX – BULLETPROOF (POLYDOR)

There is a weird kind of karaoke feel to this singles that finds itself horribly drenched in eighties synths and lame electronic pad drums that hardly serve to inspire or allow the listener to ever really be impressed with what is on offer.

The whole spiel about La Roux appears to be over he pointy her hair is today in a very “is she? Isn’t she?” kind of way.

I guess listened to from one angle aesthetically there is a kind of CSS or Ting Tings feel to the sound of the single but to compliment it there is just no edge or exoticness or absolutely anything in there to generate personal interest in La Roux in where she is from and what she is about. Instead the lyrical content is just some clichéd riddle about not being taken for a ride after being taken for a ride in the first place.

The single does however look impressive delivered as a seven inch square with no off cuts from the sides. This is not economic or ecologically friendly but crappy pop tat like this is never going to be. And then on the sleeve there is the squiggle that represents how La Roux has kindly autographed my copy to add the personal touch. What, they’re all autographed?

Lady Gaga this is not but there is a lot of money being pumped up her arsehole all the same.

Modern music hey, what you gonna do?

Thesaurus moment: synthetic.

La Roux
Polydor

CATS AGAINST THE BOMB – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 4 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

CATS AGAINST THE BOMB – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 4 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

Cats Against The Bomb is Adam Flood who originates from Ipswich and takes great joy in warping and distorting as many sounds as possible in as many directions as feasible.  In many ways he is trickster, taking true glee in mutating recognised motions and presenting them in corrupted form.

The offering here from CATB is the product of a collaboration with filmmaker Patio Sprintette and soundtracks his latest work, a short film entitled “A14: Massive Blowout”, which is very much an autobiographical work born of fear and a near death experience.

The EP begins with what appears to be the frenzied call of avian culprits, of birds in distress and what could well be a percolating rotator of despair awaiting them.  As such there is something almost cyber Hitchcock about what appears to be going on.  It’s a mystery for the listener to unravel.

Continuing the vibe of mystery track two begins with the feel of creeping footsteps before the sensation turns frenzied and in the background appears to be some kind of scream.  As the energy build bigger it also grows louder and the torment rises right upside the listeners grill.  By the mid point there is a sense of purgatory, of transition and a job being done.

The short sharp shock of the Cats Against The Bomb take on track 3 proves the shortest contribution to the project, the only to clock in at under a minute.  Within such economy comes tribulation and frustration, a gesture made at the expense of the listener.

Finally with track 4 comes one of the loudest takes of the project as the original string piece is lifting to the outer regions of the mix while as the cowbell rattles a frightening and foreign force encroaching on proceedings suggesting something very nasty about to happen at any moment.  Then suddenly it all calms, detaches like Roy Batty.

The EP ends.

Thesaurus moment: vicissitude.

Cats Against The Bomb

Cats Against The Bomb interview

Cats Against The Bomb live

Long Division With Remainders

Front And Follow

PETER DOHERTY – THE LAST OF THE ENGLISH ROSES (PARLOPHONE)

PETER DOHERTY – THE LAST OF THE ENGLISH ROSES (PARLOPHONE)

Endlessly entertaining it is always great to know that there is a new Pete Doherty record knocking around. Even if it doesn’t sound the greatest it is reassuring that you know some kind of occurrence is bound to happen soon. Here is a man who is both an officer and a gentleman.

I have to concede I never really liked Pete Doherty when he was popular. His music was shit and his fans idiots. The Libertines were never anything more than a bad UK version of The Stokes but it was Carl Barat evidently who was the deadwood in the pairing judging by the standard of subsequent bands and projects.

One of the best things that can be said about Pete Doherty’s solo material is basically that it doesn’t sound like The Libertines (or over Babyshambles for that matter). Here is a lounging and surprisingly lyrical run out that comes almost with a classical feel and more than a passing resemblance to The Auteurs although I cannot imagine Luke Haines would be too endeared by such a comparison as this lacks the darkness of his content. In comparison Pete seems happy to sing about gatherings and long for a sense of party and togetherness rather than anything too divisive.

Towards the end of the song as things become wonky it begins to sound like old Pete is beginning to speak in tongues, possibly due to some kind of skag withdrawal but as the mumbles clear slightly it appears he is just blabbering on in French. Bonjour!

He is not an English rose.

And at what point did Peter become Peter? At school my best friend was called Peter and ultimately I ended up turning on him like a true shit, treating him badly and bringing him down in order to keep me up (head above water). His mother used to pick on me. It just recently occurred to me that she might have been Asian but there is no one around to confirm this. Perhaps she is why I now desire Asian companionship, perhaps I always fancied Peter’s mum. She was a cook after all and here I am now working in a restaurant. In the long run it all comes together.

Thesaurus moment: indolently.

Peter Doherty
Parlophone

THE DOOMED BIRD OF PROVIDENCE – THE DOOMED BIRD OF PROVIDENCE (LAILY RECORDINGS)

THE DOOMED BIRD OF PROVIDENCE – THE DOOMED BIRD OF PROVIDENCE (LAILY RECORDINGS)

Despatched dark and dusty, a small part of the Australian outback has found itself transplanted and captured in London for this release.

Almost like a post-rock (spit!) take on Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds soliciting The Pogues with a little pinch of the Tiger Lillies this is a true soup of string drenched compositions being pierced by jarring Australian vocals sung in a near shanty style about topics such as murder and honour amongst thieves. The orchestration of the songs is such that you find yourself removed from your surroundings and driven to hell. If you have ever been to Australia and felt miniscule when faced by the darkness of nothing but hot stinking hateful territory then this is where this music is at. Flight Of The Conchords this most definitely is not (bloody Kiwis).

Of the four songs on offer the epic “Dorothy Handland” with its extended instrument section at dusk would not feel out of place sitting on a Dirty Three record.

As the release draws to a brooding conclusion it is with a sadness echoed by none and a future that feels uncertain depending on the conduct going forward of the band that judging by the lyrics may or may not scupper their fortunes. Personally I await their return/response with real anticipation.

It’s not only the bird that feels doomed at the outset of this record.

You call that a knife?

Thesaurus moment: guilty.

The Doomed Bird Of Providence
Laily Recordings

SPOON – GOT NUFFIN (ANTI)

SPOON – GOT NUFFIN (ANTI)

With a staunch groove delivering a straight line pattern “Got Nuffin” opens with pounding drums straight out of “My Sharona” as a guitar part akin to “Motor Away” by Guided By Voices kicks in prior to Britt Daniel delivering a first line that reminds of “Paint It Black”.  Within twenty five seconds Spoon have taken over the world.

This is what Spoon does best, they splash out with a restrained desperation that can often feel like their lives are falling to pieces and this is all they have left.  Everyone is a star in this outfit as the rhythm section powers the piece through lending plenty of breathing space for Daniel to express his feelings (“got nuffin’ to lose”) while having a good guitar workout akin to lightning strikes providing his latest headache.

In many ways Spoon produce perfect pop songs.  The structure is classic but the playing possesses exploration and angst that offers enough to fill the cup of a hipster.  In other words your dad could get into this record as much as the guy with the nose piercing.  In a world of so much overnight sensation this band is consistently skilled.  Held up against their historically great moments this maintains their standard of quality.

Then it possesses the craziest fade out in recent history.  Where did that come from?  Did the guy at the desk get fed up and decide to just turn the dial down?  Such weirdness is always available from Spoon.

On the other side is “Tweakers” followed by “Stroke Their Brains” which displays the band realising their playful side, their primal urge and their id.  This is at the listeners’ expense.  As I said, weirdness is available.

Thesaurus moment: consummate.

Spoon

Spoon live

Anti

TORTOISE – BEACONS OF ANCESTORSHIP (THRILL JOCKEY)

TORTOISE – BEACONS OF ANCESTORSHIP (THRILL JOCKEY)

For a record that appears to be getting universally panned I cannot really see what the problem with it is. Sure it has a bit of a stupid name but with the guitars now toned down and the keyboards turned right up, with an apparent influx of beats and new rhythms surely this should be appealing to the sensibilities of the crowd that has bought so heavily into Battles as it would appear Tortoise attempt to regain/rediscover some kind of face, even crown.

It is the distinct sudden overdrive of keys that is most strikingly noticeable about this release. This feels very much like a change in tactic, a step up in gear and maybe even some kind of regeneration.

There is no escaping that the pinnacle of achievement in post rock is to serve as an effective to score to bad sex in some tawdry movie and for this purpose Beacons Of Ancestorship certainly can serve.

The record opens in a confident, confrontational and upbeat manner with “Prepare Your Coffin”. Never before can I recall the band ever upping the pace (and stakes) to such a degree. The extended addition of keys is one of the most telling adjustments. As a result all sounds very slick and fluid even if from one perspective the track could have been the theme to Treasure Hunt in the eighties.

Moving onwards the strange sonic devastation of a song such as “Yinxianghechengqi” leaves you with hope for the genre that one day once more things will rise dirty again for the genre and the tugging will be again at our coattails as opposed to of their own cocks. With frenetic impulses the reckless abandon seems to serve as a steel determination to sabotage.

Soon it returns to business as usual with the clockwork repetition and precision of a well oiled machine, an almost synthetic group force displaying/deploying an even temper and discipline which far surpasses the playing of the majority of their peers.

Elsewhere “The Fall Of Seven Diamonds Plus One” is distinctly Morricone sounding lending an epic tone to the collection of compositions. Today Tortoise are painting with broad strokes on an echoing canvas. In contrast with its stuttering tract “Penumbra” sounds like something MF Doom might happily spit over.

There is a more futuristic sense and feeling to proceedings. Often here are selections that would have sounded great on the score for Blade Runner or Escape From New York, a vibe that acts such as Zombi Zombi were discovering a few years ago.

Tortoise now are somewhat the music equivalent of NASA, a formerly groundbreaking institution now only viewed (heard) fondly by way of some kind of forced nostalgia. As a result everything they now have to do needs to be sharp on all levels due to playing to a crowd continually looking for adjustment and progression on the genre. Ultimately though once more it is a display of growth and maturity from people at the top of the games.

The beats are strong with this one.

Thesaurus moment: revital.

Tortoise
Thrill Jockey

SHONEN KNIFE – SUPER GROUP (TOMATO HEAD RECORDS)

SHONEN KNIFE – SUPER GROUP (TOMATO HEAD RECORDS)

Its been really sad attempting to track this record down because it just does not appear to be out there. The fact that I am listening to this now via a promo copy I bought from Ebay that was actually pushing the European tour as opposed to the actual release of the record suggests sad and bad time for one of the most charming bands in alternative rock history.

There is a train of thought that dictates that if you have heard one Shonen Knife record that you have heard them all but that isn’t quite the case, you need to dig deep for buried treasure because behind the cute faces there is often some very dark and deep content.

The sound on this record is as good as ever and immediately it is noticeable that the addition of Ritsuko Taneda to proceedings adds a lot to the bass sound, rounding it out more and helping it gain weight and depth. Indeed the record opens with one of her basslines.

The songs essentially remain the same, hook filled objects of classic rock, one minute sounding like The Ramones, the next The Runaways, the next AC/DC, the next jangly indie but all the while it is caked in Japanese love, the kind our cousins only appear capable of producing sincerely and efficiently. OK, it is plainly obvious at this point of the review that this band is playing to a home team supporter but this genuinely does not make the enjoyment of this record exclusive to only loving parties and relatives, instead it serves as a reminder of how great guitar indie pop can and should be but sadly feels lacking and in short measure these days.

Formed 28 years ago now it is much to their testament that the band, even if it is just Naoko from the original line-up, is still going and with it they have plenty of tricks left in their pockets.

It’s a genuinely beautiful thing.

Thesaurus moment: magnetism.

Shonen Knife
Shonen Knife live
Tomato Head Records

SCREAMING TEA PARTY – GOLDEN BLUE (STOLEN RECORDINGS)

SCREAMING TEA PARTY – GOLDEN BLUE (STOLEN RECORDINGS)

Screaming Tea Party make it a tough thing to like their record. You cast a blind eye/ear over the frisky guitar sound of the first song (a sound you have heard many times before) in preference to concentrating on the vocal delivery that has some kick individuality to it but then the song changes tact/gear and falls face first into a muddy bank of cliché. I swear.

Undeterred the record carries on and things genuinely improve as spacious sounds intercept the straight line of the guitar on this seven song frenzy. Honestly the opening track “I’d Rather Be Stuck” was just a blip on the radar.

“Car Crash Beauties” follows and offers much more with fizzy, dark and frenetic option that leans more towards a scratchy, post-punk edge complete with distinctly Japanese indecipherable vocals. The band then later display Gang Of Four-esqe tendencies on “The Witch From Oregon” which aptly climaxes with jarring industrial sounding guitars that cause discomfort.

There is a real depth and wealth of different sounds on offer here. The title track of the album sounds very much like Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. Its weird. Then “Holy Disaster” arrives at track five supplying a huge bag full of Beach Boy-esqe harmonies.

“Today Is The Day” is where it all comes together the best. Staunchly reminding me of a great lost band called Superstar Disco Club, it sounds very much like Macrocosmica and Urusei Yatsura and that long missed late nineties anthemic sound of fraggle rock. Proceedings here are upbeat and the track benefits from not being clear just as to which language the song is being sung in.

The overriding impression given from this record and selection box of treats is that this is a great band with a great record in them but sadly this is just not it. Next time maybe. Hopefully.

Thesaurus moment: jejune.

Screaming Tea Party
Screaming Tea Party live
Stolen Recordings

VARIOUS – FRONT & FOLLOW YEAR ONE SAMPLER (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

VARIOUS – FRONT & FOLLOW YEAR ONE SAMPLER (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

Given away free in goodie bags at the Front And Follow showcase at the Union Chapel this four act eight song sampler displays the diverse and adventurous nature of the label and the high quality in place on it’s roster.

Elite Barbarian open proceedings with their dense beats and trickling sound. The two selections come from their “It’s Only When You Get To The End That It Makes Sense” album and are a mesmerising couplet of surround sounds with a whiff of robotic engineering. Best served bold.

Arriving emotively Yonokiero deliver their painfully personal account of existence in the form of their acoustic compositions layered with subtle strings and atmospherics that gives the execution a really full sound. Formerly the masterminds that drove Hirameka Hi-Fi a dual (and duelling) songwriting force here on this occasion the two songs reflect the expertise of each barrel being taken from their magnificent “Blue Apples” album. This is how guitar music should be composed and performed.

The third act featuring on the sampler is cello player Andy Nice who delivers demo versions of tracks that are set to appear on his album “The Secrets Of Me.” The incredible string theory that is attached to his playing transfixes the listener and goads them into witnessing and feeling the moment of treasure as his strings collide into a magnificent soup of generous emotion.

Rounding things off comes Sone Institute who deliver a sample laden groove that echoes the kind of retro lounge that Broadcast and/or Jonny Trunk offer up on a good day. Their second offering on the compilation is reminiscent of a breeze on a summer day and serves to spark the imagination of memories from my youth and cause me to question whether the colours were so vivid after all.

Four out of four, Front And Follow is an outstanding record label.

Thesaurus moment: multifariousness.

Elite Barbarian
Yonokiero
Andy Nice
Sone Institute
Front And Follow

SONIC YOUTH – THE ETERNAL (MATADOR RECORDS)

SONIC YOUTH – THE ETERNAL (MATADOR RECORDS)

It is a great world and a great time to be alive when I find myself still becoming very excited about a brand Sonic Youth record. Now free of the corporate handcuffs offered up by DGC and then Universal this is back to being indie on an indie (if that ever mattered).

This is their sixteenth studio album. Could you name all sixteen of those? I have to admit I couldn’t and such is the rub with Sonic Youth: they are just as capable of writing something indulgent and forgettable as they are living up to their grand legacy and admired tradition.

Now on Matador its now really clear if they have made the record they’ve been wanting to make or the record that they think their audience wants. Ordinarily you certainly would expect the former from Sonic Youth but today they sound cohesive and thankfully very much the latter. Maybe even with the return of such noisemongers as My Bloody Valentine they now feel something to prove again in the noise stakes.

The Eternal is a pretty impressive piece of work. That’s not to say their last few records haven’t been good, it’s just that they haven’t been mind-blowing. It opens well, impressively with “Sacred Trickster” which is a barely two minute rocket of an opener that offers much in the way of promise as distortion, hooks and an angry Kim vocal are all present.

From here the wreckage of the record truly begins as “Anti Orgasm” thunders out as perhaps the first truly incendiary song they have produced in recent years that dare I say veers towards Dirty territory. As a sly Bowie drops in a descending guitar line serves as some kind of countdown to a sonic explosion prior to entering into a blood drenched tirade before meandering into a heart stopping mechanically military pause. Eventually the song floats off into the abyss as it outstays its welcome by two minutes. Such is the Sonic Youth way of doing things.

Obviously the perfect start proves too much to maintain (and too good to last) as the twiddly “Leaky Lifeboat” pays tribute to failed Beat writer Gregory Corso much in the same way the man himself etched his career. Its pretty fitting.

Today I am incredibly chuffed to report that the noodling of “What We Know” served to royally upset a tetchy lady on the tube. This is where Sonic Youth remain essential. Obviously long term fans will have heard all this before but to many this is still the kind of music that just sounds indecipherable and indescribable, something that hurts their ears and hurts their feelings and often this is a good way of listening to the band, to take a step back and pretend this sound is new. Indeed you won’t be hearing it anywhere easy, on any of the radio or TV stations handed to you on a plate in exchange for you handing them your personality and your arse. “What We Know” indeed offers up something great, a wonderfully heavy track that features some true power chords in amongst the squiggles. “What We Know” seems a song steeped in experience and lines such as “it’s been quite a ride” suggests the band are somewhat relieved to still be in the position that they are.

The almost pop sensibilities continue on the almost Roxy Music sounding “Poison Arrow” while “Malibu Gas Station” almost sounds like an update of “The Sprawl”.

At times there is a very optimistic sound to areas of this record and when Thurston opens with “sweet temptation came today” on “No Way” suddenly the Youth part of the band’s name seems gestured.

Unsurprisingly Lee chips in with a standout track which on this record takes the form of “Walkin Blue” which builds to a tremendous climax as he strides in confident and measured style until wigging out at the essential moment as he insists that everything is “clear”. It’s obvious!

The record ends on the almost ten minute “Massage The History” which is as ugly as the length and title would suggest, a repetitive track that doesn’t really go anywhere other than to test the patience of the listener. Thank god they lumped it as the ending.

With the dust settled ultimately you have to appreciate the ability that Sonic Youth possess to still sound so strange and inventive, especially when it comes to the squares that don’t want to be challenged in this modern. Go to sleep America. I don’t think the band are ever going to produce an out and out amazing album ever again but there will always be great tracks and super annoyances held on each.

This is more than you know.

Thesaurus moment: discharge.

Sonic Youth

Matador Records

THE GOSSIP – HEAVY CROSS (COLUMBIA RECORDS)

THE GOSSIP – HEAVY CROSS (COLUMBIA RECORDS)

It all feels like it has gone a bit futuristic for The Gossip, this is not punk rock, its too popular! As she announces that it is a “cruel cruel world” you can’t help but feel that these sentiments no longer quite ring true for Beth.

This is an alternative love song, one caked in angst and an embarrassingly amount of heart being worn on the glittery sleeves of the band. Bouncing like a positive jam to fat lesbian girls everywhere I’m not so sure that my love affair with The Gossip will last much longer. With drum beats that belong in a seventies discotheque and a glow that will never truly sit easy with anything indie or punk rock (pure DIY style) it is still a great victory to have reached these heights with such a vehicle but the ensuing diluting affect of any modern Rick Rubin production job can only ever serve to disarm and disappoint. Heavy Cross – oh the burden, with the metal symbolism is this an eleventh hour attempt to snag the Kerrang! audience?

A song about still being persecuted by the masses, the story begins by reaching out to its audience of converts and sufferers as if the bad times still surrounded the existence of this band. Now that the hard work has paid off and Beth has won the chocolate factory is it really still possible to buy into this?

Its easy to fantasise about Beth Ditto, a most forward and feisty individual designed to break odd shaped hearts and as a result a shitbag little indie band being given the gloss treatment is perhaps not the right product for her to be peddling at this time (although the BBW clothes range doesn’t look so great either).

Go solo. Beth, just admit it.

Thesaurus moment: treasure.

The Gossip
Columbia Records

BLK W/BEAR – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 3 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

BLK W/BEAR – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 3 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

BLK w/ BEAR is the audio vehicle of Washington DC based artist J.S. Adams.  His work is very much about interference and distortion, the corruption of the note and the exploitation of sound.  The noise he produces is a basic alarm to the human race.  People should take note.

The initial pitch is a distracted pulse.  It sounds like life but not strictly in a traditional sense.  As glitches prevail and the aural vision distorts, a sonic crackling manifests and rips apart the origins of the track.

Moving on Adams continues to take a measured approach to destruction, happily feeling out the source material before etching in his own string accompaniment to run in sync with exterior feelings.  The presence attained of such a gesture proves a winning blow producing something akin to an electronic Godspeed You Black Emperor type execution before organically winding down.  A good thing.

The deep rooted strings of Track 3 offer a horrid manifestation of a bleak capacity as bass drops in to caress and distract from what is the overriding piece of industrial horror that is dominating proceedings.  This feels quite representative of the modern experience, of commercial horror and the machines that drive it.  This remix of the track holds genuine contrast as beauty wrestles with the ugliness of the original version.  In the end, all gets tamed.

The BLK w/BEAR take on Track 4 of the project is a heavy duty eleven minute plus workout that moans and pulsates like a dark portion of the score from Alien or The Thing.  This is a brash piece of drone texturing that requires the listener to buckle in before progressing.  In the end it proves officially the longest piece of the project (the puzzle).

Thesaurus moment: expanse.

BLK w/BEAR

BLK w/BEAR interview

Long Division With Remainders

Front And Follow

SPEECH DEBELLE – SPEECH THERAPY (BIG DADA)

SPEECH DEBELLE – SPEECH THERAPY (BIG DADA)

With opening bars that sound like Tortoise when the first riddles of spit come from Speech Debelle’s mouth it is immediately evident that there is something fresh being delivered

Arriving as one of the freshest sounding albums of recent histories Speech Debelle conjures up a blissful and accurate description of modern life. Choosing to avoid such defeatist hard beat electronics in preference to a modern measured acoustic and jazz backing this is a contrary collection of delicate rhymes coupled with bleak content juxtaposed against a very laidback and appealing sound.

The appearance of Micachu on track “Better Days” sends the album through the stratosphere as modern day pressures display modern day techniques in an explicit outpouring of very tangible woes and stresses offering a new brand of method to deal with them. The Micachu backing coupled with strategic strings offer a haunting and melancholic demeanor, suggesting optimism even though at hard times it is hard to envisage.

“Spinnin’” is the money shot, the track with the wicked hook and immediately memorable chorus that emphasizes a positive energy and indulges in nothing, being crisp, swift and truly effective. The collective (the backing) almost make the song sound straight out of the playground and some kind of hopscotch celebration. It wins on every level.

Following “Go Then, Bye” is another crisp and explicit description of a universal moment sculpted in a manner I have rarely found so gorgeous or interesting. As strings rain over the track the pained scenario becomes extremely vivid and clear, realistic and never lost to sentimentality or hyperbole. It is genuinely gifted stuff.

When Roots Manuva turns up as ever he manages to make any work sound superior and majestic, adding a paternal and guardian vibe to proceedings with a contribution that was potentially telephoned in.

Spread over thirteen tracks this is a massively confident and accomplished debut. Within its construct it manages to tap into modern strain of life that many feel so deep and experience every day of their lives which is not dealt with churlishly or cheesily but music’s latest superhero Speech Debelle.

Thesaurus moment: unalloyed.

Speech Debelle
Big Dada

GRAFFITI ISLAND/RAPID YOUTH/OLD BLOOD/MALE BONDING – SPLIT SINGLE (PARADISE VENDORS)

GRAFFITI ISLAND/RAPID YOUTH/OLD BLOOD/MALE BONDING – SPLIT SINGLE (PARADISE VENDORS)

Here is a release that serves as a signal of optimism for music while also providing fond memories and nostalgia of the lo-fi DIY scene of the late nineties.

Squeezed onto one piece of seven inch are four raucous, loud and poorly recorded bands driven by enthusiasm first and talent second, making the most of their resources. Releases such as this are now almost a thing of the past and that is a definite tragedy when it comes to contemplating the future of music.

Recently coined as no-fi I think this music will only ever work on vinyl, the format that has always been most forgiving to the most primitive expressions of music. I could not possibly imagine listening to this noise as an MP3 or on an iPod with a clear head. Live however I cannot imagine a more fantastic din as I hope to see these ramshackle bands live very soon.

I was first introduced to Graffiti Island a couple of years when they hopped aboard the stage at the Scala before Les Savy Fav looking effortlessly uncaring and cool playing songs that sounded like Beat Happening covers which they made all their own. This it seemed was the musical equivalent of a homemade Hawaiian shirt bearing a grudge. Needless to say I loved their one song set for the audacity and the tunes. As stylised and forced as it may feel, I just love this band. Their contribution to this release is a spacious and busy party number benefiting from a HUGE hook that pierces and seals its place in the consciousness of my mind. It feels retro in two ways.

Rapid Youth turn up with an altogether cloudier and muddy marching and galloping affair. In the midst of so much fuzz this song/band also possesses a wicked hook that serves to deliver skewed pop to disorientate.

On the flipside everything about Old Blood is wrong and this only serves to make you love them worse. If you have recorded a demo and fucked it up you will recognise this track. Despite the horror there is a definite beat to the performance and a degree of coherence to what is a fiery exhibition. Noise is a beautiful thing.

The more mannered Male Bonding close proceedings with a playful lo-fi song that reminds of a Yummy Fur chant with prickly bursts of energy and a pride all of its own. It’s a rough as the rest of the release and just as charming.

This record is good times.

Thesaurus moment: commotion.

Graffiti Island
Rapid Youth
Old Blood
Male Bonding
Paradise Vendors

EMPIRE OF THE SUN – WE ARE THE PEOPLE (VIRGIN RECORDS)

EMPIRE OF THE SUN – WE ARE THE PEOPLE (VIRGIN RECORDS)

Delivered on banana yellow vinyl, upon the first few listens of this song on FM radio it immediately struck me as being the kind of record that stops traffic. It certainly pulled me away from the reality of what I was doing at the time at work.

It is the chorus that slays the listener by design. Filled with words to crush a person’s heart in a really rare gesture of needing to know, the voice of the song reeks of desperation. This has been one of those rare songs that has found me rewinding and listening to it immediately again afterwards and repeating this process for six or seven turns. It has also seen me looking/grabbing for the lyrics eager and desperate to work out a specific interpretation, searching for the source of the meaning of the apparent pain. This is a song it appears touches a nerve and serves solidly to empathise with and spread/share the sadness.

It is tough to gauge just what really Empire Of The Sun are about. The sound is very Australian and retro eighties as the artwork once more pays a major nod to retro fantasy art from the eighties appealing those with disposable income who were fans of Labyrinth, Legend and the Neverending Story. This really is a package that should not be liked.

I wonder if JG Ballard would approve of such usage of his title? I can’t imagine Christian Bale does.

Escapism seldom tastes so bright and shiny.

Thesaurus moment: glossy.

Empire Of The Sun
Virgin Records

AKRON/FAMILY – SET ‘EM WILD, SET ‘EM FREE (CRAMMED DISCS/DEAD OCEANS)

AKRON/FAMILY – SET ‘EM WILD, SET ‘EM FREE (CRAMMED DISCS/DEAD OCEANS)

Over the course of “Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free” the Akron/Family manage to execute an exuberant mish mash of classic left field joints whilst making their spontaneous and schizophrenic sound very much a flavour of their own.

With “Everyone Is Guilty” starting off the show it bounces in sounding like some euphoric combination of Tortoise and Battles before the vocals and accusations that come with kick in the audience’s experience and adds an element of unease.

In addition to being very creative and playful musically the songwriting lyrically is also very emotionally explicit not necessarily accompanied with a smile.

The album (and band) is something of a two headed monster. It is in the moments that record descends too far down into folk/country territory that holds the collection back, folk/country being a sound/genre that is seldom able to lift itself out of cliché and cheese.

As my life continues to turn into a surreal shell of its former existence the more whimsical moments of this record such as “Many Ghosts” helps the Akron Family to provide a kind of twisted Disney breakdown score to proceedings.

Away from the noisefest of “MBF” the stand out track on the album for me is “Creatures.” Opening as if sounding like an almost acoustic take on drum and bass it couples with Dr Seuss nursery rhyme type lyrics of affection to provide a perfect backdrop to feeling young. By the time the song reaches the chorus the wind instruments have made a cameo appearance and a light feel dominates proceedings and a person listening can only begin to feel mesmerised as they fall in love with the process at the exact point the “up and down, down down down” mini mantra kicks in. Right now the sun is shining for a reason.

A rare and a good thing this is an indie rock album that sounds like attendance at a campfire.

Thesaurus moment: milieu.

Akron/Family
Crammed Discs
Dead Oceans

BLACK FLAG – LOUIE LOUIE (SST RECORDS)

BLACK FLAG – LOUIE LOUIE (SST RECORDS)

Everyone learns a version of “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen when they first get a guitar.  In theory it is the easiest song in the world to play and if you slow it down slightly you can also pass yourself off as playing “Smoke On The Water”.  This is a song for cheats.

At school for the longest time my friend Chris Wright and I were obsessed by this song.  You have to bear in mind this was the 90s and music was only available on physical formats and with that came limited selection.  We knew “Louie Louie” from the movies, mainly the trailer to Coupe De Ville and the party scene in Animal House, but could not procure the track anywhere.  Apparently it was on the soundtrack to Quadrophenia but that was Mod shit, stuff our parents and retro losers listened to.  We were not going to buy into that.  Also it was a double album, too expensive for our coffers.  Eventually I would finally own the track via a cheesy compilation entitled This Is…Son Of Cult Fiction but in many ways it was too late for that period of my life.  Before this I had purchased the Animal House soundtrack while on holiday in Florida after seeing “Louie Louie” in the tracklisting but in my misguided disappointment I emerged gutted that the version there was by John Belushi and not The Kingsmen.

By the time I got into Black Flag I was a much different person to who I was at school.  It would probably have benefited me to be into punk at school but better late than never during what I describe as my “wilderness years” between education and career I was now fostering a snide attitude which was not necessarily endearing me to my surroundings even though it was amusing it.

The Black Flag take on “Louie Louie” is unique and crushing.  No other band has delivered it in quite this way and indeed it was used in Old School as a direct and updated homage/recognition to Animal House.  When sung by these punkers with fresh bite the words still hold and fit – punkers fall in love too.  “You know the pain in my heart, it just shows I’m not very smart” is a line born to be used by dumb punk types as lyrically the band overhauls the tone and sentiments.  Later the line “who needs love when you’ve got a gun, who needs love to have any fun” shreds any soppy sensation before “screw it Louie” is screamed ahead of a destructive Ginn solo making the song his own.  Black Flag were officially well on the road to reconstructing rock and roll.

On the other side is an early version of “Damaged I” which would later become the theme and centre piece of their finest studio album of the same name.  Longer, slower and more measured than most of their material to date it exhibits a new heavy side of their personality dealing with danger and internal frustration.  This was the band moving onto progressive punk, inhabiting sludge and loving it.  Described as “wallowing trauma” it taps into our inner worst thoughts and hangs them like a Picasso.  In other words “as comforting as the screams that relieve pain”.

For years a copy of this seven inch sat in the racks of my local record store Time Records in Colchester.  It was the only Black Flag release I could see anywhere.  Unfortunately being old it was a collector’s piece and came with an inflated collector’s price tag which went against punk ethos but perhaps tapped into Ginn’s.  It went against the ethos and busted my brains, ignited my imagination as I needed to know what this legendary band sounded like.  Once heard I never went back.

Take the horrible and make it worse.

Thesaurus moment: wrench.

Black Flag

SST Records

THE BLACKOUT – CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT (EPITAPH)

THE BLACKOUT – CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT (EPITAPH)

Boy do I feel like a fucking chump for buying this record when thinking that it was something else.

What it is is a horribly chunky riff-tastic piece of heavyset pop punk metal that is really written and recorded with all bulls eyes and focus set on angst ridden and tetchy teenagers and the money that their parents give them.

This is a particularly bad piece of teen angst exploitation as the subject matter of the record gives of the apparent impression that it is about the inclusion of the listener into some kind of bat crypt movement these (probably) eyeliner wearing punks are part of. Ultimately though the Misfits this is not. It’s just all too serious.

Painfully with the kids signing in the background on the chorus rather than some great SST or even Epitaph band from the ages instead all the hoop and holler actually reminds me of the po-faced seriousness of the music moments of The Lost Boys. I wonder if fangs come with this record.

So yeah, this isn’t good, this isn’t rebellion, this isn’t what the future captains of industry will be listening to once they have grown up. Bankers might like to listen to it while snorting coke and fucking prostitutes but only in that depressing athletic way where haircuts possess more value than iPods. What the fuck am I talking about?

Hats off for calling the b-side “Pastor Of Muppets” though.

They’re Welsh?

Thesaurus moment: no.

The Blackout
Epitaph

PAVEMENT – RANGE LIFE (BIG CAT)

PAVEMENT – RANGE LIFE (BIG CAT)

I bought this on twelve inch from the Time Records stall in the covered market of Clacton-on-Sea.  It sat as a rare righteous release in a bin of dross vinyl.  Obviously I would have preferred on CD but I just wanted some Pavement.  And it’s a track so long that it takes up an entire side of twelve inch vinyl.

Some people I know dismissed this as country rock.  I guess there is where you will find people out on the range.  However beyond the rinky dinky playing, the words of Steve Malkmus sat bitched very much in the now of alternative rock.

This feels like a song about being on tour.  It sounds weary and as a result feels tiring as the desire of the words do not necessarily convince.  Some might say this is actually the yearn of a young man soughting early retirement.  “Range Life” could easily be a Neil Young song.

Of course the song is also best known for its vocal/verbal dismiss of Stone Temple Pilots and Smashing Pumpkins.  Malkmus describes the first band as “elegant bachelors” while stating the second “don’t have no function” concluding “I don’t understand what they mean and I could really give a fuck”.  Somebody had to say it.

Upping the assault “Raft” offers tuneful distortion on the flipside.  The complaint is “stop criticising me” in the knowledge that “I’m on a raft, can’t turn back”.  It’s a laidback titanic which exhibits occasionally lapses in operation as it overdrives off a cliff.  “Coolin’ By Sound” is less stressed mumbling affair that glides and glows in twinkling fashion.  Pavement warmth.

You want it, you got it.

Thesaurus moment: traverse.

Pavement

Pavement live

Big Cat

SONE INSTITUTE – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 2 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

SONE INSTITUTE – LONG DIVISION WITH REMAINDERS EP VERSION 2 (FRONT AND FOLLOW)

The second instalment of the Long Division With Remainders project comes from Roman Bezdyk who is otherwise known as Sone Institute.  Sone Institute is an act known for its shapeshifting sounds, for collecting and foraging collages like an audio magnet.  And his interpretations of the four tracks here are no different in execution.

Today his work begins with a ringing bell and hard beats as a dizzying array of sonic heart punches unroll in the listeners mind.  The resulting collision is one of a retro futuristic passion.  Sound the alarm.

The sounds from the workshop continue with frequency manipulation and reworking seemingly born with the intention of torturing pets.  It is said that as married couples grow old the frequency/pitch of their hearing changes and it is this that enables them to co-exist without killing each other.  This statement/philosophy certainly also rings true with the crushed up happenings occurring on the Long Division With Remainders project.  It feels like swimming in a sea of digitalism.

By track 3 things are turned resoundingly big band as huge jazz chops clash with warped distortion and interference while the sound of horns are bent and turned into frightful cries of something uniquely fresh and individual.  It’s a seedy and dirty treatment of a form that previous generations would have regarded as the most solid accompaniment/entertainment.

It all concludes with a dense summons of bass and various wretched broken bits of brutality in noise with a protruding guitar adding something of a sonic spaghetti feel.  The track almost whistles in its desire to shape build and end proceedings on a distorted high.  And with this Sone Institute rides off into a brutal sunset.  Angular.

Thesaurus moment: duality.

Sone Institute

Sone Institute interview

Long Division With Remainders

Front And Follow

MICACHU – JEWELLERY (ROUGH TRADE/ACCIDENTAL RECORDS)

MICACHU – JEWELLERY (ROUGH TRADE/ACCIDENTAL RECORDS)

With her backing band The Shapes the debut album from Micachu is a wretched mess of ideas and systematic hooks that sound autistic and extrovert.

Not very easy on the ear on first listen the fifteen tracks on display here display a sense of adventure not so common in modern (accepted) music and in many ways actually reminds me of those wonky early Pavement EPs that could often be rendered into nothing more than glorious noise. Rather than hulking lo-fi guitars here Micachu exhibits a more eclectic arsenal of instruments in reckless abandon (many homemade and very unorthodox) suggesting a personal leaning and preference towards Beck and a poison combination of whitey folk hip hop.

In her voice Micachu displays something of a hybrid of Kimya Dawson and a drunken teenage Polly Harvey (especially on “Guts”) as the music drips in Bjork weirdness but in a favourably M.I.A. crossed with Captain Beefheart influenced manner. That is not forgetting the Raincoat-esqe tone of sarcasm.

Produced by Matthew Herbert the rhythms hold surprisingly well considering what they are manufactured by as something of a paper thin version of legendary musical strangeness, sounding like a true outsider even if she is not necessarily one. That said, the times the songs fall on their arse they do come with something of a passing resemblance to The Shaggs in delivery and mentality.

You can tell the young Micachu has listened to music all her life as she rips off the intro to The Champs “Tequila” on “Calculator” probably without even realising it.

The highlight of the piece is “Worst Bastard” with its genuine pop hooks and tasty sentiments that provide real attitude and a flow that energises.

Ultimately the results are mixed as songs begin to lose hooks in preference to extensive meandering and exploration making the album something of a patience tester but equally unique in execution and definitely something to search out in the name of adventure.

You may hate me for “recommending” this record.

Thesaurus moment: intrepid.

Micachu
Accidental Records
Rough Trade

MORRISSEY – SOMETHING IS SQUEEZING MY SKULL (POLYDOR/DECCA)

MORRISSEY – SOMETHING IS SQUEEZING MY SKULL (POLYDOR/DECCA)

There is so much pleasure to be taken from this year’s Morrissey model and the empowering confidence that is exuding there from. This is Morrissey in a defiant mood, indulging in ageing disgracefully and looking to offend with it.

With a sleeve that features Morrissey draped around a statue of Johnny Ramone, there is a punkish ferocity to proceedings that musically, dare I say, actually reminds me of early Fugazi. After only a few bars the track is already crisp and snapping with true bite, no surprise then that it was chosen as the opening track of on “Years Of Refusal”. This is something I cannot recall having heard from Morrissey’s band before. Why the sudden rise in tempo? Did something happen to his heart rate? Is this urgency real? Is he dying?

Once established as a more sprightly outing than usual the lyrics kick in as our man gets all defensive and accusatory opening with the greatest of lines in “I’m doing very well, I can block out the present and the bad now.” Take that disbelievers, within the first two lines of his new album he has told you to fuck off. He then ups the stakes with the inflammatory retort “I know that by now you think I should have straightened myself out but you drop dead.” These are fighting words. This is a man that will take you on and win. He should be running a pub in the East End and he knows it. I want to tap into his defiance. And fast.

“There is no love in modern life.”

At time when the musicians of this era seem to resemble old school boring politicians that people would vote in and keep their fingers cross for, this truly is a supreme being in this environment. This cuts to the bone with a poetry others can only dream of nearing.

Its great when heroes live up to their billing and reputation.

Thesaurus moment: heavyweight.

Morrissey
Decca
Polydor

AN EXPERIMENT ON A BIRD IN THE AIR PUMP – THESE SINS EP (TROUBLE RECORDS)

AN EXPERIMENT ON A BIRD IN THE AIR PUMP – THESE SINS EP (TROUBLE RECORDS)

For a while now there has been something of a subtle buzz regarding this band and in reality it all seems something of an exercise of style over substance but a style such as this, compared to the current defining fare, I am very happy to find myself being suckered in and lapping it up like a kitten licking milk.

I always wanted to date a reformed goth, a lady with a dark demeanour but obviously one that would not be laughed at in the street by teenagers. My ideal goth lady would possess a finely tuned sense of humour in addition to a pretty good record collection including records by The Cure (the good ones and the bad ones). Now if you added to this equation the lady being Asian, chunky and with a killer fringe you have something and someone I could get very excited about. Suddenly you see how I (and not I alone) have been suckered in my An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump.

Musically there is a restrained, undistorted Jesus & Mary Chain feel to the band with primal Moe Tucker-esqe drum beats and patterns coupled with looping guitars and a tribal sounding delivery in both the vocals and lyrics that are goth in a Lydia Lunch kind of way, unashamedly taunting in content.

By the time we reach the cover version of “100%” by Sonic Youth a distinct No Wave tone appears to have found its way onto the b-side (named the “Inside” to the a-side’s “Outside”) followed by the most expressive song of this restrained release in “The Past Between Us”.

This band would have been a perfect goth band for 4AD in the eighties but now, I’m not so sure. Here’s hoping for good things however.

Thesaurus moment: mode.

An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump
Trouble Records

VARIOUS – CHUNKS (NEW ALLIANCE)

VARIOUS – CHUNKS (NEW ALLIANCE)

Chunks was another New Alliance compilation, the third record put out by the label.  Featuring trademark Raymond Pettibon cover artwork and production by in-house producer Spot, the label was very much arm in arm with SST featuring a number of it acts in the line-up.  Released as an album but running at 45 rpm following on from Cracks In The Sidewalk it features twelve tracks by the great and the good, the eventual has-beens and never-weres.  It is most notable for being home to “Machine” by Black Flag which was a track that would eventually find its way home to SST on The First Four Years compilation.  Elsewhere of note are tracks by naturally the Minutemen, the Descendents, Saccharine Trust and the infamous Nig-Heist.

There is a large element of lifting the lid attached to this release.  It is fun to note that only two songs go past the two minute mark so the listener is not likely to get bored.  This is the first time I have heard of The Cheifs, Peer Group, Vox Pop, Slivers and Artless Entanglements and it is also quite possibly the last.  Lets investigate.

The record opens with “Global Probing” by the Descendents.  The early version of the band was somewhat more revved up than they eventually came to be known (which was the band Green Day lifted from heavily).  There is a rattle to their being and an uncomfortable chant come chorus time (“it’s all in vain, if you don’t stop, you’ll go insane”).  At this stage there was still much work to do.

Moving on the horribly spelled The Cheifs pleasingly deliver with the snotty “The Lonelys” which features a set of Germs/Darby like vocals coupled with a fizzy, loose drive not a million miles away from the sound of Ginn’s guitar.

San Pedro’s finest the Minutemen arrive and raise the bar with their offering “Clocks”.  On cue their track is nimble and compact, a forty one second punk funk instrumental work out.  The musicianship towers even if the song does not.

With that the aforementioned Black Flag work rant “Machine” screams on proceedings.  As per the band at the time it is more angst and declaration of defiance in the face of authority and the man.  “Machine” is a slow build, a rant that builds into a true swinging rage at an imagined manager.

The Stains present here I believe is the version that was fronted by Jesus Fixx.  Regardless their offering “Sick And Crazy” is a high octane punk plunder that revs and burns in ecstatic and effective fashion which races to the finish.

Peer Group represent something of a pleasant mystery existing as some kind of keen collision of Pere Ubu and the Minutemen right down to the vocals which sound very much like D. Boon.  Their song here “I Saw That Movie” is a bendy and angular.

The second side of the record opens with Vox Pop (featuring future members of The Germs and Angry Samoans) delivering a fizzy almost prototype Riot Grrrl blast with “You’re My Favourite”.  Its favouritism that comes with a catch.

Experimental oaf Ken promptly arrives on the scene with spacey noodling and near spoken word vocals in a Jim Carroll style.  “Purposeless Attitudes” swirls and disarms offering escapism through torture.

Picking up the pieces comes Slivers with an odd sloppy track entitled “Sport” that is driven by a stock saxophone piece accompanied by a stroppy Darby Crash-esqe vocalist delivering in nursery rhyme fashion in obtuse Fall fashion.  Beneath it all plays out a noise that can only be described as sounding like masturbating.  It’s messy.

The great Saccharine Trust gifts “A Christmas Cry” opening with the line “so this is Christmas” while being the antithesis of John Lennon.  This war will never be over.  The song exhibits the experimental, arty side of the band with its anti-rock jazz gesture and sound of things collapsing around them.  With its spoken word narrative here is another act that feels touched by Jim Carroll.  And then it all concludes with the declaration “give thanks because you have not yet felt the wrath of God”.

Stinking things up slightly, Artless Entanglements offer a joke country ditty in the form of “Dildos, Bondage And Toys”.  It’s silly and comes with the chorus of “lets get wet, make lots of noise”.  That might be a take.

It all ends with Mugger’s band The Nig-Heist.  This was a band described as “one of the most explicit and vile acts to exist”.  To be honest that is something of an overstatement/overestimation but the intention is there as nihilism rules with numerous gestures of “fuck the world, fuck you all”.  “The Nig-Heist” as a track is their calling card, their manner/method of introduction.  It’s a song about finding and apportioning blame.  It’s neither playful nor fun.

And with that twelve bands pass with twelve songs in absolutely no time.  If only more music was as short.

Thesaurus moment: apprehend.

New Alliance