Song's from this Morning

1. Life on Mars? - David Bowie
2. Caring is Creepy - The Shins
3. Teenage Superstars - The Vaselines
4. Porcelain - Moby
5. King of Kings - The Evens
6. Rats - Black Beach
7. Going Down - The Germs
8. Validation - Minutemen
9. Burnin' for You - Blue Oyster Cult
10. Keep on Knocking - Death

I Should Have Paid More Attention to METZ

When Canadian noise punk trio METZ released their eponymous debut in 2012 I was indifferent.  I thought it was good, but never thought it was anything revolutionary or radical.  The albums 10 songs were straightforward grungy noise rock with a hardcore twist.  An amalgam of other Sub Pop releases from the last 20 years.  However, I recently gave their new LP simply called "II" a listen and I was floored.  The power and sincerity I never noticed on their first album was readily apparent on their sophomore effort.  Sharp, jagged opener "Acetate" sets the tone for the rest of the album with it's shaky vocals, whiny guitar strings, and a bass line that feels more like a kick to the face as it drives the music forward.  Other stand out moments include the adrenaline fueled "I.O.U" and the sporadic tempo shifts of "Spit You Out".  METZ finishes strong with "Kicking a Can of Worms"; a song that builds and builds before erupting like the violent volcano it is.  You're hypnotized by the repetitive droning noise as the band leaves you with a farewell letter that shows they are more than just your average rock band.  It ends up representing what makes METZ great.  Using a variety of musical building blocks, the band incorporates the influences of 90's Seattle in a way that doesn't sound forced or overexposed.  Their live show is supposed to be a smorgasbord of whipping hair, metal riffs, and a sludgy rhythm section which lets be real, is the perfect cocktail for mind altering rock and roll.  A recent stop in Boston at the Sinclair saw the band playing with 2015 breakout band Bully and up and coming Seattle rockers So Pitted.  Really wish I had been paying more attention to this band but they've certainly hooked me now.  It's what rock is supposed to sound like in 2015.

Songs From This Morning

1. TV - Colleen Green
2. Listed MIA - Rancid
3. Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
4. Hey Baby - No Doubt
5. M&M's - Blink 182
6. Running with the Devil - Van Halen
7. Rock and Roll Community College - Ben Katzman's Degreaser
8. Who's Gonna Be My Babe? - Free Pizza
9. Jungle Love - Ex Breathers
10. Sangwich - Gnarwhal

Songs from this Morning

1. Just a Girl - No Doubt
2. Grip - Jawbox
3. Misery Over Dispute - Waxahatchee
4. White Fire - Angel Olsen
5. Froot - Marina and the Diamonds
6. The Graduates - Speedy Ortiz
7. Nadine - DENT
8. Just My Luck - Laughing Stock
9. Targets Of Men - G.L.O.S.S.
10. Mulch - Gnards

Today's Playlist

1. Rose Mountain - Screaming Females
2. Hadley, MA - California X
3. Runner - Laura Stevenson
4. Kind of Like Smitten - The Ergs!
5. Weirdoz Everywhere - The Prefab Messiahs
6. Mesmerize - Temples
7. Oliver Twisted - The Vaselines
8. Johnny Hit and Run Pauline - X
9. Design Within Reach - PRIESTS
10. In My Eyes - Minor Threat

PRIESTS - Powerfuly Intense and Relevant Punk Rock

PRIESTS are scary.  And I’m not talking about the religious guys in robes.  I’m talking about the firestorm of intensity that is the latest post-hardcore band to come out of the prolific Washington, DC music scene.  Lead by enigmatic front-woman Katie Alice Greer, PRIESTS are exactly what post-hardcore is supposed to sound like, heavy and confrontational without becoming ironic or cliché.  The band, which formed in 2012 and put out two self-released tapes and a 7” on their own Sister Polygon Records, recently released their latest EP Bodies and Control and Money and Power on NJ indie powerhouse Don Giovanni Records.  Indeed all of those subjects are discussed in Greer’s demanding and profound lyrics which capture millennial malaise and coming of age frustrations felt by everyone who was expected to make a life for themselves in the wake of the economic recession.  PRIESTS state, or rather belt matter of factly, the feelings felt by many of the millennial generation and they do it alongside jarring punk riffs and funky interplay that crafts a sound completely unique.  Taylor Mulitz’s bass guitar comes through heavy on all songs and creates a haunting background to the jangly guitar leads brought to the table by guitar guru G.L Jaguar.  Drummer Daniele Daniele keeps things steady and cohesive making sure the rest of the band doesn’t lose track of structure completely.  Songs like “Right Wing” discuss Republican power dynamics alongside the powerful and ethereal “New” which deals with the frustrations of growing up only to realize that life is a lot scarier and darker than you were promised.  This is especially true of the Generation Y.  Growing up we were all told we were special and destined for greatness.  We were the “every kid gets a trophy” generation.  Now as we’ve all entered the real world, we’ve come to realize this was a lie and there is a certain amount of resentment towards older generations which fueled such dreams and now it seems are the ones in power preventing them.  PRIESTS capture this feeling perfectly in closing track “And Breeding” in which Greer screams “I’m trying to afford, everything I always asked for, everything they said was in store” and later “yeah I went to college, yeah I got a job, but I still can’t figure out how to join the mob”.  The song ends with Greer straining her throat yelling “Barack Obama killed something in me!” expressing the frustrations of young adults who put their faith in reform and change both in 2008 and 2012 only to have those dreams dashed after nearly 8 years of partisan gridlock.  Another track on the album, the fast paced “Modern Love/No Weapon”, showcases PRIESTS ability to compose striking and dominating instrumental powerhouses.  Each one of the albums eight tracks are different and bring something new and fresh to the table.  It doesn’t sound overdone, nor does it stress over the top musical diversity.  It’s just right.  I recently saw them on tour with Screaming Females, Vacation, and Tenement and while the other bands were fantastic including the Females, PRIESTS were something else entirely.  With whole portions of the performance devolving into atonal static and driving bass as Greer writhed on the floor screaming intensely politicized monologue, I was floored.   This is a band everyone needs to hear AND see.  It’s jarring, it’s in your face, it’s experimental, it’s punk rock.

Songs from this Morning

1. The Charles Mansion - Idiot Genes
2. Virtual Insanity - Jamiroquai
3. The Way - Fastball
4. Something Must Break - Jawbox
5. Nightmare - The Faith

White Lung Deliver Clear Vocals and Hardcore Intensity

Deep Fantasy the third album by Canadian punk band White Lung combines the high pitched, supersonic guitar components of metal with the lightning drums of early 80’s hardcore giants like Minor Threat.  The quartet has been at it since 2006 and has three full lengths under their belt, all of which have received critical acclaim.  Their latest, just released in June of this year is a savage display of what makes hardcore so great.  Lead singer Mish Way delivers her vocals in a whiny squeal but sounds amazingly close to Meredith Graves while keeping her words clear and recognizable.  Notable tracks off Deep Fantasy include “Down it Goes” and “Just for You” which have superb sing-a-long choruses and are prime examples of the caustic intensity seen across the whole album.  Hardcore has always been a misunderstood genre and is difficult to do right but White Lung has struck up a balance which sacrifices lo-fi sincerity for pure, raw intensity.  While many bands in the genre trade clarity for breakneck speed and power, White Lung manage walk a line between their ferocious sound and Way’s clearly stated words.  It’s refreshing to hear a hardcore band find this balance incorporating rock and heavy metal influences with precise vocals similar to early bands like Morris era Black Flag or the Dead Kennedys.  All that said, the band clearly represents the direction modern hardcore is taking and overall, I’d say it’s an impressive one.  I’d love to attend one of their shows to see the crowd’s response as the attendees of hardcore shows are the unofficial “fifth member” of the group and the force they add to the music only serves to enhance the band’s sound and potency.  I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on White Lung and would love to see other hardcore bands adopt the precision and tightness seen on Deep Fantasy.

This Morning's Playlist

1. No Hair No Flair - White Pages
2. Brill Bruisers - The New Pornographers
3. Drown the the Monster - White Lung
4. Cheap Talk - Death From Above 1979
5. Something Came Over Me - Wild Flag

Bob Mould In All His Alternative Glory

Bob Mould has once again succeeded at creating alternative rock gold.  His latest solo album Beauty and Ruin has the same raw intensity seen in his time with Husker Du while maintaining the more alt rock oriented sound of his early solo albums and influential 90’s band Sugar.  The albums 10 tracks combine elements of alternative, punk, grunge, and rock in a way which can best be described as a mash up between the Foo Fighters and Bad Religion if you must draw a comparison.  Lead in track “Low Season” starts with a haunting and mesmerizing guitar riff which navigates slowly through a melancholy drum beat and comes crashing down with the symbols during the chorus setting a dark and mystifying tone which is abandoned on second track “Little Glass Pill” which hits you like a ton of bricks after chilling out to the slow opener.  The tracks fast, punk rock tempo startles you at first but reminds you that this is in fact the ex-guitarist for one of the preeminent 80’s hardcore bands of the Midwest.  “I Don’t Know You Anymore” follows with a more pop rock, radio friendly sound before continuing into “Kid With Crooked Face” which brings us right back to the blistering tempo and punk sound of Glass Pill and ends up sounding the most like Husker Du on the album alongside the later track “Tomorrow Morning”.  “Nemeses are Laughing” comes next and again returns to the radio rock of some of the earlier tracks.  Mould manages to switch back and forth almost seamlessly providing catchy songs for both mainstream rock fans and underground die-hards.  “The War” comes next and is one of the best songs on the album employing a mix of 70’s punk influences and pop rock to craft a sound similar to the Foo’s.  This sound is continued on “Hey Mr. Grey” but not before cooling off, as is the style of the record, with “Forgiveness” a soft rock ballad with no central guitar riff and a xylophone in the background which definitely sounds the most out of place on the record.  The album comes to a close with two songs which again vary greatly in sound while still maintaining a cohesiveness which ties the album together.  “Let the Beauty Be” is an acoustic soft rock gem which calms your pulse before the record finishes with a bang.  Closing track “Fix It” is some incredible alterna-pop and has the best drums out of all 12 songs which is only fitting as any self-respecting rock album should leave your pulse racing at the end.  In the same vein as Ian Mackaye and his band The Evens, Bob Mould has shown that it is not only possible for the early 80’s hardcore sound to evolve and grow over time but that it’s influences can be used to create something totally new which exemplifies the fact that music is too great and varied to restrict yourself to one style.

Songs from this Morning

1. Hey Girl - Tacocat
2. Follow Me - The Coathangers
3. Psychic Trauma - Cloud Nothings
4. It Will Not Be Moved - Classics of Love
5. Scienceless - Lemuria

Plague Vendor - "Free to Eat" is an Interesting and Diverse Debut

Plague Vendor’s debut LP “Free to Eat” is a 10 song burst of howling vocals and wiry guitar riffs which contrast some intensely groovy bass lines.  The California based four piece recently signed to the great Epitaph Records for the release of their first album and overall, I’m pretty impressed.  Lead in track “Black Sap Scriptures” is my favorite on the album.  The bass in the background establishes a phenomenal sliding beat which helps define sharp tempo changes and haunting vocals by lead singer Brandon Blaine.  After the lead in track, the band shifts dramatically which was shocking at first but ended up making a lot of sense.  Second track “Cursed Love Hexed Lust” sees Blaine’s vocals elevating to a shrill howl akin to Jack White on some of the early White Stripes records.  Jay Rogers guitar speeds up throughout the song and gets the blood pumping after the more melodic opener.  “Breakdance on Broken Glass” has a unique back and forth between the vocals and the pounding drums of Luke Perine who erupts with intense ferocity after each break in Blaine’s singing.  “My Tongue is So Treacherous” opens with a riff reminiscent of Dick Dale overlaid with a piercing howl which goes on for longer than I thought humanly possible, but works against the surf rock style guitar.  Self-titled track “Plague Vendor” sees the band spelling out its name as the chorus which gets a little annoying but works with the songs chunky, broken rhythm.  Other songs like “Seek the Ruby Scarab” bring Jack White back to the table in a big way with a chorus that could literally be a White Stripes or Dead Weather B-Side.  Interestingly enough, the album closes with “Neophron Percnopterus”, a song which sees Blaine returning to vocals similar to “Black Sap Scripture” allowing the album to come full circle.  In this way the open and closer act more as warm up and cool down tracks for the explosions of intensity that is the eight middle songs.  The band maintains the punk rock speed and aesthetic throughout most of the album with some definite Lo-fi influences and ample amounts of garage rock glory.  This young band is currently touring with the Vans Warped Tour which is stopping at its usual spot in Mansfield this summer.  If you have tickets I would HIGHLY recommend checking these guys out as their live show is supposed to be off the charts.  If not, at least give the record a listen because it’s some marvelously gritty rock and roll.

Today's Playlist

1. Footsteps - Eagulls
2. Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
3. Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane
4. Artificial Life - Operation Ivy
5. Out of Step - Minor Threat

Today's Playlist

1. Mystery Man - The Strypes
2. Make Myself True - Together Pangea
3. Hunger Stike - Temple of the Dog
4. Jealous Again - Black Flag
5. 1985 - Bowling For Soup

The Evens - "Music Is for Everybody"

               

      The Evens are a band that truly stand for what music is all about.  This Washington D.C. based two piece is made up of Amy Farina (formerly of The Warmers) on drums and Ian MacKaye on baritone guitar.  MacKaye has been a seminal figure in the underground music scene in Washington D.C. since 1978 as a founding member of the Teen Idles and Minor Threat, considered to be one of the very first hardcore punk bands.  MacKaye is also one of the founding members of Dischord Records, and would later found Fugazi, who would go on to become one of the biggest bands the underground has ever seen selling albums in the millions, numbers unheard of by most other independent label bands.  As the creator of the “straight edge” movement, MacKaye has always taken a firm stance against the abuse of drugs and alcohol and has continuously pushed for low ticket prices and all ages policies at his shows.  MacKaye’s desire for all ages shows stems from his belief that music is for everyone.  The same is true for The Evens.  Their latest CD “The Odds” continues in the same vein as their previous releases; Farina’s drumming and singing are perfectly timed and her beats are ferocious on tracks like King of Kings and Warble Factor.  MacKaye’s guitar playing is haunting and slow at times and then erupts into the same ferocity seen in his former bands.  While most of the tracks are sung by Farina with MacKaye doing backing vocals, some songs like Wanted Criminals see MacKaye singing lead and truly harken back to the days of Fugazi.  Every track on the album is fantastic and that doesn’t happen often.  The Evens continue to only charge $5.00 at the door for their shows and play at nontraditional venues such as libraries, book stores, bike shops, cafes, really anywhere.  With the current trends in the music industry it’s nice to see a band that not only sticks to its values but fights for them.  Music is an art form; it’s not about selling a product, or making as much money as possible, it’s about expressing yourself and The Evens exemplify this.

Great New CD - "New Moon" by The Men

The new CD by post-punk outfit The Men has reassured me that rock and roll is still alive, albeit cowering in the corner in the face of the countless droves of MTV-pushed pop stars.  This Brooklyn based five piece started out as a decidedly hardcore band and their first two LP’s definitely resonate with fans as great punk music.  That being said, the direction they took with "New Moon" is more of a post-punk/alternative sound with a little bit of a country flare (although I hesitate to call it that).  The album is a mix of songs that both harken back to their early days and also experiment with some slower, newer sounds.  If you like great American guitar rock then this band is definitely one to add to your playlist.  Songs like "Half Angel Half Light" are a nice mix between the heavier punk sounding songs like "The Brass" and slower, more alternative ones like "Open the Door".  Overall, the album is a detour from what The Men have done previously but that just shows the group’s ability to grow and evolve.  I definitely can’t wait to see where these guys take things in the future.