Tracks From This Morning

1. White Fire - Angel Olsen
2. Pretty Things - Radkey
3. Grip - Jawbox
4. I Against I - Bad Brains
5. Bodies Made Of - Parquet Courts

Angel Olsen's Debut LP Is Some Truly Captivating Indie-Folk Music

The soft, indie folk of Angel Olsen’s debut LP Burn Your Fire for No Witness is as diverse and eclectic as it is powerful.  Each of the albums eleven tracks are incredibly unique and yet the album feels very cohesive from start to finish.  Tracks like “Forgiven/Forgotten” incorporate some alternative influences using lo-fi guitar mixed with slow and steady folk drumming.  Still there is plenty of that modern, indie sound mixed in which is reminiscent of Silversun Pickups to a degree (albeit substantially toned down).  A wide array of instruments are used as well, including piano on several tracks like “High and Wild” which maintains the alternative sound of “Forgiven/Forgotten”.  Still, the albums strengths are in its slower songs which really capture Olsen’s exceptionally distinctive voice.  She channels Johnny Cash on the electronic acoustic “Hi-Five” which incorporates a distinct feel of the 1940’s.  Florence Welch comes through on songs like “Stars” and closing track “Windows” which both offer up Olsen’s voice as the focal point.  This is especially the case on “Enemy” an extremely soft, acoustic ballad with barely any backing track.  “Lights Out” exemplifies Angel Olsen’s style.  The vocals evoke some of the best singer-songwriters in the modern indie landscape and the alterna-folk sound subtly present on the whole album comes through heaviest on this song.  My favorite track on the album may be “White Fire” whose dark, melodic sound is unlike anything I’ve heard in a while.  The enchanting echo of the steady guitar and drums in the background drive Olsen’s poetic lyrics in a haunting and mesmerizing way.  The track is the longest on the album clocking in at nearly seven minutes long but that works to the songs advantage as you feel yourself getting sucked further and further into Olsen’s captivating lyrics.  This entire album blew me away with its many influences, instruments, and techniques.  Incorporating so many genres including folk, indie, lo-fi, alternative, singer/songwriter (the list goes on) the album has a little something for everyone.  While the tracks all have a slower, I hate to say depressing feel similar to Lana Del Ray, they invoke a wonderfully pleasing calmness which at the end leaves you feeling more serene than depressed.  Definitely an album EVERYONE should check out.

The Lego Movie is a Must See

The Lego Movie was……fantastic!!!  I was skeptical when my wife asked me to bring this one home as the commercials showed me nothing more than a movie which was designed for kids to capitalize on the current extreme popularity of all things Lego.  I was sorely mistaken.  The film was laugh out loud funny from start to finish and brought back countless memories through the movies references to classic Lego sets new and old.  The film is an underdog story at its heart and focuses on Emmet Brickowski, an standard construction worker mini figure who goes through the motions of his everyday life in Bricksburg.  Everyone conforms to the rules of society and no one asks any questions.  They all eat the same food and watch the same show, a hilariously simple comedy called “Where Are My Pants?” which is an hysterical take on generic daytime sitcoms.  The point is that Emmet doesn’t have a single original or imaginative thought.  Then one day, he returns to his job site and bumps into the attractive, hair flipping, mysterious girl Wildstyle who is attempting to retrieve The Piece of Resistance to stop the evil President Business from unleashing the devastating power of the Kragle and destroying the known world.  After falling through a hole at the construction site, Emmet ends up finding the Piece and Wildstyle tells him that the prophecy dictates he is “The Special” and is destined to save the world.  Emmet is sucked into an adventure which leads him through the other Lego realms including the Pirate Sea and the Old West.  With the help of Wildstyle, the ancient wizard Vitruvius, Batman, and many other recognizable Lego faces, Emmet learns to become a Master Builder and unleash his imagination in ways he never thought possible.  With Will Ferrell as President Business, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius, Will Arnett as Batman, and Elizabeth Banks as Wildstyle, the film has an all-star comedic cast which manages to insert plenty of jokes aimed at the older crowd watching the movie.  In the end, the secret behind the Kragle and President Business is revealed in an outcome which is both heartwarming and a tad predictable.  If you’re a fan of Legos then you MUST see this film.  Even if you aren’t it was still a hysterical movie that will no doubt appeal to children and adults alike; a perfect pick for family movie night.

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.

Songs from Today's Commute

1. 100% - Sonic Youth
2. Regular - Idiot Genes
3. Black Sap Scriptures - Plague Vendor
4. Lavender Road - GHOST OF A SABERTOOTH TIGER
5. Paranoid - Black Sabbath

Cult Classics - Meatballs is a Feel Good Summer Film for All

Considering today is the last day of school, it seems like a good opportunity for another Cult Classic, a timeless summer camp film which is a perfect way to get excited for the school vacation ahead.  Released in 1979, Meatballs was the first starring role for comedian Bill Murray.  Focusing on the quiet, introverted Rudy Gerner, away from home at sleep away camp for the first time, the film is part coming of age tale, part raunchy teen comedy, and part feel good family blockbuster.  Murray plays head counselor Tripper Harrison, in charge of the camps CIT’s (counselors in training) a group of elder teens which help lead activities and run the assorted bunk houses.  Tripper takes an interest in young Rudy and takes him under his wing for the duration of the summer.  The two go on long runs together and discuss life over games of poker.  The summer is filled with first loves, competition with neighboring camp Mohawk, and many pranks on camp director Morty Melnick.  There are WAY too many jokes and one-liners to list but suffice it to say that the entire movie is quotable.  From the CIT theme song to Murray’s constant sarcastic remarks both directly to campers and counselors and also over the camp loud speaker, the film is laugh out loud funny from start to finish.  In the end, the message is simple: be yourself, laugh often, and always remember to have a good time because when you take a step back and look at whatever problems you have, in the grand scheme of things….it just doesn’t matter. 

The Monuments Men - Good Film, Not Quite Serious Enough

The Monuments Men was an exciting and comical adventure which was only loosely based on the popular novel of the same name.  Written and directed by George Clooney, the film has an all-star cast including Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett.  The story begins with Frank Stokes (Clooney) convincing the Allied generals that saving Europe’s classic works of art is vital.  He believes that an Allied victory will be meaningless if the great works of the Renaissance masters are lost forever, either damaged, destroyed, or stolen.  Stokes is allowed to assemble a team of experts, historians, and artists to try and infiltrate enemy territory and recover the missing masterpieces.  Working with a Parisian curator named Claire Simone (Blanchett), James Granger (played by Matt Damon) attempts to get information about the missing pieces which are hastily being brought to Germany under the leadership of Nazi officer Viktor Stahl ahead of the advancing Allied armies.  The information is relayed to Stokes and the other members of his team who have split up and are scattered all across Europe attempting to retrieve priceless works such as Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child.  With no military support, the story is uplifting as this hodgepodge group of underdog’s singlehandedly save the history of Western art from the destruction of World War II.   However, I felt that the tone set by the director was very reminiscent of Ocean’s 11, another Clooney/Damon collaboration.  The seriousness of the story was overshadowed by the comedic elements which I feel took away from the gravity of what the team was trying to accomplish.  While comedic relief was necessary, it seemed to go a little far making the movie feel more like a art heist comedy when I was expecting a war drama.  Still, the movie was entertaining and enjoyable to watch, especially when you consider that the events depicted actually took place.  In the end it was an interesting and untold chapter in the history of the Second World War which makes viewing the great works on display at museums like the Louvre all the more special.   

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

Exciting Summer Shows

I can't believe it but the Game of Thrones finale is this Sunday and that means that we will have to wait another year until more episodes.  But that doesn't mean there's nothing to watch.  This Summer promises to have some great new television series starting up about everything from angels, to vampires, to Victorian mysteries.  Some notable ones to check out include: Leftovers, an HBO show in which a huge section of the worlds population suddenly disappears and the rest of the planet is left to pick up the pieces and decide what happens next.  Penny Dreadful, a Showtime drama about Victorian England using fictional characters from the era such as Dorian Gray and Victor Frankenstein.  The Strain which premiers on FX, is based on the book series by Guillermo Del Toro about vampires and promises to be just as gory and realistic as the Walking Dead.  Other cable network shows include Dominion on SyFy which is based on the movie Legion and involves the disappearance of God and the subsequent battle between the angels Gabriel and Michael.  Finally, for those who are looking for less substance and more action and explosions, check out Last Ship on TNT.  Directed by action filmmaker Michael Bay, the show is about a battleship out at sea which receives information that 80% of the worlds population has died of a mysterious disease and it is up to the crew of the ship to find a cure.  All seem interesting and with such a wide variety, there's a little something for everyone.  Read the full Rolling Stone hot summer series list below.

New Summer Series

Eagulls Make Some Fantastic 80's English Post-Punk

Eagulls have put out the best British post-punk I’ve heard since Echo and the Bunnymen which is saying a lot considering the latter is considered one of the best bands to play the genre and the former just put out their debut less than a year ago.  The five piece rock band from Leeds, England released their debut eponymous album and its 10 tracks ooze with hardcore guitar riffs, exquisitely deep and haunting base lines and vocals which sound straight out of the 1980’s New Wave/Post-Punk English scene with an extra gritty sincerity all their own.  Lead in track “Nerve Endings” has singer George Mitchel melodically shrieking the chorus in a way that is reminiscent of Mark E. Smith with a hoarser, "punkier" squeal which reveals Eagulls history in the hardcore scene .  The following track "Hollow Visions" is a veritable punk explosion of energy.  Tracks like "Amber Veins" and "Fester/Blister" have great speed and 80's guitar riffs that recall early Joy Division with a faster, heavier tempo.  The group clearly has an ear for history while bringing their own style and feel to each and every song.  The tempo changes brought to the table by drummer Henry Ruddel are perfect and not only drive the songs forward but keep them interesting as the sound of each starts to blend slightly by the end of the album.  While almost all songs maintain the punk aesthetic like "Footsteps" which channels 70's bands like The Damned or closing track "Soulless Youth" (one of the best on the album) some like "Possessed" and "Tough Luck" are reminiscent of the more pop oriented 80's sound of bands like Gang of Four (also from Leeds) or The Cure while still maintaining that hardcore influence alongside drumming that sounds straight out of Mission of Burma's entire catalog.  The band, which formed in 2010 is setting itself up for a successful run.  Their live show is supposed to be out of this world and they're slated to play Great Scott in Allston two weeks from today.  I have tickets and am so excited to see these guys rip through some songs which you would swear were straight out of 1984.  If you grew up in the 80's or are a fan of underground music from the era, you will not be disappointed with this album.