Neurosis Live on VBS.TV

 

Thanks to Aubin at punknews.org for this bit of amazing information. One of my all time favorite bands, Neurosis recently had two live engagements at the Brooklyn Masonic Rights Temple and one of my favorite online video/news/entertainment sites, VBS.TV documented it. Sound quality is good. Band is top notch. Whatever cameras VBS used they were able to capture Steve and Scott and crew in their usual extreme low light setting. Fucking epic! Can’t wait to see them again. Steve Von Till and Scott Kelly both recently released solo records on Neurot Recordings–pick those up tout de suite. 

You can check it out here. And be sure to poke around VBS.TV for some amazing gonzo video journalism from the likes of Ian Svenonius and his esoteric interview show Soft Focus, and some great docs like Heavy Metal in Baghdad, Garbage Island (About the North Pacific Gyre a swirling mass of plastic and debris) and videos from bands you should know and love like These New Puritans.

Needle In The Hay: Sad Kermit

Apologies for those of you with more freetime than I have who’ve seen this beautiful rendition of Elliot Smith’s “Needle in the Hay” by famed ‘Sad Kermit.’ Sad Kermit is an adult parody of Kermit the Frog and its pretty hilarious. They recreate Richie Tennenbaums suicide scene from The Royal Tennenbaums as well. I’m not sure which is more disturbing–watching Kermit, a childhood favorite smoking cigarettes and shooting horse, or knowing what we know about Owen Wilson and thinking about that scene his brother is in. It raises some interesting social questions. 

*credit to Beware of the Blog for turning me on to this one.

The Burning Of Rome: Death-Pop (a review)

The Burning of Rome is an enigma of a local San Diego band. They aren’t the typical, emo-leaning types. Nor do they rely on dated fashion statements so prevalent in the ‘Rock’ scene.  In fact one assumes their music would perplex most rock show attendees looking for instant gratification. They are a rock band but they play it through a kaleidoscope of influences–maybe they took Danny Elfman, Frank Zappa, Nobuo Uematsu (composer of famed Final Fantasy role playing video games) and fistfuls of mushrooms to bring the scrambling weirdo contingent their opus, Death Pop to life. An overall impressive and ambitious debut from this San Diego sextet, Death Pop sounds like what Neil Stephenson’s idea of pop music would be inside the Metaverse.

The melody on “For Fear of Time Machines” sounds like a keyboard interpretation of Loggins’ “Dangerzone” riff, with the song itself being shoved through an LSD tunnel that resides in Lynch’s Black Lodge. In between those moments of weird calliope marches, little lunatic carnival barker yells infuse Disco Volante-era Mr. Bungle into moments of temporary lucidity. Dulcimer, reverse vocals, Rhodes piano and violent bursts of guitar pepper each tune in tasteful helpings. I like it the more I listen to it, and I’ll admit the song that captured me was their most traditional, “Cowboy Death-Pop Star,” a tune that sounds like it was recorded on a Fischer Price toy microphone—its also the most accessible of the records 14 tracks.

If you’re bored with the same old album being put out by the same old band in the same old clothes, you’re money or downloading time would be well spent picking up this nugget of eclectic music.

http://www.myspace.com/theburningofrome

 

 

Made Out of Babies: An Interview w/ Julie Xmas

 

Made Out of Babies are the kind of band that continue to get better with each subsequent release and how stoked was I to hear their latest song “Cooker” from their forthcoming album, The Ruiner, out June 24! I think the fact they keep getting weirder and more complex in their sound is what fascinates me. Vocalist Julie Xmas seems to be utilizing her considerable talents in more ways than just saying words–using her voice to add another element of suspense to the juggernaut rhythm section of bassist Cooper and drummer Matt, while Brendan’s buzz saw and effects laden guitar dances around the chaos.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting a new release from MOOB and so I decided to send Julie some Q’s in advance of their release date. If you haven’t seen this band live, do yourself a favor and go check it out. 

 

Who is producing the new MOOB record?

The record would not have become what it is without the help of Andrew Schneider of Translator Audio in Brooklyn. Andrew is amazing. For anyone who isn’t too familiar with how records are made, the producer is as important as any member of the band, and Andrew is definitely a rising star in the audio engineering world.

 

Do you have a title for it yet?

The Ruiner.

 

You had mentioned in our interview a while back that your writing process as a singer you often think of the words last and use sounds more than actual lyrics, but Coward seemed more focused lyrically than Trophy did (as a result the vocals sounded more passionate, subject matter was more overt). Is that still the case?

Thanks for saying the vocals sound more passionate with more highly developed subject matter. I can’t tell if I’m more lyrically focused. Sometimes the words do seem to be coming to me faster, but other times it’s like squeezing blood from a stone. I think the key is always the music. If the music is really “for me”, I can usually respond to it fluidly without too many tears and grunts. Abstract vocals are very easy to hide behind. Then again, maybe I haven’t changed at all and it’s you has changed as a listener.

 

Has your process changed since you started MOOB? Do you utilize different writing/vocal techniques when working with different people like Battle of Mice and do you ’save’ some things for your main project MOOB?

I respond to different music in different ways. I’m not a good saver. Every time I scream till I almost black out, I know I shouldn’t be doing it. I am weak that way. I tend to do whatever I want despite the cost. Saving ideas has recently come into play with my own solo work, because the music is generally not originating from other people.

 

How have things been working with your new label The End? What was the reason to work with them and not Neurot for your forthcoming 3rd album?

 Neurot is great, but we wanted to try a new partnership for this record. The End is a growing label with great ideas and we have high hopes for working with them – they seem really driven to make things work and they are committed to the new record, which is by far our best work.

 

What like-minded loonies are you working with in 08′?

My other personality, My lovely men from Made Out of Babies, the guys from Mouth Of the Architect, the guys from Spylacopa (Greg from Dillinger Escape Plan, Jeff from Isis and John from Candiria), A French Director and French Producer David Blin and Renaud Behar (I’m scoring their first feature length film), Andrew Schneider, Mel Liederman from Victory at Sea/Thalia Zadek, and a few other special surprises that I can’t name at the moment. It is a very busy time!

 

What can you tell me about the solo record and can what folks can expect? will it be heavy, electronic, ambient, combination of both, anyone producing? is if full band? is it just you and an acoustic guitar?

I would never try to play an instrument and sing. I have great musicians helping me out. The music is big and open, songs I want to sing or have always wanted to sing that most people probably will not like too much. I don’t think I could finish an entire album without expressing very dark feelings, but I also express a sense of hope and amazement at small things in the world.

 

Whats the possibility of a Jarboe/Julie Xmas collab?

I’ve never thought about it. I wonder if it would work.

 

When is the next tour scheduled for MOOB?

Summer 08’, we’ll be in Europe & the US. We’ve been taking time off to write and record.

 

Will there ever be a followup to the Battle of Mice record?

A BOM split with Jesu is coming out on Robotic Empire in a few months.

 

Did you guys work with Joel Hamilton again on the new MOOB record?

No, but we love Joel. I think we knew before we started to write that Andrew was the right person for this album. When you hear it, you’ll know why. The best - kept secret in Brooklyn.

 

Thanks Julie. Happy 08. looking forward to seeing you guys sometime this year.

Thank You! This was fun – thanks so much for thinking of me.  Let me know if you need anything else at all!

 

Consumption Junction: Full Frontal Scrutiny

Have you ever raised your eyebrow at the end of some long winded commercial or driven past a billboard that looks a little suspect? Maybe it looks like an ad for Moveon.org petition for a somewhat plausible cause but the small print gives their gratitude to some nebulous organization represented by a lame acronym. Now you have a place to point that raised eyebrow. A new venture between Consumer Reports WebWatch and theCenter for Media and Democracy, have pooled their considerable resources and credibility into a website called frontgroups.org in an effort to expose all those silly acronyms for what they truly are. Anyone and everyone is under the magnifying glass including lobbyists, big tobacco (funding major lung cancer research), and Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod and his ASK Public Strategies ’second’ business. After reading a few of the posts my stomach started to hurt. Imagining how corrupt and manipulative media and marketing is and actually seeing it exposed is like watching Rody Piper putting on those sunglasses on in They Live–terrifying and not funny or campy any longer. Realizing many of these so-called ‘grassroots’ campaigns are actually just Astroturf campaigns I’m glad I hesitate every time I get an invite or prompt from some questionable group on Facebook even if I do feel like hurling a sheep or ‘biting some chumps.’

Indian Pop. Video Awesome!

Some folks will go their whole lives never having done mind altering substances, completely missing the irony of things like this wonderful example from the far East.

91x Loudspeaker Show!

I’m going to take this soapbox opportunity to give a positive endorsement for Preston, who is currently a DJ for 91x’s LoudSpeaker show which airs Monday mornings from 1am-3am (I know, stupid fucking time slot, but hey its corporate radio). Anyway, Preston and his cohort, Rowley have been doing a great job of playing a lot of local bands, even if everyone is asleep while they are playing them. I’m attempting to have him play a little more Three One G and Gravity bands but nepotism* takes work and sometimes folks aren’t ready to hear “We Have Reached An Official Verdict: Nobody Gives A Shit” by the Locust.

You can hear this show by listening to it at a reasonable hour and you won’t even have to change your sleep schedule by downloading the latest at http://www.91x.com/loudspeaker.html

They’ve also got a great line up picked out for their very own Loudspeaker side stage including The Sess, Weatherbox, The Material, The Burning Of Rome, and Shark Attack. 

Some of you may be wondering why I’m endorsing a 91x show after I lambasted them for their last live concert debacle during last years holidays–it’s because good music is possible on the radio. And the fact they’ve given an entire stage to some talented local San Diego bands adds to their sluggish climb to credibility. Tim Pyles has proved the positive aspects of intriguing local music on 94.9 for years and Swami has shown that different genre’s can be heard without pissing off some lame ass suits in the marketing department.

Now, if 91x would stop sitting on their hands and embrace multi-genre, free form radio, they might actually have something redeeming besides their best show that airs during the graveyard shift. Hows that for a backhanded compliment?

*With respect to disclosure, Preston and I are related, by blood. And no we didn’t cut our hands with a bowie knife then shake–that’s dangerous.

 

Firethorn: Pollution for the Fountain of Youth (a review)

Sean Myott, bass player from San Diego trio Firethorn had been trying to send his bands debut to me for what seemed like months. I don’t know if my post office box has an anti-band-mail charm on it but that’s not the only example of things being sent by bands that hadn’t made it to me. However, bands ‘sending’ anything besides good intentions or an unpaid bar tab is always somewhat of a farce. That’s why they hire PR people right? Sean came through and dropped off Pollution for the Fountain of Youth in person to me, and we shook hands, connecting me inextricably to favor.

Pollution is an intriguing debut parked comfortably along Bleach-era Nirvana and classic Southern California hard rock with the occasional nod to Descendents-style, irreverent metal worship. They definitely mine the depths of late 80’s and early 90’s punk and Seattle sound, wearing their influences proudly in their riffs and sentiments.

“A Looker Named Lexie” has that schizophrenic, multiple-voices-jabbering in the bridge technique that they pull off effortlessly on the record and I’d be interested to see how they do it live.  The musicianship truly shines on the track, “The Nerve!!” where acoustic guitar is the thematic voice of the song. The production is interesting and could stand alone as a statement in uniqueness or on the other hand, it could use some Alan Douches style mastering to enhance the subtleties. 

Pollution goes well with Mudhoney, whiskey sours, bonghits and muscle cars.

Check them out at http://myspace.com/firethornrock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Ford: One Shot One Take “Go To Hell”

David Ford is a singer songwriter from across the pond who recently played here in San Diego. He makes full use of looping technology to create wonderfully layered compositions. Sort of in the vein of Liam Finn, these multi-instrumentalists represent the possibility of new methods in how pop and rock music is composed. I mean, looping isn’t new but it gives a new image of the ‘one man band.’ This video was shot while the singer was in the States on a recent tour. I can’t tell how he is putting this all together but I’m going to find out soon so check back.

New Muxtape!

Posted yesterday. Its drinking music. Scotch and soda/whiskey and water drinking music, Vodka Pepsi/Guinness Jamesons 4am pizza-burrito-pete’s kitchen [or another greek equivalent], music.

Otis Redding, Man Man, Neil Young.

http://wrongstring.muxtape.com

Also, R.I.P.

Danny Federici, Springsteen Keyboardist, Dies at 58, AP Says