Rapper Paris releases new album, Sonic Jihad, on his own label and Whitey is freaking out! MP3.
Clem Snide Not Snide At All
Clem Snide
Southpaw, Brooklyn, March 28, 2003
Near the end of their set, Clem Snide sang a song whose chorus went something like: “It’s so close I can see it, I can feel it, I can taste it, so therefore, I can’t touch it.” I was amazed to hear singer Eef Barzelay put into words a weird feeling I’ve always had: that life is somehow so special and important, it has to be set aside — it’s for other people. This was one of many moments when the band startled me by an insight that was not simply clever (I’d heard they were clever) but emotional and affecting, yet plunked seemingly effortlessly into a catchy rock song.
It was hard to tune into these moments, though, because the crowd at Brooklyn’s Southpaw was into talking. All night. Throughout Clem Snide’s set, and even through Barzelay’s sharp complaints about the babble. “You guys who are talking, I just want to remind you, you paid $12 bucks for this,” he said. “That’s 12 bucks you’re never going to see again.” Didn’t help. The crowd may have peaked early, with opener Phil Roebuck’s gutsy one-man-band banjo-and-bass-drum act. Roebuck sang great rootsy/bluesy songs and had everyone in the palm of his hand. Are New York audiences so torqued that they can only really concentrate on one set per night?
The Kills – Keep on Your Mean Side
The Kills – Keep on Your Mean Side (Rough Trade)
They have a lot of cool: they’re a two-piece guy/girl songwriting team with loads of angst and dirty mouths; totally boss looks complete with leather jackets and fuck-all hair cuts; one of ‘em is English; and they’re on the legendary Rough Trade label. They also have a thing for self-promotion and self-mythology that would make Jack White blush. Did I mention they were mentioned in the NME’s Cool Issue in November of ’02? Well, under normal circumstances you could get ready for the crush of backlash that cooler than thou bands like the Strokes and countless Brit Pop bands have endured without relent. What’s the difference? The Kills kick ass.
Sometimes treading a bit too close to PJ Harvey in the vocal area, American born singer VV (what? Cool names too!?!) gives that could-give-a-shit-less attitude a once-over by avoiding the heady subjects or surreal monologues that Ms. Harvey is a little too fond of these days. Add to that the simple, crunchy guitars from Hotel (Christ, this is getting silly), VV’s partner in crime, and you have some of the simplest and compelling rock to come out of England in years. And if you’re a fan of the recent upsurge in “garage rock” or whatever you want to call raw, emotional, rough-edged rock these days, the Killers are for you.
Recorded at Toe Rag Studios in London, this album is sonically near perfect. There’s a reason people in the know talk up this joint with the reverence usually held for Abbey Road or Muscle Shoals.
Stand out tracks:
“Superstition” – This is the one that flies closest to PJ Harvey, but it’s such a sweet song…
“Wait” – Stripped down to Mo Tucker drums, Mick Jagger harmonica, and Hope Sandoval vocals. It doesn’t get much better for me.
“Death and You” – Acoustic story song. Sexy vocals. I dream about this chick.
Weezer Thesis
A Harvard student’s thesis on Weezer. [via Jeans and a T-shirt]
Heroes of the Alamo – 98 to 1
Heroes of the Alamo – 98 to 1 (self released)
Harmonies a little too loose to be indie or on purpose; rhythm guitar parts a bit like Elvis Costello at age ten; and the entire line of Boss guitar effects give this album the sound of that tape your buddy Phil gave you of his “band” (four guys with Lotus guitars and a drummer who owned a 4-track recorder) back in ‘96. This release seems to be of a band not yet ready to record. You can hear good songs deep down but the performance, production and mixing of this album gives them away. Maybe next time.
Now You’re Messing With a Son of a Bitch: The Datsuns
The Datsuns drive all over the Motor City
The Datsuns with The D4
Magic Stick, Detroit, March 29, 2003
Rock and roll’s popular emergence over the last couple of years has manifested itself mostly as a statement of fashion. Groups like the Strokes, Hot Hot Heat, and the Libertines are becoming as well-known for their taste in skinny Diesel pants as they are for tasteful musical influences. Famous anti-establishment Detroit crazymen the MC5 have received critical flak for the sale of their logo to Levi’s. And second-wave rock bands like the Vines and the Ataris have arrived with a distinct undercurrent of irony in their music — their influences are so blatant, it has to be a joke, right?
Continue reading Now You’re Messing With a Son of a Bitch: The Datsuns
Kings of Leon – Holy Roller Novocaine
Kings of Leon – Holy Roller Novocaine (RCA)
Go ahead. Light up that doobie and sit back. Kings of Leon are here to set the mood with great porch listening music. Great vocals from Caleb Followill will remind you of those warm Pabsts you used to sneak a sip from while dad was talking to your Uncle Denny. It’s not quite retro since it’s tightly produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams and son of legendary producer Glyn), but it is reminiscent of those mid 70s radio days when Neil Young and America were side-by-side with Skynyrd and everyone wore those beer can macramé hats.
Songs about chicks and California get me in a mind for summer and as long as there’s a war raging a little Novocaine doesn’t sound too bad.
Interview with the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle
I only recently discovered the Mountain Goats, but they’ve already made a big impression on me. The emotion that John Darnielle can get out of his acoustic guitar and legendary Panasonic boombox is nothing short of remarkable. Literary wordplay and intense emotionality tend to be mutually exclusive in the world of rock and roll, but the Mountain Goats pull it off.
On the Mountain Goats’ latest release, Tallahassee, John Darnielle left his trusty boombox in Iowa and headed to a real studio in upstate New York with producer, Tony Doogan, and a handful of other accompanying musicians. Glorious Noise had a chance ask Darnielle a few questions during a short break in the middle of the Mountain Goats’ world tour (see schedule).
Continue reading Interview with the Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle
Interpol – Turn On the Bright Lights
Interpol – Turn On the Bright Lights (Matador)
When Magnet, the most respectable major American music magazine [ahem, in the “paper” world – ed.] chose Interpol for their April/May cover, I scoffed at the newsstand. Someone nearby asked me if I was okay. I shook my head. However, with that surprising discovery I chose to take another look at their debut album, Turn On the Bright Lights. That’s despite the fact that I’d seen them perform four times already. And that I owned a (forgotten) promo. I was surprised, after a few more listens, to find musical merit—plenty of it.
Repress, for a moment, the prevalent notions that you have of the band Interpol. Those ideas that they are fashion-obsessed musicians that wear their egos on well-tailored sleeves are correct. The ideas that they are a talentless Joy Division Redux with little musicality and less originality are not. The size of their collective ego is duly correspondent with the quality of the music that they create. Put aside your lingering doubts and give a listen to their album’s simplest song, musically-speaking. “NYC” is the lowest point that the band manages to reach in terms of mood (and likely spawned the countless comparisons to Joy Division). This track, though musically constricted, is the most indicative of Interpol’s artistic potential, when contrasted with the rest of the album. It radiates the type of synergy that comes along only when the members of the band choose to step back appropriately and highlight what is most important to the song, rather than themselves. In this case, it is the lyrics, secondarily the delivery of the vocals.
This is lead-singer Paul Banks at his most somber, yet the track is anything but monotonous or lethargic. No hints of imminent suicide are to be found. His voice, even in a studio recording is downright emotive, making “NYC” an unmistakable anthem of what can only be a male depression. The song is necessarily simple. From the other tracks, one would know that the guitarist (Dan Kessler), bassist (Carlos Dengler), and drummer (Sam Fogarino) have much more to offer. What makes this track—and ultimately, the album—work is that they leave the preacher at the pulpit to do his thing, supportive of his monologue.
Ultimately, I have more listening to do, as do the others who scoffed with me at that cover. Most will find something to appreciate about this band if they listen, be it Carlos Dengler’s proof that the bass has a place in rock or whatever else. It’s not as hard to hear as I had originally made it.
See for yourself—you can download mp3s of NYC and PDA from Matador.
Turn Away from the Light: Califone Contest Results
Tim Rutili, songwriter and singer for Califone wanted to know how close you’ve come to the light. So we asked you to tell us about your closest near death experience and the best story wins a copy of Califone’s new album, Quicksand / Cradlesnakes. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Here is the winning entry.
October 1991. Aragon Ballroom. Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili
Peppers. Mosh pit. Suddenly, the crush gets a little too much and I’m stuck
about two layers of people behind the gate in front of the stage. I can’t
move. I feel a bit light headed. I pass out. After an undetermined amount of
time, I come to in the space between the gate and the stage, staring directly at
Anthony Kiedes’crotch. I dust myself off only to find a boot print square in
the middle of my chest and a lot large bruises on my lower legs. All signs of a
good show I guess.
Susan will receive a copy of Califone’s new album. And here are some of the runners up…
Continue reading Turn Away from the Light: Califone Contest Results