Monday, March 30, 2009

A No Brainer

Alright, if my favorite non-lesbian duo other than Calvin & Hobbes decides to take a quick break while one of them does a side project, what the hell do you think the other one is going to do? Yes, you'd better believe it; Teller is going to host a talk show.

Man... I did not see that one coming. I'm actually referring to the inane wanderings of my mind.

Also, after Dan Auerbach decided NOT to Keep it Hid (alright, these word puns are even starting to piss me off), his abusive cohort, Patrick Carney, joined up with a few friends to create the misleadingly titled Drummer. Misleading because in fact, Carney will not be drumming, but playing the bass.

While Auerbach's aside was similar to the Keys, but much more stripped down, basic, and traditional, Drummer is playing around in the indie end of the pool, or as I call it, the shallow end. Sadly, while I love The Black Keys, I can't put my stamp of approval on this, simply by association. The one track up on their myspace sounds like synthetic diarrhea, but without the cleansing relief. I just can't bring myself to like pretentious, ambient indie music. That said, there's still a full album of material I have yet to hear, and I only hope they prove me wrong.

In the meantime, let's just let Dan make it all better.





-Just try to make me smile from your candy tower

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Clean that Shit Up

So, since the departure of Rage, I've watched Tom Morello's career in eager anticipation. He's spent a long time fighting the good fight and trying to make change with his solo career, the Nightwatchman. However, I have to say that it was difficult listening to the dude who taught me to hate The Man, strumming away on an old out of tune acoustic.

As such, all hail the mighty Street Sweeper. Morello teamed up with Boots Riley, an MC from The Coup, creating a sound which is unique in its self, but still carries a small hint of the old days with De La Rocha.

To make matters better, it was recently announced that Street Sweeper would be touring with NIN and Janes Addiction AND have a new album ready for the summer. If you haven't heard of this tour yet, please go take a look at what's being dubbed the NIN|JA tour. At least let the cheap bastard in you flourish and download the free EP they're offering with 2 awesome Street Sweeper songs.



-Dying is the weak man's excuse for not living

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

I should have been born in Sweden

Seriously... apparently, it's nothing but blond bombshells over there.

Also, it seems as though I'm championing some Swedish stoner rock band nearly every other week, so I really might as well travel to the source. At minimum, I think I'd better plan to make it over there before I jettison myself out of the UK.

Greenleaf is a Swedish stoner rock SUPER GROUP formed of a bunch of other Swedish stoner rock groups who we've never heard of (but they're just super). Actually, that's not entirely true; I just looked at the bands who formed into Greenleaf and I know all of them (Dozer, Demon Cleaner and Truckfighters).

These guys seriously fit the formula of chug and plug. They formed up in '99 and to date have released 4 albums of penis-packed-to-the-brim rock n roll. I'm not saying you can't enjoy this stuff if you don't have a cock, I'm just saying that if you're a girl, and you do... you may want to get that checked out.



-Like demons with angelic eyes

Monday, March 23, 2009

This should be fun

Seriously... I realize that this has MASSIVE 80's influence... but this is going to be shitloads of fun.



-Smile toward the sun

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Choking on the leftovers

Nothing warms my heart than hearing about a band rise from the ashes of a former band that I loved which, for one reason or another, went tits up. Wow... lent must be getting to me because that comment actually turned me on a bit.

Choke was a fucking awesome, nay... REALLY fucking awesome band from Edmonton. They pioneered an entirely new sound of techy-progressive punk rock which would pave the way for an army of copycats to follow. After going strong for 13 years, it was time to pack it in.

However, Shawn Moncrieff and Clay Shea (who in my opinion were the driving creative force of the band) decided that they weren't done having fun. They formed Passenger Action and things just clicked. The songs flowed like cheap wine and within months, they were signed to Choke's old home, Smallman Records.

They're now doing the Canadian name proud, as they've released their self-titled debut and are nearly finished a cross-Canada, winter tour. I tip my glass to the fellow prairie boys for having the balls to jump in a van and pack it across thousands of kms of snowy wasteland.

The least you could do is listen.



-If it's not right, it must at least be good

Monday, March 16, 2009

When two is not enough

So, just because you've got two phenomenally successful projects going... why the fuck not start a third, right? This is what must have gone through Jack White's head when contemplating adding another to the collection.

Thus, welcome to the stage The Dead Weather. Formed with members of The Stills and Queens of the Stone Age, White gives, what is in my opinion a final 'fuck you' to Meg White, by playing the drums and sharing vocal duties. It was one thing to run off and start another band, but when you make a whole new project and take over the other member's instrument... that's just mean.

They've pulled together an album which White has produced and is aiming for a June release. I'll be surprised if Jack can top his work with Benson, but if he keeps making 'em, lord knows I'll keep buying 'em.

I'm off to France for a few days with work, but I'll see you when I'm back on Thursday.



-Roll me over and pick me up

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Ruskie Broadcasting

Hi there... how you doing? Awww yeah.

Sorry, I just found 2 awesome stoner rock bands and I'm kinda stoked. You get one today but the other waits until you've finished your Monday.

Uggg... I just sneezed all over my laptop.

Radio Moscow had my respect before I heard I single note. You see, if Dan Auerbach decides to produce your album, you have an immediate in within my books. It helps if once you start playing, you're as good as RM, but that's really only in continuation factor.

What you're hearing is that sought after 60's fuzz tone which defined a generation, and in my opinion, never died. It all started in 2004 after Parker Griggs was playing around with a solo project in his basement. After a while, I suppose he got lonely and filled out to a 3 piece. After that, I guess it was just a simple hop, skip and a jump to get signed by Auerbach's Alive Records.

They released their self titled debut in 2007 and are just under a month away from their softmore effort, Brain Cycles. So far, I've only heard one track off the new album titled, Broke Down but so far, I like what I hear. They've tightened up their ensemble since 2007, added a bit more edge, and learned a few new riffs.

All in all, I think it should be a good old fashioned, heavy-petting-good-time.



-Dive right in and swim in my liquid soul

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

A riddle for you

Why is Manitoba so windy?

Because Saskatchewan blows and Ontario sucks.

While I'll not deny a moment on the latter, I'm slowly trying to defend the former, primarily because I'm realizing over time that MB and SK are identical, aside from we have a few more lakes and trees, and some funny shaped political boundaries because of Hudson Bay (at least, by comparison to a fucking rectangle).

Alas, I do have to admit that were it not for SK, we'd be sans such amazing acts as Jordan Cook, Joni Mitchell, Wide Mouth Mason, and Colin James. In addition, some new life is being breathed back into the squatch by means of good 'ol fashioned rock and roll. Hats off to The Sheepdogs.

A standard foursome from Saskatoon, these boys do the word rock justice, and bring it back to their roots. Closing one's eyes, you can almost catch a brief glimpse of a younger Neil Young. Don't expect grinding riffs like Tricky Woo. Don't be waiting for Danko Jones to make your knees shake with his voice. Do expect to hear some solid, big beat rock and roll.



-Gotta trust in Love when Love's all we got

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Mars is Hell

Today, you are simply going to be confused.

Primarily, because we're looking into what Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has been up to these days. When he's not writing increasingly confusing music for his mainstay, The Mars Volta, he seems to be always dabbling in one or more solo or side projects.

As though his music weren't out there enough, this time he's decided to team up with Zach Hill from the band Hella. You may not remember Hella, however you will likely remember the video for Biblical Violence floating around the net a few years back. Hill is the spastic man on the drums who I still have a difficult time wrapping my head around.

Still, El Grupo Nuevo should be an interesting project to follow, if only because it brings together some of the most unique musicians I can think of. Toss in a dash of Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals, and you can pretty much guarantee this is going to cause a few embolisms. The only thing I can't quite put my finger on is that if Omar and Cedric are doing a side project, isn't this just The Mars Volta, with a big 'fuck you' to their regular drummer?



-Feel that liquid soul flow

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Darryl Wins

Big thanks to D-rock for pointing out a band which has been sitting under my nose this entire time, while I've been too busy finding bands back in Montreal or obscure post-sludge prog from Scandinavia.

She has so graciously turned my eye inward and directed my attention to Mr. Frank Turner. After fronting Million Dead for years, Frank would go lone-gunman on us after MD's breakup in '05, and in my opinion, make a change for the better. Million Dead was labeled as a post-punk/hardcore band... but really, I just hear a british rock band who occasionally tries to emulate At the Drive-In.

When Frank broke off though, he brought a unique modern take, and angry lyric feel to traditional folk music. Taking a lot of the classic punk, hardcore, and rock tricks and applying them to a small band with an acoustic guitar and a fiddle, Turner made a music which is both accessible, and still makes you feel like a rebellious teen. Perhaps his greatest contribution is the pairing of gang vocals to a hoppy-folk song.

He's now got 2 EPs under his belt and two full lengths. Love Ire & Song was just released midway through 2008, and Turner has been touring on it recently. As a testament to how out of it I am, this is a man who is playing 4 sold out shows in late April and I'd never even heard of him until yesterday.



-You be queen for the day, I'll be king for the night