A swirling, blistering wind blows from down Nashville way… Forget Cassettes toy with a precarious (and ultimately intoxicating) mix of combustible garage rock and precise math rock. As a band, they’re tighter than Jon’s mom’s wig. But what stands out most are Beth Cameron’s agile vocals. Much like the great Polly Harvey — and understand I’m not trying to make a direct comparison here — Cameron’s got character and dynamics to spare. Whether she’s at a whisper or a caterwaul, she’ll suck you in like a tractor beam. Oops, there I go mixing metaphors again. Just listen and figure it out for yourself, okay?
Early Man
Those of you already familiar with Early Man, “two Pentacostalists from Columbus,†might find it strange to hear them called “quaint.†But that’s what comes to my mind when when listening to the monster, and unapologetically analog, riffs blaring out of these digital speakers. The song names could have come from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, or early Metallica records, and so could the angry guitar and manic drums. The whole thing takes me back to those Halcyon days when my skater friend got me off the Depeche Mode with an interventionist helping of Ride the Lightning. In fact, Early Man are so earnest about their music that listening to them really is infectious, even if they’re telling me to die a slow, horrible death.
The Adored
Guilty Pleasure Admission #38: I’ve got a thing for mod-influenced British post-punk with a hint of glam, a la These Animal Men, a British band who were so good (“Too Sussed” was just awesome) until they went full-on glam. California’s The Adored carry on this fine tradition, even enlisting Pete Shelley (yes, that one!) of the Buzzcocks for guest vocals on “TV Riot.” The Adored do owe a great debt of gratitude to the Buzzcocks and the other late ’70s British bands who blazed this trail before. Remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Guilty Pleasure Admission #39: the Bodyrockers. Any more quilty pleasures anyone cares to share?
Jets Overhead
And now some of Canada’s — actually, I’ll go out on a limb and say America’s (North, Central, and South included) — finest arena rock. With influences ranging from The Mamas and the Papas to Pink Floyd, Jets Overhead’s majestic sound gets me in the mood to grab a lighter, seat cushion, and cash to burn and cuddle up in my nearest sports stadium for a full-on rock show. Trouble is, only a minute number of today’s record and concert ticket buying public are muscially adventurous enough to put Jets Overhead in that position.
Nic Armstrong & the Thieves
If you’re wondering where all the mods have gone, Nic Armstrong has your answer. Since winning a songwriting contest in his native England a couple years back, Armstrong has launched a little British Invasion by way of Austin. And that’s not just a fancy classification: Armstrong and his Thieves have circumvented a few decades of Brit-Pop and cock rock and gone straight for the birth of the mod. The result is a roadhouse rhythm and beat in line with the earliest offerings from the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Beatles and, most of all, the Kinks, which in turn was a British working class take on American R&B and Boogie Woogie. Throw in a little country and western and you have something that is reverently old but shakes it as good as new.
Rogue Wave
Really, this whole music thing is pretty simple. Some people who like to play music get together, make music they like, other people who like music buy it, usually if they like it. Rogue Wave, they’re four guys who like to play music, they keep it simple, and that simple music produces some catchy, melodic, and thoughtful songs. “10:1” brings to mind Radio Dept‘s “Liebling” and Viva L’American Death Ray Music’s “SAGGSA” (the first song here).
Clearlake
(A reminder: Tune in tonight at 10pm PST to hear Mark from Music.For-Robots and myself go mano a mano for what’s sure to be fine musical joust.)
Anyone remember the movie Judgment Night? Yeah, me neither. The soundtrack’s a different story. It paired up Sonic Youth with Cypress Hill, Dinosaur Jr. with Del the Funky Homosapien, and Teenage Fan Club with De La Soul. Two great genres that go great together: indie rock and hip hop.
The album’s really burned in my mind however because back when the album hit I’d just been promoted to Music Director at a commercial alternative station, and a young, eager radio promotion rep at Epic Records, Stu Bergen (hi Stu!), attempted to cut his aggressive promo teeth by yelling at me for an hour demanding my station report Epic’s “single” in heavy rotation or something. Back then playlist reporting was all theoretical because there was no way for anyone to tell exactly how many times a radio station played a song, but Stu was out to impress his higher-ups, and impress them he must have ’cause he’s been breaking bands, taking names, and running promotion departments for Island Def Jam and Columbia Records (and here I sit blogging away…). I don’t even remember the fate of that Judgment Night track, but I do remember Stu and I breaking bread at Smith And Wollensky’s, A Steakhouse to End All Arguments. And end them it did. Stu and I have been pals ever since.
Now that I’ve bored many of you to tears, and awakened a raging midnight snacking, back to Clearlake: between this remix by Nobody and the recent remix of Against Me! by Mouse On Mars, I sense another remix trend bubbling among the indie rock world. I’m sure there’s plenty more out there. Use the comments to let us know about your recent favorites.
And yes, I realize I’ve said absolutely nothing about Clearlake. More demo tracks from their forthcoming album are available here.
Dog Traders
Drew is from Columbus, Ohio. He draws comics (Toothpaste for Dinner) and makes music (Dog Traders). You probably already know that. Prior to Jason B.’s suggestion, I may have been the only American of my particular demographic to have slept on Drew’s wicked ballpoint funnies. I may be in broader company by saying I’d never heard his sandblasted garage pop either. But that, too, has changed and I’m a better man for it. Drew’s distant, mumbled vocals remind me at times of J. Mascis or Michael Stipe on REM’s circa Murmur. His lyrics are as odd, clever, and compelling as you would expect from the man who brought you this. Not only is the music good, it’s free. All of the songs on Dog Traders’ A Panic in a Pagoda is available as a downloadable .zip file on Drew’s site (though at $7 I’d recommend buying a copy of the packaged CD, if only to get your hands on the lyrics).
Cold War Kids
I stumbled across Cold War Kids while at the office yesterday. Once the music kicked in one of my fellow desk jockeys exclaimed, “Turbo Indie!” Indeed. With their minimal jangles of guitar, sparse percussion and fluttering Buckley-esque vocals, Cold War Kids are about as “indie”-sounding as you can get. The other offerings on their myspace page recall the “freak” folk-ishness of Devendra Banhart and friends. Either way, Cold War Kids come close to reaching that primal place where music originates in all of us.
Dropkick Murphys
For those of you who find Flogging Molly too restrained, melodic or musically talented, here’s Dropkick Murphys. Full-on Celtic punk rock, yelling and brogue and steel-toed boots, it’s all here with the Murphys. Their version of “The Auld Triangle” is what I always thought the Red Roses for Me out-take of the same song by the Pogues would sound like, I guess. But “The Warriors Code” is for true believers (and is just way too cheesy for me).