Steve's Top 10 Favorite Records Of The Year

I have been woefully uninspired in terms of writing. I chalk it up to a very busy fall spent with my band tightening up the sound in preparation for our return to the studio. BE PREPARED!

Anyway, I still have been listening to a shit-ton of music and here's my favorite 10 records of the year, irrespective of genre. I will do a metal/heavy-rock list later, because even though the top 5 are all power-poppy and Americana records, I still love my metal. But more importantly, I love great songs, be they heavy or slow or hard or dreamy or toe-tapping or sing-along or shout at the top of your lungs. A great song is a great song.

So the order for these were determined by the following methodology: which record would I want more. So if you were a jerk and started taking records out of my collection and saying "you can't have this" this would be the last 10 getting plucked.

10 - The Autumn Defense - Fifth: A perfect slice of 1970s FM radio. For fans of Wilco and Jackson Browne.

9 - Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden: Super heavy prog meets doom metal with hooks. These guys should be the standard bearer for stoner rock. For fans of pot.

8. Alcest - Shelter: Ethereal French progressive rock. It isn't showy but the melodies and the moods are beautiful. For fans of clouds.

7. Elephant Stone - Three Poisons: Psychedelic India-inspired rock from fine Canadian band. Second year in a row they have made my list. For fans of the George Beatles songs.

6. Opeth - Pale Communion: Opeth have fully embraced their inner-prog-nerd. Old fans might hate the direction but I am glad to see the Cookie Monster vocals are a thing of the past. For fans of Pink Floyd.

5. Sloan - Commonwealth: Canadian power-poppers great double album where each member gets a side. Four distinct song-writers that together are brilliant. For fans of Paul Beatles songs.

4. The Both - s/t: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo join forces for an album of wonderful songs. For fans of harmony.

3. Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways: No Dave Grohl saturation for me this year. I love the record and I love the exuberance he has for rock n roll. If he can turn people back to rock music, the world is a better place for it. For fans...frak it, you know who this is.

2. Jenny Lewis - The Voyager: A lost Stevie Nicks record by a great song-writer. And produced by Ryan Adams, who by the way....

1. Ryan Adams - s/t: The best record he has made since Gold. The record Tom Petty used to make. Glad to have Ryan back.

There it is. That's the list. Find me another list where you'll find The Autumn Defense AND Pallbearer AND Jenny Lewis AND Opeth.

Fantômas and Musical Journeys

I consider James Blackshaw one of the most talented musicians I have ever come across. I have written about him before and the growth he has exhibited, from records featuring just him and his acoustic 12-string to more sonically complicated records involving keys and strings.

His latest record continues that journey forward and see him stepping not only into the role of player but as composer. Fantômas: Le Faux Magistrat was recorded live at the Théâtre du Châlet in Paris on Halloween 2013. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Fantômas silent film series, directed by Frenchman Louis Feuillade, composer Yann Tiersen was asked to run the score and accompanying live performances for screenings of the five films. For the final film, Le Faux Magistrat, he asked Blackshaw. And this record is a document of that performance.

It features Blackshaw on his usual nylon string guitar as well as the grand piano. For this he is joined by Charlotte Glasson, Duane Pitre, and Simon Scott playing assortments of guitars, saxophones, flutes, violins, electronics and percussion instruments.

I confess I don't know anything about any of these films or people, except for Blackshaw. His name on the record's spine is what got it into the shopping basket (virtually, of course). But I know interesting music when I hear it. The images on the record hint at a dark, noir-ish endeavor. The music is equally foreboding and lovely. It is broken into 13 pieces and spread over 2 LPs.

For me it is a real listening experience. Four great musicians playing live to a film involves a tremendous amount of skill. Especially when they are rotating from instrument to instrument. It is hard to image that 4 people could pull this off so well. A sinister piano melody is augmented by a dark, almost sleazy saxophone in one of the opening pieces, which will give way to a lovely 12-string figure, soon augmented by a haunting violin and vibraphone. It doesn't deserve to be background music. With so much going on it's worth the listener's effort to apply themselves to the music.

I wouldn't dream of performing music like this, the meager talents I have do no begin to approach what is going on here. I appreciate it immensely. I appreciate the talent and the skill, both natural and that honed by years and years of practice, to make this as wondrous as it is.

Here is a link to Part VIII. For whatever reason the embed won't find it.

Autumn (Defense)'s In The Air

The Autumn Defense is a project featuring Patrick Sansone and John Stirratt, both members of Wilco. While Sansone has been part of Wilco for only a few years, Stirratt has been playing bass there since they formed from the ashes of Uncle Tupelo.

The Autumn Defense offers the two an opportunity to share the spotlight, which in Wilco is occupied primarily by Jeff Tweedy. Whereas Wilco started as alt-country, morphed into a sort of American-Radiohead, before settling into a dad-rock niche, TAD delights in the soft rock of the 70s. Singer/songwriter type stuff but lushly produced and orchestrated. I have listened to a few of their albums before but with their latest, called Fifth, they finally and perfectly hit their stride.

I am a big fan of the early records of the band America, and Fifth fits in perfect harmony with those records. Fifth sounds like it stepped out of a time machine, especially the lovely "August Song" which could easily find itself on Homecoming. The harmonies are not as overt as America did in their best days (think "Ventura Highway") but TAD come close. "The Light In Your Eyes" has a particularly great chorus section.

I would not categorize the record as an homage, because that is a bit of a negative descriptor. Fifth is a great record on it's own merits. It's well written and well played and extremely well made. There is nothing searing our loud or heavy here. Fifth is the kind of record you play on cool night on a desert highway with the top down. It doesn't push boundaries but it plays within established ones to great effect. Great songs are great songs. And when they sound this good they make for a very enjoyable listening experiencing.

Here's "August Song"

Beauty & Ruin

Reinvention has it's place. Where many critics will chastise an act for not growing, I am not fond of change for change's sake (nor am I critic, but that is a different matter). I wrote just yesterday that if you find your groove and the songs continue to be high caliber, you should stick to it.

Take Bob Mould. His last record, Silver Age, was one of my favorites from 2012. It was a straight-forward noisy power pop record. It wouldn't be surprising if he changed things up again, exploring the darker side of things Black Sheets of Rain style or even going more electronic. But Bob Mould has other things on his mind. Namely, it's the death of his father and of his own mortality. His new record Beauty & Ruin deals with that life change.

Musicially, "Low Season" starts off as a slow burn, it's deliberate pacing giving way to the punk kick of "Little Glass Pill," which segues into the Sugar-infused "I Don't Know You Anymore." His band of Jason Narducy and Jon Wurster is top shelf.

But the lyrics bite. Take the last of those three tracks: A thousand pieces of my heart/Swept across a weathered floor/And no idea how to start/Solving puzzles from before. Side 1 of the record is labeled "beauty" but beauty is hard to find here. Take side closer "The War:" And all these songs I write for you/They tear me up, it's not hard to do/Listen to my voice/It's the only weapon I kept from the war."

The second side, titled "ruin," is where the light begins to shine. Surrounding the Replacements-esque "Hey Mr. Grey" (complete with a kids don't follow reference), it flickers through songs like "Forgiveness" (and it's Brick-In-The-Wall guitar intro), "Tomorrow Morning" and "Let The Beauty Be" before coming to a close with "Fix It" where Bob sings it's time to fill your heart with love/Fix it, fix it, full enough/Time to fix who you are."

Bob Mould's homosexuality undoubtedly caused whatever friction, whatever distance he and his father had in their relationship. This album sounds like catharsis. It sounds like closure after the fact. I don't know the back story, I don't know anything about what Bob's mindset is here, but the music shows a broken relationship's turmoil. It shows an artist dealing with heavy shit. And for a master songwriter like Bob Mould it's a powerful listening experience.

Most Messed Up

Like all the hipsters, I went through my alt-country phase. If you're unfamiliar, I guess technically it means rock bands that have a country flavor. This was before the Modern Country thing happened, before Rascal Flatts and Lady Antebellum and Florida Georgia Line and Zac Brown Band decided that playing electric guitars but still singing about being a shitkicker was enough the make you a rocker. Those are country bands that think they are rock bands. And they are barely country artists. They don't belong in the same breath with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson and Townes Van Zandt Waylon Jennings and Loretta Lynn and Hank Williams and Patsy Cline. And that's about all I'll say on that subject, because it ain't for me and I try to be nice here.

One of my favorites out of the alt-country scene were the Old 97s. They hail from Dallas. Dreamy lead singer Rhett Miller went to my rival high school. But I was lame in high school and didn't have a blood vendetta against anybody, so that doesn't really mean much to me. The Old97s followed in the footsteps of my finding Wilco and Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt. This was around 1998 and 1999. The first record of theirs I bought was Fight Songs. But the one that really hooked me, and hooked most of the people who love them, was Too Far To Care. It's a great dose of cowpunk. Snarling Strats, great melodies, swinging rhythm section.

The cool thing about them is that they always had an outstanding melodic sense, almost as much power pop and alt-country. Rhett Miller's solo records all lean much more Big Star than Waylon. That had started to rub off on the band a bit, but the last couple of records find them returning to their roots. Their latest is Most Messed Up and it 100% follows that path.

You can tell by the names of the songs: "Let's Get Drunk & Get It On" and "This Is The Ballad" demonstrate the sense of humor they have always had. Opening cut "Longer Than You've Been Alive" sounds like Rhett telling his kids why they have a rock star for a dad. "Wheels Off" sounds like it could have come right off Fight Songs. Every country-ish band needs a song about "Nashville" and they do theirs here.  "Wasted" starts off like lots of Old 97s, acoustic intro but cranking up the amps, singing about not being a square and getting blotto. Bassist Murray Hammond, who is the secret weapon of the band, gets another great track to sing, this time "Ex Of All Your See."

The cowpunk moniker sticks. It's ragged and rough in spots. It's noisy. The back of the record says "Play this album real loud." It's under 40 minutes long, so it starts, kicks ass, says see you next time.

Where bands often find themselves in ruts or bored by what they do, the Old 97s seem to revel in it. They don't break much new ground these days, but they seem to have found their groove. There are good songs in that groove. Growth isn't always needed. Knowing what you are good at is an excellent skill to have.

Deathfest in Charm City

On Sunday my wife and I spent the day in Baltimore at the Maryland Deathfest. I am not usually a big fan of festivals. My attention span has gotten super-low as I get older. But this year I saw that Windhand and Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats were both playing the same day, so I took the plunge and got tickets.

I've written about Uncle Acid before. I've written about Windhand before. Both bands are perfect examples of what is good about the current metal scene. Windhand do their thing slow and heavy. Uncle Acid play Sabbath-inspired melodic rockers that go fast-slow-fast. I was at first chagrined that Windhand was playing first at 1:30, but Uncle Acid wouldn't take the stage until 7:40.

Programs!

Never fear! The festival remained engaging the entire time. Sure, Jodi and I spent plenty of time hanging out in one of the quieter zones of the festival, but that's just because we had to get out of the sun and off our feet. Across the board it was a great experience. Interesting music, interesting and friendly people, crazy tats, scary tee shirts, awesome vibe.

We arrived about 12:30. Plenty of parking available right by the gates. Security checked IDs and gave us can-drink-wristband, then we had our tickets checked and got a let-us-in-wristband. Jodi had to open her bag and show what was in it. I had to lift up my tee shirt to show I wasn't packing knives or anything troublesome.

We had an hour to kill so we wandered through the copious merchandise area. Lots of vendors, some from metal record labels, were all selling tons of tee shirts, books, bongs, vinyl, CDs, posters, stickers and patches. Every metal band on the planet seemed to have a tee shirt there. I scored a sweet looking Windhand shirt and grabbed a sticker for my guitar case. Jodi enjoyed their set so she went back and got herself a tee-shirt, which she plans on cutting the sleeves off of.

Swag!

Vinyl-wise, I wound up getting an import 7" from Satan's Satyrs, a local DC band produced by my band's producer Don Zientara. I also got a re-released double LP of ASG's Win Us Over from the Relapse Records table. I could easily have spent a shitload more but for once restraint was in place.

Since we had nearly 8 hours to spend there, we would have to get something to eat. I got a couple hot dogs for lunch, then got some excellent Thai food from one of the vendors. There was plenty of beer and drinks to be had, but I was sensible and stayed with a ton of water, except for one A-Treat soda I couldn't resist.

Pseudogod

Soilent Green

But what about the music!?! The bands leaned more brutal than I go for. Windhand and Uncle Acid were definitely the high points for me. Jodi remarked afterwards that Uncle Acid were very different than the other bands. They almost felt out of place. The one that stood out to me was Pseudogod. They are from Russia and look particularly scary, covered in red paint and looking like stand-ins for The Devil's Rejects. We watched Inquisition and then Soilent Green for a while. Both were obviously great at what they did, but it was not quite my thing. I dug it though.

Windhand

Windhand started the day off perfectly. Jodi asked me if we really would need ear plugs. We were standing in front of one of the speakers and as soon as the drums started going we just grinned at each other. The reverberations seemed to be going right through us. I can only imagine what was happening to our organs. Windhand played 30 minutes and were fantastic. Sorry they only had that short of set. When Jodi got her tee shirt I realized their singer was working the merchandise table. I thanked her for a killer set and shook her hand. Doing the doom slow-heavy thing their songs tend to bleed into one another, but that's part of the charm. They set a mood of heaviness that just knocks me out. Tremendous band.

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats

Five and a half hours later Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats took the stage. They were worth the wait. This is their first US appearance so it was especially exciting. This is the kind of music a motorcycle gang would dig. Jodi heard one kid having a fit for whatever reason, saying something about this Sabbath cover band not helping. HA! That's an easy descriptor. But they are doing Sabbath better than Sabbath is doing Sabbath these days. They played 45ish minutes and it was outstanding. I fled back to the merchandise table before their set ended in hopes of getting a tee bit I couldn't score one because all they and left were mediums and extra-large. Meh. The music did sound better from way back though. I had ear plugs in for most of the day and while it helped with my tinnitus, it took something away from the sound. Sacrifices for hearing the next week, right?

We left after they played. Candlemass and My Dying Bride still were up but we were both beat and had to drive back from Baltimore. But it was a great day. A very interesting experience. Depending on the band splaying I would go again. I think there would need to be at least two bands I am really into before investing the day again. I was impressed with the overall competence and arrangement of the whole shindig. Kudos to the producers!

Here's a few more sights from the festival!

All Request Hour: Timber Timbre's Hot Dreams

My friend Joe Apple sent me a Facebook message asking if I would review an album he recommended. I am all up for that. Joe has good taste in music and the record he recommend was one I had not heard of: Hot Dreams by Timber Timbre.

Timber Timbre is a Canadian indie-folk act led by singer/songwriter Taylor Kirk. It's very atmospheric, very elaborate sounding. The record starts off vocally sounding almost like an old Rick Nelson record, but about halfway through the album owner "Beat The Drum Slowly," the reference becomes Richard Hawley, a fine English singer/songwriter who spent some time in Pulp. Hawley is a guy I once said was music to drink Scotch to. This record is very much in that spirit. It reminds me of a less sinister Nick Cave record.

I like the line that opens the title cut "I want to dance, I want to dance, I want to dance with a black woman." Lyrics like that grab the attention. Lyrically it's an interesting record. "Curtains!?" is a great cut; opens with a heavy beat and keyboard with sharp electric chords on the guitar, a quiet break in the middle before ending loudly. "Bring Me Simple Men" reminds me of Urge Overkill covering "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon." The music feels like it could be a soundtrack to a spaghetti western or a Tarantino movie. "Resurrection Drive Part II" is another such cut, but in this one I can see sinister looking hippie-chicks dancing behind a thumping beat and weird violins scraping. Maybe I am just weird.

What I like about it is the mood it creates. It is an incredibly interesting record. And that's good praise. So many records are dull; this one holds the attention. When one song ends here I am eager to hear what is coming next. Thanks, Joe, for the recommendation!

Here is the title cut "Hot Dreams."

Aimee Mann and Gord Downie Side Projects

Aimee Mann has long been a favorite songwriter of mine. After Til Tuesday, who were a fine 80s band in their own right, she made two outstanding power-pop solo records: Whatever and I'm With Stupid. If you watched Melrose Place (I didn't) you probably heard "That's Just What You Are" off the latter record. She also got a lot of exposure doing songs for P.T. Anderson's Magnolia, a movie that was written with Aimee Mann in mind, and which featured all the characters in the movie singing "Wise Up." The rest of her solo output has been good but not great. Her 2012 record Charmer is probably the best of the post-Magnolia output.

Now she has teemed up with Ted Leo to form The Both. Ted Leo is considered an indie alternative (whatever that means) artist but labels aside he's a singer/songwriter. I never really got into him that much, but after hearing this record, I should give him another shot. The Both is a great collection of power pop gems. Mann is on bass and Leo on guitar and they take turns on the lead vocals. Both sound great, but it's even better when they harmonize. At first glance it seems to be a trifle, just a one-off side project of two established artists having fun, but the songs are so well written and so well played it isn't fair to dismiss it as such. My two favorite are "Milwaukee" and "Pay For It," both of which bounce along merrily with great melodies, clever lyrics and super production. What I like best is that Mann has never had a guitar player working with her as intense as Ted Leo. His playing makes the songs roar to life. They are playing the 930 Club on Friday night and I am hoping to go.

My most favorite band on the planet not named Rush is also Canadian: The Tragically Hip. I have written about them extensively before (here and here and here) so my admiration is well known. Their singer is the amazing Gord Downie. He has mellowed out a bit as he has gotten older, but he is still one of the most mesmerizing performers I have ever seen. He seems to go into a trance when singing. Hip shows are always an amazing experience.

He has just released a collaboration with fellow Canadians The Sadies called Gord Downie, The Sadies And The Conquering Sun. The Sadies are another band I never quite got into; they were always a bit more eclectic than I had patience for. I was honestly surprised when I heard about this record. Downie has done a few solo records himself, all of them interesting but all of them again eclectic and therefore not as interesting to me as Hip records. The fact that he was making a record with another band was a bit disconcerting. What about the Hip? Why does Gord feel like he needs to work with another band? Are they breaking up! GACK!!

Hopefully a break-up isn't imminent. For the time being, to get a Gord fix, this will have to do. The best track is the kick-off track "Crater." Noisy and gritty guitars drive the tune. "Los Angeles Times" is a nice mid-tempo number with a good Clarence White-esque guitar solo at the end. Ltrically it's typical Gord Downie; sort of weird, sort of obtuse, sort of rambling but clever in every way. If this was a Hip record it would be a good Hip record, but not as good as the classics.  Perhaps Gord just wanted a break from his band; collaborating with old friends and seeing what happens. I hope he doesn't forget where home is.

Here's the FANTASTIC video for the FANTASTIC "Milwaukee" by The Both:

And not quite fantastic but still extremely cool, here's "Crater" by Gord Downie and The Sadies.

Come to Axum's Lounge! See my band bring it!!

My band Braddock Station Garrison returns to the stage this Saturday, April 26, at Axum's Lounge at 1934 9th Street NW in Washington DC. We are first up at 8:30pm. Being old we like going early. Let the young whippersnappers play at midnight. There are lots of cool restaurants in the neighborhood so come on down and make an evening out of it!

We are playing with some great local bands. We are particularly fond of Exit Vehicles. I used to work with Adam many moons ago and am excited to share the bill with his band.

So far we have had three shows with our new bass player Jim. We were very sad to see Patrick leave but it was a good life-altering opportunity for him and his family. Finding Jim was a God-send. He is an experienced touring musician, a great talent, and a really nice guy who fits in perfectly with the rest of us. He brings a unique style to the proceedings. We are lucky to have him part of our little group.

Our CD High Water was recorded and mixed by Don Zientara and is available digitally at iTunes and Amazon and CDBaby and at Bandcamp. It's also streaming on Spotify. We'd be most appreciative if you considering getting yourself a copy. We'll have physical copies and tee-shirts too at our shows.

Here we are doing "Hey Cindy" at our show at Empire in Springfield VA. Come check us out!!

Heavy Round-Up

If you've read here enough you know I have a soft spot for heavy rock and metal. Here's a round-up of some records of that ilk I have been digging and playing regularly.

The back of Old Man's Will eponymous debut says "File Under: 70s rock/blues rock/hard rock." That sums them up just right. Hailing from Sweden they are a modern band doing old school heavy rock. They are another great band on the EasyRider Records (about to become Riding Easy due to legal reasons) label. Deep Purple minus Jon Lord is what comes to mind when listening. "An Ennobling Evening" has that Ritchie Blackmore kind of vibe, heavy guitar licks over a thudding beat and wailing Ian Gillian-esque vocal. "Alidheim" is slow burn, rhythm and bluesy vocals before the bottom-friendly guitar lick kicks in. It's a nice debut by a very promising band. I look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

The Oath are a couple foxy ladies from Sweden and Germany respectively and a couple guys named Fred (no offense) doing a fast, witchy blend of hard rock and metal. German singer Johanna Sardonis has a fascination with evil things and the hereafter; it bleeds into her lyrics. Swedish guitarist Linnéa Ollson can flat out play. Take the also eponymously-named album opener "All Must Die." That title does not express the end is imminent but that it's eventual, and that it might not be a happy eternity awaiting you. Musically it has a nice time shift in the middle. They do that a bunch keeping things especially interesting. The song titles are as expected: "Night Child," "Black Rainbow," "Death Delight" and "Psalm 7" for example. My copy came direct from Rise Above Records and includes a 7" for "Night Of The Demon." The album cover alone gets attention and the music backs up the look. If you dig devilish metal you'll dig this. It's harmless fun, whether or not they believe the shtick.

Less metal and more heavy rock is the wonderfully named British outfit Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovel and their new LP Check 'Em Before You Wreck 'Em. Another offering from Rise Above Records, these fellows bring more 70s inspired rock. These Brits sound more like late-era Ozzy Sabbath. It's not earth-shattering but it's rock n roll and it's fun. Plus their guitarist calls himself Johnny Gorilla and I respect that. They look like they stepped out of the 70s. Denim and boots and weird birds riding motorcycles. It's fun and sort of stupid but the fun is in the stupidness. 100% respect in that statement. I dig it and if you dig loud guitars and heavy rhythm you will dig this. What's not to like about a song called "2 Tonne Fuckboot"?

Here's Old Man's Will doing "Evil Woman"

The Oath and "All Must Die"

YouTube is coming up short on stuff from their new record

so here is a clip from a February show of theirs:

Pass The Buck

Peter Buck was the first former REM-er to come out with a solo record. He also appears to be the only one planning to do that. Only a year after his eponymous and vinyl-only solo debut, he returns with I Am Back To Blow Your Mind Once Again. The debut was not earth-shattering. It felt loose and fun, things that Peter Buck never really seemed when he was in REM. The follow-up here, also a vinyl-only production, is more of the same.

His primary cohort is Scott McCaughey, he of The Minus 5 and long-time collaborator/pal of Buck. It is kind of a bluesy, boozy record.  I don't suspect this record took terribly long to make. It reminds me in terms of feel of the record he and Mike Mills and Bill Berry did with Warren Zevon back in the early 90s as Hindu Love Gods. It's the kind of record that musicians make when they are having a good time. It's not an artistic statement, it's not reaching for something great. It's a portrait of a talented artist doing his thing. It does not quite live up to it's name. But it's a welcome diversion.

Buck does not have the most magnetic voice. It is often drenched in effect but his voice is sort of a natural effect. He was not meant to be a front-man. But that is not a criticism, just a fact. It suits the vibe though. When McCaughey takes the lead vocal on the nice mid-tempo cut "Fall On My Own Sword" it's a noticeable shift.

The first three songs are solid rockers, especially the third one "Life Is Short" where Kurt...somebody. The credits on the back label don't go into much detail. Anyway he gets off a great psychedelic guitar solo that goes on a bit too long, which is perfectly fine.

The Drive By Truckers' Patterson Hood shows up for the most interesting song on the record: "Southerner." It features Buck on a sinister sounding enow guitar while Hood recites the lyrics, capturing what it means to be a southerner of a certain age.

The only song I could find on YouTube was "Drown With Me," which features Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker on lead vocal, and sounds like it could have come off of New Adventures in Hi-Fi. I didn't look that hard for a video, though.

Holdin' Steady

The Hold Steady are one of the best live bands on the planet. There is an incredible energy that fills every one of their shows. As Craig Finn shouts at the end of their live record "There is so much JOY in what we do!" I got to see them for the fourth or fifth time (I forget) on Monday at DC's 930 Club. As always they put on a great show but it did seem a little more subdued than previous. Maybe that was because they are a bit older, or maybe because my wife and I perched from the club's balcony so that we had perfect sound and a perfect view. When I've gone solo I usually get down front, so though  the mob at the front didn't seem particularly ornery, perhaps being away from it proved less exciting. The crowds are part of what make their shows more revival than concert. Everybody knows the words to the classics, and the classics were well represented. It was a wonderful show, and if you like classic Thin Lizzy-sounding rock with a madman holding court at the lead singer mic, then you should love The Hold Steady as much as I do.

Their latest record is Teeth Dreams and it is an improvement from their somewhat disappointing Heaven Is Whenever. That 2010 record sounded a bit lethargic to me. It was their first without keyboardist and backing vocalist Franz Nicolay. He brought a lot to the band. It took a record for them to adapt. Steve Selvidge, who used to be in Lucero, is now an official member and he brings a great compliment to Tab Kubler's guitar playing. They share lead duties and it rely ram homes the Thin Lizzy sound for me. A bunch of their solos start together, diverge to wrap around one another, before coming back. The short solo in "Saddle Shoes" is a nice sample of this.

Lyrically, Craig Finn is one of the best around. Maybe THE best. As always his songs are more stories. Tales of losers and drug addicts and lapsed Catholics and teenagers looking to score.  It's interesting, it's smart, it simply resonates. His voice is not for everybody, he uses this sing-talk style that folks tend to find grating. I found it grating when I first heard them, but the music draws you in and lends itself to the stories Craig is telling, the worlds he is building in his lyrics. The album closes on a new note, a great nine-plus-minute opus called "Oaks" which features some of Craig's best singing.

Here's a cool trailer for the new record. All hail The Hold Steady!!

Singin the (Transgender Dysphoria) Blues

A good record is a good record.

Sometimes I feel obligated to buy a band's record simply because I really liked their previous record or records. That can get a bit expensive and start to occupy a lot of real estate. The four crates full of CDs that cannot fit into my lone remaining CD rack are testament to that. With Spotify I have become more discriminating in what I actually buy. And since I only buy vinyl now, (NERD!) which is more costly than CDs, I need to be even more vigilant.

Against Me! are a sort of punk band that I was sort-of aware of.  I was never really into that scene or style, though a few songs I heard through RockBand I thought catchy enough to download for the video game. Their current claim to fame is that band leader Tom Gabel is now Laura Jane Grace. Her gender dysphoria has been a source of pain for her. She's in the process of fixing that. Good for her. I admit I don't understand it but it isn't for me to understand. She is still a person and she needs to do what she thinks is best for her.

That gender dysphoria and Grace's struggle with it is also the inspiration for Against Me!'s new record Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Emotional turmoil makes for great art, and Against Me!, a band I never really thought too much about, have gone and made one of the best records of 2014 (so far). It's a short record, around 30 minutes. It gets in, it kicks ass, it leaves. No hanging around beyond the prescribed time. Ten well-written, well-played songs. Mostly fast, mid-tempo in the middle, a slow-burner acoustic track near the end before going out with a bang.

It doesn't make me want to go back and get their other records. What I recognize here is the growth of the band. I know those other records and they are what they are. Real fans of Against Me!, of which I do not claim to be, appear to be not as enamored with the new record as with older ones. How much of that is due to Miss Grace and her struggles? Probably some. Musically though, the record is a step away from previous records. Less punk, much more power-poppy, but still with a snarl.

The anthemic title track opens things like a call to arms, followed by the rocking and catchy as hell "The Trans Soul Rebel." "Unconditional Love" has a fantastic sing-along bridge. Song title of the year may start and end with "Osama Bin Laden As The Crucified Christ." It also happens to be a nifty track with a cool little Cars-esque guitar run weaving in the depths. Side two opens with a great, straight-forward guitar riff in the song title of the year runner-up "fuckmylife666." Outrage gives way turmoil. Look at the song titles. Those are followed by "Dead Friend" and "Two Coffins." Resignation seems imminent. The album ends with "Paralytic States" and "Black Me Out." These final tracks do not represent giving up, nor are they a final howl on the way down. It's recognition of who Laura Jane Grace is. It is acceptance of that. Maybe the most difficult thing she ever had to do was accept who she really was; why does it need to be difficult for us to accept who she is?

Here they are doing "fuckmylife666" on Letterman. Not surprisingly, Dave does not say the name of the song.

Why Temples?

Putting the debut album from Britain's Temples is like putting on a record released straight out of 1968. "Shelter Song" opens with the chiming guitars at home on any Byrds record. But it is Byrds meets psychedelic-era Pink Floyd or Cream with the trippy rhythms, especially on the title track. "The Golden Throne" has a killer chorus as the drums take over with nice keyboard flourishes before giving way to a sinister-ish guitar line. "Mesmerize" gallops more than the other tracks with a Rick Wakeman-like keyboard line coupling the chorus back to verse.

Those ever present rhythms make for a very strong foundation; the bass and the drums do not quite thunder but they are definitely not weak. They anchor the songs nicely. Bolstered by reverb-y vocals and keyboards and ringing chords. The production is very classic sounding, very heavy in a way...maybe not heavy but thick. The sound, especially the drums, have bottom.

I read about the record first in Pitchfork. They were predictably blah about it. I reckon when you listen to as many records as they do it is hard to get jazzed over something. The music here is not especially unique. I agree in a way when they say Temples are Tame Impala without the modern flourishes. I think the fat drum sound steps it away from a total psychedelic tribute. It builds upon that scene, if not grandly at least functionally.

Reading about them, it seems they have already opened for the likes of Suede and even The Rolling Stones. Noel Gallagher has sung their praises. It makes me wonder where this comes from; how notice like this happens, especially for a band so young Is it great? I wouldn't say it is GREAT, but it is enjoyable if you like this kind of music: British bands wearing their influences on their sleeve and doing a great job at it. What makes it stand-out, though? Why do Temples get the notice but others don't. I can't imagine there are not others bands like this doing similar things. What sets apart a band like this from a band like mine (other than talent and inspiration and about 20 years and plenty of time is a big studio)? Maybe those things are really all it takes. What it is, the music business is about 10% talent and 90% luck. Lots of bands are talented and write great songs, but they simply never break through where Noel Gallagher gets to say nice things about you. Lucky for my band we aren't leaning on our talents for our livelihood. Otherwise we'd starve. At least we admit it.

Here's the title track from this fine new record.

Gimme Shelter

I have written about France's Alcest before. Their 2012 release Les Voyages de L'Âme made number 8 on my favorite records of 2012 list. When they started years ago they were another black metal band with growling vocals and sheets of noise. Happily, they have grown to a classic-sounding progressive band; they might be one of the best currently working.

Their new album is the lush Shelter. I had ordered it on Amazon but it was out of stock for what seemed like forever. I eventually gave up and went to my new favorite place Discogs to order through their marketplace. I think my copy came from Germany, but the price was plenty reasonable and it showed up about two weeks after ordering, which is not bad considering it had an ocean to cross.

Alcest is primarily Stéphane Paut on everything but drums and Jen Delfandre on drums. They go by Neige and Winterhalter because they are French and prog and why not, you know. I got to see them a couple months ago at Empire outside Washington DC opening for Anathema. It was a sensational show. Their brand of progressive is very anthemic, very dynamic, music that does not take long to soar. It is not everybody's cup of tea but I love it. It is emotional and powerful.

Shelter builds on that, easily their most progressive record. This one actually has vocals in english, on the album's penultimate "Away." Vocals here are done by Neil Halstead of Slowdive. That track is immediately followed by the fantastic closer "Délivrance." It is a beautiful track, typical of Alcest, starting with a lovely guitar figure before working it's way to a frenetic closing.  Some reviews of the records accuse the band of running in place, but I am all for good songs done exceptionally well. Shelter does that. There's no harm in doing what you do best.

Here is the album closer "Délivrance."

Braddock Station Garrison at Empire March 9!!!

Next Sunday March 9 is an enormously important show for my band, Braddock Station Garrison. We have the opportunity to play Empire in Springfield. Historically a metal club, they have recently turned over ownership and have begun booking more Americana and country acts. We were approached by one of their booking agents to see if we wanted to participate in their monthly "Whiskey & Boots" country and folk night. While we are not a country band, I do think we have a good Americana vibe. Neil Young, The Jayhawks, Wilco, Son Volt are artists that have influenced my writing. Along with Cash and Kristofferson and Merle and Willie and Waylon and Townes Van Zandt. Modern country does not appeal to me but I respect the artists who represent that style and do their thing. We are super excited to be playing with some excellent regional acts. It is an honor to be sharing the stage with them.

I am especially eager because unlike some of the other places we have played this is a bonafide music venue. I mean no disrespect to those rooms we have played; we love playing their and we appreciate the chance. But Empire is a real room. They have a real soundboard. They have a stage that comes up to the crowds chest. They have a backstage area; instead of walking up from the crowd we will be coming in from the side like a real rock n roll band.

I have seen several shows here. It used to be known as Jaxx and I saw King's X there and I saw John Paul Jones. Recently I saw Anathema and Alcest. Knowing I get to play a stage where I saw King's X, one of my most favorite bands ever, play...where I saw John Paul fucking Jones play...it blows my mind. It is going to be a great night.

As part of the deal the club gave us free tickets. Yes...FREE TICKETS!! We have some left, so if you are interested hit me up through the band email: braddockstationgarrison@gmail.com. Otherwise they are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Another good thing: it is an EARLY show. Doors open at 5pm and we go on at 6pm. We play about 45 minutes. The show itself will end around 10pm so it won't be a late night at all.

A big turn out will maybe possibly probably-not-but-who-knows get us another show at Empire, maybe opening for a touring act. Granted I wouldn't want to play in front of Armored Saint or Gorguts or Metal Church, that just would not be the right crowd for us, but I derma of opening for King's X. That we could pull off.

We would really really really appreciate it if you could come out and see us. It is going to be a great night and on behalf of Tom and Jim and Mike I can say we absolutely LOVE to see you there!

Rise Above the Rest

With my renewed interest in the metal scene, I have realized it is far easier to find new bands that previously relying on Pitchfork and other review sites for passing along info. With metal, labels still have a place to play, giving traction and attention to bands that could be potentially working the margins. I wrote earlier about a couple records from a small American label called Easyrider Records. Another such label is the well-stocked Rise Above Records from England. Formed almost twenty years ago by Napalm Death's vocalist, they have a great catalog of heavy bands. If you are a metal head, you should seriously check them out.

Blood Ceremony, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats and Electric Wizard are three of the bands I really like on their roster. Two others I have recently been digging include The Oath and the wonderfully named Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell.

The Oath are a Berlin-based band and led by Johanna Sadonis on vocals and Linnéa Olsson on guitar. Both ladies are striking blondes. I mean...seriously. That is the bait to get you to notice. The music backs up the image. Solid playing, classic NWOBHM vocals, and two great songs make up their 7" single "Night Child"/"Black Rainbow".

Their sound is rooted in classic sounding European metal. It is not the scary kind of metal. It reminds me of a less interesting Blood Ceremony with their witchy underpinnings. That does not mean they do not have their charms. This EP is a nice appetizer for their full length due later this year from Rise Above Records. Sweet!

Here's "Night Child."

Whenever I think my band has a complicated name, I just need to think of the UK's Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell.  Named after a English naval hero, this power-trio is much much more 70s hard rock than metal. Their latest limited edition 7" on Rise Above Records is "Black Sheep" backed by "Elementary Man." Both are hard and fast and heavy songs. They are not deep or thought provoking but rock and roll doesn't always need to be deep. Many times they should just kick serious ass. If you like classic sounding riffs, check these cats out.

I can not seem to get the video to embed right, so here's a link to "Elementary Man." Just look at the clothes and you'll know everything you need to about these guys.

The Most Dangerous Site On The Internet

A co-worker of mine recently introduced me to Discogs. This is a super cool online database of albums. What's cool is that you can look-up all the potential variants of an album. Do you have a German copy of Dark Side Of The Moon? Lo and behold there it is! Naturally I created an account and promptly went about inputting my collection because I have nothing better to do. I was surprised to see I only have 193 records. HA! That's all, right? Here is a link to it if you want to peruse.

The dangerous part is the marketplace. For all these records, there are links to vendors who are selling them and for people who are looking for them. You can create a wish list of things you want. The majority of the vendors take Paypal. So a giant marketplace of Paypal accepting vendors make this a very very VERY dangerous website.

There's also a place where you can comment on records, rate them not only on how you like the album but on the condition of your copy. It is a little clunky in figuring out which copy you have,e specially when there are many to choose from. Many of the titles have pictures of the labels included, which helps considerably for matching up to the degree of exactitude a nerd like me desires.

For what it is worth, I have only done one transaction so far, mainly so I can see how it works. I ordered this from a nice fellow in Germany. It is already on it's way. I am very interested to see how long it takes.

A Noble Experiment

Friday night me and the missus went down to Georgetown for the grand opening of Hill & Dale Records. It is a very nice, modern looking shop. They had drinks and appetizers for the crowd. We were amongst the first folks there and I was somewhat surprised there was no line. Happily for the store it filled up pretty quickly making it a challenge to maneuver through the racks.

Unlike most record stores, which are uniformly used shops, Hill & Dale carries only new releases and reissues. This is an interesting gambit. They did not have an incredible amount of inventory but it did take about 30 minutes to peruse what they had. They and plenty of classic rock and jazz reissues. Tons of Floyd and The Who and Beatles and Coltrane and Miles Davis. Surprisingly there were no Zeppelin records, but that must be because they have not been reissued yet. Unfortunately for me, it was pretty much the usual major label stuff. Going through the stacks, I got the feeling of going through the records available at Urban Outfitters. I don't know the ins-and-outs of how the business works, but it would have been nice to see more boutique label stuff.

Jodi wound up buying two records: the reissue of Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones and a lovely double LP of Ryan Adams' best solo record Gold. She got me Jeff Buckley's Grace (which I figure will be great through the headphones), the first William Tyler record Behold The Spirit and the recent reissue of Townes Van Zandt's High Low and In Between.

In addition to records they have posters and have photography exhibits on the walls. It makes for a nice touch. It feels more like a gallery than a record shop. It feels kind of fancy.

Starting up a brand new brick-and-mortar record shop seems like a silly idea. Vinyl is making a comeback but is it enough to warrant a store dedicated to new vinyl? The location is interesting. Georgetown is a high rent area and the store is set back sort of hidden away back in One Canal Square or whatever it is called. How much foot traffic are they going to get from folks wandering around? Will they even know it is there?

I wish them a lot of luck. I hope it goes well and is a success. It is a noble experiment. I would probably drop in if I was down in Georgetown, but it will not be a destination place for getting records. The internet is still too great a convenience.

Slip the surly bonds with Earthless

From The Ages by Earthless is another of those records that I became acquainted with too late for it to have made my top ten list. That's a shame because it deserves a place. Earthless are an instrumental power-trio from San Diego who occupy that middle ground between heavy rock and metal.  They have a very classic vibe. The guitar playing reminds me a lot of Jimi Hendrix and Robin Trower at his noisiest. Not so much in terms of skill, though guitarist Isaiah Mitchell is plenty good, but more in the psychedelic scene their music paints. The rhythm section of Marco Rubalcala and Mike Eginton provide the lumbering foundation for the guitar's histrionics. The occasional keyboard joins the ensemble and adds a new element to the music's mysteries.

It's another double LP (what's with these bands and their double LPs?). Four songs. One on side 1, two on side 2, and the title track spread over both sides of the second disc. This is a record that is comfortable both as the trippy background to whatever you're up to, but also, and far more enjoyable, as something you let wash over you. Doing that, however, is a real commitment, an investment of time that not many bands these days require from their audience. It's enjoyable because even though the songs are long, they still move. There is shape and nuance around the central theme. It lurks and spins and coils in of itself. It starts and stalls and gallops and rumbles into a conclusion. Repeated listens bring forth some new sonic experience. For a discerning rock fan, it's a treasure of musicality.

I can't leave without saying how awesome the album art is. One of the many reasons I love vinyl over CDs is the jackets. In a CD booklet, there isn't much space to appreciate the cover. With vinyl you can appreciate the effort made over the entire package. Opening the front gatefold you see lumbering elephants, emblematic of the music, with what appear to be jewels within their foreheads, crossing a stone bridge from an otherworldly door to meet, naturally, not only an enormous bird dominating the front cover but a shaman-esque humanoid whose head is eyeball. Of course he is dressed in robs and holds a scepter because...because that's what dudes with an eyeball for a head carry.

Here's album opener "Violence of the Red Sea."

Vally Girls

If you like The White Stripes and/or The Black Keys (though apparently they hate each other) there is no reason for you not to check out Deap Vally. What sets them apart from the one-guitar-one-drummer schtick is that they are both ladies. Usually when I hear about a band I go over to AllMusic to read about them; when I got to the line about forming an image around halter tops and short-jeans-shorts I was pretty much sold. Couple that with the story that guitarist Lindsey Troy met drummer Julie Edwards in what is a total rocknroll move: a crocheting class the latter was teaching.

The released an EP called Get Deap! and followed it with an LP called Sistrionix. The EP contains one song that did not make the LP.

What's the music like? It rocks. It's sleazy, it's scuzzy, all those adjectives used to describe rock at it's most primal. Or at it's most elemental, primitive. The song titles reflect that: "Gonna Make My Own Money," "Baby I Call Hell," "Walk Of Shame," "Bad For My Body," and "Woman of Intention" stand out. it isn't earth shattering, it isn't particularly new sounding. They don't jerk off on the guitar like Jack White does, they aren't perhaps the most technically proficient. But they do riff and they lay down a clobber of a beat. There are no plaintive acoustic numbers. There is a George Jones talking bit in side 2 opener "Lies" where they say things like "I thought we agreed/You wouldn't have the need to spread your seed." OK.

A bass player wouldn't hurt but whatever. I enjoy the record. It goes by quickly, which is in now way a bad thing. It isn't the worst of all things: boring. It's fun. I imagine they'd be a trip to see live. This is another band that should be getting played on Little Steven's Underground Garage. I often say they should swap their 3:1 old/new ratio.

Here's the quoted "Lies." Enjoy!

This Band Is So Heavy It Has Other Less Heavy Bands Orbiting Around It

From the first note on their latest record Soma Richmond's Windhand announces their intent. And the intent is making a sound as heavy and as doom-sounding as possible. When plucked the strings on their guitars must quiver like power lines in a hurricane. It is the sound of devils dancing in the Virginia Piedmont night. That sounds kind of Spinal Tap, but screw it, it makes me laugh.

The title Soma refers to a ritual drink from Indo-Iranian and Persian cultures. It was believed to give its consumer immortality.  It was believed the be a bringer of the gods. An apt name for a record like this. Though these gods may not be ones you wish to trifle with.

"Orchard" opens the festivities but it is song two that overpowers the listener. "Woodbine" erupts like a kick to the gut. Play it loud and the walls aren't the only things shaking. Your organs quake. It is low-end power that is the musical equivalent of Doomsday barreling through cities and countless Superman-delivered punches. The album is a double LP. The second LP has one song per side, both epics, "Cassock" and "Boleskin." The latter is one of those vinyl tracks that make use of the exit groove, in this case with wind sounds, that if you don't pay attention shall run forever. In the middle of the album, floating like a dream, comes the acoustic "Evergreen." As out of place as that sounds, it is brilliant at capturing the mood. Dread is equally present in detuned roaring electric guitars and strummed acoustics.

And above it floats the voice of Dorthia Cottrell. She is not so much the singer but the mistress of ceremonies. A female voice above this music is what makes it stand apart from other similarly minded bands. And the exception in their art is fantastic.

My taste in music is driven by melody and it is driven by mood. That is why I can happily listen to a great power pop record one day and the next hunker down in the sludge. Music is the perfect accompaniment to state of mind. With a band like Windhand, you might think there is a massive amount of negativity going on, but that is not remotely the case. Powerful, heavy music is all encompassing. I love the energy it creates. I love the sense of dread. Life thrives in the sunlight but it can sometimes flourish in the dark.

Here is the album opener "Orchard."

All's (Matthew) Good

Music is not only a source of enjoyment for your humble writer nor a source of inspiration but also a source of admiration. I do not categorize it as something as trite as "selling out." Whatever that means. Not many artists get the chance to sell out. Most stay under the radar and eventually fall away. Artists who stick with it, who keep doing their thing no matter that it does not seem to be reaching any kind of critical mass. Or that they barely keep hanging on. I admire that tenaciousness. Artists like Bill Mallonee and Grant-Lee Phillips and Mark Kozelek and Aimee Mann. I respect these artists because they know who they are and they make music reflective of that.

Matthew Good is another such artist. Maybe the prime example of them. He is from Canada. He used to front a band called The Matthew Good Band. After a few excellent records he dropped the Band from the act name and just went with his name. That is fine, his presence has been the driving force. His popularity in his native Canada has always far eclipsed that in the United States. He has won Junos, he has had videos on MuchMusic. That was where I first discovered him in the late 90s. "Hello Timebob" and "Giant" and "Strange Days" from his brilliant Beautiful Midnight were on regular rotation and were my first real exposure to him. He does not play the states too terribly often. My old roommate and I trekked to Pittsburg to see the MGB play one time. The other time I saw him was solo and caustic at Iota in Arlington, VA.

His latest album is called Arrows of Desires and it is classic sounding Matthew Good. Great guitar lines and sing along choruses. A lot of attitude and a lot of anger. It is a very anachronistic record, much like the muscle car that graces the album cover. The vibe is still 90s alternative. For someone who grew up on that you get no complaint from me. 

In his lyrics, in his interviews, in his writings, there is a lot of energy and a lot of anger. Anger at how the world works. Anger at the successful who have their success on the backs of others. Anger at the politicians who are ruining his country, who are ruining the world. Anger for the kids who can't go to school without fear of being shot down. Anger at how life has treated his characters, whether they are auto-biographical or not.  You might not agree with everything he says, you might not agree with anything he says, but you have to as a fellow human being appreciate the passion behind it.

He has always come across as a curmudgeon, as someone you might NOT want to have a beer with because you might just want him to shut up. I am not clever enough to analyze the lyrics. I think when anybody does that, no matter how clever they think they are, it is impossible not to project their own issues, problems, worries into them. After nearly 20 years Matthew Good is still doing his thing his way. He had a taste of success but it never happened. But he has been able to carve out a great little career of great songs put onto great records. Arrows of Desire deserved a space on my top 10. It is as good as anything he has ever done. And that says quite a bit if you know the rest of his discography.

Here's "Guns of Carolina." Give it a listen. You might be surprised.

Pass That Shit, Man

One of the ways I find new music is through Twitter. I am not sure how it came to be but I somehow stumbled over a list from EasyRider Records with their Top 10 records of the year. They appear to be a new-ish boutique metal label. One their list they naturally had a couple of their own releases because, you know, promotion. I listened to the records on that list and two of them struck my ear: Banishment Ritual by Sons of Huns and Sweeden Salem's Pot. Yes, Salem's Pot.

I do not know any of the details about Sons of Huns beyond what's in their record. They are a three-piece. They have a strange, hideous space monster gracing the cover of their record. Their name is awesome. They play fast, heavy stoner metal. I think if you have a hideous space creature on your album cover you have to play stoner metal. It is some kind of rule.

The record rocks. There is the goofy Sabotage-era-Sabbath-esque stomp of "Agrenteum Astrum." "Heliolith" sounds like Slayer high on weed. "Horror In Clay" resembles a tuned-down Kill 'em All Metallica. "I'm Your Dad" has a Deep Purple vibe to it, especially in vocalist...actually...I don't know who the vocalist is...the record doesn't say. It's not Ian Gillian, I know that, but the appropriately placed shrieks are Gillian-esque. Much of it reminds me of the more renowned Red Fang.

One drawback is the record is a double LP and I do not think it needs to be. The songs are not extravagantly long. In fact Side B at under ten minutes. Maybe I should be playing it at 45 and not 33, but it sounds fine at 33. That would be funny if I am playing it at the wrong speed. This easily could have been on one disc. Side B closer "Waking Sleep" is this lounge-ish instrumental number that does not sound like a it-must-be-on-the-record-man kind of cut.

Salem's Pot is really the name of a band. I wish I had thought of this. But my band's music does not fit what a band called Salem's Pot should be doing. Salem, home of legendary witches and burnings and troublemaking. Pot, that herb of choice of so many bands. Salem's Pot, a play on Salem's Lot. Ok sure why not. Cover has what appears to be a lady fearing...something. Perhaps it is the hideous space creature from the Sons of Huns record. Spooky, blood drippy lettering. I don't know what Sweeden refers to but it must be spooky.

Music, you ask? What you expect. One song per side. Only a single vinyl disc, thankfully. It starts, it pulverizes your brain, it bids adieu. What's Sweedish for adieu? Frak it, who cares. What does it sound like? Let's say this: If you think a band called Salem's Pot is something you would like, then you will likely not be disappointed here. For Christ's sake, the back of the jacket says "recorded live in an old asylum by the damaged minds of a power trio." Does it really matter whether it sounds like Sabbath (it does) or Slayer or Deep Purple or Bruno Mars?

I sound like I don't like this record. Wrong! It's great! I really like it. Some people like Kanye West and Daft Punk and Lorde and shit like that which gets all the Grammy nominations and all the attention. I like sludgy stoner metal bands. Among other things. This genre makes me happy. I am not a partaker of the stoner part of these bands, but I really dig the music. To me it's fun, it's amusing, it makes me bang my head. Is it Shakespeare? Or the musical equivalent of Shakespeare? Trip Shakespeare? No. Whatever. It's not going to win Grammys or be on the cover of Rolling Stone or on whatever passes for Total Request Live. Maybe it will be on the current version of Headbanger's Ball because that would be awesome. if ever we needed Adam Curry to don his leather jacket and act tough (well, maybe not the second part) it's now. So many metal bands out there that deserve a little bit of limelight.

Don't be a punk. Check them out here.

You Were Right, It Has Been A While

After doing so many posts counting down my favorite records of 2013 I decided to take a little time off from writing. Well, that is not quite true. It was not an active or conscious decision. I simply did not feel like it. These things happen. Let us move on.

One of the records that came late in the year was You Were Right by Brendan Benson. He is a great songwriter whose records usually find their way onto my year-end list. Last year's What In The World did rightly make my list. This one did not, but that doe snot mean it is not a great record. I believe its failure to arrive on my list is more indicative of my harder-edged leanings this year than anything else.

You Were Right is technically less a proper album than a collection of singles he released through the year. Under that paradigm you would expect the record to sound disjointed but You Were Right does not. Instead it is concessive, strong, and while not quite as outstanding as What In The World it is still very very good.

Most folks who have heard of Benson know of him from The Raconteurs with Jack White, but Benson is one of the best power-poppers around. So that means his songs are catchy, well-written and especially clever. For this record he enlists the help of The Posies' Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow.

But like any good power pop record it is the songs that speak loudest. The vibe of the songs is especially 70s-esque, especially the slinky "Diamond." It is founded along a strumming acoustic guitar before a twitchy electric guitar line slides in guiding the tune through. "Long Term Goal" has a kind of full-bottomed pop vibe with nice reverb-y guitar chords.  "I Don't Want To See You Anymore" uses horns and chiming guitars to set up the melancholy of the song. These are just examples. I will not go into a song by song analysis. I am not good at that. I am feeling that it is regrettable I could not find a place for this record on the list. But there are only ten spots and what can you do? This is a great, mellower offering from one of the best songwriters nobody has heard of.

Here's "Diamond."