Singled Out: The Company, INC by City of Horses
I’m trying to have an single review out every fri this year. Today’s choice comes from my buds at Indie Rebellion.
http://thecityandhorses.bandcamp.com/track/the-company-inc-featuring-katie-costello
The Pixies meet the They Might Be Giants meets the Violent Femmes, The City of Horses’s songs range from dancey new wave to folky punk. But this song takes the cake for me. It’s bouncy guitar and the contrasting vocals are great. Every guy out there has been a Ben and every girls been a Sally. Or at least we’ve all wanted to. Lines like Ben’s commentary about his boss’s opinion of his in-office romance “I don’t care if he’s stern, his new wife is my old intern.” Fucking spot on. It’s worth a listen for sure. Well done, The City of Horses, Well Done.
Recapping 2011: A Year of Singles
Every year I do some kinda recap about how I spent my year musically. This year I entrenched myself quite deeply into the local music scene. I think its funny now when people ask me what I do the first thing that comes out of my mouth is that I’m a music blogger. Saying that used to inspire a great deal of poserism in me. I was a pretender, just trying to figure out if I could hold a readers attention. Almost three years later and hear I am watching Flash Gordon, and figuring out which tracks were the best I’d heard this year. People actually value my opinion and as laughable as that still seems to me, I’m humbled by your unwavering fealthy to local music and to you tolerance for my coverage. So here they are 10 songs I rocked out to this year, in no particular order.
Sun Tea in the House of Atreus by Hushmoney
Hailing from Detroit, Hushmoney isn’t exactly local. No matter they rock out(and it’s my blog so nah)! Sort of a mix of Epic Metal and Dance Rock. Think Everytime I Die meets Cobra Starship.. Catchy though, The Breakdown is fucking rad as shit! Listen to that lead guitar! And its free so how about you get on that!
Yea yea I know this Track has been out for a while. But 2011 was the year I really, started listening to Black Water. After a meeting with Adam Copeland that went sorta strange (My Bad) at the end of 2010. I booked BW with Ben Franklin at Lucky 7. Although I had apparently seen them in 2009 at Automata Chino. Anyhow, I really got into these guys in 2011 and this song “Arizona” is one of my favs. Back in April, I asked Copeland about the inspiration for the song… about what incident it referred to. “A fictional one. Its a reverse terrorism fantasy tale of an American whose homeland (AZ) is invaded and fights back” He told me. It’s an intense concept and the song is just as wild.
I saw these guys at a show in the middle of the year. And I can’t get this song out of my head. That guitar riff is stuck in there. Seeing them live I gotta say their mid song banter rivals that of The Press’s Mike Henry.
In 2009 this song was my first impression of Billy Gray as well as Ben Franklin. In early 2011 it was released through Killing Horse Records as a B-side on the Urgency EP. What a timely song, though it’s loosely rooted in a true story, the Newburgh Four, I think the chorus really should be the new recruiting jingle for the US military. ”Serve your country. Do us some good, it’ll get you off the street. Keep the fear alive keep the threat alive keep the population undercontrol.” Just listen to the thing, otherwise I’ll have to write out the whole damn thing out.
What Would Lou Reed Do – I Am The Heat
2011 was the year I moved to Brooklyn. I moved for several reasons some good (To embed myself into the Brooklyn Indie Scene a bit more) some not so good (I’d worked at every bar in Jersey City). One of the Bands that really took me under their wing was I Am The Heat. No song embodies these guys better than What Would Lou Reed Do. This song reminds me of the end of Wayne’s World when Crucial Taunt is playing to get Mr. Big to give them a record contract. It’s chaotic raucous and fun. That’s how I think of I Am The Heat.
Truthfully I can’t pick one song off Porter In The Making that I like better than the others. It’s a faceblast furnace of rock! The whole album should be listened to over and over again while sharpening knifes. One thing I can say with impunity about this band in that their recordings hold up just as well as their live shows. Be sure to catch them at the Killing Horse Records 2nd Anniversary show at Maxwells this Friday Jan 6th at Maxwells. It’ll be the last time to catch them before they go on hiatus from Live shows (hopefully for just a bit).
Retrograding the Masses – Holy City Zoo
What the fuck can I say about Holy City Zoo that I haven’t already. I’ll keep it simple, they belt it out and they wail! I know this is a curveball for the band (they think that Mark your Path is my favorite). Part of the Tiny Giant Artist Collective HCZ is crazy supportive of the local scene as well. Traveling far and wide to help spread the good word of underground music. I haven’t seen this much positivity in a scene since I started doing this blog.
This song has heart. It’s a little dark and little depressing but damn I just can’t get enough of it. It’s like a catharsis to the rest of the Imposter EP. Perfectly placed. I hear tell KIlling Horse is looking to release this on Vinyl!
Talk about a wall of noise! First off the video is great! EV and Paul are animals! This song is like combining Motorhead and the Rocketeer! And Live? Fuck, I’ve seen these guys play their hearts out for like 3 hours. Thats fortitude! The whole Shoot the Freak EP is like a night in county jail, that is to say you should experience it with your eyes and ears at the ready. You’ll be surprised, but at least you’ll be ready.
I have slept of these guys for WAAAAY too long. The album has been on my ipod since just a little before Brick City Sound Riot and this song jumped out at me the other day. The intro is great the melodic backing vocals contrast the main vocals perfectly. Importantly you can dance to this! The chorus just makes me feel like this song should be used in a commercial or as the intro to a sitcom.
BONUS ROUND
The First Time I Killed Someone – Wyldlife
My favorite song off the much celebrated LP. These cats are in store for big things mark my words. The story behind this song is kind of great as well. Back in 2009 Dave Feldman, was looking for a lil extra money. He tried his hand working as a cook at Lucky 7 with me… it didn’t take. (Dave Feldman doesn’t cook burgers he sings rock n roll.) Well, the guy that got his job also got his room in his apartment. I’m not sure of the exact details, but this song is a lil murder fantasy about his old roommate. You’re a dark dude Dave, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
I had a terrible time narrowing this list down, but I firmly believe that ten is a good cut off and I couldn’t even stick to that. That said, here are some other excellent songs I loves this year. I listened to them on the train or while I was writing, friends passed them around, and they are all on my playlist at home.
Big Boss Little Boss – The Press
Jerk Video by Stephie Coplan and the Pedestrians
First off… Watch this
Ok, Let’s discuss. HOT?! Goddamned right! And how about this new sound? I’m not gonna lie, I FUCKING LOVE IT. SC&P’s are in no danger of being compared to Ben Folds in this one. There’s a touch or Metric in here, though. Thats not a bad thing. It’s an update sound, for sure. How about the art direction. Make-up is great the DP really must of had a field day with this. Lighting is excellent, the non challant “Jerk” dude plays his part to the T.
Also gents, fellas and those of you in the friend zone, fucking take notes! This is a play by play of all the fucked up shit we do that drives women up the bloody wall. If you follow these steps and follow them well, ex girlfriends will be calling you for a late night tryst instead of asking you to help her move because she just stopped seeing the guy she left you for, and she really can’t afford movers, and she really doesn’t have any other guy friends, because she severs all ties when she enter a relationship… so since all this is sort of your fault for making her break up with you in the first place and date this other guy, the least you could do is help her move and maybe rent a U-haul cuz there’s a lot of books and some of those records she started collecting when you dated. Y’know or something like that.
Marvin Berry & The New Sound, Nude Beach and Fire Bison at Lone Wolf
http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=109615
Lonewolf
Friday Night, Billy Gray hits me up. He’s wondering if I’m going to see Marvin Berry tonight at Lone Wolf. I’d nearly forgotten, but It’s Friday I ain’t got shit to do. I say, “Let’s do it!” I hit the scene, order myself a Jack and Coke and catch Fire Bison. A girl fronted three piece from Virginia. You can’t beat that with a canoe oar. Two beautiful girls trading off vocals, playing guitar and bass and in the center sits this bearded madman on the drums. He damn near stole the show with his outrageous over the top style and facial expressions. Somebody get this cat a mic! He looks like he knows the words too!
Billy saunters in. We agree. Awesome band, great sound… “Amazing legs!” I add like a creep. Billy shakes his head and facepalms. “What man, I’m just callin’ em like I see ‘em.”
Next up Nude Beach hits the stage. Surf rock with a sneer! I dig it. We get involved in the crowd but still we haven’t had enough to start rabble rousing just yet. Back to the bar. We talk about whats been going on since Ben Franklin, he hints at something on the horizon (I’m sure that makes a lot of you happy). And we talk about work and stuff like that. It’s hard to remember exactly because after a little bit Marvin Berry and the New Sound hits the stage.
Punk pop dynamos! These cats are a barrel of monkeys greased up and ready to party! Marvin Berry & The New Sound is Joe Porter (vocals) Danny Zaj(Bass/Vocals) Chuck Van Dyck (Guitar/Rad Haircut) Nick Andreoli (drums/Wild insane looks) and Jon Davies (Guitar/Vocals). Here I am with my two favorite redheads (Joe and Billy), rocking out to Space Age and Howling at the Highway, and the crowd is into it as well. We’re all bouncing around like fools and for a minute all the bullshit I deal with kinda fades into the back. Everyone’s smiling and it’s 20 mins of pure rock out sing a long good time fun. Then it’s over, short sweet and powerful.
We head home and laugh. Something about a great show, just makes everything else easier to deal with knowing there’s plenty more just around the bend.
Disc Deconstruction: IMPOSTER – Cicada Radio
I have to assume that with Killing Horse Records recently picking up Cicada Radio and a new Release (possibly even a full length) is likely in the works if not at least on the mental horizon. I’m interested to see what comes of it. That said their IMPOSTER EP is long long over due for a deconstruction. I described this album as Hardcore with Heart. I’m gonna back up that statement now. Contrary to the darker tones of this EP the Fellas from CR are actually pretty happy dudes, and from pictures I shot from Friday Night at Brick City Sound Riot They are Wrestling fans. Chris D’Ambrosio seems to be the real ham off stage. While Pat and Mike Keefe take center stage and Michael Kundrath lays down a heavy supporting role and breaks indie chick hearts with one flip of his luxurious hair do (Yea, maybe I’m a little jealous). Since it’s an EP I’ll take the time to break down my thoughts on each song. Download it over at http://cicada-radio.bandcamp.com/ and listen along.
1. Open Wide
This is my favorite song on the album. If you listen closely you can hear what sounds like a woodwind instrument of some kind. Thats actually backing vocals with a soft “oooooohhh”. The pace is great for an opener and this song is the most approachable of their catalog. Meaning you can dance to this. I can actually still see them performing this live at 4th Street fest, complete with the backing “ooooohs”
2. Storm the Castle
This track can also be found on the Tiny Giant Comp Vol 1 + 2. Drums lead and rhythm guitar come in to create a somber vibe. By the chorus there’s a technical pick-up and you’ll see how they’ve created something really cool here. While keeping to a steady and slow tempo there’s a drop off that proves how much is going on with a void of silence. You can hear the metal influences and the alternative style inherent in Cicada Radio’s style. The Breakdown at the end is especially great, with backing vocals coming in and recanting the moans a previous 20 seconds.
3. Throw it Away
Another one you can dance to! It’s also the hardest. We have some metal screams and vocals really strain out on this. Wait there are those “Ooooooohs” again! You have a really great organized chaos, with that signature void, followed by a manic entry to the breakdown. Drums end the song with a flourish and a final strum on guitar.
4. Sleeper Hold
What a great way to end the album! It starts with this raining sound and leads in with acoustic guitar. This is a heavy song, lyrically speaking. It’s on my “late night coming back from Jersey City at 4am to head home to Brooklyn” mix on my ipod. It’s a perfect cooldown to the album. “All I wanna do is hold you. Just not now, couldn’t anyhow.” Fuck there’s a lot of feeling there.
Solid music all the way through with a nice range. Two slower tunes and two more upbeat. Cicada Radio is another Tiny Giant band. A collective of local bands quickly encompassing North Jersey, BK and surrounding areas. Expect more from TG as the months roll forward and While you’re at it and since you dig free music, pick up the compilations too. http://tinygiantrecords.bandcamp.com/releases In conclusion I have to say I haven’t hung out with these guys enough. All four are total characters and I’m looking forward to their show on Dec 3 at Lamp Post with Holy City Zoo and Meet/Pause.
Video Release: Wyldlife “City of Inbreds”
I’ll be honest this post is gonna be easy to write and likely even easier to read. A few Sunday’s back (for those of you that follow me on twitter) you might remember that I was heading to Balance Hair Salon in Jersey City to take part in a music video for Wyldlife’s “City of Inbreds” single. Director and DP Randy Slavin did a really great job with the vid and i think it really captures the bands style well. Also note all the times I cameo. I’m all the fuck over this thing. I think there’s even a shot of me trying out for ZZ Topless. Gotta love these cats they shelled out for the whole deal got booze for everyone and pretty much just filmed a party. After the shoot they even did a free show for their fans that came to support. Bands, take note, this is how it’s done. Bravo Wyldlife and Bravo Randy Slavin!
Disc Deconstruction: Creosote Acoustic Lacquer EP by Black Water
I’ve been slackin’ lately. I admit it. I need to kickstart my self some times. Get the rusty joints oiled out. And just write as much as I can in a short burst. It just so happens that today my buds Black Water released an EP. It’s the practice session from an acoustic show they did. Let’s break it down into chewable morsels. Download it here and listen along
First thing, I notice that we have two of my favorite Black Water songs as acoustic versions! Exciting! Then I spy the artwork. I can’t tell without breaking my neck if its a tornado or a forest fire. But it’s a classic look thats been a sort of tradition since Copeland and Griffin’s days in the Meltdowns. I should also mention that Low-ridin’ Lloyd Naideck is absent on this EP. I think he was touring the globe on some political campaign, don’t quote me on that. Anyhow, this endeavor is strictly Adam Copeland, Gary Laurie and Gerry Griffin.
1. (Keep on) Moving.
The album starts with a little jammy intro, 40 seconds in Copeland cuts in the guitars bouncing along with him. I’m gonna go out on a limb a guess that this song is about working till you’re dead. “When the sun goes down, you will find, that there’s more ahead.”
2. Rose, My Old Ways
A confessional, or a devotional. I’m not sure what the term is exactly. A Promise? Yea its a promise. Apparently, Rose has had it up to here with the narrators drinking and fighting and being all “Jersey”. So he’s promising to not go back to his old ways. (Point of Topic: I once saw Adam Copeland get into a a verbal altercation with a man whose dog had bitten two other people. The man called those people “hipsters”. I want to state for the record that Gary Laurie is no hipster. Also for the record, I ran off like a girl. I’m down to my last pair of specs.)
3. Arizona (Dharma Version)
Already a very fun song, Laurie’s lead guitar steals the show here. The lyrics are changed from God to Buddha for a cheap laugh (I like a cheap laugh). Griffin’s work on the low end comes through well here. And did someone just quack in the background? Atotally fun version of a song I’ve come to love.
4. 7 Years (Western Omelette version)
A sweet lazy version of the crescendo song that ends Disasters. The song already has a sort of sad western feel to it. The country twist goes really well here, its cool to see the band experimenting with different sounds.
Synopsis:
Let me start by saying it’s fun and I think that was the idea. It’s free. So as far as value is concerned, they have your value covered. You won’t find the signature outbursts that have Copeland and Griffin pleading with the mic but hey you can’t shout in a coffee house, thats rude. From what I understand Black Water is going to be recording a new LP in the near future you can still get their Disasters LP for the low price of Free on Bandcamp. Take this minute in time to download this and that. Then when you come to the Tiny Giant showcasetomorrow at Lamp Post tomorrow you can sing a long with me and everyone else.
Jersey City: A Call to Action
Jersey City voters. Let’s chat for a second.
Prodigal son, Zac Clark here, You may know me as the Rocker Tycoon or maybe you know me as the guy that runs those rock shows you like to go to on the weekends, hell maybe you don’t know me and someone was smart enough to pass this on. Either way, lemme start by saying Jersey City is a wonderful place to live and work. There are so many great things about the place that going into detail right now would be down right time consumming. I’m sure many if not all of you agree.
Let’s talk about a really dark cloud that hung over our fair city about 2 years ago. If you’re new to town you may not be privy to what happened. A synopsis ? Sure! Basically a bunch of politicians (People that are supposed to be looking out for us) took some brides so that big developers could come into town and do things like ruin our view of New York, raise the cost of living and generally just cut corners so they could build the city in their image. NOT COOL, right?
Let’s talk about the Chain of Lies that followed. DENIAL AIN’T JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT PEOPLE! I was there at the Council Caucus, when Steven Fulop called for Mariano Vega to Step down and do the right thing and serve his time. Vega ignored the call to action. I did a piece in the The Jersey City Independent about my experience that day. (Give it a look)
Where was the sanity? Surely not in that room when every other council member decided they’d rather be a friend, than stand up and be a defender of the public trust. I sat there with Andrew Hubsch and Daniel Levin, who invited me to come out to get this story to the people. We all expressed our disappointment.
Let’s JUMP forward one year and one month after Vega had told everyone he was innocent. The guy waits til a day after the special election can be held so that one of my favorite words in politics could be played out. HEYO you guessed it NEPOTISM! Vega got in the final dirty jab by waiting just long enough to claim his guilt so that you and I would be denied our right to choose a representative. And instead have the political machine that is Mayor Healy camp choose one for us. Thats some shady shit, right. I mean the man is guilty and he’s still getting in the last blow. SCUMBAG JERSEY POLITICS!
No more of that. Today you have a decision to make. One that will fill that seat with a strong community leader, one that will help turn the tide of conformity that Fulop has had to stand against alone for so long. There is a people’s choice on that Ballot. His name is DAN LEVIN. Dan Levin cares about Jersey City. He’s been to several rock events I’ve thrown. He’s heard my woes as a promoter in a town that has no venue and a huge rock scene. He’s a father, so you can bet that he’s pro education. Let’s give Jersey City back to it’s people and remove the power from the big money developers and the laissez faire politicians who have and will continue to become too comfortable in their places of power.
If you understand nothing else from this rant: DAN LEVIN FOR COUNCIL vote today!
http://jerseycityburning.wordpress.com/2010/09/14/a-not-so-fast-one/
Morgantown Halloween Extravaganza
Rogue Fox Productions is the one shot name of my Roommates (Jason Lowrie and Freya Fox) and I. Jason is in Greylist a Bushwick band picking up steam in the undergorund scene out here. Pro Star Audio is helping us with Equipment for the show. They’re backing local boys, The Veinnagram, a raucous bunch of stage men with a theatrical flair and a penchant for boisterous live shows. These cats are the Full Monty meets John Wayne Gacy. And finally we have CHAPPO, who are gaining a butt ton of local and national fame for their song come home that was in the commercial for the Ipod touch. Dance rock with hauntingly sweet vocals. On top of that we will have a dead playboy bunny auction and a burlesque exhibition with yours truly rocking the EMCEE portion of the show with Freya. It’s all going down at The Morgan, a newcomer to the Bushwick bar scene, with a lot of potential for the local scene. Easily one of the largest spaces in the area for live events, the place is staffed by some local musicians and I live right by it. Show starts at 7 and goes til question mark and the Mysterians! Check it out on Facebook!
Disc Deconstruction: Meet/Pause Cluster Cascade EP
I always have my fears when I’m checking out new material. Especially when I become really invested in a band. There’s a fear that the new music just won’t resonate with me the way the old stuff did. There’s a bit of a “getting to know you” period (I like to call this the game of who the fuck are you) that most bands’ new stuff evokes. These feelings and fear where no different with Meet/Pause’s new Cluster Cascade EP. So go to www.meetpause.bandcamp.com and download it for free (I’ll wait) and Let’s Break it down…
1. Cell Blocks & River Docks
The album starts out in classic emotive rock fashion. A few notes some silence then we get into the meat and potatoes. The album’s longest song by just over two minutes summons up a a pretty epic guitar love/hate ballad. By the third line it’s getting pretty dark and rocking out, Scott’s vocals are accusing and assertive. Graeme’s work on the skins is beyond excellent and really drives this song. You can’t beat the chorus either! The song switches from manic to depressive and back again. It feels nostalgic, maybe i’m just projecting my slap dash love life.
2. (Don’t) Get the F*ck Out of Jersey
Oh I like this one! This mad as hell and it’s not gonna take it anymore. “If you can’t stand to be around (Then get the fuck out!)” I can’t wait to see them live cuz I wanna yell that out in a crowded room. I might just go to a restaurant and do it anyway. Start with the drums and that fucking catchy guitar riff. This song has it! Whatever it is, more more more of this. It’s the same feeling I get when I Hear Long Way down by the Goo Goo Dolls (when I listened to the Goo Goo Dolls). and wait for the break down with the keys and bass! Put that shit on a mixtape and send it off to your ex girl friend. When she texts you that she doesn’t have a tape deck text her a picture of you flipping her the bird!
3. Cluster Cascade
The Title Track… the albums slows down for a little sing long. Artifacts of Get-up Kids, Brand New, and Funeral for Friend come through. This song has a great potential for live shows. I’m not totally sold though, I think of this track as a sort of intermission to the album.
4. Lakes, Ladders, Laboratories
Back to the rock! Guitar comes in hard followed by keys and lead guitar. This is a bit more hopeful than the rest of their catalog. Of all their songs this is the most danceable. This feels like I’m in the fight/race scene from a sci fi movie set in the future where the vehicles are made of psychic projection and whatever it was in Ghost that made Patrick Swayze be about to move shit.
5. Coworkers
Someone has dipped his pen in the company ink! And it went very very wrong. Thats what I get from this song. Or it’s about to get very wrong. I’m not totally sure. This is a perfect end to the album. Get breakdown on keys, nice and simple with a little power guitar. It’s the end of the movie song when the hero decides he has to choose between responsibility to humanity or banging Mary Jane and he (surprising) walks off into the sunset.
In summation, I was not disappointed. On the contrary I was quite thrilled. Meet/Pause still has it! This is surely a herald of things to come. One of the last unabashedly local “emo” bands does an excellent job of staying true to their sound and evolving as well. I’ve labeled them as emergency rock. Listen to the album, and you’ll see, it’s urgent it’s pleading and it’s tempo rises and falls at the right points. It’s free too so if you can’t afford it/ your just being lazy.
