Archive for the ‘I am The Heat’ Category
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
Brick City Bios: I Am The Heat
Jameson Edwards, Julius Myren, Kevin Fey, and Mike Horaz are Brooklyn pop party rockers I Am The Heat. Trouble is always just around the corner (along with about a gallon of whiskey) when these gentlemen hit the stage. Jameson’s vocals and guitar provide the storyline to Julius’ Keyboard/Guitar combos. Kevin lays down the bass and Mike supplies the chaos with drums. If you like a good time? gladiators movies? spotty memories of the night after a show? You’re in the right place. Checkout their Facebook for their music.
Lucky 7 Valentine’s Prom w/ I am the Heat and Wyldlife
DJ Leonard Smalls and I have the exact same problem. It’s the same reason we listen to the radio when the TV is on. Well, we like to party. And that means we party a lot, so if we are gonna throw a party then it better be a humdinger! He called me up and said, “Rocker Tycoon, I need another band for my Valentine’s day party, got any ideas?”
I said, “Well who the hell is the headliner? I’m not a damned psychic, you know!”
Smalls came back at me, “Wyldlife!”
I said, “Fucking Dave Feldman’s group of rioter’s? Do you plan on razing the whole block or what? I guess if you’re dead set on those knuckleheads I’ll step up to the plate and figure something out. It’s gonna be a Lucky 7 shitshow kinda night, I suppose.”
Smalls commented, “So what your saying is: what we (Lucky7Tavern) lack in substance, we make up for in intensity?”
I agreed.
After conferring with Ghost Train PR’s Jen Schwartz, we decided I am the HEAT would be a perfect match. Oh how utterly right we were!
Saturday Night 7:30 or so. I rolled out to Lucky 7. There were something like 6 people in the bar. It’s a Saturday afternoon in Jersey City, that’s sort of normal. I find a spot, check my equipment and saddle up to the bar. I am The Heat rolls in a starts to set up. Jen looks nervous. “There’s no one here.”
I chuckle. I’m not worried in the least. Lucky’s is like the Jersey City Field of Dreams. If you rock it, they will come. When their set began I am the Heat started to play for maybe ten people. But like roaches from the woodwork, everyone began to shuffle in once they heard music.
(There’s a want, I dare say NEED, for local music in this town. No official venues and dozens of great bands. I was talking a few days ago with someone about the Jersey City rock scene, she goes, “Oh, the rock scene here sucks.”
I freaked out! “You shut your blaspheming mouth right now!” I explained that the scene is burgeoning, it’s ready to bust, there are a few places to play but no real venues. Local government stifles local music with red tape, but much like the Spice, the rock must flow. Many bars have become a haven for this scene, in the wake of Automata Chino, Lucky 7’s, Lampost and even O’Hara’s and Beer Garden have made a spot in their spaces for Live Music. I’m not sure I got that point across to the girl, I was on a rant afterall and can’t be bothered to slowdown once I start pontificating, but hey, YOU get me at least.)
Soooo…. Ah People started packing in for I am The Heat. Jameson Edwards (Guitar/Vox), Julius Myren (Guitar/Keys/Vox), Kevin Fey(Bass/Vox), Mike Horaz (Drums) are not strangers to the blog. I caught them on Halloween two years ago, the first thing I noticed was how incredibly catchy their brand of Indie Powerpop was. Insanely danceable and totally lighthearted…just fun rock music! It’s been about a year and a half knowing these fellas in passing. In the last month I’ve spent a good amount of time hanging out with these guys. They’ve made a mistake… THE MISTAKE. You ever see Almost Famous? NEVER make friends with the rock journalist! I’ve committed the same reverse sin (Made friends with a rock band), so fuck it! They plowed through their set list and ended to a very high energy packed house. I actually had trouble getting through the crowd to get pictures of the band.
Wyldlife took over after. And what I thought was a pretty packed dive bar doubled in capacity. It was like when the Grinch’s heart grew! Except there was a dude with crazy hair screaming and the whole bar was a tempest of sweat and limbs! Dave Feldman (Vocals) Sam Allen (Guitar) Spencer Alexander (Bass) Rusty Russ Barrnett (Drums) are Jersey City’s very own GlamPunk quartet! Enthusiastic is an understatement… watching these guys perform is like Christmas when you’re five. You think you’re gonna get that Fakor or maybe TrapJaw figure, then you see a CASTLE GREYSKULL sized box and it’s little-kid-bug-out-panic-happy-time! That comes close. There was moshing, dancing and even a little crowd surfing. I’ve been to a lot of shows at Lucky 7 Tavern, but this was over 9000! I Am The Heat was in the crowd mixing it up, Hell, most of Jersey City was there. You were likely there, thats how good this show was… YOU ACTUALLY SHOWED UP!
After we cleaned Wyldlife up off the floor, DJ LEONARDSMALLS and Dangerous Dave (Feldman) kept it rocking all night. The memories start to shift from vivid to vague at this point in the night. Needless to say, the commotion continued til 3am. I didn’t even have a date to the prom or a valentine… But after that show I couldn’t be bothered to care.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Zac Clark, Rocker Tycoon 