Hailing from Bern, Switzerland, The Monsters are punk giants in their homeland who make unapologetic trash rock, as is evidenced on their newest album You’re Class, I’m Trash.
The album opens with the explosive “Gimme Germs,” and sets the tone for the whole record. You barely have time to breathe throughout it. “Smell My Tongue” belongs on a soundtrack for a John Waters film with its trashy lyrics and frantic pounding. “Carpool Lane” borders on sludge rock. “Dead” cranks up the fuzz on the guitars and vocals (Them yelling “Dead!”).
The guitars on “Stranger to Me” sound like angry hornets. “Blasphemy” is equally angry. “Yellow Snow Drink” is almost goth-country, and “Electro Bike Asshole” is back to the fiery punk (and might be the best punk song title of 2021). “Get Drunk on You” must slay live because it flattens your immediate surroundings coming out of your speakers as they subtly sing about oral sex with lyrics like, “I eat you, baby, and you eat me.” “I Love You” is a love song sung by a madman.
“Devil Baby” could fit into a 1960s Italian horror film (especially with the creepy opening piano chords) or an occult biker movie (with the wild guitars) with ease. “My Down Is Your Up” sounds like something Mr. Bungle wishes they’d written. The album ends with another, even spookier version of “Dead,” a live version of “Gimme Germs,” and the title track – which sounds like a runaway train in which the musical entertainment in the dining car is a zombie DJ playing scratched records.
Recorded in a week in a small studio in Benton Harbor, Michigan, Protomartyr‘s third album, The Agent Intellect, is almost bursting at the seams with powerful energy.
Opening cut “The Devil in His Youth” feels almost like an early New Order track with its urgent guitars from Greg Ahee. His riffs on “Cowards Starve” take on a slight shoegaze touch as Joe Casey sings about the dangers of social pressures (“If you think about them all of the time, you’re gonna find that your head’s been kicked in.”). I once read a YouTube comment that described Protomartyr as “Three guys playing post-punk riffs, and a guy with some cans of beer in his pocket walks onstage and just starts talking, and band keeps playing.” That’s not a bad little description of their live shows, and not a bad description of the sound of “I Forgive You.”
“Boyce or Boice” seems to be a tale of coming to grips with aging and past sins. Then again, “There’s no use bein’ sad about it. What’s the point of cryin’ about it?” Casey chants on “Pontiac 87,” perhaps the most post-punk track on the record (judging from Scott Davidson‘s bass riff alone). “Uncle Mother’s” guitar fuzz is quite good, and I like the way it’s complimented with a slight distortion of Casey’s vocals. “Dope Cloud” is hazy, yet a bit frantic (a style that Protomartyr can pull off seemingly without effort).
“The Hermit” catches you off-guard with its soft start before Alex Leonard unleashes his drums and the rest of the band almost scrambles to keep up with him. “Clandestine Time” sounds like an out of control clock with its weird beats, Leonard’s cymbal crashes, Davidson’s bass notes that sound like heavy bells, and Ahee’s guitar acting as the whirling gears within it. Casey’s voice is the alarm.
The trembling beats of “Why Does It Shake?” match the simmering panic in Casey’s lyrics about trying to hold onto sanity while the U.S. (in 2015) was on the verge of madness as it approached an election that would turn the country upside-down. Casey’s vocals are pulled back (in terms of volume, not depth) on “Ellen,” while his bandmates move forward in a track about waiting for a love that might not ever show up. The closer, “Feast of Stephen,” has, as far as I can tell, nothing to do with Christmas and everything to do with big riffs and vocals that bounce off the walls behind you and flatten you twice.
It’s a record you can get lost in and probably find different nuances in the instruments and meaning in the vocals every time you hear it. Not many bands can do that. Then again, not every band is Protomartyr either.
Located at 417 Broadway in Nashville, Ernest Tubb Record Shop is a must-visit place if you’re a fan of record stores, classic country music, or music history. It’s been in business since 1947 and has hosted a long-running live music program that has featured classic and modern artists for decades.
The place is a gold mine of country vinyl, CDs, and books covering classic country and modern country artists. You’re in the wrong place if you can’t find your favorite country artists here.
The place is also a museum of Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, and other stars’ memorabilia, including stage-worn outfits, instruments, and the original stage where Tubb’s live radio program was broadcast.
I scored an Ernest Tubb album and a Wanda Jacksonanthology while I was there. There’s plenty more I would’ve bought if I’d had more money and time. Be prepared to spend some cash and wonder while you’re there.
I finally got back to WSND during Thanksgiving break at the University of Notre Dame, and they let me spin for three hours instead of two. Here’s what I spun that night.
Come back soon, as my Deep Dive shows will return in a couple weeks on WSND. The first Deep Dive will be into the career of country legend Ernest Tubb.
The Big Ears Music Festival returns March 24-27, 2022 to downtown Knoxville, TN with its most adventurous and multi-dimensional line up to date. The four-day weekend will feature over 100 concerts—gathering groundbreaking composers, virtuoso instrumentalists, singular bands, improvisers and DJs, icons, and upstarts—creating an exhilarating and kaleidoscopic musical experience like none other.
This year—returning for the first time since 2019—Big Ears is upping the ante. Boundary-pushing rockers from Sparks and Kim Gordon to Animal Collective and Efterklang; a mind-expanding journey into the rich musical world of New Orleans and the deep Haitian and Cuban forces that fuel it, including Preservation Hall Jazz Band, RAM, Pedrito Martinez, Leyla McCalla, and Dafnis Prieto; and visionary genre-defying young voices, from Moses Sumney, Arooj Aftab, and Lido Pimienta to Yves Tumor, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Alabaster DePlume, and Dawn Richard offer just a hint of the breathtaking artistic diversity at this year’s Big Ears.
All-too-rare in North America outside of New York City, the prolific, iconoclastic composer/instrumentalist John Zorn will present eight concerts spanning some of his most recent work—among them the dazzling virtuoso guitar trio of Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, and Gyan Riley; songs written with lyricist Jesse Harris for Petra Haden; the “heavy metal” Hammond B-3 organ trio fronted by John Medeski; and the New Masada Quartet. Additionally, Terry Allen, Bill Callahan, Joe Henry, Cassandra Jenkins, Hadestown-creator Anais Mitchell (Bonny Light Horseman), and Andy Shauf will share their contributions to a new alternative American Songbook.
There’s a jazz festival within the festival, presenting titans like Andrew Cyrille, Jason Moran, and Ron Miles, powerful younger players like Ambrose Akinmusire, Kris Davis, and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, and the movers and shakers of the fresh, vital new jazz scenes in Chicago and London—Jaimie Branch, Damon Locks, Angel Bat Dawid, Sons of Kemet, and Nubya Garcia.
The iconic composer/vocal pioneer Meredith Monk returns, collaborating with Bang on a Can All-Stars for the live world-premiere performance of Memory Games, as well as an intimate duo performance with percussionist John Hollenbeck. The renowned Kronos Quartet will return to present their collaboration with filmmaker, Sam Green, A Thousand Thoughts, along with a second special program, and genre-defying legend Annette Peacock will offer a rare solo performance.
A new generation of visionary composers/performers will also showcase new work. Among them: 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw will perform her collaboration with SōPercussion; 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Reid will present the live premiere of her Soundwalk Ensemble; composer/singer/flutist Nathalie Joachim will perform Femn d’Ayiti celebrating her Haitian heritage with Spektral Quartet; composer Tristan Perich will unveil a new piece for organ, performed by James McVinnie, one-bit electronics and 100 loudspeakers; and San Fermin’s Ellis Ludwig-Leone will premiere a new in-progress chamber opera.
There is, of course, much more. The full line up of confirmed artists is at bigearsfestival.org with more performers and special programs, films, readings, talks, exhibitions, happenings, parties, and surprises still to be announced.
Hailing from Halifax, Century Egg are a fun post-punk / pop-punk quartet whose new EP, Little Piece of Hair, is a fun romp.
You’ll want to answer, “Yes,” to opening track “Do You Want to Dance” as Robert Drisdelle‘s guitar swirls around you and Matty Grace‘s bass propels your dancing shoes. That bass, and Meg Yoshida‘s happily excited heartbeat drums, are a great combination on “I Will Make Up a Method” as Shane Keyu Song sings about figuring out a way to succeed despite everyone and everything trying to keep her down.
Their rocking cover of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu‘s “Ring a Bell” is delightful, and will instantly bump up your mood. The title track cranks up the fuzz and seems to be about never giving up your curiosity. “Riddle to Place” slows things down with a practical rock ballad as Song tells a potential lover to slow it down as well because she’s given up on making it work.
The EP ends with “Cornered,” with Song singing in Chinese as her bandmates bust out serious chops. Yoshida’s cymbals seem to roll and sizzle beyond the atmosphere, Grace’s bass seems to be doing a Tae Bo workout, and Drisdelle summons up some of his best post-punk riffs on the EP.
It’s solid stuff, and makes you want to hear a full album from them in the future – as any good EP should.
Keep your mind open.
[Do you want to subscribe? Go ahead. No one will stop you.]
[Thanks to Gabriel at Clandestine Label Services.]
Today, Tuareg quintet Imarhan unveil “Tamiditin (feat. Japonais)” off of their third studio album, Aboogi, out January 28th, 2022 on City Slang. Japonais, aka the late poet Mohamed Ag Itlale, was a pillar of the Tuareg community who passed away shortly after these recordings were made. The album was recorded in Aboogi Studio, the first professional recording studio in Tamanrasset, built by Imarhan themselves.
Bandleader Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane, aka Sadam, said, “Japonais passing has left a big void in Tuareg music. It was enough to exist in the same precious time as his poetry and music but to have recorded with him at Aboogi Studio was so special. He was an exceptional artist and personality. He listened to everyone, never critical, encouraging younger generations because he felt change is important in music. When I met him by chance, it felt like magic. He knew about Imarhan and wanted us to sing his songs because he didn’t have the strength and trusted us to carry his music on. His progressive mind and positive energy will always be part of our community and in our hearts.” Listen to “Tamiditin (feat. Japonais)”
Aboogi also features collaborations with Sudanese singer Sulafa Elyas and Super Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys, plus Tinariwen’s Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, solidifying Imarhan as a truly global group, united with their collaborators in a spirit of resistance and societal change. Following Imarhan’s exhilarating 2018 album Temet, Aboogi is as serene and open as the desert it emerged from. The featherweight, festive music on Aboogi belies the band’s fierce sense of conviction and justice. These are the complexities that make Imarhan’s music so prescient – beauty and tranquility intermingle with strife and heartache, creating a dynamic view of life for those subjugated by over a century of colonialism and lopsided revolutions but blessed with extraordinary community, art and culture.
This new album is the first the band recorded on their native soil, and in a studio they built. It seemed only natural to also call the resulting collection of songs Aboogi, a nod to the new collective space they created, as well as the historic resilience of their culture and people.
Next spring, Imarhan will embark on a European tour. Full dates are listed below, and US tour dates are forthcoming. Watch Imarhan’s Video for “Achinkad”
Imarhan Tour Dates Wed. Mar. 9, 2022 – Rennes, FR @ Théâtre L’Aire Libre Thu. Mar. 10, 2022 – Tourcoing, FR @ Grand Mix Sat. Mar. 12, 2022 – Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store Sun. Mar. 13, 2022 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Mon. Mar. 14, 2022 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tue. Mar. 15, 2022 – Bristol, UK @ Exchange Thu. Mar. 17, 2022 – London, UK @ The Dome Fri. Mar. 18, 2022 – Gent, BE @ De Centrale Sat. Mar. 19, 2022 – Haarlem, NL @ Patronaat Sun. Mar. 20, 2022 – Brussels, BE @ AB-club Mon. Mar. 21, 2022 – Den Haag, NL @ Paard Wed. Mar. 23, 2022 – Copenhagen, DK @ Alice Thu. Mar. 24, 2022 – Berlin, DE @ Badehaus Fri. Mar. 25, 2022 – Erfurt, DE @ Franz Mehlhose Sun. Mar. 27, 2022 – Genève, CH @ PTR L’Usine Tue. Mar. 29, 2022 – Lyon, FR @ Ninkasi Wed. Mar. 30, 2022 – Paris, FR @ La Gaité Lyrique Thu. Mar. 31, 2022 – Rouen, FR @ Le 106 Club Fri. Apr. 1, 2022 – Orléans, FR @ Astrolobe Sat. Apr. 2, 2022 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Connexion Mon. Apr. 4, 2022 – Valencia, ES @ 16 Toneladas Tue. Apr. 5, 2022 – Madrid, ES @ Clamores Thu. Apr. 7, 2022 – Braga, PT @ Teatro Circo Fri. Apr. 8, 2022 – Lisbon, PT @ Music Box Sat. Apr. 9, 2022 – Sevilla, ES @ Sala X Sun. Apr. 10, 2022 – Alicante, ES @ Alacant Mon. Apr. 11, 2022 – Barcelona, ES @ La Nau
Today, Boy Harsher, the Northampton-based duo of vocalist/lyricist Jae Matthews and producer Augustus Muller, share “Give Me a Reason” from their new album The Runner (Original Soundtrack)out January 21st, 2022 via Nude Club/City Slang. Following the heavy presence of lead single “Tower,” “Give Me a Reason” finds Boy Harsher leaning into their signature dark pop sound with snappy synths.
“With ‘Give Me a Reason,’ we wanted to write something that encapsulates that feeling of yearning — the way we feel when we catch eyes from across the room. Our music can be flirty and crushable, and it’s fun to play with that,” explains Matthews. Over a steely beat, she intones, “Speak of the devil // and she will appear // afraid of the runner // who draws herself near.” Boy Harsher continue teasing the cinematic universe of The Runner, the short horror film written, produced, and directed by the duo which will be released in January 2022. Listen to Boy Harsher’s “Give Me a Reason” Boy Harsher’s fifth release is not a traditional album — it’s a soundtrack that balances eerie instrumentals with pop songs that push the boundaries of the duo’s sound. In the midst of last year’s chaos and Matthews’ MS diagnosis, Muller started working on moody, cinematic sketches. In Matthews’ period of convalescence, it was uncertain what these pieces would become other than catharsis, but she kept thinking about a sinister character: a woman running through the woods. The duo developed this idea further into The Runner, a film that explores lust, compulsion, and the horrific tendencies of seduction. The movie is intercut with a meta-style “documentary” about Boy Harsher’s recording process. The project is a reconciliation of uncertain times made into sound and moving images. The Runner and its soundtrack are both a return to form and an evolution for the duo.
More information on screenings for The Runner is to come. Following the release of the album and film, Boy Harsher will embark on a North American and European tour — all dates are listed below and tickets are on sale now. The duo also recently collaborated with Møffenzeef Mødular to create a limited edition drone synthesizer called The Runner. Watch the “Tower” Video
Excitement just keeps building behind the Leeds band Yard Act ahead of the release debut LP, The Overload,which is due out via Island Records and their own imprint Zen F.C. on the recently revised release date of January 21st. The album follows a collection of early singles released in 2020 and early 2021, that immediately caught on in their home country, earning accolades from outlets like The Guardian, NME and Loud & Quiet, and creating a stir in the US, earning praise from outlets like NPR, Stereogum, Paste and Under The Radar, who designated them a band to watch in 2021. The band’s hot streak has continued apace, recently garnering the support of high profile fans in Elton John and Cillian Murphy, selling out a run of shows, appearing on the soundtrack to the latest FIFA game, and performing their album’s title track on Later…w/ Jools Holland.
Following on the heels of “The Land of The Blind,” the band are sharing a new track and video “Payday”.
Speaking about the new single, Smith explains: “‘Payday’ was one of the few tracks on the record we had to rebuild completely in the studio because the first demo was recorded on my computer and the hard drive corrupted. We spent about TWO hours trying to figure out that stupid keyboard part I’d put on it and couldn’t remember how to play. It was boring but worth it. It’s about gentrification, class fetish and how the human brain is so powerful that with enough time and processing power combined it will be able to justify, defend and/or continue to commit the actions of any human being it controls.”
The accompanying video is the band’s third collaboration with director James Slater and his production team, following “The Overload” and “Land Of The Blind”, and further develops the world Yard Act have created and the characters that exist within it. Smith says: “We wanted to do something less location and narrative based for this video, so an infinity white studio served as the perfect purgatory for an anti capitalist anthem funded by a major record label. It was great to get Kayleigh from ‘The Overload’ car boot shoot back with her friends, and they choreographed a brilliant dance routine for it themselves, which really brings the video to life. It’s also nice to finally be able to explain all the lettuces that kept cropping up in the previous videos.”
New Zealand trio Die! Die! Die! announce their forthcoming new album This Is Not An Island Anymore, sharing the first single today via New Noise Magazine. Hear and share “Losing Sight, Keep On Kicking”HERE. (Direct Bandcamp and SmartURL.)
Since their debut in 2005, Die! Die! Die! has blended a powerful and infectious concoction of post-punk, noise pop, shoegaze, lo-fi, and punk rock into one massive sounding whole. Fresh for a global pandemic outbreak, the trio returns in its original lineup for their most urgent and well honed album to date, This Is Not An Island Anymore. Since recording their debut album with Steve Albini (Shellac, Nirvana, PJ Harvey) in Chicago in 2005, Die! Die! Die! have worked with producers including Shayne Carter, Nick Roughan (The Skeptics), Chris Townend (Violent Femmes), and have written and recorded albums in New York, Dunedin, London and rural France.
Their indispensable collection of records, and their intense and unflinching live show, continue to drive their connection with audiences across the globe. Both are a telling reminder of why Die! Die! Die! are one of the most enduring and unapologetic bands to ever emerge out of New Zealand.
The single is an explosive anthem and as the band describe it, ‘explores losing yourself and finding your Maori’. Die! Die! Die! have returned to their original lineup bringing original bassist Lachlan Anderson back to the fold to join band mates Andrew Wilson (guitar/vocals) and Michael Prain (drums).
Their forthcoming album This Is Not An Island Anymore – set for release in February 2022.
