I’d heard a lot of good things about Nigerian guitarist / Tuareg musician Mdou Moctar before seeing him live for the first time. I knew he opened for Jack White on some of his tour dates, and that he’d made his own version of the Purple Rain film, and that he plays all sorts of gigs – from big festivals to weddings. I also heard that he shreds. After seeing him live in Kalamazoo, I can confirm this. Boy, does he ever shred.
Opening for Mr. Moctar and his band with the NYC new wave / post-punk / psychedelic outfit Guerilla Toss. They put on a wild set that mixed all three of those genres that left the crowd wowed and weird. I especially liked their tunes that wandered into psychedelic jams.
Guerilla Toss
Mr. Moctar and his sharp backing band were a contrast to Guerilla Toss’ style. Moctar and crew brought in fierce African rhythms, heavy bass, and fiery guitar solos that could barely be contained by the small venue.
He mostly played cuts from his excellent new album, Ilana (the Creator), a stunning record that has him exploring new guitar techniques and singing about love of fellow man. He laid down multiple stunning solos throughout the show.
He’s a nice chap as well. He was at his merchandise table before and after the set and chatted with anyone who wanted to chat. That friendly energy became bigger onstage as he encouraged everyone to rock out with him and his band.
Speaking of his merchandise, he’s selling handcrafted jewelry from Niger while on tour to support a school he’s building there. The guy plays a mean guitar and he’s building a school. Your argument is invalid.
One of those rings is now mine.
Don’t miss him live, and be sure to support his charitable efforts. He’s secretly one of the biggest upcoming stars on the world music scene playing small venues near you.
The title of Priests‘ excellent new record, The Seduction of Kansas, refers to a 2004 book by Thomas Frank entitled What’s the Matter with Kansas? That book discussed how the political leanings of Kansas more or less predicted the political leanings of the country at large for a century. Priests hail from the nation’s capital and are thus front and center for the political circus there, so it’s no surprise that The Seduction of Kansas lashes out at elitism, “bro” culture, 1%’ers, xenophobia, consumerism, and pretty much everything John Carpenter predicted in They Live.
The album opens with the hard-hitting “Jesus’ Son,” which is both a reference to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground (who are definite post-punk influences on Priests) and a middle finger to douchebags who think they can get away with anything (i.e., “I am Jesus’ son. I’m young and dumb and full of cum. I am Jesus’ son. I think I’m gonna hurt someone.”) because they’re rich dudes. The title track practically has the subliminal “CONSUME” message from They Live woven through it as vocalist Katie Alice Greer sings about how corporations and mass media try to seduce us every day and convince us that they are really all we need.
“Youtube Sartre” is a slick takedown of dehumanizing technology and online trolls (and G.L. Jaguar’s guitar work on it is excellent – blending shoegaze and post-punk riffs). Drummer Daniele Daniele takes over the vocals on the sexy / scary “I’m Clean” – a song about a murderess who snaps after the pressures of modern society finally become too much for her to bear. Bassist Janel Leppin’s groove on it is the sheath and Daniele’s vocals are the knife. “Ice Cream” is almost an industrial goth track thanks to the creepy fuzz bass and Daniele’s machine-like beats.
The snappy “Good Time Charlie” is about the U.S. war machine and how war is, for some, damn good money. Daniele comes back to sing lead on “68 Screen” – a sharp song about objectification with the rhythm section going to the forefront and Jaguar smartly backing them up because he knows how damn good Leppin and Daniele are working together.
In an interesting turn, Priests follow a song about objectification of women and being held up to standards found in media with a song called “Not Perceived” – a song about how easy it is to fade into loneliness and obscurity despite having access to devices that let us connect to anywhere in the world in a few seconds. “I’m a haunted house made of marrow and bone.” is one of the best, and for some people, truest lyrics of the year regarding the subject of loneliness and being disenfranchised.
Greer gets her Patti Smith groove on in “Control Freak” – a track that comes at you like a thunderstorm. Leppin’s rumbling bass is the thunder, Jaguar’s guitar the lightning, Daniele’s drums the driving rain, and Greer’s voice the raging wind. “Carol,” on the other hand, is almost a dreamy cruise on a summer day…but with a hint of mystery you can’t quite describe. The album ends with “Texas Instruments” – a lyrically searing takedown of xenophobia with Jaguar’s guitar work coming back to the lead with roaring riffs.
This is one of the best albums of the year so far. It’s packed with intriguing lyrics that reveal more with each listen and is a vital diary of modern times in not only the nation’s capital, but the rest of the country.
WATCH “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” https://youtu.be/nEN_GTab-ro
WATCH “THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS” https://youtu.be/coR59SSPWv8
Priests, the Washington, D.C. rock trio consisting of drummer Daniele Daniele, vocalist Katie Alice Greer, and guitarist G.L. Jaguar (and joined live by bassist Alexandra Tyson) share “Jesus’ Son” from their forthcoming album, The Seduction of Kansas, out April 5th via Sister Polygon Records. They also share an accompanying a new music video, presenting the band giving a dramatic staged-performance with a filter of muted colors. Following the tightly wound “Good Time Charlie” and their purest pop song to date, “The Seduction of Kansas,” “Jesus’ Son” is a grand-scale rock statement.
“The mythology of a rock band relies heavily on building a captivating arsenal of visual signifiers, one of which is often a ‘live performance’ music video. I put quotations around live performance because usually these are theatrically staged pantomimes of what the band would like the viewer to believe the actual live experience of their work to be like. We decided to try our hand at this as an expression of our identity— we are, in fact, a rock band— and so, we pay homage to those who have come before us (Blink 182, the Stone Roses, the Smiths, and perhaps most explicitly here, Nine Inch Nails). So now you know, in case you didn’t before: we are a rock band. Hope you enjoy the song and video. As for the song itself, we are of course nodding to Lou Reed’s declaration that he felt ‘just like Jesus’ Son’ way back when, a statement that launched a thousand others who perhaps too have felt like the son of god at one point or another. Many inquiring minds have already said they’d like to know who the song is about, it is certainly an apocalyptic sci-fi tale of epic proportions… perhaps it is about more than just a person? We hope you enjoy it.”
The Seduction of Kansas probes the realities and mythologies of America in 2019. For The Seduction of Kansas, the band took a decidedly less hermetic approach – collaborating with someone outside of their DC-based community for the first time. Finding a kindred spirit in producer John Congleton (Angel Olsen, St. Vincent), the band spent two weeks recording at his Elmwood Studio in Dallas. They also enlisted help from primary bassist and fourth songwriting collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Janel Leppin, who played on the band’s previous album, Nothing Feels Natural. The songwriting process found the group once again analyzing the textures and scopes of albums as aggressive as they are introspective, like Massive Attack’s Mezzanine, Portishead’s Third, and Nine Inch Nails’ Downward Spiral.
Priests will soon embark on a North American tour. Later, they will tour extensively in Europe before returning stateside.
PRIESTS 2019 TOUR DATES Mon. April 15 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer Tue. April 16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere Thu. April 18 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair Fri. April 19 – Montreal, QC @ Casa Del Popolo Sat. April 20 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison Sun. April 21 – Detroit, MI @ El Club Mon. April 22 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall Thu. April 25 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon Fri. April 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry Sat. April 27 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Sun. April 28 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews Tue. April 30 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Wed. May 1 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups Sat. May 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Sun. May 12 – Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Mon. May 13 – Manchester, UK @ YES (Pink Room) Tues. May 14 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint Wed. May 15 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club Thu. May 16 – London, UK @ 100 Club Fri. 17 May – Lille, FR @ Aeronef Sat. 18 May – Paris, FR @ Supersonic Mon. 20 May – Brussels, BE @ Botanique (Witloof Bar) Tue. 21 May – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn Wed. 22 May – Munich, DE @ Import/Export Thu. 23 May – Zurich, CH @ Rote Fabrik Fri. 24 May – Heidelberg, DE @ Queer Festival (Karlstorbahnhof) Sat, 25 May – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling Mon. 27 May – Aarhus DK @ Tape Tue. 28 May – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen Wed. 29 May – Berlin, DE @ Kantine am Berghain Thu. 30 May – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklag (Goldener Salon) Fri. 31 May – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival Sat. 1 June – Neustrelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival Sat. June 15 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club Sun. June 16 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook Mon. June 17 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn Tue. June 18 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa Thu. June 20 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Fri. June 21 – Austin, TX @ Barracuda Sat. June 22 – Dallas, TX @ Club Dada Mon. June 24 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Tue. June 25 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar Wed. June 26 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar Thu. June 27 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom Sat. June 29 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club Mon. July 1 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall Tue. July 2 – Vancouver, BC @ The Bitmore Wed. July 3 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos Sat. July 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court Sun. July 7 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Tue. July 9 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar Wed. July 10 – St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
PRAISE FOR “GOOD TIME CHARLIE” “The group’s unique twist on rock music has always resisted easy categorization, and these new singles find them continuing to stretch themselves in exciting ways.” – Stereogum
“It’s a heavy topic delivered with a heavy sound, yet Priests still manage to make the song a rollicking good time for all of us, not just Charlie.” – Paste
“‘Good Time Charlie’ sounds like a spaghetti western in a neon hellscape, in the absolute best way possible.” – The FADER
PRE-ORDER THE SEDUCTION OF KANSAS Sister Polygon pre-order – http://sisterpolygonrecords.bigcartel.com iTunes Pre-order – https://apple.co/2TvJs3c
As Partner puts it, “‘Les ailes d’un ange’ (or ‘Angel’s Wings’ in English) is a song based on a poem by Cedric Sims. It is a collaboration in the style of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. It was also inspired by the grand themes and powerful performances found in Céline Dion songs, so we made a French version too.
“This song is about going down to “hell” to face your greatest fears. The song explores how, by having the courage to face your fears head on, you find you possess a strength you never knew. In order to craft this song, we had to face our greatest fears as artists. So form imitates content. Facing our fears is never easy, but there is life on the other side of fear. It’s so important to remind ourselves of this. We hope our listeners can be reminded of this fundamental truth and enjoy the ride!”
Paste Magazine says “it’s a power ballad complete with triumphant strings, an electric guitar solo and some serious glam. But don’t mistake the bells and whistles for overzealousness—Partner never take themselves too seriously.” Listen to “Les ailes d’un ange” HERE
Earlier, Partner shared the video for “Long and McQuade,” an ode to the Canadian music store chain (Watch the video HERE), and the country-bumpkin “Tell You Off” (which you can listen to HERE).
Saturday the 14th, out April 5th, follows Partner’s 2017 debut, In Search of Lost Time ,which landed on NPR, Stereogum, Noisey, Exclaim, and CBC Music year end lists. Pre-order Saturday the 14th HERE.
Bibio, the project of Stephen Wilkinson, shares the second single, “Old Graffiti,” from his upcoming album, Ribbons, which will be released on April 12th via Warp Records.
Wilkinson’s writing process typically starts with a guitar; “There’s at least one in nearly every room of my house,” he discloses. However, on “Old Graffiti” he opted for percussion as the starting point, later adding bass guitar, clavinet and vocals to the shuffling rhythm to build a slice of warm, hazy pop. Each instrument is tempered by Bibio’s imagination; take the clavinet, when Bibio recorded it, he imagined some undiscovered ‘60s French pop track, or the Brazilian-esque shuffling groove created by the brushwork on the snare drum, which was inspired by listening to old Batucada and Capoeira recordings. Adept at pairing these influences, Wilkinson explains: “Like many of my tracks, the influences are mixed and come from quite unrelated sources, but I think that’s true of a lot of modern music, on the surface it might seem like it’s referencing a specific era, but it’s actually referencing several, and doing so from a more distant perspective, a perspective that might not have been as wide several decades ago. Rather than relying on sampling old records to get ‘that sound,’ I like to get to the bare bones and create the parts from scratch, there’s more freedom in doing that, also the challenge of getting the instruments to take on the appropriate timbre and quality is satisfying to get right. I use a mixture of new and vintage gear and instruments to achieve this and processes that I’ve developed myself since my bedroom studio days.” Tracks like “Old Graffiti” are the work of decades of listening and contemplation, and serve as a welcome homecoming of the polymorphic songcraft that Bibio is known for.
Ribbons is Stephen Wilkinson’s ninth album to date and follows the release of his ambient atmospheric project, Phantom Brickworks. Wilkinson’s sound in his latest work can be seen as an extension of the structured songwriting he explored last on 2016’s A Mineral Love, yielding folkloric charm and a mostly acoustic-led approach that looks to ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelia, soul, ambient, electronic and his own field recordings for inspiration.
A self-taught musician, singer and producer, Wilkinson plays nearly all of the instrumental parts on the album and unveils new instruments to his palette, bringing in mandolins, fiddle and other stringed instruments which give a new flavor to his music.
“Almost every song Black Midi performs unfolds in surprising ways, one riff quickly switching to another, one mellow passage blooming into caustic screams and dissonant guitars, songs constantly collapsing in on themselves and being born again.” – Stereogum, “Band To Watch”
“Black Midi are less interested in proving themselves the future of indie rock than in imagining indie rock from the future” – Pitchfork
“They were one of the most talked about groups at SXSW this year, and for good reason—Black Midi laid waste to every stage they stepped onto and damn near burned the city to the ground.” – Paste, “The 20 Best Acts We Saw at SXSW 2019”
“[black midi]’s twisted, slow-burn arrangements, noisy spasms of guitar and panicked vocals conjured visions straight out of a horror movie…” – Chicago Tribune, “12 best up-and-coming bands and artists at SXSW”
Enigmatic London-based black midi shares a caustic new single, “Crow’s Perch,” via Rough Trade Records. The accompanying video, directed and edited by Vilhjálmur Yngvi Hjálmarsson, also known as susan_creamcheese, reflects the track’s frenetic energy, juxtaposing saturated graphics and peculiar scenes with mundane images.
Since forming just over a year ago, black midi — Geordie Greep (vocals/guitar), Cameron Picton (bass/vocals), Matt Kelvin (guitar/vocals) and Morgan Simpson (drums) — have quickly cemented their reputation as one of the hottest new underground bands, following a string of sold-out UK live dates and surprise shows punctuated by constantly shifting sets and blistering musicianship. Recently, the band played their first North American live shows, were named a standout act at SXSW and sold out their first two shows in New York.
Available digitally and as a CD-R single, “Crow’s Perch” is the follow-up to black midi’s “eerily precise and austere” (Pitchfork) “Speedway” single. The “Speedway” single was accompanied by an EP of remixes by Proc Fiskal, Kwake Bass, and Blanck Mass. The 300 copies of their first-ever single, “bmbmbm,” released on Dan Carey’s label, Speedy Wunderground, sold out instantly and had to be re-pressed within the first week.
black midi will return stateside this July to play the Bowery Ballroom in New York, Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, and Minneapolis. All upcoming tour dates are below.
Watch black midi’s “Crow’s Perch” Video — https://youtu.be/A-6hI2Mnb3s
black midi Tour Dates: Sat. April 6 – Brussels, BE @ BRDCST Sat. April 20 – Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Sun. May 5 – Manchester, UK @ Sounds From The Other City Thu. May 9 – Sat. May 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Festival Sat. May 25 – Totnes, UK @ Sea Change Thu. May 30 – Nimes, FR @ This Is Not A Love Song Festival Fri. May 31 – Düdingen, CH @ Bad Bonn Kilbi Sat. June 1 – Neustrelitz, DE @ Immergut Festival Wed. June 5 – Thu. June 6 – Gothenburg, SE @ Garden Festival Sat. June 8 – Sun. June 9 – Paris, FR @ Villette Sonique Mon. June 10 – Moers, DE @ Moers Festival Sat. June 15 – Bergen, NO @ Bergenfest Tue. June 18 – London, UK @ EartH (Concert Hall) Thu. June 20 – Bristol, UK @ Fiddlers Fri. June 21 – Liverpool, UK @ Phase One Sat. June 22 – Glasgow, UK @ Mono Sun. June 23 – Nottingham, UK @ Contemporary Space Fri. July 5 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival Fri. July 5 – Sun. July 7 – Moscow, RU @ Bolь Festival Fri. July 12 – Madrid, ES @ Mad Cool Festival Sun. July 14 – Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival Thu. July 18 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom Sun. July 21 – Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival Mon. July 22 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry Tue. July 23 – Madison, WI @ The Terrace at University of Wisconsin Fri. July 26 – Hyéres, FR @ Midi Festival Fri. Aug. 2 – Sun. Aug. 4 – Katowice, PL @ Off Festival Sun. Aug. 4 – Waterford, IE @ All Together Now Thu. Aug. 8 – Sat. Aug. 10 – Rees Haldern, DE @ Haldern Pop Sat. Aug. 10 – Oslo, NO @ Øya Festival Fri. Aug. 16 – Viana do Castelo, PT @ Paredes de Coura Fri. Aug. 16 – Sun. Aug. 18 – Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival Sat. Aug. 24 – Gueret, DR @ Check In Party Fri. Aug. 29 – Sun. Sept. 1 – Dorset, UK @ End of the Road Festival Thu. Sept. 19 – Paris, FR @ La Boule Noire Mon. Oct. 7 – Berlin, DE @ Lido Tue. Oct. 8 – Hamburg, DE @ Kampnagel Wed. Oct. 9 – Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
“That sense of kinetic energy cancels out whatever retro inclinations they have: like the best rock & roll, they gain power from living in the moment.” – Rolling Stone, “30 Best Artists We Saw in Austin”
“On Future Me Hates Me, singer Elizabeth Stokes presides over a string of pop-rock songs too clever, too charming and too endlessly disarming to miss.” – NPR Music, The Austin 100
“Beyond the catchy songs the Beths packed into their 2018 debut album, there was a standout feature: the intricate vocal harmonies that gave each of the melodies a richness several cuts above the typical indie-rock recording. Live, the band demonstrated that those harmonies are the real deal…” – Chicago Tribune, “12 best up-and-coming bands”
The Beths have announced a summer North American tour in support of their breakthrough release Future Me Hates Me, out now via Carpark Records. Tickets are on sale. The band recently brought their harmonious and energetic live show stateside, playing sold out venues in New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, Toronto, and more. Additionally, the band returned to SXSW to much fanfare, being named a standout act by Rolling Stone, NPR Music, Chicago Tribune, Austin American Statesman, and others. Ahead of their next North American run, the Beths will tour Europe, where many of the dates have already sold out or have been upgraded to bigger venues due to demand. Then, they’ll bookend the summer festival season with appearances at Primavera Sound, Pickathon, and Pukkelpop, as well as several Australian shows. The band will also be releasing its debut EP, Warm Blood, on vinyl for the first time via Carpark Records. The official release date is April 26th with some copies being available to purchase on tour soon.
The Beths Tour Dates: Tue. May 7 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds Wed. May 8 – Oxford, UK @ The Bullingdon (MOVED DUE TO DEMAND) Thu. May 9 – Sat. May 11 – Brighton, UK @ The Great Escape Sun. May 12 – Leeds, UK @ Gold Sounds Festival Mon. May 13 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete’s (SOLD OUT) Tue. May 14 – Glasgow, UK @ G2 (MOVED DUE TO DEMAND) Wed. May 15 – Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall (MOVED DUE TO DEMAND) Thur. May. 16 – London, UK @ The Dome, Tufnell Park (SOLD OUT) Fri. May 17 – Bristol, UK @ The Fleece (SOLD OUT) Sat. May 18 – Wrexham, UK @ Ty Pawb Arts Hub (Focus Wales) Sun. May 19 – Ramsgate, UK @ Ramsgate Music Hall Tue. May 21 – Paris, FR @ Supersonic Wed. May 22 – Colmar, FR @ Le Grillen Thu. May 23 – Lyon, FR @ Sonic Sat. May 25 – Madrid, ES @ Tomavistas Tue. May 28 – Dornbirn, AT @ Spielboden Wed. May 29 – Munster, DE @ Gleis 22 Thu. May 30 – Groningen, NL @ VERA Fri. May 31 – Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn Sat. June 1 – Hilvarenbeek, NL @ Best Kept Secret Festival Sun. June 2 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Thu. June 27 – Spring Green, WI @ The Shitty Barn (TICKETS) Fri June 28 – Sun. June 30 – Chicago, IL @ Logan Square Arts Festival (TICKETS) Tue. July 2 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme (TICKETS) Wed. July 3 – Detroit, MI @ El Club (TICKETS) Fri. July 5 – Toronto, ON @ The Horseshoe Tavern (TICKETS) Sat. July 6 – Ottawa, ON @ Bluesfest (TICKETS) Sun. July 7 – Buffalo, NY @ The 9th Ward at Babeville (TICKETS) Mon. July 8 – Akron, OH @ Musica (TICKETS) Tue. July 9 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Café (TICKETS) Thu. July 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Hi-Fi (TICKETS) Fri. July 12 – St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room (TICKETS) Sun. July 14 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar (TICKETS) Wed. July 17 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall (TICKETS) Tue. July 23 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar (TICKETS) Wed. July 24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Bar (TICKETS) Thu. July 25 – Santa Barbara, CA @ SOhO Music Club (TICKETS) Fri. July 26 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent (TICKETS) Sun. July 28 – Sacramento, CA @ Harlow’s (TICKETS) Tue. July 30 – Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theatre Pub (TICKETS) Wed. July 31 – Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret (TICKETS) Thu. Aug. 1 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey (TICKETS) Fri. Aug. 2 – Sat. Aug. 3 – Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon (TICKETS) Thu. Aug. 15 – Trondheim, NO @ Pstereo Fri. Aug. 16 – Brecon Beacons, UK @ Green Man Festival Sun. Aug. 18 – Haasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Wed. Aug. 28 – London, UK @ Heaven Fri. Oct. 4 – Collingwood, AU @ The Gasometer Hotel (SOLD OUT) Sat. Oct. 5 – Leichhardt, AU @ Crowbar Sydney Thu. Oct. 10 – Brisbane, AU @ The Brightside Brisbane Fri. Oct. 11 – Adelaide, AU @ Jive Sat. Oct. 12 – Perth, AU @ Badlands Bar
Purchase Future Me Hates Me: Carpark Shop – http://smarturl.it/fmhm_carpark
Streaming Services – http://smarturl.it/fmhm_dsps
The Beths online: https://thebeths.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thebethsnz https://thebethsnz.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/thebethsnz https://twitter.com/lizstokedstokes https://www.instagram.com/lizstokedstokes/
Out of the hundreds of punk bands that emerged from the late ’70s punk scene, only about a dozen or so have achieved iconic status four decades later. They include the Sex Pistols, the Clash and the Damned from the U.K.; the Ramones and Patti Smith Group from New York; X, the Germs and Black Flag from Los Angeles; and from San Francisco, the Dead Kennedys.
The DKs embodied the spirit of punk from the get-go. Their very name was a shocking reminder of the collapse of the American Dream. Then again, the name would be nothing if the Dead Kennedys didn’t have the goods to back it up.
DK40, a three-CD live collection due April 26 from Manifesto Records, offers the aural evidence that the Dead Kennedys were one of the most potent punk bands — period. It features the band serving up amped-up live versions of all their classic tracks, free from the constraints of the recording studio.
Formed in 1978 after guitarist East Bay Ray’s ad in The Recycler attracted the attention of singer Jello Biafra, they were soon joined by bassist Klaus Flouride; guitarist 6025 and drummer Ted. D.H Peligro soon took over the rule of the drum chair. After gigging around the Bay Area, they soon built a reputation cemented by the release of their first single, “California Über Alles,” on their own DIY label, within a year of their formation. Over a boleroesque rhythm consisting of pounding drums, throbbing bass and jagged guitar lines, Biafra lays into then-and-future California Governor Jerry Brown and the hippy dream. The song includes such memorable lines as “It’s the suede denim secret police / They have come for your uncool niece.” With their follow-up, 1980’s “Holiday in Cambodia,” the DKs showed no signs of letting up. It offered a brutal take on the powers behind the Vietnam War, with East Bay Ray’s iconic guitar parts showing people that the DKs were very much a musical force to be reckoned with. The band went onto release their debut album, Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, in 1980, featuring newly recorded versions of “California Über Alles” and “Holiday in Cambodia,” along with other classics such as “Kill the Poor,” “Let’s Lynch the Landlord” and a notable cover of the Elvis Presley hit “Viva Las Vegas.”
The subsequent releases, the 1981 EP, In God We Trust, Inc., 1982’s Plastic Surgery Disasters and 1985’s Frankenchrist albums followed. Live versions of the material from these releases are showcased on DK40. Disc 1 captures the DKs at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1982, with a 13-song set, including “Holiday in Cambodia,” “Nazi Punks Fuck Off” and “Too Drunk to Fuck.” The second disc has the DKs at Alabama Halle in Munich, Germany, also in 1982, with an 18-track set, including “Man With the Dogs,” “Police Truck” and “Chemical Warfare.” The final disc of DK40 captures the band back on its home turf, at the Farm in San Francisco in 1985, with a 16-song romp that includes “Soup Is Good Food,” “Stars And Stripes Of Corruption” and “MTV Get Off The Air.”
While the DKs continue on following lineup changes, including the departure of Jello Biafra – vocalist Skip McSkipster of the Wynona Riders now bringing the songs to thousands of fans — DK40 captures the band at the height of their youthful exuberance, with the classic lineup of Jello Biafra, East Bay Ray, Klaus Flouride and D.H Peligro.
You’ll find DK40 even more fun than a holiday in Cambodia and the band’s blistering counsel is even more relevant today. They are here to remind us, “It’s never too late to think.”
Paradiso (December 5, 1982): 1. Moral Majority 2. Am the Owl 3. Life Sentence 4. Police Truck 5, Riot 6. Bleed For Me 7. Holiday in Cambodia 8. Let’s Lynch the Landlord 9. Chemical Warfare 10. Nazi Punks Fuck Off 11. Kill The Poor 12. We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now 13. Too Drunk To Fuck Skateboard Party (December 13, 1982): 1. Skateboard Talk+Intro Noise 2. Man With The Dogs 3. Forward to Death 4. Kepone Factory 5. Life Sentence 6. Trust Your Mechanic 7, Moral Majority 8. Forest Fire 9. Winnebago Warrior 10. Police Truck 11. Bleed For Me 12. Holiday In Cambodia 13. Let’s Lynch the Landord 14. Chemical Warfare 15. Nazi Punks 16. We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now 17. Too Drunk to Fuck 18. Kill the Poor The Farm (May 25, 1985): 1. Darren’s Mom 2. Goons of Hazard 3. Hellnation 4. This Could Be Anywhere 5. Soup Is Good Food 6. Chemical Warfare 7. Macho Insecurity 8. A Growing Boy Needs His Lunch 9. Forest Fire 10. Moon Over Marin 11. Jack-O-Rama 12. Encore 13. Stars and Stripes of Corruption 14. Second Encore 15. MTV Get Off the Air 16. Holiday In Cambodia
Keep your mind open.
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Mdou Moctar’s new album, Ilana (The Creator), is a powerful, stunning record full of amazing guitar work, trance-inducing vocals, and uplifting energy sure to bring you up from any blues you might be feeling.
Starting with “Kamane Tarhanin,” a slow burn that builds to an inferno, the album makes your jaw drop in just the first track. The slightly fuzzy vocals on “Asshet Akal” mix well with the guitar licks that are somehow rough and pristine at the same time, like a gem pulled fresh from the ground. “Anna” is a lovely track that might be a love song. I’m not sure, since I can’t translate the lyrics, but Moctar’s vocals and the overall sound of the song make it appear as a love song. In a way, all of Moctar’s work is about love: love of country, fellow man, nature, art, and the Creator.
“Takamba” is a nice instrumental track, and “Tarhatazed” is another track with mind-blowing guitar work that has influences ranging from Hendrix to ZZ Top. “Wiwasharnine” is a toe-tapping, hip-shaking rocker that boosts your spirits with its handclaps, soaring guitar, and joyful vocals.
The title track is a rocking takedown of the French government’s treatment of Nigerian uranium mine workers. The album ends with the beautiful “Tumastin,” an almost meditative track that sticks with you for a few moments once it’s done.
This is one of the best albums of the year so far, and a must-have for any fan of Tuareg music.
If you didn’t know it already, here’s the lineup for the 2019 Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, Illinois. It’s…something. The switch by Lollapalooza’s organizers from mostly rock acts to a wider variety of genres is clearly evident by now. Ariana Grande is the headliner at a festival that used to boast Nine Inch Nails as a headliner. Again, this is nothing new and Ms. Grande is a fine performer, indeed, but you might have to do a lot of research into this lineup if you’re looking for rock and some of its variants. I recommend Idles for that. Their set will probably be one of the loudest and wildest of the entire festival.
Keep your mind open.
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