Rock goddesses Deap Vally are playing a bunch of west coast tour dates this fall. Don’t miss them. Don’t miss them ever. They embarrass anyone who has to play after them, or before them, or any other time really.
Keep your mind open.
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Cherubs share first track from remastered, first time on vinyl Short of Popular via Daily Dot
Legendary 90s noiserock trio reunited. Collection of rarities & singles on LP for the first time w/ new artwork
Hear and share “Carjack Fairy” (Soundcloud) (Daily Dot)
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“Cherubs perfected something that broke free of the boundaries firmly set in place by the band’s chosen mini-movement: the noisiest pop music on the planet. Short of Popular was like a Singles Going Steady of noise rock-and was as crucial to the Cherubs’ legacy as the proper album that preceded it.” — Pitchfork
Austin, TX trio Cherubs announce the first time ever on vinyl release of the collection of singles, outtakes and compilation tracks originally released on Trance Syndicate in 1996, titled Short of Popular. This release on Austin label Sonic Surgery Records (a division of Super Secret Records) is remastered with new art and pressed on beautiful 3-colored vinyl. Releases on October 12th.
The Daily Dot shares the first track from the album today, “Carjack Fairy” HERE. (Direct Soundcloud.)
“Perhaps ironically referring to the breakthrough that never quite occurred for Austin, TX, band the Cherubs, Short of Popular compiles the various singles, compilation tracks, rejected session pieces from Heroin Man, plus an assortment of other sonic odds and ends, and ties them neatly into this send-off album, indicating that the band’s break-up was indeed an untimely one. Kevin Whitley‘s signature nasal vocals, barely audible over the distorted wash of bass and guitar, are like that of a small child attempting to be heard over a steamroller. Beyond the signature roar and wallop of the Cherubs‘ rhythm section, a noise rock staple, it was the particulars that truly mattered: the undeniable pop melodies articulated throughout the redlined volume, and yes, the oddball Butthole Surfer-isms found here and there. The cover of Blondie‘s “Dreaming” is rollicking fun. A fine send-off for a band that burned brightly for a few records, then shuffled off.” — All Music Guide.
Another critic observed of the Cherubs “Nobody has made music as loud, noisy and evil as the infernal racket they produced. (Forget death metal). This is pure, heavy, intense, in-the-red punk noise which will melt your face off. It’s beautiful. Heroin Man is a classic, but the tracks on Short of Popularup the ante even further. One of the most vital underground bands of the 90s.”
This 2018 reissue of Short of Popular is completely remastered with all new art designed by band member Kevin Whitley. Some selections from the original compact disc release have been removed to improve the overall energy and live within the constraints of the vinyl format. The overall sound has a fuller and warmer feel without losing the cutting impact of the Cherubs style of music.
The Cherubs have been actively playing live both in the states and in europe since 2014 following a long hiatus that saw the members follow other interest both musical (bass player Owen McMahon toured with the Butthole Surfers) and artistic.
Sonic Surgery Records is honored to bring back this amazing collection of Cherubs magic and share it with the whole wide world. Play it loud it’ll never be as loud as the actual band)! Pre-orders are available via Sonic Surgery/Big Cartel.
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 Artist: Cherubs
Album: Short of Popular
Record Label: Sonic Surgery Records
Release Date: October 12th, 2018
01. Pixie Stix
02. Carjack Fairy
03. Chanukka
04. Orange Julius
05. Quitter
06. Hakkeboffer
07. Zip-Up Boots
08. Little Candy Hearts
09. Oh
10. Dazy
11. I Want Candy
12. Dreaming
13. How Little We Know
On the Web:
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Watch The Video For New Single “Red Wine”
https://youtu.be/Lu0XMHCyK_s
The two don’t remember clearly how they met, but Frankel, home from tour with garage rock outfit Twin Peaks, began dropping in at Bailoni’s residence in the winter of 2015. The two began writing spontaneous songs in Bailoni’s synth laden bedroom studio, which had long stood as the base of operations for his own wonderfully weird solo and producer work as Home-Sick.
By 2016 the two friends were sharing an apartment, along with a growing fondness for red wine, bad weather, and the music of Yukihiro Takahashi. Though still without a name or any intention to release their music, as roommates the two collaborated more and more often, at all hours of the day and night. Soon they had quite a score, and agreed to play a show opening for their close friend Knox Fortune for his upcoming album release show. They chose the name Grapetooth, an affectionate slang term for a wino, and decided to make a video in support of the upcoming show for their song “Trouble,” one of the earliest songs the two had written together. Like the song itself, which had been written and recorded in the course of one night inside Bailoni’s bedroom, the video was similarly unplanned and on the cheap, and they posted it online without further ado. The reception was encouraging, and the pair went back to the bedroom and focused on completing their debut album.
On the strength of “Trouble” and their second single “Violent,” Grapetooth is fast becoming a favorite of many established Chicago bands. This summer Grapetooth sold out Lincoln Hall, a show so raucous it was shut down early. They’ll bring their live show to New York City for the first time to play Baby’s All Right on September 28th. They’ve also just announced a headline show at Chicago’s Thalia Hall.
Today, the band shares the video for their third single “Red Wine.” “This video worked out the same way our first two did – we always wait ‘til it gets dark then go out with a camera, some weird lights, and a couple outfits and see what happens. This time we got a convertible and drove around the city. We come up with ideas on the spot when we’re shooting – less planning works in our favor – we’re super happy with it. Jackson [James] did an amazing job!”
Watch “Violent” & “Trouble” Videos
Listen To Grapetooth:
http://smarturl.it/grapetooth
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Protomartyr Announce Fall Co-Headline Tour With Preoccupations
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“The debut from Auckland indie rockers is just really impressive—hook-filled songs filled with energy and attitude, written with depth and played masterfully.” – Pitchfork
“A wonderful little record that never lets up, piling on unassumingly buzzy fun until you start realizing you might be in the presence of a true power-pop monument.” – Rolling Stone
“The New Zealand band has two gears: The first is a more classically pop-oriented retro sound, like a ’60s girl group doing the shimmy-shimmy-cocoa-pop but with guitars and a shoegaze influence. The second is a caffeinated ’90s alterna-rock head rush, with Superchunk-level riffs and Velocity Girl vocals courtesy of singer-guitarist Elizabeth Stokes.” – The A.V. Club
“Few bands make angst sound as joyous as the Beths do on their debut LP. As its title suggests, the album is full of songs of both regret and self-doubt, but the group deliver them with some of the strongest power-pop this side of Weezer’s Blue Album.” – Bandcamp Daily
[Future Me Hates Me artwork]
The winner of Most Intriguing Album Cover of the year might go to Clutch‘s new release – Book of Bad Decisions. The cover doesn’t feature a book at all, just a painting of a bald eagle on a branch either looking at something off to its right or looking back at us with perhaps apathy or vigilance. Then there’s the title. What bad decisions make up this book? Does it refer to a certain as-yet unnamed book? Let’s not forget the bald eagle is a symbol of the United States, and that symbol has turned its back on us. Has it done so because of our bad decisions in recent times? Is Clutch, who are lovers of history, warning us through a simple image that we are at risk of losing what makes this country great?
The album opens with a tale from the history of the band – “Gimme the Keys.” It’s the story of one of their earliest gigs when they played a small summer festival / large party in the middle of Corn Field Nowhere, USA, and were accused of stealing a microphone from another band and / or the party’s coordinators. It opens with fuzzy feedback and then turns into a blistering fire that only Clutch seems to know how to unleash. One of the best parts is hearing Neil Fallon re-enacting his words to the band’s accusers. Tim Sult‘s guitar moves back and forth between metal and psychedelia with ease.
“Spirit of ’76” is another history lesson from the band, possibly referring to 1776, the political landscape of 1976 (in which Fallon mentions a “farmer with peanuts in his hand” – Jimmy Carter?), or even the 1975 album of the same name by Spirit. Knowing Clutch’s catalogue like I do, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all three. Jean-Paul Gaster‘s beats on this will have you doing bass drum kicks under your desk before you realize it. The title track opens with almost drone-metal bass from Dan Maines and talks of dark clouds and leads to killer shredding by Sult.
“How to Shake Hands” has Gaster going bonkers while Fallon takes on elections and political campaigning. Fallon claims he’s going to release all information about UFO’s and “put Jimi Hendrix on the twenty-dollar bill and Bill Hicks on the five note” once he’s President. He could probably win on those three promises alone. “In Walks Barbarella” brings in a horn section as Fallon sings about his childhood love of science fiction, “weaponized funk,” and hot women. In other words, Clutch has written a tune about yours truly.
Jerry Lee Lewis-like piano runs through “Vision Quest.” The nearly backward opening drums on “Weird Times” are appropriate, and Gaster’s cowbell was probably begging for mercy by the time he was done laying down the drum tracks. I like the music box-like underlying sounds of “Emily Dickinson.” It has a great swagger to it as well that probably flattens crowds when played live. “Sonic Counselor” has a dirty fuzz to it that makes you feel a bit mean, and it probably should be on your newest workout playlist.
“A Good Fire” starts with bluesy drums as Fallon sings about the joys of bonfires in autumn and the whole band is soon burning up behind him. “Ghoul Wrangler,” apart from having a cool title, takes off like a dragstrip racer off the line and doesn’t look back. As much as it rocks, “H.B. Is in Control” rocks even harder (which almost seems impossible). Gaster sounds like he’s having the time of his life behind his kit and Maines’ groove is so solid that you could build a skyscraper atop it.
“Hot Bottom Feeder,” believe it or not is Neil Fallon’s recipe for crab cakes. Seriously. The only thing better than the fact that Clutch put a recipe song on their new album is how damn good the song is. It’s one of their best blues-laced rockers in a long while, full of Sult’s hot guitar licks and the band’s humor. “Paper & Strife” sizzles past you at the speed of an out-of-control train engine, and the closer, “Lorelei,” practically has Fallon yelling to the heavens about the murmuring rock of legend in Germany that has possibly lured many ships to a watery grave.
Book of Bad Decisions is another good rocker from Clutch, who never swing and miss. Historical themes are nothing new to Clutch records, but they’ve woven them into this album with more subtlety and cleverness than usual. They’ve warned us to always keep history in mind, because, well, you know what happens when you forget it.
Keep your mind open.
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Produced in part with Kelly Deal of the Breeders and Pixies, Protomartyr‘s four-song EP, Consolation, packs more punch than many double albums in the punk, post-punk, neo-rock, or alt-rock genres.
The opening squall of “Wait” is like the sound of the gates opening at the Kentucky Derby, and the band are four horses running in peak form. Vocalist Joe Casey growls, yells, and snarls while drummer Alex Leonard seems to put down four different beats at once.
“Same Face in a Different Mirror” would be a great title for a giallo film from the 1970’s, and Greg Ahee‘s opening guitar riff is indeed creepy enough for a stylish Italian slasher film. It’s like Protomartyr put Joy Division, Editors, and Bauhaus in a juicer and extracted the micronutrients from all three for one track.
The last two tracks feature Ms. Deal on backing vocals. The first is “Wheel of Fortune,” and it’s easily one of the best tracks of the year. It comes out swinging, not giving you much time to breathe in the first minute before it breaks down into something that sounds like the soundtrack from a ghost film. Casey’s vocals slowly rise from the ground (lifted by Scott Davidson‘s fine bass work), unleashing some of his inner Nick Cave before the band kicks down the door. Davidson’s bass walk opens “You Always Win” and Casey sings about a troubled relationship he can’t bring himself to leave while Ahee’s guitar shoegaze riffs are subtle and stunning at the same time and Leonard unleashes a quick drum solo, which are sorely missing from rock nowadays.
Consolation is sharp as a knife and one of the better EP releases of 2018, so don’t skip it.
Keep your mind open.
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Mexico’s Le Bucherettes manage to combine psychedelia, garage rock, snotty punk, and disco fever all into one band. Their third album, A Raw Youth, covers everything from pre-2016 election anxiety to serial killers.
“Shave the Pride” gets it off to a loud, wild start with lead singer Terri Gender Bender belting out lyrics about anger and arrogance (“The size of your rage drowns my urge for lovin’.”). “Mallely” has the disco synths of Jamie Aaron Aux and the powerful drumming of Chris Common throwing you into dance fits. “Reason to Die Young” has Gender Bender claiming there’s “no sign of life in this hell hole,” but her assured vocals feel reassuring. Her Iggy Pop influence can’t be denied in her vocals and stage presence, and it’s in full view on “La Uva” (“The Grape”) in which Pop sings guest vocals with her. It’s a wild, Pixies-like track with its ebb and flow of volume and controlled, distorted chaos. “Sold Less Than Gold” is a lyrically brutal song about child slavery that’s almost disguised as a pop song with its bright synths.
“Stab My Back” is a giant middle finger to a man who once tried to keep Bender down. It’s like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song combined with a kick in the nuts. “They Fuck You Over” has Bender drawing a line in the sand against the 1% (“‘Winners’ never touch skins. They know how to eat like bulldogs. They fuck you over…I try to manage this game by doing the worst that I can.”).
“Witchles C Spot” is a bold, almost Metric-like tune about toxic love, fetish sex, and obsession. It’s sexy, scary, and sinister all at once. “The Hitch Hiker” is about a serial killer, and might be an ode to the 1986 film The Hitcher. “Lonely & Drunk” is a powerful build up of synths, drums, and weird bass as Bender’s vocals slither out of your speakers as she sings about bad decisions made during bad times. The bizarre title of “Oil the Shoe if the Critter Knew Any Better” is perfect for the weird lyrics about ghosts, eating your vegetables, and how screwed up a relationship can be if one doesn’t face fears. The closer, “My Half,” is a warped song about love and possibly Bender’s Electra complex with guest guitar and synth-bass work by John Frusciante.
It’s a wild, weird record. Le Bucherettes were on my list of bands to investigate for a while, and I’m glad I finally got around to it. You should, too.
Keep your mind open.
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