Reviews – Page 75 – 7th Level Music

Review: Slaves – Acts of Fear and Love

British punk duo Slaves‘ third album, Acts of Fear and Love, is one of those albums that assures you guitar-driven records aren’t dead.

Getting right in your face from the outset, drummer / lead vocalist Isaac Holman asks, “What are you doing?” and claims, “Nobody is the shit.” on “The Lives They Wish They Had” – a sizzling diatribe against selfie culture, Facebook profiles, and “a desperate need for acceptance.” The second half of it might be the most punk thing you’ve heard this year. “Cut and Run” is one of Slaves’ catchiest tunes with guitarist Laurie Vincent putting down distorting, squealing riffs and Holman almost getting funky with his stand-up kit.

The punk fuzz is back with full force on “Bugs” (a song about two-faced politicians causing “another letdown generation”), as Vincent’s guitar chords crawl all over you and Holman’s beats are liable to induce a mosh pit wherever you may be while listening to it. “Magnolia” is about the gleam and sheen put on British suburbia while the country struggles with Brexit, xenophobia, and an uncertain economic future. “It’s gotta be perfect,” Holman sings again and again.

“Daddy” is a little, clever tune about men and their mid-life crises. “Chokehold,” a song about a break-up, has Vincent putting down angular post-punk riffs as Holman sings about drowning his sorrows and noticing the smell of his girlfriend’s hairspray on his pillow after she’s gone.

“Photo Opportunity” is a clever track about being famous as Holman tries to tell a fan that he means no disrespect for turning down a request for a photo with him, but he’s a busy guy…although he later has second thoughts as he goes out with his mates and realizes not much has changed in his life. The opening guitar roar on “Artificial Intelligence” will snap you awake better than a mug of coffee. Vincent’s guitar is fierce throughout the whole track, almost relentless in fact.

The title track closes the record. The title could be a reflection of the reasons behind Brexit, the day-to-day workings of any relationship, or how we make everyday decisions…or none of the above. Holman mentions a teacher who taught him hate doesn’t exist, just “acts of fear and love,” and a friend who would “do anything for anyone” whose decisions / acts of fear and love eventually led him to an eight-year prison sentence.

Acts of Fear and Love is a solid record. Guitar rock is not dead. Punk is not dead. Slaves, three records in, are just getting started.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Celer – Memory Repetitions

Will Long, also known as Celer, has been creating ambient music since 2006. His journeys around the world (and current residency in Japan) have certainly shaped his art. The collections of sounds and moods on his newest 5-CD album, Memory Repetitions, could be played anywhere from a meditation retreat to a busy international airport.

The album consists of five tracks, the shortest of which is twenty-eight minutes and thirty-one seconds. This isn’t an album for house parties or your high-intensity cardio playlist. It’s an album of meditations, calming sounds, and mood-altering music. It’s difficult to describe, but one you’ll enjoy on your headphones as you stroll along the river or when you need to slow down the world outside your front door or even in your living room.

There are no lyrics. It doesn’t need them. It’s not an album that tells you what to think or an album that pushes an agenda. It lets your mind wander or stop, depending on what’s happening around you at the time.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Naked Raygun – All Rise (1985)

I was 14 when Chicago punk legends Naked Raygun released their classic album All Rise. It would be another two years before I was able to drive a beat-up station wagon that formerly belonged to my Uncle Tony to a punk rock club about 45 minutes from my house and there become aware of Naked Raygun and their cult status.

It’s easy to figure out how they rose so fast in the mid-1980’s punk scene. All Rise‘s opener, “Home of the Brave,” is an instant anthem for the Reagan era. Pierre Kezdy‘s bass on “Dog at Large” is heavy enough for a metal band. “Knock Me Down” begins with a subtle start, but soon roars to life with frantic drums by Eric Spicer and Jeff Pezzati‘s snotty lyrics about a girl he can’t shake after she’s dumped him for good. One can’t help but wonder if “Mr. Gridlock” refers to President Regan, Chicago mayor Harold Washington, or someone else. The song has a deadly swagger to it, as if it’s looking for a fight. John Haggerty‘s guitar sounds like a tuned chainsaw on it. “The Strip” moves back and forth between chugging punks riffs and Husker Du-like jams as Naked Raygun pay homage to a seedy hotel-bar. “I Remember” has some of Spicer’s wildest drumming on the album.

Pezzati’s vocals on “Those Who Move” (about speaking truth to power and freedom of information, among other things) are urgent and still relevant in 2018. Kezdy’s bass on “The Envelope” certainly pushes the envelope of the studio amps because it nearly knocks you to the floor right out of the gate. Not to be outdone, Haggerty shreds on “Backlash Jack.” As soon as “Peacemaker” starts, you get the feeling that it’s not going to be all that peaceful. It isn’t. It’s heavy, squealing, and even a bit terrifying. The album ends with “New Dreams,” a punk anthem that sounds as fresh, raw, and vital today as it did in 1985.

All Rise is classic working class punk rock by four lads who deserve to be in the same conversations that bring up Fugazi, Bad Religion, DRI, the Dead Kennedys, and other legendary punk groups.

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Flasher, Public Practice, and Gong Gong Gong – Dec. 4th – The Hideout – Chicago, IL

As soon as I saw Flasher, Public Practice, and Gong Gong Gong were playing at Chicago’s Hideout (a great small venue with an appropriate name, as it is concealed in an industrial area), I knew it was going to be a good show. All three are creating post-punk rock that’s clever, timely, and powerful.

Gong Gong Gong opened the show, and you could immediately tell there was a buzz about them in the crowd. I met one woman who specifically came to see them because she’d read a write-up about them in the Chicago Reader and wanted to hear these two guys from Beijing who didn’t have or need a drummer. They don’t need one because there’s enough percussion between the guitar and bass riffs to support an industrial band. It was a fascinating set full of songs that sound like they belong in a David Lynch film. I’m calling it now – Look for Gong Gong Gong to be on the bill for the 2019 Pitchfork Music Festival.

Public Practice came out and gave everyone a lesson on how you own a stage. They played their entire Distance Is a Mirror EP (one of the best releases of the year, in my opinion) and a couple tracks I hadn’t heard yet. They left you hungry for more, much more. I hope this tour gives them plenty of ideas for new tracks. I was delighted to see them selling WALL records at their table, too. Everyone needs WALL records.

Flasher threw down an energetic set that warmed you up from the chill outside. The tracks they played off their great debut, Constant Image, were almost double speed. They weren’t screwing around up there. It was definitely the most punk of the three post-punk sets. Unfortunately for my wife and I, we had to leave early during their set due to a long drive home and a predicted storm of freezing rain heading for our route. As you might’ve guessed from reading this, we made it home safe.

As I figured, this was / is a great lineup for a tour. Don’t miss it if it comes near you.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Hprizm – Magnetic Memory

I stumbled upon Hprizm when his label, Don Giovanni Records, sent me an e-mail that more or less said, “We thought you might like this.” It turns out that I did, as Hprizm’s Magnetic Memory is one of the most intriguing rap records I’ve heard in a long while.

Combining slick beats with electro bleeps, def(t) sampling, and assured vocals, the album covers topics ranging from waking up from illusions to economic inequality. The opening track, “Keep Pushing,” reveals Hprizm’s MC skills in ways that will leave you dumbfounded. Lion roars and slightly industrial synths loop throughout “Infusion” as Hprizm mentions “America’s nightmare, us waking up.” “Resuscitate” mixes jazz saxophone and frantic, choppy beats with Hprizm unloading fierce rhymes you can barely follow because they rush by you like a speeding car. They barely slow down on “Waking Them Up,” in which he speaks of using prayer, fasting, and meditation to move beyond his earthly trappings and how he had to cut out negative people in his life to spiritually grow.

“G11 Forever” has a ghostly tone that I like, and the message of “Break the Body Down” (how fear, depression, and hate ultimately will destroy you) is even better. “Up from the Flames” boosts this message, bringing to mind a phoenix rising from the ashes, and the flute solo on it is outstanding. “F08 Soul” is a psychedelic shout-out to black Americans to remember their history and to all of us non-black folks to face our history and own up to it.

The horror movie-lie organs of “Asia (Adrenaline)” give way to snap-crackle-pop beats and rave whistles and Hprizm warns against those who “put fame over skill.” “What’s Worth What” is a quick sample track that flows into “And Bet” – a track that will get your head nodding and toes tapping. “And still I’m standing’ after the storm,” Hprizm declares at the beginning of “After the Storm.” “Strap it, ’cause it’s a wild ride,” he says. It’s a fitting bit of advice for the entire album, not just this song. The closer, “Electric Ladyland,” has the distorted guitar riffs you’d expect, but lots of choppy beats and mentions of “talking heads talkin’ to the walking dead.” It, and the album, ends with backward-looped guitar chords fading into a sharp drop.

This is a great record full of stuff that will take you months, if not years, to discover all of it.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin – Profondo Rosso score (2015)

Funky and creepy at the same time, the score to Dario Argento‘s 1975 classic giallo movie Profondo Rosso (Deep Red) is a great one. Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin released this version a few years back with new performances of the classic material Simonetti made with the original members of Goblin and also with live versions and alternate cuts.

The main theme, “Profondo Rosso,” combines Simonetti’s clockwork synths with church organs, funk bass, and prog-rock drumming. “Death Dies” could fit into any 1970’s action film with its urgent piano chords, Titta Tani‘s car chase drums, and Bruno Previtali‘s groovy guitar squalls. Federico Amorosi‘s bass on “Mad Puppet” is like lava bubbling under a dormant volcano until about the three-minute mark when the tune becomes a chilling walk through what normally is a groovy neighborhood but now feels slightly…wrong.

“Deep Shadows” is bizarre with its quirky synths, Previtali’s shredding, and the rhythm section breaking the tune open into a prog-rock jam. A live version (from 2000) of “School at Night” follows, with its creepy child sing-song vocals and music box chimes, and it flows into live versions (from the same show) of “Mad Puppet” and “Profondo Rosso.”

Rounding out the album are alternate versions of “Death Dies” (from 1992) and “Profondo Rosso” (from 1990). Both are harder, faster versions. Simonetti’s piano work on “Death Dies” is especially frantic and jazzy. The version of the main theme (which is also another live cut) is even called the “rock version” and has bigger drums and guitars with a bit more distortion than usual. Plus, Simonetti goes nuts on his keyboards by the end of it.

It’s a great score, especially if you love giallo movies, Goblin’s work, or progressive rock.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Axis: Sova – Shampoo You

Chicago power-punks Axis: Sova tighten up but still keep plenty of live-to-tape fuzz and fury on their newest record – Shampoo You.

The opening riffs of “Terminal Holiday” are a great example of that. The guitar fuzz is almost funky and then almost psychedelic while the Peter Hook-inspired bass keeps you from free-floating beyond gravity.

The guitars are pure new wave on “New Disguise.” The skronks and squeaks are great, and the drum beat is like something from an early Knack record. “Crystal Predictor” is one of the sharpest post-punk tracks of 2018 with a catchy chorus and guitar chords that shred one moment and then ooze the next.

The dual vocals on “Dodger” are a great touch to an already keen track that is louder than you realize at first. “Stale Green” slows down the tempo but ups the power and grooves. The bass groove on “Shock Recognition” could be from a Cure B-side, while the guitar solos border on noise rock cacophony and the electric drums are so precise that they might cut you.

The album ends with the Black Angels-like “Same Person Twice,” which might be about reincarnation or being stuck in repetitive relationships. I like that they decided to end the record on a slightly mellow note. It’s like a cool-down after a high-intensity spin bike workout.

This is one of those records that gets better with each listen.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: The Dunes – self-titled

You know you’re in for a psychedelic music treat when an album opens with a track entitled “The Intergalactic Drifters Inn Welcoming Center Theme Song Pt-1.” Recorded between the Dunes‘ home land of Australia and their part-time homeland of Texas, the psych-giants’ newest (and self-titled) record is a welcome addition to 2018 releases. I’m a longtime fan of the band, and learning this record was coming out this year was like getting an early birthday present.

The opening track mixes shoegaze guitar droning with desert wind synths and didgeridoo tones to put you in the right frame of mind without the need for any kind of of, ahem, enhancements. It will do the work for you. “When You Wake Up” then bursts into your brain like the sun coming through the window after a long night of partying. The reverbed vocals speak of either sleeping off a bad trip, putting the past behind you, or reincarnation (“When you wake up, it’ll be all right.”). It could be all three for all I know. Just let the wall of distortion wash over you.

Psychedelic surf guitars step up front and center on “Making Friends with Codeine.” It’s appropriately trippy and catchy as all get-out. The cleverly titled “(Just Because You’re Not Being Followed Doesn’t Mean You’re Not) Paranoid” reminds me of Black Angels‘ tracks in that it’s creepy, rocking, and mind-melting all at the same time.

“Mountain” is something the Yeah Yeah Yeahs would’ve created if they’d become a psychedelic rock band instead of an art-punk band. The tribal of drums of “New Old” drive the track for over seven minutes of powerful psychedelic rock complete with vintage keys and guitars that stomp their fuzz pedals into submission.

“It feels like the bottom of the sea,” Stacie Reeves sings on “WKNDS” – a track heavy and weird enough to be on your playlist while doing deep sea research on bioluminescent fish or color-shifting cephalopods. “Pariah” is nearly nine minutes and it’s a fine journey toward a desert sunset while walking alongside an Aboriginal shaman.

“The Intergalactic Drifters Inn Welcoming Center Theme Song Pt-II” closes the record, letting us know that our tour of the cosmos has come to a conclusion. The Dunes have taken you on a journey that is difficult to describe, but you know it was mind-altering while you were on it. Thankfully, you can take the journey anytime you want and will probably notice something different every time.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Thrown Down Bones – Two

Italy’s Thrown Down Bones (Dave Gali and Francesco Vanni) fully embrace their love of breakbeat, house, rave, and dance music on their newest album – Two. Mixing synths with effects pedals, electronic drums, and touches of industrial guitars, TDB gets you moving from the outset and don’t let up until the LP ends.

The thumping beats and chugging bass that open the album and “First Follower” bring to mind some of Depeche Mode‘s darker tracks, and the pulsing, laser gun-like synths take us into sci-fi anime realms. The stunning “We Are Drugs” is your favorite industrial dance track of the year. The heavy but sharp bass line alone is worth the album’s purchase price.

The guitars on “Slow Violence” sound like an orchestrated saw mill (in a good way) while the synths bring a well-balanced light to the track. “NO-FI” is dark wave meets future noir dance music. It’s so slick that it might cause you to slip if you’re walking while listening to it.

You will love “Golovkin” if you were ever part of the 1990’s rave culture. It’s like stepping out of a strobe light-emblazoned time machine shaped like a pacifier. TBD clearly isn’t screwing around by this point and are staking their claim as one of the premiere electro dance track artists of Europe (if not worldwide). “Is This Us” keeps the amps at eleven by upping the distortion and the impact of the beats.

The backward-sounding bass on “Known Unknown” immediately intrigues you, and then the John Carpenter-like keyboard rhythms get you moving (or running from a Blade Runner, vampire, alien, or ninjas). By the time we get to the closer, “Zero Day Exploit,” you are deep in the Matrix with images of computer code, flying cars, robot soldiers, and android pole dancers flashing through your head.

Two is one of the most exciting records I’ve heard all year. It grabs you in the first few moments and holds on like a tandem skydiver until the end.

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin – November 19, 2018 – Wealthy Theatre – Grand Rapids, MI

The moment I heard Italian composer and keyboardist Claudio Simonetti was touring with her latest version of Goblin and performing the live score to Dario Argento’s Suspiria while the film was shown, I knew I had to score a ticket to see the show. The closest venue for which I could secure one was the Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This would be the third incarnation of Goblin I’ve seen in the last few years and the first time I’ve seen Suspiria on the big screen.

The Wealthy Theatre is a small venue that hosts retro film screenings and live music performances. I almost literally bumped into two men outside the venue who obtained free tickets after one of them had sold a computer to the drummer, Titta Tani, through Craigslist. Neither of them had seen Goblin or Suspiria. I told them they were in for a treat.

The film was a big hit with the crowd. It had been a while since I’d seen it and I’d forgotten how much of a master’s course it is on lighting. I noticed a couple people having to turn away from the screen during a couple murder scenes, so it’s still an effective horror piece. Goblin did a great job with the live score, building tension and rocking out without overpowering the dialogue during critical scenes.

They played a full set afterwards of music from other film scores. A big hit was their music from Dawn of the Dead.

They were really cooking by this point, and their pieces from Demons, Phenomena, and Tenebrae (which made the guy next to me stop in his tracks as he started to leave for the restroom) were also big highlights. They ended with the main theme from Deep Red – a personal favorite.

The crowd was buzzing afterwards, and Mr. Simonetti and crew were kind enough to hang around in the lobby afterwards and sign autographs. I saw many horror fans with DVDs, special collector’s edition vinyl, posters, and more, and everyone was patient and happy to be there.

It was a nice post-Halloween / pre-Thanksgiving treat. Don’t miss this tour if you’re a fan of horror films, progressive rock, or film scores. It’s selling out at a lot of dates and it’s well worth it.

Keep your mind open.

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