7th Level Music

The Dunes – Live at Soundlounge 2015

I first discovered The Dunes (Stacie Reeves -vocals and percussion, Matt Reiner – guitar, Adam Vanderwerf – bass, Jess Honeychurch – keyboards, Brett Walter – synths, Clair O’Boyle – drums) in 2014 when I was writing for Outlaw Music Magazine. These Australian psych-rockers create music as big as their homeland and trippy as the night skies above the desert there. I don’t know if they’ve ever toured the United States, but getting this fine live recording is a good appetizer for a future full course live meal.

The album opens with “When You Wake Up,” which plunges you into their deep, dark psych-rock at the first note. It’s almost induces a trance with its droning synths, fuzzed-out guitars, echoing vocals, thick bass, and drums that sound like they’re being played in a red rock canyon, so I imagine the band is referring to waking up from illusions and seeing true reality rather than waking from a good night’s sleep.

“Badlands,” the title track to their September 2014 release, is nearly ten minutes of freak-out mind-warp madness. The synths spin around you, the drums would fit in a pow-wow, and the bass buzzes like a drunken hummingbird. We get an extended cut of “A Thousand Crimes” after it, and I like how the synths sound like a sitar and the guitar work has a bit of a surf edge to it.

“End of the Beginning” is strong and bold, with great shoegaze guitars and heavy bass and percussion while the keys, synths, and vocals float along like a weird fog. The use of a tambourine on this track is both excellent and jarring. “Door to the Mind” blends shoegaze and psych-rock so well that I’m not sure where one ends and the other begins. It definitely will open your mind as it blends Doors, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, My Bloody Valentine, and the Jesus and Mary Chain. It’s an amazing track with some of the finest guitar and rum work on the record.

“Lunar Effect,” all eleven minutes and six seconds of it, ends the album on an uplifting note with vocals that rise like the sun. The band goes out on an ethereal note as they flow back and forth until the final chords.

This is a fine psychedelic rock record and one of the best live albums I’ve heard in a long while. The Dunes need to get to the U.S. soon so more can hear them.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Chicago: Night 1 – Vadaat Charigim, Gary Wilson, Health

I headed to Chicago’s Thalia Hall after a fine Mexican dinner in time to see Vadaat Charigim, who put on a fine set of shoegaze dream-rock. Yuval Haring‘s spaced-out guitar sounds like he’s playing it from across the street yet it’s still loud enough to hear. Yuval Guttman has some of the best cymbal fills I’ve heard in a long while, and Dan Fabian Bloch looks like Julian Cope and plays bass like Peter Hook.

Up next was the avant-garde legend himself Gary Wilson and the Blind Dates. Let me say right away that the Blind Dates are a killer band who can give anyone a run for their money. They’re probably the closest I’ll get to seeing the Mothers of Invention. Mr. Wilson came out in a floor-length smock, scarf, and his ubiquitous sunglasses and dishwashing gloves and carrying a large piece of thin plastic tarp and a female mannequin’s head. He started with a classic, “6.4 = Make Out,” and went on to tear through a stunning set with songs like “Linda Wants to Be Alone” and “Gary’s in the Park.” He freaked out a girl to my left, who couldn’t bear to look at him as he nearly crawled off the stage toward her while holding the mannequin’s head in his hand. I will see him whenever possible, as should you.

My night ended with Health, who flattened the place with a big set of booming industrial rock and some of the best drumming I’ve heard from any band in a long while. I seriously don’t know how Benjamin Jared Miller makes that much sound with a snare, kick drum, floor tom, one mounted tom, two cymbals (one with about a 3″ x 3″ piece missing from an edge), and a high hat.

It was a good time, and Thalia Hall is a nice venue. Tonight Nite Fields, Blanck Mass, Ryley Walker, and Lightning Bolt are on the list for me.

Keep your mind open.

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Thank you, George Martin.

Many thanks to Sir George Martin, who died on March 8th, 2016, for everything he helped give the world of music. Commonly known as “the fifth Beatle,” Sir Martin was responsible for producing many of their greatest hits, starting with “Love Me Do” and well into the 1970’s. He also produced music for James Bond films and the themes to Live and Let Die and Goldfinger.

The BBC documentary The Compleat Beatles is an excellent look back on not only the Beatles, but Sir Martin’s contributions to music that continues to inspire to this day.

Keep your mind open.

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The Smoke House: Come for the smoked turkey, stay for the Louvin Brothers Museum.

I was hungry while on my way back from Chattanooga a couple weeks ago and discovered The Smoke House Restaurant and Trading Post in Monteagle, Tennessee. It’s an impressive place with enough cured meats, spice rubs, barbecue sauces, and jams and jellies for an army. I opted for the smoked turkey open-faced sandwich with cole slaw and mashed potatoes.

Good grief, it was delicious. The smoked turkey was the best I’d eaten in years. I’m sure the rest of the menu is just as delicious, and I’ll probably try the fried chicken and / or frog legs if I ever get back there.

You pay for your meal in the gift shop on the way out. As I walked through their expansive gift shop, I twice passed a room that appeared to be another alcove full of knick-knacks for sale before I noticed the sign above the entryway.

Yes, tucked along one back wall of this place, with a light-up reindeer atop it, is a museum dedicated to country music legends Ira and Charlie Louvin.

It’s full of plaques, photos, and memorabilia from the duo who popularized country harmony music and were well-known for their gospel songs.

There is so much here that I couldn’t photograph all of it without burning up more time on my trip home. There are display cases full of show tickets, recording notes, family photos, and personal effects. The number of photos and commendations from various music venues, writers, and associations is staggering.

There’s also a display case dedicated to the car crash death of Ira Louvin and his fourth wife, Anne Young.

That photo was taken three days before their car was struck by a drunk driver on June 20, 1965. In a weird twist, a DUI warrant had been issued for Ira’s arrest around the same time.

The museum also has a complete collection of the Louvin Brothers’ records, so many that I couldn’t get them all into one shot.

It’s a cool place that is easy to miss, but you owe it to yourself to see it if you’re a fan of classic country or gospel music. There’s a lot of neat stuff in there. Like this, a laminated picture of Grandpa Jones on a piece of wood.

Keep your mind open.

Rewind Review: Possum Kingdom Ramblers – self-titled (2015)

[Rewind Reviews are reviews of albums over a year old I haven’t heard until now.]

Bluegrass songs about giant monsters, Land of the Lost, and B-movies? I’m there.

Possum Kingdom Ramblers (Buddy Finethy – dobro, Jas Ingram – vocals, ukulele, saw, harmonic, jaw harp, and kazoo, Bambi Lynn – vocals, mandolin, guitar, and washboard, Timothy Price – vocals, banjo, and guitar, Ricky Zero – vocals and bass) have put out a fun debut of bluegrass that doesn’t take itself too seriously, although the musicianship is seriously good.

“When I First Found You” is a fun love song, and their cover of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla” is outstanding (especially when you consider Robert Scott Field, the actor who played Android M-11 in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, does the Japanese lyrics in the song).

After a cute song about ice cream (“Sweet Ice Cream”), the band drops a cover of the Land of the Lost theme on you (with smoking hot banjo from Price). “That Cat” is a loving ode to a stray with great vocals from the whole crew. Ingram’s kazoo work on Bar-B-Que” instantly makes you grin.

Since two of the band’s members are also the duo Radio Cult (Lynn and Zero), it’s fun to hear them cover a Radio Cult song – “Saturday Midnight Double Feature,” a great tribute to late night horror hosts, cult films, and movies with a Theremin in the score.

“A Piece of Possum Pie” is a toe-tapping finale with great guitar work and a Johnny Cash song-worthy harmonica solo from Ingram.

This is a good bluegrass record that sounds like it was as much to make as it is to hear.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Chicago artist spotlight: Faust

Legendary German kraut rock band Faust are playing a rare performance at Levitation Chicago on March 12th, closing out the three-day festival. Faust built a devoted fan base in the 1970’s with their mixture of kraut rock and psychedelic rock before breaking up and disappearing until the 1990’s. Only two of the original members remain (Werner “Zappi” Diermeier – percussion, Jean-Herve Peron – bass), but this will still be a special set.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Chicago artist spotlight: Chelsea Wolfe

Dark wave siren Chelsea Wolfe creates hard-hitting songs about frightening topics like annihilation, sleep paralysis, purgatory, and shattered relationships. Her voice grabs you by the throat and the heavy bass and synths in her work will make you submit.

Ms. Wolfe is performing at Levitation Chicago on March 12th. I’m sure it will be a powerful set.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Chicago artist spotlight: Earthless

Earthless (Mike Eginton – bass, Isaiah Mitchell – guitar, Mario Rubalcaba – drums) are a powerhouse stoner / cosmic rock band. In my opinion, they call themselves Earthless because their rock is too big to be contained to this planet. If Jack Kirby’s New Gods comics came with a soundtrack, Earthless would score it.

I saw them at Levitation Austin in 2014 and was blown away by their set. They create epic tracks usually of double-digit length. My wife thought the first two songs of their Levitation Austin set were actually three. I look forward to having them melt my face again at Levitation Chicago on March 12th.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Chicago artist spotlight: Night Beats

Night Beats (Danny Lee Blackwell – guitar and lead vocals, James Traeger – drums, and Jakob Bowden – bass) are a fantastic psychedelic rock band hailing from Seattle, Washington. I first saw them at Levitation Austin in 2013 and was blown away by their mixture of psychedelia and blues. They put on another great performance the following year at the Levitation Austin pre-festival kick-off party. I got to meet Blackwell there, and he signed my copy of Sonic Bloom. He was a humble, nice chap.

I’ll see Night Beats any chance I can get and look forward to seeing them again and picking up their new record at Levitation Chicago on March 12th. I’ll have my Sharpie ready.

Keep your mind open.

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Levitation Chicago artist spotlight: Natural Information Society and Bitchin’ Bajas

Natural Information Society is a Chicago jazz collective led by Joshua Abrams. Bitchin’ Bajas are a Chicago-based kraut-rock band. They’re two great tastes that taste great together on their collaboration that blends world music funk, jazz, electro, and synth-wave.

It’s nice to see Levitation Chicago bringing in local acts, especially this team-up that should bring a meditative feel to their March 12th performance.

Keep your mind open.

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