Reviews: January 2011 Archives

Gang of Four - Content

January 31, 2011 9:12 PM | No Comments

Gang of Four - Content (Yep Roc) [upcoming shows] [audio]

After having sat out the fat years, Gang of Four have reappeared in the depths of a nasty global recession. As fresh and vital as this material sounds, fans will recognize all the familiar elements from over thirty years ago: the propulsive, shattered funk grooves; the haunted but strident guitar lines; the cryptic chants, oblique poetry and, of course, the signature indictments, now wailing, now declamatory, of capitalism, and it's discontents. Visceral, cerebral; still great!

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The Mountain Goats

January 30, 2011 7:11 PM | No Comments

The Mountain Goats - All Eternals Deck

The Mountain Goats will be releasing their new album, 'All Eternals Deck' on Merge in late March. The non-album track 'Tyler Lambert's Grave' is available for free download, although John Darnielle has suggested making a donation to the Next Door Charity, which supports victims of domestic violence. You can also download the first track from the album, 'Damn These Vampires'. Since there's so much official Mountain Goats music available for download, this seems like a fair trade. The first live shows start on March 24.

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Found Music Jan 28, 2011

January 28, 2011 8:25 AM | No Comments

Bonnie Prince Billy, Built to Spill, Loop, Graham Parker and the Rumour, Meat Puppets

NYC Taper has Bonnie Prince Billy 12-7-10.
Shiny Grey Monotone has Built to Spill 8-5-06..
Big Box of Tapes has Loop 12-7-89.
BB Chronicles has Graham Parker and the Rumour 3-17-77.
Largehearted Boy found Meat Puppets 12-31-10.

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Boom Chick - Show Pony

January 25, 2011 7:50 PM | No Comments

Boom Chick - Show Pony

Boom Chick's self released November album 'Show Pony' has the vibe of The Cramps and early Flat Duo Jets' runaway rockabilly. The Brooklyn-based Male/guitarist, Female drummer duo blast through the 8 tracks, recorded live to two track with amazing clarity, in just about 20 minutes with touches of surf, stomp, and slide guitar paced by overdriven primitive drums. Dex and Crow would be proud. Some cool low budget videos can be viewed at their site but while you are there, pick up a copy of Show Pony direct from the band. Also check to see if you are one of the lucky ones who have the change to see them on their tour dates.

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Cheap Red - Mini

January 24, 2011 4:57 AM | No Comments

Cheap Red - Mini

November produced a new release from Cheap Red called 'Mini'. The former members of Boyracer are back playing compact pop blasts of catchy indie rock. At the 75orLess house, we've listened to their cover of Squeeze's 'Goodbye Girl' about 1,000 times in the past month (and their version of Judas Priest 'Breaking the Law' is no slouch either). You can stream or purchase 'mini' at the Who Hell Records bandcamp page.

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Found Music Jan 21, 2011

January 21, 2011 1:16 PM | No Comments

Melvins, New York Dolls, Joe Jackson, Marginal Man, Archers of Loaf, Vander Graaf Generator

Shiny Grey Monotone has Melvins 6-12-10.
Know Your Conjurer has New York Dolls June 1974.
BB Chronicles has Joe Jackson 10-21-86.
Punk not profit has Marginal Man Live 1984.
Web in Front has the Archers of Loaf reunion show from 1-15-11.
Big O has Van Der Graaf Generator 5-21-72.

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Comic Wow

January 19, 2011 8:44 PM | No Comments

Comic Wow - Music For Mysteries Of Mind Space And Time

There were two great EP's released by Feathers back in 2005-06, so it was exciting to receive the new full length from their Clark Kent-ish project Comic Wow, which features the band along with John McEntire and a few other friends. "Music For Mysteries Of Mind Space And Time" was released by Asthmatic Kitty as part of their Library Catalog Music Series back on October 26. Light and airy with moments of (old) new wave and a hint of lounge minus the kitsch. In other words, this sounds like members of Tortoise jamming with members of Feathers. It's streaming on the label website, where you can also purchase it on cd or vinyl. Also, snoop around here to find some cool free downloads.

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Jacky Stone and his Ugly Bones

January 17, 2011 8:36 PM | No Comments

Jacky Stone and his Ugly Bones - BLARG! All Over Wrigley

Take a pinch of the first two Sebadoh records and subtract the incoherence, tape experimentations and one of the two songwriters (sorry Lowenstein), and you are left with Jacky Stone and his Ugly Bones. It's stripped down four track acoustic experimentation with multi-layered spoken word/screaming word interludes, made by former day trader/present attic dweller Jacky Bones out of Flagstaff, Arizona. The music is pretty straight forward, even for the primitive means by which it was made. Stream the songs or donate what you think it's worth.

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Found Music Jan 14, 2011

January 14, 2011 7:26 AM | No Comments

Butthole Surfers, Yo La Tengo, Kepone, Towns Van Zandt, Liz Durrett, Ugly Cassanova

Shiny Grey Monotone has Butthole Surfers 10-31-83.
NYC Taper has Yo La Tengo 12-8-10.
Acidpunks has Kepone 4-20-97.
Kick to Kill has demos from Townes Van Zandt.
Southern Shelter has Liz Durrett 6-27-09.
Captains Dead has Ugly Casanova 7-2-02.

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John Vanderslice - White Wilderness

January 10, 2011 9:34 PM | No Comments

John Vanderslice is now taking pre-orders for his new album with the Magik*Magik Orchestra called White Wilderness. There are four different pre-order options, with special bonuses but (each with an immediate mp3 download of the album). While the vinyl is limited to 1000 copies, you can also opt for signed photos, limited silkscreened posters, rare tour only cds and singles. For someone who gives as much music away for free as he does, and records as many good bands as he does, this should be a no brainer.

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Found Music Jan 7, 2011

January 7, 2011 10:35 AM | No Comments

Polvo, Dirty Three, Cris Kirkwood, ELO, Jeff Tweedy

NYC Taper has Jeff Tweedy 12-3-10.
Willfully Obscure has Polvo demos from 1991-92.
Daytrotter has a session from Cris Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets.
Big Box of Tapes has ELO live 1976.
Captains Dead has Dirty Three live 1994.

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Shannon Wright - Secret Blood

January 5, 2011 6:30 AM | No Comments

In early November, Shannon Wright released 'Secret Blood' on the French label Vicious Circle (not sure what the plans are domestically.) She's been releasing a steady stream of albums since 1999 and if you care for the intensity of PJ Harvey at her guitar-centric best but with a full band backing it up, you should probably check this out. You can purchase it or stream it here.

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Inevitable Backlash, The - Boys Got a Future

January 3, 2011 6:18 AM | No Comments

The Inevitable Backlash have a new full length called 'Boys Got a Future' out on Hegemony. You can download the track Holes. Previously described here as sounding like "late 80's SST bands like SWA and DC3.... late-era Naked Raygun crossed with a touch of butt rock." Yeah, makes sense. There is also a video for the song you can check out here.

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January 2011 Archives