Who am I kidding?

I bought Basalt Fingers‘ self-titled live LP because it was out of print (OOP), pressed in a limited edition (of 845) and blessed by a couple of big names (Ben Chasny of Comets On Fire/Six Organs Of Admittance, Elisa Ambrogio of Magik Markers, and Brian Sullivan), not because I truly thought the drone/noise/crust-scum jam would change my life.

And I was right; the best things about this LP involve everything but the music, which is itself passable but never worth more than passing consideration in light of much more interesting work from Lichens, Dead Texan, Panicsville, KK Null, Aaron Dillaway, John Wiese … the list goes on and on.

Basalt Fingers start their performance with a giant glob of drone caked atop some pitch-bending and off-kilter tone-vending, and things don’t exactly ramp-up from there. We’re talking SIN-I-STER tones, the sort of coagulations that could strangle you in a dark alley and take your valuables or follow you home and wait menacingly outside your apartment while you wonder what you ever did to evoke the wrath of a noise gang.

Thing is, the gang is unorganized, a big sloppy-joe set to music. You’ll get hot sauce and meat all over your face and hands because the bread isn’t substantial enough to keep the warm, wet blobs under control.

BF is basically a ghost, a priest and an angry, dark-gray storm jamming together. This may sound like a tantalizing prospect, but too many of the outbursts blend in with one another, resulting in an often-faceless aural display that probably made a lot more sense in concert than it does emanating from my speakers.

They got my money, but they didn’t get my soul.

1, 2,3… testando! Tá no ar!

Eis a segunda edição do popsalva podcast, nesta segunda edição a mistureba foi mais controlada e um pouco mais ordenada, além disso há mais blocos para você não ficar perdido, e também atendendo a pedidos está disponível um zip com todas as faixas separadas, assim se você gostou só de uma música (ah vá…) você pode ouvir novamente, sem ter de ficar caçando. Ouça e comente!

popsalva-podcast#02
mr de – sex on the beach 2000
jamie lidell – out of my system
stevie wonder – superstition
bran van 3000 – astounded
jamiroquai – canned heat
the prids – shadow and shadow
elizabeth harper and the matinee – pictures of you
elizabeth harper – rock like a boy
magnolia electric – cross the road
vanguart – the last time i saw you
comets on fire – pussy footin’ the duke
the be good tanyas – junkie song
velvet underground – pale blue eyes
modular – femme fatale
the rosebuds – break my body
the cramps – rockin’ bones
saul williams – list of demands (reparations)
audio bullys – real life
makoto – sky high
tango – project 1 (remix)
johnny jungle – johnny 94 (origin unkown remix)
nrg i need your love (nrg rmx)

DOULODEAR | OUVIR | MÚSICAS

‘Black Hearted Love’, the lead single from the new PJ Harvey & John Parish album A Woman A Man Walked By, will be available as a digital download tomorrow. The song gets its worldwide premiere on Zane Lowe’s Radio One show from 7pm and will be available to buy direct from either pjharvey.net or johnparish.com immediately after and will be serviced to all the usual digital outlets on Tuesday. A full physical release for the single follows on April 6th, a week after the album, complete with two exclusive non-album tracks, ‘Within A Month’ and ‘False Fire’.

* * *

No Doubt will appear in a new episode of hit TV series ‘Gossip Girl’ with a performance of Adam & The Ants’ ‘Stand & Deliver’ to coincide with their first tour in more than five years. The tour kicks off in New Jersey on May 2nd and runs until the beginning of August. The episode will air on May 11th. The band have been working on the follow-up to 2001’s Rock Steady on and off over the last year but has yet to name a title or release date. No European tour dates have been announced so far.

* * *

School Of Seven Bells have contributed a previously unreleased track to Brand Neu! a tribute album to 1970s krautrock duo Neu!, aka Michael Rother and the late Klaus Dinger. SVIIB’s ‘Device Für M’ appears alongside the Sonic Youth/Ciccone Youth classic ‘Two Cool Rock Chicks Listening To Neu!’, a new solo song from Rother, a previously unreleased track from Dinger’s other band La Düsseldorf and various songs from the likes of Oasis, Primal Scream, LCD Soundsystem, Kasabian etc. The album is out on May 11th through Feraltone. SVIIB recently announced a headlining tour of the UK that runs from May 3–15. Full dates here.

Brand Neu!
01 Ciccone Youth, ‘Two Cool Rock Chicks Listening to Neu!’
02 Primal Scream, ‘Shoot Speed / Kill Light’
03 Pets With Pets, ‘We Only Found This Place’
04 Oasis, ‘I Can See It Now’
05 Foals, ‘Titan Arum’ 
06 Cornelius, ‘Wataridori’
07 Holy Fuck, ‘Super Inuit’
08 LCD Soundsystem, ‘Watch The Tapes’
09 Kasabian, ‘Stuntman’
10 School Of Seven Bells, ‘Device Für M’ 
11 Fujiya & Miyagi, ‘Electro Karaoke’
12 Hook & The Twin, ‘They’ll Get Your Head’
13 La Düsseldorf, ‘Sketch 1_08′
14 Michael Rother, ‘Neutronics 98′

* * *

Prolific rock duo Magik Markers will release a new album on April 26th. Balf Quarry, the formal follow-up to 2007’s Boss, was produced by Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo and recorded with Grammy-winning engineer Scott Colburn (Animal Collective). Vocalist Elisa Ambrogio has another album coming out soon, a collaboration with various members of Comets On Fire under the name of San Francisco’s Dirty Stealer. Recorded in Oakland, California, the album was at the mixing stage at the end of January so expect more news on that shortly. A couple of preview tracks are available here.

Balf Quarry
01 Risperdal
02 Don’t Talk In Your Sleep
03 Jerks
04 Psychosomatic
05 7/23
06 State Numbers
07 The Ricercar Of Dr. Clara Haber 
08 The Lighter Side Of…Hippies
09 Ohio R. / Live / Hoosier
10 Shells 

* * *

Dolly Parton is to release a special Collector’s Edition of her most recent album Backwoods Barbie at the end of March. With brand new photos and artwork and three previously unreleased new songs (‘Rose Of My Heart’, ‘Hallelujah Holiday’ and ‘Berry Pie’), UK fans might be disappointed to discover that the album will only be available at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores throughout the US. ”I wanted the songs I chose specifically for this release to reflect how I feel about Cracker Barrel and all the good things you can find there,” said Dolly in a press release. “I think it’s important for there to be an authentic connection to the heritage that Cracker Barrel and I share.” Other artists to release exclusive CDs through Cracker Barrel include Alison Krauss & Union Station, Amy Grant and Sara Evans.

* * *

Alan Pedder

Ethan Miller, frontman for Comets on Fire and Howlin’ Rain, has started his own blog. From the looks of it, Silver Currant will serve as a space for Miller to push his favorites in the hard- and psych-rock genres as well as live bootlegs from his own projects. From the man himself:

Hello Friends! I have got my blog up and running and it will serve you with music, Bootlegs and live material from Howlin Rain and beyond as well as pictures, rants, and general good dope. To prove that this blog is not simply some cracker ass bullshit about my feelings or the music industry or the price of gas I have cut right to the chase and posted a devastating International psych comp that was compiled for me by the legendary promoter/agent/business man/international psych scholar John Fitzgerald.

You may want to bookmark this one.

8 novembre 2008
Init Club, Roma

Uno dei dischi che ho ascoltato di più nel 2008 è stato senza dubbio Magnificent Fiend degli Howlin Rain che annoverano nella formazione due ex Comets on Fire, una delle migliori band di rock-heavy-psichedelico degli ultimi anni senza dubbio. Per questo nuovo progetto hanno lasciato alle spalle qualsiasi velleità “alt” e “underground” sfornando due dischi di puro grande rock americano, pescando a piene mani dagli Humble Pie, Spirit, Grand Funk Railroad, Free, James Gang, Doobie Brothers, dal gospel, dal folk… Un manuale di Classic-Rock fatto con un calore incredibile.

Quando sono venuto a sapere che il loro tour avrebbe toccato Roma  mi sono esaltato non poco. Stanno sulla American Recordings di Rick Rubin, in America sono molto seguiti nel crescente interesse della critica verso il retro-rock, commenti positivi a destra e manca e insomma, in poche parole, mi aspetto un gran bel concerto.

Certo, l’ho dovuto sapere da un mio amico a Bologna (grazie Emilio) che avrebbero suonato anche qui, perchè l’INIT come nella sua migliore tradizione non ha fatto alcun tipo di pubblicità, neanche un flyer fotocopiato che se lo permettono anche le band del liceo, due locandine fatte con la stampante di casa affisse nei posti dove vanno i ggiovani, nulla di niente.
Arrivo e trovo il vuoto, non che mi aspettassi il pienone ma insomma… Mi prendo un birrino e mi piace pensare che la gente arriverà appena finisce la partita.

Nel frattempo incontro Garett , il batterista. Ci conoscemmo quando venne a suonare il basso con un gruppo garage rock, i Time Flys, qualche tempo fa.
Mi presenta gli altri ragazzi della band che si dimostrano super socievoli e alla mano anche se un po’ incuriositi dalla mancanza pressochè totale di pubblico.
Effettivamente ora sono le 23.00 quasi e le persone si contano sulla punta delle dita… la partita è finita da un pezzo e non so spiegargli che stia succedendo.
Morale della favola: il concerto inizia e il pubblico in sala, compreso il fonico, è di otto persone.
Credo sia la più grossa sperequazione valore band\pubblico che abbia mai visto, ennesima dimostrazione che a Roma il buon Rock (senza prefissi post, punk, alternative, art, indie) la gente non lo riconoscerebbe neanche se gli cascasse in testa.

Gli Howlin Rain iniziano e se leviamo il problema dell’acustica (stanno suonando in uno stanzone che accoglie agilmente centinaia di persone praticamente vuoto) fanno uno show da urlo. Inanellano tutti i pezzoni di Magnificent Fiend iniziando con una Dancers at the end of time carichissima. A Lord have mercy vorrei essere in delirio, ubriaco fradicio in mezzo a una folla esaltata ma sono in mezzo a una sala vuota e me la godo con contegno, sorseggiando il secondo birrino.
la band, come sempre accade quando i musicisti vengono dall’underground sudato e verace, se ne fotte altamente del deserto in sala e ci dà dentro fino all’ultimo per il puro piacere di suonare. Vederli (e sentirli) così presi  mi fa bene al cuore!

Finisce lo show, rimango a fare salotto con loro, il concerto si è trasformato in una sorta di serata al pub tra amici, volano birre e chiacchiere, mi spiegano che in USA capita spesso di suonare davanti a quattro gatti anche se sei una band un po’ più “in vista” e che ti fai le ossa anche così, l’importante è dare sempre il massimo. Passo una bella serata: tra lo show, la cordialità della band e l’atmosfera decisamente rilassata l’unico amaro in bocca me lo lascia, as usual, Roma e la sua pochezza. Buu.

Eccellenza Sir Crom

PS

Scusate la qualità della foto, fatta con un cellulare, sta li semplicemente a testimoniare i quattro gatti presenti al concerto.

LINKS CORRELATI

www.myspace.com/howlinrain.
www.howlinrain.com

Drag City have announced that ‘freak folker’ Ben Chasny (also of Comets on Fire) will release a new Six Organs of Admittance album on January 20th.  Entitled RTZ, it will be available as 3LP or 2CD and will feature live, rare and unreleased tracks from the ten years that Chasny has been operating as Six Organs…

The tracklisting is:

Resurrection:
1. As Voyage, In Voyage
2. Bury Dreams
3. Resurrection Song
4. The Gardener (for Ryan Hildebrand)
5. Her Breath, A Prayer

Warm Earth, Which I’ve Been Told

You Can Always See The Sun

Punish the Chasms With Wings:
1. Keep the Cold
2. Last Lantern To Be Seen From Shore
3. From the Flesh
4. Distance Between Here and Never
5. Celestial Ascent

Nightly Trembling:
1. Redefinition of Being Featuring
Creation Aspects Earth, Air Water
2. Creation Aspect Earth (reprise)
3. Creation Aspect Fire

Here is the title track from his 2007 release, Shelter From The Ash:

Download!

According to SPIN Magazine, the top 25 live acts in current music are as follows:

01. U2
02. The Stooges
03. Arcade Fire
04. Red Hot Chili Peppers
05. Radiohead
06. White Stripes
07. Green Day
08. The Hives
09. Prince
10. The Dirtbombs
11. Queens Of The Stone Age
12. Turbonegro
13. My Chemical Romance
14. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
15. Riverboat Gamblers
16. The Flaming Lips
17. The Roots
18. My Morning Jacket
19. Art Brut
20. Gogol Bordello
21. Against Me!
22. LCD Soundsystem
23. AFI
24. The Mars Volta
25. Comets On Fire

I would love to hear our readers thoughts on this list, as I personally disagree with several selections. I was shocked to not find Sigur Ros and their amazing live show on this list. Also, where is Wilco, Explosions in the Sky and Broken Social Scene?

Furthermore, I completely disagree with placing Red Hot Chili Peppers above Radiohead AND White Stripes. But, above all, I think what floored me the most about this list was their placing The Flaming Lips 16th, under bands like The Hives, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and My Chemical Romance. To me that’s just unthinkable. In my opinion, The Lips are a top five live show, hands down.

Readers, what do you think? What would your list look like? I’m curious.

- Joshua Neal

Hailing from Oakland; California, Subtle are a unique hip-hop outfit. Fronted by MC Adam Drucker a.k.a Doseone, who was also 1/3 of seminal Anticon group cLOUDDEAD, unleashes stream of consciousness verses like a verbal machine gun. Supported by a live drummer, keyboardist/sax player and fellow Anticon member Jeffrey ‘Jel’ Logan who does amazing things with only a sampler at his disposal.

Jel

They begin their set with a brace of songs from their new album Exiting ARM. This is the third in a trilogy of releases, which follow the exploits of a character called Our Hero Yes including the title track which contains the chilling verse “would you skin your skull to draw its strength, would you swallow a lie to disinfect your angst, would you razorblade redecorate your arm, would you freeze a whole lake to steal you some calm”.

They don’t forget their older songs though, delving through their back catalogue and coming up with tracks like The Mercury Crazy from their second album For Hero For Fool it’s a stomping, scuzzy tune resplendent with some sleazy sax and see’s Doseone picking up one of the many skulls they’re got littered on the stage and singing to it like some sort of latter day Hamlet. They even play I heart L.A, which is my favourite Subtle song, and although they hit a minor technical hitch, for some reason one of the loops cuts out just before the “day after day after day” chorus, it still sends shivers down my spine. They even throw in a few obscure tracks from their early ep and some of Doseone’s solo work from Skeleton Repellent for the fan-boys in the audience.

Doseone

At first I think that the crowd isn’t too into it as no-one seems to be moving about. However the end of every song is greeted with rapturous applause. Cargo has no air-conditioning which means that everyone is far too hot and sweaty to be swaying around to much for fear of collapsing. I don’t mind sweating at a gig if I’m dancing around but when you’ve got beads of it running down your face and all you’re doing is tapping your foot along to the music you know that somethings wrong.

Dose chats easily to the crowd in between every song. Letting us know his thoughts on the possibility of a black president for America, his amusement at the fact that soy food has been revealed to contain animal enzymes and gleefully informing us of the people he’d like to drown in a bath tub; Robin Williams, Kanye West, and the whole of Saddle Creek. He’s on fine form and the crowd are receptive to his charms. Although as the gig wears on there are a few hecklers telling him to shut up and get on with it, including band mate Jel.

Doseone & Jel

When they first start there seems to be something lacking from their usual sound, I’m also sure that there should be a fifth member. This is cleared up when Doseone explains that electric cellist Alexander Kort was unable to go on tour as he’s just had a son. News which gets a big cheer from the crowd. As was the case when I saw Why? Here a few weeks ago the the sound is a bit murky to begin with but slowly improves throughout the gig. By the end of the night though Jel’s sampler has been turned right up and I can feel every bass note thud in my chest.

As they leave the stage I glance at my watch for the first time and realise that an hour and fifteen minutes has gone by in the blink of an eye. I’ve been witness to one of the best live performances I’ve seen this year, an honour shared with Comets on Fire, HEALTH and Animal Collective. I leave Cargo drenched in my own fluids, but a happier man for it.

Si no me equivoco, que no digo que no, la primera descarga que puse en el blog, o quizá fue la última del blog en blogspot, fue la del disco de Howlin’ Rain. Pues ahora el proyecto paralelo del cantante de Comets on Fire, a través de la promotora Noise On Tour, han confirmado tres actuaciones en nuestro país a finales del otoño.

Ganazas se les tiene a este joven quinteto que lleva dando mucho que hablar desde hace unos meses. Esta semana acaban de confirmar una gira conjunta por todo USA junto a Black Crowes y ya se han concienciado que USA se les ha quedado demasiado pequeño…En noviembre se meten en la furgo y se patearan Europa, incluyendo solo tres conciertos en España

Editan en American Recordings, cuyo dueño es Rick Rubin y este sabe lo que hace…ha editado de lo mejorcito en su sello,…Johnny Cash, Slayer, Black Crowes, Tom Petty, ZZ Top, Jesus & Mary Chain,…

12nov-Barcelona, Sidecar
13nov-Madrid, W. Ballroom
14nov-Bilbo, Rockstar

http://www.howlinrain.com/
http://www.myspace.com/howlinrain
www.noiseontour.com

SUNDAY, JULY 13th

Day 2 at Redmond, Wa.’s Marymoor Park was just as hot and sunny as the first, with only white fluffy clouds passing overhead instead of menacing rain clouds that are said to always hover over the city of Seattle. After 20 years in the major northwest city, Sub Pop knows a thing or two about Seattle weather and couldn’t have picked a more gorgeous weekend to host their birthday party.

The Ruby Sun, Photo: Brian Tamborello

Paranoid at arriving late again, I showed up at Marymoor Park with an hour and a half to burn before the second day of Sub Pop 20 got underway. I was in good company, so the time easily passed before newly duo’d The Ruby Suns hit the stage at noon. The recent loss of now former band mate Imogen Taylor had little effect on Ryan McPhun and Amee Robinson as they each tackled an array of instruments throughout their experimental set. McPhun and Robinson, both of whom play guitar, keys, percussion and sing, created sweeping melodies along with afro beats and pulsing bass lines that had the audience dancing under the hot sun.

Despite their place as the day’s opener, The Ruby Suns pulled in lots of support as their set wore on. The early birds in the crowd made their way up to the stage to admire McPhun and Robinson’s stellar set and they stayed put for the 20 minutes in between sets to ensure a good place for Grand Archives. The afternoon pressed forward as more Sub Pop fans arrived to the sweet sounds of Grand Archives’ super airy melodies and ridiculously upbeat tunes.

Grand Archives, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

After powering through their first song, guitarist/keyboardist Ron Lewis announced, “I just got a 97% on Rock Band, so I think this is gonna be a good show.” And a good show it was! The Grand Archives’ sounds matched their surroundings: sunny; vibrant; energetic; and just massively fun. In addition to staples of their debut, self-titled album like “Torn Blue Foam Couch,” the guys played 2 brand new songs just as jaunty and carefree as you’ve come to expect from the surprisingly bubbly rockers.

The energy and intensity with which Grand Archives played was matched by successor Blitzen Trapper. The indie folk rockers were laid-back playing some mellow tunes reminiscent of Tom Petty or Neil Young but also shocked the audience with some harder songs. Blitzen Trapper had a great energy that pumped the crowd up for one of my favorite acts of the 2-day birthday bonanza, Kinski, a Seattle native.

Kinski, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

The primarily instrumental experimental, space-rock quartet puts together a dynamic set that both rocks hard with killer riffs and mellows out with ambient melodies. On the occasion that Kinski front man Chris Martin lends his voice to a song, he never once draws focus from the sweeping and intense guitars or sudden bursts of sound. They ended their powerful set with my favorite Kinski song “Semaphore” (download), from 2003’s Airs Above Your Station. With a huge crowd packed in front of the stage, Martin and crew nailed the song proving themselves to be a powerhouse of indie rock.

Following Kinksi was British dance, art rockers Foals. The five-piece brought an energy and intensity to the stage that no act before them that weekend could match, exhibited by guitar Jimmy Smith’s ability to rally through the the band’s 40 minute set after having gotten sick on stage around minute 20. His warped riffs coupled with the intense energy of drummer Jack Bevan’s high-powered beats created a non-stop dance party in front of the crowded main stage.

Foals, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Foals vocalist/guitarist Yannis Philippakis remained very subdued throughout the set, engaging in the stereotypically British demeanor. Despite his calm on stage, Philippakis ripped through power chords on his guitar and banged away on a floor tom, at one pointing using the microphone as a makeshift drumstick after an actual drumstick flew out of his hands and into the crowd. Watching Foals perform reminded me of Tokyo Police Club, whose wild energy they match but whose attention span they trump.

No Age, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Les Thugs followed energetically and enthusiastically with a loud, fast, post-punk set rife with ripping and driving riffs and pounding beats. L.A. duo No Age was up next. Their performance left much to be desired, despite a Nirvana cover in tribute to Sub Pop and Seattle. While the instrumentation was on par, drummer Dean Spunt’s vocals were pretty torturous. To be completely honest, I left Sub Pop 20 about halfway through No Age’s set. A friend had traveled all the way to Seattle with me and we wanted to soak up as much of Seattle as we could before leaving the next afternoon.

The remainder of the day saw performances by Red Red Meat, Comets on Fire, Beachwood Sparks, Green River and Wolf Parade. As for Red Red Meat and Comets on Fire, I was told that their sets were “solidly unremarkable” by a source who stayed through the latter’s set. I am bummed out about missing headliner Wolf Parade’s set, which I can only speculate was amazing, but that’s nothing short of my own fault.

Wolf Parade, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Wolf Parade, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Wolf Parade, Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Despite my sneaking out early on Sunday, I’d like to extend a huge thanks to Sub Pop for putting on such a special and amazing event. To those of you lucky enough to attend, I hope you had as wonderful a time as I did. If you weren’t there, make it your business to get to Seattle in another 20 years — it’s an amazing place — and hopefully I’ll see you at Sub Pop 40.

Happy 20th Birthday, Sub Pop!

Sub Pop Records: website | myspace | SP20 photos

Hear it here. Next show: June 12th at midnight!

Dow Jones and The Industrials – Can’t Stand The Midwest – Can’t Stand The Midwest
The Undertakers – Born In A Graveyard – 13 Savage Garage Punk Rippers
No Fun – Evasive Measures – Bold Beginnings
Your Food – Don’t Be – An Incomplete Collection

——————————————————
Vee Dee – What We See – Glimpses of Another World
Dan Melchior und das Menace – Stacked Sally Plummer – the World’s Lousy With Ideas 5
The Daily Void – Man Machine – 7″
The Smiths – This Charming Man – The Smiths
——————————————————

School Meals – Such A Spiv – Headmaster/Such A Spiv 7”
Dansette Damage – The Only Sound – NME/The Only Sound 7”
Negatives – Love Is Not Real – Stakeout
Blinders – This Isn’t My Mother’s Car – Louisville Punk Compilation

——————————————————
El Jesus de Magico – Indian Giver – Abracadabra
Grave Blankets – You’ll Know Everything – Your Injured Days
Headache City – High Rise – Single
Fag Cop – My Daddy’s Got White Trash Friends

——————————————————

Easy Targets – If You’re A Planet – I Don’t Want To Think/If You’re A Planet
Jay Reatard – See/Saw – See/Saw 7”
Factums – Backup Plan – Art Punk Compilation
——————————————————

Plastic Crimewave Sound – Caged Fire Theme – Flashing Open

Comets on Fire – Song #1 – Live at WMFU

—————————————————–

Incredible String Band – Mad Hatter’s Song – The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers of The Onion
Stone Breath – The Clouds of Red Twilight – A Silver Thread To Weave The Seasons
S_T – Beissen Sie In Die Qualquappe Aus Wachs – The Difficult Second Album
Les Elite – Career Girls – 499 2139
—————————————————–

Ash Ra Tempel – Amboss – Ash Ra Tempel

So. Hab mal wieder lecker neue Musik. Seit neusten nimmt die Musik, die ich höre mal wieder mehr Struktur an. Vor ca. 2 Jahren wanderte von Black Moutain (- same) das debut Album in meine Plattensammlung. Die Scheibe hat damals nur zum Schlafen meinen Plattenspieler verlassen. Wie das mit Musik halt so ist, die man viel zu oft gehört hat, verschwindet so was dann länger ungehört im Regal.

Nunja. Neulich bin ich über Six Organs of Attmitance zu Comets on Fire gekommen. Dann haben ja Black Mountain neulich ein neues Album veröffentlicht, sehr grandios übrigens. Durch Zufall bin ich dann die Tage über Howlin Rain gestolpert. Kam am Freitag letzten Freitag raus. Damit soll sich hier der Kreis mal schließen.

Hier zum reinhören:

Black Mountain:
(altes Album)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VElg2CNpJSY
(Neues)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHxqTpK3lPE&hl

six organs of admittance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YKJKT-hRq0

Comets on fire:
http://www.myspace.com/3283128 (beim 2. lied anfangen)

Howlin Rain:
http://www.myspace.com/howlinrain

Stoner enough for fans of High on Fire and Big Business, psychedelic enough for those hoping the Comets on Fire hiatus is something short of permanent, and proggy enough for those of you who are still waiting for the Mars Volta to make a great record, Vancouver’s Black Mountain is like Lebron: it just dominates every phase of the game. When it wants to do stoner metal, it does it slow and groovy; when it wants to do indie, it does it floaty and pretty; when it wants to do psych and prog, it does it three sheets to the synthesizer. Their new album, In the Future, just dropped; acquire it now.

Imagine every guilty-pleasure dumb-ass 1970’s heavy metal riff compiled on one record. Imagine those riffs being played by someone at the start of a week long crystal meth bender who picked up his bass rather than guitar and then think what that would sound like if the drummer was Animal from The Muppets. Ladies and gentlemen I give you Lightning Bolt. This record throbs so much it hurts.

Lightning Bolt are a two piece from Providence Rhode Island which initially started as an art school project. The music on Hypermagic Mountain is so overblown, so bloated, so gleefully ridiculous that these origins make a fair bit of sense. The only record I own that comes close to this is Comets on Fire’s Blue Cathedral. Both bands pay homage to the stupid yet strangely compelling monster riffs of the 1970’s. But whereas Blue Cathedral had me giggling in a bean bag, Hypermagic Mountain is chasing me around the room with an axe. Its a relentless record that demands attention. Look I’m a bit of a fan of using my ipod as a source of white noise. I do not do silence well and even at work I always have music playing. It helps me concentrate and I get everything I need to do done faster. Usually Sunn o))), Boris, Cramps, Yellow Swans and the Dead C get me in the zone. There are only two bands that I just can’t listen to at work. The first is Black Dice (all that hyperkinetic electro-fuckery) and the other is Lightning Bolt. Hypermagic Mountain is a record of such refined power that it makes me tense. It’s also a record that has illicted the two classic Doc quotes namely “woah, small doses, small doses” and “They have a focus, it’s narrow, and they do it well, but you just  don’t really need much of it.”

I wholeheartedly agree. Hypermagic Mountain only get a spin every so often. I enjoy what they do but, fuck, I don’t need a lot of it.