acts of vandalism

For 2014 when thinking of some of my favorite things, this strange tape by a duo known as Sylvia-Rose & T.E. Berry (or Tim E. B.) came from outta nowhere and right to the front, and easily won me over because it reminds me a lot of one of my favorite records of all time, that being the superb “Nancy & Lee”.

The production is a quite bit more lo-fi, and usually the only instrumentation is guitar or an organ. Sylvia-Rose’s vocals are a bit more upfront and I’d say she’s a better singer than Nancy Sinatra was, though that’s in my humblest of opinions. T.E. Berry has a similar, somewhat monotone delivery like Hazlewood, and I like it. 

Most of the songs seem to feature only one of the vocalists at a time, however I chose to highlight this song, “Hellbound” as both members’ vocals are not only featured, but twist and tie with one another, and sometimes they seem like they are singing to one another. And not only that, it’s might be the best song, however “Sometimes (A Man is Just a Man)” might be neck and neck with that one eventually. 

I don’t know much about Sylvia-Rose or Tim E.B. except that they might be from New Zeland. Or they might not be. It might be more blues than country. Or maybe the other way around. Or maybe neither. And they may also be on a record label known as “Rhinestone Wow-Boy”.

28th Day - "Lost"

28th Day were a trio formed in California in the early 80s. Musically, they're a mix of neo-psychedelia and 1980s college radio-ready jangle pop. The dual vocals bring to mind Exene Cervenka and John Doe from X, against a backdrop of jangly guitars and catchy pop with a shimmering psychedelic aesthetic. Their sole, self-titled studio EP was released in 1985 (released as an LP in '92) and includes great tracks like "Lost" and "Pages Turn". Another one of their best tracks is "Stones of Judgement", which can be found on the '92 reissue of their record or on their more recent Complete Recordings compilation.

Recommended, especially for fans of X, The Dream Syndicate, Opal, Rain Parade...

So! First of all, sorry for the lack of posts!

Im back so that will change :) 

 Honey Bane - Girl On The Run 

You Can Be You ep

Best known for Turn me on Turn me off, which was released in 1981 after Jim Pursey, vocalist of Sham 69 began managing her musical career. However, My Favourite Songs are: Babylove; guilty ; Boring Conversations; Porno grows

Her previous bands, Fatal Microbes & Crass are worth checkin out as well.

Household - "Shreds"

Household are a post-punk band from Brooklyn, NY who released their debut, Items, back in 2011. The record's just under 20 minutes, one of those that's too short, yet manages to be enough to keep you wanting more. It has been one of my personal favorite listens of the past few years. Their minimalistic, straightforward approach is similar to other recent bands like Grass Widow or Parquet Courts.

You can find the band on Tumblr and listen to Items here.

Thee Midniters - "Jump, Jive and Harmonize"

Thee Midniters are 60s garage rock legends from east Los Angeles. With an aggressive sound for their time, sort of similar to what the Sonics were doing in the Northwest, their "Jump, Jive and Harmonize" explodes into a noisy rock & roll frenzy, led by Willie Garcia's fierce, soulful vocals. I mean, the listener can hardly just sit there with something so energetic exploding out of the speakers. Their brand of energetic rock & roll, with ample amounts of soul, r&b, and a British invasion influence, is addicting and was no doubt a blast to see in L.A. back in the day.

Their biggest mainstream success wasn't with this track, unfortunately, but was instead with their version of "Land of a Thousand Dances", which made a minor splash on the national U.S. charts. They cool it down on a great, heartbreaking rendition of "It'll Never Be Over for Me". (By the way, isn't that song just one of the most miserably heartbreaking things? It brings to mind that whole "Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?" quandary scene from High Fidelity.) Though their vocalist had a powerfully magnetic presence, the band absolutely smoked on instrumental tracks like "Whittier Blvd." and "Thee Midnight Feeling".

It's worth mentioning that they're respected for being one of the earliest Latino rock bands with a loyal cult following and some level of success nationally, and though their music mostly reflected their time—merely entertaining and not getting too entrenched in social issues when it comes to records—this aspect wasn't entirely left out of their music—i.e., "Chicano Power". They went on to influence many others, especially leaving a lasting influence on other Mexican-American musicians like Kid Congo Powers, who was an original member of The Gun Club, and later joined The Cramps and Nick Cave's Bad Seeds, as well as going on to release solo material. Tons of other bands, like Thee Headcoats/Headcoatees and Thee Oh Sees, have adopted "thee" rather than the endlessly common "the" in the garage rock world, of course following Thee Midniters' suit.

You can read more about Willie Garcia here. Check out an interview with Midniters bassist Jimmy Espinoza here.

The Vertebrats - "Left in the Dark"

I first heard this song on the Replacements' infamous The Shit Hits the Fans, which was recorded at a show where the band is clearly uninterested in playing their songs, instead opting to drunkenly plow their way through some hilarious/awful attempted covers of Black Sabbath, Robyn Hitchcock, Led Zeppelin, X, and of course this Vertebrats track—which, interestingly, isn't too bad. 

I think "Left in the Dark" is perhaps better known as a song that other artists have thrown in their repertoire, but the Vertebrats' song is an undeniable garage rock classic. The Vertebrats were from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois and initially existed from about 1979 to 1982. Their record/compilation A Thousand Day Dream consists of an exhaustive 20+ tracks of solidly scruffy Midwestern rock & roll, with garage rock and power pop leanings, recorded during that time period. You can hear the influence that they, and bands of their ilk, had on the "alternative rock" scene that cropped up in various U.S. cities in the '80s. The band, who had attained a bit of a cult following, have since played several reunion shows, mostly to their local crowd. Most recently, the compilation Screaming Like a Mad Choir consists of remastered recordings and can be listened to here.

Other tracks: "Jackie's Gone" ; "Don't Think About It" (live) ; "How Come" ; "Diamonds in the Rough"

Ugly Motors - "Sexmother"

We don’t usually post submissions from bands here. I’m up for promoting an artist if they’re decent and in line with our usual shenanigans, and to be honest… well, it greatly helps if they’re from a state I’ve lived in. Anyway, never mind that... here’s Minneapolis quartet Ugly Motors.

Ugly Motors just released their 8-song self-titled tape, which is listenable/downloadable via Bandcamp for those who’d rather not relive the memories of trying to re-spool a cassette tape with your trusty yellow no. 2. The song titles are rather lacking, but anyone who appreciates a shambolic lo-fi garage punk recording will find that their music makes up for it. The vocalist shouts things that are mostly unintelligible, the guitar blares right out of the speakers, and the sound would be a great accompaniment for a carefree summer day. The thing sounds like a demo (is a demo?), refusing to take itself seriously and oozing with drunken energy. Minneapolis historically tends to sort of exalt bands with a drunken and/or oddball sense of humor (The Suicide Commandos, The Suburbs), and these types of recordings from some of the city’s finest have been known to reach the masses—The Replacements’ all-over-the-place, but classic Hootenanny was released on MN label Twin/Tone back in 1983. (Drunkenness rears its ugly head on the opening title track, wherein which the band humorously switched instruments, Paul Westerberg retaining lead vocals while taking Chris Mars’ place at the drums. And a haphazard Beatles semi-cover appears on “Mr. Whirly”, which is credited as “mostly stolen” in the liner notes.)

Ugly Motors is rough around the edges, which is comfort food for rock ‘n’ roll lovers who appreciate an unrefined approach. (Because rock ‘n’ roll has always hit harder in its purest, unfiltered form, right?)

If you’re searching for something youthful, loud, raucous, and fun to listen to, listen to more here. Gotta dig that riff in "Do You Mind? (No)".

Marvelous Darlings - "The Only Ones for Miles"

Toronto's Marvelous Darlings have released a steady stream of singles since 2007, which are collected on the 2011 Deranged Records compilation Single Life. (My introduction to them was when I wrote a little blurb for Get Bent.) Marvelous Darlings are known as a side project from Fucked Up guitarist Ben Cook. The lo-fi, classic, infectious punk/power pop of the Darlings is quite a bit different than Fucked Up's anthemic hardcore. Single Life is a nearly relentless stream of some of the best melodic hooks of the modern era of power poppy rock 'n' roll since the Exploding Hearts. With as much staying power as a 'teenage'-oriented classic like that one Undertones song has, "Teenage Targets" just can't go wrong.

I'm unsure whether there will be more from the Darlings, but Ben Cook doesn't seem short on material for a variety of projects (Young Governor, Roommates, Yacht Club, etc...).

More tunes: "I Don't Wanna Go to the Party" ; "I'll Stand by Her" ; "Friend of a Friend"

The Sugar Stems - "Greatest Pretender"

Power pop is alive and well in Milwaukee. The Sugar Stems, made up of two guys and two gals, carry on the hook-filled tradition of bands like the Nerves and fellow Milwaukee favorites the Shivvers, and—as their name implies—they do it so sweetly that it could easily rot your teeth out. Their debut, 2010's Sweet Sounds of the Sugar Stems, found them crafting perfectly melodic pop earworms, complete with bubblegummy vocals, that end up stuck in your head whether you like it or not, including "If You Want Me To" and their first single "Beat Beat Beat". Two more undeniably catchy singles were released in 2012, "Greatest Pretender" and "Like I Do", leading up to their second record, Can't Wait, which was released at the tail end of 2012 on Screaming Apple. Watch footage of them playing "Make Up Your Mind" at Tap Milwaukee.

You can listen to their music on Bandcamp. A preview of their latest record should be coming soon.

Hot Water - "Get Lost"

This single was recently posted on No Longer Forgotten Music and well, "Get Lost" is rather addicting. Hot Water, better known as Fay Ray (whom we've covered before) were from North Wales and this single was released in 1979 on Duff Records in the UK. Both tracks ("Get Lost" and B-side "Bird's Eye View") are a great cross between upbeat, melodic punk and new wave, including keyboards, saxophone, and Sheila McCartney's impeccable vocals. Here's a better look at the 7'' sleeve. This single is the gateway that would lead to the more mellowed-down post-punk/new wave outlook of Fay Ray, as reflected on their 1982 major label LP Contact You. Listen to "Different Morning", "Heatwave", and "Modern Lovers" off that record.

Weekend - "Summerdays"

I can honestly say is that lately one of the albums that's been getting the most play around here would be the Young Marble Giants only LP and related singles, B-sides, Peel Sessions, etc. Though listening to that record a lot, I had never really thought much about what happened after that band split.

Enter the Weekend, with singer Allison Statton, and bassist Phillip Moxham and several other musicians, including some with a jazz background. The lone record they put out in 1983, "La Variete" (as well as several of the non-album singles) is highly enjoyable, yet all over the place, poppy, but still somewhat rooted in the post punk movement that was going on at the time. Most of the album pulls from genres as diverse as Latin, French Pop, and jazz, comprable to musicians such as Sergio Mendes, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Francois Hardy, and others. Amazingly, Statton proves to be a capable singer given the backdrop of the songs. Some songs, such as Red Planes, and Nostalgia do tend to invoke a bit of the dark, mysterious vibe YMG has, though sound a bit like what I'd imagine songs to sound like if they had made a 2nd or 3rd album. Unfortunately, Weekend called it quits after one album, though the influence of their music continues to be heard in bands such as Belle & Sebastian, Saint Etienne, and I'd be willing to guess several indie bands (I'd venture to guess one with the word "Weekend" in their title) have probably listened to this record quite a bit. You can currently get the CD (with singles, demos, etc) on Cherry Red Records, and the vinyl is out there as well. 

- dgo

The Raydios - "Don't Mind"

If one didn't know better, they'd assume The Raydios were a first-wave punk band. Fair enough. Original Demo Recordings is incredibly hooky power pop-tinged punk & roll, and it's lo-fi enough (but not painfully so) to make you think it's from '77.

The Raydios are actually Fifi, Fink, and Sammy post-Teengenerate. Teengenerate were a wild, loud Japanese rock & roll/garage punk band in the mid-90s who mostly played songs at breakneck speed. If you've ever seen Guitar Wolf's comedy/B-horror film Wild Zero, you've heard them playing "My GTO". (And for the love of maniacal rock & roll, just check out Teengenerate's Get Action! and their Savage!!! EP if you haven't already.) The Raydios were a more toned-down affair, but as mentioned before, created a few catchy tunes (collected on 1999's Original Demo Recordings) before Fifi, Fink, and Sammy went on to form Firestarter. Included on that record is a cover of the Rubber City Rebels' "Kidnapped".

Incidentally, they've got so many projects that I don't know which one is getting most of their attention these days. Teengenerate reformed a few years ago to play some shows. The Raydios have performed as recent as February of 2012 according to this. It's safe to say the guys are around in some form as fun, energetically noisy representatives of Japan's respectable rock & roll scene.

The Neighborhoods - "Monday Morning" (live at the Rat, May 1979)

An important component of the late 70s/early 80s Boston scene were The Neighborhoods, known for their inspired blend of punk and power pop, as well as their wildly energetic live shows. As depicted in footage of them playing at Boston venue The Rat in '79, the intensity of energy injected into the music was due in no small part to vocalist/guitarist Dave Minehan. Don't you wish you were there?

In 1980, local label Ace of Hearts put out their first single, Prettiest Girl (with "No Place Like Home" on the flip), which went on to be a hugely successful hit locally. (Ace of Hearts went on to sign Mission of Burma shortly thereafter.) It has, in time, earned The Neighborhoods a place in the higher echelon of American power pop.

The Neighborhoods - "Prettiest Girl" The Neighorhoods - "No Place Like Home" 

There wasn't another release until 1984's EP/mini-LP Fire Is Coming, which displays a slick, produced sound, but still shows the band's promise. Their first LP was 1986's The High Hard One, which has several great tracks, but also unfortunately suffers from tinny, stale production. Minehan's fiery guitar hooks are still there under the sheen, held steady by the outstanding bass-playing, though the essence of their live show wasn't quite captured on record. A rough, punky edge is given to the melodic power pop sensibility, making The Neighborhoods sound like sort of like America's answer to UK darlings The Jam. (Minehan's overall look is even particularly Jam-like in this TV performance of "Arrogance".) The band has put out a couple other records, like 1987's Reptile Men and 1990's Hoodwinked.

Lineup changes have taken place over the years, but you can still catch them live from time to time—check here for details. See more live footage of them here. Read an interview with Minehan here and watch him kill it on lead playing an amazing rendition of the Replacements' "Can't Hardly Wait" with Paul Westerberg on SNL in '93. And lastly, you can download a highly recommended live set from the guys in 1979 via the Boston Rock Archives.

Parquet Courts - "Master of My Craft"

Caught up in someone's best-of-2012 list lies Light Up Gold by Parquet Courts, a New York-based band of Texan transplants. It can be summed up as clever, stripped-down, mellow, eclectic garage-y post-punk that has tinges of Americana. Speaking frankly, it's just a damn good record. Drawn-out jams like "Stoned and Starving" are found alongside choppier standouts like "Borrowed Time". Light Up Gold is one of those albums that would make a solid accompaniment on a road trip, alongside stuff like Double Nickels on the Dime or Slanted and Enchanted. Those who like esoteric, wordy post-punk like the Fall, DIY stuff like Tronics, or quirky/sarcastic stuff from the late 70s/early 80s American underground like the Embarrassment, etc., will probably find Parquet Courts comforting.

Light Up Gold is fully streamable on Bandcamp. Physical copies are available on What’s Your Rupture? or Dull Tools.