it was just the drug for me

25.6.10

Wavves - King Of The Beach

This time around Nathan Williams got some help from his new band (Jay Reatards' former rhythm section) and producer Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven) who recorded this at his Sweet Tea studio in Oxford Mississippi. I liked the self-titled album(s) from Wavves, but felt that maybe only 2/3rds of the records were enjoyable (the other third being total garbage) but this new one is fucking great all the way through. It's only half way through the year, but I'm gonna say that this is the best thing I've heard yet. It's like Nirvana, the Beach Boys and The Descendents all mixed together.

13.6.10

Coliseum - House With A Curse

New album from one of my favourite bands. Ryan Patterson can do no wrong in my book. If you liked the latest Black Cross album "Severance Pays", then you'll probably dig this album a lot. This time out most of the tracks are mid-tempo jams which were most likely inspired by the early 90's Touch And Go roster. This is definitely a new direction for the band, but it works and I totally dig it.

7.6.10

Mike Watt: Ball-Hog Or Tugboat?

The first solo album from this punk rock/bass legend. Mike Watt is the fucking man and everything this dude has done is the tits, from his early (and outstanding) work with the Minutemen and fIREHOSE to his recent work playing with J. Mascis and the reunited Stooges. When he first toured behind this album his opening acts were the bands Hovercraft (featuring Eddie Vedder) and the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl and Eddie even backed him up on stage every night. Everyone should remember the "hit" off this album, "Piss-bottle Man" (which featured Evan Dando from the Lemonheads on vocals) because that shit was the fucking jam. Mike assembled a new band for each track and some of the other guests on this album are: Henry Rollins, J. Mascis, Mark Lanegan, Flea, Eddie Vedder, Pat Smear, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl. Longtime friend Raymond Pettibon created the artwork for this as well.

28.5.10

Free Energy - Stuck On Nothing

This is the new band from the Hockey Night dudes, and they fucking slay. Free Energy play glam rock & power-pop that basically sounds like Hockey Night mixed with Weezer and Diamond Nights and the results are so satisfying. Mr. LCD Soundsystem himself James Murphy produced this bad boy, played synths, percussion and bass on it and released it on his DFA label earlier this month. This album is so fucking great that you need to stop what you are doing and listen to these jams right now.

26.5.10

The Crust Brothers - Marquee Mark

The Crust Brothers are Stephen Malkmus and the band Silkworm. This is the bands only recording, and it's a live show from 1997. The Crust Brothers play only covers, seven of which are songs from Bob Dylan and The Band's Basement Tapes album. They also put their spin on songs from Lynyrd Skynyrd and Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Malkmus even sings lead on the Silkworm song "Never Met A Man I Didn't Like". The sound quality is top-notch and their renditions are all stellar with great guitar work from Malkmus and Andy Cohen.

Silkworm - Firewater

This was the bands first album for Matador Records and first as a three-piece after Joel Phelps was forced out of the band. Steve Albini recorded this beast of an album and it sounds absolutely huge. Guitarist Andy Cohen drops some fucking killer solos on this thing, and his guitar work overall is pretty incredible. Tim Midgett's bass throbs and pulses and drummer Michael Dahlquist has just the right amount of flash, fury and restraint. If you like Pavement and Superchunk but wish they sounded a bit more like the Minutemen then jam this.

Matthew Sweet - 100% Fun

I'm really only posting this because I'm totally obsessed with the song "Sick Of Myself" off this thing. The album as a whole is really good, full of rocking power-pop, but that song is just so fucking good. A poppy yet melancholic little three chord song with a chorus and melody that still raises the hair on the back of my neck. On top of that Television's Richard Lloyd plays incendiary lead guitar work throughout the entire song, jamming some fucking rad solos. I don't know about anyone else but I remember seeing the video for "Sick Of Myself" like everyday on Much Music and never knew until recently that Francis Ford Coppola's son Roman directed it.

The Move - The Very Best Of...

This band had a string of hits in the UK during the tail end of the 60's, but failed to make a splash in North America. Over here they are more famous for counting future Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne (who I'll always know as the least famous guy in The Traveling Wilburys) as a one-time member. This group continued to evolve throughout their existence, changing up their style a number of times (from basic R&B inspired rock to psychedelic to orchestral pop to heavy rock stompers) and they did it all very well. Any fan of the Kinks and the Who can find something to appreciate here.

Tight Bro's From Way Back When - Lend You A Hand

Jarred Warren's balls-to-the-wall classic rock band. You may know Jarred from his work fronting the bands Karp and Big Business, as well as being the current bassist for the Melvins. Tight Bro's play rock music that mixes the raw energy of the Stooges and MC5's with the guitar licks of AC/DC.

Bikeride - Morning Macumba

Bikeride play indie rock inspired by the music of Brian Wilson and the baroque pop of the mid 60's. These songs are all super catchy, witty and fun. Main-man Tony Carbone really knew how to write great lyrics and super catchy melodies (that will definitely be stuck in your head for days). Sadly, Tony died from cancer a few years ago. This album is seriously fucking great, so don't sleep on this, grab it right now.

Attack In Black - Northern Towns EP

This 7" was released in 2006 and limited to 500 copies. These three songs were recorded in the living room of the Romano family and are all acoustic. Dan and Ian's dad even plays harmonica on this thing.

21.5.10

Trial By Fire - Ringing In The Dawn

Trial By Fire were a punk band signed to Jade Tree records in the early 2000's, and just like then label-mates in Strike Anywhere, they married politically charged lyrics with furious hardcore-influenced riffing. Their sound is both hard charging and melodic and any fan of Avail, Dillinger Four and Good Riddance should find something to like here. Drummer Mike Sneeringer now plays in The Loved Ones and guitarist Colin Barth riffs-the-fuck-out in Cloak/Dagger.

20.5.10

Bad Religion - 1988-92

Bad Religion - Suffer

Bad Religion - No Control

Bad Religion - Against The Grain

Bad Religion - Generator

This is my personal favourite era of the band and I considered these four albums to not only be their best, but also to be perfect slabs of west coast melodic hardcore. They put out great music before and after, no doubt about that, I just happen to like these four more than any others in their vast catalog. Brett Gurewitz and Greg Graffin are truly one of the best songwriting duos in not just punk rock, but music, period. After Suffer was released every band tried to sound like Bad Religion, most in vain, and their influence can still be felt today.

19.5.10

Haymarket Riot - Endless Bummer

Their newest album released just last year on Divot Records. I stand by my earlier comparison of HWM, Fugazi and At The Drive-In, but this time around throw in the jagged guitars and pounding drum and bass of Jawbox. Great guitar work and musicianship on display here.

Eric's Trip - Purple Blue

The bands third and final LP for Sub Pop Records. After this Rick White devoted most of his time to Elevator (or Elevator To Hell as they were known at the time) and Julie Doiron devoted her time to squeezing out children. More of the same awesomeness from these Halifax cats.

18.5.10

Grandaddy

Grandaddy - A Pretty Mess By This One Band EP

Grandaddy - Under The Western Freeway

Grandaddy - The Broken Down Comforter Collection

Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump

Grandaddy - Concrete Dunes

Grandaddy - Sumday

Grandaddy - Artist's Choice: Below The Radio Compilation

Grandaddy - Excerpts From The Diary Of Todd Zilla EP

Grandaddy - Just Like The Fambly Cat

Jason Lytle - Yours Truly, The Commuter

When amateur skateboarder Jason Lytle injured his ACL and was unable to skate he used his down-time to form/lead/create the atmospheric pop band Grandaddy in his bedroom. Their sound is a mix of the brash indie rock of Pavement, the electronic experimentation of Radiohead, the symphonic pop of the Flaming Lips and the melancholy of Sparklehorse. Jason Lytle wrote all the lyrics/music, produced all the albums and sometimes played all the instruments as well, although the full-lengths are all the work of a full band. The Comforter Collection and Concrete Dunes are rarities collections that contain mostly the same songs (both also have the Pretty Mess EP on them) and Below The Radio is a mix-compilation put together by leader Jason Lytle of some of his favourite tunes. Jason's solo album is really great and I'm very thankful he has continued to make music after the break up of Grandaddy. Don't sleep on these albums, they're some of the best things released during the oughts.

Blue Album: Deluxe Edition

Weezer - Blue

Weezer - Blue Deluxe Edition (Bonus Disc)

This is the deluxe edition that was released a few years back. Ten perfect pop songs played by a bunch of nerds. Everyone should already know this album and love it. The real gem here is the bonus disc that came with it subtitled Dusty Gems And Raw Nuggets. All the b-sides from the era (including "Suzanne", "Jamie" and "Mykel And Carli") as well as the demo that brought them to the attention of Geffen Records and a couple pre-production tracks that never made it onto the Blue Album. Now if they would only hurry up and release that Pinkerton Deluxe Edition.

17.5.10

BOAT - Setting The Paces

Super catchy, smart and funny indie-pop from some dudes who really loved 90's rock (mainly Weezer's Blue album and Pavement's Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain). Leader David Crane was once a Chicago school-teacher, but he burned out and moved to Seattle where he started this band as a bedroom project. Fourteen highly infectious pop tunes.

The Sonics - Here Are The Sonics

Seattle proto-punk band from the early 60's who were obsessed with Little Richard. These guys were a direct influence on The Stooges and MC5 and they played punk before there was even a name for it. Kurt Cobain has stated that the drum sound on this album is the best he's ever heard (and it was recorded with only one microphone).

16.5.10

Haymarket Riot - Bloodshot Eyes

Angular punk/hardcore band from Chicago, IL. Bloodshot Eyes was released on Thick Records in 2001 and it is their debut LP. This album reminds me of Fugazi, At The Drive-In and Hot Water Music, which is some pretty rad company to be in.