NFT's Got You Covered - Kythibong Records

Various Artists - Décennie : Couverture (2012)

Kythibong is a French record label that has been promoting and releasing music by many experimental, freak dance beat, and math rock bands over the years. In 2012 they celebrated their 10th anniversary with this 17 track cover album, Décennie : Couverture (translated to Decade Coverage).

The album is filled with French and American (31knots) bands associated with Kythibong Records that are all covering one another's songs. For instance, Pneu cover Marvin's "Copainscabana" while FORDAMAGE cover Pneu's "No I'm Not" and so on. A few of the covers like the ones just mentioned as well as "Intelligent Horses" by Papier Tigre (covered by Marvin) are songs that were previously released on a joint record release split from Kythibong, Africantape, Effervescence, and Head Records called Hasta La Fiesta (also available for free here).

Other bands involved include: Belone Quartet , Room 204, Papaye, Piano Chat, Choochooshoeshoot, Argument, Chausse Trappe, Electric Electric, Gratuit, Le Ton Mite, Mansfield.TYA, and Sieur et Dame.


Official site
Bandcamp

PS stay tuned for a post about that new Pneu album coming soon!

Bastro - Diablo Guapo

Bastro - Diablo Guapo (1989)

Bastro was a late 80's/early 90's post-hardcore band from the hot-spot for experimental hardcore music, Washington, DC. The band was started by David Grubbs who previously lived in another hot-spot for experimental hardcore music at the time, Louisville, Kentucky where he was the first singer and guitarist for Squirrel Bait. With Grubbs' experience and the eventual addition of John McEntire (a percussion major at the time) replacing a drum machine, Bastro became a somewhat short-lived but incredibly skilled hardcore band.

Bastro took their early post-hardcore sound and gave it a twist by adding piano and horns to create the sounds of their 1989 release, Diablo Guapo ~ Handsome Devil. Diablo Guapo today would probably be described more like noise rock or math rock with its many time signatures and twisted guitar sounds not always heard in punk music at the time. Back in '89 though, I would imagine they were considered more of hardcore band with too many ideas and not enough problems.

Similar sounds/acts: Squirrel Bait, early Slint, Bitch Magnet, Sweep the Leg Johnny, Rodan, Uzeda, Shellac, Tortoise, Evergreen, and all the other bands McEntire and Grubbs went on to create music in.

Last.fm

Nine of Swords

Nine of Swords - I Can't Stand My Own Face (2014)

New York's Nine of Swords are the opposite of quiet. Noise rock? Screamo? Who knows. Either way Nine of Swords don't hold back on their sophomore release, I Can't Stand My Own Face featuring six distorted and loud under-four-minute punk rock surges.

Check it out:




Be sure to also check out their new single, "Violence" if you are digging what you are hearing... and everything else by them, of course.

Facebook
Bandcamp
Last.fm

Hive Bent - Dyaltov

Hive Bent - Dyaltov (2014)

Hive Bent are two individuals making noisey post hardcore punk stuff from Baltimore. Their new album, Dyatlov is an excellent source of your daily recommended noise with a touch of angst for added healing power. Plus, it's completely organic with none of the filler so its gotta be good, right?

But in all seriousness, this is some damn good noise rock. Maybe this duo will stop by sometime to play with the noisey punks that are all about sticking it to the man in the 207 area. Until then, here's Dyatlov:




Similar acts/sounds: Speedy Ortiz, Ovlov, Roomrunner, Pile, Vulture Shit, Margy Pepper, Multicult, Screaming Females, etc.

Facebook
Last.fm

Monday LXXXX

Getting there.

Atalanta - Tainted (2013)

Very passionate and soul-gripping screamo. From the streets of Chicago and beyond.



Almost a little sludgy even.

Last.fm

Future Death - Future Death (2013)

Future Death is my answer to a new Zach Hill project minus Zach Hill. With spastic drums, blazing guitar riffs and  distorted female vocals, Future Death are mashing all sorts of sounds together and making it work. It's awesome!



For fans of Hella, Marnie Stern, Lightning Bolt, Caddywhompus, or Tera Melos.

Last.fm

CUSS - Heavenly (2013)

Incredible new release from Jesus Lizard-like Portland, Maine noise rock outfit, CUSS. Heavenly is a bit more refined than their previous releases recording-wise as well as musically-wise now that they have An Anderson guitarist, Dan Smith on beautiful Slint guitar duty to add a little melody to the madness. Since I'm a better listener than a writer I would definitely recommend checking out the review of Heavenly in the Portland Press Herald with some kind words and an appropriate star rating (pronounced stah ratin', of course) for a local news paper judging a "noise rock" band. Just check it out.


Also, CUSS are playing a show real soon at Matthew's in Portland, but Alex their singer won't be there. They're still going to be playing but ask that if anyone wants to sing their songs step up and sing along with them.

Last.fm

Monday LXXXVI

Damnyo.

La Casa Fantom - Feed My Silence (2012)

Doomy noisecore from "the forest of Norway". Been rip-roaring since 2000.



Last.fm

Crywank - Tour Demos (2013)

At the beginning of the year, James "Crywank" Clayton released these demos for his January tour. The tour may be over but the demos are still really nice, including some solid rerecordings, and all the cash brought in from the demo goes to more touring and more music recording. Also, this demo features the new member providing percussion to the Crywank sound, Dan "The Snail" Watson.

If anything, you should at least listen to this.



Last.fm

Wiltz - Sea Dog (2013)

Irish instrumental math rock outfit, Wiltz have recently decided to call it quits. It's always a shame to check up on a band you haven't heard in a while and discover they are done making music together.

At least they left us with good music.


You can pick up Wiltz's last album, entitled, Sea Dog over on their bandcamp or from Little League Records - who have been releasing all sorts of unique music from bands left and right as of late.

Last.fm

Monday LXXXI

Part 1

Piles and Piles - Premonitions Say (2013)

Mathgaze if mathgaze was really a thing, I guess. Twinkly, laid-back vocals, and lengthy jams.

Piles and Piles are not to be confused with Pile, who are also from Mass.



Last.fm 

Two Hand Fools - Two Hand Fools (2013)

Two Hand Fools are a noisy pop punk band from Cleveland, Ohio. They also must be Tim & Eric fans as the first track off their new self-titled album is not just "Spaghetti", but "Spaghet"!


Spooked ya!

Last.fm


Vultures of Cult - SVRF EP (2013)

Vermont stoner rock/metal outfit, Vultures of Cult released a surf rock album this week. Need I say more?



Just get it!

Last.fm

NFT Classic: Fiasco

Fiasco - Native Canadians (2008)

Fiasco were a young and noisy math punk-like three-piece that recently called it quits without my knowledge.

In honor of my rediscovery of this gem that I found on Myspace five years ago, I decided to do some research on Fiasco. Turns out these guys had a little bit more of cult following in New York than I had previously known. Maybe it had to do with the fact that one of the members of Fiasco was the offspring of Steve Buscemi...

Lucian Buscemi.

The one in the middle.

Similar sounds/acts: Steve Buscemi, Hella, Tera Melos, Good Citizens, Lightning Bolt, The Homosexuals, Fugazi, Minor Threat, and other math rock but not bands.

Bonus:

Fiasco - God Loves Fiasco (2007)

Rough hardcore punk gems.



Bandcamp
Last.fm

Boyfrndz

Boyfrndz - All Day Pass (2012)

Boyfrndz are a shoegaze-y meets math rock act reminiscent of Caddywhompus, Pterodactyl, and modern day Tera Melos. They are not Japanese.

They are also a three piece from Austin, Texas that mixes a nice layer of noise on top of their pounding drums and distorted chords. The result isn't explosive or ridiculously noisy, but rather a nice thick sounding mixture that would go great on a cake or some sort of juicy pasta.

That's right, I said it; it would go great with cake or pasta.

This is Boyfrndz most recent album entitled, All Day Pass released last September.

Highlights: "All Day Pass", "Not That Sensitive", "Moses Jones", "Surfs Up", and "Closer".



Band members of Boyfrndz are also in these bands: East Cameron Folkcore, Tornahdo, Feuding Fathers, Bridge Farmers, and We The Granada.

Bandcamp
Tumblr
Facebook
Last.fm

Monday XXXXXXIX

Spring Breakout Edition.

Welkin Dusk - Born Into a Dying World (2011)

Furious blackened crust/trash metal from Chicago.



Last.fm

Trust Fall - My Thoughts Exactly (2012)

Twinkly/nood emo with a dark side...

They think they are kvlt.



Last.fm

Nasty Negligee - Level 3 (2012)

Trashy garage rock 'n' roll conducted by Portland's Sterling Black.



Last.fm

Split Cranium

Split Cranium - Split Cranium (2012)

Split Cranium will do as their name suggests; split your cranium open and pour melting hot Finnish stoner rock mixed with American crust punk down into where your brain should be located.

And personally, I'm fine with that.

Split Cranium features Aaron Turner formerly of Isis (along with Old Man Gloom, Lotus Eater, Mamiffer, etc.), Jukka Kröger, Samae Koskinen of Steel Mammoth, and Jussi Lehtisalo of Steel Mammoth, Circle and Pharaoh Overlord. This self title is one of the last releases by Hydra Head Records, founded by Aaron Turner, after the label called it quits on new releases back in September. Hydra Head Records is not officially dead yet and are still selling all of the material and merchandise they have to pay of debts and such.

It's really a shame to see such an influential and all around important record label have to close its doors... :....(

Highlights: "Little Brother", "Blossoms for Boils", "Spectres to Rust", "Black Binding Plague", and "Yellow Mountain".



Also: Check out Split Cranium's official sky mask. Perfect for this cold cold weather we've been having!

I hate it when my left eye is cold, too.

They should make official hard hats while they're at it.

Get it?

Hydra Head Records
Bandcamp
Last.fm

Kowloon Walled City - Container Ships

Kowloon Walled City - Container Ships (2012)

Here's some good stuff from the sludge metal department.

It's Kowloon Walled City's (San Fran) new 7-song album entitled, 'Container Ships' - released about a month ago.

Highlights: "The Pressure Keeps Me Alive", "50s Dad", "Container Ships", "Cornerstone", and "Wrong Side of History"

By the way, all of Kowloon Walled City's releases are free via their official site and Bandcamp!

Official site

Bandcamp

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXVI

I'm not even supposed to be here today.

Grazes - Demo '10 (2010)

Just a fine four song demo by the boys putting a fresh spin on punk rock, Grazes!

And by fresh, I mean, dirty...


Bandcamp
Last.fm (free downloads)

Dope Body - Twenty Pound Brick (2009)

Speaking of dirty spins; Dope Body.

Dope Body recently released a Split with Child Bite (who also released a new album this year) that features songs from 'Twenty Pound Brick' along with a new album entitled, 'Natural History' on the Drag City label. I have yet to listen to 'Natural History' at this time... mostly because I just found out about it today on Last.fm.



Bandcamp
Last.fm

Studying - Sophomoronic (2012)

Studying has a new album called 'Sophomoronic' (since it's their sophomore effort). Duh.

I like to listen these guys while I study. But unfortunately, I don't study a lot...

I should actually be studying right now, but...

whatever.



Bandcamp
Last.fm

Monday XXXXXII

Daymon Sicmu.

Peace Be Still - 64 (2012)

Peace Be Still are an emo/punk/post hardcore band out of Mississauga, ON. That's in Canada. 

Facebook

Last.fm

Joe Shlabotnik - We're In Your Hands, Lady Q (2010)

Last week I mentioned that the new music outfit of Little Pirouettes features some guy named Pierce Jordan. Well, this is that somebodies other band, Joe Shlabotnik. It's got that emo twinkly stuff that you'd except any good Cap'n Jazz-loving band would have. 

Joe Shlabotnik is also Charlie Brown's greatest hero. 

Bandcamp
Facebook
Last.fm

CUSS - High Gravity (2012)

The up-and-coming noise-making all-stars, CUSS of Portland, Maine just released a new album entitled, 'High Gravity' through their new bandcamp page.

CUSS played-on Red Medicine this summer at the Red Med last hurrah show and, boy oh boy, was it a nice surprise. I mean, I was already interested in seeing these guys play after hearing their demo beforehand, but I didn't expect seeing what I did. Along with excellent drumming by Elijah and some of the best bass guitar I've seen and heard by Sean, there is Alexander. He's the guy on the ground. He was also the guy rolling on the ground, getting the mic cord twisted around everything he stumbled over, sweating profusely, and shouting inaudible nothingness at the show. It was great.

These guys should definitely be on your must-see list for local acts right now if you are a fan of Portland area music and like making lists.

Maybe that's just me...



Facebook
Last.fm

Also:

Halloween is in a week from tomorrow! To get you pumped, here's a classic Disney Channel flick, 'Don't Look Under the Bed' from 1999 starring no one of importance unless you are a General Hospital or Brink! fan.

Check it out here before it gets taken down by the internet po-po.

Enjoy!

Harriet The Spy

Harriet The Spy was another one of those long since forgotten post hardcore acts that totally deserved a giant fan base or some kind of music cult following but was never the case unfortunately. Harriet The Spy was also another one of those bands that not only shares its name with some kind of TV/book/movie reference but the exact same name of one. Whether or not these guys took the name from Harriet the Spy the award winning children's book from the 60's or right from the Nickelodeon movie adaptation in 1996 starring Michelle Trachtenberg and the one and only Rosie O'Donnell - or even - weren't aware of such book and rather thought they were being clever history buffs and came up with Harriet The Spy after Harriet Tubman who just so happened to be a spy. Damn right she was... 


But yeah... who knows which is true. 

Harriet The Spy, the band, from Kent, Ohio and their only album released aside from some 7inches and splits, Unfuckwithable features noisy instrumentation and post punk, straight out of the 90's vocals (if that is even really a thing).

Harriet The Spy - Unfuckwithable (1997)

Similar acts/sounds: Plunger, Native Nod, Fugazi, Q And Not U, Mohinder, Still Life, Faraquet, Chokebore, Huak, Assfactor 4, Antioch Arrow, and... none of those acts.


Wikipedia fun fact: The pilot episode of Hey Arnold! was played during the airing of Harriet the Spy when it came out in theaters!

Purchase a CD copy from Trouble Man Unlimited (real cheap!)
Last.fm

[Editor's Note: I don't know what's up with the white highlighted text. It's very bothersome and I'm not sure how to fix it/where the problem is/why it is doing that. I apologize if it is also an eyesore for you or if you do not see it and I'm going crazy.]

Monday XXXIX

Ahhh, here it goes...

Faust vs. Dälek - Debre Respect, Alder (2004)

In 2004, the hip hop act with a dark side, Dälek teamed up with the German krautrock lords, Faust to create one of the most mind-bending hip hop albums of all time, Debre Respect, Alder. With both bands/acts taking great influence from electronic noise production and dark experimentation, Debre Respect, Alder makes for one hell of a listening experience. Not to mention that with most songs exceeding the 6 minute mark with long passages of disembodied beats and rhythms, this is not your everyday radio friendly hip hop. Nope. Not quite trip hop and not quite death rap... this is some krautrock induced, dark ambient inspired, hip hop right here. Give it a try!

Faust vs. Dälek's Last.fm
Faust's Last.fm
Dälek's Last.fm

Japandi - Decorative Duck (2010)

Progressively instrumental 'math rock' from San Diego featuring the all members of Mister Valentine (I believe) except The Unbreakable Brian Warren who went on to extra in the movie, Jarhead.

Reminds me of early Battles stuff but a little lighter on the instruments with some post rock tendencies thrown in there.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Heavy Breathing - Dogbreath (2012)

A brand new one from the P-town noise punk outfit, Heavy Breathing. Features Travis from Butcher Boy among other cool things. I have yet to see them play their songs together but from what I've heard from this release, it sure sounds like something that's worth doing.

Last.fm

Monday XXXVIII

It's Monday already?

Fashanu - Cassette Tapette (2011)

I've really been in a pop punk trip lately and there doesn't seem to be any signs of it slowing down anytime soon. Especially not when I keep finding not too shabby bands like Fashanu, who sound like their from Europe or something but are really from Durham City. The one in North Carolina, I'm guessing.

Last.fm

SPOOK HOUSES - The Home EP (2011)

I remembered hearing about SPOOK HOUSES a short time ago when I was listening to some Weird Korea stuff. SPOOK HOUSES and Weird Korea have a split together and it's really pretty good, I'd say. The SPOOK HOUSES side is essentially just this EP, 'The Home' and contains 5 sweet indie rock jams that would make any mother proud of their part-time rock star son. It wasn't until recently that I actually started to listen to SPOOK HOUSES independently due in part by the discovery of SIRS' Full-length LP tour this summer and SPOOK HOUSES as their touring partners. Soon after finding out SIRS has a new LP coming out and aren't coming anywhere closer than Boston to me, I also discovered that SPOOK HOUSES is also going to be releasing an LP of their very own in July and looks to be very promising just from the one song they have up for it right now. But that is neither here nor there, what is here is this awesome EP and these guys sounding great and how I probably wouldn't be seeing them this summer with SIRS.

Last.fm

But I will be seeing...


CUSS - CUSS Demo (2011)

Cuss. A noise/punk rock band from Portland, Maine. I had not heard of them until today when I saw the bill for Red Medicine's last-show-ever show this friday also starring the Bangor, Maine teen sweetheart rock act, Captain Hollow. It's going to be a sad day for local music for sure and hope Dan Smith and the rest of the gang the best and a fond farewell as Red Med.

As for Cuss though, I have yet to see them perform, and from what I've heard so far from this demo, I gotta say, I'm definitely going to be checking their set out this friday. Bring da motherfathering ruckus.

Eyeball this sweet poster by Jakob from Captain Hollow, while you're at it...

Last.fm

Monday XXXII

That's life. 

Pneu - Highway to Health (2011)

Pneu are a french math rock two-piecer from Framce. Along with the math rock business, these guys also have got some gnarly  hardcore, or post hardcore I guess it would be, tendencies going on. The energy and heavy/fast-passed intensity is certainly a treat for me. Recently, I've felt like all the math rock acts that I've been finding have just been going through the motions so to speak; they really haven't struck me with any significance interest or emotional trigger to a point were I'm not just like, 'eh screw this, I'll go listen to some Don Cab instead'. Pneu on the other hand have not only woken me up from a run-of-the-mill math rock coma but opened my eyes (and ears) to something new and refreshing. It also helps that they add that little kick to their music whether it be a hardcore influence of just a bit more of noise than those other bands I've ran into lately, but either way, it definitely keeps me interested and coming back for more listens. 

Highway to Health is Pneu's latest effort. It's really pretty neat. Pneu also has an album called Pince Monseigneur which is also really really pretty neat but I haven't gotten a hold of it yet. They also have a split with Nervous Kids which was released in 2010. It all sounds great!

Bandcamp

Last.fm

Weird Korea - No Art // No Trade (2010)

Lo-fi indie rock. Guess you could also call it "garage punk" or something hip like that, I don't know. Just something I've been listening to on again/off again since last year or so. My favorite track has to be "Youth Cult". It's definitely the anchor track of No Art // No Trade but that doesn't stop me from telling you to listen to it all. 

I also just noticed that this album was recorded by Cameron Wisch and Weird Korea. Cameron Wisch is a one man math rock project as well as the drummer for Zona Mexicana and before that was in Ra Ra Riot, The Medics, and Le Rug. His stuff is really good as well and can be checked out on the internet somewhere. 

Last.fm (that mediafire link doesn't work anymore... trust me.)

Dikembe - Chicago Bowls (1969)

Dikembe are an "indiemo" band as it's called these days. I don't know if I like that term very much but it is emo and it is 'indie' and those two words do make a cute little word together, so why not, it's better than emocore. Anyways, Dikembe are the decedents of another indie emo band, Wavelets and consist of a drummer, a singer/guitarer, a basser, and a pianoer. They're from Florida.

To be honest, I liked this album even before I heard the full band kick in after the intro. See, this band hit a soft spot with me by not only using sampled dialogue from Freaks and Geeks but also ones by Nick (Jason Segal's character) and about his drumset. Not only do I have a boyish crush on/for Freaks and Geeks, I've been known to resemble the young man Segal character by quite a few who have also witnessed this superb pre-Superbad Judd Apatow production. Ladies ;) . Samples of Nick can be heard in the very beginning on the first track, "Scottie Spliffen" and at the very end on the last track, "Tony Kukush". So, even if I ended up hating this album, I would still have to listen to it from beginning to end just to hear the samples. Smart thinking, Dikembe. Smart thinking. 

Despite finding this on 4/20, I didn't catch the drug puns in the track names until the day after. I did feel like the most clever hip cat on the internet when I remembered I posted "Scottie Spliffen" on my Facebook that day, though. 

Dikembe's full-length album 'Broad Shoulders' is due out for release sometime this year. 

Bandcamp

Last.fm

Vestiges - The Descent Of Man (2010)**

Vestiges are a bag of heavy and dark goodies. Like the left-over Easter candy you just found behind your night stand or the Scottie Spliffen you forgot about from last friday night. What I'm trying to say, is that Vestiges and their album 'The Descent Of Man' is full of awesome things all jam-packed in to one album and, well, I guess forgotten about until now. The awesome things? Oh you know, just a dash of descending post-rock/screamo guitars made of steam and grit here, a dash of black metal vocals and hardcore approaches there, and a kicking and stomping crusty d-beat after-taste everywhere. Still don't understand? Guess you'll just have to take a listen for yourself. 

The Descent Of Man itself is an album that deals with the complicated relationship between man and nature. It's pretty epic and should fill everyone's needs whether they are a metal fan or a hardcore fan. 

"There will be horrifying consequences for what we have done."

Stay tuned for more Vestiges posts in the future. *Hint* Because of The Cranberries cover they have *Hint*

Bandcamp

Last.fm 

**Mediafire link starts DLing immediately. Watch out!