Monday XI

Sorry for the lack of posts last week. Vacation laziness creeped up on me and the projects I was working on didn't work out. I did make this however:

I got bored.

Anyways, I hope you still like music... Because I got some:


Coke Weed - Volume One (2011)

I accidentally downloaded this the first time I say their name. I thought it was a link to their website. Oh well. At least it wasn't some kind of druggy trap government virus or something. Keywords my friends.

These guys from Bar Harbor (a nice little tourist trap town in Maine) play some kind of pub-ready lo-fi rock from the past to now. They are not a cover or jam band however (even though they probably love to jam) but more of a garage band that appeals to the kids and adults in all of us.

Also, The same day I read about these guys on Hilly Town (Maine music blog by a guy who doesn't live in Maine anymore), Coke Weed was playing a show just over the bridge. My ass was at it's peak of laziness. They'll be playing locally again though. I'm not worried. I'm just lazy.

Get Volume One for free here. It won't start downloading on you, I promise.



Rooftops - A Forest Of Polarity (2010)

Fun loving meth rock from Washington. I do not know if they still play together. That's for them to decide.

Very catchy and "twinkly". They remind me of This Town Needs Guns if TTNG didn't sing and were American. Nothing against TTNG, I just hear a lot of that laid back American Football type math rock that may or may not be watered down my the vocals that may or may not water down the raw instrumentation. If that makes any sense whatsoever. Rooftops do sing sometimes too but it doesn't dominate every song. 

By the way, every track title on A Forest Of Polarity uses the letters from the first song "Fiery Atlas". I'm not sure what the significance of this is or what that type of word play is called at the moment but check it out!

Last.fm 

Toasted Plastic - Ares Vallis (2011)

Toasted Plastic came out with their 6 song album a couple weeks ago. The drums sound a lot better (recording wise) than From The Balloon To The Moon and it's three dollars more. Its still got that "math punk" sound to it, none the less. 

Nothing else to say about that so I'm just going to write this so it looks like there's a lot more that needs to be said so it'll look better from a far but really there's nothing that needs to be read. Blah Blah Blah. Get out of me Satan. Proof readings for dweebs. I can write whatever I want... Awesome punk math noise New Jersey dinocore from outer space. The New Jersey on Uranus. 

Last.fm

Liars - Drum's Are Dead (2006)

The other day I went to see the film 50/50. In it they featured "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack"  from Drum's Are Dead in one of thee saddest scenes I've seen in a movie since The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas. I had no idea the song was by Liars at the time and once I found out, I was completely surprised. I was no stranger to Liars before this movie came out but I had honestly overlooked this album as just carefully designed noise, that is until I heard the last song on a Seth Rogen film and had to rethink that statement. There's nothing wrong with carefully designed noise anyways. (It's better than plain old carefully designed noise)

Hollywood brainwashed me again!

Last.fm

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from your pal, New Keith.

Paul Baribeau Part 2

Some more Paul Baribeau for the hopeless romantic in all of us.

Grand Ledge (2007)

Grand Ledge goes hand and hand with his s/t. It's raw, emotional and honest. It also features the track Ten Things which is an amazing song to keep with you and sing for the rest of you life! I mean it! Learn the lyrics to Ten Things (It's not hard) and sing it with your friends or to your dog or to your kid or your kid sister or your grandparents or your girlfriend or that homeless guy down the street with the rusty little pot and cardboard sign. Anyone! Just remember this song for the rest of your life. If not all of them!

The song Christmas Lights also touches my heart with little feeling fingers. It reminds me of that time when my friend's family kept their christmas lights up all year long and the line: "I'm learning how to be alone without being lonely". Spot on Paul.

Hell, I probably have a little remembrance to go with all the songs on Grand Ledge.

Unbearable (2010)

Unbearable is Paul Baribeau's most refined work. It's the most polished down album he has in his catalog and whether or not you like the sound of that, it is still Pauly B. One track even features electric instrumentation (The Wall). Oh no! Sell out!

You can grab this album for free (legally) on If You Make It, right here. While there, be sure to read their  little write up they have on this guy. Oh yeah, and check out the rest of the site too if you've never been because it's a pretty cool site filled with sweet live performances, the Pink Coach sessions and more free stuff.

25 (2006)

25 more tracks by Paul. Includes original versions of Brown Brown Brown, When You go Back to College, a song about Barbarella and Ghost Mice, and a cover of The Boss's Thunder Road with Ginger from Good Luck/Traveling. The rest of the album is all pretty much Paul Baribeau and friends messing around and being silly. Baribeau's funest album you could call it.. I guess.

Last.fm
Bandcamp

Monday 10X

Monday Monday Monday Monday Monday Monday Monday Monday Monday Monday.

shoe - Orphans EP (2009)

Shoe is Sean Gibat. He's from Morgantown, West Virginia. He plays laid back musix. This is his short little EP, Orphans.

The way he sings reminds me a lot of Microphones/Mount Eerie with a more pop/electronic influence.  I'd check out the track "The Clock" for a good example of this. It doesn't necessarily sound like Phil though.

Last.fm

Kim Janssen - The Truth is, I am Always Responsible (2009)

I dare you to listen to this album and not be even a little sad. Do it. You won't.

Kim Janssen comes to us from indie band, The Black Atlantic, hailing from The Netherlands. His soft Dutch voice is very light and wispy yet it still has the ability to catch your attention (something not all singer-songwriters can do these days... at least for me). You may disagree.

This guy sure knows how to put a damper on things.

Last.fm

The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die - Formlessness (2010)

Don't let the name fool ya, this is legit shit.

Emotional indie rock with little bits of happiness here and there.

They are from Connecticut. This is their first EP.

Let's travel up the the floorboards.

Let's sing to the curtains.

 Last.fm

Lizards Have Personalities - In All Honesty (2010)

It took me awhile to give these guys a proper listen.

Intense angsty skramz for the little punk in you. Stick it to the man, man!

Last.fm

Mouse On The Keys

mouse on the keys are making jazz cool again.

Japan's premium jazz post rock extraordinaires perform a balancing trapeze act of can't be stopped piano with unstoppable drumming. 

The band consists of three main musicians,  Akira Kawasaki and Atsushi Kiyota on piano/keyboard and Daisuke Niitome on drums. The two on keys are formerly of Japanese rock band, Nine Days Wonder. Niitome plays a much more heavy and hip hop back beat type of drumming than a traditional light swing feel. Along with piano and drums there is also fits of trumpet and saxophone that are evident in both the EP, sezessions and the full album, an anxious object. It's all really fun. 

sezession (2007)

Favorite track: toccatina 

an anxious object (2009)

Favorite track: seiren 

Last.fm

Official site

Relationship Of Command

At The Drive-In - Relationship Of Command (2000)

I once read something. It said that you can't have a music blog without posting Relationship Of Command. Here it is.

At The Drive-In is that band that came before the Grammy Award winning band The Mars Volta and the not Grammy Award winning band Sparta. ATDI was formed my Jim Ward and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. It also featured Omar Rodriguez-Lopez who went on to The Mars Volta and a load of other projects with his name in the title, Paul Hinojos-Gonzalez (AKA Pablo) who along with Jim Ward went on to form Sparta and then went on to play in The Mars Volta before leaving and going on his own projects, and Tony Hajjar who was the only member to not adapt a two part last name went on to hit stuff in Sparta.

At The Drive-In is very well known for having a much heavier sound than that of TMV. Their incorporation of driving aggression, rich vocabulary, and influence on the new breeds of post hardcore after the 90s is well known as well.

I also just found out from reading the Relationship Of Command Wikipedia that Iggy Pop not only did back-up vocals for the song "Rolodex Propaganda" but also the voice of the kidnapper on "Enfilade". I always wondered where that little intro came from...

Omar still might not be able to listen to this album but I sure can.


Last.fm
In the company of wolves
was a stretcher made of
cubblestone curfews

Monday IX

Damn, Monday again.

Dirty Dishes - Dirty Dishes (AKA In The Clouds) (2009)

Massachusetts' indie rock/shoegaze Dirty Dishes. Not a huge fan of "shoegaze" or the term but I do like what I'm hearing from these folks right here. This band has a good use of not too much dizzy guitar work and plenty of intoxicating female vocals.

They tour with Grass is Green sometimes which is chill.

I do enjoy the term "melongaze" however.

Last.fm

Enemies - Alpha Waves (2008)

Irish math/post rock. This is their EP Alpha Waves. No brainer.

Last.fm
Bandcamp

Leech - The Stolen View (2007)

Really chill and textural post rock. There's so many bands in the post rock game right now that it gets tough deciding which are being under appreciated and which are generic. Leech seems to be the former.

Thought I was going to say that they suck?

Because leeches suck...

Last.fm

NFT Presents: 1993

It's my birthday. This a birthday post. If you count back from 2011 to 1993 you can find out how old I am. Let's not get too personal; I'm only doing this to post music.

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)

The album that introduced us all to our favorite characters: ODB (RIP), Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, GZA the Genius, RZA, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa, U-God and that other guy...

This album came out 4 days before my birthing.

Still to this day it is bringing da ruckus.

Wu-Tang Ain't Nuthin to Fuck Wit.

Last.fm

Tom Waits - The Black Rider (1993)

The Black Rider may not be my favorite Tom Waits album or one I am really familiar with but it does have some really good instrumentation running through it. Plus it's Tom Waits. How can you go wrong?

The song, November is probably the most relevant song right now for me. I've been listening to all week.

Love me some singing saw.

The Black Rider is another one of those Tom Waits releases that were also a soundtrack for a play. This one being The Black Rider by Robert Wilson. Waits also provided music for Wilson's play Alice and Woyzeck. The music from each were than released as Tom Waits' Alice and Blood Money.

Last.fm

Beltbuckle - Judas Suicide (1993)

This 7 inch is the side project of Lou Barlow and Bob Fay of Sebadoh and Eric Matthews. It's a pretty sweet lesser known Barlow side project as well as a nice introduction to Eric Matthews. Not to be confused with the older brother on Boy Meets World.

All I really know about Eric Matthews (other then this project and his other project Cardinal) is his rock n roll cover of Elliott Smith's Needle in the Hay.

Do not put things in your head

Last.fm

Red Medicine

Hope Everybody had an okay ass Veterans Day yesterday!

Red Medicine - Ancient Cartography EP (2011)

Four guys from around Maine messing with music they like to listen to. The name comes from the Fugazi album. Fugazi are also a big part of their sound and influence but definitely not the only part. You can also hear a lot of influences of post punk, early 90s math rock pioneers, screamo and all sorts of jamming and improving with friends. 

I finally managed to see these gentlemen at the end of summer this year after missing them a couple of times when they played more up north. The show was super solid! I remember some the band members saying after their set that they felt like it was kind of shit show. They had not played together in a couple of weeks and there was some guitar issues. I was blown away though... If that was them at their minimal and it still kicked major ass, they must leave kids lying in the streets at their best. Even their "shit shows" are totally moving and enjoyable. To me, that says a whole lot about a band. Not to mention the raw talent that oozes out of each and every member including Dan Smith (formerly of Grunt) on the plinky plinky stick and Matt Houston (also of local legend rock n roll team, Pamola) on the groove machine and sparse vocals that are sometimes spoken word or aggressively steady over the angular instrumentals. 

Ancient Cartography is self recorded by Matt Houston and just a taste of what Red Med are capable of. Go out and find these guys playing somewhere! 

The last track on the EP features a totally epic tale by Dan Smith. I'm pretty sure. 

Last.fm 

Rough Draft

Live set from Farmington (2009)

Monday VIII

It's Monday again. Here's some stuff I trolled with my internet fingers.

Cattle Drums - The Boy Kisser Sessions (2010)

These guys got the skills to pay the bills. Kinda post-hardcore. Kinda punk pop. All around catchy bullshit. 

These guys also play(ed) with Dan Drake (of Monster Machismo/ The Dan Drake Ensemble) which sounds super rad as well. 

Last.fm 

Bandcamp

Crywank - James is Going to Die Soon (2010)

James Clayton plays a kind of anti-folk influenced by punk and outsider music. I like to call it acoustic. Whatever it is, I can handle it. It's pretty simple and sentimental (more to him than me really).  

The only thing I don't like is that name. 

If you've ever lost a friend or lover and "Welcome To Castle Irwell" doesn't touch you in some way... I feel bad for you son. 

Last.fm

Demo

Suffix - No Matter How Fast We Run (2010)

Female fronted scream heavy music from Chicago. The lo-fi sounding vox give this band a little of their own character which is always a thrill these days. I can't promise you'll like it but if you're feeling angsty and tired of the boys yelling... I'd suggest Punch suffix. 

Last.fm

Stopsigns - Buncha Demoz (2011)

Spoken Word from New York. Influenced by La Dispute/The Exploration/Listener. Doesn't really sound like anyone of those bands in particular or "twinkly" as I keep reading on and on from their Bandcamp and Last.fm. The speaker's voice does however remind me of something... I just can't put my finger on it. 

These guys are fresh and very much in the demo stages of their career. All of which can be found on their Bandcamp. Worth the listen. 

Last.fm

Autumn is years away...

Grass is Green - Yeddo (2010)

Grass is Green is mega tight. Every time I see these guys I am envious that they are not from Maine. The fact that these guys always (maybe not always but it feels like it to me) seem to find their way up to Maine, however, is still really awesome and I am always (always) thankful to see them back up here and bringing the muckerfothering ruckus with them. 

They play all that post stuff that the kids love these days with their amps turned up to 11 and beyond! 

Remember the name. They'll be back.

Last.fm

Monster Machismo

Monster Machismo - Aye Aye Porcupine (2009)

Fun and messy math rock by a bunch of geeks. Tip tapping and smish smashing.

Last.fm has a silly little tag called Wizardcore that these guys are labeled as. I'm not sure if they actually considered themselves wizardcore (not to be confused with wizard rock like Harry and the Potters and such) though.

The guitar and singer went on to start The Dan Drake Ensemble.

There is also some Banjo. Somewhere.

Similar acts/sounds: O Lucky Man!, Them,Roaringtwenties, The Dan Drake Ensemble, Girlfriends, Cameron Wisch, Zona Mexicana, Shapes Like Dinosaurs and a bunch of other bands that don't have anything in common.

Last.fm
Myspace
Stoop kids afraid to leave his stoop.

toe - the book...

toe - the book about my idle plot on a vague anxiety (2005)

toe is another one of those Japanese math/post rock bands that just has to go and class it up. They are more likely to lift you up off your feet with their swift and clean instrumentation than they are to knock you on your butt with spastic and lightning fast noise.

the book... is probably my favorite release of toe's even though they are often praised for their sophomore release, For Long Tomorrow. For Long Tomorrow is very solid on its own and deserves the attention it gets. The book is much more straight forward however and doesn't include all the singing FLT has that at first listen may not sound fitting. I wouldn't say the vocals on FLT clutters up the beautiful instrumentation but to me, it was a lot harder to get into. For the longest time I wasn't sure if the two albums were even by the same band.

Similar acts/sounds: Pele, Collections of Colonies of Bees, sgt., 3nd, LITE, nuito, té, nenem, Mouse On The Keys, and a ton of other Japanese math rock/post rock/jazz bands.

Last.fm
Official site

There is also an American band by the name of Toe that features(ed) Tim Kinsella of Tim Kinsella fame on vocals. Though they share the same spelling (minus the capitalization), I want to say that Japanese toe is not pronounced like the things on your feet. I'm pretty sure..

Henry Jamison - Telos EP

Henry Jamison - Telos EP (2011)

The bandcamp may say by The Milkman's Union and though Jamison does do vocals for TMU and it was engineered and mixed by the drummer, Peter, this is all Henry Jamison. 

It's cozy, raw, and very much an easy listen. And it's also free (this is, if you put the 0 in the Buy Now window. )

I have yet to see Henry Jamison or The Milkman's Union but they are definitely on my bands to see list (I actually have one of those here because I'm such a music nerd). I'm certainly hoping to see these guys soon enough if they keep doing what they're doing and not split or move away. 

In regards to this release in particular, Sailor Boy has to be my favorite track. It sounds just like a rejected anthem from the original Wicker Man film (Not to say it could not fit in the Nic Cage version). The way he sings and strums just has that spring time/may day induction tone like Appendix Out (Alasdair Roberts) if I had to compare. Good stuff right here.

More similar acts/sounds: Aleric Nez, Good Kids Sprouting Horns, Mango Floss,  Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Jacob Augustine, Jeff Beam and overs.

Henry Jamison may only be a year or so in to the Portland Music scene since moving up here from Vermont but I conceder him and the rest of The Union very much a staple of the current music talent here in Portland and all over Maine. 

Don Caballero - American Don

Don Caballero - American Don (2000)

American Don is Don Cab's final album before Ian Williams split. Williams is now making the big bucks in experimentally prog and radio friendly "math rock" band Battles. Maybe I'm bitter in saying that since they found themselves small fame but come on, Battles did lend their music out to one of the Twilight flicks... and just recently to some video game of some sport they play in England called soccer.

Williams may have traded his hip points in but his talent should not be overlooked. This guy can play the guitar like no one's business! Twinkling and tapping and all that fun stuff. American Don and the rest of Williams efforts with drum master and possibly prick Damon Che is very enjoyable not just for math rock fans but any enthusiast of jazz or music theory.

American Don was recorded by Steve Albini (Big Black/Shellac/Rapeman) and released on Touch and Go Records.

After American Don and the departure of Ian Williams, Don Cab was signed to Relapse and picked up a heavier sound like that of  fellow label mates of the time, Dysrhythmia. Damon Che continued with Don Caballero as the only constant member.

I always thought Don Caballero were one of those instrumental bands that had too much time on there hands since they didn't have to write any lyrics (with the exception of Punkgasm) and got to focus all their free time on really obscure song titles instead. "Fire Back About Your New Baby's Sex", "Details on How to Get ICEMAN on Your License Plate", "A Lot of People Tell Me I Have a Fake British Accent", and "Let's Face It Pal, You Didn't Need That Eye Surgery" are just a few examples from American Don. They're like those inside jokes that you'll never get because 'you just had to have been there I guess'.

Similar acts/sounds: Battles, Stress & Storm, Bellini, Sleeping People, toe, Hella, Dysrhythmia and more.
Myspace
Touch and Go Records
Relapse