KYOTY's CD Release Party

With all the craziness going on last week such as Paul Baribeau, Spraynard, Snoop Dogg and Obama in town, I didn't get to tell you all about my experiences last friday (3/23). It's a bit lengthy but it gets to the point I promise!

A while back I posted a killer post metal band from New Hampshire called KYOTY (Keep Your Opinions To Yourself). They only had a CD-R of a 14 minute long song called "Nine" at the time and I was patiently waiting to hear back about a possible full-length in the future. News got out about a month or so ago that they had finally finished a whole CD entitled Undiscovered Country Of Old Death And Strange Years In The Frightful Past. I was pretty pumped to hear of such good news until my friend asked me if I wanted to go to Boston with him to see them at their CD release party a few weeks later. Then I was mega pumped. I hadn't seen KYOTY since my first Rosetta show a year and a half ago and to not only see them play once again but to pick up their new release at their release party no less, well, that's the kind of thing I get excited about.

Fast forward to the week of the show and we learn the location is called The Dragon Cat's Den. No location or map is given to this venue in Boston however, presumably do to the respect of the space holders and their clandestinity. We (my friends and I) respected this and waited for further information (patience is a key theme in this story. Just keep reading). This information though, came in the form of an email we had to send to the people of the spot with a RSVP to the show, our name, and which band we were going to see. In return for this we learned the address and pseudo directions to the place called The Dragon Cat's Den. This was obviously an eventful start to our friday night.

And thus, let the mini road trip to Boston begin!

After getting a little lost on our way in and walking a few blocks on foot, we made it to the building with a few minutes to spare... so we thought. The show was scheduled to commence at 8PM like any good show should (unless you are Snoop Dogg maybe) but here's the thing, we got to the location, and there we walked up to a building that looked not only closed but abandoned. I'm used to things looking abandoned when it comes to shows so my friends and I went in anyways. Inside was a hallway leading to a shaft elevator and some flights of stairs of which we and everyone else at the show that night learned was seven flights of stairs. All part of the mystery of course, so we walked up the stairs to the only door that was open in the building. When we walked in - through a few more twists and turns for good measure - we came into a room with a very large but low to the ground stage and some couches. The only people there yet though, was us, the 'owners' and the bassist for KYOTY. Here in Maine, we are used to shows not getting started right away.. poster says 8PM: show might not start until 8:30. Things are different in Boston I guess because we watched as every band (All three of 'em) came in after shlepping their instruments up seven flights of stairs for a good two hours before the first band, Astronomer slowly got ready to set their instruments up on the stage made up of plywood and styrofoam (that's what it looked and felt like when you were on it, at least) and tune up.

So what was a 8PM show started at 10:30 and we didn't even see the band we came to see until about mid-night. So yeah, this was probably the slowest show I had ever been to; I've seen five bands set up, play and leave faster than the three bands that played that night at The Dragon Cat's Den! Was it worth it though? Absolutely it was worth it! In the time that I was there in Boston, I not only saw an amazing emotionally driven KYOTY show but a fire eater/dancer/flesher, The Fire Department Museum, three bands carrying their instruments up seven flights of stairs and even the mayor of Boston himself!

The KYOTY performance in itself may have been the highlight of the trip. One thing I remembered from seeing them a year or so back was that they are a play on the floor and right up next to you kind of band. That being said, they asked everybody to get on the stage and real close to them so they could shred some faces and display their intoxicating riffs to everyone up close and in personal. No smoke and mirrors.

I really enjoy that KYOTY seem to have as much fun as my friends while they play. Some folks in the crowd obviously weren't as excited as their guitarist that night and so they got a little surprise when he came hurling into them full force with his guitar. When bands make super fun and intense music like KYOTY do, I don't think they should have to hold back, and neither should the audience! I know some people that don't agree with that and they are stiffy stiffersons and only care about their image and not themselves. Loosen up punks! But hey, that's my opinion and I'm keeping it to myself.

The show was great, the experience was noteworthy (as you can see) and KYOTY killed it. Not only with their performance but also with the CD that they released that night and what my friends and I had intentionally gone for. A CD and a show to me is like a dinner and a movie at the same place if those places didn't suck! I'm really glad KYOTY has a full CD out now and so are they. Anyone who has ever been interested in instrumental, metal, post rock, riffs, heavy stuff or just straight-up good music in general should definitely check it out!

KYOTY - Undiscovered Country Of Old Death And Strange Years In The Frightful Past (2012)

I wanted to call this post "KYOTY, Boston and Seven Flights of Stairs" but I noticed that someone else had beaten me to the punch with a release party review and I couldn't remember what they called theirs. I also knew I wasn't the only one to notice the lengthy time it took for bands to start playing. I don't blame any of the bands for this, mostly because I could tell Astronomer's guitarist of the first act was also getting very antsy to play , but I don't blame the nice people from The Dragon Cat's Den either. It was apparent that they hadn't put on a lot of shows yet and I really did enjoyed their clean and comfortable space they had up there on the seventh floor of some giant building in Boston.

Also: here's a look at the last track KYOTY played that night. They said they didn't know it too well but that didn't stop them from playing the hell out of it!

Bandcamp
Tokyo Jupiter Records
Official site
Last.fm

Huak - Sleep Debt

Huak - Secret Trees EP (2009)

I feel bad that I haven't mentioned Huak, the noisy post punk a la Fugazi gang from Portland, Maine and how they also played with Paul Baribeau and Spraynard last monday night. So now I'm mentioning it.

This is their EP from 2009 and is the material that I was first introduced to by Huak. Last monday was the first time I had seen Huak since they released Yorba Linda, of which I reviewed last September. It was nice to see them again, especially after the small hiatus they were on while their Jake absence was participating in Occupy Wall Street. It was pretty fun to see Jake trying to stand in the Poland Street basement again. Jake may be the tallest person I know.

It was also nice to hear some older tracks like "Monument" from Sleep Debt in between tracks from their full-length and a new one about a friend who was tasered at Wall Street for no reason. He was in charge of the fun committee. Some of the other tracks played last monday were "Teenage Idealist", "Our Friends" and "Stuffed" for the closer.

My favorite track on Secret Trees would have to be "Sleep Debt". If I remember right, I believe I put it on the first Nostalgia For Tomorrow mixtape I ever made, which is where I got the name for this blog from. Someday when I'm a little more internet savvy, I'll post the whole mix for everyone. Every time I've tried getting it out to the world before, I've just ran into errors or my computer has crashed.

I mean exploded!

Similar sounds/acts: Fugazi, Q and not U, Red Medicine, Grass is Green, The Waldos, Metal Feathers, Pamola, and more-ish.

PS: Both Snoop Dogg and Barack Obama are in Portland today.

A beautiful event to cap off Diversity Week here in Maine.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Paul Baribeau Part 3

I couldn't resist talking more about Paul Baribeau and the show on Monday. So here's the rest of Paul's work that I have (or know).

Yikes Baribeau (2005)

I meant to ask Paul about "Yikes Baribeau" but the more and more I think about it now, the weirder and ruder it would have been if I just went up to him and started asking him about his work rather then saying how cool it was that he was here and such.

At first I thought Yikes Baribeau was a collaboration of Paul and the San Francisco noise rock band Yikes. While this is a full band and much punkier Paul Baribeau, it doesn't seem to actually have anything to do with "Yikes". Turns out that this is actually pre-Paul Baribeau Paul Baribeau before he stuck with an acoustic guitar and really opening up for all of us.

Yikes Baribeau does feature the precursors to the tracks "I Miss That Band", "Brown Brown Brown", "Strawberry", and "When You Go Back To College". They are the same tracks we have all become familiar with and grown to love but with electricity and a more punk'd up approach. I'm not sure who the other musicians are in the band or the ladies voice on a few of the tracks is. If anyone knows, lemme know too.

Demo Tape (2009)

Demo Tape was just an unreleased Paul tape that washed up on the internets in 2009 and featured mostly tracks that went on to be in Unbearable. The only track not on Unbearable is "Sand Dollar" and the track "Through the Wall" is just "The Wall".

Paul actually played most of these songs on the Demo Tape for the show monday night, which was awesome even if not as many people knew them as much as "Brown Brown Brown" or "Ten Things" . That's nothing new though...

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that once in a while on this demo there is a narrator type male voice that comes in during some of the tracks like "Sand Dollar". Maybe it was just on "Sand Dollar"... I can't remember.

Splits:

Ghost Mice/Paul Baribeau (2005)

I don't have the artwork but I do know the tracks for the Ghost Mice/Paul Baribeau Tour CD-R split. It features Paul Baribeau covering Ghost Mice and Ghost Mice covering Paul Baribeau. For the Ghost Mice side we hear Chris Clavin and the gang's renditions of  "Tablecloth", "Boys Like Me", and "Never Get to Know". On the other side, we hear Paul's renditions of "The Good Life", "Dead Flowers and Dirt", and "Ghost Mice Says" (also 'released' on 25).

The covers are pretty sick, obviously. Even Ghost Mice's cover of "Never Get to Know", a track that can really only be sung by Paul and Paul alone (like he wanted at the show), is still really fun to listen to even if it doesn't capture the emotion that Paul puts behind it.

Maybe I'll re-post this one sometime in the future with a further review for NFT's Got You Covered! Until then though, you can get fully acquainted with it by checking it out above!

Your Heart Breaks/Paul Baribeau Split (2009)

Features "Torrey Pines" by Your Heart Breaks w/Kimya Dawson whose track "Tire Swing" cleverly featured and gave a shot out to Pauly B.

Paul Baribeau's 7" split with Your Heart Breaks comes with some bonus tracks by YHB if you buy it from them. I don't have a linky for the tracks but you can grab the 7incher at YHB's store for a DIY punk price of 5 bucks, here. Paul's side of this split includes a different version of "The Rolling Clouds" (says it's "The Rolling Hills" on that site but I've only heard it as "clouds") from Unbearable.

Last.fm
Official site
Part 1
Part 2

This might be all the Paul Baribeau extra goodies that I can think of at the moment but there is surely more out there. Hopefully this wont' be the last time we see Paul on this blog or in person!

NFT's Got You Covered! The Boss by Paul & Ginger!

Well well well. I've been waiting a long time now to post this badd boy (that's right, two d's!) but it just wasn't the right time, that is, until now. Why is now a good time? Because not only did I finally get the physical copy but I got the copy straight from Paul Baribeau himself. Yep. Spraynard brought a friend with them to their show monday night and it was none other then fucking Paul Baribeau himself/in the flesh/live! The way Paul (we're on first name basis now, obviously) put it was, "yeah, Spraynard were going on tour for their new album and I basically just jumped on board last minute". And for that Paul, we thank you.

So yeah. I went to a Paul Baribeau show last monday night and picked this up. But wait! I forgot to say what this "this" is. Well it's boss whatever "this" is. Boss like The Boss. Who's The Boss? No not that Boss, Tony Danza... The Boss of rock 'n' roll... Bruce Springsteen! The release of 'steen covers is called Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Tour) (also a track covered on the album) and along for the bumpy ride and "bossing it up" with Paul, is Ginger Alford of Good Luck, Traveling and One Reason. The duo came up with the idea after the first time Ginger saw Paul and he was playing a Bruce Springsteen track in Detroit according to the end of the live "Pink Cadillac" cover. During their first meeting in "D-town" they began talking about a "Springsteen only" tour and BOOM! It happened! Darkness On The Edge Of Town is proof of this and features some of the best Bruce. I'm taking Thunder Road/Born to Run/Atlantic City Bruce.

But most importantly, Bruce and only Bruce.

Paul Baribeau & Ginger Alford - Darkness On The Edge Of Town (2006)

I've already given away some of the covers Paul and Ginger picked but I don't actually want to give 'em all away if you are a Springsteen fan and know any other song than "Born To Run". I will say however, that the "Thunder Road" cover can be found on Paul's 25 song shenanigans album which can be listened to here or read about in a previous post on NFT here.

And since I already gave away that Paul and Ginger play solo Bruce Springsteen's crime romance soft-hard jam, "Atlantic City", here's what it sounds like:

To be honost though, I myself don't listen to a lot of Springsteen other then to bug my anti-Springsteen friends. Not to mention that anytime I start hearing Christmas Springsteen, I get this nervous twitch and try to burn the Christmas tree down. Just another Christmas at the New Keith household is all. Paul and Ginger's Darkness On The Town is all the Springsteen I need anyways.

Unfortunately, Paul didn't play any of these Boss covers at the show and there wasn't any appearance by Ginger. He did play Barbarella (Jane Fonda is a hell of a thing) and meowed almost half of The Wall (I think it was).

The most ironic thing about this post is that the real Bruce Springsteen was playing at the Garden in Boston last monday night while I was watching Paul play on a kids nylon string acoustic guitar in a little basement in Portland, Maine. It's also worthy to note that I was just in Boston... also for a show. I'll get to that most interesting story some other time (hopefully this week). I just haven't had the chance with all this Paul Baribeau/Spraynard nonsense. Trust me though, It's interesting... not just, "hey, look at this awesome mixtape I found at this really awful place"*, interesting.

*I wasn't taking about this post.

Last.fm (Paul Baribeau)
Last.fm (Paul Baribeau and Ginger Alford)

I warned you there would be Bruce Springsteen. ;)

Monday XXVIII

More pre-planned than Wrestlemania XXVIII...


Goodtime Boys - Are We Now, Or Have We Ever Been (2011)

Uggh. Not as bad as it looks. Not totally hipster bullshit... just hipster hardcore. I guess.

Goodtime Boy are a British hardcore/punk outfit from Britain. They are currently on tour with Pianos Become The Teeth. That's pretty cool.

Last.fm

Solid Space - Space Museum (1982)

Solid Space was a minimal wave/synth pop, two person act from the future. They would be the hippest thing going today if they decided to time travel to this year in time. Space Museum was their only release here on Earth in 1982, unfortunately...

Listen to the track "Destination Moon" below:

Last.fm

Hivemind - MMXI (2011)

This is the chaotic hardcore Hivemind from New Zealand (not the hardcore Hivemeind from South Florida). They play loud and fast like a good band of their status should. There's even a couple of gnarly spoken samples included inside MMXI, like George Carlin's "The American Dream" speech and another that sounds like Steve Buscemi. Hivemind also has some nice metal tendencies which is really what I've been diggin' and looking for lately.

Though MMXI is a quick one with only four tracks no more than 2 minutes a piece, there is definitely a lot to hear and get behind. Be sure to check out any of their other stuff (Demo 2010), if you like what you hear!

It doesn't matter what color your collar is.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Spraynard - Funtitled (2011)

I'm pretty fucking pumped to see Spraynard tonight! That's right, to-fucking-night! The venue they were original supposed to play at went on hiatus a few weeks back and I was a little worried that this wouldn't actually happen after all. Luckily, the cool cats on Poland Street will be entertaining the local and travelling punks tonight with their space instead. Mad props to those guys as always. I don't wanna give away who else is playing, however; it will ruin the surprise for my posts later this week!

I like to say that Spraynard is the less serious RVIVR, a band that I was overjoyed to see last year at this time! Spraynard are definitely one of the best edgy pop punk acts out there today and I would even go out on a limb here and call them the funniest. I mean look at that artwork above... Look at their silly song titles... Look at who is in the band for god's sake:

spooky, scary white boys.

Even their name cracks me up. All I can think about is Spraynard Kruger from Tim & Eric's Awesome Show Great Job everytime I tell them to a friend. 

Your son's name is Spray?

Yes, It's short for Spraynard...

Spray-Spraynard is his full name?

"Spraynard Kruger"

He didn't do very good in school this year.

There will be a lot more Spraynard in the future on this blog for sure after tonight. I even hope to pick up their new release, Exton Square while I'm there! Check back in for more!

If You Make It (both Funtitled and Copy and Paste are Free by donation!) (plus their pink couch session)

Bandcamp

Last.fm

The Black Hours Review

The Black Hours is the newest release by trashed-out and blacked-out metal band, Katahdin, slaying from the western parts of thrashed-out and blacked-out New England. And this time, they brought some friends along for the ride!

Katahdin & In Human Form & Aoi - The Black Hours (2011)

Along with Katahdin on this "cohesive onslaught" (I like that a lot) is the choir metal/medieval folk rock act, Aoi from Brooklyn (no less) and Progressive black metal band from Massachusetts, In Human Form.

...

This three way dance comes with a lot of unique looks into the depths of where metal has gone, can go and where the northeast is capable of taking it. The fact that Aoi sandwiched the two other bands was a pretty clever tool as it set up the album for what's to come and let you breath before the unrelenting storm of guitars, screams and double basses comes after you in the case of both Katahdin and In Human Form. Aoi kicks off the album with a church choir of a tune before In Human Form steps up to the shredding metaphorical plate and plays about 18 minutes of raw in your face progressive blackened death metal. The unpolished sound of IHF really takes on a life of its own and is actually quite impressive. A mere 10 minutes into IHF's two songs (tracks 2 and 3) I realized how much these guys remind me of Portland's progressive black metal/death metal band, Waranimal! I'm no booker but those guys could seriously have one hell of a show together! Some kind of beach party from hell theme would definitely be in order! Throw Maine's Folk metal enthusiasts Falls or Rauros in there and the rest of the bands on The Black Hours and we would have ourselves quite the ungodly event!

The album wouldn't be complete though without Katahdin, who like In Human Form, are ushered in by Aoi, starting with a chanted chorus leading into a medieval fairgrounds anthem. Aoi settles down and in comes Katahdin like a metal bat out of metal hell, relentlessly exploiting the meaning of  thrashy black metal for 13 and a half minutes. With walls of sound thicker than blood and machine gun blasting, Katahdin's three tracks (tracks 5-7) are sure to make your head spin. Hopefully even bleed. The album soon after caps off at track 8 ("Todos Los Santos") by Aoi who play one more medieval jig before calling it good.

All three of the northeastern bands on The Black Hours come with a different approach at metal and/or folk and it surely makes for quite a listen. I'm not a big folk metal fan, but that's okay because this really isn't even folk metal... it's medieval folk rock in between black metal and New England folklore. And that my friends, is something I want to listen to.

Official page (for Brooklyn's finest medieval band, Aoi)
Bandcamp (Katahdin)
Facebooks (Katadin, In Human Form, Aoi)
Last.fm (Katahdin)
Last.fm (In Human Form)

NFT's Got You Covered! With Titus Andronicus!

Here it is.

Boy oh boy am I pumped for this one. This baby is fresh! What I've got for this week's covered material is a "mixtape" that is actually straight out of this week! It's Titus Andronicus's LLC Mixtape Vol. 1! Titus Andronicus dropped this archive tape of goodies from the very beginning of their career together as a group up until now just a few days back (monday 3/19 to be exact) and it fits the NFT's Got You Covered! criteria perfectly. Not only a there demos, rarities, and split material; there are also a great deal of covers (hence the criteria part and that it is the cover album of the week)! The covers are mostly from live performances but are definitely the highlights of this 20 plus freebie! Not that there is anything wrong with live performances. Not when it is Titus Andronicus, of course.

Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus LLC Mixtape Vol. 1 (2012)

The best finds are the finds you aren't even looking for. This sweet find is proof of that very statement as I wasn't even looking for cover material... I was just minding my own business on the dark and scary parts of the internet (internet forums, dun dun dun!) and happened to not only find a righteous release but fucking Titus Andronicus covering Thin Lizzy! Nearly forgetting it was full of awesomeness like that and by that, I mean amazing covers, I almost dropped this off at the monday post just to gloat over my new indulgence. I even spent all yesterday trying to write it all down but had to keep changing my pants in the process. You know, from all the excitement. 

Well to begin, I guess I could go over my reactions to the things I found (in chronological order). After opening up the link and seeing the Thin Lizzy "The Boys Are Back In Town" cover, which is also very new/recorded only about two or so weeks the Stone Pony in New Jersey, I instantly downloaded the damn thing. I know have a new impulse where, if I see a Thin Lizzy cover, I will either DL it immediately not matter what or immediately post it on this blog (see: The Tallest Man on Earth part 2)! For any of you in a band who may be reading this, if you make/have a Thin Lizzy cover(s), take note: I WILL INSTANTLY DL IT! Moving on... After seeing and doing that, I quickly scrolled down to find another cover. this time it was "Anxiety Block" by Television Personalities. I don't know a lot about Television Personalities but I figured there would be more cool stuff ahead. There was, but this time in the form of The Monitor outtake, "First Inaugural Address, take two", a Abe Lincoln Speech speeched by Okey Canfield Chenworth III, that "somebody" who played Abe Lincoln in Titus Andronicus's Civil War themed second album. Along with the outtake was a demo version of A Perfect Union without Abe, another version of Titus Andronicus Forever, a demo from The Monitor, a violin demo and even a remix of a demo and then once again, we get to another cover. This cover (track 14) comes in the form of "El Scorcho" by Weezer, a song I ironically started to listen to and study a lot lately!  Just one track later, after another funny live "interlude", we get treated with a second Weezer cover! I think we even get to hear in the interlude before the second cover of Weezer that Patrick Stickles calls Weezer the greatest band of all time or maybe I just made that up, who knows? "Undone [The Sweater Song]" is the second Weezer cover and sets up a string of covers right after, including "I Fought The Law" by Booby Fueller (live rehearsal), "Riot Squad" by Cock Sparrer (live), the Hot Pockets TV theme (I guess you could call it a cover... ), and a 11-lineup/10 minute rendition of Velvet Underground's "Herion" (with a very surprising and horrifying ending) before getting to another interlude and then "Waking Up Drunk" by Spider Bags (featuring the lead-singer of Spider Bags himself, Dan McGee on vox to his own song) and last but not least, "Treatment Bound" by The Replacements (home recording); thus ending the tape and leaving me absolutely not speechless. Get it, because I won't shut up about it? 

I'm sorry

Here's an easier to read list of what is being covered, you know, since I made a mess of myself up above:

Track 2. "The Boys Are Back (Thin Lizzy)" (live at the Stone Pony in New Jersey)

Track 7. "Anxiety Block (Television Personalities)" 

Track 14. "El Scorcho (Weezer)" 

Track 16. "Undone [The Sweater Song] (Weezer)" (live at the Vice Halloween Party 2009)

Track 17. "I Fought The Law (Bobby Fueller)" (live rehearsal for OWS Benefit at Shea Stadium 2011)

Track 18. "Riot Squad (Cock Sparrer)" (live)

Track 19. "Hot Pockets Theme (TV)"

Track 20. "Herion (The Velvet Underground)" (11-piece live 2005)

Track 22. "Waking Up Drunk (Spider Bags)" (live w/ Dan McGee of Spider Bags)

Track 23. "Treatment Bound (Replacements)" (home recording)

With all those goodies I've listed above, you can tell this is a definite must have for any Titus Andronicus fan. I'm not even that big of a TA fan and I love it! Maybe it's all the fun and personal interludes that cut the tape up and make you feel as if you are at your favorite band's show and they end playing their favorite songs rather than their own. I can imagine that is what a Radiohead show must be like... Except not fun.

The only thing that I don't like about this Titus Andronicus LLC Mixtape Vol.1, is that it features zero Bruce Springsteen covers! I thought there would be at least one Thunder Road cover but nay. Oh well. There's always Vol. 2, right? 

There is always next week... stayed tuned. ;)

Official site

Last.fm

[Editor's note: official link is dead! :( ] [FIXED!]

Oops!

Sorry guys, NFT's Got You Covered! has been moved to tomorrow.

Please don't be too sad.

:(

Monday XXVII

Happy birthday Tupac.

Tupac Amaru II that is.

Music:

Rites of Spring - End on End (1991) 

Very early emo from the DC area and rocked the Dischord label for only one full length and a 7". Oh, and they defied musical and stylistic rule or something. I guess you could say they were quite the trend setters. I could talk about how unfortunate it was that bands people don't like had to follow them and tarnish the name of emo by creating something different out of years of inspiration and hard work, but I'd rather just listen to whatever I want and not care about that gibba-gabba. If you really wanna cut out the fat all together, then call it punk. See if I care.

Brendan and Guy from the band went on to star in the influential film series Fugazi that spawned many sequels such as Margin Walker, 13 Songs, Red Medicine, Repeater, and The Argument. If you haven't seen any of them I'd suggest you go check 'em out. Ask your local library if they may have some of their laserdiscs lying around in the back there.

Dischord

Last.fm

Pianos Become The Teeth - Saltwater (2010)

Another band with an even more trolled genre, Pianos Become The Teeth play a mega emotional mix of "screamo" and post rock goodness. It gets really gushy and swirly all over the place but still hooks me every time. I was listening to a lot of PBTT last night and remembered that I have yet to post anything my them on here.. so here you go! Saltwater is their 2010 EP release and is probably my favorite all in all. I like to think it leans much more on the post rocky side at times especially with "All Children Make Mistakes" and the interlude. That side of it definitely tells the story of the album with much more ease and adds on another 100 pounds of emotion in the process. 

Last.fm

Zachg - sonTER MASic (2012)

For fans of Das Racist, Grand Buffet, Anticon,  and let's face it - we are white and aren't gangster so let's just be funny and goofy rap. 

I can't say I know a lot about Zachg other then he has this piece and is most likely associated with Rad Reef, "a collective for artists, and other people looking to survive life without it costing so much" because I found it on Rad Reef's bandcamp after randomly clicking through links and things. For anyone interested, I starting here. I also know that he wants to release 20 records this year; sonTER MASic being his fifth release and first LP of 2012. 

I'm also trying to figure out the name of the album. If you mix the letters of sonTER MASic around you also get MASTER sonic and A sic MonsTER. Not sure if I cracked the code there, but yeah... 

Bandcamp

Last.fm

Coma Cinema - Baby Prayers (2009)

Indie pop and what not. I noticed the name Coma Cinema once and a while last year but thought it was something else. I thought it was like Wu Lyf or Reading Rainbow, but Coma Cinema actually have much more of a listenable sound. I wouldn't have been surprised for a second either, if I saw "Elephant 6" somewhere next to the name. Don't get me wrong, that's not a bad thing. That's a good thing!

I also didn't know that Coma Cinema was actually just one guy. A guy named Mat Cothran who plays real instruments and records them on a bunch of different devices, no less. 

If Coma Cinema is really chillwave like I have read, this release, Baby Prayers surely is not. 

Last.fm

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day internet.

To distract you while I find some music related to St. Patrick's Day that isn't Flogging Molly or The Dropkick Murphys, I present you with the greatest St. Patrick's Day horror movie of all time, The Leprechaun and its greatest quotes:

Only part one of course.

I hope you enjoy this wonderfully Irish holiday and all the American partying that follows!

NFT's Got You Covered! Philip Glass with an accordion

Happy Pi Day!

what capitalism was - plays philip glass on accordion (2009)

This here is a very interesting cover album of the one and only Philip Glass, the master of all things classical, minimal and composing. That being said, Glass and his music is not the easiest task to handle. Not every band can cover a musician like Glass as if his work can easily be re-rubbed countlessly like Daniel Johnston or The Beatles; it's a very different style, a style that if redone is usually called a tribute or just performing (and usually requires a symphony or orchestra). what capitalism was is not every band (or even a big band for that matter), yet takes the challenge into his own hands, and in those hands he bares a very interesting looking foldy piano thingy.

what capitalism was AKA John Catfish also of indie folk band, Super Daughter brews up 9 accordion driven covers in homage of Glass from his extensive catalog. A feet that blows me away and, even though the songs are not absolutely perfect, you try listening to Cloudscape and then go and play it on an accordion. Do you even know anyone who owns an accordion? Come on. John also even throughs on his own spoken word sampling that is featured in Glass's Einstein On The Beach doozy, "Knee 1".

Other Philip Glass accordion renditions include "Jacura River" from Aguas de Amazonia (performed by Uakti from 12 pieces of ballet (1993/1999)), "Facade" from Glassworks (1982), "Aria from Act III of Satyagraha" from Circles, "Floe" (*example below*) from Glassworks, "Etoile Polaire" originally on Night Star (1977), "Subterraneans" from Symphony No. 1, "Low" (based on David Bowie's Low (1992)), and "Resource" from  Koyaanisqatsi (score (1982)).

All in all, this is a mighty fine attempt. Definitely for anyone who likes Philip Glass or accordion or both.  It could also be a good way of introducing you to Glass's music in an even more minimal way. Oh yeah, and it could be a good way of introducing you to what capitalism was. Not so much what "capitalism" was but what John Catfish's solo project is all about. John Catfish may play guitar and banjo must of the time but the accordion fun doesn't stop with Philip Glass, no, John also has an album dedicated to the Italian journalist and short storier, Italo Calvino (Plays Italo Calvino on Accordion), which in itself features covers of music by Nico Muhly, Johann Johannsson and Michael Nyman, and another album entitled songs for east german accordion.

Last.fm (all tracks free)
Philip Glass

Attic Abasement - Dancing is Depressing

Mike Rheinheimer from Attic Abasement is the kind of guy that does not give a fuck. he would not give even a fuck if Jesus himself came back. That is, according to the songs he sings and how he goes about singing them. With a dry, seemingly unemotional and often vulgar dialect, Mike gives Attic Abasement a little bit of a sarcastic edginess that he delivers right to your ears. Is he bitter? Is he upset? I don't think so...

Attic Abasement - Dancing is Depressing (2010)

Is Attic Abasement just a vehicle for Mike to express how bummed he is? maybe, but I just think that the dry and lackadaisicalness in his delivery is just how he sings and an influence on straight-forward, alright here we go, I'm going to sing this, kind of style made famous by guys like David Berman (Silver Jews) or Bill Callahan (Smog). Again, I'm only making this judgement according to how he sings and that he actually plays a cover of "Self Ignition" by Silver Jews. Anyway you slice it though, I have always liked it since day one!

Other notable bits would have to be the simple but laid back sprinkles of guitar and drums that accompany Mike's unique vox. And that he throws in seemingly awkward lines such as "I... can't think with my dick", "lady, I'm sorry but you married a dick", "I'm sorry about your dick" any other line using "dick" and are actually sung at such a "I don't give a fuck" attitude that they don't sound awkward at all and actually stick like glue. The constant use of lines are also super catchy. Catchy!?! That's right, did I mention this music is also super catchy? It's super catchy.

Here's his 2010 release, Dancing is Depressing. All the tracks pretty much follow the same style with some just a little more acoustic. The standout tracks have to go to "Australia" and "A Werewolf"(*example below*).

Similar sounds/acts: Silver Jews, A Wonderful, Hello Shark, Dad Rocks!, Smog, Kimya Dawson, Coma Cinema (at times) and some more maybe... We'll find 'em!

Official site
Bandcamp
Last.fm (all tracks from Dancing is Depressing are free under "tracks")

Why wouldn't you make friends with me?

Monday XXVI

Spring forward, kids.

It's monday again.

Pteradon - ¡Viva! (2011)

Pteradon play and sing some manly voiced punk rock. They can easily be compared to bands in similar vein like Iron Chic, Kudrow, Joyce Manor, and Spraynard among others along those lines. I'm really digging the pack and a half of Kools a day vox and the "sloppy and gruff" sounds that follow it.

Pteradon is the "sister band" of Shinobu, another cool band that everyone should look into, myself included.

Last.fm

Change Leopard - Gaiden (2010)

Every Change Leopard (one man band?) release has been a little different in sound so far from what I've gathered. Gaiden is no exception as "gaiden" actually means something like a body of work as a side story; "somewhat outside the canon". It's japanese and is usually seen most commonly with "Ninja" in from of it.  Gaiden is the result of being stuck inside the house with a drum kit for 4 months. Their is no mention of why the artist was stuck in the house but it obviously caused a different feel and style. Where previous pieces seemed to focus on minimalist electronic not-quite-danceable dance tempo music, Gaiden shows us a more live-drum shoegazed and spaced out upbeat side of things. Maybe I just really like the name of the project itself, Change Leopard, as it is a reference to the Japanese version of Spiderman by Toei, but maybe there's something in this whole variety/gaiden/departure of work business that I really dig!

Toei's Spider-man series was essentially a very early Power Rangers AKA Super Sentai. Leopardon was Spider-man's giant robot (zord, if you will) that transformed when he yelled, "Change Leopardon!"

Definite check out tracks on Gaiden would have to be tracks 1 and 5; "Red Afternoon" and "Airport at Dawn".

Last.fm

Laces Out - Where I Grew Up (2010)

Some more punk for y'all! This time in the form of three white kids from my neck of the woods, Portland, Maine. I do not know a lot about these folks personally or have had the chance to see them play but I do know that they sound pretty legit... rough and DIY... just the way it should be.

I'm not sure if these guys are still kicking around anymore or playing any shows anytime soon but I would surely get off my lazy butt and go see 'em. They don't look like they smell that bad either...

Jake Reiger AKA guitar/vocals also has himself a little bit of solo stuff floating around on Bandcamp and such.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

unouomedude - Marsh (2010)

Sometimes you just have to be the mood for certain things... especially when it comes to music and especially when it comes to me. Sometimes I don't like things that get hyped because they are dull and boring and sometimes I don't like things just on the fact that it's not that time for them yet. With things like dream pop, lo-fi, chillwave, dreamwave and whatever else will come next, I often find them a little dull and boring. I like things that will get me moving or (if that's not the case) get me to stop moving and chill out. If something is "hyped" and can do both for me, well, then we have a good find. Sometimes that certain hyped item can also go right through me just on the simple conditions that it is not what I'm looking for right now; not the right mood.

With unouomedude, I could sit here and wish it was more bumping and the vox were more chanted, but on a beautiful day like today were I just want summer to come so I can lay on the beach and watch the waves roll in, I totally get it.

I'm in that mood.

Also: Usually I would rag on a band with a name like unouomedude (pronounced you know you owe me dude), and don't get me wrong, this is a pretty hip band name for a band, but I will let it slide... It's comparison to Wavves and how it is the black Wavves is a whole 'nother story.

Also Also: unouomedude has a cover of The Adventures of Pete & Pete Theme! It's nothing like Tera Melo's cover but boy oh boy I still can not resist a Pete & Pete cover!

Last.fm

You can't be a sell out if you just admit you are selling out... just look at Reel Big Fish Time Rush.

The Tallest Man On Earth part 2

Nothing says springtime like Kristian Matsson AKA The Tallest Man on Earth's beautiful folk work. As I was getting lunch at a nice little local place yesterday, I noticed that they were playing some TTMOE and I couldn't help but sing along to myself. I knew I was going to post this soon and felt that I must not be the only person who thinks it's almost that time of the season again. Not just The Tallest Man on Earth season either...

The Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt (2010)

After hearing all of Matsson's wonderfully folky stuff sometime in 2010, I rushed out to get this new album at the time just to hear what he had for us next. I was a little hesitant, as all listeners should, about what he could have done to try to top Shallow Grave or his S/T and if it was something totally different for better or worse. Well, after my first couple listens I definitely didn't hear anything that wasn't classic TTMOE raw folk delivery, but did it stand out above the rest? That's hard to say. I had a feeling that this was even more polished and less raw than Shallow Grave but it also had a lot to hold on to, from my favorite Bob Dylan song "Boots of Spanish Leather" references ("King of Spain" *example down below*), a standout title track, and something we had yet to hear... a piano ballad. "Kids on the Run" is the name of the piano ballad closer and it reeks of Ben Folds Five (especially his 90s abortion hit, "Brick"). That sounds like a bad thing, oops. I still think that the track is priceless and something different from Matsson that we hadn't heard before (at least recording wise). Any who, I think The Wild Hunt is still one of my favorites, maybe just because I like to play it a lot and was the first TTMOE I actually bought or maybe just because it is.

The Tallest Man on Earth - Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird (2010)

The Tallest Man on Earth's 2010 follow-up EP, Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird is probably the most unfamiliar release for me. Not because I think it's anything less of what TTMOE is capable of or nothing new, it's just that I choose to only listen to this only once and a while so it always stays new to me. Maybe when he releases a new full length I'll outplay the shit out of this Extended Play but for now, I'll play it like it was his last.

Official site
Myspace
Last.fm

Part 1

Elsewhere but still The Tallest Man on Earth Relation:

Check out Kristian Matsson covering "Dancing in the Moonlight" with a full band on a Swedish show called "Pa Sparet". It must be some kind of game show because everyone looks really serious rather than super excited that this is happening right now. I think overall it looks really funny with Matsson dancing around with just a sweater and pants on while all these dressed up musicians behind him play a spot on interpretation of the original track. This is definitely not the kind of cover that we see from Matsson as it is not a stripped down version of the original; just him and his guitar and that voice. I still love it because this is not a King Harvest "Dancing in the Moonlight" cover but a "Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)" Thin Lizzy cover... and boy do I love Thin Lizzy! Plus it's cool to see what Matsson can do with a tune by another legendary voice, Phil Lynott.

Enjoy!

Pachangacha + That Time of the Season?

It seems like it was just one week ago that my town was getting pounded in the face by that white stuff that we have all grown to love. Fast forward this week though, and we see people in short shorts and flip-flops. I must have slept on the weather report that announced it was going to be summer yesterday because it seemed as though a bit of blue skies and sunny weather caused everybody to remember how cool it is to not wear pants and heavy snow jackets. I think they also may have forgotten that there's that little teaser season before winter we get here in Maine called spring, a very muddy and rainy season that seems to last a second but feels like winter's mean but cool big brother. I'm not going to lie that yesterday wasn't a record high for March 8th, it was (I read it in The Portland Daily Sun)! And it was a whole 60 degrees too, oh my! But anyways, if you are that kind of person who automatically jumps in to summer mode when you see a warm day ahead these days, this post, and others on the horizon, are totally for you!

Pachangacha - Berserkabunga (2011) 

Pachangacha sport a very clever punk sound that deals with many things such as not living in California, being in college, being a dweeb (a word I use quite often ever since this release), frats, and other things that we all have to deal with. Pachangacha themselves are made of members of another clever punk band,  Chalk Talk as well as some other dudes.

The album has a very summery feel to it, maybe because I listened to it a lot before and during summer last year and probably again this year, but a summer feel to it no less. It'll get you right in the mood to start thinking about the beach and riding bikes. Just turn this bad boy up and pretend you are in your swimming pool eating ice cream while watching the snow melt... or you could actually put swim trunks on and go outside and do it for real. To each their own.

These guys are "Kind of like if Weezer kept playing music from their Blue Album, up'ed the punx, and didn't suck now" (Last.fm)

Last.fm
Bandcamp
Tumblr

NFT's Got You Covered! In a Way!

After a week on hiatus, NFT's Got You Covered is back in action.

This week I have something to share for all that one could contest and say is not a cover album. Not because it doesn't have any covers in it, but that there are songs by certain bands being played my certain individuals in or associated with the group. I would have to disagree however though due to the fact that that means they are not playing as that certain band and actually with their fellow friends (in this case) to bring you a new look at the songs they may or may not have made known to cats. The example I'm trying to get at is Ryan Woods playing The Reason by Defiance, Ohio with his friends Toby Foster and Theo Hilton. Ryan Wood is in Defiance, Ohio but he's not playing it with Defiance, Ohio, he's playing it with Theo and Toby. Just like Grace Slick singing "White Rabbit" with The Great Society vs. Grace Slick singing "White Rabbit" (except maybe if Marty Balin sang it). It is another way of looking at some good music by good people (I'm hoping) with some friends than the usual ones they are on stage with every night. The three I listed above came out with an album together while touring with each other and such. Here it is:

Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods - Theo Hilton, Toby Foster, and Ryan Woods (2010)

AKA Three cool dudes from Defiance, Ohio (Theo and Ryan), Nana Grizol (Theo) and Toby Foster, playing some of their hits in acoustic form and some new ones.

For the covers, we have "Old Dead Tree" by Defiance, Ohio sung by Theo who is usually the drummer, "Gave On" by Nana Grizol sung by Theo, "The Reason" by Ryan originally from his band Defiance, Ohio, "Attraction" by Toby Foster and sung by him, and "Cynicism" by Nana Grizol sung by Toby. "Cynicism" is my all time favorite Nana Grizol song and has to be up there as one of my favorite songs of all time. With that being said, I think that the cover is spot on... almost too spot on though and to me it just sounds like the same song but this time with Toby singing it. There is nothing wrong with that, I know a few more Cynicism covers that I have to fill in that emptiness inside me that needs to be filled with Cynicism renditions by other people who like Cynicism. Ruth is such a wonderful album and I always forget it!

The originals are also really cool and exactly what you would expect from these guys. Be sure to check out the originals and their respected bands after you finish this bad boy off. You will not be disappointed. I was disappointed once. It was the day I didn't go to that Nana Grizol show. You know why kids? Because I'm an idiot, that's why!

There's not much else I can say about this gem other then stressing how cool it is that they did this and that they play some fun and simple music.

Plus it's free.

Last.fm
Last.fm (Defiance, Ohio)
Last.fm (Nana Grizol)
Last.fm (Toby Foster)

Monday XXV

More ramblings and four bands that have nothing in common; it's Monday!

Klessa - Aloha Demons (2009) 

At first I was having a little trouble with this find. What bothered me most was the constant use of percussion and other effects that are always going on in this release by New Paltz band of friends and their friends, Klessa. I felt it was a bit too clunky and much too noisy for such a project. A few more listens to Aloha Demons though and I started to enjoy the "everyone just grab an instrument and play on it" kind of friends jamming and having a good time vibe (kind of like the band Typhoon). To that degree, I started to become a little jealous that my experiences with getting a big group of pals together to jam out were not as good as what this sounds - if that makes any sense - and from there I really started to enjoy this big group of music makers. maybe it's just the fact that they have a singing saw (or at least it sounds like they do) or maybe it's how they have a clarinet, an instrument that I've seen in a lot of band's lately, but have not heard it played the way it is here. Either way it is a perfect sounding album for NFT and the Monday post, so here it is. 

Last.fm (only tag is "unreasonable")

If You Make It ("Layers")

Cathedraal - Voix Blanches (2012)

Cathedraal is a french band that likes to experiment. Experiment with what you ask? Oh, you know.. cool stuff. I like to think that these guys are what it would have sounded like if Daitro started making more songs like Part IV. With that being said, I think I am more glad that Cathedraal are not Daitro because then I'd be mad as hell they stopped being heavy and went with a more contained sound. Voix Blanches still sounds great and does have its moments of chaos. 

Sometimes it also sounds like a french Mike Patton project or My Own Private Alaska (you may agree to disagree). 

You can telecharger it for free! That means free DL!

Bandcamp

Last.fm

I keep finding myself trying to write about the negatives of these goodies I have picked up along the way. I apologize if my comments are a bit on the hurtful side, I just wanna be a good blogger and there's no better way to do that then to bury things you don't like and praise the stuff you think other people should. But seriously, I'm working on being a little less negative and sassy and a little more positive and witty. 

Wale - Mixtape About Nothing (2008)

Here's something that made me chuckle. I forgot about this album and how I was totally going to post it! 

This is a mixtape by D.C. rapper Wale called Mixtape About Nothing, a heavily influenced and sampled Seinfeld release. Wale has seen every episode of Seinfeld and is here to prove it with his first Seinfeld inspired mixtape with a sequel in 2010 appropriately called More About Nothing. Wale is supposedly a very successful rapper now and probably doesn't watch as much white boy sitcoms as he used to. I could be wrong though. 

The album features J Dilla beats, production by Best Kept Secret (oops! I told!), The Roots on a song called "The Roots Song Wale is On", The Budos Band, Lil Wayne on a song called "The Cliche Lil Wayne Feature (It's the Remix Baby!)", Bun B, Pusha T, Tre, Tawiah, and even Julia Louis-Dreyus AKA "Elaine" herself! Seriously, she is... 

...and so is Kramer saying the N word. Yep, and it's not Nostalgia. 

The beats tend to sound a little goofy and bumpin' all at the same time which makes Wales raps sound a little sillier than you'd think. Unfortunately, I don't think this is for everyone and even if it has Seinfeld written all over it (not literally), I don't think all Seinfeld fans would enjoy this hip-hop epic. If you are like me though, you will understand that there is only two ways to listen to hip-hop... ironically or not at all. Just kidding Aesop. 

PS I chuckled because of an inside joke about Seinfeld, you wouldn't understand.

10.Deep

Last.fm

Mai, Mai - Mai, Mai (2011)

Mai, Mai is a "chamber and popular music" based project by a local Portland, Maine (I believe) mulit-instrumentalist, Sean Morin. I found out about this gentleman from a show he played at a few weeks back. He wasn't playing as "Mai, Mai" but was actually in a band made up of other local musicians who came together just two days before the show. They had never played with each other before and had only 48 hours to come up with a 25 minute set along with four other frankenstein-y bands just like them that night. The event is the 48 Hour Music Festival and it is in its fourth year. I meant to mention it before but I figured if you were cool you would have already heard and went. 

Sean Morin was in a band with my home boy, Jesse Gertz AKA Glass Fingers, along with the bassist from grrl punk outifit,  The Outfits and the drummer of Sunset Hearts among other things. I'll post the full set for all of you who are not cool or had to stay home and feed your cat rather then hike up to Maine to witness the awesomeness or awkwardness (I don't know the difference) that was Clitt Romney (down below). Oh yeah... that was their band name for the night and are rumored to actually be going into the studio and record some stuff some day. 

For Sean's own music, it is a worth wild look at what this guy actually plays for music. I thought the whole, "I play the keyboard" thing was a joke. Guess not! Ch-check it!

I would mention the rest of the bands who played but I don't want to leave anyone out of get their names/information/instrument/band wrong. I have a habit of that. 

They are Clitt Romney and they are here to get you off!

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