NFT's Most Interesting Releases of 2014

A little late but 2015 can wait! Here's some stuff from last year you may not have heard.

Idylls - Prayer For Terrene

Prayer For Terrene is an off the walls and almost John Zorn-esque hardcore album from Australia's Idylls. The album includes two tracks that were rerecorded from Idylls' 2013 release Indian Circle, but it's hard to notice them without looking at the titles as the tracks have been polished up and sound much fuller. After all, this album did take Kurt Ballou and a whole engineering team to get the noise that is Prayer For Terrene just right. All in all, this album is sure to open your eyes as much as it does pry open your ears. It's certainly not for everyone but if you are a fan of overly aggressive and noisy hardcore this is a trip worth taking.

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Bandcamp
Last.fm

Dog / Big Neck Police - Split

From my notes it looks like New York for one reason or another was putting out bands that were catching my attention the most in 2014. While I had heard about Big Neck Police through blogs like Gimme Tinnitus, I actually heard the other half of this album, Dog, through word of mouth. When I went looking for a band with such a simple name, I came up empty-handed. Luckily, I just checked back in with Big Neck Police in November and found this incredibly interesting split with both cats... err, I mean dogs. These two bands almost sound more like they belong in the Washington, DC Dischord days with the way they use their guitars like little knives guarding obscure vocals.

Big Neck Police's side:
Dog's side:

Facebook (BNP)
Last.fm (BNP)
Last.fm (Dog)


Family Planning - John Wayne Frankenstein

Some more obscure music... this time from my home state of Maine. Family Planning is Billy Carr's full band now featuring Jesse Heasly on bass and Peter McLaughlin on every inch of the drum kit he could find. What makes John Wayne Frankenstein so interesting to me is how eerily addictive I find Carr's vocals. Reminding me of the mysteries that were my cousin's house or how to eat with my mouth closed, this album brings me back memories I haven't thought up in years.


John Wayne Frankenstein was one of a few albums from Portland that was released on Peter McLaughlin's very cool new record label, Pretty Purgatory. Check out that label and the "pledge" system that goes along with it!

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Last.fm

Salem's Pot - ..Lurar ut dig på prärien

While Salem's Pot wasn't the only Sabbath worshiping band to release lengthy epics this year - I'm looking at a you, Pallbearer - Salem's Pot are, as you can probably guess from the name, a bit more on the psychedelic side. With that advantage and the obvious influence of early doom music, Salem Pot probably make the most interesting Sabbath-inspired music today.



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Last.fm

Jizue - Shiori

If you were like me this year the most Jazz you listened to was that jazz-drum-solo Birdman soundtrack. I did however listen to Jizue of Japan's new release Shiori, which might not have been straight jazz, but included everything from jazzy math rock to coffee house pop to math rap. Some of what Jizue might sound like Mouse on the Keys at first as it's heavily piano-driven math rock, but where Mouse on the Keys tends to be a bit stomp-y, Jizue is much more light on their feet (ex. "Wind"). Still, Jizue are not playing around, this is not feathery or lightweight music by any stretch of the imagination.

Shiori features Shing02 (who rapped on the Samurai Champloo intro by Nujabes) and Ikkyu Nakajima (from Tricot).

Last.fm

NFT's Got You Covered... In Pizza with Macaulay Culkin as The Velvet Underground of Pizza

The Pizza Underground - The Pizza Underground Demo (2013)

This particular demo has been getting a lot of attention online, and for good reason. This is the best news we've heard about Macaulay Culkin in ages and just as good news for pizza, though I feel pizza had a pretty good 2013 - I mean, not Yeezy good - but pretty fair. So, what is it? It's Macaulay Culkin and his band playing some Velvet Underground songs a la pizza... It's The Pizza Underground!

The demo consists of one song that is made up of a few Velvet Underground-turned-pizza tunes such as, "All the Pizza Parties" ("All Tomorrow's Parties"), "I'm Waiting for Delivery Man" ("I'm Waiting for My Man"), the late Lou Reed's "Take a Bite on the Wild Side" ("Take a Walk on the Wild Side), and my personal favorite, "Cheese Days" (Nico's "These Days").


So cheesy. So delicious. Grab it and go!

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Monday XXXXXXII - Interesting Albums of 2012

Here are some sweet/interesting/underrated releases of 2012:

Wife - Stoic EP (2012)

The thing that makes this seemingly dragcore/snoozetronic (words I made up of course) release by some band called WIFE actually really awesome is that this is a side project by James Kelly of Altar of Plagues - one of those atmospheric black metal bands that normal people can get into. What makes that better than if Kelly was some bump of the street who was mistakenly picked up as a rising indie rock star that both Pitchfork and MTV adore? Maybe the fact that Kelly genuinely has an interest in electronic music. I'm not just saying that because that's what his Last.fm says either; I can hear it in Wife and his debut EP, 'Stoic'. I can tell that this young musician is experimenting with electronic music the way people have been for a few years now - with dark bass and slow but lingering beeps and blips - the thing that Kelly is doing differently however, is simple really; He's doing it right.

Highlights: all of it; it's only five songs. "Bodies" is my current favorite though:

Last.fm

Sneeze - I'm Going To Kill Myself (2012)

Really the only reason I've been holding on to this release until now is the title. Maybe it's a reference to The Royal Tenenbaums or some sort of dark joke, but I'm not too into it. What's inside, 'I'm Going To Kill Myself' however is a different story. It's filled with some pretty interesting grunge-y type punk rock stuff that was hiding from the 90's and just now ready for proper listening. 

I'm not going to say they sound like Nirvana even though I wrote they were "grunge-y" because there really isn't such a thing in this day and age. I will say this though, if Kurt Cobain was still alive this would probably make his AOTY list. 

It's definitely an album I had to come back to a lot this year. It's a mega grower.

Highlights: "Canker", "Park Her Road", and "Red Bullgirls"

Sneeze are from Allston. Mass.

Last.fm

Old Gray - Everything I Let Go & The Things I Refuse To (2012)

There's not too much I have to say about Old Gray's new release, 'Everything I Let Go & The Things I Refuse To' other than the fact that if it was released earlier in the year I would have been all over it.

Old Gray say they have moved past their old sound of midwest emo as well as past problems, past memories, and from past regrets. For better or for worse, this is their new sound.

The highlight of this album definitely has to be the last track, entitled "Six Years". It features a sample from the pilot episode of one an all time favorite show of mine, Freaks and Geeks. It's also really really sad. Yes really two really's.



Last.fm

Diamond Rugs - Diamond Rugs (2012)

Initially hearing that Dead Confederate's Hardy Morris was going to team up with John McCauley of Deer Tick, I was pretty much all ears. I had no idea that along with members of Black Lip, Los Lobos, and Six Finger Satellite, Diamond Rugs was actually going to be one of the silliest indie rock supergroups ever conceived. Don't let that word "silly" confuse you though, this is still a pretty awesome listen once you get past the fact that these seemingly serious bands like Dead Confederate and Deer Tick are now playing songs about boobs and beer.

I'm not complaining.

The origin of Diamond Rugs was a way for John McCauley to play with one of his favorite bands, Los Lobos. After gathering up all sorts of musicians along the way, Diamond Rugs actually started to look not too shabby and with every member contributing their own songs and ideas - it really isn't too shabby.

All in all, you can tell these musicians came together and just had some fun. It's a nice treat to hear all sorts of different sounds coming together and with the same goal in mind. That goal being boobs and beer of course.

Highlights: "Gimme a Beer", "Country Mile", "Blue Mountains", and "Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant"

NSFW "Blue Mountains" music video:

Soundcloud stream:



Last.fm

Monday XXXXXVIII

Despite lots of hip places/sites/magazines posting their best-of lists and stuff, I am waiting until after the holidays just as I did last year.

For those who can't wait though, here are some honorary mentions:

Adventures - Adventures 7" (2012)

Adventures is the name of the Reba Meyers-fronted Code Orange Kids side project. It's really good. Like really really good. 

"Like Seed" is currently my favorite track from this four track 7incher. 

Reba has an awesome singing voice that is both rough and smooth. I would have to say, out of the female fronted releases that came out this year i.e. Traveling, Slingshot Dakota, Lemuria, Cerce and Hop Along, Reba and Adventures takes the cake. That's definitely saying something.

Last.fm (scrobbles to "The" Adventues... watch out!)

The Devil and a Penny - C. (2012)

The Devil and a Penny were so impressive when I saw them last spring. So impressive that I can't get over how much different they sounded live than they do on their recordings. That energy and catchiness I heard live is not captured the same way here on 'C.'. It's a gift and a curse that I saw them I guess. None the less, I must give this album an honorary mention and a high recommendation. They deserve it!

Last.fm

The Guru - Go Easy (2012)

I feel bad that I haven't given The Guru's new release, 'Go Easy' a proper review of its own, (it was high up there on my agenda too) but with finals coming up and all that nonesense, I must place it here for now. 

The Guru had a tough task of following up with another album after releasing the super catchy and fun magic-carpet-ride-on-fire, 'Native Sun' just last year, but 'Go Easy' is still a stellar sophomore album. Is it as good as 'Native Sun'? Ehh maybe - maybe not - but that's not really what's important. What's important is that they still have that disco-rock-whatever sound that got me interested in their sound to began with and tried a little less to sound just like Modest Mouse. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a fan of Modest Mouse... It's just, these guys aren't Modest Mouse... They're The Guru. And I believe this album really shows that they aren't just being a Modest Mouse-sounding band, they are a band making their own catchy music that is very much their own. 

...And fun!

I was also meaning to mention that these guys were giving both 'Native Sun' and 'Go Easy' away for free this weekend but by the time I found out, it was just too late. Sorry about that...

Last.fm (avaliable for scrobbling on Spotify under "Guru"...)


Stay tuned for more honorary mentions coming soon.

NFT's Got You Covered: Minor Threat + Misfits

Who says Halloween's over? Here are some more (short and sweet but hopefully not stale) treats:

Extra Happy Ghost!!! - Hippie Depression (2012)

The Canadian psychedelic lo-fi pop project known as Extra Happy Ghost!!! Released (technically not released yet) this new little digital 7'' featuring two tracks. One of the tracks is a Minor Threat cover... It's "Filler" and I'm not sure what I think of it just yet. It's definitely not your average cut/copy cover so I reward the band for that. Anyways, give it a try along with the first track, an original, called "Choke Me Out Against the Wall". Maybe you'll like it, I don't know.



Last.fm

Stalker Texas Ranger - Misfits Cover EP (2009)

Five short 8-bit Misfits' covers. The Misfits songs cover (in order) are: "Hybrid Moments", "Angelfuck", "Attitude", "Skulls", and the ever-twisted, "Last Caress".



Disclaimer: all tracks are instrumental.

Last.fm

Monday XXXVII

Happy Memorial Day, America!

Always keeping it real!

Japandroids - Post-Nothing (2009)

Canadian lol-fi garage rock about getting a ride to Bikini Island to kiss some french girls, worrying about dying, girls being as cold as the North Pole (they know because they've been there), and then quitting girls all together.

The hype ship has pretty much set sail on this album since its blog-talkative release in 2009, but I still like to listen to it. It surely hasn't lost any relevancy with me yet.

Oh, and I guess they have a new album... I don't know.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Halfway to Holland - Discography

Halfway to Holland is pre-Algernon Cadwallader, a band I was fortunate enough to see the other night. If you know Algernon Cadwallader then this is a little more emo and with a bit more Blink 182 pop punk flare. If you don't know Algernon Cadwallader, you should check them out first. I'm not saying the prequel isn't as good as the sequel, it's just, you will get a good kick out of this a little more if you heard what they became. If that makes any sense.

My favorite track has to be, "It Comes With the Territory" which features the voice of Bill Murray from the almost perfect movie for this time of year, Meatballs (and Sexual Awareness Week). Give it a go!

By the way, Algernon were totally awesome and played up a storm as much as they could for how late it got when they finally were on. That also meant they couldn't play as many songs as I hoped they would. Plus, Pachangacha just had to show up and steal the whole show. Also, I felt a little bad afterwards about not grabbing up any of Algernon Cadwallader's merch or meeting them after the show but I had only just learned Chalk Talk's side project (that's Pachangacha) would be playing with them the night before. So yeah, I got a little overzealous about that. Algernon was still great though, don't get me wrong. The show actually went so well that I would have to say it was better than Men in Black 3. Yep, you heard it here first; Algernon Cadwallader live is better than Men in Black 3 at the drive-ins. Men in Black 1 and 2 would be different story of course.

Last.fm

The Devil and a Penny - Roots. (2011)

Along with Algernon Cadwallader, Pachangacha, and the local pop punk rarity Laces Out, there was also a band on the bill called The Devil and a Penny and when I asked around about them no one seemed to know who they were, not even the other musicians that were playing last night. So when I went down to see them (since it was a house show at a punk house), I was kind of surprised to find five pretty diverse looking people with instruments at hand. The singer in particular reminded me of Hardy Morris of Dead Confederate though when he began to sing it sounded almost like he was going for a Bradford Cox of Deerhunter (and Atlas Sound) impression. But the music going on behind him did not just sound like drowned out indie rock with reverb to go along with reverb. No, actually the accompaniment of the four other normal looking characters were actually playing some groovy beats and noodly riffage. All in all, these mysterious guys (and gal on the bass), where quite the surprise and definitely kept me entertained. I was always interested in hearing what that had to play next.

"Roots." is not necessarily a good example of what I had seen of The Devil and a Penny but more of the blueprints of probably what started as one of the musician's little hobby and now is a full-fledged band with full-fledged sound. The recordings that I've heard so far jump around from indie rock to folk to ambient and back again just to prove that The Devil and a Penny are as diverse in sound as the people in the band.

Members of this band are also in the band Flesh Forest and The Elephant Only Zoo. I say members but I think it may just be the lead singer. Please don't quote me on that though. I do know however, that they release their music on the indie record label, New Neighbor. Check it all out!

Last.fm

Dead Confederate - Dead Confederate EP

And speaking of Hardy Morris, Dead Confederate, and even Memorial Day, Dead Confederate's 2007 debut self-titled EP features all of the above.

It also features a less polished than the LP version of "The Rat", dusty psychedelic/miserable southern rocker jams like "Get Out" and "Shadow The Walls", a straight-up psychedelic epic in "Tortured-Artist Saint" and one of the saddest songs I have ever heard called, "Memorial Day Night".

Even though I may have since grown out of my Dead Confederate days, I still come back to this EP once and a while to remind me of how much of an impact it has had on my life. And every Memorial Day I listen to "Memorial Day Night" to remind me just how somber and emotionally gripping it is. Along with being on my personal saddest songs of all time list, I would have to say it also has a spot on my top 20 favorite songs of all time along with "The Rat" and "Goner".

Be sure to also check out Hardy Morris in the super group of the year, Diamond Rugs and their new self-titled debut. Diamond Rugs is Dead Confederate + Deer Tick + Black Lips + Los Lobos.

Kinda fun fact: The cover is of their mascot, the 'Spider Bomb'. It has 10 legs.

Last.fm

Monday XXIV

Everybody do the Warner Bros. Family Entertainment trademark owned region beyond the earth's atmosphere jamboree. It's Monday.

Brave Bird - Ready or Not EP (2010)

Brave Bird is a twinkly emo punk band from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I did some research on Ann Arbor and learned that it is the sixth largest city in Michigan, home of The University of Michigan, and that people from Ann Arbor are called Ann Arborites or townies for the long-termers.

Every track on Ready or Not brings something new to my ears. The vox are nothing I haven't heard before but then again, that's not all they are going for or have to offer. I can't say there is ever a dull moment but I never get more excited then when I hear the first 30 minutes of Scared Enough.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Treehouse - Treehouse (2011)

Emotionally aggressive and constantly moving, Treehouse brings some life back in to the SLC punk scene.

That's what it would sound like if they needed a really cool quote for the back of their autobiography.

I did some research on Salt Lake City and learned that it is most populous city in Utah, the 45th state and 34th most populous in the US. All the High School Musicals, Independence Day, and Touched by an Angel have all been recorded in Salt Lake City.

My favorite track has to be "Processing..." and it's little whistle solo in the middle there.

Last.fm

Caddywhompus - Remainder (2010)

Caddywhompus mix the ever indulgent sound of noisy pop with the even more indulgent midnight cravings of psychedelic music. Luckily for us, the two gentlemen behind the control pannel of this spiraling out of control music machine gloss on a layer of distortion and lo-fi soot just so our brains don't explode from clean beauty and art. I'm not hating on them for keeping a lo-fi sound where things could just be heard loud and clear and still have the say outcome. That's really no big deal. It's also what sets them apart from the rest in a way, I would have to say...

I gave these guys an honorable mention last year as one of the more interesting pieces of work in 2011 with their release of The Weight, a mention they rightfully deserve in my book. Their 2010 full length, Remainder is just as exciting and definitely something to go all music nerd about.

Community Records

Last.fm

Jordaan Mason & the Horse Museum - Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My Head (2009)

I first learned about Jordaan Mason and his capability of playing some deep folk music from CLLCT and the scattered tracks of his that are up on the current site. My attention wasn't totally attached my this guy all that much, that is, until I heard Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My head, a truly complex tell of "failed marriage between two people of confused genders and identities" along with a bunch of popular topics such as glandolinian war, swallowing shotguns, horses, shaving your head, vomiting and the 1990 apocalypse. With all these different themes it's bound to keep me listening just to figure it all out.

The First time I heard Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My Head was definitely like the first time I heard Neutral Milk Hotel's In An Aeroplane Over the Sea, not just because they both feature singing saw (which I love), stories that only Mason and Mangum could understand, requires a bunch of extras to sit around until they can play a few simple notes on their horn or that the dark depths of the internet eat shit like this up for breakfast - A breakfast that consists of Cookie Crisp and Haterade - but eaten up completely none the less. The internet loves to hate and hates to love things like this; a work of art that no one can really relate to... except (and maybe not even them) it's creator.

That's what I heard at least.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

NFT'S Got You Covered! Daniel Johnston! ¡En Español!

Various Artists - Hola che, como andas? (Homenaje Argentino a Daniel Johnston) (2011)

This weeks cover album is a one subject cover album with many various artists put on by Japón Records. The subject of interest being covered: Daniel Johnston; the man who has probably been covered as many times as The Beatles, Bob Dylan or The Beach Boys. With that being said, a Daniel Johnston cover is like seeing my socks in your mom's laundry. It's very common.

So common that sometimes just the run of the mill cut-copy cover is not good enough. So when I stumbled into this tribute album, I was quickly surprised to find that it wasn't just another collection of hip household name bands playing more audible versions of our favorite D. Johnston tunes. I also quickly found out a lot of it wasn't in English...

It's an album featuring over 30 bands covering Daniel Johnston in Spanish or broken English! It's got two Walking the Cow covers, three True Love Will Find You In The Ends - one being completely in Spanish including the title, Grievance (becoming one of my favorite Johnston songs from this), Casper The Friendly Ghost, and two Held the Hands (currently my favorite Johnston song) - one in English and the other in Spanish. Along with a ton more classics like The Story Of An Artist, many more songs about love, songs he did with Jad Fair and the scariest rendition of Devil Town I have ever heard. So scary it's unrecognizable to anyone who didn't know it was Devil Town.

Being Spanish is not the only thing that these bands and their covers have got going for them, though. They also bring in very raw and lo-fi sound that begs the question of what if in fact these guys are actually the Spanish versions of Daniel Johnston? Just a handful of unknown bands from wherever they may be who long to be on MTV and be The Beatles? Maybe not. But that still have that desperate sound that echoes the challenges and victories of Daniel Johnston's illustrious career. I could be over thinking things. I mean, these bands could just be really really rough around the edges and just happen to be inspired by Daniel Johnston. I would like to think otherwise, however...

Noteworthy names on this compilation: Jersey Killer, Dr. Gonzo, Fusibles, Amukan, Gasti Explorador, El Mal Menor, Evil Cannibal, Elefantelibre, and a hell of a lot more argentinian rockers (I'm guessing that's where they are from...)


Japón Records

MONDAY XII

You now the drill, Wayne. It's Monday.

Aesop Rock - Bazooka Tooth (Headphone Science Version) (2005)

The sick rhymes of complicated rap/hip-hop artist, Aesop Rock (not be confused with A$AP Rocky, obviously) mixed with some really the pounding IDM and electronic beats of Headphone Science (Dustin Craig).

Bazooka Tooth itself features some pretty swell tracks including: No Jumper Cables, Babies with Guns, Freeze, as well as tracks featuring El-P (We're Famous) , Mr. Lif (11:35) and more.

I would still recommend the originals if the remixes are too much. I think they give new life to the original tracks, though. They're what the kids call dank, I guess.

Aesop's Last.fm
Headphone Science's Last.fm


Mr Tumnus - Mr Tumnus (2011)

That is not the real artwork. I just prefer this rather than the artwork on the bandcamp but then again, I'm not one to judge a band by its cover...

I am however, one to judge on a band's name. And my judgement is this: I'm going to listen to a band named Mr Tumnus.  Come on!

For sound, Mr Tumnus A.K.A. Alex Thomas, plays a very sparse and soundscape-y type of ambient meets psychedelic music with a lot of samples and drawn out phrasing. Blah Blah Blah. In other words, it doesn't really ever go bang bang bang or faster than a fast crawl. You can put it on right before you go to bed or while you are trying to do work son.

It's definitely interesting if you want to listen to a band named after a creepy faun from Narnia.

last.fm

Conifer - Crown Fire (2008)

Conifer was a Portland, maine band that I never got to become fully aquatinted with during their existence. Yes, unfortunately I missed the boat on this band even after they got their name around all the world with the power of the internet. But luckily for me, these guys have not completely given up on music altogether. No. Two members of Conifer (vox and axe) are now in a new band going by Awaas (or AWAAS) which features some of the same directions and sounds that their previous band has infused, including psych, krautrock, and hard to pin down post-rock. On top all this news, I was actually lucky enough to check these guys out last weekend! It was totally rad considering just getting together resonantly with another legendary Maine band, Ocean's Drummer and putting on a very solid performance, despite the lead singer being sicker than a dog and that most of the other bands there that night were playing completely different music than each other.

AWAAS have yet to put out anything official other than a nice little music video for their song "Burial Ground". An EP is rumored to be recorded and released sometime in the year 2012. So, until they do and I get a hold of it, I have Conifer's Crown Fire to help me catch up on all the racket these guys can produce.

Last.fm
AWAAS's Facebook page

Dead ConfedeRATe

Dead Confederate is a psychedelic southern infused rock band hailing from Athens, Georgia. Not only does the south give them a nice grungy type feel to their work, it also has given them wonderful personalities. I've met this band two separate times in Boston and every time they blew me away with a fantastic performance and many a few kind conversations. About what I have now forgotten (unfortunately). They play a sometimes dark and melancholy blanket of sound or loud and pounding form of art that is full of organ, slide guitar and almost Cobainesque vocals (and I mean that in the most motivating and positive way possible). These guys are criminally underrated. That's coming from someone who finds that saying a band is underrated is super overrated! But it's true. Give these gents a listen. Their sound is full and begging to be listened to!~

Just recently the band said farewell to their drummer, Jason Scarboro. His contribution to this band is phenomenal.

Dead Confederate - Wrecking Ball (2008)

I can still remember hearing this album for the first time after my good friend Higbooooooooooooone told me all about this gem. It was right around the time my grandmother passed away and I just found myself getting lost in this album. It oozes psychedelic greatness and bangs out some noisy rock n roll. Some songs just blast right out in your face. Some take their time and creep up on you. Some build into a mess of angst and dirty glory. If you're not sure about them, please check out The Rat!

Their newer album Sugar is a little more produced than any of their previous works (EP, Wrecking Ball, Dirty Ammo live EP). It features J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr./Deep Wound) in the radio friendly song "Give it All Away" on guitar. Still a solid album regardless of how much they had to comeback with after the beautifully will done Wrecking Ball. Before they were Dead Confederate they were The Redbelly Band (may up in the future).

Last.fm
Official Page

Similar acts/sounds: Darker My Love, The Redbelly Band, Alberta Cross, The Whigs