The Guiding Wave

The Guiding Wave - To Dance Around Love (2018)

Featuring members of Fiddlehead and Glory, The Guiding Wave share the same driving force while taking a sharp right down Suicide or Television memory lane. The Guiding Wave wear their influences on their sleeve, but they also have a dark, almost cold, sensibility to the post-punk being played today. Think more straightforward Protomartyr or a non-tongue-and-cheek Ought. Either way, take a trip and let To Dance Around Love guide you through these hot summer nights.



Similar acts/sounds: Fiddlehead, Glory, Big Bite, Alexander, Glitterer, Praise, Spiritual Cramp, Protomartyr.

Bandcamp
Blogger

Knife Worship - Targeted Individual

Knife Worship - Targeted Individual (2018)

Knife Worship, hailing from Bangor, Maine at the time of this release, have been tinkering away in sound recording classes and dirty practice spaces on and off again for a few years now. In that time, the sounds coming from those rooms have evolved. What once was powerviolence became post punk, then industrial and back again. At the end of the day, there's one thing that Knife Worship have always focused on - testing the limits of punk rock music. Targeted Individual is a synth-y, post-punk-drenched 4-song release that ends before you can even think of another sub-genre. Enough said. It's a quick trip, so dust yourself off and listen to it again.


Similar acts/sounds - Ceremony, Uniform, Caust, Limbs Bin, Night Life, Street Sects, So Stressed.

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Bandcamp

Mouth Washington - Don't Mean

Mouth Washington - Don't Mean (2015)

It's been some time since we last heard from the Hansen brothers and company, but Mouth Washington of Portland, Maine are not only still slamming on guitars and hacking on dusty drum kits, they are probably at their best right now with the release or their new album, Don't Mean.

Mouth Washington's blistering garage rock meets punk storytelling has matured since breaking out on the scene, but in no way has this maturing caused them to lose any of that baby-fat which made them who they are. Nope, Mouth Washington are still messy, still rough around the edges, and, most importantly, still shouting for your attention! So listen:



Damn, it seems just like yesterday I was seeing these guys play at the Apohadion Theater on my birthday in 2010.

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Bandcamp
Last.fm

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

Hive Bent - Dyaltov

Hive Bent - Dyaltov (2014)

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

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




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

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Last.fm

Monday XCVII (NSFW)

To put some life back into this blog, I've decided to not only make this post this week, but one for every day this week. Godspeed.

Dungeon Kids - Jzanthypus and Friends (2014)

A little something-something from the indie pop dudes in the Baltimore area. This 3 song EP of sorts features two B-sides along with Dung Kid's single, "Grenville, Pt. 1" from their first release, Oh How it Hurts; a song that easily made my top 10 songs list last year.



Wet your whistle.

Last.fm

Big Ups - Wake Up (2011)

If you haven't already heard about these guys, you are hearing them right now. Literally, listen to these guys right now!

Big Ups from New York are blowing up with their new album, Eighteen Hours of Static and for good reason (listen). Before they were killing it with a Fugazi meets Melvins post punk sound, they were baby punk rockers in a big city. Some people might just wanna skip to their new stuff and call it good, but I like their old stuff, too. I don't know, maybe you'll like it as well.


SHUT YOUR MOUTH!

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Where's My Friends - Where's My Friends (2014)

Where's My Friends are a Portland, Maine brewed instrumental three piece featuring members of the late math rock band, The Waldos, and the always impressive, Butcher Boy. While Where's My Friends are not as heavy as The Waldos stuff (not that The Waldos were off the walls), it's still moving, a bit free flowing, but moving nevertheless.




Poland Street dreams.

Fackbook.com

Monday LXXX

Good to be back!

No, Boy - Was That It? Was That Really It? (2013)

Vancouver indie rock/punk/emo sensation from Vancouver. Lots of stuff about the city and staying cool. 

I think.



Last.fm

Bummer - Kids on the Run (2012)

Bummer is also a band from Cananananada. Montreal, though.

I actually heard about these guys through one of my favorite bands (I got to see them this weekend for the first time!), Chalk Talk. They had just played with Bummer up north and brought a few couples of Kids on the Run in 45'' form with them to the show. I kick myself for not picking up a copy but promised I would check these Canadian punkers out. So here I am, checking them out. And so should you.

Because Chalk Talk said so. Because I said so.



Your body will thank you.

Last.fm

Milo - Cavalcade (2013)

Milo is not from Canada. He (Rory Ferreira) is actually from all over... starting off in a land called Saco, Maine. Milo now lives in Wisconsin, I believe, but that's not going to stop me from mentioning his roots in a very familiar town. 

Milo is also not punk rock... Milo is that hip-hop stuff. Good and smart hip-hop stuff, too. Hip-hop that is often filled with references of another familiar thing to me - pro wrestling. An easy example of wrestling from this new mixtape, a follow-up to his past two EPs (things that happen at day and things that happen at night), is the distorted sample of Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig giving a promo to the champion at the time, the Ultimate Warrior. The sample opens up the 5th track, entitled, "ba al chiliagon swords" featuring YC the Cynic and is a top-notch number.

Other samples and guests of miscellaneous sorts include: America and their hit songs, "A Horse with No Name" and "I Need You", a speech about dogs and the language of dogs which I don't recognized, Nocando, the highly underappreciated and always impressive Busdriver, and a pig load more of samples he probably didn't get permission to use. 

Get Cavalcade for free via Hellfyre Club right now!

... unless you don't want to listen to the next big thing... that's cool these days, too. I guess...

Last.fm

PS: I'm about to drink the Filipino chocolate energy drink, Milo. Hope it's as good. 

Captain Hollow's Greatest Hits

Captain Hollow - Greatest Hits (2013)

When news first broke out on the internet that Captain Hollow were supposedly releasing their long-overdue debut album that has been in the works for at least 100 Maine band years, I was pretty pumped like the rest of you. But upon hearing the name of the new album, I initially snickered to myself saying, "laugh out loud, they are calling it Greatest Hits". I didn't laugh because I thought it was funny that they named what we all thought was going to be their first full-length release, Greatest Hits, I laughed because that is exactly what I wanted to call my first album when I was a youngster with a big dream of becoming a famous rock star. Despite my parents who tried so hard to keep me away from the rock star lifestyle seeing as they decided to name me Keith Thomas rather than Keith Richards, it was still my dream and prime focus for at least most of primary school.

But I digress.

Now that the album is out and about on the internet though, I can see why they named it Greatest Hits, and it's not because they read my inner monologue either. As a first-time listener to Captain Hollow, you may not see anything out of the ordinary about this album since everything is new to you anyways, but for someone who has been following these guys for too long now like myself, it is pretty clear what's up; this album is really Captain Hollow's greatest hits. The bulk of this album contains the innards of their first EP released a few years back ("Big Eyes", "Chewelah", and "The Bitter Tea of Yen") and one from their 2011 Tour EP ("Hour of Need"), plus a few previously unrecorded tracks, and a pretty much new to my ears at least track and single, "Blurry". And there you have it! The best hits of Captain Hollow all rolled into one eight song album for your listening pleasure, absolutely free while supplies last!

What's wrong with having a greatest hits album at this point, anyway? Adele already has at least 4 greatest hits albums and she's only been around since 2010 when Jack Penate donned a fat lady suit to get more attention in the US...

Who's Jack Penate?

Exactly.

Highlights: Every song is a highlight at 8 tracks. The new ones, "Meow Meow" (yep, they named their song that), "(All Fucked Up) Together", and "Stephanie Cornwitch"



Anyways, I guess that'a all I have to say about Greatest Hits. Was I hoping for more new tracks? Of course, but Captain Hollow just seem to be one of those bands you can't kill. They haven't gotten that Maine band memo that breaking up is way cooler than playing shows for maybe 50 people on a good night. Cappy Hollow will be coming out with a sequel to Greatest Hits five years from today; just you wait!


Thank You, Captain Hollow for never giving up! You were born and raised in a summer haze bound by the surprise of your glory. XOXOXOXOX

Bandcamp

Facebook

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXVI

I'm not even supposed to be here today.

Grazes - Demo '10 (2010)

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

And by fresh, I mean, dirty...


Bandcamp
Last.fm (free downloads)

Dope Body - Twenty Pound Brick (2009)

Speaking of dirty spins; Dope Body.

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



Bandcamp
Last.fm

Studying - Sophomoronic (2012)

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

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

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

whatever.



Bandcamp
Last.fm

Monday XXXXVIII

Oh yeah, for sure.

Dikembe - Broad Shoulders (2012)

New Dikembe is not to be eff'd with. Just really good and honest stuff!

Seriously, dude.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

LEANN GRIMES - I'm Not Too Skinny (2012)

LEANN GRIMES A.K.A. Shane Conerty is back with an all new stack of indie rock jams that have been chopped up and turned into something super catchy and actually fun to listen to again. And while I wasn't all that excited when I saw what was on the cutting room floor for original tracks, I was once again impressed by the way they have been re-arranged in bumpy, sample-happy GRIMES fashion! Notable acts like Beirut, Man Man, St. Vincent, and Destroyer all get the treatment along with many other bands I don't normally listen to or have heard of yet, which is really Conerty's whole point of this project; to get people interested in these bands and support them. I on the other hand, would rather just support him. Keep doing what you're doing, Shane Conerty!

Last.fm

Speedy Ortiz - Sports EP (2012)

Some more new(ish) stuff.

Sports!

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Why? - Sod in the Seeds EP (2012)

Oh, and speaking of new.... Yoni & the gang have a new EP out called, Sod in the Seeds. It's free here but probably only for a limited time so grab it while it's still there! If you like earlier Why? stuff and not so much the last record, Eskimo Snow, I really think you should check it out! Quick! GOOOOOOOO!

Last.fm

Harriet The Spy

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


But yeah... who knows which is true. 

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

Harriet The Spy - Unfuckwithable (1997)

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


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

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

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

Monday XXXXII

Dig in.

Wavelets - Athaletics (2011)

"Emotionally charged indie rock" blah blah blah twinkly stuff from Gainesville, Florida featuring members of Dikembe and a thousand other bands past and present.  Really digging their EP's and recently got into this one. 

Bandcamp
Last.fm

The Hotel Years - It Never Comes Out (2011)

Very emotional pop-punk from Mass. It gets a bit mushy here and there but is definitely a fine listen. The last three songs top the album off splendidly.


Bandcamp
Last.fm

Merchant Ships - For Cameron (2010)

Merchant Ships were a very influential and influenced screamo act that called it quits in 2010. 

"Dying" is probably the best track on For Cameron in my opinion but the mostly spoken word track, "Sleep Patterns" is definitely a stand-out all on its own.

Bandcamp

Last.fm

BATS - Red in Tooth & Claw

BATS - Red in Tooth & Claw (2009)

BATS are another Irish math rock band. That's not all they sound like though. And what do they sound like? They sound like well, catchy dance math post-punk with post-hardcore influences alla These Arms Are Snakes or We Versus The Shark. But they don't really sound all too much like those guys either. Maybe it has to do with the unique vocal arrangement by the frontman's speek/shout mouth spasms. Whatever it is or whatever they sound like, it's pretty damn fun. Especially for, and not exclusive to, fans of math rock, heavy post-punk or post-hardcore.

Definite starters would have to be tracks 1 and 2. Once those are over listen to tracks 3 and 4, and then 5,6,7,8 and 9. After that you should probably keep listening on for track 10 and, well, track 11 since that's the last song. So yeah, listen to everything I guess.

Also: BATS is STAB spelled backwards.

Similar acts/sounds: These Arms Are Snakes, Adebisi Shank, Enemies, Time Columns, Q and Not U, Huak, A Voice Like Rhetoric, Faraquet and HORSE the Band. LOL jk.

Party.

Bandcamp
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

Friday Streaming + more!

Sorry for my laziness this week but I was pretty lazy and did not want to be not lazy. I must also apologize for the absence of NFT's Got You Covered this week and hope to have one hot and ready for all y'all next week. If all goes well, that is.

A lot of my laziness came about due to the sweet day off from a snow day! And while I was all set to surprise you all with a link to one of the greatest Nickelodeon movies of all time (Drum roll, please), Snow Day (2000)! A perfect movie to watch on such an accession that this year in Maine where I reside, seemed like was never going to happen (Believe it or not). I remembered that for one, YOUTUBE does not like seeing copyrighted material on their site with such unprecedented awesomeness as Snow Day and Megavideo, well, is associated with SOPA's bitch, Megaupload. I'm not really a big fan of torrenting movies either and would rather complain about how much the MAN is bringing us down and keeping us from doing things we are going to do even though they do not want us doing them. Why? Because they are corrupt and we are broke ass individuals who, even if we had the money, definitely would not be giving it to them. So, that's why I didn't post a Snow Day post... Something no one was even looking forward to anyways because I did not even advertise it but rather hinted at an upcoming surprise on the first snow day of this winter season for my school district here in Southern Maine in a post way back when.

I still feel all bad inside of my tummy for lack of postage this week, maybe it is just that odd looking quesadilla I had for lunch today (was it full of chicken? Or was that steak?), but I'd like to believe it is guilt I'm feeling and to make up for all this and what have you, I present: Friday Streaming...

Every week I look for some of the best stuff that I can find for the Monday post (stuff I've already found usually gets its own post or is an exception/showcase or don't have to much to say about it). Usually at the end of the week, say friday, all I have left from or for the Monday post(s) are either things to be posted on Monday, things that are too much like other stuff already posted that week, or cool gems that I do not have DL links to and don't necessarily even want to find possession of... I just like listening to them and then put 'em away ("streaming" is what they call it in the blog business). All of which is what I've got for you today.

Check 'em out:

Grass is Green - Ronson (2012)

Nitty gritty post punker noise makers from Mass, Grass is Green just released a new one for us the other day, yesterday actually! (Woah, NFT's on top of things for once... almost!) It's got all that splintering guitar work that we've heard from these guys from Yeddo and Chibimoon but this one seems to also have a bit of a more listener friendly sound that goes along with it as well. I don't mind it though and even if it lacks the angular down play of Chibimoon and the stoner math rock approach of Yeddo, Ronson still carries its weight and features a lot of variety. Variety examples would be the noisy Pavement jams like "Life of Mike", classic GiG loud basement tracks like "Three Little Chickens"and "Riff Sibling", super melodic tracks with baritone guitar like "Ruffleball", funky mclusky sounding stuff like "Jesse's Fashion Show" and "Downward Bound" and even some dance punk revival with the track name like "Dance Punk Revival School For Kids". This release could easily become by favorite of theres...

Only time will tell.

Soundcloud ("Riff Sibling" is currently free)
Last.fm

Our Daily Fix - elephant. (2012)

This is a little something something I stumbled across after seeing that Cattle Drums had posted it on their Facebook. Cattle Drums being one of those bands I found out after the fact that had come to Portland and could have possible had seen them (something that happens a bit too much in my life), I figured I check these guys out even if Cattle Drums are just shamelessly promoting their friends or something. I don't see anything wrong with that.

Our Daily Fix can be described as math rock with a saxophone. Now when I heard the word saxophone I thought of two things, 1. They sound like that band A Troop of Echoes who always advertise themselves on other math rock bands' Last.fm accounts with the question, what would (name of math rock band of your choosing here) sound like with a saxophone? it might sound like this: http://atroopofechoes.bandcamp.com/ or 2. a math rock band that used to play ska but now play math rock but kept their saxophone player.

The combination was a little something like A Troop of Echoes who I just advertised despite making fun of them for shameless advertisement (dammit!) and a band that may have also been a ska band at one time... but I think these guys are really in it for the math rock. While the beginning of the first track suggests that they might blare there horns and start skanking all over the place, that does not happen. What actually happens is the music stays very unpredictable, never breaking out into a ugly off-beat frenzy and instead takes a turn for a fusion sound almost. Eventually vox are introduced and we even get to hear the sax playing in unison with the guitars. It all sounds good to me.

Last.fm

Julie Christmas - The Bad Wife (2010)

Julie Christmas is that emotional sounding lady in those songs by Made Out Of Babies, Battle of Mice, and Spylacopa. And I love it. This is Christmas's first debut album, The Bad Wife, and just as the artwork displays, this release is a delectable treat. As a buddy of mine once said when this first came out, "it's like Made Out Of babies except not as technical... but come on, it's Julie Christmas!" I'm not sure if Christmas is your thing but if you don't know, check her out! Oh yeah, check her out...

I always forget about her solo release and I just recently revisited it from beginning to end this week. I really don't want to forget it again next Christmas, so I'll just post it know. Here it is.

People other than Julie Christmas in this solo release include production by Andrew Scheinder (who's worked with Cave In, Unsane and The Blue Men Group if you can believe that), music written by fellow band mates from MOOB and Spylacopa, Mel Lederman of Victory at Sea and helping hands from Joe Tomino of Dub Trio, Oddity and Tony Maimone (who has also helped Pere Ubu and Tom Waits).

Last.fm

Have a nice weekend.

Victor! Fix the Sun again

Victor! Fix the Sun - Person Place or Thing (2009)

Person Place or Thing is Victor! Fix the Sun's follow up to their 2007 release, Retractable Claw. It was also their last. It still had that funky post hardcore goodness that their previous full length had while still being active as Victor! Fix the Sun. Jowls is cool but I don't think anything can replace Victor! Fix the Sun.

Last.fm
Myspace
Paperthin Feather F
Retraceable Claw (NFT review)

Mouth Washington Demo

Sorry for the lake of regular posts on NFT recently. I've been doing a lot of scheming and planning on some big projects for the future. I've also been planning on excuses to write.

Mouth Washington - Dichotomy Demos (2011)

Mouth Washington are a Portland, Maine noisy and loud post punk band of today. Frontman Max really brings this band to life even before the music plays when explaining the next three songs will be about police brutality and another about what "you are sippin' on". Then when the music comes in like a disabled dog out of the starting gate and filthy nonsense is spilt from the bands instruments you know they are alive and kicking. And only alive and kicking to bring you the funniest time you have ever had at a punk show. The lyrics are none more serious and the drummer (Max's brother I believe) plays like he hasn't had the chance to get on the drums in years! Just a four limb free for all. I don't mind though... I would do the same. 

Every time I see these guys play I am entertained. They don't even have to play music. They are just those kind of people. It's cool that they do though!

This is only their Demo and while i thought it wouldn't do them justice at first, I really am surprised to hear that it actually does capture some of what these guys have to offer music wise. It's still missing their live atmosphere and ridiculous introductions by Max but in a demo aspect the recording couldn't have come out any better for these guys and if it did, well then, it would not have been Mouth Washington.

These guys play some sweet shows down here and around Portland and are the kind of local band ever city should have. They stay true to themselves, aren't looking to be famous, don't care if they aren't the next Iceage or Wavves, don't need to sound like gold records and most of all entertain the audience and love playing music. Whether they love playing with each other is their own business. Whether they like playing with themselves is really their own business.

They also just played a show with Cattle Drums, who I have posted here before, last month and I missed it.  Always a drag when that happens! Hope those guys come back up here some day and play at least a 18+ show so I can see 'em. For Mouth Washington though, I know I'll be seeing them again. 

NFT's Got You Covered! Wednesdays!

Well I was thinking about making another sweet ass weekly post and felt it would be cool to do one on Wednesdays! Wednesdays? Who does that? I thought. No one! ....Maybe my self-conscious just made me forget that some other site already does this. That's bonkers! Every Wednesday? And only Wednesday? Hmmmm...

So I decided that I love songs by people done by other people and wanted to give them their own little special post. NFT's Got You Covered! is just the post for that and is on Wednesday (hopefully every Wednesday but we'll see about that in time). In other words I will post a band's release that is either a straight up cover album, features all cover songs or just a really good album with (a) really good cover(s)!

Still don't understand? That's weird. Check it:

We Versus The Shark - Murmurmur (2008)

We Versus The Shark were a pretty special Athens, Georgia band that experimented with the powers of math rock, punk, post-punk, dance and in 2008, covering a different inspirational band's song for every one of the months! That's 12 totally legit cover songs! I counted! From Pattern is Movement to Tears For Fears.

While the name of the project, the album art and the fact that are from Athens all seems to wanna lead to you thinking there is a R.E.M. cover song, there is not. So there. And while the album does feature heavy hitters like Radiohead ("Idiotheque"), Tom Waits ("Dirt in the Ground"), and Ben Folds Five ("Regrets"), there is also some lesser known names like The Matt Kurtz One ("Mow You Down Then Put You on a Pedestal") and Drakkar Sauna ("Dog Like This"). There's also the artists who have made a name for themselves in their "little circles" but definitely no R.E.M.

All the tracks are super well done and really show off the bands ability to understand the original intensions of the band and their message. They still did a great job mixing things up and giving them a much more technical sound. They did not throw every song into a triangle arm bar of math rock muscle spasms but it is still very apparent that WVTS had the skills to pay the bills. They really studied each song that were picked and like it says on the site Quote Unquote (That I've put up as the DL link), "We here at We Versus The Shark believe that "interpreting" (whatever) other artists is a good way to learn about structure, melody, and other things we're generally confused by..."

Along with picking some really good jams, Murmurmur by We Versus The Shark introduced me to some rad bands like Pattern is Movement and Future of the Left, and some super far out tracks by Those two bands, Tom Waits and Deerhoofs. They also cover "Head Over Heels" by Tears For Fears for all you Donnie Darko lovers out there or just really love Tears For Fears and Songs from the Big Chair. I have it on vinyl. But who didn't in the 80's...

My favorite covers have to be the Waits' one, Pattern is Movement's "Right Away", Future of the Left's "Suddenly It's A Folk Song", and The Tears For Fears cover. I've actually listened to WVTS's cover of Dirt in the Ground by Tom Waits so much, I wouldn't think the Tom Waits version was the right on if I heard it... Scratch Acid, Television and Shudder To Think also get name dropped covered.

P.S. You can DL all the tracks individually

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RIP

Furious Pig

Furious Pig - EP (1980) AKA I Don't Like Your Face

Furious Pig were a short lived quintet post punk band that only played music with their vocal chords. A cappella punk is what you could call it I guess and it is really out there. I'm serious when I say that though, they use only their voices, percussion and all. "Orchestrated chanting".

These three songs are pretty much all Furious Pig put out but there's probably more to be found out there... There always seems to be. Like Bare Pork.

After the fall of FP, two of the four members (Dominic Weeks and Cass Davis) went on to perform in Het. Tim Hodgkinson of Henry Cow and a Belgian Singer accompanied the two in creating "Let's Het" in 1983; Het's only release and very much out there as Furious Pig was. Stephen Kent went on to become music director for Circus Oz and Martin Kent went on to release singles under the name 'Martin Pig'.

Furious Pig are one of those bands that you just happen to find one day by accident. You sit there and wonder why these gents are not living legends. Also, I have a lot of trouble listening to the hit "I Don't Like You Face" in the shower. Here is why.

Similar sounds/acts: Het, Boredoms, OOIOO, Martin Pig, Ethiopian polyphonic chants, and other stuff that doesn't sound like Furious Pig

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I DON'T LIKE YOUR BODY.
I DON'T LIKE YOUR BODY.
I DON'T LIKE YOUR FACE
LIKE A LIKE A
LIKE YOUR FACE.

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!

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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. 

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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!

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