Double Feature: Sun Club & Dungeon Kids

Two bands that totally know how to have a good time from Baltimore.

Sun Club - Beauty Meat/Language Juice 7" (2013)

Sun Club are a hell of a lot of a fun. They noodle, they groove, they make noise, they ooh and ahh and, most importantly, they have a damn good time doing it. I've seen these guys twice now (just in this year) and I have to say that Sun Club are easily becoming one of my favorite bands to see live and hang out with. I actually had a sweet little post written about just these guys that I wrote a few months back (when I say them play at a show with Chalk Talk this summer), but that post got deleted somehow and I never got to share it. I guess it's alrighy though since that post was about their self-title, which they have since taken down off their bandcamp. Anyways, here's some Sun Club:




This 2 song 7-incher is just a taste of what Sun Club are all about. To get the full Sun Club experience, you have got to see them play right in front of you. Their music will make your legs quiver and your pelvis move in certain ways that you never thought imaginable; only in the best ways, of course.

After being super impressed by Sun Club when I saw them for the first time this summer, which was my first show as well as first day back from being on a tugboat for 60 days, I definitely had to see them again. Luckily, I didn't have to wait very long as they made their way back up to my neck of the woods to play a show at the University of Maine last weekend.

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Dungeon Kids - Oh How it Hurts (2013)

When Sun Club returned to Maine last week, they didn't come alone. This time out, Sun Club brought with them their friends from Baltimore, collectively named, Dungeon Kids. While I hadn't heard anything from Dungeon Kids until I saw them play, I knew they were gonna be impressive. They're friends with Sun Club, how could they not? Well, lo and behold, Dungeon Kids took to the floor of my friend's dorm lounge and played a solid set of garage rock meets indie pop-y goodness.


Even with the fact that Dungeon Kids are a new band that really just started to play shows with the current lineup they have now, this is still some great material. I hope to hear more from these guys along with more good music from Sun Club in the future. Hopefully I'll be around to see them again this summer when both bands make their return to Maine as well!

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Leveret Debut Show!

Oh you didn't hear?

Leveret, formerly Glass Fingers/formerly Jesse Gertz/formerly tiny baby rabbits, are/is playing his/their first show this weekend at the Space Gallery in Portland, Maine. I say 'they' as Leveret could just be Jesse Gertz and his table of musical and visual paraphernalia, or it could be a full band experience. Or, it could be neither!? That's the great Leveret mystery...

Maybe the real performer for Leveret is actually Gertzatron 8000, a robot the government created to produce those wonderfully spiritual bloops and bleeps that you can expect from most any Jesse Gertz project.

Leveret - Infinity (2013)

 

But have no fear, good reader: The Gertzatron, while sounding more or less like a government war machine, was not programmed to destroy - that was what the Gertzatron 3013 was for - this Gertzatron was specially designed with the soul intention to party it up with you all night long! And even in the day if you are still up for it, because, well, he will be.

So yeah, robots, electronic music, partying with your clothes (optional) on, and good times for all will be had at this years' Leveret debut show *plus* Infinity CD release party! Oh right, there will be CD's of Infinity on sale. Infinity of them.

Okay, there won't be an infinity number of CD's for sale; Gertz learned his lesson with those last million Glass Fingers CD's he made. But there will be plenty to go around! You can even listen to it on Leveret with three V's bandcamp right now! Check it out and get that body ready:


Sensual seduction at its finest.

It's gonna be gr8t.

Leveret's Facebook Page
The Show's Facebook Page
Official Leveret Site 
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Monday LXXIX

Another fortnightly Monday post. A couple days late.

Sic Bacchus - Sic Bacchus (2013)

Sic Bacchus are a gritty superhero reboot.

This is their self-titled 3-song 7incher.



Last.fm

Vacation - Do Shit AKA The Do Shit Disc (2010)

Vacation are a pop punk band with a bit of a lo-fi/garage rock feel to them. They'll be playing a sweet punk rock house show somewhere in Portland, Maine real soon. Tell your cops friends!

DL The Do Shit Disc for free over at the always mega-cool internet website, If You Make It Dot Com.

Last.fm

Mr. NEET/Conjjjecture - Day of Caring Split (2013)

This split features two of Portland's own experimenting with electronics and drum machines, Mr. NEET and Conjjjecture. The two respective bands have a song to share on the split, including a new recording of "Only Rabbits", and one collaborative among friends and former band mates. The recordings were done by Mike Cunnane at Cut the Shit Recordings and featured everyone from the Portland post-whatever rock legends, Huak.



Also be on the lookout for Conjjjectures new album, Living For Dead Labor. 

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Facebook (Conjjjecture)

Monday XXXXXXXIII

RIP Margie

Gimme Goldar - Dizzep (2013)

Had me at Goldar.

Some noisy music spasms by Portland folk. Recorded on location at 131 Washington Ave.

Spoiler alert: they don't sound like Goldar...



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Safe - Safe EP (2010)

Safe is Chris "CF" Edley. Edley plays very elegant lo-fi-ish pop music recorded in secret basements for secret basements.



Safe will be playing with groovestep Portland acts, Glass Fingers, Altered Gee, and Conjjjecture at the Darkmouth Castle on the 19th (house on Dartmouth Street in Portland. Just follow the noise).

Rumor has it that this will be Glass Fingers' last performance as Glass Fingers. I don't know what this means but most likely will lead to more surprises ahead.

Last.fm


Moon Bandits - Action Changes Thinking (2013)

Moon Bandits are another, but less aggressive sounding, anarcho-punk outfit with acoustic instruments hailing from the west coast. If you enjoy or attended the Blackbird Raum (the anarcho-punk band I introduced last week) show last Friday night at The Oak + The Ax and had yourself a real doozy of a time, I highly recommend giving Moon Bandits a listen.

Or, if you are in town Wednesday night, you can just go check them out at Dobra Tea (that tea place above Bullmoose/Video Port on Middle Street) for yourself!



Last.fm

Monday XXXXXXXII - RIP NFT

April Fools!

NFT is not dead!

Dying - A History of Nothing (2012)

Vegan straight edge hardcore?

Sounds like good ol' meaty hardcore to me.


From Philly.

Hydrogen Man Records
Last.fm

You Slut! - Grit Eyed & Greasy Tailed EP (2006)

Grit Eyed & Greasy Tailed is a three song EP released by the instrumental post/prog/math/rock band, You Slut! in 2006.



Along with the links above, you can also DL all the tracks off of Last.fm.

Last.fm

Blackbird Raum - Swidden (2008)

Instead of describing what Blackbird Raum sound like, I will instead list what they want people to know doesn't sound like them: Gypsies, Pirates, Old Time-y, Gogol Bordello, or Defiance, Ohio.

Get the picture?

They play folk punk or "anarchopunk on acoustic instruments", yes, but that doesn't mean that it sounds like that other stuff listed above. They are clearly trying to make their own sound and, in this day and age, that can be kind of tricky. I reward them for making completely different and original music, but it is almost impossible not to be compared to other things when there is so much of everything for music and genres these days...

These guys are playing a show at The Oak and The Ax in Biddeford, Maine this Friday with Butcher Boy and Speaker for the Dead, two totally rad folk-whatever bands that are turning the stereotypes of "folk punk" music on its pirate-y, old time-y gypsy head. I hope to make it to the show and you should too if you're into this kind of stuff.



I hope all of what I just said makes sense as well.

Official site
Last.fm

Monday 69

Hah.

RAGANA - All's Lost (2012)

This is Olympia, Washington RAGANA's first release, entitled, All's Lost. It features the same intense witchy black metal that their new album, Unbecoming has. Personally though, I just listen to both albums, starting with this one, back to back. Nonstop. Every night.



Last.fm

Billy Carr - Family Planning? (2013)

No album artwork yet!

Billy Carr is the solo project of William B. Carr formerly of The Waldos.

Billy sings and plays guitar in a very different way; a different but cool and refreshingly new way. I recently saw Billy play some of these songs at The Butcher Boy/Speaker for the Dead show at Mayo Street Arts in Portland with Peter McLaughlin accompanying him on drums, and while it seemed a bit overwhelming in the electric setting they were performing at, I really do enjoy these songs the way they are recorded here just with acoustic guitar and vocals. No offence to Peter (who also provides phenomenal percussion on Lady Lamb The Beekeeper's new album, Ripley Pine) what so ever, I just think that these songs make sense acoustically. At least for the time being...



I do wish there was some artwork, though.

Ooh, and I almost forgot: Billy Carr also has a doubling session with Matt Houston (formerly of Red Medicine) which is available both for streaming and downloading. It also comes with artwork! Check it out!

Last.fm

Host - There's nothing up there but heavy clouds (2012)

I'm pretty pumped to announce that Host, the dark and dreary hardcore outfit from New Hampshire who, I might add, released a very fine split with KYOTY last year will be playing in Portland this coming Sunday - which I can go to since it will kick off my spring break.

The show is being put on by the hard-working folks of Dirigimus Cooperative, which means that this show is probably in a semi-secret location somewhere or behind the train tracks somewhere. It's also being put on around 3 o'clock in the afternoon so you will still have time to make it to church!



Because fuck the police.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXXIV

All this talk of MLK is making me thirsty...

SRVVLST - I Would But I'm Baroque (2012)

SRVVLST (yes, as in 'Survivalist') is a post-whatever - or as Last.fm puts it - a post-everything four piece from Ohio. 

They twinkle, they noodle, they shout, they get intimate, and they survive. 

In my book, that's about all a band needs to do to count as post-everything anyways. 

Last.fm

Sinforiano Diaz - The Moosup Seassions (2012)

Sinforiano Diaz is the solo moniker of This World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die's Tom Diaz. It also features Axel Diaz on guitar and John Bowles guitaring and singing some back up vox. 

Tom Diaz replaces the electric twinkly feels with acoustic, sometimes uke-driven, but still twinkly feels here on this little four song release entitled, 'The Mossup Sessions' after the session of which he recorded this, in Mossup, Connecticut. 

Fans of Crywank, Waxahatchee, Warren Franklin, John Galm, and other solo acoustic singer-songwriter acts will most likely dig this gravely.

PS: It has just come to my attention that Tom Diaz may not be playing in TWIABP anymore... which is lame. 

Last.fm

Iron Sword - Demo (2012)

Iron Sword is a super intense and sloppy stoner metal band from Burlington. 

They're going to be playing a neck-breakingly good show (from the looks of it) with hometown sweeties, WARANIMAL (if you live in Maine and like metal and haven't seen WARANIMAL play, I feel bad for you son!) along with The Proselyte (MA), Eastern Spell (ME), and Lunglust (MA) on the 25th!

I don't know if I'll be able to swing down to see this mega stacked line-up in Portland on Friday (that's when it's happening of course. Put it on your shredule if you haven't already), but Iron Sword is also playing a show the next night (Saturday) at Orono which looks to be a real rager as well and is much closer to my current location. ;)

Hell, maybe I'll just go to both!

Hopefully dese boys bring there samples with them from this demo - including the Dazed and Confused Matthew Mcconaughey sample at the beginning of "Stairway to Hell"! Check it out:

Here's the poster for the show Friday night for your viewing Lord of the Rings pleasure as well:

Last.fm

HOST / KYOTY - Split

I meant to post this a little earlier, but the times got ahead of me. Anyhow, here is both sides of the Host/KYOTY split starting with KYOTY.

KYOTY's side

Man oh man, if you haven't read any of my previous rants about KYOTY yet, you best start doing so now! KYOTY (Keep Your Opinions To Yourself) are a post metal juggernaut from New Hampshire. They play some of the heaviest and just flat-out intense shows around (if you live in the New England area)! Wall after wall of sound and shear man-power, right here.

This split only has one track by KYOTY but it is one of their best; and one of their newest. No matter how loud you play this song, it will never capture the sound and intensity of hearing and witnessing it live.

The track is called, "Taking the Red Blood for Granted... Oh, How We Walk On Green Grass".

To further prove KYOTY's awesomeness, these guys played a show last month at Castle in the Clouds in New Hampshire. I'm not sure how the show went, but they played in the courtyard of a castle on top of a mountain during a car show! If that's not metal as fucking metal itself... then I don't know what is.

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Bandcamp
Official site
Last.fm

Host's side

Host is also from New Hampshire. They also play some dark and intense music, but in the form of hardcore. I have yet to see Host play their music in front of my face, but I'm guessing it would be pretty hardcore.

Host bring 3 tracks to this split. They are titled, I, II, and III on Hydrogen Man Records's bandcamp, but are listed as "I Tarry", "Keep Your Opinions To Yourself", and "On Drowning", on their bandcamp.

They're pretty hardcore.

Facebook
Bandcamp
Official site
Last.fm

P.S. KYOTY will be playing at Genos in Portland, Maine this weekend. I'll be home from school and in the Portland area, but unfortunately am not 21 yet... Shit happens. Go to this if you are 21+. You lucky bastards. I mean it! DO IT!

Monday XXXVIII

It's Monday already?

Fashanu - Cassette Tapette (2011)

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

Last.fm

SPOOK HOUSES - The Home EP (2011)

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

Last.fm

But I will be seeing...


CUSS - CUSS Demo (2011)

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

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

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

Last.fm

WICKED RIPPER! TONIGHT!

You wanna party?

Tonight!

KYOTY - Loud walls-of-sound post metal from NH. Necks will break.

WARANIMAL - More like PartyAnimal; Thrashed out metal from P-town. Bodies will break.

The Coalsack in Crux - Former members of the late Conifer. Recently nominated for 'best new act' in the Portland Phoenix music poll thing; voting ended yesterday.

ATHABASKA - Members of Swaath and WARANIMAL.... Portland Hardcore.

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WARANIMAL interview

GET BUSY!

Bonus:

My friend, just the other day, sent me a nice little link to KYOTY's demo! It's much more post rock than the previous stuff I've posted here but still totally awesome. I'd suggest that you use the bathroom before listening because 1) It's totally awesome and 2) every song starts with water splashing up on the shore and may cause a sudden need to piss your pants. Maybe the latter only affects me, I don't know, just a warning.

KYOTY - Demo

Last.fm

Now let's party!