I Locked The Door

That solo bedroom recording I posted yesterday… I...

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:54:08 -0400

That solo bedroom recording I posted yesterday… I wasn’t happy with the mix, so here it is again, but better. I make one Golden Paws song every 6 months or so. I should have a record done when I’m like 30.

There are two new demos up on The Urns bandcamp page.

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:40:29 -0400

There are two new demos up on The Urns bandcamp page.

Native America

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:28:13 -0400

Get Well Soon

Digital

Pop Rock

New Orleans’ incredible indie rock scene has brought me another gem in the form of Native America. Since Birmingham and Nola are relatively close, Native America plays here a lot, and their live set is mind blowing. They are one of the tightest indie rock bands out right now. Even through all their dynamic changes and shifting grooves they remain completely locked and the tones are crystal clear. On “Get Well Soon” they have the bounce and pluck of Dr. Dog, but without the whole fake vintage schtick. Album opener Reminded is a perfect pop song, but Native America don’t limit this record to three minute rock jams. Pictures is a nine minute epic in the dead center of the record that slips and slides through several movements and completely justifies it’s length with an explosively blown out and beautiful ending. The whole thing is available for free on their website, so go click it.

Violent Reaction

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:11:00 -0400

Demo Tape

Cassette Mind Rot Records

Hardcore Punk

I had never heard Violent Reaction until I saw them with Hounds of Hate a few weeks ago, and they destroyed it. Their distinctly British aesthetic combined with the fact that they’re a straight edge band separates them from most of the current wave of (awesome) rawpunk. Their pummeling, minute long songs are perfect boot stomping anthems. This tape is really short, so I don’t want to write a whole long winded thing… just listen to it and get one of these tapes before the tapes sell out, VR become huge, and you’re like “oh I wish I had that demo tape.”

Generifus

Sat, 04 May 2013 17:19:45 -0400

The World

Cassette Sultan Serves

Vaguely Folkish Acousta Rock

On the heels of his most lush and full record Back in Time, Olympia Washington’s Generifus is back with a collection of intimate, acoustic recordings. I feel like I’ve said a lot about Spencer’s guitar playing on this blog. Regardless, his technical fingerpicking is incredible, not just because it’s hard to do, but because it’s so accessible and melodic. A lot of guitarists have an issue with writing something that is both intricate and catchy. Spencer does not. Generifus is one of the only guys in the DIY world right now that can write a song that is both shredding and delicate.

Lyrically this may be my favorite Generifus material to date. When I was mixing the “Live at God’s Butt” tape I listened to Headed Down about a hundred times, and it got me every time. There’s a perfect balance of sorrow and optimism in lines like “as long as you’re not headed down, then I’d like to come along” and “I’ll be golden. When you want me I’ll be bronze. I’ll wear gold and when you want me I’ll be gone.”

Listen to it here.

El Hollin

Wed, 01 May 2013 14:39:00 -0400

Holey Smokes

CD-R Athens Horse Party

Athens Pop

So this week everyone is freaking out about Athens pop because of the new Neutral Milk Hotel reunion, which is awesome, but I’ve got to take this opportunity to point out that the Athens pop scene is as strong as ever right now. Almost every time I go to/play a show over there I’m introduced to another awesome, current Athens band. Why this scene isn’t getting the same kind of attention Elephant 6 got back in the day is completely beyond me. El Holin’s new record “Holey Smokes” is a perfect example of what Athens is doing right in 2013. Classic Athens style flowery arrangements adorn the bands best release to date. The huge orchestrations of the albums more straight foreword bangers like My Nose, and Amy and Jordan make up the backbone of the record. Interspersed are songs like the bouncing Night of Theory and the melancholy Music Tapes vibe of Driver that give this album a lot of depth and variety. If the Neutral Milk Hotel reunion has you jazzed on AthPop right now, let “Holey Smokes” be a reminder that theres more than one band from Athens.

cassette anarchy: the principle reason you should get your hands on an old tape deck

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:37:01 -0400

cassette anarchy: the principle reason you should get your hands on an old tape deck:

lostsoundtapes:

People often ask, “Why cassettes?” This is why.

Coliseum

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:26:00 -0400

Sister Faith

CD/LP Temporary Residence

Rock

Coliseum has been a staple of the metal/punk scene as long as I can remember. I was a teenager the first time I saw them and I’ll be 25 this month, so you do the math there. On their last two records, The House With a Curse LP and Parasites EP the band has been moving away from the busy, technical heaviness of it’s earlier efforts and settling into a more rock and roll sound akin to a heavier Hot Snakes. Hot Snakes own Rick Froberg actually did the art for the Parasites EP (which is awesome.) Sister Faith finds the band really stretching it’s legs. It’s a natural progression, not only of the most recent records but of the bands whole catalog. The first two tracks “Disappear From Sight” and “Last/Lost” live in the same ripping territory that Coliseum’s long time fans are sure to be psyched on, real motorcycle in the desert music, but rather than staying at that blistering pace the album has a series of ebbs and flows that move in and out of several tempos and textures. I think my favorite departure on this album is the downtempo, almost PJ Harvey-esque groove of the B side’s opener Everything in Glass. It churns with a dark swampiness that balances the fast and furious rock of songs like “Dissapear From Sight” perfectly. The album isn’t out yet, but it’s closer Fuzzbang has an awesome video that’s you can see at the adjacent hyperlink. Fuzzbang may be the most triumphant Coliseum song ever, and it’s a perfect close to the bands most adventurous record to date.

P.S. The packaging is great, the insert is a 16 page zine of artwork from the bands own graphic design wizard Ryan. The record it’s self (or at least my copy) is a purple splatter vinyl with little hits of translucent green, and it looks incredible, especially paired with the cover art. Temporary Residence has really been pushing the packaging envelope recently. Anyone else see that Explosions record that folds out into a house!? You can preorder Sister Faith from Temp Res here.

Caddywhompus was great at the butt last night. It’s always...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:36:47 -0400

Caddywhompus was great at the butt last night. It’s always really funny to see God’s Butt on official tour posters. In fact if anybody has any like, printed glossy ones I would buy them from you.

communityrecords:

CADDYWHOMPUS IS GOING ON TOUR NEXT WEEK!

Check out the dates below and go hang with them. Block Party is the kickoff!

4.13 - New Orleans, LA - Community Records Block Party
4.14 - Birmingham, AL - God’s Butt [1715 11th Place South]
4.16 - Richmond, VA - Bainbridge Collective [1300 Bainbridge]
4.18 - Baltimore, MD - Club K
4.19 - Philadelphia, PA - The Crows Nest [723 Washington Ave]
4.20 - Brooklyn, NY - Big Snow Buffalo Lodge [89 Varet St.]
4.22 - Pittsburg, PA - Mr. Roboto Project [5106 Penn Ave.]
4.23 - Harrisonburg, VA - Blue Nile
4.24 - Nashville, TN - The Owl Farm

http://caddywhompusband.com/
http://chinquapinrecords.com/
http://communityrecords.org/

facebook event

The new Iji video rules. This whole album is great. I...

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 01:29:17 -0400

The new Iji video rules. This whole album is great. I can’t wait to get my hands on an LP.

Ever Ending Kicks

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 01:18:35 -0400

Weird Priorities

Cassette Holy Page

Minimalist Pop

“Weird Priorities” is beautifully sparse and masterfully repetitive. This record is a little bit like black coffee. The first time you aren’t sure how you feel about it, but a week later you find yourself craving it, and a week after that you’re hooked. Most of these tracks use a limited palette of a couple synths and simple drum machines. The space it creates is refreshing. In this golden age of multi tracking it’s easier than ever to layer and layer and layer (which is not always a bad thing, but it’s become a crutch for some) so It’s really nice to hear someone so successfully embrace minimalism.

If I had to choose a single banger it would be Impressed. Listen to the whole thing here. Also buy the tape. As with all Holy Page releases, the physical product is killer.

Here’s a video of Tigers Jaw playing a Brand New song in...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:28:17 -0400

Here’s a video of Tigers Jaw playing a Brand New song in my living room.

I recently posted the new Filardo LP and it has been in heavy...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:56:04 -0400

I recently posted the new Filardo LP and it has been in heavy rotation for me ever since. Here’s a music video for one of the tracks that most reminds me of “Get Lost” era Magnetic Fields.

Nightmare Boyzzz is my favorite garage rock band right now. They...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:13:00 -0400

Nightmare Boyzzz is my favorite garage rock band right now. They always bring the perfect mix of punk attitude and melodic sensibilities. Their upcoming 7” is a banger. Boyzzz know how to rock.

This is sort of a little teaser for the upcoming Urns full...

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:52:08 -0500

This is sort of a little teaser for the upcoming Urns full length LP on Fat Sandwich. 13/40 is like the heaviness of Hum with the delicateness of Slowdive or something (full disclosure, I played keyboard on it, so I may not be totally objective.) Middle Aged Sun is a re recording of a song that was on The Urns demo tape (I recorded/produced that one at God’s Butt.) Those two are on the upcoming LP and the third song “Digital Harp” is an incredible sounding demo of a song thats even newer than the LP.

I would make a posts about the new Iceage and Waxahatchee records (since those are bands that I have...

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:47:00 -0500

I would make a posts about the new Iceage and Waxahatchee records (since those are bands that I have covered up to this point) but I think Pitchfork has it covered. Sometimes good bands graduate the blogosphere. I guess that’s the point right?

Filardo

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:20:00 -0500

Falling Up

LP Holy Page

Pop/Minimalist New Wave

I use the term New Wave above extremely hesitantly. That genre specification normally holds some nostalgic connotation, and Falling Up doesn’t feel like one of those tone for tone throwback clones that have become painfully popular as of late. There’s no pretense of fake 80’s ness here. I use New Wave because there’s not really another way to describe Tom Filardo’s use of clear, up front synths and drum machines. Sonically you could say that this album is the opposite of the new MBV record in the sense that all the sounds on Falling Up are clear and separated. The best comparison I can make is that this record is like if They Might Be Giants had made an album full of of Beach Boys style melodies and song structures some time before they changed their two piece lineup into a proper rock band. It’s not actually that simple, but when an album is this unique all I can really do is try and ballpark a description. Hopefully this is a ballpark you’d like to visit. Personally I’m loving it. Tom Filardo (or maybe his brother Christian) runs the aforementioned Holy Page label and you can tell by their eclectic catalog that he’s completely in touch with the cutting edge of pop and noise goodness. There’s a lot of negative space on this record but it doesn’t feel empty, he knows exactly where to pick up and drop off, what spaces to fill and what to leave blank. I would be doing everyone a disservice if I failed to mention the similarities between Falling Up and the early synth based work of The Magnetic Fields, but like I said…ballpark.

I would say that the most immediate song on the record is Spare Me Fantasy so if you’re looking for the hit pop single, start there. However, the joy of this record is really in the full experience so stream the whole thing and buy the LP here. I’m about to order one for myself.

Steel for Brains: Beasts in the Backyard - A Conversation with Aaron Hamilton

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:51:24 -0500

Steel for Brains: Beasts in the Backyard - A Conversation with Aaron Hamilton:

Cave9 was Birmingham Alabama’s legendary DIY venue and this is an interview with it’s founder Aaron Hamilton. Cave9 is basically the reason this blog exists. If I hadn’t started going to see my friends bands play shows when I was 15 I would never have understood that DIY and more importantly general art and music were things that I could be a part of. Cave9 completely changed the trajectory of my life in a positive way. Aaron is also a rad tattoo artist and has done 4 of my 5 tattoo’s…so check it out

steelforbrains:

I met Aaron Hamilton years ago at Cave 9. Then I actually talked to Aaron a few years after that when I got my first tattoo at Aerochild Tattoos here in Birmingham. It took me about two days to put the pieces together back then that Aaron was, in fact, THE Aaron who had owned and operated…

This is Driving Range. Consider this an introduction. I’m...

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:50:52 -0500

This is Driving Range. Consider this an introduction. I’m going to put their demo up soon.

As Promised The Live At God's Butt Tapes Are

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:01:58 -0500

HERE! Buy all 3 for $10 or an individual for $5

check out a track from each tape:

Delay

Generifus

Waxahatchee