ZECHS MARQUISE – Getting Paid

In the Rodriguez-Lopez family, musical talent is a strong and vibrant trait. Zechs Marquise’s Malfred and Marcel Rodriquez-Lopez are the younger brothers of The Mars Volta guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. It appears that the influence of their older brother’s work with Cedric Bixler-Zavala and The Mars Volta have had a large affect on their own musical aspirations and style, especially considering the 12 tracks contained in the group’s latest album Getting Paid.
 
As someone who’s witnessed a live show featuring Zechs Marquise, I can fully attest to the fact that this album is an honest representation of what you will hear if you see them live in concert. The mix of funky baselines and progressive guitar work that fills the opening track “Getting Paid” really sets the stage for an album that will likely please those who dig intricate instrumentation and electronically manipulated sounds. Getting Paid is mainly an instrumental album, as the first vocals appear nearly 15 minutes into the album, during the third track “Static Lovers.” In an almost haunting performance, guest vocalist Sonny Baker lender her vocals to the track “The Heat, The Drougt, The Thirst, and Insanity,” and RX Bandits vocalist Matt Embree lends his vocals to the song “Everlasting Beacon of Light.”

Getting Paid comes across sounding a lot like The Mars Volta, or at least like the instrumentation and far out progressive sounds as featured on albums like Frances The Mute. While the influence of their older brother’s work comes thought from Malfred and Marcel, they’ve managed to put out an album that impresses and remains fresh through all 12 cuts.

(Rodriguez-Lopez Productions, no address provided)

DAN P AND THE BRICKS – Watch Where You Walk

Having gone to many ska shows in northern California from the late 1990s through the early 2000s, I remember seeing MU330’s vocalist and guitarist Dan Potthast randomly show up outside venues and play acoustic sets after the conclusion of the concert. Apparently, Potthast decided that Santa Cruz, located about 70 miles south of San Francisco, was calling him as a musician, and he moved there from his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. With Potthast’s move to California, this left the future of MU330 in the air, and eventually led the band to go on hiatus.


After a few solo albums and heading up the band The Stitch Up, Dan — along with members of defunct Santa Cruz ska act Slow Gherkin — have formed Dan P and The Bricks. Their debut album, Watch Where You Walk, features Potthast’s trademark vocals and songwriting, something that made MU330 stand out from other acts throughout the third-wave ska years of the 1990s.

Although the music with The Bricks sticks to a more toned-down, traditional roots 2-tone ska sound, it’s a definite departure from the sound of MU330’s fast paced punk-ska. Think of the lyrics of MU330 meets sound of The Pietasters. The five-piece horn section has a deep, rich sound — especially with the addition of baritone sax. With the song “One Reason,” Dan is joined by a female vocalist in this throwback tune featuring a doo-wop sound. The band also tackles one of Dan’s solo tunes “Set Sail,” which was featured on his 1999 debut solo album Eyeballs.

Watch Where You Walk is a reminder that while the mainstream hype and attention of ska music is long gone, those who drove that genre to mainstream notoriety are still producing great music.

(Asian Man Records, PO Box 35585 Monte Sereno, CA 95030)

LOS ANGELES STORIES by Ry Cooder

City Lights, 232 pages, paperback, $15.95
 

I remember hearing Ry Cooder’s 2005 album Chavez Ravine after my old man burned me a copy of it and said I should check it out, especially after moving to southern California. The concept album tells the story of the Chicano community located just outside of downtown Los Angeles and the ultimate displacement of the residents of Chavez Ravine in order to develop new housing. The housing development plans fell through and the land was given to Walter O’Malley, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, as part of an agreement to bring the Dodgers to LA. That forgotten history was brought to life with Cooder’s concept album — full of Chicano flavor built around Cooder’s guitar work, and Americana roots folk storytelling featuring many larger-than-life characters who were actually involved in the situation at Chavez Ravine.

In many ways, Los Angeles Stories is an extension of the story of Chavez Ravine and the people who inhabited the community. At the very least, it serves as an annex to the Chavez Ravine incident. This is Cooder’s first written work, a collection of short stories he penned over time, originally created for his own enjoyment. After a discussion with Bob Dylan regarding an upcoming tour Ry was heading out on, Cooder was convinced by Dylan to have a small run of these stories printed up to sell at each show. The tour fell through and somehow a copy of these stories — which were thrown together in a hurry — ended up in the hands of City Lights Books in San Francisco.

“I got an email saying, ‘We’d like to put out an edition of this,’ and I said that’s an honor for me – that’s terrific! Really? You sure?” said Cooder in a recent interview conducted on Los Angeles radio station KPCC 89.3 FM. “I’m not a novelist or writer in that sense. It’s just me fooling around, like with music in the same way. Like writing a song.”

The words that occupy the 232 pages of this book bring to life a time long gone. Los Angeles today is a busy and crowded metropolitan mecca, a true concrete jungle where millions of people work, live, and play among the smog-filled air and the bumper-to-bumper traffic. Los Angeles Stories gives us eight short stories set between the 1940s and late 1950s. During this time, LA was looked upon as a place for opportunity for those outside of the West Coast — A destination for folks back east. If it was a job working for Douglas Aircraft (a booming business with the progression of aviation technology) or getting into the music business you sought, LA was the place to be.

On the flip-side, Los Angeles also had a seedy side (and still does, if you care to look for it). Shady characters including schemers, lowlifes, junkies, and con-artists live among the dreamers, especially during the time period featured in Los Angeles Stories. 

While some of the stories focus on those who end up in LA, Cooder’s focus in this book is mainly about those who have called LA home for most of their lives. The way Cooder describes the neighborhoods in LA — the homes and the working class — really paints a picture that doesn’t just give you an idea of what it was like; rather, he brings these images to life, especially if you live in or visit LA today. And if anyone can give accurate descriptions of what it was like in those days in Los Angeles, Cooder can since he grew up in these neighborhoods. I found myself saying “Been there!” many times while reading this book, as places like Pershing Square and Philippe’s still stand to this day.

I believe it was Stephen King who once said something like, “I don’t write about extraordinary people, I write about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.” That’s the formula Ry Cooder has used in this book. Most of the stories feature ordinary people — including quite a few musicians — who find themselves in very peculiar situations.

One line we keep hearing throughout this book is police officers telling characters, “Don’t leave town,” as one character after another gets caught up in some incriminating situations. The stories are full of suspense and read a lot like detective novels and pulp magazines (fitting for the era these stories take place). Another amusing thing about the stories is Cooder’s ability to occasionally cross characters from one story into another, giving the reader a feeling that while LA is a big place, it can also be a place where people get around. The cover also sets the stage for the stories found in this book. It features a classic California bungalow with a giant palm tree growing right through the roof, colored in an old film grain color, preparing the reader for a ride back in time.

Los Angeles Stories really captures the feel of LA in the ’40s and ’50s, or at least what I assume it was like. The stories, with a cast of larger than life characters and interesting plot twists, left me turning each page with wonder and interest in what was going to happen next. In the span of 232 pages, I feel like I’ve been to a museum or maybe jumped back in time to a place where I had no ability to be or exist in.

Ry Cooder has earned a reputation of being a wonderful musician with the ability to tell stories with his music. Now, Cooder has taken his storytelling to written form and will likely impress the reading community with his brand of true life-inspired tales of a time long gone. I hope this first time effort by Mr. Cooder won’t be his last. A truly excellent read.

HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL – Mergers & Acquisitions

Cooking up their own brand of alternative folk, Have Gun Will Travel have released their third album Mergers & Acquisitions. This collection of 12 folk-driven songs break off into many directions including traditional folk, blues, and  roots rock and roll, featuring the stellar vocals of Matt Burke.


On first listen, I thought this was a new side project of Tom Petty (yes, the Tom Petty), as Burke’s vocals are eerily similar to Petty’s singing voice (both outfits are out of Florida, Petty from Gainesville and Burke from Bradenton), with a hint of Bob Dylan thrown in. A majority of the songs on Mergers & Acquisitions tell stories; songs about life on the road, traveling, and days of old.

With Burke’s memorable vocals and the music provided by the backing band — especially with the use of steel guitar provided by Scott Anderson — the album relies on the traditional folk style, but with toe-tapping tunes like “Song of Seven Sisters,” the album cruises along like an Americana road trip through the heart of this nation. This is an all around enjoyable album full of infectiously catchy songs and moving stories beautifully sung by Burke.

(Suburban Home Records, PO Box 40757, Denver, CO 80204)

OCCUPY LOS ANGELES - October 8th, 2011 – City Hall

In February of 2003 I attended my first protest, located in downtown San Francisco in opposition to the imminent invasion of Iraq by US and allied forces. I remember the feeling of approaching the mass of tens of thousands of people standing on Market Street. The sound was intense, like something you’d hear at a sporting event — if the crowd was literally on fire. It was then that I realized how powerful people can be when united for a cause.

Recently, Adbusters — a Canadian activist foundation that uses culture jamming and advertising spoofs to push an anti-consumerist agenda — came up with an idea to set up camp in New York’s financial district on September 17th. The small gathering of anti-capitalism and anti-corporatism protesters has turned into a monster of a political and social movement, prompting other Occupy Wall Street encampments to take shape not only in the US, but around the world.

With so many in the mainstream media making this out to be a joke, and right wing outlets so quick to dismiss the Occupy movement as a bunch of hippies who have no idea what they are protesting, I needed to get out there and see where these protesters are coming from.

On October 8th, I headed to downtown Los Angeles. Arriving at the encampment around noon, I found dozens upon dozens of tents sprawled across the many lawns of city hall. The area appeared relativity clean and organized, especially considering many had already called this area home for more than a week. Police presence was at a minimum, as I only spotted three officers in uniform during the span of the afternoon. With a music festival scheduled to start at noon, no one was at the microphone on the south end of the block. As I stood there taking in all the various signs, booths, and groups talking amongst themselves, I was caught off-guard by a single voice powered by a bullhorn at the edge of the block.

“It’s much bigger than Wall Street. It’s much bigger than just police brutality. It is a formation of a New World Order,” exclaims the man. These are the words of activist Shane Devins.

Originally from Las Vegas, Devins believes the corruption on Wall Street and in Washington, DC goes far beyond what we are led to believe. He believes organizations like the United Nations, the Bilderberg Group, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Trilateral Commission are involved with an attempt to create a one world government. Using the private Federal Reserve as a vehicle to destroy the value of the US dollar by way of deflation, the destruction of the US economy will then give way to a new world currency regulated and controlled by the World Bank.

“It has taken almost a hundred years to cripple the US dollar,” says Devins. As I interview him, we search for water around the encampment. “And what Obama talked about at the G20 Summit 2009 is that the World Bank should be and will be the institution that will create a world currency, and that will be regulated under the World Bank and the World Bank will come under the authority of the United Nations.”

While some might balk at the notion of a conspiracy to usher in a one world currency, the actions of the Federal Reserve have brought on much scrutiny from many Occupy Wall Street protesters, leaving little room for straw-man arguments and calls of “kooky conspiracy theorists.”

Signs proclaiming “END THE FED” were a constant sighting at the LA Occupation. One must remember that the Federal Reserve is a private entity that doesn’t answer to Congress; their actions are kept in secret and their actions of manipulating monitory policy has proven to hurt the US economy more than help it. A number of protesters were also calling for the reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act, which prevented investment banks and commercial banks from merging. The act was repealed under the Clinton administration with the help of former Obama economic adviser Larry Summers. Many view the repeal as a precursor to the 2008 financial crisis.

Some of those in attendance aired out calls to end capitalism as a whole, though they were in the minority, despite attempts by the mainstream media to convince the public otherwise. Most in attendance were calling for an end of crony capitalism (i.e., “corporatism”). Corporatism is the merger of corporate and governmental powers — Benito Mussolini once stated that corporatism should essentially be called fascism, as many protesters would agree, charging that corporations own our leaders in Washington, DC by way of lobbyist money and the assignment of corporate big-wigs to high governmental positions. Another interesting contingency at the Occupy protest are supporters of the anti-war movement. While most may think of banks when it comes to Wall Street, we must remember that elements of the military industrial complex are a part of Wall Street.

While walking among the tent city, the people, and the countless signs airing out grievances, I found myself returning to those feelings I had back in 2003 in San Francisco. The feeling of community ingrained with those who have shared food, water, and space in a foreign home for over a week, and the camaraderie of people coming together in a peaceful way to air out their concerns and anger — could this be the start of a revolution? This worldwide phenomenon has given me hope that the masses are starting to wake up to the reality that business in Washington, DC continues as usual. Even under a democrat — especially a democrat who received more contributions from Wall Street than any other presidential candidate in US history. “Democrat” and “Republican” don’t matter at the end of the day. Both are guilty of supporting corporate interests over those they are supposed to represent.

Standing on the corner with tambourine and sign in hand, Angus Godwin expresses a sentiment I think is fitting for the majority of protesters who have found solidarity in the Occupy Wall Street movement: “We’re all here because we’re getting screwed, and because bankers are criminals.”

The question now begs to be asked: we have occupied — now what? The ball is in our court.

(Originally published on October 19th, 2011 at www.verbicidemagazine.com as part of several first hand accounts of the Occupy Wall Street movement from Verbicide contributors nationwide. To read other accounts of other protests, visit HERE)

THE TURBO AC’S – Kill Everyone

Ah! A new Turbo A.C.’s album! Time to put it to the test! You see, I drive a 1973 Chevy Nova and usually the best way to test out a new punk or hard rock album is to drive down PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) with the windows down and the tunes cranking. If I tend to speed, as in the case of Motorhead’s Overkill, it gets a passing grade. If it doesn’t inspire me to put the pedal to the metal, it fails.


Kill Everyone starts with high potential, especially with the opening track “Feed You To The Sharks.” Kevin Cole’s vocals are super raspy and unique, and they really work well with the music, much like how awesome Tim Armstrong sounds with Rancid. As the album progressed I noticed that I wasn’t really cranking out the RPMs on the Nova, but I continued to enjoy this album. Tracks like “Ancient Chinese Secret” really blasts out that fast-paced punk sound, and “Forget Everything” has a definite Ramones feel to it. Another nice thing about Kill Everyone is how Tim Lozada’s bass guitar seems to drive quite a few of the songs like “Shut Up Pills,” “Live Fast Die Slow,” and “Into The Vortex,” Okay, so technically the it failed the Nova test, but this album does pass the test for being a really good punk rock album as a whole. It’s not a non-stop fast paced album but it has its moments. Quite an enjoyable listen.

(Stomp Records, 1223 Blvd. Saint-Laurent Suite 305, Montreal, QC H2X  2S6 Canada)

COMET GAIN – Howl of the Lonely Crowd

Having never heard of Comet Gain, I was quite surprised to learn they’ve been around since the early 1990s. Receiving high accolades in the indie pop scene in the UK, it seems their attraction never really crossed the pond here to the United States, but here they are releasing their sixth studio album in the US.


Laced with keyboards with a stripped-down, indie-pop sound, the opening track “Clang of the Concrete Swans” starts the album in a catchy frenzy. It’s followed by “The Weekend Dreams,” a bass- and horn-driven track that has a retro British soul sound featuring Rachel Evans on vocals. There’s a real nice mix of material on this album that allows the listener to hear all aspects of Comet Gain’s sound. While Howl of the Lonely Crowd has its share of infectiously toe-tapping pop songs, there are also a few mellow tracks that really add some depth to the feel of this albums. “After Midnight, After Its All Gone Wrong” highlights that toned down sound with an emphasis on David Feck’s vocals. The album takes a poetic turn with the track “A Memorial For Nobody I know,” again with Feck on vocals. The shared vocal spot between Feck and Evans throughout the album is also quite enjoyable. The album is nicely balanced between catchy pop and singer-songwriter material.

(What’s Your Rapture? Records, no address provided)

WOLVES LIKE US – Late Love

Newcomers to the American hard rock scene is Oslo Norway’s own Wolves Like Us with their debut album Late Love. Featured on this album are a collection of 10 tracks filled with pounding drum lines, melodic yet hard guitar licks, and howling vocals. While coming across as more of a hard rock album than anything else, the track “Shiver In The Heat” plays off a fast punk rock beat.


It’s quite clear that these guys can bring the rock, but it’s unfortunate to say that many of the songs feel like they follow the same formula from track to track. The vocals seem recycled as well — a little one-dimensional. I will say that the vocals are sung with conviction and gut-wrenching power, but feel played out by the middle of the album. Musically, these guys are quite good and the album is put together quite nicely, but I feel that by the fifth track the album ran its course. This might be one to check out on a streaming feed online, but not something I’d suggest picking up.

(Prosthetic Records, 11664 National Blvd. Suite 413, Los Angeles, CA 90064)

BROADCASTER – Joyride

Broadcaster’s digital EP Joyride is two decades too late. If you had the ability to throw a copy of this EP in a time machine and send it to some college radio station in the 1990s it would fit right into the rotation of other ’90s alt-rock acts. But this three-piece act from Long Island got their start just last year, playing mostly ’90s cover songs. Their sound is quite nostalgic for someone like myself who grew up listening to acts like Nada Surf, Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr. Even with that throwback sound, the four tracks on Joyride are quite refreshing. Musically, they have that ’90s sound pegged down perfectly. You can listen to each of these songs and see what bands really inspired Broadcaster’s sound. For example, “Atlantic Sea” has a definite Oasis sound — both in musical and vocal structure. Those stuck 15 years in the past will appreciate their sound, but those also in the now should also be highly impressed with the music these guys are pumping out.


(self-released, no address provided)

JELLO BIAFRA AND THE GUANTANAMO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE – Enhanced Methods Of Questioning

Holding back no punches against the status quo (as usual), Jello Biafra is back with the second release from Jello Biafra and The Guantanamo School Of Medicine. This five-song EP comes only a few years after the release of their first full-length release, The Audacity Of Hype.


Taking aim at issues including religion (“Invasion of the Mind Snatchers”), bio weapons (“The Cells That Will Not Die”), and the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder on war veterans (“Victory Stinks”), the formula of Biafra’s iconic and infamous vocals along with the relentless punk rock onslaught of sound projected by the band provides for an rousing listen. The bass work of former Faith No More member Billy Gould drives a majority of the songs, along with the scathing lyrical content. Biafra really shines in the opening track “Dot Com Monte Carlo,” where he airs out his disgust with  his adopted hometown of San Francisco, California: “Where’s the gangs in the mission when you need em?/How ’bout some yuppie drive-bys for a change?” quips Biafra. As usual, the release comes with a Biafra-created poster-sized liner notes collage that one could look over for hours in amusement.

(Alternative Tentacles Records, PO Box 419092, San Francisco, CA 94141)

LOVE OF EVERYTHING – Sooner I Wish

Bobby Burg is the brainchild behind Love Of Everything and in this nine-minute-long EP titled Sooner I Wish, Burg teams up with drummer Matt Holland (Air Waves, Vacation) for these four new tracks.


The songs reflect Burg’s recent divorce from his wife, but listening to the upbeat and bouncy vocals, you’d never know it. The lyrics are quite scathing, though, in content. Clearly, the material here is very personal — unfortunately there’s nothing overly intricate or really interesting about the music itself on this EP. The album was recorded live with a loop pedal and no overdubs besides Burg’s vocals, leaving little room for complexity and improvisational.

In the few times I’ve listened to this album, there’s a glaringly obvious feel that the effort was thrown together in a rush (maybe that was done on purpose?). The bass guitar on the opening track “Three Way Answers” really distorts the sound of the song, causing me to check my bass levels on my stereo on the first listen. I will admit that the catchy feel of the songs started to become infectious by the third or fourth listen, but not enough to change my opinions on this album.

Sooner I Wish is undoubtedly a work of personal reflection about the heartbreaks of a marriage gone wrong. While the lyrics tell of that pain, the music does not. It’s too catchy and, dare I say, “indie.” Or maybe I just can’t dig this kind of music.

(Polyvinyl Records, 206 N. Randolph Street, Suite M100, Champaign, IL 61820)

BRIDGE AND TUNNEL – Rebuilding Year

Melodic yet chaotic — Bridge and Tunnel balance the musical scales with their latest release Rebuilding Year. This collection of 10 songs run the gamut of musical expressions from one end of the spectrum to the other.


The album starts with steady paced and straight forward cut “Synchronized Swimming.” The melodic side of Bridge and Tunnel’s sound really comes out in this opening track, with its pedal and reverb effected guitars and spacy vocals. The opening track is followed up by “Harder Pill To Swallow,” another melodic track with a bit of a harder edge to the vocals. By the third cut, “Outgrowing Pains,” you’re bombarded by a faster paced track with the harshest vocals so far on the album.

Interestingly, there are breaks in this track that bring back that more mellow sound. This pretty much sums up Rebuilding Year’s feel, a delicate balance between melodic indie rock sounds and a hard edge screamo vibe. One of the more memorable cuts from this album has to be “Hands,” with guitarist and vocalist Rachel Rubino highlighting her softer and more melodic vocal range. This album really mixes it up –not predictable whatsoever. Great mix of various styles of music, all mixed and balanced nicely to end up with a really impressive effort.

(No Idea Records, PO Box 14636, Gainesville, FL 32604)

SEAWEED – Service Deck/The Weight

We’re taking this back to the 1990s with this one, ladies and gentlemen. You might have caught their video for the song “Kid Candy” on “Beavis and Butt-Head.” Maybe you’ve heard their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” in the Kevin Smith film Clerks. Tacoma, Washington’s Seaweed were quite active in the ’90s and fell off into obscurity — that is, until now. This two-song seven inch features the reformed band, including original vocalist Aaron Stauffer and guitarists Clint Werner and Wade Neal. Both songs pick up where the band left off with their mix of punk rock and grunge. “Service Deck” is full of catchy guitar licks and a addictive driving beat, while “The Weight” spotlights the drumming of Jesse Fox. Newer (and younger) fans, along with longtime fans should enjoy this small sample of the newly reformed Seaweed.


(No Idea Records, PO Box 14636, Gainesville, FL 32604)

SCREAM – Complete Control Sessions

When I was filling my diapers back in 1981, the Stahl brothers were forming one of the foundational hardcore punk bands to come out of the northern Virginia/Washington, DC area. Their debut album, Still Screaming, became the first full-length albums released on Ian MacKaye‘s Dischord Records. It was later in the decade that a 17-year old drummer by the name of Dave Grohl lied his way into vacant drumming spot in the band (he said he was 20) and would go on to play drums on the band’s last two albums in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Now, 18 years after their last album, Fumble, Scream’s original lineup have reunited and released the EP Complete Control Sessions. While Mr. Foo Fighter himself Dave Grohl is not featured on this album, he did offer up his recording studio for the album’s creation.

The seven-song EP continues the band’s artistic progression, from their hardcore beginnings, to the post-hardcore sounds of their last album. “Stopwatch” opens the album with a catchy feel and strong back-beat and leads into another straightforward cut featuring group vocals called “Get Free.”

“Jammin at 606” (“606″ referring to the name of Grohl’s recording studio) is a straight throw-back to the roots of this band. It’s fast, loud, and raw. “The Year Bald Headed Singers Were In,” oddly enough, has a Nomeansno feel (as Nomeansno’s Rob Wright is known to dawn a bald head here and there), although I’m pretty sure Rob didn’t inspire the lyrics to the song.

For only reuniting a few years ago, they sound quite tight, and Peter Stahl’s voice is still in good shape. Not bad for taking an 18-year break.

(Side One Dummy Records, 1944 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90068)

BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE – For The Damned, The Dumb & The Delirious

I remember seeing Big D live years ago and falling in love with their album Good Luck released back in 1999. Their high-energy punk ska music backed by a kick-ass horn section really made their sound stand out. Then I caught them at Warped Tour about five years ago and realized what I loved about this band had been utterly destroyed — a horn-driven pop-punk band.


For The Damned, The Dumb & The Delirious is a return of sorts to what I enjoyed about this band 12 years ago, although it’s a far cry from Good Luck. “Walls” opens it off with a taste of the older punk ska stylings from Big D, and the carefree fun filled ska feel continues into the next song “Clothes Off.” From here on, the remaining 16 tracks are hit and miss. The song “Best of Them All” comes across as a horn-filled rip-off from fellow Boston lads The Dropkick Murphys. The flow of this album just doesn’t do it for me. Granted, there are some decent tracks, most of which have that older Big D sound — tracks like “Set Me Straight” and “Not Our Fault” — but there are other tracks that just don’t seem to fit. Then there’s the horns — they just seem to lack any real impression, no power and quite lackluster. I just don’t find anything here that excites me, not like the old Big D I used to skank it up to.

(Side One Dummy Records, 1944 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90068)

THIEVERY CORPORATION – Culture Of Fear

Washington DC’s electronica and down-tempo pioneering duo Eric Hilton and Rob Garza are back with their sixth studio album Culture of Fear. Compared to their past few releases, there’s more of a classic down-tempo flow and feel to this album. While the opening track “Web of Deception” hits you hard with funky guitar riffs, electronic hooks, and effects, and the title track featuring Mr. Lif on vocals features a driving beat with horns, Culture of Fear is full of chill-out tracks.


One of the more mellow cuts featured here is “Take My Soul,” with Thievery Corporation regular Lou Lou on vocals. Sleepy Wonder is back with the dubbed-out reggae track “Stargazer.” While it seems like Hilton and Garza have stepped back from the world beat sound that has defined much of their music since the release of The Mirror Conspiracy back in 2000, they have adopted more of a dub dominated sound to go along with their electronic lounge and trip-hop vibe, especially with the track “Overstand” featuring Ras Puma.

One complaint I have heard from Corporation purists in the past is that they feature too many artists on their albums. This may be true to some extent — there are a total of seven featured guests here — but the flow from artist-to-artist works well in the nine tracks in which they appear. “Fragments,” “Tower Seven,” and the drum solo-driven “Light Flares” are the only instrumentals on this album — kind of a disappointment. The album ends with a smooth cut featuring the poetic styles of Kota on vocals called “Free,” a truly thought-provoking way to end the album.

As with past albums, Culture of Fear presents a commentary on the political climate. In this case, it’s a concept album of sorts about life in our post-9/11 world. The cover of the album is quite poetic in its simplicity: a CCTV camera inside a bubble enclosure. The title track questions the actions of our government in the name of national security, stating “don’t succumb to this culture of fear.” With “Tower Seven” and “False Flag Dub” it seems as if Garza and Hilton have made a subtle comment on 9/11 itself. “Tower Seven” representing World Trade Center Seven, a 47-story building that mysteriously fell at free-fall speed on the evening of 9/11, and “False Flag Dub” referring to the term False Flag (a covert operation made to appear to be the work of another entity). Safe to say Hilton and Garza have opened their eyes to 9/11 Truth? Maybe — maybe not — but this album will definitely open some ears to the sit-back-and-chill sound of Thievery Corporation.

(ESL Music, 1849 Calvert Street NW, Washington DC, 20009)

NICK 13 – S/T

Taking a look back at Tiger Army‘s discography, it’s easy to see the love lead singer/guitarist Nick 13 has for roots Americana and traditional country and rockabilly. Cuts like “Outlaw Heart” on their self-titled debut full-length and “In The Orchard” off of Tiger Army II : Power of Moonlight spotlights Nick’s ability to shed that psychobilly sound in place for a more mellow laid back classic country twang tone.


With his self-titled debut solo album, Nick 13 takes the route taken by other punk rock vocalists like Bad Religion‘s Greg Graffin and Avail’s Tim Barry by releasing a collection of stripped-down ballads and singer-songwriter material. Nick’s voice is something I’ve admired throughout the Tiger Army years, but hearing his voice used solely in material like this really takes it to a new level. While sounding quite traditional in his vocal approach, there’s something amazingly unique to the sound, even haunting to some extent. Most of the songs here feature Nick on acoustic guitar and vocals with a backing band playing pedal steel guitar, including the bass-driven track “All Alone.” One of the few tracks to feature electric guitar, “101,” tells the story of leaving a small sleepy town in search for the big city life — a story I can only guess is reflective of Nick’s past life living in Ukiah, California (where Highway 101 runs right through the town).

Nick also covers a few Tiger Army cuts, “In The Orchard” and “Cupids Victim.” Both are stripped-down and given the traditional roots Americana treatment. This album is going to turn some heads and make those not familiar with Nick 13′s past contributions to Tiger Army take notice, especially since this album has been released on Sugar Hill Records — a mainly Americana and bluegrass label.

Mark my words, Nick 13 will become a heavy hitter in the alternative country arena if he continues down this solo path.

(Sugar Hill Records, no address provided)

ISIS – Live I – V

It’s been more than a year since the post-metal cult status icons Isis called it quits after a 13-year-ride. They were known for putting on killer shows featuring enduring sets of ambient droning and electronic sound-scapes, filled with intense bass lines and powerful drum lines and guitar riffs. Some cuts featured gut-wrenching vocals, but much of their material was based on repetitive instrumentation that built up and evolved into a climactic event. The music seems simple to the average listener, but the details are very intricate to those who listen with an attentive ear.


In honor of the one-year anniversary of the band’s demise, Isis has re-released their live five-album set. The five albums were recorded from 2003 to 2006 at different shows in various locations.

The first live album was recorded at the Fillmore in San Francisco on September 23rd, 2003. Like most of these live albums, the audio is taken from a bootleg recording, giving the listener a much lower quality experience than a soundboard recording. The San Francisco recording is noticeably heavy on the low bass lines and bass drums and also features quite a bit of chatter from the audience during more quiet sections of the set. For being a bootleg, the quality is high enough for the listener to enjoy the material being played, especially songs like “Weight.” Unfortunately, the beginning track, “From Sinking,” was omitted from the release due to recording problems.

The second album was recorded in Stockholm, Sweden on March 19th, 2003 through a Swedish radio station, so the quality is much better than the first live album. Many more tracks on this album feature the vocals of Aaron Turner. Unlike the first album, “From Sinking” was recorded and opens the album as the first cut. “Carry” and “Weight” are also featured on this album, along with songs like “Glisten” and “Celestial”.

The third album in this five album set was recorded in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the Launchpad on December 7th, 2004. This was also a bootleg recording, but the audio quality isn’t too bad. This particular album features many tracks that appear on their 2004 album Panopticon including “In Fiction,” a 10-plus-minute head-bobbing jam featuring a killer beat.

The fourth album was recorded during several tour stops from 2001 to 2005. Many of the cuts on this album feature much harder material with Turner’s harsh vocals. The album features older cuts like “Gentle Time,” but also features a cover of Nirvana‘s “Endless Nameless” as well.

The fifth and final album features the best recording of any of the Isis live albums, taken directly off the soundboard. It was recorded at Koko’s in London on July 23rd, 2003. This performance features the 2002 album Oceanic played in entirety. Out of all of the live albums in this series of five, I would suggest picking this one up if you had to get one due to the quality of the recording. This album gives you the best experience of hearing Isis live without being there.

For anyone who missed out on picking up this live set when it was originally released, this is another chance to get a hold of a set from band that many feel quit before they should have. Needless to say, Isis fans need this set as a pivotal piece of the band’s 13-year history.

(self-released, no address provided)

LESS THAN JAKE – Greetings From…

Doing as they often do, Less Than Jake have released a spur-of-the-moment EP entitled Greetings From… featuring five new tracks.


First thing you’ll notice about this release is that 80 percent of the tracks feature that familiar ska sound we’ve come to know and love. Those who have complained over the years about the lack of horns will be pleased to know that both Buddy and JR are heard blasting away on all five cuts. “Goodbye Mr. Personality,” which has been released by the band for free online, is definitely the catchiest song on this EP. “Harvey Wallbanger,” another pop-rock-driven ska song, proved to be another highlight for this album with more catchy hooks. Things slow down a bit with “Oldest Trick In The Book” before ending with the more upbeat cut “Life Led Out Loud.” Chris takes on a majority of the vocals, with Roger popping in here and there in a few songs.

In relation to where this fits in the LTJ discography of  sound, these tracks are definitely reflective as being post Anthem in feel. No old school Pezcore or Losing Streak feel, but that’s been the case for more than a decade, no shock there. In all, this EP holds water to those expectations from the hardcore LTJ fans. Hard copies can be found at Warped Tour dates across the country at their merch booth, or you can download it at www.lessthanjake.com.

(Sleep It Off Records, C/O Paper + Plastick Records, PO Box 12081, Gainesville, FL 32604)

Show Review: RX Bandits at the Art Theater, Long Beach CA 8/3/11

Photo By Mike Murray

Progress — a word not only acting as a title of one of their most successful albums, but also a word to describe the musical explorations of RX Bandits. The band’s music has gone though continual changes throughout the years. From singing silly ska songs as the Pharmaceutical Bandits on their first full length effort Damn Those Bandits and the follow up album Halfway Between Here and There, to taking a complete one-eighty with the social and politically scathing commentary on Progress and The Resignation, staying stagnant in their art has never been a problem. After a move to drop the ska sound all together by phasing out horns and moving more into the realm of experimental progressive jam rock with the release of their latest album Mandala, the band decided to go on an indefinite hiatus after a “farewell tour” that made a stop in Long Beach, California, a place where a few of the band members call home.

The Art Theater is Long Beach’s historic art deco movie house located in the city’s 4th street art district. The recently renovated theater usually hosts independent films as well as some more mainstream releases. It’s rare to see the theater used for musical performances and for good reason I might add. The sound and lighting system (or lack thereof) is minimalistic. There’s also a noticeable lack of standing area in front of the stage, with the rest of the theater filled with seats. Unfortunately Long Beach lacks a decent music venue since the demise of Vault 350, an impressive music venue located in downtown Long Beach. While being an intimate location for a hometown show, the functionality of the venue seemed to take away from the show.
Now, the crowd — I can’t say they sucked like the venue. After being warmed up by the Hot Toddie and Zechs Marquise, the crowd were pumped up for the headliners. The fan base for the Bandits are quite dedicated. One guy flew in from Chicago, Illinois for the few Southern California shows.

One by one the band made their way to the stage. Guitarist Steve Choi and drummer Chris Tsagakis started out the show with a duel drum solo set. Vocalist and guitarist Matt Embree soon joined the rest of the band on stage to officially start the show. The show consisted of the normal RX Bandits live show formula — a lot of crowd interaction, mini jam sessions between songs and a lot of sporadic dancing. Most of the material played included cuts from …And The Battle Begun, The Resignation and Mandala. A few songs were played from Progress, but not nearly as much as I would have expected for being a “farewell tour.”  Nothing was played from Halfway Between Here and There, which was also a disappointment. A highlight for me was the opening bass line for “Overcome (The Recapitulation),” in which hearing this the crowd started spontaneously singing the opening lines (“We’ve had enough of these politician’s wars, what we need right not is love”). I also particularly enjoyed the extended performance of “Only For The Night” and the chaotic sound of “Decrescendo.” Lauren Coleman — also known to some as the musical act Pebaluna — joined Matt on stage for a rendition of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

Photo By Mike Murray

Musically, the guys were as good as they’ve always been. I’ve been to quite a few Bandits shows over the years and they never cease to amaze me with their overall musical ability and improvisational prowess. The absence of horns was noticeable, though. I know, they’ve moved on from that horn-driven sound, but hearing a song played without horns that was originally written with horns in mind leaves a total void and ultimately changes the song. I was expecting some horns or in the very least a horn, especially at a hometown “farewell show,” but it wasn’t meant to be. The lack of horns didn’t kill the show experience for me, but I must be honest in saying that some of the originally horn driven songs played (“All The Time” and “…And The Battle Begun”) without horns did come as a disappointment — they felt incomplete.


After an encore, the crowd chanted and hoped for more music, even as the house lights came on and the sound techs unplugged the microphones. Leaving hot and a bit sweaty from being shoulder to shoulder with fellow concert goers, I questioned if this was really it, “Is this the last time I’ll see RXB live?” We can only hope they take a break and regroup in attempts to create more music. The future is wide open for the RX Bandits and who knows what will come next.

Show Review: Ben Folds and Kenton Chen at the House of Blues, Anaheim 7/20/11

To many my age, Ben Folds is known for being one third of the nerd rock outfit Ben Folds Five that gained popularity back in the mid-’90s with songs like “Brick,” “Underground,” and “Army.” Ben parted ways with Darren and Robert in 2000, and has since gone on to release three solo albums, a number of EPs, and even produced the album Has Been for William Shatner.


In 2009, Ben would go on to gather up a grip of a cappella singing groups from colleges around the country for a cover album featuring songs from Ben Folds, as well as his solo output. Given his interest and passion for the a cappella sound, it wasn’t that shocking that he would be asked to be a celebrity judge on NBC’s a cappella singing competition “The Sing Off.”

“The Sing Off” has also provided a great service to of a cappella singers who once had limited exposure, including 22-year-old Kenton Chen. Chen, a member of the southern California singing group The Backbeats (and third-place winner on the second season of “The Sing Off”) was approached by Mr. Folds about opening up for him on his next tour. Making good on his promise, Ben took Chen on the road for the West Coast swing of his Lonely Avenue tour, bringing reality TV magic to life at the House of Blues in Anaheim.

A few minutes ahead of the scheduled start time the lights dimmed and the curtain pulled back to expose Kenton alone on stage with a stool, a few microphones, a Baldwin grand piano (same piano Ben would use for his set), and a box that would allow Kenton to cue and play background instrumentation during his set. In total silence, he went into a cover of “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. His range was extremely impressive, from high falsetto to deep bass.  He also covered Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” a song I’d never heard before, but it was an impressive performance. He moved from the stool to the piano where he took on the task of playing an original song called “Elena.” When performing non-a cappella songs, his voice and tone sounds a lot like Robin Thicke, especially when he hits the higher register. While hitting those lower notes, elements of Stevie Wonder comes out of his vocal stylings.

After a short intermission following Kenton’s 30-minute set, Ben and his backing back appeared on stage. They immediately went into “Levi Johnson’s Blues” off of Lonely Avenue. Lonely Avenue is a collaboration between Ben Folds and English novelist Nick Hornby (High Fidelity, About A Boy, Fever Pitch), featuring music by Ben and lyrics by Nick.

Following the opening number, Ben noticed the line of photographers (including myself) in front of the stage and proclaimed, “The paparazzi is here,” and admitted that his shows can be quite boring for photographers. So after a costume change (consisting of putting on a beret), he performed his signature “chair toss” against the keys of his piano three times. Then took his synthesizer and ran past us playing it like he was performing a guitar solo. We thanked him for the action shots, and the show continued on.

The material performed by Ben included a few Ben Folds Five tracks, including the ever-popular crowd participation numbers “Army” and “Kate,” to their hit “Brick,” in which Ben said, “If I would have taken five seconds to think about it, I would’ve never put this on the record.” The song tells the story of Ben’s high school girlfriend getting an abortion, and his feelings about it. He also played “Emaline,” a song he wrote at the age of 18.

Most of the set featured music from Folds’ solo albums. “Zak and Sara,” “Annie Waits,” and “Rockin’ The Suburbs” were all crowd pleasers off of the nearly 10-year-old album Rockin’ The Suburbs. From Songs For Silverman, Folds performed “You to Thank,” “Landed,” and “Jesusland.” A few cuts from Way to Normal were played, including “You Don’t Know Me” and “Effington.”

Two particular songs really brought the goosebumps — “Fred Jones Part Two” and “Still Fighting It” really swept me up as the crowd sang along to these two bittersweet tunes. The evening also had some humorous moments as well. While Ben was speaking between songs, he was heckled by an audience member shouting, “Shut up and play!” Ben — who was able to coerce her to apologize — followed this by improvising a jam that turned into a version of “Rock This Bitch.”

Ben also told a story via an improvised song about taking a limo with William Shatner to Disneyland; upon finding it closed, Ben sings, “That doesn’t mean a fucking thing to William Shatner — He just says, ‘Hey, I’m William Shatner,’ and they turn on the rides.” Later in the set, Ben performed an amusing cover of Ke$ha’s “Sleezy,” and several more improvised numbers.

Ben also performed with an impressive backing band, including a drummer, bassist, keyboard player (who busted out the French horn on “Jesusland”), and a second percussionist who jumped on the acoustic guitar during a few songs. The band shined during an extended jam session as Ben played bass and the second percussionist performed an insane drum solo.

The show ended with the crowd favorite “Not The Same” off of Rockin’ The Suburbs. It is here than Ben became a music teacher and divided the crowd into harmony parts for the song. Throughout the song, he gave the crowd cues to come in with their harmony, and once the song ended, he conducted the crowd alone. Seeing Ben Folds live is an amazing experience. He feeds off the crowd during his show, and knows how to keep everyone in attendance involved — it’s truly an interactive experience.

OBNOX – I’m Bleeding Now

Lamont “Bim” Thomas has contributed to quite a few music projects in the past, including Basshole and, most recently, drumming for the band This Moment in Black History. Now this Cleveland, Ohio native has gone solo under the name Obnox, releasing this seven-track album entitled I’m Bleeding Now.
 
Pushing the play button and starting the first track “Cum Inside” startled me a bit. The level of distortion made me question if my speakers were blown on my computer. Maybe I got a bad copy? After confirming the intended sound on the iTunes page for the album, I powered through the gnarled guitars and semi-understandable vocals. The mix of warped guitars and driving drumming continue through the first half of the I’m Bleeding Now, at times almost unbearable to listen to. Thank God I didn’t review this album on my MP3 player…hearing this through headphones could be a new tool used at Gitmo on suspected terrorists.

But the distortion works on a few tracks, including “The Cowboy and Cowgirl,” as the harsh guitars are broken up by a guitar solo and catchy yet distorted vocals. The same formula that worked with the previously mentioned song also works with the tune “Daughter.” The album ends on a wild note with the song “Whaddup Young Bleed (Drum Thunder Suite).” With this track we hear Thomas’s skills on the skins as it drives this four-minute and 41-second blast of insanity. Clearly my favorite cut off this album.

On a personal note, I didn’t dig the whole ear torture aspect of over-distortion on this album, as my ears were proclaiming the title of this album by the end. If you dig Bim’s past work or just dig driving noise backed by a strong back-beat, you may want to give this album a spin.

(Smog Veil Records, 1658 N. Milwaukee Ave #284, Chicago, IL 60647)

FACE TO FACE – Laugh Now, Laugh Later

Nine years after their last studio album, Face to Face are out to prove that they haven’t lost their touch with their newest effort Laugh Now, Laugh Later. The SoCal punk mainstay spent most of the first decade of the new millennium on hiatus, and additionally lost their longtime guitarist, Chad Yaro. With Laugh Now, Laugh Later, Yaro returns to give his vocals and guitar work, making Face to Face a quartet.


The 11 tracks here feature Face to Face’s signature sound, especially Trevor Keith’s vocals and style of songwriting. The opening track, “Should Anything Go Wrong,” packs a powerful punch. With its fast tempo and impassioned vocals, it really draws you in. “Bombs Away” is a scathing commentary and call to action on the political landscape in America and the wars we’re fighting abroad. While most of the songs on this album deal with personal relationship mishaps and heartbreaks — like “Pushover” and “What You Came For” — the album doesn’t come across whiny or “emo,” thanks to the driving guitars, backed by a strong back beat and Keith’s strong yet melodic vocals. Those saddened by the four-year hiatus should enjoy this comeback album, as it’s jam packed with the trademark Face to Face sound.

(Antagonist Records, no address provided)

QUIET LIFE – Big Green

With a sound based in good old fashioned Americana rock n’ roll come Quiet Life and with Big Green. Grabbing inspiration from Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and The Grateful Dead, the 10 tracks on this album will work well as a soundtrack sitting around a campfire or an accompaniment on a road trip across the big empty spaces of this great land known as America.


The music is stripped down and comes across as straightforward — with the attention placed mainly on the songwriting, especially in the songs “Cave Country,” “Easy To Please,” and the title track. These particular tracks tend to be quite folk-y compared to tracks like “Storm Clouds” (heavy Grateful Dead influence here) and “Nighttime” (with guitar work reminiscent of early Kings Of Leon). The mix of laid back folk tracks with the heavier guitar-laced tunes make for a real natural flow. Can’t say I love the vocals, but I dig the guitar work here. Those who savor the folk/roots rock sound should give this album a whirl.

(Safety Meeting Records, 196 Norton St. #2, New Haven, CT 06511)

Show Review: Emily’s Army at DiPiazza’s, Long Beach 5/22/11

Primed and ready for the release of their debut album Don’t Be A Dick on Adeline Records on June 14th, Emily’s Army popped into Long Beach’s DiPiazza’s for an early evening performance to an eager audience. The audience, made up of mainly young teenage girls, crowded the stage with cameras in hand as they patiently waited for the band’s hour-long set.


Emily’s Army is comprised of Oakland teenagers Cole and Max Becker, Travis Nuemann, and Joey Armstrong. The fresh-faced band have made waves by gaining the attention of one of their heroes, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day (and co-founder of Adeline Records) who took on the producing duties of the boys’ debut album.

As the band arrived on stage, I have to admit I was taken aback by just how young these guys looked! They range in age between 15 and 17 years old (no wonder they have a strong teenage girl following!) and do they look it! They definitely have an innocent and, dare I say, “cute” demeanor to their stage presence.

But don’t let the boyish looks fool you into believing these kids are relying solely on the “adorable factor.” Musically, they can clearly hold their own and throw down some really tight sounds. You can hear a lot of Green Day influence, especially in the heavy use of Max’s bass lines. Some of the more poppy vocals and guitar riffs seem to be influenced by traditional Ramones, and at times you can hear hints of some surf and ska.

For being quite young, they dominated the stage with an almost awkward innocent bravado that only seems quite natural for a bunch of teenage boys. Watching them bounce around on stage, jumping in synchronization and clearly having a good time, only made the experience of watching their performance all that more enjoyable. Aspects of Green Day were definitely present in their stage presence with Max and Cole taking on power stances and facial expressions reminiscent of Billie Joe and Mike Dirnt.

Included in their set was a really fun and carefree version of The Beach Boys’ “Do You Want To Dance?” — although the way they played it, it could have been a cover of the Ramones’ version of the song. Whatever the case was, the question posed in the song was answered by some of the girls in front of the stage as they (in fact) did start to dance. The song “I Wanna Be Remembered” was dedicated to Cole and Max’s cousin Emily, who the band is named after. Emily was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis back in 1998 and in honor of Emily’s fight — and in junction with the foundation aimed at educating the masses about CF — the band changed it’s name from Raining Souls to Emily’s Army.

I walked away from this show quite impressed with the simple raw sound and talent of Emily’s Army’s music. If this is any indication of what these lads are capable of, the future looks promising. As of now, they seem like a band inspired by other musical acts they look up to musically. Like all teenagers, it’s a matter of finding yourself and defining yourself. By all accounts of this performance, Emily’s Army is well on their way to finding out what power and potential is there for the taking in the years ahead.

Show Review: The English Beat at the House of Blues, Anaheim 5/13/11

For being a band that only put out three records more than 30 years ago, The English Beat’s intricate and unique story is still being played out to this day. It’s a story of two bands divided by an ocean: one based in the UK featuring original members Ranking Rodger and Everett Morton, the other based in sunny southern California, headed up by original front man Dave Wakeling. Both bands playing the tunes that defined the Two-Tone ska sound that one day would be an inspiration to bands like The Toasters, No Doubt, Reel Big Fish, and others who would go and create the Ska’s third wave. Tonight, it would be Dave Wakeling’s band that would take the stage in Anaheim.


Tonight’s crowd was very, very interesting to say the least. Arriving to the upstairs bar area, I noticed that they had part of the area cordoned off for a private party. I came to find out there was a high school reunion taking place and by the looks of it, I would say a class from the early 1980s — right around the time The Beat were in their prime. The reunion attendees were easy to spot — well-dressed, maybe too well dressed for a Ska show, and quite intoxicated, even before the first and only opening band, The Simpkin Project, took the stage. Others in attendance were also quite mature in age. Where were all the rude boys and rude girls? Is the southern California ska scene that dead that the youngest in attendance is 30 years old?

The Simpkin Project played for maybe 45 minutes. Playing pretty chill ska-tempo music, the band from Huntington Beach, California quietly primed the crowd for The Beat. Can’t say anything great about the band, but I can’t say anything bad either. Their brand of kick-back ska reggae made for good background music, perfect for all the drunkard reunionites to rekindle old flames and brag about how great their lives are now. I personally witnessed two extremely drunk classmates sucking face. The only way I can describe the crowd is if you jumbled two conference rooms at the Marriott Hotel, one being a concert and the other a high school reunion. It was one of the most odd concert crowds I’ve ever witnessed and I’ve been to quite a few over the years.

Eventually, Dave and crew took to the stage. The rest of the band was made up of very talented musicians, none of which were original members. Absent from the line up was vocalist/toaster Antonee First Class. Dave apologized to the audience that Antonee wouldn’t be able to make it as he was stuck in Phoenix. Without Antonee, the show went on as planned. Pretty much every Beat hit off of their three albums were played — from their cover of Smokey Robinson’s “Tears of a Clown” to “Ranking Full Stop,” a song usually toasted by Antonee, which got a new spin when Wakeling gave us a taste of his toasting skills. In addition to The Beat’s tunes, the band also played a few songs from General Public. General Public formed shortly after The Beat’s break up in 1983 and was comprised of Wakeling and Ranking Roger. The band covered The Staple Singers “I’ll Take You There” and most notably wrote and performed the hit “Tenderness”, both of which were greeted on this night with huge cheers and sing-alongs.


By about the middle of the show, a few rude boys and rude girls made their way through the crowd, creating a skank pit and in essence confusing the hell out of the “Molly Ringwald” dancing reuionites. Old vs Young! Finally, worlds collide!

Watching Wakeling on stage brought an instant smile to my face that I couldn’t wipe away. Even after 30-plus years, the joy of touring and playing these classic tunes in front of a nostalgic and appreciative crowd clearly brings him joy. Between songs, he would ramble a bit with his deep English accent, telling jokes, laughing, and interacting with the crowd. Make no mistake about it, all eyes are on Dave and this is his band.

Musically, the band played off each other all night long. Dave still has an awesome singing voice, even though he can’t hit those high notes like in the song “I Confess.” Throughout the evening, each member was singled out for solos. Allowing the other members of the band to share in the spotlight that Dave basks in for a majority of the show.

By the end, The Beat played for over two hours — mainly because each song they played broke out into an “extended” version lasting at least seven to 10 minutes, including amazing versions of “Save it for Later” and “Mirror in the Bathroom.”

At 55 years old, Dave Wakeling sits atop the throne as one of the Godfather’s of the English Two-Tone ska movement. With a tour schedule that would tire many working bands today, Wakeling’s Beat continues to thrill audiences with the music that gave him that endearing title. Bringing smiles to the faces that relive those nostalgic feelings at every show, Wakeling simply smiles right back and thanks the crowd!

Interview: Chris Demakes of Less Than Jake

“How many people can we play to in Gainesville? That was the goal.” This is how vocalist and guitarist Chris Demakes recalls the early beginnings of punk/ska veterans Less Than Jake. “Once we did that first tour it never stopped. It snowballed from there.”


That snowball continues to roll on as the band is quickly approaching their 20th anniversary. For a band that had small time aspirations of getting gigs at frat parties at the University of Florida and playing neighboring cities and states in and around Florida, they have accumulated countless US tours as well as several overseas stints in countries including Germany, England, France, Japan and Australia.

“We’ve been going to Australia for about 11 or 12 years, so we’ve been lucky enough to build up a fan base down there.”

Only matter of days after this interview, Chris and the boys were off for Australia for the Soundwave Festival. The fest featured Less Than Jake as well as about 40 other bands, including some that have influence the band’s music style including Iron Maiden and Slayer. The tour spanned five different Australian cities, and between festival shows, Less Than Jake played some club gigs.

Over the span of 19 years, Less Than Jake have released a total of seven full-length studio albums, two live albums, and five EPs, including their newest release TV/EP. This latest record includes the band covering a wide range of TV jingles and television theme songs, something they’ve attempted in past releases. This was the first time the band focused an entire recording into the realm of theme songs and, according to Chris, the time was right.

“We’ve done covers before, [but] we hadn’t done them in a while and it was just time to do an EP and have some fun.”

It’s been nearly three years since Less Than Jake have released their last full-length album GNV FLA on their own record label Sleep It Off Records. Talk of a new record has come up here and there within the band, and while nothing has been announced yet, it seems the it’s only a matter of time before something will be recorded and released.

“Everyone’s got ideas. Roger has a ton. I know Vinnie has ideas. I’ve got so many ideas I can’t keep them straight — I’ve got to go home and put some of these down. I think we are trying to shoot to record in May and have something out for Warped Tour this summer but that’s up in the air. There’s a lot of talk, but we are hoping to record sometime this year.”

When this new full-length album eventually gets released it will be the second LP released on their own record label, Sleep It Off Records. The move to create their own label came naturally to the band. They had played the major record label game throughout their career, spending a few years with Capitol Records in the ’90s and then moving to indie mainstay Fat Wreck Chords for one release, Boarders and Boundaries, only to go to Warner Bros./Sire before founding Sleep It Off after two full-length studio albums. After a failed relationship with Sire (which included the label editing out the horn section for the song “She’s Gonna Break Soon” from the single and music video), the move to self-release their albums was the only option that made sense.

“It’s just the five of us. We don’t have an office. There’s no one working for us, so it’s just a way for us to put out all of our products. We’re slowly releasing our back catalog, and anything we do musically now is going to come out under it [Sleep It Off]. We don’t have to deal with anybody, and any physical CD sale we can get is going to go into our pockets now,” said Demakes. “There was really no reason to go with an indie label and give someone money. That wasn’t going to happen, and no major label were going to throw any more money at us probably, nor would we want to go that route at this point. So it was kind of like, ‘Let’s do our own thing.’”

Currently the band is promoting the reissue of Losing Streak and Hello Rockview on Sleep It Off. The albums feature the original studio recordings with some new versions of the cover art. Included in both albums are DVDs of live album shows recorded in Florida of the respective albums in their entirety.

While many of the third-wave ska acts of the ’90s have either disappeared into the oblivion or scaled back their touring to selective dates scattered across the nation and limited new albums, Less Than Jake have continued to push on with a strong fan base that have sold out venues across the world for years now. What brings out the legion of fans who have been with the band since their first full length release Pezcore? What brings out new fans who have joined the Less Than Jake fan base within the past few releases?

It could be their live shows, which could be described as an Aquabats show meets Mardi Gras — although their shows in recent years have toned down in the theatrics. Most notably missing from their shows for the past 10 years or so: Skullman. Less Than Jake’s version of a dancing “Bosstone,” Skullman would dance around on stage in a tuxedo for the entire set and would usually end the show by blowing a fireball from his mouth. Apparently, Skullman is now retired.

“He can’t fit in the suit anymore! That’s the God’s honest truth, man! He’s not a 22-year-old kid anymore and he can’t fit in the suit. We call him the fat clown now.” Chris asks Vinnie, “What Warped Tour was that?”

Vinnie answers, “The Houston one. It was like seven years ago — he had been retired for a few years by then and he wanted to make a reprise. He almost got sent to the hospital. Yeah, it was about 104 degrees and in that mask it was about 120 degrees. It was a half hour set and he almost died.”

Recalling some of Skullman’s glory day’s, Chris adds, “He would come offstage and he would take off his shoes and dump like a cup of water out of it, but it was sweat.”

Another signature trademark of Less Than Jake’s career is their line of ever changing merchandise. From bobble heads and pizza boxes to a cereal box contest, the visions for new and interesting collectibles for the fans come mainly from Vinnie, the drummer of the band. But ever so often, a new idea doesn’t jive with the Less Than Jake faithful.

“Sometimes we’ll take a design out on tour that we thought was really cool and it goes over people’s heads…at the end of the tour we’re like, ‘How did that one not sell but the fucking generic star with Less Than Jake sold?’”

With their 20th year in existence rapidly approaching, there is no sign that Less Than Jake is going to quietly fade into the musical past like so many of their counterparts. They are getting set to head out for Warped Tour 2011 and, as mentioned earlier, expect a new full-length before the end of the year. There also could be some surprises in store for fans in the year 2012 as well.

“What would be cool is if we did our 20th anniversary and we sent out younger versions of 20-year-old hot looking dudes that can rip Less Than Jake songs. We sit home and collect the fucking money, you know? I’ll get a new teenage girl fan base!”

Whether it’s pulling a “Milli Vanilli” or releasing some crazy off the wall merch, you can count it’s going to be in typical Less Than Jake style.

Show Review: Less Than Jake at the House of Blues, Anaheim 2/21/11

Chris Demakes (Left) and Roger Manganelli (Right) of Less Than Jake

Before setting sail for the Soudwave tour in Australia, Gainesville Florida’s Less Than Jake made their second to last US tour stop at Anaheim’s House Of Blues in front of a jam-packed crowd full of old and new fans alike.

Supporting the release of their latest EP effort TV/EP and the reissues of ’90s punk ska classics Losing Streak and Hello Rockview, LTJ performed a slew of older material that surely pleased the longtime fan in the crowd, but leveled it out with some of their newer tunes. They opened up with “Shindo” and “Sugar in Your Gas Tank” off of Losing Streak and then into “Look What Happened” off of the 2000 release Borders and Boundaries.

For a Less Than Jake show, it was a pretty straightforward. Throughout the years, LTJ have featured some far-out gimmicks and on stage gags that made for a unique concert experience. No dancing Skullman. Chris (guitarist/vocalist) didn’t dress up in any costumes. No crazy stage set ups. The band was fully focused on playing the show, which was never a problem before. I just miss the old days of seeing what crazy gags the band could come up with (although there was a confetti drop during “Plastic Cup Politics”).

Most of the show consisted of songs from Hello Rockview and Losing Streak. I found it quite enjoyable to hear them play “Dopeman” and “Great American Sharpshooter,” as they don’t play these songs live that often. I personally got in the circle pit during “Help Save The Youth Of America For Exploding,” singing the song with fellow fans while mixing it up in the pit.

Musically, the band was on point. Being in the game for nearly 20 years, LTJ continues to pump out shows with the same amount of enthusiasm and musical excellence as they have all along. It’s clear to see that the band is driven by their fans who continue to show up and sing along to songs that still have holding power over a decade after they were originally written in some cases.

During the show, the band played a few cuts from their TV theme and commercial cover EP TV/EP, including the themes to “Spongebob Square Pants,” “Animaniacs,” “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” and “iCarly” (sung by the bassist Roger, in which Chris commented before playing the song, “If you see Roger on ‘To Catch A Predator’ anytime soon, you’ll know why”).

Per a request I personally made during an interview with Chris earlier in the day, they played “Pete Jackson is Getting Married” as a wedding gift to me, as I was only five days away from my wedding date. They told me they hadn’t played it in a long time, but would give it a good “college effort” to get it done. It came out great for not playing it for so long. Thanks again, guys!



An encore included a stripped down version of “Rest Of My Life” which featured Chris on vocals and guitar, JR on backing vocals, and Buddy on trombone. During this performance, they swapped out Vinnie’s bass drum, and it seems they missed the part of the song where the drums kick back in, as Chris appeared to have anticipated it about halfway into the song. At least, that’s how they’ve played this version of this song in the past live. They ended the show with “The Ghosts Of You And Me” off of Anthem.

From being a punk ska band playing frat parties at the University of Florida to 19 years later headlining yet another show in California to a crowd of enthusiastic fans who sing along with their hearts and souls, Less Than Jake still can put on a killer show that aims to please no matter the age of their fans.

FILM REVIEW - LEMMY

E1 Entertainment

116 min., dir. by Greg Olliver and Wes Orshoski, with Dave Brock, Phil Campbell, and Fast Eddie Clarke


It’s quite amazing that a full length documentary focusing on Lemmy Kilmister’s life and musical career had yet to be done until now. A career that has spanned nearly 50 years with over 36 years heading up Motorhead as lead singer and bassist — not to mention his rugged rock n’ roll lifestyle of booze, women, and drugs. He’s become somewhat of a living legend in the rock world: an example of either how to live the rock n’ roll life to the fullest with all of its vices, or an example of what not to do due to self-destruction.


In this 116-minute documentary directed by Greg Olliver and Wes Orchoski, the world that Lemmy lives in is exposed and explored inside and out. We witness life on the road, in the studio as well as life in Los Angeles, where Lemmy calls home. Several scenes are filmed inside Lemmy’s apartment, only a short few blocks away from his favorite hangout, The Rainbow Room Bar and Grill. One might feel somewhat ashamed or saddened to see someone like Lemmy live in such a dump, but it’s clear that he’s quite happy living where and how he lives — all while he proudly shows off his massive Motorhead and WW2 memorabilia collection that takes up almost every inch of his hole-in-the-wall digs.


Much of the 116 minutes of this film is taken up by interview footage of other musicians, celebrities, and artists either talking about personal experiences with Lemmy or the impact Motorhead’s music had on them. I mean, everyone and their mother were interviewed for this film — from Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Bob Thornton, to Ice T and Kat Von D. I think it’s great to have interviews for a film, but to feature more than 20 people talking about one man or band is a bit of an “Overkill” (pun intended) don’t you think? Although, Scott Ian’s scene talking about Lemmy wearing short-shorts back in the day is classic!


There’s some really cool studio footage of Lemmy jamming with Dave Grohl on a version of “Run Rudolph Run” and then talking about some of the greats of the beginning of rock n’ roll. Lemmy claims that Little Richard is the greatest rock n’ roll vocalist who’s ever lived. There’s also some great footage of Lemmy joining Metallica on stage to perform Motorhead’s “Damage Case.”


Beyond the accolades given to Lemmy from fellow musicians and artists, there are a few hard hitting segments that tug at the heart strings. At one point, Lemmy is interviewed inside his apartment and one of the directors asks, “What is the most precious thing in this room?” to which Lemmy quickly replies, “My son,” and slaps him on the knee. When the question is asked, the viewer has no idea his son (Paul Inder) is sitting there off-screen. Later on, Paul states he was really shocked his father came across with that answer.

The filmmakers also address the claims that Lemmy is either a Nazi or a Nazi sympathizer head on, and Lemmy adamantly dismisses those claims.

Some of Lemmy’s childhood and youth is discussed, but not to that great of an extent. I would have loved to have been told more about his years growing up in England. There’s some good insight into his musical beginnings with The Rockin’ Vickers, then being a rodie for Jimi Hendrix and eventually joining the space-rock psychedelic outfit Hawkwind.


A drug bust in Canada led to his departure from Hawkwind, as members of the band claim he was uncontrollable. In turn,  he formed Motorhead (which originally was named Bastard). Now this could be an understatement, but drugs and alcohol are a big part of Lemmy’s life, present and past. A lot of the accolades given to Lemmy by his fellow musicians complement him on being such a professional while living the hard life he’s chosen to live. He claims he never touched heroin but has tried everything else. When asked point blank if he had any regrets, he replies with a stone cold serious “No…life’s too short.”


Lemmy in all it’s hard rock glory will be able to reach even those who don’t care for Lemmy’s vocals or Motorhead’s music — he’s an interesting man when you look at the life he’s led.  Fans of the band will appreciate some of the live footage filmed in England and Russia, as well as some short interviews from Mikkey Dee and “Fast” Eddie Clark. The film was nicely put together, but at nearly two hours long, I would have cut out some of nonessential shots, bringing it down to 90 to 100 minutes. I have to be honest, watching Lemmy live as he does, especially in his apartment, I felt a bit sad for the man. By the end of the film, I admire his ethics on life and can rest easy knowing that Lemmy is out there doing what he wants and what he loves. Money? Fame? What are these things? To Mr. Kilmister, this is just apart of the life he’s been dealt. You can’t feel bad for a man who lives life the way he wants to. “Born to lose, live to win” — sounds like a good way to head through this screwed up life to me.

ATHLETICS – Why Aren’t I Home?

Incorporating dream-like soundscapes full of echo-effected guitars with intense drum beats and vocals describes the sound of New Jersey’s Athletics. “Who?” you might be saying to yourself. Like you, I also was not hip to this band until checking out their debut album Why Aren’t I Home? For being a debut effort, this album sounds extremely tight. With some production help by Gregory Dunn of Moving Mountains (also on Deep Elm) this album gives the listener a chance to take a musical trip that has its shares of lulls of calmness by way of mellow down tempo passages. It also amplifies the harder intervals of post-rock hardcore-like sounds that really showcase the musical talent featured by the band here.

The album has a unique flow that really makes it hard to predict while listening to it for the first time. Usually I’m not one for over-the-top production on albums (as it usually takes away from the music), but in this case, the mixing and production of this album was spot on and without it, Why Arent’ I Home? would be missing a lot. “Lullby” is by far my favorite track on the album, with its sick drum beat, tweaked out guitar riffs, and gut-wrenching vocals. From beginning to end, Why Aren’t I Home? is an amazing album that will catch a lot of people off guard, especially coming from a band new to the independent music scene.

(Deep Elm Records, 210 N. Church Street, Suite 2502, Charlotte, NC 28202)