Volcano Suns – The Bright Orange Years

My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Post-Punk, Alternative, Rock

The 1980’s were a fun time, with musical outfits such as U2, R.E.M., David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and Madonna dominating the scene. Alongside of that, the 1980’s were also heavily influenced with the emergence of synthpop and electronic music, with songs like this one right here. This was one of the best selling songs at the time, and it played a huge role in the constantly growing genre of electronic music during the 80’s. Now while all of this was going on, three dudes from Boston, Massachusetts decided to completely ditch the synthesizers and go with a style of music that was certainly not as popular as all the emerging synthpop, and I must commend them for this.

The Volcano Suns initially formed in 1984 after the break up of Mission of Burma in their already mentioned hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. For most of their early years, the band was a three piece consisting of Peter Prescott on drums, Jeff Weigand on bass guitar, and Jon Williams on guitar, with Prescott being the only member to remain in the band until it’s break up in 1991. This original three piece line-up would play together for the first two releases of the Volcano Suns discography – their debut in 1985, “The Bright Orange Years”, and 1986’s “All Night Lotus Party”.

Today I have their debut LP for you to listen and love, and love it you shall. The album is bursting with raw energy, with just about every song forcing you to somehow tap along and keep the beat, and at times while listening, I actually recall similarities to the band White Denim. The recording quality of the music also does wonders for their sound; that being said, I don’t think I would favor them as much if it was overproduced. If you have never heard these guys, please do yourself a favor and HEAR THEM. I was going to go through and name which songs stand out before the rest, but then I noticed I was just listing the tracklist from the album. Be sure to be on the lookout for more Volcano Suns in the near future.

The Bright Orange Years: Tracklist
1.) Jak
2.) Descent into Hell
3.) Truth is Stranger than Fishing
4.) Balancing Act
5.) Promise Me
6.) (I’m Gonna) Make You Mine
7.) Cover
8.) The Mouth that Roared
9.) Cornfield
10.) Animals
11.) It’s Stewtime
12.) Silvertone

Volcano Suns on Myspace
The Bright Orange Years (and more): BUY

Television – Marquee Moon

My Rating: 10/10
Genre/ Tags: Post-Punk, Punk, New Wave

Good afternoon! So once again, I must apologize for post-slacking. It’s been difficult to find time while the new semester is getting started, but once things are settled, I should be posting daily again. Today’s album comes from back in 1977, when punk rock and similar genres were just beginning to develop in places like the United States and United Kingdom. While this album did come out during these punk developments, that does not mean it is going to stick strictly to the textbook agenda of punk rock. The album I speak of is called “Marquee Moon”, and it was the debut release from the New York City band Television. While some punk rock elements do come through, their sound is often dominated by a more complex form of improvisation, which almost always includes a face-melting guitar solo, either played by Tom Verlaine or Richard Lloyd. This would be most prominent on the title track “Marquee Moon”, which just passes the 10-minute mark. Between these two guitarist, it’s almost impossible to not be floored by the guitar work. If you find a moment where you’re not mesmerized by the far-out guitar sounds, take a moment to notice Verlaine’s frantic and nervous vocals. When listening to him, I always get this feeling of urgency.

Over the years since it’s original release, the album has continued to receive glowing reception, often being called “one of the best debut albums of all time”. Here is a list from Uncut Magazine listing the 100 greatest debut albums of all time, with Marquee Moon coming in at an impressive 2nd place. Hopefully that fact will make the album a bit more interesting to listen to.

Do yourself a favor and listen to “Marquee Moon” on YouTube: MARQUEE MOON

Marquee Moon: Tracklist
1. “See No Evil” – 3:53
2. “Venus” – 3:51
3. “Friction” – 4:44
4. “Marquee Moon” – 10:40
5. “Elevation” – 5:07
6. “Guiding Light” – 5:35
7. “Prove It” – 5:02
8. “Torn Curtain” – 6:56
9. “Little Johnny Jewel (Parts 1 & 2)* – 7:09
10. “See No Evil” (Alternate Version)* – 4:40
11. “Friction” (Alternate Version)* – 4:52
12. “Marquee Moon” (Alternate Version)* – 10:54
13. Untitled (Instrumental)* – 3:22

Television on Myspace
Marquee Moon: BUY

Spider Bags – A Celebration of Hunger

My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Acoustic, Country, Rock

Well hello! I sort of missed a few days this week and didn’t post anything. You could blame that on the new Spring Semester that started this past Tuesday. So I apologize for that, and to make up for it, I brought with me today quite a special album. It’s called “A Celebration of Hunger” and it’s by the Spider Bags. This album came out back in May 2007 on Birdman Records, and it contains 14 fantastic tracks. This was the Spider Bags debut release, and since then, they have put out another full length titled “Goodbye Cruel World, Hello Crueler World”, and a 7″ single called “Hey Delinquents” on Daggerman Records. “A Celebration of Hunger” is one of those albums that I can turn on and not interfere with for the entire duration, because each track is just as good as the next. The opener “Bad Complexion” with it’s twangy guitars slowly builds up to a welcoming break down that certainly leaves you thinking that this album has a whole lot more in store for you. I could probably go on about every track from this album, but I just wouldn’t have the time. While I did say all the tracks are exceptional, some still stand out above the rest. These would be “Waking Up Drunk” which you’ll find is a great track to chant along with. Others include “Blood for You”, “It’s You”, “Alphabet City Blues”, “So Long a Rope”, “The Bottle”, “Bleed for You”, and “I am Sorry I”. Seriously, they’re all good though. If you don’t have the time for the whole album, at least listen to “Bad Complexion”, “Waking Up Drunk”, and “The Bottle”. You’ll get the idea with those three tracks. Enjoy.

A Celebration of Hunger: Tracklist
1.) Bad Complexion
2.) Waking Up Drunk
3.) Blood for You
4.) It’s You
5.) Alphabet City Blues
6.) So Long a Rope
7.) Summer’s Waltz
8.) The Bottle
9.) Bleed for You
10.) I am Sorry I
11.) Wide Open
12.) Darkness in my Heart
13.) Devil When I Go
14.) My Oh My

Spider Bags Official Myspace
A Celebration of Hunger: BUY

Tycho – Past is Prologue

My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Ambient, Electronic, Electronica

Scott Hansen is the name of a San Francisco based design artist who some people might already know as ISO50. As ISO50, Scott produces his own personal designs, and then they’re put onto things like t-shirts, hoodies, and posters. When Scott isn’t concentrating on his design career, chances are he’s putting his time into his moonlighting profession: music production. As a music producer, Scott is known to the world as “Tycho”. His music could be described most easily as electronic, but that’s a bit too easy. Along with electronic, some other accurate words to describe the music would be ambient, atmospheric, spacey or dreamy, not to mention that his music would make the perfect soundtrack to anybody’s dreams at night. The songs never contain any lyrics, but that doesn’t mean there are no words. Instead of lyrics, you can hear bits of people speaking in the background, whether it’s a little boy shouting his age, or a weather man telling you the forecast. Listen closely and you’ll definitely hear what I’m talking about. I always thought maybe there was a story that could be pieced together with all the different voices that can be heard, but I don’t think that is the case. A good example with many of these voices would be on the track titled “PBS”. Check that out here and listen for yourself. In this song you most often hear the voice of a woman and a young boy, and unlike most of the songs, the voices actually become part of the song rather than just clips of someone speaking thrown into the background. I’m not entirely sure why Tycho has so many clips of people speaking in his music, but I can assure you it makes for an interesting listen. A lot of times I find myself listening to Tycho when trying to sleep or attempting to do homework, and every time I swear I hear something new, whether it’s a voice or a sound effect. If you’re still not convinced enough to listen to Tycho, be sure to listen to this track, which is titled “Could Generator”. This track is without a doubt one of the highlights from the album, so if that doesn’t do the trick, I don’t know what will.

Past is Prologue: Tracklist
1.) From Home
2.) Sunrise Projector
3.) Dictaphone’s Lament
4.) PBS
5.) Send And Receive
6.) Brother
7.) A Circular Reeducation
8.) Past Is Prologue
9.) Cloud Generator
10.) The Disconnect
11.) A Circular Reeducation – Dusty Brown Remix
12.) Send And Receive – Chachi Jones Remix
13.) Sunrise Projector – Nautilis Remix

Scott Hansen’s Official Blog
Past is Prologue: BUY (You can also purchase some of Scott’s design work here)

Soul Coughing – Ruby Vroom

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Alternative, Jazz, Rock

Soul Coughing formed in New York City back in 1992, and they remained active until 2000 when they broke up over disputes about songwriting credits and things of that matter. It’s a shame when a band dies off due to arguments, but hey, that’s how the cookie crumbles. Before breaking up in 2000, the band released three different studio albums, and they managed to gain moderate mainstream success. Their first album “Ruby Vroom” was released back in 1994, and it is the album I have here with me today. A lot of the songs found on the album are dominated by heavy, jazzy bass lines and lead singer Mike Doughtys crazy “stream-of-consciousness” poetry, which many times leaves you thinking, “What did he just say?” If you’re listening carefully enough, you will also notice that he is constantly making references to things in his lyrics. The song that first comes to mind would be the opening track “Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago”. It’s almost like it’s his goal to name as many places as he can while he sings, because he mentions Chicago, Saskatoon, Palmyra, New York, Washington, Pyongyang, and Cairo. There is probably even a few I missed, or possibly some I’m not even aware of. Either way, you should make an effort to check out the funky goodness that is Soul Coughing. Be sure to check out songs like “Sugar Free Jazz” with it’s beachy sound effects, “Casiotone Nation” which is chock-full of more references, “Blueeyed Devil”, “Supra Genious” and “Screenwriter’s Blues”. Enjoy!

Ruby Vroom: Tracklist
1.) Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago
2.) Sugar Free Jazz
3.) Casiotone Nation
4.) Blueeyed Devil
5.) Bus to Beelzebub
6.) True Dreams of Wichita
7.) Screenwriter’s Blues
8.) Moonsammy
9.) Supra Genius
10.) City of Motors
11.) Uh, Zoom Zip
12.) Down to This
13.) Mr. Bitterness
14.) Janine

Unofficial Website – Soul Coughing
Ruby Vroom: BUY

13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Psychedelic, 60s

Although it is widely disputed, the 13th Floor Elevators were quite possibly the very first band to describe their music as “psychedelic”. These guys were active back from 1965 to 1969, and they only released a few albums in their short existence. Their first album came out in 1966, and it is titled “The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators”. Included on this album was their first and only charting single, “You’re Gonna Miss Me”. This song peaked at #55 on Billboards Pop Singles Chart in 1966, and after that they never had much luck with getting another song on the charts. But this certainly does not mean they’re not a good band, and I have brought the album here with me today to prove it to you. Songs like “Thru the Rhythm”, “Don’t Fall Down”, “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, and “Tried to Hide” all make the album worth listening, but my personal favorite would have to be “Roller Coaster”. This song is intense, with lead singer Roky Erikson continually urging you to trip and “Open up your mind” and to “Let it happen to you”, all the while that crazy “electric” jug never ceases to mystify. Do yourself a favor and listen to the 13th Floor Elevators. You won’t regret it.

13th Floor Elevators – Roller Coaster

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators: Tracklist
1.) You’re Gonna Miss Me
2.) Roller Coaster
3.) Splash 1 (Now I’m Home)
4.) Reverberation (Doubt)
5.) Don’t Fall Down
6.) Fire Engine
7.) Thru the Rhythm
8.) You Don’t Know (How Young You Are)
9.) Kingdom of Heaven
10.) Monkey Island
11.) Tried to Hide

13th Floor Elevators Official Website
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators: BUY

Joe Jackson – Look Sharp!

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: New Wave, Punk Rock/Ska, Singer-Songwriter

Okay, so if you don’t think you know who Joe Jackson is before reading this post, then go to YouTube and listen to THIS song for a second. Yeah, that’s Joe Jackson, and personally, I hate that song. You may even know another Joe Jackson song thanks to the folks over at Taco Bell, because I’ve recently seen a Taco Bell commercial featuring THIS song. I know what you’re thinking. A Joe Jackson song is being used for a Taco Bell commercial? Yeah, very weird. At least that’s what I thought. But moving on…

These two songs I have already mentioned above come from Joe Jackson’s debut album, titled “Look Sharp!”. This album came out back in 1979, and it features one of Joe Jackson’s best known tracks, called “Is She Really Going Out With Him?”. As I already mentioned, I don’t really like this song, but the rest of the album is surely worth your time. Most of the albums lyrics are about love, break-ups, and women, but I assure you, it’s still a good album. For example, the 2nd track “Sunday Papers” is undeniably catchy, with it’s ever-changing bassline. “Happy Loving Couples” is another solid track, and I like how Jackson continues to say “You ain’t no friends of mine” at the end until he is cut off by some dude that says, “Alright that’s enough!”. Moving onto the titled track “Look Sharp!”, this track switches back and forth from a punk rock song to a reggae song, and then it takes another unexpected turn around 1:40 when the piano comes in to break things down. The next track “Fool’s in Love” is definitely a reggae/ ska song in itself, while the guitar in the next track “(Do the) Instant Mash” makes it a rock song before anything else. If any song from the album is going to get stuck in your head, it’s the next track called “Pretty Girls”. Thanks to the spastic bass line and Jackson’s “doo doo wopa doo doo wopa” chant, I can guarantee you this song will get stuck in your head. Find out for yourself right now, the track is just below. Be sure to also listen to the albums closing track “Got the Time” with its fast paced, upbeat action and the funky bass solo. Don’t forget to give the bonus tracks some lovin’ too. Hey, that’s all for today! Thanks for reading, and check back yet again tomorrow!

Joe Jackson – “Pretty Girls”

Look Sharp! – Tracklist
1. “One More Time” – 3:15
2. “Sunday Papers” – 4:22
3. “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” – 3:33
4. “Happy Loving Couples” – 3:08
5. “Throw it Away” – 2:49
6. “Baby Stick Around” – 2:36
7. “Look Sharp!” – 3:23
8. “Fools in Love” – 4:23
9. “(Do the) Instant Mash” – 3:12
10. “Pretty Girls” – 2:55
11. “Got the Time” – 2:55
12. “Don’t Ask Me” – 2:44 (bonus)
13. “You Got the Fever” – 3:37 (bonus)

Joe Jackson – Official Website
Look Sharp! – BUY

Oneida – Preteen Weaponry

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Krautrock, Experimental, Psychedelic

Here today I have something that is a bit different for you than anything I’ve posted so far. The name of the band is Oneida, and they are from Brooklyn, New York. Unlike most bands, Oneida definitely has an obsession with the idea of repetition, which is quite obvious if you just listen to the music. Luckily for you, you CAN listen to the music, because I have the album “Preteen Weaponry” here for you today. This is a 3 track album that clocks in at just under 40 minutes, with each song passing the 10 minute mark. The first track begins with some mysterious feedback sounds and drum rolls, which slowly escalates into a steady drum beat. If I had to put myself in a situation where this music was the soundtrack, this would be my scenario: you’re walking towards the entrance of a giant colosseum as the momentum builds up, and right near the 3 minute mark of the song when things kick up, is when the colosseum doors are locked behind you, and all you have now is a fight to the death. People are cheering like crazy in the audience surrounding you, and they just let a tiger loose that only wants YOUR blood. Yeah. It’s the intense.

The second track of the album starts off with some heavy sound effects, along with a slow, tribal-like drum beat. This track also brings up another scenario, this time being much more horrifying. Picture this: you’re walking through a dark, deserted town with old, run-down shacks and an old church that nobody uses. The haunting vibes are unbearable as the game “Resident Evil” comes to mind. Occasionally, you run into a blood sucking zombie who tries to attack you, but you always escape by the skin of your teeth. The lyrics that start around the 6 minute mark would represent these zombies.

Moving onto the final track of the album, this is probably my personal favorite from the album. I think that would be due to the sprawling and continuous drumming that never ceases throughout the entire 14 minute track. I also like the sound effect towards the end of the track; it brings to mind the sound that a submarines sonar would make underwater. It’s just a steady beep that fits perfectly into the mix. That’s enough of what I think. Now it’s time for you to check out the album. Thanks for reading, and check back tomorrow!

Preteen Weaponry: Tracklist
1. “Preteen Weaponry, Pt. I” – 14:30
2. “Preteen Weaponry, Pt. II” – 11:26
3. “Preteen Weaponry, Pt. III” – 13:53

Oneida’s Official Website
Oneida on Myspace
Preteen Weaponry: BUY

Syd Barrett – Barrett

Perhaps one of the most interesting and reclusive figures in musical history, Syd Barrett (January 6th, 1946 – July 7th, 2006) was the original driving force behind the band we all already know as PINK FLOYD. Syd Barrett was present in Pink Floyd from their very beginnings, but he only lasted in the band for a short time. The band began to form back in England in 1964, which is when Syd Barrett would be considered the leader of the band. After a few line-up changes and a few band name adjustments (Syd gets credit for coming up with the name “Pink Floyd”), the band was ready to release their first album, which was titled “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”. This album came out back in 1967, and it was the only Pink Floyd album to be made fully under the leadership of Syd Barrett. In the midst of all the commotion surrounding Pink Floyd after their first release, Syd Barrett had been continually experimenting with drugs like LSD. This led to a very unpredictable and frightening Syd Barrett, who would eventually be replaced in the band by the guitarist David Gilmour. Before finally “leaving” the band, Syd also helped out on their second release in 1968, entitled “A Saucerful of Secrets”.

After leaving Pink Floyd, Syd was certainly not finished with his musical career, and he had much more up his sleeve for us. His solo career began in 1968, with his first solo album release being in 1970. This first album was called “The Madcap Laughs”, featuring many wonderful tracks like “Terrapin”, “Octopus”, “Golden Hair”, and “Dark Globe”. The second and final solo studio album we would get from Syd Barrett is the one I have for you today. This album came out originally back in 1970, and sadly was the last studio album we would get. The album starts off with a bluesy guitar intro on the track “Baby Lemonade”, which soon escalates into a delightful song, with Syd begging for some lemonade. Skipping ahead to the extremely drone-y and almost-haunting track titled “Dominoes”, this is certainly one of the tracks worth hearing from the album. The track ends with an all too appropriate keyboard solo from Pink Floyd member Richard Wright (July 28th, 1943 – September 15th, 2008), which is probably why it sounds so familiar. A few other highlights from the album include “Gigolo Aunt” with its funky basslines, “Effervescing Elephant” which is great to sing along with, the somewhat creepy sounding “Maisie”, “Waving My Arms in the Air”, “Rats”, and “Wined and Dined”. Happy belated birthday Syd, and also: Rest in Peace Syd Barrett and Richard Wright!

Barrett: Tracklist
1. “Baby Lemonade” – 4:10
2. “Love Song” – 3:03
3. “Dominoes” – 4:08
4. “It Is Obvious” – 2:59
5. “Rats” – 3:00
6. “Maisie” – 2:51
7. “Gigolo Aunt” – 5:46
8. “Waving My Arms In The Air” – 2:09
9. “I Never Lied To You” – 1:50
10. “Wined And Dined” – 2:58
11. “Wolfpack” – 3:41
12. “Effervescing Elephant” – 1:52

Syd Barrett: Official Website
Barrett: BUY

The Strange Boys – And Girls Club

Hello, hello. Today I have an album for you that I wish I had known about much, much sooner. This album surely would have been included in my “Best of 2009” lists, but it’s a bit too late for that now, huh? This album is called “The Strange Boys and Girls Club”, and it was released by In The Red Records on March 3rd, 2009. Before initially listening to the record, I didn’t think it was going to be anything special, but I was sadly mistaken.

The Strange Boys, like many bands these days, come from Austin, Texas. Their roots can be traced back to 2001, when lead singer/guitarist Ryan Sambol and the now former drummer Matt Hammer used to be a punk rock duo back in 8th grade. More on that here. Since the 8th grade, the members have continued to concentrate on finding their very own sound, and this was most prominent on their 2007 EP, which is called “Nothing”. The EP contained just 4 short songs, and it was released on Dusty Medical Records. Unfortunately, this EP is no longer available, but hopefully they’ll press it again someday. The Strange Boys continued to work, self-releasing another EP in 2008 that they called “The Strange Boys Will Now Forever Be Known As the Martin Luther Kings EP”. It was a bit more difficult to find any information on this release, considering it was self-released by the band. Moving on to 2009, this would end up being the best year for the Strange Boys yet. Most importantly, they released their first full length album, which brought in some positive reviews from places like NME, Pitchfork, and the Austin Chronicle, amongst many others. While playing the album, many different genres might run through your head that you could tag The Strange Boys with, but once you pin one down, The Strange Boys are already making you change your mind. You might be thinking country music one second, and then all of a sudden you’ll be listening to striped down garage rock song with a bluesy guitar twist. One such song would be “This Girl Taught Me a Dance”, which appears on their full length album. Like this song here, every song has it’s twists and turns, and every song is just as good as the next. Some other album highlights would be “Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up”, with it’s insanely catchy first line “I’m in trouble with another man/I did something I shouldn’t”. I found myself singing this line all day yesterday. Singer Ryan Sambol continues in the song with “I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t”, which is 100% true. Listen to the song…you’ll know what he’s talking about! I could sit here and type all day, because each track is good in its own way. Seriously. Just download the album and find out for yourself. Thanks for reading, and enjoy!!!

The Strange Boys and Girls Club: Tracklist
1. “Woe is You and Me” – 2:13
2. “They’re Building the Death Camps” – 2:51
3. “Should Have Shot Paul” – 1:55
4. “MLKs” – 1:49
5. “This Girl Taught Me a Dance” – 3:06
6. “For Lack of a Better Face” – 3:15
7. “Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up” – 2:09
8. “No Way for a Slave to Behave” – 3:11
9. “Poem Party” – 1:53
10. “To Turn a Tune or Two” – 2:25
11. “Most Things” – 1:36
12. “A Man You’ve Never Known” – 2:00
13. “Then” – 2:11
14. “Who Needs Who More” – 2:18
15. “Probation Blues” – 2:14
16. “Death and All the Rest” – 2:39