The Strange Boys – Be Brave

Not too long ago a friend and myself went to go see the Strange Boys play live. This was on their last visit to Philadelphia, and they played at the Danger Danger Gallery. I had been filming the entire set they played so I could use it to put up here on the blog, but promptly after the show singer/guitarist Ryan Sambol kindly asked if I wouldn’t put those videos on the internet. Fair enough. Maybe I can share them with you some day…

When they came to Philadelphia they were touring for their new album “Be Brave”, but that certainly didn’t mean they forgot to play song from their first record, “And Girls Club”. That’s a good thing too – most of the songs on “And Girls Club” are perfect for playing live, tracks like “Who Needs Who More”, “Poem Party”, and “This Girl Taught Me a Dance”. These certainly aren’t the only ones either. But with that being said, looking at the songs from “Be Brave”, not nearly as many of these songs would pack such a punch live. A few that would are “A Walk on the Bleach”, “Be Brave”, and “Night Might”, but after those couple you’re left with “The Unsent Letter”, “You Can’t Only Love When You Want”, and “All You Can Hide Inside”, which don’t necessarily deliver as well as the other songs do – they just kind of fall short of that mark. But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t still be interested in listening to “Be Brave” – remember, we’re talking about a live scenario here. Songs like “Da Da”, “Night Might” and “Friday in Paris” have that classic Strange Boys twang that we had so much of from the first record. “Friday in Paris” has an acoustic guitar solo in the closing minute of the song, while the ending of “Between Us” is bound to put a smile on your face. “Night Might” quickly becomes another Strange Boys classic with it’s sudden pace changes and the wail of the harmonica. The song gets really good at about 1 minute and 15 seconds in when they slow everything down, but they don’t forget to pick up the pace on last time before the end. I really hope that one day I can share these Strange Boys videos with you guys, so I’ll work on that for everybody. Oh yeah, take notice that the ratings and tags of each post will now be at the bottom of the post. Stay tuned…

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Lo-Fi, R&B
Be Brave: Tracklist
1.) I See
2.) A Walk on the Bleach
3.) Be Brave
4.) Friday in Paris
5.) Between Us
6.) Da Da
7.) Night Might
8.) Dare I Say
9.) Laugh at Sex, Not Her
10.) All You Can Hide Inside
11.) The Unsent Letter
12.) You Can’t Only Love When You Want

The Strange Boys on Myspace
The Strange Boys – And Girls Club previously posted on the Styrofoam Drone
BUY Be Brave directly from the Rough Trade Shop

The Golden Boys – Electric Wolfman

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Country, Rock, Punk

Exactly two weeks ago on this day I put up the Vermillion Sands “In the Wood” record. Shortly after making that post I went over to ALIEN SNATCH! Records to pick up the brand new VS full length record. In doing so, the good people at Alien Snatch decided to send me a promo of one of the other bands that they have on their roster. That band would be known as The Golden Boys, who hail from the beautiful Austin, TX. They play a raucous blend of country-folk punk rock, complete with bluesy guitar riffs and giant face pounding guitar solos, and they do it all with an attitude that’s guaranteed to crack a smile on any listeners face.

Now while the Golden Boys would be great just on their own, they’re even better because they had their friends the Spider Bags join them in the recording process of their album. I’m sure some of you are already familiar with the Spider Bags, but if not I would highly encourage you to look into them. One good way to start would be checking out this post on their first album, “A Celebration of Hunger”.

A good portion of this Golden Boys album was done with the Spider Bags, including songs like “Plainsman’s Lament”, “Kontroll Girls”, “Goddamn I Love the Ocean”, “Mr. Dickles”, and the track “Dish Towel”, which gives writing credits to Dan McGee, who is the lead singer of the Spider Bags. The first track I want to mention is “Goddamn I Love the Ocean”. It starts off with some beach-y sound effects before you’re in the midst of a rolling drum beat, and shortly after you’re met with the howls of Dan McGee and lead singer Matt Hoopengardner proclaiming their undying love for the ocean. Their love for the ocean goes hand in hand with them drinking a beer in a Wal-Mart parking lot, as they attempt to escape their landlocked town in pursuit of going “anywhere but here.” Let’s hope everything works out for them. The following track “Dish Towel” is a unique one indeed. For about the first minute things are a bit slow as the bluesy guitar riffs bring you through the intro. Then a quick drum roll and things change directions completely. The keyboards dominate in this track until about 2 minutes in when a huge guitar solo comes out of nowhere to serve no other purpose then to rock-yr-face off. Before listening to this song, I would have never considered referring to a person as a dish towel, but now after thinking about it, you could probably make that sound pretty offensive.

I would love to keep going on here, but it’s the end of the spring semester here at school, and I have a hell of a lot of other work to do. I’ll leave by saying that just about every last song on this album is worth hearing, especially the triumphant “Kontroll Girls”, the easy-going “She Said It”, or “Old Man’s Coat”. Just be sure to listen to the mp3s below, that’s all I ask. So thanks for coming by, and be sure to check back again real soon!

She Said It –

Kontroll Girls –

Dish Towel –

Electric Wolfman: Tracklist
1.) Electric Wolfmen
2.) Rock With Me Forever
3.) Plainsman’s Lament
4.) She Said It
5.) Kontroll Girls
6.) I’m Black and White
7.) Old Man’s Coat
8.) Goddamn I Love the Ocean
9.) Dish Towel
10.) Mr. Dickles
11.) A Message from Ross Johnson

The Golden Boys on Myspace
BUY “Electric Wolfman” directly from Daggerman Records or from Alien Snatch!

Free Energy – Stuck On Nothing

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Alternative, Indie Rock, Pop

Free Energy formed in the Fall of 2008. Most of the band had already known each other from playing in a previous band called “Hockey Night” together. Originally from Minnesota, Scott Wells, Evan Wells and Paul Sprangers moved to the wonderful city of Philadelphia. When in Philadelphia they met guitarist Geoff Bucknam and drummer Nick Shuminsky, and shortly afterword, the band Free Energy came into existence. Their time as a band has been relatively short thus far, but they already have an EP out, and their first full length album “Stuck On Nothing” is due out on May 4th by DFA Records. If you’ve read about Free Energy anywhere else on the web, then you already know this album was produced by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy.

Before getting into this record, I didn’t know what I should be expecting. The most I knew about these guys were that they were from my city, Philadelphia, which is probably the original reason I decided to listen to them. It’s always cooler when the band is from the same city you’re from. But moving on. “Stuck On Nothing” holds a lot of talent on both ends, musically and lyrically. With that being said, I’d like to say that “Stuck On Nothing” was an extremely refreshing listen the first time around. It’s great that a band still wants to make a record like this, reminding many listeners of the classic rock days and the classic rock radio stations that play all of your beloved bands from the past. Lead singer Paul Sprangers guides us through the album with his reassuring vocals, and that becomes clear shortly after the album begins.

According to Sprangers, the first track “Free Energy”, is “kind of a survey of everything that we’re about. That song has a lot of elements of what we’re trying to do. It’s got really driving choruses, big simple riffs, really melodic harmonies, and wild guitar solos.” (via the LAist). Take it from the band member himself, because he’s right on the money. If you have a moment, read the rest of that interview too; it’s quite entertaining and insightful. But you heard the man, and he’s not just pulling our leg either. The album really is chock-full of this stuff. The “wild guitar solos” are constantly popping up left and right, like in “Bang Pop”, “All I Know” and especially “Bad Stuff”. “Bad Stuff”, the second longest on the album, is kind of a song on its own. Sprangers sings “If you feel my heart, then we’re tied by fate,” shortly before the epic ending begins. It’s slower and still full of excellent guitar work, but it evokes a different feeling that you don’t quite get anywhere else on the album. If you haven’t already been able to tell, this album is certainly worth all 45 minutes that it carries. Just about every last song would qualify as a highlight, including “Dream City”, “Light Love”, “Hope Child”, and “Wild Winds”. Just wait until May 28th, when most of these highlights will come to life at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia. I think I speak for us all when I say that this show won’t come soon enough.

Bad Stuff –

Hope Child –

Free Energy Official Website
Free Energy on Myspace
BUY the Free Energy 7″ directly from the DFA Records webstore
Check out this awesome interview with Paul Sprangers by the LAist

Happy Birthday – Shampoo 7″

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Pop

Last Saturday was Record Store Day, which means you should have had plenty of new records to spin this week. One record that I have been spinning more than others would be the latest from Happy Birthday, the glamorous pop-punk trio that recently put out their first full length record on Sub Pop. Sub Pop released a staggering amount of new records for the wake of Record Store Day, and one of those records just happened to be a brand new 7″ single featuring two unheard tracks from Kyle Thomas and the Happy Birthday gang.

In the first track “Shampoo”, you’re instantly met with an intense, shape shifting sound effect that’s bound to catch any listener off-guard upon the first listen. The bass that you hear in the beginning sticks around for the length of the song, which helps keep a steady, easy-going pace for the listener. Right before the 40-second mark is when the song really takes form, where the bass line and drums are introduced for the first time, which is a dangerously catchy combo. After things get moving, the music never quite takes a turn in any unexpected direction. Instead, you’re thrown into the middle of a well organized song, complete with shimmering sound effects, bell hits, hi-hat rolls and high-pitched vocals that compliment the sound quite nicely. Kyle Thomas is once again addressing a member of the opposite sex in his lyrics, singing “I got to look good for my girl, that’s you.” Instrumentally, this song sounds like it could be the background music for a bunch of people working together on an assembly line in a factory somewhere – sort of like this song right here, but I’m sure not everybody is thinking the same thing. Either way, this song has a nice sound to it. I have the b-side “Alien” below for you to listen to, so hopefully that works for ya. If not, this was a great excuse to post up the amazing “Girls FM” again, the opening track from their full length record.

“Alien” –

“Girls FM” –

Shampoo 7″: Tracklist
1.) Shampoo
2.) Alien

Happy Birthday’s self-titled LP previously posted on the Styrofoam Drone
BUY Happy Birthday’s self-titled release directly from Sub Pop Records
Happy Birthday on Myspace

All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors – All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Dream Pop, Experimental, Shoegaze

If there was ever a good time to be a shoegaze band, the 90’s were it. Band’s like My Bloody Valentine, Galaxie 500 and Ride were prominent in those days, along side many other acts. More towards the middle of the decade, a band that never quite reached any sort of mainstream success started to emerge out of the shadows of New Jersey, and they were known as “All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors”. That name is quite a mouthful, too. The band formed originally back in 1993, when member’s Josh Booth and Steve Doherty left their first band “Senepede” to pursue other ideas. This led them to form “All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors”, who remained active until the year 2000.

Their debut LP, the self-titled “All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors” record, was originally released in 1996. This album would mark the beginning of the band, who are sometimes referred to as “L&L” just to keep things simple. The album, originally released with only 8 tracks, was later reissued to include four more songs, which is the copy I am listening to today. The album kicks off with the short but very sweet “Muffin 57”. The song begins with the squeal of the guitar, and shortly after the rest of the band joins in. Around the 20 second mark the lead guitar joins, and it’s pretty much a done-deal after that. That catchy lead guitar hook sticks around for the duration of the song, guiding us through the final moments. Then it turns into that jangly, chicken-scratch of a guitar solo that brings us to the end of the song. Moving on to the longest track from the album, “Saturn Jig” kicks off with that “wahh-wahh” sound that is reminiscent to the parents when they speak in Charlie Brown. Immediately after you’re thrown into a mess of heavy, swirling guitar that’s enough to make your head spin. Then they take a step back and you’re in the middle of that mysterious verse, complete with those “wahh-wahh” sound effects and the intimidating tap of the hi-hat.

During the album you’ll find many mysterious sounds and crazy voices, and it all works wonders for their hazy yet clear sound. Looking back on it, they all tend to have that crisp, refreshing sound. That being the case, it’s no question how they landed on their band name – just think Sprite, with it’s refreshing, crispness. All Natural Lemon and Lime Flavors showcases a fantastically refreshing sound that balances on a fine line between mysterious space rock and in-your-face experimental rock and roll. If you’re still not convinced, do yourself a favor and listen to these couple songs below.

Muffin 57 –

Saturn Jig –

ANL&LF: Tracklist
1.) Muffin 57
2.) Saturn Jig
3.) Salad Forest
4.) All the Time
5.) Jayne Baby
6.) String of Stars
7.) How Come?
8.) Tea with Honey
9.) Nice Soup
10.) Yellow
11.) Blue Balloons
12.) Wondered Why

All Natural Lemon & Lime Flavors on Myspace!
A post where you can listen to more songs: Built On a Weak Spot

The Super Vacations – Henry 7″

My Rating: 8/10
Genre/ Tags: Lo-Fi, Noise Rock, Psychedelic

Good afternoon everybody. As you may remember, a few weeks back I had received a couple of 7″ singles from Matt Beck of SHDWPLY Records. The first single that we covered was the “Haunted House” 7″ by Brooklyn’s own Florida, and today we have the second single.

It’s by a band called The Super Vacations who hail from Virginia. They have a noisy, lo-fi pop sound that’s also a bit on the psychedelic side, but never do they let one of these elements overcome the rest in their music – it’s all their all the time, which may be why this 7″ is such an interesting listen. The opening track “Henry” is a fast and noisy pop song that seems like it’s over just as soon as it starts. If you’re having a rough day, this song might just be able to put a smile on your face. You may not necessarily be able to understand what they’re singing about, but the combination of the noisy lead guitar and reassuring vocals are enough to tell you that everything is cool. The following track “The Void” takes a step back from where “Henry” was. They slow everything down on “The Void”, making things a bit more eerie and alarming. Those spaced out guitar chords definitely work to make this song have a menacing feel to it. Moving on to the next track “Ten Second Freak Out”, this would be the longest track featured on the 7″. It kicks off with an unusual sounding guitar riff that’s shortly replaced by a high pitched distortion, which goes to show that these songs don’t follow any predetermined song writing formulas. The last track “The Paradise” is another one that could get you smiling, with it’s extensive lead guitar that guides the band through the rest of the fast paced action, which once again ends before you know it. With that being said, it seems like “The Paradise” ends a bit too soon, but I guess you can only fit so much music onto a 7″ record.

The Super Vacations on Myspace
BUY the Henry 7″ from the SHDWPLY Records Store
Listen to songs from the 7″ here
SHDWPLY Records

Boogie Boarder – Pizza Hero

My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Instrumental, Noise Rock, Surf

Hello! I hope everybody’s Record Store Day went well and you all got the releases you wanted! Now, I’ve started posts off like this in the past, but doesn’t everybody like to be surprised at some point in their day? That’s just what this album “Pizza Hero” did to me. Other than knowing that these guys were an instrumental band, I can’t say I knew much else before listening. With that being said, I absolutely love being completely caught off guard when listening to music, and it’s not an everyday thing that happens either, but “Pizza Hero” certainly does the trick.

The first track “Sparks” wastes no time getting things started. Before you know it you’re in the midst of a full on musical assault with pulsating bass lines and relentless guitar hooks, all while you’re still trying to figure out “Where the hell did this band come from?” Well, believe it or not, they come from Brooklyn, New York, but as far as bands go these days, that’s old news. The next track on the album, “Bio Hassle”, is surely worth your time, with it’s quick stop/start action, grimy sounding bass lines, and electrically charged guitar solos. The best way to hear this song would probably be through their ridiculously fun music video, where they play in a van full of balloons, smash guitars, and eat watermelon. Towards the end they have an all-out party in the back of the van complete with cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and pizza that seems to be flying anywhere but the eaters mouths. Watch the debauchery below.

Moving on from “Bio Hassle” gets you into the “Pig Pile” two-part suite that play into each other almost perfectly. The first slower half ends with some awesome descending guitar hooks, while during the second half is when things start to get fast and crazy. They turn up the intensity about a minute in, where you can definitely hear the use of some vocal harmonies, which adds a nice touch to the song.

Just like the two “Pig Pile” tracks, other highlights include “Bummers Begin”, “Little Giants”, and the epic closing track “USRA”. All in all, “Pizza Hero” clocks in at just about 30 minutes of time, and if you’re looking for a very enjoyable half-hour of your day, then “Pizza Hero” is the way to go. Thanks for reading, and check back soon – Real Estate is tonight.

Pizza Hero: Tracklist
1.) Sparks
2.) Bio Hassle
3.) Pig Pile Part I
4.) Pig Pile Part II
5.) Bummers Begin
6.) Little Giants
7.) Dirty Gary
8.) USRA

Boogie Boarder on Myspace
BUY Boogie Boarder stuff directly from Famous Class

Happy Birthday – Happy Birthday

My Rating: 9/10
Genre/ Tags: Pop, Punk

Today’s record comes from three piece band Happy Birthday. They hail from the hilariously named town of Brattleboro, Vermont, and if it wasn’t for this band, I don’t know how else you would have heard of Brattleboro. The band is comprised of Kyle Thomas on lead guitar and vocals, Chris Weisman on “inverted-tuning” guitar/bass/vocals, and drummer Ruth Garbus. And if anybody can shed some light on what exactly “inverted-tuning” guitar would be, please do!

The Sub Pop description of the album says that the songs are mostly the work of Kyle Thomas, while the rest of the band helps arrange and put the finishing touches on them. Apparently when Kyle Thomas originally wrote the songs, he was a bit “too scared” to play the songs alone, so he went out and recruited band members to play with him. They played one show together, and they enjoyed it so much that they continued to be a band together! How awesome! We’re so lucky they enjoyed it. If they hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t be writing this right now.

The material on the album could most easily be described as pop music, and I don’t think many would argue. The album kicks off with the wonderful first track “Girls FM”, complete with gorgeous choruses, fuzzy bass lines, jangly bells, and the power to put a huge smile on your face. Kyle Thomas sings “I’m always on the frequency – Girls FM, Girls FM” talking about none other than the opposite sex, which becomes clear immediately after hearing the song for the first time. It’s probably a good idea to let you know now that these songs have the power to seep into your brain and linger around for days. I’m not kidding. I listened to “Girls FM” at least 30 times last week, just check my Last.fm charts. The worst part of it all is that “Girls FM” is only the first track on the album, which means you have another 10 tracks to become addicted to once you finally take “Girls FM” off repeat.

Other tracks sure to get stuck in your brain are “2 Shy”, and “Perverted Girl” which includes some awesome guitar soloing and some great little licks throughout. “In a perfect world I’d be perverted girl!” screeches Thomas towards the end of the song, suggesting that our world isn’t quite what he’d like it to be. The following track on the record “Subliminal Message” is a love song of sorts, with Thomas again speaking to the opposite sex. This time he’s attempting to send his loved one a subliminal message in hopes that she will want to be his girl – “You say you don’t wanna be my girl, but will you just be anyway?” says Thomas. About halfway through the track you’ll find a nice guitar lick too, all while Thomas claims “Without you I just go mad.”

This album definitely caught me off guard, and I think it will do the same for you. If the mp3’s below decide to work, then you should listen to them right away. If you like the mp3’s, why not buy the record? Not only will you own the songs, but you’ll have that wonderful record sleeve featuring their all-to-awesome minimalistic album cover – it’s just a bent music note, but it’s so cool! I think I know what I want my first tattoo to be! Just kidding Mom.

PS – Titus Andronicus show tonight. Also check out their show from Fords, NJ while you’re at it.

Girls FM

Subliminal Message

Happy Birthday: Tracklist
1.) Girls FM
2.) 2 Shy
3.) Cracked
4.) Perverted Girl
5.) Subliminal Message
6.) Eyes Music
7.) Maxine the Teenage Eskimo
8.) I Want to Stay (I Run Away)
9.) Pink Strawberry Shake
10.) Zit
11.) Fun

BUY the self-titled LP directly from Sub Pop, and don’t forget to pick up their new single on Record Store Day this Saturday!

Vermillion Sands – In the Wood 7″

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Garage Rock, Folk Rock, Italian

Hey friends, how’s it going? It’s raining right now in Philadelphia. That doesn’t make me happy. Hopefully the weather is better in your town.

So who remembers the Vermillion Sands? They’re a folky, gritty female-fronted band that come all the way from a place called Treviso in Northern Italy. And I’m sure it’s a beautiful place, unlike where I am today. So we have been following a handful of the releases from the Vermillion Sands, including their latest “Miss My Gun” EP, and one of their earlier efforts, the “Mary” 7″ that was put out on Rijapov Records. Now in 2010, we finally have a full length release from these Italian garage rockers, and you can find it over at ALIEN SNATCH! Records. My guess is that the full-length is a culmination of all of these smaller releases from the band, but I only recognize two songs on the tracklist. Either way, I’m sure the record will still be overflowing with the folky-garage pop sound that is the Vermillion Sands, along with the nasally voice of lead singer Anna Barattin…

…Just like this “In the Wood” 7″ that I have been neglecting to comment on. It has three new songs that you may or may not have heard up til now, with one of them being the opening track on the forthcoming full-length we were just talking about. That song is simply called “In the Wood”, and it kicks off quickly with a fuzzy synthesizer. It almost gives you that feeling that you’re actually in the woods somewhere, but that’s up for you to decide. Whenever I try to host an mp3 on the blog, it usually fails miserably, so I’m going to point you in the direction of their MySpace so you can hear “In the Wood”, just click that last link. It’s one of the first songs they have on their for your listening pleasure, so please do yourself a favor and check it out.

In the Wood 7″: Tracklist
1.) In the Wood
2.) May
3.) Trouble in My Way

Vermillion Sands on MySpace
BUY In the Wood directly from Fat Possum
BUY the Vermillion Sands latest full-length LP from ALIEN SNATCH! Records

New Hold Steady – “Barely Breathing”

So as you already know, we have been following all of the latest Hold Steady news in order to keep up with the release of their new album “Heaven is Whenever”. And if you’ve been waiting for even more news, than today would be your lucky day – A fourth song from the album has been unveiled, and it’s called “Barely Breathing”. You can check it out over on StereoGum simply by following the link in this sentence.

This latest song has a menacing, almost villainous sound to it that I don’t think we have heard in many of the Hold Steady’s other pieces (Cattle and the Creeping Things?), especially not any of the other new tracks that have recently popped up – including “The Weekenders”, “Rock Problems”, and “Hurricane J”. Up to this point we’ve heard just about one-half of the album, and I’m still not entirely sure what we should be expecting for the record as a whole. You can either sit around and wait until the May 4th release date from Vagrant (lame), or you can get up off your ass next Saturday morning (April 17th) and grab the release they’re putting out for Record Store Day 2010 (awesome). Either way, I’m sure you will be happy, but if you go with the Record Store Day release, you will have the album waaaaay before anyone else will. And it’s got a screen-printed cover. And it’s limited to 600 copies. Just putting that out there. Enjoy!

New Hold Steady – “Barely Breathing”