Two Gallants – What the Toll Tells

Back in 2005, Two Gallants signed to Saddle Creek Records. One year and multiple controversial happenings later, they released their album called “What the Toll Tells”. For the two members of Two Gallants, Adam Stephens and Tyson Vogel, 2006 was quite an eventful year. First and foremost, they released their album. Then there was one night on October 13th, 2006, where Two Gallants were playing a show in Houston, Texas at Walters on Washington. Not long into their set, the band was attacked on-stage by a cop who was supposed to be there on account of a noise violation. Before long, the cop pulled out his taser and got a bit trigger happy. Here is one video of the incident on YouTube, and another right here. Unfortunately because of that cop, the show had to be cut short, and a 90 year old stand up bass was destroyed! Bummer! I know for a fact that I would have been extremely angry at that cop, and obviously every person attending that night was unhappy, just check the videos.
During the same year, the band even managed to receive more complaints because of their lyrical content. I’m not going to go to deep into this, but the song in question is the called “Long Summer Day“. The song is about a black slave man who has had enough of his righteous white owner, and decides to solve the problem through violence. This is portrayed in the lyrics below.

“Well if you should see my wife,
Tell her that I wont be home tonight,
So don’t leave on the light.
I got a little business down the road,
And If I’m dead by sunrise,
Kiss my baby girl for me.
It ain’t life if it ain’t free.
I’ve got a mighty burden to unload.”

Most of the songs from this album follow a similar pattern, being that most of them are like stories. Such tracks are “Las Cruces Jail”, “Long Summer Day”, and “Waves of Grain”, just to name a few. “Waves of Grain“, the albums closing track, is an epic track in itself. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, the song gradually gets louder and faster, with Vogels explosive and melodic drumming, he never ceases to amaze. If you never thought drummers were anything special, you need to watch the Waves of Grain video in the link above, because you will have a new found respect for drummers everywhere. A video can capture the action quite nicely, but nothing beats a live performance. Pick a spot right in front of the drummer at your next Two Gallants show, and you’re guaranteed to be entertained from beginning to end. As long as no power hungry cops try to come through and ruin your good time, that is.

What the Toll Tells: Tracklist
1.) “Las Cruces Jail” – 5:46
2.) “Steady Rollin'” – 4:28
3.) “Some Slender Rest” – 8:57
4.) “Long Summer Day” – 4:54
5.) “The Prodigal Son” – 3:13
6.) “Threnody” – 9:34
7.) “16th St. Dozens” – 5:15
8.) “Age of Assassins” – 8:01
9.) “Waves of Grain” – 9:34

Two Gallants: Official Website
What the Toll Tells: BUY

Underwater Peoples Winter Review

Merry Christmas and hello to everyone! There is something I would like to share with you on this very special Christmas day. Thanks to the nice people over at Underwater Peoples, they have made their new Winter Review CD available to download. Check it out over here at Chocolate Bobka. It’s full of wonderful tracks from the likes of Real Estate, Julian Lynch, Family Portrait and much more. Make it snappy though, because it’s only available for a limited time! Thanks! I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! Check back for some more tomorrow!

UP Winter Review CD: Tracklist
1. Julian Lynch – Es’s
2. Pill Wonder – Restless
3. Ducktails – Apple Walk
4. Fluffy Lumbers – Adoration
5. Big Troubles – Former Selves
6. Andrew Cedermark – Ad Infinitum
7. Frat Dad – Totally Afraid
8. Dana Jewell – My T-Train Girl
9. Air Waves – Sweetness
10. Family Portrait – Killer Statements
11. Alex Bleeker – These Days
12. Mountain Man – Dog Song
13. Real Estate – Orchard
14. Rainbow Bridge – Rain Nair
15. Liam the Younger – Please See

White Denim – Fits

Well, it’s Christmas Eve day, which means tomorrow is Christmas (really?). The album I’m going to post today is like my gift to you for Christmas. I hope you can enjoy it as much as I have. The album is called “Fits” by White Denim, and it is my overall favorite album from 2009.
Okay, so on “Fits”, the music doesn’t start til about 45 seconds into the first track, “Radio Milk How Can You Stand It“. Up until then, the sounds and voices you can hear only leave you guessing what’s about to unfold. Then, all of a sudden, the drummer starts beating away at his snare, and seconds later, he is joined by a sprawling bass line. The two continue to play until they are joined by the guitarist, who signals the start and stop action that is present throughout the song. They continue to beat down on their instruments, never really letting you get too comfortable with anything they’re doing. By that I mean that this song has something new around every corner, and once you’re comfortable with the way it sounds, they’re going to completely change things up on you and catch you off guard. It’s like having a punk rock song fused with a bluesy-garage rock song. It’s extremely difficult to describe, but entertaining and satisfying nonetheless.
As you continue to listen to “Fits”, you’ll notice that a lot of the songs have this style. The second track, “All Consolation” follows the same structure. This song has a punky yet psychedelic feel to it with the guitar soloing and the sound effects used, but once again, things aren’t going to stay this way. They break it down for the last minute of the song, unexpectedly slowing things down, and even throwing in a cowbell to hold together all the spastic drumming. The following tracks all further prove that there is not one genre you can tag White Denim with; there is just too much going on in a single song. Another good example of this would be “Say What You Want” with its punk/garage rock feel that turns into a tropical islands version of a punk song. I’ll say it again, they’re extremely difficult to describe, but amazingly entertaining and beyond satisfying. Skipping ahead to the track “I Start to Run“, which starts off with it’s undeniably catchy bass line, is definitely a highlight from the album. With James Petralli claiming somebody is listening to the song in his head, you can’t help but sing along to this one. The album is made up entirely of highlights, with every song being just as good as the last. Now please, scroll down and check out this masterpiece for yourself. Thanks for reading and happy holidays to all. Considering tomorrow is Christmas, chances are there won’t be a new post, but if I find the time, I certainly will be here. Thanks for reading once again, and keep checking back for more!

White Denim – Official Website

White Denim – Syncn
White Denim – Everybody Somebody
White Denim – Regina Holding Hands
White Denim – Sex Prayer
Fits: BUY

The Wounded Knees – All Rise EP

Alright, here we go. For today’s entry, I am going to cover the Wounded Knees, hailing from Dublin, Ireland by Troy, New York. This band is led by the man known as Jimi Shields who has also been a part of other bands such as Rollerskate Skinny and Lotus Crown. Jimi is also the brother of the guitarist from My Bloody Valentine, and you might already know him as Kevin Shields. As far as music goes, the band hasn’t released much yet. I know they have one EP up to this point. This EP came out back in 2008 on the NY-PA label Specific Recordings. It is still available over on that website if you’re interested. They only pressed 200 of them, and it’s on colored brown vinyl with screen printed jackets. I have a copy of it sitting right here as I type, and I must say it is a beautiful record. The EP has 5 songs, all original in their own way, and it clocks in at just over 20 minutes worth of music. One highlight I can’t help but mention is the epic track “Dirty (Exploding Sonic Dogfight)“. If you’re listening to the album from the beginning, by the time you get to this track, you would already know that the band has a flute player, ex-Mercury Rev flautist Suzanne Thorpe. What you may not have known, is that she can totally TEAR SHIT UP. LISTEN TO THAT FLUTE! Okay, okay, so the flute action is good. When you’re done listening to the flute, move your concentration over to the guitar work of J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr. This, my friends, is also COLOSSAL. Adding this flute along with the guitar is a recipe for complete destruction. Unfortunately this is the only track featuring Mascis, but this song will keep you coming back for more, as well as every song from the EP. This EP is certainly worth hearing, so don’t waste any more time…check it out with the link below.

The Wounded Knees on Myspace

All Rise EP: Tracklist
1.) Mainstream Hate School
2.) All Rise
3.) Dirty (Exploding Sonic Dogfight)
4.) Surf the Urge (To Explode)
5.) Sonny Payne

All Rise EP: BUY

Spacemen 3 – The Perfect Prescription

Good morning! I hope you’re having a good day so far. For those of you who are not, hopefully the album I have for you today will help you! That’s right! It’s that good! That album would be “The Perfect Prescription” by the band Spacemen 3. Spacemen 3 formed back in 1982 in Warwickshire, England, and they continued to be active until 1991, with the two consistent members being Jason Pierce and Peter Kember. During their existence, the band released a total of four studio albums, a compilation CD of their singles, and a bunch of other unofficial CD’s, live recordings, and demos.
Their album, “The Perfect Prescription” was the second studio album they had, and it was originally released in 1987 on Glass Records. This is one of those albums that you need to start from the beginning, and not interfere with it for the entire length. All of the songs flow together perfectly, and it all starts off with the crashing of “Take Me to the Other Side“. This was a great song to put for the first track. It has a steady beat throughout, and the lyrics and guitar go hand-in-hand as Jason Pierce yells, “Take me for a ride/take me to the other side”. For the last minute and a half of the song, the band continues to crash and smash on their instruments while Pierce goes on about taking him to the other side…hmmm, I wonder what he’s gonna do? Isn’t it obvious? The next track follows up beautifully, and it’s part of a conversation between Pierce and Jesus. Jesus is telling Pierce “you ain’t coming to me no way/you’ve found heaven on Earth/gonna burn for your sin”. Oh man, looks like someone isn’t getting into heaven. Pierce asks Jesus for forgiveness and claims that “I could have done me worse.”, which is probably very true. The third track is almost like Pierce’s review of his time with Jesus, as they talk about the things that are hard to see in life, and giving into temptation. If you continue to listen past that track, you will figure out that every song is solid gold and very original (except for the “Transparent Radiation” cover of the band Red Krayola). It’s a surprisingly difficult decision to pick just ONE personal favorite from this album, but I think I would have to go with the track “Come Down Easy“. But why keep reading my thoughts? Check out the links below and find out what you think for yourself! Please enjoy and check back for more tomorrow!

The Perfect Prescription – Tracklist
1.) Take Me to the Other Side
2.) Walking with Jesus
3.) Ode to Street Hassle
4.) Ecstasy Symphony
5.) Transparent Radiation (Flashback) (Red Krayola cover)
6.) Feel So Good
7.) Things’ll Never Be the Same
8.) Come Down Easy
9.) Call the Doctor
10.) Soul 1 (Bonus track)
11.) That’s Just Fine (Bonus track)

Spacemen 3 on Myspace
The Perfect Prescription: BUY

Luna – Penthouse

Soooo yesterday I attended the “Punk Rock Flea Market” in Philadelphia and I found this wonderful CD for only $1.00, amongst many other great gems for that price……but this awesome CD comes from the band Luna. The band formed after the breakup of the amazing Galaxie 500 back in 1991. The lead singer and guitarist, Dean Wareham, went on to form Luna in 1991 almost immediately after Galaxie 500 broke up. Over the course of their existence as a band, Luna had released numerous studio albums as well as countless EPs and singles. I have one of those studio albums here for you today, it’s called “Penthouse”. Check it out with the link below.

Penthouse Tracklist:
1. Chinatown – 4:39
2. Sideshow by the Seashore – 3:12
3. Moon Palace – 3:46
4. Double Feature – 4:27
5. 23 Minutes in Brussels – 6:40
6. Lost in Space – 3:44
7. Rhythm King – 3:16
8. Kalamazoo – 6:26
9. Hedgehog – 3:05
10. Freakin’ and Peakin’ – 6:12
11. Bonnie and Clyde – 5:27

Luna: Official Website
Penthouse: BUY

Javelin by Javelin

Hello! How are we all this afternoon? Today at the Styrofoam Drone, I have a band that some of you may have already had the pleasure of listening to. That band is known as Javelin. Javelin hails from Providence, Rhode Island via Brooklyn, New York. The group is made up of two cousins, Thomas van Buskirk and George Langford, who have been making this music together since 2004. The first release that Javelin put out, Jamz n Jemz, received some much deserved praise over the summer of 2009, and that’s when Javelin began to get the ball rolling. Since that release, things have been looking up for Javelin, because they landed a multiple record deal with Thrill Jockey and then another record deal with David Byrne’s Luaka Bop.

Recently, one of those records was put out by Thrill Jockey, and the title is simple enough: Javelin. They released it about a month ago on vinyl format only, and they only pressed 500 of them. If you’re looking to get one of those now, it’s a bit too late, because they’re all sold out, but all is well, because that is the album I have for you today! With this release, they recycled old “dollar-bin” record sleeves, screen-printed the name “Javelin” on the front, pasted a track list on the back, and then sent them out to their loyal fans.

With their next release from Thrill Jockey, they’re getting even more creative with the record sleeve recycling. Check out this idea here. Instead of just having the new Javelin record inserted into and old, random, record sleeve, this time, you have the opportunity to pick your very own record sleeve for the Javelin record. That’s right, you can pick your own album art. Here’s what you need to do if you want to participate:
1.) Find an old record jacket.
2.) Mail it to Thrill Jockey by January 18th with your address written on the inside (Thrill Jockey address here)
3.) Place your order at Thrill Jockey when the album is released (February 16th, 2010) and write “MY JACKET” in the order message.
4.) Throw in 5$ and a blank shirt/hoodie and they’ll print you your very own piece of Javelin merchandise along with your record. Cool!

So the record will be released on Feb. 16th from Thrill Jockey, and it’s titled “Number Two”, and as for the custom record sleeves, I will be participating. I encourage you all to do the same. Thanks for reading and check back tomorrow…or even later today.

Javelin Tracklist:
1.) Lindsey Brohan
2.) Unforgettable Super Lady
3.) Soda Popinski
4.) Radio
5.) TWYCE

Javelin: MYSPACE
Copies of the 12″ record still available at Insound: BUY

Titus Andronicus – The Innocents Abroad

Hello! To start things off here at the Styrofoam Drone, I’m going to pick an album that I feel is extremely appropriate right now. The boys from Glen Rock, New Jersey who make up Titus Andronicus, have just revealed some of the details about their new album. What better way to celebrate this amazing news than to talk about their past efforts?

The Airing of Grievances came out back in April of 2008 on it’s original label, Troubleman Unlimited. After the initial release, the album began to pick up all sorts of positive reviews, from places like Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, amongst many others. A few months went by while the album continued to gain popularity, and before Titus Andronicus knew it, they were signing to heavy-weight label XL Recordings. This was certainly a major change for Titus Andronicus, and it’s looking like a change for the best. Since they joined the roster at XL, there has not been much talk about a new album, until now…

The announcement for their new album was posted on their blog just a few days ago, on Sunday, December 13th to be exact. Some of the most interesting details about the album would be the fact that it has a Civil War theme. Even more intriguing is that it has even been said to be “more or less” of a concept album about the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. The cover art and the track list have so far been revealed, as well as one of the tracks! The track is called “Four Score and Seven” and it clocks in at over 8 minutes, and you can find it right on their myspace. If you’re looking for even more details, you probably want to check out their blogspot (link above) or this Pitchfork article, which gives even more wonderful insight to the album. According to that Pitchfork article, the Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn makes an appearance for a spoken word interlude that’s on the album, as well as Vivian Girls Cassie Ramone, and Double Daggers Nolen Strals. Things just keep getting better. Now, all we have to do is wait, because this certainly won’t come soon enough.

In the meantime, we can continue to play the wonderful masterpiece known as “The Airing of Grievances”, and also a few other gems that the band has managed to give us over time. There are a plethora of 7 inch singles that the band has released throughout their existence, and there is also a fantastic live album (on vinyl only) titled “The Innocents Abroad: Live in London”. You can check out that vinyl only album through the link below. You may even want to snatch your own actual copy, because they’re only pressing 300! Thanks for reading and check back real soon!

The Innocents Abroad – Tracklist
1.) Joset of Nazareth’s Blues
2.) Every Time I See the Light, Part 2
3.) Titus Andronicus Forever
4.) Wipeout (Surfaris cover)
5.) Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ
6.) No Future Part One
7.) No Future Part Two
8.) Roadrunner (Jonathan Richman cover)

The Innocents Abroad: BUY
The Airing of Grievances: BUY
Titus Andronicus 7inch Singles & More: Here