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!

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!

Black Ladies – Naked Caveman 7″ EP

My Rating: 7/10
Genre/ Tags: Experimental, Instrumental, Punk

Today’s band is a bit more on the obscure side of the fence. I’m not exactly sure how somebody is supposed to find out about a band like this, but I did through their record label. Stationary (Heart) Records put out one of the few releases that the band has ever seen back in 2008, and up until their break-up in 2009, the band hadn’t released much else. I went to Stationary (Heart) to order a copy of Double Daggers “Ragged Rubble” and in the process is when I initially came across the Black Ladies. I had some extra money that day so instead of just buying the Double Dagger LP, I also bought the Black Ladies EP. It’s quite a unique record too. The sleeves were hand-screened and hand-cut by Drug Factory Press, and each record comes pressed on a different color vinyl. On top of that, they’ve limited the release to 500 copies, so if you’re interested in buying this, it’s probably a good idea to get it sooner than later. The EP features three original Black Ladies tracks, two of which I have here for you to listen! I don’t mean to take right from the Stationary (Heart) records description of the band, but they’ve said it quite perfectly…

“Chicago’s Black Ladies make no mistake about what they set out to do. With their brutal attack, stripped down to the point of primitive, these two noiseniks bang out some of the most ferociously raw anthems to ever resonate throughout the basements of the midwest.”

…Raw anthems! Hardcore breakdowns! Drums and bass! It’s all true! Listen for yourself and see what you think! Thanks for reading and check back soon!!!

Taken by the Viking

The Real Jurassic Park

Naked Caveman EP: Tracklist
1.) Naked Caveman
2.) Taken by the Viking
3.) The Real Jurassic Park

Black Ladies on Myspace
Naked Caveman EP – BUY!
More stuff with music by Black Ladies – 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

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

The Strange Boys on Myspace.
And Girls Club: BUY

Double Dagger – More

Double Dagger is a post-punk band from Baltimore, Maryland. Currently they are a 3-piece band, consisting of Nolen Strals on vocals, Bruce Willen on bass guitar, and Denny Bowen on drums. You might be wondering who plays guitar in this band, and believe it or not, there is no guitarist. Instead, the bass player plays exceptionally loud all the time, making up for the absence of the guitar. Before hearing the music, the fact that the band doesn’t have a guitarist may turn you off, but I assure you, these are some tracks certainly worth hearing.

Double Dagger have been active since late 2002, and since their beginnings, they have had several releases on various labels. There first “full length” (it’s only about 23 minutes long) album is simply titled “Double Dagger”, and it was released back in 2003 on Hit-Dat Records. There sophomore effort came out 4 years later in 2007, and this time they called the album “Ragged Rubble”, releasing it on Stationary (Heart) Records. You can still buy Ragged Rubble in LP format, which is in a limited edition of 300 on clear vinyl, which I know I am going to buy before today is over. If that’s not your cup of tea, you can still buy it in CD format…but really? Who wants that? Just buy the LP for $12 and be happy. Double Daggers next and most recent release is entitled “More”, which could easily be named after their hometown of BaltiMORE. This release was put out by Thrill Jockey Records, and it brought in a bunch of positive reviews for Double Dagger. The city of Baltimore named it there favorite album of 2009, which is certainly an accomplishment for Double Dagger. This album was also one of my personal favorites from 2009.

More: Tracklist
1.) No Allies
2.) Vivre Sans Temps Mort
3.) We Are The Ones
4.) Camouflage
5.) The Lie_The Truth
6.) Surrealist Composition With Your Face
7.) Helicopter Lullaby
8.) Neon Gray
9.) Half-Life
10.) Two-Way Mirror

Double Daggers Official Website
Double Dagger on Myspace
MORE: BUY – the LP format is limited to 1,000 – get it while you still can.

Sundowner – Four One Five Two

2010! Sundowner is an acoustic project of the singer-songwriter Chris McCaughan, who is from a wide range of bands, one of them being The Lawrence Arms. Chris McCaughan is the lead singer and guitarist for Sundowner, and he is assisted by Jenny Choi on the cello, keyboards, and vocals, and Lawrence Arms bandmate Neil Hennessey who plays acoustic bass. Since the bands beginning back in 2006, they have released just one album up to this point. It was released on March 12th, 2007 on Red Scare Records, and it is titled “Four One Five Two”. Apparently that is the number of Chris McCaughan’s childhood address, which is probably located somewhere in Chicago, but this information has yet to be confirmed.

If you’re already a fan of the Lawrence Arms, then you’ve been missing out if you haven’t heard Sundowner yet. Included on their first album are 12 tracks in total, and 2 of them are remakes of some of the best Lawrence Arms songs, being “My Boatless Booze Cruise” and “One Hundred Resolutions“. Chris has been know to cover other Lawrence Arms songs at live shows, and with a total of five Lawrence Arms albums, there is surely always another song you could request. Also, if you’re lucky, try and find Chris after a show. Chris played an opening set for Chuck Ragan on December 2nd, 2007 in Philadelphia, PA at the First Unitarian Church. After the show we approached him and asked him to come “hang out” outside with us. He happily accepted and chatted with us outside for a few minutes. Some topics that came up were about the differences between Chicago and Philadelphia, touring, and about the dude Chuck Ragan he was opening for. Chris was beyond nice to us, and was extremely grateful for us coming out to see him and even approaching him to talk. Hopefully he comes back again real soon. Thanks for reading, happy new year, and check back tomorrow.

Four One Five Two: Tracklist
1. “Steal Your Words” – 2:16
2. “This War is Noise” – 2:49 – A music video for the song directed by Lawrence Arms bandmate, Brendan Kelly
3. “The Sea of Lights” – 2:37
4. “Traffic Haze” – 2:50
5. “Midsummer Classic” – 3:46
6. “My Boatless Booze Cruise” – 3:10
7. “Your Self Portrait” – 2:07
8. “Jackson Underground” – 3:20
9. “Endless Miles” – 4:21
10. “Cold White North” – 2:35
11. “One Hundred Resolutions” – 4:29
12. “Audio Geography” – 3:11

Sundowner on Myspace
Four One Five Two: 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