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Top
Shelf Pretend you're reading my online blog, where I tell you my mood, what I just ate for dinner, how cool my husband is, my thoughts on Condoleeza Rice's insane justifications of torture, the December New Yorker's excellent 12-page article about intelligent design and what I'm listening to. Except skip all that other crap and read right ahead to what I'm listening to. Early Man, Closing In. Released: 2005, Matador Records. Genre: Metal. earlymanarmy.com The metal gods are powerful these days. On their side is Early Man, two ass-kickin' rockers from Ohio now based in NYC. You will be head-banging and flashing the devil horns by the end of their first song, guaranteed. Reminds me of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, early Metallica — the bands many metalheads cut their teeth on — and singer Mike Conte has perfected the Ozzy vocal delivery. Critics might argue that their music is derivative, but who cares? You'd have to listen to 100 hours of metal to get as much rock as they put into these 11 songs. If any metalhead out there doesn't go ape-shit over at least one of these songs, they should be unceremoniously stripped of all their black T-shirts. Gang of Four, Return The Gift. Released: 2005, V2 Records. Genre: Dance punk. gangoffour.us Many of today's popular "dance punk" artists owe a huge debt to Gang of Four: Franz Ferdinand, !!!, Futureheads, Bloc Party, the list goes on. Gang of Four was out there doin' it for themselves 25 years ago, pointing a smoking gun at poverty, class issues, consumerism, sex and love without missing a beat on the dance floor. Even casual fans of Leeds' Gang of Four probably already have seven of these songs on their music shelf. Half the tracks on Return The Gift are from GoF's still-potent 1979 CD Entertainment! If you already have these songs, don't buy this just because Hugo Bernham didn't like the original drum tracks, but if you haven't been introduced to GoF, this is an invigorating place to start. Low, The Great Destroyer. Released: 2005, Sub Pop. Genre: Indie rock
Dave Fridmann, who also produced Sleater-Kinney's new CD, likes to add fuzz and distortion in unexpected places. The beauty of Low is their sparse natural harmonies that easily get smothered — too much fuzz adds a layer of dirt I want to wash away. That said, I love this album. On the opening track, "Monkey," Alan Sparhawk sings in an almost ritualistic intonation, "Tonight the monkey dies." Low has had a monkey on their back for years — the expectation that they must remain sleepy slow-core minimalists. This CD (hopefully) drives the final nail in that idea. "Silver Rider" adds to Low's collection of "la la la" songs. "Step" is another great hand-clapping song, which Low also does so well. "When I Go Deaf" reverberates with guitar noise. As sunny as its name sounds, "California" is pure pop. Sparhawk sings "Death of a Salesman" completely solo over quietly strumming guitar, then shifts gears for the final track, "Walk Into the Sea," which is a short-but-intense kiss off. Low's signature style is on display throughout this album, it's just amped up to a walking pace rather than a crawl. The old Low is dead. Long live the new Low. Sleater-Kinney, The Woods. Released: 2005, Sub Pop. Genre: Rock Sleater-Kinney chose Dave Fridmann to produce their seventh album, The Woods. The noted Flaming Lips and Low producer was vocal about not being a fan of their music, so hiring him guaranteed a challenge. There's tension in The Woods, making it their most inaccessible album yet. Fridmann's finished product is so fuzzy and distorted at times that you feel your head is in ether. The opener, "The Fox," is like an Aesop's fable sung in such a blood-curdling way it makes your hair stand on end. One development is the guitar solo; on "What's Mine Is Yours" guitarist (and singer) Carrie Brownstein channels Hendrix for a full minute before the song sprints to a finish. Brownstein, singer/guitarist Corin Tucker and drummer Janet Weiss lunge for your throat so many times you wonder if you'll survive for a repeat listen. When you do, you'll hear more depth and complexity than the threesome has ever shown before. Throughout, traditional song structure is disposed of and passion rules. One of the album's more straight-ahead rockers is "Jumpers," a catchy tune with an unsettling topic: committing suicide from the Golden Gate Bridge. While some of the production techniques leave me cold, this is a fantastic album. Jesu. Released: 2004, Hydra Head. Genre: Industrial drone This has been out for a while, so most people into Justin Broadrick's post-Godflesh work probably already know about Jesu, but plenty of people have never heard of Broadrick or his musical legacy. Broadrick joined Napalm Death as a teenager in 1983 and formed Godflesh in 1988. Just about every industrial band owes homage to Broadrick's distortion, samples and drum machines. Unlike Jesu's first release, Justin wrote the songs but doesn't play all the instruments here. That distinctive Broadrick sound is still quite apparent; it's just sweetened, like Godflesh's broken shell filled with a quiet despair rather than brutal nihilism. "Walk on Water" is an 11-minute dirge, "Sun Day" is a 10-minute ambient exploration, and the whole CD lasts for 75 minutes. It's refreshing to enter Justin's brain with its windows thrown open and some light coming in, even if it is from a pale, chilly, wintry sun. Nouvelle Vague. Released: 2005, Luaka Bop. Genre: French lounge covers
You don't have to like or even recognize the classic new wave singles covered by French producers Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux to enjoy this collection. If breathy French pop and bossa nova sound like two great tastes that taste great together, check out this CD. The pair has chosen some stellar songs to remake, from the familiar to the uncelebrated. They take on Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel." The Dead Kennedys' "Too Drunk to Fuck" is fantastically funny while The Cure's "A Forest" is reborn as a Denny-esque exotica tune. And Tuxedomoon? Who the hell remembers them? "In a Manner of Speaking" could be Jobim and Astrid Gilberto. The musicians selected several pneumatic, beautiful French women who didn't know the original songs to sing these tunes, so there's a note of naivete in each. Toss in Killing Joke, The Specials, Depeche Mode, Sisters of Mercy, PiL and Josef K., and you've got yourself one heckuva conversation piece for your next cocktail party. Misfits Meet The Nutley Brass, Fiend Club Lounge. Released: 2005, Misfits Records, Ryko. Genre: Lounge
Yes, another cover album. I love them! I also love The Misfits. I know, I know, those horror-ific lyrics turn many off, but relax, this CD is sans words. I can't describe the belly laugh I got when I heard the opening strains of "Last Caress" played by a for-real classic brass band. Bandleader and arranger Sam Elwitt doesn't just transcribe the band's music, he adds in Glenn Danzig's crooning vocal phrasing, which enhances the melodic nature of all The Misfits' songs. Elwitt has taken 11 Misfits classics, including "Astro Zombies," "Die Die My Darling," "Teenagers From Mars," "Attitude" and, God love him, "Hybrid Moments." It's not meant to replace your Misfits listening, but will certainly enhance your musical appreciation of Danzig and crew. Get yer hands on another of the Nutley Brass releases, Ramones Songbook.
Punk
Drunk Country What have the Koozies been up to since they cut their first CD in 2002? They've seen a lot of good shows, drunk more than their fair share of booze, spent some time in the dog park and broken hearts across Eugene. But only one woman matters for this story — the drunk hillbilly muse who took them under her wing asking nothing more than free-flowing whisky in exchange for massive doses of inspiration.
Whatever they've been doing, their newest CD, Powderkeg, is fucking incredible. Unfortunately you won't be able to buy it until February due to a little delay in the production process. But you can bring in 2006 with the best party band in Eugene, and at least you'll get to hear all the songs live. Powderkeg is so much better that 2002's Keep It Cool it's almost like listening to a different band. Actually, it is a slightly different band, with Major Koozie replacing drummer Ken McClintock, who recorded Powderkeg but who's no longer a Koozie. Powderkeg is fast, tight and the boys never miss a beat. The gritty howling is still there, along with the crooning, the country twang and enough yee haw to make you feel like you've got some mud on your shoes. But even during the fastest, amped-up tracks, these songs have melody. Who knew Jacob Koozie and Tuan Bui (who goes by the moniker the Vietnamese Cowboy) could really sing? We're talking in-tune harmonies and lyrics as tasty as a shot of Jack — good for a party and way too much fun. Speaking of Tuan (vocals and guitar), he really shines on this one. The title track is just incredible, with Tuan singing lead and Jake backing him up in a creepy echo. But the song that'll be their big hit single is "Wasted." With a catchy chorus simple enough that the drunkest fan can still sing along at the top of his or her lungs, it's pure gold. Combine that with some damn good lead guitar and mindblowing solos (also from Tuan), and what we've got here is one of the best albums I've heard in 2005. Except it isn't officially released until 2006. Hmmm. OK, that's enough about the album because we've still got to leave something to write about when they actually release it in February. Since that's a long way away, don't miss the New Year's show.
Rock
Positive
Nola Boice walked into a Roseburg CD store two years ago and heard the lead guitar she had imagined accompanying her most recent songwriting. Dave Braulick, a 30-year rock veteran who had just recorded a solo album, sat next to a practice amp working a brand new guitar. "She bought a CD from me and listened, realizing that it was the sound she was looking for," Braulick says. When Boice brought up the idea of starting a band together, Braulick jumped at the opportunity. He quit his full-time job and moved into Boice's Eugene home within two months to start the band. The name Icelick, in a testament to the co-creators of the band, comes from the last three letters of Boice and the last four of Braulick. Drummer Kevin Stacey and bassist Charles Campbell don't seem to mind. Icelick released a self-titled independent album the following year. It sounds kind of like the Top Gun soundtrack performed by your un-hip parents. The sound quality is pretty good though and the message is honest. "I think that people really forget who we are and where we come from and where we're going," Braulick says. "We see a lot of hate and greed in the world." For that reason Braulick describes the music as "positive energy rock." Icelick will perform material from a brand new album, Inner Truth, at a CD release party that begins at 8 pm Friday, Dec. 30 at Cozmic Pizza. $5.
Champagne,
Kisses at Midnight and Floater
Need a little inspiration for you New Year's Eve? Here are some suggestions for how to spend the last night of 2005 in the city that gets everyone wet. You could grab your best guy or gal, buy two cases of Schlitz and drink until wedding band tattoos seem like a good idea. Or you sit in front of your television, letting off noisemakers while basking in the glow of all that is Dick Clark. As a last resort you and your friends might think about designing your night around the prix-fixe menu at Burrito Boy. But you're too good for any of those ideas. You know where the only real option for the birth of 2006 really is: Floater is rippin' through this year and rockin' into next, and you'll be at the McDonald Theatre to see it — even if Burrito Boy and Schlitz sound delicious. Eugene faithful witnessed Floater on New Year's Eve 2003, but this concert has something different for even the most obsessed fan. The first set will feature a varied playlist. For the second set Floater let fans vote, through their website, for what album they'll play from start to finish. Y'all chose Sink, which was originally released as a cassette in 1993. This 68-minute, 17-song opus is a concept album that mixes a somber, soothing atmosphere with aggressive metal moments, hinting at a reflection of the city the group was born in. Floater is Eugene music. These three guys got their start playing in garages and at the UO Beer Garden, moved on to an unprecedented string of sold-out shows at the WOW Hall and now live in Portland with eight albums under their collective belt.
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