The best music you're not listening to.™ Reviews of lost classics and obscure titles. Unheralded bands and songwriters. New bands deserving of greater attention. The site for the music omnivore. It's all here, on the Ripple Effect
I first discovered Tuber while Bandcamp browsing last year and I immediately downloaded their free, self-titled ep after streaming their four tracks of superb instrumental desert-rock music. This power trio from Greece offer up a touch of trippy with plenty of heavy guitars and pounding grooves, believe me.
I was more than happy to learn in Racer's email that Tuber have recently added a new single, "Smoked Up Notes", to their free digital catalog.
Nice. I love that title. It's perfect, especially for someone who calls himself 'Heddbuzz', right?
The song itself is excellent, too. "Smoked Up Notes" sounds amazing and it's almost seven minutes long. It starts out with hypnotic guitars and and a steady swagger but the heavy is just around the bend. And heavy it is. Uber-heavy. Tuber-heavy...and all smoked-up.
Yeah, man, I'll recommend Tuber to anyone who enjoys instrumental desert-rock. Check 'em out and download some free music already. Damn.
Mutated garage fuzz with a mean and beefy bottom end. The Enthusiasts know how to bring the rock into the garage rock vein. Not content to settle on the fuzz and tin can vocals, the lads drop some big, near-stoner riffs, a nifty breakdown and a blur of a guitar solo into "Sinkin’/Risin’". "Joanne" follow suit with a tasty, psychedelic guitar/vocal intro.
Coming from a “small town north of NYC”, this is the Enthusiasts second 7” platter. Toss in a handcrafted, self-stapled sleeve and we got ourselves one tasty vinyl treat released on the band’s own Magic Sleeve Records. Recommended for fans of Baby Woodrose and Dolly Rocker Movement.
Another blast of garage fuzz this time courtesy of Windian Records. What we got here is very simple. “Hypnotized” is about 2 minutes of absolute garage pop perfection. Swirling organs form the background for a guitar, bass and drum attack. Toss in a melody worthy of the best of Baby Woodrose and we got ourselves another winner. Big time. Flipside “Nothing” runs out on a sixties melody over a choppy, stuttering beat, and some nifty guitar work. Seems to me that Mondo Ray are a couple of brothers, David Da Cruz on guitar, bass, and vox and Hugo Da Cruz on drums, organ and vox. Don’t know what growing up was like in their house, but I’ll tell you, their parents certainly raised them right. Also recommended for Baby Woodrose and Lorenzo Woodrose fans.
The Penetrators – Gotta Have Her b/w Baby, Dontcha Tell Me
Also sent in from Windian Records, The Penetrators took their music tutelage in a different garage. No psychedelic flourishes here, these chaps trained under the watchful eye of headmaster The Sonics. Fuzzed and amped, distorto R&B rains all over “Gotta Have Her,” making it sound like a lost, treasured gem from the 1960’s. This song simply rocks in a sock-hop kinda way with some killer surf-guitar licks and barely-hangin-in-there vocals. Great fun. Flipside, “Baby, Dontcha Tell Me,” brims with a nascent rock fury, again bring on the Sonics, the Outsiders, the Standells. You name it. If it’s old school garage your looking for, the Penetratos deliver in spades. Another winner from Windian.
I’d not heard of Pile until Ripple’s good friend Dan Goldin of Exploding in Sound wrote to tell me that they were the first signing to his new record label, Exploding in Sound Records. Well, Dan had already proven his good taste in music with Exploding in Sound’s killer comps, so of course, I had to check this band out. What we have here is the band’s earlier 7” (on gleaming swirled green vinyl) originally released in 2010 (or 2011). “Big Web” is a dirge of Velvet Underground inspiration in a post-hardcore kinda way. Claustrophobic walls of guitar create sheets of sound as the tension and melody build. Flipside, “Afraid of Home” lays down a similar vein with a pulsating bass line that literally drives the song. I’m usually a bit leary of post-emo-hardcore-punk like this because it just becomes too whiny. Thankfully, none of that happens here. Soundscapes rather than songs are the story of the day, with vocals that build to a grind, not a whine. Definitely, caught my attention to see what Exploding in Sound does next.
Acid FM/Space Mirrors - Split 7"
This split comes as a nice looking package from Monster Fuzz Records and Acid Fuzz (Monster Records’s own Sparky Simmons) leads of right into a cosmic journey of space rock proportions. Perhaps it’s a good thing that I was playing some Hawkwind last week, because Acid FM take us right back into that galaxy with gleaming guitars, black-hole sized bass and nebulous riffs. “Space Beyond Space,” is just what the title says, a rocket adventure into the cosmos of mid 80’s Huw Lloyd Langton solo material. The track rocks, though, it never slags, with its up-tempo pace, nice star-shattering lead guitar work and spacey vocals. Flip over and we get Space Mirrors’ odyssey of a psychedelic inner cosmos exploring “Dreams of Area 51.” Just when the song seems like it’s settled into a pleasant mid-tempo vibe, a mean riff explodes throughout the chorus elevating this to true headbanging galaxies. Lyrics of governmental conspiracies, terrifying secrets, and lurking darkness, and sung-spoken by Martyr Lucifer round out this mind-blowing platter. Cool limited edition 7” on red vinyl in 300 copies
OK, a show of hands please! How many remember these lyrics - “Get cha motor runnin’. Head out on the highway! Lookin’ for adventure. And whatever comes our way…” If you guessed Frankie Vali and the Four Seasons you’re wrong, as bad ass as they were. But if that image of a custom chopper roaring down a backroad is stuck in your cranium then you’re in the right place. First there was Riot. Then along came Quiet Riot. And RiotGod! Now there’s Hard Riot. None of them have much to do with each other but it sounds pretty fuckin’ cool for an intro anyway… eh? Like I’ve done my homework.
Here’s the straight goods with German rock’n’roll outfit Hard Riot on the Pitch Black label. They’re not going to find a cure for cancer or solve world hunger anytime soon, but like many hard rockin’, straight shootin’ rock’n’roll bands before them they are making an impact. People eat this fundamental shit up! You heard it here first. To start with, they’re redefining life on the road with their debut album by “Living On A Fast Lane”. I’ve heard of living IN the fast lane, but never ON. I commend them for their machismo and bravery but you have to admit, it must be difficult dodging traffic. Especially with a full compliment of furniture and dishware. And I’m guessing they actually came up with a way cool German name for the band, but Hard Riot was the genius that Google translator spat out.
Nevertheless, this fearless Teutonic four piece kicks it into gear, pulls the throttle back and thrusts the rock’n’roll carburetors wide open on this release. It’s essentially a collection of infectious, high octane rockers and “hoist your lighters (and/or mobile devices) in the air” anthems. If you like the big crunchy riffs and searing vox all underscored by a thundering rhythm section, you’ve come to the right place. Buckle up!
The lads kick off the top of the disc with a straight up, no bullshit, balls out rocker called GET READY. Like I said, they’re not reinventing the wheel here but the song still boasts gritty, in your face vocals, a solid bridge and chorus. Get ready? Get ready for what? HELLFIRE ROCK, that’s what! This smokin’ little ditty has a “call to arms” style verse along the same lines as what you often hear from Ireland’s The Answer. The 60 watt incandescent over your melon will flicker on when the AC/DC “Whole Lotta Rosie” scent wafts in on the stop riff during the reprieve. The ghost of “Riff Raff” also haunts some of the chord choices. They offer up a solid, but not surprising chorus, and studied guitarist Andreas Rockrohr (Rock Roar?!... cool name) peels off the first of many tight, tidy solos on the album! Good, hard edged guitar tones abound on this number.
Just when you thought you were in like flint staring down a backstage laminate, the boys come roaring (Rockrohr-ing?) back with the lumbering, gutsy rock anthem DON’T NEED YOU! Is that so? Well, guess what guys? I don’t need you… oh, wait – the boys seem to attract an uber abundance of Claudia Schiffer/Heidi Klum-like supermodels to their electric live shows (could it be the Hai Karate aftershave?!...). I take it back! I DO need you guys. And all your contagious, up front, fist pumping vocals backed by heart wrenching harmonies that genetically perfect women quiver over.
The ol’ stylus then hops over to the powerful NO SURRENDER complete with duel leads at the beginning distantly reminiscent of the infamous Iron Maiden sonic attack. It houses another “call to action” chorus soaked in a beer blasted, blue collar sensibility and garnished with yet another tasteful solo that fits nicely within the framework of the song.
TEARS IN THE RAIN is one of my favourite tunes on the entire album. It’s houses a simple but great, plodding, memorable riff. The song is ripe with smokin’, pulverant guitar tones, up front primal vocals and fist pumping crowd participation. When I initially saw the song title my first thought was it was going to be a sappy ballad, but it was anything but! The Scorpions influence is abundant here, but the Hard Riot boys draw it out, open it up and make it their own. They do what many bands are afraid to do nowadays. They give the almighty riff some breathing room and allow it to resonate. There’s a reflective reprieve in the middle instrumentally, but the guttural vocals don’t quit. Vocalist Michael Gildner simply refuses to back down. And like true blue, bonafide rockers, they liberate the rock’n’roll carburetors once again near the end, drop it down a gear and throw the throttle wide open!
TURN ON THE LIGHTS (I dropped the KY) is a solid, chugging rocker with lots of meat on the bone. More kick ass solos abound, pooled with a nice reflective reprieve in the middle.
NOTHING BUT YOU is a well constructed acoustic ballad. Definitely one for the mass of Bic lighters at a live show. The Germanic linguistic influence leaks through here and there in the vocals but not to the point where it’s distracting. There’s also some pleasant vocal harmonies in this number. Essentially, it’s a great song to seal that illusive first date with, if ya know what I mean (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
TAKE ME DOWN boasts a great dirty riff! And yet another SA-WEET solo! Tasty chord transition too. HARD WAY DOWN is a no bullshit, straight shootin’ rocker. BLACK WIDOW offers up a delectable drawn out, crunching riff tied to a great bridge. What’s this? ANOTHER crisp solo in a long line of them from Mr. Rockrohr! This beast is a total live, in unison fist pumper. The finisher ROCK’N’ROLL OUTLAW is a peppy little rocker that captures a Four Horsemen/Ramones-esque (odd combo, I know) flavour along the lines of my favourite band’s killer tune “Can’t Stop Rockin’”.
I have to tip my hat to Producer Vagelis Maranis at Maranis Studios in Backnang, Germany for doing a solid job on the recording, production and mix. The vocals and guitar sit way out front through most of the tracks, but there’s still some nice instrumental separation. It feels very clean despite all the brash guitar and vocal tones.
Hard Riot are the kind of band that would get everybody’s attention if they played the side stage at Wacken. Folks would haul ass to find out who’s tearing it up. As a good buddy of mine once said, “AC/DC is the small block Chevy of kick ass rock’n’roll”. If that’s true, then Hard Riot is the dual piston V-Twin of rock’n’roll! Hard Riot is Michael Gildner on vocals, Andreas Rockrohr on guitars, Mario Kleindienst on bass and Carmine Jaucci on drums.
If I told you you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me? Was that an earthquake or did you just rock my world? Hello, I’m a thief and I’m here to steal your heart.
Eddie Grey loves women. Eddie Grey loves sex. It is his inspiration. He writes chick seduction music and he is not bashful about it. He’s good at it, the writing and playing I mean, not the sex. I have no idea about the sex. His latest babe magnet is The Love Thief Sessions, eleven creative attempts to get a woman in Eddie’s pants. It is all part of his marketing. The CD even includes a passionate red card that describes each one of his musical womanly enticements. Here, let Eddie tell you about the album -
So, ladies, I hope the day is as radiant as your smile. What does it feel like to be the most beautiful girl in the room? If beauty were sunlight, you'd shine from a million light-years away. My place or yours?
Unlike movies, it’s possible to make a solid or even a great third album. As a matter of fact, several of my all time favorite albums happen to be the third record in certain artists’ discography like Bruce Springsteen Born to Run, Green Day Dookie (the third studio album), Def Leppard Pyromania, The Ramones Rocket to Russia, The Clash London Calling and Iggy and the Stooges Raw Power. After careful thinking, I realized my favorite album for several artists in their entire catalog turned out to be their “third” album and included Metallica Master of Puppets, Radiohead OK Computer, Arcade Fire The Suburbs and The Smiths The Queen is Dead.
Before I even started composing this review I brainstormed what would work as the perfect label to call a third album, but to no avail. Even my extensive research proved inconclusive. As you can imagine, labeling albums beyond “debut” and “sophomore” became frustrating. The possible vocabulary to describe subsequent albums proved preposterous. Personally, I wish there was an accurate term to describe a tremendous third album.
This is the case with Gotye’s latest release, Making Mirrors. Gotye has released two previous indie rock albums Boardface and Like Drawing Blood and is one-third of indie-pop band The Basics. For almost the past decade, this award winning singer-songwriter has been a force to reckon with and there are no signs of him wearing down. Gotye is here to stay.
An ingenious introspective album, Making Mirrors marks the beginning to a great new year. When the album initially came out late last year, Making Mirrors was only available as an import. When it comes to music, the word import is both my best friend and worst enemy. I prefer physically purchasing an item specifically made for my own region rather than owning an “overpriced album” just so I could possess an album earlier than everyone else. Now you know why I delayed writing this review.
In recent years, it seems the first track for certain albums, particularly for indie and alternative artists, will have “opening tracks” that act as a precursor and intro to the actual album like “Swords” off Zola Jesus’ Conatus. However, some mainstream artists use this gimmick of an “opening track” as a fun warm up like LMFAO “Rock the Beat II” off Sorry For Party Rocking. In either case I think it’s a great way to ignite interest in your fans and the anticipation is awesome. The titular track “Making Mirrors” is one such song. It’s a nice mellow tune easing you into the first great album of 2012.
The musical genius Gotye unleashes the unique “Easy Way Out” as his second track and it sounds like an acid infused, psychedelic-like version of The Beatles “Day Tripper.” For two minutes, this song will hook you immediately and just as quickly the tune abruptly ends without reaching a climax. Don’t make this song a “distant memory” because the album is just starting.
The lead single and third track featured on Making Mirrors is the critically acclaimed and extremely popular “Somebody That I Used to Know.” Maybe I’m a sucker with songs about bad breakups and relationships, but this song is catchy on so many levels it’s not even funny. “Somebody That I Used to Know” is the first Gotye song to chart in the United States. As of this review, it’s steadily moving up the charts and is currently a Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Somebody That I Used to Know” starts off with Gotye singing as someone reminiscing about his past flame in a caring and reflective manner, but bursts through as a classic 80s pop song as though it were Sting during his days with The Police. One can even argue Gotye sounds like Phil Collins when he was the lead singer of Genesis once the chorus starts.
“But you didn’t have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened
And that we were nothing
And I don’t even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger
And that feels so rough.”
Kimbra’s collaboration on “Somebody That I Used to Know” enhances each single syllable she utters and makes me remember all my past relationships. This New Zealand vocalist oozes the emotional rollercoaster side of relationships and takes this song to a whole new level. Kimbra is another artist worth discovering if you don’t already know her.
“Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believing it was always something that I’d done
And I don’t wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say
You said that you could let it go
And I wouldn’t catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know”
There absolutely needs to be more songs with these two outstanding, outspoken sensational singers. I honestly could keep describing “Somebody That I Used to Know,” but I rather not bore you. By the way, Natasha Pincus needs a shout out and some recognition for directing a stunning modern masterpiece music video for “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
Gotye once again sounds like Sting on “Eyes Wide Open” and his luminous lyrics “So this is the end of the story/ Everything we had, everything we did…” are remarkable throughout the song. Somehow Gotye utilizes the best of the 80s pop scene by creating intelligent, inspiring tunes that transcends generations with its relevant adult themes such as hard breakups. As Wayne and Garth proclaimed to Alice Cooper in Wayne’s World, “I’m not worthy.”
Making Mirrors continues to stun listeners with its wide range of compelling compositions, but nothing seems too random. The retro “I Feel Better” seems similar to Fitz and The Tantrums with its infectious soulful sound, while “In Your Light” has an acoustic guitar intro similar to George Michael’s “Faith.” Other notable songs include “Bronte,” “Giving Me a Chance,” “State of the Art” and “Don't Worry, We'll Be Watching You” on this terrific 12 track album.
There are also additional tracks available for individuals who pre-ordered the album on iTunes, including a remix of Gotye’s hit song “Somebody I Used to Know” by Faux Pas, "Dig Your Own Hole" and “Showdown Below My Sombrero" (only if you pre-ordered the CD/DVD version). Regardless of what version of the album you own or want to own, Making Mirrors exists as one of the Top 10 albums of 2012. Yes, I said it. Rest assured when it comes to compiling my “Best of List,” Making Mirrors will without a doubt be on that list.
Where oh where do I start with this band? They're certainly one of my favorites. I found them, how all great discoveries are made, by accident a few years ago when I was eleven. The Youtube player was on shuffle and they popped up right after Spectrum-X. The video was for "Breathe For Me" off of their self-titled debut. It was moving, wonderful, and totally captured that helpless, I-just-need-something-to-believe-in angst. I was instantly captured by how rough, and yet melodic their sound was. Deadstar Assembly's second album Unsaved came out shortly after that, and you best believe I went right out, bought it, plunked myself down in my room, and didn't take those headphones off for days.
Deadstar Assembly is a strange culmination of all that's great about industrial metal, with touches of goth rock thrown in to create this hard-edged, enigmatic wall of sound that roars (quite literally) listeners down from the first notes of the album to the last verse of the last track. Their sound is completely unique, you know instantly when you are listening to a DSA song. I challenge anyone to find another band that is as innovative in the industrial metal scene today, or that has a better relationship with their fans.
I meet people all over that see my DSA buttons and go on and on about how they went to a concert, met the guys and they were so cool, and down-to-earth. In my personal experience, I asked them on Facebook if I could do a review, and I wasn't expecting to hear back for a few days, if at all, and they got back to me within an hour. From someone who has had her fair share of being disappointed and/or ignored by rockstars, that's pretty cool.
Their third album, Coat of Arms, is easily one of my favorite albums of all time. It's brash, it's completely different than anything else I've heard, it's in-your-face, it's "D"-all-of-the-above on the freakin' awesome scale. To list all the great songs from the album, I'd have to list them all. The first song I ever heard from DSA, "Breathe For Me" is on this album too, which is sort of confusing, but enjoyable all the same. My favorite track off of the album has got to be "F.Y.G." standing for, "Fuck Your God." This song does make me laugh, because, come on, when is the last time there was a band with enough guts to be like, "Yeah, we just said that, this is what we think, it doesn't matter what you think!" so blatently in a song? Now, before you jump on the "they hate christianity, attack!" bandwagon, from the band themselves, "FYG is about celebrity worship, nothing to do with religion. It pokes fun at the media making celebrities out of people that have no merit and contribute nothing. The prerequisite being money, beauty and a scandalous sex tape. Fascinating how people find Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian interesting."
Mid-January, Deadstar Assembly released a clip of a brand new song, "Blame It On the Devil." Holy fuck, hell was just unleashed through my speakers. It sounds fresh, different, and like it moves in a slightly different direction than past albums, but still has that innate DSA feel. Deadstar Assembly is still in the writing and recording stage of their fourth album, Adorned In Thorns. There is no specific release date right now, but according to the band's Facebook page, the album will be out sometime in 2012.
I really don't know what else I can say about this band besides they are phenomenal at what they do, and they are very special to me. Their music has helped me out in hard times, and still there to rock out to when I'm happy. I keep trying to think of bands that sound like DSA, but there really aren't any. If you like music that is brutal, hard-hitting, with goth overtones, and a strong backbone of electronic, this is definitely a band you will love, just like I do.
In anticipation of the release of their new album, Utilitarian , on February 27th in Europe and February 28th in North America, the legendary NAPALM DEATH is now giving fans the chance to listen to their grindcore masterpiece online in its entirety! To join the album listening party, head here:
I found Waits via his readings of Bukowski's works (to me Waits sounds exactly like Hank's poems were meant to sound when read aloud, versus the author's own readings, which to me just absolutely fail).
--and also via the Bulletboys' "Hang on St. Christopher," if we're being honest--
And though I really like several, this if by far my fave Waits album.
It's a live set, from 1975. Each song has an intro (meaning badinage with the audience before the actual song commences) and then the song itself.
This is the near-perfect intersection of poetry and music-- Waits essentially talks through many of these songs/tales, and the primary reason to keep listening is not the song, nor the melody (though those are good)-- but the narrative. See, in particular, "Big Joe and Phantom 309," with its ghost-storied tale, not unlike the tale of Large Marge from "Pee Wee's Big Adventure."
Think of it as a boozy "Prairie Home Companion."
It's a lounge act --but not in the derogatory, Bill Murray's SNL "Nick Winters the Lounge Singer" variety-- but in the most entertaining/ yet still sleazy version possible. If Waits isn't drunk while performing these tunes he's doing a great impersonation of it: witness his slurred and sung discussions of the local Los Angeles eateries, which, judging by the audience's response, are accurate and witty regardless.
It's a very relaxing, intimate, late-night piece of work.
Opening intro is all sax and piano and slurred speech-- and though there's an alto sax, it's not particularly "jazzy"-- the horn is just used to exaggerate the late-night atmosphere for the stories contained within the tunes.
This is background music (a term I hate; no music should be meant for the background), but in the best sense. Put this on and you'll drift off to sleep in the absolute best company.
And your subconscious will be absolutely laden with interesting tales.
