Matthew Berlyant: April 22, 2007

1. Love of Diagrams – Mosaic (Matador)

   I know that I’ve said this about a few others albums so far this year and that it’s only April, but I feel really strongly about this one being one of my favorites of the year so far. I’ve already written about it here, so I won’t repeat what I’ve already said too much. However, I must say that I can’t stop playing “Pace or the Patience” and in particular “The Pyramid”. It’s as if they took TERRI NUNN of BERLIN or maybe DALE BOZZIO of MISSING PERSONS and placed either of them out in front of a lost SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES backing track from about 1980 or so. It’s absolutely terrific stuff, especially because it doesn’t feel retro like too many modern post-punk bands and despite my description. Go to their MySpace page here to listen to this gem.

2. Love of Diagrams – Love of Diagrams EP (Matador)

   I love this band and I can’t stop playing either their full-length or this EP. It contains the two best songs on Mosaic (“The Pace or the Patience” and “The Pyramid”) as well as a live track (“Cool”) and the non-album “No Way Out”. This is a great introduction if you’re not willing to take your chances on the Lp.

3. Various Artists – Storming the Citadel Vol. I and II (Divine Rites)

   This is the second volume of a fantastic tribute to the Citadel Records label’s output of the mid to late ‘80s. I have to confess that I’m unfamiliar with the originals, but I downloaded it both volumes a while back and gave it a listen recently and am really impressed with these versions. In particular, ASTEROID B-12’s version of DIED PRETTY’s “Mirror Blues” is an absolute must because it appends an absolutely jaw-dropping version of “Final Solution” for a twelve-minute garage-punk freakout par excellence. In fact, it could be argued that their version of “Final Solution” is the definitive version, on par or even better than the great ROCKET FROM THE TOMBS original and the early PERE UBU single version as well. I’m not kidding. It really helps that ROB YOUNGER (the vocalist for RADIO BIRDMAN and THE NEW CHRISTS as well as an excellent and renowned producer of Australian rock and roll) produced most of these tracks as every song on here is a winner, including THE DOORS-like version of The New Christs’ “Headin’ South” by LOUIS TILLETT and CHARLIE OWEN and THE HIVES-like take on THE FUN THINGS’ “Savage” by THE BACKSLIDERS. also of note is THE GAMMA MEN’s version of THE TRILOBITES’ “Legacy of Morons” on Volume I. For more information on this compilation (which was originally limited to 700 copies on two 10” records), go here and here.

4. Pamela Des Barres – I’m With the Band (Jove, 1988)
   I picked up a paperback version of this autobiography a few weeks back for $1 or so, figuring that at the very least it would be good light, if gossipy, reading. Although Miss Pamela (as she was known in her all-girl group THE GTO’s as well as to rock royalty like MICK JAGGER and JIMMY PAGE) has obviously led an incredible life and seemed to be in the right place at the right time, the book reads like a cautionary tale as well. She fell hard for rock stars like Page, CHRIS HILLMAN and NICK ST. NICHOLAS (amongst many others) only to have it blow up in her face time and time again. Instead of taking a victim mentality, she wisely details about how she eventually grew up and into a stable relationship with her long-time husband MICHAEL DES BARRES. Of course, the obvious criticism is that for years she tried to validate her own identity through whatever man she was dating at the time instead of concentrating on her own creative pursuits, but critics have to consider both that she saw the GTOs as a way to express herself, not to mention the fact that she was a working actress for many years as well before she became a writer. Furthermore, few women back then were encouraged to emphasize their careers (creative or otherwise) as much as if not more than their love life, so it’s hard to criticize Des Barres too much here. One can only critique her for buying into the fantasy that rock stars were more “enlightened” than the rest of the male population in terms of their treatment of women, but hey that’s the folly of youth.

5. Captain Beefheart Under Review (Not Rated)

   This is a fantastic DVD that, like the title implies, covers CAPTAIN BEEFHEART’s entire musical career one album at a time. Several notable critics (all from the UK, where his music has always been much more appreciated) as well as former band members speak of. Of these, JOHN FRENCH (i.e. “DRUMBO”) gives the most interesting testimonials, though guitarist GARY LUCAS also has interesting things to say about his tenure in THE MAGIC BAND as well. For example, his commentary on the guitar solo he plays on “Flavor Bud Living” (the version on Doc at the Radar Station) is worth the price of admission for any Beefheart fan.

6. Don’t Need You: The Herstory of Riot Grrl (Not Rated)

   If I have any complaints about this excellent documentary, it’s that at only thirty minutes of footage (especially considering that it was shot over the course of several years), it’s way too short! Named after a great BIKINI KILL song, it traces the history and evolution of the Riot Grrl movement from its inception in the indie and punk scenes of Olympia, Washington and Washington, DC to its co-opting by the mainstream media (with many of the more challenging political ideals removed for mass consumption, of course) and its impact upon its founders. Many of the key players are interviewed, including KATHLEEN HANNA (then of Bikini Kill) and now of LE TIGRE), ALLISON WOLFE (BRATMOBILE), CORIN TUCKER (then of HEAVENS TO BETSY and later of SLEATER-KINNEY) and several others. Interestingly, IAN MACKAYE (who produced Bikini Kill’s first 12” EP) and MARK ANDERSEN of Positive Force DC are interviewed as well.

   Despite the short length of the documentary, the DVD is expanded to include extended interviews with Hanna, Wolfe, MacKaye, Andersen, Tucker and several others. These interviews were the highlight for me and are fascinating not just for those interested in the Riot Grrl movement and its origins, but also for anyone interested in the independent music of that particular time period. Looking at the crudely-typed fanzines (another excellent bonus feature) takes me back to those pre-internet times when I had a little fanzine of my own.

7. Bikini Kill and Huggy Bear – Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah/Our Troubled Youth (Kill Rock Stars/Wiija)

   Originally released in the summer of 1993 as a split Lp between Bikini Kill and HUGGY BEAR (and as a split release between their respective labels as well), I pulled this one out recently after watching the Riot Grrl documentary. I loved it back then and it still sounds as fresh as the when it was recorded. The Bikini Kill material on here is their absolute best stuff, including the definitive version of “Rebel Girl” (which they recorded on three different occasions not including the Peel Session version) and ‘Don’t Need You”, the song that gives the documentary its title. Elsewhere, “Outta Me” shows off their softer, more sensitive and melodic side, albeit with typically acidic lyrics spiking this punch.

   I never really got into Huggy Bear’s other material, lauded as it was back then by the NME and others, but their side of the Lp is absolutely incredible as well. When I first got this Lp, I liked the Bikini Kill side better, but eventually I grew to love both sides. It’s more experimental and less straightforward, but multiple listens reveal the catchiness of songs like “T-Shirt Tucked In” and “Aqua Girl Star”. The Bikini Kill side is on the CD imaginatively titled The First Two Records on CD while the Huggy Bear side is only available on the split Lp.

8. Tiger Trap – “Supercrush” EP (K)
   Before ROSE MELBERG (currently a solo artist) was in THE SOFTIES, GO SAILOR and GAZE, there was Tiger Trap. As far as I know, they only recorded this excellent 7”, a self-titled Lp and a split 7” with HENRY’S DRESS (which I sadly no longer own) and several songs that ended up on compilations (Wikipedia reveals a split 7” with Bratmobile and an EP called “Sour Grass” that I’d forgotten about). Anyway this is just absolutely perfect twee pop, every bit the equivalent of anything coming out of the UK at the time on Sarah Records. They’re absolutely perfect on a warm sunny day and you’ll be humming these tunes for hours.
9. Bratmobile – “The Real Janelle” EP (Kill Rock Stars)

   This six song, 12” EP is admittedly my only acquaintance with this seminal Riot Grrl band. Much like my recent revisiting of the Bikini Kill catalog, I pulled this one out after watching the Don’t Need You documentary. It holds up quite well. The title track is as fun as I remembered, “Yeah, Huh” is an atypical slow jam that’s not too far from a VELOCITY GIRL album cut from that time period and their cover of THE MISFITS’ “Where Eagles Dare” (with Kill Rock Stars founder SLIM MOON on vocals doing a very funny GLENN DANZIG impersonation) is wonderful as well.

10. Firehose – Ragin’ Full On (SST)

    I’m a bit reluctant to admit this, but though I love THE MINUTEMEN, I’ve played this excellent Lp more over the years than any Minutemen record except for Double Nickels on the Dime and maybe the “Paranoid Time” 7”. Singer/guitarist ED CRAWFORD brought a more melodic sensibility to the incredible grooves of bassist MIKE WATT and drummer GEORGE HURLEY, but make no mistake, this is still as funky as your grandpa’s drawers (as A TRIBE CALLED QUEST once said). “Brave Captain,” (perhaps the inspiration for the name of the MARTIN CARR-led band of the same name) “Chemical Wire” and “Choose Any Memory” are the more upbeat higlights, but ballads like “This…” and the incredible “The Candle and the Flame” also stand out.