Roky Erickson with Brother JT and The Happen-Ins – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia) – November 8, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Guided by Voices with Blitzen Trapper – Trocadero (Philadelphia) – November 6, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Corin Tucker Band with Hungry Ghost – First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia) – October 28, 2010
Please see my full review here.
Seabrook Power Plant with Split Red – Danger Danger Gallery (Philadelphia) – October 27, 2010
For those who don’t know, Seabrook Power Plant is a unique trio with members based in Brooklyn and Boston. Instead of the traditional guitar/bass/drums setup, brothers Brandon Seabrook and Jared Seabrook (on banjo and drums, respectively), along with double bassist Tom Blancarte play music that’s somewhere between balls-out free jazz skronk and ’70s heavy metal/hard rock somewhere between Black Sabbath and early Van Halen (Seabrook has stated that The Minutemen and Van Halen are his favorite bands). The result, as one might imagine, is an utterly unique and pummeling experience, both on record and especially in a live setting. I think it’s safe to say that everyone in the small room was sufficiently blown away or at the very least impressed.
Openers Split Red, a new local quartet featuring guitarist Stephen Buono, delivered a set of highly enjoyable, heavy, pummeling dirge rockers not too far removed from The Jesus Lizard, Melvins, mid-period Black Flag and locals Pissed Jeans.
The Preservation Jazz Band played before Split Red, but regrettably I didn’t get down there in time to see them. Also, there was one band who followed Seabrook Power Plant (a difficult task, to say the least) and I wanted to stay and watch them, but my weariness and the fact that I had to go to work the next day won out.
Corin Tucker Band – 1000 Years (Kill Rock Stars)
Although I found her recent solo show here to be a bit lackluster, I went ahead and bought her new solo album after hearing it a few times when it was streaming on NPR. I’m glad I took that chance because this album is fantastic. I just wish she could’ve pulled these songs off better live. If you’re a Sleater-Kinney fan or even if you’re not, don’t let that stop you from checking this one out.
Articles of Faith – New Normal Catastrophe EP (Alternative Tentacles)
Articles of Faith’s first recorded output since 1985’s In This Life is like a mix of that band’s classic hardcore attack mixed with the more recent, more post-punk-ish stylings of leader Vic Bondi‘s recent Report Suspicious Activity project with J Robbins (who mixed this). The lyrics, as usual with Bondi, are superb and thoughtful. “If I Had a Hammer” is the standout of the five tracks here. Its lyrics pretty much sum up how I feel about the recent midterm elections. I just hope that they can stay together how long to record a full-length!
Jawbreaker – Unfun (Blackball)
This reissue of Jawbreaker’s classic 1990 debut Unfun allows fans the chance to purchase (or re-purchase) this long out of print (at least on vinyl) release. Some say this is Jawbreaker’s best and though I’m not sure if I’d agree with that, this is an incredible album that in retrospect hews closer to Soulside’s Trigger (it’s telling that Blake Schwarzenbach is wearing a Soulside shirt in one of the photos in the inner sleeve) than anything they did subsequently. Though I’ve owned this album on CD for more than 16 years, I’ve never had the opportunity to hear it on vinyl until now as the original is quite hard to come by, so I’m thankful this came out. It also includes a download card that has the three equally essential bonus tracks found on the CD, all from the also long out-of-print Whack and Blite EP. Now I wonder if that one could come as a separate release, though I suppose many folks would be content with the mp3s.
Forgetters – “I’m Not Immune”
Forgetters are a really good, but ultimately kind of frustrating, band. I only say frustrating because while the only thing they’ve recorded and released so far is a great double 7” (see my review here), they have lots of other songs and some are better than the ones they’ve released so far. “I’m Not Immune” is one of those songs and you can watch great quality video and audio of them performing it live here. I just hope that this and other songs surface on a full-length at some point.
Grinderman – Grinderman 2 (Mute)
On first listen, Grinderman’s new album picks up right where their terrific first album left off, but ups the ante further with more tales of sex, drugs, booze, murder and deliverance. More styles are tried here and some of the songs are slightly longer and a few even have a Stooges feel to them (particularly in the guitar work), but just like with their first album it feels closer to Nick Cave‘s early output with The Bad Seeds or maybe even later Birthday Party than most of his more recent solo records (save for 2008’s excellent Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!)
OFF! – 1st EP (Vice)
This is full-on hardcore punk in the style of Black Flag‘s “Nervous Breakdown” EP from the voice on that record, none other than Keith Morris. With an all star lineup featuring members of Hot Snakes, Redd Kross and Burning Brides, songs like “I Don’t Belong” really hit the mark.
