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This wasn’t as unexpected or as soul-affirming as the ‘04 championship which banished decades of ghosts and bouts of heartbreak, but in some ways this team was more fun to watch. Great mix of youth and veterans, stars and role players, which is really what you need to succeed. I hope they keep the core intact after free agency hits.
Much-needed reissue of this dark, mysterious Portland Oregon band, who spreads deep shadows in the murky realm between black metal and ambient doom. If you like the incarceration period of Burzum, this is highly recommended.
Though I was too tired to get out of the house and see their recent Boston performance, I’ve been listening to the first three records the whole week. Brash, snotty, and full of rock and roll energy. Sign me up for me! After co-leader Ed Kuepper left the band, Chris Bailey did change the scope of the band, and while I can’t fault him for wanting to move out of a rut, those first three records comprised a glorious rut!
One of those songs which perfectly describes a specific point in time, as Britt Daniel thinks back to his dad and his wardrobe, echoing a time which has gone by.
Their first (unheralded) record was a blast of fresh air and all-out fun, and they have not stopped the party. Ian Parton had to hustle to get some musical collaborators to jell with his particular vision hatched in a bedroom with a crate of records and a headful of ideas, and after the live part was taken care of, the second record is again a resounding, infectious mish-mash of glee. Live, they never let up, and the uptight and staid Bostonian crowd jumping and dancing all night, which is actually quite a feat.
One of those Sarah Records bands who got lost in the glimmer of time, 14 Iced Bears weren’t neatly cornered into the twee pigeonhole that a lot of the roster bands fit into quite well. The slightly heavier and more psychedelic guitars and pounding drums of Wonder (their final record) deserve a re-evaluation. BT archivists/historians take note – I think I reviewed this cd in a long-past print issue of The Big Takeover.
Great solo debut from the female side of the late and lamented Delgados, but it’s just as essential as anything they had ever released. Live, the band she’s assembled did a cracking job, and ending her set with “The Optimist” was amazingly beautiful. One of the top records of 2007 for sure.
Didn’t know anything about these guys but they were a nice blast of last 70s rock/punk rock on stage. A ratatatat barrage from one song to the next, with singer/leader Eddie Argos leading the troops from the stage, and leaving the stage to stir up some emotion and energy in the crowd.
Since (sadly, due to drummer Charles Gocher’s untimely passing) the Sun City Girls are no longer, but Rick’s creativity and urge for composition and musical explorations goes on unabated. In addition to his focus on the musics of eastern Asia, his Django Reinhardt references are never too far away either. Hopefully his presence on Drag City will open some audience awareness to one of the best guitarists around.
No surprise that a song about sex (like Arab Strap, does AC/DC write about anything else, drugs aside?) would be apt for covering by this Scottish duo, but the way Aidan Moffat’s thick brogue wraps around the words brings layers of meaning that Brian Johnson could never manage on his own. Likewise, Malcolm Middleton’s gentle acoustic guitar is a nice foil to the expected roar of Angus Young
