The Hentchmen seem like they’ve been on the Detroit garage-rock scene forever, and in band-years, they have. Twelve years or so as a butt-shaking rock and roll trio must equal about sixty years in real-person life. Anyway, age sure doesn’t slow them down on Form Follows Function, their recent ’60s rock-flavored release. Check out “Love” for a little of the nth degree.
The Same Fate
I like to look at local bands for 3hive, and usually that means Detroit acts. The Same Fate are even more local than that; guitar player Joe used to sleep in the back of my Creative Writing class a few years ago. He’s spent his time since wisely, skipping classes at the University of Michigan, playing gigs for ten people, and crafting gems like “The Last Flight of the Fireflies,” the most frequently played track on the family iPod.
Channels
Shan is getting married, right? (Sure it’s in June, but hey, let’s start celebrating now!) According to Webster’s, a chivaree is a noisy mock serenade to a newly married couple, made by banging pans and kettles. It’s also this tight new track from Channels, another project featuring Jawbox frontman J. Robbins. So there you go. Happy wedding, Shan!
Deadstring Brothers
My friend Aram suggested the Deadstring Brothers for 3hive, and I think I know why. You see, Aram knows the oeuvre of Bob Dylan the way the rest of us know our birthday or the alphabet. I think, in the roots rock of the Deadstring Brothers, he hears a little tribute to Bob, or at least a recognition of the work of Bob’s son Jakob and his band, The Wallflowers. On the other hand, maybe he just thinks they’re a decent band. Either way, enjoy that pedal steel guitar slide in “27 Hours,” and thanks, Aram!
A Girl Called Eddy
I first heard A Girl Called Eddy when, several months ago, my wife randomly and luckily checked out her CD from our local public library. Seeing as it’s a public library and not a small, financially-strapped indie record shop totally devoted to offering the freshest new sounds around, I imagine many of you are already familiar with the smooth vocals and ’60s pop sensibilities of Erin (Eddy) Moran. Many of you know her solid songwriting skills, her stellar pop craftsmanship, her classic sadness. All I want to know is, why didn’t anybody tell me sooner?
Soledad Brothers
In 1835, militiamen from Michigan and Ohio engaged in a brief skirmish over the possession of Toledo. Shots were inaccurately fired and prisoners taken. However, in the end, Michigan obviously lost in its bid to claim Toledo, the jewel of the Maumee River, and was offered the Upper Peninsula as compensation. (Ha! Take that, Ohio!) This brief history lesson reminds us why the Soledad Brothers are not a Detroit band, even though their trashy blues-rock boogies call to mind the MC5, Iggy and the Stooges, and the currently popular (White Stripes, Von Bondies, etc.) gritty garage sound of D-town.
Wally Pleasant
“From the Northwest Territory to Madagascar, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen by far…” — a little message to my wife via Wally Pleasant’s “Let’s Play Life.” She spent a year at Michigan State, and I think a small part of her heart will always belong to Wally, a local legend and all-out goofball. Many Michiganders, I imagine, feel this way. Sure, he’s one of the worst singers you’ll ever hear, and yes, his songs can sometimes (okay, often) be undeniably dumb, but when once you’ve surrendered your haughtness to his charm, you, like my wife, might consider naming your next child (assuming there is one and it’s a boy) Walter.
The Mary Janes
Janas Hoyt’s beguiling voice mirrors the sliding strings and pedal steel guitar so prevalent on these tracks from Flame, The Mary Janes’ second album. Not to give further life to a country music stereotype, but the title track, included below, really does seem like an ideal theme song for driving a pick-up.
Marah
So, I was cleaning out the closet in my old bedroom at my mom and dad’s house and I ran across a bunch of Marah singles from about 1984 or ’85, old 45s to play on the Panasonic turntable I got for my 13th birthday. Actually, that’s not true at all, but it should be. Marah sounds like middle school, all big guitars and big hair and rock ‘n’ roll, baby! It’s like late ’70s Springsteen demo tapes with someone else singing, or Bon Jovi a little less high-pitched. You can tell me that “The Rough Streets Below” wasn’t recorded in 1983, but I won’t believe you. Not even you, Tim O. (Thanks for the tip!)
Pine Marten
Another offering from the California music collective The Ship, Pine Marten has a sparse and creepy sound that knocks around inside my head (not running into much, eh?) long after their songs end. For example, I tend to get lost in the five and a half minutes of “Hey Misty, What Do You Think?” and alternately think the song either just started or has been playing for an hour. I guess I kind of like that feeling.