Black Mountain, unlike Pink Mountaintops, is not Stephen McBean’s band alone, but that doesn’t stop it from having McBean’s self-consciously unself-conscious swagger. If you close your eyes and think hard enough, you can imagine that Black Mountain is what would have happened if Ozzie had never left Black Sabbath. But if you keep your eyes – rather, your ears – opened, you’ll hear something that has the telltale signs of ’70s accidental arena rock but that also carves out a niche for itself as the soundtrack for headbangers and spliff tokers of a different decade.
The M’s
The dilemna? Keep running with this whole anti-Valentines thing that the kids and the nation’s biggest retailers got going on and throw in a little post-Valentines Norwegian death metal today on 3hive? Or try to actually extend the blessed day–after all I do have four Valentines at home–by finding a band whose name had something to do with Valentines Day, other than the Valentines? But what’s this? Chicago’s the M’s have got a new album coming out next week, so today just had to be them and their fuzzy, psychedelic-tinged ode to the music of the 60’s and 70’s, completely unashamed of wearing their influences or their hearts (hearts, get it?) on their sleeves. Happy Wednesday!
Ex-Boyfriends
Cory over at Absolutely Kosher brought Ex-Boyfriends to my attention with perfect timing considering my re-kindled interest in XTC and the accompanying power-pop kick I’m on. Dig their Drums and Wires era vibe—mixed in with a touch of Archers of Loaf and 999. Album’s available next week and in March the band begins making rounds out West. Ready, set, pogo!
Slaraffenland
It’s been saddening for me to watch this whole Danish cartoon scandal go down because Denmark has always sat on a pedestal in my memory after I spent a few of the more peaceful and pleasing days of my life there back in 1999. Not much I can do about the recent events, except for this small gesture of distraction: Slaraffenland’s slow-burning instrumental jazz/rock goodness from Denmark, done with the effortless, artful precision Danes ought to be known for.
Girls Against Boys
Clay’s Moose post got me thinking, Am I even capable of narrowing down my personal all-time Top 5 songs? I could probably do artists or even albums, but songs for me are more specific to certain people, places, and time. When I stumbled across this stash of genius charmers Girls Against Boys, a flood of memories returned from a hazy, crazy summer when I took a few classes, worked at a CD store, and lived in an extremely well air-conditioned condo with my pals Kent, Matt, and Danger. As I try to recreate the house rotation I specifically recall a conversation Danger and I had about “In Like Flynn” (both the expression and the song from Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby). My fave GVSB tracks would actually come out a year later on Cruise Yourself (see “Kill the Sexplayer”), but I didn’t know that at the time. For the curious, here are my Top 5 Non-GVSB Songs of the Summer of 1994:
Soul Coughing “Down to This,”
Jawbox “Savory,”
Fluf “Sticky Bun,”
Beastie Boys “Sure Shot,”
Ride “Let’s Get Lost.”
Destroyer
Destroyer is Vancouver’s own Dan Bejar. “European Oils” is taken from the seventh Destroyer album. If you’ve yet to hear of Destroyer and you’re thinking SEVEN ALBUMS ALREADY?? where have I been?, fret not. Bejar keeps a low profile. He even downplays his involvement with another Canadian band, The New Pornographers. I love the opening jam of this track. Feels like you’re comfortable and couched and about to spend the next half hour with a witty gang of characters on a ’70’s sitcom. Then Bejar comes in with that voice of his–a mix of Bowie and Dylan maybe. Quirky, odd, and completely satisfying.
Eagle*Seagull
Sometimes I’m absolutely stumped about what to write about a particular artist. Complete writer’s block. That’s not the case with Eagle*Seagull. A laundry list of bands they remind me of, and are likely influenced by, are tumbling around in my skull, waiting for someone to just open the door. In this case, I think any one of them would cheapen the listening experience. I will say this: the band’s seven members strong, they’re from Lincoln, Nebraska, and a large majority of our 3hive audience is really going to like them. Props to DoCopenhagen for the tip.
Trace Wiren
When the tunes are coming out of Salt Lake City, it’s hard to resist a little comparison: “I’m a little bit country, I’m a little bit rock and roll.” Trace Wiren has that in common with Donny and Marie, that’s for sure. However, she’s also a little bit folksinger, a little taken with the blues, and a whole lot fresh. Download “Trouble at Home” now and start preparing your summer roadtrip mix.
Metal Hearts
Sorry, no stories about scars on fingers today, even though I have two nice scars (and stories to match!) on my right thumb. I can just picture in my mind young Sean standing with his finger stuck in the car door waiting for Mom to notice.
Today we have Metal Hearts, two youngsters from Baltimore whose debut album Socialize is due out on February 21. Their label compares them to Modest Mouse, Arab Strap, and Cat Power, and I’m gonna throw in that they resemble a toned down version of Bishop Allen. Part moody, part carefree, the title track “Socialize” is a tasty appetizer from the new album.
The Apparitions
So I have this scar that runs diagonally acroos the tip of my left index finger. I slammed the finger in the car door of my parent’s orange, ’73 Ford Pinto. I had locked the door so I couldn’t just open it again. I screamed at my mother to open the door for me, but it took awhile for her to figure out what was going on. Imagine that scene in A Christmas Story where Flick gets his tongue frozen to the flag pole; instead of his tongue it’s my finger; instead of the pole it’s the Pinto. This not so pleasant memory came rushing back when I heard “Electricity + Drums.” In the song they reference the Boy Scout Oath. See, that day I slammed my finger was a day my mother had been haranguing me all day about wearing my Scout uniform to school (because Scouts was immediately after school). I tried explaining to her that doing so guaranteed certain banishment from any group of friends who were halfway cool. She let me dress in civilian clothes that day, but she let me have it when inevitably we were late for Scouts. Things got really tense between us when we arrived at Scouts only to remember that it had been cancelled. We should’ve laughed it off, but I got on her for harrassing me for nothing! At home I tried to punctuate my comments with a good slam of the door. That’s what I get by not following the Scout Law, which encourages you to be, among other things, kind, obedient, and cheerful. Well these good fellows in The Apparations are brimming with cheer on “Electricity + Drums.” Sounds like southern-fried Pixies, or super-cheerful (early) R.E.M. And on “God Monkey Robot” you get their Kentucky version of de-evolution, or, depending on your point of view, evolution. Both tracks are from their forthcoming album, As This is Futuristic.