Yeah, I know this track has been around for a year or so now, but what the fuck.
Just the thing for a case of winter blues.
Later,
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Noise.
I have always had an affinity for noisy, raw, rocknroll bands. The punk DIY aesthetic and the rocknroll lifestyle go hand in glove with some romantic, anarchic spirit that lets you know that yes indeed you are alive. Noise and fuzz and feedback and long hair and more drugs than Pablo Escobar’s bathroom cabinet.
The songs below are in no particular order and are meant to be a snapshot, a quick look into the last 4 or so decades of noise/raw rock. So, without further ado, I present to you my RAW/NOISE ROCK PLAYLIST.
1. The Stooges – No Fun, The Stooges, 1969
The dumb simplicity of this fuzzed out surf tune is compounded by catchy hand claps and Iggy’s debased howl. Iggy and The Stooges are one of the most loved (and ridiculed) bands ever. Their influence stretches far into subsequent decades, and Iggy’s self-harming stage antics and rampant drug abuse are quintessential.
2. Dinosaur Jr. – Freak Scene, Bug, 1988
Having changed their name from Dinosaur in 1987, they released Bug fresh from signing with Blast First and riding a wave of popularity generated by this song. Characteristically Dinosaur, the extremely high gain, melodic vocals and Mascis’ unique, wandering guitar solos still don’t sound dated. Rivalling Alive, by Pearl Jam for the kind of air guitar epicness possible, Freak Scene is jagged and fast paced, a melodic and catchy 3 and a half minute punk gem.
3. Sonic Youth – Teenage Riot, Daydream Nation, 1988
While Dinosaur Jr. were ripping up kid’s eardrums with Mascis’s heaving guitar, Sonic were quietly going about the business of creating a masterpiece. I’ve already written at length about Daydream Nation, here. Teenage Riot is the best track off this album, a jangling, shimmering chunk of youthful rebellion and a snapshot of a band at the height of their power.
4. Mercy Arms – Shine A Light, Mercy Arms, 2008
20 years later, it is good to know that the spirit of guitar experimentation is still alive. You’ll find it in spades on this album, but Shine A Light is the standout. Be it feedback, weird squelchy effects, whammy bar, string scratches or lightning fast plectrum work, its all there. It’s a shame this band ran out of steam a few months after their debut release, because they were worth seeing just to hear another track, Half Right, which garnered some serious radio airtime last year.
5. The Velvet Underground – Heroin, The Velvet Underground And Nico, 1967
This song builds and builds and builds and builds and builds and builds and builds till it rips you apart in glorious, screetching feedback, Lou Reed’s slow, spaced out voice struggling to be heard among the cacophony. A hurricane of a song.
6. Nirvana – Been A Son, Blew EP, 1989
This preceded Nirvana’s debut effort Bleach. Been A Son is Nirvana at their raucous best, loud, callous, thick and heavy. Kurt’s dark lyrics and Novoselic’s thunderous bass drive the track forward in a mindless, freight train kind of way.
7. The Birthday Party – Happy Birthday, The Birthday Party, 1980
Originally released under the name “The Boys Next Door”, The Birthday Party was re-released when the band changed to The Birthday Party. Nick Cave’s sub-vocalisations, grunts, shrieks and impersonations of a dog on this track, along with the two lead guitarists discordant and jarring riffage ripped chunks out of conventional song-writing and was the first foray into music for Nick Cave, Mick Harvey and Roland S. Thompson.
8. Pixies – Debaser, Doolittle, 1989
Black Francis, the lead singer and guitarist for Pixies had already written a breakthrough album in Surfer Rosa, their debut. Debaser continued in this tradition of catchy yet unconventional songs, the fat drums and fuzzy guitar typical of Pixies style. The vocals, referencing surrealism and Salvador Dali were a pop pastiche, the high pitched yelp of Francis offset by Kim Deal’s sweet innocent pitch. Garnered them even more critical acclaim and cemented them as one of the most influential bands of the 80’s, especially on the subsequent Seattle Grunge explosion.
9. Children Collide – Economy, The Long Now, 2008
First recorded on their Glass Mountain Liars EP, CC re-recorded Economy for their 2008 long player, showcasing their harder-edged, nouveau grunge sound. The chaotic, deliberately discordant guitars and menacing drum track render this an angry listen at the best of times.
10. Animal Collective – For Reverend Green, Strawberry Jam, 2007
Unconventional pretty much fits this 4-piece from New York, New York, their extremes of experimentation and weird instruments causing them to be labelled as freak-folk or noise-pop. They remain hard to categorize however, a testament to their versatility as a song writing force. For Reverend Green has me stumped as to what instruments are used, save the heavily affected guitar and the screamed vocals. An unrelenting ache of a song that pulses and drives relentlessly onwards.
So there it is. My noise/raw rock playlist, in all its longhaired glory. As a sort of disclaimer, let me say this. My musical experience may differ vastly from your own and, probability dictates, from everyone else’s as well. What I’ve seen and heard will shape my perception of noise rock as much as it will yours. Use this list as a guide or a refresher, listen to these songs, buy the albums.
Later,
The songs below are in no particular order and are meant to be a snapshot, a quick look into the last 4 or so decades of noise/raw rock. So, without further ado, I present to you my RAW/NOISE ROCK PLAYLIST.
1. The Stooges – No Fun, The Stooges, 1969
The dumb simplicity of this fuzzed out surf tune is compounded by catchy hand claps and Iggy’s debased howl. Iggy and The Stooges are one of the most loved (and ridiculed) bands ever. Their influence stretches far into subsequent decades, and Iggy’s self-harming stage antics and rampant drug abuse are quintessential.
2. Dinosaur Jr. – Freak Scene, Bug, 1988
Having changed their name from Dinosaur in 1987, they released Bug fresh from signing with Blast First and riding a wave of popularity generated by this song. Characteristically Dinosaur, the extremely high gain, melodic vocals and Mascis’ unique, wandering guitar solos still don’t sound dated. Rivalling Alive, by Pearl Jam for the kind of air guitar epicness possible, Freak Scene is jagged and fast paced, a melodic and catchy 3 and a half minute punk gem.
3. Sonic Youth – Teenage Riot, Daydream Nation, 1988
While Dinosaur Jr. were ripping up kid’s eardrums with Mascis’s heaving guitar, Sonic were quietly going about the business of creating a masterpiece. I’ve already written at length about Daydream Nation, here. Teenage Riot is the best track off this album, a jangling, shimmering chunk of youthful rebellion and a snapshot of a band at the height of their power.
4. Mercy Arms – Shine A Light, Mercy Arms, 2008
20 years later, it is good to know that the spirit of guitar experimentation is still alive. You’ll find it in spades on this album, but Shine A Light is the standout. Be it feedback, weird squelchy effects, whammy bar, string scratches or lightning fast plectrum work, its all there. It’s a shame this band ran out of steam a few months after their debut release, because they were worth seeing just to hear another track, Half Right, which garnered some serious radio airtime last year.
5. The Velvet Underground – Heroin, The Velvet Underground And Nico, 1967
This song builds and builds and builds and builds and builds and builds and builds till it rips you apart in glorious, screetching feedback, Lou Reed’s slow, spaced out voice struggling to be heard among the cacophony. A hurricane of a song.
6. Nirvana – Been A Son, Blew EP, 1989
This preceded Nirvana’s debut effort Bleach. Been A Son is Nirvana at their raucous best, loud, callous, thick and heavy. Kurt’s dark lyrics and Novoselic’s thunderous bass drive the track forward in a mindless, freight train kind of way.
7. The Birthday Party – Happy Birthday, The Birthday Party, 1980
Originally released under the name “The Boys Next Door”, The Birthday Party was re-released when the band changed to The Birthday Party. Nick Cave’s sub-vocalisations, grunts, shrieks and impersonations of a dog on this track, along with the two lead guitarists discordant and jarring riffage ripped chunks out of conventional song-writing and was the first foray into music for Nick Cave, Mick Harvey and Roland S. Thompson.
8. Pixies – Debaser, Doolittle, 1989
Black Francis, the lead singer and guitarist for Pixies had already written a breakthrough album in Surfer Rosa, their debut. Debaser continued in this tradition of catchy yet unconventional songs, the fat drums and fuzzy guitar typical of Pixies style. The vocals, referencing surrealism and Salvador Dali were a pop pastiche, the high pitched yelp of Francis offset by Kim Deal’s sweet innocent pitch. Garnered them even more critical acclaim and cemented them as one of the most influential bands of the 80’s, especially on the subsequent Seattle Grunge explosion.
9. Children Collide – Economy, The Long Now, 2008
First recorded on their Glass Mountain Liars EP, CC re-recorded Economy for their 2008 long player, showcasing their harder-edged, nouveau grunge sound. The chaotic, deliberately discordant guitars and menacing drum track render this an angry listen at the best of times.
10. Animal Collective – For Reverend Green, Strawberry Jam, 2007
Unconventional pretty much fits this 4-piece from New York, New York, their extremes of experimentation and weird instruments causing them to be labelled as freak-folk or noise-pop. They remain hard to categorize however, a testament to their versatility as a song writing force. For Reverend Green has me stumped as to what instruments are used, save the heavily affected guitar and the screamed vocals. An unrelenting ache of a song that pulses and drives relentlessly onwards.
So there it is. My noise/raw rock playlist, in all its longhaired glory. As a sort of disclaimer, let me say this. My musical experience may differ vastly from your own and, probability dictates, from everyone else’s as well. What I’ve seen and heard will shape my perception of noise rock as much as it will yours. Use this list as a guide or a refresher, listen to these songs, buy the albums.
Later,
Thursday, July 9, 2009
The Man Comes Around
The song, from the album American IV: The Man Comes Around was originally written by Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, appearing on their Downward Spiral album of 1994, but Cash makes it his own, imbuing a sense of regret and pain upon looking back on his past that is poignant and real.
The video features various images from his life, acting as a miniature documentary, showing footage of his hometown, June Carter Cash and his short-lived TV show.
Something about this, the final video produced by Johnny Cash before his death in 2003, makes me come over all wobbly - It's powerful, beautiful, wounded and regretful.
Later,
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Bad Moon Rising
Well, who else could it be? Shimmering guitars, pulsating drums and those pipes. That kind of angelic voice doesnt come around very often, but when it does, you better believe these guys are going to be big. Soon.
On another note, I found this awesome photography collective, Hobo Gestapo. Check it out if you like photography of left of centre fashion and underground youth culture.
Later,
On another note, I found this awesome photography collective, Hobo Gestapo. Check it out if you like photography of left of centre fashion and underground youth culture.
Later,
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