LP Review: "New Beginnings" by Radio Moscow

New Beginnings

Radio Moscow is a pretty special band to me. Around six or seven years ago now, when my personal musical reawakening was taking place, James Leg, formerly of the Black Diamond Heavies, led me to Alive-Natural Sound.

This particular rabbit hole eventually led me to The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz by Radio Moscow.

There's no question that everything they've done since then has been through my ears and blown my mind.

It was always cool seeing them as part of my favorite record label, but times, they are a-changin'.

New Beginnings is Radio Moscow's major label debut. So, the band that only a few of my friends had heard of will no longer be our secret. They're being exposed to the whole wide world now. Before writing this review, I had to listen to L!ve In California on vinyl again....

LP Review: "Plastic Surgery" by Heavy Traffic

Plastic Surgery

What an age to be alive?

Last night, I took in a show by the Leonas w/Morrigan at The Tick Tock Tavern. It was a pair of string bands that have nothing to do with this save giving us venue for a conversation.

My friend's wife asked me about plague metal...well that's not a thing yet, but it will soon be...because every kind of metal soon will be.

Music in the Twenty First Century is basically like fusion cooking. For the record, my newly minted Slow Cooked General Mi-Tso Chicken was spectacular.

Due to there only being so many chord progressions and scales, it's getting harder and harder for bands to keep things new and fresh. Some do and some don't, but those that can are able to raise their heads above the din and be heard.

EP Review: "Cult Leader" by Zombie Rodeo

Cult Leader

Many years ago, I had to walk all the way to my friend's house. He lived good mile and a half from me. On that walk, your friend would pass many houses containing folks who did not enjoy my company.

This was not a fun proposition.

This was during the second half of high school. After a good time was had by us doing terribly nerdy things like playing Dungeons & Dragons, or talking about playing D&D, it was time for me to begin my circuitous route home.

My pal owned a car, but did not have a driver's license, so it seemed a zero sum game that this car was sitting in the driveway, but he asked me if I'd be able to stay longer if he were able to give me a ride home rather than my walking. My family was quite strict and old fashioned. Dinner was on the table at 5pm daily....

Album Review: “Black Hole Space Wizard Part 1” by Howling Giant

According to legend, in early March of 1951 Ike Turner’s guitarist Willie Kizart was driving to Memphis, Tennessee for a recording session when his amplifier tumbled from atop his car and bounced down Highway 61.  

A makeshift attempt to repair the amplifier by cramming it full of newspapers rendered it operational, except it now produced a fuzzy distorted sound.  The song recorded that day “Rocket 88” found its way to the top of the charts and is often credited as being the first rock-n-roll song.  

Clearly, the world wanted the fuzz then, and has never stopped doing so. 

The sound accidentally discovered by Kizart has since been captured, refined and controlled by amplifier manufacturers. Wise is the band who has chosen to harness this almighty power.

Howling Giant brings the fuzz and so much more on their second album “Black Hole Space Wizard Part 1”.  It is one down-tuned crunchy stoner metal riff after another, in a style closely resembling genre legends The Sword and Witchcraft.  

Only instead of focusing their attention of themes of paganism, this concept EP takes to the stars, telling a science fiction inspired tale of mankind abandoning Earth to avoid a celestial wizard.

Album Review: "Gruesome Twosome" by Level & Tyson

Gruesome Twosome

Am I the only one that has a hard time not stereotyping music from Scandinavia?

Perhaps I've watched too much "Metalocalypse," or maybe I've attended too many Iron Maiden concerts, but when I think of that area of the world, I picture five very blonde, very bearded young men huddled around more Marshall stacks than one can count.

Of course this isn't remotely true, but just my interpretation.

Level & Tyson....they are nothing even remotely similar to what I just described, except that they have about the right number of people to make that happen.

They are part of the fuzz rock revolution. I can remember a time when no one remembered what fuzz tones even were, but here nowadays, it's come back and on purpose, unlike many of the fuzzy instigators like Buddy Guy who just happened to achieve the sound....