Vinyl Review: "Freedays" by Tall Tall Trees

Freedays

From the moment permanent settlements were established, in what Europeans called, The New World, we have been able to adapt and adjust to new surroundings, new challenges, and over the centuries, we as Americans have grown and prospered.

We're not going to discuss Roanoke or Croatoan OK? Because really, we all know that our forebears, well the people who would've been our forebears anyway, were kidnapped by the most ancient race of spacefaring villains...

The Romulans.

Yes, that's right, the Romulan Star Empire came to the Virginia Colony and kidnapped an entire settlement a full 500 years before what we will later know as First Contact.

Well...moving on.

EP Review: "Apocalypse Fetish" by Lou Barlow

Apocalypse Fetish

About 5 or 6 years ago, I noticed something.

Ukuleles weren't just something used by the Hawaiians anymore. Around this time was when my eyes were beginning to open up to a wider world of music.

This is when music, technologically speaking, began taking step backwards, which I just love.

But as for the Ukulele...

This guy right here...he's never been a fan of that instrument. Every time I've heard it there's just a scratchy, uneasiness to it that puts me off.

It should be neglected to mention that about three months ago, your friend and humble narrator was sitting in Oahu, HI drinking Mai Tais and hearing these instruments at every single turn.

LP Review: "Necronomidonkeykongimicon" by Goblin Cock

Necronomidonkeykongimicon

So rules pretty much suck don't they?

Normally, bands with expletives in their name, titles, or let's say, colorful cover art, get passed over by me every single time.

However, enter Goblin Cock.

Well, it wasn't spelled out to me precisely enough, but it's far more likely that it's what you think it is rather than a specific Goblin style rooster.

Frankly, what drew me in was the title of the album. Necronomidonkeykongimicon. That's a really cool title.

Then let's really interpret the cover. There's a masked man, holding a BC Rich Warlock whilst casting spells out of the Necronomicon. Granted, we all know what that book really is, but in a fantasy mindset, it's very cool. Just based on the title of this record alone, I needed to hear it.

And the lyrics are printed in Ancient Runic...so here we go.

LP Review: "II" by Dumb Numbers

II

There's a road near my house that I drive basically every single day of my life.

It's one of the longest roads in the City of St. Louis. There are a great many neighborhoods, personalities, and walks of life on Grand Blvd.

When driving west on I-70, that Grand exit has a familiar name, but the first time I used it, the area of the city was wholly unfamiliar to me.

There certainly weren't any sushi restaurants there.

This particular street, like the city, like people, like everything, hasn't remained static over the years. It's grown, changed, progressed, and even regressed. Simply because we all know its name, doesn't mean we know what it's like this very instant in that very spot.

Album Review: "Libras" by Saqqara Mastabas

Libras

Do you think that the age of the MP3 has destroyed album cover art?

A close friend of mine asked me this question a number of years ago and the only answer was yes. This may be wrong, because it's not like cassette tapes did much to help out the covers.

There are times when CD covers were pretty cool and many times when the artwork didn't quite work because the images were just a bit too large.

With the re-advent of vinyl, it seem as though some classic artwork is finally being invented again. Take the cover of Libras by Sappara Mastabas.

Here we have a beautiful water color of a circle of children engaging in a Judeo-Christian inspired religious ceremony....where they are conjuring a beautifully rendered Prince of Darkness in full horned and hoofed form.

Lovely.

Album Review: "Casino Drone" by Mike Adams At His Honest Weight

Casino Drone

There is a very serious problem going on in my household right now. We have been trying to remedy this for years now and there is no end in sight.

My five year old daughter cannot be convinced that there are other foods in the world besides the five she's willing to eat.

Fried rice?

Grilled chicken?

Hambrugers?

These have all been suggested to her by me. She's not having any of it. Mashed potatoes and corn on the cob are big hits at least. After years of cooking two dinners for her, I have nearly reached the end of the line on this business and don't even get me started on ketchup. With a whole world of condiment choices at her disposal...

But ya know what? When she's 15 I'm going to remind her that she hated nachos when she was a kid!

Album Review: "Face The Sun" by Dam Gila

Face The Sun

What you might not know about me, aside from being a Grade A nobody in the international internet media, is that I'm also a pretty crappy guitarist.

Like being media, I'm also a musician.

Over the course of my professional career, I have earned tens of dollars performing music.

I believe the kids call that stacks on stacks.

So, that's part of why I tend to focus on the guitars and stick to, for the most part, guitar music because it's what strikes my fancy. That's part of why pop music doesn't really much appeal to me. It often lacks guitars, atmosphere, wah wah pedals, and kick ass solos.

Dam Gila, the nom de plume of an already established musician is known for dream psych pop. I'd tell you the real name, but I'm a bit tired and I've got to YAWN.

Album Review: "Bright Colors" by Dead Stars

Bright Colors

Who remembers the free wheeling 90's?

Those were the days were they not?

If you think about the Pop Culture of that decade, man oh man oh Chavez was it a great time to be alive.

Micheal Ian Black was a leading member of The State on MTV and not a politically savvy twitter profile.

Hillary Clinton's husband was the leader of the free world and we had seventy five cent per gallon gas here in St. Louis.

People still drove Suzuki Samurais even knowing they would probably topple over on them. The environmental movement was launched into the consciousness of the wider world. People weren't attacking science as much as they are today.

It truly was a memorable time. I came of age in the 90's and even though metal was finally killed off, again, for the fifth time, I still look back fondly on my salad days.

Album Review: "Perfect" by Half Japanese

Perfect

Our life experiences color so much.

I had jury duty recently and the lawyers intent on choosing the most impartial of those of us who weren't actively trying to weasel out of our constitutional duty.

They continually talked about not being able to turn off our experiences. I'd like to tell you about one of mine now.

It would have been around 1993 during the punk rock renaissance that many of us old timers remember. My friend, who wanted me to be in his band if only I had and could play a guitar, had the Sex Pistols in the CD player.

I swear, I must have heard that CD about 15 times that day. I remember thinking that they were so unprofessional putting such horrific things on this album...forgetting the words, etc... I frankly couldn't find the plot.

Album Review: "Brace The Wave" by Lou Barlow

Brace The Wave

Is this a for real Barlow knife?!

I can't get that line out from Huck Finn out of my head when I think of this man's name.

I mean, I'm sure that Barlow is a perfectly normal family name and can be traced back generations all the way to Europe, but to me, I'm just reminded of that vagrant hero, written by Mark Twain.

Missouri's own by the way....

As I can't even think of this man as whom he is when I hear his name, it's most likely quite clear that I'm not familiar with his body of work, but if I'm honest, the cover did intrigue me a bit. Ah...he's from Dinosaur Jr.

The press release didn't mention any of that....