Talk Normal 'Sunshine'

Talk Normal have returned with new full length 'Sunshine' on Joyful Noise.  The jarring and brash approach that made 'Sugarland' a stand out album in 2009 remains at the core, but also introduces a few lush and bright sounds into the mix.  From start to finish the album brims with tension from militant beats, siren guitars, chanting vocals and intermittent hissing effects, best shown on title track "Sunshine".  It's this fierce approach that fittingly expresses their despondent point of view.  Another highlight is "Shot This Time" featuring unhinged vocals apace with rattled rhythms and contorted, grinding guitars driving distortion to its limits.  Talk Normal are a band staying true to their New York No Wave roots whilst forging their own distinct presence in this league.  This is a great follow up album and noise-fiends - if you haven't had a chance to check their stuff out yet well worth your time.  There's limited pink vinyl, cassette, double LP and CD versions available that you can get from them on Talk Normals website.

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Kitchen's Floor 'Bitter Defeat/Down'

New single 'Bitter Defeat/Down' by Australia's Kitchen's Floor has just come out on Negative Guestlist Records.  The initial versions of 'Bitter Defeat' and 'Down' were recorded back in February, however the untimely passing of NGR founder Brendon Annesley motivated alternate versions of both tracks sounding like a sort of cathartic exercise.  These new songs are fittingly even more bleak than past material utilizing sparse acoustic guitars, morose keys and minimal rhythms accompanied by ruminative echo-heavy vocals. A new video filmed by the band is up for 'Bitter Defeat', the third music video filmed in Matt Kennedy's home, a building that dates back a century and has hosted DIY shows for local acts.  Copies are available over at Negative Guestlist Bandcamp - download comes with an extra song too.



Kitchen's Floor Bandcamp Facebook

Pink Reason 'Ache For You'

Nearly ten years in and Pink Reason has two stellar records and a slew of singles under his belt - all on some great labels like Columbus Discount, Florida's Dying, Almost Ready and Siltbreeze. From earlier recordings like 'Clean The Mirror' to new single 'Ache For You' one can see ideas and songwriting evolve whilst the grit, the dirt, the damage remain at the crux of songs that shoot from the side lines.

'Ache For You' is a savage love song featuring a cacophony razor guitars, howling vocals and fierce rhythms. Recorded by Adam Smith the single has a raspy quality to it, during a time when the word 'lofi' gets batted around so frequently - Kevin De Broux's songs give credence to the term that has almost lost meaning recently. Rooted in Punk and Rock these new songs continue De Broux's search for finding beauty in the squalid, further shown on B Side 'Darken Daze'. Taking in the whole catalogue it's plain to see focus on quality not quantity and with 'Ache For You' showing Pink Reason going from strength to strength, I would happily wait another year for a single like this.

Available through Savage Quality Recordings
Hear 'Ache For You' on Savage Quality Recordings Bandcamp
Pink Reason Facebook 

Also out recently is a Negative Guestlist Jukebox Single:
http://negativeguestlistrecords.bandcamp.com/album/negative-guest-list-jukebox-single-7
 

Total Control 'Scene From A Marriage'

Australian six piece Total Control released their debut just over a year ago and it instantly became a favourite with music nerds and freaks alike.  'Henge Beat' (Iron Lung) was followed up by a split with Thee Oh Sees (Castle Face), and as I've been listening to these songs just as much now as 12 months ago it's hard to hold back from talking up their new single.  'Scene From A Marriage' (Sub Pop) has the brooding tone and all the gusto you would expect from Total Control, but don't be surprised to hear a few new ideas thrown into the mix.  Secured at the core of 'Scene From A Marriage' are raw acoustic guitars gradually fleshed out by electric guitars layered over the top.  Wrong-footed beats propel the track alongside tidal "aaa" vocals amplifying a sense of anxiety, further shown by Daniel Stewart despondently repeating "...and it keeps on ringing".  Flipping over is 'Contract', showing the band's penchant for electronics utilizing a drum machine and keyboards to reinvent 'Scene From A Marriage', resulting with reverb drenched vocals and lighter synthesized melodies.  This single attests that Total Control continue to side-step being defined, it's a conundrum I'm thoroughly enjoying and pretty sure I'm not the only one either.  Grab this single while you can, or regret missing out later...

UK find copies here
US find copies here

King Tuff : Interview!

(photo taken at Shacklewell Arms, September 12th - more snaps of the gig are in Show Pictures #8 on the right)

It's a real pleasure to bring an interview with King Tuff, we cover his recent European tour, ice-cream and his new self title record (out now on Sub Pop).

King Tuff! Let’s start with how your recent European Tour went - any particularly memorable shows/people/places?

It was good. But I really wish I had gotten to go to Spain.  My favorite thing was the ice cream in Belgium.  Otherworldly.

I read there’s a guy called Magic Jake in the line up – is it true? Is he really magic?!

He's magic in his own special way.  He doesn't know any spells tho.  Not that kind of magic.  More like a perverted magic.

What’s your definition of magic?

Life. Love. Music. Nature. All that good hippy shit. 

What kind of songs did you all listening to in the van while on the road?

Lots of tapes from burger records, Rihanna, and coast to coast in the late night hours.

Who else was on the road with you?

The band has been changing all year.  Right now I got Magic Jake on bass, Garett Goddard on drums, and Craig Brown on guitar. 

Do you prefer playing shows or recording?

Both are exciting and both can be a drag.  I love both.  I'm missing recording right now cuz I've been on the road so much.  I love writing and creating so if I had to choose I'd probably go with that.

It says in the liner notes of your new album that you and Luke Thomas (brother?) made the artwork. I love the individual sketches of the songs. I was wondering if drawing influences your songwriting and visa versa – does one springboard the other?

Sometimes but it's more like all my notebooks are full of lyrics and drawings dancing together. Sometimes I write lyrics as if it's a painting.  When I flip thru my notebook I like it to look good.

Do you have anyone you look up to for drawing and painting?

Definitely my brother. He's my favorite artist. 

What are some of your favourite record covers?

Anything simple, bold, and powerful. I also like a lot of those really shitty old reggae record covers. The printing is so bad but it makes it look so good. Things look and sound too perfect nowadays because of computers. We're missing out on the imperfections. 

I read that you recorded 'Was Dead' solo, and for the new record you had more people involved - do you enjoy the technical aspect of making a record, recording, mixing, mastering etc...?

I love acting as my own producer.  But I also like working with different people to see what comes out.  And I get really pissed off when I get tangled up in all the wires and machines u hafta use.

Writing music vs lyrics - which do you find trickier?

It depends which comes first. If the music comes first it's really hard to write lyrics to the music unless something I've already written just fits. I tend to write lyrics first.

My favourite song on the new album is “Baby Just Break”, is there a track you're most attached to on that album?

I like swamp of love because I've never had a song like that before and I like the arc of the arrangement. 

“Alone and Stoned” video just started to air, want to ask what’s weirdest thing you saw in those bedrooms?!

Everyone cleaned their rooms before we shot them which is exactly what I DIDN'T want them to do. Who knows what they hid!

With a sound rooted in rock ‘n’ roll I was wondering what was the first rock 'n' roll record that made an impression on you?

I'd have to say anything by the Beatles.  I can't ever remember hearing any of those songs for the first time.  It's like u already know them before u hear them.  That's the kinda songs I aim to write.  Like you've heard it before but at the same time u can't think of anything it sounds like. 

When did you have that 'I can do that moment' and start writing your own songs?

The second I picked up a guitar.  I never learned covers.  I just always wrote my own songs.

I also read about Ollie the Bactrian camel – for real?! Is there a camel in Vermont on Route 7– have you seen him7?! http://www.pikaworks.com/designs/view.cgi/D904

I believe I have seen that camel! Vermont has all kindsa humps in it. 

Where do you want to take your work in King Tuff from here?

I'm just going to keep writing songs and try to connect with people. I wanna write American rock n roll anthems.  Stadium shit.  But the stadium is full of people with missing teeth, unibrows, big noses, bald spots, dirty jeans, long fingernails, etc.

“I’m full of dust and guitars” – Syd Barrett, if you were sliced in half what would be inside?

Rainbow Italian ice, cute girls, a demons finger, and a wad of big league chew.

King Tuff has a brand new website here, you find him on Facebook and Twitter too.

Roseanne Barrr 'Repulsion'

Coming out soon will be Roseanne Barrr's debut album 'Repulsion' on Primitive Sounds/Tuff Enuff. Patrick and Sophie make up the duet who are based in London. Over the past few years they've brought their grimy punk to backrooms of pubs, DIY spaces and basements all over the UK, sharing the stage with other fine local acts like Satellites of Love, Woolf and Bitches. To my ears at least they share an affinity to No Wave and you can link bits and pieces to bands like Magik Markers and Talk Normal. Roseanne Barrr utilize spoken word, screaming, bass and drums to tell elegies focused on sex and criminality. 'Repulsion' opens with "Desert", a cacophony of deranged horns, quaking bass, tribal drums and monodic dueling vocals unraveling from spoken word to shrill hollers. As the album unfolds it cools off with catatonic tracks like "Nothing to Show Here", pairing off sedated vocals with lethargic bass thrums sounding every bit as raw and damaged as the more raucous numbers. "Feed Me" is a personal favourite, and I always look forward to hearing this one when they play a show, I think it has something to do with the boy/girl yips and yelps biting at each other. Roseanne Barrr are one of kind round these parts, and after a run of tapes it's great to have their work available on a defined record, 'Repulsion' shows that London is a great place to get creepy.



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The Men 'Open Your Heart'

Been meaning to write this review for quite some time and with out trying to sound cheesy I've been enjoying listening to this record so much the urge to put a few words down about it hasn't surfaced until now. It's been everywhere with me, car, iPod, at home - really just can't get enough of it.

'Open Your Heart' is The Men's third album, second for Sacred Bones, comprised of songs that tightens things up whilst paying homage to every corner of rock music. The velocity of guitars echo levels you might expect from Dinosaur Jr and as the album develops The Men continue to wear influences stretching from rock to punk and folk on their sleeve. These familiar sounds thread through the record act as an anchor, allowing guitar, bass and drum parts to reveal elaborate bursts of re-imagined rock.

The record launches with "Turn It Around", an exhilarating track featuring layered guitars, palpitating bass and breakneck beats. Throughout 'Open Your Heart' The Men curiously place vocals in unexpected places, best shown on "Oscillation". At the core this track is built on one riff that evolves into brilliant patterns of entangled guitars, before vocalists Perro/Chiericozzi conclude "Please take the stand, I just have a couple of things that I'd like to ask". Highlight is "Please Don't Go Away", a track tinged with pathos through urgent rhapsodic guitars and the use of poignant boy/girl vocals. 'Open Your Heart' embodies everything there is to love about rock music and there's good cause why so many people have raved about it this year. If you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, this record is a great reason to pay a visit to your favourite record store.

The Men Blog Sacred Bones