The Hold Steady
{A little Aside: I often find fantastic links to some free music that, while worth hearing and having, is not worth writing a long winded article about. This may be it because it is only one track, or because it is by an already established band, or I may just be too hung-over to care. Whatever the reason I'm saying now, that just because a band is in a Free Music Stub does not mean it is inferior in any way to a band that receive a full article. So in this half-assed attempt to spread the word about good free music (And fill my monthly quota) I will occasionally be posting these "Free Music Stubs" which will just be short reviews that will always be accompanied by links to download worthy music. Enjoy. }
If you don't already know who The Hold Steady is then you have probably been living under a rock. The Brooklyn/Minneapolis five piece has been ripping it with a heavily classic rock influenced sound and lyrics that are guaranteed to knock you on your ass. I recently ran across some killer free music downloads/ Mp3's and hoped to share them with you:
Three Rare Tracks, Two Album Tracks, and a Podcast: Link
(Make sure you hear: "Cattle And Creeping Things".)
Live Show: Link
The Hold Steady cover "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" Myspace
feed://www.kexp.org/podcast_instudio.xml
Some Craig Finn ( Lead Singer/driving force ) tracks including his last (equally badassed) band Lifter Puller and his not so equally "badassed" band Brokerdealer.
Link
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Hold Steady "Free Music Stub"
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Quote Unquote Records
Last month as I was sifting through about a dozen or so whiny interlinked suburban hardcore groups I found something quite interesting. An indie label called Quote Unquote Records with the strangest marketing strategy I've ever heard about, that is to say they don't have one. All records produced and marketed are available for free download on the label's website, no catch. Founded in 2006 by Jeff Rosenstock (Who also fronts the band Bomb The Music Industry!) the label operates on a "Donation Only" basis, which includes suggested donations of about five bucks for any of the already fifteen releases the label has racked up in the past year, of course however the albums themselves are completely free.
Quote Unquote Records
At Myspace
--
The Bands Of Quote Unquote
Bomb The Music Industry!
(Various, USA)
Think- Centered around Jeff Rosenstock, the Ska/Punk/Electronic collective is somewhat of a hit or miss. Depending on which of its 20+ "members" happens to be on hand for recording or touring the bands sound can sway from horrid drunken crap to well crafted punk and ska. In 2004 after The Arrogant Sons of a Bitches went on hiatus Rosenstock opted to, instead of becoming a vapid alcoholic, record an album under the name Bomb The Music Industry. Doing so alone he crafted Album Minus Band, From there things took off as old band-mates, friends, and fans all seemed interested in performing the songs live and from this stemmed BTMI's revolving door membership system. The music is always unrelentingly energetic and erratic which sometimes rocks (Free Bird) and sometimes does not rock, does not rock a whole lot.
Try-
Frrrrrrreeeee Biiiiirrrrrrd! (Album Minus Band)
Even Winning Feels Bad (Goodbye Cool World)
Side Projects Are Never Successful (Goodbye Cool World)
Total Downloads- Total Download
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Website
Myspace
Purevolume
-
The Matt Kurz One
(Richmond, Virginia)
Think- Primarily banished to the world of Mary Poppins rip offs and various forms of computer made crap, the one man band has long been thought dead. But alas! we find our hero Matt Kurz a shining example among a sea of completely retard ed idiots banging on steel string acoustics. After playing for several bands Kurz thought his music days were over. However after recurring dreams of an old bluesman who played with his feet and a trip to San Francisco, he was inspired to start his band in which he is featured simultaneously playing five instruments...on every track...even during recording.
Try- Everything Is Boring Now
Total Download- His two albums "If You Can't Join 'Em, Beat 'Em" and "Impending Doom Is No Excuse"
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Website
Myspace
-
The Livingbrooks
(Long Island, New York)
Think- The Long Island Trio (Featuring our old friend Matt Kurz) formed during that hazy pre-myspace world of 2001 and unfortunately dispersed after releasing its debut; Easily one of the best albums on Quote Unquote records Night Of The Livingbrooks has a timelessly great "Surf Punk" sound. Really!, no joke check out the undeniable charm (Well, Punk charm) of Baldwin or Big Muff Buddah.
Try- Big Muff Buddah
Total Downloads- The debut album Night of the Livingbrooks
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
-
Pegasuses-XL
(Athens, Georgia)
Think- The only band on the label that raps. Although rap they do Pegasuses-XL is not a rap band. What Peagasuses-XL is, is one set of killer drums, two synthesizers, beat boxing, and a shit-load of cool. As you read this the band is putting the final touches on it's new album Antiphon which can be sampled at their myspace.
Try- Welcome To It(,) Me , Every House Is Not A Homie, and 600$ Man.
Total Downloads- The bands three EP's The Midnight Aquarium, Pegasuses XL, and Third EP and the upcoming full length Antiphon.
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Myspace
-
Chotto Ghetto
(Santa Monica, California)
Think- After releasing its debut on another label Chotto Ghetto switched to Quote Unquote for it's followup EP entitled simply "Rampage". While not actually "Hardcore" the band is often labeled that way, In reality they give off a feel more akin to The Refused or The Bronx.
Try- Holy Wars
Total Downloads- The Rampage EP and one track off of their debut Shooting Devils.
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Website
Myspace
-
Other bands (That I'm too lazy to write about) that are associated with the label include:
-
Cheeky
(Long Island/Brooklyn, New York)
Bi-gender punk band with a great guitar and strange lyrical subject matter.
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Myspace
-
Rick Johnson And The Rock And Roll Machine
What isn't already explained in the title?
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Website
Myspace
-
The Riot Before
My Favorite, I had the pleasure to see these guys live. They have an amazing back catalogue and based on the songs from their upcoming release they played during their show here we can expect great things to come.
(Try this first: Quote Unquote Records)
Blog
Myspace
Purevolume
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Taqwacore
Hardcore/Punk/Metal/
I first learned about what I'm calling The Taqwacore Network in the most unsuspected of places, the pages of Rolling Stone magazine. While not terrible the article only scratched the surface of exactly what Taqwacore is. Needless to say I was intrigued. Now don't go thinking this is some mainstream fad, Taqwacore has it's roots in a novel written by one Michael Muhammad Knight (aptly named The Taqwacores) about a group of rambunctious, stinky, and outspoken punks living in Syracuse, New York. Knight's fictious musical genre has since it's written premiere in 2003 become a reality. That is, the reality of Islamic punk music. The book, called by one professor "The "Catcher in the Rye" for young muslims", has inspired several groups to form Islamic hardcore, punk, and even metal bands similar to those in the novel. Though few and far between Taqwacore bands began to emerge as early as 2004 and several of the most prominent groups have recently united for the nationwide Taqwatour. (The word Taqwacore itself is a portmanteau of Taqwa, The Islamic concept of a constant awareness of God's omnipresence, and Hardcore.) It is fairly easy to assume that the bands catch criticism from inside the Islamic community however when I recently spoke to Michael Muhammad Knight he had this to say: "There are all kinds of Muslims, so we get all kinds of reactions. Some wish death upon us, others identify with us, and some are much more conservative than we are but they still respect and appreciate what we're doing."
Despite requests to abstain from quoting The Koran, common themes within the genre include The nature of prayer, The meaning of being a "True" Muslim, Anti- Drug/Alcohol themes, And a healthy dose of political criticism. In the end I suppose Taqwacore can be summed up by the words of Islamic playwright Riazatt Butt "(Taqwacore) means being true to myself, having my own faith, and interpreting Islam the way I want to, without feeling guilty..."
Links:
The Taqwacore Forum on Myspace
Several other articles on or around Taqwacore:
The Bands:
The Kominas (Boston, Massachusetts)
Think- The most visible Taqwacore band can be described as straight punks that bust out guitar hooks that sometimes harken to ska or reggae and sometimes resemble surf music. The Kominas, in the punk tradition, all contribute to vocals and share duties with the audience themselves.
Try- Basim Got Beat Up and CHAKU
Total Downloads- 5 including the one found on the Muslim Wake Up! link found above.
Myspace
Lyrics
Vote Hezbollah (San Antonio, Texas)
Think- The two man group straight from our little hometown, offers only one track to listen to on it's myspace page, but I simply fell in love with it.
Try- Poppy Fields
Total Downloads- 0
Myspace
The Dead Bhuttos (Pakistan)
Think-A band much calmer (in my option funner) then the rest. Catchy verses, chorus in a different language, and I swear to god I hear a kazoo somewhere in the mix.
Try- The Teri Assi Ki Tassi album version
Total Downloads- 2, a radio and an album version of the same song.
Myspace
Al-Thawra (Chicago, Illinois)
Think- Al-Thawra is definitely the hardest band here. With growling metal vocals, ugly distorted bass, machine gun blasts and explosions breaking through the music, and the seemingly most out of place Tablas and, Sitar? loops.
Try- Whadi
Total Downloads- 4
Myspace
Sagg Taqwacore Syndicate (Hotel Divisadero Barrancas, AL-Safran)
Think- Probably my favorite, The Sagg Taqwacore Syndicate claims to have no political or religious affiliation but, come on it's in the name. The STS differs from most the other Taqwacores because it is based more in Hip Hop then any of the harsher rock genres. Slow, beat heavy, cool near rap vocals but with obvious reggae inclinations.
Try- Steal This Government
Total Downloads- 3
Myspace
Al-Qaynah ("Afghanistan" and elsewhere)
Think- Self-described "Eastern Metal" Al Qaynah is actually a group of collaborators from around the world. The music itself sounds precisely what they call it, metal from the east, think Al-Tharaw but with cleaner production.
Try- Ground Zero Pilgrims
Total Downloads- 3
Myspace
Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Bedlam in Goliath
Okay, so this review is late, but if you're reading it, you obviously wanted another view of this album. Here goes.
The Bedlam in Goliath will not be shocking to long-time fans of The Mars Volta. It serves as a perfectly logical follow up to Amputechture. That being said, this album is amazing. Better than Amputechture, even. In fact, I'd be willing to say that whether you're a long time fan of the Volta, or maybe you've ever liked 10 seconds of their music and couldn't stand the rest, you will like The Bedlam in Goliath.
The album manages to be every bit as frantic as its predecessors (minus the horrible Frances the Mute), yet manages to finally form a cohesive chaos. Omar pulls it all together again, as producer and writer for the album, and he pulls it together well. Cedric's vocals are as spirited as ever, though it seems as though Omar finally realized that he, as producer, can do whatever he wants to the vocals at any time. There are a lot of interesting moments in the album where Cedric's vocals become a snarling amalgamation of the spiritual and the digital. Or as I like to think of it, Cedric becomes infested with a demon... Don't ask.
The lyrics are brilliant, and for the most part, it seems like Cedric's lyrical writing has expanded by great leaps into the direction of the coherent! I never saw this coming, not in a million years. This may be the album's greatest triumph. I, for one, never guessed that Cedric could write anything meaningful-sounding without reducing himself to the usefulness of a ten cent psychic medium. The lyrics on this album don't just flow, they are gorgeous. There are touches of the romantic and wistful on tracks like "Cavalettas" and "Tourniquet Man" (my favorite track, also the shortest).
Speaking of time, you know exactly what to expect from this band if you've ever heard an album by them. The Bedlam in Goliath runs a spectacular hour and 16 minutes, none of which is filler. Sure, there are a few long, drawn out breakdowns, but we accept this, and on this album more than the others, we embrace this. The Mars Volta has nearly turned the breakdown from a mere musical fascination reserved for instrumental aficionados into a full-fledged spiritual moment, one that the music could not be complete without. For the most part, it seems, though, the filler has been eschewed for momentous pieces that actually enhance the songs, rather than bring them to a standstill.
Again, this album is amazing, regardless of your past affinity for the band. I can only say so much, and still not be able to convince you. Go buy this album, now. At very least, borrow it from a friend. You won't regret it. Oh, and listen to the track "Ilyena" in the player on the right, as a special treat.
'It's only a matter of time and space, before I become your epidemic'
4.75/5.00
