Video: Meet Bass Drum of Death

I've always thought it a bit of a weird practice to write reviews of live shows. Like Billy Joel once sang, 'you can't get the sound from a story in a magazine'. And really for the most part the people that care at all were probably at the show anyway. In the case of the review I did for the Bass Drum of Death/Japandroids at Bryan St. Tavern for the Observer a couple weeks ago, however, I guess it could be construed as somewhat useful as Bass Drum of Death will be here again next week. In case you missed the Bryan St. gig, in which the Fat Possum duo enlisted the aid of a second guitarist, you have one of those rare, immediate chances to redeem yourselves.

MP3: Bass Drum of Death - Get Found

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Nirvana // Territorial Pissings (LehtMoJoe Remix)

Obligatory 20th anniversary of Nevermind post. All the cool kids are doing it. Audio remix by Dallas' LehtMoJoe, Video mashup by Cali producer DJ Eric Ill.

MP3: Nirvana - Territorial Pissings (LehtMoJoe Remix)

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Giveaway: Tickets to See Nurses at Dans

In 2009 Portland psych-rock trio Nurses released one of our very favorite records with Apple's Acre. After listening to "Fever Dreams," the opening track from the newly released Dracula, we were quick to remember just why we loved these guys in the first place. The minimal elements of pysch and pop were still present, as were the bare bones tribal rhythms, gleeful melodies, and astute mix of the memorable and bizarre. This time around, however, many of the acoustic elements (pianos, drums) were traded in for easier-to-digitally-manipulate electronic counterparts. The results are a disc that is both something that can be danced to or something hypnotic to zone out to while in a Robatussin-trance this cold season.

Nurses will be at Dan's Silverleaf Monday October 3rd, and the folks over at Dead Oceans have offered up a pair of free tickets to a lucky SubEx reader. Send us an email with the phrase "HELLO NURSES" as the subject and they could be yours.

MP3: Nurses - Trying to Reach You

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LOLLOUTALLICAZ Are Born

When the ridiculously ill-advised collabo between our idol Chris Cornell and Timbaland happened a few years ago we found the only outlet in which we could properly express our embarrassment for the two while retaining the ridiculousness of the pairing itself was to slap together a year's worth of LOLCORNELLZ comics. We find ourselves in this place once again after being subjected to the Lou Reed/Metallica project. Fortunately because the internet is the most amazing place on the planet we weren't even the first to think of this idea. Enjoy the first LOLLOUTALLICAZ (inspired by Hefields repeated screaming in "The View") and feel free to send us any more that you might happen to stumble across or decide to construct yourself. We'll love you forever we totally swear.

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SubEx Guest DJ Hour On Indie-Verse Radio

Starting at 1PM today and repeating tomorrow and Wednesday you can hear my Guest DJ Hour on Indie-Verse radio. Find the station's stream at 105.3-HD3 or online right here. My full playlist--which includes a fair amount of locals--is below, but for all the full-on awkwardness you'll just have to listen.

PLAYLIST:

“Kids In My Backyard” – Soviet
“The Guile Profile” – Man Factory
“Buy You” – Spook Easy
“Temporary Secretary” – Paul McCartney
“Fever Dreams” – Nurses
“Ice Cream” – Battles
“Underestimated A Door Jamb” – Darstar
“Steampunk Jetpack” – Sealion
“Same Streets, Same Clothes” – Kentucky Knife Fight
“Ffunny Ffrends” - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
“I Only Know” – Warm Weather
“Bad As Me” – Tom Waits
“Concrete and Clay” – Unit 4+ 2
“I’m Going To Go Back There Someday” – Rachael Yamagata
“Stay Away” – Charles Bradley & the Menahan Street Band
“Lass Dir Zeit” – Die Crazy Girls

MP3: Cory Graves Guest DJ Hour

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Tonight: Leon Redbone at The Kessler

Assuming that he doesn't decide to cancel his show at the last minute so he can play at the Granada instead, one of my all time favorite vocalist/performers Leon Redbone will be playing the Kessler tonight. No matter what you think of Jeff Liles and crew it shouldn't stop anybody from missing what is sure to be one of the best shows Dallas will host all year purely out of spite.

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From the Vault: Frusicante Hangs Keidis Out to Dry

The following is an excerpt from the Blood Sugar Sex Magik Wikipedia page, attempting to explain just why RHCP guitarist John Fusciante had such a hillarious meltdown (or big 'fuck you' moment to Anthony Keidis) on a 1992 episode of Saturday Night Live. Highlights of the video for me are Keidis not being quite sure when to come in as Frusciante changed the intro on the fly, Flea dropping out at several points when he can't figure out what Frusciante is doing (or what key he is playing in), the crazy solo at around 3:18 in, Frusciante's off the wall screams in lieu of singing 'under the bridge downtown', drummer Chad Smith cracking up throughout at the whole situation, and Keidis' death stare at Frusciante at the end. Now THAT is how you quit a band.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik began receiving heavy radio play and massive sales in the middle of their U.S. tour. Frusciante, who preferred the Chili Peppers to remain in the underground music scene, entered a state of denial and depression because of this. According to Kiedis, "He began to lose all of the manic, happy-go-lucky, fun aspects of his personality. Even onstage, there was a much more serious energy around him." Frusciante was slowly slipping away from the band altogether, and began to form grudges against his fellow band mates. He saw the band's new found popularity as shameful.

Onstage tension began to grow between Kiedis and Frusciante. Kiedis recalled an argument after a show in New Orleans: "We had a sold-out house and John just stood in the corner, barely playing his guitar. We came offstage and John and I got into it." With the Peppers now playing shows at arenas rather than theaters...

Briefly interrupting the European-tour, the Chili Peppers flew to New York City and performed on an episode of Saturday Night Live. The band played "Under the Bridge" as the second number; a performance that Kiedis felt was sabotaged by Frusciante:

“[Frusciante] was experimenting the way he would have if we'd been rehearsing the tune. Well we weren't. We were on live TV in front of millions of people and it was torture. I started singing in what I thought was the key he was playing in. I felt like I was getting stabbed in the back and hung out to dry in front of all of America while this guy was off in a corner in the shadow, playing some dissonant out-of-tune experiment." --Kiedis

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra // Album Stream & Daytrotter Session

I'm pretty excited that I get to interview Ruban from Unknown Mortal Orchestra later this afternoon. Especially so since I've been wearing their record out as of late. In case you haven't heard it yet, Spin magazine has a full stream up over on their site which I couldn't recommend more highly. Definitely expect to see it somewhere on our year-end top ten list for sure. Then after you've gotten a feel for their mix of grooves, basement guitar tinkering, and kiddie psych-pop make a point to peep their recent Daytrotter session in which they manage to sound fuller and more soulful without losing any of their lo-fi DIY charm.

MP3: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Ffunny Ffrends

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Death! To The Doom Riders // Wind Mill

From time to time we post updates on Michaelmatician's saga as he attempts to lead the resistance against Dedonde Inc., as told to us by his go-between Jeremy Shingles. Recently some of his older Death! To The Doom Riders sound units, which also provide much of his back story, have been once again made available through the BandCamp website. All resistors should probably go ahead and download them at once, before Dedonde discovers the time travel equation and goes back in time on a quest to prevent the songs from having ever been uploaded.

MP3: Death! to the Doom Riders - Wind Mill

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No Aloha // No Aloha

Naive, Nirvana, loud, stoned, '90s, etc. This band is bad ass. Three young men from New Zealand making real deal rock music. I'm picking up awesome vibes from my childhood, but I won't list everything I know about '90s rock because that would make this more about myself. No Aloha by Wellington's No Aloha, whom I discovered after searching for the U.S. band Aloha, also re-discovering The Breeders song by the same name.


-Wolfe McBain

Save Some Deep Ellum Tatas at LaGrange

Jeremy from Parallel Play (a band who's album I recently reviewed for The Observer) recently sent me a heads up regarding a benefit show at LaGrange being organized to help beloved Deep Ellum photographer Stephanie Hastings (A to Zed Photography) in her fight against breast cancer. Those interested can help out by attending the show, or by donating money through PayPal to atozedphoto@yahoo.com.

Full release below:

A loved local Deep Ellum photographer, Stephanie of A to Zed Photography, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and as many artists today, she is without insurance. This is to help her with any and all costs she may run into during her fight. La Grange will host this amazing event, featuring -

ONE RED CENT
PARALLEL PLAY
BROADS AND PANTIES
... ART GALLERY feat. artworks from all over Dallas and beyond, with all proceeds going to help her win this fight.
AND MUCH MORE!

5 dollars suggested donation,you may donate what you can. It will be an amazing night of love, music, art and fun! it'll go late, so come party, kick back, and raise money to help a local friend fight cancer!

Raffles to include items from an AUTHENTIC SIGNED CHEECH AND CHONG GUITAR, TIGGER's, ONE STAR DESIGNS jewelry, HOLD FAST TATTOOS and PIERCINGS, PIN CURL MAGAZINE, VIVA DALLAS BURLESQUE, and more to be announced.

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A Small, Good Thing Ep. 6 // Roy Robertson

A couple weeks back we ruffled a few feathers by insinuating that Gorilla vs Bear wasn't the best choice to win the Dallas Observer Music Award in the Best Blog category this year --to the extent where the site's founder Chris Cantalini even Tweeted that we could have his trophy when he wins the award again this year. It is OK good gorilla buddy, we acknowledge that much like yours the content we put forth is not really all that unique or original, which is why we've been pushing pretty hard for Violitionist Sessions to win. In the simplest terms possible the videos and MP3's on their site did not and would not exist if the site's founder Michael Briggs weren't recording them himself and sharing them with the community.

Another site we've recently discovered doing a similar service in creating fresh, wholly original content is the A Small, Good Thing site. Think of it like the defunct Dinner With the Band series but with the emphasis more on the music than the foods. The first episode we watched featured SubEx fave Roy Robertson making some moody music and a Lebanese Tabouli Salad, with some cool shots of Denton mixed in as well. All told it's a pretty slick production that was definitely not slapped together over night or copy and pasted from a press release like many of ours or even Cantalini's.

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George Carlin // Guys Named Todd (LehtMoJoe Dubstep Remix)

This makes me lol pretty hard.



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RTB and Last Joke // No Time Lover

Originally assembled to perform the solo work of Ryan Thomas Becker's Neighborhoof album, his Last Joke backing band--comprised of Denton notables/long time collaborators Grady Don Sandlin, Tony Ferraro, and Andy Rogers--is prepping a 12" vinyl of covers written by the band's friends. The limited edition vinyl should be out some time in October. Check the tracklist and first single (written by Becker pal Ron Scott) below.

Track List:
1) No Time Lover (R. Scott)
2) The Train (D. Jones)
3) Tom Petty Summer (R. Reynolds)
4) No, We Can’t Be Friends (T. Ferraro)
5) Theme to House Party 3 (G. Cross / J. Pell)
6) Death & Taxes (J. Gruber)

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Ryan and the Harlots // Luanne and the Eclipse

We've been pretty adamant supporters of Sea Lion's immaculate little debut release for a good while now, and as it turns out, the other half of their former Hats & Statues bandmates have been prepping a decent little demo/EP of their own.

RATH's sound definitely leans more Hats & Statues than the left turn Sea Lion took, albeit more focused and refined this time around, fully embracing their folksy roots without trying to shoehorn in Hunter Moehring's pop sensibilities. Overall it makes for a more natural fit for their guitar/banjo/cello/drums instrumentation and the band sounds more comfortable for it.

Grab the whole thing over at RATH's BandCamp page.

MP3: Ryan and the Harlots - Luanne and the Eclipse

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Crystal Ball // Monster Rally

Here's a collection of outtakes from Monster Rally's 2010 EP "Palm Reader". I really enjoy this kind of thing, all the hair brain ideas an artist will go through before finding gold. In my opinion, these jolly sample heavy soundscapes go with the season, and instrumentals make me feel like I'm in a movie.


-Wolfe McBain

The Vliets // Elephant

School started back up last week, so an S.A.T.-style analogy is probably appropriate right about now. Here goes; Smith Westerns : The Beach Boys :: The Vliets : The Beatles. Mark Dallas resident Ty Bohrnstedt's newish pysch-tinged project (pronounced 'Vleets') as the next 'local band to watch,' if you will.

Grab a bunch of free downloads over at their SoundCloud page, and keep an eye out for their upcoming full length likely due out this fall.

MP3: The Vliets - Elephant

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