Technical Issues

This is soooo funny! Thanks captainah I love it.
Mile High Joke Of The Day

Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0. I soon noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of space and valuable resources. In addition, Wife 1.0 installed itself into all other programs and now monitors all other system activity. Applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Football 5.0, Hunting and Fishing 7.5, and Racing 3.6 no longer run, crashing the system whenever selected.

I can't seem to keep Wife 1.0 in the background while attempting to run my favorite applications. I'm thinking about going back to Girlfriend 7.0, but the uninstall doesn't work on Wife 1.0. Please help!

Thanks,
A Troubled User (KEEP READING)

______________________________________

REPLY:
Dear Troubled User:

This is a very common problem that men complain about. Many people upgrade from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0, thinking that it is just a Utilities and Entertainment program. Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and is designed by its Creator to run EVERYTHING!!! It is also impossible to delete Wife 1.0 and to return to Girlfriend 7.0. It is impossible to uninstall, or purge the program files from the system once installed.

You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is designed to not allow this. Look in your Wife 1.0 manual under Warnings-Alimony-Child Support. I recommend that you keep Wife1.0 and work on improving the situation. I suggest installing the background application "Yes Dear" to alleviate software augmentation.

The best course of action is to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE because ultimately you will have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the system will return to normal anyway.

Wife 1.0 is a great program, but it tends to be very high maintenance. Wife 1.0 comes with several support programs, such as Clean and Sweep 3.0, Cook It 1.5 and Do Bills 4.2.

However, be very careful how you use these programs. Improper use will cause the system to launch the program Nag Nag 9.5. Once this happens, the only way to improve the performance of Wife 1.0 is to purchase additional software. I recommend Flowers 2.1 and Diamonds 5.0!

WARNING!!! DO NOT, under any circumstances, install Secretary With Short Skirt 3.3. This application is not supported by Wife 1.0 and will cause irreversible damage to the operating system.

Best Wishes,
Tech Support

THE FEATURES-“Some Kind of Salvation”



It begins with Pelham’s trademark muppet voice: “So here we are. It’s like we never really left at all.” So it begins: a simple, one-minute intro to the new album by The Features. From there, we kick into a half-snarled “Drawing Board,” a song about starting over. And with these two songs, we’ve pretty much been told where the band is at: Without a label, and trying out a staged release process, first digital on Amazon, now vinyl, and, in 2009, an actual CD pressing. This is an obvious attempt to build an audience at a time when fewer people are buying music, either because they steal it or because there are so many competitor markets out there (or, most likely, a combination of both), and fewer labels are hyping fewer artists. But this is also a boon time for experimentation, and a great time to be an indie band because blogs like this one are willing, or, in this case, eager, to offer international coverage.

I’ve loved The Features for years. They make interesting pop rock, without pretension and focused on hooks and groove. Perhaps that’s why the third track, “Foundation’s Cracked,” is so remarkable. It’s got a 1960s psychedelic vibe, like something off the great “Nuggets” collection. The next song, “GMF,” is more classic Features—powerful licks and vocals that go from a snarl to a cry and back again. And before the album closes, you’ll hear the near-gospel of “The Temporary Blues;” the driving blues of “Wooden Heart;” the slow and beautiful “Gates of Hell;” the folkie “Baby’s Hammer;” and the indie rocker “Lions,” which should be on everyone’s best of 2008 playlist. Oh, and I have to mention the strange and creepy “Concrete.” On this wonderful album, you can everything from Blind Melon to The Shins to Axl Rose to The Standells. If you want the same old same old, skip it. If you want to be excited, surprised, and, of course, be forced to make room on your “Best of 2008” playlist, then this is the record for you.

On September 30th, it will get a double vinyl release with a bonus record and an mp3 download card of the album. Preorder here.

Trust me when I say this is an album you need to hear. It’s almost impossible for me to pick a couple songs for you to taste, but I’m settling on GMF because the band itself is releasing that one and on “Concrete” because it’s just so amazing.

GMF

Concrete

Bonus songs:

Slow Night, So Long-Kings of Leon with Eddie Vedder

Find A Way (Graeme and Switch Mix Ft Kid Cudi) / Lunar Camel-Santogold

PICTURE OF THE DAY

PICTURE OF THE DAY

NEES AND VOS/CLAWJOB EPS GIVEAWAY!

CLAWJOB-"Manifest Destiny"

The subject of a recent review here, Clawjob wants you to hear their music so bad, they're giving away copies of “Manifest Destiny” to you, my readers! In case you've forgotten, it's a concept EP about 19th-century America, dealing with hardcore issues like war, hearbreak, and primitive surgery. It's tough music, kinda hardcore punk, for fans of Fugazi.

Diamond Hoax

NEES AND VOS-"Extended Play"

Another band that's offering you a free EP is the soul/jazz band Nees and Vos whose EP I reviewed at my old site. They've got good vocal skill, reminiscent of Michael McDonald, and soulful musical chops. Especially great is their cover of Ain't No Sunshine.

Ain't No Sunshine

To get free copies of both EPs, e-mail me your mailing address. I'll be closing this contest in about a week, and I'll be giving them away first come, first serve.

Here's my e-mail address: ekalett(at)yahoo.com.

Come and git 'em!

THE CLASH IN HONG KONG, 1982. Part two.



That's the back cover of CD 2 of the Clash at Hong Kong. Cop disc one by finding the earlier post. G'head. Dig around on my site. You might find a buncha stuff y'like, dig?

As always, a few sips before the big gulp.

Janie Jones
The Call Up
Brand New Cadillac
Somebody Got Murdered
Clampdown
Charlie Don't Surf
Police And Thieves
Stay Free
Armagideon Time
Safe European Home


PICTURE OF THE DAY


Oh my god. Don't let it get me.

Please.

KYLIENS - Mixtape


KYliens is a collective mixtape of a ton of rappers out of Kentucky doing their thing over OutKast's "ATLiens." You can kind of read the names of the guys on the back cover of the jacket, above, which is why I uploaded that image. I haven't listened to the whole thing yet, but "Two Dope Boys and a Chevrolet" and "E.T." are worth the price of admission (which is free, of course).


THE CLASH IN HONG KONG, 1982. Part 1.


For today's Clash post, I'm digging into the bootleg well for part one of a complete show. Part two will follow soon. Probably tomorrow, if I have my act together.

The show is from Februay 25, 1982, from the Hong Kong stop on the band's world tour. This was one of Topper's last gigs, before Joe and the band's manager snuck up on poor old Top to boot him out. This show was taped off a mono radio broadcast, but I'm missing hte songs after Safe European Home in set two. There are a few gaps, too, where there were station IDs or tape flips. So it's not the best boot ever, but it's not the worst, either. And far as I know, it's the only one where Joe threatens to do karate on the audience. And it's always cool to hear "Know Your Rights" done live.

Here's CD one, a few tastes and a zip.


London Calling
Washington Bullets
Tommy Gun
Guns of Brixton
Train in Vain
Know Your Rights
The Magnificent Seven
Ivan Meets G.I. Joe
White Man in a Hammersmith Palais
Wrong em Boyo
Koka Kola
Broadway
I Fought The Law
Career Opportunities

PICTURE OF THE DAY

THE BEST OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD

Jerry Garcia was born in August and died in August. August was a heavy month for old Jerry. And I wanted to mark his birth and passing during the first week of August but I'll be hohttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifnest: I forgot. But better late than never. I thought I'd post my 10 favorite Garcia moments, in order. I was a huge fan of the band. I know it's weird: I loved the Clash and I loved the Dead, and the bands are really polar opposites: Political vs. Apolitical; short and hard vs. self-indulgent and loosey goosey; punks vs. hippies...What can I say? I'm a man of mysterious tastes.

9 songs in the zip file, and a few are here as savefiles, too.

10. Walking On The Moon/Consider Me Gone/Been Down So Long-Sting with Jerry Garcia. No, it's not Jerry's best work, but I do enjoy hearing him play with someone other than Bobby, Phil, Mickey, Bill, and whichever other hanger on is around. And this is a really sweet medley.

9. Desolation Row-Grateful Dead (Bob Dylan cover). From March 26, 1987, Hartford. This is Bobby's show, for sure, but I really like the accents Jerry tosses in. And the simple solo after the second verse isn't like most of the other great Garcia moments.

8. Shakedown Street, from November 24, 1978. It's hard to find crisp versions of my favorite song from their discofunk period.

7. Goodnight Irene-Jerry Garcia and Bob Kahn, acoustic, January 27, 1986. The first Jerry solo tape I ever had. People tend to think of Jerry in terms of his spacey electrical work, forgetting that his roots were in banjo and bluegrass.

6. Okie From Muskogee-The Grateful Dead and The Beach Boys. This is more of the shits-and-giggles variety than a showcase of his ability, but I do love this tune.

5. The Watkins Glen Soundcheck Jam, 1973-The Grateful Dead. They started out testing their equipment, and ended up treating the onlookers to a full fledged show. Remember when making music was about making music, not making money?

4. Dear Prudence-Jerry Garcia Band. From 2/29/80 at the Calderone. Seeing them do this song live was one of the few transcendent moments of my life seeing music live.

3. Terrapin Station-Grateful Dead. 2/26/77. From my first Betty Cantor Soundboard, the first time they ever played this saga, and one of the few times they included the entire suite.

2. Scarlet Begonias/Fire on the Mountain. From the legendary Cornell 1977 show. If you haven't heard this, you don't know Dead.

And number one, my all time favorite . . .

1. Is Eyes of the World from the 1973 Dade County bootleg, where Jerry creeps into Eyes out of an extended bass solo. First, there's just Phil. Then each member of the band creeps in, one at a time. And my copy of the bootleg seems to be MISSING. I am so pissed! Please please please if you have this boot, send it to me. I can't imagine where my copy has gone to.

Zip file.

TOM FULLER AND REDEMPTION THONG

REDEMPTION THONG-"Let Me See Your Loose Tooth"

I can’t tell you much about the band, “Redemption Thong,” other than that their album is mostly available for free and it’s a hoot. Imagine if Beck—and I mean all the various Becks, from the Loser to the guy who did Mutations, made love to Rogue from the X-Men, who then went out and banged all the members of Modest Mouse, just for kicks. The powers that leeching mutant would gain would probably sound something like Redemption Thong. The music is alternately touching, funny, disarming, and, frankly, annoying. As with any experimental electronic-based rock, it’s hit and miss, but when it hits, it’s fascinating.


Recommended trax:

Hamster Coffin

You're Right, It's Over

THE TOM FULLER BAND-"Abstract Man"

The exact opposite of Redemption Thong, The Tom Fuller Band make simple, melodic, folk pop songs with crystal clear vocals and (mostly) gentle guitar lines. It sounds both retro, drawing on a classic rock sound, and contemporary at the same time. Check out their cover of The Hollies, below, and you’ll see what I mean.

Air that I Breathe (Hollies cover)

PICTURE OF THE DAY: Superhero Edition




SALME DAHLSTROM-"The Acid Cowgirl Audio Trade"

Why am I posting on Salme Dahlstrom's album? I'm not sure. Maybe it's because it sounds like the kind of slick, Garbage/Gwen Stefani confection that's written for a chick to sing, only this chick wrote all the tunes herself. And produced them! And released them on an indie label!

The only problem with listening to this record is that when you're done you're left in a pool of sweat.

The album is relentless, bounding dance music. Nonstop untempo party tunes that demand to be played LOUD.

Bombastic

GLS-Girls Like Sex (2008 remix)

BONUS PARTY CHICK COVERS:

What You Waiting For (Gwen Stefani cover)-Franz Ferdinand

The Sweetest Thing (U2 cover)-Gwen and her hubby, Gavin Rossdale of Bush

PICTURE OF THE DAY

10 REASONS TO ENLIST IN THE "SEVEN NATION ARMY" ARMY . . . OF COVERS!

The other day my suffle threw The Dead 60s version of 7 Nation Army at me. Made me remember how much I dig that song. And I'm not alone. There's been over a dozen covers, but I only have a few.

Any of you have any more to add, throw a link in the comments or e-mail the cut to me and I'll put it up.

Jack White was one of the most consistently good indie artists. Too bad he sold out to Warner.

1. The Dynamics.

2. Bring the 7 Nation Army (Public Enemy vs. Jack White).

3. The Dead 60s

4. Kate Nash (live on Live Lounge)

5. Vivek Shraya

6. Disco Biscuits

7. Seven RAVE Army (Mashing up with disco beats)

8. The Flaming Lips

9. Hard Fi

10. Vyvienne Long

BIRDMONSTER-“From The Mountain To The Sea”


Before I get to the overthought, overwrought review, let me just clear my throat . . . Birdmonsterfuckingrocks! Ahem. Thank you.

Lots of folks will recall that Birdmonster’s debut album, “No Midnight,” was one of the best indie rock albums of 2005. It roared into the sky, exploding with promise and passion. Bloggers loved it, and it was an instant success. The band’s
follow-up, “From the Mountain to the Sea” released digitally this month, with a September physical release date to come. So, if their first record was so good, why aren’t you hearing about their second album?

Well, there’s a couple reasons. First, the record is not groundbreaking. Unlike “No Midnight,” the band doesn’t punch you in the face with its power. The album is not a fierce announcement of the band’s arrival. It can’t be, really, because they’ve already established themselves. That alone cools the reception to many sophomore releases. Moreover, it’s 2008. What was a cool new sound in ’05 has now established itself as a genre on satellite radio stations and is featured on Gray’s Anatomy.

Second, the record was recorded by Tom Schick, who has worked with Ryan Adams, Norah Jones, and Rufus Wainwright. Mr. Schick has injected a strong Americana accent into the proceedings. Although a close listen to “No Midnight” might reveal traces of
this influence, here it is brought out to a much greater degree. Bloggers don’t go apeshit for Americana these days. They rarely ever did, except when it came to Ryan Adams and maybe Drive-By Truckers. It’s not a genre that speaks to most college-aged or college-minded music fans. It’s not risky. Bloggers dig it, but they don’t go nuts over
it.

Notice that “it’s not good” is not a reason accounting for the reception given to “From The Mountain To The Sea.” In fact, the album is quite good. The vocals are still passionate, powerful, and cool without being slick. The piano work is still subtle, adding flourish and detail to the excellent rhythm section and the tight, focused hooks. This is an example of a band that feels comfortable toning it down on their second album. In that way, it’s a lot like the underrated second Counting Crows album, “Angels of the Silence.” The songs are less catchy, the sound is more familiar but not instantly gratifying, and the record as a whole requires more time to digest. On repeated listens, the songs grow and become stuck in the listener’s head. Good Americana is less cerebral and more emotional, but in a laid back way. It doesn’t scream at you, it sits next to you and quietly unfolds.

And Birdmonster has a permanent reserved seat on my porchswing.

I Might Have Guessed

Born To Be Your Man

And a classic BM tune:

No Midnight (acoustic version)

BONUS COVER:

Time of the Season-My Morning Jacket

PICTURE OF THE DAY

10 REASONS I AM TOTALLY OVER BLOC PARTY

1. Bloc Party's new album, "Intimacy," has officially leaked. They're streaming four songs on their site, and it's everywhere on Hype Machine. From what I've heard so far, it ain't worth a buy. And this is from a guy who rated their first two albums as being among the 10 or 20 best of their respective years. So far, the only song I've been real impressed with, out of all the tracks I've heard, is "signs." There's a couple other decent cuts ("One Month Off," notably). But nothing else sounds new. I suspect this is because . . .

2. . . . They sold out to a major label, so now their trying to recapture an old sound instead of create a new one. Guys, your first record was a postpunk anti-establishment gem. Even if the songs were mostly love songs, who can forget a tune like "Helicopter," a cry not to conform, not to be crushed, not to be . . . Old. These days, few artists can accomplish such artistic sentiment while under the grip of a major label.

Helicopter-Bloc Party

2. The new album is formulaic. Bloc Party was never known for variety, but at least they used to have passion. Now they just sound like We Are Scientists. And not the good WAS. I mean the current version of that band.

3. They aren't heroic anymore. I don't see cool bands being able to make something fresh out of the new batch of songs.

Luno (BP cover)-DFA1979.

4. They used to make simple songs . . .

This Modern Love (Acoustic)

5. That lent themselves towards cool remixes . . .

This Modern Love (Dave P & Adam Sparkles Making Time Remix)

6. But the new songs lack the complexity of their old material--stuff that could be faithfully covered and yet turned into something special by the new artist.

The Prayer (BP cover)-KT Tunstall.

7. I mean, does anyone really see hip English bands covering the new material, other than those who simply want to generate buzz?

Pioneers (BP cover)-Mysery Jets

8. What about under-the-bubble bands? Do you think the new material will really generate veneration?

Banquet (BP cover)-Slowbear the Great

9. I'm sure a lot of you will say, "The new album is cool! Don't be such a hater! You're just jealous! You suck!" To all of you, I say listen to this . . .

Storm and Stress-Bloc Party

10. . . . And then get back to me. Is anything on the new album that good? I say we all go out and buy another copy of Silent Alarm. There must be some new kid on your floor who hasn't heard it yet. Spread the word about how good this band really should be.

PICTURE OF THE DAY



BLACK FLAG-1984

I've never posted on Black Flag, and frankly, after about five years of blogging, I should be ashamed of myself. They weren't the fathers of punk or hardcore, but they were one of the best bands of the genre. This show was played at Kent State, site of famous oppression and violence, so it's the perfect place for Rollins to scream out the words to "Police Story:"This fucking city is run by pigs! They take the rights away from all the kids! . . . They hate us, we hate them, we can't win, no way!"

Without further ado, Black Flag from October 13, 1984. A few tastes, and a zip.

Slip it In
My Ghetto
Black Coffee
Beat My Head Against the Wall
Jam
Rats Eyes
The Bars
Police Story
Rise Above
My War

CHRIS COTTON-"The Big Sea"


Fans of the blues, bluegrass, and rootsy, old-fashioned, Americana with heart will be happy to know that on September 2, 2008, Chris Cotton will release his latest album. It's a refreshing, simple record. And I highly recommend it.

Going Home

What Would You Do?

Tour dates:

08.31 Mountain View, CA @ Dana St. Cofee (PuNK yuR bLuES)
09.05 Hermosa Beach, CA @ Café Boogaloo
09.09 San Francisco, CA @ Biscuits and Blues
09.28 Mountain View, CA @ Dana St. Cofee (PuNK yuR bLuES)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

JOHNNY MADWRECK-“The Last Detail”

I’m convinced that Johnny Madwreck is Wu Tang Clan’s more indie, more underground, and more white missing member. This North Carolina MC/Producer makes beats as grimey as anything GZA ever produced, and nearly as consistently creative. As a lyricist, he focuses less on violence and street wars and more on one-upsmanship, but the rhymes are always surprisingly creative. He’s incredibly versatile, too, starting with a here-we-come intro chant (“Make it Rugged”); swinging on upbeat club hooks (“Who’s Comin’ With Me”); doing the inspirational thing (“All of This Can End Today”); slowing down on the sad/love track (“Bloodshot”); and even doing the scary thing on “Zombies,” a vicious monster rap, complete with baseball bats to the skulls of the brain eaters.

It’s hip hop soul that you’ve probably never heard—or heard of—before today. Check out a track or two. You can thank me later.

The Last Detail

Blow Up The Spot (Feat. The Others and J Swan)

BONUS:

Following the hip hop mode, here's a shocker:

Gangsta's Paradise-Coolio with Simply Red(!)

STRATOCRUISER GIVE-AWAY, AND NOBUNNY-RETRO ROCK N’ ROLL



NOBUNNY-“Love Visions”

Tucson’s masked Nobunny recently released a vinyl only LP of amazing punked up 1950s tunes. Actually, each song is an original composition, but each song borrows verses, refrains, choruses and chords from old-time classics. Much like The Ramones. Indeed, the album cover, featuring the artist (or someone with a bunny mask) standing in front of a brick wall is an obvious homage to the kings of American punk.

This is easily the most fun I’ve had listening to an album this year. Whether it’s the opening of “Somwhere New” (“In an hour or so, I’m gonna be at your door/So put your pants and shoes on, ‘cause baby we’s about to ride”), or the simple 1960s psychedelic thrash of “Boneyard,” or any of the other short (mostly under 2:30) rockers, this record never slows down and never gets old. Nobunny has released an exciting debut, one that’s funny and hip enough to be blasting into every college quad, yet also innocent enough to be cranked at every high school prom.

You can buy a digital copy at eMusic. So do it. Now.

Nobunny Loves You

STRATOCRUISER’S BONUS DISC GIVEAWAY . . .
ALL NEIL DIAMOND COVERS!


While we’re on the subject of retro . . . I’ve been writing about Stratocruiser’s classic rock sound ever since the band began, so they were gracious enough to send me the tracks off the bonus disc attached to their latest release, Egg Shells.” It’s all Neil Diamond covers. Four of ‘em, including Cherry, I Am, and America.

Consider it their American Idol audition. No, don’t. I’m kidding about that.

Taste a track or two, and head on over to Not Lame to buy a copy.

Or, if you like, drop me a comment or send me an e-mail with your dream Neil Diamond cover--band and tune--and the winner gets a free copy of "Egg Shells," with the bonus disk (natch!), courtesy of the band. P.S.: My fantasy cover? Pearl Jam doing "Heartlight." Or maybe a cover of "I'm a Believer" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

I'll pick a winner in 7 days.

Cherry (Neil Diamond cover)

America (Neil Diamond cover)

PICTURE OF THE DAY

THE POGUES WITH JOE STRUMMER: 1987

Before getting to this: Fellow Clash obsessives will want to visit "Music Ruined My Life for this post. He's got a full DL of the classic "Give em enough dope" boot collection up right now, one of the many I've been planning to share with y'all at some point. It's one of the best quality boots I've ever heard, and it has an absolutely stellar version of "Train in Vain."

As for today's post: The sound is a little muffled on this December 1 bootleg from Boston, 1987, but hearing Joe play with Shane is worth it. Especially on songs like "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" and "London Calling."

As always, a few tastes and then the zip, which is an .rar this time.

Streams of Whiskey
Irish Rover
Medley
Body of an American
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Repeal of the Licensing Laws
Lullaby of London
South Australia
Bottle of Smoke
Metropolis
Broad Majestic Shannon
Dark Streets of London
I Fought the Law
London Calling
Fiesta
Turkish Song of the Damned
Dirty Ol' Town
Sally McLennane
Sick Bet of Chuchulainn


THE WHOLE SHOW

PAPER RIVAL-“Dialog”





If I tell you I get about ten to twelve CDs submitted each week, I’m not lying. So for an album to get space on my site, it’s got to rise above almost everyone else. Paper Rival’s debut CD, Dialog, has managed to do just that, and largely because of one song: “Cassandra.” Most of Paper Rival’s work fits in the ‘90s alt-rock vein: Moderately hard rock and roll, heavy hooks, and slightly strained, soaring vocals that emphasize drama. It’s a solid outing, to be sure, and there are several surprises buried here. Like, “The Family Ghost,” a drum-driven stadium anthem reminiscent of Bloc Party. And “Foreign Film Collection,” a slow-burning indie rocker complete with Christmas jingle bells.

But the gem is “Cassandra.” It begins with light strumming, violin, and easy percussion. Then vocals straight out of America/1970s AM Radio come in and sing “Every day I spend alone/And think of life somewhere else/Is this a necessary evil/That I found within myself?” It’s sad, forlorn, and wonderfully painful.

On the whole, Paper Rival's album is about craft not style: The eleven songs here feel indistinct at times, but each of them is well-written and focused. Nothing is here by accident. “Dialog” is a cohesive debut with some truly stellar moments.

Cassandra

The Family Ghost

BONUS COVER:

Rocks Off (Rolling Stones)-Spoon

PICTURE OF THE DAY: Don't try suicide!










THE METERMAIDS-“Nightlife”


Ice-T’s “Original Gangsta” double album is one of the greatest rap albums of the nineties, maybe ever. But on it, he inserted a one-off introduction to his band “Body Count,” a hardcore band that was far closer to rock than punk. You remember them. They’re the ones that Dan Quayle lambasted for having a tune called “Cop Killer,” and the U.S. Government thought this song was so important that eventually the record label was forced to drop it off of additional pressings. I’m not here to say that I was a Body Count fan. In fact, when I saw the Iceberg in 1991, he brought the band out to do a couple tunes, and it was the worst part of the night.

So Ice-T’s best album helped usher in the worst part of the 1990s: Rap/rock. Perhaps most famously personified by Limp Bizkit, it also spawned one-hit wonders like Alien Ant Farm and moved Everlast out of bad hip-hop and into grammy territory with his gravelly blues-rap. It gave white folks of all stripes a license to claim street cred, even affecting John Mellencamp on his not-nearly-as-big-a-disaster-as-it-should-have-been duet with Chuck D., “Cutting Heads.” Mostly, it’s performed by rockers who feel the need to young it up or by rappers who aren’t good enough to perform over a track, so they hide between heavy guitars and fast drums (see Fred Durst). As far as I’m concerned, only Prince has been able to truly excel in this genre, but you can taste a bunch of examples in my “Rockers Who Think They Can Rap A to Z” post, which you can find on the sidebar link. My point is, rap and rock don't always go together like chocolate and peanut butter.

This brings me to Metermaids. They're not quite rap-rock, but they skate along the edge. And they do it well.

I discovered the band on a hip-hop site I pass through now and again called Wake Your Daughter Up and really enjoyed the tracks he had up for sampling. I get so many CDs in the mail that I rarely request one from a band, but this time I did. Yes, it’s rap rock, and yes, it’s got some of the weaknesses inherent to that style. But the rhymes are more than just good, and the emcees (a duo individually named Swell and Sentence) aren’t just cribbing off guys they’ve heard before. For example, the band tells street tales on “Think About It,” which incorporates finger snaps without being corny, and pulls off a scratchy soul hook. The flow is a little like El-P or Aesop Rock, but without the venom. Instead of trying to sound hard, they seem content to hang in the back as storytellers, without posturing or forcing their message. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a rap-rocker do that before.

Another standout cut is “Fingertips,” an old-school party track with a crisp synth lick and a simple snare. But the best party cut is probably “Funk Terrorist,” which has fun lyrics and an ass-moving beat. They’re at their best on anthems like this one, and “Life is Easy.” The band hails from New York City and they’ve been known to play The Knitting Factory, which is a great place to see a show. So if you’re in their neck of the hood, check ‘em out.

Think About It

Funk Terrorist

BUCKSHOT AND 9th WONDER-“The Formula”

“The Formula” is the follow-up to one of the greatest underground grime albums of all time, 2005’s
“Chemistry.” Before I get into the meat of the review, I’ll get this out: No, it’s not as good as
“Chemistry.” But that album is a classic. And “The Formula” can sit proudly beside it on any headz shelf.

After the intro track, which has a good groove but doesn’t go anywhere, the album jumps into “Ready
(Brand New Day),” which has chipmunk funk on the hook but otherwise features 9th Wonder’s usual inspirational, laid back beats.

The big change here is in Buckshot. He’s still got the same low-key flow (he never shouts, never raises his voice, never spits quick or urgent), but his message isn’t as gritty as it has been in the past.
In fact, quite a few songs border on RnB. But Buck proves himself to be versatile--he's no Cool J. These are more real--they're not smooth talking raps, they're just songs about relationships, and the lyrics are powerful enough to keep the album tight. It’s not gangsta, not at all. In fact, calling it “The Formula” seems intentionally ironic: There’s absolutely nothing formulaic here.

It’s quite a refreshing surprise.

For those who don’t know, producer 9th Wonder is from Little Brother (and also produced “Honey” off the wonderful new Erykah Badu album) and rapper Buckshot is affiliated with Black Moon and Boot Camp Clik. But you really should know that already. Most of “The Formula” is Buck, but there are some excellent cameos and supporting works by Swan, Carlitta Durand, Talib Kweli, and others.


Hold It Down (feat. Talib Kweli & Tyler Woods)

PICTURE OF THE DAY: Stay in Skool edition





RADARS TO THE SKY-“The Big Bang EP”



Radars to the Sky’s debut EP begins with “Long Walk Home,” a fuzzy, charming duet that has all the importance and hook of the best indie rock singles. Male lead vocalist Andrew Spitser falls somewhere between David Byrne and Stephen Malkmus, while wife/keyboardist Kate Post Spitser’s voice has an airier, more pleasant quality. Together, they bounce between solid rhythm guitar and unexpectedly delicious riffs. For me, track two, “I Might,” is the real revelation here: The drumming is some of the best around, and the fast pace and booming vocal tracks show off the best parts of this excellent new band. The use of two distinct and distinctly different vocals is an unusual choice in indie rock, and it serves this band well. We never get too Morrissey-ed out by Andrew, and Kate’s voice alone would likely be swallowed by the massive heft of the power chords and rhythm section.

I’ve got high hopes for this group. They’re on to something. This may be the best EP of 2008.

I Might

Victoria

PICTURE OF THE DAY: OLYMPIC MOMENT EDITION



Check out the dude with the flag. Gold medal winner in leering at the bootay.

POMEGRANATES-“Everything Is Alive”



Named after a “fruit” that was supposed to be an aphrodisiac, the Pomegranates’ debut LP, “Everything Is Alive,” begins with the obligatory atmospheric intro but then delivers a hot, upbeat, and extraordinary single that begins with a sad lyric: “I don’t see it getting better, from a lover’s point of view.” It’s the happiest song about the end of love I’ve ever heard. Not only is it lyrically complex, but it has some of the most interesting guitar work I’ve heard in a pop album in years. This is dance music for the thinking person, but it’s emphatically not quirky. In this way, the Poms manage to construct a rare creature: A complex pop album that sounds nothing like !!!, Hot Chip, Beck, or any of the other “we’re weird white dudes who dance” types.

Indeed, the Pomegranates are decidedly not male. The lead vocal tracks are often in the capable hands of Joey Cook, whose falsetto had me thinking he was a she the first time I listened to the record. The band is drawing comparisons to lots of blog buzz bands, but I’m not going to repeat them here because I don’t see it. I find the music here to be original, wholly original, particularly because it abounds with a quality not usually found in indie rock: Fun. Lots of fun. Fun without being silly. Fun without being odd for fun’s sake. The kind of fun that comes from hope.

I love this record!

Whom/Who

Thunder Meadow

CLAWJOB-“Manifest Destiny EP”



With a name like Clawjob, I expected “Manifest Destiny” to be a nightmarish tale of getting hand release from a witch. But I found that while the band has its hard side, it’s capable of softer, meditative songs as well, like the opening cut, “Era of Good Feelings.” The band describes the album as six songs about 19th-century America, but at it’s core the album is contemporary, singing of universal themes like death and drugs. As their name suggests, the album has hardcore influences, yet it’s not just a bunch of screaming and power chords.

The band picked “Diamond Hoax” as the single, which features dramatic vocals, crashing cymbals, and a heavy, almost Fugazi-ish bassline. It’s an obvious pick for the single, as it’s probably the most mainstream song on the record and the tempo is an urgent march, but it’s not even my favorite track here. The lyrics on “Slice Me Up” hit me right where I live, being that I’ve had several major operations and almost died twice due to my various medical maladies. The lyric, “I wanna live to see another day/this is the only way/so slice me up,” is pretty much the mantra I chanted waiting for the drugs to take me away.

Diamond Hoax

And some older songs from their previous work:


Poop is the New Pee

I Got My Space Pass

LOS CAMPESINOS-“Hold On Now, Youngster”

Los Campesinos already have a rabid fanbase, even if this album is their debut, but this is the first album of theirs I’ve had the fortune to hear, and it reminds me a lot of The Go! Team. Only better, because it doesn’t suffer from muddy production and because it doesn’t lack song structure. At least not entirely.

“Hold On Now, Youngster,” has lots of shouting, hyperactive beats, beeps, jumps, and every guitar plays riffs. Nothing but riffs. It’s like eating Fun Dip through Pixie Stix, and washing it down with Pop Rocks and Pepsi. Some songs have verses and choruses, although most just seem to be speed freak rants that, in the case of “Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats,” suddenly slow down into a string-section lament.

There’s seven folks making sounds on this album, and all of them attempt to coordinate together and form a synthetic whole. There’s even pop Glockenspiel. Sometimes it works (“Death to Los Campesinos!”; “We Throw Parties You Throw Knives”) and sometimes it doesn’t (“Drop it Doe Eyes”), but it works often enough to make the album a lot of childish fun. If you have to ask what the songs mean, you obviously haven’t listened to them. What kind of depth do you expect from a song titled, “You! Me! Dancing!” anyway? I expect unabashed booty shaking, and that’s what I get. Sexless dance music for any age, complex dance music for the hipster crowd, without a trace of crunk or crudity.

Naïve and innocent, stupid and unsophisticated, hysterical (in the lack-of-sanity sense) and raving, pure and delightful.

For fans of : Art Brut, Len, The Go! Team. Available on e-music and wherever music for mental patients is sold.

Don't Tell Me To Do The Math(s)

THEBREAX-“When theBREAX Sold Out”

TheBREAX’s debut album led Rawkus Records (their admittedly self-interested label) to declare them one of the most important new hip hop acts of our time. While the trio, which hails from Baltimore (DJ Beleaf), San Diego (Mic B), and Azerbaijad (Ruslan), established their credentials on their first record, the sophomore effort is intentionally more mainstream, with more hooks and bangers. But going “overground” hasn’t ruined this unique crew—it’s simply made them more accessible. Lyrically, they’re still about honesty and realness—eschewing gangsta posing or bling bling bling in favor of themes of unity, civil rights, and, of course, religion. Usually anything overtly Christian is a big turn-off for me, but theBREAX never get preachy ,and they’ve got the chops to back up their product.

Eye Am Productions (behind Jay-Z’s favorite remix of his own album, “Eye Am Gangster”) provides fantastic beats here—as good as anything on a major label with millions of dollars behind it. Other behind-the-boards contributors include Rocwilder and theBREAX’s own DJ Beleaf (who makes great use of a “Summertime” sample). As a result, the music is versatile. Whether it’s a Timbaland/Neptunes sound-a-like (“theBREAX Is Everywhere”) or something crunkier (“Get Ignorant”), Ruslan and crew prove themselves in every genre. “Wanna Love,” their foray into RandB, has a great electronica hook—like if Beck made real hip hop. I’m not a huge fan of rap love songs, but this one is pretty good, largely because of the music.

If “selling out” means doing what everyone else is doing, only better, then it’s a welcome development for these indie rappers.

Ready to Sell Out

PICTURE OF THE DAY

BEACH HOUSE-“Devotion”

I missed the (apparent—according to Pitchf—-k) phenomenon that was Beach House’s debut record. However, I’ve been lucky enough to catch the follow-up, and it’s amazing. The Baltimore duo has been called “dream pop” and “indie rock,” and comparisons have been made to Mazzy Star, Sia, Galaxie 500, Slowdive, and Nico.

But these descriptions barely do them justice. Devotion is more of a mood than a record—I wouldn’t recommend driving to it—and it succeeds where so many others get old before side B. This is music that will force you to shut down your other senses and allow the sound to cover you—echoey organs, mournful but never predictable guitars, and the perfectly pale, ghostly vocals by Victoria Legrand make the album consistent without being redundant. Because under the washy, wall-of-dreampop, there are hits of folk and rock that burst through like fireworks on a starry night.

If you’re like me, you think the Cocteau Twins haven’t released anything good since they jumped to a major label back in the late ‘80s. If it’s that sound you’re looking for—sort of a no wave shoegaze--then this is for you.


Wedding Bells

VINCENT BLACK SHADOW-“More Deeper”

Vincent Black Shadow is named after a motorcycle. This is appropriate, because listening to “More Deeper” is like sitting directly on an overheating engine. Adam Savage screams every song like he’s Howard Dean on the verge of losing his mind. In fact, about four songs in (on “Flash Roll”) he slows down (for about seven seconds), and we learn that he is actually capable of sounding reasonable. But it doesn’t last.

If you want to hear lyrics, this isn’t for you. VBS screams and snarls over one of the best punk bands I’ve heard in years, chainsaw guitars ripping, jackhammer drums pounding, and relentless bass thumping at a tremendous gallop. But this Baltimore 5-piece is so much more than punk. There’s Sabbath-style guitar work, with soaring solos (but Savage often shouts over them, too), vaguely psychedelic breaks, Iggy Pop riffs . . . And even cowbell!

For example, “Volume One” is so much more than just shouting. Under the anger is an ascending chord, playing off the vocal track in the odd sort of juxtaposition that made Black Flag so great. “Shamanix” goes through chord-and-tempo changes. “Wooden Kimono” does God-only-knows-what, but it’s fascinating to hear. It’s the albums brightest flame, but all the songs burn hot.

This is a short release (nine songs in about thirty minutes), but it’s all you need. By the time you’re done, you’ll need a cold shower and a nap. What a thrill.

On Heartbreak Beat Records and endorsed by Julian Cope's Brain Donor band, I’m giving this grimey, indecent, lewd, and obscene album my highest recommendation: Check it out.

Shamanix

Wooden Kimono

BARK HIDE AND HORN-“National Road”


Bark Hide and Horn call themselves a “four-man folk-rock orchestra,” and that’s a great term for them. Their songs are all busy, all big. Take a look at the bandmembers, and you’ll get an idea: Dusty Dybvig plays drums and other percussion; Andy Anderson Furgeson is on guitar, vocals, harmonica, violin, banjo, and pedal steel; Brian Garvey plays the mandolin, keyboard, synth, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, percussion, and sings; leaving Peter Valois to play the bass, vibraphone, vocals, glockenspiel, penny whistle, and, of course, percussion. Lots of instruments here, lots of percussion. It leads to a sound similar to Califone, only busier, or like Calexico, only somewhat less country. Songs like “Grandfather” start quiet and folky, and end up sounding like Sympathy for the Devil. Each song has a tendency to stop on a dime and veer off in a completely different direction, leaving the listener grasping for purchase. It’s music for the multi-tasker, for the modern listener who isn’t satisfied by a single genre (or even just two or three genres). It’s dynamic, versatile, fun, unbalanced, demented, uneven, unpredictable . . . And well worth a listen.

Trumpeter Swan

Treasure of the Everglades

BONUS COVER SONG:

Change Gonna Come-Arcade Fire (Sam Cooke cover)

MIKE DOUGHTY-“Golden Delicious”



Welcome to the most fun Mike Doughty solo album ever. That's right. Fun and Doughty. It's also, in my opinion, his most cohesive album.

The most powerful song on the album, by far, is anti-war anthem Fort Hood, with it’s interpolation of Aquarius (Let the Sun Shine Shine) and it’s powerful couplets: “I see them motionless, coming back, in an airport lounge” and “You should be getting’ stoned with a prom dress world/You should still believe in an endless world.” So powerful, I had to listen to it three times before I could go any deeper into this album.

There’s other gems here, too. In fact, it’s almost like Mike had a point to prove in the way he hits just about every rock album staple: “Like a Luminous Girl” is a sweet and tender love song. “27 Jennifers,” which is an obvious single, is a funny, bouncy pop song. “Navigating by the Stars at Night” is a solid, straightahead country-tinged road song, with a great refrain. “Put It Down” has a na-na-na chorus. He’s even got a semi-rap song (“More Bacon Than the Pan Can Handle”).” It’s all here.

I can imagine the reviews now, complaining that Mike’s sold out, gone pop, gotten soft, lame and old, lacks depth, etc. Whatever you read, it’s all bullshit. Perhaps I like this release for the same reason I liked Liz Phair’s eponymous album, which the critics also hated but which I found to be her most even album since her first. Another good example of this could be Mellencamp’s Mr. Happy Go Lucky album, although that one wasn’t nearly as good. Or Aerosmith’s Pump. Like those, Golden Delicious has a “sound,” a theme, an expression. It’s not a bunch of singer-songwriter cuts thrown together in a jumble. Does this mean that the album is what you’d expect from Doughty? Absolutely not. It’s different, it’s new, it feels fresh and alive. Where his prior albums are dark and thoughtful, this one give a shout out to Young Jeezy. I’m going to say it again: This is Mike’s “Liz Phair.” If you can appreciate Liz singing the praises of hot, white come, you should be able to dig a slickly produced Doughty rhyming easy, Japanese-y, and cutesy. I can. I do. And I’m saying this a great record.
It’s a pop record, certainly, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

27 Jennifers

Fort Hood

Reprinted from my old site

GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY

arison is to Freddie Mercury (particularly on “Heavy Heart”). The less obvious comparisons are DFA 1979 meets the Darkness. Or perhaps the Scissor Sisters on crank.

Sometimes Robotique Majestique goes a little too far into the “big important silly bombast” category, and shows how thin a wire Ghostland Observatory balances upon. It’s so easy to slip off into a song that’s just weird and dumb for no good reason. Compare the title track to a song like “No Place For Me,” for example, which has the same kind of build-up and electronic intensity, but it just works better. Maybe it’s the consistent bounce, or maybe it’s that certain indescribable something that’s the difference between success and not-so-much-success. “The Band Marches On” is a marching song, that clearly owes a debt to Nine Inch Nails, but has this upbeat kinda thang going on that's just . . . Cool. And Freeheart lover reeks with attitude. Love it. Despite the occasional slip, this album should satisfy fans of the genre, fans of the band, and may even attract a few new followers.

Heavy Heart

No Place For Me

ISE LYFE-"Prince Cometh"


Brooklyn emcee Ise Lyfe (you say it "Ice Life," presumably because he's so chill) is now two albums into the rap game, with the release of "Prince Cometh." It's conscious rap/spoken word, and worth a listen. He's already managed to get spots on Def Poetry Jam and on stage with Lauryn Hill and Talib Kweli. One of the tracks they're offering is "Whitey's in Iraq," an update of "Whitey's on the Moon" (original by Gil Scott Heron), and a really cool listen.

Check it out.

Whitey's In Iraq


Yes No Maybe

Thighbone (with Zion I)

Bad Moon

BONUS RAP CUT:

If you like Hip Hop, you must download this song. It's an extended Joe Budden explanation for why hip hop is dead, and who killed it. And he doesn't blame downloaders. But he does take shots at just about everyone else, including 50 Cent and Lil' Weezy. And I gotta say, I listen to it and I can't disagree with a word of it. And how about that Marvin Gaye sample? Perfect choice. When Joe Budden is on, he's one of the best at what he does.

Who Killed It?-Joe Budden

FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD-"The Saturday Knights"

Haven't listened to it yet, but it's by Light in the Attic records, and they're always good. Plus, it's free.

CHUCK PROPHET-"Dreaming Waylon's Dream" (FREE ALBUM DOWNLOAD!)

Reprinted from my old site:

I like but don’t love Chuck Prophet. He’s one of many deep-voiced guitar-playing singer-songwriters with obvious talent, and I like many of his songs, but I haven’t found his albums captivating the whole way through. But this latest project, a cover of an entire Waylon Jennings album, I was incredibly curious. There’s a long tradition of rockers covering country tunes, and at least one hip hop superstar covered a country tune and then never turned back (Kid Rock, of course), and most of these covers don’t work. The artists seem reluctant or unable to insert anything new into the song. There are many exceptions to this rule, of course. And Prophet, who cut the album in just 48 hours, is one of them.

His take on “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” turns the straight-ahead country rocker into a six-plus-minute swirling epic, a truly novel reading of the tune. He adds funk to “Waymore’s Blues;” a Counting Crows alt-country feel to “The Cowboys (Sing
the Blues)” (lead vox by Stephanie Finch); and electronica(!) to “The Door Is Open.”

The album was a limited release, but it looks like the CD is now available on Amazon and emusic. Or, if you don't wanna support the artist, Chuck's giving the damn thing away! Here's each track:

1. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way
2. Waymore's Blues
3. I Recall a Gypsy Woman
4. High Time (You Quit Your Low Down Ways)
5. I've Been a Long Time Leaving (I'll Be a Long Time Gone)
6. Let's All Help The Cowboys (Sing The Blues)
7. The Door Is Always Open
8. Let's Turn Back The Years
9. She's Looking Good
10. Dreaming My Dreams With You
11. Bob Wills Is Still The King

THE WAR ON DRUGS-“ Barrel Of Batteries EP”

One of my personal fave labels, Secretly Canadian, recently signed Philadelphia’s The War On Drugs, and they’re offering an EP, “Barrel Of Batteries,” for free as a zip file. Picture Byrdsy jangle and a delivery somewhere between Bob Dylan and Warren Zevon (and, on “Pushing Corn,” a little Arcade Fire crawl) and you’ll get the general idea. It’s a really great EP—my big complaint is that with only three proper songs (and two toss-off atmospheric instrumentals clocking in at less than 2 minutes each), you don’t really get to know the band before it’s over. That’s too bad, because I definitely want to know more. The good news: I understand a proper LP will drop this year.

MUY CANSADO-“Stars & Garters”



Trio Muy Cansado hail from the Northeast, generally Boston, and announce their debut album Stars & Garters. Catchy.

Telemundo

Stockholm Syndrome

BONUS SONGS: Acoustic Clash!! From 5/11/1985, Live.

Cool Under Heat

White Riot

Bankrobber

Stepping Stone

THE CLASH: THE BEST OF THE BONDS (1981) (the Bonds top 30)

By request, a repost of my personal Bonds show favorites . . . Here's the original post:



By mid 1981, The Clash had been recording albums for just four years, and yet they'd managed to put out four records in that time, two of which are two of the greatest albums of all time (The Clash; London Calling), one of which was a double album (LC) and another was a triple (Sandinista!). Who else in history has accomplished this volume of production, other than Lil' Wayne? And although it's true that Sandinista! is a little bloated, it's still got more great songs than some bands put out in their entire careers, including The Magnificent Seven, Somebody Got Murdered, The Call Up, and the classic Eddy Grant cover, Police On My Back.

On May 28, 1981, the band took up residency for two weeks and 17 shows. The had opening acts of such magnitude and variety as Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five, the Treacherous Three, Joe Ely, The Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, The Fall, The Sugar Hill Gang, The Slits, and even ESG. The year 1981 is my personal pick for their best in terms of live skills--they were all still friendly enough that they weren't waging war on stage, and they'd just pushed Sandinista! through, despite their record company's objections, and the album was the band's most experimental and ambitious. Live, they frequently changed songs, restructured them, and they constantly changed the set lists--and even the lyrics!

You can read more about the Bonds shows at this excellent site for Clash info.

Here's the best of the shows, in my not-so-humble opinion, excluding the June 13 show, which was released by Epic Records. Support the artists and buy everything they've released. I have.

I've put these songs in special order--as if this were a real show (albeit an exceptionally long one). If you listen to it in this order, you'll need to use volume adjustments because the tracks vary in quality over the various shows. Nevertheless, I bet you'll dig it.

There's a ZIP FILE, along with a few tastes.

1. London Calling. (5/28) The first song of the first night was perhaps the band's signature song in 1981. They led most of the bonds night with this song, and this version is blistering, with some of Mick's best work of the entire Bonds residency.

2. Safe European Home. (6/4) The band played this as the second song each night. In this version, at about the 1:30 mark, the band veers off into a weird jam that might even have been a mess up at first, but it continues, taking the song through some really interesting gymnastics.

3. The Leader. (6/3) Almost always the third song in the set, Joe kicks off this one with, "Who are you gonna vote for?" The sound quality is pretty bad here, but the band is tight. Not my favorite Clash song, but this is my favorite Bonds version of it, and since they played it every night, I figgered the boys would want it included.

4. Train in Vain. (6/1) At song four, the Bonds setlists began to vary, but more often than not, they played Train fourth. Here, the band plays it at a much faster pace than usual, and keeps going for four-and-a-half minutes. The quicker speed and relative length allowed them to jam on it. The Clash's album material from this time period is so tight, and usually consists of short songs, so we don't usually think of them as improvisers, but as this set list should be proving, they were.

5. Junko Pardner (5/28). This came out of Train in Vain, and the transition is evident here as the song begins with same basic structure before settling in. The whip sounds, which I believe were coming from Mick's guitar, emphasize the grit and grime of this old James Wayne blues song.

6. Broadway. (6/12) This isn't a favorite song of mine, but it's the only one I'm using for this night. On this, their second to last night at Bonds, the band began to show signs of wear. The set list lacked imagination, and the playing started to seem pro forma in many ways. This song is kinda cool because Joe tells the audience that Holmes just won the Heavyweight bout, in the third round, right at the beginning.

7. White Man in Hammersmith Palais. (6/4) A superb version, complete with time changes and tons of ad-libs. My absolute favorite song ever.

8. Police and Thieves. (6/2) A 6-minute version of this Jr. Marvin cover. The band unfurls here, stretching out through several tempo changes into a crashing climax.

9. Pressure Drop. (6/8) Coming back after a day off, the band offers their first performance of this cover in 4 years.

10. Ivan Meets G.I. Joe. (5/29) Joe introduces Topper, and this underrated anti-war anthem kicks off hard and fast. I dunno how Top can beat the skins and keep up on the vocals at the same time . . . Who does he think he is, Phil Collins?

11. Lightning Strikes. (6/1) "Let the lightning strike!" says Joe, as the band rips into a muscular version on their fourth night at Bonds Casino. I truly wish the mix were better on this boot, because it's one of the best of the Bonds shows.

12. Street Parade. (6/1) A relatively rare performance of Street Parade.

13. Charlie Don't Surf. (6/1) After Mick's solo, Joe writes a new verse on the spot. I guess you'd call this freestyling.

14. Jimmy Jazz. (6/1) The last song from the most excellent June 1 show. This is the first time they broke this song out in NYC, and it's very intricate. I don't think I've ever heard a better version of it.

15. Guns of Brixton. (5/28) Paul Simonon gets his chance to shine, and takes full advantage, playing lead guitar (with Joe on bass). If you dig this, don't forget about this post!

16. Call Up. (6/5) I'm not sure why, but Joe begins this song asking, "Where's the trumpet?" He's ad-libbing a bunch at the beginning, but it's not easy to hear what he's saying. Nevertheless, a great version of this rootsy, bluesy number.

17. Washington Bullets. (6/2) The band played this every night at the Casino, with lots of shout-outs about El Salvador. The screaming at the end is a representative from the Democratic Revolutionary Front. He's hard to understand, but he telling the audience to protest U.S. involvement down there. There's a drop in the recording, but other than that this an inspired version.

18. Clampdown. (5/29) Throughout the night, Joe had been doing his best James Brown imitations, but here his bandleader instructions come through the rough mix crisply, as he instructs everyone to "shhhhh!" while Mick and Topper deliver phenomenal performances.

19. Complete control (6/2). Mick murders this.

20. Somebody Got Murdered. (6/3) At the end, there's some back-and-forth between Joe and the crowd, where he asks them if they want to hear some Aerosmith. They don't. "Just checking!" Joe says. "We don't do Toys in the Attic."

21. Magnificent 7. (6/9) Another great version of this fantastic live song, which was always played as an extensive, jam song.

22. Capital Air. (6/10) The Clash backing Allen Ginsburg, a precursor to the Ghetto Defendant collaboration.

23. Spanish Bombs. (6/11) The band broke the song out on June 3, and didn't play it again until tonight, when they did it much better. The harmonies are a little off, but this is such a wonderful song.

24. Daddy Was a Bankrobber. (6/10) Joe's ode to Mick's childhood gets a strong treatment here, with great rhythm guitar work.

25. Radio Clash. (6/4) Topper eats the drums on this. There were many great versions of this tune played at Bonds, and it was hard to pick just one or two to throw up here.

26. Janie Jones. (6/13) Nuff said.

27. Career Opportunities. (6/13) The band did two shows on their last day, and I seem to be missing the afternoon set. But the evening set is a good one, and it's pretty good quality, too. This song is a highlight because they didn't do it very often over the course of their stay at Bonds.

28. Armagideon Time. (6/4) Another cover--a song that was pretty hot when The Clash took it on, but they quickly took it over and made it their own. I read that one of the things the band loved about reggae was that the rhythms are so easy to pick up and twist--as if the song is just a building block for the performer. This version features excellent guitar-and-drums work at the end, with Joe just vamping all over the place before the song suddenly ends and cuts into London's Burning.

29. New York's Burning. (6/5) As with most nights, Joe screams the intro and screams at the end.

ENCORE: White Riot. (6/13) A rarity for the Bonds shows, this is about as punk as The Clash get in 1981. It was also the last song of the Bonds shows.

ELEVATOR SUITE-"The Wheel/Eleanor Rigby"

http://berkeleyplaceindie.blogspot.com/We don't generally review singles on this corner, but Elevator Suite's new single, "The Wheel," has a pretty fresh B-Side. Elevator Suite make electronica/pop, bordering on house music. They've been around for a long time, but their new single has a remix by Phil Hartnoll of Orbital and this cool B-Side. Check it out.

Eleanor Rigby

Buy Elevator Suite here