October Picks

I called September as the best music month of 2016. So far, I'm standing by that, but October finished not far behind. There were several strong developments in canonical spunk rock, some chill, some funk, some heavy, several political protests, and (although not appearing here) lots of xmas music.

start with the playlists:


YouTube Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWm4729w0mtclajLoYDn0DNSaqRI5icfF


Spotify Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/user/fluid3sally/playlist/4fRW2GgMillxcm2XjLwfHL




Nina Diaz - The Beat Is Dead
A very strong debut from the already accomplished Girl In A Coma singer/guitar player.
separate review here:  http://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2016/10/new-nina.html
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xL_nTij-5A
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1XILjxN7W0


The Pretty Reckless - Who You Selling For
3rd big hitter from a spunk classic
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpZv2r8fb4


Savoy Motel - Savoy Motel
psychedelic funk'n'spunk with a thow-back vibe.. pairs nicely with Jefferson Airplane and maybe a slice of Velvet Underground.
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntxaaDci6Lo


Feeder - All Bright Electric
score another one for UK region (Wales). Deep and introspective song compositions. well worth the listen
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddCs4LKCLIY


Two Door Cinema Club - Gameshow
In the theme of funk
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Wn0GbTkts


Honeyblood - Babes Never Die
UK at it again.. this time Scotland. some high-energy modern-grrrl jams
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBbnGqthX1Y


Phish - Big Boat
we all need some fresh Phish from time to time.
separate review here: http://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2016/10/fresh-phish.html
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxWa3vdnPS8


Cheap Perfume - Nailed It
this needs to be heard
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYHcGq52hd4



Phantogram - Three
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jryzEU7WAlg


 Jones - Melt 
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx7pbLLhYoc


Placebo - Life's What You Make It


Rebecca Ferguson - SuperWoman


The Naked and Famous - Simple Forms


Crying - Wool In The Wash


BrookZill - Throwback to the Future



mid-playlist funk

• Smoove and Turrell
• Kaiser Chiefs
• Muddy Magnolias 
• Fantastic Negrito

Singles

Corin Tucker and the Filthy Friends

Pussy Riot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-bKFo30o2o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp-KeVBNz0A


Le Tigre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLGFyxAP0QE

Shea Diamond 
Die So Fluid 
Girli



Gruff and Heavy
If you like the gruff stuff, this was a pretty good month for that

• Korn
• Darke Complex 
• Amaranthe - a good record, but, unfortunately, it is brought down by growling vocals 
• I Prevail

Oops I missed it
better Late than never

• The Ones You Forgot (September)
• Sneaks (September)
• That Poppy (June)
• Giant Kitty (January)
• Beki Bondage (not sure)
• Mirror Eyes (not sure)

close, but nope

• Jimmy Eat World
• Avenged Sevenfold
• NOFX
• Nathaniel Ratcliff 
• Belle and Sebastian
• Watchtower
• Crocodiles
• Lady Gaga
• The Pretenders 
• Sum 41

New NINA DIAZ!

New Record: Nina Diaz, The Beat Is Dead 28 Oct 16.


 




Nina Diaz -  you may remember her from such spunk classics as Girl In A Coma - is back with a "solo" record The Beat is Dead.

Nina Diaz is one of the great geniuses of modern music. She has a vocal range of soft and smooth to soaring and thunderous. Watch her transform on stage into a rock'n'roll monster.

These songs make great use of that range, and showcase her unique, ground-breaking song writing style. All of these sounds make perfect sense together.. yet I've never heard anyone put songs together quite like this before. She crafts complex sonic landscapes all her own. If I squint real hard, I think I can hear a hear the Sonic Youth influence.  I know that Nina is a big fan of Sonic Youth because she told me so at a GIAC show in Atlanta (if not, I might have guessed it from her frequently wearing the shirt). You won't find SY's indulgent noise or dissonance here (except at times, like Star).. but their ability to explore sonic territory beyond the horizon of their peers.. this depth of song-writing plays out with passion and heart only Nina.

I was expecting something danceable due, in part to the lead single Trick Candle, which is a funky dance tune. If you follow this blog enough, you will find that I really like it when punk bands play a danceable beat. So I'm happy to find songs like that one. But overall, this record is more to the pace of playing a chess game in a trance, than to go club-ub-in'. 

There is something about these songs that is deeply profound.  An age-less soul in a young person's body..  something that demands close attention.

The record clocks in at 50 minutes.. solid, especially for a debut.. and there is no filler. Every song here has its own story to tell and ground to break.

Well done Nina, well done.

fresh Phish

 




Phish is back with a new studio full-length, Big Boat. Recommended for those who prefer the melodic side of their catalog.

For those of us who enjoy Phish, it is always nice to find some fresh ones. I had a live Phish experience in Saratoga Spings NY recently, and they are still on top of their game.

This record gets off to a strong start, with the opening track, Friends. I must say there are some sing-song-y chorus parts on this record that are a bit too tame for my taste - it seemed like the "song" parts of their songs were edgier back in the 90's.. maybe that is just a symptom of growing on.

Nonetheless, the instrumentals are solid throughout, in the way I had hoped for. No Men is a stand-out track. Has all the elements of a good phish. Open space in your head. funky bass grooves. psychedelic ramblings.

see it live here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxWa3vdnPS8

Miss You starts off slowly, maybe a bit dull, but really picks up mid-way through and turns into a free space anthem.

Things People Do and Running Out of Time are total skippers.. not sure what happened there.

Phish has always had a special ability to bend and blur our sense of time.. stretching out our attention in a single song to fill 30 minutes by the clock, or to indulge a theme throughout multiple movements. This record is more concise, with songs that begin and end almost.. predictably. Only one song over 7 minutes long and the whole thing finishing in just under an hour. There is more song craftsmanship here, and less indulgent improv. For example, Home plays out a bit sing-song-y until the 3:30 mark, then it digresses into a classic phish rant, and still wraps up before 6:30.

Although I should note that many of these songs play out over longer time scales live.

Phish is a band that continues to remain creative to put on great shows with a mix of fresh material and classics.. simple when you've got bebops and skyscrapers in the band.

Featured Artist: Salvation Jayne

Salvation Jayne is a rising star emerging from the musical hot spot of Southern England, Kent area. Theirs is a soulful, bluzy sound with lots of deep feeling. A bit of grit and grunge coupled, complete with a  moving stage presence and a big voice to fill a big space. This group captures the essence of bluzy rock that is timeless, and fills in a critical gap in the modern rock landscape.

A few comparisons come to mind.. vocals near Joplin and Aretha, riffs near Chuck Berry and Hendrix. But those are old, and this is new. That was then, and Salvation Jayne is now. Sign me up for now!


Debut EP "I'll Be Damned" back in December 2014.. full-length on the way, stay tuned.

First official video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ArzMXBWlc0

A behind-the-scenes look at the song "Black Coffee"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reUAxcbyPlw

If you are in the UK region, look for them all over through the end of the year.

September Picks

WOW!
So much good music this month.
September was another ass-kicking month for lovers of Rock'N'Roll!
..and a lot of work for bloggers of Rock'N'Roll.

playlists up front:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/fluid3sally/playlist/7mjPDAE3sjz7NWyin4ZjK3

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWm4729w0mteFqp1nqEM-OrYaCwAPOBZ2

 Canonical Spunk
These first bands typify the spunk sound. more than one contender here for best of 2016..


Bad Seed Rising - Awake in Color
These Kids ROCK! and I say that with a sense of reverence for the youthful spirit that has always been the bad seed of Rock'N'Roll. A debut record, but they already have several hard-hitting, ass-kicking EP's and a Warped Tour under their belt.

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27WUNp76CPE
 
separate review here: http://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2016/10/new-record-bad-seed-rising.html


Hands Off Gretel - Burn the Beauty Queen
Long-awaited debut from UK spunk queen
separate review here: http://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2016/09/new-record-hands-off-gretel-burn-beauty.html
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIJb64JI4BQ


Fit For Rivals - Freak Machine
quintessential Spunk from Jacksonville, Florida. I missed this one in September and came back to edit the post later -- great record!!
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFlIXYjVS0Y


Deap Valley - Femejism
some spunky grudge LA style. This is one of those bands that could really work for me.. if only they would add another player. This is basically a single guitar with drums (maybe some sounds added in production.) With bands like this, I usually feel like something is missing.. not really a full sound. I'm not saying it has to be a base guitar, but some other instrument to fill in the call and response. Still a good record though. Femejism: get some.

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIreuaDVJdA



Ruts D.C. - Music Must Destroy
cameo by Henry Rollins
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXWtgfvDehA



Against Me! - Shape Shift With Me
you go grrrl
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUWi8lVaGcE



Sleep Machine - Animal High
another one for LA
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhBRatkx_-k



Kidneythieves - the Mend
Another long-awaited new record from a major star in the spunk rock universe. Unfortunately, that standing left very high expectations.. and.. with the exception of a few stand-out tracks, this one falls short. Still a solid record, but you won't find another "Glitter Girl" or "Taxi Cab Messiah" on this new one. "Fist Up" is the stand-out track for me. Audio of that one below.
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-8KQFj0NUA
 

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Wild
That's some fine soul rock. Nashville has nothing on the UK. This was my first meeting Joanne Shaw Taylor, so I looked around online. My fellow music journalists are making a big deal of the fact that a woman is playing a guitar. and not in a you-go-grrl way.
Really? HTFDYF? (How The F--k Do You Figure?)
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93dvPh33EnE





Spunk Rock: after hours
Take a walk on the lighter side with these records in the key of chill:

Izzy Bizu - A Monument of Madness
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52aMOV4Rbpc
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM1_8PJVBto



Skye and Ross - Skye and Ross

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFs5V9fKiEA
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8hAnGoDsoA


Dagny - Ultraviolet EP
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K0y1RT6M68


Still Corners - Dead Blue
softer side of Sub Pop. flavor of dream-gaze. Recommended for fans of Magic Wands and Uh Huh Her


The Tuts - Update Your Brain

The Shondes - Brighton

Pixies - Head Carrier

Baby Baby - Semifamous



Heavy and Classic
there were several good heavy records from..

• Of Mice and Men
• Ghost BC
• Epica

classic rock flashbacks for lovers of the old sound, Guns and Roses, AC/DC, etc.

• Airbourne
• Crobot
• RavenEye

Singles

Nina Diaz:
Debut solo album coming soon from the legendary rock'n'roll monster also known for guitar and vocals from Girl In A Coma.
watch! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xL_nTij-5A

Lizzo: new record coming soon from the heir-apparent to the Grrrl crown. This isn't my favorite by her (see also Good as Hell), but any new Lizzo is a big deal around here.
watch! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zZzn-KxeRI
Good As Hell (May) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmbmeOgWsqE

Lauren Strange
Zombie cover this month, debut full-length coming soon. more here:
http://joelspunkrock.blogspot.com/2016/09/featured-single-lauren-strange-covers.html

Louise Distras
Up-and-coming spunk star from the UK (also touring in the area, so don't miss out if you are local). I enjoyed this video, and so should you..
http://www.kerrang.com/45350/louise-distras-premieres-new-single-aileen/

The Menstrual Cramps
https://vimeo.com/184982068

Hey Violet 

The Pretty Reckless


The Ramona Flowers

Blue Ruin - debut single (August)





Oops I missed it
better late than never...

Skarlett Riot - Sentience (May)

Bleached - Welcome the Worms (April)

Barb Wire Dolls - Desperate (July)




Close, but Nope
There were several strong candidates this month that did not quite make the cut for the playlist (a very busy month, musically.)


Sex Stains
Riot Grrl pioneer Allison Wolfe, of Bratmobile fame, is back with next generation Grrrl band Sex Stains. I must confess I could never really get into Bratmobile, although they hold a position in punk history that I respect. Sex Stains has not changed my mind, but I think this album is worth highlighting.
audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI8NzaOMTQ



Suicidal Tendencies a classic band in punk/rock/metal. not really my cup of tea.

Regina Spektor
a lot of people I know with good music taste really dig this stuff, so I say this with respect, but I could never really connect.


Angel Olsen
I saw a lot of good buzz around this one, so I'm including it here.. too soft for my taste though


A Day to Remember

Rachael Yamagata

Circa Survive

The Wytches

KT Tunstall

Taking Back Sunday

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Pansy Division

New Record: Bad Seed Rising

Awake in Color - 30Sep16

















I had high expectations for this record.
consider them exceeded.


There is some very hard, hard rock, and plenty of delightful soaring softer moments. This record is high energy throughout, and every song packs its own punch. There is a slight break at track 8 of 10 "I believe", where they tame the tempo for some starry sparkling riffs and a beautiful song. This track adds a nice dimensionality to the collection, and the softer themes work their way through the rest of the record to end on a sweet note.

There are points where the vocals border on screaming.. and, as you know, I don't ordinarily dig the screamo stuff.. ordinarily.  But when these waves start to beak and go heavy, it is voiced and played so masterfully, that it never quite trips over that line. Instead, it  pushes the envelope of hard-ass, hard rock'n'roll. nailed it. The heavy edge just hovers atop the cloud of awesomeness. They are so in command of their sound, that they can totally pull it off.

Bad Seed Rising is a group of 4 from the Baltimore area. My fellow music journalist make a big deal of the fact that they are young.. to which I say  - yea, but they used to be younger.

It is true that they were the youngest artist to sign to Roadrunner records. And it is great to see so much musical ability for so young a band. I agree. I only wish there were more old folx with so much spunk. Rock'N'Roll has always begun with the kids.

hear and see more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27WUNp76CPE