Resonance: Rock and Roll Radio is dead; long live Rock and Roll Radio

 DISCLAIMER: This entry was composed over about 4-6 months and at least 5 writing sessions. I don't know what its about anymore, what it was about in the beginning, and it will probably be revised in the future until I'm happy with it.

Everyone has those songs that reach into their chest and squeeze their heart. Some even can pull it out and have it catch fire a la Temple of Doom. I've done nothing this week but listen to those songs.

I guess I'll start with "Do You Remember Rock n Roll Radio" by The Ramones. Joe Queer sums up this song for me:

I talked to Joey about it, and that song, “Do You Remember Rock ’n’ Roll Radio?,” (sings)  “Do you remember lying in bed, with the covers pulled above your head?” And I said to Joey, "I couldn’t believe you wrote that line.” And he just laughed and asked why, and I said I thought I was the only one who ever did that. 

The idea of listening to the transistor radio until you fall asleep seems to be a sort of archetype in this country. I used to tune my clock radio to the Oldies station when I was little, or sometimes into one of the myriad country stations. When I was in middle school and early high school, I began tuning into Beth "Damn" Donahue on 102.9 WBUZ at night, and listening until Vallery came on to do overnights, at which point I began to fall asleep. Not too many years later, I got turned on to college radio and my mind was blown. Goal No.1 from then on was to get on that talk'ity box. Which I successfully have done. I'm sorry-- BACK TO THE RAMONES and “Rock n Roll Radio”

I never listened to the 80's Ramones stuff until I heard "Danny Says" and at the risk of an Interweb shitstorm(HAHA! no one reads this blog!), End of the Century became one of my favorite Ramones Albums. That and Leave Home. All the songs on End of the Century just speak to me. And Phil Spector's wall of sound is a nice change of pace. I love songs about the radio, particularly ones about making it relevant again. Down by Law's "Nothing Good on the Radio" still kicks ass and rings true today, in spite of being somehow more dated than the former song that came out like 15 to 20 years prior. 

Rock n Roll Radio hearkens back to an era that, as a college radio DJ, I wish I could be a part of. I'm the sort of guy who gets chills during the scene with Wolfman Jack in American Graffiti 

 

Now, I personally substitute Wolfman for Murray the K, because I thought The K sucked up too much to the Beatles. Not to malign the man, but I just wasn't impressed with that sort of thing. Anyway, the point is that radio, which for me is a treasured medium, is in its death throws as far as having any real cultural relevance. To illustrate, even NPR news corespondent Mara Liasson also moonlights on Fox News to pay the bills.

As I look to start a career in radio, I begin to notice that there is little place for the things I want to do. Gone are the days of a few DJs breaking new artists by taking a chance on a debut single that had come in the mail. Now the new stuff that breaks on most commercial radio stations is what has been sent down from the ivory towers in New York, L.A., and --in my neck of the woods-- Nashville. I am sure that to a point, it has always been this way, but with so many stations turning to syndication, automated systems(particularly Variety Hits formats), which require no DJs at all, and remove most of the slight programming input DJs and listeners ever had.


I personally feel this has killed radio. Many of my reasons are summed up in this Wolfman Jack interview from 1995:





While I somewhat wonder about the validity of The Wolfman's notions of computers using advanced algorithms to select the hits, its not far from the Truth(with a capital T, to underscore the subjective nature of this truth) that much of our modern hit parade has been completely mechanized. The thing is, while I can remember scores of chart topping artists since the mid 90's, I can recall very few of those hits, and much of them don't really seem to evoke much emotional response from me. Bare in mind that I am referring to top 40 pop hits, as opposed to say some of the very iconic rock songs from that time. Furthermore, many of these songs I remember seem to have faded from the cultural memory around me. You don't still hear Pennywise's "Fuck Authority"(peaked at 38 on the Modern Rock Tracks) in most markets. Likewise with most Green Day songs released after 1997 and before 2004(and even the singles from American Idiot have all but disappeared from most airwaves)

Granted top 40 was never about playing songs that were popular, but will I turn on my radio in 25 years to an oldies station and think "Ah, I remember the last time I ever kissed my first girlfriend before she went back to Tokyo, this song was on the radio" when I hear 311's "Amber". Probably not... when was the last time you heard a 311 song other than "Down"? And then only during a 90's weekend on the Modern "Bro(read: Cock)" Rock stations.

The Catalyst #1: Descendents

I can't recall the exact circumstances now, but in a sad and pathetic twist of fate, Descendents songs have served as the catalysts for a number of my troubles with my now estranged ex-girlfriend(this includes some ALL songs, too)

This thought occurred to me this morning, but I couldn't remember what the first song that made me ask susan a question the next day that was answered with a long pause and followed by the words "Thomas. . .  Fuck! I'm not doing this anymore."

You would think that that song would have stuck in my head like glue, but it didn't and now, I'm going to figure out what song it was. A lot of people suggested "Clean Sheets", but I'm about positive that wasn't the song. that song was September's theme. That may be my next post.

For what ever reason, I suspect it was "Good Good Things". More tomorrow. I have a lot of Descendent's albums to listen to

2009

Was god awful for me. Fuck 2009. What's more, it infuriates me when I say "I'm so glad to have this year behind me, and am ready to start a new chapter in my life." only for the schmuck I'm talking to to say "Man I LOOOOOVED 2009, it was great. What are you talking about?"

Well, lets go with music for a start(since this IS a music blog) My favorite records that came out this year were by and large, hardcore records and maybe one ska album, and one pop-punk albums. When you think of the heyday for the latter two genres in America, both were incredibly popular in the 90's, when we weren't stuck in a country that has never been conquered by an occupying force, when there was a bull market, and our president was banging all the fine(and not so fine) ladies. Now we have a disappointment of a president, a public so polarized, i see no hope for reconcilement or bipartisanship, the economy still teeters on the brink of collapse, and life generally sucks. Lots to be angry about these days, and I feel hardcore thrives in that kind of climate

So what are my 2009 picks?

Dolcim - Guillotine Rides
Screamo has really gotten interesting in the last few years. Its gone from the Jerome's Dream and In/Humanity stuff to these big epic songs full of crescendos, and honestly, its pretty amazing and I love it. Dolcim play Envy style screamo, and the hints of their Cease Upon the Capitol heritage are also evident from time to time. Honestly, these guys will probably be on 2010's list when the new album drops. Heard some demos, and discussed the ideas fueling the new record and damn... it's gonna rock.

Coke Bust - Lines in the Sand
Best straight edge hardcore album of the year. These guys have gotten all kinds of good reviews, and its because they're keeping it real, and not totally aping the whole Ceremony/Black Flag thing that's big now, and they aren't trying to sound like Have Heart and Bane, which while I love all those bands except have heart, its nice to see some bands not trying to sound like them for once. Think Youth Crew and Noisy Hardcore crossover. Keep watching these guys

Aggrolites - IV
The best ska album of the year. Traditional ska/rocksteady played with soul, but not like soul(unlike every traditional ska band at the moment) The Soul/Ska fussion stuff is getting played outm but these guys go back to basics.

Moutheater- Ornament
Melvins style grunge. Pretty evil and proves that not all modern grunge has lost its teeth and power.

Lion Of Judah- Number-rology
LoJ are back with this 3 song EP. All more post hardcore than the Universal Peace album. This one leans very much on the Dischord sound of the mid-late 80's.

Give- Self Titled
These guys came outta no where. Post hardcore ala early 90's Fugazi with some southern rock tossed in for good measure. These guys play one of the best live shows I've seen. Thrashing around, wailing on guitars so they have to be retuned every other songs. Thought that kind of sloppiness coupled with somehow tight and in control musicianship died in the 90's

Rouge Nations- Be Your Own Rouge Nation
These guys play straight ahead punk rock ala TSOL, Dead Kennedy's and such like. Smart lyrics, too

A Place to Burry Strangers- Exploding Head
If Devo and Black Reble Motorcycle Club made hot monkey love, this would would be their hot monkey love child.

Teenage Bottle Rocket - They Came From the Shadows
Pop Punk heavyweights return with a new album that got a little too Fat Wreck-ish at times. Still solid and about the only really good pop-punk album to drop this year, IMO.

La Roux - S/T
These synth pop newcomers are making some waves in that scene. Totally chanels the best of 80's synthpop

Cursive- Mama, I'm Swollen
Cursive returns to a sound and concept more reminiscent of Domestica

Pissed Jeans - King of Jeans
I say these guys are the kings of modern noise rock in the vein of Flipper or Jesus Lizard
As We Let Go- Above the Clouds
Japanese Hardcore. Think more like Champion or Bane and less like Gauze or Gizm

Brainwreck - Power On
Out of all the noisy hardcore bands that have cropped up in Nashville, these fellows are the best.

In Defence - Into the Sewer
Party thrash inspired hardcore from the twin cities. Lighthearted, but know when to get serious

STAPH - Keys
Emo. Real emo. 90's ish stuff with a lot better production.









---------------demos--------------
Nationale- 2 song demo tape
90's emo sylings with a female singer. RIP
Trenchfoot- Not Smiling tour cassette
Pop punk not unlike a really simplified and less depressed Off With Their Heads
Cannomen- Demo Vol. 2
Garage inspired Hardcore Punk hearkening back to 80's stuff.
Leach - demo CDr
Nashville Hardcore vetrans playing Weezer style power pop
Guide - demo CD-r
Murfreesboro TN hardcore with some Youth Crew vibes.



That's the list. I don't think I have to justify these. they're all amazing. I make these lists by basically sitting and writing the first things that come to mind. I figure if I remember them when I think about stuff I liked, they must be the best I heard that year. I also only put stuff I've actually listened to on the list. I know there are lots of other great records that dropped this year, but i didn't hear 'em. I own some I know would be on the list and I haven't played them yet.

Berserk- Complete Go-Kart releases.

That's really only 1 CD and a compilation song, but its all awesome. Berserk were a pop punk band from Maryland, and were the first band to have a full length on the then fledgling New York DIY powerhouse. The band has one cassette EP/demo I'm trying to track down, and another comp track on the Walking By A Building comp from Hat Factory. There was a 7" single for "Giant Robots" with "When I Think" on the B. There was demo version of "Giant Robots" on the soundtrack to Justin Case Productions’ PERMANENT DAMAGE. That covers the released material, aside from a video of their 1998 reunion.


God, that's boring, isn't it? On to some more interesting stuff. The band formed in the late 80's, with the Gonna Save the World From Danger dropping in 1989 on Beef Platter Records, who maintain a pretty useful page on the band with some reviews from various zines. They're all cool things to read, but hit on the same points: "Giant Robots", Love of Japanese and Korean Pop-Culture and Women, Incredible pop sensibilities. One zine review not included was one from the old Cake zine where the reviewer felt that the opener "Giant Robots" was "too Devo" and so otherwise panned a record he never listened to. Now that's solid Rock Journalism! Honnestly, the Devo comparison is pretty ignorant of band's far more similar to Berserk, and applies to maybe two songs on a 12 song record.

The trio comprised of Brent Malkus, David Crawly, and Skizz deliver some really awesome not played out pop-punk. In the early 90's Go Cart seemed to be doing two things- in your face garage punk a-la Meatmen, Buttsteak, and Candy Snatchers, and pop-punk with indie rock sensibility. Bands like Weston and Doc Hopper and Berserk were taking more cues from The Doughboys than Greenday or Screeching Weasel. As mentioned ad nauseam in reviews, The Buzzcocks cast a long shadow over Berzerk, but at the same time, songs like "Korean Kabbidge [sic]" and "Bluehearts" could have come off The Doughboy's Crush. Those song names bring up another important facet of the song lyrics- Love of asian pop culture and associated institutions.

Over half the songs reference some sort of Japanese cultural icon or an Asian girl the singer is pining after. This was probably what drew me to the record, as I have long loved Japanese movies and TV(anime included) and had recently had my first dating experiences with a girl from tokyo that transfered to my school for a year. These guys were basically like the minstrels in Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail, following me and narrating my life and thoughts. I'd love to interview these guys and talk about their experiences that created this blend of mournful love songs and songs about Ultraman.


The album breaks into two halves really. The first six songs are fairly upbeat and rollicking, while the second half is darker in tone and style. Its kind of like one side is for when you're happy and in the perfect relationship, and the other side is for when you feel like me. 


This album was one of my first punk albums that wasn't by a band that every punk rock wannabe worth his weight in pyrite knows(e.g. Misfits, Ramones, Dead Kennedys etc.).  This was the kind of punk rock that the hometown bands played in Murfreesboro at the time, so it instantly struck a chord the first time I heard the album, and so for a time it was in heavy rotation in my car. That means two things, first being I got sick of it after a time, and the second will be addressed at the end of this post. Since then, I pull this CD out only sometimes. I think it hadn't been played in over a year and a half when I put it in the CD player this morning on a whim. The problem is two fold:


1. Berserk has such a limited output, that the songs get old very fast, and thus the band does too


2. Berserk don't innovate with these songs, so much as showcase their excellent songwriting. not much new is on the table, so it can easily become background noise


So now, when i clean out an old binder or desk and find a note from Marie(afore mentioned Japanese girlfriend) I get this CD out. Or when I've had a particularly awful day/week/5 months.


So with out further ado- Berserk


EDIT:


I found the liners from the CD and the GKvCG compilation. It didn't shed much light on the record, other than that the album had actually been scheduled for release several years earlier. Go Kart bought it from the original label, and put out in 1994. It was also released in Austrailia,(on time i think) and had at the time of the compilation's pressing only sold 140 something units. 


A big thanks to Skizz and  Beef Platter Records for keeping a pretty decent archive of information on the scene they helped build in Maryland in the 90's!

oops

Haven't had much to post here lately, but I do have a lot of new music for future posting here.

But I haven't Listened to any of it. I drug out dad's old LP collection and have been checking that out. So right now its some quick reviews of wax older than I am.

1)

The Songs of Leonard Cohen- Leonard Cohen, 1967

This is Cohen's first album. While the front cover is pretty non descript, the back(which I could not actually find, but pictured is a tribute album using the same image), as you can see is pretty out there. Which is a pretty good illustration of what the album is like.

One second, Leonard is presenting a very beautiful ballad, but the lyrics have a dark and sinister twist.

"Suzanne", the lead off track, is easily the crown jewel of this album. The rest of album seems to build off the cadence Cohen presents in this first song. "That's No Way to Say Goodbye" is probably my second pick on this one.

Cohen isn't just a one trick pony on this one though. He delves into some pretty odd sounds in the final cuts of the album, and "Sisters of Mercy" is almost incongruent with the rest.

These are dark songs. I think if you know any of Cohen's work, you probably know that with out being told. Gorgeous music though. The songs on the B-side have some choruses of female backing vocals... I can do with out those.

Heart Attack and Vine-Tom Waits 1980

Tom's last Asylum release, this album ranges from visceral blues tunes about the underbelly of American city life, and visceral jazzy piano ballads, and one song later covered by the Boss. Waits is in fine form here, and often fluctuates from a baritone voice to his iconic slurring growl within the same verse.

I find there is a bit of a lull at the end of the title track, an instrumental blues composition that just doesn't do much for me. Other than that, this album is perfect. Its almost two EPs shuffled together at times. The slower ballads are all the heartfelt kind about how much love hurts, which, if you read my other blog, is how i've felt. There's a slimy feeling to this one and it's not to be missed.

Green Day- 21st Century Breakdown

<---A Rock Journalist Rock Journalism- A dream job for me. I took a step toward that this summer with some intense photography stuffs at some shows and lined up some interviews. In an atempt at boosting my rock journalist cred here's a stab at a sacred cow of modern rock. It's a loving stab, kinda like how Brutus stabbed Ceaser.

If you keep up with former punk rock outfits, you surely know that once great East Bay out fit Green Day dropped a new album back in May. Right around the time my cat died, my girlfriend left me, and I turned 23 and felt like I was living my favorite Blink 182 song[What's My Age Again?](Screw off, Enema of the State was good for what it was(the album that opened my mind to punk music) at the time). That's a fragment. So anyway, Green Day is a band that, while I hold lots of nostalgia for, I hold no continuing respect for after Warning and American Idiot, so I didn't give the new one a fair try. So here's a track by track review:

Song For the Century: Fluff. nothing of real value here, they book end it on the last song(s).

21st Century Breakdown- Starts out like a Weezer song. Not awful, but not "Armitage Shanks" either. It then goes into some celtic inspired Drop Kick Murphys stuff. generic, but it couldn't brace me for the sudden 80's KISS that ends the song.

Know Your Enemy- This song sounds like it came off of Warning. I imagine this must be one of the lead singles. Its catchy, and doesn't stray too far from the sound they built between Nimrod and Warning, so its pretty safe for Mr. Radio™. Anyone can like this if they enjoy what the radio foists upon us.

¡Viva la Gloria!- This starts out as a piano ballad. It sucks. Then it stops, Tré clicks out a count off, and it goes into some rollicking pop-punk goodness with lots of melody. I actually like this one. It reminds me of some of the stuff on Nimrod. Pleasant Surprise.

Before the Lobotomy- What's up with the cheesy acoustic intros then exploding into rock? But hark! THIS SONG IS "WALKING CONTRADICTION" WITH A FEW EXTRA LICKS AND NEW WORDS!!! Shit you not... Check it at 1:20 and compare with the hit single from Insomniac

Greenday has aped everyone from the Doughboys, to Dillinger 4, to the Kinks. This doesn't speak to the originality of the band, when they recycle their 15 year old hits. I know that when you work with song structures that only use 3-6 chords in a song, you are gonna have some stuff that sounds similar to your other work, but Green Day by this stage knows how to write stuff that doesn't sound like Green Day.

Christian's Inferno- Weird new wave intro gives way to 3 chord rock and does that a couple times. Kinda Devo-ish at parts. The chorus is awful; I can't back this track... its lame. The outro reminds me of "Welcome to Paradise"

Last Night on Earth- Piano rock intro... I hate piano rock for the most part. I take that back... this is a piano rock song... its not God awful. Kinda Ben Folds-y; I like him. I'd make out to this song. Its nice, but not captivating so you can focus on technique.

East Jesus Nowhere- Remember that Holiday song? Not the one by Weezer or Madona, the one off American Idiot. "East Jesus Nowhere" is the same style. Green Day first used this percussive guitar style with "Hitchin' a Ride" as I recall. I would not be surprised if this one gets heavy radio play. This song is a bit too long

---It is at this point I realized the shortest song the record is 2:54, most being over 4 minutes. This is not Punx.---

Peacemaker- I point you too this Mitch Clem Comic-..... well I couldn't find it, but back in the late 90's every punk band had at least one ska song, and this sounds kinda like the band wrote a pretentious concept album ska song. poorly executed, totally forgettable. Its also has hints of kelzmer. Once again, trend hopping(lol folk/gypsy punk)

Last of American Girls- Poppy, kinda bland. Very much a throw back to the botched Warning album. Wow... Really poppy and way too long. There's a solo in here that needed to be omitted or used as on outro. Which is one of the short comings of this album. The songs go on too long saying the same thing over and over

Murder City- Straight forward pop-punk. I really like this one. Its the shortest track, and sounds the most like the Green Day I love, but has a nice solo in the middle that doesn't come across as forced displays of talent(like many others on this album) This one is a keeper.

¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl)- Very Klezmer intro. If you don't know what Klezmer is, think "Hava Nagila". Its a folk music with roots in Jewish European culture. This song has little in common with ¡Viva La Gloria! earlier on the record sound wise. The connection must be in the lyrics which advance the concept of the album, which I've not paid much notice of

Restless Heart Syndrome- Mid career Beatles intro. Very Brit-pop sounding song. I guess this one was supposed to appeal to fans of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". I'm sure its all through out the album, but this song has a distinct wall of sound: string sections, layered guitars that strum and drone and twinkle at the same time. This is a well produced song, but really not what I come to Green Day for. If you can't tell, I'm trying to be as fair as I can. I don't want to lam baste the whole thing, so if something stands out on a track, I'll mention it. I can't help it if a lot of what stands out is how bad some of these songs are. In the case of this one, its a solid song, but not a Green Day song in my mind. If Oasis or Suede had cut it though...

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades- So much like the Hives and other neo-garage rock bands, its uncanny. I swear if you had Jet or Jack White singing this, you wouldn't know it was Green Day. I like that stuff, but it just seems out of place here.

The Static Age- Despite the title, the Misfits don't abide in this song. Its pretty generic rock and roll, nothing stands out here. Its not bad, but it certainly isn't good. Mediocrity oozes from this one.

21 Guns- I think this is one of the lead singles. Total radio trash balladry. This is 21st Century Breakdown's "Boulevard"

American Eulogy (Mass Hysteria/Modern World) Song For the Century repeats then goes into two excellent tracks that wrap up the story. "Mass Hysteria" bleeds out into "Modern world" in the way "Brainstew" broke down into "Jaded". Modern World is classic Green Day sound. I love this track. They two songs sort of converge at the end, and they partner perfectly. This is what the majority of the album SHOULD have sounded like. You have mature songwriting and musicianship that does not compromise the sound the band established in their early heyday on Reprise

See The Light- Some Who homage is going on here. Not bad, but like the rest of the album, is cleaned up to appeal to the masses. Which leads me to this conclusion-

21st Century Breakdown would have been an excellent album from another band or a post Green Day project from Armstrong(who from certain sources, is currently the driving creative force in the band). There are some very good songs on this that will never get proper attention because of the direction the band seems to want peruse musically. I stand by my statement I made after American Idiot came out– Green Day should have quit after Nimrod and done these projects under a different banner.

Nimrod, while not the band's magnum opus (I maintain that honor goes to 1996's Insomniac), was a perfect album, capturing a band that had run its course in the best way possible, by burning bright, working hard, and growing up. Now we see this band some 10 years later still trying make buck off a revered moniker. People forget that Green Day's second wind came after a hiatus, a piss poor album(Warning), an aborted album, and a near break up that was only resolved through band therapy. That's some Spinal Tap shit.

I make this claim about performing under a new moniker, because I know that all of these members could do it. Ever hear of Pinhead Gunpowder? This San Francisco punk super group has had moderate success despite limited performances, focusing mostly on recording. Armstrong plays guitar and does some vocals. How about Foxboro Hot Tubs or the Network? Both of these Green Day side projects sound nothing like the classic Green Day albums(meaning they are of the same ilk as the last three Green Day albums) but enjoy moderate success with limited promotion. Mike Drint also enjoys some side project success, filling in with Screeching Weasel around the time of How to Make Enemies and Irritate People, and more recently with The Frustrators. Is there really any need to drag the old East Bay pop punk institution through the mud anymore?

I can understand why some rock journalists are praising this album, but I feel that when reviewing albums, many people don't look at history of groups. But I guess that's why I'm a blogger and not making the big bucks with Rolling Stone.

*note: the term sellout did not appear in this blog until now. Let's not resort to petty name calling, after all.

New Records

I just made a miniature haul for most record collectors, and what amounts to finding a 200 karat red diamond the size of my fist for me. I live in a pretty small town for America, and since the downfall of Grand Palace Records, Hardcore and Emo being sold in stores has been scarce(read:nonexistent)

But today I have found three awesome LP's of 90's hardcore and emo

Heroin s/t looks to be an older pressing, at least it has a different cover that the pressing currently for sale from Gravity(its lighter, no green on it either)

Rorchach- Remain Sedate- pretty sure this is from the first (only?) press run of this band featuring th founder of Gern Blandsten records

Unwound- Repetition is from 1996, and is when the group began to add other instruments that treadionally weren't "rock". Not my favorite stuff from them, but better than nothing.