Go Metric

Frank Turner: Love Ire & Song

Frank Turner
Love Ire & Song CD
Arbor Records, 2008

More folksy than his work with the Million Dead, Turner's second solo album is earnest, heartfelt, and almost too clever. While comparisons to Billy Bragg come to mind, the first few songs are more geek rock by way of Jim's Big Ego. Turner's no Atom and His Package, but his tongue is as firmly in his cheek as his heart's in the right place. Things really kick in with the sixth song, and the title track is a fine example of what Turner's capable of when he's not being silly. That song gives me chills. Also, "Imperfect Tense" is an aggressive rocker that also captures that anger and malaise of aging and disillusionment. The American release features two additional songs, and in the end, the album is excellent. Turner's sense of humor and playfulness is as powerful a weapon as his idealism and hope.

-- Heath Row

Frank Turner Myspace

The Organ: Thieves

The Organ
Thieves CD EP
Mint Records, 2008

This Vancouver, BC, five piece might have parted ways in 2006, but it took until last fall to release their final six songs. Recorded during a brief reunion in 2007, the songs are dark, delightful Easter eggs in the vein of early Cure, the Smiths, and Joy Division. Each band member's contributions—throbbing organ, jagged guitar, rhythmic bass, surgical drums, and Katie Sketch's distinctive singing—add up to a whole that seems something other than mere music. And the songs pass by too quickly. "Let the Bells Ring" or "Can You Tell Me One Thing," which reminds me slightly of HUG's "Texas," might most accurately capture what the women were going for. What beautiful songs.

-- Heath Row

The Organ Myspace

Record Reviews: Alternative Tentacles

Disaster Strikes
Liberty Toast CD
Alternative Tentacles

This is punk/hardcore/metal(?) with a message, man. They sing/scream about exploitative labor practices, corporate sponsorships, apathy of hipster punk poses, the educational system, and more. Sounds pretty exciting, right? If you like angry/aggressive music and you’re into politics, this will be right up your alley. It’s not up my alley, but I do like the cover art (by Winston Smith). Oh, I almost forgot…! Jello Biafra makes a guest appearance on one song (“Mission Accomplished”), and that’s the only thing I really found interesting on this CD. Hooray for Jello!

Fleshies
Scrape the Walls CD
Alternative Tentacles

I like the sound of this CD. It’s raw and roughly recorded, and that’s a good thing. The vocals are often distorted, and that reminds me a little of Toys That Kill. There is no general sound or style here. Sometimes there’s fast and energetic punk rock, sometimes there’s sludgy rock, and then there’s “Runner’s Legs,” a song that sounds like it’s from the 1980’s. I don’t usually like 80’s songs, but it’s my favorite track on this CD. Jello Biafra makes a guest appearance (imagine that!) on a cover of Sparks’ “Happy Hunting Ground,” and that’s pretty entertaining. Otherwise, there’s not much here that’s memorable. It’s the kind of thing I hear and think “oh, this is pretty good,” but I can never really get into it. 

-- Justin Kearbey

(Alternative Tentacles – PO Box 419092 – San Francisco, CA 94141-9092)

Happy Ashtray: Weathervane

Happy Ashtray
Weathervane
(Kitchen Sink Records)

Any double album will raise an eyebrow, but the fact that this 24 song opus is the work of one man leaves my head shaking. John Swamy under the Happy Ashtray moniker wrote, performed, and recorded the material last year, and rather than stagger out releases he let out a barrage in four parts over two discs. Overall Weathervane is long on ideas and thankfully matched in length by talent, but where the album comes up short is obviously the in editing department, as even well-played alt-pop needs room to breathe and move and dance without tripping over it’s own two dozen feet.

Points of reference are somewhat easily found, but only snippets at a time, as the melting pot of sounds gets stirred at a pretty even pace. You can hear some Beck in specific songs like “Mississippi,” but also his influence is felt in the sense that Swamy has similar chameleon-like characteristics, blending in with various genres as if by nature. Roots rock, folk pop, and indie jangle tracks all sound genuine and far from forced. A smoother John Fogerty mixed with a less-trippy Wayne Coyne will put you in the right vocal ballpark , but I wouldn’t really plug CCR or the Flaming Lips into the equation outright. There certainly is a sense of prolific-ness, and a few tracks sound like half-songs, but again the unabashed pop of Guided By Voices is a just a sliver in the overall sound. The college-radio friendliness of R.E.M., Van Morrisson’s blue-eyed soul (or possible a less deadpan Soul Coughing), and Uncle Tupelo’s twang-tinged rock all seem like points that will help orient a listener, but as it all gets deftly swirled around it simultaneously sounds like all of them and none of them.

The sprightly shuffle of “Cold So Cold” is a superb choice for an opener, the smoky groove of “Sold My Flavor On” is great, and the back porch pop of “Starlight” could’ve been big back during the alt-country boom. “100 Down” is a effective straight-ahead rocker, “His Mind Is Reeling” sounds like Elephant 6 fuzz pop/rock without the psychedelia or tounge-in-cheekness. “Solution” is nice and slinky, while “Set Alive” reaches near Atlantic R&B levels of soul rock. Disc highlight and shoulda-been-a-hit “Five Fingered Friend” (finally) appears at the last quarter of the album. It’s one of those catchy tunes that has a rock/pop melody that isn’t mined very often, so it’s got that hummable and fresh quality that makes for a classic mix tape song or radio smash. All aforementioned tracks already make a solid single album, but on top of these you’ve still got another 16 songs that lie somewhere amongst all descriptors for more enjoyable listening. It’s a big undertaking for both performer and audience, and in this day of cherry-picking mp3s instead of “sitting down with an album” it’s a bit risky to present this much material, but in the end I’ve got no complaints. It’s time well spent.

-- Mark Hughson

Happy Ashtray Web site | MySpace

Lucika: Unnerving Depth of Black

Lucika
Unnerving Depth of Black CD (Buy from CDBaby)
Stolen Ghost Records

This is “Oregon Hauntcore”! It’s heavy metal, basically. The recording is pretty rough, but I like that. The guitars are extremely distorted and the vocals are mostly screamed/shouted. The vocals kind of remind me of Paul Baloff’s vocals on Exodus’s classic album, “Bonded By Blood,” but less silly. While it’s definitely not something I’d listen to these days (I would’ve really liked it when I was younger and in my “metal phase”), I like that they remind me of classic metal. Maybe it’s just the rough production, but it’s all right!

-- Justin Kearbey

(Stolen Ghost Records – 1715 West 12th #7 – Eugene, Oregon 97402)

Lucika MySpace

Dateless: Everything Could Turn Out Right This Time

DATELESS
Everything Could Turn Out Right This Time CD
(self-released)

Dateless provide further proof of the Mutant Pop-style pop punk revival! If this band existed in the mid-90s, they’d be on MP colored vinyl, no question. In fact, they’d probably have a split with Dirt Bike Annie. And since Mutant Pop is releasing records again, Timbo, take notice! Please provide us with a 7” by this band! It is your duty! However, here are my all-important recommendations: more girl/boy vocals, more back-up vocals, and stronger choruses! And Dateless, I think you’re up for the challenge! The best songs (“Janel” and “Body Heat” in particular) are awesome! Super sappy lyrics, in a good way! I love sappy pop punk lyrics! Plus, in the grand pop punk tradition, they have a song about a girl named Janelle, but unlike the Queers, they spell it Janel! Curious! If this were a cereal, it’d be Rice Krispie Treats! Sugary! Yum!

-- Maddy Baran

Dateless MySpace

Ugly Stick: Still Glistening

Ugly Stick
Still Glistening CD
Hovercraft, 2008

This is a fine return for the Columbus, Ohio, cowpunk foursome. The 14 years in between their two full-length albums have not dulled the band's enthusiasm or ability. Songs like "Little Lynn," "Gone My Love," and "Left to Lay" show that maturity can bring even greater melodies and mayhem, as well as depth of understanding. At the same time, "Hang Dog Sickness" and "Jerry Can't Make Me" indicate that bar bands can just have fun—and that older doesn't always mean wiser. Ugly Stick is a fun roots rock band, and people who live near Columbus are lucky. For some, this record is as close as we can get—to the band, as well as to the origin of the Columbus sound.

-- Heath Row

Ugly Stick Myspace

We Are Scientists: Brain Thrust Mastery

We Are Scientists
Brain Thrust Mastery CD
Astralwerks, 2008

It's hard to imagine that this band is composed of three guys from Brooklyn. The production is Duran Duran scale; the CD insert in a similar vein, depicting a Wallpaper magazine-tinged jet-set lifestyle; and the music is devoid enough of individual personality or regionalism that the record could have been made anywhere. That said, the first three songs—"Ghouls," "Let's See It," and "After Hours"—are nice bits of glam dance pop, quite catchy, and deserving of repeated listens. The pop is studied, the hooks concentrated, and the band truly scientific. After that, things venture into more generic territory, reminiscent of a-ha and Howard Jones by way of DFA. The songs kind of run together. But those first three tracks? Whoa, Nelly!

-- Heath Row

We Are Scientists Myspace

The Black Beauties: Catch a Beat

The Black Beauties
Catch a Beat CD
Full Breach Kicks

This is 70’s-ish punky rock & roll with snotty vocals. I can’t say I'm really digging it. The recording is very clean (somewhat flat) and the playing is good, but it seems banal. I don’t want to pick on anyone, but the vocals annoy me, too. The music sometimes reminds me a little of the Crumbs, but not as fun or exciting. 

-- Justin Kearbey

(Full Breach Kicks – 2060 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60647)

Black Beauties MySpace

Bag of Toys: Afternooner

Bag of Toys
Afternooner
(Bag of Toys, 2008)

The second album from the San Francisco-area quartet (their debut was called "Nooner") is pretty straight-forward modern hippie college kid music. A little reggae, a little hacky sack, a Che Guevera T-shirt, and you get the idea. It's earnest, fun, well done, and all, but it's not really my bag. The white boy rap delivery of "Smile So Wide" is a little embarrassing, actually. Regardless, the songs "Feel It" and "How You Gonna" are a bright spot in the middle of the record. Fans of Jason Mraz and Ryan Montbleau take note.

-- Heath Row

Bag of Toys Myspace