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Jam City: New Jams by Bully, Heartless Bastards, and KEN Mode
Fun fact #1: While attending college at Middle Tennessee State, Bully's Alicia Bognanno majored in Audio Engineering. She did her internship with noted engineer, Steve Albini. Fun Fact #2: Bognanno recorded Bully's forthcoming album, Feels Like (out June 23rd on Star Time International). Fun Fact #3: The fact that I just said Bognanno is an Albini disciple means many of you will play the below tracks without any further context.
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I Rock Cleveland vs The Beachland Ballroom: DJ Playlist 5.16.15
As always, thanks to the Beachland for inviting me out Saturday night to get the jams and booze flowing before the Mr. Gnome, Ohio Sky, and Nights show in the Ballroom. And while I'm not one to brag, I've gotta say this was one of my stronger sets. I played five(!) artists name dropped by LCD Soundsystem in "I'm Losing My Edge," and "I'm Losing My Edge." How cool is that? About as cool as the section where I went Nick Cave, Nirvana, Obnox, Mos Def, David Bowie, Neu, Television, electric eels, Sonic Youth and L7. That's how cool it was. Scroll down below for the Spotify playlist.
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This One Rips: “Eyes Closed” by Deaf Wish
Grunge is not dead. If the recent Metz release didn't make it obvious to you that there's a still a market for gnarly guitar racket more than 20 years after Nirvana's demise, then the new single by Melbourne's Deaf Wish (also on Sub Pop Records) should do it.
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The Rockometer: Sound & Color by Alabama Shakes
Is it still dad rock if the band is young and the lead singer, Brittany Howard is an African-American woman? I'm serious about this. For as much as I listen to Sound & Color, the second album by Alabama Shakes, I can't shake the feeling that the classic Wilco burn is appropriate here.
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The Rockometer: II by Metz
Now, listening to a Metz LP isn't the same as being at a Metz concert. The record doesn't come packaged with a vial of sweat from guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins. You don't get to see him transform from everyman to raging man. And, there's no threat of taking a boot to the head from the crowd surfer elevated center stage. For real, in the year 2015, people crowd surf at a Metz show. Maybe not at your fancy pants clubs in New York and LA, but here in Cleveland kids can still get a lift to the top of the throbbing masses.
But, after the first three tracks by these Toronto punks on the simply titled, II, you can get pretty damn close to the experience of being there.
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