12.Aug.2009 Top Jam(s) of the Week: “Coin Under Tongue” and “Shaven Clean” by Coin Under Tongue
With the gnarliest guitar sound outside of A Place to Bury Strangers, it’s only a matter of time before Coin Under Tongue blow out their amplifiers, blow out the electricity to whole city blocks, and blow up all over this thing we call the internet. Still, without a full length to their name, but getting [...]
05.Jun.2009 Moving Pictures: "Over It" by Dinosaur, Jr
Turns out it’s just not the fans who get a bit nostalgic when they hear Dinosaur, Jr’s J Mascis unleash his trademark guitar wail. It’s the band, too. In the video for “Over It,” Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph are shredding through city scapes like a bunch of teenagers on skateboards and bmx’s. Even if [...]
26.Mar.2009 Moving Pictures: "Spoonman" by Tadgarden
While Soundgarden’s once mighty lead, Chris Cornell is off doing whatever it is he’s doing with Timbaland, aka ruining what’s left of his cred, the remaining members of Soundgarden had a reunion of sorts the other night in Seattle. And from the sound of this live video featuring fellow Seattle sludge master, Tad Doyle, on [...]
Moving Pictures: "Bell" by Screaming Females
Seeing as though Marnie Stern still won’t return any of my calls, texts, and emails, and all of those lovely fruit baskets I’ve sent to her have come back return to sender, I figure it’s about time I turn my attention to another shredding female: Marissa Paternoster of the New Jersey band, Screaming Females. And [...]
11.Mar.2009 Is it Too Early to Take Back My Top Jam of the Week Nomination…
‘Cause this cover of the Flaming Lips doing Madonna’s “Borderline” is so, so rad. VIDEO: Flaming Lips – Borderline
03.Mar.2009 Moving Pictures: "Monk Chant (Live on German TV)" by The Monks
This clip of the way influential garage rock band, The Monks, playing “Monk Chant” on German TV in 1965 poses an interesting question. If you’re mind is being blown and you don’t know it’s being blown, is you’re mind really blown? Seriously, German kids, who are now old German people, you’re dancing to one of [...]
25.Feb.2009 Moving Pictures: "Tomahawk" by Wild Yaks
True to their name, Brooklyn’s Wild Yaks make manly, man rock — bearded, bare chested, calloused hands, hairy back, every meal wrapped in bacon, man rock. Their video for “Tomahawk” isn’t about precision or proficiency, but passion. Mightily pounded, straight rhythms and unburdened shouts of “How do I get my Tomahawk back” draw the listener [...]
21.Feb.2009 Moving Pictures: "Records of a Flagpole Sitter" by Surf City
At six songs and less than 20 minutes the debut EP by New Zealand’s Surf City is quite the tease. Literally, I can’t get enough of their ragged, jagged, and bouncy lo-fi pop. I can’t get enough of those surf guitars, crisp beats, and that unhinged enthusiasm, punctuated by hearty yelps and honest ooh-oohs. It’s [...]
30.Jul.2008 “Winston’s Atomic Bird” by Boston Spaceships
I don’t want to get ahead of myself here, but…I’ve now heard two tracks from Robert Pollard’s new band, Boston Spaceships, and they’re some of the best tunes he’s done since the end of Guided by Voices. For those of us who have followed Uncle Bob along the countless solo albums and side projects, this [...]
16.Jul.2008 “Nowheres Nigh” by Parts & Labor
During my 2+ years running I Rock Cleveland, I’ve learned to separate Bill the music fan from Bill the blogger/critic. It’s not easy. You don’t know how many times I wanted to write, “This sh*t rules,” in lieu of a more formal review. Well, I just heard a new track by Parts and Labor, and [...]
