Happy Damage In The Jacuzzi

Back in 2009, before I started Sonic Masala with Paul, he made me a mixtape (awww!) of all the bands that he thought I would be into. On that list was stuff from Thee Oh Sees, Meth Teeth, Vivian Girls and Monotonix - most of the others I can't remember (I lost the CD when I had to move back over to London from Australia last year...) One band I do remember was the deliriously scuzzy insanity of Miami garage rockers Jacuzzi Boys (the track - 'Island Avenue' - the type of track that Brisbane mates Tiny Migrants used to spit out). I have always been into their brand of scrappy, explosive sounds, and new EP Happy Damage is more of the same. The darker 'Sun' is more my cup of rock, but the explosive title track is heaps of fun too. Blast it out of the speakers to see out your Sunday.

Nought Like Yonatan Gat

Back a few years ago, Paul, the guy I started Sonic Masala with, had a favourite band. That band was Monotonix. The Israeli garage rock unit were a maniacal maelstrom of sound and fury, throwing themselves figuratively and literally under the bus of the rock gods gig after gig. The underground swell of hype that built over their shows grew to the point they were looking at becoming global superstars. But as with all pent up balls of sonic light, it has to burn out, and in 2011 Monotonix called it a day.

And today we have Yonatan Gat, the frontman from that venture, having released a 10" Physical Copy beast on Joyful Noise Recordings (grab it here - it has a blood red smear on the vinyl which is pretty great looking too). It includes the seven minute instrumental fried jam that is '0'. It has received the requisite Steve Albini noise treatment, so it sounds loud and abrasive. The thing this, there is a unhinged yet meticulous approach to '0' that Albini, or any other producer at the top of their game, just cannot harness - it is in the creative DNA. Gat may be more improvisational and rhythm driven, but his confrontational sense of melody and explosive expression is still very much in evidence here.

Doin It Like Rabbits

Sonic Masala (especially Paul) loves manic rock performers. Hence our (especially Paul's) love of Israeli garage wigouts Monotonix and the manic gyrations of party stopouts Pulled Apart By Horses. And although Ive heard a couple songs in the past, I saw some clips last week of Arizona's Nobunny - and a new SM favourite is born.

Imagine Andrew W.K morphing into a centaur, and Nobunny has a running mate. With songs exuding rude, obnoxious and infantile behaviour, complete off-the wall performances with varying degrees of undress, and mannerisms that whip the most demure of music enthusiasts into a writhing bag of euphoria and pheromones, its impossible to not have fun. The music itself? Great garage rock. You marry the music with the man and you get an all round good time.

Latest LP First Blood is out next week through Goner Records, whilst hunt down older releases through Hozac Records and Burger Records.

Nobunny - Blow Dumb
Nobunny - (Do The) Fuck Yourself

NOBUNNY- I Am A Girlfriend (mess-around) from rob downs on Vimeo.

Touching up the Monotonix

Monotonix are playing Camp Basement tonight. If you know about Monotonix then I don't need to tell you that the Israeli trio have overwhelmingly carved out a place as the most entertaining live band currently touring. Who else plays their drum kit on top of the crowd on such a consistent basis?

I could go on about Monotonix's insane and riotous live sets but that would be missing the point. You really have to take part to understand. Even some pics and a vid from this year's Primavera might give you a better idea. But the point I wanted to make is Monotonix don't seem to attract the same amount of column inches about their recorded wares as they do their live exploits, so I thought their London show tonight would be a good reason to post a track form their twin 7"s, Never Died Before and Fun Fun Fun, out on Drag City, from back in April, and the legendary Set Me Free for good measure.

So now you can listen to a bit of Monotonix as well as 'feel' them live! And if you don't get to see the Israelis tonight, try crowd surfing with a hairy tramp on the top deck of an overcrowded tube replacement bus with these tunes cranking out your headphones, its the closest you're going to get!

Monotonix - Never Died Before
Monotonix - Set Me Free

More pics and Vid after the drop...