Stopping The Mysterious Giggly Boys

Music is a funny ol thing. I wasn't going to write about New York punks Giggly Boys. My bro-from-another-mo sent their EP to me, the bafflingly titled .. That is a full stop. As the title. That is not the reason I wasn't going to talk about it. No. He sent it to me because he heard that I liked Protomartyr (and if he bothered to read Sonic Masala he would have known that before now. I kid, you're alright mate!) and these dark and mysterious yowlers have been playing shows with them of late. But we couldn't really decide whether we liked the songs or not. He decided he didn't; so did I in fact. I even labelled them thus:

It's bog standard. I enjoy it, then forget about it 

Then I woke up this morning, hopped in the shower - and really felt a need to listen to second track 'Sick Joke'. I wanted a Murder City Devils track to soundtrack the opening of my day, but had this at hand instead. I plugged it into the speakers (yes my new shower has speakers) and let fly. Then I let the EP play out. And now it is Tuesday afternoon and I'm still listening to it. Everything is played to a concise manner, with nothing forced (which I originally thought) nor overly original being put in play - there are howls a la John Dwyer to punctuate certain elements from the warbled, just hinged enough vocalist; there is a bridled anger simmering away, drenched in monochrome and baked vitriol. 'Model Behaviour' feels retro, with kraut rhythms permeating throughout; 'Joel's River' has the barked lo-fi mayhem that ...Trail Of Dead embraced early on; closer 'Acid Fight' turns full circle to that Murder City Devils feel (and could be the best some on the EP). It's burning into my synapses. In short - I like it. It needs to be blasted on speakers though, pushed to its limits. I know nothing more about them. If you do, point me in their direction. I'm hooked.

Tripping Out In The Technicolour Lodge

I heard White Lodge before I saw them. It isn't that strange to admit in any form - but the strange thing was that they were from around Brisbane way and I had never heard of them before. What's worse/better, their EP Holy Void was a cracker, with a Murder City Devils vibe trickling out from the viscous cracks held within. They then put out a split record with Taiwan band Forests (who are fucking amazing by the way), supported The Growlers, and then I got them to play a show alongside Melbourne's Heads of Charm, the inimitable Turnpike and the brooding champions Howling Seas - and now here we are, at EP #2. Technicolour Visions continues where Holy Void left off - another six tracks of surf garage gurns and grit, dirty and blasted, but still clean enough to take home to your mum. Where will these guys end up next? I don't know - but they need to play more shows, get their records out there, and slay. Which they will. Drop in and schiz out.

Double Booked At The White Lodge

It's funny how you find out things about your hometown. When I was overseas a few years ago, there were bands popping up like Tape/Off and Dreamtime that I heard, was so stoked to hear, but didn't know they came from Brisbane. Now I consider those dudes friends (and they play excellent music).

Then there is White Lodge. In the space of a week I have been slung two releases from this Brisbane trio - and I've never heard of them. The thing is, they are pretty good. Firstly the band put out an EP last year called Holy Void, and it's a bit eclectic, jumping from jangly guitar pop ('Breath of Shiva') and the now-familiar off-kilter garage sound that Brisbane knows and loves ('Teenage Fever Dream') - but when you have a track that sounds like the fucking Murder City Devils high on PCP performing at Al Swearengen's bar in Deadwood ('Red Moon Hex'), you sit up and take notice.


Then newly-minted Chicago label Gary Records contacted me. They are specialising in creating 7" splits of international bands, bringing light to small bands and bringing countries together. Their first installment features Forests, this great band from Taipei - and White Lodge! They play more to the garage side of things on this release, and it's good enough - but I much prefer the truly unhinged stuff. Especially when the sloppy guitar pop that Forests displays is more lo-fi and all the more endearing for it (seriously, 'The Fall' is pretty killer). Still - we can hope, right?

A Mutual Holy Drowning

I don't often agreed with UK blogmasters Drowned In Sound in recent months (although I seem to be one in the vast minority that thinks the new Chromatics albums is so overrated that it has disappeared up its own arsehole, so that could also be my problem haha!). But sometimes we are in sync, such as our mutual love for Errors' new album (goddamn that is a great record...).

Then I got sent this EP by new skids on the Glasgow block Holy Esque - and it seems that the DiS crew and I aren't so disparate after all. The energetic four-track taster is spiked with sweaty tension, yet is driven by a manic pop mantra that infuses bands such as Future Islands or Modest Mouse, two vastly different bands that ultimately mirror these notions when on song. Plus, those vocals from frontman Pat Hynes remind me of Murder City Devils' Spencer Moody, rasping and yelping his way into an apoplectic epiphany. There are connections to Scottish compatriots The Twilight Sad as far as the emotive muscle to their instrumentation is concerned, yet this is the type of individualistic, lightning-in-a-bottle kind of opening salvos that promises very big things. And to think these guys, who recently scored a Wu Lyf support, are unsigned, is nigh on ridiculous.


Get Holy Esque's EP - I implore you.

Holy Esque - Ladybird Love

These Luddites Are Gettin Got Good!

 

Thee Ludds first hit me as Murder City Devils headed by Jon Spencer's younger brother, with less money, ambition, vitriol and whiskey, but with more apathy and inherent sleaze. A few more listens of Fez Bowl, their cassete on Tie Dye Tapes, and the split they have just done with The NoBrainers, doesnt really have me changing my mind much. These Leceister boys may be new on the scene, but they are aping the right kinds of bands, and with further exposure (especially if they picked up some more London shows, hmm?) they could be pushing all burning down the Old Blue Last come year's end with a thousand dying acolytes at their feet.

Thee Ludds - Skin And Bones

Thee Ludds - I Told You I Would

Resurrection of the Devil

Murder City Devils are a Seattle band that did nothing by halves. Punch-ups, flammable liquids, spit, sweat, a bit of music - MCD gave it their all. And when they imploded back in 2001, spreading out to the likes of Modest Mouse and Pretty Girls Make Graves, especially with the success these bands had, it appeared that the whiskey-drenched dream was over.

But the devil never dies, and the guys have been playing around the traps for some time, on and off. Now I can give news that not only are the boys back together for a bit more than just a couple of gigs, lining up three national tours, but there's rumours of new material to boot! This is fucking amazing news - Murder City Devils are one of the best bands EVER. They are unheralded in their bruising organ-led rock n roll, and they are about to take you all down to their own level of hell.

Murder City Devils - Idle Hands
Murder City Devils - Rum To Whiskey
Murder City Devils - Midnight Service In The Mutter Museum

THE MURDER CITY DEVILS - "18 WHEELS" MUSIC VIDEO from James Bazan on Vimeo.