Torch(e)ing It All, Relapsing, Restarting

The list of musical acts that I have missed seeing because I wasn't in Australia at the time is an understandably small yet strangely bizarre one. Acts that I should have seen a number of times in the UK and Europe have inexplicably passed me by. While my greatest miss - Neil Young in 2009 - has been rectified a few times now, I am yet to catch the likes of Iceage (although friends often tell me I'm not missing much), Sleep and Sunn O))). I can now add Torche to this list after they tore up the continent last October. At least I can console myself in the knowledge that their upcoming album, Restarter, comes out next month and is already gearing up to be a huge one. The pulverizing riffs that open up new single 'Annihilation Affair' are terrifying in the power that rises in the chest when it hits you - it's "listening to Part Chimp for the first time and involuntarily relaxing all sphincters of your body" good. And like Part Chimp (and Helms Alee for that matter), these Miami veterans have always treated their masterful take on destruction as being hilarious as much as apocalyptic, which makes it all the more an orgiastic epiphany when the titanic tides burst the banks and blow you away in the last moments. Restarter is Torche's first album on Relapse, and has been mixed by Converge's Kurt Ballou too. Grin plastered, ears blasted - all boxes have been firmly checked.

Pre-order Restarter here - plenty of excellent vinyl options too, including green/purple merge, black with etching, a picture disc, and glow in the fucking dark.

Colossal Cuckoos Live Large

I have spoken about bizarros Hey Colossus before - my introduction to them was when Descalator supported Pontiak at the Old Blue Last back in 2010. I bought their split release with Hey Colossus was something quite off the wall brutal. The London/Somerset collective have released a new album, Cuckoo Live Life Like Cuckoo, and its suitably twisted. Their eighth longplayer - seriously - is easily the best thing Ive heard them procreate. There is a hedonistic, foaming at the mouth quality to unhinged tracks like 'Hot Grave' that nevertheless sound like one toe is still full submerged in the lakes of irony and sarcasm, even as they self-flagellate with a rhinoceros horn. They are transparent - they love their Melvin-esque dirge quirk dipped liberally in Yow madness and drowning in Part Chimp's acidic tears - but the sheer abandon and maniacal glee these tracks are delivered with supersedes any tips of the hat. And then 'Leather Lake' rears its shorn, bloodied skull, and your bowels will never forgive you. I have to admit I didn't know about this record until my bro-in-law slung it my way last week, and I'm eternally grateful. What can I say - he knows me, sardonic devilry and all.

Grab Cuckoo Live Life Like Cuckoo here - its out now through MIE Records. Seriously great.

Those Idiots Are Dead

 

It often surprises me when I love something heavy. Not because I'm a poppy kinda guy, but usually because I'll have spent half the day listening to some guitar pop band, and then I'll hear something that is the polar opposite of what I've been enjoying and a perverse shiver of excitement runs down my spine. Today, that was Idiots, Melbourne metal miscreants Dead’s new album. Friends of mine, No Anchor, told me about this last year, yet I never really got around to listening to it. Even now, with it blaring out of the speakers, it attacks my brains with rusted skewers, my eyes feel raw, my teeth ache. Yet this kind of visceral dirge is electrifying. Plus, Dead are fucking funny. In most ways that’s the best thing – bands like Part Chimp, Melvins, The Austerity Program, Big Business – they don’t take themselves seriously at all, which is why their music rules. They play because they fucking love making a racket, without wanting to get tied down in the histrionics of being “metal”. The fact they are a duo and craft such a brutal sledgehammer of primitive noise makes it so much better also. How do they do it? Without a guitar? No Anchor should know – but they now have three members, so a double bass assault – yet Dead rivals them in intensity and annihilation.

A favourite? Hard to say. The slight, wraith-like opening before the explosion of entrails in ‘The Carcass Is Dry’ is sneaky, and all the more brutal because of it; ‘Couldn’t Keep His Mouth Shut’ is frenetic brute strength, a kick to the ribs and pliers to the teeth; ‘Up’ crawls along like an undead, unrelenting in its base desires, before bursting forth in a sudden rush of rage and wanton fury. ‘Murder Hollow’ is a freakshow, an ominous cauldron of pent-up fears and anxieties that coalesce into much darker emotions. ‘Bed Bugs’ is fast paced awesomeness, a rippling masterclass of musicianship that elevates itself above the sludge, propelling headfirst into the violence of ‘Inherit The Wind’, just before submerging again in the menacing yet restrained closer ‘Lego Men’.

This noise rock is what the world needs – a cleansing of the skin, one eradicated reality TV show and Madden brother at a time.

 

You can get Idiots from Melbourne label WeEmptyRooms here, either in black or white vinyl. There is a limited edition version too - it's a 180 Gram LP, a 7 colour screen printed insert on archival paper hand made by the band and all sold for way less than it is "worth" labour wise.

Dead - Couldn't Keep His Mouth Shut
Dead - Bed Bugs

DIY Is Good - DIT Is Better

 

I came across the trailer for this documentary earlier this week, and have spent the consequent time trying to find out what the hell it's all about. Do It Yourself is a collective of youngsters based in Amsterdam who create new media and organise events, bringing together creative people who like and make honest and independent art. Yet the endeavour is to stress that this is global. Currently, their main project is a documentary [named, funnily enough, Do It Together]. It explores the life of independent artists who struggle to survive making music in a changing world, with a large number of DIY artists taking part, giving their opinions and ideas of where this medium is heading to, along with plenty of great live performances. The movie is focused on the DIY ideology and the artists' independence, today's music industry issues, copyright matters, young artists barriers, the experience that people have and new ways they find to spread their art.

Take a look at the collaborators: So far we have many artists involved in this film. To name some:
- Devo [US]
- Steve Albini [US]
- Flux Information Sciences [US]
- Shipping News [US]
- David Yow /The Jesus Lizard [US]
- Lite [JP]
- John Dikeman [NL]
- Adebisi Shank [IE]
- Hella [US]
- Julien Fernandez [IT]
- Polvo [US]
- Tera Melos [US]
- Giraffes? Giraffes! [US]
- Chevreuil [FR] - Deerhoof [USA]
- The Ex [NL]
- Knalpot [NL]
- Le Singe Blanc [FR]
- Boutros Bubba [NL]
- Petrol [RS]
- Parts & Labor [US]
- Aural [UK]
- Deformica [ARG]
- Pneu [FR]
- Aucan [IT]
- Dan Deacon - [US]
- Part Chimp [UK]
- Al Scorch [US]
- Nelson Can [DK]
- Hurtmold [BR]
- Gijs Gieske [NL]
- The Bulletproof Tiger [CA]
- Kit [US]
- Selfkill [TWN]

That's a mere fraction. With the documentary due out in March, the collective aim to conduct some workshops to teach people how to do audio engineering and lights at shows, to get people more involved in their respective DIY communities. I'm very keen to see how this progresses, and what local communities already in existence think of this. You can visit their website here, and by all means, leave your thoughts below. You can also email them here if you are interested in finding out more.

Torch(e)ing Part Of The Dying Chimp

Its with much sadness that this release comes out. Whilst its an excellent one - a 12" tour split between Scotsmen Part Chimp and US mentalists Torche (plus they play Guided By Voices covers!!!), it marks the second last release that we will get from the Glasgow noise merchants, what with them pulling up stumps in the New Year. Chunklet are the fine folks that are putting this out, and its a special one. The story is thus:

"Five years ago, during SXSW, Chunklet put on a 20 band bill in two parking lots in north Austin. Two bands met and became immediate fans of each other. Torche, who were still a brand new band and at SXSW at Chunklet's request, and Part Chimp, the noise titans from London who were touring the States for the second time. And well, on that steamy tarmac, a love affair was born. Almost immediately thereafter, we all started discussing a split release featuring the two bands, and sadly, it takes the pending dissolution of Part Chimp to make it happen. Yes, this is the final Part Chimp release here in the States and the penultimate worldwide."

Sad, right? But at least this thing exists! Part Chimp turn in two scorchers, 'Dr. Horse' and 'The Watcher', while Torche send a love letter to the boys from Dayton and cover three GBV songs ('Exit Flagger', 'Unleashed! The Large Hearted Boy' and 'Postal Blowfish').


But the awesomeness does not stop there! You get a colour vinyl with the cover artwork (featuring Gorillas and Yeti's fighting in a future we'll hopefully never witness) done by the world-renowned sci-fi illustrator Trevor Claxton. That's the art that lies above and below us, gang! Furthermore, that amazing looking type was hand drawn by Nolen Strals from Post-Typography and Double Dagger, another band that has just called it a day (one of the best bands I have ever seen - sigh...).


I hope you are planning on getting your mitts on this one! Grab it here before it all runs out!!

Have a listen to Part Chimp's 'The Watcher' and Torche's version of 'Exit Flagger' here.

Sonic Masala's Fave Gigs of 2010!

OK, so we have seen a hell of a lot of gigs this year, so much so that it has been hard to keep track! So over a couple of Doom Bars on Sunday we tried to nut it all out, and still managed to miss a couple (ah...Mono?!?!?). Anyway, with our collective hazy memories somewhat in check, here are our favourite shows that blew us away. Again, there are more than ten here - no need in splitting hairs really. And whilst still not in a rigid order, the top few were the highlights amongst the highlights...

Sonic Masala's Favourite Shows of 2010

Double Dagger - ALL OF THEM! (Lock Tavern/Rest Is Noise/Cargo

Godspeed You Black Emperor (The Troxy)

White Hills/Pontiak (The Luminaire)

Thee Silver Mt Zion Orchestra (Electric Ballroom)

Mono (Scala)

Liars (Heaven)

Deerhunter (Heaven)

Part Chimp/Sloath/Gum Takes Tooth (The Luminaire)

Fuck Buttons/Factory Floor (Heaven)

My Disco/Factory Floor/Snowman (The Lexington)

The Knife - "Tomorrow, In A Year" opera (The Barbican)

Mi Ami/Islet (Barden's Boudoir)

Pontiak (Old Blue Last)

Action Beat/Stig Noise/Shield Your Eyes (The Macbeth)

Thee Oh Sees/Sex Beet (The Luminaire/Plan B)

Women (Cargo/The Social)

TuNe-YaRdS/Trash Kit (Cargo)

Eddy Current Suppression Ring (The Zoo, Brisbane, Australia - yep, my guilty pleasure!)

Best Gigs of 2010...by The Luminaire

The people behind the best venue in town, The Luminaire, pondered long and hard over what they thought were the best acts to pass through their hallowed halls this year, and have succinctly stated their top ten of 2010...

Best gigs at the Luminaire in 2010:

Malcolm Holcombe
Xiu Xiu
Dick Dale
Warpaint
Dum Dum Girls
Part Chimp
Pokey La Farge
Jonathan Richman
Hanggai
Rangda

Im gutted that I didnt get to see Dick Dale, Warpaint or especially Rangda (how did I miss this one?>!?!?), but can attest to the brilliance of the Part Chimp show, where they were more than ably supported by Sloath and Gum Takes Tooth (after Todd sadly pulled out). Make sure you get to some of the last ever gigs at this brilliant arena before they shut their doors on a self-made legacy...

Malcolm Holcombe - Sparrows and Sparrows
Xiu Xiu - Bishop, CA
Dick Dale - Hava Nagila
Warpaint - Set Your Arms Down
Dum Dum Girls - Bhang Bhang, Im A Burnout
Part Chimp - 30 Billion People
Pokey La Farge - (couldnt find any tracks, sorry!)
Jonathan Richman - Road Runner
Hanggai - My Banjo And I
Rangda - Serrated Edge

New Part Chimp? You Decide, Big Bird...

Just a quickie - check out Part Chimp's new 7" You Decide/Big Bird put out through Gringo Records below. If you like, then buuy!

Jaw to the Floor is Below And Beyond a Sight to be Seen

Just a quick post about the band Floor. This brilliant stoner drone band from Miami were only around for a wee time (1992-96 in any sort of continual existence; on and off over the next few years), having released only two albums (both in a sort of posthumous setting, and the self titled LP of 2002 being particularly mindblowing) and a wash of singles, splits and 7". Yet it wasnt until they called it a day and went on their separate musical journeys (most noted being Steve Brooks' formation of Torche) that Floor's strength and prescience in their little corner of the musical world began to be noticed for what it was - a behemoth of ragged chugging riffs, epic drumming and hollered echos that emanated above and beyond their station.

This has all culminated in a brief reformation of the band in April 2010, where lucky punters got to see Floor play three sets, each with a different drummer from the past, that spanned their entire psych drone dirge oeuvre. And whilst the vast majority of us weren't even in Atlanta in April, let alone at the gigs, we can experience through Sight & Seen (put out by Chunklet) , a multi-camera performance coupled with professionally recorded and mixed audio, developing into an enveloping, droning wall of guitars. Floor's two guitarists, Anthony Vialon and Steve Brooks, spend over two hours on stage with their various drummers. Their three drummers, Betty, Jeff and Henry, rotate through the band's lineup: crashing through their early singles, smoking the viewer with their mid-period haze and ending with the cathartic and anthemic final album. With a fuckload of extras, what makes this package even more enviable is that it is limited to 700 - and it has been sternly stated that it will never be re-issued. EVER.

Im crying myself to sleep over the fact that Ill probably miss out - but I dont want you to be in this boat. Go here and pick up what is truly an inspired band that were truly overlooked at the time, as they weren't of their time - they were past it, beyond it even.

And to rub salt into the wounds, Floor a re releasing a mammoth box set, Below and Beyond -ten 12" LPs, one 7" EP, eight CDs and a (roughly) 32-page booklet of writings, photos, lyrics, artwork (and more) are all to be housed in separate jackets contained within a custom cloth-bound box. Each record comes on a different color of vinyl to match to the corresponding artwork, and two etchings accompany recordings that didn't have appropriate flipsides. 305 copies available...

Fuck...me...

Below and Beyond is available now here.

Don't believe me? Get into Floor, and you'll hear so many bands that have emulated their blueprint for destruction - Part Chimp, anyone?

Floor - Night Full Of Kicks

Floor - Triangle Song

Torching UFOs on a shoestring budget

Torche's LP Songs For Singles has been out for a little bit, am yet to procure it, but Im sure it is awesome. Out on Hydra Head Records, home of brilliance such as Jesu, The Austerity Program, Helms Alee and many many more, Torche released single 'UFO' albeit without their own lyrics, instead superimposing some Van Halen howling over the mix. It proved to be a bona fide smash, at least as a novelty item. Now its time to hear it as it is truly intended, and while we're at it, here is the music video. Amazing CG here guys...

Torche are playing the UK in November - especially salivatory is their mooted show with Part Chimp and Chickenhawk - but that is an exclusive Leeds show - fuckers! Still, for us Londoners we can revel in Torche's brutal dirtiness at the Garage on the 22nd November.


Torche - "U.F.O." from Andrew James Cox on Vimeo.

And while we're at it - here's another new Torche track!

Torche - Out Again

Chickenhawk

Leed's Chickenhawk did a great show a few months back when supporting Bo Ningen and Pulled Apart By Horses at the 100 Club. I must admit I was blown away by the bands that came after, but just a few tracks was enough to have me intrigued. Paul mentioned that their sound had matured somewhat - I just have to shrug my shoulders here as Ive only caught them the once. But they are worth keeping on the radar...

And this is going to be a little easier to do in the upcoming months as Brew Records push Chickenhawk's newie 'Scorpieau', their upcoming LP Modern Bodies due out November 1st, and their tour with Alexisonfire. Plus they are playing the Constellations Festival (as are SM favourites Liars), and doing a show with Torche and Part Chimp. Get set for Chickenhawk to swoop into all your houses, blister the paint of your walls and the skin off you bones, then pick at the entrails...

Rock Action's Mum Gets The Stan Winston's

Mogwai's label Rock Action Records have some of the most interesting UK acts - Part Chimp, Errors, and Desalvo number in their small ranks. Glaswegians Remember Remember are an act that sit apart from the musical stylings of their brethren, but due to their ebullient aural histrionics seem a snug fit here. Their influences are many and varied - from more obvious namechecks such as minimalist scorers Phillip Glass, Yann Tiersen and Max Richter, to Icelandic sorcerers Mum and Sigur Ros, to more sonically abrasive artists such as Nirvana and Sonic Youth (?), therefore RR's sonic palette is always busy and never dull. They are preparing to launch RR Scorpii at us soon, but in the meantime check out this short film that highlights a track from last year's enticing debut, 'Imagining Things'. It seems almost cartoonish, but as this is from Mogwai's stable, prepare for something decidedly left of centre to lurk in the shadows. (The film is by Gregor Bradley - and just a heads up, this is slightly NSFW...)

Gum Takes Tooth in Red Mist

Weeks ago now, we were lucky enough to see Gum Takes Tooth support Part Chimp at the Luminaire. Below are some photos I tried to take in the subdued, moody lighting. I like their lo-fi, angry red fuzzy-ness, kind of fits with Gum Takes Tooth's doom heavy noise aesthetic. Either that or they're just shittily taken pics.

Gum Takes Tooth - Rise From The Peat and Walk

More photos after drop...

Parting With The Chimp?

Its been a hectic week for me - and will be a hectic month, and none of it in a good way - so even though the posts come thick and fast, a few slip through the keeper. One I really meant to do was to promote a gig thats on tonight at the Luminaire - twas meant to be a TODD headliner, but now the honours go to Rock Action stalwarts Part Chimp, ably supported by Sloath and the aforementioned very exciting up and comers Gum Takes Tooth. Its going to be a loud one for all you noise fantasists out there, but is somewhat special for a rather sad reason. Rumour has it that Part Chimp are parting ways come year's end. This is a massively sad state of affairs, and Ill try to find out more. But in the meantime, this is a song that a few of my friends really enjoy, and get yourself down there, 8 squid on the door.

Part Chimp - 30 Billion People