Trading Palm

The sketchy, hypnotic sworl of 'Crank' has held me in its thrall all day today. It is the new track from New York band Palm from their upcoming debut album Trading Basics (out through Exploding In Sound Records Inflated Records - pre-order it here). It starts off spiralling harshly out of control a la the downturned bends of Per Purpose; but once 'Crank' finds its groove it reminds me more of a energetic Tortoise, jettisoning the jazz overtones for a Sargent House-brand metallic deconstruction, but softened by the lilting vocals of Eve Alpert. It's a intriguing and intoxicating mix, and come November Trading Basics will be anything but.

Zorch It! Zorch It Good!

When Zorch first scorched into my earhole I felt like Id drunk a kilogram of Toblerone chocolate melted down into a capsule form - I couldn't understand how such a small package tasted so goddamn good to the point of overconsumption. The Texan duo's new LP Zzoorrcchh was a cataclysmic avalanche of sugar noise - more of the same then. Sargent House have picked these hypersuckers up and you can see why - this kind of playful noise is Battles for the drugged set. Time to lose it - big time.

Fuck Thursday - let's get zorched.

And So All Hail Bright Futures From Afar

One of the small UK bands that blew me away in my few years there was the utterly insane instrumental band And So I Watch You From Afar. First show was at the Good Ship in Kilburn, which would go down as first of only two good shows I ever saw there (the other gig I don’t remember, to be honest, although there was an Israeli garage band there once that slayed – again, can’t tell you their name…) I heard a track off what would become their debut self-titled record and dragged SM co-founder Paul to it – suffice to say we came away sweating blood and grinning maniacally. I went on to see them a number of times, supporting This Will Destroy You in Camden and a headlining show (I wanna say at the Lexington, but I'm not sure – man, I'm fuzzy today…), and their two records (Gangs came out in 2011) are strong, visceral slabs of aggressive, frenetic rock that nevertheless has its tongue grafted into the middle of its cheek.

Come 2013 and the Belfast trio are looking to make the biggest impact yet. Signing to Sargent House (which makes sense, seeing as likeminded noiseniks Fang Island and Adebisi Shank are on the roster) and are pushing their third LP, appropriately titled All Hail Bright Futures. Below are the first two tastes off the album. I will admit that these tunes don’t grab me by the scruff of the neck and throttle me with glee like they have in the past, but there is a buoyancy inherent in these tracks, because or even despite of the disparity in noise, that will have punters lathered up for the album’s release in exactly a month’s time today (it must be noted that these are new tracks without fiery guitarist Tony Wright, who left over twelve months ago to push a solo career…he was a true focal point of their live performances, so his darker yet mirthful performances may be the reason for the shift in tone). There’s nothing wrong with a sunnier disposition – as long as that vitality isn’t lost in the mix.



They haven’t relented on the gigs either, closing on 500 in total (which is an average of 2 shows a week since they started five years ago – heady stuff), and with stand-in guitarist Niall Kennedy in tow, the band are preparing an European assault come April – check below for where to catch them.

 Pre-order All Hail Bright Futures here.


 

Apr 02, 2013 - Winterthur, Switzerland @ Gaswerk
Apr 03, 2013 - Modena, Italy @ La Tenda
Apr 04, 2013 - Rome, Italy @ Traffic Club
Apr 05, 2013 - Conegliano, Italy @ Appartamento Hoffman
Apr 06, 2013 - Vienna, Austria @ Flex
Apr 07, 2013 - Munich, Germany @ Strom
Apr 08, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ MelkWeg
Apr 09, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Lido
Apr 10, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany@ HafenKlang
Apr 11, 2013 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Kulturfabrik
Apr 12, 2013 - Koln, Germany @ Gebauede 9
Apr 13, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Muziekodroom
Apr 15, 2013 - Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie
Apr 16, 2013 - London, UK @ Garage
Apr 17, 2013 - Bristol, UK @ The Thekla
Apr 18, 2013 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV Institute (Temple and Library)
Apr 19, 2013 - Glasgow, SL, UK @ O2 ABC
Apr 20, 2013 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy 3

Tearing Fang Island Asunder

I was a very big fan of Brooklyn's partly instrumental, partly math rock freaks Fang Island and their eponymous debut back in 2010. The consequent show I saw them play at Madame JoJo's in London confirmed that their frenetic party rock vibes translated incredibly well to the live arena, a shredding guitar frenzy with ample amounts of party poppers. Now a trio, they have their follow up on the way, entitled Major, and 'Asunder' is the first cut from it. It's brought the vocals to the front a little more, but is essentially the energetic bliss bomb that most would be expecting from the quartet. Major is out on Sargent House on July 24 - pre-order it here.

Fang Island - Asunder

One Hella Trip

You could tell by out previous releases that we were excited about this release... Hella are back together, and the new release is Tripper. Its everything you expect from these noiseniks and so much more.


You can get Tripper (on Sargent House) here. There has been concerns over its Australian release due to the Aussie distributing company Other Tongues downsizing, but rest assured it will be here in some format very soon. 'Self Checkout' was the first song the band wrote for the album, whilst 'Netgear' - well, it's just goddamn ace.

Hella - Self Checkout
Hella - Netgear

Politely Give Your Attention To Boris

I came to Boris through my sister's iPod - another one of the bands that Im inexorably grateful to her douche ex-boyfriend for... Anyway, the album was Pink, and it killed. Still does. Since then Ive been able to appreciated the pendulum-like swings of each of their releases. The Japanese avant-noise trio are the epitome of eschewing expectations, for over the twenty or so albums the band has released since the turning of the new millennium (and if you don't believe me, check it out here), they have mined so many genres, albeit with a heady sense of intensity, that classification is a futile cause. They mix up dirge, drone, punk, no wave and pop with wanton abandon. You never know which Boris is going to come rushing out of the speakers at you, only that it will invade the senses. Most of the time this is a good thing - in the case of this year's Heavy Rocks (the same name of an earlier release of theirs - I dont understand that either...)

Attention Please, one of two Boris albums released simultaneously (the other being Heavy Rocks), is another bold directional tack, zagging where a zig would suffice. Wailing guitarist Wata, usually at the fringes of the back in a singing capacity, is the sole vocalist here, the first time she has taken the vocal reins for the entirety of a recording – and it’s amazing this hasn’t happened before. Her alluring voice soars, creeps, arouses and distances in equal measure. The breathy delivery of 'You', the punky sing-song of 'Les Paul Custom ’86', and the sultry swoon of standout tracks 'Tokyo Wonder Land' and 'Spoon', adds a new dimension to an already multi-faceted group. It is the minimalist slant that is most surprising - and most effective. By dialling down the noise to just the most opportune of moments, its impact is stronger in its suddenness, and equally as effective when it leaves hushed tones in its wake.

Attention Please is an incredibly effective album, one where the three musicians known for losing their shit are more about control here, therein offering a depth of focus that’s astonishing.
Attention Please is out now through Sargent House and Other Tongues.
Boris -Hope

Im Hella Trippin!

Another update on the 24 hour coverage on the new Hella album, their first in 4 years. Seems they have the album and song titles all sorted - guess it doesn't take long when one of them is named after modem paraphernalia... The album Tripper will be out August 30 via Sargent House, over which 'Headless' (originally known as 'Track One') has two fan-made clips chosen by the Hella duo as their 'official' music videos. You can watch them both below, after you have a gander at the tracklist of course!

01 Headless
02 Self Checkout
03 Long Hair
04 Yubacore
05 Netgear
06 Kid Life Crisis
07 On The Record
08 Furthest
09 Psycho Bro
10 Osaka





Hella - Headless

Sargent Lets Le Butcherettes Begin

We brought you exciting news about Sargent House stallions Hella yesterday (you missed it? WHA? Well get over here and sort that shit out, STAT!) Another Sargent House alum that are going great guns is Le Butcherettes, the Mexican trio that rip apart stages all across Northern America. They released a new LP Sin Sin Sin a fortnight ago through Rodriguez Lopez Productions, the label of Mars Volta's ridiculously hard working Omar Rodriguez Lopez. The band have a very unique stage set too - lead singer and basically "the band" Teri Gender Bender wears a bloody apron and uses props such as feather dusters, artificial blood, flour, eggs and pigs' heads (?) in a throwback to 50s era women's roles in the home, and to highlight women's emancipation from said roles...whatever, the chick fucking kills, and the bloody apron is amazing in the context of this roaring punk. Having enlisted ex-Locust drummer Gabe Serbian, and garnering adulation from the likes of Jack White and Karen O, they are preparing to take on the world, starting with supports shows for the Deftones.


Sin Sin Sin is a pretty slick album. Not the biggest fan of this track off it, 'I'm Getting Sick Of You' - a bit too Death Weather-lite via Juliette Lewis for my taste - not that either reference is bad, they are excellent, just that there are better examples of their wares elsewhere on the album. Keep an eye out on this trio for sure...

Le Butcherettes - Im Getting Sick Of You

Check this out to get what I mean...

Hella Be Praised!

Heard about this last week and shoulda been on top of this... Yep, Hella are back! Zach Hill, mega drumming legend that he is, confirmed that the album had been recorded and finished in April...wait, what? WHAT album? The Californian nutso spaz math rock fucktards even gave out a new track! Well, its been out for a little while, Ive been naughty and hogging it to myself... Its currently called 'Hella - Track 1'. Evocative.

But that can all change - if you want it to. See, Hella is inviting its fans (AKA you and me!) to create visuals and videos for "Hella - Track 1" and post them to the Hella Facebook page. Sargent House wont be releasing the new album until August, so there is enough time allotted for Hella to name their shit at some stage. But regardless of what or who wins out, one listen to the new track and you will be in thrall, stating that whilst its good to have bands like Tera Melos around, and Zach Hill's Face Tat album of last year was fucking ace, Hella have their own niche and only they can fill it again.

Hella - Track 1

Melos Mana(r)ges The Magic Mike

Tera Melos put out an electric LP last year that I dont think many (including myself) gave enough credit in Patagonian Rats. This year the math spazzniks are giving us the chance to make amends, with the release of cassette/EP Zoo Weather (out on Sargent House) on February 22nd. 'Manar The Magic' is off it, and its quite brilliant, not least due to the fact it features a near incoherent Mike Watt. Its four minutes of static, ethereal majesty, evoking Animal Collective if they scored the new Mario release on the Wii. Its grin inducing in its spidery rhythms, and shows an immediacy that Tera Melos have at times failed to consistently grasp - which is an immensely promising progression for the band.

If you are in the US, prepare for a TM onslaught also, as they have tied up the diamond support slot for Marnie Stern throught February and March. 2010 may have given us a math gem, but 2011 could be the year Tera Melos grabs us and makes us take notice.

Tera Melos - Manar The Magic (feat. Mike Watt)

Permanently Mark My Face!

What to say about Face Tat, Zach Hill's latest hyper frenetic aural fuck fest?

Hmm, tough one.

Hill, possibly the greatest drummer on earth, and definitely the busiest, has here come closest to his Icarus-like devotion to reach the sun. His interlaid drum solos as always showcase his brilliant technical instrumentation behind the kit, but it is the way in which he has constructed his songs that is the true coup here. The manic mosaics are skewed beyond belief - skritching guitars, whorling loops, distorted and monotonous vocals - and it is one of the busiest, most disconnected, and fucking greatest albums released this year. It is so much fun.

But that doesnt mean its an easy listen. Oh no! Its disjointed, confronting, incredibly strange and fucking loud. Imagine, if you will, that Menomena went camping with Lightning Bolt, with Battles stoking the fire and cooking marshmallows and Angus Andrew from Liars dropping by for a brew and some peyote - and thats as close as the intricate spazzfest that is Face Tat can come to a descriptor. Or try this on for size: it all melts together like a fiercely burning cock candle, until all you have is a white hot pool of gloop with a flickering flame at its epicentre. Then its up to you to move the wax around and do what you will with it...

It does has its slight faults - Hill's vocals are still a bit one-dimensional, and he is yet to unlock the greatest mystery of all - a technically faultless yet melodic album with clear structured pop anthems at its core - but Face Tat proves without a doubt that he is perilously close. And if that means that this is a failure - then my 'achievements' haven't even left the petri dish.

Face Tat is out now on Sargent House - I implore you, get this album. Here's what it looks like:

And here is what it sounds like:

Zach Hill - Ex-Ravers
Zach Hill - House of Hits

And what's more, Zach Hill is touring the US incessantly in Jan/Feb 2011 with likeminded pop fucksters Deerhoof (whose drummer Greg Saunier - a brilliant skinsmith in his own right - appears on blistering opener 'Memo To The Man'), with current Prince Rama support act Ben Butler - I wanna go to America! February is my birthday - they play Nashville on that night - it'd be my 30th - who's coming?!?!

Once again - BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tera Melos Find Rats In Their Ranks On Their Way To A Harsh Enlightenment

I hadn't heard of Tera Melos before listening to 'Frozen Zoo' off their latest album, Patagonian Rats. The Californian three-piece have crafted a track here that, whilst having some of the dissonant and jarring stop start rhythms of the math rock staple, there is an element of jazz/folk improvisation that lends itself more to a quirker, more precise yet still very indie sound. However, when searching the internet I found some irate comments about the poppification of what many fans felt was a much more innovative and harder edged sound. Delving further I found that Tera Melos have toured with the likes of These Arms Are Snakes, Melt Banana and By The End Of Tonight, laying some credence to these claims. Then I noted that their upcoming tour is with Maps & Atlases - and that helped to explain the change in musical direction. Nevertheless, it had my interested double piqued - to see where they had started, and to see what Patagonian Rats had done to bring about such ire. Coming at it from such an angle means Im probably less biased than some, but I found their older stuff to be really fun and powerful, whilst the newie was even better in that its exploration of pop sensibilities hidden within the nooks and crannies of the supposedly sterile landscape of math rock. I think Patagonian Rats is very exciting stuff, and with its bizarre leanings and propensity to delve ever so slightly into Mars Volta-esque prog territory ('Skywatch'), I think Tera Melos are a new band to take account of, revel in and enjoy their unique vision of the future of guitar rock. They claim to sound like Harmony Korine and Mark Borshact in a punk band - not far off the mark there...

Patagonian Rats is out now through Sargent House.

Tera Melos - Frozen Zoo

And here is the film clip - weird... (UPDATE - this version of the clip actually works!!!)

Primitive Zach

Still itching for Face Tat, Zach Hill's much anticipated new album through Sargent House, to hit the shelves? Well, chew on this tripped out biscuit for a minute or three! Not sure if its a placebo though - looks more like it'll fry the few dumb brain cells you have left. Its the vid for another track of said album, 'The Primitives Talk'.

Gig - Fang Island - Madame Jojo's, 07.09.2010

Another Tuesday, another gig at Madame Jojo's. Its been some time since I ventured down here - Im sure Ive been down here this year, but my last clear memory was Shit and Shine just before New Years... Maybe Crocodiles? God I dont know. The White Heat juggernaut continues unabated.

With the Tube striking fear into most commuters, it seems quiet..er than usual in Soho, yet Jojo's is pretty close to jammed when it comes to the close of support act Cymbals' set. We only catch the last few tracks, including one we featured at the beginning of the year, and they were fair to middling. They finished off with 'Summer Job' though, so a good closer.

Fang Island are a strange beast. It was clear from their self-titled album of this year (out through Sargent House), and even more evident upon seeing them live, that the Rhode Island band were created solely for a few guys who love - LOVE - to play guitar. Or moreso, two guys who love going fret crazy together, and another guy to pull all the moves on his own. The bass and drums are almost secondary to this fact - something of a Guitar Hero Live then.

Which isnt entirely fair, especially when it comes to the drummer Marc St. Sauveur. Looking like a ex-member of a Motorhead tribute band, St. Sauveur truly showed his worth tonight, keeping an incredibly tight and impressive beat to ensure that the rest of the group are reined in, which could be an integral necessity.

The core of Fang Island - guitarists Jason Bartell, Chris Georges and Nicolas Andrew Sadler - are avid guitarist noodlers. YOUNG avid guitarist noodlers. Therefore the sound of Fang Island is a hybrid of 80s hair metal fretboarding and O-face pulling, 90s indie college, and 00s hipster value. In other words - the perfect backing band for Andrew W K.

But it sounds like Im being a bit derogatory. No, sir! All of these elements combine to create an amazingly fun set. Sticking predominantly to their latest album, the set bursts out of the tracks and barely lets up for the entire hour. The only blip? The airing of a new track - it sounded too much like a 90s indie college rock song for my liking. Furthermore, it sampled a proper element of singing - in the past their 'singing' has been a mere addition to the sound, and is mostly chants. As a three force chant, the lyrics are impressive - but there is no clear lead vocalist, and this showed in the new track. But as mentioned, it was a mere blip on what was a strong energetic showing - despite the sailor shirts and hooded ponchos, these are guys who enjoy playing far more than they enjoy posing.

Finally, I have to pay mention to the final track they played last night - 'Treeton'. They did do a funky cover for the encore, but it was an anti-climax to this, a sprawling track that really showcased the schizophrenic nature of this party band. The opening was fast and furious, standard Fang Island shtick, before slowing down and the three-way chants added to a swirling rise in sound which was a lovely mirror of Sigur Ros-esque beauty and bombast, before exploding into once more frenetic guitar wielding before crashing down in an impressive crescendo of sound.

Old Blue Last are the next stop on this whirlwind band's list - tonight! - so go grab a ticket, its only a fiver, and enjoy.

A preview of the new Zach Hill album

Drumming wunderkind Zach Hill (resurrect Hella, come on!) has been involved in anything and everything this year, as always, even finding time to be involved in the Boredoms' Boardrum exercise this year. Now he is bringing out his own album, Face Tat, out through Sargent House. We have to wait til October before it comes hurtling into our lives, so this vid for the fourth track off the LP, 'The Sacto Smile', is the best you can get right now. I don't know about you guys, but this girl scares the shit out of me - and Im totally in love.

Zach Hill - The Sacto Smile from Sargent House on Vimeo.

When Geography Isnt Enough

David Davison has carved a little niche for himself in the math rock community due to his interesting and very entertaining work with 'day job' Maps & Atlases - the EP You and Me and the Mountain was particularly awesome.

However, it is Davidson's other job that is catching attention in 2010. Cast Spells is staggering in that the quieter Davison plays, the more powerful and urgent the songs feel. His EP Bright Works and Batons late last year moved a few heads, but was largely ignored - at everyone's peril. His set list at South By Southwest under the Sargent House label (of Fang Island fame - and as an aside, get on board that, they are fucking awesome!!!) garnered a swirl of attention, and apparently some of it can be seen on Youtube. As it is, here's a track from said album.

Rumour is Maps & Atlases are releasing an album later this year too - keep tuned...

Cast Spells - A Badge

'Everyone High-Fiving Everyone'

Fang Island describe their music as 'everyone high-fiving everyone'.

What an amazing way to describe the sound that they have created on their self-titled debut LP (put out by the tres cool Sargent House Records), a kaleidoscopic explosion of colour and sound, predominantly instrumental, occasional choral calls and hand claps notwithstanding. There are elements of a more laidback Lightning Bolt, a more streamlined Animal Collective, a less hairy '80s hair guitar band, a little Minibosses (except they aren't covering vintage Nintendo game soundtracks - they are creating their own) - hell, there's even some almost country and western guitar noodling near the end of the track Treeton! - but overall this album reeks of happy happy joy joy!

I was stunned when I gave this album its first listen - I had been expecting something more post-rock. Probably because I had been told that it was a post-rock album. This is something else altogether. The band manage to meld their musical talents into one huge collective of radiant positivity. With three guitarists weaving their magic, harmonising their twisted chords into a tapestry of uplifting 'high-fivery', the drummer and bassist struggling valiantly to keep the band centred before they float into the air and towards the sun, Fang Island never fails to impress. Every song punches you in the chest, a surefire arrow of good times sure to cheer you up at every opportunity. Its the feel good hit of...well, every season henceforth. The soundtrack to a heady fun-filled summer? The choice to help wipe away the melancholia brought forth by the shitness that epitomises the winter? Music to mark the moments as the shoots break through the earth and the sun starts to stir, the first signs of spring? A warm remembrance of good times past as the green turns amber and the leaves start to fall? Yep - its all right here. And its unrelentless in its catchiness.

Technically brilliant, relentlessly upbeat, Fang Island has in one day become my current frontrunner for best album of 2010. Get it, listen to it, make love to it, have a million of its babies. Then have them high-five each other - the most simple joyous gesture of them all.

Fang Island will be touring the US extensively later in the year with the likes of Red Sparowes and the Chinese Stars, and Andrew W.K. (?) joining them on stage on occasion, these guys will be huge. You heard it here. Have a taste of their single, Daisy, and another track, Life Coach.

Fang Island - Daisy
Fang Island - Life Coach