NJ Demo Tape punk graveyard

So if you're old enough to remember there was a time that any band with any sort of DIY ethic could put out a run of 100 demos. No internet. No email. Just collect the beer money set-up the mic, make some artwork and then just start duping tapes. The distribution network was slow and conducted via snail mail and shows. Tommy Southern AKA devil dick has another blog playing tribute to said lost demos (his other mp3 blog is pretty killer too) who just never could release a proper LP. With all his posting he writes about all the bullshit that went along with the punk/hardcore and thrash scene of the day. Much like a modern day reality show except there were no damn producers or videos cameras. Just bored suburban kids living without a care in the world other than their scene. If you have been digging around looking for for Hogan's Heroes, Lethal Aggression< Social decay go no further than to the demo tapes blog. He's on a mission from Satan.

New Wrens Songs to spite Magnet

I'm not sure if you have been following the super annoying thread at Magnet where they have been stalking Charles Bissell as part of a Wrens Watch every week, some bits are pretty sarcastically cool guy funny, others a little uncomfortable to say the least. Not sure if anybody has really noticed yet but Wrens last release The Meadowlands was almost like what feels like a decade ago. Yikes! The exhausted boys have life's and families to feed I guess outside of music. Regardless it is rumored that this spring they may release a record. Don't hedge your bets yet. In the mean time they are offering up a single "Pulled Fences" recorded as part of the Live At the WorldSpace Sessions At Abbey Road. If you are cheap- ass like me you will grab it from Bridging the Atlantic and call it day. If you want to support their offspring search for it on iTunes. The tune starts off with soft Smiths like piano part with Bissell and co noodling on in the background by the band. It's builds gracefully, stops and there it is. A new song by the wrens. Written and song by Kevin. Here is the band making magic at Abbey Road, on a whim and improvised. It's awesome. It could all go drastically downhill from here or be a sign of good things to come.

Deep Elm Bonfire of Trust review

Deep Elm is giving away 16 songs for free for the next few days. Some of the high-lights include: the spacey guitar rock of Moving Mountains and the big guitar goodness of Desoto Jones. Do it now. There are lots of great deals from this label and it helps they still have that energy that is lacking in a lot of indie labels these days.

Holy Crap Best of 2008 lists

I found the craziest list which I think was compiled by a nutcase programmer. Check out Largehearted boys 2008 Year-end round-up list o' lists. Has every damn site best of listing -- everybody's list! We're still listening and trying to decide over here. It's a lot of freaking work. So far these records have made it on there and when we are done we'll put a podcast together. Geesh.

In no particular order:

1) Do you like rock music? by British Sea Power - Holy crap this is another UK band that just took things to a whole different level, earthy and dark, blankets of sound

2) Nouns by No Age - Best duo i've heard in a long time. Plenty of noise, respectable burried vocals. Dig that washy sound man.

3) Old Wounds by Young Widows - Mucho distorted bass and straight up riffage like minimal rock should be. No trickery.

4) Lust Lust Lust by The Raveonettes - lots of layers and reverb just like god intended for any post Jesus and Mary Chain band to sound like.

5) The Devil You + Me by The Notwist - This is dark and bad-ass with the right balance of technology mixed with guitars

6) Little Death by Pete and the Pirates - I was shocked I like this so much but then again I'm a sucker for a good UK guitar driven pop band with lots of attitude.

Ok that is it for now.Yeah i list six freakin' records so what! If you want to throw down your own opinion feel free to participate in Tric Mccall's annual critics poll for 2008. Your opportunity ends Jan 30.

Show #24 Holiday Cheer for 2008

Well the new year is almost upon on and with that comes our annual Christmas show with some mirth. Really mostly rock but in Show #24 Some Holiday Cheer we got covered with new tunes by No Age, Trail of Dead, Young Widows. Plus local NJ music by an old band from Westfield called Animation. Buzzkill New Brunswick, New stuff by the Eastern Anchors and Transilvia. Add to that a bunch of Xmas stuff mixed in.

Dig the noise rock? Dig the Eastern Anchors from NJ

Hey so Eastern Anchors are about to drop anchors on our shores as they dock up at Trax East and begin the mastering process for the full length debut. The sirens are talking and it may include LP version. If you like trail of dead, sonic youth, hot snakes, hum or poster children chances are these mates are right up your alley. For a few ale swilling downloads grab some free tracks from last.fm. The album has been a long time coming.

Beer guzzling Jesus Lizard to reunite in 2009

Nothing better to raise the holiday spirits than getting a memo from the touch and go folks letting me know that The Jesus Lizard is going to get back together to make some lute on tour from us middle aged punx. As part of the conspiracy T&G is going to re-release Head, Goat, Liar, and Down. Four alternative rock classics from the 90's. To make the audio attack believable Albini and Weston will be involved in the mastering process. The original line-up of the Howling David Yow, the Denison metalic guitar sounds backed with their back-beat section driving the band with Wm. Sims on bass and McNeilly's mechanic like drums in this endeavor. If you've ever been to a show where it was one big fun swirling mess alla "boilermaker" or "7 vs 8", you are in for a swell treat. We might break skull or pull a muscle but it's gonna be fuckin' fun as all hell.


Get some sample music: The Jesus Lizard on hype non standard | T&G Band site |

Photo by: derek vonessen

Christmas on Mars Deluxe edition dvd by The Flaming Lips

The time has come to order the Flaming Lips Christmas on Mars DVD is now available. In true Wayne Wonka Coyne style there are 10 golden tickets inside the popcorn box that gets you into their new years eve party in Oklahoma City this year. Sorry no boobie lady comes with the popcorn made by all super heroes and animals in Flaming Lips factory but you do get a bumper sticker and T-shirt. I am excited and can't wait to enjoy this flick that is 7 years in the making. Scene stealer interview >>

Top 35 Billboard hits on 45s for $275,000.00

Dear Bazillionaires, With all money to burn in this economy i think it would be prudent that you bought me a gift with your winnings at the AIG Las Vegas get-away. Neiman Marcus has an exclusive set of 7" forty-fives from Billboard Top 100® Rock and Pop charts from Jan. 1, 1955, through Dec. 31, 1990 for sale for this holiday season as part of their crazy holiday gifts ideas bag. Since I am paying for this anyway with my taxes, i figure i might as well get a little something something from you this year in the form of collectables. It will take us a while to listen to these so we might have to go on a sky trip or something where can throw a dance party by the fire listening to Jimi, Janis and Smokey Robinson. There are some 18,400 records total and some are even autographed by the Artists. I will supply the turn-tables! Thanks.

Sir Ben Kingsley as Ian MacKaye my dear sheep

Sir Ben Kingsley STOMPS into the shoes of Minor Threat's Ian MacKaye from Mean Magazine on Vimeo. You know an actor has class when he has no problem trying to act like he is 16 all over again. Funny idea for a Mean Mag promo video. Get some Minor Threat music and mosh or whatever it is the kids are doing these days: Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White | I Don't want to hear it | Think Again | Filler

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Stuyvesant Linden Calling Album Review

New Jersey has been producing great music for some time. In fact we will grandstand here and say all the fools who move to newborklyn or la to "make it" or be entertained are retards. Stuyvesant is all parts equipped with punk veterans and can keep the attention of any special needs kids who needs to be spoon fed their music. Sometimes sounding like the west coast and other times packing that NJ edge makes Stuyvesant's latest tasty album release on Manual Phono unlike the acquired taste of a Fishmilk shake. I kid them because I think I've known a couple of them for more than 10 years (Yikes! we're fuckin old) so it is hard to be an ass and be constructive at the same time so I can only tell it like it is my brothers. So lets start with Linden Callings artwork shall we? I love it, nobody takes the time anymore to make stuff look cool, as if were handled with care, in particular if you are comic book fan the Boy Howdy tv illustration is killer(which you can get from their site stuyvesantrock.com i think). The lyrics here won't win a Pulitzer but if there were a rock lyrics award Ralph Malanga (formerly of Footstone) would be in the running for story telling and fitting large amounts of syllables in 3 minute pop-punk marvels that don't need to studio pro-tool polish most bands hide behind these days. Plus,there are only three chords required to rock and this records proves the point. Their music shows their fan dome for the likes of Social D, Ted Leo, Mats and the Decendents ,etc,etc, blah, blah. Hats off to some of the song names but these are the stand-out tracks: "Liars Poker", "Tape Hiss", "forgotten two" and "Salieri". Enjoy.

End of Summer Playlist 2008

While this has been a busy summer full of local festivals; it is sad to say that the spoils of summer have not been as plentiful as recent memory serves. Show #23 has been changed several times and then there was the Peecee blow out where the most recent playlists were lost to the ether. Now Fall is upon me like the doom of winter and I have to get it in gear. To abide by my self-imposed deadline here is a quick playlist with some mp3 links to said tunes (ethical or not). Enjoy:

1) The Young Knifes of Superabundance with "Turn Tail" - I stumbled on this and if said hey radiohead what would your music sound like if you were 20 years younger when you made the Bends. This is what it would sound like.

2) Idaho from the Forbidden EP "The Thick and the Thin" (mp3via sneakmove)- I am late comer to Jeff Martin's music, so it is all new to me. Very ethereal soundscape material no wonder he mostly does soundtracks for movies.

3) British Sea Power from Do You Like Rock Music? brought "Waving Flags" - Trance guitars and shoe gazers geeks who apparently speak their own language. Subscribe to their newsletter and you will see what I mean.

4) Bruce Springsteen's "Girls in their summer clothes" - Probably the best song from this past year. Really captures the essence of the title and reminds of the jersey shore hook line and sinker.

5) Cloud Cult "Everybody Here Is A Cloud" via their album Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
(from Fuel Friends) Has this new pornographer/arcade fire, shins vibe that I dig.

6) The Roadside Graves brought me the best title for a song called "Lot Lizards Ain't Lip Kissers" via Pop Headwound from a Sort of Dylanesque vocals; totally alt country with a hippie lemon-lime twist. Also check out the shit kicking drum dirge "Ruby". Good stuff fellers. You make Jersey proud.


Update: Summer 2009 playlist go here!