Monday, October 26, 2009

New York and other assorted rants


Hello Kids,

It's been a long time but to quote Luther from the warriors, "I've been busy!"

Just got back from NYC with the Chickens, CMJ was a cruel mistress due only to extremely ill-timed torrential precipitation and a transportation paradox that lead me to ponder why and how I'd lived out there as long as I had, or at all.  All curmudgeonly slander aside however, I really do love that town and the proverbial nuclear war I wage on my body every time I visit.

Enough rambling let's talk music.  I didn't really see much, honest.  If you're wondering what I was doing with my time, see above statement.  I saw Fool's Gold, Best Coast, Surfer Blood and the always super rad Crystal Antlers.

Anyway, the whole thing was yet another exercise in "great record - shitty performance/how are you famous."  Best Coast was extremely lackluster, Surfer Blood had the songs but the vibe didn't transfer from the record.  Crystal Antlers I've seen a few times now and they ruled, they always rule.  Thankfully, Fool's Gold kicked ass!  Check them out right away, this minute even. They're like LA post punk Israeli Afro-Beat.  Really great songs and they are totally blowing up, and they're from a small town on the west coast called Los Angeles, known for its weather, music and basketball team, but not it's baseball teams (whoa!).

Anyway, I've got more...later.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Kid Congo




So I totally nerded out on Kid Congo last night.  Check out Kid and The Pink Monkey Birds, they totally rule.  The dudes tear through old billy-fried garage riffage with serious attitude (a la Cramps etc...), clad in only the cheapest thrift store suits.  Kid would chant some whacky lyrics with a completely cheeky agenda, then they threw in some 50's sci-fi noises.  A great tribute as always to the late/great Jeffrey Lee Pierce of The Gun Club and Lux Interior of The Cramps (They played Sex Beat and Goo Goo Muck respectively amongst others).  They've got some great tunes, namely "LSDC" and "I Found A Peanut," about how you shouldn't eat peanuts you found on the ground or you'll die.

The dudes all made fun of me, and I deserve it...But I don't care! Last night was a great time, I got to meet a legend (Gun Club, Cramps, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Knoxville Girls...), discovered a great venue/bar (albeit tardily, everybody's already been to Alex's bar a billion times but me), and my fucking god they are the only bar I've been to outside of the east coast that has Magic Hat #9 on tap, which for those of you who don't know is that last bastion of my youth!


As my roommate once said "It has the faintest hint of Apricot..."