Shameless Self Promotion - Volume 4

Here's another attempt to further my "career" as a "musician"...so if you live in or around Atlanta come on out and help me live out the dream. In all honesty, the show is going to be great, the lineup is one of the best one we've played, and if you downloaded the Atlanta compilation I posted awhile back you know that all these bands rule. Any fan of heavy music, noise rock, doom, or metal will do just fine this Saturday night at the Drunken Unicorn.

And if you do manage to come out, make sure you say hello, I'll be strangling the guitar for Sonn Av Krusher...the fat dude who's too old to be on a stage...that'll be me.

See you Saturday.

Fluf - Home Improvements

Label: Headhunter / Cargo

Year: 1994

When I was a younger, fitter man, I had one foot firmly in the world of punk rock, the other foot in the world of skateboarding. Two things that went hand in hand, things that feed off each other. So through skateboarding I got turned on to a few bands, and Fluf was one of them due to the presence of the Otis Barthoulameu, better known as skateboard photographer "O", as the singer/guitarist for the band. O had also been a member of quasi-band Titus Skate Rock Band who were made up of O, Lance Mountain, and Neil Blender and featured in the video Future Primitive, and the real band Olivelawn who were pretty decent riff-rock in the beginning of 1990. 

Fluf is kind of a strange proposition in that they effortlessly blend pop punk with some pretty heavy and distorted grungy rock. It's got moments of Tad, Seaweed, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Husker Du, Fugazi, Mudhoney, and Rocket From The Crypt, but doesn't really sound like any of those bands in specific. It really just sounds like the time in which it was released...early 90's alternative rock. Whatever that means to you. I dig it, I hadn't listened to this record in a long time, but it still rocks pretty well 15 years after it's release. Good stuff.

DL

Galleon's Lap - Themes And Variations

Label: Scorch

Year: 1991

This one is more historical artifact than anything else, as the band features Nate Mendel and Greg Anderson back when they were prone to rock straight edge emo hardcore. Don't forget, both of those dudes have long pedigrees that involve hooded sweatshirts and camo cut-offs; Greg Anderson was in False Liberty, Amenity, Brotherhood, Inner Strength, and Statement before dooming in and dropping out, and Nate Mendel was in Brotherhood, and Christ On A Crutch before helping to define emo in Sunny Day Real Estate. I'm sure they've both done the two finger point more times than they care to remember.

I got this record as a cassette demo back when it came out (as I was prone to buy anything straight edge hardcore related, sight unseen in those days), and I guess they pressed it on vinyl as well, but I've never seen that version. 

Like I said, musically it's not going to change your life, but if you ever liked early 90s hardcore, or you're a completist for one of the guys in the band then go for it. Melodic hardcore with some older Dischord Records influence, plus a little "chugga" (just a little), and no mosh parts. 

DL

jucifer - calling all cars on the vegas strip

released in 1999

i was lucky enough to be right up in the front to let my eyes and ears drown in the joy that is jucifer live...singer amber valentine is able to produce frozen mollases with her guitar strings while singing like an angel and a banshee...drummer (and amber's mate) ed livengood hits the drums like john bonham never existed (he literally played himself off of his stool more than a few times)...and all of this goes on under the watchful eye of multiple amps that tower over them from behind

but before they were the sludgy behemoth they are today...they had more of a pixies meets melvins kinda thing going on

what drew me to the band was the video for the song "superman"...i was at home in the kitchen...and i had the tv on in the background...and as i was making a sammich...this heavy HEAVY song came over the speakers...so i rushed back into the room to see only 2 people making this heavenly noise...a dynamic duo indeed

so here you go...i'm thinking you know what to do

http://www.sendspace.com/file/vp8ctm

and now this...

12 rounds - my big hero

released in 1998

i witnessed this band in chicago back in 1998 at the aragon ballroom...they were opening for marilyn manson as part of the promo run for the mechanical animals album (yes...i was at a marilyn manson concert...it's all part of my dark past...we've all been there)...originally i was under the assumption that the band rasputina were opening (which would've been just as ok...but when the curtain went back and there stood 12 rounds...my nips got a little hard)...everyone around me was a little more than confused as to what the gender of the singer was (female)...and i a stood there waiting for them to play the song "pleasant smell" as i had just recently discovered them through the showing of the video for said song on the mtv (remember mtv and videos?)...needless to say that i was probably one of the few that left with a tshirt that night

and the marilyn manson part of the show...um...seeing him in a sexless white costume (as seen in the "the dope show" video) and standing at a pulpit tearing apart a bible and throwing the pages into the audience...let's just say that the eyeliner wearing crowd had something to talk about in study hall

as for the music...it could be described as portishead and nine inch nails making dirty gothic psychobilly jazzy love on halloween while nick cave sits in the corner and watches

that's quite the image right there...go on...get that in your head

this was the band's second album...and they have a third one recorded and ready for public consumption...but for some reason it was put on hold (and that was back in '98-'99...so it's not looking so good)...and the band has been on hiatus since about the same time

so...if you're looking for something to accompany the flickering of a candle...do it

http://www.mediafire.com/?esimyvymglt

questionable gender songs

jesus
elvis
bob ross

and now...you can add my name to that list
i've returned (albeit for only a few hours)

apparently they like it when you pay for your usage of the internet...i had no idea seeing as how i didn't receive that memo...so i've been having to make the walk to the local library...and let me tell you...it's strange to have to be wearing pants while in front of a computer

i'd also like to take this opportunity to thank a one mr. gray for holding everything down...if it weren't for him...i'd never know the multiple joys of waking up drunk next to random midgets and smelling of birthday cake

and i'd also like to give a big UPS to the 28 of you that follow this blog...it's nice knowing that this short bus is getting a little bigger

and i'd also like to thank the random members of bands that frequent this blog and don't get all lars ulrich-y about things

we here at the SGM are gonna continue bringing you the product that you so desire (NOW WITH MORE AFTERTASTE!)

as for the colostomy grab-bag...honestly...i just don't know...part of me wants to delete it from the blogosphere...and part of me wants to keep it around because i feel sorry for it (i'm sure most of you know that feeling)...who knows what'll become of it...give us your input on that...we like your input...we really really do (and yes...we were totally saying that as we raised our eyebrow and licked our lips)

and we're going to try and stretch out the boundaries around here a little...it's called "adapting"...get used to it mr. uptight trousers

ok...so...seeing as how i'm here for a limited time...i'm gonna make some insertions...and i know how you all like insertions

and i know that most of you are wondering what a david hasselhoff soap dispenser has to do with any of this...and the answer is this: it has everything to do with everything...and if you even had to ask that question...why are you here?

Shallow, North Dakota - This Apparatus Must Be Earthed

Label: Sonic Unyon

Year: 1997

Big time sludgy, metallic, thick necked, thud rock out of Canada. Nasty, spiteful stuff that makes a nice blend of Unsane + Cursed (which there's a member connection) + Tad + Milligram. You get a lot of rumbling riffs that go from molten magma to hot spitting lava (volcano reference!), meaning they can get all doomy or kinda thrashy, but mostly it's mid-tempo hammering. Just know that it is heavy. Really, that's pretty much the gist of it. Also, if you were ever into hardcore music, you stand a better chance at liking this one, just cause you can tell the dudes in this band are/were into hardcore and that vibe comes through. Also, there are a few moments where they get a little experimental on that ass and throw some noise, or found sound, or sickeningly de-tuned instruments into the mix, so if you're prone to like things that veer off into the neither regions of metal, than you'll also find happiness here.

The band started out in the early 90's releasing two albums (this one being the second, I don't have the first one), then went AWOL for awhile before showing up in 2004 with a new record (that also fucking slays), and now they're AWOL again. Hopefully, they will resurface sometime soon to bludgeon again, but until that day, please enjoy this trip into the Great White North.

DL

Loudspeaker - Rubberneckers Vs. Tailgaters

Label: Sympathy For The Record Industry

Year: 1994

Well, since the other Loudspeaker record I posted seemed to be a popular item, may I present to you the follow-up album. And if you grabbed the first one, then you know the drill, cause this one sounds pretty much the same. If you didn't grab the first one, this is bluesy noise rock, that features members (at one time or another) of Pussy Galore, Swans, Foetus, Boss Hog and Crucifix, so you get this Helmet smoking two packs a day kind of NYC dirt rock. It's good alright. Have I steered you wrong yet? I mean, you like black tar vocals right? You like bass that emanates from below the street right? You like the guitar to scrap in and out of the song structure right? Right?!

DL

Cows - Effete and Impudent Snobs

Label: Amphetamine Reptile

Year: 1990

More Cows. More fan-fucking-tastic shit to listen to. More weirdness.

This album is sometimes considered the last of the "original" Cows sound before they switched gears a bit and began relying more on dynamics and song structure than flat out white noise. The guitar has zero low end, it's a squealing pig running all over the songs. The bass is fuzzed out throb. The drums are...well, you ever watch the Muppet Show, you know Animal, the drummer for the house band? And on this record especially, the vocals are blown way out. The whole mix is painful, the antithesis of your mom's Leo Sayer albums. 

Like the Butthole Surfers post below, here's a good chance you have this already, but in case you don't here it is. I'm sure eventually I'll post all the Cows records on this blog, it's just something I'm compelled to do. You young folks need to have these things on your Ipods to bum you out while you're...doing whatever the fuck young people do. Yachting? Do you guys sail much?

DL