Husker Du - Eight Miles High

 

Label: SST

Year: 1984

It's a warm, sunny Friday afternoon where I am currently (cannot vouch for whatever bizarro time zone and/or climatic influences you may be under), and I would like to celebrate that fact with one of those "perfect songs", in this case "Eight Miles High" by Husker Du. And I apologize in advance for not being able to harness the umlauts...I just don't have a German language keyboard I guess. 

The era of Husker Du represented on this single is pretty unbeatable, as it represents the transition time from the speedy hardcore into the more melodic college rock band they would end up as, and it still has one foot in either world. Like I said, it's a perfect song. 

The flip side of this single is a live version of Zen Arcade banger "Masochism World", and it's pretty gnarly. Which is what the kids would say in the 1980s when something was cool, yet also a little dangerous or gross. I maintain a pretty strict 1980's dialect.

Go enjoy the rest of this day and your weekend!

DL

Clouds - We Are Above You

 

Label: Hydra Head

Year: 2008

Here's the second full length rock-n-roll record from the Boston based collective, Clouds. This time around they have switched bass duties from Jay Cannava over to Johnny Northrup, who has spent time in The Cancer Conspiracy, Pet Genius, and Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum (among others), but otherwise it's Adam McGrath (Cave In, 27, Kid Kilowatt, Zozobra), Jim Carroll (American Nightmare, Hope Conspiracy, Suicide File), and Michael "Q" Quartulli (The A-Team, Doomriders). 

Altogether, they produce a riff-forward rawk (and I don't use that term lightly, because I hate intentional misspellings [mostly on account of the fact that I cannot spell, and I feel I am being mocked]) record that relishes in the joys of big, loud, fun music. There are moments that could have been pulled out of the gutter of the Sunset Strip circa 1985, moments that belong to be on tour with Rush, moments that pound with a Motorhead-esque punk ferocity, and moments that just let a meaty riff do the talking. 

Best listened to loudly and without prejudice.

DL

Melts - 667 b/w Crusser

 

Label: 227

Year: 1993

Guess we will chalk up the last month as a hiatus? Did all 12 of you who frequent this blog notice? Anyone concerned at all? There's no need to be in case you were...everything is fine, just been busy.

Not too busy though to return (triumphantly I might add) with the two song ass-kicking that is the Melts "227 b/w Crusser" 7". I can make time for that!

This Atlanta band came from the crusty, unsavory Cabbagetown neighborhood of the early 1990's (currently Cabbagetown has far less white trash, drugs, and crime, but far more homes pushing the $800,000 price point) to deliver a very Melvins-esque version of sludge damage that was not afraid to challenge audiences and push inside jokes, or otherwise make you feel uncomfortable. In a nice way. Of course.

The mysterious 'Salicountinsaw' album was one of the first things I ever posted here on this blog, and maybe one day I'll post it again, as it's a long lost classic of the genre, but I had not ever posted this two song 7". Until now. So, live in the now.

DL

Milkmoney - Pink

 

Label: Headhunter

Year: 1995

Sure, why not post another Milkmoney 7" while we're here? This band had a hell of a 1994-95, releasing three 7"s and a full length before calling it a day. Work ethic on point.

This record and the previous one posted are similar enough that it's safe to say, "if you liked that one...". Not a bad thing, just a band with a consistent and honed sound. Honed sound on point.

DL

Milkmoney - Leash

 

Label: Plumb

Year: 1994

Been a minute since the last post, and I'm sorry about that, but I'm sure we will all get through it together. Just trust me.

Milkmoney were from the super fertile Boston scene of the early-mid 90's, even releasing a 7" on the standard bearer of Boston based atrocities, Reproductive Records. But, where a lot of those bands were seeing who could out-heavy the others, Milkmoney were pivoting into a downtrodden, downbeat, version of rock music, based on the types of bleak sounds Codeine had made. Some of the stuff Seam had done isn't that far off either. Come too. I suppose one could assume the members of Milkmoney had probably been to a few Galaxie 500 shows around the Boston area a few years earlier, and their slowcore template worked its way into their DNA. Milkmoney though, have some fuzz and grit under all the sadness, which buoys the songs and for my money (well under $1000 if you must ask) makes them more listenable.

Two songs, give it a shot.

DL

Done - Done I, Done 'Em All

 

Label: self released

Year: 2012

Don't let the Bandcamp bio fool you, this band from "Campulung, Romania" is actually the duo of Andy Patterson (State Of The Nation, Search [the original one, not the Rev Records one], Subrosa, Insect Ark, and Sweet Jesus) and Cache Tolman (Iceburn, Rival Schools, Institute, Search [with Andy Patterson], and others), who are from Utah, United States.

If you were hip to Cache's foray into stoner-buzz riff slinging as Skullfuzz, then you'll be good. Done are an extension of that band's bad boogie molten lava rock. Goatsnake comes to mind as an apt comparison if Skullfuzz never made it onto your radar. 

The band has three albums worth of this stuff, all of them equally as good, and all of them only existing as Bandcamp treasures. Would be nice for an altruistic record label (looking at you, Southern Lord) to come along and properly release these. They deserve a wider audience.

DL

Helios Creed - The Warming

Label: Amphetamine Reptile

Year: 1991

The noise rock shamen, high priest of psychedelic guitarism, Helios Creed, man of a million releases,  gifts you with two more songs to challenge your outmoded ideals on music as a linear pursuit. The signposts are familiar, the road is rutted with generations of passage, but the destination is unknown and dependant on forces beyond your control.

It's Friday where I am. Freak out.

DL

Nonzoo - Wazoo

 

Label: Already Dead Tapes

Year: 2017

When you want something fucked up, I would submit this record for your consideration. It's a free association, free jazz, free freakout, bleep blorp wig out. Which I mean as a compliment.

This is one of those "DO judge a book by its cover" situations. Look at the cover of this record, and imagine what that should sound like. Chances are, you won't be too far off.

Mood music for the criminally agitated.

DL

Gnomes Of Zurich - Dispenser

 

Label: Amphetamine Reptile

Year: 1996

When considering things like, "who's the most underrated band on Amphetamine Reptile?", and after you've talked about Love 666 and maybe Hammerhead for awhile, you will eventually circle around to Gnomes Of Zurich (of which 2/3rds of the members went on to form the also underrated Janitor Joe). This Minneapolis (where else?) band that delivers on a warbly post hardcore noise rock combo of bass rumble and riff waves. I mean, it's pretty much perfect, really. 

This 7" is only two songs, but I think you'll quickly get the point that Gnomes Of Zurich are one of those "best kept secret" sorta deals. They don't get spoken of with the same reverence as some of their peers, but they are every bit as good. I think so, anyway.

DL

T-Tops / Cyrus Gold - split

 

Label: self released

Year: 2016

Two Pittsburgh bands for the price of one...that's a hot deal. And it's worth it. This record comes correct!

T-Tops ply in a sludgy, mid-tempo stomp at times and in a dirty rock stomp at others. Either way, it's a heavy, gritty workman-like roughing up. It's quality belligerence.

Cyrus Gold pump up the jams with a punchy noisecore pummel. The riffs are feral and difficult to wrangle, but the band has the good sense to utilize an ugly thud to do so, as opposed to a spazztic blur. Make sense? The third of their three tracks on this split is the highlight, it's an insanely great song. Well worth it.

DL