AudioNoggin
Jazu Shimata is one dude and a bunch of gear that really sounds like it likes 90’s alterna-rock radio. Solid, proto-prog-working-man-metal.
Java VS The Volcano OR Why I Wanna Be A Volcano When I Grow Up
Words and Photos by Joshua Isaac Finch
All I wanted was a mellow night and a cuppa coffee. I heard the words “Indie rock show at the Goat” and figured I could chill, snap a few pics, nice and safe… but I was dead wrong.
I was lulled into a beautifully cozy false sense of security by the sleepy, lazy (in mood alone, not delivery), indie-folkin’ tunes of Most Terrible Mountains. These guys are definitely fun, and do that thing I love where they switch up instruments some, which always makes for a more interesting set. Also, an adorable song about bears (OMG BEARS!), which made me beyond sad that there didn’t appear to be any music for sale anywhere. (But there are tunes on their page. Link at bottom) All in all, fun stuff.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VOTa9FKFos&feature=youtu.be
Then A Volcano took the stage with enough growl, snarl, feedback, and rock n roll swagger to slap the smile off my face, and unfortunately, 90% of the crowd outta the room, but fuck ‘em if they don’t get it, cuz being “not for everyone” is what makes a band special. These guys are a dirty 2-piece garage/noise/rock n roll machine built for stompin’ on a few toes. I picked up their 4 song demo (you can too on their bandcamp) and it’s the best 16 minutes I’ve had since watching ‘em live. Keep an eye out, or A Volcano might sneak up on ya.
Video: http://youtu.be/_ZvLFDsWB5k
Most Terrible Mountains: https://www.facebook.com/MTMOUNTAINS
A Volcano: https://www.facebook.com/avolcanomusic
Casa Proxima
Mr Daily Records AKA Mr & the Squids AKA Mr Golden Motors (etc etc) has released a shiny new (or rather rough around the edges and lo-fi) b-sides/demos comp, entitled “Close To Home”. Dan plays everything himself on this garage rock disc, aside from some “guest musicians” who, judging by names like “Thuds McBludgeon”, are likely Dan Jones himself, if not one of the usual cohorts. Either way, “Close To Home” is the Dan-Good-Time you’d expect it to be, full of head nodders and tunes that’ll be buzzing in your ears for days after.
Download/Stream (Then buy the new Golden Motors, already):http://danjones1.bandcamp.com/album/close-to-home-demos-low-fi-and-live
Halos Of Golden Dust, LORD and Dirtclodfight at Wandering Goat
The Wandering Goat has been kicking my ass with great under-advertised shows lately. Word of mouth is still king, and it shows. This place is slowly gaining a reputation for being one of the spots, if not the spot in town, for art-rock, instrumental rock/metal, and, strangely, doom and drone. Fine by us, good coffee and good music belong together.
Halos of Golden Dust, from what I can tell, is what has risen from the ashes of local instru-rockers On The Tundra. Though still an instrumental rock act, HofGD are harder to force into a genre shaped box. Not so much slow-build post-rock as just straight forward rock. The slow burn is still there, but it may not specifically swell into an explosion, so much as smolder for five minutes, a buzzing left in your ears, melodic embers glowing in the back of your head afterward, to be hummed to yourself softly.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bF_6IBHkDY&feature=relmfu
LORD is a progressive & mathy instrumental beast to be reckoned with. Having already heard their record (which is pretty good to begin with) I thought I knew what I was in for, but these guys are a more intense and vicious monster live. There isn’t a sore thumb in this act; tight, jazz infused and sometimes angular guitar, meandering, yet solid bass lines, and badass drums that are minimal when need be, but fills aplenty when appropriate. I’d suggest keeping an eye on LORD, they’ve got something special here.
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmngT8JcKb4&feature=plcp
Dirtclodfight is noisy, aggressive, art-rock/post-metal that smacks of 1995, Jesus Lizard, Melvins and maybe just a little Drive Like Jehu. It probably doesn’t hurt that this band has been around that long (not to mention having played with at least one of those bands before). If you get a chance, they’ll be tearing it up at John Henry’s August 10th, go check ‘em out, they’re fucking sick.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPq5gzQNmTI&feature=plcp
Halos Of Golden Dust: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Halos-of-Golden-Dust/306995119330330
LORD: https://www.facebook.com/lordband
Dirtclodfight: https://www.facebook.com/dirtclodfight
More pics of these and other bands:https://www.facebook.com/ExiledZine
Demolishing John Henry’s: Explode-A-Tron, Transcending Maya, IT=OR, & Black Hare
The only thing I like more than covering shows is actually playing shows. I got to do both a couple weeks back at John Henry’s when my new band, IT=OR had the pleasure of playing our first show with Black Hare, Explode-A-Tron and Transcending Maya.
Explode-A-Tron, if you don’t know them by now, are one of our local super-hard-working, everywhere-at-once, bands. These guys are pure nose-to-the-grindstone rock/metal with more drive than the Indy 500. For fans of The Melvins, Jesus Lizard, all-things metal and Bill Hicks “fuck everything” sense of humor, The ‘Trons are becoming Eugene’s hard rock posterboys. Also, they’re good :)
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBv2GMIguak&feature=youtu.be
Transcending Maya took the stage and blew me away. I’ve heard their name before, but have never managed to catch them live. Though not specifically a kind of alt/prog/rock that I typically listen to, it was incredibly well executed, intelligently crafted, and engaging. Think the understanding of math and timing of Tool coupled with the melodic qualities of Morning View era Incubus. Tight, and beautifully preformed, TM’s set had the crowd captivated.
It’s both unfair and stupid to “review” your own band. We played. It was our first set ever. We played some punkish tunes, made some ruckus, drank waaaaaayyy too much (before, during, and after) and told alotta jokes. It was fun. I sorta remember it. Sorta. Thanks to those who showed up. Thanks to Colin Hix for taking pictures of us.
Black Hare closed out the night with their own unique blend of roots metal, hard rock, all things alternative, all with metalcore influenced vocals laid sparsely across the top like icing on what I, for some reason wanna call a “Hard Rock Homage Layercake”. They got short-changed for time (somewhat our fault for being drunk and long-winded) and made due with the time given like professionals. Smashing.
I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be on a Saturday, or a better first show. Thanks again to everyone involved.
Explode-A-Tron: https://www.facebook.com/explode.a.tron
Black Hare: https://www.facebook.com/blackhareband?ref=ts
Transcending Maya: http://www.reverbnation.com/transcendingmaya
Papyrus Tram.
Springfield’s PaperTrain play their own blend of post-grunge alt rock that stomps it’s feet and demands that it’s still 1995 and that Stone Temple Pilots don’t suck yet. Which is fine by us. We miss Stone Temple Pilot’s suck-free years. Help take the edge off and listen to their jam, Higher For High on their Reverb Nation.
Get Some: http://www.reverbnation.com/PaperTrain
You Dirty Dog…
Mudpuppy is stompy as fuck, dirt-under-our-fingernails delta blues-rock that would make both Hillstomp and The Black Keys proud like YR mamma on graduation day. Hit up their Reverb Nation page and getcha some.
Pupparoni: http://www.reverbnation.com/mudpuppy
GrinFist
Today’s Spotlight Band is Alt-Rock act, Gladhander. These guys post-grunge it up like Lane Staley is still kicking, and have a dirty-good time doing it.
Check ‘em out: http://www.reverbnation.com/gladhander
I <3 Tall Socks.
Soccer Babes are a band that I know next to nothing about, but are suddenly SUPER stoked on. This little 3-tune gem of an EP showcases some excellent straight forward indie garage rock, with perfect lo-fi production that lets you feel like you’re in the garage listening to a really slick band practice of YR new favorite band, that you just happen to be besties with.
Rock that like a dimestore hat: http://soccerbabes.bandcamp.com/album/ep-i
Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) and Touch Force At Luckey’s
Photos by Jeff Cutsinger
Touch Force
Glen Matlock
