Baby 81 by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Baby 81 RCA 2007 It's tough being Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. You record two albums of dark, reverb-heavy rock and roll and people say you sound too much like Jesus and Mary Chain. You stop sounding like Jesus and Mary Chain, and release Howl, an acoustic album of swampy, American blues, and people complain that you don't sound like Jesus and Mary Chain anymore. What's a band to do? If you answered my rhetorical question by saying, "Develop their own sound," give yourself a pat on the back. By taking the middle road between swamp-boogie and shoegaze on Baby 81, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, may finally distance themselves from those nagging comparisons that have dogged them for the better part of their career. Songs like the lead number on Baby 81, "Took Out A Loan" as well as the first single, "Weapon of Choice" find that sweet spot by working a blues heavy guitar riff into a droning, repetitive rhythm. While the best example of this synthesis of sounds may be the driving, and decidedly poppy, "It's Not What You Wanted," where the electric squeals are layered on top of an up-tempo campfire jam. Admittedly, many of these songs work much better on a primal level than they do on a critical level. You're better off taking in the heavy riffs of "Berlin" than you are reading the lyrics to the chorus "Suicide's easy/Whatever happened to the revolution." Similarly, while it's easy to get lost in the grooves on "Weapons of Choice," the anti-war sentiments are vague, ("What’s your weapon of choice /There is no weapon to free us all /I won’t waste it, I won’t waste it, I won’t waste my love on a nation") rather than pointed. It's a fair criticism, but at the same time, I've never listened to BRMC to get insight into the workings of the world. I don't know what "American X" is trying to say during the nine minute drone, and quite honestly, I haven't bothered to find out. The boys found a good, heavy riff, accompanied it with some tasty reverb and echo, and I'm more than content to ride it out. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Multiple Songs [myspace stream] Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81 [full album stream via Spinner] Baby 81 by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: 8 out of 10 on The Rockometer.

Beyond by Dinosaur, Jr

Dinosaur, Jr Beyond Fat Possum 2007 For most of my Rock 'N' Roll lifetime I've been scared of Reunion Rock. Rarely does the "Getting the band back together" album come close to the band's original work. My stance on reunion rock softened a bit last year after Mission of Burma returned with their second solid release this decade with The Oblierati and Radio Birdman further solidified their reputation as the godfathers of Australian punk with Zeno Beach. Yet, if you need a reminder that these releases are the exception and not the norm, go back and read the biting reviews for The Stooges 2007 release, The Weirdness. One of the most important bands in rock history released a mess of an album that was called hideous (Pitchfork), horrible (Alternative Press), and pathetic (Drowned In Sound). Now, with 2007 shaping up to be the year of Reunion Rock, with everyone from Rage Against The Machine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and The Police to The Happy Mondays, Crowded House, and James getting the band back together, there are bound to be even more career damaging reunion releases on the horizon. Thankfully, Dinosaur Jr's reunion rock album, Beyond -- the first new album in 10 years, and the first with the classic lineup of J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph, in nearly 20 years, does nothing to diminish their reputation. If anything, this album will solidify their standing as one of the preeminent guitar rock bands of our time, and if we're lucky, it will introduce a new generation of fans to the glory that is the J Mascis guitar solo. Go ahead and skip over the rest of my words and listen to those mp3s, watch that video, then tell me that this isn't the best work that Mascis has produced since 93's Where You Been. Let yourself go, release your inner air guitar hero, then set your stereo speakers to rumble and play along with the boisterous opening chords of "Almost Ready." Keep that air guitar handy, you'll need it when you get to the wailing, screeching, squealing guitar jam on "Pick Me Up" and again when you get to the propulsive lead single "Been Here All The Time." Your neighbors may not like the racket, and your parents may not want to hear these sounds coming out of the family sedan, but damn, Dinosaur, Jr have gone and made one of the finest sounding albums I've heard this year. Dinosaur, Jr - Almost Ready [download] Dinosaur, Jr - Been There All The Time [youtube] Dinosaur, Jr - We're Not Alone [download via Pitchfork] Dinosaur, Jr - Beyond [full album stream via Spinner] Dinosaur, Jr's Beyond: 9 out of 10 on The Rockometer

"Speak or Spill Down" by Tin Cup Prophette

After the bender that was my weekend trip to Canada, I'm finding a bit difficult to step right back into the rock. My mind's a bit slow and sunlight still stings my eyes. Babysteps and we'll be back with my beloved guitars. In the meantime, let's enjoy this downtempo number from Athens, Georgia's Amanda Kapousouz, who records under the name Tin Cup Prophette. "Speak or Spill Down" is a slow, loopy, mesmerizing number punctuated by Kapousouz's haunting voice and evil, slithery violins. It may not be the stuff to cure an ailing mind. In fact, the longer it's on repeat, the more likely this day will be a waste. I'm ok with that. Tin Cup Prophette - Speak of Spill Down [download] Tin Cup Prophette

Where To Rock It

I Rock Cleveland's live picks for Friday, April 27th to Thursday, May 3rd Sunday, I plan to be hungover from a weekend bachelor party for a good bud of mine, you should plan on being at The Beachland Ballroom for Richard Buckner and The Six Parts Seven where 6X7 will serve as both the opener and the backing band for Buckner. Wednesday night, the afro-beat, latin, jazz, funk awesome sounds of Antibalas take over The Beachland Ballroom. Thursday, El-P, headlines the Ballroom. I don't even pretend to be an expert on rap, but those that do know have been saying that El-P has released the rap album of the year so far.

God Dam Dogs by Coffinberry

Coffinberry God Dam Dogs Morphius 2007 God Dam Dogs, Coffinberry's latest long player, still has a good deal of that New York city cool that oozed from 2005's From Now On Now and earned them comparisons to The Strokes and The Walkmen. This time around, however, that vibe from their earlier work is mixed with Seattle sonic sludge to create a fuller, heavier sound. Its dirty, gritty, fuzz fueled melodies are nearly (dare I say) grungy. I'm reluctant to use the G word (grunge) as it's gotten such a bad rap from the third generation grunge bands still alive on the airwaves. Yet, as 2007 will see a reunion album from Dinosaur Jr, a band who was lumped into that movement, maybe it's time to release the G word from its Rock 'N' Roll prison cell. Really, how am I going to convey the sound of the skinny tie rockers of the modern age meeting with the flannels and docs of Nineties, if I don't toss in the word "grunge." And why should NME and its "New Rave" writers have all the fun. I'd can use grunge in combination with garage to create a whole new genre. I'd call it grungerage, or maybe, garunge -- something catchy to perfectly capture the sound of Coffinberry. All joking aside (and I was joking about calling Coffinberry a garunge band), these Cleveland boys have gone out and made one of the finest guitar rock albums to come out of Northeast, Ohio in some time -- right up there with Rubber Factory by The Black Keys and Easy Listening by Cobra Verde. From the first notes of "Packrat/Survivalist" this new fuller, more mature sound of Coffinberry is quite evident. On past efforts, guitarist/vocalist Nicholas Cross and guitarist Tony Janicek, supplied slinky fashionable riffs, now in their place are thick, roaring buzzsaws. The rhythm section remains propulsive with drummer Anthony Cross and bassist Patrick O'Connor ensuring that they get in and efficiently rock out of each number. "Earthworms in The Sun" finds the band toying with a wild campfire vibe, before plugging in and laying down some thick, meaty guitars. The straight up rocker, "Freeway Ends" flows freely into the delicately damaged piano and guitar ballad, "Aims Retreat," where Cross' vocals, battered and scratched, become the perfect compliment. Later, Coffinberry even dabble in Brazilian bossa nova, with the intro to "Clcoktower Blues." The maturing musicianship and songwriting is a big part of God Dam Dogs, but an equal, or even bigger part of this album, is their continued ability to lay down swift 2 and 3 minute rockers. The static charged, reverb heavy numbers like "The Ram" and "Bombs and Palm Trees" would have made Coffinberry pin-ups of the Lollapalooza generation 10 years ago. While tracks on the back end of the album, "Sonogram," "Welcome To Hell," and "Little Child of Dementia" recall the sloppy pop genius of producer Todd Tobias' work with Robert Pollard and Guided by Voices. I can toss around labels like garage, grunge, lo-fi, and even the mock genre garunge, but none of those terms are a comfortable fit for this band. God Dam Dogs finds them making their own sound, and it just happens to be god dam great. Coffinberry - Earthworms In The Sun [download] Coffinberry - Write This [download] Coffinberry's God Dam Dogs is God Dam Great -- 9 out of 10 on The Rockometer.

Ins, Outs, What Have Yous

The Tim Armstrong scavenger hunt is on. As reported in Harp earlier this week, tracks from the forthcoming solo album by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, A Poet's Life, are going to start popping up on the internet one at a time until the album's release on May 22nd. The first two have been available at Epitaph for a few months now, and a new one, "Inner City Violence," just showed up on Rancid's Myspace. Keep your eyes on Hellcat, Rats In The Hallway, Rancid on Myspace, Rancid, and Tim Armstrong on Myspace for more tuneage. Cleveland's Suede Brothers have just posted two new demos for download at Myspace: "Serenade" and "Catch." That debut ep on Bad Breaker is still on target for later this spring with a full length to follow this summer. The title track from Three Easy Pieces, Buffalo Tom's first new release in 9 years, is streaming now on Myspace. Three Easy Pieces will be out July 10th on New West/Ammal Records.

"In The City" and "Sliding Doors" by Peel

At first I couldn't tell if this re-emergence of lo-fi and slacker rock was real, or if it was only a re-emergence in terms of my own listening experience. In the fractured scenes of the 21st Century, it only takes a few like minded souls and a broadband connection to feel part of a movement. Yet, as more and more slacker bands make their way into my soundsystem, it's becoming harder to ignore. Peel came my way through a very misleading email introduction. When I read the line, "Peel are influenced by Brian Eno and Blondie," I said, "Hmm...that's nice. Next." A few weeks later, I hear Peel on KEXP and they're sound is all about the classic lo-fi and slacker sounds. It's like taking big bong hits with Lou Barlow at a weed party in 1993, and all those memorable pop tunes built with lots of feedback, fuzzy static, and keyboards gone wild filtered through a busted up boombox. Now, we've got something. Peel - Sliding Doors [download] Peel - In The City [download] Peel Peel Myspace Peek-A-Boo Records

"Night At The Knight School" by Thee More Shallows

It's weeks like this that being a music blogger is a both a blessing and a curse. There's so much cool that came out this week that it's nearly impossible to keep up with it all. Let's see, Arctic Monkeys, Pterodactyl, Midnight Movies, Detroit Cobras, Alex Delivery, Two Cow Garage, and Thee More Shallows all have new discs out. I could really use a couple 28 hour days to keep up with my listening. About Thee More Shallows, I first featured this tune, "Night At The Knight School," on the Michael Stanley Made Me Do It Podcast back in March. As far as I can tell, it really doesn't have anything to do with swords and trusty steeds -- boredom and creative ways of killing time aren't exactly the stuff of legends. Interestingly, while the lyrics are rooted in the mundane, musically, "Night At The Knight School" is anything but boring. It builds slowly with some fuzzed out keys, and subtle percussion. Layers come and layers go -- a little horn here, some more low end fuzz --it's built up for the sole purpose of being broken down. At times it can be smooth and elegant, and other times frantic and loud. This is the stuff of headphone legends. Thee More Shallows - Night At The Knight School [download] For the Cleveland Rockers, Thee More Shallows will be in town at The Beachland Tavern on Sunday, May 20th. Thee More Shallows Anitcon Records

Ted Leo Cleveland Date Announced

Just got word from my friends at Music Saves that Ted Leo will be playing at The Beachland Ballroom on August 1st. Needless to say, I am so stoked.

Upon First Listen: Your Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys

Love 'em, hate 'em, pretend that they're dead, Arctic Monkeys are back with their follow up to 06's Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. I didn't have an advance of Favorite Worst Nightmare, I didn't find my own copy in the back alleys of the internet. This is my first spin of the new disc accompanied by my initial thoughts of it on a track by track basis. 1. Brianstorm: It's not a Brainstorm. I was shocked when I read the ep cover and learned it was Brianstorm. I had been mis-reading the title for weeks. Nevertheless, I still dig the full power guitar attack of Brianstorm. This is the proper way to open a second album. 2. Teddy Pickers: A faux funk, almost Flea-like bass line dominates this tune as "Teddy Pickers" continues the bigger, darker, and more muscular sound of Brianstorm. 3. D Is For Dangerous: This is cool and all, but I'm dying for a big melody. Something along the lines of "A Certain Romance" from Whatever... 4. Balaclava - Again my mind is playing tricks on me. This track is not "Baklava." The Monkeys are still working that dark vibe. I'm still waiting for a top jam...Ok, I'll forgive the absence of a memorable melody. The breakdown at 1:45 is maddening -- in a good way. 5. Fluorescent Adolescent: A big shift in tone. Here's the first track on Favourite Worst Nightmare that fits the Post-Libertines Brit Guitar Rock tag. It's also the catchiest one I've heard so far... Now some slang, and a cutting line in the chorus, "All the boys you've slagged. The best you ever had. Is all just a memory." Note to the Yanks in the house. Change the 'l' in slagged to an 'h.' 6. Only Ones Who Know: We're really slowing things down now with some balladry and echo, reverb, and regrets. Let's not look at the word "ballad" as a bad thing here. "Only Ones Who Know" is actually a solid track. 7. Do Me A Favor: And we're back. Not quite rocking like tracks 1-4, but we've got a nice surf rock vibe going on with this one. I should note that this isn't a surf party, it's a little too ominous for that...Wait, what's that I hear? It's not Jaws, it's loud guitars at the 2:40 mark. Another quality cut. 8. This House Is A Circus: Just as I'm about to write that this one does nothing for me, it picks up midway through. Again, we're back with something more sinister than what you'd expect from these lads. 9. If You Were There, Beware: We're at that point again, where I want more melody...This Rob Zombie horror flick opening is spooky cool...I think at this point, I should change my expectations and just go with the Nightmare theme and enjoy the ride...See, now when the guitars get really big and vicious, I'm not pining for a sing-a-long, instead, I'm finding the volume button on my remote control. 10. The Bad Thing: It's as if I can influence Fav Nightmare as it's being played. Whenever I say bring on the melody, the boys break out of the gloom, and bring something lighter and bouncier.,..An alternate theory is that the people responsible for engineering, sequencing, and publishing Fav Nightmare, know how to properly balance an album. 11. Old Yellow Bricks: Much of the heft added to their sound has to be credited to the new bass player, Nick O'Malley. The back end has been packing quite a punch on this disc. 12. 505: Dream-like. Not the nightmare of the title. Well maybe not dream-like, more like slipping off into some much needed sleep after stress and exhaustion. Final thoughts: This isn't the soundtrack for drunkenness, tom-foolery, and youthful shenanigans like Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, and I'm cool with that. Favourite Worst Nightmare is heavier, more mature, more dangerous, and quite fine on its own.

Four For The Rockometer: Pterodactyl, Mando Diao, Midnight Movies, and Alex Delivery

Pterodactyl S/T (Blue Jay) Brah/Cardboard 2007 When trying to tell the difference between noise rock and a lousy racket, I turn to Potter Stewart, the Supreme Court justice, who stated in his opinion on the obscenity case, Jacobellis vs Ohio, "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that." Like the blurry lines between eroticism and obscenity, it may be difficult at times to distinguish between noise and racket, but I know it when I hear it. Granted, I've never heard the screech of real Pterodactyls (yeah, they've been extinct for eons), still, I imagine that they wouldn't be so dissimilar from the piercing sounds produced by Pterodactyl (the band) . Shrill, shrieking guitars, rugged drums, and rumbling bass lines dominate many of the numbers on the Blue Jay album. Surprisingly, there's also a substantial amount of melody hiding in the mix waiting to be uncovered, and this is what ultimately distinguishes it from being an unlistenable racket. Aside from the hypnotic album closer, "Esses," there is little in the way of instant gratification (And even this one has its fair share of maniacal noise). It's underneath the trash of "Polio" and "Ask Me Nicely," and deep within the slow, scandalous howl of "Safe Like A Train" and "Rampage Pt 1," that you'll find honest to goodness songs. Oh, you may be required to focus your ears away from the high pitched wails and separate the melody from some of the more grating sounds, but the tunes are there waiting for your attention, and once you start to really to pick this album apart it becomes infinitely more rewarding. Pterodactyl - Esses [download] Pterodactyl - Polio [download] The Blue Jay album by Pterodactyl (the band) is a 7 out of 10 on The Rockometer. Mando Diao Ode To Ochrasy Mute 2007 Like it's cousin punk rock, garage rock, can be a very constrictive and repetitive genre. For garage rockers, like myself, this isn't much of a problem. We can spot the subtle variances in the levels of rock, rhythms and blues, and soul that differentiate one band from the other. However, for the casual listener, all of these bands can start to sound the same -- there's only so much you can do with verse, chorus, verse, song structures and traditional band lineups of guitar, bass, drums, and sometimes keys. And so it is with Ode To Ochrasy that Mando Diao continue their move out of the garage into more expansive quarters. As expected for a band in transition, the move away from the more traditional sound, isn't without its stumbles. The garage rockin rave-ups on Ode To Ochrasy, like album openers "Welcome Home, Luc Robitaile"and "Killer Kacynski", fail to hit the speakers with the ferocity of "God Knows" from 2005's Hurricane Bar. The old sound is most effective for Mando Diao, when they keep it loose, let their guard down, and have a good time. "Song For Aberdeen" benefits from the piped in party sounds -- the only thing missing is the clinging of beer bottles. While "Long Before Rock 'N' Roll" creates its feel good vibe with playful vocal interchanges between Bjorn Dixgard and Gustaf Noren, and a swift sing-a-long of "Na Na Na Na's." Ultimately, it's the numbers that stray the farthest from Mando Diao's garage rock home, that save Ode To Ochrasy. Pop numbers like "The Wildfire (If It Was True)" and "Josephine" share more in common with fellow Swedes Peter, Bjorn, and John, than they do with The Hives, and add some much needed freshness to their sound. Mando Diao - Long Before Rock 'N' Roll [download] Mando Diao's Ode to Orchrasy is a 6 out of 10 on The Rockometer. Midnight Movies Lion The Girl New Line Records 2007 Yaysayers will look upon Midnight Movies as 2007's Silversun Pickups, a Los Angeles band with a love for shoegaze, psychedelica, and fuzzy Nineties alternative sounds. Naysayers will also look upon Midnight Movies as 2007's Silversun Pickups. Whereas Silversun Pickups were labeled in some quarters as a Smashing Pumpkins clone, Midnight Movies run a similar risk of being tied to another Nineties alternative band, Lush. Although this cd may scream 4AD at times, the dream pop and shoegaze sound is one I'm rather fond of, and quite honestly, I dig their take on it. Beginning with the creaking soundscapes that serve as the intro to "Souvenirs" Midnight Movies lay down a lush, mystical, and sometimes sinister vibe that permeates throughout Lion The Girl placing it somewhere between dreams and hauntings. It's primal and foreboding, with vocalist Gena Olivier serving as both siren and savior. The drums are forceful, the keyboards spooky, and guitarist Larry Schemel is not afraid to produce a caustic riff to accentuate the atmosphere. "Patient Eye," with its combination of mesmerizing keys, wobbly bass lines, and Olivier's breathy vocals, evokes a tenuous sense of calmness around a situation of paralyzing fear. While songs like "Coral Den" and "Hide Away" do away with any of that calmness, opting instead to channel the nightmare of fleeing an unknown evil in the dark of night. Like any good horror flick, or nightmare for that matter, these scenes of despair are tempered by the occasional ray of light, as is the case with the delicate, airy ballad "Ribbons." It's short lived, of course. You can open your eyes for a moment, roll over and find a new sweet spot on the mattress, but whatever it was that brought you into this dark scene, is still lurking off in the distance. Midnight Movies - Coral Den [download] Midnight Movies - Patient Eye [download] Lion The Girl by Midnight Movies: 8 out of 10 on The Rockometer. Alex Delivery Star Destroyer Jagjaguwar 2007 Alex Delivery are a band of the future. No, not the imaginary future constructed in the fifties and sixties where silver jumpsuits, talking computers, and jet packs signified progress. Neither is this is the sound of the near future where technology keeps us connected and makes anything possible. Rather, it's a damaged, distorted vision. It's like traveling through the depths of the Milky Way in the spaceship equivalent of a Delta 88 with duct tape holding the muffler together. Peace, beauty, and calm are interrupted with the occasional clink and clunk of mashing gears, and the feeling of wonder inspired by infinite space is ruined by that insistent, red flashing of the check your engine light. Star Destroyer's strength relies on the ability of Alex Delivery's troupe of musicians to unify a diverse musical vision through numerous transitions and transformations. There are only six songs on Star Destroyer, yet it clocks in around 40 minutes. Three numbers go well beyond nine minutes. "Komad" is a ten minute journey marrying the most unlikely of musical elements: slacker rock and kraut rock. The vocal delivery is reminiscent of Pavement's Malkmus, while musically, it starts with robotic machine shop sounds, before yielding to vintage German techno. "Milan" undergoes a similar metamorphosis. It begins with the sound of sweeping an empty warehouse. Voices mumble in the background. Eventually, it moves from the factory ground, to the otherworldly landscapes of Orbital in one seamless movement. Lastly, following the lead of "Komad" and "Milan," "Sheath-Wet" shoots for the stars, but it's not an entirely smooth blast off. It's wobbly and vulnerable, with slightly off-kilter orchestrations and a percussion section valiantly trying to keep the pace. Like the world we live in, or any future we may lay our eyes upon, these songs are fractured, imperfect, and fascinating. Alex Delivery - Komad [download] Star Destroyer by Alex Delivery is a 7 1/2 out of 10 on The Rockometer.

Huzzah! Huzzah! Hooray! Hooray!

I was just thinking the other day, "Hmm...there's not enough songs about brave heroes, fair maidens, and fierce dragons." C'mon, who amongst us doesn't want to slay the dragon and rescue the princess? That's the stuff that dreams are made of. Well, perhaps those are the dreams of dungeon masters, sci-fi B-movie fans, and World of Warcraft addicts. I may be kidding when I say that there's not enough songs about dragon slaying heroes, but there's nothing funny about indie rock's loss of humor. Stylus recently published a lengthy essay on our inability to laugh, and have fun with music. Even bands like Hot Chip and Art Brut struggled for acceptance early in their careers as their humor interfered with critics' ability to take their art serious. Now, I'm not about to say Witch's Hat belong in that select company. Yet, I can't deny that this epic tale of a young hero, killing a dragon to save the virgin princess set to chugging guitars, and lifted to the heavens by the feel good chorus, "Huzzah! Huzzah! Hooray! Hooray!" is the most fun I've had listening to a song in ages. Huzzah! Witch's Hat - Huzzah [download] Witch's Hat Emergency Umbrella

Where To Rock It

Friday, April 20 to Thursday, April 26th. 2005's Horrible Fest had its fair share of moments like the live eel in the bar room, a dust up at The Beachland, and lots of booze fueled rock and roll. After taking 2006 off, it's back. There'll be three days garage, punk, and noise at Tower 2012 and Now That's Class. You can get the full list of bands at The Horrible Fest on Myspace. Also this weekend, The Willowz are doing the Northeast, Oh tour hitting the Lime Spider in Akron on Friday night, and joining fellow longhair rockers, The Buffalo Killers, Saturday night at The Beachland Tavern. At Bela Dubby, in Lakewood, it's indie pop weekend with Arrah and The Ferns and Paper Airplanes on Friday night, and Cleveland's Bears on Saturday night. Lastly, Sunday night is rock night at The Grog Shop with The Ponys, This Moment in Black History and Tall Pines. Update: Here's one more that I missed yesterday. Thursday night is rock night at Touch Supper Club and this week Boatzz and JJ Magazine will be topping the bill.

Bellavista

Man, you gotta love the Wiki. Take this quote on the page about The Vue that I found on Subpop: "The band is now known as Bellavista. Much controversy has surrounded the band since their reformation, including allegations of illicit drug use and promiscuity." Even though I'd like to think that sentence is steeped in sarcasm, it's really impossible to tell if the author was serious or not. To their credit, Wiki did note that "Citation is needed" for that part about sex and drugs and controversy. This next statement I make should be a little less controversial: Bellavista f'n rock. Playing a mix of the good stuff (garage, psychedelic, shoegaze), their debut album has found itself in heavy rotation on the IRC Soundsystem of late. The first tune I'm featuring, the buzzing rocker "Temptation By Your Side," features some of that heavy drumming in the style early U2 or the Walkmen, guitars that screech, scream, and wail, and a chorus, "I just wanted to hang out with you" that is sung in such a manner that it suggests that "I just wanted to hang out with you" really means hanging out is pretty cool and all, but I'd rather be doing you than hanging out with you. While, our second number, "Put It On," moves in an entirely different manner. Think Spiritualized or Primal Scream and their slow, drawn out spacey explorations oozing out of the speakers, with the slow drone occasionally broken by some fine sounding guitar ruckus. Bellavista - Temptation By Your Side [download] Bellavista - Put It On [download] Bellavista's self titled debut is out now on Take Root. Bellavista Take Root Records photo by Ann Sullivan

"Advice For Young Mothers To Be" by The Veils

Turns out that Nux Vomica, the title of The Veils long delayed US release may have something to do with vomiting Latin after all. From the press section on The Veils US label, World's Fair, I discovered that Nux Vomica is the scientific name for "The Poison Tree," an evergreen found in Southeast Asia. It can be used to make the poison strychnine, but it can also be used as a natural cure for stomach ailments. So, if I'm reading this correctly, Nux Vomica, can either stop you from vomiting or kill you. Nice. In keeping with the kill or cure theme, Nux Vomica the album has a similar sense of duality. While songs like "Not Yet" and "Jesus For The Jugular" (previously featured on I Rock Cleveland) have a decidedly sinister edge, there are others like "Advice For Young Mothers To Be" that hide their dark secrets underneath a innocent, shimmering pop shine. The Veils - Advice For Young Mothers To Be [download] Though released in the UK on Rough Trade last fall, Nux Vomica will finally see its state side release next Tuesday as part of World's Fair's distribution deal with Rough Trade for the US. The Veils The Veils on World's Fair/Rough Trade

Things I Learned That I Never Meant To Learn After Watching "Going Down To Liverpool" by The Bangels

1. "Going Down To Liverpool" was originally written by Kimberly Rew of Katrina And The Waves fame. 2. Leonard Nimoy, prominently featured in this video as a taxi driver, is the uncle of Susanna Hoffs of The Bangels. 3. The Bangels actually had more than one good song, the other being "Hazy Shade of Winter" from the Less Than Zero soundtrack.

From The Vaults of I Rock Cleveland: "Shine" by The Doughboys

Sunny days call for the big hooks and soaring choruses of power pop. Unfortunately, we haven't had many of those sunny days of late. So, I'm taking a different approach. Instead of celebrating Spring with a big melody, we'll try to invoke the gods of pleasant weather to deliver spring to the shores of Lake Erie. Originally released in 1993, "Shine" is one of the finest pieces of power pop to come out of the genre's revival in the 1990's. It brings back memories to my days at Bowling Green State University during the mid 90's, listening to 89X when big radio wasn't that big and bad, and skipping spring class for frisbee on the lawn. Those were the good old days. It sure beats the office, the commute, and this springtime that isn't really spring at all. The Doughboys - Shine [download] Doughboys Wiki Doughboys Fansite

Save Internet Radio

Did you notice the Save Net Radio ad in the top corner of I Rock Cleveland? Long story short, the CRB (Copyright Royalty Board) has put in place new roayalty rates for internet radio that will likely force your favorite streaming station out of business. A coalition of broadcasters and independent labels had attempted to appeal this decision. Yesterday, they were turned down. While I am in favor of artists and labels getting their fair share for their music, these new rates go beyond fairness to the point where independent broadcasters will be forced silence their stations. The only broadcasters that will be able to survive these new rates will be the large media congolomerates. You don't need me to tell you that terrestrial radio has turned into a wasteland. We can't let the same thing to happen to net radio. Please get involved. Click the banner and send a letter to your representatives in Congress. For more information: Story on Hypebot KEXP's statement Save Net Radio

"No Shame" by Two Cow Garage

I've never been one to bother with the whole "Artist of The Day","Best New Music", or "Highly Recommended" type things, but let's say for a second that I did, then this trio from Columbus, Ohio, Two Car Garage, who sound as if they were raised on Budweiser, The Replacements, and The American Quarter Horse Congress, would surely be my highly recommended best new artist of the day. "No Shame," is Two Car Garage's lament on hard work, Rock 'N' Roll, and endless touring, and one of the strongest cuts from III. I'm sure this sentiment resonates with countless others who have dedicated their lives to rock, where "There's a guitar, that's leaning on my wall, the instrument of my ultimate downfall. And notebooks scattered all over my floor. Six hundred pages all filled with regrets, and hundreds of songs that ain't finished yet. And a job application getting harder to ignore." Yet, in spite of these doubts, there's this hint of resolve in the chorus, not necessarily in the words themselves, "There ain't no shame in just giving up and walking away," but in the way they're delivered with so much conviction. If you play 200 dates a year and do your damned best every night, then what's there to regret? No, it's not the traditional American dream, where anyone can be a millionaire with dedication and desire. This is something much more real. Two Cow Garage - No Shame [download] III is available now on eMusic and will see its proper release on April 24th. You can stream the cd in its entirety on the Two Cow Garage website. Two Cow Garage Two Cow Garage Myspace

It's Ladies Night At I Rock Cleveland

Jenny Owen Youngs has something like 31,000 friends on Myspace. That makes her roughly 1,500 more popular than yours truly. After listening to "F*ck Was I" quite a few times, she can add one more fan to her list. Yes, I'm a sucker for crass young ladies who drop f bombs. And before you accuse me of being another critic who's a sucker for attractive women who drop f bombs in their songs, I would still be a fan if it was titled something more Battlestar friendly like, "Frack Was I." Who the frack am I kidding? If she sang "Frack Was I," I would be sending her love letters every night. Jenny Owen Youngs - F*ck Was I [download] If you're a music dweeb like me and a band bio lists Phil Spector, The Pixies, Patti Smith, Dusty Springfield, Television, and The Smiths in one write up, you're either drooling or claiming foul play on the pr folks for toying with your emotions again. It's cool. Go ahead and drool. "Cherries In The Snow" by Elk City delivers on that promise. Elk City - Cherries In The Snow [download] I'm hoping some of you made it out to The Lime Spider in Akron last night to catch the Gore Gore Girls. Their next album, Get The Gore, is due out this June on Bloodshot, home to that other Detroit rock and roll machine, The Detroit Cobras. Like their neighbors and labelmates, the music of the Gore Gore Girls draws heavily from garage rock and sixties girl group sounds. It's highly recommended for fans of three out of the four following things: hip-shaking, guitars, sing-a-longs, and leather. Gore Gore Girls - All Grown Up [download] The rock gods can be rather cruel. Holly Golightly has fourteen albums and a load of singles in her discography, yet she may be best known for her one collaboration with The White Stripes on "Well It's True That We Love One Another" from Elephant. "Black Heart" comes from her latest release, You Can't B