Back To Sleep

If you've been seriously following garage punk music over the last eight years or so, Stockholm's Makeouts need no introduction whatsoever. They are one of the top bands going in that scene, and have been for quite some time. Their debut single was one of the first releases on the illustrious Austrian imprint Bachelor Records (it was Bachelor #3 - right after the Clorox Girls and Black Lips!). And their 2010 debut album In A Strange Land won a Swedish Manifest Award for best independent Swedish rock album. While Makeouts started out in the Rip Off Records vein of lo-fi trash, they have been growing as a band for years and taking on many different styles under the garage umbrella. New album Back To Sleep - out on Bachelor Records - is an especially accomplished release from a band with the confidence and courage to try new things while still remaining true to the aesthetics and spirit of garage punk. It's definitely their attempt at a magnum opus, and I'd say they've succeeded marvelously. With inspirations running the gamut from The Seeds to Jay Reatard and just about everything between, it's kind of like the Makeouts' own London Calling or Exile On Main St. Believe it: Back To Sleep is anything but a snoozer!

I think what I like best about Back To Sleep is that even with all of its stylistic diversity, it maintains a consistent quality. If you can "progress" as a band yet still keep it fun and catchy, you're gonna win me over fast! These are by far the best songs that Makeouts have ever written, and all of it works. The straight-ahead garage rockers recalling the '60s ("Creeps", "Back To Sleep") or '90s ("Let It All Go", "Up") fit right in with ballsy punk blasters like "Warkids" and delightful rootsy janglers such as "Not Where You Belong". And some of my favorite cuts were pleasant surprises. The poppy "Bringin' Out The Stars" suggests a less polished Barracudas, while the crackling "Time Will Tell" brings to mind Sweden's own Locomotions. "Plastic Bag" is straight up '77 punk/new wave that makes me wanna pogo. And haunting album closer "It Wasn't My Idea To Dance" is almost a complete break from the band's "garage" M.O. (imagine Lee Hazelwood on an acid trip with The Mojomatics). Clearly this is not a band that's limiting itself in terms of the types of songs it's willing to write. From an energy and production standpoint, they remain the quintessential garage band. But by challenging themselves creatively, they've really allowed their exceptional talent to come shining through. I see Makeouts graduating from being known as a great garage band to being known as a great rock n' roll band, period. Back To Sleep is the first truly great garage punk album I've heard in quite some time. No surprise that it was released on Bachelor!



-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Makeouts/106522202517
https://www.facebook.com/bachelorrecords
http://www.bachelorrecords.com/

Retro Reviews: The Vapors - New Clear Days

I once wrote a short story about a woman who so vehemently objected to her significant other's dismissal of The Vapors as a cheesy one-hit-wonder that she literally murdered him. My own stance on the matter is only slightly less passionate. The band's 1980 debut LP New Clear Days is my favorite album of all-time. The hit, "Turning Japanese", is well-known by all. If you don't like it, there must be something fatally wrong with you. The rest of the songs stick to the same new wave pop template, and are every bit as good. There is not a single track on the album that isn't totally great. Heck, even some of the songs that didn't make it onto the album are great! Often categorized as one of the standards of skinny tie power pop, New Clear Days actually transcends genre with its quirky sensibility and thoughtful lyrics.

As its title suggests, New Clear Days was a song cycle about love and life set against a backdrop of impending nuclear annihilation – overtly political in spots and otherwise informed by the tenor of Cold War times. While many of the best tracks ("Waiting for the Weekend", "Spring Collection", "Somehow") are simple variations on the songs-about-girls theme, few pop groups in 1980 were referencing military cease fires ("60 Second Interval") or World War II era nationalism ("Letter from Hiro"). The album's best track, "News At Ten", is a generational statement as pointed and literary as anything ever penned by Paul Weller (I always played Side Two first when listening on vinyl so the album would start with this song!). And David Fenton's lyrics to "Bunkers" read like something straight off the first Clash LP:

Government thugs keep me in for the week/

They call out the cops if I'm seen on the street/

It drives me spoolers in millions of ways/

I think I'll be a government thug one day/

Don't tell me in anger just tell me for real/

Why does everybody try to be a real big wheel/

It doesn't matter but if they live on the street/

With all these cowboys and bunkers and creeps

Fenton's songwriting muse would turn darker and weirder on the band's excellent second LP Magnets (the most accessible song was an ode to suicide cult leader Jim Jones!), and the album didn't even crack the top 100 on the U.K. charts. And that was all for The Vapors. To his credit, Fenton never gave in to the temptation to "unretire" from the music business. He gave up recording and became a solicitor. There have been no half-assed Vapors reunions or warmed-over comeback albums mimicking the new wave glories of yesteryear. The band's music remains in the early '80s, where it belongs - a cultural artifact as enduring and awesome as the Atari 2600, Billy Beer, and movies about truckers.



-L.R. 

Jake and the Stiffs - The Singles!

At the beginning of every year, I hold out hope for all those things I've long been wishing would happen. I think this is finally the year the Flyers will win another Stanley Cup. I think this is finally the year that kielbasa will be scientifically validated as a health food. I think this is finally the year they'll find Bigfoot. Optimism always prevails at this time of the year. And I'm feeling especially good for 2014's prospects given that two of my annual wishes have actually come true. The Phillies finally shitcanned Chris Wheeler, and the long out-of-print 7" recordings of Jake and the Stiffs have been re-mastered and re-issued for public consumption! Welcome to the year of wish fulfillment! I would not be surprised if I magically regrew my hair!

Of all the criminally overlooked and under-appreciated punk rock bands of the '90s, Delaware's Jake and the Stiffs were to my mind the most criminally overlooked and under-appreciated. They shoulda been huge! They were doing the '77 punk meets power pop thing long before it was cool, and anyone who ever saw them surely concluded that they were worthy of a prime slot on the roster of some "big" punk label. They were a knockout live act, and their supply of great songs was seemingly endless. Perhaps in their day, they were too pop for the punk crowd and too punk for the pop crowd. Singer/guitarist Randy America was and still is an incredibly talented songwriter, and Algy Siouxcide is easily one of my favorite bass players of all-time. Am I wrong in stating that "Jennifer" was the best song of the '90s? Name one that was better!

As its name implies, The Singles collects all the tracks from the four 7" records released by Jake and the Stiffs between 1993 and 1997 - Steal This Record, Spike, "Pot Belly Pete", and "I Like Girls". Randy America remixed and remastered the original tracks at his Norad Studio in Pike Creek, Delaware - and they sound awesome! Now after all these years of me proclaiming the unacknowledged greatness of Jake and the Stiffs, you can finally find out for yourself if I was full of shit! While hopefully just the first of several JATS reissues you should expect this year, The Singles has all the hits (or the should-have-been hits). Given that there was close to zero market for this kind of music in the early '90s compared to the exploding popularity of powerpop/punk in recent years, I'm excited for a whole new generation of fans to discover JATS favorites like "Holly", "Scrappy Come Home" (who isn't a sucker for a song about a dog?), and "High School Blues". You also get two versions of "All I Said" and some lesser-known gems like the terrific "TV And My Baby". And don't get me started on "Jennifer". It's got one of the catchiest melodies ever, and the lead guitar parts and bass lines ought to be the stuff of legend.

Loaded with classic originals and some standout covers ("Lonely Boy" from The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle soundtrack and The Know's 1980 power pop anthem "I Like Girls"), The Singles is a perfect summation of why Jake and the Stiffs are one of my all-time favorite bands. With any luck, it will sell enough to cover the costs of making it and allow for a few more reissues from the JATS vaults. Get it cheap from CD Baby, and be sure to check out Randy America's solo album if you haven't yet!

Sell music on Amazon at ReverbNation.com

-L.R. 

https://www.facebook.com/jakeandthestiffs
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jakethestiffs2 

Another one from Neighborhood Brats!

I recently declared L.A.'s Neighborhood Brats one of the best punk bands going today. And by "one of the best", I'm talking top ten if not top five. If you're still among the unconverted few, think fast and aggressive punk rock with strong melodies and a powerhouse lead singer. Total Dementia is the band's fourth 7" and fifth EP overall. And like all the others, it's a scorcher! Sticking to the Dangerhouse Records meets early Black Flag blueprint of their previous releases, the brats tear out of the gates fixing to kill. The title track is a re-worked version of a B-side by Roofie And The Nightstalkers - Jenny and George's pre Neighborhood Brats project. Propelled by a typically ferocious vocal from Jenny, the song more than lives up to its title. George's guitar is a veritable buzzsaw, and new rhythm players Tommy Branch and Richie Cardenas prove to be formidable additions to this outstanding band. Branch and Cardenas especially shine on the hard-hitting "Speckelos Nightmare". And "Bombay Beach Party Death Camp" is the kind of song we've come to expect from Neighborhood Brats - classic California punk fired out at hardcore speed. In keeping with the band's "post-apocalyptic beach party" theme, the closing cover of The Go-Go's "Lust To Love" has a cool dark vibe to it. And what a killer rendition! It's neat to hear Neighborhood Brats showing a poppier side and letting up on the tempo a little - yet still sounding totally like themselves!

Originally pressed last year for a European tour, Total Dementia now gets an official release on the great Dirtnap Records. Fingers crossed that 2014 will bring us an LP from Neighborhood Brats!

-L.R. 

http://neighborhoodbrats.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/neighborhoodbrats
http://www.dirtnaprecs.com/

The Days

I frequently ponder my mixed feelings about modern technology and its impact on how recording artists present their music. On one hand, I think recent developments in social networking and the rise of the digital format have been very good for songs. Artists can share one song at a time with their fans, and I think that's brought about a greater focus on quality versus quantity. But at the same time, I have long feared that the concept of the album as a musical art form may eventually go the way of the dinosaur. Having grown up listening to LPs in the late '70s and early '80s, I would be really bummed out if the album format were ever to die out. There's just something about a good album that can never be duplicated by even the best of singles. Listening to a well-conceived album is a true experience akin to getting lost in a great film. Even in these ultra-modern times, I think it still means something to create a collection of songs that are designed to flow together and perhaps even weave a loose narrative.

This brings me to The Days, the fifth solo album from Portland, Maine singer/songwriter Zach Jones. I really love what he's done with this record in terms of presenting it as a complete album while acknowledging that today's listener may prefer to absorb it in smaller doses. If you go to the Bandcamp page for this album, you have the choice of streaming entire sides or listening to individual tracks. With this approach, Jones embraces listeners of all ages - and his music does the same. This exceptionally talented musician has crafted a genuinely contemporary record that's rooted in a love for the classic sounds of the '60s and '70s. As a huge fan of both melody-driven pop and classic soul music, I'm delighted to hear the two melded so beautifully and seamlessly. Given that I tend to be such a genre geek when it comes to this blog, it's unusual for me to write about a piece of music that defies categorization. But more than anything else, I love melody. And I really appreciate hearing a record like this that makes me aware of how so many of the different styles of music I love are not so different at all. Would Stevie Wonder's Innervisions even exist if The Beatles had never made Revolver?

Listening to some earlier releases of Zach Jones, I'm struck by his mastery of multiple genres. He's gone from alt rock to power pop to straight-up soul while all the while retaining his singular identity as a singer and songwriter. The Days essentially takes all of those influences and mixes them together - with the main focus being the general narrative of the album. If I like my pop albums to be musical movies, then that's exactly what Zach Jones has given us. The Days is a reflection on time and change - how we cope with painful goodbyes and the endings of relationships, and how we ultimately have to grow and find our way. That's pretty profound stuff, yet it's all delivered in such a personal and relatable way. Who among us has never reflected on the passing of the years and taken stock of where we're "at" in life? And indeed, this is a movie I can enjoy getting lost in. Jones has a beautiful voice (think Smokey Robinson meets a young Colin Blunstone), and his stories are all the more poignant because he sings with such genuine feeling.

With its warm, soothing tones and silky smooth harmonies, The Days sounds like it could have been recorded in 1973 - evoking what I consider to be a true golden era of musical production. And the influences go even further back - with strong echoes of Paul McCartney and later Beatles, '67/'68 Kinks, vintage Motown, and the baroque pop sounds of The Zombies and Left Banke. Plain and simple, it's a gorgeous album. The melodies are so pretty, and I'm always a sucker for lush string sections. There are certainly individual tracks that stand out in my mind (like the dulcet AM gold of "Meant To Be" and the upbeat swinging soul of "Time For A Change"). But this is an album that I prefer to absorb as a whole - while I'm lying back in my recliner sipping an adult beverage or taking a long walk at dusk. I like the ebb and flow of a story through songs. I like the clear separation between sides one and two. I like the way it builds to a defining climactic moment (the lovely and masterful "Carry").

It may seem odd to applaud an album that employed 15 musicians and singers for its "simplicity". But even with all of that incredible musicianship and those highly sophisticated arrangements, The Days is built on a foundation of simple melodies and lyrics that people can relate to. I recently praised Wyatt Funderburk for taking a similar approach to his debut album, and clearly he and Zach Jones are kindred spirits. Musical trends come and go, and what's "hot" is constantly changing. But there will always be a place for guys like Zach Jones - who more than anything else aspire to just write great songs. The album is far from a dead format, and let's hope it stays that way for a long time.


-L.R. 

http://zachjonestunes.bandcamp.com/album/the-days
https://www.facebook.com/ZachJonesTunes

Anxieties attack!

These are very exciting times in the world of The Anxieties! The Portland band has a brand-spanking new 7" out called "Lab Rats" and has also made its "lost" album Under Surveillance available as a name your price download.

When The Anxieties issued Return To The Nowhere Zone two years ago, I was really blown away by how far the band had come from its earlier releases. So naturally, I was stoked about this current lineup releasing more studio material. We finally get some with "Lab Rats" - and as expected this is the best stuff yet from Scott VonRocket and his partners in thoughtcrime! The Anxieties have fully realized the sound they've been working towards all these years. Think classic early '80s So-Cal punk (Adolescents, Agent Orange, D.I.) with a contemporary dystopian motif. If Snake Plissken had an iPod, these songs would be on it. This time out, it's less science fiction and more science fact - with songs about society's enslavement to the corporate/pharmaceutical complex and man's growing disconnection from the modern world. The title track is a fast and frantic ripper with the best lead guitar work I've ever heard from The Anxieties. "The Obsolete Man", the only truly "new" song on the record, is in a similar vein and really plays up the surfy riffing. "Friday Night", written and sung by (now former) bass player Matt Adore, closes the record with something a little different from The Anxieties. It's more Misfits than Adolescents - coming on with a sing-along rockin' style and cool "ohh ohh" backups. It actually reminds me a little of The Bodies (remember them?). While it's kind of an oddball track compared to the other two songs, I really like the variety it adds. It's a fun song to cap off the record, and you locals should definitely hope it remains in the band's set!

Under Surveillance was recorded way back in 2009 but never released due to a series of obstacles the band encountered (members quitting, a van breakdown, a cancelled tour). Finally it sees the light of day, and I'm very glad it does. Two things come to mind as I listen to Under Surveillance. One is that The Anxieties are a very different band now than they were then (which makes sense, since VonRocket is the only remaining member). And the other is that it's a freaking killer record! You can hear hints of what The Anxieties have become - touches of surf guitar and the techno-totalitarian themes of the title track. But if you're not familiar with some of the band's older recordings, you may be surprised to hear such a high degree of Ramones and Rip Off Records influence in these songs. And some of these tunes are among my favorite Anxieties tracks ever. "Staring Daggers" is a snotty, high-energy blast, while "Telepathy" is a ripping '77 punk/new wave mash-up a la The Fuses. And if these guys have never opened their live show with the super-fun "T​-​Minus Four", they really ought to consider it! Hearing this album helps me understand how The Anxieties got from The Next Mutation to Return To The Nowhere Zone. It wasn't like they procured performance enhancing substances from the future and became a new band overnight. In fact, if I put Under Surveillance and Return To The Nowhere Zone up against each other, I'd have to say they are very different but equally good. And I love Return To The Nowhere Zone! 

"Lab Rats" should be out on vinyl within the next couple of weeks. It's already available digitally for $3. Head on over to The Anxieties' Bandcamp page for ordering information. You can also download Under Surveillance for free or perhaps kick in a few dollars that might help these guys fund their next LP. Do it before Big Brother forbids it! 

-L.R. 

http://theanxieties.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/theanxieties

The Solicitors are back!

As promised, The Solicitors have returned with the second half of their double A-side single from this past fall. And it goes without saying that it's another smash! While very much in the band's familiar new wave power pop style, "Help Me Forget" slows down the pace a tad and charms with gorgeous plaintive melodies. This time out, Lee's lyrics are a little less sardonic than usual - but as clever and relatable as always. So many of the great pop songs are first-person accounts of excruciating heartbreak, and this one's very much in that tradition. And I love how the song ambles along witsfully but then suddenly hits you with a knockout punch of a chorus. Talk about a hook! This Melbourne foursome continues to do power pop right. Even on this semi-ballad, the guitars pack plenty of punch. And if you enjoyed the Elvis Costello/Jags feel of the band's earlier hits, "Help Me Forget" will be totally to your liking as well! It releases today and is available as a free download over at the band's triple j Unearthed page. I have not been able to get this song out of my head all week - and for that I am grateful! Look for The Solicitors' debut album later this year!



-L.R.

http://www.triplejunearthed.com/TheSolicitors
https://www.facebook.com/TheSolicitors