New John Frusciante!!!

via Exclaim, whose got a whole lotta information on the new record, Outsides here.

New Jucifer via Brooklyn Vegan

Ahhh Jucifer... I discovered them when I heard the track Amplifier on Chicago's St Xavier University radio station (that's 88.3 if you're licking) back in the early oughts. Amplifier is irresistible 90's pop rock that kinda plays like the girls from Veruca Salt* singing for Nirvana. (though it came out in 2002). Here, in case you haven't heard it, take a moment to indulge:



Anyway, I picked up that record, I Name You Destroyer and the entire thing is just great. Very eclectic approach for a two-piece. Next came a copy of their first record, Calling All cars on the Vegas Strip.

image courtesy of spirit-of-metal.com

 I talked them up to a bunch of friends and took them to see the band at Chicago's Bottom Lounge (in its old location as since I've lived there I believe they've moved). What we saw was totally different then the record. It was... metal. I mean, three-fingers-up-and-two-down rock lock metal. This was totally different then the recorded material I'd heard thus far.

Then I bought the E.P. Lambs and I began to understand.

Since then Jucifer's sound has congealed into a more coherent whole that synthesizes their 'live' sound and the benefits of multi-tracking in the studio. And because of this it's gotten better. Then a brief departure in 2010 with Throned in Blood which, from my few listens to it, stands as an amazing testament to old school, nineties metal. It's good, and once again it's hard to imagine that much sound comes from just two people. Then again, when you see their stage set-up, it begins to make sense.

image courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

Anyway, Brooklyn Vegan ran an article about the forthcoming next album by the band, released next week and entitled за волгой для нас земли нет and I'm excited. Go to the Vegan here to read the full article and see the bizarre album trailer as well.

..........
*Not totally into what the 'Salt did, however their voices combined in a way that was very, very hot.

Chester Whelks interviews Paul Colilli of Simply Saucer...

... I'd never heard Simply Saucer. However, after hearing them and reading the interview, as Chester says, I am an instant convert. Colilli has a new solo record which I've embedded above - go here and you can purchase it on his bandcamp. Read the interview and check out another track that Chester embedded on Joup here.

The Art of Punk: Winston Smith and The Dead Kennedy's Art

Lo-Pan - Sasquanaut

Band name a reference to one of my all-time favorite movies?
Check.
Ohio?
Check.
Sabbath-influenced stoner rock riffs?
Check.
Monkey Astronauts?
Check.

What the hell's not to like. Go to the band's bandcamp and buy it here.

Via Brooklyn Vegan.

Drumcondra, Ireland You're Haunting My Dreams...

Image courtesy of geograph.ie

It's been nearly ten years since I was out of the country. I've never traveled abroad as much as I would have liked to, however I've done a small amount. Problem is (not really a problem though) when I do get out there's really only three places I like to go. There's other places I want to see, but only three places I go: England, Ireland and Scotland.

Now, this morning I dreamt seemingly non-stop about Ireland. Specifically for some reason I dreamt of Drumcondra, a suburb of Dublin. I don't know much about Drumcondra - I was there during the earliest days of 2002 with my friends Grez and his cousin Tony and a certain other person who, well, scared the hell out of me and almost inadvertently got me killed. In a nutshell, she was crazy. Beautiful, but crazy. And I paid for that.

Anyway... I didn't dream about any of this; none of these people, none of the places I was at while I was there. What I dreamt about were a bunch of places and people I never encountered before in 'consensual' reality but in the dream felt like I'd met and now somehow stumbled into a very pained remembrance. I was with my wife and my folks, we were walking the green streets of Drumcondra, and suddenly I wandered away or fell behind for a moment and then lost them, only to enter a place and recognize it immediately. From there it seemed I climbed and descended endless staircases, on almost each level re-meeting people I had somehow forgotten and only just then remembered, but remembered in a way that made them very important to me. New bonds were established and then somehow there was someone following me - chasing me even - and I was trying to avoid them. When a confrontation eventually happened it was for naught, and then this older dude at work who I don't particularly care for (nothing against him - just keep my distance for perceived reasons) showed up and whisked me back to where my wife and family waited.

What the hell?

Brand New - Jesus Christ

I think this was the first song by this band that really hit. I remember I had dismissed them and then - and this is back like seven years ago (!) - three of my friends from Ohio band Blue Karma were staying with us while they met with a new manager (I think that was the purpose of the trip) and one night while we stayed up late and drank and played one another music they threw this on. I was reluctant at first but I remember Jeremy saying, "Listen to this, this was made to be timeless," and I focused on the music and suddenly had an epiphany: Brand New is an awesome band and The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me is an unbelievably crafted album made as a mark against time and a chronicle of youth slowly drifting into the uncharted waters of adulthood.

image courtesy of wikipedia.org