Victim of Time

BREAKING SOUNDS: Eat Skull Wild and Inside LP

Todd Killings

As any band with such an awesome name can attest, it's always best to flatten the expectations of your core group of fans and to show how much talent lies behind the moniker. Nothing displays that power more than the mind-blowing follow-up album to last year's Sick to Death album by Eat Skull. With all of the worthy praise the band has received for their abstract pop tendencies up until now, just one quick sonic glimpse of the tracks within their epic second LP, Wild and Inside, and you'll quickly see how well these guys can spin puke into gold far more creatively than anyone would have imagined. The reality of it is, the infectious songs have always been lurking there with Eat Skull, but the nasty noise interwoven with their unadulterated pop innocence really shines on this new Siltbreeze LP, in ways that most weren't expecting -but wonderful nonetheless. Their ramshackle songwriting has often been somewhat challenging to the pedestrian listening public, and even with the squares out of the way and a solid reputation built up, they still retain their ability to dazzle the world with a sophomore album that's blindingly better then any of their previous efforts. Once you get your cranium embedded with hits like "Stick To the Formula," "Cooking a Way To Be Happy" and the knockout Fugs-style jam "Who's In Control" it's all a pleasure trip from here on out, and this is definitely one LP you won't be playing once and shelving away.

If you were scared by the scraggy production on the earlier recordings, you really owe it to yourself to check out Wild and Inside, as this latest album clearly shows an unbounded degree of true progress, yet never shies away from the scurrilous simplicity that has made them an underground household name you can trust. It's all here, from the uncharacteristically somber, western daze of "Surfing The Stairs" to the deranged and slobbery hardcore-tinged "Nuke Mecca," Eat Skull have delivered one hell of a second child, and it will lock their visceral grooves permanently into your corrupted cranium. As just one of two essential Siltbreeze long players released last month, be sure to pick up the primal and prerequisite debut Tyvek LP while you're at it, and revel in the virility of modern punk's most respectable ground breakers. Pick up the Eat Skull and Tyvek LPs HERE and get on with it.

check out a live video of Eat Skull performing at Sneaky Dee's in Toronto this past September, courtesy of dreamweaponfilm, right here:

Miami is So Raw Fest Blasts Off Tonight!

Diamond Boyz

Miami, the city that brought you the death of Versace (RIP), the award-winning film Scarface (Fly pelican, c'mon pelican!), and the invention of snorting rails off of beautiful latina ass, is now bringing THEE first So Raw Festival. Why So Raw Festival? Because raw means being totally awesome, and this festival is going to be totally awesome. For those of you that have been sleeping under a rock, for the past two years Miami has been pumping out some choice nugz.

This Heart Electric, a one man weirdo project, which consists of Miami's own Ricardo Guerrero, and kicks off the night on Friday at the 'ISM Gallery with his post- (insert here) bumping grooves, that will surely get the party started, and all the ladies' asses bouncing. Next up is Palm Trees, a guy/girl duo from Miami who will most definitely keep the party going with their hypnotizing beats and eerie vocals, which is worth checking out based on the singer’s booty alone. After a sun-drenched set by Palm Trees, Miami's beloved Rick Diaz (AKA Ricky's Black Mountain in Orlando) will be taking the stage as Hahahelp! a very eclectic band with frequent line-up changes and an ever-changing sound. Hahahelp! is something that you don't want to miss; one second some freaked out noise is going on, the next second you're hearing a guitar and voice so beautiful you'd think you're on the beach with the prettiest girl you've ever met, and she's even opening up an ice cold beer for you. The sun will be setting as Miami's lone ranger, Eric Lopez takes the stage, with his loner-psych-punk-jazz-acoustic-guitar(sometimes)-amazingness, TEEPEE. Ever since his first self-released CDR everyone has just wanted more. Two amazing tapes on the equally amazing Jerkwave, a 7 inch from Weird Hug, another 7 inch from Florida's Dying, more self released tapes, and an upcoming 7 inch on HoZac's Hookup Klub, TEEPEE always gives the people what they want. And you really don't want to miss his droning drum beats, amazing guitar, occasional sax solo's, and beautifully flowing hair. After TEEPEE melts away your brain, Miami's own Electric Bunnies will kick off their set. With their great "unique-to-them" sounds (Danny B has been trying to coin it, GRIT GAZE), are some psyched-out noisy-poppy jams that will surely blow everyone away. Keep your eye out for probably the best LP of the year coming out on Florida's Dying. Ending the first night will be Chicago's party monsters, The Yolks. With their own 60's rock'n'roll sound, they will be the perfect band to finish off such a beautiful night, and will surely get every drunken boy and girl (So Raw will have free beer and vodka!) up on their feet and dancing the night away. Be sure to get your hands on their upcoming LP coming out on Randy and Bachelor Records, soon.

Saturday begins bright and early, but you don't want to miss the day show, which begins at 12 PM. Flux Forces, another Miami duo consisting of Ryan and Rebecca (Ryan will probably also be playing with Hahahelp! on Friday) who make some tropical, beach-soaked synth bliss that should not be missed. After Flux Forces are done sucking you into their world, Miami's Little Beard will be thinking that 12:45 is the perfect time to start partying again. Fronted by the beautiful Sarah, and featuring So Raw's very own Nicole, who will be keeping the beat on the skins, Little Beard will surely deliver some foot-stomping rhythm in a very slick rock'n'roll fashion. Next up will be Chicago resident, but Miami native, Alexendar Held as Ghost Slums. Ghost Slums will cook up some sexy, bluesy, noisey tunes with some driving bass and sporadic guitar, this is something that you won’t to miss. Closing off the day show will be the Northeast's wonderchild: Fluffy Lumbers. With his lo-fi garage pop brilliance and his boyish charm, he will be melting away the day’s debauchery and sweat, and all the while convincing every jaded elitist asshole that pure and good music is still being made today. Make sure to check out his upcoming 7 inch on Chicago's Weird Hug Records.

If anyone is alive by Saturday night, Miami's own garage rockers Lil Daggers will be setting the mood right with their slick riffs and enigmatic singer over at the 'ISM Gallery, once again. Nicole, the brains behind So Raw will be next up with her partner in crime, Miami's official stud muffin Tony G, as The CouchFaces, who will be bringing smiles to everyone's faces, with their cutesy, happy, straight-up rock and roll. Next up on the business agenda, is the dirty business himself: Brian's Dirty Business, an intrepid man of international sexy mystery, and a libido equal only to the size, girth, and tone of his massive manhood. Legend has it, he was born into sex slavery in Miami's most upscale rock'n'roll brothel, but was one day rescued and taught the black tantric sex magic by the Sex Wizard Overseer; Chicago's own filthy secret. So keep your lady friends close because his infectious hooks, sexy voice, and arousing stage performance will have them dying to give Brian himself an RJ in the alley. This dude is most definitely a prowler of the night and a dirty hustler of sin, the dirty business of Brian. After the sex has stopped, Rot Shit will be taking the stage, ready to bring the type of chaos and destruction that Miami has never seen. With their retardo back-to-basics hardcore punk stylings, fists, beer and ladies underwear will be thrown during their amazing, infamous fifteen minute set. Best lyrics ever. The fun continues with Miami's sun king's of Opalaca River: Melted Sunglasses. Featuring the world's fastest beer-shotguner Danny B. (and also So Raw co-founder and organizer). These guys rip it with psychedelic, yet super catchy guitar riffs and an honest to-the-devil luster of hard pounding punk sound. With added guitar brilliance from TEEPEE himself, these guys are what keeps Miami pounding booze and listening to good music. Look out for their two upcoming records on Florida's Dying and Weird Hug Records.

Hopefully everyone will be ready for some garage psych goodness with Miami hit makers Jacuzzi Boys. Having dominated the past few years with 7 inches on HoZac, Florida's Dying, Needless and Rob's House, along with an upcoming LP on Florida's Dying, it's obvious that these boys write amazing songs. One of the tightest bands around, the Jacuzzi Boys are going to give everyone a show that will exceed everyone's expectations. Hopefully the gallery will still be standing by the time Pink Reason takes the stage. Closing off the festival, Pink Reason will be making sure that no one leaves without at least one life-changing experience, as Kevin Failure always delivers a performance that will leave you wanting more for days.

The So Raw Festival will also be featuring art exhibits by local Miami artists, so check out the beautiful Nina Hartmann, Annabelle Lee, Nikki Chasin, M. Grace and Peter Betancourt. Since the festival has free beer & vodka, you should not be a cheap-o and buy some of their art.

check out a video clip of Miami's own TEEPEE, courtesy of amazinrobert, right here:

Idle Times Join Fresh & Onlys and Snakeflower 2 at the Hemlock

Todd Killings

Thursday night in San Francisco at the Hemlock, don't sit around and let the world pass you by and be sure to make your way out to see one of the best factions of underground rock'n'roll take shape. If you're as smart as the rest of us, you already know that Snakeflower 2 are one of the Bay-Area's finest biker punk disciples, and with the nimble creativity of Matthew Melton at the helm, it's undoubtedly gonna be a vivid display of firepower with a slippery side of psychedelic ooze. If you haven't treated yourself to their debut Lp on Tic Tac Totally yet, it's time to grab one at their merch table or order a copy direct, right HERE. Next up are Seattle's Idle Times, who have only released two 7" singles so far (on HoZac and Woodsist, both sold out) but their imminent ferocity has only partially been realized since these four tracks effectively capture the highs and lows of their sound, yet a full album's worth of their material really needs to be squeezed out to realize their full potential as one of today's best bands. With a snarling guitar scree that cauterizes as well as captivates, Idle Times also tow the line perfectly with their irresistible slower, hazy-eyed songs like "Driving You Mad" and "Whatever Works For You" (both the stunning b-sides on their singles) that are not to be missed. Although you may have already lost the chance to grab these singles (check the merch table, you never know), keep an eye on Idle Times to tear it up live, and on whatever records they have in the works.

Headlining the show are the unstoppable and remarkable jangle-punk visionaries, The Fresh & Onlys, who have hit their stride so well in the last few months, it's scary as to how good they are gonna get as time passes, and more records evolve. With the deep resonating vocals that conjure up dead icons such as Jeffrey Lee Pierce and Lee Hazelwood, colliding into Echo & the Bunnymen and Terminals territory at the same time, The Fresh & Onlys are carving their own path, and righteously so. If you haven't been blindsided by them just yet, don't worry, as their songs really have an unusual effect where they seep into your soul before smashing into yur skull, and sometimes it's better that way. Jump all over their debut album on Castleface, pick up their new 7" on Dirty Knobby, and their reissued debut 7" on Chuffed (or grab them direct from the band's website HERE) in preparation for ther second album coming soon on Woodsist along with a 7" EP on Hozac, which should break the sky wide open and suck all the oxygen out of the universe, inevitably causing all of our heads to cave in. Don't be late for that one, either.

check out a video of The Fresh & Onlys playing live at SXSW this year, courtesy of fingermedia, right here:

Kid Congo Dracula Boots LP

Todd Killings

It's always a surprise when underground luminaries from decades past happen to align themselves with the raw realness of what made them so great in the first place, and actually churn out a relevant record, years past their supposed heyday. It's just so rare of an occurrence, and it's obvious anyone would be skeptical, but when you take the culmination of all the projects Kid Congo Powers has been involved with, the distillation prospects of an autumnal career 'hit' seem to be better than most. Just released last month, Powers' new LP on In The Red with his band the Pink Monkey Birds really hits the spot, and shows how true to his roots he can be without contriving any cliches out of context. With some of the most effective druggy drones to seep out of the pores of a man entering his 50's, the Dracula Boots LP nails that weary eerie vibe that was always out of reach when folks made earnest attempts at copping the Gun Club/Cramps intangible, yet sinister slide.

As if nothing had been washed out of the pants Powers wore during his stint in the early 80s stage-left spotlight, each infectious rotation of this album suggests a dimly lit inner disturbance, radiating with a psychedelic death groove that becomes impossible to ignore, even after the snarling cover of Thee Midnighters' slobber-mouthed classic, "I Found A Peanut" slowly pulls to a stop. It just doesn't make sense how good this album can be, yet it keeps impressing song after song, and the fact that one of the 80s most unheralded punk contributors is back in our face with a full album of this caliber is nothing short of a milestone in unpredictability. If you were even slightly interested in the prime material of The Cramps and Gun Club and even Nick Cave, do yourself a serious favor and hop on board with this album from Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds for a technicolor explosion of slurring punk psychedelia that comes with such a strong original lineage from the true source of the noise. Pick it up direct from In The Red right HERE, and don't forget to grab their whole bag of other hot commodities like new LPs from Intelligence, Thee Oh Sees, and The Strange Boys, too.

And if you're in the Chicago area, do not miss the FREE in-store performance of Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds this Sunday at 3PM at Permanent Records.

check out a video of Kid Congo Powers live at SXSW in 2008, courtesy of Max Dembo, right here:

Bamalama Fest 2 Rips Huntsville a New One

Brett Cross

The 2nd Annual Bamalama Festival goes down this weekend in Huntsville, Alabama. Getting the four day long party going tonight at the Voodoo Lounge in downtown Huntsville, this year's installment promises to be a rock'n'roll bender like no other in the Southern US, save for the annual Goner Fest in Memphis. Tonight's line up features headliners International Date Lines, who boast that they are not technically a girl band, but their bubbly, power pop tunes and "ooh ah oooh" refrains definitely give that feeling. The Milwaukee act barrels through cute little Nikki Corvette-type shit that will pump the sugar straight into your boozy heart. The Oxford, Mississippi 2-piece, John Barrett's Bass Drum of Death have a supporting slot on the bill and blast a far cry from the headliners, banging out fuzz-ridden noise calamities wrapped around simple pop tunes that seems as brilliantly eroded and dangerous, as they seem to bleed with modern blues shards. And as if you might have thought that the belly of Fat Possum Records was getting too full to suck up another modern hitmaker, it looks like these guys have landed on their roster, which is fitting because they both fly their flag down there in the Oxford mud. The Group Hug, and effects-pedal noodle heads, Squidbotz open the show, but not until after that damn Huntsville Stars game is done and over on the Voodoo Lounge boob tubes first.

Friday night gets underway at Lowe Mill with a ridiculous line up that is going to wipe that smirk off your sub-drunk face and replace it with a permanent, gaping ogle. I mean seriously, Pink Reason, Digital Leather, Box Elders and Goodnight Loving on one bill has got to be breaking some kind of cosmic law. Opening the showcase are the contagiously optimistic sounds of The Magic Kids. A Memphis act featuring members of the Barbaras and the Girls of Graviton, whose stage shows come off as a sort of melliferous and enchanting whirlwind of good time hits, and inflatable buffoonery. Keep an eye out for their debut on Goner Records sometime soon. Pink Reason will hit the stage next, and you'll be second guessing your enjoyment as his dark, cerebral songs will knock that cloudy air of optimism right out of the atmosphere and replace it with eerie fog of self-affecting doubt. You'd better bring your lithium tonight, because you're going to need it. After a set by the yet-to-be-crowned kings of contemporary electro-scuzz pop, Digital Leather, Omaha's golden sons of dressed-down party pop, Box Elders hit the stage to reset the mood once again back to an emotional overture of beer-spilling, buddy-hugging and worry-flushing songs that will get the whole house bumping. Then Milwaukee's Juiceboxxx will wipe their alabaster hip hop across the crowd, leaving you bouncing to party beats with a self-conscious simper on your less-than-hip face, but that's OK dude, because Goodnight Loving headline. Just off their third album on Dusty Medical, Goodnight Loving's set will reset the evening back to a straightforward luster with their slightly southern-fried and timeless tunes.

Saturday is going to be a little rough after the time you had Friday night, so after you wake up in a strange place, sneak a hitter and embarrassingly dry heave into a neglected philodendron in the living room of an unfamiliar apartment and then re-meet the person who was nice enough to put you up for the night. But you'll have to put that all behind you as the day show at Bandito Burrito starts at 2:00 PM in the afternoon, and you don't want to miss Church of My Love, Lil Daggers, and Ryan Pits and the Boy Toys.

Saturday night at Lowe Mill holds another crazy and unmissable line up, kicking the night off with the murky, modern psych tunes of Woven Bones. Look out for 7"s coming out on Sweet Rot and Needless Records out this month, along with their debut full-length on HoZac coming up in the near future. Then after a set by Alabama's weirdo of bare bones twang, Dan Sartain, another couple of Alabama freaks hit the stage, Wizzard Sleeve. Now trimmed down to a two-piece, these backwoods robots remind us that the foreboding future of certain Armageddon is destined to happen everywhere, and won't be skipping over the less nihilistic and flowery meadows of the less populated parts of the map. And with their debut album coming out on HoZac soon, the rest of our small world will be certainly warned. The Jacuzzi Boys, from the sandy back alleys of Miami, take the stage after Nashville's The Mattoid. Playing their brand of dejected hippy shit fits, more with the times than say, their scarves, but their songs are simply brilliant and are injected with a spirit of timeless, rollicking grooves. They've got a split 7" single with Woven Bones out on Needless as well, and you'd be a tard not to pick it up. After the Jacuzzi Boys, Mobile's Super Nice Bros headline.

OK, it's Sunday morning and you're pretty wiped, you smell like stale beer piss and cigarettes, but the show isn't over quite yet. Maybe you should go get some pancakes or something, and get some nourishment in you for the free show tonight at the Voodoo Lounge featuring Dan Shatterfield's Dick, the Detroit two-piece The Mahonies, and Brooklyn rippers Liquor Store. Headlining the show are the always excellent grit-pop pioneers who set up the Bamalama Fest, Thomas Function. Be sure pick up their new 7" on Fat Possum before you get some rest from the long weekend.

Big Neck Records Celebrates 10 Years

Brett Cross

The Pain in the Big Neck Festival gets underway this weekend in Buffalo, NY thrown by the now Reston, VA-based label Big Neck Records. Celebrating its 10 year anniversary, the label has stood as a launching pad for a number of now-legendary bands, including the formidable Baseball Furies, The Blowtops, Lost Sounds, and the Tyrades. Forming in the sonically abundant bend of the late 90s, Big Neck honed the hurricane of blistering and bellicose bands from, not only Buffalo, but for others like the beloved Blacks from Sweden. Now here we are, a decade has slipped by, and if your record collection doesn't hold at least hold a handful of the label's 30-plus releases, well then, you must be living under a rock. And the tune train has hardly slowed down over that time, as Big Neck has some new records in the barrel, including the long-awaited (and sadly, the final LP) by the Baseball Furies titled, Throw Them to the Lions, plus Tom Potter's Chrome Spiders debut single, and a debut full length from the Sworn Liars.

Getting underway tonight at the Mohawk Place, the two day event is packed full of must-see acts. Tonight kicks off with an appearance from Minus 9, another project from Flying Bomb's Andy Claydon, who also headed the excellent MHz. Playing brutal, fist-throwing hardcore, Minus 9 should set the night off to a neck-twisting pace. Then, hold on tight to those rock'n'roll nads of yours because the rest of the night is cocked to blast your ass into outer space with sets by DC's Electricutions, Ex-Humans from New York whose Ex-Humans have a debut 7" on Full Breach is still available, and the throng of angular angst, Terrible Twos, hailing from the city known for producing such soul crushing salvos, Detroit.

As A/V Murder plays the last supporting slot, you'll notice that Jim McCann (a.k.a Jim Eyecan, Jimmy Hollywood, Jimmy Ordinary, Mr. Celebrity X, etc..) will be a busy mofo this weekend, playing three sets in total over the span of the festival. The jolly, booze-slinging, back-slapping quipster should be out in full force, as it's sort of a teary homecoming for him, not only because Buffalo was were he, along with the rest of the Baseball Furies, made their bones, but also because of McCann's personal involvement with the Big Neck label over the years. After that, The Blowtops, the band whose debut single got the label going back in 1999, will headline the show.

Saturday, a new local act, Fatal Figures, featuring most of the Blowtops, along with Dave Anchovies from the Plates, open the show and promise to deliver with their spewing and ravenous knub-skullcore tunes. After a performance by Pittsburgh's Burndowns, the Homostupids hit the stage to rip your face apart with their full-throttle, throat-wrenching punk. Tom Potter's Chrome Spiders are in the next slot, then Baltimore's Hollywood, and in between the Baseball Furies two sets are Red Red Red. But everyone knows the big treat for the weekend is the dou-set performance of Baseball Furies. Their first set will be with their current drummer, Matt Billiams, who's been playing with them since the band transplanted to Chicago in 2001, and will feature their newer material, including stuff off of Throw Them to the Lions, which is the first recording to feature Billiams behind the skins. The second set will feature their original drummer, Dapper, and will they be performing the classic late 90s Dapper-era tunes that got a lot of us all worked up so much around the turn of the century. Needless to say, this will be a memorable show for Buffalo, and hopefully the Mohawk will still be standing come Sunday morning.

Dan Melchior Post Office Line 7"

Brett Cross

Dan Melchior is easily one of the most prolific songwriters on this stupid Earth. Just over the past couple of months, the dude has come out with a handful of singles (two on Columbus Discount Records, one on the new Convulsive Records imprint, and another on Dullknife Records), and a double album on SS Records, and to date he has released over forty records since the mid-90s, far more than any other artist that comes to mind, save for Billy Childish. And he does it without hardly a dud in the mix, it's crazy––The guy is like some kind of song factory freak.

As part of Columbus Discount Records Singles Club, Dan Melchior's new incarnation, Dan Melchior und das Menace came out with one of his most interesting singles so far. As a man known for digging on the old blues, folk, and gospel tunes and injecting his sharp edge of modern punk and garage serum, it's when he ventures outside of his tender and venomous musing that his songwriting brilliance really shines the brightest. Here on the new single on Columbus Discount Records (available only through the exclusive, pre-booked singles club and directly from Mr. Melchior himself), Melchior takes his song sack out and slaps a couple of doozies on us. On the A-side's "Post Office Line," he spews his profound mastery of the downtrodden antisocial viewpoint in a whirling nightmare of cheap organs and drums that sound like rust-fucked machinery pulsating in a coagulation of self-defining social angst, that, for some of us, shows itself inwardly in such aggravating and monotonous tasks as stand in line at the post office. On the flip side, in a song titled "Tourist," Melchior posts his usual "them vs. him" scenario in a gut-twisting song that breaks between bursts of now-wave noise and softly sung stanzas tormented from the numb empathy of out-of-town house guests, to the snagging coils of urban living that will have you shaving your eyebrows and drooling for some kind of no-wavy jazz weirdo shit. This is such a great single.

Don't fret if you passed on the Columbus Discount Singles Club, because you can get this single directly from Melchior's site here. And while you're at it, Pick up the Convulsive and Dullknife singles, and you'd be a straight-up fool if you didn't pick up his double album on SS records, too.

World's Gone Wiggly Fest Kicks Off in Orlando Tonight!

Todd Killings

This weekend in Orlando, Florida, the hotly anticipated World's Gone Wiggly Fest, curated by Florida's Dying's new record store, Wiggly World, heats up and delivers three solid days of brain-draining good times. In case you hadn't heard, Wiggly World is now open for business and should lay even more of a solid foundation to the burgeoning spring of promise that Florida has become over the past several years. Not to mention, having the ability of bands playing shows in the parking lot makes the whole idea even better. Starting off with Friday's showcase at Crooked Bayou are local all-girl band Garbo's Daughter, who proffer up a gummed-up take on teen fuzz-pop sweetness, executed with enough sugary spirit and Wally Bryson references to spare. And just as the momentum starts to really pick up, Milwaukee's Plexi 3 break out their gear and pack on a mod-pop explosion that you just can't miss. With an unrelenting zealous attack, Plexi 3 channel the pure sensation of The Dickies and hard-wire it down to a tightly keen girl group sound, soaked in the essence of The Who, and if you haven't already got ahold of their latest records, the Timebox 7" on Full Breach Kicks, and the debut LP on Bachelor Records, then you'd better track 'em down. Next up are Connecticut's great Estrogen Highs, who are riding high on the accolades of their two knockout singles last year, and still keep it interesting with their frantically melodic quirk-pop that'll keep you gyrating with adulation the whole set. And who to top off the first night? Chicago's teen smashers, The Smith Westerns clean the plate with a walloping pop explosion that just seems too good to be true, as you'll soon hear on their debut LP out this month on HoZac, due to arrive at any second, as of press-time. With the refreshing synergy they instill between teen glam bravado and the innocent simplicity of budget rock, it's truly a combination that will blow your head off with thrills of effective extravagance, like few others can pull off on home studio recordings these days. And live, these guys pour their hearts into it, so don't pass out behind the gas station bathroom and get up front for this unforgettable show.

Saturday will roll around sooner than you want, but do not miss out on the 3PM afternoon show in the Wiggly World parking lot, where you'll be dazed and amazed by the stellar all-state lineup showcasing Florida's best of the moment. Kicking off with Lil Daggers and Church of My Love (the latter formerly known as the Love Acts), these two bands will get the blood flowing and will help work up the urge to start pounding beers again, so don't sleep in too late and miss out. Next up are Florida's Dying head dude Rich's band Slippery Slopes, who will surely bash out the bad vibrations with their choppy scum pop emissions of grandeur, only barely evident on their split 7" with Johnny & the Limelites released last Summer, but they are really down to pack a wallop. And if you haven't already stuck your brain on Melted Sunglasses, then you really need to get with the program. Disjointed punk squawk that's really going places, and with their smudged imagery getting us all worked up into a sweat, you'd best keep your eyes on Melted Sunglasses from Miami to deliver some amazing stuff on record soon, so be on the look out for their Weird Hug release later this year. And rounding out the afternoon show are Miami's Jacuzzi Boys, who never fail to lay down the psychedelic grooves so thick you'll need more than a butter knife to cut through it. If you haven't picked up their split single with Woven Bones on Needless Records, you'd better step to it. Their debut LP is one of the year's most anticipated, so look to Florida's Dying for a full-length of desecrated salvation hopefully before the end of the year, as well.

Later on that night at Crooked Bayou, Miami's mysteriously alluring TEEPEE will rev up the engines of submission and spellbind the room with their hypnotically addictive slurred spacepunk greatness. With a recent emergence over only the past six months, they have already turned in intensely lurid records with Weird Hug, Florida's Dying, and have an upcoming HoZac Hookup Klub release on deck, as well. Not a high energy act, it's stuff like this that just sizzles with a slow burn, and delivers satisfaction that's hard to find these days. After TEEPEE unlocks your mind, Alabama's Hibachi Stranglers head up to the stage next, bringing a clangor of beautifully muddy psychedelic punk that's pulled off live so well, it was one of the best shows I saw all year in 2007. Their debut 7" was a flat-out classic and their lack of releases in the time since its release has left a gaping hole in the universe, so hopefully that'll all be rectified with their imminent debut LP on Florida's Dying, tentatively still in the works. And just as things get cranked up with Hibachi Stranglers, Madison, WI's Dead Luke follows up and tones down the sound back into pit of synthetic aural blackness, as any of his fine records can attest. Columbus noise-creeps Psychedelic Horseshit wrap up the rest of the hazy evening with audio scrapings conjured from nether regions of consciousness, and deliver a bombastic and asymmetrical sound that leans on nothing but restless creativity and vast quantities of intoxicants.

Sunday's afternoon show is gonna be a hard pill to swallow, but it'll be worth it as weird poppers Ghost Hospital take the stage first, clanging out a quirky set of spasmodic greatness, only to be followed by Pittsburgh's insanely inane Rot Shit, who aim to disgust and corrupt everything pure going on in your intestinal tract, hitting the spot every time. Once you've wiped the slime from your face, get ready for another crucial performance by Miami's Electric Bunnies, who never fail to deliver. With an inimitable sound that ranges from bubble-gummy ballads to noisy interventions, they're more than qualified to hold their own and always do it well. More than likely, they'll be backing Pink Reason in the headlining spot tonight, too. And even though the misty-eyed introspection of Pink Reason's material may not always be the best idea to cap off an all day party after a two day fest, this conglomeration of sunny weather, marathon partying and wild out-of-town friends coming together, it should be the perfect way to wind it all down.

Check out a video clip of Melted Sunglasses performing live at Wiggly World Records earlier this year, courtesy of jkickbright, right here:

Nice Face Debuts Tonight with Nerve City, Gary War & Crystal Stilts at Don Pedro

Todd Killings

Tonight in Brooklyn at Don Pedro, come out to witness a very special event, curated by Sacred Bones Records, as local festering mind erasers Nice Face finally climb upon the stage to dismantle and desecrate everything pure and holy, and mainly to show the feeble naysayers how home recording projects can indeed come to life with surprisingly great results. With a whirlwind guitar attack that blinds everything in its path, Nice Face tackles immensely addicting distorto guitar scree with Devo-esque hooks and pushes out punishing pop songs writhing and screaming with power and spine-tingling brilliance. If you're in the NY area and crave the true twisted sounds of sonic adventure, clear all your plans for the evening and get right up front for this spectacle of underground punk, right as it sprouts, and don't miss the essential new Nice Face 7" released last month on Sacred Bones, which should be available at the show. Adding even more incentive to your mandatory attendance at Don Pedro tonight are the truly ominous vibrations culminated by Richmond, Virginia's Nerve City, yet another impeccably morose, yet captivating home-recording outfit that has also made the leap into performing live shows. With a brand new 10" EP entitled I Fucked Death, released this month on Kill Shaman Records, Nerve City already have the rare ability to crawl under your skin with their gloomy yet humanizing songs that echo with the cold jangly chills of death's imminent arrival, and it's never felt so good. Like the soundtrack to watching a funeral parade slowly drive by, Nerve City nail their simplistic songs with the grace of a black angel falling from the sky, yet never come off as contrived. Sharing a sound and execution similar to their friends/cohorts Medication from Connecticut, Nerve City channel an indescribable eeriness that devolves and reemerges with each stirring song, creating such an atmosphere of sonic paralysis that is nothing short of hypnotic. Look for a new Nerve City 7" EP on HoZac later this year, as well as their debut LP on Sweet Rot soon.

Rounding out the rest of this fine Spring evening, are two of NYs' breakout hit machines, the first being the elusive Gary War, followed by Crystal Stilts. With a rapid following emerging over the past few months, Gary War has turned his subdued reverberations into a formula that works on many different levels, transmitting his lofty song creations into angelic emissions that turn spellbinding squawks into truly original compositions, all of which shouldn't be missed. If you don't already own and cherish the New Raytheonport LP released last year on Kill Shaman, it should be high on your list of priorities, along with their brand new 7" on Sacred Bones as well. And if you're keen on the mid-period Jesus and Mary Chain stylings of Brooklyn's esteemed Crystal Stilts, then you should already know how much excitement they generate in a live setting. With Vivian Girls' Frankie Rose on drums, they stainlessly usher dream pop illusions into the muddled minds of the audience on a nightly basis, and accurately capture the essence of mid-80s indie pop perfection, both live and on record. Pick up their new Love is A Wave 7" on Slumberland if you don't already have it, and get ready for a solid night of great music.

Check out a live clip of Gary War right her, courtest of shawnthemanager:

Chrome Cranks Rise Again to Play New York Tonight at Santos House.

Brett Cross

The Chrome Cranks recently reemerged from the murky swamps of early 90s blues-stained punk to play a couple shows in New York: one last weekend, one tonight at the Santos Party House with The Friggs, and another next weekend at the Grasslands Gallery with Woman, Headless Hookers and Brownbird Ruby Relic. After a 12 year hiatus, The Chrome Cranks are releasing The Murder of Time (1993-1996) on Bang! Records. A double gatefold album capturing some of the band's most dangerous material durring their reign in the 90s.

Known for scraping blues riffs across an emberred cauldron of noise and summoning such dark swamp dwelling ghosts of everything from the Gun Club to later Scientists, and of course The Cramps, while simultaneously ripping a hole in blues-structured tunes with noisy nuances, Chrome Cranks are back with the same line-up they folded with over a decade ago. After bass player Jerry Teel and drummer Bob Bert did their time in the excellent Knoxville Girls, sadly that band has completely faded. Yet, by some kind of miracle internet voodoo, the rest of the band, including frontman Peter Arron and guitarist Willaim Weber, are all back together doing this reunion thing. But the rest of the country outside of New York City is still holding their breath for a tour, so lets keep our fingers crossed.

Opening the show is the all-girl trash pop group, The Friggs.