Robot Rock

Them Crooked Vultures

2010-01-05T11:53:00.000-08:00

Already extracting acclaim from music critics, on November 17^th the super group “TCV” will be dropping the sky on the heads of rock music lovers everyplace. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Probot), vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal) and bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin, Diamanda Galas, Butthole Surfers) conspire to produce an album that’s not your standard bland détente but rather for something a bit more out there.
For over a year now, the rumors of jam sessions between the self-appointed “bros” Grohl and Homme, as well as former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, have progressed from the category of incongruous rumor to striking reality. When the trio took to the stage on August 9, at the Lollapalooza after-show in Chicago it caused a wildfire of bootlegs through YouTube and torrents alike. The band has obvoiouly been held in comparison to the members previous projects. From the red and black cover art to the interlock between distorted bass and Grohl’s drumming, the trio can come off a bit like the Queens of the Stone Age’s sick cousin. But the arrangements embody something that’s been missing in rock music: placement. Each member of this “Super Group” is precisely where they should be, offering their best side to each others’ talents in a mesh of classic rock and modern tact.

All three heavy-hitters have spent years indulging impulses for the subtlety, strange and examples of this are laced throughout the album. “Elephants” runs the listener through a sonic gauntlet, forcing slow stomp rock into jerky ghost beats, only to deposit you to a psychedelic pondering what exactly just happened. “Scumbag Blues” with its driving beat, and descending scale utterly reeks of Lead Zeppelin drive and Cream vocals upon opening but less than a minute in the unapologetic, sweaty, self-satisfying rock music takes a fragrance like unlaundered underwear and carries the musty funk of decades of guitar smashing, over driven outsider fusion to its logical conclusion. Josh Homme delivers something not routinely heard in modern rock music; Sensuality. There’s a wit, and style mixed with shockingly naked statements in the vocal delivery, almost like he recorded from the patient couch. In “Dead End Friends”, he proclaims “I follow the road at night just hoping to find, which puzzle piece fell out of me.” over slick, dirty, guitars and Jones’ insistent bass. “Gunman” mixes driving verses with ethereal choruses all while showcasing Grohl’s panache for ghost beats, and hesitant start-stops making the listeners head bob involuntarily from side to side. Jones’ evens out this trio’s recording, adding touches of texture with slide guitar on the wickedly cheeky “Reptiles” and the classic piano on the closer “Spinning in Daffodils”.

“Warsaw or the First Breath You Take After You Give Up” server up raw and dirty, then builds in ostentation with carnival organ and backing choir, only to race off with Jones’ bass and Grohl’s drums running after Homme’s guitar. The bands crest “Making the possible, totally impossible” is best served with the follow up: “For anybody else to follow” and once it’s over, you can’t wait to start it all over again. This stomping, panting, sweaty monster of rock is truly a fantastic, unforgettable, listen.

LINKS:

New Fang

Gunman (live)

Scumbag Blues (live)

Interview with Josh Homme

Interview with John Paul Jones

Cut Off Your Hands, and clap.

2007-09-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

New Zealand has given us quite a number of truly fantastic things. Let's see... There's the beautiful landscape in "Lord of the Rings", the earth shaking (or space and time shaking, rather) revelations in string theory, and, of course "Flight of the Concords".

Here comes another one from the music side, with less humor, but still strong on fun... "Cut Off Your Hands" (aka. "Shaky Hands"... I suppose they were too much of a bother). I heard about these fellows from friends in Austin, TX quite a while ago... And I heard the single "You and I" added it to my iTunes under "Driving Music" and didn't really thing too much about it after that.

Then, a few days ago I was listening to one of my internet broadcast channels and heard this tune "Let's Go" and it made my head swivel. It sort of reminded me of a high school version of "Never Say Never" and I was intrigued. The song is a bit of a departure from the rest of the album, but upon listening, I found nearly the whole album to be alive with a fun energy.

These guys have a little of all the great things form Iggy Pop, The Strokes and a number of other alike references. And, in another name dropper moment, they were produced by Seude's Bernard Butler.

Check them out:

.:MP3:. Cut Off Your Hands - You and I

.:MP3:. Cut Off Your Hands - Let Go

Say Yea! Go On... Yeasayer...

2007-09-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Yeasayer... What can be said about this cunningly put together mélange of musi- oh...

This band brings about a similar excitement to what I felt when I first heard Joakim's single "Lonely Hearts" earlier this year. Yeasayer sounds akin to what would happen if Depeche Mode tried to write Pink Floyd songs with The Psychedelic Furs. The singer's voice is unique and perfectly crafted for the dark psychedelic/gospel/rock (and a touch of middleeastern influence) music blend. Not to mention the use of a childrens chior (Really, about time!!!) that adds to the feel that the song "2080" was recorded while watching something like "Pan's Labyrinth".

This band will make every cell in your being tingle.

Yeah, really.

You simply have to listen to it:
.:MP3:. Yeasayer - 2080
.:MP3:. Yeasayer - Final Path

Era Vulgaris

2007-08-26T11:19:00.001-07:00

Era Vulgaris... What the hell does that mean?

Well, after four years of high school Latin, I'm proud to inform you that it simply means "Common Times" or "Common Era". And they said I'd never find a use for those classes.

Where the last album "Lullabies to Paralyze", recorded at Skywalker ranch, had a difinitive "Grab your mirror aviators and drive through the desert" feel to it. This album feels like you've left the desert and ended up in downtown Hollywood... With an Uzi. The ablum is decidedly darker with songs like "3&7's" that make me want to jump around and break things. Which everybody is a fan of.

Interestingly Julian Casablancas from the Strokes was a guest player on this album too. Lending backup vocals and synth guitar on "Sick, Sick, Sick". Tent Renzor also appeared on a title track "Era Vulgaris" that was released on a seperate single release entitled "You Know What You Did". The album also features Mark Lanagean (Of course) on a number of tracks. The was a rumor that Jesse F. Keeler (DFA 1979) was going to play bass on a few of the tracks but he opted to spend more time with his girlfriend instead.

All and all, this album is a touch... Weird. As well as being brilliant. There are a ton of music styles coming at you from all different sides in a fusion of punk, rock, blues and a little southern grit . There are elements of Gary Newman all over this one... Much slower, moodier, and groggier than the bands previous efforts. There's even a cover of Billy Idol's "White Wedding" featured as a bonus download in the album cover.

.::MP3::. QOTSA - "Into The Hollow"

.::MP3::. QOTSA - "White Wedding"

.::VIDEO::. QOTSA - "Sick, Sick,Sick"

She Wants... More of the same...

2007-08-24T11:37:00.000-07:00

And so do we!

She Wants Revege has got to be one of those nearly perfect bands in my mind. Dark, brooding, intelligent, and powerful in almost all aspects of their creative effort. Some might blow them off as some Interpoolly (So sick of that) goth reconstruction. However, I think these are people that haven't really listened to music. I have yet to play this for a person (mother included!) that doesn't want to start dancing very early into the music, true... But then they start to listen to the vocals and realize, they've never quite heard love, death, religion, style, etc. explained to them in such a manner before.

Outside of the single (True Romance) the new album is more of the same... Which is all my hopes and dreams. One notable difference, at first, is the question - response formula. Justin Warfield poses a question and then gives a follow up vocal through a bullhorn effect. This is a nice little production add in. Also, you can tell they've invested some more money into better drum machine technology... Even mixing live drums with some electronic here and there.

You should buy this album and share it with everyone you come across…

.::MP3::. She Wants Revenge - Written in blood

.::MP3::. She Wants Revenge - Black Liner Run

The Non-Future... Of Sweden

2007-08-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Robot Rock was crazy last night... Writing bits on the internet about Swedish punk bands should be the last thing I do at this moment... My late night fish sticks haven't even fully digested yet... Then again, I've never been much for what I SHOULD do.

.::MP3::. Paper - Out of it into it
.::MP3::. Paper - Mylife

Anyway, this Swedish band might be making YOUR stomach do flip-flops very soon. With tinges of both Nirvana and Interpol (I mean, Joy Division) mixed this band seems to go strait for the guts of a song and yours along with it. They also carry a bit of the Jesus Lizard with their sometimes droning vocals and repetitious melody lines... You end up getting this very tense sort of sound... Like you’re waiting for the explosion that never comes.

Holy Fuck!!!

2007-08-23T17:44:00.001-07:00

These dudes from Canada have come a long way. Their method is to make music out of things they found in the trash. In the beginning that led to some beautifully loud creations that fell somewhere between noise and dance music.

A lot of times when a noisy band attempts to reign in its sound for more traditional song-based structures, the music usually suffers. But with the new Holy Fuck reord more focused and fine-tuned than anything they've released before, they've only gotten better. We've been sitting on the EP this LP is based on for what seems like a year as the band figured out which label was going to release it. And it all still sounds fresh. The perfectly compressed drums, the delicate strings, the classic melody.

Work, Work, Work...

2007-08-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

Much, much more coming soon kiddies... This will be THE stop for what's going on in the modren rock world.

23rd

2007-08-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

This Thursday (8/23) @ Robot Rock / Amendment XXI don't miss Dance, Jenny as they perform Live! The last time Dance, Jenny played, they destroyed the 400+ crowd, opening up for BATTLES at Studio A. Don't miss this talented bunch as they perform in the great intimate setting of Amendment! Showtime=Midnight!

Before and after their set Resident DJ's::Asimov & Ray Milian bring you the Dance Rock Jams! Great Rock music that unfortunately is not getting played much anymore, but should! From Interpol to The Pixies to Queens of the Stone Age to Spoon, Arctic Monkeys, Pulp, Arcade Fire, Supergrass, White Stripes, Primal Scream, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead and much, much more!
Requests Accepted Too! Tons of Fun! Join us for guaranteed good times!
Every Thursday in the Hood w/the Bots!

Robot Rock
Thursdays @ Amendment XXI
190 NE 46 ST
Miami Design District
No Cover!
Party Starts @ 11 PM
w/Pool Table & Outdoor Patio Area
$3 Miller Lites All Night Long!