September 2008 (PDF) - Antigravity Magazine

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REVIEWSMUSIC COFFINS BURIED DEATH (20 BUCK SPIN) Like a lot of heavy music, death metal is enjoying a surge of popularity in Japan. Coffins is a Japanese three-piece that makes some of the grimiest, heaviest metal on the planet. Lost somewhere in the vile stew where thrash metal begat death, Coffins’ sound is rooted in simplistic, though memorable, riffs. Not unlike early Cannibal Corpse, there’s a groove to be found in the heavy thrashing—a song like “Altars In Gore” comes off more like a brutal retelling of The Stooges than the increasingly technical playing of modern death metal or grindcore. Coffins’ production also belies some of their other influences. The guitars are so laden with amp shaking feedback that they sound like a static wall. The drums are also recorded strangely for metal record, eschewing the large, full stadium sound many current bands use for a chewy, almost “over produced” smack that calls to mind the avant-garde bands of the ’70s and ’80s, (Eno, Can, Faust, etc). The title track “Buried Death” is based so heavily on a drum rolling groove that you can’t help but notice the flat drums and the unusual tone they add to the music. Coffins is being distributed in North America by Southern Lord Records, so as you’d expect the band also displays a propensity for monolithic chugging at times. “Cadaver Blood” is two-thirds a creeping metal dirge with whining feedback and crawling guitars, while “Mortification To Run” is a full-blown old school doom track, complete with a most kingly Sabbathian riff. Koreeda’s deep, deathly growl is nothing to write home about—it serves its purpose, even occasionally punctuating its guttural growls with ghoulish screams, (another connection to early Cannibal Corpse), but he’s not bringing anything challenging to the vocals department. Buried Death is a mighty record, a churning, old school death metal record that favors brutish power and catchy riffing over technicality. —Mike Rodgers CSS DONKEY (SUB POP) Great, here we go again. Another week, another upbeat, dancey, post-punk band. Cansei der Ser Sexy, aka CSS, is yet one more band in the litany of electro rock and, though in their face they’re not a bad band, I have to ask, “What are you doing that makes me interested?” Donkey is a more polished record, dropping some of the Brazillian funk of previous releases for a smoother sound. The result is an album of well crafted, radio ready dance tracks that keeps just a few hits of that party vibe. Unlike their early work, which retained some of the garishness and sharp edges of low-fi electro, CSS’ new sound is, to put it mildly, boring. Party music should be unhinged, a celebration of hedonism that forces the listener to move, but the best Donkey can muster is mild amusement. Consider me off the dance punk bandwagon if this is what’s passing for progress. Most of Donkey is cobbled together from soft guitars, squeaking analog synths and mid-tempo Kiss FM drumming. The whole thing sounds so neutered it’s like listening to your parents’ music. CSS are at there “best” when they drop the rocking and focus more on their obvious ’80s electro influences—even in this regard all they can muster is the catchy synthesizer balladry in “Believe Achieve,” which pales in comparison of the batshit crazy dance music currently being exported from Brazil, (Bonde Do Role’s With Lasers, for example). I can’t lob only vitriol though. The music, weak though it may be, is well played and written. I’m sure some Apple commercial or Bacardi advertisement will do well with “Jager Yoga” playing in the background, but should that really be the pinnacle of your musical aspirations? —Mike Rodgers EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN JEWELS (POTOMAK) Einsturzende Neubauten have been pushing the limits of music for decades now, though not always with record label support. It’s only natural that the band would eventually find a way to circumvent that most tired of rock tropes, “The Label,” and find a better way to release their music. Thus the supporters album Jewels was born, released track by track to paid “supporters” of the band’s website. Both the scattered nature of the recording of these tracks, as well as Neubauten’s chaotic method of writing songs by card makes Jewels their least coherent or substantial record in many years, but it’s still a treasure. Six hundred cards were labeled with artifacts specific to the band’s idiom, cryptic items like zinc, sections of older songs, moods, etc. These cards were doled out and laid like tarot for each member to interpret and bring what they will to the session. The result is a Neubauten record where most songs never stretch beyond the three minute mark. Jewels feels more like a series of well-produced sketches, like peering into an artist’s unpublished folio. Sure, the works feel less complete than their published work, but the ideas are still invigorating. The music continues the band’s postmillennial sound, based more in subtle instrumentation and dignified presence, only punctuated by the occasional cacophony. Interestingly enough, Jewels, despite its strange nature, may be Einsturzende Neubauten’s most accessible point. Newcomers can get a taste of the bands current, precise and thoughtful sound without being overburdened by lengthy tracks. So for those who have tepidly thought of trying out the band, Jewels acts a sort of sampler, a taste of the bigger ideas that Einsturzende Neubauten deal in. —Mike Rodgers I, OCTOPUS & METRONOME THE CITY UNTITLED (INDEPENDENT) I ’ve heard it so many times: a local band trying to capture a live sound in the studio. In the past I commiserated with them about their never-ending plight. Now, though, I’ve figured out why it’s so difficult—being a studio band and being a live band are two different talents. Sometimes great live bands that haven’t yet mastered the art of the studio should leave the live stuff on the floor. If local instrumental rock group I, Octopus’ new track, “Craig Has a Beard Now,” which appears on their split single with Metronome The City, is any indication, they’re one of these bands. “Craig” is an unedited twenty-five minute jam that’s misguided and tedious and should have been edited. There’s little diversity or melody, just a lot of progressions. It’d be good as background music but not for repeated listening. Metronome The City, a local instrumental group that possesses more of a schizophrenic, metal sound than I, Octopus, contributed an equally lengthy “Untitled” track that benefited from editing and splicing. The song begins with a creepy dissonance before progressing into a hiphop jam and later a dub excursion led by keyboardist Brad Theard. The bass line is big and repetitive, providing the anchor for the other musicians to experiment around. Thanks to Katrina and a revolving door of members, I, Octopus has had difficulty recording a proper full-length record, and “Craig” is a result of the band wanting to release music as they conceive it. I, Octopus is a great live group that turns out head-nodding noise excursions as well as prettier, more contemplative music. They’d do well to focus on shorter, more direct songs for future recordings. I have faith “Craig” is just a misstep. —Jason Songe Metronome the City and I, Octopus release their split album on September 20th at One Eyed Jacks with A Living Soundtrack. For more info, go to myspace.com/metronomethecity or myspace.com/ioctopus. MUSIC REVIEWS SPONSORED BY THE OFFICIAL RECORD STORE OF ANTIGRAVITY 30_antigravity: your new orleans music and culture alternative
REVIEWSMUSIC THE REVIVALISTS THE REVIVALISTS (INDEPENDENT) The Revivalists formed in the perfect New Orleans way—as strangers brought together by music. Singer David Shaw was playing guitar on his porch when guitarist Zack Feinberg road by on his bike, and the fast friends decided to start a band. Add a classmate, a prodigy and a friend from the Tipitina’s Sunday Morning Workshop and the Revivalists were born. Judging them by their self-titled EP, the Revivalists can play JazzFest and the crowd would love them: the audience would get funky and sing along to “Common Cents;” They’d sway to the song “Soulflight;” they’d love them, no doubt. They blend soul, reggae, blues and funk, and they do it well. The main obstacle that the Revivalists face is the New Orleans music scene, that little pond filled with big fish, and it’s easy for any band to drown. The Revivalists are good, but they aren’t as funky as the Meters or Soul Rebels and can’t compete with the force that is Galactic. However, with a strong EP (as this one is) and some heavy touring, the Revivalists might have a chance. There are audiences across the country that are starved for soulful and funky music, and we’re so spoiled that we’ve been presented with yet another option. —Caroline DeBruhl The Revivalists release their self-titled EP on September 19th at the Howlin’ Wolf. For more info, go to myspace.com/ revivalists. THE TOMATOES DIVISIONISM (REVOLUTION BLUES) The New Orleans-based Tomatoes don’t really need to take shit from anybody. Judging by their last album, Trendy, they are doing just fine. Hints of ’90s greats like Soul Asylum, a rock and roll wonder like Tom Petty and the Boss can be heard throughout their sound, and they know how to construct a good song. Divisionism’s “Harvest,” for example, is a stripped down song that deals with soul crushing loneliness. Though the subject matter could lend itself to a boring song, “Harvest” doesn’t lack substance at all. There’s a perfect balance of sound and silence, which lets the song get under your skin and let you feel the loneliness. However, towards the end it picks up with a heavy riff and allows the release of pent up emotion. They can also construct a damn good rock song as well. “When the Walls Come Down” and “Vendetta” both have enough snarl to be reminiscent of classic punk, but they don’t overpower. Everything is balanced and they aren’t afraid to experiment with style either. “Feeling Right,” a song about the rat race that can be daily life, is monotonous and pounds into your head, much like the typical work day. They also sing songs about giving yourself up to machinery (“The Futurist”) and about how swell paranoia can be (“Death Ray Days”). One of the beautiful things about the Tomatoes is the consistency of their music. You can’t listen to them and pick out single things that sound great, such as “well, the guitarist really shines in this song,” or “the lyrics are really sophisticated in this one.” The members feed off each other and create a packaged sound. That would be terrible if the Tomatoes were a mediocre band but luckily they aren’t. They’re solid on all fronts and Divisionism is another addition to their solid discography. —Caroline DeBruhl The Tomatoes release Divisionism on September 18th at Southport Hall. For more info go to myspace.com/ thetomatoes. COIN OPERA WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE RIGHT (UMBRELLA ETIQUETTE) I ’ve checked the year on Coin Opera’s new album, What Went Wrong With the Right, several times. I can’t help but worry that there’s been some mix up—that this album is over ten years old. But each time it says “2008.” What Went Wrong is an alternative album that would’ve snuggly fit in music history between the Smashing Pumpkins’ Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and right Elliot Smith’s Either/ Or, probably fondly remembered by adults who’d recall listening to P. Blue Zusman’s melancholy songs when they were feeling glum, which in high school should have been every damn day. However, this album is not twelve years old and Mr. P. Blue Zusman is alive and well. He was, however, in the lo-fi band Okiread, which split up in the late ’90s, and that might explain a thing or two. What Went Wrong seems to be a “best of the ’90s” compilation, as it nods to all the alternative greats from the past decade. “The Kids Are Not Alright” has a noise concerto in the middle of it, a la Sonic youth. Both “The Prettiest Delay” and “Nobody Street” give homage to Elliot Smith, the latter with a more bare bones acoustic sound; “Insignificant Like Ss” and “To Break Your Heart To” are a hybrid of the lost souls of Billy Corgan. Coin Opera may sound dated, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re really into ’90s alternative rock, then you’ll probably like What Went Wrong With the Right. Just be warned that Coin Opera isn’t as sophisticated as any of the bands mentioned. —Caroline DeBruhl SONIC YOUTH SYR8: ANDRE SIDER AF SONIC YOUTH (SYR) D aydream Nation sure was a great album. Hell, almost all of Sonic Youth’s records are good. They write such beautifully simple songs and then take them to such strange places. Did you also know that Sonic Youth likes to make weird, experimental music as well? They sure do, and thus SYR was born: a label created by the band to release their more esoteric projects. The eighth in the series is a live recording of the band’s Roskilde Festival performance with Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and Japanese noise God Merzbow. First things first: you will find no catchy riffs in this monstrosity, no anthemic choruses. Don’t be fooled by the slight and subdued jangly intro—the piece only evolves from there into a free-form, avant-jazz freak out. Sonic Youth provides the skeleton for the music. Beneath every section they can be found, guitars moaning or screaming as needed, drums jazzy at times, crashing at others. Gustafsson’s sax provides the lead, piercing through the murky pandemonium like a ghostly noir soundtrack. Then there’s Masami Akita, who uses his deadly bank of machinery to wrap everything together in a warm cocoon of squalls, digital thuds or outright, screeching madness. Like any good hour-long jam there are tonal shifts throughout— sections shuffle, bend back and repeat themselves in some fashion. The music can go from quiet and slightly melancholy to brash and powerful in only a few time changes and like any long-winded jam it can sometimes border on tedious. It’s to the credit of each performer that it rarely does feel tiresome. The entire performance comes to a blistering head as Gustafsson’s playing screeches wildly over a cauldron of synthesized madness. Be forewarned yet again, this is no follow up to Rather Ripped, it’s a meeting of the minds between avant-garde musical peers, so if you’re the type to appreciate lengthy improv and experimental psych-outs, then dive right in. —Mike Rodgers antigravitymagazine.com_31
Page 2 and 3: PHOTO BY MANTARAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Page 4 and 5: STAFF PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF: Le
Page 6 and 7: COLUMNLOCAL MUSIC LIVE NEW ORLEANS
Page 8 and 9: COLUMNMEDICINE DR. FEELGOOD CAN YOU
Page 10 and 11: COLUMNLEGALESE SOUND ADVICE HOW TO
Page 12 and 13: FEATUREMUSIC THE SILVER JEWS’ DAV
Page 14 and 15: FEATUREMUSIC WHAT STYLE? OUR STYLE:
Page 16 and 17: COVER FEATURELOCAL BUSINESS THE IRO
Page 19 and 20: BEST SAINT EVER? PLUS: SEASON PREDI
Page 21: HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGEGAME PREVIEWS SU
Page 25 and 26: FEATURE REVIEWMUSIC ANTIGRAVITY: Yo
Page 27 and 28: REVIEWSBOOKS CHUCK PALAHNIUK SNUFF
Page 29: REVIEWSCOMICS GREGG HUR- WITZ, LAUR
Page 33 and 34: EVENT LISTINGS Black Primer, Black
Page 35 and 36: EVENT LISTINGS of just over a year
Page 37 and 38: EVENTS/CONTINUED... Live New Orlean

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