The Days of Lore

Ty Segall blows up your garage

Friday, July 2nd, 2010 | musiX | No Comments

I’m not sure what it is about Ty Segall that separates him from the rest of the garage dwellers …  well, maybe I do. It’s simple, you see—as with The Strange Boys and Jay Reatard, Segall sounds like he spends more time on songs than simply trying to look/sound like he comes to us from the year 1968. Plus, he’s not obnoxious like the Black Lips.

But let’s be honest: Ty Segall plays rock ‘n’ roll, plain and simple … although I know it sounds a lot sexier when something’s classified as “garage rock.” It causes a certain segment of aging, yet incredibly hip record bin rummagers’ ears (among other things) to perk up when a new lo-fi garage album comes out (wait, did I just out myself?). The former one-man band’s latest LP Melted is one of this year’s best rock records. So good, in fact, that according to some blogs Segall’s become the de facto leader of the San Francisco garage scene … or something.

Melted—Segall’s second full-length for Goner Records—is cleaner than previous efforts, but still full of bouncy energy (”Girlfriend” and “Imaginary Person” are punchy punches to the face). All I know is that it hits all of my pleasure centers—juicy, blown-out guitars, nasty hooks, hand claps (!), not to mention there are plenty of weird arrangements and even weirder, spacier sounds tossed about. This is rock ‘n’ roll! This is what it’s all about! And if that’s not enough, Segall’s into KISS … way into KISS—like every good rock band should be.

“Girlfriend” - Ty Segall

“Caesar” - Ty Segall

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Tags: garage rock, Goner Records, Jay Reatard, Melted, The Strange Boys, Ty Segall

Hmm … very strange, boys

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 | musiX | No Comments

[Ed. Note: It's no secret to anyone that The Days of Lore loves The Strange Boys (I mean, unhealthy). The band's debut handily made the top spot on the TDoL 2009 year-end list. Sheesh, you think I'd have already written something on their latest record Be Brave. Well, I did for one of the publications that actually pays for my opinions on music. Since I hate repeating myself, here it is. Enjoy!]

0riginally published in the Chico News & Review, March 11, 2010

Last year Austin’s The Strange Boys released their In The Red debut, a record that had more in common with rock ’n’ roll’s formative years than it did the label’s garage-punk rock roster. It’s been less than a year, and the Boys (and new girl, former Mika Miko saxophonist Jenna Thornhill-DeWitt) are already offering up album No. 2.

Be Brave lacks the sock-hop pop of And Girls Club, and instead sounds as if the band spent time hanging out in a smoke-filled back room with England’s Newest Hitmakers. The more lackadaisical feel could be partly attributed to the absence of powerhouse drummer (and co-founder) Matt Hammer, who left the band last year. But what the new songs lack in energy they more than make up for in texture and intimacy. Ryan Sambol’s voice creaks like an old rocking chair on more spare folk offerings like “All You Can Hide Inside” and “Dare I Say.” And piano and organ fuel the record’s boozy blues (“Between Us”), while sax rips through on the title track.

If anything, Be Brave shows that The Strange Boys are their own men/woman—which should make album No. 3 all the more interesting.

“Between Us” - The Strange Boys

“Be Brave” - The Strange Boys

Video for “Be Brave”

Tags: Be Brave, In The Red, Jenna Thornhill-DeWitt, Matt Hammer, Mika Miko, Ryan Sambol, The Strange Boys

Best of 2009: TDoL and the Furious 15

Sunday, December 20th, 2009 | musiX, pdX | 12 Comments

Seems like it was only yesterday that I was cobbling together the TDoL best of 2008. Yes, time flies when you’re old and surly. And, yes, I know year-end lists are everywhere, cliché, overdone and a dime a dozen—but I do love them so.

These lists are difficult to make, too. I mean who has time to really absorb a full record when you’re being bombarded with hundreds of albums and mp3s? It was chore to make a list that exorcised both my discerning (wax-clogged) ear and my (beer-besotted) gut—the “I can see what this artist is trying to do here” versus the “this fucking rules and I’m going to sing it at the top of my lungs in my car/boxers” if you will. I prefer the latter—less thinking involved.

The following is a semi-in-depth look at what I liked about music in 2009 … in list form. It’s a magical place where good and evil coexist, where big, dumb rock mingles with smarty-pants indie, a place where it’s Christmas year-round. But before we get down to it, I’d like to present to you the following pre-list list.

Thing(s) to do after reading the TDoL Best of 2009:
1. Leave your own list in the comments.
2. Harshly ridicule and mock my list, also in the comments.
3. Praise my list for its fine taste and heterogeneousness.
4. Tweet/tell your friends to read it and do the same.
5. Explain to me what the hell heterogeneousness means.
6. Click on the album cover to purchase.
7. Note there is no Animal Collective on this list …
8. … or Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
9. But there is a KISS on my list.
10. Thank you for reading.

15. Pacific Dust - The Mother Hips (Camera Records)

After years of wrestling with major label politics and personal demons—all of which led to members taking a two-year hiatus—The Mother Hips came back to release one of their best albums in 2007’s Kiss the Crystal Flake. Pacific Dust feels like its sister record, the Hips again playing to their strengths—gorgeous Bee Gees-inspired harmonies, pop hooks, country licks and the occasional Sabbathian riff. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Mother Hips are criminally underrated.

“Young Charles Ives” - The Mother Hips

14. Crack the Skye - Mastodon (Reprise)

I’m still trying to figure out how Mastodon became so popular among non-metalheads … though they aren’t your typical metal band. With Crack the Skye Mastodon has created a sweeping monster of a record that piles riffs on top of mind-bending prog passages. It’s as beautiful as it is brutal, sort of like Tool. And I guess if hipsters are listening to Mastodon, it means less time spent doting on Merriweather Post Pavilion and It’s Blitz … which is never a bad thing.

“Divinations” - Mastodon

13. Amorum Tali - Purple Rhinestone Eagle (Eolian Records)

Led by lanky guitar-whiz Andrea Genevieve, Purple Rhinestone Eagle strings together mighty riffs that crackle over the rib-rattling rhythm section of Morgan Ray Denning and Ashley Spungin. Amorum Tali (Talons of Love) stands firmly at the intersection between San Francisco flower power and Birmingham doom, especially on “Walk With the Wizard.” Add the fact that the lyrics often touch on deeper social and political issues and you have an incredibly potent rock machine.

“Walk With the Wizard” - Purple Rhinestone Eagle

12. Now We Can See - The Thermals (Kill Rock Stars)

The Thermals’ Kill Rock Stars debut doesn’t quite match the barbed nastiness of 2006’s The Body, the Blood, the Machine—it’s still intense, however, as guitarist/vocalist Hutch Harris reflects on his time on Earth after offing himself in the very first song. Now We Can See is a polished piece of wicked pop punk—songs are more refined, hooks sharper. And it took only, what, three releases for bassist Kathy Foster to finally lay down some backing vocals? Now we can hear!

“I Let It Go” - The Thermals

11. Popular Mechanics - Surrogate (Tooth & Nail)

Surrogate hails from Chico, Calif., touring only occasionally and putting out some incredible pop records on a label that puts out some incredibly god-awful records. Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Chris Keene has come into his own after playing hired gun in his previous band Number One Gun, writing smart, earnest, well-produced indie rock that should make fans of Nada Surf take notice. Keene’s influences are all over the map, but it only takes one spin to make Popular Mechanics feel like home.

“Whiskey (Vomiting Words)” - Surrogate

10. Wilco (The Album) - Wilco (Nonesuch)

Well, hand it to Jeff Tweedy and Co. for coming up with their most experimental album title in 2009. So the music within doesn’t come anywhere near the eclecticism of masterstroke Yankee Hotel Foxtrot —it’s simply another tried-and-true batch of songs that further cements Tweedy as one of the great tunesmiths of his generation. And musical wunderkinds Glenn Kotche and Nels Cline again show magnificent restraint. I just like that Wilco continues to simply do what comes natural.

“Country Disappeared” - Wilco

9. Power Move - Screaming Females (Don Giovanni)

Screaming Females got a lot of play at TDoL this year, usually in my car as I was being transformed into a screaming male. The aptly-titled Power Move is a fuzzed-out, riff-laden rock ‘n’ roll that shrewdly pulls from each of the last four decades. The highlight, of course, is Marissa Paternoster, the band’s 5-foot-2 guitar goddess who cranks out noodly solos over an air-tight rhythm section. Album opener “Bell” shows that, as is the case with most shredders, it’s usually the riffs that really scream.

“Bell” - Screaming Females

8. Breaks In the Sun - WEINLAND (Badman Recording Co.)

What strikes me most about Portland’s WEINLAND, is the Jekyll and Hyde they pull with their recordings and live shows. Although Breaks In the Sun comes from less of a dark place than 2008’s La Lamentor, there’s still a calmness and beauty to it. Adam Shearer’s hushed vocals are the centerpiece, floating through emotionally-charged country folk songs brimming with pop hooks. Live WEINLAND transforms into a gritty bar band that would probably buy you a beer. It’s rather impressive.

“Autumn Blood” - WEINLAND

7. Love and Curses - Reigning Sound (In The Red)

It’s unfortunate that Greg Cartwright is known only by weirdos who still like to spend hours scouring dusty bins for records by dead people. Love and Curses is the North Carolina quartet’s first record of new material since 2004, and big guitars and swirly organ still rule here. Cartwright’s voice is a little more ragged this time around, but he sure knows how to convey tenderness and despair whether he’s representing the everyman or a jilted lover. Yes, everyone should listen to more dead people.

“The Bells” - Reigning Sound

6. Sonic Boom - KISS (KISS Records)

Chaim Witz and Stanley Eisen made good on their promise to deliver a klassik KISS album, and the former’s songs are the best of the bunch … don’t tell him I said that. Sonic Boom is one kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll party loaded with sexual innuendo, cheesy lyrics (I’m talking Easy Cheese between two slices of Velveeta sprinkled with Cheetos), riffs, cowbells, ripping guitar solos, walking basslines and anthemic choruses. Attn. hipsters: Wouldn’t it be totally ironic if you played this at your next party?

“Yes I Know (Nobody’s Perfect)” - KISS

5. S/T - The Yule Logs (self-released)

A holiday album on a year-end list? Take away the snow, Santa and menorahs and you’re left with some damn catchy songs with Brit pop jangle and Beach Boys harmonies. The hardest working band in snow business plows through classics as well as a few equal-opportunity originals like “Hanukkah Mambo!” and “Christmastime Is Here (Again!).” And I’ve been listening to it non-stop since August … which means either I’m weird, or it’s just that good. Probably a little of both.

“Christmastime Is Here (Again!)” - The Yule Logs

4. Seconhand Runner - Bodhi (self-released)

Bodhi’s influences are as clear as day—Bowie, The Stooges, Gary Numan—yet they manage to end up sounding like nobody but Bodhi. “Kids Are So Nice” is a fine slice from MTV’s early days when new wave, Nina Blackwood (and videos) ruled. Brian Carr’s voice is the glue that holds the myriad influences in place, even when the band decides to throw a new wave country song into the mix (”Bystander”). Went from 0 to No. 4 on my year-end in less than three weeks.

“Kids Are So Nice” - Bodhi

3. S/T - Harper Simon (Tulsi/Vagrant)

“Shooting Star” grabbed me before I even knew who Harper Simon’s pops was. Simon’s debut is a love letter to Nashville. He recorded there, recruited producer Bob Johnston (Nashville Skyline) as well as noteworthy Nashville musicians including pedal steel player Lloyd Green (Sweetheart of the Rodeo). Not surprisingly, he ended up with a beautiful, warm country record. Simon can’t help but sometimes sound like his father Paul—not a bad thing unless, of course, we’re talking about Graceland.

“Shooting Star” - Harper Simon

2. S/T - The Pains of Being Bure at Heart (Slumberland)

Boy-girl harmonies, jangly guitars and hooks up the wazoo (which is less painful than it sounds) reign throughout the New York quartet’s debut. As guitarist/vocalist Kip Berman explained to TDoL earlier this year: “I feel that pop is so wonderfully broad a style of music that you could never ever get bored or fully exhaust it—it’s infinite.” With all the press that TPoBPaH received in 2009, it’s nice to know that they aren’t interested in resting on their laurels. Hell, they might actually be in this for the long haul.

“Young Adult Friction” - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

1. And Girls Club - The Strange Boys (In The Red)

In The Red put out some incredible records this year from King Khan and BBQ Show, Reigning Sound and Thee Oh Sees, but nothing grabbed me as immediately as the debut from Austin, Texas’ The Strange Boys. The combination of chops, songs and enigmatic confidence made these young(ish) boys sound well beyond their years. The band doesn’t go for lo-fi or silly garage-rock aesthetics, instead churning out no-nonsense, R&B-fueled rock ‘n’ roll that falls somewhere between Meet the Beatles! and Bob Dylan’s Newport Folk Festival performance. Guitarist/vocalist Ryan Sambol coyly unleashes his general disaffection through nasally vocals, while jangly guitars and a booming rhythm section crank out the soundtrack for a misfits sock hop. Effortless and fun. Come to think of it, the only thing lo-fi about The Strange Boys might be the album’s cover. But who really looks at those anymore?

“This Girl Taught Me a Dance” - The Strange Boys

The Best of the Rest of the Best …

Bitte Orca - Dirty Projectors

Paint the Fence Invisible - Drug Rug

To Be Still - Alela Diane

Rose City - Viva Voce

Survival Strategies in a Modern World - Liechtenstein

Tags: Alela Diane, Amorum Tali, And Girls Club, Best of 2009, Bitte Orca, Bodhi, Breaks In the Sun, Crack the Skye, Dirty Projectors, Drug Rug, Harper Simon, KISS, Liechtenstein, Love and Curses, Mastodon, Now We Can See, Pacific Dust, Paint the Fence Invisible, Popular Mechanics, Power Move, Purple Rhinestone Eagle, Reigning Sound, Rose City, Screaming Females, Secondhand Runner, Sonic Boom, Surrogate, Survival Strategies In a Modern World, The Mother Hips, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Strange Boys, The Thermals, The Yule Logs, To Be Still, Viva Voce, WEINLAND, Wilco, Wilco (The Album), year-end list

The Strange Boys lose their power

Friday, July 24th, 2009 | musiX | 1 Comment

I recently received an e-mail about a new Web site called Amsterdam Acoustics, basically a couple of music lovers who film bands performing unplugged in the streets of … you guessed it, Amsterdam.

The site’s most recent performance comes from Austin’s The Strange Boys, whose And Girls Club record has received accolades from TDoL here and there, and has likely already secured a position on the ol’ 2009 Year-End List. You’ll just have to wait and see.

Strange Boys Ryan Sambol and Greg Enlow kicked out the country jam “MLK’s” on what looked like a stunning day in the Netherlands. I think I ate a Space Cake in that very spot.

Tags: Amsterdam Acoustics, And Girls Club, Greg Enlow, Ryan Sambol, The Strange Boys

Going back to Cali

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 | musiX, pdX | 6 Comments

Five straight days. I haven’t been away from a computer that long in, let’s see … hmm … carry the two … 1,943 days. After traveling almost as many miles to sunny (and windy) California I have returned, exhausted but unscathed.

Packing for such a journey typically consists of five minutes of stuffing clothes into a bag and another 45 spent choosing the music (Old 97’s, The Strange Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wicked Lester, Clap). And this trip, like many previous, involved one or more of the following:

Great friends, Hot Tamales, Indian-food comas, Jack Daniels, lamenting the collapse of journalism with old college friends, Pale Bock, shuffle board, the Hemlock, G&Ts, hugs, a Bobby Flay marathon, Bud Light, baseball games (Little League and Major League; A’s 7, Rays 1), covert guitar amp deliveries, Anchor Steam, High Fidelity, pork products, family, coffee, and a slobbering, but lovable buffoon named Lucas. I was asked what the totally hawt, rad, new up-and-coming band was, for which I could only reply: “Shit if I know … Willie Nelson?”

The drive home consisted of me asking if it was “sandwich time” every 15 minutes, referring to the pastrami-and-pepper jack grinder we picked up earlier from the Countryside Café, a brilliant little eatery in the Northern California podunk of Red Bluff. We passed places that sounded like they would be fun to go to—Turntable Bay, Soda Creek, Electric Avenue, Easy Street—but that I will unlikely ever visit. I did, however, finally say hi to the new TDoL mascot (pictured above). Stonewall Jackson was shot in my passenger seat by his own men just a little past Yreka. The Indian casino looked inviting (”Two hands of black jack and the trip pays for itself … “). And I came very close to finally stopping at Jiggles, just north of Salem. It’s a Jello factory, right?

Now we’re home. Things are back to normal. And I’m singing the song that was playing in my head well before we hit Multnomah County:

“Portland Oregon” - Loretta Lynn and Jack White

Tags: Clap, Countryside Cafe, High Fidelity, Old 97's, Stonewall Jackson, The Strange Boys, Wicked Lester

The Strange Boys are all right

Monday, March 23rd, 2009 | musiX | No Comments

South By Southwest is over. Good bands left their marks. Other bands are already looking forward to next year. Austin’s economy is fat and happy. Matt Pinfield’s totally awesome coverage for Direct TV is already a distant memory. Four days of music and sin are being picked up, swept away and hosed down by someone who’s happy to have a job. Yes, life in the hipster mecca has returned to normal. Sort of.

The four kids that make up Austin’s The Strange Boys are still there making rock ‘n’ roll in its purest form. The band’s debut full-length And Girls Club is out on In The Red and is shaping up to be one of my favorites of 2009. It would be quite easy to dismiss them as just another band in a long line of garage rock throwbacks—if the songs weren’t so damn good. “Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up” is cut right from the blues bone. Essentially, the young-ish (early-to-mid 20s) Strange Boys know early rock ‘n’ roll, and play it as if they’ve never been exposed to anything post-1970 (I actually have a few friends who I’m convinced this is the case). It’s not so much garage rock as it is early Beatles if Dylan and the Fab Four smoked that joint and immediately went into the studio together.

“Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up” - The Strange Boys

“Should Have Shot Paul” - The Strange Boys

Tags: In The Red, SXSW, The Strange Boys, The Strange Boys...and Girls Club