White lung - hockey dad records

Whatever you do don't call them an all girl punk band. Yes all the members of White Lung are girls, but get over it, there are bands made up of all guys too. Don't be stupid. Am I going to compare them to other great similar line-ups in punk history? I don't think it really applies here. It's an annoying, easy mistake to lump it all together because of gender.

But let's get back to the music. What makes a punk band good these days? Or more than good, what is it that gets them co-opted by indie circles and the hardcore scene? What is universal? In this case, it's the attitude, we're going to rock, we're not self conscious of the image, we're goig to move you. It's a mix between taking this overbearing history and understanding the influences as much as throwing them away and starting over.

White Lung started over in a garage and recorded this 7 inch in 45 minutes before getting shut down out by the neighbors. Whatever the myth might end up being this mini EP is an impressive debut, the energy is there and the recording is surprisingly clean, but still sounds live, room sound and all. It's perfect for the lowly seven inch. I'm sure every minute of this would be great live. I love hearing demos and live recorded shows, it has that immediate quality of the moment that punk thrives on. It's all here by the decibel.

In 'Breaking boxes', white lung packs a bunch of different riffs into this two minutes, it keeps changing before I can get attached to the last one. The song doesn't even have time to end and it's just over with a chord. The next track, 'Amy White Out', (tell me this has something to do with Amy W(h)inehouse, then again I hope not. I've been trying to decipher the lyrics.)
You can go / go go whine / Oh Amy if you want to like him.
Natasha scrapes the guitar strings in rhythm nodding to something Sonic Youth before launching into chords, consistently holding the whole thing together. As much as punk is rooted in lack of musicainship, it doesn't apply here, they are constructing 2 minute pure intelligently constructed skilled punk.
The B-Side, 'Local Garbage' vocalist Mish goes from her signature talking to a scream: Don't go to the clinic without me / You know I need it more than you in a sneering punk reminiscent of something 90's on KRS.
But out of all the subgenre's they could be labeled as... the old school punk one applies here. It completely takes me back to scouring the dollar 45 boxes for that decent punk single, and in the first 30 seconds of hearing it, you just knew.
I just White Lung sticks it out and keeps recording in their friends garages because I wouldn't change a thing.

From Distro Scratch records and Interpunk or paypal Hockey Dad directly.

Deerhoof • KRS picture disc

Oh Deerhoof...how do you use such crazy crazy sounds and still make practically pop music? I can't answer it. Except I see them getting....I can't even say better...I think even more appreciated? Anyway, every single track on every single b-side or bonus track will be amazing Even if I have to skip over it sometimes, it's not because I don't think you are masters of sound. I just might not be able to really listen to every precious note.
The best interview I read with them was in TapeOp, which you can subscribe to for free, and they talked about recording everything for runners four on a laptop in an attic. I probably made that up but their articles are so expansive, they really got into talking about the recording process and engineering. I respect someone that much more who single-mindedly (as a band) forges a direction of sound. It just seems more pure, and in the direction they are going I don't want it tainted by anyone. For better or worse I'm drinking the Deerhoof kool-aid.
I'm glad to see another picture disc... and from KRS? Nice.
And it's only 5$.


Aquarius says:
US This picture disc 7" feat. the "Dedication" mix of the song. Think Phil Spector & Deerhoof melding in a perfect reverb-y daydream of a song about the corrupting influence of power. B-side is "Makko Shobu" & original art by Scottish artist David Shrigley.

From KRS:
Deerhoof are on a roll! In the past year they've toured with The Flaming Lips and Radiohead as well as headlined multiple tours of their own across the globe. They've recorded and released their most successful album to date: Friend Opportunity, performed at a children's ballet version of Milk Man in Maine, and collaborated with actor Justin Theroux (Mulholland Drive, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, etc) on his directorial debut Dedication (starring Mandy Moore + Billy Crudup). Deerhoof composed original pieces for the film as well as gave the movie use of several songs - many off of 2002's Reveille. The final credits will feature "Matchbook Seeks Maniac", a song originally written with the hopes of being included in the movie and then included onto Friend Opportunity. This picture disc 7" features the Dedication mix of the song. Think Phil Spector and Deerhoof melding in a perfect reverb-y daydream of a song about the corrupting influence of power. Add a b-side called Makko Shobu about sperm whales in love (previously only available on iTunes) and original art for the picture disc by Scottish artist David Shrigley and you have the single of the year.

We'll start shipping these early next week, the official release date is September 11.

BARR on Kill Rock Stars

This was on Kill Rock Stars and basically you can trust anything on this label. I always wonder what it must have been like to have elliott smith be nominated for 'miss misery' for goodwill hunting, and dealing with that as a label, as an artist. It was crazy to think a smaller indie rock label like that could be nominated for an oscar. I remember watching that performance, his white suit. I never really watched the oscars especially the music performance part it's like the grammy's. It's so fucking irrelevant, who cares, it's off my radar, who really watches it? When did rolling stone magazine and the grammy's go so fucking wrong and for that matter whose more irrelelvant and pointless. I nominate the grammy's. At least the oscars have been acknowledging interesting things that are happening in film, they have a wildcard pick or at least some miniscule quality. The grammy's are at least 10 years behind what is happening, they are too busy giving awards to acts that finally aren't considered dangerous, alice cooper, ozzy.
Anyway I wasn't sure what I thought of this except that it reminded me of jeffrey lewis and his 'don't let the record company take you out to lunch'. That kind of folk/talk, 'I don't sing' thing. I don't know if it's just the track on the site, or that's his style, but it was enough to get me interested, and I liked the his site also. I'm beginning to give props to people that don't have amyspace page. What the fuck, aren't we supposed to be individuals? With unique websites at least? Just act like you are trying. Post some mp3's there. I mean is it over yet?
but go listen to this track, it's really grown on me.

It's on kill rock stars, here's the link. Or at this place.
BARR - s/t 7" $4.25

1st pressing of 500. Black vinyl. 2 songs. No artwork on purpose.

The Great pop supplement has graciously sent me some of their releases to review and I hope to get to them this week. The washington phillips seven inch is really incredible and I plan on ordering all future releases from this amazing seven inch treasure.