Joe Jack Talcum + Samuel Locke Ward "Just Add Tears" split 12" on Grotto Records

Samuel mentioned this amazing 12" split he was doing with Jo Jack Talcum from the Dead Milkmen when I saw both of them perform at the cakeshop a while back and when it showed up on my doorstep I was psyched to hear more of Sam with the Boo Hoos live gritty power punk sound, and of course Joe Jacks latest.
The first track, "This Edison Nightmare", has Samuel's distorted tin can screamy vocals over a muted distorted guitar jittery strum just to blow it out at the end of every verse, cymbals crashing and power chords in quick succession. The chorus is an epic anthem from all bandmates joining in the punk sea chanty.
Next up is "Dogs", has the Boo Hoos working on a punchy chaos rhythm with off key synth and Samuel singing like a low end monster, just to throw off expectations for the catchy power chorus.
"Dull and Boring" lays into some punk speed with the Boo Hoos trading off vocals back and forth with Sam, repeating the title, keeping it utterly anti dull and boring. It's why music is created in the first place. How many songs exist about boredom...which makes no sense relating that sentiment the most unboring way possible. But I guess it's the plague of present generations, never-enough mentality. I'm bored didn't exist in your parents vocabulary! They were trying to walk to school barefoot.
There's a lot of those post-hardcore sounds of Fugazi, especially in "Do the Pinewood Box", working a weird time signature of stutter chords into a chunky unexpected melody.
They have a great live show and it completely translates on this record, concise power punk, sweaty and loud that left me wondering why I'm just getting into these guys.
Saving the best for last, "Fine was the Night" rounds out Samuel and the Boo Hoos side with a culmination of all this energy, epic backup vocal ahhhh melodies under "We are going to break you!"

Joe Jack Talcum's side is classic, that up front loud great nasal vocal, along with his completely unique lyric view that is the pull of every track, which find him returning to his familiar themes of cars and original sin.
"Yesterday I was talking to my sister", which I'm sure is based on an actual situation, is the all to real conversation about her interviewing to be a teacher, "show the people you need to show their kids where they're going". Those chemically dependent kids need guidance. That's what made all the Milkmen tracks so incredible to me growing up. These everyday minutiae moments edited down to these genius observations, so hilarious and sincerely true. The powders join in vocally for that real school choir effect.
"Green World" is a more somber themed track about taking a shower and clogging the drain up with sin. I love these visuals he comes up with, and who else could deliver this lyric:

Whats it all about
happiness trout?
are you the catch
I've been trying to catch?
why haven't you been caught?

the lines sounding completely sensible, working as only his literal metaphors can. Conjuring up catchy melodies on another world from the instrumentation, finding their own rhythm, like the best Dead Milkmen tracks. Joe is an icon, we are lucky to have him still writing and performing. I'm lucky to hear this.
"TMI", is a great relationship song, all those intimate questions belted out in his straining high vocal running out of air. A real singer songwriter, it takes someone this naturally talented to make you realize how it's still possible to get away with just the acoustic guitar... and how does he keep doing that, song after song? When he sings "Is death a meaningless void?" in the middle of an otherwise honest sounding love song it goes beyond merely being funny.
"Come Ride my Funnycar" wraps things up with a bouncy organ number delivered in Joe's alternating particular spoken word then belting sing-a-long melody verse, a real poppy jam with an out of control acoustic solo.
Check the insert for further funnycar reading. If you haven't thought Joe and Big Lizard in my Backyard in a while, it's time to revisit starting with this.

Get it from Grotto Records, with another amazing screened sleeve from Meatbag, melting singing faces in purple and burnt sienna (oooo... fancy name) with an insert that reminded me this isn't only a split with Joe and Sam, but the entire band. The members of the Boo Hoos, (including Samuel's sister on drums!) played on Joe Jacks side as the Powders. (I just got that). Joe even contributes to the Boo Hoos side with vocals and keyboard. A one of a kind collaboration and record...the complete package. So great. Between these two bands and this sleeve art, they can't be around very long.

JOE JACK TALCUM / SAMUEL LOCKE-WARD - "just add tears" - LP - $15ppd
newest full length split effort between PA legend joe jack talcum (feat. the powders) and iowa city wonder boy samuel locke-ward (feat. the boo hoos) - this chunk churns out a basket of pop slaughter from dead milkmen's humble gent breezing through sticky sorghum. on the flip sam rocks it harder then patty hearst's trigger finger. housed in silkscreened covers by josh mead.

Xaddad - Samuel Locke Ward Vs. Manhorse - Joe Jack Talcum Cakeshop 4-7-11

I caught Samuel Locke Ward versus Manhorse last night at Cakeshop, the perfect venue to get up close and personal with his latest pop punk tracks, playing almost the entire split with the Mumfords and a bunch more that's equally as great. Manhorse destroyed the drums and the bassist had a table of mixers and cables. They would rocked through inspiring guitar based anthems and then even got experimental, feedback style, busting out a distorted ukulele and high pitch sine waves while Sam broke strings and crouched on the floor turning knobs, setting the high school on fire. But watching him create an songs out of the most minimal instrumentation at all the right points, with a single high note against sludgy basslines, or a delicate fingerpicked strum you could barely hear were all he had backing a vocal. He's completely got this effortless comfortable style that makes for a great live show. They reminded me of randomly catching So Cow at Monster Island and instantly becoming a fan of his brief power pop.


But first up last night was Xaddax, a duo from Bushwick, or East Williamsburg, take your pick, and I was immediately into their stuttered, minimal, post punk sound. Chrissy on drums would create these great primal fill patterns with electronic cymbals wired to the crash stands. It made for a really weird, alien, sound, half organic and electronic, adding some bizarre synth tones from some kind of box underneath the distortions. Nick has that Steve Albini vocal delivery and raw guitar start stop tone. All with a Gang of Four off timing and complex changes that made me headed off to track down more of their recorded stuff at their soundcloud page.

Finally Joe Jack took the stage with just an acoustic guitar and harmonica neck rack to play totally classic stuff from 'Punk Rock Girl' to 'Dean's Dream', it was fucking amazing totally blew me away to hear these nostalgic tracks that inspired many an alienated teen in the cafeteria to pick up a guitar and sing about the most ridiculous things they could think of. Sam told me they have a split 12" coming out with Joe on Grotto Records coming out soon where they both play on each others sides. That's amazing, it's easy to see the connection now, both of their classic, grounded songwriting and getting to play with a legend like Joe probably is one of those moments where you think it's really not going to get any better.


Get this split single with Toby Goodshank from Sam himself on tour or at his blogspot page. The tracks from it were great live, great punk pop rock in the thread of his Boo Hoos single and he told me it's some of his personal favorite work.