THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM-“The ’59 Sound”

Posted on August 31st, 2008 by ekko

The Gaslight Anthem‘s sophomore album is one of the best I’ve heard this year.

The record begins with a twofer of fist-in-the-air barnstormers: “Great Expectations” and “The ’59 Sound.” The first has a powerful, uprising chorus (“I saw daylight last night/And I think about my first wife/Everybody leaves/ and I expect as much from you”), while the second is the first (of many) tribute songs on the album, this one to the music of 1959. With these opening cuts, the album grabs you by the shorthairs. And it never lets go. The momentum keeps building through songs that name-check just about every important rocker of the 1970s, borrowing verses and images from Springsteen, citing Tom Petty’s best underrated record (“Southern Accents”) and even, on Film Noir, singing about that girl who came from Nashville on the Counting Crows’ first album. One might ask whether Duritz belongs in the same league as the other folks Gaslight Anthem adores, such as Elvis Presley and Miles Davis, but no matter. This is about the love of music. More specifically, the love of club anthems. There’s lots of local bar bands out there who have cribbed from the same artists, and who have had been successful on the club circuit, like The Hold Steady and Marah, even Eddie and the Cruisers. The Gaslight Anthem belongs in this pantheon. But they’re not just a tribute group. Gaslight Anthem’s second record is the best this genre has to offer, bar none. Without the obtuse lyrics of Hold Steady, the band comes off as more accessible, but musically they’re bringing a power that’s rarely matched in the studio. And vocally, the album is on a part with Joe Strummer, from the passion to the gravel.

Yeah, the album may be straightforward. It might not take many risks. But it’s easily one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. It’s what music is about: Love, pain, passion, fire and fight, with catchy licks and sing-a-long choruses. I can practically guarantee it will be in my top ten of ’08.

The 59 Sound.

Appropriate Bonus Covers:

Night Moves (Bob Seger)-The Counting Crows

Be Bop A Lula (Gene Vincent)-The Clash

Technical Issues

Posted on August 31st, 2008 by ekko

This is soooo funny! Thanks captainah I love it.
Mile High Joke Of The Day

Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0. I soon noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of space and valuable resources. In addition, Wife 1.0 installed itself into all other programs and now monitors all other system activity. Applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Football 5.0, Hunting and Fishing 7.5, and Racing 3.6 no longer run, crashing the system whenever selected.

I can’t seem to keep Wife 1.0 in the background while attempting to run my favorite applications. I’m thinking about going back to Girlfriend 7.0, but the uninstall doesn’t work on Wife 1.0. Please help!

Thanks,
A Troubled User (KEEP READING)

______________________________________

REPLY:
Dear Troubled User:

This is a very common problem that men complain about. Many people upgrade from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0, thinking that it is just a Utilities and Entertainment program. Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and is designed by its Creator to run EVERYTHING!!! It is also impossible to delete Wife 1.0 and to return to Girlfriend 7.0. It is impossible to uninstall, or purge the program files from the system once installed.

You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is designed to not allow this. Look in your Wife 1.0 manual under Warnings-Alimony-Child Support. I recommend that you keep Wife1.0 and work on improving the situation. I suggest installing the background application “Yes Dear” to alleviate software augmentation.

The best course of action is to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE because ultimately you will have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the system will return to normal anyway.

Wife 1.0 is a great program, but it tends to be very high maintenance. Wife 1.0 comes with several support programs, such as Clean and Sweep 3.0, Cook It 1.5 and Do Bills 4.2.

However, be very careful how you use these programs. Improper use will cause the system to launch the program Nag Nag 9.5. Once this happens, the only way to improve the performance of Wife 1.0 is to purchase additional software. I recommend Flowers 2.1 and Diamonds 5.0!

WARNING!!! DO NOT, under any circumstances, install Secretary With Short Skirt 3.3. This application is not supported by Wife 1.0 and will cause irreversible damage to the operating system.

Best Wishes,
Tech Support

THE FEATURES-“Some Kind of Salvation”

Posted on August 31st, 2008 by ekko

It begins with Pelham’s trademark muppet voice: “So here we are. It’s like we never really left at all.” So it begins: a simple, one-minute intro to the new album by The Features. From there, we kick into a half-snarled “Drawing Board,” a song about starting over. And with these two songs, we’ve pretty much been told where the band is at: Without a label, and trying out a staged release process, first digital on Amazon, now vinyl, and, in 2009, an actual CD pressing. This is an obvious attempt to build an audience at a time when fewer people are buying music, either because they steal it or because there are so many competitor markets out there (or, most likely, a combination of both), and fewer labels are hyping fewer artists. But this is also a boon time for experimentation, and a great time to be an indie band because blogs like this one are willing, or, in this case, eager, to offer international coverage.

I’ve loved The Features for years. They make interesting pop rock, without pretension and focused on hooks and groove. Perhaps that’s why the third track, “Foundation’s Cracked,” is so remarkable. It’s got a 1960s psychedelic vibe, like something off the great “Nuggets” collection. The next song, “GMF,” is more classic Features—powerful licks and vocals that go from a snarl to a cry and back again. And before the album closes, you’ll hear the near-gospel of “The Temporary Blues;” the driving blues of “Wooden Heart;” the slow and beautiful “Gates of Hell;” the folkie “Baby’s Hammer;” and the indie rocker “Lions,” which should be on everyone’s best of 2008 playlist. Oh, and I have to mention the strange and creepy “Concrete.” On this wonderful album, you can everything from Blind Melon to The Shins to Axl Rose to The Standells. If you want the same old same old, skip it. If you want to be excited, surprised, and, of course, be forced to make room on your “Best of 2008” playlist, then this is the record for you.

On September 30th, it will get a double vinyl release with a bonus record and an mp3 download card of the album. Preorder here.

Trust me when I say this is an album you need to hear. It’s almost impossible for me to pick a couple songs for you to taste, but I’m settling on GMF because the band itself is releasing that one and on “Concrete” because it’s just so amazing.

GMF

Concrete

Bonus songs:

Slow Night, So Long-Kings of Leon with Eddie Vedder

Find A Way (Graeme and Switch Mix Ft Kid Cudi) / Lunar Camel-Santogold

NEES AND VOS/CLAWJOB EPS GIVEAWAY!

Posted on August 30th, 2008 by ekko

CLAWJOB-”Manifest Destiny”

The subject of a recent review here, Clawjob wants you to hear their music so bad, they’re giving away copies of “Manifest Destiny” to you, my readers! In case you’ve forgotten, it’s a concept EP about 19th-century America, dealing with hardcore issues like war, hearbreak, and primitive surgery. It’s tough music, kinda hardcore punk, for fans of Fugazi.

Diamond Hoax

NEES AND VOS-”Extended Play”

Another band that’s offering you a free EP is the soul/jazz band Nees and Vos whose EP I reviewed at my old site. They’ve got good vocal skill, reminiscent of Michael McDonald, and soulful musical chops. Especially great is their cover of Ain’t No Sunshine.

Ain’t No Sunshine

To get free copies of both EPs, e-mail me your mailing address. I’ll be closing this contest in about a week, and I’ll be giving them away first come, first serve.

Here’s my e-mail address: ekalett(at)yahoo.com.

Come and git ‘em!

THE CLASH IN HONG KONG, 1982. Part two.

Posted on August 30th, 2008 by ekko

That’s the back cover of CD 2 of the Clash at Hong Kong. Cop disc one by finding the earlier post. G’head. Dig around on my site. You might find a buncha stuff y’like, dig?

As always, a few sips before the big gulp.

Janie Jones
The Call Up
Brand New Cadillac
Somebody Got Murdered
Clampdown
Charlie Don’t Surf
Police And Thieves
Stay Free
Armagideon Time
Safe European Home

ZIP

Tags: Bootleg, Clash

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Posted on August 29th, 2008 by ekko

Oh my god. Don’t let it get me.

Please.

KYLIENS – Mixtape

Posted on August 29th, 2008 by ekko

KYliens is a collective mixtape of a ton of rappers out of Kentucky doing their thing over OutKast’s “ATLiens.” You can kind of read the names of the guys on the back cover of the jacket, above, which is why I uploaded that image. I haven’t listened to the whole thing yet, but “Two Dope Boys and a Chevrolet” and “E.T.” are worth the price of admission (which is free, of course).

Direct Download Link!

THE CLASH IN HONG KONG, 1982. Part 1.

Posted on August 29th, 2008 by ekko

For today’s Clash post, I’m digging into the bootleg well for part one of a complete show. Part two will follow soon. Probably tomorrow, if I have my act together.

The show is from Februay 25, 1982, from the Hong Kong stop on the band’s world tour. This was one of Topper’s last gigs, before Joe and the band’s manager snuck up on poor old Top to boot him out. This show was taped off a mono radio broadcast, but I’m missing hte songs after Safe European Home in set two. There are a few gaps, too, where there were station IDs or tape flips. So it’s not the best boot ever, but it’s not the worst, either. And far as I know, it’s the only one where Joe threatens to do karate on the audience. And it’s always cool to hear “Know Your Rights” done live.

Here’s CD one, a few tastes and a zip.

London Calling
Washington Bullets
Tommy Gun
Guns of Brixton
Train in Vain
Know Your Rights
The Magnificent Seven
Ivan Meets G.I. Joe
White Man in a Hammersmith Palais
Wrong em Boyo
Koka Kola
Broadway
I Fought The Law
Career Opportunities

ZIP