2 girls kissing!!!

Please bear with me as I make some changes to the site. Soon there will be oodles and oodles of new content. There will be artist profiles, classic album reviews, news, a "getting started" section, and more (maybe even some Dr. Love). If you have any suggestions, please comment!

Consider this as a growth period for everyone's benefit!

Album Review: Torche - Songs for Singles

Torche - Songs for Singles (E.P.)

Release Date September 21, 2010

Hydra Head

One day, someone walked up to Torche and said, "Hey, you need to write shorter songs and shorter albums" Torche obliged. That of course is complete speculation, but that's what I felt after listening to their latest release. Songs for Singles is the much anticipated follow up to the acclaimed Meanderthal from the Miami based Torche. Rather than releasing a full length album, Torche, now a 3-piece, decided to release a batch of songs they had been working on instead. The self produced Songs for Singles is an 8 track, 22 minute haymaker that does not let up. What I've always enjoyed about Torche is the crafting of the songs. For a heavy band, their songs are usually upbeat, poppy, and have (gasp) melody, they are also very to the point. They're kind of like Bubblegum Sludge... Bubblesludge, or better yet Sludgegum.

However, when I began listening to this E.P. to review it, I knew there was something there different than Meanderthal. Mind you I really enjoyed that album and had high expectations for this one, but it did not captivate me, at first. Though after about three weeks of listening to the whole thing on a somewhat regular basis, I think it is appropriate to call Songs for Singles a grower to Meanderthal's show-er. According to the band, they wanted to write songs that are more fun to play live.

In Songs for Singles, a punk element is more noticeable with tracks like the opener "U.F.O." , it's follow up track "Lay Low", and "Cast Into Unknown". Songs for Singles is surprisingly diverse for its length, with a couple other songs this could be a great full length release. Then again, size doesn't matter, especially in the case of Songs for Singles. As a matter of fact, a few songs were cut from Songs for Singles because they were "too full" and lyric writing and performance was difficult, though it is speculated that those songs will appear, reworked, on the next studio album.

The albums final two, and longest, tracks are noticeably different from the rest of the album, which is a variable wonderland of tight, freak guitar and whirlwind drums (note: "Hideaway"). "Face the Wall" and "Out Again" open up and let the listener get into a trance rather than bang head. "Face the Wall" is a quick strummed echo-saturated doom track with the Torche touch. This song could have easily been ruined with growling lyrics, but Steve Brooks laid down a solid vocal track that, for the most part, is indecipherable. It is interesting to note that Brooks used a stream of consciousness approach to the lyrics on Songs for Singles, a la Atlas Sound. Brooks has said that the lyrics to Songs for Singles are "dreamlike" and "nonsensical".

"Out Again" closes the album with another wide open track you can lose yourself in. If the rest of the album were a city, than this is a desert, and as you can tell, I'm down with the desert. The last 4 minutes of the song is a repetition of the same riff where you get the opportunity to listen to everything that is going on. If you turn it up, the music engulfs you, kind of like Loveless with an edge.

Songs for Singles is a short, fun trip to rock town that should not be missed out on if you are a fan heavy music.The album is aggressive, but not pissed off or angsty. It's not really doom, it's not really metal, it's not really punk, it's not really sludge, it's Torche. Every once and a while there is a band like Torche where you can say something like that. If Meanderthal was their breakout, Songs for Singles is the whitehead that will hopefully make Torche pop everywhere. On a scale of "Loves it" to "Not so much", "I'd hit it". 

1. U.F.O. (1:53)
2. Lay Low (0:51)
3. Hideaway (2:03)
4. Arrowhead (2:17)
5. Shine On My Old Ways (1:49)
6. Cast Into Unknown (2:11)
7. Face the Wall (4:32)
8. Out Again (6:11)

Length - 21:47

http://www.torchemusic.com/

P.S. You might get a kick out of this. Here is what I assume is a scratch track of "U.F.O." with David Lee Roth's vocals from Van Halen's "Runnin' with the Devil" layered on top. 

 

Get Up Get On Down Tonight....

...to The Vintage Theater, 119 Penn Ave. Scranton for the Turbo Fruits!! 6 bands, $8,  Doors at 6PM. It's going to be a hell of a time and I hope to see you there. RSVP here or just show up. Please come and support an It Came from the Desert favorite and party all night with the Turbo Fruits. Unfamiliar? Check out some tracks off their latest release Echo Kid.

Episode 63 Recap

The show went O.K. considering I had just gotten back from a camping trip and I made the studio smell like smoked jerky and booze. The thing that kept me up was thinking about how pumped I was for the Turbo Fruits show that is happening this Tuesday, October 19 at the Vintage Theater at 119 Penn Ave. in downtown Scranton. It's down the street from the main entrance to the Steamtown Mall. You can RSVP HERE. I'll be there so you know it's going to be a good time.

This week we took a little listen to the new Whores of Tijuana album Psycholongevity which will be released November 12. If you want to hear the album now, for free, go to the Whores of Tijuana Myspace. A review will be up in the coming weeks. I finally want to get to the new Torch album for review this week. I've been putting it off and putting it off but I feel it's time that I can give it a fair review because it's a grower, not a show-er. I mean... It's short but satisfying. 

Here's this week's playlist.

1. Burning Red Sun - What She Said
2. Sleep - The Druid
3. earthlings? - Individual Sky Cruiser Theory
4. Turbo Fruits - Lotta Lotta Ladies
5. Queens of the Stone Age - Battery Acid
6. Masters Of Reality - Rolling Green
7. Brad Laner - Find Out
8. Whores of Tijuana - Conspiracy of Achillies *
9. Whores of Tijuana - Racer X *
10. The Atomic Bitchwax - Smokescreen
11. Skooma - Fu Manchu
12. Wellwater Conspiracy - Felicity's Surprise
13. Dead Meadow - Sleepy Silver Door
14. Pell Mell - Dad's Top Drawer
15. Eagles Of Death Metal - Anything 'Cept the Truth
16. Desert Sessions - Screamin' Eagle
17. Alain Johannes - Return To You
18. Gay Witch Abortion - Scythian Sculls
19. High on Fire - 10,000 Years
20. Goon Moon - Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You #
21. Fatso Jetson - Stranglers Blues
22. Kyuss - Space Cadet
23. Ty Segall - Watching You
24. Torche - Without A Sound
25. John McBain - Hubblebubble

* -  Artist Focus

# - Cover of the Week

The only thing heavier than tonight's show...

Tonight is kind of a mellow night so I'm going to try to snap out of it by listening to some new Whore of Tijuana in our artist focus along with other heavy favorites such as High on Fire and The Atomic Bitchwax.

But nothing really comes close to the magic this week's video has. Over the summer, the big viral phenomena was the Double Rainbow Guy, while this may be one the of the funniest videos of the year, it is not the greatest rainbow. That award goes to the Reading Rainbow, a rainbow that has educated children and showed Levar Burton's face (sans the Star Trek visor thingy) for years, and now you can enjoy is and feel like you just got dosed! 

See you tonight!

Album Review: Masters of Reality - Pine/Cross Dover

Masters of Reality - Pine/Cross Dover

Release Date October 12, 2010 (United States)

Brownhouse/Mascot Records

It has been six years since the United States has seen a release from Masters of Reality and nine years since their last studio album. Granted, during that time the internet was graced with The Ballad of Jody Frosty, the unreleased third album. However, Masters front man Chris Goss has been busy with Goon Moon and producing The Duke Spirit, Mark Lanegan, and Queens of the Stone Age, but the time has come for another Masters album. After a seemingly endless string of delays, Pine/Cross Dover hit U.S. record store shelves yesterday. Teaming up with long time Masters drummer John Leamy  and several guests such as Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O'Connor, earthlings? guitarist Dave Catching, Masters alum Brendon McNichol, and others, Goss creates another album, in traditional Masters style, different than previous releases, but with the same unique Masters vibe.

With inspiration stemming from Presence era Led Zeppelin, the darker side of rock 'n roll shows through on Pine/Cross Dover, it seems as if it is a natural progression from the spacey Deep in a Hole. However Pine/Cross Dover is more in the Troposphere than in the Exosphere. 

                                                      Get it?

There are no acoustic guitars or shuffle beats on this album, it's a far cry from Sunrise on the Sufferbus and The Ballad of Jody Frosty.  

The album is broken into two parts, if you haven't gathered that by now.

Pine begins with "King Richard TLH", a traditional guitar driven rock track that really doesn't set you up for the rest of this part of the album. As a matter of fact, to me this is the most out of place track on a "side" that seems to be very focused. Don't get me wrong though, this is probably one of my favorite cuts on the album. It is co-written by Dave Catching of earthlings? I'd like to point out resemblance in tone in the intro guitar tone of the earthlings? song "Stoner Rock Rules" and this song. Or maybe I'm just crazy. 

"Absinthe Jim and Me" is a down tuned crawler with sprinkles of big synthesizer that Goss likes to use on occasion (think "Boymilk Waltz" but in shorter spurts). Repetitious rhythms is the theme to this album and this song is no exception. The drum and bass really take the lead in most of these songs as you will probably notice while listening to the album. 

Next is "Worm in the Silk" which has one of the best bass lines and tones on the album. With the rhythm as the driving factor in this song and the occasional dreamy guitar piece on top of Goss' drone, this "Dub-Steppy" song was an early favorite of mine. "Always" is a stomping, lumbering track with all the instruments harmonizing  in the chorus. The guitar tone sounds like a bee on LSD. "Johnny's Dream" is a short jam that closes the Pine section of the album. It's spooky, crank it up for Halloween.

The Cross Dover section of the album kicks off with head bobbing "Up in It", another straight forward rock track with a Homme-esque riff that dominates most of the song.  "Dreamtime Stomp" is defiantly the "single", so to speak, of this part of the album. The title of the song is exactly what the song is, a dreamy, rockin', stomp with a fun little lead. There's even a "woo".

"Rosie's Presence" is probably the most direct nod to Zeppelin. Vocals that sound like they're coming from 10 feet down in a well, a dirty riff, and slide guitar. It may as well go along side "Candy Store Rock" or "Hots on for Nowhere" off of Presence. Split into three parts, "The Whore of New Orleans, The Pharacies Fall, and The Wicked Flood" suite is, obviously, the prog track on the album.  Clocking in at only 4:43, the song treks through those parts pretty quickly, though it all seems to meld really well.

"Testify to Love" is kind of a strange track. The intro is probably the "doomiest" the Masters have ever been while the chorus is sort of a cheery sing-a-long of the line Hooooold On. The song is like a Cream and Black Sabbath in a blender. "Alfalfa" is a twelve minute free form jam between Goss, Leamy, McNichol, and Mark Christian. If you dig jams, you'll like it. If not, the album is over for you when the tiny bell chimes at the end of "Testify to Love". Personally, I love tracks like this. If you like to sit and zone out  like I do, this is for you.

Overall, this is another solid Masters release and well worth the wait. However, this album may be a grower for some of you. I was unsure how I felt about the album after the first few listens, but a year later (I got the import) I believe that Pine/Cross Dover is an excellent addition to the Masters discography.  Goss went a little spooky with some tracks and there are a lot of nods to a wide range of musicians but it all kind of works out in the end. Granted, this album does not top my all time favorite Masters release Welcome to the Western Lodge, but because of the Masters diversity in albums this could be the Masters you've been waiting for. On a scale of "Loves it" to "Not so much" I give it a "I like like it".

Pine
1. King Richard TLH (4:20)
2. Absinthe Jim And Me (3:03)
3. Worm In The Silk (4:23)
4. Always (3:24)
5. Johnny's Dream (4:38)

Cross Dover
6. Up In It (3:43)
7. Dreamtime Stomp (3:59)
8. Rosie's Presence (3:12)
9. The Whore Of New Orleans (4:43)
10. Testify To Love (4:16)
11. Alfalfa (12:07)

Length - 51:48

http://www.mastersofreality.com/

Episode 62 Recap - Chris Goss Interview

This week I was joined by Chris Goss of Masters of Reality. If you missed the interview, it's posted below. The entire first hour was dedicated to Chris and the new Masters of Reality release Pine / Cross Dover which is finally available everywhere. I hope to have a review of the album up sometime this week.  Chris was a great guy and I can't thank him enough for coming on the show. Hopefully the Masters play somewhere on the east coast during their upcoming tour.

Since I now have this fancy YouTube account, archived audio from the show will be posted throughout the week, such as my interview with Jesse Hughes, Mario Lalli, Isaiah Mitchell, and relationship advice from frequent guest Dr. Love. The good doctor will also be on the show sometime this season answering your girl/guy, girl/girl, guy/girl, guy/girl/girl, guy/tranny, and girl/tranny questions. There may also be some "web only" material because I can't air most of the stuff we record.

Here's this weeks playlist. 

1. Masters of Reality - The Great Spelunker
2. Chris Goss Interview Part 1
3. Masters Of Reality - Up In It
4. Chris Goss Interview Part 2
5. Masters Of Reality - Jody Sings
6. Chris Goss Interview Part 3
7. Chris Goss - Bellybutton Song
8. Masters Of Reality - The Whore Of New Orleans
9. Masters Of Reality - Always
10. Skooma - Green Tea With Envy
11. Eagles Of Death Metal - Cherry Cola
12. earthlings? - Moons Over Milleniums
13. Turbo Fruits - Broadzilla
14. Fatso Jetson - Gargle
15. Kyuss - Conan Troutman
16. Melvins - Honey Bucket
17. Gay Witch Abortion - Action Cop
18. Egypt - Touch Ground
19. Earthless - Cherry Red #
20. The Freeks - Look Ahead
21. Torche - Face the Wall
22. Wellwater Conspiracy - Now, Invisibly
23. Gallery Of Mites - Headless Body, Topless Bar
24. Burning Red Sun - Unwind
25. Ty Segall - Oh Mary
26. Vega - Daly City

# - Cover of the Week

I hope to see you all next week, we'll be hearing new tracks from Whores of Tijuana. Here is my interview with Chris Goss. Keep checking back to the YouTube channel for more!