Disguised As Birds – Black Circles CD EP

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin

Brand spanking new stuff up for review again and this is the fourth release I’ve done from the almighty Phratry Records. We share a kinship as we are both midwest outfits, but that’s such a vague and broad location, as the north midwest is worlds a part from where I’m at in the mid-midwest. This time we have a band that goes by the name of Disguised as Birds, a name I really dig, thoughtful and interesting you know what I mean? It’s refreshing to hear a band in the here and now play good old fashioned no bullshit rock and roll. Not young people regurgitating something from days gone by and not senior citizens trying to recapture a moment 40 years past, this is good clean, fresh rock and roll, without the distraction of things like heavy metal, punk, hardcore, glam or any other sub-genre you can think of. There’s a lot of leeway within that solid rock and roll base, and DBB explore that world quite well with a mixture of harder and softer tunes. Once again a band that’s no stranger to their instruments, they obviously didn’t just pick them up the other day. Phratry hasn’t let me down yet. Here’s the press release I got:

DISGUISED AS BIRDS was born in 2004 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their
new double EP is the band’s fourth release and the thirty-first from
Phratry Records (Cincinnati, Ohio). It is available as an 8-song
vinyl record with a 10-song download. It features the brand-new
“Black Circles” EP as well as a re-release of the 2009 “New Demons”
EP.
RECOMMENDED IF YOU LIKE: Shiner, Jawbox, Fugazi, Thin Lizzy.
Although the band possesses a dreamy, shimmering quality, Disguised
As Birds have built their sound on a foundation of explosively heavy
rock with frequent comparisons to Shiner, Regulator Watts, Jawbox,
Shipping News and Juno. And despite their artsy leanings, Disguised
As Birds unquestionably has the vibe of a classic rock band. In
spirit, if not in incessant riffing, they pack a great deal of soul
into every measure of every tune. The band has been touring off and
on throughout the MidWest for years. Influenced by all things rock
and roll, art, and the often cold and bleak environment in which they
live, this is a band that can pummel, sprint and soar.
PRESS QUOTES
“pledging allegiance to ’90s noise rock and post-punk”
– The Onion AV Club
“this Milwaukee-based group’s sound is aggressive while lyrically
introspective; a truly difficult musical feat to master.”
– Music Examiner
STREAM: http://disguisedasbirds.bandcamp.com
MORE INFO AND VIDEO

http://phratryrecords.com/bands/detail/disguised_as_birds

CONTACT
Jerry Dirr, Phratry Records: press@phratryrecords.com
PHRATRY RECORDS, LLC
P.O. Box 14267 : Cincinnati, Ohio 45250
www.phratryrecords.com : phratry@phratryrecords.com
distributed by STICKFIGURE
P.O. Box 55462 : Atlanta, GA 30308
www.stickfiguredistro.com : info@stickfiguredistro.com

I’d like to post all the tunes as this thing rocks from beginning to end but that leaves yall without a mystery and some kind of motivation to go out and get this bad boy. The first song I have up for you, for some reason, upon first listen, the thing that came to mind was the band New Model Army…maybe it’s the vocals…(there’s even an old U2 vibe on some of the tunes, but if you’re not a U2 fan don’t let that distract you, give these guys a listen)…

Black Circles

Glad Hands

The promo copy I got just has the “Black Circles” EP but you can get that and their “New Demons” EP from 2009. together on one 12″…my favorite tune from that older EP…

Cigarette Ghost

A live tune from a very underpopulated club (what happens around here unless you can play country or 80′s rock covers)…

Motocaster – The Buddha 7″

Posted on April 16, 2012 by admin

I was talking to an old buddy of mine the other day and it really hit me how sophisticated he is spirtually. Not a complicated kind of sophistication or a dogmatic kind of organized religion type of thing, more of connection to the world around him. I’ve struggled with that all my life, a feeling of disconnectedness. As I’ve gotten older I think things make more sense and I’ve found my niche, but as Charles Manson said, “maybe I haven’t done enough”. I have this uneasy feeling about where I stand in the world and with the world being what it is maybe I don’t want any part of it. I go through the motions with my rituals for experiencing the sacred, but sometimes, the temple comes crashing down. Lots of little things become big things and then I end up despising the human race of which I am inescapably a part of. What can bring me back down to earth is thoughts of the almost infinite vastness of the universe, and this world is just a speck. And on this planet of over 6 billion people I, and everyone else individually, are just specks on that speck. What goes on is really meaningless, unless I’m dead, I will still get up in the morning, inhale and exhale, and go on about my day. Mustard Relics is my sanity, my ritual, my way of feeling connected.

The Addams Family, one of my all time favorite shows as a kid…had a huge crush on Morticia Addams (Carolyn Jones who was married to that idiot Aaron Spelling back in the 50′s). About the time that the show was wrapping up in ’66, one of the greatest songs ever written came out. The Stones did not fuck around when they wrote this one…
The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black (Ready Steady Go – May 27, 1966)
…and sure as shit everybody and his brother has covered it. Not sure if anyone ever came close to the original and some versions really suck balls, but these guys did something insane with it…
The Animals – Paint It Black
…this live version would have been incredible to see as so many of the acts at the Monterey Pop Festival would have been…
Eric Burdon and the Animals – Paint It Black (Monterey 1967)
…Eric Burdon must have really loved the tune, this is a 14 minute jam done with WAR…
Eric Burdon and War – Paint It Black
…the definitive female punk rock version, maybe my favorite…
The Avengers – Paint It Black
…the Las Vegas version…
Chris Farlowe- Paint It Black
…in French…
Marie Laforet – Paint It Black
…in Italian (very beautiful)…
Caterina Caselli – Paint it Black
…what do you want, I like Ministry ever since they had Gibby from the Butthole Surfers do a song, they do good putting their spin on the tune…
Ministry – Paint It Black
…I’m not a Marilyn Manson fan, but this is interesting (from “Repo the Genetic Opera”, a flick I wanted to see but the wife vetoed)…
Marilyn Manson – Paint It Black
…you go Blackie Lawless…
W.A.S.P. – Paint it Black

From 1993, outta Raliegh, NC where my boy is living, the first release from this short lived, under appreciated band. The first tune just blows me away, a perfect song from begining to end, but unfortunately that’s it. The second one is a karaoke cover, too much like the original to be interesting and the third is a free love jam that is as uninteresting as the cover…a waste of vinyl really. But that first tune, DAMN!

The Buddha

Green Tambourine

Motorolla Greens

If you can try to find their only full length “Stay Loaded” it’s supposed to be more of the kickass variety of sameness. Couldn’t find that for download when I did a quick search, but for some related stuff, including this 7″ check out Wilfully Obscure. Here’s the vid for the tune off the “Stay Loaded” LP (they were big enough to have made the MTV cut…

Wild Fields – Manhattan Here We Come EP

Posted on April 12, 2012 by admin

Mentioned these guys (and gals) briefly in another post. My buddy Bjorn (that I’ve never actually met) outta Sweden turned me onto them, his daughter is the singer. Kinda cool how being a musician sometimes gets passed down to the next generation (my son has mental health problems, addiction and compassion for the innocent to look forward to). Wild Fields is a departure for me as I would put them more in the pop, soft rock realm. I don’t explore music so much by genre as to it’s inherent enjoyability these days though. Good singing, good musicianship, and a good vibe, it’s not all distortion and primal grunts anymore. This music you listen to with your lady in a happy place, not by yourself lamenting your lot in life. It’s innocent and playful. The singer’s voice reminds me a lot of Peggy Martinez from my Humboldt days with Drilling For Mom and Barking Dogma. I don’t know how long they’ve been at it, but their newest release is just a few months old. They have a Soundcloud, a Myspace, a Facebook, and a Youtube, so access to their music is definitely there. I wish them success, happiness and the opportunity to bring their music to more people. Here’s a couple of tunes I ripped for you, but you can get all their music from the Soundcloud site…

Where The Lights Shine

Dirt On These Streets

…this one’s my favorite, kind of a punk/power pop feel, reminds of the band X…

Major Failure

…a live tune…

Their first (of many?) official vid…

Looking Glass – Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)

Posted on April 10, 2012 by admin

Was on the road for work today, as usual listening to the radio and heard a tune I hadn’t in a while, by a band called Looking Glass (had to look it up), a one hit wonder of a band (they were actually short lived) from 1972. Listening to it gave me a good feeling, it took me back to the innocent times of being a young kid, driving around early 1970′s Los Angeles in my Mom’s Volkswagon Bug, listening to the radio. Funny how 40 years later I’m doing the same thing, driving around listening to the radio. This song has a little cheese factor, as so much of the post does. Thinking back, all I knew was that the song was about some girl named Brandy. Listened to the words this time, for the first time, and it’s actually got some really well written lyrics. The guy has a great voice, a crooner of sorts, but it being the 70′s their sense of style was pretty whacked out. From Cripple Bastards to Looking Glass…only at the Mustard Relics Cafe.

…RHCP do a very nice cover of the tune I found out, thanx to the Youtube suggestions they put up on the right (also suggested…Manfred Mann – Blinded by the Light…Seasons In The Sun – Terry Jacks 1974…Witchy Woman – Eagles…Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown 1974…classic 70′s easy listening.

Eyehategod / Cripple Bastards – split 7″

Posted on April 5, 2012 by admin

What movie is this from? For some reason the surreal nature of the GIF speaks to me, like a dream I would have…morbidly dancing away and ultimately, maybe even frustratingly, getting nowhere.

Not much going on at Mustard Relics central other than bitching about things that can’t be changed (like human nature) and doing absolutely nothing about the things that can. Kind of an Eeyore mood. As opposed to my mechanic who was whistling while he was working the other day. Not because he is one of those mechanics getting fat off your money, fixing things that aren’t broken or really fixing nothing at all. He is actually very fair, is a genius when it comes to vehicles and genuinely enjoys his work.

We watched The Color of Magic the other day, a made for TV thing, that was surprisingly entertaining. The guy from Lord of the Rings is in it along with the always masterful, Tim Curry (boy he’s aged). Anybody else used to go to the midnight showing of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” back in the day? I digress. Actually as far as comedy movies with “horror” in the tilte I prefer Rick Moranis in “Little Shop of Horrors”. Anyway “Color of Magic” satisfied my fantasy craving that is rarely satisfied.

From fantasy to Black Metal (there is a connection isn’t there?)…was in a black metal mood for a second the other day and thought I’d share my findings (stumblings). Black Metal has an almost comical side if you think about it, but if you’ve read the Old Testament book of Job, you know Satan has a very keen sense of humor…I think the guy must get a kick out of guys with spandex, painted faces and gravely voices. I started out with this band, outta Spain, the demo is from 2001, and I’d classify them as more of the raw variety…
Uruk-Hai – In The Side Of Eternal Eclipse
This is French “celtic pagan black metal” (or what came up when I typed that phrase into a search) from a 2009 re-release of a 2000 release …
Belenos – Errances Oniriques
…dug them enough to include a second tune…
Belenos- Suppot de Neant
…the kings of modern day raw black metal from their latest 2011 release…
Bone Awl – The One Grinning
…another one…
Bone Awl – Skinhead Vulture
…and then I found myself going way back to the gods of black metal…
Venom – Witching Hour
Venom – One Thousand Days Of Sodom
…and then of course, 2nd to Venom is…
Hellhammer – Crucifixion

Sort of ended up with this puppy in a backwards sort of way. My old San Diego buddy Chris was living in New Orleans and mentioned a band worth checking into call Outlaw Order. Just so happens they had released a 7″ on my old school chum Bob’s label Deep Six Records. Picked it up and was VERY satisfied with it’s heavy beastliness…
Outlaw Order – Illegal In 50 States
…see what I mean? As it turns out the band was made up of members from a previous New Orleans giant of a band called Eyehategod. Just like a modern day punk rock chicky getting giddy at the Hot Topic store, I get giddy when I discover something new (to me) and promising, so I must shop. Wasn’t too hard to track down some EHG as they released a lot of stuff although it is sometimes a little overproced on ebay. This split was released on the (infamous) Southern Lord label in 2004 (their 2nd to last release). Now I played the EHG side first of course and was pleasantly rewarded, great fucking sledge hammer of a tune. BUT, when I played the flip side I was completely blown away. What you get is the Cripple Bastards tearing shit up. This longish song that goes all over the place and even in it’s longishness it keeps you riveted throughout. Love it, and really that tune makes this split.

EyeHateGod – I Am The Gestapo

Cripple Bastards – Self-Zeroing

The Jerky Boys

Posted on March 30, 2012 by admin

Back in ’93 I graduated from college up at Humboldt State University with two very interesting, although useless degrees. I had worked as a groundskeeper on campus, putting myself through school, for three years though, so I did have some useful, albeit poorly paid skills. Got a job with this nut Tom Lindquist, a hell of a guy (who if you sweet talked enough didn’t mind taking the day off and going out on his boat [I use the term "boat" loosely] ocean fishing). Hell, one out of every three days it was pouring rain so we couldn’t work anyway. There was three of us on his work crew, the foreman Dan and my fellow grunt John. Hell of a job digging ditches (Tom rarely rented a trencher), shoveling rock (Tom rarely rented a skid loader) and hauling concrete with wheel barrows (Tom never rented a concrete pump). Probably the best shape I’ve ever been in my life, WORKED MY ASS OFF, although just about every day we were stoned and amped on meth. Most of the job sites were hell of far away from the shop (Tom’s house) so on the drive home the three of us would work on a 12 pack every night. Tom’s wife got pretty pissed one day when she saw all the empty beer cans in the back of the truck so Tom told us he wasn’t going to pay us for the drive home if we were going to be drinking beer. That was fine as long as it didn’t interrupt beer thirty. Anyway John and I got to be pretty good buds (maybe not that good, as I have no idea where he is today) working there, mainly because we car pooled back and forth to work (a 20 minute drive each way between Arcata and Trinidad). There’s two things I really remember about John. Dude was a huge fan of the movie Friday and could recite the movie from beginning to end (and you know how it is when you’re geetered out, it’s hard to keep your mouth shut). The other thing, was that he turned me onto the Jerky Boys. Anybody remember them? Their first record came out in 93′, John had it on cassette, so he and I would listen to that on the drives. Not sure what made them pop in my mind today, but I gave them a listen and it was good for a chuckle (much funnier when you’re high and 23, I think).

The Dickies – Paranoid b/w I’m Ok, You’re Ok 7″

Posted on March 24, 2012 by admin

A snapshot I took of a youtube video I ripped of the season 2 finale of the Walking Dead, which is a based on a comic book series by the same name (I’m not familiar with the comic series). I don’t know if any of y’all watch that show, but when they introduced this new character (Michonne) it just blew me away. With it being a season finale, I of course have to wait 6 months for it to kick back in. My wife says the show is my soap opera, and with the drama involved I suppose it is, but it’s a soap opera with fucking ZOMBIES man! For better or worse (AMC is a Fox company) it’s pushing the limits of what can be shown on primetime TV. I remember DJing on KHSU and having to wait until after midnight to play music with cuss words. There is a case going before the Supreme Court, I think where Cher cussed on live TV during an awards show, that may end up crippling or completely doing away with the FCC anyway.

The wife was cutting out an ingrown toenail for me the other day and not to get too deeply esoteric or anything but what did people’s toes look like before there was toenail clippers. I suppose the wealthy guy and gal probably had some tools for that purpose, but the average Joe must have had some horrible looking toes or feet. Makes you wonder when did the foot fetish first become popular? Anyway cutting out that ingrown toenail left me with puppy dog eyes for the old lady. Made me think of how in a Bugs Bunny carton, Bugs pulls a thorn out of a lion’s paw and the lion was forever indebted to him.

The Dickies were not a band I really was into in the late 70s early 80s. The guy’s voice drove me nuts and I was pretty much just into the political/social bands of the time, not the sillycore stuff. I suppose another factor was the fact that they were a big label band almost from the getgo. Of course times change, and I grew to appreciate these guys for the punk icons they were (are), and a good band is just that. This was their 2nd single in 1978, preceded by their ten inch single and their demo from 1977. What you get here is undoubtedly the best “Paranoid” cover ever recorded along with a super snotty punked number. I suppose they are still around today which makes it something like 35 years, check their Facebook. Anyway…

Paranoid

I’m Ok, You’re Ok

Well ripping this got my curiosity going as I’d never heard the demo that was made in November of 1977. Difficult as hell to find as the demo itself as I’m sure it wasn’t released on cassette as demos were back then, for just anybody and everybody to buy. It was probably just for record companies and radio stations. Turns out this guy has it posted just as it sounded on my favorite radio show (the reason I discovered punk rock) the Rodney on the ROQ show. Check that out on Chrisosurfs, well worth a listen to just hear Rodney. A little more searching and I found out that on the ROIR cassette release of the Dickies’ “We Aren’t the world” they have those demo tracks. I found them at Anajondas-Stash. Needless to say I was blown the fuck away, it doesn’t get any punker than this…guaranteed…

Hideous

I’m OK, You’re OK

You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)

Walk Like an Egg

Just for the hell of it I went ahead and found some of the other covers The Dickies did…

Silent Night

Hair

Nights In White Satin (Moody Blues)

Nobody But Me (Isley Brothers)

She (The Monkeys)

Pretty Ballerina (The Left Banke)

Eve of Destruction (Barry McGuire)

Sounds of Silence (Simon & Garfunkle)

Nonagon – People Live Everywhere 12″ ep

Posted on March 18, 2012 by admin

I hate it when my wife gets the mail first because she plexes on how I’m always getting records and how can that be since we’re broke all the time. I have to constantly explain to her that either I bought the record for a ridiculously low price (sometimes just pennies more than the shipping cost) or it was being sent to me for review. I don’t think she believes me that there are one or two people in the world who are curious what I to say, but that may be because my mouth has gotten me into all kinds of trouble in the past. She must have been double bummed because with professional packaging and the fact that the record is built like a tank being pressed on 180 gram vinyl. The band and I had some correspondence prior, this is what they had to say…

“We appreciate the work you do on the website and want to let you know about our new record that was released on this February (submitted here for your consideration). We’re a Chicago band called Nonagon. We’ve been playing in and around the Midwest lo these 6 or 8 years. We’re comprised of Tony Aimone (whose previous bands include The Blue Meanies and Taylor), Robert Gomez, and John Hastie (who both played in a bunch of bands you won’t remember). Our recorded output has been admittedly sparse, so we’re treating the February release of our new EP as something of a big deal. We’re hoping you might humor us by considering a feature or a review or an interview or adding it to your playlist or even just a listen… People Live Everywhere is a 5-song EP pressed on 180g vinyl. It was recorded over 3 days in the spring of 2011 at Kerguelen Studio, a one-room, all-analog facility in Astoria, NYC run by Justin Foley – he of the band The Austerity Program – who wielded the mics and turned the knobs. Mastered by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. Packaged with a card for a free download of the mp3s. Jacket designed by Robert Gomez using photographs by Nathan Keay. We did a “commercial” for the record that is posted here: http://youtu.be/T40mD6PE5ts. People Live Everywhere is a decidedly DIY affair. All planning, promotion, selling, and funding has been handled by the band ourselves. We’re pretty dang proud of how it’s all gone so far. Stream the EP here: www.nonagonchicago.bandcamp.com (this, aside from our shows and a couple of Chicago record stores, is also the primary retail option)
Free Track Download for the public: http://nonagonchicago.bandcamp.com/track/fresnel-lens
Vinyl copies can be obtained by contacting us at nonagonchicago@gmail.com.
Here’s a place you can go for more information and ephemera: http://nonagon.us/media/people-live-everywhere
If there’s anything else you want to know about (lyrics, interviews, the good folks of the PRF, how we stay so young looking, etc.), CONTACT US at.
nonagonchicago@gmail.com
www.nonagonchicago.bandcamp.com
www.nonagon.us
https://www.facebook.com/nonagonchicago

Like when Mom held your hand to go across the street, you should have no problem getting to know these guys. There’s a lot of links there to check out and links within links…links to stream the music, links to other reviews, enough to satisfy any link fetish. When I wrote back to the band (John) asking for a physical copy of the record, I already knew I dug these guys. Glad that I did get a physical copy because as it should be with any record you get, the package that holds the music is a work of art unto itself, the finest in DIY craftsmanship. The music takes up where that leaves off and is excitingly, not a disappointment. These guys don’t fuck around when it comes to their music and play their instruments like they go to sleep with them every night. The music is furious but it’s not angry at all. One of the reviewers suggested that they sounded like Fugazi, which kinda puzzled me so I went and listened to some of the Fugazi stuff I have. I’d say Nonagon listen to Fugazi and are maybe influenced by them, but they have a more urgent almost jazzy sound. I was thinking along the lines of Amphetamine Reptile and Touch and Go type bands, Killdozer a little bit in their slower, maybe Jesus Lizard when they speed things up, but what the hell do I know. I do know that they have instantly become Mustard Relics and will be on a list that I probably won’t come up with of top finds in 2012. Check out the first tune (they all rock) on this bad boy…

Vikings

Always one to take it one step further I’ve gone through the trouble of getting a few tunes off their first (2008) release. More of their killer sound really, maybe just a little less refined, but still very digable (maybe I can get these guys to send me a hard copy of this too)…

Fake Baby Lucius

Perlerorneq

On this live set these studs show that they’re not just studio musicians and in fact they shred live. Sadly, their mid-west-ness is very different geographically (and culturally) from mine so I don’t imagine they’ll be playing in my neck of the woods…hmmm

L’Assassins – S/T 7″

Posted on March 11, 2012 by admin

Another piece of vinyl beauty I got in the mail and before the official release date no less. A reward for that 200 yard walk down my driveway to my mailbox. Here’ what they have to say…

All-girl 60s, surf, punk rock’n'roll!!! These gals have been playing around Minneapolis for the last year catching the attention of garage fans locally, including your’s truly. So I was beyond excited when they approached me about putting out a record. It really was about time they released an injection of their Joan Chuck Berry Jett meets The Rollingstones laced jams on a hot slab of 7″ wax for the rest of you. Spring/Summer Midwest tour in the works and a new video soon!

Web Link to L’Assassins Tunes/Bio: www.bigactionrecords.net/LAssassins.html

Line up:

Tea Ann Simpson – Vocals

Monet Wong – Guitar/Vocals

Ariel Dornbush – Bass Vocals

Angela Clark – Drums/Vocals

For fans of:The God Damn Do Whop Band, Joan Jett, Surf, Rock’n'RollFormat : 7″ 45
Release date: 4/1/12

Contact: Zabby

www.bigactionrecords.net

915 Scheffer Ave

Saint Paul, MN

55102 USA

(651) 334-1980

From the get go L’Assassins kick ass. All three songs shred on this puppy and as happens sometimes with the shortness of the 7″ format, you are left wanting more. They’re pretty much as described, surf with that punk snottiness standing on a rockabilly foundation. If I was Zabby, handling their stuff, I’d send a copy to Quentin Tarrantino, as any one of these tunes could easily be in a soundtrack to one of his flicks. The fat guitar sound makes me wish I had better speakers on my computer, but when I spun it on the turntable using the my stereo’s speakers I was impressed by that and the nice bass sound (maybe I have the bass turned up to high though). I like the vocalist, a little edge in her voice. On the tune I’ve included the singer sounds a lot like Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics, and as such really lends itself to the punk sound. You can listen to all three tunes at their website above, but I like to have a little something here as well…my favorite of the three, makes you want to dance the “jerk”…

7pm

…a vid from their first ever show, great stuff…

Matt Ebert

Posted on March 7, 2012 by admin

Got quite the package in the mail the other day, 3 CDs and an LP from a guy named Matt Ebert, we had messaged back and forth a little bit via email. Here’s what he had to say…

“Hello Mustard Relics. My name is Matt Ebert. I’m an independent musician outta ATL. I was checkin out your site and thought you might enjoy my music. Its kind of a fusion of all kinda music..jazz, blues, punk, funk..ect. Anyways I saw that you dug all kinda music and thought you’d enjoy my new record. Its a vinyl release(cd included) and I was wondering if i could send it to ya. Got some of the new tracks up on FB, Mattebertmusic. I was readin the mustard relic for an hour or so when i thought “I bet this guy’d like my stuff”. No, I don’t play everything but i write it all. I know some bad ass musicians so i manipulate them for a better sound. I’ll send ya my latest deal and my last couple of cds. They’re all fucked up little jazz fusion/funk/bluesy whatever kinda records. You’ll dig 1 er 2 of em….maybe.”

So I already like the guy, just because he took the time to hang around my place for a while, even though in these impersonal interent times, he could be a serial killer. Serial killer or not, this guy is as serious as a knife to the eyeball as far as creating good music. If you don’t believe me, go check out Hanging Sounds and Ripple Music (this review makes for a REALLY good read and if I was a bastard, which I am, I would just cut and paste his words here), they know what’s up. So if you read that, what am I going to say? When I listened to Matt’s stuff before reading anything or getting the music in the mail, the first thing I thought of was Mr. Zappa. Like Frank, Matt is a very talented musician, writter and arranger, but on top of that, again like Frank, he has the sense of mind to surround himself with some top notch musicians (or is that in Atlanta these high caliber musicians are a dime a dozen, I don’t know). Matt pretty much describes his music perfectly as “jazz, blues, punk, funk..ect”. In my burnt out mind I will oversimplify it and say that it’s just plain old fun, easy on the ears, groovy. Matt’s vocals have some serious feeling, so maybe it’s not cool to call them fun, maybe deep is a better word. There’s quite a few musicians that play on these three records, but one thing they do is nail the groove. The quality of the production is incredible especially when you consider that these are all DIY, self released projects. I’m surprised he isn’t sign to at least a minor label. I went ahead and ripped/labeled some of my favorite tunes, all three records are equally good, but as with most musicians, the earlier you go the rawer you get…

“Hard Work” (2011) One of the reasons I prefer to get “hard copies” of the music I review (other than the fact that I am a music hoarder), is the artwork (this is my favorite artwork-wise of the three releases). In the age of digital only releases, there’s something missing when you can’t physically hold the whole thing in your hand or slap the vinyl on the turntable. Obviously Matt’s newest release, and probably the most polished. This first tune reminds me of the Beastie Boys when they have their groove on and are playing live instruments…

Ain’t Never

…and a Sabbath cover? Yes and captures the soul of the original but done in an Ebert-esque way…

Hand of Doom

“Snakes & Tornadoes” (2009) The horns really stand out on this album more than the others, not sure why. This first tune starts art very Tom Waits-y (not just the gruff vocals) and then takes on a whole other flavor…

Time (Don’t Waste Mine)

…hardcore vibe with horns and even a noodly quick guitar solo…

I’m Hip

…new territory as far as being digable for me, this one is probably the most pop/hip hop tune of all…

Do It

…maybe my favorite of the lot, distorted blue grass, country, slide guitar, kin to a band I’ve posted around here called Los Duggans…

House Carpenter

“R&Bewilderment” (2007) The earliest of the three, this one could be thought of as the roots of the Ebert experience. Fuzzy funky with the Mowtown backup singers