Sunday, November 29, 2009

HUSHPUPPIES "THE TRAP" 2005

More wild French garage sung in English! Hushpuppies a créé la surprise en 2005, en remettant au goût du jour le rock garage en France grâce à son premier album The Trap. Après une tournée de plus d’un an à travers toute l’Europe, le quintet est de retour avec un second opus, Silence is Golden, avec lequel il confirme toute l’ampleur de son talent. Rencontre. Propos recueillis par Hélène Pouzet"The story starts with the Likyds, a group from Perpignan, a nice and sunny town in the south of France, and also a Mecca for the sound of the sixties and the Mod culture in France. The six members of the group belong to a circle of garage music groups among which the Feedbacks and the Beach Bitches, who have had a great impact on the French underground musical movement. During five years the Likyds are touring in the south regions of France and are praised by the regional press and the increasing number of their fans. Their hit record ‘Marbu Dorada’, today on the compilation ‘Perpignan Rock’, is a significant example of this distinctive sound, a mixture of 60’s garage and psychedelic sound.
When Olivier moves to Paris, the adventure seems to be ended. Not quite though, as Cyrille (the guitar player) and Frank (the drummer) also move to the capital town. They have the thrilling idea of making up a new group. They decide to find a new musical identity as well as a new bass guitarist, who must meet a special requirement: survive their vodka-liquorice-olives-anchovies after rehearsal drink. A man in a million (or maybe more). A friend of the group, Guillaume, brave and liking drinks providing there is vodka in the recipe, joins the HushPuppies, as they are now called, with Wilfried, already on keyboards with the Likyds.
That perfect team of five musicians develops an unique style, subtile combination of the dirtiest rock sound and the most atmospheric melodies.
Their live and stunning performances in Paris (La Scène, Glaz’art, le Nouveau Casino among others) attract an audience each time wider, although not used to such shows. Nevertheless the southern French accent of Perpignan spreads over Paris.
During summer 2003 the Hushpuppies have the opportunity to record in a studio where they polish their songs, gaining thus a new colour. Four pieces are recorded, revealing the talent of the Hushpuppies as well as their true personality. They prove to be as comfortable with both their garage rock and electro-psychedelic inclinations, as well as with both their native tongue and English.
In june 2004, Benjamin Diamond sign HushPuppies on his label Diamondtraxx, a new EP is recorded during the summer and is available now! With this new E.P. the group set up the basis of an unrestrained rock music, far from the French rock world clichés..." - gizmousse
http://www.hushpuppiestheband.com/

HUSHPUPPIES:
Olivier Jourdan: vox / Cyrille Sudraud: guitar / Franck Pompidor: drums / Guillaume Le Guen: bass / Wilfried Jourdan (frère d'Olivier): keyb

trax:
1. 1975 2. Packt Up Like Sardines In A Crush Tin Box 3. You're Gonna Say Yeah! 4. Marthelot 'N' Clavencine 5. Sorry So 6. Pale Blue Eyes 7. Comptine 8. Bassautobahn 9. Alice In Wonderland 10. Single 11. You And Me 12. The Trap 13. Automatic 6

Saturday, November 28, 2009

"GONNA ROCK THE BLUES" - VA

Solid 32 track collection of hard rockin’ blues that just never lets up. The cream of the crop here, folks!trax:
1. We're Gonna Rock - Gunter Lee Carr 2. A Fool No More - Eddie Hope 3. Combination Boogie - J.B. Hutto & His Hawks 4. Hoo-Doo Say - Sly Fox 5. Slow Down Baby - Bob Gaddy 6. Nothing But Love - Bobo Jenkins 7. I'm Wild About You Baby - Lighting Hopkins 8. Lost Child - Eddie Hope 9. I Done Woke Up - Louisiana Red 10. I'm Tired of Beggin' - Sly Fox 11. Set a Date - Homesick James 12. Hydramatic Woman - Joe Hill Louis 13. Tell Me Who - Bobo Jenkins 14. Boogie Twist - Snooky Pryor 15. Can't Afford To Do It - Homesick James 16. Six Weeks of Misery - Big Walter 17. Next Door Neighbor - Jerry McCain 18. Look-a-There - Mojo Watson 19. Jumpin' From Six To Six - Jimmy Wilson 20. Rock 'n' Roll Boogie - Jo Jo Williams 21. Love Me Baby - Jesse Allen 22. Let's Move - Lightnin' Hopkins 23. Alley Music - Hound Dog Taylor 24. Bring It On Back - Mister Ruffin 25. Jump Sister Bessie - Otis Rush 26. Cant Be Satisfied - TV Slim 27. I Love You Baby - Sonny Terry & His Buckshot Five 28. 21 Days In Jail - Magic Sam 29. My Baby Left Me - B. Brown & His Rockin' McVouts 30. Number 9 Train - Tarheel Slim 31. I Gotta a New Car - Big Boy Groves 32. Stop, For The Red Light - Harold Burrage
ripped from cd in glorious monoloudarama!
...originally served by Gyro1966...

LES STHAUSS "NO FEELING" 1989

Les Shtauss were a garage / punk rockin' band from Nantes, France.Les Shtauss : Ludo : lead guitar / Manu : bass / Fafa : rhythm guitar / Goret : lead vocal / Jimmy : drums

traxfromwax:
01 BIGGER MAN 02 SWEET SIXTEEN 03 MY BOTTLE OF WINE 04 UNCHAIN THAT GIRL 05 MARTIAN 06 BAGABOO
...served by PUSSY CAT...

Friday, November 27, 2009

"ROCKIN’ BLUES PARTY" - Goldband Recordings VA 1987

12 unissued Goldband recordings from Eddie Shuler’s famed studio. There’s some really wild and raw blues here, don’t miss it!traxfromwax:
1. now you know - Guitar Junior 2. goin' crazy baby - Guitar Junior 3. clautelia - Ivory Lee Jackson 4. make up my mind - Good Rockin' Bob 5. got it made (when i marry shirley mae) - Guitar Junior 6. family rules - Guitar Junior 7. fuss too much - Ivory Lee Semien & Hop Wilson 8. that wouldn't satisfy - Hop Wilson & Ivory Lee Semien 9. love got me all fancied in - Hop Wilson & Ivory Lee Semien 10. chicken stuff - Hop Wilson & His Two Buddies 11. rockin' in the coconut top - Hop Wilson & Ivory Lee Semien 12. rockin' with hop - Hop Wilson & His Two Buddies
ripped from wax in glorious monoloudarama!
...originally served by Gyro1966...

THE SILLY THINGS "DRACULA" 1988

1er LP vinyl des garage punk chalonnais. Un disque extrême et urgent puisque Caligula Gibus – futur chanteur des Médiums n’était pas encore au chant mais à la batterie…traxfromwax:
01 DRACULA 02 DEAD TOWN 03 I CAN'T LOVE YOU 04 LIKE A GHOST 05 CAN'T SEE YOU 06 I MISS YOU 07 DIRTY ROAD 08 YOU'RE IN MY MIND 09 I'M NOT MAD
...served by PUSSY CAT...

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

THE SUBTONES "Boys Want Fun" 1986

The Subtones, a great German band whose Boys Want Fun LP contained the kind of Mersey-inspired nuggets which also infused garage and psychedelia into the mix.Germany's biggest "'60s band" is a Berlin trio which blends Who, Kinks, Hollies and perhaps a dash of Searchers into a seamless sound that could have come straight off a British '60s anthology. (Although the Subtones admittedly have sonic technology on their side.) Boys Want Fun is cute and has a big beat, even if the lyrics are a bit sappy. A super-schmaltz track and an overextended live version of the Who's "Circles" are the only turkeys, but conveniently they're both side-closers.

The Subtones:
Tommy Lamour-voc, bass / Andrew W. Home-guitars, keyboards, voc / Marlon Rodgers-drums, voc

traxfromwax:
1 Boys Want Fun 2 Beyond The Rainbow 3 Baby Is This Love 4 So Much 5 I Ain't No Fool 6 You're My Hearts Delight 7 Wild Honey Reprise 8 I Miss You 9 A Little Bit Of Beat 10 Sense Of Life 11 I Got No Chance 12 Circles (Berin Live Version) + 13 Raining In Paradise (Bonus 7')

Monday, November 23, 2009

Kimberley Rew "Tunnel Into Summer" 2000

Hit songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire KIMBERLEY REW, a major force in pop/rock music for over 20 years, makes his solo recording debut with "Tunnel Into Summer" -- a CD that delivers more than its share of the catchy hooks and guitar wizardry that have become his trademarks......In addition to being a showcase for Rew, "Tunnel Into Summer" features guest appearances throughout most of the CD from ROBYN HITCHCOCK, GLENN TILBROOK, JULIAN DAWSON, DAVE MATTACKS, and ANDY METCALFE, who also produced half of the album's cuts.
Rew began establishing a reputation playing with various groups in England in the early '70s. He first came to prominence, however, in The Soft Boys, which also featured Hitchcock. The critically-acclaimed group released a number of LPs and singles, most for the Armageddon label, before the members went their separate ways in the early '80s.
Without missing a beat Rew became the guitarist/songwriter for the new group Katrina and the Waves. The group's high point came in 1985 when Rew's song "Walking On Sunshine" became a smash hit in the U.S. and around the world. As the group's popularity waned in the early '90s, Rew found himself contributing more to projects as a sideman, adding his master guitarwork to solo projects by Robyn Hitchcock, Julian Dawson, and others.
Along the way, he also penned the hit "Going Down To Liverpool," for the Bangles, which appeared on their "All Over The Place" (1984) album, as well as their "Greatest Hits" CD (1990). - from: http://www.gadflyrecords.com/Guest appearances:
ROBYN HITCHCOCK, GLENN TILBROOK, JULIAN DAWSON, DAVE MATTACKS, and ANDY METCALFE

trax:
1. Simple Pleasures 2. Heart of the Sun 3. If there's an Answer 4. Rosemary Jean 5. Tunnel into Summer 6. Tart with the Heart 7. Beautiful Ruth 8. Little Ray of Sunshine 9. The Truth 10. The Radio played Good Vibrations 11. Plas yn Rhiw 12. Honey is that Love 13. Alice Klaar

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Tav Falco's Panther Burns "Sugarditch Revisited" 12'/33rpm-EP 1987

With his backing band Panther Burns, Tav Falco has created some of the rawest, sloppiest, wildest, and most amateurish rock roll of the 1980s and '90s; a Falco LP generally features obvious mistakes that, for his fans, are more than made up for by Falco's excitement and enthusiasm. - Steve Huey, All Music GuideFalco recorded Sugar Ditch Revisited at Sam Phillips' Memphis studio with "Lx" Chilton and a few other Panther Burnsmen; the six tracks are well played, well sung, well recorded, under control and somewhat underwhelming. The countrybilly spirit and sincerity is there, but the performances start and stop without ever really heating up, and the absence of chaos leaves the simple (if esoterically sourced) material to stand alone, which — until the frisky finale, "Tina, the Go Go Queen" — it doesn't do all that well. - by Jon Young / Terry Rompers / Art BlackThe Unapproachable Panther Burns:
James Luther Dickinson: keyb, perc / Lx Chilton: guitar / Ross Johnson: trap drums / René Coman: bass / Tav Falco: guitar, french harp, voices / Ben Cauley & Andrew Love: saxes / Doug Garrison: bongoes / Amanda Jones, Kitty Fires, Lorette Velvette: backing voc
Recorded 1984/85 at Sam Phillips Recording Service, Memphis, Tenn. Produced by James Luther Dickinson

traxfromwax:
01 Money talks (Mak Rice) 02 Arkansas' stomp (Bobby Lee Trammel) 03 Working on a building (arr.Charlie Feathers) 04 White silver sands (Mathews & Reinhart) 05 Lonely avenue (Doc.Pomus) 06 Tina, the go go queen (Mak Rice)

Robyn Hitchcock "Robyn Sings" 2002

"Cool another... Btw mr Twilight... here's... As I couldn't find it on the net I uploaded it myself, some things you always have to do yourself, isn't it? lol" - PeterIf there was any doubt about the deep and lasting influence Bob Dylan has had on Robyn Hitchcock's music - let alone his soul - this 16-track (mostly) live tribute double-disc will set the record straight. Even Hitchcock's self-penned liner notes refer to himself as a "trainee Dylan" with pride. And if Hitchcock can't help himself from falling into a few blatant vocal Dylanisms on his opening version of "Visions of Johanna," the album is book-ended with another take that gratifyingly belies his modest assertion that the performances here are about singing, not interpretation. Indeed, decades of Hitchcock's own rich artistry can't help but inform spare, haunting 2001 studio cuts of "It's All Over Now Baby Blue," "Desolation Row," and "Dignity." Disc two is another nervy Hitchcock gambit - a rollicking, live 30th-anniversary recreation of the singer's favorite Dylan bootleg, the "electric" half of the legendary Royal Albert Hall Concert, complete with sonically challenged source recording. - Jerry McCulley

trax:
01 Visions Of Johanna 02 Tangled Up In Blue 03 Not Dark Yet 04 4Th Time Around 05 Desolation Row 06 It's All Over Now, Baby Blue 07 Dignity 08 Visions Of Johanna 09 Tell Me Mama 10 I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) 11 Baby, Let Me Follow You Down 12 Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues 13 Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat 14 One Too Many Mornings 15 Ballad Of A Thin Man 16 Like A Rolling Stone 17 Gates of Eden (Bonus from "Nobody sings Dylan like Dylan Vol. 2 Live")
...served by Peter...

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Corky Carroll "The Best of a Soul Surfer" 1993

"Hi Ryp, I've just moved house and unearthed a load of old surf cds that I bought ages ago. The one I've sent to you here is by world famous surfer Corky Carroll. So it's not really surf music but it's done by a surfer - not quite what I was looking for when I bought it but it's quite interesting! Hopefully someone out there might be interested in it? Cheers!" - RussFive time United States Overall Surfing Champion, three times International Professional Champion, International Big Wave Champion, World Small Wave Champion and named the Number One Surfer in the World by SURFER magazine. Corky is probably the most famous of all surfers. He's also a musician and recieved a gold record for the 1979 hit "Tan Punks On Boards"(produced by Mike Nesmith of the Monkees). He currently lives, surfs and plays in Mexico.trax:
01 - One More Song 02 - Pocket Rocket 03 - Surfer For President 04 - Tracks of Capistrano 05 - Death By Disco 06 - A Casual Look 07 - Semi Gunn 08 - Tan Punks On Board 09 - From Pizza Tower To Defeat 10 - Jungle Morning 11 - T-Town Saturday Night 12 - Late Great Californa Blues 13 - Skateboard Bill 14 - Mondo Congo 15 - Million Dollar Cruzer 16 - Elvira 17 - Sparkle Eyes 18 - Rockin On The Weather 19 - The Garden Grove Song 20 - Garden Path
...served by Russ...

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

"Hell Comes To Your House Part 2" VA 1983

More experimental than the first volume, lots of cowpunk/country, but also some punk.traxfromwax:
1. The Joneses - i'm bad 2. The Joneses - she's so filthy 3. Mau Maus - sex girls in uniforms 4. Mau Maus - we all fall down 5. Cambridge Apostles - can't fight the feeling 6. Blood on the Saddle - i wish i was a single girl again 7. Blood on the Saddle - ghost on my heart 8. Tex and the Horseheads - short train 9. Tex and the Horseheads - go west young man 10. Tex and the Horseheads - slip away 11. Minutemen - corona 12. Screamin' Sirens - your good girl's gonna go bad 13. Screamin' Sirens - runnin' kind 14. Lotus Lame and the Lame Flames - bad sex

Monday, November 16, 2009

The Beat Tornados "Scandinavian Interlude" 2004

Beat Tornados released 'Scandinavian Interlude', and got rawing reviews in Norwegian newspapers. This record, along with their masterpiece from 2000; 'Mission To Mir', is a must have for any surf / theremine-fan.I dare say that these guys are the best instro surf band today. Their last CD on Flipside (Mission to Mir) was a major seller and got top of the line reviews all over. This time they dig slightly deeper into a "Scandinavian" sound, put there's still waves of surf to be heard! "Return of the Griegster" and a whole bunch of other new tunes as well as a couple og great covers. - from: http://www.hepcat.se/The Beat Tornados:
Bjørn Haglund, guitar, theremin - Jørn Raknes, guitar, lap steel, mellophon - Morten Pisani, drums - Geir Emanuelsen, bass, Vidar I. Ersfjord, keyboards, trombone, euphonium

trax:
01 - Kreml de la Kreml 02 - Return of the Griegster 03 - Mr. Preslov 04 - The Girl From Tuonela 05 - Who's Afraid of Fatima Blush 06 - Link pa svenska 07 - Theme from Pia Zawa 08 - Take Five at Number Nine 09 - Groovus 10 - Aquanaut 11 - Saljut 1 12 - Xtabay

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Servotron "No Room for Humans" 1998

"Hi Ryp, here's a couple of Servotron albums for you. I prefer the first one but they are both quite nice. Covers included in the zips for you. Cheers!" - RussThis off-shoot of the band MAN OR ASTROMAN? is a real find. Like MAN OR ASTROMAN?, they are best appreciated in person, where you can see their "schtick" (in this case, robots performing music) - but the CD stands well on it's own. How can you NOT like a CD that features a song with lyrics based on automated announcements of the Tram in Atlanta's Airport? (Or references ranging from Star Wars to Irwin Allen?) A must for MAN OR ASTROMAN? or Robot fans. - from amazon

trax:
01 S.R.A. 02 3 Laws 03 People Mover 04 The Image Created 05 I Am Not a (Voice Activated Child Identicon) 06 Moving Parts 07 Mechanisms in the Forever Loop 08 Red Robot Refund (The Ballad of R5-D4) 09 The Death of Magnus 10 Bad Birthday 11 User Error 12 Pull the Plug 13 Gammatron 14 Theme for an Ultimate and Inevitable Victory
...served by Russ...
---------
Servotron "Entertainment Program For Humans (Second Variety)" 1996I wasn't sure what to expect after their first 2 albums. Their first album started off extremely well pushing the limits for robots and humans alike but their second release "Spare Parts" took a step in a more electronic direction redoing many of the songs on "No Room For Humans" in a way perhaps more appealing to their own kind, but "Entertainment Program For Humans" is incredible. They combined the standard robot domination themes with amazingly catchy rhythms. It would be no exaggeration to describe this latest effort as ground breaking, but what else should you expect from members of man...or astro-man? and supernova? - By brian_beano@hotmail.com (Seattle, Wa.)

trax:
01 0.041666666667 02 Erotomatica 03 Serve, Obey, Guard Men From Harm 04 I Sing! The Body Cybernetic 05 Embryo Electro 06 Pet Machine 07 Phonetic Lecture 08 The Human Virus 09 Tri-Star Wheel Groove 10 Deep Blue, Congratulations 11 Join The Evolution 12 Indeterminate Reconstruction
...served by Russ...

Friday, November 13, 2009

Mary Shelley Overdrive "Learn Karate" 2009

"Mary Shelley Overdrive has a new (and FREE) album titled "Learn Karate" available for download. It's a compilation of outtakes, demos, interviews and bootleg-quality live recordings. As with our other freebies, you can share this music however you want. Post it, e-mail it, stream it, etc. Learn Karate runs 59 minutes and has 21 tracks. Inside the ZIP bundle is a TXT file with notes on each song, an MP3-file sized cover, a printable cover and a PDF scrapbook of band photos.
This is a grab-bag collection of random songs recorded over the last two years, so expect a disjointed feel. Some of the tracks have less-than-perfect sound quality." - Simon McCorkndale / Mary Shelley Overdrive Oct. 30, 2009
Find Mary Shelley Overdrive online:
maryshelleyoverdrive.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/maryshelleyoverdrive
www.reverbnation.com/maryshelleyoverdrive
www.twitter.com/msoverdrivetrax:
01 I Heart Cthulhu 02 Spider on the Ceiling 03 Dread Media Interview 1 (w_Desmond Reddick) 04 The Siege and Investiture of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle and Weisseria 05 Birmingham Jail 06 Dinner With Drac 07 A Word from Our Sponsor 08 Dread Media Interview 2 (w_Desmond Reddick) 09 The God in the Bowl 10 We Heart Music Interview 1 (w_Vu Nguyen) 11 Pornstar 80 (Stardust Mix) 12 One Quarter One Play (8-Bit Kill Screen Version) 13 The Tomb of Dracula 14 We Heart Music Interview 2 (w_Vu Nguyen) 15 Zombie Apocalypse Blues 16 Murderworld USA 17 Charlie's Angels (LIVE) 18 Jack the Ripper (LIVE) 19 Pornstar 80 (LIVE) 20 The Devil You Know (LIVE) 21 BONUS Science Fiction Double Feature
...served by simon...

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Beat Tornados "Mission To MIR" 2001

"Edward Grieg i surfgitarversjon er en av godbitene på et suverent norsk instrumentalalbum."It's been a while since we had a new CD from the Norway's Beat Tornados. Their last disc was excellent, but this is superb! Very well played original music with a solid surf footing under Euro melodies and interesting structures. Aside from the album's technical quality, the music is fresh and commanding, to say nothing of fun. The addition of theramin on some tracks also adds a spy-fi element. While some nods are due to the Shadows, this disc mostly creates new sounds from influences like Dick Dale and the Lively Ones, while presenting dramatic and sophisticated melodies and arrangements without pomp and circumstance. The price of admission is worth it for the ultra slow and tweaky "Miserlou" alone. A truly a fine CD. - Phil Dirt - Reverb Central

The Beat Tornados:
Bjørn Haglund, guitar, theremin - Jørn Raknes, guitar, lap steel, mellophon - Morten Pisani, drums - Geir Emanuelsen, bass, Vidar I. Ersfjord, keyboards, trombone, euphonium

trax:
1. Nøkken Surfacing 2. The Greigster 3. Continentale Missile 4. Late Night At The Tropics Inn, Cal. 5. Chilifinger 6. Spy Vs. Spy 7. Chubby Chaser 8. Skulljuice 9. Delfinen 10. My Next Girlfriend 11. Sting! 12. Tzatzikistan 13. Aloha From The Crypt 14. Mission To MIR
...originally served by Eek! The Cat...

Friday, November 6, 2009

The Slickee Boys "Uh Oh… No Breaks!" 1985

"do u want another one? here u have Slickee boys - uh oh .. no breaks LP. i aint seen it in any other blog, right me if i´m wrong." - angelWashington, D.C.'s Slickee Boys' third "proper" album (not including compilations or live releases), Uh Oh… No Breaks! was released on LP and cassette in March 1985 by Twin/Tone (a Minneapolis label best known for having released The Replacements' early records) with the catalog number TTR 8544. Almost half of the album is re-recorded versions of songs they had previously released. There are cover version of songs originally by the French band the Dogs, 1960s garage band the Squires, Perry Como (by way of the Downliners Sect), and D.C. all-star punkers the Afrika Korps (a band which included a few Slickee Boys).

The Slickee Boys:
Kim Kane — Rhythm guitar, backing vocals / Marshall Keith — Lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals / Dan Palenski — drums, percussion, backing vocals / Mark Noone — Lead vocals, guitar / John Chumbris — Bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, guitar

traxfromwax:
01 Dream Lovers 02 Death Lane 03 Teenage Romance 04 Disconnected 05 Gotta Tell Me Why 06 Bad Dream 07 Can't Believe 08 The Brain That Refused to Die 09 Going All the Way / Glendora 10 Danger Drive 11 Jailbait Janet 12 When We Were Kids
...served by angel...

Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Spliffs "House of Seven" 1988

"hey ryp, angel here, here u have The Spliffs "House of Seven", australian rock a la hoodoo, mad turks.., if u are interested. don´t miss it! enjoy!"Here's a tip of the iceberg from the perhaps-inappropriately named Spliffs; their breathless pop doesn't suggest marijuana nearly so much as grape soda.
Rare energetic guitarpop from AUSTRALIA! This is their 1st album. The Spliffs came all the way from Townsville, Australia and produced a sound heavily influenced by the sixties. They have also recorded great powerpop on their "House of Seven" LP.
A very hard to find LP from the late eighties by an Australian band whose previous singles are also worth hearing. Great jangly pop.

trxfromwax:
1 Never Say Goodbye 2 Blow Away 3 Once Again 4 Jester's Song 5 Merry-Go-Round 6 (I Work For) K.A.O.S. 7 4 Seasons 8 Slow Train 9 Can't Live With Myself 10 Are You Happy Now
...served by angel...

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The LAST "Painting Smiles On A Dead Man" 1983

3rd album by this legendary L.A. pop band led by Joe Nolte and featuring Vitus Matare.Influenced by ’60s surf, psychedelia, and folk-rock, brothers Joe (guitar), Mike (vocals), and David Nolte (bass) of Los Angeles formed the Last in 1976, along with associates Jack Reynolds (drums) and Vitus Matare (keyboards). The Last might be considered a seminal indie band, having released early singles on their own label, Backlash. Their first album, L.A. Explosion, released in 1979 on the Bomp! label, has been lauded as a powerful and nearly perfect first effort.
The Last recorded a second album, Look Again, in 1980 on Backlash and distributed it privately. In 1982, they returned to Bomp! for the EP Fade to Black, and then completed Painting Smiles on a Dead Man for Lolita Records before disbanding in 1985. David Nolte left to join Wednesday Week and eventually ended up in Lucky. The band reformed in 1988 with Luk Lohnes on guitar and vocals, Missy Buettner on bass, and Robbie Rist on drums joining Joe and Mike Nolte from the original lineup. That year they toured outside of California for the first time and released Confessions on the SST label. Two more releases on SST have followed -- Awakenings in 1989 and Gin & Innuendo in 1996. Dave Nazworthy replaced Rist on drums during the recording of Awakenings, and David Nolte has a cameo appearance on that album as well. Nazworthy also plays for the Chemical People.
Through the personnel changes, the Last have maintained a consistent style of potent power-pop, heavily influenced by the local music they grew up listening to in Southern California. ~ Nick Kemper, All Music GuideThe Last:
Steve Andrews (Guitar), John Frank (Drums), Vitus Mataré (Flute, Keyboards), David Nolte (Bass, Vocals, Guitar), John Rosewall (Bass, Vocals)

traxfromwax:
01 Wrong Turn 02 It Had To Be You 03 Isn't Anybody There 04 Lightning Strikes 05 Louie Louie 06 December Song 07 Everybody Had It With You 08 Weekend Girl 09 Failing Heart 10 Leper Colony 11 What's In There 12 Up In The Air

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

THE LAST "L.A. Explosion" 1979

Perhaps the least known of the late-'70s L.A. pop acts, the Last rose from the ashes of the Los Angeles club scene alongside bands like 20/20, the Knack, the Nerves, the Plimsouls, et al.Unlike their live shows, however, the sound on this album is very tight and clean. Its combination of punk energy, chiming pop guitars and harmony singing, and Farfisa-like organ makes something of a bridge between the power-pop and punk of the late 70s and the paisley underground of the early 80s. Having formed in 1976, the band pre-dates the US arrival of the UK punk explosion, and their initial influences were grounded in the 60s, rather than the 70s. Clearly, though, punk energy flowed through the band throughout the years leading up to the recording dates for their debut. - cd universeThe Last:
David Nolte (vocals, bass); Jack Reynolds (vocals, drums, percussion); Mike Nolte (vocals); Vitus Matare (flute, keyboards); Joe Nolte (vox, guitars)

traxfromwax:
1. She Don't Know Why I'm Here 2. This Kind Of Feeling 3. Bombing Of London 4. Century City Rag 5. Walk Like Me 6. Slavedriver 7. Every Summer Day 8. The Rack 9. Objections 10. A Fool Like You 11. Someone's Laughing 12. I Don't Wanna Be In Love 13. Be-Bop-A-Lula 14. Looking At You 15. The Rack (Reprise)