Shining A Light Into The Darkness

Those Midtown Dickens have gone and grown up on their new album "Lanterns". In 2005, they started out as a duo and have now assembled a band with a full cast of characters. This album has a more traditional sound but it is not any less charming than "Oh Yell".

Art is so much an outward expression of our lives, clearly we hear that they have become more seasoned with the pains of falling out of love and learning that people are not always as nice as the grin plastered on their face. The songs are not bitter, but you know there is some winking going on as Kym Register sings on "It's Alright", "We break up and I write you a love song. I was writing it all along." A sad song, but so upbeat in tempo, that you cannot stop yourself from stomping your foot and singing along. The mandolin really keeps that upbeat tempo rolling. Yeah, just try and stop yourself from saying, "Yee haw!" Catherine Edgerton still soars on this album, her voice has become even more powerful as you can hear on "Old Dogs".

The Midtown Dickens have definitely left the songs about holding hands and ice cream behind on this album. Maybe a little sadly, they have learned some heart-wrenching lessons, but these best friends have learned that they do not have to ask for the other to hold their hand. They now know that it is automatic.

Back to School for You

You know the other day, I thought I would listen to Mercury Rev just to revisit the past. When I was younger, I had some good times while listening to the album "Deserter's Songs." But now...I can't do it. The vocals rub me the wrong way. Putting my irritation aside, I still can hear that the instrumentation on the album is still absolutely fantastic.

So, let's fast forward to 2009, and talk about a band that uses similar guitar techniques, North Elementary. They have just released their new album, "Not For Everyone, Just You". Seriously, this is a well produced album that is musically teeming with lushness and textures. Touches of swirly guitars and feedback make the album somewhat experimental, but these elements are used as accents. Essentially, the experimentation never gets in the way of the accessibility of this album. This is a solid rock-pop album that is right for a good time. How you define a good time is up to you, but there is no doubt that this album will be a good accompaniment. Like I said it's experimental at times, but it also still rocks out.

Blown Away

Churchkey Records is releasing some new music by The Dirty Little Heaters on a 7-inch soon. I am telling you need to run not walk to get a copy of this vinyl. I mean it, you need to be quick like a bunny. On the song "Mexico Way," Reese Gibbs McHenry blows you away with her powerful vocals on this song. When Reese belts out the line, "the wind will blow you back my way," you know she is right. Her voice is so captivating, that you will be drawn right back to her.

If you haven't heard the new song. Check it out here.




[correction: "Mexico Way" will not be on the 7-inch. It will be included on the CD that accompanies the vinyl.]

Deep down in the Cave

You load sixteen tons . . . what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

Last night I had a great time at the Cave in Chapel Hill. Performing was The Virgo 9 and a touring band called Cicada Omega. The Virgo Nine was tight with their blues-punk sound, and Cicada Omega just drove it all home with their transcendental junkyard blues style. Towards the end of their set, Cicada Omega performed "Sixteen Tons." At first, I thought it seemed so outdated, but when I read this article in the NY Times today- "Gas and Food Prices Push Up Inflation", I thought that choice of a song was right on.

The article and the show made me think of Sunday night when I was eating dinner, and I made this dish that I call my depression era meal- thin spaghetti with sautteed tomatoes. Trying to always be quick like a bunny with my cooking and cheap, I am going to give you my recipe for a 15 minute meal. Yeah, beat that Rachel Ray! This will feed 2 people easy. You can use any pasta you have in the house. I just like thin spaghetti because it cooks up in 7 minutes.

6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons of dried basil (fresh would be better, but this is cheap eating)
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
a pinch of salt
4 fresh roma tomatoes, diced

Heat the olive oil in the pan and then saute the garlic til it's soft, then saute all the other ingredients in the pan with the garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes later throw it on your noodles and you have dinner.

On the side steam some squash or broccoli, cause you need to eat your veggies.

Yes, yes!

Yesterday I was lucky to receive a demo CD of the Virgo 9. First thing I did when I got home last night was pop it into the CD player. I can't wait to hear a full length. The Virgo 9 takes rock n' roll by the balls and squeezes until you beg, baby, please, please, please, please. It's garage-punk that takes you back to their Southern roots with hints of blues and gospel. One of their best songs is the visceral "No Means No," but when you hear it you are going to say, "Yes, yes!"

photo by Gavin Wissen

QLAB has been been a lame reviewer

Yeah, I know I have been a bad music reviewer. Life and its goings on have just not been conducive to sitting down to reviewing. Instead, I have really been into gardening, working in the backyard, and having friends over to eat and relax. I suppose you could say I have been domestic.

So, I am going to give you a rockin' recipe for Thai Peanut Sauce, that is awesome on just about anything you are willing to put in your mouth. I prefer to throw it on some noodles with veggies for a quick meal.

I am not kidding this sauce rocks and it is quick and easy. So, there is your quick like a bunny for ya'.

All you need is a food processor or blender to make it in a few minutes.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of water
4 tablespoons of rice vinegar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 limes- use the juice of
6 cloves garlic, minced and crushed
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Whirr it all together and VOILA you have peanut sauce.

Toss it with some noodles, snow peas and garnish with some cilantro and you have dinnah.

While you are in the kitchen, you could listen to music. So you might want to check out these bands...Sugar in the Dirt or The Virgo 9.

If you are looking for a really great food blog, then I also recommend Rockin' the Stove.

When I was Young and Always Gray

Before I even listened to Gray Young's new CD, I had it in my mind that it was going to sound just like a shoegazer album. But I was completely wrong. At times, the music on their EP "Kindle Field" takes me back to the days of Archers of Loaf and the Connells. Oh yes, the days of the Brewery and when Margaret still owned Local 506. Eons ago.

"Kindle Field" is plentiful with lush guitar but it's no lullaby. Gray Young keeps it current by adding in noise and distortion at well placed moments within each song. Their technique adds auditory interest and keeps you listening. Overall, the vocals are sparse, but the warm fuzz of the guitar will fill that void for you and put you in the mood to rock out. I say chill out with Gray Young and check them out when you get chance. Do it. You won't regret it.

Everyday is Like Sunday

On this cold and rainy night, I was fortunate to come home and find a package in my mailbox. It was the new EP, "The Meeting after the Meeting," for the Greensboro, NC band Citified. Really, on a night like this I couldn't have come home to a better surprise. Immediately, I popped it into the CD player to check it out.

The shoegazey sound on this disc is what you want to listen to on a drizzly night. With a very lush sound that takes you back to early R.E.M., the Doves, and Mojave 3, Citified is band that will transport you back to the 90's. The music is opulent sounding with their musical arrangements. Simply put, it's a lovely sounding EP. Now all I need is nice cup of Earl Grey.

The Great Band Swap!

The Great Band Swap at Duke Coffeehouse was the place to be last night. The evening was created to be a benefit for BCHQ. By the look of all the people it seemed like a success. Many new faces were out and about to check out the show, which in the long run seems like a bonus for BCHQ and the community. I found myself laughing so hysterically at times. Especially, with Ever Party's (Eberhardt) rap version of the Midtown Dickens "Big Screen" and their reinvention of FKON's "10 Simple Murders." Beloved Binge always managed to throw in their Greek Rubble Punk sound into each song- bum-bum-bum-bum.....BUM. The Midtown Dickens performed a lush, alt-country set. When Catherine sang, her voice soared through the Coffeehouse and wound its way into your heart. Just beautiful.

The Future Kings of Nowhere were basically true to their FKON-y sound, but they switched up the players a bit on us. On one song Dan came out from behind the drums and played lead guitar and sang on a Midtown Dicken's song while Shayne played a Theremin. The Theremin was an interesting alternative to the saw that Catherine normally plays.

Sadly, I missed the Wigg Report, which I heard was a fantastic set. The most moving set of the evening was Megafaun's. They were completely unplugged and played a rendition of the "Job Song" by the Midtown Dickens that was so beautiful and powerful, that I felt tears well up in my eyes.

Special Guest, Man Blossom, all manly in their their burly bare-chested way let us all know they were going to take us to a very dark place. Who knew that "A.M. Dial" could be transformed into a death metal song?

Overall, the evening was a great time and seemed to be enjoyed by all who attended. Now I am waiting to see a Des Ark/Cantwell Gomez and Jordan song swap! That would be truly something to behold.

Rock 'em Sock 'em

Last night, November 16, at the Duke Coffeehouse was a once in a lifetime chance to see a Rock Off between two legendary bands- Cantwell Gomez and Jordan vs. Aimee from Des Ark. Armed with a four string guitar and banjo Aimee took on the entire band of Cantwell Gomez and Jordan. There was lots of trash talking and below the belt punches, but in the end I can't tell you who won. Each musician brought such incredible force and talent, that I think it was a draw. It was definitely a unique event to see.

Also playing that night was Veronique Diabolique and Polynya. As alway V.D. was true to their French Gothic-ness. When I arrived at the Coffeehouse, the staff was playing Siouxsie and the Banshees which was the right tone to set with Veronique Diabolique in the house. They took me right back to the 80's with their sound.

Not to be missed is Polynya. A solid indie band from Chapel Hill. I was most impressed by Amelia Schull, formerly of Roxotica and a teacher at the NC Rock n' Roll Camp for Girls. She played drums and sang lead throughout their set.

It was definitely a small intimate show and I was glad to be there.

Sister Spit in Durham

Who: Sister Spit: The Next Generation
What: Racous literary performances that explore indentity, feminist fashion, and finding alternative ways to document personal histories
Where: Duke University, Women's Studies Parlors, East Duke Building
When: 7pm, November 8th

Plus!!: Post Performance at Bull City Headquarters, join us after the presentation at Duke. The after party show will start at 9:30pm and will continue into the night. ( 723 N. Mangum St., more info, www.bullcityhq.org)

Sister Spit: The Next Generation is hitting the road again, with a whole new all-girl lineup of zinesters, fashion plates, novelists, performance artists, slam poets and fancy scribblers. Inspired by the legendary Sister Spit Ramblin' Roadshow of the 90s, Sister Spit: The Next Generation is hauling a vanload of killer underground female talent across the USA and into your town. The latest gang, including Spit founder Michelle Tea, hits the road in October 2007, a decade after the first Spit van set sail, carrying on the tradition of rowdy, raucous literary adventure. As they journey across the USA, they're joined by a rag tag bunch of special guests - old Spit travelers of yore, and contributors to the brand new feminist fashion anthology, It's So You. Come and meet your new favorite performers!

This event is sponsored by DukeOut (http://www.duke.edu/web/gap/DukeOUT/), The Center for Documentary Studies (http://cds.aas.duke.edu/), The Duke University Program in the Study of Sexualities (http://www.duke.edu/womstud/sexuality.html) and Bull City Headquarters (www.bullcityhq.org).

Falling behind

I know I have fallen behind in my music reviewing. After 3 days of music at Troika, I recommend checking out these musicians/bands.

Phosphorescent
Dylan Gilbert
Bellafea
Maple Stave
Hazerai
Push Pull
Noncanon

Troika 07

It's that time of year again. With the changing of the leaves comes Troika 07- Durham, NC's mega music festival. The festival kicks off this Thursday, November 1st and will run through to November 3rd.

This schedule is subject to change. Proper ID required at all shows.

Thursday, November 1

Duke Coffeehouse
Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC
All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks
$8.00

• The Dry Heathens 11:15 pm
• Shakermaker 10:30 pm
• Bull City 9:45 pm
• Sleep Sound 9:00 pm

James Joyce
912 W. Main Street, Durham, NC
21 and Over — Menu/Bar
Free

• Hundred Air 10:30 pm
• Nathan Oliver 9:45 pm
• Regina Hexaphone 9:00 pm

Bull City Headquarters
723 N. Mangum Street, Durham, NC
All Ages — Alcohol-Free Space
Free

• Melissa St. Pierre 11:30 pm
• Megafaun 11:00 pm
• Hazerai 10:30 pm
• Push Pull 10:00 pm
• Maple Stave 9:30 pm
• Future Islands 9:00 pm

Broad Street Cafe
1116 Broad Street, Durham, NC
All Ages — Food and Bar
$8.00

• Malcolm Rollick 10:00 pm
• Dom Casual 9:15 pm
• Sound of Singles 8:30 pm

Marvell Event Center
119 W. Main Street, Durham, NC
18 and Over — Bar and a good time!
$8.00

• Quitzow 11:15 pm
• Setting Sun 10:30 pm
• Can Joann 9:45 pm
• Wedlock 9:00 pm

Alivia's Durham Bistro
900 W. Main Street, Durham
All Ages — Bar and good food!
Free

• Mingus Young 12:00 am
• Resist Not 11:15 pm
• Thought Speak 10:30 pm
• Ships 9:45 pm
• The Busy World 9:00 pm


Friday, November 2

Duke Coffeehouse
Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC
All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks
$8.00

• Luego 11:30 pm
• Fontana 10:45 pm
• The Future Kings of Nowhere 10:00 pm
• The Lodger 9:15 pm
• Gray Young 8:30 pm

James Joyce
912 W. Main Street, Durham, NC
21 and Over — Menu/Bar
Free

• Beloved Binge 10:30 pm
• Citified 9:45 pm
• Carol Bui 9:00 pm

Bull City Headquarters
723 N. Mangum Street, Durham, NC
All Ages — Alcohol-Free Space
$8.00

• Dirty 5 Thirty 11:00 pm
• Kerbloki 10:30 pm
• The Scott Waite Debacle 10:00 pm
• Lam! Lam! 9:30 pm
• Sawteeth McTweety and the Particles 9:00 pm
• Nicky Click 8:30 pm
• Anaturale 8:00 pm

Broad Street Cafe
1116 Broad Street, Durham, NC
All Ages — Food and Bar
$8.00

• Gambling the Muse 11:30 pm
• Soft Company 10:45 pm
• Dan Bryk 10:00
• Oscar Begat 9:15 pm
• The Pneurotics 8:30 pm

Marvell Event Center
119 W. Main Street, Durham, NC
18 and Over — Bar and a good time!
$8.00

• Armored Uprise 11:15 pm
• Livalie 10:30 pm
• Expire 9:45 pm
• Glorydive 9:00 pm

Alivia's Durham Bistro
900 W. Main Street, Durham
All Ages — Bar and good food!
Free

• Mark Doughtery 12:00 am
• Noncanon 11:15 pm
• Dylan Gilbert 10:30 pm
• Sequoya 9:45 pm
• The Watercallers 9:00 pm

Ringside
308 Main Street, Durham, NC
18 and Over — Bar
$8.00

• Grappling Hook 11:45 pm
• Jew(s) and Catholic(s) 11:00 pm
• Pulsoptional 10:15 pm
• The Late Virginia Summers 9:30 pm


Saturday, November 3

Duke Coffeehouse
Crowell Building, Duke's East Campus, Durham, NC
All Ages — BYOB/Coffee Bar/Snacks
$10.00

• David Bazan 11:15 pm
• All Smiles 10:30 pm
• Plumerai 9:45 pm
• David Karsten Daniels 9:00 pm

Bull City Headquarters
723 N. Mangum Street, Durham, NC
All Ages — Alcohol-Free Space
Free
$10.00

• The Everybodyfields 11:00 pm
• Bodies of Water 10:00 pm
• Phosphorescent 9:00 pm
• Ben Davis and The Jetts 8:30 pm
• Bellafea 8:00 pm
• Ex-Members 7:30 pm
• Richard Bacchus and The Luckiest Girls 7:00 pm
• New Dawn Fades 6:30 pm
• On the Take 6:00 pm
• Opening Flower Happy Bird 5:30 pm
• Midtown Dickens 5:00 pm
• (BREAK) 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Eberhardt 3:30 pm
• Sweater Weather 3:00 pm
• Fan Tan 2:30 pm
• Simple 2:00 pm
• Betty and The Boys 1:30 pm
• The Drowsies 1:00 pm

The Beat Goes On

So a little bird told me about this local band Lam! Lam! I was so shocked to see that Betsy Shane from the defunct Relatively Calm has a new project. Honestly, I didn't much care for the Relatively Calm. Betsy's voice was lost in the chaos of Tony's frenzy. Now in Lam! Lam! she is in control and her voice will hook you in with her sugary-sweet voice. Don't be scared by that last statement. She is a smart woman and she balances the sweetness with some moments of existential angst. There is nothing like sounds of strife to make the music so much more visceral. The song "Immer So" truly makes me miss the days of Blackstrap's old school punk.

In Lam! Lam! Betsy Shane has moved out of the pandemonium and grown into a foxy singer who is attempting to bridge that gap between rock music and dance music. In true Durham, NC, fashion she is showing that here in Durham, people are willing to really experiment and revel in their quirkiness.

Go to Hell this Friday!

If you have the free time this Friday and feel like going straight to Hell, then you should go and check out Hatchetfest September 14th. There are three bands playing- The Monologue Bombs, Cantwell, Gomez and Jordan and Jews and Catholics.

I am not familiar with the Monologue Bombs, but I can attest to the wonders of the legendary CG and J and the wondrous Jews and Catholics. CG and J's recipe of punk, noise and quirkiness makes for a tasty snack of avant garde rock.

This is what I had to say earlier this year about Jews and Catholics.

"Holy gefiltefish, Batman

I am just sitting here listening to another dynamic duo on the stereo. The CD is for Jew(s) + Catholic(s), and I love it. Eddie Garcia and Alanna Meltzer are the awesome twosome.

Ever since, I heard the Marie Antoinette soundtrack, I have been stuck in a Joy Division mode. Eddie has a throaty voice like Ian Curtis from Joy Division and the tracks truly hearken back to "She's Lost Control" and "Transmission." But you can't forget about Alanna who plays the upright bass on each song, she contributes this totally lush layer which works well in contrast to the edgy guitar riffs and Eddie's voice. Their yin-yang doesn't work against them at all. Instead, it makes me want to get up and listen to their CD again.

http://www.myspace.com/jewsandcatholics"

Liar Liar Pants on Fire

Go check out the band the Liars, they are so good! I am not lying! The Liars really are awesome. Their new album could become one of my favorites for 2007. They subtley use feed back to create this really visceral sound that hearkens back to Jesus and the Mary Chain and Love and Rockets. Hot! Hot! Hot!

Pretty Vacant

This blog goes out to David K. He loaned me the book "Rip it Up and Start Again" by Simon Reynolds. I have read only a few pages and so many memories have come flooding back to me. This book is about the post-punk years of 1978-1984 in the UK. For me and many of my friends this time period is what helped shape our lives and helped us develop into the punk asses we are today. You know in 1978, I was living in Mobile, Alabama. There were lots of rednecks, but there were also a few new wavers. At this time, I was really beginning to notice how different I was from my peers, I didn't want to listen to Alabama and Hank Williams. I was enthralled with Billy Idol and Bow Wow Wow. Thankfully in the summer of 1983 we moved to the Washington DC metro area. Here I really delved into the post-punk music scene. Now I had access to more music and exposure to other people like me.

Enough rambling about myself, this novel will transport you back to that time and place of fantastic music and the birth of a scene that touched so many of us. Yeah, I know times change and we may have all sold out to the corporation, but it's nice to remember the days where you felt like you could make a difference by fucking shit up.

I also recommend reading "Rotten" by Johnny Lydon and watching the film "Punk Attitude," those are also nice little refreshers of that time period. If you are in the mood that is.

Pony Pony Pony

In our age of convenience, it is so rare when things are not attainable. I just discovered the band Holy Hail, and I want more and I want it now! The band has releases stateside and in the UK. At this point, the band doesn't seem to have a lot of their material recorded and I am feeling totally thwarted by iTunes. The UK iTunes store has so much good stuff, but can we buy it here in the US- noooo, we can't. I thought we were in a global economy. It's a conspiracy I tell ya'.

Anyhoo, so I discovered this band Holy Hail. They have an EP for sale called "Big Guns." It should be called "Big Guns Cubed," as there are 3 different versions of the song on this EP. Two versions are remixes, which are fun to listen to for sure. Remember the playfulness of Le Tigre and the B-52's? Well, you can find it again with this band. Holy Hail's sound is similar to the more current band New Young Pony Club, but I think Holy Hail is better. They capture the spirit of the punky, glitchy new wave sound so much better than NYPC and make you want to pony harder.

Back to my bitterness about our global economy, so their best song is "Born of a Star" and you can't buy it here in the US. Grrrr. But you can listen to it repeatedly on Myspace. Right now, I feel like one of those teenagers who drives their parents crazy because they can't stop listening to their favorite song over and over and over again. Oh, and don't act like you have never done this dear reader. Oooh, Holy Hail is making me feel sassy with their drumbeats. Go check it out now! Now!

A really swell movie

Okay, yeah right, this is a music blog. But I just saw the movie "Once," and it is a beautiful film about music and love. If you have never heard of this movie, then let me give a little synopsis. Basically, two musicians meet while one is busking for money on the streets. From the day they first meet, there is an immediate connection between the two musicians and a musically based relationship ensues.

There is not much dialogue in the film and some of it is in other languages. But you don't need to really know what the characters are saying. The soundtrack and the songs that they sing within the film help push the plot along just fine. Each song helps to convey the relationship that has formed between the musicians. Some of the songs are so haunting that you will get goosebumps at times.

An interesting factoid, in reality the two musicians, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, in this film form the band The Swell Season. The director of the film originally asked them to write songs for the film but then decided he wanted to use them as the actors, which makes the whole story that much more interesting to me. If you know any musicians, then you know that there often is a very intense bond that forms between band members. Even though they may be platonic, the act of creating music together creates a very passionate relationship.



Side note: BTW- did you know that shoegazer bands are back? There was a recent article in the NY Times and long discussion on NPR this weekend regarding its comeback. Honestly, I didn't know that it had ever left, especially since I just saw Mojave 3 at the Cat's Cradle not too long ago.

I Dream of Electric Sheep

I have been listening to the EP "It takes Guts to Deceive Eloquently" by Lismore...a lot. Lismore comprised of Penelope and Stephen hail from Jersey City, NJ- a burgeoning scene on the edge of NYC. This EP is a nice introduction to the band. The EP starts off dreamy with the song "Seven Cycles." Penelope's ethereal voice is reminiscent of Julee Cruise (the songstress that gave Twin Peaks that haunting sound). Truly, her voice shines through on each song and is complimented by fuzzy electronic sounds and edgy guitar bits.

Remember that scene in the film "Brazil," where Sam Lowry has imagined that he has escaped the cruelty of his dystopian society to a pastoral setting? This EP takes you to that place of bliss, particularly on the song "Far Off and Away." The simplicity of the keyboards on this song really resonate in your brain and hook you even further. But, just when you think all these songs are mesmerizing you into a state of relaxation- the song "Cherry Bomb" comes along and blows you away with its glitchy, punky drum beats. You have now snapped out of your trance with its sexy beat and you want to dance.

I also recommend going to their website and checking out some of their songs in their listening station. They really rock out the edgy guitars and driving drumbeat on the song "Predicament." I am hoping they come to North Carolina soon, because I imagine that their energy live would be awesome.