The latest from Beach House is "Bloom" and it's on Sub Pop. Actually, I have a better one word title - "Bummer" or maybe "Boring." This a collection of slow, bad songs that all sound the same. Maybe only South Sea islanders and Jeremy Wade can catch a fish without a hook - a song without a hook is just, well, boring background muzak.
And finally, the debut from Electric Guest is "Mondo" and it's on Across the Universe Records. Someone must like these guys - they're signed to the same management team as the Shins, Jack White and Vampire Weekend, so the Grammy must be in the mail. It's all subtle and soulful stuff that just flows along with a sure hand and the smooth and stylish vocals of Asa Taccone. No mosh pit inducing testosterone-crazed, boy-bashing ballads but rather this is more like hoping to get lucky 2 a.m. music for the moment. Actually, it's a bit too mellow, so I'd give these guys one raised eyebrow and a slow shrug.
The latest from Skip The Foreplay is called "Nightlife" and it's on Epitaph. Love the name - it reminds me of Animal Mother - the big jerk from "Full Metal Jacket," or maybe even Gunnery Sgt. Hartman when he's really mad. Hate the band - if I wanted to hear screaming like this, I'd give my ex a glass of rum and tell her that her kids are so mean even Chucky wouldn't play with them. You ever decided scream-o is music and not just screaming? Skip this band - not even close.
The latest from Nervo featuring Afrojack and Steve Aoki could be a contender for the Nihilist National Anthem if they cared enough to select one - anyway, it's "We're All No One" and it's on Astralwerks. I superficially glanced at the six song titles, and figured, "OK, it's an EP," but as I drove around listening to this one, it became strangely repetitive and familiar, and why not? It's six versions of the same song. Don't expect any term papers on the significance of the lyrics - the title pretty much says it all about this bouncy, dancey pop song. It's OK. The nihilists totter on the verge of indifference, as they should.
The latest from the Ting Tings is "Sounds From Nowhere" and it's on Columbia. They're a
UK guy/gal duo - imagine Yacht with fewer machines and more guitars and poppy stuff. Katie White is the voice and Jules De Martino makes the music more or less and they definitely know what a good song should sound like including the opener, "Silence," which surprising absolutely no one, is not, but rather is a Phil Spector-friendly wall-of-sound rocker. And White comes across as that pouty, prancing front gal - think that'll work? Probably. Solid second album - buy two - Christmas is only seven months away.
First up is the latest from my new favorite band, King Tuff - the album is self-titled and it's on mighty, mighty Sub Pop. Who is this guy? Who knows? The band bio is about as vague as Mitt Romney discussing anything, yet he's got that raucous and raunchy '60s garage band rock sound figured out. He's channeling the Castaways, the Seeds and the Count Five, so when more people realize that the '60 are back, he'll be like a god, or at least, a King. I like "Stranger"' and all those fuzzed out guitars - just another great Sub Pop band, a label that seriously knows what's what.
Wassup 805? Bill Locey here, neither in Studio 805 nor in Camarillo, but still gainfully employed by the Ventura County Star, at least for the next hour or two, kicking at my house, multi-tasking, writing about rock 'n' roll, watching the new season of "River Monsters" with the sound off and petting my cat, Nope, who is on my lap and as usual, in the way and doing his fair share as part of the worldwide feline anti-literacy campaign.
If I had a faster car, a richer girlfriend or even one with a job, here's where I'll be lurking in the back this week:
OK, tonight - Friday night, it's all the way to Hell-A but some people will do anything for some solid Americana - that could be Delta Spirit at the Music Box down on the Sunset Strip in Hollyweird, while at the cavernous Canyon Club in Agoura, it's one of the greatest bands of all time - yes, of all time - that would be the English Beat, making your feet are jumpy with tunes off the aptly named "Just Can't Stop It." Not far away, it's rockin' reggae with Urban Dread at Padri's Martini Bar, while over the hill, it's punk veterans, the Dickies at the Malibu Inn - they did the soundtrack for the greatest clown movie of all time, "Killer Klowns From Outer Space." And over a bunch of hills the other way - all the way to Simi Valley, the Beatunes will channel the Fab Four at Howie's while down in Camarillo, Air I Breathe and a bunch of other bands will be at Rock City Studios. Named for the scary clown in "It," its old school punk with Pennywise at the venerable Ventura Theatre. They have a new album, "All Or Nothing," just out on Epitaph. The Winchester Rebels will be across the street at the Sans Souci and the Preachers will play some rockin' blues at the Savory Cafe down near Oak and Main, also in Ventura. The wonderful Gurf Morlix - a guy who sounds like the result of a dream date with a Smurf and a Morlock - will play his own stuff, plus channel some Blaze Foley at Zoey's when he opens for Jen Foster. Check out my Gurf story in this week's Time Out - proof positive I'm hardly making any of this up. Hot Roux is having a CD release dance party at Yolie's in Ventura, while up Hwy. 33, Julie Christensen will play some tunes off her latest, "Weeds Like Us" at the Main Gallery in Ojai, while up the coast to S.B., it's Tommy & the High Pilots playing at homegame gig at the Velvet Jones. Wow - that's a lot of stuff for a Friday - choose wisely.
On Saturday, it's the wild and crazy, completely unpredictable and hook-friendly Brian Jonestown Massacre - is that one of the great band names or what? It's right up there (down there?) with John Cougar Concentration Camp - anyway, they'll be at the Wiltern in Hell-A. Check out the movie DIG, to see just how nutty rock 'n' roll can be - BJM along with the Dandy Warhols are in it. While up here in the 805 where we like it, Mark Masson will do an solo
acoustic gig at the French Bulldog in Camarillo - and over in Ventura, it's Kyle Hunt & King Gypsy, the Rubberneck Lions and a few others rocking out at Golden China down on Seaward in Ventura. Preachers & Pornstars will rock the Sans Souci, while up in Santa Barbara, it's pure power pop from the Tearaways - at it since there were still stop lights on the 101, maybe.
On Sunday, Frank Barajas will play some pop rock at Tutti's in Ventura and King Washington will continue their May residency at Zoey's, and guitar god Alastair Greene will be at Whiskey Richards in Santa Barbara.
On Monday - gotta love this one - Cluster Pluck will be at the Wrec Room in Ojai, which reminds me of the time we were lost in D.C. and hoping not to get jacked by the crackheads when we saw a restaurant called Cluck You's - I'm not making that up. OK, now skip a day to access the damage.
On Wednesday, it's those '80s legends out of Wisconsin - a state that will hopefully will give governor/corporate stooge Scott Walker the boot - it's the BoDeans at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles. It's the Conejo Valley's favorite band one more time - Urban
Dread - doing their dancey reggae thing at Bogie's in Westlake Village, while in Ventura, it's Band of Outlaws at the Sans Souci and there's acoustic guitar pyrotechnics at the Good Bar with Mark Masson and Bruce Kimmel and that All Star Blues Jam thing will be going off at the Bombay while another blues jam - this one the VCBS Blues Jam will go off at the Tavern down on Santa Clara - no report on the Green Art People, but you should still go.
On Thursday, it's Caught Red Handed - is that a great name for a country band or what? They'll be at the Watermark in Ventura and it's Jonathan McEuen at the Big Buddha Lounge in beautiful downtown Oak View, and Milo Greene will be at SOhO in S.B. OK, that's the end of all that. For now...
While he might sound like the result of a dream date between a Smurf and Morlock, Gurf Morlix is neither of those, but rather an ever-clever singer-songwriter with a vast repertoire of songs, including many covers by the late, great Blaze Foley. Morlix also is an in-demand producer -- pretty much, just another swell musician out of Austin. He'll be at Zoey's in Ventura tonight.
Originally, Morlix was a Yankee from Buffalo, then headed south to Texas where he met the hilariously sad, funny and tragic Foley. Next, Morlix headed west to SoCal, where he ended up doing 11 years in Lucinda Williams' band. He's been part of the Austin music scene since 1991. His last solo album, which sounds like a Woody Harrelson option from "Zombieland," is from 2009, "Last Exit to Happyland." An album of covers, "Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream," came out last year, and he's working on an album of his own stuff. Morlix does Zoey's about once a year -- he'll start around 8-ish, with Jen Foster to follow. Read more ยป
And finally, it's album number three from Cuddle Magic - the clever title is "Nympho Info,"
can't find a label. They're a self-described band and songwriting collective from Brooklyn and Philly. All I can say is they better collect some better songwriters as these people are flat annoying. All three times I've tried to listen to this one, I found myself hitting "fast forward" then soon enough, "stop" if not "eject." Once I was driving through a beautiful, idyllic two lane stretch of Hwy. 41 in NorCal near Yosemite heading for Mariposa to shoot some rednecks at a Civil War re-enactment and this band still sucked and "Baby Girl" is one of the best reasons I've ever heard for retroactive birth control.
Here's another good one - the new Train is "California 37" and it's on Columbia. It's their sixth album and already debuted #1 on iTunes and "Drive By" not only keeps the prisons filled but is the first single. It's more supremely well crafted arena rock, big beat, hook-filled tunes by this tight trio fronted by Pat Monahan. Everyone like trains and a lot of people like this Train, especially those who don't think too much about music. No knock - this is not niche, indie rock, but is so seamlessly appealing, everyone will find something to dig. And no, listening to the album opener, "This'll Be My Year," does not translate into social science credits due to the biographical and mildly clever, book-free history lesson. Then again, there is a good line about the fun part of love - the Falling Into Part as well as Jealousy 101 - a line too many women stood in twice - "...And you get mad when some girl you think I had puts a story in your head..." Idle homewrecking? That's another story - in the meantime, take the Train.
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