REVIEWS FROM DAGGER

12/11/06:
THE COMFIES- CLOSE TO ME- LIVEWIRE- Always nice to hear a new band (or at least new to me ) who seem to dig the same stuff that I do. This Nashville foursome thumb their noses at their fair city’s love of all things country and instead take a blueprint first laid out by the might Zombies and further taken on by bands like Zumpano (pre-New Pornographers…if you haven’t ever heard them you need to ). They ape the former with harmonies like the ones on the charmer “That’s What she Gets” while aping the latter on the same song with crunchy guitars and pounding drums. I’m not saying this record is the next coming of ODDESSY AND ORACLE (not much is in my book) but The Comfies can write good songs, no doubt, and it’s always nice to hear a band that not only rocks but can show a sensitive, more beguiling side so we listeners can have our cake and eat it too. “In My Room” (not a Beach Boys cover tho’ I’m guessing they are an influence ) is another one that’s subtle in all the right places then hits you when you least expect it. And at 7 songs a perfect taste tester. ( www.livewirerecordings.net )

TANYA DONELLY- THIS HUNGRY LIFE- ELEVEN THIRTY- It wasn’t until Belly that I really began to appreciate the talents of Ms. Tanya. I never liked Throwing Muses (still don’t) and have never really heard The Breeders , save for a few songs (a few songs I didn’t like) thought admittedly, Belly was also her first starring vehicle. Belly imploded after only 2 full-lengths but Tanya has carried that torch with several fantastic solo records, THIS HUNGRY LIFE being one of them. As the liner notes say, this is a live record, well…..sort of. Recorded over 2 nights in what sounds like the bucolic town of Bellows Falls, VT (at the Wyndham, a hotel closed since the 80’s except for its small club). Apparently it was August and it was sweltering in there. You hear twangy guitars, supple rhythms, and Tanya’s unmistakable voice in these 10 songs including the triumphant “World on Fire” , the graceful “Kundalini Slide” or the string-soaked cover of The Beatles (George Harrison) “Long Long Ago.” For those with their indie scorecards out you get some lovely violin from ex-Dambuilders Joan Wasser and some vocals from Buffalo Tom dude Bill Janovitz. Keep the records comin’ Tanya ! (www.eleventhirtyrecords.com

ROBERT POLLARD- NORMAL HAPPINESS- MERGE- Ok, I’m the guy who still thinks Uncle Bob peaked with ALIEN LANES (you ask every GBV nut and they will all pick a different record as their favorite…. I think ALIEN LANES is mine tho’ BEE THOUSAND is a very close 2nd). His solo umm……debut, FROM A COMPOUND EYE wasn’t bad but it lacked the straight-ahead pop hooks that NORMAL HAPPINESS does have . This starts things of with a the bang of ‘Accidental Texas Who” (he still has the best song titles ever) all crashing drums and feisty guitars and Bob’s hick-with-a-fake-brit-accent vocals while the cheery “Supernatural Car Lover’ adds some nimble bass while Bob mentions “…and your jumpshot too’ ( a jock ‘til the end ). “Rhoda Rhoda” sounds like it’s gonna make a Pollard best-of record whenever one decides to be released with it’s catchy/meaty guitars as will the mostly acoustic “Top of my Game” that sounds like it could’ve been found on some old obscure 60’s British folk record. As always at 16 songs a bit too long for my liking (tho’ it’s still only 35 minutes long) but still , a small quibble as this is the most inspired Bob has sounded in a while (with all of his work/bands he has yet to make a bad record) and it’s great to hear him sounding so damn happy ( maybe his local bar got a new shipment in of his favorite holiday beer ?). ( www.mergerecords.com )

THE WATSON TWINS- SOUTHERN MANNERS- TWT- The Watson Twins are those dreamy-sounding gals who backed up Jenny Lewis on her terrific solo record (RABBIT FUR COAT) who I just happened to see the other night in an amazing performance (Jenny and the twins went backstage, did a costume change, then came back out and did this great little Supremes-esque dance…..great !). I guess these gals have been kicking around the L.A. scene for quite some time backing up different bands (including Lewis’ Rilo Kiley) and with their own band (Slidell) but I believe this is their first record on their own and it’s lovely. The opening tune “Friend and Foe” add some dreaminess to their country shuffle while “Time of my Life” is all Laurel Canyon folk beauty as is “High School” which slowly melts into a heavenly dirge. On “Shoot the Lights Out” I hear someone tickling the ivories (some Joni Mitchell influence there) and whichever sister is singing her vocals are truly sublime. Straight up, these gals can sing and I’d pay to hear them do acapella versions of …well, anything. SOUTHERN MANNERS is well worth hearing. ( www.thewatsontwins.com )

12/3/06:
THE BLACK WATCH- TATTERDEMALION- STONEGARDEN- Those of us who are fans of this band, and have been for a while, felt that after violinist/backing vocalist (and leader John Andrew Frederick’s ex-girlfriend) left the band they might not have “it” anymore but with his last few records Frederick and his crack musical cast not only still have it, they’re getting better. TATTERDEMALION is their most direct record yet, full of the kind of driving pop songs most bands would kill for, but it all seems to come easily, the college professor who moonlights as a rocker (or is it the other way around???). Mostly gone are their shoegazing days of yore (most folks don’t realize that this band has been around since the late 80’s) . Anyway, onto the music, the opening title track which reminded me a bit of the House of Love with it’s wailing (in a good way ) guitar and pounding rhythms while the driving “The Angels just might be on Her Side” might be my favorite on the record. Later on you’ll hear a few acoustic charmers and the dreamy, fuzzy charmer “Williamsburg” as well as several other gems you’ll want to hear again and again. I feel this band has been a hidden jewel for years but they remain sorely underrated, maybe TATTERDEMALION will remedy all of this. (www.stonegarden.com )

THE HIDDEN CAMERAS- AWOO - ARTS & CRAFTS- I became an instant H.C. fan after their excellent debut, THE SMELL OF OUR OWN ( ECCE HOMO came before this but I don’t think it’s considered their debut , plus, hardly anyone outside of their native Canada had heard it) ). Anywho…. . AWOO is their 3rd record and after the good-but-not-great sophomore effort MISSISSAUGA GODDAM you could say that AWOO is a return to form for Joel Gibb and his cronies. No, he’s not related to the guys in the Bee Gees but he can write heart-dropping melodies and harmonies that are nearly their equal. The record opens in a rush with the superb “Death of a Tune” then into the loping, bouncy title track. “Lollipop” is a pure rush like something New Zealand’s Chills would have written in their late 80’s prime while “Learning the Lie’ is more Velvet Underground when Lou was a little more awake (think LOADED ). So not only is Gibb able to write the impressive pop tunes but he has the players who listen and play and ,well, what can i say, it all sounds excellent. Still not the equal of their debut, but damn close. And if you’re ever thinking of seeing this band live DO NOT miss it ! I just saw them here 2 nights ago and they more than delivered the goods ! ( www.arts-crafts.ca )

M. COAST- SAY IT IN SLANG- HHBTM- I’ve always liked this band (now with the shortened name, formerly Marshmallow Coast…..i wonder why the name change ? I don’t think the new moniker sounds as good but hey, that’s just me) but always seem to forget about them (ie: I rarely play the cds I won by them). With SAY IT IN SLANG, however, I remembered why I liked them so much in the first place. Leader Andy Gonzales has a relaxed, easy-going way about him and it reflects in the songs and this time he has a perfect songwriting foil in Of Montreal’s (and too many other bands to name ) Derek Almstead and the two seem to work perfectly as a team together. “Sailin’ Around the World” sounds like prime Sea and Cake while they get their new-wave on in “Out of the Water” then back to Marsh-MELLOW (key word being mellow” ) on “One Fine Day.” And I must say, having Emily Growden sing lead on the terrific “Aurora” was one damn fine idea (she sings on a few others) and the bouncy “Feel Like” shows the band has not forgotten its indie pop roots. This has been getting lots of airplay in my household and I think it’s time to go back and revisit some of those older records as well. ( www.hhbtm.com )

THE MINDERS- IT’S A BRIGHT, GUILTY WORLD- FUTURE FARMERS- It’s always great news to hear of a new Minders record ! The band have always been underdogs and you want to root for them ….i guess what I’m saying is even if their music wasn’t excellent (which it is ) you’d want to cheer for them but their records have been consistently good over the years and IT’S A BRIGHT GUILTY WORLD is as good as anything they’ve done ….ever (my previous favorite record of theirs was GOLDEN STREET and overall I think this is a more consistently better record). Their old pal and comrade, Robert Schneider (from The Apples in Stereo) came in from Denver, CO to work on the record and with the band getting tighter and tighter (the solid lineup of the trio has been leader Martyn Leaper on guitar/vocals, his wife Rebecca Cole on keyboards/vocals and drummer Joel Burrow for some time now) and Robert tweaking the melodies like he has been doing for year gives IT’S A BRIGHT, GUILTY WORLD a pop sheen that is a true pleasure to listen to from start to finish . The opening “There Goes my Formula” has Martyn and his acoustic becoming better acquainted guitar while the next tune, “Don’t You Stop” is the band’s hit single and their catchiest moment since “Golden Street.” The 1-2-3- punch of the gentle Beatlesy pop of “Same Time, Same Place” , the string-soaked “Savour all the Days” or the swoony “Jenny” should/could/ and will charm the pants off any discerning pop fan . Like fine wine, this band is getting better with age and I hope they have at least a few more records in them before they decide to hang up their cleats for good. ( www.futurefarmer.com )

11/27/06 (DVDs):
BAD RELIGION- THE RIOT –MVD- This is the 3rd Bad Religion dvd I now own…they’re all good. This gig took place on Dec. 29th, 1990 at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles. I guess this gig has been a bit legendary and been known as the “riot” gig since that is what scores of punks did when the show had to be cut short. This was a few years after the legendary SUFFER record (my favorite by them) and you get to hear B.R. classics from that era such as “You are the Government”, “Land of Competition”, “How Much is Enough” and the song that got me into B.R. back in the early 80’s, “We’re Only Gonna Die (from our own arrogance).” The sound quality is good (not great) and the picture quality is good (right in front of bassist Jay Bentley with plenty of good shots of Mr. Brett and Graffin and even Greg Hetson off a bit in the distance ….drummer is obscured) and it’s funny to see Bentley with the cheesy moustache and Hetson with his long , curly hair. The band is one fire and I really wish I would have seen them during this era ( I have caught them a few times in the 00’s and they’re still a great live band) . Extras include some footage from other performances. ( www.musicvideodistributors.com )

BURN TO SHINE- PORTLAND 6/15/05- TRIXIE- This is the 3rd installment of Brendan Canty’s (Fugazi) BTS series. I really enjoyed the first 2 installments (Washington , DC and Chicago) and now they were coming to my adopted hometown of Portland ! Where would they be filming ?? Next door to my house ? Down the street ?? Over on Hawthorne Blvd. ??? Naw….actually about 10 miles south of the city in the suburb Tualatin (where my wife works) in a huge house . The Decemberists Chris Funk picked the bands and there’s a handful of my favorites on here like The Thermals (who open things up ) doing “Welcome to the Planet” , “The Shins doing “Saint Simon”, Quasi offering up “Peace and Love” (I’m not a big fan of Quasi’s music but I do love watching Janet Weiss hit the skins…great drummer ). Mirah with the nearly acapella save for a violinist and accordion player and the Sleater-Kinney song (“Modern Girl”) was surprisingly mellow and folky (with Janet Weiss playing harmonica while drumming) and the catchy, new-wave pop of youngsters The Ready (“For all you Know”) was……umm….mature (and strong) sounding. Elsewhere is tunes by Lifesavas, Wet Confetti , The Planet The, and The Gossip. Kudos to Brendan Canty and his crew for pulling off yet another great Burn to Shine ! ( www.trixiedvd.com )

THE PIXIES- LOUD QUIET LOUD- MVD- People often are shocked to find out that I never liked the Pixies back in the day. I assumed they were major label poseurs and now, all of these years later I do now like some of their stuff but am still not what you would call a Pixies nut or anything (but “Holiday Song” is a certified classic ). This is a backstage look at the Pixies reunion warts and all and it seems to me, like many others have previously said, that it seems like these folks don’t much like each other but anyone who blames them for getting back together for money is an idiot. You get to hear Pixies favorites like “Where is my Mind?”, “Caribou”, “Bone Machine”, “Nimrod’s Son”, and plenty of others. You also get to see Kim Deal’s parents, Joey Santiago’s wife and kids and Frank Black’s family too. In addition you see drummer David Lovering struggle in a battle with the bottle, Kim’s issues with trying to stay sober herself (she brings her sister Kelly along on the tour), Joey Santiago’s attempt to finish some other projects ( he either doesn’t have much of a personality or just seemed numb throughout the documentary….great guitarist tho’ ) and Black Francis, who seemed like he would much rather be home lounging on the couch with his wife and kids than be on a tour. The Pixies reunion was one of the biggest (and most lucrative ) of any band in recent memory and LOUDQUIET LOUD captures that and much more. (www.mvdb2b.com )

WENDY O. WILLIAMS & THE PLASMATICS- TEN YEARS OF REVOLUTIONARY ROCK AND ROLL- MVD- It’s a really sad story of Wendy O. Williams, someone who was so revolutionary in the evolution of women in rock and roll, so influential only to have her commit suicide nearly a decade ago. Having said that, while I really respect her guts and determination, I was never really a big Plasmatics (or Wendy O. solo) fan and while the gal who narrates this was way too monotone for me it was still pretty entertaining. What I don’t get , however is why they keep referring to The Plasmatics as a ”punk” band when I always thought they were more of an outrageous metal band. No punk that I know ever considered this band “punk” and the comment on the box of “The Clash times 10, The Sex Pistols times 10, The Ramones times 10” misses the point (and The Plasmatics were no where near being in the league of those bands). And what happened to Richie Stotts, the tall guitarist with the blue Mohawk ? I don’t think he was mentioned once in this documentary (I’m assuming a legal matter ). Anyway, having said all of the above, I still found this quite entertaining and how the band (especially Wendy O.) still wanted the show to go on despite shows being cancelled, the group being banned and (usually) Wendy getting arrested (and , on more than one occasion, getting beaten up by cops). If you’re a fan you’ll buy this immediately and if you’re a newcomer it’s worth a viewing to see how bands pushed the envelope back in the late 70’s and early 80’s. (www.mvdb2b.com )

11/20/06:
BEAUTY SLEEP- NATURE VS. NURTURE- SKIPPING STONES- NYC trio who must hold their Trembling Blue Stars and Aberdeen records near and dear to their hearts (like me ) and the only thing that bums me out on this 3 song cd is that….well….there’s only 3 songs ! Vocalist Annabel Kaplan sounds light n’ airy (and vulnerable) without coming off like a giddy twee vocalist with nothing to say. Even when she is singing lyrics like “ doo doo dadoo doo doo” on “Dream” it sounds important and you care about what she’s saying and what she’s going to say next (and sounds perfect next to the jangly acoustic guitar done by Tony Larkin ). The records closes with the more upbeat “Mayor of Athens” which will go on many mix tapes in the coming months (our younger readers are wondering what a mixtape is ). So this 3 –song tease is great but ……when is the full-length going to appear ?!! ( www.skippingstonesrecords.com )

D.O.A.- BLOODIED BUT UNBOWED- SUDDEN DEATH- The WAR & PEACE comp that came out in the last year or so is a good introduction to the early days of D.O.A. but back in the day it was this record that drove home the point that early D.O.A. were a force to reckoned with. If I recall this record had been tied up in legal issues stemming from the CD Presents label (which apparently had the rights to the record) but who cares….it’s out. It’s got 19 of D.O.A.’s tastiest treats including amazing heavy hitters like “Slumlord”, “The Prisoner”, “Unknown” (Dr. Know did a great version of this song on their PLUG IN JESUS record) , “Fuck You”, “Fucked up Ronnie” and many others. If you wanna know why this band is featured so prominently in all of the punk documentaries and punk history books then give this a listen. Aside from touring the USA and Canada countless times in the early days and paving the road (so to speak ) for later bands the music on here, from 1978-’83 era , just kicks ! You get to hear Joey Shithead’s snarling vocals, his relentless guitar (and later , with Dave Gregg) , Randy Rampage’s all-over-the-place bass and Chuck Biscuit’s pounding drums. It’s taken a lot to get this back into record stores, the least you can do is buy it . ( www.suddendeath.com )

EL PERRO DEL MAR- S/T- MEMPHIS INDUSTRIES- I have never been to Gothenburg, Sweden but from all of the activity coming from there it sounds like it’s the new Athens or Seattle or …well, you get the picture. Here’s one more reason to talk about that town in Sweden, El Perro Del Mar is the work of Sarah Assbring. A short-haired gal who , judging by her photo on the cd cover, is none too pleased with YOU ! That’s right you but , as with so many other artists, their pain and misery is a plus for us. Why you ask ? Well, because we get to hear a wonderful record full of folky electro pop (love the strings ) with sounds that occasionally bring to mind the mind of Phil Spector and bands like The Ronettes and The Crystals. The opener “Candy” has her singing that she’s is ”going to get some candy on a Saturday night”….which makes me ask why she’s so upset ??!! Candy on a Saturday night sounds like a perfect date for me. “God Knows” (you gotta give to get)” has these gorgeous swooping strings and Assbring’s beguiling vocals while the strings vanish and Assbring’s vocals rise to the top on “People” (“I can’t understand people…). Towards the end of the record she has a change of heart and get’s happy ! On “It’s All Good” all she can say is la la la for the first minute or so while ‘Here Comes that Feeling” is all upbeat horns and good times. By the end I was wondering what all I just heard and then realized I just heard one of the best records of the year. Yup. ( www.controlgroupco.com )

BRYAN ESTEPA- ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES- POP BOOMERANG- This guy , like a lot of artists on this label, wears his love of The Beatles proudly on his sleeve which would normally elicit a big ol’ yawn out of me but the songs on ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES are too good to ignore (or yawn at ) . He cut his chops in Sydney bands like Swivel and Hazey Janes but it was on a trip to the USA that he began rediscovering records by Whiskeytown (who I LOVED ) and Elliott Smith an with that he set out to work on his solo debut with the help of Aussie mainstay Michael Carpenter. The opener “By the Window” has some boogie swagger with its pop hooks while “Your Best Night” is all strummy guitars and tambourines. The spare and tender “Come Around” is easily likeable and shows Estepa’s strong vocals while “Right Now” sounds like prime Badfinger and ”Open Letter” might be my favorite song on a record full of strong songs. Not sure how big his Australian audience is and while he is completely unknown here, if folks here give this record a chance maybe he won’t be “one of Sydney’s best kept musical secrets “ anymore. (www.popboomerang.com )

11/13/06:
ISOBEL CAMPBELL- MILKWHITE SHEETS- V2- Other than AMORINO from a few years ago which I didn’t like ( her first record under her own name) I have loved everything Isobel Campbell has done. This includes her work with Belle & Sebastian, the two Gentle Waves records and last year’s collaboration of dark ballads with ex-Screaming Tree Mark Lanegan . MILKWHITE SHEETS is yet another stop on the journey for the incredibly talented and restless Campbell. The sound here is gentle n’ wispy folk (but not “twee”….do not call it twee) that has more in common with folksters like Joanna Newsom or Davendra Banhart than it does anyone from the current indie pop scene. The acoustic guitar on “Hori Horo” was absolutely gorgeous and the strings on “James” sound like they could have been done by Robert Kirby and taken from Nick Drake’s BRYTER LAYTER record. The cello of the title track sounded a bit ominous and well, the whole thing is perfect for reading-the-paper-on-a-Sunday-morning kinda record. In my humble opinion, any Belle and Sebastian fan who have abandoned her since she left their beloved group (and I know a few) have made a terrible mistake, MILKWHITE SHEETS is terrific. ( www.v2-artemis.com )

THE KING KHAN AND BBQ SHOW- WHAT’S FOR DINNER- IN THE RED – Last year’s self-titled debut ( on the Goner label) was terrific. A heady mix of musical styles that included doo wop, blues, garage, soul, punk and more. Not sure what planet Khan bounced in from but you might know BBQ’s name (Mark Sultan) from such combos as La Sexareenos, The Spaceshits and the more recently Mind Controls( Dirtnap Records). Things start off with the mangy “Treat me like a Dog “ and then drifts right into the soulful pop song “I’ll Never Belong” which rips into “Zombies” with its opening, “I don’t give a fuck !” (“I don’t wanna be alone, I wanna walk with the zombies baby” – which sounds like a just-starting-out Glenn Danzig). I think you get the picture, these two are all over the map and unpredictable as hell ( the way I like it ) whether it’s Khans raging guitar on a tune like “Dock It *8” or BBQ’s dreamy vocals on “Why Don’t you Lie?” these two are creating their own scene instead of jumping into another one and confounding audiences the world over ….and since I just missed em’ here in Portland a few weeks ago (I had no idea they were opening for the Detroit Cobras, a tour they just got kicked off of as they made their way out east) why the hell should you believe me ? ( www.intheredrecords.com )

THE SAILS- S/T- RAINBOW QUARTZ- I’m beginning to think there’s a Rainbow Quartz factory ! I don’t know where these bands come from but they all have that R.Q. sound. Not to say that they all sound alike, because they don’t but they all do seem to carry that 60’s pop torch left on the ground by bands like The Beatles and the Byrds (especially the latter). Heck, I don’t mind cos’ I’m a big Byrds fan and these bands aren’t aping those sounds, merely updating them. I do know one thing., leader/ main songwriter Michael Gagliano is a superb talent able to create chugging, hooky pop with what seems like the greatest of ease. “See Myself’ opens things up with that great , ringing Roger McGuinn guitar splay which goes into “The Slow Down” which adds a bit o’ fuzz to the proceedings and that slips right into “Make My Day” which adds a slight middle eastern twist ( ala Rain Parade) and it all sounds smashing to me. I also love it when he entices Sarah Kiely to add her vocal pipes to a few of the songs (namely the awesome “Let’s get Started’ and “Wonderland “) so come on Michael, bring her into the studio more ! There’s also a few hidden gems near the end of the record so listen all the way through kiddies, ok? Class dismissed. ( www.rainbowquartz.com )

SMASH PALACE- BEST OF ’99-’06- ZIP- It’s been a hell of an odyssey for Stephen and Brian Butler. Stephen is the leader and main songwriter of Smash palace and his brother, formerly a f/t/ member, now plays when he can. Their first band , Quincy, got signed to a major label deal only to be sued by Quincy Jones (asshole). S.P. signed to epic only to be enticed by a staff songwriting position (don’t blame them there …sounds like a great way to make a buck ) . That’s all ok cos’ the band have taken matters into their own hands and received the love from indie labels around the country. California’s Zip records, always purveyors of good power pop, have released this here 16 song best-of and it’s handy to have all of the S.P. “hits” in one place. At least a few of these songs are from the killer OVER THE TOP record from a few years ago , most notably “Steal her Thunder” and “Dime Store Lies.” The downcast “Sooner or Later” is one of my faves on here as is the acoustic “Blue Eyes” and the punchy “I’ll be There” (also from OVER THE TOP ) Fads come and go but there will always be a place for well-written rock/pop songs and that is something that Stephen Butler has quietly been making a career of so don’t you think now it’s about time he gets credit for it ? No better place to start than this best of….. ( www.ziprecords.com )

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