11-5-2015

Setlist:
1. Blank Veins - First And Final Wash
2. White Suns - Clairvoyant
3. Slur - Crybaby
4. 19/Juke - Seated Woman
5. Solid Space - Spectrum Is Green
6. Ursula Bogner - Punkte
7. ##### - #####.2
8. The Smuts - Suicide
9. Reatards - Old News Baby
10. Damien Dubrovnik - The Peacock

Blank Veins - "First And Final Wash"

Off the "First And Final Wash / Bloody Thumb" Single released on UNC Records in 2011.

Previously featured on 9-17-2015.
Blank Veins are slowly becoming a favorite of mine - at least on a contemporary scale - Blank Veins' brand of shit-faced lo-fi jazzy rhythmic noise rock is some of the best around today; I'd never say that they're better than Butthole Surfers or Big Black, but they're much better than Raw Nerve and Total Abuse and slightly above Twin Stumps. According to their blog, their around the corner from releasing a full LP. Keep 'yer eyes peeled!

White Suns - "Clairvoyant" 

Off the "Totem" LP released on Flenser Records in 2014.
Recently catching attention for being reviewed by no other than Anthony Fantano, who gave it an 8/10 and put it in his top 50 of the year. Aggressive and in-your-face, White Suns have obtained a smashing, grating sound with booming drums, scraping guitars and most importantly, a tortured and agitated sound. Kind of like a darker form of Shoegaze (hear me out - ) White Suns have looming and seering guitar-generated noises swoop and muster, creating a certain kind of menace that is hard to come by.

Slur - "Crybaby"

Off the "Real Pain" EP released via Bandcamp in 2015.

First of all, BIG thanks to my friend James for cluing me in on this - great stuff!
Slur are a self-described gothic shoegaze band from Philadelphia. What sounds like a drum machine under 1 or 2 guitars and a bass, Slur's compositional style sits at a cross road of 80's Post Hardcore, Shoegaze, EBM and what they describe as "Devotional." We may never fully know what has gotten these musicians up in an emotional-stir, by they sure as hell ain't happy.

>> Bandcamp <<

19/Juke - "Seated Woman"

Off the Untitled EP released independently in 1981.
The Japanese ensemble of 19/Juke (I've also heard them referred to as Juke/19,) are a group I admittedly know little about. Kind of like a hellish combo of Chrome and Can, 19/Juke are something that needs to be heard to believed. 

Solid Space - "Spectrum is Green"

Off the "Space Museum" tape released on In Phaze Records in 1982.
An odd mesh of Post-Punk, Jangle Pop and Synth Pop (with some Spacey stuff thrown in) Solid Space reflect an utmost feeling of melancholy, sadness and an odd nostalgia for a time that may have never existed. An absolute Cult Classic, Solid Space's one and only album is one for the ages - the space ages.

Ursula Bogner - "Punkte"

Off the "Recordings 1969-1988" LP released on Faitiche Records in 2008.
Continuing on with our spacey theme today, Ursula Bogner is shrouded in mystery. While some say this is the actual music made by the old woman Ursula Bogner (from Koln, Germany) while some say this is a newer artist operating under her name. Most evidence points towards the former, although the latter wouldn't shock me much. If we go with the former as fact, then Bogner's music was recorded from the late 60's to the late 80's on Cassettes and Reel-To-Reel using self-made and rudimentary electronic equipment. Extremely atmospheric and reflective of its own mood, Bogner's music, aesthetic and history is among the most unique in all of music.

##### - "#####.2"

Off the "#####" Single released on "No 'Label'" (clever, ain't they?) Records in 2014.

Some "Outsider House" as the cool kids call it! Made by Aroy Lee, (you may know him as M>O>S) Lee is a Dutch producer and DJ, making dem fresh beats, yo. Sorry, I'm really stupid and I don't know how to review and critique House music, especially if it's weird and artsy.

The Smuts - "Suicide"

Off the "She Got Me Hot" EP released on Certified PR Records in 2001.
Quite the change of pace from #####, The Smuts are some super Lo-Fi garage punk that will rock the house down, as long as your speakers can play something mastered this low. The awkward (yet kind of awesome) production aside, The Smuts only released a couple of singles and EPs during their time as a band, but it's all essential for any Garage Punk band. Enjoy!

Reatards - "Old News Baby"

Off the "Teenage Hate" LP released on Goner Records in 1998.
Requested by my good friend Sam, thanks!

A stone-cold classic of modern Garage Punk, The Reatards first LP (released when they were 18 years old, and having formed when they were 15 or 16) is raucous, loud and doesn't give a damn about you or anyone else. Less is definitely more.

Damien Dubrovnik - "The Peacock"

Off "The Vanity Set" tape released on Jartecknet in 2011.
This guy's weird. Slavic Power Electronics? Hm. I actually know nothing about Damien, his name is clearly Slavic / Russian, yes, but he could live anywhere for all I know. His PE is like alot of modern PE - loud, cruel and ominous. Good vibes, fer sure.