It's songs like “Down, Down” that make us happy to say we’re Connecticut-based.
Keeping with the momentum generated by their debut album, 2022’s Little Green House, Fairfield County’s own Anxious return with a refined and punchy take on their brand of melodic hardcore. Released via Run For Cover Records, “Down, Down” serves as a great indication for what we can come to expect from Anxious’ sophomore album. While the melodicism of Grady Allen’s vocals continue to blend with guitarwork courtesy of Dante Melucci and Tommy Harte, this track leans into the aggressive best that Anxious brings to the table. While Little Green House has its fair share of great tracks, it's safe to say that “Down, Down” is a clear contender for one of the band’s best offerings. Walking the line of aggression and tuneful songwriting is no small task, “Down, Down” makes it seem close to effortless. If you’re looking to catch Anxious and “Down, Down” live, catch one of their current Fall tour dates. “Down, Down” is available on your preferred streaming service!
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Discussing Britain’s alternative boom of the 1980s yields some of the decade’s best guitarwork. The Cure, The Stone Roses, The Pretenders, and The Smiths are just a sampling of bands that provided some of the most colorfully melodic guitar work of the era. The finesse of these band’s respective guitarists combined with memorable lyricism to produce one of underground music’s most enduring and influential movements. That said, for every band that broke through within this burgeoning scene, equally poignant and viable bands were glossed over. Decades removed from the world’s introduction to new wave and college rock, one question remains unanswered: Why were Felt and their brilliant debut album, The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories, criminally lost to time?
For those unfamiliar, Felt was led by Lawrence Hayward (commonly known as Lawrence) in 1979. Inspired by the likes of early American alternative groups such as The Velvet Underground and Television, Lawrence set out with a clear artistic timeline in mind. In a calculated fashion, Felt set out to release ten albums within ten years (ultimately achieving their goal, releasing ten albums before their breakup in 1989). Wasting no time in attaining their aspirations, Felt released two EPs that displayed the band’s ability to craft pop earworms as well as dynamic instrumental compositions. 1981’s Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty and 1984’s The Splendour of Fear document the masterful guitar interplay between Lawrence and lead guitarist Maurice Deebank, creating buzz amongst underground listeners. By the 1984 release of their full-length debut, The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories, it simply confirmed the sheer ability and craft that Felt possessed. Nearing 40 years since its release, The Strange Idols Pattern… is a record that deserves praise equal to classics of today. While Johnny Marr and John McGeoch have gone on to become figureheads for this era of guitar-based music (well deserved!), both Lawrence and Deebank should be spoken of in the same breath. Their command of melodicism across The Strange Idols Pattern… is an auditory treat for the ages, bar none. Instrumentals “Sempiternal Darkness”, “Imprint”, and “Crucifix Heaven” should be standards for how to construct vibrant and tuneful guitar parts, serving as highlights of the album. What stands out across these instrumentals is the tasteful blend of acoustic arpeggios and glistening harmony, making each an immediate favorite upon first listen. While we could endlessly discuss the fretwork of Lawrence and Deebank, it would be unfair to gloss over the infectious qualities of the album’s full-band tracks. Take album opener, “Roman Litter”, as an example of how immediate and hooky Felt can be. The majestic guitarwork is still present, now married with Lawrence’s Lou Reed-esque vocals and Gary Ainge’s solid backbeat. The longer you spend with The Strange Idols Pattern…, the more this record reveals itself to be one on its own. Rather than American new wave bands trying to rekindle the spark that made British post-punk exciting, this is truly the other way around. “Spanish House” is another memorable tune, sure to be of easy recall after one listen. Later-half cuts such as “Vasco De Gama”, “Crystal Ball”, and “Whirlpool Vision of Shame” are all opportunistic in the way that the gimmering guitars outline Lawrence’s vocals. While the entirety of The Strange Idols Pattern… is a prime listen, the track placed directly in the center of the tracklist should be regarded as one of the best from its era. “Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow”, while adorning a mouthful of a title, is one of tightest tracks to come out of the 80s. Equipped with the instrumental prowess that is standard for this record, Lawrence spouts some of his most quotable lyrical contributions to date. “You're trying to fool somebody / But you end up fooling yourself / You're reeling from ‘A Season in Hell’ / But you don't know what it's about / I listen to you now maybe you'll listen to me / You're trying much too hard / To make your world seem like a dream”. While other frontmen such as Morrissey or Ian McCulloch may shroud their emotions in imagery and double entendre, Lawrence gets to the essence of his feelings in an equally witty and concise manner. For “Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow” to be left unheard is quite a shame, which is why it deserves immediate attention. While Cherry Red Records has reissued Felt’s discography, stock of physical copies can be sparse. Luckily, you can check out Felt and The Strange Idols Pattern… on your preferred streaming service. Hello, everyone! Hope all's well out there.
We're looking forward to another great week here at Noise Is Power Music, complete with a retrospective review we've been itching to get to. You can expect that to be out this Wednesday! Otherwise, we're looking forward to attending the Triple B / Streets of Hate / Daze Showcase this Sunday (10/1). Sure to be a busy week here, but that's how we like it. Enjoy the start to your week! What can be said of The Breeders’ 1993 classic, “Divine Hammer” that hasn't already been said?
As it celebrates its thirtieth anniversary (in conjunction with its parent album, Lash Splash), the band has resurrected a demo of the track, fronted by J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. While Kim and Kelly Deal’s trademark stereo vocal styling is closely associated with “Divine Hammer”, the story behind Mascis’ rendition is quite interesting. Sharing the backstory of Mascis’ rendition of “Divine Hammer” (lovingly re-titled “Divine Mascis” for its official release), Kelley Deal recalled the following to Uncut: “At the time, J Mascis was a guitar god… we sent him the tape to put guitar on, so when it came back and he’s got rid of our voices and just put his vocal on, we were like, ‘Wha?!’ But it’s really cute… There’s a freshness to it, and it’s just so weird. I like his voice and the idiosyncratic way he sings and delivers lines. So I thought it was really neat.” We can’t help but agree with Kelley’s assessment. While Mascis’ trademark drawl may not be the first thing that comes to mind when discussing “Divine Hammer”, hearing an alternate vocal on this classic is quite a treat. While it certainly doesn’t replace the luster and sheen of the original Breeders release, it’s great to have this piece of history unearthed! The anniversary edition of Last Splash can be ordered here. Photo by Frans Schellekens With the recent release of Sonic Youth’s latest live record, Live In Brooklyn 2011, we’ve been revisiting the group’s back-catalog and appreciating the 30 years worth of noisy gold they’ve given us. While tracks like “Teen Age Riot” and “Kool Thing” remain gold-standard alternative songs to this day, the band has its fair share of material that deserves more attention. That said, here’s 5 of Sonic Youth’s more underappreciated tracks that we urge you to check out: 5. “Starpower” (Evol, 1986) Released as a single from the band’s fourth album, this Kim Gordon-sung track proves that Sonic Youth were true masters of creating hypnotic drones that doubled as textbook pop songs. While the more ethereal “Shadow Of a Doubt” (also sung by Gordon) has received more unanimous praise over the years, the sheer catchiness of the vocal and guitar work on “Starpower” cements its place as one of the band’s best singles. While Sonic Youth would delve further into more song-oriented territory throughout the records following Evol, “Starpower” proved that the band was able to simultaneously be the noisiest and catchiest band that the late 80s had to offer. 4. “Candle” (Daydream Nation, 1988) There are few original thoughts to voice when discussing the band’s breakthrough album, Daydream Nation. Considered by many to be Sonic Youth’s masterpiece (including the Library Of Congress, who added the album to their National Registry in 2005), tracks like “Teen Age Riot” and “The Sprawl” have gone on to become legendary in the pantheon of alternative, indie, and noise rock. While all these aforementioned accolades are deserved, the true highlight of Daydream Nation is the Moore-penned “Candle”. Shimmering opening guitars, one of the best choruses Daydream Nation has to offer, and an all-around tight knit performance makes “Candle” a truly special track. Make sure to pay extra attention to this one next time you give Daydream Nation a spin! 3. “Mote” (Goo, 1990) Appearing mid-way through the tracklist of the band’s first major label record, it is understandable why “Mote” got lost in the shuffle of time. While MTV focused on singles “Dirty Boots” and “Kool Thing” upon the album’s release, this Lee Ranaldo penned track has revealed itself to be a true highlight of the album. Ranaldo’s signature soft spoken vocal is beautifully offset by Steve Shelly’s calculated and precise drum pattern. Thurston Moore and Ranaldo’s guitars combine to create a swirling distortion that many bands afterwards would try to achieve, though never quite mastering it like the originals. The instrumental jam that occupies the latter half of “Mote” is the essence of classic Sonic Youth, making it our go-to track when we want to listen to Goo. 2. “Wish Fulfillment” (Dirty, 1992) For our last two entries, both tracks were penned by Lee Ranaldo. While Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon’s songwriting contributions to Sonic Youth have been thoroughly celebrated (deservedly so!), it has to be said that Ranaldo is simply responsible for crafting some of the group’s most well-rounded songs. Sonic Youth has always been known for shaping noisy textures into digestible and recallable songs, but we wager that Ranaldo accomplishes that mission the best. Listening back to “Wish Fulfillment”, it is truly baffling why it was not chosen as a lead single from Dirty. The duel between the blistering leads & arpeggiated chords provided by Moore & Ranaldo is most excellent, eventually giving way to an enthralling and energetic track that demands repeat listens. A true standout from one of the band’s best records: What’s not to like?! 1. “Skip Tracer” (Washing Machine, 1995)
Trading in the calculated pop structure of “Wish Fulfillment”, “Skip Tracer” is a stream of consciousness offering that sees Ranaldo simultaneously vamping on rock shows gone by and what the future has in store for the group. While it may sound a bit unorthodox on paper, Sonic Youth serves up one of the high watermarks from their Washing Machine album. If there’s one thing to remember about Sonic Youth, it is their ability to shape near-any creative idea into music that continues to be a joy to listen to. “Skip Tracer” does an excellent job of proving just that. What are some of your favorite underappreciated Sonic Youth tracks? Let us know! It's Monday! Another week down, another set of writeups to come. We were fortunate enough to catch Modern English at The Space Ballroom (Hamden, CT) this past weekend. After reviewing After the Snow, the chance to hear a majority of that record (in addition to their excellent debut, Mesh & Lace) live was a thrill. Special thanks to the band for hanging out after the gig and talkin' shop for a while... Great guys! We'll patiently be awaiting the release of their upcoming record, 1 2 3 4, which they teased by playing a handful of songs from. It might be an early prediction, but it should be one of the best releases of next year! Keep up with the rest of Modern English's tour here. Our view at the Modern English show... Nothing beats the intimacy of Space Ballroom! Additionally, much respect to Jason Priest for providing a killer opening set! Any fans of The Cure's earliest works will love Jason Priest's take on this time-tested style. Check them out here. Jason Priest was a real crowd-pleaser of an opener... Well liked by all in attendance!
As for upcoming articles, we'll be back Wednesday featuring our picks for some of Sonic Youth's most underappreciated tracks. Looking forward to sharing those with you all! Have a great Monday! Photo by Elyza Reinhart
On BRAND NEW SOUL, Angel Du$t proves that heaviness doesn’t equal hardcore. Above all else, the fearless pursuit of sonic individuality is what helps define a record or band as hardcore. An unrelenting quest for pure self-expression has always been at the heart of what it means to be hardcore, dating back to the genre’s earliest pioneers. Whether you look at Bad Brains' reggae-infused grooves or the melodic mastery of Descendents, their energetic pursuit of uncompromising artistry made both bands textbook examples of hardcore music and work ethic. While these bands greatly differ in sound, the intent behind their music is unquestionably rooted in hardcore. In keeping with past examples of expanding hardcore’s capabilities, Angel Du$t do so in a fashion that is both psychedelic and head-turning throughout BRAND NEW SOUL. While singles “Very Aggressive”, “Love Slam”, and “Space Jam” clued listeners in on the sheer variety Angel Du$t would bring to the table on BRAND NEW SOUL, it truly is only a sampling of what Justice Tripp and co. have to offer. For instance, “Don’t Stop” features a vocal performance and rolling drum groove that you could expect to find on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ under-appreciated The Uplift Mofo Party Plan album. However, when filtered through Angel Du$t’s own creative vision, it results in a playful and memorable diversion from standard hardcore aesthetics. Similar sentiments can be said of “Born 2 Run”, another track that contributes to the breezy and off kilter nature of BRAND NEW SOUL. When at their best, Angel Du$t simply deliver tracks that are equally quirky, infectious, and fun. While second-half highlight “Sippin’ Lysol” is certainly one of the punchier and more straightforward moments on BRAND NEW SOUL, the charm that is woven through the front half of the record wears thin for the final four tracks. While nothing is inherently wrong with any of these songs (“I’m Not Ready”, “Fuel For The Fire”, “Waste Of Space”, “In The Tape Deck”), we found ourselves wanting to revisit previous tracks instead. Whether that speaks to the sheer quality of the first half or to the elements lacking from the second half of BRAND NEW SOUL is up for you (the listener) to decide. Either way, Angel Du$t’s newest offering is full of tracks that keep us coming back for repeat listens and consistent enjoyment. BRAND NEW SOUL is available here. Favorite tracks: “Love Slam”, “Born 2 Run”, “Sippin’ Lysol” Let’s make one thing clear: Modern English is more than “I Melt with You”.
Decades onward, the Colchester-based new wave group remains immortalized by their breakthrough single, “I Melt with You.” Serving as the lead single for their 1982 sophomore record, After the Snow, “I Melt with You” enjoyed tremendous success across college and alternative radio upon release. The track would eventually break into mainstream territory after being featured in the 1983 film, Valley Girl, reaching number seven on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay charts. Listening back to “I Melt with You” today, it is evident why the song enjoyed much success: Sublime production, vocalist Robbie Grey’s distinctive phrasing, and bare-bones arrangement ensured that the track was primed to become both an earworm and success. While Modern English’s story has commonly been reduced to being a “one-hit wonder,” the group simply has more than meets the surface when it comes to both their story and music. Interestingly, After the Snow was released by 4AD, who would go on to become one of the premier alternative labels by the latter half of the 80s (other signees included Pixies, Lush, Cocteau Twins, etc.). Considering the pedigree of 4AD and their legacy of releasing artistically viable music, After the Snow is a record that sits firmly in that camp. Any notion that Modern English was only good for “I Melt with You” is blown away after one listen to After the Snow; an extremely well-crafted and sonically diverse slice of new wave and post-punk. Looking past the four minutes of pop bliss that comprise “I Melt with You”, After the Snow has plenty of quality material to keep you returning for more. Album opener “Someone’s Calling” possesses the same beautiful marriage of chiming guitar brilliance and driving percussion that you would expect from Echo & the Bunnymen. This makes sense, as Hugh Jones (producer of Echo & the Bunnymen’s Heaven Up Here) does a fantastic job at blending these two fundamentally different playing styles together on record. Modern English play with sounds reminiscent of Joy Division and Television on both “Life In The Gladhouse” and “Face Of Wood”. Both tracks feature excellent performances from drummer Richard Brown, who provides perfectly played grooves for Gary McDowell’s glimmering guitars to coast over (especially “Life In The Gladhouse”). Another asset to Modern English’s sound is keyboardist Stephen Walker, whose tasteful melodic ideas occupy many of the instrumental passages of these tracks. Listening to Walker’s playing on “Face Of Wood”, the way his sense of melody works alongside the thrilling bassline courtesy of Michael Conroy is a joyous musical feat. If Modern English wear their influences on their sleeves, they are certainly in tune with each other to produce output that is undeniably their own. Both “Dawn Chorus” and the album’s titular track are mid-pace epics that should be held in high regard, especially considering how “I Melt With You” is bookended by these tracks yet there is no drop in quality. For an album only comprising eight tracks, Modern English ensured that each song has something worth revisiting. The wondrous synth-melodies of “Dawn Chorus” and inescapable bass hook of “After the Snow” are hard to deny, which makes Modern English’s categorization of “one-hit-wonder” quite puzzling. Even during the slow burn of the album’s closing couplet (“Carry Me Down” and “Tables Turning”), After the Snow is an album full of personality and hooks. Luckily, Modern English is still active and regularly plays material from After the Snow live. They are expected to release a new album in the near future, having performed a handful of excellent new material on KEXP in June. Make sure to get out to a show if they come through your area and give After the Snow a listen in the meantime! 8/10 Favorite tracks: "Someone's Calling", "Face Of Wood" "Dawn Chorus" Have you heard this record? Tell us your thoughts in the comments! Backline of The Smiths Tribute NYC: Space Ballroom 9.8.23 Happy Monday, everybody! Hello & thank you to ALL of our new readers.
To celebrate our official launch, we were fortunate to have caught The Smiths Tribute NYC at the Space Ballroom (Hamden, CT) over the weekend. While the actual Smiths haven't played a show since 1986, this band did a fantastic job of capturing the essence and energy of the band. Their choice of songs covered all eras of The Smiths' brief (but massively brilliant) career, while keeping it fun for the crowd. If you have the chance to catch them, make sure not to miss out! Additional information about the band is available here. As for this week, we'll be checking out Modern English at the Space Ballroom on Friday! Tickets are still available here if you'd like to attend. We'll be taking a retrospective look at their seminal After the Snow album within the next few days... Keep an eye out for that. Beyond that, please consider sharing our website with anyone that would appreciate what we do here. We are beyond grateful to have had a great first week... Let's keep that momentum going! Five albums into their nearly 40-year career, Slowdive turn in a batch of songs that vary in levels of intrigue and lasting power. After the arrival of lead single “kisses” back in June, Slowdive previewed that everything is alive would very much be a record that melded the band’s trademark melodic sense with the aesthetics of modern dream pop and shoegaze. While the renowned Reading-based group may have succeeded at their intentions, it results in everything is alive being a record that never really seems to find its stride. For every standout track such as “alife” or “skin in the game”, there is a meandering composition like “prayer remembered” or “andalucia plays”. While it would be wishful thinking to expect the band to release another genre-defining record like Souvlaki at this stage in the game, it is hard to ignore how wildly inconsistent everything is alive plays out. Allow us to explain: Album opener “shanty” perfectly encapsulates how the remainder of everything is alive plays out. The track begins with an arpeggiated motif that will carry through the majority of the track, only to be interrupted by jarring blasts of guitar. While shoegaze is known for delivering auditory shock value via its instrumentation, its execution on “shanty” is a bit undercooked to deliver any kind of real impact. That said, “shanty” does find Slowdive hitting a fantastic groove around the 2-minute mark, serving as evidence that listeners should dive further than the disjointed entry of this track. For a band that has historically produced some of the best album openers that shoegaze and dreampop have to offer, “shanty” certainly will not be replacing “Alison” or “Spanish Air” as a classic anytime soon. everything is alive gives way to its second track, “prayer remembered” in a fairly abrupt fashion. Placing a nearly 5-minute instrumental piece as the second track on the record fails to pay off, resulting in a meandering piece that tries to get by on its sonic brilliance. While Slowdive deserves to be commended for their ability to create breathtakingly gorgeous music, they have set themselves apart on previous records by creating said music with clearly definable structure and pop-sensibilities. “prayer remembered” simply plays out as background music: Inoffensive, but nothing to keep interest levels high. Luckily, “alife” salvages the opening triplet of everything is alive via an inspired vocal performance from both Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead. If you recall our review of “kisses”, one of our favorite aspects of that track was hearing Goswell and Halstead’s voices beautifully compliment one another. “alife” is no exception, playing off of the more ethereal sensibilities of Slowdive’s sound. The driving rhythms of “alife” are the perfect canvas for its glistening instrumentation to color, resulting in one of the highlights (if not the best) moment on everything is alive. “alife” is unfortunately sequenced directly before “andalucia plays”, a fairly lifeless slowcore tune that wears out its welcome all too quickly. “kisses” helps pick things up a bit, though it remains symbolic of the main flaw that everything is alive continually reminds us of. Back when we reviewed “kisses”, we suggested the following: “‘kisses’ does have enjoyable aspects to it, but no defining factor to inspire unadulterated love or distaste for it”. Having listened to the rest of everything is alive, that sentiment can easily be applied to the work as a whole. The final highlight here comes in the form of “skin in the game”, a Halstead fronted track that shares striking resemblance to material from The Jesus and Mary Chain’s sophomore album, Darklands. While The Jesus and Mary Chain’s influence has stretched over the entirety of Slowdive’s existence, it is most directly channeled on “skin in the game”. It results in a genuinely hypnotic and pleasant listen, which cannot be said for the two tracks that follow and ultimately conclude everything is alive. “chained to a cloud” ceases to utilize its 7-minute runtime to accomplish anything of note, while album closer “the slab” tries to yield a heavy impact that briskly misses the mark. While everything is alive will not go on to be remembered as one of Slowdive’s defining records, it offers a handful of solid new material that sees the band playing in top form. Unfortunately, the good of everything is alive is surrounded by tracks that truly feel anonymous. everything is alive is now available via Dead Oceans. 5/10 Favorite tracks: “alife”, “skin in the game” Have thoughts on this record? Let us know in the comments! |
AuthorCarl Giannelli is a Connecticut based music advocate, songwriter, journalist, performer, and physical media preservationist. Archives
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