++ Needle Drops is now an occasional music column that a number of Neumu writers take turns writing. All columns prior to March 2004 were written by Philip Sherburne.
++ Recently ++
Tuesday, November 29, 2005 = The Stooges Unearthed (Again)
Tuesday, November 8, 2005 = Documenting Beulah And DCFC
Tuesday, November 1, 2005 = Out-Of-Control Rock 'N' Roll Is Alive And Well
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 = Just In Time For Halloween
Monday, October 3, 2005 = The Dandyesque Raunch Of Louis XI
Monday, August 15, 2005 = The Empire Blues
Tuesday, August 9, 2005 = David Howie's Sónar Diary
Monday, July 25, 2005 = Hot Sounds For Summertime
Monday, June 27, 2005 = Overcoming Writer's Block At Sónar 2005
Monday, June 4, 2005 = Cool New Sounds To Download Or Stream
++ Needle Drops Archives ++
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Tuesday, November 1, 2005
++ Out-Of-Control Rock 'N' Roll Is Alive And Well
By Jenny Tatone
++ Oh my God, that's right, I do like rock music. I
almost forgot. Seriously, I almost totally
forgot. I know rock can be such an ambiguous term, so
let me clarify. I'm talking about the loud, fast and
out-of-control kind. The kind that gets you jumping
and feeling all bad-ass, like you're the coolest
motherfucker around. That's right. I think there just
might be something to this rock 'n' roll music. Could
it be the beat, the beat, the beat?
So why did I almost forget? I don't know. I suppose I
was feeling overprotective. My ears have been tired.
Poor ears. They've been through a lot. For years,
subjected to one bad band after another. And they
almost called it quits as they slipped away to the
confines of sleepy folk music or dreamy jazz numbers,
and sometimes, fed up with it all, to just the hum of
the heater alone.
But a few new albums have kicked my ears back into
gear, reminding them not to retire to the countryside
just yet. There are still some thrashing, ear-splitting
good times to be had.
++ The Domino Records debut album from the Beautiful New
Born Children, Hey People!, is a fitful,
feedback-soaked mess of '77-era punk rock, sounding a
bit like a faster, sloppier and severely more raw
version of The Strokes. I know the whole garage/punk
rock revival is so 2001, but certain bands defy
the odds and eye-rolls by being genuine rock 'n' roll
fun — the sneering New Born Children being one of
them.
++ Featuring former members of Arab on Radar, Made in
Mexico recently released their first album, Zodiac
Zoo, on Skin Grafts Records. It is intensely
punishing. Like it's lurking in the fiery depths of hell,
the album slithers around tough metal-guitar riffs,
creepy distortion, a dark, grinding rhythm section and
eerie, sometimes growling, female lead vocals.
Damaged, angry and bizarre, Made in Mexico are for your
weirder moods when you're looking for a good
alternative to Sonic Youth spazz-outs.
++ Not too many bands out there are doing anything like
The Constantines, who just released their second
album, Tournament of Hearts, for Sub Pop (their
third overall). The Constantines are all aggressive
wrath and fury, slashing away at guitars as if doomsday
were around the next corner. Drums are heavy, vocals
are low and deceitful, riffs are spiraling, sometimes
dissonant and always fuzzed-out. Tournament of
Hearts harks back to the no-frills, angry,
drone-y rock of grungier times — and it sounds good.
++ Oranger are a rock band of the catchier variety,
which inches them a bit closer to the pop category than the
aforementioned, but their new album, New Comes and
Goes (Eenie Meenie), is still pretty rockin' in an
upbeat kinda way. The guitar riffs are hit high and
ska-like, but occasionally get down and dirty. The
vocals are sweet and heartfelt, and release lyrics with
enough rhythm to make you want to sing along. The drums thunder
with emotion, the melodies stick and the jingling
tambourine shows up every now and then. This is rock's
more innocent side (if it has one).
++ I dissed Diamond Nights at first for trying too hard,
figuring glam metal is the next big thing and trying
to beat the others to the punch. Although The Darkness
already took care of that. But I've spent some more
time with their debut album, Popsicle (Kemado
Records), and, while I could just as easily throw on
Judas Priest, AC/DC or Sabbath, I kinda like these
guys. Yeah, they steal, but they seem proud of it, as
if they're honoring their heroes by keeping good old-fashioned hard rock alive
and well. With metal singing
like this, the vocalist's shirt had better be ripped open,
especially if he's going to hit heights like that. The
guitar riffs, menacing and tough, are simply as they
should be on any quality metal record. Full of
grinding power and brain-eating melodies,
Popsicle is the kind of record that could pump
you up for a Saturday night or fist fight — it makes
me feel young and dumb again.
++ It's easy to get down on music, especially when you're
wading knee-deep in the crap. But rock 'n' roll was
never meant for the bitter types, so I'm keeping my
eyes, my mind, my heart open — how can music be your
true love if you don't?
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