Pretty on the Inside

Two Hundred Sixty-Six

Artist - A Place To Bury Strangers
Album - Exploding Head
Released - 2009
Label - Mute
Genre - Shoegazing/Noise Rock

Tracks:
It Is Nothing
In Your Heart
Lost Feeling
Dead Beat
Keep Slipping Away
Ego Death
Smile When You Smile
Everything Always Goes Wrong
Exploding Head
I Lived My Life to Stand in the Shadow of Your Heart

I remember hearing this band for the first time.  I honestly thought I was going to go deaf and that's when I realized, for the first time every, I should consider wearing earplugs at shows, especially seeing A Place To Bury Strangers.  The second album by the New York based rock band, Exploding Head will literally make your head explode, with all the good intentions that you can take.  This is, I believe, the first album I head by the trio and since then, I've seen them a few times and just recently at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2013.  Definitely worth seeing live, but make sure to bring your earplugs!!

Enjoy!

One and Done

Two Hundred Nine

Artist - Rapeman
Album - Two Nuns and a Pack Mule
Released - 1988
Label  - Touch and Go Records
Genre - Noise Rock

Tracks:
Side Yo
Steak and Black Onions
Monobrow
Up Beat
Coition Ignition Mission
Kim Gordo's panties
Side Mo
Hated Chinee
Radar Love Lizard
Marmoset
Just Got Paid
Trouser Minnow

The first and ONLY LP released by Chicago rockers Rapeman, Two Nuns and a Pack Mule is a pretty stellar and surprising find with Steve Albini fronting the band.  A friend of mine posted one of their videos and when it caught my attention, I wanted to play the record because I knew it was on my shelf. I don't know if I was really expecting it to sound as good as it did, but I'm glad it did, but it's also too bad that this is their only LP.  Steve Albini is a very talented musician/producer, so it's almost difficult to point out the errors in his captivating history of music.  What I found interesting in researching Rapeman was that the title was based off a character in a Japanese comic book that they came across which portrayed stories where women would get raped in graphic detail.  When you first come across the name of this band, you have to wonder why on earth someone would even name their band that.  But alas, the name of the band was shortly interfered by protesters who thought it meant that they disregarded rape for humor or entertainment and that was not the case.  Coming across a mix of Minutemen and The Jesus Lizard, I approve this record because not only do I love noise rock, this record is upbeat and great.

Enjoy!

Totally Natural

I've been wanting to play this album for a long time, but due to certain circumstances, I hesitated.  My one hundred twelfth pick.

Artist - ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
Album - Madonna
Released - 1999
Label - Merge
Genre - Progressive Rock, Indie Rock, Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock

Tracks:
Side One
And You Will Know Them...
Mistakes & Regrets
Totally Natural
Blight Takes ALl
Clair de Lune
Flood of Red
Children of the Hydra's Teeth
Side Two
Mark David Chapman
Up From Redemption
Aged Dolls
The Day the Air Turned Blue
A Perfect Teenhood
Sigh You Children

I kid you not when I tell you that this album AND band changed my life in so many ways.  I met a lot of friends, traveled to a new city, MOVED to a new city and even live with one of these dudes BECAUSE of this band (not ENTIRELY because of the band, but many factors played in my decision).  Eleven years ago ,  I first heard this band and I was sure glad I did.  I rarely ever think about the paths I've chosen in life, but I honestly don't know where I would be if I didn't hear of this band and Austin, Texas.  I would probably be living in Seattle right now, since that was the first choice where I wanted to live in once I left Miami, but once I came to Austin, I was in love.  The scene here (even though I feel like it has changed a lot) was like love at first sight for me.  I was destined to be here and when I finally moved here, I was happy.  Austin is such a great, active city and that's what I love the most about it.

Back to ...Trail of Dead.  This four piece (at the time this record was released) from Austin, Texas are Kevin Allen, Neil Bush, Conrad Keely and Jason Reese.  I first saw them in concert in Atlanta, Georgia, 2002 when they toured with Queens of the Stone Age and Peaches.  What a f**king show!!  I knew they were notorious for destroying their equipment and tossing it into the crowd and I was so close to getting a snare drum....if only.  Madonna is their second debut album and it is, by far, their best album EVER.  I would have to say that their self-titled would be second.  But this one is definitely a TOP 10 on my list.  Songs like Mistakes & Regrets, Totally Natural, A Perfect Teenhood...shoot, this whole record is pretty amazing.  You cannot go wrong with this record because it has a mix of noise, progressive, loud sounds and then you have your few low, soft sounding songs.  Ending this record with Sigh Your Children is perfect, like the icing on the cake.

Enjoy!

Everything In Between

It's Saturday, it's Robbie's birthday and he requested that I showcase No Age - Everything In Between, so here it is:

Released 2010, Label - Sub Pop

Tracks:

1. Life Prowler

2. Glitter

3. Fever Dreaming

4. Depletion

5. Common Heat

6. Skinned

7. Katerpillar

8.  Valley Hump Crash

9. Sorts

10. Dusted

11. Positive Amputation

12. Shred and Transcend

13. Chem Trails

We had the pleasure of seeing No Age live in January of 2011 and never have I ever felt so much pain in my ears the next day.  The show was phenomenal and I even moshed when I requested that they play Boy Void (from their 2007 album Weirdo Rippers).  Just a drummer and guitarist (and newly added keyboardist), No Age can put on one hell of a show with their towering wall of amps that is usually displayed behind Randy Randall.

One of my favorite songs on this album is Common Heat and Life Prowler, but all are relatively as good as my favorites.  I would definitely recommend this album.