Not for the Clean Spirited

Nick Cave is a dirty SOB. Forget manners, romance and hand-holding. With Grinderman, Cave's ongoing project from 2007, He makes a horny, foul-mouthed, and unabashed 53 year old something any pretty boy is secretly wishing he was.

A pretty boy he's not, and Grinderman certainly doesn't strive to make pretty music. Rather, it's a complete assault on the eardrums. It's raw, nasty, and chaotic.

With only 2 discs released, I certainly hope Cave and his crew don't slow down (and after seeing them live last week, it looks like they won't be).

Also, it looks like Cave won't be softening up anytime soon. The older he gets, the louder he wants it.

Check out this video of his song "No Pussy Blues" from their first disc. When asked what it was about in an interview, he looked confused, and responded "it's about not getting any pussy."

Being old and dirty has never been so appealing.

Carress it, Please Don't Whip It

I sometimes wish Devo never made “Whip It.” Granted, it’s a fucking fantastic song, but it’s somewhat of a curse on the band to casual music fans. “Oh yeah, fucking love singing that song in karaoke!,” is somewhere down the line of a memory someone has with it. After seeing Devo live, I’ll keep revitalizing to people the originality and greatness of this band beyond Whip It. (I don’t hate the song, just the idea of it, get it?).

Ever seen the movie “Being John Malkovich?” Reverse the idea of entering Malkovich’s head and concentrate on Gerald Casale’s mind (Devo’s main songwriter). I’d really like to know what kind of futuristic, metallic, catchy, and rhythmic party is going on up there. I’m picturing robots drinking scotch talking about 2012, seeking out sexy women robots all while trying to compare who has longer robot chest hair. What a fucking party.

Anyways, the band has an amazing catalog, in which they’ve went from punk to art-rock and post-punk to new wave. They seemed to have reached every rhythmic category on their own terms (check out their cover of “satisfaction” in ¾ timing), and with their new album released a few months ago (listen to song “fresh”); they could have quite a revival. Seeing them live will leave you confused, excited, tired (from dancing), loose-necked, and joyous. The first words I uttered after the show were “what the fuck was that?” followed by “I somehow liked it.” Devo broke musical and conceptual barriers with their odd “de-evolution” themed lyrics accompanied by a revolving sound, always staying up-to date. Here’s the fairly new single called “Fresh.”

Side note: where else are you going to find a band with the song title “Penetration in the Centerfold?” Brilliant.

The Soft Pack

Don’t be fooled by the name. The Soft Pack isn’t your parents answer to Bread. They don’t make music to gently sip white wine and read chicken soup for the soul too. They are a band that will show up to a room of however many people, force them into the submission of three chord rock n roll, and leave. After 45 minutes of a combination of surf, punk, and garage rock, the audience only has two questions. “Have I heard this before?” and “How did I get so sweaty?”

Yes, you have heard this before, but you haven’t heard it with such originality. The Soft Pack takes all of what was good in the psychedelic nuggets era of the 60s (they were originally called the Muslims) and pushes it forward with more recklessness, melody, and controlled sloppiness. You’ll hear a little stooges and mc5 caressing the watery tones of Dick Dale. All the influences are there, and the Soft Pack uses them without ripping them off.

And to answer the second question. You might be sweaty because you’re in San Diego (in which they’re from) or it could be due to the excessive amount of booze-enhanced dancing you just performed. Chances are you’ll get shit-faced at this show, which is the point. This is the music made to drink and dance like a rock n roll savage.

Trombone Shorty

Once again claiming a theory I have that New Orleans fails to breed average musicians. It's a remarkable city, with remarkable stories of triumph, pain, and hope. Listening to the artist's and their stories really shows the potential music has to overcome massive obstacles. Trombone shorty is a perfect example.
"My horn is my passport"

Check it out.

Song for the Times

"Times are hard but we'll all survive, I just got to learn to economize."

I just recently got re-aquainted with this song last night while listening the radio. I couldn't help but think about my life, and probably many of those surrounding me. Davies wrote this song in late 1978; the economy was struggling just as it is now. So, let's revisit the song. Thanks Ray Davies, for reminding us again.

Keeping the Groove alive

Welcome to 1975. Curtis Mayfield is still superfly, serenading women and teaching men everywhere how to lay the mack down. George Clinton and Bootsy Collins are getting aboard the mothership, and James Brown is still sitting on the pedestal of quite possibly the grooviest man to walk the planet.

Fast forward to 2010. 10 musicians with day jobs release a new disc that rivals the hip groove that those artists greatly perfected. They’re called Kings Go Forth, and they’re from none other than the greatest city in the world; Milwaukee. These Kings have done their homework on keeping that mid-70’s colorful jam alive, and for a group comprised of mostly white middle aged dudes, Curtis, Issac, James, and George would definitely be proud. For a new modern look at some of the classic and grooviest R&B, look no further than Mil-town. Chances are Kings are batching up their own superfly brew of music.

She's Got the Sauce

Remember Amy Winehouse? Yeah me neither. Until she comes up with new credible music, i'll start remembering her for the talent she is. While she's off singing in alleys, I am more than willing to let other extremely talented women take center stage. Talented women like Trixie Whitley. This girl can flat out sing. She can flat out write, and she can flat out play. She's got the sauce mixed with some soul butter. She's from Belgium and records in New York, but sounds like she's been hanging out on a porch in Mississippi with some moonshine. More soul and talent than Amy Winehouse, with some endurance attached. Listen up, she'll be huge.

Robots! Germans! and Bikes!

I've officially brought out the bicycle. It's time to strap in, and pretend i'm part of the tour de france a couple times a week. Gliding on a bike across an open field can be one of the most gratifying experiences. It can, however, be brought one step further if you have the right soundtrack to go with the visceral peddling. If you also happened to be German or maybe a robot, you could very well be the next Tour De France champion. What do I mean by all this? I mean to tell you the perfect soundtrack to riding your bicycle is anything by the electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk. They are simply awesome, and even better when your body's on the move. Don't believe me? They made an entire album called Tour De France. It rocks (or electronarocks, ha) Ride with Kraftwerk.... I dare you..

The artist formerly known as

I hope i'm not the only one to find this hilarious... This just reminds me once again why prince is the soundtrack to my Saturday night.

Canadian Crooners

it was 4:30 in the morning, I woke up, grabbed a cup of coffee, and prepared myself for the drive down to O'Hare International Airport. I had a half hour to kill before driving my family down, so I turned on the telly. Tuning in to television at 4:30 on a Monday morning is tuning into a mind-fuck of hilarious infomercials. However, i caught the end of a re-run of late night with Jimmy Fallon and was lucky enough to see the whole performance of the Besnard lakes. At 4:30 on a Monday morning amidst informercials, this song certainly tickled my fancy. (please notice the dancing in the background as well-priceless)

Birdman (no not wheezy)

Simply Put, This is Rock n Roll...

The Genius of Tracy Morgan

I've seen the trailors for the new Bruce Willis and Tracey Morgan film "Cop Out. Yes Kevin Smith is the director, but he's not the writer. Big difference. This means we won't get the full Smith experience (disgust, sarcasm, wittiness, perversion.) So, basically it's probably going to have it's moments, but'll never really take off (the trailor really makes it look awful). So, with Tracey Morgan in a movie without a launch pad, it has become necessary to delve into the past with some old clips to remind us of why he is so hilarious (besides his role on 30 rock). Here's a skit from SNL a while back. He is Brian Fellows, and he will remind you as much as possible..

French Pop Masters

Air.... it's an obvious necessity to live. It's also the name of a great electro-pop duo from France. To me, they're as mysterious as their fellow frenchman Daft Punk (minus the robot masks) and they make equally as mysterious music. They seem to always craft excellent pop songs, either sunny-daydream like pop, or a slow-low tone pop piece. Either way, check out this video of their song "so light is her footfall" from the album Air 2. the song brings an aura of mystery and grace, and the video seems to accompany that. Enjoy...

So, I've named this blog the good stuff. This is the first post, so, essentially it's my duty to give you a mind-blowing beginning. I ran across this band awhile back, but some might recognize this song as the background to that brilliant KIA superbowl commercial with the life sized kid toys doing god know what(jet-skiing, riding a bull, getting tattoed to name a few). great commercial, great song, and an even greater performance on Letterman awhile back(Letterman asked for an encore.) It' sexy, it's dirty, it's loud, and it's pummeling. It's "How you like me now" by the british band The Heavy.