Sunday night was Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of Atonement, which served as a somewhat poetic backdrop for “emo” pioneers Sunny Day Real Estate [MySpace], to confess and cast aside their past sins and join together once more as friends and band mates to perform at Terminal 5.

Unfortunately for me, Terminal 5, seems to have broken the greatest and most stead fast of all rock and roll rules and started the show exactly when the doors opened. As such I missed the bulk of The Jealous Sound‘s set, which was upsetting considering they are a dear old favorite of mine. Although many people didn’t realize it, when seeing The Jealous Sound, you are seeing a “supergroup” albeit an obscure one. The band is made up of lead vocalist/guitarist Blair Shenhan (ex-Knapsack), guitarist Pedro Benito (Ex-Sunday’s Best) and drummer Adam Wade (ex- Jawbox and Shudder To Think). They delivered their usual high energy performance but were clearly overshadowed by the enormity of the Sunny Day reunion and weren’t granted much attention or applause.

After a brief respite, like 20 minutes, which anyone who has frequented any kind of show will tell you was really damn fast, Sunny Day Real Estate hit the stage with very little ceremony. The band simply walked out in steady increments. First came drummer William Goldsmith, then guitarists Jeremy Eniqk and Dan Horner and then lastly, as if planned, came the former holdout Bassist Nate Mendel. Before they kicked off their set, they were beseiged with applause and cat calls. Like many of my fellow audience members packed into Terminal 5, I only know the band from photos, books, a scant two records (with the original lineup) and a handful of videos, so to see the four of them on stage together live was truly awesome (as in the biblical sense, not just cool). …read full article…

The Low Anthem are part of a growing crop of groups playing what I like to call “Smith-icana”. This “genre” was named after the great music anthropologist and scholar Harry Everett Smith, who gave us the endlessly influential music collection Anthology of American Folk Music. Instead of simply compiling songs from folk, country, blues and gospel genres, The Low Anthem plays them although these tunes are all their own. They are clearly students of great American music, and as such have absorbed all of the old traditions but refuses to be limited by them.

For lesser talents, this is a difficult balance to strike. One step to far in one direction and they are simply copying the greats and a step too far the other way they don’t come across as genuine. Luckily for listeners, The Low Anthem rise to the occasion on their new album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin …read full article…

Jason Molina is an old soul. Nearly a decade ago when he released his debut record, Songs: Ohia, it was quite clear that he had been around the block and like John Prine before him, Molina has a voice and songs with a depth, fragility, authority and tragedy that simply shouldn’t belong to someone so young. The trouble with this knowledge and gift: it comes at a price. To be able to write and sing with this much emotion, you have to survive the feelings first.

Over the years Molina has called his music by many names and tried just as many genres. Recently with his new band, Magnolia Electric Co [Official Site], he is easing into what could be called an alt-country/folk phase, a fitting stylistic shift because the sound is the perfect match for his world weary songs of loss, traveling, adventure and regret. …read full article…

Somewhere Paul Simon is weeping, not only because of the fact he has to drag Art Garfunkel around the world for a tour once again, but also because Kodak finally took his beloved Kodachrome away. For the non-film nuts among our readership, Kodachrome was the first mass produced and marketed color film. Developed in 1935, this landmark achievement in photography helped produce great photos from 1935 till around the mid 1980s when it began to lose favor.

So why is Paul Simon so upset? Well, you see in 1973 Mr. Simon released probably his greatest and catchiest single, “Kodachrome,” not only is the tune a fine tribute to shutter bugs and an awesome brand of film, but it also has a pseudo curse word they used to play on FM radio: “when I look back on all the CRAP I learned in High School…..”

Oh come on that was exciting and edgy back when I was ten.

Anyways, here is a lovingly inspired eulogy to Kodachrome set to Mr. Simon’s enduring classic. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Oliver Correa at Hi Fi Cartel

On June 16th, after opening for the successful NIN/JA (Nine Inch Nails/Jane’s Addiction) tour, the gang known as Street Sweeper Social Club [ MySpace] struck out on their own. For those of you not familiar with the band, Street Sweeper Social Club is a new group featuring Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello and former Coup MC Boots Riley. Not only did they play their first headlining concert, they also released their self-titled debut album this week.

Befitting their image as a “social club”, which Boots frequently reminded the audience of, the band picked a much smaller venue than expected for their NYC jaunt, The Blender Theater. This presented an opportunity for fans to not only to rock out to some power-packed revolutionary jams but to see these two musical heroes up close and personal, making for an eclectic mix of fans – there were the old school Rage fans, hip hop heads, general rock and roll fans and because it was a record release show – label and radio personnel. Speaking of which, former MTV VJ Matt Pinfield stood next to me for half the concert, which is not really important but I just figured you should know. …read full article…

To be perfectly honest the first time I listened to The Whip‘s full length, X Marks the Destination, I was standing in a very long line at the post office. I know that is not unique or interesting but it is the truth. Since I had plenty of time on my hands I decided to throw my headphones on and escape into music for a while, so I didn’t have to listen to two older gentlemen talk loudly about which Caribbean Island was best to visit.

The only thing I had heard about The Whip [MySpace] before this first listen was that they were a dance-rock (punk) band and after listening to the first several tracks on the album, that the term wasn’t really all that fitting. Sure X Marks the Destination has some really deep grooves and dance beats, but their sound and influences run much deeper then what is coming out of a Ghettoblaster in Brooklyn. …read full article…

In a follow-up to a previous piece here at RE, in a move that can only be called genius, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello has joined forces with Coup MC Boots Riley to form a new group called Street Sweeper Social Club. I can’t tell you how excited I am for this: Boots has always been a lyrical hero to me and a storyteller par excellence, add that to Morello’s funky wa-wa guitar playing and we may just have a winner on our hands.

(Spoiler: the music is fucking awesome!) …read full article…

Hearing Lipona’s debut EP, Pigeonholed reminded me a lot about my childhood. Their music is full of the high speed melodic punk rock that I used to love back when I was 16 and Lifetime was the biggest and best band on the planet. I don’t know the folks in Lipona but from what I hear they are still at that young and exciting time in their lives and all of the usual hallmarks show in their tunes, the overly busy drums, slicing guitars and the emotional vocals on top of it all.

The things that others might find cheesy, such as the lone acoustic track, “Shooty Hoops,” I find endearing. Once again, I was reminded of being a teenager, singing “Take Our Cars Now!” by Saves The Day, another band with a slow acoustic song on their first EP which was full of the melodic hardcore which was inspired by the aforementioned, Lifetime. I remember the boisterous singalongs to that song with my friends in my first car, so I can’t possibly knock the guys in Lipona for trying to elicit the same out of their listeners, especially when they do a good job of it. …read full article…

The cover of Austin’s The Calm Blue Sea‘s debut EP [MySpace] says it all: this simple image promises the listener a beautiful but haunting trip through the most expansive and unpredictable terrains on Earth, the ocean. The opening track, “We Happy Few”, very much like the sea itself, ebbs and flows beginning with barely audible piano that gains in force until the true melody is heard. After a brief time, a big fuzzy guitar line swoops in and the entire band joins like a raging torrent (and now I don’t mean of the bit variety).

All of the instruments seem to take on a life and element of their own. The crashing sound of cymbals takes on the sound of waves rock against a boat. The guitars are high and melodic, yet fierce like the wind itself. One of the key elements on the album, and in the band’s overall sound, is the use of piano and keyboards. Not only does this help them stand out from a crop of great instrumental acts (Don Cab, Explosions in the Sky, This Will Destroy You, etc) but it provides the emotional core for the music being played. …read full article…

Thorns of Life have selected legendary producer, J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Dismemberment Plan, Jawbreaker) to record their debut. In case you have been sleeping for the last year, Thorns of Life is a punk rock supergroup featuring Blake Schwazenbach (Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil), Aaron Cometbus (Crimpshine, Pinhead Gunpowder) and actress Daniela Shea (featured on shows like The L Word). I personally cannot wait till this record comes out.

If you can’t wait for the full length here is some live video of the band “after the jump” …read full article…

Justin Townes Earle [Myspace] has a lot to live up to, not only does he bare the last name of songwriting legend, Steve Earle, but he was also named after yet another: his father’s hero, Townes Van Zandt. Normally, this amount of pressure would cause any artist to falter, especially one so young (he is only 27), but where others fail, Justin succeeds. From the opening chords of his sophomore album, Midnight at the Movies, Justin speaks loudly and confidently in his own voice and oh, what a voice it is.

Midnight At the Movies explores the great wide open landscape of country music. Like the great wild west that country music has seemed to embody, many people are scared or rather ignorant about what lies past the horizon. Justin Earle is not only unafraid of this journey and instead becomes the listener’s guide on a fantastic train ride to this unexplored territory. …read full article…

Legendary lead singer of The Cramps , Lux Interior, has passed away due to a heart condition yesterday. He was 60. …read full article…

The story of The Color Wheels [Myspace] started with a simple request. One day Pslam Sebastian asked her husband, Jon, to teacher her to play the drums. Jon agreed and without realizing it they formed a band at that very first lesson. Jon handles the singing, guitar and keyboards, while Pslam chips in with the back beat and some wonderful backing vocals.

Despite what you might think this is not another Mates of State story, where a young couple in love sings songs about … ummm, being a young couple in love. The Color Wheels instead write fun jangly pop tunes about awkward adolescence, pirate ships and candy dishes. Unlike twee bands, The Color Wheels, add a dash of sarcasm and uncertainty that make the songs much deeper than you would think. Their music is like twee’s older brother who is beginning to question love, trees, sunshine and wonder what all that actually means. …read full article…

Legendary English rock venue, Astoria Theatre, is closing its doors after 33 years. The building is one of 13 scheduled for demolition to provide for improvements on the railway.

The Astoria was founded in 1976 and was converted from an old pre-World War 2 movie theater. Due to its placement in Soho and the time of it’s opening, the venue thrived with all of the exciting music that was coming out at the time. Bands like Nirvana, The Darkness and Radiohead played several shows at the Astoria before they hit it big. The venue was also known for its strong relationships with established artists as well; acts like The Rolling Stones, Oasis and Pearl Jam would host small low-profile gigs there. …read full article…

After forty years Florian Schneider has ceased his collaboration with legendary kraut-rock group Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk was founded by Schneider and Ralf Hutter in 1970 and the two had been friends since their college days, where they played in an improv music group called Organization. In that band, Hutter was intrigued by Schneider’s unique take on flute and violin playing, which saw him running the instruments through Wah-Wah and fuzz pedals, and tape echoes.

The band was famous for their innovative use of effects, keyboards, synthesizers, vocoders, and drum machines. Their music has helped push the line between artistic achievement, technological advancement and pop success. Kraftwerk served as a key influence on a wide variety of music including: punk, hip hop (artists like Afrika Bambaataa would sample their work), dance and glam rock. …read full article…

Guitarist Ron Asheton has passed away from an apparent heart attack at his home. He was 60 years old.

Born in Michigan in 1948, Ron and his brother Scott, had been interested in the rock and roll rhythms of the motor city. The two youngsters decided to start a band called the Prime Movers, which would later become the infamous and legendary Stooges. Although many press clippings deify their frontman Iggy Pop, Asheton’s guitar playing was equally important. His frantic, aggressive and groove laden approach to the instrument was the background of the band’s trademark sound. On top of playing a mean guitar, Asheton shares writing credit on some of the Stooges finest work: “1969″, “Down on the Street”, “TV Eye”, “Dirt” and many others.

Asheton also played a key role as mediator in a lot of Stooge related affairs. Since he wasn’t addicted to heroin, he very often had to clean up the messes of his fellow band mates including dragging them home, driving them around and making sure they had enough to eat. He also played a key role in attempting to keep the band active upon their move out to California. …read full article…

Punk rock, like in America as well as in England, didn’t exactly spring up overnight. There were always bands pushing the envelope of what could be done, said and even thought of. It would be a lie to say that our friends across the pond were not inspired by visits from American hard rock acts like: The Ramones, The New York Dolls and The Runaways but to give them sole credit takes away from the talent and influence of some of their great but somewhat unknown home grown bands.

Before punk rock hit that nation’s consciousness the focus was on what was called “Pub Rock”. This style was pretty much what you think, music for bars. As such you would get gritty amateur performers who would perform blues, R&B and rock and roll to a captive, albeit drunken audience. This rambleshackle in your face performance was in direct contrast to the popular theory at the time: Musicians were Gods. Back in those days if you wanted to hear music you had to wait 6 months for Hawkwind or Yes to come around and play your local mega stadium and get horrible seats and not really hear a thing. In a pub, you could be up close with the performers who weren’t always technically good but they made up for their lack of ability with passion. Due in part to this inexperience and training, many of these bands didn’t waste time doing keyboard solos or having their frontmen wearing denim jackets with fringes or anything like that. In the pub you got gut-bucket rock and roll and right up close. …read full article…

I am not in the best mood lately. I have bosses screaming at me, deadlines breathing down my neck, demands from my family to contend with on top of 18 million other issues to deal with going on. When moments like these arise there is only one thing to do: kick, scream and ultimately break something, albeit something small that your mother, father, girlfriend or wife won’t miss. Flying into a rage is fun and not to mention a stress reliever but it kind of lacks the oomph without the proper soundtrack. One of the first bands I turn to when in need of some break stuff tunes is my pals from San Diego, Swing Kids. …read full article…

Howdy friends! Welcome to another edition of Outloud. As mentioned earlier, we are going to be taking a break from chatting about punk rock singles for a bit. Instead, we are going to take a trip off the beaten path into something darker and far weirder. In a move that is sure to offend or bore at least some of you, the focus of this week is going to be a band called Throbbing Gristle.

…read full article…

“A deathless anthem of nuclear-strength romantic angst”—Music critic Ned Raggert on “New Rose”

Howdy friends! Welcome to another edition of Outloud. Over the last two months or so we have been taking a fun look back at some of punk rock’s greatest singles. On this journey we have visited garages in California, the seedy New York underbelly and the industrial sprawl of Manchester to name but a few. Although this has been a lot of fun, and hopefully interesting, it has kind of pigeon-held me in what I can talk about with you. So I have decided to end this series and expand my horizons. Instead of simply fading away I am going to close things off with a bang. This week we are going to be talking about “New Rose” by The Damned, which earns the distinction of being arguably the first punk single. Beating the likes of The Buzzcocks Spiral Scratch, The Clash’s first single “White Riot”, and The Sex Pistols debut single “Anarchy in the UK” by several months. Also, it retains the honor of being the first independently released punk single as well.

…read full article…