Masshysteri: Swedes Rule

The Refused, despite the fervor expounded around the globe after the recent reissue of its supposed opus, is still really, at best, average. Come on. We should all be in for some political rhetoric – and scene politics – but that band wasn’t all that imaginative. And what’s worse, it could be blamed for the slew of subsequent groups copping hardcore as source material and winding up releasing what amounts to pop records.

The (International) Noise Conspiracy, which emerged from the Refused and helmed Dennis Lyxzen, a pompous left winger, were all boss sounds even as the polemics amounted to nothing. It’s all well and good to figure the problems of society. But after releasing something like five albums, can we get one solution. And while the States might deserve some of the ire TINC’s lead singer expresses, he still choose to sing in English, eventually turning in pop tripe with The Cross of My Calling.

That awful effort is easily mitigated by TINC’s earliest albums – Survival Sickness specifically. But part of what made those discs so good was the presence of Sara Almgren on keys. She obviously sensed the ship was sinking and got the hell off. Since that time, she’s endeavored to work in a few different bands, her latest contributions coming in Masshysteri.

A US tour for the band was scheduled, but subsequently cancelled. So, until those travel arrangements get worked out, we’re going to have to happily make due with the band’s self titled album.

There’s not a hint of hardcore, or straight punk, with the band aping something that amounts to an updated version of John Doe and Exene. X may have been one of the most talented first wave LA bands and while Masshysteri doesn’t quite match up, it’s pretty damned close. Even singing in Swedish can’t serve to denigrate a straight rock message. This is unfettered, jittery rock stuff amply informed by living in a relatively open society and a slew of pop records.

What’s most interesting – apart from the opening “Masshysteri del två” which sounds urgent in any language – is that the band could probably pretty easily take over the States if it decided to render its songs in English. Maybe that’s a compliment, but it’s as much a commentary on the disintegration of TINC and perhaps part of Almgren’s decision to book it and take part in group’s as interesting as this one.

Youth Brigade and the BYO Seen Through Film

When discussing the early and most important independent punk imprints in the States, BYO (Better Youth Organization) is usually glossed over. And basically the same can be said when discussing the emergence of hardcore – Youth Brigade, comprising the Stern brothers who ran that aforementioned label – instead focusing on Minor Threat, Black Flag and the Bad Brains.

Of course, today, Dischord still functions as a proper label. And so do a few other early day imprints. And while the Circle Jerks still tour, there aren’t too many other folks apart from them and Youth Brigade who are on the road still. The story of how and why though wasn’t the stuff of legend in the same way Ian Mackaye’s life has been mythologized.

That could be for a number of reasons, but whatever reservations about the Sterns and its imprint exist, it should mostly be dispelled by Let Them Know, a documentary issued last year detailing the band’s inception, that break for a few years and its subsequent reformation.

Before getting into that, it’s probably worth noting that musically, Youth Brigade don’t really come close to any of its then contemporaries. The band wasn’t as fast, anthemic (in a non-cheeseball kinda way) nor did it leave a clutch of essential songs. Some might dispute that point and refer to its Sound and Fury album. But there can’t be any real comparison drawn between that album and even something like The Crew from 7 Seconds, which was issued by the Sterns through their own label.

Despite varying perceptions of Youth Brigade’s music, band members were really instrumental in propelling the Southern Californian punk scene after the first clutch of bands died off, quite the game or moved on to something that wasn’t quite real enough.

Booking shows at their own Skinhead Manor was short lived due to the communal aspect not really working out for teenaged punkers as concerned with drinking, fucking and fighting as maintaining a proper residence. But after that venue/homestead was dissolved – and burned down – the Sterns set about finding various avenues to create a unified scene. Attempts varied from finding a club of their to run or even putting on huge, cross county festivals, which were dubbed Youth Movement ’82 and ’83 respectively.

So while Youth Brigade’s music hasn’t really endured, the legacy that the affiliated label was able to capture and dispense to later generations trumps most other band’s outputs.

Mott the Alzheimer: What's a Hoople?

Recording seven albums in five years – all of which made headway in the charts is remarkable feet. And while “All the Young Dudes” is what Mott the Hopple is set to be remembered for until the end of time, the band filled in space between some of the more avant psych acts of the sixties and what would eventually become punk a few years on.

An association with David Bowie didn’t hurt the band’s visibility, but by the time Mott the Hoople reached its last few albums it had basically aped a sound that wasn’t too far from the music portrayed in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. And regardless of what one might think of that film, there’s really no use for its music in a popular setting…Meatloaf? Come on.

For my money, I’ll take Brain Capers with (psuedo) hits like "Death May Be Your Santa Claus" and "The Wheel of the Quivering Meat Conception" it would seem that Ian Hunter and company had reached a peak in its song writing and playing, stretching out past whatever a traditional pop hit was intentioned to be.

A few years on with the release of an album simply called Mott found the band working in somewhat paired down song constructions. There was still a hint of tough guy rock  found in the bridge of “Honaloochie Boogie” and other places, but really the band just sounds deflated over the course of the album. Adding in a pretty pervasive horn section didn’t do too much for Mott’s sound. All of this, though, points to the fact that ending its original period with its following 1974 album The Hoople wasn’t a bad idea.

Still songs like “Violence” aptly presage punk’s fascination with the subject even if there’s a violin that crops up a bit. It’s no “Sex and Violence” by the Exploited, but it’ll do for the glam set.

Being a bit older than all the subsequent punkers – who themselves have started to drop off like flies – a few Mott members have run into medical problems. Most recently, the band’s original drummer Dale Griffin revealed his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. While he endeavors to raise awareness about the debilitating disease, today it appears that doctors and guys with white coats on are pretty close to a cure. We’ll see if that solution crops up sooner or later, but with a reformed Mott performing, this all calls into question the future of a band that counts folks pushing towards seventy as members.

American Hardcore: A (Kinda) Proper Document of the Hardcore Scene

Yes, the book American Hardcore preceded the film of the same name by about five years. But author Steven Blush teamed up with a buddy – director Paul Rachman who made a name for himself working on music videos – to produce the filmic version of the book.

In reading Blush’s work, it’s easy to be drawn into an historical trek through major hardcore scenes across the country. Illustrated by show flyers, album covers and set lists, the book moves at a quick clip. But that’s to be expected when considering the music covered therein.

A few easy criticisms arise, neither of which matter too much and really come down to trivial concepts, but apply both the to the film and the book. Firstly, the inclusion of Social Distortion is troublesome even if only the earliest moments of the band’s history is included. Mike Ness and company did appear (star?) in Another State of Mind alongside Youth Brigade. But apart from that connection to the scene and simply being from SoCal doesn’t make a strong case for inclusion. Secondly, and probably only important to native Ohioans is the fact that the Necros were from a suburb outside of Toledo and weren’t spawned in Michigan despite where the band wound up. Trivial? Yes, but historically accurate.

Working on projects of this ilk, though, unquestionably found Blush and Rachman, both veterans of the scene, in scenarios where stories related by different subjects conflicted with one another. So, while it’d be nice to figure American Hardcore, in whatever form, as a definitive guide to hardcore’s birth, there’re probably more than a few folks that don’t agree with what wound up being included and conversely, what was excluded.

Surprisingly, there’s very little shit talking. Of course, Harley Flanagan has a few choice words for the Boston Crew. And while there was obviously violence inherent in the scenes most of it was centered around the various punk gangs that sprung up in Southern California. It’s an odd concept to grasp, but in a city that large, it would make sense if finding protection became a necessity. Usually, though, folks figure the bonehead portion of the scene to come out of the Northeastern parts of the country.  Either way, catching an elbow or a fist in the face was part of going to a show. And that’s what was hard to relate to the straight news media at the time.

Now, that’s no longer necessary with movies (and books) like this. And obviously with the underground expanding to the point that it doesn’t know what to do with itself any more, there probably won’t be another movement like this – well, maybe ever. Bummer. But a nostalgic one.

American Idiot – Original Broadway Cast Recording

 

I'm not a huge Green Day fan, but their 2004 magnum opus American Idiot was undeniably brilliant, and while their 2009 follow-up 21st Century Breakdown was not as groundbreaking, it held together quite well on its own right. I had that American Idiot was adapted into a Broadway musical, but my interest wasn't piqued until I heard that the stunning "21 Guns" (off 21st Century Breakdown) was also given the theatrical treatment. My curiosity sufficiently stoked, I decided to check American Idiot - Original Broadway Cast Recording out, and came away very sufficiently impressed.


 

 

 

 

 

I was expecting a by-the-numbers adaptation of Green Day's songs on this recording, but what surprised me was the (occasionally) radical reworking the music received. "Are We The Waiting?", already one of my favorite cuts from American Idiot, benefits from a subtle string arrangement during the mournful verse and the powerful chorus. The soft piano arrangement of "Whatshername" works better than the simple guitar riffage of its counterpart on American Idiot, and the strings evoke a sense of wistfulness that the original couldn't. The best comes from "21 Guns", Rebecca Naomi Jones' voice taking the song to heights that Billie Joe Armstrong's nasal tone could only dream of, before the entire company comes in to send the song home. You hear "21 Guns", and you can tell the American Idiot musical was no token musical. Green Day wrote such good music on American Idiot, it translated across genres and styles, from punk rock to Broadway, where it was accepted with an open mind and a healthy dose of flair.

 

Accomplished as though the singers on this performance are - John Gallagher, Jr., who plays Johnny, won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Musical - I can't help thinking that there's a bit of an American Idol slant to some of the vocals. That's not a slight to the singers in the company (or a note on the pun between the titles), but there was a charm to Green Day's "three guys jamming" approach that is lost with a full ensemble (plus violin, viola and cello). Fortunately, any perceived American Idol infestation doesn't last too long, because these performances are just so damn good. For the most part, that is - "Know Your Enemy" doesn't quite work . Billie Joe Armstrong's angry punk rage doesn't translate well to Broadway. I'd reserve the same criticism for "American Idiot", but it's really hard to argue with company trading vocal lines in the rising build before the climax of the song.

 

Because the music (primarily of American Idiot, but also 21st Century Breakdown) has so much going for it, the Broadway adaptation is both natural and inspired. With the plethora of vocal talent on offer, the core instrumentation (played by Green Day for this recording) take a back seat (another minor quibble, because some of the solos are altered), but it's there. Besides, if you want the original instrumentation, listen to the original. American Idiot - Original Broadway Cast Recording is a fun, creative, imaginative reinterpretation of two great albums by a band that, prior to 2004, probably didn't know Broadway from Boardwalk. 4.5/5

TWOFR: Dark Skies x Red & Gold

Dark Skies

Self Titled

(Empty Records, 2006)

Ya know, I love the MC5, but I don’t really need them name dropped every ten minutes (this was an example of name dropping to ensure my credibility). The trio that is Dark Skies draw from that pool of rock and release an album of music easily surpassed by the cover art.  I’m pretty confident that living in the sixties and seventies would have provided me with a great deal of fun, so I can understand the affinity bands have for attempting to recreate that time through notes.  Each track of this recreation has positive elements, whether it’s the funky bass, a musical freak-out or guitar screeches, but when taken as a whole, the album falls short of anything that could be listened to more than once, or even once all the way through.  Empty Records is toying with our emotions folks.  The general public will be exposed to The Reatards or some other viable act and then we’re given Dark Skies.  Mr. Empty Records Label Boss, we want to love you, but give us a reason.

Red & Gold

Your Napoleon

(Lujo Records, 2006)

First things first, Red & Gold should listen to more Minutemen then they do currently.  Because, well frankly, that would make them better. Nevertheless, sometimes as a writer, when there’s nothing good to say, you examine an album within the scope of a general genre and general society so as not to have to delve into the music that you’re made to hear.  That’s what I’m going to do now.  The fact that this album exists and somewhere is currently being heralded as good, speaks volumes towards the state of underground rock music.  Yes, it is marvelous that technology allows the disenfranchised to create and distribute music and all kinds of media.  And no, there should never be any portion of the general populace that should be silenced. But, the fact that this Pennsylvania band has the opportunity to release an album on a label across the country seems a bit absurd.  Even if viewed under the circumstances of a local punk show, as openers of course, this band would come off as rather bland and at best energized, but a bit misled. What is crammed into this thirteen minutes of music is screamy, tempo-shifting punk that most likely would be referred to as indie or some such other hip genre name by the three men that make up this group. The first track that greets the listeners’ ears is “Beg for Water” with it’s over zealous drumming that attempts to fit half a beat extra into few spots throughout the track.  The two vocalists do compliment each other’s yelling over the five songs. And on “Darkest Days (My Hope and Song)” each takes a stab at singing while the music is at its’ most relaxed. Just to not leave a horrible taste in anyone’s mouth, it should be noted that this trio is moderately adept at tempo changes. That’s probably about it though.

The Yolks: Punk cum Pop

The difference between power pop, hard rock (of the seventies variety) and punk is slight at best. During the earliest years of the genre(s) one was almost indecipherable from the next. The Ramones are obviously the easiest touchstone, but so are Boston’s Real Kids and any other band with a guitar player exerting effort to render his chords in the most jangly manner.

Maybe jangly is the wrong word. Even Major Accident, in its music at least, had a bit of that never ending, but pleasant guitar style inherent in most of its songs. Whatever the case is, though, Chicago’s the Yolks have turned in a disc that takes all of that into consideration (minus that skinhead band), adds some proper singing and came up with a start-to-finish- solid rock effort.

Again, owing to more than one of those aforementioned (psuedo) musical genres doesn’t hurt and in fact serves to work the band’s song writing acumen in pretty well. Nothing strays to far, or at all, from basic song writing stuffs, but backed by an ample drummer, never dropping a beat and bolstered by a basser aware of grooves behind punk restrictions there’s a whole bunch of palatable work here.

Sometimes, music this simple is difficult to write about with comparisons working better, even if it gets a bit bothersome. “Sir Charles,” deviating from the rest of the disc, is an updated beach classic with a bit of keys tossed in for good measure.

The rest of the disc, though, kinda comes off like a good Strokes album. That will unquestionably be taken as a slight by at least some folks. But if that New York band embraced basic song craft instead of blatant douche baggery, the Yolks’ self titled album might have been the result.

Obscured behind production distance, Aaron Stringer’s vocals really do bare some similarities to Strokes’ front-man Julian Casablancas. No that band never really had anything to do with garage or sixties’ pop, but if it did, everyone figuring them for garage revivalists would make sense.

With the States worked up into another tripped out garage frenzy, the more staid sounds of the Yolks should do ear holes well. Whether or not Chicago births any almost stars of this latest go round of retreads remains to be seen. But the fact that I’d not stumbled over this album, released last year, until now doesn’t bode well.

The Dogs - "Algomania" (Video)

Thankfully, this French band saw fit to sing in English. I can't explain why they'd endeavor to do that, but at least listeners in the States can understand most of what's going on here. Either way, the Dogs were engaged with that first wave of punk. Top shelf.

F.U.2.: Imported Punk

There’re so many unheralded punk nuggets floating around the world that it really has become impossible to track each and everyone down. And oddly enough, it’s taken a Japanese label to ingratiate listeners to the sounds of F.U.2.

1977 Records appears focused on re-releasing a great deal of scum punk in order to perhaps re-tell part of history – the awful, forgotten part. And for this particular release, the label’s not only re-told some of it, but explained a bit of it as well.

Beginning in the early ‘60s a huge crop of Brit Beat combos popped up. Amongst them were some folks from Twickenham who made up the Downliners Sect. They didn’t possess the ability to over take the Stones, the Beatles or even the Who, but they did churn out a few solid discs of pseudo-American rock music. The Downliners’ weren’t ahead of their time, they were of the moment. And even beyond that, it’s pretty clear that they were not on the same level musically as any of the other Brit groups who would be exported to the states.

After those few albums, the band disintegrated, but for reasons unknown got back together, in part to capitalize on punk and its momentary commercial viability. It seems like an odd move, but if you take a look at MTV or any other media outlet, the trailings of punk culture can be seen on almost ever shoulder of the new rock cognoscenti. It’s a bit disconcerting, but true.

Regardless of that though, F.U.2. compiled lyrics, basic tunes and hit the studios. Some of the lyrics, if only read, come off as trite and even as a misrepresentation of a group that was at least ten years older than every one else playing punk in late seventies’ Britannia. But it’s also the same reason that F.U.2. was better than most of ‘em as well.

The inclusion of the Paul Tone’s harmonica easily sets this set of tracks apart from everything else that was recorded during this period. And even if Art Less’ vocals could be imagined to have sprung from another source, the band’s RnB background served them well. Every basic tenet of the Downliners Sect is easily applicable to the music here. It’s just way faster. And since this group is barely accounted for in the annals of punk, below you, avid reader, can find some close approximations of their sound.

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