Los LLamarada, Hemlock S.F., 9/13/07

The Raddest Band You've Never Heard Of!
It's been a long time because Grad School = No Time for Blog! Also, I'm working on a project that would be a video version of Lemon Session, without the dumb name and stupid stories about my old bands.

For a demo of the Website, I recorded Los Llamarada at their first show at the Hemlock. I would write more but I'm really overworked and I prefer the video to do the talking.



Love it!

Unnatural Helpers, Jules Maes (Seattle), 8/10/07

Unnatural Helpers = Best Band in Seattle

I have loved this band since their first lineup, which featured Dean (the main songwriter) on drums and vocals, Lars (the brains behind the Intelligence) on guitar, and Jed (former guitarist of the Ninja Boners) on bass. Funny enough, at this same time, this was also the lineup of the Intelligence, the era when they recorded the songs for the Popular Shapes split 7"on Dirtnap. This lineup of the Unnatural Helpers can be heard on Babyhead comp on SS records.

Many lineups later, the Unnatural Helpers are still totally kicking the shit out of any other rock band out there today. The current lineup, which must be something like six or seventh, now features guitarist Chris from Kinski, Kimberley from the Fallouts on Bass, Mike from Dean's old band Double Fudge on guitar, and of course, Dean on drums and vocals. With a lineup like that and with Dean at the helm, it's no wonder they kick out the jams full force-style.

Even though their set was delayed because of technical difficulties and the vocals needed to be turned up, the Unnatural Helpers did not disappoint. Just listen:

Con Monk

Earwax

Blackmarks *unreleased*

Twist *unreleased*


The Helpers have a new 7" on Dirty Knobby records, which can be ordered from Dean; just email him at deangullberry@hotmail.com And you haven't got it already, order the s/t album as well. They'll also be touring with Kinski in the beginning of September; check their myspace page for more details.

Times New Viking & The Hunches, Eagles Lodge (Portland, OR), 8/4/07

Yes, this show happened, and it was pretty good

Who here first saw Times New Viking after hearing "Dig Yourself" and thought "Thank God they delivered!" I bought my wife "Dig" when it first came out for a Christmas present and by God I had to suppress the urge to steal their riffs because they were that good, goddamn it (though I couldn't help thinking that "Skull Vs. Wizard" was just a new take on songs like "Santa Monica" by Everclear and "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit.) "Presents the Paisley Reich" took some getting used to, but it was the last thing I listened to before I got married and listening to "Hiding in Machines" really did make everything look like it was going to be alright... (you would need to know the back story for that shit.)

I knew I was traveling to Seattle that week they were touring but I made arrangements with some great friends to go straight to Portland so we could catch their show with the Hunches. Sure, we couldve flown directly to Portland, but adding a road trip to the ordeal made it more exciting.

I would've enjoyed TNV more if I didn't have so many technical difficulties with my recorder -- borrowed from UC Berkeley, it was set to record MP3s using the internal mics, which meant I was going to get shit sound until I adjusted it. Strangely enough, it sounds just as good as TMV's albums, so I'm not that embarrassed.

RIP Allegory *new song*

Skull Vs. Wizard

Teenage Lust

Come Together *new song*

The Hunches headlined.

I remember the first time I saw the Hunches (imagine me on a wooden porch and you're sitting cross-legged in front of me). They were this unknown band that seemed to be playing the "rock and roll punk"-thing when it had already gone out of style; any band that released something on Junk Records seemed to sum up the numerous amount of crap bands that toured through Seattle.

Yet I couldn't help but get into the Hunches. The guitarist went ape shit the entire time and the singer, when he got really screaming, sounded just like Tomata du Plenty. With their two LP's, they proved they weren't like the other "punk rawk" bands that made me never want to listen to the Heartbreakers or the MC5 ever again. They were a hell of a lot noisier, but that may be partly due to the fact both albums, "Yes.No. Shut It." and "Hobo Sunrise," were recorded at the Distillery in Costa Mesa, CA, a studio with a reputation for bringing the noise (Lightning Bolt and Le Shok are just two examples of the noisy bands that recorded there.)

At this show, the band still brought the same energy, except it sounded like they hadn't practiced much before the show. They gave us a set with a bunch of new songs, including one, "Your Sick Blooms," that singer Hart needed a lyric sheet for. When I got the guitarist Chris to sign the release form, he didn't seem very pleased with the set and didn't give me any information so I could send him a copy of the show. Too bad; I think the recording came out great.

Actors

When I Became You

Your Sick Blooms *new song*

Fall Drive


According to their MySpace page, these are the Hunches' last days; they're recording one more album and maybe doing a West Coast tour. Maybe it's for the best, since they'll be quitting while still at the top of their game.

The Finches, Hemlock S.F, 7/28/07

An amazing recording of San Francisco's next Vashti Bunyan

I'm not much of a fan of singer/songwriter folk pop. Really, you put the words "singer" and "songwriter" together and I'm hit with horrible flashbacks of the days of "Lilith Fair." But for me, the Finches are different, for two reasons: 1. They have awesome influences -- Vashti Bunyan being one very awesome and obvious one, and 2. They write undeniably catchy songs that are not far off from the folk songs that influenced our favorite punk bands. (I actually figured out one song, "House Under a Hill," and realized its verse was based on a "punk rock box" chord-structure* -- C #, G #, D #, A # -- but played as a waltz instead of a 4/4.)

I went to this show to not only see two great bands -- the Finches and the Bushes, a comedy-rap duo from L.A. -- but to try out my new recording equipment. As you'll hear, the new set up really makes a difference.

Human Like a House

Nightswimming, AR

House Under a Hill

Step Outside


Sadly, the recordings I posted didn't leave room for lead singer/guitarist Carolyn's witty stage banter, which, instead of consisting of your usual one-liners thrown between band members, was composed of funny stories. She also used these stories to introduce her songs during the set, a good example being one about seeing two shirtless dudes in backpacks pushing each other on the street** before playing the song "Nightswimming."

Doubly sadly is the fact that other than a show at the Great American Music Hall on Sept. 6, the Hemlock show was the last the Finches will be doing for a while in the Bay Area. Carolyn will still be playing, mostly in the L.A. area (where she's moving to) but without being accompanied by guitarist/backup singer Aaron or sometimes drummer Justin, who also play together in the instrumental band Roots of Orchis. For more news on the Finches, go to their MySpace page.

*The punk rock box is the easiest recipe for a good punk song. You can take can any four notes, it's just that they have to form a "box" on the fret board of a guitar. A good example is G, A, C, D; played in any order with a 4/4 tempo, these notes form a great punk song. Move the same box up and down the frets and you'll find you get the same results.
**Of course I'm paraphrasing and not doing the story justice.

Battleship (Last Show), 21 Grand, 7/22/07

Oakland has lost its most chaotic band

Oakland's Battleship is no longer. Singer Aleks and guitarist are both moving away, leaving a pretty big void in Oakland's punk rock scene. Battleship was probably the only punk band in the East Bay that wasn't either: A. a crusty, Discharge ripoff, or B. An angular, no wave dance-punk band. (For East Bay music scenesters, those types of bands are you only two options now, so if you want to hear something different, start your own band now!!!)

For me though, I loved Battleship because their live show was almost a revival of the greatest live band to ever exist, Behead the Prophet No Lord Shall Live. Seriously, if Battleship had a violinist and Aleks was more open with his homosexuality (ZING), their shows would be time portals to Seattle/Olympia, between the years 1996 and 1998. They would've been regulars at the Capitol Theater and the Velvet Elvis.

Battleship's last show did not disappoint. Well, maybe in the sense that they didn't sound that great, but all the energy was there, crowd included. It probably helped that the band passed out free shots of whiskey to the crowd before their set. (Hence the first picture in the slide show.)

The band went all out, to the point where they had their two former drummers each play on a song, as well as all three play together on the last song, "Contempt." (I didn't post that because it really ends in utter chaos and gets on your nerves as the song drags on.) They probably got in one practice before the show so they're pretty sloppy, and it didn't help that 21 GRand is just one bi echo chamber. Really, the recordings below are for document's sake.

You Could Feel

Kissing Kobras

*new song*

San Francisco's Alright...


If you want to hear the band at their prime, get either of their albums -- Present Princess or Hearts Addendum -- both of which can be purchased from On On Switch. I also think Raw Deluxe might have vinyl as well.

Go to Battleship's MySpace and wish them a fond farewell, now.