Music
The Blacks - Bottom of the Hill, August 9th
Posted September 7th, 2008 by Sarah-Delirium
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The funny thing about The Blacks that I first noticed, upon witnessing their mind-blowing performance at the Bottom of the Hill on Saturday (Aug. 9th), is that if there were ever a lead singer who reminded me of Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, this was it. But take Louisa Black and place her next to Karen herself and who would look like the imitation? Certainly not Miss Black. After enduring the gloomy basement-art-rock stylings of opener The New Centuries, aptly named after a local strip club (or that’s the rumour anyway) – The Blacks entered the stage and began shouting at me unapologetically. But I didn’t mind. It was like somebody kicking art up my ass – art that I deserved. I felt that I had been waiting for this moment for a very long time. Singer Louisa Black looked just like all of the sexy, assertive, and intelligent bitches I’ve ever met in my life, except she played guitar way better.
Von Iva - Bottom of the Hill, July 13th
Posted September 7th, 2008 by Sarah-Delirium
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Lead singer Jillian Iva has all the mystique of a 12-year-old preteen girl.
Yet it is just this sort of shameless playful experimentation that gives Von Iva an edge performance-wise over many other bands today. I would say “bands of its type”, but in trying to reference bands similar to Von Iva, I couldn’t think of any. Think Cher preaching over old skool video-game music. That is the closest analogy I could find. Backed by Kelly Harris on drums and Becky Kupersmith pounding heavy, bizarre synth backgrounds, Von Iva is neither dainty, nor elegant, but more like down-to-earth dance pop delivered Vegas-style. Indeed, it is Jillian Iva’s dancing and wild stage antics – from twirling the mic like a cowgirl, flinging the contents of her water bottle all over the audience, and leaping onto the drumset and bending over backwards – that make Von Iva a smashing, captivating success. Over the course of the evening, I watched as singer Iva writhed onstage like Madonna, climbed all over the speakers, and walked into the audience, all the while preaching her doctrines – such simple messages as “Do It” and “You Need No Man.”
We're Baaaack...
Posted August 25th, 2008 by Tristan-Beedon
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Well, almost.
Back online, back home in California, and back to our humble roots. Not that we’ve ever been anything but humble. What I’m saying is that it’s once again all about the music. So stay tuned, dear readers, for show reviews galore, interviews with bands you’ve never heard of (but should have), dissections of recent albums, and of course, impassioned, venomous screeds about the state of popular music and culture.
On September 1st, we rise again.
Razzle Blaster and the Canoga Park Adventure Squad
Posted November 12th, 2007 by Amy-Gilbert
If you had tuned in to the San Francisco installment of gogoray.net you might remember a little band called The Brockly Tacos. Though now defunct, the Tacos are remain one of my favorite cartoon metal bands, as well as an awesome bunch of guys. Tommy “P-dubs” Meehan, Luis, and Gaelon have run off to LA in pursuit of music and girls in bikinis, leaving Seany-poo and Kool-aid all alone in the North Bay. Now Tommy has drawn three new characters into his musical comic strip in the form of LA’s Razzle Blaster.
Razzle Blaster can only be described as new. They blend death metal screams and grunts, energetic driving drums, melodic bass, and adventurous, intricate guitar with techno beats and sampling. The music can loosely be described as metal, but that genre robs Razzle Blaster of their uniqueness in style and fundamental execution. I can honestly say that I’ve never heard anything like this.
Now, I’d like to qualify that by saying that I don’t really listen to metal at all. It’s just not my style of music, sorry dudes! But I will say that it takes an enormous amount of talent to play any style of metal well. Any asshole with an acoustic guitar and a set of bongos can start a band. But to really play drums, guitar, and bass in a metal band takes artistry. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Tommy is an artist. He’s a buddy, I used to boss him around at work, but I’m still in awe of that kid when he has a guitar in his hands.
Top 5 Records
Posted July 24th, 2007 by Amy-Gilbert
Do you want to know what I’ve been listening to lately? Yeah, I know it’s trite, but I couldn’t think of another way to show you what I’m all about. So pay a-freakin-tention!
Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John
Ok, I know this is all over the radio right now but its a really great song. I’ve actually been really surprised to see all of this mainstream media attention for this band. The song has a disco pop beat mixed with subdued indie vocals. Throw in a catchy whistle and romantic chorus and you’ve got a hit!
Queen Bitch - David Bowie
The best (and only) thing in The Life Aquatic that I liked were the Portugese covers of David Bowie songs. Thats because Bowie is so good that he works in any language. Queen bitch is one of those songs that can meld with any genre of music. Its old but doesn’t sound old. It’s pop but not too poppy to be considered uncool. Its catchy but not annoying. Its danceable but not disco. Its just an awesome fucking song.
Yr Mangled Heart - The Gossip
I’m a sucker for a girl singer who sounds assertive. So many indie singers these days sound like meek little kittens. The gossip is one of the only bands out there with a lead singer who can keep her indie cred, sound like she could kick your ass, and retain her femininity. Yr mangled Heart is a soulful, pissed off pop song with a danceable beat and hummable chorus. Perfect break-up song.
Talk of the Town - Shoplifting
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there’s enough songs out there about male rape. All I really have to say is that this band is amazing live and it’s a shame that every time I mention this band to people they don’t know who I’m talking about.
Spit Shine Your Black Clouds - The Blood Brothers
I first saw this band at a small club in Seattle in 2000. They are a hard driving punk band with falsetto vocals, but its not all screaming and three chord formulas. There is a melodic texture to their song composition. Their style changes slightly on each track showing off their obvious musical talent. Yeah, this song is definitely more mellow and dancy (is that a word?) than the rest of their catalog but I think it’s a good intro to the band. If you don’t like anything else they do you’ll probably still like this song, and that will make me happy.
Scene Snapshot - Joel Simchez
Posted May 2nd, 2007 by Jill
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Joel Simchez - tonight working at TT the Bear’s Place - is Boston’s travelling sound guy.
“I’m freelance - I don’t work for any of the clubs, but I sub for other people.”
How long have you been on the Boston music scene?
I’ve been around since the mid-eighties. Things were a little more interesting back then.
What do you think of the musical landscape right now?
It’s just starting to get interesting again after the last six or seven years where there was not much happening; you could go to a club and see four bands, and they’d all be cut from the same indie-rock cloth.
Which bands do you think are stepping up and making things interesting again?
I’m working with a band - Camaro - that are just exploding right now. There’s another band, Three Day Threshold; they’re a mixture of bluegrass, punk and country. They’re in your face, but they’re wearing cowboy hats while they do it.
The vital question: TT the Bear’s, or The Middle East?
TT’s manages to put on a more consistent bill of local acts.
Monkey - "Cruel Tutelage", Asian Man Records
Posted August 31st, 2005 by Amy-Gilbert
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Jesus Christ! It’s 1997, when ska ruled the world!! Oh wait, no, its Monkey. That’s right kids, did you know that ska is still around? I know, I know. I thought it died when No Doubt became popular too, but apparently some are trying to resurrect it. Monkey is an eight piece bay area ska band that prides themselves on the fact that they are “real musicians playing real instruments.” Wow. Even when ska was cool I would not have listened to this.
