Pittsburgh punkers Anti-Flag just released a new video today for their song “The Economy Is Suffering…Let It Die” that appears on their 2009 album entitled The People Or The Gun. Not a bad song although I find it a little heavy on the pop punk side. Overall it is a good jam and these boys still have not changed their political views on the US one bit.
I am sitting here trying to think of something clever to say about the experimental pop act Polysics but my mind is blank.
It would be all too easy to say they are the modern day Japanese version of Devo…just look at their outfits. Truth is they are Devo but mixed with some Daft Punk and even some of the more experimental Kraftwerk.
The Japanese new wave, electronic, punk rock act has actually been around since 1997 and started “in the spirit of Devo” according to Hyroyuki Hayashi, the band’s vocalist / guitarist. They even wear Devo-like jump suits with the letter “P” on them. The foursome recently released their tenth album entitled Absolute Polysics on MySpace Records (US Release).
I have only heard a sample of songs but I can tell you that they are a ton of fun and an absolute riot to listen to even if I can not understand all of their lyrics. For you people who like your music weird and of the wall, this is the band for you. To support my statement, both Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips and Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo have raved about Absolute Polysics. That right there proves there is something special about this band.
Next month (Feb 12th) Polysics are making a stop at Musica in Akron, OH and I think it is safe to say that it will be a show not to miss. I myself plan on being there and you should too!
Nothing like waiting until the last minute… With less than 10 hours to go I give you my Best / Worst list of 2009. Mind you none of these are in order/ranked, they are just the best / worst I have been pondering over all year long… Enjoy.
Best Albums:
The Avett Brothers – I & Love & You
Mastodon – Crack The Skye
Frank Turner – Poetry Of The Deed
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus
Converge – Axe To Fall
Those Darlins – Those Darlins
Gallows – Grey Britain
Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid
P.O.S. – Never Better
BlakRoc – BlakRoc
The Sidekicks – Weight Of Air
Best Unreleased Album:
Dangermouse & Sparklehorse – Dark Night Of The Song
Worst Albums:
Brokencyde – I’m Not A Fan But The Kids Like It
Alice In Chains – Black Gives Way To Blue
Third Eye Blind – Ursa Major
Sugar Ray – Music For Cougars
On The Fence About Albums:
Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures
Drummer – Feel Good Together
Guilty Pleasure Albums:
Owl City –Ocean Eyes
Brokencyde – I’m Not A Fan But The Kids Like It
Best Box Set Released:
Coheed & Cambia – Neverender
Best Anthology Released:
Fat Wreck Chords – Wrecktrospective
Best Festival I Attended:
Bonnaroo – Bruce Springsteen, Merle Haggard, Public Enemy, NIN, Andrew Bird, Wilco, Beastie Boys, Al Green, Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix and many more.
Best Shows I Attended:
The Avett Brothers @ Akron Civic Center – Akron, OH
Dan Auerbach / Those Darlins @ Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
Converge / High On Fire @ The Grog Shop – Cleveland Hts., OH
Loudest Show I Attended (EVER):
Mastodon @ Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
Most Unsuspecting Show I Attended (with good reason):
Britney Spears / Pussycat Dolls @ The Value City Area – Columbus, OH
Worst Show I Attended:
Gin Blossoms @ Cain Park – Cleveland Hts., OH
Best Local Acts I Saw Live:
Nicholas Megalis
Unsparing Sea
Best Movies:
Zombieland
The Hangover
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
Up
Star Trek
Worst Movies:
G.I. Joe
Transformers 2
Movie That You Should Not Watch When Your Heart Aches:
500 Days Of Summer
Best TV Show:
Community
The Awesome:
Bouncing Souls celebrating 20 years as a punk band and releasing a song a month all year.
Greg Ginn (of Black Flag) agreeing to play a couple of songs for free at Blue Arrow Records courtesy of myself and Addicted To Vinyl.
Going to Bonnaroo with two of my favorite people and then coming home and immediate going to see Rancid / Rise Against from backstage.
Seeing Those Darlins 4 times live.
Matt’s wonderful girlfriend scoring me an autographed personalized CD from Frank Turner as well as a hi-five.
Meeting the fine folk at Thirty Tiger Records followed by shopping at Grimey’s while pit-stopping in Nashville.
Having friends from all around come up to visit and see the magic that is called Cleveland.
The Suck:
November 5th, 2009
My laptop crashing
My external hard drive crashing
Changing for the better.
RIP (there were plenty more but these are ones that stuck with me):
Michael Jackson
James “The Rev” Sullivan
DJ-AM
Taylor Mitchell
Vic Chesnutt
Les Paul
Jay Bennett
Brittany Murphy
Captain Lou Albano
Patrick Swayze
Jim Carroll
John Hughes
Walter Cronkite
Billy Mays
David Carridine
Dom DeLuise
Bea Arthur
Jeremy Lusk
Heath Ledger
So with just a few hours left I would like to say goodbye to 2009. It was a fun and incredibly rough year for me. I see big things happening in 2010 for me.
Resolutions? A couple I suppose…
Portion Control – I can eat and now I need to watch how much of it I do
Personal Conquest – I have ideas and will follow through
Sugar – I am limiting my intake
Live – I plan on attending more shows this year than previous years
Blog On – I will continue making BHP bigger and better so that people actually will COMMENT on here…
Do you have a best of you wish to share or do you think I overlooked someone? Let me know. Email me at broken@brokenheadphones.com or comment below. I want to hear from you!
I am not shocked anymore when someone tells me about something I was not aware of. There is just so much out there on the internets that I really need to rely on other people to point out the awesome to me. With that said I would like to talk about an amazing website that my pal Josh pointed out to me called If You Make It. More importantly I really want to talk about The Pink Couch Sessions.
No this is not porno...well not that I know of.
If You Make It is a website started by a music loving guy named Dave Garwacke who used to throw house shows in his basement but never really cataloged it. Realizing that there was no proof ever recorded Garwacke decided he wanted to start recording shows again but this time recording them on site for the world to see. Seeing how he was surrounded with a circle of musical friends it was not a problem to start over and once he moved to Brooklyn he was able to start where he left off, but this time with cameras.
After spending time recording shows and festivals Garwacke decided to start “The Pink Couch Sessions”. These sessions were recorded in his very own home on, you guessed it, a pink couch (as well as a few on the road). The result is an impressive intimate collection of broken down acoustic performances by many bands, some known and others soon to be known. Some of the songs are even available for free download too!
Josh recently emailed me a link to a Pink Couch Session featuring a band I really like called Bridge & Tunnel. I have been a huge fan of Bridge & Tunnel since the day the CD arrived at my front door and sadly missed a chance to see them live when they played a free house show at the Soggy Dog in Lakewood, OH. Josh was there and from what he told me I missed one hell of a show. Even if I missed it I am thrilled he sent me this link because now I know of If You Make It and am positive that it will be a weekly if not daily stop on my internet browsing habits. There is just so much music caught behind the camera for me to even fully discuss. It would be best if you just checked it out for yourself.
I have spent some time watching performances on the pink couch by many bands I really dig tonight as well as have been introduced to a few I really want to look in to more. Here are a few I liked including the Bridge & Tunnel session Josh emailed me…thanks Josh.
So indie rock is cool right? Well I think so… What about folk music? That seems to be hitting the ears of many as of late. Now imagine an indie folk rock band or a folk indie band that rocks or how about a rock folk indie band. Yes this has been covered before but there is something about Cleveland’s Unsparing Sea that really hits me when I think of indie rock mixed with folk music. Recently the band released their sophomore album entitled In The Diamond Caverns, an album full of a mix of both genres of music that was ever so tasteful to my ears.
Opening track “Sandpaper/Sadpaper” started off the CD as if one was entering the world of dreamland with inviting harps and hypnotizing cello playing temping you for a taste of what was going to come. Originally I thought of this song as an intro but after the slightest pause the song jumped into this orgy of music with plucking and blowing (banjos and horns you perverts).
Maybe it’s the way lead singer J.R. sang along with the cello and saw (yes, saw) in “Wolves At A Wedding” but my attention perked up a tad. The song is beautiful yet gloomy and is the kind of song someone can either profess their love to someone or devise a planned Dexter-like attack to the unsuspecting villain. The song actually premiered on the band’s previous EP In The Crystal Canyon.
“The Diamond Caverns” is a less gloomy track and carry lyrics speaking of a savior left to be determined. I absolutely loved the combination of the drumming and strings midway through the song. “Sleight Of Hand” carried a more lullaby sound that continued the attractive cello with what sounded like an upright bass being gently plucked.
My choice cut on the album without a doubt is “Sing Devil Sing” as it really brought out the twang with banjo playing but kept an indie sound vocally but then out of nowhere came this Spanish trumpet playing that just brought the song together perfectly. Ryan Kelly’s drumming really makes “Fires, Attics, Etc.” a lively track to listen to. The song is perhaps the most upbeat on the album and clearly shows this band has many sides of emotion.
Granted I had only been treated to a sample of tracks off of The Crystal Canyon I can tell you I am hooked and want more. I was lucky enough to catch Unsparing Sea play the Music Saves 5 Year Store-A-Versary a few months back and was floored by their live performance. It was my very first taste of a talented local act truly unique to neighboring bands. If things go my way there might be a copy of the CD in my stocking on Jesus Day morning.
Better yet the band is scheduled to play a show on Dec. 23rd at the Beachland Ballroom‘s Yulesville Pre-Holiday Bash! The show starts at 9pm and there is going to be a slew of bands there including Unsparing Sea. Looks to be a fun time. Having seen Unsparing Sea live before I can tell you they are an act not to be missed.
If you are interested in purchasing this awesome Cleveland band’s material you should head over to their website.
