Chapter Twenty Three: "Save it for the Birds: Recordings in 2011."

"Save that bullshit for the birds."

That's what Joe Rothman says to Lou Ford in Jim Thompson's 1952 noir novel "The Killer Inside Me."

Year-end lists can be bullshit. I guess my issue with them is that the idea of rating things, putting them in some kind of order, is stupid. I've never been a person that can really participate in the arguments that center on ranking music or bands. When music nerd arguments surface - "who's a better guitarist: Jimi Hendrix or Brian Causey?" -  I tend to lose interest, back away, roll my eyes. Music isn't a contest, and its always a roll of the dice with semantics and opinions, which have nothing to do with facts.

  

Year end lists do serve the beneficial purpose of reviewing the year and all the happenings and releases. So for that reason, I'm officially going to attempt mine. It's a blog, and I feel a certain responsibility as part of the Universal Blog Organization of the Universe. My budget does not really allow me to purchase a large amount per year, so I missed out on a lot of releases I will probably pick up in 2012. About 99% of these are regional releases, with a few outsiders thrown in here and there. 

The one thing I've heard several writers and opinionated folks hark is that 2011 sucked as far as new music goes. I can't go along with this at all. Every year there is a ton of new music that comes out that floors me. I can't keep up with one percent of the things I want to hear. These were just the releases I managed to get a hold of; I missed a lot I'll have to buy retrospectively, and I apologize to the bands/artists I didn't fit on here that deserve it.  

In no order whatsoever...

*Eleanor Murray  - "Thunderling." (Talking Helps Records): I became familiar with Ms. Murray's music in a very roundabout way, but I'm glad all the pieces fell into place the way they did, because I've grown to love this record. I booked a show for visiting musician/friend J. Marinelli (another member of this list) at The Rudyard Kipling, paired him with locals The Teeth and was told by the restaurant that Murray needed a show that night. We were happy to have her, and I'm so glad we did. Her show was pretty damn amazing. This album is wonderful and I plan on A) bringing her back  and B) buying more. "Thunderling" is a collection of live material from her 2010 album "Oh Thunder". Murray's songs are hauntingly aggressive in their own melodies, and show she is definitely creative as hell. "The Whale," "Scream" and "When a Heart Becomes a Heart" kill me.

[editor's note: have no idea why this switches back and forth from double to single spaced. just go with it.]

*J. Marinelli - "Pre-Skankery Sessions" (Commodity Fetish Analogue): Since meeting and seeing James Marinelli at Goodfolks Fest, I've been a fan. When he moved to Lexington from West Virginia, I was super-excited, and even more excited we became good friends. And he's a prolific motherfucker. Besides playing in Arcane Rifles (another pick here), he continues to crank out lo-fi wonderful solo one-man-band recordings that blow my mind with their naked songwriting and irremeable sound. I believe this was officially released near the end of 2010, but its goodness carried over into 2011 easy. Marinelli has a new recording heading our way in '12.

J.Marinelli

*Dane Waters - "Dark Waters" (Self-Released): Brilliant winter music from a very involved member of various facets of the Louisville music scene. I just reviewed the album, so check that out for a detailed look into this disc. And GO SEE HER LIVE.

Dane Waters

*Tropical Trash - "Acts of Reversal": It was in '11 that I finally became aware of the feedbackings of Tropical Trash of Louisville. Like the aforementioned Ms. Waters, two members of this trio are from the anchor band Sapat, and have created some powerful music mixed with experimental sound structures and improvisation. Their live shows are intense (as discussed here and here and here). "Acts of Reversal" is the second collection of recordings the band released in 2011, the first being "Docetic Necro."  These two documentations of what I consider one of the best bands in town, and can be downloaded at their blog site, along with another EP and live recordings. The rumor mill chunked out the possibility of a cassette release soon.

Tropical Trash

*Natives - "Loose Secrets" (Rad Tantrum): I walked into Cahoots to see the noise rock duo Lightning Bolt making a rare appearance in town, and stumbled onto a loudness that I think I liked even better. Natives are Louisville natives, and although I couldn't see the band perform, I was impressed by their set, and was happy as hell to hear they would later open for own of my all-time fave bands Man Or Astroman? later in the year. Their debut album plays at 45rpm and is a pitch perfect platter of heavy thoughts and sounds. Them peeps have a future. The album sounds like aloof anger in the forest as a swirl of guitars shelter the vox in an over-cover of reverb. If you don't want the vinyl, go download it.  

Natives

*The Seedy Seeds - "Verb Noun" (Eurodorable Recordings):  The Seedy Seeds come from up there in the North in a mysterious town called Cincinnati. I first became aware of their perfect pop selves back circa 2009 during a brief run I had as a part-time sound guy at the The Rudyard Kipling. Of course, I fucked up some of Margaret Darling's vocals because of  a mic error on my part during part of the show. Yet, they still played a set that somewhat set me on my ass, and I've made it a point to see every live show they've played here since. After the show, I apologized to the band, and they scolded me by handing me a tour EP featuring tracks from their 2008 release "Count the Days." In February 2011, the band released this beautiful full-length follow-up. Vocals are shared by multi-instrumentalists Darling and Mike Ingram, and the tracks are swoony pop. Some make you want to dance, some cry, some smile, which is what pop music should do. Check out their bandcamp site to hear and purchase.

*Bosco - "B is for Bosco" (Sound Workshop): Another EP I reviewed in a previous chapter, Bosco started up in Marchish 2011 and have already released two recordings, the first being "Basura Blanca" in June, and "B Is for Bosco" on cassette/online in November. Originally a three-piece, the band has grown into a four or five piece (depending on the show) and create some of the catchiest,scratchiest punk-country here in Louisville. I still can't get the chorus to "I'm Not Sorry" out of my head. Both albums are available here. 

Bosco

*Louisville Is for Lovers Summer 7" Series: These were all winners. Well, OK, I admit, I accidentally missed the Bad Reeds/Workers split due to work. The colored vinyl 45s released by curator John King and friends over the summer months contained some of my favorite tracks by some of my favorite bands in the River City. The series leaned toward pop sounds made by Louisvillians and I spent many a late night flipping them over and re-listening through the whole group. Besides the one I failed to grab, the other bands include the Deloreans, Second Story Man, Scott Carney, The Gallery Singers, Adventure and Whistle Peak. All of them were really great, although I'll admit my favorite two were Whistle Peak's "Ribbons" and Adventure's "The Green Is Always Greener," which might be my favorite love story set to song. I know both Adventure and Whistle Peak have full-lengths being released in 2012.

Scott Carney

Adventure

*Arcane Rifles - "Green Eye Will Save You" (Louella Records): Alright, alright, alright, alright...if I have to admit a numbero uno for me this year it was this seven inch from the shiny city up 64 called Lexington, a former hometown for me. Aforementioned one-man-bander J. Marinelli plays the percussion with both arms here, which bucks and kicks like a wild horse. One of my guitar-singer-songwriter heroes Ben Allen plunges through with the smell of feedback that breaks into an irreligious fight with his guitar. It's fast riffing that's lacerated by Phillip Farmer's mountainous bass. No angularities or footing around and through the genre; this is fast noisy rock. Allen's voice calmly screams at you to "Get Up and Off It" as though that was what you were supposed to have been doing all this time anyways, and I did and do every time this thing was put on my turntable this year. Fucking wonderful. Word I hear is they are currently recording more, which makes 2012 already awesome.

Arcane Rifles

*J.Glenn - "Magick Eagle Ate the Magic Snake" (Position High): I've been pals with one-man-band J. Glenn since I moved back to this city in 2005 and have been a fan of his music since then, as well. His 2010 album "Long Time No See" is one of my favorite recordings from this state, and this follow-up is pretty amazing, as well. It's got KENTUCKY written all over it, and features some of the most introspective songwriting out there. Lo-fi DIY psychedelic banjo-keys-guitars-drums that stab at the head and heart like a backwoods basement toothpick. Favorites include "Laws" and "Old Friends Make the Best Enemies," which to me sounds like a lullaby for a stabbed brain. Hopefully there will be some local shows.    

*Phantom Family Halo/Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "The Mindeater" (Sophomore Lounge): I missed out on earlier incarnations of Phantom Family Halo. At this point, the band almost seems like a supergroup of Louisville musicians: Dominic Cipolla (Dead Child), Neal Argabright (Sapat/Natural Geographic), William Benton (Lucky Pineapple), and Alan the Egyptian (softcheque). The first official release from Phantom Family Halo following the move of half the band to NYC, 'The Mindeater" plays like a beautiful and spooky concept album based around madness its relation to loneliness, which made me like it immediately. Will Oldham leads the vocals on all songs, and is joined by Slint bassist/Wild and Woolly Video-owner Todd Brashear harmonizing on a cover of the Everly Bros. tune "I Wonder if I Care As Much." Side Two of this creation blows my mind a little. A record that can make any moment of the day feel like 3 AM. The Phantom Family Halo has a new full-length recording due in February. 

*Ma Turner and Weepjoy - "My Wheels Are Your Wheels and Your Wheels Are Fire": Ma Turner's latest project Weepjoy plagues my mind with its pointed colors and shifts in songwriting. Turner, also the brain behind Warmer Milks and the guitars of Cross, is a prolific one, grinding out gold and silver psychedelia like a hostile millstone. He's taken to releasing music nearly every other month or so. These are some of my favorite tunes he's put out there so far. The melodies lean into an almost virtuous pop realm, but stray along a contoured line that puts it into sadness and joy on some crumpled map he's following. I swear he touches late 60s country-rock on parts of this album. "Tonight" makes me almost cry.

These are the 2011 recordings I found myself listening to over and over. Definitely looking forward to 2012. Besides those mentioned above, there is word of new music coming from The Bottom Sop, Cross, Old Baby, Kirk Kiefer, and Alcohol Party, and a whole lot more my mangled mind won't let me recall at this sitting. 

Buy stuff. Listen to it. 

  

Chapter Eighteen: "Mash of Everything Covered in Gravy - Cropped Out 2011: Saturday Edition."

It came and went, and feel like I've been crumpled over by a bulldozer. But its a happy pain I'm grateful for. The Second Annual Cropped Out Festival here in Louisville occurred the weekend of November 11-13, 2011, and featured more bands than it was possible for me to keep track of, making for a guilty-pleasure weekend of guitars, basses, drums, homemade pickup oscillators, electric dobros and violins, noisemakers, campfires, beer, arguments about Kentucky cuisine, old friends, new friends, ping pong, seven-inches, and above all, the exposure of some great new, independent, sullied, often loud, but always varied, musics.

My aim is here is show some visual documentation, as well as provide some basic info about the event and the artists that performed at Cropped Out. I was only at the second day of the fest; day one was Friday 11.11.11, which I could not attend due to my day job and the desire to see my friends The Frequent Sea, Madame Machine and the Kentucky Prophet perform for charity. Hopefully someone else will document those bands/that show, because there was definitely some good music happening on the first day/night. I could not attend the ending festivities, featuring the reunited legendary Scratch Acid performing with Young Widows and Coliseum. However, I managed to watch about fourteen hours of music on day two; thus, here's my report. It'll be lengthy despite the fact that I still managed to miss several of the bands due to just plain exhaustion and the need to drink cold beer by campfires for some conversation here and there.

This will also be the first in a couple/few entries to get some of the local music I've seen the last few weeks out of my system.

Cropped Out began in 2010 in Louisville as an attempt to provide a showcase for independent and underground music from this city and beyond in an all-ages setting. I attended one day of the 2010 fest, as well, and was impressed with the scope the organizers were aiming for. This year the fest was relocated from a venue by the Ohio River into downtown Louisville at a new warehouse/art space dubbed the Crummy Den. The den seemed to fit the fest much better, and I definitely like what's been done with the space.

Adhering to the music festival mentality, there were three stages within the den: a main stage, and two floor spaces, to accommodate the amount of bands performing and to squeeze as much music as possible into the scheduled twelve hours. As soon as one band ended, another would usually begin within minutes.

Delays and complications can be expected with any such set-up, because this is a perverse amount of music equipment, which can be unruly and uncooperative, sometimes. Based on my libations and lively Friday night, I woke later than I expected and had to contend with a migraine headache before setting out on foot for the festival, the new location not being too far from my apartment. I was cussing myself halfway there for being late, figuring I was missing some bands I had planned on seeing all week. When I arrived, I realized I had only missed two acts: Circuit des Yeux and Video Daughters, which sucks, but I was relieved I had not missed a lot more than that.

Apparently, there had been two issues that had changed some of the physical aspects of the show: a power problem (which was never really explained to me, or at least, I never understood when it was explained to me) that caused the schedule to be pushed back; and secondly, the first half of the days shows were now being performed outside due to noise complaints from the business that was located directly in front of the Crummy Den. The bands were now playing in an adjoining field/garden, which was nice, although how it made things quieter I'm not sure, as I heard drums and bass bouncing off the buildings around the area like we were in a canyon that a stampeding herd was plunging through as I approached from two blocks away.

But the outside idea turned out to be pretty amazing. Saturday was a grey Fall day with temperatures that stayed near 60, then started falling with dusk. Several bonfires were lit as we watched the sun hide and fall behind clouds and we huddled around the beer truck, the Cuban food truck, and rock bands from Louisville, Lexington, and Nashville.

So, the music. Because of the amount of bands I'm attempting to cover here, I'll try and keep my comments brief. Otherwise this entry will get too massive, methinks.

The band that sounded like thunder off the bricks as I approached was one I was badgering myself for fear of missing: Arcane Rifles, from Lexington. This group has become one of my favorite bands in the last year. A great way to start the day. Ben's guitar, James' drums, Phil's bass just all seem pretty perfect to me. Like I've said before on this blog, their seven-inch "Green Eye Will Save You" gets my vote for EP of the year.

Arcane Rifles

Arcane Rifles was the beginning of a set of Lexington and Louisville bands that all seem to blend and belt together perfectly. I hate trying to brand scenes with signature sounds, because I often think that's bullshit, but there is something in the water between these two Kentucky cities that brings out some bass-heavy creative percussive guitar rock. Post-punk, angular, instrumental, proggy, kraut, elements of psychedelic rock; I can't stand describing music, but the next few bands all have found something that has its own thing going on.

Jovantaes was next, another Lexington trio that have taken the idea of drums, guitar and bass rock and well, just fucked it up into something else. At one point I had to ask Ben and James of Arcane Rifles and Mike of Cross how they were even making the sounds they were coming up with on their instruments. The guitar and bass were apparently both outfitted with functioning oscillators in the pickups, allowing them to be making several different sounds at once. "It's all sickly homemade, too," Mike pointed out. I've been waiting to see this band for a while; glad I finally did. Jovantaes basically rose out the ashes of another of favorite bands from Lexington, Tight Leather. Their latest EP is "Things Are Different Here."

Jovontaes

Louisville band Tropical Trash was next. I've already written my love for this band here. They didn't fail to rock the flower garden with some stuff I had not heard, yet. Go to that their blog page to download their latest CD-R EP "Acts of Reversal." According to guitarist/vocalists Jim and Kirk, the band have a new cassette coming out soon.

Tropical Trash

Lexington band Cross were next. This was my second time seeing this group and I think my favorite performance of the two times. Mike Turner's one of my favorite guitarists, and the band managed to play just as the clouded sun went away, which added a little to ambiance of their music to me. Dark stuff. New favorite song: "Forever into the Cross." The band is going on an East Coast tour starting in November 22 in Lexington.

Cross

Natural Child were the first band to play that I witnessed that were not from Kentucky. Hailing from Nashville, this trio dropped some really amazing grooves into some kind of ditch that's related to 70s Southern rock, but creeped out with some bizarre garagey-punk structure. They represented the last outdoor band of the day/evening, before the acts would move indoors, and they had fun with it as it turned just plain dark outside. I appreciated their sense of humor on most of their tunes, introducing songs that were "made to meet our quota of shaking a specific number of asses." They were the perfect band to listen to with bonfires springing up around them and beer cans being thrown around while they played songs like "Hard Workin' Man" and "Nobody Wants to Party with Me." According to their blog, they're on tour with Georgia Satellites. I can't tell what's real or not anymore. I felt like it was 1977 and we were all gonna get arrested.

Natural Child

At this point the festival moved indoors, while the outside field became the main area for breaks from the bands where you could purchase beer and Cuban food and warm yourself by several campfires surrounded by band members and fest attendants.

The first act to start the indoor half of the evening was singer-songwriter-guitarist Angel Olsen, whose stripped down performance marked a change in the style of music we had been hearing up to that point. Olsen hails from St. Louis and has been gathering a lot of attention lately with her well-written songs. My first exposure to her was through some live recordings I'd heard on Youtube she had done with Bonnie "Prince" Billy.  To me her music references older country, which fits her voice perfectly. A few times her voice reminded me of Patsy Cline, and heck call me stupid but at other times, Mary Lou Lord.

Angel Olsen

It was at this point I traveled into the massive Crummy Den green room with Arcane Rifles' James Marinelli for some recuperation, cheese puffs and "interviews" while James, Ben, and Clint (of Cross) played a very competitive game of ping pong.

action shot!

Anyways, I returned to the music quickly to be immersed in the set of Guardian Alien, a NYC quartet. Immersed, that is, in pitch black darkness and the band's intense space-noise-rock that featured drummer Greg Fox's frantic style permeated by vocalist Alexandra Drewchin's hymn-like cried vocals running in and out of time and effects. The sometime comparisons to Hawkwind I don't consider to be too far off. Their self-titled debut album has been released on Swill Children.

Guardian Alien

Following were the intricate Chicago noise-punk band Mayor Daley, featuring a dirty sludgy bass guitar by Emily Elhaj trunking through Kelly Marie Carr's vox and guitar. Most of their songs seemed to clock in at ten minutes but did not fail to inspire, especially the hoody dude who kept yelling, "are you really done? are you really done?"

Mayor Daley

The Dreebs wacked everything out again with a noisy-jazz-rock set that seemed influenced by Sun Ra, gravel and cocaine. They tore through differing dynamics with electric violins and the guitarist playing two guitars at once. He and I talked about the challenges of wearing dresses and wigs. They are on tour with fellow New Yorkers Guardian Alien.

The Dreebs

It was here I fell from grace and escaped the confines of the Den to sit by a campfire and talk to some visiting Chicagoans about accents, camping, gentrification, the pointlessness of college degrees, and roadkill, eventually ending in my vociferous defense of Southern cooking being more than "a mash of everything covered in gravy," only leading me to explain the virtues of the Hot Brown (which is a mash of everything, covered in gravy). During this time, I unfortunately missed the likes of The Men, Fat History Month and Angels in America. But my own brain was basically mashed potatoes mixed with yarn, and campfire smoke always draws me in.

Then I returned to the innards to witness the fast punk of The Pygmy Shrews from NYC, who are touring with The Men. They woke me back up. Their latest recording is "You People Can All Go Straight to Hell" on Jack Shack.

The Pygmy Shrews

 Bill Orcutt was a highlight at the fest for many of the people there. The legendary guitarist, formerly of the noise-rock band Harry Pussy, performed his solo acoustic compositions seated in a chair onstage. He had several pieces of vinyl for sale. His latest is the limited edition seven-inch "A King or Something, Crossroads, The Man in the Mirror b/w Sad Michael, Solitary Habits, Die Then Come Back To Life."

Bill Orcutt

Time got weird. We were all in and out. I helped Mikey find his own green room. I was sitting with the Chicagoans in smokey campfire. I was trying to see in the darkened porta-potty. While festivals are wonderful ways to see as many acts as possible, sometimes the amount of music and bands can get slippery. Somewhere I missed John Wesley Coleman, and went from the experience of Orcutt, to the young Chapel Hill pop-punk band Last Year's Men:

Last Year's Men

...And then into the straight pummel of Louisville hardcore Black God, a band I was not aware of, but found to be one of my favorites of the festival. Black God is basically a supergroup of punk rockers from the River City. They played on the floor and created some of the best moments. It was the closest I saw the crowd nearly turn into a mosh pit. They have a seven-inch out filled with some great minute-and-a-half rock.

Black God

That eventually led to the end act of the evening, another Louisville group, Sapat. Sapat has become pretty much an anchor in Louisville's music scene. Having been around for nearly a decade, the band has morphed and changed repeatedly. I've been attending their shows since circa 2006, and have grown to love each performance better than the previous. Their current lineup is like a goddamn experimental orchestra, headed by Kris Abplanalp's vocals and aggressively odd guitar style. Talking with him, I've heard the influences he's mentioned. Krautrock is always tapped when people discuss Sapat; so is some form of psychedelic improvisation. I hear a million things. Once I told him I thought there was a train going by the building, but it was the actually monster chug the band had created with Warren's bass blended with Kris and his brother Wes' guitars and the huge sound of Jeff's drums. Other times I've just gotten chilled from vocalist/keyboardist Dane's high notes. And then there is the horn section, featuring Jim and Kirk of the aforementioned Tropical Trash.

While I think it was meant as sign of respect, Sapat was booked as the last band of the fest. The problem with long all-day fests is, well, people wear out. As the night clicked further into the night, the crowd was definitely not as big as it needed to be to hear them play. Sapat should have been somewhere in the middle of the bill to grab the biggest audience. Regardless, it was an intense set to end Cropped Out's Saturday edition, and those of us there to see it were pretty grateful.

Sapat

We all stumbled out of the Cropped Out Crummy Den nigh 3 AM-ish. I rambled to another Chicagoan by the fire as we doused it. Louisville wasn't loud anymore. Kris and Sarah gave me a ride home. We drank a couple of beers while Hasil Adkins and then the soundtrack to "2001" played on my turntable. It was late, and these things can be exhausting, but very worth it.