So Rudy Shattuck, what's good with punk rock?
When you're a kid, you have a loose understanding of the defined set of rules and boundaries which shape subcultures and social groups within independent music. If you're a punk, especially in the middle-of-no-where wine country, anything is fair game. It doesn't matter if it's the fucking Ramones, Rancid, The Clash, Screeching Weasel, or Lagwagon, as long as the lead singer dyed his hair pink, blue, or green at one point in time, it's probably good enough for you to play on your twenty dollar CD player. I remember really loving Blink 182 and the Offspring, because you know, they were really stupid, and rude, and they seemed to be as much misfits I was feeling. Eventually I moved on to stuff less likely to get me beat up by "real punks" and more likely to be found on punk compilations or a Tony Hawk video game soundtrack.
Rancid - Sidekick
Descendents - Coolidge
NOFX - Linoleum
Osker - Alright
Lagwagon - Violins
Millencolin - Bullion
Bouncing Souls - True Believers
Propagandhi - And We Thought Nation States Were A Good Idea...
Bad Religion - I Want To Conquer the World
Anti-Flag - Drink Drank Punk
Screeching Weasel - Hey Suburbia
Saturday, August 09, 2008
A Boring Story (Part One)
It has been an extremely long time since I've written a blog entry. Mostly due to the fact that my MP3 hosting solutions are frustrating and inefficient. For a while I was resorting to a free service which evidently allowed me to upload and share MP3s, but it made it almost impossible to figure out how to actually share them without launching their stupid little player. So for now, I give up with that shit.
What's good with music these days according to Rudy Shattuck (that's me, folks)?
A long time ago, after yet another emotional failure, I looked towards emo (the real deal, not that alternative pop-punk-eyeliner-tripe these kids listen to today) as a way of feeling a little better about myself, unfortunately it seemed to only make things worse. Nevertheless, here are some standout tracks to mope about to:
Playlist: Emo Doesn't Sound Like This Anymore
Sunny Day Real Estate - In Circles
Sunny Day Real Estate - Song About An Angel
Mineral - GJs
Mineral - Palisade
The Gloria Record - Grain Towers, Telephone Poles
The Gloria Record - Ozona & Sonora
These all basically sound like the same band.
Something a little different:
Alkaline Trio - 97'
Jimmy Eat World - What I Would Say To You Now
The Promise Ring - Why Did We Ever Meet
So, basically, when everything seemed to be falling apart, I would put these on and try to go on about my daily work, while in fact having all my problems and thoughts just hanging around in the background ready for me to go right back to them.
At one point I realized everything wasn't really falling apart, and it had all in fact been over and done with far longer than I thought.
Somehow, I began spinning some of the old bands I used to listen to when I was in high school, you know, because in high school I wasn't so much a mopey dork, just a normal dork, but I actually liked myself some punk rock.
What's good with music these days according to Rudy Shattuck (that's me, folks)?
A long time ago, after yet another emotional failure, I looked towards emo (the real deal, not that alternative pop-punk-eyeliner-tripe these kids listen to today) as a way of feeling a little better about myself, unfortunately it seemed to only make things worse. Nevertheless, here are some standout tracks to mope about to:
Playlist: Emo Doesn't Sound Like This Anymore
Sunny Day Real Estate - In Circles
Sunny Day Real Estate - Song About An Angel
Mineral - GJs
Mineral - Palisade
The Gloria Record - Grain Towers, Telephone Poles
The Gloria Record - Ozona & Sonora
These all basically sound like the same band.
Something a little different:
Alkaline Trio - 97'
Jimmy Eat World - What I Would Say To You Now
The Promise Ring - Why Did We Ever Meet
So, basically, when everything seemed to be falling apart, I would put these on and try to go on about my daily work, while in fact having all my problems and thoughts just hanging around in the background ready for me to go right back to them.
At one point I realized everything wasn't really falling apart, and it had all in fact been over and done with far longer than I thought.
Somehow, I began spinning some of the old bands I used to listen to when I was in high school, you know, because in high school I wasn't so much a mopey dork, just a normal dork, but I actually liked myself some punk rock.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Stuff You're Embarassed To Love And the New Wild West.
Yeah, this shit is old, but I don't care. I was a dope and I ignored this band the first time I heard about them, because you know, I figured it was just some more shit tripe that some 15 year old in Orange County would peddle to older, college dudes with tattoos. Guess what, it actually really is. This band is also from Florida, and everyone who ever listened to New Found Glory knows just how bad that can be.
Despite these terrible things, you have to listen to "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You." I got their whole Wizard of Aaahs album, and practically every song besides this one got annoying after a couple of days. Bummer.
Black Kids: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
We can say the same thing about Justice. I read about them in my favorite practically-porn magazine from Mexico, Baby Baby Baby. Yeah, these guys are cool, and you'll be cool too if you listen to them. I recommend D.A.N.C.E. and DVNO, any song without a title completely made up of capital letters is dangerous territory. It's all good if you're preoccupied and working on solutions to overpopulation or foam core models of homeless shelters but as soon as you take a break you'll look at your speakers and say "What the fuck is this shit? Do I actually own this?"
Justice: DVNO
Listen to anything by the Dodos. If Two Gallants had an effeminate little brother, he'd sound like this. They really break lose on the tracks Jodi and Fools, listen to Jodi. It's bands like this that make you thankful to Mozart for inventing music and to punk rock for inspiring traditionally tinged music which doesn't fall so dangerously close to mainstream country that it makes you look like a fat NASCAR fan who eats at Arby's and enjoys the occasional Evanescence. I'm talking about Kate Maki, who's not so bad herself, but clicking on her Myspace friends sends you down a pussy, indie-kid, redneck rabbit hole the likes you never knew existed outside of Omaha and Conor Obersts' Cassadega. Kate Maki is Canadian, and so are all her friends. Great, now you have to deal with not just tractors and first beers out on Bradbury Hill, there's some hockey going on here too. Despite this, Kate Maki has produced an amazing song called "To Please" which teleports you straight to the Saloon you dreamed up in second grade and thought you would be drinking at when you grew up, before you became Straight Edge and before corporate rock stations practically beat you to death with advertisements for "Cervezas" imported from Illinois, Pearl Jam, and 100 versions of the same Foo Fighters Song all in a row. Guess who else teleported me to the Rusty Spike Saloon (Brandon made that name up two years ago, but it's fitting)? Rocky Votolato. So here's the way it works:
Two Gallants: The Real Deal, straight out of 1849 or 1908
The Dodos: Two Gallants are like Clint Eastwood, The Dodos are Edward Norton playing a guy in a movie who pretends to be a cowboy.
Rocky Votolato: Your old punk rock friend who used to have the liberty spikes, except he listened to Johnny Cash Live At Folsom Prison and decided to buy new clothes. Sometimes he sounds like a pussy, but he can still hang.
Kate Maki: What the fuck is going on in Canada? I know I sound like a dick, but lumberjacks and cowboys came together and made a whole slur of music you kind of don't want to hear, except for gems like this. When you listen to the real version of To Please, it reminds you of when Bright Eyes thought the country thing was kind of fun and ridiculous, and it sounded cool too. Not now, where they're all serious about it. It's a bad joke that they've taken way too far.
Trainwreck Riders: Let's make country punk rock that vegans can dance to, but none of that fucking swing shit.
The Dodos: Jodi
Kate Maki: To Please
Rocky Votolato: Your Darkest Eyes
Bright Eyes: Let's Not Shit Ourselves
(Fuck them Conor, fuck all of them)
Two Gallants: Steady Rolling
(Is it fucked up to listen to a song that mentions killing your spouse, at work?)
Trainwreck Riders: Slow Motion Cowboy
(It's hard to lip sync on the subway)
Despite these terrible things, you have to listen to "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You." I got their whole Wizard of Aaahs album, and practically every song besides this one got annoying after a couple of days. Bummer.
Black Kids: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
We can say the same thing about Justice. I read about them in my favorite practically-porn magazine from Mexico, Baby Baby Baby. Yeah, these guys are cool, and you'll be cool too if you listen to them. I recommend D.A.N.C.E. and DVNO, any song without a title completely made up of capital letters is dangerous territory. It's all good if you're preoccupied and working on solutions to overpopulation or foam core models of homeless shelters but as soon as you take a break you'll look at your speakers and say "What the fuck is this shit? Do I actually own this?"
Justice: DVNO
Listen to anything by the Dodos. If Two Gallants had an effeminate little brother, he'd sound like this. They really break lose on the tracks Jodi and Fools, listen to Jodi. It's bands like this that make you thankful to Mozart for inventing music and to punk rock for inspiring traditionally tinged music which doesn't fall so dangerously close to mainstream country that it makes you look like a fat NASCAR fan who eats at Arby's and enjoys the occasional Evanescence. I'm talking about Kate Maki, who's not so bad herself, but clicking on her Myspace friends sends you down a pussy, indie-kid, redneck rabbit hole the likes you never knew existed outside of Omaha and Conor Obersts' Cassadega. Kate Maki is Canadian, and so are all her friends. Great, now you have to deal with not just tractors and first beers out on Bradbury Hill, there's some hockey going on here too. Despite this, Kate Maki has produced an amazing song called "To Please" which teleports you straight to the Saloon you dreamed up in second grade and thought you would be drinking at when you grew up, before you became Straight Edge and before corporate rock stations practically beat you to death with advertisements for "Cervezas" imported from Illinois, Pearl Jam, and 100 versions of the same Foo Fighters Song all in a row. Guess who else teleported me to the Rusty Spike Saloon (Brandon made that name up two years ago, but it's fitting)? Rocky Votolato. So here's the way it works:
Two Gallants: The Real Deal, straight out of 1849 or 1908
The Dodos: Two Gallants are like Clint Eastwood, The Dodos are Edward Norton playing a guy in a movie who pretends to be a cowboy.
Rocky Votolato: Your old punk rock friend who used to have the liberty spikes, except he listened to Johnny Cash Live At Folsom Prison and decided to buy new clothes. Sometimes he sounds like a pussy, but he can still hang.
Kate Maki: What the fuck is going on in Canada? I know I sound like a dick, but lumberjacks and cowboys came together and made a whole slur of music you kind of don't want to hear, except for gems like this. When you listen to the real version of To Please, it reminds you of when Bright Eyes thought the country thing was kind of fun and ridiculous, and it sounded cool too. Not now, where they're all serious about it. It's a bad joke that they've taken way too far.
Trainwreck Riders: Let's make country punk rock that vegans can dance to, but none of that fucking swing shit.
The Dodos: Jodi
Kate Maki: To Please
Rocky Votolato: Your Darkest Eyes
Bright Eyes: Let's Not Shit Ourselves
(Fuck them Conor, fuck all of them)
Two Gallants: Steady Rolling
(Is it fucked up to listen to a song that mentions killing your spouse, at work?)
Trainwreck Riders: Slow Motion Cowboy
(It's hard to lip sync on the subway)
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The Blues Came Down On Me This Morning..
Sometimes, when you're in the zone, all you want is to have the same song playing over and over.
I'm staying home for Thanksgiving this year. Hopefully I can stay in the zone long enough to get out of my troubles.
Song number one is fitting because it's all about the blues, always fucking up, and having a girl who's name you can't remember (maybe because she's not yours to begin with?). For a while I had to keep playing this over on YouTube, but thanks to this little friend, I've got it on my iPod.
Two Gallants: Worried Now/I Like To Call It "the Slide" MP3
Song number two is another favorite that I just discovered. I was scoping out some stuff on VICE TV and I came across their music video section. I guess I also video'd this one a lot before I actually got the album it's off. My friend had been playing some Panda Bear a few months ago and I meant to get the music from him, but I never did. I don't think this was the same album, but it's still as great as I remember. Whether or not you're on drugs when you're taking this, it's gonna be a good time.
Panda Bear: Bros MP3
I'm staying home for Thanksgiving this year. Hopefully I can stay in the zone long enough to get out of my troubles.
Song number one is fitting because it's all about the blues, always fucking up, and having a girl who's name you can't remember (maybe because she's not yours to begin with?). For a while I had to keep playing this over on YouTube, but thanks to this little friend, I've got it on my iPod.
Two Gallants: Worried Now/I Like To Call It "the Slide" MP3
Song number two is another favorite that I just discovered. I was scoping out some stuff on VICE TV and I came across their music video section. I guess I also video'd this one a lot before I actually got the album it's off. My friend had been playing some Panda Bear a few months ago and I meant to get the music from him, but I never did. I don't think this was the same album, but it's still as great as I remember. Whether or not you're on drugs when you're taking this, it's gonna be a good time.
Panda Bear: Bros MP3
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Wrapping up the long weekend
Tuesday: Wrapping up the long weekend
Location: Pomona, California.
Veterans' Day weekend was a clouded heap of field trips and new music.
"I don't want to linger in Alabany, New York. I don't know anyone there, I don't want to know anyone there!"
Jack soon had company on my Ipod after I somehow decided to get Danielson's album "Ships." After three listens I remember exactly why I was so weary about ever buying anything associated with Brother Daniel Smith. The fact that my room mate says it sounds like something he'd listen to only makes things that much worse.
Danielson: Did I Step On Your Trumpet MP3
Grandaddy: The Group Who Couldn't Say MP3
Location: Pomona, California.
Veterans' Day weekend was a clouded heap of field trips and new music.
I'm bored out my mind
Too sick to even care
I'll take a little walk
Nobody's going to know
I'm in senior year
It gives you a little free time
I'll just use it all at once!
After a wonderful midterm, it was time to "water" my other classes. As the above quote implies, I didn't get all that much done. I went against the prof's advice and kept working on studio. With the amount of distractions at my fingertips, I only have two slides of a PowerPoint and the first floor plan of an existing building to show for my long weekend.
I may not have followed my studio teacher's advice, but I did follow my 3D Studio Max prof's advice by going out and buying Ramblin' Jack Elliot's "I Stand Alone."
"I don't want to linger in Alabany, New York. I don't know anyone there, I don't want to know anyone there!"
If I can be half the man Jack is, I have no issue with growing old. One day it'll be me sitting in my pajamas and cowboy hat yelling at passing traffic while somewhere in
Jack soon had company on my Ipod after I somehow decided to get Danielson's album "Ships." After three listens I remember exactly why I was so weary about ever buying anything associated with Brother Daniel Smith. The fact that my room mate says it sounds like something he'd listen to only makes things that much worse.
Danielson: Did I Step On Your Trumpet MP3
Finally, the most played album of this weekend is nothing as recent as the last two, it's actually and oldie (relatively). Grandaddy's "Sumday" is an amazing album that's so inoffensive I could probably play it around my mom. Nevertheless, I love this record and I don't think it'll be put away for quite some time. Enough time has passed since I remember hearing "Now It's On" being played on Live 105 (read: KROQ) that I don't have to feel guilty, just happy that at this point, this band will probably never be the soundtrack to a frat party. Say Hi (to your mom). Dude looks like my last boss.
Grandaddy: The Group Who Couldn't Say MP3
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
The Black Lips
Band: The Black Lips
Location: Atlanta, Georgia.
It makes me feel really uneasy to see this band strutted about everywhere. Their latest album is definitely worth the commotion, and I don't really think these guys will be the next White Stripes or The Strokes (this is bad, yes?) because of the fucked up things they supposedly do on stage, so it's all good.
Do like I do, and try to convince as many friends as possible to go to their show to see firsthand what all the fuss is about.
The Black Lips: O Katrina! MP3, Bad Kids MP3, Cold Hands MP3
Most Official Site: http://www.vicerecords.com/blacklips.phpt
Myspace: www.myspace.com/theblacklips
Location: Atlanta, Georgia.
It makes me feel really uneasy to see this band strutted about everywhere. Their latest album is definitely worth the commotion, and I don't really think these guys will be the next White Stripes or The Strokes (this is bad, yes?) because of the fucked up things they supposedly do on stage, so it's all good.
Do like I do, and try to convince as many friends as possible to go to their show to see firsthand what all the fuss is about.
The Black Lips: O Katrina! MP3, Bad Kids MP3, Cold Hands MP3
Most Official Site: http://www.vicerecords.com/blacklips.phpt
Myspace: www.myspace.com/theblacklips
The Lawrence Arms
Band: The Lawrence Arms
Location: Chicago, Illinois.
My musical soul mate.
It all started with three songs that I found off of a random assortment of punk compilations and a few MP3 downloads. Before I knew it, I was going so far out of my way to catch these guys in concert almost five years ago. At the time, I had very few friends, none of which were interested in the show, I had no car, so I had to cut class to make the three hour bus ride, and I didn't even have a clue where I was headed. I ended up in Beverly Hills instead of West Hollywood that night. I eventually made it to the show after a long walk.
Many eventful things happened that night, and now, years later I still fall in love with this band every time I see them live.
I'm taking this time to post up a set of "hidden songs" that I always wanted as separate tracks (three of these are found within one track). I finally went and separated them, I hope someone can enjoy these as much as I do. They are not very representative musically of what the Lawrence Arms do, but they capture their spirit perfectly.
The Lawrence Arms:
Old Mexico Way MP3 -Originally on the album, Ghost Stories
Faintly Falling Ashes (Acoustic) MP3 -Originally on the album, Ghost Stories
Heaven Help Me MP3 -Originally on the album, Ghost Stories
Warped Tour Summer Extravaganza (Major Excellent!) MP3-Oh! Calcutta!
Most Official Site: http://www.thelawrencearms.net
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thelawrencearms
Location: Chicago, Illinois.
My musical soul mate.
It all started with three songs that I found off of a random assortment of punk compilations and a few MP3 downloads. Before I knew it, I was going so far out of my way to catch these guys in concert almost five years ago. At the time, I had very few friends, none of which were interested in the show, I had no car, so I had to cut class to make the three hour bus ride, and I didn't even have a clue where I was headed. I ended up in Beverly Hills instead of West Hollywood that night. I eventually made it to the show after a long walk.
Many eventful things happened that night, and now, years later I still fall in love with this band every time I see them live.
I'm taking this time to post up a set of "hidden songs" that I always wanted as separate tracks (three of these are found within one track). I finally went and separated them, I hope someone can enjoy these as much as I do. They are not very representative musically of what the Lawrence Arms do, but they capture their spirit perfectly.
The Lawrence Arms:
Old Mexico Way MP3 -Originally on the album, Ghost Stories
Faintly Falling Ashes (Acoustic) MP3 -Originally on the album, Ghost Stories
Heaven Help Me MP3 -Originally on the album, Ghost Stories
Warped Tour Summer Extravaganza (Major Excellent!) MP3-Oh! Calcutta!
Most Official Site: http://www.thelawrencearms.net
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thelawrencearms
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Anniversary
Band: The Anniversary
Location: Lawrence, Kansas.
Getting into this band for me was destiny.
A long time ago, in a high school far, far away, I played my first round of Emogame while I was taking a break from my late-afternoon drafting class. A pixelized rape scene is the perfect thing for your teacher to catch you wasting your time on.
After a few minutes of nonstop joy, I would get to the mini-boss band that was The Anniversary.
Months would pass by and I eventually forgot about this amazing band, that is until I decided to look for songs with the name of my friend, Emma, in the title. The Anniversary found their way into my heart through the song "Emma Discovery", a song that places somewhere between 7 and 15 of my personal list of greatest songs in the world.
This band broke up in 2004 after they went downhill and degraded into a not-quite-Foo Fighters-rock-but-still-annoying-and-somewhat-southern bore-fest, but they're still number 9 in my heart.
Pass up their album "Your Majesty" and head straight for "Designing A Nervous Breakdown".
Most Official Site: http://www.lawrence.com/bands/the_anniversary/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theanniversary
Location: Lawrence, Kansas.
Getting into this band for me was destiny.
A long time ago, in a high school far, far away, I played my first round of Emogame while I was taking a break from my late-afternoon drafting class. A pixelized rape scene is the perfect thing for your teacher to catch you wasting your time on.
After a few minutes of nonstop joy, I would get to the mini-boss band that was The Anniversary.
Months would pass by and I eventually forgot about this amazing band, that is until I decided to look for songs with the name of my friend, Emma, in the title. The Anniversary found their way into my heart through the song "Emma Discovery", a song that places somewhere between 7 and 15 of my personal list of greatest songs in the world.
This band broke up in 2004 after they went downhill and degraded into a not-quite-Foo Fighters-rock-but-still-annoying-and-somewhat-southern bore-fest, but they're still number 9 in my heart.
Pass up their album "Your Majesty" and head straight for "Designing A Nervous Breakdown".
Most Official Site: http://www.lawrence.com/bands/the_anniversary/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theanniversary
Monday, September 03, 2007
Nedelle
Band: Nedelle
Location: Oakland, California.
Rilo Kiley let me down because they were on the front cover of Spin Magazine and because dimwits throw around comparisons of them to the super awesome bands your middle school science teacher listens to.
Nedelle doesn't let me down because she puts up bulletins about cool shows she's doing in Oakland and San Francisco, and because she does music that's cool like Vetiver and Devendra, minus the trendy beards and plus some women's intuition.
This is romance like Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper.
Nedelle: Ghost Ships MP3
Official Site: http://www.nedelle.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nedelle
Location: Oakland, California.
Rilo Kiley let me down because they were on the front cover of Spin Magazine and because dimwits throw around comparisons of them to the super awesome bands your middle school science teacher listens to.
Nedelle doesn't let me down because she puts up bulletins about cool shows she's doing in Oakland and San Francisco, and because she does music that's cool like Vetiver and Devendra, minus the trendy beards and plus some women's intuition.
This is romance like Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper.
Nedelle: Ghost Ships MP3
Official Site: http://www.nedelle.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nedelle
The Concretes
Band: The Concretes
Location: Stockholm, Sweden.
This band is cool because they have comic book style drawings of their band.
Sweden isn't quite as sophisticated as France, but it's fun to walk around in the rain with their music anyway. Wear light blue when you listen to this but don't smoke cigarettes, Europeans look all refined when they do it, but you just look like a sorority girl.
Official Site: http://www.theconcretes.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theconcretes
Location: Stockholm, Sweden.
This band is cool because they have comic book style drawings of their band.
Sweden isn't quite as sophisticated as France, but it's fun to walk around in the rain with their music anyway. Wear light blue when you listen to this but don't smoke cigarettes, Europeans look all refined when they do it, but you just look like a sorority girl.
Official Site: http://www.theconcretes.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theconcretes
Watoo Watoo
Band: Watoo Watoo
Location: Bordeaux, France.
Girls think it's hot when you listen to music that's in French. Unless they're from France or Canada, it doesn't really matter what it is.
Fortunately for you, you get the hook up with a French band that's so cool they make music by taking old SEGA videogame soundtracks (Daytona USA) and instead of having random Japanese dudes sing in "English" they just sprinkle magical French singing and instantly make you the smartest person to ever wear a turtleneck sweater. This group doesn't necessarily do what I just wrote, but it sounds good anyway. I chose the above picture for this post because the singer looks like my white, next-door neighbor's hot mom.
Watoo Watoo: Perdu MP3
Official Site: http://www.watoowatoo.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/watoowatoo
Location: Bordeaux, France.
Girls think it's hot when you listen to music that's in French. Unless they're from France or Canada, it doesn't really matter what it is.
Fortunately for you, you get the hook up with a French band that's so cool they make music by taking old SEGA videogame soundtracks (Daytona USA) and instead of having random Japanese dudes sing in "English" they just sprinkle magical French singing and instantly make you the smartest person to ever wear a turtleneck sweater. This group doesn't necessarily do what I just wrote, but it sounds good anyway. I chose the above picture for this post because the singer looks like my white, next-door neighbor's hot mom.
Watoo Watoo: Perdu MP3
Official Site: http://www.watoowatoo.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/watoowatoo
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Kathryn
