Pat Shanahan...a man who needs no introduction, but will get one anyway. Lead man of the soon-to-be defunct hardcore punk outfit Everything Falls Apart (bunch of records increasing in quality with each release) and tours...some overseas. Also 1/3 of White Whale, a post-punk juggernaut an arguably the best all around band operating in the Queen City at this time. In addition to this and that, Pat publishes SUBJECT zine and #2 just came out and is available at Spiral Scratch or wherever Pat is at that particular time. It's a quick, good read. Interviews with significant bands and released in a timely manner...welcome back print music zines and screw yer blog Anchovies!!!
Pat Shanahan's Top 11 records of 2011
1. GG King - Esoteric Lore
2. Predator - S/T
3. Plates - S/T
4. Brain F - Sleep Rough
5. Puerto Rico Flowers - 7
6. Brown Sugar - Sings of Birds and Racism
7. Total Control - Henge Beat
8. Mind Spiders - S/T
9. Shitty Limits - Speculate/Accumulate
10. Marked Men - On/The Other Side
11. Video - Leather Leather
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Brian Kedzierski. The brains behind on the long running Gold Soundz Radio Program on 91.3 fm WBNY in Buffalo...a staple of indie and beyond music that is never "mailed in" like the Sabres, who he loves so much. Always informative, always a cool listen. One of WBNY's longest running jocks/radio shows. Back in the days when radio was king, your stinky podcast hadnt been invented yet and the local show covered the significant bands of the local scene, Brian was a huge part of that (until some know-nothing clowns ran him out). One of three jocks who uses the turntables. Also, a really nice guy. anyway, here's his list:
I knew I probably acquired the smallest amount of new rock ever, last year. So I was beginning to think I would be unable to get to eleven, but I found a few. In no particular order:
The Joy Formidable- “The Big Roar” (Atlantic)
Not paying for my television can sound like an insurmountable bump to most people who love wires cramming things into their lives, but I found a gem. Cool TV, which I recently found is now available on cable, comes to me via WNYO’s only digital sub channel. It is all music videos, including live performances now included on DVD from bands from the black and white era to today. I was humming Black & Yellow before most people at the mall, and I also found this Welsh band. “Whirring” was the song I saw a few times, which I u-tubed the band and then saw them in Rochester this past September.
Thee Oh Sees “Castlemania” (In The Red)
By great recommendation from Anchovies, I listened to this band and saw them at the Bug Jar in 2010 (sadly missing them last time around.) Good to know the band didn’t break up, as I originally thought when reading inside this disc John Dwyer recorded all the songs himself (save for two vocals by Brigid Dawson.)
Low “You May Need A Murderer” DVD
This quiet, look into the lives of couple Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker’s lives at home in Duluth, with their two children, Mormon faith, and on tour. There are some unplugged snippets of Low songs as well.
Low “C’Mon” (Sub Pop)
Low’s ninth full length, and third for Sub Pop. A mix of their known slo-core style, along some recent bombast. Haunting and solid as ever.
The Raveonettes “Raven In The Grave” (Vice)
Danish duo of Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo’s fifth full length recording. More of the Raveonettes style that has been heard since Lust Lust Lust: Something that can be performed by two people on stage rather than a full band, less of a stab at charting on Billboard. Lyrical material a bit darker on this one though.
Sloan “The Double Cross” (Yep Roc)
Halifax, Nova Scotia four-piece’s 10th full length in their 20 year history. The one band I have followed the longest. Most likely because they never gave up! I’m not wishing they would, although their 7th, Action Pact (a hefty stab by the band at breaking in the US), left me wanting something different. They came back hard with their 30 song Never Hear The End Of It, and now The Double Cross has them remembering some good pieces of past work without entirely re-recording past songs.
Men “Talk About Body” (Red/I Am Sound)
Some electronic dance music from Le Tigre member J.D. Samson and company. Some naughty lyrics effecting themes of sexual compromise and LGBT awareness. Slick sounding but would probably work way better with a few rickety synths and sweaty armpits in a living room.
Dum Dum Girls “He Gets Me High” (Sub Pop)
A four song e.p. follow up to their 2010 debut I Will Be. More of the same style from I Will Be along with a rousing rendition of The Smiths “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.”
The Pixies have not released any new music, but have been on a Doolittle 20th anniversary tour for a couple years now. Watching them play the whole album plus b-sides in Rochester this past November was a treat.
And the final item, which is actually number one on the list, is getting engaged to my wonderful lady Jessica, this past spring. She has recently started helping out Anchovies with Thee Scratch, which makes her all the more desirable!
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Adam Mayes/ sales guy Cobraside Distro/West Side correspondent
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So, let that be the final nail in 2011. A great year for music, indeed--and a bad year for you to stop paying attention. Some folks say they don't follow new music but when did any of us "follow along"? We've always had to dig for the jewels. Before the internet, it was strictly the zines and older generations passing down the knowledge. Get a catalog in the mail and read about some band called Husker Du. Now with the internet some think it's easier...but there's just more shit out there, more poorly written reviews and blogs and just too many bands. So maybe it's harder...but you still have us to help you along. Where'd that Moonhearts record go, anyway?
Overlooked from the initial "Lists Post", on purpose, was the onslaught of Buffalo bred releases of note from last year. here are a few 12" releases that made their way into Spiral Scratch (if they didnt, we probably didn't get to hear them) and were significant enough to be mentioned herein.
Like a Panther-Rockpile lp This band is an island and that makes for desperation, unique sounds. A true indie band with noisy tendencies that is finally getting some notice in various online music sites, Rockpile is the result of more than a few years of a band making a record for themselves. It's a good one at that and hopefully the world starts to notice, though we told you so the day they were brought in. Oh, Bret used to be in Mockba in case you're keeping score. His lady plays drums and has evolved, over time, into a force on the traps.
Brown Sugar - "Sings of Birds and Racism" shit, man...this record was enough to make me hang it up altogether. It's a benchmark kind of record that will be looked back at in years to come. This is hardcore punk the way i've always wanted it to be like around here, but is the exception...and always has been in Buffalo. By the time Brown Sugar made their debut longplayer, they had become more than just a hardcore band...the influences and whatnot had made their way into the songwriting. (For further evidence, seize a copy of the Tropical Disease 7" on Fashionable Idiots (in conjunction with Feral Kid Records) for further weirdness and more-than-by-the-numbers-hardcore. Unreal. A month-long tour shows they mean business. Now just keep it together to make some more records, doo's. This is not just a local band as they are revered nationwide.
Mark Norris & the Backpeddlers - Songs of Guilt & Revenge - Once upon a time, Mark Norris led the local juggernaut Girlpope--a band most noted for killer live sets, cover sets (Slade sticks out) and a key influence on a garage rock scene that would emerge in their wake. Unfortunately, Girlpope disbanded before their time and years later Norris would make, in my opinion, his best set of recorded songs in his musical career. Backed by some respectable hired guns (and facing tragic circumstances in his life) Songs of Guilt & Revenge transcends so much nationally hyped flavor of the month garbage and once again shows Buffalo how it is done. In my opinion, it's the best thing he's ever done-- Norris' finest hour (or however long it is). A key local release of '11.
the Fucking Hotlights - High Society Torture Party Controversial superstars? High Society Torture Partiers? Dirty rock and roll hep cats? You love 'em, you hate 'em--it doesn't matter because Buffalo does need a band (or three) like this. First off, and this is important, this is a great looking record--a fine detail often overlooked by bands laying out their best hand. It sounds good, too. Grimy rock and roll from the AmRep school of noisiness. The live show is certainly a site to behold, but the record puts the songs in a more enjoyable light (unless you've had 12 beers and want the hot-n-handsome Johnny Toohill rolling your ankles while the band calmly delivers the soundtrack to his mental breakdown. I suppose either way, you're getting your moneys worth.Lieutenant - LP Buffalo Hardcore fans have waited a long time for the release of this
bombastic explosion of pure hardcore. They even got together one night and played an overwhelming set to commemorate the occasion. Featuring members of Resist Control (Matto), Gas Chamber (Pat Bolger), Lemuria (Alex Kerns) and local hero/jack of all trades/now ex-pat Eric Ellman–calling this a supergroup would be unfair and corny, yet ultimately true as all of the members are currently in other actively successful bands and 3 out of the 4 run record labels, all of which had a hand in releasing this. Matto’s Peterwalkee label, Bolgers’ Warm Bath Label and Kerns’ Art of the Underground all have their stamp on this slab–limited to 300 copies (100 which are colored). I’d give this one about a month or so to sell out. A snapshot of Buffalo activity right now, though the band is most likely not functioning on a regular basis–this document will be an essential album regardless. Probably sold out at this point, but do yourself a service and keep up on the activities of the labels who released this (all locally based). Peterwalkee, WarmBathLabel and Art of the Underground.That is all for now as far as local bred LP's that passed through the shop in 2011. We are aware other great lp's came out, too. We'll get to those next post, along with the slew of amazing 7"'s and cassette tapes (Mallwalkers tape-only debut, Utah Jazz) and the hardworking labels that produced them.
One more thing not to be overlooked is Matt Smith's (HiLo Studio) digital only lp that he made, on his own, in his own studio. If there's justice in 2012, it will find a proper release and these songs will be heard live.
Until then, they can be found at : HERE
The name of the album is Immediate Concerns and features 8 killer tracks recorded on the eve of Christmas Eve, 2011. Hopefully physical copies and a backing band (featuring me!) are in the near future. meanwhile, Smith is part of Roger Bryan & the Orphans--who themselves released a critically acclaimed lp in '11 as well.
Rational Animals - Bock Rock Parade Technically not "local", these critters from Rochester have come a long way from the first time i saw them bashing on their instruments in a stinky basements to the weed(ing out)-rock punk they have evolved into, mining later-era Black Flag terrain though not aping it--putting their "upstate ny" stamp all over it. I guess you know what i'm getting at. Don't pass by their 7" singles, either...but this lp is a band growing up and dropping out. Too cool to overlook and we went out of our way to make sure these were in stock. Raised by Feral Kid and "matured" (probably use that term loosely) with their debut lp.
Thanks for reading. Here are some recent in-stocks:
Cheater Slicks - Our Food Is Chaos lp (early works with Alpo from real kids on bass!)
Cheater Slicks - Guttural Live
Florence & the Machine - Ceremonia
Cut Copy - Zonoscope
Electric Wizard - Black Masses
GG King - Esoteric Lore
the Saints - Eternally Yours
James Blake
Beach Boys - Smile Sessions lp (restock)
Yuck s/t
Foster the People - Torches
Culo - Life Is Vile...and So Are We
Intended Play: $1.98 lp featuring Matador?True panther Sounds artists and unreleased tracks from Fucked Up, Stephen Malkmus, Girls, Ceremony, Cold cave and more. 2 bucks!!
Black Keys - El Camino
Nothing People - Smells Like Metal
Mark Lanagen Band - 7" with exclusive b-sides
Guided By Voices - Let's Go Eat The Factory
Howler - America Give Up
Real Estate - s/t
Total Control - Henge Beat (final copies, out of print until further notice)
tons of used stuff, restocks and more in-stocks expected early the week of january 23rd.
also new in store are some beautiful, framed silkscreens and posters of the likes of the Who, MGMT, Hendrix, Kiss, Roky Erickson and more. Large full size and smaller sizes...none over $20. we also have a ton of new buttons made locally by Bit Part Buttons.
Dig Buffalo's indie record shop. Why shop anywhere else? Why?! Oh, because you like wasting money? Well that's not smart. We always order direct and, at the moment, order exclusively from independent distributors. Oddly enough, it's cheaper that way and we don't deal with corporate vermin. And you pay less and that's really all that matters.
anchovies
1.21.12
5:47 pm
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