Uffie - Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans

At the beginning of this year, Ke$ha became the new “it” pop sensation in the music industry. Back in 2006, there was a different snarky, hard-living, party girl that had a fresh voice named Uffie. Unfortunately, after a hectic touring schedule, a failed marriage, divorce, and taking a maternity leave, Uffie’s debut album, Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans, was delayed for almost five years before finally coming out this summer. Instead of looking like an innovator and inspiration in the mainstream music world, she appears as a copycat.

Uffie’s highly anticipated debut album is not a disappointment, but it does feel like a time capsule with dated lyrics and references. Since 2006, there have been several EPs, singles and collaborations released to fill the void for Uffie fans. Music has drastically changed when most of this material was recorded. The delays have made some of her references like MySpace seem archaic and “so five minutes” ago. Electronic, dance and synth music has had a resurgence thanks largely to pop acts like Lady Gaga and Ke$ha. Unfortunately, much to her chagrin, Uffie is often compared to the latter. Timing is everything.

“Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans” was produced by Feadz, Mirwais (producer and songwriter for Madonna on her albums “Music,” “American Life” and “Confessions on a Dance Floor”), J-Mat, and SebastiAn, Mr Oizo, and Uffie with guest appearances by Pharrell Williams and Mattie Safer from The Rapture. Filled with French techno, electro and dance-pop songs, the playfulness of Uffie’s vocals make her one of the most entertaining musicians out right now. With her catchy lyrics, banging beats and sweet voice she has captivated underground electropop, indie dance, and French house culture for years, but not mainstream music fans like her pop star contemporaries.

The album kicks off with the underground hit “Pop the Glock,” which is reminiscent of an M.I.A sound, but more danceable. The down to earth sound solidifies the perfect tone set for fun loving and crazy times. “Art of Uff” shows us the beautiful blasting bass that has made her an underground electro-pop princess. This is a song you could go out clubbing with and have a good time. Pharrell shows up on the third track “Add Suv,” which seems like a throwback to 1960s pop music polished with digital sound. This is a perfect example of an amazing collaboration.

More electro-pop follows on “Give it Away” showing a softer, sensual side of Uffie. Then comes the crème de la crème song, “MC’s Can Kiss” that is just as infectious as any pop song you can think of with a playful mood. The electro mishmash shows she does not take herself seriously at all and has a Cars’ mentality of “let the good times roll.” This playfulness continues with the opening of her next song in “Difficulty” as she sings “Don’t worry I don’t write rhymes I write checks.” Uffie’s sassy and tongue-in-cheek lyrics make her music infectious that you can’t help, but get up and dance around.

Ke$ha’s music sounds strikingly similar to the dance song “First Love” and a listener can’t help, but beg the question: What would Ke$ha be without Uffie? The titular song “Sex Dream and Denim Jeans” comes across as a rock song infused song with electronica and is an adaptation of the Velvet Underground’s “Rock & Roll.” “Our Song” is by far one of the most pop accessible songs on the album and shows Uffie’s softer side. One of the best tracks is “Illusion of Love,” featuring Mattie Safer that comes across as an early 1990s rave song slowed down. Underground music could not be any better.

Three of the final four songs “Neuneu,” “Brand New Car,” and “Ricky” shows more of the techno and electronica sound fans would appreciate it. One might even get a Justice vibe and that makes sense since they are also produced by Ed Banger Records like Uffie.

There is one song I continue to have mixed feelings on and that is the Siouxie and the Banshees’ cover of “Hong Kong Gardens.” At times it seems awkward and a huge mistake, but the more I listen to it the more I like it. Covers are always a touchy subject because it’s always going to have mixed reviews no matter what. The contrasting take and delivery make it a fun song to enjoy for the average Uffie fan, but for music lovers you will definitely have a different take. If electronica, dance club, electro-pop, and underground music is a genre you appreciate, it would be a travesty to not know Uffie.


-- Mr. Brownstone

Neurosis - Live at Roadburn 2007

I recently got a double burst of Neurosis dropped in my lap, a sensation not all that different than having a bowling dropped on your junk. But unlike the bowling ball incident, the Neurosis treatment was something that I enjoyed and wish would happen more often. Neurosis is a band that folks either love or just don’t get. I, for one, love them to death and quite frankly can’t be certain if I get them in the least. There’s just something about the primordial droning and hypnotic waves of distortion, the assault of sonic destruction that draws me to these guys like a woman to a shoe sale. The two albums that made their way into my possession and subsequent consciousness are the re-issue of the classic Enemy of the Sun (brilliant album in its original state, even better with the added tracks) and the more recent Live at Roadburn 2007. There’s nothing new that I could write about Enemy of the Sun, so I’ll just leave it as it’s a must have, therefore stop reading this and go get it before reading on. Live at Roadburn 2007, however, is new for me and something that I can’t stop listening to.

I figure that I have a few screws loose, I didn’t get the proper nurturing as a child, or I just don’t get enough sleep to make the extreme noise parade that Neurosis produces something I look forward to. It’s not the kind of music that I typically gravitate towards in that the music doesn’t have the ballsy guitar riffs or mighty mosh parts or variation of mood that makes me punch drunk. But, that’s not to say that this music is any less dynamic. In fact, the music that Neurosis creates is arguably more dynamic than the better half of modern music it’s just that these guys just do it with volume and tone. Filled with imposing phrases and dark words, the detuned, heavy music creates an element of dread and sorrow, hopelessness for the future on mankind, yet . . . I find it completely fascinating! Like when we’re driving and catch a glimpse of roadkill . . . no, we don’t think it’s beautiful, but we all take a long glance at the deceased if not for fascination then for the hope that we can distinguish the breed of critter. That sensation is about the closest analogy I can come up with for Neurosis.

Okay, on with the album. “A Season In The Sky” is a majestic, near ten minute epic of dread and despair. The bass line that creeps out of the fog sets the tone for this song right off the bat and one can easily get the sense that something ominous is upon us. As the vocals enter, the chills run up the spine and the mind races through the wild imagery that’s being strewn across our minds’ eye. This is one of those cases where a band doesn’t need to utilize thrashing drums and cutting guitars to be heavy. The subject matter, the performance, the vocal tones, the bass tones . . . all of it is done with such intensity that the heaviness is more of a matter of fact than studio trickery. It’s well over four minutes before the rest of the band chimes in to make their presence known, but when they do, they don’t pummel us into submission as one might expect, but rather compliment the tones that have already been set. In time, the detuned guitars take center stage and the overbearing weight of the Neurosis that we’ve come to misunderstand and love shine on.

“At the End of the Road” follows next and clocks in at about eight and a half minutes. This track opens with a pulsating drone and steady tom attack from the drummer, creating yet again, a sense of dread and impending doom. This is the Neurosis that I seem to like the best . . . a band that channels their primitive ancestors, communicating in a primordial sense, generating a dark tribal vibe. This intro always makes me feel like it should have been part of the Apocalypse Now soundtrack. I hear this song and I’m transported to the jungles of Vietnam . . . or Cambodia . . . or Laos, you pick, and I’m creeping through the dense foliage with only survival on my mind. Rain pours down periodically while shadows shift along my peripheral vision, always make me turn my head to catch a cleaner view of what’s out there and only finding more jungle . . . always knowing that I’m being watched . . . being hunted. Right around the 5:30 mark, the song opens up, finds a groove and we get that pummeling sensation that Neurosis mastered long, long ago. The bass notes come from various places on the neck of the instrument, the guitars carry the weight of ages, the drums like a heartbeat in a darkened room . . . deafening.

“Distill” is another gem on this album. There’s more groove to this song than most of the others during this particular performance. I love the chaotic burst that explodes as the vocals enter the mix. One guitar is creating a sustained droning tone while the second guitar emits flurries of distorted notes. Masterful! And then the whole thing collapses into ambiance. The guitars suddenly go clean and subtle arpeggios are plucked from the instruments . . . and then BOOM! Chaos ensues once again! When listening to Neurosis this is to be expected. You may want to hear the band go into a long, extended riff frenzy, but know that they’re not gonna’. Their always going to take their music in a direction that is so left of center that it almost feels like they have no direction. But that’s when we as listeners need to stop and rethink how we perceive music. The ambient portions of this song are flat out scary, the rocking portions are devastatingly heavy.

“Water Is Not Enough” is a classic. I’ve heard this song in my sleep for a million years, making me think that I’m must be related to this alien race of musicians in some way, shape or form. Brutally heavy and everything one would expect in association when the name Neurosis is mentioned. One of the band’s shorter tracks at almost six and a half minutes, “Water Is Not Enough” is darn near accessible. The riffs are condensed, but the textures that they create shift the brain fluid from one side of the head to the other, creating a dizzying effect. Slow and steady, hard and heavy, music Neurosis-style . . .

Most people won’t have the patience for a band like Neurosis because the music takes time to get the end of the tale. It’s almost like reading one of Stephen King’s 1,000 word epics, or any James Mischner novel, the story takes time to develop, always building upon itself, incorporating various levels of nuance, until we get to the very end and sit back breathless, thinking to ourselves, “Holy shit.” Live at Roadburn 2007 is a fabulous recording partially due to the bands ability to perform music from their catalog and still create the dynamic mood and tones almost effortlessly. I also like that the crowd noise is at a minimum on this recording. I don’t mind crowd noise on live efforts, especially when we get to hear them chant along with the songs a la Iron Maiden or Rush, but in the case of Neurosis, I like that the focus is purely on the band and their ability to pull off the performance in a live setting versus the relative safety of the studio. Live at Roadburn 2007 is a good starting point for anyone interested in learning more about the band and hearing what they’re all about. Beyond that, Enemy of the Sun is a can’t miss.  -  Pope

buy here:  Live at Roadburn 2007
mp3: Live at Roadburn 2007

www.neurosis.com

www.myspace.com/officialneurosis

EU PAY

I should get a job on the EU gravy train if these figures from Ellwood & Atfield are anything to go by:

MEP

Gross monthly: €7,665.31
Net monthly €5,963.33
Net annual: €71,559.96
Staffing: €17,540/month
General expenditure: €4,202/month
Additional Subsistence: €298/day attandence at official meetings
Subsistence for external office meetings: €149/day

Comb pay (including annual travel allowance) est; €126,131.96pa

Commission and Council
26,000 employed by European Commission. 3,500 permanent posts in the Council
President: €24,874/month
Vice President: €22,531/month
High Representative: €23,432/month
Commissioner: €20,278/month
Residence allowance: 15% of salary

Civil Service
Highest grade: €16,600pm - €18,025pm
Lowest admin: €4,267 - €4,828pm
Unit head/managament: €10,129 - €11,461pm
Allowances: Varied: Expat - 16% of sallary, household & cild allowance if working outside their home country
Pension 8.25% of basic

GIVE ME INFORMATION

In the six months to June there were 1343 requests from the British government for information on Google users while there were 48 requests for data removal.

1343 user requests? I wonder on who? Should Old Holborn start getting worried?!?!

Here's the top five:

Country Data Removal

United States 4287 128
Brazil 2435 398
India 1430 30
United Kingdom 1343 48
France 1017 25




ht: Geeks

GEEKS AND PIZZA

what a perfect marriage - Star Trek pizza slicer

available here

ht: Geeks

GEEKDOOM?

An interesting article on soundblab about the rise of the geek which ends with a warning:

The geeks have already made it, let's hope they haven't got too light-headed by their sudden rise to the top.

Now I've always been a geek. Wither films - from being blown sideways by the blockade Runner and the screen being swallowed by an Imperial Star Destroyer, through the grim tech-noir of Blade Runner to the sheer lunacy from Simon Pegg and Crew; to TV - with the good Doctor, Blakes 7, Star Trek etc; or to books and comics I have embraced my geekdom.

However, as a cultural meme it has me worried. The successes of the last decade or so have dragged the Geek from their pub meets, comicons and internet into the blinking glaze of that carniverous whore that is popular culture.

At the moment Doctor Who is the most watched family programme excluding soaps, teenage girls are snapping up vampire fic and manga, and you see Green Lantern t-shirts (of all things) around the park.

But, as with all pop culture, have we hit the crest? Is the only way down?

There are a plethora of superhero films on the horizon, which will be the Heaven's Gate of the genre?

How long before we scuttle back to our darkened rooms, remembering the time when we were in the sunlight, waiting for the next time the circle turns again?

PLAYING TO THE AUDIENCE

I make no apology for attacking spivs and gamblers who did more harm to the British economy than Bob Crow [the RMT union leader] could achieve in his wildest Trotskyite fantasies, while paying themselves outrageous bonuses underwritten by the taxpayer

Vince Cable has made a lot of ink spill over his comments to the Lib Dem conference yesterday and in the Fringe.

However, essentially he is playing to the audience.



Despite the re-birth of economic liberalism in the party, the Lib Dem delegate in general is still the left-wing, fox-hugging, hemp buying, community worker that sees the world like Basil Fotherington-Thomas singing "hullo clouds, hullo sky", thinking the world would be a better place if only people were nice.

You know like those teachers at school who were always on the verge of a mental breakdown as they realised that their lovely progedies were actually evil shits that will have to have civilisation beaten into them by their peers and the playing fields.

So Vince was giving them what they wanted. Bankers are nasty people. Rich people are selfish.

That sort of thing.

The problem is that without the financial world, where does that leave the UK? I really don't have a problem with companies using their own profits to pay workers. I DO have a problem with governments who are major shareholders not stopping banks from paying huge bonuses before they meet their debt obligation to the tax payer.

A distinct difference there Vince.

Field Report - Sleep Reunion in Brooklyn 9/8/10

 L-O-U-D!

The Brooklyn Masonic temple was erected in 1907 and sits in Brooklyn’s beautiful and historic Fort Greene section. About 3 years ago various promoters began renting it out and having concerts there. Everyone from Neurosis to Big Star have performed inside the historic space and was the perfect venue to catch one of the few Sleep reunion shows. Sleep’s unique blend of heavy music, spirituality and massive weeed consumption was well served on the majestic altar.

Sleep played 2 nights in Brooklyn, Monday Zeptember 6 and Wednesday Zeptember 8. The Wednesday show was the first one announced and sold out so quickly another show had to be added. The Masonic Temple also hosed a concert of Boris and Sunn O))) performing as Altar on Tuesday Zeptember 7. I was told that the Monday Sleep show was a complete fog of pot smoke and that the Boris/Sunn O))) show was cut short by a visit from the police, while others claim there was a problem with the power. The Temple has no air conditioning so it was pretty fragrant with the scent of b.o. and swampy air.

All of these events contributed to tighter security and stricter set times. It was posted that Sleep would start the Wednesday show at 10PM and they hit the stage at ten on the dot. The crowd went berserk as guitarist Matt Pike started the opening droney riffs of “Dopesmoker.” When bassist Al Cisneros and guest drummer Jason Roeder of Neurosis came thundering in for “Holy Mountain” the sound was truly overwhelming. As someone who’s been going to see really loud music for over 25 years, this was easily one of the loudest shows I’ve ever witnessed. I was towards the back of the venue near the soundboard and the beer stand. When it was time for a freshie there was no chance of telling the bartender what you wanted. You just had to point to what you wanted and hope they understood. Unfortunately the tighter security totally harshed the mellow of those trying to let Mother Nature fly free. A few people were kicked out but plenty of sneaky weedians were able to sneak a puff or two.

Back in Sleep’s original 1990’s heyday they were know for playing massive Green Amps but it seems that they were using borrowed or rented gear on this tour. Matt played his cherry burst Les Paul through two Marshall amps and four Orange 4x12 cabinets. Al’s Rickenbacker bass was powering two Ampeg amps with matching 8x10 cabinets plus a Marshall amp and two 4x12’s. The PA system was excellent allowing Jason’s drums and Al’s vocals to be heard over that inanely hellish crossfire of sound.

For the main set, they played everything from the classic Holy Mountain with some parts of the epic “Dopesmoker” mixed in. The band was very tight but took plenty of liberties with the material and stretched out on some incredible jams. The zonked out crowd loved it. Behind the band a huge screen projected space footage, pot leaves, fire and other hallucinatory images. It’s hard to pick any standout songs because everything was played so well but the jam during “From Beyond” was especially Grand Funk-esque.

After a short break, the band returned to play a cover of Ozzy’s “Over The Mountain.” It was a good choice since playing a Black Sabbath cover would be completely redundant since all of Sleep’s songs owe such a huge debt to them. It started off at Ozzy’s tempo before dropping to a slower pace for the verses. During the guitar solo the band got faster and slower a few times, but I’m not sure if that was intentional or not. The last two songs of the night were the unreleased “Antarcticus Thawed” and “Cultivator,” both of which were massively heavy.

Without a word, the band left the stage and the stunned and deaf crowd filed out of the Temple and went in search of munchies and fresh air.

--Woody

BOOK 'EM HANNO

ht: the bish

GEEK HITS

Marvel Cats


Samurai Star Wars

Ht: Geeks

SMOKIN

Apparently there is a facebook group that encourages people to cough when they walk past smokers.

Just pathetic really.

I'll leve it to the (Not-so) forgotten prophet.

Ladies and gentlemen, Bill Hicks:

Tell you, the worst kind of non-smokers' the kind where you're smokin' and they just walk up to you ... [starts coughing affectedly] I always say, 'Shit, you're lucky you don't smoke. That's some cough you got there, dude. I'm smoking, you're coughing. Wow.' That's kind of cruel, man. Going up to a smoker and coughing. Shit! Do you go up to crippled people dancing too, you fucks? 'Hey, Mr. Wheelchair. What's your problem? Come on ironside, race ya!

Obnoxious , self-righteous, whining little fucks. My biggest fear is that if I quit smoking, I'll become on of you...Don't take that wrong. I have something to tell you non-smokers that I know for a fact that you don't know, and I feel it's my duty to pass on information at all times. Ready?.......Non-smokers die every day...Enjoy your evening. See, I know that you entertain this eternal life fantasy because you've chosen not to smoke, but let me be the 1st to POP that bubble and bring you hurtling back to reality....You're dead too.

Bill Hicks: December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994

DEBT

Conservative Home has written about how Jeremy Hunt could become the champion of supporters-owned football clubs.

But there is another solution. In both Liverpool and Man U's situations, the buyers borrowed heavily to get the clubs and then put that debt onto the clubs' books.

That's right, make the clubs pay for the buyout.

And it's completely legal.

And in my opinion wrong.

As much shadenfreude as could be had from seeing these two clubs fall, it cannot be right to push a club into debt because you've bought it.

Man U only made a profit because of the selling of Ronaldo otherwise the debt would have had probably the most successful club in the UK make a loss.

Get rid of that legal move first - we might see football remember a time when the fans were as important to the clubs and players as money and cups are today.

Ancestors - Of Sound Mind

Who ever said that metal couldn't soothe the soul? Bringing you to a higher plane of existence and bridging the gap between the body, the senses and the sounds that affect them. The art of Drone: A deep and continuous sound of unmoved pitch accompanied by a melody. The art of the patient, robust and meticulous Ancestors. Originally hailing from Los Angeles, with the exception of Englishman, Chico Foley. Ancestors has been sustaining the world of progressive/psychedelic rock/metal since their debut album Neptune on Fire (2006, Tee Pee Records). Ancestor's sophomore release, Of Sound Mind, (2010, Tee Pee Records) showcases the band's natural and maturing sound and demonstrates the creative capabilities of a band well worth noting.

Ancestors, Of Sound Mind, is a seventy-one minute and twenty-seven second journey into the deep and dark chasms of the psyche. Bringing you a little closer to yourself. From the very first tones of the very first track, “The Ambrose Law” you can definitely hear the Black Sabbath influence. The classic and moving distorted melody of the guitar, accompanied by the tremolo of the organ, and the intermittent snare, really brings you back to the day; for those of us who can't remember that far back, a definite feel for the times. Then, like a welcomed beating from a nun, at approximately seven minutes and thirty six seconds, we are briefly thrown from a emotionally moving world to the doom and agony that encompasses it, then bitter sweetly brought back into the world of the moving emotion.

Its almost uncanny, their ability to drag you from one musical direction to another. The second track, “Challenging,” is a beautiful and thought provoking instrumental piece, featuring a concert piano, showcasing the classical training that is apparent throughout the whole album. The track, “The Trail,” is an epic seventeen minute long song; from the very beginning hooking you with the hypnotic capabilities of the ambient guitar, throwing you face first into a groove latent rhythm, then topping you off with Kirk Windstein(Crowbar, Down, Kingdom of Sorrow) influenced vocals. The Track, “Bounty of Age,” begins with a Pink Floyd rhythm, a tempo increase in the middle leads the way for a moving blues guitar, with a pummeling doom influenced ending. The Track, “Mother Animal,” has to be my favorite on the album, it really gives us a sense of what progressive rock is suppose to be like, a blues/jazz influenced harmony with an smooth ambient body.

The album structure is very simple, four very long tracks intermingled with 3 very short ones. Honestly, I could have done without some of the shorter tracks like, “Friend” and “From Nothing.” Which really seemed like unnecessary filler to me.

Other than the little bit of filler this album will lead the way for other drone influenced, organ playing metal heads to follow their passions and dreams. This album is also the perfect accompaniment to a day sitting on the couch relaxing, pondering, reading or writing. Ancestors are breaking boundaries and moving minds. Support the musicians that you appreciate and look up to. Buy the album if you have the means to and spread the word.

This album comes in two formats, CD and Double LP(2XLP). There is no bonus material associated with this album. Art work by Derek Albeck.

Ancestors and The Fucking Wrath will be on a west coast tour starting late October, here are the tour dates:

10/20/2010, Zahn Zillas, Ventura, CA
10/21/2010, Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco, CA
10/22/2010, East End, Portland, OR
10/23/2010, Comet Tavern, Seattle, WA
10/25/2010, Jambalaya, Arcata, CA
10/26/2010, Nick’s Night Club, Chico, CA
10/27/2010, Jose’s Mexican Bar & Grill, Monterey, CA

--JD<sup>2

Buy here: Of Sound Mind</sup> 



 

Mr. Bungle – California

Some music is made to be beautiful.  It can ease your mind with luscious vocal harmonies and arrangements.  Some music is made to be brutal.  It tears at your sanity with hellish growls and bone crushing heaviness.  Some music…well, some music is just plain weird.  It takes the listener on a journey through unfamiliar musical landscapes and expects them to keep up.  Mr. Bungle’s California manages to combine these three types of music in one unforgettable package.

Do you ever find yourself believing that no one on the planet could be as strange or eccentric as you?  Trust me when I say that listening to this album will quickly lay those fears to rest.  This band is not composed of mere musicians.  No, no, no.  Each member is a mad scientist who takes great delight in molding all of their musical influences into songs that resemble Frankenstein monsters.  Yes they can be frightening at first glance, but if you take the time to get to know them you will have friends for life.

The rollercoaster ride begins with “Sweet Charity”, a joyous song exuding sunshine and cheer complete with sound effects mimicking noises from the beach and bombastic vocal choruses.  From there the tempo picks up substantially for a song called “None of Them Knew They Were Robots” which is especially notable for
its combination of heavy metal riffing and intricate jazzy passages.  “Retrovertigo” changes course one hundred and eighty degrees, soothing the listener with music resembling a lullaby complete with notes from what sounds like an infant’s toy xylophone.  The end of the song brings the energy level back up perfectly leading into “The Air-Conditioned Nightmare”, a song which would not sound at all out of place in a vintage beach bunny movie from decades past.

I could go on and describe the other songs but that would ruin the surprises this album has in store for the listener.  Besides, I would run out of adjectives before describing the closing track.  Rest assured each song is
stylistically quite different from each other, yet in the end fit together to form a beautiful whole.  You won’t have any idea where the band is taking you, but the trip sure is a blast from start to finish.  Chances are once you’ve finished, you might just jump back in line to start the rollercoaster ride again.

 --Penfold

The Fucking Wrath - Terra Firma

Blood, sweat and anarchist vehemence seeps from the pores of The Fucking Wrath, who is back with a vengeance with their latest metalinfused punk rock release Terra Firma. What did I hear you say? Punk is dead? Shut up and get to the back of the line! Punk never died, itjust took short vacation down to Cambodia, where the people dress inblack. It's not dead. Not anymore. The Fucking Wrath's instrumental genius and style has not but one purpose: to create pure anarchy. And that, my friends, is what the punk is scene all about. So I say, “The punk revival is here!” A revival back to its roots: blood, sweat, anarchy and no bitching!

The Fucking Wrath will writhe your body with uncontrollable rhythm, a doom influence and a punk revival that will bring you back to the instrumental genius of The Addicts, the gargled vocal style of Keith Morris (Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, OFF!) and the current Matt Pike (Asbestosdeath, Sleep, High On Fire). The first track is a cover of the song '"Hurricane" by Pentagram, which will bring you into the rhythm of the band and its essence. Everything about the first track is nothing but pure garage brilliance; the trill of the guitar, the power of the snare and those classic bellowing bass solos have not but one purpose, one reason to exist; to create pure anarchy. The second track will throw you right into the middle of the emotional gargle of
the front man and guitarist Craig, who visually, and in terms of his characteristics, will seem welcomely unpleasant. This is one thing I can really appreciate about this band. They are not flashy, melodramatic, though just making music for music's sake.

The third track, "Don't Look Back," is a track whose intensity and rapid beat will throw any crowd into a frenzy, causing massive mosh pits; most definitely not for the faint of heart, or your christian household. The fourth track, "Fangs of God," will smooth-en out the emotion that you have just purged upon hearing the three tracks before it, with some good groove infused punk-laden rhythms, ends in a march like trance, that will raise the morale of any hardcore bruised and battered crowed. The fifth track, "The Beginning," is a great end to an intense journey that will not only leave you with a pleasant surprise, but leave you begging for more. "The Beginning" will drive you into a feeling of doom and despair, giving you the fuel to once more unleash anarchy upon your peers and ceases to disappoint to the very end.

A genre that rarely disappoints is what the scene has been waiting for, the punk revival! A journey back to its roots. A journey back to the sweat and mayhem that made the mid 80's to late 90's punk scene. I take off my hat to the brilliance that is The Fucking Wrath for doing just that. These guys are going places. If you love punk, if you lived in the day, if you love music for the sake of loving music, this album is a must buy. This band deserves a lot of recognition and a strong following for a well put together EP and a musical integrity that definitely kicks you right in the face. Hey but what would you expect from a band that released their first album the week of 06.06.06. Need I say more? I think not. Support the musicians that you appreciate and look up to. Buy the album if you have the means to and spread the word.

This album is available in EP format and is due for release October 15. The band will be releasing a full length album in 2011, so you have got some of time to digest. This band will also be on tour with Ancestors a few days after the release, the tour dates and venues are as follows:

10/20/2010, Zahn Zillas, Ventura, CA
10/21/2010, Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco, CA
10/22/2010, East End, Portland, OR
10/23/2010, Comet Tavern, Seattle, WA
10/25/2010, Jambalaya, Arcata, CA
10/26/2010, Nick’s Night Club, Chico, CA
10/27/2010, Jose’s Mexican Bar & Grill, Monterey, CA

-- JD<sup>2

Buy here: Terra Fire</sup>

A Sunday Conversation with Mammut

It's rare that an album captures me so quickly, so completely.  But that's exactly what happened upon hearing the aggressive postpunk of Iceland's Mammut.  Sure it's all in Icelandic, that still didn't stop the album from shooting into my top ten Best of 2009.  So naturally, we cleared some space on our red leather interview couch and invited Arnar to come join us, shoot back some whiskey, and talk about the band.

When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.


What have been your musical epiphany moments?


I grew up in a home where we listened to all kinds of music. Both of my parents are very open to everything from classical music to hard rock (not metal though) so I've never really had any musical epiphany moments so to speak. But of course I have discovered some music which completely surprised my. The latest was the not-so-new musician Neil Young.



Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?

Usually some kind of a riff or a drum beat comes first. Someone comes to a practice with a riff from home or it happens by accident while we're rehearsing. Then we just slowly build the song around that particular riff or drum beat.

Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?

We don't really look for inspiration on purpose but of course many things inspire us, weather we know of it or not. Our environment, friends, family, news, nature etc.



Genre's are so misleading and such a way to pigeonhole bands. Without resorting to labels, how would you describe your music?

We've been described as "Pitch black pop eating colorful Skittles" and I think that suits us quite well. It's graphic and somehow fits well while you're listening to the album.




What is you musical intention? What are you trying to express or get your audience to feel?

I'd say our purpose is to entertain and give value, both to ourselves and others. We don't have any special feelings we're trying to express, everyone can interpret the music they way they want.



In songwriting, how do you bring the song together? What do you look for in terms of complexity? Simplicity? Time changes?

Usually the song making process starts with a riff which then slowly becomes a song. We try not complicate things in our songs. There's a lot of truth in the old saying "Less is more".

The business of music is a brutal place. Changes in technology have made it easier than ever for bands to get their music out, but harder than ever to make a living? What are your plans to move the band forward? How do you stay motivated in this brutal business?

It's true that this business has changed for good. It's not really anymore about being one of the very few to "get signed". Now everyone has the same chance after the internet came about. I think this change is very positive and I'd say it's easier now to make a living then before IF you are devoted to do that. We are constantly working on moving the band forward and we do that by making clear goals and working a lot turning them into reality.



Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?

Hehe we've had some fun moments. One of them was when we played with Kiefer Sutherland's band, Rocco DeLuca. Afterwards we partied with Kiefer and the band. He drank a lot and was much shorter then we thought!



What makes a great song?

A great song is one which stirs up your emotions, weather it's happiness, anger, love, hate or just any other.



Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?

The first song we wrote is called "1. flokks exem" which means something like "First class eczema" (not very appealing:P). It's a long and quite boring song, but when we wrote it we thought it was great. We've often joked about releasing that song as a single just to see how people would react hehe. I doubt we'll do that though.

What piece of your music are particularly proud of?

I'm very proud of the songs "Í Leyni", "Ég Veit Hann Kemur Fljótt" and "Dýradóttir" because we wrote them under a lot of pressure in a very short amount of time. We only had 3 days until recordings and we wrote them all within that time.



Who today, writes great songs? Why?

I really like the songwriting of Fleet Foxes. They really now how to mix they're vocals together and also make really catchy melodies. I must admit that I also admire Coldplay for writing tons of amazingly catchy songs.



Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?

I used to lie to myself that vinyl was the best way to listen to music. But for me it just takes to much time and I really like to be able to travel with a lot of music everywhere I go. That's why I choose digital, also because it's environmental friendly, I think...

We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. When we come to your town, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?

There's a small second hand record store called Geisladiskabúð Valda. You can find all kinds of music there. If you're looking for loads of mainstream then Skífan is the place to be. But the newest and most fresh new music would be found at Gogoyoko.com, but that's digital.




Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?

We'd like to tell people about a TV show which was made about our Europe tour last November. It was made by our great friend and genius Bowen Staines and can be watched here: http://www.dontpaniciceland.com/?p=DontPanicTV

We'd also like to tell people that we'll gladly send them free songs when the sign up to our mailing list at www.myspace.com/mammut

Have a great year all of you!