The Speaking Canaries

I've already posted on The(e) Speaking Canaries before. I just found this LP at a local record shop ($4!) and have been listening to it fairly non stop. You can find another of their albums here.


Get Out Alive: The Last Type Story (2003)

Van Halen meets Sonic Youth! This album features Damon Che playing guitar, percussion, vocals, and more. I kinda hate this guy. Sure he has a reputation for being arrogant, but I hate the fact that he can play guitar as well as he plays drums. Disgusting. Some tracks do feature Noah Leger, the original drummer from the early days of the band (he also has played in Hurl, Milemarker, Taking Pictures, etc). This version is the LONG VERSION which contains longer tracks than originally released on the CD/LP. Of note- Last side of town part 1&2 is great (the LP has only part 2).

Fela Kuti

There are few things that can cheer most people up like afrobeat. Come on- we've all been there: dancing alone in our houses to the trance-like rhythms, singing along to words we cannot audibly recognize or translate. It's fun. Never mind that many of these songs are fiercely political and speak of situations that most of us are too privileged to be forced to experience. But still, without knowing the message or the meaning, most can still appreciate the energy and emotion of the music.

Open & Close (1971)
I found this album used somewhere in California a few years back. Such a great record. Blazing horns, driving percussion, vocals that sound more like hollering than singing... It is a super fun album. Tony Allen (called the greatest afrobeat drummer, and by others the greatest drummer that ever lived) plays on this album, blending Nigerian polyrhythms with more straightforward funk. You can't not dance to this.

Last Day On The Force!

This was a short lived positive straight edge, vegan, political hardcore punk band I was in, named after a Lethal Weapon 3 reference. It was so sloppy, but really fun. Other members were Eric the Red, Ian, Q, Cliff (!), and Deanna. 2 vocalists made for even more ridiculousness. We played a handful of shows in Pittsburgh and even played the mighty Woodcock Township Building in beautiful Meadville, Pa. We made a 7 song demo that I recorded using a 4 track one afternoon at the Mr. Roboto Project. We probably made a 100 copies or so and sold them on a sliding scale along with D's handmade soaps. Amazing.

Last Day On The Force- Demo (2002?)
I ripped this from the original cassette tape, so the quality is probably fair at best, which is actually pretty fitting. These are songs about veganism, bicycling, political correctness, and becoming so punk you actually end up like your parents. It was a fun band to be in, and it probably couldn't have happened in any other town than Pittsburgh.

The Awakening

The Awakening were an amazing hardcore punk band from Columbus, OH. Three great dudes who totally ripped. I was lucky enough to get to play a handful of shows with them with some of the bands I was in while I lived in Pittsburgh.

The Final Feast- 2001
This was a limited pressing of 1000 on Behold the Youthquake records. 4 fast songs that really leave you wanting more. These songs were also released on their demo (but I've never heard it). I'll need to rip The Burning Wind 7" when I have time and throw that up here as well. The Awakening recently released a discography with some unreleased songs. I haven't had the chance to check it out yet, but really look forward to it. For now, this will do... UNLEASH THE EARTH EATING MACHINE!!!!

Black Widow

I first heard Black Widow while on tour with CU back in 2002. I managed to score this album in a used records bin for $5. This is for all lovers of satanic folk. Doesn't all music sound more evil and KVLT when played with a flute? This band- while sounding high and pagan-like- used to be called Pesky Gee!. Seriously. Black Widow was so KVLT and evil, that they even consulted with a High Priest of Wicca aka "The King of Witches" Alex Sanders. Seriously.

Sacrifice (1970)
This was their first release after renaming the band. The occult themes brought along underground success, however when the band tried dropping the dark overtones to achieve more mainstream success, they were a flop. These songs are often hilarious- what I expect would happen when a D&D nerd got high and decided the game was real life. COME TO THE SABBAT!!!!

Necracedia

It took me so long to find the mp3 files of this lp. A great punk band hailing from Pittsburgh around '86 to '92.

Now I See Clearly (1991)
This is the second album released by Wreck Age Records. This is Necracedia's first and only full length. Classic mid-tempo punk.


Fight For Change 7" (1990)
This ep has a bit more of a rock feel at times, but it still rips.

[sorry for such the delay between posts- hopefully I'll get better...]

Iron Lung

Iron Lung is the team of Jon and Spencer. Two really nice guys that started Reno but have since moved to Seattle. They've been in a ton of other bands. I first saw them in Pittsburgh probably in 2001. They had just released this 7" on 625 Thrashcore. For only two people, they create a fierce wall of sound. Jon uses anywhere from 4 to 6 stacks of amplifiers- I believed all Matamps the last time I saw them. Spencer crushes the kit with ferocity and precision. It truly an amazing performance. The lyrics are witty and the between-song banter is often hilarious. They even released a limited edition (100) live cassette called "The Iron Lung Comedy Half Hour" [which I am lucky enough to own- I'll try to rip and upload eventually]. They have a ton of splits, 7", comp tracks, and a few full lengths. Check them out if you can!


Demonstration in Pressure and Volume (2001)
This is Iron Lung's first 7". They had released a demo, a split 7" and a few comp tracks before this. Its a blazing record. Arc Lamp is about the best 30 seconds ever!