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| RTX JJ Got Live RaTX |
| Tuesday, October 28, 2008 |
Here's the problem with reviewing a record like RTX's JJ Got Live RaTX....what song should I choose to post? This record is utterly, utterly brilliant--not a surprise, because Jennifer Herrema and her heavy metal bandmates (and yes, this is HEAVY METAL) have amazingly made records that are double the brilliance of the album that proceded them. They were tight last time around, but with this record, they are full-on unfuckwithable. Their sound is surprisingly basic in nature: hard, fast, blues-tinged Rock and fuckin' Roll!
The band that made Western Xterminator has matured nicely, and good grief, they've got some nice tits on 'em, too. Not one song on here is filler; not one minute is wasted. It's a short, succinct record, and like a drunken screw underneath the bleachers, it's fast, it's hard, it's amazing...and good lord, how you want more! I love the hard-hitting "Virginia Creeper," the even harder-hitting "Hash," the meant-for-stadium-rocking "Too Badd," and the bluesy "Cheap Wine Time." I've chosen that one, because I do not want to rob you of the xperience of this Radically Tight Xperience!
Listen To: "Cheap Wine Time"
JJ Got RTX Live is out now on Drag CityLabels: Drag City, reviews r, RTX |
posted by joseph kyle @ 11:00 AM  |
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| Jesu/Battle of Mice |
| Monday, October 27, 2008 |
The prolific Jesu releases another winner, this time a split EP with the heavy-hitting Battle of Mice. The two songs found here are gorgeous explorations of sonic noise and melancholy; "Clear Stream" is laden with vocodered vocals hidden underneath those wonderful cathedrals of sound that Jesu is known for, while "Falling From Grace" is a gorgeous yet sad almost-instrumental.
What Jesu lacks in aggression, Battle of Mice supplies. Led by the wonderful little-girl-like voice of Julie Christmas, Battle of Mice is a new kind of metal. "The Bishop" finds Christmas singing in a dark, threatening forest; her yelp reminds me a bit of Kat Bjelland, and within the powerful band behind her, the song is utterly creepy and disturbing. In a good way, of course. "Yellow and Black" is a dirge, leaden with hard guitars, lots of screaming, and a hazy atmosphere that makes listener feel a bit punch-drunk.
In a good way, of course.
Listen To: "The Bishop"
The Jesu/Battle of Mice split EP is out now on Robotic Empire RecordsLabels: Battle of Mice, Jesu, Robotic Empire Records |
| posted by joseph kyle @ 7:38 AM |
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| Time Enough at Last |
| Saturday, October 25, 2008 |
Dear Readers,
I want to apologize for neglecting you over the past few months. Actually, I take that back—I’ve neglected you for much longer than that. But I want to explain to you that I am back, baby, and I’m ready to give you the best of the best.
See, my day job kept me busy. A few months ago, my day job blocked Blogger, and I could not update in the timely and reasonable manner I had expected and that you had expected. Besides that, the job quickly became overly demanding, so much so that it made me unhappy, and I drowned my unhappiness in music. Ironically, I didn’t write about this music, even though it means the world to me. Fortunately for me, I was laid off this week. I know that being fired is tough and I’m not all that happy about it, but at the end of the day, I know it’s for the best.
One of the ways that it’s ‘for the best’ is that I can return to writing and updating on a regular basis now, and I am going to do so, starting Monday.
I thank you for your time, patience, and, more importantly, support. I will soon be introducing you to some utterly wonderful music, and you’ll start to see more of those excellent interviews that once graced this site. I hope you enjoy!
Love,
Joseph Kyle
Editor. |
| posted by joseph kyle @ 10:46 AM |
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