The Fall
- ‘The Real New Fall Album’ (Narnack Records)
To
be honest, I'd never heard of The Fall before. Looking in to them, I found that
they've been making music since the 70's. Founder and frontman, Mark E. Smith,
has had quite the rock star life. He's been through drinking, womanizing,
domestic violence, and jail. I guess that gives you a lot to sing about. All
that chaos comes though in his voice, which has quite the sneer to it. The
latest effort is pretty damn good. It's like the Cure, Depeche Mode, and Joy
Division. I enjoyed the record immensely. They have released over 50 records,
and are liked by such people as the BBC's John Peel. The highlights on this
record, would be "Protein Protection" and "Mountain Energy". This is post punk
at its finest. (Eddie Fleisher)
Langhorne Slim – ‘The Electric Love Letter EP’ (Narnack Records)
Langhorne Slim is a very cool
artist who mixes blues, country, bluegrass, and folk to create something that
has a very classic sound. Slim has a voice that wails with rasp and feeling. "My
Future" begins this EP, and it starts it out with a foot stomping, hanging out
on the front porch vibe. Slim has alot of help on this EP from some very
talented musicians, who help to create the bluegrass/folky sound. "One Sunday
Morning" starts out with a choir and moves into a folksy guitar with Slim's
shaky voice singing "One Sunday morning, and you're acting crazy". In this
track, Slim sounds a lot like Cat Stevens, and he does in other songs too. An
added bonus to the EP is a live song from Bonaroo 2003. It's a cool addition.
This EP is very promising, and I'd be on the look out for future releases from
this talent. (Eddie Fleisher)
This CD is from
a supergroup of sorts, featuring members of the Coachwhips, Lil' Pocket Knife,
Numbers, and Comets on Fire. There's also DJ Shitbird. It's split into two
albums sort of, and it's hard to really tell what is what. I believe the first
half is called Revenge, which I'm guessing is made up of Coachwhips, Numbers,
and Comets on Fire. It's an interesting blend of noise and electronic beats. It
has a very dirty feel to it. The lyrics are spat at you with a fierce
abrasiveness. It's kind of like if Kid 606 played instruments and sang. It makes
your speakers bang and pulsate. The second half, actually like the last 5 songs,
are done by DJ Shitbird, and feature the vocals of Lil' Pocket Knife. This
sounds a lot like her band, but a little dancier. This segment of the record
sounds like they made it all up in like 10 minutes. The vocals are kinda dumb
and there's a lot of laughing and disorganization. I would suggest you check out
Lil' Pocket Knife's album, "Pants Control", instead. This is cool for one
listen, but it all gets old quick. (Eddie Fleisher)
The Short Happy Life – ‘This Album Is Also
Called The Short Happy Life’ (Nobodys Favorite Records)
The Short Happy Life is the
new name for Jerry Fels. Jerry's first record, ‘I've Made My Bed, Now I'm Lying
In It’, is one of my favorites. He's an amazing songwriter who uses humor to
emphasize his pain. This record is shorter than the last one. He also uses a lot
more keyboards and other sounds on this one. The opening track, "Be Good To Yr.
Self", sets the mood, and really represents Fels. "If you really think you'll
find someone who'll treat you ok, then you haven't met the one who made you wish
you were dead, or at least someone else", Fels says in the song. Though his
approach is very dark, his words couldn't be more truthful. That song is
followed by a love song to Sleater-Kinney member, Carrie Brownstein, called "Oh
Carrie Brownstein". It's pretty catchy, and very funny. The album is full of the
funny meets sad vibe, and it's an excellent record. Fels is truly a genius
in the way he expresses his emotions. "Loving You Is A Waste Of Time" and "Love
Is For Losers" are just a few examples of the titles of songs on this record.
Though you might say Fels dark approach is depressing, he does redeem this
attitude on songs like "At First It Will Be Hard", where he manages to find hope
in all the sadness. I think this is one of the most creative and interesting
records I've heard. If you haven't experienced Jerry Fels and The Short Happy
Life, you're missing out. (Eddie Fleisher)
To
be honest, I'd never heard of The Fall before. Looking in to them, I found that
they've been making music since the 70's. Founder and frontman, Mark E. Smith,
has had quite the rock star life. He's been through drinking, womanizing,
domestic violence, and jail. I guess that gives you a lot to sing about. All
that chaos comes though in his voice, which has quite the sneer to it. The
latest effort is pretty damn good. It's like the Cure, Depeche Mode, and Joy
Division. I enjoyed the record immensely. They have released over 50 records,
and are liked by such people as the BBC's John Peel. The highlights on this
record, would be "Protein Protection" and "Mountain Energy". This is post punk
at its finest. (Eddie Fleisher)
Langhorne Slim is a very cool
artist who mixes blues, country, bluegrass, and folk to create something that
has a very classic sound. Slim has a voice that wails with rasp and feeling. "My
Future" begins this EP, and it starts it out with a foot stomping, hanging out
on the front porch vibe. Slim has alot of help on this EP from some very
talented musicians, who help to create the bluegrass/folky sound. "One Sunday
Morning" starts out with a choir and moves into a folksy guitar with Slim's
shaky voice singing "One Sunday morning, and you're acting crazy". In this
track, Slim sounds a lot like Cat Stevens, and he does in other songs too. An
added bonus to the EP is a live song from Bonaroo 2003. It's a cool addition.
This EP is very promising, and I'd be on the look out for future releases from
this talent. (Eddie Fleisher)
This CD is from
a supergroup of sorts, featuring members of the Coachwhips, Lil' Pocket Knife,
Numbers, and Comets on Fire. There's also DJ Shitbird. It's split into two
albums sort of, and it's hard to really tell what is what. I believe the first
half is called Revenge, which I'm guessing is made up of Coachwhips, Numbers,
and Comets on Fire. It's an interesting blend of noise and electronic beats. It
has a very dirty feel to it. The lyrics are spat at you with a fierce
abrasiveness. It's kind of like if Kid 606 played instruments and sang. It makes
your speakers bang and pulsate. The second half, actually like the last 5 songs,
are done by DJ Shitbird, and feature the vocals of Lil' Pocket Knife. This
sounds a lot like her band, but a little dancier. This segment of the record
sounds like they made it all up in like 10 minutes. The vocals are kinda dumb
and there's a lot of laughing and disorganization. I would suggest you check out
Lil' Pocket Knife's album, "Pants Control", instead. This is cool for one
listen, but it all gets old quick. (Eddie Fleisher)
The Short Happy Life is the
new name for Jerry Fels. Jerry's first record, ‘I've Made My Bed, Now I'm Lying
In It’, is one of my favorites. He's an amazing songwriter who uses humor to
emphasize his pain. This record is shorter than the last one. He also uses a lot
more keyboards and other sounds on this one. The opening track, "Be Good To Yr.
Self", sets the mood, and really represents Fels. "If you really think you'll
find someone who'll treat you ok, then you haven't met the one who made you wish
you were dead, or at least someone else", Fels says in the song. Though his
approach is very dark, his words couldn't be more truthful. That song is
followed by a love song to Sleater-Kinney member, Carrie Brownstein, called "Oh
Carrie Brownstein". It's pretty catchy, and very funny. The album is full of the
funny meets sad vibe, and it's an excellent record. Fels is truly a genius
in the way he expresses his emotions. "Loving You Is A Waste Of Time" and "Love
Is For Losers" are just a few examples of the titles of songs on this record.
Though you might say Fels dark approach is depressing, he does redeem this
attitude on songs like "At First It Will Be Hard", where he manages to find hope
in all the sadness. I think this is one of the most creative and interesting
records I've heard. If you haven't experienced Jerry Fels and The Short Happy
Life, you're missing out. (Eddie Fleisher)