Rest

A few weeks ago my old pal jagaland (check out his blog here) sent me a link via direct message on twitter. I love this guy but as he has, amongst a few others of my friends, the shittiest taste in movies, I immediately thought that the short he sent me would be catastrophically ass. Nevertheless I clicked on the link and baaam I was right! Yet an other over-saturized modern bullshit zombie movie, where some people try to milk a dead cow, which in this case doesn’t come back to life.

Don’t get me wrong here. I love zombie flicks like Re-Animator, Dead Dudes In The House, Braindead, Dawn of the Dead (original), Day of the Dead (original), Night of the Living Dead, Evil Dead and stuff. I even really appreciate Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake and Land of the Dead. But for me the cult is over, the genre is dead, dead as Punk is dead (a bad allusion again).

I nearly immediately stopped watching the movie. But as it only lasts 10 minutes and as I was quite bored I gave it a try, and against all odds I was positively surprised! The short bases on an incredibly long build-up until it gets to an ending I would never have expected! I do not want to spoiler so I shut my mouth and command you to be patient and watch the film to the end. There are only three movies which made me cry like a little baby. First there is Braindead (biggest love story of all-time), then there is Tim Burton’s masterpiece Edward Scissorhands and finally there is Rest. I don’t even give a damn that the piece uses this modern over-hyped style of filming I don’t like and I don’t care that the story is at some points a bit questinable and unlogic (besides of that there is a dead man standing up out of his grave). Because in the end, all this stuff doesn’t matter anymore.

Certainly one of my favorite short movies this year!

-Luc-

LaFaro – Easy Meat

LaFaro aroused my curiosity a few weeks ago, so I decided to buy their two releases blindly. Was it a good decision? Yes, Sir!

With their second album, Easy Meat, the boys from Belfast just lift off like a rusty rocket. Their sound compromises Thrash and (Post-)Hardcore elements, mixed with a pinch of Metal and Queens of the Stone Age. I somewhere read that this work was like QOTSA if Nick Oliveri did all the songs. I can’t really confirm this, although a few Queens-traces are not deniable, especially in Wingers + Chips, which sounds like a descendant from Quick and to the Pointless.

The most important thing is: LaFaro have developed their very own sound, which was essential, as I found the mixing of their debut too piercing and ordinary (damn, I’d love to hear Chopper is a Fuckin Tout in the new sound!). When Easy Meat hits your ears, it automatically feels more authentic, combining evil guitars with rusty agro-vocals with a crazy drumming that sounds like someone going postal at a junky yard. Lot’s of 90s music here too in my ears.

Boring? No, Sir!

As for the interludes (after nearly every single song), it seems that they are a matter of opinion. I think they’re quite annoying and unnecessary. Lots of energy is lost because of them. No Songs-For-The-Deaf-feeling here, if this was the intention. If you created a scrap press like Easy Meat, please mates, do not stop it when it has already started wrecking! As for the rest: we now know that the vocalist (is it even possible not to play the guitar in a rock band when your name is Jonny Black?) and the drummer are insane. Leave the metal part a bit aside and concentrate more on madness, then this could be huge!

Recommendations: Full Tilt, Wingers + Chips, Boke, OFF THE CHART

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jYhQK7aVM]

Dirty Crows Studio Update II

Here you have the last part of the studio diary from our beloved Dirty Crows. Enjoy!

Tuesday: Recorded the bass, edited the drums, which took lots of time. Not a very productive day, did a bit percussion afterwards. Marc caught a cold, so we’re a little worried about his voice because there’s still lots of vocals to record. Mauro’s girlfriend Liz brought him something from the drug store, we bought him a Playboy magazine. Let’s see what helps more (no comment. -elgore-). We made a little video greeting message for our friends from Angel at my Table for their release on Saturday.

Wednesday: Bass recordings, drum edits, only cold water in the shower (use the Playboy! -elgore-), but hey, that’s rock’n’roll! Had a cool evening with our studio neighbour, a dude who records an album on his own.

Thursday: Bass recordings (are you Death From god damn Above 1979 or what? -elgore-). Played the Fender Jaguar over the bass amp plus octaver. Recorded Marc’s guitar and his vocals and then again drum editing. Felix from The Lost Ways passed by, very cool guy, lots of music talk and had a beer together. A whole case to be honest (yep, we can imagine! -elgore-). Started talking French only so that Jan was thinking that we’re drunk, but we weren’t (mmh mmh -elgore-). Daniel did some background recordings until 2am.

Friday: Bass recordings (oh really?! -elgore-), only one song left for Mauro. I (Phillip) recorded some hard and crazy guitar sounds and Marc did his guitar and vocals. Daniel did some backround vocals again and then we worked on a special feature (will be a surprise for you) until 5am. The Lost Ways were here today, we had lunch together and talked about potential concerts for the summer. Stay tuned!

Saturday: Finished the bass (hallelujah! -elgore-) guitars, percussion and background vocals. Recorded two new features (another surprise) and also recorded an organ. Marc’s voice still causes worries.

Sunday: Back home again! Thanks for reading and stay tuned! And thanks to Liz for her excellent cooking!

Check out part one.

Trash Monday VI


Were you born in the late 80′s? Have you experienced the Euro-Trash epoch in the mid-90′s? Do you remember? Do you want to reminisce your fond memories of the best music genre there ever was? Here it is, K2 with “Der Berg ruft”.

In case you watch a certain Munich-based TV channel on a daily basis you will probably recognize the sexy background dancer. Music could not have been greater back then. Or, to quote the top comment on youtube: “Breasts, techno, reggae, yodeling and Schlager combined in a piece of art for eternity.”

Der Hosenträger is ma abgerissen! BOOYAH!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r53Ao-Y5_2Q]

Dirty Crows Studio Update I

Yesterday we received the first sign of life from our buddies from Dirty Crows right out of the studio in Bavaria. Seems to be a huge productive mess. Check out what Philippe wrote us:

Saturday: Meeting at half past one in the afternoon, packed our stuff together and headed for Germany. No problems on the road, left the motorway after 450 km. After passing a creepy village we decided to stop at a gas station to grab some beer for the evening (would have had that idea way earlier! -elgore-). After having unloaded our stuff, Jan went for a sleep and we went for a Nintendo 64 session and a few beers inside the studio. Daniel went to bed quite early but we wouldn’t let him sleep. Sleeping-time at 4 am.

Sunday: Got up way to early, Daniel didn’t sleep very well because I was snoring like a motherfucking bear. I myself didn’t find it that dramatic. Like a good toilet, Daniel was the first to get pissed, because the drum recording was first on the list. Time to relax for us after the short night. But we recorded some background/alternative percussion (more cowbell! -elgore-).

Monday: Started recording the bass ( what about the night?! -elgore-) Quote from Jan: “Haven’t heard such a pussy-shit for a long time!” Recorded three songs and discussed a lot about them. We kicked the last part of Got no Chance and decided to use it as the intro for the album ( if they won’t change everything again and again and again…. -elgore-).

Later Marc decided to record his guitar and in the night it was my turn. During that session Jan hit my guitar to create some crazy sounds ( Jan, coffee overdose again? -elgore-). Everything already sounds pretty awesome. Quote number 2 from Jan: “Dirty Crows sound like Marilyn Manson playing Led Zeppelin songs on a LSD trip!” (whatever that means. -elgore-)

Fleshy greetings from Rotenburg, ehrm sorry, Röttenbach!

El Gore is really looking forward to checking out their new stuff. Hope to see you guys soon and have a rocking time.

For more information about Dirty Crows, check out our pre-recording reports (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) and our live EP review.

Mew – And The Glass Handed Kites

released: 2005

Label: Red Ink (Rough Trade)

Have you ever listened to an album that was just too much for your musical horizon? And have you ever tried to listen to it again, a few years later; just to figure out that the album is genius and awesomeness in one?

I have!

The first time I listened to Mew’s “And The Glass Handed Kite” my initial reaction was: “What the fuck is this? Transsexual art rock?”. Please bear in mind that I’m no sexual offender; but when I first heard the album back in 2005, the music I mainly listened to was music in the likes of Icelandic post rockers Sigur Rós or songwriter-folk music such as Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan or Elliott Smith. This album was just too much for me. I was not ready for it.

But praise Allah I’ve got a good memory and I gave the LP a new chance in 2012. And guess what? I’m totally addicted to this album.

The opener “Circuitry Of The Wolf” sounds like prog rock, you expect something like Rush, just to get a knock on the forehead with “Chinaberry Tree”, a dreamy shoegaze pop track that works perfectly with Jonas Bjerre’s high pitched voice. Yes, this is cotton candy dude. But you cannot eat steak all the time, your body craves sweets from time to time. This is the candy shop!

“Why are you looking grave” wakes you up from your sugar-induced slumber with it’s uptempo rhythm and genius melodies. Pop music should most definitely sound like this. Never have I been challenged with such a diversity in songwriting (except when I first listened to The Mars Volta).

And these danish virtuosos are not done yet. This “dreamy-indie-progressive-psychedelic-shoegaze-art-rock” bastard hasn’t unfolded it’s strength yet, just wait for it and expect the unexpected.

“Fox Club” is the exact interlude for the upcoming storm. A minimalistic composition with a gentle synth completing the wall of sound in combination with the reserved vocals. The drums begin. Slow, discrete, fast; FASTER! Are you ready for the best part of the album?

“Apocalypso”‘s alarming guitars remind you of J.R. Ewing but Mew are no band willing to fullfill any emo cliches! Space rock meeting progressive pop it is. The thumping bass and drums in the refrain are only beaten by Bjerre’s vocal genius; most definitely the highlight of the album. This precise refrain makes this band unique, these seconds underline the high quality of Mew’s songwriting.

In “Special” you’ll once more notice the broad sound spectrum of the album. The drums and bass have this slight disco touch and you can’t stop nodding your head and shaking your hips. What is this? Moroder-Disco? Ethereal dance rock? I don’t care; I just can’t get enough of it.

I hope I could give you an insight into this album as I’m not willing to describe any further tracks. You have to listen to it to experience it!

As you might have noticed, I’m completely in love with this masterwork and maybe “The Glass Handed Kites” will flash you as well. If not, perhaps in 7 years time, as it happened to me. Only time can tell.

Disclaimer: Youtube & labels decided to be a pain in the ass and disabled embedding for certain videos. Hail the free world wide web. Pansies…

Mew – The Zookeeper’s Boy (Video)

“You’re just like a giraffe

You have to climb to find its head

But if there’s a glitch, you’re an ostrich

You’ve got your head in the sand”

 

Trash Monday V


I really like Immortal, also because they don’t take the whole Black Metal stuff that serious, which makes them more likeable and less embarassing!

The Call of the Wintermoon is a great song and the video is even greater! Thanks to Abbath and co. for this hilarious piece of art!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VBdAY8eA9w]