Monthly Archives: October 2018

Reviews

Wayne Butane – Dead Monkey Arcade

waynebutane

I first learned of Wayne Butane back around 1995-1995 when he was listed in the Arizona section of the “Book Your to own F*ckin Life” indie music / DIY directory. I really got my money’s worth out of that booklet, having used it to locate all sorts of unsuspecting small time labels and zines to send my cassettes to (and occasionally receive hate mail in return.) I would scan through the cities for anything that didn’t seem like it was some cliche vegan / soc justice / anarchist label or mag. “Book Your to own F*ckin Life” also provided what seemed like endless toilet reading material.

Anyhow, the name Wayne Butane always stood out to me. I remembered that he made sound collages or something. A few years ago I was curious about him, and it’s great to see that he’s still around. He has a really great music podcast, called Jukebox Jihad. One of Wayne’s old releases from the 90’s is Dead Monkey Arcade. It’s basically a sound collage of a lot of different audio recordings: everything from obscure radio commercials to tv show sound bites to random clips of music. He puts it together very cleverly though, constructing a very entertaining and strangely musically enjoyable recording. This sort of thing would have been much more labor intensive to make back then, using analog gear like 4 tracks, record players and cassettes. Computer programs like Audacity which allow you to cut, paste and rearrange thousands of samples were not really available back then (or if they were I certainly didn’t know anyone who had them.) Dead Monkey Arcade is an absolute classic. This “song” is always stuck in my head, and I have annoyed my girlfriend quite a few times by repeatedly reciting quotations from this record. “We care about you, and that’s the reason for this recording, because we care about you.”

Reviews

Ben Rebel – Betta Dayz

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Ben Rebel already made a splash on the scene when he was younger as a member of the 90’s group, “Lost Children.” I’m told that some of the original members may be reuniting for an upcoming release this November. Betta Dayz marks the first official solo effort for Ben and is being released on Diac Immortal Records. I’ve reviewed artists from this label before, and it suffices to say that this outfit is quickly assembling quite a nice little catalog.

Betta Dayz is categorized as “deep house.” It’s fast paced dance music all right, but rather than coming across aggressive or overly testosterone fueled, this strikes me as cool, laid back and contemplative. This is dance music for intellectuals. The opening track is hypnotic and could probably put the listener in a trance if one allowed him/herself to be totally focused on listening to the music. Lyrics are few and far between as Ben wisely doesn’t make these songs all about him, opting instead to let the music do the talking (and it represents him just fine.) Sporadically some vocals can be heard faintly in the mix, but these merely accentuate and help frame the song’s messaging. The song makes several transitions, continuing to incorporate new musical elements and revitalize itself.

The second track, ReleaseTHAPRESSURE continues in much the same vein. It’s mellow and casually futuristic, but the song retains enough dynamic components and surprises to keep people moving and shaking on the dance floor. Instead of merely building toward a climactic point near the ending of the song, what each of these tracks do is kind of ease in and out of different sound segments, zig-zagging from one groovy hook to the next and back again like a game of Brickout.

I’ve never met Ben Rebel or seen any videos of him, but one gets the sense this guy has to be one of the most chilled out dudes on the planet. These songs are smooooth. No abrasiveness, no attitude…just like the title of the song, this guy has found a way to release the pressure. Production wise, everything here is pretty solid. Everything is where it needs to be in the mix, and effects and EQ are used sparingly and effectively.

If you’re looking to get a hold of these jams, they’re not available quite yet. This EP is scheduled for release on 10/26/18, so you’ll have to wait until then to snag a copy, but it will be worth it.

For more info:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DiacRecords
Ben Rebel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealbenrebel/
Diac Immortal IG: https://www.instagram.com/diac.immortal.music/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3220fahrenheitmusic

Reviews

Chuckie Bonner – C.T.E. Cutthroat Entertainment

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Pittsburgh based rapper Chuckie Bonner began rapping at age 14. He claims to have been “going hard with his music” until some unexpected family tragedies led him to step away from music for a while. I’m not sure what he used to rap about as a young teenager before the death of his mother and cousin (and an aunt and another cousin,) but he’s done well here in channeling his emotions into his latest songs. Dealing with personal hardship and loss through one’s art is a great way to work through issues, and in doing so something much more meaningful and substantive is created artistically.

His hard hitting track The Intro opens with an inspirational quote from Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) aboud taking what life throws at you and moving forward. Chuckie puts it out there right away about his family members that have passed, stoically viewing the tragic string of events as a series of tests that God has asked him to pass. He begins to wonder whether God is just messing with him. Then the song proceeds to really go into high gear, with Bonner rapping at an impressively frantic pace (this dude has some real skills) covering a plethora of topics, too numerous to
mention. He really just unloads and lays it all out there for the listener.

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Musically The Intro is very engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. It features an orchestral almost opera-like hip hop backdrop which emphasizes the mood of high drama and high stakes. This guy just put everything into this song, and it turned out solid. I’m only left wondering why he’s rocking a Kansas City Chiefs hat when he’s from Pittsburgh, home of the iconic Steelers. Anyway this is looking like the Chiefs’ year, and Chuckie Bonner might finally be catching his break as well.

For more info:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGsWv68WMc4DnA2oGOcvOXg

Reviews

Major Moment – one small stEP

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one small stEP is an EP from Boston based band, “Major Moment.” The band is heavily influenced by groups like Linkin Park (the album is even dedicated to the late Chester Bennington,) Nine Inch Nails and 30 Seconds to Mars. The intro is a pleasant surprise, a brief and eerily cerebral instrumental number that sounds like it could have been on the Poltergeist soundtrack. Before it’s Too Late is the first full length song. It features a lot of musically dynamic elements, some solid vocals (the verses are particularly good) and a memorably killer Iron Maiden tier guitar bridge near the end. The songs on here tend to start out mellow, with tepid intros and slowly build until they kick in with heavy, saturating choruses. You can just feel the energy when the song kicks in, like you’re near a mage unleashing a spell at full force. The Release is the softest tune on here. Instrumental in nature, it features delicate piano and captures a quiet, haunting ambiance.

Vocalist/guitarist Andrey Borzykin (whom I never would have guessed is from Russia) has a great, unassuming voice. It has an early 2000s emo quality but without sounding whiny. It’s very soothing and is complemented by (fellow Russian?) Alexandra ‘Sasha’ Razumova. The band plays very well together. They’re all on the same wavelength throughout this album. Lead guitarist Gabriel De Mattia continues in the tradition of excellent guitar players from Brazil (why are there so many?) Drummer Adam Soucy does what drummers do and holds the framework of the songs together. These are not the easiest songs to drum to I would imagine. There are a lot of changes to keep up with.

One impressive thing about one small stEP is the diversity of sound within songs. There is a lot of variety in the pacing, tone and the way in which synths are utilized. They really do cram a lot of creativity into each song. There is not a lot of repetition here, and no corners are cut (no copy and pasting, looping etc.) Unlike with many bands that sound nothing like their claimed influences, the music of Major Moment actually does bear an uncanny resemblance to Linkin Park, although it doesn’t contain the “rapcore” elements many associate with classic Linkin Park songs. This EP is worthy as an homage, but clearly the band has their own distinct sound, which has proven to be able to stand on its own.

For more info:

Official Website: http://www.majormomentband.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/majormoment
Bandcamp: http://majormoment.bandcamp.com/releases
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/majormoment
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/majormoment

Reviews

Jay Kipps Band – How to Polish Your Longhorns

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How to Polish Your Longhorns is a new full length album from Jay Kipps Band. I would describe the sound as almost a “psychedelic country.” The band classifies their style as “Roots Americana” which explains the eclectic influences. The guitars remind me of the music from old Clint Eastwood westerns of the 60’s. This was my first impression anyway upon listening to the first track, Colt 45. Rotten Apple Blues settles into a more familiar and contemporary country/Americana sound. Featuring a catchy title and chorus, it’s one of those songs that strikes me as an instant country classic. Country/Americana artists seem to be very good at coming up with clever titles and concepts for songs (such Mel Tillis’ Coca Cola Cowboy etc.) What seems like a rather predictable track, Big Old Engine surprises by taking on 60’s rock n’ roll qualities, particularly with respect to the backup vocals on the chorus, which wouldn’t have seemed out of place on a Velvet Underground track. Besides Rotten Apple Blues my other favorite song on this album is Harp Bomb which sounds like music which would appear in a vintage video game RPG. It just has this bright, be-boppin’ feel to it. I don’t know…you just have to listen. This album is genius and demonstrates that Americana artists are far more imaginative than many people give them credit for.

For more info:
Spotify: https://goo.gl/eDfHPx
iTunes: https://apple.co/2pxh7wK
Web: http://www.jaykippsband.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jaykippsband

Reviews

Trio of Awesuhm – Cowboys&Aliens

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“When a man says he’s a dreamer, there’s nothing on this Earth that keeps him happy.” And just like that I was drawn in by the resonating lyrics of Last Night, the opening track on Trio of Awesuhm’s album Cowboys&Aliens. Trio of Awesuhm (the name for the NY based folk rock band) is only false advertising in the sense that there appears to be more than 3 members of the group. The music is awesome by any standard. I really have to hand it to “lead vocalist, lyricist and composer” Monica Uhm. While everyone plays their part well, her vocals just really carry these songs to another level. The fact that she is a powerful creative force and more than just a voice that sings or a figurehead gives an authenticity to her charisma and credibility to her brand of what she calls “philoso-folk.” She has such a wonderfully pleasant voice to listen to that when the song is over you wonder if you’ve just been hypnotized and been subliminally programmed to carry out some nefarious orders.

There are hints of Americana sound here, and with a few twists, turns and twangs this music could easily make it into country western territory. It doesn’t quite go there though. A better way to describe this album’s sound is that it is like a less cheesy, more folk version of ABBA. The production here is excellent. Kudos to Joe DiGiorgi of Headline Studios, who apparently recorded and co-produced it. The album achieves better than (contemporary) major label production quality without sacrificing its indie folk soul. Cowboys&Aliens is contemplative and mellow, yet still keeps you moving with its consistent energy.

For more info:
https://www.trioofawesuhm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/trioofawesuhm
https://open.spotify.com/album/3dpqwqJpzxyjLhplhK0Tv3