7″ Single – Zachary Mule

BROADSIDE: KING OF NOTHING

(VICTORY RECORDS 7” single; 2019)

It’s been quite awhile since I’ve listened to any Pop Punk music (at least, on purpose) and, granted, Broadside’s new single may be more Pop than Punk but… it’s a’ight. In a totally non-threatening, Radio Disney kinda way. Well… mostly.

BROADSIDE (Ollie Baxxter) (uncredited photo)

The edgier Punk tone of the A-side, “King of Nothing,” while weighted with the softer sounds that are all the trend with today’s Pop music, nonetheless does feature a cool guitar signature alongside some frenetic drumming. Now, to a rocker like me, that sentence would generally set off all kinds of alarms, with the robot from LOST IN SPACE flailing its arms and wailing, “Danger, Will Robinson, danger!,” sending me into an apoplectic frenzy in search of the off button (or, at the very least, the mute button ‘til I could figure out how to get the noises out of my head). And, of course, the tune could have been as disastrous as that, but the drums and guitar are definitely nice touches and Ollie Baxxter’s vocals and lyrics – the chorus warns, “Don’t pray for me/Don’t wait for me/I’m such a mess/I’ve lost all control” – have an urgency that sets “King of Nothing” apart from most of the current Pop radio fare. There are some nice – dare I say, fun – qualities, as well, making the song a rather nice introduction for the Radio Disney kids to the rough and tumble world of real music. And, it still has enough cool for the old school Pop Punk crowd to get behind.

The opening twenty or so seconds of “Empty” had me flashing back to what is undoubtedly the worst Van Halen song ever written, “Jump.” Don’t worry though: The ship was quickly righted, the keyboards aren’t as cloyingly saccharine and the lyrics are far better than that offered up by ol’ Diamond Dave; the drums are rock-steady and the guitars peek out from behind the clouds every once in awhile. While “Empty” is a couple of ticks below “King of Nothing,” it’s still a nice little diversion and quite listenable, falling more into the aforementioned Radio Disney category than its brethren from the other side of the record. As songwriter/vocalist Ollie Baxxter relates, “I wanted to write a dance-y song making fun of how unfortunate it is to be in love, sometimes.” And so he has. Victory Records has announced that Broadside is working on a new full-length, scheduled for release next year; I’m not sure if this 7” single is intended as a preview of the album or if it’s just a stop-gap to hype the fans up for the group’s upcoming tour, opening for Set It Off. Either way, it’s certainly worth picking up at your local record shop.

COLISEUM/DOOMRIDERS: NOT OF THIS WORLD

(MAGIC BULLET RECORDS/AUXILIARY RECORDS/LEVEL PLANE RECORDS; reissue 2016, original release 2005)

Eleven years ago, Ryan Patterson of Louisville three-piece Coliseum released a split EP on his Auxiliary label, sharing the slab with a Boston band called Doomriders, one of Nate Newton’s many side projects when he isn’t playing bass for Converge. The intent of NOT OF THIS WORLD was to pay tribute to Glenn Danzig’s eponymous metal monster, Danzig. Each choosing one song from Danzig’s 1988 debut, the bands added some originals – very much in a similar vein to Danzig’s dark metal – to the mix (Coliseum, two tracks; Doomriders, one). Now, as part of their twentieth anniversary celebration, Magic Bullet Records has taken the two tribute tracks and stuck ‘em on a special 7” reissue. I wouldn’t have minded hearing the whole thing, but… I will definitely take what I can get.

Coliseum (Matt Jaha, Mike Pascal, Ryan Patterson, circa 2005) (uncredited photo)

Coliseum’s contribution, “Am I Demon,” comes across as standard-issue lo-fi heavy rock… you know, the good stuff. It’s kinda like Mountain and Blue Cheer tag-teaming with Lemmy, taking the low road while the ref’s not looking to retain their championship belts. Patterson offers suitably dark and gravelly vocals, as well as some brilliant guitar work; bassist Mike Pascal and bassist Matt Jaha lay down an underpinning that is so brutish, so heavy that you could caulk a window with it. If you like what you hear – and who wouldn’t? – check out the band’s latest release, 2015’s ANXIETY’S KISS, available here.

Doomriders (Chris Bevilacqua, Nate Newton, Jebb Riley, Chris Pupecki, circa 2008) (uncredited photo)

“Possession” comes from Doomriders… DUH! The track starts with a wicked backward guitar that leads into a riff that reminds me of “Battle Axe” by Billion Dollar Babies, with sort of a minimalist (for a metal band, anyway) percussion thing from Chris Bevilacqua and Jebb Riley’s sonorous bass groove; the guitars, supplied by Newton and Chris Pupecki, are more akin to Tony Iommi’s dense slabs of tonality than anything else. Danzig’s punk pedigree is definitely on display on this one, particularly with the Misfits style gang vocals on the chorus. You gotta go back to 2013 to find new music from the quartet with the album GRAND BLOOD. You can find that and everything else Doomriders at this location.

So, short and sweet… just like this awesome blast from the past. Any fan of pure metal, hardcore or any type of aggressive music, really, will want this limited edition release in their collection; likewise, if you’re a fan of any of Glenn Danzig’s previous work, whether it be the Misfits, Samhain or Danzig, this record will fit in nicely with those, as well. It’s available on black, white or clear vinyl from Magic Bullet or any of the usual suspects.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | January 1, 2017 | 7" Single Chris Bevilacqua Chris Pupecki Coliseum Danzig Doomriders Glenn Danzig Gothic Music Hard Rock Hardcore Heavy Metal Horror Rock Jebb Riley Matt Jaha Mike Pascal Music Nate Newton Punk Rock Reissue Rock and Roll Ryan Patterson

THE GREAT CRUSADES/PLANEAUSTERS: SPLIT

(BOXING CLEVER RECORDS 7” single; 2014)

Way back in the previous century, the Great Crusades released one of my favorite albums, 1997’s THE FIRST SPILLED DRINK OF THE EVENING. The record was filled with songs that were equal parts sloppy Rolling Stones rock ‘n’ roll, snotty Replacements punk, moody Americana and drunken Celtic reels, with Brian Krumm’s smokey Leonard Cohen cum Kris Kristofferson baritone delivering his own Dylanesque lyrics. Seventeen years later, the band still sounds wonderfully ragged on “Sometimes On Sundays, Too,” a love song that wouldn’t be out of place on something coming from Dylan himself. During the ensuing years following that first release, Krumm has continued to gargle with broken glass, giving him a voice that is a huskier (and more melodic) approximation of Rod McKuen. When he rasps the chorus, “There were parties every Saturday/At the house on Illinois Street/And sometimes on Sundays, too,” you may find yourself clearing your throat in sympathy. The music is a jangly, acoustic blast of what has been dubbed “rock-noir,” featuring a very hymn-like arrangement and orchestration. In short, “Sometimes On Sundays, Too” is every bit as sublime as anything from that first Great Crusades album.

The Great Crusades (Christian Moder, Brian Leach, Brian Krumm, Brian Hunt) (uncredited photo)

The B-side of this special split single features frequent tour-mates and kindred spirits of the Great Crusades, Germany’s Planeausters. In fact, Crusader Brian Leach is listed as producer; he adds a nice bit of piano to the track, as well. “Wouldn’t Say It’s Over, But It’s Gone” also acts as the flip-side of the new-love tale of “Sometimes On Sundays, Too.” The tune has to be one of the most horribly effective break-up songs of all time. Musically, the track is a sleepy, languorous bit of shoegazing with some nice guitar work from Michael Moravek and an impossibly slow drum track from Per Ceurremans, one that sounds like it was played back at half-speed while the song was being mixed. “Wouldn’t Say… ” is my introduction to Planeausters, but I gotta say, if this cut is what this band is all about… gimme more. As the magnificent Boxing Clever Records branches out past the release of these exquisite split singles, moving into the realm of full-length albums, maybe a deal can be struck for the release of the latest Planeausters record. Make it happen, Jim!

Planeausters (Michael Moravek, Per Ceurremans, William Kollmar) (uncredited photo)

The Great Crusades’ latest full-length is THIEVES OF CHICAGO, available at their Bandcamp page. As with all singles from Boxing Clever Records, this release is available directly from the label’s web-site; also available from the fine folk at Boxing Clever is a limited edition skate deck featuring the record’s cover art. Tell ‘em the Mule sent you!

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | March 6, 2015 | 7" Single Alternative Rock Americana Bandcamp Boxing Clever Records Brian Krumm Brian Leach Limited Edition Michael Moravek Music Per Ceurremans Planeausters Progressive Folk Rock Rock and Roll Roots Rock Shoegaze Split Single The Great Crusades

THE ADORING HEIRS/THE MICRODANCE: SPLIT

(BOXING CLEVER RECORDS 7” single; 2014)

There is truly something majestic about this “Deep Red” thing from the Adoring Heirs. It could just be the fact that the incomparable “Sir” Ian Baird sits atop the drum throne. But, let’s not discount the virtual tsunami of vibrant activity from guitars (supplied by Brian Merry and Joe Metcalf) and bass (that would be Rob Wagoner) and vocals (Wagoner again) that fight and strain to remain just above the surface of the sonic waves. The music of the Adoring Heirs has been called “arena rock for dive bars” and likened to the magnificently noisy Kansas City band, Shiner, and the working man’s supergroup, Bad Company… and, if that ain’t enough to convince you to consume, did I mention that the band’s drummer is Ian Baird? You remember when the Saint Louis music scene was relevant? No, I’m not talking about Miles Davis or Johnnie Johnson… I’m talking about the late ’90s, when major labels were ripping off (oops… I mean, signing) a band or two from the Lou every week? This band has that same sound… a Saint Louis rock and roll sound, with great vocals, powerful drums and, above all else, a funky bass sound that immediately identifies a group as a product of Saint Louis. The Adoring Heirs are a major reason why the Saint Louis music scene is suddenly relevant again and, we can all use a little relevancy in our lives. Right?

The Adoring Heirs, doing that which they do best, circa 2013 (Joe Metcalf, Ian Baird, Rob Wagoner, Brian Merry) (uncredited photo)

Hailing from London (which, as far as I can ascertain, is in some foreign country… California maybe), the Microdance encapsulate everything that has rocked and/or rolled since people have been keeping records of such stuff. Just when you think you’ve got their style pegged, they go and slip you a proverbial musical mickey, leaving you bleary eyed and dizzy; they deftly move from dreamy shoegazing to the heaviest of metals, wrapping it all in a psychedelic haze… all, by the way, in the same song. The oddly titled “Moopy Moop” is a stunning cacophony of noises, with muted drums and swirling guitars behind vocals that can best be described as whispered screams from frontman and chief songwriter, Alex Keevill, and Shona MacMillan’s haunting and alluring counter-balancing voice. I’ve always heard that there’s a strangely calming effect that overcomes a drowning person and, to me, that kinda sums up the wispy introspection of this track; “Moopy Moop” is almost ambient-sounding in its… I wanna call it “raging minimalism,” as dichotomous as that sounds. Call the music of the Microdance what you will, but just one listen will find you hooked.

The Microdance (Cheryl Pinero, Gavin Mata Hari, Tomas Garcia, Alex Keevill) (photo credit: The Microdance)

The Adoring Heirs recently released a full-length called BEGINNING OF THE END OF DAYS, available at their Bandcamp page. The Microdance is nearing completion of their upcoming full-length, as well, featuring the latest iteration of the band, as shown above. This beautifully packaged limited edition split single is available directly from Boxing Clever Records and comes in two flavors, yellow and yellow/white, which is, indeed, the rarest egg; also available from the fine folk at Boxing Clever is a limited edition skate deck featuring the record’s cover art. Tell ’em the Mule sent you!

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | January 23, 2015 | 7" Single Alex Keevill Alternative Rock Bandcamp Boxing Clever Records Brian Merry Ian Baird Joe Metcalf Limited Edition Music Post-Punk Music Progressive Rock Psychedelic Rock Rob Wagoner Rock and Roll Shoegaze Shona MacMillan Split Single The Adoring Heirs The Microdance

WHAT’S INSIDE