Th' Legendary Shack Shakers: Fine Southern Gentlemen

Photo by Joshua Black Wilkins

There are many bands out there today that merge traditional American roots music such as country, bluegrass and the blues with punk rock, but few do it better than Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers. Over the course of six albums, this Kentucky based band has shown that they stand head and shoulders above all the pretenders out there.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that they manage their musical alchemy with seamlessness, sincerity and authenticity or maybe it’s their high live shows, which has earned frequently shirtless and sweaty front man J.D. Wilkes comparisons to such people as Iggy Pop, and has even been called one of the best front person’s out there by the likes of Jello Biafra and Hank III. They have developed into a force to be reckoned with.

“We’re completely different from when we first started out. Originally we were more of a rockabilly band but since then we have become this Frankenstein that incorporates punk rock and blues into the mix. It’s a crunching sound and one that takes us farther away from the core, but at the same time the music is more in the spirit of what we are aiming for, in getting the rhythm of the train and other rural machinery into our sound,” said Wilkes.

The capturing of these rural industrial rhythms are in full display on the band’s new record, which is appropriately titled “Agri-dustrial”. On this one, the band is joined by Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison and his noisy skronks give the music an extra jolt of electricity. (Just check out his slide work on the album’s first track “Sin Eater,” to show this is a perfect musical marriage.) What would seem like an odd pairing at first to many roots rock purists, works wonderfully. (And, yes, he is touring with the band.)

But don’t think this happened at the spur of the moment. The roots of this album and the partnership with Denison go way back. In fact, when the band first started out, Denison and his wife would go out and check out the band, enjoying what they saw and heard. They eventually became friends, and Wilkes actually lived in a room above the garage in Denison’s house for a while. During this time they came up with the concept for this record.

It was all set to go, but then Mike Patton came calling, and Tomahawk was formed. But they didn’t give up on the idea, and about nine years later they were able to put this collaboration into effect.

“It was nice to see the seed we planted all those years ago come to fruition,” said Wilkes.

While this new album is killer and it could be argued that there are no weak links in the band’s catalog, they are known as a fearsome live act. It’s a high energy spectacle that leaves the band covered in sweat. When a band has such a reputation as this, one can’t help but wonder how they keep the energy up, night after night.
It’s very easy, in fact, according to Wilkes.

“It’s always automatic. There is a switch that gets turned on once the music starts. You just get into it and start to move,” said Wilkes.

Actually what irks Wilkes more is some of the crowd reactions to the band, which also features upright bass player Mark Robertson and drummer Brett Whitacre. He can’t see why people just stand still when faced with such high energy music. After all, good music should connect with the hips and the Shack Shakers play some great hip shaking music, so it should be a no brainer to get up and dance. The spirit will move you at one of their shows.

Upcoming future plans for the band include another full length album for the summer 2012, as well as more touring with Europe in their sights and Wilkes plans to do more videos and documentary film making. He made a critically acclaimed documentary called “Seven Signs”, which is about eccentric southern people and culture that won an award at the Rain Dance Film Festival in England a few years back.

We have an acclaimed band with a great live reputation playing on Friday in Connecticut. Here is another show that you should not miss. I keep saying this about most of these, but seriously this is some good shit. Don’t miss out.

Manic Productions Presents:

Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers
Lushlife
The Proud Flesh

Friday, October 21, 2011
Daniel Street
21 Daniel Street
Milford, CT

8:00pm – 21+ - $12 ($10 in advance)

Buy tickets now or pick them up at Redscroll.

Landmine Marathon makes perfectly brutal music

The first thing that hits you are the guitars, which are thick, fast and dirty. Then the drums and bass come along, synching in lock step with the guitars, continuing the onslaught. Finally the vocals hit, they are low, guttural and acid flecked. Such are the joys of Landmine Marathon, a death/grind band from Arizona that features some bulldozing music as well as the fierce pipes of Grace Perry.

For those of you still living in a timewarp, yes they are a death metal band and yes, their vocalist is female. This shouldn’t be a big deal in this day and age because there are tons of women who have contributed to extreme metal over the years, without having to use their gender as a selling point. If it is a big deal to you, respect her, because she kicks ass, pure and simple.

“I have no idea if I am a role model but I do have a lot of girls that tell me I inspire them, which is one of the most flattering things to hear. It's the 2011, not 1950, and if people still think women have to abuse their sexuality in order to be in a successful band they are idiots. Whenever people compare me to other singers it's not to other females, it's to other singers, male, female, you name it. I want to inspire girls to see that although the metal scene is very much male dominated it should never make a difference,” said Perry. “The good thing about this genre of metal is that politically correct bands still exist and draw influence from bands like Napalm Death who have always had higher moral grounds. I carry myself in a way that doesn't attract that type of behavior and now that our fourth record is coming out it's a joke to think anyone would actually believe I can't hold my own,” she added.

She didn’t start out as a metal singer, she was recruited and found out she loved it. You see originally she played in a screamo band whose sole reason was to piss people off and it did, but (bassist) Matt Martinez saw her perform and liked her screams and growls so much, he asked her if she wanted to start a band. It’s been seven years since that encounter and the rest is history.

“Well let's just say if I didn't have my band all that intensity and aggression might just pour out into my everyday life. It's not that I'm an angry person, we just happen to live on an insane planet that should inspire everyone to create an outlet of their own,” said Perry.

This aggression shows itself in her live performances, where she has been described as a she-demon, throwing herself fearlessly into the performances. It’s a go for broke mentality that has won her many admirers and respect, but it’s also been the cause of various injuries, but to Perry that’s all just part of the game.

“Yes I definitely have my share of injuries; a broken nose, more black eyes and bloody lips than I can count and I most recently sliced my head open on a shitty microphone that had wires jutting out,” said Perry.

And for someone who has a very extreme vocal style, you would think she does exercises or take some type of special liquids to keep her vocal chords in top shape, but actually you would be dead wrong, because you see, just like her personality was made for metal, so is her voice.

“People always ask me this and I'm being honest when I say I do nothing. No special teas, cough drops, warming up, just water. When I am recording my voice will start to get weak after a few hours but the next day I'm ready to go all over again. Just lucky I guess,” said Perry.

But before we forget, Landmine Marathon is a band and a really good one, and this skill is on display on their new album “Gallows”, which came out on September 27 on Prosthetic Records. They have trimmed the fat and tightened their sound, delivering a just under 30 minute blast of exhilaration and brutality. It’s dirty, filthy, dark and easily their best album. Perry credits the band’s commitment to deliver their best album and the acquisition of a new member as the reasons to the album’s face ruling-ness.

“Having our new drummer, Andy York, has definitely changed and improved the dynamic of the band. He is a walking metronome and the most talented drummer I have ever worked with. Vocally I focused on singing mainly lower, more guttural vocals which gave the album an even darker feel than previous Landmine records. (Guitarist) Ryan Butler has recorded all of our albums at Arcane Digital and he spent more hours and hard work on “Gallows” than ever before. We are not trying to break new ground in this genre, just write music we love and hopefully everyone else does too,” said Perry.

The new album also deals with the darkness in the folk tales that have been passed down from generation to generation. To some people this might seem like weird subject matter for a death metal record, but after listening to Perry explain it, it is a perfect fit. After all, remember how dark the original Brothers Grimm fairy tales were, and then this lyrical theme doesn’t seem so out of left field.

“Many of these stories have transformed over hundreds of years into the common the fables we grew up with. When I was in college I took many literature classes that explored this and it opened my eyes to something entirely different. During this era they were not the G-rated family friendly stories we know but in fact brutally graphic,demonic, and downright terrifying. The more research I did the more inspiring it became, countless books depicting self mutilation and the constant death of woman and children, along with evil folkloric creatures always devouring humans. From this I wrote some of my darkest and favorite lyrics to date,” said Perry.

So there you have it. Not only is the band, which also features Dylan Thomas on guitar, a must see live act, they have also released the best record of their career. So there really should be no reason why you shouldn’t get down to the Webster Underground early on October 20 and catch their set. After all, seeing, and hearing, is believing.

Warbringer
Lazarus AD
Landmine Marathon
Diamond Plate
Prime Evil
Shallow Ground

Thursday, October 20, Webster Underground
31 Webster Street
Hartford, CT, 06114
6:00 pm – All Ages - $12 advance/$14 day of show

400 Blows Brings The Noise....

400 Blows exists in that strange nether realm where punk collides with metal and saddles up with noise rock without really belonging to any of these genres. You can hear traces of each of these aggressive genres in their vicious music which is topped off by the snotty vocals of Skot Alexander, who just happens to sound a little like another infamous punk singer. (But more on that later.)

After a six year absence, the Los Angeles-based band, which features new members Scott Martin, of Big Business and Crom, on guitar, along with drummer Kevin Fitzgerald just released its first new album with this new line-up, “Sickness & Health” earlier this year on Org Music and the band is hitting the road to bring their patented in your face live show to the masses. This tour will take them to Daniel Street in Milford on October 17.

The big question concerning a band that takes this long a hiatus is why it took so long to follow up their last record 2005’s “Angel's Trumpets & Devil’s Trombones” with this year’s album.

“Being prolific has never been a strong point for this band. Most of the previous albums have all come out about 5 years apart. So we are right on schedule. In fact, we already have stuff ready for a new album so it won’t be that long a wait for the next one,” said Alexander.

That’s the short version of the story. The long story deals with two former members leaving the band for various reasons. One was having a baby and wanted to start a family, while other decided to not continue on. So, Alexander, the band’s sole original member and guiding force needed to find new members. He found them in Martin and Fitzgerald.

But the band took their time, writing new material and developing their personality. Alexander said he didn’t want the new version of the band to turn into a cover version of the previous one.

All this waiting paid off because “Sickness & Health” (which by the way fits Alexander’s MO of titling the band’s album with two words that are the complete opposite of each other) is a 34 live wire minute ride through the dark recesses of Alexander’s mind. It is filled with his twisted adult nursery rhymes and totally kills it musically, as Martin and Fitzgerald destroy on their instruments, laying down a dense, energetic racket behind Alexander. The band is in perfect synch on this record making it one of the best loud rock releases of the year.

In fact, Alexander in a way knew it would be good, because he can’t stop singing the praises of his instrumental cohorts.

“They just bring fucking awesomeness to the band. I could just hang out in the audience and watch them play and it would be a great show,” said Alexander adding jokingly, “plus we’ve become a lot more handsome.”

But now back Alexander’s voice. The dude sounds a little like Dead Kennedys lead singer Jello Biafra. If you listen to the new album you can hear it. In fact, one critic remarked that it was a “less annoying” version of Jello Biafra’s voice. (Ouch!) You would think this might annoy him but it doesn’t at all.

“There is a big difference between how the Dead Kennedys and 400 Blows sounds, but if you have to compare me to Jello, I don’t mind. I happen to know him. Jello is okay with me,” said Alexander.

But the band really kills it in the live arena. Based on former performances they definitely have the right attitude to deliver the goods live. To paraphrase one of their songs, they kill like champions.

“We don’t do this to suck. We like to leave blood on the stage,” said Alexander. “Not literally, though,” he added.

Based on the above quote you can see that the band is committed to giving awesome performances that are filled with the proverbial blood, sweat and tears that makes great live bands great. So there really is no reason to miss this show if you’re a fan of the loud stuff. After all, it’s only $5 and though it’s on Monday, what better things do you have to do on a Monday in Connecticut?

Nothing. So be there. Here’s another one you’ll be kicking yourself over if you miss.

Manic Productions Presents:

400 Blows
Red Blade

Monday, October 17
Daniel Street
21 Daniel Street
Milford, CT

7pm - $5 – 21+

Buy tickets now or pick them up at Redscroll.

D. GOOKIN - SPIRAL STYLE

I am not sure when it began or why. In the late 80s and early 90s, which is my remembered youth, I recall coming to the assumption that as technology grew fidelity and quality would grow with it. Over time this assumption was challenged on many fronts with the "art vs. commercial" war of the past 30 years. Automation and machines gave us Kraftwerk but they also gave us Dee-Lite. "Laptop music" ranges from the most predictable disco to the most impromptu experimental drone noise. There is truly no way to accurately measure how technology has affected the many ways we experience and participate in life.
This becomes especially interesting when you see how people use their computers to make music that harnesses the power and fidelity we were "promised" with technologies growth, as well as the less polished, even intrusive sounds that we always seem to gravitate toward. Perhaps it's another constant struggle, this time between our need to achieve "perfection" and our ultimate desire to conquer/destroy it.
D. Gookin is a man who makes musical creations operating out of new haven. For years he has been busting out seriously energetic live shows. His bio says he is a drummer and vocalist, and that the remaining sounds of his band are "lovingly crafted backing tracks".
His newest set of recordings, Spiral Style, was released September 23rd via Moodgadget and EXPLODES into your ears with infectiously sugary electro pop.
Combining 8bit sounds with glossier synth samples, the listener is caught between decades of technology all while celebrating the pulsing thump of the natural pop music we all share instinctively. The drums are expertly played and programmed, and while auto-tune is definitely a cliche in terms of music fashion, the use of it in these enjoyably cliched pop songs feels fitting.
Opener "Way 2 Grow" makes no mistakes about its sound, coming right into being with an intense musical optimism that carries all the way to the closing number "Stealing Sunchips", with no breaks to relax.
I got a chance to ask D. Gookin's Mike Birnbaum a few questions about his music and tastes recently via email, here's what he had to say:

So, what's the big idea with you anyway?
No big deal. I'm just this screwy dude.

How has your perspective on music changed growing up in an increasingly technological world?
My perspective has continuously changed for the better as technology has progressed. As the internet and music making tools have together become easier to maneuver and more uniform, music for me has become de-mystified in a good way. It all makes it easier to have big ideas on a small scale and vice versa. Before having your own solo act vision seemed like a way too personal endeavor for lots of people to care about. But now this kind of "putting out your personalized vibes and doing you" mentality is fully embraced. Whats the most fun and immediate about making music and being creative in general has become what matters the most.

You seem to make infectious pop while simultaneously mocking it, who's side are you on?
My intention has never been to mock pop music. A giant realization for me though at some point was that music I didn't have a choice to listen to ruled my mind and emotions the same as, if not more so, than music I sought out on my own. I'd say also in the scheme of pop music my stuff is too weird to truly be pop. I think my music ends up being laced with poppy feels sounds and melodies because I want my music to come from a really raw and exciting place. And for me that place is usually some kind of overindulgent sugary wasteland.

What is your opinion of "atom and his package"?
Ya know, you asking me this promptly reminded me that it is my duty to finally check that out. My first listen impressions - I am not really a "clever one man act" enthusiast and him laying on the pseudo nerd core vibes is a turn off but some that "worms going into holes posi synth sound meets some big chords" going on in some of those tracks is awesome! Can't hate on that!
What is your dream gig?
Try this one out - Tobacco, Paramore, Millionaires, Super Cat, Andrew W.K., New Boyz, Unicorn Kid, Lady Gaga only performing 'eh eh' and.......Incubus. Secret show too. Ahahah you asked!

Which of your influences would surprise your fans/friends the most?
KELLEY CLARKSON! & as of recent Shwayze & Cisco :)

How do you harness inspiration for songs?
Occasionally I'll go after the "I'm gonna make a song in this style" mentality but mostly looping things that contain vibes I enjoy, trying to hear a melody in it, and staring at something like a recycling symbol or certain girls' facebook photos........YOOOO JUST KIDDING

Learn more about D. Gookin at his website: www.dgookin.com
Also check out his Facebook Page and Bandcamp

Way 2 Grow by DGOOKIN

Man Man, Grandchildren and M.T. Bearington at Daniel Street on WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, October 12 at 8:00pm

Daniel Street

21 Daniel Street

Milford, CT

$17 ($15 advance) / All Ages

Tickets on sale NOW! http://manicproductions.org/tickets
or get the tickets at Redscroll Records


Check the facebook event page here:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=173200439418388

Man Man
Man Man is known for their exuberant live performances. When performing, the members of the band dress in white outfits and wear war paint. Comparisons to the usual avant-garde forefathers - Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits - persist, but Man Man are decidedly not identity thieving or even overtly referencing these spiritual godfathers in their music, but rather are acting as torchbearers of the unusual, the spontaneous and the plainly fucking funny in an increasingly homogenized world.
ANTI- Records
Mp3s: http://www.myspace.com/wearemanman



Grandchildren
The drums smack you in the face first, like a hailstorm with no sign of letting up. Then, as waves of harmonies emerge unexpectedly, a joyous sensation sets in, as if someone just snapped you out of a fever dream. The beat-driven, orchestral-pop epics unfold like an audio scrapbook of memories from the life of Grandchildren songwriter Aleksander Martray.
Mp3s: http://www.myspace.com/grandchildren

M.T. Bearington
Matt Thomas knows how to write a song—as evidenced in over a decade of music-making with the Weigh Down, Leaves of Lothlorien, and Short Pants Romance.

Over the past two years, the band has shared the stage with Deerhoof, the Drums, and Tim Easton at New London's 2009 I AM Festival, rocked with Of Montreal and Lupe Fiasco at the 2010 BOMB Fest, and opened for Mates of State on a Northeast stint in February 2010.

Their full-band, follow-up effort "Love Buttons" hits the shelves on Valentine's Day 2011. Produced by Fuzzy Rainbow (Fake Babies, Eula), with a hand from Greg Giorgio at Tarquin Studios (Interpol, The National), it's an upbeat collection of sonic musings on various forms of love—from the traditional to the twisted—through the eyes of characters real and fictional.
Mp3s: http://mtbearington.bandcamp.com/

What Folk Festival TONIGHT at Freight Street Gallery!

The fine people of Freight Street Gallery are putting on What Folk Festival tonight!

Featuring

Kath Bloom ~ http://www.myspace.com/kathbloomchapter
Levi Strom ~ http://www.myspace.com/levistrom
Colby Nathan (of Hyena) ~ http://www.laughablerecordings.com/
Cranston Dean ~ http://www.reverbnation.com/cranstondean#!
John Muccino ~ http://www.facebook.com/johnsounds

$7 Suggested donation
All ages BYOB for 21+

Kath Bloom is an American singer-songwriter based in Litchfield, Connecticut, whose sad voice often accompanies simple folk melodies.

The daughter of oboist Robert Bloom, Kath grew up in New Haven, where she studied the cello as a child and started playing the guitar when she was a teenager. She collaborated with Bruce Neumann in the early '70s, but it wasn't until she met avant-garde guitarist Loren MazzaCane Connors in 1976 that she started recording. Bloom and Connors recorded multiple albums of fragile, simple folk and blues melodies, the majority of which were written by Bloom herself. Their collaboration ended in 1984 with the release of their final album, Moonlight, of which only 300 copies were pressed.

A Minor Apocalypse, Bright Red Reason, Farewood

Friday, October 7, 2011, Indie Night @ the Oak presents

Charter Oak Cultural Center
21 Charter Oak Ave
Hartford, CT

All Ages - 8 PM - $6 or only $5 w/ a canned vegetarian good donation for Hartford Food Not Bombs

FB Event page

Farewood is husband and wife songwriters Lou Lorenzo and Leah Booker. Joining them for live performances is soundscaping guitarist Ed Diaz along with veteran drummer and musical instructor Bob Hill. The band finds inspiration for their tunes against the backdrop of their hometown of Meriden, CT. The desolate feel of the city surroundings consistently finds its way into the subconsciousness of their songs, yielding a sound that at times is shadowy, desperate and lonely. But like many Connecticut towns, once you venture out of the emptiness of its downtown center, the back roads can unfold into beautiful, almost country roads. That duality, or contrast if you will, can be found throughout their music. Their songs can be dark, but underneath it all lies a certain unmistakable beauty.



Bright Red Reason is a teenage trio based out of a combination of Medford and Tyngsboro, MA. They have been together since the summer of 2009, and have been writing and independently recording demos, booking, and playing shows since. The group loves performing with lots of energy and has been recognized for their eye-catching, yet comical stage presence. A wide variety of shows have been played in the Greater Boston area as well as New Hampshire, and this fall the band will be expanding on road trips further around New England. With two EPs currently out and a third on the way, their music carries a very individual sound, ranging from straight punk rock jams to catchy, dancey tunes. Bright Red Reason has been compared to groups such as The Runaways and The Ramones, and some influences include: Paramore, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, The Beatles, The Thermals, and The Distillers.




a minor Apocalypse - unfortunately not much out there on the interwebs on these dudes, but I noticed that there is the eponymous Polish novel about someone that "has been asked to set himself on fire in front of the Communist Party headquarters in Warsaw in an act of protest. He accepts the commission, but without any clear idea of whether he will actually go through with the self-immolation. He spends the rest of the day wandering the streets of Warsaw, being tortured by the secret police and falling in love." Maybe that kid from the cover of Bad Religion's Suffer started this band?