Classic Day – Riding The Rails
To build a legacy around a certain genre takes the diligence of time, effort, and the important clear focus of a mastermind. With John Coltrane, there was always something different in his play style, the way that the music just flooded from his saxophone that made him a vital and attractive figure in the foundations of popular jazz music. With his partners in crime; Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, Kenny Drew, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller backing him up; Coltrane would capitalize on his ability to electrify a room.
Opening with the incredibly famous, shadowy display of “Blue Train”, a self-titled cut from Blue Train. The track has an ominous nature about it in the first moments that creates a detective tension behind the notes with the nightlights coming into life as the city begins to die down. Then in a burst of energy, Coltrane flares up and shows the booming and rush of a cityscape that is overtaken by the structure of jazz glory. Without becoming entirely freeform, but without having a rigid sense, Coltrane and his band are these soldiers of swinging sounds that collaborate together to form a bond. This bond is the catalyst for some of the more adventurous moments in Blue Train as the noise cascades throughout the record.
Similar in instrumental preference, Blue Train is a jazz highlight that lives next to Kind Of Blue as a standout jazz piece that is instantly recognizable because of its prowess to the work. Coltrane instead has more of an upbeat nature to the somber reliance of Davis. Blue Train is a record that feels moody and focused on tone, but is derived from a place of excitement and hustle. Especially shown well on the following track, “Moment’s Notice”. The strides that Coltrane begins to take as he shows his musical athleticism in the way that he can control his breathing to hit consecutive notes in solo offshoots throughout. His play style and his overall charisma behind the instrument is breathtaking as he can catapult each track into new heights of experimentalism and potential capability.
With “I’m Old Fashioned”, Coltrane takes a new direction as he begins to play in an almost distraught movement that relies on his expertise to establish. With music, Coltrane is a glorious and vivid painter that can sculpt and mold synthetic worlds with the passion that rises through the smoke of his performance. Each track feels more important than the last as he continues to open the walls around him and showcase the true power of a saxophone. “I’m Old Fashioned” feels as rain that falls over the windowpane in a sunken day. Without a depressive state, “I’m Old Fashioned” is actually quite beautiful and brings back the memories of a yesteryear within the near eight-minute track.
The final installment shows Coltrane in a last, almost swan song style of fury. The progression stands throughout Blue Train and overall takes the method of being a rush of jazz fusion that borders on the unstructured sense of experimentalism. Coltrane is overall a heavyweight that continues to rise as a monument through the ages for his work. He was a powerhouse, and one of the first musicians that could light a room up with just the first moments of his performance.
Listen To Blue Train Here!!! – Spotify/Amazon/iTunes/Youtube
Misc. Day – The Continuation
From Oakland, California, artists are able to flock from the sandy beaches to the golden bay with a wide variety of style. From hip-hop to indie pop, there is something that captures the care-free spirit of California in the Marbled Eye release, EP II.
The band that stems from one of the epicenters of sound, Marbled Eye has already commenced on oversea tours and international waters from the overcoming stance of forward, but relaxed rock that transposes into a four-track boost of confidence. The breaming chords and clasping percussion that manipulates along the band is easy to adapt to and progressive. With the opening track of “Former” there is this substantial sense of house rock elements that take care of the listener as the guitar suddenly shrieks into view. The bass here is one of the most important elements which accumulates to the overall power that Marbled Eye holds.
At times, almost instantly recognizable, EP II is a short but insightful glimpse into the garage bands of the Californian scene. Based on the melody, on the foundation of the glimmer and shine of indie rock, but combining some elements of punk rock that infuse a movement behind the tracks. Hopeful, but not too uplifting, Marbled Eye is a beast of 
burden that holds this monotone sense behind the vocals that creates a flash of death behind the mix. Somehow, it feels familiar throughout the EP and almost touches upon some sections of desert and palm rock with the droning rhythm sections that seem to linger for hours.
Though the band continues to play along on the 13-minute trance of sound, Marbled Eye is actually quite a well-oiled machine that covers the gaps of each member with this heavily layered roster of a four-piece. The grouping is collectively a gripping work that overthrows opposition with its dazed and abused progression. Each track bleeds into the next with transitional methods that focus on creating this aura of steady-moving ability.
Even to the bitter end, Marbled Eye takes EP II like it is a joyride into the oblivion. The sunshine and clairvoyance that surrounds the release is never a direct punch, but is instead a gentle build up to some slightly forward advances. Through the mutual surrender that occurs of both the listener and the band, both parties involved become a golden standard of chemistry to the ears.
Listen To EP II Here!!! – BandCamp/Spotify/iTunes
New Music – The Absence of Innocence
There is something that is truly beautiful about Deafheaven’s first impressions. The San-Francisco band is able to encapsulate the glory and the overbearing weight of the picturesque elements that make their newest record, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love as daunting as it is uplifting. It is attractive, but also shows an ugliness that coincides within the fine lines to illustrate the unfiltered adaptability of Deafheaven.
Noisy, destructive, and mighty, Ordinary Corrupt Human Love is a partner in crime to the melodic metal sound that gets delivered in a glossy overcoat. From the first track of “You Without End” that uses the ocean breeze and waves, spoken word from Nadia Kury, piano chords that are able to resemble a work of Beethoven, and a relentless transitional period that shakes the foundation at its core. There are moments on Ordinary Corrupt Human Love where the music is physically attacking on the listener and shows a pulverizing animalistic stance. Then, as the melody of the chords overtake the primary delivery; Deafheaven becomes this twisted animal of ghastly torture.
“You Without End” is a sinister creature that relies on the susceptibility of the listener as Deafheaven crawls closer and closer, bringing the following track “Honeycomb”, a blitzing attack of rampant sound that forces a relinquishing defeat. It is within this moment that Deafheaven’s true colors are shown and they are able to move forward with the real assault being lead by George Clarke, Kerry McCoy, Daniel Tracy, Shiv Mehra, and Chris Johnson. While that lineup has seen quite a few changes since the original two-piece when the band was first founded and established, the band has never been tighter and every aspect has more than enough impact layered throughout.
Shown especially how Deafheaven can transition each track perfectly and have this uninterrupted flow behind their sound. The movement from “Honeycomb” to then following with “Canary Yellow” which then moves directly after the 12-minute display of sound into “Near”. A slower, more graceful performance takes Ordinary Corrupt Human Love into this atmosphere of wonder where the clean vocals give a necessary release of tension on the listener. Deafheaven will show signs of unrelenting force throughout Ordinary Corrupt Human Love and that is synonymously why the reprieves are there. They take a step back from the falling ashes and the madness to showcase the underlying ability of the record.
Thankfully after the dust settles, after the hardcore elements are stripped away, Deafheaven can survive on their own technicality and their sense of fulfillment. They are able to create and destroy, to rebuild but also take down; there is something magical about their newest record that feels unique and unlike any other beast in music right now. This is not a metal record, this is not a pop record, this is a Deafheaven record.
Listen To Ordinary Corrupt Human Love Here!!! – BandCamp/Spotify/Amazon/iTunes
Classic Day – Rock N’ Roll Asshole
With one of the sleaziest, disgusting, but also most widely recognized punk rock icons in American history; GG Allin whether the public likes it or not, was a force to the foundation of mainstream punk music. While his career never saw anything past the underground, GG Allin and his bands, The Murder Junkies, The Jabbers, Antiseen, The Primates, The Texas Nazis, The Toilet Rockers, and the hundreds of other associated acts that GG Allin has some impact on were always a showcase of just how far the human condition could go through music.
As each of GG Allin’s concerts would reach a level of unseen destruction leading to his own blood poisoning, defecation, coprophagia (Eating feces), and even beating up his fans. GG Allin was the last of the real Rock N’ Roll corruptions who were able to ride on a wave of average punk music because of his stage antics. His compilation album, Hated In The Nation is proof of that as the backwards conduct of his stage speeches, the way that he has tracks that talk about molestation and rape, or his continual self-harm techniques; GG Allin makes music that hurts to physically listen to. It is unnerving and truly puts the listener into a trance to see the incredibly vivid and descriptive mind of a junkie, of a psycho, of someone who has no regard for the rules.
The last of a true outlaw, GG Allin has an interesting story behind his sound and the way that he would play gigs under different names, sneaking under the government’s nose in a search and destroy method. On Hated In The Nation, GG Allin is a star in his own right, receiving calls to open and play along side The Dead Kennedy’s and other punk bands of the time that were at that moment becoming on the height of surpassing the underground level. Of course with names of tracks that describe, “Ten Year Old Fuck”, “Needle Up My Cock”, “Sluts In The City” and “Eat My Diarrhea”, his lyrical content is almost childish as the crowd screams along in this punk rock wrecking force of a maniacal front man.
There are some moments where Hated In The Nation has some moments of substance with “Bite It You Scum” where there are the reciprocations of a solid punk idea that forms around GG Allin’s progressive thinking. The idea of creating the shock value into music and elaborating on horrendous and obligatory lyrics that cascade over the listener like a ball of hate on society. Allin was one of the more fascinating displays of music as he acted like a train wreck that was impossible to turn away from. He would challenge the status of just how much a crowd could take before they reflected some of the violence back on him, forming Allin into a bloodied pulp after just three songs.
Hated In The Nation is one of the first records that pushed GG Allin into the public eye after his shows would be shut down before they even start. He would have a city ignited in flames and knew how to get a reaction, which in some ways made his music more important than most like to give him credit for.
Listen To Hated In The Nation Here!!! – BandCamp/Spotify/Amazon/iTunes
Misc. Day – A Killer Compilation
From the Hoosier state of Indiana in a welch of smoldering punk music fashion, the band Liquids is a destructive piece of mangled turnstiles that open with a noisy, new compilation album of past works in one complete, punch-drunk fashion. Hot Liqs Revenge is as quick as a speeding bullet with 20-tracks coming down the pipeline in 30-total minutes, a relentless but adventurous take on the formation, or rather lack of in aggressive music.
With a first bottle of explosives thrown, dousing the listener with “Shackled in Chains”. An influential riff and chord progression illustrates this exploding sense of sound that is covered by the lo-fi guitars, the rapid percussion and the shouts of lyrics that form over the entire mess. Hot Liqs Revenge is truly a record that combines the absolute best about Liquids as they stem from the mighty corn country.
With how fast they move in a crowd, the ability to smack the listener around with the always present idea of incoming attack, and the excitement of unpredictability; Liquids makes their compilation record feel brand new and for the first time. The way that it transitions, cuts out, and eventually becomes silent at certain moments shows the Do-It-Yourself attitude that is recognized fairly quickly. However, there is a sudden change as Liquids moves to the pleasing and soothing sounds of “Wanna Throw Up (When I See Your Face)” or “Not Fun” that take the punk rock elements to a back burner and brake upon the consistent actions down to a slower, more melodic approach.
Doing these melodies and more vocal heavy tracks are a way to mix the depth and add some real substance to Hot Liqs Revenge where there is a need for some change. The ever-pressing threat of Liquids can be overpowering at some instances and the reprieve of easier going tracks create this barrier where the listener can catch their breath and start to draw life again.
With Hot Liqs Revenge, Liquids are quick and have the basement element about them. Their crushing stance that builds upon the aggression and violence of punk music, but then showcases a different light of carefree style is impressive. Hot Liqs Revengeis just what every person needs in their life, even if it is only for 30-minutes.
Listen To Hot Liqs Revenge Here!!! – BandCamp/Spotify
STREAMING // (Video) YG – “Handgun” Ft. A$AP Rocky
Listen/Watch Here – Youtube
STREAMING // (Track) Wiz Khalifa – “Universal Studios” Produced By: The Alchemist
Listen/Buy Here – BandCamp
Wiz Khalifa – “Universal Studios”
Produced by The Alchemist
Mixed by Eddie Sancho at Bass Trap Studios
Mastered by Joe Laporta at Sterling Sound Studios
from the ALC series: Craft Singles
STREAMING // (Album) Abstracter – “Cinereous Incarnate”
Pretty Heavy Doom and Gloom // Listen/Download Here – BandCamp
From Sentient Ruin Laboratories
Recorded and Engineered by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer, Oakland CA.
Drums captured by Ben Hirschfield at NuTone, Pittsburgh CA
Additional soundscapes by Kevin Gan Yuen and Only Now
Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege, Portland OR
Artwork and layout by Kevin Gan Yuen / viraloptic.com
THIS IS A LIST OF THE MOST RECENT STREAMS...
The complete list of all past streams can be accessed here as well (Click Here)
(Track) $UICIDEBOY$ – “Carrollton”
(Video) YG – “Handgun” Ft. A$AP Rocky
(Track) Wiz Khalifa – “Universal Studios” Produced By: The Alchemist
(Album) The Growlers – “Casual Acquaintances”
(Album) Abstracter – “Cinereous Incarnate”
(Album) C. Scott – “Loose Joints”
(Album) Xavier Wulf – “East Memphis Maniac”
(Video) Fifty Grand X Kellbender – “Daytime Dies”
(Video) Bones – “MissingProjectFiles”
(Track) Comethazine – “OOWEE”
(Video) Wiki Feat. Your Old Droog – “Litt 15”
(Video) BADBADNOTGOOD Feat. Samuel T. Herring “I Don’t Know”
The complete list of all past streams can be accessed here as well (Click Here)
