The Briefs are important. They’re a silly, vulgar, goofy little band that plays speedy little pop songs, yet they’re important. It’s because the Briefs, for me and I suspect for more than a few of you, represent an ideal. They prove that the spirit of `70s punk rock can be channelled today without having to […]
This is too fun. I reviewed a Coffin Lids record a while back but they fell off my radar soon thereafter. They’re a three piece from Boston, heavy on the distortion in a Zombies / Sonics way. Round Midnight just came out, and with this song it’s on the list now.
Coffin Lids - I’m Going […]
How good is Porcella? The Deadly Snakes completely reinvented themselves here, and while there’s less outright garage freakouts the amount of layered, atmospheric compositions makes up for it. You’d suspect they were listing to Rain Dogs quite a bit when recording it. The fact that the band sequestered themselves in an cabin somewhere in northern […]
On “St. You,” a beautifully soulful acoustic number from the Constantines’ debut, Bryan Webb sang “I’m soaked in kerosene / this is no gentleman’s blues.” That was a lie at the time, even more so now. The Constantines are very much gentleman’s blues. They’re a gentleman’s rock band, a gentleman’s punk band; a group with […]
I draw a lot of parallels between Cuff the Duke’s self-titled sophomore effort and Hot Hot Heat’s Elevator. Back in 2002, both bands release critically acclaimed records, breaking themselves into the Canadian indie scene with punk-influenced, nervously energetic albums that carried a wonderful sense of spontaneity. While the West coast act derived their sound from […]
