Mannequin Men, darlings of the Empty Bottle and everyone who cares about music in Chicago's best friend, is preparing to unleash their new album. A departure from the scuzzy motorcycle rock of Lose Your Illusion, Too, the new songs take on a mellower country-tinged approach... like they should be catalogued under Classic Rock instead of Modern Rock despite being so new they haven't even been officially released yet. I'm hearing all these influences: Neil Young, Tom Petty, the list goes on and it's all the best elements from these catalogues. This music is perfect for road trips and should be listened to at 70 plus mph while you're going to visit your girlfriend at school or trippin' to NYC while your friends drift off in the back. Come out and see them with me this Saturday at Mortville with Close Hits, PPPMMM and Outer Minds. It's BYOB! Of course you'll be there!!!
I can't post the new trax but here's a song from last year that I think perfectly bridges the gap between old and new MM. Enjoy!
From the Mannequin Men / Jack Oblivion Split 7"... Sally
I often fantasize about hosting a house party in my backyard in Logan Square, Chicago, with Lil Daggers and Natural Child rocking everyone’s faces off on into the starless summer night.Barbecues blazing, the scent of chorizo in the air, the go-between of the bands and the wild amplified mariachi parties down the street create a seething pattern in my head as I get down on the lawn with all my buds.Then, I realize that in this fantasy my apartment gets trashed, people puke in my bed and I eventually get evicted.This is a rowdy bunch.
Lil Daggers new album, which they were kind enough to share with me, is more refined and better produced than their earlier work.This self-titled album catches the band exploring not only their sixties psych-pop leanings but actually stretches out to include heavy doses of real composition and thought provoking textured arrangements.In many instances they even conjure elements of Ennio Morricone, legendary composer of all great Western soundtracks.The music is not Western per se but it is frontier music, on the boundary/edge of existence.In Lil Daggers’ case, it’s the everglades.An endless uncharted adventure land of swamp slime, terrifying man-eating predators and poisonous psychedelic fauna.
This is their first full length after a protracted series of 7”s, 10”s, a split somewhere in there and a whole lotta’ touring.I caught them at the Empty Bottle in Spring 2011.Needless to say, I was blown away.This is the forefront of dirty southern rock culture.Lil Daggers’ singer has an attitude reminiscent of Cole from the Black Lips.Their live show is good enough that they land about ten miles ahead of any other band they share a bill with… which is why I would risk being evicted to have them play at my house.If you read this, you should buy.
Thanks guys, you rock!
Sample Trax From Lil Daggers - S/T:
1. Slave Exchange
2. Past Due
Is there a difference between noise and math rock? There shouldn’t be but over time these two genres have become increasingly separate and dissimilar. With borderline pop groups such as Maps and Atlases and Battles spearheading the current math scene and bands like Wolf Eyes or Lightning Bolt defining the other end of the spectrum, the evolution has produced a marked dichotomy of sound. The music still, technically, is not so different. Both genres are still characterized by virtuosic and whimsical performance but there is something surprisingly obvious in its ambiguity that is separating these scenes today and which is still difficult to pinpoint exactly. Math rock has retained the playfulness of its origins. Noise music has ditched whimsy in favor of often dark and contemplative pretension. It’s safe to say that today, in 2011, thirty years after the advent and initial conflation of these two scenes, that both of these genres have pretty well pigeon holed themselves… which is something their predecessors never would have allowed.
There was a time however when the two existed as one. It was Osaka, Japan, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, when everything that was cool in the entire history of rock and roll culminated in one final genre expanding big bang. This was the final moment in the great story of rock in which musicians were able to create things that were literally never before heard. Not that there hasn’t been great original music produced since, modern music is equally important as any classic, it’s just that everything that came afterwards has been appropriation and mutation of previously explored musical construct and texture. Take the Black Lips or the White Stripes etc… need I say more?
But before I completely lose you in reverie, let me get back to my point which is that this is some really important music that I’m about to post up here. Japanese pop music, god love it, has not made much of a dent in the west outside of the bizarre and mystifying universe of anime themes. It’s not visible in our top 40 charts. Conversely, American and European pop is huge in Japan and basically all over the known world. I’m not going to go into why this is but I am going to point out a bit of irony. In 1992, in America, Japanese noise/math rock had an explosion of acceptance as popular artists such as Nirvana touted bands such as The Boredoms, Ruins, Melt Banana amongst others to an increasingly accepting fan base of young Lollapaloozians. Nirvana took the Boredoms with them for what was to be undoubtedly one of the most exciting tours the world has ever known.
..footage from said tour.
This music is the closest any Japanese artists have come to commercial success in the west and for good reason. What they are doing here is absolutely awesome in its context and is indicative of a point and time in music history that will never be repeated.
A rare seven inch that I was lucky enough to track down at Reckless. The entire performance, over 10 songs in under 10 minutes was completely transcribed note for note in the sleeve. Absolutely priceless.
This one’s a tough listen. It is also a compositional and creative masterpiece from top to bottom. I don’t know what else to say about it except for that you should have it and you should listen to the entire thing as much as possible.
First I thought this record got lost or stolen. Then it came in the mail. Next I went to Val's Halla in Oak Park and talked to the Furnaces' old mentor. She told me that Matt's in England, Eleanor's in town and that I was an idiot for saying what I had said about Frank Zappa. With that in mind, I obviously have not listened to this thing yet but I have total confidence that it's at last as good as January's Napoleonette. Stamp of approval granted.
Neil Michael Hagerty. Neil Michael Hagerty is depressing to listen to because, as an idol, I can never hope to equal him. Try as I may, my fingers simply cannot move that fast. This is one of his first offerings post Royal Trux and it is very Rock and Roll as the title so ambiguously hints at. I've been looking for this album for a couple years now and finally found it today for $1.50. Hell ya. Enjoy!
Limited hand screened LP from these Columbus boys. They show true grit and a taste for the naked edge on Scalping the Guru, a melange of freaked out melody, incoherent thought, and strange noise collage. I admit, this explanation may make it seem a bit too far out for some but I assure you, this will be one of the best downloads you grab all year.
Scalping the Guru is a remarkable homage to 70's stonerism. 70's stonerism, not so much a sound but a mindset that I just made up. Ya' dig?
