The Gaslight Anthem – The 59 Sound

I’m going to get this part out of the way; there are obvious comparisons one can draw between The Boss and The Gaslight Anthem – songs jam-packed full of blue collar, do or die, salt of the earth stories as well as that from-the-heart vocal work – but I’m sure you’ve heard all of that before (right?).

Instead, I’m going to focus on a slightly different fact: The Gaslight Anthem – which combines the rock and roll aesthetic of Social Distortion, emotional vulnerability of Jimmy Eat World and the aforementioned qualities of Bruce Springsteen – are an encapsulation of what makes American music great. The Europeans have their melodic tendencies and waif-like bodies to get them through. Us, well, we have our work ethic and D.I.Y. mentality that gets poured into the tunes we craft.

Upon listening to The ’59 Sound you can’t help but believe that these guys would have your back in a bar fight and still be charming enough to meet your grandparents. So strap on your Chuck Taylor’s, your most worn blue jeans and leather jacket; the new working class rock band has arrived at exactly the right time. America needs a new musical hero and The Gaslight Anthem is exactly that.

 

Captain Morgan
Big Wheel Music Contributor
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flogging Molly – Alive Behind the Green Door

I’ve never been a big fan of live albums, mostly because I’d rather experience the real thing in person. There are only a couple of exceptions to this rule: Nine Inch Nails - Live: and All that Could Have Been, Depeche Mode – 101, Morphine – Bootleg: Detroit and Metallica – S&M (there are also a couple of live tracks on The Essential Iron Maiden that aren’t bad); but for the most part I don’t seek these out for my library. Alive Behind the Green Door, on the other hand, is a necessity as it was the only remaining piece from Flogging Molly’s discography I didn’t have.

All of that is beside the point as you probably don’t care. ANYWAY, Alive Behind the Green Door was recorded with virtually no budget and may as well be a bootleg. The quality is weak, there’s no one accurately running the sound board and you can’t escape the senseless babble of the crowd or clinking of glasses. However, what it wreaks of is all that makes Flogging Molly so great –captured in its purest form- raw, emotional, (no pun intended) alive and soaked in whiskey and sweat. The unpolished aural attack is a welcome distraction from the sheen that is glossed onto so many other sub-par live performances. I especially love the fact that Alive ... features some of the bands’ earliest incarnations of their later songs: “Laura” and “Between a Man and a Woman”. Suffice it to say, if you’ve never seen Flogging Molly live, this is an indicator of what you’ll expect when you finally do (and believe me, you will).

 

Captain Morgan
Big Wheel Music Contributor
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Ruin – Self Titled Release

People either love or hate the Riot Grrrl scene. With that being said, no matter if you like or dislike the genre, you have to respect this album. Originally released in 1997, I received the album from my older cousin on Thanksgiving Day when I was about 14 years old (around 2006). He knew how much I liked Bikini Kill, Le Tigre and Kathleen Hanna, so he told me to listen to "Julie Ruin", the alter-ego of Hanna. I expected the blood curling screams that Hanna put forth with Bikini Kill, yet I was surprised to discover that Ruin sang catchy, pop techno that could be classified under new age 80's tunes. Not to say that this is a bad thing, in fact, it throws people off from the Kathleen Hanna the world knows from Bikini Kill and lets her branch off as "Julie Ruin", the Madonna-esque singer, that still contains all the intelligence, anger and irony that is forever embedded into Hanna's bloodstream. One of the most impressive factors of "Julie Ruin" is not only Hanna's ability to be diverse, but the fact that this album was made entirely in Hanna's apartment; mainly her bedroom using four-track and eight-track machines, cheap samplers, and a keyboard. With this equipment surrounding her, she produces golden tracks such as the anti-cop rant "I Wanna Know What Love Is", the dance song "A Place Called Won't Be There", and the thoughtful and hip-hop styled "Radical or Pro-Parental". Although most of this album strays away from the punk image Hanna obtained throughout the years, she comes back for a mere 2 minutes and 7 seconds for "The Punk Singer"; a commentary on the punk subculture. "Julie Ruin" is charming, witty, and as pointed as Hanna is; which is something everyone can enjoy, or at least, appreciate.

 

-Sarah K.-
Music scene reporter
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mars Volta – Amputechture

The third studio album from the better half of At the Drive-In has, unfortunately, delivered the same old hat. Don't get me wrong, the songs are still good, but it seems that the boys have used up all their tricks on the previous two albums. Amputechture is almost ... sleepy. Everything that made Deloused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute exciting and interesting – namely the raw intensity and unexpected volatility of it all – aren’t delivered with the same fervor. It nearly sounds forced. If you're a true-blooded fan, I don't want to offend you, but they could have done better.

 

Captain Morgan
Big Wheel Music Contributor
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism

Ben Gibbard and company have delivered something truly worth keeping in one’s musical library. Transatlanticism is chock-full of lyrics written with the literalness of Morrissey and the beauty of true innocence. The method of storytelling is what I love best, I have to be honest. Stories of young love, inadvertent relationships and the introspection of everyday events are prevalent. The haunting embellishments that come and go, like so many memories, throughout the album it makes for more than a straight ahead Indie record. Key Tracks: The New Year, Title and Registration, Tiny Vessels and We Looked Like Giants.

 

Captain Morgan
Big Wheel Music Contributor
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Echobrain – Self Titled Release

Combine one part Stone Temple Pilots, one part Queens of the Stone Age, one part Pablo Honey- era Radiohead and one part 311; mix and serve over light beer. The result is a meandering songwriter with no clear destination paired with a fantastic rhythm section. The lead singer/ guitar player writes the most lackadaisical and (almost) hook-less guitar parts; it’s clear why these cats never made it beyond the Bay Area (even with Jason Newsted, formerly of Metallica, on bass). I don’t dislike the album, but I nearly immediately forget what it sounds like when it’s over.

 

Captain Morgan
Big Wheel Music Contributor
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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