Reverend Joe's Official Rock and Roll Thread

[naut]

Poets and Pornstars. My choice here might disappoint some, because, in all honesty, these guys are commercial rock. But, let me qualify that by saying, they are not what commercial rock is, but rather what it should be. They are a fantastic, rock-and-roll obsessed 70-s style rock group. And yes, they are over-produced on several tracks; but for the most part, they just make for a good, old-fashioned rockout session.

They have some cool grooves from the samples. And I think I'd like them if I could edit out the singer's voice. His lyrics suck.

Honestly, AC/DC should just donate their band name to these guys and let them rock on the way AC/DC should, and has not since after Bon Scott's death.

I agree.

[Reverend Joe]

The new year's here, and I feel like starting with one of my absolute favorite bands.

The Brought Low: Another repost, but these guys really deserve it. They are probably the most perfect-rocking 70's style band of all time. The combine the perfection of Boston (sans the arrogance), the hard-rock fury of AC/DC, and the honest-to-goodness rock and roll of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and in so doing they create something that is very familiar, yet has never really been heard before. They also follow Boston's policy of "quality over quantity," but unlike Boston, they actually make it work: they have only produced two albums since 2001, but both of them feel like they were hand-picked chord by chord to be perfect, out-of-this-world rock masterpieces. Of course, this sort of 70's perfection will turn some people off, but I personally couldn't ask for anything better; in fact, these guys got me interested in 70's music to begin with, and I still return to them for a baseline, much the same way as I regarded Jefferson Airplane as my 60's baseline.

Also, I recently sent these guys a (drunken) letter praising them and asking them if they are still plugging away, and indeed they responded the next day, saying that they have six of the songs on their next record recorded, and expect it to be out, if not this year, then the next. So, if you like them, keep an eye out; more rock perfection may not be long in coming.

[Reverend Joe]

A slight change in musical direction, but not very drastic.

Radio Moscow: when I was playing these guys full-blast last year, everyone thought I was playing Hendrix. And no wonder: they are a heavy psychedelic blues-rock band steeped in the Cream/Hendrix/Mountain tradition. Granted, they aren't quite as transcendental or as good as Cream or Hendrix, but I would say they are definitely on-par with Mountain and the other second-tier heavy-duty blues-rock bands of the late 60's and early 70's. Their only problem is a slight excess of instrumental songs on their first album; they could do with more lyrical songs, as the ones that appear aren't bad at all.

If you like them, stay tuned; their second album is, as the site says, due out in early '09.

[Reverend Joe]

I'm fairly sure this will be my last repost.

Lions in the Street: another band not so well liked when I last posted them, but I must stand by them. Every song I hear of theirs is beyond kickass (with the notable exceptions of "Ruthless" and "Still the Same," which sound like the exact same song to me.) Other than those, though, Lions in the Street sounds to me like a Rolling Stones that actually worked, and didn't just crank out soulless, lifeless music. These guys, if nothing else, have soul.

[Reverend Joe]

Back with another band, and this one's a doozy. Make sure you set some time aside to listen to them very loud.

Litmus: Currently one of the most popular space-rock band in the U.K., from what I've been told (and for what it matters, what with the roaring popularity of space rock at the moment.) Just think heavy-metal Hawkwind, and you've got Litmus pegged, although their second album sounds more like space-rock Motorhead because the band decided they didn't like just about anything the keyboardist had recorded for the songs. Their only problem is an excess of pointless jamming in a few songs -- the last song on the first album is a particularly large failure on this part -- but they're still a good classic metal/spacerock band

[naut]

Ah, good old Litmus, not quite as good as Hawkwind. But, they're great nonetheless

I really like Radio Moscow. I enjoy instrumentals though. Hehe.

Lions in the Streets have some really cool tunes.

I like all of the above.

[Reverend Joe]

Rock and roll's gonna take a little break for this entry.

Scott H. Biram: a feral blues-country solo performer from Texas. Biram's studio recordings are good, but frankly they can't capture the true appeal of Biram, which is quite clearly live; just take a look on youtube for proof. It's a probelm that most performers in Biram's territory have: their furious live energy never really transfers in the overly clean studio. However, the music he has put to record is still worth buying, as it preserves the down-and-dirty atmosphere even if you lose the energy. Save it for a long night alone in the country when it's a hundred damn degrees at 10:30 at night and there's nothing to do but empty all the whiskey bottles in the house.

[Reverend Joe]

Time for another installment.

Supagroup: a slightly unusual hard rock band; in most ways they are a classic 70's style rock-and-roll band, with a slightly more lighthearted attitude. However, they are also from New Orleans, and their myspace lists their styles as "Rock, Zouk and Spanish Pop." The forementioned attitude also means they are not afraid to express their awe of Rock and Roll, which they do in at least three of the songs on their latest album; it's still done with pure love and without any intended irony, so it's not nearly as bad as it could be, but the repetition of the subject does seem to lower the "intelligence" of the record a bit. I haven't really looked at their live shows on Youtube too much, but I expect they would make an entertaining band live.

[Reverend Joe]

Two bands, two days, but mainly because I have to get these guys out of my system.

Danko Jones. Okay, frankly, I don't get these guys. They're weird. They are an even mixture of -- get this -- punk and classic rock. If that don't mess with your head, nothin' will. I often find myself listening to them on impulse, and each time I alternate between loving and hating them with each passing second.

I hope y'all will be able to make up your minds on Danko "WTF" Jones.

Edit: I also want to give thanks to the only person who, apparently, is still actively following this thread. Thanks, Rhythmic. You are the breeze beneath my wings that is keeping me barely aloft.

[Moros]

Perhaps not posting much, but a topic like this always gets my constant attention. Can't listen right now as everybody is asleep and I don't have a working pair of earplugs.

[naut]

I alternate between loving and hating them with each passing second.

I know what you mean. I can't decide whether I like them or not.

Can't really listen right now, I went over my net limit an have been plunged into dial-up speeds.

[Quietus]

Two bands, two days, but mainly because I have to get these guys out of my system.

Danko Jones. Okay, frankly, I don't get these guys. They're weird. They are an even mixture of -- get this -- punk and classic rock. If that don't mess with your head, nothin' will. I often find myself listening to them on impulse, and each time I alternate between loving and hating them with each passing second.

I hope y'all will be able to make up your minds on Danko "WTF" Jones.

Edit: I also want to give thanks to the only person who, apparently, is still actively following this thread. Thanks, Rhythmic. You are the breeze beneath my wings that is keeping me barely aloft.

I read the posts and checked the links. These bands are melodic & guitar-driven and really different from rhythm-based, percussive sounds I like.

[naut]

Ok, finally got round to listening.

I like Supagroup. They rock, lots of powerful tunes.

Scott H. Biram, Johnny Cash gone nasty.

I think Danko Jones is missing something, I can't put my finger on it, but there's something lacking.

Edit: I change my judgement on Witchcraft. WOW! I love these guys now.

[Reverend Joe]

Radio Moscow recently posted a new song from their new album. [edit: they have 2 new songs now, and they're FAR OUT!]

That's all I got, though; I'm going through a dry spell, and it might be a while till I post again.

Also, thanks for all the appreciation, but I kinda figured my audience was mostly silent to begin with. I was just messin' with y'all last time.

[naut]

Well I'll be damned, their new album comes out on my Birthday. Excellent, stuff is always better when it's a gift.

[Reverend Joe]

Back from the dead. I just found a band too good not to share.

Bang Camaro: Anthemic, Classic, Douchebag Rock. I've been looking for another band that could rock like The Brought Low, and frankly, although these guys don't quite reach the same height of musical perfection, they're probably the closest I'll ever get. I found them entirely by accident while trying to wiki the definition of "Camaro Rock" and, ironically, I think I just found it. Try to imagine Molly Hatchet, Queen, Boston and AC/DC all playing at the same time. If it sounds like a rather polarizing, love-it-or-hate-it, you're right. And frankly, they do kinds ride that fine line between ******* awesome and incredibly cheesy and bad; it's through sheer force of will and musical love that they save themselves.

[naut]

What a confusing band. Some really nice songs and then some others that made me gag, (The Hit for example).

[Reverend Joe]

Back, and I just found another band to post about. Kinda awkward because they have no published material as of now, but I'm hoping that changes soon.

Taddy Porter: weird name, I know, but believe me, they more than make up for it in musical ability. As of now, I'm listening to their third song, and I'm already hopping ready to buy their debut album. They are a classic rock band in the best way possible, playing the timeless sound that Tom Petty, Zeppelin and Aerosmith have dominated for decades. Granted, they've got a slight modern bend to them, but it fits in well with the slow-moving bluesy timeless rock they play, and if music heads in the direction I'm hoping it will, they will still be accessible 20-30 years from now.

[naut]

[Reverend Joe]

I think I just found an assload of good bands. It's like finding a bee's nest and having the bees just give it to you.

I don't own any of them yet so I don't want to review them yet, but I'll be back later with a review of the band that led me to them.

[Hooahguy]

Mastodon- Oblivion

mastodon is a great band, plus they are local. they have a concert tomorrow, but i have a previous engagement.
their newest album, Crack the Skye, is exemplary.

[Reverend Joe]

(Sorry about the delay.)

Ladies and Gentleman, do you wonder what happened to good rock? Are you constantly searching for quality party rock only to come up short? I have The Answer!

OK, so they aren't the greatest band in the world. Frankly, their guitarist could use some real work with his solos, though I must say these are still much improved from their first album (or what little I have heard.) But for the most part, these guys are ******' awesome hard rock, perfect for late-night frat parties and blasting out of the windows of your '77 Camaro while tearassing down main street, drinking straight out of the keg in the back and trying to pick up chicks by screaming obscenities at them.

It's difficult to say who exactly they are inspired by; they draw from a lot of 70's and 80's hard rock bands and, while they aren't the greatest band of the new wave of Classic Rock, they can still boast a rather distinctive sound. I guess the closest approximation would be GnR, AC/DC and Aerosmith, thought hey also have some aspirations towards Zeppelin and the 70's Arena Rock scene.

Anyway, as soon as you have a chance, crack open a Milwaukee's Beast, crank up the volume and rock out.

[naut]

Pretty solid. I agree with you about the guitarist, he's a little weak. But, nonetheless they're good, great for pumping iron to.

[Reverend Joe]

Got another band for y'all to chew on.

Dirty Sweet: their lyrics are occasionally questionable, but only because I would occasionally expect better from a band this good. They are a Southern Rock band in the tradition of the Black Crowes, but frankly I think these guys do it a lot better than the Black Crowes (I think they're kinda boring, frankly.) Their music has a true American rock sound to it; you can hear plenty of classic influences as well as later, 60's-70's sounds filling out the songs. Sometimes this is a little detrimental, as their songs occasionally blend into the Americana background, but overall they rock hard enough to be memorable. Best contrast here: "Come Again," a clever enough lyrical song but not enough to make it a stand-out; it just sounds like another song from the genre; as opposed to "Goldensole", which sounds like it could be a hard-rockin' outtake from an Allman Brothers album.

Pick and choose as you will.

[naut]

Finally got round to listening, some good songs there. Good solid rock. Their rhythm guitar really could and should be stronger/louder to beef them up a bit though. All in all good sound.

[Reverend Joe]

Federale.

I may or may not be back with a better description. For now, all I'll say is that these guys are what I hoped the Black Keys would be when I discovered them. Also, they're ******* awesome.

Edit: maybe not... more like a surreal mixture of Delta Blues, Metal and slow Funk. REALLY wierd.

[Axalon]

Hello Rev. Joe and fellow rockers,

How are things in the church of rock these days? I checked out these Federale-dudes. I saw among their influences “Captain Beyond” (and bunch of others that are real good; R.Trower- the 70's stuff are excellent rock, Band of Gypsys etc.) and kind of reminds me of that but heavier, slower and dirtier (right up my ally actually). Come to think of it: Monster Magnets first album had similarities here and there with this, minus the blues of course. Good solid rock anyhow, personally I would not go that far as call this “metal” but you always seemed a bit touchy about harder and heavier-stuff and seem eager to label it as "metal". I would call this rock and hardrock myself but then again - I am from the another church and not a regular in your flock, so perhaps that's why....

Anyway, according to the website the “sound”-description of these boys was and I think its pretty accurate:

"Heavy acid blues smothered in a delta boogie gravy"

Personally I would throw in slight splash of psycadelia to top it off along with slowish old-fashioned hardrock in that description – but that is just me.... Listened to all songs, excellent stuff… Well, I’m off to hunt some hip-hop vermin I saw here close by – and we can’t have any of that, now can we?

Hold the fort and keep 'em coming Rev...


- Cheers

[Reverend Joe]

Axalon, glad to see you reading. I mostly labelled Federale as "Metal" because they reminded me of a Delta-Blues-influenced Black Sabbath. Granted, though, most people wouldn't call the 70's Sabbath metal anymore.

Well, I’m off to hunt some hip-hop vermin I saw here close by – and we can’t have any of that, now can we?

Heheh... honestly, though, I'm friends with a few "hip-hop vermin" myself, and here at my church we prefer to try to convert them first. Doesn't work a lot of the time, though. The only "vermin" we shoot on sight are people who listen to Pop "music."

[naut]

They've got an awesome sound.

[Moros]

Dirty sweet is well dirty sweet if you ask me!