RIP Poly Styrene

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Christopher T

In 1976, Poly Styrene (Marion Elliott-Said) of Brixton, after catching the Sex Pistols play an early show, placed an ad in a couple British music papers in search of “Young Punx Who Want to Stick It Together.” The result was the album Germ Free Adolescents by X-Ray Spex and the hit single “Oh Bondage Up Yours!”

The first wave, braces-wearing, daughter of a dispossessed Somali aristocrat, proto-riot-grrl, Hare Krishna convert succumbed to cancer on Monday at the age of only 53.

Check out an early interview on youtube here.

Check out the video for the single “Virtual Boyfriend” from her recent solo album Indigo Generation here.

X-ray Spex, “Oh Bondage Up Yours!” [Buy The Anthology from Amazon]

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Indie Rock Is Dead: Paul Krugman’s Posting on Arcade Fire

Posted on April 26, 2011 by David G

On his blog, Paul “Cassandra” Krugman posted on Arcade Fire last night. I’m just going to repeat that: Paul Krugman wrote about Arcade Fire.

I’m ashamed to say that I wasn’t even aware of the band until the Grammys — but hey, I’m 58! And as I suspect is happening with Brad, as an aging baby boomer I find it vastly reassuring to see that there are honest, creative artists still making their way up amid the commercialization. And their live performances are truly addictive. So:

Two notes. 1.) Starting today, Noise Narcs will cease its coverage of last week’s Pitchfork and instead cover last week’s Keynesian economics. 2.) James Fallows, you better step up your game from Pomplamoose.

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Show Spotlight: Low TONIGHT (4/25) at the First Unitarian Church Sanctuary

Posted on April 25, 2011 by David G

Five reasons to go see Low tonight at the First Unitarian Sanctuary:

1) Although not a return to “form,” Low’s new album C’mon is a return to excellence. Although they’ve moved on from the utter bareness of their early albums, the progression into their new, lusher sound has reached jawdropping maturity.

2) Tonight’s rain is actually a reason to go: temperatures and humidity will drop enough to not make the First Unitarian into a sweatbox.

3) The First Unitarian Church Sanctuary. The best place to see music for cheap in the city by seven country miles. Especially when #2 is in effect.

4) The timbre of Alan Sparhawk’s voice.

5) The unearthly warmth of Mimi Parker’s.

Low – Especially Me by subpop

Low w/ A Stick and a Stone
Monday, April 25, 2011 8:00PM
First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, 2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Tickets [$15]

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Happy Easter, Christians!

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Christopher T

I am Senor Chang, and I'm so ill! This is a warning: I can't be killed.

Jacques Slade, “I Never Die” [youtube] (from the Community soundtrack)

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New Philly Releases: Eat Your Birthday Cake and Bridge Underwater

Posted on April 22, 2011 by David G

Do you miss Grandaddy’s quiet, winding brand of indie rock? If not, please have a technician check your Missing Awesome Things that Are No Longer Around unit: it’s clearly on standby. But if so, Philly’s Eat Your Birthday Cake ride Grandaddy’s groove so damn hard and well it’ll make your needle skip a beat. On Monday, May 2nd, Eat Your Birthday Cake will release Enemies for free download and limited edition CD-R. And it’s a doozy. To celebrate the album’s release, they’re throwing a block party in Fishtown, hosted by Cloud Entertainment, at 219 Mercer Street on Saturday, May 7th. [Facebook Event] Your grandaddy would have wanted you to be there.

Eat Your Birthday Cake, “Rock Stars” [Facebook]

In other great Philly release news, Bridge Underwater totally zagged when I thought they were gonna zig. Their latest single, “Share Time,” ditches their Beatles via Elephant Six sound to embrace… ’90s Weezer/grunge? And nails it? Who woulda thunk it?

Bridge Underwater, “Share Time” [Bandcamp]

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Your 420 Post: Argent, “Liar”

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Christopher T

It’s not like I’m obligated to post one, but if you were expecting a 420 friendly tune, then the following should serve nicely.

After the lackluster sales of Odessey and Oracle, one of our favorite misspelled albums, The Zombies tragically dissolved. Distinctive vocalist Colin Blunstone left to work in the insurance industry for a little while before ultimately returning to music, but keyboardist/song-writer/sometime-vocalist Rod Argent quickly formed his own band, Argent, which would go on to release several albums throughout the early seventies.

Several tracks off the 1970 self-titled debut would sound right at home on an Odessey and Oracle follow-up, for example, “Schoolgirl,” “Dance in the Smoke,” and “The Feelings Inside.” All are very highly recommended.

"Come right in! Your keys go in that bowl there. We were just listening to Argent on our Koss headphones. It's 1970."

But then there’s a track like “Liar,” which would turn into a much bigger hit for Three Dog Night when they covered it that same year.  It is not like the Zombies, but I like it. To begin with, the driving blues riff sounds more like something Alvin Lee was doing around that time with Ten Years After, but there’s also an edge that, to me, makes it way more of a freak-out than anything the Zombies did together.

Enjoy.

Argent, “Liar”

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Skeleton Dead premiere: New songs, debut album “done and dusted within the month”

Posted on April 20, 2011 by David G

Just got an email from the British duo of Skeleton Dead, who we first fell for back in December. Not only have they released two more sparse, gorgeous neo-trad folk tracks on their Soundcloud, there’s also album news: “We’re currently finishing off the album – should all be recorded, mixed, done and dusted within the month.”

“Lock the Doors” starts with an ominous thrust of crawling echo that would fit well with “U Smile 800% Slower,” before a car engine turns over and the tale of a murderous burglar begins over jangling guitars and slowly progressing organ. But underneath the bright, gentle instrumentation, the echoed retardation never leaves: drifting in and out, providing ballast and biting menace.

Lock the Doors by The Skeleton Dead

“Taken by the Tide,” is Skeleton Dead’s most sunshine-y song by a country mile. A train-like acoustic rhythm guitar is overtaken by a warm electric that would fit well in a ’50s ballad or a Cass McCombs song. “If we’re taken by the tide / I can’t say that I’ll mind.”

Taken by the Tide by The Skeleton Dead

These two additions make Skeleton Dead’s album one of our most anticipated of the year. And for our UK readers, they’ll be playing some dates in June. So keep an eye out.

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The old Stones vs. Beatles argument has been decided

Posted on April 19, 2011 by David G

…by this 1964 Rolling Stones Rice Krispies commercial.

Rolling Stones, “Rice Krispies Jingle”

Sorry, world, find something else to argue about.

[Via Bill Wyman's excellent Slate piece about the end of musical rareness, which for some bizarre reason pretends that MOG, RDIO, et al don't exist]

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Tripping Through Vanguard’s Vaults

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Christopher T

Tomorrow, April 16, is the fifth annual Record Store Day, so be sure to run out and support your local record store whether it’s a.k.a. Music in old city, Repo on South St, tequila sunset or milkcrate records up on Girard, or whatever.

To celebrate the occasion, Vanguard Records has dug deep in its vaults and come out with Follow Me Down: Vanguard’s Lost Psychedelic Era (1966-1970), a two-disc compilation of mostly single album artists from that golden, paisley age.

Tracks range from the Hammond-soaked agnosticism of Listening’s “Stoned Is” (It’s a mean life / I mean, you don’t even know why you scream / but someday I’ll find out what I’ve got to say) to the more experimental, thirteen minute raga-rock vision-quest (complete with electric banjo) of Serpent Power’s “Endless Tunnel,” a personal favorite that exchanges the blue bus of The Doors’ “The End” for a mysterious passenger train headed for death or conformity or something.

Here is “Stoned Is” for your enjoyment.  If the bass sounds a bit familiar (solo starts at 3:20), it’s because Walter Powers would later be known to hold the groove for the (moderately more successful) Velvet Underground.

Listening, “Stoned Is”

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Ticket Giveaway: Wye Oak at Johnny Brenda’s Friday, April 15th

Posted on April 8, 2011 by David G

Jerry Seinfeld once asked, “What’s the deal with bands from Baltimore?” By all rights, bands this great (Lower Dens, Beach House, Wye Oak, etc.) should be from Philly. But, alas, they’re not. Next best thing? Getting to see Wye Oak’s darkly beautiful act live. For free. In Philadelphia.

To win two tickets to see Wye Oak at Johny Brenda’s on April 15th (with Noise Narcs’ fave and fellow Baltimorians Secret Mountains opening), like us on Facebook and then email us at noisenarcs@gmail.com with “Move the Good Parts of Baltimore to Philly” as the subject. All emails must be received by Tuesday, 4/12, and we’ll announce the winner Wednesday morning.

Wye Oak – Civilian

Wye Oak w/ Callers and Secret Mountains
Friday, April 15. 9PM. $10
Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N Frankford Ave
Tickets

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