YouTube Rodeo: Big Deal's Color-Drenched "Dream Machines"

Way back in May we were figuratively spinning Big Deal's terrific new record June Gloom a lot, and one of the tunes we exalted as an album highlight was the sparkling, big-beat anthem "Dream Machines." Not long after, the tune was designated the second single from the London-based quartet's sophomore set, and now, months later, it finally has a video clip to go along with it. As best as we can tell (who knows who really donned the monster suits in the first promo video from June Gloom, for the prior single "In Your Car"), the clip is the first to feature all four members of Big Deal as it is presently configured; the band began its run as simply the duo of Kasey Underwood and Alice Costelloe way back in 2010. Indeed, the opening pastiche of images captured in the still supra prominently features Huw Webb's bass guitar at the top of the frame, which may be as much a signal of Big Deal's relatively recent conversion to "band-ness" as it is of "Dream Machines"'s reliance on a foundation of fuzz-bass to drive home the tune's titanic choruses. Most of the video -- directed by a chap named Errol Rainey of the Bonzo Collective -- is pulled straight from the playbook of classic MTV visual style circa 1985, including bits of the band goofing on CCTV, shooting hoops, pulling peace signs and lip-synching the tune, all drenched in over-saturated color and rendered beautifully grainy. Mute released June Gloom June 4, and we reviewed the set for Vanyaland right here. Does this album have another single in it? Only time will tell, but, if so, we would not be surprised to see opener "Golden Light" or the closing power ballad "Close Your Eyes" get the honors. The video for "Dream Machines" embedded above premiered at Vice's Noisey yesterday.

That Was The Show That Was: Metz, The Men, Desert Sharks | The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA | 25 July

Last time a Metz show in Boston actually went off, the room erupted into one big, drunken mosh pit, one that threatened the structural integrity of the fabled Middle East Rock Club. But for Thursday's free, shoe company-sponsored gig at a relatively new Harvard Square venue, one might have wondered just how nuts was the crowd really gonna get? The answer, it turns out, is very, very nuts.

After a solid warm-up set from New York punks Desert Sharks, the crowd anxiously anticipated what was to come from The Men. The question was, which version of the Brooklyn-based five-piece would show up? Would the set favor the Tom Petty-worship of 2013's exceptional New Moon LP, or the scuzzed punk with which The Men first made a name for themselves? In the end, fans got a little bit of both. The act opened just after 10 with what felt like a good five minutes of pulsating feedback, before bassist Ben Greenberg commenced a vicious two-note riff. The band then tore into what sounded an awful lot like "Oscillation" from 2012's Open Your Heart. It's hard to be certain, as the room sound for the set at times seemed unable to contain the band's sonic assault. The vocals and drums, in particular, struggled for recognition from underneath the throbbing might of the guitars. Even so, what could be heard sounded fantastic. In a move seemingly influenced by the characteristic intensity of the headliners, The Men emphasized the thrashier end of its considerably malleable sound, gradually layering in more and more noise before sloppily coming to a close. The highlight of its set, however, was a grooved-out take on a standout track from New Moon, "I Saw Her Face."

While The Men were received warmly, it was clear the youth were getting restless as Metz's sound check wore on. The kids wanted to mosh, hard -- and eventually they did. The last time the Torontonian trio came to Boston, the show was canceled due to, in their words, "some asshole who tried to blow up the marathon." It seemed Metz played Thursday night as if they had something to prove to make up for the missed show; the crowd was ready to meet the band's determination. The first drumroll of "Dirty Shirt" incited a massive circle pit, one that didn't dissipate until Metz burned through an extended, droning rendition of album closer "Negative Space" (bonus points go to the dude moshing with the Metz 12" tucked under his arm). What Metz lack in variation song-to-song, they more than make up for in visceral energy and shuddering intensity. Fronter Alex Edkins stared into the crowd and literally screamed the sweat off his face more times than this writer could keep track of. The night's greatest moment occurred when the band asked for the crowd to "take care of each other" before "Get Off," a tune that rocketed the crowd into an especially ecstatic frenzy. By the time Metz slumped back on stage for a quick encore, everyone in the room was too fried to even react; the Canadians had effectively squeezed all the energy out of the room. Stream the single version of "Negative Space" via the Bandcamp embed below. Metz embark on an eight-date European tour next week, return to the States for four festival dates in late summer, and then head back to Europe for a significantly longer campaign that begins on Halloween in Reykjavik, although there is no Halloween in Iceland. And that's one to grow on... -- Dillon Riley



Metz: Bandcamp | Internerds | Tumblr | Twitter

The Men: Internerds

Review: Weekend | Jinx

With its 2010 debut Sports, noise-rock trio Weekend ably assimilated a lengthy and recognizable post-punk heritage into its sound in a manner that made an indelible impression. The album was an apparent success for Slumberland Records, and a high point among a teeming morass of contemporary loud guitar offerings, in no small part because of the clear vision and songwriting acumen the act, fronted by Shaun Durkan, brought to the table. Of course, the success of Sports was abetted by strong singles including the delay-flecked "End Times," but Weekend's unpretentious approach also made them easy to support. With that success, fans could reasonably have anticipated the sophomore collection Jinx, which was released by Slumberland Tuesday, would be consistent with the now-Brooklyn-based act's established, loud parameters. Instead, the new record continues a retreat from the noisier post-punk of the formative first LP, a retreat that began on the brilliant 2011 EP Red. As the distortion ebbs, the band reveals what may be its most vital trait: it simply refuses to do the same thing twice.

On the new full length we hear Weekend evolving beyond a dark, chaotic and Joy Division-inspired posture to embrace a cleaner, leaner sensibility that echoes the early-'80s entries from The Cure, New Order and Bauhaus. Opener "Mirror" trades heavily on clean, metallic bass, mechanical rhythms, a carefully architected superstructure of reverbed vocals, edgeless synths and distant guitars. It is as if the now-Brooklyn-based act has shed a rough husk comprised of jittery nerves, guitar distortion and feedback, to free a more controlled, refined darkwave core. This evolution is again apparent on the anthemic, hip-shaking bliss-out "July," in which Abe Pedroza's industrial drum clatter establishes a moody but upbeat platform for Mr. Durkan's natural, unimposing voice and guitarist Kevin Johnson's sleeper melody lines. The chorus breathlessly escapes a couple suspenseful introductory minutes to blossom into a technicolor array of airy vocals and guitar; Durkan's celebratory repetition of the tune's title is the icing on the icing on the icing... "It's Alright" swaggers with a towering electronic strut that delightfully evokes the macho guitar-techno fusion of The Jesus And Mary Chain circa 1988's brilliant single "Sidewalking" and the sexy chug of MBV's "Drive It All Over Me." "Just Drive" resuscitates some of the punkier vim of Sports, but updated production refines the lacerating distortion to marshal a gentler attack. The initial single "Sirens" remains Jinx's most gratifying composition, with its reliably, dance-ready tempo, detached vocals and softly modulating melody calling to mind the stone-cold 1983 classic from Thompson Twins, "If You Were Here."

The degree of control over the sonics of Jinx -- and the calculated quality it lends to certain of the material -- may be the aspect of the record that critics ultimately chew over most; it surprisingly engenders a sound that seems more tailored for arenas (complete with a less dour audience and a greater sense of ecstasy), as opposed to a dark basement or cold warehouse. But whether that is the aspiration or not, it is hard to care too much about the window dressing when the meat of the record -- its songs -- are so well-realized, taut and enjoyable. Jinx is available now from Slumberland on yellow vinyl, CD and digital download. Make your choice wisely right here. The trio will perform two release shows in California starting with a show in the band's former hometown of San Francisco tomorrow, and will tour the new record in earnest beginning with a date in Pittsburgh Sept. 4. All live dates are posted right here; Boston-based readers should make a note of the October 23 date at Church Of Boston with Disappears and Nothing. -- Edward Charlton

Weekend: Facebook | Internerds | Tumblr

Today's Hotness: Confessions, Landmarks, Steve Hauschildt

​>> Pair up the fronter of a notable Boston dream-pop act and the live drummer from the ranking darkwave act of the day, and that's all the ingredients you need to mix up a tall cool glass of Your Girl, the debut EP from Confessions. Somewhat surprisingly, the Boston-based duo of Amanda Dellevigne and Alex Garcia-Rivera make music that is neither as dreamy as the former's Night Fruit nor as deliciously unsettling as the latter's Cold Cave, but even so the four songs on Your Girl please with a lightness and retro-futurist bent. It's both easy on the ears and a firm footing for further exploration by the two. Although the EP's quasi-title track "I'll Always Be Your Girl" is conventionally pleasing and will draw kicks to the dancefloor in droves, we think the real standout here is "Wonder." The latter tune touts a gently deconstructed and generously reverbed chant that implies a carefree sway despite the repeated rumination, "I'm in trouble now." The Your Girl 12" will be issued on a vinyl 12" and digitally tomorrow by Vanya Records, the sister label to Vanyaland.com, to which -- full disclosure -- this writer contributes. And firsties abound, as this Friday (July 26) Confessions make their live debut at Boston's esteemed Friday night dance party The Pill to celebrate the release of the EP. Your Girl is available for pre-order now via Bandcamp for the digital files or Big Cartel for the 12." Stream all four songs from the EP via the YouTube embed below.



>> Music fans have grown accustomed to flocking to Chicago each summer to take in the likes of Lollapalooza, Pitchfork Fest, Electric Daisy Carnival and Riot Fest. But while those big productions draw prominent national and even international talent, the Windy City for decades has boasted a strong local scene that most of those tourists sadly may never see (or, well, hear). Take, for example, one of Chicago's newer exports, the dream-pop quintet Landmarks. Despite having just three tracks to sample on the Internerds, the act's hit-to-miss ratio impresses. Landmarks evidence on its latest, second single a firm grasp on the classic Creation Records sound. The Public House 7", released May 3 via Public House Sound Recordings, also emphasizes the Chicago five-piece's strong affinity for dream-pop styles more generally as well. The band establishes in the opening moments of its particularly winsome B-side "Overflown" an insistent, krautrock groove, upon which Landmarks gradually layers spiraling, squalling guitar leads and placid keys. It's a sound that also echoes in the work of, say, contemporaries such as Kent, England's It Hugs Back or even, to perhaps a lesser extent, Munich's Lali Puna. The aforementioned groove is driven by a snappy, repetitive bass line that pushes and pulls against the messy, unsettled guitars while offering a formidable melodic counterpoint. "Overflown," along with the more subdued, more somnolent A-side "Cuscutta," is available as a pay-what-you-like download via Landmarks' Bandcamp, and you can stream the tune via the Soundcloud embed below. -- Dillon Riley



>> It is perhaps unfair to the reserved brilliance of Steve Hauschildt's dreamy electropop gem "Enter Return" to say it was the perfect thing to chill out to while we waited for last week's heatwave to break. That's because the tune's gentle rhythm, light beats and steadily cascading melody can surely transfix fans of conventional electronic fare or chillwave with or without the interference of extraordinary weather conditions. Even so, "Enter Return" was just about the only thing that was able to get our mind off the heat engulfing Boston late last week. Mr. Hauschildt's surname and warm analog electronics might lead one to believe he is another talented European producer, but in fact he is based out of Cleveland. He was also a founding member of the apparently influential ambient/experimental act Emerald. "Enter Return" is taken from the forthcoming double CD S/H, a set that collects 32 of Mr. Hauschildt's home-recorded solo tracks -- many of them previously unreleased -- produced between 2005 and 2012. The tune is one of the more recent compositions, having been recorded in Sept. 2012. S/H will be released by Editions Mego Sept. 16, and you can pre-order the collection right here. At 24 euros for the import, the price is a bit steep. But remember: this is a very large program of music, and if "Enter Return" is any indication, it will provide hours upon hours of enjoyment. And don't we all want enjoyment? Stream the tune via the Soundcloud embed below while you think it over.

That Was The Show That Was: Lemonheads | Boston Common | July 20

While it is not the most rock 'n' roll sentiment, seeing Lemonheads perform last night was a tremendous pleasure primarily for personal reasons: it was the first time we were able to synthesize rock-show-going and family-having. The logistics of raising two kids and managing careers just hadn't allowed allowed us to attempt every resident at Clicky Clicky HQ attending a show together until last night, and being able to have the missus and the kids along while taking in a set by a Clicky Clicky All-Time Top Five act was even more enjoyable than we had hoped. When it was announced months ago that Lemonheads would play at a relatively family-friendly hour, we began to plot our attendance, and fortunately the kids enjoyed it and the weather held out. It was also great to be at a show with Clicky Clicky Managing Editor Michael Piantigini once more. We've been silent on the issue in the blog out of respect for his privacy, but many friends of Clicky Clicky know that Michael experienced a major health issue in the late spring, and so we hadn't seen a show with him in months. It is great to have him back on the scene.

Lemonheads held up their end of the bargain by delivering a dynamite set, dipping as far back as the '80s into a repertoire that is overflowing with should-be-hits. A highlight of the set was a three-song stint featuring founding member Ben Deily, with whom Clicky Clicky readers are well familiar due to our coverage of Mr. Deily's current combo Varsity Drag. Deily -- who left Lemonheads to focus on his studies at the turn of the '90s -- joined the quartet last night for "Don't Tell Yourself It's OK," "Uhhhh" and "Amazing Grace." He first reunited on stage with Lemonhead-in-chief Evan Dando more than three years ago, but we haven't any idea when the last time was that the two shared a stage in Boston, so this was pretty special. Lemonheads also played cracking versions of personal favorites including "Stove" and "Rudderless." Mr. Dando was focused and funny, his voice as solid as ever and more than able to convey and color the emotions guiding his brilliant songwriting. The complete set-list is below. This iteration of Lemonheads is abetted by guitar virtuoso and musical journeyman Chris Brokaw, who -- in addition to playing in Come and The New Year and Codeine and numerous other acts, in addition to being a talented songwriter -- is the best utility player in rock music. Your lead guitarist get eaten by a shark? Call Mr. Brokaw. Drummer explode? Call Brokaw. In the context of Lemonheads last evening, his leads and rhythm playing stayed true to the band's recordings, while also creatively accenting tunes with well-place salvos of harmonics or other flourishes. He even occasionally recreated melodic elements from the recordings that weren't guitar lines, such as when he approximated a missing vocal line from "It's About Time." Brokaw's playing is brilliant, and damn it if he doesn't seem to get younger-looking each year, too.

Lemonheads are in the midst of a short strand of tour dates, having playing Providence Friday night and with a planned date in Connecticut tonight. We've posted a few more dates, and also last night's set list (as well as a link to a photo of same from Deily's Instragram feed) below. Surprisingly, this is only the second time we've ever seen Lemonheads; we reviewed a December 2006 show -- when the band was touring its self-titled Vagrant record -- right here. As for the future, Fire Records is expected to reissue expanded versions of the first three Lemonheads records later this year, and sessions for a new Lemonheads record -- a record that would include input from Deily and Juliana Hatfield, as we reported here -- were begun with Ryan Adams in 2012.

Lemonheads: Internerds | Facebook | YouTube

SET LIST: [Instagram]

Confetti
Down About It
Alison's Starting To Happen
Hospital
Drug Buddy
Style
Great Big No
Left For Dead
It's A Shame About Ray
Break Me
Dawn Can't Decide
Don't Tell Yourself It's OK (with Deily)
Uhhh (with Deily) [video]
Amazing Grace (with Deily)
Outdoor Type
Hannah + Gabbi
Tenderfoot
It's About Time
Stove
Rudderless [video]
Into Your Arms

MORE ROCK MUSIC:

07.21.13 -- Hamden, CT -- Spaceland Ballroom
07.23.13 -- Asbury Park, NJ -- The Wonder Bar
07.24.13 -- Brooklyn, NY -- Knitting Factory
07.26.13 -- Edgartown, MA -- Flatbread Pizza Co.

New Music Night 11 DJ Sets | River Gods | 18/19 July

[PHOTO: the great Robert L. Mathews] Here are the songs what we played whilst manning the figurative decks Thursday night and into Friday morning in the booth at the fabulous River Gods in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There was a nice big crowd and the air conditioning was cold and the Bass Ale was extra bassy, it all felt good considering the brutal heat wave enveloping the area. Seriously, it was 90 degrees when we drove through Harvard Square on our way here at 9:30 -- that's not right. So here's what we played. If you have any questions or want to know more about the songs below, hit us on Twitter or drop a comment. We may or may not do Spotify playlists of these sets in the coming days and post links here; watch this space. Also, please click over to Bradley's Almanac and check out Brad's playlists for the 9PM and 11PM hours, which we expect will be posted imminently, or at least sometime. Sometime's good, right?

Set 2 / 10PM / Jay

1. Confessions -- "Wonder" -- Your Girl 12"
[Electropop EP featuring members of Night Fruit and Cold Cave / Stream / Pre-order]
2. Matmos -- "I Want Snowden" -- A/V Club thing
[recorded for that A/V Club undercover thing / stream / download]
3. Burglary Years -- "Hey Do You Wanna Come Over" -- Escapist/Mayfly Sampler
[download]
4. Radiator Hospital -- "Our Song" -- Something Wild
[the summer jam to end all summer jams this summer / review / download / buy]
5. Potty Mouth -- "Sleep Talk" -- Hell Bent
[out Sept. 17 on Old Flame/Marshall Teller / pre-order]
6. Krill -- "Infinite Power" -- Lucky Leaves
[telepathic fear and loathing / review / stream / buy]
7. Bent Shapes -- "Brat Poison" -- Feels Weird
[punky album cut from debut LP due Aug. 20 / pre-order]
8. Ovlov -- "Where's My Dini" -- Am
[tremendousness from Conn.-based superfuzz brother act / blogged / stream / buy]
9. Roomrunner -- "Snac Error" -- Ideal Cities
[blogged / stream / purchase]
10. The Flash Hits! -- "Th' Kaza Stairs" -- World Tore EP
[no release date yet / YouTube]
11. What Moon Things -- "Squirrel Girl" -- Bandcamp
[Great expectations / blogged / download]
12. Amity Beach -- "Sunday Nights To Infinity" -- single
[blogged / download]
13. Eros And The Eschaton -- "20 Different Days" -- Home Address For The Civil War
[lead track from thrilling debut due next month / blogged / pre-order]
14. Winter -- "The View" -- single
[wishing a speedy recovery to Mr. Oppenheimer and his wrist / blogged / download]
15. Cloud -- "Mother Sea (radio edit)" -- Comfort Songs
[blogged / download]
16. Weekend -- "July" -- Jinx
[due July 23 / blogged / pre-order]
17. Fridge Poetry -- "Like Poetry (Froback Remix)" -- Bandcamp
[another beauty from Junior Foreigner and Evan Bernard / blogged / stream]

Set 4 / 12AM / Jay

1. Occurrence -- "Never Alone (Naked)" -- Soundcloud
[demo from the next record, featuring vocals and guitar from And Joseph's Mike Robb / download]
2. Krill -- "Theme From Krill (Reprise)" -- Lucky Leaves
[Krill forever]
3. The Shoe Ins -- "I Pledge Allegiance (To Your Body)" -- Bandcamp
[devastating party jam / YouTube / buy]
4. Eros And The Eschaton -- "Lately (I've Been Wondering)" -- Home Address For The Civil War
[so much goodness]
5. Little Big League -- "Sportswriting" -- These Are Good People
[out Aug. 6 / blogged / stream / pre-order]
6. Radiator Hospital -- "Ghost Story" -- Something Wild
[review / download / buy LP]
7. My Psychoanalyst -- "Clump Soul" -- Don't Try
[first new music in four years! / stream / download]
8. Amity Beach -- "Avalanches" -- single
[other side of that thing]

|||LAST CALL: BELOW WAS PLAYLISTED BUT NOT PLAYED|||

9. Bored Nothing -- "Dial Tone Blues" -- Thanks For The Mammaries EP
[blogged / download]
10. Shallow -- "Alternative" -- Under The Wildflowers Vol. 1: A Lamppost Records Compilation
[download]
11. Mona Elliot -- "River Song" -- River Song EP
[download]
12. Scud Mountain Boys -- "The Mendicant" -- Do You Love The Sun
[blogged / buy]
13. Mutes -- "Cold And Golden (Atlas Sound cover)" -- Bandcamp
[download]
14. Heyward Howkins -- "Pundit" -- Album preview
[stream / download]
15. Heaven -- "Falling Apple" -- Telepathic Love
[pre-order]
16. Sun Glitters -- "Forward And Reverse" -- Soundcloud
[a beauty from Luxembourg / stream / download]

New Music Night 11 with DJs Brad Almanac + Jay Clicky Clicky | River Gods | 18 July

Don't tell Brad de la 'Nac, but our next and 11th New Music Night this coming Thursday is sort of our second anniversary. Do I get him chocolates? Chocolate beer? Probably something more like chocolate beer, I'm thinking. Or, you know, how about, instead, a couple hours of the finest in new and not yet new music? Which would be easy and convenient, as I've got that. IN SPADES YO. Yes, indeedy, #NMN returns for its 11th manifestation this Thursday, July 18, at River Gods, just in time to save you from what will likely be Day Five of HEATWAVE2013. Because River Gods is air-conditioned, fool. And, as such, you've got little excuse not to be there, so please join us: your faithful aural tour guides de rock will of course be Brad of Bradley's Almanac and Jay of Clicky Clicky, and it all happens from 9PM-1AM. For a sense of what you're getting into, check out Brad's playlist from the May event, or our very own. Solid. Sold? Thinking about it? Here's the Facebook event page, why not click on over and pledge your allegiance?

River Gods
125 River Street
Cambridge, MA
MAP

Accessible via Red Line at Central Square.