ALBUM REVIEW: Jeff the Brotherhood: We Are the Champions

As you all know, I have been looking for the band that would satisfy me so very well with their album, and this is it! I have listened to this album 8 times in the 5 days I've had it. I would of listened to it more if it wouldn't have been lazy and downloaded it instead of just listening to it on vinyl, but hey I'm a man who loves vinyl! Jeff the Brotherhood's "We Are the Champions" has just the right mixture of everything right for me. It has a lo-fi sound which I usually love if the band is good. It mixes punk rock with a bluesy feel and poppy vocals. The other thing I love about the music is that it is also very psychedelic, which is another favorite genre to go to for me. My favorite tracks off this record would have to be "Hey Friend," which starts off with a 2 minute jam before going into great lyrics like "I've been thinking about your mom/ You can tell me if it's really wrong" it is overall just a great track. The next is "Diamond Way" which is a little on the softer side which I really appreciate on this record, and " Wastoid Girl," which is like a ballad about a party accompanied with a great riff and the chorus just makes you want to sing along every time. This is the album to go ahead and buy now if it's on your list and if not then put it on your list. I would recommend the vinyl, because the gatefold and insert is just awesome.

Buy from their label at: http://infinitycat.com

June 18th: Sassafras and Backbiter at the Redwood Bar and Grill

Yesterday my band Leaking Pigs played our first show at the Redwood Bar and Grill with Sassafras and Backbiter. After us came Sassafras who, like always,  played a crazy set. Sailor screaming through most of the lyrics over the heavy and full riffs is just awesome and I really like their new line-up as a four-piece. They played some of my favorite tracks "Shipwrecked," "Eli," and "Piston Machine." Then came Backbiter, who now will have been playing for 20 years this October. Their genre jumped all over the place from jam-y to country-ish music. You can tell that these guys have been playing for 20 years because they are all very great players and their is an overall feel of them just being locked in together on their instruments. They really do know their stuff! It was a fun and great show and I have to thank Bob Cantu again for putting us on the bill and everyone should go check out his blog at: Babyjeepers.blogspot.com!

SINGLE REVIEW: Portugal. The Man: Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)

New Portugal. The Man never disappoints me! This is the first single off the new album In the Mountain, In the Cloud. The song is an infectious tune with sutch a catchy chorus it's crazy! This is the first album on Atlantic records and I see that there has been a few changes, but it makes the music seem better to me. I mean they didn't have to add the cellos, but goddammit they made the song crazy good. I have seen nothing but great things coming from them on Atlantic! The video I must add is fucking amazing! It is paired with the song "Sleep Forever," which is a song that builds into a crazy, overwhelming masterpiece and is a great ender to the album. The video was all shot in Alaska and shows beautiful shots of the scenery over there with John Baldwin Gourley sledding with a pack of dogs. I don't want to ruin the rest of the video but it is an great short film! If you picked "Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)" up for free off of iTunes last week, or not get this track now!

Watch the short film here: http://youtu.be/jieN2Hp5hS4

SINGLE REVIEW: The Shakers: Hey Lil Darlin

I have been thinking about introducing this new segment for a little while and this seemed like the perfect time to do it. I met the singer Jodie Schell at a broadcast for Rebel Radio, a newer podcast, and she gave me an advanced copy of the Shakers new single "Hey Lil Darlin" (Which I really appreciate!) This song comes out tomorrow June 3rd and they are giving out free copies at there show at the Roxy to the first 100 people who show up. The first thing I have to note is Jodie's voice. She really can rip it up with her voice. It's very soulful and clear. This song has kind of a funky-soul feel until the chorus where it gets very hard rockin' and distorted. I really like this song a lot and recommend going to the show tomorrow to see it first of all because the voice transfers live and get a kick ass new song to listen too!