Album of the Week

Ugly Casanova: Sharpen Your Teeth

 An old favorite. This is the only thing I've been listening to all week. Isaac Brock explained that this band originated from a man named "Edgar E.Graham" awkwardly presenting Modest Mouse with this material backstage in 1998. "Edgar" would perform these songs before their shows to the band with very little confidence and would often shuffle off sometimes mid performance. When "Edgar" suddenly vanished, Isaac re-recorded all of his material so that it wasn't wasted. It was later revealed that Edgar was a fictional character created for Isaac to avoid attention of press and fans for starting a side project outside the Modest Mouse walls.   

For those of you who don't give a fuck about back stories, the music really does speak for itself. Isaac's lyrics have always struck nerves I didn't even know I had. It's honestly not a huge departure from any Modest Mouse material other than it being a little more raw sounding and a bit more folk based. The overall tone of this album seems to come off in a bit more of a demo-ish way rather than a concentrated studio album.

Besides, what the hell are you really doing anyways? You're reading this blog so you and I both know you don't have shit going on. Cancel your Netflix plans, pull your fist out of your ass, and give this album a listen!

Parasite
"The parasites are excited when you're dead.

Eyes bulging, entering your head,
And all your thoughts, they rot.

God and Satan they gamble when you're dead.
Beams of light, one sprite, the other's bourbon instead,
And all your thoughts, they rot.

It was hot and time was stickin' to my skin.
We're all a punchline to a joke that they won't let us in on,
And all your thoughts, they rot." 

-Novak

Three Historic Cleveland Shows - Joe

Like the title of the classic Saint Vitus album suggests, sometimes you have to just swallow the truth and accept that you were "born too late." Like most record collectors and music snobs, most of the bands I like either formed or peaked well before my years. One of the unfortunate aspects of obsessively seeking out those who influenced what you currently enjoy is that you're consistently looking at the past, mostly sighing. That being said, here are three shows that came to Cleveland ages ago that I would certainly have attended if I would have had the chance.

Dead Kennedys @ The Cleveland Engineers Building: June 10, 1982

In their prime the Dead Kennedys were among the most notorious, energetic, and controversial bands in America and the planet in general for that matter. Ever the political activists, it's only fitting that this show was held in the famous Engineers Building in Cleveland, the first major office building in the U.S. to be built and owned by a labor union. By 1977, this famous building was declared a landmark and a popular auditorium inside hosted many famous shows in the local area. Four years after this show, in 1986, this landmark of a building was shut down to make room for the building of the Society Center as city officials set to make a more "modern" Cleveland. This Dead Kennedys show his significant not only for the history of American punk rock but the city of Cleveland as well.

Iggy Pop @ The Agora Ballroom: March 21, 1977

There aren't many years in music history more significant than 1977 and certainly aren't many front men in music history more admired, aped, and notorious as Iggy Pop. When I was first getting into punk and metal my Aunt Joanne would always talk about the time she saw Iggy at the Agora in 1977. She was loaded on uppers and a friend of hers who worked at the Agora suggested that they go, probably to score more drugs or something sleazy like that. Although my Aunt was a Bowie fan (Iggy also put out "The Idiot" in '77 and was in the midst of a string of collaboration albums with Bowie), she had only heard of Iggy in passing. At this particular performance, as with all on this tour, fans were treated to Iggy performing with Bowie on stage and (if you weren't too loaded) you witnessed one of the most memorable tours in rock history. "He was crazy, I remember he was a fucking lunatic just running around and making everyone freak out." I wish Iggy would have played "China Girl" at this show but I can only imagine the intensity and raw power (no pun intended) of seeing the master in his prime. 

 Set List 

1. 1 Raw Power 04:50
2. 2 T.V. Eye 04:13
3. 3 Dirt 05:13
4. 4 1969 03:01
5. 5 Turn Blue 06:58
6. 6 Funtime 03:02
7. 7 Gimme Danger 04:34
8. 8 No Fun 03:14
9. 9 Sister Midnight 03:57
10. 10 I Need Somebody 04:43
11. 11 Search and Destroy 03:34
12. 12 I Wanna Be Your Dog 04:42

New Order @ Blossom Music Center: July 5, 1989 

In 1989 New Order could do absolutely no wrong. Their previous LP "Substance" was certified platinum and their brand of synth pop music was being duplicated by nearly every band on the pop charts in the UK and abroad. Imagine if Katy Perry were one thousand times more popular than she is now and didn't make music that was awful, that's pretty much the vibe of a New Order show in 1989 in my mind. Good times, a loose vibe, dancing, maybe some bad decisions...this would have been a good time for sure. New Order is forever one of my favorite bands from the 80s and although seeing Ian Curtis and Joy Division would be incredible, I'd pass it up on my time machine much like I pass over Joy Division for New Order when I go to the record collection.

Here's the Full Set: