By Dave
1) Idles, Brutalism (2017) and Joy as an Act of Resistance (2018).
There is so much I like about this band, but at the end of the day I’m conflicted by some of the politics they wear on their sleeves, and how it contradicts every of aspect of the band. I’m inspired by the raw energy. There is a reckless abandon in what I’ve seen of their live performances that speaks to everything I love about punk rock. The tonal choices are great—bass, guitars, drums, vox, all meld perfectly on these records. I’m also really impressed by how they are able to use really stripped down musical textures to drive compelling songs. The turd inevitably splashes in the punch bowl with the lyric, “The mask of masculinity/is a mask a mask that’s wearing me.” I dunno, maybe I associate this with extreme definitions of toxic masculinity that I’ve read in silly little publications like the New York Times and Salon. This line and others identify power and abuse as always being the province of men in intersex relationships and society at large. This is an oversimplification that is not connected to reality, period. Otherwise, it’s not punk to take song writing queues from the Daily Show and Stephen Colbert. Maybe this is just the way 2018 has to be. Everything feels conflicted and incomplete. In spite of the problematic lyrics I’ll keep listening and finding positives in the music of Idles.
2) After Nations, 2018 live performance.
This is a little instrumental prog-metal band from Kansas City that came through Portland sometime in May or June that I think deserves exposure and some recognition. They just hit on all the right elements of the genre. Their arrangements are creative and varied. They are very technically proficient and use advanced playing techniques to create densely layered musical structures without getting lost in boring self-indulgent guitar wankery. To top it all off, they are highly engaged in their high-energy performances.
3) Hobo Johnson, The Rise of Hobo Johnson (2017).
A goofy kid with an interesting sense for lyricism stumbles onto the mainstream hip-hop stage via a viral youtube video. His rhyming schemes stumble and stutter in erratic patterns that collapse into straight poetry at points. His lyrics speak of loneliness, failure, and insecurity. He’s nerdy in a way that’s much more gratingly authentic than the average “nerd rappers” and their corny references to video game and cinematic consumerism. He’s everything that mainstream hip hop rejects, and that’s why I bought his album. I have high hopes for this kid in the coming years.
4) Thundercat, Drunk (2017).
It’s a yacht rock record written by a virtuoso bass player. Thundercat doesn’t care what you think. He writes catchy 1980s influenced pop tunes on weird subject matter like wanting to transform into a cat, playing video games, being friend-zoned by a girl, being bored on mass-transit, drugs and alcohol, etc. It’s like Frank Zappa’s silliness mixed with more tasteful fusion musical arrangements reminiscent of Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder. The guest appearances of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins are great. You either get it or you don’t.
5) Teeth, The Strain (2012).
I saw the making of documentary about this record a month or two ago, and was really moved. The Strain in a sense is John Grabski’s final will and testament. He contacted Steve Albini after deciding to forgo treatment for cancer. His last wish was to make this album with his brother. Albini agreed to engineer the record, and Bob Weston mastered it. It takes what I feel is my own musical heritage—being a northwest native—in grunge rock, and refines it in a tightly written powerful statement about a man’s final battle with cancer. I think I heard about this record when it came out, but because I couldn’t stand grunge, I didn’t give it a chance. I really missed out. The record stands on its own, outside of context, based in carefully crafted statements of gritty working-class nihilism, a key ingredient in the best nineties bands. This record makes me want to go back and give Nirvana another chance.
There’s always hope for a better 2019....
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