Ahab, The Coral Tombs (2023)

 

By Jack Rafferty

Last year was dense with great doom releases. Ahab’s The Coral Tombs was probably my favorite. When it comes to funeral doom, I’m less versed than most. I love Bell Witch, that’s for sure, but I do think that it is a subgenre that requires a lot to stand out to me. It is otherwise too drawn out and similar for me to spend time with. 

Ahab does a spectacular job of staying fresh and interesting, while also never losing grasp of the atmosphere they build over tracks. What better theme to explore with the stretched-out heaviness and forlorn sound of funeral doom than the lightless, oppressive depths of the sea?

Ahab’s proclivity for including prog aspects in their sound accommodates their theme well, as there is a feeling of intrigue that courses through their obsession with the ocean and its unknowable vastness. Inspired by classic literary works such as Twenty Thousand Leagues and Moby Dick, there is a tinge of the scientific, of the yearning to know and understand this world. Coupled with the trudging melancholy and hopelessness that composes the remainder of their sound, it informs the listener of a very satisfying sonic narrative regarding the futility of human hubris when faced with something so beyond them, so alien, so unconquerable. It is the foolish inclination toward arrogance in the presence of something so dark and mighty, more mysterious than the black eternities of the cosmos, that is ultimately crushed beneath the immeasurable weight of it, crumpled by the pressure like sniveling billionaire tourists eclipsed in a dark and quiet oblivion, indifferent and colossal. This is a massive album that requires patience and attention, but it is worthy of it. 

Breckenridge Soundtrack

By Jack Stephen

My wife and I headed up to Breckenridge, Colorado, for a long weekend. Importantly, what did I listen to on this trip?

To start, Robert Glasper, Black Radio III. I know very little about this artist, so I had to do a little bit of research. Glasper knew what he wanted to do right from the start—make music. He chose the piano—what an instrument to master. He did a series of these Black Radio albums with each track featuring an esteemed Black artist, such as Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Killer Mike, and Q-Tip, just to name a few. He put together a variety of solid jams. I really like the “Why We Speak” track on Black Radio III, featuring the great jazz bassist Esperanza Spaulding and the aforementioned Q-tip. This song is just a real funky, multilayered jam, and it has a great message. The singing goes back and forth between French and English, reflecting on language and the things we say. It ends with this line: “We’ve got a lot left to unlearn, but it’s easier when you know how to use the light in you.” I love this sentiment—we are always learning and we need to remember to use and respect that light that is within all of us. Glasper, thanks for the reminder, which you tell us in such an interesting way.  

We head through Longmont, Boulder, and Golden before hopping onto Interstate-70, traversing to the mountains. There is some idiot driving this huge beat-up Ford truck. He’s slunk down in the seat and doing the aggressive driving thing of pausing at stops to be on the phone, followed by driving six inches from someone’s bumper. I’m not sure why I find this so irritating, almost to the point where I have some sort of constant commentary as I drive. I guess I’m just wondering when this guy is going to wreck? I am also curious why this guy is such a moron. I mean, have you ever had a physics class? Defying the laws of science is an interesting driving strategy. Finally, this asshat heads south as we go west. I am glad to be clear of him, yet I wonder what he might be listening to, probably some Incubus or Everlast’s “What It’s Like?” What it’s like to be in front of you on the road—annoying and stressful.  

As we fly up Interstate-70 and past Loveland ski area, my wife plugs in and starts doing a bit of DJ’ing. There are a few diehard skiers at Loveland even though the snow looks spotty. Colorado skiers are a bit obsessive, constantly asking, “How many days did you get in?” Sadly, I didn’t make it up this year. Unfortunately, skiing has become a rich person’s sport. Perhaps, it always has been. It costs $225 for an adult full-day lift ticket at Breckenridge. Wow, I guess I can afford to take the day off, or not. 

What we are listening to: Eminem on Spotify mix. My wife has always been a huge fan, and I guess I am too, a bit. We’re married and that’s how it goes. He’s got some timeless hip-hop tracks, such as “Lose Yourself,” “My Name Is,” and “The Real Slim Shady.” I do have great respect for Eminem. I got to the rap/hip-hop genre late, but I think it’s one of those categories of music that is just really cool. The Beastie Boys set the pace for my generation and provided a bridge to the other stuff. (The Run DMC and the Aerosmith cover, “Walk This Way,” helped out too.) Race and rap create an interesting confluence, the oppression from elite white culture expressed with vitriol, mixed with smartly written lyrics, fantastic beats and loops. Once we got hooked, suburban white guys bought these albums at a massive rate. N.W.A., Ice Cube, and Geto Boys were our soundtracks as we wallowed in cultural wastelands. Also, thanks Eminem, call me a fan as well. (Note: Interestingly, Elton John was Eminem’s AA sponsor and was integral in him getting sober. They have remained tight to this day.)  

Some select tracks we were listening to while lounging around the condo:

Talking Head, “I’m Not In Love” (producer Brian Eno). This song is on a great album, More Songs About Buildings and Food, with tracks seeped in uniqueness. Other tracks cool tracks include “Artists Only” and “Found a Job.” I don’t know where David Byrne gets his musical inspiration but I’m sure glad he found it.

Charlie Parr, “Boombox.” This song is on his new album, Little Sun. It is sure a good one. I think he worked a dobro or a pedal steel in there somewhere, always a strong move. This is a song about dancing and yeah dance like you want right, just let “the music pull you this way and that.”  

Orang-Utan, “Chocolate Piano.” I stumbled onto this group a couple years ago and thought it was pretty fantastic. I learned these guys were bunch of English musicians who recorded this one album and had no idea that it was released only in the United States. They broke up soon after, in their despair. You could classify this record as kind of a psych-rock gem. I like to think of it as just some good old rock and roll.  

Jefferson Starship, “Find Your Way Back.” Jefferson Starship is a great reincarnation of the old Airplane crew. They rolled out some great jams, such as “Jane” and “Runaway.” Grace Slick has a more subdued role in this group, which works well, as her background singing really hits the mark. As far as classic rock goes, don’t forget these great Jefferson Starship jams like some people do.  

Archie Bell and the Drells, “Tighten Up.” This Houston band offers a real funky tune here, kind of reminds me of James Brown. It is always cool when bands pair a specific type of dance to their song—such as the Electric Slide or the Hustle. There’s some confidence right there! Who knows what the tighten up dance looks like? This track makes you want to try and figure it out.  

Waiting for some to-go food; What’s on the speaker? ELO, “Don’t Bring Me Down.” I fucking love ELO. What a fantastic band. This song is the last track on Discovery. It was their first song that did not feature a string section. It’s strange to me that Jeff Lynne has gotten so ego crazy on the rights and the ownership of ELO’s catalog. The band is now called Jeff Lynne’s ELO.  Really Jeff, this was a massive band with a lot of integral parts. Don’t you think you should share the credit a bit? Discovery was a nod to the popular disco music of the time (Disco-very). The lyrics of this song are fantastic. Note to everyone; don’t bring me down or anyone down. This is just as a standard rule of etiquette. 

Back at the condo. What’s on the speaker? Verve, “Lucky Man.” 

A vignette: We’re running up a hill. We’re wearing matching white robes. My wife ran out first, no clothes on underneath, and, perhaps by instinct, I figured I should have no clothes as well. I had on matching “Don’t Mess with Texas” socks. We shed the robes—freezing, if only for a second, naked. We slid in for some heavy groping. We fell back into the ergonomic seats. I heard the boom of an avalanche-trigger explosion. The light dimmed with the setting sun. I watched her close her eyes as the big snowflakes slowly fell. She smiled a beautiful smile. 

Tuff Bluff, Tuff Bluff

 

By Beert

My first experience with Tuff Bluff was seeing them open for Off With Their Heads in 2023, in Denver, Colorado. I was immediately intrigued and really enjoyed their set (more so than the touring opener, if I may say). They had some great instrumental and vocal hooks that kept my attention and caused me to seek out their recordings (https://tuffbluff.bandcamp.com). Fortunately, Tuff Bluff had a few things out at that time, including some singles released in 2021 and 2022, a 7” flexi (Poppies) in 2022, and a 2-song digital EP in 2023 (Operator/Shadow). 

On May 3, 2024, Tuff Bluff is releasing a full-length LP. They have released a couple singles off the album, which I have listened to on many occasions. I have played these songs on my weekly radio show. Following a brief back-and-forth with the band, they graciously sent me an advanced digital version of the album. As I await delivery of the physical LP, I took the opportunity to listen to this album.

Tuff Bluff plays a solid pop-punk style. By that, I am referring to the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s brand of pop-punk. It’s completely enjoyable, holds your attention, and maintains an uplifting feel. Musically, Tuff Bluff is skilled in what they’re doing. They have great guitar, bass, and drum work. All of this is a highlight for me. They seem to be on the verge of falling apart at any moment, but always manage to hang on. This brings to mind a car careening down a mountain, taking the curves just a bit too fast, but never leaving the road. It is controlled chaos, at times. 

The self-titled album includes thirteen great tracks. While my descriptor of pop-punk suffices, Tuff Bluff explore the entire genre throughout the record, without falling in to a rut. They manage to keep their album moving along by making the listener curious about what the next song will bring.

I want to highlight a couple songs and share o some quick thoughts. “Banishing Spell” is reminiscent of the Teen Idols, given the back-and-forth vocals and pop behind it. It is a really great showing of the multitude of talent in the band. “Shadow” sticks out from the live show. As soon as I heard this song, which was first released as a digital EP in 2023, I immediately remembered them playing it live. I appreciate songwriting that can pull up a vivid memory and transport a listener to a time and place.

It’s my understanding that Tuff Bluff is only releasing 100 copies of this album in a physical format. If vinyl is your thing, you’d best get moving. Of course, you can always nab the digital version.

My favorite tracks from the album, include: “Operator,” “Banishing Spell,” “Shadow,” and “Russian Mountains.”

It didn’t take much deliberation to add this album to my list of Album of the Year contenders. This Tuff Bluff album joins the Bellyard self-titled EP and the Sprints Letter To Self on that list for 2024, so far. And I think it’s well deserved.

I’m very happy I got to see Tuff Bluff almost a year ago, and even more pleased to receive an album by them. I think our next goal should be to get them to play a show in Rapid City, South Dakota, as well as your town as well.

SoCal Soundtrack: Spring Break in Southern California—Rancho Mirage and Altadena

By Jack Stephen

9:00 AM, Saturday, in the car leaving the Palm Springs International Airport.

On the radio: Lee Dorsey, “Ya - Ya” (1961).

I didn’t really see this track coming. My mother-in-law had it on her R&B mix CD as we drove to her place after landing in Palm Springs. This was the track I needed—something I had never heard. I guess Lee was one of those New Orleans guys, who got a little something going. I’m pretty sure the KKK and racism in general was still pretty intense back in those days, all the more respect for these great R&B tracks that came out of this era. Here’s a cool song by a dude who probably went through a lot. I also learned that he opened for the Clash on their U.S. tour in 1980. Let’s get this spring break going already.   

11:15 AM, Sunday, at the pool.

On the radio: Sophia Loren, “Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo” (1960).

A vignette: Sixty degrees outside, the saltwater pool is about seventy-five degrees. The San Bernardino Mountains loom in the distance with a slight dusting of snow from the night before. I hear a trash truck pull up, upsetting the stillness in the warming air. I lay back on a chaise lounge chair. A leaf blower mutes an ad for the upcoming humanitarian award dinner at the community center. The palm trees sway in the light breeze, adding punctuation to the clear blue sky. “Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo” seems about right for this moment. I remember I forgot my beach towel.  

Around 2 or 3 PM, Monday, relaxing by the koi pond.

What am I reading: Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx (1996).

This book is fantastic. She traces the journey of an accordion through a hundred years. Characters from all over the map are ironically linked by the desire to become musicians. This fact is paired with the mysteries of happenstance and serendipity. I am always struck throughout my reading to this pull or draw to make music. This often starts with the “next” character sort of just staring at the accordion. Even in all of the hardship, and lack of practical knowledge (outside the absence of folklore passed down type stories), these people mostly just sort of decided they should probably give it a go. They already had the accordion; how bad could it be?

In doing a little accordion research, I took a little stroll down memory lane and pulled up the following track.

What I am listening to: They Might Be Giants, “Don’t Let’s Start” (1986).

I had no idea that They Might Be Giants’ lead man John Linnell was a renowned accordion player. I thought the bad were okay and probably just one of those 1980s bands that brought a little something unique to the alternative music genre—kind of like Wall of Voodoo or Big Country. They had songs that were good lyrically but sounded a little helpless. (“Anna Ng” and “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” for example.) Nevertheless, I love “Don’t Let’s Start”—it is such an awesome song. It is one of those tracks David Byrne probably had a wet dream about a time or two. The video is excellent as well, great concept. I think it was shot in reverse or something; whatever, it looks sweet. “Nobody ever gets what they want and that is beautiful,” thinking about life, outstanding work by They Might Be Giants. 

2:30 PM, Tuesday, walking down El Paseo.

The Rodeo Drive of the Palm Springs area is El Paseo. Located in Palm Desert, it is an assortment of high-end shops and restaurants with people and attitudes to match. I guess you should have some sort of air of importance if you are buying a $700 dress for a casual Friday BBQ. I don’t know. I guess it is good people are rich, but do they understand perspective? Talk about fantasy land! Who is the richest around here? Who knows? Definitely not me. I’m wearing plastic Birkenstocks—$50. Whatever, we went to eat at the Tommy Bahama Restaurant and got a mediocre $27 burger, we’re here aren’t we?

What is playing on the speakers lining the street: The Temptations, “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)” (1971).

This felt like the perfect track for walking on this street at this time. Regardless of where you are, this is just a great track. Sort of like “The girl from Ipanema,” this song resides in a fun place in our mind, where we wonder: what if? Having this orchestra arrangement with members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra really adds to the mystique. This is the perfect track for walking along really any street.  

11:00 AM, Wednesday, heading to Los Angeles on the 210.

What’s on the radio: Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins, “Easy Lover” (1984).

Now here’s a great song. Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins just knocking it out of the park. I was already a fan of their works separately—Earth, Wind, and Fire and Genesis. Now they’re doing a track together.  They sing off each other providing an example of how a rock / R& B duet should be done. The keyboards/guitar solos complement each other as well. It is just a well-made song. Also, interestingly, I’m pretty sure they both had experienced this “Easy Lover” at times in their careers, adding to the poignant tone of the lyrics. (Note: Phillip Bailey was born and raised in Denver. He attended Denver East High School and cut his teeth playing in a band: Friends and Love.)

6:30 PM, Wednesday, chilling in Altadena, sipping on a Martini.

What we are listening to: Morgan Wallen, “Last Night” (2023).

My buddy and his wife are big country fans, so every time we visit, we get exposed to another artist we’ve been missing out on. This was a pretty fun song, reminiscent of a lot of country hard-drinking songs. I guess it’s funny because we’ve all been there, “last night we let the liquor talk,” especially now that we’re older and those nights are in the rearview mirror. It’s fun to look back though, wow, we’ve come a long way! Our friends are pretty into this artist, and I didn’t know Morgan Wallen was headlining the last night of the Stagecoach Festival they’re going to. Two weeks after the world renown Coachella Music Festival, it’s the Stagecoach Festival for three days of country music. Thanks for the update Los Angeles, we never even knew of Morgan Wallen or the Stagecoach Festival for that matter. 

1:45 PM, Thursday, back at the pool. 

What’s on the speaker: Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66, “Mas Que Nada” (1962).

This was really the perfect song to wrap up this spring break. I have no idea what they are singing about. Is that Spanish or Portuguese? It sure sounds cool. This is a really fun genre of music, at some club in Brazil in the 1960s. No doubt, it was a great time! Right now, I am at the pool in Rancho Mirage, it’s a beautiful day, everyone has an easy smile on their faces, my wife, father- and mother-in-laws’ and this track is humming along. I guess everything is right in the world, or at least it seems so right now. We fly back to Colorado tomorrow, and as I wander through the airports, I know what song will be in my head: this one.