Bad Brains were a band from France in the early eighties.  As far as I know, this is their only release. I don’t know much about them other than that. I’ve yet to meet anyone who could tell me anything about this band.  If you stumble across this and you know a thing or two about this version of the bad brains, email me.  Click on the picture to download the record.

Track Listing:

Legend from the end of time / Watching Changes / Don’t Need Your Lovin’ / Glad to See You Go / Hanging Around / Boretown

After months of procrastinating, I finally put this compilation of Seaweed singles and b-sides together. Download away…

Sure, it’s a silly name for a band, but let Echo and the Bunnymen cast the first stone. Close Lobsters make deceptively maive pop, like their fellow Scots Orange Juice (but in tune) and the Jesus and Mary Chain (without the feedback). But they’re really pop: not the “yeah, yeah, yeah” chorus of  “I Take Bribes” and the Beatlesque harmonies of “I Kiss The Flower In Bloom.” On this impeccable debut, each track is a tuneful gem.

Close Lobsters layer on the guitars: crystalline electrics to carry the melody, strummy acoustics to help create those well-thought textures. It adds up to a jangling sound, especially on “Pimps” and “Foxheads”, but with a punky propulsion. Though the music is hectic, the melodies are strong, and tunes like “In Spite Of These Times” evoke a desperate sense of romance. 

The singing isn’t perfect, but there’s something about an unpolished voice singing real melodies that is convincing and affecting. The lyrics brush up against the music in interesting ways- amid the Motowny bop of “Sewer Pipe Dream”, Andrew Burnett sweetly sings, “I had a dead body in my mouth/ What could I do but spit it out?”

The finale, the nearly eight-minute long “Mother Of God,” owes a serious debt to the seminal New York band Television. An epic guitar raveup is a big departure from the seamless set pieces that precede it, but Close Lobsters rock out fiercely on the song, as lead guitarist Graeme Wilmington lays down titanic power chords over a single droning riff. It’s a killer track that is best played at rug-curling volume. 

This record is long out of print so good luck finding a copy.  In the meantime, click the link below for the album.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FZHH9HET

I really hate this game.  It’s given every Canadian a reason to sing (offkey) the most godawful songs at the top of their lungs. Do I really need to fucking hear the fat nerds below me singing Tom Sawyer EVERYNIGHT? No, I don’t.

GET A LIFE.

This is Jason. He likes writing short stories and puzzles.  If you’d like to speak with Jason, do not hesitate to send him electronic mail (jason.mansey@gmail.com).

The first time I saw this band was early this year on my birthday. Earlier in the night, i built one of the best excitebike courses of my life.  It’s too bad 8 bit nintendo’s didn’t have the ability to save games because let me tell you, this track could have won awards.  So here i am, on cloud 9 on my birthday hangin’ near the back of the silver dollar when i hear the most intense guitar work of my life.  I quickly rushed to the front and witness one of the best performances of the year. I asked the person next to me who these sharply dressed gentlemen were but unfortunately the response given was a beligerent attempt at flirting (no thanks). The band continued on for another 40 minutes and left me with my jaw on the floor.  I was amazed how great this band was.  A few months later, their debut long player came out and I immediately picked it up.  I’ve probably listened to this record twice a day since buying it.  Do whatever you can to get this record because it’s worth every fucking penny.

Mark Sultan – Sultanic Verses
In The Red Records

If you’re not familiar with Mark Sultan, he’s been in tons of phenomenal bands (Mind Controls, the Spaceshits, Les Sexareenos, and of course half of the King Khan & BBQ Show).  The record was recorded in Berlin and Montreal and is jam packed with soulful rock ‘n’ roll tracks that will have you singing for days.  10 out of 10.
Stand out tracks: Beautiful Girl, Two Left Feet, unicorn rainbow odyssey

the Gaye Blades – Sexual Intercourse
Rob’s House Records

I don’t like to put 45s in my top releases for the year but im going to make the exception for this record.  These two tracks have got to be the catchiest songs written to date. Theres been times where i’ve set my ipod on repeat and sat back and listened for up to an hour (both tracks total five and a half minutes).  Essential release.
Stand out tracks: Bobby is a Lover, Don’t Get Married

Black Lips – Good Bad Not Evil
Vice Records

This band needs no introduction.  Buy this record immediately.
Stand out tracks: Good Bad Not Evil, Bad kids, Transcendental Light

Criminal Damage – No Solution
Feral Ward Records

From start to finish, you get a blistering batch of early 80′s inspired punk tracks. Those who have hung out at my house have probably heard this record a jillion times. There’s been many times where i’ve been feeling down and out and this record has been there to pick me back up. 
Stand out tracks: No Solution, My Escape, Mudslinger

To catch a good video you had to stay up midnight (staying up until midnight was huge when you were young) and watch the latest episode of City Limits.  For those who don’t know what City Limits was, ill give you a brief history.  In the late eighties and mid nineties, Much Music aired an hour long program dedicated to “Alternative” videos. You could catch anything from the Butthole Surfers to Velocity Girl.  It was originally hosted by Christopher Ward and was later taken over by Kim Clarke Champniss.  As years went by, the show was cancelled and a similar day time show was created.  This show was called the Wedge and was hosted by Simon Evans.  During the wedge’s first few years it was on par with City Limits.  As time passed, Simon Evans moved on and the show got worse and worse. Simon left and Sook Yin came. Sookie played some decent stuff but it just wasnt as good as the older episode.  To catch one good video, you would have to sit through 5 bad videos.  If you were to catch a current episode of the wedge today, you would be lucky to catch one good video per month and im being generous by saying that.

To make a long story short, City Limits/the Wedge exposed me to some of my favourite songs to date.  You can see some videos below that changed by life below:

My favourite movie of all time is Ghostbusters.  Like Ray, I choked when the following conversation took place: 

Dude in line at the store:  Are  you god?
Me: Pardon me?
Dude in line at the store: Are you god?
Me: No, not that I know of…
Dude in line at the store: really, you look like him.
Me:  Well thank you.
Dude in line at the store: Do you get that often?
Me:  No Never
Dude in line at the store: Oh…well you look like god.

When I got home, I couldnt stop thinking of the line that Winston said to Ray

“Ray, when someone asks you if you’re a god, you say “YES”! “