I've been getting that itch again. It comes and goes, the urge to write here, and it's unclear what's causing it. I think it's a combination of Music League, finding a new music newsletter to subscribe to, and getting some tunes corralled for a music library for my daughter. But whatever it is, I decided to jump back in here!
Which is when I discovered that this blog needed updates badly, and I wasn't entirely sure how to get it upgraded, and the next thing I know I'm rebuilding the server, re-figuring out how to configure stuff...nobody cares. Anyway, I think it's working again? We're gonna find out, because it's time for Five Songs! Back in the saddle baby! How in the hell do I write these things?
The Exceptions, "Ridges"
And hell yeah, obscure third wave ska. Back in game shape already! The Exceptions were a ska band from Detroit, so part of the same scene as Mustard Plug. And I'm sorry, if you recognize that, I've got bad news: you're ska'd for life. Anyway, the reason I bought the first Exceptions record was because Evan Dorkin (of Milk and Cheese fame) did the cover art, which is really all the excuse I needed. Anyway, pretty solid ska punk, plenty of horns, good stuff.
Descendents, "My Dad Sucks"
The first song on the first Descendents EP, Fat, released even before their first album. It's not their first released song, there was one single before this, but pretty close to the start of their now forty year plus career. Anyway, what do we have? Thirty six seconds of complaining. That's what I'm talking about.
FUCKHAMMER, "Irregularities"
FUCKHAMMER! Say it soft and it sounds like a prayer. Say it loud and it's an aria. There are some words so mellifluous that you cannot help but roll them around in your brain. There's basically nothing they could do to screw this up. So what do we have? Sludge metal out of Belfast, with a singer named "Baggy". It's ugly and plodding and whatever, I was always going to pick up this record anyway.
Fuckhammer.
The Supremes, "I Hear A Symphony"
The duality of Five Songs. You know when I hear a symphony? That's right, when I read the word "fuckhammer".
And, yes, I suppose when I hear the Supremes, fine.
Coheed and Cambria, "The Ring in Return"
The opening to the second Coheed and Cambria record, In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 (which, yes, is their second record, there was some previous band, I dunno). As is appropriate for a record that is a concept album that's part of a big ol' sci-fi epic, this is a little cinematic thing before the record really gets rolling. Not a ton to talk about here, so I suppose I'll just say that I haven't got any kind of a clue what's going on story-wise in any of this stuff. I just like having some dork-ass prog nonsense in my life sometimes.
We're back! I'm sorry!