Review #229: Grrrl Friend - Happening Now (2011)

HAPPENING NOW

Year: 2011
Genre: Punk Rock/Psychedelic Rock
Label: Gnar Tapes
Tracks: 12
Length: 39 Minutes
My Rating: 7/8

I first got into Grrrl Friend almost exactly a year and a half ago... I couldn't believe what I heard, it was a band that fucking had it, and they were new, and they were young, and talented! Later on in the next year, the formally released their first album (Isolation, Chronic Masturbation & Daydreams), but it just contained songs from the already-released E.P.'s that they had recorded in the last several years. Since the early days of Grrrl Friend, the band's lineup has changed almost completely after undergoing several changes in 2008 - 2010... the band has found a steady line-up of Duffy (of course), Lilian Void (bass guitarist), Tom Henkel (drums), and Sierra Stinson (other guitar). The band is now signed to Gnar Tapes, a record label that releases cassette tapes of rock bands in the Portland scene... however, this record can be heard and downloaded for as cheap as free on the Grrrl Friend web page. Anhueaise...

The album itself is quite different from the last one... style-wise this one's all over the place... there are many songs that flirt with the whole dream-pop sound that has become very popular in the hipster scene (or "garde-core", as Duffy prefers to call it)... there are some zanier, more no-wave type songs and even a few fast thrasher songs... the production is a bit less raw than the previous recordings... this album is laden with echoes and layering of tracks and guitars which muffle the other instruments in their presence. Most of the songs are pretty new, some of them never performed live before (?), but there are three re-recorded old Grrrl Friend tunes as well. Anyways, it's time to talke a listen, so why don't we, huh? HUH??!!

1. Happening Now
It's not like any Grrrl Friend you've heard before... like a sunbeam through a window comes the buzzing guitar melody and the more blunted but strong rhythm guitar chunks wallowing about... the chorus is catchy and pleasant. Awesome lead guitar work! Duffy's voice is kinda obscured by the rest of the instruments and sounds more like a ghost faintly beckoning you from another world than a screamer... Lilian (the new obligatory co-vocalist) sings a few lines here. The heavy usage of melody culminates and it really gets good. Smoke weed.

2. How Allah Stole Christmas
Not sure who's singing here... is it Duffy or Sierra? His voice sounds a bit different here if it's Duffy. It's pretty upbeat and noisy, with hard-edge steel-cold sounds bouncing and jagging around the echoey walls of the studio which said band had molested. Reminds me of the some of the songs off of "Confusion is Sex" by Sonic Youth. It's wild, it sounds like the band is using ray-guns as instruments! I imagine an inebriated ray-gun battle taking place in the middle of a laundromat being confused for the inside of a space ship.

3. doppelganger 12-Step
Another pop song. It has loud punk guitars but a feel-good melody and guitar riff and it's a nice happy song and stuff. The section before the chorus is a bit angry-sounding but then things change again once the chorus happens... really enjoying the backing vox from Lilian! If not for the warm nature of the song this would easily sound like a huge barrage of skull-crushing noise. 2/3 through the song, Duffy says, "DO THE DOPPELGANGER 12-STEP"... the song speeds up and segues into a very fast part!

4. Dirtgasm
This is actually a remake of one of the first songs the band ever wrote called "Come Clean", but it's been slightly changed. Duffy says that this version is the way that he intended it to sound like. More of a downer than the previous songs, though. The intro of the song, with the high-pitched hums of whateverthehellitis making the melody of the song, with the guitar riff playing... it's one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a song in awhile. Soon enough, the bass and drums join in and the first verse is sung. This version of the song has way more reverberation and feels more laid-back while the original recording of the song sounded more like a straight punk song. Kind of a droopy, collected but still somber song. There's more lead guitar trickery here, though... the song ends with a repeated bassline and the instruments slowly dropping out of the mix until the bass is all that's left and then it's over.

5. Black Jesus Christ
This one reminds me of Flipper a little... Flipper if it had Gene Ween on vocals, that is! The drum beat is pretty sweet in the verse parts... the guitar work lays all to waste. By the way, I just jacked off a few minutes ago. Just thought I would share that. Okay. I like food. I'm eating this "Milano Melts" right now, and they're REALLY FUCKING DELICIOUS. You can always count on Pepperidge Farm, motherfuckers!

6. Hydroxyzine
This one starts off sounding like a heavy metal number... however, that it is not. The wisping voices lead the way through this confused voyage into the chaos... not as chaotic as BJC or HASC (the songs Black Judas Chimney and How Alice Stucco ChaFUCKYOU), but still discordant none the less. It's also the longest song on the album, 'cuz it's near six minutes long. Side A ends after this song. Now time for Side B!

7. By a Thread
Another re-recording of an early song. The original version was just acoustic guitars and singing, but this version is complete with a beat and all that jazz. The first version of the song sounded like they were singing it to you alone in a room but in this one it sounds like they're shouting it out into the mountains... causing an avalanche and killing some indigenous people... GOOD FUCKING GOING, GUYS! This one reminds me of "Kimberly" by Patti Smith a little... just a little bit, my brother. My SOUL BROTHA. LET'S GO HAVE A PICNIC NOW, IN A LITTLE MAZE WITH ALL OF THE CREEPY MONSTERS FROM KEN'S LABYRINTH... THAT GAME RULES.

8. Pet Frownz
Ever had a PET than FROWNZ? It's not so good... it's usually the sign that they're about to go feral and rip off your face so your head looks like a giant wad of puss. The guitar is loud and fucked-sounding... Duffy's out there screamin' like a wild man, man... man. The chorus part is fast, which RULES. YAY FOR THIS MUSIC! In the chorus you can hear a sludgy guitar riff pulling the rest of the fucktardery about the MAGICAL ROLLERCOASTER OF SOUND. Most aggresive song of the record. Chuck enjoys thees.

9. Bestiality BBQ
Another old song... the original version of this song can be heard on the band's first L.P. It has mutated from a hillbilly sounding song to a fast punker type worthy of a circle pit. In the middle there's a weird reverse-toilet-flushed sounding guitar solo. Drumming sounds nice here. The lyrics are a satire violent rednecks who use guns too much.

10. I Explode
Another fast song. I don't know who's singing on this one, but the guitar riff is really good... I can't understand the lyrics well but I think it's supposed to be about a relationship or a breakup or something. This one reminds me a lot of the band Youth Brigade. One of the best of the album.

11. All White People Look The Same (To Me)
An instrumental. Features a funky hard-rockin' little guitar melody that is sure to get people dancing... oh yeah, I forgot, dancing isn't "cool" anymore, so you have to get them pretty fucked up first before the real fun begins! What do they know about partying... or anything else?? But it's pretty good. Not the best, but good. The lead guitar can get pretty interesting in some parts.

12. Not Happening Now
Okay, so like, it was happening NOW... and NOW it's NOT happening NOW now. But this one's kind of a distorted folk type song... at least in the beginning until the drums start up and make it seem more rock-ish. I like this one a lot... relaxing to listen to... even if you've got no one and you've got nothing (like DUFFY IN THIS SONG), you can still have nothing to say... about...





















ummmm...







THIS:





But all puppets aside, this album seems to show the band in a more comfortable place than they were in their early years. And as cool as it is, I'm going to have to admit that I am really going to miss their early sound and their old dingy production values... "The Rag" (counting the unreleased songs) is still my favorite thing the band has ever done. However, when a band changes you can either stop listening or embrace the change, and I embrace the change on this part... cool to see a band grow and shit. They actually had one old song that reminds me of this album and that's "Candy Love & Pixie Dust", which is one of my favorite songs from the Rag. So hey, it's a diverse album that doesn't just stick with one style, Grrrl Friend play several different kinds of songs, so does that mean there's something for everybody here? NO! It just means there's something for about 3% of the population, and that's just being generous, because at least 50% of the planet has SHITE TASTE IN MUSIC, SO FUCK YOU. I do love Blatz, though, just though I'd say that, y'know...

Get high and listen to this album. Have sex and listen to this album. Grrrl Friend are the new harbingers of the PEACE LOVE AND SODOMY GENERATION, AND THEY WANT YOU TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS. DON'T EVEN HAVE MONEY. JUST LOOT STORES AND WHEN YOU GET BUTTRAPED IN PRISON LEARN TO LIKE IT! 'CUZ IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, YOU FUCKING ANAL-BANANA!!!!!




(the tape comes out in July.)

Top 3 Favorites:
1. I Explode
2. Dirtgasm
3. Not Happening Now

Review #201: Grrrl Friend - Isolation, Chronic Masturbation & Daydreams (2010)

ISOLATION, CHRONIC MASTURBATION & DAYDREAMS

Year: 2010

Genre: Punk Rock/Folk Rock
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 11
Length: 34 Minutes
My Rating: 7/8

After several EPs and demos released digitally, this iz the first "official" Grrrl Friend album, actually being released in the physical form of a CD which can be bought from the band or you can get it for free from one of their shows. The album basically contains a select 11 songs from the band's "early" studio recordings, 2007 to 2009. All the songs on this album were previously featured in "The Rag", "Grrrl Friend", and "Some Say It's Genetic", some early digital releases from the band. However, Duffy insists that THIS is the first real Grrrl Friend album, so that's basically what this is. But because of it being compiled of various studio sessions spanning over 3 years, there were many different line-ups that recorded different songs. The earliest line-up here is the one featuring Duffy (guitar/vocals), Elyssa Lovelyss (bass/vocals), Jay Briggs (guitar/vocals), and Mike Tambo (drums). In mid-2008 Elyssa Lovelyss left the band and Jay Briggs also left to continue on with his own band, the Sonitus Revolution. The second female vocalist, Cora, is featured in the songs recorded in the 2008 and '09 sessions. Tambo and Duffy are the only members playing on all of the songs. I've already reviewed all of these songs in other reviews so I'm not going to do it again, but I will list them and when they were recorded and describe them in a nutshell.

1. The Hat Was Too Tall
Recorded 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Starts out as a noise collage and then turns into a folk song.

2. Roadside Picnic
Recorded 2009 in Portland, Oregon. A love song with a really good guitar riff.

3. Ibsen
Recorded 2008 in Portland, Oregon. Angry song.

4. Probably
Recorded 2007 in Long Island, New York. Fast song.

5. The Rag
Recorded 2007 in Long Island, New York. A fast song about a girl with venereal disease.

6. Toole & I
Recorded 2009 in Portland, Oregon. The song that this album gets it's name from.

7. Bestiality BBQ
Recorded 2009 in Portland, Oregon. A country-type of song making fun of hillbillies.

8. The Slope
Recorded 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Melancholy psychedelic rocker.

9. Hanging the Executioner
Recorded 2008 in Portland, Oregon. Angry song about being a social outcast.

10. Borscht
Recorded 2008 in Portland, Oregon. Angry hardcore punk-type of song.

11. Mine
Recorded 2007 in Long Island, New York. Sounds like Beat Happening.

Shortly after they put this one out, the band "retired" the demos from which these songs originally came, so a lot of songs that also could have been on here were kind of relegated to obscurity. Really good other songs they did like "Ouch!" and "Homesick" and "The Flow" and their cover songs. And then there's their REALLY old stuff they did, but Duffy disregards most of those as not being "true Grrrl Friend", so most of that probably won't see light again. But hopefully they'll re-record some of their other songs they have for their next album which is supposed to come out THIS YEAR on GNAR TAPES! WHOOHOO! It'll be fun to hear more new Grrrl Friend.

Most of the songs on this album make up their current live set, along with songs like "Doppleganger 12-Step" which haven't been featured on any albums yet. The earliest stuff on here is sort of a gritty pop-punk that reminds me of a cross between Nirvana and Beat Happening. After that their sound changed a little bit and they added more folk, noise, and hardcore influences to their music. All of the songs on here are really good and if you're looking for a great new band to listen to then Grrrl Friend is the band I recommend. You can hear the whole album on the internet for free on here:

http://grrrlfriend.bandcamp.com/

Stay tuned for the next album. And I know this was kind of a "weak" review because I didn't do very much actual reviewing, but I promise I'll be doing more this next week. So seeya later.

Top 3 Favorites:
1. Roadside Picnic
2. Probably
3. Mine

GRRRL FRIEND LIVE:

Review #143: Grrrl Friend - B-Sides & Rarities (2009)

B-SIDES & RARITIES (Grrrl Friend)

Year: 2009

Genre: Punk Rock, Folk Rock
Sub-Genres: Post-Punk, Hardcore
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 14
Length: 41 Minutes
Style: Emotional/Angry/Fun
My Rating: 7/8

Yup, more of your favorite grrrl friend: GRRRL FRIEND! WHOOHOOOO! Alongside their newest compilation record, "Isolation, Chronic Masturbation & Daydreams" (the title being taken from a line from one of their songs) -- this is the OTHER compilation. And while originally only 7 songs upon its release, it has been re-issued or so to speak to contain TWICE that much. For those of you who suck at math, that's 14 FUCKING SONGS! YAEY. And this one basically contains every song the band has recorded in the studio that's NOT on "Isolation, Chronic Masturbation..." blah blah blah. It also contains a few acoustic demos and live recordings as well. Material recorded from 2007 - 2009 (the early years of Grrrl Friend). Time to review this masterpiece. I will just put in what I've said about a song if it's already been covered on a previous album, unless I think what I said when I reviewed the aforementioned could be improved upon/de-stupidified. Okay, NOW time to review!

1. Probably (Acoustic Demo)
This is an acoustic demo version with both Duffy and Cora on the vocals this time, playing the classic song that opens their first EP. However, this version doesn't feel as erratic as much just totally blissful and everybody should listen to this song. The chords just sink into your skin, they're so good. Unfortunately, it doesn't contain the ending part like the other version does.

2. The Rag (Acoustic Demo)
Duffy really needs a fucking cigarette. Anyways, this iz an acoustic version of the SECOND song from "The Rag" (first Grrrl Friend EP), and it's pretty nice. No boingy sounds here, though. Excellent riff and vocals and lyrics. Slow in the verse parts, and fast in the chorus parts. Very catchy.

3. My Broken Head
A creepy, weird sound-collage with very strange and scary noises floating around your hearing range and Duffy mumbling things in a creepy, muffled way. If there's anything he's actually reading here, it'd be nice if were explained. It's only a minute long.

4. Homesick (Live)
A recording of a live performance of the band playing "Homesick", one of the songs from "the Rag". The guitars here sound very electrifying and fuzzed-out as hell. Here's my description of the song from an earlier review: This one's a little slower, like "Mine"... driven like a gear in a great machine or a tiny falling snowflake, there's neat lead guitar here... just peddling along like a... bicycle... or something. Heh heh. The rhythm guitar here is a bit more heavy than the other songs, like grunge or something. Here, the vocal duties are sort of different... Duffy sings high-pitched, and Elyssa sings more low-pitched. When the lead guitar doesn't sound all sparkly, it's got a crazy sound to it like a ripple in a lake of ACID. The song sort of reminds me of the feeling of going back home after a long, exciting journey. Duffy yells, "DO IT, JAY", and Jay whips out a neat-o guitar-o sol-o on command.

5. Ouch!
This one isn't even a "B-Side" (how could they have b-sides if all of their albums are digital or CDs?), or rare! But alas, here it iz on this album. Here's a description of my song on an earlier review: Another one of my favorites, here. Starts with just guitar and vocals. It's very soothing and uplifting. It's almost like the soundtrack to getting stoned in the summer. "TV controls the world, it's hard to cope" -- a sad but true lyric. In the second verse, the drums and the other cool weird sounds come into the mix. The chorus is very aggressive and chaotic, contrasting from the relaxed verse sections. If I knew all of the lyrics to this song, I could say more. Musically, it feels equivalent to watching yourself skip through the park in slow motion in Super-8 or something like that. What a beautiful song. After the second chorus, there is an outro section which consists of nothing but a repeated melody being played on an acoustic guitar.

6. Toole & I (Acoustic Demo)
Another acoustic demo. This was the closing song for the Grrrl Friend half of "Some Say It's Genetic". It's a mid-tempo love song, presumably about a person and his "Toole" and their loneliness together. Or maybe I'm completely missing the point. Probably am. YES!

7. Deceptacon (Live)
This iz a cover of a song by Le Tigre (featuring Kathleen Hannah). This was from a performance at a release party for a movie about Mia Zapata from the Gits in 2008. They play the song quite well, with a nice warm guitar sound like a boiling vat of water. It sounds very different from the original version... more Grrrl Friend-y, I suppose. And they played it RIGHT IN FRONT of Kathleen! Very good song. It's not necessarily easy to notice at first, but the icing on the cake here is the quieter lead guitar melodies playing in the background. THAT is fucking good.

8. The Flow
One of my favorite tunes from the "Grrrl Friend" EP (the second one). It has a nice crunched-out guitar sound, a great riff, nice beat, and to top it off, some apathetic-sounding horn-like keyboard playing. There's really only one riff for this song, but it's a good one, so it iz okay. Somewhere between completely pissed, tired, and motivated. Duffy screams like a wild animal here. There's a nice little keyboard solo towards the end that sounds like an organ. Great touch.

9. Fleet Would Mock
Another great song from the second EP. Description from another review: I'm guessing that this one's title is supposed to be a play on the name of the band, Fleetwood Mac. But this song starts out pretty calm, with just Duffy singin' and an acoustic guitar. Then the drums start drumming, and then somehow, the acoustic guitar somehow transforms into a noise-spewin' electric one, and Duffy is now yelling instead of softly singing. Seriously, the guitar sounds weirdly awesome, here. Almost sounds like a DJ scratching a record or something, but I'm pretty sure that the DJ (who happens to be Duffy Wrong Island) is just scratching his guitar (that should be a euphemism for masturbation). Makes me think of walking down into the sunset in the melting snow.

10. Tsantsa
Know what a tsantsa is?? It's a goddamned shrunken head, kidz! This was the last song on the second EP. The verse is wispy and ominous sounding, and the chorus is very slow and fuzzed out. The chorus is kinda catchy in an abstract way. You just gotta love the slow chugging of that part, and how the lyrics just roll with it.

11. I Think of Demons
A Roky Erickson cover. Once you've gotten out of the water and dried off, you can walk away listening to this one. It's a lot more straightforward than the other songs here... because it's a cover. It's a pretty catchy, nice song. It's about demons and stuff. Good guitar riff.

12. Cast a Shadow
This one's a Beat Happening cover. Great acoustic guitar sound... actually, it starts out acoustic in the very beginning, and then quickly morphs into an electric one with not a whole lot of distortion... the lead guitar is so fucked up here, but it's awesome. You can credit that to Jay Briggs of the Sonitus Revolution, who was in Grrrl Friend at this point... "Cast a shadow on my ERECTION" -- hah!! The song fades out...

13. Homesick
The studio version of "Homesick".

14. By a Thread
One of the most unique Grrrl Friend songs. Duffy n' Elyssa on vocals. It's a very soft, serene song. The bass is pretty easy to hear. At one point, there's a BACKWARDS solo. I thought that was pretty cool. It's a cool-down after a storm of coolness, I suppose. The song ends, and then so does the EP.

So, THAT iz the B-Sides and Rarities album. Funny, 'cause unless Grrrl Friend hasn't been telling us something, there really aren't many b-sides. The songs are all nice, though. A lot of cool little rarities and songs from other albums that seem to just be on here just 'cause. The first half of the album are actual rarities, and the second half are some songs from the other records. But the songs are all great, so please do check this album aut. BYE FOR NOW.

Top 3 Favorites:
1. Probably (Acoustic)
2. Deceptacon (Live)
3. Homesick (Live)

Review #129: Some Say It's Genetic (2009)

SOME SAY IT'S GENETIC

Year: 2009

Genre: Punk Rock, Ambient Rock, Folk Rock
Sub-Genres: Post-Punk, Noise
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 9
Length: 41 Minutes
Style: Emotional/Happy/Mysterious
My Rating: 7/8

"Some Say It's Genetic" is a split album from the bands Grrrl Friend and HYMS. Grrrl Friend is a punk/folk/blahblah group from Portland Oregon that's been up and at it for almost four years, and HYMS is a one-man ambient guitar-based band that has a very unique sound. Last year they (in typical Wrong Island Records fashion) both put together this free split album, and because it's free you can download all the songs off of the bands' Last.fm pages. There are nine songs in total -- seven Grrrl Friend tracks (which would make a pretty good album alone) and two HYMS tracks (which are both very lengthy). It's interesting hearing the combination of these two different types of music, but there is a certain spirit that the two bands seem to share which can be noted just by listening to the songs. And I don't even know what it is. I'm just saying shit, probably to make this review go longer or something... might as well not bullshit you here: YADDA YADDA YDAAA GABLAH BLAHBLAH BLIBBER BLABBER GERBER BABY FOOD DUUUUUUUUHHHHH DUUURRHHHH YIP YIP YAP YAPPETY-YAP! Well, this was the first album that I ever heard Grrrl Friend on, so I instantly fell in love with the band after listening to these songs, and then I feel even more in love with the band after hearing their other songs.

1. Grrrl Friend - "The Hat Was Too Tall"
Starts with a weird electrical hum for a few seconds. Various noises are made, such as a clippet from a news broadcast, weird beeping sounds, guitar sounds, drums, and even some keyboard tunes, it sounds like. Eventually, all of this stuff starts to pick up a more steady rhythm and melody, only to fall back down into the pit of chaos it arose from. The noise all abruptly stops to be replaced by only a soft acoustic guitar tune, some soft "oooh-oooh" singing in the background, and Duffy's softer singing voice. This section of the song shows off their more folk-oriented side.

2. Grrrl Friend - "Roadside Picnic"
This is a harder, more straightforward song, but it's a very upbeat one. Judging by the lyrics, it's pretty much a love song! The sludgy but happy guitar riff and the cheesy but fitting keyboard tune that accompanies it make this song one of the fucking best songs of the whole album. Makes me think of a big ice cream truck or something. They could have the "OFFICIAL DUFFY WRONG ISLAND ICE CREAM TRUCK" and just play the little keyboard tune on it over and over. That would be the best. This song makes me wanna just go be happy all day and go to the ice cream place and then have a fucking picnic and run around and go to the lake and stuff. Yeah, it's a good song. This one also features their then-current female co-vocalist, Ree Ree (if that's her real name, I don't know) singing alongside Duffy. The keyboard in the chorus section sounds like a police siren or something. At the end of the song, there's a fast hardcore section with a bunch of weird sound effects in the background.

3. Grrrl Friend - "Bestiality BBQ"
Heh! "Bestiality BBQ: where we fuck the animals before we cook 'em!" Hehehe! But anyways, this is sort of a country/bluegrass-sounding song with lyrics singing about typical hillbillies in the rural U.S.. Duffy sings in a fake southern accent in some parts. It's not very long. There's a quiet synth melody in the background.

4. Grrrl Friend - "Ouch!"
Another one of my favorites, here. Starts with just guitar and vocals. It's very soothing and uplifting. It's almost like the soundtrack to getting stoned in the summer. "TV controls the world, it's hard to cope" -- a sad but true lyric. In the second verse, the drums and the other cool weird sounds come into the mix. The chorus is very aggressive and chaotic, contrasting from the relaxed verse sections. If I knew all of the lyrics to this song, I could say more. Musically, it feels equivalent to watching yourself skip through the park in slow motion in Super-8 or something like that. What a beautiful song. After the second chorus, there is an outro section which consists of nothing but a repeated melody being played on an acoustic guitar.

5. Grrrl Friend - "The Slope"
The first half of this song is mostly noise. Weird noises in the background and a lot of drumming from Tambo. Once that all ends, we get a melody driven by an acoustic rhythm guitar, some psychedelic atmospherics, and drums and singing and stuff. This song is a bit sadder than the rest of the songs on here, but in a good way. It's very emotional and kind of watery-sounding. This song reminds me of being in the water or underwater or something like that.

6. Grrrl Friend - "I Think of Demons"
This one's a cover of a song by Roky Erickson. Once you've gotten out of the water and dried off, you can walk away listening to this one. It's a lot more straightforward than the other songs here... because it's a cover. It's a pretty catchy, nice song. It's about demons and stuff. Good guitar riff.

7. Grrrl Friend - "Toole & I"
The last Grrrl Friend track on the album. It's a mid-tempo punk song about loneliness, I think. The guitar here sounds really really good. I like the chorus riff a lot. This was one of the first Grrrl Friend songs I ever heard, and I loved it even on the first listen! This song makes me think of all the late nights I've spent alone and stuff. It's one of the more normal-sounding songs on the album, but even with that in mind it's a great pop song!

8. HYMS - "Rockrose (Dawn Breaking)"
And now that the Grrrl Friend half is over, let's listen to this other band. HYMS. HYMS is an oddity, but in a good way. So now I'm going to listen to this song... it starts out with a repeated one-string guitar line which is repeated over and over in the song as other guitar sounds come and go and harmonize with the melody. That line is dropped about 1/3 throughout the song, as the melody changes a bit but never really goes of course. Some of the tonage midway through the song sound really nice. Then at one point this is all covered in a thick layer of electric sludge-distortion. Actually kind of similar to a style of music I sort of created myself in the form of a lot of the songs on my White Noize Summer 2010 Demo. There's never any vocals. Just guitars. It's peaceful, but if you're looking for a song that you can dance to or sing along to or something like that, this might not interest you that much. The electric distortion fades out completely by the end of the song, only leaving the fluttering of two electric leads fluttering away like butterflies.

9. HYMS - "Cedar Falls"
This song is almost twice as long as the song before it and it's the longest track on the whole album (over 11 minutes long!). Once again, nothing but guitars harmonizing with eachother to create a sort of vibe... I'll bet when you die this is the music you hear. It's sort of happy, and sort of sad. It's almost a blank slate in some ways in that the music isn't really inherently anything except for what it is in the mind of the listener. Each guitar sounds like a different animal in a jungle of sound. Some of them sound creepy, and some of them sound not-creepy. It reminds you of life and death simultaneously. The song ends when the music fades out. Because there isn't any after that. Because now you're dead, remember?

Anyways, yes, a very interesting mixture. You've got the fiery folk-punk of Grrrl Friend and the wispy droning of HYMS. Pick yer poison. I believe HYMS does have at least one of its own full-length albums (released on Wrong Island)... they might have more. I haven't really checked right now. I'll probably review that album in the near future, y'know? And as for Grrrl Friend, they need to make another fucking record! I love those guys! So yeah, I'd say the Grrrl Friend half is definitely better, but that doesn't mean the HYMS half sucked. For some reasons all of these songs just make me really happy and remind me of Kizer Lake and St. Paris for some reason. I don't know why. But they do. This isn't even my favorite album or anything! But it just gets you in that good mood, y'know? So anyways, yeah, go to the Wrong Island Records Last.fm page and download this album if you're a fan of Grrrl Friend or if this just sounds interesting from reading it. You'll get the bang for your... download.

Top 3 Favorites:
1. Roadside Picnic (Grrrl Friend)
2. Ouch! (Grrrl Friend)
3. Toole & I (Grrrl Friend)

Review #103: Grrrl Friend - The Rag (EP) (2008)

THE RAG (EP)

Year: 2008

Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Post-Punk, Hardcore
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 6
Length: 15 Minutes (Short)
Style: Emotional/Fun
My Rating: 7/8

Sometimes you find a band, and the moment you hear them, you know they're gonna be great. That's kind of the story with when I found out about Grrrl Friend. A punk band from Portland, Oregon, lead by Duffy Wrong Island, formed in 2006. The group has a very strong D.I.Y.-based ethic, and has gone through durastic line-up changes for the entirety of its existence. I also admire their skills of writing good, catchy songs, as well as their lo-fi production which gives the music a very organic, raw feel to it.

For awhile, I thought this was the first Grrrl Friend album, but I recently found out that that iz not the case -- there was another record before it called "Period", which is now out-of-print and they have not released it as a free download like their other releases, so I am not sure how the hell to even obtain that one. But this is the earliest one that you CAN get for free at this point. In my opinion, this EP has most of their greatest songs on it, so far (there's a really good song called "Get Up", but it's on a compilation album that I do not yet own and have only heard from a live video... "Roadside Picnic" is really good, too). The first two songs are more hardcore-oriented, but everything else is totally a sound of its own... the first listen is a very moving, emotional, genuine sweep of beauty ingrained into your skull. To put a long story short, I believe this is the kind of music that lives forever. Now, onto the review.

1. Probably
Begins with two thumping drums amidst the silence, before the dreary riff kicks off, along with a somewhat fast beat. Duffy's vocals and the just slightly abrasive sound of the guitar set the mood for the song -- a path being taken which is off-beat but on-point. Not sure what it's about. Doesn't matter though, 'cause I can hear Duffy say that we're going to "have a good time". Well, I am having a good time listening to this. However, there is an acoustic version on the "B-Sides and Rarities" album that's even BETTER than this version of the song, with Elyssa (or maybe it's Cora) and Duffy on double vocals. THAT is the ultimate version of the song, but it's all legit.

2. The Rag
After the frantic-ness of "Probably", we are treated to the title track, "The Rag", which starts off on a downhill slide... and by that I mean that the verse part is slower. The riff is wonderful. The song's probably about, well, being "on the rag" or something like that. The chorus section is fast n' furious, with a boingy sound being made on one of the other guitars. The band actually sounds like they're having fun... you can hear Duffy and Elyssa laughing just before the second verse. I like this one the best while driving or walking off into a sunset or something like that...

3. Mine
Starts with a short acoustic intro (a.k.a. the riff being played once) -- this song's really happy and relaxing. It's slower, with a more psychedelic tinge to it. The verse riff is beautiful, and then there's a nice chorus with a trippy-sounding lead guitar playing during that part. Elyssa also sings in this song -- hell she sings in about all of the songs on here except for the first one. Definitely a song that deserved to be written.

4. Cast a Shadow
This one's a Beat Happening cover. Great acoustic guitar sound... actually, it starts out acoustic in the very beginning, and then quickly morphs into an electric one with not a whole lot of distortion... the lead guitar is so fucked up here, but it's awesome. You can credit that to Jay Briggs of the Sonitus Revolution, who was in Grrrl Friend at this point... "Cast a shadow on my ERECTION" -- hah!! The song fades out...

5. Homesick
This one's a little slower, like "Mine"... driven like a gear in a great machine or a tiny falling snowflake, there's neat lead guitar here... just peddling along like a... bicycle... or something. Heh heh. The rhythm guitar here is a bit more heavy than the other songs, like grunge or something. Here, the vocal duties are sort of different... Duffy sings high-pitched, and Elyssa sings more low-pitched. When the lead guitar doesn't sound all sparkly, it's got a crazy sound to it like a ripple in a lake of ACID. The song sort of reminds me of the feeling of going back home after a long, exciting journey. Duffy yells, "DO IT, JAY", and Jay whips out a neat-o guitar-o sol-o on command.

6. By a Thread
This song is more dominated by an acoustic guitar than the rest. Either that or an electric with very light effects. Duffy n' Elyssa on vocals. It's a very soft, serene song. The bass is pretty easy to hear. At one point, there's a BACKWARDS solo. I thought that was pretty cool. It's a cool-down after a storm of coolness, I suppose. The song ends, and then so does the EP.

It's sort of lame once the record's over, but don't worry, they'll be back! Actually, the band has just been releasing some new demo songs (Black Jesus, Doppelganger 12-Step, etc. just to name a few)... in my opinion, these songs are amazing. You should definitely get this. Even if the cover art offends you/grosses you out. Ignore that if it's that big of a deal. Yeah, definitely awesome. This record restored my hope in the music of today and gave me optimism for the current generation of musicians... I recommend this for everyone. Listen to good music.

Top 3 Favorites:
1. The Rag
2. Mine
3. Homesick

Review #6: Grrrl Friend - Grrrl Friend (2008)

GRRRL FRIEND

Year: 2008
Genre: Punk Rock
Sub-Genres: Noise, Hardcore
Label: Wrong Island Records
Tracks: 10
Length: 32 Minutes (Medium-Length)
Style: Angry/Happy/Fun
My Rating: 7/8

If there's one band in this era of music that I am really thankful that I have found, it would have to be Grrrl Friend. What most popular musicians of today lack, Grrrl Friend has. I'm not quite sure where they're from, 'cause one source said they were from Portland, Oregon, and another said they were from New York City. Perhaps they moved. Well, Grrrl Friend has been together since about 2003, I believe, and has gone through a lot of changes in their line-up, but the band is fronted by Duffy Wrong Island, who sings and plays guitar on most of their songs.

The band's style of music is self-described as "noise punk", and the band is fond of using weird effects on their guitars to add a little spice to their sound. Also, I admire their Nirvana-like ability to alternate between angry, abrasive music and happy, more linear-sounding stuff. The band's philosophy is not to sell their albums, but allow people to have them for free, and they make their money from the live shows that they play (I wanna see them bad!). This is wish I was listening to this summer, and I had not yet discovered them. But, here iz the review...

1. Hanging the Executioner
The album opens with the lines "teenage police, I've got a social zombie helmet, I'm a drone on the streets...". It's a pretty slow, downbeat-sounding song. Halfway through the song, there is a part where the riff changes to an even cooler-sounding riff! It's a very good song.

2. Borscht
Another angry one. Duffy and their old female vocalist (I do not know her name) take turns singing on this one, which adds some variety. The guitar sound reminds me of early SoundGarden, here. All in all, it's a really badass tune!

3. Ibsen
This song just rocks. There's not a ton I can think of to say about it, but it's very good.

4. Fleet Would Mock
I'm guessing that this one's title is supposed to be a play on the name of the band, Fleetwood Mac. But this song starts out pretty calm, with just Duffy singin' and an acoustic guitar. Then the drums start drumming, and then somehow, the acoustic guitar somehow transforms into a noise-spewin' electric one, and Duffy is now yelling instead of softly singing. Seriously, the guitar sounds weirdly awesome, here. Almost sounds like a DJ scratching a record or something, but I'm pretty sure that the DJ (who happens to be Duffy Wrong Island) is just scratching his guitar (that should be a euphemism for masturbation).

5. The Flow
This is another duet between Duffy and the other vocalist. The guitar sounds like some sort of brass instrument (or maybe that is just an actual brass instrument in the background), and it's a pretty cool song. There's even a synth-organ solo in the song!

6. Tsantsa
Alright, this band has a lot of weird song titles. Tsantsa? Maybe it's supposed to be pronounced "Santa" with a lisp, or something stupid like that. Nevermind... I just looked it up. A tsantsa is actually some sort of shrunken head, I guess. Now I feel stupid. Oh, the song?? Yeah... it's... it's a song... it's slow... it iz pleasantly trippy... until it brings in the SLUDGE!!!!!!! Pretty much everything in the song is real distorted and such. Cool sludge, dudes. That's what this song and your brains are made of. I wonder if "Cool Sludge" could be used as another term for... slush?

7. Probably
I believe that the EP version of the album actually ends at track 6, which is a shame, 'cause the last four tracks of the extended version are the best ones! This song is faster than the other songs on the album that we have listened to, so far. It's got a real cool riff and I love Duffy's vocals, here. The song sounds pretty urgent and nice to listen to. The band also has released an acoustic demo version that's even better than this version, so I suggest that ya check it out.

8. The Rag
This song is also great. I like listening to it in the car! It starts more casual-paced, but the chorus is faster has these boingy guitar sounds. One of the happier songs on the album.

9. Cast a Shadow
This is a cover of a song by the band, Beat Happening. I really like this. Apparently this song was dedicated to all of the guy's friends who love heavy metal. I sure hope they liked this song! Well, if they didn't, I still do. It's a fun song. However, the song sounds better played live (it's a little edgier that way). "Cast a shadow on my ERECTION" -- HAH!!

10. Mine
This is my favorite song on the album. I just really like it. It has a great riff, and a fun mood to it. I recommend that you also listen to it. Because it is legit. Which means that it is good. It has a cool phaser effect in the chorus, also.

This whole album is fucking GREAT! I strongly suggest that you get a copy of this, which is as easy as urinating in the woods, because they released their album for FREE! One of my favorite records from this whole decade (and that's pretty hard for a band to do). If they made you buy this album and it costed $50... I would still buy it.

Here's the link to the album:
http://www.last.fm/music/Grrrl+Friend/Grrrl+Friend