Jack Skuller - "Love Is A Drum" Video

Jack Skuller apparently won a talent show with "Love Is A Drum", which led to him recording it with the producer who recorded the Ramones and Misfits in the 80s and 90s. He even got Nada Surf's Ira Elliot to play drums, although he was apparently dropped for the video in favor of a shirtless tween. If I was 14 I would be amped to have written a retro pop song that was just a couple waves of distortion short of the Raveonettes. While it is pleasantly simple and catchy, it's a little too clean and sparkly for my taste. I'll keep an ear out for when he has discovered the secrets of the Big Muff.

 

Friday Night Beer Pairing: Yuengling & Hamburg Ramönes

What was once a Ramones cover band broke off from the cliché copy-the-legends riff to write their own songs which emulate those classic New York and Brit rooted punk rock sounds, but with German accents. Can you get more punk rock (rhetorical question)? The Hamburg Ramönes track “Go Yuengling Go” slates the indispensable power-chords with a catchy, football (Euro) stadium chant that repeats the title which essentially roots for the almost exclusively east coast brewery and/or beer. I think there is something in there about the beer and perfect days and making one's life complete, but it don't matter... it's all awesome. It is what you would expect from a former Ramones cover band, yet it has a contemporary and original feel. If you branch off from this recommendation, their 2008 release Long Black Hair sounds straight out of 1978 with Ramones and Clash-like numbers that are wrapped up in tight packages and hit hard and fast. It is fair to say that tracks like “Rock’ N Roller Coaster” and “Long Black Hair” do the bands namesake justice, but also in their own right would stand up to what many would consider unmeasurable expectations.

As for the beverage, I remember the first time I had Yuengling beer. Spring break, Washington D.C., two thousand and somethin'-something. Many Yuenglings later I can honestly say that I am still a fan of the company that is recognized as America's Oldest Brewery and family owned for over 180 years, and look for it whenever I am east of the Mississippi, for nostalgia purposes. I was once at a Manhattan bar, on the upper east side and the bar featured a large Yuengling mirror which had all their beers on tap listed on it. Knowing what I already wanted I ordered what I expected to be a delicious Yuengling, to which the bar maid replied, "Sorry, we don't actually carry Yuengling." The joke was obviously on me. So, tonight, if you can get it, it's all Yuengling and Hamburg Ramönes. Hit it!

Mean Jeans - Are You Serious? (2009)

Portland's Mean Jeans are one of the bands I am most looking forward to seeing at Slabtown's Bender. I didn't pick up their album of juvenile and manic Ramones-style punk rock, Are You Serious?, until late in the year and although I immediately liked the album, I kept missing their shows. The songs are repetitively catchy and all sound like should've been classic punk hits. Their singer, Billy Jeans, even sounds like Joey Ramone. The album kicks off self-mythologizing "Born On A Saturday Night" (mp3). A definite party jam. The band hardly seem to take a breathe, counting it out, and bashing out rapid fire riffs. "2 Much Cocaine" explains how even punk rockers have their limit. It all adds up to a fun album and what should be a killer show.

The Horrors - Primary Colours (2009)

If fuzzed out rock and subdued vocals is your cup of tea, then this is an album you may be excited about. Personally, I have struggled to enjoy the album as a whole, but have really liked certain segments. Straddling the genres of psychedelic and punk, Primary Colours sounds like a conglomeration of many different bands, including Joy Division, The Velvet Underground, Spiritualized, and The Ramones. However, during some parts it's as if they've taken quaaludes, filtered the music through a whirring fan, and fittingly, taken on a hauntingly spooky tone. There are times when the album drones on, and there are times when the music is closer to abrasive noise, but tracks like "Who Can Say," "Scarlet Fields," and "Sea Within A Sea" redeem the less-than-excellent moments to make this album a solid addition to any indie collection.

Now, enjoy the video for "Who Can Say."

Jay Reatard - Singles 06-07 (2008)

Hell yeah! Finally. Although I've been rocking some of these songs for a while, picking up the random track off a single, this collection fills in some holes. Jay Reatard specializes in quick and poppy Ramones-influenced punk rock. He packs a lot into less than 3 minutes: choruses, organ riffs, changing speeds, guitar hooks, oohs and aahs. It's all there. He compresses and mashes pieces of songs together in a way that makes the songs feel full and complete. He growls, sings, hollers, and coos, sometimes all in one song. The first nine or so songs are must for anyone who liked Blood Visions. "Another Person" and "All Over Again" are two of his best songs. The last five songs are earlier versions of some of the better tracks off the album and while still good, they aren't a revelation or all that necessary. "It So Useless" is another must listen.