Band(s) of the Day(s) 26/27/28

Hello. I missed my stop on the bus last night by falling asleep. I've never done this before in my life, and therefore think my life has turned a corner. Anyway, as this gives you an indication of how tired I am, please forgive these late'uns.

Death From Above1979

With one album proper of devastating dance thrash, this drums and bass duo were playing at being the pop Lightning Bolt, or perhaps just playing dancable pop songs with the most basic of all rock music requirements - a rhythm section. Either way, their music is fantastic bundles of noisy riff-strangulated anthems. The thing that makes this band stand out though, is their dedication to making you move. The fact that a remix album was released keeping a lot of the original elements from the songs intact makes you realise how cleverly constructed each track was. But forget that...its the pure passion and energy flowing from these songs. They burnt out quickly (though you can find one in MSTRKRFT and one in Sebastian Grainger and the Mountains), and left us with an indelible mark via their kerosene-fuelled love songs.

Pull Out (with excellent and colourful description of the songs lyrical content)



Liars

Having made two of my favourite albums of the 00s, Liars are a law unto themselves. Starting with the funk-punk demolition of They Threw Us In A Trench And Stuck A Monument On Top, they then progressed/regressed to a screeching, stuttering concept album about witches called They Were Wrong So We Drowned, followed by another concept album about two fictional characters called Drum and Mt. Heart Attack which revelled in percussion, drums, rhythms and foregoed melody and finally made a self titled record in which, vocalist Angus admitted, "we actually tried to write songs this time". All of these records are essential - Drum's Not Dead is an incredible, atmospheric achievement which has little to do with virtuosity and a lot to do with texture, emotion and ambition. Be prepared for a wild ride is all.

Mr Your On Fire Mr


Broken Witch


Let's Not Wrestle Mt Heart Attack


Plaster Casts Of Everything


Mixtape:
Spotify link: http://open.spotify.com/user/artbaretta/playlist/0Blk6RWzubgNXgc4vBcVxJ

1) There's Always Room On The Broom (from They Were Wrong So We Drowned)
2) Let's Not Wrestle Mt Heart Attack (from Drum's Not Dead)
3) Freak Out (from Liars)
4) It Fit When I Was A Kid (from Drum's Not Dead)
5) Broken Witch (from They Were Wrong So We Drowned)
6) Drum and the Uncomfortable Can (from Drum's Not Dead)
7) Cycle Time (from Liars)
8) Be Quiet Mt Heart Attack (from Drum's Not Dead)
9) Protection (from Liars)
10) The Other Side of Mt Heart Attack (from Drum's Not Dead)


At the Drive-In

Are you crazy? This band was always going to be here somewhere. Why? Because despite some guy on a messageboard a few years ago arguing with me that this band just ripped off Drive Like Jehu and therefore I shouldn't like them as much as I do, this band just tore my head off when I finally listened to Relationship Of Command. It was also my first real experience of Q being so severely wrong that I think the magazine should be exterminated. They are never ever right. Anyway.
At the Drive-In combined all sorts of guitar sounds, threateningly violent tones, Cedric's intense, Daryl Palumbo-type delivery and the incredible live show...something I never got to see. Nevertheless, both their breakthrough album and In/Casino/Out are fantastic rock records and were far more focused and exciting than their creators now give credit. Shame.

Arcarsenal (yes, this is incredible - respect for walking off early too, a protest at the moshing/slam dancing that ended up killing a young music fan that day at Limp Bizkit's set)


Pattern Against User (purely for the dedication to the Fall and the anti-crowd surfing shout AND for how shambolic they could be melody wise)


One Armed Scissor (absolutely thrilling, yet an indication that things were about to fall apart)


Rolodex Propaganda (probably one of the best live performances ever)


Mixtape:
Spotify link: http://open.spotify.com/user/artbaretta/playlist/0Nxb9JzsFTF0bNYutBU00z

1) Cosmonaut (from Relationship of Command)
2) Pickpocket (from In/Casino/Out)
3) Fahrenheit (from El Gran Orgo)
4) Sleepwalk Capsules (from Relationship of Command)
5) Napoleon Solo (from In/Casino/Out)
6) Picket Fence Cartel (from El Gran Orgo)
7) Extracurricular (from At the Drive-In/Sunshine split 7")
8) Catacombs (from Relationship of Command)
9) Transatlantic Foe (from In/Casino/Out)
10) Invalid Letter Dept. (from Relationship of Command)