WRUV Reviews

South-African Afro-fusion band from Cape Town. Their musical style blends elements of traditional South African music, blues, jazz and indie rock. Features the theme song from the 2010 World Cup with Shakira as well as a Michael Jackson cover. Songs in English and Xhosa. Play all!  Track 4 features Les Nubians.

Official Website!

Official Waka Waka music video!

Catchy Danish pop. “Hooks: Figurines have ‘em. Hooks everywhere. Hooks in droves. A distinctive sense of melody, all these odd angles and unlikely harmonies…coloring in their knotty late-90s American indie rock-indebted sound with hints of country-rock, ornate British psych, and lots more.  Figurines marks a partial return to the get-up-and-go of Skeleton (2006), although the tempos have slowed some. Frontman Christian Hjelm uncannily mixes Isaac Brock’s nervous vocal tics with Doug Martsch’s nasal croon.”
PLAY: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7
Figurines - New Colors by rodrigoxido

Two-song single from Kurt Vile. Includes “Baby’s Arms” (studio version) from “Smoke Ring For My Halo”. Plus a live version of “On Tour”.  Kurt “distills thousands of hours spent with classic American guitar music into one very singular and sublime version.”
PLAY: 1,2
RIYL: THURSTON MOORE, J. MASCIS
Kurt Vile & The Violators - On Tour (Live) by The 405

San Cisco are four 18 year old Australian band members: ” indie pop with folk undertones, slashes of synth and influences ranging from Bright Eyes to Vampire Weekend.”  Upbeat summer pop with a gigantic sound but also easy going & laid back tracks and folky banjos. Track 5 is a cover of a Tame Impala song, “Solitude is Bliss.”
PLAY: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
RIYL: GIVERS, DALE EARNHARDT JR JR, RA RA RIOT
San Cisco - Golden Revolver by engininja

Acoustic indie folk “recorded in a cabin with one mic and no professional production equipment. He banished himself to a secluded beach house in Ireland and for 6 months created Early in the Morning”. Dark, simple and sincere, with the Bon Iver falsetto-style vocals. The first track sets the pace: “A 5 part harmony cascades in, followed by a growling organ and slide guitar line of the eeriest and spectral kind.” Influenced by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and The Neptunes.  PLAY: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
RIYL: BON IVER, IRON & WINE
James Vincent McMorrow by VagrantRecords

Cinematic, dramatic and emotional chamber folk-rock from Oklahoma: Male vocals by Jesse Tabish and “The instrumentation on the album is abundant: bassoon, bass clarinet, violin, trumpet, French horn, and cello, all working together to add another voice to the band entirely. The outcome of which is a sweeping wave of sounds that will crash over and swallow you whole.” “Gentle plucking of an acoustic guitar against chilling, etheral strings…and the soothing voice of member Jenny Hsu, but not without said violins, castanets, and bass clarinet giving a deep, emotional intensity.” SOO GOOD!
PLAY: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10
RIYL: ARCADE FIRE, AKRON/FAMILY, FLEET FOXES

Tamer Animals by Other Lives

The WhiteTrash WhipLash- Whiskey Gun
Release date: 2011Aug13
Label: Biscuit Time Records
Rating: 4/5

I’ve seen The White Trash Whiplash described as “hardcore southern rock” among other things. They do remind me of Dash Rip Rock and Mojo Nixon for starters. “My Buick Goes 180″ is very fun with a carnival feel to it. Think a country-fried version of the Dead Kennedys. “Machine” is excellent as well with a similar feel as the first track. “Wild Irish Rose” is most likely a homage to the hillbilly wine of the same name. It’s light-hearted and mellow. “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” is a cover of the Poison track and I have to admit, I think it’s fucking hilarious! “Panty Dropper #11″ brings up the rear (literally) while “1B2″ is another slow ditty. “Spodie Odie Hey!” makes me want to channel Cletus Spuckler and drink white lightning while sitting on my lazy ass. Hey! I really enjoyed this album and you might too, as long as you leave your suit and tie home and bring a suitcase of Keystone Ice!

FCC: Clean
Try: 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10

Cerebral Ballzy- Cerebral Ballzy
Release date: 2011July26
Label: Williams Street Records
Rating: 5/5

I like the description of Cerebral Ballzy. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything good out of East New York (the crime capital of NYC!). They’re obsessed with skating (meh), beer (yeah!) and Beavis & Butthead reruns (hell yeah!). Not a bad way to start things off!

“On the Run” evokes the Dead Kennedys and it will make you spill your beer all over the floor just trying to keep up.  ”Office Rocker” and “Don’t Tell Me What To Do” channel the spirit of the Bad Brains [Yo, bartender! We need more PBRs and a pit, stat! - ed] while “Insufficient Fare” sounds like a cross between Pennywise and seminal NYHC groups Agnostic Front and Murphys Law. “Drug Myself Dumb” is loud, fast and trashy, just the way I like it! “Cutting Class” is excellent as well!

Cerebral Ballzy is an excellent release from a band that I hope to hear more from in the near future. It’s always nice to take a break, break out some beers and form a pit. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had this much fun with a release! One last note: The cover artwork is from Raymond Pettibon, who also did the OFF! EP artwork and artwork for several Black Flag releases as well.

FCC: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
Try: 1,2,3,4,6,11

Buzzcocks- A Different Compilation
Release date: 2011June06
Label: Cooking Vinyl
Rating: 4/5

Buzzcocks! I still remember when I was 14 years old and first getting into punk rock. They were completely different from the Sex Pistols, Ramones and The Clash, which was puzzling to me at first. But, after several years, I grew to love them. This brings me to the following question: Why would the Buzzcocks want to re-record their best material? The obvious answer is, why not? While this is not the original lineup (only Steve Diggle and Pete Shelley remain), it should not be considered a slight against the band as the lineup has changed fairly often over the years.

Regardless, this album contains 24 re-recorded versions of some of their best material. I can’t possibly gloss over all 24 tracks so I will pick out my favorites with a short description. Those tracks include “Boredom” (obviously faster-paced but with the right hooks in the right places), “Fast Cars”, “I Don’t Mind” (which is reminiscent of The Ramones!), “Get On Our Own”, “Alive Tonight”, “You Say You Don’t Love Me” (Shelley’s voice is loud and clear with the opening line), “Promises”, “What Do I Get” (still prefer the older version but it’s not bad!), “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t've)?” and “Orgasm Addict”.

In all, a decent album that may please newer fans more than grizzled old punks like myself. It’s certainly a good way for them to get into the older material. Check this out!

FCC: 1,20,22
Try: 1,2,3, 5, 10, 12, 16, 19, 21, 22

Serpent Venom - Carnal Altar
Release: 2011May31 (UK) / 2011Aug09 (US)
Label: The Church Within
Rating: 4.5/5

Serpent Venom slithers across the pond from the United Kingdom, containing former members of doom bands that are unknown to the casual fan. That is, unless you’re familiar with Gaz Ricketts of Sloth, who handles vocal duties. I stumbled upon Carnal Altar by chance and just had to add my two cents. The hypnotic album art is a throwback to the early 1970s and would be at home on a LP or Stereo 8 cover (look it up, young ‘uns!).

The “Carnal Altar” welcomes all those who dare enter with a signature that is dripping with a sound that takes the sinister approach of fellow countrymen Electric Wizard and Black Sabbath and takes it to the extreme, mixing in a touch of Saint Vitus. It is the soundtrack to a crude human sacrifice, complete with sexual overtones. “Blood of the Serpents” sends enough chills up and down my spine to cause hypothermia.

Since I always struggle with lyrics, I decided to look for a poem to describe “Four Walls of Solitude“, which sounds conspiciously like the actual lyrics for this track. I will let you decide. Here’s an excerpt: “Surrounded by these four walls / Dying alone without any calls / You don’t understand that’s just so rude / So I’ll sit, here in solitude”. [Yeah, I'd say that's fairly blatant—ed.] The track itself is a definite homage to the Lord of Doom himself, Tony Iommi, especially in the second half. “Conjuration” offers up much of the same, as it treads this familiar territory.

“Devilshire”  is more in the vein of early Electric Wizard, with plenty of thick, plodding riffs while “The Outside” closes things off on a more sinister note.  I do feel that Carnal Altar falls flat within the last three tracks. While they are entertaining, they show the unwillingness of Serpent Venom to expand upon the sound of the title track and “Four Walls of Solitude”. Regardless, this is still a very strong doom debut and it would be a shame if it were overlooked by releases from better-known bands.

FCC:
Try:  1, 2, 3, 6

01. Carnal Altar
02. Blood of the Serpents
03. Four Walls of Solitude
04. Conjuration
05. Under The Compass
06. Devilshire
07. The Outsider