Things we like: Phorids, Fitted, Convoy and the Cattlemen
1) The passionate, pummeling punk of Heater was a favorite noise around mi casa, so when I heard that half of the guys from that band were involved in a new outfit, Phorids, of course I was interested. Most valuable player Travis Brown relinquished his frontman role to Brad Barker (ex-Antirad) and took a seat behind the drums, while Jamie Shipman continued laying down the low-end law alongside guitarist Shannon Greer (ex-Rome I$ Burnin). They quickly recorded a debut EP (link below) and played their first show in a record store at the end of August. With astonishing rapidity, they've progressed to playing just about every weekend in Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas, or Denton, with a New Year's Eve show opening for T.S.O.L. and the Dwarves at Gas Monkey in Big D on the cards. Barker roars his Everyman's angst while behind him, his mates rage and roil like refugees from the '80s East Coast hardcore scene. Bold and bracing stuff.
2) While it might seem weird that the first generation of punk rockers are nearing retirement age, that doesn't mean that they're losing their teeth or settling back in any rocking chairs. Case in point: ex-Minutemen/fIREHOSE/Stooges man-in-van-with-bass-in-hand Mike Watt, who remains the perpetual road dog, with more projects than Carter has little liver pills. Currently on tour with his own Missingmen (in a year that's also seen him hit the boards with veteran punks Flipper and avant guitarist Mike Baggetta), he's also on a new CD by Fitted, a collaboration with two members of arty punks Wire (that'd be Graham Lewis and Matthew Simms) and his sometime tour drummer Bob Lee. The results are equally anchored and ethereal: swirling psychedelic soundscapes, motorik beats, pop songs upended by jarring dissonance, sinister Lewis Carroll evocations, droning feedback fests, and lots of proof positive that punk rock remains whatever you want it to be.
3) Punk energy abounds on Too Fast Too Loud, the debut full-length by Convoy and the Cattlemen, once house band in all but name at Arlington's Sunshine Bar (which they immortalized in their song "Division Dive," released as 7-inch last year and also included here). Imagine Junior Brown or Eleven Hundred Springs running on rocket fuel, and you're onto what they're about. There's been a country-punk connection in Texas since Joe Ely toured with the Clash (or maybe since the Nervebreakers covered "The Race Is On"), and these guys 'n' gal proudly continue that tradition. Frontman Convoy Cabriolet sings with an exuberant rockabilly yelp, while his band is equally adept at trucker speed breakdowns, honky tonk shuffles, and twangy rockers. When Convoy steps back, it's time for the three-instrument front line (lead, steel, and fiddle) to strut their stuff, backed to the hilt by a tight, hot rhythm section. Boots will be scooting whenever the needle's dropped in these grooves. Release show at Lola's November 30th.
2) While it might seem weird that the first generation of punk rockers are nearing retirement age, that doesn't mean that they're losing their teeth or settling back in any rocking chairs. Case in point: ex-Minutemen/fIREHOSE/Stooges man-in-van-with-bass-in-hand Mike Watt, who remains the perpetual road dog, with more projects than Carter has little liver pills. Currently on tour with his own Missingmen (in a year that's also seen him hit the boards with veteran punks Flipper and avant guitarist Mike Baggetta), he's also on a new CD by Fitted, a collaboration with two members of arty punks Wire (that'd be Graham Lewis and Matthew Simms) and his sometime tour drummer Bob Lee. The results are equally anchored and ethereal: swirling psychedelic soundscapes, motorik beats, pop songs upended by jarring dissonance, sinister Lewis Carroll evocations, droning feedback fests, and lots of proof positive that punk rock remains whatever you want it to be.
3) Punk energy abounds on Too Fast Too Loud, the debut full-length by Convoy and the Cattlemen, once house band in all but name at Arlington's Sunshine Bar (which they immortalized in their song "Division Dive," released as 7-inch last year and also included here). Imagine Junior Brown or Eleven Hundred Springs running on rocket fuel, and you're onto what they're about. There's been a country-punk connection in Texas since Joe Ely toured with the Clash (or maybe since the Nervebreakers covered "The Race Is On"), and these guys 'n' gal proudly continue that tradition. Frontman Convoy Cabriolet sings with an exuberant rockabilly yelp, while his band is equally adept at trucker speed breakdowns, honky tonk shuffles, and twangy rockers. When Convoy steps back, it's time for the three-instrument front line (lead, steel, and fiddle) to strut their stuff, backed to the hilt by a tight, hot rhythm section. Boots will be scooting whenever the needle's dropped in these grooves. Release show at Lola's November 30th.
posted by stashdauber at 6:18 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home