Solid State

Resonator are a cool instrumental band from across the lake. Aquarius Records is an awesome San Francisco music store.

Now the two are aligned:

RESONATOR Lost Language (Human Identity Recordings) cd 14.98   

The first few seconds of Lost Language, a blast of fuzzy crumbling distortion will have you expecting the latest slab of monster sludge, or a blast of pummeling downtuned brutality. And the bands pedigree might have you expecting something similar, guitarist Larry Dolan produced the debut full length from metallic post rockers Tides and drummer Mikey Lemieux used to bash the skin for metalcore heavyweights Drowningman. But what you get instead is some killer, super propulsive, slightly mathy, but very moody, instrumental rock, that harkens back to bands like Pell Mell. There's all sorts of definite reference points, Pell Mell is the most obvious, a simultaneously laid back and caffeinated burst of super energetic mathy groove. But can hear lots of nineties indie rock, plenty of SST, a bit of Tortoise, some Minutemen for sure. Surf rock guitars are wound tight beneath thick splashy swirls of open high-hat and frenetic almost funky drumming, the bass is sometimes slithery and dark, sometimes rubbery and almost dub like. Some tracks stretch into languid epics, others fly by, a manic expulsion of chaotic energy. Once in a while they sound a little like a less Joy Division obsessed Interpol, but again with that nineties instrumental rock vibe. The final track is the show stopper, a near half an hour epic, that almost sounds like the band took the first seven tracks and rearranged, reshaped, and reimagined them into one lengthy jam, keening angular riffs, wildly chaotic drumming, a hypnotic neverending epic, with cool backwards guitars, some My Bloody Valentine swoosh, the whole thing constantly shifting from full blown overdrive, to laid back lope, and back again, until the whole thing fades to a haunting soundscape of minimal guitar drone. Finally, a simple tribal rhythm emerges, and the track unwinds, a slowly decelerating coda, all muted rhythmic rumble and barely there melody. So cool.

Very cool to see.

Last weekend was tremendously fun. We went to the coolest wedding ever, and ate a crapload of terrific food.

Highlights:

Arthur Adams' funny and moving wedding song.

His band, Blammos, transformed into a lounge act for the procession.

Those same dudes pop-rocking at Radio Bean the night before.

James Kochalka cutting the rug with a bunch of tykes at the reception. I couldn't decide who was having more fun, James or the kids!

Unrelated things to ponder:

Should I get the new, 80GB iPod to replace my 30GB? There are rumors about a touch-screen video version for the holidays...

Bjork reunites with the Sugarcubes! Who's flying to Iceland?

The new Sunn O)) & Boris collaboration, Altar, is a monster. It's even got Jesse Sykes on it!

Montpelier's Eat More Kale dude gets musical. Courtesy False 45th and Norsehorse's Home Turf.

First official Podcast due Monday.

Just got off the horn with Brett Netson, guitarist extrordiaire of Built to Spill — long-time faves of mine. Netson goes all the way back with them. Although he sometimes isn't in the band, he's played on every one of their records that I hold dear.

Cool dude, laid-back, no BS. We talked a lot of geeky shit about amps, which he also builds. I told him he should buy my '74 Fender Super Reverb, which, at this point serves as a coffee table in my studio.

There was also a good bit of bitchin' about today's mainstream rock. Suffice it to say, emokid1987 would not approve of our conversation.

By the way, I made up that last handle. But I'm sure there's a little brother on the Panic! at the Disco message board with that very username.

Well, my social calendar is full!

Pal o' mine Arthur Adams is in town for Bill & Emily's wedding (that's Mr. & Mrs. Candleblog to you), and he's staying with me through Sunday.

Tonight, B&E are having a little welcoming shindig; then there's the James Kochalka Superstar CD release party at Club Metronome.

Tomorrow, Art and I are gonna attempt a Contrarian/Blammos collaboration on the ridiculous Beach Boys number "I'm Bugged at My Old Man." We'll see how that goes. I also have to cook some stuff for Sunday's reception. Yes. Me. Cook.

Later that night, he's gonna do one of those epic, Lazy Songwriter/Blammos jamz at Radio Bean.

The next day is the wedding.

It's a whirlwind of activity. Hope I can get my beauty sleep.

I've got so much writing to do, but I just wanted to take a minute to say that the new Mastodon album, Blood Mountain, is kicking my ass. A giant slice of brain-rending, punky prog-metal. Perfect for wrestling sabertoothed snowcats. And drinkin.'

Maybe you should go buy it at Pure Pop.

Rolling Stone's David Fricke is one of that rag's most wizened contributors. I like him not just 'cause he's pals with Brian Wilson, but because he writes a helluva lot better than the current crop of Pitchfork-weaned hyperbolists. Most of the time, that is.

Anyway, he's got a regular column in RS called "Fricke's Picks," in which he tells readers about random stuff that probably wasn't produced by Timbaland. One of his latest raves is about Vermont's own Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. Here's what duder says:

GP&N are rising stars on the jam-band circuit, the opening act of choice for headliners such as Umphrey's McGee and the North Mississippi All-Stars. But Potter, who plays funky keyboards and sings like a fighting-mad Bonnie Raitt, is poised for bigger things on Nothing But the Water (Ragged Company), a record of country-blues basics fired up by her evident love for Little Feat and early-'70s Rolling Stones. And she is no pushover as a lyricist. "Give me back my jeans and my JJ Cale," Potter demands in "Toothbrush and My Table," showing she's got good taste and the right priorities when it comes to breaking up.

Shit kids, I just typed that by hand! There wasn't a cut-and-paste option; the issue hit my mailbox today. How's that for dedication?

A few weeks ago, the folks at Higher Ground asked me about Deerhoof. I said, "Hell yeah!" but wasn't sure if they took my enthusiasm to heart. Turns out they did. So mark those calendars for 11/01/06.

Also on the bill are Fiery Furnaces, who I go back and forth on. Mostly forth.

Anyway, it's great news. Everybody should plan on getting rocked in an unconventional fashion.

Check it:

Deerhoof — "Spy on You"

That tune isn't the best example of the band's punky weirdness, but it sure does crack me up.

Read more of my Deerhoof blathering here.

To celebrate today's release of James Kochalka Superstar's Spread Your Evil Wings and Fly, enjoy the latest video from the album:

"Wash Your Ass"

Hi folks.

I've decided to start doing a couple of things that will likely make Solidstate several times more exciting!

I was inspired by a recent talk by Gahlord DeWald and Bill Simmon during Art Hop; my blog will benefit from the knowledge gained.

First of all, I've decided to categorize my posts like a big boy. This might make it easier for folks interested in re-living the Great Flaming Lips Debate of '06, or even the Beard Wars of the previous year.

Categories thus far:

General Announcements

Local Music

Live Music

Non-local Music

Podcasts

YouTube Nonsense

Casey's Music

Crazed Letters

Absolutely Unrelated

Complaining

The last one will undoubtedly be chock full 'o posts.

Now for the really exciting part: I'm gonna do a monthly podcast. Think Ricky Gervais is fun? Wait 'til you get a load of me!

I'm planning on playing a bunch of music, some of it local, much of it not, interspersed with my always-precious commentary. It'll be like hanging out with me and drinkin' beers while I yell at my iPod. What could be more fun than that? I hope to have the first episode up in a couple of weeks.

Wanna help me come up with a title?

By the way, Art Hop ended up being pretty fun. Apologies to anyone who had the misfortune of speaking with me before I found my "zone." And congrats to Brooke, who busted her ass so our weird little community could bond.

Lastly, please welcome our pal Undead Molly to her "growed up," non MySpace blog.

Saw the Flaming Lips last night. A handful of songs, anyway. It was rather not good, so I left. More on that in my column, or maybe here. Or both.

Walked back down the hill, met a friend at the O.P., then swung into Radio Bean and had my head torn off by Nick Cassarino and his guitar brilliance.

And what a fine band he has. I'll be blabbing about them more in the near future.

As for now, I'm a bit hung over. Tonight is the Art Hop. Hurrah!

UPDATE ON FLAMING LIPS:

I decided to give a more in-depth review of the Lips' performance in next Wednesday's Sound Bites column. Be sure to read it, lest you miss my every precious, pithy comment.