#Melbourne's a pretty chill place mist of the time

[doomduck]

Other things at the rink today: I had to go through a security check because we have a couple of pro American hockey teams here for some reason.

It's cool and all. But I have no idea who they are and why so much security. It was like a low budget airport.

Maybe its because they have the Stanley cup here? Who knows. Its very weird.

[goodbysunball]

Quarantine Rock, pt. II

In this continuation of the riveting Quarantine series: mostly new, 2020 releases.

Black Curse, Endless Wound LP (Sepulchral Voice)

There’s a lot of repetition in metal band name imagery, but Black Curse might be one of the laziest monikers in recent memory. No matter: the band’s debut LP Endless Wound is an absolute crusher, a swirling mass of death metal bile accented by riffs that violently snap your head back and forth for you. The guitar player handles bass duties for Primitive Man, and there are definitely some similarities between the two groups, not least of which being filthy tone and gargantuan riffs (see the plodding “Lifeless Sanctum”). But Black Curse can thrash around with the ferocity of Salvation-era Funeral Mist, and hit a mid-tempo groove like peak Beherit, as on closer “Finality I Behold.” Those are some pretty big names to drop, but Black Curse more than deliver - Endless Curse feels methodical without sacrificing manic intensity. Real deal shit right here. My favorite metal album of the year so far. Ajna Offensive had some copies of the LP in stock for a split second, and I imagine they’ll get more eventually; alternatively, one can reserve a copy from Dark Descent now.

Femme, Ruderal Exotique LP (Bruit Direct Disques)

Femme’s Chroma from the tail-end of 2017 took over my turntable for a good many months in early 2018. The French duo’s short vignettes of noise rubbing up against each other in confined spaces and somehow, despite all the jarring changes in volume, comes together for a rather cathartic listen. Ruderal Exotique follows the same formula, though this time around they’re coming at you at 45 rpm. I’m not sure if Femme’s changed things up or I’m just accustomed to power drills and blaring, bassy synths now, but all the sounds within Ruderal Exotique hit some pleasure center in my brain. Even though they’re still arriving in jagged shards, cutting into each other abruptly or dropping out into silence on a whim, when the album’s on it’s like it’s plastering drywall all over this miserable time and giving me permission to do, think or say nothing. It’d be fair to say that most of us need that regularly, but perhaps now more than ever. Gorgeous and abrasive, these 15 wordless tracks have been a balm recently, but Ruderal Exotique is also one of the most captivating listens of the year. Surrender yourself and cop yet another winner from Bruit Direct Disques, who have kindly opened up a USA e-shop run by The Business Anacortes.

Primo!, Sogni LP (Upset the Rhythm/Anti-Fade)

The Melbourne four-piece Primo! captured my heart in 2016 with the release of Primo Cassetto, a compact release bristling with tension and full of wry observations and wiry guitar lines. The follow-up LP, Amici, was as svelte and dry but twice as breezy; the playing was peppier and the vocals were softened and harmonious. I liked Amici fine, but little was imprinted on my memory after several listens, except the songs that had already appeared on Primo Cassetto. The band’s latest LP, Sogni, presses the best parts of the earlier two releases together into the grooves. Amici lacked the slower tempos of certain tracks on the debut, and Sogni brings them back with great success: “Comedy Show” is a particular standout, musically and lyrically reminiscent of latter-day Terminals, and closer “Reverie” is a drumless and haunting send-off. “Machine” and “Love Days” are the band at their most confident, the sound fuller than ever without dumbing down the lyrics or losing the scrappiness that makes this band so goddamn charming. Part of the fuller sound is thanks to the flourishes of Al Monty on various instruments throughout the album, but the band’s songwriting overall is stronger, looser - several tracks on the B-side even include extended outros (”1000 Words,” “The Present”), the band so stuffed to the gills with lean guitar lines that they had to make some room for more. Overall Sogni is the best Primo! album to date, placing the band firmly in the lineage of bands like Animals + Men and Look Blue Go Purple, responsibly self-aware post-punk sharp as nails and threatening to dance. Perfect for spring. Stateside people should look to Forced Exposure for the LP - they’ve even got some of the limited orange vinyl from Upset the Rhythm coming in.

DJ Screw, Bigtyme Volume II All Screwed Up 2xLP (Sinecure Press)

Yes: DJ Screw remains a larger-than-life presence that, along with Pimp C, has transformed how I, and many others, approach and listen to rap - but mostly I just wanted to highlight how sublime the versions of UGK’s “Tell Me Something Good,” and especially Point Blank’s “After I Die,” are on here. (The very pricey Houston Rap deluxe bundle including this 2xLP is still available.)

Anhedonist / Spectral Voice, split 7″ (Dark Descent/Parasitic)

Highly anticipated split between two death-doom titans: the dearly departed Anhedonist, and Spectral Voice, the modern scene’s torchbearer. Anhedonist’s “Abject Darkness” is an unreleased track recorded sometime during their tenure. It’s good, full of the killer “augh!” moments I prize, but it seems to tread water and repeat itself. You can kinda see why such a meticulous band left this one on the cutting room floor. On the flip, Spectral Voice turn in a devastating seven minutes on “Ineffable Winds,” eschewing any ornate arrangements and instead loading up on 10-ton riffs. I was disappointed with this record at first, mostly because the Anhedonist side left me a bit cold, but it’s encouraging to have the newer material by Spectral Voice be the better half. A few copies of this 7″ are still available from Parasitic Records.

G2G, s/t 7″ (self-released)

Snarling, sarcastic garage punk from this Sydney trio (plus drum machine), so stern and pockmarked that it’s off-putting at first blush. The opening track “Animated Satisfaction” is dripping with contempt, needling guitar lines combining in nauseating fashion, and it’s one of my favorite songs of the year. Can you deny a line like “I’m itchy and particular with my time”? You cannot. The band utilizes group vocals but they’re uneven, the guitars reek of grunge, and the lyrics are biting and delivered in a taunting manner. The shambling "You Don’t Say Shit Right” gives a lesson on how to say “Nietzsche” properly, the masked melancholy resulting in the best garage rock ballad I’ve heard since the Whines’ “It’s Raining.” “Wrong Way Corrigan” is the only track I’m not super keen on, but the chorus of “I rode it like a dump truck/all the way to your house” is pretty catchy. Overall, a fantastic debut. Limited to 166 hand-numbered copies: unleash the beast.

M. Quake, Fall In Love With Yourself 7″ (Purely Physical)

Martina Quake put this 7″ out on Valentine’s Day this year, and it’s a pretty dope sentiment to drop on that holiday. I blindly threw this in an order from Low Company on the strength of the title alone, and I haven’t been disappointed. The A-side features snippets from an interview with Eartha Kitt, while gauzy, swirling synths play underneath her arguments against self-compromise in relationships. It’s a fine appetizer for the B-side “Dub,” those same woozy synth samples brought to the fore and getting drunk on themselves, the track transformed from instructive to indulgent, decadent. The beat never locks, both sides remaining off-kilter but lush. A mysterious and powerful little record, one I keep returning to as a sort of palette cleanser, or night cap. The 7″ is readily available in Europe from Boomkat and various other retailers; not sure if ordering from Forced Exposure will net you a copy, though.

The Native Cats, Two Creation Myths 7″ (Rough Skies)

It’s true that the Native Cats are my favorite modern band, so my bias is going to be evident, but their last two 7″ records on Rough Skies, Spiro Scratch and now Two Creation Myths, have been nothing short of brilliant. “Run With the Roses” is the best Native Cats song to date, and will almost definitely stand as the best song of the year. Chloe Escott is in fighting form, sneering and powerful, then vulnerable, then resplendent. The track is startling in its starkness, buoyed by Julian Teakle’s bass and peppered with some of Escott’s electronics, staring you down and refusing to flinch. Oof, what a dominating, masterful track; gives me chills every time. The flip is “Sanremo,” a lush ballad that the Native Cats excel at creating, akin to “C of O” and “Cowboy Builder” but bolstered by Escott’s self-assured vocal performance, theatrical without a whiff of the maudlin. Lulu’s recently reviewed the record, and I think they said it best: 

“Few bands releases feel quite as consistently considered as those of The Native Cats. Never a second wasted, nor element unslaved over, their voice is one of the most unique, engaging, and resolute of the contemporary Australian underground.”

You’re gonna need Two Creation Myths. It’s limited to 300 copies - buy it, along with everything else available, from Rough Skies.

[beardedd0nut]

Bearded donut and the brewery capital

Alrighty then, last I left off was just before my last day in Denver. I had a pretty cool final day spent between the natural science museum and hanging out with people at the share house. The walk out to the natural science museum included going through City park. It was a nice walk, and would've been better had it not been for the ducks, and therefore, duck shit everywhere. It's pungent and really quite foul, but I mean that's nature hey, a cycle of animals just producing shit wether you agree with it or not. The museum itself was pretty cool, but the main reason I ventured out was to see the Viking exhibit. Full of artefacts and recreations of things the Vikings would've used, the exhibit looks to sure a more realistic side to these people rather than the typical pop culture creations. The technology they had and used was way beyond some cultures of the time, and whilst I'm not an ancient Aliens kind of guy, it seems like they either learnt some seriously complicated shit in just a few hundred years or someone influenced them quite heavily. I wandered back through duck shit Park and spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with one of the dudes living at the house. We went to a local record shop where I couldn't resist but pick up a nice little treat for myself. Then I had my first taste of taco bell. It's not too bad. What wasn't so good about it was the next morning. Needless to say don't partake in taco bell before you need to be up at 5am to get a flight... Day One in Portland was great. It's a really beautiful city with greenery all over the place. Just driving into the city was awesome. Then getting into the pearl district where I stayed, the city kind of reminded me of Melbourne a little bit. Lots of coffee shops and funky restaurants, and best of all lots of brewery's. The First thing I did was head down to the Oregon historical society which has a an amazing exhibition on JFK. I suddenly understand how it was that so many people feel in love with him. His charisma and way of speaking, as well as his general likeability would triumph in any time frame. They had footage of I've debate he had with Nixon and I could've quite easily say the and watched the entire thing, if only because of how Kennedy sucked me in to something 50+years old. Dinner was at Henry's again but this one has 100 on tap, just a dangerous place to be in for a beer drinker, and again I thought I'd I just had the boys we could easily get through 15 or 20 a piece throughout a day. After dinner I hit up Mississippi Street and saw "The dustbowl revival" an awesome bluegrass/Dixieland band. Great fun and very talented, even if I had some big ears bald cockhead stand in front of me half way through the show. The band was really down to earth and even threw in a cover of super tramp just to show their musical diversity and adaptability. I'd really go to see them again if the chance arose. Once again standing around i met some lovely locals and had a really good night. Day Two consisted of a mild grogginess from the beer the night before, which included a triple IPA, but I jumped right into a brewery tour that was incredible. The host was so full of Portland's craft brewery scene and the beers were amazing, including the sours something I'd never tried before. Great company with a stag do, some poms and some women on a wine and beer getaway. Portland is the craft beer capital of America with something like 75+ craft breweries in the city. I could live here easily for the beer alone, I think there would be enough for one different beer every day for a year or more easily. Following the tour I hit up the largest independent book store I think in North America, and picked up 37 dollars worth of books that would've been an easy 100+ back home. Dinner day two was at the quality bar/sizzle pie. An awesome heavy metal/chill bar. Great fucking pizza and great service, for the record I got the pig destroyer. After dinner I went to see the rose festival parade. It wasn't too bad but as you may have seen the Canadian morons who joined made the night very difficult. The parade was nice but after an hour I was pretty sure I got the jist of it all and my buzz was well and truly wearing off so I needed to crash. I got up and went toTilt for a brunch/lunch escapade. It was a cool place with an industrial feel and large meals for cheap prices, I think their motto had to do with feeding the working class. Got a sweet Southern fried chicken burger with signature sauce and jalapeno slaw. Funnily enough I somehow found myself at a cinema, big surprise, and decided to finally see Logan. The cinema itself must've been around since the 50's and had a classic vibe with cheap as chips tickets, $4. Logan was good, not as depressing as everyone has said but still very good and had a lot to say on social and political climates. Not sure why a noir version would be necessary as most of the shots probably wouldn't lend themselves nicely to black and white but fuck it go make some money where you can Hollywood. I found out I missed out on a clay between Pro and anti Trump supporters. I was kind of disappointed I didn't get to stir any shit but then again I probably would've been arrested. The Feds were there and made a few arrests as it were. That night I chilled out at Al's Den, the bar at the hotel with live music from Will West and some other guests. The White people and what seemed to be their Mexican slaves they had with them were way too fucking loud and irritating. People need to learn to sit The fuck down and shut the fuck up when it comes to quiet venues and events. Also untuck the salmon polo shirt you bellend, we get it you play golf whoop dee god damn dee do. My final day in Portland has by far been the best one I've had. I kept hearing from locals that the reason so many people live Portland and Oregon, aside from the beer, is the nature that surrounds it. And boy did I find out how true that is. My day tour included seeing the Columbia gorge and river, Vista house, multiple falls, the hood River, mount hood and the Timberline Lodge. The untouched continuous greenery in these areas was just awesome, in the purest sense of the word. The air seems fresher, the water clearer and there's not way to be and to truly capture the beauty that I saw. Vista house was made for hundreds of thousands of dollars over budget in the early 1900's and is a marvel of the highway it sits on. Giving a great view of the beginning of the gorge and beacon rock it was a great way to start the day. The falls that we saw after ranged from about 50 feet to upwards of 200. The force of the water crashing down was something to behold, had I had a waterproof camera and change of clothes is love to have gotten closer to the falls. The mist that sprayed off of them also have the tree tops a really Middle Earth kind of feel which combined with the sunlight streaming through was just magical. The hood River was great to see, especially from a brewery for lunch. After that we began the climb up to mount hood, which even now is still covered with a layer of ice and snow. Apparently the US ski team trains there and it can be skied upon year round. At the very top, or at least really fucking close to it, lies Timberline Lodge. The name may not be familiar but the facade certainly is. The outside of the lodge is what Stanely Kubrick used for many exterior shots in the shining. Built during the 30's it's really a marvel to behold without master woodwork, metal with and masonry adorning the property. The Day learning about the history of Portland and seeing is breath taking natural beauty and wonder was the perfect end to my time here, and the fact that it was a sunny and clear 25 odd degrees just added to the magnificence of it all. I would happily return to Portland any day, and plan to do I can hike some of the trails and see even more that this city has to offer. As well as drinking more of its delectable beer.  I head off to Santa Monica tomorrow for the last few days of this trip, and while I'll probably just go shopping and bum around on the beach I'm looking forward to some great Cali weather and some great chill session before coming back to face reality.