Water All Around

"Water all around...never learn how to swim now." This site is devoted to great alternative music. Like "Swingin' Party" by the Replacements from which the aforementioned lyrics hail. These posts are intended to introduce visitors to bands that I believe deserve greater attention. If you wish to have an MP3 removed, email me at zotzedwriter@yahoo.com.

Friday, September 29, 2006

Five fer Friday II

[MP3] XTC – “Funk Pop a Roll” EXPIRED
Andy Partridge is at his best when he’s angry, and in this song he’s very angry at the music industry.

[MP3] Bash & Pop – “Never Aim to Please”
EXPIRED
When I heard Tommy sing “Tried to keep the party rolling … it rolled over me” in this his first post-Mats effort, I knew he was still a Replacement at heart.

[MP3] Stiff Little Fingers – “Alternative Ulster”
EXPIRED
A true punk classic – SLF would never reach these heights again.

[MP3] Dropkick Murphys – “Good Rats” EXPIRED
Great DM tune featuring Shane MacGowan of the Pogues.

[MP3] Fountains of Wayne – “Bowling Shoes (Live)” EXPIRED
This would later become “The Girl I Can’t Forget” which appears on their B-side collection, Out-of-State Plates.

Have a great weekend. Go state!

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Transplants

Founded in 2002 and finished in 2005 after just two discs, the Transplants were a side project of Rancid’s Tim Armstrong. Unlike Rancid – which kicks out a ferocious ska-punk – the Transplants throw down a bassier, groovier sound with rapped out lyrics. Gangsta-punk, maybe? Regardless of what you term it, it’s pretty doggone good.

I prefer their 2002 self-titled disc to the slicker, glossier Haunted Cities from 2005. Which is why these three tracks hail from the earlier effort:

[MP3] Transplants – “Diamonds and Guns” EXPIRED
[MP3] Transplants – “Sad But True” EXPIRED
[MP3] Transplants – “We Trusted You” EXPIRED

Buy the Transplants

Mats on SNL

I happened upon this circa-1985 Replacements video and it reminded me of just how great the band was. I saw them in Ann Arbor, MI, during this tour, and that performance remains the best I’ve ever seen (some day when I have more time I’ll write about it).

This is them performing “Bastards of Young” on SNL. Later in the show, they do “Kiss Me on the Bus” – with Tommy, Paul, and Chris swapping each other’s clothes from the “Bastards” performance (guess Bob couldn’t fit into anyone else’s).

And as a little bonus I’m throwing in a link to their “Bastards” video. At the time, Westerberg hated videos so much he refused to do them. The record company, however, had different ideas and forced them to do one. Westerberg’s solution: Film a stereo speaker playing “Bastards of Young.” Classic.

[VIDEO] Mats performing "Bastards of Young" on SNL

[VIDEO] “Bastards of Young”

Monday, September 25, 2006

U.S. Bombs

Nothing new or underground-breaking here, just good ol’ old-school punk – sung with the sneer of Johnny Rotten, written with the political consciousness of Joe Strummer, and played with burning, hooky riffs of Mick Jones. The U.S. Bombs hail from Boston, Mass., and their music is best played when you’re in need of expelling a great gob of pent-up anger.

The following tunes are from their 2000 Epitaph disc, Back at the Laundromat.

[MP3] U.S. Bombs – “Tora Tora Tora” EXPIRED
[MP3] U.S. Bombs – “Lunch in a Sack” EXPIRED
[MP3] U.S. Bombs – “The Wig Out” EXPIRED

More downloads at their myspace page

Buy Back at the Laundromat

Friday, September 22, 2006

Five fer Friday

[MP3] The Adverts - "One Chord Wonders" EXPIRED
One of the greatest song titles of all time!

[MP3] Exploding Hearts - "Teenage Faces" EXPIRED
Whoo-hoo! New Exploding Hearts! This is from their forthcoming B-side collection, Shatttered. (Due 10/2)

[MP3] Hold Steady - "Chips Ahoy!" EXPIRED
Great new tune from their soon-to-be released Boys and Girls in America disc. (Due 10/3)

[MP3] Hungry For What - "Last Seven Days"
EXPIRED
Little-known early 80s punkers from Switzerland - clearly influenced by the Clash.

[MP3] Old 97s - "Rollerskate Skinny (Live)"
EXPIRED
This live track - from this year's Alive and Wired double disc - may be better than the original.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

FofW/PW Soundtrack Songs

Here are two shiny new tunes from Fountains of Wayne and Paul Westerberg – both from recent films. FofW weigh in with a goofily great theme song for Monster House, while PW contributes a disappointingly dull track to Open Season.

Which brings me to the point of this post: What the %&*$@# has happened to Paul Westerberg? Since the dissolution of the Replacements many moons ago, he’s written what – maybe five great songs at best? I know that some attribute his demise to the sobering up of his life and softening up of his music. Me – I don’t have a problem with either. My beef is with his lyrics. The guy who once wielded a wicked wit and poignant emotional power now pens lyrics that make Hall & Oates seem mind-expanding.

Now, I realize the song that has prompted this diatribe is from a soundtrack to a family film. But so is the Fountain of Wayne’s track. And the Waynes manage to make theirs witty and entertaining. Westerberg’s, on the other hand, is insipid and dull.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think maybe it’s time to run the closing credits on the music of PW.

[MP3] Fountains of Wayne – “Monster House” (highly recommended)
EXPIRED
[MP3] Paul Westerberg – “Love You in the Fall” (highly disappointing) EXPIRED

Buy the Monster House soundtrack
Buy the Open Season soundtrack

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

New Bobby Bare, Jr.

Whoa. Where did this come from?

Over two outstanding albums and an EP, twang-rocker Bobby Bare, Jr. wrapped his world-weary, little-guy-that-couldn’t attitude inside a sorta quiet/sorta lazy stripped-down sound.

Well, on his just-released The Longest Meow, Bobby’s still weary and he’s still the guy who can’t, but little is lazy and even less is quiet.

The Longest Meow rocks – with a bigger sound, beefier guitars, and a much more in-your-face production.

At first, I was unsure but now I’m liking it. See if you agree:

[MP3] Bobby Bare, Jr. – “The Heart Bionic” EXPIRED
[MP3] Bobby Bare, Jr. – “Uh Wuh Oh” EXPIRED
[MP3] Bobby Bare, Jr. – “Gun Show” EXPIRED

Buy The Longest Meow

Monday, September 18, 2006

More, Please

Haven't had time to post much here lately. So in honor of those who've been wanting more music from me, here are some bands that I've been wanting more music from.

I have just one tune by each of the groups below but I likes em so much I'm looking to fill up with more.

[MP3] The Adored - "Tell Me, Tell Me" EXPIRED
[MP3] Dusty 45s - "My Heart Bleeds"EXPIRED
[MP3] The Lashes - "Death My Mixtape" EXPIRED
[MP3] The Pink Spiders - "Modern Swinger" EXPIRED
[MP3] Puma Frenzy! - "Hard to Breathe" EXPIRED
[MP3] Sprites - "George Romero" EXPIRED
[MP3] You Am I - "Useless Information" EXPIRED

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Minus 5

Some albums on an iPod, I’ve found, are like that can of Bean with Bacon soup that sits in the far reaches of the kitchen cupboard. You keep ignoring it with every meal, thinking you have better options. Then one day you’re tired of everything else and you figure, what the hell, I’ll have this can of Bean with Bacon soup. And – surprise – it’s delicious. With each spoonful, you wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.

The Gun Album by the Minus 5 is my latest can of Bean with Bacon soup. It had been sitting on my iPod for several months. But every time I saw it, I kept going for what I thought was a better option. Then last week I figured, what the hell.

And, as the recent analogy suggested, surprise.

What a great disc it is. Every song involves booze or weapons or both – and how can any rock ‘n’ roll lover not love that? Musically, it sorta blends a Wilco-like alt-country sound with a nostalgic 60s pop similar to Young Fresh Fellows. Which isn’t surprising at all, given that the Minus 5 is a revolving collective formed by Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows fame, and the band’s last two discs have featured Jeff Tweedy of Wilco (one of which was humorously titled Down with Wilco). You’ll also hear Peter Buck of REM and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies.

Here are three spoonfuls for your listening enjoyment:

[MP3] Minus 5 – “With a Gun” EXPIRED
[MP3] Minus 5 – “Twilight Distillery”EXPIRED
[MP3] Minus 5 – “Bought a Rope”EXPIRED

Buy the Gun Album

Monday, September 04, 2006

Labor Day

Ahh, the eternal clash between labor and management. The boots and the suits. The have-nots and have-gots. The card-carrying union workers and the club-clutching union breakers.

The greedy and, well, the greedy.

Happy Labor Day, everyone!

[MP3] Against Me! – “Baby, I’m an Anarchist” EXPIRED
[MP3] Bedouin Soundclash – “Immigrant Workforce”
EXPIRED
[MP3] The Clash – “Career Opportunities (Live)” EXPIRED
[MP3] The Clash – “Magnificent Seven” EXPIRED
[MP3] Elvis Costellos – “Welcome to the Working Week” EXPIRED
[MP3] Dropkick Murphys – “Worker’s Song” EXPIRED
[MP3] Fountains of Wayne – “Hey Julie” EXPIRED
[MP3] Old 97s – “Buick City Complex” EXPIRED
[MP3] The Police – “Dead End Job” EXPIRED
[MP3] The Pretenders – “Millionaires” EXPIRED
[MP3] The Ramones – “It’s Not My Place (in the 9 to 5 World)” EXPIRED
[MP3] The Ramones – “The Job That Ate My Brain” EXPIRED
[MP3] The Replacements – “God Damn Job” EXPIRED

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Left Alone

I discovered these guys at the Rock Star Journalist blog (to which you'll find a link conveniently located in the list to your right). If you like Rancid, you'll like Left Alone. They are clearly influenced by the CA ska-punkers, and recently signed with Hellcat Records (which was co-founded by Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong). While ska and punk play large roles in their music, Left Alone also brings in country, Tex-Mex, rockabilly, and reggae. And they move easily between punk screamers and more melodic, introspective numbers (a trait I’ve always had a weakness for).

All of the songs below are from this year’s Dead American Radio disc. “City to City” was written by and features Tim Armstrong, and “La Pregunta” is a duet with Patricia Day of the Horropops (see my H-pops entry here). “Waiting for You” slows it down a bit, while “Dead American Radio” rocks and rages against the money-grubbing suits who control our airwaves.

This is a great disc – one of my faves of 2006. If you like what you hear here, I strongly urge you not to leave Left Alone alone. Buy the whole disc via the link below.

From Dead American Radio:
[MP3] Left Alone – “City to City” (featuring Tim Armstrong) EXPIRED
[MP3] Left Alone – “La Pregunta” (featuring Patricia Day) EXPIRED
[MP3] Left Alone – “Waiting for You” EXPIRED
[MP3] Left Alone – “Dead American Radio” EXPIRED

Buy Dead American Radio