Superchunk - This Summer b/w Cruel Summer 7''

My new favorite 7'' single is "This Summer b/w Cruel Summer" by Superchunk. It's catchy and it says summer. My copy is number 634/1300. It's on white vinyl that matches the cover. Appropriately enough the b-side is a poppy punk cover of Bananarama's "Cruel Summer." These songs make me happy to be alive.

Bodega Girls say "Live Free or Die"

 

A. Live Free or Die [5:52]
B. Everybody Wants A Piece Of My Baby [4:07]

This month we celebrated America's independence. We partied and watched the fireworks and had a merry time. This month we also got a gift to America - Bodega Girls cassingle "Live Free or Die." Who's Bodega Girls? Only one of the hottest bands outta Boston with a knack for making me sweat, dance like a fool, and loosen me up. In other words they are one sexy band. Now what's a cassingle you might also ask? A thing called cassette tape became a popular way for people to listen to music in the 1960s and although its use started to decline in the 2000's as CD's and digital music were all the craze, bands like Bodega Girls have resurrected this format, going back to music's roots. It's kinda a fuck you to the digitalized overtake of music. The classic "cassingle" or cassette single was a popular way to promote a band's  music. I simply love playing this cassette in my mahogany Crosley 4-in-1 cassette player-radio-record player-cd player - all the goods in one package. Bodega Girls inside my Crosley Player spinning around making sweet love - I mean playing sweet music. Can it get better than that? 

To me "Live Free or Die" highlights the "do it yourself" ethic of the band and the American given right of freedom. It reminds me of the saying "D.I.Y. or DIE." When we are born we are given freedom, and as Carmen sings, "I got freedom in my veins." It's a ridiculously hot song that makes me confident to do what I want to do. The expression, "Live Free or Die", is New Hampshire's state motto used in this song to capture the confident vibe the band carries that reminds me that one should not live in fear. The use of a red cassette signifies the blood, sacrifice, and courage depicted in the red we see in flags such as the American Flag.  So live free and dance. So live free and try. So live free or die.

Pick up the tape, which also features a slower but equally sweet B-side here: http://burningmill.bigcartel.com/product/bodega-girls-cassingle. I hope you hear what I hear because that's freedom ringing in my ears.

Review: Bern & the Brights- Starchild 7''

Bern & the Brights- Starchild 7''
Montclair, NJ
Indie / Rock / Chamber-Pop
Released: April 16, 2011
Self Released

There is something breathtaking about the music of Bern & the Brights. With their new vinyl release single "Starchild," Bern & the Brights has solidified their place in my heart as one of the best bands around today. The songwriting, groove, and lyrics on this song are top notch. It's a mesmerizing song about the one you love. I don't know exactly who they are referring to, but that doesn't matter. What matters is what it means to me, to you, to us, together. 

The release of this single was well-thought out by the band. They chose to release the single in time for Record Store Day, which was on April 16, to celebrate their love of vinyl and to showcase one of their best songs that they have been playing live for quite some time. They chose to do the artwork themselves. They chose to finance the release themselves. No kickstarter campaign, no label support. They used their own cash, impeccable talent, and music community to release it. They worked at Home Front Studios with Matt Ryan of The Defending Champions, who contributed a fitting trombone on the single. I respect that Bern & the Brights in true D.I.Y. aesthetic worked on the artwork and design of the record by themselves and financed it themselves, too.

Singles Review: Kevin Devine - Part of the Whole/Luxemboug 7''

Critiquing one of your favorite artists is no easy task. Kevin Devine as an artist will always be good, that's something I'm sure of in the way that I'm sure my closest friends will always be their for me. I can always count on his music to melt my heart, to make me happy, to remind me why I invest my emotional and financial support in an artist.

Devine is everything I could want in artist: a warm lyrical heart, a strong voice, a gripping storyteller, an interesting interview subject. I can go on but you get the drift. In anticipation of a new album Devine has released two new 7'' singles.

"Part of the Whole" opens with a calm guitar before it builds up to the drums booming in a little over a minute musical intro, before the first words are sung: "Back your mind you're counting it down, you want what you want you're not worrying now."

The songwriting and lyrics are great, but the guitar falls short. This little flaw is heard around 3:26--an annoying guitar sound that drifts for the rest of the song. Funny, how Devine ends the song with, "You've gotta face it whole." So, with that advice, I think it's necessary to critique the song as a whole because that 13 seconds of guitar is just part of the whole song. Overall, the guitars get pretty loud and pop with urgency as Devine sings about dealing with what you can't control. Specifically, he talks about it being about the gentrification of the lower east side in NYC, which you can read about in the interview below, but being the lyricist he is, Devine makes his lyrics universal, so that you can apply and interpret, "you try and let go of all that you can't control," and "you've gotta face it whole, you've gotta face it, oh, you've gotta face it" to mean anything to the listener. He's not really singing about the gentrification of the LES, but that's what it means to him. More importantly it's what YOU take the lyrics to mean. The genuine nature  that he delivers in his poetically crafted, story telling songs is ace. If you like the guitar in Bad Books, then this will be a song you'll enjoy.

Moving along is the second single, "Luxembourg," where Devine boldly confesses: "I've got weakness like all my brothers do." Within the song, Devine talks about being lost in Luxembourg. He continue, "time won't heal our wounds." For the longest time, I've heard and believed that 'time will heal.' Here Devine rejects that notion. "Kids do stupid things and I was and I did....Speak no argument, you're nowhere close to shore/ I'm sorry, but I don't have time for sorry anymore." The way Devine sings calmly and beautifully sings this song is lovely. Overall, these songs are pleasant and showcase the growth of Mr. Devine. They may not be perfect, but they're enough to make me happy I'm a Kevin Devine fan. Anyway, no artist, no person is perfect, and I'm not expected to like every lyric or every part of the music. But by assessing the music as a whole you begin to realize that you can't dismiss a song on the basis of the part you don't like. If that was always the case, then we'd be missing out on the best parts of the whole--not just with songs but it has greater meaning to your life.

Listen to Part of the Whole and read an interview Devine did with Spinner here:  http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/12/kevin-devine-Between-the-Concrete-and-Clouds/ 


More info on "Part of the Whole" and "Luxembourg" at Academy Fight Song. 

Jack Skuller- Love is a Drum (video)

DOWNLOAD: Jack Skuller- Love is a Drum 

Leave it 14-year old Weehawken, New Jerseyan, Jack Skuller to talk about love. The teen offers some advice: If you play out of tune, she's gonna walk out on you. This is from his rockabilly tune "Love is a Drum," which has some sweet guitar licks. The song was produced by Daniel Rey, who worked with The Ramones and also features Nada Surf's Ira Elliot on drums. The catchy song ends with the line "love hurts." He's already played at Maxwell's twice and word has it he'll perform at the CMJ Music Marathon in October. Keep an eye out. Who knows if this kid will be the Elvis of Jersey. 

The single is available as a limited edition 7'' vinyl and as a digial download on Hoboken based label Bar/None Records.