Monday, August 29, 2011

Fungi Girls 'Some Easy Magic'

















Three teenagers Jacob Bruce, Skyler Salinas, Deryck barrera from Cleburne, Texas have released their second album 'Some Easy Magic' earlier this month on the flawless Hozac label. These eleven sun drenched tracks are a hybrid of Psychedelic and Garage Rock delivered from a threesome with a crush on Shoegaze. Within the 30 minutes you can hear a love for 13th Floor Elevators and Velvet Underground plus they have this chilled out, lush sound that washes over you like a surfer rock piece - listen to "Lucie" to see what I mean! A highlight is "Velvet Days", elasticated guitars erupt into a hyper tensed, fraught solo with indecipherable vocals wafting over the song. 'Some Easy Magic' magnifies a mellow sound where the Fungi Girls produce songs that are free-minded as they are mindful. Yesterday I was watching some friends play cricket and said how the summer should simply give up, it's got to be said we haven't really had one this year in London, if you get a chance to listen to 'Some Easy Magic', its bright sound will help you give one last hurrah to the season.

Fungi Girls Hozac
Fungi Girls Facebook


Fungi Girls - "Velvet Days" by Creeping Wave

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Bad Sports 'Kings Of The Weekend'

















Bad Sports new album 'Kings Of The Weekend' on Dirtnap follows up debut on Douchemaster (2009). Threesome Orville Neeley (Guitar/Vocals), Gregory Rutherford (Drums), TV's Daniel Fried (Bass/Vocals) featured on Matador's 'Casual Victim Pile 2010' encompassing many worthy bands displaying high caliber garage rock and punk outfits based in Texas. Outside of Bad Sports these guys have also played in Mind Spiders, OBN III and Wax Museums. Mark Ryan (Marked Men/Mind Spiders) recorded the album in his Fort Worth studio, Ryan's approach to super clean sound on his own records is used on Bad Sports second offering and certainly does it justice. 'Kings Of The Weekend' is a rabid punk record with a big rock feel to it that sounds like Ramones covering Big Star. It's wraps up an amalgam of influences from first wave punk, garage rock and bubblegum melodies delivered with a raw energy which sound like damaged power pop. Striking like a bolt from the blue 14 songs about being adolescent, horny and drunk rip through 30 minutes at a head-spinning pace. Highlights; "Can't Just Be Friends", "You Look Funny" and the heartfelt "Someday In The Future". 2 years in the making and it was definitely worth the wait, this second album feels like Bad Sports have hit their stride. 500 pressed, the first 100 on blue vinyl and you can find copies here.

Bad Sports Facebook

Thursday, August 25, 2011

OBN III's - Tic Tac Totally singles

































OBN III's are a 5 piece from Austin Texas made up from members of The Strangeboys, Bad Sports and A Giant Dog who have released two seven inches on Tic Tac Totally this year. Hot off the blocks is a self titled single comprised of 4 songs taken from their first recording session. Opener on Side A 'Running on Fumes' perfectly displays OBN III's damaged classic rock steamrolled by guitars that freely roam into muscled out solos. Following the first track is 'Do My Thing' which was chosen to feature on 12XU's 'Casual Victim Pile II' compilation. "Mad" closes the single featuring discordant guitars alongside Orville howling "I'm made about you fucking with me" sounding about as turbulent as it gets.

Side A on second single 'Mark On You' stands out amongst the two releases for being moodier and more menacing. Side B 'Heavy Heart' picks things up with OBN III's brand of punk which sounds like these guys could have been Dead Moon fans in their formative years. These singles perfectly capture the ballistic atmosphere of a great night out in a boozy, sweaty venue with bodies bouncing off the walls and both releases are definitely worth your time.

OBN III's Facebook
OBN III's Bandcamp

You can find copies here and here


Friday, August 19, 2011

Timmy's Organism/John Wesley Coleman 7"

















Memphis' Goner Records earned a mention in a recent Billboard survey and although we didn't need a poll to affirm they are one of the best, it was still awesome to see them recognized alongside many other worthy independent labels. New split 7" from Timmy's Organism and John Wesley Coleman attests to the hype - I'll go ahead and say it, this is one of my favourite singles of the year so far.

Body snatcher, werewolf or a alien? This is what I'm wrangling with, as it's not possible Timmy Vulgar entered this world the same way the rest of us have. Previously fronting Clone Defects, he went on to play in Human Eye and in 2010 debuted Timmy's Organism with 'Rise of the Green Gorilla' which saw his brand of oracular solar rock top many end of year lists. Side A is Timmy Organism's animalistic "Mind Over Matter" opening with crashes of apocalyptic proportions, followed by Vulgar's howling vocals and delay heavy guitars which should come with the warning: this song spews testosterone. Featuring on Side B is "A Clown Gave You a Baby" by John Wesley Coleman , one part of Golden Boys with a few records under his belt as John Wesley Coleman III. Elevating, sugary organs, boxing guitars and rhythms with a melody that gets instantly stuck in your head - if this song doesn't make you want to get up and dance you should probably get your pulse checked.

Superb single on both accounts, there were a limited amount on clear vinyl but you can definitely find the black vinyl 7" and catch a sample of the songs here.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Wax Idols: Interview!













Stoked to bring you the latest interview for Gilded Gutter from Wax Idols' Hether Fortune, who tells us about her band's new record 'NO FUTURE' (HoZac), her zine 'ORGAZM ADDICT' and her other project BLASTED CANYONS...

How are you?! What's it like over in Oakland right right now?

I'm chillin. It's typical bay area shit right now; warm during the day (in some parts of SF/oakland), overcast and shitty in others, cold at night. Stoners wandering around, people doing band/art shit, MUNI police shooting people for no reason, yuppies driving those miniature
cars, etc.

It's a bit unreal in London at the moment with riots everywhere, it started about a shooting between the police and a black kid. The boy was shot and killed and it's yet to be established whether the police shot first or the kid. LA has seen pretty horrific riots too in the past. In a country where guns are legal do you think people should be able to carry them?

Aye. I'm no politician, but I personally think that everyone should have the right to defend themselves, their family, their homes, etc. I certainly don't trust police officers to do it for me, nor should anyone else. In my opinion, guns are not the problem. PEOPLE are the problem. I am very sorry about what's happening in London...it's a damn shame. I understand why people are upset about the shooting, we've had several similar incidents in San Francisco recently. I just don't see how smashing up buildings and looting small businesses is doing any justice to that poor man or his family. If a group of activists had decided to blow up an (empty) police station in protest, well, I would probably applaud that. Random acts of childish violence accomplishes nothing.

I read that you've started writing a zine 'Orgasm Addict' (is that a
Buzzcocks reference?), how's it going? What's the focus of it?


'ORGAZM ADDICT'. Yep, it's a BUZZCOCKS reference! It's going pretty well, I think? The first issue is supposed to be "done" at the end of August, but that all depends on me. There is no real focus. It's just a shitty DIY zine about nothing/everything/anything featuring artists and writers that are friends of mine. People that I think are interesting, intelligent, funny. I'll send you a copy when it's done!

When did you have that 'I can do that moment' and pick up an instrument?

Several members of my family are musicians and/or singers. I've been fooling around with music since I was a baby. I've always been a writer. I think the first official "poem" I wrote was for my great-grandfather's funeral when I was 8 or 9. I honestly can't remember what instrument I learned how to play first...there was the recorder (naturally), oboe, piano, flute, drums. I started REALLY playing drums and guitar around age 13 I think.

Do you remember the first song you wrote?

NO I don't and it really bothers me that I can't remember! :(

You've played in some other bands what prompted you to start your own?

I kept getting kicked out of other people's bands! I have a very dominant personality, and I think a lot of people have a really hard time working with me. I figured I may as well just start my own band(s), so about a year and a half ago I started two within a few months of each other (WAX IDOLS and my other band BLASTED CANYONS). Apparently I'm not THAT hard to work with, because both bands are still going strong. Though Wax Idols has had a few lineup changes...hahaha.

You co-design the cover of the new record, do you make any other visual work?

Not really. I fool around with collages, take shitty point and shoot photos. That's about it. I know what I like, but I lack the technical experience and know-how to execute my ideas (visually). Luckily I have some fucking BRILLIANT friends to collaborate with that are able to transform my messy ideas into reality.

Does visual art work influence the music you write and visa versa at all?

Every now and then the visual aspects of a film will inspire me to write something. I wrote a song once while I was on my friend's roof high as a kite watching the sun rise. But usually my music is directly related to life experience, emotional anguish, relationships, etc. Love, loss, blah blah blah. Though I have written a few songs based on books I've read.... I don't know. I think I could write a song about pretty much anything, if I wanted to.

I read on average most major Modern Art galleries only have 4% of female artists on show, and it certainly feels that way in music sometimes too,
what do you think of that statistic?


Where did you read that?! That's outrageous, though not entirely shocking. Unfortunately it is still very much a MAN'S world. Or rather, a straight white man's world. BOOOOOORRRRIIIINNNNGGGGGGGG.

Was there any sort of art of music around in your formative years that made an impression on you?

Definitely. Everything from top 40 pop to middle eastern music. My uncle (and pretty much my favorite family member) was/is way into Nirvana - so that left a mark. I got really obsessed with Joy Division when I was about 15. My stepdad is a huge fan of THE CLASH and subsequently turned me into one.

Can you tell us a little about the song 'All Too Human', I CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD!! Who made the video?

Man I wrote that song SO long ago! It's about an ex-boyfriend. I wrote it during the earlier stages of our relationship, when things were very back and forth and confusing. Not that much ever really changed...haha. It was an insanely tumultuous relationship. I made that video in collaboration with my good friend Hayden Shiebler. She did most of the work!

What can we expect from the new record?

Well for starters it is NOT "low-fi", at all. I never intended for WAX IDOLS to be lumped into that category. My first recordings were just shitty demos I recorded onto garageband in my bedroom, because I didn't have anything else available to me. The ALL TOO HUMAN 7" was recorded in a studio, but so many people have referred to it as "low-fi" and I really don't get it! It's a totally clean, high-fi recording!! I think music writers regularly get fidelity confused with effects pedals. But I digress. NO FUTURE is a pop record. Most of the songs were written shortly after the death of Jay Reatard, who I loved very much. I think that his influence, in life and death, is pretty obvious. It's not all doom and gloom, but the songs are all deeply personal and special to me. I don't know what else to say, you'll just have to wait and hear! :)

Do you prefer playing or recording?

Recording. I'm a control freak, there are too many variables at work in a live setting. Most people don't realize that I am incredibly sensitive and neurotic... I get really uncomfortable in most social situations. I've gotten pretty good at playing it off - but inside the alarms are going OFF! Once I'm actually ON STAGE, the people disappear and I'm in a world of my own. I love performing, but if I had to pick one or the other...yeah it would be recording.

What's the most memorable show you've ever played or attended?

Opening for THE ZEROS last year at JJRADFEST in San Diego was AMAZING. Every show is memorable in its own way. Seeing WIRE was probably the highlight of my life as far as shows go.

What's in the future for Wax Idols? Do you have any other projects on the go we should look out for?

Records, records, records. Tour, tour, tour. My other band BLASTED CANYONS is tight. Check us out at www.facebook.com/blastedcanyons

"I'm full of dust and guitars" - Syd Barrett if you were cracked open what would be inside?

Venom and tears. Too cheesy? hahahaha.

Wax Idols Facebook
Wax Idols Tumblr
Wax Idols HoZac

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Wax Idols 'All Too Human/William Says'

















'Wax Idols Cassette 2011' (Psychic Snerts) put out earlier in the year landed Wax Idols their first 7" release on the mighty HoZac label, who will also be putting out their debut album ('No Future') in September. At the core of the band is Hether Fortune/vocals/guitar (Bare Wires, Hunx & His Punx) with current line up Amy Rosenhoff/bass, Keven Tecon/drums and Jennifer Mundy/guitar. (Previous band members have included; Mat Hartman (Sic Alps), Ashley Thomas, Courtney Gray, Paul Keelan and Taylor Valentino.)

Opener 'All Too Human' is laden in fuzz with Wax Idol's dreamy ruptured pop surging through the distortion. This song may be familiar to some as it featured on the 'Wax Idols Cassette 2011' release. The B Side 'William Says' also features on the Psychic Snerts tape under 'Gooey Gooey'. The vexing number channels spooked, hypnotic vocals, swarming guitars and pulsating rhythms that build to a perfectly rendered paranoia attack. Wax Idols' wrong-footed luminous punk coupled with Hether Fortune's unfeigned approach to lyrics and songwriting makes this band one worth watching. Can't wait to hear the album.

Video for 'All Too Human'
Wax Idols Tumblr
Wax Idols Facebook
HoZac Records store for STUFF!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

J.C Satan 'Sick Of Love'

















J.C Satan's 'Sick Of Love' is a celebratory album for Slovenly Records marking the label's 100th release. This debut album is made by 2 girls from Turin, Italy and 3 guys from Bordeaux, France where the album was recorded. Sure, garage rock bands come dime a dozen at the moment, with the sheer volume of current albums taking cues from 13th Floor Elevators, Oblivions, Gories it's a feat unto itself to wade through it all (hence why this post is being made 8 months late). But, it's worth it when you dig and dig to find an album like 'Sick Of Love'. J.C Satan aren't trying to challenge garage rock, but bring new blood to a genre that's seen an immense revival lately.

'Sick Of Love' is made up of ramshackle garage rock numbers delivered with a feedback quality akin to The Jesus and Mary Chain. The songs vary from blasts of crunchy, fuzzed out guitars carrying pop melodies alongside unglued boy/girl vocals, to melancholic lonely pieces such as "Your Place". Even in these darker places lyricist Paula keeps a sense of humor, "Woke up late in the morning, In a bed full of Stories, There’s no love, No romance, Just a jerk in a coma". "Adventure Boat" and "Can You" are more highlights best showing J.C Satan's flare for unhinged garage stompers from the songwriting styles of Arthur Satan (Meatards, Magnetix). 'Sick Of Love' is like a 35 minute tornado that pushes and pulls you in every which direction 13 songs possibly can, this should please any Ty Segal or Oh Sees fan.

J.C Satan Can You by Gilded Gutter

Slovenly Records shop
J.C Satan Facebook

Monday, August 1, 2011

Roseanne Barrr: INTERVIEW!













Psyched to bring you an interview from London's noisemakers Roseanne Barrr, who've answered some questions for Gilded Gutter where we get talking about sex, murder and swimming costumes...

Introduce yourselves! Who's in Roseanne Barrr and what do you play?

Patrick: I play the bass and sing.
Sophie: It's just us two and I play drums and sing.

Are you self taught musicians - or are you trained in any way?

P: All self taught. I come from quite a musical family though but was always the youngest child that listened to things that were loud and screechy.
S: I had precisely three drum lessons and then decided to leave the bass drum and hi hat out of it. I would quite like some more drum lessons now, just to improve technique and fancy things that I don't know how to do. I managed grade one piano when I was 11, I think Patrick actually had drum and saxophone lessons no?
P: Drum lessons when I was teenager actually yeah, though I've never been a drummer in a band. Never saxophone though. I wish.

Do you think it's a help or hindrance to be taught 'how to play'?

P: It can be both. As much as I couldn't give a shit about playing correctly, being "bad at playing" can be a bullshit posture people assume for kudos and also a bullshit tag hung on bands or musicians as a means of belittling them. I just want to ignore any voice of authority.
S: I think initially it can be useful as it could bypass hours of trying to work out things on your own, I don't care either way if people can play or not, I know friends who would love to unlearn what they have to play in a different way which makes it even more apparent that it doesn't matter. I think practice is more important than lessons, I guess it depends on what you are trying to achieve.

Do you prefer playing or recording?

P: Both make me feel a bit sick with nerves.
S: Definitely playing shows, recording can be stressful as even though you think you are getting what you want when recording after you listen back it may be tons different, I think getting how you want to sound is really hard, particularly if you don't have much money to record. The whole finality of recording freaks me out, I think if I had weeks to get it right (mostly the sound and feeling) I would find it more enjoyable.

How would you describe London's music scene currently, feel free to talk about anything; practice spaces, venues, direction music may be going in...

P: I don't really know if there is anything to say about music scenes in the present tense. People just want to proselytize or self mythologise, or invent more compelling histories.
S: I think more people are being proactive in putting on shows but it can be tough financially. Although I have played the Birds Nest in Deptford multiple times, it still is great as there is no hire fee, and the venue pays bands, I think that is pretty unusual in London. I am into shows in different spaces, Big Takeover are good for that and recently we have been playing at social centres such as Lambeth Women's project. I don't think I could comment on any music scene as I think there are many and it's only relevant to the people who are in them. As a rule scenes and specific groups make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

If you could change anything about London's music scene what would it be?

P: I would want to somehow stop money being so crippling. If everyone could record, play, practice freely. More collectively run/DIY venues.
S: I agree with Patrick, it's also nice when some places have some regularity, the Rat Star squat in Camberwell was fun last summer, we both live in South London, so any place you can pop down to and see bands is good (but kind of rare).

What are your favourite spots if any to get records in the UK?

P: Ebay. Rat Records. In the post.
S: I am going through a long phase of not really buying records.
P: Actually buying records, tapes or whatever is really good at shows off of distros or bands themselves.

Which records made an impression on you that influenced the work in Roseanne Barrr?

P: Pretty on the Inside. Taking The Rough With The Smooch. Bad Moon Rising.
S: I don't think any, not to say we are so different but I don't really think like that. People have said we sound like the song Death Valley 69 and DNA which is nice but we don't talk much about sounding like something or other. Saying that I would love it if we sounded like a mix of Patty Waters and Throbbing Gristle.

I love the abrasive and aggressive attitude in your songs - can you expound on the noise focused sound and what inspires it?

P: We just get really noisy when the two of us together, if we aren't playing music we're usually both just yelling. We both like to write songs about sex and being criminal.
S: A lot is driven by sex and lust and anger. We have been going for a few years now and that has encompassed lots of different bits of our lives which no doubt come out in the songs. To begin with it felt pretty cathartic and really physical making music and I think that's why it started pretty loud and yelly. We are both fans of the grotesque and being brash and loud and unashamed. That and thinking about death and murder, like the idea that we would all murder if we could get away with it and didn't conscience and ethics didn't play a part.

Can you tell us a little bit about 'A Thiefs Journal', it's a great track!!

P: It's a murderous sex fantasy that ends with us singing from Genet.
S: Its about a one night stand and Thief's Journal by Genet, about sex marks and a sex revenge murder.

I love that you guys dress up on stage with wigs, make up et al, not enough people do it -- what inspires the outfits and what does it bring to your performance on stage?

P: I think it's inspired by Valley of the Dolls, Rosemary's Baby, Bette Davis...
S: Again the grotesque is good, I wish I would go further with it but to be honest I still wanna look a smite nice which always disappoints me. I used to wear swimming costumes to play in which was really practical, but I peaked with a kind of nude outfit with electric al tapoe crosses in places and I don't think I can come back from that.

What's the weirdest thing you've seen at a show?

P: I went to see Goblin play once. The whole experience was weird, but good weird.
S: A full on tantrum by a singer after playing which involved beating fists against the floor.

Any new bands you'd like to rave about - records playing at home we've got to know about?!!

P: Satellites of Love are dreamy and have a tape out. Gropetown and Fem Bitch Nation.
S: I like Satellites of Love more and more, we are going on tour with them soon in September.

What's the future for Roseanne Barrr? Feel free to mention any other projects you may be working on if you like...

P: We are going to have an LP out by the end of the year. Touring with Satellites of Love and Woolf. More wigs.
S: West coast tour next year, some fan portraits, touring with both Roseanne Barrr and Woolf, both of whom I'm in so probably getting pretty tired with bigger and bigger arms

'I'm full of dust and guitars' - Syd Barrett, if you were cracked open what would be inside?

P: Vomit.
S: Shit.

Roseanne Barrr Bandcamp
Roseanne Barrr Facebook