Monthly Recommendations: December 2013

I am doing something different for this month's Monthly Recommendations post. Seeing how it is the end of the year, I have decided to select a few of the things that I recommended this year in my monthly posts and re-recommend them. These are things that I think are totally worth checking out. Consider this the highlight version of this year's recommendations.

Blog

Brave Hannah - Yes, it's my sister's blog. Yes, that makes me a little biased. But it's a really great blog for anyone interested in eating real food, staying active, and generally living a healthy and positive life. If that's your thing, then give it a look.

Book

Answers for Aristotle: How Science and Philosophy Can Lead Us to a More Meaningful Life - I read a lot of books this year - way more than usual - but this book by Massimo Pigliucci is by far the most intriguing book I read all year. I think about it regularly and intend to read it again soon. Yes, it's that good.

Zine

Dream Whip #15 - Dream Whip is one of my all-time favorite zines. Bill Brown's writing is simple yet so profound. Getting to read a new issue of Dream Whip was a highlight of my year.

Podcast

Caustic Soda - When I recommended this back in August, I had only listened to one or two episodes. I honestly didn't fully comprehend what I was listening to at that time, but I knew I liked it. Now that I've listened to nearly every episode, I think I can safely say that I am a bona fide Caustic Soda Jerk. With healthy doses of humor, lightheartedness, caution, and seriousness, nobody discusses "caustic" themes like these guys. Give it a few listens, and you'll find that - just like a train wreck - you won't be able to turn away.

Music

The Kingons - Because I am convinced that everyone needs a little pop punk in their lives every now and then. (Or in my case, the more the merrier).

Monthly Recommendations: November 2013

Read:

Death from the Skies: The Science Behind the End of the World - Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy describes the myriad ways in which the universe is out to get us. A fascinating and somewhat unsettling read.

Darwin for Beginners - An illustrated history of Charles Darwin and how he came to write The Origin of Species. A great introduction to the theory of evolution and all of its complexities by Jonathan Miller and Borin Van Loon.

Watch/Listen:

The Kingons - Japanese Pop Punk. On tour now with The Copyrights and The Queers.

Also:

Thanksgiving is coming up soon, so consider this:

Monthly Recommendations: February 2013

The Other F Word - A documentary about punk rockers becoming fathers (F = fatherhood) and the challenging dichotomy of living an anti-authoritarian lifestyle while simultaneously having to be an authority figure to your children. Fascinating.

Greenwoman Magazine - The fourth issue of Sandy's garden writing magazine is out, and it's packed with the quality content you've come to expect. A musing on chickens, thoughts on the challenges of birds in the garden, an interview with Amy Stewart (an artist), a "Diary of a Garden Goddess," some fiction, art, poetry, and so much more. Get your hands on a copy of this.

A Valentine's Day message from Laci Green of Sex+.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 50: Hey Ho Let's Go: The Story of the Ramones

The Ramones were the greatest rock 'n roll band to have ever existed. Their legacy is incredibly far-reaching, and yet, at the same time, so under-appreciated, understated, and misunderstood. While they never had a hit record and never got much radio play during their 22 year career, their influence can be felt in modern music, spanning multiple genres, like no other band yet, and will continue to present itself indefinitely. They invented punk rock, even if it was mostly unintentional and even though that fact has been disputed and they have never really received the credit and respect that they so rightfully deserve for such a feat. From Johnny's unique and inimitable style of guitar playing to Joey's infectious and unmistakable crooning, the Ramones find themselves secure at the top of a list of bands that are a force to be reckoned with. Their blistering live sets alone cannot be topped, although many have and will continue to try. Everett True's biography of the band, Hey Ho Let's Go: The Story of the Ramones, is a revealing and intimate tale of an extremely hard-working, passionate, relentless, and even highly dysfunctional band of "brothers." Hell-bent on achieving the success, notoriety, and respect they were certain that they deserved but were continually denied, they were driven to proceed, determined that it would finally be awarded, despite the fact that they should have broken up dozens of times along the way (or at least they would have had they not been so stubborn and dedicated to their cause). Even as a long time Ramones fan, I realized, upon reading this book, how little I really knew about the band including the personalities and backgrounds of the various members, their unquestionable influence, their motivations and visions for the group and their music, and all the struggles, battles, and heartaches they faced along the way. This book is incredibly revealing and is written in a very approachable way, allowing the reader to become deeply involved in the lives of the Ramones family. Everett True is oftentimes very subjective and opinionated as a writer, but I appreciated and enjoyed his commentary, especially considering how close he had been with the band throughout the years. True has compiled an incredible resource for immersing oneself in the Ramones world, offering countless interviews and first hand reports and deriving information from an impressive amount of reputable sources. There is so much content in this book that one read is not going to be enough, especially for fans like me, so I'm certain that I will be referring to it for a long time to come. If you have any interest in the Ramones at all, this is an ideal starting place, and even if you're not a fan of the band or their music, their story is extremely fascinating and will provide great entertainment for anyone interested in the human experience.    

Weekly Recommendations, Week 48: Kepi for Kids

Kepi is a true rock 'n roll genius. He has consistently churned out well-crafted and catchy-as-can-be pop punk songs for more than two decades now, both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands (the most notable being, Groovie Ghoulies). This time around he is rocking for the kids. However, to no one's surprise really, nothing has changed. Thematically the lyrics are geared more towards kids, but the majority of Kepi's songs are already very kid friendly, so really this album doesn't sound a whole lot different than anything else he's done. All of the songs are tons of fun, with several stand out tracks including, "Dee Dee Taught Me How to Count," referencing Dee Dee Ramone's familiar "1-2-3-4" shout before nearly every live Ramones song; "A Little Bit Weird," which assures us all that being weird is "something to be celebrated, and not to be feared"; and "Days That End in 'Y'," which is one of the sweetest love songs you'll ever hear. Also included are two reworked, classic Groovie Ghoulies' songs ("Let's Go to the Moon" and "The Beast with Five Hands") and a lullaby ("Moonbeam"). A two-part anthem about life in Kepiland bookends the album. As is typical with any Kepi production, there isn't a single bad song on the album, even "Nuts for Nuts!", which seems like it should be annoying, has it's charm - probably solely because it's a Kepi song. Whether you have kids or not, I'm certain that you'll find this album enjoyable. In fact, as far as I can tell, it's guaranteed to get you dancing and hitting the replay button again and again.

www.kepiland.com

www.funfunrecords.com   

  

 

Weekly Recommendations, Week 26: Mean Jeans

“I’ve got my mean jeans on and I’m ready to go!” It’s punk rock, dudes! Mean Jeans are by far the best new pop punk band that I’ve heard in a while. If there are better ones, I have yet to find them, but I doubt they exist. Mean Jeans are a Portland, Oregon punk band specializing in snotty, poppy, party punk. Their songs are as catchy and as sing-along as can be, and their lyrics are witty, smart, humorous, and fun. As soon as I start thinking that pop punk is on the verge of dying out and that all the best pop punk bands have formed, another amazing band like Mean Jeans comes along to prove me wrong. So, if you were thinking the same thing, then allow Mean Jeans to rekindle your enthusiasm; and if you’ve never been much of a pop punk fan, then give Mean Jeans a try and hopefully you’ll see what you’ve been missing all these years. How about I just let the music speak for itself:





Be advised, there's much more where that came from. Find Mean Jeans albums as well as albums from many other great punk rock bands at Dirtnap Records.

Weekly Recommendations, Week 14: The Measure [sa]

As a big fan of punk rock and live music, the news that The Measure [sa] had disbanded followed by the realization that I had missed out on the opportunity to see such a standout band live was a profound letdown. I love The Measure [sa]! Why did their time on earth have to be so short?

It is difficult for me to articulate exactly what I love so much about The Measure [sa]. Their guitars were rhythmic but jangly. Their melodies were catchy but original. Their lyrics were memorable but unpredictable. They reminded me of a modern day Hüsker Dü fused with the energy and originality of bands like Crimpshine, Fifteen, American Steel, and Discount. Beyond that, there is really not much else to say except that they were incredible and fantastic. They were a New Jersey punk band that put out a handful of full-lengths and a bevy of 7-inches in their short career, touring all parts of countryside along the way. With their demise, they left behind a great legacy that punk bands of today and tomorrow will be challenged to live up to. Their existence helped renew my faith in punk rock and gave me the motivation to continue to seek out existing punk bands that are as relevant and moving as they were. While I sincerely wish that they were still around and that the possibility of someday seeing them live was still a reality, bands like The Measure [sa] keep me determined to stick with the punk rock genre for years to come. As long as bands of their ilk keep popping up from time to time, I’ll be hooked on punk for the foreseeable future.



...

Weekly Recommendations, Week 5: Kepi Ghoulie - I Bleed Rock 'n Roll

This week’s recommendation is pure rock ’n roll. Kepi Ghoulie has done it again, rocking the brains out of the human population with his latest album, I Bleed Rock ‘n Roll. With a long history of crafting quintessential pop punk songs with Groovie Ghoulies, The Haints, Little Medusas, and as a solo artist, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Kepi’s new album would be packed with ridiculously catchy, incredibly dance-able, and lyrically impressive pop punk songs; however, on this album, Kepi has stepped outside the box with a sound that is more layered, more punchy, more experimental, more complex, and more rock ‘n roll. Change and experimentation doesn’t always work out well for all artists, but for Kepi it has definitely paid off and has resulted in some of his best work yet, and while I would have been perfectly happy if Kepi had continued on with his traditional, no frills sound without adding or changing a thing to it until the end of time, I am loving the fact that he had the courage and gusto to expand and that it totally worked out for him. Some standout tracks this time around include “Nikki Lee,” “The Fever,” and “Part Time Romeo.” A couple of the tracks on the album are re-workings of older songs – “When I’m Gone” and “Love to Give” – and both renditions are amazing, vast improvements, and highly recommended. On “Unfigureoutable,” Kepi channels Daniel Dale Johnston, which caught me off guard at first listen, but actually happens to be a nice, little break amidst non-stop rocking. Kepi also added a cover song to the mix – “Blame It on Mom” by Johnny Thunders – and totally nailed it, of course. Lyrically, this is a Kepi album through and through, and “Break My Heart” features lyrics that are trademark Kepi:

“I’ll just go down to the gutter
Ask it if it’s seen my heart
I’ll get directions to the shredder
And I’ll go and pick up all the parts
And then I’ll put ‘em in my pocket
And then I’ll go down to the tailor
And then I’ll say ‘Can you fix me up?’
And he’ll say ‘No way, man. There’s no way!’ ”

If there is one person on this planet that I would say actually bleeds rock ‘n roll, it would have to be Kepi without question; thus, his new album is aptly titled in more ways than one. If you want proof of Kepi’s rock ‘n roll prowess, just listen to “Nikki Lee” and try and convince me that he’s not a rock ‘n roll king. Even if this is Kepi’s magnum opus, which it very well could be, I sincerely hope that he keeps on rocking for a long, long time to come.

"it's not punk rock if it's not a house show"

I wrote and recorded a new song, and then I made a video. The video is a bit lame - not much going on besides staring at my feet - but it was my first time making a video, so mostly I was just testing the waters. Future videos will be much better I hope.



I also posted a couple of brand new songs on soundcloud, so check that out if you want to.
www.soundcloud.com/the-mildews

More words next time.

"with bandanas around our faces"

The Mildews is my one man pop punk band, and this is my sophomore release. It's called Misery Index, and it includes 17 tracks: 15 original songs, one cover song, and a strange voice mail message. Most of these songs are pretty short, all of them are very simple, and all of them are poorly performed and recorded. This is lo-fi punk rock after all, it's not really meant to be heard outside of my apartment bedroom, but I went ahead and made it available anyway. Don't worry, I'm not going to force it on anyone. I think these songs are worth a listen or two, but perhaps I'm a bit biased. It's definitely better than the first album though. If you'd like a copy, just let me know. Send me a request by email or letter or phone, and I'll get a copy sent your way. If you'd like to donate a few bucks for materials and postage or whatever, that's cool, too. Hopefully the next time I record an album it won't be just me in my bedroom laying down tracks on a crappy 8-track, but that's just wishful thinking. Rock 'n roll.

Dan Murphy, PO Box 363, Edwardsville, IL 62025
messyelephant@hotmail.com