“There’s a lot of danger in saying ‘I feel better now,’ because I [wrote a novel or recorded an album]. There’s like a tenuousness to that, especially in music. [Those feelings of pride] have an arc that goes down eventually.” -Zaq Baker
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The club-ready breakbeats and unrelenting experimentation on Nuclear Daisies’ second LP, First Taste of Heaven, serve as a deafening clarion call for humanity to get its act together before it’s too late. Read my FLOOD review.
Kayo Dot may be a blip on the radar when it comes to the universe of music, but for those enough to see and identify the avant-garde metal from Boston, they are a North Star of artistic brilliance. They occupy a throne among metal’s noblemen. They are intellectual to the core, a fact of which listeners are reminded with each stroke of musical brilliance that emanates from their collective strength as true artists.
Every Rock, Every Half-Truth Under Reason (Prophecy Productions), released Friday, proves these statements of fact through and through. It’s a strong and focused artistic statement, executed with precision, and full of innovative ideas that go far beyond what most metal bands are even attempting right now. That alone is a lot to be proud of.
Every Kayo Dot album aims to explore new artistic concepts and technical approaches—it’s the best way to grow both as an artist and as a human being. That commitment to evolution is central to the goals of this and all of their other previous records.
Vocalist, guitarist, bass guitarist, keyboardist, instrumentalist and fire-breathing lion tamer Toby Driver spoke with The Bad Penny recently about the heart and soul of Kayo Dot, and why this year is a celebration of sorts for a decades-old yet still remarkably relevant record by the blisteringly brilliant band.
And, to prove that Hulk Hogan, never for a second, was Definitely Was Not a Racist – no-ifs-ands-or-butts-about-it – there was this:
Dear Hulkster, make the heavens sing for all eternity, brother. And don’t forget to take your vitamins because word on the street has it that they can extend your life for decades to come.
Oh, wait ….
We thought another Spinal Tap reunion would never happen. Well, we were pretty sure. Whatever the case, such reckless reasoning should’ve confined us to an inescapable Hell Hole for the rest of our wretched lives. Lives that cnly experience a brief respite from ceaseless, agonizing misery when a mischievous sprite throws on This Is Spinal Tap before the firebreathing sentries catch wind of it.
Anyone even tangentially familiar with dry, British wit should’ve seen from a few kilometers away that Nigel, David and Derek – all Americans, let the record show – could maybe muster yet one more victory lap (their fifth, by our count), despite their their brittle bones. (Guest and McKean are 77 years old, while Shearer is four years their senior.)
Because I said so. Order never subject to change.
1. “The Grudge”
2. “Invincible”
3. “The Patient”
4. “Sober”
With the release of Dozer’s meaty collection of singles and obscure tracks, the heavy-go-lucky band of sweet Swedes give those who’ve slept on the band – this writer not included – a chance to redeem themselves. Hop over to Veil of Sound for my review of an album that acrobatically appeals to Dozer diehards and those getting a whiff of their sound (and pot smoke) for the first time.
The Armed’s sixth album is a consistent, melodic post-hardcore assault, maintaining a relentless pummeling in defiance to the system as much as it is to their recent pop streak. Read my full review of the Detroit punks’ new record on FLOOD.
Reading is such a bummer, man. Supposedly it leads to blurred vision and other maladies. Rock videos, on the other hand, are so much more fun – and, according to America’s beloved and revered Secretary of Health and Human Services, actually regenerate eyesight instead of damaging it. With that in mind, here’s a test-pilot of a potentially recurring series on The Bad Penny: The 10 most entertaining, hilarious and depraved videos of the month. Here are the ones that captivated us most in July:
1. Spinal Tap’s “Stonehenge” (feat. Elton John)
2. Orbit Culture’s “Hydra”
Anyone silly enough to believe that artists only live in cities in the U.S., we bring you Exhibit A in refutation of that erroneous claim: exceptional music talent Sally Anne Morgan. The thoroughly relatable musician and artist refers to her music as “psychedelic Appalachian folk drone,” which might seem tough to understand – until the moment she begins to play.
Signed to one of the most respected indie labels of the past 30 years, Morgan has a home at Thrill Jockey Records that is almost as comfortable as the 3-acre pasture she shares with her husband in North Carolina. While it’s true that The Bad Penny has mostly interviewed urban-dwelling artists about their animals for our ongoing Pet Sounds series, we had the pleasure of learning how a musician surrounded by animals at all times finds their creations inevitably impacted by nature and the creatures that dwell in it.
Earlier this year, we caught up with Morgan ahead of the release of her tranquil, meditative and soothing new album Second Circle the Horizon before it came out late last month. What follows is a condensed version of our invigorating conversation.
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