Orgy - Punk Statik Paranoia (Release date 2/28/04)
Grathax
After four years of waiting and listening to low-quality leaks of halfway completed studio work, record deal problems, loss of their drummer, the creation of their own label, and the reappearance of their drummer, Orgy's new CD is here - and it was worth the wait. First of all, my gripes: The cover art is a little bit too Korn for me, even though I am a Korn fan, I preferred the futuristic CG they used for their previous two CDs. Also, the album has only nine tracks, but they are all good, which is better than nine good tracks and 4 or 5 extra not so good ones. It turns out that some other good leaks/new live bootlegs I heard, were legally owned by their old label, so they wouldn't put them on the CD. The bands image has also changed considerably from glam and spiky hair to a sort of metrosexual with some combat boots and fishnets thrown in, but this can probably be attributed to their aging.
The Tracks:
“ Beautiful Disgrace”: Very Orgy. It’s a good opener, and a great improvement over the leak. Incorporates a bit of screaming at the right times.
“Vague”: The album's second single, although there are better songs that could have been used. I don't really have much to say about it, I consider it my least favorite on the album, but it doesn’t suck.
“Ashamed”: Leaked as "The One" this is easily the heaviest track on the CD. It packs a sort of slow intro that leads to a blazing song. Pretty good, and quite addictive.
“ Make Up Your Mind”: Sort of slower, its a cool off from the previous track; “Make Up Your Mind“ is a whining song about making crappy decisions, sort of like “Ashamed”. The guitar parts have that slow power chord feel you get in a lot of older Linkin Park songs. The synth stuff in this song is pretty cool, especially considering this band uses no keyboards, but instead really expensive huge synth floor boxes (I've seen them with my own eyes, quite impressive) The chorus is also quite hooking.
“Leave Me Out”: Faster at the chorus, and the rest is quite slow and has some interesting synth guitar work.
“The Obvious”: A leaked song, and the albums first single. To anyone who heard the leak, the final version is FAR superior. They redid the drumming and vocals, and cleared up certain guitar parts. The chorus is also more rigid sounding, and the backing vocals at the right moments make for a great song.
“Inside My Head”: One of my favorites on the CD, this song is just plain great: The words, the vocals, the synths, just all of it. I am willing to bet this will be the next single.
“Pure”: My absolute favorite on the CD, and voted on the Orgy message board as the song everyone wanted to hear live more than any other. Its probably a breakup song, but could be applied elsewhere in life, and is catchy in every sense of the word. It’s sort of like a moment in time you are trapped in, but spanned over a greater length of thought, if that makes any sense.
“Can't Take This”: This is your loud, fast, high-energy song you would like to end on. It is a real pet peeve of mine when CDs or shows end on sad songs; I believe that the final song/or encore should rock you. I don't like to leave a CD or show sad, I want to be there yelling with my devil horns in the air, and this does it.
ORGY IS:
Jay Gordon on Vocals
Amir Derakh on Synth Guitars
Ryan Shuck on Guitars
Put Your Playlist on Random
Margot
I wasn’t raised on the kinds of music most kids I know were. Most of my friends know the lyrics of every Beatles and Stones song. Their parents were music snobs; they in turn are music snobs today. Me … Not so much.
I remember the kind of music my father had on in the car on road trips, picking me up school, on the way to church. There wasn’t anything inherently cool about what was blaring. 80s new age, random things he picked up during his time in Europe, a whole host of obscure and strange things. Obscure and strange isn’t want you want to be known as when you’re in middle school. I made him switch to the radio when my friends were in the car. Though, when it was just my sister, me and my dad crossing the border after swim practice, we would sing loudly along with the Pointer Sisters as we speed past Mexican Customs. Yea, that’s right; I know the words to EVERY song on the Pointer Sister’s Greatest Hits Album. And Duran Duran. And Rod Stwert. My father has Cabaret in vinyl and used to work out to it. He’s also got Gregorian Chants and Hymns of Buddha. ‘50s doowoop? Check. Cher’s Greatest Hits? Double check. Everything Robbie Williams? Triple check, underline. All of these things are now what I know and have taken to heart. It’s embracing now to admit that I’ve got Bette Midler on my computer, and that I am in fact listening to her now. Do you want to dance? Well, my father did in his youth, it seems. What about my mother? She’s a disco fiend. She owns only 2 CDs: ABBA Gold and The Bee-Gees, Greatest Hits. I often wonder if she only humored my urge to go to London so that she could go see Mama Mia! When she saw it she cried…Hard.
My point is that my musical background is flamboyant and laughable at best. In a world where people are judged on how ‘scene’ they are or otherwise on their musical taste, I’m less than stellar; I’m thought of as ignorant or immature in my taste. It honestly used to bother me but it doesn’t so much now. I couldn’t give you examples of who is hip in the underground or what’s the hottest shit on the charts. The remarkable gift my father bestowed on me is that I have an incredible openness to my musical taste. At the moment I’m listening to a song about ‘the best singer in town!’ Now I’m listening to ”Rivers of Babylon”, a song that I cannot sing without a Spanish accent. “867-30-ni-e-ion,” “knowing me, knowing you there is nothing we can do…”
I’ve got 331 items on my computer of music. It grows every time I come to my mummy’s house, by either legal means or otherwise. I’m not so much passionate about my music as I just revel. I have my father’s attitude towards music: Can I dance to it? Does it make me feel something? Do I associate something with it? He associates Michael Jackson with crossing over to East Berlin and I associate Madonna to hurricanes. I’m not sure at all how to end this, so I’ll part with this:
The Sophistigoth
Even though John Kerry has celebrity endorsements out the wazoo and is desperately trying to campaign everywhere, including to Americans overseas, it's evident that Bush will win.
Rock stars like 80s legend Jon Bon Jovi have publicly show support for Senator Kerry and have performed at campaign stops for Kerry supporters. CD compilations by punk bands (which aren't necessarily the most credible sources when it comes to politics, seeing as a good deal of punk music is devoted to anarchy) such as "Rock Against Bush" sell by the hundreds of thousands to impressionable young voters A Perfect Circle will be releasing an album (which not only pokes fun at President Bush, but criticizes his policies on issues like terrorism and the war in Iraq) on November 2nd coinciding with the upcoming election. How could Kerry not get elected? Well, as the title of the albums suggest, these bands are anti-Bush, not pro-Kerry. As mentioned before, the punk scene more or less supports anarchy as opposed to a structured government, so these albums don't necessarily support voting as much as they do sitting around and complaining about something that could have been changed.
But good ol' rock n' roll isn't the only thing affecting the election. Our friend Ralph Nader of the Green Party from the last election is making another appearance on this year's ballots. This affects the Democrats because both the Nader and Kerry campaigns are running on leftist platforms and hold similar opinions on certain issues. Therefore, Nader is only hurting Kerry by running because the [his campaign] will unintentionally "steal" votes from the Democratic Party, aiding Bush in victory.
In terms of satire, Bush is portrayed as an illiterate, child-like figure with large ears; a monkey with large ears; a cowboy with large ears; a militaristic dictator, decked out in either fatigues, a Nazi-esque uniform, or a helmet similar to one worn by soldiers in ancient Rome (this particular image is exclusive to Doonsbury) with large ears; or a combination of them (with large ears). Kerry, on the other hand has been portrayed as himself, something resembling either Lurch (from "The Addams Family") or Herman Munster (from "The Munsters"), or in a questionable pose with vice Presidential running mate John Edwards. All of these images are humorous in their own way, but when it comes to swaying the vote, the American people would most likely have an ape who looks like Hitler (with big ears) rather than a homosexual Lurch.
As mentioned before, Kerry is trying to reach out to Americans overseas in foreign countries, seeing as many votes for Bush in the 2000 election came from absentee ballots. The problem with this is that a majority of Americans residing in foreign countries are there for military reasons. This being said, many of Bush's supporters are members of the US military, so if Kerry wants those overseas votes, he has his work cut out for him.
There's a good chance that Bush is going to win this election, but as proved by the 2000 Presidential race, anything can happen in the polls.
The Hottest Band in the Country - Maybe More
Kachina Crowe
I got my eyes on you, cause you dance so sweet and if you're in the mood why don't you come right here and dance a little closer to me.
I have seen the future of rock and the future of rock is The Nuclears.
Earlier in the season, The Nuclears. won a D.C. Underground Garage competition and were slated to perform in New York. The award was yanked because their lead guitarist was under age. Kudos and props to the band that went in their stead: your musicians had been playing longer but STILL were only second best in D.C. Good thing there's a second place, right guys?
The winner for the Battle of the Bands from Friday is yet to be determined but the show great cap to summer. Immediately after I cruised around in my car with the new EP up all the way and ever since I've been rocking out to their first EP, The Nuclears Sing: Get Up. Here's a quick review:
The first half of the EP is definitely the best. Get Up is the quintessential call to action, calling listeners to "get up" and rock out to the group's familiar but never derivative brand of Rock and Roll. The Hair Stays (You Go), is a fantastic defense of the long-hairs in a metro-sexual world: "I got a woman, don't like the clothes I wear, I got a girl, she tries to tell me to cut my hair, But I ain't listenin' baby, 'cause I don't care." This song is always a crowd favorite and is the center piece of nearly every Nuclears set. The third track from the 2004 independent release is my favorite, Lorraine. Lorraine is a rip-roaring rockin' ride through life with Lorraine who will "pick you up, Just to put you down." Lorraine is a welcome addition to the pantheon of rock songs titled after vicious women: Lucinda (the Knack), Layla, (Derek and the Dominoes), Maybelline (Chuck Berry). At this juncture I would say that the album tapers off. One is best to hear, Black Magic and Stick Around live - because every Nuclears song is better live and it applies particularly to these two.
The set on Friday night at Jaxx was fabulous. The music was loud and precise. Rocking out to the groovy originals and the terrific Janie Jones was a real treat. Everything was spot on from Mike Dudolevitch's sizzling blues-infused solos to the speed and dexerity of Robert Sproles' bass lines. Drummer Joe Kozlowski is relatively new to the group but is more than filling the spot left by Andy Minor - while perhaps not as much of an entertainer and showman, Kozlowski is a technical virtuoso providing much needed grounding for the band's wild sets; having taken over singing duties, vocalist/guitarist Brian Dudolevtich has finally found his niche: whether an original composition like Pay Your Dues or a fantastic cover from the old days it's clear that the elder Dudolevitch belongs at the mike. For me rock music is like masturbation only better because it lasts longer and is socially acceptable to share with others and I think everyone got off on this one.
You want to get in on the action? Download the new singles from http://www.purevolume.com/thenuclears/. It's worth the time. Check it out.
To support the band, call your local radio station and DEMAND to hear Get Up.
My Travels Through Music....
The Mighty Xerxes
I am a 17 year old, pasty, thin, glasses-wearing, white boy who drives a Mercedes that my parents practically gave to me. When I drive around, I can't not listen to music, lest the voices in my head start saying things like "Rise against the pigs in Washington and bring about new socialist order.” I needed to search my music libraries to find something to help my appearance: not seem like some stuck up asshole who could be beaten out of my car and sit on the side of the road while someone’s driving it away. I obviously couldn't make myself look tough - that was out of the question after several demonstrations at 4th grade recess. So music was my only real option. I knew that I needed something that was not only able to fit the pace of my driving and is hard enough to have people thinking that I'm one of those white guys who will take abuse, but blow you away at school. I started out with some Nirvana.
Nirvana is the entry-level hard rock. It’s methods and melodies, though depressing, can really reach anyone who has ever shed a tear. Mind you I had my tear ducts removed after a particularly painful surgery, but that isn't to say I didn't feel feelings after that. No that came later with the spinal injury, but I digress. Nirvana has the rusty and (occasionally) cracking voice of Kurt Cobain. But don't let the voice fool you. Nirvana's songs such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come As You Are" have hit triple platinum. With my obsession - I mean LIKING of Nirvana peaking, I asked a musically inclined friend to help my addiction of hardcore music. He gave me a burned CD - I have no guilt. I steal songs - with "More Human Than Human" by Rob Zombie on it (actually at the time it was White Zombie, but I digress). The fast paced, heavy metal spoke to a part of me that yearned for attention: Mainly that of the person who wanted to be seen as dangerous and wild - that part doesn't get much outside time. - Rob spoke of anger and craziness that really makes a Tru Gangsta' look twice and think, "What the fuck is that cracker ass skinny white kid listening to?"
Rob is fast, Rob is heavy, and god is he a mind screw. This guy seems to have some obsession with just saying whatever the hell comes to his mind. Somehow all the lines connect, but it’s a subconscious thing. From Mr. Zombie (who really names their family Zombie? I swear it's his true name, not a band name) I broadened the search to other bands, stumbling across such songs as "This is Not" (Static-X) and "Bodies" (Drowning Pool). As I begin to slow my dip into what must appear to my parents, the deep end of musical insanity, I have turned to Audioslave. Mixing the super power's of two mega star music groups, Soundgarden (20 million album's sold) and Rage Against the Machine (15 million albums). Audioslave is a versatile group, with songs of impeccable beauty such as "Like a Stone" and heart-felt emotion like "What You Are" Audioslave is the little band that could. Granted they don't get as much recognition as I believe they should, but oh well, I believe they will get overshadowed by the breakup's of their previous groups and miss the demographic of the people who'd love their songs. So if you see a jackass and his silver Mercedes shooting down I-495 at ungodly speeds, with some hellish crap blaring out his windows, just remember. -Quit keying my damn car when I park it.