Cameraless Weekend with The Ratchets, Shellshag, Shut Up, Exmaid, Spowder, Daddies, and More, 11/23-11/24, 2018

Noisy iPhone pic of The Ratchets

(Mostly) No Pictures and It Did Happen

I've been slowly but surely making my way back out into the world of shows. Lately, it's been kind of this will I or won't I struggle all the way up until the time I head out the door. "Will I" doesn't always win out. A couple of weeks ago, I even started driving to Jersey City and turned back home just as I reached the entrance to the Garden State Parkway. This past weekend, I managed to drag myself (and, on Saturday, CoolMom!) out to a couple of great shows at Asbury Park Brewery; and I'm glad I did.

On Friday, hometown punk rock four-piece, The Ratchets, celebrated the release of First Light, their first album in 10 years. The band came out of hibernation this past spring; and, after a couple of live performances, "the itch to get in a room together again and write new music began to intensify." Those new songs, like "Gotta Be Cool" and "Jammyland," slotted in seamlessly on Friday with the band's older material like "Heart of Town." The Ratchets also paid homage to a couple of their influences with covers of Blitz's "New Age" and The Ramones' "Bonzo Goes to Bitburg." In all, it was a sing along forever kind of set that definitely lifted my spirits.

Saturday brought an ultra-stacked bill -- and lots of the same people as Friday night -- to Asbury Park Brewery in celebration of J. Nixon's (Nervous Triggers / Black Wine / Hunchback) birthday. Shellshag, Shut Up, Exmaid, Spowder, and Daddies turned in fantastic sets, all of which went by way too quickly. From the first strains of Daddies' wild garage punk to the night-ending construction of Shellshag's drum / guitar  tower, the evening was an explosion of positivity and great music. King Mike Abbate (Screaming Females) and Dash Coom (Secretary Legs) were also celebrating birthdays. J. Nixon handled vocals for Shut Up's cover of "100%." Exmaid and Spowder reminded me why I'll head out to see them whenever I can make it happen.

CoolMom came out for the show. I stood at or near the front for the whole evening and didn't bring even the point and shoot. Instead of hustling for a spot or worrying about the lights, I spent the evening talking to CoolMom and friends and just enjoying the music. I felt a lump well up in my throat more than a few times during Shellshag's set. To me, they're one of the most inspiring bands working today; and it took a good amount of energy for me not to unleash a full-on cry when they played "Carry On."

It felt liberating to be out there just soaking up the music at both shows without worrying about taking pictures. I do love live music photography, but I've been making a conscious effort lately to wean myself from having it be my default way of enjoying a show. I'll have to strike some kind of balance between shooting and listening that allows me to enjoy both of my passions.

Anyway...

I did take a few phone pics at The Ratchets show and saved few instagram story vids from Saturday.

Northside, Night 2 w/ Shellshag, NO ICE, and Prima; Snail Mail w/ The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, 6/8-6/9/18

Snail Mail at Asbury Park Brewery

Weekend Wanderings

Friday

Last week was a pretty busy one. CoolMom left for a business trip to Europe on Sunday. We had the usual swim practices, swim meets, and family activities. CoolDaughter 2's softball team had a stretch of four games in four days as they made up all of the rain-outs from the season. On top of that, it was Northside Festival weekend; and there was the big Snail Mail show at Asbury Park Brewery on Saturday. Thanks to CoolDaughter 1, my very cool coolparents, and some scaled-back Northside plans, I was able to make everything work. It really is possible to have it all.

After the victory by CD2's Her-ricanes on Friday night, I headed up to Brooklyn again for a Northside show at Main Drag Music. This one featured Rose Blanshei of Prima, NO ICE, and our good friends Shellshag. I hadn't seen Shellshag in a very long time, and I was looking forward to catching up and catching their set.

Main Drag is a pretty great place for a show. It's a cavernous, old Brooklyn space with guitars hanging on the walls. The evening had a friendly, communal, non-bar vibe if that makes any sense. In addition to a cooler full of beers ($3 donation), the store also supplied a whole cooler full of flavored seltzers ($1 donation); so my night was made. (Note to bars / venues: Have more interesting non-alcoholic choices than just Red Bull, club soda, and Coke. I will totally overpay you for a La Croix or a Schweppes.)

Rose Blanshei kicked things off with a short solo set. There were a few technical difficulties with the looper, and Blanshei abandoned one song that was too new; but all the friends in the crowd were more than forgiving, laughing right along with her. The set was still mesmerizing. The combination of Blanshei's voice and guitar was haunting, and I'm going to be seeking out her work with Prima.

Rose Blanshei of Prima

NO ICE crowded the tiny stage with their seven members. The band combine power pop, classic, and indie rock into a sound that's always a raucous party. Jamie Frey and Gwynn Galitzer pour their rock and roll souls into every lyric; and, for the duration of NO ICE's set, Main Drag shrunk down to the size of a sweaty bar.

NO ICE

Shellshag closed things out, rattling off some of my favorites like "Resilient Bastard," "Flowers for Julie," and "Face to Face" over a set that -- as always -- went by too quickly. Shellhead and Jen embody everything beautiful and good that playing music can do for people; and, as they ended their set by dedicating "Carry On" to "Shellshag '18 Comeback" and a bright future, I felt my heart warming.

Shellshag

Shellshag

Another short, sweet taste of Northside '18; but -- I gotta say -- even though I only caught two shows, this was my most rewarding year.

Saturday

The Her-ricanes played (and won) their final regular season game on Saturday morning to finish the season 4-2-2. We're waiting for info on the playoff seedings. The rest of the day was, mostly, pretty lazy followed by a huge family dinner for my cousin's 30th birthday. From there, I headed to Asbury Park Brewery for the sold-out show with Snail Mail and my other family, The RockNRoll Hi-Fives.

Snail Mail, the project headed up by 19-year-old Lindsey Jordan, released their debut LP, Lush, on Friday. I spent my drives to and from Brooklyn on Friday night listening to the album on repeat, and Jordan approaches the ups and downs of young love and desire with a maturity and confidence that are rare among those even decades her senior. That, and Jordan also happens to be an interesting and subtly brilliant guitarist with a singing voice that can move between youthful and timeworn over the course of a single song.

Taken together, all of that has positioned Jordan -- fairly or unfairly -- as an indie, guitar rock savior of sorts who's received extensive coverage from NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and lots of other places who talk very seriously about music. At the end of last week, Matador announced that Snail Mail and Car Seat Headrest would be opening for their label-mates, Interpol, at Madison Square Garden this coming February. We'd all be getting to see Snail Mail at Asbury Park Brewery. Just a few days before the show, The RockNRoll Hi-Fives snagged the opening slot.

Asbury Park Brewery has been doing great things in giving a home to shows that, most likely, would have passed by Asbury Park following 2015's closure of Asbury Lanes. This show had been sold out for weeks, and Asbury Park Brewery was paaaacked. I managed to squeeze up front for both sets; but I'd imagine, given the narrowness of the room and the lack of a stage, that anyone shorter than about 6'4" would have had trouble seeing anything if they weren't in the front row. All the bodies filling the space, though, did contribute to some of the best sound I've ever heard at the place.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives won over the room with their 30-minute set. Saturday was a double-header day for the band as they made their way to Asbury straight from a set at the Metuchen Music and Arts Festival. The effects of touring and consistent playing showed in the band's delivery, and they took full advantage of the opportunity to show a mostly new group of fans what they could do.

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

The RockNRoll Hi-Fives

Lindsey Jordan and Snail Mail came out right at 9pm, and turned in an hourlong set that validated all the hype for me. "Heat Wave," Jordan's solo take on "Anytime," the band's cover of Coldplay's "Speed of Sound," and the crowd sing-along with "Pristine" were all highlights. Single "Pristine" is just a great song, and the band's live rendition was flawless.

Snail Mail

Snail Mail

Lindsey Jordan and Snail Mail are more proof that there's still life left in guitar rock. It's coming from new voices, with new perspectives, making catchy, accessible music that doesn't rely on re-using old ideas or being "retro."

The future is bright.

Pics from the weekend are up in the Flickr galleries.

New Videos from High Waisted and Shellshag (Who Released Three New Songs)

New Shellshag!

Shiny Objects

Lots of very, very cool new stuff to distract me from the difficult business of writing album reviews.

High Waisted, "Firebomb"

Last month, High Waisted put out their split 7" with The Coax on Little Dickman Records. Today, High Waisted released a brand new video for one of the songs on that split, "Firebomb." Chris Dickman and I went to the incendiary (Ugh, Jim. Really? "Incendiary?") release show at BerlinNYC, and there's really nothing quite like a High Waisted live show on their home turf in the big city.

"Firebomb" is a real departure from the retro, girl group, surf vibes of High Waisted's debut LP. It's a high-energy rocker, and the video intercuts some High Waisted live performance footage with images of singer / guitarist, Jess Dye (and friends), in the bedroom.



High Waisted are still on tour with The Coax. They're making their way back home, though, and will be at The Barbary in Philly on 10/28 and at Brooklyn's Rough Trade on 11/4.

Shellshag,  High Above Ohio 7"

Yesterday, our buds and inspirations in Shellshag released three new songs in the form of High Above Ohio. They also released an appropriately jittery, self-directed video for one of the tracks, "Adderall Things Considered."

The first two songs of the set were recorded by Vacation's Jerri Queen, and both "Community" and "Ohio" are big, reverby, and fuzzed out in a Jesus and Mary Chain kind of way. Beautiful stuff.

Check out all the songs over at Shellshag's Starcleaner Records Bandcamp page, and check out the video for "Adderall Things Considered" below.



Shellshag are about to set out on a big tour. They'll be joining AJJ for several of those dates. They return home for a show at Brooklyn's Silent Barn on 11/24.

Shellshag on tour:

Oct 20 Oakland CA @scgraffito w/silent era + loud band +
Oct 21 SFCA Clarion Alley Block Party 2017
Oct 27 Asheville NC Shellshag, Desperete Pilot, Crooked Ghost
Oct 28 FEST Gainesville FL
Oct 29 FEST Gainesville FL
Oct 30 Tallahassee FL Lowlife with Shellshag, Nostradogmus @ The Bark
Oct 31 Chattanooga TN Halloween Party at Sluggos with special guests shellshag.
Nov 3 Mississippi TBA w/River's Edge**
Nov 4 New Orleans TBA**
Nov 5 Baton Rouge TBA**
Nov 6 Little Rock Hollow House
Nov 7 Kansas City TBA
Nov 8 St Louis TBA
Nov 9 Louisville KY TBA
Nov 10 Chattanooga TN Sluggo's TJ's bday at midnight!
Nov 11 Nashville TN Third Man Records w/ AJJ*
Nov 12 Athens GA Shellshag + Blue Bodies
Nov 13 Atlanta GA* Mascarade w/ AJJ
Nov 14 Gainesville FL* w/ AJJ (formerly Andrew Jackson Jihad) + Shellshag at The Wooly
Nov 15 Pensacola FL* Vinyl Music w/ AJJ
Nov 16 Birmingham AL* Saturn Bar w/ AJJ
Nov 17 Cincinnati OH w/ Shellshag // Leggy// Pout At Northside Yacht Club
Nov 18 Mansfield OH Ernest Mahoney bday bash
Nov 19 Warren OH Higher Minds Head Shop
Nov 24 Brooklyn NY Math The Band The Band, Shellshag, Teenage Halloween + MORE

New Videos from a Couple of Our Faves: Charly Bliss and Screaming Females

Screaming Females announced their 7th studio LP.

With Bonus Buffy and Shellshag

It's been a pretty cool couple of days in terms of new videos showing up on the YouTubes. Two of my absolute favorites released new videos recently, and I had to share them with you.

Charly Bliss, "Scare U"

So, take a band I've been enjoying all year. Mix in an homage to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That's pretty much all it takes to win me over. Charly Bliss put out the album -- Guppy -- that I've probably listened to the most so far in 2017. It's unabashedly pop. It's sugary sweet while still retaining some big rock and roll sounds.

The band themselves show a pretty good sense of humor in both their songwriting and in their videos. The Andrew Costa-directed video for "Scare U," released on Friday the 13th, is a two-and-a-half minute sort of remake of the Buffy episode, "Doublemeat Palace."

"Doublemeat Palace" is the 12th episode of Season 6, a season that finds the Scoobie Gang dealing with some adult problems like depression, addiction, and fraying relationships. To me, "Doublemeat Palace" is far from the season's (or the show's) strongest episode; but part of that could be because it's intentionally kind of boring as it tries to convey the mind-numbing effect of being stuck in a job at a fast food restaurant.

Charly Bliss's video, on the other hand, like much of Guppy, doesn't suffer from a lack of energy. And it got me going back to check out some of my favorite Buffy episodes over the weekend.



Charly Bliss continue their quest for world domination during their tour with the reunited Wolf Parade. That tour brings them to Philly's Union Transfer on 10/19 and to Brooklyn Steel this Saturday, 10/21.

Screaming Females, "Glass House"

Screaming Females made it official today by announcing that they'd be releasing their 7th studio LP, All At Once, with Don Giovanni Records on 2/23. The band, once again, headed to Seattle to work with producer Matt Bayles (Rose Mountain, Pearl Jam, Mastodon) on the album. They accompanied the announcement with the release of the video for single "Glass House."

Directed by Kate Sweeney, "Glass House" finds the band sitting stoically while taking glassware to the head. It took me a minute to notice, but the blows are delivered by none other than John "Shellhead" Driver of Shellshag. The song goes from subdued to thunderous, growing progressively more manic as the band remain stone-faced. Bayles's deft hand for the heavy rock and roll is apparent on the track.



Screaming Females are currently on tour with Street Eaters, a tour that made its closest pass to us on its opening night in Philly; but fingers remain crossed for a NY / NJ area show sometime soon.

Thanks for a Great Weekend!

Natalie Newbold of dollys

Five More Years

Saturday night was truly amazing. The RocknRoll Hi-Fives, Smalltalk, Shellshag, and dollys constituted pretty much a dream line-up for me; and they all turned in great sets. As usual, it was fun to hang and talk to everyone. I think we even fostered a new best-band-friends relationship between The RocknRoll Hi-Fives and Shellshag.

The RocknRoll Hi-Fives

Smalltalk

People onstage and off said some really inspiring and validating things to me throughout the night. That had me tearing up a few times, and it also strengthened my resolve to keep going and to try and make CoolDad Music the best it can be -- whatever that is.

Shellshag

dollys

Thank you to everyone who helped put the show together: the bands, Angie, MJ, Jenn, The Asbury Lanes Family, and everyone else behind the scenes. Thank you to everyone who showed up to the show; and, even if you couldn't make it, thank you for five-years' worth of support. Thank you, of course, to CoolMom for putting up with CoolDadMusic and for putting up with my increasing stress levels as the day got closer. Thank you to everyone who helped get the word out about the show including YouDontKnowJersey.com, Makin Waves, BlowupRadio.com, Babez In Boyland, Speak Into My Good Eye, Mike, and any other outlet or individual who shared out the info. And thank you to anyone I forgot to mention.

I was pretty much dead for most of Sunday, but there was no resting. Little Dickman Records and I had our re-scheduled date with Kino Kimino at The Saint. It was TARRAlicious as Tarra Thiessen played with Kino Kimino, Ex-Girlfriends, and Sharkmuffin for what must have been her 298th, 299th, and 300th shows in the last two or three months. EVL MOMMZ made their Asbury debut. Lunch Ladies closed things out. Tarra got two cakes in honor of her 27th birthday, which is today.

EVL MOMMZ

Ex-Girlfriends

That one also had a nice turnout, especially considering it was Sunday night; and it was fun to introduce Kino Kimino and Asbury Park to each other while watching Sharkmuffin and Ex-Girlfriends let loose on the last night of their long tour.

Kino Kimino

Sharkmuffin

Lunch Ladies

I'm going to take it easy today. Edit some pictures. Maybe put up a guest post. I'll be back after it post-SXSW / post-Anniversary in the next day or two. Stay tuned. I'm in the process of putting pics up into the Flickr galleries, so check there for everything.

And, as always, thank you for giving me any of your precious time.

CoolDad Music's 5th Anniversary Party with Shellshag, dollys, Smalltalk, and The RockNRoll Hi-Fives, March 25th, 2017, at The Overlook

Poster by Natalie Newbold

Happy Anniversary To Us

This past weekend, we officially announced our 5th anniversary party. It takes place on March 25th, 2017, at The Overlook in Asbury Park's Convention Hall. Playing for us are Shellshag, dollys, Smalltalk, and The RockNRoll Hi-Fives; and the whole celebration is a joint production between CoolDad Music and The Asbury Lanes Family. I haven't been this excited about something in a long time, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

5th Anniversary Design by Alex Rosen

On March 4th, 2012, I headed over to The Stone Pony with three other cooldads. We saw Titus Andronicus, Screaming Females, and Diarrhea Planet on that Sunday night. The next morning, I got up and wrote my first-ever post for this site. The first four words ever written on CoolDadMusic.com were "I love Asbury Park."

At the time, I was writing as someone who had grown up in the area and pretty much knew Asbury Park for its beach and its boardwalk. I'd definitely seen my share of shows at The Stone Pony or The Fast Lane over the years; but, until 2012, I hadn't really immersed myself in the Asbury Park music scene. I had, after all, spent a good chunk of my "prime show-going years" living in places like New York City, Hoboken, and Seattle. Now -- after five years of some pretty heavy immersion -- I can say that those first words I wrote at CoolDad Music are as true today as they were back then.

That's why I'm so happy to be able to throw this party in Asbury Park with the people who made Asbury Lanes one of my personal sanctuaries. Jenn Hampton and the staff at that venue welcomed me with open arms for around four years; and they made me -- a newcomer -- feel like a member of the family. It's not an exaggeration to say that there is no CoolDad Music without Asbury Lanes, and I hope that we're able to transfer some of the vibe that existed inside those four walls to our show on March 25th. I'm confident we can do it as the feeling there was never as much about the building as it was about the people inside.

Each of the bands playing the show (like countless others in our fertile Tri-State Area) continue to inspire me here at the site. If you do a search here (or over at Speak Into My Good Eye where I wrote for a time), you'll see their names pop up often. dollys so expertly craft classic pop music that it's almost easy to miss the meticulous attention to detail that goes into every one of their songs. They're also as dedicated to a DIY ethic as they are to making great music. From Smalltalk's earliest efforts, I've been a fan of their romantic and jangly "Modern Rock at the Jersey Shore." Their sound takes me back to a time when I was just discovering that there was music beyond the Classic Rock I listened to into my teens. The RockNRoll Hi-Fives have become great friends of mine, and it's appropriate that it happened through music. Dad Joe, Mom Gloree, and Kids Eilee and Evren play exuberant rock that shows how music can connect people; and they inspire me to be a better dad. Finally, Shellshag should be an example to us all. For over twenty years, the duo of John "Shellhead" Driver and Jennifer Shagawat have done what they've wanted to do exactly how they've wanted to do it; and that's kind of what we're all about here.

So, I hope you'll come help us celebrate at The Overlook on March 25th. Everything starts at 7:30. The price is $10, and anyone 18 and over can join us.

You can get tickets in advance at this link right here.

Thursday 2/2 at The Gutter and Friday 2/3 at Knitting Factory Brooklyn

Shellshag at Knitting Factory Brooklyn

Second Wind

I just wanted to say a few things about the shows I attended on Thursday and Friday nights last week.

On Thursday, I headed up to Brooklyn's Gutter Bar for Ex-Girlfriends' / Fruit & Flowers' tour kickoff show. The evening doubled as the release party for You're Next, Ex-Girlfriends' Little Dickman Records debut, and also featured Kino Kimino and The Off White. I'd been planning to attend ever since we had to cancel our Kino Kimino / Fruit & Flowers show at The Saint a couple of weeks ago; but, as the prospect of getting up to Brooklyn and coming home in the wee hours of the morning loomed, I began to lose my resolve. When Chris & Amy Dickman offered to handle driving duties, I bucked up and went for it.

The Off White

Kino Kimino

It was the right call. The Off White's loose and gritty charm has only been enhanced by their decision to bring Pat Brenner out from behind the drums to shepherd things as wild lead vocalist / ring master. Kino Kimino blew me away again with their off-center, 90s-inspired art rock. Ex-Girlfriends brought the riot grrrl punk as they slashed through the tracks on their burner of an EP. And Fruit & Flowers just mesmerized with their post-punk surf noir. More than all of that, though, the overall vibe of the evening was an uplift. Little Dickman, their bands, the friends of the label, everybody comes together in a beautiful, little community at all these shows; and it's a nice reminder of why I do all the stuff I do here at CoolDad Music.

Ex-Girlfriends

Fruit & Flowers

On Friday, I was beat. The second night of Don Giovanni Records' annual showcase was happening at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn, and it was coming down to a game-time decision as to whether I was gonna make it or not. Vacation, Shellshag, Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires, California X, though, are all bands I love; and I wanted to finally catch Painted Zeros and Peter Stampfel. Off I went.

Painted Zeros

California X

Vacation

And -- I gotta say -- once again, the sets by each of the bands gave me a second wind. Vacation were relentless. One of the best punk bands going right now. Period. There's something very special about seeing Shellshag in a room full of people who know every song and adore the band. Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires leave everything on the stage, as they say; plus, they're this refreshing combination of straight-up southern rock and political awareness. Peter Stampfel is joyfully old-school, lefty, freak folk. California X bring the 90s fuzz I love so much, and Painted Zeros earned a new fan in me following their set of dream-, shoegaze-pop.

Peter Stampfel

Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires

Like Thursday, the music was only part of the experience. It's always fun catching up with the folks at Don Giovanni. The label has been super-supportive of CoolDad Music over the years; and, like Little Dickman, they've built a real sense of family and community. I felt it in the music and I felt it in all the time I spent chatting with people throughout the night.

I'm not the 42-year-old spring chicken that I was when I launched CoolDad Music back in 2012. Humping it into Brooklyn, standing at shows, and taking pictures for several hours can sometimes take a toll on me physically and mentally. So it's nice to spend a couple of days like I did last week singing along and chatting with people who are out there making art and giving it a chance to thrive for all the right reasons. It's the kind of thing that keeps me coming back... ...in a few days... ...after I've had a chance to rest up a bit...

Photos from both nights are up in the Flickr galleries.

New Stuff Friday with Shellshag, Yawn Mower, and Ba Babes

New Shellshag!

It Ain't Over

At the end of the year, with everyone dumping their TopBestFavorite lists on you, it's easy to miss some of the new stuff that comes along. This is just a little reminder that we've still got a little more than two weeks left in 2016, and there's still a chance to make this a great year. It's slim, I know; but these bands are here to help in any way they can.

Shellshag, "More Survival Tips from the Bay"

It's always great to get new music from one of your favorite bands. Shellshag's songs are often catchy and upbeat, even when they're about difficult subjects. "Hello My Name Is," the A-side on this three-song single is an example of that as Shell sings, "I got a little monkey on my back / Now the quicksand's up to my neck / Rescue me."

Shellshag recorded the title track for San Francisco's Streetopia, providing lyrics for music by Matty Luv and Aesop Decker who both get mentions in the song. Part of Shellshag's heart is always in the Bay Area, and that comes out in the song.

This was a nice, little, year-end surprise for me. "More Survival Tips from the Bay" is available now via Shellshag's Starcleaner Records.



Yawn Mower, Yawn Mower Ruins Christmas

Just today, our buds in Yawn Mower released this 5-song Christmas EP. Every band needs a Christmas record, right? Here, we get Yawn Mower's take on classics like "Frosty the Snowman" and "Silent Night." That means noisy, fuzzy versions of some of your favorites; and you get an Asbury-born version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" that isn't the mind-numbingly ubiquitous version you hear every year. That alone makes this one worth it.

Yawn Mower Ruins Christmas is available as a Name Your Price download over at Yawn Mower's Bandcamp page or as a limited-edition 7" lathe-cut vinyl from In The Clouds Records.



Ba Babes, "Dareo Days / Come Back Home (With Me)"

Toms River garage rockers, Ba Babes, have done a few dates recently featuring their original two-piece lineup of James Reilly and Michael Walsh. As sort of a commemoration of that, I guess, the band released for the first time two songs recorded back in 2011.

Recorded by Nicky G at The Byrdhouse in Toms River with help from Biff Swenson (currently of some band called Yawn Mower), both tracks are fast, frantic, lo-fi garage rock. They're the kind of thing to which you want to be bouncing wildly as you spill beer all over anyone within a few feet of you. Both Nick and Biff have also played in various incarnations of Ba Babes over the years; and, whatever the future holds for the band, this release is a nice little record of a moment in their history.

The tracks are available as a Name Your Price download or as a very limited lathe-cut vinyl over at Ba Babes' Bandcamp page. Ba Babes original, two-piece lineup plays Deck The Hall 4 in Asbury Park's Convention Hall this Saturday, 12/17.

The CoolDad Music Video Countdown w/ YJY, Seaside Caves, and Vacation

...It's Not Really a Countdown. Just 3 Videos.

While I was away, some of our friends were pretty busy releasing videos. You've seen them already, I'll bet; but, just to make sure, I post them here for your enjoyment.

YJY, "Past My Prime"

YJY's The Same Noise introduces us to characters who define themselves through labels like "hipster" or "jock." Single "Past My Prime" is told from the point of view of someone in the latter category who doesn't know what to make of himself now that his jock days are behind him.

It features Steve Sachs as a 38-year-old (Ew, so old. So uncool.) former jock trying to regain some lost youth ('Cause he's so damn old now) in preparation for his 20th (20 years!??! OLD!) high school reunion.

Directed by Dean Luis Chuqui and YJY, the clip looks great. Steve's make-up job by Melanie Licata & Taylor Ortega is a highlight, making him look convincingly past his prime ('Cause he's supposed to be so old).



Seaside Caves, "Cry"

Seaside Caves have a new record, Hope, on the way. A couple of days ago, the band released the video for single "Cry." The Brian Cutts-directed clip is a simple one. The band walking the boards in Seaside or standing in silhouette underneath the boardwalk.

That simplicity, though, gives things a vintage-y, dreamlike quality that pairs well with the song's chimey, post-punk, neu-wave feel. It reminds me of times that I walked those boards, or the ones in Long Branch, or Belmar, or Point Pleasant. When sounds like what Seaside Caves are putting out were kind of the soundtrack to my days.



Vacation, "Every Direction"

Cincinnati's Vacation put out the excellent Non-Person last summer. Yesterday, they released the video for single "Every Direction," and they had their friends in Shellshag direct it.

The video features the members of Vacation super-imposed on one another, spinning and flailing their limbs and looking like an artistic depiction of some multi-armed deity. The merging of multiple individuals into one gets at the "non-person" idea of their album-title, and the imagery is a nice play on Non-Person's cover art.

The song's post-punk guitars chug relentlessly which makes for an interesting contrast with the relative calmness of the band's twists and turns.

Shellshag, Why'd I Have to Get So High?, 2015

Album Review

Shellshag are an example for everyone. John "Shellhead" Driver and Jennifer Shagawat have been doing what they love the way they want to do it without compromising their ideals for a while now. On 2013's Shellshag Forever, the pair gave us a declaration that they were happy about where their choices had brought them and that they had no intentions of straying from their chosen path.

On Why'd I Have to Get So High?, that resolve remains; and we get glimpses into the road that Shellshag have traveled to be where they are today. Recorded by Vacation's Jerri Queen and John Petty at The Lodge in Kentucky, Shellshag's fifth LP brings in some different styles and more complicated arrangements than we've grown used to from the band. That all just serves to amplify the heart and soul that Shellshag bring to everything they do.

Album opener "Unacceptable" creates a Jesus and Mary Chain-like wall of sound as Shag sings, "If we could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. No not a thing." We trade the swirling shoegaze of "Unacceptable" for the short, sharp shock of "Captivator." In terms of sequencing, that's something we see several times on the record, that alternation between something poppy and melodic and something more aggressive and more stylistically "punk."

The next four songs on Why'd I Have to Get So High? represent some of Shellshag's best work to date and have among them at least a couple of instant Shellshag classics. "Blowin' It," with Shag singing, "Man, I try so hard to be so strong and not die tryin" and its swelling chorus. The noisy, rocking, and appropriately guitar-heavy love song to a friend of "5 1 and Change." The classic Shellshag -- I can see Shell and Shag facing each other on the stage as they belt this one out -- of "Rattletrap."

And "'90s Problem."

"'90s Problem" is the record's centerpiece. A four minute suite, it's one of Shellshag's longest recent efforts. It starts out with acoustic guitar and contains images of '90s things like pay phones and answering machines. The typical Shellshag simplicity is enhanced by some lead guitar during the main body of the song, and we get the album's title phrase as things get wilder. The song goes out quietly over piano as Shell sings of surviving the past that brought the band and the couple to where they are today.

The rest of the album touches on several other styles and genres. "Tiger Stripes" and "Sun Moon and Stars" are more aggressive punk. "RIP" is a psychedelic eulogy that, weirdly, reminds me of some of the quieter moments from Pink Floyd's The Wall, especially when Shag sings, "But you're not here..."

"Pretty Eyes" has piano and the '50s vibe of early Ramones-style punk. "Hold You in My Arms" is set to become a Shellshag live set favorite with its "Aaaah aaah" chorus. The lead guitar work on the recorded version is cool, too. The reverb and fuzz of early shoegaze return on "Baby Come Back" and album-closer "Down the River." There's a post-Pavement Malkmus (specifically his s/t debut) feel to "50 / 50." "Baby's Arms" reveals influences from The Beatles to punk rock to classic indie like Built to Spill.

Shellshag spread their wings on Why'd I Have to Get So High? Jerri Queen and John Petty bring out sides of the band that we really haven't seen, and the record excels at reimagining Shellshag's sound while keeping everything about it that makes the band who they are. And shining through it all is the honesty that Shellshag always bring. Even on the album's more melancholy tracks, we feel Shellshag's genuine happiness and gratitude at having made it this far doing things their own way.

Why'd I Have to Get So High? is out now on Don Giovanni Records and Shellshag's own Starcleaner Records. Shellshag play a release show on Wednesday, October 14th, at Trenton's Millhill Basement with Brick Mower, The Groucho Marxists, Nervous Triggers, and Weird Fantasy Band.

Don Giovanni Records Showcase at The Knitting Factory Brooklyn, 2/6/15 (PHOTO LINKS)

Black Wine as Devo

Night 1

What a weekend. I'm still recovering. Swim meets. Father / daughter dances. Birthdays. Lots and lots of driving (including a traffic ticket -- the first since my late teens -- in the wilds of Brooklyn). Here's some stuff that happened Friday.

Allyson Dwyer and I set off in the sub-freezing temperatures for Night 1 of the annual Don Giovanni Records label showcase and arrived in Brooklyn a little after 7pm. We parked the family truckster atop a glacier about a block away from The Knitting Factory. We got inside and settled in for a drink before the show.

The great thing about this showcase -- and the label, in general -- is the communal feel. I said hi to Shellshag and Black Wine before the show, and I saw several people with whom I've become friends as a result of attending last year's shows.

We made our way into the performance space, and I parked myself right up against the stage. Host and Don Giovanni artist Chris Gethard started things off talking about how weird and awkward it always is for a comedian to host a concert. I think his worries were unfounded. At least with this crowd. Gethard gave away some free stuff -- really undesirable free stuff that people jumped on because it was free -- like a broken USB wall charger. Allyson got the package of wet naps. He brought Don Giovanni "label honcho" Joe Steinhardt up on stage to preview one of the jokes that Steinhardt has available for sale. I won't print it here, since I didn't buy it.

Gethard then laid down a challenge for each of the bands to include a joke in their set. Each band would ultimately comply with varying degrees of success. As a show of solidarity, Gethard started off the evening with a song. He brought out John Driver of Shellshag to accompany him on his (and my) favorite song of all time, Billy Bragg's "A New England."

John Driver, Chris Gethard

The music from the bands started. It would end up being a night of surprises -- some for me,
some for everyone. My first surprise of the night was Crow Bait. I hadn't heard them before and loved their set. A great discovery.

Once the stage was set for Black Wine, Gethard came out saying that he'd been asked to stall for some time. After a few minutes, the band came out wearing yellow jumpsuits and launched into a full Devo cover set. The whole set. All Devo. Halfway through, the band stripped down to the all black t-shirt / shorts combo. The audience went kind of bananas. Joe Steinhardt later told me that it was a total surprise to everyone. So much fun.

Mal Blum, whom I'd first seen at the Boyd Park show back in September, did another fun set including stuff from her upcoming Marissa Paternoster-produced record. Blum and the rest of her band have really relatable personalities onstage. Her sets are full of humor and warmth. When she and bassist Audrey Zee Whitesides stopped to give "a shoutout to CoolDad," I was floored. It kind of explained the surprising moment (one of the best moments to have ever happened since I started this thing, by the way) earlier in the evening when Chris Gethard said, "Is CoolDad here? There are rumors flying around backstage that CoolDad may be here tonight." I passed Blum and her band some stickers when they were done.

The Hamiltons

The Hamiltons, Canadian arch-rivals of The Ergs!, did an intense set of Ramones-inspired punk only after making sure that their nemeses weren't in the house. They rattled songs off one after another in a non-stop barrage. After their set, Gethard noted his surprise -- shared by me -- that several members of the audience knew every Hamiltons' lyric.

Shellshag were next and, as usual, turned the place into a crazy dancing love fest. The duo kind of epitomize the feel of the whole showcase weekend with their positivity. I don't know what more there is to say about their set other than everyone had their arms over their heads as they sang along.

Chuck Betz of Nude Beach

We were already almost an hour into the next morning by the time Nude Beach came out for the final set of the night. I loved their record from last year and had been looking forward to their set all evening. It looked like they'd grown the live band by a few members since I'd seen them in September, and the new set up did a great job of reproducing the sounds on 77. Guitarist Chuck Betz even broke out the double-necked guitar for a few songs.

Allyson and I headed out into the freezing temperatures for the long drive home. I had a swim meet to get to in the morning. I knew I'd be exhausted, but we'd be back for part 2.



I went a little crazy with pics both nights. Here's night 1.

Chris Gethard, Joe Steinhardt, John Driver
Crow Bait
Black Wine
Mal Blum
The Hamiltons
Shellshag
Nude Beach

Shellshonic Shag-O-Vision Season 2 Premiere: Tweens

Happy Snow Day

Our friends in Shellshag launched the second season of their weird and wonderful Shellshonic Shag-O-Vision today. Last season brought us great shows featuring Laura Stevenson, Marissa Paternoster, Upset's Ali Koehler, The Marked Men, Vacation, Modern Hut, and more. This season kicks of with Cincinnati's Tweens.

I got to see Tweens last spring at Brooklyn's Northside Festival, and I was really impressed by their bratty punk and, especially, singer Bridget Battle's relentless energy on stage. Here, they tone things down a bit, joining Shellshag for covers of Sugar Ray's "When It's Over" and Hedwig's "Wicked Little Town."

Shellhead and Shag are really two of the coolest people I've had the pleasure to meet while doing this blog thing, and it comes through in every episode of this little show. Looks like it will be a great season.

You can see Shellshag on February 6th at Brooklyn's Knitting Factory for Night 1 of the annual Don Giovanni Records Showcase (along with Nude Beach, Mal Blum, The Hamiltons, Crow Bait, and our friends Black Wine). Single night tickets for both 2/6 and 2/7 are still available but going quickly.

Don Giovanni Records Put on a Free Show w/ Screaming Females, Shellshag, Nude Beach, Mal Blum, and More at New Brunswick's Boyd Park, 9/20/14

Saturday in the Park

I go to lots of shows by myself, obviously. Yesterday, though, presented a great opportunity to introduce the whole family to some really good bands. Don Giovanni hosted their annual, free, outdoor concert in New Brunswick's Boyd Park. Screaming Females, Shellshag, Nude Beach, and Mal Blum were all part of the bill that also included some bands from New Brunswick High School. I'm trying to coax CD1 to join me for the all ages PUJOL / Screaming Females show at Asbury Lanes, and CoolMom has never gotten the chance to see either Screaming Females or Shellshag live.

Well, CoolMom and I both really enjoyed Mal Blum's set. I hear that Screaming Females' Marissa Paternoster is producing Mal's next record, so that is definitely something I look forward to hearing. CoolMom also had a great time during Shellshag's "in the round" performance. The cooldaughters pretty much just played on their mobile devices. They didn't complain, and they assured me that they could hear -- and liked -- everything, but I think they may have been humoring me. It's nice to feel loved anyway.

There were birthday parties and movies to go see in the evening, so CoolMom headed home with the girls after Shellshag were done. I stuck around for Brooklyn's Nude Beach and New Brunswick hometown heroes Screaming Females.

Nude Beach's sound is heavily influenced by some of the stuff I spent a lot of time with in my youth -- Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen. They own it and do a great job with it, adding a rough, maybe Replacements-y edge and a DIY vibe that draws in the younger folks. They're recent Don Giovanni signees, and their LP, 77, is due on October 21st.

Screaming Females coaxed everybody up to the front and played an intimate outdoor set that covered some favorites as well as some new songs. They sounded just as good as they have the other times I've seen them; but, this time, it just looked like they were having a bit more fun. It was a beautiful early evening in their hometown.

Things were done by about 5:45, and I headed home to meet CoolMom for dinner while the cooldaughters were out doing their evening activities. It was a really nice Saturday. I wish that CoolDaughter 1, at least, had paid a bit more attention to the bands; but she and her sister came with me without complaint and were all smiles. Baby steps, I guess.

Here are some photo highlights. You can see the rest of the pics up at Flickr.

Post-Julie Ruin, Screaming Females, Shellshag Land of Enchantment Blogging

Rio Rancho, New Mexico

When you're a family of four, you have to hunt out the best deals on air travel. In planning this trip to New Mexico, I thought I was being really smart by saving us a whole bunch of money when I booked our flights. When the alarm went off at 4am on Sunday morning and I thought about our trek to LaGuardia, though, I didn't feel so smart.

Saturday night, The Julie Ruin, Screaming Females, and Shellshag played Asbury Lanes; and I, of course, had to be there for all of it. Every band was great. Shellshag always play with a level of sincerity and simplicity that just leaves me feeling happy. I got to spend some time with Shell and Jennifer near the merch table, and they are two fantastic people. Screaming Females burned up the Asbury Lanes stage once again in a set that felt too short. Kathleen Hanna and The Julie Ruin sent the crowd into a frenzy and more than did justice to their excellent debut Run Fast.

Our flights ended up going off without a hitch, and I drifted through yesterday in a bit of a daze. I managed my first dose of green chile before crashing, and woke up bright and early this morning. My family put up with the first few Breaking Bad stops of the trip: Delta Uniform & Linens (Gus Fring's underground meth lab), The Dog House, and Java Joe's (Tuco's hideout). Off to Roswell in the morning.

Upload speeds are a little slow here, so the usual double upload I do to make HTML5 slideshows isn't gonna happen. Instead of the usual slideshow, therefore, I direct you to the Flickr gallery for some pics of Saturday night.

Added a "Galleries" Tab

It's Really Just a Link to Flickr

If I can get myself into a good enough position, and the venue / band allows it, I take lots of pictures at shows. In Asbury Park -- with the exception of, maybe, a sold-out show at The Stone Pony -- both of those conditions are often met. So I've accumulated quite a pile of shots. I like to think I've gotten a little better at shooting shows over the last two years. Though, when I see someone else's really great shot; I realize I've got a long, long way to go.

When I put a post up here, I try to keep the accompanying slide show to the essentials. There are also those times that I supply pictures for a story over at Speak Into My Good Eye. In either case, there are shots that never get posted. I decided it would be fun, then, to include mostly full galleries here somehow -- as both a record of the shows I've been to and a place where those who are interested can see six pictures in a row of a particular singer from the same, exact angle.

This is Blogger, though. I may be a dope, but I couldn't figure out an easy way to use my Google+ Photo albums the way I wanted on this Google-owned blogging platform. I decided, then, just to upload galleries to my free, unused terabyte of space over at Flickr and link to it off the top of this page.

For reasons I won't go into, this will be a semi-major project. Give me some time, and old galleries should start appearing there. You can then click away at my often too dark and too grainy memories.

As far as I'm concerned, if you really like a picture or you happen to be in one, you can do what you want with it as long as you're cool about it.

Finally, if anyone out there has a better idea on how to do this, please let me know.

I took lots of pictures of Shellshag the other night. Here's the official video for "Medley," which they opened with at Music Hall of Williamsburg. It's a "Do It Yourself Green Screen" video for those of you who know how to do that sort of thing.

Don Giovanni Records Showcase Starts Tonight. New Brick Mower.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

New Brunswick's Don Giovanni Records has grown into, quite simply, one of the most important independent record labels in the country. Nowhere is that more evident than at the label's annual showcase. Founded as kind of an alternative to the industry / corporate showcases at events like CMJ or SXSW, the Don Giovanni event features bands from the label, bands who are friends of the label, and a real sense of community.

This year's event spans three days in Brooklyn. Tonight's show is at Death By Audio and features Tenement, Vacation, Nuclear Santa Claust, The Groucho Marxists, and the Jersey Shore's Night Birds.

Nights Two and Three take place at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Tomorrow night's lineup consists of Laura Stevenson, Shellshag, Upset, Worriers, and Nude Beach; while Saturday brings Screaming Females, California X, Brick Mower, Priests, and the currently Asbury-based Black Wine.

These are some great bands that I've written about often here and elsewhere (click the little tags at the bottom of this post or the "Speak Into My Good Eye" tab up above to see all of that). As of right now, it looks like tickets are still available for each night, including two-day passes to the MHOW shows. If you can't make it, watch for my coverage over at Speak Into My Good Eye.

Also, take a listen to the brand new "Shitty Parade" from New Jersey Pop Punks Brick Mower whose album Teenage Graceland comes out March 25th on Don Giovanni.

Shellshonic Shag-O-Vision

Shellshag (and Marissa Paternoster) Forever

Yesterday, I was still reeling from the corporate crapfest that was the 56th Grammy Awards. Then, the mail came. It brought with it the debut LP by Shellshag, Destroy Me I'm Yours. Included in my package was a lovely and personal handwritten note from Shell and Jen thanking me for my purchase. My faith restored in music, I went through the rest of my day with a little smile on my face. Really.

Then, I woke up this morning to the sad news that we'd lost Pete Seeger. It's not like I sit around all day listening to folk music, but Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie are two of the people who have always made me feel proud to be an American. Pete Seeger inspired some of my favorite artists like Bruce Springsteen and Billy Bragg, so I was feeling a little down.

Shellshag to the rescue again.

John and Jen released the pilot episode of their new TV show, Shellshonic Shag-O-Vision, today. Their first guest is Screaming Females' Marissa Paternoster. Watch their in-depth interview to hear Marissa confess that the guitar is not, in fact, her first love. Hear acoustic covers of Sinéad O'Connor / Prince, Liz Phair, and The Jam. Listen to Marissa sing the Buster Brown theme song.

Then, go out and enjoy your day.

The Last Weeks of Maxwell's, Part 5: Ted Leo / Shellshag, 7/21/13

Click, Click, Click and the Moment's Gone

Last night was my last scheduled trip to Maxwell's (I showed amazing restraint when the two Mission of Burma shows were announced for today). I talked with my friend about it as we rode in the car up to the show. While we agreed that losing Maxwell's is definitely a big loss for music around here, we also agreed that it's all part of a natural evolution.

Like Mike V of The Everymen said in an interview with me a few weeks ago, things might feel worse if Maxwell's were being forced to close. That's not how things are happening, though. Todd Abramson and his partners have made the choice that it's time to leave, and I'm not sure that they're wrong. So I'm not shedding any tears. And there were no tears from the performers or the crowd on what will likely prove to be my last night at the space.

We arrived just as Shellshag were preparing to take the stage. Had I decided to come a little earlier, I probably could have staked out a better spot; but something about this night had me stressing a lot less about those types of things. One of the things I love about Shellshag is how obvious it is that they love what they're doing. That's evident on this year's Shellshag Forever, and it really comes through in their performance.

The duo -- facing each other on stage with John "Shellhead" Driver on guitar and Jennifer Shagawat on drums -- played a set heavy on songs from their new record with all of the exuberance that they showed during their record release show a few months ago. King Mike of Screaming Females, who'd played an afternoon set that same day, was right in the middle of things once again, fist pumping and singing along for the entire set. Shellshag closed with their cover of "Just Like Heaven," built their tower of instruments, and thanked Maxwell's for thirty years. There were no tears, no emotional goodbyes, only smiles.

Ted Leo took the stage at around 10PM and drew from a setlist 26 songs strong (I think he may have played closer to 30). This would be a solo set without The Pharmacists. As the evening progressed, it felt appropriate to be closing things out with Ted Leo. Yo La Tengo and the Feelies are older than I am. The Everymen, Titus Andronicus, and Screaming Females are younger. Ted Leo is almost exactly my age. He peppered his set with covers, most of which I remembered from my own youth.

The two-hour set covered Leo's entire discography, from 1999's tej leo(?), Rx / pharmacists to the songs he's currently working on with Aimee Mann for their #BOTH project. Leo is a charismatic performer and engaged the crowd all night with stories of his early band days (when an audience member at ABC No Rio told him, "Fuck tune! Just play punk!") and his days as a student in Catholic school ("Really, Teddy? A song called 'Angelfuck?' Take it home."). He spoke about the Game Theory show he missed at Maxwell's in 1987, and he also does a pretty good Paul Stanley impression.

The crowd did a great job of singing along with favorites like "A Bottle of Buckie," "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone," "Me and Mia," "Under the Hedge," "Timorous Me," and "One Polaroid a Day." For "Bottled In Cork," Leo grabbed an acoustic guitar, stepped away from the mic, and led a full-crowd sing-a-long, campfire style.

Leo included covers of songs by Rush ("The Spirit of Radio"), The Misfits (yes, "Angelfuck"), The Velvet Underground ("What Goes On"), Pink Floyd ("Goodbye Blue Sky"), Game Theory ("Erica's Word"), and Bruce Springsteen ("I'm Goin' Down"). He closed out the evening performing Blondie's "Union City Blue" as an encore.

Leo was joking and smiling throughout the set, getting laughs from the crowd, and having a good time himself. At one point, while reminiscing about Maxwell's, his voice cracked a little. He was quick to point out, though, "I'm not crying. I'm choking." There wasn't any crying last night, and it felt just right.

So this is it for this series. It's been fun. There are still several shows on the Maxwell's docket for the next 10 days. Most are sold out, but I hope you get / got a chance to say goodbye in your own way. Don't cry. Just keep supporting the music that you love, and maybe someplace will appear to take the place of Maxwell's.

I didn't have the best vantage point in the house, but I managed to get a few shots to commemorate the evening.