Premiere: New Video / Songs from Beach Wolff (Mike Chick)

All the contributing members of Beach Wolff

"Where Did You Go?"

"Trying to stay productive."

That's what Mike Chick texted me after we'd discussed the new rap remixes from his band with Biff Swenson, Yawn Mower, as well as the songs from his new solo-ish project, Beach Wolff. I shared the Yawn Mower stuff with you last Friday; and, today, we've got the premiere of a new video from Beach Wolff.

Some background:

On October 1, 2017, Mike Chick got together with Bob Paulos (GayGuy / StraightGuy, Shut Up) and Nick Kaelblein (Wetbrain, ex-Dentist) to learn, play, and -- ultimately -- record two of Mike's songs. After about an hour of practicing, the guys recorded "Where Did You Go?" and "A Pea A Pod A Slug A Mod" to 4-track tape. The whole process took about three hours. Then the trio ate pizza.

They brought the raw tracks over to Pat Noon at EightSixteen / Trax East studios where Chick added vocals and guitar solos. The results, in all their fuzzy, Dinosaur Jr.-inspired glory, are available over at Chick's Bandcamp page.

During the whole recording process, Chick had a camera rolling. The uber-talented Dana Yurcisin edited it into the video for "Where Did You Go?" which you may check out below.

Chick says he'd like to continue to produce songs with the same template / spontaneous nature as Beach Wolff but with a rotating cast of supporting characters. I'm sure we'll see something else soon. Mike Chick is a productive guy.


“Where Did You Go?” from Mike Chick on Vimeo.

SUPER 8, T-T-T-Technicolour Melodies, 2018

Album Review

By Henry Lipput

From the first time I heard "Catsuit," the wonderfully sweet pop song on SUPER 8's T-T-T-echnicolour Melodies album, all I could think of was Robert Smith in that Cure video dancing around in a, well, catsuit as if he were an original furry. The hero of SUPER 8's "Catsuit" song, however, is trying to do whatever he can to win and keep the one he loves: "Raising a lighthouse for you / Taking a right hook for you / Sticking my leg out for you / Saving my last smoke for you / Wearing a catsuit for you." And all he asks is that she sings for him.

It's just one of the super songs on an album that has the charm of a home-made, one-man-in-a-studio production like Paul McCartney and Emitt Rhodes used to do in the old days. And, except for the word "hip-hop," in the title song, this album could have come out sometime in the 1970s. It may be old school but it's certainly not old hat.

A band version of the album was scheduled to be released in 2003, followed by a tour, but it all fell through; and that version of the album never saw the light of day. This time around, it's just UK-based singer-songwriter TRiP behind the console and playing all of the instruments. He sings in a folky drawl but makes sure we hear every word.

The old-school vibe is apparent right from the start with the mellotron that opens the first track on the album, "Tomorrow's Just Another Day." Things start slowly; and, when it picks up, TRiP adds some Mariachi horns to make something of a musical stew. It sounds terrific, and adding unexpected sounds to what is basically an acoustic template is a recipe he uses throughout the album.

The stew recipe is used again on the album's final track, "My Sweet Baby Jane." As if the title weren't enough of a tip-off, TRiP combines the feel of both JT and VU along with backwards tape sounds, a countrified electric guitar, and some Beatle-y horns to top things off.

The sad and lovely "Just A Serenade," may be about a friend and not a lover -- at least not at this time ("You're like the sister that I never had"). The song has a finger-picked acoustic guitar and some whistling in the middle. "There's no laughter behind this smile / Just a serenade no last goodbyes / You better leave / 'Cause you don't want to see me cry too young / I'll see you around."

Next to "Catsuit," my favorite track on the album is the folk-rocking, full-band sounding "Last Final Cigarette." It's a killer song; and, if TRiP is taking suggestions for a single, it should be this song.

T-T-T-Technicolour Melodies is out now on Futureman Records.

Premiere: Yawn Mower Rap Remixes Featuring TrapBang and Kool A.D.

Waffle House

Mike Chick (baritone guitar / vocals) and Biff Swenson (drums / vocals) have taken Yawn Mower and run with it. I don't know what their original plans were for the project; but, whatever they had in mind, they've grown into one of the most reliably fun and interesting bands in Asbury Park. From originals to original takes on cover songs, the pair have never been afraid to stretch themselves.

Today, Yawn Mower take things another step forward by releasing rap remixes of "Convenience Store" and "When Do We Get to Cash In?" as the split-single Waffle House. The duo worked on both remixes for most of 2017. They went into Eight Sixteen Studios with Pat Noon and started stripping and altering the songs "in the hopes that they would be easier to spit fire and hot sauce over."

"Convenience Store," off of 2016's Get to the Boat, went to Ocean County collective TrapBang. MattyPasq, Kon Sweetie, and Dey Bishop put their own lyrics to the original and absolutely killed it.

For What's All This New Piss? track "When Do We Get to Cash In?," Yawn Mower took advantage of a special freestyle sale that rapper Kool A.D. (Das Racist) announced via Twitter. For $100, he'd take a beat and "flamebroil that ass." Yawn Mower sent the track; and, in a week, they had something magical.

Both tracks feature John Muccino on organ and electric piano.

Waffle House is out today and available via Yawn Mower's Bandcamp page as a Name Your Price download. You can also stream both tracks via Spotify or anywhere else that you like to do that sort of thing. Or you can listen to them right here.

What's Going On: 2/1, 2/2, 2/3 & 2/4, 2018

Our friends in Sharkmuffin play two Super Shows this weekend.

What Will Be Your Favorite Commercial?

It's that time of year again. I like sports fine. When it comes to baseball, I like sports really really a lot. I've drifted away from football a bit, but I still keep an ear to the ground. As a New York sports fan, any championship game pitting Boston against Philadelphia is like a nightmare scenario for me, so I'm happy that I'll be stuck at swim meets with CoolDaughter #1. That means I'm going to miss out on all the great commercials and attempts by huge multinationals to sell me stuff. Oh, well. At least there are shows.

On Thursday night, Asbury Park Brewery hosts Harbour, Keep Flying, Tug Of War Machine, and Dig Deep. The Nude Party play Baby's All Right in Brooklyn with Las Rosas and Glove. Then, they stick around to DJ the late show which features Stuyedeyed and Native Sun. WRAT have a Jersey Rock showcase at The Downtown in Red Bank with Vextion, The Vansaders, and Deal Casino. Enter Shakiri headline House Of Independents with Milk Teeth and a band I absolutely love, Single Mothers. Shut Up, Atom Driver, and Frenular Delta play the Saint. Sharkmuffin are at The Silent Barn in Brooklyn with Big Ups, The Royal They, and Maneka.

Experiment 34 come to The Asbury on Friday with We're Ghosts Now and P Funk North. Big Bliss, Fruit & Flowers, Darkwing, Sic Tic, Grim Streaker, and THICK are the hardest working bands in NYC and play a show to celebrate that fact at Baby's All Right. American Lions hold the release show for Serf Rock in New Brunswick with Toy Cars, Haunt Club, and Living Tradition. Avery Mandeville and The Man Devils, Dan Amato and The Sentimental Gentlemen, The Lords Of Liechtenstein, and Kul d'Sak play The Saint. 

On Saturday, The Double Negatives, Good Luck Spaceman, and Sunshine Spazz play APYC. The Court Tavern in New Brunswick hosts a tribute to Pat DiNizio featuring The Grip Weeds, Lost Romance, Mike Daly and The Planets; and it all culminates in a "Smithereens Super-Jam." Lost Boy ?, High Pony, Colatura, and Stringer play The Footlight in Queens. Langosta Lounge hosts a benefit show for Catsbury Park featuring Emily Grove, Bone & Marrow, and Nylund. The show is free, but donations (cash, cat food, litter, blankets, beds, toys, etc.) are encouraged. Erotic Novels, Brian Erickson, Alpha Rabbit, Wax Wave, and Caruso are at Millhill Basement in Trenton. Will Wood & The Tapeworms hold a record release party at Roxy & Dukes with Super Snake, Electric Sensei, and Bobby Mahoney & The Seventh Son. The Parlor Mob play a sold-out Saint in Asbury Park with The Vice Rags. Gaten Matarazzo and his band, Work In Progress, play Starland Ballroom. Greasy Hearts, Animal Show, and The Off White are at Rose Gold in Brooklyn. Sharkmuffin and The Dreebs open for the amazing Shilpa Ray at Brooklyn's Union Pool.

Also on Saturday, our good friend and fellow music photographer, Doug Dresher, will be showing his work at Asbury's Branded & Bold Ink.

Sunday. Super Sunday. Tom Brady. The Eagles. Justin Timberlake. Clydesdales. Ads. Guacamole. Wings. And... New York's Mercury Lounge hosts Violets Are Wet, Dinowalrus, and Jade Helm. Our Wicked Lady in Brooklyn has Ryan Egan, Saint Marilyn, and Parrot Dream.

Have fun. I hope you win your pool or box thing or whatever. Enjoy the commercials. Don't drink and drive.

THURSDAY (2/1)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Open Mic, 8pm

Asbury Park Brewery (Asbury): Harbour / Keep Flying / Tug Of War Machine / Dig Deep, 7pm, $8

Baby's All Right (Brooklyn): The Nude Party / Las Rosas / Glove, 8pm, $12

Baby's All Right (Brooklyn): Stuyedeyed / Native Sun / DJ'd by The Nude Party, 11:59pm, FREE w/ Nude Party tix, $5 w/o

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Music (Pamela Flores / Dustin James) & Comedy (Gordan Baker-Bone / Amy Colon / Jess Alaimo / more), 7:30pm, $10-$12

The Downtown (Red Bank): The Vansaders / Vextion / Deal Casino, 7pm, FREE

House of Independents (Asbury): Enter Shikari / Single Mothers / Milk Teeth, 7pm, $18 adv, $20 door

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Tor Miller, 8pm, FREE

The Saint (Asbury): Shut Up / Atom Driver / Frenular Delta, 7:30pm, $5

The Silent Barn (Brooklyn): Big Ups / Sharkmuffin / The Royal They / Maneka, 8pm, $8 adv, $10 door

FRIDAY (2/2)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Experiment 34 / We're Ghosts Now / P Funk North, 9pm, FREE

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Arlen Feiles & The Broken Hearted / JT Bowen, 9:30pm, FREE

Baby's All Right (Brooklyn): Big Bliss / Fruit & Flowers / Darkwing / Sic Tic / Grim Streaker / THICK, 7pm, $10

BoonTunes (Boonton): Crowded Shoulders / Feed Me To The Forest / Heavy Sigh / If You Please. / Moreso, 7:30pm, $10

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): The Slims / Sailor Boyfriend / Krissanthemum, 7:30pm, $10-$12

Chubby Pickle (Highlands): James Dalton / Brian Erickson / Caveart, 9pm, FREE

House of Independents (Asbury): Joe College & Friends, 10pm, $20

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Billy Hector, 9:30pm, FREE

Meatlocker (Montclair): Funplex Comedy Hour / Merger / Alpha Buddha / Katrina Weissman / Chris Nitti / John Cozz, 9pm

Millhill Basement (Trenton): Bryan McPherson / Matthew Charles / T. GUNN / Real Rude Dude Girl, 9pm, $8

New Brunswick (Ask): American Lions / Toy Cars / Haunt Club / Living Tradition, 8pm, $5

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Black Light Circle / Ziggy Shock / Cinema Star, 7pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): Avery Mandeville and The Man Devils / Dan Amato and The Sentimental Gentlemen / The Lords Of Liechtenstein / Kul d'Sak, 7:30pm, $10

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Brett Young / Ross Ellis, 7pm, SOLD OUT

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Secret Sound / Mad Kings, 7pm, $10 adv, $12 door

Wonder Bar (Asbury): John Eddie, 7:30pm, $18 adv, $20 door

SATURDAY (2/3)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Regina Sayles, 9pm, FREE

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): The Double Negatives / Good Luck Spaceman / Sunshine Spazz, 9:30pm, FREE 

Baby's All Right (Brooklyn): Adult Mom / Harmony Woods / Goodie, 8pm, SOLD OUT

BoonTunes (Boonton): Crust / Baron Praxis / Frenular Delta / Strange Eclipse, 8pm

Branded & Bold Ink (Asbury Park): The Inheritance of the Saints in Light: Photos By Doug Dresher, 4pm-7pm

Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Don Jamieson w/ Midnite Hellion & more, 5:30pm, $13-$15

Chubby Pickle (Highlands): Avery Mandeville & The Man Devils / Julian Fulton & The Zombie Gospel / Christine Mitchell, 9pm, FREE

Clancy's Tavern (Neptune): Tara Dente, 9pm, FREE

Clash Bar (Clifton): From The Concrete / Primal Thesis / Moreso / Zurrendah, 8pm

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Tribute to Pat DiNizio ft. The Grip Weeds / Lost Romance / Mike Daly & The Planets / All-Star Smithereens Jam, 8pm, $10

The Footlight (Ridgewood, Queens): Lost Boy ? / High Pony / Stringer / Colatura, 7:30pm, $10

House of Independents (Asbury): 90s Dance Party, 9pm, FREE

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Catsbury Park Benefit Show ft. Emily Grove / Bone & Marrow / Nylund, 9:30pm, FREE

Meatlocker (Montclair): Smock / Roid! / Whiner / Dutchguts / Dirty Stayouts, 9pm

Millhill Basement (Trenton): Erotic Novels / Alpha Rabbit / Brian Erickson / Wax Wav / Caruso, 8pm, $5

Rose Gold (Brooklyn): Greasy Hearts / Animal Show / The Off White, 8pm, $5

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Will Wood & The Tapeworms / Super Snake / Electric Sensei / Bobby Mahoney & The Seventh Son, 7pm, $25-$50

The Saint (Asbury): The Parlor Mob / The Vice Rags, 7:30pm, SOLD OUT

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Work In Progress / The Flukes / Sonic Blume / The Ones Yo Forgot, 5:30pm, $20-$50

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Splintered Sunlight, 7pm, $16 adv, $20 door

Union Pool (Brooklyn): Shilpa Ray / The Dreebs / Sharkmuffin, 8pm, $12

White Eagle Hall (Jersey City): From Good Homes, 8pm, $25

Wonder Bar (Asbury): Saints In The City (Jersey band covers) / The Fighting Foos (you get it), 7pm, $10 adv, $12 door

SUNDAY (2/4)

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Sandy Mack, 4pm

The Asbury Hotel, Soundbooth (Asbury): Sunday Night Trivia w/ Gentleman Jim, 7pm

Meatlocker (Montclair): END IT / Phantom Pain / MVA / Player Hater, 9pm

Mercury Lounge (NYC): Violets Are Wet / Dinowalrus / Jade Helm, 8pm, $10

Our Wicked Lady (Brooklyn): Ryan Egan / Saint Marilyn / Parrot Dream, 7:30pm, $10