Aubin: I know this is usually posted on Sunday's, but I'm such a out-of-control rebel that I'm doing it Monday morning. Anyway, my track is from the unbelievably intense Swedes of Raised Fist. Brett, editor of AMP described them to me as "Slayer meets Minor Threat"
Get This Right - Raised Fist
Adam: Oshawa's Cuff The Duke has been described as "Johnny Horton meets Sonic Youth" due to their penchant for mixing rockabilly twang and rock noise. The group is part of the mighty Three Gut Records, home Guelph's Constantines and Royal City. This is the lead track from their recent album "Life Stories For Minimum Wage." Fans of the Weakerthans' alt-country side should enjoy this:
Cuff The Duke - Blackheart
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it) Scott: Well, Warped Tour is in Chicago today, and I'll be there in just a handful of hours. Out of the many acts that will pique my interest, there is only one I am wholly dedicated to seeing - the audio messiah himself, Andrew WK. Here's his cut from the Jackass: The Movie Soundtrack:
Andrew WK - We Want Fun
For more info on the man, the myth, the partier, head to AWKWorld.com. And for more info on meeting yours truly at Warped in Chicago today [I'll give you free stuff if you come talk to me!], click READ MORE.
Aubin: I never do these, and I guess technically I'm not doing one now since I'm picking a video rather than an mp3. But the new video from Salem (ex-As Friends Rust) is really addictive and I think you should check out Salem - Smoke and Mirrors.
Longing for the quintessential post-breakup "I hate your fucking guts" song? Well, look no further than this, one of the many spicy jams on Moneen's new album [review here]:
Moneen - Start Angry… End Mad
For more info on Moneen, go to Moneen.com.
Scott: This band has done one of the most radical 180s I've ever seen between their first and second album. This track is my personal favorite off their upcoming "Ribbons & Sugar" disc, out July 1st:
Gatsby's American Dream - Work Lies Sex Love Fear Hate Friendship
For more info on Gatsbys American Dream, go to GatsbysAmericanDream.com or Rocket-Star.com.
Adam: This track has been in my head ever since I first heard it. It's unhealthily catchy. The Soviettes are a female fronted Minneapoilis 4 piece and just released their debut on Adeline Records, who's reputation for putting out great pop-punk continues:
The Soviettes - Blue Stars
Scott: The temperature's rising, the sun is shining, the lawn needs mowing, and girls are wearing less and less. All this can only mean one thing - it's summertime, baby. Here's a song that I've been in love with since the first time I heard it last year, and it seems incredibly appropriate now:
Beatsteaks - Summer
For more info on Beatsteaks, go to Beatsteaks.com or Epitaph.com.
Adam: Someone requested this song a few weeks ago in the comment section, so here it is. From the first "Give Em The Boot" (one of my favorite compilations ever) is The Silencers with "Policeman." It features Tim and Lars from Rancid, Vic Ruggerio from the Slackers, Josh Freese of the Vandals, Wix (?) on bass and Mr. Brett doing some backing vocals.
The Silencers - Policeman
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it)
I'll be straight up - I used to hate Spitalfield. I thought they were unoriginal and boring. Then they recorded "Remember Right Now," which comes out June 17th on Victory Records, and something clicked. Something clicked big time. This band will be leading the way for the new breed of Chicago music, carrying the banner that bands like the Promise Ring, Braid, and Gods Reflex dropped. Here's one of my favorite cuts off the upcoming disc:
Spitalfield - Kill The Drama
For more info on Spitalfield, go to Spitalfield.net.
Adam: What was Scott saying earlier about us having pet bands? This marks the second appearance by The Bronx as my pick of the week. They have a new EP coming out on Tarantulas Records this July titled "Bats!" Here's the title track:
The Bronx - Bats!
The band's debut album is out later this summer on Ferret Records / White Drugs.
Scott: This is the best female-sung emo song ever written. Ever.
Pohgoh - Friend X
This song is taken from Deep Elm's "Emo Diaries, Volume 1" compilation. For more info on Pohgoh, click here.
Adam Dove is the stage name for Adam Rubenstein, former guitarist for the massively underappreciated and now-defunct Chamberlain. He put out a solo album entitled "Aftershock" early last year on Doghouse Records to virtually no fanfare, and has been laying low ever since. This is the title track off that album, and it's one of the catchiest rock songs you've never heard:
Adam Dove - Aftershock
For more info on Adam Dove, go to AdamDove.com.
Adam: I miss The Nerve Agents. Someone figure out where Eric Ozenne's run off too and send him a fruit basket for me. Here's a song they released on their split will Kill Your Idols on Mankind Records. It's a cover of David Bowie's Suffragette City from the "Rise & Fall Of Ziggy Stardust" album. The Bowie version of the song's been stuck in my head all week long.
The Nerve Agents - Suffragette City (David Bowie cover)
(track offline. email Adam if you want to hear it)
Scott: Adam misses the Nerve Agents, eh? Well I miss Lifetime. Here's what I believe to be the band's best song ever:
Lifetime - Somewhere In The Swamps Of Jersey
This song is the b-side from the band's now out-of-print "Boy's No Good" 7", which was released on Jade Tree many, many moons ago. It's never been released on any other format that I know of, and it's a damn shame.
In the year and a half history of the MP3 of the Week feature, very rarely has a band been featured more than once. Motion City Soundtrack, Slow Gherkin, John K. Samson, The Constantines, and The Promise Ring [and Gestalt] have been lucky enough to be worth a second mention. The Gadjits now join those ranks, but with a twist - the song I'm featuring is the same song I featured over a year ago. It's still that good.
The Gadjits - Optimism
If you can't rock out to this track, you are deaf. End of fucking story. For more info on the Gadjits, go to TheGadjits.com and THICKRecords.com.