Gestalt

Hooray! The papers have cleared, the band has relocated to the Midwest, and now I bring them to you as the new best unsigned band in America. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a German techno duo with a penchant for acoustic love songs. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you…

Gestalt.

Download these three MP3s in order of their listing to better enjoy and understand the mystery that is Gestalt:
Gestalt - Intro Gestalt - Sir Francis Mit Bacon Gestalt - Whining Infidelities
[NOTE: If you're having problems downloading those last 2 songs directly, just go to the band's mp3.com page here.]

Gestalt now has an email address! Send your fanmail to Gestaltx@aol.com. Remember, their English isn't all that good, so be simple.

The New Pornographers / Gods Reflex

Adam: There's something to say about the pedigree of the New Pornographers, as they're a finely bred animal that's resulted from a long line of great indie rock acts. The Vancouver supergroup features Zumpano's Carl Newman, (non-touring member) Dan Bejar of Destroyer, Kurt Dahle of Limblifter and critical-darling Neko Case just to name a few. Their debut album is "top 5" shit for me, so getting new material from them makes me quite happy:
New Pornographers - The Laws Have Changed
Check Mint Records or Matador for more info. The new album "Electric Version" drops on May 5th.

Scott: Due to my car blowing up last week, I was unable to attend Gods Reflex's last show which took place this past Friday at the Fireside Bowl. In lieu of flowers for my car, all I ask is that you download some of these MP3s [most of which are graciously provided by Arms Reach Recordings] so you can better understand just how amazing Gods Reflex was, and how much I'm going to miss them:
Gods Reflex - I'm Not Sorry Gods Reflex - Why I Hate Texas Gods Reflex - How I Learned To Unwind Gods Reflex - Or Ever Be Lonely Again Gods Reflex - Perfect Blankets For November Gods Reflex - Put Down That Guitar Gods Reflex - That They Should Never Weep Gods Reflex - Unfastened In Your Car Gods Reflex - Careering [live on Illinois Wesleyan radio] Gods Reflex - Careering
Gods Reflex - Of Self And Promise
The band's webpage is now defunct, but a few good sites to find out more about the band and buy some CDs are ArmsReachRecordings.com, JohannsFace.com, and RedLineDistribution.com.

Oh yeah, and as for revealing my pick for the new best unsigned band in America: I know I promised it for this week, but there is a small problem - the band is from Germany. I'm currently hard at work getting them physically imported to America, and hopefully all the paperwork will go through by next Sunday. What I can tell you about the band, however, is their name: Gestalt. Get ready for a musical revolution.

Royal City

Adam: Royal City play a mix of indie rock, folk, alt-country and low-fi punk with a penchant for occasionally morbid imagery. This track is from their 2001 album "Alone At The Microphone" which is being reissued in Europe soon on Rough Trade Records. Jim Guthrie from this band is becoming quite a celebrated solo artist in his own right. Fans of the Weakerthans will dig this :
Royal City - Bad Luck
Check out Three Gut Records for more info, tour dates and whatnot.

Scott: Why no MP3 of the week from yours truly today? I know why! BECAUSE MY FUCKING CAR BLEW UP ON THE FUCKING HIGHWAY. Not that I'm upset about it or anything. Anyway, look for me to debut the new best unsigned band in America next Sunday - this band will rock your world.

John K. Samson

Scott: Remember that story we ran a little while ago about those John K. Samson songs being streamed by the CBC? Remember how frustrated you were when the songs were only available through streaming audio, and not MP3? Remember when those awesome guys at Punknews.org provided some of them in MP3 form?
John K. Samson - Psalm for The Elk's Lodge Last Call
For more information on Samson's band, the Weakerthans, please head on over to TheWeakerthans.org.

Adam: Here's another from those CBC sessions. It doesn't paint the most flattering picture of Winnipeg but Samson claims the song isn't written in the first person:
John K. Samson - One Great City
Are we excited? Yes. I believe we are.

American Steel

A lot of you like American Steel. I like American Steel, too. I also like this American Steel song, which is the last one they ever recorded and is only available on Lookout! Freakout Volume 3:
American Steel - More Like A Dream
For more info on American Steel, go here.

Plan Of Attack / The Slackers & Chris Murray

Scott: Hardcore punk is alive and well in Dekalb, Illinois and Plan Of Attack is here to prove it. Fans of Gorilla Biscuits, Minor Threat, and the like take note:
Plan Of Attack - Watch It Burn
For more info on the band, go here, and to download more of their MP3s, go here.

Adam: The Slackers recently put together an album released independently through their Special Potatoe label titled "The Slackers And Friends." It features the band backing guest vocalists from the ska and reggae scenes. This is one of my favorite tracks from the disc, featuring Chris Murray of King Apparatus:
The Slackers f. Chris Murray - Running From Safety
You can pick up this record from the band's website or at their shows, I doubt its easily available in stores.

The Zambonis / Constable Brennan

Scott: How many punk bands do you know that have their albums carried in the official NHL catalog? The Zambonis are the only one I know of. Check out this song, featuring guest vocals from James Kolchaka Superstar:
The Zambonis - Hockey Monkey
For more information on the band, go to TheZambonis.com.

Adam: I saw the Slackers in Guelph on New Years Eve, opening for them was Constable Brennan. The Toronto punk rock band put on a fun set (which included a killer cover of Toots & The Maytals' "Pressure Drop"). Here's a song from their 2001 album that Slacker Vic Ruggiero produced:
Constable Brennan - Dee Dee
Check their website for more info, they released their debut album on their own Go!Go!Go! Records.

Joe Strummer

Adam/Scott: We have to thank StrummerNews for posting this song. This is a different version of "Minstrel Boy" then the one that appeared on "Global A Go-Go" (review). This version is significantly shortened from the 17 minute album track but has vocals added. This originally appeared on the soundtrack to the film "Black Hawk Down"
Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Minstrel Boy (film version)
I'm also planning to put up a song from Strummer's out of print 1989 album "Earthquake Weather." Look for it soon (as soon as I can find a host for it).

Joey Ramone / The Pogues

Scott: We here at Punknews.org wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah [or Happy Festivus], but we figured that the late Joey Ramone does it much better:
Joey Ramone - Merry Christmas
We hope you all have a happy and safe holiday, and please, if you're going to drink, hand your car keys to a friend. We don't want to lose any of you [well, some of you might want to see WussEmoRock disappear, but you secretly know you'd miss him if he did].Adam: Scott challenged me to top his MP3 of the Week. So here it is: The best Christmas song ever. EVER. It's the almighty Pogues featuring Kristy MacColl doing their famous tune:
The Pogues - Fairytale Of New York
Happy holidays, don't hit the Nog too hard. Look for our Top 10 of 2002 lists up on New Years and mostly-regular site updates throught the next week. (I dont know how long the server I've got hosting this song will stay up… so sorry if it stops working)

The Impossibles / Huevos Rancheros

Scott: I'm not a big fan of the Impossibles, but I *am* a big fan of Weezer, and this is a killer cover of a Pinkerton gem:
The Impossibles - The Good Life [Weezer cover]
The Impossibles are broken up now, but Gabe and Rory are currently in the band Slowreader. For more information on the Weezer Tribute that this song appeared on, go to DeadDroidRecords.com. Adam: Cowboy hats and surfboards are the order of the day here in my little corner of the Punknews universe. Huevos Rancheros are an instrumental rockabilly / surf-revival band from Calgary. They're also probably the first band I ever saw live. Think the Shadowy Men, Reverend Horton Heat and a heavy helping of Dick Dale and you get the picture. Check out this song from their 1996 EP "Get Outta Dodge" :
Huevos Rancheros - What A Way To Run A Railroad
For more information check the band's website or their label Mint Records.