Come Out Tonight......

Lord Howler started as a solo project by Charlie McRee who drums for variety of bands (currently MEX and Wirepony).  He started recording music that he enjoyed to play. Doing lead vocals and lead guitar,  McRee needed a band to capture the love of thrash and classic rock.  Recruiting drummer Jake Najor, bassist Pete Pisaturo, guitarist Mike Shultzman, Lord Howler came about.  They just released a 10 song self titled album recorded in no other than Chaos Records.   


It's gritty, it's grungy, it's one album that is proper for the 2010 upcoming summer fun.  Ladies and gentlemen when you hear the song "Come Out Tonight."  Lord Howler means it.  From the moment you press play all you want to do is jump over the hood of the inferno red '69 Camaro drop top down, and gun it across the country fist pumpin into the air. 


This heavy, dirty, southern rock album should be praised correctly.  When this album hit my cd player, all I could think about was a cross breed between, ZZ Top, Turbonegro and old school Metallica (when they didn't suck). Each song delivers it's own unique madness for high speed driving.  The fast heavy hitting songs such as "Come Out Tonight"  is almost the new Friday night theme song.  Also, songs like "WMSP" and "Space Terror" are in the top list of songs that I have enjoyed from this album.  One song however put me in to utter shock on the way it was not only arranged, but the vocals as well.  "Before the Cold" had a very Alice In Chains sound to it.  A melodic song that starts very somber and half way through it picks up enough beat and tempo as the old 90's grunge ballads. 


The gritty style hard rock album is a great pick of albums for fast driving through the open road.  Please don't get a speeding ticket.  Next show that Lord Howler plays please make sure to pick up an album.  

Limbs and Treasure

The Mashtis  might be the next best thing to come out of this era.  Not just saying that because CityBeat announced it during their "Great Demo Issue of 2010."   Prior to the demo  issue coming out, I had the album in my hand.  They were "pick of the weekend" many times for this blog.  Now it is time for my review of their self title album to be released!  


If you think their name looks familiar, it may be due to the fact that they were named after LA's famous Mashti Malone's Ice Cream shop located at La Brea Ave.  Only a year together and The Mashtis have been sprinkling their fairy dust into everyones ear for something new and creative on the scene.  This is not your hard heavy rock band.  Not a pop-rock-clap-your-hands and tap your feet band.  Not something that you would hear out of the ordinary.  It is best described as a dreamy jangly almost Pixie style band.  Influences such as Pavement and Sonic Youth are very much heard in their music. 


From the moment you press play on your cd player, your automatically hooked.  Their catchy dreamy tunes could be called rockn' roll hymns.  If there truly existed a church of rockn' roll, you would see "Limbs and Treasure," " Harmony Circles," and "Sympathetic Pearl" some where in the one million page book of hymns.  It may also have to do with intertwining male-female harmonies and evocative, almost cryptic lyrics.  The Mashtis, it's music for all occasions. 

The formation of this stellar three piece band started four years ago when lead vocalist and guitarist Itai Faireman posted a simple craigslist ad looking for people for a drummer to experiment with.  Neal was the only one to respond.  They played a hand full of gigs together before Itai moved back to the east coast.  A year ago Itai moved back to San Diego with a brand new solo album entitled The Sunbed Tapes.  With a quick jingle and jangle of the phone; Neal was invited to the cd release party.  Erica was an addition to the band.  Itai met Erica through a mutual friend and together they formed what is now The Mashtis.  


The recording of this album was done at Chaos Recorders with Christopher Hoffee, master engineer and producer (Truckee Brothers, Robin Henkel, Transfer, White Buffalo, and more). With Hoffee recording the album was both challenging and comfortable in this creative situation.  Due to time restraints the album was recorded in 3 days (15 hours per day mind you).  "I'm very happy with how it came out. We recorded the album live..a snapshot of The Mashtis moment." Itai mentioned when asked about the recording process.  "I'm real pleased."


The CD release is April 10th at the Ruby Room with Black Hondo, Cozy Corners and Joey Harris and the Mentals.  Make sure when your there to grab one of their albums.  

Jabbing, Stabbin, Right Hooks and all...

It is raw and live.  Although not recorded at a venue, Right Hook Of Love has all those qualities that most live albums carry.  With these melodic songs, rockn roll is not left behind.  Usually before I review an album, I must live with it.  De-constructing  the living hell out of it.  Listening to every sound that comes out of my speakers.  This album was actually one of the hardest to review.


Right Hook of Love has amazing qualities that during the first listen of the album, I found it to be fantastic and brilliant.  The more and more I listened to this album the more I enjoyed it.  I've seen Wirepony live a few times.  Great live set all the time.  Especially now that Arron Dennis is playing side by side to Patrick.   Starting the album with such a powerful song it could either go both ways.  However, from there it all flows like the river to the sea.  Some songs are from their previous EP's Home on The Strange and Wirepony Tour EP.  The continuity of the album is quite impressive.  With songs such as "Some Lighting," "Atlantic Man," and "All My Rockets;" all have faster tempo and harder melody than that previously recorded on their EP's. Which prove that this band has the talent to take their songs and make them better.   


The only problem I encountered with this album was no more than the backup vocals on a few songs.  Granted O is a great musician.  Talented in his own way.  However, some songs he would pitch his voice higher to meet that of Patrick's.   At one point the idea dawned on me.  If they had a female backup vocalist for just studio recordings; this album would be much more powerful than what it is already.  At one point it sounded like someone was squeezing O's sack and telling him, "please a wee higher when hitting those notes." Sorry O, you shouldn't have to hit notes that doesn't sound right.  Other than that the rest of the backups on the other songs were good.   


Right Hook of Love is released January 29th.  Which is perfect for their show with Transfer and Hong Kong at the Casbah. Tickets are 14 bucks.  Please purchase your tickets now, it will sell out!  See you all there and don't forget to pick up Right Hook of Love.  

Morbid but not Eerie. This is a Fun Shine Line...

Hotel St George.  You did it again!  Another record with the interchanging of the instruments. Genus or Crazy?  You decide.  With Fun Shine Line the new album of the decade.  Hotel St. George reveals a side of the band that no one has heard.  This album, by far much more darker and eerie compared to that of Hundreds and Thousand and of course their last debut City Lemon Boy.

This being their third full length album.   It was all or nothing for them.  The interchanging of the instruments was not as usual as when they are on stage with the SWAPPING of the instruments.  This time they literally changed who played what instruments.

The album starts off with "How is Your Mother."  A mellow pop introduction of the full length.  Very eerie.  As the album progresses the songs do the same thing in the dark melodic stages.  Not only is Fun Shine Line instrumentally dark; the title of the tracks and Matt Binders voice is the perfect touch to this album.  This is not your usual pop punk Hotel St. George.  Most songs such as "Thats Why I Drink Every Night,"  has to do with frustration and pain.  Mainly based on family, religion and just your ever day frustrations on life.  I will have to say this is one of my favorite songs off this album.

As you listen to the rest of the album, you'll notice that there tracks are still lyrically dark but the tempo is more upbeat.  The Keyboards are what makes this album.  As well as the rhythm of the guitar.  Hotel St. George finally wrote an album that was made perfectly for them.   When they played their entire cd prior to their release at Soda Bar.  I didn't pay much attention except for a few songs.  After listening to this album on repeat; I can stand behind it and say its one of their best albums!

Be on the look out for Fun Shine Line!