Singleversity #55

Audiversity’s weekly column on music we stumble across during our sonic adventures. No random numbers, just straight audio goodness.

MA:



According to the infallible wisdom of Wikipedia, Japan's preeminent proto-heavy metal, psych-rock collective – the Flower Travellin’ Band – has reunited as of January of 2008. And on top of that, they have a new album “in production” and are playing the Fuji Rock Festival ’08 (and you were excited about seeing a reunited Rage Against the Machine at Lollapalooza, tsk). If you are not already familiar with the influential hard rockers, let me introduce you to them via their most notorious collection of acid tripping, “beach blanket bong-out muscularity.” 1971’s Satori – the Flower’s first proper album of exclusively original material – is often their most revered record and sends worldly musicologist Julian Cope into literary fits: “Flower Travellin’ Band is furious Sabbath atonal doom played with a Zep fitness and a berserk Japanese thoroughness.” There is not a poor moment during the 40-minute set with "Satori, Pt. 1" unanimously inspiring the slow motion stoner rock head bang right from the initial Ozzian howl. It’s not only their transition from clever cover act to path burning legends, but they also established “a sense of musical space which made them into the Can of heavy rock.” If you aren’t already hip, which there is not really an excuse to not be at this point, do so today.

PM:



The same walk that had me simmering over Michael's abrupt dismissal of Santogold also eventually led us to a tangent on 90s genres coming back (Hercules and Love Affair as Culture Beat, anyone?) and how average The Night Marchers are and whatever happened to art-damaged things and how about some fucking -core? How about bringing that back? At least the hardcore scene is still alive and well, even if Louisville one-off Pusher aren't. Featuring members of Breather Resist and Coliseum, their only full-length features a dozen songs clocking in at a mighty, yes, 12 minutes. True story: Songs like "Nail Spitter" and "Scapehole" have been known to restore faith in people who otherwise might still be having Haddaway nightmares.