The word “familiar” can be used to describe music in negative and positive ways. New Terminus, a band from Atlanta, GA, sounds exceedingly familiar to me. And fortunately, I mean that in an unusually positive way.  Development,the band’s new EP, has been wandering around in my head like a memory discovering its true identity as a new experience.  New Terminus use all the same tones, chords, rhythms, and hooks that make (un)popular rock music from the ‘60s-‘90s one of the most intriguing and consistent forces in my life, but they do it masterfully, without taking too much from too few influences.

While there are too many reference points on Development to name, I feel these songs can be separated into two teams, as there are two distinct types of songs among the four.  Team one is “Solution #4” and “Where we Meet.” These songs sound like Built to Spill playing early Sunny Day Real Estate, but with more straightforward rhythms.  This side of the band sees them transitioning seamlessly between pretty, chiming guitar arpeggios and fuzzy leads. The drummer and bassist keep the excellence a standard by playing thoughtful and confident parts that never seem overwrought.  Team two is “Every Day” and “Sunshine Delay.” These songs fall more on the pop side of the spectrum, and are equally impressive.  Here, New Terminus combines historical pop-rock reverence with vigorous indie rock sensibilities the way Material Issue and Velvet Crush did in the early ‘90s.  “Every Day” is probably my favorite song of the bunch, and could have been a hit in a better age.

The variety of ideas, and quality of execution, makes me think this is a band whose members spend just as much time talking about and listening to records as they do rehearsing.  And it sounds like they do more than their fair share of both.  The familiar elements on Development are born of what is clearly a love of the experiences, reflections, and inspirations that make creativity—musical or otherwise—lucrative.  It sounds familiar because, like the records this band draws from, this EP is worth listening to.  This is not the kind of band that is going to take over the indie world, but I think there are more than enough fans of guitar-driven pop to ensure this band finds the audience they deserve. At least I hope so, because I want to hear much more from New Terminus.

Sock Monkey Sound

It’s about damn time!

The Braves, the now defunct indie band from Rockford featuring members of Crankupmadonna and my recent co-host Kevin Schwitters, have released their last official album on Bandcamp.com. Quiet Hushed Animals was originally released in 2007 in a limited Vinyl only edition. Recorded by longtime producer Mike Hagler , Quiet Hushed Animals is an great work that I personally have argued, both on the podcast and in articles (as well as drunkenly over beers with The Braves themselves), needed to be re-released to a wider possible audience. Who knows why it took so long, maybe they can answer that in the comments below?

Along with the re-release, they’ve also released The Misery of Marching EP that includes 3 songs from the QHA sessions. All of these songs were available on The Leaves Are Black cd that they sold at their reunion shows in 2010. Maybe The Leaves Are Black will also see a digital only release in the future along with their first release That’s The Hot Part, which I hope is the case. Till then check out the tracks below and buy em if ya like em.

Sock Monkey Sound

Sean Moeller of Daytrotter by Andy Whorehall

This episode we had the pleasure to talk to Sean Moeller, founder of Daytrotter.com. We discuss how he and Daytrotter got their start and about some of the inner workings of the Horseshack Studios where Daytrotter records their sessions live to tape and make the performances available for free. Thanks to contributing writer and former guest of the show Kevin Schwitters for sitting in as co-host of this episode.

Check out Daytrotter.com if you want to find some great performances by a diverse group of artists.

Thanks to our man Andy Whorehall for the illustrations of Sean, the Monkey, and the Horse.

Sock Monkey Sound

By Andy Whorehall

Forewords by Kevin Schwitters & Dave DeCastris
Epilogue by Jesus Correa
Video by Stephanie Barisa
Download Bootleg by Mark Muraski

“The CJ’s SYTTNN show was one of the best shows I have ever been a part of.

We drew numbers to determine the entrance order, and I drew #2. I remember being excited because I figured my entrance would be the moment when the show transformed from one guy playing music alone into something truly special and weird.

I stood in the back room with the other members listening to Jesus (#1) play the intro, and after 10 seconds, I knew he had already achieved this on his own. We filed out one-by-one and kept piling on the noise.

We had only gotten together to discuss the project one or two times before the show, and most of that time was spent making costumes, taking pictures, and playing with action figures. The music wasn’t so much an after-thought as it was a never-thought. There was a .001% chance the music would be anything but annoying, indulgent, and unlistenable. Magic. And it never happened again.”
-Kevin Schwitters (The Braves / Table & Chairs / Haunted Hayrides/Say Yes to The No-No’s)

“The moment he (Jesus) mentioned costumes & noise makers for instruments, I was sold.  We had simply agreed to be in a Jesus Correa project, which in itself is worthy of any sort of participation.  We did discuss his idea for the show and what to bring;  a cape, masks would be provided, and any noise making device.  He said he’d provide the songs.  There would be no practice which made us ecstatic but curious.  That night we gathered back room at CJ’s downtown in our costumes & pulled #s (me pulling #11) for entrances.  Jesus, #1, proclaimed that we were going to play cover songs & before you knew it, it was over to the tribal chant of “Crocodile Rock” & feedback from a rigged, audio-out space-lego noise maker toy that  Mark Muraski tweaked up for me to abuse with a pedal & practice amp. We were sweaty, thirsty, happy.  Musical therapy.

Someone yelled, “It was a happening!” as Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” began to play from the bar overhead PA.  It was only then did the irony settle in we just made ridiculous noise like masked banshees on a bender in a Rockford bar. We should have been kicked out, thinking back; but Jesus is cunning, charming and those costumes may have been the decoy in his plan to not get us kicked out.

In the parking lot afterwards, 2 guys approached me ‘loading’ the car. “Dude, were you one of the No-No’s?” Yes. “That was crazy man, space circus music man!”  Yeah it was fun. “We’re from Caledonia man, we drove in to get drunk but man, we didn’t expect that shit.”  Thanks (laughing). “How did you practice for that?” That was practice. “When are you playing again?” I doubt we will.

It’s pretty rare when I can say without irony, ‘thank you, Jesus.’ That was fun.”
-Dave DeCastris (Donkey Boy (USA) / Staasuhnator Rex / Say Yes to The No-No’s)

______________________________________________________________________

On March 1st, 2008, CJ’s on State St. in Rockford, IL played host to an unknown gathering of local musicians performing in costume by the name of “Say Yes To The No-No’s.” Armed with various noisemaking devices, percussion, toy instruments, harmonica, trombone, and slide guitar, the local ‘ironic super-group’ could be considered veteran, Rockford area musicians now who are more often ignored than actually listened to.  They were brought together by midwestern artist, musician & 2009 city mayoral candidate, Jesus Correa IV. He the brain, the No-No’s being his brainchild

Correa’s No-No’s consisted of members he gathered together from The Braves, Midwestern Death, Donkey Boy (USA), The Moment, Popeye Jonesin’, The GoMows & many more; possibly forming the first ever Rockford Area Anti-Arts Indie Super Group. (It’s ok to laugh.)  Together they created a unified sound, void of arrogance & musical discipline, with unadulterated defiance for each other and their environment.

Jesus Correa

12 members filed in  1×1, each 30-40 seconds apart to fulfill a roll call led by its leader, Mr. Correa.  They eventually created a half hour of “cover songs”- as Jesus put it lightly during the intro.  Far from being cover songs & closer to something from space, the 12 members from all walks of life and styles of music created a circus of sound. Each member being the asshole in any other band performed out of tune, out of rhythm, and proudly.  They became elephants that night, marching together to the beat of their leader’s drum machine. Yelling, banging, chanting & laughing like adult-children should do on occasion just to feel alive.

It became the sound of Rockford at night I’d dreamt of for years; elephants stampeding through, marching with the self-defeated while trashing the town into a disgusting layer of party confetti, balloon skin shrapnel & empty beer cans. The drunk women at the bar never saw it coming, leading them to bed & leaving them for a new town to trash come morning. The sound of Rockford had finally arrived & it was gone in 31 minutes. Go figure, it was led by a human being named, Jesus.

Each member performed draped in a cape with masks on made by Correa for the No-No’s to wear, an homage to the good ol’ days of wrestling, performing, entertaining the locals and releasing the demons. Together they formed something larger than the scene they pissed about in tinkering away their youth on. Large &  memorable, it was only going to happen once this way.  12 idiots, all ironic & talented with multiple issues spread out between each one for 1 night, 30 minutes in Rockford creating unrehearsed, city-circus noise.

A soundtrack for a city so sad from waiting on a train to come back that they missed these elephants trampling all over their town for 30 minutes. From the Say Yes To The No-No’s to no one else but themselves.

AW | andy whorehall

{Download a bootleg recording / Say Yes To The No-No’s / Live @ CJ’s Lounge, Rockford, IL 03.01.2008 / Recorded by by Mark Muraski}

_________________________________________________________
SMS Ed. Note, 01-26.2011: We were able to hunt down Jesus Correa for a few comments, thoughts about the 1-off event after this article’s original posting.  Enjoy.

EPILOGUE / Jesus Correa:

“At the time of the show I was performing with an odd band called Lightning Thunder Fox-Chip Copeland was actually very shortly involved with this project-and we had a show booked at Cj’s. Elizabeth Kris McQueeny was in this band, and she was unable to perform-due to a vacation I believe-and I am a sickfuck who is unwilling to cancel a show-I performed last Valentines Day after spending the previous evening/early morning in an emergency room in Chicago after plummeting off the roof of the Congress Theatre-so I started racking my brain.

At this point I had been playing in bands and performing for about ten years, and I always felt like an outsider, a weird-o, and an outcast in the local music scene. I knew a lot of other folks in bands around town, but I was never “IN” with the incrowd, and my musical projects were often spurned and overlooked, and Lightning Thunder Fox was really sort of out there. So I start wracking my brain, because I am not going to cancel a show-I probably love playing shows more than anything else I can think of-and I figure, “Well, they think I’m weird, and out there, I will show them weird and out there.”

So I start getting in touch with folks I respected around the area, mostly musicians, some other random folk that I was sort of curious as to what they would do, some just on the word of other folk I had asked. I had a fuzzy idea of what wanted to happen, and I had a name. Say Yes To The No-No’s was just something I said around the house, and I recorded a few things under the name around that time-an album called Ko-Ko Luv Good available on Greentape.

I got a basic line-up worked out, and so I set to work. We all met at my house a total of two times, maybe three. We met once to do a photoshoot at the 412 mansion-I am not sure where these photos are, I believe we used Elliot Porter of the Moment’s camera-and I think the second time we met up was before the show to finish up some masks and drink beer before the show. There may have been another get together, but I am a little fuzzy on the whole thing. I think we decided on the way out that the ultimate goal was to end up playing “Crocodile Rock” and that was it as far as the musical guideline was concerned.

I believe a couple of people backed out at the last minute from the show, and I remember trying to talk a couple of people in the back room into playing along, but to no avail. I think we ended up with eleven members onstage when all was said and done.

The masks were something I was sort of using at the time in Lightning Thunder Fox. I like to see a show as much as hear a show, I am very much into stage presence, and am all for putting on a Show. I sewed most of them myself, but I remember a few people helping out in my cramped little room just before the show, Phil Goudreu sticks out as one of the sewers.

Before the show we all drew a mask and a number from a bag. I believe I actually drew number nine, every other number was drawn, and I went ahead and drew again and ended up number one. I never told anyone that before, I sort of cheated a little, but it was my baby and I wanted to be the first one to go, sorry.

I remember walking out and being just sort of disoriented, with the mask and just the oddness of it all. We set all the instruments out beforehand, just sort of scattered all about. I just started my drum machine, and it was all just a little fuzzy from there.

I was reprimanded on two counts for the show:

• Eleanor Boersma who was in the band LIghtning Thunder Fox with me, and also underage kept trying to sneak into the place, which was my problem for some reason.
• It was just sort of too out there, it didn’t sit well with the generic rock and roll shows that typically go on around town-where was the bass player and the drums and the guitar riffs and the structure and who was in charge, where was the frontman etc. It made some people uneasy, good, I like that.

All in all it went above and beyond what I expected. It made my weird band that I was with fulltime not seem so weird. I got to play with a lot of folk I respected but who would not normally perform with me or one of my bands under normal circumstances. I got to bring a weird idea that belonged in some uptight boring art gallery into a cozy little dive bar, and weird out the Squares.

Just the experience of being there was one thing. There were some fuzzy videos on the YOUTUBE a few days later. Then I heard someone had recorded the damned thing, and lo and behold it was not as annoying as I thought it would be, it was actually sort of good in its own weird way, it sort of clicked, and it worked, godammit it worked.

This is the final line-up of performers as far as I can remeber, I think some of them kept their masks, which made me mad at first, but I hope they treasure their stolen mask, and the magical evening we shared together, just some masked men wailing and banging in the evening.

Say Yes To The No-No’s, line-up, 03-01-2008
1.Jesus Correa VII
2.Kevin Schwitters
3.Dave Decastris
4.Phil Goudreaux
5.Brandon Lutmer
6.Taylor Marie Moorman
7.Jason Judd
8.Steven Wirth
9.Spencer Scott
10.Zach Ippen
11. Barrett James

Sock Monkey Sound

Pavement, Live at the Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI (photo © rights reserved thepabsttheater.org)

One of indie rock’s finest entered the homestretch this month with midwest shows in Chicago and Milwaukee.  Our team of core contributors, Danger & Whorehall, teamed up with resident songwriter & sometimes contributor, Schwitters (The Braves / Table & Chairs), to summarize Pavement’s 10 year reunion tour.  Each bring a different perspective and a 15 year age gap to the table.  Enjoy.

Wowee Zowee

1) Favorite Pavement Album

aD:  My heart says Wowee Zowee (largely because Grounded is my favorite song) but my Last.fm account claims the best of comp Quarantine the Past. This confuses my soul.

kS:  Wowee Zowee

aW:  This is a very difficult question:  If I’m in a bad mood, “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain” always lifts me up;  If I wake up in a good mood I know the day has potential to be a lie, a let down, “Wowee Zowee” always brings me back to gray, where there’s equal good and bad.  I love both incredibly.  I count on “Brighten Your Corners” for a few laughs and zone outs while reading, and “Slanted & Enchanted” always gets me going for long hauls on domestic chores.  “Terror Twilight” has its moments, the best one being the last song, “Carrot Rope,” a great pop song to end a band’s recorded history.  Each record stands tall now, without sounding dated.

2) Favorite Pavement Lyric

aD:  My very favorite Pavement lyric is the David Berman penned, “In 1984 I was hospitalized for approaching perfection.” from the opening track of Silver Jews’ third album. 2nd place (and actual Pavement lyric) is the tongue twisting, “You’ve been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life,” out of Shady Lane (the album version, “Brighten Your Corners”).

kS:  “Lip balm on Watery Clay/ Relationships, hey hey hey/you kiss like a rock but you know I need it anyway”

aW:  “What about the voice of Geddy Lee?  How did it get so high?  I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy? (I know him and he does!) Well you’re my fact checking cuz.”…  “oh my god, oh his god, oh her god, oh your god, it’s everybody’s God (repeat!)”… “ecstasy feels so warm inside I am chewing’ screwing’ myself with my hand”… “our life is about to come away from the mirror in a rainshed generation, fight this generation.”  So many more.

Pavement (L >R): Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Mark Ibold, Scott Kannberg, Steve West

3) Favorite Pavement Member

aD:  No question. Mark Ibold. Sonic Youth and Free Kitten cred not withstanding, he’s impossible to dislike. How can you not have positive feelings for a guy who bounces around the back of the stage grinning sheepishly and occasionally removing his pants?

kS:  Mark Ibold

aW:  Bob Nastanovich;  the heart & soul of Pavement.

4) Favorite Pavement B-Side / Outtake or Non-Album /track

aD:  Unseen Power of the Picket Fence. You can’t beat the No Alternative comp. I bathe with the No Alternative comp on weekends. Also, REM.

kS:  “Unseen Power of the Picket Fence”

aW:  “No Tan Lines,” the double guitar solos, hot damn, bah bahs;  “you will be my candy striper, junior league or bedpan wiper, convalescent enema essence- I live to be gray, I live to be gray!”  Come on, he dih int!  Yep, he did.  This is a great Pavement b-side from the “Brighten The Corners” sessions.

5) Favorite Post-Pavement Project

aD:  The Jicks but mostly only their fourth album, “Real Emotional Trash,” and largely because of Janet Weiss.

kS: “Pig Lib” by Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (Yes, I know it’s commonly thought of as one of his artistic low-points. I guess I don’t hear what you’re hearing…at all.)

aW:  “Pig Lib” the 2nd solo outing by SM & The Jicks.  “1% of 1,” the 2nd to last song on this record has kept me coming back to it for years.  Plus a hard to find release from the northwest called “Marquee Mark,” featuring Malkmus and the guys from Silkwork performing covers by Dylan, The Band, Skynard, Byrds, as ‘The Crust Brothers.’ Recorded live at the Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, it was released on Telemomo Records in 1998.

PAVEMENT:  The reunion tour, live thoughts from the midwest shows.

Alex ‘Danger’ Stewart:  Chicago, IL (Pitchfork Fest 07/18/10/ and Pritzker Pavillion, 09/13/10)

I have a bit of a frightening admission to make. Pavement never changed my life. Don’t get me wrong, I like them. A lot. But I’ve never thought of my world in the same ‘before & after’ binary that other bands have inspired (ie my life before hearing Sonic Youth and after, etc). A line like, “After the glow, the scene, the stage, the set. Talk becomes slow but there’s one thing I’ll never forget,” from Range Life doesn’t urge the world into sharper focus like I suspect it might for some of my friends. I mean, I certainly appreciate it, and every other aspect of Pavement (their wonky melodies, unassuming guitar histrionics, et al) but my enjoyment is not of historic proportions. I like Pavement. A lot. I just don’t know if I’ll ever love them.

Still, I’ve seen Pavement twice this summer. That’s beyond incredible. It’s honestly a completely satisfying reunion in ways that few others have been. We all know they’re doing it for the money but it doesn’t matter because Pavement still does not give a fuck (in the best way). I went to hear the singles and my favorite album tracks and they acquiesced, but Pavement will be damned if they practice beforehand. What more did I expect? In short: nothing. It’s Pavement! They fumbled and restarted the beginning of one song; Ibold bounced around looking gleeful and hugable; Bob Nastanovich fulfilled his role as indie rock’s Flavor Flav; and Malkmus made a bunch of jokes that no one understood. Perfect.

Pavement, Live at the Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI (photo © rights reserved thepabsttheater.org)

Kevin Schwitters:  Milwaukee, WI, Pabst Theater, 9/14/10

On a Tuesday, 100 miles from home, I sat as the lights went dim in that familiar and well beyond welcome way. I was about to hear twenty songs that helped define nearly as many years of my life. I stood. The opening two songs (”Two States” and “Gold Soundz” ) felt perfect. I was compelled to look around and see if, like I was, everyone else was having to manage an uncontrollable smile. Twenty songs later—and still smiling—I realized that they could have played any of their songs, in any order, and I would have had the same sore feeling surrounding my cheekbones. Pavement 2010 did more than remind me of why I love their music; they gave me a sharper understanding of what makes them one of my favorite bands. With Pavement, each goofy lyric, crisp chord progression, unorthodox melody, and tongue-in-cheek guitar stunt is as parodic as it is devotional. Pavement knows how silly and how sovereign rock and roll can be. And at this show, they seemed to be enjoying it as much as everyone. There are no other bands who do what Pavement does—we need them back for good!

Pavement, Live at the Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI (photo © rights reserved thepabsttheater.org)

Andy Whorehall:  Milwaukee, WI, Pabst Theater, 9/14/10
You never know how it’s going to go with a reunion tour and generally bands that reunite do it for cash and not for the pure joy of being in a band, together on a bus sharing a sh*tter at the age of 40 something, again.  I’d almost forgotten how great Pavement were live, having seen them a few times in Chicago, in the 90s.  Their records travel with me everywhere, never sounding dated and always providing new laughs and deep thoughts.  I thought I’d seen the finest of finest Pavement gigs already until the christmas lights lit up the Pabst Theater stage and the band ripped through a playful setlist, often triggering many great memories left over from my late teens and early adulthood.  It had felt like a lifetime since I heard the country rock solo on “Range Life,”  or Malkmus singing again, “this is the city life, let’s talk about leaving” from “Silent Kit.”  “Spizzle Trunk,” a long lost b-side from their second E.P., “Demolition Plot J-7,” nailed the crowd during the 2nd encore.  Most notable, nothing was played from “Terror Twilight.”

They could have played all night, Milwaukee was theirs to take. The band chugged along playfully, mixing up the pace righteously until saying goodbye. Each member occasionally pausing to look at each other for a smile, a reminder maybe, that this is as good as it gets.  5 guys in their 40s, healthy, a reunion that doesn’t suck.  I haven’t smiled for 2 hours plus watching a band live in a very long time.  It’s rare to see a band this happy, ironic, joyful, energetic and strangely contempt to play as if they actually enjoyed working for my money, and a permanent smile.  I’ve been to a few horrid reunions in life, none left me positively overwhelmed to have been at as this one. Here’s hoping the next 10 years goes quick, and that all 5 stay healthy-  the world is a better place with Pavement playing live, and happy. A perfect sound forever, thank you.

Pavement @ Pabst “Summer Babe”

Pavement @ Pabst “Unfair”

Pavement @ Pritzkin “Range Life”

Sock Monkey Sound

When I first heard Saves the Day, I felt their music was melodramatic, annoying, and obsolete. Some of my friends in college had taken a liking to their second album, Through Being Cool, which irritated me; I had no reason to listen to a band with such naive, predictable, and emotionally obvious songs. When Stay What You Are came out, I, again, had a small army of friends singing the band’s praises. Around the third time I heard “Freakish,” I stopped my complaining and bought my own copy of the album. Almost a full decade later, I still listen to this album once every couple months. The hooks, melodies, lyrics, and guitar riffs are still melodramatic, annoying, and predictable, but I am, thankfully, no longer missing out on all the fun.

Sock Monkey Sound

Kevin Schwitters

On this episode we welcome Kevin Schwitters from Haunted Hayrides. He graces us with a live in studio performance and talks about his experience making the video for O’ Vira by one of our favorite bands, The Braves.

Featured music by
Maritime
Joie de Vivre
Kevin Devine
Sunny Day Real Estate
Owen

Sock Monkey Sound