Dept of Energy/Immaculate Machine/Brides of Obscurity

This show is happening on Saturday at Mars Bar, and it's definitely worth checking out. I still have some free tickets available if you're interested. Just send me an email.

11pm - Gary Reynolds & the brides of obscurity
10pm - Immaculate Machine (from Canada)
9pm - Dept Of Energy

Free Immaculate Machine tickets

Immaculate Machine is coming to town on Saturday, February 2, and I've got a handful of tickets to giveaway.

As if Immaculate Machine, a band with connections to New Pornographers, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Tegan and Sara and others, isn't enough to haul your butt to the club, also on the bill are the Brides of Obscurity and Department of Energy are also performing. So, it'll be a good night of pop music.

If you'd like said tickets, just send me an email and you can lay claim.

Here's an Immaculate Machine video as a bonus.

This week's post on KEXP blog

The latest post in my weekly column on the KEXP blog (Rock and Roll Pest Control) is now up. This week is focused on a show that is happening tomorrow night at the Tractor Tavern, featuring Brides of Obscurity, Friday Mile and Central Services. You can read it here and read all posts by clicking the link over there --->

Absolute Powerpop's top 2007 releases, so far

The fine folks at Absolutely Powerpop have released their Top 50 for the first half of 2007 list. There appears to only be one Seattle artist on the list. Coming in at number five is Shake Some Action! [conflict of interest alert: I'm the bass player in SSA]. They also released a short list of the Top 5 EPs for 2007, and The Brides of Obscurity come in at number five there.

Congrats to both!

Review: Brides of Obscurity's "Extended Play"

The guys of Brides of Obscurity (and don't let the bride reference fool you, they're all dudes) have a new EP out, titled Extended Play. I'm going to give my initial thoughts here as I listen to the record, because I've not yet fully digested the album. I have the sense that it's one of those records that really needs to marinate over time to really achieve its full flavor.

Track 1 - "Bombs Away"
This song opens with a dusty, reverbed-out guitar and a driving bass line and leads quickly into a verse that features a vaguely Dylan-esque delivery. But, that quickly turns into a chorus that manages to be a foreboding warming and a catchy toe-tapper at the same time. There's something very "American" about this song, and it wouldn't sound out of place on, say, a Travelling Wilburys or Tom Petty record.

Track 2 - "Positively Me"
Now this is bouncy little track that would've fit in nicely on the most recent Vanilla CD. By that I mean it mixes organ driven powerpop sounds a la Jellyfish with a "classic rock" approach. And don't cringe when I type the words "classic rock," because I mean it in all the right ways that the word classic should imply.

Track 3 - "Don't Get Me Wrong"
Things get a little more quirky on Track 3. Okay, the vocals just kicked in and I retract my description, it's more in the psychedelic realm than quirky. The main riff and verse of this one has a nice groove, although I could use more drums in the mix. The chorus falls a little flat for me here, but still not a bad tune.

Track 4 - "Told You So"
The Dylan delivery returns a bit on this one. I like the chorus of this one quite a bit. It's catchy and melodic while again sounding classic/familiar without being a rip off of something in particular. This would make a nice soundtrack song, and I dig the "bah bah bah" sing along.

Track 5 - "All Because Of You"
Although it's last in the running order, this might be my favorite tune of the record. It's got a strong Beatles vibe and a great guitar solo. There are children's playground voices sprinkled through the song, and I can't quite figure out why they there... is the song about some one's kid? If so, then it makes more sense. If not, I'm confused. But, that confusion doesn't keep me from appreciating the tune. Great song.

You can hear samples and pick up the disc over at CD Baby. By the way, did I mention there is a naked lady on the cover?

Red Sky v. New West Motels

As previously reported New West Motels annouced a name change at the Global Cooling Benefit. But, rumor mill has it that such a name change has been put on hold because all of a sudden they find themselves fielding phone calls from record industry types who have taken a shine to the new recordings over at their myspace page (listen to "Dandelions").

Personally, I always loved the name New West Motels. So, this does not break my heart at all. What does break my heart is a diggety-damn awesome show is taking place a few weeks from now... on a Wednesday. Don't clubs realize I've got an early alarm clock for work? :)

Such is the way of the world. But, this is a line up that will be worth missing a few hours of sleep. It's at the Croc on February 28 and features:

[edited to remove one of the bands, who, for weird legal reasons with former management, asked me not to mention them at this point... but they rock]
New West Motels
The Brides of Obscurity
Driving the Eights

Rock! Mark your calendar now.


Rob from New West Motels

Tuesday morning mp3

Since Monday was xmas, the mp3 for the week is coming a day late. It's by Gary Reynolds and the Brides of Obscurity. The tune is called "instant happiness," from the album by the same name.

Day 7: Two mp3s per day for 16 days

It's monday, which means that it's day number 7 of Two mp3s Per Day For 16 Days -- the series that features the bands from the upcoming Seattle edition of the International Pop Overthrow.

My Brave Face's take on "Playboy To a Man"

Gary Reynolds and the Brides of Obscurity's "Instant Happiness"

NOTE: In some instances, like the one above with My Brave Face, I may have to pull songs off of myspace and put them into a linkable source (in this instance, it's putfile.com). If any of the bands don't want this to happen, let me know and I can redirect to another mp3 of your selection, or remove completely.