Category: REVIEWS

New Album Review: Metz II

Brent Smith April 30, 2015

Every time I think I’ve heard the best of what today’s rock has to offer, I get sucker-punched by a band like METZ. If you haven’t heard their 2012 self-titled debut album, then Spotify that shit right now and relish in true noise band glory. With the axiomatic smashing and crashing of the ‘music industry’—that oxymoron that continues insisting upon itself—we’re getting exposure to a lot more bands who no longer have to compromise their sounds for vanilla marketing schemes, and who now have the freedom to continue pushing boundaries and challenging their audiences. METZ’s sophomore album, II no doubt attests, and convinces me that I’m going to be keeping tabs on these Toronto-based hellcats—doing the Canadian image justice in the destructive wake of Bieber Fever. Sub Pop, that label “up there” where it’s always wet, that label that’s kept us radicalized and on our toes for the last three decades, has done it again. They’ve given a great rock band the space and the faith necessary to maintain and cultivate their own vision, which is as loud and unwavering as any fan could hope. Like the preceding album, there are no frills, no bullshit, they don’t let up. No

New Album Review: Courtney Barnett- “Sometimes I Sit and Think…”

Danny Baraz March 20, 2015

For all intents and purposes, “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit” is Courtney Barnett’s first full-length release. 2013’s “A Sea of Split Peas” combined two previously released EP’s into one epic debut that garnered international praise and attention but it was a musical relay race that connected two short stories into a novel. Let’s face it though; You only have one chance to catch the audiences attention as an “unknown” and after “Split Peas”, Courtney Barnett is a known and beloved musical commodity. Sophomore releases are so important. The pressure is so high to prove to the audience and most of all, yourself, that you weren’t just a fluke and Courtney Barnett is most definitely, NOT a fluke. “Sometimes I sit and think…” builds on the achievements of the first two EP’s impressively. Barnett’s spoken word lyricism is once again on full display but there is just enough more melody so as not to be repetitive or mired down in the apathetic melancholy that is prevalent in her vocal tone and lyrical content. There is also more dynamism from track to track. The song, “Small Poppies” is full of down tempo blues guitar mastery and shows

Tod Seelie’s “Outland Empire” opens at Superchief Gallery in LA

Danny Baraz March 11, 2015

Tod Seelie– A New York based conceptual photographer opens a gallery show in L.A. with L.A. as his subject. One might think that you would see images of glamour, celebrities and sparkling oceans and gentrified neighborhoods. Too many have come in to this city with their lens to act as some sort of proxy paparazzi and half heartedly walked amongst the more obvious landmarks and landscapes to capture a cliche. I knew, even before viewing his work at the Superchief Gallery in Downtown Los Angeles that that would not be the case with Tod Seelie. Tod Seelie’s show, “Outland Empire” captures Los Angeles and it’s outlying territories in a sort of post apocalyptic glamour. The glamor of tweekers and flamethrowers and the glamour of beer and sweat soaked teenagers in the midst of an angry slam pit. Non obvious landscapes and non obvious people as subjects seems to be what catches Seelie’s eye. Eaddy from Ho99o9 mentioned that they would be playing a show at the Tod Seelie opening the other week and I drew a blank on the connection between the name Tod Seelie and his works. Once I started doing some digging I came across his Bright Nights book and

Salad Days: The DC Punk Revolution Documentary

Salad Days Punk Doc is a Deep Dive on Dischord Records

Danny Baraz March 1, 2015

For decades, the music industry has found ways to exploit and capitalize on homegrown music scenes. Organic movements of pubescent and pre pubescent children, finding their voice and by proxy, the voice of the other kids in their neighborhood. Whether it was grunge in Seattle, hip hop in Brooklyn or punk in Orange County, the music industry sees a devoted legion of rabid consumption and immediately moves to find a way to make money from it. It seems like corporations have never failed to corrupt the purity of art except for one exception; Dischord Records in Washington D.C. Last night I went to the L.A. premiere of Salad Days: The D.C. Punk Revolution at The Regent Theater and I learned so much about one of the most influential, uncorrupt able, DIY music scenes that has ever existed. Salad Days is most definitely a chronicle and an ode to Dischord Records. There was very little in this movie about the Bad Brains outside of the acknowledgment that they influenced the entire scene. The movie was complete enough to mention other bands that influenced the region like The Cramps, The Clash and The Ramones and even a decent amount of time

New Album Review: The Birth Defects- First 8 Mistakes

Danny Baraz February 26, 2015

I’m having a hard time remembering the last time I’ve been this stoked about a debut album. The Birth Defects first release, “First 8 Mistakes” is an abrasive, in your face, drink till you puke, punk rock masterpiece. It’s the perfect soundtrack to a bar fight and the type of music that will make your parents worry about your well-being. Somehow, First 8 Mistakes manages to be raw and refined at the same time. If you are thinking those descriptions are mutually exclusive then just think about the term, Pop-punk. A classification most fast paced, power chord pioneers probably never envisioned to be possible but yet here we are, drowning in melodic, bubble gum bands. The Birth Defects are a breath of smoggy air in a genre that has been gentrified and made palatable to the masses. The raw represents the music and the refined represents the albums producer, Ty Segall. But The Birth Defects musical pedigree extends beyond it’s Indie King producer. Members of The Birth Defects are made up of Petey Dammit from Thee Oh Sees, Jonathan Safley, former drummer of the band Bleached and Jason Gerkin of Shiner. But the true personality, charm and parent cringing reflexes

Girl Band: Noise Rock Outfit Release A Video And First US Dates

Danny Baraz February 20, 2015

Noise Rock has made quite the evolution over the decades and nowhere is that more apparent than with emerging, Irish Noise Rock outfit, Girl Band. Girl Band take all the chaos and aggression of it’s predecessors and turn that foundation into a highly groovable and danceable expression of rage and frustration. If you’re not familiar with Girl Band, their new video for the track “Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage” is a great place to start. I have to warn you though, it’s not for the squeamish. Autopsy’s, dancing cadavers and necro frontal nudity are the theme and a chaotic, distorted and sort of organic techno/dub step is the sound. Girl Band are releasing their first EP, The Early Years on April 21st on Rough Trade and it will feature a compilation of their rare works that have only been sold via their merch tables or mail ordered through their website. You can pre-order The Early Years Here. Girl Band are certainly a new act to watch out for. They are making their way stateside for the first time in March. They will start in Brooklyn, make their way to SXSW and then to California. With a gig at

Preview: “Multi Love” from Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Danny Baraz February 11, 2015

It seems like every two years, like clockwork, we are blessed with a new Unknown Mortal Orchestra release. Music snobs insist on a certain type of consistency without predictability from their favorite artists. I received an advanced copy of the title track from Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s forthcoming release last week but I never like to give my opinion on art in haste and I’m glad I waited. Art has a funny way of morphing your perception of it from one view or listen to the next. My initial thoughts on “Multi Love”, the title track from Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record was that it’s quite the shift from the filthy beauty of their previous works. It’s amazing how different recording methods can completely change the vibe of an artist. On “Multi-Love”, it sounds like there has been a pivot from analog recording to digital. It threw me off the first few times I listened to it but not necessarily in a bad way. It sounds so clean that it almost felt like a different band altogether but at the same time, Ruban Nielson’s vocals are unmistakeable and glorious. There is a guitar lick that comes in at the 1:47 mark of

New ho99o9 video: Casey Jones/Cum Rag

Danny Baraz January 29, 2015

Very few bands encapsulate all the different music we love at Janky Smooth into one band more than the band ho99o9. It’s not everything we love but it’s most of what we love, all in one band. We’ve been hyped on them since the first rumblings of their existence. Ho99o9 dropped a new song/video today and fuuuuuuccccccckkkkk. It’s the type of dissonant, distorted, digitized, angry and disturbed type of noise that can make my blood boil and give me goosebumps all at the same time. I hate to jock anyone but I give credit where credit is due. ho99o9 are the shit and we are more excited to see what they do in 2015 than we are about any other band. Ho99o9 are playing two L.A. shows this weekend and we highly suggest you make it to one, if not both. [button color=”pink” size=”normal” alignment=”center” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://www.jankysmooth.com/free-show-lil-b-trash-talk-ho99o9-regent-go-wrong/”]Check out our previous coverage of ho99o9 live with Lil B and Trash Talk[/button] On Saturday, Ho99o9 are playing a free show at Church of Fun. Just RSVP at [email protected] On Superbowl Sunday ho99o9 is playing with Thurston Moore, of all people at THE GEFFEN CONTEMPORARY AT MOCA -152 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE,

New Album Review: Calabrese – Lust for Sacrilege

Danny Baraz January 28, 2015

Horror Punk fans are insatiable. Like the unending hunger and thirst for brains and blood, the more the better. After 5 full length albums and an EP, Calabrese has released their 6th LP titled, “Lust for Sacrilege” on January 13 2015. I am here to report that Calabrese have pretty much stuck to the format that made them huge amongst their enthusiasts. I can say that there is a bit more soulfulness in some of the downtempo tracks like “Serpentflame” but there is nothing to offend any hardcore fans. While some of the arrangements and songs might have a few more “parts” to them and there is a larger element of dynamism contained within each song, crooning and chords are still the most prominent sound on the record. I doubt there are many out there that think Calabrese should go out on a limb and take some risks outside maybe the record distributors but Spookshow Records have to be thrilled to have artists on their label with such a consistent output of “bread and butter”. Tracks like “Gimmie War” are absolute Calabrese perfection while the song “New York Ripper” has some of the more varied dynamics that must make

Stream Django Django’s first new work in almost 3 years.

Janky Smooth Central Command January 12, 2015

It’s been almost 3 years since Django Django released their self titled album on January 30th, 2012. They took the world by storm with their cosmic, electro-surf sound. We’ve been wondering what happened to them for the past year and now we have something amazing to look forward to. Django Django has just made their first new work in 3 years available to stream and I can honestly say that good things like this are worth waiting for. This track, “First Light”, is true to the very finely crafted and produced form that made them an instant breakout obsession on their first LP. David Maclean (drummer/producer) and Vincent Neff (singer/guitarist) create some magic with the rest of the band in the form of dreamy and silky vocal harmonies, along with amazingly produced and completely original musical arrangements. [button color=”yellow” size=”normal” alignment=”center” rel=”follow” openin=”newwindow” url=”https://soundcloud.com/djangodjango/first-light”]Stream Django Django’s new track “First Light” here[/button] If this track is any indication of what’s to come then we are in store for an epic sophomore release from the dudes of Django Django. More info on the forthcoming release coming soon.

Preview: Ty Segall’s title track off forthcoming EP- Mr. Face

Danny Baraz January 8, 2015

Ty Segall keeps churning out new music at a blistering pace. Whatever you call the musical composers version of writers block, Ty Segall doesn’t have it. After an amazing reception for his last full album, Manipulator, I sampled the title track off his forthcoming EP, Mr Face and it seems that Ty Segall has finally found a cohesive sound between his last release and this new one. There is a common thread between Manipulator and what I’ve heard from Mr Face and while I’ve enjoyed the manic nature of his musical style changes, I can’t help but think that the commonality will be good for Ty Segall, long term. Mr. Face, A gatefold double 7″ EP released by Famous Class is pressed on translucent red and blue-colored vinyl and includes four new tracks and it can also double as 3-D glasses? Gimmicky but also, very cool. Each pre order of the new EP comes with an instant download of this killer new title track. [bandcamp width=100% height=42 album=3742576083 size=small bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 track=829608698] “MR. FACE” EP PRE-ORDER: via Famous Class via iTunes via Bandcamp Review by Danny Baraz

Janky Smoothest Bands for 2015: # 3 Them Howling Bones

Danny Baraz December 20, 2014

I’ve been listening to Them Howling Bones recently released EP religiously for the past month without the benefit of the live show litmus test. I always hold off on praising a new band too much until I’ve heard what they sound like live. I’ve had my ear ball on them to place them on our list of one of the top bands to look out for in 2015 but without the live show, I would make no such proclamation. Last night, Them Howling Bones played a free show at Pour Vous with mates, The Bloodhounds. Them Howling Bones were putting em back at the bar before the show in true rockstar fashion. Something tells me that no excuse is needed for the band to reach total obliteration but it also happened to be Them Howling Bones bass player, Armando’s birthday. They did not tuck themselves in a corner when The Bloodhounds played their solid set of the more and more common rockabilly sound that is exploding in this Southern California scene. Even in the upscale setting of Pour Vous and it’s Parisian vibe with bartenders that are referred to as Mixologists, Them Howling Bones were able to transform the atmosphere