The Woolly Bushmen - Arduino LP - Gold Vinyl

Pig Baby (2017)

I'll be honest, I was a little leery about this record because of the cover artwork.  While I am a big fan of wood panelling, I always get nervous when a band decides to put a big old picture of themselves on their record sleeve.  I have no real explaination why I don't like this, it's just one of those Larry David-esque rules I have for bands.  I'm sure there are plenty of people that don't understand it, just like I don't understand why some people say bands can't wear shorts on stage.  To each their own.

Anyway, the record itself is exactly the kind of record you'd expect a band called The Woolly Bushmen to make. This is a wonderful homage to the sort of rough and rugged rock and roll bluster of the 60's.  Lots of reverb on the guitars, a stomping rhythm section and a singer that alternates between melodic vocals and pained howls into the night.  I could do with a little less keyboard personally, but overall it's a fun, upbeat listen.

Pig Baby is becoming the go to label for this sort of rock and roll.  They're just not letting these vintage sounds die and that's admirable.  But, they really need to start tossing in some download codes with their records.  After all, we're in the future now.

The Woolly Bushman - "Something New":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdyD4eXGRPo

Stephen El Rey - Poor Born 7"

Pig Baby (2017)

I'll admit it, I absolutely was prejudging this record based on the cover.  Even after all this time, I'm always a little weirded out by pictures of the band or artist on the cover of a record.  There's no rationale to this, I own an uncountable number of great records that feature some version of a band picture on the cover.  For whatever reason, that doesn't stop me from wrestling with some Larry David-esque rule I have in my head that bands shouldn't do that.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that my initial trepidations about Stephen El Rey were washed away once I actually listened to this 7".  I'll say this much, it's a varied 7" showcasing a lot of different things over 3 songs.  Opener "Poor Born" is a messy garage-y stomper, with reverb soaked vocals that jump in and out of the song like a pumped up Jon Spencer.  While not my favorite song of the three, it's an energetic intro and I'm always in favor of that.

When we move on to "Buried Under The Future," there's an immediate shift to a slower, surf tinged instrumental.  A start comparison to the song before, but a nice break in the middle of the record.  Things close out with "Drunk Again."  This time, El Rey slows things down even more and enters that sort of low voice crooner territory that Dan Sartain once inhabited so perfectly.  Now, the song does build into something bordering on a jumbled freak out at the end, but it manages to have a sort of charm that I find endearing.  

In my opinion, this is one of those 7"s where each song is better than the rest.  I can't say I'm completely sold on Stephen El Rey, but I would certainly be curious to see what he's able to do over the course of a full album.

Stephen El Rey - Poor Born 7":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOYxG49X6AY

Light FM - Let The Death Toll Rise 7"

Pig Baby (2017)

I think I've said in the past, but 80's synth sounds turn me off of records faster than almost anything.  So I'll brace you for that right now as the second that "Let The Death Toll Rise" started playing, they were fighting an uphill battle with me.  As the song progressed, my initial distain did subside a bit, but not to the point where Light FM would be a band that I would listen to very often.  I suppose if you like this sort of thing, this 7" would be fine.  Problem is, I don't like this sort of thing.

To me, Light FM is aptly named as both songs are pretty slow and to me, a little boring.  There's just nothing all that engaging about this band.  They go through the motions, moving the song to its next logical chord change, but there's never anything surprising or something that makes you sit up and take notice.  B side "Body Bag" isn't really that much different from the A side except that it's even slower and doesn't have any handclaps. 

As a rule, I can't stand 80's sounding pop music.  It just turns me off so quickly it would make your head spin.  When bands mine that time period for sounds now, it's just baffling to me.  To each their own, but this one isn't for me.

Light FM - "Let The Death Toll Rise":

https://lightfm.bandcamp.com/track/death-toll-rise

Light FM - "Body Bag":

https://lightfm.bandcamp.com/track/body-bag

Sir Coyler and His Asthmatic Band - Invincible Blues 7"

Pig Baby (2017)

This is the second Sir Coyler and His Asthmatic Band record I've reviewed and man, I like this one even more than the first.  Maybe I just don't know where to look, but it sure seems like the west coast has way cooler bands than anything I can find here in New Jersey.  Though admittedly, I've kind of always felt like that.  New Jersey has never really been a hotbed of local bands that ever really jumper out at me (most of the local-ish bands I liked the most tended to be from PA.)

Anyway, back to Sir Coyler.  A side "Invincible Blues" is a stone cold smash of garage-y energy.  The song is built on this excellent guitar riff that pops in and out of the song accentuating each verse and transition.  It's the sort of riff that gets stuck in your head for years and makes you try to think of ways to steal it without anyone else noticing.  

The B side "Pink & Blue" is more subdued, taking down the tempo and fervor, but adding in a bit more melody.  It's a strong and catchy song, but I'll admit to enjoying the unchained energy of the A side a bit more.  Regardless of which song I prefer, both a quite good and seem to be a big leap forward from their last EP.  I know I'd like to hear more.

Sir Coyler and His Asthmatic Band - "Invincible Blues":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei7DWmcDRLw

The Schizophonics - Ooga Booga 10" - Orange Vinyl

Pig Baby (2017)

I don't review nearly enough 10"s on this site.  It's one of my favorite wacky formats, but it's not used nearly as often as it could be.  As someone that's put out records and price checked the cost of the 10" format, I completely understand why.  It's just as expensive as putting out a full length, but it's tougher to justify the cost to the rest of the world for fewer songs.  Regardless, I applaud those that take the leap and I'm happy that Pig Baby records decide to send over a copy of this Schizophonics EP.

I've been hearing about The Schizophonics for quite some time from some friends out in California.  The consensus is that they put on one hell of a live show.  If the high angle suplex the guitar player appears to have given himself on the cover of this 10" is any indication, it seems like it would be an interesting show.  I'd only previously heard the band's contribution to the Swami Hardcore Matinee compilation, so it was nice to finally hear some more from them.

The band definitely has a late 60s/early seventies rock and roll vibe.  We're talking the gritty MC5 type stuff.  A more modern comparison that I see is The Dirtbombs.  The guitars are fuzzy and the vocals have the sort of howling in a cave distortion that really works when applied just right.  I'll always give extra credit to bands that throw in "wooos" and "uhhs"as exclamations during song fills.  

The highlight for me is "Venus Transit."  It has a super catchy escalating chord progression that only lets up briefly for the chorus or the occasional nasty guitar lick.  Ooga Booga is a fun EP and a nice introduction to the band.  I'm curious to see what else they have out there.

The Schizophonics - "Two Thousand Seventeen":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQKc0ycrTks&t