Matthew Berlyant’s Top Ten — December 13

by Matthew Berlyant
13 December 2009

1. Jay Reatard with Screaming Females and Women – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA) – November 28, 2009

   Please see my full review here.

2. Negative Approach with Blacklisted – First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA) – December 6, 2009

   Please see my full review here.

3. Jawbox on The Jimmy Fallon Show

   They played “Savory” on the show and also rehearsed several more tracks (“68” and “FF=66”). You can watch all of them here.

4. Jawbox – Grippe (Dischord)

   Their first album, this hews closer to leader J ROBBINS‘ previous band GOVERNMENT ISSUE (as well as ’80s Chicago bands NAKED RAYGUN and THE EFFIGIES) and to the then vibrant, incredible DC/Dischord post-hardcore scene than their later stuff does. It’s still a great record, even though in the old days it was J’s least favorite. Check out “Bullet Park” or the incredible cover of JOY DIVISION‘s “Something Must Break” for proof.

5. Jawbox – Novelty (Dischord)

   Their second record and first as a quartet, adding second guitairst BILL BARBOT, shows Jawbox establishing more of their own identity. Clearly influenced by tour mates HELMET, this retains the post-hardcore base but experiments more with the counter rhythms, odd time signatures and utter pummeling that would come to define them on their next album. “Static” is the best track here.

6. Jawbox – For Your Own Special Sweetheart (Atlantic/Desoto)

   Their crowning achievement, this was also their major label debut. Unlike SHUDDER TO THINK (the only other band to leave Dischord for a major), who made their best records on Dischord, Jawbox really upped the ante with this one. Building on the momentum of their first two albums and increasing the intensity ten-fold and replacing drummer ADAM WADE (who then joined Shudder to Think) with the incredible ZACH BAROCAS, this is an absolute stomper from start to finish. An incredibly convincing synthesis of DC post-hardcore, BIG BLACK crunch and a whole lot of rage, this is not for the meek. It’s actually kind of amazing that this was even made for a major label, but then again that was the early ’90s for you.

   After being out of print for years, it’s just been reissued, too!

7. Jawbox – Jawbox (Atlantic)

   Although they couldn’t top For Your Own Special Sweetheart, this is still a solid effort. Still, on some of the tracks here, they even sound kind of bored. In retrospective, it’s not surprising that they broke up after this record. Sure, it’s the all too familiar story of band signing to a major, records stiffing and then band breaking up. In their case, though, unlike so many others, Jawbox didn’t give up an inch of creativity upon signing to Atlantic. In fact, they got heavier, louder and consequently more intense.

8. The Room ®

   This is either the worst movie ever made or the best movie ever made or both. A true outsider masterpiece, it has to be seen to be believed.

9. Portishead – “Chase the Tear”

   Portishead’s new digital single is a benefit for Amnesty International. You can listen to it here and there’s a link to buy the single there, too.

   The track is fantastic. Sounding absolutely nothing like anything they’ve done in the past, instead this has an early ’80s electro pulse on top of BETH GIBBONS‘ distinctive, plaintive and melancholy vocals. Still, this is hardly party music. Their electro pulse hews closer to the “motorik” beat of NEU! or JOY DIVISION than say, “Planet Rock”.

10. Bob Mould Band – Live at ATP 2008 (Yep Roc)

    As the title says, this is a live document of Mould’s set at the ATP festival in upstate New York in September 2008. Oddly, the tone of MIKE LUPICA(of the great free form radio station WFMU)‘s liner notes (which emphasize Mould’s longevity and constant flurry of new releases over this decade) doesn’t match the fact that no songs from his then most recent album (2008’s District Line) are featured. Instead, this is a venerable cornucopia of Mould’s “greatest hits”, especially focusing on SUGAR‘s 1992 debut Copper Blue and ending with five HUSKER DU songs, much like Mould’s recent full band sets over the past few years, which have also emphasized this material. In fact, with the exception of two songs (“Circles” and “Paralyzed” from 2005’s excellent Body of Song), nothing here is from past 1996 (“I Hate Alternative Rock” from his self-titled solo album). Still, I can’t really complain given the quality of the material, the energy of the show and the pretty good sound quality.

    Now what will it take for a sequel as he also played the same festival earlier this year with NO AGE as his backing band in a set full of Husker Du songs!