Mono Puff was a briefly active side project of John Flansburg of the brillaint pop-pranksters They Might Be Giants.
Mono Puff formed in the mid 90s as a quick EP, but morphed into a full-fledged side project with 1996's Unsupervised. Their sound wasn't too far away from what They Might Be Giants were doing at the time.
What set Mono Puff apart was the fuller sound they had. TMBG often simply revolved around the two Johns, their vast array of musical talent, and studio tools, with a huge touring band following them as they trekked around the globe. Mono Puff was a full band with an impressive resume.
The band, of course, was fronted by John Flansburgh, and also featured Steve Calhoon of Enon and Skeleton Key, Yulav Gabey of Soul Coughing, the legendary singer/musician Trini Lopez, plus actresses Mary Birdsong, Kate Flannery and Elina Lowensohn, amongst others.
Mono Puff stuck around for about 2 years, releasing 4 EPs and 2 full length LPs. The band is on hiatus due to many members moving out of the New York City area, but John F has said he'd love to revive the band some time down the line.
"Unsupervised, I Hit My Head" is from their full length debut, Unsupervised, released on Rykodisc in 1996.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
RIP Grant Hart
Husker Du changed my life.
I bet there are a lot of people out there who can say that. Husker Du were not just a great band, they were an important band. They had a musical vision that was unique, one that straddled the sound and fury of a great punk band, and the knowing ennui of suburban youth.
Husker Du, the trio made up of guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, drummer/vocalist Grant Hart and bassist Greg Norton, were one of those bands that seemed to be more than they were. A band where fans heaped their hopes and dreams on their backs and wished them the best, to carry their dreams along with the band.
When I heard the band for the first time, I think it was about 1988, just after I had my punk phase in about 1987. I had heard bands like the Sex Pistols, UK Subs, The Exploited, all the old-school bands and fell in love with the sound. I had never heard music so loud and angry before. Sure, there were a lot of metalheads in high school, but that music didn't speak to me. Punk did.
Then when I heard Husker Du, there was something different about their approach to punk. Less nihilism, less noise, more melody. It was more mature. It wasn't exactly punk. While I didn't know it at the time, it was probably my first exposure to post-punk.
My exposure to their music came at the end of their career, with their two albums for Warner Brothers, 1986's Candy Apple Grey and 1987's Warehouse: Songs and Stories. By then, the band was a melodic noise-rock band, propelled by Mould's stellar guitar playing and both Hart and Mould's songwriting. "Could You Be the One" was a tour de force, an all-encapsulating song about what the band was and what it represented.
Grant Hart and Bob Mould shaped the Husker Du sound together. I immediately became a Bob Mould fan, but Grant Hart's music eluded me. It was subtler, denser, more difficult. And he was less prolific than Mould, so his work was harder to find. Remember, these were the pre-internet days, when you wanted an album, you had to go find it.
Hart's first band post-Husker Du was Nova Mob, who recorded for almost a decade before breaking up. Hart struck out on a solo career after that, recording sporadically up until his death this past week in 2017. His last album, 2013's The Argument, was introspective, and reminded me a lot of David Bowie.
Hart died at the age of 56 from liver cancer on September 13th, 2017
I bet there are a lot of people out there who can say that. Husker Du were not just a great band, they were an important band. They had a musical vision that was unique, one that straddled the sound and fury of a great punk band, and the knowing ennui of suburban youth.
Husker Du, the trio made up of guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, drummer/vocalist Grant Hart and bassist Greg Norton, were one of those bands that seemed to be more than they were. A band where fans heaped their hopes and dreams on their backs and wished them the best, to carry their dreams along with the band.
When I heard the band for the first time, I think it was about 1988, just after I had my punk phase in about 1987. I had heard bands like the Sex Pistols, UK Subs, The Exploited, all the old-school bands and fell in love with the sound. I had never heard music so loud and angry before. Sure, there were a lot of metalheads in high school, but that music didn't speak to me. Punk did.
Then when I heard Husker Du, there was something different about their approach to punk. Less nihilism, less noise, more melody. It was more mature. It wasn't exactly punk. While I didn't know it at the time, it was probably my first exposure to post-punk.
My exposure to their music came at the end of their career, with their two albums for Warner Brothers, 1986's Candy Apple Grey and 1987's Warehouse: Songs and Stories. By then, the band was a melodic noise-rock band, propelled by Mould's stellar guitar playing and both Hart and Mould's songwriting. "Could You Be the One" was a tour de force, an all-encapsulating song about what the band was and what it represented.
Grant Hart and Bob Mould shaped the Husker Du sound together. I immediately became a Bob Mould fan, but Grant Hart's music eluded me. It was subtler, denser, more difficult. And he was less prolific than Mould, so his work was harder to find. Remember, these were the pre-internet days, when you wanted an album, you had to go find it.
Hart's first band post-Husker Du was Nova Mob, who recorded for almost a decade before breaking up. Hart struck out on a solo career after that, recording sporadically up until his death this past week in 2017. His last album, 2013's The Argument, was introspective, and reminded me a lot of David Bowie.
Hart died at the age of 56 from liver cancer on September 13th, 2017
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Go Review That Album #1: Daedelus - Rethinking the Weather (Mush, 2003)
The start of a new feature here on the blog, this one called Go Review That Album. The germ of this came several months ago, when looking over my collection and deciding which album to listen to next. Often, I'll pick something I'm familiar with, or something that will fit the mood of what I'm doing. Too often, music fans and reviewers fall into the trap of continually listening to what they are familiar with. This might soothe one's ego, but it doesn't expand one's range, nor does it challenge one's perceptions. This series is going to look at albums in my collection I rarely listen to, and, indeed, some that I have copied, put onto my iPod and forgotten about.
I picked up this album at Ebenezer's in Vernon, BC, a couple of years ago, along with Daedelus' 2005 album, Exquisite Corpse. Daedelus is the alter ego of Los Angeles-based electronic musician Alfred Weisberg-Roberts or Albert Darlington. Interestingly, he took his wife's name (Laura Darlington), both of whom play in the band The Long Lost. Sadly he is not the maker of the labyrinth that caged the Minotaur, nor is he the devious flying wizard from the Mighty Hercules cartoon.
Without knowing it, I've chosen a remix album for my first review. This is a remix project or, perhaps more accurately, a re-imagining of The Weather, an album Daedelus did with alt-hip-hop artists Busdriver and Radioinactive. As a result, this album has the "throw everything in a blender" style of genre-bending that was so prevalent in the late 90s and early 2000s. Listening to an album like this in 2017 is a nice breath of fresh air. Modern electronics takes itself too seriously, is too weighed down by the (faux) constraints of it's micro-genre, or money-grubbing cash ins to mainstream radio (cough David Guetta! cough). Instead, this album throws together glitchy and spacy electronica, crazy, soulful hip-hop beats, a bit of rapping, some rock guitar squeals and some tasty vocal samples into a short album of engaging and fun electronics. It's not exactly danceable, nor is it particularly catchy, but it is fun and entertaining. It reminds me to that hip-hop used to be fun. Again, too many rappers, especially on the college radio side of underground hip-hop take themselves way too seriously.
Without hearing the original album, it's hard to make of how it compares to it. Needless to say, this album is entertaining and deserves a few listens, especially if you like the old-school end of underground hip-hop.
3.5 stars out of 5
I picked up this album at Ebenezer's in Vernon, BC, a couple of years ago, along with Daedelus' 2005 album, Exquisite Corpse. Daedelus is the alter ego of Los Angeles-based electronic musician Alfred Weisberg-Roberts or Albert Darlington. Interestingly, he took his wife's name (Laura Darlington), both of whom play in the band The Long Lost. Sadly he is not the maker of the labyrinth that caged the Minotaur, nor is he the devious flying wizard from the Mighty Hercules cartoon.
Without knowing it, I've chosen a remix album for my first review. This is a remix project or, perhaps more accurately, a re-imagining of The Weather, an album Daedelus did with alt-hip-hop artists Busdriver and Radioinactive. As a result, this album has the "throw everything in a blender" style of genre-bending that was so prevalent in the late 90s and early 2000s. Listening to an album like this in 2017 is a nice breath of fresh air. Modern electronics takes itself too seriously, is too weighed down by the (faux) constraints of it's micro-genre, or money-grubbing cash ins to mainstream radio (cough David Guetta! cough). Instead, this album throws together glitchy and spacy electronica, crazy, soulful hip-hop beats, a bit of rapping, some rock guitar squeals and some tasty vocal samples into a short album of engaging and fun electronics. It's not exactly danceable, nor is it particularly catchy, but it is fun and entertaining. It reminds me to that hip-hop used to be fun. Again, too many rappers, especially on the college radio side of underground hip-hop take themselves way too seriously.
Without hearing the original album, it's hard to make of how it compares to it. Needless to say, this album is entertaining and deserves a few listens, especially if you like the old-school end of underground hip-hop.
3.5 stars out of 5
Sunday, September 10, 2017
DNTTA Playlist for July 28, 2017
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
--
Change of Heart - Puppet Show Revival* - Honeysuckle (Cargo)
Suicide Helpline - No Maps, Only Battles* - Pink Jazz (Independent)
Walrus - Step Outside* - Family Hangover (Madic)
Late Spring - Monsoon Song* - Trembly Fog (Independent)
Crack Cloud - Image Craft* - Anchoring Point (Independent)
Thurston Moore - Cusp - Rock and Roll Consciousness (Caroline)
No Museums - The Abandoned Reel* - Surfers to the Beach (Independent)
Yoo Doo Right - Whilst You Save Your Skins* - Yoo Doo Right (Second Best)
Ho99o9 - Street Power - United States of Horror (Toys Have Powers)
Tonnes - In Trouble* - The Tower (Independent)
Guide to Bizarre Behavior - Caught in a Net - Vol. 4 (Shangorilla)
Technical Kidman - A Stranger Voice* - Sounds from the Basement (Independent)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
--
Change of Heart - Puppet Show Revival* - Honeysuckle (Cargo)
Suicide Helpline - No Maps, Only Battles* - Pink Jazz (Independent)
Walrus - Step Outside* - Family Hangover (Madic)
Late Spring - Monsoon Song* - Trembly Fog (Independent)
Crack Cloud - Image Craft* - Anchoring Point (Independent)
Thurston Moore - Cusp - Rock and Roll Consciousness (Caroline)
No Museums - The Abandoned Reel* - Surfers to the Beach (Independent)
Yoo Doo Right - Whilst You Save Your Skins* - Yoo Doo Right (Second Best)
Ho99o9 - Street Power - United States of Horror (Toys Have Powers)
Tonnes - In Trouble* - The Tower (Independent)
Guide to Bizarre Behavior - Caught in a Net - Vol. 4 (Shangorilla)
Technical Kidman - A Stranger Voice* - Sounds from the Basement (Independent)
Saturday, September 9, 2017
DNTTA Playlist for July 21, 2017
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
--
The Pink Noise - Mickey Mouse Operation* - Subtext (Not Unlike)
Ron Samworth - Rapid Eye Movement* - Dogs Do Dream (Drip Audio)
Sick Boss - Ruthless Waltz* - Sick Boss (Drip Audio)
Ce Qui Nous Traverse - Aube Latente et Premieres Lueurs*
Bill Frisell/Thomas Morgan - Wildwood Flower - Small Town (ECM)
Trombone Shorty - Dirty Water - Parking Lot Symphony (Blue Note)
Eric Legnini - I Want You Back - Waxx Off (Independent)
RimeRadio - Affluenza - NuJazz (Gramercy)
Rakkatak - Dreaming* - Small Pieces (Independent)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
--
The Pink Noise - Mickey Mouse Operation* - Subtext (Not Unlike)
Ron Samworth - Rapid Eye Movement* - Dogs Do Dream (Drip Audio)
Sick Boss - Ruthless Waltz* - Sick Boss (Drip Audio)
Ce Qui Nous Traverse - Aube Latente et Premieres Lueurs*
Bill Frisell/Thomas Morgan - Wildwood Flower - Small Town (ECM)
Trombone Shorty - Dirty Water - Parking Lot Symphony (Blue Note)
Eric Legnini - I Want You Back - Waxx Off (Independent)
RimeRadio - Affluenza - NuJazz (Gramercy)
Rakkatak - Dreaming* - Small Pieces (Independent)
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Video Playlist #15: Back to School
Another genre-crossing thematic playlist! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0QOmyo1JgZckEnGWR_Jd751BTEHbEqa2
1) Barenaked Ladies* - Grade 9
2) Nirvana - School
3) Handsome Boy Modelling School - I've Been Thinking
4) Girlschool - Race with the Devil
5) Schoolly D - Saturday Night
6) Deaf School - Taxi
7) Green Magnet School - Windshield
8) Film School - Compare
9) Ninja High School* - Jam Band Death Cult
10) The Invisible College - The Raining Rooms
11) The Dead Kennedys - Straight A's
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0QOmyo1JgZckEnGWR_Jd751BTEHbEqa2
1) Barenaked Ladies* - Grade 9
2) Nirvana - School
3) Handsome Boy Modelling School - I've Been Thinking
4) Girlschool - Race with the Devil
5) Schoolly D - Saturday Night
6) Deaf School - Taxi
7) Green Magnet School - Windshield
8) Film School - Compare
9) Ninja High School* - Jam Band Death Cult
10) The Invisible College - The Raining Rooms
11) The Dead Kennedys - Straight A's
Saturday, September 2, 2017
DNTTA Playlist for July 14, 2017
Artist - Song - Album (Label) * indicates Canadian Content
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
--
Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees - You Don't Miss Me* - Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees (Independent)
Vikings - Doing Work* - Animal Kingdom (Head in the Sand)
Jamiroquai - Superfresh - Automaton (Virgin)
Sylvan Esso - Radio - What Now (Loma Vista)
Jackal - Summer in Your Arms - Endorphins EP (Independent)
Archive X - Pilgrim
AM Static - Half a Mind* - Rise and Shine (Independent)
Fashion - Love Shadow - Fabrique (Arista)
An Ant and an Atom - Locked in Adrift* - Exterior (And an Earth)
Dixie's Death Pool - Heavy Metal Sunset* - Twilight, Sound Mountain (Independent)
Purveyors of Free Will - Sunday's Child* - Blood Like Ink, Unbidden... (Baffled Octopi)
Daniel Ouellette and Shobijin - Les Filles du Roi - Lepidoptera (Meannie Jeannie)
Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca
--
Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees - You Don't Miss Me* - Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees (Independent)
Vikings - Doing Work* - Animal Kingdom (Head in the Sand)
Jamiroquai - Superfresh - Automaton (Virgin)
Sylvan Esso - Radio - What Now (Loma Vista)
Jackal - Summer in Your Arms - Endorphins EP (Independent)
Archive X - Pilgrim
AM Static - Half a Mind* - Rise and Shine (Independent)
Fashion - Love Shadow - Fabrique (Arista)
An Ant and an Atom - Locked in Adrift* - Exterior (And an Earth)
Dixie's Death Pool - Heavy Metal Sunset* - Twilight, Sound Mountain (Independent)
Purveyors of Free Will - Sunday's Child* - Blood Like Ink, Unbidden... (Baffled Octopi)
Daniel Ouellette and Shobijin - Les Filles du Roi - Lepidoptera (Meannie Jeannie)
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