Last night I dragged myself out of the comfort of my air-conditioned home and into the stinking epicenter of trustafarian hipsterdom known as Williamsburg to attend the Torche / Harvey Milk show. While ultimately I had to cut out early to get some deserved rest and a reprieve from the stench of unwashed beardos, I was able to catch loud sets from enjoyable locals Pollution and the aforementioned gay rights icon / noise rock band. I was particularly pleased to get my grubby little hands on a copy of the limited 2xLP of Harvey Milk’s first, previously unreleased album.

According to the back of the record sleeve, this self-titled release was funded by an unnamed record label owner, who received the masters from these sessions but never did anything with them nor contacted the band ever again. Of particular note for noise rock fans is that these ten tracks were recorded by noneother than Bob Weston of the legendary Shellac! Hydra Head promises to put out a proper release of this lost Harvey Milk debut at some point, but for now the only place you’re going to find this is at the band’s remaining shows with Torche. In the meantime you can keep playing your worn out copy of Life…The Best Game In Town, which is now available on vinyl!

-GS

[Gary Suarez is counting the days. He also writes for Brainwashed and usually manages the consistently off-topic No Yoko No. Say, why don't you follow him on Twitter?]

When you have the CFO of Freddie Mac killing himself, you can’t deny we’re in some pretty fucking awful economic times. Of course, The Austerity Program anticipated our financial ruin from the start, as the phenomenal noise rock band’s name suggests. Creating a big ugly sound like an even-angrier Shellac, this New York based duo shares your frustration and, as such, invite you to vent in the pit at during its headlining gig this Sunday April 26 at Brooklyn’s Union Pool with Wetnurse and Tournament.

Click to read more…

Though we’ve only received information in dribs and drabs regarding the Jesus Lizard reunion, I’m so damn giddy about it. So far, a mere three May dates have been confirmed, two of these being an already announced All Tomorrow’s Parties UK weekender “The Fans Strike Back” and the third being the Primavera Sound festival, the latter of these featuring a stellar lineup including such Scraping Genius… faves as Fucked Up, Lightning Bolt, and Shellac. Contrary to earlier reports of a truncated reunion, the quintessential noise rock band has now it made clear that it will “be playing all over the US and Europe and (we hope) Australia”, which means I likely wont have to hitchhike my way to Chicago to see David Yow literally rock out with his cock out one more time.

Click to read more…

Minimalism and rock do not necessarily go together. But as any pregnant lady can tell you, odd cravings can lead to some really satisfying flavor sensations. With that in mind, I’m pleased to introduce My Disco.

Like Shellac if envisioned by monks instead of grizzled music business vets, this guitar-bass-drums trio embodies asceticism in their angular music. Tracks off last year’s Paradise (produced by Steve Albini) work so damn well because they’re so damn spare. No elaborate rhythms, no complex basslines, and no fucking solos! Instead, My Disco produce appreciate the silences and gaps that can come from a more selective and, yes, minimal approach to music composition. In the hands of less skilled musicians, this kind of shit would fall flat on its face, but it undeniably works for these Aussies. You can see for yourself when My Disco joins noise rockers Young Widows on a string of North American tourdates.

-GS

[Gary Suarez is more stardog champion than slumdog millionaire. He also writes for Brainwashed and sporadically manages the consistently off-topic No Yoko No.]

Without Tesco Vee, Touch & Go would not exist. Without Touch & Go, we might never have heard Big Black and Scratch Acid, nor their antecedents Shellac and The Jesus Lizard. So for that alone we should all give thanks and praise to him. Then, of course, there’s The Meatmen, which remains his gas-guzzling off road vehicle for obnoxious, offensive, and olfactory sounds, as evident as ever on this year’s self-released Pope On A Rope. Fresh off a decade-long hiatus and reignited ’cause it feels so good, Tesco’s act has got a few shows lined up next week in Philadelphia, New York City, and Cambridge/Boston, and Satan willing he’ll have a whole mess of merchandise and CDs in tow. Perhaps the new DVD The Devil’s In The Details Volume 1, full of footage and filth from the last 28 years, might be available too! Go on, East Coasters, and treat yourself to meat. But for now, feast your eyes on this recent live footage replete with classic Tesco banter.

-GS

There are a certain subsection of metallish bands that have elements of metal in their music but aren’t metal, per se, by the purists’ definition. The Bronx are definitely one of those bands. I have complete faith that some of our readers are big fans; others will have never heard of them and wonder what crap like this is doing on a metal website.

But fuck it. The Bronx are awesome and they have a new song on their MySpace page called “Knifeman.” If you like Fugazi, Shellac, and good, dirty, raw rock n’ roll in general, you oughtta like this band. I think they’ll be releasing a new record this year, too. Sweet.

-VN

Thanks to MetalSucks reader Tiago for sending us this clip of Shellac live in Rio this past Tuesday. And thanks to Wikipedia for reminding us that Shellac guitarist Steve Albini is a baseball nut.

And best of all, thank the fucking lord that baseball season is starting on Monday. Thank you for Johan Santana and thank you for Billy Wagner, below, shown entering the 9th inning to the tomes of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”

-VN

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/MpEeqwTJNmY" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

[kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/xReDtNhspvo" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]