Kill Holiday - Somewhere Between the Wrong is Right

One of the things that initially drew me to Unbroken was how much they wore their non-hardcore influences on their sleeve. Having pompadours and a strong affinity for Morrissey, wearing Smiths, KMFDM, and Christian Death shirts in band photos and at shows, covering Joy Division and so on were not par for the course in 90's hardcore. However, all of these things set them apart from most hardcore bands I came across and admittedly, made me want to like them more. I could relate to wearing a KMFDM shirt, liking Morrissey and being a depressed teenager more than I could to things Youth of Today were talking about. Shortly after getting into Unbroken I discovered Steven Miller and Todd Beattie had a post-hardcore band called Kill Holiday who put out a record on Revelation. As it turned out, my friend James owned it and traded it to me for something he'd listen to more.

Somewhere Between the Wrong is Right is the bands final record and a drastic stylistic leap from their earlier, more Quicksand influenced material. For the LP, Kill Holiday ditched the heavy chug riffs and took a gamble on their version of brit-pop and yielded quality results. I often see this record compared to The Smiths because of the acknowledged influence, but I see far more similarity to bands like The Verve, The Lemonheads and later era Ride. Miller's voice is perfectly breathy and the songs have just the right amount of bouncy drumming and swirling reverb to set them apart from their contemporaries (especially in the realm of post-hardcore alumni). I often wonder if some of the more gripping lyrics about loss have something to do with the tragic suicide of Unbroken guitarist Eric Allen. Even if they are unrelated, there is a lot of introspection and brooding in some of the stand out tracks like "You're Taking it Well," "Know who your friends Are," and the title track.

I've heard a lot of discussion about Revelation's post-hardcore back catalog these past few years and it's a shame how little play this Kill Holiday record seems to get. It's easily in my top 3 non-hardcore records released by Rev (up there with the Texas is the Reason's Do You Know Who You Are and Elliott's False Cathedrals). It is a solid record by a severely overlooked band.

Kill Holiday - Somewhere Between the Wrong is Right

Harsh Distractions Playlist 5/19/09

This past Tuesday was my first show flying completely solo. I had some technical issues, but aside from that I think the show went well. I'm psyched on doing themed shows that have a singular concept but allow for a variety of music and discussion. Next Tuesday I'm going to have my friend Eric in from the band Hate so we can play songs that we associate with certain memories and times in our lives. It should be fun. Here is what I played on the show this past week.


1. Chapterhouse - Breather - Whirlpool
2. The Queers - Fuck The World - Love Songs For The Retarded
3. Dum Dum Girls - Catholicked - Yours Alone 12"
4. God Help The Girl - Come Monday Night - God Help The Girl
5. Little Lungs - Atlantic Bridge - Hoist Me Up!
6. Superchunk - Learned To Surf - Leaves In The Gutter
7. The Legends - Always the same - Over and over
8. Yo La Tengo - Tom Courtenay - Electr-O-Pura
9. Acid House Kings - Do What You Wanna Do - Sing Along With The Acid House Kings
10. The American Analog Set - Punk As Fuck - Know By Heart
11. The Raveonettes - Blush - Lust Lust Lust
12. Olivia Tremor Control - Define A Transparent Dream - Music from the Unrealized Film Script Dusk At Cubist Castle
13. Tiger Trap - Words & Smiles - Tiger Trap
14. Creeper Lagoon - Wonderful Love - I Become Small And Go
15. Tahiti 80 - Heartbeat - Puzzle
16. The Nerves - Hanging on the Telephone - The Nerves
17. Nodzzz - We Are The Only Animals - I Don't Wanna (Smoke Marijuana) 7”
18. Shop Assistants - You Trip Me Up (JAMC Cover) - Here It Comes EP
19. Lavender Diamond - Open Your Heart - Imagine Our Love
20. Black Tambourine - Black Car - Complete Recordings
21. Cub - Pillow Queen - Box Of Hair
22. Beat Happening - In Between - Jamboree
23. Brilliant Colors - Highly Evolved - Highly Evolved b/w Takes So Little 7"
24. Television Personalities - A Picture Of Dorian Gray - And Don't The Kids Just Love It
25. Felt - A Wave Crashed On Rocks - Forever Breathes The Lonely Word
26. The Chills - Doledrums - Kaleidoscope World
27. The Radio Dept. - Always A Relief - Pet Grief

Hey Mercedes - EP

In high school, I LOVED Braid. As the ska phase I went through for the first half of high school began to fade I started delving into the realm of emo and hardcore, constantly searching for something even more underground. I bought the First Day Back b/w Hugs from Boys 7" at Bizzy Bee in Naperville along with a My Lai 7" and thought I was so cool. I listened to those records constantly and from there my obsession with Braid and all things emo began. I was fortunate enough to see Braid twice before they broke up. Once with Less than Jake and ALL where they were LITERALLY booed for their entire set. It was like something out of a movie and an occurrence I have never seen again. I felt awful for them as they sounded incredible, but apparently it was not their crowd. I still remember some really fat guy wearing a Teen Idols t-shirt making crying noises and rubbing his eyes in a mocking fashion (you know cause they were, "Emo." He was very clever). Vinnie from Less than Jake had to come out mid-set and yell at everyone and for some reason when he defended Braid everyone started clapping as if they weren't just heckling five seconds prior. It was such a blatant 180 and it made me immediately disgusted with 90% of the morons in attendance. It was also one of my first lessons that the majority of individuals involved in punk rock are full of shit and will change their stance at the drop of a hat.

The other time I saw Braid was at one of their last shows at the Fireside Bowl. It was crowded and hot because it was early August, but they played a great set determined by a giant wheel with all of their songs on it. People from the crowd would spin the wheel and whatever song it landed on is what they would play. They were fantastic and I was bummed I slept on seeing them for so many years. The next day they played a show at the Metro and a "secret" show afterward at the Fireside and I didn't know anything about it. It was very upsetting seeing as I spent the entire day at a poorly attended Piebald/Still Life show. Had I stuck around the Fireside afterward I would have been able to see Braid again. Such is life.

So, with Braid's dissolution came the formation of Hey Mercedes (and the more serious pursuit of Chris Broach's project, The Firebird Band). I was upset about the end of Braid, but Hey Mercedes was a worthy replacement in my eyes as they more or less picked up where Braid left off on the Please Drive Faster 7", albeit less mathy. Each of the four songs on their debut EP are incredibly catchy rock songs with Bob Nanna's typically interesting lyrics. I was 18 when this was released and always thought about the line, 24, not a kid anymore, are you kidding? in "St. James Street" and being 24 seemed so far off. Now I'm 27 and it remains an interesting lyric to me as it's incredibly true. Turning 24 is kind of the end of being a kid and really facing things on your own and making a life for yourself.

As Hey Mercedes continued, the quality of their output got increasingly spotty, but this record is solid and still deserves the attention 9 years later.

Hey Mercedes - EP

The Magnetic Fields - The House of Tomorrow EP

Stephin Merritt is one of the most prolific songwriters of the past 20 years, not only because of his work under The Magnetic Fields moniker, but also as the primary songwriter for The 6ths, The Gothic Archies, The Future Bible Heroes and his work as a solo artist. Though The House of Tomorrow EP is neither his most celebrated or ambitious work, it remains one of my favorite Magnetic Fields releases for a number of reasons. It was my introduction to the band when I was incredibly sick at my friend Robin's house in North Providence, RI. I had an extremely high fever, woke up disoriented and almost tripped down the stairs on my way to curl up on her couch. My friend Matt put this EP on the stereo and it was the perfect thing to be listening to at that moment. It's so lo-fi and warm and Merritt's bassy voice is soothing and rhythmic. I have a tendency to enjoy repetitive songs and that's exactly the concept behind this record - five looped songs, primarily centering around the theme of love, all clocking in around 2:30 and done in a comfortable synth-pop fashion.

For those only familiar with 69 Love songs, The House of Love will feel like a dramatic shift in sound because of its rigid uniformity. However, that is part of the appeal and something I enjoy greatly about Merritt's songwriting. He seems to have an uncanny ability to zone in on exactly what he's going for and make every recording a transparent replication of that vision.

The Magnetic Fields - The House of Tomorrow

Harsh Distractions Playlist - 5/5/09

Here is what I played last night on my radio show. If you are in a band or have a label and are interested in submitting music to the show, please contact me at StephenKane@fearlessradio.com.

1. Beautiful Skin - Harsh Distractions - Revolve
2. Monikers - 80 Proof - Wake Up
3. M83 - Graveyard girl - Saturdays=Youth
4. Archers Of Loaf - Plumb Line - Icky Mettle
5. The Vaselines - The Day I Was A Horse - The Way Of The Vaselines
6. Crime In Stereo - Everywhere and all the Time - Selective Wreckage
7. Telefon Tel Aviv - Helen Of Troy - Immolate Yourself
8. No Age - Cappo - Nouns
9. White Hinterland - Dreaming of the Plum Trees - Phylactery Factory
10. The Wooden Birds - The Other One - Magnolia
11. Cale Parks - Every Week Ends - Sparklace
12. This Is Ivy League - Love Is Impossible - This Is Ivy League
13. Vivian Girls - I Believe in Nothing - Vivian Girls
14. Fucked Up Black Albino Bones The Chemistry of Common Life
15. Crystal Stilts - Departure - Alight Of Night
16. Sleep Out - I'll Take Care Of It - Not Even Dust
17. New Lows - Hung Up on the Crossroads - New Lows
18. Sonic Youth - Sunday - A Thousand Leaves
19. Weekend Nachos – Pain over Acceptance – Unforgivable
20. Memorial -Sideways - The Creative Process/Berlin
21. Bad Seed – Through My Hands – Bad Seed EP
22. The Magnetic Fields - California Girls - Distortion
23. Failures - Crowning Achievement - Failures
24. Cult Ritual - Electric Depression - 3rd EP
25. Cold Cave - Our Tears Help The Flowers Grow -The Trees Grew Emotions And Died
26. Beach House - Holy Dances - Devotion
27. Air France - No Excuses - No Way Down
28. Smog - Cold Blooded Old Times - Knock Knock
29. Screeching Weasel - One Step Beyond - Wiggle
30. Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane - The Trinity Session
31. Dennis Wilson - You And I - Pacific Ocean Blue

Harsh Distractions Playlist 4/28/09

Last night was the first episode of Harsh Distractions on Fearless Radio. I got off to a rocky start, but it will improve with time. Here is what I played:

1. Beautiful Skin - Harsh Distractions
2. The Hope Conspiracy - In the Shadow of God
3. Rival Mob - Upside Down - Demo
4. Crocodiles - I Wanna Kill - Summer Of Hate
5. Slices - Desert March – 7”
6. Unbroken - Absentee Debate - It's Getting Tougher To Say The Right Things
7. Deerhunter - Nothing Ever Happened - Microcastle
8. Wavvves - So Bored - Wavves LP
9. Killing Time - Fool's Die Brightside
10. Torche - Across Thjavascript:void(0)
Publish Poste Shields - Meanderthal
11. Harms Way - Warriors Will Reign - Reality Approaches
12. Sister Cities – Sinkhole – Demo 2009
13. Chamberlain - Yellow Like Gold - Fate's Got A Driver
14. Hum - Ms. Lazarus - Downward Is Heavenward
15. 108 - Three Hundred Liars - A New Beat From A Dead Heart
16. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction – S/T LP
17. Converge – Homewrecker - Jane Doe
18. Convicted - Cyrus, the Almighty - Demo 2009
19. Disappears - Hearing Things - Needs b/w Hearing Things
20. Superchunk - The Popular Music - Indoor Living
21. Damnation A.D. - Rain As My Veil - Misericordia
22. Young Governor - Virginia Creeper - Virginia Creeper 7"
23. Like Bats - Hellbound - Demo
24. Endgame - I Divide - Distracted
25. Tigers Jaw - I Saw Water - Tigers Jaw
26. Gods Reflex - When It's Down to This - When It's Down To This
27. The Daysleepers - The Soft Attack - The Soft Attack EP
28. New Order - Regret - Republic

Harsh Distractions Radio

Starting tomorrow, I will be hosting my own internet radio show every Tuesday from 7pm-9pm CST on Fearless Radio called Harsh Distractions, just like the blog. When I was a kid I'd stay up late every Sunday to listen to the original Sound Opinions and fall asleep to the radio every night. So, the idea of having a show of my own has always appealed to me. Now I have that opportunity thanks to Fearless and I'm very excited. Like this blog, it will focus on music, spanning pretty much everything I listen to and want to share with others. This first show is a "soft opening" of sorts so it won't be advertised on the site nor will it be promoted in any other way. If you are interested in checking it out, go to the Fearless Radio website at 7pm CST on Tuesday and click "Listen Now." I have ideas for the future which include bringing in bands, doing interviews, playing advance material, and hopefully getting to the point where live sets can be recorded specifically for the show in the same vein as the WNYU and WERS sets. For now though, I just need to get acclimated.

Weekend Nachos - Pain Over Acceptance/Shot in the Head

My friends in Weekend Nachos recently posted two new songs from their forthcoming LP, Unforgivable. I wanted to ask John a few short questions while we were at work to give people an idea about these two songs and the new record.

Steve: So, you have a new record coming out soon called Unforgivable. Tell me a little about it. How does it differ from the last few records you've done?

John: Yeah. First and foremost, it's our best stuff, in my opinion. Overall I'd say it's still very fast, but in a more crusty d-beat sort of way. It's a lot heavier, the lyrics keep getting more and more personal and less obnoxious/Spazz-ish. We're just progressing, but in a good way. It's making our songs better and way more genuinely hateful which is what the band is basically about. I'm sick of 12 second songs. Our songs are still short but they're reasonable on this record.


Steve: I'm glad you mentioned the lyrics actually because we've had numerous conversations about not being able to relate to people, both in and out of hardcore. How conscious of this are you in your daily life? How much of this comes through in your lyrics?

John: I am more conscious of this every single day, it's not good. Things get worse, they don't get better. What rules is that I've never expressed it through music as well as I have on this record, lyrically. Originally everyone pigeon-holed us as a band that was basically a joke. I understand that fully, but I really don't think that people are going to be saying that once this record comes out. like it or not, things are different now. All of the discomfort I feel in my life and with society is definitely apparent on this record. It's important to have a band where you can write lyrics about that shit. Any real person out there is going to understand why that's important, others will make fun of it and those people are pussies anyways.



Steve: What is something that you touched upon in the lyrics on the new record that is uncharted territory for WN?

John: Hmm, well we have a song about feeling hopeless and alone and never wanting to go outside. I think that sounds pretty emo-goth-whatever you want to call it, and when we started out I never ever would've wanted to have lyrics like that, cause let's face it, that's some terrible crybaby shit. I'm almost 26 now and I'm still doing this band and things are still fucked. What do I care now? The songs are going to be as real as they can possibly get. There's also a song about stalking and killing ex-girlfriends, but you know, that's not too far off from something I would've written about back in the day, haha.


Steve: Do you think a lot of bands are being as honest as they could?

John: Honestly, I see it more and more these days and the most important thing is to seriously just not give a fuck. You will get shit-talked by plenty of kids who think there's nothing more to punk rock than complaining about how you have to work every day (no thanks to all the '82 style/NA clones out there), but then again, others might relate. If it's what you want to write about, there is nothing anyone can legitimately say that's bad about that. I'm stoked on any band that seems sincere, I seriously don't care what the songs are about.


Steve: Who do you think is doing that right now?

John: Honestly, I'm just gonna name some bands who I personally know the singers and they're very honest about their songwriting and I know what some of their songs are specifically about even. Convicted, Sick Fix, Poison Planet, Cold Shoulder and The Killer are all bands who i know the lyrics are written sincerely and each and every song really stands for something, whether it's personal or political, shit doesn't matter.



Steve: You guys have gone through some line up changes since the last record. How much did that affect the song writing process?

John: It actually didn't effect things that much. We would have all had to learn the songs together anyways and we really hadn't accomplished much by the time Varg and Aaron left. Fortunately we put together a new line-up very quickly and immediately began work on the new album. Andy and Drew are fast learners.


Steve: What made you choose "Pain Over Acceptance" & "Shot in the Head" to be the first songs people heard?

John: Well the truth is, I don't consider those to be the very best songs on the record, but I feel they do an alright job of representing what sound to expect from the new record. I wanted the songs to be good, but not the highlight of the record. This way when people pick it up, they are in store for some more awesome jams than the ones on the MySpace.


Steve: When does the record actually come out? What kind of reaction do anticipate and what are you hoping people get out of this record?

John: The record comes out in May. We'll most likely release it at Maryland Death Fest. I am anticipating a 50/50 sort of reaction to it. I think the people who truly like Weekend Nachos will really be impressed by it. I think the people who like Weekend Nachos because we sorta sounded like Spazz when we first started are going to absolutely despise it and that's good. That's what I want.

Steve: Anything else you'd like to add?

John: Not really, man. Thanks for putting the songs on your blog, we appreciate it.


Weekend Nachos - Pain Over Acceptance/Shot in the Head Download

Spring Mix 4/5/09

As you can see from the photo, spring has sprung in Chicago. Since I avoided the weather and stayed indoors most of the day, I made a mix of some songs I've been listening to lately. Enjoy!


01. Creeper Lagoon - Wonderful Love
02. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
03. Young Governor - Virginia Creeper
04. Kleerup - Thank You for Nothing
05. Jim O'Rourke - Please Patronize Our Sponsors
06. Pet Shop Boys - Being Boring
07. Lavender Diamond - Open Your Heart
08. Deerhunter - Never Stops
09. Guided By Voices - Smothered in Hugs
10. Dirty on Purpose - Mind Blindness
11. Cold Cave - Always Someone
12. Brian & Dennis Wilson - I Feel So Fine
13. Ra Ra Riot - Each Year
14. Archers of Loaf - Plumb Line
15. Evan Dando - All My Life
16. The Avalanches - Since I Left You
17. Julie Doiron - Ce Charmant Coeur
18. Astrud Gilberto - How Insensitive

Spring Mix

Capone-N-Noreaga - The War Report

The other day I watched a portion of VH1's Greatest 100 Hip-Hop songs of All Time on VH1 Soul. While I think those shows are interesting to watch, they are extremely narrow in their level coverage. The hard rock/metal countdown seemed short sided to me, but this one was even more incomplete. It just seems unbelievable to me that music journalists specializing in rap music along with a panel of rappers, producers and DJ's would exclude so many important and influential MC's in favor of pop songs like Nelly's "Hot in Here" and MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This." C'mon, no Gang Starr? No Mobb Deep? No Pharcyde? Souls of Mischief/Del/Hieroglyphics? Big L? KRS-ONE? Kool Keith? Even "The Bridge is Over" didn't make the list. It was thoroughly disappointing.

So, on that same note of classic rap, I have to mention the debut by Queens, New York's Capone-N-Noreaga. The War Report is a perfect example of grimy post-golden age era hip-hop - Hard beats, gritty lyrics about crime, drugs and the hood, referring to their housing projects as "Iraq," the continuous use of the instigating phrase "What What," and various other things suburban nerds like me have no real comprehension of. At 20 tracks The War Report drags at times, but there are some definite bangers on here such as "Bloody Money," "LA, LA," "Halfway Thugs," and "Illegal Life." For more insight into the mind of NORE check the links below:

Cocaine Blunts Interview

Noreaga's Twitter

Capone-N-Noreaga - The War Report