Page 30 - the NOISE August 2013

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ered the definitive work. It also features a su- perband of like-minded musicians. I can also see that it was released once before, in 2008, only seven years after the original release. This version doesn’t seem to feature the bonus disc of the original re-issue, which is probably fine, considering how those things usually go. (If the songs were that good, they would’ve been on the original release, no?)
Though I’m not familiar with this album, I can hear how influential it has been con- sidering its top-of-the-century release date. While the songs themselves are firmly placed in the land of wimpy indy-rock, the scope, arrangements, and ambition of this album has been studied, copied, and occasionally improved upon a thousand fold. It’s like that Mars Volta album for prog rockers of the 21st Century. People love that album. Or Modest Mouse. You know how excited people get about seeing Modest Mouse? Yes, you do, because people tell you, ALL THE TIME. And those people are really, really young. And they make you feel really old.
So you either have this album, or you have yet to have the pleasure. There can only be danger to hyping this album up so much, but I’m just reiterating what all those ‘Top Al- bums’ lists have already said. If you like those lists, this is a must-listen, but if you like those lists, you already know that, so this whole review is just one big waste of space, since there’s no actual commentary about any of the songs specifically and I’m not going to listen to these well-loved songs enough to attempt anything like that, I’m just trying to make my word count, and that’s all there is to it, Henry Louis Mencken.
Mission Creeps
Midnight Blood
Refractory Records
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The first track kind of reminds me of Stillwater, the fictional band from Almost Famous. I guess I should also add that I dig it, but almost in kind of an ironic way, like I can’t quite tell if the band is serious. The song,
“Johnny Cash” doesn’t help. Nor does “Igor’s Mind.” However I am falling for this very mas- culine voice. Kind of an Ian McCulloch doing his best Jim Morrison or perhaps occasion-
good friends great enemies
ally Tom Waits. And of course, I think what they’re going for is that Glen Danzig, “Moth- errr,” growl. “That Kind of Man” is very bluesy garage rock done nicely. “Dirty Side Down” should’ve been left in the practice room.
“Can’t Find Any Brains,” is nice and goofy zom- bie shlock. As is “Any Good Zombie.” Are peo- ple not sick of zombies yet? Like any good zombie fare, there is a good amount of sub- text here. Still. God, enough with the zom- bies. Whatever happened to lagoon crea- tures and mummies and werewolves? Fans of the Misfits shouldn’t be too disappointed by what these folks are up to. These guys are far more diverse, and vastly better musicians, backed with massively cleaner, nay, better production, but the themes are conducive in the juvenile sense enough for the mascara and hair in the face horror-billy crowd. Or whatever that whole thing is about. I say just listen to the Cramps, like Alex Chilton would have you do, and leave all the other comic book schlock to be shlepped in bargain bins.
Monophonic Hillside
We Sing to the Rocks
Self-Released
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It doesn’t require much thought- the great Monophonic Hillside are one of my favor- ite Arizona bands. For some reason, they’re still kind of a secret. Maybe they’re just too dreary and slow for anyone other than a Velvet Underground fan that also likes Lee Hazelwood, Low, and Giant Sand. The lack of attention they receive is a complete mystery to me. These six songs aren’t really any better than their debut CD, also self-recorded and released, but they’re as good, and certainly more confident, more psychedelic, more noise-driven. Well, maybe, on that last one. The very boozy instrumentals are a perfect soundtrack to entering your favorite dark, desolate bar, saying hello, ordering, looking around, getting depressed, ordering more, playing shuffleboard, and leaving, walking home, looking at the stars. Look at those stars.
These songs have a feel like they’re some lost musical artifact from the late 60s or early 70s. Some band from some god forsaken desert that toured once with Link Wray’s
30 • AUGUST 2013 • the NOISE arts & news • thenoise.us