Page 15 - the Noise February 2017

MUSIc REvIEWS
by beverley napalM
DOW JONES AND THE INDUSTRIALS
Can’t Stand the Midwest – 1979 – 82”
(Family Vineyard)
Solid gold quirky powerpop from long lost new wave underground legends, now officially re-released. I was very excited about this! I was vaguely aware of the name Dow Jones and the Industrials. I had seen them pop up on various Killed by Death punk bootlegs over the years, and was well aware the genre they had operated in would suit my punkish palette. Palette maybe, however, not my wallet! The miniscule recording output during the band’s brief existence ensured inflated prices beyond the average aging punk’s allowance. Their only 7” release demands eBay offers above $200. Yipes. So, fast forward 35 years since the band’s conception, and some lovely people at Family Vineyard Records put together this remarkably coherent “everything we could find” compilation. And there are some total belters here.
Had the Industrials hailed from somewhere hipper than Bloomington, Indiana in the late 1970s, history may have been a bit kinder to them and widened their circle of influence. The bands’ sound is keyboard driven skewed pop. It’s a bit like a pseudo tough-guy pub-rock take on Devo. And less arty than Pere Ubu. There are daring new-wave slabs of Synth noise and occa- sional squawking sax, but despite the avante sprinklings in color,
the songs are locked down tightly on a passionate rock and roll
framework.
There are some genuine contenders in this lot. “What’s The Difference” with its period piece “futuristic” ring modulator vocal
effect displays a nonchalant coolness; “It Ain’t Good Enough” is some good time rock’n’roll with a twist of weird; “Latent Psy- chosis,”“Mental Disease” and “Never Too Stoned To Disco” may indicate the various states of mind of the individual Industrials. Whereas the call to arms “Can’t Stand the Midwest,” in all of its one-minute-twenty-seven-second bluster, is a bona fide under- ground punk classic; chock full of frustrated energy. And (for me) way more convincing than anything The Clash ever came up with! Forget London and New York City ya punk; Bloomington, Indiana circa 1979 was the place to be.
AMATEUR HOUR
Mush
(Warped Your Records)
Amateur Hour is the vehicle for the songwriting talents of Phoenix native Alexis Molina. This 8 song EP, released as a cas-
sette and download through Gilbert-based Warped Your Records, is fine homegrown AZ bedroom pop at its best! The songs are
confessional in approach, and for the most part, delight in the fragility of their own delivery. At times it is almost uncomfortable
and potentially voyeuristic listening in places; as if I am listening to Ms. Molina singing to herself quietly in the shower. Or I am
hovering about in the next room over listening to her rehearsing. Almost as if these songs are so personal, they are unintended
for the masses. So aren’t we are lucky Ms. Molina decided to share the songs with us! The EP is performed mostly solo with a
sparse guitar accompaniment, a bit of tape hiss and an occasional bass guitar, (provided by Finn Munsell). It’s wonderfully uncluttered and by nature of the song’s simplicity, displays a warm
naïve confidence. There are nods to quiet core femme punks The Softies, or Lois, and any one of these 8 songs wouldn’t be out of place on an early ‘90s K Records mix tape. Highlight for me is the crushingly brilliant and weightless title track “Mush”; a pleasing 2 chord pattern, ethereal floating vocals, and sparkly guitar notes spilling out like raindrops.
SKINNY GIRL DIET
Heavyflow
(Happy Happy Birthday To Me Records)
London’s Skinny Girl Diet presents the modern day face of Riot Grrrl. The cover of the record is a good indications of the band’s intent; three young independent women, strong, sassy and sexy. I am further in awe given the fact the “The name Skinny Girl Diet is a social commentary on the Slim-Fast culture we live in; we want to take over the web results when you Google the diet so hopefully anyone that does sees a bunch of punk feminists instead.”
Musically Skinny Girl Diet style is an updated take on heavy ‘90s style femme grunge, with Babes in Toyland, L7 and Hole starting reference points. But SGD, all in their teens still, are far from revisionists on a nostalgia trip; they are a continuation of progressive women’s’ music.
Highlights are plenty, coming at you thick and fast. “Yeti,” “Lazy Eye,” “Silver Spoons” – all hits given the opportunity. Skinny Girl Diet is forthright in addressing women’s perceived role within the music industry, as well as other issues of equality under a contemporary feminist context. But regardless of political stance, for a debut LP from three teenagers, what is immediately striking is how brilliantly formed, heavy and catchy the songs are, all delivered with an unflinching commitment and passion. They were included in Billboards 2015 “20 All-Female Bands You Need to Know.” I have no doubt you will be hearing more from these ladies at some point soon.
the Noise | FEBRuARY 2017 {online at thenoise.us} • 15