What We Hate

Tasty Riffs: Thin Lizzy - "Cold Sweat"

Was there a cooler fucking band on the planet than Thin Lizzy? I've tried, but I can't think of another act that comes close to equaling their coolness, especially in the 70s (I wasn't around to witness it, but I can imagine). While most of their coolness was certainly derived from frontman Phil Lynott's unmistakably confident croon, the guitar work in the band was undoubtedly ahead of its time -- bluesy and heavy, but harder-sounding than all of their contemporaries.

While the band's final record, 1983's Thunder and Lightning is nowhere near a classic on the level of Jailbreak or Fighting, it did yield one of the hardest songs in the band's catalogue in "Cold Sweat". The primary riff is straight-up metal goodness, and Jesus, get a load of that solo. This video's description merely reads, 'Thin Lizzy live in an Irish Pub 1983', and I can only imagine what seeing a band of that stature and accomplishment in a setting that intimate would feel like. Probably drunk.

Rediscovered: Pele

I used to tell myself I couldn't get into instrumental bands because of how self-indulgent it seemed and how self-important they often portrayed themselves as, but that was pretty stupid. A lot of bands, vocals or not, are like that, and furthermore, who the hell am I to judge? Really, I just enjoy music that has the ability to hold my attention, and after two years of doing this and hearing hundreds of records in the process I've found there are some instrumental records that are capable of doing just that, and a shitload of records with vocals that aren't.

Milwaukee's Pele are one of my favorite instrumental bands because their music works on so many levels. If you're just looking for a studying soundtrack, something you can put in the background and forget about, they're that band. Conversely, if you want to sit back, get comfortable and really pay attention to what's happening in their songs, they're that band too. Their brand of jazzy, sometimes atmospheric post-rock contains many textures and nuances noticeable only by an attentive listener, but at the same time it's light and fun enough to not be a completely draining listen. These guys weren't afraid to improvise and experiment, either.

"Crisis Win", from 2002's Enemies is my selection, and it's eight minutes of pure fun. Lots of handclaps, more rolling drums than you can shake a stick at, and just a dash of electronics added for taste. It's streaming after the jump.

No Harm Done tour dates

Orlando-area whippersnappers No Harm Done are about to embark on another American tour in support of their Think Fast!-released debut full-length, Escape.

Check after the jump for the tour dates.

Tigers Jaw - Tigers Jaw

New bands almost never live up to the lofty comparisons to other, more seminal bands made by people like me, but that's not gonna stop me from telling you that this self-titled full-length from Tigers Jaw is probably something you'd like if you're into The Get Up Kids or any other 90s emo band. Just fill in the blank, really. And while Tigers Jaw may be nodding to their influences, they're doing so inconspicuously, offering a fresh take on a genre that should have gone bad years ago.

More words after the jump.

The Sainte Catherines - "CHUB E AND HANK III"

Montreal punks The Sainte Catherines have posted a new video. In the own words of the band, 'We recorded a new song live in a parking lot of a restaurant for a TV show called MANGE TA VILLE (that website is entirely in French, just to warn you. -ed.) on ARTTV. The song is called " CHUB E AND HANK III". It should be all over the internet in the next couple weeks , unless Mafiaboy doesnt feel like it.'

The band is currently writing the follow-up to Dancing For Decadence, released in 2006 via Fat Wreck Chords. No word on Mafiaboy's subsequent feelings.

The video can be found after the jump.

The Serious Geniuses - You Can Steal The Riffs, But You Can't Steal The Talent

Listening to The Serious Geniuses' hilariously named debut You Can Steal The Riffs, But You Can't Steal The Talent is like climbing aboard the wayback machine and traveling back to a simpler time, when gas was cheap, people left their doors unlocked at night and bands like Superchunk ruled the underground. The beauty of this release lies in its simplicity; these guys aren't trying to melt off anyone's faces or break new ground, instead vying for a competent re-imagining of a scene long forgotten and buried in favor of other bands who tried to do too much.

More words after the jump.

Lazy Sunday: A multitude of FEST 7 videos

I'm working all weekend at my real job to make up for all the time I took off to be in Gainesville last weekend, so updates have been and will continue to be scant until tomorrow. Anyway...

Are you sick of hearing about THE FEST 7 yet? I hope not, because I've got one last post to throw into your laps -- a special FEST-themed edition of Lazy Sunday with quite literally, a shitload of videos taken over the weekend by a hard-working group of videographers who elect to witness all of the greatness through a lens for our benefit, from places like Alternative Press and National Underground.

The videos can be found after the jump.

The Color Wheels tour dates

The Color Wheels have announced a week-long jaunt through the Northeast in support of their self-titled debut on Viper Bite Records.

The dates can be found after the jump.

Look Mexico Gasp Asp vinyl pre-order

The digital version of the latest Look Mexico release, Gasp Asp was released a couple months back (and we reviewed it), but now the physical release of this fantastic EP is available for pre-order from upstart label Tiny Engines.

This pressing is limited to 1,000 and comes in three different colors: light blue (200), white (200) and green (600). You can pre-order the record here. Orders will ship November 25 and will come with a digital download code.

Suburban Home Under The Influence Pre-Orders

Suburban Home has set up pre-orders for the second and third volumes of their ongoing Under The Influence 7" series.

Volume 2 features Whiskey and Co. covering The Pogues' "Tuesday Morning" and Ninja Gun doing their rendition of The Kinks' "This Is Where I Belong." The pressing is limited to 1,000 copies (300 on Gold vinyl, 700 on Partly Cloudy Sky Blue vinyl).

Volume 3 features Mustard Plug covering "Waiting Room", orginally by Fugazi, while Bomb The Music Industry! cover Pavement's "Gold Soundz" on the flipside. Like Volume 2, this pressing is limited to 1,000 (300 on translucent light blue vinyl, 700 on Clear w/ Neon Green and Pink Splatter vinyl).

You can pre-order these records at the Vinyl Collective store, and you can stream each of the tracks from the series thus far (including the Look Mexico and Fake Problems tracks from Volume One) at this page.