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Ska Saturday: Pimpbot

Posted: February 16, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Hawaiian rock-ska

Hawaiian rock-ska

I don’t know if Pimpbot set out to do this, but this Hawaiian band writes anthems. No, I’m not talking about arena-style anthems that will have you pumping your fist. I mean this band writes anthems for everyday things.

“Man You Missed Out” is a song that should be an anthem for everyone who decides to end an evening early and head home. The story of this song is simple. Someone is out with friends and instead of having another beer, he decides to go home…only to miss out on the real events (including girls stripping) of the evening that start right after the guy leaves. “Next time, listen to your friends. Next time, better stay ’til the end.” We’ve probably all had one night where we’ve been on either side of this story.

“Meet You at the Bar” is a tongue-in-cheek anthem for everyone who’s struggling. The narrator of this song sings, “Give up hope. Dreams are for suckers. Just be glad that you made it this far. It’s reality. I’ll meet you at the bar.” At least I hope this is tongue-in-cheek. As fun as it is to have a few drinks with friends, if you had friends that counseled you to give up your dreams to go drinking…well, you wouldn’t need enemies.

The vocals of this band are a little similar to Mighty Mighty Bosstones while the melodies are much more easygoing (this band is from Hawai’i after all). If you want some tunes you can dance to and use to get mellow, check out Pimpbot.

Coral Macias

Posted: January 31, 2013 in Uncategorized
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Coral Macias

See our featured model for February and more in the current issue.

5 songs for the end of the world

Posted: December 21, 2012 in Uncategorized
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If you’re reading this, then obviously the world hasn’t ended. Although some of you who are hungover because you were celebrating the “last day on earth”  might wish that the world had in fact ended. In any case, here are five songs for the end of the world…whenever the next end of the world might be (I’m sure it’s coming soon).

  • “Glad It’s Over” by American Dog (The pessimist’s anthem for the end of the world)
  • “Waiting for the End of the World” by Elvis Costello (Yup, still waiting.)
  • “Meltdown” by Slobberbone (“Hey baby, it’s the end of the world. Have a good time.”)
  • “Apocalyptic Dance Party” by Brunt of It (If the world’s gonna end, you might as well go out dancing.)

 

Ska Saturday: Fighting Evil Is Cool!

Posted: December 8, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Fighting evil is cool...and so is this band

Fighting evil is cool…and so is this band

No, that headline is not just a statement of belief. Fighting Evil Is Cool! is the name of a punk-ska band from Nottingham, England. (Although if you’re looking for a pop punk-ska band, you should probably keep looking. With the aggressive guitar and shouting, this band is closer to hardcore than pop punk.) Now, if you’ll recall a couple weeks ago, we featured a band called The Brass Action whose cover art depicted the band members as zombies. Well, it seems we have stumbled onto a theme with ska bands. The first song I heard by this band is called “Brain Salad.” Naturally, it is about zombies and I don’t know if singing about the undead has ever been more catchy.

This band goes from a song about zombies to a song (“Roll for Initiative”) that includes the line (repeated many times) “He’s Satanic.” If you can make people dance while you sing about zombies and someone who is Satanic, you are really onto something.

There really isn’t anything this band doesn’t do well. The brightness of the trombone is a great compliment to the aggressive guitars. The bass lines are not only prominent, but also a bit funky. The vocals at times bring some 90s hardcore bands to mind. And did I mention that this band can get you dancing when it sings about zombies? Seriously, what more do you need?

 

 

A public service announcement to music artists

Posted: December 1, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Tell 'Em What Your Name Is

Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is

If you perform music (whether in a band or solo), I have one piece of advice that you should practice, practice, practice. I am going to quote Black Joe Lewis in giving you this advice: “Tell ‘em what your name is.”

And I don’t just mean that you should reach out to us here at Incognito HQ (although you should because those that do are frequently rewarded). There are loads of podcasts out there that want to play indie music from a variety of genres. There are indie music radio shows that always need new artists. But how are all these outlets going to know about you unless you tell ‘em what your name is? It’s not that hard to write an e-mail. And sometimes that’s all it takes to see some results. So, if you play music, contact us. Contact every podcast you listen to. Contact college radio stations. Just let us know who you are and where we can find your tunes.

Ska Saturday: Wobbly Bob

Posted: December 1, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Infectiously catchy ska

Infectiously catchy ska

I say this a lot, but it always bears repeating (at least until I no longer hear generic band names). A good way to catch the attention of a potential listener is to have a unique and catchy name. Like Wobbly Bob. Let’s face it. That’s not a name you’re likely to forget. Speaking of names you’re not likely to forget, here are just a couple titles from the album Life Lessons for Losers (click the picture to listen):

  • “Let’s Get Wasted” (if this song doesn’t get the party started, I’m not sure what will)
  • “Captain Hellyeah!”
  • “That’s What She Said.”

This is a band I found randomly on Bandcamp and was immediately hooked. This is a band that has shared the stage with The Toasters (among many others) and it’s easy to see why. Like The Toasters, this band plays an infectiously upbeat brand of ska. Speaking of infectious, Life Lessons for Losers includes a song that should be an anthem for every poor working stiff that sits in a cubicle all day staring at a computer screen. Yes, I know it’s Saturday, so you’re already living for the weekend, but try this next Friday. Put this song on in your cubicle and sing it at the top of your lungs. It will make your day better and it will improve the day of anyone that sings along with you.

So, do I like Wobbly Bob? Absolutely, but I also feel it’s only fair to warn you that you will want to dance and sing when you hear it. Make sure you’re in a place where you can do both when you play this album.

Blue Monday: The Dirty Mac Blues Band

Posted: November 26, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Simple, raw, dirty

On the Twitter page for The Dirty Mac Blues Band, the band is described as “simple, raw, and dirty.” I don’t have to tell you that simple, raw, and dirty music is right in our wheelhouse.

When you visit the band’s ReverbNation page, the first song listed is “BBQ.” This is a classic blues theme where the lyrics could be construed as dirty (at least by some uptight conservative). Terry Mackie sings things like, “I hear you like your pork pulled tight. That’s something I like real late at night. Smoked sausage too.” It’s reminiscent of singers like Bessie Smith, who sang about having “sugar in her bowl.” The band has another song where the message is less veiled. The title? “Bootycall Man.” Oh, and in addition to being about sex, this song has two of my favorite things: harmonica and slide guitar.

Terry Mackie has a big voice that is particularly noticeable when you watch some of this band’s videos. Her voice, like Big Mama Thornton’s and Candye Kane’s, is in the deeper registers and it is perfect for the blues. In fact, it’s hard to imagine her singing any other style…except maybe soul. But of course, the band deserves some attention too. The rhythms are just what are needed for the blues, and I wish I could play guitar or harmonica half as well as the guys in this band. If you want some dirty blues to get you moving, check out this band.

Funk Friday: CSC Funk Band

Posted: November 23, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Great instrumental funk

CSC Funk Band is a band I encountered randomly and indirectly on Twitter when I saw a post from Electric Cowbell with a link to a song by this band. I don’t know about you, but something called Electric Cowbell catches my attention.

This is an interesting funk band because it can go from the experimental jazz funk (“Bad Banana Bread”) like Maceo Parker to Afrofunk (“Canaca”) to a pretty traditional instrumental funk (“Catcher’s Mitt”). If you’re anything like me, you like a song you can sing along with. I’m not going to say you’ll be disappointed because this band is so good, but this is strictly instrumental stuff. Fear not though, loyal reader. Sure, there are no lyrics to sing along with but there is plenty to get your backside moving. And isn’t that the point of a funk band? Of course it is. According to reports, the band is working on an album to release in early 2013. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to it.

The musical meal: “entrees”

Posted: November 21, 2012 in Uncategorized
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We’ve covered both snacks and starters, and now we get to the main course of our musical meal. This is the music that I can listen to anytime and be completely satisfied.

My musical main course includes, blues, Cajun, zydeco, and Clutch

Blues definitely falls into my list of musical entrees. In fact, blues is the musical equivalent of comfort food. Think about your favorite comfort food. Maybe it’s macaroni and cheese. Maybe it’s Thai food. Whatever it is, you eat it because you want to feel better and when you’re done, you do feel better. That’s what the blues is for me. From Mississippi Fred McDowell to Junior Wells to the garage blues of The Bonnevilles, the blues always hits the spot.

Another musical entree is Louisiana music: Cajun and zydeco. The one thing that all Cajun and zydeco music has in common is that it is impossible to be in a bad mood when you listen to it. Beau Jocque is a particular favorite and Mama Rosin (a recent find) is really intriguing, but I have never encountered Cajun or zydeco music that I didn’t like.

I’m going a little off the board with this one, but hey, it’s my blog. Instead of going with a genre of music, I’m going to list a band as an entree. Clutch is a band that I have enjoyed since I was in college and I can listen to this band anytime. This is a band that can rock with the best of them and has also incorporated the blues into its heavy rock sound by covering the aforementioned Mississippi Fred McDowell and Howlin’ Wolf.

There you have it, loyal reader. My musical entrees. What are your musical entrees? Let us know about them in a comment.

Funk Friday: Pinot

Posted: November 16, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Check out Pinot on Bandcamp

I’ll admit it. I found Pinot by doing a simple search for funk band Los Angeles. And boy, am I glad I did. My first impression of this band was with the song “Get It.” This is a song that brings Sly and the Family Stone to mind. Overall, this band leans more toward Sly and the Family Stone and Isaac Hayes than Parliament and Funkadelic. It is a good blend of instrumental funk (“Cornerstore” and “Mr. Rager’s Neighborhood”) and good-time party funk (“Gonna Funk You Up”). This is a good way to get funky on a Friday (or any other day).

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