Tag Archives: garage punk

duo_divergente

Trashy Tuesday: Duo Divergente

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Some bands just seem like they were made for Incognito. Duo Divergente is one of those bands. Let me just lay it out for you. This is a garage-rock duo from Spain. If you’ve read this blog at all, you know how big a sucker I am for both Spanish bands and rock n roll duos. This one doesn’t disappoint.

One thing is readily apparent as soon as you press play on this band’s Bandcamp page. This band has a real retro sound. In fact, “Chico Jot Down” sounds a lot like French girl groups of the 60s. I’m not sure how this band dresses (aside from this one photo), but when I hear this song, I imagine the two members dressed in mod black-and-white outfits.

“La Serrana” is pure primitive goodness. The guitar and drums are simple and raw, but what really brings this one to Trashy Town is the sustained “AAAAAAAAAAAH” in the backing vocals. Play this for people without giving any information about the song, and I bet they won’t guess it was recorded in 2013.

Duo Divergente only has two songs on its Bandcamp site, but those two songs whet the appetite for more. I can’t wait to hear what this band does next, and I think I’ll like it just as much as this small sample.

 

It's a party for your ears.

Trashy Tuesday: Honey Badgers

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Welcome, loyal reader, to another edition of Trashy Tuesday. In case you’re just joining us, this is our weekly celebration of the loud, lo-fi, and raucous. This band from Buena Park, California, delivers all three of those ingredients in spades. But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to “Funky C” – especially the chorus. I’d love to see this song performed live because I’m sure it would get people jumping into each other.

The funny thing about this band is that while the guitar is raw and loud, it’s pretty clean too. It stands in pretty good contrast to the raw quality of the vocals. This band has a way of making every song into a free-spirited romp. “Bumstick” is a song that captures the energy and sound of 60s garage rock. For a real curveball, listen to “Meat Mountain.” This song sounds like what would happen if you hired the garage band down the street to play at your hoedown. And hey, if you live in the kind of neighborhood that has hoedowns, why don’t you invite your humble narrator? I’ll even see if I can score some moonshine for the occasion.

If you’re a regular here for Trashy Tuesday, I think Honey Badgers fits real nicely into your collection. It’s garage, it’s a little psychedelic. It’s a party for your ears. If you want to wait for the vinyl, the album will be available from Resurrection Records in November. If you want to get the album now, you can score the MP3s on Bandcamp for the low price of $7…or about the same as a good breakfast burrito.

Trashy Tuesday: The Evil Streaks

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Lo-fi, high-energy garage goodness

Lo-fi, high-energy garage goodness

On the ReverbNation page for The Evil Streaks is the following description: “If you dipped The Cramps into a pot of The Sonics and added a pinch of sweetness of the Go-Gos, you’d get The Evil Streaks.” It’s a pretty good description and here’s why.

This band definitely has the trashy, primitive sound of The Cramps (just listen to those drums). The organ as well as Myra’s screams (especially in “The Devil’s Mark”) bring The Sonics to mind. As for the sweetness of The Go-Go’s…this is evident in the harmony vocals of “All Good Things.” That being said, this band has a little more toughness than sweetness and reminds me a lot more of The Love Me Nots than The Go-Go’s.

This band is pure garage goodness. After hearing the three songs the band has posted on its ReverbNation page, I definitely wanted to hear more. If you like music that is lo-fi and high energy, this is a band you need to check out.

Trashy Tuesday: The Boss Mustangs

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Me. Me. Me also.

Me. Me. Me also.

What makes a great Trashy Tuesday artist? Well, the band can’t be afraid to crank up the volume. Some fuzz on the guitar is a must. A well-placed rock n roll scream or four is always welcome. Oh, and a cool name doesn’t hurt. If this is that scene from Groundhog Day, The Boss Mustangs are in the role of Bill Murray sitting here saying, “Me. Me. Me also.”

The Boss Mustangs most certainly believe in volume and fuzz. I mean, these guys are on par with The Sonics on both counts. lJust listen to any one of the band’s songs on ReverbNation to find that out. My favorite for the fuzz is “Burnout.” Just listen to that wonderfully fuzzy guitar part. Oh, and also like The Sonics, this band believes in punctuating its songs with excellent rock n roll howls. For a good example of this, check out “Turn On.” This is the kind of thing that young rock n roll fans try to emulate when they hear. I can imagine my own kids (the older one just turned four) trying to howl like the singer in this song.

Rock n roll, baby!

Rock n roll, baby!

As the band says on its ReverbNation page, “Call it what you will.” I prefer to call it raw rock n roll (is there another kind?). This is the kind of music that would make Mojo Nixon stand up and cheer.

 

Incognito pick of the week: The Atomic Buddha

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Loud. Raucous. Rock n roll.

Loud. Raucous. Rock n roll.

I have to say for the record that bands that announce their new stuff on the GaragePunk Hideout have a pretty good track record. The latest band to introduce itself is The Atomic Buddha. So the band scored points by introducing itself. Before even hearing a note of the music, it scored more points with me with the simple phrase “Recorded in the basement.”

And this is just what you’d expect from music recorded in a basement. The songs are raucous and energetic. This is rock n roll after all so that is just as it should be. The recording quality is raw, but that’s never a bad thing in my book. If you want an example of the raw cacophony of this album, check out the end of “You’re Not in Reach.” You call it noise? I call it rock n roll, baby!

This isn’t for everybody. Some folks would no doubt be turned off by the sheer raw quality of this recording. But you know something? If this is too loud and raucous for you, maybe you should listen to Adele. Besides, some bands are suited to playing arenas where some fans have to sit half a mile away from the stage. Other bands, like The Atomic Buddha, are more suited to dark basement bars at volumes that leave ears ringing when fans leave the venue.

Trashy Tuesday: The Great Dismal Swamis

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Punk ain't dead

Punk ain’t dead

In case you’re just checking us out for the first time, allow me to tell you a little something about this blog. There are a lot of bands out there in the world and there is no way for us to find all of them that are worthwhile. So we like to reward those bands that reach out to us and tell us where to find there music.

The Great Dismal Swamis is a band that found us through the Garage Punk Hideout and now here they are: our featured band for Trashy Tuesday. This is a band that has perfected the trashy sound with loud guitars, punk vocals, and in one song at least (“Painting with The Missing Eyes”), an organ that sounds like it might have been recorded in 1964. That (aside from the energy of the recording) is about the only thing that brings the 60s to mind. The guitar solos and the vocals definitely sound like the early days of punk. The energy sounds like early punk too. It’s easy to tell that this band doesn’t dwell on recording. That’s always a good thing. These songs are recorded with the same sort of energy that you would expect from a live performance. If you want some great lo-fi punk, this is a band you need to check out.

Incognito pick of the week: The Vinylators

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Ultrapsychovinylization is available now

Ultrapsychovinylization is available now

You know that we love garage rock here at Incognito HQ. It doesn’t take long to realize that The Vinylators serve up healthy doses of 60s-style garage rock. There is plenty of fuzz in the guitar, the rhythms are solid but simple, and then there is the Farfisa. I don’t know about you, loyal reader, but there are a couple instruments that are instant draw for me. The Farfisa is one of those. Combine all of those things with some female vocals that sound like they are straight from the 60s and you have a package that is irresistible to your humble narrator. It’s raw, it rocks, it’s fuzztastic. The only problem is that this EP is only four songs, which leaves me wanting much more.

However, the band does have a couple more songs on its Facebook page (click the picture). One of the songs “Autocinema Zombie” sounds like what would happen if The 5.6.7.8s added a Farfisa and sang in Spanish. It is an incredibly catchy song that will get you moving.

Ultrapsychovinylization by Bob Urh and The Vinylators is a limited edition EP available only on vinyl (naturally) from Green Cookie Records.

Trashy Tuesday: Los Chicos Problema

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A fuzzy garage rock duo from Mexico City

A fuzzy garage rock duo from Mexico City

My introduction to Los Chicos Problema came in an email that described the band as a garage rock duo from Mexico City. That grabbed my attention, particularly with my inclination toward garage rock duos. The message didn’t include much more information except the lineup of Ana (drums, vocals) and Geo (fuzz bass, vocals). A duo with only bass and drums? I’m in. I don’t know how long this band has been reading our posts at Incognito HQ, but that intro is called knowing your audience.

Now, here’s the thing. The band has four songs available on Bandcamp. While four songs isn’t a great sample size, but for Los Chicos Problema, it’s sufficient. With the growl in the vocals and all the fuzz in the bass, this band feels like a combination of Wau y Los Arrrghs!!! and a lot of the Latin garage rock of the 60s. A few years back, I regularly attended an event called Lucha VaVoom where the DJ would play a lot of that Latin garage from the 60s. I could easily see this band being added to the mix at that event. If you like garage rock with a lot of fuzz, Los Chicos Problema is a band you need to know.

Trashy Tuesday (classic): The Nomads

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This recording by The Nomads is a stellar selection for a Trashy Tuesday. It is a lo-fi recording of 60s garage punk punctuated by excellent rock and roll screams. Let’s face it. Trashy Tuesday exists for songs like this. While you listen to this tune, ask yourself this question (and leave your answer in a comment): who today has a great rock and roll scream like you hear in this song?

Oh, and as for the title of the song, couldn’t we all more frequently heed the message “Be nice”?

Trashy Tuesday: Thee Cormans

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Let me begin this post with a question to you, loyal reader. If you came across a band that labels itself “the best band in the universe,” wouldn’t you feel compelled to let people know about it? So do we.

Thee Cormans is a band from southern California and on its page on the Garage Punk Hideout, the bio reads “We are the best band in the universe.” I haven’t heard every band in the universe, but this band is pretty solid if you are looking for raw, primitive garage rock. The first song you’ll hear on the band’s Garage Punk page is the sort of noise (did someone say feedback?) that makes parents everywhere cringe (but not this one, obviously). It sounds like it was recorded on some ancient recording device with instruments that may or may not have been in tune. and you know something? We dig it. Even the title “Werewolves in Heels” is great.

I’ve never seen this band live, but I know for sure I would need some silicone earplugs for one of its shows. I don’t mean that as a negative. What I mean is that I know this band would play in a small, crowded place and the volume would necessitate the earplugs. But hey, this ain’t choir practice. It’s rock and roll. It’s supposed to be loud, raucous, and appalling to parents everywhere. Thee Cormans is not a band for everyone, but if you’re at Incognito HQ on a Tuesday, it means you like to have some trash (and irresponsible volume levels) in your music.