Incognito Music, Models, and More

IncognitoMusic, Models, and More

Vol. 3, May 2012

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad“The Queen” Riese McDonald

Jedi Elvis | Whistle Pigs | Kiss Kiss Bang Bangplus

A new column: Ask Derek

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Chief writer: Gary SchwindCopy editor: Bob Brower

Copyright Groovy Rutabaga Publications 2012

incognitomusicmagazine.comSubmissions (models, music artists, writers): [email protected] orPO Box 2070Mission Viejo CA 92690

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Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is a roots reggae band from Rochester, New York. By phone, guitarist Dylan Savage discussed the band’s sound, releasing two albums in the first four months of 2012, and the initial audience for any new song he writes. For the full story of how the band settled on its name, visit Relix.com. In brief, the story involves an Iowa farmer, a game of chance, and some goat teeth.

How do you describe your music for someone who has never heard it?

We try to capture the classic reggae sound. Weʹre inspired very much by the 70s foundation‐layers: Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, all the greats. Itʹs also a nice mixture of jamming. Very classic roots sound with a bit of jamming.

Then you had the departure with Country earlier this year. How did that come about?

That came about pretty naturally, and thatʹs why it came out first. It took two or three days to record that in Colorado. We just started recording the tunes. We had about six or seven tunes and just recorded them real naturally. It went well. Those songs were kind of born in the

back of the van when we were on the road. They come out sounding that way acoustically because of the influences. Aaron plays the lap steel, the fiddle. Dan is a multi‐instrumentalist who plays banjo. Those influences found their way into the flow. They kind of shaped the sound other than how it sounded in the back of the van with an acoustic guitar. That instrumentation mixed in. It was a natural thing. Did you enjoy that Country record?

I did. Itʹs real nice. I reviewed it for Examiner and my first impression was that it reminded me a lot of Old Crow Medicine Show.

OK. I love those guys. We enjoy the Wood Brothers, some of that acoustic Americana coming out. Thatʹs definitely influenced by that. To me, if its roots, itʹs good as long as it has some integrity to it. It doesnʹt matter if itʹs reggae or African. As long as it has a roots feel to it, itʹs good for me.

I read the story about how the band chose its name. Take me back to that night. How did you meet the guy? What was it like hanging out with him. What kind of dire consequences did he promise if you didnʹt choose that as your band name?

Well, you know, it was in Iowa in I think 2004. James remembers it much better than I do. It was a real tripped‐out situation. We came up with that combination of words and thought ʺHow can we refuse? How can we not move forward with that name?ʺ He was a very mystical presence. Again, all these kinds of things come naturally. They just happen. We donʹt fight it.

How did you encounter this guy?

We stopped over and we were looking for some place to get food. They invited us over to this organic farm they had. We just started rapping with this guy. This thing came out. We just went with it. It was pretty cool.

Thatʹs the sort of thing you have to go along with if for no other reason than it gives you a good story to tell.

Exactly. It was a very interesting time.

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We talked about Country and now you have the new record coming out. Itʹs been a prolific year already. Is this just the nature of the band to have this prolific writing?

In These Times has been in the works for two years. Some of those songs were written in 2006 like ʺPocketsʺ. It really captures the sound from 2006 to present. We all write. James, Dan, and I have been writing quite a bit, so itʹs a nice mixture of the three writing styles. We have a lot of songs and we want to start recording a new record. We hope to start as early as May. In These Times took a while because weʹve been on the road. Weʹd come home, do a couple sessions, then go back out and come back. It captures all of that sound from 2006 to the present. Weʹre happy with it. We worked hard on it and weʹre very pleased.

Would you say youʹre more satisfied with In These times because itʹs been in the works longer?

I guess. I enjoy both of them very much. There is a certain connection we have to In These Times. Definitely. Have you had the chance to listen to it?

I did.

Itʹs got a real classic, we were striving for a real classic roots sound. We all were changed by

reggae. I listened to Marley and it taught me so much about music and the world. All those influences are coming into the music and we captured a certain classic reggae sound thatʹs not too prevalent in the reggae community today. The 80s really brought on the digital area of reggae. The 70s was definitely a special time for music in general but especially for reggae. Iʹm steeped in a lot of that type of songwriting: simple songs, simple melodies. Every time I come up with a new song, I play it for my kids first. If they like it, theyʹre like my first sounding board before I even bring songs to the band. Itʹs interesting how children connect.

I know what you mean. I have a three‐year‐old who is a music fanatic. A lot of times when I write a review, Iʹll mention that it gets my sonʹs seal of approval. They just connect with it on such a primal level.

They really do.

If it gets them moving, they like it. He just turned three last month and AC/DC is his favorite band by far.

Heʹs rockinʹ out to Back in Black.

He likes the Bon Scott era. Most of the songs on my iPod are Bon Scott era, but he knows the ones Brian Johnson sings.

Wow! He can tell the difference between the two. Thatʹs great! Kids really connect on a primal level. My daughter just got an iPod shuffle. Sheʹs eight and sheʹs filling it with a lot of good quality classic music. I try and get her to understand the good music because there is so much disposable music now. Itʹs easy for kids to take the wrong turn toward the negative pop culture out there.

What have you learned from meeting artists like G. Love and Rebelution?

Iʹve been listening to G. Love since I was 18 or 19. Much respect to G. Love. We had the opportunity to tour with him. We would jam often after our sets. After heʹd be done, weʹd jam on the bus. We did a lot of nice jams. I think in a lot of ways, he was very influential on the acoustic album. Some

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of the songs on that album when we were on tour with him. For example, ʺGet Me Throughʺ was written in Nashville when we were on tour with G. Love. Heʹs just a great showman, all‐around great tunes, and just a great guy, a positive influence.As far as Rebelution, those guys have been solid with us for three, four years. Weʹve toured with them probably more than with any other band. Eric writes great songs, itʹs a great show, a lot of positivity. Very uplifting music. Every time you play with someone, their influence rubs off. We learned a lot musically from Rebelution too, mixing songs and getting our shows together. Those guys are our brothers for sure.

What would you be doing if you werenʹt making music?

Iʹd probably be going to school and maybe teaching. Teaching is more than likely something I would have pursued. My father was a teacher. Itʹs a great profession.

What would you teach?

History, English. Probably those two. Iʹm happy Iʹm doing music. Iʹm really grateful to all our fans for the support theyʹve given us throughout.

For more about this band, visit giantpandadub.com.


“The Queen” Riese McDonald

The Queen Riese McDonald is a model, formerly of Columbus, Ohio, now living in Florida. She discusses her best feature and her advice to anyone looking to get into modeling.

How long have you been mod‐eling?For two years.What do you think is your best feature? Why? I love my lips because they complement my face well.What has been your favorite modeling gig so far? Why? I donʹt have a favorite. They all have

been good so far.What is the most important thing you have learned about modeling? Be careful who you befriend in the industry.What is one way people misjudge you? People assume because Iʹm light ‐skinned, Iʹm conceited and that is so far from the truth.If you could only appear in one more publication, what would it be? SmoothWhat is one thing you hope to accomplish? I want to travel the world and really just live in each moment in each country.


Ask Derek

Editor’s note: Before we get to the initial edition of Ask Derek, allow me to say how this came about. Derek Novato is a young man who wears a Phish shirt all the time. At least, that’s all I’ve ever seen him wear. He was digging for day‐old doughnuts in our Dumpster here at Incognito HQ. He asked what we do here and I told him that we write an independent music magazine.“Boss!” he said, and asked me for a job as a writer. I politely declined. But then, this go‐getter started coming to my office every day. For two weeks. Finally, he said, “Look, man. I’m really a good writer. All I’m asking is that you give me a chance. Tell you what, you don’t even have to pay me money. I’ll work for beer.”So, I bought this enterprising young man a 12‐pack and told him when I needed his column. Sadly, he didn’t deliver the column in time, so I asked our janitor Oscar to be our guest advice columnist.

Dear Derek,

I have been with my girlfriend for three years and she is really putting the pressure on me to get married. I love her and everything, but marriage? Come on! Besides, her mother hates me. Always has. How can I marry this girl knowing that I’ll have to spend holi‐days with her witch of a mother? I don’t want to break up with her, but wedding rings scare me. What should I do?

Flummoxed and in love

Dear FAIL,Here’s what I would do if I were you. Hey, let me ask you something? Is your potential mother‐in‐law hot? I could use some female company. You know how hard it is for a janitor to get a date with a chick? Man, they hear you’re a janitor and you might as well tell ‘em you have leprosy. So I mop floors and clean toilets for a living? So what? You know something? I wouldn’t have to clean bathrooms if people could manage the simple chore they were taught when they were

kids. You oughta see the floor of the men’s bathroom on the 5th floor of the Ogilvy Building where I work. Yeah, you jerks know who you are. How hard is it to get your piss in the urinal WHEN YOU’RE STANDING RIGHT OVER IT?Christ almighty! Sometimes it’s like you’re trying to create a urine pond in there. And who’s there to clean it up? Me. That’s right, you a‐holes! I’m the one that keeps you from walking though puddles of piss. And what thanks do I get for it? None. Hell, most of you clowns don’t even know my name. Sure, you’ll buy a little something for your mailman. Or maybe you’ll give him the lemon cake that your wife makes every year. You know something? I like lemon cake too. Not that you would know because you never bother to talk to me. Well, you know something? Maybe I’ll just let you walk through piss puddles from now on. Dicks!

Dear Derek,

My girlfriend caught me looking at some porn (some hot girl‐on‐girl action) and boy, is she pissed! She thinks watching porn is cheating and she really asked me, “Why do you need to look at these women when you have me at home?” She has barely spoken to me since she caught me. What can I do to get back in my girlfriend’s good graces?

Caught Looking at Porn

Dear CLAP,Watching girl‐on‐girl is cheating? Hey, who were the two girls? You might have told me that, so I could look it up on my own time. Help a dude out, you know. So what should you do to get back in your girlfriend’s good graces? You know what would really get more people in my good graces? If they just said frickin’ hello once in a while. Yeah, I push a mop for a living. We ain’t all engineers making space‐age technologies. Besides, people are such pigs that they need someone to clean up after them. It’s too frickin’ hard to clean up after yourself. Oh, you’re done with that napkin you used to wipe your hands after eating ribs? Here’s an idea: THROW IT IN THE FRICKIN’ TRASH CAN! It ain’t rocket


surgery. You just press the pedal, or lift the lid of the trash can yourself and throw the napkin in there.So you’re done with that coffee cup? Don’t just leave it in the sink! WASH IT YOUR FRICKIN’ SELF. Your mother does not work in the office. Unless you’re that poor sap Warren from the Ogilvy Building on 6th Street. That guy gets treated like he’s still seven years old. And he has to eat lunch with his mother every day. Can you imagine that? But hey, at least he gets to eat with someone. He doesn’t have to sit at a table all by himself every day because no one will sit and eat with him. You know, because he’s a mop jockey.

Dear Derek,

I got busted for having a small amount of pot in my car. I mean, it was only a half ounce. Still the fascists took it and prolly rolled up a big doob right there in the station. Here’s the thing though, man. My friend Keller showed up with some wicked brownies (you know, the really good kind) tonight. I ate like three of them while we watched a marathon of The PJ’s. My hearing is tomorrow morning and I am baked out of my gourd. What should I do?

Yours, Sully

Very creative acronym, Sully. So your pal showed up with some good brownies and you couldn’t even give me a call? Like I wouldn’t enjoy some wicked brownies and a PJ’s marathon? See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. I like to have a good time, just like the next guy. But does anyone ever stop to consider that? No! But you asked what you should do, and I am here to tell you. You should tell the judge you hate The frickin’ Beatles. Tell ‘em you think The Beatles suck giant donkey balls. If he agrees with you, he’ll probably let you go. Oh, and something else to consider. If you’re going to roll with a half ounce, you might want to find a better place to stash it than your car. You know, like under that loose board in your closet. Or sealed in a plastic bag in your toilet tank. Dumbass.


Jedi Elvis Uses the FarceTell me about the birth of Jedi Elvis.

It started as a costume that I wore to San Diego ComicCon in 2009. It was just a costume. The costume originated from...Iʹm an Elvis impersonator. It was in 2007 or 2008. I was trying on the costume to make sure it still fit for a gig and I ended up putting on my Jedi robe and I started playing with a light saber. I was like, ʺHey! Jedi Elvis!ʺ A friend of mine snapped a picture of it. This was when MySpace was the thing, not Facebook. I put it as my profile photo on MySpace. My friends told me it was hysterical and I should do something with it. I started thinking about it and thought ʺIʹm going to ComicCon for the first time next year. I created a portion of the costume that I could add to a regular costume, to make it look more Jedi. I had a custom light saber made. The rest is pretty much history. I went to ComicCon in 2009 with my friend Natalie. She was slave Leia. Five minutes in the door, security had to ask us to move because apparently we were blocking the entrance to ComicCon. Thereʹs another guy. They call him the Elvis Trooper. Heʹs adapted a storm trooper costume

to look like Elvis. Heʹs been doing it for seven or eight years. I had been in contact with him before ComicCon. I told him I hope this isnʹt going to be stepping on your toes. He was really cool about it. We got to hang out for a while. While we were hanging out, people of course were taking pictures of us. Then somebody had said something like, ʺDo you guys do music?ʺ I said ʺNo we donʹt.ʺ But then I started thinking about it and I thought thereʹs no reason I couldnʹt. I donʹt think the Elvis Trooper sings, but Iʹve been singing since I was a kid. I have an extensive Elvis repertoire. I just sat down and went through all the songs I knew and thought if there was any way I could adapt them. One thing led to another and before you know it, I have a song out. I was basically recording karaoke tracks and putting them on YouTube, or making MP3s for people to listen to. I went to a recording studio. We actually had to stop recording because the engineer was laughing so hard, you could hear it on the recording. We finished the recording and three or four days later, the engineer called and said he had played the song for a band. They all thought it was hysterical. Theyʹre all Star Wars fans. ‘If you ever do a gig, do you need a band?’ I told him I didnʹt have a gig, but if I got one I would keep the band in mind.

The very next day, I got a call from Louis from Nuke the Fridge. Itʹs like Ainʹt It Cool News or one of those websites. They were putting on their first ever convention in City of Industry. They were looking for people to

appear. He said, ʺDo you have an act?ʺ I said, ʺAs a matter of fact, I do!ʺ At that point, I had 20 to 30 minutes of material. It was pretty rockinʹ. We did another thing as a benefit for Red Cross. We ended up raising $1400 for them. At the benefit


show, someone asked me right then and there if I wanted to open for him at the House of Blues. I played the House of Blues with Bob Knows Best and Four Fingered Mel. It was Mark from Bob Knows Best that asked me. He was impressed to the point where he asked if I wanted to be involved. Next thing you know, Iʹve got House of Blues.What was the first song that you adapted?ʺPromised Land.ʺ Itʹs not very well known. You can hear it in Men in Black. Thereʹs a scene where Tommy Lee Jones is driving in a car with Will Smith. They enter Holland Tunnel and he flips the car upside down. Tommy Lee Jones is all relaxed and he puts on an Elvis song. Will Smith says, ʺYou know Elvis is dead, right?ʺ Thatʹs the song playing and thatʹs where I first heard it. I listened to it and I thought ʺI can adapt this for a Star Wars song. The story is Elvis traveling from Virginia to California. I changed it to narrate the events of the first Star Wars movie, Episode IV. I must have some kind of talent for writing parody.Iʹve listened to some of the songs and they make me chuckle.Thatʹs good. That was the crazy thing about the House of Blues. The other performances were for friends of mine and I knew they would get the jokes. House of Blues was weird because there would be a lot of people I didnʹt know. I didnʹt know how much they know about Star Wars or Elvis. So I put myself out there for people from all walks of life.I imagine it was a pretty big hit.It seemed to be. The audience was very receptive. My friends that were in the audience said people were digging it. That was rewarding for me. When youʹre on the stage, you canʹt really pay attention. I canʹt hear. I like to try to read the audience. I do a lot of theater and I like to read the audience reaction. In this case, you canʹt really hear anything but whatʹs playing right in your ear. I couldnʹt read the audience as well.Can we expect more Jedi Elvis shows coming up soon?I donʹt have any planned yet. Iʹve got other projects going on. I would like to do more. My

band has convinced me they want to get other gigs. I can do a regular Elvis gig and sing Elvis lyrics or I can do Jedi Elvis and sing Jedi lyrics. This is a crucial question. Priscilla or Princess Leia?My knee‐jerk reaction would be Princess Leia. One of the reasons Iʹve gotten out there is because of my friend Natalie. That first year, she was dressed as slave Leia. Iʹll be honest, I think I got a lot of that attention because she was with me. Sheʹs been one of my biggest supporters. Iʹd have to go with Princess Leia.If youʹre going to serenade Princess Leia, what song do you sing to her?One of the first songs I ever wrote is ʺJabba bring my Leia Back to Me,ʺ which is a parody of ̋ Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me.ʺ But if Iʹm serenading to woo her, itʹs got to be ʺCanʹt Help Falling in Love.ʺ You donʹt need parody lyrics for that one.Have you ever thought of adapting Mojo Nixonʹs ʺElvis is Everywhere?ʺIʹm not familiar with that song. Elvis is an iconic character in Americana. Star Wars is everywhere. So is Elvis. I could take a listen to it.To me, the idea of ʺJedi Elvis is Everywhereʺ is pretty funny. Half of the songs Iʹve done are because someone suggested it.What would you be doing if you werenʹt making music?I used to work for the CHP, in a clerical job. That was where it was solidified that Iʹm not suited for office work. The concept of life without music, itʹs not really jibing for me.For more about this artist:jedielvis.comFacebook: jedielvisYouTube: jedibaritoneReverbNation: jedielvistributeartist


Have you heard…The Cosmonauts (Orange County, CA)Bands have a lot of avenues to pursue when it comes to looking for a label. Some bands know that they are not major label material. Some bands also realize that they don’t make the kind of music that the American public will not really buy into. Bands that come to those realizations will often go to European labels to release their stuff. I don’t know the whole story behind how The Cosmonauts ended up on Danish label Bad Afro, but I do know the band is not major label material and does not make pop music that will be lapped up by the American public. This band certainly fits the Bad Afro profile of a retro psychedelic sound that his heavy on reverb. The Cosmonauts 7” (the first release of an American band by Bad Afro) is available on Bandcamp.

Whiskey Avengers (San Jose)Be honest. What do you think of when you see the name Whiskey Avengers (aside from “That’s an awesome band name!”)? Celtic punk? Cowpunk? Neither. Whiskey Avengers is a band that plays good time reggae/rocksteady/rock. These are songs that will get you moving, singing along, and wishing you had a nice cold beverage in your hand (no, not a Corona…a real beverage). Sadly, this is a band that might get lumped in with Sublime or Slightly Stoopid, but I think those comparisons are a little off. Whiskey Avengers seems to focus more on the rocksteady aspect than the punk aspect like those aforementioned bands. Still, if you like Sublime and 311, this is a band you will probably want to check out. The band has a good sample of songs you can check out on ReverbNation.

The Ugly Beats (Austin)Loyal reader, by now you know that we here at Incognito HQ have a particular fondness for bands that embrace that 60s garage sound. You know, trashy guitars, primitive drums, bright organ sounds and an overall sound that suggests the album was recorded in a basement or a

garage. That sort of thing. Well, The Ugly Beats give you all of those things in spades. How’s this for 60s sound? Listen to the song “Done with Me.” Now think about who that sounds like. For me, it certainly brings The Animals to mind. If you like what you hear on this band’s Facebook page, go to Get Hip Recordings and check out more. I can pretty well guarantee that you will want to hear more, especially if you like the dirty 60s garage sound that is (thankfully) experiencing quite a revival.

Tuba Skinny (New Orleans)I have to admit that I was drawn in by the name of this band when I was browsing on Bandcamp. You donʹt encounter too many bands that use a tuba. I canʹt think of too many albums in my collection that feature the tuba. But if you feel you need some more of this fine instrument in your collection, this is a good place to start. Tuba Skinny plays Dixieland, another rarity at this point. But the thing is, when we find a good band, we just want to let everyone know about it, no matter what genre the band is in. And this is certainly a good band. Erika Lewis brings a real old‐time feel to the vocals, similar to Bessie Smith, but with less of a growl. ʺKitchen Manʺ on the album Six Feet Down is the best example. She even brings the suggestive spirit of Bessie Smith to this song in which she sings about her manʹs jelly roll and sings ̋ How I love his sausage meat.ʺ So, maybe you donʹt know a lot about Dixieland. And maybe you donʹt have a lot of bands with a tuba in your collection. But that doesnʹt mean you need to continue that. Whether you know a lot about Dixieland or not, one thing is for sure. Tuba Skinny is a band that will get you moving. The band has three full‐length albums that you can listen to and buy at Bandcamp. Give these albums a listen and you just might find that you are the newest fan of this great music.


Whistle Pigs (Nashville, originally from Carbondale, IL)Sometimes you hear an album and immediately love it. That is what happened the first time I heard Bless Your Hearts and Livers. In fact, I was hooked with the first song “Alcohol” (one of two songs on the topic). The uptempo banjo and bass provide an amazing sound I like to describe as Bakersfield Bluegrass. Do yourself a favor when you listen to this one. In fact do yourself two favors. First, make sure you turn up the volume. You’re going to want to hear this one played loud. Second, really listen to the instruments on this one. The bass on this album is not just enough to get your toes tapping, it is enough to get you sweating. And the banjo is on par with the best pickers in bluegrass. You may think that bluegrass is for grandpas sitting on the porch making music by blowing into a jug of moonshine. If that’s what you think I’m probably not going to change your mind. But I encourage you to give Whistle Pigs a listen because this is a band that just might knock your socks off with its musical talents.

Flashback

The 5.6.7.8s ‐ Bomb the TwistI know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that this Japanese trio has been featured in a major motion picture by Quentin Tarantino. You’re thinking that one of this band’s songs has been (over)used by some phone company. So what is this doing in an independent music magazine? Well, I’ll tell ya. It’s because this is a freaking great EP.The beginning of the title track is a sonic explosion with the drum intro (played with just one hand, check it out on YouTube) and the countdown from 10 to zero before the lead singer yells “Come on! Bomb the Twist!” It gets you moving immediately and this EP is so catchy, you’ll find yourself singing along even if you don’t get the lyrics right.You may not understand all the lyrics on this one, but there is no denying that these three girls perfectly capture not only the 60s garage sound, but also the harmony vocals you’ll find in 60s girl groups.Yes, there is the ubiquitous “Woo Hoo.” Several people have told me they didn’t even realize this is an actual song. They just thought it was some kind of jingle created for the phone company that adopted this for all of its ads. So maybe the song isn’t quite as cool as it used to be. But you know something? It’s still super‐catchy and it will get you moving.Oh, and you know one other thing about this album? My son loves it. I am not making this up. Somewhere around his first birthday, I put this on and the disc stayed in our stereo for months. To me, that is a true test of music. Kids don’t care about what’s hip. They only care if music catches their attention and gets them moving. So to answer your question of why this is in an indie music mag: partly because it passed the toddler test with flying colors.


ReviewsThird Coast Kings (self‐titled)Good funk is hard to find, especially now that the term funk is somehow associated with hip‐hop. If you go to Bandcamp and you want to find old‐school funk like the music made by Parliament and Funkadelic (among others), you have to search for deep funk. Thatʹs exactly what I did one day and ended up finding Third Coast Kings.

Right from the beginning of the album, this has everything you could want in a funk band: strong bass lines, bright horns (just listen to the trumpet solo in ʺGive Me Your Love), and tremendous energy. And if youʹre not turned on by the instrumental ʺCome Onʺ that kicks off the album, just wait until you hear Michelle Camilleriʹs vocals on ʺGive Me Your Loveʺ. They are strong and soulful, just like funk vocals should be. I donʹt know about you, but with all the manufactured music out there, itʹs always nice to hear some soulful vocals.

This description is included on the Bandcamp page for this band. ʺThe Kings bring you nothing but the finest in proper funk and soul. Get down to the sound that will have you beggin’ for more, get down to The Third Coast Kings!ʺ they ainʹt lyinʹ. This band does bring the finest in funk and soul. And if this music doesnʹt get you moving, Iʹm not sure what will.

Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders—Junkyard RhythmSometimes I like an album immediately. I mean, from the first notes, I am hooked. That was the case when I put on Junkyard Rhythm. I instantly realized that this brand of gritty blues is right up my alley. Crankshaft is frequently a one‐man band and if you haven’t seen him play, then you should do that. Seriously, go to YouTube and search for Crankshaft one‐man band. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Pretty incredible, isn’t he? On this album, Crankshaft shows that while he can do it all himself, he doesn’t need to. The Gear Grinders

are right there with him, producing some gritty blues similar to RL Burnside. Frankly, the description on Crankshaft’s web page is the best. This is high‐energy, lowbrow upper Mississippi blues. If that sounds like something you would enjoy, do yourself a favor and add this to your collection.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang—Kaboom!Some female vocalists sound pretty and some female vocalists sound tough. Devon Dunsmoor of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (from Los Angeles) manages to sound both pretty and tough. Her voice has a sweetness to it that would fit pretty well in a country or rockabilly band. But she doesn’t. She sings in a rock band and she sounds damn tough when she tells you she’s got something for you in the title track of this song. She also sounds dead serious when she advises the subject of one song to “sleep lightly.” Kiss Kiss Bang Bang plays high‐energy garage rock with a healthy dose of organ that sounds straight out of the 60s. If you like garage revival stuff, and especially female fronted garage revival stuff, check out this band. You can thank me later.

The Earps—Buckle UpThe Earps is a band I first heard on Radio Free Bakersfield. This is now the third album I’ve heard from this band and I haven’t had one yet that I dislike. If I tell you that this album is a tribute to Buck Owens, then you probably have some idea of what this is all about. These songs are full of the honky‐tonk goodness that Buck Owens delivered all his life. But the album also has the punk rock attitude that The Earps bring to every album. This album opens with “Close up the Honky Tonks” and let me tell you something. If that’s not enough to hook you into this album, maybe you need to look for something else. But if you like Buck Owens (I do believe it’s un‐American to not like Buck Owens) and cowpunk, then this is just the album for you.


In our next issue:Metal Mulisha model Jessica Lyn

Interviews with The Darlings and Leche de TigreAsk Derek

Reviews and bands we think you should knowPlus

We rate summer ales

© 2012 Groovy Rutabaga Publications

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