Brew Tunes

There is almost nothing I enjoy better than listening to good music. However, enjoying a good beer ranks up there with a great record. Below are some of my favorite brews and albums that go well with them.

Surly Brewing Co. "Furious" goes great with Grinderman's "Grinderman".


This is quite possibly the greatest beer ever crafted. Brewed in Brooklyn Center, MN, this American Pale Ale (as best described) created with Simpsons Malt and four American hop varieties goes well with any occasion. Nick Cave's side project Grinderman compliments it nicely. As opposed to his Bad Seeds catalog, Grinderman has a rawer, nastier, more 'furious' feel than much of the Bad Seeds' outtings. Choice tracks include "Get It On", "Man In The Moon" and "Depth Charge Ethel."

Dogfish Head Brewery "60 Minute IPA" goes well with Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother".


Dogfish Head, hailing from Milton, DE, brews "60 Minute", "90 Minute" and "120 Minute" IPAs. More expensive, the more minutes, but the "60 Minute IPA" has the best flavor without the strong hopped aftertaste. "Atom Heart Mother" is Pink Floyd's most underrated album (and the bands least favorite as they have been quoted as saying they wish they never made the album) and musically one of their most complex. While the album clocks in at just under 60 minutes, drinking enough of this IPA will send anyone on a psychedelic trip. Choice tracks include "Atom Heart Mother Suite", "Fat Old Sun" and "Summer '68."

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. "Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale" bodes well with Danzig's "Danzig".


Made in Chico, CA, "Bigfoot Ale" is only available from January through March (if you can find it that late). This is NOT your "Mother"'s beer, it has a 10% alcohol content. RECOMMENDED ONLY for those who enjoy a very hoppy brew. Listed as having 90 bitterness units (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has 37 bitterness units), this beer is about as bitter as Glen Danzig's persona. It is only fitting pairing the two as Mr. Danzig looks similar to a Sasquatch. Beware of drinking more than 2 as this beer may [subsitute may with WILL] prevent you from enjoying the record. Choice tracks include "Evil Thing", "Twist of Cain" and "She Rides".

August Schell Brewing Co. "Grain Belt Premium" fits perfectly with ZZ Top's "Tres Hombres".


This beer used to be brewed by the Minneapolis Brewing Company, who's building is now on the U.S. National Registry of Historic Places. Grain Belt has made several ownership changes until landing in New Ulm, MN, in 2002. This golden lager is similar to other mainstream lagers such as Coors and Miller, but has it's own distinct flavor. The light flavor and easy drinkability makes it perfect for any hot summer day. ZZ Top has made their own name as a working man's band and have been seen at such summer events such as the Sturgis Bike Rally. While spinning ZZ Top's "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers" one can't help reaching for some suds. Choice tracks include "La Grange", "Waitin' For The Bus" and "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers".

DISCLAIMER: Please drink in moderation and turn it up to 11!

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Crack the Skye

It would be disingenuous to refer to myself as anything more than a casual fan of Heavy Metal, but I believe I can appreciate good music regardless of genre. That being said, Crack the Skye by Mastodon is the type of album which can appeal to almost anyone who enjoys hard rock. Brann Dailor, the band's percussionist, stated Mastodon was going after a "creepy, classic-rock sounding record". The resulting tracks are an unrelenting flow of technically precise and deeply layered Metal musicianship, highlighted by intricate solos seemlessly interwoven with stock progressive riffs.

The album begins with "Oblivion", a song with a prelude of gradually escalating guitar jousts building to an ignition of pain-filled vocal wailings during a rare vocal turn from Dailor. Next is "Divinations" a speedy, comparatively short rocker that begins eerily with a banjo in a possible homage to Deliverance by the Atlanta-based foursome. "Quintessence" is the most mainstream track on the album with alternating guitar blasts surrounding Brent Hinds' Ozzy Osbourne-esque vocals. For the true die-hard Metal fan, the title track "Crack the Skye" delivers the classic sludge riffs and growling, demonic vocals that have so often characterized Heavy Metal.

The magnum opus of Crack the Skye is the 13-minute epic "The Last Baron", christened in the first minute by Hinds' declaration, "I guess they would say, we could set this world ablaze". The song burns through three minutes of steady rock, before evolving via a rapid-fire barrage of percussion segueing into a jagged back-and-forth ambush of dueling guitar chords. Another blowout transition occurs at the eight-minute mark, followed by one final melt-your-face-off solo that caps off this monster of a track.

Overall, Crack the Skye is a very steady and intriguing rock album. I would still have to rank it behind Blood Mountain, as I feel the latter is still their best work to date. Nonetheless, this latest effort is more universally appealing than their previous recordings, and quite possibly has the most musical and lyrical depth. If you're curious about Heavy Metal, you should definitely give Mastodon a listen. And if you happen to be in Omaha on May 15th, you can see them rock the Midwest at Sokol Auditorium for only $25.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Dragonslayer for Dummies

Being the resident "Metal" expert and not much of a fan of "indie rock" it was an interesting task to review an album given to me from our "Independent" guru. The genre (albeit a very broad, generic category) as always seemed a little boring and repetitive, with most of the artists sounding exactly the same with an inbred sound. And the vocalists all suffering from life threatening sinus infections. With that being said, my task is to review Sunset Rubdown's latest release "Dragonslayer". Upon first listen, this album treads on very familiar territory sounding like the Thom Yorke led 'fictional' band Venus In Furs from the wonderful 'movie that rocks', "Velvet Goldmine." The opening of the first track "Silver Moons" could have fit perfectly in that movie. "Velvet Goldmine" was loosely based on David Bowie and Sunset Rubdown's lead man Spencer Krug has obviously been influenced by the androgynous hero. The next track "Idiot Heart" has a killer guitar riff to start and continues to gain momentum throughout the song. Overall, fantastic tune. You can listen to a brilliant acoustic version on Daytrotter which only solidifies this song as a classic. The next song "Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!" starts off with Nintendo-style keyboards which continues throughout the first half of the track. Deeper into the song at 3:25 a catchy guitar solo takes off and definitely has my attention. Another strong track. The next two songs "Black Swan" and "Paper Lace" sound similar but fit well with the theme of the album. "You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)" again starts with an electronic keyboard solo that you would hear on old school Sega Genesis games. Spencer Krug's voice sounds less and less like Bowie upon repeated listens as he has his own distinct voice dissimilar to most 'indie' front men. The next track "Nightingale/December Song" is a cool track with a great acoustic guitar riff. Sunset Rubdown does a great job of adding sounds and layers to this tune adding to it's appeal. The keyboards and piano are great. The album has a definite early 80s glam feel to it and NOT in a The Darkness kind of way. To end the album, Sunset Rubdown closes with a 10 minute opus entitled "Dragon's Lair". The song title itself deserves props as it reminds me of something Ronnie James Dio would pen. For 'Indie' fans this album delivers.



Stand out tracks: Idiot Heart, Nightingale/December Song, Apollo and the Buffalo and Anna Anna Anna Oh!

Rating: 15 out of 23 spiders from Mars

Morning Becomes Eclectic

I was playing some music for my daughters over the weekend and settled upon my collection of CDs from the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" radio show from KCRW in Santa Monice, CA. If you haven't stumbled upon the MBE radio show or any of the CDs generated by the radio station over the years, I suggest poking your head around their internet cite. A handy link to that page is here: http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb Here is a link to all of the CDs the show has generated over the years: http://www.kcrw.com/music/kcrw-cds

The Morning Becomes Eclectic show is a music show from the KCRW radio station based out of Santa Monica College in California. For the past decade the show was hosted by Nic Harcourt and became known for his introduction/finding of several up and coming artists. Some bands he has been given credit for helping to launch their careers are Coldplay, Norah Jones, Dido, Damien Rice, etc. The show is technically categorized as an adult alternative radio show. Aside from playing the typical tracks from an album, the show also has some of the artists stop in the studio and record one or two of their songs while on the air (and to be later released in CD format if deemed worthy). The songs are not edited after they are played on the air. As a comparison, think of Paul's Daytrotter find only with a radio station/music show tied into it. Recently Nic Harcourt stepped down and handed the show over to Jason Bentley. The show is still pulling in great "in-studio" talent. In October of 2009 they had Monsters of Folk record a couple tunes.

I can't remember how I stumbled upon one of the "Sounds Eclectic" CDs generated from the show. But when I did, I couldn't stop playing it. I have subsequently picked up most of the albums (skipping the "Sounds Eclectico" CD). Dig around the albums on the website and you'll see some great tracks from Nick Cave, R.E.M., Radiohead, The Swell Season, The Flaming Lips, My Morning Jacket, Fran Ferdinand, Zero 7, Spoon...just a ton of great artists.

Who says you need to buy a guitar?

While we're on the topic of movies that rock, I finally got a chance to see It Might Get Loud. It's a documentary whose premise is getting three guitar legends from three different generations together in a make-shift living room in a big warehouse and seeing what happens. What happens is awesome. The discussion/jam session is intercut with narratives on the back story for each guitar hero; where they started, how they became who they are. The three masters are Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White. The film does a great job demonstrating the innovative style of The Edge, the technical chops of Jimmy and a little of both from Jack. It's been stated on this blog before that I have strong feelings for Jack and I have new-found respect for The Edge after watching this film, but it's clear who the electric messiah is here. Just look for the awestruck smirks on the other two's faces when Jimmy starts playing the Whole Lotta Love riff.

This will serve as a great warm-up as we anticipate the release of Under The Great White Northern Lights, the White Stripes live DVD, arriving March 16, 2010. More to come on that...

Wilco Rocks

I am admittedly not a huge fan of Wilco (the Album) just yet, but that doesn't mean they don't still put on one of the best live shows around. I had the great fortune of seeing them again last night here in Portland. They brought their usual high-energy show with an excellent mix of their catalog, with lots of Tweety-isms sprinkled in between songs. I always hate it when their show is over and I always look forward to the next one.

Stereogum had a blurb on it today with a video clip of the first song of the encore, Neil Young's "Broken Arrow"

Monsters of Folk

Now that I've installed a sweet new CD player in my car I finally have a chance to complete the swap duties I've pledged to fulfill. My first review is of the self-titled album by the Monsters of Folk, a 'supergroup' comprised of Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (aka Bright Eyes), Jim James (of MMJ fame) and Matt Ward. When I first popped it in and heard the slow jam beat, harp strumming and falsetto 'be-bopping' of the first track I was sure that I was playing the wrong disc and thought it was a malfunction of my early 90's era 24 disc Fisher CD changer. I even stopped and ejected it to check (though I was sure these sounds weren't coming from anything that would already be in my collection). As it turns out it was the right disc so started it again. I quickly decided that that first track was aptly titled because I thought 'Dear God, this is unpleasant.' And so, for a few minutes I was somewhat disappointed. I had been anxious to hear this album because I'm a fan of all the component Monsters' work and had high hopes for the collaboration. I was also shocked (and still am) that they would choose 'Dear God' as their second single from this album.

But I pressed on, and thankfully, things quickly took a turn for the better. The second track (their first single) 'Say Please' is a rollicking tune with an infectious chorus that gives an early opportunity for the big three to tag team on lead vocals. Next comes 'Whole Lotta Losin' which continues the trend and is the excellent shining example of why these guys get mentioned in the same breath as The Traveling Wilburys so often. It's a fun song and you can tell they have fun performing it. The next several songs ('Temezcal' through 'Ahead of the Curve' minus 'Baby Boomer') are basically the big three taking turns laying down solo tracks with chorus harmonies thrown in by the other two. The M.Ward tracks sound exactly like M.Ward old-timey songs. The Jim James songs sound exactly like MMJ twangy alt-country. Bright Eyes sounds like Bright Eyes. Though not as collaborative as I might have wanted, they are very good songs and getting new solo tracks from any of these guys is certainly not a bad thing. (A brief side note: whether you love him or hate him you can not deny that Conor Obsert is a goddamn good songwriter.)

But it was that beard-rock harmonizing (see Fleet Foxes) that I was craving and they finally brung it on the slowed-down 'Slow Down Jo', and kept it going on the rocking 'Losin Yo Head,' two of the strongest tracks on the album. Then a quick hiccup on 'Magic Marker.' I don't know, maybe I'm weird, but this song kind of grosses me out when he sings about how many licks it takes. The second Yim misstep of the album. Then things get going again with my personal favorite track, the dark 'Map of the World.' Though distinctly a Conor track, this is where the full potential of the blending of these three voices is realized. One more M.Ward track that could have been a B-side from Post War and finally the set closes with 'His Master's Voice,' an emotionally-charged and appropriate conclusion and the place where Jim makes amends for his earlier transgressions.

While this album is an instance where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, I am thoroughly enjoying it. The above comments were based on a handful of spins and I suspect that there are some growers in here which will over time continue to endear it to me. I also suspect that these dudes had a really good time putting this together. They came through Portland not long ago and I passed on the show because the tickets were a little steep. I hope not to miss them next time, I'm sure it's a loose and fun show. Here's hoping there are more albums and more tours to come.

I give it 9 eyeballs (out of a possible 14)

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Here To Snuff The Rooster... Again

Thrash had its "Big Four"; Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. One could argue that grunge had a big four as well; Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. Pearl Jam is the only remaining band that continues to put out albums of consistent quality. Soundgarden broke up in 1997 and have faded into obscurity (however a reunion tour is in the making). Nirvana and Alice in Chains disbanded following the deaths of their front men; Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley. I think it is safe to say we will never see a Nirvana reunion as Dave Grohl has gone on to form a little known band called the Foo Fighters (okay, maybe not "little known" as the Foo Fighters have won 6 Grammy's in the 2000s) and no one would be able to replace Kurt Cobain as he was the primary songwriter and needless to say a legend. Layne Staley was the voice of Alice In Chains and not many people would be able to replace his undeniable presence in the band. However, Jerry Cantrell was the primary songwriter and obviously had more material to let loose. Low and behold, AIC released "Black Gives Way To Blue" last fall. Jerry found his voice in William DuVall. The good thing is AIC have not tried to replace Mr. Staley, as that would be impossible, however they were able to maintain their trademark sound with a voice that is scary similar to Layne's. "Black Gives Way To Blue" is easily their best album since 1994s brilliant "Jar of Flies". The songs on this album are very reminiscent to those on "JOF" and 1992s "Dirt". The tracks 'All Secrets Known', 'Check My Brain' and 'Acid Bubble' could have been lifted from "Dirt". And 'When The Sun Rose Again' and the self-titled track would have fit perfectly on "Jar Of Flies". The album gets better and better on repeated listens and actually brings you back to AIC's early 90s pinnacle. For those who loved the grunge hay day, purchase this album. None of you will be sorry.



Rating: Good on first listen, Fantastic now on over a dozen spins (too many 4 of 5 ratings on this blog)

Choice tracks: 'When The Sun Rose Again', 'Black Gives Way To Blue', 'All Secrets Known'

Anvil! The Story of Devotion

I love a good movie that rocks. From The Blues Brothers to Hedwig And The Angry Inch, any movie that has to do with music typically resonates with me. When I first heard of a small documentary about a thrash metal band from Canada entitled "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", I knew it would be my kind of movie.



Now after seeing it a half dozen times, "Anvil!" is my favorite film 2009 had to offer. Regardless of whether you like metal music, you will enjoy this movie. On the surface it is a documentary about a couple aging metalheads that never quite made it to the big time (however are referenced as influences by Metallica, Guns 'N Roses, Anthrax and Slayer.) But at its core, the movie is about two guys who are so passionate and devoted to their craft they forge ahead, even if only a handful of people, not including spouses, children and siblings, appreciate their work. The result is a movie that will not only melt your face off but touch your heart.

Anvil! The Story Of Anvil trailer

Vampire Weekend Part II - Contra

XL Recordings (1-12-10) The second offering from this foursome of Columbia University bandmates is laced with the same catchy, rhythmic fare as their self-titled debut. With a unique sound that blends influences from traditional African music, island reggae, and ska (amongst others), Vampire Weekend continues to explore a new avenue in indie pop. The album begins with the track "Horchata", a syncopated melody with saccharin accents which flow as easily over your speakers as chai tea over your palate. "Cousins", the first iTunes single released from the album, emotes the winding guitars and upbeat tempo of "A-punk", and "Giving Up the Gun" is a pleasing base-carried departure from their typical format. The album is punctuated with "I Think Ur A Contra", on which Ezra Koenig muses "my revolution thoughts, your little arrows of desire, I want to trace the source...you're going to watch out for yourself, and so will I". This bookend track is a creeping ride to a connection severed, and the quiet contemplation of the path not taken. The alternate path appears to be Vampire Weekend's modus operandi, and that's fine by me.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Cash Back

It's unfortunate when you discover a band or artist you thoroughly enjoy and anticipate more and better things from in the future as they continue to evolve, only to have them devolve into something disappointing and craptacular (the Journey-fication of Kings of Leon comes to mind). Then there are others who never seem to disappoint and have the ability to hang on to the sound that initially made you a fan while keeping things interesting enough to have you come back for more time and time again. Johnny Cash continues to do this for me, even from the grave. I grew up in the backseat of my parents' car listening to JC and Roger Miller on countless trips to and from my grandparents' house. I love those songs and they signify a happy time from my youth with my family. If you've heard anything he's ever done then I don't have to sell you on just what makes JC's music special. If you haven't heard him....no, you're heard him.

By the time I was in high school and had begun to develop a more refined taste in music, JC launched a career comeback by teaming with Rick Rubin and releasing American Recordings - an album consisting mostly of covers of very recognizable popular songs. If you're read my best of the 90's post you'll know this was in my top 10 albums of that decade. He created the template for other aging musicians' career rebirths (see Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson and Tony Bennett to name a few) by lending his vintage sound to songs and production a younger generation can identify with. Since that first spectacular album, he's released four more studio albums (one posthumously) and a box set of four discs worth of unreleased material. On those albums he's covered Nick Cave, Danzig, Tom Petty, Nine Inch Nails, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Depeche Mode, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, The Eagles, Soundgarden, U2, Leonard Cohen (he of the recent Cash-esque comeback himself), Bob Marley, Beck and many, many others. If that's not an eclectic mix, I don't know what is. He never covered Hall and Oates - draw your own conclusions.

These albums have been the soundtrack to a lot of good times in my life and have helped me through some of the worst times in my life. For these reasons, I'm very pleased to learn that a second posthumous album is forthcoming next month. The sixth studio album, American VI: Ain't No Grave will arrive February 23rd. While his later stuff is noticeably affected by age and declining health, it's no less powerful and I expect good things from this last compilation. I'll revisit this topic after giving it a listen. Meanwhile, check out American Recordings and American IV: The Man Comes Around to get you started.

Death Metal Rooster

Whether you are a fan of this genre or not, check out this video. Who knew nature, poultry for that matter, could be this brutal! Thanks for the clip Andrew!



Up The Horns!
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Haulin' Oats

We are amidst reminiscing the decade that was and all the brilliant music that came from that "era". I want to take a step back and discuss an album that has stood the test of time. I think it is easy to say the music we heard in "the Ohs" may not have been the same if it was not for Daryl Hall and John Oates.

Okay, maybe not, but Hall & Oates are still deserved of some props. In 1981, Billy Squier, Olivia Newton-John, REO Speedwagon and Blondie were ruling the airwaves when all of a sudden the 'Blue-Eyed Soul', juggernaut duo Hall & Oates released "Private Eyes". Following the success of their single 'Kiss On My List', "Private Eyes" upped the ante. Just look at the album cover, it spews street cred!



Their best song to date, 'I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)', has been sampled by the likes of De La Soul and 2 Live Crew. Who knows, if that song had never been written, there may have never been an OutKast or 50 Cent, both of whom credit those artists as influences (De La Soul and 2 Live Crew that is, if I am wrong they should be influences). Other megahits include the self-titled track that seems to be a clairvoyant vision of Michael David Barrett and 'Do It In A Minute' which is obviously referring to the speed at which John Oates trims his mustache. Do yourself a favor and buy this classic 80s album.



Simon and Garfunkel eat your hearts out.