Via Mike Watt's Hoot Page : "hyphenated-man" is the name of my third opera, "contemplating the engine room" (1997) being the first one and "the secondman's middle stand" (2004) being the second. I expressly put together the missingmen (on guitar: tom watson and on drums: raul morales) for this proj a couple of years ago and now w/the mastering by john golden (august 19, 2010), I am so glad to say it has now been realized. it's first release was october 6, 2010 in japan on parabolica records . whereas "...engine room" dealt w/my pop's life in the navy as a metaphor for the story of the minutemen and "...middle stand" was a parallel to dante's "comedia" dealing w/an illness that almost killed me in 2000, this third opera is quite different in that it has no standard narrative (libretto!) meaning no regular beginning-middle-end and is as it were "simultaneous" in the way a mirror from just insid

As promised, here are my personal favorites for 2010.  Hope you enjoy the list and thank you all so much for your support this year. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead 25). Shining – Blackjazz “With their new album, Blackjazz , Shining keeps their offerings confined to a certain aesthetic, which is basically that of its title.  The album is a spiraling trauma, perfect for obsessive compulsives that hate being slaves to their own "ordered" environment.  For how thick the acid flows throughout Blackjazz , the music is disciplined: allowed to run rampant for periods of time before being reeled back to its former gloriousness of synthesized rage and deadly sonic eruption.” — 1.10.10 24). The Dead Weather – Sea Of Cowards “Though Sea Of Cowards benefits from its grime in some ways, especially in the way that White is clearly entertaining some new area of creative freedom, you do wonder if The Dead Weather rushed this one out, forgoing refinement in favor of

Yesterday, the legendary Don Van Vliet , (better known as Captain Beefheart ), succumbed to multiple sclerosis .  He was 69 years old. When I was in high school, maybe a sophomore, I was first exposed to the craziness of Captain Beefheart through the purchase of Bongo Fury , a collaborative (mostly) live album accredited to both he and Frank Zappa . The first song on the album "Debra Kadabra" began with a few whistling guitar notes and then kicked into gear, Beefheart quickly growling a few lines of the song: "Debra Kadabraaaaaaaaaah! Say she's a witch! Shit ass Charlotte! Ain't that a bitch!?!" Around this point in time, Zappa's music was somewhat of an obsession for me.  I'd go to our high school's library, scouring the catalog for magazine articles or album reviews, finding photographs of live performances or just fascinating quotes.  "Beefheart" was a name that would just pop up in my research, a presence relevant i

No Ripcord's top 50 is up.  You can find the feature here . I contributed blurbs for My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky by Swans and Before Today by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti .  It's likely that my contributions to the No Ripcord list will be transcribed once I pull mine together, but there will be other selections to scrutinize and stew over. In the meantime, if you know the alphabet and you have opinions, disagreements or disparaging remarks for our compiled list, let us know.  The comments section awaits your vehement dismay.  All contributors will be standing by. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Part 1 of No Ripcord's "Top Albums" feature has been posted for everyone's amusement or scrutiny.  You can find the feature here . I contributed blurbs for Marnie Stern 's self-titled album and Menomena 's Mines .  Within the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting my own selections for the best of 2010.  I offered a taste a month or so ago, but my perspective has since changed a bit, so a definitive list will be up soon.  What I'm hoping is that my list will inspire readers to debate, question or lambaste.  I would like to have more interaction with readers, seeing as you're all nice enough to stop by and check out what I have to say, I'd like to read more of what YOU have to say. Check out the list over at No Ripcord and, once Part 2 is posted, I will send along an update. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

Henry Rollins’ 12.4 broadcast of Harmony In My Head coincidentally fell on the 17th anniversary of Frank Zappa’s passing.  Paying tribute, Rollins dedicated more than an hour and a half to Zappa and closed out his show with some songs by St. Vitus.  Their drummer, Armando Acosta, passed away on Thanksgiving.  Overall, not the most upbeat reasoning behind the set lists, but it’s a worthwhile two hours. Listen here , or download here . Henry’s broadcast notes are below. 12-04-10 Fanatics! I am back from Africa. I got off the plane a few hours ago. The first flight from Entebbe, Uganda to Dubai, UAE, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was about five hours and the one from Dubai to LA was fifteen and change. I have been here at the office, trying to stay awake so I could finish our show for tonight. Thanks to Thom Storr at Rykodisc for supplying some much needed ingredients. If you notice, Fanatics, tonight is a bit of a concept show. It’s all Zappa, all night. We take this Saturday’s b

Just a tad late in the game on this one.  On December 7th, I received a press release regarding the legendary Scott "Wino" Weinrich , who will be putting out a solo album in March of 2011.  He's also going to be touring with Scott Kelly of Neurosis , playing the opposite of Dylan and going "acoustic" for a split 7."  More to look forward to for 2011. Via Earsplit PR: We don’t need to rave about the well-known legacy of the man who is Scott Weinrich, better known as Wino. With dozens of albums released throughout his time spent in The Obsessed , Saint Vitus , Shine , Spirit Caravan , The Hidden Hand , Shrinebuilder , Dave Grohl ’s Probot project and much more since the late ’70s, his mammoth and varied resume spans nearly three full decades, essentially set him up as a purveyor and forerunner of the entire genre we now call doom rock. A true legend; this is Wino. But, with the release of the humble but legendary musician’s new solo album, Adrift ,

Just caught wind of a new release from Parts & Labor . There's also a live video of the band covering No Age 's "Life Prowler," which is from their new album, Everything In Between . Via Jagjaguwar press release: Parts & Labor Unveil Constant Future , Produced By Dave Fridmann. (Parts & Labor L to R: BJ Warshaw, Joe Wong, and Dan Friel)   Jagjaguwar is proud to announce the forthcoming release of Constant Future , the fifth full-length album by Brooklyn's Parts & Labor, available on March 7 on CD/LP/Digital formats. Constant Future is the career-defining statement from Brooklyn-based noise-pop trio Parts & Labor. The album’s 12 tracks deliver the bare essentials that made them sui generis totems of modern art-punk: synthesized keyboard riffs distorted into oblivion, percussion pummeled hypnotically, crackling drones that haunt and soothe, fearless melodies hollered skyward. Their last release, 2008’s acclaimed Receivers , sa

It could be said that the 70s were a schizophrenic decade set on either purifying rock n’ roll ( Sabbath , Zeppelin ), putrefying rock n’ roll ( Styx , Bee Gees ), complicating rock n’ roll ( Rush , Yes ), glossing rock n’ roll ( Bowie , T-Rex ), or starting from scratch ( Ramones , Sex Pistols ). Inasmuch as the 60s as a whole, ( The Beatles and The Stones especially), can justifiably lay claim to the progression of rock music, even if its foundations were poured in the 50s by Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley , I believe the 70s have had the most profound and timeless effect on what we consider “rock,” especially with art and punk colliding and jazz and rock learning to coexist. In both you have Bitches Brew and Fun House , two diametrically opposed worlds birthed by a shared understanding that their respective genres had reached a peak. It was time to think differently once the 60s were over. Cover art for Rhino's 2005 Fun House reissue The same could be said for ideali

Via Earsplit PR : BORIS To Release First Official DVD This January Japan’s rock experimentalists BORIS are well-known not only for their epic discography – as they’ve unleashed multiple releases to the public every year in countless formats since their formation in the early 90s — but also for their captivating live performances they’re constantly booking, playing live throughout every habitable continent on the planet over the past decade and a half. The next official release from the band will bring fans a bit of both worlds, in the form of the band’s first official domestic live DVD from the band! Set for release via Southern Lord on January 18, 2011, the Live In Japan DVD captures the intriguing power, majesty and unique psychedelia that only BORIS can deliver, and will bring the band’s incredible stage act to fans who have never witnessed the band live, as well as diehards who venture out to see the act every chance they get. The footage on this official DVD release was

The big deal with J. Mascis' upcoming album, Several Shades Of Why , is that it's his first solo album.  I like the single a lot: quintessential Mascis, acoustic and reserved without sounding diluted or tired. Via Sub Pop press release:                         J Mascis Several Shades of Why out March 15 + Free download MP3 of "Not Enough" It’s all but inconceivable that J Mascis requires an introduction. In the quarter-century since he founded Dinosaur (Jr.) , Mascis has created some of the era’s signature songs, albums and styles. As a skier, golfer, songwriter, skateboarder, record producer, and musician, J has few peers. The laconically-based roar of his guitar, drums and vocals have driven a long string of bands– Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr., Gobblehoof, Velvet Monkeys, the Fog, Witch, Sweet Apple –and he has guested on innumerable sessions. But Several Shades of Why is J’s first solo studio record, and it is an album of incredible beauty, performed wit

T-Model Ford is ninety years old and could probably mop the floor with our current roster of auto-tuned R&B hacks. Though I'd rather not belabor the point about old vs. young, hearing a ninety year old blues man strum a guitar and kick out something genuine makes you wonder when popular culture lost the plot and settled for third-rate. Check out "Comin' Back Home" and listen to an old man play some good music. Via Pavement PR: 90-YEAR OLD BLUES LEGEND T-MODEL FORD TO RELEASE NEW TALEDRAGGER LP WITH GRAVELROAD JANUARY 11TH ON ALIVE RECORDS T-MODEL FORD HEADS BACK OUT ON THE ROAD FOR A FEW SOUTHERN JUKE/DIVE SHOWS IN DECEMBER BEFORE EMBARKING ON ADDITIONAL TOUR DATES IN 2011 Recorded during a 14 show US tour this year, the groove on this new studio album is pure T-Model Ford. Backed by his regular touring band GravelRoad , and with stellar guest appearances by Brian Olive and Matthew Smith , Taledragger is a perfect party album with the feel and h

As today marks 61 years of age for Mr. Tom Waits , I figured I’d post this version of “Lucinda/Ain’t Goin’ Down to the Well” from the Glitter & Doom Live album because it’s A). Available and B). Awesome. Here’s to another 61 years. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

December is here. Your money is not. In light of yet another holiday season spent in economic turmoil, Deer Tick has released Holy Shit, It’s Christmas , a two song single that might not put you in the holiday spirit. “Christmas All Summer Long,” though, might put you in some KIND of spirit. "Christmas All Summer Long" Via Force Field PR: It's a Holiday surprise from Deer Tick!  A two song digital Christmas single is out now, that's the cover art above.  It's avail. through iTunes and most major digital outlets and also available for free via the Partisan Records site with the purchase of any Deer Tick item. Deer Tick's John McCauley and Ian O'Neil recently announced a string of stripped down acoustic shows in early 2011, and now McCauley has added another show all on his own, Dec. 20 at the Troubadour in LA, as part of a benefit for Invisible Children . Deer Tick Holy S**t It's Christmas (Partisan) Street Date: Nov. 30, 2010

Following the release of their compilation/reissue, A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extraction , Earth is releasing a new album, Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1 . You can find a review of A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra Capsular Extraction at Stereokiller . Artwork by Stacy Rozich Via Earsplit PR : EARTH have completed their highly anticipated upcoming full-length album, which has been a subject of much discussion over the past two years. Following the band's magnificent 2008-released  The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull  opus, the next chapter in the ongoing EARTH legacy is ready for public consumption. To see release via Southern Lord Recordings in February 2011, the recently completed new album has been titled  Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light 1 , and promises to be a brand new entity within EARTH's already impressive and constantly progressing lineage. Joining founding guitarist and band frontman Dylan Carlson and percussionist Adrie

Ye disciples of Astbury! A press release via Cornerstone: Super amazing British crew The Cult are the special guests on Saturday night's Guitar Center Sessions . Show airs at 9pm EST and it's going to be in 3D on Direct TV's n3D. It's also airing in 2D on Direct TV's 101 Channel. They will be performing a rare and intimate set that includes not only stripped down songs performed by the band, but interviews throughout hosted by Nic Harcourt (of KCRW) . As an appetizer, here’s a video of The Cult performing “Embers” from their Guitar Center Session. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

In early October, I mentioned that there were two 7” singles being released by a band named Yuck . “Rubber” was put out as a very strange, yet somehow beautiful, video, the song itself a hybridized byproduct of shoegaze, lo-fi and drone metal. Think Kevin Shields and Dylan Carlson : its rhythm a drone-worthy trudge, its distortion hypnotic and the underlying melodies sort of pretty. For those of you in the 9-to-5, the video features graphic dog grooming (of the hershey squirt variety) and some nudity, so your bosses may not like you watching it on the company’s dime. To alleviate potential firings, I’ve also posted the single by itself along with a remix. Yuck’s upcoming album, simply titled Yuck , will be out next February on Fat Possum Records . 'Rubber' Yuck - Rubber from Yuck on Vimeo . Via Force Field PR: Over this past year, Yuck have emerged as one of the best and brightest new bands around, not to mention one of the most mercurial and unpredictab