Dear, Coffee, Thank you for being a friend. Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

July 4th.  If your ears aren't still ringing after lighting up all of your noisemakers in tribute to our independence, enjoy some of my "America" selections. Brian Eno/David Byrne : "America Is Waiting" Yes : "America ( Simon & Garfunkel cover)"   Primus : "American Life"   The Mothers of Invention : "America Drinks and Goes Home"   Black Flag : "American Waste"   R.E.M. : "Little America"   MC5 : "The American Ruse"   Bad Religion : "American Dream"   David Bowie : "I'm Afraid of Americans" Sincerely, Letters From A Tapehead

About a month ago, I started receiving PR about Holy Sons , which is a solo project from the multi-instrumental talent Emil Amos of Grails and Om .  Amos will be releasing The Fact Facer in late September via Thrill Jockey Records and, while I haven't heard actual tracks from the album just yet, interesting pseudo-covers of punk tracks emerged that I thought were worth checking out.  Also included is "More Therapy," which is a Holy Sons original.  All info, links and sounds come courtesy of Thrill Jockey Records. Hear Holy Sons bonus tracks featuring covers of hardcore legends Black Flag, Circle Jerks and Slapshot Brand new Holy Sons album 'The Fact Facer' on 22nd September Holy Sons is Emil Amos, a musician whose chameleonic tendencies and technical versatility has lead to him becoming an in demand multi-instrumentalist as a founding member of Grails and Lilacs & Champagne , as well as a member of Om . The Fact Facer , his Thrill Joc...

I'm off pause following a week long trip to the Outer Banks.  Internet connectivity was sluggish at best so I wasn't really able to make updates or post reviews, unfortunately.  I'll be trying to play catch up this week as a result. First off... R.I.P. Arturo Vega — As I'm a graphic designer by trade, the passing of the man behind one of the most significant band logos for one of the most significant bands qualifies to me as a huge loss. The Guardian put together a really good tribute to Vega along which includes somewhat of an op-ed regarding musical iconography. And, while we're on the topic of art and rock n' roll, I happened upon this little gem via Sound Opinions : A small documentary about the Black Flag bars logo and one of my favorite artists of all time, Raymond Pettibon . ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Singles while I was out: Califone : "Stitches" (courtesy of Dead Oceans) No Age: "C...

This video is missing Black Friday footage from Walmart. "Fight Right" is the new single from Rabbits ' recently released album, Bite Rites . The band also apparently covered Minor Threat and Black Flag for a Record Store Day curated flexi single called, Flexihead.  Renditions of "Straight Edge" and "Wasted," perfectly contradictory, were featured.  Flexihead by RABBITS Info comes courtesy of Earsplit PR. RABBITS Ruins Your Day With New Video, Drops “Straight Edge/Wasted” Flexi  Portland's caecothrophic collective RABBITS have excreted their very first hare-raising video to help ruin your day, constructed for the rampant skronking riffage of “Fight Right,” the second track off from their recently birthed Bites Rites LP. The cinematic mayhem was completed by Wes Johnson of Good to Die Productions -- the film team responsible for labelmates Deadkill ’s "Oh God Help You" video -- utilizing early live footage shot by the f...

Listening to Greg Ginn and the Royal We , which is performed solely by the legendary Black Flag guitarist, (my comments discounting his instrumental work with Gone ), I would call this a technologically modern continuation of his Process Of Weeding Out / John McLaughlin -inspired jazz punk excursions. His guitar work is still marvelously primitive, though the electronic elements sound kind of flat next to the rhythm section provided by Bill Stevenson and Kira Roessler . I guess you could say there’s a tad less jazz, less of Ginn’s atonal wheeze and a more melody-based approach. Of course, I’m judging based upon the song “Baiting,” which may or may not summarize the breadth of this project. All info below comes courtesy of Speakeasy PR. GREG GINN AND THE ROYAL WE AT COACHELLA; FOUR CALIFORNIA DATES ADDED   Mar. 21, 2012, Austin, Tex. -- Greg Ginn and The Royal We, Ginn's solo electro-instrumental project, has added a handful of California dates leading up to his Apr...