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photo & text by nacrowe
HELMET to me equals riffs. those precisely jagged, start-stop verse riffs that juxtaposed with ringing open chords create an aural sense of space not to dissimilar to a FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT structure. WRIGHT loved having tight, claustrophobic hallways that led to grand high-ceilinged parlors and family rooms. it was part of his artistic lexicon.
i feel that PAGE HAMILTON has a similar songwriting aesthetic when crafting his songs, especially those on MEANTIME (INTERSCOPE, 1992). his ability to mine contrast in his songs, through abrupt tempo and time-signature shifts is progressive without sacrificing aggression and intention. when i listen to songs like "UNSUNG," "BETTER," and "IN THE MEANTIME" there is a cathartic sense of push and pull, catch and release that is sonically very satisfying on a compositional level. in a sense his songs almost feel like JAZZ music or CLASSICAL MUSIC in that there is a definite form and structure that creates tension and then resolves itself, almost like a SONATA. in a SONATA you start in one key, go to another, maybe another, and then return to the original key. like a sunday drive through the countryside. HELMET's music is anything but an evening stroll, but it works on the same level in that no matter how exotic or unforeseen the sonic texture or tempo shifts are, they do ultimately resolve themselves in a thoroughly satisfying way. the other band for whom this is a trademark in my opinion is TOOL. but they are way further on the progressive rock side of the coin, HELMET is like a PROGRESSIVE ROCK version of HARDCORE. ive been fascinated with the riffs of HAMILTON since childhood and he has been criminally underrated for years. i mean, if none other than DIMEBAG DARRELL of PANTERA steals your riff ("UNSUNG" riff on "RISE" from VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER), you must be the real deal. MEANTIME is a classic record and should be celebrated and revisited often much like those of their contemporaries from the ALTERNATIVE ROCK explosion of the 1990s. 
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parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO focused on the eclectic AMERICAN independent label MATADOR RECORDS!
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photo & text by nacrowe
i was pretty shielded from DRUG CULTURE funny enough as a kid living in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. that all changed in sixth grade when my family moved to NIGERIA in the mid 1990s. NIGERIA and specifically LAGOS where i lived was a major node in the global narcotic trade. it was also there that i was introduced to the seminal DIRT (COLUMBIA, 1992) album by SEATTLE ALTERNATIVE ROCK icons ALICE IN CHAINS through a friend a few years older than me. this album really served as an introduction to the physical and psychic costs of ADDICTION and it still resonates as such for me all these years later. in my mind it put context around the choices of others i was witnessing at the time, people dabbling in HEROIN and other OPIATES.
specifically i am referring to songs like "JUNKHEAD," "SICKMAN," "GOD SMACK," and "DIRT" which deal with the pain and throes of ADDICTION directly as well as "RAIN WHEN I DIE," "DOWN IN A HOLE," and "HATE TO FEEL" which get at the self-loathing and social consequences of maintaining such. the fact that the production (courtesy of TOBY WRIGHT) is so lush and the blended vocal harmonies of LAYNE STALEY and JERRY CANTRELL so intoxicating make the bleak subject matter palatable, although i would not go so far as to say it romanticizes it. if anything, STALEY is relaying his truth in one of the most transparent records about the damage wreaked by narcotics this side of NEIL YOUNG. i would be doing a disservice if i didn't mention that "THEM BONES," "DAM THAT RIVER" and "WOULD?" are three of the most propulsive and catchy songs the band ever came up with. the CANTRELL penned ode to his father's VIETNAM service in "ROOSTER" is also highly affecting and puts context to their once strained relationship with empathy and courage. and ultimately i think that sense of empathy (towards other and themselves) is why DIRT is such a landmark record years later and doesn't fall into ROCK AND ROLL cliches regarding the subject. there is no real message other than a presentation of their experiences and that of people close to them (MOTHER LOVE BONE's ANDY WOOD being focus of "WOULD?" being an example). it lets the listener decide upon how to interpret and self-identify with subject matter, not the other way around. this empathetic, humanizing approach would continue even in the years after STALEY's passing in BLACK GIVES WAY TO BLUE (VIRGIN, 2009), an ode to their lost friend and bandmate which is similarly focused on themes of loss and self-destruction as well as renewal and hope. in my mind that record bookends DIRT. all these years later and when i hear DIRT it still reminds me of the numbing interiority and loss of agency that comes with ADDICTIONS of any sort and makes me stop to be more empathetic to another's personal battle. as a child it gave me context to a world i was just witnessing for the first time. that sense of empathy for me that is the legacy of this record. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the amazing INDIE ROCK music of KIM DEAL!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the georgously ambient yet crushingly brutal and emotive METAL of DEFTONES!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
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its funny how there is the psychic cultural connection between the UNITED STATES and the UNITED KINGDOM, whereby both influence the other in and out of context. it is a dynamic that i have found endlessly fascinating. you can see it in all the great BRITISH INVASION bands taking CHICAGO and DELTA BLUES and making it there own, or in PUNK ROCK initiating a mutual admiration society of artists turn musicians that flourished on both sides in POST PUNK, HARDCORE and INDIE ROCK of the 1980s and ALTERNATIVE ROCK in the 1990s.
so NIRVANA was a continuation of that push and pull across the pond. what is interesting about the recent WHEN NIRVANA CAME TO BRITAIN (BBC, 2021) documentary is that it focuses on the influence of NIRVANA by those who roadied, booked and attended those early shows. also interviewed are surviving members KRIST NOVOSELIC and DAVE GROHL as well as members of the BRITISH music press and members of THE RAINCOATS and THE VASELINES, whom KURT COBAIN famously championed. what comes across is the organic embrace of the band pre-fame by the BRITISH public as well as an open-minded set of outsider and working-class booking agents and support staff. NIRVANA to these people represented a conscious break from the austere conservatism of THATCHERISM and a peak into a more inclusive and freeing future. NOVOSELIC makes the point that NIRVANA was a "feminized" band that consciously rejected the hollow machismo and outright misogyny of ROCK N ROLL during that period. COBAIN is the very archetype of a more enlightened, progressive and ultimately inclusive form of a modern-day MASCULINITY. the fact that within a BRITISH context he cultivated that sort of reaction by an outsider culture he so deeply felt aligned with is heartwarming. because i dont believe he ever felt that way stateside at any point during his life, pre or post-fame. the narrative of NIRVANA and COBAIN has been retread so many times in books, tv shows, documentaries and articles since his passing 27 years ago that the topic itself seems completely barren of surprise or insight. i think the BBC here did an interesting job of presenting a new angle on NIRVANA by focusing on their work ethic, determination and innocence and how that touched a nerve with a small public and working-class support staff at a formative stage in their career. WHEN NIRVANA CAME TO BRITAIN is a very touching and ultimately productive documentary worthy of investigation. 
photo & text by nacrowe
despite growing up in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA and actively listening to the massively influential local ALTERNATIVE ROCK radio station 106.7FM KROQ out of LOS ANGELES, i didnt come across BAKERSFIELD's KORN until i was living in NIGERIA shortly after their second album LIFE IS PEACHY (EPIC, 1996) came out.
the three things about this record that stood out to me as a preteen were the self-scathing, almost T.M.I. lyrics of JONATHAN DAVIS, the pronounced bass of FIELDY that served more of a percussive than melodic function and the down-tempo, down-tuned dual guitar attack of guitarists HEAD and MUNKY. i think the sound of KORN can be described as a brick wall falling on top of you; it is one cohesive, machine-like unit repeatedly pummeling your senses with wave after wave of claustrophobic yet strangely hypnotic massive grooves. examples of this on LIFE IS PEACHY include "GOOD GOD," "NO PLACE TO HIDE," "TWIST," and "ASS ITCH." a big reason for the visceral impact for these songs is the aggressive production work of ROSS ROBINSON, who is historically celebrated for his ability to motivate (or coerce) stellar performances from his clients. along with KORN's debut, LIFE IS PEACHY is another defining example of this ability, especially with regards to DAVIS. i have always had an odd appreciation for DAVIS' work since (much like his peer KURT COBAIN) he is definitely not playing it safe in his role as a METAL frontman or falling into cliche tropes of aggressive masculinity the genre is famous for. if anything, his aggression is aimed inward and his lyrics and performances are almost public sublimations for the immense pain he went through growing up an artistic kid in the conservative cultural backwater that is BAKERSFIELD. on later albums this scatting style of singing he trail-blazed on the first two KORN records comes off a bit forced, rote and even hackneyed, but on LIFE IS PEACHY it still carries a compelling sense of authentic ethos and aggression. like other GENERATION X icons like BILLY CORGAN, it is a bit disappointing to see DAVIS degenerate into a conservative parody of himself as a closet conservative since he was a bit transgressive and progressed the METAL movement forward with his lyrical subject matter (which included topics like CHILD ABUSE, SELF-LOATHING, BULLYING, SUICIDE, DEPRESSION and SELF-ISOLATION). listening back i can look past the more cartoonish tracks on this record (like "PORNO CREEP" and "A.D.I.D.A.S.") and see an emerging group influenced by hybrid bands like FISHBONE and FAITH NO MORE trail-blaze new sonic terrain that propelled the band its peers forward for the rest of the decade. LIFE IS PEACHY is most definitely a record worth revisiting. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i remember the moment i first heard PORNO FOR PYROS in middle school in NIGERIA at (oddly enough) my own surprise birthday party a NORWEGIAN female classmate threw at her parents' apartment. another classmate that was DANISH had brought GOOD GOD's URGE (WARNER BROS, 1996) on CD and i was blown away by the vocals on "TAHITIAN MOON." just utterly gobsmacked by how pure and angelic that voice sounded to the point that it almost defied gender. or even being human i had no idea that this was PERRY FARRELL, the same singer i heard in LOS ANGELES on the radio from his previous band JANE'S ADDICTION. i had utterly no clue about who FARRELL was or either PORNO FOR PYROS or JANE'S ADDICTION, i just knew that this was something unequivocally different than what i was used to.
and i've been going down the rabbit whole ever since. GOOD GOD's URGE was the second record by PORNO FOR PYROS, who themselves are arguably the most prominent splinter group of JANE'S ADDICTION, made up of frontman PERRY FARRELL and STEPHEN PERKINS. the outfit was rounded out by the classically-trained guitarist PETER DISTEFANO. the other two members of JANE'S ADDICTION, bassist ERIC AVERY and guitarist DAVE NAVARRO, formed the short-lived ART ROCK project DECONSTRUCTION before moving on to other projects. lyrically GOOD GOD's URGE covers themes related to love, rebirth and renewal and was written largely on surf trips to POLYNESIA. the record features MIKE WATT on bass and special guests DANIEL ASH, DAVID J and KEVIN HASKINS (a.k.a. LOVE AND ROCKETS) as well as NAVARRO and FLEA on selected tracks. standout songs include the aforementioned "TAHITIAN MOON" as well as "PORPOISE HEAD," "KIMBERLY AUSTIN," "100 WAYS," "WISHING WELL" and "BALI EYES." the general vibe is relaxed with lots of tasteful ambient electronic production layered over acoustic tracks that young could totally imagine being sung at a campfire after a day of surfing in TAHITI or BALI. its a real departure in texture and mood from its predecessor which seemed about more about the claustrophobia, excess and cycles of exploitation that come with living and working in LOS ANGELES. GOOD GOD's URGE finds FARRELL in a more reflective, spritual headspace which is something he explored more in his later solo recordings and other groups like SATELLITE PARTY and KIND HEAVEN ORCHESTRA. i remember hearing a rumor years ago that after his survival from cancer that there was a chance of PORNO FOR PYROS regrouping with DISTEFANO. that they even recorded material. my hope is that their reemergence will happen at some point. the band was totally underrated and are absolutely as seminal an ALTERNATIVE ROCK band as JANE'S ADDICTION. 
parodies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating the ambient yet brutally emotive METAL of DEFTONES!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!
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named after the MARLON BRANDO's motorcycle gang in the iconic film THE WILD ONE (COLUMBIA, 1953), BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB out of SAN FRANCISCO are an established INDIE ROCK band with a rootsy GARAGE ROCK sound that i highlighted in a past episode of DEER GOD RADIO.
what drew me to the band initially was the intensity and diversity of the songwriting of frontman PETER HAYES, which incorporated some wicked slide playing and a loose sense of timing that really propelled their sound and made it swing. this is not a band that is attempting to reinvent the wheel, but man do they do ROCK N ROLL justice with an earnest, straightforward approach and some killer songs. plus ive never seen them not wear black. BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB is definitely worth check out, not to mention that other band named after BRANDO's rivals in THE WILD ONE. you know, THE BEATLES. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i was 10 when KURT COBAIN passed away and my initial introduction to the MTV UNPLUGGED IN NEW YORK (GEFFEN, 1994) record was at a friend's house when my family were living in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. we didnt have MTV back then and in fact didnt see the actual show until it came out on DVD in 2007. which i have to say was a pretty surreal experience given that by that point i had long since committed every nuance of the recording to memory.
obviously this record is celebrated for its focus on COBAIN the songwriter in a stripped-back intimate setting. in my openly biased opinion several of these performances are iconic, especially "THE WHO SOLD THE WORLD," "ABOUT A GIRL," "ALL APOLOGIES" and especially "WHERE DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT." its ironic that people use this specific live recording to espouse at length about COBAIN's strength as a songwriter as six of its fourteen tracks are covers by the likes of LEADBELLY, THE VASELINES, DAVID BOWIE and THE MEAT PUPPETS. the original songs they did opt to play were largely deep cuts with the exception of NEVERMIND (GEFFEN, 1991) single "COME AS YOU ARE," which in and of itself is quite a confident statement. what strikes me about these performances is not COBAIN the songwriter, but COBAIN the performer. in this bare-bones environment what really shines is his voice and his preternatural ability to connect emotionally with an audience. at times his performances are so authentic and so real that they are almost uncomfortable to listen to, as if you are hearing close family arguing. he comes off so vulnerable yet in firmly in command that you really sense being in the presence of a genius. you dont sense any affectation or posturing on his part, as you do other lesser performances by peers in this series (STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, PEARL JAM, etc), with the noteworthy exception being the ALICE IN CHAINS performance in 1996. obviously the death of COBAIN in 1994 permanently effected the public's memory of this legendary performance. when i hear it i am transported back to my teenage years and it perfectly distills a lot of what i felt back then during that period in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. that included feeling insecure and a total outsider in a close-minded, often racist ORANGE COUNTY community that i felt little in common with. its funny to me now that i feel that i have more in common with those i met a few years later in 1996 when living in NIGERIA than i ever did back "home." i wonder if COBAIN felt that way ever. if he ever found solace within a new home or community. to my ears this record sounds like a person profoundly in touch and cognizant of his own vulnerability. aware of his own search. legendary performance by an iconic performer. well-worth revisiting and further investigation. 
photo & text by nacrowe
growing up in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS feel like a cultural institution at this point. coming out of the HARDCORE scene of the 1980s and being primed on all the LOS ANGELES PUNK ROCK of that era, while also integrating other influences (most predominantly the ethos and sonic complexity of classic FUNK records) this band, along with others like FAITH NO MORE, JANE'S ADDICTION and FISHBONE, in my eyes exemplifies that tipping point when ALTERNATIVE ROCK began to boil over culturally and laid the groundwork for NIRVANA to later charge the gates. given how commercially viable the band has been for decades, its difficult to discern how revolutionary their sound actually was back when their fifth release, BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK (WARNER BROS, 1991) came out at the beginning of the 90s.
its easy to point out the sheer musical dexterity and chemistry of their rhythm section in FLEA, CHAD SMITH and JOHN FRUSCIANTE. it is arguably one of the great assembles of musicians in the history of rock music, probably right there with LED ZEPPELIN. the immense aural pleasure of this listening to this record is how tight and connected they are as a unit. songs like "SUCK MY KISS," "THE POWER OF EQUALITY," "NAKED IN THE RAIN," "FUNKY MONKS," "THE GREETING SONG," and "MELLOWSHIP SLINKY IN B MAJOR" just start and stop on a dime with such energy and gusto that GEORGE CLINTON would most definitely nod with approval. and then there are tender ballads composed in an attempt to almost transform FOLK music and INDIE ROCK into some odd hybrid, i.e. songs like "BREAKING THE GIRL," "I COULD HAVE LIED" and the iconic "UNDER THE BRIDGE." where this record breaks down relates to frontman ANTHONY KEIDIS, who is arguably the wild card and often a perpetual weak link in their discography. there are plenty of sex-crazed, cringe-inducing lyrics on "SIR PSYCHO SEXY" and the titled track "BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK," which have not aged well especially in light recent allegations of habitual and continuous sexual impropriety during this era in the band's history. these allegations the band has attempted to address and atone for, so i will take them at their word, but it still makes some of the more lurid subject matter a little bit hard to stomach given such. my recollection of this record at the time was watching them play "GIVE IT AWAY" at the 1993 GRAMMY's with GEORGE CLINTON. i was in third grade so i just remember it all looking and feeling ridiculous. years later in 1999 when attending high school in MASSACHUSETTS i was able to see the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS play RHODE ISLAND on their co-headlining tour with the FOO FIGHTERS in support of CALIFORNICATION (WARNER BROS, 1999). it was the return of the classic lineup and i jst remember being enthralled by FRUSCIANTE and FLEA. their sense of musical connection is really something to be witnessed. one of the better live bands ive ever seen. so in summation, BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK is a classic, if not problematic, record by a seminal band who undoubtedly inspired everyone that came after to create new hybrid sounds not heard or imagined before. and that is pretty cool. 
photo & text by nacrowe
after the first breakup of JANE'S ADDICTION, the band basically bifurcated into two camps. one included frontman PERRY FARRELL and drummer STEPHEN PERKINS which became PORNO FOR PYROS and the other was guitarist DAVE NAVARRO and bassist ERIC AVERY which resulted in DECONSTRUCTION.
out of all the splinter groups associated with the core members of JANE'S ADDICTION, DECONSTRUCTION is arguably the least known and most sonically experimental and lyrically complex. the pair only released one album, DECONSTRUCTION (AMERICAN, 1994), before NAVARRO went on to join the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS and later the reformed JANE'S ADDICTION while ERIC AVERY went on to form POLAR BEAR and then produce solo records and perform as a touring bassist for GARBAGE among others. when i discovered this record i was attending my junior year of high school in KUWAIT and felt extremely disconnected from my surroundings and my immediate community, which was quite hostile. there is an interiority and sense of self-containment to this record that really fit that moment for me perfectly, as i was constantly questioning my sanity during that period. wasnt sure it was me that was crazy, turned out it was that whole country. go figure. JANE'S ADDICTION was and is still one of my all-time favorite bands and i consider the second half of RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL (WARNER BROS, 1990) to be pure bliss, arguably one of the finest sides of any record ever produced. BEATLES, SMITHS, DAVID BOWIE, ZEPPELIN, LOU REED be damned. DECONSTRUCTION to my ears sounds like a continuation of that record, especially its more expansive, multi-part, rhythmically and compositionally complex moments. it basically sounds like the JANE'S ADDICTION record that never was and cemented the importance of AVERY in my mind to the original lineup. those cyclical bass grooves that sound bigger than god are equally indebted to POST PUNK, AFRO BEAT and FUNK music. NAVARRO is also in top form here, adding textures upon layered textures that brings back to mind all those favorable comparisons to DANIEL ASH, ROBERT SMITH, JIMMY PAGE and the like. when i hear the deadpan solemnity of AVERY's oblique spoken-word poetry it brings back memories of PETER MURPHY and IAN CURTIS, which is quite the opposite end of the spectrum from PERRY FARRELL's gender-bending vocal pyrotechnics and singular bravado in providing a hagiographical narrative to the lyrics. AVERY to me sounds more tangible and approachable, like somebody sitting you down and leveling with you about the realities of life, albeit in a fairly expressionist manner. i have listened to this record since my teen years and i am still blown away by it. some feel it is a bit bloated and not well-focused, but i believe it is an artifact created by two incredibly talented musicians that were at the peak of their powers and untethered by commercial pressures. this was their creative and artistic exhalation after the pressures of their previous band became to intense. my hope is that at some point AVERY and NAVARRO will record something, anything, in the studio and release it. those bass grooves over his guitar texture is such a revelation. its a pity that that creative relationship hasnt been explored more over the decades. DECONSTRUCTION is definitely worth further investigation by any fan of POST PUNK, ALTERNATIVE ROCK, INDIE ROCK or mind-expanding ROCK N ROLL. highly recommended. 
photo & text by nacrowe
a lot critics over the years have loved to heap shit on STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, calling them opportunistic wannabes and whatnot. but i think they all missed the point. that band had one of the most consistently ALTERNATIVE ROCK discographies of the 1990s and some of its most iconic singles. i think part of that critical backlash to the band was their unapologetic love of mostly 1970s CLASSIC ROCK which was decidedly not kosher back in an era that found bands that had their roots in more underground movements like 1980s HARDCORE and INDIE ROCK. remember KURT COBAIN dismissed supposed SEATTLE rivals PEARL JAM initially for their admiration of 1970s "arena rock," i.e. CLASSIC ROCK, since they used extended solos, which was all a bit hypocritical since COBAIN was famously a closet fan of the genre as well. so basically i am attempting to say that this whole line of criticism was pretty facile to begin with.
what actually derailed STONE TEMPLE PILOTS was sadly the drug-fueled and ego-driven extra-curricular activities of charismatic frontman SCOTT WEILAND (RIP) ultimately overshadowed the immense songwriting abilities of the DELEO BROTHERS and the work they all collectively created together. that narrative defined the band to a large extent, both then and now. but if you listen back to what i consider their best collective effort, PURPLE (ATLANTIC, 1994), you will find a creative unit firing on all cylinders and having real fun playing with traditionalist CLASSIC ROCK tropes. in a good way. tracks like "VASOLINE," "SILVERGUN SUPERMAN," "MEATPLOW" and "UNGLUED" are all slow-building stompers with explosive choruses that bring to mind the work of MOUNTAIN, LED ZEPPELIN and THE WHO. other songs like "ARMY ANTS" and "LOUNGE FLY" are definitively in the 1960s psychedelia camp, reminiscent of the expanded sonic palettes of BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, JIMI HENDRIX and even THE DOORS. what i find particularly most intriguing are the slide-guitar based singles "INTERSTATE LOVE SONG" and "BIG EMPTY" which seem to have sonic connection to that of JOE WALSH and that LAUREL CANYON-era of classic CALIFORNIA songwriting. in essence, the sound of the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS has eclectic antecedents in scenes past, but is that a bad thing? again, where they traditionalists? of course, but who wasnt during that era? as a kid who grew up in the 1990s, for me the songs off PURPLE were my soundtrack inasmuch as anything off of NEVERMIND, ANGEL DUST, SUPERUNKNOWN, LIVE THROUGH THIS, BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK, VITALOGY, LAST SPLASH, SIAMESE DREAM, THE BLUE ALBUM, RITUAL DE LO HABITUAL or DIRT. its another great ALTERNATIVE ROCK record of the era worthy of reconsideration by a criminally under-appreciated band. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i dont believe MONSTER (WARNER BROS, 1994) is the best or even the most consequential record by seminal INDIE ROCK band R.E.M., but it was the one that had the most effect on me during my time growing up in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. OUT OF TIME (WARNER BROS, 1994) reminds me of my time in early elementary school and very much got me into playing guitar (which is ironic because that was a mandolin-heavy record written by guitarist PETER BUCK after being temporarily bored by his instrument), while MONSTER for me was a much more emotionally heavier affair.
originally conceived as a possible venue for collaboration with NIRVANA frontman KURT COBAIN, his unfortunate passing earlier in 1994 is sonically and spiritually all over this record. with its more muscular production and riff-heavy sonic textures and opaque lyrics that referenced and challenged notions of VIOLENCE, IDENTITY and SEXUALITY, MONSTER very much felt like a contemporary ALTERNATIVE ROCK record of the period. or at least as close as R.E.M. would ever venture. i was 10 when COBAIN passed and it was a shock to me and my friends. my grandmother passed away around that period and between the two it was basically my introduction to the concept of DEATH. in particular i remember hearing "BANG AND BLAME" on 106.7FM KROQ all the time and how that song invoked (to me) the pain of being left behind and sorting out the emotional carnage in the wake of such an event. im almost certain that is not what singer/lyricist MICHAEL STIPE intended, but that was my interpretation. that was definitely a big song during my youth. ive read that "LET ME IN" was explicitly about COBAIN and written shortly after his passing. emotionally there is a sense of catharsis in STIPE's vocals on that track, which almost has a GOSPEL-tinge to it, as if you can imagine him singing it in front of a choral ensemble. the droning, guitars are lifted by a solemn lilting melody sung to great effect. i remember taking two friends of mine in 1994 to KNOTT'S BERRY FARM for my birthday and my recollection of that period is very much painted by PEARL JAM's VITALOGY (EPIC, 1994) and MONSTER. especially the energetic singles "CRUSH WITH EYELINER," "WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY, KENNETH?" and "STAR 69." the waves of delayed fuzzed-out distortion on those tracks to me are still a high-water mark of BUCK's sound even though i am cognizant of how much of a departure such was from his signature clean, jangly, RICKENBACKER-based sound. to this day i cannot dissociate such from recollections of the period, at this point those tones are part of my sense of IDENTITY. i just remember going into 4th grade and having difficulty internalizing how the world was becoming more complex and my friends were changing (because of girls and puberty in retrospect). it felt like the rules were being altered and it was that moment of TRANSITION and TRANSFORMATION that this record crystallizes in my imagination. and this was all before i moved to AFRICA two years later, which was the real defining transition point of my life i can say now in retrospect. that was the rubicon after which nothing was the same. so yeah, MONSTER to me represents a point in my youth when everything was up for grabs and the music oddly expresses such in my projected experience. to me AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE (WARNER BROS, 1992) was their best record objectively, but i still hold out at times to MONSTER for emotional and sentimental reasons. it is definitely worth revisiting and further investigation, even among other standout records in their catalogue. highly recommended. 
photo & text by nacrowe
its funny saying this now but i first learned about TOOL from KIM THAYIL of SOUNDGARDEN. i was a huge fun of THAYIL and around the SUPERUNKNOWN-era of that band there were several publicity shots of him playing live with a TOOL shirt on in guitar magazines. same thing regarding THE MELVINS. i wasnt even a teenager yet when my i bought the UNDERTOW (ZOO, 1993) record on a family trip to ITALY in the mid-90s on one of our first trips after relocating to NIGERIA. for what its worth, between my brother and i, we also snagged RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's EVIL EMPIRE (EPIC, 1996) and SEPULTURA's ROOTS (ROADRUNNER, 1996) and CHAOS A.D. (ROADRUNNER, 1993) records on that same trip. no doubt one of the better record hauls of my life.
what i remember about the experience of first listening to that record was how thick, pronounced and upfront the bass guitar was. songs like "SWAMP SONG," "FLOOD" and "PRISON SEX" showcased the instrument as a key fixture of the melody and song composition as opposed to background support, as usually is the case. i should also mention that between the musty smell of the liner notes (which no doubt had to have been related to the small record store) and the transgressive artwork that was found therein, i was wholly engaged through being caught entirely off-guard. my impression was that here was a band that was playing by an entirely different set of rules than i was familiar with. and that is before i even attempt to discern the opaque and mysterious lyrics of MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN. the whole bit about the cries of the carrots in "DISGUSTIPATED" was something i couldnt even handle as a preteen, much less other subversive tracks such as "PRISON SEX," "SOBER" or "BOTTOM." even after reading his memoir and its elucidation with KEENAN's deep appreciation for the sacred art found with geometry, religion, comedy and the visual arts, i choose to not meet his lyrics intellectually as something to be deciphered. instead i attempt to appreciate them in terms of their poetry or potential allegorical interpretations. my sense is that such is what he would want as well as a gifted writer and performer. i would be remiss not to mention guitarist ADAM JONES and his incredible PROG-worthy guitar riffage and atmospherics, not to mention the visual artistry of his music videos. also there is the drumming savant that is DANNY CAREY and his mastery of AFRICAN and LATIN polyrhythms. being familiar with their expansive catalogue of material post UNDERTOW, it is interesting to see this record as a blueprint of what was to come. and what followed this stellar record was a sonic vocabulary that makes TOOL a singular outfit of its era, or any era for that matter. UNDERTOW is a record that deserves all the praise that it has received the past few decades. it has held up and established this legendary band commercially and artistically from whence they pushed further with subsequent albums like ÆNIMA (ZOO, 1996) and LATERALUS (VOLCANO, 2001) that influenced a whole new generation of bands unafraid to mix art with progressive musicianship. cant recomeend this record hard enough. a must listen for any fan of METAL or ALTERNATIVE ROCK. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the creative work of TRENT REZNOR and NINE INCH NAILS.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
i first became of AMERICA'S LEAST WANTED (MERCURY, 1992) by SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ALTERNATIVE METAL band UGLY KID JOE in the mid-90s shortly after moving to NIGERIA from a fellow AMERICAN oil brat at school that was a few years older. that student also introduced me to likes of FAITH NO MORE and ALICE IN CHAINS around the same time.
like most people, what caught my ear about the band were the distinctive vocals of singer WHITFIELD CRANE and the crunchy riffage and punchy tones of guitarists KLAUS EICHSTADT and DAVE FORTMAN (the latter of which has gone on to a production career working with the likes of SLIKNOT, MUDVAYNE, OTEP and EYEHATEGOD among many others). this is especially apparent on standout tracks like "SO DAMN COOL," "DON'T GO," "PANHANDLIN' PRINCE," "GODDAMN DEVIL" and "NEIGHBOR." the vibe of the record is generally upbeat even when lyrically covering aggressive topics related to personal relationships and the record industry. when comparing this record to its peers, and by that i mean ALTERNATIVE ROCK bands like NIRVANA, SOUNDGARDEN, JANE'S ADDICTION, FAITH NO MORE and ALICE IN CHAINS, what this record lacks is any credible sense of pathos. much like the cover artwork, the band almost sounds like a cartoon-version of a rebellious rock group. to my ears they come off as if they are having fun (which is great!). this is evident in songs like "EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU" and "COME TOMORROW." those other bands lyrically and sonically seem to be more about an attempt at catharsis, a sense of releasing or channeling some inner grievance or turmoil. UGLY KID JOE are distinctive in that sense, with a more warm disposition that makes them more similar to MOTHER LOVE BONE than PEARL JAM, if that makes any sense. for some reason i see CRANE's persona as very similar to that of the ANDY WOOD as opposed to EDDIE VEDDER. and maybe that is indicative of the era and the general shift within the industry. regardless, AMERICA'S LEAST WANTED is a criminally underrated and under-appreciated record with some incredible tracks that deserve further investigation for anyone interesting in the ALTERNATIVE ROCK and ALTERNATIVE METAL scenes of the late 80s / early 90s. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i remember this album being referred to as UP ON THE SUCKSIDE by a middle school friend of mine in NIGERIA upon its release in the mid-1990s. i never thought that was a fair assessment.
i think SOUNDGARDEN's DOWN ON THE UPSIDE (A&M, 1996) suffered in comparison to the iconic ALTERNATIVE ROCK band's previous SUPERUNKNOWN (A&M, 1994) and BADMOTORFINGER (A&M, 1991) records, which were stellar examples of tuneful songwriting and massive-sounding music production that resulted in a sound that effectively split the difference between BLACK SABBATH and THE BEATLES. to my ears this album was more musically experimental sonically and texturally with songs like "APPLEBITE," "SWITCH OPENS," "ZERO CHANCE," "TIGHTER & TIGHTER," and "BOOT CAMP" all playing with droning open chords and looping drum patterns that create a hypnotizing mantra of sorts not that dissimilar from traditional INDIAN music. i can see now such would be a bit off putting to a fan of those previous aforementioned records. of course there were singles such as "PRETTY NOOSE," "BLOW UP THE OUTSIDE WORLD" and "BURDEN IN MY HAND" that showcase the incredible vocals of CHRIS CORNELL and the idiosyncratic guitar heroics of KIM THAYIL in a more recognizable and traditional SOUNDGARDEN format that would makes sense on previous releases. a standout track for me includes "TY COBB," which is such a spit-in-your-eye fury of aggression that never seized to get me revved up as it did as a teenager before a sporting event. in a sense its lyrics did give off the misanthropic and malcontent vibe of the actual TY COBB with its "hard-headed, fuck you all" refrain. a similar vibe is also apparent on "NO ATTENTION" and "AN UNKIND." my memory of this record upon its release is clouded by the breakup of the band a few months later. i really remember being bummed about that since i felt that was a DOWN ON THE UPSIDE strong record that was more diverse and ultimately interesting than their previous output. seemed a waste. i was overjoyed when they returned many years later if only because it meant the return of the immensely inventive and criminally underrated and under-appreciated THAYIL, who was always a favorite of mine going back to childhood. definitely check out DOWN ON THE UPSIDE, an under-appreciated album by a seminal rock band. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
i had the good fortune a few years back to film the POST PUNK-influenced BROOKLYN INDIE ROCK band BIG BLISS at MARKET HOTEL when we were producing our OFF THE M series. what drew me to them initially was their expansive, angular sound couple with earnest, personal lyrics and an undeniable stage presence. after filming bands night in and night out for a few weeks, it was always apparent and obvious when a band was clicking, and they definitely were capable, engaging and effective musicians.
since filming them i've kept tabs on their social media and have been more than impressed with their commitment to social justice issues in the wake of the 2020 protests in response to the murder of GEORGE FLOYD. i respect this band even more now for sticking to their guns and putting themselves out there in the streets and voicing their truth. i know they have a new record coming out so definitely keep an eye out for that. most definitely a talented local band worth checking out. |
October 2021
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