Greg McClure (Del Paxton) Year End List 2015

For the close to zero people waiting for me to announce my grand list for 2015...tough nugs. I'd much prefer to let my buddy Greg (kit master in Del Paxton) dispense what releases made him take notice this year.

It is perhaps more important to point out that Del Paxton released their excellent split with Gulfer this year and if you haven't...its something that you need to be digging into. Both groups always have a great showing and this is no exception.

Without further babbling, take it away Greg...

"Hi I’m Greg and I play drums in Del Paxton. 

End of the year lists are HARD! 

Here is a list of releases that best define my 2015. 

OK here I go."

1    Toe “Hear You” 

When I first heard Toe I was mega jacked up on caffeine I watched every youtube video that exists of them. Like… seriously every single one. There’s a lot. This vinyl got pushed back by plants for months. Now that I finally got mine in I treat it like an only child.

2     Options “Driftwood Metaphor”

This is the solo release of Seth Engels. Dude is crazy talented and in about 3242135 bands. I met him after our set at Fest. I tried to play it v cool but I’m such a fan boi so I’m guessing I was probably not that v cool :-/

3     Tenement “Predatory Headlights”

This record actually might be too good. There are days where I get struck by an urgent need to hear the song Garden Secrecy like some kind of anxiety attack. It’s also a double LP which is cool.

4     SwerveDriver “I wasn’t Born to Lose You”

This record is as relevant today as it could have been back in the early 90’s when this band put out their first record. I however was too busy listening to Ace of Base to check them out back then.

5     Ratboys “AIOD”

We played with the ratpeople in Albany before either of our bands announced we had signed to Topshelf Records. We def clicked right away… cool people putting out cool music is the easiest thing to back. Hope to play more with them.

6   Gulfer “What Gives”

The only thing I don’t like about this band is that I’m not in it.

7     Alaska “Shrine”

I kept hearing about Alaska and putting off a good honest listen. We all do it OK!?. Then we played with them in Savannah and they really blew me away. We listened to their record many times on the rest of that tour. Big future on this band.  Listen to Hashish Christo.. it might actually be my favorite song of 2015.

8     Hop Along “Painted Shut”

This record is going to make everyone’s list. I will add that at first I didn’t love it, but it sat in my car stereo on low key repeat until one day I realized I knew every word.

9     Sonny Baker “Flesh It Out”

I have this rule of thumb, if you release music that sounds like it could have been on the soundtrack for the movie Angus, I will probably love it. Such is the case for this incredible Buffalo native releasing music. I saw them play this live in a basement before it was released and I think that was the right way to do it.

10  Soft Skills “A Future to Remember”

This record actually came out in 2013. But I found it in 2015 and it’s the most important record that I discovered in the last 12 months. Every single second of this absolutely rips. Listen to it from front to back.

Again....check out Greg's band Del Paxton 

If you already have then check them out again because once is not enough.

Happy New Year Everyone 

LITE - Past, Present, Future EP (2012)

LITE's capability to produce something fresh sounding every release astounds me. This EP is no different.  I first heard of LITE when they came to Ireland and played a very small city and venue...i haven't stopped listening to them since. Jun, the bass player, also started Transduction Records. This is now a sister label of Sony Japan.


This EP marks a bit of a change for LITE. With their previous releases adding elements of dance and techno, this EP seems to have fully integrated that into their synonymous sound. Also, with two great vocal tracks sung by 'Caroline' from Mice Parade You (Yama from TOE is also in this band), this EP definitely stands out amongst their release catalogue.


DOWNLOAD

Give Zombies The Vote- Dominions (2012)

I have a bunch of friends, and some of these friends play music; for some they play music as just a hobby, for others because its fun to get together with likeminded friends and make up songs and stories together, and for a lucky few, they play music because they have found a tight group of pals to seriously spend the time to produce the music they love together. Two of my oldest and best friends have been playing together since high school; they were called Teabag back then, and remained together through times of separation and hiatuses. They are a solid core that always worked very well at writing songs with each other. These friends are Shaun and Clayton, singer/guitarist and lead guitarist for Give Zombies The Vote. Although I wasn't very close with their drummer Jim until recently (who has also been a member of the band since its genesis), they have been a trio for as long as I can remember, and they have always had a unique connection in their skills at coming up with super badass metal songs together. Now, its time to celebrate.

Give Zombies The Vote has at last released the proper debut it deserves. Dominions serves as a mix of greatest songwriting accomplishments/ new badassery, showcasing all of their finely tuned melodic death metal skills as a cohesive unit. They are darned tight. I have played a lot of music with Clayton over many years, and this dude is a serious guitarist. He is at his best on this album, kicking out so many tasty licks and tight solos throughout its tracks; I've also played music with Shaun since always; he is a singer and guitarist who is incredibly diverse in a variety of styles of vocals and has the skills to play a tasty groove on guitar while he belts out the lyrics, utilizing melodic harmonies in his verses and choruses; Jim, he is just insane. His powerhouse techniques in solid skill and timing work as a perfect backbone to the madness at hand. In the last year or two they have added a new bassist who I still have yet to meet; I do know that they were very happy to find him, and that he rocks the hell out on this album.

Enough of the history lesson on our personal relationship: meat and potatoes time. After listening to this album a bunch since it was given to me, I feel like they are at their best in the title track, Dominions, which is also one of their most recently written songs. The album kicks off with a bang and doesn't let up; its balls to the wall fist pumping metal. The title track comes in after a string of five songs, including a personal favorite, Corpsicle, which includes the awesome line "this road is made of dudes!"; the song begins typically enough for an album full of nastiness- badass licks, drum lines and vocals- but after a ripping solo finishes up at 2:50, a new taptastic math section begins. This section and the ensuing awesomeness is, to me, a high point in their songwriting together. It is fucking badass. So tight; reminds me of Ebu Gogo and Toe with a giant helping of In Flames and Tool. Check it:



Also, theres this: a video they threw together with the help of Anthony Jarvis as they were recording the album. Its a neat little ditty, and rings in at track 3 on Dominions:

Congratulations guys, this stuff is awesome.

Dominions (bandcamp)

toe - The Future is Now (EP)

Continuing with their domination of lite instrumental math rock, toe has recently released their newest EP.  While it doesn't really expand upon the ideas of the full length.....this is toe we are talking about here and as such its pretty damn amazing. Also amazingly short at a paltry 4 songs!!! GRRAAHH!!!

The melodies and rhythms on display here are top notch as always.  The closing song for me remains a large highlight but its all pretty flawless.  You know you've been wanting it so have the appetizer before the main dish (soon I hope).

The Future is Now (ep)

Interior Palette Toeshoes - Nude (2011)

I was searching for information regarding the still-delayed new Natsumen record and stumbled upon a brief recommendation to check this EP out, bolstered by their description as a Toe/Mouse on Keys hybrid. Nothing is particularly stellar, but they manage to maintain the illusion that every Japanese band is comprised of robots set to "Extreme Technical Proficiency" and there are some hummable melodies here and there. Production is lackluster, doing its best to compress all life out of each performance, but at least they got some claps in the percussion track. Worth a listen if you got that itch.

Nude EP

(Password is "music".)

Absence Makes the Heart Grow...

Before i get too far into this recollection of the last few weeks, possibly month, of my life and the resulting neglect of the Swords, I want to post up this list (with linked Swords articles in the artist name that include DL sources, and youtube vids for the tracks) which i feel are my top 5 songs for the start of the summer, a summation of my favorite snippits of albums i have dug deeply since this Swords bizness came up. And the list:

1.Wallpaper- Gettin' Drip
2.Organ Beats- Sleep When We Are Dead
(Also: their cover of Heaven is a Place on Earth)
3.The Pharcyde- Soul Flower
4.Ra Ra Riot- Shadowcasting (nice live acoustic version here)
5.Toe- Kodoku No Hatsumei

As a runner up who i have yet to post about, Sam Cookes Wonderful World deserves some recognition, not only because of his nostalgic and timeless perfect pop sound, but also because its use in Animal House makes such a great soundtrack for my favorite John Belushi scene.

3nd - World Tour

You could say that 3nd share a lot of similar aspects with the equally amazing band Toe. Both are from Japan and play technical instrumental rock. The differences though are always what counts the most. 3nd's guitars have a lot more range in their melodic delivery and dynamic wise. Next are drums.....which you know what im going to say....Takashi is a drum overlord. That isn't to downplay 3nd's own drummer but seriously the guitars of Toe could be playing hot cross buns in unison and Takashi would make it awesome. Ok Ok Ok enough of the comparison's. These guys can get downright fast but never lose their catchy nature.  What always struck me as odd though is while many of there contemporaries (such as the above mentioned Toe) get a lot of critical praise, you rarely hear about 3nd. Also another tidbit of info is the bass player from Natsumen (previously posted..wink wink nudge nudge) which as everyone should know are also fucking nasty.

World Tour

Ghosts and Vodka

If you want to talk about what the hell these current instrumental math bands are listening to you can more often than not draw a direct line to these gentlemen. Ghosts and Vodka is a mix mixture of two well known groups Joan of Arc and Cap'n Jazz. To say that this album is influential for the genre would be an understatement. Japanese band Toe in an interview once said they initially formed to play music like Ghosts and Vodka. Lets not even start on Victor Villareal's guitar style, we could be here all day. The music itself is incredibly dynamic and rhythmically complex but with a great sense of melody to back it up. Both Guitarists, Villareal and  Sam Zurick would go on to rejoin there Cap'n Jazz band mates for a new group called Owls. If you haven't your missing out.

Addicts and Drunks

Toe

Since acerola posted Mouse on the Keys, which I have been digging immensely the last few days, I have wanted to put up some Toe, another instrumental band that Mouse reminded me of. Toe are just as technically tight as Mouse, and their drummer is outrageous. He comes up with such intricate, effortless beats; when you watch him it makes you feel like anyone could play drums.

This is a track off The Book About My Idle Plot On A Vague Anxiety