The Untrained Ear

Doctor’s Orders: “Super Rad” by The Aquabats

Come on, it’s The Aquabats! If you don’t know who they are, then you live a life devoid of joy. One of the funniest, nuttiest, down-right best ska bands out there for the past twenty years. Mixing superhero posturing, mid-90’s pop punk, and some fantastic horn and keyboard sections The Aquabats were a bastion of the third-wave ska movement. Up there with titans like Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Aquabats really distinguished themselves with their underdog, geek superhero personas. Each member was a superpowered demi-god cloaked with the trappings of a homely dork, dweeb, geek, or nerd. As such, their songs centered around teen love, being at the bottom rung of the social ladder, skating around being a ska kid in general, and being super rad no matter what anyone else thought of them. “Super Rad” could really almost be the band’s theme if they didn’t have an official theme track. It is slightly slowed down compared to a lot of their songs, but is a prime example of the goofball humor, fun, and danceability that always follows when an Aquabats track starts playing.

Doctor’s Orders: “Rebirth of the Nemesis” by Melechesh

Blending Middle Eastern rhythms with well put together black metal adds up to a pretty fantastic sound. When first hearing about Melechesh the general reaction is bewilderment. How would these two sounds ever get stuck together? Is this simply a concept album or one-off song from an established group that can just fuck around whenever they feel like (a la Tool)? The answers here are incredibly well with some fantastic musicianship and no, not at all, respectively. Originating from Jerusalem, a scene not known for its black metal, the group based their backstory and most of their songs around Sumerian and Mesopotamian historical and mythological characters. This isn’t unlike German black metal bands or other fantasy metal bands who chose a location based theme or one pulled from a certain family of myths. While not breaking open the metal scene by any means, Melechesh definitely adds something that is really missing, diversity. Emissaries really debuted them to a larger audience and, as I haven’t listened to their newest album The Epigenesis, stands as my favorite of their stuff. I definitely have high hopes for Epigenesis though and plan on picking that up as soon as I can.

Doctor’s Orders:”(She Got Me) Pregnant” by Sparks

Do you like orchestration? Do you like pianos? No? You’ll still like Sparks! Exotic Creatures of the Deep is one in a long, long, loooooong line of albums from Sparks. Honestly, he’s been making music since about when I was born. While this is a highly orchestrated, piano driven pop album it has something for everyone. Dancey electronica, incredible hooks, lyrics to die for (seriously funny/dark/interesting stuff in here), and the orchestration and piano work are top notch. It’s hard to deny the charm of a group that can sing a song about being impregnated by a woman accompanied by an orchestra, synthesizer, and piano and retain both the hilarity of the situation and the swelling epicness of the music. You would be hard pressed to find a group that so effectively combines the force of a classical orchestra and catchy pop hooks. “(She Got Me) Pregnant” is a perfect example of how this CD comes together. While the rest of the songs are just as strong, this one just always gets my blood going.

Doctor’s Orders: “Demonica” by The Dwarves

Technically strong and skate punk don’t usually cross paths. And if they do, skate punk usually kicks technically strong in the teeth. The Dwarves combine these disparate descriptions like they were peanut butter and chocolate, though. “Demonica” is a perfect synergy of catchy ass beat, circle pit speed, perfectly pervy lyrics, and actual musical ability. This song sounds good. Now, it’s no orchestral suite or even a The Black Dahlia Murder arrangement, but compared to some of their peers this band is Bach. Tight guitars, strong drums, driving bass, and it all still manages to sound primal, angry, and punky. It would be impossible to deny the vocal ability of Blag Dahlia who, in my mind, is right up there with Joey Ramone and Glenn Danzig as the Holy Trinity of Punk Vocalists. All told, these guys have put out, and continue to put out, strong, well put together, exciting punk. In a decade when punk is at best underground and at worst watered down, it is heartening to know of a group that still does it right. 

Doctor’s Orders: “Engwish Bwudd” by Man Man

With the rise of such bands as Gogol Bordello and The Decemberists to stardom and semi-stardom, respectively, it is hard to see why Man Man didn’t get bigger. They were there, in the wings, as bands like them hit it big and to me it just seemed like a matter of time. It just never came though. While Gogol Bordello has built a solid cult following, squarely on the shoulders of “Start Wearing Purple”, and The Decemberists have done a bit more than that by becoming indie sweethearts for a decent stretch, Man Man put out some fantastic stuff and has since faded off. They aren’t out of the game, but they never made the impact on the industry, or listeners, they should have. With wild rhythms based on folky or antiquated forms blending into punky art rock and hip hop inflections, Man Man brings a cornucopia of awesome for your listening pleasure. Listen to their music and you hear Tom Waits being strangled by the piano he rode in on. With an incomparable groove and a hooky as hell chorus “Engwish Bwudd” serves as a perfect entrance into this perfectly, manic band.

Doctor’s Orders: “Me + Yr Daughter” by Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head

A question I ask myself, relatively regularly, is why didn’t this band get bigger? It’s something that has come up through my youth going to shows and has only grown with time as I discovered the wonders of the internet. Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head (NPSH) is a band that should rule the charts. Pop, rock, dance, electronic, all of them. Maybe even the hip-hop charts for good measure. Just listen to this song. From the opening notes you know this is going to be fun. NPHS is a neo-disco, dance-pop lightning strike that strikes again and again with every song on Glistening Pleasure, their first widely released album. Go get this album. Buy it, love it, leave all your other albums behind and build a new life with NPHS. I dare you to listen through all of the tracks on Glistening Pleasure and not feel revitalized. I was barely able to stop playing it on repeat after my first introduction. Honestly, these guys should be huge and yet, because of people like you (who don’t own this album) they aren’t. Rectify this situation. It’ll do you some good.