I spent the majority of 2014 (re)converting a house we bought, from a duplex into a single family home as it was originally built. So while doing demo or reconstruction I spent many night listening to classic metal (Iron Maiden, Trouble, Motorhead, Voiviod etc.), old punk (Black Flag, Misfits, Minor Threat etc….) or classic rock (GnR, Van Halen)… somehow that’s the music that works best for me when tearing out walls or sanding wood for hours on end. But I have come across a few “new” things this year that I’m pretty into so here goes:
The Funeral and the Twilight : I’m a huge fan of this Minneapolis band. We (my band the old northwest) got to play with them this year and they are so good live, and recorded. Think a stranger, punker, modern lo-fi birthday party. Lots of great echo-y guitar, is what does it most of all. Here’s their latest. This one here, and the album “to kill you” are my favorites.

Thou: Heathen album, there’s a guy that does a label in Oshkosh WI, called Gilead Media. He puts out interesting heavy music, that how I started listening to Thou.

Northless: World Keeps Sinking album:
I got to play a couple shows with this MKE band this past year. They are so heavy (and loud) live, it’s just amazing. I felt pummeled after sitting through their set the first time I saw them, just exhausted. kind of like this: glad these guys do this in this town.
The Body: Christs Redeemers album , I did get to see them play in MKE which was really good, but I actually like the album better, I think the noise stuff works way better recorded than live, however the wall of bass cabinets is missing then. They were from Providence, they moved to Portland… I guess Portland needed another band. They are awesome, the “I shall die here” album is also awesome.

Loss: I finally figured out what people are talking about then they refer to doom (other than the band Doom), I tell ya, if you take time away from music to make some art 10-20 new genre labels arise in Metal. I guess I like doom, maybe even funeral doom, for sure doomgaze, and post country doom. So anyways, Loss= slow heavy riffs and weird super low vocals that will make sure this band never hits the mainstream, awesome, from Nashville.

Pallbearer: They have a new album out called “Foundations of Burden” which is very good. So is this, their last album. Good music for screenprinting to. Again: Doom…
Kevin Ayers: WHATEVERSHEBRINGSWESING album 1971 . I’m new to this guy, this song is incredible.

Call Me Lightning: Human Hell, new album from these dudes. Anthemic, Who and Minutemen influenced rock from Milwaukee/Chicago. The album and the last album “When I am Gone My Blood Will Be Free” are so incredibly catchy. Love it.

Against Me: Transgender Dysphobia Blues. I never got this band, they rose quickly out of the basements in the early 2000’s, I happened on a show of theirs then in PDX because they were playing my friends house “the Ranch”… seemed sketchy as it was mentioned in the local weekly paper that this was the show to go to, and sure enough the basement was incredibly packed, everyone hanging on the pipes, just like the paper told them they would ( that hadn’t really happened there before that I had seen). I never really saw the band that night but that was when I knew I didn’t know what was up anymore… so 12 years later or so I take a chance on this and its so damn good I keep listening. One of my favorites here:

Swans: To Be Kind, 3 lps of vinyl, a triple gatefold cover, another quality release. Love the resurrected Swans, redefining heavy music.

Neil Young, live at the cellar door 1970. So good, solo performance and early versions of some great songs played out in an intimate setting.

Water Liars. Saw these dudes play a tiny bar on a really rainy summer night to about 7 people. It was amazing. Love this guys voice, this is the song that got me hooked, its dedicated to Jason Molina. Both the new album and “Wyoming” are great.

Earth, new album. Excellent…still not that into the Mark Lanegan vocals but everything else is worth it.