Against The Grain - “Road Warriors” CD

Revved-up Motor City rawk!

The fourth album from this veteran Detroit rock band pulses with energy and attitude, equal parts punk rock, sludge metal, and Kiss. Frontman Chris Nowak’s melodic but sometimes gruff vocals do echo prime Gene Simmons in spots, thus that comparison. I get a genuine sense of classic rock here, with a blend of sludgy heaviness, breakneck speed metal, and a “party-on” sense of fun.

“Sirens” is a well-executed slab of boggy boogie/doom metal that just sounds dirty (and that’s a good thing here). “Eyes” even recalls some Black Sabbath, so you know where these guys are coming from. My favorite track is “Run For Your Life”, a furiously fast speed-punk-metal assault that just slays. 

Overall, a solid, unpretentious case of serious rock and roll, raw and gritty and worthy of their heritage as Detroit rock city denizens. Killer, dudes!

ATGDetroitbook

Self Destructo Records

“Soaked In Bleach” DVD (director: Benjamin Statler)

Cobain conspiracy?

It’s safe to say that there’s a glut of Kurt Cobain conspiracy theories around, despite the case of his suicide being closed and documented already via other media. Personally, I’m content to accept that Kurt couldn’t handle the fame and pressure of being a role model to thousands of troubled teens. Nonetheless, this film does present compelling evidence for the reopening of Cobain’s 1994 “suicide” case. Certainly, this film treads dangerously close to tabloid journalism with dramatized sequences, but the release of recorded phone interviews courtesy of investigator Tom Grant are examined and presented here, and definitely cast a shadow over Courtney Love’s alleged motives and involvement in the arranging of her husband’s death.

Grant, who it seems has made a business of exposing Cobain’s death “hoax”, is the central focus here, and he does present a wide-ranging and convincing argument to those who would listen. “Soaked In Bleach” does manage to illustrate the missteps taken by the Seattle Police Department, as well as seemingly capturing the obviously drug-addled Love in some bold-faced lies regarding Kurt’s overdose and intentions (she was facing an ugly divorce when Kurt was found dead). So was Kurt Cobain murdered? There’s no definitive answer, despite this film.

Overall, this film is a serious look at the “myth” of Cobain’s suicide. Taken with a grain of salt, it’s still an engrossing and curious document of a hidden side of America’s musical history. You may not be convinced of the worthiness of this, but it’s still an interesting watch.

MVD Visual

official film site

“Kung-Fu & Titties” DVD (director: Joseph McConnell)

Leave all semblance of manners behind in this celebration of tits!

If the title doesn’t adequately give it away, this is truly a trash film far from the boundaries of “good taste”. As far as the synopsis goes, I’ll give it a word or three regardless, as “good taste” shouldn’t be a factor in this kind of cinema anyways. Sean Molnar plays the disgraceful kung-fu fighter Richard Titties, who sees his luscious girlfriend (played by the tantalizing Seregon O’Dassey) abducted into a netherworld of absurd, almost surreal nonsense centered around an “evil dictator” called Zeefros who really just wants to see everyone’s titties. Hmm. So he must save her from his clutches, and finds a companion in a weird trash-talking Brooklyn comic (Mike Marino) in a bad gorilla costume.

Former TV star Bronson Pinchot appears here as a side note, as does B-movie scream queen Raine Brown, but they certainly can’t save this sub-Troma comedic farce that isn't funny or worthy in any way unless you crave cheap thrills and tons of titties. Yes, there are plenty of breasts here, which I suppose is the film’s sole saving grace. That’s enough said already. You know if you want to see this one or not.

MVD Visual

The Leather Nun - “Whatever” CD

Superb return from Swedish legends

Returning to the scene after a 20+ year absence, Sweden’s Leather Nun have created a stunning and powerful return to form with “Whatever”. Known mostly in the 80s for their association with Throbbing Gristle and Industrial Records (who released their debut EP in 1979) and their flirtation with stateside success with their darkly catchy “I Can Smell Your Thoughts" single in 1987, Leather Nun’s sound falls somewhere alongside Iggy Pop’s artier experiments (in and out of the Stooges) with a trace of Velvet Underground and a touch of industrial around the edges. 

This album of mostly new material opens with the lovely and introspective “All Those Crazy Dreams”. “Outside My Window” is a rumbling rock song with an ominous air, before the tongue-in-cheek interlude “Dancing In The Rain (I’m In Love)”. “Red Hot Gwen” begins with a late night piano before erupting into a sleazy big blues sound, albeit with Jonas Almqvist’s trademark Swedish-accented English. It’s a mix that’s distinctive and unique. The revved-up electro-blues of “Godtherapy” takes its name from the Jonas-led post-Leather Nun band of the same name, and fits well alongside the other cuts here.

Other standouts include the anthemic “Star (Yes You Are!)”, the haunting “I’m Not Afraid”, the swaggering “Mainstream”, the touchingly sensitive piano remake of “For The Love Of Your Eyes”, and the atmospheric “Another Rainy Day”. Yes, the whole album is top-tier.

“Whatever” is anything but negligible or passive. This is a complete return to form for a band on the verge of being forgotten (at least in America), and is the perfect continuation from the band’s past. Any fan of the Leather Nun’s “old days” will be delighted by this collection of melodic-yet-often heavy, sleazy-yet-romantic, and well-produced rock sounds that snarl darkly alongside a cheeky wink or two. A great album, period.

Wild Kingdom/Sound Pollution

Leather Nunbook

Pearl Jam - “Long Strange Road - 25 Years At The Edge” 2xDVD

Repackaged retro

This unauthorized extended documentary combines the previously-released “Under Review” DVD with another previously-released DVD, “In Their Own Words”. So serious fans should scrutinize this accordingly if it’s worth their time. Sure, the gatefold packaging is nice and all, but this isn’t clearly marked as a “re-packaged” set, so the intent is to unscrupulously sell this to the uninformed. Beware!

That said, for the Pearl Jam novice, this set is a massive (170 minutes total) collection of biographical info (DVD 1), with the usual journalists and music writers chiming in their opinions over photos and films. DVD 2 is a load of haphazardly-arranged interviews with the band from TV over the years. Supposedly, most of these are already available online for free viewing, so again, this set is only recommended to the most fervent Pearl Jam fans.

Casual fans need only see Cameron Crowe’s superb official documentary, “Twenty”, rather than this amateurish collection.

Pride/Sexy Intellectual

Pearl Jam official site

Nirvana - “In Utero - 20th Anniversary Tribute” 2xDVD

Repackaged retro

This repackaged set of 2 full-length “unauthorised” DVDs from Pride DVD (aka Sexy Intellectual) is a pretty solid wealth of info for serious Nirvana fans. Disc 1 is simply “In Utero: A Classic Album Under Review” from a few years prior, which of course examines the band’s rise and fall with a focus on their final studio album. Plenty of journalists and biographers are interviewed here, as well as several people who were close to the band. There’s nothing here that will shake the ground for Nirvana fans or solve the supposed mystery/conspiracy theory of Kurt’s suicide, but expect plenty of obscure anecdotes and stories from some folks who were supposedly there for the band’s rise.

Disc 2 is a lengthy (90 minute) collection of extended interviews from the first disc, including deep conversations with Cobain’s grandfather and former Nirvana drummer Chad Channing. Again, there’s a load of collection trivia represented here, and proves a fascinating (if exhausting) watch.

Serious Nirvana fans, this may be a must-see. Casual fans like me? Take it or leave it.

Pride/Sexy Intellectual

Nirvana official site

D.O.A. - “To Hell N’ Back” DVD+CD

Bounty of live footage of Canadian punk legends

Ah, the inimitable Joe “Shithead” Keithley and DOA still bring it, being Vancouver’s far-and-away godfathers of punk. This 90-minute selection of live footage covers some of their gigs from 2011 to 2013, and it’s a fine showing of blitzkrieg punk in the classic vein like few others can do. Quality here is decent to good, and certainly better than bootlegs, so fans (you know who you are) need to grab this one pronto.

Plenty of the greats are here, from “Police Brutality” to “Class War” to “Fucked Up Ronnie”, with around 27 others to pummel and educate you, and that’s not even including the bonus footage.

And to further sweeten the deal, there’s a free CD attached, as well, that being the band’s 2012 album “We Come In Peace”, which you can believe is packed with essential punk-ass madness like only Joey Shithead can conjure. You get guest vocals from Jello Biafra on a remake of the band’s classic “General Strike”, and several other less-notable guests to add color to DOA’s already diverse sound. 

DOA’s political side is more than evident as always, as are their odes to marijuana and beer, but that’s not telling you anything you don’t already know. DOA basically wrote the book on punk in Canada, so here’s a toast to one of the greats. Hail DOA!

Sudden Death Records