DAGGER ZINE- since 1987 — Allen Clapp- SIX SEASONS (MYSTERY LAWN MUSIC/...

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Allen Clapp- SIX SEASONS (MYSTERY LAWN MUSIC/ MINTY FRESH)

Those of us who are longtime fans of this California native know that we’re lucky. Lucky because when he’s not releasing records by his band , the Orange Peels, then he’ll hole up in his home studio and release a solo record like he’s done here. Allen has added two more seasons to the original four, so yeah, only six songs here but man, Six Seasons is a doozie. It’s a varied and beautiful record with  Clapp playing (and singing ) everything on here. Song #1, “Moss Feels Like Rains” is classic Clapp, all jangly guitars, soaring vocals and lovely melodic keyboards while “Friend Collector” seems a bit more downtrodden, more minor key  and even adding in some bitterness lyrically (“I would do anything to go back to the way it was” and “You are the friend collector, you collected all of my friends”). Later on “The Weight of Fallen Leaves” is another perfect snapshot of the California that Clapp loves to write about (he’s now up in the Santa Cruz mountains after years of being in the Bay Area).  The instrumentals, “Seasons 5 & 6 (parts I and II)  offer up  rebirth (and sound like some lost, classic 60’s band) and “New Again” is the most rockin’ one on here with slappy drums and more of that piano. Experts agree, you can never go wrong with an Allen Clapp record! www.mysterylawn.com    www.mintyfresh.com

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We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut, 1988-2001, expanded edition (by Eric Davidson, Backbeat Books, 360 pages).

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The Big Takeover (zine, #90)

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Mudhoney live in Denver, CO on 5/3/22 at HQ

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V/A- Always Memphis Rock & Roll (Black & Wyatt/ Head Perfume Records)

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The Black & Wyatt record label outta Memphis has been quietly releasing  terrific records the past few years when not many folks were looking,  This 14-song compilation is a nifty window into the label, grabbing songs from the label’s first nine releases. First cut is the Heathens ripper “Steady Girl  (tale 1)” recorded in…..1956. Up next is the terrific mid-tempo cut from Jack Oblivion & the Sheiks “Fast Friends” (killer guitar playing on this one)  which leads into the wilder, reverb rockin’ “Scarlett Fever” by Tyler Keith (his whole LP on Black & Wyatt is well worth your time). Turnstyles, Opossums (who I’ve seen live and really deliver), Toy Trucks and Fingers Like Saturn round out side one. On side two Mario Monterroso starts off with a smooth, rootsy cover of, yup, Heathens  “Steady Girl” while some of the same folks on side one make appearances (Tyler Keith, Opossums, etc.) but do not miss the two cuts from Jack Oblivion & the Dream Killers who chip in with two scorchers (and yeah. Jacks got a lot of different bands and folks he plays with). Kudos to this label for bringing the music to people and they show no signs of slowing down in 2022, on the contrary, I think they’ve got lots more up their sleeves.  www.blackandwyattrecords.com   www.headperfume.de

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Throwback Thursday #19!-  Shop Assistant- Will Anything Happen (Blue Guitar/Chrysalis-1986)

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I have a confession to make, I love the Shop Assistants. I love talking about the Shop Assistants and even more I love listening to them. The Scottish band weren’t around long, formed in 1983, only released this one LP (previously S/T and then changed to Will Anything Happen) in 1986 and several singles an EP’s. I have to thank my buddy Bob who gave me a copy of their “Safety Net” 7” back in the late 80’s and I immediately fell in love with it. The band was comprised of Alex (a female) on vocals, Sarah on bass, Laura  (and later Ann) on drums and David Keegan on guitars.  They took the three-chord fuzz of bands like the Ramones and gave it a Scottish twist (think a little Jesus and Mary Chain and some Pastels, as well) with those pounding primitive drums and Alex’s dry yet fierce vocals. The songs are a joyful walls of crashing noise with great lyrics (“You leave and I’ll scratch your eyes out!”  and “And if you prove wrong then I’ll end it all ‘cos life’s boring anyway..…”). Opening song “I Don’t Want To Be Friends with You” is the perfect opener for this bands style and then on to other gems like “All Day Long,” “All That  Ever Mattered, “ “Fixed Grin, “Home Again” and too many more. Again, it’s one of my all-time favorite LPs and if you dig that exuberant, C86 sound then this will be up your alley (if it isn’t already). My copy is a cd reissue on the Overground label from 1997 but Cherry Red reissued it in 2008 and still has copies. www.cherryred.co.uk

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Belle & Sebastian and Thee Sacred Souls on 6/8/22 at the Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co in Santa Fe, NM

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Since there was no Denver date on this Belle & Sebastian tour me and some pals did the only thing we could do. A road trip to Santa Fe, a mere 5.5 hour drive from Denver!

The venue was cool, a brewing company on the outskirts of town with a stage just outside. We were right up from for opener Thee Sacred Souls. This San Diego band apparently only have a single out, but have LP coming out soon on Daptone and played a bunch of good vibe kinda rock. Two soulful backup singers and the main vocalist spread his good vibes all over the place. Also, I hereby proclaim Sal the bassist to be the coolest dude on the planet (real nice guy when we chatted with him afterward).

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Hailing all the way from Glasgow, Scotland, Belle & Sebastian did not disappoint (but you knew that). On this evening they had a local trumpet player and didn’t recognize the cellist but everyone else looked like the same old B & S. This was my 8th time seeing them (the first time being in 2001) and it may have been thee best. They played a handful of cuts of their new album A Bit of Previous (“Talk To Me, Talk To Me” sounded particularly fabulous) and a bunch older songs as well as well and the band was in great form /spirits on this evening Vocalist Stuart Murdoch always interacts with the crowd and tonight was no different.

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Opening with the most excellent “Expectations” (from their debut Tigermilk) then launching into “I’m A Cuckoo,” the band was just getting started. We also heard “The Stars of Track and Field,” “Piazza, New York Catcher,” “Chickfactor,” “Another Sunny Day,” “Get Me Away From Here I’m Dying” and plenty more (some of my all-time B & S favorites in there). They ended the set with a brilliant version of “Sleep the Clock Around” (off 3rd album The Boy with the Arab Strap… they also played the fan-favorite title track from that record).

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Coming out for an encore the band played “Judy & the Dream of Horses” (some guy in the crowd yelled out that his therapist said he needed to hear it…ha ha ha), “Dirty Dream Number Two” and ending with the classic “Me and the Major” before calling it a night.

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