Branka's Recs: A Quick Look at the Punk and Metal Scene of Former Yugoslavia

1. Slovenia -- Slovenija


'Ti (Dežuje 7" EP, 1986)' - Tožibabe

Yugoslavia, a long dismantled country spread across a region the size of the state of Oregon, was home to a broad spectrum of cultures and corresponding countercultures, including very active punk and metal scenes. Slovenia, the most western (both geographically and culturally) of all the former Yugoslav republics, was home to a burgeoning scene that benefited strongly from nearby influences.

Amongst the most striking of its bands was the all-female band Tožibabe who brought a strikingly dark and nearly goth rock atmosphere to their brand of hardcore. They were included on the essential compilation Hardcore Ljubljana which demonstrated a number of bands from the Slovenian capital.

2. Croatia -- Hrvatska


'Povedi me (Sudbina, 1987)' - Crna Udovica

There's no doubt the degree of influence seminal bands like Judas Priest had on metal in general and this influence is certainly heard in many heavy metal bands from former Yugoslavia, including the hard-rockin' Crna Udovica from the coastal Croatian city Dubrovnik.

I have always felt that the southern Slavic languages aren't very well suited to this style of metal singing, which involves sustained notes, but in this case the vocalist does an exemplary job of flawless metal yowling on top of headbang-inducing riffs.

3. Bosnia and Herzegovina -- Bosna i Hercegovina


'Speed metal manijak (Bez Milosti, 1991)' - Bombarder

Ja živim svoj život, za sve ostalo nije me briga
Ne vjerujem u Satanu, ne vjerujem u Boga
Moja ljubav je buka i brzina
U mojim venama teče krv metalna
U mom tjelu je snaga nebeska
JA POSTAJEM — SPIIIID METALLLL MANIJAAAAK!!!!

I live my life, I don't care for anything else
I don't believe in Satan, nor in God
My love is noise and speed
In my veins flows blood of metal
In my body is power from heaven
I am becoming -- SPEEEED METALLLL MANIAAAAC!!

In the late '80s and early '90s, the Motörhead-inspired thrashy speed metal scene had spread to former Yugoslavia and the Big Three of this style were indisputably Evil Blood (from Croatia), Heller (from Serbia), and Bombarder (from Bosnia). My personal favorite of the three are the Bosnian speed metal maniacs Bombarder from Sarajevo. Their crowning appeal, on top of metal-devoted lyrics, is for maintaining an enduring feeling of urgency and chaos in the riffs, making you expect everything to fly off the rails and collapse entirely at any moment.

4. Montenegro -- Crna Gora


'Rotten Town (Street, Rotten, Thrash Derby, 2008)' - KK Street Bangers

As it turns out, the '90s were a dark decade for the region as a whole and left the punk and metal scenes especially crippled, with many members either dying during the conflicts, getting caught up in extreme nationalism, or otherwise dropping off the radar.

Fortunately, thrash metal is still alive in the region, as evidenced by Montenegrin thrashers KK Street Bangers from Podgorica. Their style reminds me immediately of East Coast thrash legends Overkill and I’m very pleased to see a post-millenial band from the region largely side-stepping the current fad of retreading turf American Bay Area bands have long since ground into dust.

5. Serbia -- Srbija


'Terorizam protiv dosade (Došao je kraj 7”, 1984)' - 2 Minuta Mržnje

I have often lamented the fact that I experienced the gr-80s for only a few months of my life and have no remembrance of them. These lamentations have intensified over the years as research and investigation into punk from former Yugoslav helped me discover that there was a flourishing punk scene in my hometown Novi Sad that was the subject of a documentary called Bilo jednom and a book called Novosadska punk verzija (text available only in serbian). One of the more intriguing bands of the scene was the band 2 Minuta Mržnje, a Serbian band that took it’s name from George Orwell’s dystopian classic Nineteen Eighty-Four and, very appropriately, recorded their demo in the year 1984.


6. Macedonia -- Makedonija


'Anarchy Loves to Sleep on the Floor of my Room' - FxPxOx

The Balkans, like much of the rest of eastern Europe, have long been afflicted with the nearly ubiquitous socially-acceptable vices of drinking and smoking--these activities are woven into the fabric of society and it’s almost impossible to imagine draconian Western measures against them being implemented in this region.

However, even in such a place, straightedge hardcore has made inroads and planted its pissed off XXX doctrine as best represented by the Skopje natives, Macedonian band FxPxOx--standing for ‘Forever Positively Obsessed’. Personal life choices aside, it’s gratifying to see a zest for ‘posi’ spirit in a former Yugoslav republic.

--Branka Šormaz, Web Director

Melissa's Recs: Acoustic Antics and a New Spin on T.I.

1. The Fest X

The Fest is an annual punk music fest held in Gainesville, Florida over Halloween weekend. I’ve always wanted to go, but having classes and it being in Florida, about 800 miles away, it’s never been a possibility.

This year, I’m hoping to change that.

It will be my senior year, and it can’t hurt to miss a day or two of class right? I’ll also be missing my last Athens’ Halloween, but I think it will be worth it to see some of my very favorite bands like Against Me!, Bomb the Music Industry!, Paul Baribeau, Bouncing Souls, Cheap Girls and many, many more all in one place!

2. Laura Stevenson and the Cans



I’m pretty sure I wrote about LS & the Cans in my last Exec Recs post, but they just released an album, Sit Resist, and “The Healthy One” is one of my favorite tracks off of it. This video was recorded for Nervous Energies, which is a series run by Ryan Russell featuring stripped down tracks from punk/ folk artists (much like Dave Garwacke’s Pink Couch series). Nervous Energies also features videos from Against Me!, Andy Hull, Kevin Devine, Cheap Girls and Lemuria. The Cans’ Nervous Energies session also includes songs “I See Dark” off Sit, Resist and “Baby Bones” off their first album A Record.

3. Pink Couch Sessions



Speaking of Pink Couch sessions, if you haven’t checked these out, you must. The concept is simple, like the Nervous Energy sessions, artists come in and play stripped down or acoustic versions of their songs on a pink couch. I’ve included a two of my favorites here, but there are so many others that are just as good—its hard for me to pick two!! The first is The Sidekicks “A Healthy Time.” The second is American War “Bricks” (make sure you watch until the end!). Both are funny videos and great songs.

4. Cheap Girls



Cheap Girls is awesome. I recently (and finally!) downloaded their album Find Me a Drink Home free from Quote Unquote Records and can’t believe it took me this long to do so! I saw them a few months ago with Laura Stevenson & the Cans and I wish I hadn’t left during their set. The above video is a Nervous Energies session of their song “Sleeping Weather” from their album My Roaring 20s. Funny how these recs are all connecting.

5. “Whatever You Like” - Anya Marina




I love this acoustic cover of T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” by Anya Marina. Even in spite of T.I.’s brilliant lyricism (“Brains so good coulda swore she went to college”), Marina transforms T.I.’s song into a creepy, sultry and danceable track. The track was also played in the background during a threesome featuring Hilary Duff on Gossip Girl. So that’s something…

--Melissa Burant, Public Relations Director

Jake's Recs: Fantasies Involving Large Sums of Money and Amoeba Music

1. "Make Some Noise" - Beastie Boys



This record came out Tuesday. These guys are 44. That’s all.

2. Dancer Equired - Times New Viking



This trio of Columbus fire-starters just came out with their fifth album, and it’s consciously cleaner than the previous four. Some people think that, without the metallic grind and ear-splitting fuzz, the songs sound a lot weaker or emptier this time.

Those people are wrong.

I like that, far from being just another fuzz pop record, this is still music made to sound a little lazy, a little off-kilter. No one in the band can sing, which makes me laugh because it’s just another obstacle replacing the fuzz. Hopefully this time, people can get past it to the song craft. The song above is a great example of it, but really, it sits aside thirteen other cuts I could have chosen.

Do yourself a favor and pick this up.

3. "The Remake of a Remake (All I Need) feat. Tawiah" - Wale



This is from his 2008 mixtape and, all home-team rooting aside (DC chillin’, P.G. chillin’), I actually picked this song because of the feature, which is a cover of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s “You’re All I Need (To Get By).”

Tawiah, whoever she is, absolutely slays it. Jump to 1:23 on this video and tell me I’m wrong. I don’t know anything else by her, but I came back to this track randomly a few weeks ago after putting this record up on the shelf, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

It’s obviously sacrilege to say that she sings it better than Tammi, but the vocals soar more than I remember in the original. Enchanting.

4. “The Race” - Wiz Khalifa



The first I heard of Wiz Khalifa was when he re-appropriated a Demi Lovato song to make “We’re Done” from “Kush & OJ,” his millionth mixtape, and the one that cemented his playful stoner sensibilities in hip-hop.

I don’t know that I was expecting “The Race,” from his newest record, which re-appropriates a sound pioneered by J Dilla and that came to fruition last year with acts like Neon Indian, Washed Out, and Toro y Moi.

The thing is, this isn’t a sound usually taken up by acts like Wiz Khalifa, whose popularity in the mainstream gave him a second career renaissance. Either way, the song rules, the album is the best thing I’ve put in my car in weeks, and I hope he keeps surprising me.

5. Prince on “Lopez Tonight”

Better watch this quickly before Prince gets it taken down.

It probably doesn’t surprise anyone who knows me that I have Prince on this list, but those who don’t know of my fandom are probably scratching their heads. My advice is to not think too much about it and just watch this video.

He’s in his 50s, and he’s still bombastic enough to pull of multiple costume changes (like this gold Mao Zedong number) in a nightly talk show on cable. He was just born a performer. I actually really dig his performance of “Laydown” from his last record, the nearly-intolerable 20Ten, but damn damn damn do I still hate hate hate the part where he refers to himself as “The Purple Yoda.”

Also, his interview with Lopez is not only coherent, but I agree with a lot of what he says, which has become more unusual over time. He’s a strange dude, but it’s hard to look away from this. Plus, watch how long the women clap for him when he comes out. It’s just absurd.

6. “Tally Ho” - The Clean



I found out about this band through a friend, who also suggested a slew of other Kiwi Pop bands. This sounds to me like the connection between the Velvet Underground and Guided by Voices, or something like that.

I like that I can hear all the elements that went into this, but somewhere in the middle, they mixed to create something greater than the sum of its parts. This is their first single, and it feels like maybe the reason they got together was to put this down on tape.

P.S. I have no idea who made this video. Sorry it’s so horrifying.

7. "Journey in Satchidananda" - Alice Coltrane



I had been putting off getting into her, because I imagined some intolerable new age based on the cover alone, but I’m sorry I waited so long.

This is jazz from another planet, and her harp-playing makes feelings into music notes. Pharaoh Sanders helps to complete the ensemble. These songs are both familiar and unfamiliar, but I actually think this is probably a good entry point for someone with little knowledge of jazz—it’s not beholden to anything I can think of, and it’s always easy to get into something when you don’t feel like you’re starting in the middle.

This sounds like the beginning of something.

8. In the Jungle Groove - James Brown



I’m pretty sure everyone knows James Brown from his singles, but most of those were meticulously cut down from jams like those that appear on In the Jungle Groove. I think it was put out to catch the growing segment of people who first heard his songs as samples in hip-hop songs, but it stands just fine on its own.

Someone told me once that he used to charge money to his musicians for getting off the beat even once, which makes this an even more incredible feat. It’s tight as can be, and if you put it in your car, you’ll be bobbing in no time.

9. Amoeba’s “What’s In My Bag” Series



I’m a sucker for hearing about what artists I like are listening to. I also like buying things. This web series pretty much caters to both of those, and it features artists going into Amoeba Music, the famously gargantuan independent record stores in California, and being given some amount of money to pick out records and share what they bought.

I can’t explain why I like these so much, but I think part of it is I’m attracted to the idea of having a huge sum of money and just getting to buy whatever I think I might like, which is pretty much what happens here—most of them don’t have a list, so it’s just wherever their brain leads them that day. Hopefully someone else gets as addicted as I do, so I feel less lame.

10. Freaks and Geeks – The Homecoming Scene



This is where I get lame and tell everyone how much I dig this scene. The Styx song. Sam’s face when he realizes it’s speeding up. Goldberg the Goalie. Lindsey’s dance with Eli. This is probably my all-time favorite use of music in anything ever.

I don’t even think I’ve seen the rest of the series in a few years, but I always find myself watching the pilot so that it all leads up to this scene. I think the reason so many people connect with this show now has to do with things like this scene—you’ve probably never had this happen to you, but it feels familiar enough that you swear you have.

--Jake Derr, General Manager

Billy’s Recs: Summer Listening

1. "Rain" - Ryuichi Sakamoto



Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of my favorite modern composers, and with all my mid-terms in the past week, I’ve been listening to a lot of classical music to relax. "Rain" is off his album 1996, which contains many of his most famous compositions.

2. "Circus" - STS9



Summer is approaching, and that means music festivals. STS9's "Circus" always sticks out among my festival memories from my being at the front of their crowd at Rothbury. This opening is definitely one of my favorite memories from it.

Fun fact: You can see me around the fifteen second mark hoisting a large inflatable dolphin into the air.

3. "Bridges and Balloons"- Joanna Newsom



Joanna Newsom has one of the most unique voices I’ve ever heard. Her lyrics are whimsical and childish but fit perfectly with her style.

4. "Engwish Bwudd" - Man Man



Man Man is hard to fit into a single category of music. Their website describes them as “viking-vaudeville, manic gypsy jazz”. However you want to describe them, it’s hard to deny that they are a lot of fun to listen to.

5. "I Lived on the Moon" - Kwoon



Kwoon is an experimental French group that my neighbor recommended to me a few years ago when I told him that I was a huge Sigur Rós fan. This song is the beginning of their first album Tales and Dreams, which I highly recommend to any fans of ethereal music like Cocteau Twins and Sigur Rós.

6. "Hazey Jane II" - Nick Drake



One of my favorite albums is Bryter Layter by Nick Drake. It’s perfect for relaxing during the lazy days of summer.

7. "M.E.T.H.O.D Man" - Wu-Tang Clan



Torture. Straight torture.

--Billy Bracken, Sales Director

Dan's Recs: Going Back to the Delta

The Delta Blues is one the earliest and most influential forms of music created in the United States. It is similar to other styles of blues, but what makes it different is bottleneck slide guitars and heavy emphasis on rhythm.

The first recordings of it came from the 1920’s but the Delta Blues had been around for many years before. Most of the early recordings feature a single person singing and playing guitar, but when performed live, full bands were commonly used. The name comes from the region from which the music originated: the Mississippi Delta, which is known its fertile soil and extreme poverty. Here are a couple of my artists of the Delta Blues.

1. Howlin' Wolf



Howlin' Wolf is more associated with the Chicago Blues, but his roots come from the Delta Blues. He started playing music after being inspired by artists like Charley [sic] Patton and Tommy Johnson. In the 1950's, he had four songs in the Billboard national R&B top 50. He and Muddy Waters both recorded for Chess Records, and are regarded are two of the greatest blues artists of all time. Many influential and popular artists of the 60's and 70's covered Howlin' Wolf songs such as Eric Clapton, the Doors, and the Rolling Stones.

2. Muddy Waters



Known as the father of the Chicago blues, Muddy Waters was born in the Mississippi Delta and started playing music there until he moved to Chicago in the mid-40's. He is one of the most influential artists of all time. He helped Chuck Berry get his first record deal and influenced many popular bands and artists, including The Rolling Stones (who named themselves after his song "Rollin Stone"), Bob Dylan, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and the Allman Brothers.

3. Charley Patton



One of the founding fathers of the Delta Blues, Patton lived most of his childhood and early adulthood working on a plantation. Patton later spent his time traveling around the Delta and performing at various plantations. He is known for being quite a showman playing his guitar on his knees or behind his head or back.

4. Lead Belly



Lead Belly is one of most controversial and versatile artists of the Delta Blues. He usually played guitar but could also play piano, mandolin, accordion, harmonica, and utilized stomping and clapping in many of his songs. Lead Belly is also known for his multiple prison sentences, one for which he was pardoned by Senator Pat Morris Neff after writing a song for him.

5. Robert Johnson



Robert Johnson's life and music are shrouded in mystery and myths. Johnson lived such a short life and became an amazing in such a short period of time, that a legend was started that he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his ability to play guitar.

--Dan Lesiczka, Music Director

Kevin's Recs: Starring Tommy Wiseau, Directed by Tommy Wiseau

1. "Wolfgang's 5th Symphony" - Wolfgang Gartner



Quite frankly, I can't recall where I first heard this, but I know it was at some point earlier this week. It's been on repeat often ever since. Taking house music, a genre I've been getting into more and more over the past few months, and fusing it with orchestration? Recipe for success in my eyes.

2. "Civilian" - Wye Oak



I first heard this duo when they opened for the Decemberists at the Beacon in New York. I can remember enjoying the set but also hoping that they would finish up so that my all-time favorite band could take the stage. I recently went back to Wye Oak and realized that, in my impatience, I wasn't appreciating what has to be one of the best records of 2011 thus far. "Civilian," in particular, is intense with soaring vocals and growing clatter of instrumentation that ends in a climax of a guitar solo. Oh, and did I mention that the drummer also plays keyboards -- and often both at the same time while live? Check them out, on record or otherwise. You won't be sorry.

3. "Summer Fires" - The Wilderness of Manitoba



Not since Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More has a debut album floored me as TWoM's When You Left the Fire has. I use "Summer Fires" as my means of showing them off here, but there's so many songs on the record that are more-than-worthy -- and if you're Facebook friends with me, you've probably seen me post "November" to my wall at least three times in the last two months. I have no doubt in my mind that one day these guys will break out in a big way, and I'm glad to have caught the wave before the general public does. One of my must-listens for the year. No way around it.

4. "For No One" - The Farewell Drifters



This Nashville band has been featured as part of Paste Magazine's "Best of What's Next," and with good reason. Check out this tune in particular -- a cover of The Beatles' classic "For No One." The "harmonic roots" act puts a definite Nashville twist on the song, with good results abundant. As with No. 3, I expect these guys to break out big one day. It's only a matter of time.

5. "Before the Beginning" - John Frusciante



I was telling ACRN writer/savior Christ Dubstep last night that in this nine-minute opus, the term "wailing" to describe the sound of a guitar has never sounded more applicable. Does it sound a bit like Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain"? Sure, maybe. It's been said that this track is a tribute to its predecessor -- and if so, I'd say it's a very fitting tribute. I hate that he's no longer in the Chili Peppers, but if Frusciante keeps making music like this, I can't say I mind too much.

6. "Light Up the Night" - The Protomen



The Protomen are a rock band from Tennessee that compose entire concept albums based around Mega Man. No, seriously. They played in Columbus last night, and had:
1) I not already purchased a ticket to the Decemberists and
2) it not been at an anime convention and therefore would have cost me admission/registration at the event, I would have totally gone.

7. The Room



"Hai, doggy!"

8. "Red Lake Shore" - Southeast Engine



If you haven't listened to Southeast Engine's new record Canary yet, there's something wrong with you. As perfect a slice of Appalachia as you can get.

9. "Douglas Douglass" - Pearl and the Beard



This video does a few things for me. First, it reminds me of when these three talented musicians came through Athens last November, putting on one of the best shows I've seen in this town. Second, it reminds me of the time I spent in New York last winter -- and what's more, the spot at which this was recorded was a mere five blocks from where I happened to work each day. Third? Well, "Douglas Douglass" happens to be my favorite song from PatB's new record Killing the Darlings, which came out earlier this month.

10. "Yonkers" - Tyler, the Creator



Am I being very original with this pick? Not at all. Do I care? Same answer.


--Kevin Rutherford, Editorial Director

Tate's Recs: Silly, Giggle, Wiggle Recs...

I was thinking the other day about discovering music and some of the best ways of doing so on a regular basis. Something I often turn to, other than charts or blogs, is YouTube channels. One of the channels I turn to frequently is UKF Dubstep or UKF Drum & Bass. These two pages update on an almost daily basis with the freshest of fresh tracks. Sometimes they upload unreleased tracks as well, so keep on the lookout. Checking up on these types of channels for new releases of your favorite music every day can really expand the tunes you listen to. Below are a few of my recommendations from UKF and some from some albums that have been stuck on repeat in my skull.

1. "Guilt VIP" - Nero



This is another one of Nero's absolute slammers of a track. Soaring vocal lines and killer basslines are all you need.

2. "Keep Holding On" - Dream



This one came out of left field for me. I had never heard of Dream before and at first listen, the song sounds cheesy, boring and uneventful. As soon as you hit the halfway point, however, all that changes and this becomes a monster. A very unique bassline with a clubby throwback melody.

3. "Tonight (Feat. Netsky)" - Danny Byrd



Words cannot even begin to describe how incredible this tune is. Danny Byrd has been putting out absolute club destroyers for years and years, but this is by far one of the best. That classic vocal slicing effect is apparent throughout and the combination of Netsky's extremely melodic sound makes this unstoppable. From start to end this is a winner. I recommend everything Danny has ever done.

4. "Iron Heart" - Netsky



A fine example of Netsky's work. Though this one is a little bit darker than most of what he does, it has all the definitive elements of his style. A song built around extremely meaningful melody and style.

5. "Dazed & Confused (SKisM's Baroque Out Remix)"- RacknRuin



Sounds like an outer-space vacuum cleaner. Incredible bass tone is a trademark of SKisM and this tune represents that 100 percent. Check out everything SKisM has done.

6. "M.A.D." - Hadouken!



A really fun tune. Chart topper in the UK and overall quality crossover between grime and straightforward breaks. Love it.

--Tate Galbraith, Director of Production