The Slit Plasters "Chasing the Black Muffs"

(Chorizoloco) Italian trash rock as heavy as the Italian food I shoveled into my gullet last night and as bloody as the Italian film Tarantino ripped off a last week and as evil as Mussolini. Where are these guys from again?

My Crazy Beautiful Life by Kesha

(Touchstone Books) The reason I think Ke$ha music is far superior Katy Perry music is that Ke$ha seems genuinely funny. Her songs and her act and her glitter cannons parody excess and partying and sleaze in a way that celebrates the absurdity of debauchery sincerely while recognizing the best way to make big dumb party music is to be big and dumb. Perry's humor seems contrived and falls flat, while her emphasis on non-flatness gets old quick (not to put down big boobs, or imply their is a limit to their appeal, just saying Perry seems to making boob decisions closer to crass beer advertisements than joyous burlesque). Anyhoo, my worries with this book, which is mostly photos taken over a period of less than two years, with brief snippets of text, is that Ke$ha would reveal herself, or allow a ghost writer to portray herself, as not funny. Bad news is that the book isn't particularly yock-filled, and the few pranks and goofy antics described within are presented so proudly it's like explaining a punchline rather than telling a joke. But the good news is Ke$ha proves more interesting than you'd expect, her outsider-ish background with her single mom, and her self-perception of making it in Max Martin/Dr.Luke million selling pop being akin to living the life of a struggling gutter punk rocker all are appealing and sincere and more compelling than Gaga being pretentious or Perry's scripted biography. That said, it's probably 2,000 words total, and the photos (other than a handful of growing-up pics) are pretty same-ish. Still, just be breaking the trend of a pop starlet becoming more boring the more you know makes this book a success of sorts (though keep it away from her youngest fans, as "Wall of Dicks and Balls" and "Glitz our Tits" are two phrases your six year old need not repeat).

GIRLS ROCK! CHICAGO CDs

(http://girlsrockchicago.org/give/shop/) Just got the latest Girls! Rock Chicago CD (I know some kids in the camp) and once again I marvel not so much at the value of the program and all that jazz but at how good the actual music is. Just like master painters stare jealously at the freeness and magic of a child's drawing, hearing adolescents with one week of training on an instrument compose and perform an original rock song is so frequently incredible and eye opening and better than most avant garde musicians while being totally akin to half the stuff on an ambitious college radio show that I'm speechless. Even the bands made of 18 year old who have been  in the camp for years and can play and can sing still have an honesty and unfiltered voice that you never hear with seasoned, jaded, survival-minded musicians. Go to their CD Baby site and listen to some of these tunes! And get your toddler a guitar and a 4 track.

Background Noise Crew "Everybody Does This Volume 2," Common Labor “Tales of the Troubadors”

(backgroundnoisecrew.com) When I was a lad the indie, low key, thoughtful hip hop the members of the humbly named Background Music Crew trade in was called “backpack.” They would often actually have on backpacks at the clubs! If you see any Backgrounds with backpacks on, ask them if they are filled with any product, you might be pleased with wachu get. Samplers/comps are often the best way to get introduced to  a crew, because you get some real nice variety, and Phingaz' production makes sure stuff is truly eclectic. Analyrical raps over banjo loops! Status Reign's "I'm An Alien" is a bouncy ball of awesome with a Fat Albert meets Quincy Jones vibe. Zombiexzombie delivers message music inside a cloud of mellow so chill that the tales of urban challenges are far more potent than if told over harsh beats. One of the acts, Common Labor, also have their own album.
This live instrumentation combo (though not featuring a bombastic band…live instruments sounding like regular hip hop tracks) keep it underground and if you’re under the ground, I dig it (get it, dig…under…ground). 

il sogno del marinaio "la busta gialla"

(clenchedwrench.com) What's the time? It's time to get il sogno del marinaio! Italian cats play glorious noodle-scapes while Mike Watt provides geometry lessons on bass, resulting in spaghetti post rock, which is actually more apt a description than you think I'm making, though likely no less an ethnic slur than you likely accuse me of. If you, like me, thought the band's name was the Italian translation of "Yo no soy marinero," and were expecting "La Bamba" meets La Bohème, you'll be disappointed, but for the 6,973,738,432 who aren't me, you'll dig this just fine. 

Awaken! "Trancendation Activation: The Love Amplification Channel"

(awakwninadream.com) As far as I can tell, this is designed as a functional transcendental meditation facilitation audio tool, a soundtrack to help one reach a higher plane. So this is, basically, de facto psychedelic music, it is functionally psychedelic, and it is psyche to the core, and would be so even if there weren't ghostly electric guitars wailing quietly, yet forcefully, in the background. This would be full on psyche if were played on finger pianos and kazoos, this stuff is committed! I listened when I was driving and I ended up flying to my destination. Which was Nirvana!

Opposable Thumbs

(Gubbey) Trashy punk with keyboards, angles, and vocal inflections that No Wave this up just the right amount to scare of the garage rockers and punk purists. This futuristic caveman music keeps Louisville on the weirdo rock map (which it has not had much trouble doing over the last quarter century)

Red Box Money Cult "9-26-12"

(RBMC) Ridiculous evil hardcore that made me want to break my house and kill opossums. Incredible, manic, desperate, raw throated vocals, perfect sloppy high octane  h/c "musicianship," and songs about being angry and criminal. Better than any movie in the actual Redbox. And most of the video games.

Red Jacket Mine "Someone Else's Cake"

(Fin) Seventies FM radio production pop that's slick, smooth and soul-ish (though as far from R&B-ish as possible). If you ever wanted to hear Steely Dan songs sung by Bob Dylan, with Bernie Taupin script doctoring the lyrics, this is your band.

Kontiki Suite "On Sunset Lake"

(www.facebook.com/kontikisuitemusic) If you like your pop warm and sweet you'll be warm for this Suite, as California sunshine pop meets California "country" a la the Byrds with some Yacht Rock mellow and sheen rubbed in to their mellotronic magic tricks. That they captured this Cali sunshine vibe from their dreary England homebase is the real magic.