Showing posts with label Summersteps Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summersteps Records. Show all posts

DAS BLACK MILK
“Mid-Level Blues”
(Summersteps Records)




Das Black Milk makes gritty loud Rock n Roll. They’re a band that from listening you can just kind of tell they’d put on a great show. They’re a band that you wouldn’t see in a nice venue though. They’d be the last band to go on in a lineup of hardcore bands in a smoky basement in the bad part of town. They’re the kind of band that you want to see but once you get to the show you’re not sure if you’re cool enough to be there. They’re the kind of band who just get completely lost in the songs their playing and you aren’t even sure if they’re really still conscious.

The case for this cassette is a fake matchbox case that says “Guaranteed to light on the first strike!” One of the reasons I love cassettes so much is because I am always amazed by the new cool things that people come up with to do. I also think it’s a really interesting choice that instead of putting two songs on each side of the cassette, Das Black Milk decided to put all four songs on each side. It’s really convenient because now I don’t have to rewind it. Hopefully someday I’ll be cool enough to listen to Das Black Milk.




- Garrett Douglas

LEWIS & CLARKE
"Bare Bones and Branches" C69
(Summersteps Records)




I’m fairly certain I saw Lou Rogai perform in a barn about 20 years ago. A dirtbag of a friend who will remain faceless liked to fancy himself a promoter, but, at 17, his capacity for responsibilities and sensibilities when coordinating “Fests” was…well…at least he tried? Anyway, Lou Rogai, if I remember correctly, found himself in Jerkwater, Ohio, with about 30 snotty punk teenagers (myself inclusive) trying our best to “support the artist” and not break our cheekbones with professionally practiced sneers while he played some weird guitar that didn’t even have distortion or an amp for that matter…So, yeah. This performer has been having a serious go at it for quite some time, and this specific release is the 10th year anniversary of his “Lewis & Clarke” project.

Not much to disagree with here. Proficiently calculated emo-folk with a host of Nashville flourishes to keep it moving along. Definitely a catch for those that dug the mid-tempo Whiskeytown/early Wilco or Kind of Like Spitting alt-country vibes.

https://lewisandclarkemusic.bandcamp.com/album/bare-bones-and-branches-10th-anniversary-deluxe-edition-2015
and/or
https://summerstepsrecords.bandcamp.com/

-- Jacob An Kittenplan