Local Band Report, 7/12/2011

Here are some cool bands you should look up and enjoy sometime.

HOLLENLARM
Watched this heavy-ass band from Ambler, PA, play at a house party about two or three weeks ago. Most of the acts playing that night were stoner/doom metal bands, and while Hollenlarm falls under that tradition in some ways, they also have a mighty black metal element to them, drawing influences from bands like Darkthrone and Drudkh. And they were the only band playing that night that earned their mosh pit.
Check 'em on Facebook, Stereokiller and/or Bandcamp.
They also have an album available for purchase at Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.

CLOUD MINDER
Saw them open for Earth last month. I'm worried that this intense, gorgeous post-rock/metal outfit from Philly appears to be on the brink of becoming defunct: their various webpages are somewhat inactive, and they had said at the show that they had not played live in a long time. To lose a group that plays circles around Russian Circles to total obscurity would be a shame and a half. If you like great bands like Isis, Pelican, Jesu, Explosions in the Sky, that stuff, man. You gotta band here.
Check 'em at Facebook and/or ReverbNation.

THE HANDSOME MEN
Saw this Montclair, NJ band play with Sun Hotel. Sort of an experimental pop band that draws influences from The Cure and Radiohead and apparently Blind Guardian, which is awesome, who write a lot of songs about the video game Killer7.
Check 'em at ReverbNation and Facebook.

Airborne Vinyl

Hey guys, I've just started contributing to a music review site called Airborne Vinyl. It's just starting to get off the ground, so there's not an awful lot, but it would be awesome if you could support it. My first two reviews, for Robert Pollard's just-released "Lord of the Birdcage" and Bon Iver's upcoming self-titled album, were posted yesterday. The site's also looking for more contributors, so if you're interested contact the administrator.

Thanks!

-Thomas

The Scrapple Creek Runners

Based in northern Delaware, the Scrapple Creek Runners are an American roots music group featuring Patrick Corcoran on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, Sarah Larsen on fiddle, JC Bell on mandolin and banjo, and Dave Atherton on stand-up bass (though it is my understanding that Dave is on his way out of the band). Their oeuvre consists of songs steeped in American history and tradition; they largely perform old-timey traditional songs like "Shady Grove", "Soldier's Joy" and "Goin' to See Aunt Betsy When I Die", though they have done a few more (somewhat) contemporary covers written in that traditional vein, like Johnny Horton's "The Battle of New Orleans" and Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere". They even occasionally bust out an original song, like the eerie "Faces in the Water" which, if I remember correctly, is based on an old Delaware folktale.

Their performances are energetic and fun, with ace performances from each member and an occasional historical anecdote from resident history nerd Corcoran. Like any good American trad band, they play anywhere they're allowed, from bars to festivals to street corners. They recently recorded a demo, featuring studio recordings made with traditional bluegrass recording methods including condenser microphones and a portion of a live set played at Mojo Main in Newark.

Get the demo here.
Check out their ReverbNation page and their Facebook page.

Recommended if you like: O'Death, The Holy Modal Rounders, Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, The Dubliners, Old Crow Medicine Show, Michael Hurley

Re-Establishment of Porpoise.

So this blog.

I kinda stopped updating it.

Part of it was the whole "shit just got real" element of life. You know, when you're just chillin', and then BAM. Shit gets real. College, work, friends, family, car accidents, truth, beauty, love, all that.

Another part is that I started to hate Mediafire. I mean, it's a lovely service, but the process of creating a RAR file, then uploading it to Mediafire, only to have it crap out on me...the time and effort became, uh, less than worth it.

Then there's the fact that most of the bands I covered were established artists. You know, I love talking about great classic bands, but I don't really have a reason to upload "The Who Sell Out" for you guys when you can go and get a used copy of it for no dollars at your local record shop.

Here's my new plan, though.

I have deleted all the posts on this blog except for a handful. Local acts, up-and-comers, bedroom projects, friends, family, truth, beauty, love, and all that. Those are the types of bands I'm going to focus on. Links to Facebook pages, websites, Youtube videos will/may be included. (By the way, do check out the older posts. All good stuff. Let me know if any of the links are broken.)

Album reviews may pop up, too. I want to focus largely on new and relatively new releases, though if an older unknown album crosses my radar, or if I just damn well feel motivated to talk about something like Led Zeppelin II, then by golly I'm gonna do it.



As always, I'm open to ideas. Want me to post something, let me know.

Expect new content in the next few days. I hope I don't crap out on this.

Love,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Thomas Dorton