Interview with High On Fire’s Matt Pike

Photo Credit: Travis Shinn

Tonight at The Met in Pawtucket, local metalheads Churchburn and New Orleans instrumental hellions Mountain Of Wizard will be opening up one hell of a show with Oakland, Calif., sludgeheads High On Fire. Before this evening’s festivities I got to have a chat with frontman Matt Pike about the reuniting of his old band Sleep; the rebirth of sludge, stoner and thrash metal bands; the genre’s credibility; performing without a shirt on and many other things.

Rob Duguay: Along with being part of High On Fire, you’re the guitarist of the influential metal band Sleep. Eleven years after Sleep broke up in ’98, got back together and Sleep resumed performing live. Does managing your time ever get difficult when playing in both bands? Matt Pike: Oh Jesus, yeah. It’s now getting easier to deal with, but at first it was a nightmare. Playing in Sleep is only part time where being in High On Fire is a full-time thing, but it does get a little difficult when it comes to managing my time. I’ve had trouble with being at home because I’m never home. But that’s part of the business. RD: I can imagine that when Sleep got back together it must have taken you a little while to fall into a type of routine without destroying yourself. MP: It can get pretty hectic and it does take a lot out of me. RD: Lately in metal there’s been a huge boom in sludge, stoner and thrash metal bands. Mastodon, Torche, Kylesa, Baroness, Gojira, Kvelertak, Toxic Holocaust and many others, along with High On Fire, are gathering huge followings and getting a lot of press. As a musician who has been associated with the metal genre for your whole career, how to do you feel about this new explosion? MP: Well, it’s good for me. Obviously my career recently has gone kinda crazy, which is awesome, and it’s what I’ve worked at for my whole life. On a personal level, it’s great for me and my fellow bandmates. There’s been a huge sense of success going on and it makes it a lot easier for us to keep going and keep creating. Every time you have people who want to hear something that you’ve created, the market gets larger and it keeps me employed. RD: It is great seeing hard-working musicians having their work pay off in a big way. Metal has to be the most wide ranging genre of music with all the styles it encompasses. You have black metal, doom metal, death metal, extreme metal, progressive metal — the list goes on. Do you think that all of these classifications water down metal or do you think it just solidifies metal’s credibility? MP: It depends on the bands, but I think it gives metal more credibility. As a musician I try to be well- rounded, I don’t want to be put into just one category. I like having my other band members run stuff off me that they wrote. Some of it might be proggy, some of it might be thrashy, some it might be a little doomy. Whatever their music is, I think a good band has a lot of different tempos and a lot of different rhythms while conveying emotion. Being well-rounded just makes for being a great band, along with covering all the bases. It gives metal credibility because it shows that the people playing are incredibly talented while mostly likely they’re also messed up with some sort of emotional problem, which usually makes for a good musician. RD: One thing a lot of metal fans know about you, and it’s not a rare thing nowadays, is that you have a habit of performing without a shirt on. Has there ever been a time at an outdoor festival where it’s late at night, you’re in the middle of a set and because it’s chilly out you would like nothing more than a sweater or something? MP: I’ve worn shirts before. I feel more comfortable without wearing a shirt, but it’s kind of become of expected of me now. Sometimes I’ll wear a shirt anyways. I’ve always felt comfortable with the way a guitar strap moves across me, it’s just a comfort thing. RD: There have been rumors floating around for a little while now that both Sleep and High On Fire are working on new albums. Can we expect either band or both bands to have a new release this year? MP: Yeah. High On Fire is actually heading into the studio tomorrow to record with Kurt Ballou from Converge in Salem, Mass. With Sleep, I’m not sure what we’ll be doing next. Get ready for a whole lot of metal at The Met tonight, you might even hear some unreleased songs live from High On Fire. Be there or be lame. High On Fire’s Website: highonfire.net Tickets to High On Fire @ The Met: bit.ly/HighOnFireMet

Alt-Nation: Not Just Rumors

Less Than a Felony – Self-Titled EP

The self-titled EP from Less Than a Felony kicks off with a one–two punk combination of “Elvis Moves” and “Nothing Without You.” The latter is more bop till you drop reckless abandonment while the former has an intense side punctuated by a breakdown. Less Than A Felony go pop on “Standing In The Rain,” which is kind of meant for bar swaying and hoisting pints. I’m told “Standing In The Rain” is getting some radio spins in Ireland, which is good to hear! The final track, “Burn It Down,” has kind of an ’80s post-punk feel. This EP stokes the fire enough that I’m looking forward to catching Less Than A Felony live at their CD release at The Parlour.

SEX Cofee, Less Than a Felony, Jason Bennett and The Resistance, and Steve Volkmann rock The Parlour on Jan 17.

Ravi Shavi

This show stacks three of the best local bands together for a downcity mid-week party. Ravi Shavi mixes and matches influences of garage, mod and indie rock to create sweltering anthems. Smith & Weeden have a meets early ’70s Stones tinge to their sound. Atlantic Thrills’ sound is steeped in psychedelic garage rock. Crystal Rockets open the show.

Ravi Shavi, Smith &Weeden, Atlantic Thrills, and Crystal Robots rock Aurora Providence on Jan 15.

Dale Watson

Texas honky tonk legend Dale Watson makes a rare stop in town as the direct support for the Reverend Horton Heat. Watson has been singing tales of the lone cowboy dancing and drinking through life for more than two decades. Watson is straight old country with none of the pop fluff that has bastardized the modern incarnation of the genre. I once saw Watson in Austin, Tex., at a place called Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon where Watson plays every Sunday. The bar is famous for having a game called “Chicken Shit Bingo.” Picture bingo with a live chicken in a cage and the players bet on the number the chicken is going to poop on. I never realized that chickens had to go so often till that night. Watson recently helped saved Ginny’s from closing and is now a part owner. Watson’s most recent album, El Rancho Azul, was recorded in ’s studio and features some memorable ditties like “I Lie When I Drink” and “Thanks to Tequila.” Reverend Horton Heat will headline the show, packing their usual psychobilly hellfire thunder.

Reverend Horton Heat, Dale Watson, and Rosie Flores will rock Fete on Jan 21.

The Silks

The Silks haven’t been playing Providence as much recently, so this show is like an extra special treat. If you are not familiar with them, The Silks are a powerhouse when it comes to mixing things like ’70s Stones, swamp country, scorched earth guitar solos, and the into an audio omelet. 2014 was a big year for The Silks in terms of doing their first tour and building an out-of-town audience — notably in Boston — and seeing the release of their debut, Last American Band. Come down to Fete to get a sneak preview of what 2015 holds!

The Silks and Handsome Jack will rock Fete on Jan 23.

Fleetwood Mac

There aren’t many bands with as colorful a history as Fleetwood Mac. They began as a blues act, where the attraction was Peter Green’s otherworldly guitar playing, then had a commercial turn in the 1970s, which culminated in their masterpiece, Rumours, probably the greatest record chronicling inter-band incest. This tour is the band’s first with vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie back in the fold since the late ’90s, and I heard they were outstanding when they came to Boston last fall. Vocalist Stevie Nicks recently made news by joining local boys Deer Tick for their 10th anniversary celebration on stage New Year’s Eve in Brooklyn to perform a set closing rendition on “Rhiannon.”

Fleetwood Mac come to the Dunkin Donuts Center on Jan 28. If you miss them in Providence, Fleetwood Mac will also be at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. on Feb 7.

Murphy’s Law

Old school NYC punks Murphy’s Law return to town for a punk rock hoedown. For the uninitiated to Murphy’s Law, expect a lot of gang vocal sing-a-longs, guys with their shirts off and beer going all over the place, among other mayhem. If you like ’80s style punk rock and hardcore, this show is money for a good time!

Murphy’s Law, King Django, The Natural Element Band, and Hobo Chili rock Firehouse 13 on Jan 31.

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Mystery, Wonder and Awe, “O” My!

Just over the Massachusetts state border in Fall River, 20 or so highly skilled and dedicated classical singers gather weekly to rehearse the complex and beautiful vocal music of various composers. This group calls itself “Sine Nomine,” which translates to “Without a Name.” Founded in 1993 by early music specialist Glenn Giuttari, Sine Nomine has been in existence for over 20 years.

Joseph Fort, Sine Nomine’s new music director, is currently a PhD candidate in music theory at Harvard University. He is a graduate of Cambridge University and also has studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. A mild-mannered man full of musical integrity, Fort has been involved in choral music his entire professional life, both as a director and as an accompanist. In addition to his duties at Sine Nomine, Fort conducts the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, and is the music director at Grace Church in Newton, Mass.

Being a chamber choir, Sine Nomine differs from a traditional choir in a couple of ways, most notably by its small size. With fewer vocalists per part, each individual singer carries more responsibility.

“What’s great about this group is that between all the rehearsals, [the singers] go and prepare for the next rehearsal on their own,” says Fort. “When we actually rehearse together, we don’t have to worry about crashing thru the notes. We can actually work on crafting the piece of music. That’s what really makes this group stand out. Also, in comparison to a church choir, we’re not affiliated with any particular church service. We are able to focus exclusively on preparing the music for our concerts, and we’re able to broaden our choice of repertoire.”

Sine Nomine will perform its first concert of 2015 on Jan 17 at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Bristol, RI. A second performance happens on Sun, Jan 18 at Grace Episcopal Church in New Bedford.

Tag-lined with the single-letter Latin word ‘O’, the program features both classic and modern settings of influential texts that begin with O.

Fort explains this concept:

“We looked for inspirational settings of text that begin with this word. Usually they are trying to express wonder, mystery, distress or some other powerful emotion. There are so many brilliant settings of texts like ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ and ‘O Sacrum Convivium.’ Originally they were performed for one Sunday of the year in the church. In this sense, they actually get very few performances.”

A key concept behind this concert program is the juxtaposition of old and new settings of the same text, in many cases written centuries apart. “For example,” continues Fort, “we’ll be performing the William Byrd setting of ‘O Magnum Mysterium’ (written in the early 1600s) as well as the Morten Lauridsen setting of the same text written in 1997. It’s quite interesting when you take the same texts set by different composers and discover how they each approach it. They’re after the same thing, but they use very different techniques.”

On Sat, May 16, Sine Nomine will perform Sergei Rachmaninoff’s ‘Vespers’ at Saint Michael the Archangel Church in Woonsocket, RI. The year 2015 marks the 100 year anniversary of this work, which has been labeled by many scholars as Rachmaninoff’s finest achievement. Even more poignant is the context in which it will be performed in Rhode Island.

“Saint Michael’s is a Ukranian orthodox church that recently burned down. They’re just finishing their restoration and rebuilding of the church. We’ll be performing ‘Vespers’ as part of their celebratory church service, so we’re doing a liturgical form of it. This should be interesting, as it’s almost always performed as a concert piece.”

“Vespers” will also be performed in its full concert version on Fri, May 15 at St. Lawrence Martyr in New Bedford, Mass.

Defining quality over quantity, Sine Nomine performs only two programs each season. Both of these upcoming concerts promise to be unique listening experiences. For more information, visit sinenominechoir.org

CD Review: Able Thought’s serene In Limbo

Local one-man band Able Thought brings a dose of tranquility to the Providence music scene with his latest album, serene In Limbo. People like Andrew Bird and Kishi Bashi have made looping an art form and removed the need for a backing band to produce a full sound. Able Thought uses a loop pedal — I’m assuming — to create his own brand of atmospheric, low-fi folk.

What’s striking on first-listen is the use of a nylon string classical guitar as a specific choice. Where folk musicians usually swear by the metal strings, Able Thought embraces the nylon, giving serene In Limbo a signature sound. The guitar playing sounds like a mix of fingerstyle and traditional picking that works well, especially in songs like “In Limbo” and “Places.”

But the ambient quality that attracts people to this kind of music has a way of mashing the songs together and making it hard to differentiate one from the next. The level of manipulation makes me wonder if they’d be recognizable played with no effects. To be fair, this gripe is more of a comment on the musical style; I have been accused of not being able to enjoy “chill” music, but many artists these days seem to be drowning themselves in ever-increasing levels of reverb.

Maybe the best way to describe the sound is by simply recalling the name of the album. You feel like you’re floating in limbo in some echo-y, open forest. With tons of reverb. Much of the lyrical content also works to give the album a detached feeling, like in “From Space:” “Breathe, breathe quickly, the air around us sings / fall, fall with me, to the ground and to our knees/ this world seems so empty, compared to what this means.” The abstract language, though sometimes hard to hear over all of the studio tinkering, falls into place with the trance-like sounds.

For me, serene In Limbo (along with Able Thought’s influences Bon Iver and Youth Lagoon) is something you’ve really got to be in the mood for. But when you want to relax and avoid the 2-4 backbeat of whatever’s hot, sometimes it’s nice to listen to something that isn’t loaded with hooks. And even though the album didn’t blow me away, it’s pretty impressive that this guy can probably recreate all this live without much trouble.

You can pick up Able Thought’s serene In Limbo locally. Or check out the band’s website.

Album of the Week: Cotillon

It’s a new year and 2015 already has a bunch of exciting new releases due out, including the debut full-length from Los Angeles fuzz pop act Cotillon. The moniker of singer- Jordan Corso, the new album has a cool mix of garage rock and Beatles-style pop with hints of different dimensions on each track. Overall, Cotillon’s debut absolutely rocks with jazzy horns, steady beats and a lo-fi sound, and a Lou Reed-esque charm that’ll hook you like a fish on a line.

One crazy thing about this album is that it was tracked at East West Studio 3 in LA, which fans might know as the place where The Beach Boys recorded their landmark album Pet Sounds. The vintage tones from Cotillon’s album show the production quality doesn’t fall far from the proverbial tree. No wonder why it’s being released on the underground indie rock label Burger Records — there’s a distinct vibe that mirrors The Velvets. It’s weird, mellow and emphatic at the same time — hard-hitting while making your ears feel that they’re being seduced by a feather. So far this year an artist decided to make dentures that look like David Bowie’s teeth that you can buy for $15,000. Looks like we haven’t wasted much time continuing the craziness of 2014. To take a break from the sickeningly entertaining madness, check out the top tracks from my Album Of The Week. Will it get weird enough for you? Let’s hope so. One track that really gets me is “Infection.” A mix between the early material of Guided By Voices and Jay Reatard, this is the most danceable song off of the album. Another groovy one is “Call Me Up.” This has those horns in it that complete the chorus brilliantly. Starting it off with a classic rock style riff that reminds me of The Allman Brothers’ “Melissa,” “Holding You Back” is a lovely number that will have your heart swooning. Cotillon will perform at Noise Pop 2015 at the Great American Music Hall in San Fransisco on Feb 25, but let’s hope Jordan and his band hit up New England to do a show here soon. Until then, grab a copy of Cotillon’s debut when it comes out on Jan 26. It’s a rad record that you shouldn’t ignore. Cotillon’s BandCamp: cotillon.bandcamp.com

Slipknot and Korn at Mohegan Sun – Prepare for Hell Tour

On Dec 5, heavy metal titans Slipknot brought their “Prepare for Hell” tour to Uncasville, Conn., at the Mohegan Sun Arena with nu-metal veterans Korn. Slipknot has been around for 19 years (actively touring for 15) and Korn for 21 years. Two bands with that sort of longevity drew a packed arena full of a few different generations of fans. Korn had just about a 50-minute set, packed mostly with their older hits like “Freak on a Leash,” “Shoots and Ladders,” “Got The Life,” and their first breakthrough single “Blind.” The crowd was electric from the moment the intro tape started rolling, and stayed that way until after Jonathan Davis thanked the crowd after the last song. Being around for a couple decades and maintaining almost as big of a following as your heyday is pretty awesome, and being a huge Korn fan myself, I was pretty excited to see these guys for the second time this year. They surely did not disappoint, and having Brian “Head” Welch back in the band after an almost 7-year absence was great to see. They seem a lot more like the old band from the early years, stepping back from the recent dubstep metal hybrid mumbo jumbo they put out during Head’s absence. If you missed them on this tour, be sure to keep an eye open for the next time they come around. Touring to promote their new album .5 : The Gray Chapter, Slipknot took to the stage at just about 9;30, with an overly anxious crowd waiting for the curtain to rise, flooding the arena with “SLIPKNOT!” chants. As the intro tape played (also the intro track “XIX” from the new album), the crowd shook the roof of the arena with cheers and singing along to the chant-like lyrics of the intro. Then “Sarcastrophe,” another new song, began with Jim Root playing a clean, almost mellow intro on guitar. Then some light tom rolls from the drummer, and the curtain began to rise. The song then exploded with Mick Thomson striking some seriously powerful chords to get the crowd going. As frontman Corey Taylor stepped to the front of the stage, I couldn’t tell what was louder — the music or the crowd. This band has some of the greatest set openings I have ever seen. This tour is also a proving ground for two new members on drums and bass, yet to be officially named, but believed to be Alessandro Venturella on bass, and Jay Weinberg (son of Max Weinberg of the Bruce Springsteen E-Street band) on drums. From what I saw, they definitely held their own, and there seems to be chemistry with the other guys on stage, which is a good sign. Slipknot played for well over an hour, and didn’t lose the crowd at any point in the show. The sound was on point, the members were on point, and they were entertaining as well. With a great stage setup, much like a carnival, and plenty of pyrotechnics, this was one of those full package concert experiences. With four songs from the new album and the rest being songs from every single other album in their catalog, there was something for every maggot (nickname for Slipknot fans), old and new. Corey Taylor was certainly impressed with the crowd that night, stating that he isn’t easily impressed, but we managed to do it. Truly grateful for the fans, Corey made that known as well. It’s great to see that kind of connection between musician and fan this day in age, where many other musicians in this and other genres seem to lose sight of who makes them who they are and supports them. For nine guys in weird or creepy masks, they’re pretty humble and appreciative.

I highly suggest giving Slipknot a look next time they come around and picking up their new album, which is a hybrid of their first three studio albums. It also debuted at number 1 on Billboard, and got them yet another Grammy nomination, so if those aren’t enough good reasons to buy it, then I don’t know what would be. Great band, great new album, and hopefully, more great shows to come. Top 10 Providence Shows of 2014

Every year in Providence, there are plenty of unforgettable shows that’ll leave you in a state of astonishment and bliss. Nights of excitement and energy that seem to never leave you. With legends, diamonds in the rough and local up-and-comers gracing the many stages in The Creative Capital, it’s safe to say that 2014 was another great year for live music in our little city. Therefore, here are my Top 10 Providence Shows of the year: 10.) The Devil Makes Three @ Fete 4/18 An initial treat for all Providence music fans on this night was seeing Joe Fletcher and Brown Bird’s MorganEve Swain sharing the stage as part of The Wrong Reasons to kick off the show and The Devil Makes Three were the cherry on top with an incredible set that lasted nearly two hours. When this folk trio from Santa Cruz, Calif., gets together, people start dancing and going absolutely crazy. They absolutely did this time around at the big Ballroom at Fete. 9.) Atlantic Thrills Album Release Show @ Dusk 2/1 A show that almost didn’t happen, Providence garage rock ragers Atlantic Thrills celebrated the release of their highly anticipated self-titled debut album in front of a packed house at Dusk. With an all-local bill that also included revolution rockers Ravi Shavi, surf punks Gymshorts and shoegaze dreamers Littlefoot, this night was a complete riot from the start. I’ll never forget the scene of nearly 100 people dancing while Atlantic Thrills were blowing the roof off the place with “Acid Rain.” 8.) Roz and The Rice Cakes “Need To Feed” Album Release Show @ The Met 4/4 (I know The Met is in Pawtucket but since it’s a stone’s throw away from the city it counts as a Providence venue) If this show didn’t make people believe in the buzz around the music scene in Providence, I don’t know what will. For a person who has been following The Rice Cakes since they were first starting out, seeing them nearly sell out a place like The Met was jaw dropping. They had a few cool bands with them too — Richmond, Va., psychedelic math heads Houdan The Mystic, Providence rock ‘n’ roll supergroup Dr. Jones & The Shiners and psych-folkers The Low Anthem rounded out one hell of a night. Seeing people jumping up and down while The Rice Cakes were playing “Magma” was quite the sight. 7.) KRS-One @ Simon’s 677 4/16 Now I’m not the biggest fan of shows that have eight acts with most of them not getting paid and half of them sucking, but when a hip-hop legend comes to town you have to take notice. With “Tha Teacha” took the stage at Simon’s on this night there was an incomparable feeling of electricity resonating throughout the room. Getting the crowd revved up with classics like “South Bronx” and “My Philosophy” and then having a tribute to “The Godfather Of Soul” as the finale, this was a hip-hop show like none other. 6.) Atmosphere @ Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel 11/18 Another spectacular hip-hop show was brought to the legendary Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel when Minneapolis, Minn., duo Atmosphere came to town. With Slug leading the way with jams like “GodLovesUgly,” “Reflections” and “The Woman With The Tattoed Hands” and finishing everything it off with a thunderous rendition of “Trying To Find A Balance,” the packed crowd was crazed. Great vibes all around, it was a pleasure finally seeing an independent hip- hop icon live. 5.) Dinosaur Jr. & King Buzzo @ The Met 7/11 It’s rare when you magically get to see a double headliner on a bill anywhere nowadays, but when The Melvins’ King Buzzo and Dinosaur Jr. shared the stage at The Met it was incredible. Buzzo started things off acoustically as part of a special tour this year and then Dinosaur Jr. came on with a wall of amps for a ridiculously loud experience. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Dinosaur Jr. live a few times before this night and this time around was absolutely the best. 4.) @ The Providence Performing Arts Center 11/15 In this day and age, there are music legends and then there’s Bob Dylan. The man is a little older and he has changed his tune a bit since his glory days in the ’60s and ’70s, but on this night he still proved that he can put on one hell of a show. “Workingman’s Blues #2,” “Tangled Up In Blue,” “Love Sick” and “Simple Twist Of Fate” highlighted an amazing set and an encore of “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “Stay With Me” capped off a perfect night. 3.) Queens Of The Stone Age @ The Providence Performing Arts Center 7/14 Along with housing a legend, The PPAC also housed one of the best rock acts around today with Queens Of The Stone Age this year. They kicked off their set with raucous effect when “You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar but I Feel Like A Millionaire” blasted off the stage and numbers such as “Little Sister,” “If I Had A Tail” and “Go With The Flow” were part of an obliterating performance. Living up to the billing and the fame, Queens Of The Stone Age gave Providence music fans the time of their lives. 2.) Mastodon, Gojira & Kvelertak @ Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel 10/30 It’s perfectly fitting to see a metal show around the time of Halloween and the night before All Hallow’s Eve at Lupo’s was insane when metal monsters Mastodon, Gojira, and Kvelertak rolled into town. Crowd surfing, drunken shenanigans and flat out mayhem was abundant while each band had a blistering set that left me in awe. An absolute gem of a night that no metalhead would ever forget. 1.) Celebrating Dave Lamb @ The Columbus Theatre 4/8 One huge blemish for the Providence music scene and music in general this year was the loss of Brown Bird’s Dave Lamb to leukemia. He was loved and adored by many, and fans had the opportunity to pay their respects to Dave and his family through a free show at The Columbus Theatre featuring Joe Fletcher, Death Vessel, Alec K. Redfearn & The Eyesores and Last Good Tooth. Two things I’ll never forget from this night was the humungous line of people waiting outside of the theater and Joe Fletcher leading the performers in a haunting rendition of ’ “” for an epic finale to an emotional evening. It was more than just a show, it was a celebration of a man who touched so many lives with his music and it was a community coming together to rally around the loss of one of their own. 2014 was a magnificent year for going out and about around Providence. What will 2015 have in store? Well you might just have to walk around and see for yourself.

Top 20 Albums Of 2014 (Because 15 Wasn’t Enough)

2014, you just wanted to get weird from the get go. Weird in a very good way with surprise releases and collaborations that had strokes of genius. And locally, you saw a lot of bands in Providence really make their mark all over New England. As with every year, you also had a few albums that had a lot of hype and didn’t quite live up to expectations. None of those are on this list. Once again, here are my Top 20 Albums Of 2014 because 15 wasn’t enough.

20.) Gymshorts – No Backsies! (Manimal) It’s absolutely safe to say that Gymshorts brought punk rock back to Providence with a vengeance when they put out their debut album No Backsies! in February. Sarah Greenwell’s shouting vocals with raging guitars on a lo-fi recording makes for a no nonsense and no frills punk album from front to back. Once you press play you will be looking to start a mosh pit wherever you are. Work, home, on the sidewalk and you won’t care. “You Olneyville Once,” “Bed(Stuy)” and “Oh Brother” will melt your brain into rebellious goo.

19.) Modern Vices (Autumn Tone) When this dirty doo-wop garage rock act from Chicago released their self-titled debut back in October I was completely astounded. The best way of describing Modern Vices’ sound is to imagine the vocals of Morrissey without the pretentiousness mixed with the sounds of Frankie Valli and The Stooges. Sounds pretty cool doesn’t it? “Pleasure Gun,” “Cheap Style” and “Smoke Rings” are incredible tracks that are sure to impress.

18.) Smith & Weeden (Self-Released) Highly anticipated from nearly everyone involved in the music scene in Providence, Smith & Weeden’s self-titled debut wowed people and did a whole lot more with excellent production and unapologetic rock ‘n’ roll. Jesse Smith’s songwriting is impeccable, but what really gets me are Seamus Weeden’s scorching lead guitar solos. The guy can really play. You gotta give “Aim To Please,” “Boys In Bands” and “Playing A Part” a listen. Wonderful stuff from one of the best acts going right now in The Creative Capital. 17.) Sean Rowe – Madman (Anti-) With that trademark deep and soulful voice, Troy, NY, singer-songwriter Sean Rowe put out one heck of an album, Madman, in September. Ranging from soul in the vein of to down-home blues and even a few ballads, Madman has everything a music fan looks for in an album. “Desiree,” “The Real Thing” and “The Game” are great examples of how much versatility Sean Rowe has when it comes to how he crafts a song.

16.) The Both (Super Ego) A collaboration that made for a fantastic album, when Aimee Mann and Ted Leo got together to form a rock band it became a thing of beauty. There are some bluesy tones and a sheen of pop mixed with distorted riffs that show both Mann & Leo haven’t strayed away from their punk roots. “The Gambler,” “The Prisoner” and “Milwaukee” are very cool tracks that I highly suggest you dive into.

15.) The Viennagram – Learn To Tame The Patterns (Irrational Solutions Inc.) First off, this album is just insane. Providence by way of New Bedford psychedelic space punks The Viennagram put out a marvelous album with Learn To Tame The Patterns on Halloween with production that sounds like something out of “The Twilight Zone.” Imagine listening to by Tom Waits while on a bad acid trip and rolling through a vortex to a crazed dimension, and you got this. You get what I mean? Listen to “Straight To The Void,” “Teenage Haircut” and “Only The Good Ones Die” and you’ll catch my drift.

14.) Aphex Twin – Syro (Warp) Yes, an electronic music album has made it onto the list and deservedly so. Also known as Richard D. James, when Aphex Twin snuck up on us all with his first studio album in 13 years with Syro in September, music fans everywhere joined the applause. Abstract beats and even some piano keys every now and then really make Syro a stunning album to listen to. I would usually tell you what tracks to try out, but you should go from start to finish with this one.

13.) Ryan Adams – 1984 (PAX AM) Now I know what you’re going to say. First, yes I know that Ryan Adams put out a self-titled full length album this year. Second, I know that 1984 is considered to be an EP, but hear me out. 1984 has 10 songs on it, which in my opinion is enough for it to be considered a full-length album. Also in my opinion, it beats the holy hell out of his self-titled release. Harkening the sounds of ’80s punk bands like The Replacements and Husker Du, 1984 comes at you like a bat out of hell with reckless abandon. “When The Summer Ends,” “Why Did They Leave You Alone?” and “Bones And Ash” are jolting in the best way possible.

12.) Ravi Shavi – Courage (Self-Released) Since these revolution garage mod rockers from Providence put out two releases on the same night this year, to be fair to everyone else I could only choose one to include in this list. So why not the one that has eight riveting songs on it? With contagious energy and Rafay Rashid’s ability to show his brash confidence through his songwriting, Courage could very well be Ravi Shavi’s best release yet. “Midnight,” “Permanent Damage” and “Radical” are excellent reasons why.

11.) TV on the Radio – Seeds (Harvest) Going back to their eclectic roots, TV on the Radio put unbridled feeling and passion on canvas when they put out Seeds in November. Combining synth, , soul and rock together to form a sound that goes back to their early releases while still progressing as a band, these Brooklyn art-rock fiends got back to basics in outstanding fashion. “Winter,” “Lazerray” and “Could You” will give your ears a sense of joy they’ve never felt before. 10.) Mean Creek – Local Losers (Old Flame) A very powerful album that hits you straight in the gut, Boston’s Mean Creek delivered a musical knockout punch when they released a punk album with Local Losers in April. Still retaining that heart on the sleeve aesthetic, Chris Keene’s fury on vocals, Aurore Oujian’s impeccable skills on lead guitar and Mikey Holland playing drums like a jet engine give this album an invigorating sense of rhythm. “Cool Town,” “My Madeline” and “Mass. Border” are musical missiles heading straight for your soul.

9.) Roz and The Rice Cakes – Need To Feed (Team Love) It’s hard to believe that this is only the second full length album from one of the hardest working bands out there today, but Need To Feed from Providence indie-pop power trio Roz and The Rice Cakes showed how much these three talented individuals have progressed over the years. There’s a cornucopia of styles and techniques that come together all over the album, but The Rice Cakes pull off perfectly by always keeping a rhythmic groove. “Hay Fever,” “Floor Boards” and “Push and Pull” will get you going crazy, but in a fun way.

8.) Jack White – Lazaretto (Third Man) Continuing his solo trend of mixing Motown soul, Nashville country, Chicago blues and old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll together to create brilliant music, Jack White lived up to his reputation once again as one of the best musicians in rock with Lazaretto. With some tracks down and dirty while others are poppy and folky, Jack shows his influences on this album in full throttle fashion. “Three Women,” “High Ball Stepper” and “That Black Bat Licorice” are three songs off of Lazaretto you’ll totally dig.

7.) Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues (Total Treble/Xtra Mile) An album that will go down as one of the most socially important albums of the decade, Against Me! went back to their honest brand of punk led by Laura Jane Grace and brought out a bunch of unapologetic anthems. Having an identity crisis, the death of a friend and hating the misogynistic macho attitude are all covered in the album, but musically this bad boy hits hard in the best way punk can. “True Trans Soul Rebel,” “Black Me Out” and “Obama Bin Laden As The Crucified Christ” make you want to put your fist in the air and tear down brick walls.

6.) The Orwells – Disgraceland (Canvasback) After listening to this album, I’m convinced that these kids from Elmhurst, IL, who call themselves The Orwells will become the new face of rock ‘n’ roll in less than five years if they keep it up. They’re barely old enough to drink at the places they play at. Frontman Mario Cuomo looks like a young Robert Plant who commands an audience like vintage Iggy Pop and their songs are catchy in a pleasing way. Garage rock to the fullest, “The Righteous One,” “Gotta Get Down” and “Who Needs You” are just three tracks off an album that kicks ass from front to back.

5.) Deerhoof – La Isla Bonita (Polyvinyl) When abstract noise rock act Deerhoof released their 12th studio album with La Isla Bonita in November, I became an instant fan. The distorted guitars mixed with jazzed out pop is comparable to the styles of Talking Heads meeting the styles of The Ramones — really cool tones that had me hooked from the first time I gave it a listen. “Paradise Girls,” “Exit Only” and “Black Pitch” are weird and you’re going to love listening to them along with everything else.

4.) Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World (Last Gang/Warner Bros.) It only took nine years to follow up their debut masterpiece, You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine, but Death From Above 1979 did it justice with The Physical World. One thing that really got me with the album was the little hints of influence from Jesse F. Keeler’s electronica project MSTRKRFT and Sebastien Grainger’s solo material. Listen to “Cheap Talk,” “White Is Red” and “Government Trash” and see for yourself. 3.) Ty Segall – Manipulator (Drag City) A guy who has put out more records than his own age (the guy is 27), Ty Segall put out a jewel with Manipulator this past August. Proving that everything he touches is gold, this rock ‘n’ roll wunderkind does no wrong with a whole lot of fuzz. If you don’t dig that mix of punk with ’60s style psychedelia, I don’t know what to tell you. “The Faker,” “It’s Over” and “The Crawler” are so badass they might light your headphones on fire.

2.) Antemasque (Nadie) For a while no one knew when the debut album from the new band headed by At The Drive-In and The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez was going to be released, and all we had was a Youtube stream to tempt us. This grand merging of punk and progressive rock really made Antemasque something else, it doesn’t hurt that you have Bixler-Zavala being ferocious on the mic and Rodriguez-Lopez reaffirming himself as one of the best guitarists alive. This is best exemplified by getting revved up with “I Got No Remorse” and “In The Lurch” along with being mellowed out by “Drown All Your Witches 1.) D’Angelo & The Vanguard – Black Messiah (RCA) This album had me shocked due to the sheer excellence I was listening to when I first pressed play on Black Messiah. It’s Parliament-Funkadelic meets Prince meets Al Green meets Marvin Gaye, it’s funky r&b with a full band and it’s pristine. His first release in 14 years, D’Angelo made it definitely worth the wait on this. Whoever played bass on this is a golden god. Tracks like “Ain’t That Easy,” “The Charade”, “1000 Deaths” and “Prayer” make this album the absolute best of 2014. It’s real, genuine and beautiful in so many ways. Those are my top 20 albums of the year, take it or leave it. You probably love it and agree with everything or you flat out hate it and you want to tell me how much of an idiot I am in three different languages. There’s usually no in between with these types of things. Can we expect anything similar in 2015? Well you gotta start paying attention and listening to the music.

CD Review: Mike Gendron’s The Day That I Give Birth Don’t you hate when you see someone on TV, or even worse, on the street, and can’t quite place from where you know them? We start running through the alphabet in our head, hoping to hit upon their name. We flip through our cerebral Rolodex. Maybe we went to school with them? Maybe they work in our office… maybe we were in the service together… college? JAIL!!??

I went through those same machinations when I first set sight on The Day That I Give Birth, the new CD by Mike Gendron. I knew that I had seen/heard this guy before, and then it hit me. OF COURSE I know him! Not only was he with perennial local favorites GrandEvolution, but he’s the “Mike G” behind Mike G & Associates (both of whom I’ve covered for Motif in past columns).

In fact (with apologies to the late Godfather of Soul), Mike Gendron just might be the hardest working man in show business. Well at least in RI. In between recording this original material, for which he plays almost all of the instruments (more on that later) Gendron boasts residency in not one but TWO popular tribute bands (a John Lennon act called Lennon Live, and the Neil Young tribute “Young Rust,” which Gendron fronts). Not bad for a kid who made his bones playing gigs at The Living Room at the tender age of 15.

A few moments into a deep listening of The Day That I Give Birth, it becomes amply apparent exactly from where Mike Gendron culls his songwriting influence. While much of the music throughout is deep driving rock & roll, his lyrics expose a poetry that often leans toward the surreal. The title track alone repeatedly reveals Gendon’s unconditioned ability to turn quite the thought-provoking phrase: “Fault lines crack where lava flows deep beneath the earth… Spiders raise and eat their young, they’re boiling in the pot… Let me paint you gold so you can shine.”

The acoustic folk ballad “Universus” sparingly utilizes a Neil Young strumming style and borrows melodically from Bob Dylan’s “With God On Our Side.” That said, Gendron unabashedly displays his vulnerable side by calling out to some higher power for guidance and strength to face an unknown future: “My path has been laid out before my blinded eyes to see. Somewhere deep into the fog is who I’m supposed to be. I can’t cut through this haze. Guide me through this treacherous, all consuming maze.” I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the final, somewhat disturbing track, “Anonymous.” What can only be described as the “Revolution 9” of the album, an ominous backing track plays over the recorded voicemail message of a very disturbed woman. With wailing guitars, she’s heard claiming the government has targeted her for assassination, which will come about by the explosive device they previously implanted in her head. Unfortunately her near-whisper is practically inaudible, and had it not been for an explanation detailed in the album’s press kit, I wouldn’t know what I was listening to. Frankly, unlike The White Album’s “Revolution 9”, “Anonymous” does nothing for what up to that point had been a strong body of work.

That small point aside The Day That I Give Birth excels as an example of Mike Gendron’s ample gifts as a singer-songwriter. The disc was engineered by famed member of The Schemers, Emerson Torrey. And based on this output of work, Mike Gendron has earned his deserved spot alongside Torrey, and Mark Cutler, and all the other best Rhode Island has to offer.

Year-End EDM Happenings

Let’s do this! I’m excited and proud to write alongside DJ OSHEEN. First, the introductions. I happen to be a proud member of the one-and-only Tight Crew. I was there before they threw their seminal Mario Party back in 2008. Seriously, the Crew is responsible for numerous friendships I’ve forged over the last seven years, and I consider a lot of its members to be my family.

Namedropping aside, Tight Crew turned me on to not just a magical world filled with unforgettable raves and audience-engaging DJs, but also to the idea that virtually unbridled imagination, creativity and teamwork can produce some really amazing stuff. And I’m not gonna lie: I really appreciate events and acts that err on the over-the-top side and feature things I could not dream up on my own.

Here are some of the funkier events and shows coming up in the area. Dec 18: Space Jesus at The Spot Underground (PVD) – This concert gets a double dose of my love because not only does this guy spin a variety of fun, danceable music worthy of flipping one’s hair to, but The Spot is a charming, fairly intimate place to hear live music. I’m interested to see how crazy things get when dude drops the bass.

Dec 20: Skate Escape *Christmas Edition* at Roller Kingdom (Hudson, Mass.) – Hosted by The Mutiny, this event gets a shout-out for providing a free skate/blade rental with every ticket. It’s always fun to do something active at an event, especially something many of us don’t do regularly.

Dec 31: Tight Crew & The Mutiny Present The Greatest Show On Earth at Lupo’s (PVD) – Happy New Year! This event is complete with a dope-ass, timely theme (“American Horror Story: Freak Show,” anyone?), a midnight balloon drop, tons of confetti, and a comprehensive lineup (Shortee of Urban Assault and DJ Venom are among the headliners). Step right up!