I've been slacking....

Yep, i'll be the first to admit that once again i've been slacking on the 'ol blog. The whole point of starting a new one, with a very strict focus, was to get more serious about writing on here. But while i have been slacking i haven't been slacking when it comes to music. Ok.... maybe just a little bit on that end too. But i've bought alot of new records over the past few weeks, old & new, and i have been to some shows... so let's try to catch up....
A few weeks back i saw Elliot Brood... the band not the man... at Richards on Richards. Their new record "Mountain Ambassador" has been in constant rotation the past few months so i was looking forward to this show, and they didn't disappoint. Only 3 members in this band, but they make a racket like you wouldn't believe! It's weird, for a band that falls somewhere in the alt-country realm for the most part they really do kick up the dust and make a racket when they hit the stage. One of the guitarists plays an acoustic that goes thru a bunch of pedals and at times he comes up with the dirtiest, most distorted, sound i've heard in a while. The other guitarist, who also plays some ukulele and banjo, also uses distortion on his instruments. There was also pedals that might've been creating some bass, and they had a small scale light show that was hooked up to pedals. This was no stadium style light show, i'm talking 3 flood lights and some lights stolen from grandma's christmas tree. One of the highlights, besides my request for "Miss You Now", was when they handed out disposable baking trays and wooden spoons and encouraged the crowd to join in. What a racket the drunk dude next to me was making, and i'm hoping it was the beer causing him to be so out of time!
The night before that show i saw DOA play their 30th anniversary show with the Tranzmitors and Dayglo Abortions. I think the teenage me would've been in heaven, and 3 sheets to the wind, but the 34 year old me was bored off his ass. The Tranzmitors played a great set as usual, debuting a new song that sounded good, as well as busting out the hits. Dayglo Abortions... what happened? Were they always this bad & this boring. DOA... sounded ok, opened with World War 3 which was rad... but i just wasn't feeling it. And Randy Rampage is out of the band again.
OK this post has gone on for too long... i'll write about all the new records i've got in another post. And i've been rooting thru my 7" records, finding some gems i forgot about that i think i'll babble about at some point or another.

The Tranzmitors new 12" ep

We have some good bands here in Vancouver, some of whom i'llmake a valid effort to see every show they play around town. One of those bands is the Tranzmitors, Vancouver's sharp dressed purveyors of power-pop. Over the 2+ years i've lived here the band has released quite a handful of records, mostly 7"s and 1 full length LP/CD. This past week the band released a 4 song 12"ep, which has been recorded and in the works for well over 8 months now. I was lucky to hear this recording just after it was finished and i was jonesing for the rest of the world to hear these songs as i feel it's the Tranzmitors strongest songs to date. Sure we all loved those early singles, and yes the LP has some "bangers" on it.... but this ep is close to perfection. The first song "Live A Little More" has been a live staple for the past few months, and to me it sounds like a 50's or 60's power ballad played by a Robert Smith (the Cure) fronted power pop band. Track 2 is the first song sung by Mikey and it's fuckin' great! I think the record should've started with this song, but i guess it would be weird to start a record with a song not sung by the usual vocalist. But this song sounds like it's a long-lost 70's era Elvis Costello track. Side 2 starts off with off with "Best Dressed Man", and it's a bit faster and upbeat than the average Tranzmitors song. At times i hear some old pop punk influence on this one, especially with the little guitar leads that Nick does. The final song is a cover of the Moondogs song "Who's Gonna Tell Mary?", and in my opinion they do a great job of a great song.
The band really went all out on the production of this ep, adding little tricks like 12 string guitar on parts and distorted bass one part of a song, but even though the production is loud and amazing it doesn't come off as sounding too clean or hollow. The production adds another layer to the great songs.
I highly recommend everyone pick up this 12" ep, either from Deranged Records (www.derangedrecords.com), from the band at one of their upcoming shows, local stores like Scratch Records (726 Richards St.) or from distros like Ebullition (www.ebullition.com).
Below is pictures of the limited white vinyl pressing (limited to 150 i believe) as well as my copy of the test press!