Your’e Just Jealous Searching New Ancient Domains
Your’e Just Jealous? I feel jealous. Listen to these bands go. Crumbs are the tastiest ear morsels one can muster. Ancient Domains rises to heights their former projects did not travel to. Are these good things? Bad things? Let’s throw out judgements for a while and engage our listening skills. Your’e Just Jealous. I am jealous of Ancient Domain’s tightness and tubular (as in tube amps) guitar tone and the musings of Crumbs. Isolate that bass and you have a low end feast. Bonus extra track by New York City’s Autodrone. For the fans of driving, dark, synth and guitar music. But not funeral dirge dark. Like a long night drive, let it ride.
Ancient Domains – As Far As I’m Concerned
This is the second single from Ancient Domains. Billed as the spiritual successors to New York hardcore legends Supertouch and BOLD I would have to agree. However times change, tones change. Therefore if you’re stuck on the 7″ or Speak Out from Bold and The Earth is Flat LP from Supertouch then it’s anybody’s guess what you’ll think of this song.
Contrarily if you like alternative hard rock and you’re a fan of Bold and Supertouch then this one is a no-brainer. It’s leaning towards the Earth is flat more. This song establishes a strong groove but it doesn’t have that funkiness of some of the songs on Earth is flat. The vocals of Matt Warnke show more singing than yelling.
There’s also warm chunks of guitar riffs from Supertouch”s Jon Biviano. Rich Edsel handles the drums like a pro (also from Supertouch). Plenty of satisfying rolls and fills, dare I say tasty, (they are). Filling out the lineup is Jim Boehmer from High Speed Chase on bass. The bass is not prominently featured in this track, until the crescendo at the end which reads like a treble and bass guitar duel outro. Before that it’s aqueous and laying down cover for the drums and the accents of the rhyhms.
Biviano’s notes go high on the neck and Boehmer’s answer in the spaces in between on the low end clef.
Best to listen with earbuds and or actual medium to high end earphones (if possible) to appreciate the subtlety in As Far As I’m Concerned. Even if its the intense opening or closing , there are details in the mix asking to be heard. Warnke’s vocals have some fine tuned pans or flanges. Side note: Vocal production by Chaka Malik of Burn and Orange 9mm.
If I had to put stupid labels on things which is probably good since I’m not creative enough to come up with some poetic words about this song.. think post hardcore with a little grunge tinged vocals. Tightly executed and recorded. I’ll link you to this and their other single.
It’s hard to make a call on just two songs but I find this to be a good start for Ancient Domains. It does leave me wanting to hear it again , the more I listen. Watch for additional material this year, 2024 on Devarishi Records .
Crumbs – You’re Just Jealous – Skep Wax Records
Crumbs : definitely one of my favorites of the last 4 years since I started the blog you are reading. Hailing from Leeds, UK. I cover some their single in previous posts. This deals with their LP, You’re Just Jealous due out on Skepwax Records May 17 ’24 .
If You’re Just Jealous is not the catchiest, most punk rock, jangle out, groove that clocks in at 12 songs, 27 minutes, then I don’t know what is.
As a fan of music that is melodic and catchy.. You’re Just Jealous LP leaves me gobsmacked, befuddled, and nonplussed. I don’t know how they could pack this much tight, catchy melodies into such a short time frame but Crumbs do. Overall it’s super tight and clean but maintains a gritty edge.
Likewise there is vivacity and an energy that leaves me invigorated and excited to listen. I want to do more than listen. If I were a professional skateboarder in my twenties I’d skateboard to several if not all songs on You’re Just Jealous. I’d use one of these tracks for one of my featured parts in said video. Back to reality.
Another fun fact.. I am a luddite regarding most riot grrl music. That is to say I know what it is but I cannot quote songs and lyrics from anybody in that genre. I mention this to expose my own lack of delving into bands that you may compare Crumbs to. On the other hand, if you are a fan of Gang of Four and similar (post punk) bands then you can instantly hear where Crumbs take some influence from.
Stab Alley and Dear Deirdre bridge the gap between the two previously released singles You’re Just Jealous and DIY SOS. Edit : Dear Deidre is the 3rd single from the record. You may watch the video below.
Do check out the other video which I will link and is already embedded in a previous post for DIY SOS . Go here for an absolutely brilliant and fun video . https://meatsheetfanzine.com/elite-new-diy-sos-help-desk-heaven/
Stab Alley gives plenty of angst in the vocals juxtaposed against some punk / surfy rock guitars. The ringing and plinking of the harmonics of these guitars just set up this whole entire alley with satisfaction. Dear Deidre is less intense but the melody dial is cranked higher. Guitars still crunch and strum . Both tunes are infused and infected with catchy call and response vocals. Rest In Pieces bounces, bops, jangles with glorious amusement. Let’s Not is one of the more piss and vinegar tracks. Still catchy, but one can sense angry urgency.
4291 takes us to a sunnier brighter vista. Bristling , brimming with pop strumming and the usual savory bass. The bass line on this whole LP bump and thud with flavor. I do abide and notice !
Next, much like the plinking harmonics of Stab Alley, Call Now uses the pitchy accents just as well. The bass grooves as the guitar rings out. Minimal instrumentation but achieving maximal bounce. Truth be told. Another banger.
Onward to What It Means. Speed, power, form and an air of restraint waiting to burst.
If I were more adept listener of upbeat C86, Kill Rockstars, K Records bands that go a notch past mid tempo, I’m fairly certain I could say this is where What It Means would live.
Coming close to end is Sad Snoopy. I don’t find this sad, perhaps it’s just the title only. It is an iron clad hummable pop song. This is one of the sounds I’d search out in my area for my own expression. Alas it is far too elusive in these parts. Thus, I live vicariously through the swoon – worthy female / male dual vocal melodies.
Second to last is Mambo No. 6 . Glad to report on this, as that Mambo No. 5 song is dreadful, and this makes up for it in a big way.
Slick, secret agent like guitar notes between seductively charming, poppy vocals. Yes, more killer bass runs and you can hear it even more clearly when the vocals and treble tacet.
Ending with a sped up outro that increases as it hurtles on. Wow!
Finally we come to a cover. Too Many Creeps. Originally performing artist is the Bush Tetras from New York City. Let’s cover both versions. Bush Tetras version is dirty , slinky, and makes we want to bop around. Spiky rhythms, volleys of edgy vocals. If this doesn’t capture the change of the decade in NYC from punk to post punk I don’t what does. Forgive the use of these labels.
Enter Crumbs version of Too Many Creeps. It’s still dirty, slinky, edgy like the original. However the tempo is a little faster, production cleaner. But, not to worry, it is not so clean that is is sanitized.
Both tracks fucking rip it hard like Salba’s frontside grinds in the pool’s deep end.
Before we close up shop on this album, I must note. The way the Crumbs interpret this track, is super cool to me. The guitar and overall rhythm of both makes me remember Romeo Void’s Never Say Never beats and guitar tone. This LP , You’re Just Jealous , is a feast for indie pop fans and is one of the best of this year thus far.
Autodrone – Let It Ride
New York City’s Autodrone release Let It Ride just in time before the heat bears down on the five boroughs. Their Facebook page describes themselves as dark, psychedelic rock band. I agree to that and some more. Before we go there you could check in with Jeremy’s work from a few years back. He makes some of his own music, DJ’s and plays in Autodrone. Here is link https://meatsheetfanzine.com/jeremy-bastard-everyone-is-history-there-is-no-memory/
Let It Ride is fairly bright in tonality and voices . Driving guitar and searing synth. A propulsive ping pong -ey bass line created by and / or embellished with synthesizers.
Hummingbird like tremolo picking saturated with reverb weaves to and fro. Meanwhilst the main vocal sounds inspiring emotive and adventurous. The other vocals hang back in the mix and give another subtle depth as if they are looking in through the window rather than projecting like the main feminine vocal track.
Thus if you are disenchanted by solely gloomy new wave inspired gothic rock, you can opt for Let It Ride. There are some dark sounds but mostly it gleams a tad brighter than most ‘dark’ themed tunes. Towards the end of the track I pick up some whirring, dipping and diving tremolo arm work on guitar.
There is an overall levity, even though the beats are heavy, grounded in hard electronica. The vocal melody raises Let It Ride , as it gradually climbs to heights that typical goth fears to fly. Do stay tuned and I’ll have to check out the back catalog so that I may compare and contrast Let It Ride to the other material. Go here for a live set https://autodrone.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-littlefield
and go here to follow their Instagram profile.
https://www.instagram.com/autodrone_nyc?igsh=bDRqcHd6enp5bWJj
In conclusion please support me and the artists in this entry. Many hours go into creating these works. Due to socio economic and socio political concerns that will be left nameless, its hard to get your art ‘out there ‘. That is to say, it’s harder and harder to monetize artistic works like blogs, zines, music, merch, etc. So if you have the means support us all. Cheers.