Coma Nova-Insect Sounds LP (2012)

The important thing to understand about Kalamazoo, Michigan's Coma Nova is that these gentlemen enjoy smoking weed. A lot of it. Preferably rolled up in "Psychic Rolling Papers," whatever those are.

I understand that there's a heat wave affecting most of the continental United States right now, and this is great music for a lazy summer day spent sitting in yr parents' basement, smoking as much weed as your lungs and that DIY bong can handle. "Crashing Cars" develops around a swaggering, brash riff with suitably blustery vocals and steamroller drumming. I think they're singing about gettin' fucked up and feelin' like yr on Mars.

That pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album.There's a lot of weirdo acoustic interludes, maybe too many, and sometimes the band gets pretty self-indulgent (especially on "Pigger," a drawn-out stoner jam that has all the benefits and problems of Sabbath's extended instrumental noodlings). Nevertheless, they're indulging in the right direction, and that direction would be somewhere on a tribute to the legendary, all-mighty Sleep. I can safely say that these kids woulda loved Coma Nova, if CN was recording ca. 1976 and not ca. 2012. Toke up and freak out, people.

Coma Nova lives here, where you can also buy the LP. Check out their other stuff, too.

Heavy Times-Fast Night CS (2009)

Have I mentioned lately how Heavy Times is my favoritest band from Chicago of late? If not, mea culpa, 'cause these doods shred in a way we haven't heard much of late late. Infectious, scratchy guitar riffs, dirt-simple riddim, and relatable tales of love, loss, and druggy tomfoolery 'round the city. Who can't relate, i ask thee?

Anyways, this was the first thing I heard by Heavy Times and, in lieu of gathering enough energy to critique something new, it's what I'm closing out June with. "Teenage Animals" opens with a killer, chanted "aaahhhooohaaaa" and doesn't get much more sophisticated than that-minor note guitar solos, hollered vocals, and that's all she wrote. "Stoned in the City" is the story of my life from ages 16-22: the sun's out, I've got some dope, gonna bike around Chicago lookin' for dat broad I saw the other day at some crappy noise show. Hell, I even have some beer to share, and sweet little nothings to whisper in her ear. Stoned in the city, dontchaknow?

"Good Looker" is the heart 'n' soul o dis tape. It opens with what sounds like drums played on empty paint buckets, more hollered, non-verbal chants, and single-note guitar majesty. The tale is totally something I'm familiar with: guy likes girl. Girl is way cooler than guy. Girl, in fact, does all sorts 'o' weird drugs dude is scared of. "She's a real tough chick with a bad attitude/coke 'n' grooves..." More importantly, "she stole my heart and there's nothing I can do/I feel abused, I feel abused..." Much of my time in several European and American metropoli have consisted of this very same feeling.

Whereas the vocals are slurred or mixed so low they're incoherent on most Heavy Times tracks, on "Good Looker" they're front 'n' center as they should be. Flip the gendered pronouns and anyone can relate to this song (well, if you're between the ages of 15-35, listen to rock 'n' roll, and do drugs, anyways-i.e., all my readership), so motherfuckers should be blasting it come August when the coke is flowing like rivers down yer crinkled doller bills and all ya cares about is more booze 'n' pills, y'dig? Priceless tunes, I tells yeh. If I were inclined to fall in love, this song would be on the mixtape I'd make for the (un)lucky lady.

"Night Swim" is a bit more plodding, clomping along as we're regaled with, uh, I think a tale of swimming at night. The epically simple guitar is what sets this tune apart, and keeps me putting this track on mixtapes I mean to make for girls I talk to in bars, but whose numbers I forget to write down...anyway, "Night Swim" features more majestic, minimal, lofi guitar madness and it's great.

Heavy Times is at the top of their game, and if yer in Chicago, you're n idiot for not having seen them already. Out of towners can be excused.

Download "Fast Nights" here. Check out a video for "Good Looker" here. The band has a new LP out on Hozac Records, BUY IT!


*EDIT, 11.16.12: RE'upd the file, get it HERE. *