The Witzard

BODY HEAT by TUFF TURF JE DOUBLE F is a self-proclaimed "Nihilist Punk-Rap" emcee and producer based out of Atlantic City, NJ . If you read his recent Beat-maker Bedrock #2 column published right here at The Witzard , JE DOUBLE F (AKA Jeff Richie ) you'll remember he's equally influenced by Gravediggaz 's 6 Feet Deep as he is by Glenn Danzig -fronted Samhaim 's Final Descent and Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine . "Fast, chaotic songs with no frills. Heavy touring schedule and DIY ethics; if Danzig met DOOM , you'd have JE DOUBLE F ," reads Jeff 's press release accompanying his latest album, HUMAN RITES . JE DOUBLE F has been making his own unique brand of Nihilist Punk-Rap since 2011, most of which has been released on his own Atlantic City -based music/film/book imprint, American Scream Records ; his discography includes, but is not limited to PAGANOMICS (demo sessions #1,) LOSE​/​LOSE split cassette, HALF-MAN , SONGS FO...

"In early 2014, Paul McCartney and Kanye West first began working together in a small bungalow in Los Angeles . The process that would result in "Only One" began with a simple brainstorming session between the two: with McCartney improvising on the keyboards and Kanye vocally sketching and shaping ideas in a stream-of-consciousness riff," laments a recent press release marking the 12 midnight New Year's Eve release of Kanye & Paul McCartney 's abrupt new single. Although a collaboration between the two men who recorded such drastically different world-renown songs as "Hey Jude" and "Gold Digger," "Only One" could be likened to the unknown middle ground that might exist between 808's & Heartbreak and Let It Be ; further accented by background vocals from Taylor Gang signee Ty Dollar $ign , co-writer Kirby Lauryen , and a beat concocted by in-house producer Mike Dean , McCartney adds in a beautifully sparse ...

While I wasn't exactly a fan of The Men until about two months ago, I had heard that they generally put out records at a Beatles -like pace, every year to two years tops; their most recent album, Tomorrow's Hits , the follow-up to their critically-acclaimed 2012 collection New Moon , is my first experience with The Men . It's an album I bought on the sheer strength of three of eight pre-release tracks, a vinyl package which came complete with a black-and-white numbered faux-review splattered cover, limited edition crimson red vinyl, giant fold-out poster, Tomorrow's Hits iron-on shirt decal, and more included goodies. Sound-wise, it's an interesting track-by-track trip through a wide variety of styles ranging from Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -like Blues-Rock boogie, feedback-drenched Electro-Punk , Bob Dylan reminiscent Country-Rock jams, a sparse piano & harmonica ballad, twangy hyper-speed Rock "N" Roll , righteous Post-Punk , etc...

"We had been kickin' the horns idea around for a little while, thinking about Fun House by The Stooges , Exile On Main Street by The [Rolling] Stones , and all those old classics Stax and Motown records," The Men singer-guitarist Mark Perro recently told Rolling Stone . It seemingly exemplifies the most Punk Rock , rebellious quality about The Men ; their ability to effortlessly switch genres... whether it be Punk Rock , Country, Classic Rock , Surf-Rock, Folk-Acoustic , and now Bluesy Rock "N" Roll. "Another Night" kinda sounds like some retro Springsteen melded against a righteous-sounding Blues-Jazz high school band. Although The Men are a former Post-Punk Noise band formed in Brooklyn around 2008, who most recently released New Moon and Campfire Songs EP , somehow both issued through out the course of 2013. After a few solid repeated listens, I'd guess that "Another Night" is about a failing relationship on the rocks...

Ocean City, NJ 's finest Brooklyn -transported Rock "N" Roll revivalist outfit, Peanut Butter Lovesicle (PBL) recently returned back home to record their latest single, "Jealous Minds." Drummer-frontman Timmy Miller and brothers Jake & Mike D'Arc laid down some righteous-sounding basic tracks at Ice Box/Ice Palace ; "Jealous Minds" was produced by Andrew Wilson and PBL also included a special Soundcloud shout out to local record store, Grass Roots Music , for good measure. Sonically, I'd equate the band's new track to modern day Prog-Rock in the vein of Wolfmother or even along the lines of The Black Keys , but it's a pretty Aggro-Metal affair (post-spaced out intro ha). "Jealous Minds" was preceded by Dirty Pride EP roughly a year ago, from which one track in particular, "Black-Eyed Blues," Peanut Butter Lovesicle and their all-star team somehow managed to land a featured spot on Gossip Girl ....

The Gaslight Anthem somehow managed to write & record one Hell of an E-Street Band -less Springsteen comeback album!; With that said, Handwritten really is just a top-notch "Post-Punk" Arena Rock -sounding record. Single-handedly helmed by seasoned Pearl Jam/Springsteen producer Brendan O'Brien , who was dealt the fairly difficult task of nearly re-shaping the band's signature sound from the ground up. For the most part, it chronicles Gaslight Anthem 's journey from the NJ Hardcore scene to "mainstream recognition" [success] and that's something I think I'd feel hard-pressed about cramming into 100-200 words. "Biloxi Parish" is most likely my personal favourite track on Handwritten, but man, the whole damn album's pretty STELLAR and seamless! I guess Biloxi Parish was a small sub-division of Louisiana way back when in 1811-12... How any of that relates to The Gaslight Anthem or Brian Fallon (frontman) - I honestly hav...