The Buddha Den Year In Review: Top 5 Local Releases
...as far as we're concerned this was one of the best year's for local releases in a very long time. We heard a lot of music here at The Buddha Den, and here's what we're calling the cream of the crop....
5. The Northwest Ordinance State of Ohio These guys are just so Ohio it's almost like a bad joke: four guys from big Ohio cities converge in Dayton, meld their record collections and love of vintage garage and punk, and hey it's The Northwest Ordinance. This is just such a savory slab of guttural rock n' roll goodness that made it's way onto our speakers constantly this year. From their straightforward buzzsaw grind to their unsettling lurch, if this one doesn't make you jump around in yr house, you have no soul... BUY IT!
4. My Latex Brain Good Is Dead My Latex Brain have been at this for nearly a decade at this point, and it's respective members have been in the Dayton music for even longer. What's so amazing is how Good Is Dead obliterates any so-called theory about how this is a young man's game. From Hoops' insightful stabs at...well...pretty much the entire Establishment...boiling over top of the incessant grind of drummer Roger Owsley and bassist Chris Corn, this is band at the absolute top of their game... BUY IT!
3. Jordan Hull Jordan Hull We could easily ramble on about his age or his similarities to certain singer/songwriters from the 60s, but that would be a complete waste of time. What's important here is that you realize the burgeoning talent that is Jordan Hull and get on board now. With a debut this strong, it's hard to imagine what might be around the corner for Jordan Hull... BUY IT!
2. Captain of Industry The Bronze On this the band's third album, Captain of Industry honed their indie-prog into an exceptionally potent brew on The Bronze. Whether dipping into dreamy indie-pop or blasting out labyrinthe-like amalgamations, COI remains one of Dayton's finest.... BUY IT!
1. Andrew & the Pretty Punchers Goodbye Ohio Perhaps the biggest surprise in the Dayton music scene this year was the meteoric rise of Andrew & the Pretty Punchers. We first caught them late in 07, without a bass player, but by mid-year the band found its stride and just took off with it. With their debut hashed out in a matter of days, the disc captures the intensity of the band's live show and frames the songwriting of Andrew Smith perfectly. Sure, it's not an overly-polished gem, but that's why we love it... BUY IT!
...well kids, that's what we thought. Let's hear what you have to say....
...in the next few days we'll be introducing some new writers for The Buddha Den with year-end lists as well. Be sure to stay tuned to The Buddha Den for everything you wanted to know about the Dayton music scene and more but were afraid to ask...
posted by meltones @ 11:07 AM
12 Comments:
Yeah, it was a solid year for local music. One album that I think is clearly top 5 material but has received no Buddha Den love (as far as I can remember) is Esther Caulfield Orchestra's Good Morning Whiskey Breakfast. Everyone should do themselves a favor and get the album for free from the dude's website. It effortlessly channels so many great styles of the 60s and 70s while sounding completely its own.
Also, Jesse Remnant is about the only Dayton musician who places the utmost importance on vocal melodies. For most, it's the instrumentation or song structure or sound texture, with melodies being an afterthought. For that reason, I'd say Human Cannonball is the best release of the year, as it has the most singable tunes to come out of Dayton since the mid 90s.
Does anyone know when Don Thrasher releases his top 25?
yeah jesse remnant has mad skills
i think the top five is a little on the weak side. Grizzzzy Bear's "Passing: Rares & Uncommons" was one of the best this year, without a doubt.
disappointed it didn't make your list.
I second Jesse Remnant's Human Cannonball. The Boston Spaceships CD should be up there as well. Especially since My Latex Brain's album is 2007.
Grizzzzzzzy Bear/Astro Fang turned into a good live band, but I'm turned off by the recordings.
2008 was a great year for Dayton music though. Jut the fact that so many solid releases came out over the last two years is a sign that things have improved.
Let's hope for new releases in 2009 from Human Reunion, the Story Changes, 8-Bit Revival, Stone the Mayor Sheriffs, and New Vega.
Props to Northwest Ordinance. They have got some killer songs. It's a great disc, but of course no recording could ever capture the intense, frenetic joyfuck of their live show. Those guys are just king-hell awesome.
I can't believe Jesse Remnant is not on that list.
Good call onAndrew & the Pretty Punchers, but where's the love for the online release of "Good Morning Whiskey Breakfast" from The Esther Caulfield Orchestra?
Andrew and the Pretty Punchers should definitely be at the top of the lost. Those guys are just amazing!
Anonymous wrote: "Also, Jesse Remnant is about the only Dayton musician who places the utmost importance on vocal melodies"
I think that Andy Smith (Andrew and the Pretty Punchers) and Jordan Hull also place "the utmost importance on vocal melodies."
i was glad to see Captain of Industry on the list - they are clearly very talented and have been one of my favorite bands to see for the last several years!
The 60's sound is making a comeback. I have to say, Jordan Hull with his unique sound and strong writer can carry Dayton to this era. It's going to be interesting what his next CD sounds like.
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