Ethan Miller from Howlin Rain and Comets on Fire is one of my favorite rock guitarists and front men. The first time I saw Comets on Fire at a house show in Santa Cruz in early 2003 it changed my life. I still consider it the greatest rock show I have ever attended, and the fact that it was shared by a meager 50 folks for over 3 hours didn't hurt. The psychedelic-hardcore Comets on Fire pioneered is still some of the most sonically awesome music I have ever heard, and something tells me if you picked up their recent records on Sub Pop, you would agree.Now that I am finished gushing, Ethan has a music blog on Blogpost as well. He posts outtakes and live shows from his various bands, but has also taken to posting mix tapes and compilations of Riff Rawk that should be heard by all music aficionados. He recently posted a Galactic Zoo Dossier cassette club tape that contains “explosive rock.” He has it free to download at his blog, and I have a sample of what you can expect from this awesome compilation below.
(Stack Waddy - With One Leap Dan Was By Her Side, _Muriel_ He Breathed)
(Smile - Blag)
For some odd reason I can't remember if I've seen Comets on Fire or not. Some googling tells me that they played Mono in Glasgow when I lived there and I was listening to them then and recall being impressed by them but I can't actually remember the show.
ReplyDeleteComets on Fire remind me a lot of an American take on the Japanese guitar freak out bands like Acid Mothers Temple (who blew me away when I saw them in 2001)...that sort of music that recalls the 70s, except for none of the bands at that time were capable of doing something so blown out and over the top as that (with the exception of some really outsider shit like Les Rallizes Denudes etc).
I saw Earthless a couple of years ago opening for Witch (stoner/doom thing with J Mascis on drums) and they were mining a similar vein.
And Ben Chasny/Six Organs of Admittance is of course fantastic in his own right.
Graeme, maybe I was in that special spot where one is skeptical to a band, but CoF hit me like a firebomb in the head. Something tells me the band was in top form at the show I observed based on the length of their set, but who knows.
ReplyDeleteAs for Earthless, Witch, and Chasny, I agree completely. Awesome shit that should get more of a spin elsewhere.