E48 Rock Roundup: Teenage Wrist, Foo Fighters, Rob Zombie, & Serj Tankian

KC  0:05  
You're listening to The Itch. My name is KC. 

Dan  0:17  
My name is Dan. 

Aaron  0:18  
And I'm Aaron. And this week, we are scratching The Itch to talk about a bunch of bands.

Lots of times, we've

been doing them one at a time, every once in a while, we just get a big old batch of them together. And we talk about how mostly great they are. We're not spending a whole lot of time talking about albums that suck. 

Dan  0:33  
We don't we don't talk about albums and suck. We make fun of them, but we won't elaborate on it. But, you know, this gives us good opportunity to talk about some albums that came out earlier this year that we haven't really had a chance to go over or express our opinion on, but definitely felt that deserved time on our show.

KC  0:48  
Yeah, doing two interviews kind of threw a wrench in some of those plans. But that's what rapidfire reviews are for. To good wrench though.

Dan  0:55  
That's right. That wrench can be thrown in my plan any fucking day, right?

KC  0:59  
That's right.

Aaron  1:01  
We're gonna keep we're gonna keep barking up that tree and then see how many wrenches we can find. interviews are. So the show we're going to each go over different albums that kind of spoke to us in different ways moreso than it might have spoke to the others in on the podcast. So today, and it's going to start us off with a brand new teenage risk album called Earth is a black hole. That's right, thank you for that introduction. I like to think that that part of what these episodes are, is us sort of trying to sell each other on these albums together and the listener. And so we're gonna see if we can we can sort of do that. Yeah, so teenage wrist, we talked about them last season, they were my pick for the album I was most looking forward to in 2021 of all the ones that have been announced to that point. And I'll give a little bit of background here, but I gotta say that I am not at all disappointed in that selection. And I stand by it is one that was worth looking forward to. So um, 10 interest is a band I discovered in 2018 or 2019. Through Spotify, I believe they introduced me to a number of singles like Chrome, neon, Jesus, dweeb, and swallow and I was hooked on this band. They had a sound that throwback kind of to the 90s but was sort of some great distortion. And I really appreciated it. They're named after a song called teenager wristband, which is by a band called The Twilight singers were a little bonus. A bit of info for them. This is actually only their second album. They signed with epitaph a notable mostly punk label before releasing their first album, from neon Jesus in 2018. So they don't have that much out there their entire discography or like, you know, tracklisting is 30 songs, something like that. Maybe but man, they're, they're good though. And and the interesting story, I don't know if you guys saw this or not of this band is that they were originally a three piece, they had a vocalist and basis was a guy named cam. Cam mo hogger actually could be mispronouncing his last name, but we're gonna say that's what it is. And I apologize. It was more well known as the man behind the indie electronic band, the chain gang of 1974. That's something that he is really into, but something that is known in the indie world. So last year, Cam left the band, and we've had discussions on previous episodes about how difficult it is to recover from losing a vocalist, particularly a vocalist. But these guys, they kind of just carried on like nothing happened. Their guitarist guy named Marshall Gallagher, he stepped into the vocalist role, he wrote the tracks yellowbelly and were you down. And those got good enough reaction from Anthony Salazar, the drummer and the other people who were, you know, kinda responsible for this man's well being, you get enough response from them that they just moved right into their next chapter. So okay, Marshall is our guitarist and now also our vocalist. his vocal style is similar enough to cam that I found it to be a smooth transition, but it's not identical cameras very breathy and soft and Marshall goes there, but sometimes he also has the ability to get a lot louder. I want to give you guys a chance to chime in. But I also want to give the listeners a concise description of what I think this band sounds like. I think the best way to put it is to me this band is if Jim blossoms and Jimmy Eat World merged and then became a grunge band. That's what they sound like to me. I have to show you this but that's really hilarious. I have to show you this so on my notes and I have it written right here. And you can probably see it right there. genda I said it sounded like Gin Blossoms tonic and semi Sonic like all the 90s like alternative it's like oh yeah,

KC  4:09  
with a sprinkle of Weezer here in there.

Aaron  4:11  
Yeah, yeah. at the college rock sound and then put those distorted guitars on it. Like they're clearly a band you know one of those bands that like listen to Nirvana and that kind of thing, but I don't know I'm such a sucker for for bands like tonic and stuff like that and Jimmy world and Jimmy world is one of my all times and hearing you know get that with a little bit of a little tiny bit of like that Deftones distortion and stuff. It's just it was so cool. That sound What do you guys think about this? I liked a lot like I said it was it kind of like sound just like your prototypical 90s old rock songs. It was really rare because I didn't realize this band formed in like 2014 I these guys look a little older and so I just assumed that they have been around forever thinking that they were from like the 90s because they just sound like they just were straight out of the 90s like one of those alternative bands you would hear on 18 on the one boy bands. I really did like the song yellowbelly wasting time and my favorite is the title track Earth is black gold by far the best song In my opinion, I agree. And it's interesting because it's kind of buried at the end of the album is subtract nine out of 10. Right? Yeah, it's so it's so powerful. So fun. It was a real pleasant surprise at the end of the album, I have to admit, like that was like, you know, the album's good. And there's a little bit of times where they can kind of blend into each other, but they all have a unique sound. And it was just nice, cuz like you kind of listen to you get into and all of a sudden, are this black hole plays. That's what it sounds like. It was playing. I was like, wait, what's the name of this one? This is really good. And I like went out of my way to make sure I knew what it was like to talk about it. Right? Yeah. They do a great job of I feel like like they're certainly Yeah, there's certainly a consistent sound. But they have these tracks that they alternate between like the heavier ones and kind of the jangle euro ones, there's a couple of them towards the middle end that even get a little tiny bit electronic, which I thought was really interesting, or at least had like some bits in them. Yeah, and even the influence like some of like a, I think it was yellowbelly that That to me was one of the ones or maybe silver spoon, it was like the most gem blossomy. And earth as a black hole is a very Jimmy Eat World. It's like it's up road bleed America, or futures era track, like hardcore. And I say that as a compliment.

KC  6:00  
And I even really enjoyed the intro song that just kind of has the title track in the song sporadically. And, you know, as soon as you notice that, it was a nice way to open up the album.

Aaron  6:11  
Yeah, it really was. And so I appreciate what these guys were doing. And I feel like they're a band that we could relate to. I know when they were getting ready to put the album out. Marshall, he said, I quote, I feel like a lot of modern rock music is trying to be something between pop and hip hop. And that's not what we wanted to do at all. We wanted to make, we wanted to make something big and aggressive that also had melody and immediacy. And I think that they hit that nail right on the head. And I appreciate that cuz I fully agree that a lot of modern rock music is electronic pop music. So these guys are like we're bringing back some sounds from you know, our youth and it works.

KC  6:45  
Without that recommending that.

Aaron  6:46  
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a great point. Justin. Just last week, we talked about recommending de teenage wrist sounds like a band that is highly influenced by the soundtrack to Empire records. Or if they if they remade Empire records and because they remake everything, I'm gonna make sure that I find those people and be like, Hey, get teenagers in on this because they're orphaned for you.

KC  7:04  
Covered cinemark linamar

Aaron  7:07  
I'm trying to imagine that right now. You know if they remade the Empire records it would be it would take place in like an apple store so

KC  7:16  
your download isn't

Aaron  7:17  
the Apple Store is the man that the Empire the Empire is battling. There's no more there's no more power I guess. The best case that's a great point that's that's what that's that's that's so sad. The Empire flooding loss. Okay, you're not you're not wrong. But yeah, I just I This album was one, they released four or five singles before the album came out. And I appreciate each one, to the point where like, I was super familiar with them when the album itself dropped. And so some of those other songs. At first to me, they felt lower quality. But with every Listen, a lot of like new emotion. I again, the first couple listens, I didn't dig them as much because I was so used to others. But every time I went through it, I liked them more to where like, I genuinely would say that on this 10 track album, even including that intro that I enjoy every single track. Personally, I would still say that in like a vacuum. That pretty reckless probably has the quote Best Album of the Year because I feel like that album is very, it's just so well done with what she was going for. And also, I feel like it's a very important rock album. Yeah, hit all the marks. Yeah. Whereas this was still a little more under the radar. But for me personally, this is my favorite album. This is the year so far. This is the one that I will go back and listen to repeatedly the most. Yeah, I don't really like putting numbers on albums until we actually do the countdown. But yeah, I just don't that out for comparison. Yeah, makes sense.

KC  8:33  
Yeah, I enjoyed the whole album, as well. But specifically the last four tracks on the album, I really enjoyed. Hi, again, wasting time. Or if there's a black hole and Stella

Aaron  8:43  
Yeah. And I love that whenever an album can catch you at the end is there's we talked last season about the number of albums that we came across that felt very top heavy. And I don't think this was top heavy. I may argue that that's catchy, as to songs are probably taste of gasoline and earth as a black hole, and I was attracted to a nine. So they were like, we're gonna get you coming and going on this one. And you're gonna enjoy it. So. So kudos to teenagers. And I'm definitely looking forward to hearing what they do next, because it's their sophomore album, and it seems like they can survive that massive band change very well. And I'm also just a sucker for two man bands. The last time we did one of these episodes, I did localizers to two man band. And so here we go again. What's weird about that, though, when you say that is that if you watch your music videos, they Yes, they do have two men and the Ben fan but like they have other additional people helping them play the music. Yeah, that was interesting. Yeah, that music video. feature two people had masks on. So I'm guessing obviously that they're not part of the band. They're probably like the touring band, but it was just I thought it was weird. It was definitely weird. I think that was the black hole of video. So the one where he at one point he's wearing this like big weird like spike suit and they're like playing in a white room and the two guys have masks are pretty much off to the side that just focuses on main two. Yeah. So Marshall said that their first album was more nostalgic and it was about growing up and kind of seeing the world the way it was. And this album is more about trying to push through how the world is to something new and better. So with that, I'm gonna pass it over to KC, do you have another album for us? That is new and better in some way?

KC  10:12  
It's it's new. I don't know that it's better.

Aaron  10:14  
But it's better. I don't have to put a comparison. Better. Nonetheless, it was a little bit of a sloppy segue. But nonetheless, what do you got for us?

KC  10:21  
Yes, we got the Foo Fighters new album medicine at midnight. Yes. This is their 10th studio album, if you can believe that. I do believe that. Actually. They're on forever. That's true. And we've we've covered them in depth once before in our red white foo episode as well.

Aaron  10:41  
I want to say that was episode eight, but could be wrong. Yeah. I feel like we kind of have a special connection to this band. Just because we're doing our radio show. We had a fan call and and say that he didn't like when we played the Foo Fighters. So we had to kind of defend it. And then just say that it doesn't matter. Screw you. We're still playing the fan playing the Foo Fighters. What's up with that? Come on, some people didn't like it. Barely. Yeah. So KC, how would you sell us on this album?

KC  11:03  
Well, I would say that anytime the Foo Fighters make music, it's good. And so I always enjoy listening to their stuff. However, this album, well, this album was kind of I don't know if concept is a good word for it. But they definitely took a new direction with this album in particular, because the like, I don't know how many there were four or five. I would just say a quartet of girls singing in the background of most of the tracks. I don't know that it always fit. But it was a choice and they went there.

Aaron  11:38  
Well, that's one thing I've noticed that Dave has done. In the most recent years, he tries to make this band as large as possible. Like I feel like every time I see them, they have more and more members.

KC  11:47  
Yes. It's like the Grateful Dead.

Aaron  11:50  
Yeah, they're just gonna be out on stage with 30 people at some point. Yeah, everybody's playing a different weird ass instrument. So I can't I couldn't quite put my finger on it. But as I was listening to this, I felt like they were trying to lean into a like a specific sort of, like, nostalgic style somewhere in classic rock, but I don't like say, Okay, this band or this exact era, maybe you guys knowing more about that than I do could enlighten me a little bit as to what I'm hearing.

KC  12:13  
Well, I was I was trying to do a little bit of research, you know, being that Dave is, you know, more or less classic artists himself with Nirvana and everything else over the years. But he was quoted as saying as this was sort of like a David Bowie esque album which I can kind of see now that he mentioned that but it just like I said, it took a little bit of a turn the way we're used to hearing the Foo Fighters

Aaron  12:39  
Yeah, you don't sound like you're sold on his I actually love this album. I'll be quite honest like I that's one of my favorite albums from them and a long long time and I think what he means by deep voice I feel like it's experimental in the sense of this is not a Foo Fighters sound. None of this now that sounds like their typical music. But one of the things I did like is it's very radio friendly. Yes, almost every single song could be a single that would be a great single I mean there's a couple of them that are boring going wrong you know chasing birds but yeah

KC  13:06  
towards the end it definitely

Aaron  13:08  
Yeah, clouds fighters is just boring as well but I thought there was a lot of great great songs in my favorite was titled track medicine midnight like the head bass guitar solos i think i've ever heard and the Foo Fighters song I literally was listening to was like, is this Gary Clark Jr. plains? It talks about like he's got some blues going on in this like this is a great was a very bluesy song. I love medicine that night. It kind of like I think a lot of the album kind of had a blues type of feel to it. I wouldn't say classic rock it was more blues guitar to me. Yeah, it was. That's what I was hearing. Yeah. Kind of like Clapton influence almost, you

KC  13:40  
know. Yeah. Oh, that that might be it. Yeah. Although the one the one track that I wanted to mention, for sure, was a track for waiting on a war, which I love the sun. But it's times like these with a faster, more epic ending. listen to the song. That's what it is.

Aaron  13:58  
When you're 1010 albums in, you're gonna have songs and sound the same. You could probably pick out four songs out of their out of their discography that sounds almost just like everlong like, you know, the actual song itself. Yeah.

KC  14:10  
So I was listening to it. I was like, This is totally the riff and everything of times like these the same, same vocal styling. But then the end happens. I'm like, Okay, this song redeems itself. It's really awesome. There we go.

Aaron  14:23  
He mentioned as I was reading, I'm reading up on a little bit kind of as we talk as well. And girl says that he was inspired by rock bands that make like, a beat, like kind of dance kind of records. Yeah, I would say that as Foo Fighters go, this is definitely their dance record. Yes, they do a lot of different rhythmic things. And they kind of just play around almost sound feels to me, like it's very loose and like, and so yeah. Yeah, I mean, it's like I said, it's way way better than concrete and gold was like that. That was very lacking. Like it had a couple of decent tracks here and there, but it just was the whole album was very disjointed. Yeah, this album is very well, I think it's I feel like it's very well put together it flows. unto itself, there's there's a few tracks that are a little bit slower and odd places. But all in all, I think the whole album is one of the best ones that they've put out in a long, long time. I should probably, I don't even I can't even like tell you maybe since wasting light like I wasted my is probably my last favorite Foo Fighters album that they put out, which was a decade ago. My deal. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I want to throw this out here. And so you guys think of it of this thought. One thing that I'm appreciating about the Foo Fighters is that they don't really try to be cool or like, follow a trend. They, they just seem to make things that they enjoy. And I appreciate it that a band that does that, like, Who knows if any of these tracks are gonna, you know, appeal to Gen Z, or whatever. But that's not their thing. They're not chasing that radio play. They're gonna get the radio play anyway, because the Foo Fighters they don't have to. But if Yeah, you can definitely to me, I hear when I hear this album. I'm immediately like, these guys are having fun doing this. And I say that Hear me out on this one. To me, this album is fun for the Foo Fighters in the same way that the Green Day album was last year. I feel like there's I feel like there's a lot of similarities to me. And like the vibe behind it, not the sounds totally different kind of songs, right.

KC  16:04  
But they had a style.

Aaron  16:05  
Yeah, it seems like a band who's like, here's what we're gonna do for this. And it's gonna be crazy fun. And, you know, and those are very veteran bands that don't really have to keep up with anything, or I'm sure there's pressure to sell records and whatnot, still, but they've reached a point in their career where there's a lot of freedom. And so that was I really liked this album for that reason. Because I just I enjoy hearing bands have fun, and I totally felt like the Foo Fighters. Were doing that across this whole album. Yeah. So like, you know, like I said, before we started talking about the Foo Fighters. I don't necessarily like to play some bands number of right off the bat earlier, but I like this a lot. I would easily say with all the songs on it out of as many songs I like off of it. I can probably say that. It'll be it's definitely in my top 20 might push your top 10.

KC  16:49  
Yeah. Interesting. It might. One other small thing I wanted to bring up is the videos for Shame, shame, and waiting on a war. It starts off with like broken guitars, which is awkward. I don't know what the symbolism is behind behind that. But it seems like a theme of some sort.

Aaron  17:09  
What? Describe what you mean a little more the videos they open with with a shot of just like some busted guitar stuff somewhere.

KC  17:14  
Yeah. And in shame, shame. He's like laying laying in a field or not a field but on a hill. And I think his electric guitar is broken. And then oh, waiting on a war is a similar thing as well. There's just a broken guitar on the ground. Interesting.

Aaron  17:31  
I wonder what the I wonder what that supposed to be about. I appreciate when there's some kind of like visual consistencies and throwbacks and videos, I have to look into that more see if we can discern what's happening. I have a question for you guys about the Foo Fighters. I wanna get your take on this. So like thinking back over their whole discography is the band has been around for 25 years. 26 maybe? Yeah. Anyway, do you think the Foo Fighters would be nearly as big? If not for one day rolls, massive likeableness? And also has history as part of Nirvana? Like, are they actually overall that special in terms of pure musical quality? Or is it more of their personality? That that keeps them from falling off the map? Like a lot of other bands from that era? Have?

KC  18:11  
It's kind of above all the above? Yeah. Well, here's what I would say with that. Um, I think his success in Nirvana definitely helped. However, he he went a completely different direction from Nirvana. So I feel like, you know, hardcore fans of Nirvana may or may not be hardcore fans of Foo Fighters and vice versa. But I feel I feel like, like you said, the likeableness of Dave Grohl, and just the the amount of good music that he puts out in general. I think it would, it would, we would still be where we are now, despite,

Aaron  18:47  
you know, I think one reason why I said all the above is because I mean, there's no doubt that that not just a girl, but all the Foo Fighters have likeability and from their very first music video big me like it was hilarious. They're making fun of Mentos, which, which was a huge, popular commercial around that time. Yeah, you know, the candy called photos. And then I completely rip it out. And it was good to see Dave get away from Nirvana, because it was more lighthearted side of him. And I think that was him having more fun playing the music, you just end up being better, or at least to me, in my opinion. And I think I think because of that, yeah, I honestly Yeah, I think that there aren't there's definitely great music that that you know, we would be devastated if I never, you know, it never existed like everlong and a monkey wrench and and all kinds of learning to fly. Like, there's some such amazing songs, they continue to put out great music that yeah, I think it's I think it's both to be honest.

KC  19:36  
I'm gonna kind of take it a slightly different direction as well. But I just this is a question that popped into my head. Do you think that Nirvana would take on a different appeal? If Dave Grohl was the front man as opposed to Kurt?

Aaron  19:51  
Oh, yeah, it would be completely different. I mean, the reason why Nirvana was the way they were was because of Kurt's kind of, you know, depression and and Now that the way he felt about commercialism and things like that. So yeah, there's no doubt that there would have been, because I think that they didn't really care about commercialism. He would have probably sold out way quicker. Yeah, that's true. I think I think so like if from the from the start, grow was the leader in Nirvana because I kind of were hypothesizing Yes.

KC  20:21  
Yeah. If he was the front man versus Yeah,

Aaron  20:23  
yeah. I don't think they would have been any I don't think anybody would really remember that much. To be honest. I think at that time, there was something that worked for Nirvana, which was the three different personalities of of Kurt, Chris and Dave, which, you know, Chris was this like, giant goofball, and then and then Kurt was sort of like the anti establishment guy. And then Dave, actually, at that point was kind of shy, quiet when comparatively speaking, he just had a goofy face. Where Kurt were Grohl, especially, I'd say more and more as he's gotten older is just so genuinely likable. Kurt had, like Mystique. He was mysterious and very interesting. People always wanted to know more about him. And I think that that drove a lot of everybody and also his pain as Dan kind of,

KC  21:01  
kind of alluded to. Right. So

Aaron  21:02  
I don't know, I don't think they would have been half as big a deal.

KC  21:05  
Kurt, Kurt.

Aaron  21:06  
Really? Was that vital? I think to that band.

KC  21:07  
Yeah.

Aaron  21:08  
Last question. Okay, so do you think that both of them would have been able to be successful at the same time? Do you think Nirvana would have anyone been successful at the same time to fires? Or do you think that if Foo Fighters had taken off and you know obviously Kurt was alive? Do you think that they've ended would have been leaving Nirvana at some point?

KC  21:27  
Probably I think so. Cuz I don't know if leave entirely is the thing, but he was definitely already working on Foo Fighters before he passed away. Yeah,

Aaron  21:36  
I think we hypothesized about this ones last year episode, but I think they would have been successful at the same time, but I don't think it would have been Nirvana and Foo Fighters. I think it'd been kobane solo and Foo Fighters. I think they called me what I'm saying. And then girl went all in on Foo Fighters, and they both would have been out there doing good stuff. That's my hypothesis. I like playing What if games about rock history? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Especially when somebody passes away like that, and you just never know what could have been?

KC  22:02  
that's always what could have been. Yeah, that's a good point. Well, speaking of long, tenured bands, we have one more

Aaron  22:09  
Yeah, this dude's been doing it for 30 years now. Rob Zombie with his new album and I'm sure I'm gonna butcher it. The Lunar injection Kool Aid Eclipse conspiracy. I will say that I love the album. There's there's there's a lot of criticism that I understand why he is getting for this out. But I absolutely loved it. I mean, it's it to me it's classic Rob Zombie like it's exactly what I would have expected if like he you know, this album had come out right after hillbilly Deluxe or the sinister urge like this sounds like classic zombie. I will say though, that I think he spent longer naming the tracks and naming the album. Then he may have writing when KC said long tenured band or long tenured artists the my my first immediate thought was also long album titled artists.

KC  22:57  
Yes,

Aaron  22:58  
he has been on a kick the last three albums, I don't understand it. this most recent album, as I said, the lunar injection Kool Aid Eclipse conspiracy for that exactly. The album before that the electric Warlock acid, which satanic orgy celebration dispenser dispenser is really the word that throws me off in there, weirdly enough, and I tried to like spell it out, like, is this a acronym for something? I don't think so. And then before that venomous rent regeneration vendor,

KC  23:24  
it's all code.

Aaron  23:25  
I guess. It's, I feel like it's the code words to activate the Winter Soldier.

KC  23:32  
It's a code. It's a code in one of his horror films that he hasn't released yet something Oh, my gosh.

Aaron  23:39  
Yeah, I mean, it starts there's an I also that I will say that there's a lot of filler, but that's to be expected in a zombie album. Like there's a reason why it's 17 tracks and it's because half of it is just, it's just filler. It's Introduction Music. He that's he's always had that on his on his albums.

KC  23:53  
Yeah. Before you before you go too far into that. Can I say that? for once? I actually enjoyed filler on this. Because all of the filler tracks are just weird, like stylings that typical Rob Zombie music normally doesn't do. And I kind of wanted him to like sing like not just do his typical voice style, but like, actually do some vocal harmony type singing and he never does. So that's, that's interesting, but it's typical Rob Zombie.

Aaron  24:22  
Yeah. And especially as I get older, I can imagine he's probably going to do less and less harmony as he gets older. Yeah, it starts off with an introduction song and then goes into the triumph of King freak. A crypt of preservation and superstition also the first single off the album, and I mean, just as soon as that starts and you hear that that john five guitar riff you know, it's a zombie album and john five, the dude is just fucking amazing. Like he has been doing this for years. He can do anything and this album proves that there's a song that sounds like country song 18 cent has a pair with me I'd say the whole song names the track seven. It's like a country size and country Rob Zombie song called 18th Entry cannibals, excitable more locks and a one way ticket on the ghost train. And I mean every song on this album, but these particular songs just show the versatility and the amazingness of john five and his guitar skills. Like the way he just fingers the guitar on track seven like it's just amazing what he can do. And he's, he's renowned as one of the Greatest Guitarists of All Time. But this this album, like it's just, it just shows like it's been it's like almost a pinnacle like it shows his versatility. He could do anything. He's great rest. There's some fantastic solos on this album. And then there's just stuff that you wouldn't expect with like the country song and just the country riff and

KC  25:32  
the twain from from john five, it's just not something you would ever expect. The country song was kind of hilarious to me because the way Rob sang it was kind of in the stylings of Les Claypool with when on his big brown Beaver.

Aaron  25:42  
funny that you mentioned that because there's a lot of songs that I felt like almost had like a less playful influence to them. Yeah, yeah, there's, I think The Ballad of sleazy writer there's like a couple of parts. In the shadow cemetery, man. There's like a couple of parts where it just feels like les Claypool could have had some engineer interjection to him or her some influence on the songs. But yeah, I actually love this album, john five is just absolutely amazing. And, and he's the absolute reason why this this album is great. Like, I will say that, you know, the criticism is understandable. Like Rolling Stone basically said that he just offers the same disco metal track. He's been peddling for 30 years. I mean, yeah, but that's what you mean when you get arrives. I mean, that's what you fucking expect. Like, you're not going to hear Oh, I want to hear something different. Let's Let's hope he sounds like Foo Fighters this time. Like, I want him to sound like zombie. That's point blank. Like, I don't know what they mean by that, like, so I don't understand why they would kritis critical. Yeah. Yes, it doesn't sound like you know, he's morphed a song. And that's even kind of what I said. It sounds like this album could be interjected right after, like, the sinister urge came out. It sounds just like that kind of sound. But I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I think that that's him just being zombie and doing his thing.

KC  26:47  
Right. And that's, that's one thing that I kind of, like I said, with the filler tracks, they kind of hit up tons of different genres. So it was it was interesting to hear, hear all those things, but it just kind of left me wanting a little more but

Aaron  27:00  
I think was something like this really just depends on how your mileage is for the sound when you get an artist that it goes on for years and years and doesn't really change it up too much. You know, if that's the sound that you're doing, and they're doing it well then yeah, you probably are still gonna like what they come out with. If you know if you've if you've evolved in your taste, or if you feel like they're just repeating like literally repeating themselves, then I can see why you wouldn't like it very much. But that's a fine line too, because you're kind of damned if you do damned if you don't when it comes to changing your sound. If you know if you change too much then oh man, they were only good at the beginning their first three albums or whatever. If you don't change at all, like oh, they're boring. They never evolve. So you got it's tough to find that middle ground. You haven't

KC  27:37  
changed in 30 years.

Aaron  27:39  
He's like yeah, changed your clothes in 30 years Rob.

KC  27:43  
Change shaved in 30 years either

Aaron  27:44  
is the dirtiest look enough. I'm pretty sure he rolls in mud before he before he shows up in public. And makeup phase right of makeup. But you know the other thing that is very prominent on this album is the dude loves women. There is no doubt about it. loves his women. I mean, rightfully so when you're married to Sheri Moon zombie fuck yaghi all about singing you know about how great they are to your sector. Any of us I love that for 30 years to married to her for the first thing I think of if you mentioned Rob Zombie is actually is actually why zombie is more human than human. And there's some stuff in there that definitely alludes to how much he's about the lace. And I'm pretty sure that's Sheri Moon zombie making those sounds I'm probably wrong. Yeah. I know that she's the one in like, Dracula living dead girl.

KC  28:30  
Right?

Aaron  28:31  
I was gonna use videos for those. I will say I will say for zombie. I've, it's interesting because there's a part of me that just loves like industrial kind of sounds. We've talked before about how much I enjoy static abs and how contrary that is to a lot of the other bands that I appreciate. Zombie I never quite developed as much of an affinity for but I do appreciate that the way that he's sort of that he can somehow weirdly meld being like a backwoods hillbilly, and like, like an industrial like electronic metal guy. Somehow he puts those into one thing and it's such a bizarre combination, but I do think it makes them fairly unique. And I just never been that much of a fan of like how far he is into like, like slasher. There's his films and stuff like that. I've never really appealed to me. The stages he goes too far in some directions that that I think are just not that comfortable with. That's, that's my personal tastes on that. But I appreciate the vibe in general. A lot of times they're too real. They're too to me the one of reasons why this movies really mess with me is because they just are too close to reality. Yeah. Like, I was like, I'm not a fan of horror movies at all, but like i will say the house 1000 corpses The first time I saw that movie generally freaked me the hell out. Because I mean, you're a grown man, by the way. Yeah, you weren't you were not a child when we came out. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, so. I mean, it's just it was an incredible take on on like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre kind of situation. Yeah. But it's, I mean, it's those type of situations that can happen and there's crazy people out there in the world like that. And so it's just like, it's just, it's too close to home almost like it but I mean, he does a great A job of painting characters and building his movies and using the music to build suspense, like, his movies are fantastic. And I think that's one reason why I've appreciated him more because he's just becoming more and more of an artist. Everything he does. It's not just music, it's it's movies, it's musical soundtracks. It's everything he does is just amazing. Yeah. And his live shows are fantastic too. Like, we talked about in sevenfold having amazing live shows like he's, he's got a very great rock theatrical show. He would have to because, you know, he comes out of his 80s he still sort of comes out of that shock rock vein at some degree or another. He's the guy tours with Manson and does Halloween stuff. And that's, you know, Dan just discovered something amazing. I did. Do you know, what zombie did before the success of white zombie? Do you know what Rob Zombie did known as Robert Bartlett Cummings.

KC  30:50  
I don't I don't

Aaron  30:51  
know. He was a production assistant for the television series. Pee Wee's Playhouse. That's how do you go to Pee Wee's Playhouse to white zombie? Like, crazy? This was a question. Can you imagine if Rob Zombie were given free rein to make his own Pee Wee's Playhouse how jacked up that would be like if he was full control over it. Like kinda already

KC  31:13  
has in like cartoons and stuff that he's done?

Aaron  31:16  
Probably. Yeah, yeah. That'd be jacked up. Also, I want to know that that was what you guys were saying earlier.

I'm very intrigued. Now, I want to see a collaboration between Rob Zombie and les Claypool. Yeah, I think that they need to get together. I don't, it would just be fantastic. There's something about their bizarre vibes that I think would mesh so perfectly. I have to agree it would be a match made in heaven. It really, we need we're going to tweet at them and make this happen. That's how we do it. This is where we need that influence again. That's right. Oh, boy, that's that's great. Speaking of very interesting characters, people with unique singing styles and storytelling ability search, taking a System of a Down release an EP on March 19, called elasticity. And it is also worth talking about. Yes. So we're gonna spend a couple minutes talking about it's very short, it's a five track EP. And the whole reason this EP came about was because a few years back, when they talked about getting back together a System of a Down, he decided to set some songs aside and arrange them in a quote, Iraq purpose iraq format for that purpose. But as they weren't able to see eye to eye on the vision going forward with a brand new System of a Down album, he decided to just go ahead and release those songs under his own

KC  32:26  
moniker.

Dan  32:27  
You can definitely tell there's a couple of minutes sound like they're ready for some of it down, but I would I would have to disagree with his quote, rock format, I

KC  32:35  
think Yeah, I I definitely would agree with you there.

Aaron  32:39  
I could 100% here. Like I think it's what you just said a number of these as system songs. I don't think they're quite system songs where they're at right now. But had them not. System literally not being system songs, you can only go so far with one of the guys making them himself. But yeah, I'm with you. I could totally feel where he was trying to go. And what's interesting is that I would have said, you know, a year ago, I would have said, Yeah, put out anything that you think is system ish, because we're never gonna get real system again. And then we got a little tiny system again. So now I'm wondering, like, I wonder if he brought these songs to the table and they're recording those? And they were or not maybe they only intended to write those very specific two tracks? Or maybe he's, you know, got rejected. Maybe he had already recorded them before they even did those systems. I don't know. I think I don't know. It's not a lot of them. already recorded. Yeah.

KC  33:20  
lasticity definitely was because they they filmed that video, way before the pandemic times because oh, wow, there were a ton of people in that video. Yeah, they're all they're all sitting close together and chairs too.

Aaron  33:35  
I'll say that that for me. And you guys have listened to this. Individually, the system solo stuff a lot more I think that I have but I would say that this probably feels about as close to System of a Down is probably anything I've heard from the end of the solo efforts. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. Because as he first started with his solo stuff, he you know, it still kind of had a little bit of the system sound a little reminiscent of their sound, but the further he went into his solo career, he definitely got away from that sound and started doing his own kind of thing that I wouldn't really consider rock music. It's not bad music, it's just not rock music. surges is another one of those guys that he was I mean, system was already pretty experimental for a metal band. They were they were weird very time signatures and the yelping and stuff all this stuff. But he also is like Dude, who has moved into a lot of like film, work scoring and stuff like that. And so I think that you're gonna get some of that vibe and other stuff that he does, if that makes sense. There is some like, I don't know, maybe if you call it like cinematic kind of stuff or something.

KC  34:29  
But well, the ones the one thing on the EP the one track that definitely stood out when in our text chain, when you asked about the your mom's on? Yes. And instantly, I was like, wow, the lyrics to this should be great.

Dan  34:44  
Right? You called your mom. It's naturally gonna be wonderful. Right? I will have to say that knowing what we know now about the political differences with system over down. I'm curious if this song had a something to do with that rift or that rift Maybe he's singing about John's mom. I don't know.

KC  35:03  
But we've mentioned this to each other it's definitely interesting hearing a song in 2021 that has the word retarded twice in two separate lines that repeat over and over again. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker  35:15  
it is especially for somebody like Suresh who can so I wouldn't at least consider very politically correct.

KC  35:20  
Yeah, I mean, not that he does not that he used the word incorrectly because both times he uses it. It's a correct terminology, but it's just really strange in today's world.

Aaron  35:30  
Yeah, I guess I feel I get what he's going for. And, but it that word at this point is one of those things that like, it's gonna make you cringe just a little bit to hear it It showed anyway, even if he was appropriately because, frankly, I'm so used to hearing it use derogatorily. Offensively that even hearing it in a different context. It just feels wrong a little bit. But I don't know maybe we should give him some credit for for boldness or being willing to choose that word. I don't know. I'm not really I still don't forget what to think about it.

KC  35:57  
He's bringing it back.

Aaron  35:59  
Yeah, like I don't know that that word is redeemed in that I don't think Yeah, but but sign it I will say that your mom is definitely the most system song that's come out since 2005. I mean, the lyrics are right on point they sound like a straight system song and the music is there as well. And I absolutely love this song.

KC  36:18  
I

Aaron  36:20  
the first time I heard it. For one, I laughed my ass off. And then I made my wife listen to it. I was like you gotta listen to her. This is funny now that we have agreed with your mom against the riches for the far right, let's hold your mouth wrong the right and give her the green light. Let your mind man and watch her wipe them out. Like I love that. I think this is one of the Yeah, this is one of those ones that really hits really well the System of a Down balance of social commentary and weirdness where they managed to take goofy sounding lyrics, but also say something that has some depth to it using those words and those terms. And so kudos, kudos to search for writing your mom. As far as the sound and all of this thing, I don't know that this up. I don't I don't know that I would want to listen to a full album of stuff that was right in this vein, but

I did enjoy this. I said probably I would have enjoyed every song of these five, as they are like, I think this is a solid EP right here.

KC  37:12  
Yeah, yeah, I

Aaron  37:13  
agree. I mean, there's it. I think that some of the tracks probably could have been better with maybe they're in or Chava or John's influenced, like how many times electric caravan. I think Rumi was actually just a really pretty song as it is. I will say it's kind of funny, in my opinion, you know, being a dad, like it's a great song that I'm glad that he you know, put together and felt that inspired to sing for his son. But like, me personally, like I would have felt like I was embarrassing my son with that with that song. I'm not it's not that's a bad song. It's just like, it's very mushy. Like, right? Yeah, I'll be I'll be like it's a nice warm hug. Yeah, it's a sappy gentle, and so like yeah, maybe it's he's younger, it's probably appropriate but like as a kid goes in high school and he's like, Oh, your roomie does your sit. You're dead. So sing about you. It's like my dad is taken. So shut up.

KC  38:03  
Your mom. Yeah, no one else your mom. That's

Aaron  38:11  
I mean, that's that's what I thought like, it's a great song. It's really pretty, but like, I don't know if that was written about me. And my dad wrote me a little bit embarrassing. Yeah, Dad, you had to be so mushy about it. Like, I love you to God. Geez. like about it? What would what would your socks on to your son's be like, the sound nothing more did. called fade in fade out fade in fade out? Yeah, yeah. Okay. I haven't actually heard this track. Yeah, I made it happen after this episode. One of the things that I've been reading to my son all the time, is Oh, the places you'll go by Dr. Seuss. Like it's just right on point like it's it's the best worldly advice you could ever give somebody? Believe me read it ticket a ticket. Say I thought you were gonna say it was to be a song. Like stop killing your brother and go to sleep. Crap today.

KC  38:53  
Don't Don't hit him with that. Put that down. Go to the corner. Corner. Like that's me and time out losing my privileges.

Aaron  39:16  
So apparently, apparently dad's dad song it is already I just didn't know that was gonna go there. Fantastic. Fantastic. All right. So that's gonna do it for this rock round up. And, man. So that's that's four pieces of work that we as the target to collectively approve and say that if you have not heard them yet, you should.

KC  39:36  
Definitely

Aaron  39:38  
and if we have missed any other albums that have come out this year, I know we have. There's just honestly not time to talk about everything. But if there are any other releases that have come out that you would like to get our take on by all means, let us know. I think that these roundups are going to be a regular thing every however many months we feel appropriate. So we'll probably have another one coming up not too distant future because there's so dang much music coming out.

KC  39:55  
Yeah, that and especially if we have more interviews on the horizon.

Aaron  39:58  
That's right. That's right. We're working on that. All right, this has been good guys. Let's wrap this sucker up. Thank you very much for listening to the edge podcast. My name is Dan. I'm KC. And I'm Erin. And until next time back on. If you enjoyed what you heard in this episode, please subscribe. I tell a friend about the show.