Best of 2017 #9: Protomartyr - Relatives in Descent (Domino)

Detroit's Protomartyr made a huge splash on the college radio scene with their last album, 2014's The Agent Intellect. 2017's Relatives in Descent sees the band pulling back a bit, becoming more moody and textured, but no less caustic. This is pure post-punk, insistent, dark, noisy and disturbing. Singer Joe Casey is a near dead ringer for Mark E. Smith, if he were American. Casey is as pointed and accusing as MES, but a touch more smooth and less deadpan. The music is driving, moody and repetitive. Snarly and demanding your attention. Great album.

Best of 2017 #10: Gun Control - Volume 1 (Independent)

Getting a late start to the Top 10 albums countdown and review, but we're at it anyway...

Gun Control are a brand new group from our of Vancouver. Self-described as a noise-rock band, they're much more than that. They've got a melodic take on indy rock, merging that with a grungy, sloppy punk sound. Looking for bands they sound like: think early R.E.M, but with clearer vocals, The Thermals, complete with oddball Hutch Harris style vocals, The Connells, ("City of No" sounds a lot like "Stone Cold  Yesterday"), the melodic side of Sleater-Kinney maybe?

Volume 1 is available on Bandcamp at a the "Name Your Price" option, so give them some cash so they can keep making music!

DNTTA Log for August 25, 2017 - All Covers Show

Artist - Song - Album (Label)  * indicates Canadian Content 

Listen to Do Not Touch This Amp every Friday 8-9 PM Pacific at www.thex.ca 

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Von Zippers* - Truck Stop Nun (Da Slyme) - Oh Canaduh 2 (Lance Rock)
Talking Heads - Take Me to the River (Al Green) - Sand in the Vaseline (Warner)
Dread Zeppelin - Bring it on Home (Led Zeppelin) - Un-Led-Ed (IRS)
The Pixies - Sweet Honey Pie (The Beatles) - Live at the BBC (4AD)
The Pursuit of Happiness* - On and On and On (ABBA) - Brave New Waves Sessions (Artoffact)
Men Without Hats* - S.O.S. (ABBA) - Adventures of Women and Men Without Hate... (Mercury)
John Martyn - Singing in the Rain (Gene Kelly) - Head and Heart (Universal)
The Cramps - She Said (Hasil Adkins) - Bad Music For Bad People (IRS)
The Ex-Pistols - Pretty Vacant (The Sex Pistols) - The Swindle Continues (Restless)
Tankhog* - I Woke Up in Love This Morning (Partridge Family) - House of Beauty (Zulu)
Clinique Delay* - We Are Weapons (Lesbo Vrouven) - Je Re-Reviens Genevieve (Independent)
Sleeper Wave  - A Present for Those Who Are Present (Jerome's Dream) - It's More Like an Homage to You (Zegema Beach)
Anthrax - Got the Time (Joe Jackson) - Persistence of Time (Metal Blade)
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga - Cheek to Cheek (Irving Berlin)