Notes From The Record Room: Mid-June Updates, SUMAC & Moor Mother, Sly-Brian-Dylan, Girls Against Boys
Record Room: Friday, 6/27
To whom it may interest,
Decompressing after a tough week, listening to ESG, and playing some catch up. Temps have been oppressive, but a welcome drop in temperature has helped the mood. The window’s open and the sounds are spinning. My feet are kicked up.
Acknowledging this significant period of inactivity that this post is disrupting, I’ve been dealing with professional and household issues that have been monopolizing time, money, and attention. Consequently, I’ve been unable to keep up with monthly playlists, reviews, or even music-related engagement. Social media posts have dwindled as well.
I continually promise that I’ll work to keep this space interesting and up-to-date, but it’s difficult to make plans when extenuating factors, which are typically beyond my control, tend to distract from or remove all ability to follow through.
If you’re still checking this stuff out, I appreciate your patience.
A few things…
SUMAC
& Moor Mother
The Film
Thrill Jockey
Released: 4/25/25
“THE FILM, released earlier this year via Thrill Jockey Records,
is a SUMAC / Moor Mother collaboration, each track built out
as ‘scenes’ (or interludes) to push the notion that what
you’re listening to is a narrative work. To add, the music,
written, performed, and recorded for this album,
is dubbed a fully-realized ‘score.’”— Review blurb
You can read the full review at No Ripcord.
In Memoriam…
Sly Stone (3/15/25-6/9/25) | Brian Wilson (6/20/42-6/11/25) | Douglas McCarthy (9/1/66-6/11/25)
I was introduced to Girls Against Boys in 1994. GVSB opened for Helmet while they were touring their then-new Betty LP, a power-laced volume I continue to hold near and dear. As I recently saw Helmet perform Betty in its entirety earlier this year, it seemed appropriate to bring the bands back together, so to speak, or to revisit a band I hadn’t seen perform live for over 30 years.
The evening’s opener was MAAFA, a Brooklyn-based Afro-Brazillian hardcore outfit whose energy was undeniably palpable. Vocalist Flora Lucini (also of The 1865 — R.I.P., Sacha Jenkins) spared no opportunity to speak her mind to the crowd, MAAFA’s music effusive with social commentary overtop a tight rhythm section.
Unfortunately, the sound that evening at Johnny Brenda’s was noticeably off, particularly for the guitarist who, despite demonstrating evident skill, could barely cut through the dominant low end and the percussion, which, in addition to a drum kit, was augmented by mic’d hand drums. It’s possible that so many components on such a small stage couldn’t help but fight for clarity.
Strong opener overall.
Some of those technical issues carried into GVSB’s set, though they seemed to be eventually worked out over the course of the band’s performance.
I was overtaken by fanboy elation, admittedly inebriated by the band’s precise renditions of songs I’ve been in love with for decades. Mining the fruitful volumes that are Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby, Cruise Yourself, and House of GVSB, GVSB’s setlist contained nary a dull entry, the band displaying perceived effortlessness as the songs took shape. On more than a few occasions, singer / guitarist Scott McCloud would place his right hand over his heart, projecting gratitude as he’d mouth the words “thank you” while applause cancelled out all other incidental sound.
Introduced with some amusing self-deprecation, GVSB surprised the audience with an impressively faithful rendition of Joy Division’s “Insight,” silenced and engrossed attendees allowing their performance the dead air necessary to achieve its fully-articulated emotion and impact. Translation: People knew when to shut the fuck up and listen.
Another highlight was seeing “Rockets Are Red” played as part of a two-song encore, the song I’d been waiting to hear the entire evening.
Sincerely,
Letters From A Tapehead
