combobox – The Party
Who are we kidding? You’ve probably heard more punk-rock songs than you’re ever going to remember. And you’re not the only one. There’s likely no reason to keep making punk-rock albums with so many strong releases that you can dig up any time.
And what does it all mean anyway? Why are all these people pretending to be angry and ripping off some 60s band’s melodies while hopping to get a hit, book some shows, get to pay rent in a city that they don’t even like?
combobox is one of the bands that has reached the very end of internet recommendations on punk music. But their parents bought the gear, and the rehearsal room’s paid in full for the next year. So…
Now, the combobox is taking the band members’ collective dread for this modern world, for the meaninglessness of it all, into the music that once entertained them. “The Party” is wonderfully zany, a kind of guitar-powered conversation had while in the middle of a panic attack. It’s as confusing as anything else, and more intelligently put together than most contemporary digital singles. A real winner! But, so what?
Jules Daud – Fuera de Calculo
It’s a tall order to live up to, but the Latin countries, especially those from the Americas, are required to provide us with great lively characters making important art. We’ve come to expect. They know they need to deliver it. And, quite likely, the world’s going to stop should the supply ever be disturbed.
But the motivation always seems to be there, and the inventory is always per requirements. It does help, perhaps, that, and excuse me for using such stereotypes on a site such as this, the Latin countries are better at making art than anyone else.
It’s not just telling stories, writing novels or creating wonderful visual designs. They can rock harder than anyone; any Argentine punk-rock, in particular, has been unfairly neglected for several decades. Jules Daud proves that whether in South America or wandering the streets of New York, this lively sound is bound to prosper.
The oh-so-lovely thing about Jules Daud’s “Fuera de Calculo” is that it very much brings to mind the excitement of 1970s punk-rock, all the way down to the energy, the loose playing, the enthusiasm. In this way, Daud echoes another Latin-styled punk-rocker, the legendary Mink DeVille. More of this is needed, and with knowledge that, indeed, it should arrive, there’s a good reason to stay excited.
