Lack of posting is obscene.

OK...the lack of posting on my part is definitely obscene. But I promise...we here at Punch The Floor will make it up to you, the millions of faithful readers, immediately.

What is going on hmm humm hmmm?

Saw Busdriver last month. He's really really good. As in, really really good. And on top of that, he was trying to fight his way through food coma after a Chipotle feasting. He admitted it on stage. I heard it, and him sweat off his 1,700 calorie dinner.

Also saw ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead last month. They were amazing. Two drummers? Why doesn't everyone? Opening up for them were To Be A High Powered Executive - great instrumental band - UNBELIEVABLE BASSIST. Check them out when you can...really good stuff. So good that I saw them 2 weeks later at Bela Dubby in Lakewood.

Outside of live music I've been punching this stuff within the past few weeks:

Smoke or Fire - "This Sinking Ship" (looks like their website is down)
Thrice - "The Alchemy Index, Vol. I & II" (Fire & Water)
Thursday - "Kill The House Lights" (DVD/CD)

How does The Mars Volta generate ideas? We now know.

We've got it. Using microscopic audio equipment covertly injected into Cedric and Omar's shampoo bottles, we've recorded an actual brainstorming session between the two of them. Let's listen in, shall we?

************************************************
.....Meanwhile back at the Mars Volta bungalow....

Cedric: Omar...what are you doing?

Omar: Isn't it fundamentally obvious? I am recording the guitar track for our forthcoming album.

Cedric: It looks to me like you are dumping a bag of marbles on your fretboard.

Omar: Maybe that is what it looks like in the physical realm of our tangible existence, but the truth of the matter is that the marbles are channeling the ancient musical god's of my Mayan heritage.

Cedric: Interesting.

Omar: Oh yes. These "marbles" are a direct reflection of their glowing melody orbs of yore!

Cedric: So I suppose you want me to write up some lyrics?

Omar: Yes. But you must channel the Mayan music gods.

Cedric: Do I have to use your marbles then?

Omar: No. You must use your own.

Suddenly Omar grabs a set of jumper cables connected to a dynamo and attaches them to Cedric's testicles while simultaneously pressing the record button.

Cedric: IIIIIEEEEEEEIIIIIEEEEAAAAAAEEEE

EEEEEEE !!!!!!!!!!

Omar: Sing....SING ! ! !

After 47 minutes of cacophony, our favorite fro'd pals listen to their masterpiece.

Cedric & Omar: It's Art!

***********************************************************

Actually, this was an e-mail our beloved Offbeat Frequency orchestrated. Hilarious.

FYI, great article about Battles in this month's Magnet magazine. And yes Ty, we DO want you guys to succeed.

New stuff today...

Picked up some new stuff today from Bent Crayon today:

Prefuse73 - "Preparations", 2007 (just released)
Prefuse73 - "Surrounded By Silence", 2005
MadLib - "Beat Konducta Vol. 3-4: India", 2007 (just released)
Interpol - "Our Love To Admire", 2007

I'll write reviews when I'm done listening...

Mute Math great, Snapcase reunion? - OH COME ON NOW

I'm kinda drained right now, but here's some latest of the late -->

Saw Mute Math a couple weeks ago. Awesome. The drummer tapes his headphones to his head. I witnessed it. It's for a reason. The guy is incredible. Wait, bump that...the WHOLE band is incredible. An interesting crowd at the House of Blues that night though.

SNAPCASE IS HAVING A REUNION SHOW?? Yes you read that right, and I'm about 25 days late, as usual. Again, you people will suffer financial setbacks if you do not keep me informed on the headlines. Seriously, what do I pay for? Details are on Snapcase's website. Only setback - it's in Brooklyn, NY. A big plus - there's gonna be two shows, one on 11/24 and one on 11/25. Tix for 11/24 are already sold out. I've got 4 of em.

What else, what else....

Picked up the Glos album. Seriously, anything that Keeley and Maura breathe on becomes more appetizing. OK, maybe not a raw chicken leg, but...

Aesop Rock? I listened to his new CD...I have no idea what the dude is talking about, but he's good. He's very good.

Check out Red Sparowes. I'm currently punching them...

Ambulette, the end. Time to support Glos....

Is this a Maura Davis update blog? Maybe. Don't judge!

Ambulette is out. Finito. End. I guess they were having issues with a record label owning the rights to the record they created, and now they got nothin. Hmmmm, I seem to remember this happening to another great band, um yeah how about Sensefield? Record labels, please stop the tyranny, or great bands will be forced to pull a Chemical Romance (cross out the word 10 words ago) on you and release everything independently and become MySpace peeeeeeeeeeeeeeimps.

Regardless, support Glos. Maura and Keeley Davis are down with Glos. (Sorry, I don't know how to make the double dot above the "o".) They sound really really good, and the clincher is of course a member of the band that goes by none other than Cornbread Compton. You can't even touch that.

Dntel anyone about this record.

I bought Dumb Luck after reading that it would “stand out as one of the most interesting albums of the year”. I also read reviews praising the merits of having an album full of indie all-stars and that it would be right up the alley for fans of The Postal Service.

Being that Dntel is James Tamborello AKA “the other half of The Postal Service”, I was excited about this record. But that is where the excitement ended.

I didn’t expect another “Give Up” but I was hoping for the same chemistry. The only bearable song is perhaps the title track that features Tamborello himself on vox. The rest of the tracks however are very un-engaging, thanks to the continuity of the soft-spoken subdued vocals provided by the guest performers. If this were an instrumental album I may have enjoyed it much more (save for a couple of samples that actually hurt your ears no matter how much you fiddle with the equalizer) as there is some interesting compositions and sample manipulations. But the vocals never mesh with the music and make the songs somewhat unbearable.

Mind you, I listened to the record 3 times before writing this, as I prefer to highlight good music. But the tracks never worked as driving music, late night background chill music or negative music review blogging music.

Dntel, Ben Gibbard is your savior. Make more music with him. And make CD’s with more than 9 tracks.

Remember kiddo’s…hype hurts.

Ps. On a more positive note, I bought Mute Math’s debut album at the same time as the one above. It’s been around a while and I am a latecomer listening to it, but it is definitely music for awesome. “Typical” is a great song as well as the superb video for it. However, the real treat is that the rest of the album is not another 13 “typical” tracks. There are some trip-hop elements that I rather enjoyed and the organic electronic tracks highlighted how musical and inventive Mute Math is.

The new news...

Some upcoming shows to note:

9/28 - Minus The Bear, (2 Shows!) @ Grog Shop, 6:30P & 9:00P
10/16 - Mute Math @ House of Blues (got tix yo)
10/20 - Unkle, Chicago, @ the Metro (they only have a few dates in the U.S.)
10/25 - Enon @ Grog Shop
End of October, early November - Avail on tour around east coast, Philly is the closest date to NE Ohio

1-2-3 Purchased.

Let me take it upon myself to let you know what's going on in the picture to the left. None of them are wearing pants (by accident), and the one dude is praying that the camera doesn't pan any lower. Just in case you were wondering...

On your mark, get set, go buy Battles new cut, "Mirrored", it's their best one yet. And if they're in your city, go see them; it'll be one of the best shows you've EVER seen. "Mirrored" is definitely going in the running for best albums of 2007. As another guy in Denmark pointed out in his review, which I think hits the Battles sound right on the chin -

"Stanier's drumming is like pinpoint buckshot, Williams' guitar is sharpened schizophrenia, Braxton's sound manipulations are fragments focused and Konopka's guitar is malleable granite."

If you're in love with Prefuse 73 and The Mars Volta, you owe it to yourself. If you buy it (not download it illegally) and don't like it, post a comment and tell the world why. You will then be ridiculed unmercifully.

Also picked up four tet's "DJ-Kicks", off !K7 Records - another great label that's known for showcasing mix-fu superstars.

More posts coming soon...until then, continue to punch the floor like it's your job.

Pretty Girls Made Their Grave, R.I.P.

Pretty Girls Make Graves had their last show in Cleveland a few weeks back, as part of their final tour. It's taken me a while to compose myself long enough to post to the greatest music blog since the beginning of time (PTF). Their last show was great...the whole crew went crazy on the stage of the Grog Shop, and played a lot of their older songs which was peeeeimp. The talent pouring off that stage was overwhelming. And hey, by the way, big ups to the opening band (who I'll post when I get home - they were AWESOME).

Some dude printed 60 custom "final show" concert posters, and I picked one up for $10 because it was produced really well, and signed (I'll take a picture and post to PTF, maybe). Got the whole band to draw on it and sign of course...that's how we roll at PTF...we get it signed. And then we get hi-fives.

If you're wondering who this character named Gene is from Andrea's shirt; that's for her to hold close to her heart and for you to mind your own business. Until she tells you...she promised to be back in one form or another, hopefully with the whole crew minus Nick.

I can't wait.

Ye have little faith.

Most of the music I like is recommended to me by the people who really know. Perchance I may find something on my own? Six years late, I did. Turns out it was on accident, too. But still better than Amazon suggesting it. Happened to be illegally downloading an Unkle album one day, and along with it came a folder named "[2001] Faithless – Outrospective." "Is this another 'Pearl by Portishead' trick?" I skeptically think to myself. Looked at the cover art, said "Hmm...that's interesting" and left it at that. Now it sits undisturbed; unheard for months. That is, until the HDD starts running low on GB. Something must be done; a sacrifice must take place on account of my wanting to see Star.Trek.II.Wrath.of.Khan.XviD.AC3.avi. Outrospective, your judgment is well at hand!

Ever since Rabbit In Your Headlights, I've been in search for anything that comes remotely close to its glory. Faithless' Outrospective falls within those parameters somewhere around remotely. But that's enough and "Not Enuff Love" appropriately plays as Track 2, putting me in a mood. The moment I heard it, the aged vocals of Maxi Jazz, it was unlike anything. Contemplative yet meaningful. Every word purpose driven. This mood is not consistent throughout but is concluded by the last two tracks "Evergreen" and "Liontamer." The beautiful vocals of Zoe Johnston compliment the whole bit. Also, the familiar sounding "One Step Too Far" reminds me of Perfecto Presents Another World, disc 2.

"Mixed" in between are a few dance-floor pieces. The ones worth mentioning here are "We Come 1" and "Muhammed Ali." (I never grow weary of the latter.) These have been a highlight at many a social gathering. People ask about you, Faithless. Guess you're not so bad after all. I was a pirate when we met. But I've been settling years of chalk scores now and I think it's time we legalized our relationship. Just keep your shirt on, Maxi Jazz.

Things always go better with Rj...

And they do....they do.

Rjd2 played at the Grog on Thursday, and it was one of the best shows I've ever been to. I wasn't feeling a lot of the new album, "The Third Hand", because of the addition of all the vocal work - but it plays really well in the live show. Rj and crew (he came with a whole band) had the entire place wired, from start to finish.

Big ups to them for the whole lineup, it mixed well, and all of the dudes in Rj lineup were TOP NOTCH. Having a live drummer on stage for anything with an electronic connotation, just makes the show 800 times better. Maybe even 801.

Throughout the set Rj and the rest of the guys were trading instruments on the fly, between songs, and then the long Rj-only set turned the place upside down. What a great crowd! That's how EVERY show should be - showin' love to the players on stage. It's always great to see the performer recognize the energy from the crowd...Rj must have smiled back at the crowd a half-dozen times.

Busdriver came on prior, and lit the place up as well. Didn't know he's been around so long...I'll have to check him out further.

Engines of Difference

www.enginesofdifference.com coming soon!

Check out the calendar on the link bar to the right...contains PTF worthy shows coming to Cleveland. It'll be embedded into the blog soon, but for now, you'll have to expend the energy necessary in lifting your finger and clicking the link. Then you can take a nap.

JATMD

Saw Ambulette in San Diego, with The New Trust (the chica on drumz goes out to her people - awesome!).

The Ambulette crew was just as good if not better than when I saw them here in Cleveland. Their musicality and intensity for each and every riff, beat, and line = One Spicy Hot Freshness. Watch out for them. They just wrapped up their tour of the U.S., and I'll safely tip-toe out on a limb and say that the next time they tour, they'll be with either a really big name (think REALLY big, like Meatloaf), or they'll have a huge following, and all the losers that don't pre-purchase show tix will be standing outside.

Like I said before....they're like a tractor beam. You can't take your eyes of off them once they've started the rock. And once the Ambulette rock starts, you better stay put, or some shoe gazer will crowd you out. JATMD. (Just A Tip Ma Dude).

Revealed to us by Mr. Stephen Howard....hilarious dude. Matt, Ryan, and Stephen were all amazing in the San Diego set...

Ambulette shock & awe, new stuff...

Do you like music? I mean, do you really, really love music. When you listen to a new song, old song, favorite band/group, new band/group, and you literally have to rewind specific parts over and over again? When certain songs give you chills? When you have no choice but to yell out - "OOOOHHHH SSSSSSSSSSSSSNAP!!"

I saw Ambulette on Monday night @ the Grog...and where do I start? OK, how about the fact that they only played 7 or 8 songs - dissed! I will say however, that those 7 songs counted. They counted big. Maura Davis' voice is like a tractor beam. I seriously think that she could shift the earth's axis with the range and power that girl has with her vocals...

And the musicality of Ambulette? Greatness. Guitar, bass, drums - they have it all. Get the name out people...they're good, and you know it.

A little birdie told me about Circa Survive and Red Sparowes yesterday...I'm liking both of them so far. Ratatat, RJD2, and the final PGMG tour is coming soon...

RATATAT. Why has this been kept from me?

Seriously. What do I pay you people for?

I think I may need to go to this show, like, as in, I need to eat food every day and breath oxygen.

I just picked up RATATAT's "Classics" album, which the dude at the record store (only the best one on earth) told me he gave the album a "6 out of 10". I have to disagree Mr. Music Muchacho. I'd give it easily an 8 if not an 8.3. See the fine art to the right for my reaction from listening to this great album, and discovering this great duo. Think of it as a "Before & After RATATAT", from a person with the limited graphic art application potential that someone using Windows 95 on a daily basis would have.

Showered by great shows...

Just when I thought we were in the midst of a drought....a drought from great shows, I've compiled all of the good stuff I see coming in the next few months. I'll be workin' on ma fitness to make sure I'm at most of them...

2/27 - Ladyfinger @ Beachland Ballroom (they're on Saddle Creek, I need to check-to-wreck)
3/6 - TV on the Radio @ Agora
3/12 - Ambulette @ Grog (we've talked about them plenty up in this piece)
3/17 - Ratatat @ Beachland Ballroom (it's a Grog sponsored show)
3/19 - Of Montreal @ Beachland Ballroom (A friend of mine is in la-la-love wit dem)
3/26 - The Blood Brothers @ Agora
3/29 - Battles @ Grog (I'm tearing up as I type this, I'll be in San Diego)
3/29 - Mute Math @ HOB (I'm crying even harder...)
3/31 - Taylor Hicks @ HOB (Sike, just checkin to see if you're attentive)
4/4 - Jedi Mind Tricks @ Grog
4/5 - Hot Rod Circuit @ Grog
4/19 - RJD2 @ Grog (Got ma tix yo)
5/13 - Pretty Girls Make Graves @ Grog (Got ma tix yo)

It's definitely going to be a grand spring music season in Cleveland. Never disappointed...

If I'm missing anything, somebody please speak up. And as soon as anyone finds out the Battles tour schedule, be sure to throw it up here...

Racermason no more...Welcome: Usersetsmode

Pulled from the local Cleveland Scene in the "Around Hear" column....

"Fans of the defunct Racermason have reason to rejoice: Singer Mandy Lashua and guitarist Derek Lashua -- also formerly of the Frans -- have a new group with former Snowforestars guitarist Daniel Holmes. Usersetsmode has posted a rough mix of its first track, "Again," at www.usersetsmode.com. Mandy's haunting, atmospheric vocals return, but the guitar-driven sound has a tense rock edge. Derek says the band will release a disc and make a live debut by spring."

That would explain the note on racermason.com"racermason.com expired on 01/07/2007 and is pending renewal or deletion."

00Dusty...

Man do I miss this hombre. Dusty Watson...one of the greatest drummers I've ever heard, or have seen live. Met him back in the day at our first show with Dick Dale...told me to practice every day for 20 minutes, and to try practicing on a pillow. I've been able to hang out with him a few times after that, and he's been totally down to earth and cool every time. I've got a couple drumsticks from him, including one from his signature series...

Check out a drum solo from him, playing w/ Slacktone (will I ever be able to see them??) -

At about 1:20 it gets Holy-Crap-My-Pants-Awesome...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ1Bv0WyZJ8

I'll miss him when he plays w/ Agent Orange tomorrow night @ the Grog...rip it up dude!