Day Creeper vs. Night Of Pleasure. Or, a Saltair II Party Put to Wax

I was really pumped to see a package from 71 W. Tulane, Columbus, aka Saltair 2, in my hallway last week containing the brand new split 7" between pop-powerman Day Creeper and basement patriots Night of Pleasure, 'cause quite frankly there haven't been any budget parties like they throw in Clintonville here in Brooklyn. What I'm saying is I needed a freebie.

Not that this split isn't worth your hard-earned cash, because it is, as it features some of Cowtown's hardest working dudes and the best tunes they've written to date. Night of Pleasure have really gelled since adding new bassist Michael J. Hinze (two posts in a row, what am I gay for the guy?) to the mix, all Summer seeming determined to crunch out tighter sets and better tunes. They've recently wrapped a week-long tour of the great Midwest in support of this platter which I'm sure they're very proud of, as the songs reveal a new-found bravado in their sound. "Spasm Chasm" throbs for a solid minute until Dave Trenoff's guitar slashes through the whole groove, essentially engulfing the song. "Spasm", though, plays out as one long intro to what maybe NoP's best song yet, "Hipster Downgrade", a three-chord anthem featuring singer Jim Cowman's most melodic moment. Beneath the feedback and pounding rhythm is a flat-out expertly-written song. To top it all off NoP continue their tradition of including vintage nudity in their design. Well done.

Day Creeper is the year-old project of Aaron Troyer (Outerspacist drummer, Malabar Brothers guitarist), one of the freshest songwriters out of Ohio I've heard in years. He writes upbeat power-pop comparable to recent acts like Romance Novels or the The Pizzas. His songs are suitable for both the simple guitar-drums set-up (what he's done live) or a more fleshed-out group sound, and he chooses to display both sides here. And apparently Aaron is allergic to duds, as I've heard at least an album's worth of tunes, each one better than the last and all played to perfection, medium-rare. Anyway, "And How!" features the more stripped-down trebly sound, complete with a xylophone lead, while "My Blue Screen" boats a fuller, in-the-red production. There's keys, bass, raw guitar, a great singalong whoosh and a snarl to it that vintage Costello couldn't even touch. Great job Aaron! More, please.

You can get this puppy from the bands spaces or maybe Florida's Dying. Goner may get some back in stock.

CDR Singles Bonanza

After months of hibernation, contemplation and underground perspiration, the boys at Columbus Discount have emerged with four new singles, a new look (changed the logo and label art design) and a showcase at SXSW this upcoming weekend in Austin. What's really kept Misters Holesapple and Smith busy lately has been a long-term move of their Columbus Discount Recording Studio, a transition that not only quadruples the studio's square footage but also positions them to make big moves in Rontown, USA. Muscle like theirs will be of good use in Olde Town East. Look for it to be finished by mid-Spring.
Smith and Holesapple have been rather occupied with Necropolis as well, who have a new drummer - Mat Bisaro - in tow on their Stumpf 7" and utilize the last recordings with old drummer Kyle Heiberger on their Song For a Working Man 7". The songs on Working Man (lovingly fucked with by Mike Rep) are, fittingly, closer to the original Necropolis template - buzzy, pounding art-punk fronted by local record impresario Bo Davis and his collection of howls. Stumpf's songs are much leaner by comparison - both songs combine for a total of just over four minutes of music - and benefit from the tense guitar noise and fat-trimmed writing. Tightly wound B-Side "Van v. Art" is the winner out of all four tracks, the sound of a band refreshed and ready to pounce on any unsuspecting douchebag.
El Jesus De Magico's vinyl debut, the LGNO 7'', also showcases a
leaner, meaner band moving into a new phase. Recorded at drummer Mike O' Shaughnessy's family funeral home in downtown Columbus, these three songs have the humid, eerie sound you'd expect to come out of such locales. They play like five mystics toiling through a swamp, especially Dave Capaldi and Anthony Allman on guitar and keys, respectively. The two lead each song like dueling snake charmers marching behind shaman Jon Whitzky with a rhythm section controlling the hovercraft across the bayou. This is Columbus on drugs...any questions? Power plays to get you through to that point just before the sun rises.
Last but certainly not least is the official debut (a demo tape, recorded by Jared Phillips, had been circulating for a few years now) from Night of Pleasure in the form of the Godard vs. Truffaut 7". It's the most "Columbus" sounding thing CDR has put out probably ever, which if you've been paying attention is quite a feat. Three tracks of varying fidelity, all pushed to maximum redness with plenty of swing and speed like the Turks loved to do it. Singer Jim Cowman sounds like a classic Cbus frontman: muffled, literate and pissed at your utter stupidity. Pick this one up if you forgot where the best punk scene of the 90's existed. In fact pick up all of these babies and get a really nice taste of this particular piece of pie from the broad bakery that is Columbus Today.
They'll be selling these first in Austin, as the CDR hoodlums take over the Light Bar Saturday night. I'm sure that something formal in town will take place once they all return. I'm not sure what the distribution will be so for those out of town go to the CDR site or hang tight and I'll let you know which online retailers will be carrying them.

PS: here's a note that Adam S. sent me about the artwork and such:

"Here is the art. The scan isn't doing the el jesus one justice. There is a state of ohio notary embossed stamp on all of them and they are all different. The colored NOP singles (100) all have different, hand done ink paintings in the style of the one I sent you. **** did the Necropolis and the NOP covers, but I think he wants it to be a secret. We don't have art for the Nec-Rep session single yet."