Tag Archives: ramones

Poetic Memory: The Moviegoers (List)

The Moviegoers

In the 1960s the average band enjoyed fame for a couple of months, if that, before people’s attention shifted to the next rising (and soon to be falling) stars. Being a one-hit wonder wasn’t a failure, it was the norm, and accomplishments by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks were rendered all the more impressive by the fact that any kind of longevity was exceptional, and enjoyed by only a small percentage of groups.

Not much has changed since then: nowadays most bands—particularly in the realm of indie rock—still amount to little more than passing fads, soaking up their proverbial fifteen minutes before succumbing to irrelevance. But one thing that has been accelerated by the internet is that entire genres seem to rise and fall in the space of a few months, leaving up-and-coming groups scrambling to tap into the next sound du jour and ride the Wavves waves of recognition before they fizzle out.

Then there are bands who are content to just create great music. Unfazed by meaningless trends, they place emphasis on great songwriting, captivating melodies, and a distinctive but inviting sound. They may not get drooled over by Pitchfork (and if they do, it’s only so long until P4K’s drool runs dry and the inevitable backlash begins), but they do create a body of work that speaks for itself, and will outlast the one-MP3 wonders that permeate the blogosphere. San Diego’s The Moviegoers are one of those bands, and though they may not auto-tune their vocals or mangle their guitars with lo-fi crunch, they do create moving, memorable songs accented by rich harmonies and understated confidence. And that never goes out of style. Continue reading

Jemina Pearl with Iggy Pop – “I Hate People” (Video)

Jemina Pearl

It’s been over a year since ragtag teenaged punkers Be Your Own Pet parted ways, and they’ve been missed. Luckily, former front woman Jemina Pearl has just released her first solo album, the aptly titled Break It Up, to help fill the void. The album finds Pearl continuing to imbue her raucous pop ditties with refreshing doses of optimism and heart. Pearl has just released the video for album highlight “I Hate People”, a duet with none other than James Newell Osterberg, Jr., aka Iggy Pop.

Unfortunately, Pop doesn’t appear in the video—except in photographed form—but apparently less is more: Thurston Moore, to be exact. The Sonic Youth front man appears on Break It Up and costars in the video as a haplessly skittish coworker at Pearl’s diner. Pearl and Moore previously collaborated on a cover of The Ramones’ “Sheena is a Punk Rocker” for the edgy CW series Gossip Girl.

We’ve got the video for you, as well as Pearl’s tour dates, after the jump. If you’re lucky, she might spit on you during the show. I speak from personal experience when I say that being spit on by Jemina Pearl ain’t so bad at all. Continue reading

The Powerchords – …Think I’m Gonna

The Powerchords - ...Think I'm Gonna
2008, Single Screen Records

The debut record from power-pop band The Powerchords has been a long time coming.

The band released their demo back in 2005, a seven song EP of finely crafted songs that immediately brought them to the forefront of San Diego’s music scene. But despite a rabid following and a reputation for excellent, charming live performances, the subsequent years saw only one Powerchords release—the Unattached Strings/Dream Girl 7-inch. Now, at long last, we have …Think I’m Gonna, a proper fourteen song collection of propellant punk and pop that will satisfy old fans and recruit new ones.

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