Kuestionnaire: Robby Roadsteamer 05/24/2008
 While most hipster white people are listening to Flight of the Conchords, us New Englanders are getting our laughs from a different musical humorist; Robby Roadsteamer. Roadsteamer has straddled the line between comedy and music for the past seven years, performing at comedy clubs and in rock clubs with his band or as a solo performer. He's seen the worst of both worlds - good bands and good comedians struggling to be heard over the din of wannabes. Originally the lead singer of the band the Sweatpant Boners which was a metal/punk band formed with Ken Susi of Unearth and Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage. Now he's running solo with his gut-busting acoustic rock comedy tunes. Robby sings about all sorts of weird shit; from how wonderful Allston, MA is to peeing with your father...as ridiculous as the may sound, it's hilarious. It may take a while for one to "get it" but while other New Zealand acts are mocking the folk-indie genre, Robby is poking fun at the Elliott Smith wannabes and grunge rock posers. You can download Robby Roadsteamer's whole album, "This Album Syncs Up With Toejam and Earl" right here. You can also see Robby at the Slipper Room on 167 Orchard St. in New York City on the 25th of May at 8pm with Shane Webb.  Robby Roadsteamer - In Allston Mass  Robby Roadsteamer - They Laid Your Father Off From the Dick Factory  Robby Roadsteamer – Sad Cat Land  Robby Roadsteamer – I Put a Baby in You Pictures + Music = Happiness (May '08) 05/21/2008
A Post For Huge Metal Fans 05/19/2008
 Lately I’ve been neglectful of my metal roots. I grew up on Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Metallica. Unfortunately over time I ended up listening to generic nu-metal bands and disposable alt-rock bands. Eventually I found my way through friend recommendations and tons of insane live shows. I haven’t gone to a metal/hardcore show in ages, however I will still put on some “Seasons of the Abyss” when the time feels right. I’ve always told my friends that no matter what kind of music you’re into, you need to own at least one death metal record. Whether it’s for shits and giggles or to show your friends that you don’t just know metal bands from Guitar Hero; everyone needs to own one death metal record. Let me suggest “Foreshadowing Our Demise” from the Albany band, Skinless. Their brutal vocals and crushing musical brutality will slay any hardcore metal fan in seconds. In addition they have hilariously morbid samples that kick off each song (ex. "Life sucks…and then you DIE!"). It may not sound like the next new band at Coachella, but they’re good fun fucking metal music.  Skinless – Deviation Will Not Be Tolerated  Mastodon – Rise To Fire  The Jonbenet – Black Lion  Kayo Dot – Eptaceros  Droids Attack – Dope Smuggler I'm Losing My Mind: A Weekend Mixtape 05/17/2008
 This weekend is messing with my head. I’m a little stressed about moving and Weebly hasn't fixed my sidebar yet. Well I guess this is a good a time as any to say that this whole site will be moving to a new address once I move to California. All Kuestionnaires and Unsigned Artist Showcases will be transferred over as well as a few other popular posts. I’ve had too many issues with Weebly and their shotty support. It’s been a long time coming but kata rokkar will be up a fully operational until the first week of June, then we’ll be back sometime in July with a whole new set-up.  DJ Sun – Dubai  Kidz In The Hall – Drivin’ Down The Block  Doomtree – Flex  Chromeo – Fancy Footwork  Cut Copy - Lights + Music  Kaddisfly – Empire  Cloud Cult – Chain Reaction Kuestionnaire: Sean Hayes 05/13/2008
 San Franciscan folk musician Sean Hayes is not a music geek. Well at least as far as we know from his answers on this edition of the Kuestionnaire. Despite his lack of music geekiness, Sean Hayes is quite a talented man with the ability to make some the most soothing, catchy and danceable tunes this side of Nick Drake. While Natalie Portman may have added him into her compilation disc last year, he still seems to be one of the Bay Area’s best kept musical secrets. Sean will be touring the West Coast this summer and will be dropping by the Outside Lands Festival on August 23rd, early that morning.  Bon Iver – Skinny Love from the album, For Emma, Forever Ago  Sean Hayes – Mary Magdalene from the album, A Thousand Tiny Pieces  Sean Hayes – Pollinating Toes from the album, Big Black Hole and the Little Baby Star For Our Mothers... 05/11/2008
 Buddy Wakefield - Guitar Repair Woman  Buddy Wakefield – Guitar Repair Woman from the album, Run On Anything  If you can imagine a dancier John Vanderslice, you are probably thinking about Alan Wilkis. Mr. Wilkis is a Brooklyn based singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist who makes some pretty interesting music. The more I listen, the more I realize just how many influences he uses in his music. The most obvious is Prince; probably because his voice has this lofty sound that goes very well with the bouncy electronic music he creates. It seems that most people only talk about making ‘different’ music and Alan Wilkis just does it.  Alan Wilkis – In My Dreams from the album, Babies Dream Big  When drowning in the appropriate sound, you find yourself achieving the same fundamental effects in your soul as coming up for air has on the body. City Breathing is that appropriate sound. Their atmospheric and moody sound is akin to Explosions in the Sky or Mono except with vocals. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, these three young men have crafted a sound that is immediately riveting, emotionally devastating, and achingly passionate. Characterized by towering walls of sound, oceanic guitar work and vicious rhythmic elements, City Breathing is a band that knows how to imbed itself within the part of you that refuses to easily surrender. You can download their entire debut release here. Or if you have a short attention span, just this song…  City Breathing – We Can Retrace The Sinking Sky from the album, Look How It’s Snowing Upwards, Look How They Move Towards Heaven Today I'm Going To The Daily Show 05/06/2008
 Today, my buddy and I are going to be audience members of The Daily Show with Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria and Mr. Awesome himself, Lewis Black. There’s really nothing else to report…  Nine Inch Nails – Echoplex  Sans Seraph – December  Passion Pit – Better Things The internet has had it's fair share of 'caught-on-camera' phenomena; the Star Wars Kid is probably the most memorable. A high school kid who gets to live out his daily day-dream of being a Jedi by wielding a golf ball rod in front of a camcorder. I could give hundreds more examples but one recent one has caught my eye. It's the Man Stuck in an Elevator For 41 Hours video from the article on the New Yorker website. The original video itself is not anything surprising or horrifying. You are basically watching what would happen if anyone of us got stuck in an elevator for a long period of time. What really caught my attention was the parodies that followed. One in particular; The "41 Hours in an Elevator with Diarrhea" video (Above). The first time I watched the video, I was in tears with laughter for numerous reasons. It wasn't just that he was smearing his poo all over the elevator walls, it was his gradual fall into insanity and how the video made you sympathetic to his bizarre situation. After watching it a second time, I realized that this video isn't only hilarious, but interesting and kind of sad. I guess it was the fact that the "victim" was someone who seems somewhat 'average joe.' Maybe he's worked hard to get to the position at the GW Thurston Building or maybe he's someone who is interning there and on his 4th day, this happens. But the protagonist that we know as Jonathon White is put in an embarrassing situation that many would agree is the worst possible situation you could ever find yourself in. Diarrhea is horrible on it's own and so is getting stuck in an elevator, but both together adds a doomsday scenario that no one would wish upon anyone. Both unfortunate situations do not discriminate either; this could happen to anyone of us. That is why it is so easy to connect with the character. He's pushed to his limits, mentally and physically. So anyone watching the video is thinking, "I think I'd do the same thing..." The other emotional aspect of this video is the music, provided by Jennifer Haines. Jennifer Haines did the original New Yorker video, which was quite affective in making you feel sorry for the man stuck in the elevator. But the music in the parody video, which is the same piece, provides a sense of extreme desperation and batshit insanity. Even when you see Mr. White wipe his crap all over the walls and put on the same shirt he shat in, you pity him and at the same time, laugh hysterically at his misfortune. Maybe I'm looking too deeply into this...maybe it's just a low-brow video about a dude who gets stuck in an elevator with the Hershey-Squirts . But if you can; watch it again and then once more. Once you've done that, think to yourself; "When I'm at the end of my rope and vulnerable, what kind of craziness will I do when I get that point?" Well, lets hope it never comes to that. And if it does, hope no one is videotaping it.  Jennifer Haines - The Storm Begins from the album, Thoughts and Dreams: Solo Piano Unsigned Artist Showcase: Ryan Pink 05/02/2008
 Ryan Pink writes like he's just come back from a near death experience. Many of these songs are filled with a quiet desperation over some introspective awakening about his mortality; and nonetheless they're comforting. His voice is somewhere between Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon on the emotional richter scale and it calms and soothes and sedates.  Ryan Pink - Miller Was A Liar |
