"That's why pencils have erasers!"

D'oh! I hate to change the subject like this but I have decided that this blog, until further notice, will indeed serve mainly as a way for me to express my love for certain bands/artists. "The Year in Music" will just have to wait for now.

In looking through my pictures on my camera, I found one of a collection that I am fairly proud of. That being of Young Governor (also known as Ben Cook.)

Clockwise from top left: "Bedtime Stories" 7" on Southpaw, "Call Me When the Cat Dies" 7" on Criminal IQ, "English Tim" 7" on Static Shock, "Hidden Love" 12" on Parts Unknown, "Virginia Creeper"  7" on Platic Idol and "Cindy's Gonna Save Me" on Dirtnap.

A bit of a biography on the guy known as Young Governor. His real name is Ben Cook. Among other projects, he is currently the third (?!) guitarist in Fucked Up and vocalist for the Marvelous Darlings (see below.) Word has it that his sister is an '80s teen star named Rachel-Leigh Cook but for the life of me, I can't remember any movies or television shows she was in. Whatever.

Ben also happens to be a creative genius. On most of these records he plays damn near every instrument and does all the vocals and I'm pretty sure he also records everything himself. Not since Jay Reatard have I been impressed with someone's versatility in the creative process of their own records. "Virginia Creeper" was the first EP of a steady stream of releases that have been coming out since 2008. I'm pretty sure I have mostly everything he's released under the Young Governor moniker but I could be wrong. Going on that first record alone, I thought he was good. But with every record since (and the "Hidden Love" 12" in particular) he has continued to win me over with his one man pop-punk song writing capabilities. I guess you could reference Jay Reatard in describing his sound but I have a feeling that if I ever met Ben, he'd be a swell cat and most people couldn't say that about Jay when he was alive. That kind of down to earth-ness speaks to me more than a hairdo or a flying V guitar ever will. Check out his blog and tell me the guy doesn't seem likable: noguvnoluv.blogspot.com

Ben Cook related: Marvelous Darlings. Left to right from top to bottom: "I Don't Wanna go to the Party" and "The Swords, The Streets" both on Deranged, "Shoot the Piano Player" on Taken By Surprise, "Only Ones for Miles" on P Trash, "Sleeping Like a Dead Man" on Bachelor, "Teenage Targets" and "I'll Stand By Her" both on Plastic Idol

An amazing power-pop punk band from Toronto which Ben graciously provides the vocals for. Heartfelt and dangerously powerful tunes with a glam rock edge, Ben and Matty Darling are the primary songwriters and have yet to let me down. Each EP is just as perfect as the last and not one bad song on any of them. I've found myself playing these so much that I made a cassette of all of these songs but it's just not the same as listening to the vinyl. Guitarist Matty D. looks like he got cryogenically frozen for twenty years on the set of a Poison video but we'll excuse that because dudes got some hooks and I'm pretty sure the ladies love his look anyway. Matty also used to live in Hollywood and was partying like Spuds McKenzie until he got deported and is now back in Toronto. An "E: True Hollywood Story" waiting to happen.  Starting with any of these records is a safe bet but just how accessible they will be remains to be seen as these guys are gathering a lot of attention from larger outlets. 

Year In Music

We're almost three quarters into the year and boy has it flown by. Debt and life's unexpected events sure do know how to spoil a good time for us all. I'm trying very hard to keep a positive attitude about financial obligations (self incurred or otherwise) and one of the best possible ways for me to keep a sane attitude about it is to "spoil" myself now and then with some music purchases.

Since I'm also involved with Razorcake Fanzine (razorcake.org), I've also been lucky to score some treats here and there for not a single penny. Ah, the benefits of pseudo journalism! 

As I like to do every year, here are some of my favorite records that I have been fortunate to attain in the past seven-plus months (a list that will grow undoubtedly as more great records are bound to be released.) Usually I reserve this kind of writing for the end of the year but fuck it. I need to keep myself busy and writing about one of my passions in life will do just nicely. 

Slices: Cruising: LP (Iron Lung Records)

I thought it would be kinda fun to take this picture where most of my mail-order records arrive: seated atop a chair on the front porch of my parent's house. Sometimes the mail carrier will actually leave it in the mail slot which I'll never understand. 

Anyway, this was one of those records that I found myself wanting without even hearing a solitary note of the band's music. Even before I saw what the actual record looked like, I wanted it. Not sure why... It could have something to do with the fact that some of the members in this band were in other bands that I happened to love. It also could have had something to do with the fact that I trust the label's judgement 100 percent (more on them a little later) in that they hardly release a stinker. This was, in their words, their "crown jewel". Fuck, I NEEDED this!

Listening to this was like uncovering a box of secrets that are impossible to decipher. There are songs that aren't songs. There's an air of sibling rivalry and that's quite possibly the key ingredient in what resulted in one of the most interesting listening experiences this year. Nonsensical lyrics are just what Dr. Weird ordered and they couldn't be more fitting in a record that has absolutely nothing to do with fancy cars or suits and everything to do with noise inspired, mid-paced hardcore. Just to prove that the band does not at all take themselves too seriously, they included a paper mask of a random band member's face with every copy of this record. 

Honorable Mention: Iron Lung Records are quickly becoming my favorite label (competing with Fashionable Idiots and Youth Attack.) I found myself listening to these 7"s quite often and was impressed with the either minimalist or elaborate packaging which complemented each release quite well. Left to right: Total Control "Meds II" b/w "Retiree", Iron Lung "Exposed", Society Nurse "Junk Existence" , Nerveskade, and Walls "Stare at the Walls". Get into it.