Best of 2012: Vinyl Singles & EPs

Denney & The Jets :: Denney & The Jets EP
On "Fun Girls," Nashville's Denney & The Jets dish out rock 'n' roll as it was originally intended to be played: fast and loose, sweaty and fun, and fit for the dancefloor. With this new EP, the band's unleashed their finest sounding recording to date. When not cranking out Chuck Berry-worthy scorchers like "Close The Blinds," the band slows into drunken bar sing-along territory, as on "Paranoid," where Denney comically laments: "Honey we used to fuck. Now all you want to do is make love, but I don't like it that way."

Watch: Denney & The Jets - "Fun Girls" // Buy from Limited Fanfare

Natural Child - "Bodyswitchers Part II"

Natural Child are turning 2012 into a Thee Oh Sees-caliber year of prolificacy. With their sophomore long-player For The Love Of The Game already under their belts—along with a stellar 7" on Jeffrey Drag Records—the hard-touring Nashville trio are now preparing to unleash a second LP via their new Burger Records home, dubbed Hard In Heaven. If Natural Child commenced with a bit of raw punk whimsy, the band is now steering towards a classically informed rock and country sound, borrowing at turns from Chuck Berry and The Rolling Stones to Tom T. Hall. Though Natural Child can whip up a frenzy with fierce racing numbers like the brand new Hard In Heaven sneak-peak "Derek's Blues," it's those slow and stoned Crazy Horse-caliber jams like "Bodyswitchers Part II" (which pairs nicely with the band's custom rolling papers) that really impress. It's a particularly heavy track with a deep impossible-to-resist groove, yet it barely breaks a walking pace. I guess what's so captivating about this slow jam is how it really puts a spotlight on the interplay between the three band members: those sledgehammer drums, fat slinky bass lines, growling guitar, and raspy two-part harmonies. When a band is in top form and churning out records this quickly, it's truly a treat to be a fan. 2012 it seems is the year of the Natural Child.



Natural Child - "Derek's Blues" (from Hard In Heaven)

Natural Child - "B$G P$MP$N"

Important facts about Natural Child's new single, "B$G P$MP$N," and forthcoming album, Hard In Heaven.

1. "We cowrote "B$G P$MP$N" with Chuck Berry." - Zack

2. Choice lyric: "Ya'll know me I'm just having fun / Bitches lining up just to shoot my gun / Everybody want to see me shoot my gun / But I don't come until I wanna come."

3. "Hard In Heaven is going to be a lot more hard." - Seth

4. Hard In Heaven, the band's second LP to be released in 2012, is due out September 11th on Burger Records.

Natural Child - "B$G P$MP$N" (from Hard In Heaven)

Interview: Natural Child

Back in early April, after a show at the Black Cat here in DC, I spoke with the fellas in Nashville's Natural Child about their new record For The Love Of The Game, their interest in Kevin Costner movies, and swimmer's butt. The show ended that night with a blistering cover of "Like A Rolling Stone," and somehow that era-defining anthem fit perfectly into a set alongside the fiercely rollicking and low brow humor of Natural Child originals like "Easy Street" and "Shame Walkin," which feature the respective choruses, "Let me get that stoned" and "I don't wanna fuck you, but I got to." Natural Child may not be nearly as poetic as Dylan and they certainly aren't out to reinvent the wheel, but shit can they play. In fact, they might just be the best pure rock 'n' roll band playing today. While For Love Of The Game may lack any new curve balls (aside from the reggae joint "Paradise Heights"), it delivers the goods in the form of a raucous and unapologetically good time: crunchy roaring guitars, fat bass and drum grooves, and lyrics about everything from from death to codeine and weapons charges.

Natural Child's For The Love of The Game

Here's the cover art for Natural Child's second LP, For The Love Of The Game, the title of which is pictured freshly tattooed on the back of some poor lady's naked buttocks. Like 1971, the album continues the band's tradition of releasing records on April 20th, this time through our favorite Fullerton, California label, Burger Records. Though the LP lacks the fiery punk punch of numbers like "Cougar" or "Crack Mountain," there's a string of truly classic and raucous southern fried rock gems here, like the riff-soaked "Baby," heart-ache riddled sing-along "That's How I Got To Memphis," and end-of-the-line fight song, "Faces of Death." These Nashville jokesters even found a way to fit in a reggae song, "Paradise Heights," where the trio riff about codeine and weapons charges. There's a real youthful charm to the tracks on For The Love Of The Game that reminds me of just how fun, wonderfully stupid, and rebellious rock and roll can be. I'm not sure whether I should grab a six-pack and a fat joint and go watch Dazed and Confused or light a fistful of cherry bombs and throw them into my boss's toilet.

The record is out digitally now and on vinyl April 20th from Burger Records.

Natural Child - "8 AM Blues" (from For The Love of The Game)

Natural Child - "Ain't Gonna Stop" (from For The Love of The Game)

Natural Child - "Ain't Gonna Stop"

Everybody Taste loves us some Natural Child. Nobody spits booze, bongwater, or fire quite like this scuzzy punk-meets-country Nashville trio. In 2012, these Infinity Cat veterans will be dropping two records on another of our favorite labels, Fullerton, California's Burger Records. Burger—who already have a cassette version of the band's debut LP, 1971, under their belts—will be reissuing the band's 7-track cassette Bodyswitchers in March and a new LP, For The Love of The Game, in May. Below, you can stream the first taste of the new full-length by way of riff and shred-heavy barn-burner "Ain't Gonna Stop." And that's not all: The band's currently working on another long player, Hard In Heaven, slated for release before the end of the year (photo via Instagram).

Natural Child - "Ain't Gonna Stop" (from For The Love of The Game)

When our powers combine... we are MEEMAW

Nashville's now defunct MEEMAW was an all-star trio that featured soon-to-be Infinity Cat regulars Daniel Pujol of PUJOL, Wez Traylor of Natural Child, and Jessica McFarland of Heavy Cream. Considering ET's adoration for Natural Child's debut LP 1971 and Pujuol's Nasty, Brutish, and Short (and really all things Infinity Cat), I did some digging this morning and gave MEEMAW's debut Glass Elevator a listen—and this shit is wild. Dirty southern rock is an apt descriptor, but it doesn't really go far enough. This record's full of fuzz, gnar, and debauchery. Take Wez's the graphic and hilarious "Smoking In The Sun," which boasts the lyrics, "Whole milk, red meat, smoking in the sun," and later, "Diet Coke, ranch dressing, sweet tea God's blessing." As simplistic as those lines are, there's something about the combination of red meat, the sun, and cigarette smoke that creates an incredibly vivid and disturbing snapshot of southern life. Another standout is Pujol's snappy "Blue In The Blacklight," which shows off the young songwriter's talent for churning out fuzzy pop-punk nuggets. The band's split makes sense considering each musician is now excelling in their own groups, however, this short-lived collaboration is absolutely worth revisiting, if for nothing else than as a lively beer-splattered origin story.

Infinity Cat has a MEEMAW combo (a 7", CD, and poster) for just $5 here.

MEEMAW - "Blue In The Blacklight" (from Glass Elevator)
MEEMAW - "Smoking In The Sun" (from Glass Elevator)

Review: Natural Child :: 1971

The album cover for Natural Child's debut record 1971 sets the tone for this vintage and straightforward rock & roll affair. First, this is by no means a glamour shot. Rather, Zack (whose eyelids suggest he just came out of a long meeting with Mr. Bong), Wez, and Seth all look as if they've been called to work mid kegger and are being forced to pose in their parent's living room with the soft yellow lighting producing a warm glow of faded portraiture. I can't see a carpet, but my imagination is telling me it's shag.

Throughout the record's 11 roaring tracks and 30-plus minutes, a hazy time-warped feeling permeates as if the listener has been transported to a house party in the 1970s with pot and cigarette smoke hovering around the ceiling and plastic beer-spattered cups littering the floor.  That vibe is introduced as the growl of rumbling guitar on album opener "Easy Street" is met with a mantra of sorts: "Let me get that stoned / Get me a pussy shot / Get me a girl that's hot / Get me a TV spot / Make my record hot." It's as if to say, "Yes, listener, you're in for a wild ride." And if the bubbling bong in the track's outro or the 4/20 release date weren't clear enough, yes, it's time to break out your stash.

Natural Child To Release Full-Length Debut, 1971

Nashville band Natural Child have two Twitter accounts: @naturalchild420 and @naturalchild69. Their label, Infinity Cat, just announced the release date for the band's debut full-length, 1971: it's 4/20. You know what my favorite song by Natural Child is? "Crack Mountain," which boasts the chorus, "I've been smoking crack with my friends." My point is you can't escape the band's endless jokes about sex and drugs, but underneath that veneer of depravity lies a wholly formidable rock and roll band equipped with swampy stadium-sized bass and guitar riffs, sledgehammer drums, and the kind of vocal melodies and lyrics that are as easy to remember as they're impossible to forget. When I put on Natural Child, no one screams "Welcome To The Thunderdome," but it absolutely feels like someone should. This is wild and unholy rock and roll and it's safe to say 1971 is now officially Everybody Taste's most anticipated release of 2011. Hear the first taste of the record below.

Natural Child - "Hard Workin' Man" (from 1971)

Mixtape: Coffee For Breakfast, Please

Kyle MacLachlan - "Diane, it's 8 AM..."

Hugh Masakela - "A Cheeka Laka Laka"

Tapes 'n Tapes - "One In The World"

Body Language - "Social Studies"

Donora - "I Think I Love You"

Dawes - "Hey Lover" --> "Blake Mills - "Hey Lover" --> Dawes - "Hey Lover"

Cotton Jones - "Lune Chatter"

The Replacements - "Kids Don't Follow Intro"

Natural Child - "Crack Mountain"

The Death Set - "Negative Thinking"

Gold Motel - "Slow Emergency"

Mary Wells - "You Beat Me To The Punch"

Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Words of Love" (Buddy Holly)

Raveonettes - "Red Tan"

New Animal - "Nightmares of Candy Yang & The Black Italian"

Paul Westerberg - "...we're very loud and spirited..."

Middle Brother - "Portland" (The Replacements)

Cass McCombs - "County Line"

Coffee For Breakfast, Please.mp3

Thanks to Root Strata Blog for the "Diane" recordings and The Voice Project for the Dawes cover. "Hooray Coffee" is a print by artist Nate Duval. Order from his awesome store here.

Infinity Cat: Spring 2011 Sampler

Infinity Cat—the hilariously titled Nashville label responsible for shedding light on the city's riff-heavy underground punk scene—has released an excellent sampler of its roster, including tracks by flagship band Jeff The Brotherhood and Everybody Taste's personal favorite, Natural Child. Grab all 12 tracks over at the Infinty Cat homepage. So far, the sampler has already turned us on to the likes of Denney and The Jets via his lo-fi country-tinged ode to drinking, cocaine and pain pills. If you dig, make sure to head to the store and grab the vinyl goodies while they last, as both Natural Child 7"s have already sold out.

Natural Child - "Hard Workin' Man"
Jeff The Brotherhood - "Mellow Out"
Denney And The Jets - "Pain Pills"

Natural Child - "The Jungle"

"Living in our boxcar laid up in the jungle. Thought I was a God, but now I'm feeling humble. Making lots of money, give it to the children. Making lots of children, now we got a village."

There's something incredibly endearing about Natural Child's "The Jungle"—a scuzzy, garage-rock and possibly psychedelic-fueled country sing-along about living in a boxcar in the jungle. The Nashville band exhale equal amounts of fiery swagger and stale beer into its Southern fare, creating a wonderfully eclectic world where punk rock and country music stand toe-to-toe in a perfect swaying boozy harmony. This young and brash Replacements-recalling trio—who opened for the Black Lips on a recent tour—also have a flare for the loud and heavy, as on the propulsive bass-led track "Nobody Wants To Party With Me." MP3s and vinyl are available to purchase at the band's label, Infinity Cat. Fuck, this band's good.

Natural Child - "The Jungle" (from Scion A/V Garage's Strange Boys/Natural Child 7")
Natural Child - "Nobody Wants To Party With Me" (from Bodyswitchers)
Natural Child - "Dogbite" (from 7")