It’s quite fun when you’re in deep listening to a band and then you remember something else that another band did that links the two. That occurred the other evening while I was listening to the band Far. In the midst of listening to their album Water And Solutions, I remembered out of nowhere that the band 36 Crazyfists had covered “Mother Mary” by Far. It first appeared on a compilation album by Kerrang magazine and later as a bonus track off the Japanese version of their 2006 album, Rest Inside The Flames. On a side note, Apple Music has it listed as being part of 2004’s A Snow Capped Romance, as does YouTube. Listening back to the 36 Crazyfists version, there is no doubt that vocalist Brock Lindow could pull off the vocal aspect of Jonah Matranga. Both bands are sadly not together anymore. Hopefully one day Far can get together one more time!
Ever since I heard “I’m Just The Driver” by Black Map a few years back, I’ve been hooked on them. When I think of the band Black Map, I know I’m consistently going to be hearing a really solidly good rock record with great riffs, soaring melodic and velvety vocals, pulsating low end and thunderous drums. So it’s no surprise to me that their new album Hex, delivers the goods on this record.
From the get go the rock begins. Chock full of hooks and those driving riffs and rhythms, “Disintegrate” sets the tone for what the next eight songs bring. There are moments that remind me a bit of Thrice, Cave In and Failure throughout. The melodic sensibilities that compliment the heaviness on the album is what makes Black Map stand out. And if what the company in which I just mentioned is what this is reminiscent of, that’s some good association. The way this album flows shows that Black Map have really honed in on creating a lush album. At times too even when the music goes into a slower tempo, the weight of the lyrics and delivery of the vocals of Ben Flanagan are just as heavy as his bass, or Mark Engles guitar tone, or the earth shattering drums of Chris Robyn.
There’s a very introspectiveness to this album. In a time when there is a lot to think about and deal with, having a voice like Ben’s that melody rich and soaring with passion, gives the listener ease and connection without having to shout or scream. Though there are moments that are very direct. The guitar work on Hex is also a bit more in a progressive nature. Not in the way of Dredg, even though there are shades of it, it’s more in tune with how Failure expands upon it’s sound in a spacey way. And to top it off with Chris Robyn’s drums it’s like the icing and cherry on top as the bass lines and drums connect in a way that as I mentioned above is quite thunderous. Trust me, when you hear it live, you will definitely know! Hex is a tremendous album that packs quite a lot of goodies in it’s 32 minute running time. And it’s one of those that you’ll want to start again so you can pick out more things to enjoy about this record. And a round of applause to producer Beau Burchell who really brought out some of the best work the band has done.
There is something really quite beautiful to the excitement of making music that comes to one naturally and then performing said music to a crowd that devours each and every melody, rhythm and lyric. That’s what I saw and heard last night as I attended Crosses first live show in many years and their first of a three night stay at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary. The room was packed from the front to the back of eager fans waiting for this night, and at 9:15, Chino and Shaun made their way to the stage and so began the “revival” of Crosses.
For the next hour and thirty plus minutes, I as everyone in the crowd was completely swept away with the goodness that permeated from the stage to the crowd. Playing a majority of songs off their new album, Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete, the moment, the first song “Initiation” started there was no turning back and rightfully so. Chino Moreno sounded on top of his game as he sang his ass off on new songs like “Invisible Hand,” “Ghost Ride (which happens to be a personal favorite off of the new album),” “Found,” “Grace,” “Last Rites,” “Pulseplagg,” “Vivien,” “Sensation,” and “Girls Float + Boys Cry (which features The Cure’s Robert Smith on the album. No, he wasn’ there).” Even when they performed “Big Youth” (which on the album features EL-P. Again, no he was not there), hearing Chino’s flow on that song brought all of us in the crowd back to quite the nostalgic time. And the few older picks they played like “This Is A Trick,” “Telepathy,” “Option,” and “Bitches Brew” which featured Chino’s signature scream that ignited the crowd as they/we all screamed along! This show was something special. Watching Chino just be in his element and letting his more playful side come out is always a good time. Then you have Shaun Lopez, musically guiding everything along with meticulous fashion. The combination of these two is quite the pair. And you can’t forget the history of Deftones and Far so, if you know then you know! The way the set played out was one of those magical ones too. Even with it being just Chino and Shaun up there, it was alive and bombastic (and if/when they add live drums again, oh damn)!
On other thing I loved about this show is the setting. It’s been quite a cool and dark modern gothic vibe for the whole aesthetic and roll out of their new album. Having the first shows back in quite some be held at the Masonic Lodge at the Hollywood Forever Cemetary was quite the way to introduce this new era. The songs, performance, the energy in the room, and the sense that for the hour and 30 plus minutes the craziness of everything in the world just seemed to be on pause while this show swept us away.
Crosses Set List:
01) Inititation 02) This Is A Trick 03) Vivien 04) Found 05) Ghost Ride 06) Pleasure 07) ThHolyGhost 08) Sensation 09) Grace 10) Bitches Brew 11) Pulseplagg 12) Holier 13) Invisible Hand 14) Girls Float + Boys Cry 15) Last Rites 16) Big Youth
Since I first heard about Black Map, I’ve been super stoked about them. I’ve had the pleasure to see them a few times as well as sit down with Ben and Mark for an interview. They are one of the best rock bands out there today and continue to impress and get better with each release. Their debut album has one of my favorite title tracks I’ve ever heard in “And We Explode Parts 1 & 2.” This song (let’s just call it one song), packs so much passion and awesomeness in it. The melody that accompanies the riffs and rhythms are pristine and are smooth as butter. It’s really a great showcase for how good of songwriters Black Map are along with players. If you haven’t heard Black Map before, you should definitely change that! Also, if you are in the Los Angeles area at the end of September (Sept 28 to be exact), Black Map is playing at The Whisky with my homies in Centershift.
The other day while I was reading my daily music news, I came across an article that went into detail about the making of the “acoustic” version of the Deftones song “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away). In the article, it was mentioned by DJ Crook, who made the “remix” version, that he was originally sent a cassette with vocals and guitar of Chino and Far singer Jonah Matranga. Crook then said “All I had at the time was this drum machine (8 yrs old at the time) and a tascam 4-track cassette recorder (10 yrs old at the time). I tapped out the tempo of the song and laid out the beat and recorded it on the other free tracks directly on the cassette they sent me. It magically stayed in sync. I dumped that down to another cassette and sent it back to them.” Needless to say the end result was something quite different than the original and it gave the song a totally different vibe. I’ve always dug on this version. It also happens to be the first Deftones song I ever learned to play. I still go ape shit when they play it live too. It’s such a great song. Anyways, enjoy this alternate version!
Deftones- Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away) “Acoustic”:
Way back in 2009, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, there was a very awesome one off reunion on his show. The band Jawbox had reunited for a quick performance to promote a reissue of their major label debut, For Your Own Special Sweetheart. During this spot, the band played the standout track “Savory.” It’s worth noting too that (if you don’t know), Deftones and Far’s Jonah Matranga did a great cover of this song. Following this one off, there were no other shows announced or anything. I bring all this up now because, after 20 years, Jawbox has announced their first full tour in so many years.
Jawbox- Savory (on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon):
Deftones w/ Jonah Matranga of Far- Savory Cover:
Jawbox 2019 Tour Dates:
June 14 – Cambridge, MA @ Sinclair
June 21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
June 22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
June 28 – Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
July 9 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market
July 10 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
July 12 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
July 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater
July 19 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
July 20 – Austin, TX @ Mohawk
July 26 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
July 27 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
Rock music is alive and well. Armed with inspiration, influences and artistry, Black Map has officially cemented their place in rock with their new album In Droves. Consisting of 15 songs, well technically 12 if you don’t count the three interludes, In Droves breathes a much needed breath of fresh air to the rock world. Ben Flanagan (Bass/Vocals), Mark Engles (Guitar) and Chris Robyn (Drums) play off each other tremendously. They have the ability to be heavy without compromising melody.
Starting off the album is “Run Rabbit Run” this is a great start to the record. It’s rifftastic, heavy hitting and thumping with soaring vocals. From there the album takes a turn towards the melancholy with “Foxglove” then back to the rock with the melodically heavy “Ruin.” As the album continues with songs like “Heavy Waves,” Dead Ringer, “Octavia,” and “No Color” you can tell that Black Map has really dialed in their sound. By the time “Indoor Kid” kicks in, you can tell you that you’ve been experiencing an “ALBUM.” “White Fence” is drenched in atmosphere. While “Just My Luck” is a solid rocker. ” Cash For The Fears” is a solemn track that is full of depth and emotion. Closing out the album is the epic “Coma Phase,” which is a great summation of the album.
Black Map is a band for the times. Their sound is full of 90’s rock without being a copy. If I were asked to describe what Black Map sounds like I’d say Failure mixed with Helmet. The vocals and lyrics of Ben Flanagan are full of melody and deep. Mark Engles guitar work is showcased brilliantly. Bringing some of the ambience and atmosphere from Dredg, really helps to make the heavy riffs, their own. Chris Robyn is one of the most underrated drummers. His work in FAR alone deserves that nod, and his playing on this album is just as good. Black Map are the “X marks the spot” type of band if you are looking for the next great rock band.
We continue now with the letter F. Again these are in no particular order. And I’m always looking to add to the list so feel free to leave suggestions!
1. Failure
2. Faith No More
3. Fugazi
4. Far
5. Foo Fighters
6. Flaming Lips
7. Fleetwood Mac
In 1998 Far released what is considered by many to be one of the top 10 influential albums of the “emo” movement in music, Water and Solutions. This record and band attracted a strong cult following in the late 1990s, due to the single “Mother Mary” and the band touring with long time friends in Deftones and Incubus. The album itself had a more melodic sound and richer fuller production by macshop” href=”#”> thanks to Dave Sardy, who was the producer on this album. The lyrical subject matter of Jonah Matranga and his vocals stretched from the raw screams to a more soulful singing voice, thus providing a real sense of intimacy for the listener to relate the words to. Musically the band has always been on point. Shaun Lopez distorted guitar and his remarkable tone is highly influential. His knack for creating a driving riff with the right amount of melody is often replicated but never quite the same as he does it. The rhythm section of John Gutenberger and the hard hitting drums of Chris Robyn were as tight as tight can be. John’s bass bellowed with the right amount of thump to push Chris’s heavy playing into the heights of the right amount of heaviness needed to fit with Shaun’s playing and Jonah’s vocals.
Sadly, not long after they released Water and Solutions, the band broke up. Though in 2008, the band reformed for a handful of US dates, and also a small UK tour. And in 2010, released a new album At Night We Live via Vagrant Records. At Night We Live is a solid album, and not just a throwback. Again though in 2011 it was announced that Far would not be be getting back together as there was just “too much drama.”
Far is one of those bands who will always be recognized for the great work they did, the material they put out, and the bands they influenced. And those of us who were fortunate to see them will always know that for sure.
I’ve talked about this band a lot, reviewed their shows and interviewed them. They are one of the best new bands I’ve heard in a long time. I can’t stop listening to their Driver EP. They deserve all the good that is coming to them. Their balance of being a heavy rock band with melody is beyond intriguing. For a power trio they really put out a lot of volume. The drums are thumping and pounding courtesy of the heavy hitting Chris Robyn. The guitars are delicate and crisp when they need to be and then change in to distorted crunchy heaviness thanks to Mark Engles. The bass is driving and plays off the riffs so well. Vocally the range of Ben Flanagan is astounding. His ability to hit high notes then go to a gruff scream is tremendous. Black Map is one hell of a gem to see live. There is so much energy that it permeates through the crowd. Be on the look out for their debut fill length soon!
