“We Belong To The Staggering Evening” is the natural yet alarming evolution for The Ike Reilly Assassination. Sounding furious and maniacal and on top of the world at the outset, “The Staggering Evening” is performed with something to prove and nothing to lose. Handclaps and tambourines, the call-and-response, twisted-gospel vocals, and driving NYC-underground guitars are all part of Reilly’s American portrayal of rock ‘n’ roll in this lost new era. Produced by Reilly, “The Staggering Evening” is an album that should be blasted on a hectic Friday night from jukeboxes in bars that haven’t banned smoking, from college dorm rooms, from economy cars in shit traffic, and stuck in the ears of iPod-listening subway riders. It’s a “Cops” episode; it’s Lenny Bruce after being the celebrity judge on “American Idol;” it’s a night full of lust and regret, blood and anarchy, and a blind date with the disaffected — a hilarious night that begins with a swill and ends with a tender kiss. The album is in stores May 8th.
Patty Hurst Shifter (the name started as a joke but stuck) has evolved considerably since releasing its 2002 debut, Beestinger Lullabies, an album distinguished by “hard-hitting, textured anthems with plenty of space between the notes for the vivid scenes set by Chris Smith to sink in,” according to No Depression’s Rick Cornell, who added, “The band can bite hard or burn slowly, bringing to mind big-beat outfits like the True Believers and late local heroes the Backsliders.” The band is back with a new EP, in stores this Spring.
Run DMC were one of the true pioneers of rap music. This clip from the group’s upcoming CD/DVD set taken from a concert at Montreux in 2001 was one of their last before the tragic death of Jam Master Jay in 2002. Formed in the early 80s, Run DMC had a string of hit singles and multi-platinum albums through the decade, which helped to define the sound of contemporary rap music. They were also rock/pop crossover pioneers typified by their worldwide hit “Walk This Way,” with Aerosmith.
Here are this week’s GHIDRAH songs:
SONG 1: The Ike Reilly Assassination “When Irish Eyes Are Burning”
SONG 2: Patty Hurst Shifter “Life Is Mostly Waiting”
SONG 3: Run DMC “King of Rock”
The GHIDRAH is a song-of-the-week program. Each week the songs change, but the links don’t change – it is self-refreshing content.