SYNESTHESIA: NOW PLAYING IN THE SAVAGE JUKEBOX MARCH 2019

"STUFFED AND READY"
CHERRY GLAZERR
Released February 1, 2019
NEW 2019 MUSIC: I have said it before and I will continue to say it forever more: the night that I saw Cherry Glazerr open for The Flaming Lips a few years ago was nothing less than jaw dropping! They arrived on stage and performed as if they were the night's main attraction and in doing so, they left the stage in ashes, almost making them a tough act for the evening's headliners to follow. And as terrific as "Apocalipstick" (released January 20, 2017), the band's second album, was, I feel that "Stuffed And Ready" completely fulfills the promise of that night in spades.

While Cherry Glazerr has since amicably parted ways with keyboardist Sasami Ashworth, now downsizing the band into a trio, not one element has been lost--in fact, the force of the band has only grown tighter, more impressive in its range and unquestionably stronger in its rapaciousness.

Do not let the kitschy album cover and the high, breathy vocals of bandleader, singer, songwriter and ace guitarist Clementine Creevy fool you for she and her bandmates have delivered a slick yet two fisted production that packs one relentless punch after another in a darkly walloping 31 minutes. Filled with Zeppelin-esque riffs and swagger by way of L7 and Hole, "Stuffed And Ready" serves as Creevy's unapologetically feminist manifesto as she explores roles and perceptions (her own as well as other's of her) within the music industry, itself a metaphor for women in 21st century life and society.

"Daddi," a tale of incest and survival, is easily the album's most explicit yet you will unquestionably be downright pummeled by the likes of "Ohio," "Isolation," the head spinning wonder of "Wasted Nun" and the album closing scorched earth flamethrowers "Stupid Fish" and "Distressor." At just 21 years old, Creevy has firmly announced herself as an artist who demands your attention and with the melodically rich and beautifully loud "Stuffed And Ready," Cherry Glazerr opens 2019 with a work that is equally self-lacerating and a full throated rage against the machine.

"WAVE"
PATTI SMITH GROUP
Released May 17, 1979

"THE OTHER SIDE OF YOU"
AIMEE LAY
Released December 1, 2017

"ELECTRIC ARGUMENTS"
THE FIREMAN
Released November 24, 2008

"WEEZER (BLACK ALBUM)"
WEEZER
Released March 1, 2019
NEW 2019 MUSIC: I have to say that I missed the guitars.

Now please do not take me for being a Weezer purist. In fact if I had to align myself with either of the characters played by Leslie Jones or Matt Damon in the recent "Saturday Night Live" sketch which pitted them against each other in an increasingly ferocious debate about the merits of Weezer post "Pinkerton" (released September 24, 1996), you could easily place me with Damon's "ride or die" side of the debate as I feel that the band should create whatever that damn well feel like creating...even if it is something that alienates their biggest fans.

For me, as of late, Weezer has been on a creative roll with "Everything Will be Alright In The End" (released October 7, 2014), "Weezer (White Album)" (released April 1, 2016) and "Pacific Daydream" (released October 27, 2017) and with this new release, the band has clearly decided to extend from the electronic tinged pop sonic palate of "Pacific Daydream" and wade into deeper electronic waters as guitars are cast aside for keyboards, synthesizers, drum machines and all manner of high gloss hip-hop influenced programming.

Now all of this would be well and good for my ears as I have never existed as any sort of a Weezer purist but I wish the sonic experimentation was at the service of better songs. While I do think this album is a better nod towards a pop sound than "Raditude" (released November 3, 2009), and there is something to be said about creating a musical curve ball--especially one produced by TV On The Radio's Dave Sitek--songs like "Zombie Bastards" just felt to be more than a little innocuous for my taste.

That being said, and in addition to album highlights like the soaring "High As A Kite," the lovely ode to loneliness and isolation in "Living In L.A.," the propulsive and brooding "Too Many Thoughts In My Head," the satirically sharp "I'm Just Being Honest," and even a song about Prince with "The Prince Who Wanted Everything," the album has begun growing on me a little bit with more listens. And to be especially fair to this fiercely prolific band who has also just released the all covers album "Weezer (Teal Album)" (released January 24, 2019) and has two more releases on the way--including a full return to guitars and glory with the tentatively titled "Van Weezer"--it would be impossible to count Weezer out just yet...

...just like Matt Damon's "SNL" character.