Hideout; 7/13 at Square Roots Festival,
Lincoln Square, Chicago.
– John Vernon
7
THE MEKONS
Deserted
(Bloodshot)
This isn't the Joshua Tree that U2 wrote
about 30 years ago. But peering into their
crystal ball, you would think they'd
approve (and be disturbed) by the
Mekons version of southern California's
treasured landmark inspiration on
Deserted. Climate change, industrial
expansion, government shutdowns, and
neglect threaten Joshua Tree National
Forest, and The Mekons have created an
album full of metaphors as the soundtrack
to it, recorded at their new studio set up
just outside of Joshua Tree in Yucca Valley,
CA. Give John Langford and friends cred-
it; they've managed to thrive and grow
despite the fragmented music business,
other musical distractions, and father
time. Formed during the Thatcher-gov-
erned late punk era in Leeds, the Mekons
dabbled in nearly every musical punk
genre spinoff you could think of in 40
years of music making and Deserted
brought them together at bassist Dave
Trumfio's new Joshua Tree area studio.
Deserted isn't all doom and gloom -
though the music is chaotic in layers of
shambling guitars on "Lawrence of
California," a meshing of British army
hero T.E. Lawrence and Indiana Jones
powered by Jefferson Airplane-ish shouty
verses, wobbly feedback, and mayhem.
"Weimar Vending Machine" is a Bowie
and Eno inspired tribute with short bursts
of old Roland synths and signature
Mekons lyrical wonder ("Iggy pops up in
Berlin"). If we can survive the damage to
the planet, "After The Rain" delivers an
anthem for survival.
With the band scattered by geography,
The Mekons feel like a periodic hobby, but
Deserted shows whenever they assemble,
they make the most of it.
Appearing in Chicago 7/12 & 7/14 at The
SIGNAL THE LAUNCH
Dance Like A Vampire EP
(Self)
Chicago-based melodic rock trio
Signal The Launch had a life and music
defining moment three years ago when
Mariusz Owczarczak flipped his vintage
Ford Bronco on Lake Shore Drive when a
tie-rod (steering) end dislodged from his
vehicle, seriously injuring him. Like a
scene from the Blues Brothers, he knew he
needed to "get the band back together."
Shortly after that, the Lane Tech alums
commenced Signal the Launch with
brother (bassist) Dan Owczarczak and
drummer Kevin Karpa rounding out the
lineup. The band smartly recorded an EP
with famed Nirvana producer and Big
Black founder Steve Albini at Electrical
Audio. Dan Owczarczak told IE their EP
songs "are a representation of our ‘launch
period.’ They exemplify our musical evo-
lution from rehearsals to clubs to the stu-
dio.” The title song showcases the bands
super tight chops, yolking a bed of
Mariusz' spirited but clean bluesy guitar,
and raspy but melodic vocals. Being a trio
puts a band out in front of their audience
nearly naked, but Albini's beefy produc-
tion and Owczarczak and Karpa's lock-
step rhythm section fills all the gaps. STL's
F. W. Murnau-inspired 1920's horror film
music video (directed by Zach Spangler)
"Dance Like A Vampire" shows the band
has their visual game locked down as
well. Glammy EP track "Derail" mixes
Grand Funk sensibility with a Lenny
Kravitz style guitar jam, where Mariusz'
guitar work really gets to shine.
Appearing 6/29 at O’s Tap, Chicago.
– David Gedge
7
CARTHAGODS
The Monster in Me
(Darkside)
Tunisian
heavy
metal
export
Carthagods are a hidden, global gem.
Formed in 1997. The progressive power
metal quintet is one of the first metal
bands to emerge from the North African
nation, and the band represents its coun-
try well on sophomore release, The
Monster in Me. On the eight tracks, the
band shows more maturity in its song-
writing, and much-improved production
28 illinoisentertainer.com june 2019
values compared to its 2015 self-titled
debut. Dark riffs are juxtaposed with emo-
tive melodies, great transitions, hooky
moments and gritty vocals, while the gui-
tar solos are fantastic and memorable,
keeping the listener engaged. The album
consists of equal parts pounding, progres-
sive power metal tunes (“Whispers From
The Wicked,” “The Monster in Me”);
power ballads (“The Rebirth,” “Memories
of
Never
Ending
Pains”);
progressive/speed/thrash metal tracks
(“A Last Sigh,” “Cry Out For The Land”);
and symphonic elements on the orchestrat-
ed version of “The Rebirth.” Tracks “A Last
Sigh” and “Memories of Never Ending
Pains” already appeared on the band’s
debut, but have been updated here.
Although Carthagods’s debut record had
its moments while introducing some
promising work, The Monster in Me takes it
to the next level. 7
– Kelley Simms
7
THE ZOMBIES
The Complete Studio
Recordings
(Varse Vintage)
Class of 2019 Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame inductees, the Zombies, are celebrat-
ed with this 5-LP collection of the band’s
studio work from their brief but essential
original run. The musicianship of the
teenaged Zombies is impressive on the
timeless single “She’s Not There” from the
band’s 1964 US debut, but the band’s chart
heavyweights don’t tell the full story. Colin
Blunstone’s take on George Gershwin’s
1934 jazz standard “Summertime” at age
19 found him in possession of one-in-a-
million pipes and intuition for bringing
new life and emotion to a classic melody.
The late Paul Atkinson (then aged 18)
plays a feral guitar solo during principal
songwriter Rod Argent’s “It’s Alright with
Me.” Bassist Chris White contributes the
jangling and emotive “I Don’t Want to
Know” and urgent “What More Can I Do,”
and drummer Hugh Grundy propels
smash hit “Tell Her No” like a rocker in
possession of skillful jazz chops. Argent’s
organ soloing on “Sometimes” is slinky,
soulful and psychedelic. The whole band
shines on the Gospel-styled raver
“Woman,” a feisty deep track that places
the Zombies as worthy contemporaries of
British Invasion movers and shakers like
the Kinks. The band’s avowed classic
album is 1968’s Odyssey and Oracle, which
stiffed upon release but grew in stature fol-
lowing the band’s initial breakup. The
moody “Time of the Season” became a
chart-topping hit in 1969 after Argent and
White had already moved onto their new
group, named after Argent. White’s “A
Butcher’s Tale” is a potent anti-war protest
from a young man against the hypocrisy of
adults all too willing to send children into
harm’s way. The jaunty Penny Lane
bounce of “Care of Cell 44” soars heaven-
ward with Blunstone’s magnificent chorus
during a sweet but comical story anticipat-
ing a lover’s return from prison. Argent’s
forlorn ballad “A Rose for Emily” gained
new appreciation as the closing credits
music for 2017’s celebrated This American
Life podcast S-Town. White’s irrepressible
“This Will Be Our Year” is an infectious
anthem of hard-earned optimism. “Time of
the Season” stands as the band’s classic
rock radio staple, but the full album
deserves its collective acclaim. 1965’s I
Love You was initially released in Europe
and Japan as a collection of ten Decca
records singles, B-sides, bolstered by
updated mixes of “Woman” and “She’s
Not There.” The title track featuring
Atkinson’s insistent acoustic guitar riff
deserves higher acclaim among the band’s
canon but did notch a #14 hit in 1968 for
the California-based Anglophiles People.
“Whenever You’re Ready” reveals Argent’s
affinity for soulful Motown-styled pop
songcraft. The relentlessly chugging blues-
pop of “Indication” is another standout.
R.I.P., originally intended as the 1969 fol-
low-up to Odyssey and Oracle never saw a
vinyl release until 2015’s Record Store Day.
The album’s first side features six
Argent/White
collaborations
from
December ’68. Featuring Argent’s lead
vocal, fare like “She Loves the Way They
Love Her” points the way toward the
Argent band’s 1970 debut. Blunstone later
featured the same song, in addition to
R.I.P.’s mournful “Smokey Day,” on his
1971 debut One Year produced by Argent
and White. Argent’s playful piano duets
with his brooding organ during the instru-
mental track “Conversation Off Floral
Street.” R.I.P. side two is filled with updat-
ed tracks from the Zombies vault, includ-
ing a freshly recorded Blunstone vocal (the
singer was, thankfully, coaxed back from
his musical retirement in the insurance
business) for 1964’s determined and hope-
ful “Walking in the Sun.” Grundy’s drum-
ming steals the show on the propulsive
“I’ll Keep Trying.”
Oddities & Extras captures another 13
songs from ’64-’67. The dramatic “Just Out
of Reach” is a crowd-favorite Blunstone
showcase performed during contemporary
Zombies sets fronted by Argent and
Blunstone. 1965’s overlooked but durable
gem, “I Want You Back Again,” a concert-
cover by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers,
was re-recorded for the modern Zombies’
2015 album Still Got That Hunger. From
radio staples to worthy but hidden fare,
The Complete Studio Recordings will send
any fan with a turntable to Zombie
Heaven.
– Jeff Elbel
9
Continued on page 46