Crib Notes

Since GENTLEMAN JESSE dropped his debut 7-inch, “I Don’t Wanna Know,” back in ’06, Atlanta’s consummate power-pop innovator has exerted a sweeping influence over the collective consciousness of the city’s native rock scenes. The emphasis he places on the art of songwriting, and the quick, concise pop inflections he’s mastered rise above the common vernacular of garage slop and punk-rock jitters. While the rest of the city’s other bands have watched and followed, he continues to reach for a higher plane of musicianship. Whether performing as the right-hand man in the new Paul Collins Beat, or wielding a bass guitar in the Carbonas, a local music renaissance has fallen upon Atlanta, and much of it is at the hands of Gentleman Jesse Smith. www.myspace.com/gentlemanjesse.

See BOA After Dark

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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The funeral for B Jay Womack will be held on Mon., July 6, at the Honeycreek Woodlands near the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers.

The funereal starts at 2 p.m. sharp and will be held on a nature preserve down the road from the monastery. Please be prepared to follow signs for parking and burial site. Parking is very limited, so carpooling is required. The burial site is a half-mile hike on a gravel path through a densely wooded area, so please wear proper attire (high heels are not a good idea), and be prepared with sunscreen and bug spray.

Memorial service to follow at Manuel’s Tavern at 6 p.m. Please check websites for details, maps, and info at Vacation, which will also be a shuttle and central meeting point for the trek out to Conyers. Be at Vacation by no later than 1 p.m. to catch a ride.

B Jay will be dearly missed and all friends are welcome to come and pay their respects.

Click below for directions to the Honeycreek Woodlands at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

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This week’s CL cover story, “The Life & Times of Bobby Ubangi: How Atlanta’s garage rock mascot saved himself before dying,” chronicles local music fixture B Jay Womack’s battle with cancer. The video montage was created by We Fun director Matthew Robison and Zack Wilson.

The following mp3s cover musical output from the Lids on up to some of his most recent songs that appear on Inside the Mind of Bobby Ubangi.

The Gaye Blades “Bobby is a Lover”

The Lids “Something to do”

Bobby Ubangi “That’s Alright”

Bobby Ubangi “Not My fault”

The Soft Spots “Can’t Get her Off”

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NPR.org’s “Song of the Day” today comes courtesy hometown heroes Gentleman Jesse and His Men. The track, “All I Need Tonight,” is described by the blurb’s author (that is, me) as:

…mostly just an excuse for frontman Jesse Smith and his background singers to belt out the track’s euphoric chorus — “All I need tonight is youuuuuu” — again and again. Sure, there’s a marginal backstory involving a girl who isn’t taking the narrator’s calls, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense, considering how quickly he decides to find a new woman to float his boat. Turns out you aren’t the only thing he needs tonight, after all. But who cares? Young love never makes sense, so why should sublime pop?

You can catch up onCreative Loafing’s coverage of the band here and here. Also check out my recent feature on Jesse’s label Douchemaster Records in Crawdaddy.

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OUT OF THE SHADOWS: Adrian Barrera (third from left) with the Barreracudas

Don’t hold Adrian Barrera’s past against him.

When his former band the Hiss called it quits shortly after releasing its 2007 full-length Chocolate Hearts, it was the rock and roll band Atlanta loved to hate. Even the four members of the group’s final lineup — Barrera (vocals/guitar), Todd Galpin (drums), Milton Chapman (keyboard) and George Reese (bass) — were sick of the Hiss.

Rather than make a clean break, however, they retooled everything from the ground up. “The Hiss’ whole approach became more and more unfocused,” says Barrera. “As it grew further away from the original idea, we all started losing interest in it. We didn’t want to reinvent the whole wheel, but we definitely needed to do something different.”

The fruit of their rebranding campaign culminates in the Barreracudas. The new group features the same players as the Hiss’ final lineup — with the addition of guitarist Warren Bailey (Beat Beat Beat, Gentleman Jesse) — but takes a back-to-basics approach.

“Hollywood Honeys” mp3

Continue reading “Attack of the Barreracudas”

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

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In the December issue of Spin Magazine’s monthly list of “Songs You Need to Download Now,” Atlanta’s Gentleman Jesse Smith gets a shout out for the a-side of his debut 7-inch single, “I Don’t Wanna Know.”

Normally we here at Crib Notes would recommend that you go out and buy the 7-inch that was released in 2006 by local label DoucheMaster Records. But sadly it is long out of print and you have no choice but to settle for a digital file.

At any rate, if you’re not already familiar with the tune that put Gentleman Jesse on the map you are a couple of years behind the curve, and like Spin suggests, go out and get it right now. As soon as you have digested that, go get the full-length which came out earlier this year on DoucheMaster. You won’t be disappointed.

“I Don’t Wanna Know” MP3

(Photo by Laura Hull)

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Baby Shakes, now based out of New York played an in-store show at Criminal Records Saturday afternoon (Nov. 15th), playing songs from their new album The First One (DoucheMaster Records).

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For today’s Roll Call we call out Tom Cheshire, poet, statesman and whiskey soaked frontman for Atlanta punk band All Night Drug Prowling Wolves.

Who are you?
Tom Cheshire, Singer, dancer, wronger, writer.

Describe yourself in three words.
Rad, appropriate & uncalled for.

Who — dead or alive — would most you like to meet?
Charlie Chaplin, good man, comedic genius, did well with the ladies and hung out with communists.

Who would you most like to slap in the face?
Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren. I believe the reasons are obvious.

What song (or songs) do you wish you had written?
“Baba O’Riley,” “Happy Birthday” & “Garbage Picker” by the Beltones.

Elvis Costello or Elvis Presley?
Costello, no joke. Rebel. One of the greatest singers and song writers of all time. Presley didn’t write shiznickle.

LP, CD or MP3?
LP in the place to be.

If you could start one trend, what would it be?
Pleated sweat pants, tight at the ankles with pockets. It will happen, trust me.

If you could end one trend, what would it be?
Johnny Thunders hair.

With whom would you most like to play a game of spin the bottle?
Catherine Keener. Got it for her hard. Spread the word.

All Night Drug Prowling Wolves play The Earl as part of the Atlanta Mess-Around fest. on Fri., Nov. 14th. Two day passes are available for $20. Tickets are $12 at the door.

“Dirty Your Heart” MP3

Hit up ANDPW’s website to hear more songs from their brand new, self-titled debut LP on The Colonel Records.

(Photo courtesy Tom Cheshire)

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This morning Pitchfork posted a long overdue review of Gentleman Jesse’s debut album on DoucheMaster Records (whom, by the way received a CL Best Of Atlanta award this week for critic’s pick for best local record label).

Unlike the pukey face review that Vice gave him this month, Pitchfork likes Gentleman Jesse so much that they bestowed upon him an empowering 8.1 rating.

Read the review here.

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