Tampa Calling

To begin by beating a dead horse: Modern Radio sucks! We’re lucky in the Tampa Bay area with WMNF, but even this leftist station leans toward mainstream boomer culture rather than underground or avant garde sounds. And who can blame them? Fiscal feasability dictates the output of modern media (d’uh).

In a pinch, I tend to listen to right wing radio for a good, healthy gut laugh, because it’s better than being depressed by cheesy mediocrity! Bottom line: Radio is for the masses. Lowest common denominator pandering pervades every aspect of post-modern living. From the huge conglomerates to the indies, companies and not-for-profits don’t have faith in our ability to think, contemplate and make our own decisions. This is not special knowledge that I’ve tapped into / I do not have any extra intelligence not available to the rest of you. You are all well aware of the hoodwink that modern media attempts to pull over on us every day. It/s like that “Everybody Knows” song by Leonard Cohen (he supercedes boomer culture, right?). Read the rest of this entry »

New from No Clear Records: a schizophrenic compilation colliding different genres of the underground and crapping them together in one easy to swallow CD-R. No Clear, No Eyes Volume 2 spirals around themes of frustration, loneliness and salvation through the lenses of punk, no wave, garage, folk, experimental, noise, comedy, avant garde, rock ‘n’ roll and more without batting an eye. All thought up, recorded and executed right here in Florida (mostly Tampa Bay, though other acts hail from Gainesville and Melbourne), this compilation accurately depicts the underbelly of Florida culture that more and more people are seeking out as mainstream alternatives to their cultural intake.

Tonight, Friday, May 22, 2009, Cafe Bohemia hosts a compilation release show for this seminal Florida mix featuring live music from some of Tampa Bay’s most exciting weirdos. 937 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 6 or 7 p.m. start time (it’ll go all night). (Follow the jump for track listing.)

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GHOST HOSPITAL
Imagine a world where dinosaurs roam through unfiltered imaginations like so many forgotten dreams of revealed bias and reality. With Daniel Johnston sensibilities juxtaposed with garage punk and a little Butthole Surfers, Pittsburgh transplant Ghost Hospital creeps around Tampa Bay singing songs and playing guitar. Electric, acoustic, with a band, solo, short songs, feedback freakouts and always with a sense of humor, Ghost Hospital surfs the underground and pops up where ever the twin evils of regret and shame need to be battled back into their crusty caves and neurotic hosts.

Since moving to Florida, Ghost Hospital has played as far south as Miami and Orlando, while normally sticking around St Pete Tampa area. “Don’t do what your mom says/ You’ll end up just like your dad/ Don’t do what your dad says/ You’ll end up with regret/Oh yeah…” he croons from behind guitar playing born of some Greg Ginn-punk John Fogerty-Americana love child not recognized by the United Nations or Pitchfork Media.

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