On the Beat: New Music From Cooked, Jack Hanson and James Kochalka Superstar

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas at the University of Vermont Recital Hall Credit: Luke Awtry

There are a lot of new releases this week, so let’s get right into them. First up is a pretty unique track: a response to a negative review. Montpelier-based nerdcore rapper Msd3k —real name Mike Duplessis — got roughed up in our review section the other week for his debut EP, The Master Debater. Our resident hip-hop scholar, Justin Boland, while having some praise for Msd3k and his sense of humor, took umbrage at a genre that he feels lampoons another genre it can never live up to, and he let Duplessis have it with both barrels.

I’ve written my share of negative reviews and received some pretty hateful emails from local artists as a result. Which is perhaps why I have to say: If you’re going to respond to a bad review, follow Duplessis’ lead.

“I Got Dissed in the Paper (… and Died!)” is a country-leaning tune about how the review, well, caused the death of Msd3k. “Dog crashed my truck into my tractor / Life already falling apart / Then I got dissed in the paper and died of a broken heart,” Duplessis sings in a southern accent.

I’m not going to lie: I’m a little jealous of Boland on this one. If any of the musicians I’ve given bad reviews to over the years feels like recording a response track, I would love to hear it.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=_L-LP3Cvpgg

Burlington hardcore act Cooked released a new video on April 7 for their single “Neurosis.” A three-minute-long blast of aggression and confusion, featuring lyrics such as “Can someone please tell me what the fuck to do?,” the song showcases the trio’s nihilistic abandon, as well as its knack for writing catchy, if unrelentingly heavy, tunes. The track will be part of the band’s forthcoming LP The Hanged Man, due out in May.

I’m sure some have noticed the increased activity from James Kochalka‘s weird little corner of Burlington. The comic book creator and musician has dropped some great singles in the past few months, with guest appearances from the Dead Kennedys’ Jello Biafra and punk rockers Rough Francis. He’s now gearing up to release an EP on April 18 called James and Gravy. Produced by Neil Cleary and engineered by Benny Yurco, the new James Kochalka Superstar EP finds the singer-songwriter accessing his gentler side in six mostly acoustic tunes.

Kochalka will celebrate the record with an April 22 show at Radio Bean in Burlington.

Jazz pianist and former Burlington city councilor Jack Hanson has a new single out: “On Union.” Hanson collaborates with local trumpet player Connor Young on the laid-back number. Name-checking such spots as Union and Willard streets, the song dwells somewhere between voyeurism and heartbroken whimsy, as Hanson sings of all the places in Burlington where he might see an ex-lover. Call it an ode to the difficulty of avoiding an ex in Burlington. Hanson and Young will debut the song live at the Venetian Soda Lounge in Burlington on April 22.

Eye on the Scene

Last week’s live music highlights from photographer Luke Awtry

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas at the University of Vermont Recital Hall, Burlington, Friday, April 7: The halls are alive with the sound of … solo classical guitar? Last Friday, UVM’s most esteemed performance series, the Lane Series, hosted Spanish guitar virtuoso Pablo Sáinz-Villegas. Considered the world’s preeminent symphonic guitarist, Sáinz-Villegas has an ability to traverse the fretboard of his Matthias Dammann classical guitar that’s incredible to behold. Guitarists in the audience are bound to have one of two reactions to such performances: Either we’ll be so inspired that we once again promise to be diligent about the practice routine we avoid so well — “This time will be different, I swear,” says me, every time. Or we’ll grab the nearest guitar and smash it into 1,000 pieces, once again convincing ourselves that the dream is dead — “I’m selling everything, I swear,” says me, every time. Either response is acceptable. But don’t worry, neither ever sticks.

On the Air

Where to tune in to Vermont music this week:

“Wave Cave Radio Show,” Wednesday, April 12, 2 p.m., on 105.9 the Radiator: DJs Flywlkr and Gingervitus spin the best of local (and nonlocal) hip-hop.
“Exposure,” Wednesday, April 12, 6 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: College funk band the Kyne play live in studio.
“Rocket Shop Radio Hour,” Wednesday, April 12, 8 p.m., on 105.9 the Radiator: Jazz outfit the Cam Gilmour Band play live in studio.
“The Sounds of Burlington,” Thursday, April 13, 9 p.m., at wbkm.org: Host Tim Lewis plays selections of local music.
“Cultural Bunker,” Friday, April 14, 6 p.m., on 90.1 WRUV: Host Melo Grant plays local and nonlocal hip-hop.
“All the Traditions,” Sunday, April 16, 7 p.m., on Vermont Public: Host Robert Resnik plays an assortment of folk music with a focus on Vermont artists.