I catch up with Plowing Mud Forever & Divison of Planes at the Delancey

Kirk Howle, lead singer and bassist for Plowing Mud Forever, sent me an email informing me that they would be playing the Delancey in NYC with a couple other Jersey City acts: Torrential Downpour, and Division of Planes. PMF was the first band I reviewed for Rocker Tycoon all the way back in January. There's been a whole lot of evolution for the site since my first night out on the snow. I was excited to see what Kirk, Ryan and Rollie had been upto for the last six months. So I hoped on the PATH and then took a cab across town to the Delancey. Cover was $7. Beers started at $5, this is Manhattan, so I roll with the price increase, but I don't have to like it.

Plowing Mud Forever was already busting out songs as I rambled in. It's been 6 months since I last saw these guys. I have to say, there's an immediate realization that they have tightened things up. It could be the sound quality of the last place was much to be desired, but I think they really improved musically as well. I guess that's a good thing, these fellas were just forming up at the end of last year. Kirk Howle (bass/vox), Rollie Middlenamethisweek Hatch (guitar/vox) and Ryan Stevens (drums) make up this growl rock trio. Inbetween songs they actually call out for a little heckling. Kirk says it livens things up. They have a vested grounding with bands like Faith No More and the sensibilities of Bill Hicks, with the volume of Spinal Tap. These cats will be playing a show with No Pasaran come Wednesday July 8th, so be sure to look out for that.

Next up Torrential Downpour, constructed themselves onto the stage. If I where to tell you that TD is a little loud that would be like telling you the sun is kinda hot. If I were to say that they were sort of intense that would be akin to saying Sam Kinison is a little intense. Torrential Downpour is Costa (Drums), Cece (Bass) Volpe (Guitar) Prkr (Vocals/Samples). Holy Crap! These dudes melt faces and serve them on toasted awesome with a side of IDONTEVENKNOWWHATTOSAY. Prkr uses his voice as a sample during the songs as well as vocalizing at the same time. This ain't no cut copy paste style of rock and roll. It involves railroad spikes and ......guns that shoot railroad spikes. You don't believe me? Well then see for yourself! It's Armageddom without the Erhnam Djinn, this is destruction after construction!

After TD I took a minute to collect the little peices of myself off the floor and i wandered outside. After I shook off the after effects of the face melting. I snagged a bottle of Bud and prepared for Division of Planes. It's great to catch up with these guys again. I checked up with them in April opening for WJ and the Sweet Sacrifice at the IMAC. DoP is a conspiracy oriented Political Punk style band. Simple Clash style set up, and solid music coupled with smart lyrics makes this act one of my Top Ten Bands to see in Jersey City. They invoke an early 2000's style of New Brunswick basement era rock. You can definitely hear the post punk influences of that era and revolution rock style lyrics hearken back to the late 70's and early 80's but DoP really has their own style of panache. Bassist Tom Unish and Guitarist J. Johnson man the vocals while Jonathan Johansen grounds and pounds the drums. These cats make full use of the stage as well. They even played a new song right near the end of the set that I caught on tape. (Look at that folks a Rocker Tycoon exclusive!) I need to get a Rcoker Tycoon signature interview with these fellas really soon.

After the show I hitched a ride with Plowing Mud Forever back to Jersey City. Conversation got stuck on the Ren and Stimpy album that came out back in 04. Up until this point, I thought for sure I was the only human in the world that ever owned that album. In my humble opinion it was a work of pure progressive jazz novelty genius. I think PMF agrees.