The Witzard Premiere & Vinyl Review: Blacksonny & Red Datsun's "Tourniquet"/"Container Store" & "Korean Tacos" Split 7-inch (Persistence of Sound)
"The musicians in both Blacksonny and Red Datsun are all part of our collective of creative friends that fall under the Riding Mower Records umbrella. For example, Joel [Bernardo], who plays bass in Blacksonny is also P.I.C.'s bass player, Eric [Gonzales], who plays keys in Red Datsun is P.I.C.'s keyboard player, I play bass in Red Datsun, but am the DJ for P.I.C.Dave Canton, who plays guitar in Red Datsun has played guitar in Blacksonny and has joined P.I.C. on stage on occasion, as well, etc. Riding Mower Records is the record label that was started by P.I.C. to release their own recordings, but also those of our talented friends. Blacksonny and Red Datsun have released albums on Riding Mower Records in the past. The "label" that this specific release is on is Persistence of Sound, which is my personal imprint and was done with the blessing of Riding Mower Records with both groups retaining all rights to music and artwork accordingly."
- Mas Yamagata (Red Datsun)
<a href="http://blacksonny1.bandcamp.com/track/tourniquet">Tourniquet by blacksonny</a>
DRUNKEN MAN SIDE: A1 Blacksonny - "Tourniquet:"
I had accidentally set my record player on either 33 1/3 or 78RPM speed, as opposed to standard 45RPM speed (which is a fun little trick, if you haven't tried it before) and
Blacksonny
's split 7-inch lead-off track
"Tourniquet"
sounded a bit creepy, at first before properly adjusting the setting. "
Jesus
was a barrister;
Jesus
was all clad in furs,"
frontman
Micah Valdes
eerily exclaims about 30-seconds into
"Tourniquet."
It seems to be about either infidelity, addiction, etc. in a relationship and vaguely sounds a bit like
The Mars Volta/At The Drive-In
and has an early 2000's
Punk/Brit Rock
type feel.
Red Datsun
bassist
Mas Yamagata
tells me he drove
Blacksonny
's guitarist
John Ariz
to
Lakehouse Recording Studios
one day to track some additional guitar parts and who did they bump into, but none other than
Bouncing Souls
guitarist
Pete Steinkopf
;
Mas
wasn't exactly sure how, but simply says
John
and
Pete
are "old music buddies" and Steinkopf would work a day or two a week, between his own projects, recording with
Blacksonny & Red Datsun
's buddy
Eric Bennett
.
"Tourniquet"
and
"Container Store"
and
"Korean Tacos"
were all recorded and mixed by
Eric Bennett, Dylan McLean
, and
Pete Steinkopf
at
Lakehouse Recording Studios
in
Asbury Park, NJ
. Brief story about the cover artwork from
Red Datsun
's
Mas
: "The photo was taken by
Micah (Blacksonny)
when he was in
Japan
visiting family. Apparently, the man on the street was super-drunk and was picking a fight with a police officer, before he passed out. The bike is believed to be his. He's lucky cops in
Japan
don't carry guns."
<a href="http://reddatsun.bandcamp.com/album/container-store-korean-tacos">Container Store/Korean Tacos by Red Datsun</a>
BIKE SIDE: B1 Red Datsun - "Container Store:"
I was expecting
Hiphopfunkpunkmamboska
stylings because of
(DJ) Mas'
past work with
P.I.C.
and
, but I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised with
Red Datsun
's
"Bike Side."
It's the perfect blend of
American Punk/Indie Rock
and is perfectly suited for 7-inch vinyl format.
"Container Store"
is fuzzed out, fast, jittery, intentionally "sloppy," and very
Punk Rock
. I'm reminded of
Henry Rollins
-era
Black Flag
(is there really any other era?) The Misfits,
Iggy & The Stooges
, The Sex Pistols, and
Dischord Records
.
Red Datsun
expertly employ that age-old
Hardcore
effect wherein the music itself sounds like it's falling apart at the seams, as well as chug-a-lug bass.
Arctic Monkeys
-esque spiraling/wailing guitar riffs are heard within
"Container Store"'
s outro, before it abruptly stops. Although, before you know it, the needle goes right into Track #B2.
<a href="http://reddatsun.bandcamp.com/album/container-store-korean-tacos">Container Store/Korean Tacos by Red Datsun</a>
BIKE SIDE: B2 Red Datsun - "Korean Tacos:"
Little less fast-paced and frantic right from the intro, when compared against
B1 "Container Store."
It's very guitar-heavy with a crunchy guitar/bass/drums combo, slight
Electronic
noise, and a bit of twang is sensed in frontman
David Miller
's shouted vocals.
"Korean Tacos"
embodies more of a modern
Hard Rock
-type feel reminiscent of
Queens of The Stone Age
, Foo Fighters,
The Black Keys
, and Arctic Monkeys. Miller's "let's go commit a crime, as the midnight washes past us..." refrain is a bit reminiscent of either
Iggy Pop
or
Stones
frontman
Mick Jagger
. Bassist and
Persistence of Sound
founder
Mas Yamagata
tells me both sides of
Blacksonny/Red Datsun
's split 7-inch were ripped directly to audio MP3's and digitized into what you're now hearing on
Bandcamp
, which is why you can almost hear the vinyl arm click "OFF" at the end of
Side B
. Now, my only complaint would be that
Blacksonny/Red Datsun
's split 7-inch is extremely TOO SHORT and leaves me wanting more from both groups (but I guess that really isn't a bad "complaint!")
Leandro Gonzalez
at
Kenilworth, NJ
-based
Stereodisk
pressed up a limited-run of 60 white label
just in time for a December 2016
Red Datsun & Blacksonny
gig, which we'll just call a "soft release" of their split 7-inch. Now, today, on this glorious Monday morning, I'm proud to present to you... the landmark second pressing of
Blacksonny/Red Datsun
's split 7-inch now available for purchase on
Red Datsun
's
. There are a total of 500 records pressed at
Stereodisk
with what
Mas Yamagata
describes as "tons of variants; small hole, big hole, red vinyl, black vinyl, white label, official label, black and red vinyl swirls."
Mas
and his fellow
Red Datsun/Blacksonny
bandmates have recently been sending their split 7-inch around to members of the press, like myself, and now, you, the consumer, are also able to bask in the stereophonic glory that is
"Tourniquet," "Container Store,"
and
"Korean Tacos"
for an extremely reasonable $5 price tag.