(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): PET GENIUS

Friday, 29 July 2016

PET GENIUS

Band: PET GENIUS

Genres: Punk / Rock / Alternative / Ambient / Grunge / Indie / Pop / Garage
Related artists: Cave In, Doomriders, Goatsnake, Nomad Stones, Zozobra, Clouds, Hydronaut, J / Q, The Cancer Conspiracy, Thee Electric Bastards, Converge, New Idea Society, Mutoid Man, Stephen Brodsky, Stove Bredsky and Kid Kilowatt.
Country: Boston, Massachusetts USA
Years Active: 2007-2011
Song: "Man of the Mountain"
Album: "Pet Genius"
Year: 2007
For fans of: Cave In, Stephen Brodsky, Stove Bredsky, Mutoid Man, Beatles, The Mark Inside, Nada Surf, The Beach Boys, The Tea Party, Our Lady Peace and Kid Kilowatt.

Label(s): Hydra Head Records
This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #4.

You can download: the July Mix#7 right here or get the new August 2016 Mix#8 here.

PET GENIUS was one of many Stephen Brodsky side projects during the 2000s. This particular incarnation sounds like a drug induced Brodsky meets the Beatles going heavy. There are some straight up rock songs, soft numbers and fucking weird ass shit on every release.

In 2007 PET GENIUS dropped their self titled debut cdLP 'Pet Genius'. "Doomsday" is a rolicking good opener and a steady mixture of the poppy Stephen Brodsky solo material and heavier hitting alternative vibe from Kid Kilowatt. "The Visiting Dynamiter" is straight up acoustic Beatles worship and a dreamy foray into one of Brodsky's primary influences that ends up having some middle eastern flair ala The Tea Party. "Walls of Etiquette" is an awesome back and forth of held back and subdued punk rock and the subsequent release of big choruses chock full of big ole Smashing Pumpkins sound. My absolute favourite PET GENIUS track has to be "Man of the Mountain", which has vocal melodies that permeate my dreams. I seriously can't believe how serene, catchy and beautiful this song is, as the heavy guitars give way to a soothing verse and 70s rock chorus. The second verse is my personal favourite, with Brodsky crooning, "Love affords me chocolate milk day. My retainer went straight in the trash. It was accidental that I pledged allegiance. Indivisible I'm confused so I'll fake disappear," that is absolutely heavenly, albeit very stream of consciousness lyrically. "Float My Boat" sounds like a fuzzy, lo-fi practice room demo of the first song the band ever wrote and isn't much to write home about. "Emit Fo Deeps Eht Esare" is a take that was also used in Cave In's 'Perfect Pitch Black' album and leads into "Erase the Speed of Time" which is a primal trek through drugged out jungles with Kamala Shankar. "Cosmic Erosion", "Trash Heap Swing" and "Chromatic Blues" were all aptly named as the titles fit the style. "Scrapyard King" closes the record in typical Brodsky fashion with the juxtaposition of angelic segments thrown in between bluesy, folksy rock.

Also released in 2007 was the 'Elvis Unreleased' cdEP that I was able to grab from somewhere and still have the physical copy, which I've just posted for sale here. These three songs sound like b-sides from the LP session and there's a hilarious note on the discogs page here about how the release is a testament to Elvis Presley dying on the throne. "howdy HI hey hell" is a distorted and disjointed effort that includes a lot of feedback and a slide into folk/country before the first minute is over. "mother fucker" is a mouthy number that is dirty and bassy as shit and "LiMa BeAN" is a demo-sounding rock'n'roll jaunt on speed.

In 2011 PET GENIUS dropped a surprising digital EP with five new tracks called 'EP'. The songs are pretty decent but pale in comparison to the 2007 material. "Baby Pink Lemonade" seems like a dreamy lo-fi number until the very well recorded vocals kick in the songs gets into an alternative groove that starts the EP and transitions into the second track "Video Stills" which is more akin to 60s and 70s hippie rock and probably the best song on here with some killer riffs. "Automatic Blues" is a dirty rock/metal song that melts and swirls Beatles with Motorhead. "Make-Out Blues" picks up where the previous song leaves off and makes the sound grimier, sassier and more evil. The final track "Honestly, Honesty" could have been lifted off of any Beatles album during their acid fueled days.

If you are a fan of Stephen Brodsky or want to check out this fella I'm constantly raving about, this is a fine place to start, as I call him the absolute musical hero of my generation. Or, at the very least, my vote for the most talented and hardworking musicians of the 2000s and 2010s.

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DISCOGRAPHY
Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3/wma form.

2007 - Pet Genius cdLP (stream/buy here)
2007 - Elvis Unreleased cdEP (stream/buy here)

2011 - EP digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2007) PET GENIUS - "Man of the Mountain" (from 'Pet Genius')