It's Election Day...

A day plenty of pundits have been counting-down towards for more than 18 months. Ludicrous! There's been more build-up to this election than 12 Christmases and 3 Super Bowls combined... And if polls are to be believed: it's all come down to the wire...split evenly between entrenched partisans and left up to a sliver of undecided voters. 

Check back to the Patch's main page for updates on the election -including links to voter guides in case you're in need of a quick refresh/update before heading out the door to the polls. 

I'm not trying to go all rock the vote on you, here, in this music column. It's just, well...you're reading a music column on election day, there's just no way getting around it - what else is there to discuss?

I'm not nihilistic and I'm not anarcic and I'm not cynical (yet) - despite those qualities being somewhat attuned to the perceived  "punk" ethos... But I'm also not Eddie Vedder or Bono -trying to get all in your face about it. 

While I have you...

Here's a local singer/songwriter utilizing his voice and talent to speak out - Tony Muggs (under the moniker of DUDE) is not keeping quiet on corporate greed, ideological hypocrisies and prevalent corruption - having his say on issues he cares deeply about via his debut solo album Kid Gloves. (View the music video for his single "In The Next Pocket" above).

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And... if you are looking for some live music this weekend - there's a pair of album releases scheduled for Saturday night down in Detroit. 

I first wrote about The Rose Cult about a month ago in this column. 

Their ready to initiate you with a full length album: Welcome to the Rose Cult - Jangly guitars, dazzling daydream shufflers fogged and fuzzed with tambourine claps, organ purrs, spacey-guitars and swaying percussion, throaty howls-and-cooing lullabies, this is the stuff psychedelic-blues-folk dreams are made of... Mad and melodious carousels shot back to the chunky/murky 60's rock, escapades to entrance...you're coming into the cult, now...

Listen: The Rose Cult - "Daisy Chain"

Welcome to the Rose Cult will be released November 10th, 2012 at North End Studios (5101 Loraine St, Detroit).
Opening up: Patrick Davy & the Ghosts
The Vonneguts
The Audionics
& Adam Fitzgerald Smith

Across town, though...

The Kickstand Band's aptly titled Puppy Love LP evokes that characteristic wide-eyed whimsy necessary for angsty/excitable teen-dream/heavy-hearted pop ballads. But the local trio isn't as throwback-as-all-that-might-sound; they've got a fine sense for seminal early 60's styled strutting rhythms, ear-worm melodies, fun, twirling hooks, riled-up riffs and honeyed harmonies...but that doesn't mean they can't cut a bit of a pricklier punk-rug here or there... Still pop though, my word, is there any other word for it? Embodiment of effervescent--over here! 

The Kickstand Band release Puppy Love on November 10th at PJ's Lager House. Opening up: The Deadbeat Beat and Lightning Love. 

Have a listen:
Stream: The Kickstand Band - "Still Thinking Of You" 

Anyhow... I sure hope you get out and vote today... And I sure hope this election doesn't tear us apart (in any number of potential ways...)

NOW GO VOTE

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Further local listening:
DUDE - "Two Minutes Hate"