Ball of Wax 47 Songs: Julia Massey – “Carry On”

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Levi Fuller

The theme of looking forward with hope and determination continues with Julia Massey‘s “Carry On,” a 2017 take on the acoustic political folk song. The song starts with a personal moment, a sister wondering how to explain this election to her son (something I was worried about before we knew the outcome of the election; I’m struggling more every day to imagine how I’ll explain this all to my own son when he’s old enough to understand [not that I’m even old enough to understand what’s going on right now, but you know what I mean]). The main thrust of the song is how we as individuals can “carry on” and do the work that needs to be done to get through this together, limiting damage and fighting for positive change at the same time: “Get in the streets . . . give what you can . . . get on your phone and call your congresswoman.” Amen.

Don’t miss your chance to hear this and other songs in a rare solo set from Julia at the Ball of Wax 47 release show: February 26th at the Sunset!

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Ball of Wax 47 Songs: Caroline Keys (w/ Nate Biehl + VCCA Chorus) – “Hope Resists!”

Posted on February 16, 2017 by Levi Fuller

It’s been pretty hard to feel good for the past few months, so the concept of a “feel-good” song – especially as part of a compilation directly addressing our current situation – might make you cringe or roll your eyes, but bear with me. Great Missoulans Caroline Keys and Nate Biehl (along with something called VCCA Chorus) have managed to craft a song that combines bouncy, snappy instrumentals with heartfelt, sweet, hopeful lyrics in a way that will probably make you dance and cry at the same time. Or maybe that’s just me. And maybe it’s not a “feel-good” song so much as a “feel” song. Anyway, “Hope Resists!” is both a wonderful concept and a killer song and exactly what you need to hear right now.

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Ball of Wax 47 Songs: Darryl Blood – “Germania”

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Levi Fuller

Our old pal Darryl Blood‘s “Germania” does a great job of packaging an earnest expression of incredulity and horror at our current situation with a simmering groove that keeps your head nodding with the rhythm even as it’s shaking at – well, pick a reason to shake your head these days. His low-key, deadpan vocal delivery perfectly offsets the gravity of his words and lets the smoking instrumental track carry us along. The world may be falling apart around us, but at least we can dance while we bemoan it, right? But Darryl’s not as resigned and fatalistic as all that. “We can’t back down, we gotta rise up now,” he sings at the close. “Stand together as one and be united.” Here’s hoping.

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Ball of Wax 47 Songs: Wiscon – “My First Day”

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Levi Fuller

Welcome to Ball of Wax 47: Songs of Resistance and Rebuilding. When I put out the call for this volume a little after November 8th, I could never have predicted the variety of musical responses it would generate. This collection contains fifteen tracks, covering an appropriately wide range of modes, from earnest and hopeful to bitter and sardonic to straight-up angry. We’ll be rolling out tracks for the next couple weeks, leading up to the release show on February 26th at the Sunset.

Wiscon starts us off on a positive, empowering note with “My First Day,” a rousing punk anthem that counters our current horrific reality with singer Taryn Dorsey’s vision of how she’d handle the job of president. “I’d end the war on women,” she sings, “and reassure our children that they are safe in their own land.” I’m with her.

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Ball of Wax 47: Resist! 2/26 at the Sunset

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Levi Fuller

Ball of Wax 47 Release Show: Songs of Resistance and Rebuilding
Sunday, February 26, 7pm doors
The Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave NW

$8 [tickets] – entry includes a BoW 47 CD
All profits to the NW Immigrant Rights Project

Featuring Levi Fuller & the Library / Hangry Hayrabs / Solvents / Danbert Nobacon / Louis O’Callaghan / Julia Massey / Sam Parkin / Virgin of the Birds

BallofWax47

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Wisconsinites against Fascism: Benefit for Planned Parenthood

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Jon Rooney

The Sin in Wisconsin - Album CoverAs we all know by now, per the machinations of the electoral collage, the presidential election swung because of the collective voting decisions of Michigan, my home state of Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the birth place of many of Ball of Wax‘s most beloved local musicians: like Caleb Bue of Caleb & Walter, guitar wizard Jason Goessl, Bart Cameron of the Foghorns, and Sam Russell. Maybe if a few more traditionally Democrat voters in Philadelphia, Detroit, and Milwaukee came out and a few less folks in the exurbs and rural area decided not egg on the end of Western democracy by voting for Trump, things would be radically different right now. But we are where we are, and Sam’s rallied some local talent for both a compilation and a show to benefit Planned Parenthood, an institution committed to human dignity, autonomy, and well-being now facing a real existential threat from the current administration. Despicable cross-fit enthusiast and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is also from Wisconsin, a fact that must both enrage and humiliate Sam and crew.

Continue reading →

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Submit to Ball of Wax 47: Songs of Resistance and Rebuilding

Posted on December 8, 2016 by Levi Fuller
Photo courtesy Scott Lum, via Flickr

Photo courtesy Scott Lum, via Flickr

Like many people these days, I’ve been thinking about how best to deal with the reality of the next four to eight years. There’s a lot we need to do, but part of that should be, I think, turning our creative minds to the problem, and addressing the situation as best we can with our art.

So, I would like the next volume of Ball of Wax – the first to be released under the DJT administration – to feature songs of resistance and rebuilding. (I kind of want that to be theme of every volume for the next several years, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.) Not generally, but as specifically targeted at the real situation we find ourselves in as possible. (I have to say, the protest volume has some great stuff on it, but it didn’t go as far toward addressing reality as I would have liked – and I’m as much to blame for that as anyone, since my song was about the Mexican-American War.)

Make no mistake, this is entirely a partisan affair. I’m interested in different perspectives, of course, but this will not be the place for “let’s give him a chance” songs or “blame it on the PC language police” songs – never mind, it should go without saying, MAGA/”build the wall” songs. This collection will treat the impending administration as a national emergency, so if that’s not your perspective, feel free to wait for another volume – or look for another outlet altogether. (Folding other, ongoing national emergencies into your song is certainly appropriate, though. I’m certainly not pretending everything was a-OK and peachy until now.)

Deadline: Well I don’t know, how about January 20th?

Submission guidelines: Here.

Questions: ask away!

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Ball of Wax 46 Songs: Guma – Great Neck

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Jon Rooney

Ball of Wax 46 closer “Great Neck” by Austin’s Guma is an unexpected delight. Rich and nuanced but impossibly airy, “Great Neck” draws on the same African and Island music (like the great King Sunny Ade) that’s inspired everyone from the Talking Heads to Tune-Yards.  The hypnotic repetition of the bright, clean guitar parts contrast with the soaring, protean vocals. While a technically impressive tune, if feels breezy and effortless. Welcome to Ball of Wax, Guma, looking forward to hearing more in the future.

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Ball of Wax 46 Songs: Stereo Sons – Basilisk

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Levi Fuller

Stereo Sons – the production duo of Chris Klepac and Mike O’Doherty – make their BoW debut with “Basilisk,” a cool slice of electronically-based music with an actual, honest to goodness song and a healthy dose of soul embedded in it. Is IDM still a thing? I don’t know if “Basilisk” makes me want to dance, exactly, but it certainly uses the tools of electronic dance music to put forth some very intelligent sounds. I’m looking forward to hearing more from Klepac and O’Doherty.

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Ball of Wax 46 Songs: Happy Tourists – Another Day

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Matty P

This song brings back pleasant memories of the ’90s to me. And it deserves ’90s music video treatment, for sure. This song sounds too witty, subtle, and clever to come out of Seattle. In fact, according to the Happy Tourists’ bandcamp, they are from New Haven, Connecticut. The dude is only 19 years old! I wasn’t writing anything half this good when I was that age. Almost twice that age and I’m not writing anything half that good. Dig deeper into Happy Tourists’ bandcamp page and you’ll find an EP loaded with original catchy songs. “Another Day,” along with the EP it comes from, are loaded with soft synthetic sounds. A mellow tone rings throughout with nothing too jarring in between. I would keep an eye and ear on Ryan Ansel, the creator behind Happy Tourists. Hopefully his EP Things That Fool Me won’t be his only offering. Regardless, it’s worth many revisits.

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