My Last

 Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan

All week, I had been meaning to catch Japandroids, but I continued to miss them.  Until the last night.  It was 1 am, I was exhausted from 4 days of nonstop music and booze.
A friend and I wandered over from Red 7, where we had been lulled into a psychedelic frenzy by Woods and Real Estate, respectively.
Our destination?  The temporary venue known as The Galaxy Room on Sixth Street.  (side note:  Someone please make this a permanent Austin venue)
The band?  The two-piece Japandroids, also from Canada.  I started SXSW with the Canadian band Yukon Blonde, so why not finish it with Canadians?
They were amazing!  I've been digging on the CD for quite some time now, but the live show is where it's at.

When they launched into "Young Hearts Spark Fire" the whole place went insane, including myself.  Hell, people were even crowd surfing.
  
Whoah! We used to dream, but now we worry about dying.
I don't wanna worry about dying.  I just wanna worry about the sunshine girls.

The lyrics perfectly capture the essence of youth and the realization of growing older.

What a fitting way to close out SXSW.

Listen here.

My First

You always have a special place in your heart (and memory) for the first and last band that you saw at SXSW.  

Filled with excitement and anticipation on the first day of SXSW 2010, I wandered into the Mohawk into a wall of sweet harmonies, fuzzy guitars and bearded men.  The delight that I witnessed inside was the one and only Yukon Blonde from Canada.  I had no idea who they were, but definitely liked what I heard.  I've listened to their eponymous debut several times now and I'm loving it. 
Hear it for yourself here on Spinner, and then go buy it.  You won't be sorry.

SXSW Day Two (Day Shows)

Thursday day. 

The Antlers

(photo courtesy of Our Stage)

I decided to take the bicycle out that I had borrowed (Thanks, Carol!)  It was a great plan, although a bit dangerous at times weaving through the throngs of people.  I was careful!
I started off the day a little late, arriving at the French Legation lawn party just in time to see The Antlers.  I was super-excited about this show, seeing that Hospice was one of my favorite albums of 2009 (if not, the favorite).  Unfortunately, sound problems delayed the set by at least a half an hour.  But, when they launched into "Sylvia," one of Hospice's high points, all was forgotten.  The keyboards/bass could have been louder.  On the album, they produce the perfect eerie backdrop for Peter Silberman's haunting falsetto.  I debated whether to stick around for the stellar lineup, but decided to move on.  To me, SXSW is a nomadic experience.  You might miss some of the major buzz bands because you don't get there early or stand in line forever, but you get to see more under-the-radar bands and bands you didn't even know that you liked.

I decided to head over to the Fort for some free booze and Best Coast.  Unfortunately, Best Coast were just finishing up when I arrived.  I took the time to rest my feet, enjoy a Budweiser and contemplate the rest of my schedule for the day.  While I was doing this, Neon Indian started playing on the outside stage.  I stepped out to watch a little bit of their set to see what all the buzz was about.  Pretty good, but not my cup of tea.

Up next, Local Natives.  Definitely my cup of tea.  Their stellar performance was one of the highlights of my SXSW experience.  I had already been enjoying the album for several weeks, but their four part harmonies and excellent musicianship blew me away, especially for such young guys.  Often, young bands sometimes seem inexperienced and sloppy, but not these guys.  I will be seeing them again when they come back through.

I stopped into the Eastside Get Down across the street from the Fort to check out Here We Go Magic.  They were good, but I wished I had seen their official showcase.  I heard it was amazing.
I pedaled by Lustre Pearl for the Dickies Sounds party.  There was a long line for Delta Spirit, but I did hear some of Dawes as I rode by.  It sounded really nice.  I had just gotten their album and look forward to listening to it some more.

I stopped to wander around the iHeartComix/Jelly NYC Carniville for a little while.  Yes, there were actual carnival rides there!  I spotted the Walkmen sitting on some steps waiting for their 7pm slot to begin.

 Ryan McPhun of the Ruby Suns

(photo courtesty of New Zealand Music Commission)

 I contemplated staying to see them (again), but decided to head on down to the New Zealand party at Brush Square instead.  I'm glad I did.  Free vodka and beer and the Ruby Suns!  They were great.  I have been digging on their song "Cranberry," and plan to buy their new album Fight Softly soon.  Surf City were up next and out came the earplugs.  I thought they were fun with some catchy melodies beneath the loudness.

 Avi Wisnia @ The Bent Compass Party

 Then, it was off to Rain to check out the Bent Compass party for a bit.  I got to see some of local band Benko which I really enjoyed.  Avi Wisnia and Tribella also performed that evening.  I pedaled up to the "Me So Hungry" trailer on West 5th to grab some much needed sustenance, in the form of a Banh Mi Vietnamese Tofu sandwich.  Delicious!  Although, Lulu B's (up on South Lamar & Oltorf) has them beat for trailer Banh Mi.

SXSW Pre-Festivities

 Beautiful Supermachines at PureVolume SXSW

Like most people who really lived it up during SXSW (saw tons of bands and indulged in the free/and not-so-free booze), I am still recovering from last weeks festivities.

Everything started on Monday when we decided to check out the Pure Volume house.  It was a smart move, especially given the line for badges during the festival proper.  We just cruised on in and claimed our badges and our drink tickets.  This years venue was far superior to last years which was a little cramped and crowded at times.  We caught a little of the bearded Beautiful Supermachines before moving on to the Plutopia party at the Mexican Culture Building (the future home of the iHeartComix/NYC Jelly Carniville extravaganza).  We walked around and tried some delicious samples of Tito's Vodka (one of the smoothest vodkas out there, trust me), Dripping Springs Vodka, as well as yummy Texas microbrews from 512, St. Arnold's and Independence.  After that we walked over to the packed Mohawk show and decided to call it a night.

In retrospect, I wish that I had gone to the Fader Fort pre-party on Tuesday night.  The event featured Metric, who I missed during SXSW due to long lines (Thanks, Muse).

Seeing that I was saving up all my energy (and money) for SXSW proper, I didn't indulge in any of the other pre-parties, although some of them sounded awesome.

See my previous post for Day One SXSW Music highlights.

SXSW Day Two Begins!

At the Fader Fort having a bud tall boy.  A fitting homage to my late grandpa Melvin who loved em!
Just missed Best Coast.  Luckily, they are playing a million more times. 
Neon Indian up next, but I'm not super excited about them.  Maybe I'm the only one?
Just saw The Antlers at the French Legation.  They sounded great, despite some sound issues.
Think I'll head across the street to the Eastside Get Down, or whatever it's called.  Or maybe I should make my way across 35.  Heard the line for Surfer Blood at the Parish is horrendous.  I'll pass on that. 

The agenda for the rest of the day?
Local Natives at the Fort at 4:30 or The Soft Pack at Trailer Records. 
Then Dum Dum Girls at French Legation or Dawes at Lustre Pearl.  A million other choices.
I would like to stop by the New Zealand cocktail party at Brush Square to see when The Ruby Suns might be playing.  It starts at 6. 
Today is chocked full of choices. 
The xx at the French Legation at 6 is probably going to be a shit storm.  But, I would like to see them.  I'm sure their official showcase will also be crowded. 

So many choices, so little time!

Day One: SXSW

My dogs are hurtin'.  And it's only the first day.  Tomorrow I will employ the trusty bicycle. 

I started off the day with Yukon Blonde, a great band out of Canada.  They rocked the Mohawk patio with nice harmonies and lovely guitars.  I love this new harmonies phase happening now.  Bring it on.

Next up, I ventured over to Emo's to see The Morning Benders at the Brooklyn Vegan day party (one of the many).  Also, some great harmonies.  The last song, featuring some fifties doo-wap vocal stylings, was great.  Crowded as hell.  Damn all-ages venues.  All the free Magic Hat was gone.  Just some weird liqueur.  A crazy crowd mix:  indie chic mixed with metal up your ass.  There was a metal showcase indoors at Emo's. 

I headed over to the Pure Volume House to check out Warpaint, a buzzy all-girl band from L.A. 
They rocked.  Seriously.  So nice to see ladies that can play.  The Orange amp backline at Pure Volume  makes for some nice sound.   They had just trucked it over from The Mohawk to play this show at 3pm.  I admire all the hustling these bands do during SXSW.  I discovered that Sparks, that fun malt liqueur beverage, was 8 percent alcohol.  Wtf?

The lines at Mohawk, Red 7 and Emo's were ridiculous, so I stepped inside of Beauty Bar.  Kid Sister was entertaining the inside crowd, while female-fronted Cubic Zirconia rocked the outside stage.  Both provided a much-needed energy boost.  Or maybe it was that caffeinated water.

I stepped into to The Hype Machine Party at Vice to see Invisible.  Although I do see the comparisons to TV on the Radio, I think they hold their own, especially for a three-piece.  More, please.

Shakespeare's Pub was the next stop.  Tribella was on the menu.  Another all-girl band who rock.  Adept instrumentation, crazy key changes and time signatures.  What more can you ask for?

My must-see for this evening was the Walkmen at Stubbs.  Let me just say, they were amazing!  When they played "In The New Year" off their last album, I nearly came out of my skin.  Hamilton Leithauser belted out the lyrics, screaming out "I know that it's true.  It's gonna be a good year."  What a great song.  A eight-piece horn section (all from Austin) came out and played a couple of songs with the band.  They played several new songs, which made me anxious to hear the next album, due out in September.  The highlight of the evening, for sure.  NPR recorded it all.  Listen here.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124051581

After that, I debated whether I should just stick around to see Broken Bells at eleven.  I decided to stay.  Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings were high-energy and fun.  Saw some of Henry Clay People inside.  Then, it was time for Broken Bells.  They opened with the already popular single "The High Road."  It sounded great.  The pulsating light show, full of orbs and flickering lights went well with the music, especially on "The Ghost Inside," an infectious, upbeat, danc-y number.

I headed over to Club DeVille for the Brooklyn Vegan showcase to see Califone.  I caught quite a bit of Bowerbirds.  They sounded great, complete with accordian and ukelele.
My friend Joshua informed me that Alex Chilton had died.  So sad.  It was an apparent heart attack.  He was only 59.  I was looking forward to seeing him with Big Star on Friday.  He will be missed.

Califone was good, but I was hoping to hear the stellar song "The Orchids" off of their wonderful album "Roots and Crowns."  They didn't play it.  After catching Spoon's last song at Stubbs, I hurried over to the Wave to catch Surfer Blood, but was denied.  The roof was at capacity.  The same deal with Miike Snow, another buzz band.  I ended up where I should have been all along, at Sixteen Deluxe.  They were one of my favorite bands back in the nineties, so it was a fitting way to close out the evening.  I forgot how much I loved their feedback drenched, shoegazing melodies. 

Thursday, here I come!

SXSW Music: Day 1

The time is here.  SXSW 2010.
I am going to be out there full-force absorbing all I possibly can. 
Here are some of my picks for Wednesday:

First, I'm going to try to catch The Walkmen, one of my favorites, play at the IFC House on 7th & Brazos.  If I don't make that, I can still catch them at the solid NPR showcase at Stubbs at 8:45.

Other daytime picks:

Toro Y Moi at the Mohawk @ 1:15.
Japandroids at Emo's @ 2:15 or Warpaint at Mohawk @ 2.  But, there will be plenty of time to catch both of these bands, because they are playing tons. 
At 3pm I could head over to The Galaxy Room to see Freelance Whales.
Then, We Were Promised Jetpacks over at the Fader Fort @ 3:45.
If I can tear myself away from the Fader Fort, I'll check out The Besnard Lakes (4:20) and Phantogram (4:45) @ the Mohawk.
5pm:  Frightened Rabbit at The Galaxy Room or Choir of Young Believers @ the Pure Volume House. 
6pm:  Freelance Whales @ the Fort or Tribella @ Shakespeare's.

BREAK TIME!

At 8:45, I will travel to Stubbs to check out The Walkmen (again). 
9pm:  Here We Go Magic at Club DeVille.
10pm:  Fanfarlo at The Galaxy Room.
11pm:  Broken Bells @ Stubb's, Bowerbirds @ Club DeVille or We Were Promised Jetpacks @  The Parish. 
12am:  Califone @ Club DeVille, Warpaint @ Emo's, Frightened Rabbit @ the Parish or Spoon @ Stubb's.
1am:  Sixteen Deluxe @ Encore, Surfer Blood @ Wave Rooftop or the Morning Benders @ Emo's.

I would also like to stop by the Fleadh St. Patrick's Day Party @ the old Fader Fort location for some traditionally poured Guinness on draft. 
Also, The British Music Biz parties at Latitude 30 on San Jacinto are always fun. 

SXSW Mayhem

I have been an RSVPing, list-compiling fool for the past month. I haven't posted many links on here because I feel like a lot of blogs like The Peen Scene, ultra8201 and Done Waiting are doing a fine job so far. Do512 has an ever-growing monster list of parties for you to peruse.
Here are a few links that I felt were worth mentioning. I am still waiting for the Fader Fort RSVP info.
I will post a list of some of my must-see bands and must-attend parties soon.
SXSW fever is upon me!

This party is going to be awesome.  Three days of carnival-themed mayhem brought to you by iHeartComix and JellyNYC.  Go here and RSVP now!  http://www.austincarniville.com/

Rachel Ray has announced the lineup for her party and it's awesome. 

 

Brooklyn Vegan is putting on a ton of parties, including this one.  Fun times.  

 

More to come!

Shade and Honey

I was saddened to hear that another talented individual took his life on Saturday.  Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse was an unappreciated genius with a penchant for creating songs that catapulted you out into the ether.  His shaky voice and beautifully crafted lyrics have guided me through many highs and lows.  He will be missed.

Here is one of my favorite songs.

The Austin 100

NPR has a great SXSW mix over on their site right now.  It contains a lot of great music and is an effective primer for the festival.  Check it out here.

I've been obsessing over SXSW for a little while now, collecting party info, reading blogs and listening to some of the bands that will be here for the fest.  This year is shaping up to be a good one.  The party/showcase list that I am compiling is becoming huge!  Now, if I could only find a way to be in two places at once.

No word yet on the Fader Fort RSVP.  They usually wait until the last minute to spring it on you.  I'm sure, as usual, there will be some stellar acts performing there.  This time, I'm avoiding the rush and picking up my wristband on Tuesday morning.  

Filter Party SXSW

Filter always has some of the best bands performing at their parties (and Free BBQ).  This year is looking good with performances by Local Natives, Dr. Dog, The Delta Spirit, BRMC, Julia Marcell, Band of Skulls and a ton others. 

You can RSVP here. 

Cassette Resurgence

Remember tapes?  You had to rewind and fast forward to reach a favorite song.  You recorded homemade mixtapes for all your friends and lovers.  My friend Lori and I have a load of priceless tapes that we recorded on her Emerson stereo.   Yes, you can still make mixtapes (on CD's), but it's doesn't have the same feeling of catching the exact right moment and pushing the record button.

Pitchfork has a great article on an emerging cassette culture among indie musicians. With artists like Deerhunter, Dirty Projectors, Beck, Oneida and others releasing tape versions of their songs, cassettes are making a resurgence.   

Cactus Cafe to close in August

Is Austin losing its soul?

With a projected population of 1.7 million this year, Austin has moved on.  The sleepy college town that people came to know in the past is no more. 

The University of Texas has decided to close the much-loved Cactus Cafe in August of this year.  To some, this was the last bastion representing the "old" Austin.  It will join extinct venues such as Armadillo World Headquarters, Liberty Lunch, and The Back Room in the gallery of lost Austin gems. 

The New York Times featured an eloquent article on the closing. 

Mind Over Music

Come out to The Palm Door (401-A Sabine) tonight for Mind Over Music, an underground music trivia smackdown that benefits Grounded in Music.  The event, hosted by Andy Langer of KGSR and KLBJ's Charlie Hodge, will feature twenty-five teams competing for indie cred.  Some of the teams include KVRX (KVRXperts), WOXY, Twenty Tinnitus (Austin Chronicle), Austinist, and my team Cash is King.
Come on out to heckle, drink free Tito's and eat free food for a good cause.
The event starts at 7pm sharp.

Click on the poster for details.

Gurls

These days there is an amazing amount of music being made by girls, whether it be girl-fronted bands or all-female acts.  I'm not complaining.  I'm glad that a larger number of women have begun to produce music, a lot of it quality music.

This year, we have a ton of new releases to look forward to.  Some of those include:

Girls at Dawn, Coasting, & Best Coast, following on the heels of Vivian Girls, but better.
Sharon Van Etten, who is the female voice heard on the remarkable Anters Hospice.  
Dark Dark Dark.  Accordians & pianos, oh my.
Warpaint, the quintessential L.A. women who deliver the catchy hooks.
Charlotte Gainsbourg, who collaborates with Beck on IRM.
Others?  Hesta Prynn, Basia Bulat and a ton more.

The much anticipated Beach House album is out and receiving glowing reviews.  I've only heard it a couple of times, but I can tell it is going to be one to remember.

July Flame, the latest by Laura Veirs, may be her best yet.  

Joanna Newsom is coming out with Have One On Me, a triple album opus out on February 23rd.  Drag City was streaming "'81," but seemed to have removed it.

Last year was a banner year for women in music with excellent releases by Metric, Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Tegan and Sara, Camera Obscura, Bat For Lashes, The xx, St. Vincent and Thao. 

2010 will reinforce the notion/eliminate stereotypes.  Gurls rock!

The Antlers - Hospice

The question remains:  What moves you, as an individual, apart from all the "lists"?  Best of 2009?

For me, The Antlers "Hospice" is a constant.  What an amazing record.  Concept record?  Depressing?  Maybe.  But, its undeniable pull, the quality of a great record with great songs are what brings me back to this record.  Listen.  Love.  Repeat.

Invisible Inks

Last night I had the pleasure of checking out Invisible Inks at the venerable Chain Drive in Austin.  The band features Paula Smith on guitar and vocals, Deb Norris on bass, Justin Bankston on guitar, and Brian DiFrank on drums. The members have been in many bands in the past, including One Fifth Griffith, Winslow, Karate Cowgirl, and Midori Umi. With soaring harmonies, dreamy guitar riffs, and solid rhythms, The Inks songs transfixed the crowd. I was especially pleased to hear them perform one of my all-time favorite One Fifth Griffith songs "Super Soon."
They are definitely worth checking out. Check out their Myspace page here.

Next up, we had Gretchen Phillips and her all-star dance band, featuring Amy Cook on guitar and a tall bald man dancing in his skivvies and panty hose. Fun times. I would've liked to have seen Gretchen wail on the guitar instead of staying behind the keys most of the time, but it was fun. As usual, the bartenders at the Chain Drive were super sweet. They usually have some fun events going on during SXSW that you should drop in on if you're in town.

Wigwax

This was our first show and Lori and I were nervous as hell. I still wasn't sure about the current band moniker, Wigwax. We couldn't decide on a name for the band and had reluctantly decided on that one a few days before. I guess it was better than our former name, Crackhouse Mistress. I surveyed the packed room with some trepidation. Michael was there holding court with his bevy of fag hags. They smoked and laughed, somehow managing to not spill a drop from their lipstick-smeared martini glasses. Kim was there, looking luminous as ever, her black hair glimmering in the lamplight. She smiled in my direction, increasing my nervousness tenfold.

Jeannie Linguine stood in the doorway by the kitchen. She was sporting her customary blue bandana and denim overalls. I lived with Jeannie in her immaculate duplex in the up-and-coming Paseo Arts District. "Up-and-coming" usually denotes a formerly cracked-out part of town that still hasn't quite shaken the crack out. Just a few days earlier, a scraggly, toothless woman had screamed at me in my driveway when I informed her that I didn't have any cash.

"Well, Fuck you then!" she yelled.

I was surprised by the high-pitched, little girl like timbre of her voice. Beneath her grizzled exterior lurked a woman barely older than me. But these days, drugs and hard living had taken their toll. She looked like a cross between Courtney Love and Iggy Pop.

Luckily, Iggy Courtney wasn't in attendance this evening. Just the usual crowd of people that we hung out with in the dive bars and dance clubs that defined our Oklahoma City existence. These bars, with names like Angles and the Hi Lo, were smoke-shrouded shrines for bored twenty-somethings like ourselves.

I felt itchy. Was it my nerves or my shirt? The shirt I was wearing looked like it had once been part of a big, green seventies shag rug. After all, this was the nineties and retro was in, especially the disco seventies kind. My hair, newly shorn and dyed bright orange, offered a splendid contrast to the green shirt. I bristled as the air from the blasting fan tickled my neck, swirling about my head in little mini dust devils. My guitar felt like Silly Putty in my grasp. What were the chords to that song again? Lori looked over at me and nodded, a cue to start. I swallowed another swig of my beer and took a deep breath.

2010 Music Preview

2010. Twenty Ten. Two Thousand and Ten. We are embarking on a new year and a new decade. Already, there are tons of new releases that I'm super excited about. And.......South by Southwest is right around the corner and it's looking to be another stellar year for the festival.
I have been digging the new track "The High Road" from Broken Bells, a collaboration between James Mercer of the Shins and prolific producer Danger Mouse. You can check it out here on their website. Their self-titled album drops on March 9th.

I love the new Vampire Weekend Contra, as well as the brilliant new album July Flame by Laura Veirs. I'm curious to hear Peter Gabriel's new all-cover album Scratch my Back (out 2/15), featuring versions of songs by Bon Iver, Radiohead, Elbow, Arcade Fire and others.

Some other early 2010 releases that I'm looking forward to:

Midlake - The Courage of Others (feb. 1st)
Spoon - Transference (jan. 26th)
Yeasayer - Old Blood (feb. 9th)
Beach House - Teen Dream (jan. 26th)
Charlotte Gainsbourg & Beck - IRM (jan. 26th)
Rogue Wave - Permalight (march 2nd)

Also out this year: Miles Kurosky (0f Beulah), Menomena, Dr. Dog, School of Seven Bells, LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Cat Power and a million others!


Plus, Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel has been showing up on the radar lately, appearing on the Chris Knox tribute album. You can check out Stereogum's article on that for more information and a sneak peek at the track. I hope this means he will be ending his long hibernation period and start making some music this year. Fingers crossed!

Fade to Black

I'm pressed against the barricades amidst a surging sway of bodies. The crowd is chanting "Die! Die! Die!" I'm loving every squished, sweaty moment of it. My newly acquired Metallica tour T shirt sticks to my skin. My best friend Jackie looks over at me approvingly, her mane of black hair thrashing back and forth, her hand proudly molded into a devil sign above her head. I duck to avoid the occasional foot or hand as crowd surfers navigate the sea of sweaty metal heads. It's 1988 and I am sixteen.

Last night, twenty-plus years after that monumental concert, I was driving home and skimming through the unimpressive sea of Austin radio stations when I came across the opening riff of "Fade to Black" by Metallica. Hell yes! I thought. As I drummed out the rhythm on the steering wheel, singing at the top of my lungs "Life it seems to fade away - drifting further every day," floods of memories came rushing forward.

I spent a painstaking amount of time learning that song note for note, rewinding the tape to listen to an elusive part over and over again. Is that an A minor or an A Major? What the hell is Kirk Hammett doing there? I debuted my masterpiece in front of my friend Jackie and a pair of incredulous neighborhood boys who were convinced that a girl couldn't shred. I showed them!

The first time that I ever heard the song was at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. My boyfriend and I had driven three hours from Oklahoma to see the Monsters of Rock Festival, the penultimate rock extravaganza starring Van Halen, Dokken, The Scorpions, Metallica and Kingdom Come. Remember Kingdom Come? They were a Led Zeppelin carbon copy band that featured Jason Bonham, the son of late Led Zep drummer John Bonham, on drums.

I had heard of Metallica, but hadn't really listened to much of their music. When they started, I left my boyfriend in our nosebleed seats in the stands to get a better look. I wanted to be where the action was in the crowd gathered around the stage, and he wanted to sit comfortably with his Coors Light and wait for Van Hagar to take the stage. I was making my way down through the crowd when I heard this sweetly beautiful riff emanating from the massive speakers. I muscled my way through the mass of people, mostly men, who were singing every word. Why had I never heard this song?

When I asked a black clad man with stringy hair the name of the song he looked at me like I was a complete moron. "It's 'Fade to Black'," he sneered. "Only the best song ever written."

After that experience, I bought all three Metallica albums and submerged myself in their music. Soon after that, my friends and I formed a shitty little garage band whose repertoire consisted mainly of Metallica covers. My love affair lasted through the infamous "Black Album." After that, grunge hit the airwaves and Metallica's newer music just didn't do it for me. To this day, I still get goose bumps when I hear "Master of Puppets" or "Fade to Black," and I still have the urge to bang my head to "Am I Evil" or "Creeping Death."