tom_berto
I can't remember the last time a song had me dancing so happily and laughing so hard at the same time. I foresee "I've Been A-Runnin'" bringing down the house at a future Outset concert!
Favorite track: I've Been A-Runnin'.
Douglas Cartee
Following in the (swollen) vein of Red Vox’s original Blood Bagel EP, this album delivers plenty of fresh, enjoyable material, though not before first subjecting it to rough anal intercourse.
Favorite track: Roy D. Hemsworth.
There’s trash, and then there’s Blood Bagel II. The legend is as follows:
“Unearthed from the vaults of a California recording studio, many wish it had stayed there. Blood Bagel II was the best efforts of a struggling artist to create something that would rise to the charts by emulating various current sounds (the original master tapes are dated 1969); it is clear enough from the songs themselves why this particular artist was struggling. The 5-song EP runs the gamut of late 1960s music: hard rock, back-to-basics rock ‘n’ roll, Kinks-inspired pop, psychedelic balladry, and harder-edged psychedelic rock. Taking this genre-roulette alone, one would expect Blood Bagel II to be something resembling good. However, all hopes of quality are dashed as soon as one begins to unravel the lyrics. They are a vast wasteland of double entendre, profanity, and outright obscene sentiment. For nearly 50 years, Blood Bagel II was doomed to be lost to history. Now, it is doomed to become one of the biggest mysteries of our time: who in the hell thought releasing this was a good idea?”
Wasn’t that interesting? Too bad none of it’s true.
Blood Bagel II began life on New Year’s Eve 2017, when I decided that its existence was necessary. I loved Red Vox’s original Blood Bagel since it came out in late 2016, and when Vinesauce announced on stream that anyone could make another Blood Bagel if they wanted to, I knew what had to be done. Being me, it had to be some sort of vintage reworking of the concept (which is, in essence, songs with an even larger fixation on butts and other rude subjects than standard rock). After mulling over the idea for a grand total of maybe 2 hours, I started coming up with songs, and sat down late at night to write them. What followed was 10 days of absolutely manic playing, singing, and finally mixing, with a little graphic design thrown in to keep things interesting. At the end of it was…well, Blood Bagel II. As a follow-up, I wanted it to have the same spirit as the original, but not be an exact clone.
What’s Old:
Well, it’s still Blood Bagel, so there are still references to hemorrhoids, sexual maneuvers, and the word “fuck.” It also, at least in some songs, retains the hard-rocking nature of the original, and carries on the torch of making extended metaphors for sex (though I chose to use the titular bagel rather than space travel).
What’s New:
Far fewer clowns; in their stead are male prostitutes and women who wear odd, revealing clothing that makes my Mellotron do strange things. There are also even more overt references to using the bathroom, which is absolutely fantastic if you ask me (but nobody else).
I’d like to thank Vinny for giving me the go-ahead on this project. As much as it’s a novelty, Blood Bagel actually has been kind of an important album to me, and I had a lot of fun writing and recording an equally tounge-in-cheek retro followup (and a lot of frustration, but mostly in mixing). Thank you! Same goes to Mike, Bill, and Joe, who all produce some great music.
supported by 7 fans who also own “Blood Bagel II (Follow-Up/Gag EP)”
Another Light starts off strong with it's title track and only gets better from there! The entire album is fantastic and each song has it's own vibe that I thoroughly enjoy. Easily one of my favorite albums and probably my favorite Red Vox album so far. Kayla Rose
Sharp interplay, kaleidoscopic influences, and verdant textures push the Chicago band's instrumental boogie to transcendent new heights. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 17, 2024