Make a toast, to Stylus

Today is Halloween, or as my younger brother calls it, "Whore-o-ween". He's right. It's a great excuse for the ladies out there to slut it up, or for all you homophobic right-wing retards, to finally come clean. You really are gay, and that's ok. The costume is a good front and all, but seriously....

Stylus leave us with some year end thoughts on their last day of publication. I don't think people realize how great that site really was compared to the oceans of press release-focused, crappy indie blogs.

You Set the Scene calls "Shenanigans" on Neil Young's Nokia Theater performance.

While I was originally planning on going HERE for Halloween tonight I'll probably end up HERE instead. I mean seriously, how can you pass on The Deadly Syndrome, The Movies, and In Waves on a night like this?

While I completely disagree all over the place on this list, here's the Stylus top 10 albums of 2007:

Stylus Magzines Top 10 Albums of 2007
10. Radiohead - In Rainbows
09. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
08. M.I.A. - Kala
07. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
06. Kanye West - Graduation
05. The National - The Boxer
04. Lil Wayne - Da Drought 3
03. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
02. Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
01. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver

Panda Bear - "Comfy in Nautica"

You'd think that if you gave yourself over 7 months to make a video for a song that is as stunning as this is you'd come up with something...prettier. In this brand new video for "Comfy in Nautica", taken from the excellent Person Pitch, directors Patrick O'Dell & Sam Salganik shoot a skateboarding enthusiast coming out of the ocean who then begins to skate and then skate some more. Yippee! This seems more like a ploy to remind writers about a certain end of the year list instead of capturing the heart of a great song with moving visuals.

Robert Goulet (1933-2007)

Ode to a classic gentleman. R.I.P. Mr. Goulet:



A hilarious tribute from Will Ferrell:

Film School: tour blog - part 3

In an effort to keep promoting the hell out of a band that is highly underrated, check this review from a guy who sounds like he didn't even listen to the new album, here is part 3 of Film School's tour blog. They are coming to town in a few weeks. Here ya go:

We ate corn at Cafe Habana in NYC (it looks nasty, it's not)...



We've stayed in more crappy hotels (it looks nasty, it is)...



Dave played on a Eulogies song at Johnny Brenda's in Philly (backstage practicing)...



AND big marketing news...Tragedy finally struck! "Coincidentally" it happened at the Beggars office...



I fell over this big ball they had in the office. I knew they were up to something when they had "In Rainbows" playing on the stereo in the office.

Speaking of, I heard something about only about half of the people that bought "In Rainbows" online from Radiohead actually payed something for it. It doesn't seem far off that instead of album prices being fixed there will be a "suggested" price based on what other fans paid for the album. The ultimate album review.



And speaking of, a few days ago we received a message from a fan on MySpace that said "How can I find your music for free, I'm broke!" This isn't the first message we've gotten like this. Isn't there some unspoken rule that you're not supposed to ask a band how to find their music for free? I guess why hide the obvious. Consumers are trying to figure out whether music should be free or not, and it sure seems to be heading the way of free. What's the rule about downloading music? Do you download the album for free, then buy the CD if you like it? Or download the music then go to the show and buy a tshirt? What if the tshirt is a shitty design?

I KNOW I KNOW... bands are supposed to just be grateful anyone wants to listen to their music... Why can't these selfish musicians just be happy to have their music be distributed and enjoyed??

And why can't every in rainbow end in a pot of gold??

PS: We have this pic of some cute PUPPIES from our stay at James' parent's place... aaaawwwWWWW!

Sigur Ros - "Heima" screening

Update: We have a winner. Congrats to Abe!

Icelandic space rock heroes Sigur Ros will be performing a short acoustic set at the Vista Theatre this Thursday, Nov. 1st. The quartet will also be screening their highly anticipated DVD, Heima. The film chronicles a series of free concerts the band played in Iceland during the summer of 2006 and won't actually be released until November 20th. On November 6th a double CD/LP entitled Hvarf-Heim drops on XL Recordings, including 5 new tracks that have "disappeared"!

Doors are at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm. If you'd like to win a pair of tickets courtesy of the fine people at Beggars then just be the first person to email me your full name. Good luck!

What's happening, or, what would Rerun do?

Get some.


Sunday, 10/28: Quasi @ Detroit Bar:::::
-Go see Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes tear it up.


Monday, 10/29: The Pity Party @ The Viper Room:::::
-The Pity Party are awesome.


Tuesday, 10/30: New Young Pony Club @ Echoplex:::::
-I like some of what this band is doing so I'm betting on the fun factor to make up for the rest.


Wednesday, 10/31: Eagle Rock Bowl:::::
-Bowling, drinks, and The Henry Clay people on Halloween. I'm going as John McEnroe.


Thursday, 11/1: Blank Blue @ the Prospector:::::
-One of DJ Nobody's lastest projects and one of my favorite "new" bands from the past 6 months. They're on tour with Prefuse 73 this fall.


Friday, 11/2: Mezzanine Owls @ Club Underground:::::
-Mezzanine Owls are a great melodic rock band. Jack tells me they're going in to record a new EP with Now it's Overhead-honcho Andy Lemaster very soon.


Saturday, 11/3: XU XU Fang @ Spaceland or ENON @ the Echo:::::
-I like both of these bands a lot. Haven't seen Enon in like 5 years. I wrote a review about XU XU Fang's debut 12" single here.

Swervedriver at Coachella 2008?

In addition to last week's post, Billboard revealed a few more tidbits while talking to Adam Franklin:

-"There are so many bands reforming. I've seen a lot of them get back together and they were awe-inspiring: Dinosaur Jr, the Stooges, the Pixies...We kind of thought, if we can give people a good time, hell, why not?"

-Bassist Steve George and drummer Jez, "have been rehearsing to get their chops together in England. Those guys haven't really played many shows in the past 10 years. But Steve was saying he went through the songs and found he could remember all the parts."

-Franklin talks about touring in the United States: "We always thought we were better received here," says Franklin, adding that there is chatter about the group playing the 2008 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. "Initially, it's a touring thing. We'll get together and do some dates. There's no rush. We figure, we'll take it one step at a time."

The original article can be found HERE.

So long STYLUS, we hardly knew thee

"Yes, it’s true. Stylus will no longer be publishing after October 31st. Stay tuned next week for some special programming."

Crap.

My favorite one-stop-shop for accurate and entertaining record reviews is bowing out of the game at the end of this month. I for one can testify that starting a music website is not easy and requires lots of money, visitors, and ad sales to keep things afloat. I wish the staff at Stylus the best of luck in the future. Wait a sec, where do we go now?

Since there really isn't a close challenger that rivals Pitchfork Media, anywhere on the innerd-net at least, I'm going to throw a bone out there to see if anyone in the world dares to finance an old, well...not really old at all, inactive music website based in Los Angeles. I used to run and update this bad boy all by myself, with a few record reviews from an old writer friend. THIS SITE needs some cosmetic and minor functional changes, but could do extremely well with the right people behind it and with lots of super-special writers/music nerds to resuscitate it as a daily website for music downloads, video and relevant content. I dare you.

AUTOLUX: 30th Century Band

Like most of you out there I am so ready for Autolux's sophmore album. I'm not so concerned with the passing of time since the release of Future Perfect or the fact that they've been taking longer than expected to make things "perfect" for us. They just sounded so huge, confident, and tight last night as they unleashed several new songs on the anxious crowd.

Last night's performance was just as strong, if not better, than the mind-blowing set at Pomona's Glass House earlier this year. The myriad of dynamics and explosions of frequency that defined their set was simply incredible. A wide array of new songs, which loaded half of their ammunition, killed--just ask my left ear drum. Some of the new titles that have been circling the internet are "The Science of Imaginary Solutions", "Finder's Fee", and "SSW", but there were a few more bangers in there that I had never heard before.

Classic live cannons like the densely-driven "Robots in the Garden" and "Blanket" were blistering. The building burn of "Sub-Zero Fun" also rocked hard with Eugene Goreshter emphatically swinging his bass around and into his cabinet while generating shards of feedback. Greg Edwards has the best and most forward-thinking guitar sounds on the planet. The best way I can describe his use of modulated waves of distortion is to imagine yourself surrounded by a million swarming bees. And then there's Carla Azar, who sang beautifully on two of the new tracks and demonstrated once again how intense and equally graceful her drumming is. Autolux cannot simply be classified as an outstanding L.A. band, they are much more than that. The trio have become a musical unit that declassifies what rock music means in the 21st century and clearly outlines a direction that I'm happy to follow.

Blonde Redhead & Autolux

I've been at Little Radio studios most of the day, then I'm heading off to the Wiltern. Tonight's show features two of our country's best acts. Here are a few videos featuring each band. I believe tickets are still on sale.

Blonde Redhead - "23"


Autolux - "Plantlife (live from Jimmy Kimmel)"

To view a wildfire from the international space station

It seems that everyone knows, or is related to, at least one person who has been forced to evacuate in the past three days. Unbelievable.

This is footage from NASA.

Album Review: Grizzly Bear - 'Friend'

Grizzly Bear: Friend (Warp)
7.5/10


Don't mistake the new 10-song Grizzly Bear EP for a batch of new material because it isn't. What it does boast is a nice helping of reworked songs from their first album Horn of Plenty (with backing vocal assistance from Beirut and The Dirty Projectors) and several covers of Yellow House jams (Band of Horses, CSS, and Atlas Sound). You'll hear a remarkable difference in the production of these newer versions. Listening to a track like "Alligator" or "Shift" in their respective climates shows us just how creative, simple, and moving a new set of ears can help transform a "good" song into something magical and fresh.

As far as the rest of the EP is concerned the Band of Horses cover is the strongest. CSS are cute and all but they seem to bring exactly the same shtick to the table no matter who they remix, and the Atlas Sound treatment is basic/pretty/atmospheric--but nothing that smacks you over the head. Ben Bridwell and company really nail it. They give "Plans" a timeless feeling by adding a simple banjo melody with clean crisp production qualities, like they're paying homage to the song, not simply putting their stamp on it.

Friday Night Lights...and fog, reverb, fuzz, beer

I haven't been to Alex's in like a year, maybe longer? That's no way to treat such a unique venue, especially since I live less about 2 miles from there. This Friday will change all of that as the Warlocks get down to business via the 710 freeway and melt those vinyl paintings from the walls. The drinks there are plentiful, stiff, and cheap. Volume assistance courtesy of The Meek, Magic Lantern, and DJ Shorts Shorts.

Today is also the release date for the Warlocks new album Heavy Deavy Skull Lover (Tee Pee). I've been told that the first 1,000 LPs feature limited edition pink vinyl. How hot is that?

Film School: tour blog - part deux

Here are some pics and excerpts from Film School's recent jaunt across North America. Remaining dates:

10/23: New York, New York, Mercury Lounge w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
10/24: Boston, Massachusetts, TT the Bears w/Land of Talk
10/25: New York, New York, Mercury Lounge w/Land of Talk
10/26: Hoboken, New Jersey, Maxwell's w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
10/28: Cleaveland, Ohio, Beachland w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
10/29: Toronto, Ontario, El Mocambo w/Land of Talk
10/30: Pontiac, Michigan, Pike Room w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
10/31: Chicago, Illinoism, Schuba's w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
11/01: Chicago, Illinois, Schuba’s w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
11/02: Madison, Wisconsin, The Annex 2/ Land of Talk, Eulogies
11/03: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 400 Bar w/Land of Talk, Eulogies
11/05: Denver, Colorado, Larimer Lounge w/ Eulogies
11/08: San Diego, California, Beauty Bar w/ Eulogies
11/15: Los Angeles, California, Echoplex w/ TBA, Eulogies

The south:


the suck:

the sucker:


"Thanks to our fans who came out to the Austin Emo's show and Dallas Cavern show, in particular the guys in front at the Cavern show who were losing their minds during our set, even for the slow stuff."

"Pretty amazing scene on the street outside the Cavern after the show -- felt like being in a Snoop video. Why do I take pics of sweet tea signs and miss the short shorts? I'll make up for it in the next blog."

"Finally got to play a set with Experimental Aircraft, who I've seen 3 or 4 times in Austin over the years, but never with Rachel playing the Omnichord -- sick omnichord work. Kids: listen to this band and rip off their tones and you will do well."

Dug Red Monroe in Dallas as well. Amazing this band is from Dallas.

We've logged about 50 hours so far in the van on this tour. Here's what we're learning from commercial radio:

* Diamonds and gold are great substitutes for affection and sex.

* Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Boston are the hottest rock acts in the states right now.

* There are more commercials on the radio than ever, I guess because stations don't get as much revenue from each ad. Damn internet.

!!! (chk chk chk) - "Yadnus"

This !!! video should have dropped while the iron was scorching hot back in February. Luckily, for those who glanced over this album, Myth Takes (Warp) is still great enough of a dance-rock album to buy and really holds up well. "Yadnus" is currently out now as a digital single and boasts a 'fight song' beat perfect for Monday Night Football mixed with Depeche Mode's initial foray into utilizing real instruments in place of synth melodies. Me? I just love this record.

A Place to Bury Strangers

I've been asked by quite a few people recently what I think of the debut album by A Place To Bury Strangers (Killer Pimp). The New York trio have one of the most assaulting guitar sounds out there and focus their energy on all things noise-pop, BIG emphasis on the "noise". I didn't really think of APTBS's debut as anything that would garner any acclaim or press when it dropped, simply because lead vocalist/guitarist Oliver Ackerman's last band Skywave were largely ignored. About two months ago a shocking development occurred. The band received massive praise and hype from trendsetting music website Pitchforkmedia.com and continue to earn live/news coverage a few times every month. And let's be honest, every band knows that this kind of coverage from P-Fork has become the launching pad to future recording deals and national booking.

Skywave and A Place to Bury Strangers are connected via Oliver Ackerman's noisy guitar waves, homemade pedal line, and dry-spoken vocals. These elements are the bread and butter of both acts. While Skywave's Synthstatic was more happy, even sunny and sugary at times, but safer in most respects, A Place To Bury Strangers are the evil counterpart; sounding dark, industrial, and sometimes disturbing to the ears. They're not the band I would have ever guessed to land on P-Fork's "Best new Music" but more power to them.

For the most part I really like it. I've always been a massive fan of bands like Medicine, the Jesus & Mary Chain, and the Flaming Lips (Ronald Jones-era). They build songs around noise and craft melody out of shreds of modulated distortion. I actually caught APTBS at SXSW this past March and wasn't so impressed, I'll admit the venue was quite the shack. But I'd give them another go since the release of their self-titled album. Songs like "To Fix The Gash In Your Head" and "My Weakness" are pulverizing and almost refreshing when compared to the onslaught of bands that try so hard to woo you with mere enthusiasm, massive band lineups, folky guitar plucks, and triumphant melodies. Sometimes the listener, and in these days the entire world of "indie-rock", needs a swift kick in the ass. APTBS are happy to bend you over, just make sure you've got some earplugs handy.


1. Missing You
2. Don't Think Lover
3. To Fix the Gash In Your Head
4. The Falling Sun
5. Another Step Away
6. Breathe
7. I Know I'll See You
8. She Dies
9. My Weakness
10. Ocean

Download tracks and purchase the album

Tour schedule:
Oct 25: NEW DAISY w/BRMC- Memphis, TN.
Oct 26: DOWNTOWN MUSIC HALL - Raleigh, NC.
Oct 27: Pi Lam - Philadelphia, PA.
Nov 7: BOWERY BALLROOM w/The Black Angels and Spindrift – NY.
Nov 8: THE MIDDLE EAST w/The Black Angels and Spindrift - Cambridge, MA.

The Verve post new track on NME!

I usually leave my defrosting skills to the microwave or simply by removing the item from the freezer. The Verve have other ideas, they just posted a new track on NME.com...sounds more like a vegetable medley to me.

The jam is titled "The Thaw Session", referencing "Deep Freeze", an experimental bonus track taken form Urban Hymns. I would've gone with "Salisbury Steak" or possibly "Hungry Man" (an ambient ode to their single "Lucky Man"?). Here's what Richard Ashcroft told NME:

"That's how we learnt to play music. Locked away in a room in Wigan, 16, 17, just jamming. The fact that we did that for 10 or whatever years, that's still there, man, that never disappears. So for this we literally just pressed record and saw what happens. And what happens is The Verve."

He's right. Now, all you have to do is enter your name and email to get it. DOWNLOAD HERE!

Put down that Golden Girls DVD and get yer bum out of the house!

I'm not exactly sure why I needed to reference the Golden Girls in this post. I guess I just have some residual images of 80's television sitcoms left over from Scott Ford's Little Radio competition. This is basically a "pick of the week" entry, which I'll probably continue to do. This week in particular is one of those rare moments in time where Los Angeles features really good live music every single night of the week. I'm going to guess that most people are catching Silversun Pickups/Midnight Movies/Happy Hollows at the Wiltern, which is sold-out, or Black Lips at the Echoplex tonight. Both shows will be good.


Sunday, 10/21: Ken Andrews @ the Troubadour:::::
-This is a no brainer. Ken-drews was in Failure, ON, Replicants, and Year of the Rabbit. He's also a choice studio wiz and mixer.


Monday, 10/22: Rademacher @ the Viper Room:::::
-This Fresno quartet get better every time they come into town. If you can handle the attitude and pretense of the Viper Room staff then you are a much better person than I. The sound at this venue is actually decent.


Tuesday, 10/23: "Let's Independent" at Boardner's w/Light FM, Nightfur and Lo-Fi Sugar:::::
-This is the monthly event hosted by Joe Fielder, aka Radio Free Silver Lake. As usual, this show is FREE and features some of the best up and coming L.A. bands.


Wednesday, 10/24: Earlimart, Office and Pulsars @ the Troubadour:::::
-Three amazing bands for one low price. Earlimart's new album is solid.


Thursday, 10/25: Blonde Redhead and Autolux @ the Wiltern:::::
-This is going to be awesome!


Friday, 10/26: Caribou @ the Troubadour:::::
-Dan Snaith is a brilliant musician. His combination of excellent songwriting and trippy visuals will leave you speechless. Snaith's latest labum, Andorra, is easily one of the best albums released this year.


Saturday, 10/27: David Kilgour @ the Echo:::::
Kilgour was in The Clean, one of New Zealand's greatest bands.

Swervedriver are reuniting for Spring 2008 tour!

A big thanks to Jean-Claude for the tip. According to Billboard.com, Adam Franklin, Jimmy Hartridge, Steve George, and Jez are reuniting for a Spring 2008 tour, and yes, they are coming to America. The Oxford quartet haven't played a gig as Swervedriver in about 10 years.

Adam Franklin, whom we interviewed this summer in Los Angeles, is finishing up his North American tour in support of his outstanding solo debut, Bolts of Melody. Tour dates will be released as soon as we get them, pinky swear.

Download: "Rave Down (live)"

Adam Franklin's schedule:
10/19: Cactus Club, Milwaukee (WI)
10/20: Elbow Room, Ypsilanti (MI)
10/21: Andyman’s Treehouse, Columbus (OH)
10/22: Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland (OH)
10/24: Mohawk Place, Buffalo (NY)
10/25: Drake Hotel, Toronto (ON)
10/26: Zaphods, Ottawa (ON)
10/27: Le National, Montreal (PQ) (w/ Besnard Lakes)
10/28: Mercury Lounge, New York City (NY)

Explosions in the Sky curate weekend 2 of ATP 2008

I'm sure most of you have already heard about the ATP vs. Pitchfork curated festival happening next summer (they just confirmed Hot Chip and Meat Puppets!). I know the trek seems ridiculous and expensive for west-coasters, but they always seem to wrangle the most amazing lineups. The good folks over over at ATP have just announced that Austin space rockers Explosions in the Sky are leading the charge for weekend 2 of the summer festival at good ol' Butlins Minehead in Camber Sands, UK. The quartet have already lined up a few great bands that would make any festival a must-see: Broken Social Scene, Iron & Wine, Adem, Dinosaur Jr., and Trail of Dead.



The event runs from May 16-18, one week after Pitchfork vs. ATP. You know the drill, get tickets and a chalet HERE then plan a mini-vacation around it. Here's a little something about the resort that may tempt even the toughest skeptic: "Butlins Minehead looks out across a superb sandy beach. The new site not only has a supermarket, newsagent and cash points, it also has Burger King, Pizza Hut, Finnigan's fish and chips, Sun and Moon, Skyline Cafe and Yacht Club Dining room. Onsite facilities include a cinema, Splash Water World - a sub-tropical environment that has a huge wave pool, a swimming pool, 3 flumes and also a flume based raft ride - Ten-pin bowling and amusement arcade. Sports include Archery, Football, Basketball, Darts, Petanque, Fencing, Kwik Cricket, Netball, Rounders, Table Tennis, Outdoor Bowls and Crazy Golf."

Crazy Golf + Pizza Hut? This is out of control!

ATP at MySpace

The Jealous Girlfriends are coming to Los Angeles

The Fold's Scott Sterling has always taken risks with bands. Some of my favorite artists were first introduced to me via the Silverlake Lounge or the Derby (Deerhoof, Autolux, 400 Blows, etc.). So when I recently saw that the Jealous Girlfriends chose the Silverlake Lounge as their "salvation" on November 12th I wasn't surprised. The Brooklyn, New York quartet are hardly known on this side of the country but have made waves on the internet with their latest self-titled debut and critically acclaimed performances.

You can catch them tonight and tomorrow evening during CMJ. The rest of us will have to wait.

Schedule:
Oct 18: CMJ - GOTHAMIST HOUSE @ White Rabbit - New York
Oct 19: CMJ @ MIDWAY - New York
Nov 7: CASBAH - San Diego, California
Nov 12: SILVERLAKE LOUNGE - Los Angeles, California
Dec 1: GREAT SCOTT - Allston, Massachusetts

"Machines" is taken from their self-titled album - Directed by Jackie Lin Werner

Rebuild

Tomorrow night's Katrina benefit takes place at Little Radio HQ, where I'll be co-hosting today with Scott Ford and Chris Davis from 1pm - 4pm. The proceeds will be directed towards a film that's being made about the rebuilding of post-Katrina New Orleans, the rest of the funds will go to the New Orleans Parish. Bands like the Movies, Henry Clay People, and the Submarines are just some of the bands that will be playing tomorrow evening, plus a special surprise guest.

For $12 you get to see 9 great bands and drink free Dewars all night. The gig goes from 7pm to 2am and includes a raffle to win an electric scooter! More details on the flyer below.

Little Radio
1218 Long Beach Ave.
Los Angeles (downtown), CA. 90021

Apparat - 'Walls'

Here's an album that crawled by a few months ago but left a huge wake behind it. Apparat's latest release, Walls, is pretty stunning yet never initially caught my attention, even with a label that calls itself Shitkatapult Strike. But once you get a few whiffs of "Useless Information" or "Fractales Pt.1" the interest should be immediate.

That's assuming you dig aural imagery, electronic synths and saturated ambient drones soaring over glitchy beats. German-born Sascha Ring has done some serious research, or is basically a gifted musical nut, when it comes to dreamy atmospherics that you can dance, chill, or even escape to, he even sings on a few tracks. Fans of Junior Boys, The Field, and Radiohead (Kid A) should enjoy every minute of this album.



If you're anywhere in Europe during the next two months then get a pen and paper and jot this down. Then go and line up your drug contact/prescription. I'd love to see this guy play, even a DJ set would suffice.


|||Apparat: WALLS (stream)|||


Schedule:

Oct 19, 2007 Apparat live: PL - Poznan - Eskulap
Oct 20, 2007 Apparat live: PL - Sopot - Sfinks
Oct 23, 2007 Apparat & Band: DK - Aarhus - Voxhall
Oct 26, 2007 Apparat live / Transforma visuals: IS - Tel Aviv - Barzilay
Oct 27, 2007 Apparat live: FR - Rennes - Electroni(K) Festival
Oct 31, 2007 Apparat live: BEL - Liege - Hall De Foires
Nov 2, 2007 Apparat & Band: IT - Brunneck - Georgeous Music Festival
Nov 3, 2007 Apparat live / Transforma visuals: GER - Düsseldorf - Tonhallen
Nov 7, 2007 Apparat & Band: FR - Poiters - Le Confort Moderne
Nov 8, 2007 Apparat & Band: FR - Metz - Festival Musiques Volantes
Nov 9, 2007 Apparat & Band: FR - Arles - Cargo De Nuit
Nov 10, 2007 Apparat live / Transforma visuals: FR - Toulouse - Decibel Festival
Nov 13, 2007 Apparat & Band: GER - Berlin - Magnet
Nov 16, 2007 Apparat & Band: TK - Istanbul - Balans Music Hall
Nov 17, 2007 Apparat & Band: RU - Moscow - 16 Tons
Nov 23, 2007 Apparat live / Transforma visuals: BEL - Nijdrop - Muziekzentrum
Nov 24, 2007 Apparat & Band: NL - Eindhoven - STRP Festival
Dec 1, 2007 Apparat DJ: ES - Madrid - Low

Film School tour blog - Part 1: Magic Spinach Pies

We're in the van again, driving down the 5, AGAIN. I know every cotton field, every orange orchard and every Magic Mountain on this interstate. We're just about in LA, which means nothing since we have to drive to Austin, about 28 van hours from SF where we just played.

Here are some highlights of the tour so far:

-- We did a daytime VIP show for KEXP (who is also presenting the tour!) at the Triple Door in Seattle which was pretty rad. To listen to the show, go to www.kexp.org, click "streaming archive" on the left and then request 10/10/07 at 4:30 pm PT.

-- We've played a couple Amoeba instores, here are pics from the Los Angeles Amoeba show.

-- We did a two day video shoot in Portland with big brain James Sumner. In true scattered genius fashion, he had duck tape holding his glasses together. The video should be done in a month or so, we're excited to see what he comes up with. Here's a little hint on the video: THE DUDE does Disney.









During the shoot we went to dinner at Nichol's. Sumner ordered 3 spinach pies (2 for dinner, one to go).




-- In SF Dave was offered two weed cookies at one show and a joint at another. Must be the hair.

-- We played for the first time in Sacramento, even though we lived only 90 miles from the city for about 6 years. Red Host and Eulogies both sounded great, fun show.

-- We were informed at our SF show that we're big in Johannesburg by someone visiting from there.

Thanks to our fans who have come out to the shows in Costa Mesa, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco -- great seeing everyone. We're feeling a lot of energy at our shows and fan-love right now.

Interview: Ulrich Schnauss

Ulrich's latest Domino Records release, Goodbye, builds upon his previous efforts with a bigger, cinematic world of layered electronics, beats, and sugar-coated melodies. I caught up with the artist before his amazing show at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa where we discussed how his music got to this point and where he's going.

Scott: How’s the tour been going? Is this the second time you’ve been out here?

Ulrich: Yeah, yeah. Three actually, but out here on the west two. It’s been really good. It’s also been bigger, with larger audiences. The main difference is more of a personal one though. The last time I came out I was terribly sick towards the end of the tour with a high fever and now I can really enjoy it and have a look around the city. I hope to go check out Amoeba and some really nice guitar shops in Hollywood.

Scott: This album is a lot more open, stretched out. Is that on purpose or did you have a specific idea on how you wanted to make it?

Ulrich: The overall idea was pretty much the same. I just wanted to merge the indie songwriting elements and electronic instrumentation. After the previous album I still had a feeling like there was more room to take these ideas to an extreme level when it comes to layering and laying down as many tracks as possible.

Scott: I would personally say that you are sort of a flagship artist when it comes to bringing together the influence of dreamy, shoegazer elements to music because your albums have received quite a bit of attention. You’re on Domino Records too. Do you feel like you’re bringing more attention to a more "indie" crowd, more accessible venue of people?

Ulrich: Well, I don’t think I’m necessarily the flagship, more like just one of a group of artists…a reflection of a nice range of stuff that’s been happening out there. It’s a nice scene that’s growing and I'm happy to be grouped with a lot of those bands that have similar tastes and sounds.

Scott: What do you see happening with bands such as yours, like Asobi Seksu and Serena-Maneesh? It really is a different path, more futuristic and progressive than everything else that’s been hyped and written about.

Ulrich: I wanted that to happen for years and years, it was a teenage dream of mine. I always was a bit sad because I was very close to an age where I could have been a part of that but I kind of missed it. To a certain degree it’s definitely coming back at the moment but I don’t think it will happen like before. There are too many opposing forces from the press and too much reluctance from people who simply don’t consider it trendy or hip enough to play that sort of role.

Scott: Maybe they don’t know how to market it? It’s one of those weird things where they think "can we market it, can it be successful and make money". A band like Lush became really popular here in America pretty fast.

Ulrich: Timing is a problem too. In the early nineties we had a short period of escapism and melancholy and experienced some mainstream success. I miss those elements from mainstream music

Scott: I feel the same way.

Ulrich: Especially in England, there are different things that are demanded. It is very elitist over there so I don’t really see the shoegazing thing taking off in a mainstream scale. But I’m glad there’s room for some of these bands to exist.

Scott: I hope so. In the mid-to-late nineties music was just so terrible and thoughtless, especially here in the U.S., I wish I could just cut and paste that era and have it pick up in 1998.

Ulrich: I think it’s also necessary though to have those periods. I think shoegazing in the first place, like acid house even, came out of that really depressing situation in the late-eighties where pop music was really at a low point. All these exciting things came out in reaction so it is necessary.

Scott: Right. Punk rock was a reaction to druggy, longhaired seventies rock. I think that possibly music that evokes escapism is a nice counter-balance to the obvious upfront pop/rock in today's world.

What are you planning on doing after this tour?

Ulrich: I want to try and be careful about touring because during the last record I made the mistake of touring for one and a half years so it took me longer to have this album finished. I want to have more studio time in the next couple of years to make new music, produce, and work on some interesting remix projects.

Scott: You’ve done some great remixes for bands like Mojave 3 and Depeche Mode. That must take up a lot of time.

Ulrich: It’s an exciting thing to do and I would much rather prioritize the studio side of things rather than taking too much time to play. There might be another North American tour next spring though.

Scott: That would be great. When you are in the studio do you tend to take a long time mapping out the songs or just let it flow?

Ulrich: I think what takes the most time specifically with this record is that I had a very precise idea of what kind of sound I wanted to achieve, it just proved to be more difficult to get that idea across.

Scott: So the sound comes first and takes importance? Is there ever a particular sound or feel that's in your head?

Ulrich: Usually I start with a song that I’ve written on piano and then by sitting down and improvising until I come up with some interesting chord changes. I get a rough structure from that. From there I take it into the studio and just arrange layer after layer. As soon as the overall idea is there I usually have an idea about the sound and just take it from there.

Scott: Any ideas about moving into a different direction from Goodbye?

Ulrich: Yeah, definitely. I think with the last album I pretty much said everything I can think of as far as merging the songwriting aspect and electronic instrumentation. It was very liberating to limit yourself to the song structure thing for these last couple of years, but for the next record I’d like to work with an open structure again and have more pieces that have like 4 or 5 sounds rather than 50. Just open it up. I also came up with some interesting stuff in the recordings that I could very well use on the next record. There were ideas that didn’t fit with this album.

Scott: Do you ever think of your songs, or a future song, as a single or are you more interested in the album as a “whole”, complete listen?

Ulrich: I don’t even do singles. I think that whole thing doesn’t really work on my level; it wouldn’t make any sense because I usually think of songs in an album aspect. The record companies aren’t really putting that much pressure on artists in that respect either. The single is pretty much on the way out, which is quite sad.

Scott: Technology has changed that quite bit as well. What are some of the things you listen to nowadays that maybe people wouldn’t think you’re into or wouldn’t expect you to be listening to?

Ulrich: Well, I really have no idea what people expect me to listen to.

Scott: But if I played your records people would probably assume that you enjoy bands like Chapterhouse or Slowdive.

Ulrich: At the moment I’m still most excited about the current stuff that’s happening over here. That was one of great things about this tour is that I got to play with friends and bands that I’m excited about; Mahogany, Soundpool, Airiel, Auburn Lull...I think there’s a really interesting and exciting scene that exists.

Scott: It seems to be more spread out all over the country now too. I got a chance to see Airiel a few months ago and they just blew me away and got me fired up about playing music again. They make you realize that there are much more interesting things creeping up in indie music that don’t just sound like Arcade Fire or the recent folk-hype trend that is, honestly, really tiring and unimaginative.

Well it’s been a pleasure talking with you. Have fun on your days off in Los Angeles.

Ulrich: Thank you very much!


-Scott McDonald

Band of Horses "Is There a Ghost"

I've been listening to the new Band of Horses quite a bit lately. Their follow-up to 2006's masterpiece Everything All the Time is, so far, more accessible, cheesier, and very far-reaching. I like half of the tunes but feel like they're deliberately trying to capitalize on the "success" of their last album. That's to be expected from any band who want to make a living in this industry.

Do Band of Horses really need to try at anything? I mean, that's their charm...and talent, they are a natural sounding rock band. Bridwell's voice is still killer and the guitars border on Slowdive's sheets of gold. I only wish they would push the music to greater heights on this one.

Here's the first video from Cease to Begin:

America's got talent: "In Rainbows" cover art!

I found a helping of cover art creations for In Rainbows, all completely unofficial of course. These are just a taste of what I've seen on the internet in the past day. I dig the one with Thom and the three muppet-teers.

Choose wisely.

MBV reunion? I'm thinking YES

This link is the final clue for skeptics. My Bloody Valentine have probably accepted the millions for next year's touring/reunion. No real content yet but there's no other reason to build a website.









Go here: www.mybloodyvalentine.co.uk

I've been busy catching the Rainbow

I've spent pretty much the whole day listening to the new Radiohead album In Rainbows. After several listens I'd say the record is pretty darn tasty. Jonny Greenwood shares his thoughts about the new album, the internet, and a possible tour in 2008 with New York blog Gothamist. Read the Q and A HERE.

DOWNLOAD IN RAINBOWS

www.radiohead.com/deadairspace

Spiritualized bring "Acoustic Mainlines" to Los Angeles next month (revised)

Originally posted from last Thursday, Oct. 4th. The venue has changed, plus a new gig scheduled in San Francisco. Thanks to Duke for the updated information!

Spaceman returns, only this time he's firmly planted on Earth. Spiritualized fans might be a little bummed out about the "acoustic" part of the equation, but I'd bet you walk away from this show with a big grin. Jason Pierce is indeed returning to the U.S. and has included two nights at the Vista Theatre, November 12th and 13th. Instead of engulfing Spiritualized die-hards with washed-out tremolos, overdriven slide guitar, and droning organs Pierce will bring along a gospel choir and string section to fill out the sound. This is going to be epic.

And what about that long overdue follow-up to 2003's Amazing Grace? The new album is reportedly done and due for a release early next year, according to a new NME report. Pierce goes on to describe the record as, "the work of the Devil...with a little guidance from me."

Shine a Light:
Oct 10: Razzmatazz 2 - Barcelona, Spain
Oct 11: Cormoran - Valencia, Spain
Oct 12: Joy Eslava - Madrid, Spain
Oct 13: Santana 27 - Bilbao, Spain
Nov 2: Voxhall - Recession Aarhus
Nov 11: Bimbo's 365 - San Francisco
Nov 12 & 13: Vista Theatre - Los Angeles
Nov 16: Apollo Theater - New York City
Dec 9: Union Chapel - London
Dec 10: Union Chapel - London

"She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit)" taken from Amazing Grace

Beach House devote new album...to everyone

One of last year's most breathtaking albums was Beach House's self-titled debut. Their 2006 release drifted through territory mapped out by such acts as Slowdive and Galaxie 500, only it felt like a truly original listen. 2008 is closing in fast and we've just learned of some great news that will make the transition more comfortable.

Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand have finished work on their second album, Devotion. Eleven tracks of dreamy goodness drops early next year on February 26th via Carpark. The artwork and details are below, including some U.S. tour dates with Grizzly Bear.

Devotion

1. Wedding Bells
2. You Came To Me
3. Gila
4. Turtle Island
5. Holy Dances
6. All The Years
7. Heart Of Chamber
8. Some Things Last A Long Time (Daniel Johnston cover)
9. Astronaut
10. Home Again
11. d.a.r.l.i.n.g.

U.S. tour dates:
10-09 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater $
10-10 Chicago, IL - Park West $
10-11 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center for the Arts (Ohio State University) $
10-12 Pittsburgh, PA - Andy Warhol Museum $
10-13 Baltimore, MD - 2640 Space at St. John’s Church $
10-14 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church Sanctuary $

$ = w/ Grizzly Bear

"Master of None" taken from Beach House - Directed by Dan Sully

Low is a Height, but a really low one at best

Watch your step because Great Northern are correct, a "low" is a height. On their second official video, taken from the excellent Trading Twilight For Daylight (Eenie Meenie), the L.A. quartet make that fact very clear by pulling at your heart strings while gently reminding you that life isn't all that bad.

Musically, the song revolves around synthetic keyboard sounds attached to Rachel Stolte's mesmerizing voice. But what I like best about this track is how it verges on the border of alt-country. I can imagine the band adding a lap steel and more female vocals--charming the folks at the Grand Ole Opry. Miles of tour footage, clips of natural surroundings, and even a shot of our beautiful downtown metropolis are on display. Sometimes the answer is easier than you think. All we really need to get by in this life is waiting for us on the other side of door #1.

"Buy me!"


"Low is a Height"



I was cleaning out my Flickr account and found some live shots I took of the band from various L.A. gigs. Sorry ladies, I don't have any shots of Davey.

Miki Berenyi boards a Seinking Ship

I'm not going to go into the history of Lush or the tragedy that ended the group's rise to fame and steady success here in America. That horrible event ended Lush for good and saw the complete departure of singer/guitarist Miki Berenyi from the music world, aside from a few vocal appearances over the past ten years.

So I was very happy to see that musician Eric Matthews had recently enlisted the former front woman on his new project, Seinking Ships. According to Matthews, her vocal tracks are "in the bag" and will appear on their debut album coming late this year or early 2008. If you're curious then go stream the track "Time and Cigarettes" from heir debut CDEP at their MySpace page.

Coincidentally, the song sounds like a lost b-side from Lush's Spooky. Complete with delayed guitars drenched in chorus effects and a well placed horn melody, the instrumental piece is very beautiful...yet I was hoping for a few bars of Miki. I'll just have to wait for the full-length.

Stream: "Mission to Mars"


Sinking Ships EP (Empyrean Records)

1. Mission To Mars
2. Time And Cigarettes
3. Between Paint And Plastic
4. Big Surf

Lush "De-Luxe" taken from Gala

Ulrich and friends deliver my kind of justice

I didn't make it down to the LA Weekly Detour Festival this past weekend. Apparently most of the acts were disappointing (weird sound quality, low turnout, lackluster performances, etc.). I still would have loved to see Autolux.

Here are a couple of reviews: Buzz Bands & Passion of the Weiss

Ulrich Schnauss blew me away, twice. The Troubadour is a great place to see a band as he, Manual, and Fleeting Joys brought the clouds to Los Angeles plus shimmering waves of guitar/keyboard for about 4 hours. Last night's gig was better. The crowd wasn't as excitable, but the sound seemed even more gigantic and balanced than Friday night.

Film School's new album Hideout still hasn't left my CD player. Their opening live set at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa was devastating from start to finish. You'd be a fool to miss them when they come back home in November. Ulrich's music was, again, breathtaking and massive. It's very powerful in a live setting with an amazing visual backdrop that captivates your attention every second. You can watch/listen to him on KCRW right now.

If all goes as planned I'll be able to interview/watch one of my favorite dance-pop acts of the year, Midnight Juggernauts, at the Henry Fonda Theatre. They're opening both nights (Oct.8 and 9)...I believe Tuesday is already sold-out.


Tomorrow night I'll be "adopting Sarah's heart" and the entire set of Bat for Lashes at the Troubadour. Fans of Goldfrapp's mysterious and cinematic pop (Felt Mountain) should bring extra napkins to catch that drool streaming down your chin.

"What's A Girl To Do?" taken from Fur and Gold (Parlophone)

Surprise! The Arcade Fire post new video for "Neon Bible"

So...this is the big surprise? I know its a new thing for the Arcade Fire camp, finally making an official video, but this is it? I guess it's tough to impress any internet savvy fan these days when you receive news like this.

Vincent Morisset directed the interactive black and white clip. You can roll your cursor over the hands and manipulate the movements/actions or watch a quote appear from a smoke-like cloud as Win Butler sings. Pretty high-tech stuff.

Watch: Neon Bible

When compared to "Neon Bible" this promo video for "Rebellion (Lies)" looks like the work of Stanley Kubrick:

Ulrich Schnauss

Ulrich Schnauss has been making sweet keyboard-gaze treatments and explosive dream-pop songs for years now (remixing everyone from Mojave 3 to Depeche Mode). His previous effort, 2004's A Strangely Isolated Place, landed him a spot on the highly respected Domino label and provided the Kiel, Germany native a North American tour that made believers out of the most skeptical shoegaze/electronica fans. On his new album, Goodbye, Ulrich expands his musical landscape from poppy waves of keyboard, samples, and driving drum patterns to a full-blown cinematic montage. You could say this album is more stretched-out and ethereal yet just as solid as anything he's accomplished.

Ulrich Schnauss plays the Troubadour tonight along with Denmark's Manual and Sacramento's Fleeting Joys. On Sunday, Oct. 8th he heads down to Detroit Bar with openers Film School. Expect an interview with Ulrich on this site next week!

Remaining dates:
Oct 1: Crocodile Cafe w/ Turn-Ons & High Violets - Seattle
Oct 2: Holocene w/High Violets & Turn-Ons - Portland
Oct 3: Cafe Du Nord w/Manual & Fleeting Joys - San Francisco
Oct 5: Troubadour w/Manual & Fleeting Joys - Los Angeles
Oct 7: Detroit Bar w/Film School - Costa Mesa
Nov 6: Hoxton Bar & Kitchen w/Rumskib, Manual & Orange Yellow Red – London
Nov 22: DJ SET @ The Legion supporting Soundpool, Fleeting Joys & Asobi Seksu - London
Nov 25: DJ SET @ The Social supporting Fleeting Joys – London
Dec 1: TBA w/Resplandor, Skyward & Elika – Lima, Peru


If I wasn't here I'd be there:

400 Blows @ Safari Sams: Brutal, heavy punk. They always sound good.
or
Wiskey Biscuit and Bolero @ Spaceland: Everyone knows who Wiskey Biscuit is. Bolero is a new, very Neil Young-inspired, band from Josh Schwartz of Further, Summer Hits fame. I heard a few songs on Little Radio the other day and they sounded excellent.

Two Ton Sloth Loves Broadcast, literally

A couple of gentlemen by the name of PZ and Brad Hamera remixed and/or sampled eight Broadcast tunes and are posting them as free downloads. Most of the songs could be categorized as "Hip-Hop" with original rap vocals by Hamera, holding their own against the Birmingham duo's synthetic melodies and futuristic sparkles. Although this is more of a "hey this is a cool idea while we wait for the new album" for steady fans songs like "An Echo's Answer" and "Shift of Pitch" utilize Broadcast's palette exceptionally well. Wait...am I starting to enjoy Hip-Hop?

DOWNLOAD HERE (enter, click "audio", then you'll find it at the bottom of the next page).

"It's no secret, Broadcast is my favorite band. I know, I know, I've said Radiohead in the past... and don't get me wrong, I love me some Radiohead, however I hold an extra special place in my heart for everything Broadcast has done. I have made more beautiful memories to their music then anyone else I suppose. A couple of years ago when I tracked down all of their amazing earlier singles (which were later collected in the LP Future Crayon) I decided some sort of cut and paste tribute needed to see it's way to fruition. I ran the idea by Brad who enjoys himself some Broadcast, & in the summer of 06 we recorded these jams. It is nothing comprehensive, the breakbeat possiblities of Broadcast are infinite, however I enjoy hearing Brad in good grimey form gettin' down on top of some of my favorite all time jams. I hope that you do too. Enjoy and don't forget, sharing is encouraged." -PZ Sept 07

BONUS!

Download: Black Session - La Maison de la Radio, Paris - May 4, 2000

1. Long Was The Year (4:32)
2. Where Youth And Laughter Go (2:46)
3. Message From Home (4:55)
4. Echo's Answer (5:01)
5. Dead The Long Year (1:49)
6. Look Outside (3:53)
7. Come On Let's Go (0:38)
8. Interlude 2 (1:45)
9. Unchanging Window (6:32)
10. Papercuts (5:17)
11. Lights Out (4:54)
12. Hammer Without A Master (7:34)

"Come On Let's Go" taken from The Noise Made By People

Midnight Juggernauts

When I was a kid my older sister absolutely loved Olivia Newton-John, especially in Xanadu. The ELO/Newton-John tracks are euphoric, futuristic, and ultra-catchy. At least they were back then.

Fellow Aussies Midnight Juggernauts remind me so much of that movie and fall somewhere along the lines of the Juan Maclean, ELO and David Bowie. Although they'll be playing in the "shadows" of superstars Justice for two nights at the Henry Fonda early next week, I think people will walk away just as impressed.

The Juggs' debut album, Dystopia (Siberia/Inertia), is loaded with catchy songwriting and a poppy feel that emanates through the electronics. Too bad the disc is an import-only affair, this is one of the best dance records of the year.

"Shadows" taken from Dystopia


Buy: Dystopia (import only)



1. Intro
2. Ending Of An Era
3. Into The Galaxy
4. Shadows
5. Worlds Converged
6. Dystopia
7. Road To Recovery
8. Scorpius
9. Twenty Thousand Leagues
10. Tombstone
11. Nine Lives
12. So Many Frequencies
13. Aurora

Tour dates:

10-6 Los Angeles, CA - Detour Music Festival (DJ set)
10-7 San Diego, CA - 4th and B *
10-8 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater*
10-9 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater *(SOLD-OUT)
10-10 San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine *
10-11 Portland, OR - Holocene
10-12 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
10-13 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom *
10-16 Minneapolis, MN - Foundation Nightclub
10-17 Chicago, IL - Metro *
10-18 Toronto, Ontario - Republik *
10-19 Montreal, Canada - Metropolis *
10-20 New York - Terminal 5 *
10-21 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom *
10-22 New York - Terminal 5*
10-26: Rennes - Electroni[k] 7 Festival
10-27: Reims - Electricity
11-9: Paris - Inrocks Fest @ Le Zenith
12-8: Sydney, New South Wales - Homebake
12-15: Victoria - Meredith Music Festival
1-20: Gold Coast Parklands, Queensland - Big Day Out
1-25: Sydney Showground, New South Wales - Big Day Out
1-28: Melbourne Flemington Racecourse, Victoria - Big Day Out
2-1: Adelaide Showground, South Australia - Big Day Out
2-3: Perth Claremont Showground, Western Australia - Big Day Out

*with Justice

This place is dead anyway

The official release of Division Day's Beartrap Island is upon us. To celebrate we'll be at the Echo tonight rocking out to some sweet tunes along with The Mae Shi and Eulogies (Peter Walker). DJ sets from Little Radio's "Sinking w/ Sylvia and Todd."

Doors at 8:30 PM



NEW: "Tigers" video taken from Beartrap Island - Directed by Josh Forbes

The Verve add December gigs, all in the UK

You didn't really think the Verve would hop on over here for a tour already did ya? I think that day is coming soon, but for now the seminal space-rock quartet have added another short tour in the UK. Fans who have subscribed to the band's mailing list at Theverve.tv can buy tickets a day earlier (9AM on October 4) through a password-protected link. Users will then be sent the password within 24 hours. Regular ticket sales begin this Friday at 10AM. Good luck.

One Way to Go:

12/13: London - O2 Arena
12/15: Glasgow - SECC
12/17: Belfast - Odyssey Arena
12/20: Manchester - Central

Sacramento King and Queen

Sac-town. The place where Vlade Divac made the move to take on his former teammates in a 5-year grudge match that left the man, and the Sacramento Kings, broken. But there's hope in our state's capital. No, I'm not talking about Vlade's Tunel 21 restaurant/nightclub, I'm talkin' 'bout the Fleeting Joys.

It's a been a couple of years since I've caught the band's overdriven miasma on stage, but I can insert a copy of Despondent Transponder anytime I want and get lost in their sugary wall-o-sound. As of late there have been some new tracks appearing on their MySpace page and/or blog, including a cover of Dylan's "Masters of War". The new material is even more powerful and song-driven than their previous release and keeps the waves of guitar turned up to 11. The duo have even been asked to travel to the UK for the epic TUNNEL VISION festival next month (Nov. 23-25) and will also stop by the Troubadour this Friday, Oct. 5. There's just no reason not to attend.

Lovely Crawl:

Oct 3: Cafe du Nord - San Francisco, California
Oct 5: Troubador - Los Angeles, California*
Nov 22: Sonic Cathedral - London
Nov 23: Tunnel Vision Festival UK - Bristol
Nov 25: Sonic Cathedral Sunday Service - London

*w/Ulrich Schnauss

"The Breakup" taken from their debut album Despondent Transponder (Only Forever).

Perfect Sound Forever

Not one of these guys in the band is named Henry Clay, or even remotely linked to him on a family tree. Two of the members are siblings and I'm pretty sure they're fans of this guy?

The other night I ventured over to Spaceland to catch the Sunday residency band after a duller than dull Swerve Fest awards show that pushes We Are Scientists to a very, very late slot. A Sunday night at Spaceland is not where one would normally go to see a high profile band. It's a place to hunt crickets, fulfill those low expectations, and definitely not a good spot for any band looking to gain new fans. Thankfully I walked right into a slab of guitars and jangly chords that obviously nods to Pavement and Archers and Loaf, I ain't complaining about that. The Henry Clay People played the last slot of the night and were exceptionally good. Their music is self-indulgent as guitars hark back to the mid-nineties when indie-rock was truly "indie". I don't hear a band ripping off particular songs or sounds, just a precise influence of great bands and a great live sound. Everyone needs to see this band.

Schedule:

Oct 6: KNITTING FACTORY w/ Service Group and Gertie Fox - Hollywood
Oct 10: BORDELLO w/ Divisadero, the Northern Two, and the Hectors - Los Angeles
Oct 14: ZOMBIE LOUNGE w/ Writer and Swim Party - San Diego
Oct 28: DETROIT BAR w/ Quasi - Costa Mesa
Oct 31: HALLOWEEN - Los Angeles
Nov 4: QUE SERA w/ Service Group and The Blakes - Long Beach
Nov 24: TOKYO GARDENS w/ Rademacher and Karabal Nightlife - Fresno

www.myspace.com/thehenryclaypeople

Film School coming to Detroit Bar, interview tonight on Indie 103.1's Big Sonic Heaven

Since KCRW has decided to slowly evolve into the next adult contemporary radio station for new moms and dads who still want to show off their indie cred at playgroup, I've forced myself to be more forgiving towards the obviously corporate, yet listenable, Indie 103. I'm not a Jonesy fan, but that Darren Revell needs no forgiving. He consistently plays good shit (indie/electronica/noise-pop) and isn't afraid to play music that's way left of what everyone else spins.

The reason I bring this up is because Film School are the guest tonight on BSH and will open for the uber-talented Ulrich Schnauss at Detroit Bar this coming Sunday, October 7th in Costa Mesa. The quintet's latest release, Hideout, is solid, a huge step forward from their self-titled Beggars Banquet release. And Detroit Bar is really nice. Every club in L.A. can take pointers from this joint.

Download: "Lectric"

"11:11" taken from their debut album Film School - Directed by Leslie Satterfield

Shocking Pinks release new song plus Deerhunter remix

Shocking Pinks' latest release is basically a collection of ex-Brunettes drummer Nick Harte's last two LPs, originally released on New Zealand's Flying Nun. It still works well as a complete album with a whopping 17 tracks, that's a lot to digest. Luckily, Harte stays grounded using his devil-may-care vocal delivery, shaky drums, and driving guitar/keyboard wash. It sounds like rainy day music for noise pop enthusiasts or kids who just love to pogo.

If you go HERE you will find a free audio stream of the entire album plus a new song entitled "Go To Sleep". The new track is the b-side and comes with remixes by Deerhunter and Eluvium.




1. Wake Up
2. This Aching Deal
3. How Am I Not Myself?
4. Second Hand Girl
5. End Of the World
6. The Narrator
7. Yes! No!
8. Emily
9. Blonde Haired Girl
10. Victims
11. Girl On the Northern Isle
12. I Want U Back
13. SmokeScreen
14. Jealousy
15. Cutout
16. 23
17. You Can Make Me Feel Bad

Order the CD/LP: Insound

"End of the World" - Directed by Richard Bell