Still think Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion is "album of the year" material? Get ready for more contenders who are releasing albums this Spring/Summer (via P4K).
Can we call Caribou's Up In Flames a classic yet? I think so. Dan Snaith's musical equivalent of Alice in Wonderland came to visual fruition when he got together with Leaf Label and helped produce a series of videos that sync perfectly with the group's live show. And in case you need a visual aide during a cocktail party or booze mixer pick up the entire collection of clips via Caribou's Marino DVD. If I had to live with just one of Dan Snaith's jams I'd go with "Jacknuggeted".
Fresh off the forthcoming remix EP from Praveen & Benoit comes this bass-heavy mix that mixes elements of club, old-school hip-hop and warm synthesizer samples a la 10CC into a warm revision of "Embers". You can find the original version on P & B'sSongs Spun Simla, but this new EP features even more incredible remixes from the likes of Daedelus, Shigeto and many more.
Several months before I ever caught wind of VOICEsVOICEs the duo of Jenean Farris and Nico Turner cranked out a dreamy post-gaze version of "Tape Noon" at the Smell. These ladies play out just about every week, so you've got no excuse to check out their live attack -- which is what I'm endorsing here.
Flying Lotus is represented here using scenes from three Sci-Fi classics: Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. It's interesting to think about his music as these futuristic images play out against his dynamic and not-so-futuristic music. Not that Flying Lotus doesn't sound forward-thinking at times, but I don't think these films would actually work as a video if he decided to use any one of his critically acclaimed tunes from Los Angeles.There's just something about his soulful, bluesy melodies and rhythms that remind me of the present state of today, not tomorrow.
Flying Lotus: "Los Angeles" - Directed by Brendan Sinnott:
Nashville, Tennessee's Hammock are sure to dazzle fans of Sigur Ros and Fennesz, and this clip for "Mono No Aware" adds clarity to the group's atmospheric instrumentals perfectly. The icy and breathtaking scenery is almost cliche for dreamy, post-shoegaze pieces like this, but what else would suit this track better?
Micachu & the Shapes is a three-piece micro orchestra of sorts; channeling Elephant 6 psychedelia and Devo's groundbreaking pop. Many of the instruments sound like household items sampled and regurgitated into beautiful anthems that could also pass as the soundtrack to Fraggle Rock. A perfect example of this is "Wrong", it's like something stolen from a zany inventor's garage. The track marches along carefully, broken down and out of breath, that is until the vocals and guitars put the pieces back together during the chorus.
Jewellery drops April 7 on Rough Trade. I'm gonna need a vinyl copy of this.
It's been way too long since The Radio Dept.'s last album. So I was pretty stoked to see this free download of the Swedish trio's live performance from almost a year ago boasting four new tracks. The original recording took place May 16, 2008 at the Blekingska Nationen in Lund, Sweden. And, according to the band's official website, features "4 new songs and extra exerts of the forthcoming album."
1. Lost and Found 2. Twilight 3. 1995 4. New Song #4 5. Freddie & The Trojan Horse 6. Pulling Our Weight 7. New Song #2 8. New Song #3 9. I Wanted You To Feel The Same 10. Sleeping In 11. The Worst Taste In Music 12. Keen On Boys
We're officially ten mixes deep. This week's mix combines a few from last week when I was studying abroad in Austin, TX. I'm still very curious to hear this new album by the Horrors -- have a feeling it's going to be really good.
Anyone actually going to Coachella? I'd like to go out to Indio that weekend because it always turns out being a fun time. So if anyone happens to know of a wealthy donor or corporation looking to give away a free weekend VIP pass and hotel accommodations I'm available.
1. Earl Greyhound: "The Eyes of Cassandra" 2. Grizzly Bear: "Cheerleader" 3. Gui Boratto: "Take My Breath Away" 4. Lotus Plaza: "A Threaded Needle" 5. M83: "We Own the Sky (Maps remix)" 6. Mustafa Et Monique: "Melting On My Tongue" 7. Richard Swift: "Lady Luck" 8. Seeland: "Call the Incredible" 9. Simon Says No!: "Sleeping Heart" 10. The Horrors: "Sea Within a Sea"
Has anyone started thinking about their top albums of the decade yet? A while back a fellow blogger brought this up and it threw me off guard, simply because I can't believe it's been ten years since Primal Scream's XTRMNTR and Radiohead's Kid A! But hey, their certainly have been some outstanding releases that I'll require my future children to listen to, or else!
A "Top 20" won't be long enough when I attempt a much lengthier list in December, especially since I haven't heard an official release this year that I would even place on a "Top 20" list.
1. Interpol: Turn on the Bright Lights 2. Primal Scream: XTRMNTR 3. Spoon: Kill the Moonlight 4. Dungen: Ta Det Lugnt 5. Doves: Some Cities 6. And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead: Source Tags and Codes 7. Wilco: Yankee Foxtrot Hotel 8. Deerhoof: Apple O 9.Broken Social Scene: You Forgot it in People 10. Broadcast: Ha Ha Sound 11. Clinic: Internal Wrangler 12. Boards of Canada: Geogaddi 13. Serena Maneesh: Serena Maneesh 14.Caribou: The Milk of Human Kindness 15.Portishead: Third 16.Radiohead: In Rainbows 17.Grizzly Bear: Yellow House 18.The Clientele: Strange Geometry 19.The Shins: Oh, Inverted World 20.Autolux: Future Perfect
Some honorable mentions:
Boris: Pink Death Cab For Cutie: We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes Grandaddy: What Happened to the Fambly Cat? Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days Scott Walker: The Drift
Chris Clark is without a doubt the most ground-breaking artist in electronica. After two punishing, stark and woozy albums, especially 2006's unbelievable Body Riddle, Clark is already moving forward with this new 6-song EP entitled Growls Garden.
Listen to a sample below and buy it over at Bleep.Don't forget about the creepy-crawly clip for "Ted".
New York dream-pop duo ZAZA have released what is, in my opinion, some of the best music made this year. Now, fans can get a close-up view as they take their act on the road with fellow Brooklynites The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Check out the schedule below.
I also noticed that the band has debuted another new track on its MySpace page entitled "Dark House".
Schedule:
4/28: Lee's Palace - Ontario, CAN 4/29: The Pike Room (Crofoot) - Pontiac, MI 4/30: Beachland Tavern - Cleveland, OH 5/1: The Summit - Columbus, OH 5/2: The End - Nashville, TN 5/3: The Earl - Atlanta, GA 5/4: Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC 5/5: Talking Head Club - Baltimore, MD 5/6: The Barbary - Philadelphia, PA 5/12: Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
Update: Check out the first comment below for details on the physical release of Zaza's Cameo EP. The track above, as well as "With You", are older demos.
As previously reported, Tim Felton (Broadcast) and Billy Bainbridge (Plone) have been separated from their Warp-related bands for a few years now -- working as Seeland. Now that their debut album is out I'm hoping people get to hear how their contributions of the past seamlessly come together on the mellow space-pop they've created here. "Call the Incredible" isn't the most fascinating song on Tommorow Today, but it has some killer kaleiodoscopic sounds that bring to mind Kraftwerk, Stereolab and, unavoidably, Broadcast.
During a recent SXSW performance at Cedar Street Courtyard Beach House's Victoria Legrand joined Grizzly Bear on the Veckatimest standout "Two Weeks". Check it out below:
You read that headline correctly. Oneida is releasing part two of their "Thank Your Parents" album trilogy sometime in July, and it's a triple album. Part one as you may remember was 2008's lengthy and experimental Preteen Weaponry...not exactly the follow up record I was hoping for after 2006's outstanding Happy New Year. So I'm thinking that this "triple album" business has got to be some kind of inside joke.
Rated O will be released by Brah Records, a distant cousin to the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans family, and support the disc with live dates this summer. Here's a jam from an Oneida album that fits on one disc:
Schedule: 4/25: Brooklyn, NY – Secret Project Robot (Pterodactyl Record Release Show) 5/30: Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival 7/10: Hoboken, NJ – Maxwells 7/11: San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill (w/ Wooden Shjips & Jonas Reinhardt) 7/12: Los Angeles, CA – TBA 7/24: Brooklyn, NY – TBA 7/25: Medford, MA – Outside the Lines Studio 7/26: New Haven, CT – BAR
Admit it. There's at least one Wolfmother song that rocks your world. According to the group's MySpace page, Alan Moulder (NIN, My Bloody Valentine, Curve) is producing their next album.
LAist finally recommends a band that interests me. Skip the Maroon 5 bor-a-thon of "Weighty Ghost" and dive into Wintersleep's charging track "Archaeologists" over at the band's MySpace page. This new Dum Dum Girls song featured at Gorilla vs. Bear should make you forget about Vivian Girls once and for all.
Just when I thought my love affair with the hilarious blog Hipster Runoff was over comes this great post.
"This Much is True", my older sister is going to be stoked once she hears about the Spandau Ballet reunion.
As familiar as Lotus Plaza's ringing guitars and direct strumming has with most of Deerhunter's material, Lockett Pundt's "A Threaded Needle" sounds surprisingly Lilys-esque and sonically adventurous. Rather than follow the vocal-centric and fragile style of Bradford Cox, which can be powerful at times, Pundt places more effort into his transitions and mixes while his voice cruises along in the background. Lotus Plaza's other strength lies in just about every song on The Floodlight Collective -- ending with an ultra-dreamy guitar melody, which could even pass as its own repetitive jam.
What I love best about Lockett Pundt is that he chooses to direct your attention to everything at once (guitars, samples, effects and percussion) while never beating you over the head with any single melody. This kid's got a lot to offeron his debut album, and I hope people will actually listen to it.
Metric's first video from the forthcoming Fantasies shows the quartet moving away from all things "electro". So it's no surprise that this clip highlights the band's more straightforward, matured songwriting by avoiding cheesy close-ups or gimmicky visual effects that many directors dig their own graves with, and the chart-ready, pop feel of "Gimme Sympathy" is too smart for that anyway.Me like.
Metric: "Gimme Sympathy" - Directed by Frank Borin:
There's been a lot of talk about Grizzly Bear's forthcoming Veckatimest. But seriously, how excited and hopeful are you about this new album? The band simply wowed American indie-rock masses with Yellow House then proceeded to drop more musical love bombs with their gentle yet sonically sweeping live performances. "Cheerleader"follows the Yellow path by slowing building from a careful verse into an even more careful bridge until the band's trademark vocal melodies and textures win you over for good.Say hello to the next future SNL musical guest.
Remember The Horrors? Well, they're back with this new video/single for the well-over-8-minute Krautrock-influenced "Sea Within a Sea", and it's pretty solid. The London quintet are going to get lots of comparisons to Mark Almond and Can on this one, but that's fine by me.
The first half of the song is haunting, cool, and hypnotic as a droning bass and steady drum beat outline a graph for warped guitar slashes to cut back and forth. From then on the track cautiously builds with driving synths that harmonize a la Portishead's "The Rip". It's all so familiar and easy to reference, but The Horrors make it work. The band's forthcoming album, Primary Colours, drops May 4 via XL.You can download a free MP3 of "Sea Within a Sea" here.
The Horrors: "Sea Within a Sea" - Directed by Douglas Hart:
If you lovedEarl Greyhound's blistering and melodic rock on 2006's Soft Targetsthen get ready to hear the band moving into the future. Not that the band is pitching curve balls to their fans, but EG's latest song "The Eyes of Cassandra", which will appear on the trio's forthcoming album, is rhythmically brilliant without ditching the feel of their previous effort.
The song gets even more interesting with a delayed, psychedelic moog and some truly amazing vocal harmonies. Then at about the 4-minute mark floor toms build into a thundering rock jam. According to the band this is an "early mix" -- I'd be still be happy if this was the final product.
Back from Austin with some good news: Surfing on Steam is being featured in the music 'Spotlight' section over at PerfSpot. The kind folks over at the heavily visited social networking/music/culture site gave us some kind words and linked to our 'Simon Says No!' post. Check out their website over in our 'Blog Heaven' section in the right-hand column and the link below.
Coachella needed someone big for Saturday. Not sure if this was what people were hoping for, but new Mom M.I.A. has been added to the lineup. I don't know anyone that is attending this year.
"Take My Breath Away" is the lead-off track from Gui Boratto's recently released album of the same name. The song is propelled by a minimal techno beat which sounds light at first but eventually holds everything together -- along with wavering synths that swerve and dip. Most people think of "Techno" as an obnoxious, immature sub-genre with way too much bass, but this track redefines the term; stripping away the clutter while allowing the melody to map out its course.
All the Saints get the video treatment for the soaring and tense track "Sheffield". The band looks pretty chill in a confined, scattered practice space/garage. Then comes the blue light bulbs, and obviously there's no parental supervision because the scene looks dangerous. Kids, don't put them in your mouth.
Simon Says No! are a super-melodic quartet from Oslo, Norway. They've earned loads of "shoegaze" tags from critics and bloggers, but to me they sound more like the Chameleons than RIDE. Guitars, vocals and melodies are never buried, and rhythmically this song is patient. And if you're looking for hooks "Sleeping Heart" has a beautiful, sugary guitar progression.
"Sleeping Heart" is taken from the band's debut EP, Ahoi De Angst. Check them out at SXSW and a few dates on the West Coast.
3/18: SXSW - 2:00pm - Venue TBD 3/18: SXSW - 7:45pm - Trailer Space Records 3/24: Fresno, CA - The Starline 4/1: San Francisco, CA - The Harlot 4/2: Los Angeles, CA - 3 of Clubs
I'll try and have some updates for tomorrow, but we'll see. I'm heading down to SXSW for work and will finally return after last year's regrettable absence. You can follow me via my Twitter feed (surfingonsteam) in the right hand column of this blog, or over at twitter.com.
I've attended, covered, and played SXSW many times, but this will be the first year without any blog/musical obligations. I may actually have time to meet several other bloggers/music tastemakers that I've "virtually" known and corresponded with for years but haven't actually met in person. Should be fun.
Bands I will realistically make a point to see: Grizzly Bear, Dinosaur Jr., School of Seven Bells, Young Galaxy, Chikita Violenta, American Analog Set, Ulrich Schnauss, Experimental Aircraft, The Thermals, Girls, Women, Trail of Dead, Silversun Pickups, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Crystal Stilts, Richard Swift, Great Northern, 18th Dye, Le Switch, The Henry Clay People, Fite Bite, Beach House, +/- {Plus/Minus}...
American Analog Set's Andrew Kenny has formed the group The Wooden Birds. The songwriting, phrasing and progressions are really not much different than AmAnSet's delicate electronic pop, only way cleaner and anchored with acoustic guitars. The new band will see its debut album, Magnolia, issued via Barsuk in the U.S. and Canada and Morr Music in Europe -- sometime in May. Check out a stream of "False Alarm" from the band's MySpace page:
This is the official video from San Francisco artist/dream pop maestro Tycho. The clip comes from his last full-length, Past is Prologue, and apart from this track fans of Boards of Canada will love just about everything Scott Hansen has released.
The video follows a wandering artist capturing everyday footage from around the city. It's a positive and refreshing look through the lens of a tourist, or at least someone who appreciates the diversity and randomness of Los Angeles.It also just happens to be a good excuse to post some music from Tycho.
Tycho: "Dictaphone's Lament" - Directed by Will Joines:
Camera Obscura return with the first video from their forthcoming album My Maudlin Career, titled "French Navy". The clip shows two strangers falling for each other, taking in the sights, and eventually realizing they'll need to split up in order to continue each others' "discovering myself via European backpacking" vacation. Like most Camera Obscura songs this one also ends in heartache, because hook-ups can be painful.
Previously released on Richard Swift's Ground Trouble Jaw EP is "Lady Luck", the final track from his forthcoming album The Atlantic Ocean (April 7 via Secretly Canadian).Swift has always produced a very vintage sound that intertwines 1960's soul, dramatic arrangements, and a little funk, and this jam follows suit. It's also a throwback to classic Motown as piano chords and hollow drums repeat underneath beautiful vocal harmonies -- all drenched in analog warmth. After several listens of "Lady Luck" it begins to sound aged and timeless, like a golden oldie shimmying from a old Sears radio.
1. The Atlantic Ocean 2. The Original Thought 3. Ballad of Old What's His Name 4. R.I.P. 5. Already Gone 6. Hallelujah, Goodnight! 7. The First Time 8. Bat Coma Motown 9. The End of an Age 10. A Song For Milton Feher 11. Lady Luck
I'm pretty certain that Sweden's Mustafa Et Monique has disbanded. There hasn't been a follow-up release, or any news for that matter, since the band released its 2005 limited edition Houdini Aubergine EP. It should also be noted that the group never created a MySpace profile, ever, and that's just crazy. The limited edition EP is loaded with six tracks of low-fi, tipsy noise-pop for fans of the Creation Records catalog, and includes the slow burning "Melting on My Tongue" that you're about to dip into below.
I managed to find this strange video for the cut. I'm not sure how an overweight man who loves to air-grind in a display window relates to the track, but at least he opted for the Speedo suit instead of the thong.
I'd put serious money down that most Spiritualized lifers would take the classic Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space to that ill-fated deserted island over any of Jason Pierce's albums. It embodies everything that fans of Spaceman 3, and Space-rock for that matter, craved after two amazing albums that fused blues and a myriad of effect pedals with astounding string arrangements.Lazer Guided Melodies will always be special to me because it exists as the soundtrack to a specific time in my life, but if you asked me to choose just one Spiritualized album then Ladies and Gentlemen is the clear choice.
All Tomorrow's Parties are no strangers to creating the best festivals and events on the planet. On October 12 you can watch Spiritualized play their most critically acclaimed album in its entirety at London's Royal Albert Festival Hall. The performance will also feature a choir, string, horn sections and special guests.Holy shit.
Tickets for the event go on sale this Thursday, March 19, at 10 AM (priced £32.50/ £27. 50). Get more details from the band's MySpace page. More here.
According to the site History Painting, Broadcast(James Cargill and Trish Keenan) performed a live improvised soundtrack to a film created by Julian House. House is better known for creating cover art Broadcast's Pendulum, among many other artists.
The video clip below is not intended for viewing, unless you like to stare through kaleidoscopes. It's posted because this is the first new Broadcast material played live in several years.
The soundtrack is dark as fuck for the first few minutes, then warps into something galactic, minimal, and futuristic -- like something out of a Kubrick film.
I've been trying to wrap my head around what Nite Jewel are trying to accomplish musically. There's 1970's disco and 1980's avant-pop bleeding from the duo's tunes, which I generally like. Then I discovered that the group released its 12" single for "What Did He Say" on Italians Do it Better, home to Chromatics and Glass Candy, and if you're into those bands then this hazy electro-pop song makes total sense.
Check out my Off the Wookie submission on why people need to stop creating music blogs over at Ice Cream Man's website, or pick up a physical copy when you're down at SXSW. Hugs.
I promised last week that today's SOSMIX would be filled with SXSW performers, and it is, but there's a few amazing new songs from bands that needed to add.Nadja's cover of "Only Shallow" might be the heaviest pop I've encountered in a long time, and the new songs from both Bat For Lashes and Junior Boys are really strong. Five more days until Austin, TX!
1. 18th Dye: "Soft the Hard Way" 2. Averkiou: "South Wall" 3. Bat For Lashes: "The Big Sleep (feat. Scott Walker)" 4. Condo Fucks: "What'cha Gonna Do About it" 5. The Mayfair Set: "Desert Fun" 6. Junior Boys: "Hazel" 7. Nadja: "Only Shallow (My Bloody Valentine cover)" 8. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: "Young Adult Friction" 9. Thee Oh Sees: "Carol Ann" 10. Viva Voce: "Devotion"
What do you get when you mix RIDE's Nowhere with a little dash of Sebadoh's Harmacy? These guys. Averkiou's debut albumThrowing Sparks is a little hit-and-miss, but a couple of songs really take off into the sunset, especially this one below.
Alight of Night was 2008's "grower" record for me, and I honestly listen to it more now than most of the records that I stamped permanently in my "Best of 2008" list. "Departure" shows old footage of students and citizens in the 1960's protesting, which matches up nicely with the songs energetic rhythm and choppy guitar.
Crystal Stilts: "Departure" - Directed by Kate Thomas:
Viva Voce drop the lead-off track from the previously reportedRose City, coming May 26 via Barsuk. "Devotion"is repetitive and driving, and features Anita Robinson's slinky solo guitar work. It's a little more subdued than expected, maybe it's because the guitars never get as aggressive as I'd like them to, but it's still a solid jam that fans of the duo will latch on to immediately.
Natasha Khan is the woman all L.A. east-siders and Topanga Canyon scenesters strive to emulate (face paint, feathers, minimal showering and the appearance that music doesn't even mean anything to them). Bat for Lashes ditch the visual aesthetics on the forthcoming single "Daniel", with the exception of that awesome cover art you see above, for a cleaner more precise 1980's icy pop feel. The video shows Khan driving through a dark, barren forest, but eventually there's a resolution when Daniel Larusso shows up at the end, and we all know he's got a sweet old Chevy convertible waiting for them. Golf N' Stuff anyone?
Bat For Lashes: "Daniel" - Directed by Johan Renck:
No surprise here. My Bloody Valentine had previously booked Primavera Sound in Barcelona, Spain and will add more heat to Indio's Coachella Festival happening next month in the California desert. The real question is where and when is the Coachella warm-up gig?
Wouldn't mind becoming a resident of Dallas, TX right about now.
Schedule:
4/18: Indio, CA - Coachella Festival 4/21: Austin, TX - Austin Music Hall 4/22: Dallas, TX - The Palladium 4/22: Dallas, TX - The Palladium 4/24: Denver, CO - The Fillmore Auditorium 4/27: Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater at Qwest Field 5/28: Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival 5/29: Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival
John Dwyer (ex-Coachwhips) fronts the San Francisco garage-pop outfit Thee Oh Sees. Sonically, the group's material is as thick and gruff as his previous band, only this material contains an energy and greater detail that Coachwhips lacked.
"Carol Ann" shimmers with dynamic guitar strums, sugary spring reverb and boy-girl vocal interplay that adds a playful quality against the chugging chord progression. The quartet have so many releases it's hard to tell where one should begin. Guess I'll have to ask the band myself.
Last week we showed you a live clip for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's forthcoming single, "Young Adult Friction". On March 31 Slumberland Records will issue the pogo anthem on 7" vinyl with B-side "Ramona", that's the not-so-new cover art above.
Grab the single below and remember to catch them at one of their SXSW appearances next week.
Mar 13: Bell House - Brooklyn, New York Mar 18: 4:35pm - Red 7 - Force Field PR / Terrorbird Media Party Austin, Texas Mar 18: 8:30pm - Ms Bea's/Todd P/NY Noise - Austin, Texas Mar 19: 1:00pm - Radio Room/Brooklyn Vegan Party - Austin, Texas Mar 19 : 3:45pm - Malverde/Iamsound/Sup Magazine Party - Austin, Texas Mar 19: 10:00pm - Opal Divine's/Green Label Sound Showcase - Austin, Texas Mar 20: 2:00pm - Emo's Main Room /Pitchfork Party - Austin, Texas Mar 20: 3:45pm - Fader Fort - Austin, Texas Mar 20: 6:30pm - South Salina Street - After The Jump Party - Austin, Texas Mar 20: 11:00pm - Emo's Jr./Slumberland/Cake Shop Showcase - Austin, Texas Mar 21: 1:00pm - Waterloo Records Instore - Austin, Texas Apr 1: Spaceland - Los Angeles, California Apr 24: American Legion - Wallingford, Connecticut Apr 25: Risley Hall/Cornell University - Ithaca, New York Apr 26: Iron Horse Hall - Northampton, Massachusetts Apr 27: The Bug Jar - Rochester, New York Apr 28: Lee's Palace - Toronto, Ontario Apr 29: The Pike Room at Crofoot - Pontiac, Michigan Apr 30: Beachland Tavern (All Ages) - Cleveland, Ohio May 1: The Summit - Columbus, Ohio May 2: The End - Nashville, Tennessee May 3: The Earl - Atlanta, Georgia May 4: Local 506 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina May 5: Talking Head Club - Baltimore, Maryland May 6: The Barbary (Early Show) - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 7: Champion Ship - Lemoyne, Pennsylvania May 12: Bowery Ballroom - New York, New York Jun 18: Cake Shop - New York, New York July 18: Pitchfork Fest - Chicago, Illinois
What do you get when you combine the low-end doom rumble of Sunn O))) with soaring digital washes a la Fennesz? A duo from Toronto covering a song that no band would dare touch. Turns out Nadja know there way around sound sculpting, and have loads of critically acclaimed releases as evidence.
This cover redefines "fuzzy", and it's even more saturated then its original. But the real payoff here is how Nadja make "Only Shallow" sound less like a cover and more like a slow-motion implosion of sound.
"Only Shallow" is taken from the group's forthcoming covers album.Beautiful work.
Update:Here's the artwork for Nadja's forthcoming discWhen I See the Sun Always Shines on TV, created by illustrator Matt Smith. From the looks of it the album will also include a cover of "Dead Skin Mask" by Slayer!
Serena Maneesh's S-M Backwards compiled the band's first two EPs, Fixxations (2002) and Zuruck (1999-2003) for a domestic release last year. The former features what is probably the band's most accessible track; mixing the Velvet Underground's gritty rock with MBV's sensual noise-pop. "Drive Me Home the Lonely Nights" is seven years old, but it still sounds like a guide book for shoegaze revivalist acts wondering why the hell melody and restraint are so important.
Serena-Maneesh: "Drive Me Home the Lonely Nights" - Directed by Ola Brattås/Racecar:
Yo La Tengo have always been gracious and accommodating when it comes to playing covers during their encore. So it's no surprise that the trio sound so good on these dirty, rough and rawversions of classic rock/pop singles (most of them). On this gritty jam Condo Fucks tackle the classic soul-rock of "What'cha Gonna Do About It" from the Small Faces, and it's pretty damn good.
Radiohead producer/musician Nigel Godrich assembled an insane group of artists for his "From the Basement" series last year.Supposedly, IFC is showing segments of the series, but I have yet to see one episode.Thankfully you can now buy the DVD for less than fifteen dollars at Amazon.
Other bands on the DVD: Autolux, Fleet Foxes, The Shins, Sonic Youth, The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, Jarvis Cocker and many more stellar acts.
Check out this clip of Radiohead performing "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi":
Billy Corgan speaks in front of the House Committee to support the Performance Rights Act. This will inevitably cripple every internet radio station for good (P4K).
Lykke Li sings on Röyksopp's latest offering "Miss it So Much" from the duo's forthcoming album Junior (Stereogum).
Beck is playing a benefit tomorrow at the Echo, but you need to act fast to get a ticket. More at Buzzbands.
Sometimes it takes an older and more established band to put your musical perspective in check. 18th Dye are the perfect specimen for this process. They channel early Sonic Youth into a more structured and tightly wound assault of guitar chords, dissonance and melody. "Soft the Hard Way" is taken from Amorine Queen, the band's first full-length since 1995's outstanding Tribute to a Bus (Matador). It's a powerful display of experimental indie-rock.
Hey, it's another brand new clip featuring Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning! In "Love is New" our favorite Canadian bassist/Jim Henson look-alike follows in the footsteps of Saturday Night Fever's opening scene, only beards are more popular in this version. "Love is New" definitely has a disco vibe running through its veins, so the video seems like a nice homage to a classic film.
"Hazel" is Junior Boys' first single from the forthcoming Begone Dull Care, coming April 7 on Domino. It fuses funk and early 1980's R & B into a minimalist, white-boy jam.After a few test drives it's obvious that the duo's formula hasn't strayed far from 2006's excellent So This is Goodbye, only the structure is even more minimalist -- and definitely ripe for a break dancing training video.
Dum Dum Girl Dee Dee joins hands with Blank Dogs on this garage-y nod to 1960's psych-rock. The band will be in Austin this year, and I'm honestly more excited to see Dee Dee put her lovely voice on display. To be honest, I don't hear the influence or personality of Blank Dogs anywhere on this track, except for a baritone voice that never really dares to make itself known. This could pass for a Dum Dum Girls song and I'd be just as impressed. |||The Mayfair Set: "Desert Fun" MP3|||
Who would of thought MTV2 would have a brand new Deerhunter track, "Disappearing Ink", along with live footage from the group's Atlanta practice space? Not this guy. But then again it speaks volumes about the comfort level of the band. And Bradford Cox is no stranger to giving everyone access to his multitude of recordings and demos.
This new pop song is a "bare bones" affair. I do miss the reverberated guitar and vocal loops, butit's also a nice glimpse into how simple and basic the songs are in the beginning stages.
Update: According to a recent press release, The Chemical Brothers are doing a DJ set while Busy P. and Plump DJs have also just been added to the lineup.
The Raveonettes were one of five artists chosen to celebrate color with GAP's "Sound of Color" ad campaign. The MP3 came outa while back, but director Chris Do added some stunning visuals for the smooth textured track that fits the Raves aesthetic perfectly. Hopefully, Chris Do's "Black/White (Sound of Color)" clip will be remembered as one of the best videos of 2009.
The Raveonettes: "Black/White (Sound of Color)" - Directed by Chris Do:
Andrew Youseff has become Stereogum's go-to photo guy in Los Angeles. Check out these pics of M83w/ the L.A. Philharmonic from Saturday. Wish I could have attended.
Chromewaveshas a download of the Tindersticks covering Pavement's "Here".
If you live in New York then you simply can't pass on this Dark Was the Night event at Radio City Music Hall (Brooklyn Vegan). It features The National, David Byrne, Grizzly Bear and more.
MOKB got a hold of this free remix featuring Montreal-based Tor slicing and dicing Sufjan Stevens' Illinois, now called Illinoize.
"Zero" is much stronger, and linear, than most of the new tracks I've come across from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz. The video shows a dolled-up Karen O looking sexed-up and confident as she cruises the streets. The pulsating synth line joins forces with Nick Zinner's guitar, reinforcing the hook that allows K.O.'s vocals to soar while you chill-out.I prefer the YYYs on songs like this -- coming off more like mid-1980's Berlinthan mid-1990's Garbage.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs: "Zero" - Directed by Barney Clay:
Broadcast's last two tours, supporting Ha Ha Sound and Tender Buttons, offered fans the limited and ultra-cool Microtronics 3" instrumental discs. These releases featureshort bursts of synths, quirky noises and rhythms numbered in ascending order. Each song is less than two minutes and act as miniature background themes complete with futuristic pops and whizzes. Some of these tracks also sound like the group is just goofing around, which honestly sounds better than most bands not goofing around.
You can still buy both volumes over at WARP. Here's the playful "Fifteen" from Microtronics: Volume II:
The new Pitchfork music website looks nice, modern and sleek. But what about that massive banner ad floating between the feature tabs and content? Kind of annoying right? Anyway, lots of new features to discover within the site.
However, I do wish the "Forkcast" section was still above the fold. Other than that it looks like a big improvement.You'll also notice it's way easier to search through old news stories and record reviews.
I had already planned on catching The Sight Below and Lusine at this place called Jimmy's Lounge weeks ago. I had never heard of the joint, and was even a bit shocked that these two critically acclaimed artists were scheduled to play some place other than the east side of Los Angeles. I just assumed that the sunset strip and west side venues wouldn't appreciate what these two acts do.
Their label Ghostly just upped the ante for me. It turns out that March 8 marks the L.A. celebration of the label's decade-long existence, and will also include a live performance from the hypnotic Tycho. If they bring label matesSchool of Seven Bells out here I'm gonna lose it.
Re-discovering how awesome that Andrew Weatherall "Soon" remix made my week. The new Young Galaxy and St. Vincent tracks were also nice surprises, as well as Dovesannouncing that they'll be playing two dates in the greater Los Angeles area this summer.
Next week's SOSMIX will feature ten bands playing SXSW -- including established artists and newer groups playing this year's event.
Back in November we posted the codeine-laden "Swissex Lovers" from Denton's Fight Bite. I can't tell if this song is one long chorus or a series of verses. Regardless, it's very pastoral and psychedelic, in the same vein of their peers Beach House. I'm not expecting a "we're gonna rock-your-ass off" performance from this duo, just a mood of good vibes and layers of keyboards.
Silversun Pickups return with "Panic Switch", the first listen from their highly-anticipated sophomore effort Swoon. It's a riff-heavy jam that doesn't stray too far from the Carnavas canvas. The real hook here, though, is Nikki Monninger's dope bass line that follows a graduated scale, and supports Brian Aubert's fuzzy, overdriven guitar in the process. It's a good song, but I have a feeling the big artillery awaits.
The affordable, hipster-approved Pitchfork Festival is something I've always wanted to attend. This year they've outdone themselves by allowing fans to "Write the Night: Set Lists by Request" for Friday's lineup. This includes the amazing Yo La Tengo, the trio boasts an incredible catalog of rockers, slow-jams, and epic guitar freak-outs. The chance of seeing what could be the greatest Yo La-set list in the band's history is worth the price of admission alone. From P4K:
"Starting on Friday night, we're kicking off a new series called "Write the Night: Set Lists by Request." You, the audience, vote on which songs all four bands -- Built to Spill, the Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo, and Tortoise -- will play. It'll work like this: When you buy your ticket, you'll get a confirmation email. That confirmation email will include a link to a page where you can vote on which songs from each band you want to hear. The bands will tailor their set lists accordingly."
Tickets go on sale March 13 with the voting ending June 14. Anyone want to share a hotel?
Annie Clark (St. Vincent) weaves a child-like dream of atmospheric voices and samples over a steady kick drum on "The Strangers". After about two minutes Clark stumbles back in with her fuzzy-driven riffs that build and subside back into the lullaby.This song is the first glimpse into the forthcoming Actor, and makes me want to go out and buy flowers for my lady.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart dropped by the Cakeshop for New York Noise TV's 5th Anniversary show and played "Young Adult Friction" -- one of my favorite jams from their debut album. In this clip you can see its jangly and bouncy vibe, and it's also the best live video of the band you're likely to find.
Luckily for us the group will play loads of parties during SXSW. After that they'll pop and pogo along the East Coast then scour the U.K. and Europe until June.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: "Young Adult Friction":
I missed Womenwhen they were on tour a while back, and they opened for Dungen of all bands. In two weeks I'll get to experience the quartet in a variety of venues, day and night, drunk and sober...probably not that sober.
Their self-titled album on Jagjaguwar features this little song called "Black Rice". It's minimal and methodical, but when the chorus hits it thickens and churns faster with high-reaching vocals, bells and beautiful guitar tones. It also has the laid-back feel of Pavement, The Velvet Underground and the soul of The Animals, and that ain't bad
Post-punk meets M83 with a dash of The Cure? That's the new album from Michigan's 800Beloved, entitled Bouquet.The record dropped a few days ago onMoodgadgetand instantly reminds me of a load of bands I already love. There is an element of grandeur and drama a la The Killers, but stick with it -- many of the songs on this disc get noisy and belligerent.
Dee Dee took some old home footage, of someone else, and added the noise-pop barrage of "Catholicked" to this new clip. It adds a nice vibe to the song, although I wish she'd just walk around the library she works at and shoot random footage of the joint. That way we'd at least know something about her.
While we're at it, Dum Dum Girls vinyl releases are going fast, you should order them via the band's MySpace page.They're hand-colored, numbered, stamped and extremely limited.
I know where I'll be on Friday, March 20 -- it's a little place called Club Deville.Hot Freaks is a collective that features some of the finest music blogs on the inner-nets (Aquarium Drunkard, Chromewaves, Gorilla vs. Bear, Largehearted Boy, My Old Kentucky Blog and You Ain't No Picasso). This year they've teamed up with Insound to create the best day party that week. Bands scheduled to perform are The Wrens, Jason Lytle, The American Analog Set, The Hold Steady, Camera Obscura, Girls, The Rosebuds and many more.
The shows take place Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21 at Club Deville and Mohawk. Beers will be consumed, people will be rocked, and old flames will reunite, etc. At least that's my theory.
This is hilarious. Two of the most highly regarded bands in the world are involved in a word-off, and it's all thanks to their ego-driven lead singers. Usually it's the drummer who screws everything up because they're so cocky and irresponsible. I just made that up.
Anyway, Wayne Coyne said some bad things about Arcade Fire's Win Butler today, read more about that here. But tonight, Butler answered back on his band's website.
For the next two weeks I'm going to post an MP3 or video of a new band that I'm really looking forward to seeing during SXSW. Today's installment features San Francisco's GIRLS, who recently played the Silverlake Lounge last week...which I had to miss.
The clip below is for the sky-rocketing track "Morning Light". In my opinion this song is leagues above the rest of the melancholy tunes featured on the band's MySpace page.It can also be found on the extremely limited Lust for Life 7". Good luck finding that one.
The group is currently working on their debut full-length with John Goodmanson.
GIRLS: "Morning Light" - Directed by Aaron Brown, Aaron Buttig and Patrik Sandberg:
Another 2008 release that slipped right past me was Snowman's The Horse, the Rat and the Swan. It's a brutal album at times, especially the vocals. And while that specific element can be tough to handle the music is still engulfing, dark and brittle. There's a ton of Factory Records influence going on here, but you'll also get shards of electro and experimental noise thrown in for good measure. I honestly don't know how to describe this band in relation to anything I'm currently into, I just like it.
Not sure how many copies of Andrew Weatherall's "Soon" remix are still floating around.He was the go-to remixer for nearly every seminal Baggy, Madchester and Shoegaze band back when British music dominated. New Order, The Happy Mondays, St. Etienne and Primal Scream have all enlisted Weatherall at some point in their careers, and on some of the most highly regarded pop of that era. My Bloody Valentine quickly followed suit on this 1990 12" release of "Soon".
Dig those electronic bongos...or is that a cowbell?
It's been three years sinceKaito UKbroke up. The Norwich quartet released their melodic and chaotic sophomore stunner Band Redon Spin Art in 2003. They toured, blew minds, conquered American indie rock and disappeared with no explanation.
I don't get why a band so critically acclaimed for its Sonic Youth meets Breeders brand of rock, and not to mention their amazing live assault, would just drop off the face of the Earth. So I'm posting the only clip I could find, their single "Should I" from Band Red.Consider this their eulogy.
It's certainly a wise choice that The Soft Pack named their Kemadodebut The Muslims (coming March 10). The Southern California quartet have made waves all over the blogosphere with that name in the past year and backed it up with their solid live attack. The group will continue to do so on this new 10-track EP. If you're still mulling over the name change, well, it isn't even an issue at this point. Wait a sec, isn't 8 tracks or more technically an album?
I know many of you have heard -- or own -- most of these songs, but you need to get over that too. Think of this release as their official debut to the new fans and press that will gobble them up this year.
Track listing (no artwork, yet):
1. Right And Wrong 2. Beside Myself 3. Call It A Day 4. Extinction 5. Nightlife 6. Future Rock 7. On My Time 8. Religion 9. American 10. Bright Side
Schedule:
3/19/09 Austin, TX @ Club 1808 (Gigotron SXSW Day Party) 3/19/09 Austin, TX @ Opal Divine’s (Green Label Sound Event) 3/20/09 Austin, TX @ Mohawk (Official SXSW Showcase Event) 3/21/09 Austin, TX @ French Legation (Press Here Garden Party) 3/21/09 Austin, TX @ Waterloo Park (Don’t Mess with Texas Party) 3/24/09 Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat 3/25/09 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church 3/26/09 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom 3/27/09 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom 3/28/09 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 3/30/09 Montreal, QC @ Les Saints 3/31/09 Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace 4/01/09 Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig 4/02/09 Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio 4/03/09 Chicago, IL @ Double Door 4/04/09 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club 4/07/09 Seattle, WA @Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room 4/08/09 Vancouver, BC @ Richard’s on Richards Cabaret
Here's a brand new MSTRKRFTjam from their forthcoming album Fist of God entitled "Click-Click", featuring E-40. The track can be found over at Discobelle.net, which is a one-stop shop for all things electronica/electro/club bangers.
Fist was originally set for a Jan. 6 release via Dim Mak/Downtown, but Amazon is saying March 17. I'll go with that. Here's the cover art below:
Update: The duo is streaming Fist of Godon their MySpace page as of this morning.
Emily Haines and the boys of Metricreturn with "Help I'm Alive", the first single from the band's forthcoming album. The full-length doesn't drop until April 14, but you can grab an acoustic version of the singlehere for free and preorder Fantasies -- it comes with loads of goodies. So what's it sound like? Definitely less "electro" than the group is typically pigeonholed as. The chorus is still catchy as hell and shows the quartet focusing on jangly guitars. Sample the track below:
Album details:
1. Help I'm Alive 2. Sick Muse 3. Satellite Mind 4. Twilight Galaxy 5. Gold Guns Girls 6. Gimme Sympathy 7. Collect Call 8. Front Row 9. Blindness 10. Stadium Love
While there's still no release date or label to report, "Long Live the Fallen World" is the first glimpse into Young Galaxy's sophomore album, Invisible Republic. The track is heavy on the drama, which I expected, but light on the sweeping guitars that made their self-titled debut such a beautiful work of art. On the other hand this is just one track from a band that delivers, especially Catherine McCandless' convincing vocals. Keep your ears glued for the quirky ending -- sounds like the theme music from Revenge of the Nerds.
The Montreal, Ontario dream-rockers will also embark on a short tour this month that includes dates in New York, Austin (SXSW) and Canada.
I'm hoping by now you've already downloaded ZAZA's excellent Cameo EP, which we raved about in January, and told everyone you know. The spooky, psychedelic duo sound even more cavernous and moody on this new track featured on the band's MySpace page.
"With You" begins with an onslaught of feedback and distorted drums. Guitars let loose with bended notes overlapping and delaying all over the place. It's almost a sloppy mess, but somehow the layers fall into a deep pocket that never oversteps its boundaries.
Along with National Skyline's Bliss & Death and the Dum Dum Girls this band has released some of the most enjoyable music I've heard this year.
Slowdive/Mojave 3 front man Neil Halstead will be coming to a venue near you this Spring. Halstead released the breezy, kick-back vibes of Oh Mighty Engine last year on Jack Johnson's Brushfire label, but only toured as the supporting act for the surfer-turned-troubadour.Catch the bearded one at Largo next week, I know I will.
Mar 5: Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, Oregon Mar 6: The Triple Door - Seattle, Washington Mar 8: Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, California Mar 10: Largo/The Coronet - Los Angeles, California Mar 11: Casbah - San Diego, California Mar 12: The Rhythm Room - Phoenix, Arizona Mar 14: The Walnut Room - Denver, Colorado Mar 16: Jackpot Music - Lawrence, Kansas Mar 17: Rock Island Brewing Company - Rock Island, Illinois Mar 18: Turf Club St Paul - Minneapolis, Minnesota Mar 19: Schubas - Chicago, Illinois Mar 20: Pike Room - Pontiac, Michigan Mar 21: The Drake Hotel - Toronto, Ontario Mar 23: Beachland Tavern - Cleveland, Ohio Mar 24: Club Cafe - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Mar 25: Talking Head Club - Baltimore, Maryland Mar 27: The Union Hall - Brooklyn, New York Mar 28: Joe's Pub - New York, New York
This brand new Longwaveclip, directed by Phil DeRise, shows the band rocking out in their rehearsal space -- simple and effective. Main man Steve Shiltz crafts some pretty sweet guitar sonics during his solo. "No Direction" gets even more manic during the end, nodding to The Flaming Lips' "Frogs".
Anyone else hear a resemblance to Orange County rockers Aushua? That's a good thing in my book.
Longwave: "No Direction" - Directed by Phil DeRise:
If you were blown away by the angelic wash of guitars and 8-bit beats on "Sky Ghosts" then this new demo from Brooklyn's Depreciation Guild won't disappoint. "Through the Snow" is aggressive, floaty, and repetitive. It's a three-chord gem that shows the trio maturing with simple guitar melodies soaring over shotgun blasted snares.
Kurt Feldman (vocals/guitar) also plays drums in The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. While I'm hoping that The Depreciation Guild has another album on deck, Feldman could easily be a super-busy drummer with all of the acclaim and press engulfing his other band.
If you're wondering why Mexico City's Chikita Violenta sound so much like Broken Social Scene it's because the quintet recorded their latest release, the aptly named Stars & Sons Sessions, with BSS producer Dave Newfeld and a little help from Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning.
"War" isn't new, but it's still holds up -- demonstrating the band's potential for a very strong full-length. If you're going to SXSW then do yourself a favor and put these guys on your "to do" list.
12/14: The Meeting Places & Mere Mortals @ Spaceland
12/17: Sea Wolf & Imaad Wasif @ The Roxy
12/20: The Arms @ Spaceland
1/17: Adam Franklin & The Bolts of Melody @ The Echo
1/25: Girls @ Detroit Bar
Stream Two Suns from Bat for Lashes and Richard Swift's The Atlantic Ocean.
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