Daptone Remixed

Scion and Daptone Records recently enlisted the help of various DJs and remixers to produce a compilation of nine exclusive remixes of original Daptone tracks. Daptone is an independent musician-run label specializing in Soul Music, with a catalog that runs the gamut from Funk and Soul to Gospel, Afro-Beat, and Rhythm & Blues. The nine remixes were provided by well-known names like Mark Ronson and Mad Professor, and the compilation also includes a second disc of the nine original recordings. Check it out...

Remixes:

• Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - Keep On Looking (Kenny Dope Remix)
• The Sugarman Three & Co. - Bosco's Blues (Bull Jun Remix)

Originals:

• The Budos Band - T.I.B.W.F.
• The Budos Band - Chicago Falcon

The sampler is available for download through iTunes and eMusic, and promotional CDs will also be available at various Scion sponsored events. Scion funded this project and all proceeds are going directly back to the artists on the Daptone Records label.

www.daptonerecords.com

Party People

I recently got in touch with a few local blogger friends to help build a playlist for a little party we were putting together. Basically I asked them to send over a few tracks that always end up getting played at their parties, and to provide a bit of info about their picks and/or blog. Each one gave me some good stuff that is representative of the kinds of music that they're into, so if any of these tracks make your fingers snap then check out their site to hear more like it.

CubikMusik.typepad.com: This first tune starts off with a sweet beat and is then not so subtly joined by a menacing bass tease that eases into a funky bassline. Vocals are provided by Taprikk Sweezee across this tune, and on the album, while the four four stomps along while the sweet acid/303 that was hinted at from the very start begins to slowly infiltrate and move to the fore after an amazing breakdown at around 4 mins. Cracking tune all round.

• Michael Fakesch & Taprikk Sweezee - "Soda" (Munk Remix)

To commemorate My Bloody Valentine getting back together: Off of Loveless, this is Soon, with an Andrew Weatherall twist. Genius move pairing MBV with Mr. Weatherall. Nuff said!

• My Bloody Valentine - "Soon" (Andrew Weatherall Mix)

Here's a third one, a top party tune this. I love bopping my head to some great South American beats.

• Seiji ft. MC Dolores - "Todo Mundo"

PartyEnds.com is a site run by two guys who both like Norm MacDonald more than most of our families and yet were EXTREMELY disappointed in his 2006 comedy album. For our money nothing beats 1998's Dirty Work. Also we write about music and help put on shows around Austin. Check the site often for mp3s and superfandom.

• Dexy's Vs. Public Enemy - "Come On Fight the Power"
• N.E.R.D. - "She Wants To Move" (DFA Remix)
  

ElectronicAustin.com: Basically we cover all things electro/house/clash/techno/hip hop/idm. Thank Allah for the internet or we'd be screwed in Texas. The big reason I do it is for my flash radio station. There's too many songs to choose from but here are tracks that always perk up the ears of regular 9-5 folks and cocaine fulled hipsters alike at our parties:

• Modeselektor - "Silikon" (Siriusmo Remix)
• Seymour Bits - "Free"
• Lopazz - "Blood" (Tiefscwharz Remix)

SoniciItchMusic.com: Discovering what’s new tomorrow while scratching our musical itch. Sending you 3 songs from my current favorite bands. “run” from the Blakes, “your movement” from The Shackeltons, and “the rat” from Dead Confederate.

• The Shackeltons - "Your Movement"
• The Blakes - "Run"
• Dead Confederate - "The Rat"

For my own picks, I clicked through some of the more recent playlists that I've saved from various shindigs over the past few months. The three songs below ended up being included pretty much across the board. The first one seems to get the girls moving, the second strikes up a little old school party nostalgia, and then you can't go wrong closing out the night with a little Jackson 5.

• Calvin Harris - "Colours"
• De La Soul - "Oooh" (Feat. Redman)
• The Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"

Daft Punk Comes Alive

Sitting around doing office work isn't particularly exciting, but if you can still strap on a pair of headphones and crank the volume up then it ain't so bad. Right now I'm in Mexico City with Daft Punk dancing the night away along with thousands other people, and everything is just right. Come join me.

• Daft Punk - Live in Mexico City (10-31-2007)
  

Next week Daft Punk will release their first live album since Alive 1997 was released in 2001. Alive 2007 was recorded at an 18,000-capacity sports arena in Paris, capturing the exuberant multi-media spectacle of their first hometown show in 10 years in front of a capacity crowd of thrilled fans. The album is already available for download via iTunes. It will be released as a single CD edition and as an enhanced two-disc set featuring five extra tracks from the show’s encore including 50 pages of photographs shot on tour. Look for it on December 4.

www.daftpunk.com

Hot Chip, New and Old

Rumor has it that Hot Chip has a new album titled Made in the Dark that will be hitting the shelves in February of next year. It will have 13 tracks, and the cover features the ominous "Artifact" rendered in copper ink and embossed for that extra-tactile quality. They will also be releasing a special limited edition of the album with a laser cut version of The Artifact on the cover and a unique 12” gatefold version. "Shake A Fist" was released as a single last month, and the rest tracklist will fill out something like this:

1. "Out At The Pictures"
2. "Shake A Fist"
3. "Ready For The Floor"
4. "Bendable Poseable"
5. "We’re Looking For A Lot Of Love"
6. "Touch Too Much"
7. "Made In The Dark"
8. "One Pure Thought"
9. "Hold On"
10. "Wrestlers"
11. "Don’t Dance"
12. "Whistle For Will"
13. "In The Privacy Of Our Love"

To ensure that the title of this post makes sense, here's a single from their debut Mexico EP. "The 'Mexico EP' features 6 tracks recorded in the Summer of 1999. Minimalist and straightforward." What a difference a few years makes...

Hot Chip - "Sometimes All I Need"

You can get that one and all sorts of other good stuff via their official website.

Spoon demos

For a while now I have been collecting various Spoon demos that I've come across. Some of them were included on official releases, some were available for download from their website, and some get passed around amongst fans. If you've never heard these, I think it's pretty cool to listen through different versions of songs that make up parts of Kill The Moonlight and Gimme Fiction. Most of these have been in circulation for a while, so I figured I'd put them all together in one place.

If you plan on being in Austin on Thursday December 13th, you can catch Britt Daniel along with Silversun Pickups and The Lemurs at Emo's. Also, if you haven't checked out the Spoon online store lately there are some new shirts and posters in there that are pretty rad. I'm digging that Dracula tee. Check the Spoon blog to find out about the exclusive track they donated to the Darfur benefit CD.

Enjoy the tunes...

• Spoon - "Don't Let It Get You Down" (demo)
• Spoon - "Paper Tiger" (demo)
• Spoon - "Stay Don't Go" (demo)
• Spoon - "The Way We Get By" (demo)
• Spoon - "Small Stakes" (demo)
• Spoon - "Jonathan Fisk" (demo)
• Spoon - "I Summon You" (demo)
• Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On" (demo)
• Spoon - "Back To The Life" (demo)
• Spoon - "You Gotta Feel It" (demo)
• Spoon - "Vittorio E" (demo)
• Spoon - "Sister Jack" (demo)
• Spoon - "Sister Jack" (piano demo)

I used to see this live Spoon video of "Roller Coaster" on the Austin Music Network(RIP) all the time, and would occasionally yell out Roller Coaster at Spoon gigs just to see if they would play it. At the time, little did I know that it was a 13th Floor Elevators cover. The original is found on The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators, and the Spoon version below was recorded on September 25th of 2002, I believe at Stubb's indoor.

• Spoon - "Roller Coaster" (13th Floor Elevators)

Last, but not least, here's a little hip-hop edit of "I Turn My Camera On" by an Los Angeles DJ who goes by the name Predakon. You can check out his site to hear more.

• Spoon - "I Turn My Camera On" (Predakon Edit)

www.spoontheband.com

Post-Turkey Music

After a long day of stuffing myself with plates of turkey & dressing I wanted to do nothing but kick back and chill out for a few good hours. And I needed some relaxing music, because in this tryptophan-induced state I couldn't deal with sporadic bursts of noise that come from the television. It would have to be something chill that I could have playing in the background and not give much thought to.

To kick it off I put on this 86-minute set from Simon Green aka Bonobo, playing his trademark downtempo with a full live band. Sax, keys, guitar, drums, a soulful vocalist, the whole package. Whenever they say "this is off the new album," they're talking about this one.

• Bonobo - Live in Budapest

Next I made a playlist and started with the very chill Bonobo debut, Animal Magic. Click on the artwork for each of them to get more information about the artist:

Bonobo - Sleepy Seven

Bonobo - The Plug

Two years later came the One Offs, Remix and B-side album:

Bonobo - Beachy Head

Bonobo - The Sicillian

The chilled-out collaborative effort from the two New York DJs:

DJ Signify and Blockhead - Nobody's Smiling (Part 1)

DJ Signify and Blockhead - Nobody's Smiling (Part 2)

Two slower ones from my favorite Brooklyn duo:

Ratatat - Cherry

Ratatat - Truman

To give it a kick, two local instrumental debuts that I go back to over and over:

This Will Destroy You - The World is Our _____

Explosions In The Sky - Time Stops

and the finale to my favorite Andrew Bird album, Fingerlings 3:

Andrew Bird - Ethiobirds

--------

Happy Holidays

Gorillasides

Remember back in May when I unloaded a couple of Gorillaz B-sides on here? If you liked that you should pick up the new Gorillaz album that was released yesterday. It's called D-Sides, and features a two-disc assortment of B-sides from Gorillaz’ multi-platinum second album Demon Days, as well as early demos and previously unreleased tracks compiled together for the first time.

The first disk has the feel of a true album even though the material was pulled from various things, while the second disc is more of a party thanks to nine remixes provided by the likes of Soulwax and Hot Chip. A special edition of D-Sides will be available in a glossy dual box, and will include two exclusive Jamie Hewlett prints and a collection of Gorillaz swag. You can look into it at Gorillaz.com.

Here's the tracklist for D-sides, along with a couple of mp3s to wet your beak:

1. 68 State (Feel Good Inc. B-side)
2. People (Dare Demo)
3. Hongkongaton (Dirty Harry B-Side)
4. We are Happy Landfill (Web Exclusive)
5. Hong Kong (Collab w/ Warchild)
6. Highway (Under Construction) (Dare B-Side)
7. Rockit (Demo)
8. Bill Murray (Feel Good Inc. B-side)
9. The Swagga (Demon Days Ltd Edition)
10. Murdoc is God (Dirty Harry B-side)
11. Spitting Out the Demons (Feel Good Inc. B-side)
12. Don’t Get Lost in Heaven (Demo)
13. Stop the Dams (El Manana B-side)

Bonus disc:

1. DARE (DFA Remix)
2. Feel Good Inc (Stanton Warriors Remix)
3. Kids With Guns (Jamie T’s Turns To Monsters Mix)
4. DARE (Soulwax Remix)
5. Kids With Guns (Hot Chip Remix)
6. El Manana (Metronomy Remix)
7. DARE (Junior Sanchez Remix)
8. Dirty Harry (Schtung Chinese New Years Remix)
9. Kids With Guns (Quiet Village Remix)

Rock & Roll del Ohio

The Akron, Ohio record label Audio Eagle (launched by Pat Carney of The Black Keys) has released a new compilation of songs from bands all across Ohio. The compilation was released via select Ohio record stores on November 1, and a national release through Nail Distribution will follow on January 22. The album packs a whopping 21 songs, featuring a Black Keys track I hadn't heard yet, a good one from Six Parts Seven (who I've mentioned), and a whole bunch of rock'n stuff that I had never even heard of before. If you've ever thought to yourself, "hmm...I wonder if there is any kickass music coming out of Ohio these days...", this compilation is probably the best way to find out.

• Take some tracks for a spin:

Audio Eagle Records Presents: A Compilation of Bands From Ohio:

1. Doug Gillard - For What I’ve Done (Cleveland)
2. Goodbye Ohio - Gabrial (Akron)
3. Coffinberry - Earthworms In the Sun (Cleveland)
4. Machine Go Boom - Gentleman’s Reply (Cleveland)
5. The Strange Division - New Way of Thinking (Akron)
6. JJ Magazine - Dinner (Cleveland)
7. Beaten Awake - It’s a Bubble Bath of Sharks!!! (Kent)
8. Clouds Forming Crowns - Let It Take Hold (Cleveland)
9. Buffalo Killers - The Path Before Me (Cincinnati)
10. The Black Keys - Nobody But You (Akron)
11. Hell’s Information - Song Six (Akron)
12. Deathly Fighter - New Variations on Themes (Columbus)
13. Six Parts Seven - Stolen Moments (Kent)
14. Brainbow - Secret Histories (Columbus)
15. Southest Engine - We Have You Surrounded (Athens)
16. The Same Things - Red Carpet (Akron)
17. Goodmorning Valentine - City Lights (Akron)
18. Heartless Bastards - All This Time (Cincinnati)
19. Houseguest - King of Crystal Skies (Akron)
20. Celebrity Pilots - Let the Shade Shine In (Cleveland)
21. Gil Mantera’s Party Dream - Chalklit Pyhe II (Youngstown)

You can pick up the record in various independent record stores or directly from the label.

Clear Tigers - Brutal

I mentioned the Brooklyn indie rock outfit Clear Tigers not long ago, and now I'm mentioning them again. Not only because they've just released their debut full-length, but also just because I like the music. There are no strings attached, they're not selling a story or trying to do any particular "thing", simply writing and recording.

They can rock (Summer School), they can roll (Boredom), and they can still tone it down a notch and write a dreamy pop song like "Deathray" or a quasi alt-country two-stepper like "Kids". The album is titled "Brutal", although it is actually quite the opposite. I guess that "Unoffensive and Easily Enjoyable" doesn't have the same ring to it.

Listen:

• Clear Tigers - "Kids"

• Clear Tigers - "Deathray"

You can get Brutal directly, via iTunes or eMusic, & hear more at myspace.

Okkervil River / Daytrotter

Interview, unreleased recordings, and more. Daytrotter is the jam.

Black Moth/Blockhead/Aesop

I don't make plans to see very many shows a month in advance, but a while back when I saw Black Moth Super Rainbow, Blockhead, and Aesop Rock the same bill, I added it to my list of things to do. I wrote about BMSR but didn't get a chance to see them at SXSW, so that was already enough to reel me in. Add in Blockhead, another favorite of mine, and you can name your price.

Blockhead will be sharing the stage with DJ Signify, the two having just worked together on a limited edition 45 called "Nobody's Smiling" that is being sold on tour. Aesop Rock, fresh off releasing his first album since 2003, will headline supported by Rob Sonic and DJ Whiz. It's this Saturday (11/17) at Emo's. Doors are at 9, show starts at 10, and tickets are $15. Do512 is giving away free tickets right here.

Listen:

• Blockhead - "The Art Of Walking" (2005)
• Blockhead - "Cheer Up You're Not Dead Yet" (2007)
• myspace.com/theblockishot
  

• Black Moth Super Rainbow - "Flowers Grow Here" (2006)
• www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com

_______________________________

Speaking of planning on seeing a show months in advance, DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist will be kicking off "The Hard Sell" tour in Austin on January the 18th. The live-mixing effort, which becomes the third touring enterprise that the duo have produced since 1999 (previous tours produced a pair of live discs--1999's "Brainfreeze" and last year's "Product Placement"), utilizes eight turntables, four mixers and two effects pedals. This will be another one that you can get on the guestlist for.

60 Watt Kid

60 Watt Kid are a psychedelic trio from San Fransisco who have just released their self-titled debut album on Absolutely Kosher records. They have a unique sound thanks to their affection of analog beats, electronic glitches, homemade samples, and "wacked intertwining finger picking." True to psychedelic form, 60 Watt Kid openly enjoy altering their format and "getting lost in the space where the sound is our only friend." Their lyrics vary from talking with aliens to more ordinary life experiences, and their influences flutter somewhere between the psych/folk of Animal Collective, the art/punk of Talking Heads, and the interactive/live improvisation of a group like the Velvet Underground.

The trio of ex-Dance Disaster Movement member Kevin Litrow (vocals, guitar) Derek Thomas (guitars, keyboards, samples, electronics) and Garrett Pierce (tom drum, percussion xylophone) simultaneously pay homage to the culture of stripped-down rock 'n roll while abusing it irreverently, tweaking it with experimental out-of-time beats and infinite reverb.

Their debut is the kind of album you have to sit down with over a pair of headphones and spend a little time listening to. An ambitious release, it packs 14 individual songs at over an hour in length, including a hidden outro jam on the end. If you get a chance to see them live, I hear the shows are quite a spectacle. They've reportedly been packing crowds into clubs and warehouse parties around San Fran in just a year and a half, featurng an Audio/Video rodeo combining homemade 8 mm films, guest vj's and a variety of free form improvisation and textured ambient soundscapes. 60 Watt Kid will be in Austin for SXSW, so prepare yourselves.

• 60 Watt Kid - "Now That's an American Standard! (Pt. 1)"

• 60 Watt Kid - "I Need a Job"

• More:

Video @ StereoGum - Absolutely Kosher - Album @ eMusic

www.vesselsband.com

Fiction

Not long ago I was clicking around on myspace listening to a few different local bands, just trying to find some stuff that I had yet to hear. I came across a band called Fiction, who at the time only had a few demos up on their page and a somewhat under-developed profile. One of those demos struck a chord with me, so I sent over a friendly message to let them know that I'd like to hear more. After a little writing/recording time had passed they sent over a copy of their debut EP You Will Never, and I knew almost immediately that I'd want to say a few words about it.

The two songs that most caught my attention fill out the last 10 minutes of the EP. The first one is titled "Bellydown", which is an electronic jam with a killer bass line that had me reaching to increase the volume. The sound rises and falls as the cello and synths interact together, creating a very cool sound. The second track is titled "Salty", which is a soulful number that almost sounds like something you might hear from an artist like Jamie Lidell, except with true instrumentation via piano, violin and cello. Among the influences that Fiction lists are Curtis Mayfield, Blonde Redhead, Tortoise, and TV on the Radio. The group utilizes a palette of traditional rock instrumentation and experimental elements such as strings, synthesizers, live looping/sampling, and electronic beats. Have a listen...

from the You Will Never EP

• Fiction - "Bellydown"

• Fiction - "Salty"

You can get more Fiction at their official site, Virb, and myspace.

Capgun Coup

Here's a band that I've just heard of recently, though they have been getting a lot of love from several different blogs out there for a while now. They are an independent four-piece called Capgun Coup who hail from way up in Omaha, Nebraska. They spent a full year working on their debut album, Brought To You By Nebraskafish, which gave them ample time to fit the many pieces of their sound together. For the most part, Capgun Coup create energetic pop songs which feature an atmosphere of layered, well-produced noise. On top of that they throw in these seemingly random segues that lead into brief outros, giving several of the songs a nice bit of additional character. Pitchfork shared some thoughts on the album earlier this week:

"Folk and even countryish digressions bring them a measure of success on "Oh My Mod" and "Bobby Chops and the Do-Gooders", but it's the full-on pop immersions "Fucked" and "My Tears Cure Cancer" that truly steal the show. Evincing a superbly tight tunefulness on these songs, Capgun evoke the likes of Weezer and the Beatles, and the momentary focus on more conventional songwriting sounds more powerful surrounded by ragged loose ends and unhinged expression."

I think that's a nice way of saying that Capgun Coup's debut album isn't exactly concise, but there's some good stuff in here. That's what I think anyway. You can preview a few tracks below, and hear the full album via Fanatic.

• Capgun Coup - "Adorable Doorsteps"
• Capgun Coup - "Fucked"
• Capgun Coup - "A Liar in Texas"

myspace.com/capguncoup

Lyrics Born, tomorrow @ Emo's

Ever seen a half-Japanese-American, half-Italian-American hip-hop rapper/producer get on stage and move the crowd using virtually every known vocal trick? No? Ever witnessed firsthand one of the best selling independent solo hip-hop artists of our time? If not, you can knock out two birds with one stone tomorrow night as Lyrics Born takes the stage at Emo's.

Lyrics Born (born Tom Shimura) first made a name for himself as a DJ on student radio (along with DJ Shadow and Blackalicious) at UC Davis. After establishing himself in the industry as one-half of the rap duo Latryx, he made his solo debut in 2003 with the critically acclaimed album Later That Day. His rhymes showcase a large vocabulary and regular use of complex rhyming technique, and he'll be releasing his third studio album early next year. Lyrics Born has "one of the best live hip-hop shows in the game," and opening the show at Emo's will be a trio of local hip-hop acts. If you want to avoid the $13 cover charge, Do512 will be giving away 10 sets of tickets for the show. Check it out.

• Lyrics Born - "Callin' Out" (Live)
  
  
• Latryx - "Lady Don't Tek No"
  

www.lyricsborn.com

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Last weekend I met up with a friend of mine at the Mohawk for a little pre-Fun Fun Fun Fest action. On the bill for the night was an opening set by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, followed by Cracker, who haven't played a show in Austin for quite a while.

I had no idea who Jason Isbell was beforehand as I've never really followed his previous band, the Drive-By Truckers. He joined them in 2001, and apparently had a big hand in their creative output over the last five or six years, which as far as I can tell has been some of their most successful stretch as a band. Isbell parted ways with the Drive-By Truckers this year, releasing a well-received solo album and going on tour with a few friends who call themselves Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Thanks to Hidden Track I came across a recording of their set at the Mohawk, which also led to finding a recording of Cracker's set as well. The Isbell mp3s are down below this great review from Blog Critics, and you can hear Cracker at the archive.

"The boys from Muscle Shoals started the evening with “Brand New Kind of Actress,” also the opener from Isbell’s debut solo album Sirens In The Ditch. The band was solid, and the pure power that Jason and co-guitarist Browan Lollar unleashed during the solo was a full-on assault. If there were any doubts about the 400 Unit’s capabilities, they were quickly erased.

To display his virtuosity, Jason moved to the piano for “Chicago Promenade,” a slower-tempo ballad from the new album. As he sang and tickled the keys, his raspy, smoker’s voice resembled a southern version of Tom Waits. “Are ya’ll having a good time?,” he asked as he reclaimed his axe and took a swig of beer. The audience cheered with a resounding yes, and they were rewarded with more hammering drums, deep bass grooves, southern-style vocal harmonies, and blistering guitar interplay.

Jason Isbell and the members of the 400 Unit have an evident chemistry and camaraderie, which surely lends a great deal to the vibe on stage. They seem to be having fun while also remaining committed to their musicianship, something that is decidedly more difficult than it looks."

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit - Live at the Mohawk

1. Chicago Promenade
2. Never Gonna Change
3. Grown
4. Goddamn Lonely Love
5. Dress Blues
6. Down In a Hole
7. Try
8. Into The Mystic
   
9. Outfit
10. Brand New Kind of Actress

www.jasonisbell.com

This Will Destroy You

from Magic Bullet Records:

Not much more than a year ago, a tiny, unknown band from Texas put out their debut record “Young Mountain” through Magic Bullet Records, a 6-song, 36 minute disc originally only intended to be a DIY demo sold at local shows. It’s fair to say that nobody could have predicted the year to follow, one in which This Will Destroy You went from local heroes to international darlings at a trajectory quicker than shit through a goose.

The phenomenon took hold shortly after a brief basement tour of the west coast with labelmates Sparrows Swarm and Sing. After a fun trip filled with good times and surprisingly large audiences (this was their first time out of Texas), the band returned home, unknowingly settling into what would become the eye of the storm to follow. Reviews of the album began to pour in, all singing unanimous praise. Hell, even Pitchfork liked it... inciting a scramble for the record at retail and online (the band became one of iTunes’ top artists in 2007). This parlayed into This Will Destroy You being name-checked in publications like Rolling Stone and ultimately being awarded “2006 Album Of The Year” by Rock Sound editor Darren Taylor.

2007 saw even more growth for the band, as their music started seeing placement in everything from skateboarding and paintball videos to cable networks (VH1, Fuel, MTV) to independent documentary films and even major studio films. In one of the most bizarre events possible, the music of This Will Destroy You was present during a high-profile briefing and presentation before the nation’s top military brass inside the Pentagon (yes, THAT Pentagon) concerning the failed efforts of Hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile, the band stayed active on the live front, stealing the show at a sold-out SXSW showcase.

“S/T” is the second album from This Will Destroy You, clocking in a 7 tracks and 52 minutes. Recorded and produced by John Congleton (EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, MODEST MOUSE), it is a stunning and worthy follow-up to “Young Mountain.” Darker and seamlessly more dynamic and emotionally gripping than its predecessor, “S/T” is primed and ready to push their entire genre forward and continue to win the band hearts and minds across the planet.

• This Will Destroy You - S/T (pre-order it right here)
  

• This Will Destroy You - "Threads"

thiswilldestroyyou.com

iKiLLCaRS

iKiLLCaRS is an Austin garage-punk three-piece who have been making a name for themselves over the past couple of years by performing explosive live sets and releasing a couple of punk-filled EP's. Their most recent release, the 5-song EP At Ease With Your Haste was recorded with Chris Smith at The Bubble Studio in Austin, TX. The session captured iKiLLCaRS’ revolutionary ideals -- in both a sonic and stylistic sense. Drawing from Smith’s production experience with bands like the Meat Puppets and Built to Spill, iKiLLCaRS pushed the limits of all involved to capture an original and energetic collection of songs. At Ease With Your Haste is also the first recording of the band’s to exhibit the explosive writing dynamic between full-time car-killers Lanyo Bourgeois (bass, vocals) and Johnny Law (guitar, vocals), while enlisting the help of Mike Fonseca (Those Peabodys) on drums.

from Garage Band:

iKiLLCaRS was born in 2004, and since then they have taken the no-holds-barred punk rock ideal to new heights. First, they started practicing – tightening up the set, and focusing on a style that was raw and powerful, yet original in concept. Second, following a somewhat botched recording session, they added a new member, though more skillful than the original two, he had a wily knack towards the chaos in music. Third, upon re-entering the live arena, and recording the BeCKY EP, sought out bands and musicians of a like mind – sick of the scenester circles and retro-hacks alike - to start a revolution of sorts. While crowds and critics compare the threesome to The Minutemen, The Stooges and early Guided By Voices, iKiLLCaRS continues to create sordid songs and three-and-a-half minute soundscapes that are all their own.

from At Ease With Your Haste:

• iKiLLCaRS - "San Jose, 1972"
• iKiLLCaRS - "The Teeners"

myspace.com/ikillcars

Illegal Art Sampler 2007

Illegal Art, the label who brought us Night Ripper, has four new releases scheduled from Realistic, Oh Astro, Girl Talk, and Steinski. To help spread the word they have made available a great mini-sampler with tracks from each artist, and it's completely free. Realistic's "Music in the Round," Oh Astro's "Hello Fuji Boy," and Steinski's "Voice Mail" are all from the upcoming releases, while Girl Talk's "Lets Run This" is from an out of print compilation.

I was unaware that Illegal Art had such a strong roster until I heard this sampler. Oh Astro is a married duo of Jane Dowe and Hank Hofler, and their track "Hello Fuji Boy" is a glitchy conglomeration that features samples from Hot Chip, Fujiya & Miyagi, and Lionel Richie’s infamous tune "Hello."

• Oh Astro - "Hello Fuji Boy"

Steinski is a DJ and record collector named Steve Stein, who produced his first record in 1983. Steinski is held in high esteem by the likes of Fatboy Slim and DJ Shadow, and is also interviewed in the 2001 documentary Scratch. His upcoming release is a 2-disc set spanning his work from 1983-2003, which includes the legendary Lessons, that have been described as "one of the most desirable and prized bootleg recordings in hip hop." His track "Voice Mail" is nothing but ultra-sample-based old school hip hop.

• Steinski: "Voice Mail"

To hear the rest of the sampler and get more info on all of this, head to IllegalArt.net.