Covert Curiosity: August 2008

Friday, August 29, 2008

Here Come the Mogwai

You may find it easy right now to keep your stereo playing Beck's Modern Guilt. Or maybe you've gone back to some old Talking Heads' albums with a little bit of excitement over the chance to see David Byrne. I hear you friends, its easy with ACL about a month away, I've been doing a lot of the same. BUT, there are a few other shows to look forward to here in the next month. One of which I just recently noticed silently scheduled for September 12th at Stubb's...Mogwai.

Mogwai just recently put out a new EP, Batcat, and have a new LP, The Hawk is Howling, hitting us September 22nd with a pretty sweet album cover. Below is a track from Batcat sweetly named "Stupid Prick Gets Chased By The Police And Loses His Slut Girlfriend", which I am beginning to believe is about some stupid prick who gets chased by the cops and loses his slut girlfriend...that's just my take though. Check out their upcoming show in Austin with Fuck Buttons, event info + tix.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Meg & Dia at Emo's

Meg & Dia are really, really hot and make music good too so you should go to their show tonight (Wednesday the 27th) at Emo’s indoor stage with Jonezetta and Danger Radio.

Okay, so now I’m stuck. I pretty much just said everything that you need to know about them and don’t have anything else to write. I could have accomplished the same thing with no text at all, only posting a picture and some mp3s, but having words in between those two things gives me street cred in the writing scene (which is something that, since the rise and fall of my “I cut myself” ridden poetry blog, I’ve been lacking in). I guess I can tell you that they’re sisters, hot musician sisters, and that they were discovered by the illusive “Tom”, as in the only person on myspace with more friends than Tila Tequila. You might also find it interesting that they have toured with The Spill Canvas, PlayRadioPlay! and Angels & Airwaves, or that there will be releasing their third album “Here, Here and Here” within the next month. But what really matters to me, you know, aside from the fact that they are earth shatteringly hot, is that they were featured, yes featured, on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles soundtrack. That should be reason enough for to go to the show.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Back To School is Alright

If you are anything like me then you're happy with the fact that the term "Back to School" doesn't really hold the same meaning that it once did. No more standing in line to drop a few hundred bucks on books, no more late-night cramming sessions, and no more 8 a.m. classes. But that doesn't mean you can't still take advantage of one of the better aspects of college, the parties. There is just such an event taking place tomorrow night at Beauty Bar, featuring a bunch of good local music with free food & drink while it lasts.

Live music will be provided by Belaire, AM Syndicate, Future Clouds & Radar, Peel, Sad Accordions, and The White White Lights. We have already told you about most of these bands, and given them our stamp of approval. Joining the party with DJ sets will be The Saturday Night Matador, DJ Scorpio, and Murder Monkeys. If you're feeling nostalgic about back-to-school time, or just need an excuse to have some fun on a Monday night, look no further. Click here for more information on everything.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Nas at Emo's, Mixtape & More

In writing this I am struck with a literary dilemma; I don’t know how to begin an article about one of the best rappers alive. I could sing praises to the influence of Illmatic, make an ironic joke about how Hip Hop is NOT Dead, give props for the implied title of his more recent album Untitled (read more about that here), or even make a vin diagram contrasting the polarized Rolling Stone and Pitchfork reviews of said album—but the way I see it, none of that would accomplish anything.

Nas has never produced mainstream material; each of his songs is so mesmerizingly lyrical that if it were played in a club, the dance floor would transform itself into a forum for sociopolitical debate. Along with polemical subject matter, Nas utilizes virtuosic poetic talent in his work. In short, he is just about the opposite of Soulja Boy, but you already knew that. What you may not know is that two months ago he teamed up with DJ Green Lantern and released “The Nigger Mixtape”, a compilation featuring works from the producers as well as stic.man of Dead Prez, DJ Toomp, DJ Khalil, and others. This album is free for download so I’ll let it speak for itself, just know that I think it is fucking rad, and another contender for best release of the summer.

If we were talking to each other in person you would see a big “I know something you don’t know” smile on my face. But as we’re not face-to-face, I’ll just have to tell you: this Sunday the 24th, Nas and DJ Green Lantern, along with Talib Kweli and Jay Electronica, will be performing two shows (at 6:30 and 10:30) at Emo’s. So we’ve already established that Nas and Green Lantern are indescribably good (for lack of a better word), but I highly recommend that you check out the NYU educated Talib Kweli. Most noteable, is his work with Mos Def on Blackstar, as well as his yearly support of the "Black August Benefit Concert" since its inception.

Considering that Nas stole the show at Rock The Bells out in California, you'll want to get tickets now, and show up early.

Nude With Boots

Break out your flannel, don your best Doc’s and sport your favorite black tshirt. It's gonna be a sweaty Friday night at Emo's. Let’s all pray that King Buzzo does not show up nude with boots at this show!

The band sounds as good as ever with help from openers Big Business providing ½ of the Melvins’ sound on Nude (as well as 2006's Senile Animal). King Buzzo and Dale Crover show no signs of stopping their hard rocking ways and vigilante touring schedule as this marks their 3rd appearance at Emo's in the last two years.

I hope you like percussion, heavy hooks and a dollop of obsurdity! The Melvins pack it all in on the 11 new tracks from the north west rock monster on Nude With Boots. By a glance at the setlist from the tour (most dates have been the same exact setlist) expect to hear 6 cuts from the new disc.

Along with their always unique and fucked up website, the Melvins change it up constantly on the new disc. Psychedelic Pink Floyd drumming nonsense ala Ummagumma, classic rock riffs from the 70s, 80s hair and 90s sludge run a muck on the disc. One eerie number, Dies Iraea, sounds like something that was going through Private Pyle’s head right before he hit the tipping point. You can check out their two singles, "The Kicking Machine" and "Nude With Boots" on their myspace page.

Here is an album cut from Nude that you will hear tomorrow:

Melvins on Tour:

Aug 21 2008 Warehouse Live Houston, Texas
Aug 22 2008 Emo’s Austin, Texas (tickets)
Aug 23 2008 House Of Blues Dallas, Texas
Aug 25 2008 Launch Pad Albequerque, New Mexico
Aug 26 2008 Plush Tucson, Arizona
Aug 27 2008 The Brickhouse Theater Phoenix, Arizona
Aug 28 2008 Canes San Diego, California
Aug 29 2008 Glass House Pomona, California
Aug 30 2008 Troubadour Los Angeles, California
Aug 31 2008 Troubadour Los Angeles, California
Sep 4 2008 Niceto Club Buenos Aires
Sep 6 2008 Via Funchal-Orloff Five Festival Sao Paulo

Austin City Limits Aftershows

The idea of the “ACL Aftershow” has always been somewhat baffling to me. After a day of loud music, sweat, dehydration, and dirt in every corporal crevice imaginable, it’s hard to see why anyone would want to see anything but their bed (and of course rest up for two more fun filled days!). But this year, as I don’t have the funds for ACL (well… it’s that or three week’s worth of tofu), it seems I will be an aftershow rat.

Below is the entire list of aftershows with my picks in bold. I will be posting more information about these shows, as well as other ACL aftershows soon. You can also visit aclfestival.com/aftershows for more info and go here for tickets.

Thursday, September 25:

An Evening with Manu Chao Stubb's - 7 pm
Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno @ Paramount Theatre – 7:30 pm

Friday, September 26:

Gnarls Barkley w/ CSS @ Stubb's - 8 pm
G. Love & Special Sauce @ La Zona Rosa – 10 pm
Jamie Lidell w/ Black Joe Lewis @ The Parish – 10 pm
Drive-By Truckers w/ Shooter Jennings @ Emo's – 10 pm
Heartless Bastards w/ Dead Confederate @ Emo's - 10 pm
Car Stereo Wars @ Emo's (lounge) – 10 pm doors

Saturday, September 27:

Mike Farris featuring The Roseland Rhythm Revue @ Stubb's – 11 am
Return of the Butthole Surfers w/ The Kills @ Stubb's – 7 pm
The Swell Season w/ Bill Callahan @ Paramount Theatre – 7:30 pm
Okkervil River w/ Man Man & Crooked Fingers @ Emo's – 10 pm
Jakob Dylan w/ Back Door Slam @ Antone's – 10 pm
Jose Gonzalez w/ Neva Dinova & @ Emo's – 10pm
Mugison @ Stubb's indoors – 11:30 pm
Car Stereo (Wars) @ Emo's – 10 pm

Sunday, September 28:

The Black Keys w/ The Black Angels @ Stubb's– 7 pm
Conor Oberst w. Jenny Lewis and M. Ward @ La Zona Rosa – 9 pm

More Info on ACL Aftershows

A Place to Bury Ear Drums

As I walked into Emo's I heard The Boxing Lesson's singer say "Alright guys, this is going to be our last show with this drummer, because he's going to jail." I chuckled to myself, because he was joking...right? They proceeded to play a solid set of psychedelic rock. The audience was led by a few enthusiasts in the front row swaying and contorting with the deep drones. At the end of their songs, everyone seemed satisfied, even their drummer, who actually was on his way to jail (for growing pot). What a shame. These guys know how to rock, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their show to anyone...a much more palatable version of what was to come.

A Place to Bury Strangers' Sunday night show was filled with lots of wonder. I wonder what song they are playing? I wonder how much long term hearing loss I am incurring? I wonder what this would sound like further away from the speakers?

And as I looked around, I saw a similar wonder in everyone's expression. The crowd's lackluster head bobs and glazed stares said "I was really psyched about their CD, but I am being completely bulldozed by sound waves."

My first impression was the same confusion "this is not the CD! You heathens! Play something I can recognize." But as overwhelming and indistinguishable as the songs may have been, I found the sound magnetic. I mean it's the only show I've ever been to where I literally felt like I was swimming in music. What did APTBS want to accomplish by playing the music that loud? I don't know, but what they did accomplish was to create a space where there is no distance between you and the music, it is all-encompassing. A space where you can't talk to the person next to you, or even hear yourself cough.

This is certainly not the type of show everyone will enjoy, or understand, or even want to see repeatedly. A Place to Bury Strangers doesn't play live shows to grant sing-alongs, they play in utter adoration of noise. It is by no means one of my favorite live shows, but it is not one that I am going to forget. I have to take notice when a band turns over my expectations, no matter how they do it.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Tomorrow Night in Austin

Thursday night looks like an overly eventful evening in Austin, so it gets its very own post.

A handful of our favorite local bands have formed a pact to provide a quality evening of entertainment tomorrow night at Mohawk. Peel get things started on the outdoor stage at 10pm, and will be followed by the energetic ambiance of White Denim. Since everyone will be dripping sweat by this point, the party will head indoors for a couple of soothing sets from Brazos and Zookeeper. (Brazos will also perform with Sunset & The Early Tapes @ Art Attack on Saturday.)

Further down Red River there will be some heavier action going on at Beerland, with the California physch-rockers Spindrift headlining a bill of like-minded individuals from The Viet Minh, Toko Ri Get High, Restavrant. Moving even further south, The Heartless Bastards continue their foray into the Austin music scene with a second show at Continental Club.

Any of these three shows will get the job done.

---

Friday: Yelp, Melvins, Bun B
Saturday: Art Attack, MC Chris, Strings Attached

Fun Times Three Fest

The lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest has been announced. Personal highlights are Minus the Bear, Kool Keith, Dengue Fever and locals Trail of Dead. It's all going down Nov. 8 and 9 at Waterloo Park.

Check out the official site here.

Check out the full lineup here.

Dear Science

We are very excited about the upcoming release from TV On The Radio to drop on 9/23. Return To Cookie Mountain was a delight. Get your fix by checking out their new funky single "Golden Age" at tvontheradio.com

Here is the track listing:

1. Halfway Home
2. Crying
3. Dancing Choose
4. Stork & Owl
5. Golden Age
6. Family Tree
7. Red Dress
8. Love Dog
9. Shout Me Out
10. DLZ
11. Lover's Day

Check out the Austin - Holloweenesque date @ Stubbs

TV On The Radio On Tour:

09/05 - Portland, Oregon @ Roseland Theater*
09/06 - Seattle, Washington @ Showbox*
09/07 - Vancouver BC @ Commodore Ballroom
09/09 - Calgary AB @ Macewan Ballroom
09/10 - Edmonton AB @ Starlite Room
09/12 - Boise, Idaho @ Knitting Factory Concert House*
09/13 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ In the Venue*
09/14 - Morrison, Colorado (Monolith Festival)
09/19 - San Diego, California (San Diego Street Scene Festival)
09/20 - San Francisco, California (Treasure Island Festival)
10/10 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ Electric Factory#
10/11 - Providence, Rhode Island @ Lupos#
10/13 - Boston, Massachusetts @ Wilbur Theatre#
10/14 - Brooklyn, New York @ Masonic Temple#
10/15 - Brooklyn, New York @ Masonic Temple
10/16 - Brooklyn, New York @ Masonic Temple
10/18 - Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogarts#
10/19 - Indianapolis, Indiana @ Vogue Theatre#
10/20 - Minneapolis, Minnesota @ First Ave#
10/21 - Minneapolis, Minnesota @ First Ave#
10/22 - Chicago, Illinois @ Riviera#
10/24 - New Orleans, Louisiana (Voodoo Festival)#
10/25 - Atlanta, Georgia @ Tabernacle#
10/26 - Knoxville, Tennessee @ Bijou Theatre#
10/28 - Dallas, Texas @ Lakewood Theatre#
10/30 - Austin, Texas @ Stubbs (tickets)
10/31 - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma @ Diamond Ballroom#
11/02 - Denver CO @ Ogden Theatre
11/06 - Los Angeles, California @ Wiltern#

* w/ Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
# w/ The Dirtbombs

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Secret Machines get Self Titled

Rather than pull the plug on The Secret Machines when his brother, co-founder/guitarist/vocalist Ben Curtis left the band last year to focus on other things, Brandon Curtis and drummer Josh Garza remained dedicated to completing work on their third full-length album, simply titled Secret Machines. They hooked up with longtime friend Phil Karnats, who played with Ben in Tripping Daisy, and his fantastic skills on guitar are a perfect fit for the Machines' huge sound.

The trio made their Austin debut at Stubb's indoor earlier this month, and put any doubts about their new incarnation to bed. The showed rocked from top to bottom, with the old songs sounding as good as ever with Karnats on guitar, and the new material leaving the crowd anxious to hear more. You might say that the Secret Machines have "gone indie" on their third album, choosing to self-release it in collaboration with the World's Fair Label Group.

They have just released an exclusive non-album track via RCRD LBL called “Dreaming of Dreaming”, an eight minute heavy-hitter that provides an early taste of things to come. The self-titled is said to be an atmospheric journey that covers influences including Pink Floyd, Beatles, Zeppelin, Krautrock, and you can all about it at myspace. Secret Machines, the album, drops on October 14. Hear the new non-album track below, along with a New Order remix they crafted once upon a time.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Mikey and Chuck are Cool

At this point, anyone who is anyone has deleted their MySpace page and replaced it with the trendier Facebook (except me, who kicks it old school with e-mail). We scold MySpace for its superficiality, and look down upon the “not-that-hot” Tila Tequila; to everyone who isn’t a pedophile, MySpace has produced nothing good. But behind our backs, while America was watching “A Shot at Love” (seasons one AND two), Antoine "Mikey Rocks" Reed and Evan "Chuck Inglish" Ingersoll were cooking up something amazing.

Now known as “The Cool Kids”, the rap duo met through the MySpace in 2005 when Reed found one of Evan’s beats on said networking site—what began as a simple sale of the piece ended as a two hour recording session. Between then and now, the group has played shows with Flosstradamus and M.I.A., played CMJ Music Festival, Coahella, and Pitchfork Music Festival, and released tracks through Diplo and DJ A-Trak—basically, they’ve acquired a higher spot on the badassery scale.

More recently they released the “Bake Sale EP” on which they not only produced the cool jams, but also collaborated with hip-hop legends Kidz In The Hall, Pusha T and Bun B. They are set to release their first “real album”, “When Fish Ride Bicycles” later this year on C.A.K.E Recordings/Chocolate Industries, and are on the illusive bill for Rock the Bells. But unless you are bankin’, Rock the Bells is a bit out of your league. No worries, we have you more than covered.

The Cool Kids are coming to Emo’s on Wednesday, August 21st and we’re giving away a pair of free tickets. Yeah, you heard me, so send your full name to covertcuriosity@gmail.com with Cool Kids in the subject line to win, and you’ll be one step to being an official member of the cool kids club.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Things to See and Do

Are you looking for something to do in Austin this weekend, but don't exactly know what it should be? Well I have a few good ideas if you need a little guidance. There are a handful of can't-miss shows happening over the next 4-5 days that should easily quench your thirst for entertaining diversions, including these:

The Heartless Bastards have been creating some seriously good, soulful garage rock for the past few years that has earned them a population of loyal fans. Led by the fantastic lungs of singer-guitarist Erika Wennerstrom, the Bastards like Austin so much that they established residency in the 512 and are making their debut with two shows at Continental Club that are sure to have people standing outside the door to listen and curse the capacity.

I have sung the praises of both Yndi Halda and My Education before, and they will both be rocking some fine instrumental tunes at Mohawk tonight. I told you to check out My Education with this post a few months ago, so here's your chance to do just that. Drowned In Sound gave Yndi Halda a 9/10, calling the five-piece "Britain’s finest on-record purveyors of modern instrumental rock."

I first experienced the rocket-fueled blues funk of Black Joe Lewis when they played a secret show with Spoon sometime last year, and I've been a fan ever since. The Onion digs 'em too, saying that "the blues-hollerin’ Black Joe Lewis may have the wounded soul of Wilson Pickett and the showmanship of James Brown, but the young Austinite’s roots are in gangsta rap and punk, which actually works in his favor. Lewis’ primitive playing gets to the heart of the music, harkening back to the days of self-taught pioneers like Lightnin’ Hopkins." Get in on the action at the Parish on Friday night.

I told you that A Place To Bury Strangers "seriously rock," and I have reported that Ume is a band that you need to see more than a few times. When they get together with The Boxing Lesson at Emo's on Sunday night, expect awesome.

Critical darlings Bitter:Sweet have a sound that is a blend of melodically sweet-and-sexy vocals paired with genre-bending production work," with an album that was christened by the Los Angles Times as “perhaps the best album of its kind since Portishead’s Dummy.” and awarded the Best Rock/Pop Album of 2006 at the Independent Music Awards. Find out for yourself if Bitter:Sweet can match that high praise at the Parish on Monday night.

Opinions on Ariel Pink, Titus Andronicus, Jaguar Love, and La Zona Rosa

Dear underground music scene,

Please forgive me for knowing absolutely nothing about Ariel Pink. I went to his show on Saturday having never listened to any of his recordings, and I walked away wandering why there were so many people there. At home, on the vast internet, I discovered that he is a California Institute of the Arts Alumni that has recorded over 500 songs, mostly on cassette tapes. I listened to some of his songs including "Among Dreams" and I realized the significance of his music.

His recordings are beautiful ensembles where his voice coos in soft waves over a scratchy buzz. The live shows are an entirely different animal with the enlisted help of a drummer, keys player, and bass player. Instead of a delicate hum, you get a peppier indie rock...which is fairly average aside from his yelping vocals. So I would encourage you to check out his albums, and then think about going to a live show.

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Dear Titus Andronicus,

You were exactly like I thought you would be. Young. Loud. Passionate. Loud. Thank you for playing with so much energy. Jumping up on the speaker, ripping the strings out of your guitar, and dissing Seether. I can't get over the angst in your clangorous pop songs. More people should listen to you, and they will. But for now, I'm glad that I can go crazy in the front row.

Titus Andronicus - "Titus Andronicus"

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In case anyone was wondering about Johnny Whitney's voice, yes, it really is that amazing. I had to go to the Jaguar Love show to find out just how playful, sassy, and electric they could be live, and I was not disappointed. They actually exceeded my expectations in how completely appropriate the name Jaguar Love is. Johnny pranced the stage and screamed 'thank you' into the mic with so much pizazz, that some of the audience members were taken a back. In addition, Cody and J-Clark contributed their fair share of twists, shouts, and flair (clothing that is). However, despite all the energy from the stage, the majority of the fans were just waiting to see The Faint (and thus obstructing dance space).

Maybe I'm annoyed because I like smaller venues...maybe I'm annoyed because the speakers block the stage from a lot of different angles...maybe I'm annoyed that Jaguar Love does not have more fans...maybe I'm annoyed that La Zona is borderline multi-purpose room...but in any case...La Zona Rosa is about my least favorite music venue in Austin. Every time I see a show there, I find myself strangely troubled by the performance. Not the quality, but the experience. No matter how well the band plays, I just wish it would have been somewhere else.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Okkervil River: The Stand Ins

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the forthcoming Okkervil River album isn't that great. You should certainly give it some attention if you like/love/obsess over Okkervil, but the simple truth is that The Stand Ins is just not on par with previous efforts like the outstanding Stage Names and Black Sheep Boy. And when you have a habit of releasing stellar albums, expectations for each successive offering are going to be high.

When you consider the album's pedigree, the somewhat lackluster outcome is understandable. Stand Ins features 11 songs that were constructed during the recording of Stage Names, but were eventually placed on the shelf for a future release. The band had so many songs in consideration that they briefly threw around the idea of putting out a double record, but instead decided to fit a group of songs together and turn that into a Stage Names sequel. And sequels have been known to fall short of their predecessor.

Still, there are some worthwhile moments on Stand Ins, especially if you are a lyrics fiend. The album starts off strong with the track "Lost Coastlines", where Will Sheff and recently departed Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater share a duet on the joys and hardships of trying to keep the band together. The group also delivers a sample of the beautiful complexity that proliferated Stage Names with the closing "Bruce Wayne Cambell Interviewed On the Roof of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979," even if they made the mistake of asking Panic at the Disco how long a song title should be.

Okkervil River - "Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed On The Roof Of The Chelsea Hotel, 1979"

The Stand Ins will be available on September 9 via Jagjaguwar, and if you pre-order between now and the release date you'll get Stage Names and Stand Ins posters along with your order. You can see Okkervil at the tour dates listed below, stops in Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin, and Vienna have just been announced.

Okkervil River on Tour:

09/12/08 Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck
09/13/08 Omaha, NE - Slowdown
09/14/08 Madison, WI - Barrymore Theater
09/15/08 Fargo, ND - Aquarium
09/17/08 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
09/18/08 Vancouver, BC - Richards on Richards
09/19/08 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
09/20/08 Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
09/21/08 San Francisco, CA - Treasure Island Music Festival
09/23/08 Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
09/24/08 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
09/25/08 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse
09/26/08 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
09/28/08 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
more

Monday, August 11, 2008

Microcastle = Macrobadass

I am so diggin on the new Deerhunter album (officially released in October via Kranky); it’s definitely one of my favorite 2008 releases thus far. Microcastle is more piano and synth based than past Deerhunter works (Turn It Up Faggot/Deerhunter, and Cryptograms), but it also manages to maintain a semi-poppy, upbeat vibe. Unlike many ambient or experimental bands, Deerhunter doesn’t get lost in self-indulgent, unmelodic effect wandering.

Their sound is accessible but only to the point that it is aesthetically pleasing, it takes a few more listenings to understand what is really going on. “Nothing Ever Happened”, the longest track on Microcastle, is an exceptionally good example of this. It has an instrumental hook, a lyrical hook and is even danceable, but there is also densely textural element to the song that sets it apart.

Deerhunter - "Nothing Ever Happened"

If you have dual citizenship (or a friend in Europe), you can get Microcastle right now, digitally, via 4AD/iTunes/eMusic/7digital etc. "Nothing Ever Happened" will be the first single to be taken off the album, and will be issued on limited edition 7” vinyl and backed with "Little Kids (Demo)". Both are at myspace.com/deerhunter.

Bradford Cox (vocalist, electronics and tapes engineer, drummer, acoustic slide guitar player, bell set master, accordionist, electric guitarist, piano player, and gong wunderkind of Deerhuner), runs a pretty darn sweet blog that I stumbled upon while looking for tour dates. There are downloadable mixes, albums, demos, Deerhunter news, and some great commentary which Deerhunter and non-Deerhunter fans alike will enjoy. Here's one from the blog:

Deerhunter - "Game of Diamonds" (demo)

Deerhunter is currently playing a few shows with Nine Inch Nails. According to Pollstar they will be back in Austin this December at Emo's, and will also make stops in Dallas and Houston.

Jaguar Love: Take Me to the Sea

Jaguar Love....is a hard thing to describe.

It's fiery...energetic...urgent...theatrical...fast...and constantly changing.

This wild concoction is made possible by vocalist/pianist Johnny Whitney and guitarist/bassist Cody Votolato from the Blood Brothers, and keyboardist/bassist/drummer Jay Clark from Pretty Girls Make Graves. Drawing from their preivous projects, the group has fallen together somewhat seemlessly. After recording a few songs in 2007 the group signed to Matador Records in January of 2008.

Jaguar Love's debut full-length release, Take Me to the Sea, is full of unexplainably hypnotizing tracks. I found myself listening to the first track over and over...trying to figure what it was that I liked about it. But after about 20 times of "Highways of Gold" I realized that the thing I like is almost impossble to define. The song is charged with catchy guitar sequences and high pitched singing that drifts in and out of different genres. Their songs borrow from rock, pop, folk, punk, and each succeeding song is surprising in one way or another.

With Take Me to the Sea Jaguar Love have put together an interesting collection of songs, even if they are unified by highly androgenous vocals. While some people may find the high pitched singing hard to take for an entire album, I think it keeps the CD consistent, and wildy playful. Check them out in Austin tonight at La Zona Rosa.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Bloc Party Ser Sexy

A lot of people seem to really enjoy this Bloc Party band. I am not one of them. I have never really been able to pinpoint what it is that I dislike, but I have listened to plenty of their music and seen them perform live, and none of it has ever clicked for me. If your affection runs deeper than mine, then you will be happy to hear that the release date for Bloc Party’s new single, "Mercury," is coming up on August 11th.

The single includes remixes from CSS (who'll be in town for the ACL Festival), and Flosstradamus (who held it down properly at Mohawk a few weeks ago), and some fella by the name of Hervé. If this is your bag, baby, you can pre-order the single right now at the link.

Holy Fuck, Daytrotter!

Earlier this summer the ever-great website/recording studio/illustrated music journal called Daytrotter featured one of my favorite acts from north of the border, Holy Fuck:

"... the Canadian experimentalists belong to the smirk. They belong to the part of mankind that always considers choices and options to be the most attractive possibility. They might even set up ramps and try to jump cars on their bikes or schemingly toast ants with magnifying glasses. They subscribe to leisure exploration of sounds and noises and they are all card-carrying members of Tinkerers Anonymous, a group that prides itself in constructive and unending fiddling and enhancement activities that could lead to developments in audio."

They cut four live tracks in the studio, including the previously unreleased "Latin." It's yet another profitable outcome of Holy Fuck's beat-filled electronic experimentations. Hear it below, and visit the Daytrotter session for more.

Holy Fuck - "Latin"

I'm also re-posting this re-mix, because I'm quite fond of it. Get yours here.

Holy Fuck - "Lovely Allen" (Minotaur Shock Broadmead Redevelopment Version)

The original:

Holy Fuck on Tour:

Aug 9 Way Out West Festival Göteborg
Aug 11 Zakk Dusseldorf
Aug 12 Muffathalle Munich
Aug 13 Schocken Stuttgart
Aug 14 Pukkelpop Festival Hasselt
Aug 15 Lowlands Festival Holland
Aug 16 Loop Festival Brighton
Aug 22 Leeds Festival Leeds
Aug 23 Push Club at Astoria London
Aug 24 Reading Festival Reading
Sep 5 Royal Oak Music Theatre Detroit, Michigan
Sep 10 Pavillon Desjardins-Maurice Pollack Quebec City, Quebec
Sep 12 Subterranean Chicago, Illinois
Sep 13 Monolith Festival / Red Rocks Morrison, Colorado
Sep 17 Metropolis Montreal, Quebec
Sep 19 Pepper Jack’s Hamilton, Ontario
Sep 20 LOLA Festival - Victoria Park London, Ontario
Sep 25 The Phoenix Toronto, Ontario
Sep 26 The Grad Club Kingston, Ontario
Sep 27 The Montreal House Peterborough, Ontario
Oct 5 Barrowlands Glasgow, Scotlan
more

Also on Daytrotter: Ghosty, The Walkmen, Bodies of Water, Bon Iver, Times New Viking, Islands, Peter and the Wolf, Tapes 'n Tapes, Delta Spirit, Fleet Foxes, A Place To Bury Strangers, Deer Tick, Deerhunter, The Dodos, and many more.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Fujiya & Miyagi Multiply

Our old pals Fujiya & Miyagi have a new album, "Lightbulbs," coming to a disco near you in early September via Full Time Hobby. Another interesting development is the announcement that the minimalistic Krautrock-esque outfit have blossomed into a four-piece. That officially makes it Steve Lewis (Fujiya) on synths/beats/programming/backing vocals, David Best (Miyagi) on vocals/guitar, Matt Hainsby (Ampersand) on bass guitar/backing vocals, and Lee Adams on drums. The band plans to head to the States around the album's release, and they have visited Austin a time or two in the past, so perhaps they'll come back around.

Here are a couple of tracks to further expose my Fujiya fanboy-ism. The first is a collaboration with the stripped down Minimoog synth of longtime British DJ Bomb The Bass, and the second is the 7'' version of the Transparent Things track "Conductor 71." At bottom, the very cool, dice-y video for "Ankle Injuries."

Baltimore, where's the love?

We love Dan Deacon. We love Death Set. We love Videohippos. We love Beach House. I'm not familiar with each and every one of the Bmore bands that are taking part in this crazily ambitious tour, but I'm sure I would love some of them too. But unless you and I hop on a jet headed north, we won't get to experience the Deacon-curated, 14-date, seven-city "round robin" featuring some of Baltimore's finest, with a massive 29 artists in total.

According to the link, the artists will be divided into separate groups at each event, and all of the bands will set up their gear simultaneously along the perimeter of the room, audience in the center, with each band performing one song before handing the baton over to the next. This is something I really want to see.

It sounds like a potential train wreck with a difficulty of 8.9 (that's an Olympic shout out), but these are exactly the kind of people who can pull it off. I realize the difficulty that would be involved in packing up this tour and heading cross-country, but that doesn't lessen my desire to see it go down in Austin one bit. I still love you Baltimore, keep up the good work.

Baltimore Round Robin Tour:

10-02 Boston, MA - Massachusetts College of Art and Design
10-03 Boston, MA - Massachusetts College of Art and Design
10-04 Montreal, Quebec - Église Saint-Enfant Jésus (Pop Montreal)
10-05 Montreal, Quebec - Église Saint-Enfant Jésus (Pop Montreal)
10-08 Detroit, MI - Museum of Contemporary Art
10-09 Detroit, MI - Museum of Contemporary Art
10-10 Chicago, IL - Epiphany
10-11 Chicago, IL - Epiphany
10-13 Oberlin, OH - Oberlin College
10-14 Oberlin, OH - Oberlin College
10-15 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom
10-16 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom
10-17 New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
10-18 New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge

For a good Bmore blog, check Butter Team.

Sweet as Honey

The Hush Sound will be performing at Antone’s in Austin this Sunday, along with The Cab, Steel Train, and The Morning Light. I start with this semi-unoriginal opener because the Hush Sound has always struck me as more of a pop-rock Stubbs or La Zona Rosa-esque band, and not as a bluesy Antones band. However, this was before I listened to their newest effort.

Between the albums “Like Vines” and “Goodbye Blues” lead singer Greta Salpeter learned how to use vibrato as well as mature femininity, and could now be on her way to replacing Norah Jones as the queen of blue eyed soul. Their new sound isn’t vastly different from their old, and they won’t lose any fans because of it, but it has definitely pulled them out of the teeny-bopper demographic and into an older audience.

I have missed them every time they have come to Austin, and am almost glad that I did because this show will rock harder (and hopefully have less screaming 12 year olds) than anything they’ve done in the past. Check out the video to their not-so-new single, “Honey”—it’s pretty sweet (I’m so funny). See them do it live at Antone's tomorrow night, and visit thehushsound.com for more.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Annuals

On October 7, Annuals will release their sophomore album, “Such Fun”, on Canvasback Music, and shortly after will depart on a nationwide tour with Minus the Bear. When I first found out about this, all I cared about was the latter portion, you know, the Minus the Bear part, but after a quick trip to the Annuals myspace page, I was equally excited about this somewhat lesser known, but equally enjoyable band. The best way I can describe their sound is Beirut meets “Something About Airplanes” era Death Cab For Cutie; very energetic yet eclectically pensive, with great lyrics.

For the tour, they will be playing the wonderful Fun Fun Fun Fest at Waterloo park on November 9th, and if you aren’t into the whole music festival thing, you can catch them in Houston at the Houes of Blues on November 8. When I hear more on the new Annuals album, "Such Fun", I'll be sure to provide an update.

Likewise, you can expect us to give you more info on the Fun Fest as it continues to be announced. If it is anything like last year, you need to be prepared for a thrill.

Here are some sounds from the 2006 Annuals album, "Be He Me":

Titus Andronicus

To me, the truest form of punk, is loud, overwhelming, and at times vastly unclean. It links directly back to the Stooges and the Ramones, in a time when emotion reason were the driving forces behind music (as opposed to skill and talent). The band, Titus Andronicus, is a curious blend of undeniable passion and instrumental dexterity. They come from New Jersey, their name comes from a Shakepearen tragedy, and their first CD The Airing of Grievances 2008 is well worth a listen.

The first song on the CD "Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ" speaks light years about their intriguing amalgam. For the first minute and fifteen seconds the song consists of a lone distorted guitar rubbing up against angsty vocals (Conner Oberst are you in there?). But at precisely 1:15 the rest of the band surges forward with layers of drums and even more thrashing guitar feedback. The instrumental medley continues for about a minute until the noise instantaneously yeilds to an epic guitar solo, which in turn, evolves into a triumphant parade of melodies to the end. Wow. What an opener.

If that isn't enough, everytime I hear "Joset Of Nazareth's Blues" I could swear on Amy's Ice Cream that it is a Bruce Springsteen song. Whether they own up to it or not these boys picks up some of Springsteen's working class blues living near the Jersey shore. Wait till you hear the harmonica and the excellent chorus "you don't believe me NOOOoooooooo, oh, but you WILL. YOU WILL."

So if you ever wondered what the lo-fi songs of the Velvet Underground would sound like with The Jesus and Mary Chain's distorted guitars with Conor Oberst's distressed vocal inflections with hints of Springsteen's american blues...and in the tradition of punk, it's always best live. You can find out for yourself tonight in Austin when Titus Andronicus performs at Mohawk.

Sample And Hold

You can file this under: "Things I meant to mention a long time ago, but have been too distracted to." Earlier this summer Simian Mobile Disco released a remix album created from material that was found on their debut album Attack Decay Sustain Release, which was hailed as one of the best of its genre in 2007 by fans and critics alike.

The remix album, Sample and Hold, features each track from their debut, except each one has been lovingly re-created by 10 different artists who all want to see you dance. There are a couple of real gems on here, most notably the efforts of Simon Baker and Shit Robot, and the collection even includes a contribution by the newly rejuvenated Silver Apples, who were once one of the first "electronic music" groups in existence. Check out one of the songs below, and don't forget about the live set that I posted previously.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Nouns Group

After seeing Nouns Group last month, and enjoying the hell out of it, I had to find out more about this band. Upon doing a little research and briefly exchanging pleasantries with frontman Christopher Mosley, here's what I know:

Nouns Group formed in 2005 following the dissolution of Early Lines. The band was created with a desire to try the often dubious combination of harsh music with strings, making use of a baritone guitar (in lieu of bass,) along with electric violin, guitar and drums. Nouns Group recorded an EP in November 2007 at The Key Club Recording Studio in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This particular studio was chosen after hearing incredible records by Electrelane and The Coughs which were recorded there, though the studio is more known for the bulk of The Fiery Furnaces recorded output.

Even though they have decided to remain somewhat anonymous in the digital realm, it appears that they have already started making a name for themselves in the Dallas area. The Observer had this to say:

"With members hailing from Plano and Denton, Nouns Group is one of those non-Dallas bands that are starting to dominate the North Texas music scene. Singer/guitarist Chris Mosley (formerly of Early Lines), drummer Nick Martin and bassist Britt Robisheaux make a propulsive racket of jagged melodies, discordant, slashing guitar and vocals more shouted than sung. Megan Carroll's electric violin, screaming over the din like a frantic banshee, elevates Nouns Group from serviceable harsh post-punk to something beautiful in spite of its frequent ugliness."

Nouns Group have mostly played shows in and around Texas, including several gigs with Health, and they will be touring again this Fall following the self-release of the EP. Few bands manage to make an impression on me within a very brief period of time, but that's exactly what Nouns Group have done. I will be keeping an eye on them and would recommend that you do the same. Here are a couple of unmastered tracks from the EP:

Summer Albums

DesperateBicyles made some comments about live shows and summer just last month, and it got me thinking. Some albums are definitely "summer albums" and this seems tailored to the listener more than anything. Music, perhaps more than any other form of art, can quite easily evoke a listener's experiences and the feelings that came with them. Some albums/songs, for me, can't help but bring back the joyful freedom of summer. No, not the Ignition (Remix) or Tipsy circa 04.

For me summer albums are simply light and fun...and of course released over summer, that part is key. They sound as if they should be played outside in the sun by a pool. Everyone has their own idea of what a summer album is, but that's mine. Feel free to leave a comment with yours. With this in mind here are a couple of albums I have been spending quite a bit of time listening to this summer:

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

I am pretty new to The Hold Steady. Just about everyone thought Boys and Girls in America was quality, but it just never clicked with me. Stay Positive on the other hand has done just the opposite and much more. There is quite a void of straight forward rock available nowadays, I felt like Raconteurs would be our only option this year. This past Coachella seemed absolutely desolate in this regard, most acts (though very good) were much more alternative and/or electronic. Stay Positive has given me exactly what I feel we've been missing out on with a perfect summer release.

The Brooklyn based band, led by Craig Finn's story telling lyrics, almost sound like they had a specific summer in mind when they were putting this string of songs together. The album kicks off with "Constructive Summer" (below), setting the theme for the rest of the album with lyrics such as "me and my friends are like double whiskey, coke no ice, we drank along in double time," and guitar riffs that are desperate for a summer stage and a crowd. What I really love about the album is it still finds enough time for a harpsichord in "One For the Cutters" and an organ in "Joke About Jamaica"...and you have to have respect for a band that pulls off a quality song led by a harpsichord.

Oh yeah...The Hold Steady are playing sold out show tonight in Austin at Parish.

Air France - No Way Down EP

"Sort of like a dream...no better"

I think the above line pretty much encapsulates this EP. Air France has me hooked on a great album which as gotten some love from critics, drawing comparisons to The Avalanches' landmark album. Although I would be lying if I said it was as good (in my opinion), No Way Down is a quality and noble attempt. At only 22 minutes long its a great summer appetizer. It deserves to be heard, preferably on a slow summer evening with a margarita on the rocks in one hand and a washer in the other...or however you do it.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Thao and Horse Feathers

Thao is a San Francisco based, up-and-coming indie-pop star. The patchwork quilt of playful guitar riffs splashed with her bluegrass (Virginia) roots, uninhibited vulnerable lyrics, and raw melodic vocals create a comfortably familiar "Thao" sound. This same sound has gotten her notice to have shared producers with groups like The Decemberists and Sufjan Stevens. Her band The Get Down Stay Down, (Willie Thompson, Frank Stewart and Adam Thompson of THE OK BIRD) complement and enhance her overall sound, making the Thao experience a most delightful one.

Opening for Thao and The Get Down Stay Down is a multi-instrumentalist group from Oregon who call themselves Horse Feathers. Justin Ringle's vocals find a happy medium between Iron and Wine and Bob Dylan, and sound best when complemented by cellist Heather Broderick's weightless harmonizing. Peter Broderick, the last member of the core trio contributes on violin, percussion, banjo, and vocals. Sam Cooper and Nathan Crockett round out the group with additional percussion, celeste, saw, and banjo. Horse Feathers' sound has strong down-home, small farm town roots with a Julliard education. Something not to be missed.

Check out Thao and Horse Feathers both playing tomorrow night at Emo's.

More new Kings of Leon

"Sex on Fire" will be the first single from the fourth Kings of Leon album, Only By the Night, out on September 23. Kings of Leon will be announcing a new US Tour tomorrow, and as soon as the dates are announced I'll put them up here. For now, follow the link(s) to try out the new song.

KOL on Tour:

September

23 New York, NY Webster Hall

October

11 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
12 San Diego, CA House of Blues
15 Los Angeles, CA Nokia Theatre
17 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
18 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
20 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
21 Portland, OR Schnitzer Hall
23 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium
25 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
26 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown Events Center
28 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater
29 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
31 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom

November

1 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre
3 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
5 Milwaukee, WI The Eagles Ballroom
7 Toronto, ONT Kool Haus
8 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
10 Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
12 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
15 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Ballroom
18 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
19 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium

The Monarch with Sad Accordians, Sunset, Zookeeper and others!?

Seeing five bands in a row is a daunting task, especially in a venue where the energy level just barely beats out a dentist's waiting room. So I am going cover the highlights, and let the charts speak for themselves.

Sad Accordians was the first band that played into the cavernous room at the Monarch. I was immediately hooked by Ben Lance's (who plays in Zookeeper) vocals, which gently filled the room with a heartbreaking honesty. The best songs were a slow electronic wash of instruments, where Ben's lyrics are clearly articulated overtop.

One of my favorite songs was a cover of the song (I can't help) Falling in Love with You, which was a truly beautiful twist on the old classic. A projector was set up in the middle of the room and images of vintage cartoons fluttered over them as they played. It was quite a festival for the eyes and ears, if not the active bodies (most people clung to their chairs on the edge of the room).

Monday, August 04, 2008

A video with Rthrtha

Check out the new video for The Octopus Project's "An Evening with Rthrtha," it is the second collaboration between long-time friends Phillip Niemeyer of the Brooklyn design studio Double Triple and San Francisco-based filmmaker Ryan Junell. You may recall seeing their hand-animated stop-motion video for Spoon's "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" earlier this year.

For "Rthrtha," Niemeyer & Junell used a similar stop-motion animation approach to depict a magical night with the extra-dimensional spirit agents of Rthrtha. Brilliant colors and graphic images move in breakneck stop-motion, illustrating a mind-blowing evening with an ancient psychedelic pink bat, who takes the viewer on a transcendent journey from the hazy Austin twilight into a sub-atomic singularity with the comsos. Get this info + more at Peek-A-Boo Records.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Ratatat Remix

It is a well known fact that Ratatat and Remixes go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. They have produced two full-length hip hop remix albums, remixed their own tracks, remixed Bjork, The Knife, Shout Out Louds, Biz Markie, and been remixed by more names than I can count. Most recently by Animal Collective, YACHT, Copy, and Zongamin.

I read that Animal Collective have reworked Mirando into a "10 minute techno wonder", but I still haven't been able to hear it. Some of the remixes I do have are included below for your listening pleasure.

Go see Ratatat in concert, they're touring all over the place. Find out where at ratatatmusic.com. Get LP3 via XL and they'll send you a nice iron-on for your t-shirt...unless it was just me.