January 31st, 2008 r8e8rcom
I, my friends, back in the mid to late 90’s was all things chick rock. Perhaps it was their sultry style, maybe their alluring voice, or it could have been, just maybe…that fact that I couldn’t get a chick to talk to me to save my life. So at least they could sing to me. There was Tori Amos (But then quickly realizing I didnt believe in Fairies.) Bjork (Soon after, realizing I forgot to wear my swan suit), Fionna Apple (I eat, therefore we would never get along.), and Ani Difranco (anyone woman who births albums faster than she can birth babies is over compensating for something.) There were others too, god so many others. The Mummers, Syble Vein, Throwing Muses, Belly, etc. etc.. And I listened to them all. Somehow between then and now the magic is gone. I just dont have the connection I once did with the female singer. Thats not to say that they aren’t still good for the most part, or that there arent other new talents out there that are even better. But I guess I just don’t care for it anymore. Although from time to time I run across a female that brings me back to those days of old.
Coal Beautiere, is not that band.
Personal opinions aside, they really should be said band. Droning piano lines, ghostly vocals, ambient noise. Whats not to like? If this was 1994 I’d have seen them ten times already. but its not. If Alice in Wonderland was performed in play form in my high school gym by girls with too many cats and boys who love dragons, this would be the soundtrack.
Wow I’m not good and keeping my opinion to myself on this one, sorry about that. Try it out for yourself. Maybe you’ll dig it.
This is from the release Fight Your Broken Heart and Fly.
I’d put their little diatribe from their page on here to give you a “what they’re about” but what they’re about sounds like a whole bunch of poppycock to me. You can find it here
Oh and here’s some songs…
Modern Dayz.mp3
Slow Death.mp3
Waitress Graveyard Floor.mp3
-Dave
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January 30th, 2008 r8e8rcom
Friends and Colleaques:
Vampire Weekend is an indie rock band from New York City signed to XL
Recordings. They came to public attention via a variety of music blogs,
first on New York’s EAR FARM and then four months later on Stereogum,
leading many to cite them as another example of the “blog band”
phenomenon. The band is influenced by both African popular music and
Western Classical Music. They describe their genre of music as “Upper
West Side Soweto”, performing such songs as “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,”
which references Congolese soukous music.
The members of the band — Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batmanglij, Chris Tomson,
and Chris Baio — met while attending Columbia University.
http://www.vampireweekend.com/
I am going to try and include at least one video link with all my posts
from here on out…
Here’s the first one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XC2mqcMMGQ&eurl=http://7.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?url=http://www.google.com/ig/modules/youtube_videos.xml&nocache=0&up_prefs_version=
A-Punk
Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
Campus
Bryn
Sincerely,
Trevor
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January 28th, 2008 r8e8rcom
I was first introduced to The Teenagers by a serendipitous visit to hype machine (www.hypem.com) last summer. What attracted me to them was not blog hype or buzz as I had never heard of the band, but rather a suspiciously all too appropriate song title. It would be ungentlemanly of me to elaborate. While the track was a remix it put a smile on my face in a bleak time in my life and I’ve been a fan of The Teenagers ever since. This month saw the release of their debut full length, Reality Check, on Merok. Sardonic electro pop from 3 Parisian 20 somethings, lead singer Quentin Delafon, guitarist / synth man Dorian Dumont and bassist Michael Szpiner. From what I’ve been able to gather the record is only available digitally until its physical release date on March 18th.
STARLETT JOHANSSON
FEELING BETTER
HOMECOMING
this one’s not on Reality Check, but the original version is:
Fuck Nicole (SLUTTTKetateen Remix)
-mark
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January 25th, 2008 r8e8rcom
When I was a kid I was fascinated by infomercials. There was something about them, the simplicity of the products, the exuberant delivery of the sales pitch, the urgency of the offer, despite the frivolity and inevitable return the following night. They always seemed to be able to align their products benefits with my needs and somehow convince me that everything would be alright if I just ordered the product right away. “If only I had that deluxe breakfast shake mixer maybe I could save enough time to fit in that morning jog. And maybe then I would loss that extra 20 pounds, then maybe I would have more self esteem, and maybe then I’d have the courage to ask for that promotion at work, and then maybe I’d make enough money to buy Jane that engagement ring, and then maybe we’d live happily ever after.”
It was an alarmingly comfortable feeling to be convinced that the solutions to my problems could be a simple commodity. That was the scary part, that and the cultish audience participation of course. As I got older though nostalgia for that sick false sense of security morphed into the idea that I could somehow find the answers to all life’s problems on an internet search engine. A more contemporary, but not altogether different adaptation of the same feeling I got watching those infomercials at 2 AM. A quick click with the right keywords and you’re set. Problems with your job, links to job listings. Relationship problems, here’s some dating sites. Don’t have any friends, try some social networking sites. Don’t know where to live, real estate listing, and hell there’s even a wiki on how to be a bum (I’m not kidding). Problems solved, right? Ok, maybe not, and to be honest it’s not even that I want the answers to all my problems, but rather that I just want to be reassured that the answers are out there somewhere.
<–insert witty segue into candian orchestral indie pop here–>
The Luyas are Jessie Stein’s (SS Cardiacs, Miracle Fortress) new musical project. I just can’t get enough of her lately. This lineup includes Pietro Amato (Bell Orchestre, Torngat and formally a horn player for Arcade Fire) and Stefan Schneider (Bell Orchestre), like I said, it’s a tight little group they run up there. I can’t say I like this more than SS Cardiacs, but I like it. Their first album, “Faker Death” came out in August 2007 but with limited availability. A Re-release is scheduled for early 2008 on Pome Records (FUSION 3 distributing) until then to get the record you’ve got to either live Montreal or Toronto or send $13 here:
5392 de L’ESPLANADE
MONTRÉAL, QUEBEC
CANADA
H2T 2Z7
for updates on the release check here: http://www.theluyas.com/music.html
Dumb Blood
Flickering Lights (will Likely Fail You)
Cats in a Bag
-mark
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January 24th, 2008 r8e8rcom
Silje Nes is a little known Norwegian artist. Although an accomplished classical pianist and percussionist, Silje decided to work primarily with her laptop and a host of instruments she had no previous experience playing for this recording. The sounds and arrangements often lack formula and convention, adding to the delicate whisper of her beautiful voice a simplicity and frailty. But there’s also a playfulness there as Silje lightly tugs us by the hand enchanting us with the sounds of tiny squeaks, clicks and clacks, static, and tinkling electronics. Everything on this record sounds so tiny, but somehow the sum of the parts manage to create a sprawling soundscape that bear hugs you. Everything is weaved together with a vast array of instruments including cello, electronics, drums, guitar, bass, keyboards, recorder, glockenspiel, xylophone, melodica, and trumpet, as well as percussion played on all manner of found objects. Her debut-album, Ames Room, will be released Feb. 19th on Fat Cat Records, home of bands like The Twilight Sad, Mice Parade, and Panda Bear name a few.
Ames_Room
Drown
Melt
-mark
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January 23rd, 2008 r8e8rcom
For those that don’t know, I work at a bar at night, checking ID’s at the door, running sound for the bands, you know that sort of thing. So the other day a kid comes to the door and I ask for his ID and he hands it to me.
Its from Michigan.
So here I am looking at this ID making sure its 2 legit to quit and I notice this kids name. Its Kevin Smith. As I begin to compliment him on his wonderful work as a writer and director, not to mention his Oscar winning performances in “Catch and Release” and the latest in the “Die Hard” franchise. He runs away. Literally. No joke. So I’m standing there with Kevin Smiths ID in my hand, and he’s gone. Gee, I wonder if this ID is a fake.
If only I had a magnetic field to keep him there.
Speaking of…
Magnetic Fields is a band led by New York City singer-song-writer Stephin Merritt. Albums released by Merritt under the name “Magnetic Fields” usually consist of synth-pop music in a 1980s style underlying clever lyrics, often about love, that are by turns ironic, bitter, and humorous. While The Wayward Bus and Distant Plastic Trees (now available together as a compilation) are sung by Susan Anway, all subsequent albums are principally sung by Merritt himself. Blah Blah Blah, John Woo is in the band, he’s a great director too. Blah Blah Blah triple album…blah blah blah….”Book of Love”…Blah Blah Blah…..look it up yourself dumb ass…
The following is some of the new shiznit from the upcoming “distortion”…Dig it, or don’t…your choice….
California Girls.mp3
Please stop dancing.mp3
Drive on, driver.mp3
-Dave
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January 23rd, 2008 r8e8rcom
I’ve had these tracks for a few weeks now and I wanted to get them out to you guys sooner but I got a little busy and totally forgot about it until Lawrence mentioned them the other day. This is another band that is certain to rub a few of you the wrong way, and to those few I say: write what you want, just know that you are WRONG!
Times New Viking is a Columbus, OH trio consisting of drummer/vocalist Adam Elliot, keyboardist/vocalist Beth Murphy and guitarist Jared Phillips. Their first album, ‘Dig Yourself’, emerged as the first release in years from the Siltbreeze label (former home to Guided By Voices, the Dead C., Sebadoh and other giants). Disguised as a lo-fi noise-rock outfit, TNV are essentially a pop band. Really dirty, frustrated, snarling pop, with a sunny disposition. Playfully aggressive hooks saturated by a defiant overdrive and dressed with shouty boy-girl vocals. Almost every review I’ve read of this band has used the word perfect to describe their sound, and there’s more than a tinge of irony in that considering the recording quality of these tracks, the unintelligible lyrics, the barely audible washed out drums. Yet, still, it just seems to roll off the tongue…..perfect. ‘Rip It Off’ was released yesterday and is TNV’s third release to date, however this was their first release on Matador.
Another Day
Drop-Out
My Head
Teen Drama
Post Teen Drama
buy it here: http://www.insound.com/search/artist.jsp?artist=INS31136
-mark
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January 22nd, 2008 r8e8rcom
I’m not sure how I missed this album back in 2005 when it was released, especially considering that it’s right up my alley. Cute girl from Montreal spitting sardonic lyrics in an innocent child-like soprano over guitar driven indie-pop. It doesn’t get much better than that for me. Jessie Stein essentially was(is?) the architect behind SS Cardiacs, she also happens to be the kid sister of By Divine Right’s Jose Miguel Contreras. Self described as an ‘emotionally self indulgent lyrical cartoonist’, most of the songs on ‘Fear The Love’ were lyrically inspired by various figures that Stein met when she moved from Montreal to Toronto. When I first heard these tracks I was taken back to 1994, high school, sitting in my room listening to Juliana Hatfield on the Reality Bites soundtrack as I doted over some unrequited crush. Yeah, its like that. But here’s what Jessie has to say about it: “I don’t listen to cute bands. I don’t like Juliana Hatfield. I wasn’t there for it, so it’s kind of irrelevant at this point to go back to it – I don’t even have that nostalgia.” Fair enough, I won’t mention it anymore. As far as I know this is the only record SS Cardiacs ever released, however Stein has been busy fronting her new project ‘The Luyas’, and playing bass in Miracle Fortress, the brainchild of Graham Van Pelt also featuring Jordan Robson-Cramer of Sunset Rubdown (expect tracks from both very soon, even if you guys rip these tracks apart). Apparently that’s how those canuks roll up there, in giant not-so-broken social scenes. All up in each others business and shit, especially when that business is making records.
Age of Navigation
Noo Noo
Comme True
Buy it here: http://www.blocksblocksblocks.com but you may have to wait for a re-pressing.
-mark
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January 15th, 2008 r8e8rcom
I have always loved the idea of weighted simplicity. A few years ago I had an idea to start a band where every song was based on a series of simple loops of varied lengths that would stagger and overlap to create shifting circular melodies and rhythms. I locked myself in my studio for a few hours armed with a sampler, a guitar, a rhodes piano, and a drum kit. My delusions of grandeur carried me all the way through a total of about 8 hours of solid work. What came out of that was not the body of work I had hoped would spark the flames for a new musical project, but one solitary song that I couldn’t even finish myself. I ended up enlisting the help of a former band mate to finish the lyrics and vocals. To this day the song remains probably the only thing I’ve ever written that I consider to be half way decent, still a far cry from my original intent.
Rings, an NYC all female trio, seem to have had the same idea and have actually followed through with it. Black Habit is technically the groups sophomore release, having previously released a 7″ and full length under the name First Nation. The record was going to be called Rings, but, the band decided that ‘Rings’ described them as a band more than First Nation. Since Melissa Livaudais left the band, Nina Mehta and Kate Rosko also wanted a fresh start with newly added member Abby Portner, the sister of Animal Collective’s Dave Portner. The album was recorded in Rove Studios in Kentucky with Kristin Anna Valtysdottir aka Kria Brekken (formerly of the band Mum). The band has always been a perfect fit on Animal Collective’s Paw Tracks label, and while Black Habit is not a vast departure from their debut, there is a slightly darker, more concise motif to these songs. This is definitely not a record for everyone, the loose, spasmodic, sometimes repetitive nature of these songs are likely to turn as many away as it welcomes in.
Scape Aside
All Right Peace
You Remind Me
For a bit of fun, my circular motif opus. Rumor has it, this track still gets some play at various DC area venues, whoopty fucking doo, eh?
Wake-Sleep
-mark
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January 10th, 2008 r8e8rcom
Hello everyone, hope you all had a nice holiday break and you got everything you wanted for Xmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa. Does anyone actually celebrate Kwanzaa? No really, I’m curious. Wanna know what I got for Xmas? A nice big cease and desist from the fine folks at the IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry). It seems they didn’t appreciate my last post, not necessarily the post, but the mp3 links. They were very polite about the whole thing and I tried to be as accommodating as possible, but the whole affair has left me apprehensive. Hence the lapse in posts lately.
Misophone consists of M. A. Welsh and S. Herbert who have been recording for five years. They are currently working on their 13th album, and have hundreds of songs. Herbert is a classically trained composer who can play upwards of 20 instruments (a number which seems to increase on a weekly basis), M. A. Welsh is an artist and writer, and provides singing and lyrics , as well as banjo, found sounds and animal noises. All material is home recorded and self produced. These tracks are from the album, ‘Where has it gone, all the beautiful music of our grandparents? It died with them, that’s where it went…’, released on a Swedish label called Kning Disc.
Deluded and Obscene
You Can’t Break a Broken Heart
Tired of Silly Dreams
Buy it here: http://www.kningdisk.com/09_shop_main.asp?id=09
-mark
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