Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
black moth super rainbow, holy fuck, shugo tokumaru
Hand Drawn Dracula just released the Vicious Circles EP featuring Black Moth Super Rainbow, Holy Fuck, and Shugo Tokumaru all covering each others' songs. It's available for FREE on HDD's Facebook page. GET IT
Saturday, December 10, 2011
male bonding
Dudes dudes dudes.. Do you heart the 90's as much as me ? Male Bonding put out a new record, Endless Now, a couple months back and its pretty great. Dirty pop punk played by dirty Brits.
This is the video for "Tame the Sun".
Thursday, December 8, 2011
mini video/jam
I recorded this jam on a phone voice memo a couple weeks ago (i added a guitar). The footage is stuff from today and yesterday on my Hero HD.
teenage cool kids
They really are cool. Of all the bands I encountered in my years spent in Denton, Tx none do I admire more than Teenage Cool Kids. Throughout college I saw their shows all over town, and I was even lucky enough to catch them at Danger Danger Gallery when I first moved to Philly. The first time I saw them perform was in Summer of 2008 with Wax Museums at the house on Panhandle St. where some of the members lived. My friends Adam and Jamie invited me after work so I rushed over in my pizza delivery uniform. The house was crammed wall-to-wall with unkempt hipsters that made it smell like an armpit. When they started playing, the energy of the small room burst into an indie a-bomb. It was absolute madness, and I had pushed my way up to the front to participate in it all. People that couldn't fit into the house watched from outside through the living room windows. It may have been the combination of drunken emotion and "girlfriend-just-dumped-me" angst, but this show left a huge impression on me. I couldn't wait for their next show, and their tape (which included the Remember Me as a Silhouette EP & Queer Salutations) did not leave my car tape deck for at least the rest of the summer.
Denton After Sunset was officially released on Tuesday and is likely to be the last TCK album. Guitarist/Vocalist, Andrew Savage, now lives in Brooklyn and performs with his band of Denton transplants, Fergus and Geronimo (also rad). This album is a perfect note for the band to end on. Unlike earlier recordings, where Savage will often sing in a strained high register, his vocals are lower, and the songs (for the most part) a bit more calm. Many of the songs talk about the significant spots and memories from being the road. "Kachina Doll" is my personal favorite; a slow burner with cranked, dissonant guitars that mourns the lost traditions of the American Southwest. "Landlocked State" also talks about being exhausted and miles away from your bed in Texas. I'm also pleased to see they included "Beyond the Grasp of Guilt", one that I was always feelin' when I saw them live, but never knew what the title was.
Earlier TCK records sound as if Built to Spill secretly put out an album before their first one (listen to "Tryna Decide"). These records were comprised of indie rock party starters that produced that raw energy I witnessed on Panhandle St. Listening to Queer Salutations front to back makes you realize that Savage has a knack for writing poignant lyrics that don't sound pretentious or contrived. It's even easier to hear them in the more comfortable, lower octave he sings in on Denton After Sunset. The title of the record alone is a perfect 3-word description of its contents. While Denton has lost one of its finest, the album is a sincere tribute to the college town. Go to their bandcamp and buy it for only $6.66!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
bombay bicycle club
Bombay Bicycle Club just announced they will be headlining a U.S. / Canadian tour early next year. My man, Casey Green, told me he saw them a few months back in NYC and that they were rad. I must agree. Here are some dates:
2/14/12 San Diego, CA @ The Casbah (21+)
2/15/12 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre (All Ages)
2/16/12 San Francisco, CA @ The Rickshaw Shop (18+)
2/17/12 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (21+)
2/18/12 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café (21+)
2/20/12 Vancouver, BC @ Venue (19+)
2/21/12 Kamloops, BC @ Blue Grotto (19+)
2/22/12 Calgary, AB @ Republik (18+)
2/23/12 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room (18+)
2/25/12 Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre (All Ages)
2/26/12 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry (18+)
2/27/12 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean (17+)
2/29/12 Columbus, OH @ The Basement (All Ages)
3/1/12 Toronto, ON @ Mod Club (19+)
3/2/12 Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Mile End (18+)
3/3/12 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (18+)
3/5/12 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (18+)
3/7/12 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club (All Ages)
3/8/12 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s (All Ages)
3/9/12 Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs (18+)
3/10/12 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer (All Ages) ****YEAH******
2/15/12 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre (All Ages)
2/16/12 San Francisco, CA @ The Rickshaw Shop (18+)
2/17/12 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (21+)
2/18/12 Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café (21+)
2/20/12 Vancouver, BC @ Venue (19+)
2/21/12 Kamloops, BC @ Blue Grotto (19+)
2/22/12 Calgary, AB @ Republik (18+)
2/23/12 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room (18+)
2/25/12 Winnipeg, MB @ West End Cultural Centre (All Ages)
2/26/12 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry (18+)
2/27/12 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean (17+)
2/29/12 Columbus, OH @ The Basement (All Ages)
3/1/12 Toronto, ON @ Mod Club (19+)
3/2/12 Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Mile End (18+)
3/3/12 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (18+)
3/5/12 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (18+)
3/7/12 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club (All Ages)
3/8/12 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s (All Ages)
3/9/12 Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East Downstairs (18+)
3/10/12 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer (All Ages) ****YEAH******
Sunday, December 4, 2011
newermind
So I was listening to some of the tracks SPIN put out for the 20th anniversary of the release of Nirvana's Nevermind. I hate to say it but they were pretty disappointing. This could be because I've listened to the album so many times but some of the covers are pretty terrible. Some of the up-and-comers SPIN found to cover a song from Nevermind seemed like weird choices, but maybe I just don't know enough about the different bands histories. Bands like The Vaselines and The Meat Puppets come back to cover great songs from a band that was covering their songs back then. But, (hate to say it) the Surfer Blood and Titus Andronicus tracks seem totally pointless to me. Here's my two favorite tracks from SPIN's Newermind.
Friday, December 2, 2011
wavves
What if Green Day had never put on eyeliner or gone all broadway on us? What if after Dookie they only got cooler? Ok, that's how I feel about Wavves. They released Life Sux EP a couple a months ago and I'm about halfway in love with it. Meaning I like half the songs on it. There is a few that sound like terrible versions of previous songs, but "I Wanna Meet Dave Grohl" makes up for them ( minus the "Never gonna stop me"'s. No one is trying to stop you). I am a huge fan of King of the Beach and Wavvves, so Life Sux receives the bronze. It's pretty hit or miss. The idea of putting a live track and some collaborations with other cool bands is great, but I wish Nathan Williams could have experimented more with his songs. It seems he has abandoned all the peculiar and bizarre and stuck with the catchy pop punk that you can't say "no" to. Either way, he's going on the Weezer Cruise. Lucky bastard..
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
king krule
Gingers do have soul. I have been listening to the King Krule EP that was released earlier this month and I'm feeling it. Last year, Archy Marshall was just a sixteen year old with a bandcamp account he was posting on under the name Zoo Kid. Now, at seventeen, he is gaining notoriety in Europe and more recently in the U.S. as King Krule. His style sounds much closer to jazz then any type of rock/pop music. With a voice like Billy Bragg drunkenly wrestling Joe Strummer, Marshall's songs base themselves around the warm guitar and his distinctive vocals. This EP is only five tracks long so listener beware : you will want more.
CMJ 2011: King Krule performs "The Noose of Jah City" at Shea Stadium
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
dr. dog
Dr. Dog (local healers) released this little 7 inch last Friday to promote consumers heading to their local independent record stores on "black Friday". The art was done by the band as well as the packaging (look). The songs are a perfect early Christmas/Hanukkah present for all the little pups out there. This is a video of them performing "Control Yourself" at their show this past week at Kung Fu Necktie.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
cults
I saw this video this morning and had to share it. The band Cults, a duo based out of New York, released their self-titled debut album this past June and this video plays off their name. For those familiar with The Jonestown cult, this video is an eerie look at the events leading up to the tragic massacre that occurred there. The song adds to the vibe with layered, echoey vocals singing the main hook in a cult-like unison. The video for "Go Outside" comes off as seamless, integrating the band members in to original footage of Jim Jones' large assembly of people that he lead to Guyana and eventually to their doom. Cults will be playing in Philadelphia on January 13 at Union Transfer. Let's get weird!
Friday, November 25, 2011
white denim
I come originally from Texas and many of my oldest, dearest friends still live there. I took an extended stay there this summer and a friend of mine, Ralph, showed me a local Austin band that had just put out a new album and was blowing up. As we listened to their cd, I felt like a Dead-head that drank a 4-pak of Red Bulls. The guitars wailed over a spot-on rhythm section as their hypnotizing vocals whispered an unmistakable subliminal message in my ear: "Hey.. We're White Denim, and we're rad."
I saw White Denim over the summer in Austin, Tx at La Zona Rosa. Standing front row right in front of lead singer James Petralli, I probably came off as more of a drunken jack-ass then the intellectual writer/musician/artist that (I swear) I am. As they took the stage, I shouted "WHITE DEEEE!" at Petralli while he set up (he thought it was funny). Not the best way to network, but hey, tequila, right? Anyway, the set was phenomenal. In the past year or so, I'd started to become very jaded and cynical when it came to guitar solos. Yes, they can be impressive at times, but they can easily come off as trite fluff to take the place of a verse. These shredders reminded me just what the difference is between wanking around to fill time and really playing solos that do something for the song. They take all the best qualities from psychedelic, progressive, and classic rock to create a fresh sound that renewed my faith in the guitar solo. This year they released an EP Takes Place in Your Work Space at the end of October after releasing their album D back in May. They're currently on tour with Wilco and will be headed up the West coast by January/February. This is a great video for their single off of D , "Drug".
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
gauntlet hair
So I keep hearing/seeing the name Gauntlet Hair everywhere. I walked by the TLA this past summer and saw their name on the marquee and thought "Hm." I couldn't decide if I liked the name or not. Turns out I do. Put on "I Was Thinking" for a blown-out groove that will get you moving 'round a dance floor (or in my case, my kitchen). The band tours as a four piece but the two main members are BFF's since the age of 15 from Colorado. They seem to have found the perfect balance between reverb-y dance and cranked indie guitar jams. Released in October, their self-titled debut album is a great introduction to an experimental band with a lot of promise. They will be returning to Philly next month to play Milkboy on December 4th. I will see you there!
Monday, November 21, 2011
real estate / big troubles
Saturday, November 19, 2011
dale earnhardt jr.jr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. is going to be in Philadelphia on December 13 and I'm kicking myself for having to leave town that same day. These guys are pop rock monsters that aren't going to let you go to any average show. And they demonstrate how to be seriously good with out being too serious. DEJ Jr. is a collaboration between Josh Epstein and Daniel Zott. They met after Epstein saw Zott perform and after the show, suggested the two combine forces. The unlikely duo quickly found they could craft indie pop songs with mass appeal. In 2010 they released the Horsepower EP which was recorded on a single microphone in Zott's basement (frugal!). Their full length It's a Corporate World came out earlier this year and their popularity has spread nationwide. Please go in my stead and SEE THEM!
Friday, November 18, 2011
bubonic bear / furnace
It feels good to blow off a little steam at the end of the working week. Bubonic Bear and Furnace will be blowing off ALOT tonight at the Spruce Caboose with some sludge punk guaranteed to throw ya neck out. No need for showy, over-the-top metal solos for Bubonic bear. Just driving, thrashy doom played by a duo of punks with a knack for switching up their phrasing and timing to keep you on your toes right before they knock you on your ass. These Philly locals will be releasing Fleshworld in December and will hit the road mid-month for their Tour of the American South (no Texas though..) . Furnace, Now Denial (both on tour from Boston) and Heavy Medical (great name) will be playing with Bubonic Bear tonight at the Spruce Caboose. 8:30 pm, 5$
Thursday, November 17, 2011
cheap time / mannequin men
Throw back the last of your bourbon and get out to see Tennessee trio Cheap Time blow it up at Kung Fu Necktie tonight with some help from Mannequin Men and The Tough Shits. You will get blasted by Stooge-y, cranked guitar and sputtering rude vocals.. and you will love it. We're still waiting for a follow up to their Cheap Time LP, but here is a video they released this year.
Another one direceted by Denton, Tx local TV's Daniel, "Glitter and Gold":
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
youth lagoon
In the months since Year of Hibernation's release at the end of September, it's hard to get away from Youth Lagoon. Trevor Powers spent 2010 writing the album, emotional keyboard ballads with vocals that range from powerful and haunting as his press shot stare, to soft and subtle as his jawline. The guy's got unrefined talent and heart. His relentless touring paid off. People are started to take notice and Fat Possum picked him up to release Hibernation. Powers is twenty-two and currently tourng with Youth Lagoon along with Young Magic(barely legal!). They will be performing at Milkboy tonight with Philly locals Nothing. This is a great video of him performing "July"
ganglians / friends
Is it too cold to go surfing? Nah.. Ganglians (combination of the words "gangs" and "aliens") came out with Still Living, their follow up to 2009 album Monster Head Room, in August. They are still living and and still twanging it up with spacey far-out lo-fi surf rock sing-alongs. All the way from Sacramento, CA, they will be performing tonight in Philly at Kung Fu Necktie with their friends, Friends. Check out Ganglians' songs "Valiant Brave"(2009) & "Jungle"(2011)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
balam acab / power animal
Alec Koone has it made. After moving to Ithaca, NY to study music education, he drops out and turns swiftly around to return to his parents house. This may not sound right, but trust he does, in fact, have it made. Better known as Balam Acab, Koone started learning how to download samples of sounds and songs from the internet and digitally manipulated them into ambient jams with soft tones and hard grooves. The electronic notes and noise fumble and fight to the foreground of the songs before locking together to form ambient beats. Add an indiscernable vocal-sample-glaze across the top and Koone creates a sound some call "witch house". Soon after posting his songs on his Myspace page there was such a demand for Balam Acab that he decided to put school on hold and focus solely on his own music. He released his first EP See Birds last year on Tri Angle. He currently resides in Mechanicsburg, PA with his parents (free rent!). He is on a month long tour promoting his debut album, WANDER / WONDER, and will be playing at Johnny Brenda's (Philadelphia,PA) tonight with Gracie and Power Animal (they're rad).
Motion #3 - Balam Acab from Maiya on Vimeo.
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