Posted on 03 September 2010
School of Seven Bells are no strangers to unplugging their instruments. Yesterday they stopped by KCRW for a live studio performance of stripped down, shimmery selections from their latest album Disconnect From Desire. Check out the podcast to discover the inspiration behind the title of the album. If you catch them on tour, you may hear the ethereal cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Kiss Them For Me” they played during soundcheck.
Posted on 02 September 2010
On the eve of being named to our 40 Best New Artists Of 2010 list, UK producer Gold Panda headlined Glasslands Gallery on Kent St. in Williamsburg, live-mixing the beat snatches and effects pedal switches of his often dazzling singles and EPs, along with a presumably good dose of the material from his anticipated forthcoming full-length debut Lucky Shiner. The set opened with the LP’s “You” and closed, as any Gold Panda set should from now until his next quantum leap, with “Quitters Raga.” Ryan Muir was on hand to shoot the night, capturing openers Pink Skull and Bikini along the way.
Bunch of Gold Panda MP3s here, Lucky Shiner’s out 10/12 via Ghostly.
Posted on 02 September 2010
Land Of Talk’s “Quarry Hymns” video is beautifully shot, in black and white, with a single dancer moving in slow motion. There are a few ominous moments that cut through the gracefulness of the video. Because it’s new, and the trailer is new, it made me think of Darren Arononfsky’s upcoming film Black Swan, though “Quarry Hymns” is a much less dramatic soundtrack. The video was directed by Joseph Yarmush.
Read More…
Posted on 02 September 2010
When I posted Say God’s “Hoofprints On The Ceiling Of My Mind” I reiterated my respect for Daniel Higgs, talked about the influence he had on me as a youngster (via Lungfish), and his excellent solo material (that crusty combo of long-neck banjo, jew’s harp, noise, organ drone, bird songs, art, alchemy, his personal Gospel/life philosophy), etc. This time I can cut to the chase: Clairaudience Fellowship is Higgs’ gorgeous, expansively hushed (and not surprisingly devotional, profound) vinyl-only collaboration with Baltimore underground noise mainstay/Tarantula Hill community builder Twig Harper (see Scheme, Mini-Systems, especially Nautical Almanac). Harper explains the title (“Clairaudience: to hear beyond physical vibration. Fellowship: in a communal or collaborative way”) and the collection:
Read More…
Posted on 02 September 2010
Six-piece Family Of The Year have played around California for a bit, but they’re about to release their European debut, the Summer Girl EP. The band does include real family members, brothers Joe and Sebastian Keefe, but the band do all live together. “Let’s Be Honest” reflects their L.A. locale and their close quarters. It’s fully of warm, bright harmonies and surfy rhythms (and handclapped breakdowns). “Summer Girl,” one of those wistful, end-of-summer/summer romance songs, is nearly all vocal harmony with a little piano and guitar.
Read More…
Posted on 02 September 2010
Our love for Das Racist’s dadaist dipthongs, pithy wit raps, and punched-up Amitabh Bachchan-referencing rhyme schemes conclusively established in a love letter to the Shut Up, Dude mixtape (and bowling also), news of its powered-by-Diplo sequel Sit Down, Man’s imminent arrival is a highly exciting prospect. Plus, it features production from Chairlift and Class of 2010 freshmen Teengirl Fantasy, among others from the Stereogum tag set. There’s a trailer and everything, which is below, but in the interim we have the video for Shut Up’s “Who’s That? Brooown!” to fall back on, an 8-bit video game styled adventure that follows the DR crew on a mission not far from a Saturday in their real lives, starting a day in Queens and bouncing around the greater Williamsburg, BKLYN/QNZ area on a mission to track down their own hype man/spirit guru Dapwell. And other things, too, probably.
Read More…
Posted on 01 September 2010
Today Apple introduced iTunes 10 featuring Ping, a sort of social network based around your iTunes plays. According to Gizmodo:
Read More…
Posted on 01 September 2010
This Exploding Motor Car-directed video for No Ghost’s second single “Restoration” was shot on location at “the Mataseje Family Farm” in Beamsville, Ontario. The footage of the band at their time-lapse BBQ is pretty standard nature-folk/pop whatever, but once the sun drops they make beautiful use of simple lighting on the surrounding trees, leaves, moths, etc.
Read More…
Posted on 01 September 2010
As we prepare ourselves for this weekend’s pleasingly loud ATP NY (see: Holy Mountain, Superfuzz Bigmuff, Raw Power, Sunn O))) + Boris, SY, ATP regulars Fuck Buttons, etc.), it’s been announced that on 7/1 of next year Flaming Lips will do the 11-year-old The Soft Bulletin, Dinosaur the older Bug (one of my all-time favorites), and Deerhoof the less-than-classic Milk Man at London’s Alexandra Place as part of All Tomorrow’s Parties’ Don’t Look Back series. Tickets go on sale Friday 9/3. More info at ATP (via NME).
Posted on 01 September 2010
As I tweeted last month, you really can hear the Built To Spill influence on longstanding double-drumming Savannah quintet Kylesa’s beyond-excellent fifth full length, Spiral Shadow. It’s out 10/26 via Season Of Mist, will top year-end lists, etc. Until then, get a sense of how Doug Martsch-like guitar layering gets woven into anthemic psychedelic sludge metal via album opener “Tired Climb,” currently streaming at MySpace.
