Posted on 14 October 2009
NAME: Caribou
PROGRESS REPORT: Mixing his still-untitled followup to 2007’sAndorra. Recorded at home in London.
“I’m not able to make music based on what people like. It’s a very selfish pursuit, in a way,” Caribou’s Dan Snaith says. And for Snaith, it’s also a very obsessive one. Unlike other easily distracted Progress Report subjects, Snaith says it’s hard for him to get pulled away from work — he usually has to be persuaded to leave the house. And he works very slowly. So even though he started working on the album over a year ago, he’s put in full days every day since. Right now his Andorra followup is 80% completed, and will probably be out by the spring.
Continue reading Progress Report: Caribou…
Posted on 13 October 2009
When we posted the video for Fever Ray’s “Seven,” I included a stream of her (and Van Rivers and The Subliminal Kid’s) take on Vashti Bunyan’s “Here Before.” As mentioned then, it shows up on a two-song tour 7″ along with a cover of Nick Cave’s “Stranger Than Kindness.” (Maybe you picked a copy up when she stopped by Webster Hall?) As far as the lineage, “Stranger”’s from Cave & The Bad Seed’s 1986 fourth album Your Funeral… My Trial. Cave’s then girlfriend/muse/collaborator/etc Anita Lane wrote the lyrics. Bad Seed/Einstürzende Neubautener Blixa Bargeld wrote the music and played guitar on the original. Dark period, dark stuff. This is what Karin Dreijer does with it.
Continue reading Fever Ray Covers Nick Cave…
Posted on 13 October 2009
Canada’s known for indie rock, so makes sense you’ll find plenty of homegrown talent (BSS, Stars) and international musicians (Wilco, Iron & Wine, Joan As Policewoman) near the slopes at Vancouver’s Winter Olympics. More names at CoS.
Posted on 13 October 2009
A $19.99 “iTunes Pass” gets you early downloads of three LP cuts (”I’m Your Daddy,” “Tripping Down The Freeway,” “Put Me Back Together”), two bonus rarities (”I Hear Bells,” an alternate “Cold Dark World”), and a live Clash cover. Or just stream 30 sec previews free.
Posted on 13 October 2009
We were recently introduced to Chris Taylor’s new label with Ethan Silverman, Terrible Records, via its first release Acrylics earlier this month. CT takes a production credit on that band’s debut EP, as he has for Dirty Projectors (Rise Above), Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (self-titled), and Grizzly Bear’s Yellow House and Veckatmest. No surprise then that Taylor handles all facets of the release, recording, and production for the solo track “Ghosts,” his first issue under the name Cant. It’s a great cut, and great fun for fans of Grizzly Bear curious to hear how their sound comes together. With Rossen’s (not quite solo project but still) Department Of Eagles, we got to hear a relatively unchecked expression of his unique compositional sense. There’s an interestingly crafted song here, too, but with Cant the emphasis is on sound and aural vibe first, which is what you’d expect from the hands that shaped Grizzly’s studio efforts: “Ghosts” packs (yes) ghostly harmonies, the odd tambourine hit, that distinctive bass tone and spacious yet filigreed arrangement. You know the voice from myriad GB backing vocals; it’s nice to hear it out front for a change. The track does mix an spectral airiness with an underwatery wobble, which makes sense with all the allusions to swimming — and drowning.
Continue reading New Cant (Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor) - “Ghosts”…
Posted on 13 October 2009
Remember when Rufus’ band opened for Sonic Youth? Well, SY returned the favor last night by playing an acoustic “Star Power” at his wedding to Lily (”Antenna” was heard earlier in the episode). Kim officiated the ceremony! Nate hates Sonic Youth! Watch the recap at Videogum.
Posted on 13 October 2009
New episodes start 12/9 on Sundance Channel. This second season at the Apollo will feature Elvis’ Q&A/performances with Bono and the Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Neko Case, Nick Lowe, Levon Helm, Ray LaMontagne, Richard Thompson, and others. Tivo!
Posted on 13 October 2009
Ducktails affiliate (and by extension Real Estate affiliate) Julian Lynch’s “Seed” is a warped and wobbling slice of somnambulatory bedroom psych, and director Amy Ruhl seizes on its bleary eyed tide with soft shots of a boy rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, postcards of mountains with rising ocean waves, full moons, and undulating tie-dyes. There are slow dissolves and flickering fantasy lands, making it a nicely paired visual accompaniment to a track that comes on like an extended dream sequence.
Continue reading New Julian Lynch Video - “Seed”…
Posted on 13 October 2009
The Massachusetts quartet’s forthcoming seventh album — one of the year’s heaviest and best — is streaming from start to finish at MySpace prior to its 10/19 release. Don’t get whiplash.
Posted on 13 October 2009
For the price of an email address at tomwaits.com you can hear the first eight songs from the 17-track collection documenting Waits’ 2008 tour. But you’ll need to buy the album to get the second CD “Tom Tales” containing 40 minutes of stage patter (seriously).
