White Rabbits @ The Firebird, 10/27/09
Photo by Allegra Fisher. More on Flickr »
I listen to the White Rabbits all the time when I’m just hanging out or driving – needless to say I really enjoy their music. But before tonight I’d never seen them play a live show before, and as such never had a clue just how rockin’ they really are. Hint: extremely rockin’. (more…)
This entry was written by , posted on October 30, 2009 at 1:01 am, filed under Live and tagged The Firebird, White Rabbits. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Let Them Know: The Story of Youth Brigade and BYO Records
When you look at the roster of BYO Records, also known as Better Youth Organization, it’s a venerable list of the punk rock elite. 7 Seconds, The Unseen, Throwrag, Alkaline Trio, One Man Army, Rancid, Hot Water Music, The Bouncing Souls, The Briefs, and Youth Brigade, just to name a few of the genre kings that were part of the family at this independent, Los Angeles based label. This label has been kicking out the jams since 1982 and now they want to throw a little party.
Pennywise – We’re Gonna Fight
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This entry was written by , posted on October 28, 2009 at 6:26 pm, filed under New Music and tagged BYO Records, Youth Brigade. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Q+A: Method Man
Expert Wu-Tang swordsman Method Man has been slicing the best MCs in the game since 1993. With iconic guest spots on his fellow clansmen’s albums and a longterm collaboration with Redman (see Blackout! and movie How High), Meth has always had a strong presence outside his legendary solo career. Meth talked to us about crowd walking and Wu-Tang, but whether or not he actually smoked a dead guy is left up to your imagination.
This entry was written by , posted on October 27, 2009 at 1:22 pm, filed under Q+A and tagged Method Man, Shaolin Style, Wu-Tang. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Anti-Pop Consortium – Fluorescent Black
So-called left-field hip-hop has increased in popularity recently after its relative disappearance in the late 90s. Electronica-infused hip-hop production has garnered the lime light with releases such as Kanye West’s 808s and Heartbreak and Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon: The End of Day. But long before Yeezy and Cudder ever considered integrating the synth so substantially, Anti-Pop Consortium was paving the way.
Anti-Pop Consortium – Capricon One
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This entry was written by , posted on October 26, 2009 at 5:38 pm, filed under New Music and tagged Anti-Pop Consortium, Fluorescent Black. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
“(It’s a) Gambler’s Whirl” – Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears
70s glam infused with pop overtones and funk production? Though one may expect a spastic song, Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears draw upon genres past to fuse together a surprisingly cohesive track. Coming from the band’s forthcoming Mad Valentines EP, it makes you want to start your weekend a few hours earlier.
Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears – (It’s a) Gambler’s Whirl
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This entry was written by , posted on October 23, 2009 at 3:35 pm, filed under New Music and tagged (It's a) Gambler's Whirl, Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Photos: The Egg @ The Old Rock House, 10/21/09
Photo by Nathan Burrell. More on Flickr »
The Egg – Forwards
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This entry was written by , posted on at 11:45 am, filed under Live and tagged The Egg, The Old Rock House. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Kings of Convenience – Declaration of Dependence
The most fun anyone can have with Norwegian folk-duo Kings of Convenience is imagining how they spend their time between albums. Sure, there are musical cameos and the ubiquitous side-project (The Whitest Boy Alive), but it’s taken the boys 5 years to finally dispatch a new album, Declaration of Dependence (their first for Virgin), from their Mexican hide-away and hit the road again. After all that time, you’d think they’d return with something more novel.
This entry was written by , posted on October 21, 2009 at 11:17 am, filed under New Music and tagged Declaration of Dependence, Erlend Øye, Kings of Convenience, Virgin Records. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Q+A: Nouvelle Vague
Recreating 1980s classics in bossa nova style isn’t easy – just ask French musical collective Nouvelle Vague. But, with the imminent release of their third album, NV3, the group continues to craft laid-back, loungy versions of early punk and new wave songs. We spoke with mastermind Olivier Lebaux about his cadre of vocalists, his love of new wave music, and featuring original artists on covers of their previous work on NV3.
Nouvelle Vague – Master & Commander
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This entry was written by , posted on October 19, 2009 at 7:05 pm, filed under Q+A and tagged Nouvelle Vague. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
The Heavy – The House That Dirt Built
This British group’s new album, The House That Dirt Built, their second full-length to date, is a dizzying array of funky, horn-driven hard-rock and reggae, splattered with multiple side-show sound effects and narrative-like conceptual bits. These bits range from a scary movie intro sample to a tumbleweedy, western-tinged interlude, and they don’t let up once the album begins. The experience is a lot like watching a well versed, enthusiastic cover band genre-hop at a county fair, complete with Elvis suit, Bob Marley wig, and multiple set changes.
The Heavy – Short Change Hero
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This entry was written by , posted on at 10:17 am, filed under New Music and tagged Ninja Tune, The Heavy, The House That Dirt Built. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
“No Slack” – Phaseone
What should you do when you “just bought a Cadillac?” St. Louis producer Phaseone remixes rapper Rich Boy’s answer off his mixtape White Collar Crime, complete with spiraling synths and an 80s bass groove. It’ll make you proud to “throw some D’s on that bitch” – Rich Boy said it, not me.
Phaseone – No Slack
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This entry was written by , posted on October 16, 2009 at 3:40 pm, filed under New Music. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.