Coachella 2006
Not that I'll go [I am sure as hell thinking about it though], but the lineup for the 2006 edition of Coachella has been announced. I am still waiting on a full schedule. It takes place in the middle of the desert in Indio, CA. If you go, bring lots of water and a digital camera so you can get pictures with the cast of The O.C. and Jared Leto.
SAT APRIL 29
Depeche Mode
Franz Ferdinand
Sigur Ros
Common
Damien Marley
Atmosphere
Carl Cox
My Morning Jacket
Ladytron
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
Posca
Cat Power
Animal Collective
Hard-Fi
Devendra Banhart
She Wants Revenge
The Walkmen
The Juan Maclean
Audio Bullys
Lady Sovereign
Deerhoof
The Duke Spirit
Editors
Stellastarr
Lyrics Born
The Zutons
White Rose Movement
Colette
Wolf Mother
The Living Things
Nine Black Alps
Youth Group
SUN APRIL 30
Tool
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Bloc Party
Paul Oakenfold
Scissor Sisters
Matiasyahu
James Blunt
Mogwai
TV On The Radio
Sleater Kinney
Gnarls Barkley (Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo)
Coldcut
Digable Planets
Amadou Mariam
Little Louie Vega
Mylo
Seu Jorge
Phoenix
Wolf Parade
The Go! Team
Metric
Imogen Heap
Art Brut
Dungen
The Dears
Jamie Liddell
The Magic Numbers
Los Amigos Invisibles
Jazzanova
Michael Mayer
Mates of State
Gilles Peterson
Gabriel & Dresden
The Subways
Minus the Bear
Be Your Own Pet
Giant Drag
You only miss Lifetime twice
In August of 2005, I was getting ready to leave for California. Claremont Graduate University had accepted me into their Cultural Studies program and it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Meanwhile Lifetime, the greatest Jersey Hardcore band of all time was gearing up for a few reunion shows in Philly. Scheduled to perform at the August 2005 Hellfest in Trenton, NJ, Lifetime’s performance was one of the show’s major draws. But just two days before the event, Hellfest was cancelled. MTV News reported, “Sovereign Bank Arena required Hellfest's organizers to obtain policies from an "A8 rated" insurance company, which VanderPoel admits was never done. But he told the paper that the arena never specified what rating the insurer needed to have. He was notified Tuesday morning, via fax, of the insurance snag and was given until Wednesday morning to right the alleged wrong, or Hellfest would be buried.” Following the cancellation of Hellfest, Lifetime and R5 Productions quickly put together 3 shows for that weekend, a Friday and Saturday show in Philadelphia and a Sunday show in New Jersey. The three Lifetime shows were rumored on Wednesday and finally announced on Thursday. By Friday they were completely sold out. If it had been any other weekend, I probably would have been at every show. Unfortunately, it was the weekend before I was moving across the country. I had things to do, goodbyes to say, plans to keep. When I left for California, I left Lifetime behind me too. Or so I thought. After coming back from my winter break, I discovered that Lifetime was playing 3 more reunion shows on the west coast. Even before I could get my hopes up, All three shows sold out. Lifetime called it quits the first time before their 2nd disc came out in 1997. They were gone before the first time I heard them. In March they are supposed to tour in support of a new double of CD of old material. You only miss Lifetime twice right? Somewhere in the Swamps of New Jersey on Jade Tree Records will be released March 21, 2006. Reporting From California, Joey Coombe[Quick note: Joey is a friend of mine from my days at WCUR and he was my Assistant Music Director before he became GM. The highlight of our relationship was the DC vs. NJ show we did in late 2003.]
Lupe Fiasco
Kanye West's sophomore album, The Late Registration was one that I totally slept on last year, and honestly, I have yet to really spend a lot of time with it. One song that I am totally rocking on it is "Touch The Sky," where Kanye gets down with Chicago's [the city, not the pop group] Lupe Fiasco. He's on the cover of this month's Fader -- and it's even the front! His debut, Food & Liquor, will be out sometime this spring on Atlantic Records.
Definitely add him as a friend on MySpace because you can download two of his mixtapes for free!
MySpace: Lupe Fiasco
Audio: "Kick, Push"
Mystery Jets
So the news that is making my Monday morning rule is this: the Mystery Jets are making their first foray into the States this spring with a release and a tour. 679 / Star Time International will drop the band's Flotsam & Jetsam EP on April 11th with some live dates that will do a good job in showcasing this group's quirky, dancey sound.
March 16 - Austin, TX - SXSW Showcase
March 17 - Austin, TX - Filter Party
March 20 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
March 21 - San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
March 24 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
March 25 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
March 27 - Toronto, ONT - Mod Club Theatre
MySpace: Mystery Jets
Audio: "Zoo Time"
Walter Meego
Describing themselves as a "mutant dance rock" band, Chicago group Walter Meego seize the dance floor with an unabashed fury. Having already shared the stage with the likes of Tom Vek, Hard-Fi and Caribou, it's a wonder that these guys haven't blown up yet. I guess it's only a matter of time. Check out their webapge--they have a lot of hot shows coming up in the Chicago area!
MySpace: Walter Meego
Audio: "Through A Keyhole"Audio: "Through A Keyhole" [Walter's Emotional Robot Mix]
The Subways: Contest!
OK everyone, here's the deal: we all know and love The Subways. Their debut album dropped in the U.K. last year, it was a huge hit and made a ton of year-end lists, including mine. To gear up for the U.S. release of Young For Eternity on Feb. 14th, the good folks over at Filter are sponsoring a contest with me, with one lucky reader winning a Subways t-shirt [click on the Filer Store link below to see what the shirt looks like] and a signed copy of their debut album! I am going to make it simple: all you have to do is post your height in the comments section and I will choose a winner at random on Monday. Good luck!
Audio: Rock N' Roll Queen"
Audio: "Staring At The Sun" [TVOTR Cover]
Purchase the T-shirt & CD: Filter Store
The Joggers News
Looks like The Joggers are up to their old tricks, and we all know what that is -- rocking our asses off! Here is some news from the latest Star Time dossier:"It seems like the whole world is gearing up for the musical juggernaut known as South by Southwest. And why not? The festival just gets better every year. So with that in mind, the Joggers have announced their first set of dates leading up to the big shindig. After Texas they’ll be heading to the East Coast to tear things up so look out! See this band!Mar 10 2006 8:00P UC DAVIS Davis , CA
Mar 11 2006 8:00P Bottom of the hill San Francisco, CA
Mar 12 2006 8:00P the echo Los Angeles, CA
Mar 13 2006 8:00P CASBAH San Diego, CA
Mar 14 2006 8:00P Vaudeville cabaret Tuscon, AZ
Mar 16 2006 8:00P SXSW Austin, TX
Mar 19 2006 8:00P Walter's Houston, TX
Mar 21 2006 8:00P The Earl Atlanta, GA
Mar 23 2006 8:00P Black Cat backstage Warshington DC, DC
Mar 25 2006 8:00P ROTHKO NY, NY
Mar 26 2006 8:00P Bar Night club New Haven, CT
Mar 27 2006 8:00P Middle east (U) Boston, MA
Mar 31 2006 8:00P Schuba's Chicago, IL
Apr 3 2006 8:00P O'Leaver's Pub Omaha, NE
Apr 4 2006 8:00P Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
Apr 5 2006 8:00P Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UTBy the way, we’re not lying low this SxSW so stay tuned for more exciting details."Audio: "Era Prison"Video: "Hot Autism [Quicktime]
Division Day
According to their website, Division Day formed deep in the woods of Santa Cruz and since then they have released an EP, toured with bands such as Tristeza, Cass McCombs, Xiu Xiu, The Velvet Teen, McClusky, and Dredg and recorded an album, Beartrap Island. The group is teetering on big things, approximating a sound that is much like a football match between Fugazi and The Verve with Leonard Cohen as the ref. If everything comes together as planned, the album, should be out by March to coincide with their residency at The Echo [in LA].
MySpace: Division Day
Audio: "Tigers"
Linfinity
The new Linfinity album is finished and according to my magic 8-ball, 2006 is going to be their year! They are a band that I first covered back in November, and everything that their previous material promised shines through on A Manual For Free Living Vol. I: Sedition.
MySpace: Linfinity
Audio: "Wartime Melody"
Ester Drang
Rocinate, the third album from Ester Drang dropped today on Jade Tree, and as in the past, the band successfully harnesses a sound somewhere between The Postal Service and The Notwist, easily pairing throbbing percussion with thick layers of synths and delicate vocals. Oh yeah, and don't forget to see the band on tour'--they're totally a good time!
01/26/2006 Seattle, WA United States @ Neumo's Crystal Ball Reading Room01/27/2006 Portland, OR United States @ Doug Fir Lounge01/29/2006 Hollywood, CA United States @ Knitting Factory Hollywood01/30/2006 San Francisco, CA United States @ Bottom of the Hill02/28/2006 Atlanta, GA United States @ The Earl03/01/2006 Chapel Hill, NC United States @ Wetlands03/03/2006 Philadelphia, PA United States @ The Khyber03/04/2006 New York, NY United States @ Knitting Factory New York03/05/2006 Cambridge, MA United States @ T.T. The Bear's Place03/08/2006 Chicago, IL United States @ Empty Bottle03/09/2006 Minneapolis, MN United States @ Triple Rock Social Club03/11/2006 Norman, OK United States @ The Opolis
MySpace: Ester Drang
Audio: "Valencia's Dying Dream"
Mellowdrone: Interview
By Dany Sloan
Dany: Your new album comes off as a mishmash of different sounds and ideas. How did the album come together and what influenced you to make the album sound the way it does?Jonathan: The album is a collection of songs written over approximately four years.All the songs were written in drastically different points in my life, so I view it as a mix tape of different snapshots of mental state and naivete. Ultimately, I just wanted to make something nice.Dany: Are you nervous being on a major label during a time when the big labels are losing ground?Jonathan: I didnt really sign to a major. 3E is the label I signed to, who they get to distribute it is their business. It's pretty much three dudes who run it, and they are all homies. Ultimately, if it isn't your time, it isn't your time, you know?Dany: What was it like touring with Johnny Marr?Jonathan: It was one of the richest experiences in my life. He's the most down-to-earth guy and was incredibly kind to me. He was kind enough to take us out for his entire tour around the world. He let us sleep on his bus cause we had no cash & shit. I had never seen Europe before. There I was, in Holland somewhere, on his bus at like 4 in the morning trading mp3s and Smiths' stories with Johnny Marr! His crew would bust out drinks and play GTA. Whenever my gear would break, he'd let me use his shit -- it was a boy's dream.Dany: How did you go about assembling the current incarnation of the band?Jonathan: Just mutual friends really. Tony DeMatteo and I have been playing since forever. I met him when i would play open mics and shows at the Troubadour, opening up for whoever was rolling through town that night. Brian, our drummer and my roommate, was in a band with Tony when they were in high school. Cam and I went to Berklee in Boston together and used to go to shows and hang. We have a lot of fun and I really enjoy their company.Dany: You seem to be big on constantly reinventing your songs. Why is that and what do you think it adds to the overall make up of the band?
Jonathan: Hopefully, when one writes a song, it's strong enough to be able to be dressed up anyway and still come across, and all great songs have that. Not that I'm saying I've done it yet, but if you're going to shoot for a goal, why not aim higher than high? Plus playing a song like "Beautiful Day" in a bossa nova every once in a awhile gets me off. I guess the final answer is because it's fun.Dany: How was it working with Tony Berg?Jonathan: I learned a lot from the guy. Musically, the guy's an encyclopedia. I really admire that, so I try and learn as much as can from him, and as long as he's willing to share his experiences, I'm going to listen. That and we can really have at it -- argue and fuck with each other and then be cool three minutes later. That's rare for me. Him and his family were and are very kind to me.
MySpace: Mellowdrone
Audio: "Oh My"
Editors: Show review
Last night at Great Scott, The Twenty Twos and Editors performed to a packed house, with the former band easily besting their last trip to Boston. While I am fan of Editors' The Back Room, the songs took on new life at the show, proving that the best place to experience a band is in front of a stage. Lead singer/guitarist Tom Smith boiled over with energy, frequently thrusting his guitar over his head and running back and forth on the tiny Great Scott stage. The band will be back this spring for SXSW and their debut album hits the States in April on The Fader Label.
Go over to Bradley's Almanac for mp3s of the entire show! Seriously! [I would also like to thank him for the above picture, too].
Audio: The Twenty Twos "She Does"
Boston: Shows this weekend
The Lashes: Interview
Christine Ernest
Seattle rock outfit The Lashes might seem new to the scene, but they formed back in 2000. You might remember their debut EP on Lookout Records, the irresistibly catchy "The Stupid Stupid." Now their full-length album "Get It" is set to be released on February 24th. Lead singer Ben recently took some time out to chat with Exitfare about being from a flashpoint like Seattle and why Rodney Dangerfield deserves to be atop of everyone’s most-played list.
Christine: How did you guys hook up with Red Ink/Columbia?
Ben: Isn’t hook-up a high school way to say “make-out?” Are you trying to imply that we are having relations with our label people? Cause if you are, that is totally not the case at all! I swear nothing inappropriate has happened at all. Some guy came up, said he liked our songs and gave us the standard “rich and famous” contract. Then he made us sleep with him. But I swear, that is all that happened!
Christine: What can your fans expect from your debut full-length Get It?
Ben: Our fans can expect to love our record so much that they sing along with it from the minute they wake up till the minute they go to bed. Everyone who hates us can expect to still secretly be a fan.
Christine: How was it working with a producer like John Goodmanson (Sleater-Kinney and Blonde Redhead)?
Ben: When we recorded our EP with John, we were really nervous because we loved all of the records he had made so much. It was an obvious choice to go back to him for Get It because we had developed such a great relationship. By the time we were finished recording, Jacob and I were feeding his dogs and house sitting for him whenever he went out of town. We would sit around in robes drinking wine while watching movies On Demand and say, “Ohhhh yeahhh, we are totally in the guy who recorded Nirvana’s house!” Then Jacob would lick the Harvey Danger gold record…that part was weird.
Christine: Seattle seems to be quite the breeding ground of some great bands in the past few years. What was it like starting out in a hotspot like Seattle?
Ben: Seattle has so many truly awesome bands that it is a crime more people can’t come sleep on our floor and go to shows with us. With so many great bands it means competition for shows…fans and jobs at vintage clothing stores is fierce. We stay at the top of our game by practicing hard, playing great shows and flirting with everyone in a position of power.
Christine: You guys are touring the NW until early February and also making an appearance on the Late Show with Craig Ferguson. What else is up next?
Ben: The Lashes are going to spend the next year touring the world winning people over one dumb pop song at a time. When we get to a level where we are either famous or have paid enough magazines to become hyped, we will start doing hard drugs, dating b-list celebrities and doing interviews where we give super “serious” answers, cause you know what, we’re artists damnit! Nobody understands.
Christine: What have you guys been listening to lately?
Ben: Scotty got a 12” single of Rodney Dangerfield’s forgotten rap hit called “Rappin’ Rodney.” You think I’m joking, but I swear he plays the damn thing 13 or 14 times a day. It’s like “yo, yo, yo I can’t get no respect,” as if Rodney Dangerfield would rap anything else. On a related side note, my friend Alana’s dad produced one of Rodney’s movies when she was a young girl. One afternoon she went up to him on set as he took a break between scenes with the intention of introducing herself. As she put out her hand to shake his, she looked down to realize that his robe was open leaving his private parts completely exposed. I could probably make a joke connecting Rodney Dangerfield’s weiner and the lack of respect that he was well-known for, but I think that’s a little too below the belts…Get it?
MySpace: The Lashes
Audio: "Sometimes The Sun"
Video: "Sometimes The Sun" [Windows Media]
Birdmonster
I have been holding off on writing about this band for awhile for three reasons:1. I was caught up with a crazy summer, so they slipped through the cracks.2. Everyone else started writing about them, so I didn't want to contribute to overkill3. I didn't know how to translate my thoughts into words...until last night.I was on my way home from Shaw's and listening to my "2k6" mix and Birdmonster's "All The Holes In The Walls" came on and I was just floored. I've listened to this song before, but it just hit me how this band is able to harness that way you feel after one of those amazing late summer nights. Just picture it in your head: you're still buzzed, it's muggy as hell and you have a long subway ride home. The night's over, but somehow you don't want it to end.
Birdmonster's songs are beautiful snapshots of these slices of life, and if their EP is any indication, this is a band that will be knocking around for quite some time. They're recording their debut album now--check out their blog for updates from in the studio.
Also, they're gonna be playing out. Here are the dates:
Jan 30 2006: Spaceland (21+) Los Angeles, CA
Feb 1 2006: The Mezzanine (Bagel Radio 3rd Yr. Anniversary Show) San Francisco, CA
Feb 4 2006: The Kazem (all ages!) Brentwood (not L.A), CA
Feb 11 2006: The Metro (all ages) Oakland, CA
Mar 3 2006: Cafe du Nord (21+) San Francisco, CA
Mar 4 2006: Tokyo Garden (w/ Rademacher) Fresno, CA
Mar 6 2006: The Echo (free show!) 21+ Los Angeles, CA
Mar 10 2006: The Cavern (Gorilla vs. Bear Showcase) Dallas, TX
MySpace: Birdmonster
Audio: "All The Holes In The Walls"
Arctic Monkeys News
And the reviews are starting to roll in...
-NME
-Guardian
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What Im Not is out on Feb. 21st in the States, and on Jan. 23rd in the UK through Domino Records.
Here are the tour dates:
Monday 03/13: Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
Wednesday 03/15: Henry Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Friday 03/17: La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
DOMINO SXSW SHOWCASE! Featuring Arctic Monkeys, Test Icicles, The Beautiful New Born Children, Archie Bronson Outfit & special guests.
Saturday 03/18: Metro Chicago, IL
Tuesday 03/21: Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, ONT CANADAWednesday 03/22: La Sala Rossa Montreal, PQ CANADA
Thursday 03/23: Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
Saturday 03/25: Webster Hall New York, NY
Sunday 03/26: First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
Monday 03/27: 9:30 Club Washington, DC
Wednesday 03/29: Crocodile Cafe Seattle, WA
That's enough Arctic Monkeys for now...just watch the Bloc Party girl for the best video of the year!
British Accents
Maybe it's time I talk about radio a little more, and one show I do find myself checking out fairly often is British Accents, which is broadcast on 91.5 WMFO [Tufts University] here in Boston on Sundays from 4-6 pm EST. Don't worry, if you live somewhere else you can check out the show through Itunes [go to radio and look under public for "WMFO"] or at WMFO's website.
According to their site, they started out playing all British bands, but have since diversified and "now play British-influenced music from the US, Sweden, Australia, etc. The radio show is still more than 90% British music."
Find British Accents on MySpace
Exitfare Takes Manhattan
I am hitting NYC this weekend, mostly for some meetings for work, but also for some other random fun. I'll definitely be at Misshapes Saturday night, mostly because Tom Vek is going to be spinning. It will also be my first time there since they moved to Don Hill's.
Not sure what else is going on, but I am sure I'll stumble upon something.
Has anyone heard that new Three 6 Mafia song "Poppin'My Collar"? Holy shit, I can't get enough of that!
The Cleveland Browns
It's January and normally us hardcore Northeasters are bundled up and battling snow. Not this weekend: there's not a cloud in the sky and the mercury is pushing 60! On the subway to work this morning, I was listening to my dance mix and up popped the stellar "I (Heart) Kylie" from Madison, WI's Cleveland Browns. My friend Jenny clued me into them about a year ago, but they fell to the wayside until I rediscovered them on I'm Just Sayin' Is All....
The Browns have four songs that you can download on their side, and they are all shimmery, beautiful glitch pop masterpieces that could have been made by Kylie Minogue, but only if she were a record collecting geek. Check out their tribute to the Australian pop princess below!
Audio: "I (Heart) Kylie"
The Duke Spirit
When The Duke Spirit released their debut album Cuts Across The Land last year, it quickly became apparent that springing for the import was the right thing to do. Lead singer Liela Moss is somewhere in between P.J. Harvey or Kim Gordon fronting The White Stripes--with all of the primal energy that she and her bandmates exude, at their heart lies something sweet and almost tender.
The album will see a proper stateside release on March 7th through Star Time with a full national tour paired with one of Exitfare's favorite artists, Ted Leo/Rx!
03/02/06 Brooklyn, NY - The Hook 03/03/06 Providence, RI - The Living Room 03/04/06 Boston, MA - Paradise 03/05/06 New Haven, CT - Toad's Place 03/06/06 Rochester, NY - Bug Jar 03/07/06 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop 03/08/06 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig 03/10/06 Chicago, IL - The Abbey Pub 03/11/06 Newport, KY - Southgate House 03/12/06 Nashville, TN - Exit / In 03/13/06 Little Rock, AR - Vinos 03/14/06 Dallas, TX - Gypsy Tea Room 03/15/06 San Antonio, TX - Sanctuary 03/19/06 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington 03/20/06 Baton Rouge, LA - Chelsea's Café 03/22/06 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club 03/23/06 Charlotte, NC - Casbah at Tremont Music Hall 03/24/06 Washington, DC - Black Cat 03/26/06 New York, NY - Knitting Factory
The Duke Spirit will return to the States in April to play Coachella.
Audio: "Cuts Across The Land"
Devics
On Devics' fourth album, Push The Heart, the duo create what is described as a "revelation" and "a new beginning" by retracing their steps and completely reinventing the wheel. Their sound is lush and sophisticated, easily approxiamating Portishead and Throwing Muses. Made up of vocalist Sarah Lov and multi-instrumentalist/sometimes singer Dustin O'Halloran, the duo found a home in Italy after signing to the UK label Bella Union, gaining a following overseas with barely a notice at home. Determined to strike the same gold here, they returned to L.A. in 2004 and inked a deal with Filter U.S. Recordings.
Push The Heart hits stores on March 7th.
Find them on Myspace: Devics
Audio: "Come Up"
The Changes
By Christine Ernest
The Changes are one of those bands that make me scratch my head as to why they haven’t been signed to a label yet. The boys hail from Chicago, IL, and produce lush pop music with an underlying new wave tendency which results in songs that can’t help but make the listener feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Think The Police meet The Smiths with a little dash of XTC. The Changes were the only unsigned band to play this year’s Lollapalooza and they have opened up for artists such as Stephen Malkmus, Futureheads and most recently Ted Leo/Pharmacists. Up next for The Changes is a gig on the opening night gala of the Sundance Film Festival later this month. Drummer Jonny Basofin told Billboard, “It’s tough to be the opening act. People are sort of programmed to be annoyed by the opening act, so we try, at minimum, to get people to look like they’re having fun.” With The Changes’ rising popularity, I doubt they will serve as only an opening act much longer.
Befriend them on THE SPACE: http://www.myspace.com/thechanges
Audio: "When I Wake"
Arctic Monkeys News
Looks like the release of the debut Arctic Monkeys album is getting pushed up, according to Mardy Bum. Check the site for all of the pertinent info.
There has also been a slew of U.S. dates announced:
Monday 03/13: Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
Wednesday 03/15: Henry Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, CA
Friday 03/17: La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
DOMINO SXSW SHOWCASE! Featuring Arctic Monkeys, Test Icicles, The Beautiful New Born Children, Archie Bronson Outfit & special guests.
Saturday 03/18: Metro Chicago, IL
Tuesday 03/21: Phoenix Concert Theatre Toronto, ONT CANADAWednesday 03/22: La Sala Rossa Montreal, PQ CANADA
Thursday 03/23: Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
Saturday 03/25: Webster Hall New York, NY
Sunday 03/26: First Unitarian Church Philadelphia, PA
Monday 03/27: 9:30 Club Washington, DC
Wednesday 03/29: Crocodile Cafe Seattle, WA
I wonder if Alex Turner can strap his guitar any higher.
Look for me at the two bolded shows! Get pumped for the weekend!
Audio: "Dancing Shoes"
Video: "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor"
Against Me! News
According to CMJ, Against Me! has signed to Sire Records. I know this is a couple weeks old, but AM! doesn't seem to be "blogger cool" these days, so I haven't seen much discussion on the matter. It's sort of a surprising move considering the exposure the staunchly independent band had gained on Fat Wreck Chords. I've heard two songs from their latest album on commercial radio, seen a video on M2 and press in a million magazines, so really, what sort of additional platform does a major label offer?
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate major labels. In fact, I think they serve purpose and can work quite well for bands, and there are plenty of musicians on majors that I respect and enjoy. The thing with AM! is that they more or less stated that majors weren't their deal and built a successful niche for themselves outside of the mainstream, and as this past year has shown with artists like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Sufjan Stevens is that it is possible to be successful on one's own terms.
Audio: "Pints of Guiness Make You Strong"
Audio: "Cliche Guevara"
Audio: "Miami
Video: "Don't Lose Touch"
Arctic Monkeys
I am too tired to post anything that extensive, so here's a quick note about the Arctic Monkeys.Their debut album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, comes out January 30th [U.K.]/February 21st [U.S.] on Domino Records. Tracklisting is as follows:1. 'The View From The Afternoon' 2. 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' 3. 'Fake Tales Of San Francisco' 4. 'Dancing Shoes' 5. 'You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me' 6. 'Still Take You Home' 7. 'Riot Van' 8. 'Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured' 9. 'Mardy Bum' 10. 'Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But...' 11. 'When The Sun Goes Down' 12. 'From Ritz To The Rubble' 13. 'A Certain Romance'The 30th of January will also see the release of the "When The Sun Goes Down" [or "Scummy"] single. It looks like they're mixing up the b-sides:CD 1.When the Sun Goes Down 2.Sticking to the Floor 3.77” Vinyl 1.When the Sun Goes Down 2.Settle for a DrawAudio: "Dancing Shoes"
Run the Road & Grime in the 2k6.
On Pitchfork's year end top 50, the first Run The Road compilation made the cut at #13, but with what was essentially a back-handed compliment:
"Ha ha, remember grime? That late-nite p2p fight to stay tops on some fast-paced, viciously insider teen-scene, one that's thousands of miles away, hocked in new code daily with so many "key" players that the keyest of them's fantastic 679 debut, Kano's Home Sweet Home, somehow passed us by quicker than a Sheek Louch freestyle? This youthful genre's endless fountain of new means, possibly, endless rewards, but for how great some of these beats come, most grime kids still can't rhyme. The disillusion that followed from there, frankly, has been unfair-- so much of what we're hunting down, from what I can tell, is brute learning on the job, sometimes nothing serious at all. Which makes Run the Road invaluable not just as a one-stop-- all the cuts hit really hard, good rhymes, none of that grime&b shit-- but ideally as something of a standard bearer, a Now That's What I Call Music! we're not embarrassed to buy. Some people hacked at RtR because it was so out of date upon release-- some of these tracks are a few years old-- but run the numbers, that's probably why it's so damn great, too. --Nick Sylvester"
I really feel sorry for kids that take whatever Pitchfork says as gospel, and my fear is that many kids are going to eschew some of the great grime releases from this past year and those that will drop this year because of the P-fork dis. While the Kano album may have been dissed here, it's an album this is not to be missed, along with The Mitchell Brothers disc and fabulous Roll Deep album. This year should be even bigger with stuff on tap from Dizzee Rascal, The Streets and hoprefully a new Run The Road comp.
Here's some other stuff that should be going down soon
-Paperchase Recordings has put out a compilation of all of Davinche's Dirty Canvas 12"'s called Dirty Canvas: The Legacy. It came out on October 31st.
-Katie Pearl's debut album will drop on Paperchase Recordings. She's previously guested with Kano and Ghetto, among others.
-Sway will have an album out next month.
-Baby Blue has just released the Out of the Blue Vol. 2 mixtape and is popping up as a guest all over, especially with her bro Sway.
Audio: Sway "Little Derek [f/ Baby Blue]"
Audio: Roll Deep "Bus Stop"
Audio: Ghetto "Run The Road [f/ Katie Pearl"
Video: Baby Blue "Sometimes/I Still Don't Care"
