Friday, July 30, 2010

Track(s) of the Day (with a short review): Junip - "Rope and Summit EP"










Junip - Rope and Summit EP



Download for free here


8.3








HANK ALTOGETHER:
2 for one day, baby! A free EP and a little micro review for y'all about Jose Gonzalez's folk-tronic act Junip. Honestly, I don't know why I doubted this record at all. First of all, it's legit free (all they ask in return is an email address) and secondly have you ever heard Jose Gonzalez do anything bad?

Well, his ability for persistent melodies over a cleverly picked nylon-string guitar line hasn't diminished. "Rope and Summit" manages to make a meal of a song with Jose simply intoning - "You gotta Rope that Summit / We need to wake up." Perhaps the most surprising thing to come out of this EP is the almost 80s sounding keyboards -- not in big washes that those synth kids like -- but in little beeps and bloops. The piano lines manage to accent and fill out the song at the same time.

There's nothing doddering and navel-gazing about this record. Every song drives and drives and drives, pulled by the sheer inertia. Gonzalez's bandmates -- Elias Araya (Drums) & Tobias Winterkorn (keys) -- prove themselves to be his match for musicianship. But you can't help but see Gonzalez's work over theirs: his is the foremost voice, if not the singular instrument.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Track Of The Day: Honey Loving Cells - "Drunk On The Moon"

ZACH THAT:

<a href="http://honeylovingcells.com/track/drunk-on-the-moon">Drunk On The Moon by Honey Loving Cells</a>

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

The Best Music Video of 2010

ZACH THAT:

Dancing Pigeons - Ritalin from Blink on Vimeo.

Breakdown of The Anthology of American Folk Music


HANK ALTOGETHER:
The 6-disc, 84-track, Harry Smith curated Anthology of American Folk Music is essential listening and important to own as probably the primary document of music in the United States. And if that doesn't sound like what your high school English teacher used to tell you why you should read Oliver Twist or why your parents told you to eat your broccoli, or why your girlfriend says you have to see Twilight (okay, maybe not that last one) -- well, sorry, but it's true.

The Anthology was a recent purchase for me, and like any good book, it makes you want to learn more, so I was stoked to see that Answers.com have an almost encyclopedic breakdown of key players with biographical info to enliven the already stunning tracks from Harry Smith's seminal collection.

Check that out here.

Also, check out our post about a Google Map of Smith's recordings here.

And, buy it here.

Track Of The Day: The Pass - "Trap Of Mirrors"



ZACH THAT:

My favorite Louisville electro-pop band, The Pass, announced their release date (Sept 21st), album art (above), and gave away their first single (below) for their debut LP BURST.  I'm super excited to unwrap what is set to be the most danceable and infectious release of 2010...too bad I have to wait until September.  Listen to this free mp3 to tide you over until then.  If you like what you hear, go to their BANDCAMP page and show them some love.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

REQUIRED LISTEN: SOARS


ZACH THAT:

Music can often play on memory, personal experience, dreams, and emotion.  Great music can make the listener feel something they never knew existed, filling a void that was never acknowledged.  This is my experience with the dreamy outfit SOARS.  There have been very few albums that twist and turn in the mind, every note a little bit off but only because of how we have been conditioned to listen. The Lehigh Valley, PA band is releasing their debut, self-titled LP in October which is perfect because the sounds they create will be a gentle warning of the oncoming cold of winter.  The music is a journey into an unknown soundscape that guides the listener through a gambit of reactions.  I compare the listen to the first time I heard Radiohead's Kid A.  They sound nothing alike, but SOARS, like Radiohead, have created a sound that defies time, space, memory, and ultimately life.  Jean-Pierre Melville once said, in Godard's masterpiece À bout de souffle, when asked about his life ambition, "To become immortal... and then die."  After hearing SOARS, I think I understand.

Track of the Day: J. Tillman - "Three Sisters

HANK ALTOGETHER:

You probably know J. Tillman best as the drummer of Fleet Foxes. But he's also made a name for himself as a solo artist, releasing 2 albums last year alone. This year's offering Singing Ax comes out Sept. 14 on Western Vinyl. The first taste is the haunting, prone "Three Sisters" where Tillman plays it close to the chest, until the chest bursts open.

Sharon Van Etten Take Away Show



Monday, July 26, 2010

Worst Concert Fail: MIA or Kings of Leon?


vs.

Kings of Leon: Shit in Mouth

...

...discuss...

Track Of The Day: J. Irvin Dally - "The Little Ones"

<a href="http://jirvindally.bandcamp.com/track/the-little-ones">the little ones by j. irvín dally</a>

Mountain Man Interview in American Songwriter

HANK ALTOGETHER:

If anything the recent conversation in the comments to the "Lo-Fi Low Brow" post I did this weekend has affirmed the recent love that Mountain Man's Made the Harbor got last week. Today, Largehearted Boy pointed out an interview with Alexandra Sauser-Monnig. Here's a couple choice parts.

The term “Appalachian Folk” comes up a lot with reference to Mountain Man, what was your exposure to Appalachian Folk before the band?

“Appalachian folk” is a misnomer, in my opinion. None of us are from Appalachia, and I think I am the only one of us who listens to any kind of country music. Amelia listens to a lot of electronic music like Animal Collective and Crystal Castles, and Molly listens Joni Mitchell and Neil Young and lots of contemporary music. We pump up the Fleetwood Mac and Foreigner and Ke$ha in the car. I only started listening to a lot of country music in the last four years.

Made The Harbor was recorded in an old ice cream parlor, how did that happen?

While it is indeed an old ice cream parlor, it is also the apartment of the friend of ours who recorded us.

How have your gigs been going? Is it harder or easier to grab people’s attention singing acapella?

Our shows have been good. We just got off of a tour with Twin Sister and Bear in Heaven, two bands whose sounds and energy levels couldn’t get much farther from ours, but even in the bar-where-people-are-waiting-for-synthed-out-rock setting, people were listening and quiet and respectful. It was extremely fun.

Read the rest here.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Lo-Fi Low Brow

HANK ALTOGETHER:
Lo-fi has become a hot topic of convo around the summertime WLFY retreat. Both Zach and I have spoken with extreme mistrust about the "it" lo-fi scene -- see Best Coast and Wavves among others (and yes, I remember Zach's Wavves review). I should mention that the distrust comes primarily from these self-lo-fi-identifying bands.

Well, Mike Conklin over at L Magazine figured out a way to voice my hesitation about the new Best Coast record (other than the fact that they won't stop playing it on Urban Outfitters.com). Noting the obvious talent in the record, Conklin ends with this nail-on-the-head summation of Bethany Cosentino's work -- after summing up choice quotations from the record about the travails and temptations of love, Conklin goes:
And yes, granted, loving someone is really difficult. It's powerful and all-consuming, and it's also the subject of a huge amount of the best pop songs of the past 60 years, so it's hard to hold it against Sorentino that she's willing to sing about nothing else (except for smoking weed—she seems to like smoking weed), but what's most troubling is the lack of nuance and poetry, let alone insight, in what she sings. It's all so plainspoken, so single-minded that it's nearly unbearable. It should also set off all sorts of feminist alarms: the extent to which our narrator seems to define herself in relation to a man is at best irksome and at worst extremely dangerous. This is the type of idea, though, that the album wouldn't dare engage with or acknowledge, and it's a shame. There are elements here that really do shine—they're just not quite bright enough.
Conklin's writing here is precise and blunt -- shouldn't we be caring more about things here? Why are indie lovers settling with cookie-cutter emotions. Has irony really capped off the ability to feel anything? So now we're left with quotations of quotations from others? Low-fi isn't deliciously low brow, it's disastrously so, Conklin suggests. I -- particularly in his summation of this Best Coast record -- am right there with him.

Here's the link to Conklin's article.

Friday, July 23, 2010

WLFY Loves Music

ZACH THAT:

I will do crazy things for music.  I love it.  Last night my brother (Backseat Sandbar) and myself camped out in front of Ear-X-Tacy at 1am.  The doors to their new location opened at 10am.  We had run ins with the police, crazy conversations, and no sleep.  Watch the video HERE.  It was our way of reminding people that we should all do our part to help out local businesses and support artists/bands by buying physical music.

Sunglasses - "Whiplash" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

I'm a little late to the party, but this video and song is amazing.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Track Of The Day: Meridian Signals - "Taos Hum"


ZACH THAT:

There are currently a hundred thousand ways to describe sub sections of noise.  Shoegaze, Environmental, Lo Fi, etc.  For me, I'm less concerned with how various noises fit into catagories and much more interested in the emotional impact the noise carries.  Meridian Signals crafts lush soundscapes track after track...a distant horizon of thick instrumentation that eventually takes over every part of your mind.  The track below, "Taos Hum" is my favorite off the new LP, Mercator Songs, as it highlights the best of what lo-fi can be.  Go to their bandcamp page and buy it if you like the track below.

<a href="http://meridiansignals.bandcamp.com/track/taos-hum">Taos Hum by Meridian Signals</a>

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Screw You MP3 Blogs

NOTE:  This 'rant' refers to MP3 blogs that post illegal tracks.   

ZACH THAT:

Alright, I have had enough of this and I'm pissed off.  I'm sick and tired of music bloggers ruining the fun of music by posting whatever the hell they want.

Today, news came from Pitchfork about two new Deerhunter tracks.  Pitchfork reported the story as it is...which shows links where you can go, enter a password, click a part of a picture, and be rewarded with a download of the two tracks.  This is how Deerhunter wanted you to get their music.  THEY ARE GIVING IT AWAY FREE....FOR YOU TO ENJOY...NICE!

Now, in less than ten minutes, a blog, Gorilla vs Bear, with great taste, posted the mp3 as a direct download.  They even say, hey you can go to the site and download it here...then place the direct mp3 download below.  Now, before I rant, if they were handed the track from Deerhunter, than what I'm saying is wrong and I apologize in advance.  But, I don't know why the band would go through all the trouble to create a maze download site and then just give away the mp3?

What's the point of this rant?  We've taken away the privilege for most bands to make money because nobody is really buying physical music.  We all understand that and bands are adapting by giving out free mp3s/streams/videos/etc.  This is a war cry to stop taking extra stuff that is not given and ruining the artists' idea of how their music should be received.  I get a hundred mp3s in my inbox a day and have full permission to post...bigger sites get more...in this age, give away what people allow you to, don't fuck with the music or what the band wants to do to promote themselves.  There are hundreds of platforms that allow you to stream, use them...let's quit fucking over the art that we all love...and that's what we are doing by posting illegal content...fucking over the band and their music.  Screw hits, if you're good, then having illegal content shouldn't matter.  I'm sick of it.  GVB might have had permission...if they did, then sorry for singling them out...but if you're reading this and you post illegal mp3s, then you don't respect music and you should stop.

NOTE:  To make this story even more sick, the password for download was exclusively for those who hung up posters promoting the release of the new Deerhunter album.  This is why the industry won't work...smart ideas, new ways of presenting music, like a free track for helping out in a non monetary way...trumped by blogs posting the mp3 without any work.

NOTE: It has been said that GVB had permission to post.  A whole new set of questions are raised.  First, why set up a reward program to those who hang up posters if the track is going to be handed out freely???  Is that fair to those who promoted the album release?  Why did they request that Pitchfork take down the password if you could just download it at GVB?  Does any of this make sense?  Is the PR firm just asking for buzz through these take downs and then giving of track?  

If this is true, I would like to apologize to GVB as I stated above.  It didn't make any sense (and still doesn't) why they would release a track that was planned for those who helped in the promotion.  Should we be mad at the PR firm?  The band?  MP3 blogs?  Or just be happy that the new Deerhunter tracks are amazing?  Discuss below, I'm very interested in your take.

Wintersleep


ZACH THAT:

There is no question that I'm a sucker for the indie scene in Canada.  Wintersleep just adds to this with their wonderful songwriting and easy going sounds.  Stream their whole record below and make sure to catch on their tour (they're playing everywhere so it's hard to miss).



                           

Aug 28 2010    6:30P
Molson Canadian Amphitheatre    Toronto, Ontario , CA   
Sep 4 2010    4:00P
Northlands Grounds - SONiC BOOM Festival    Edmonton, Alberta , CA   
Sep 6 2010    9:00P
Luxor    GERMANY     Find Tickets
Sep 7 2010    9:00P
Ekko    NETHERLANDS   
Sep 8 2010    9:00P
Cargo    London, UNITED KINGDOM   
Sep 9 2010    9:00P
Stereo    Glasgow, UNITED KINGDOM   
Sep 10 2010    9:00P
Academy 2    Dublin, IRELAND     Find Tickets
Sep 11 2010    9:00P
Larmer Tree Gardens    North Dorset, UNITED KINGDOM     Find Tickets
Sep 12 2010    9:00P
TRIX    Antwerp, BELGIUM     Find Tickets
Sep 14 2010    9:00P
Kulturhaus Kastorbahnhof    GERMANY     Find Tickets
Sep 15 2010    9:00P
59 to 1    Munich, GERMANY   
Sep 16 2010    9:00P
LIdo    Cuvrystr. 7, Berlin, GERMANY     Find Tickets
Sep 17 2010    9:00P
Motolow    Hamburg, GERMANY     Find Tickets
Sep 18 2010    9:00P
Kiff    SWITZERLAND     Find Tickets
Sep 20 2010    9:00P
The National    Richmond, VA   
Sep 21 2010    9:00P
Exit In    Nashville, TN   
Sep 22 2010    9:00P
The Lyric Oxford    Oxford, Mississipp   
Sep 23 2010    9:00P
Revolution Music Room    Little Rock, AR   
Sep 24 2010    9:00P
Republic New Orleans    New Orleans, LA   
Sep 25 2010    9:00P
WorkPlay Theatre    Birmingham, AL   
Sep 27 2010    9:00P
Music Farm    Charleston, SC   
Sep 28 2010    9:00P
Orange Peel    Asheville, NC   
Sep 29 2010    9:00P
Busters and Bililards    Lexington, KY   
Sep 30 2010    9:00P
Vogue    Indianapolis, Indiana   
Oct 1 2010    9:00P
Vic Theatre    Chicago, IL   
Oct 2 2010    9:00P
Southgate House    Newport, KY   
Oct 4 2010    9:00P
9:30 Club    WASHINGTON, Washington   
Oct 5 2010    7:00P
Trocadero    Philadelphia, PA   
Oct 6 2010    9:00P
Royale Boston    Boston, MA   
Oct 7 2010    8:00P
Beacon Theatre    New York, NY   
Oct 19 2010    9:00P
Starlight    Waterloo, ON, CANADA     Find Tickets
Oct 20 2010    9:00P
Studio Theatre    Hamilton, ON, CANADA     Find Tickets
Oct 23 2010    9:00P
The London Music Hall    London, ON, CANADA     Find Tickets
Oct 30 2010    9:00P
Cabaret Mile End    Montreal, QC, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 3 2010    9:00P
The Market    Fredericton, NB, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 4 2010    9:00P
The New Palace    Halifax, NS, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 12 2010    9:00P
Alix Goolden Hall    Victoria, BC, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 13 2010    9:00P
Commodore Ballroom    Vancouver, BC, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 17 2010    9:00P
MacEwan Hall    Calgary, AB, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 19 2010    9:00P
Louis' Pub    Saskatoon, SK, CANADA     Find Tickets
Nov 20 2010    9:00P
The Garrick    Winnipeg, MB, CANADA     Find Tickets

Parlovr Take Away Show

ZACH THAT:

One of my favorite new bands of 2010.

Hell Heaven
Parlovr - Hell Heaven - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Three Songs In A Tunnel

Parlovr - 3 songs in a tunnel - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Unsolved Mysteries - "You Only Live Once " (MUSIC VIDEO)

PIERCE HOWEVER:

Unsolved Mysteries "You Only Live Once" from Ryan Dickie on Vimeo.

Arcade Fire to Stream Live Show from Madison Square Garden on YouTube, Aug. 5

Don't believe me? Just watch. (includes clip from "Rococo" from forthcoming (and semi-questionable at the WLFY offices) The Suburbs)

Of Montreal Talk About Shitty False Priest Leak

ZACH THAT:

DON'T RUIN YOUR EARS WITH THE BAD OF MONTREAL LEAK!

From the band:

"Please do not listen to the leaked version of False Priest. Some “enthusiastic” person allowed people to listen over Skype to an advance copy he somehow got his hands on, and then one of those people recorded the live stream, and that is the version of the album that has “leaked”. It would be unfortunate enough for False Priest to leak this early, but it’s made even worse by the fact that its an extremely low rez version that is now floating around. Please be patient and wait a couple more months, I promise you it will be worth it.

P.S. This is not a call for someone to leak a better quality version of the album, just thought I should add that:-)"

Hip Hatchet: "Loretta" (Townes Van Zandt Cover)

HANK ALTOGETHER:

The always enjoyable Cover Lay Down has an excellent cut of Zach's new fav. lyricist Hip Hatchet doing "Loretta" by Townes Van Zandt.

Listen here.

Listen to more, here.

Blog Roll Vol 1. -- Links You Should Read Not Scroll Thru

Amanda Palmer Covers Radiohead -- Haven't listened yet, but the concoction of punk, cabaret, uke, and Yorke seems like pure gold. Gold, Jerry!

Zoe Roller talks about talking to Harvey Pekar -- Pekar's a true original. Pretend you're kinda close by reading about someone who was kinda close.

BS Johnson Primer -- BS Johnson was a literary Dave Eggers and more profound.

The Morning Benders have a Summer Mixtape! -- The bad news? I'm way late on this. The good news? It still works!

Happy Tuesday, all.

Monday, July 19, 2010

REVIEW: Mountain Man - "Made the Harbor"





Mountain Man - Made the Harbor

Partisan Records
Release Date: July 20, 2010











HANK ALTOGETHER
If you want to know where the Carter Family intersects with Joanna Newsom look no further than Vermont-based Mountain Man. These ladies are why people describe harmonies as "gossamer." Their debut Made the Harbor is one of those records that takes time, that takes a little osmosis, that takes a good thunderstorm and nothing to do to appreciate.

Mountain Man -- besides the wink of the name of the band when it includes 3 women (Molly Erin Sarie, Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, Amelia Randall Meth -- isn't reinventing any formula. The songs are deceptively simple usually just a single guitar over ethereal harmonies (this is where the Newsom part comes in, not in the structure, but complexity of vocal harmony) recounting old world times. It's almost white people mountain spiritual. The way the great acts of yesteryear (see the Carter Family) used to do it.

Perhaps what makes Mountain Man so arresting in a year of music that seems to be all about "chill" or "electro" this is very much not. "Buffalo" asks us to "Follow, follow, follow the buffalo." "Sewee Sewee" turns the onomatopoeia of the title into a gentle call to lie down in a field. Unlike the singular forces of notable female singer-songwriters like Neko Case or Jolie Holland (tho Mountain Man does intertwine somewhat with Holland's previous outfit the Be Good Tanyas, but less jazzy) Mountain Man is content to lie back and let simplicity take over. But, in no way does that mean that this work is less musical, just less willful. Tracks are interspersed with the subtle clicks of recording, with the ladies priming and readying one another for the next song. Without these, each track would seem to evaporate into the next gliding on the voices.

Someone once said, and unfortunately I think is was Bono in reference to Woody Guthrie, that all you need is 3 chords and the truth. Mountain Man has 3 voices and the truth. And amid the thunderstorm that's about to light the air here, it seems like anything else would be too much.

Blood Red Shoes Announce "Fire Like This" (Sophomore LP)

Get reading:

Blood Red Shoes know you don’t need a whole string section to denote ‘emotional’, or a whole horn section to do ‘rousing’. They know rock music doesn’t need to be smothered in effects or laced with devious studio tricks to make an impact. There is another way, a way to make music that really resonates. It involves boiling songs down to their essence – just raw guitar riffs and drum hits presented crisp and unadorned.

Blood Red Shoes are Laura-Mary Carter and Steven Ansell. They are a rock band from Brighton, UK. They know there is a power and intensity in simplicity. And they have a new album. It’s called Fire Like This.

Fire Like This is both a progression and a paring down, a record that sees Blood Red Shoes – vocalist/guitarist Laura-Mary Carter and vocalist/drummer Steven Ansell – getting back to their DIY/punk roots. “We started the band in 2005, and a lot of stuff started to happen,” recalls Laura-Mary. “The band started taking off, and we got a bit carried away. So much stuff gets thrown at you, and you just do it, you don’t have time to think about it. But we’ve learnt that isn’t always what you want. We don’t want people telling us what to wear. We don’t want to do that crap video. We’re in control again. And I can tell you, right now is the most happy I’ve been about anything to do with this band.”

And Fire Like This sounds like a band invigorated. Like its predecessor, 2008’s bright, propulsive Box Of Secrets, it was recorded with producer Mike Crossey, this time using the facilities of his new Liverpool studio The Motor Museum. This time, though, things would be different. Recording to analogue tape with the bare minimum of guitar or vocal overdubs, Blood Red Shoes’ second album slices away a lot of the gloss in favour of a gutsy, raw sound. “The idea was to make a record like Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’ – a rock record with real heart, no macho crap,” says Steven. “We really got on with Mike around the first record, and he really understood what we wanted to do with this one, to strip things right back to the roots.”

But nor is this a case of a band that deliberates for an age on their debut and then dashes out a second album written in mere weeks. The bulk of ‘Fire Like This’ was road-tested and honed on long tours throughout 2008 and 2009, tours plotted with an ambition and persistence that would shame many of Blood Red Shoes’ British peers. It’s also won them an international fanbase that’s the envy of their peers. “We’ve spoken to a lot of other British bands who are like, how come you’re playing such big venues overseas?” says Laura-Mary. “Well, it’s because we’ve put the work in. We tour a country, and then we come back and tour again.”

One constant companion on these long, continent-crossing tours was Twin Peaks, David Lynch’s eerie ‘90s TV serial drama. “Lynch is one of those directors lots of musicians love, and I think that’s because they’re quite musical,” says Steven. “They rely on a feel – there’s not a lot of narrative, but there’s sub-conscious ideas here, and nothing’s explicit.”

Lynch’s series would also supply Blood Red Shoes with inspiration of a more concrete sort. “When this kind of fire starts, it is very hard to put out,” the Log Lady tells Laura Palmer in the 1992 film Fire Walk With Me – a phrase that would stick with Steven. “I thought that was a cool phrase,” he says. “Fire is an energy – people talk about having a fire in their bellies. But fire is also very destructive – it says a lot about how we are, we do fight a lot, but we’re also very intense about what we want to do creatively.”

Intensity is the word. Fire Like This is simply exceptional rock music, steeped in a knowledge of your alt-rock staples – Nirvana, Babes In Toyland, Drive Like Jehu – but with its own fingerprint. ‘Don’t Ask’ and ‘Count Me Out’ harness scything guitars and loud-quiet dynamics like they never went out of fashion. But there’s more ambitious fare here, too. Take dramatic seven-minute closer ‘Colours Fade’, originally released as a free download from their website– or the tender, fraught ‘When We Wake’, a sombre mediation on mortality that nonetheless burns with hot emotional force. “In the end is this all we can ask for?” breathes Laura-Mary, as Steven’s drums patter with a quiet intensity.

This is not your typical rock fare, but Blood Red Shoes thrive on such paradox. This, remember, is a band just as comfortable supporting Rage Against The Machine in front of 30,000 Parisians as they are rocking up at a benefit gig for Shelter or Love Music Hate Racism just because, you know, it matters.

“It’s a difficult tightrope,” says Steven. “You know, we’ve come from a punk rock, underground scene – everyone has pretty strict ethical rules, about selling out and that. We want to make music that matters, that’s credible, and artistic. But we’re also really ambitious. We definitely want to be a big band.”

And is it still possible to do both?

Steven shares a glance with Laura-Mary. They smile. They think so. “It’s hard, of course,” says Steven. “But we’ve learnt so much  in the last few years. I know we’ll be alright if we’re completely ourselves.”

Track Of The Day: The Fervor - "No Apology"


ZACH THAT:

"The bright light, you left on, burned out...waiting on your return."

For my money a great vocalist is all about passion.  There is no lack of this requirement in the sounds of Louisville's The Fervor who blend toe tapping forward moving melodies with lush vocals that hit like a punch to the chest.  Here is some more info on the amazing song "No Apology":


A favorite of The Fervor's live sets for years, “No Apology” makes its debut on wax via The Green Belt. The limited edition split 7-inch from Karate Body Records pairs The Fervor with Cincinnati Wussy (featuring Chuck Cleaver, formerly of The Assponys), who contribute “Fly Fly Fly.” Only 500 copies of the single were pressed, with 200 copies going to the bands. Packaging was designed in Chicago by Dexterity Press, a letterpress company owned and operated by Jeff Mueller (Shipping News, June of ’44) and wife, Keri. This releases is not available digitally. 
   

Released by: Karate Body Records
Release/catalogue number: KBR008
Release date: Oct 12, 2009

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Marissa Nadler & Sharon Van Etten Tour Together!

The dates:

9/8 - DC9 -DC
9/9 - Twisted Branch - Charlottesville, VA
9/11 - Raleigh, NC- Hopscotch Festival
9/12 - Charlotte, NC - The Milestone
9/13 - Knoxville, TN- Pilot Light
9/14 - Atlanta, GA - 529 Venue
also, for those in the UK, playing All Tomorrow's Parties Nightmare Before XMAS curated by Godspeed You Black Emperor in December

Holy shit. Get on this, now!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Of Montreal - False Priest Trailer

ZACH THAT:

Pitchfork 2010 By The Numbers

ZACH THAT:
There are a lot of preconceived notions concerning the big bad music blog Pitchfork.  After crunching the numbers of their BEST NEW MUSIC picks, things don't look as unfair as some might think.

(From Jan 1st, 2010 - July 14th, 2010)

Total BNM = 40

Breakdown By Month:
JAN   (6)
FEB   (5)
MAR (6)
APR  (5)
MAY (9) (Put your album out in May)
JUN   (6)
JULY (3)

They almost went a whole month without giving out BNM.  From March 15th-April 17th none were awarded.  I guess SXSW and March Madness is a bad time to send them a record.

Scores:
8.1 - 8.4 (17)
8.5 - 8.9 (18)
9.0 - 10.0 (5)

9.2 = Highest Score shared with Big Boi, Joanna Newsom, & LCD Soundsystem
Ariel Pink and Beach House both scored 9.0.

8.1 = Lowest Score by Liars - "Sisterworld" (Numerous albums scored above Liars but did not receive BNM)


Most common BNM Score = 8.5 (11) (36% of all BNM are 8.5's)

There has not been an 8.9 handed out...nice of them to bump to 9 if you're that close.

BREAK DOWN BY DAY:
MON (12)
TUE (7)
WED (5)
THUR (11)
FRI (5) 

P4K Writers Giving Out BNM

Ian Cohen (6)
Mark Richardson (5) (Only person to give back to back BNM two days in a row) 
Joe Colly (4) 

Labels -
XL (3) 
DEF JAM (2)
4AD (2)
Domino (2)
Sub Pop (2)

Pitchfork does not play favorites to labels as XL has the most with three and over 20 other labels have at least one.

0 = Number of independent releases to get BNM.  Pitchfork is an indie site correct?  With Bandcamp and millions of other ways bands work without a label now, it's hard to imagine one of them doesn't deserve BNM in six months.

LOCATION:
Everyone gripes about Pitchfork and their NYC/Brooklyn bias.  Well, check out these numbers:
NYC/ Brooklyn (8)
Sweden (4)
UK (4) 
LA (4)
Canada (4)

So, yes, NYC has double LA...but the way people talk you would think (and I have) that the numbers would be a lot more lopsided.  If anyone should be upset it should be Chicago and Austin, TX.  Chicago has one BNM tag and is a great music scene.  Austin has zero...which means Cleveland has one more than the home of SXSW.

I don't know.  I do my share fair of Pitchfork hate, but these numbers show that maybe the favoritism doesn't really exist to the extent some people believe.  If we can get them writing about indie albums (non Label BNM - look out for Cults to get this first) the site might return to their better days.

Hip Hatchet


ZACH THAT:


"I ain't got a gun, but fists will have to do."

"Stare all you want...but this train won't take you home."

Hip Hatchet is the project of a mysterious person named Philippe from Middlebury, Vermont.  I couldn't find too much information about Hip Hatchet but I have the important pieces to write.  First, the music is gorgeous introspective folk.  The melodies seep into the body as they slowly stride forward with poetic lyrics flowing from a voice that calls on Nick Drake.  Hip Hatchet is highly recommended.  Check out my favorite song, "Sun Can't Walk" and if you have any money in your account throw this amazing independent artist a few dollars for his art HERE.

<a href="http://hiphatchet.bandcamp.com/track/sun-cant-walk">Sun Can't Walk by Hip Hatchet</a>

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

American Express Digs Passion Pit, The Antlers, and Andrew Bird

ZACH THAT:

Three huge placements for three great bands (one artist).  Really cool how the three play with the same idea.




Big Boi & the Roots - "Shutterbug" (Live on Fallon)



I Believe.

And, oh yeah, this totally assuages any of those weird feelings you may have had about The Roots being a house band.

The Current (MPLS 89.3) is the Best Radio Station I've Ever Heard


HANK ALTOGETHER:
We don't talk much about radio on the blog. And when we do, we've been heaping pretty effusive praise on Minnesota Public Radio. Well, this is an echo of that. I was just in Minneapolis for a week. It was my first time there and I was really blown away by the city. Top on that list is 89.3 The Current. A radio station that manages to get everything right.

I used to think Louisville with it's 3 NPR stations (one dedicated to talk, one to classical, and one to rock, jazz, etc.) was the best radio town in the US, but WFPK's slow slide into Bonnie Raitt covers and general MOR inane kinda-indie music has been steadily weakening the station for the past 10 years. And as nice as a full time NPR talk station is, I'm not sure I'd trade it for a well vetted independent music station.

The Current is listener-supported and unbelievably stocked. They can go from a Pinkerton-era Weezer cut to Talib Kweli. It's the sort of thing that makes radio relevant when you can shuffle for days on your iTunes: an unbelievably well curated rotation that can take you back and bring you forward within the space of 2 or 3 songs. And, that keeps you hooked all day long.

The Current's site.

Stream The Current.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

The Pass - "Treatment Of The Sun" (Video Stream)

ZACH THAT:

It's no secret that one of our most anticipated releases of 2010 is the debut LP from Louisville electro pop outfit The Pass.  With infectious hooks and synths on top of synths, The Pass makes pure dancefloor fire.  Their debut album, "BURST" will be released this fall on SonaBLAST! Records.  The band is giving everyone a taste by syncing their opening track "Treatment of the Sun" to some crazy dance footage.  The first track off "BURST" is now available to buy from their Bandcamp site.

The Pass - "Treatment of the Sun" PMA Premiere from Pretty Much Amazing on Vimeo.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Cults Show Their Flaws

ZACH THAT:

Everyone, including myself, went bananas when buzz band Cults released the infectious track "Go Outside".  Now they bring some new content with "Oh My God" which is less than impressive.  The song is bland and the video below is actually kind of embarrassing.  Tons of blogs are loving this new track/video but I just don't get it...sounds like a high school band to me...right down to naming it OMG.  Let's hope the debut album is more "Go Outside" and less "Oh My God".

GO HERE TO SEE VIDEO


Zach's Top Releases Of 2010 (So Far)


Moving Left to Right/Left To Right:  See how many albums/eps/7"s you can guess from the pictures.  Leave list in the comment box, person with the most correct will be announced on Monday along with the full list of releases.

Friday, July 02, 2010

Free: Big Boi's Mixtape for Dummies

Big Boi's single handed attempt to save hip hop took a major blow two days ago when it began to sound like...who's that? Linkin Park? (Update: the song's called "Follow Us" and the emo band is called Vonnegutt. This makes me sad in two different ways.)

I'm adding this to my listen queue: Download Big Boi's Mixtape for Dummies.

I still WANT to believe.

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Altered Zones Podcast

ZACH THAT:

Podcast where we ramble on about Altered Zones, Pitchfork, Chris Weingarten, Ryan Schreiber, and more:

Altered Zones Podcast