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Marvel Team-Up: Clare & the Reasons, My Brightest Diamond to Tour U.S.
You know MusicSnobbery will be all over this one. After a European tour (theirs, not Chris's), Clare Muldaur and those Reasons will roll across the U.S. to close out the year with My Brightest Diamond. Here are the tour dates: Previously: Kneelin' to the Diamond: My Brightest Diamond @ Blender Theater
Read more [Music Snobbery]
Goth Talk: Nightmare Before Christmas Covers Album and What Single Goths Are Listening To
One of favorite series of sketches from Saturday Night Live is Goth Talk. The skits featured Chris Kattan and Molly Shannon as hosts of a goth-centric public access show from St. Petersburg, Florida. It's funny because its a spot on ribbing of the culture. It's funny because it's true. Fast forward to the internets age, and goth scene is still funny. "Bela Legosi's Dead" is still funny. Goths working at Cinnabon is still funny. With YouTube, goths can make endless video diaries like Rob Lowe did on the show. Goths shopping for Nightmare Before Christmas at Hot Topic in the mall is commonplace. So the Disney peops are cashing on the 15 years of Jack Skellington merchandise by releasing an all covers version of the Danny Elfman soundtrack. Here's the tracklisting, at least Amy Lee (the patron saint of goth chicks) is getting work these days: Also, some forward thinking web entrepreneurs are cashing in on goth's loneliness with their own dating site called Goth Scene. Now, the forsaken outcasts in Oklahoma who aren't busy making crystal meth in their basements can go online and find similar brethren. If you have time to kill today, browse the site. It's choice. That picture to the left -- the guy looks like James Franco and the girl looks like the runner-up in the Miss Tori Amos pageant. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what their musical tastes are. For some reason, a lot of profiles mention that their favorite show is That 70s Show. Strange. I left the spelling as is.... Single, Dark & Lonely -- 24 -- Nox Arcana, Renholder, Lamb of God sleep, those little slices of death.-- lynard skynard, usher, michael jackson Is looking for deep dark passionate love -- Buckcherry, Seether, Julien-K Eat your hear out!!! -- Metallica, Pantera, Disturbed Smart calm deathmetal fan...-- Gojira, Necrophagist, Queens of the Stoneage, Mastodon Dark Lord looking for Dark Enchantress -- nothing, I just like the headline I think everybody goes through a goth phase at some point. That hottie, Christina Hendricks from Mad Men, was a goth chick back in the day. Now, she's like super glam. I mention it because it's just an excuse to post a picture.
Read more [Music Snobbery]
Pulled Across The UK: Leeds rockers release debut single, hit the road
Ace Leeds rockers Pulled Apart By Horses release their debut single next month on the Big Scary Monsters label
Read more [Drowned in Sound]
Horse Whisperer author taken ill
The author of the Horse Whisperer book is in hospital in Aberdeen after he was taken ill on holiday.
Read more [BBC]
Horse Whisperer author taken ill
The author of the Horse Whisperer book is in hospital after he took ill while on holiday in Scotland.
Read more [BBC]
Bowerbirds - Hymns For A Dark Horse
Raleigh, North Carolina trio Bowerbirds’ debut LP is the sort of slow-release indie-folk almost-masterpiece that seems anything but the first few times through
Read more [Drowned in Sound]
Bowerbirds - Hymns For A Dark Horse
Raleigh, North Carolina trio Bowerbirds’ debut LP is the sort of slow-release indie-folk almost-masterpiece that seems anything but the first few times through
Read more [Drowned in Sound]
Watch: new video from Bowerbirds
Hymns For A Dark Horse, the superb debut album from North Carolina trio Bowerbirds, earns an expanded re-release via Dead Oceans on Monday
Read more [Drowned in Sound]
Mercury Prize Nominees Rachel Unthank & The Winterset Ready For U.S. Tour
Because I've been here, there and at your mom's house, I didn't get a chance to predict or comment on this year's Mercury Prize nominees. The list had a bunch of no surprises -- Radiohead, Robert Plant, Last Shadow Puppets, Adele, Estelle and Laura Marling. The nice surprise was Elbow getting some love for fine their album, The Seldom Seen Kid. A couple of the nominees are good albums, but I could have thought of some more worthy picks. British Sea Power's album is good, not great. Neon Neon's Stainless Styledoesn't break new ground and is not very challenging. I was convinced The Ting Tings and Duffy would be on the list, since the Prize usually picks up on the hot new acts. I guess England's beloved Coldplay will sit out this year. I haven't heard of Portico Quartet or Burial, but will see what I can find. Which leaves us with Rachel Unthank & The Winterset. They are like England's answer to The Decemberists -- a literary minded collective with seafaring songs done with a strong British accent. The album, The Bairns, plays out like a storybook about people and places in a time forgotten. Now that they have some instant recognition, they'll be hitting up North American for some dates: Doh, won't be able to catch them. In any event, my money is on Radiohead for the prize. The upset choice is Estelle.
Read more [Music Snobbery]
'Shit hits the fan: Ohio band demand record is destroyed
After releasing ‘New Wave Hippies’ on Monday, Psychedelic Horseshit are demanding the record is destroyed
Read more [Drowned in Sound]
Annuals @ Siren Festival
When I saw Annuals last year when they opened up for Kaiser Chiefs, I enjoyed their style of juxtaposing overly high choruses and sedated lows. On Saturday, not so much. I think they've gone to that well too many times with their new material. Their new EPs play like a country version of a Band of Horses's Cease to Begin. The caveat with the Annuals is maybe because the sound mix is so wonky over at Siren, that it sounds like gargled mess. You just see a bunch of contorted faces on stage playing music that's all over the place.
Read more [Music Snobbery]
GZA, Tortoise, Del the Funky Homosapien Do Forecastle
Back in January, we were Halfway to Forecastle, and now, we're just days away regular ol' Forecastle-- the fest so nice they hold it twice.
GZA, Tortoise, Del the Funky Homosapien, Extra Golden, Devlin & Darko, Snowden, Film School, Catfish Haven, Dr. Dog, Unwed Sailor, Z-Trip, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, Pomegranates, People Noise, Del McCoury Band, and oh so many others will hit the Riverfront Belvedere in Louisville, Kentucky for three days of fun, sun, and feverishly brainstorming the next Forecastle.
Just make sure to enjoy this one while it lasts, everybody: July 25-27.
Read more [Pitchfork]
Thao and the Get Down Stay Down Get Out on Tour
Thao Nguyen and her Get Down Stay Down backing band will hit the road this summer in support of their Kill Rock Stars debut, We Brave Bee Stings and All. This marks Thao and company's first headlining tour, and their opening acts include Horse Feathers, David Schultz and the Skyline, Pepi Ginsberg, and Tune-Yards.
The tour kicks off this weekend in Columbus, Ohio and continues across the U.S. for a month afterward.
Read more [Pitchfork]
Band of Horses at Sheffield Leadmill, Fri 11 Jul
When, exactly, did Band Of Horses get so popular? The last gig here we attended that was this oversubscribed: The Pigeon Detectives
Read more [Drowned in Sound]
The Bird & The Bee Return to East Coast with Fall Shows
The coolest, most shagadelic duo from L.A. ever, The Bird & The Bee, lined up a few east coast dates to promote a series of digital EPs via iTunes and hopefully, more new material. The short jaunt includes a visit to NYC's Spiegeltent and Philly's World Music Cafe. Fellow Angeleno, singer/songwriter Willoughby will join them on the tour. In the meantime, enjoy "Polite Dance Song" from one the digital EP, Please Clap Your Hands.
Read more [Music Snobbery]
Sigur Ros, Vampire Weekend Do Splendour in the Grass
Australia's Splendour in the Grass festival returns to Byron Bay's Belongil Fields on August 2 and 3 for another couple days of splendid music. Despite its name, we can't imagine it's any easier to smuggle weed into this place than, say, Bonnaroo. Wait, so... it's really easy?! (Don't do drugs.)
ANYway...Splendour in the Grass' 2008 lineup includes Band of Horses, Sigur Rós, Vampire Weekend, Albert Hammond Jr., Robert Forster, the Drones, Devo, Tricky, MSTRKRFT, Wolfmother, Lightspeed Champion, Lyrics Born, Ben Lee, Cold War Kids, the Polyphonic Spree, the Grates, the Wombats, the Vines, Van She, and New Young Pony Club.
Read more [Pitchfork]
This Left Me In Tears: Sex and the City Translated for Horses
At first, it's like, "Ohhh, okay. I get it." Then at the one minute mark I'm in tears, with my face in my hands screaming, "Make it stop. No mas. no mas." Must ... get .... air.
Read more [Music Snobbery]
The Vaselines @ Maxwell's: From Molly's Lips to Our Ears
It was a no-brainer coming to see the first ever U.S. show of the somewhat legendary and reunited Vaselines. Two bonus add-ons being that it's at Maxwell's, where their No. 1 fan, Kurt Cobain, once tore up the joint. The other being the backing support of Stevie, Bobby and Richard of Belle & Sebastian. With that all in mind, it was just a special night to witness something remarkable. Granted, the band has only about a dozen songs ever recorded and they would be the first to admit that they are not the best musicians, but the songs are just about as perfect live as one would hope. These songs were done around 20 years ago, and they were about 10-15 years ahead of their time. The setlist: Despite needing help tuning their guitars, you would have never have guessed that the Vaselines have been dormant most of the past two decades. The songs are basic, but damn, they are fun, lively and full of wit and Scottish insight. It's the offbeat combination of jarring guitars and sweet boy-girl vocals that makes the band worthy of attention. The original duo of Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly are not rock 'n' roll in the traditional sense, but rather poets and authors who use music to portray people and places. With that, they are a bunch of randy folks. Frances made sure that everyone knew that Molly's Lips is not about oral sex. Eugene joked that before the encore that he should get some man-on-man action with Jon Bon Jovi. Finally, Eugene invited people to smell Frances's banana-scented undies for 5 pounds. As you can see, there was a great deal of sexual tension in the air. With their setlist, you pretty much got what you came for, unless you wanted Teenage Superstar. Their set was about 45 minutes long, focusing on their top songs. Their voices haven't aged at all, even though I'd like to meet the person who saw them back in the day and remembers how they played. I can't emphaisze more how unique and special the night was, and then having it be a tribute to the indie rock of 20 years ago. It seems like it could be made today and not feel dated. The year 2008 might be the year of the obscure indie band reunion. You got Vaselines, Feelies, Big Dipper and Swervedriver. Any one want to get the Spinanes together? Maybe Zumpano, That Dog, The Cucumbers? With most reunions, it's done for some cashola. With the Vaselines, it seems to be, "Heck, why not? We're not doing anything." Also it was chance to play the Sub Pop 20th Anniversary show in Seattle. If you had to write a brief history of the band, it would be that they were a well-respected, unknown indie rock band from Scotland, who disbanded after they released their first album. Then Nirvana covered three songs, Cobain was obsessed with them and now they are part of music lore. You can't name another band that has a trajectory like that. If the majority of music lovers think of them as a Nirvana footnote, so be it. I would hope they'll be known for being one of indie rock's innovators along with R.E.M. and Sonic Youth to name a few.
Read more [Music Snobbery]
Pumpkins Set First Anniversary Gig, Corgan Gets Guitar
Photo by Kristin Burns
Hey kids! Wanna sound just like your real-life guitar hero, Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan? Oh sure, you could stub that big toe pretty good, then make haste towards the microphone... or, er, you could head on down to wherever Fender instruments are sold and pick up one of the iconic guitar makers' new line of Billy Corgan Stratocaster guitars.
"Designed," as the press material would have us believe, "for maximum sound versatility"-- so that's why Mellon Collie was so long-- "the new Billy Corgan Stratocaster is an especially modern take on the iconic Fender Strat® model, built especially for a high-gain sound and designed to create Corgan's signature mid-'90s buzz saw tone."
Guitar tech geeks, rejoice: the Billy signature Strat sports "three DiMarzio pickups (two of which are custom-wound for the instrument), a string-through hard-tail bridge, jumbo frets, a satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish and a vintage tweed case." You can fondle Corgyboy's frets on one of two axes: the first, with "an Olympic White finish, with a black pickguard" and the other, "black finish with a white pickguard, reflective of Corgan's signature style." Yeah, he does like black and stuff.
Billy and company are still planning those big anniversary runs in NYC, L.A., and Chicago, though that's going down in August-- not, as first believed, in September. The first Chicago area date was just announced for August 9 at Hammond, Indiana's Horseshoe Casino.
The Gish shows, too, are on, though those have been moved back to 2009. The Gish box is still in the works, and the band wants your vintage Pumpkins photos. And there's also that DVD of their Fillmore run from last summer, but no further details have emerged since our last report. You guitar guys never can keep to a schedule, can you?
Read more [Pitchfork]
