Juiced Elfers (above) is a four piece partyfuntime '60s dance music inspired band that includes Nicolas Thorburn and Jamie Thompson of Unicorns/Islands fame. Last night they played a total of four songs including at least two cover songs ("Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen and "With A Girl Like You" by The Troggs). Watching their set felt as if we were at a party and these guys got up on stage to kick out the jams. Clearly the band exists as an outlet for Nick and Jaime and friends to get together and have a good time, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Below you will find audio and video from two Juiced Elfers songs played last night, as well as the original version of "With A Girl Like You". If anyone knows anything about the unknown song below, speak up in the comments.
Listen:
Juiced Elfers - Unknown Song
Juiced Elfers - "With A Girl Like You"
The Troggs - "With A Girl Like You"
Watch:
Juiced Elfers - Unknown Song live on YouTube | download QT
Juiced Elfers - "With A Girl Like You" live on YouTube | download QT
See more pictures of Juiced Elfers (from this show) HERE.
Bang Lime (above) is made up of Joules Scott-Key (drums) and Joshua Winstead (guitar/vocals) from the band Metric. They play a raw, blues infused, '60s garage stomp that'll remind some of The White Stripes but had me thinking of how well they'd have fit in at CBGB in the '70s. On record their songs come across as more polished than they did in a live setting and I think they suffer for that. Now, after seeing the band live and listening to their album Best Friends in Love, I can definitely say I'd rather experience these guys in person. Pure energy. Looks like your next chance will be tonight... if you live in Canada.
Listen:
Bang Lime - "Blood Orange"
See more pictures of Bang Lime (from this show) HERE.
Visit Bang Lime on MySpace.
24 August 2007
Juiced Elfers, Bang Lime @ Mercury Lounge - 23 August 2007
23 August 2007
8+
"Big City (Everybody I Know Can Be Found Here)" by Spacemen 3 which clocks in at 10:50
On June 29th, when I was standing at South Street Seaport waiting for Sam Champion to begin their set (prior to Ra Ra Riot), the MC of the event took an excited moment to announce that legendary NYC duo Suicide would be gracing the Seaport stage in the near future. The news landed with a thud as very few, if any, of the people around me (or in my group) had ever even heard of Suicide. Fucking blasphemy, I thought to myself. Here was a band "as influential as the Clash" that not one single person in attendance at this music nerd/blogger/hipster event had enough admiration, or love for, to even acknowledge when the announcement was made. Okay, sure, this particular June 29th lineup wasn't exactly going to attract the kind of people who'd listen to Suicide, but that's beside the point. My point is, some of you guys out there calling yourselves big fans of music need to spend a bit of time learning about the most important bands of the past 40 years that you've never heard of. Self-education, really digging into the past, is as important to one's musical growth as keeping up with Pitchfork and Elbo.ws is. No, it's more important.
I don't throw around the term "legend" much at all, but the band Spacemen 3 is legendary. Read a bit about them on All Music or Wikipedia, you'll see. They're one of the seminal post-punk bands who laid the foundation for so much of everything that happened in the genres of post-rock and shoegaze - so much of indie, underground, alternative, whathaveyou - since the mid-80s. They took everything that had been started by bands such as The Stooges, The Velvet Underground, 13th Floor Elevators, Suicide, etc. and blended it into their own mind-melting style of noisy minimalist psychedelic darkness. Spacemen 3 brought to the rock music world a touch of avant-garde, often challenging, music. They're the band known for "taking drugs to make music to take drugs to", and they spawned more than one successful off-shoot band (see Spiritualized, Experimental Audio Research, and our After the Jump Fest day show headliners Spectrum). Needless to say, it more than baffles me when people say they "have no clue who these people are."
The song posted here is from Spacemen 3's final album Recurring. Prior to the recording and production of this record, the band saw a ton of tension and strife between key members Jason Pierce and Peter Kember. In fact, things had gotten so bad that the two songwriters decided to split the album in two, with Kember's (also known as Sonic Boom) songs to make up the first half of the record and Pierce's (aka J. Spaceman) to comprise the second half. These two halves ended up being recorded in two different studios with a cover of Mudhoney’s “When Tomorrow Hits" separating the songwriters on the actual album. Things were very bad - the band had ceased to exist. Yet somehow this made for an excellent record, as each songwriter was able to truly delve into his own style and explore precisely what interested him most.
"Big City (Everybody I Know Can Be Found Here)" is the lead track on Recurring and was written by Sonic Boom (Kember). It shows off his obvious adoration of Kraftwerk and Suicide and hints at the kind of experimental approach and sounds that would later be showing up in Sonic's future efforts under the Experimental Audio Research/Spectrum names. While not extremely indicative of Spacemen 3's overall sound (or of what you'll be hearing from Spectrum this weekend), it's one of my favorite songs of his/theirs and well worth checking out for anyone out there wondering who the heck this Spectrum is who is playing the After the Jump Fest.
*cover image of Recurring found HERE.
Buy Recurring HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes.
EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
Pulp - "Seductive Barry"
Pelican - "March to the Sea"
Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, and Tony Rice - "Guitar Space/Summertime"
Boris - "Flood"
Vieux Farka Touré - "Diabaté"
Morrissey - "Southpaw"
Mastodon - "Hearts Alive"
Frog Eyes - "Bushels"
To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.
OPP
A special After the Jump Fest related OPP. Below are interviews with many of the bands playing the show on Saturday, and a spotlight on the Donor's Choose charity.
The Music Slut: 8 Questions With Spectrum
Music Snobbery: Jukebox the Ghost Interview
The Music Slut: 8 Questions With Soulico
Product Shop NYC: An Interview w/ Riot In Belgium
Disconap: Bling Kong Interview
Subinev: Goes Cube Interview
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted: The Virgins Interview
The Modern Age: Teenage Prayers Interview
Yeti Don't Dance: Ra Ra Riot Interview
Punk Photo: Free Blood Interview
Slap You In Public: Apache Beat Interview
Merry Swankster: Spotlight on Donor's Choose
Bumpershine: The David Bruno Interview
I Rock I Roll: an interview with Golem
22 August 2007
EAR FARM interviews Locksley
Locksley is a group of four guys originally from Wisconsin who've since moved to Brooklyn and captured many hearts and ears with their signature blend of the '60s British Invasion and '00s Garage Rock sound. They'll be part of the FREE day show lineup at the After the Jump Fest this weekend, and were kind enough to sit down in front of their computer(s) and answer a few questions for EAR FARM. What you'll find below are answers from the band as a whole, which are listed as being replied to by 'Locksley', and a few answers replied to by individual members of the band.
--
I really appreciate you guys taking time to answer a few questions here, as well as being up for this gimmicky interview format based (for no particular reason) upon the title of a Pulp song ("Do you remember the first time?"). So if you're game, let's get on with the questions.
Do you remember...
1)....the first record that inspired you to want to make music of your own?
Kai: I would probably have to say Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins - I remember pouring over that album learning the songs, which in turn inspired me to write some absolutely terrible music.
Aaron: Help by the Beatles
Sam: Beach Boys - Surfin' Safari. I would listen and dance/run around to that album constantly when I was 6. I wrote a song called "Surf" on a Yamaha Clavinova. The song consisted of me pattering middle C and like G above and rambling "Surf, Surfin', Surf, Surf!", I am not sure I even knew what surfing was then.
2)....the first Locksley practice? Where was it, and what was it like?
And how has the band changed since then?
Locksley: Our first practice was in Sam's basement. At that time we were called The Philosopher Kings. We were just trying to learn a few songs because we had already booked a show. We filled in the rest of the set with skits and jokes. We've progressed quite a bit since then and… have a lot more songs.
3)....the first song you wrote as a band?
Locksley: One of our first songs was called "You and You and You". It was a nice little pop song.
4)....the first song of yours that got the band excited about Locksley's potential?
Locksley: We were all excited from the very beginning but I think the specific song that was a turning point was "Safely from the City". It showed our range and summed up how we felt as a band in New York.
5)....the first show Locksley played?
Locksley: Our first show ever was a fund-raiser in the auditorium of our high school. That was the one with the skits. We were very young.
6)....the first show in NYC?
Locksley: The first time we played in New York was at CBGB's Gallery (Locksley backstage at CBGB above). Oh my god that was hilarious. We have a video of it somewhere. We were not very good, and I think we played "Ruff Ryder's Anthem" by DMX. Hahaha!
7)....the first show you played with another band that made you go "wow, I can't believe we're playing with ___"?
Locksley: Opening for the Rapture was our first real vision of what the next level would be like. And since they're such an amazing band it helped give us a level of musicianship to shoot for. We're still working on that.
8)....the first band you guys were compared to? Most accurate comparison?
Locksley: We've always been compared to the Beatles. Both our music and Jesse's hair have Beatle-like qualities. While flattering we never find that completely accurate, especially with the direction we're going in. In our music you would probably find a blend of our influences including The Beatles, The Kinks, The Strokes, and The Libertines. It could probably be described as The Beatles mixed with Modern Garage Rock, but we like to think of it simply as Locksley.
9)....the first few months living in New York? Any "new to the city" horror stories?
Locksley: We got evicted and had all of our equipment stolen within the first 3 months of moving from Wisconsin. Welcome to New York, Locksley!
10)....the first time you heard your own songs on television?
Locksley: We did a video for Starz Movie Channel that played in between every movie. It was really cool seeing that for the first time. We got calls from relatives all the time saying "I just saw you on t.v.!". That's a good feeling.
11)....the first time you drank way too much beer, or ate far too many sausages (or cheese), or went to a dairy farm on a field trip, or had to shovel so much snow you thought you'd die, or any of a number of other stereotypical Madison/Wisconsin things such as football games, Brat Fest, etc?
Kai: I don't remember my first too-much-beer-drunk (probably had too much beer) although I do remember waking up in a university dorm bathroom of a certain university that I didn't attend. In my fourth grade class there was an entire unit devoted to learning the differences between breeds of cattle, which ensued with a super-fun to foray into cattle-crap land. Although I rarely stuff myself with stereotypical foodstuffs in my home state (I don't really eat cheese very much), I have been witness to a few eating contests. We Wisconsinites have a lot of deals at restaurants with the following rule: if you eat the whole thing it's free. Many of my friends ate five-pound burgers, and my manager once ate an absolutely massive steak and baked potato and pumpkin pie and large coke (he got a medal).
Aaron: Bratfest! Yeah, we've all done the stereotypical Wisconsin things and love them all.
Sam: Bratfest 1998 I had well over ten brats in the course of a day and ended up un-eating about five of them.
--
If you enjoy fests, you're in luck. After the Jump Fest 2007 is going to be held this Saturday, the 25th of August at Studio B in Brooklyn. You can see Locksley there for FREE, along with many many other great bands.
Listen:
"All Over Again"
Visit Locksley on MySpace.
21 August 2007
Three for Free - The Sword, Marissa Nadler, Priestbird
EAR FARM's Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted each week. This week, three tracks from artists on Kemado Records. All of these songs, though currently hosted on EF's server, were originally found on the Kemado site in their downloads section. Click on the artist name to go to their site, click on the song name to listen to the song.
Listen:
The Sword - "Freya"
Marissa Nadler - “Diamond Heart"
Priestbird - "Season of the Sun"
Takka Takka, The Forms, and The National @ South Street Seaport - 17 August 2007
Takka Takka (above) rocked South Street Seaport last Friday with a mini-set that was comprised of five songs, shortened due to rain. Since I last saw them, they've added two new members and have seemingly been evolving their sound a bit - drifting away from the mellower side of rock and a bit more towards pop. Then again, not enough time to really take everything in. Whatever the case, Takka Takka is an excellent band worth checking out in person when you have a chance.
Listen:
Takka Takka - "Draw A Map"
See more pictures of Takka Takka (from this show and others) HERE.
After the rain that cut short Takka Takka's set ceased, The Forms took the stage for what amounted to around fifteen minutes (three songs) before it started raining again. People (above) were forced to once again wait in the rain, and The Forms were left with no choice but to call it a night and bow out in favor of trying to get The National on stage. I enjoyed what I heard from The Forms though, and I'm hoping to catch a full set from them in the near future.
Listen:
The Forms - "Black Metal"
Ask me and I'll be the first to tell you, I'm very often not the quickest mo' fo' out there when it comes to really getting into some of the more popular indie type bands. In fact, it often takes much prodding from friends for me to really give certain bands a chance. Why? Whatever. But it happens. Happened for me with The National (above). Happened. Past tense. Thankfully I've moved past my issues with this particular band and have very recently come to love them. Welcome to 2005, I know. Anyway, I went into this show with a fresh crush on the music of The National, but tempered expectations in regards to their live show given what some "long time" fans of the band told me about recent shows at Bowery Ballroom. Before this particular rain drenched Friday night at South Street Seaport I was listening to Alligator and Boxer a lot. Ever since, it's been almost nonstop. I'm a fool for not getting into this band sooner. Even with the typical limitations of the South Street Seaport sound system (not to mention the rain induced extra issues), their live show was excellent and worth the time spent standing in the rain.
Listen:
The National - "Secret Meeting" (live in Paris, 2005 - via Aquarium Drunkard)
***head over to NYC Taper and download this actual show HERE***
Today's NEW releases
This week's releases I can recommend:
- Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This
- Caribou - Andorra
- Imperial Teen - The Hair, The TV, The Baby & The Band
- Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
- Kula Shaker - Strangefolk
- M.I.A. - Kala
- The New Pornographers - Challengers
- Richard Hawley - Lady's Bridge
- Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
- Talib Kweli - Ear Drum
20 August 2007
Morrissey to play five shows @ Hammerstein Ballroom
As announced on the (official) Morrissey 'zine True To You, the Mozfather will be touring Mexico and the US during September and October, including FIVE shows at (my least favorite mid-large size venue I've ever been to) the Hammerstein Ballroom.
New York dates:
22 October : Hammerstein Ballroom
23 October : Hammerstein Ballroom
26 October : Hammerstein Ballroom
27 October : Hammerstein Ballroom
28 October : Hammerstein Ballroom
The rest of the dates for this final leg of his 2007 North America tour can be found HERE. No word yet on when tickets go on sale, or if he plans to actually appear at each of these scheduled dates.
Related:
EF's "Southpaw" 8+ post
snip·pets
Wall Street Journal: Music's New Mating Ritual - As genres are fused, cryptically named hybrids emerge
Times Online: The top 10 guitar solos
Legendary drummer Max Roach dies at 83
Jordin Sparks signs with Jive Records
Man punched for singing Coldplay song
Foxy Brown allegedly attacks neighbor
Cat Power Readies Two More Covers Albums, Fall Tour
NME: V Festival 2007 in pictures
17 August 2007
After The Jump Fest Update: Free Blood, Golem, Special Guest MC, and Set Times!
News:
We're extremely excited to announce the addtion of Free Blood to the night show and Golem to the day show. As well, Sara Schaefer is lined up to be the MC of the day show.
Set Times:
FREE Day Show Schedule:
- 2:00 (MetroMix.com Main Stage) The Teenage Prayers
2:30 (CONCERT.TV Side Stage) Jukebox The Ghost
3:00 (MetroMix.com Main Stage) Locksley
3:30 (CONCERT.TV Side Stage) Bling Kong
4:00 (MetroMix.com Main Stage) Golem
4:30 (CONCERT.TV Side Stage) Goes Cube
5:00 (MetroMix.com Main Stage) Ra Ra Riot
5:30 (CONCERT.TV Side Stage) Apache Beat
6:00 (MetroMix.com Main Stage) Spectrum
- 10:00 The Virgins
11:00 Soulico
Midnight Free Blood
1:00 Riot In Belgium
--
Finger on the Pulse (DJ set)
David Bruno (DJ set)
Again, the day show is FREE. Purchase tickets to the night portion of the event HERE.
Interviews:
As part of the pre-fest extravaganza, we united bloggers are interviewing each of the artists performing at After the Jump. Check out the interviews that have been posted so far:
- The Music Slut: 8 Questions With Spectrum
- Music Snobbery: Jukebox the Ghost Interview
- The Music Slut: 8 Questions With Soulico
- Product Shop NYC: An Interview w/ Riot In Belgium
Raffle/Prizes:
Chris over at Music Snobbery is keeping a running tally of all the awesome prizes we have to raffle off at After the Jump, including TWO passes to the CMJ Music Marathon worth nearly $500 each (thanks CMJ)! We also have a ton of CD prize packs, signed posters, t-shirts, and much more - so come and donate for your chance to win!
Nerds:
Pictured above - the bloggers responsible for putting together the After The Jump Fest. Photo taken by Elizabeth Weinberg.Volunteer:
Interested in donating your time to this event? Go HERE for more info.
Sponsors:
Things in this world cost money. Even really awesome free/for charity things. The companies below have helped out a great deal in terms of making this whole After The Jump Fest possible. Thanks and big ups to them.
- Cellfish Media. Cellfish Media creates digital content for mobile phones and is helping to revolutionize the blogging community.
- MetroMix.com. MetroMix is your one-stop local entertainment guide on where to go and what to do, from the hottest restaurants and bars, to the latest in events, music, movies, and more.
- Grand Hospitality. A pioneer in the industry, Grand Hospitality was the first company to establish luxury boutique hotels in the swank downtown New York neighborhoods of SoHo and TriBeCa.
- CONCERT.TV. is the first television channel dedicated to live music by offering both cutting edge shows and past favorites.
- Indaba Music. Indaba Music is an international community of musicians, music professionals, and fans exploring the creative possibilities of making music with people in different places.
- Imeem. Imeem is an online community where artists, fans & friends can promote their content, share their tastes, and discover new blogs, photos, music and video. Visit After the Jump on Imeem.
- CMJ. CMJ Network connects music fans and music industry professionals with the best in new music through interactive media, live events and print.
- Xanga. Xanga is a community of online diaries and journals.
- Colt 45. For over 4 decades, Colt 45 Premium Malt Liquor has been the "class of all malt liquor brands". With its smooth and distinct flavor and historic affiliation with Billy Dee Williams, it has become an urban American icon.
- Studio B. Simply put, a night club in Brooklyn but really, a Greenpoint phenomenon.
16 August 2007
8+
"Seductive Barry" by Pulp which clocks in at 8:31
I was listening to this song and it got me thinking. I started wondering about someone who might be known by the name "Seductive Barry". What's this Barry like? He probably has a huge smile full of overly-whitened teeth, and smells strongly of cheap musk, and Scotch. With really hairy arms and gold jewelry. Obviously. But what else? I imagined he probably looked something like the guy from the cover of the "A Little Soul" single (see the photo above, found HERE), most likely wears beige suits, and definitely speaks in breathy whispers. Then I started thinking about his resume. His curriculum vitae. But not one meant for finding employment; no, one meant strictly for landing the ladies. Then, I realized (rather quickly) that this imaginary resume could potentially be comprised solely of lyrics from Pulp songs. So I made it. I made Seductive Barry's dating resume, just for fun.
Barry Seductore
182 Stanhope Road
Swanscombe
DA10 0AZ, UK
09322 423032
barryluv4u2@gmail.com
Objective
Seeking a position in your life, for a night. In your bed, between the sheets. You see, you should take me seriously. Very seriously indeed. Cause I've been sleeping with your wife for the past sixteen weeks. Smoking your cigarettes, drinking your brandy, messing up the bed you chose together... And in all that time I just wanted you to come home unexpectedly one afternoon and catch us at it in the front room.
Summary of Qualifications
• I just happen to have got what you need, just exactly what you need.
• Raised on a diet of broken biscuits.
• I don't care if you screw him, just as long as you save a piece for me.
• I'll hold your body and make it sing again.
• My bed has seen it all, from the first time to the last. The silences of now, and the good times of the past.
• I'll be around when he's not in town, I'll show you how you're doing it wrong.
• I really love it when you tell me to stop.
• I'll read a story if it helps you sleep at night.
• I will light your cigarette with a star that has fallen from the sky.
Professional Experience
2004-Present: 59 Lyndhurst Grove, London, W11 - Spy
• I spy for a living. And I specialise in revenge.
• Laid here with the advertising sliding past my eyes like cartoons from other peoples lives.
• Wanted you for years, I only needed the balls to admit it.
2002-2004: Razzmatazz, London, SE1 - Sales Clerk
• Composed my own critical notices in my head.
• Kissed your Mother twice, worked on your Dad.
• Had one, two, three, four shots of happiness.
• Wore my trenchcoat and stayed out every single night.
• Changed so much since then... Oh yeah, I've grown.
1998-2002: Bar Italia, London, WC2 - Bartender
• Drinking every night just so I could feel alright, stayed in bed all day to feel okay. I felt okay.
• I tried hard to make it work, kissed her where she said it hurt, but I was always underneath.
• Imagined a blue plaque above the place I first ever touched a girl's breasts.
• I did these things just so I'd survive. And you know I did survive.
1996-1998: Boats And Trains, Sheffield, England - Sales Clerk
• Ninety-seven lovers twisted out of shape and just one kiss could set them straight.
• Jesus, it must be great... to be straight.
• I did experiments with substances, but all it did was make me ill.
• I didn't die, I carried on.
Education
1998-2002: Central Saint Martins College, Holborn, WC1
• studied sculpture
• laid in bed at night watching roaches climb the wall
1994-1998: The City School, Sheffield, England
• learned to drink & I learned to smoke & I learned to tell a dirty joke
• got your numbers, taken notes, and all the ways your minds work out - I studied
Computer Skills / Training
Apple OS(e)X, Windows(e)XP - nudge nudge, wink wink.
Buy This is Hardcore HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes.
EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
Pelican - "March to the Sea"
Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, and Tony Rice - "Guitar Space/Summertime"
Boris - "Flood"
Vieux Farka Touré - "Diabaté"
Morrissey - "Southpaw"
Mastodon - "Hearts Alive"
Frog Eyes - "Bushels"
Slint - "Washer"
To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.
OPP
Nerdlitter - Behind The Blog: Blogs Are For Dogs
Stereogum: New Deerhoof - "Matchbook Seeks Maniac (Dedication Mix)"
McSweeney's: Death-Metal Star Rethinks Romantic Love Onstage
The Music Slut has a new video from Brakes
MOKB: Return To Sender - The King Dead 30 Years Ago Today
Information Leafblower has some amazing pics of Johnny Marr/Modest Mouse at V Fest
Uncensored Interview: an online video site for indie music artists and fans to be seen and heard in their truest form - uncensored and real
15 August 2007
Arthur & Yu announce tour w/ Great Lake Swimmers
EAR FARM favorites Arthur & Yu are set to tour in October with Great Lake Swimmers. See those East Coast dates? Aw yeah. Be sure to check out the MP3s below and see Arthur & Yu when they're in your neck of the woods.
Arthur & Yu - 2007 Tour Dates:
25 August -- George, WA -- Download Fest at the Gorge*
30 August -- Bend, OR -- Les Schwab Ampitheater ^
11 September -- Shibuya, Japan -- O-Nest %
13 September -- Nagoya, Japan -- Tokuzo %
14 September -- Kyoto, Japan -- UrBANGUILD %
2 October -- New York, NY -- Highline Ballroom #
3 October -- Cambridge, MA -- Middle East (upstairs) #
4 October -- Philadelphia, PA -- World Cafe #
6 October -- Atlanta, GA -- The Earl #
9 October -- Dallas, TX -- The Cavern #
10 October -- Austin, TX -- Stubb's BBQ (indoors) #
12 October -- Phoenix, AZ -- Modified #
13 October -- Los Angeles, CA -- Spaceland #
14 October -- San Francisco, CA -- Cafe du Nord #
16 October -- Portland, OR -- Holocene #
17 October -- Seattle, WA -- Tractor Tavern #
* -- w/ Modest Mouse, Nada Surf, The Thermals, etc.
^ -- w/ The Shins
% -- w/ Grand Hallway
# -- w/ Great Lake Swimmers
Listen:
"Lion's Mouth"
"Come to View (Song For Neil Young)"
14 August 2007
Three for Free - Strange, Bellafea, Proof
EAR FARM's Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted each week. This week, three tracks from artists on Raleigh's dormant (defunct?) Pidgeon English Records. Click on the artist name to go to their site, click on the song name to listen to the song.
Listen:
Strange - "1001 Erotic Nights"
Bellafea - “Thorn Bird"
Proof - "Control Shift"
Today's NEW releases
Um... :
13 August 2007
Nyles Lannon
Who:Nyles Lannon, formerly of the band Film School.
Where: San Francisco, CA
What: laptop pop - think Grandaddy and Postal Service, but from a place more similar to where Eilliot Smith and Simon & Garfunkel were coming from.
Why: Nyles Lannon's music is immediate. From the first strum of "Hesitation" (update: removed from below per request and replaced with the finger-snap inducing "Did I Lose You") you'll be sucked in, measure by measure, into Lannon's world of melodic gentle bliss. The parts build quickly - the guitar, then the percussion, then airy vocals and handclaps and harmony and fuzzy electro-touches - and challenge you to not be won over within the first thirty seconds of the song. Resistance is, however, futile, because Lannon's songs are like a pop music love potion. A touch of pop, a touch of rock, a pinch of psychedelia, some folk, some electronic influence, all mixed together seamlessly into songs that'll be perfect for that trip you've got planned; in a convertible, up PCH with your brand new boy/girl/puppy. Perhaps you don't generally find yourself listening to the kind of indie-pop that often finds its way into other areas of mass media (one of his songs was featured on RealWorld: Denver, Coldcase, and also in the movie Butterfly Effect 2) but guess what - you're listening now and you LIKE it. Go ahead, move on to the second song. You can't resist.
The subtle strut of "Next Obsession" will continue to win you over with just enough blues influence to remind you that Lannon is coming from a world of rock and roll. The song sounds like it could be kin to certain songs from Dungen, if seen from the point of view of a modern day Nick Drake; or even, what I might've expected the music of Beatles members' offspring to sound like if they weren't worried about things being "too late for goodbyes".
Lannon has perfected his brand of dreamy pop, deftly crafting songs almost too perfect, nearly too sugary, for gloom hounds such as myself. Nearly. Instead of pushing away from these songs, however, I find that I'm thinking about how well this music would work in a variety of real life scenarios. I'm thinking thoughts of flowers, and breezy melancholic hours spent in the park, and farmers markets, and dreaded sunny days, and empty Coney Island in the winter and, and... I love it. Color me very curious to hear what the rest of the songs on his new album Pressure (to be released on the 18th of September by Badman Recording Company) sound like.
Listen:
"Next Obsession"
"Did I Lose You"
Visit Nyles Lannon on MySpace.
See Nyles Lannon live.
Sebadoh to play Club Europa in September
Just announced: the original lineup of Sebadoh will be coming to Brooklyn for a special one-off show at Europa Night Club on the 2nd of September @ 7:00 PM EDT (6:00 PM Doors).
Buy tickets HERE.
Previous EAR FARM posts relating to Sebadoh:
snip·pets
Universal Music Will Sell Songs Without Copy Protection
New Cure Album Shifts From Fall To Next Spring
Scorsese's Stones Film Delayed Until 2008
Local record stores amp up as vinyl becomes big--again
MTV's Desperate Video Music Awards
50 Cent: I'll quit if outsold by West
Keith Richards: 'I DID snort my dad's ashes'
Wikipedia lists entrance music for individual major league pitchers and hitters (via LHB)
10 August 2007
Music legend Tony Wilson dies: an EAR FARM tribute
From the Guardian:
The music mogul Tony Wilson has died aged 57 following a heart attack.Those familiar with EAR FARM already know that Tony Wilson was one of my personal heroes for the massive mark he left upon the world of music. He was an influential reporter on Granada TV (during which time he presented the groundbreaking So It Goes TV series - see above photo), one of the founders of Factory Records (whose roster included artists such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, and many more), and was a founder of the legendary Haçienda. Wilson's impact and influence upon the world of independent music can not be overstated.
The former Factory Records boss had been diagnosed with kidney cancer last year, and had been undergoing treatment in hospital in Manchester.
Professor Robert Hawkins, his doctor at Christie hospital, said: "It's very sad. He died as a result of something unrelated to his cancer. His cancer was responding well to treatment but obviously did contribute to his poor health".
In memory of Anthony H. Wilson, EAR FARM has put together a mini-mix of some favorite songs from Factory Records artists.
Listen:
1. "Electricity" by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - originally released as Fac 6 - buy The OMD Singles HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes
2. "Wrote For Luck" by Happy Mondays - originally released as Fac 212 - buy Double Easy: The U.S. Singles HERE on Amazon
3. "Drinking Song" by The Durutti Column - originally released on the Factory Too label - buy Time Was Gigantic HERE on Amazon
4. "No Love Lost" by Joy Division - original release info HERE - buy Heart And Soul HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes
5. "Chosen Time" by New Order - originally released as Fac 50 - buy Movement HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes
Find more music blog posts about Tony Wilson HERE on Elbo.ws.
Previous EAR FARM posts relating to Factory Records artists:
09 August 2007
8+
"March to the Sea" by Pelican which clocks in at 11:37
That's it: Fire the reviewer. Though it's a problematic if long-standing personal complaint, Pitchfork critics have consistently prevented the Chicago-birthed music site from being as transcendent as they've long been touted. In their review of Pelican's third album, City of Echoes, it's worse than it's ever been, largely because it seems that the excellent and consistently developing oversight of the editors at Pitchfork is better now than it has ever been. The compositions and articles have become more subtle and complex and are occasionally as powerful as those early Pitchfork moments, when a young, passionate band of writers would grind a handful of words into fine, red-hot music journalism v2.0. But Currin, unlike his associates and even founder Ryan Schreiber, hasn't progressed beyond his role of generally beating keys on his keyboard hard and misreading the upswing of a song by botching his interpretation of percussive playing and missing beats, both within the music and in his own writing. In his review of City of Echoes, he misses some of the album's most otherwise-transcendent moments and the review's approach of conveying his own denseness, even to the point of making use of much repetition, seemingly has given him more opportunities for failure than ever before.
This complaint is nothing new. Long before Pitchfork was popularly associated with being the tastemaking music source in the indie world, I used to tell people that the limitless energy of the site, misguidedly sloppy reviewers and all, reminded me favorably of young MTV and RollingStone. Oops. Earlier this year, one writer at Idolator noted Currin seemed to be engaging in nothing more than "an act of finger-wagging showmanship". An honest look at City of Echoes demands a different writer with finesse and a wide toolkit. After all, since I enjoy the band Pelican and would thus actually be reading this particular review, this was Pitchfork's big shot at delivering a more concise and purposeful review that would resonate with me. Here Currin spent all of his time bitching about things, excising prior largesse, and let each percussion part stand out more to us listeners by raising the same point again and again. And again.
Less than two sentences in, half of Grayson Currin is drowning in the sludge of his own obsession while the other is serializing a triumphant, ascending pattern of hate. If something sounds like it's unraveling, it is: as he does with almost all of his transitional movements, Currin falls apart by a hit or two, chopping his sentences and losing his place. The review is awkward, uncommonly rude, and unnatural, detracting from the intended motion entirely. Pitchfork proper has been so good lately, really: they're as aggressive and brimming as they are patient and smart; in the grand scheme, creating an anthem of a site which has been harmed by corrupted technique.
But it's not that Currin simply can't write; he can't place properly in Pitchfork's evolving approach, either. He understeps his pace on a simple turn-around, but even when on point, his big, lumbering thoughts sound cumbersome and stiff. The words snake; he stomps on his keys, occasionally subdiving his voice without any awareness for the rest of the world. By the time the review peaks, Currin stays in place. The "I hate the drummer, drummer sucks, drum bad - me good!" place. And, just when his attention seems to turn to one of the guitars, or finer moments of the album, Currin's sore thumb is still there, negating delicacy. Currin's apparent "drumming on his keyboard" writing style, and complete oblivion to feel, doesn't allow Pitchfork the range to be the exciting, dynamic site that's capable of the structural complexity they've long been interested in.
Ignoring this particular review and its side effects, though, current Pitchfork is the best Pitchfork has been in a while, largely because their reviewers are re-focused, increasingly comfortable as standard bearers of taste. This is not to say that Currin doesn't bring up valid points - much of the drumming (and mixing of the drums) on City of Echoes has been handled rather boorishly. For this reason, though mostly because none of the songs on said album are long enough to be featured in this 8+ column, I've chosen a track from Pelican's album The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw to post here. In "March to the Sea"-- the album's most overtly metal-heavy track-- the guitars charge forward while the drums constantly build through a series of impressive fills, double bass action, and cymbal crashes. It's a special song, pure finesse. Perhaps Currin should give it a listen, though I wouldn't be surprised to find him oblivious to the aural eclipse happening within this song if he did. Having already focused too hard on the drummer's errors on one Pelican album, and thus missing much of the goodness within City of Echoes, he could miss the beauty of this song too. Who knows though... you could email him a link to this post and we could wait and see. Or you could simply continue to demand more from this "[quasi-] important site" called Pitchfork.
Buy The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw HERE on Amazon or HERE on iTunes.
EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, and Tony Rice - "Guitar Space/Summertime"
Boris - "Flood"
Vieux Farka Touré - "Diabaté"
Morrissey - "Southpaw"
Mastodon - "Hearts Alive"
Frog Eyes - "Bushels"
Slint - "Washer"
Martin Eagle Trio - "The Hipster"
To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.
