Six Organs Craft Exclusive CD for Co-Written Book
For exactly 50 of you, here's some very good news: walk into Los Angeles' Book Soup bookstore around 7 p.m. this Halloween and you'll be presented with a Six Organs of Admittance Empty the Sun soundtrack CD free of charge. The disc won't be available anywhere else, and there's only a few of 'em out there: more than 50, though, as the purchase of any Hotel St. George Press book on that evening will get you one, too. Still, that's a generous offer... a little too generous if you ask me. Must be a catch, right?Eh, not unless you're allergic to the written word. The night is a celebration of Akashic Books' new experimental imprint Hotel St. George Press, and a number of HSG authors-- including co-founders Alex Rose and Aaron Petrovich, the latter reading in a straitjacket-- will be on hand to read from their work. So, too, will Joseph Mattson, whose Empty the Sun is a collaborative novel with Six Organs of Admittance. Man, Ben Chasny, when do you sleep?
Not anytime soon: Chasny and his Organs have a string of West Coast dates and a single British gig next month. What's more, their latest LP, Shelter From the Ash-- pressed in a quantity exceeding 50, we're sure-- drops November 20 on Drag City. [MORE...]
Goldfrapp Reveal New LP Details
Don't we have enough confusing sevens to deal with as music fanatics? Well, here's one more to add to the pile. In February 2008, Goldfrapp will treat U.S. and UK denizens to Seventh Tree, the duo's fourth long-player.According to a post on the band's website/MySpace, Seventh Tree came to life in the Somerset studio of Goldfrapp's own Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory, who both also wrote and produced the new record. Longtime home Mute will have the privilege of releasing it, which they will do on February 25 in the UK and the day after in the U.S.
As reported just last week, Seventh Tree may, in the band's words, "come as a bit of a shock" to some fans. The most recent MySpace post elaborates: "A sensual counterpoint to the glitterball glamour of [previous LP] Supernature, Seventh Tree is gilded in the butterfly colours of an English surrealism shared from Lear to Lennon. It shimmers and shines with the warmth of a hazy summer, an electric whirlpool over which Alison's glistening voice soars." Ooh, I like butterflies!
Tracklist details, like many butterflies, remain elusive for the moment.
Will Gregory, however, does not; as previously reported, he will premiere his new score to 1924 film He Who Gets Slapped, with help from Portishead's Adrian Utley and others, this December. [MORE...]
Best of Common's Early Years Collected on Hits Comp
Jennifer Lopez wants her album title back
thisisme then: the best of common should come emblazoned with a warning a little bigger than its lowercase "then." The 15-track collection from the Chicago MC is culled almost entirely from Common's first three albums, all released in the 90s on the Relativity label: 1992's Can I Borrow a Dollar?, 1994's Resurrection, and 1997's One Day It'll All Make Sense.
There's a single exception-- "High Expectations" from the soundtrack to Soul in the Hole, a 1997 documentary on Brooklyn streetballers-- but it's not exactly a career highlights package without "The Light", is it?
Eh, we're just griping. thisismethen does a fine job of hitting the highlights from his Common Sense period and (slightly) beyond, and it's fleshed out with guest appearances from Lauryn Hill, Cee-Lo, Erykah Badu and Q-Tip. Pop the disc in your computer device and you'll be greeted with the videos for "Take It EZ", "I Used to Love H.E.R.", "Retrospect for Life", and (non-thisismethen cut) "Invocation". The disc drops November 27 on Relativity/Legacy.
As for Common, he'll be on the big screen soon in the second-most highly anticipated thing called American Gangster you're likely to take in this fall. And he recently launched the Common Ground Foundation, "an effort dedicated to the empowerment and development of urban youth through education," according to a press release. [MORE...]
Modeselektor, Poirier, Yellowman, TTC on Scion 12"s
Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh exhibits art at Scion Space
The Project consists of five digital singles, each highlighting a signature track from the following labels: Greensleeves, Vice, Ninja Tune/Big Dada, Light in the Attic, and Strictly Rhythm. In addition to the tracks themselves-- from artists such as Betty Davis, Yellowman, Panthers, TTC, and Ghislain Poirier-- the singles also feature remixes of each track. The list of remix contributors also includes Poirier as well as Federation Sound, Modeselektor, BSOD, and DFA's Holy Ghost!.
Scion A/V will unleash the Remix Project to online retailers on October 30.
So that's the audio, but how about the visual? Turns out Scion also runs a gallery space in Los Angeles, and that space will soon host an exhibition of works by Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh. "Rugs During Wartime and Peacetime" opens November 17 at the L.A. Installation Gallery, aka Scion Space. According to the press release, the exhibit explores "the imagery we choose to bring into our homes and how we interact with it for the purposes of comfort and peace-of-mind rather than an esoteric sense of art for art's sake." Groovy. [MORE...]
Menomena's Seim Blogs, Preps New Lackthereof Album
This Menomena news story is all about choices. Want a headache? Just head on over to the Menomena website. Want some live Menomena? Catch the band across the U.S. and Canada this fall (dates recapped below). Want the skinny on the latest album from Meno-man Danny Seim under the Lackthereof moniker? Just read the next paragraph.Seim will hit us with the eighth (!) Lackthereof record this December, via FILMguerrero. It's called My Haunted and comes in vinyl and digital formats. Just what happened to the other seven Lackthereof albums, you ask? Apart from 2004's Christian the Christian (LP7)-- copies of which are still available via FILMguerrero-- the other releases were limited-run CD-R affairs that Seim hopes to re-release at some point.
A true solo joint, My Haunted is all Danny, with some background vocal contributions from his wife, Holly Seim. Check out the track "Every Kind Word", available for download below, and check Forkcast tomorrow for another treat.
Amazing Mr. Seim found time to tour and make solo records and stuff, as the guy recently posted a 7500+ word blog entry on the Willamette Week website detailing Menomena's autumn exploits in Europe. The highlights are too many to name, and if the word count sounds daunting, don't worry-- there are plenty of pictures too. Check that here.
Finally, want to scope the latest wacky, film-spoofing Menomena tour poster by artist Tyler Stout? That's it right up there, next to the last two. Want it on your wall? Pick up a copy at one of Menomena's upcoming shows. Your roommates will thank you. [MORE...]
Sons & Daughters Return With a Gift on New LP
Photo by Joe DilworthThe men and women of Glaswegian foursome Sons & Daughters have some pretty cool friends. Not only are they buddies with fellow Scots Franz Ferdinand, but they enlisted former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler to produce their sophomore album, This Gift.
Domino will release This Gift, the follow-up to 2005's The Repulsion Box, on January 29 (North America) and January 28 (elsewhere). The album's first single, "Gilt Complex", landed today (October 29) in the UK and Europe; it's due tomorrow in North America. The single comes as a download and a UK-only seven-inch.
S&D have tour dates, kicking off October 31 with a London in-store and running through December. After This Gift's release, they will head to North America for another, yet-to-be-announced tour. [MORE...]
For Emma is Bon Iver's (pronounced "bohn eevair") souvenir of a three-month stay in a cabin in the woods of northwestern Wisconsin. Vernon originally self-released the record, which explains the fact that Pitchfork already (very favorably) reviewed it and tagged it as a Recommended album.
Vernon will venture out this fall for a handful of shows starting November 10 in Madison, Wisconsin. [MORE...]
T.V. Eye: October 29-November 4, 2007
Live music on TV this week:
Monday, October 29:
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Justice (rerun)
Tuesday, October 30:
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Sex Pistols
Wednesday, October 31:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Go! Team
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Sex PistolsNBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Regina Spektor
Thursday, November 1:
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Two Gallants
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ryan Adams
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Thurston Moore, Common
Friday, November 2:
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Black Lips
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Jay-Z
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Talib Kweli
Saturday, November 3:
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Feist
PBS: Austin City Limits: Wilco
Spoon, Explosions, Aesop Rock Play Antipop Fest
Plus: Black Kids, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Busdriver, Craig Wedren
Over four nights at nearly a dozen Orlando, Florida venues, this year's Antipop Music Festival packs in Spoon, Aesop Rock, Explosions in the Sky, Black Kids, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Craig Wedren (ex-Shudder to Think), Busdriver, the Postmarks, the Stills, All Smiles, David Bazan (ex-Pedro the Lion), Daedelus, Blockhead, Johnny Cash's Legendary Tennessee Three, and more.
The sustained affront to all things pop kicks off November 7, with more acts expected to join the fracas in the days leading up to the fest.
Photos: Kevin Drew [Portland, OR; 10/27/07]
Photos by Nilina Mason-Campbell
Kevin Drew's Spirit If... tour continues to make its way across the world, having landed on American shores this weekend, after a month of European exhibition. As predicted, Drew's beard (as well as a couple of his bandmates') has indeed continued to grow over the course of the tour, which hit Portland, Oregon's Aladdin Theater Saturday night. On this trek, the Broken Social Scenester has been joined at times by album collaborators Andrew Kenny of American Analog Set, Treble Charger's Bill Priddle, and Uncut/Hawaii member Sam Goldberg, as well as BSSers Brendan Canning and Justin Peroff, not to mention Metric's James Shaw.
The night before, at Seattle's Moore Theatre, Drew and co. were joined by special guests Ben Gibbard and Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie for an encore of "When It Begins". Check out Joshua C. Bis' photos here.
More photos and remaining tour dates below.
[MORE...]
Devendra Banhart Exhibits Art at San Fran MOMA
Photo by Alissa Anderson
From now through February 24 at San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art, a collection of music-inspired works from late Swiss painter Paul Klee will be exhibited next to the drawings of Californian freakazoid Devendra Banhart. They're calling the show "Abstract Rhythms", and if we may be so bold, it's an inspired pairing: both Klee's and Banhart's works contain a wide-eyed (occasionally childlike) wonder at the beauty of the world.
If you own Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, you've seen some of the pieces Devendra's displaying at MOMA, but don't think a spin through the CD booklet is a proper replica for the real thing. D.Ban's got ten new drawings and a series of photos of Devendra, friends, family and well-wishers up as well.
The drawings, like the album, apparently "spring from a personal narrative developed around a fictional protagonist named Smokey- an archetype of a person Banhart frequently encounters while on tour," according to a press release. Yeah, I bet there's a lotta Smokeys in your audience, beardo.
"I sing what I
can't draw and draw what I can't sing," Devendra says.
Here's a little wall-text-speak on a couple of the pieces on display: "In Kadmon Smokey (2007), Banhart thematically draws from the kabbalah, presenting Smokey as the primordial Kadmon Adam (the first being created by the cosmos), pictorially represented as an abstract, mountainous form around which colorful planets revolve. In Banded King Snake and Thunder Maiden (2007), Banhart blends myriad cultural myths, including a reference to Quetzalcoatl, the ancient Aztec god who is half-bird and half-snake. In the drawing the snake's vibrant colors signify the plumes of the quetzal bird. Similarly, lightening bolts radiate from the hybrid figure's hat-an allusion to Indra, the god of thunder in Hindu mythology."
This is like that time I tried to read Siddhartha and instead ended up playing a "Duck Tales" video game for like seven hours.
To keep things swinging at SFMOMA, Devendra will bring his traveling rock'n'roll hoedown-- primed to hit Europe early next month-- there January 17, when he will play a live show.
For more Devendra art, check out the book Good Times: Bad Trips.
Full dates after the jump. [MORE...]
Photos: The Decemberists [Chicago, IL; 10/28/07]
Photos by Sanchez and Kitahara
If you know the long and short of the Decemberists' catalogue, then you're probably excited about the band's current "Long and Short of It" tour, on which the Portland rockers play two nights in each city, devoting one night to their lengthy jams, and one night to their shorter pop tunes.
It was a night of extended sea chanteys on Sunday at Chicago's Vic Theater, as Colin Meloy and crew worked through some of the longer tracks from last year's progtastic The Crane Wife and some of their more verbose tunes from albums past.
More photos and tour dates (delineated by length of songs to be played) below.
[MORE...]
Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)
Sun: 01-06-08: 07:00 AM CST
Shins' Crandall, Girlfriend Arrested for Domestic Assault
Fri: 01-04-08: 04:50 PM CST
Silver Jews' David Berman Talks Lookout, Outlook
Fri: 01-04-08: 04:00 PM CST
Radiohead Manager Explains Amplive Remix Snafu
Fri: 01-04-08: 03:15 PM CST
MMJ, Wrens, Mekons Folks Aid New Orleans Musicians
Fri: 01-04-08: 02:45 PM CST
The Go! Team Tour Away Winter Languor
- Facing Lockup, Rapper Prodigy Turns Video Blogger
- Belle & Sebastian's Jackson, Oakley Hall Do Guitar Fest
- Flipper Recording New Album With Krist Novoselic
- Califone, Fugazi Members Soundtrack Brent Green Films
- Walkmen, White Williams, Bon Iver Play Chicago Fest
Browse
- Silver Jews' David Berman Talks Lookout, Outlook
- Facing Lockup, Rapper Prodigy Turns Video Blogger
- Belle & Sebastian's Jackson, Oakley Hall Do Guitar Fest
- Flipper Recording New Album With Krist Novoselic
- Radiohead Manager Explains Amplive Remix Snafu
- Califone, Fugazi Members Soundtrack Brent Green Films
- MMJ, Wrens, Mekons Folks Aid New Orleans Musicians
- The Go! Team Tour Away Winter Languor
- Walkmen, White Williams, Bon Iver Play Chicago Fest
- The Streets' Skinner Retires the Beats Label
- Raveonettes Plot Tours of North America, Italy
- Robyn Announces U.S. Tour Dates!
- Jose Gonzalez Goes Green for North American Tour
- Under Byen Enlist Symphonic Help on New EP
- Black Mountain Add Dates With Bon Iver
- Nick Cave's Lazarus Gets Tracklist, U.S. Release Date
- The Long Blondes Set Up Couples, UK Tour
- Antony Designs Dress for Charity
- Amplive Nixes Radiohead Remixes at Warner's Demand
- The Fiery Furnaces Add Dates, Surprise Surprise
- Casiotone Drops a Few Singles, Plays a Few Gigs
- Fennesz Releases Two New Singles
- No Age, Mae Shi, Cline Play Smell Anniversary Shows
- Man Man Adopt Rabbit Habits, Tour U.S.
- Yo La Tengo's Ira Kaplan DJs on WFMU
- Beyonce PWNS Kanye in Connect Four
- Hot Chip Reveal Made Tracklist, Single, New Dates
- M83 Reveals Full Album Details
- Grand Archives Reveal Sub Pop Debut Details, Dates
- Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Tour for Trash
- Boredoms to Invade America This Spring
- Xiu Xiu Bolster Lovers With DVD, iTunes Exclusives
- Beck's Odelay Given Deluxe Reissue Treatment
- Smashing Pumpkins Issue New EP Today
- Cat Power Plots Jukebox Tour
- R.E.M. Gear Up to Accelerate on New LP
- Oberst Woos Iowans for Obama
- Evan Farrell (Magnolia Electric Co./Rogue Wave) R.I.P.
- Panda Bear Designs Sweatshirts
- Neko Case Schedules Winter Shows
- Bjork Discusses "Independence", Videos, Grammys
- While We Were Out
- Radiohead Celebrate New Year With Webcast
- Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam Presidency
- R.I.P. Oscar Peterson, 1925-2007
- Kim Deal Talks New Breeders Album, Pixies, German
- Country Singer J.D. "Cast" King R.I.P.
- Minor Threat Turns Condiment, But Ian Doesn't Mind
- Pollard Records 7" With Decemberists, Quasi Members
- Los Campesinos! Reveal Album Tracklist, Release Date
- Swell Return With New Album, Rarities Collection
- Mission of Burma Have a Burmese Mission
- Oldham, Faun Fables Release Letting Go Demos
- Photos: GZA Performs Liquid Swords [New York, NY; 12/13/07]
- Thrill Jockey B-Day Bash: Become Yr Fave Album Cover!
- The Decemberists to Return to the Road in January
- Rocket From the Crypt Resurrected on Live CD/DVD
- Lupe Fiasco Plots Sizable U.S. Tour, Cool Happenings
- Radiohead Reveal Cool In Rainbows CD Packaging
- Kindercore Serves Up Xmas Charity Comp/Comic Book
- Black Lips Release Very Limited Edition Single
- Portastatic, Annuals, Rosebuds Rock Trekky Recs Xmas
- Beach House Team With Papercuts for 2008 Tour
- Labels Seek Apology From Rolling Stone for Camel Ad
- Electrelane Organize Anti-Trafficking Benefit
- Donations Sought for Ailing Country Singer Cast King
- Madonna, Leonard Cohen Inducted Into Rock Hall
- Harry Potter Bands Rock Against Media Consolidation
- My Bloody Valentine Headline Benicassim Festival
- Sambassadeur Let Migration Free in the States
- Kevin Barnes, Jeff Mangum in Wacky Elephant 6 Movie
- Liars, No Age Announce Joint Tour
- Justice Release "Phantom" Single
- Stephen Malkmus Talks Trash
- Ike Turner R.I.P.
- Calexico Tour-Only Jams Now Digital Via Touch & Go
- Bradford Cox Publicly Apologizes to Samara Lubelski
- Yorke Preps 12"s With Field, Four Tet, Burial Remixes
- Diplo Remixes Spoon's "Don't You Evah" for Charity
- Robyn Invites Us to "Be Mine" on Latest Single, Dates
- Morrissey Reveals New Single Details
- Liars, No Age Members Team for Sissy Spacek Show
- Black Lips Add Tour Dates (Yep) Again
- Explosions to "Drop off the Face of the Earth" After Tour
- Yeasayer Announce Big 2008 Tour
- Final Fantasy Song Jacked for Ad Leads to
AngerLawsuitTotally Sweet Music Festival - Okkervil River Drop Free Covers Mixtape, Add Gigs
- The Mars Volta Whip Up More Dates
- Radiohead Pad Out Tour With New Dates
- Jens Lekman Plots 2008 Dates
- Photos: ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas [Minehead, England; 12/07-12/09/07]
- Marina Leaves Bonde do Role
- Ghostface, Raekwon, Kweli Guest on New Hi-Tek Disc
- Built to Spill Keep on Trucking Into 2008
- The Cure Lend Guitar to West Memphis Three Auction
- RZA Sets out on Solo Tour, Wu-Tang Clan Add Dates
- Un-T.V. Eye: December 10-16, 2007
- Various Production Leave XL, Plan Releases
- Clark Sneaks Out New EP, Preps Album, Tours
- Wilco to Play "The Complete Wilco" in Chicago
- Silver Mt. Zion Overcome Triskaidekaphobia on 13 Blues
- David Pajo's Dead Child Plan Attack on Quarterstick
- Cat Power Plans Charity Mission Abroad
- Bonde do Role Cancel Remaining Tour Dates
- Photos: Primavera Club Festival [Barcelona, Spain; 12/03-12/08/07]
- Mirah, the Blow Team Up for West Coast Tour
- Black Mountain Announce West Coast Dates
- Albert Hammond Jr. Talks New LP, Songcraft, Strokes
- Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings Add Winter Dates
- Too $hort(!) Contributes to In Rainbows Remix Record
- Robyn, I'm From Barcelona, Shining Play EuroSonic
- Karlheinz Stockhausen R.I.P.
- Kanye, Wilco, Flaming Lips Items in Darfur Auction
- Dead Meadow Herald New LP With Show, Pre-Release
- Waits, Weller, B-more Club on "The Wire" Soundtracks
- The Mountain Goats Reveal 2008 Dates
- Photos: Dewey Cox and the Hard Walkers [Chicago, IL; 12/06/07]
- Sufjan to Play Tibet House Benefit
- Bjork "Declares" New Single Details
- Underworld Reschedule Tour
- Murdoch, Albarn, Harvey Write Charity Postcards