Pitchfork: Benjamin Curtis Leaves Secret Machines

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Benjamin Curtis Leaves Secret Machines
Remaining members commence work on LP3

The Secret Machines fan community is majorly bummed right now, as it was announced this weekend that guitarist and founding Machine Benjamin Curtis has departed the prog-ish trio.

"After 7 and 1/2 years of playing music together," wrote bandmate and brother Brandon Curtis on the Machines' message board, "Benjamin has decided to no longer be a part of the band. It is a sad day but also an exciting one as he prepares to focus full time on his new creative venture, School of Seven Bells...Of course Josh [Garza, drummer] and I wish him all the best."

New York-based quintet School of Seven Bells, as previously reported, features Benjamin alongside another set of siblings: sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza, formerly of On!Air!Library!. The act "expects to be finished with a new record very soon," wrote Brandon, and "there [are] plans in the works to play some shows here in New York debuting the band."

While it's not known whether the remaining Machines will seek a replacement, Brandon and Josh have begun work on the third Secret Machines album, the follow-up to last year's Ten Silver Drops. "We expect to begin recording sometime in the beginning of May," said Brandon. Silver lining, yo.

Video: Secret Machines: All at Once [from the Ten Silver Drops LP]

Stream: School of Seven Bells: Wired for Light [MySpace]

Posted by Matthew Solarski in breakup on Mon: 03-05-07: 11:00 AM CST | Permalink

Exclusive: Bjork Talks Volta for the Very First Time
"All I wanted to do for this album was just to have fun and do something that was full-bodied and really up."

On Friday, Björk opened her music box and revealed its latest treasure: Volta, the Icelandic powerhouse's forthcoming album, due out May 7 on One Little Indian/Atlantic.

The record was produced by Björk herself, and features a globe-trotting all-star cast of contributors, including Timbaland, Antony, Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale, percussionist Chris Corsano, African collective Konono N°1, kora virtuoso Toumani Diabaté, Chinese pipa player Min Xiao-Fen, and a ten-piece Icelandic brass section.

Last week in New York City, Pitchfork's Brandon Stosuy sat down with Björk for her first interview about the new album. (Full disclosure: Stosuy is a friend of Matthew Barney, Björk's partner.) During their lengthy chat, Björk opened up about the politics and sonics of Volta, her relationships with her collaborators, and her plans for the future.

In the first part of a series that will continue over the course of the coming weeks, Björk talks about the rhythms of Volta: how they're different from the rhythms of her previous work, and how a trip to tsunami-stricken Indonesia inspired the life-force behind the beats. [MORE...]

Video: Bjork: Hidden Place [from the Vespertine LP]

Posted by Amy Phillips and Brandon Stosuy in exclusive, interview on Mon: 03-05-07: 07:00 AM CST | Permalink

Long Winters Tour With Bound Stems, Broken West

It's not often that we get to type the words "Zagreb, Croatia," but the Long Winters will practically saturate the Eastern and Central European markets tonight and tomorrow with their last two overseas dates before returning to North America.

Not long after their Stateside homecoming, the band hits the road once again. On March 10, the Long Winters begin a month-long tour on their way back to their native Seattle, with Bound Stems, the Broken West, and Stars of Track and Field accompanying on various dates.

Through With Love, the previously reported documentary about the Long Winters, is still in the editing stages. [MORE...]

MP3: The Long Winters: Pushover [from the Putting the Days to Bed LP]

Posted by Dave Maher in tour on Fri: 03-02-07: 05:00 PM CST | Permalink

Prinzhorn Dance School Tour With LCD Soundsystem

DFA's newest adoptions, Prinzhorn Dance School, are still working on their James Murphy-mixed debut album. For the immediate future, however, the energetic duo will focus on touring the old countries.

Tonight they begin a month-and-a-half long UK tour that has them opening a bunch of overseas dates for labelmates LCD Soundsystem-- whose own world tour, as previously reported, kicks off next week. The Prinzhorn fun begins pretty much right now at the Windmill in London. [MORE...]

Stream: Prinzhorn Dance School: You Are the Space Invader / Eat, Sleep (clips) [single]

Posted by Dave Maher in tour on Fri: 03-02-07: 03:45 PM CST | Permalink

Domino Is Where the Wild Beasts Are

Wild Beasts have been steadily writing, recording, and touring for the past five years-- since some of their members were 16. The Leeds quartet have released a series of EPs, and they'll soon get a chance to issue their debut full-length on a new label: Domino Records.

The Beasts migrate to Domino from Bad Sneakers Records, which will release their second single on April 23 with A-side "Through Dark Night" and B-side "Please, Sir".

The band have scattered tour dates in England, including one supporting new labelmates Clinic at London's Scala, and their upcoming show at the Faversham in Leeds will double as a launch party for the Bad Sneakers single.

Pitchfork glowingly reviewed the band's debut single, "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants", late last year; read about it here. [MORE...]

Stream: Wild Beasts: Various Tracks

Posted by Dave Maher in signing, tour, single on Fri: 03-02-07: 03:15 PM CST | Permalink

Photos: Knitting Factory Benefit [New York, NY; 03/01/07]

Lou Reed, Lee Ranaldo, John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, DJ Spooky, and more turned out last night at Town Hall to pay homage to the Old Knit (aka the Knitting Factory) and club founder Michael Dorf. 2007 marks the beloved venue's 20th anniversary. Check out Kathryn Yu's photos from the event, which also included performances from Medeski Martin and Wood (sans Wood), former Soul Cougher Mike Doughty, guitarist Marc Ribot, and songstress Rebecca Moore. Proceeds from the show benefitted The Stone, Zorn's Lower East Side "not-for-profit performance space dedicated to the experimental and avant-garde."

LOU REED

JOHN ZORN

LAURIE ANDERSON

DJ SPOOKY

[MORE...]

Posted by Matthew Solarski in festival, photos on Fri: 03-02-07: 03:00 PM CST | Permalink

+/- Embark on U.S. Tour, Prep DVD

+/- are about to hit the freedom-paved streets of the United States. The Absolutely Kosher trio gets the party started tonight with a one-off show at Hanover, New Hampshire's Fuel Lounge; then James Baluyut, Chris Deaner, and Patrick Ramos break for a little bit before taking off for real.

The trek, which is slated to run through late March with a stop at SXSW, supports +/-'s 2006 Absolutely Kosher LP, Let's Build a Fire, as well as last month's Teenbeat Records split EP with Bloodthirsty Butchers.

Good old Teenbeat-- which issued +/-'s debut and sophomore albums-- will release the band's Self-Titled Long-Playing Debut DVD later this year. Assembled by Deaner and cause for celebration, it marks the label's inaugural foray into the magical land of digital video discs. [MORE...]

MP3: +/-: Steal the Blueprints [from the Let's Build a Fire LP]

Posted by Kati Llewellyn in tour, dvd on Fri: 03-02-07: 02:15 PM CST | Permalink

Photos: El Perro Del Mar [New York, NY; 03/01/07]

El Perro Del Mar's Sarah Assbring touched down in New York City yesterday evening for the first night of her long-awaited, two-week North American tour. Props to Pitchfork photographer William Kirk for going the extra mile to document El Perro's dramatic landfall with these lovely visuals. Sarah's presently working on the follow-up to last year's El Perro Del Mar and helping Jens Lekman record his new album. Catch her across the U.S. and Canada this March.

[MORE...]

Posted by Matthew Solarski in tour, photos on Fri: 03-02-07: 12:30 PM CST | Permalink

Dead Meadow Launch Tour This Weekend

Tomorrow night, Matador psych-rockers Dead Meadow kick off a month-long tour with a slot at San Francisco's Noise Pop festival.

As is the case with anybody who's anybody these days, the trio will make its way to Austin and show SXSW its stuff from March 15-17.

Dead Meadow will spend the majority of the trek, Saturday's gig included, alongside self- proclaimed mind-warpers Spindrift. [MORE...]

MP3: Dead Meadow: Various Tracks

Posted by Kati Llewellyn in tour on Fri: 03-02-07: 12:00 PM CST | Permalink

Ladyhawk Prep 12", Hit the Road Tomorrow

Vancouver four-piece Ladyhawk have a big three months ahead of them. As previously reported, they're scheduled to head out on tour with Saturday Looks Good to Me this weekend, but what we didn't tell you was that they've got plenty of their own dates on the agenda as well, not to mention loads alongside Tapes 'n Tapes and Constantines.

The Jagjaguwar-signed crew gets things going tomorrow with an early show at their hometown's Plaza Club. Then it's off across North America; of course, this jaunt includes the obligatory SXSW rounds.

In related news, Ladyhawk will release a 12-inch EP, Fight for Anarchy, on May 22 via Jagjaguwar. [MORE...]

MP3: Ladyhawk: War [from the forthcoming Fight for Anarchy EP]

Posted by Kati Llewellyn in tour, album on Fri: 03-02-07: 11:45 AM CST | Permalink

Bjork to Share Volta in May

At last! After months of speculation and a little Internet mischief, Icelandic swan princess Björk has revealed the title and release date for her sixth full-length proper and follow-up to 2004's a cappella experiment Medúlla.

Volta includes 10 new songs and graces the earth May 7 via ~~we presume, Elektra~~ One Little Indian/Atlantic.

As previously reported, it's quite an eclectic, star-studded affair: Björk duets with Antony, trades beats with Timbaland, and receives "percussive delights" (oh my) from Lightning Bolt's Brian Chippendale, mbira merriment from Konono N°1, kora joys from Toumani Diabate, pipa playing from Min Xiao-Fen, and even more percussive delights from Chris Corsano (my oh my). Björk even assembled a 10-piece all-female brass section from Iceland to toot horns on three tracks.

Contrary to previous reports, Volta was written and produced entirely by Björk, according to her website. The ever-inventive songstress debuts the new record at a bunch of festivals this spring and summer, including Coachella, Sasquatch!, and Glastonbury.

Swing by Pitchfjörk on Monday morning for an exclusive interview with Björk. [MORE...]

Video: Bjork: Hidden Place [from the Vespertine LP]

Posted by Matthew Solarski in album, tour on Fri: 03-02-07: 11:15 AM CST | Permalink

Johnston, Mt. Eerie, Flosstradamus Rock Toronto Fest

Toronto's Over the Top Festival will celebrate its sixth year with over 25 bands playing at eight local venues from May 3-6.

Daniel Johnston, Mount Eerie, Michael Gira, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Matt & Kim, Peter and the Wolf, Flosstradamus, Julie Doiron, Arnold Dreyblatt, Jason Trachtenburg, Page France, Japanther, Genghis Tron, and Pit Er Pat are all part of the festival's lineup. Harry and the Potters will share magic mayhem alongside Arena Rock Recording Co. upstarts Germans at the festival's March 8 launch party at Toronto's Tranzac club. Tickets are on sale now.

2007 will also mark the first year the all-ages festival includes film, theater, and visual art. Film screenings include Jandek: A Duality of Self, The Guatemalan Handshake, and Before the Music Dies. Giant Killer Shark: The Musical-- "similar to a 1975 film about a killer shark that stalks the residents of a copyright-protected island," according to the festival's website-- is the only announced theatrical performance.

Posted by Dave Maher in festival on Fri: 03-02-07: 11:00 AM CST | Permalink

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Tue: 03-20-07: 04:20 PM CDT
Walkmen's Leithauser Responds to SXSW Arrest