- Wade - STILL in SonicBids & CMJ 2007: Anatomy of a Scam? …Meh. I LOVE this…..as a past user (used by) Sonicpigs, I got really disgusted that I was allowing myself to fall into the...
- tape in New Single: Patrick Wolf’s “Accident and Emergency” anna nicole smith sex tape
- Borch in Noah and the Whale - Peaceful, The World Lays me Down I forgot about the syrup! Rice cakes then… nothing blander than rice cakes, unless, of course, they’re topped w/ meat.
I’m going to go have a heart attack now, the good kind. Even though i just saw them in London in April, this news makes me giddy. I cannot even tell you how much I love this band, or how awesome their live show is, or how glad I am that they are back together and touring. And Hey Ma is a kickass album too.
Official press release:
We are pleased to announce that James will be embarking on a three week tour of North America this autumn to coincide with the US release of Hey Ma on the 16th of September. The tour will include concerts across the USA as well as Canada and their first ever visit to Mexico. More ticketing info will be released over the coming weeks. Keep an eye on www.wearejames.com for the details.
The tour will begin on September 15th in Boston, Massachusetts, the day before the US release of the album - their first in 7 years. In addition to their headline tour, the band will make a stop at Radio City Music Hall in New York City as special guests to Squeeze on the 19th.
The dates are as follows: Read more »
i have spent much of the last few months mildly obsessing, as i tend to do, over beaks to the moon, the new album by nyc 5 piece band the shivers. it’s an eclectic, lonely album, always surprising and impossible to categorize. that being said, i’d categorize it as…hmm…slightly jazzy yet sparse folk music with a deliciously twangy center. because dammit, i like categories.
but regardless which of the many ways one chooses to describe beaks, it’s a treasure. not many bands are doing anything quite like this, it’s wry and mournful at the same time and even gets almost reggae-esque with the peppier “mr officer.” my favourite track is “lonely road” though, slightly reminiscent of beck at his most depressed. they make all kinds of odd sounds and samples work in the songs too…lots of piano, birds, an ice cream truck (?), and without even being annoying or pretentious about it. it all just works melodiously without being too obvious, if you know what i mean.
anyway, i called upon them to answer superstarcastic’s (in)famous 5 questions, and Keith and Jo of the shivers were kind enough to humor me. they also have a myspace page, so you can lend an ear and thank me later for hooking you up.
1. when historians listen to your most recent CD 1000 years from now, what will they say?
Why am I a historian, not a musician?
2. if you could play a show with any band/musician living or dead, who would you pick and why?
Keith: I would probably have to say Oval. Because his music inspires me.
Jo: I would say Ovaltine.
3. what is the strangest band-related dream (one of) you have had?
Jo: i dreamt evan was a pizza.
4. what do your fans look like?
Keith: we appeal to the transgender vertically challenged community.
5. what bullshit do you run into at most every show that makes you think “man, this bullshit again?”"
apathy.
bonus question: i’m not sending you the bonus question because it was used too much the first time around - make up your own.
why?
why not.
i used to feel really sorry for athens, georgia’s band now it’s overhead because i am a punctuation geek and people are stupid and kept leaving that apostrophe out, which changes the whole meaning, people…geez! but anyway, back when i was in my saddle creek phase, this was my favourite band of the lot, and i still quite enjoy their albums, especially their first self titled endeavor. and andy lemaster himself was kind enough to answer our five questions - check ‘em out and then go to their myspace to check out the tunes.
ps. best answer to question 2 EVAR.
1. when historians listen to your most recent CD 1000 years from now, what will they say?
“Good thing the World Court passed the law of 2286 that made mandatory the bio-engineering of melancholy out of the human genome .”
2. if you could play a show with any band/musician living or dead, who would you pick and why?
Paris Hilton and I’d choose dead.
3. what is the strangest band-related dream (one of) you have had?
No one in our band is actually related, but it’s a dream of mine to marry a band-mate one day. I’d choose Curtis.
4. what do your fans look like?
Angels of mercy.
5. what bullshit do you run into at most every show that makes you think “man, this bullshit again?”"
Sodomy laws.
bonus question: why won’t you forget to tip your bartender?
Karmic blackmail.
you know what, people? since we’re all about gypsy music on superstarcastic these days, i gots to tell you something - way before gogol bordello became the hottest thing in balkan indie rock, there was this kickass band called firewater. they’ve been off the scene for awhile because the singer, todd a. (of cop shoot cop fame), was traipsing around the planet avoiding republicans and gathering inspiration. and he found it somewhere, in turkey or indonesia or another exotic locale, because now they’re back, and they have a swaggeringly badass new album called the golden hour. it’s darkish and interesting and inventive and kind of world music-y without being annoying. if you know what i mean. and hey, judging by the cabaret-noir sound of it, tom waits would like it and what more do you need to know?
you can check out some of the tunes (the song ‘hey clown’ is quintessential firewater, reminding me of my favourite album by them, 1998’s excellent the ponzi scheme) on their myspace. do it.
geez, this year is half over already! anyway, since it’s music season in chicago, i got inspired - here are my favourite songs released so far in 2008, if you care. not as many brilliant new albums as last year but some good stuff for sure.
and yes, you can commence making fun of me for being a list-making geek now.
playlist:
why? - “the vowels pt.2″ (from the new alopecia album , one of the most interesting albums i’ve heard in awhile)
noah and the whale - “5 years time” (from s/t ep. every song on it is better than good.)
british sea power - “lights out for darker skies” (from do you like rock music? they are the poor man’s arcade fire, it’s a fair album with a few really, really good songs like this one)
hot chip - “ready for the floor” (on made in the dark. it’s fun, dance-y, makes you want to shake your proverbial tail feather)
devotchka - “the clockwise witness” (on a mad & faithful telling, one of the best of the year so far. it’s an amazing album of weird gypsy music)
the mountain goats - “autoclave” (from heretic pride, mildly disappointing but i still heart john darnielle)
cat empire - “no longer there” (just released album of the same name in the states, touring in the fall. huzzah!)
wolf parade - “california dreamer” (on at mount zoomer. pitchfork loves these guys)
islands - “creeper” (on arm’s way. i surprised myself by really digging this whole album)
the indelicates - “sixteen” (from american demo, one of my favourites of the year. this album is SO AWESOME)
nick cave and the bad seeds - “hold on to yourself” (on dig lazarus dig, which i’m warning you is depressing. hey, it’s nick cave, what did you expect?)
the magnetic fields - “too drunk to dream” (an awesome song from the much anticipated and slightly disappointing distortion album)
vampire weekend - “i stand corrected” (s/t album. and yes, yes, they are riding the hype train. no, they aren’t brilliant but it’s fun summery light music)
my morning jacket - “aluminum park” (the second half of evil urges kicks ass. the first part is meh.)
james - “of monsters & heroes & men” (from hey ma. um, it’s james. their first album in 8 years. i love everything about it. you should too.)
the raveonettes - “sad transmission” (from lust lust lust - more spaced out 50’s music. must be played loud)
we are scientists - “that’s what counts” (on brain thrust mastery. well done geek rock.)
martha wainwright - “love is a stranger” (on i know you’re married. rufus’ little sister covering the eurythmics)
so there you have it. questions? comments? criticisms? threats?
the indelicates are an english indie pop/folk/rock/whatever group, formed in 2005 by simon indelicate and julia indelicate, who started the pipettes and then apparently wised up and left that band when she realized what she had done. they have finally put out their first full-length album, called american demo. it’s different. it’s clever. it’s like the weird bastard child of kurt weill and queen. in a good way. like literate burlesque mixed with anthem rock. this might be the best thing that has happened to music in a long time. they have songs called ‘if jeff buckley had lived’ and ‘waiting for pete doherty to die.’ they talk about the media and shit. they can read. and julia has the clearest, most effortless opera-with-an-attitude voice.
don’t believe me? go ahead, watch the videos for the new singles ‘america’ and ‘new art for the people.’ then go buy the record from british amazon or something, because it is awesome.
