new audio + video
Apoptygma Berzerk - "Apollo (Live on Your TV)"
from Rocket Science, released January 23, 2009
For the past decade, Apoptygma has driven more and more towards cleaner synth and vocals and now with "Apollo" it makes a wider transition to pop and rock. "Apollo" has echoes of the previous album's "In This Together," while you'll also recognize a sample that was also used on Welcome to Earth (2000). It sorta ties things together. The video, which shows how easy it is to fake a landing on the moon, is perfect. European tour starts next week. -Kenyon
Saturday, January 31, 2009
movie left for deadBrick (2006) [rating: no stars] Here's the quote from Rolling Stone on the DVD cover: "a spellbinder. It pins you to your seat." So wrong. i wanted to get off the seat and turn this crap off. Also on the cover: "a detective movie by Rian Jonhson." So misleading. Why would i want to follow the main, unlikeable character (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who walks around in the same drab clothes every day in a depressing (in a bad way), wannabe film noir that has its own pretentious Shakespearean-like language that's impossible to comprehend. An absurd plot revolves around a supposed high-school kid tracking down the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend. Cast includes Lukas Haas as a druglord. i think "Brick" refers to a brick of cocaine. In a movie as excruciating as this, who knows and who really cares. Won the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Holy crap. -Kenyon
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
into>>the>>future
Like Bells
Like Bells
similar: Dirty Three, Do Make Say Think, Japancakes
This instrumental trio is the latest addition to the Exit Stencil label. Instrumental aside from the Sigur Ros-like calling at the end of "Yeti." And you know what a Yeti is, right? Unlike Sigur Ros or Explosions in the Sky, these two samplings are of a shorter length. The violin acts as the subtle counterpart to the intricating guitar. Album out May 19, 2009. Very future.
Atlas: http://exitstencil.org/MP3/LikeBells/01_Atlas.mp3
Yeti: http://exitstencil.org/MP3/LikeBells/02_Yeti.mp3
This instrumental trio is the latest addition to the Exit Stencil label. Instrumental aside from the Sigur Ros-like calling at the end of "Yeti." And you know what a Yeti is, right? Unlike Sigur Ros or Explosions in the Sky, these two samplings are of a shorter length. The violin acts as the subtle counterpart to the intricating guitar. Album out May 19, 2009. Very future.
Atlas: http://exitstencil.org/MP3/LikeBells/01_Atlas.mp3
Yeti: http://exitstencil.org/MP3/LikeBells/02_Yeti.mp3
Longwave to tour with Bloc Party and OK Go. whoaa that's huge. i'm jealous.
MARCH 6 PHILADELPHIA, PA TLA*
MARCH 7 BALTIMORE, MD RECHER THEATRE*
MARCH 8 BROOKLYN, NY MUSIC HALL of WILLIAMSBURG*
MARCH 10 NEW HAVEN, CT TOAD'S PLACE*
MARCH 11 NORTHAMPTON, MA PEARL STREET*
MARCH 13 PORTLAND, ME PORT CITY MUSIC HALL*
MARCH 19 BOSTON, MA HOUSE OF BLUES#
MARCH 22 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 CLUB#
MARCH 24 NEW YORK, NY TERMINAL 5#
MARCH 25 NEW YORK, NY TERMINAL 5#
MARCH 28 CHICAGO, IL RIVIERA THEATER#
MARCH 30 MINNEAPOLIS, MN FIRST AVENUE#
MARCH 31 ST. LOUIS, MO THE PAGEANT#
* supporting OK Go
# supporting Bloc Party
MARCH 6 PHILADELPHIA, PA TLA*
MARCH 7 BALTIMORE, MD RECHER THEATRE*
MARCH 8 BROOKLYN, NY MUSIC HALL of WILLIAMSBURG*
MARCH 10 NEW HAVEN, CT TOAD'S PLACE*
MARCH 11 NORTHAMPTON, MA PEARL STREET*
MARCH 13 PORTLAND, ME PORT CITY MUSIC HALL*
MARCH 19 BOSTON, MA HOUSE OF BLUES#
MARCH 22 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 CLUB#
MARCH 24 NEW YORK, NY TERMINAL 5#
MARCH 25 NEW YORK, NY TERMINAL 5#
MARCH 28 CHICAGO, IL RIVIERA THEATER#
MARCH 30 MINNEAPOLIS, MN FIRST AVENUE#
MARCH 31 ST. LOUIS, MO THE PAGEANT#
* supporting OK Go
# supporting Bloc Party
The Von Bondies: Love, Hate and Then There's You
(Majordomo/Shout! Factory)
release: February 3, 2009
style: indie rock n' roll
similar: The Subways, Stellastarr*
[rating: ****] The third outing from the band that in 2004 produced the ultra catchy two-minute "C'mon C'mon" (later exploited by TV show Rescue Me) excedes expectations. They may not replicate that song in terms of an instant hit, though they sure as hell demonstrate matured songwriting skills for their streamlined garage-rock on Love, Hate. Keeping the female backing vocals following line-up changes, vocalist/guitarist Jason Stollsteimer leads a solid high-energy dance rock album from beginning to end. -Kenyon
www.myspace.com/vonbondies
(Majordomo/Shout! Factory)
release: February 3, 2009
style: indie rock n' roll
similar: The Subways, Stellastarr*
[rating: ****] The third outing from the band that in 2004 produced the ultra catchy two-minute "C'mon C'mon" (later exploited by TV show Rescue Me) excedes expectations. They may not replicate that song in terms of an instant hit, though they sure as hell demonstrate matured songwriting skills for their streamlined garage-rock on Love, Hate. Keeping the female backing vocals following line-up changes, vocalist/guitarist Jason Stollsteimer leads a solid high-energy dance rock album from beginning to end. -Kenyon
www.myspace.com/vonbondies
Saturday, January 24, 2009
El Goodo: Coyote (Grease)release: January 12, 2009
style: garage psych-pop
similar: Zombies, Love, Abunai, Brian Jonestown
[rating: ****] One of the first releases of 2009 is one of the goodest. El Goodo already lucked out by getting tight with Super Furry Animals. The second album shows why SFA love them so much. "All is just a dream/I'll show you what I mean" this Welsh band asserts in one of many swirling segments. The most stunning characteristic of El Goodo, of course, is its authentic 1960s sound that is at the top of its class. "Feel So Fine" and "Be My Girl" will cause many to double check the release date. Oh and wait for the hidden track. Left the CD going, scared the hell out of me. -Kenyon
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
the things i miss.
Secret Shine
interview by Kenyon Hopkin
------------------
Secret Shine (current line-up of Jamie Gingell, Scott Purnell, Dean Purnell and Kathryn Smith) saw its inception at the height of the dreampop/shoegaze era in the UK, when bands like Slowdive and Ride were the latest thing and My Bloody Valentine was about to release Loveless. The Shine released an album on trailblazing indie label Sarah records before going on an extended hiatus. In 2008 they finally released All of the Stars through Clairecords.
-----
Advance Copy: How is life in the UK?
Jamie: Grey and wet, very expensive and celebrity obsessed.
AC: So you originally formed in 1990, when all the dreampop/shoegaze bands were blossoming. Was it an exciting time? Or did it just seem that way to everyone else?
JG: It was exciting in the sense that we liked the music that was being made at the time, although on the whole, things are never as exciting as we like to remember them.
AC: Are you impressed with yourselves that you're again existing as a band, given the break-up of so many other similar bands? Why did you originally break-up? What took so long? Why now the reformation?
JG: We never broke up. We're too lazy to do anything that organized. We creatively ground to halt and stayed that way in stasis for a decade. We all still saw each other regularly and started the idea of writing again a few years into the hiatus, but that conversation lasted about six years. We like to take our time.
AC: It's been over a decade since the last album. Given the climate in the music industry and trends between then and now, how have things been different for you as a band?
JC: We were never that aware of what the differences were really, because Matt and Claire at Sarah kind of took all that away and dealt with it for us. We didn’t have the kind of self-financed funding back then that we do now though, so we mostly gigged in the UK. I guess the internet in the intervening years has enabled much better social networking in the music scene and meant we get to play the States and mainland Europe a lot more than we used to. Bands don’t make as much money as they used to from record sales because everyone seems to want something for nothing on the internet these days, but the kind of fans who have the integrity to buy what you create and come to your gigs make up the difference.
old school Secret Shine
AC: You're already working on the next record, even though you had some recent hold-ups. What is providing the acceleration?
JC: I wouldn’t say were accelerating. We're planning another album, but in reality, we started writing for it about a year ago and I don’t think it will be ready until next year. Unlike our second album, we don’t have a tour-based commitment for this release, so it will be ready when it’s ready.
AC: i know you posted about it, but since it was such an unbelievable gig, what was it like for you seeing my bloody valentine for their recent reunion?
JC: It was loud beyond imagining, in your face, and uncompromising. Some songs were played to perfection and others were barely intelligible. If we wanted perfection, we’d all stay at home and listen to the CD I guess. There’s nobody else like them, mainly because no one else could pull it off.
www.myspace.com/secretshine
Secret Shine
interview by Kenyon Hopkin
------------------
Secret Shine (current line-up of Jamie Gingell, Scott Purnell, Dean Purnell and Kathryn Smith) saw its inception at the height of the dreampop/shoegaze era in the UK, when bands like Slowdive and Ride were the latest thing and My Bloody Valentine was about to release Loveless. The Shine released an album on trailblazing indie label Sarah records before going on an extended hiatus. In 2008 they finally released All of the Stars through Clairecords.
-----
Advance Copy: How is life in the UK?
Jamie: Grey and wet, very expensive and celebrity obsessed.
AC: So you originally formed in 1990, when all the dreampop/shoegaze bands were blossoming. Was it an exciting time? Or did it just seem that way to everyone else?
JG: It was exciting in the sense that we liked the music that was being made at the time, although on the whole, things are never as exciting as we like to remember them.
AC: Are you impressed with yourselves that you're again existing as a band, given the break-up of so many other similar bands? Why did you originally break-up? What took so long? Why now the reformation?
JG: We never broke up. We're too lazy to do anything that organized. We creatively ground to halt and stayed that way in stasis for a decade. We all still saw each other regularly and started the idea of writing again a few years into the hiatus, but that conversation lasted about six years. We like to take our time.
AC: It's been over a decade since the last album. Given the climate in the music industry and trends between then and now, how have things been different for you as a band?
JC: We were never that aware of what the differences were really, because Matt and Claire at Sarah kind of took all that away and dealt with it for us. We didn’t have the kind of self-financed funding back then that we do now though, so we mostly gigged in the UK. I guess the internet in the intervening years has enabled much better social networking in the music scene and meant we get to play the States and mainland Europe a lot more than we used to. Bands don’t make as much money as they used to from record sales because everyone seems to want something for nothing on the internet these days, but the kind of fans who have the integrity to buy what you create and come to your gigs make up the difference.
old school Secret Shine
AC: You're already working on the next record, even though you had some recent hold-ups. What is providing the acceleration?
JC: I wouldn’t say were accelerating. We're planning another album, but in reality, we started writing for it about a year ago and I don’t think it will be ready until next year. Unlike our second album, we don’t have a tour-based commitment for this release, so it will be ready when it’s ready.
AC: i know you posted about it, but since it was such an unbelievable gig, what was it like for you seeing my bloody valentine for their recent reunion?
JC: It was loud beyond imagining, in your face, and uncompromising. Some songs were played to perfection and others were barely intelligible. If we wanted perfection, we’d all stay at home and listen to the CD I guess. There’s nobody else like them, mainly because no one else could pull it off.
www.myspace.com/secretshine
Thursday, January 01, 2009
artist to watch or something in 2009.
second album, the law of the playground, is scheduled for release on March 3, 2009 via +1 Records in the U.S.
http://www.theboyleastlikelyto.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/theboyleastlikelytouk
second album, the law of the playground, is scheduled for release on March 3, 2009 via +1 Records in the U.S.
http://www.theboyleastlikelyto.co.uk/
www.myspace.com/theboyleastlikelytouk
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