TONITE!

Phantogram > new video from debut LP Eyelid Movies (Barsuk records) + tour dates that are mostly with the Antlers, who are playing a show at Stony Brook this thursday with me, DJ k3nyon, spinning!

April:

15 Buffalo, NY Soundlab
16 Columbus, OH The Basement *
17 Urbana IL, Canopy Club *
18 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon *
20 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre *
21 Iowa City, IA The Blue Moose *
22 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall *
23 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig *
24 Rock Island, IL Brewing Company *
26 Boulder, CO Fox Theater *
28 San Diego, CA Casbah *
29 Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar *
30 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour *

May:
1 San Francisco, CA Independent *
3 Portland, OR Doug Fir *
4 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret *
5 Seattle, WA Neumo's *
18 Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s
19 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
31 George, WA Sasquatch! Music Festival
* w/ The Antlers

Band of Horses > new song + video.
From next album, out May 18. U.S. Tour with Pearl Jam!

April 23 + 24 - Raleigh, NC - Walnut Creek Amphitheater (with Widespread Panic)
April 26 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt

April 28 - Miami, FL - Fillmore
April 29 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
May 1 - New Orleans, LA - Jazzfest
May 2 - Memphis, TN - Beale St. Music Festival
May 3 - Kansas City, MO -Sprint Center (w/Pearl Jam)
May 4 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center (w/Pearl Jam)
May 6 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena (w/Pearl Jam)
May 7 - Noblesville, IN - Verizon Wireless Center (w/Pearl Jam)
May 9 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena (w/Pearl Jam)
May 10 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena (w/Pearl Jam)
May 13 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center (w/Pearl Jam)
May 15 - Hartford, CT - XL Center (w/Pearl Jam)
May 17 - Boston, MA - TD Garden (w/Pearl Jam)
May 21 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden (w/Pearl Jam)
May 27 - Davis, CA - UC Davis Freeborn Hall
May 30 - Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater (w/She & Him)
May 31 - George, WA - Sasquatch Festival

Duff McKagan is the new bassist for Jane's Addiction. Photos of them together are HERE. Holy cowzer, Perry Farrell turned 51 the other day.

Semi Precious Weapons touring with Lady effin GAGA!

Holy cowzer i knew these guys were gonna be huge when i saw them at a show i DJed a couple years ago. Finally, the wild New York City glam rock n' roll band's debut full album You Love You will be out this June. Following dates with Lady Gaga in Japan and Europe through Spring, they will squeeze in some of their own headlining dates in the USA before going back out with the Gaga for a full USA tour in the summer. Now is their time for sure. -Kenyon

SPW headliner dates

04/21: Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy
04/23: Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
04/26: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
04/27: Boston, MA @ Paradise
04/30 San Diego, CA @ Warren Field/UCSD (Campus)

movie left for dead.

Open Water 2: Adrift (2006) The original Open Water had no cause for a sequel--even one that gets no theatrical release. Of course, Adrift isn't a sequel at all, but it's more closely related to its predessor than Halloween 3 is to Halloween 2. Obviously there was something to cash in on, given the moderate sucess of Open Water, which was a minimal story of a couple stranded in the sea after they were dumb enough to get left behind by a tourist boat. That couple is actually now looking like mathematicians compared to the six morons in this "based on true events" drama in the ocean, where the interest depends on how resourceful they can be to survive. There are damn good reasons to call them morons. And i'm not talking about any horror movie cliche like, "you stay here, i'll check out that strange sound alone." This is more like, "we are going on a yacht in the open sea, i have an issue with drowning, and i'm bringing our infant." i can't say i felt sorry for the mother when the "captain" of the yacht jumps in the ocean with her while forgetting to lower the ladder. Now, they and four friends are up shit's creek bigtime. At first they worry about sharks and someone even thinks they felt something tugging on them. Strangely enough, trouble with marine life never progresses. At the climax--while the baby is still "onboard"--the jerk that didn't lower a ladder attempts something physically impossible: swimming down into the dark water looking for a knife they lost in the water. At nite, during a storm. There's one more absolutely retarded action at the very end, taken on by the mother of the baby. Let's just say that being adrift too long causes delirium. [rating: *1/2] -Kenyon

LCD Soundsystem > new track + tour dates



Next album out May 18, 2010 in the U.S. on DFA/Virgin.

U.S Dates with the nite so far

April 16 Indio CA Coachella Festival
May 20 New York Terminal 5
May 21 New York Terminal 5
May 30 George WA Sasquatch Festival
June 11 Manchester TN Bonnaroo Festival
July 17 Chicago IL Pitchfork Music Festival

Q magazine poll names Oasis "frontman" the greatest ever

The pompous Liam Gallagher topped the Q reader's poll for the greatest frontman of all time. That's effin messed up. Today's Brits are out of their minds. I don't even want to go to the U.K now. Just...eff it. Worse than voting for Sanjaya Malakar as an American Idol. More faith in humanity is lost. -Kenyon

Kaki King > new cut + album + NYC dates

The next album from Kaki King is out April 13, just before her New York dates at Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 15 and Bowery Ballroom on April 16. This first taste, "Falling Day," is rich in heavenly harmonies. Stick with it after the common guitar intro. This is what Liz Phair should have been doing instead of dumbing herself down to an Avril Lavigne clone with the atrocious "Why Can't I?." When that song hit in 2003, there was loss of faith in humanity. -Kenyon

Spin has "Falling Day" HERE.

The Black Keys are opening for Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden May 20, 2010.
Band of Horses are opening for Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden May 21, 2010.

In a world of film trailers, one man stands alone.

David Asma (aka Spunkshine) makes movies more alluring.

interview by Kenyon Hopkin

If you've seen any trailers for new big studio horror films in the past few years, then there's no doubt you've heard at least a few seconds of audio by David Asma. Under the stage name Spunkshine, the Wisconsin-based artist--whose day job is a Public Defender Investigator--has contributed his brooding sound bytes (or "cues") to notable box office hits such as the Mist, Quarantine, the Box, and Drag Me to Hell. In early 2010, Asma's latest composition can be heard in the trailer for the remake of the Crazies. Truth be told, Asma is a very smart guy and well-versed in imperative sociological issues. -Kenyon Hopkin

--------------------------------------------

Advance Copy: the Crazies trailer is out there now. Are you psyched to experience the movie?

David Asma: The trailer sure makes the film “seem” worth seeing. Not having seen the original Romero film on which it’s based, I’m not sure what to expect, beyond, of course, the unsettling scenes presented in the trailer. I’m a sucker for smartly-made zombie films so, yeah, I’m looking forward to it. But then again, the so-called “crazy” characters in the film aren’t technically zombies (or are they? Damn these trailers for peaking my interest in vague story lines).

AC: Without giving away secrets, when/where/how did you start doing film trailers scores? How did you get so lucky to score some of the best horror of the past few years? Is the sound in these Hollywood trailers entirely by you? Or is it more like bits and pieces.

Asma: I started “assembling” sound design and electronic music in 2003. It was a hobby and I was composing stuff primarily as a means to dabble in technology. I became literally addicted to music production thanks to Garageband (Apple). Having since progressed to more complex technology and software, I was accumulating a significant library of sounds. Luckily, my brother is a partner at an editing-house in L.A and he used one of my speedy, dramatic cues for the Sahara Superbowl ad. Since then I occasionally get a request for a custom-made cue, but the recent trend is primarily sound design instead of “music” per se. Atmospheres, bizarre aural environments, and “stingers” seem to be in style these days. Although my cues have been used in a variety of genres, a lot of the weird-sounding stuff works well in horror films and the “horror” category appears to be really hot right now. Trailers are amazing productions in and of themselves. Scenes are chopped-up, arranged, and rearranged to make the film appealing. The same is true for the sounds, which are so layered it can be difficult to distinguish singular tracks or cues. But that’s the point of a great trailer, to suck you in emotionally without distracting you with singular auditory elements.

AC: Trailers always make the film seem better than it is. It's music like yours that helps. Are you often disappointed when films you see are duds after a promising trailer? Did you ever work on one where that happened? Surely there were other trailers you've done that you keep off your resume.

Asma: Trailers are amazing marketing tools! If done well, opening day numbers will reflect it’s success. Music and sound design certainly contributes. My stuff for The Mist used these unnerving alarm throbs that really worked to create a feel (especially when married to the visuals which, of course, requires the skill of a kick-ass editor. Hats off to those folks!) But then there are those trailers where our suspension of disbelief is utterly distracted by the musical element. Take Kingdom of Heaven (thankfully I was not involved in that). The visuals were utterly incongruent with the cheesy rock-opera score in the background (I can’t help but laugh at that one). As for duds, it’s always disappointing to land a cue in a campaign and instead of seeing it in front of a feature at the theater, you learn that it’s gone straight to DVD. Daltry Calhoun was one those films. Never saw it and I’m not sure if it was actually released.

AC: what projects are on the horizon?

Asma: Hard to say. I never know what’s needed until I get a call requesting a custom-built cue. It depends on what the editor needs. It should be noted, however, that submitting a cue never guarantees its use. Other cues may work better or the campaign may be won by a competing trailer house. As for other projects, I’m working on sound design elements and a score for the forthcoming indie film, Phoebe. I’m told it should hit the film festival circuit in the near future.

AC: so your other employment is as a Public Defender Investigator. What does that entail?

Asma: In the real world, I work full-time at a Public Defender office. The office represents indigent folks accused of crimes. As a defense investigator, my job is to gather information about the alleged incident and the accused so as to assist the attorneys who are working on the case. The office handles cases ranging from misdemeanors to felony and death penalty cases. Some heavy stuff goes on at work and music production becomes a pleasant diversion.

AC: And you're also an Adjunct Sociology Instructor, with interest in crimimal justice. Is there anything you care to vent about that is corrupt and inept in the system?

Asma: There is always a risk of offending someone when venting about crime. But since you asked, here goes: The Death Penalty is broken. There is no credible evidence that it is any more effective as a deterrent to murder than incarceration. Plus, it’s far more costly than life imprisonment. We are the only Western nation to employ it (others have abandoned it). It’s carried out in a racially discriminatory manner. Essentially, it is a sanction that can be defended only on the grounds of retribution, which of course is fueled by misplaced public fears, which are, in turn, exploited by policy makers.

AC: Can you very briefly explain your involvement in each of these: dramaturgical analysis, media representations of identities, deviance/stigma.

Asma: At least from the sociological perspective, Dramaturgy is an approach to social analysis in which “theater” is used as an analogy to everyday life. Social action is viewed as a “performance” in which actors both play parts and stage-manage their actions, seeking to control the impressions they convey to others. Simply put, we act out our roles; we’re usually “on” in the presence of others. Dramaturgical analysis is the study of how meaning emerges through interaction, including expressive staging; how do we present ourselves to other? Is it convincing given the situation? Do we say the wrong thing while trying to impress the other? My diatribe above regarding US policy on Death Penalty may very well have damaged the Spunkshine image for some readers while concretizing a positive image for others. Media are powerful means of presenting information (think Trailers, this blog, news, concert performances). Keep in mind, however, media are heavily manipulated and arguably artificial; are we presented favorably or negatively? Impression management is precarious; if the performance fails, a spoiled identity may be applied, which starts us moving in the direction of what some consider deviance.

AC: judging by your music and the films you score, you're obviously into darker content. What are some of your favorite all time horror/dark films?

Asma: I’m not necessarily into dark content. Some of my stuff simply gets attached to dark trailers. My music albums range from “weird grooving” to IDM and ambient chill. As for films, I suppose I’m more inclined to lean toward the subtly bizarre rather than horror. Off the top of my head: the Qatsi trilogy (Koyaanisqatsi et. al.), Moon, Sunshine, Let the Right One In, Solaris (both of them), Baraka, The Stalker, anything by the Coen brothers, Terrence Malick, Kubrick, Jean-Perre Jeunet, all Simpsons, all Futurama. Good Lord, I am such a nerd!

Corey Haim found dead.

MGMT >> new song!
"Flash Delirium" from upcoming album Congratulations, out April 13, 2010.
Dang, what a tripped out bizarro mess. That flute (?) in the middle of it all is more awkward than a cow walking into a vegetarian restaurant. Even though the cow isn't gonna eat meat either, it's still awkward. MGMT has stated that they are not issuing any "singles" and we need to listen to the entire album, as a whole. i don't know if that will help me digest this any easier. -Kenyon

Shout Out Louds >> U.S tour dates
supporting third album Work, produced by Phil Ek (Shins, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses) and out now on Merge!

with Freelance Whales
02 May Washington, 9:30 Club
03 May Philadelphia, First Unitarian Church
05 May New York, Webster Hall
06 May Boston, Paradise
07 May Montreal, Cabaret Music Hall
08 May Toronto, Mod Club
10 May Chicago, Lincoln Hall
11 May Minneapolis, Varsity Theater
14 May Vancouver, Commodore Ballroom
15 May Seattle, Neumos
16 May Portland, Doug Fir
18 May San Francisco, Great American Music Hall
20 May Los Angeles, El Rey
21 May Los Angeles, El Rey (Sold Out!)
22 May San Diego, House of Blues

The Wagner Logic >>> All the way from Alaska--i mean seriously, when was the last time you heard of a band from Alaska?--comes this subdued, indie rock duo, who will be releasing their second album this Spring. Recorded in a basement deep In the woods of a small town 200 miles from Anchorage, suggests it is this environment that produces the secluded character of “Yesterday Evening” and “Waiting for Snow.” Wagner Logic will be chilling in Austin, TX for SXSW. But they don’t actually have a gig. Yet. -Kenyon

"Yesterday Evening" - [mp3]

"Waiting for Snow" - [mp3]

The Megaphonic Thrift >> super sonic new band from Norway. They are so new they aren’t even on wikipedia. The interweaving, swirling guitars in “Exploding Eyes” and “Acid Blues” calls for a band that is the starchild of Flaming Lips, Uncut and Sonic Youth. Coming to NYC and then at SXSW. This video for "Acid Blues" rules like there's no tomorrow. It's doing that thing with televisions previously made cool in Asia's "Only Time will Tell." --Kenyon

The Megaphonic Thrift in NYC:
3/14 @ Littlefield - Scandinavian Day Party
3/15 @ Santos Party House - Oya/Oh My Rockness w/The Depreciation Guild, Pirate Love, Hanne Hukkelberg

Sarah June
In Black Robes (Silber)
release: February 16, 2010
sim: Cranes, Joanna Newsom, Cat Power
[rating: ****] The classical framework of Sarah June's guitar playing captures an uncommon style on the enchanting In Black Robes. Her reverbed, child-like vocals and dark lyrics cast light on the shadows of her days in Detroit. Though it's only her voice and a guitar (except for the jazz infused "Brand of Bitterness), June acheives haunting, un-ignorable pieces regarding the reaper, judgement day, skeletons and dreaming in black & white. There will be no talking when she's playing live. NONE! --Kenyon

www.myspace.com/sarahjunesound

Summer People
Good Problems (Red Leader)
release: March 2, 2010
similar: Desaparecidos, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Built to Spill
[rating: ****] The eight members of this upstate New York troupe recorded this exciting blues-rock-folk explosion completely live, which was a smart move for their debut. Not that Good Problems is extra raw and gritty. In fact, songs are sharp, promising an equally welcoming concert performance with the right sound system. It never even becomes the mess that's expected, namely when Summer People go from a full-on emo folk rock attack to a soft, guitar-effect driven experiment or a heartfelt downtempo number with more reserved vocals. Some way, somehow, even a nine-minute drone in this album seems to make sense. -Kenyon

www.myspace.com/summerpeople

This charming man.
Andy Rourke of the Smiths at the Crazy Donkey!

Rourke spun a rad set that included Joy Division, Happy Mondays, New Order, Blur, Pixies, David Bowie. Aside from being the bassist from one of the greatest bands of all time, he is also a super cool fellow.



andy and kenyon.

tonite!

Adam Green > new album > mp3

Move side to side and clap. Now put your left foot foward and back in. Okay you got it! You're doing the "Castles and Tassels" dance. Adam Green had set his sights high with the ambitious Friends of Mine in 2003, and then killed hopes of becoming the next Burt Bacharach with the dreadful follow-up Gemstones (remember "Choke on a Cock", anyone?). Okay, so "No Legs" from Friends wasn't short on eyebrow-raising either. Already Green's sixth solo album, Minor Love (out next week), at least proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's prolific as hell. "Castles and Tassels" joins the best of both of Green's musical worlds, featuring his deceptively playful baritone and a twangy bass. -Kenyon

"Castles and Tassels" [mp3]

The Postelles > tour dates with Hockey > new EP

This young NYC group harnesses the feel-goodness of early 60s pop along with the modern age of such bands as Locksley and the Strokes. Check out the innocence of "123 Stop" and "Boy's Best Friend" at their myspacey. Their White Night EP, produced with the Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr, is available March 2, 2010 via (Astralwerks / Capitol). These brave souls are gigging tonite (snowstorm?) and next wednesday at Bowery Electric NYC and then the WHO tribute and down the road for them is Bonnaroo, wooooo. -Kenyon

www.myspace.com/thepostelles

2/10/10 - Bowery Electirc - New York, NY
2/17/10 - Bowery Electric - New York, NY
3/2/10 - Carnegie Hall (The Who Tribute) - New York, NY

and then they got all these dates with the band HOCKEY

March 11th- 7th Street Entry (Minneapolis)
March 13th- Outland on Liberty (Ohio)
March 15th- Bowery Ballroom (NYC)
March 16th- Johnny Brendas (Philadelphia)
March 17th- Rock and Roll Hotel (DC)
March 18th- 21st- SXSW (Details TBA)
March 23rd- Mercy Lounge (Nashville)
March 24th- Drunken Unicorn (Atlanta)
March 25th- Cafe 11 (St. Augustine, Florida)
March 26th- Club Downunder (Tallahassee)
March 27th- Bottletree (Alabama)
March 29th- Thirsty Hippo (Mississippi)
March 30th- Spanish Moon (Louisiana)
April 1st- Warehouse Live (Houston)
April 2nd- Emo's Alternative (Austin)
April 3rd- The Loft (Dallas)
April 6th- Larimer Lounge (Denver)
April 8th- The Neurolux (Idaho)
April 10th- Wonder Ballroom (Portland)

a-ha final tour! May 6 + 7, 2010 at Nokia Theater, NYC


a-ha continued to exist after 1986. And they had other good songs besides "Take on Me." But that still doesn't justify $42 ticket! boooo. They are actually only playing a few dates in the U.S, which i don't blame them for since they're better known elsewhere (they have dates in Brazil next month). $42 + fees + $15 train = not worth it for this particular show. Hunting High and Low remains a new wave touchstone. The latest album, from 2009, can be heard at the a-ha.com. -Kenyon

rad out of towner bands at Stony Brook. Can't even believe it.


Small Black (Brooklyn)


The Spinto Band (Delaware)


Spinto

EDGE wins 2010 Royal Rumble! just like I SAID he WOULD!
boo hoo shawn michaels. eff the bs music awards.

so for the first time ever i paid $45 goddamn dollars to view a WWE PPV. Royal Rumble is usually only the second or third biggest event after Wrestlemania, as well as the so-called ROAD to Wrestlemania. Overall the matches weren't too hot and only one championship changed hands, as Micky James defeated Michelle McCool in one minute. The best thing about the event, by far, was the return--after about 10 months from injury--of Edge. Since last March i had predicted that Edge would be the surprise entry for the 2010 Royal Rumble and the first person he would attack in the ring would be former tag team partner Chris Jericho. And Edge did EXACTLY would i said he would do (that's dramatic wrestling speak for you newbies). He goes to Wrestlemania. (This was very similar to the 2008 Rumble i actually went to, when John Cena was the surprise). Shawn Michaels was crying after going over the top rope cause he can't accept that he lost a chance to face the Undertaker at Wreslemania again. GET OVER IT! Photos taken from standard non-HD television.

Sheamus vs Randy Orton. awkward!


Christian vs Ezekiel Jackson. MORE awkward!

Cody, WTF? you stupid sh*t, jigsaw's testing you!

Orton vs Sheamus

After once again being the joke of the immature 5th grader Michelle McCool, MJ takes her title belt.

ummmm. choose your own comment.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

other matches:

Undertaker defeats Rey Mysterio (heavyweight championship)

the Miz defeats MVP (United States championship, late addition match)

Lali Puna >> new track, finally!
The German artist's first album in over five years is ready to go. Elegant ambient electro pop from the deepest reaches of ethereal beautifulness. Our Inventions is out April 6, 2010 on Morr Music.

"Remember" - [mp3]

Brian Jonestown Massacre>>new album, world tour and Matt Hollywood back in band!

BJM's next album, Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?, is scheduled for February 23, 2010 release. Recorded in Iceland and Berlin, it has a similar, neo-psych approach as the last album, My Bloody Underground, which was notably heavier on the experimentalism than most of the melodic, Brian Jones-inspired rock 'n' roll from previous outings. It will see light via leader Anton Newcombe’s own label, A recordings LTD (distributed though Red Eye). Guitarist/vocalist Matt Hollywood, an original member who co-wrote much of the prolific band's material through the 1990s until having a falling out, is re-joining, at least for this tour. The line-up is pretty sick right now, though is always subject to change without notice. And the gig in New York is like half a year away. -Kenyon

current line-up on BJM's myspace:

Anton Newcombe - Guitar/Vocals
Matt Hollywood - Guitar/Vocals
Frankie Teardrop - Guitar
Ricky Rene Maymi - Guitar/Feedback
Collin Hegna - Bass
Daniel Allaire - Drums
Rob Campanella - Organ/Guitar/Percussion
Joel Gion - Tamborine/Maracas


"Feel It" is one of a few new tracks posted by Anton on Youtube.

U.S tour dates
5/28/2010: Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze
5/29/2010: Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
5/30/2010: Chicago, IL @ Metro
5/31/2010: Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
6/02/2010: Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Hall
6/03/2010: Montreal, QC La Tulipe
6/04/2010: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
6/06/2010: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
6/08/2010: Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
6/09/2010: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
6/10/2010: Cincinnati, OH @ Mad Hatter
6/11/2010: St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway
6/13/2010: Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
6/14/2010: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
6/15/2010: Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
6/17/2010: Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
6/18/2010: Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
6/19/2010: Seattle, WA @ Neumos
6/21/2010: San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
6/22/2010: Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater

February 14, 2010!

Soundpool >>> new track


"But It's So" - listen here.

Post-shoegaze ambient dance with a canonball of cosmic sounds, including one you will recognize from the Ting Ting's "Great DJ." "But It's So" will be on the upcoming album Mirrors In Your Eyes, the New York groop's third full-length album, expected soon on Killer Pimp records. Track is also on a limited 7" out later this month. -Kenyon

into>>the>>future.
American Laundromat Records Announces details for rad upcoming benefit compilation Sing Me To Sleep.

Comp will feature lullabies done by Tanya Donelly, Dean & Britta, Say Hi, Telekinesis, The Real Tuesday Weld, Sigur Rós, Stars and more. The money goes to the Valerie Fund, which support health care for children with cancer and blood disorders. Ready for global coverage on May 18, 2010. -Kenyon

www.alr-music.com for pre-order. Limited edition style has bonus items.

Confirmed Tracks (Original Artist) - Artist Performing:

Asleep (Smiths) - Stars
Boys Of Summer (Don Henley) - Papercuts
Can't Get It Out Of My Head (ELO) - Telekinesis
Cloudbusting (Kate Bush) - Neil Halstead
Dear Prudence (Beatles) - Casey Mecija (Ohbijou)
Dream A Little Dream Of Me (Traditional) - Dala
Edelweiss (The Sound of Music) - Laura Gibson
Gymnopédie No. 1 (Erik Satie) - Coctails
Have You Forgotten (Red House Painters) - Jenny Owen Youngs
Inchworm (Hans Christian Andersen) - The Leisure Society
Kafari (Original) - Sigur Rós [bonus 7" vinyl only]
Kiss Off (Violent Femmes) - Say Hi
Little Boxes (Malvina Reynolds) - The Real Tuesday Weld
Making Me Smile (Jack Early) - Dean & Britta
Moon River (Breakfast at Tiffany's) - Tanya Donelly
Moon River (Breakfast at Tiffany's) "Blue Mix" - Tanya Donelly [bonus 7" vinyl only]
Pure Imagination (Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) - The Rest
Rainbow Connection (The Muppet Movie) - Trespassers William
Strings That Tie To You (Jon Brion) - Julie Peel with Field Mouse & Hailey Wojcik
The North Wind Doth Blow (Traditional) - Snowbird
The Sounds Of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel) - The Abbasi Brothers
You And Your Sister (This Mortal Coil) - O+S
You Are My Sunshine (Traditional) - Peter Broderick

new audio + video
Val Venosta : "The Price is Right"
Neo-experimental Swedish electro, featuring clips from the often overlooked classic horror film The Abominable Dr. Phibes, starring Vincent Price. The creeping surrealistic film actually contains some fantastic vintage gore that is only a step below the work of Lucio Fulci.

movie left for dead.
The Brain (1988) What a way to go. Being eaten by an enormous alien mutant monster brain. That's some suggestive effin vore there. Hey, the brain was doing fine controlling minds until some meddling kids got in the way. Now it has to take breaks from its mind control room to eat them. Eating them will cause the brain to expand, and we'll assume, become even more powerful. Now listen brain, don't get a big head! The doctor assisting you just got decapitated! In other words, this film is classic. Rare and never released on DVD. [rating: ***1/2] -Kenyon

Aarktica: In Sea (Silber)
style: icy ambient
[rating: ***1/2] The sixth outing from Jon DeRosa's Aarktica is another spacious and sparse record, an alternate-reality of darkish ambience resulting from hearing loss in one ear, first surfacing on 2000's No Solace in Sleep. On In Sea, he pays tribute to his mentors, who taught him to rely on physical vibrations of instruments. Unlike some previous recordings, this one is solely guitar and an antique pump organ. DeRosa even sings on "Hollow Earth Theory," which may have been best saved for a vocals album. An odd choice for a cover, "Am I Demon?" by Danzig, closes the album, Aarktica style. "Onward" and "Young Light" are the centerpiece, directing seagulls across the waters and onto distant shores. -Kenyon

http://www.silbermedia.com/

Dan Black
Black sews the modern pop fabric of Blake Lewis and Robbie Williams (though he claims influence from Sigur Ros and Jay-Z). Either way he leans towards polished pop. You know, sometimes...Dan Black....i don't knowww about youuu. Love the designs of your virtual promo materials. This includes the inventive video for "Symphonies," which takes on many classic film title intros. -Kenyon

Dan Black - Symphonies

DAN BLACK MySpace Music Videos

Tour dates too holy cow!
February 18 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
February 19 - Montreal, QC @ Belmont
February 20 - Toronto, ON @ WrongBar
February 23 - Los Angeles, CA @ Cinespace
February 25 - San Francisco, CA @ Popscene / 330 Ritch

www.myspace.com/danblacksound

Sweet Apple

The latest signing to the great Tee Pee records is supergroup Sweet Apple, which is yet another band with J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. It also includes Tim Parnin and John Petkovic of Cobra Verde and Dave Sweetapple of Witch. Obviously he made up that name Sweetapple for the band. Just like Pat Battle from NBC news. I mean come ON. Obviously made that up to sound all tough news-like. The one track from Sweet Apple, which indirectly formed as a result of the death of Petkovic's mother, is on their myspace. "Do You Remember" is gritty old school indie rock. Album is out end of March 2010. Very futuristic. -Kenyon

www.myspace.com/sweetapplesongs

Ship Wrecks

This indie-folk duo from Elizabethtown, PA is the kind of people that would have fit in real nice when there were frequent local house shows here in Long Island. But now...nothing that i know of like that is happening, at least in my circles of peoples. Cause too many kids moved to Brooklyn, dammit! Check the Ship Wrecks tenderness on their EP, the Good Old Days, via www.myspace.com/shipwreckspa or download at www.gimmesound.com/shipwrecks . -Kenyon

movie left for dead.

Time of the Wolf (France, 2003) The first 40 minutes were intriguing, as a mother and her two kids atttempt to survive from an unknown disaster. The film takes a nosedive when they get to a soon-to-be crowded shelter, which only causes us to lose track of the myriad of characters and their issues. Some strong performances for a bleak vision which loses its purpose in the second half. That said, Time of the Wolf shares its qualities with 28 Days Later and, judging from clips, the Road (2009). Stars Isabelle Huppert, best known in the U.S for her part in I Schmeart Huckabees (aka I Heart Huckabees). [rating: **1/2] -Kenyon

The Pity Party- "Stop, Stand Up, Be Quiet, Be Still" (aka Revenge of the Cupcakes)

Muse with Silversun Pickups:Madison Square Garden:March 5, 2010

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Stupid Newsday . Give it up already, before you shrink down to five pages of fluff.

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2010 COACHELLA SET FOR APRIL 16, 17, 18

After me and everyone i know abandoned myspace, i proclaimed that myspace is only good for music now. Still, the young demographic and tackiness of peoples' personally designed layouts haven't helped its reputation. Plus, all the graphics and add-ons can take a while to load. It's great that it's simple to put music on there, but then "regular" band websites started to become obsolete. Thankfully there are sites like bandwebsitetheme.com, which has a healthy interface in a world with short attention spans. It integrates all your other band/singer-songwriter junk from youtube, twitter, etc and the blogging uses the power of Wordpress. Advance Copy and band website are all buddy buddy now. -Kenyon

You Say Party! We Say Die! >> new tunes

The latest from the radically named You Say Party! is miles away from 2006's rebelious hyperactive song "The Gap." Two new tracks available from the album XXXX are like Cat Power fronting the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with the post-punk mood of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Yes, cause it's a girl singing. These tracks are as hot as those girls in the band. The Canadian group's third album is present in the U.S.A from Paper Bag records in February 2010, though it's already tops in Canada. -Kenyon

"There Is XXXX (Within My Heart)" and "Dark Days" are HERE.

The Car (1977) "The car, he's in here!" HE! i love you car. You are so smart you were able to get inside that guy's garage. You are so much a better actor than those losers. Yes, Ronny "the ground was hallowed" Cox and James Brolin, who plays cat and mouse with a car from the depths of hell, while allowing his dumb girlfriend to get mauled by the car. Check out those sweet maneuvers by the car. Good job car. [rating: **]-Kenyon


The Thrill Killers (1964, black and white) [rating: no stars] Low-budget snoozefest about a bunch of escaped insane men terrorizing the locals. Unnecessarily long chase scenes were tacked on to fill the 70 minutes. In fact, (from wikipedia) "The original film was to focus around the three mental patients, but Steckler found that while directing the film (with little to no set script) that the film was not running long enough and therefore began to shoot scenes with him as Click." [rating: no stars] -Kenyon

Monster in the Closet (1986) Troma horror comedy with intentional movie cliches. The monster, which is actually kinda cool, hides in closets, grabs people and throws clothes out of the closet. After even the military can't stop the monster that soon threatens the entire world, the cameo-filled cast concludes that they must destroy all closets. [rating: **] -Kenyon

Bite Me (2004) Mutated spiders attack humans at a strip club. Embarassing acting and dialogue along with amateur monster effects makes this Z-grade movie awful in a bad way. Big waste of time, even when fast forwarding. [rating: no stars] -Kenyon

Maps: Turning the Mind (Mute)
release: October 20, 2009
style: celestial electronic pop
similar: M83, Project Skyward
[rating: ***] The follow up to the debut We Can Create, Maps' Turning the Mind makes the obligatory leap in production from bedroom recording to studio, with Tim Holmes of Death in Vegas turning the knobs. While it doesn't have the same breathtaking effect of Create, this is a calm album about "mental states" and has its moments of upliftingness. Brit James Chapman, who grew up listening to Blur and Suede, blankets dreamsicle synths beneath his soft-spoken vocals. In addition, "Let Go of the Fear" is a great modern dance track. Yet something is missing, as Mind travels along Chapman's own safe level of comfort. Mute signed him based on potential. Chapman can do better. -Kenyon

www.myspace.com/mapsmusic

Elefant > new tune + video.

Wowzer, it's not another song about a GIRL. oh wait....no, it's about a girl again. Some west coast dates later this month. New York date in January. Third album out eventually. See my interview with the drummer HERE. -Kenyon

The Bravery > new tunes

Stir the Blood, the third album from the Bravery is out December 1, 2009. This is an unusual release date, seeing as how proper albums never come out between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. But now that we got mp3s and junk, who cares?! The gloomy second single "The Spectator, " which follows the teaser "Slow Poison," is subdued compared to the rocking first album (one of the most underrated of 2005) and more fascinating than the sophomore slumping The Sun and the Moon. "The Spectator" is also on the soundtrack for Vampire Diaries (apparently another vampire-themed TV show). And that DROPS today. DROPS. The point is, so far Stir the Blood is wicked. -Kenyon

"The Spectator" - [mp3]

The Fourth Kind (2009) [rating: **] Unless you need to look at this as a case study on case studies for alien abductions, the Fourth Kind is best to be avoided as a movie with entertainment value. Being very interested in alien life and anything related to it, i was anxious for some "disturbing" images. But instead I was rolling my eyes regularly for at least the first 30 minutes, during cliche hypnosis scenes that were in annoying split screens with "actual footage." The sequence of events were equally train-wrecked. First I was wondering if it was just me not being smart enough to follow. But then i realized, no! This movie is just inept! It doesn't help that the acting by the kids who portrayed the children of Dr. Abigail Tyler, the center of the investigation, were as riveting as a cheap made for Lifetime movie. But this isn't even integral to the allegedly real story about fourth kind encounters in Alaska that disrupted the lives of so many people. So many holes and questions. Where to begin? Why is someone under hypnosis always awaken by the therapist just before they are gonna find an answer? How can a guy being hypnotised levitate and produce an alien voice (albeit when the video footage is conviently scrambled)? Can an alien possess a human? Why is the policeman, the only one that saw the alien ship over Tyler's home, never heard from again in the movie? If this is such an important story to tell, then why ruin it and embarrass the people on whom this is based? One of the most troubling sections of the Fourth Kind is when Tyler is recording her own voice, falls asleep, and then a minute later some aliens come in and abuse her. No way the aliens would come that quick and no way she would be in that deep of a sleep that quick. When she was later hypnotized, she was recalling what appeared to be her own abduction that happened prior to her daughter being taken. And yet she's yelling, "give her back!" Are they aliens? Or other? What is their purpose? We do not know. And the characters in this mess are too dumb to even think of asking. -Kenyon

they trip us up
a place to bury strangers
interview by kenyon hopkin


The Brooklyn-based A Place to Bury Strangers has been jack-hammering a post-punk wall of noise-pop, while accomplishing the dream of opening for some of its biggest influences and bigger named peers- Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Brian Jonestown Massacre. Their new album Exploding Head just hit the public and it's another mesmerizing assault. Leader Oliver Ackermann (guitar/vocals) began the killer rock n' roll in the mid-90s, with the formation of a previous, similar incarnation called Skywave, which released the distortion drenched Synthstatic in 2003. The other two members of Skywave continued with dream-noise-pop as Ceremony down in Virginia. In APTBS, Ackermann is joined by Jono MOFO (bass) and Jay Space (drums). They've been written up in the Washington Post and New York Times. And now, Oliver faces Advance Copy for his most ultimate, complex and challenging interview to date.
++++++++++


Advance Copy: You opened some dates for Nine Inch Nails. NINE INCH EFFING NAILS. HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN!? When that got confirmed, WERE YOU FLIPPING OUT OR WHAT? how did it all go?
Oliver: They asked us if we wanted to play the shows because they liked the band. It was really rad, I definitely used to blast the Pretty Hate Machine cassette in my Chevy Caprice in the sticks in VA all the time.

AC: Is the new record, Exploding Head, as crazy and effed up as you planned it to be?
Oliver: No it isn't, but I don't think that is a bad thing. I was planning on making it really really fucked up and then we kind of took it in a different direction as it was being recorded. That is the way I think any recording has always gone. A lot of the writing is done while you are recording it and I think that is crucial and lets the composition work with the sounds that are laid down on tape.


AC: Although we both have to admit the songs of the JAMC are timeless classics, dynamically and noise-wise, APTBS blew away JAMC at Webster Hall (New York). There was another band that played in between but they were forgettable. Respond to these statements please.
Oliver: I think the Jesus and Mary Chain may not care as much now. Also what they are doing isn't as unheard of now as it was back in the day so there must be less excitement for them to get into it. I don't remember blowing them away but you can say what you want.


everything's alrite when you're opening for jesus and mary chain. photo by kenyon.
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AC: It's real difficult to hear the lyrics in your songs, especially live. i have no problem with this, but do you ever get criticized for that? Or do most people "get it"?
Oliver: I think some people like it and some people don't. I've definitely heard people complain about this. That is fine though because I am mostly just making music for myself, if other people enjoy it and it can help people out than that is all a bonus.

AC: Your previous band Skywave is essentially the same sound as the current band. Why the name change? Cause of different members? Strangers though is indeed more of a sonic assault.
Oliver: Skywave was a band with different members and in that band we were all writing different songs that would all make it on the albums. APTBS is pretty much just my writing style from that. The other guys from Skywave have formed the band Ceremony. I think all of these projects and songs sound different but I would bet that I have a different opinion of what this music sounds like than what other people would.


AC: Have you ever gotten any really shitty negative reviews? Can you tell me about one?
Oliver: Sure, I think people sometimes say that our music is really derivative of other stuff and it always cracks me up because if you were to look at the reviews of what these people thought were original it is always such a photocopy of something previous. I always want to hear something new and different and that is definitely a goal of mine when I record.

AC: Creating your own guitar effects pedals has got to be the most killer and potentially lucrative thing you've ever done. i think i want to buy one. But aren't you afraid of other bands being able to replicate your sound? Who exactly makes the pedals, you? i read that U2 used a pedal, is that true?!
Oliver: I love to build effect pedals and all of the money that is made from the business is spent to design more pedals, release friends' records, pay for rent and food. I don't like money and try to put as much back into the art and community of things going on around me. I'm not afraid of other bands being able to replicate our sounds, it is an honor to hear that people are using the pedals to realize the sounds that they want to create. I think a lot of the originality comes with how you use effects and songwriting. I make the pedals as well as a few other people who have really helped out as the company has expanded. I think U2 uses a bunch of the pedals, they bought them all and then reordered a few duplicates of some of the pedals I think for their tour.

AC: Up until signing to Mute [records], you definitely made some progress as far as getting better known, without the help of a decent-sized indie label. How did you do it? Without giving secrets away of course.
Oliver: I think you just have to do what you like to do. I like playing shows, writing songs, and recording music and I think all of this is important if you want to be in a band that people will hear about. Just do what you love and if people like it or they don't at least you will be doing what you think is cool. I think that is the secret to success with your own personal sanity.

The Sky Drops - "Stone White"
Taken from their summer 2009 debut full length release, guitarist Rob Montejo (formerly of Smashing Orange, who were a lesser-known, American shoegaze/dreampop band in the 1990s) and drummer Monika Bullette channel the moods of early BJM, Dirty on Purpose and Yo La Tengo. The video is clips from the Prelinger Archives (you know, those old misguided educational films). Sky Drops so far have had dates with Cold War Kids, Chairlift, The Dirty Projectors and A Place to Bury Strangers. -Kenyon

Lost Kisses: My Life is Sad & Funny DVD (Silber) Crudely drawn comics can have a charm or even a message. As long as that message makes sense, isn't an inside joke, and actually makes you think. Using the most simplistic stick figures possible, Brian John Mitchell--who conviently has the same initials as Brian Jonestown Massacre--offers 10 self-examining teen angsty stories involving death, moral issues and relationships while the stick figures add witty and thought-provoking banter.



Accompanying a slide show-like DVD of the original 2" x 2" printed versions is dark ambient drone by Silber artist Small Life Form, which makes the whole thing more original and eerie. Each story is about 5 minutes long and most frames make a statement within their own story (stuff like "does it mean i'm old that i watch the news?"). What happens in the stories are definitely plausible, and the question arises as to whether or not the author actual had that experience or if it was embellished or just complete fiction. The drawings call out for repairs in hopes of improving their craftmanship (I would love to see it more fully realized). At the same time it reflects the repairs needed for the characters. Extras include a few other, non-related Lost Kisses comics by BJM with a guest artist. -Kenyon

movies left for dead.
this has nothing to do with halloween coming soon. i do this all year round, suckerrrr!
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Blood Sucking Freaks (1976) Misleading title and cover--there is only one freak that does any sucking and it's only one scene. The original title was actually The Incredible Torture Show, which makes hella more sense. Hella hella hella. BSF is a gorey S&M torture film that overcomes the dreadful acting with dismemberment, nude slave brainwashed girls and a leader of the freakazoids (whose sidekick is a black midget) who periodically enjoys getting submissive just like his slaves. Over the top shock value for its time and effin bizarre to say the least. [rating ***] -Kenyon
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See No Evil (2006) * Typical slash trash, but note that it "stars" Kane from WWE. In the weeks prior to its release, the WWE was promoting this and had Kane tie it in to the drama on the show. Everytime someone spoke the date of its release--Rey Mysterio got tricked into doing this--Kane would come out and go berzerk and beat down on whoever said it. The thing that stood out and sucked like a sore thumb was that the biggest jerk of the group of kids/victims was one of the survivors. Kane should have choke-slammed the shit of him. [rating *] -Kenyon
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The Hitcher (2007 remake) All these jerk writers can't think of something new. Remakes/re-imaginings/whatever of Friday the 13th, Halloween, My Bloody Valentine and Last House on the Left have put a damper on the horror genre. Although Hills Have Eyes remake effin RULED. Original Hitcher wasn't widely remembered or is a cult classic. With improved effects it can only make junk like the new version more bloody and violent, which makes this a reason to see. The Hitcher is indeed predictable, although the roles of the boy and girl are reversed from the first film. It's also more implausible than the average horror movie. The maniac that stalks and plays mind games has little character and it hurts the movie's substance, not to mention his ability to easily and quickly pursue them. The reasoning for his actions--which results in the destruction of most of the New Mexico police force!--are avoided, albeit for the last scene in which he suggests that it "feels good." [rating **] -Kenyon

Jawbox to play on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on December 8, 2009.

Holy cow, Jawbox, who released the killer-riffed "Savory" from For Your Own Special Sweetheart in 1994, will be seeing a reissue of that album November 24 and will be on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on December 8. And they will play "Savory." This will be the band's first performance of any kind in 12 years, although we can bet they will tour. Shockingly, the post-hardcore band was signed to Atlantic Records--which happened more than enough in the 90s with those kind of artists, but that's another story. They are now with Dischord and their own DeSoto Records, thank god. -Kenyon

Casxio: new video + CMJ junk

me cannot wait to spin this at the clubs! a neato transgender transfusion of Scissor Sisters, La Roux, MGMT and disco-era MJ.

Dates with the nite aka CMJ junk

October 7 - The Shore - Hermosa Beach, CA
October 18 - Cinespace - Official Release Party
October 20 - Piano's - Music Slut CMJ Party
158 Ludlow St. NY 10002
(Casxio @ 6:00pm)
October 21 - Southpaw - The Rumble CMJ Party
125 5th Ave. 11217 (Brooklyn)
(Casxio @ 9:30pm)
October 22 - ASCAP Official CMJ Showcase
285 West Broadway 10013
(Casxio @ 8:30pm)