PORTLAND, OR., FEBRUARY 25, 2009: Kill Rock Stars artists the Portland Cello Project are thrilled to play five incredible shows over the opening weekend of the brand new Mississippi Studios (3939 N. Mississippi Ave., 503.288.3895) in Portland, OR.
On Friday, March 6th, PCP will perform an early show (doors at 6:30 PM, show at 7 PM) and a late show (doors at 9:30 PM, show at 10 PM) with Storm Large, Justin Power and Thao Nguyen (of KRS artists Thao with The Get Down Stay Down); each show will also feature Chris Robley (Chris Robley & The Fear Of Heights, Norfolk & Western) and cellist Gideon Freudmann.
PCP returns for two more performances on Saturday, March 7th (early show doors at 6:30 PM, show at 7 PM; late show doors at 9:30 PM, show at 10 PM) with Thao Nguyen, Justin Power, Tu Fawning (featuring Joe Haege, Corrina Repp, Liza Reitz and Toussaint Perrault) and soulstress Tahoe Jackson.
The final performance, Sunday, March 8th, is PCP’s only all-ages show, and is a matinee, with doors at 1 PM and show at 2 PM. Hosted by Adam Shearer (Weinland), the afternoon features both Thao Nguyen and Gideon Freudmann.
Don’t miss these incredible opportunities to witness the Portland Cello Project at their collaborative best, celebrating the opening of this great new venue and performing with the two artists who are partnering with the group on their upcoming Kill Rock Stars full-length, Thao Nguyen and Justin Power. Tickets for all shows are available via www.mississippistudios.com, and are $15 in advance, $17 day of show, aside from Sunday’s matinee, which is $15 day of show. FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT JOAN HILLER DEPPER AT RIOT ACT MEDIA. JOAN RIOTACTMEDIA.COM
Congrats to The Rhombus, whose "Ladders" EP is just out now on Public School Records! San Francisco-based The Rhombus use plain language, elements of musique concrete, simple synths, guitar and drum machine to bring lyrical anecdotes about shopping for towels at Target to vivid life alongside songs built upon psychedelic tales of giants and destroying the sky—and it all makes perfect sense.
Decidedly laissez-faire attitudinally, the delivery of principal songwriter Cody Hennesy is so calm as to be dreamlike, but make no mistake about it—The Rhombus' recordings are a magically dynamic tapestry woven of tiny hooks and gentle tales. Listen close, and you'll hear the scraping of strings, the building of percussive beats, scratch by plink by thump.
The band's Ladders EP comes hot on the heels of 2008's Margins full-length; Hennesy made limited-edition handcrafted covers for each copy (now out of print in that format), and Public School Records released the album on vinyl (CD included!) in December of 2008. Tour dates below:
Friday March 27th: LA, CA @ Mr.T's Bowl, then Midnight House Party Show @ Warpzone
Saturday March 28th: Santa Barbara, CA @ Elsie's Tavern
Sunday March 29th: San Diego, CA @ Beauty Bar
Monday March 30th: Phoenix, AZ @ Hidden House
Tuesday March 31st: Flagstaff, AZ @ The Green Room
Wednesday April 1st: Santa Fe, NM @ UCSF
Thursday April 2nd: Durango, CO @ TBA
Friday April 3rd: Moab, UT @ TBA
Saturday April 4th: Salt Lake City, UT @ Orange
Sunday April 5th: Boise, ID @ The Bouquet
Tuesday April 7th: Olympia, WA @ 4th Ave Tavern
Wednesday April 8th: Salem, OR @ TBA
Thursday April 9th: Portland, OR @ The Portland Report
Friday April 10th: San Francisco, CA @ Hemlock Tavern
HOTT on the heels of their free/donation-only online "Trumpets For Paper Children" EP on Hush Records, and in anticipation of their Noise Pop appearance and the release of their "Blue Lead Fences" 7" single (out Feb. 24th!), those foxy Loch Lomonders have just announced not only their busy SXSW schedule, but their acceptance into the Sasquatch Festival in the beautiful Gorge in George, Washington! As a longtime musics lady, this'll be my personal 11th time at SXSW and sixth time at Sasquatch--but this is LL's FIRST time at EITHER! Don't worry, we're arming them with a Spring/Summer Fest Survival Kit (contents: hackysack, fire sticks, antidote for Dewars poisoning, aloof attitude.)Dates below:
Feb 26th @ 8:00 PM: Luigi’s FUNgarden! Sacramento, California Feb 28 @ 9:00 PM: NOISEPOP- Rickshaw Stop San Francisco, California Mar 14 @ 7:00 PM Mississippi Studios- 7" Release Party Portland, Oregon Mar 18 @ 8:00 PM: Club Deville - BrooklynVegan Show- SXSW Austin, Texas Mar 19 @ 1:00 PM: SXSW- Official Day Stage- Conference Center Austin, Texas Mar 19 @ 4:00 PM: SXSW- Red Eyed Fly- Little Radio Party Austin, Texas Mar 20 @ 2:00 PM: SXSW- Sidebar- NAIL Distribution Party Austin, Texas Mar 20 @ 5:00 PM: SXSW- Tiniest Bar in Austin- Rumblefish Party Austin, Texas May 25 @ 4:00 PM: Sasquatch Festival The Gorge, Washington
There is a SUPER GREAT Traditionist inteview up now on www.sezio.com! Click through to see videos of the band playing "A Sleep Be Told", as well as a rad video of the backstage action at Scott Solter's studio. The latter video involves beekeeping, knob-twiddling, and bananas drum action from Superchunk/Mountain Goats/New Pornographers/A million other bands' drummer extraordinaire Jon Wurster, who plays on The Traditionist's NEXT effort. (Not to be confused with Season to Season, which comes out this April on Better Looking/Banter Records.) Yes, songwriter Joey Barro is SO prolific that he's already recorded a follow-up to his full-length that hasn't even come out yet. Chew on THAT, bros!
A shining beacon in the increasingly bloated, expensive and impossible to navigate worlds of the industry’s more established multi-day music festivals (SXSW, CMJ, Coachella, Bonarroo, etc), The Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival (VOV) is gearing up for its 5th and biggest year yet, with bands traveling from as far away as Australia, Canada, Israel, New York, California and all points in between to play the fest’s small venue, which is situated in the middle of gorgeous Hot Springs National Park. These bands make up the fabric of a global community of DIYsters, as well as the many dedicated sponsors and volunteers that have helped the VOV fest (a 501c3 public charity) produce original, forward-thinking and independent music events in the small town of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas since 2005.
In four short years, The VOV has hosted nearly 700 cutting edge, internationally touring artists who have performed to a combined audience of about 7,000 music lovers over the course of 6 festivals. The 5th Annual VOV will be held in March 2009 and is the perfect pit stop to bands and fans alike who are traveling to or from SXSW. They are doing really important, cool work, and are offering a great experience for the worldwide music community, both for performers and attendees. They're PSYCHED to announce several additions to the fest's lineup; info is below!
Tuesday, March 17 Join the VOV in the Worlds Shortest St Patty's Day Parade @ 5:30PM BRAVE COMBO at Maxine's, 21+ / $5 / 9PM MONOTONIX, AIDS WOLF, FIASCO, US GIRLS at Low Key Arts / all ages / $7 / 9PM
Wednesday, March 18 PINK SPIDERS, MATHEMATICIANS, SCOUT'S HONOR,THE RESIGNATORS at Low Key Arts / all ages / $7 / 7PM
Thursday, March 19 THE QUEERS, TEENAGE BOTTLEROCKET, POISON ARROWS. A+ SET UP at Low Key Arts / all ages / $10 / 7PM
Friday, March 20 MURDER BY DEATH, HAYMARKET RIOT and THE BITTER TEARS at Low Key Arts / all ages / 8PM
Saturday, March 21 HEADLIGHTS, KAISERCARTEL, THE POMEGRANATES, FIELD FOUNDRY RECORDINGS at Low Key Arts / all ages / FREE SHOW / 8PM
Sunday, March 22 - The VOV BBQ!! The All Day Band BBQ Blowout !! - a dozen or more bands including... FLATFOOT 56 (chicago) DEASTRO (detroit) PRETTY & NICE (boston) ANAVAN (los angeles) BAD CREDIT NO CREDIT (brooklyn) SOUTHEAST ENGINE (ohio) THEODORE (missouri) ROLL THE TANKS (california) at Low Key Arts / all ages / $5 / 2PM
PORTLAND, OREGON, FEBRUARY 13, 2009: The legendary Kill Rock Stars label is proud to announce the signing of the Portland Cello Project.
The somewhat intimidating 8-16-person cello ensemble has experienced a meteoric rise in the vibrant Portland music scene, thanks in part to the group’s deep-rooted philosophy of building a stronger music community through collaboration. Portland Cello Project performances are eclectic and incredible things—the cellists are as likely to mix an impeccably arranged Salt n’ Pepa cover with Bach and follow the medley with something by Arvo Pärt or classic Nintendo game songs rewritten for cello as they are to enlist beatbox/comedian/playwright Reggie Watts to collaborate on-stage with them in front of 700 people, covering a Britney Spears song on the fly.
In addition to working with artists from across the nation, the PCP has collaborated and performed with a veritable who’s who list of Portland musicians, including Laura Gibson, Horse Feathers, The Dandy Warhols, The Builders and The Butchers, Mirah and Loch Lomond. Given this, it’s natural that they are now working with Kill Rock Stars artist Thao Nguyen of Thao With The Get Down Stay Down and musician Justin Power, and just as natural that they’ve found a home with the most quintessentially community-based label in the Pacific Northwest. The album, which features four collaborative songs apiece from Thao and Power, is being released on June 9th, 2009.
In its usual grand and exciting style, the group is excited to perform five pre-release shows at the much-anticipated opening weekend of Portland’s brand new Mississippi Studios: two shows (7 and 10 PM) on Friday, March 6th with Storm Large, Justin Power and Thao, two shows (same times) on Saturday, March 7th with Tu Fawning, Justin Power and Thao, and one 2 PM all-ages matinee show on Sunday, March 8th with Justin Power and Thao.
More details on Portland Cello Project’s upcoming 2009 efforts on Kill Rock Stars will be revealed soon.
In the meantime, check out this video (one of many, many, many on YouTube) of the PCP with The Builders and The Butchers at Portland's Aladdin Theatre.
TOUR DATES: 03.05.09 - Seattle, WA @ Nectars w/ Efterklang 03.06.09 - Vancouver, BC @ Richards w/ Efterklang 03.07.09 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir w/ Efterklang 03.08.09 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill w/ Efterklang 03.09.09 - Visalia, CA @ Brewery w/ Efterklang 03.10.09 - Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland w / Efterklang 03.11.09 - Tucson, AZ @ Plush w/ Efterklang 03.13.09 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge w/ Efterklang 03.14.09 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge w/ Efterklang 03.16.09 - Norman, OK @ Opolis w/ Efterklang 03.17.09 - Denton, TX @ Hailey's w/ Efterklang 03.26.09 - Washington, DC @ DC 9 w/ Efterklang 03.27.09 - Philadelphia, PA @ Sanctuary w/ Efterklang 03.28.09 - New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge w/ Efterklang 03.30.09 - Boston, MA @ TT the bears w/ Efterklang 03.31.09 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rosa 04.01.09 - Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo w/ Efterklang 04.02.09 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artwork w/ Efterklang 04.03.09 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop w/ Efterklang 04.04.09 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas w/ Efterklang
If you're not familiar with Peter Broderick, it's high time that you immerse yourself. Dude is, plainly, a genius. That's not a declaration to throw around without backing it up, and honestly, I can't state the case for Peter any more eloquently than our friend Chad Crouch, owner/operator of Hush Records, recently did.
For a city that congratulates itself for being indie music Valhalla, and hyper-self-aware, it’s surprising that Peter Broderick has largely escaped attention in our local press. Perhaps because he’s spent more time in Denmark or on tour for the past couple of years, he’s not been visible on the scene. Nevertheless, his contribution to Portland music is practically peerless (excepting friend, and at various times bandmate, Dave Depper). I submit:
Exhibit A: Appearances and collaborations, Abridged to Portland Acts.
M. Ward - Hold Time (2009, Merge/4AD) Horse Feathers - House With No Home (2008, Kill Rock Stars) She & Him - Volume 1 (2008, Merge) White Hinterland - Phylactery Factory (2008, Dead Oceans) Loch Lomond - Paper the Walls (2007, Hush Records) Dolorean - You Can’t Win (2007, Yep-Roc Records) Loch Lomond - Lament for Children EP (2007, Hush Records) Laura Gibson - If You Come to Greet Me (2006, Hush Records) Norfolk & Western - The Unsung Colony (2006, Hush Records) Horse Feathers - Words are Dead (2006, Lucky Madison Records) Norfolk & Western - A Glided Age (2006, Hush Records)
That is a mad decent portfolio. And that would be enough. That would be hero criteria right there. But that’s just back story. While in town recently, Peter played a handful of dates as a solo act, sampling from his three solo (!) album releases of the past 18 months (including Home, his vocal debut, on HUSH Peter Broderick - Home sampler mix) while on a mini tour with friends, Austin’s Balmorhea. The venues in town included the chapel at Reed College and the relatively humble Alberta Pub. He played his strengths to both rooms like a seasoned stage veteran (which he is, owing to whirlwind world tour schedules with Danish sensation Efterklang and a diverse touring history with Horse Feathers, Loch Lomond, and Norfolk & Western) overcoming technical hiccups, the din of the bar, and playing Reed’s acoustic grand piano with his trademark mix of restraint and drama:
Exhibit B: Solo Performance Documents
“Begin” (with surprise)
“Below It” from Home
That’s not all. I can’t think of better proof of living & breathing music, than this off-the-cuff video series dubbed “Songy” that Peter silently slipped on to YouTube a few weeks ago while spending some time at home with family (including wonder-twin extraordinaire Heather Woods Broderick) in Yamhill County and Portland.
I’m not sure this a wholly original concept, but what we have here are multi-tracked YouTube videos which appear to feature Peter fresh out of bed in his PJs knocking out a little song about travel and songwriting; a rough ode to the guitar he will have to abandon again, and a message to loved ones. And it’s likely largely unrehearsed (He’s been dubbed The Whipper Snapper, and The One Take Kid for his studio performance acumen.) For keywords Peter chose “peter broderick” and “bad”, with esoteric descriptions like “music is definitely weird” and “i don’t know”. We get that this is not his usual fare, nonetheless it’s surprisingly tender, candid, endearing, clever, and catchy. Have a look:
Exhibit C: “Songy” Series
And finally, I submit to you, both Portlanders and citizens of the world, Peter may already be nearing that tipping point where the sidestream meets slipstream. Peter’s solo output may soon eclipse his performance contributions to bigger acts. Across the pond, Home has received big print accolades, and Peter is charting a course for headlining tours of the UK and European continent later this year. Before that though, North Americans will have the rare treat of seeing Peter perform a solo set before joining Efterklang on stages from coast to coast this spring . Don’t miss it (dates on sidebar)!
Exhibit D: The UK is about the size of Oregon on a map. Will we let them take all the credit?
“No needless virtuosity; no clever sonic treatments; no unusual instruments. We stumble on moments that recall the magnificence of Simon & Garfunkel at their peak, or David Pajo at his most ambient, and we don’t care how long the search takes. ” (5 out of 5 stars) - Sunday London Times
“On the second listen it sounds like a future classic. ” - Mojo
“The pinnacle is the tidal rhythms of ‘Sickness, Bury,’ but there’s plenty more here to admire and absorb.” - Uncut
“This is a work oft-enchanting and tenderly relayed: the sound of a first hand both confident and considered, whetting the appetite for more from this young American with a stately flourish. ” - Drowned In Sound
GET IN TOUCH ABOUT TOUR COVERAGE, OR GENERALIZED PETER COVERAGE, please. As always, I am joan ***at*** riot act media dot com.
Weinland's incredible new Breaks In The Sun will slay you in a million ways; it's out April 21st on Badman, and our very own amazing Portland Mercury news-itemed about the album and posted the very first stream of "Sunken Eyes", which you truly should listen to. CHECK IT BY CLICKING HERE, OKAY? OKAY!
That's right! Jim will be on the road with the Mouse through March; more dates were just announced today:
Modest Mouse dates w/Jim: Feb 22 Oakland, CA Fox Theater Feb 23 Visalia, CA The Fox Theatre Feb 24 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium Feb 25 Tempe, AZ The Marquee Feb 26 Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Convention Center Feb 28 Boulder, CO Balch Fieldhouse Mar 2 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater Mar 3 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom Mar 4 Austin, TX Stubb's Mar 5 Oxford, MS The Lyric Oxford Mar 7 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle Mar 8 Miami, FL Langerado Festival Mar 15 New York, NY Terminal 5
AND, We will have more superbreakingnews supersoon re: All Smiles' upcoming EP (out this Spring) and ten-song full-length, titled OH, FOR THE GETTING AND NOT LETTING GO (out this summer) very soon! Some deets, though: the full-length and EP were both recorded with the aid of Mr. Brian Deck (Red Red Meat, Califone, Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse); Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, Black Heart Procession) drummed, and Janet Weiss (Quasi, Sleater Kinney), Danny Seim (Menomena), Solon Bixer (Earlimart) and others were in the mix. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS BUSINESS. E-mail me about it!
Unfortunately, my German is not so good, but FREETRANSLATION DOT COM's is. From dasklienicum.blogspot.com:
"i what born in a ghost town" the first words are begins is dig removed, with which leonard mynx' album "vesper". the homeland a large subject of the young man. a half mile of mark twains, grew meet die carried mynx to. there, where the sirens of an old prison the rhythm the certain. in a city, that that the American großindustrie just as, piped succumbed live like it the mächten of that. who here wanted, needed pulled more than a generosity. mynx it out. that, what performed twain once in the spirit, learned mynx at the own body: it hiked through, transit the country, took would hesitate, navigate, cars and the own would grasp to the aid in order to be even discoverer and the world behind that appraised twains and that wall up to perceive its home town.
on his travel wrote themselves mynx songs and accustomed soon a style to, that the tradition of American songwriter stands: as he would sit its listeners, its public directly vis-à-vis, communicates he, sings and live is fitting lived sounds permits told of that out there. that that not boringly becomes, that one listens enduring gladly to it, for that a thick. trashily, but who it sometimes to it, many angestaubtem rascals to frönen, that know becomes how restful it can be, to come out of the trace, in order to listen someone, that to transmit not only interesting, but rather it also on a varied to do.
although minimally variable wise knows got became would take place celebrate was able to be arrive itself. aid to this mynx with no one other as Adam selzer, that already by means of norfolk and western and m. ward somehow it both inclusive various mitmusiker, a flat, but extremely colored klangteppich to klöppeln, on which mynx excludes would agree itself', when räkele it itself in the coziest flausch. at the same time It is carried accompanied thriftily of the accordion, of an escaping violin or roughly supported will sound by a feverish guitar. all.
then here to its time not gedoppelt, on each other gestapelt or artificially reinforced. erdig it, after nachbarschaftshilfe, after supper on the porch, in the fresh wind, wind, that tousles the hair, courage makes, that fresh lining passes to the longing. "And of i opend up my arm in the wind." where one beieiander sits, and that suddenly someone begins to sing, no strangely finds. in the opposite falls gradually each on, brittly first of all, with verve later. where such albums such as "vesper" pull, one does not know must wound knock himself first. also it. the decision whether they lose at the same time or prepare however patina, falls knows me. who, knows, enthuse would tend say get strive that I to that. yet here I with all caution to hear that we a small meisterwerk. ingratiating song, timidly, without audible, without obtrusiveness, without a trace of missionary spirit. melody, the reverberations, the delicate arrangements Emphasizing in the right moment.
MY FAVORITE SENTENCE: "a flat, but extremely colored klangteppich to klöppeln, on which mynx excludes would agree itself', when räkele it itself in the coziest flausch. at the same time It is carried accompanied thriftily of the accordion, of an escaping violin or roughly supported will sound by a feverish guitar."
Greetings and salutations, friends! It is by far the toughest winter month of the year, as spring is on the horizon and we're all sick of wearing the same three coats for the past three months. HOWEVS, Riot Act is hecka busy staying warm and plowing through this thing because we've got (yes, I'm going to go there) HOTT RELEASES for you, the reader, to chew on, tours for you to go see and incredible things for you to write about and enjoy. Without further adieu, what to look fwd to is below.
ARENA ROCK RECORDING CO.: Riot Act Media is proud as punch and as moved as a U-haul to announce that we now get to operate as the publicity arm of the incredible, Portland, OR-based Arena Rock Recording Company label! ARRCO, the label that brought you Elf Power, Harvey Danger, Superdrag, Call and more, was co-founded in the mid-1990s by current owner Greg Glover, and is home to such incredible artists as The Ecclesia, The Life and Times, Sabertooth, Stiffwiff, Talkdemonic, Wroom, The Twang and more. ARRCO puts out hecka rad re-releases as well (Larry Norman, Daniel Amos, Sonseed), and is known for their incredible LP packaging and love of getting stuff pressed on 180-gram vinyl. You shall hear plenty of ARRCO news in '09, friends!
LEONARD MYNX: Lucky peeps in Portland, Cali and Colorado will get to see the Mynx this spring as he gets around in advance of the release of his incredible upcoming full-length, Vesper (out April 21st on Wally Uno Music)...the album, recorded by Adam Selzer (Norfolk & Western, M.Ward) in his famous Type Foundry studio, features a bevy of PDX music superstars, including Selzer and other folks who've played with M. Ward, the Decemberists, Weinland and more. Check out "Northwest Passage" and "Valley of Sickness and Death" at his MySpace page, here: http://www.myspace.com/leonardmynx.
LOCH LOMOND: LL has just released a free/donation-only five-song EP called "Trumpets for Paper Children" on Hush Records, which you can grab here (http://tinyurl.com/trumpetsEP). The band's 7" for their new single, "Blue Lead Fences", is out soon, and they've got a ton of parties and shows confirmed for SXSW, which they will dominate mightily. Stay tuned for more on Portland's most dynamic, crushing chamber pop septet.
MISC.: Misc. is the moniker for the studio project by Badman label founder/producer Dylan Magierek, and we are SO excited to work on such an incredible release—"Happiness is Easy". Recording under the Misc. alias for the last decade, his tracks have appeared on compilations alongside Elliott Smith, Spoon and Red House Painters. Over the last few years, Magierek devoted portions of studio time with some of the artists he has recorded to create a full length album; The result is a moody, cohesive, instrumental heavy record -with vocals by gifted Los Angeles poet-songwriter Daniel Ahearn lending fantastic, stirring, ardent stories to half of the tracks. Misc. travels some of the same atmospheric, yet song driven territory as Mogwai, Low, and Explosions in the Sky. The album will be available on the Badman site in late February, and will be in stores on April 7th. Feel it!
NICK JAINA: One of America's best songwriters and most captivating, arresting musicians is planning a late spring tour, which we'll no doubt be filling you in about soon! His newest album, "A Narrow Way", is out now—NPR says of Jaina, "... full of the kinds of songs that sound as if they could have been written in any one of the past several decades, as comfortable next to Cole Porter as they are Tom Waits or (to a lesser degree) the Black Heart Procession."
ORIGAMI GHOSTS: These dudes are touring their hearts out this month in support of the just-released "Short Momentum" full-length. The whole album, produced by Kevin Suggs (Cat Power) and mastered by Kramer (Galaxie 500, Low) is a reverb-soaked hookfest full of soaring vocal melodies, thumpy drums and warm, sailing cello....this is the band's second effort, behind 2007's "Solving My Own Puzzles", which, like "Short Momentum", was released on the band's own label, Hand To Mouth Media. If you're in Cali, Texas or New Mexico, you are in luck! Check our TOURS page for details.
SCREAMING FEMALES: SF are also playing a bunch this month, this time in their 'hood: NY and NJ. As soon as their new full-length, "Power Move", drops on Don Giovanni this April, the band will be touring like bananas, including some dates with the incredible Throwing Muses. Power Move is Screaming Females at the top of their game—Marissa Paternoster, heralded already as the principal delegate for this era's "new generation of femme shredders", as renowned writer Jessica Hopper noted in the Chicago Reader, is at her bombastic best, firing off gritty, urgent solos and spitting radical magic into the mic that builds upon the oeuvre of those before her (Patti Smith, Corin Tucker, Iggy Pop) and will undoubtedly inform those after her. You do not want to miss these bros live. Serious.
THE LIFE AND TIMES: Another band you do not want to miss live is TLAT. They're going to be announcing some shows soon, and will be touring later in the year in support of their upcoming "Tragic Boogie" LP on Arena Rock. Blisteringly loud, unbelievably lush and brilliantly lit with white light, the sound created by these three gentlemen live belies their numbers, and the album is a killer, too. The muscular 26" kickdrum thump of songs like 'Fall of the Angry Clowns' is not just heard live but felt in the belly. 'Let It Eat' recalls Blonde Redhead in 5th gear at 125mph, anchored by Eric Aberts' headbob-inducing bassline by the time we reach the chorus. Ex-Shiner. Feel it.
THE RHOMBUS: San Francisco-based The Rhombus use plain language, elements of musique concrete, simple synths, guitar and drum machine to bring lyrical anecdotes about shopping for towels at Target to vivid life alongside songs built upon psychedelic tales of giants and destroying the sky—and it all makes perfect sense. The band's upcoming "Ladders" EP comes hot on the heels of 2008's "Margins" full-length; Hennesy made limited-edition handcrafted covers for each copy (now out of print in that format), and Public School Records released the album on vinyl (CD included!) in December of 2008; Dates announced soon!
THE TRADITIONIST: Songwriter Joey Barro & Co. have been busting ass in the studio alongside greats like Superchunk/Mountain Goats drummer Jon Wurster, even though his upcoming full-length, "Season to Season" (out on Better Looking/Banter Records this March) has yet to be released. Barro is putting out several releases this year, including a split EP with Tim Bluhm of The Mother Hips that starts being recorded early this month, because he is just that prolific and amazing—and he's got dates in LA and San Diego this March.
WEINLAND: We are so honored to work with Weinland. It's rare for a contemporary artist to sit down and write a timeless album; an album that hits that spot in your brain responsible for registering perfection and revelry. An album that is instantly familiar, magical, and right. Yet after only a few listens to "Breaks in the Sun", out on Badman Recording Co. this April, you'll know it's still possible. It's the follow up to 2008's critically acclaimed La Lamentor (Badman Recording co), and was committed to 2" tape amidst sleep deprivation, whiskey consumption, and trust. What resulted is musical brilliance possessed with a rare dynamism and immediacy, at once frighteningly intimate and reverently edited. A ton of dates this April are confirmed; more news soon.
VALLEY OF THE VAPORS INDEPENDENT MUSIC FESTIVAL: A shining beacon in the increasingly bloated, expensive and impossible to navigate worlds of the industry's more established multi-day music festivals (SXSW, CMJ, Coachella, Bonarroo, etc), The Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival (VOV) is gearing up for its 5th and biggest year yet, with bands traveling from as far away as Australia, Canada, Israel, New York, California and all points in between to play the fest's small venue, which is situated in the middle of gorgeous Hot Springs National Park. These bands make up the fabric of a global community of DIYsters, as well as the many dedicated sponsors and volunteers that have helped the VOV fest (a 501c3 public charity) produce original, forward-thinking and independent music events in the small town of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas since 2005. THIS YEAR'S LINEUP, which includes Monotonix. Pretty & Nice, AIDS Wolf, The Queers, Poison Arrows, Pink Spiders and more, can be viewed at www.valleyofthevapors.org. We are psyched and honored to work towards bringing this fest the attention it deserves.
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