Fates Warning and Insideout Music

article

I haven't had time to read the whole interview there with Ray Alder, but he says they signed with Insideout Europe and him and Jim Matheos are now working on a new studio album. Chances it'll drop sometime next year. My guess, Summer or Fall.

And contrary to what people say, unless I recall wrong, it doesn't rule out Mark Zonder as the drummer. Mark Zonder said he was done with TOURING with FW, but playing on studio albums, from memory, in 2005-ish he made a statement he still would be interested in working with the band.

And along those lines, the jeopardy Insideout Music was in, is maybe not what it was as Century Media basically bailed them out financially. Now the Transatlantic and Pain of Salvation albums and tours can happen.

I have more to add..mainly just a list of bands and their potential touring (Oceansize, PRR) and how this may help.

But as a fan of some of the bands on I/O and Fates Warning, this is quite pleasant to read about. Fates Warning, 1 of only a handful of bands who've never made a bad album.

Leak?

both of these may have leaked in one format or more this morning. However, not much evidence about whether they are worth going after right now. The Muse one especially, given the hordes of fakes that keep showing up.

They both drop in the next couple of weeks so leaks are expected any day/hour/minute really.

also Between the Buried and Me have posted a teaser/trailer/preview to their upcoming album "The Great Misdirect."

edit:


I'll be looking fwd to hearing a sample when I get hom tonight, along with some of the new Kevin Gilbert songs on Gruno's radio special at 9PM Central time.

Please Help DEAN MAGRAW!

bumped 8/31 1:20AM

This was the schedule and below, some comments. This event deserves more elaboration, certainly, but for now, this will have to do. Definitely one of the most memorable Concerts/Events of 2009.

Performance Schedule:
• 12:00-12:30 - Dakota Dave Hull
• 12:30-1:00 - Eastside
• 1:15-1:45 - Lehto and Wright
• 2:00-2:30 - Eric Hohn & Blair Krivanek
• 2:45-3:15 - Axis Mundi
• 3:30-4:00 - The Petersons
• 4:15-4:30 - Tim Sparks
• 4:30-4:45 - Elgin Foster
• 5:00-5:15 - Nirmala Rajesakar & Marcus Wise
• 5:15-5:30 - Marcus Wise & Mike Salovich
• 5:45-6:15 - Laura Mackenzie & Dáithí Sproule
• 6:30-7:00 - Marc Anderson, JT Bates & Jim Anton
• 7:15-7:45 - Café Accordion Orchestra, Diane Jarvi
• 8:00-8:30 - Greg Herriges Trio
• 8:45-9:15 - Prudence Johnson & Dan Chouinard
• 9:30-10:00 - Boiled In Lead

this was a phenomenal day of music. Oh man, for you folks out there who have never heard Dean or any of this large and eclectic assembly of talent that payed tribute to him today, you really are missing out.

This was in some ways, like a Nearfest for Dean. Or maybe better, similar to what is not happening sadly this year, but has many years in the past, "Nordic Roots Festival."

The only real issue that can be said was the fact each performer only was given 30 minutes, which for many of them, isn't even close to what they are given to perform normally.

But in the interest of the event and Dean, it didn't matter.

I don't have time to review every single performer, but I can say, there wasn't a boring or bad performance at all. Showing how eclectic an artist Dean is, this event went from genres such as Italian, to Jazz, to Folk, to Fusion, to Irish, to Twangy Blues. Maybe the guy who impressed me the most from the standpoint being unfamiliarity, was Eric Hohn. Not his entire set, but he played some electric bass, but on 2 or 3 songs he switched over to Acoustic guitar, and he had one of those silver pitch-shifters he wore on his finger, and he was creating this amazing twang-effect that just had my jaw dropping to the floor. It was like something I'd hear Jimmy Page do, or say Robert Johnson. I couldn't get enough of it. And certainly, it's something Dean has experimented with and would appreciate Eric's performance.

Nirmala who plays a Veena, Greg Herriges, Boiled In Lead, 8-Head (1 of Dean's bands, Anderson, Bates & Anton), Cafe Accordion Orchestra, and Eastside were among the others I thoroughly enjoyed.

Dean Magraw is a legend to many, and this event is only further proof of that. There's more benefit events coming up later this year, and I am gonna have to mark my calendar asap. Hopefully Dean will be attendance at them as he was not there today.



original 7/21/09 5:18AM
As a fan and friend of one of the most talented and like-able musicians and people, it really pains me to read about his current condition! I know he was battling cancer (since I've known him for nearly 10 years in fact), but the last I heard, he was doing much better.

If you are one of the folks around here in Minnesota or the area, it would be great to come out and attend this benefit show on August 30th in St.Paul.

And even if you're not, I would highly recommend his music, and to get to know what an immense talent Dean is.

deanmagraw.com
dean on myspace










Please join us in a benefit for Twin Cities' musician, Dean Magraw!

Dean is suffering from cancer-related issues and has had to cancel all of his performances for the foreseeable future. A benefit to raise money for his living expenses will be held on Sunday, August 30th, 2009 at Celtic Junction in St. Paul:

The Celtic Junction
836 Prior Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55104

Doors will open at 1:30 and music will start at 2:00 PM continuing throughout the day until 10:00 PM. Many of the Twin Cities' finest musicians will be present, including members of the Peterson family, Boiled in Lead, Lehto & Wright, Marcus Wise and more.

There is a suggested donation of $15 or whatever you can afford. Please, please forward this email onto anyone who might want to know of this event.

For more information, contact:

helpdeanmagraw@yahoo.com or

folkrock42@yahoo.com

Thanks, and we'll see you there!

me with Dean and Earl Root (RIP) in 2002.



I'll never forget that. Right after seeing Opeth at The Quest, I go to Pizza Luce in downtown Minneapolis and I run into of all people, Dean!

5min micro-blog to be modified

Imogen Heap's playing on David Letterman tonight. The evening after Mute Math. Credit Dave and his producers for getting good musical guests this week.

Pain of Salvation's new album: some news about I'll try and post later.

Dean Magraw benefit is on Sunday. More to tba about that as well.

The TV previews blog is coming along as well. It might be up this weekend..or some of it will.

An interview with Gavin Hayes I mean to post as well. Rather insightful and informative about his lyrics, specifically.

I just won a copy of Moving Violations on DVD. After 2 other failed attempts (3 actually). And I paid less than the others..haha! Classic, underated comedy from the 80's should be sweet to see again.

More to add soon, but I'm off to catch Sister-of-Sahara Becky out in Eagan.

Mute Math - Armistice (2009)

bumped 8/27 6:58PM

they are appearing on David Letterman tonight, Thursday, August 27th.

comments: I like a lot of it. "Goodbye" is clearly my favorite track. Extremely catchy and energetic. The VIP version of the title track is superior to the album version sadly. The funk works much better, higher in the mix and arrangement.

more tba soon...


original 8/5/09 1:12PM


Sucker finally leaked. 13 days before the drop date on August 18th.

With Stomacher being available for $3 (even though it wasn't even worth that at this point), the leak list shrunk just a bit this week. Perhaps Imogen Heap and As Tall As Lions will also happen this week as well.

Impressions, etc yadayadayadayada should be added in the next day or 2 if I remember to.

Water & Bodies + 3

Water & Bodies whose debut EP was released back in May have mentioned looking to release their debut full-length soon. And by meaning soon, I got the sense from some people on the boards, and now their blog (Beau their drummer mainly) that it could happen rather soon. They have a lot of songs; many of which I guess if they end up on that debut album, will not include any of the songs on the EP perhaps. But here's the important bit from that blog the other day:

3. We’ve been writing like crazy in all our spare time and things are sounding fab! We have a big surprise to tell you all about, but we might just drop it on you when it finished! hint hint. All I can say is September will be a busy month, busy in a good way ;)

so, something's cooking; and it'll likely be announced next month. Perhaps it'll be the EP as a vinyl sales, or a bigger tour, but the way that reads, it more likely will be

a) details on the debut album, and even perhaps it being released in September or by the end of the year.

b) if not it being released in 2009, details on it, and WHEN, like early in 2010.

If that were possible..within the last week news about them, Transatlantic today, and Kevin Gilbert's 2 cds. Potentially, THAT DEPTH for the year just got hiked up a bit, close to where I thought it might be early in the year.

However, it won't mean all that much if these albums aren't amazing..heck, even just 1 of the 3(4) are. No gurantees, but it's interesting how within a short period of time, once I start to question things a bit, stuff starts to excite me again. The fact is, with really only 2 1/2 months left, the anticipated and known work to come out, will happen rather fast. But that goes back to my point about procrastinating artists. Maybe there's something about releasing an album in the fall like movies? It's not for Grammy's, but maybe for Holiday gifts or something. I wonder if more artists just considered that habit of trying to get an album out by the end of the year, and instead think of it more like in Quarters. How about try and get it out by May, or July.

Deadlines suck, I know, but it just seems like many of them CRAM shit in at the last minute every fucking year now. Or they push it back until "early [insert next year]" which then ends up more like Spring or Summer. And before you know it, it's been a year since the original target date. There is such a thing as TAKING TOO LONG and getting COMPLACENT. OVERTHINKING, OVER-DOING. Sure, it helps to be a perfectionist, but how many times have some of the original versions of songs end up being better than what ends up on the record? A lot more often than I'd imagine.

3 they just announced today "Revisions Volume 1: Anyone Human" will be released on October 27th. Couple of points to be made right off the bat.

http://blogs.myspace.com/officialbandthree

New "3" record: "Revisions" to be released on October 27th / upcoming "3" related performances
Hey Everybody,

We've been hard at work making music ever since we got home from our last tour and now we finally have the word on when our next record is coming out. On OCTOBER 27th "Revisions" will be released to the world!

A word on "Revisions"

"3" has always been a band apart. We've never been afraid to follow the artistic impulse, whether it has lead us to genre bending progressive experimentation, or, as in the case of "Revisions," drawn us into a world defined more by melody and lyric than by instrumental prowess. It goes without saying that our goal has always been to create a symbiosis between these qualities, but on this record we find the poles have shifted in favor of the singer-songwriter element of what we do. This collection taps the rich history of "3" by reexamining some of the earlier songs that made us who we are today. Some of them are known from early live bootlegs, others existed only on cassette and were transferred to the internet by dedicated fans who some how dug them up(possibly out of my garage). In any event, these are songs that we felt deserved a second chance, a "revision," if you will. Our passion for music is truly the common thread that binds our diverse body of work.

Upcoming "3" related performances...

Friday, August 28th, 9pm / Joey Eppard - Gartdrumm & JB Tenney
Live @ Keegan Ales - St James Street, Kingston, NY - - no cover

Saturday, August 29th, 10pm / Joey Eppard solo acoustic! (w/Special guests)
Dave's Coffee House
Partition Street, Saugerties, NY
Joey Eppard solo acoustic!

Saturday, September 5th, 10:15pm / Joey Eppard solo acoustic!
Live @ Sober in the Sun - Coffee House Stage
Treasure Valley Boyscout Camp in Rutland / Oakham, MA

Saturday, September 19th / Joey Eppard solo acoustic!
Live @ Alchemy, Woodstock, NY

a) this is an album of OLD/EARLY songs never recorded or re-arranged. It's not NEW music they've written. And it'll probably end up sounding more in the vein of some of the stuff on "Paint By Number" just guessing. Maybe more heavy on the funk stylings, which might be good, but may not be as catchy or like their last 3 albums which I and many fans enjoy most.

b) they have another album, of all-new music, that'll be released on RoadRunner Records. The idea was this year sometime. Given that posting, I'm kind of skeptical. This again goes back to time-left-in-the-year/season.

c) I'm hoping this will be good, but even if it's not that great, my thoughts about their new songs writings (Joey Eppard) on the RR debut, will be an easy thing to fall back on.

To add to this, not involving the band themself or their label, but with mp.com. Why do I post shit there and expect people to remember/find it when more news comes in about it? Seriously, it's turning into a PREDICTABLE waste of long-term rarely-if-ever-bumped topics INSTEAD OF THEM BEING SEARCHED FOR.

While I may have looked foolish in the TA announcement by seeing "coming in October" and what i thought were missing release dates from another site, I would think the attention-seeking users (whores) who continue to create new topics that fail to find or even SEARCH for an older topic should feel just as foolish. But do they?..I have no idea. But it's not just me, and certainly I've been guilty of it in the past..and guilty with the release-dates-in-the-topic-title-that-ultimately-change-but-the-topic-title-is-never-since-the-forum-software-won't-allow-nonmoderators-to-do-so.

But what ends up happening is all my effort (and ego-stroking, I won't deny) for announcing a new release in a brand new topic ends up being a 1-day or 5-hour thing, and these people don't consider the user who started the 1st thread on said album (or just the band in general) never feel learn. I don't keep track of if some users continue to do so. But I think it's an attention thing, and a NEW-TOPIC thing. A freshly posted new topic looks better.

For some reason though, mp.com is maybe the only board I'm on that continues to have this problem. Pretty much every other board, save for progressiveears which really is pretty fucked up without more than 1-month of history anyway, if a new topic is made, a suave happens and new topic gets locked. Most the users do use the search function better and more regularly. It's really not that hard. But the mp.com people often don't care or think about it.

I dunno, my new year's resolution may be modified but become more of a reality next year. No new topics about albums, and NO REPLIES. Frankly, pretty much lurk-mode on the busy boards. But I need more discipline to do that of course. {Perhaps just try and finish out this year and decade I suppose. But I would think those who really care or notice will stumble their way over here. And certainly, what this blog could be is just commenting and fwd-ing shit I see on the forums.

I've thought of just making 1 topic over on progressiveears "mnprogger's music news" but now thinking about that, it's rather silly because ultimately it'll look much like the modern indie thread anyway, and most people barely can keep up with it. I doubt it'd fly, but I think there is something to be said about 1 topic being focused on JUST MY BACKGROUND. Too many times those threads end up having shit posted in them I don't care about, and hurt the thread's intention. With a narcissistic, self-indulgent thread, it would be like passing along shit in this blog mostly anyway, but those people don't come here as far as I know. It would force my shit to be there.

but I still say they have got to get a real fucking message board with history that goes back years. Marillion.com forum is like that, but much worse. Short-term forums suck. Topics should be searched for and bumped. I don't see why it's not looked at as, as necessary as it should be.

Transatlantic - The Whirlwind (2009)

original mp.com stickie



For Immediate Release
August 26th 2009


TRANSATLANTIC'S THE WHIRLWIND

Coming in October!!


TRANSATLANTIC - the Progressive Rock Supergroup featuring DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy, MARILLION's Pete Trewavas, THE FLOWER KINGS' Roine Stolt and Neal Morse (Ex-SPOCK'S BEARD) - will release their long-awaited third album in October 2009.


THE WHIRLWIND is a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy the band's legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire decade for the reunion of these 4 musicians.


THE WHIRLWIND will be available in two formats:

A Regular Edition Single CD of the entire 77 minute Epic as well as a 2-CD Special Edition containing a Bonus Disc with 8 newly recorded Studio Tracks.

(4 new Transatlantic compositions and 4 Cover Songs)



The Track Listing for the Special Edition is:



Disc One:

THE WHIRLWIND



Disc Two:

1. SPINNING

2. LENNY JOHNSON

3. FOR SUCH A TIME

4. LENDING A HAND

5. THE RETURN OF THE GIANT HOGWEED (Genesis)

6. A SALTY DOG (Procol Harum)

7. I NEED YOU (America / The Beatles)

8. SOUL SACRIFICE (Santana)



TRANSATLANTIC'S THE WHIRLWIND is currently scheduled for the following release dates:


October 23rd 2009: Germany, Austria, Switzerland

October 26th 2009: Europe

October 27th 2009: North America




This is what is going through my brain about this right now.

1) I failed to notice all the details there, and shot-myself-in-the-foot with a posting a bit ago on mp.com. Fine. But it's shit like that as to why I have no business continuing POSTING..specifically REPLIES on most forums. Passing news along is great, and pointing out observations, while can be worth doing, it seems far too many cases, I've thought I noticed something (or knew something, even offered a less than definitve fact about something..a band or something else), and I look totally foolish. D-I-S-C-P-L-I-N-E. I suck at it, I know.

2) There is not info there about an actual RECORD LABEL RELEASING it yet. It's great all the details and everything have come out, and a release date announcements; but I would think the most important thing in order to make this thing a reality would be HOW it will be released. I.e. via what label or means of distribution. Now the info posted on progressiveears.com says it was from Radiant Records, Spock's Beard's label, which is a tiny, self-run label still. And the fact it was sent via a *newsletter* doesn't necessarily mean anything as for how or who will be involved in this record's actual release. Insideout Music is as far as we know, still "insolvent" i.e. bankrupt from the last reports. Perhaps they've recovered enough of late, and will be giving the public (internet) word about their getting out of the red, and now able to move forward as a small independent record label specializing in progressive rock. But that hasn't happened.

Some names that crossed my mind

a) Racket Records, Marillion's label. Frankly, it's a better label than Radiant, and could probably reach more people.

b) Metal Blade. I don't love them, but if I recall, at least 1 of the editions of the 1st Transatlantic cds "SMPT:e" came out on this. Given they want to put it out, it's a bigger distributor than Radiant; and with the previous relationship, on the surface it would be as good as anything else that comes to mind. Spock's Beard was (or may still be) partially involved with them still.

c) self-release. The easiest digitally, but the hardest for hardcopies I imagine, and distribution. Perhaps a digital in October and hardcopies on another label in 2010?

d) RoadRunner..this would be biggest benefit on many levels. And they did just sign 3. Along with Dream Theater's success, I would think it would be a possibility. But given how late in the game they are, I'm not sure how feasible it'd be, nor if the suits over there have enough confidence in it.

more to add obviously, but with this in the 2009 calendar's index mix for new music; and Kevin Gilbert as well. 2009 is starting to comeback a bit. Way more to say about that, as it's been on my mind ..the whole bands-announcing-and-releasing their procrastinated timeframes for new albums in the late Summer/Fall, instead of earlier in the year process. It's a broken record, and expected. But with that, the lack of certain new albums to drop in 2009, while still not huge, is starting to look a little better. Quality/Classic potential?..that's a whole nother story.

Also to comment on the length. 1 song, 77mins. I'm not gonna judge it in any way, as similar to what I've posted about the upcoming 55minute Porcupine Tree song, a single song that long, while it sounds like it could be way too extended for no good reason, it has worked many times in music:

-Green Carnation's "Light of Day, Day of Darkness" 1 hour, 1 track. It never feels long to me. Its a quick 1-hour album listening experience to be honest.
-Fates Warning's "A Pleasant Shade of Gray" sure, it's 45minutes separated into 12 tracks, but it really is 1 song, that is never better heard unless it's from beginning to end.
-Dream Theater's "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" much like APSOG. They're *movements* NOT SONGS. 42minutes or whatever, and it hardly feels lengthly; more like a 45minute album that's a suite.
-Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" even though it's separated into 2 parts, it's really 1 song, that is best heard all-at-once. Sure, the band played the main theme many times live separately, but the 40 some odd minutes hardly feel that long.

Granted, 45 or 40 minutes =/= 77 minutes. Nor does 60minutes = 77minutes. But if you play their epics back to back, there's isn't any filler to me really, so if it's 1 song, so be it. I mean certainly if you listen to a 77 minute track, and have to pause it in the middle or your power goes out and you have to restart, that would suck. So it would probably still be best for them to have movements and separate them into tracks. But I get how they are making it 1 77 minute song. If it's to work well, then I'll want to play the whole fucking thing everytime, all at once. How many epic, concept albums that clock-in near that amount, can the same thing be said about? Set Sail the Prairie, Act II (The Dear Hunter)..heck, even Tales From Topographic Oceans. I don't see how this will be any different.

Also, some other big stuff popped-up today, so I got a few more notes coming shortly...

Mew and Immi on the shelf today

2 of the highly anticipated cds are released today in Mew's "No More Stories" and Imogen Heap's "Ellipse."

Andre Matos new album also is released this week, except I suspect will not be stocked at any store I shop at considering his last cd never was either. Possibly something to look for at ProgPowerUSA in a few weeks.

Although last week was kind of big too in Mute Math, Ramona Falls and As Tall as Lions

BLK JKS debut lp "After Robots" requires more time, and I won't deny, I'm fishing for something new, different, and with good songwriting. This could be 1. I was impressed by it anyway, yesterday and the brief amount of time today I replayed it.

Thrice new album kind of underwhelmed me. I'm not sure if they are a band I'll ever get that into.

And Of Montreal I may say the same about having revisited one of their older albums today. They have their moments, but for one thing, they are a lot more like The Apples in Stereo than Apes and Androids. Way more power-pop, and more analog-sounding. I can't get the ELO/Jeff Lynne influence out of my head. But I'm really not sure if they even compare favorably to The Apples, let alone Call Florence Pow or A&A's.

Speaking of CFP, I'm continually amazed the talent Brian Jacobs and David Tobias have for songwriting. Even though we have yet to hear a ton of it from them, every song they've done, I appreciate the thought that was put into it. I started a new list on rateyourmusic called "A-List Modern Songwriters" (and mean to create 1 or 2 others, involving A-lists involving Actors/Directors and Live Acts) and it hasn't been published yet, but beyond 2 obvious names, I'd put the tandem of Jacobs and Tobias right behind them in the best songwriters working today (or in the last couple of decades). Which is why I sincerely hope they give us as much new music as they can over the next 5-10 years at least. The idea of prog + Electronica being a new genre like prog + alternative rock was in the 00's could quite possibly happen. And these guys I might trace as the forefathers of it (with Matt Mahaffey being the grandfather).

I really can't get enough of their stuff, in that i probably have a number of more entries to focus just on them. If not sooner, certainly when any news comes out about the next Apes and Androids, a whole backstory analysis/review should happen again, as I think they're the most fascinating musicians I've enountered in many years.

In Plain Sight: I finally caught the season finale. No, Mary's not dead. But it was a different way to end the season, with a cliffhanger of sorts. The girl she was protecting; something was messed up about her judgement. She either should have come across as more careless, looked-that-way, or perhaps there's more to her character than we know yet. Because by wanting to hang with those thugs across the street, even the way she treated that government rep, and his whole approach to throwing Mary into the job with her. I dunno, it didn't seem very accurate of all the characters, the writing. She would have been more concerned for Mary and how hostile those thugs seemed. The drug traffic too. Which of course raised the idea of them doing a crossover with Breaking Bad, given where both shows are set. The network conflicts I suppose hurts that, but in a better world, that would happen. Maybe one of Walt's family members ends up a witness, or Mary deals with Walt's brother-in-law who works for the DEA. A story could happen really easily.

But given it began in April, it was a good, long season. I'd have gone for a Winter comeback again, but maybe once Monk is gone, that'll happen.

Warehouse 13 and Royal Pains I'm playing catchup on now. Hopefully before the TV Previews, those will be all done, since it will be a potentially busy non-network fall with Psych and Monk along with another new USA show White Collar airing. Plus Caprica and however long Warehouse 13 goes on skeefee.

I'm headed to see local Cabaret duo The Bewitched this evening at Bryant Lake Bowl. My 3rd show seeing them since January? Maybe a belly/cabaret dancer will be there too. And it's an early show thankfully at 7:30, given it's a weeknight.

Update

Progressive Nation a fun time. I think it's more of a social thing than anything else. All the promotion I did was worth doing, even without Pain of Salvation. I particularly enjoyed Zappa Plays Zappa, frankly, for 1 hour, it was a perfect length (compared to the 2 1/2 hour show that I caught a few years ago).

Ramona Falls IS COMING!..playing the crappy 7th Street Entry on September 9th, same day those Beatles remasters are released. 2 days before ProgPowerUSA, 2 days after Minnesota Metal Fest which by the way, includes Atheist and November's Doom whose vocalist also is the singer in a band/project I'm really into in progressive folk-y death rock band Subterranean Masquerade. Now I desire to go. I ran into Nathan aka "The Sword Lord" this afternoon at Renaissance Festival.

Which likely will be my 1 and only trip out there this season, save for timing and my friend receiving more complementary tickets. I purchased a bunch of cool things, which may or may not find worthwhile in the long run.

-a Flask with a clip. Likely more portably than the mugs out there. As long as it doesn't leak.
-a small purple bottle of what seems like hard-to-remove glitter/fairy dust. The girl was cute selling it though. I caved.
-a small reddish/pink bottle of "Renaissance Passion" scented liquid. Some kind of aphrodisiac? no idea, but it does smell good. Ideally, to be enjoyed with (on) a female, but for now, all it'll be is some kind of little perfume bottle. It did include a naked (female) angel trinket at least dangling on the string.

Muse may have finally leaked.

edit: negative. These clowns who put up these fake leaks are really a waste of bandwidth. Haha, you're hilarious. And for that matter, the people who keep passing them along. I suppose from experience to CHECK STUFF 1ST before being sure. But how long has this garbage been going on? like 10 bloody fucking days already. Ya'll are pathetic and need to stop. Will it? I doubt it, but it's only for bands as big as Muse I suppose. It's really getting old, really fast. You can go back to living in your parents basements already, okay?

Midlake it appears will be releasing "The Courage of Others" their 3rd album now likely in February 2010.

article

When can we expect the new album to be released?

Unfortunately with release schedules and such, it's looking like February 2010. If I'm not mistaken, (if we are indeed an anticipated album for next year) this will be the third year in a row that we're one of the most anticipated albums for Under the Radar. Shall we celebrate with a cover?!

I like how they jokingly mention 3-years-in-a-row lol.


TV reviewed some of the upcoming fall schedule tonight. Good enough prep for my upcoming previews I think. What I can say is much is gone, some potentially good new shows, namely V and Eastwick which sadly, aren't original story ideas. But the Monday clusterfuck is gone, Tuesdays has almost nothing, Wednesday and Thursday look lite, and Friday is much busier. The cable shows factor and schedule not entirely known save for Monk which in it's final season, will air through the Fall.

But the previews, hopefully will be up by Mid September if not sooner, especially given the Summer season now winding down. Royal Pains I think is the only show that's on from earlier in the Summer, and it's season finale is this coming Thursday. Being Human on BBC America I need to revisit having only caught the pilot episode which was ok.


I never caught Shrink nor The Time Traveler's Wife. In due time. Still looking forward to Where the Wild Things Are of course, but additionally, Extract the new Mike Judge picture with Jason Bateman and Mila Kunis, and Couples Retreat. And most recently added the Taking Woodstock among a few others. The Terry Gilliam picture with Heath Ledger and movies from Gilmore Girls stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel.

Then again, I've been meaning to try and rent the following:
-Galaxy Quest
-Logan's Run
-Dogma

among some others.

well, more to be added to..hopefully my albums list will have new discs from Muse, Thrice, and BLK JKS on it within a few days. Leaks, Release Dates, and announcements of records that won't be out until 2010 are coming-in like they need to, slowly but surely.

also next weekend is the Dean Magraw benefit concert which begins I guess at 1:30PM next Sunday, September 30th. A long marathon of a show, but frankly, Dean is MORE THAN WORTH IT.

Also, the podcasting hopefully is 1-more step closer to happening as I bought, but have not installed ProTools and a new external soundcard. The price? I hope was worth it. A new Terabyte HD also is nice to finally have, and saving at least $70 on it too.

100% PURE DREEEEEEM THEETER

Tonight is my 12th DT concert (11th in MN), since my 1st, 12 years ago @ First Crapenue.

New Album = Best of Times and Count of Tuscany are the highlights. They won't play Best of Times of course. It's a tad lower from a ratings standpoint, but that is mainly due to how predictable it is overall. low 60's, or 3-stars. Their concerts tho, have gotten better, so at least part of their work isn't in decline/stagnation to me. Looking forward to the video display tonight.

Zappa..who knows how much I'll be into it. Bigelf and Scale the Summit, from the studio work are very *meh*, but maybe I'll be surprised. I should make a realistic list of other bands who could have replaced Pain of Salvation and Beardfish later.

Imogen Heap - Ellipse (2009)

Bumped 8/20/09 1:02PM

the hell with these webrips, a VBR finally leaked. I already pre-ordered it
on her website's store link

that version includes the bonus all-instrumental version too.

imogenheap.com

go here
For those who just can't wait it out - we're streaming Imogen's new album Ellipse
here.

Kevin Gilbert....Kevin Gilbert...Kevin MOTHER-FUCKING Gilbert

from LAST PLANE OUT Kevin Gilbert Yahoo Group/Email List



SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL KEVIN GILBERT FANS! COMING THIS SEPTEMBER!

The Estate of Kevin Gilbert is excited to announce the long-awaited release of Kevin's singer/songwriter CD's: (1) Nuts (2) Bolts and the concert DVD/CD combo: (3)Welcome to Joytown – Thud: Live at the Troubadour.

Each CD (Nuts and Bolts ) contains 11 unreleased tracks and are in book-matching digipaks designed by Hugh Brown with liner notes by Cintra Wilson. Each CD is $15.

The live concert DVD/CD package, Welcome to Joytown –Thud: Live at The Troubadour, features a three-camera shoot of the show with freshly mastered sound. The newly re-mastered CD has two unreleased songs from the show. The cost of this package is $30

ADDED BONUS: The first 1000 copies of Welcome to Joytown – Thud: Live at the Troubadour contain a chance to win one of ten, incredibly rare, autographed copies of The Power of Suggestion. There will be a mail-in, custom-printed, entry form in each of the first 1000 packages. The Estate will hold a drawing to select ten winners in April, 2010. Entries postmarked later than March 31, 2010 will not be accepted.

Note: Autographed copies of The Power of Suggestion have been selling for around $300.

Celebrating the releases, Hugh Brown has designed a new Kevin Gilbert T-Shirt. It is available for $20.

All items will be available at http://www.popplusone.com in September, 2009 – just in time for your Christmas shopping. Credit cards, personal checks, and Pay Pal are accepted.

For more information, please visit Kevin's newly redesigned website at http://www.kevingilbert.com

If you have any questions, please drop me a line at suitfugue@yahoo.com.

Enjoy! Believe me, you'll agree it was definitely worth the wait!

Debbie Miller
Webmaster kevingilbert.com

ummm..I just about died.

Soundscape's Grave New World now officially has a BIG challenger to try and hold off. Mannn..I officially need to start a bloody COUNTDOWN to hear these.

FINAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

DETAILS:

http://popplusone.com/kgnuts.html



# The World Just Gets Smaller
# While Heroes Cry
# Until I Get Her Back
# When Strangers Part
# Finally Over You
# Circling Winds
# Shannon Elizabeth
# A Tired Old Man
# Childhood's End
# Joy Town (Acoustic Version)
# Kashmir (Studio Version)

http://popplusone.com/kgbolts.html




# Waking The Sun
# Jenny Ledge (Acoustic Version)
# Something Nice For My Dog
# Souvenir
# God's Been Tapping My Phone
# Goodness Gracious (Acoustic)
# The Best Of Everything
# Blank Page
# Taxi Ride
# Lonely Road
# Finale

http://popplusone.com/kgjoytown.html?popplusone_KMG06_http://www.popplusone.com/kgjoytown.html




* Waking The Sun
* Joy Town
* Goodness Gracious
* Shrug (Because Of You)
* Waiting
* Tea For One
* Miss Broadway
* The Tears Of Audrey
* When You Give Your Love To Me
* The Ballad Of Jenny Ledge
* Kashmir
* Smash
* Song For A Dead Friend (CD only)

Bonus Video Material

* Song For A Dead Friend - Kevin Solo - Live at Club Largo 1994
* This Warm Night Giraffe, Rare Footage
* Because Of You Giraffe, Rare Footage
* 1995 Interview with Kevin at Lawnmower and Garden Supply Studio - 32 minutes


$30 + shipping Buy Now!
A limited, numbered edition DVD/CD combo with cover designed by Grammy winner Hugh Brown. The DVD contains a 3 camera video of the entire live performance, freshly mastered sound, and over 30 minutes of extras including an extensive interview of Kevin and rare live footage. The re-mastered CD includes previously unreleased versions of "Tears of Audrey" and "Smash."

It's a Free World (2007)

Just caught (most-of) this on Sundance Channel this evening. Pretty powerful overall. The girl who plays Angie, Kierston Wareing was rather good, realistic portrayal of a struggling mother who gets in a bit too deep with illegal immigration and employing workers outside of the law.

In tone and subject matter, it's a bit of a cross between The Visitor and perhaps a film like Once Were Warriors. There's a lot of moral questions raised, and it certainly has a dark tone that sucks you in. She really has the best and realistic intentions in what she gets involved-in, but she also doesn't realize how it changes and corrupts her. The ending kind of gives the ole poetic justice to a point with what happens to her 11 year-old son. Although it doesn't entirely conclude with much of a happy ending, or a large resolution. I suppose you can believe she learns from her mistakes and experiences, but there's not much in the last scene to entirely know.

that review is what I posted over on rateyourmusic. Something I'll try and do more often, even if they are just short comments or whatever.

Editors - In This Light and On This Evening (2009)

1. In This Light And On This Evening
2. Bricks And Mortar
3. Papillon
4. You Don't Know Love
5. The Big Exit
6. The Boxer
7. Like Treasure
8. Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool
9. Walk The Fleet Road

This album is being released on October 12th. I suppose I'm asking myself the question, why I'm even writing about it. Editors are a band I briefly got into back in 2007, but then after seeing them live, I kind of concluded they were rather samey, especially the guitar parts.

But, I suppose I like to follow-up and hope for something different every so often with what I'd call "fringe" artists. I tried with the group now known as Stomacher, and failed. Whereas with say As Tall As Lions, it was a mild success.

Editos 1st single off the record Papillon leaked recently. Here's a live video:



Not amazing, but they still sound much better than the band they get compared to, in Interpol.

Yes, It's Happening

Brett Fartknocker will be quabbing MY TEAM, lol. Reminds me a little of when Jim McMahon came here. If for no other reason, this is going to make this Vikings season a LOT more interesting. The media circus will be hilarious every Monday on K-Farve.com.

If only Chad Hartman were still there, damnit. But Carl Gerberschmitt will provide enough worthwhile humor to get me by.

Biffy Clyro - "That Golden Rule" Video/Single/EP

bumped 8/17/09 4:47PM

The "That Golden Rule" EP leaked. It's an Itunes release i guess.



Tracklist
1. That Golden Rule
2. Prey Hey
3. Eye Lids
5. Time Jazz

the full-length "Only Revolutions" details are still unknown other than it'll be released sometime soon. September was the original reported projection, however play.com (in the UK) has it listed as being October 26th. This Ep will have to tide us Biffy-fans over until more details and the anticipated leak happens.

original 7/22/09 8:12PM

http://www.nme.com/video/bcid/30272585001/search/

nothing amazing about the video, but the song is sweet, save for the problem I have with a lot of compressed recordings = the tambourine-toned clipping of the splash and crash cymbals. Mostly at the beginning. Maybe on a 1st generation recording they won't sound as bad.

8:11pm: Another note about these guys. apparently, their new album is to be called "Only Revolutions" instead of "Boom, Blast and Ruin" as reported a few months ago.

The Swell Season - Strict Joy (2009)

new song:

spinnermusic link

"In These Arms" download



1 Low Rising
2 Feeling the Pull
3 In These Arms
4 The Rain
5 Fantasy Man
6 Paper Cup
7 High Horses
8 The Verb
9 I Have Loved You Wrong
10 Love That Conquers
11 Two Tongues
12 Back Broke

September 29th, 2009 is the release date on rym. I'm not 100% that still is the street date, but it is as far as what I have seen thus far.

Midlake - The Courage of Others (2009?)

A note I noticed the other day, but haven't gotten around to posting yet. Texas psychedelic-Fleetwood_Mac-inspired indie band Midlake have posted very sparingly info about their upcoming 3rd LP "The Courage of Others"



here's a bit of info

Midlake is happy to announce that ‘The Courage of Others’ is rapidly approaching the finish line of completion. The finishing touches are being put upon the long anticipated album and mixing has already commenced. It has been quite a journey, with its fair shares of ups and downs, but the band can’t wait to share the fruits of labor with everyone. No official release date has been announced, but stay tuned for one in the coming weeks. Sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone for their patience and support…

okay, the "July" projected finish time is past, but at least it sounds like it's getting done.

Keep in mind, this record was talked about in late 2007 if I recall, and even moreso last year. But if you go to their website, the last bit of news is a photo taken in the studio from December 2008, lol.

To say they have a lack of an internet-presence, atleast of late, would be accurate. No matter, I just want to the damn album. If it comes out, I couldn't care less. "The Trials of Van Occupanther" is decent, but not amazing album. But there's enough on it for me to hold hope for this group. So certainly, when I get to hear their new record, I will jump at the chance. I just hope these brief stories on other zines are as accurate as they say, and we hear about a release date, artwork, tracklist, etc say, before the end of September. If not, hopefully early in 2010.

Oceansize - Home and Minor EP (2009)

I wanna hear this asap. Suppose the key part is it'll be coming out in October. So the hunt begins of course soon (once artwork and a tracklist comes up).

Oceansize myspazz blog

Monday, August 17, 2009
HOME AND MINOR EP
Current mood: bummed
The world and it's dog did their 'MTV Unplugged'. David St. Hubbins had his collection of acoustic numbers with the London Philharmonic. Bernie Winters had Schnorbitz. And, at long last, here is the Oceansize equivalent, the 'Home And Minor' EP.


Fear not, Oceansize haven't gone acoustic. There are no 'More Than Words' moments to be found here. Indeed, there's not even actually any acoustic guitar anywhere on it. Moreover, this is a short (*1) collection of our more 'settled' numbers. More reserved, with not a distortion pedal in sight (*2), this lovely EP is a realisation of a plan that's been kicking around our collective brains since before we were signed in 2002. Where in the past we've crowbarred-in every single dynamic, idea and style we could think of into a record, we thought it best this time to present a more thematic and cohesive collection, so's not to disrupt the more fainted-hearted listener from their blub-induced slumber.


Still, it covers plenty of ground, and features a fair few Oceansize firsts such as trumpets, pedal-steel guitar as well as a bit of pumping techno (*3) and some additional vocals from Kate Ray. It is also the first Oceansize record to be made in our own as-yet-unnamed studio in Manchester.


Does this mean Oceansize have finally grown old, knackered, and are necking pints of Horlicks and taking on unhealthy interest in the dog? No, not a bit of it. We are currently holed up in our little bubble, writing fucking reams and reams of material for our next album, some of which is our loudest and most fruity yet. But that's all in the future....

Oceansize is still -

Mark Heron - Drums
Steven Hodson - Bass/Guitar/Keys
Gambler - Guitar/Keys
Steve Durose - Guitar/Vocals
Mike Vennart - Vocals/Guitar


*1 - Well, short by our standards. Quite long by The Strokes' or Slayer's.
*2 - except for a couple of bits you probably wont notice until you've heard it ten times.
*3 - Pumping QUIETLY, of course.


EDIT - The Home And Minor EP will be available in October and will accompanied by a UK/European tour. Watch this space.


x

Unrelated:
found a used promo of the As Tall As Lions cd "You Can't Take it With You" last night at the St.Paul Cheapo in the recent arrivals bin. More to add on that with how I found it, and the record itself. But I think it's safe to say it'll be finding it's way into my top 30 or higher in the 2009 aoty index soon. I suppose the main question I will have is whether I'll want to go ahead and purchase the version with the DVD at some point too. If it's good enough, I may, although perhaps 1 of those will show up at Cheapo soon too. Also cool they are opening for Mute Math at 1st Crapenue in October. That certainly adds to my anticipation for that concert, despite it being there. I'll be getting there early and finding a SEAT upstairs as I have learned to do.

-Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are coming to The Guthrie in December (14th I think?). Victor Wooten will be there of course, although given the potential price, I'm not certain I will make it. Not to mention it's on a Monday night. If it were Victor's band however, I'd be more certain about going as his band is a can't miss. Bela? ..circumstances will dictate it as I like his band, but not to the point of a can't-miss. Although I think I noticed Edgar Meyer as the opener which may help.

Andre Matos - Mentalize (2009)

bumped 8/15 11:05AM

LEAKED


bumped 7/30/09 2:23PM
7/20/09 8:310:PM
Official Andre Matos Fanpage Myspace Blog


Andre Matos' new album "Mentalize": the tracklist
Here's the tracklist of "Mentalize", Andre Matos now album to be released in Japan on August, 26th 2009 (the release date for Europe is expected to be close to that one):

01. Leading On
02. I Will Return
03. When The Sun Cried Out
04. Mentalize
05. Back To You
06. Mirror Of Me
07. Someone Else
08. Violence
09. Myriad
10. Powerscream
11. Don't Despair*
12. 手をとりあって　Teo Torriatte* [="Let us cling together"]
13. A Lapse In Time*
14. Forever Is Too Long*

* Bonus tracks for the Japanese version

comments: it's a small consolation given the loss of not seeing him and his band live. The covers intrigue me, namely the Queen. His Journey cover of "Separate Ways" I actually really liked. I'm also happy that it's coming out so soon, nearly 1-month from now. However, given it's a Japanese edition, when this thing leaks could be long after 8/26 unfortunately. Imports don't make their way into promos much. But perhaps this will be an exception.

As Tall As Lions - You Can't Take It With You (2009)

go stream it

here's a link for a DELUXE edition with a DVD.

1. Circles
2. Sixes & Sevens
3. You Can't Take It With You
4. Go Easy
5. Duermete
6. In Case of Rapture
7. We's Been Waitin'
8. Is This Tomorrow?
9. Sleepyhead
10. The Narrows
11. Lost My Mind
12. Home Is Where You’re Happy *
13. That’s What You Get *
14. Sleepyhead (demo) *

if this thing is as good as I hope, I shall be ordering that version. I haven't heard it yet as myspazz doesn't stream at my work. Hopefully a webrip or a proper leak will come soon enough.

edit: it officially surfaced on what tonight. Tomorrow Friday the 14th I'll get my 1st taste.

Movies: In the Loop, Shrink. Music: Swell Season, DLC, Wolfmother

Not certain on my agenda tomorrow, Thursday August 13th, but with a company picnic planned in what's supposed to be another sweltering heat-filled day, it may not go on as long as planned. Thus my afternoon may allow for some matinees.





-In the Loop and Shrink are 2 pictures that are showing at Landmark theaters in Minneapolis right now. However, they aren't at the same theater unfortunately. But the distance is not that bad between Uptown theater in Minneapolis and the Edina theater.

So, if the stars align tomorrow, I may find a way to catch both of these at matinee prices. Ironically, I may have a pass for District 9, which does not appeal to me much at all, lol. But depending on what happens, I may end up seeing it anyway.

And with my luck, both of them will be at Lagoon within a week or 2.

-The Swell Season (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova) and their new album "Strict Joy" drops next month. Here is the cover art



They also posted a blog earlier about a live acoustic performance they did with NPR last week. You can stream their 7-song performance over there.

-Australian band Dead Letter Circus just posted another new song "Space on the Wall" I believe is the track, on their myspace; and it's the title/support of their upcoming tour. I'm not sure what I think of it or everything they've done since their debut ep. I want them to be a class or 2 above that group of alt-prog bands down under (The Butterfly Effect, Cog, Sleep Parade) and more in line with Karnivool. But I'm on the fence currently. A lot of that style ends up sounding a fair amount like Chevelle and just alternative hard rock, even if it has an odd time signature or something. And some of that has to do with their singer. The debut EP from 2007 I thought he sounded pretty good. But the single from last year "Next In Line" and the others since haven't grabbed me like their ep. Time should tell pretty soon. I do like the artwork for the single at least, for how much that is worth.



-Another more well-known rock band from down under, Wolfmother and their upcoming album, Cosmic Egg's info.


COSMIC EGG IS COMING THIS OCTOBER!

Brothers and sisters the time has come for the long-awaited return of Wolfmother. This October will mark the release of Wolfmother’s second opus, Cosmic Egg. You can get your first taste of the record with the new single, “New Moon Rising” which will be making its world-wide debut at radio and online on August 14th.

Starting this Friday, visit Wolfmother.com for details on pre-ordering the album in your part of the world. Cosmic Egg will be available in a number of formats including CD Album / 2LP Vinyl / CD Album + Vinyl combo / Limited Edition Box Set and more.


COSMIC EGG
1. California Queen
2. New Moon Rising
3. White Feather
4. Sundial
5. In The Morning
6. 10,000 Feet
7. Cosmic Egg
8. Far Away
9. Pilgrim
10. In The Castle
11. Phoenix
12. Violence Of The Sun

Cosmic Egg available in Japan on October 8th
Cosmic Egg available in Australia, Germany, and New Zealand on October 9th
Cosmic Egg available in Europe on October 12th
Cosmic Egg available in USA on October 13th

Neverending White Lights - Act III (2010)

NWL myspazz blog

11.08.09

Friends,

I have something important to share with you.

I have news now about the fate of this new album.

Though I tried relentlessly to finish this thing proper and with full intention to release it to you this fall, that simply won't be happening.

I refuse to put something out just for the sake of it. It has to be just right. I believe I'm one of the few artists out there (at least penetrating the mainstream, in one country anyway) who still has the need to bleed for a record. To take every note, stroke, and nuance so very serious. To the point where its just worn me down.

There will be no perfect album. That in itself is not perfection. No. But there will be a record that fills the requirements of this next direction and step into the expanding world that is NWL. My records are epic. Layered. And with much attention to detail. I refuse to let that stop just to hurry something out.

It's difficult, after all these months, and the past two years, to say that this record won't surface until 2010, but that's what has happened. And though I wish this wasn't the case, I've come to accept it now and feel it will do the record more justice. And really, if you believe in fate, or at least the idea that when your in a situation, your in a situation no matter how you dress it up - you'll understand that there's no point in explaining it further or making excuses. This is actually for the better.

All the long days of work and blurry clouds of creativity that stormed over me for the past year have been waiting to clear. That hasn't quite happened. However, they have broken and allowed a light to shine through. And though the skies are still grey, hope is on the horizon.

I will continue to work on this record into the fall. Until its finished. It is my hope to release a single early in the new year, followed but the full album. This will give the NWL team time to properly map things out, and it will allow this year to run out and bring us into a fresh start.

In the meantime though, I will post at least 2 new songs in the upcoming months to keep you close by. And also to give you a sense of the new direction.

So, bittersweet I'd say. But also kind of exciting.

*deep breath*

Onward....

xo

~d.v









"d.v." is Daniel Victor the mastermind behind Neverending White Lights. He's been blogging rather frequently as you can see there about many things, but much about the 3rd Act of course. Frustrations, etc.

I'm not too unhappy as I'd rather him make the record the best way possible, rather than rush it. In many cases (dredg for example) it turns out for the better.

So, another one down for '09, and to add to the growing 2010 list. At least NWL actually keep/kept us updated unlike way too many other artists whose online presence isn't what us fans would prefer I suppose.

At least we have both Acts 1 and 2 to listen to still. It would be nice to read that Jimmy Gnecco is involved again, but maybe we will eventually.

Stateless - LP #2

Well, there's not unfortunately at this time a ton of info to pass along, but I did check out myspazz just a bit ago and 2 noteworthy bits to consider.

1) Their current status says "currently mixing album 2..." and the last login was Friday August 7th.

2) an "Album 2 Intro Demo" is up. Chances are it was uploaded a few months ago given it has 11,000+ plays. But it's the 1st I've heard/known of it.

So, perhaps some details will be announced within the next month or so given that is the case. Their self-titled debut album from 2007 was pretty impressive. And while that intro demo sounded a little different; more acoustic, it does have me a little more up for hearing their next work now. I hope it's soon, obviously, but 1 reason is they have kind of been unmentioned over the last year or so, after a big splash in 2007. I don't know if many of the fans of their debut record even have any idea they likely have a new record coming out relatively soon.

But then again, the band Fields are in the same boat, and their 2nd LP was expected out in March, lol. But that was a bit like the Insideout situation where their record label went broke. I'm guessing Stateless are not running into that dilemma with that status mentioned on their myspace.

Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect (2009)

bumped 8/10/09 12:05PM
The 2nd Video documentary. Nice humor I guess, the all-too-brief bits of his bass and the clip at the end may only raise more questions, but that hardly lowers my excitement.




original 7/6/09 @ 9:10PM

Yeah, so here's 1. Most of the boards have already seen it, but anyone using search.blogger.com maybe has not.

myspace blog

hello everyone... writing to update everyone on whats going on with us at the moment. we have FINISHED! tracking our new record and we are spending this week mixing/mastering and all that fun stuff. its hard to believe we've been recording for 5 weeks already. everything went really smooth and we are very confident in the fact that this is some of the best material we've ever created. can't wait for all of you to hear it! we have LOTS of footage from the studio that will hopefully be part of a special edition dvd that will come with the new record... we will also be posting some studio videos in the next few months. our touring plans are starting to come together and we'll be putting up dates tomorrow, so be sure and keep checking back for that info. below is the album's title and tracklist. more updates as they happen! hope everyone had a good weekend.

-tommy w/ BTBAM


"The Great Misdirect"

1. Mirrors

2. Obfuscation

3. Disease, Injury, Madness

4. Fossil Genera - A Feed from Cloud Mountain

5. Desert of Song

6. Swim to the Moon

OUT OCTOBER 27TH

What I can add is among the albums that we know will be released in 2009, this is among a short-list that I personally consider potential Albums-of-the-Year candidates. Mind you, that I/we know will come out in 2009

And 2007's "Colors" is a classic. A genre defining record, and bridge-album for myself and many other fans into various areas of death-metal. So to expect big things would be, well, expected. At the same time, I do not expect them to top Colors. But something close-to, especially given they are in a highly creative period as songwriters, that something that isn't addictive, will end up being a disappointment.

It also adds to the list post-September releases: 3, Orphaned Land and potentially Oceansize, Transatlantic, Local Natives, Thurisaz, and The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's news..

New album soon it appears...



myspaysuh blog

Friday, August 07, 2009

It begins.
As of today, Epic has given the green light to begin tracking the third margot album. Sessions will begin in a week or two. First up will be the recording of three songs, "earth to aliens: what do you want?", "Let's paint our teeth green", and "nobody knows the names of all those birds". There are some major changes afoot in the nuclear camp, but a record is beginning, and that's something to smile about. Wish us luck. We will update, in typical margot fashion, as things progress.

Lovvves,
Margot and the nukes.


8/7/09 they just got the greenlight from the record label to start recording. Odds are still against it, but if their next lp doesn't make it out by the end of this year, it'll likely be early in 2010.

It's not a matter of material as they have a ton of new songs written (partially due to the fact Animal! took almost an extra year to come out, but partially due to how prolific of songwriters they are).

I truly believe they are a band who have their best work still ahead of them. I.e. a classic album is certainly a possibility for them. They have too many talented cooks in that band for it not to be. And in truth, Animal! might have been close had they used the best songs from Not Animal (or vice~versa).

-My aoty tracking list (aka "index," perhaps a new term to use in the future) is nearing 100, lol with some recent additions of Ramona Falls and Mute Math. Time allowing, it'll hopefully have some more extensive prattle soon. Although 1 factor may hurt that fortunately/unfortunately, hehe.

-Psych premiered tonight, Burn Notice ended last night. Monk as well. More soon on them hopefully too along with In Plain Sight, Warehouse 13 and Royal Pains. True Blood? if only I find a way to see it soon.

-I hopefully will catch new/recent indie movies both Whatever Works and Shrink this coming week.

and the events besides the big Psych premiere this weekend.

@Station 4

-"Exit Stage Right" and "Animus" the Rush and Dream Theater tribute concert is tomorrow night August 8th
-dredg for the 3rd time since November along with co-headliners RX Bandits and opener As Tall As Lions are Sunday August 9th.

the heat index may be much higher to my liking unfortunately, but I plan on bringing a towel among other things.

Ramona Falls - Intuit (2009)...DT, PT, KC

Original: 8/3/09 10:41AM
Bumped 8/6/09 7:21PM



ramona falls myspace

this review makes me want to hear this album even more. Granted, it and some of the comments read like a fanboy's. But as someone whose interest in Menomena has only increased more and more over the last couple of years, this is definitely something I can't help but be really excited to hear.

It's kind of pointless to elaborate more about it since I haven't heard it, but of course the moment I'm able to (a leak, or when I'm able to purchase a copy in a few weeks), I certainly look/hope to add a great deal of content about it.

edit: 8/6/09 7:20PM
Sucker leaked!


Some things on the playlist today:


Dream Theater - Uncovered (2003-2008) ..nice selection live cover songs and good to hear them mastered. However, it would have been even greater had they (Mike) included both Rush's "The Necromancer" and Pink Floyd's "Sheep." Hopefully in another future edition.

edit: apparently "Sheep" was on the "Official Bootleg: Covers Series: Dark Side of the Moon." Silly me for not realizing that fact, lol.


Porcupine Tree - Recordings I liked a fair amount of this. "Buying New Soul" and the extended version of "Even Less" I suppose. But for those who rave about this thing, I guess I don't follow how it's even close to as good as Lightbulb Sun. Still, given it was from that and the Stupid Dream period, and LS being my favorite PT album, it was certainly worth hearing now and some times in the future.


King Crimson - Discipline Better than "Three of a Perfect Pair" certainly, but like that record, it only has 1 catchy, highly melodic piece in "Frame by Frame." Some others like the almost ethnic rhythm in "Thela Hun Ginjeet" and some of the proggy Frippertroniks (sp?) add something to the mix, but overall, this does seem like another record that a lot of people grossly over-rate. I'm not surprised of course. But having never heard "Beat" the follow-up, I imagine this will seem like a classic by comparison. So I suppose I'll keep that in mind if and when I find the reason to do so.

Burn Notice TONIGHT!

Awesome show. The "Summer Finale" airs this evening on USA Network. Sad but happy how BN exits tonight, and tomorrow, the best show on TV, Psych premieres.

More on that soon...

The Lovely Bones (2009) Preview

finally, even though it's just an Entertainment Tonight montage. I'm not sure how I feel about this now. I might agree Mark Wahlberg could ruin this thing, and it does seem potentially, overly-serious. Dead Like Me had some great comic-relief, which is why this-kind-of premise worked in its case. I know the stories are a lot different, but when you get into full-on intense-drama, the charm or I suppose scifi intrigue of this story can take a back seat sadly.

We need less Sixth Sense, and more The Jacket, and I'll start to be more interested again. Some of the castings aren't bad Michael Imperioli (Life on Mars), Sarandon, Stanley Tucci and Rachel Weisz. So that is worth keeping in mind along with it being Peter Jackson.

The Ugly Truth (2009)

imdb



I was pleasantly surprised how good this ended up being. Sure, I wanted to see this for the jaw-dropping Katherine Heigl, but as it turns out, Gerard Butler stole this movie pretty much. He was brutally honest, yet insight-fully intelligent at the same time about the way the male brain thinks. The dialogue he has, almost came out of a Judd Apatow movie, but actually was better and more accurate.

The plot was not too different than plenty of other Hollywood movies, one specifically I thought of was the Eric Stoltz/Mary Stuart-Masterson HS movie "Some Kind of Wonderful." Except in this case, the girl needs the guy-friend's help to impress someone they admire.

Heigl did win some points too, as I'm surprised to say this, but she was effectively unattractive when she became clumsy. I actually saw her more for her character as the movie went on, rather than how drool-worthy she usually looks.

Save for a bit of filler (length), in particular the 2 scenes (the ballgame and especially the restaurant with the kid. That whole scene seemed like the When Harry Met Sally orgasm-scene done in a less funny way/situation) that were exaggerated more than I needed, it really had no other flaws.

Heigl needs to do more guy-centric comedies like this and Knocked Up as they seem to suit her. And for those who think this is a chick-flick, the kind of language and writing that Butler's character has would seem the furthest thing from it.

80/100

The Ugly Truth...Porcupine Tree "

I have 2 potential free movies to see tonight. "Adam" and "Bandslam" both of which hold next to no interest from me based on premise, cast, and trailers. So instead, I think I will finally try and check out the Katherine Heigl (she's still a ton of eye-candy to me :p) picture "The Ugly Truth."

A Review hopefully should be coming soon after along with perhaps 5-10 other recent movies I've seen. More than likely, just a copy/paste from my comments on rateyourmusic (yes, they have a *movies section* now).

Not anything major in the leak department, but Porcupine Tree's new single "Time Flies" ..a 5 and a half minute edit surfaced earlier today. More folks are watering at the mouth about it, I'm sure. I hope it's good enough to up my anticipation. If I recall, it's the track/movement that has the lyric "I was born in '67, the year of Sgt Pepper (ah)" which from the teaser, was easily the most intriguing thing I heard.

Muse - The Resistance (2009)..and BTBAM

original 8/4/09 2:01AM
Cover Art?



yeah parts of it sound an awful lot like Queen. I dig the symphonic elements. I think it's being ripped-on a bit unfairly just due to the Queen-quoting. This could end up being 1 of the better parts of the record. I got no problem with a band sounding like Queen, if it's good. See how many other bands?

"The United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)"



Yeah it sounds like Dr.Who (or Battles?) but I'm just echoing countless others saying the same thing.
"Uprising"


Interview


Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect

not a whole lot to notice, save for the bit in the last 5 seconds or so, and some of those fills. Their drummer does look a bit intense, which I'm not sure if that's just how he is normally in the studio, or if it was done for the camera.

Mew - Introducing Palace Players Video

7/30/09 5:13pm

Surreal, as pretty much every Mew video is. I dig the way they use nature; although admittedly, the stuff in the video is not what I pictured in my head when I listen to the song.

Phish to play Genesis "The Lamb" Halloween'09?

I haven't found a link that confirms it, but with a bit more google-ing, I'm sure I'd be able to. There is this

Halloween announcement here and 1 reply mentions hope for it.

But I just got off the phone with a friend of mine who claimed they will be doing the full The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway on Halloween in that part of California.



Kevin Gilbert's band Giraffe of course did most of it at ProgFest'94 but of course that was now 15 years ago, lol. And the much gossiped reunion of Genesis-including-Peter_Gabriel became a long-winded series of rumors and *gossip* and nothing more than that.

Who knows if Dream Theater ever considered it, it's too long a record for 1 of their classic album shows anyway. Plus I'm kind of skeptical beyond Mike and Jordan, if the other members really are into Genesis that much unfortunately (unlike Yes).

So, this may be 1 of the last chances to hear it, now, some 35 years later. The recordings will surface and I'm sure it'll be 1 of a handful of new official bootlegs from them. Which frankly, I'm not all that crazy about save for those cool Halloween classic-album shows. But I may have to look for a recording when it surfaces still.

I still say more people need to know-about and try the Dark City The_Lamb movie/album synchronization thing. I mean c'mon, they both even are exactly-100_minutes in length!, lol.

Steven Wilson interview

here




okay, I want to address a couple of points.

For one thing, the whole "Camera-Phone" issue the girl brings up, of course I follow and respect Steven's take on it. But this goes back to the bs that many of these advanced-screenings of movies where they make people go back to their car and leave their cellphones inside.

Okay, most of the cellphones that have camera's and can shoot video:

a) the quality is rubbish

b) the amount of space that can fit in like 75% or more of them, wouldn't be able to record even 10% of the movie, or in this case, the concert.

c) he doesn't stress actual *live recordings* or AUDIO to be more specific.

I've somehow in the past managed to get in an undesired argument with some folks over Porcupine Tree's approach to bootlegs. While I have said in the past, and will continue to believe; they may not be 100% promoting the practice; places like this and this exist for a reason.

Ya know, they aren't like The Grateful Dead, Phish, String Cheese Incident or Umphrey's McGee in that level of taping and trading isn't like that of a jamband. But it's silly to say the band feel so strongly about taping that they make a big deal out of trying to stop it. And that is why it was made such a big deal, back in the fall of 2006, they specifically tried to police it. And the reason behind that was because they were playing their entire upcoming/unreleased album live; something I don't believe they had ever done before. They wanted the 1st experience of people hearing to be the studio version.

At any case, that won't exactly be the case after September 21st, but perhaps before then, the camera-phone (and other audio-recording) restrictions will happen. But it's not primarily based on their or Steven's view of it. Because the fact is, taping their shows has gone on really since they started gigging in the 90's, that if they did have such a problem with it, why did it just take until 2006 for them to say anything about it?

Another point that I'd like to stress from this interview. The part about King Crimson and the remastering. There's many Porcupine Tree fans who have absolutely no clue who Robert Fripp or King Crimson are. It may not matter, but it would be nice to notice some of these people now checking out their music. And perhaps many of the other early progressive rock. Genesis for example.

The ole Porcupine Tree sound alternative and recently Metal; prog rock? huh? It's people like this that piss me off. It's like to say prog rock to those people..let's be honest, kids, or people 35 and younger. A lot of them in their teens-to-early-20's. To them, prog rock is The Mars Volta and Coheed and Cambria. Not Genesis, Yes, or King Crimson. And why is that? it's because places like SHITFORK and myspazz forces their brains to think that.

There's too many kids who don't trace back the roots of the music they listen to enough. And way too many magazines and music journalists who scoff at the P-word. To them, it's like a crime to mention interest in ELP or Dream Theater. They stereotype and decide that something's bad before they've even heard it.

That's where I fall into No-Man's Land. And it seems to be a never-ending life's struggle. Enjoying different related, but not-the-same, styles. Retro and modern. Poppy and technical. Simple and complex. And in some cases, all at the same time.

Why can't these kids that like Porcupine Tree, also like Marillion or Gentle Giant? Seriously? maybe it's just a matter of them finally getting old enough to realize the errors of their earlier/naive ways. And at the same time, why can't old fogeys who attend Nearfest and however many other prog rock festivals (RosFest, Three Rivers Prog Fest, CalProg, ProgDay, Summer's End) also start branching out and realize there's a ton of OTHER music out there that has what they enjoyed about prog rock, but it doesn't sound exactly like it. And within both camps, the Metal side as well. As I've said, some of the best younger songwriters are doing different kinds of Extreme Metal. And then within that group, those folks should not overlook both the classic progressive music and the *new prog* stuff as well. Also the better *post-rock* but that style is closely related to the *new/alt/indie* prog that separating it doesn't really add much.

But the fact is, there really aren't a lot of people who find appeal in all of these areas. In moderation I suppose, but I happen to be one of the only music fans who seeks a ton of this stuff out. Mind you, I will never mean to make myself out to be the most schooled in all of these (save for the *new prog* perhaps which is probably my favorite of them all anyway). I'm not a Savant in older progressive rock or Extreme Metal. Nor Post Rock for that matter compared to many others. But I have enough knowledge, and a constant desire to experience more from each of them.

So with Steven Wilson producing the 5.1 King Crimson mixes, will it cause some of the PT fanbase to go out and discover the band? Probably not many; perhaps a few, but not nearly enough in my mind. I'd love that to be wrong.

However, I can't forget to add the fact the one album I have from the 80's King Crimson, "Three of a Perfect Pair," other than the title track, the music bored the fuck out of me. Also the 90's-present King Crimson is nothing compared to the classic period ('69-74). The people who constantly kiss the ass of the modern Crimson baffle me. Is it horrible? no, but it's a bit like Yes. There really is no comparison.