Local Natives - Gorilla Manor 1st Week On Billboard

For what it's worth, it debuted at #160 on Billboard's Top 200, #3 among new artists

I say that for what it is actually worth. Dream Theater just last year found their new record "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" at #6, and it was more successfull sales-wise I guess than any of their other albums the year it was released, but how long did it remain even in the BB 200? maybe a month? I dunno.

Even The Dear Hunter's "Act III" cracked the BB 200 its 1st week. If Gorilla Manor is still in there or going up say in May or this Summer, it'll mean a fair amount more than it's 1st week.

Warpaint - TBA (2010)

Their debut album is apparently going to finally be released on August 17th, 2010

Source: Last.fm page.

interview with Jenny Lee Lindberg



They now apparently have a female drummer, so it's an all-girl 4-piece band now. This may sound a little creepy, but I think I could fall-in-love and could desire any/all 3 of them to have my babies, lol.

I mean I hope that doesn't hurt them, but whether they like it or not, they have a certain sex-appeal about them. Which considering like 90%+ of the musicians I gravitate towards on an emotional level are male, it's rare and nice to be able to have the level of attraction emotionally = the lust.

They're all pretty, sweet, and beautiful. It's pretty hard to avoid.

But, when this album comes out, they may become big, which I hope the experience with Local Natives of late, I'm just going to assume nobody will care about my recognition of them at least a bit before any of that goes down (assuming it does). Granted, with LN (Cavil at Rest) it was many years. I only was introduced to Warpaint's music in the Spring (March I recall) of last year. And really, I didn't revisit and discover how much I liked them until that show they played with School of Seven Bells in early October. So the duration of early foresight/luck with them is not exactly comparable to that of Cavil at Rest, but so be it.

If come Fall 2010/Winter 2011 they are the cat's ass, I can still claim to have been ahead of the curve. But I guess in their case, I'm just wanting to be happy for them and try not to be rubbed so poorly by the P4K hype.

Also I'm hardly their biggest or longest-time fan of course, given they have been around since 2004. But the same was true with CaR since they had been a band, locally for a few years before I caught on to them as well.

Local Natives =/= Fleet Kittens WILL IT EVER END?

rollingstone.com review



I may just come to expect it every fucking time. I mean there ya go, more or less PROOF of the naivete of the hipster.

But while Fleet Foxes gravitate towards more rootsy, Crosby, Stills and Nash-style harmonics, Local Natives draw on the Talking Heads’ brand of Afro-pop (Gorilla Manor actually features a cover of Talking Heads’ “Warning Sign”).

uhh, Local Natives are influenced by CSN&Y. As much if not MORE than FFs.

One of the 1st interviews I saw with Cavil at Rest they MENTIONED Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Buddy, what fucking color is the sky in your world?

Not to mention the video there is a verbatim read of what is written (or transcribed?) in print. Also the guy sounds rather nervous and rushed as he's talking; which honestly makes him sound quite insincere and SCRIPTED.

But it's Rolling-Shit, basically the grandfather to Pukefork, and father to eMpTv. But the pathetic thing is, far too many people will see/read this and immediately think Local Natives are just like Fleet Foxes.



=/= but >

by the way, the bonus DVD on the UK Edition from 2009 of Gorilla Manor is pretty boss. 6 tracks, acoustic, shot in various sites on tour. Some outdoors, some indoors. Some B&W.

Camera Talk
Airplanes
Cards & Quarters
Warning Sign
World News
Stranger Things

Some of it may surface on yewtewb and maybe I'll post it in here.

Laura Veirs - July Flame (2010) plus upcoming concert

I really enjoy her new record. She stands out some from her role with The Decemberists. The vocal doubling on the title track I think it is, and a couple of others, of course I am won over by how her voice reminds me of, probably still my favorite female singer of all-time, in Renaissance's ANNIE HASLAM.



Laura probably doesn't know Renaissance or Annie, but if given the chance, I will have to ask her about her/them at the concert on Tuesday. As I can now claim to have won 2 tickets from Radio K to see Laura Veirs @ The Cedar Cultural Center on Tuesday March 2nd.

I suppose I'll try and add a review, with words about the openers and/or The Cedar sometime soon after the show.

Collective Unconscious - Bridge/Troubled Water Returns + CSNY's "Dejavu"

If I can go to both of these, I will certainly, as the Simon & Garfunkel was pretty sweet last Spring. And that CSN&Y record would be fun to see live in it's entirety. However, more of a drive it appears will be required for that. Carpooling might be a possibility, as the friend I'm thinking of, of course travels much longer distances for Yes-tributes.



* March 9-13, 2010
* Pioneer Place on Fifth
* St. Cloud MN
* $21 in advance, $24 at the door
* Tickets available online
* or by calling 320-203-0331
*

* Sat., March 27, 2010
* State Theater
* Zumbrota MN
* $24 in advance, $26 at the door
* Tickets available through Crossings at Carnegie
* 507-732-7616




* Sunday, March 21, 2010 - 7:00 PM
* St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church
* Minneapolis MN
* $17.00, $17.68 online

* Saturday, April 10, 2010 - 7:00 PM
* Dassel-Cokato High School Auditorium
* Dassel MN
* Tickets: Adults - $20, Youth - $10
* Reserved Seating at the PAC
* Member ticket sales: February 25 & 26
* Public ticket sales begin: March 1

Oceansize - TBA (2010)

2/22/10 9:15PM



just an early heads up. Of course Oceansize are a band I feel have a huge level of ability, that their best work quite easily is still ahead of them.

And they entered the studio this month to record their 4th LP.

Here's an interview with "Gambler" their guitarist/keyboardist

SK: When can fans expect a release?

G: All being well, it should hit the shelves in early September. Of course all the impatient, thieving fuckbags of this world will already have downloaded and shared it way before then.

The New Pornographers - Together (2010)

2/22/10 8:20PM




I dig this track.

1/22/10 1:45AM
May 4th, 2010.

Ooh, St.Vincent's on there.

more to edit/add-to-this soon

new porno's site



The Matablog has announced that on May 4, Matador will release the fifth album from the indie-power-pop supergroup the New Pornographers, titled Together.

In addition to the core lineup of A.C. Newman (who wrote nine of the album's songs), Dan Bejar (who wrote three), Neko Case, John Collins, Kurt Dahle, Kathryn Calder, Todd Fancey, and Blaine Thurier, Together also features contributions from Beirut's Zach Condon, St. Vincent's Annie Clark, Okkervil River's Will Sheff, and the horn section from the Dap-Kings. Check out a bunch of photos from the album's recording sessions over on the New Pornographers website.

Local Natives live any minute now

From their facebook.

Local Natives Watch us play La Route Du Rock festival in St. Malo France live in an hour:

CLICK HERE if this link doesn't work:

http://liveweb.arte.tv/
ARTE Live Web
liveweb.arte.tv
Bienvenue sur ARTE Live Web
about an hour ago

The Sons of Tucson (not Anarchy)

The Sons of Tuscon

This 1/2-hour sitcom Premieres Sunday March 14th 7:30PM on FOX.

1 link with a newer trailer

This show looks funny, even though Tyler Labine it appears is pretty much being his Jack-Black-ish character that he did so well for 2 seasons on the CW's Reaper. The main difference with him here vs the Sock character is he is struggling to take care of children instead of Demons.

Being Human - Series (Season) 2 Trailer

BBC America Link

Premieres on Saturday July 25th, 2010.


This show about a Werewolf, a Vampire and Ghost living in a house together, while initially I wasn't all that impressed by, I eventually went back and watched all the episodes on my DVR last Fall and enjoyed it.
So along with Demons, Dr.Who, Torchwood, and maybe their newest "Survivors" BBC America is becoming like the the 2nd coming of the USA Network.

New Dr.Who Trailer

Easter 2010 on BBC One. So hopefully that means around the same time on BBC America.

God is an Astronaut - Age of the Fifth Sun (2010)

New single



I had no idea about this, but it's worth throwing up here. GiaA, a "Post Rock" band who effectively uses piano, which is rare, although maybe becoming a little more common. Their s/t had some nice moments on it, but probably didn't compare with some of their earlier work. I don't have huge expectations for this record, but I'd still go for being pleasantly surprised.

Late of the Pier - Best in the Class (Video)

the guitar riff around 2:25 is pretty sweet. The last few seconds and really most of the video is silly. Kind of makes me remember seeing that Apes and Androids video for Golden Prize. Silly, Silly.

But here's the deal. I recall reading and posting that Late of the Pier had a new album coming titled "Blueberry Pie" after the single "Blueberry" was made available. This track/video "Best in the Class" is the b-side to that single in fact.

But on their last.fm page I've been seeing a number of conflicting sources about a new lp in 2010.

There is this blog posting where I got the news about this video from.

That also says this new lp, whatever it will be called, is their 4th album. I only know their last record, "Fantasy Black Channel" which is in fact THEIR DEBUT FULL-LENGTH album. They had a couple of previous eps

"Zarcorp Demo"(2007)
"Refill Men Twist & The Zarcorp Legacy" (2005).

But apparently 1 of the members has some new project he's doing, but also the band are working on that 2ND full-length record, whether it's going to be called "Blueberry Pie" or not.

The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra --> Walking Sleep. Debut LP "Measures"

2/19/10 9:26PM

Facebook Page

Walking Sleep
There once was a band called the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra. They had many adventures: releasing an EP called 'Escapements', landing a song on a tv show about doctors who have sex with each other... some time later, they changed their name to WALKING SLEEP. To commemor...ate their new moniker, they are planning to release a 10 song album called 'Measures'.




let's see:

This Day & Age more or less became The Reign of Kindo
Call Florence Pow became Apes and Androids
The Apex Theory turned into Mt.Helium (sort-of, becoming a 3-piece)
Kunek turned into Other Lives
Cavil at Rest turned into Local Natives
Kaddisfly in a way turned into Water & Bodies

Earthsuit members formed Mute Math
Shabutie became Coheed and Cambria
At the Drive-In split into The Mars Volta and Sparta
Beatnik Beatch became Jellyfish
The Awful Truth members formed The Galactic Cowboys
The Edge/Sneak Preview became King's X
Majesty became Dream Theater
Ogilive became Rush

So 2010 brings
The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra becoming Walking Sleep

in nearly all of these cases, the original name was unusual, but distinctive. All of the names they changed to are more accessible.

I guess it doesn't matter as long their music is good and if it helps them have more success, there's no reason to be upset.

Their debut album is called "Measures" by the way



walkingsleep.com

also 3 new songs are up on their myspace

"Let it Go On"
"The Cause"
"Final Chapter"

Total Babe - "Shape Up" on Grey's Anatomy (2/18/10)

facebook page

"Shape Up" live in 89/3's studio





this show (Grey's Anatomy) jumped the shark awhile ago, despite the irresistible Katherine Heigl. But I am dvr-ing it tomorrow night just for the fact local Minnesota up-and-coming group Total Babe have a song featured.

Jeez, at this rate, their visibility may go past Local Natives and others, lol. But at least I can claim to have reminded them to not forget I was enjoying their music before their 1st ep, etc the Summer of 2009 hehe. At the 7th Street Entry on my bday 6/20/2009 to be more specific.

What We Valedictorians, Jordan Gatesmith's other group is up to, I'm not sure. But I'm rather curious as last fall they mentioned recording their 1st album as well. I wonder if he even knows about Apes and Androids being broken up, for however much he'd care.

Notes: Menomena, Minus the Bear, Dead Letter Circus and more

twitter

"Happy 10th anniversary to us old farts! The 4th Menomena Album will be mastered by Jeff Stuart Saltzman this upcoming Monday. Phew!" 1:41 PM Feb 12th from web

so mixing/mastering is happening this bloody week! Gawd I'm getting a bit worried as I keep getting more excited for this new record of theirs. I'm not sure if it being 1 of the biggest releases for 2010 for me is an indication of the lack of biggies at the top, or just how far I've come as a fan of these guys.

Also "4th?" apparently they consider "Under an Hour" 1 of their studio records. I require a hardcopy very soon, damnit.

Menomena for the mother-fucking-win! Info about it hopefully will be soon, and hopefully label delays won't factor in. Maybe it'll be on/available-through the same label/process as Ramona Falls was last year.

And I really hope they can have some of the momentum that Local Natives is enjoying right now.




myspace blog post

Minus the Bear announced today they have signed with Dangerbird Records the same label of this new sideproject fromThe Fratellis, who is a band I think was featured on Sound Opinions a few years ago.

what this means is, the projected "Spring" release date for the finished album is going to happen. Hopefully those all desired details will follow rather soon. Title, track-list, single, artwork, release date, etc.



Dead Letter Circus also just posted a blog about saying how their debut lp is finished recording, mixing, mastering. But no details specifically.

To-be-added-to when they are.

-I just was suggested this band called Gospel and their seemingly classic debut/lone full-length album "The Moon is a Dead World" from 2005.



lol, p4k reviewed it and even gave it a 7.8. There ya go, another example. The curse of P4K. Local Natives needs to break that. But as far as this album/band. The Refused and Propogandhi I'm sort of exploring in experimental or progressive punk/hardcore music. Exotic Animal Petting Zoo I kind of did a few years ago, but kind of only half succeeded as the in-your-face vocals like Dillinger Escape Plan ended killing my love and addiction for that band/album like I hoped it would be a BTBAM or Protes the Hero.

However, this band Gospel might feature synths moreso in a progrock way, and the jury is out if their hardcore screamo vocals will fuck up their music like EAPZ and DEP does. The Refused I'm also on the fence on, but I won't deny their talent and some of their sections make me want to revisit them again.

Cloud Cult I finally am diving into their older work. "Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus" is the one I'm working on now. I can already say I may enjoy it more than "Feel Good Ghosts" (2008). I hear stuff like early-dredg and Neil Young among others. Although I think their singer needs to work with Karen O. Their vocal tone and styles remind me a lot of eachother. Although way back in the mid 90's I said the same about Fish and Geoff Tate. Now that sounds rather silly.

-I have a potentially fun idea for a playlist babblefest by using my last.fm's "radio station" of my library and picking the 1st 5-10 tracks depending on if those bands/tracks make sense. Hopefully I'll have the time to try that soon, like this weekend or earlier.

-Minneapolis-based Jazz-Fusion/Experimental etc band Samosa I will be buying their cd soon. But unfortunately it's at the 11th hour as they have their final concert (at least in their current incarnation) in a few weeks since 1 of the members, Neil, is moving to Georgia.

I suppose I at least found out and am not coming on board past the fact, which has happened many times for me. But it still sucks. Hopefully Neil and the other members will do other things. I recall seeing they do. But I'm not sure they're as fusiony or even jazz like Samosa.

Mike Portnoy to honor "The Rev" memory and fill-in on drums for Avenged Sevenfold

a7x news link

A7X ENTERS STUDIO WITH MIKE PORTNOY
Wed, 02/17/2010 - 23:57

* General news

I want our fans to know that with Jimmy in our hearts, our journey to record has officially began. Jimmy helped leave this world an amazing gift and now it's our job to make sure to deliver that gift to our fans. We asked Jimmy's all time favorite drummer Mike Portnoy to record on behalf of him. Mike said it would be an honor and without question that’s what Jim would have wanted. Its comforting to us that someone like Mike, who is undoubtedly revered as one of the best drummers in the world, held such respect and adoration for the Rev's abilities. Even though it will never be the same without our brother by our side, his essence lives in our hearts and through the music he helped create. He was a legend before any of the success or any of that bullshit and we are fucking excited to lay this down for our fans, and especially for Jimmy.
-Avenged Sevenfold

pretty refreshing to see mostly positive or indifferent comments on many forums and blogs.

Personally, I'm all for this. It seems Mike does a lot of his best work, at least in the last decade, outside of Dream Theater. Druming included (John Arch, the 1st OSI album, TA).

Plus it probably won't take a lot for this A7X album to be better than their last s/t one.

Guess when more info is announced, AllMediaReviews will be 1 of among your billions of other, messengers with or without opinions.

The Antlers and Local Natives in Minneapolis Spring 2010!

The Antlers are I believe HEADLINING @ The Varsity Theater (niice!) on 4/20/2010. The same date that Transatlantic with Daniel Gildenlow will be playing in Chicago.

Pros:
-seeing my brother in Chicago, on his bday (but seeing him and his wife + kids another weekend is likely anyway), seeing Daniel and with TA. And seeing Mike on his bday and whatever they may do.

Cons:
-cost. $200+?
-The Whirlwind, as I posted in my 2009 Turkeys of the Year, was a HUGE disappointment. if they play a lot of that music live (which I'd think they would) I don't know how much I'd be into it.

Now on the flipside, if and likely when they do stuff off Bridge Across Forever, well that would be sweet.

I'm WAYYY more into The Antlers right now though, and with my budget-conscious mind among other things, it just seems a lot more feasible and responsible to save the $ and enjoy seeing The Antlers. I have the memory from 2000 at Nearfest of TA. And any live release. Not to mention what happened the last time I saw a Portnoy-sideproject on Chicago, lol. 'When the keyboard breaks"..interesting but not exactly what I looked forward to without a keyboard in LTE.

I'm curious how good The Antlers are live. I finally purchased a copy of Hospice. The Radiok flavore-of-the-month Phantogram is on the bill (opening?)

Another note about The Antlers. They posted this new official video for the song "Bear" earlier.






The buzz band of the day/week/time/season/year even..Local Natives will be returning, headlining I believe, on May 17th @ The 400 Bar. Should be sweet although it may sellout quick. I probably will try contacting them tomorrow. But I wonder if the show gets enough demand, it'll be moved to another venue (Varsity..or more like The Cedar, which I don't like how 89.3 has pretty much changed, but with groups like St.Vincent and LN's, I can bite my tongue).

Water & Bodies - The Rain City Sessions Part 2 (2/16/10)

2/15/10 10:21PM

"Rain City Sessions 2" is released tomorrow (2/16) but all 6 tracks can be streamed on
the band's Ilike page


2/8/10

artwork


bumped 2/3/10 6:50AM

New EP comes out Feb 16th.

A release date has been set for our second EP titled The Rain City Sessions part 2. You can purchase it digitally through Rain City Records on Feb 16, 2010. Please help us out and pick up a copy!
www.raincityrecords.net
Track Listing for Rain City Sessions Part 2:

Life is Education

Hard to Pin

…To the Sun

Moments in a Life

Bizarre

Over Grown Cloud

Love,

Beau, Christopher, Kelsey, and Aaron


original 12/13/09
7-song ep is being released on January 13th? at a show in Portland, Oregon.

If only I could afford to go out there...



blog posting

Album Release show Jan 13th @ Doug Fir

Wait…. what…. we have a new album done? Yes yes this is the big SURPRISE we’ve been talking about!! Some of you knew it or just plain figured it out, but YES we have 7 brand new songs freshly recorded over the past few months that we will release locally here in Portland on Jan 13th 2010.

Jan 13 2010 @ Doug Fir (Portland, OR)

We won’t have it pressed yet but we will be doing a special limited edition hand screen printed poster and if you purchase one of those you will get a password to download the new album for free or we’ll just give you a burned copy!! We are so pumped for you to hear all the great music we’ve been working on! We need ALL YOUR SUPPORT at this show, so come out and tell a friend or three. We are also very excited to be playing with our great friends Empty Space Orchestra and Symmetry/Symmetry. The show is 21+ Doors at 9 and its only $6. So cheap! This will be our only show in January so we’ll see you all there and lets make it a party! Visit www.dougfirlounge.com and purchase your tickets today!

Love,

Beau, Christopher, Kelsey, and Aaron

Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (Pukefork Media 8.4/10)

8.4/10

fuck it. A whole meltdown was just lost. It's probably better this way.

The 8.4/10 might be a bad sign as a lot of the best, loved music ends up much lower than that. And the review is embarassingly difficult to understand, like more or less all pukefork reviews.

They gave Apes and Androids Blood Moon 7/3/10. That sure helped them, huh.

Cavil at Rest - Orion Way Reviewed June 23, 2007



rateyourmusic review
A California-based band I was introduced to at the very start of the year and I never tired of their music. This EP or really a combination of previously released EPs on one disc, is without a bad song. A group which excels at writing happy, poppy, catchy songs. "Who's There" they actually made a video for, but they are as far as I am aware, an unsigned talent. They certainly have the potential to catch-on big if given the right exposure. I love the barbershop type vocal-harmonies they do especially. The track "Let Down Your Guard" has this great echoing chorus There's-no-decide-ing-which-side to-air-on" which gets in your head. "It's Still Not as Bad" has a great upbeat crescendo. repeated phrase "It's alright...Standing next to you."

"Sun Hands" and "We Could Love" are classics. The latter having this gorgeous piano melody with vocal-chanting that is highly goose-bump worthy and maybe their greatest moment. "The Flower of Rhodes" has an awesome melody which reminds me of Happy- Kaddisfly. "Tidal Killer" and "All Is Well and Good" you can notice some great elements of Jeff Buckley and Phish. The closer "House on Stilts" has this warm, fun, happy, like Jellyfish vibe. It's a cliché to say, but they really are greater than the sum of all their parts. Their songwriting is just so strong and positive, I can't say enough good things about this band. Why their 1st full-length LP is quite high on my list of upcoming records. If it's anything like this full-EP, no doubt it'll be something I'll (and hopefully many others) will be into.

maybe some of the indie lemmings will check this equally impressive collection of songs.

I'm starting to turn out to be right. 89.3, Sound Opinions, Radio K, Citypages..ya'll can't ignore that. Now ya'll should listen to me about dozens more artists who I am right about as well. In a FAIR WORLD THEY WOULD.

Bend Sinister for example, just won $50,000 in a contest in Canada. Gee, was I not right about them too? I believe I was ahead of the curve with them as well. Perhaps in a year or 2, they'll be at least a percentage closer to where Local Natives are about to be, visibility-wise.

Jimi Hendrix - Valleys of Neptune (2010)

I read something about this not too long ago. I guess the reason I'm posting a note about it now and in here is I will give this thing a go.

It's being released on March 9th, and the title track I guess is 1 of the singles.



1 Stone Free
2 Valleys of Neptune
3 Bleeding Heart
4 Hear My Train a Comin’
5 Mr. Bad Luck
6 Sunshine of Your Love
7 Lover Man
8 Ships Passing Through the Night
9 Fire
10 Red House
11 Lullaby for the Summer
12 Crying Blue Rain

the significance of this album, as they talked about on Sound Opinions this week, is it was some studio work that included Billy Cox with Mitch Mitchell.

edit: although just scanning the Wiki page, it appears Redding played on some of this. Of course many of these tracks are previously released songs by Jimi or covers. 5 tracks are unreleased and original I guess.

and here's the title track/single



I suppose it might be worth adding a bit of my background with Hendrix.

After being exposed to as a kid music from The Beatles and 80's top 40, Huey Lewis and Duran Duran, Michael Jackson and Prince, I discovered classic rock, namely with Led Zeppelin and then Rush along with Pink Floyd and some others. 1 of those others was Jimi Hendrix. But I only ended up collecting a couple of compilations from him along with "Are You Experienced?," "Electric Ladyland" and "Axis Bold as Love."

I also bought in high school the "Stages" boxed set which I found to be pretty sweet. 4 concerts from 4 different tours in successive years. Although a lot of the same songs were on each.



But that all happened when I was in High School, 16-19 years ago. Since, I never really found myself looking for the wealth of content his estate and other people released. Of course the Band of the Gypsies stuff, and a number of the demos and well regarded live releases.

Why? the biggest reason probably being investing time into other music. But also it was like a neverending task to try and own or hear even a fraction of his work. I just kind of threw in the towel. And what that speaks to is those people involved (record labels namely) just milking and raping his estate for everything it's worth. It kind of disgusted me.

So why now, am I going to be checking some of it out? I guess partially due to the fact this is technically a *new release.* Much like Soundscape, maudlin of the Well and Kevin Gilbert in 2009, having some brand spanking newly-released Jimi, even if it's only about an ep's worth of material, sounds like something I'd enjoy for nostalgia sake, like those from last year. And who knows, perhaps hearing this new release will get me to go back and seek out at least the cream of the crop of the work I haven't heard before.

Pain of Salvation - "12:5" live acoustic video footage

http://snowfish.com/video/6207/c/6507/



http://snowfish.com/video/6206/c/6507/



gawd I <3 RECONCILIATION. That song is just perrrrfect. Maybe the rest of the concert will show up there eventually.

Sigmund Droid - "Things" Video

http://sigmunddroid.com/>a

Sigmund Droid "Things" OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO + HD from steamclam on Vimeo.

I really am starting to dig this band. Pablo from Apes and Androis is their drummer. Are they A&A's? no, but that is probably a good thing. They sort of have their own style. I need to order a hardcopy of Maximum Grind soon finally after working a lot of overtime recently. I'm just not certain they have hardcopies for sale.

edit: I may have to go with the t-shirt and cd bundle on their site for $16. Schweet deal.

Local Natives - Van Stuck in Vermont/acoustic "Airplanes" with mandolin

Just noticed this on their blog outtasightblog.blogspot.com



they're playing Bonnaroo which is great for them. I'm a little worn out by all the online mention of them. I know it shouldn't matter, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how well their album Gorilla Manor does when it finally drops next Tuesday. Which by the way, is a pretty busy day for new releases, although beyond LN's the Water & Bodies Ep is the only real significant thing.


The Unwinding Hours - "The Unwinding Hours"
Water & Bodies - "The Rain City Sessions Part 2"
Karnivool - "Sound Awake" (American)
Local Natives - "Gorilla Manor" (American)
Field Music - "Measure"
Eluveitie - "Everything Remains as It Never Was"

oh and the entire Gorilla Manor album can now be streamed on NPR's site

Apparatjik - We Are Here (2010)

1. "Deadbeat" 2:52
2. "Datascroller" 2:58
3. "Snow Crystals" 4:32
4. "Supersonic Sound" 3:24
5. "Arrow and Bow" 4:20
6. "In a Quiet Corner" 3:35
7. "Josie" 3:30
8. "Antlers" 3:20
9. "Electric Eye" 6:02
10. "Look Kids" 4:52
11. "Quiz Show" 2:33
41:58

Here's just the review I put up on rateyourmusic. I hardly am clear on how I feel about this album, but given how little talk about it I've noticed on the boards, I'm kind of surprised.

Gone through it twice. Seems to fall into the category a lot of records I've been checking out of late. The best moments or tracks I really dig. The rest may grow on me, but for now sort of falls into the albums "sound" which in a nutshell is like if Mew were doing more heavily electronic or even industrial driven music, and also with somewhat of an 80's new wave flare. Given this has members of Coldplay and A-Ha, that is almost too predictable.

But while this doesn't seem to be as great as a Mew record (yet), the songwriting and experiments I am liking no matter.

It'll be interesting to know how I feel about this by the end of the year. But in the mean time, especially the Mew crowd, I'd highly endorse this (while not expecting Mew at the same time).

I really like the chorus/bridge on this track, although it sounds much worse from a youtube stream of course.

Daniel Gildenlow interview

bump 2/7/10 12:58PM

It's been pulled?..uhh..I'm watching it RIGHT NOW on yewtewb, lol. is there some way they can pull it as an embed, yet still allow it to be viewed on the site itself?

link



not a bad song. Annoying that the picture isn't sync-ed up with the music. It's just a ballad, although I guess for "Eurovision" it would make sense to play that type of track.


original 2/3/10 5:51AM
for those unaware, Gildenlow is the mastermind behind Pain of Salvation.





Road Salt's release schedule?

Call Florence Pow - Preparation for Battle

very funny video, and nice use of a classic song by a gone-but-hopefully-never-forgotten band, in Call Florence Pow (who became/morphed-into Apes and Androids).

Upcoming topics:

Concerts: Jonsi, Tony Levin and someone else, The Apples in Stereo

Albums: Orphaned Land, Pat Metheny, Shaolin Death Squad, Appartjik, non-2010: Distrails, Clor, We Are the City, Dikta

Dark Tranquillity soon as well.

Water & Bodies s/t ep2 is released in 2 weeks finally.

I can mention, I count now 19 drafts are put together for the tv blog. Which is certainly more than half. Doing 1-2 per day has helped gradual progress for that long tv-addicts novel-length write-up.

Coheed and Cambria's new album "Year of the Black Rainbow" comes out April 13th.

the New Hampshire band Graph signed with Bear Minnimum records in Michigan. They may at some point end up in Minneapolis or St.Paul with a Midwest connection. I'd love to go see them. In the mean time, I shall be purchasing a copy of "Graph EP2"

lots more releases being announced that I've included in my 2010 Anticipation Calendar

2010 Oscar nominations were pretty much as bad if not worse than the 2010 SAG's and Globes. Save for The Messenger getting 1 or 2 extra nominations. And with 10 Best Picture nominees, seeing 'Up" in there was nice, for what it's worth. It won't win. Avatar will.

But Where the Wile Things Are not only wasn't nominated for any of the big awards, but was ignored for the soundtrack and technical awards as well.

I think there is something to be said for how poor a year for movies 2009 was. Go figure. 2010 ought to be better, it won't take a whole lot anyway.

Lost: In the Final Leg of it's story

I'd love to blurb out some stream of consciousness analysis right now about any and all things involving last evening (Final) Season premiere 2-hour episode. But will I? no, primarily due to time.

Watercooler show 101.

It's a mindfuck, and pretty much just gives more confusing plot points every few seconds.

The theme of death and rebooting/resetting and saving someone was more or less on the premiere. The timelines, realities, where characters are, continuity.

Actually Bryan K Vaughan has done similar storytelling in "Ex Machina" which I recently completed the 3rd issue of. So all the multiple scenes from characters in different timeframes shouldn't be too weird for me to take-in right now.

I guess 1 question that I have to think about is all these questions coming up with continuity and mystery, will we see the payoff by the finale of them being answered. Will it avoid the Alias guilt of never really explaining everything? I fear it will.

The black smoke monster entity being revealed, while hardly shocking, still was a highlight.