Alright, here's my lazy copy+paste list from my rateyourmusic page. I know, some words should be added. Too busy, too much procrastinating, too distracted, too lazy etc.
I should just post this identical list every week or 2 (*has idea, maybe for the rest of this year/next year*).
The next post I make, is the more intriguing one anyway.
1x
2-stars. Another job and a half to get through. I'm likely giving up on him. Even though there were a couple of songs that worked, and some others with momentary highlights.
I still have issues with their recipe, of instrumental prog-metal, because the fact remains, it has been done many times before, and in some cases much better. But this is an improvement over their last album. I may find myself playing this record at times this year, mostly for energy purposes. Also one observation to make is how the 2nd half of it includes more moments to enjoy, which overall, adds to reasons to go back to it.
I suppose for those who don't read the board religiously (who may only find this blog, which as I've said before, is rather scary and frightening to me, but 80-90% of those finding this blog I suspect are only looking for a leak/link which they won't find of course), it's worth passing along.
I could have a lot to say about this, good and/or bad. But as I posted on twitter, my fears and now just acceptance of the production issues with it sound true from it. No matter, I shall be purchasing a copy at Cheapo on Tuesday (along with the new Yes album, and cost-free thankfully, thanks to the gf's bday gift).
no matter how good or bad it is, i am excited about my 10th time seeing them in concert in Minnesota on Saturday July 16th. Despite the sauna at Station 4 and not spending the evening with my best friend on his bday (we'll be hanging during the day at least).
Or someone needed to webrip them and throw them up on Youtube of course.
I'm gonna be brutally honest here. And this is a BROKEN RECORD of course since I've been suffering/saying/noticing etc yadayadayada this since 2008. Here's what I posted on the Fans forum a bit ago.
CLIPPING FROM COMPRESSED SPLASH AND CRASH CYMBALS.
So many modern rock and metal albums have to varying degrees, this problem, that can stand out like nails on a chalkboard for me.
I sincerely hope (pray) the frequent cymbals clipping evidence on many of these is purely a result of the Compression from the mp3's. I.e. the final LOSSLESS versions, the tambourine-toned cymbals will be scarcely heard if at all.
I REALLY hope this album doesn't turn out like Karnivool's SOUND AWAKE.
But the jury is still out, as compressed samples from Amazon could quite possibly have something to do with that. However, the clipping is darn clear on the mp3 download of Amaraillo, so I'm not sure how much these clips on Amazon actually could have to do with it, which worries me :x :cry:
So, my prediction now, is the production at least on a percentage of this record, will hurt if not entirely ruin a number of these songs for me. O well, glad I'm aware of that now instead of when I 1st, 2nd, 3rd time hearing it.
But to say its Album of the Year chances has dropped a lot would be an understatement. So be it, I can't do anything about it now. I'm sure there will be a lot of music on it I'll love regardless. There was on Sound Awake as well, it still didn't avoid the Turkey Blog territory in 2009 though. I guess the jury will be deciding more of this stuff soon as the drop date is not much more than a month away. I'm skeptical many if anyone else will share the same issue with the cymbals as I do, like many didn't/haven't with Sound Awake of course.
5/19/11 11:37AM
My latest twitter post: new @Fairtomidland song "amarillo sleeps on my pillow" downloadable http://ftmband.com/
4/28/11 1:50AM
this is apparently the official track list for 1 version that is being sold in Europe. Which has now been modified to a July 11th release date.
1 Heavens to Murgatroyd 0:44
2 Whiskey and Ritalin 3:37
3 Musical Chairs 3:32
4 Uh-Oh 4:16
5 Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow 4:42
6 A Loophole in Limbo 3:39
7 Typhoid Mary Sends Her Best 0:56
8 Short Haired Tornado 4:19
9 The Upset at Bailey Bridge 0:52
10 Rikki Tikki Tavi 3:25
11 Golden Parachutes 3:44
12 Bright Bulbs and Sharp Tools 3:57
13 Coppertank Island 3:10
14 Three Foolproof Ways to Buy the Farm 2:47
15 The Greener Grass 10:57
16 Pour the Coal to 'er [bonus track] 3:32
Pour the Coal to 'Er = MIA. But a few comments on the fans forum suggest that track may still be included on one of the versions (or at least a b-side).
edit: Pour the Coal to 'Er: Bonus Track 4/25/11 12:41AM
The Street Date has apparently been pushed back to July 12th.
although this link lists a street of June 20th. But maybe that's for Europe?
edit:
July 12th = US.
June 20th (my bday, lol) = Europe
a listed track list from some DJ who received a promo THIS IS NOT FINAL.
1. Whiskey and Ritalin
2. Musical Chairs
3. Uh-Oh
4. Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow
5. A Loophole in Limbo
6. Short-Haired Tornado
7. Rikki Tikki Tavi
8. Golden Parachutes
9. Bright Bulbs and Sharp Tools
10. Coppertank Island
11. The Greener Grass 10:58
12. Pour the Coal to 'Er
but a comment with that on their fans forum suggested "Pour the Coal to 'Er" is not going to make it based on how the Musical Chairs single mp3 is tagged with a "Track 3."
4/4/11 5:08PM
Musical Chairs: nice added guitar solo, but not so nice tambourine-toned cymbals in spots. I'm hoping it's due to compression of the stream and now how the finished product will sound.
1. “Courtiers and Cutthroats”
2. “Azullorojo Dream”
3. “My Mother Took Two”
4. “I Have Reason to Believe She’s Make Believe”
5. “I Like That Panda!”
6. “I Have Disabled The Robot Professor And This is My Victory Dance”
7. “The Epic Odyssey Of A Tapdancer With A Grudge”
8. “Rumors and Whispers: The Title of Mystery”
9. “The Title That Can’t Decide Itself”
10. “Wheels in Place of Horses”
11. “Man Made Moon Lander”
12. “How To Destroy a Band”
13. “A Thousand Sons”
14. “Weights and Projectiles”
15. “Powerfist”
there's supposedly some video that confirms the release date of June 7th (same day as the The Dear HunterThe Color Spectrum EPs and Battles album Gloss Drop).
I'd love to find a link to said video, and when I finally do, I'll have to add it here. But this was announced last Friday I guess. I saw their post about the album titles that didn't make it, but it took me going to their fans forum to finally see it posted/confirmed officially, lol. Can you say CRYPTIC?
Well, regardless, the title is nice to be shorter. That article/interview with Darroh has me curious how different some of these songs will sound, even from the live versions. "Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow" in particular, they stress about.
"Pour the Coal to 'Er" "Bright Bulbs and Sharp Tools" "A Loophole in Limbo" "Musical Chairs" "Rikki Tikki Tavi" "Uh-Oh" "Coppertank Island" "Amarillo Sleeps on My Pillow" "Bravo Sierra"
"The Greener Grass"
"The Dead Sea"
"Golden Parachutes" "Whiskey"
7/7/11 1:09AM-7/11/11 12:18AM
Official Cover and here's the link to their online store where it's now available to order and it'll ship on Thursday July 14th.
war of currents - preview by meniscus
new album preview
we've upload a preview of our new record "war of currents" to give you all a little taste of what's to come
you can listen to the track here on Soundcloud. we will also be posting demos and new things from time to time on soundcloud, so make sure to bookmark the page and keep checking up on us.
Also if you're in Sydney, make sure you come down to the launch gig @ tone in Surry Hills on the 15th of July to be the first to grab a copy. It's gonna be huge.
July 15th this record drops from this Australian Post-Rock of-a-sort group, who I probably best associate with 2 things (beyond being Australian).
1) They reminded me very much of Oceansize, but definitely in a GOOD way.
2) Their last EP Absence of I included sound effects from insects, bees specifically I recall on at least 1 track.
Check out this video, namely about 5 minutes in. Wow. Uh, as I have said before, these guys have a wealth of talent, and hearing stuff like that totally supports that. I suppose I can say I have a bit more optimism about this album now (while still trying to avoid being burned by them).
edit: here's an except of an interview I just saw from an Australian zine.
Combined with a new Mars Volta album due out "hopefully later this year", the band will be bringing the majority of the new songs to Adelaide next month.
"It's about 80 per cent new material," Bixler-Zavala says.
"For the most part it's showing a lot of the new side of Mars Volta." When asked what this "new side" is Bixler-Zavala is more than happy to explain.
"I personally describe it as future punk," he says.
"We definitely go off in tangents live but it's the polar opposite of Bedlam in Goliath, that's for sure, and Octahedron wasn't really successful in trying to capture it so this new stuff is hitting the nail on the head for us." That said, Mars Volta has been dusting off some older, more familiar songs for the tour.
"There's some stuff that does translate and some stuff that doesn't," Bixler-Zavala says. "We're giving some things a modern take.".Last time Bixler-Zavala was on the phone to Hit the singer was having trouble coming to grips with the band's "evil spirits" that had been contacted via a ouija board during the recording of The Bedlam in Goliath but the singer is past all those "scary times" now.
"Yeah, we made it over to the good side," he says.
4/14/11 1:00AM
the upcoming album will feature thirteen songs of what Rodriguez-Lopez describes, "is a simplified version of what we've done before".
Cedric Bixler said recently about it: “Sorry no spanish [sic] on this record, no Zeppelinesque voyages, no Santana like flourishes or vishnu accuasations [sic]. No congas, no Hammond organ stabs, no 30 minute songs, no drums that sounds like mosquitos buzzing in your ear. Just future punk. That’s the only way to describe it from my point of view.”
There's I'm sure a lot more out there. I'm pretty guilty of not even reading the Volta section on The Comatorium message board.
But with these guys, instead of being a band I want to check-in with weekly or more often, I know it'll come out before I know it. They've already recorded not only this upcoming record, but likely the next 2 or 3. At least they've written enough. But these quotes do give me a little optimism that they mean to go in different directions, much like 2009's Octahedron was to a point.
Maybe this new album will be a bigger comeback? Maybe it'll have some of their At the Drive-In style riffs/energy etc?
Deantoni Parks I guess is their new drummer. Has been since 2010. He probably is best known for playing with Omar's solo band/projects.
Or maybe it'll be completely different from the previous Volta albums and ATDI as well? Color me a little more intrigued than I would have guessed. More to add when it's available.
I found this interview with Casey the other day that speaks a lot about the current state of The Dear Hunter, and maybe most importantly, what appears to be their future approach.
Brady: I know you probably get asked this quite a bit, but what’s the status of Act IV?
Casey Crescenzo: I’ve been thinking a lot, especially because there’s been a lot of questions about it lately, about how I should about completing it. I think at this point what feels most natural is to just write and record it on my own in, not necessarily in my spare time because I don’t really have any spare time, but to consciously set aside time and write and record the entire other three acts, not in any rush, but to just do that and release it on my own however I see fit.
I want to make it understood that this release won’t be treated like a label release. I’m not gonna tour off of each one for 18 months. We’ll either put out IV, V and VI at once or over the course of 2 years, and either just put them out online and make them available myself or press them up myself, but I feel like that is the most natural when I think about how to do it.
I also think about if I’m gonna treat each one the same as I’ve treated Acts I, II, and III as far as promoting it, that’s another six to eight years of my life, and I would much rather create the music and make it available and do something a little bit different than tour off of each one. Like do some other medium or either a book or short story or something like that and make that available over the next few years rather than do it traditionally. I do feel like the next thing that I would like to actually release on a lable or tour off of after this is a fairly concise record that is not like anything else I’ve done and not just jump back into Act IV and re-brand the band as a concept band.
Brady: Would it still be under the name the Dear Hunter?
Casey Crescenzo: I think so. It’s weird, I think at this point I’ve done so many different styles of music under the name the Dear Hunter that doing anything under the name Casey Crescenzo would seem like it was for vanity. I feel like any style of music is excused under that name at this point, which I’m grateful for, but I think it would be under the Dear Hunter.
Brady: With an album that has a concept of not having a concept, how would make it a journey like Acts I, II and III have been, ’cause when you listen to those albums it’s not just like “Oh, it’s a good rock album.” It’s a story, and it takes you from one place to another.
Casey Crescenzo: I guess maybe a better way to say it would be that the concept wouldn’t be fictional. It would be a more directly personal album. I would give it just as much care, if not more, ’cause I want to always feel like I’m maturing and evolving as a songwriter and producer but I feel like I would try and make the journey.
Sonically the journey would still be there, the idea of pulling someone in with a record as a complete work. I think that it would just be that lyrically it wouldn’t necessarily require the same exact amount of … you wouldn’t be searching for a narrative within the record itself. It would be much more transparently about me and my direct feelings and emotions, and even though those have been represented in the past records, they are somewhat shrouded in the story itself. I don’t think I would ever be happy with a record that I made that didn’t attempt to pull the listener in and give them some sort of escape from the regular day and pull you in, a record that you feel like you have to listen to from start to finish.
The last thing that I want to seem like I’m saying is that I want to go make a ten song record with three-and-a-half minute songs. I think it’s just wanting to continue making music that’s not necessarily tethered to that specific story, while simultaneously finishing that story. I guess the next step in my personal evolution as a songwriter would be to make a record that doesn’t necessarily take you understanding the last three records that I’ve made to know what’s going on, if that makes sense.
So in other words, Acts IV-VI may come out all-at-once in the near future, but what really is driving him is to not write music/make albums that are so locked in to the concept.
There's more good information about The Color Spectrum and other things with TDH and Casey in that interview. But I guess the couple of questions I posted above are the biggest things to learn. My overall feeling is mixed. On one hand, I really want those other 3 Acts to be as great as possible and to be heard by as many people as possible. However, I 1st and foremost want Casey to just write GOOD SONGS, and if he's more inspired and enjoying making music without having to do within the idea for the *Acts*, I totally follow why.
However, the idea of the great songwriters needing inspiration from something hard, sad, bad, depressing, dark, etc..I guess may not point to that. But there are exceptions (including maybe myself soon).
7/8/11 6:09PM
Another new song "Propeller Seeds" that I can't tell entirely if many of the earlier submitted contribution were used or not. It is for sale here as a 3D Audio experience.
Formats: 320kbps MP3, Apple Lossless or FLAC Lossless
and it's $5 just for the "mp3 bundle" here. Meh...I was hoping honestly to pay-what-you-can (or desire) and $5 is a little more. $1 or even $2 might seem a bit more reasonable, even if it is the "3D Audio Experience."
"Lifeline" a possible title for this, "Heapsong1"..there's definitely a song in the works there. The sample I sent in, doesn't sound like it's going make the cut. But it does need cuts, it appears anyway.
Mixed feelings, as I am always happy to hear new music from her, but the smothering and dictated process with all these fans, almost makes it not seem entirely to be an Imogen Heap song, but a song with a lot of little bits from people, who may have submitted something worth including, but mostly sounds like stuff she could have come up with. But I suppose how are we to know for sure.
It also just feels like a big competition and luck contest. "Oh, Immi chose my sample, yippee!" I guess when the finished result comes out, I may not care so much.
I'm curious if there's something I could contribute now. There's a bit on it, including a Press Release PDF file there.
The 3-year process to finish it, well, kind of makes me wonder if it'll come out like a bunch of singles (or eps), sort of what Revere did or some other bands. It is rather inventive and different at least, but 2014 still seems a long ways away. But getting a new song every 3 months should help the process.
Earlier today at Midem in France Imogen announced her plans to release a crowd sourced song.
Imogen Heap will release the first song and video from her new album on the 28th March 2011. However, she hasn't written the song or any other material yet for the album. The album will gradually reveal itself over the next three years as every three months Imogen will release a brand new track.
Rather than wait and release all the tracks as an album in the conventional way, Imogen plans to put the songs out as soon as they are ready and keep them relevant to the time they are created. Then as Imogen still wants to have another physical album to put on her shelf next to Ellipse, she'll release the album for those who'd like to hold it.
14th March: The 'recording' process will begin when Imogen will be online gathering sounds (anything from a cat purring to a busy market, drum loops to dulcimer) from all over the world via her website from anyone who fancies joining in.
15th March: Will see Imogen collecting words in the same way with an aim to encapsulate that day in time, lyrically.
16th & 17th March: Will be all things visual. Stencils, photographs, video footage to be incorporated into the music video.
18th March: Imogen will reveal the middle section of the song only... here she will encourage people to write a 'solo' (beatbox, cello, vocal, you name it) over this section and then to perform them live online the next day. One or some of these will be added into the mix.
21st March: The song will be written and completed by the morning of the 21st March just in time to make the video which will be filmed, edited and ready for release 28th March.
28th March: Taking things to the extreme Imogen will reveal the first listen of the song publicly on her website on 28th March in parallel with a live remix by Tim Exile who will also be hearing it for the first time.
All submissions will go through a website specifically built for this project where fans, friends and interested onlookers can watch the whole process over two weeks from song writing to video production via blogs and live webcasts.
"There's so much going on in my life with touring, talks and tech that the choice to do this was both a necessity coupled with my passion for collaborative, spontaneous and creative projects. I also love the idea that the seeds of the song begins with the fans making a full circle when it's experienced as a finished piece.
"The unknown nature of what it will sound like is so exciting to me. I often thrive on a deadline and creative limitations. I want to really put myself to the test and I'm going to have fun doing it!"
The whole event can be followed at www.imogenheap.com.
To cap it all off, on 28th March, Imogen will throw a release party for those who've taken part, and - you guessed it - this will also be webcast live!
Listen to Imogen talking to Soundcloud about her crowd sourced song earlier today at Midem.
This sounds interesting. I'd love to be involved personally, but the odds of that happening, are about as good as 1 of the songs being called "An ode to All Media Reviews," lol.
However, she again is doing something unusual, forward-thinking, different, experimental. Which overall seems like a good sign. I just have to forget about the desire to her make another album as good or at least a lot like 2005's Speak For Yourself. It's not going to happen.
nice trailer. It looks like the Dichen Lachman who played "Sierra" on Dollhouse is in this. But it doesn't appear to take place in Cardiff, from this trailer.
5/6/11 5:42PM
The return of Torchwood the Summer of 2011, as it was announced last Summer, has finally been confirmed. "Miracle Day" is the title of the series that will premiere on July 8th, 2011 on both the BBC and the American Starz! network.
1 of a handful of interviews on Youtube about it.
Bill Pullman and Lauren Ambrose among others join the cast. It is filmed in LA, which I'm kind at a wait and see about. Part of what made/makes Torchwood what it is, is the British aspect to the show (like Doctor Who), and the part about Cardiff being the epicenter or central location for "Alien Activity."
Is this new series going to take place in Cardiff still? And if so, why is it being filmed in LA?
Russell T Davies I don't believe is working on this anymore, more than likely, just as an executive producer at most. That actually may make or break how good it is. But who knows, perhaps it'll be even better than the previous 3 series. The Starz! network has brought some good shows to tv recently (namely Party Down), so I have some optimism about this.
This along with Breaking Bad and the USA Network shows are among the shows I'm rather excited for this coming Summer.
another new song "Throw Us to the Wind" ..man, sohhh good. I'd be shocked if this album isn't at least 4-stars and in my top 20 at worst. My copy should arrive within a few weeks. July 8th however, is on Friday. An mp3 zip folder download link should be hitting my inbox that day I believe.
6/19/11 1:31PM
Pre-Order link. Comes with a download of the title track as well.
also it appears it's being released on July 8th.
6/13/11 8:47AM
1. Landmarks [17:20]
2. Throw Us to the Wind [8:40]
3. ...And Sever Us From the Present [4:15]
4. Deep Rivers Run Quiet [11:12]
5. Deaden the Fields [6:12]
6. They Found My Skull in the Nest of a Bird [14:17]
Drop Date is July 15th. Damn, Mid July is looking pretty busy with fellow Aussie post-rockers Meniscus; Fair to Midland, House of Fools, The Gloomcatcher, The Great Confinement and Neverending White Lights among other new releases.
5/6/11 2:03PM
Yes, I am counting the minutes until I arrive home to finally hear this thing.
This record very easily could be the breakthrough or big splash of 2011. Or at least 1 of them. Every piece, every detail, all the hard work these guys have put in. All the time, etc. This has the formula I've seen many times of a record that stands the test of time. A DEBUT record too.
Don't be surprised if in a few years, Deaden the Fields is one of those records I and many others will think for 2011 and the early part of this decade.
The artwork is supposedly pretty close to being finished and posted online.
Also something I found interesting in that interview on that radio show, (before the track was played), these songs..or it sounds like the entire record WAS WRITTEN from JAMS the guys have done over the 7 years they've been together.
They, like Kevin Gilbert and many others, just record everything or every time they jam.
The album is almost done now in terms of audio - it is off being mastered in Sweden by Pelle Henricsson. We went to Pelle because of his previous work on albums such Refused’s The Shape of Punk to Come, Cult of Luna’s Somewhere Along the Highway and Poison the Well’s You Come Before You. Those are some of our favourite albums ever, so it made sense to us - given the epic dynamics on this album - to aim high and see what Pelle could do. What we have heard so far is sounding amazing - it should be wrapped up this week and sent off for pressing very shortly.
We may as well let some more album details out while we are here. Drum roll please….
The album is titled ‘Deaden the Fields’. It’s a touch under 62 minutes long. It has 6 tracks. It’ll be out in July.
In the meantime, we are releasing a single. The track is called ‘Deep Rivers Run Quiet’ and is 11 minutes long. It’s a typically epic TToL track, but quite unlike anything we have done previously. We were a little apprehensive about releasing such a long single for fear of giving too much away before the album - but it’s only the third longest song on the album!
The single launch is at Manhattans on May 13, with our friends The Silent World, Heytesburg and Cautious Horsemen. We are planning something cool for the release, but we’ll keep that under wraps for now.
More exciting news to come soon.
If you are in Perth, don’t forget about RTR FM’s In the Pines festival next weekend! We are on at 4pm, and can’t wait to play a couple of new songs.
Well as the below related link includes, I have become increasingly intrigued and excited about this record. So much so, I am a little worried it won't meet my hopes.
And with 11 minute tracks and 62 minutes, I wonder if this will be either feast or famine. As I spoke to my friend Josh (from Epic Rock Talk and That Drummer Guy Music Review Blog), I think this record could be like Long Distance Calling's Avoid the Light or even better.
Proof will be found in the pudding of course, but now knowing the title, a bit more about the songs, and it's coming in July, the bar has been or maintains its raised level.
A Top 10 contender I'd say now even, and I haven't heard a note, lol. May 13th or so, the 1st (11 minute, lol) single.
For those who may not have seen, the 2nd (shortened down to only 49 minutes) version of this experiment with my friend Josh over at That Drummer Guy's Blog (and mp.com forum among other places) has been posted.
Yes we (esp me) tend to babble. But then again, the podcasts I've made for this blog are not much different.
This is from from Stagedive.com. I have not watched this yet unfortunately, but soon should. Apparently a number of new songs were played at this.
edit: uh, yeah, these songs are excellent, but that does not come in any way as a surprise to me. However, they do want me to hear Mars/Brighton II and see them live all the more of course.
I haven't watched it yet, but should when I get home. It's encouraging to see something else, and I recall last week Daniel or some news story saying the album is finished being mixed. But until we get official word about it's release date and everything, I am still standing by not expecting it for awhile.
Well, this video lasts about 25 minutes, and it's primarily director Josh Wakely talking about this film/concept dramatic rock opera of sorts he's making with Daniel.
But if you do have the time to watch it all, the Johns and Silverchair fans will want to keep an eye out for it. I think around the 19 or 20 minute mark, there's one piece Daniel plays that's breathtaking.
But I get the sense this thing will be a feast or famine kind of deal. It'll either be masterful and one of the best (if not the best) most ambitious things Daniel Johns has ever done.
Or it'll be cheesy and pretentious, and more or less come off like many "rock operas" of sorts. Maybe including a couple of nice individual songs.
Regardless though, it's something to look forward to.
