Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly and James McAlister - Planetarium (2016-2017)

Not sure what to think about this, as Sufjan's last record was hard to listen to and bored me at the same time. And The National of course I don't care for.

However, when Sufjan does things outside of folk, I can often get on board, The description and 1st clip sound like Space-Rock and quite electronic. I guess it depends on if it flows or if it meanders. I'm curious at least at this point.

Oh and I guess Nico Muhly has composed string arrangements for Grizzly Bear, who are another band I'm not a fan of. But, if his background is in Classical Music? I guess that may help my interest.

release date is June 9th

In 2013, after completing two states of his reputed 50-state album project, Sufjan Stevens moved on to bigger and better things. Specifically, he teamed up with The National’s Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly, and drummer James McAlister for an original composition inspired by the solar system. Entitled Planetarium, the project received its live debut during a multi-night run at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music. Years later, they’re finally releasing a recording of the project. The 17-track LP is set for release on June 9th via 4AD, and have recently unveiled the first preview in the form of “Saturn.”




01 Neptune
02 Jupiter
03 Halley’s Comet
04 Venus
05 Uranus
06 Mars
07 Black Energy
08 Sun
09 Tides
10 Moon
11 Pluto
12 Kuiper Belt
13 Black Hole
14 Saturn
15 In the Beginning
16 Earth
17 Mercury



Saturn from CandyStations on Vimeo.

Annuals - Time Stamp (2013)

I think the write-up at the bottom kind of explains mostly all of what needs to be known. I have known for quite awhile their future was uncertain if there was much of one. But I have posted in the last couple of years in this blog and various forums, they had an album in the can, with a supposed title "Born Raised," but due to Record Label issues, it was delayed. It kept on getting delayed, and then the band kind of went silent. And some of the members moved away from North Carolina. I recall Anna Spence is either a lawyer of some kind or in law school.

But I thought I saw Adam Baker post a few months ago about moving the LA with maybe 1 or 2 of the other members of the band.

At any case, I just bought the album and will check it out hopefully this week at least (my new job begins in 2 weeks and next week I'm on vacation).

I am happy they were able to put this out, unlike some bands like Fields or Superior, who made an album and never got to share it (or like Soundscape, who it took nearly a decade to finally share it).

But it is bitter sweet. Of course following the members, namely Adam's future music projects, should be worth doing. And some kind of reunion may happen at some point (see Kiss Kiss or TREOS for example).

But for now, this will have to do.

I think it may be worth mentioning how a band like Local Natives who I am still a very big fan of, owes a bit to these guys. And they likely would fully admit, just even the tribal drumming and such. It is a bit sad Annuals find this fate, and meanwhile Local Natives constantly get compared to the likes of bands like Grizzly Bear and The National, lol. While I rarely if ever have seen the Annuals name mentioned when talking about them. Maybe in due time (yeah right).

RIP.



1. Omnicide 04:09
2. Winslow 03:18
3. Sunday, 17 03:07
4. I Don't Care 03:42
5. Orbweaver 02:52
6. The Rotary 03:36
7. Whippoorwill 03:27
8. Watauga 04:59
9. Broke 03:12
10. Coffee 04:21
11. Lil' Pitlins 04:11




This is Time Stamp. Whether it's a swan song, a comeback, or something else... Even we aren't sure. This is the first Annuals full length in nearly five years with just five songs in between, and even those songs from Sweet Sister (which were supposed to be a quick "hold-you-over") have gathered some dust. 
There have been good, bad, hard, and harder times since our departure from Canvasback and Columbia records in 2010. It seems we've all individually landed on our feet but for better or worse in different, separate places. The majority of Time Stamp has sat in a near-completed form for almost 18 months, the final stretch towards completion would cost the band essentially all of the money it had left to it's name. It's here now, with some measured degree of hope, that people will care enough to see that this might be a last ditch effort. We know we have friends and fans across the USA and beyond, we've met you and we've shared many joyful evenings together over the years. We skipped the crowd funding and went straight to getting out a final product. We hope you care about the project, can put something back into it, and to share it with your friends and loved ones. Thank you for all of the love and support you've afforded us all these years. This is for y'all.
credits
released 23 April 2013 
All songs written and produced by Adam Baker 

For the making of this record, Annuals is and was: 
Adam Baker 
Mike Robinson 
Zack Oden 
Nick Radford 
Devin Downey 
Kenny Florence 
Whit Wright 
Anna Spence 
& Jenna Smith

Local Natives - Hummingbird (2013)

1/30/13 4:15PM


it's supposed to be streamable here for the next 2 weeks. FTR, i am digging it, but I have not been able to listen to it more than a couple of times yet. It's a different kind of record, but I still enjoy something about nearly every track.

And of course, the hordes of hipster/bloggers comments and reviews are nauseating, between the comparisons to The National and especially the 'West Coast Grizzly Bear" garbage. But that is nothing new. Nor is the lack of anything about close to the p-word or even chamber rock.

Blech, hopefully, a more detailed review will come soon. back issues, other albums., and time have been what has backed me up so far. But I do have it as the 2nd best release of 2013 already.

1/23/13 5:37PM
It's just a stream, I'm luke warm about hearing that. More dreamy and less energetic, but until hearing it with headphones, the jury is still out.

full album on youtube deleted

12/6/12 9:35AM

New official Video for Breakers




11/25/12 11:23PM -12/6/12 9:35AM 

Track list.
01 You & I
02 Heavy Feet
03 Ceilings
04 Black Spot
05 Breakers
06 Three Months
07 Black Balloons
08 Wooly Mammoth
09 Mt. Washington
10 Colombia
11 Bowery





10/19/12 12:02PM
This 2nd album is coming January 29th. Also there are tour dates and a single below to stream (as linked on their site).

http://www.thelocalnatives.com/

 


    Sun NOV 4 / Tokyo, Japan / Zepp
    Wed NOV 28 / Hamburg, Germany / Molotov
    Thu NOV 29 / Berlin, Germany / Comet
    Sat DEC 1 / Paris, France / Point Ephemere
    Tue DEC 4 / Amsterdam, Holland / Bitterzoet
    Wed DEC 5 / Brussels, Belgium / Rotunde
    Thu DEC 6 / London, UK / Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
    Sat DEC 8 / Camber Sands, England / All Tomorrow’s Parties
    Tue JAN 29 / Los Angeles, CA / El Rey
    Wed JAN 30 / Oakland, CA / Fox Theatre
    Fri FEB 01 / Brooklyn, NY / Music Hall of Williamsburg
    Sat FEB 02-03 / New York , NY / Bowery Ballroom
    Mon MAR 18 / Nashville, TN / Marathon Music Works
    Tue MAR 19 / Asheville, NC / Orange Peel
    Fri MAR 22 / Milwaukee, WI / Turner Ballroom
    Sat MAR 23 / Minneapolis, MN / First Avenue
    Mon MAR 25 / Covington,KY / Madison Theatre
    Tue MAR 26 / Columbus, OH / Newport Music Hall
    Sat MAR 30 / Boston, MA / House of Blues
    Sun APR 01 / Providence, RI / Fete
    Thu APR 04 / Philadelphia, PA / Union Transfer
    Fri APR 05 / Washington DC / 9:30 club
    Thu APR 25 / Portland, OR / Crystal Ballroom
    Fri APR 26 / Seattle, WA / Neptune
    Sat APR 27 / Vancouver, BC / Commodore Theatre

I haven't heard the new single of course. The band made a special appearance at CMJ a few nights ago as well.

Fuck Fuck Fuck..Its stuff like this that comes out so damn quickly and I'm slow. Why this blog, if I were smart, would die. But I'm not smart of course, and I'm also only by the band known to be 1 of their longest time fans outside of their hometown.

But I have got to say, even before hearing the 1st single and album, I hope/almost expect, despite the fact they worked with someone from The National (who I think are hipster drivel), that this record not only will be awesome, but vastly superior to all the other hipster garbage that's come since Gorilla Manor ala Fleet Kittens, Grizzly Cub, Yeasayer, Arcade Fire, Beach House, Sleigh Bells, Mumford and Sons, Tame Impala, Tune Yards, Animal Collective/Panda Bear and related crap, and many others I'm not even remembering right now.