01 The Hair Song
02 Old Fangs
03 Radiant Hearts
04 Rollercoaster
05 Let Spirits Ride
06 Buried by the Blues
07 The Way to Gone
08 Wilderness Heart
09 The Space of Your Mind
10 Sadie
I didn't realize they had a new record coming out, although it makes sense I suppose given how early in 2008 "In the Future" was released. That being said, that track "Old Fangs" doesn't resemble their last lp's sound much. The male vocals sound almost like fellow canadian singer Edwin.
Drop Date is September 14th.
Of course they have tour dates lined up, but Minneapolis is nowhere to be found.
Guitarist/vocalist Joey Eppard of Woodstock, New York's 3, one of the world's most innovative rock bands, has issued the following update:
"We just wrapped up our first week [recording the new 3 album] at Applehead Studios. It's been a personal dream of mine to record in the room my father designed and built. It's almost like having him play on the record.
"The drum sounds CJB [Christopher John Bittner] dialed in were fantastic and the Gartdrumm was in full effect.
"This record is going to be something very special.
"Our live performances are going to be rare this summer because most of our energy will be going into the making of our new record, but we do have a few very special shows coming up.
"June 11th will see 3 perform at the Basement's three-year anniversary show. Later this summer we'll be debuting new material at our August 28 Bearsville performance where we'll be joined by Josh Eppard's new band: TERRIBLE THINGS. Of course I'll also be doing a few solo gigs to keep me sharp."
3 recently signed a new deal with Metal Blade Records.
The band previously released "Wake Pig" (2005), "The End Is Begun" (2007) and "Revisions" (2009) on Metal Blade.
3's entire discography now spans over a decade, going all the way back to "Paint By Number" (1999) and "Summercamp Nightmare" (2003).
Over the course of its career, 3 has toured with the SCORPIONS, PORCUPINE TREE, DREAM THEATER, OPETH, BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME, and many, many more.
based on that time frame, if all goes smoothly, their new record could be out in the Fall. 3/27/10 9:08PM
Three sign with Metalblade Records again.
Joey Eppard Mailing List
Hey everyone...
We are well on our way to making our greatest "3" album yet. After lookin at several horrific offers from other labels we decided to continue with Metalblade records because they actually care about our music and truly believe in what we do. We were tossing around the idea of releasing it one song at a time, each with a video. Basically like episodes. Let us know what you think.
Meanwhile I'll be doing a couple solo gigs in April...
Saturday, April 10, 7:30pm
Joey Eppard
w/ Selfish Steam
@ The Powder Mill Barn
32 South Maple Street
Enfield, CT 06082
860-749-4494
Saturday, April 17
Joey Eppard
w/ Bergkamp Bros
@Woodstock Harmony
52 Mill Hill rd, Woodstock, NY
I'm a little confused by that statement about Metal Blade. Wasn't part of their beef about Revisions was LACK OF PROMOTION?..blech.
guess we'll see, it hopefully will benefit them more still going with MB than on their own (or the offers they turned down).
Record Industry :facepalm:
12/10/09 5:18PM
New 3 Newsletter explains it all pretty much.
Hey all,
Couple thoughts... I'm sick of rules that don't really exist. From now on we're offering our fans and friends an open invitation to literally be part of the band. The stuff that goes on in the music biz is so crazy that it can make you crazy if you let it. So instead of loosing our minds how 'bout we share with you whats been going on in our world.
This Summer we wrapped up our Metalblade record deal with our new release "Revisions." Soon thereafter we had signed a contract with Road Runner Records but unfortunately they dropped us before we could even record a single note. Whats worse is this is the 2nd time thats happened to us (Universal Records '98). Ok so the rug was pulled out from underneath us but what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger, right? Well now we have a new deal on the table, but they're asking for 100% of our publishing!!! I've never even heard of that! Whats worser than worse is that they are offering very little money to do it. The truth is our self esteem just can't get that low. We're considering going DIY but we need your support and feedback to do it! Let us know what you think and we will listen.
We have a bunch of new songs and want to make our next masterpeice but we need to raise money to do it. If you want to support please consider buying our latest live set from:
www.aftershowmusic.com
it was a 21 song epic performance including a version of Purple Rain where I had to try to sing through the tears in my eyes! Everything just hit me in that moment. Everything we've been through, all the hard work, all the tough breaks and all the victories we've shared. I don't want it to ever end!
in peace, Joey / 3
Upcoming shows...
Saturday, December 19th, 10pm
Joey Eppard solo acoustic
Mariner's Harbor
1 Broadway, Kingston, NY
so, I wonder if RR dropped them due to lack of sales of Revisions. And that deal that was offered to them sounds much worse than the ridiculous offer 100Ft Snowman was given by a label rep.
I certainly would be willing to support them if they went on their own. But this reeks of someone new over at RR calling the shots.
Sad story, but maybe it'll be for the best. Circa Survive gets on a major, and Kaddisfly goes into hibernation; while Water & Bodies is created and has a higher chance of success based on headway and expectations.
I am sick of seeing this industry bullshit with many of the bands I like. Almost to the point I might expect it, from any label, even many of the indies. Bands don't last and get screwed over. It's how it is, how it's become, and how it probably will be until something changes.
Wonderful. Long live 3, one of the best live bands over the last 2 decades.
01 The Henry Clay People: “Glory”
02 Foreign Born: “Days”
03 The Happy Hollows: “Foxhole”
04 Local Natives: “Careful”
05 The Deadly Syndrome: “Carried Away
06 Imaad Wasif: “The Fire [ft. Lykke Li]”
07 Dirt Dress: “Ain’t That Nothin’”
08 Growlers: “The Dream’s Dream”
this tribute of the selections off the Televsion record is being issued by Aquarium Drunkard and is to benefit The Silver Lake Conservatory of Music. Silver Lake being where Local Natives (and some of the other artists on this?) are based.
Very nice and dreamy. Like Warning Sign from Talking Heads, I can't claim to have heard (or at least known) the original. But it has me curious. Television, like Roxy Music and some others, I've always been curious about. They never have come across quite as annoying as the hipster worship that The Velvet Underground has.
Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Williams, Kim Catrall, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton, Jim Belushi and Eli Wallach among others are included in this cast. And overall, I'd say Polanski made the most of the fine cast.
This was quite a cleverly written story about an ex-British prime minister's life, the memoirs of his life that were to be published, what happened when a previous writer died in the process of writing them.
McGregor really pulls off the somewhat investigative journalist role, even though that is not what he is assigned-to or being paid to actually do. He stumbles upon the some critical photos under a drawer in the guestroom at the ex-prime minister's home, which the 1st/late writer Michael had come upon and hidden well and for good reason.
A whole unknown explanation as to how the ex-prime minister went into politics originally, his motivations and involvement with a not-known CIA agent and his wife's involvement is uncovered soon after. McGregor is found skating around corners, fearing for his life and still unclear about whose behind many different excursions he goes through.
A political thriller with a lot of suspense and finely twisted characters and their mysterious motivations is pulled off quite well. My only qualm would be how the ending didn't exactly give 100% closure. A couple of key characters are left not really facing the music, and McGregor's character is presumed to be quieted, but what's shown doesn't really let us know entirely what happens ultimately. A sequel could help, but I'd be skeptical if it would be worth doing or if it would actually happen. But so be it. A highly satisfying picture no matter.
Is this a documentary or a tall tale? Street Art (or a more sophisticated version of Graffiti), becoming some kind of revolutionary form of expression. This film focus initially was to tell the history of it I guess. Some of the well known names and their work. One artist from France who specialized in using icons from the Atari game "Space Invaders." Another named Shepard Fairy who is probably best known for creating the Barack Obama "Hope" poster/image. And then apparently the highly touted and elusive British artist "Banksy."
Eventually the film maker, Thierry Guetta (who goes on to call himself Mr.Brainwash), is inspired so much by the artists and art work he's shot, and in the process of compiling 1000's of hours of footage, he wants to do his own art. And he sets up his own extensive gallery that stays open for a number of weeks I recall. The art he does, like a lot of the stuff he was inspired by, uses pop-culture images, often combining them. One for example has Elvis and the guitar he normally is holding is replaced by a machine gun.
For entertainment value, this was very effective. The interviews, stories told, footage, and Thierry himself is worth seeing this for. For accuracy and treating this as a pure documentary, it's pretty gray. No question a lot of the footage and artwork (and artists themselves) are totally 100% real. But many of the stories and I would guess a lot of the artwork were not, at least entirely as they appear in this film.
Is it propaganda? not exactly like a Michael Moore-picture. Although to say there is/was at some level, a political agenda in it could be accurate. It's more about freedom of speech and expression. And I think the film maker did set out to show the world how vast and widespread Street Art is, or can be. Now how popular it becomes as a result of this movie, I would question. But at least it's been given some slightly more mainstream coverage than it probably has before.
But as a piece of art, especially the excellent editing work which I'm sure the film maker labored away at for countless hours, this is a highly recommend-able movie.
First off there was a short film/public-service-announcement kind of thing at the beginning showing a couple driving and the girl laughing while she's driving and then she notices a spider on her body so she stops, freaks out and opens her door and then gets hit head-on by another car just as she notices the spider is a fake and her boyfriend laughing and trying to explain that to her.
The consequence isn't entirely fatal, that we are led to believe. But it just shows never stop and get out of your car in the middle of the street. And maybe better, always lock your door, even if there may be a spider crawling on you.
The Square:
This is a dark Australian Noir film that was good but could have been great. Raymond and Carla are a man and woman who are neighbors, and are having an affair. They would love to end the sneaking around and run off together. Their 2 dogs witness the 2 of them going at it in 1 car from the other car where they're parked. Their 2 dogs find an attraction apparently, continually as the film goes on.
Carla finds a sack of cash sitting in a bag in her ceiling. It seems like the perfect chance to take the cash and then run. But first, they don't want to have the money traced to her, so they have to hire someone to burn down their place, thus it's assumed the cash goes with her home, thus no trace.
Well 1 cellphone battery dies, another is left behind, and the whole plan goes awry. A co-worker of the man sees the 2 of them being unfaithful, in which it appears to be a relatively small-town as word travels fast. Raymond starts getting blackmail notes, but he's unsure who they are from. He thinks they are from one of his shady co-workers, Leonard. A confrontation happens, and an accident. A body is buried and covered up, on the construction site where they work. A cop-friend eventually comes by when Leonard isn't seen for 4 days.
Carla has an ass of a boyfriend, determined to get the bottom of how his house was burned down and his mother killed. He also at 1 point puts a gun on her, without any evidence of the affair she's having. The hired thug also is a strapping lump of coal-up-his-ass bloke who points guns in peoples faces and has a short-fuse, no pun intended.
The climax is dramatic, some key characters don't bode too well. The blackmailer is revealed, but not all that clearly. But on many occasions, especially as Raymond and Carla keep getting deeper and deeper from stress of having to lie and cover things up. Which raises the question why couldn't they just have fled the town together earlier than they try to. What ever happened to Take-the-Money-And-Run? I suppose the plot wouldn't have been as *indie* and it was more dramatic. Very anti-Hollywood I suppose. But to say one or more bad characters never got dealt with is accurate. I would have gone for more justice or poetic justice in this. That being said, it is a film that stays with you. So it has it's power and I can't help but respect that and the acting.
Still, having 2 cellphones conveniently unavailable was a bit of a lazy plot device. The writer probably could have come up with something more realistic. But so be it. Many won't care.
This movie was directed (and written?) by Noah Baumbach who also made a movie I did not care for one bit, in Margot at the Wedding. And I heard about that fact going-in, but there were enough good reviews to retain my interest.
Ben Stiller plays an eccentric guy who meets this girl played by Greta Gerwig who seems to be drawn to him regardless of the fact he at times acts like an insensitive ass to her. Now Greenberg had recently come from a psych ward of some sort, so it's understandable why his behavior may be how it is. However, it's impressive how she and his best-friend find a way to tolerate and look past his issues throughout much of the film.
Credit goes to Stiller for pulling off a tough role. Also credit goes to Gerwig, whose character Florence shows a wide range of feelings towards him.
Stiller's character reminds me a bit of Eddie Marsan uptight driving instructor character Scott in Happy-Go-Lucky. Not necessarily a pleasant experience to watch, but at times he seemed so ridiculous, it was almost funny.
Certainly not the best movie of 2010, but still worth recommending to fans of Stiller, and those who can respect this kind of dark comedy. And definitely more stomach-able than the snooze-fest that was Margot at the Wedding. Give me Margot and the Nuclear So and So's instead please.
Casting David Duchovny, who I last saw and enjoyed in 2007's The TV SetDemi Moore and Gary Cole, based on the previews, this looked like potentially pretty good. I guess given it came across as Amway: the Family version, it didn't go too far with me. Although Duchovny and Cole actually, I felt did a pretty good job. Mulder playing the fake father/golf-product salesman. And Cole being the friendly male-bonding neighbor who wasn't as affluent as he seems.
I suppose the sarcasm and some of where the story ends up going, while partly Hollywood, still allows it to work. And if you are a fan of the cast, you'd find most of this worth checking out. But my skepticism on known ensemble casts with memorable trailers has been risen. See Couples Retreat from last year, although I still feel that movie was not nearly as bad as it was made out to be.
1 Queen Black Acid
2 Taos
3 Killemall
4 Dirty Cartoons
5 Tithe
6 Bote
7 Lunchmeat
8 Oh Pretty Boy, You're Such a Big Boy
9 Five Little Rooms
10 Sleeping Beauty
11 Intil
I've listened to this new full-length LP I count four times now and a few things about it stand out. It is very much a *complete* start-to-finish record in that I enjoy every track and don't desire to every skip any song on it. The production and atmosphere is fulfilling enough to be maybe the strongest qualities about it. Comparing it to their other two proper full-lengths (2007's "Friend and Foe" and 2003's "I Am the Fun Blame Monster!") it doesn't have as many trademark melodies, nor does it flow quite as well as a larger work. But I still am not finding at this stage, that to matter. They still include the wonderful percussion and subtle, piano, that at times are what I love the most about this band. Their songwriting is consistent. They have their own sound, as I really can't compare them directly to any other group. Ramona Falls and the other related projects would be the only things close, but with the 3 different singers and collaborations, Menomena's songwriting here is at another level from the side-projects.
Some specific things worth mentioning I guess are the slide-guitar work in "Bote"..the echoing piano melody in "Killemall" the climax at the end of "Sleeping Beauty" and the pretty ballad that ends this record "Intil." The Saxophone, fuzz guitar, vague yet personal lyrics, have not been abandoned from their earlier material. These guys are masters at less being more. At creating a rich, warm, acoustic/organic tone and sound. As quirky and stripped down as their music is, the emotion is always felt.
Perhaps this record will expose them to larger audience, because in terms of the songwriters that deserve more recognition than they have received, the members of Menomena are about as deserving of success as any.
92/100
What kind of artwork and packaging it comes with is maybe the biggest curiosity for me now, along with how well it ages over the course of the year. But right now, I feel comfortable with this being the best album I've heard of 2010 save for The River Empires.
new video for "The News" rather retro/old-fashioned/period based. I guess this is the 1st of a number of new videos from songs off Stories of Brothers, Tales of Lovers. I suppose making a separate entry when they're all up makes sense.
as for the EP, really quite good. The last 2 tracks "Don't Let Us Bring You Down" and "Spring Romance" have those trademark Bend Sinister crescendos. They do at times like the hammond Supertramp-esque keys, almost to the point where I think I'm hearing Supertramp or another Psych-Pop band from the 70's. I'm not sure how evident that was on especially Broken City, but so be it. I am still pretty optimistic about what they put out next, either later this year or early next. The recording of that and these videos seem to be showing good use for that prize money they won last year.
1. Things Will Get Better
2. Change Your Mind
3. The Little Things
4. Don’t Let Us Bring You Down
5. Spring Romance
good to see the track list, but I'm still not clear on what songs are the live tracks and what songs are studio.
This new ep of theirs drops next Wednesday, June 2nd.
You can hear a new song "Things Will Get Better" on their facebook page already. I'd love to find an official track list soon. I know it's going to have 2 studio songs and 2 or 3 live songs, all of which are unreleased/new.
This interview and live performance is a few months old given the interviewer talks about them *warming* everyone up due to the long, cold winter. But it's a good, thorough interview. Some of the stuff has been posted online in many places, but other things, like their background with John Frusciante (more in detail) and their record deal with roughtrade; how that came about, is discussed. Also some info about the new record is, which is the biggest thing I and I'm sure many others are looking for. The title wasn't mentioned, but they said it is or involves somehow a RIDDLE.
One thing I can say. I should stop liking them, like right now. Every fucking time I see them or watch (or even hear) an interview, I feel like I am falling head over heals in love with maybe all (now) 4 of them, lol. Especially Emily Kokal. It's torture in some ways. Emily, like is there something I can do to make you happy..in any way. Otherwise, here's the deal. You and your beautiful band mates can become the best band in the world, and I'll die. Okay? ;)
Interview:
Emma Caufield whose probably best known for playing Xander's centuries-old demon-turned youthful girlfriend on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, stars in this off-beat romantic dramedy about a society that allows people to get a "timer" inserted onto the inside of their arm. What the timer is supposed to do, is countdown to zero and then within 24 hours you are supposed to meet your soul-mate who also has a timer that has counted down to zero. Within 24 hours you meet them (randomly somehow) and a beeping occurs, letting you know you made contact with them.
Okay, kind of interesting concept. A bit like computer dating in a way. You let some piece of technology let you know who you will love.
But beyond that, there isn't a ton we get to find out about how or why this supposedly works. What is explored beyond that is a character study of relationships. A woman named Oona (Caufield Una Panoona..lol Eddie Murphy SNL, I just had to include this :p) and her sister Steph (Michelle Borth) unlike most of their friends/family and people they see in public; have not had their timers start counting down. Even their newly eligible 14 year old brother has one that only takes him within a few days before he meets his supposed soul-mate. Oona one evening meets a guy named Mikey who works at a grocery store. He has a timer too that is counting down, unlike her and her sister. She ends up hooking up with him despite that fact, figuring what's the harm. It's casual and consensual.
After enjoying his company for a little while past a 1-night stand, Oona and Mikey begin to question the status of their relationship. Then we then find out his timer is a fake. He doesn't believe in them. That is kind of hard for her to take, but like many romantic stories, it doesn't ultimately end up killing their relationship.
Then one day, Oona and her sister want their timers taken off. And when they go to the service to do so, Oona's timer magically starts to countdown after possibly years of being blank. The man her sister is interested at the time also ends up getting a timer at that point, and it matches Oona up with him to create a confused romantic triangle that doesn't seem logical.
The story ends much like your typical Hollywood happy ending. And that among a couple of other parts, namely the lack of explanation behind the timers, are what make this movie more underwhelming than I hoped. I would say, for a movie under the radar, it's not horrible, especially with Caufield and her mother played by Jo Beth Williams. But for the premise, lack of explanation, and a movie that won awards at some of the film festivals, it appears to be somewhat over-rated by those folks.
It has the lite feel of a movie like "Outsourced." Budget-wise as well. Quite b-movie in tone and visuals.
The premise reminds me of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" or even "Broken English" (Parker Posey movie where all her friends are not single, but she is in her mid 30's). But unfortunately the writing isn't close to the caliber of either of those pictures. So, I would recommend seeing those movies before catching this.
A moving story based on a GQ article by Davy Rothbart. The story follows a guy (appropriately named Davy) who writes short stories and reads them in various small towns in New Mexico at bars and coffee houses, with his brother accompanying him. One night he receives an anonymous phone call from a woman in his hotel room. The woman seemingly wants phone sex as a way to break away from her less than satisfying love and sex life with her boyfriend.
This lasts for a number of weeks, and in the process Davy ends up developing feelings for her. But the woman calls from a private number and never gives Davy her phone number.
Their situation ultimately becomes frustrating for Davy and the calling stops. But eventually they reconnect and plan to meet in person. When they do, what happens is not an entirely uncommon situation, especially in the Internet-age of anonymous connections. The woman, Nicole, is actually a man named Aaron. A gay man of course too. As real as the whole thing was for Davy, it still ended up being a fantasy that didn't live up to in reality, everything it gave in the fantasy.
The writing, characters (especially the Davy character played by Brian Geraghty) were very effective. Marguerite Moreau even was good as a support character, as well as Davy's brother Sean, played by Kel O'Neill. And the actor who played Aaron, Euegene Byrd, was rather good in the key final scene. However, as effective as Katie Aselton was doing the voice of Nicole on the phone calls to Davy, I see the casting of her, and her pretty clearly feminine voice, a bit of a stretch. We knew it was a woman on the phone doing the voice. There are men who can do female voices well, but not like the sound of hers. If there is one issue with this picture, it is/was it's casting of her. They could have either had the actor who played Aaron actually do the Nicole voice, or another man do it.
But save for that minor issue, this is as impressive and moving a film as it's been praised for by many in the Independent Cinema industry. And I would very much recommend trying to see it, especially if you or someone you know has ever been involved in an anonymous 2-dimensional relationship. Namely online through instant messaging, email, telephone (like in this story), or even the old fashioned pen-pal process. You may find some relate-ability with seeing this as I can confess to personally doing myself (many years ago especially and thankfully).
