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Download the new Autolux single “AUDIENCE No. 2″ for free. Or pay. Whatever.

May 15, 2008 – 2:44 pm

Autolux - Audience No. 2

 

Hey guys, it’s been a while. I’ve been real busy and am ashamed that I’ve completely neglected you for so long. But I hope that it at least brings you any peace of mind to know that I haven’t just been working myself to near-fatal exhaustion, buying too many records, and spending my retirement fund on gas. I’ve also spent it on tickets to the following (totally epic) shows:

 

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Cat Power, Spiritualized, and the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl on September 17th, My Bloody Valentine at the Santa Monica Civic Center on October 1st, and Stereolab at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa on September 20th.

 

Oh and just today I downloaded the new single, AUDIENCE NO.2 from Autolux for free. Note: FROM Autolux. That also means it was legal. Yea yea yea, I know you can download the same song on their myspace (for the small price of not free), but for some reason I’m on their mailing list and they sent me an email today to tell me I should go to this link to download it, cause, and I quote, “the song is a much better quality than the download from the autolux myspace page. it is not an mp3. <——- which means better.”

 

Being the lazy (and, more recently, not as broke) deadbeat that I am, I didn’t opt to pay the suggested $1 for the zipped wav file of “AUDIENCE NO. 2″ that is the pot of gold at the end of this rainbow.

 

I guess that means you don’t have to, either.

 

Rainbow

 

(MP3) Autolux - AUDIENCE No. 2

By c4 | Posted in music, new releases | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Suicide Documentary Currently in Production

May 4, 2008 – 8:51 pm

Alan Vega & Martin Rev in front of CBGB\'s

 

Like three years ago when I was in college I took this class called “New York City Punk 1975-1980″ and I got to write a 12 paged paper on Suicide. It came out pretty well but I’ll be damned if it wasn’t a total bitch, dude. There were literally NO books about them so I got to do all this crazy independent research and came up on ancient copies of the Village Voice. I also bought countless, weird documentaries just to watch 30 seconds of an interview with or about Alan Vega or Martin Rev, and most of them didn’t even end up being useful. Now there’s plenty of information out there on the band, including a documentary on the way. Why couldn’t they have finished this like six years ago? Whatever. The paper was good. Maybe I’ll send it to you if you ask real nice. The following videos are trailers from two of the documentaries I bought/watched/didn’t use to write this paper/totally kept anyway.

 

There’s an interview with Thurston Moore about the time he drove from Connecticut to NYC just to go to CBGB’s and he ended up getting there 4 hours early, but he got to see Suicide live. Apparently Alan Vega would smash people’s drinks and whip a chain around his head, and by the end of the set he had (what was left of) the audience hiding behind tables that they’d turned on their sides in fear. The interview is buried deep within the 9 or so hours of the Thrill Jockey Anniversary DVD, Looking For A Thrill: An Anthology of Inspiration. Trailer:

 

This documentary, Modulations, ended up being ten thousand times cooler than I’d anticipated, and it didn’t even have the footage that I was promised. It’s cool though, I kept it anyway. (Try to ignore the kids with pacifiers in their mouths):

 

(MP3) Suicide - Frankie Teardrop


(MP3) Suicide - 96 Tears

 

Buy stuff here.

By c4 | Posted in music, news | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

At Mount Zoomer A Little Early

May 4, 2008 – 1:52 pm

Wolf Parade Mount Zoomer

 

Hell yes. Wolf Parade’s follow up to 2005’s Apologies To The Queen Mary has arrived early. Only days after officially changing the title of the album from Kissing The Beehive to the supercool-sounding, At Mount Zoomer, the wait has ended.

 

AND LET ME TELL YOU. It was worth the wait.

 

Every song on here is an instant catch. The guys follow roughly the same structure as Apologies, with Spencer and Dan alternating about every other track on vocals. With both of their side projects fully established now, you get the sense that these guys have something to prove to each other. The album feels sorta like an intense competition for best song, and man, does it make for one great album There’s no spacey, drawn out “Same Ghost Every Night” or “Dinner Bells” here. Every song is concise and fully realized. Imagine if you will a 9-track album of songs like “Shine A Light” and “I’ll Believe In Anything.” The song writing is more polished and everyone sounds a lot more confident. Though Isaac Brock is absent from production this time around, the signature clash of whizzing keyboards and strong guitars is still there. I can’t say enough about this album. It literally took me an hour to decide which tracks to post here because every single one is amazing.

 

Believe me when I say, Wolf Parade have returned.

 

(MP3) Wolf Parade- Soldier’s Grin
(MP3) Wolf Parade- Language City
(MP3) Wolf Parade- California Dreamer
(MP3) Wolf Parade- Fine Young Cannibals
Pre-order “At Mount Zoomer” here.

By mttmcgrgr | Posted in album reviews, music, new releases | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Portishead Overload

April 30, 2008 – 2:30 pm

 

Sure, I was excited at the thought of a new Portishead release. But it was going to take more than a record for me to believe they were really back. The new album (Third, released yesterday in the states) was merely a declaration of Portishead’s long-awaited return. Their Coachella performance was the affirmation.

 

Although I was only able to attend Coachella on Saturday, I say with confidence that Portishead’s performance was by far the best of the night (sorry Prince), and speculate that it may have been the best performance of the entire three days.

 

I think it was either Geoff Barrow or Adrian Utley who merely uttered, “…thanks for waiting,” at the end of the set, and these were the only words spoken by the band the entire time they were on stage. In a way, they were also the only words that needed to be said. When the set was over I didn’t care that I’d had to stand in the face-melting-heat for hours. I didn’t care that I wasn’t going to see The Verve. I didn’t care about any other show I’d ever missed. I didn’t even care that I had waited nearly 7 years to see Portishead perform live. It was at once the single, most completely inspiring and mind-blowing show I’ve ever seen, and I’m totally bummed that it’s over.

 

Now for the nitty-gritty: Read More »

By A. Bomb | Posted in live reviews, music | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Album Previews: New Stereolab, Ladytron, Silver Jews (mp3)

April 28, 2008 – 11:16 pm

Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
This one’s gonna be short & sweet.

 

I guess that either Stephen Malkmus or Silver Jews are coming out with a new record in June, and it’s called “Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea.” The reason why I thought it was Stephen Malkmus is cause that’s what Insound.com tried to tell me, but when I played the album in iTunes they said it was Silver Jews, which is what it sounds like to me. Anyway, it’ll be out on June 14th via Drag City, and I really like this song a lot right now:
(MP3) Silver Jews - We Could Be Looking For The Same Thing

 

 

Remember how I told you guys about the new Stereolab? Ok well now I can let you hear it. This one’s hot off the press. The song’s called ‘Three Women’ and it’s off the forthcoming Stereolab record, “Chemical Chords,” which comes out in August on 4AD.
(MP3) Stereolab - Three Women

 

 

And finally, I’m sure you’ve all had a chance or twenty to hear ‘Black Cat’ off of Ladytron’s upcoming album, “Velocifero” (Nettwerk, June 3rd). The last track features Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode and is pretty damn good, as far as Ladytron is concerned; in my (not so humble) opinion I think it’s the best track on the album. And yes, that does mean I have the whole thing. Now go tell all your friends.
(MP3) Ladytron - Versus

 

 

Stare at them on the internet until they’re available for pre-order:

ladytron-velocifero-album-cover
By c4 | Posted in music, new releases | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

John & Jehn give love a bad name.

April 27, 2008 – 2:17 pm

John & Jehn

 

I have a hangover and I really don’t envy those of you who are at Coachella right now. Why? Cause it’s 96 degrees in Tustin so I can only imagine how hellacious the heat is in Indio. Bad enough to warrant usage of the word ‘hellacious’. Which apparently isn’t even a real word. Look what you make me do.

 

Anyway, I thought I’d share something with those of you who aren’t full of beer and being microwaved by the desert sun today: John & Jehn. I first heard John & Jehn on Friday when I wasn’t supposed to be screwing around on myspace, and they literally made me jump out of my office chair. I’m not sure if it REALLY warrants that much excitement, but I always get stoked when I find new music that’s actually GOOD. Anyway yea I got a little too stoked about it and actually gasped with excitement. Everyone in the office stared at me like I was crazy, but I wasn’t even embarassed. That means I dig it. You will too.

 

John & Jehn are the cutest thing since Pebbles & Bam Bam, and The Line of Best Fit wasn’t just being really, really cheesey when they wrote that John & Jehn’s music was “like darts from cupid”. If you like Suicide and the Jazz Butcher and LSD and harmonicas and couples who are so fucking cute that they seriously make you want to yak, then this will be your favorite thing ever. If you don’t like those things I feel bad for you. Except for the LSD part. I don’t really like that stuff either.

 

Moving on.

 

These tracks are from their April 23rd Faculty Music release, called, simply, “John & Jehn”. If you like what you hear you can listen to the whole thing by clicking these blue words, and you can buy it by clicking these other blue words.

 

(MP3) John & Jehn - Make your mum be proud

 

(MP3) John & Jehn - 20 L O7

By c4 | Posted in fantastic picks, music | Tags: , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Stereolab Release “Chemical Chords” in August

April 24, 2008 – 9:51 pm

Stereolab

 

Although they haven’t been absent for nearly as long as Portishead, The Breeders, or Eno & Byrne, I’m psyched because I just heard that a new Stereolab record comes out at the end of this summer. It’s true, guys, and I’m kind of at a loss for words because of it. I said kind of. The nitty gritty: Stereolab’s new album is called Chemical Chords, and will be released on August 18th by 4AD. I smell tour. Obviously.

 

Until I get ahold of it, let’s get nostalgic with a track off Emperor Tomato Ketchup:

 

(MP3) Stereolab - Motoroller Scalatron

 

Buy old Stereolab here.

 

By c4 | Posted in music | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments (1)

FFFFFleet FFFFoxes

April 24, 2008 – 1:28 pm

Fleet Foxes

 

Note: I really have to thank C4 for introducing me to my new favorite band, Fleet Foxes (who are Robin Pecknold, Casey Wescott, Craig Curran, Nicholas Peterson, and Skye Skjelset).

 

The band’s debut EP, “Sun Giant” is a perfect introduction to Sub Pop’s new baby and leaves enough anticipation for the eponymous LP (scheduled for a June 3rd release). “Sun Giant” is filled with beautiful tonal shifts, sweeping harmonies, and echoes of the past.

 

The Seattle based quintet have been quickly lumped in with a bunch of (really great) alt-country, reverb-heavy bands, and not-so-accurately compared to My Morning Jacket and (Sub Pop label-mates) Blitzen Trapper (Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper tour dates here!)–all totally valid comparisons, but I feel like Fleet Foxes are extremely reminiscent of classics like Fleetwood Mac, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Band, and even Simon and Garfunkel. Fleet Foxes take me back to better days. You know, the lazy ones where all you really wanna do is lay in the park and enjoy the breeze.

 

(MP3) Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant


(MP3) Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant (Live in Chicago, 4/14/2008)

 

Want more? Head over to Daytrotter.com
to hear the Fleet Foxes sessions.

 

And thanks to Ohmpark.comfor the bootleg. Click that link to download the rest of the show.

 

Preorder “Sun Giant” from insound.

By A. Bomb | Posted in music, rants | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

My Life in the Bush of WTF???

April 21, 2008 – 10:17 pm

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Brian Eno and David Byrne

 

So THIS is what happens when I get busy, hmm? I forget to check my feeds for like 2 weeks and apparently David Byrne tells NME that he has just finished a new record with a one Mr. Brian Eno, and the duo plans to tour sometime in the near future. I’m not gonna taint this one with my stupid comments, guys. I’m only gonna tell you that Byrne has reportedly said that it sounds like “electronic gospel” and that it will supposedly be released before the end of 2008 on Nonesuch Records. See the rest yourselves:

 

Story via NME.com
Story via Drowned in Sound
Story via NY Daily News

 

No tunes with this one. If you haven’t heard 1981’s Eno/Byrne release, “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts” this is me forcing you to go buy it. At a real store.

By c4 | Posted in music, news | Tags: , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

I accidentally downloaded the new NO AGE for free. All of it.

April 21, 2008 – 3:43 am

NO AGE - Nouns (Sub Pop 2008)

 

But I’m not gonna tell you where. See cause it comes out on May 6th, which clearly isn’t for another 2 weeks. But here’s what I will do. I’ll post a couple tracks (other than the ONLY one you can find ANYWHERE, Eraser) and we’ll see where that takes us. Rest assured, though, the record is good. And I’m being as non-descript as possible.

 

(MP3) No Age - Miner

 

(MP3) No Age - Teen Creeps

 

(MP3) No Age - Things I Did When I Was Dead

 

(MP3) No Age - Brain Burner

 

Pre order the record from Sub Pop here.

By c4 | Posted in music | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)