Friday, July 30, 2010

Speaking of excitable new releases..

Sailors With Wax Wings' debut album comes out this Fall..

R. Loren (Pyramids) has assembled a new project together called "Sailors With Wax Wings".

Here's who's involved:
Prurient, Ted Parsons (Swans), Simon Scott (Slowdive), Aidan Baker (Nadja), Vern Rumsey (Unwound), Hildur Gudnnadottir (Fever Ray/Mum), Colin Marston (Krallice), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), and James Blackshaw (Current 93)..(<--yeaaah, this is happening..)

HOO-LLY $4!†

Avey Tare FFFIINNALLLYYY releasing a solo LP!!

Avey Tare's "Down There" comes out October 26th via Paw Tracks.

FINALLY, my favorite Animal Collective member is releasing a full length of his own!! I'm more than excited for this release, it could will be a 2010 favorite..

Here's a song he did a while back called "Crumbling Land"
:


Also, while we're on the subject.. Do you guys remember
the release he did with Kría Brekkan? I don't know how many of you did/can, but I HIGHLY recommend reversing it (the album was released reversed -- so undo that) and listening to it.. Sooooo good!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Cool Video Funtime #183 - Soft Skin

Quality Mixtape find..

Telephoned - Keep Their Heads Ringin'

Sorry, normally I would show the tracklisting on these, but I couldn't find one. Anyways the band Telephoned ends up covering a handful of artists on this release, from Rihanna to Yeasayer to Sleigh Bells to Chromeo and many others. ~njoy;)

The Drums w/Surfer Blood US Tour 2010..

The Drums w/Surfer Blood '10

09-11 Providence, RI - Jerky's Live Music Hall
09-12 Washington, DC - The 9:30 Club
09-13 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
09-15 Atlanta, GA - The Loft
09-17 Orlando, FL - The Social
09-18 Miami, FL - Grand Central
09-19 Tampa, FL - State Theatre
09-20 Gainesville, FL - Common Ground Coffeehouse
09-21 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder
09-23 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's (The Drums ONLY)
09-24 Dallas, TX - The Loft (The Drums ONLY)
09-25 Austin, TX - ND (The Drums ONLY)
09-27 Phoenix, AZ - Clubhouse
09-28 Pomona, CA - Glass House
09-29 Los Angeles, CA - The Music Box
10-01 San Francisco, CA - The Independent (The Drums ONLY)
10-03 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
10-04 Seattle, WA - Neumos (The Drums ONLY)
10-07 Boise, ID - Neurolux
10-08 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
10-10 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
10-13 Minneapolis, MN - The Varsity Theater
10-14 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
10-18 Boston, MA - Paradise (The Drums ONLY)
10-20 New York, NY - Webster Hall
10-22 Philadelphia, PA - Making Time at the Voyeur Nightclub

Seems like a perfect combo for touring..

Check into Green Gerry..

Green Gerry - Odd Tymes (full LP!!)

This album is blowing me away right now, although it may be more well suited for late Fall or Winter time weather, it's f^&%ing amazing. Great Lo-Fi/Alt-Wierdo music in vein of Odawas and The Microphones.

Monday, July 26, 2010

EIC'S10Q'S w/Sally Paradise

"..inventive sounds that will capture your attention from the very first distorted note to the last purring melody. Keyboards, drum machine sounds, a few synths, a guitar, LOTS of distortion pedals, and "tuck me into bed" vocals.."


Sally Paradise
(please see this quote..)

Sally Paradise Bio:
Right so like, this girl called Sally thought about Paradise one day. Conceptually t’was OK, till she attempted to express it in words. For years she toiled away with a dictionary till she heard some fella with a guitar on the street. Alas, she found a manifestation, Sally Paradise. We are grateful for this.



Hello, how are you?
Chittakone: Very well. Thank you.

What are you currently listening to?
Chittakone: Some stuffs by Sublime Frequencies and Anticon, Omar Souleyman, Thaï/Lao Molam and friends from Jeunesse Cosmique crew.
Catherine: I've been really obsessed with Cure and Sonic Youth while doing the album. I've also had a huge crush on Future Islands' new album, Former Ghosts, Nite Jewel, Washed Out and all the Chillwave summer bonbon scene. Right now I'm more into listening over and over again Wilco's "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and old Yo la Tengo and Magnetic Fields albums.

Love the band name, where does it come from?
Catherine: Thanks! It comes from the fascination I had a few years ago for the book "On The Road" by Kerouac. Sal Paradise is the narrator (and Jack himself). I thought that Sally Paradise sounded both like a mysterious name and a really cheap, cheesy one.

Who and/or what influences you the most when it comes to the music you write?
Chittakone: I'm much influenced by guitarists like Thurston Moore, Loren Connors, Fred Firth. I like the way they create and explore new sounds with their guitars. Redefine and deconstruct the music is what I like. I'm also very influenced by images in some movies. I like Werner Herzog, Harmony Korine and Gilles Groulx.
Catherine: The music I'm listening to, the movies I watch... it's a sponge-like process. I guess my love life is a kind of an influence too (sincerely, how couldn't it be?). As for the lyrics, it's an improv with rythm, sounds, anything that pops in my mind. I hate writing lyrics for a purpose, I find the nonsensical ones much more interesting.

How is the music scene in Montreal these days? More specifically, how is the Shoegaze/Dream Pop scene?
Chittakone: There really is no Dream Pop/Shoegaze scene in Montreal. I just think people do what they love. So many styles are mixed to create summer love music.

Your offering your debut “L'Ascension du Mont Shing” for free, can you tell me why you chose that route?
Catherine: I think we discovered the power of Blogspot! I dig out music that way, so many people do too... It's pretty difficult to get your music out there and we'd come to the point when we decided we only wanted to pass the music around, see what happens. I think CD is really important too, the artwork, the object itself... We'll focus on our full album and do something magical.

Now that the EP is out do you plan on touring the US?
Catherine: When we have our full length album, that would be nice! We've thought a lot about how our music could happen live. the band and the songs are always in motion (I have the incredibly annoying way to build a song by instinctively piling a vast amount of tracks of weird synths and beats, rapidly saturating (which can probably be a pain for other members who want to join in...)) I think we've recently found the essence of what could be a live Sally Paradise show. It's like a battle between melody and noise, me being the rythm and the melody and Chi being the destroyer of it all. I guess that way, we could be touring for real.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Catherine: I didn't think i could find an answer to this one but I did. I was just about to fall asleep when it popped into my mind: "The Glow Pt. 2", by The Microphones, for its sincerity, for Phil Elvrum's pure magnificent voice... For me, this album is like having an incredibly perfect moment with nature and emotions, like smelling humid earth on your hands or seeing fog in the morning. I think this album is precious.
Chittakone: In an unreal life I would say Lady Gaga, but I prefer to say ''Disintegration'' by The Cure

Are you living your dream?

Chittakone: As long as I would do music with my friends of Jeunesse Cosmique and with the most charming person in the cosmic world, Catherine, I'll say yes.
Catherine: Oh, how am I supposed to find a better answer than this! Haha! Yes, I suppose I'm on the dream's path.

Thanx Catherine & Chittakone!

Sally Paradise are currently working on a follow up to their debut EP, look for that soon (please?)...

REVIEW: Sally Paradise - L'Ascension Du Mont Shing

7.25 out of 10

Sally Paradise (who's name I love) are a new group hailing from the Montreal area. The kind of music they create can best be classified as hazey/somewhat-cutesy Dream Pop. Fans of Mum, Azeda Booth, Lali Puna, or any other band along those lines should dig this EP. Also, the fact that it's a "pay as you want" release means you have nothing to lose..

"L'Ascension Du Mont Shing", the band's debut release, is filled with inventive sounds that will capture your attention from the very first distorted note to the last purring melody. Keyboards, drum machine sounds, a few synths, a guitar, LOTS of distortion pedals, and "tuck me into bed" vocals make this album a must for those quite evenings when you just want to relax in the dark by candlelight reading a book.

This is a terrific little ep with lot's of heart, quality atmospheres, and soothing distortions which really are soothing & mesmerizing towards the right set of ears. I like it, maybe you will too? PS I think the cover art for this album speaks miles for the music within.

Standout Tracks: My Way Not To Fall (FREE remix HERE), Le Vent Du Mont Shing

Get the new White Rainbow release for $0.00 (that's pretty cheap!)..

White Rainbow - Night Tracer

30+ minutes of improvised music via synthesizer, arpeggiator, electric guitar, and voice, and it's FREE (pay as you want) on the band's Bandcamp site HERE.
Also, while you're there, check out the other releases (which are also FREE).

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Cool Video Funtime #182 - Return To Surrender

REVIEW: Electric Sunset - Electric Sunset

7.75 out of 10
Find it here.

Electric Sunset is the debut solo release of ex-Desolation Wilderness front man Nic Zwart. The history of this project so far is short, but it won't be for long.. The self-titled album will be out September 14th via K Records and I'm fairly positive it will get many friendly remarks from the blogger community. On "Electric Sunset" Mr. Zwart combines elements of Chill Wave with Indie Pop to create a ridiculously pleasing sound that seriously begs to be listened to over and over (and over) again. Fans of good music; this one's for you..

One man, his guitar and a synthesizer. The formula is simple, and quite possibly overdone (nowadays),but Electric Sunset has a way with making it interesting again. Catchy pop melodies (the catchiest), terrific electronic backdrops, mellow male vocals sometimes (generally) distorted, and guitar riffs that leave a stain in your ears after soaking them in the first few times. "Electric Sunset" is one of those albums I have come back to quite a few times ever since I laid ears on it. It's got the perfect amount of Pop, modern Electronic beats, deep bass lines, and non-confrontational vocals. The tracks on this album range from mostly upbeat, to breezy/"surfy", to ultra laid-back yet dancey and somewhat psychedelic. My main complaint, I already want more and I have to wait for it.

Sounds like Toro Y Moi had he leaned towards the poppier side. Very catchy, and a seriously impressive debut. Electric Sunset should please even the pickiest of ear buds. RECOMMENDED.

Standout Tracks: Morning City, Infinity Avenue, Soda, Prayer (what a perfect ender)

REVIEW: Sunglasses - Sunglasses EP

6.75 out of 10
Find it here.

Sunglasses are a new group hailing from Savannah, Georgia. There are two core members in this group; 8000 Bam Bam (umm what?) and Baby Seal (ok, that makes sense?). They met while attending The Savannah School of Arts, 8BB a film maker, Baby Seal a sound designer. After collaborating on a film project the duo decided to make a full time gig out of it. The ending result being a nice (but short) Indie Electronic/Psych album that should be pleasing for fans of MGMT, Animal Collective, and other bands along "those" lines.

The first song on this self-titled EP, "Whiplash", has keyboards, slide whistles, trippy distortions & pleasing vocals, this song could easily be confused as (yet another) Animal Collective tribute track. But more than just another AC rip off band, Sunglasses are a lot "peppier", somewhat stranger (somewhat), and to me a little more "radio friendly". The rest of the album continues in the tradition of kaleidoscopic collage sounds with warm tones, carefree attitudes, and a "beach front" attitude that allows this band to live up to their name.

This is a fun little EP, maybe not mind blowing, but pretty catchy/fun. Good music for hanging outside on a nice warm day I think. "Merriweather Post Pavillion" + going to the beach = Sunglasses first EP. Perhaps their future is bright, so they gotta wear ..shades.. (yeah, lame joke)

Standout Tracks: Whiplash

Friday, July 23, 2010

Info soooooooooooooooooooooooooooon..

This is close, I promise.

Good (free) music laying around the interwebs..(expanded edition)

EverythingIsChemical Presents: School Of Seven Bells w/Active Child Live

Tuesday September 21st 2010
Please come to the show and enjoy some A-MA-ZING Shoegaze as well as good company..

School Of Seven Bells
+
Active Child

= lots of gazed upon shoes..


Look forward to seeing you there..
(The bands + EIC would like to thank you ahead of time for attending:)
& (as always) ~njoy.

Cool Video Funtime #181 - Babe

What's this? A NEW Seefeel album on the way..?!

Seefeel's "Faults" comes out September 21st via Warp.

Niiiiiiiiice!

Neu! US Tour 2010..

Neu! '10

08-04 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's
08-06 New York, NY - Lincoln Center
08-08 Philadelphia, PA - International House of Philadelphia
08-27 Mexico City, Mexico - Polyforum Cultura Siqueiros
08-28 Guadalajara, Mexico - Laboratorio En Arte Variedades
09-04 Monticello, NY - ATP NY
09-07 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center For The Arts
09-08 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
09-10 Detroit, MI - MOCA


Obviously not the original line up, but there are a few guest surprises.. Either way it's Neu! and who would want to pass up the chance to see one of the Godfathers of Kraut LIVE?? See you in Chicago!

Check into Suuns..

Suuns - Zeroe EP (yep, a whole ep!)

Guys, soo sorry on the delay.. My computer got a virus so I had to deal with that (gotta love hackers..) Anyways, make sure to check into these guys. Suuns reminds me of a "looser" Kraut-Rock Jam Band with modern Dance sounds and catchy vocals thrown into the mix, very awesome stuff. All you have to do is give the band your email addy and it's yours FOR FREE! Yay. I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

Monday, July 12, 2010

EIC'S10Q'S w/Pan American

"..dreamy/gentle/misty guitars swimming and drowning in an ocean of static, white noises, slightly audible jazz style drumming, minimal synths, and "Slow-core/down tempo" vocals.."


Pan American
Lackadaisical Milieu

Pan American Bio:
A more beat-oriented solo project for guitarist/vocalist Mark Nelson of Labradford, Pan American debuted with a self-titled album on Chicago's Kranky Records in 1998. Nelson then recorded a track for the British experimentalist-electronic label Fat Cat's Split series, and also played live with pedal-steel genius B.J. Cole. His second Pan American LP, 360 Business/360 Bypass, appeared in early 2000 with collaborations from Chicago trumpeter Rob Mazurek and the members of Low. A series of split CDs followed, including 2001's Personal Settings: Preset 1, and Nelson returned to his full-length efforts with the stripped down 2002 effort The River Made No Sound. Released two years later, Quiet City brought back the textured layers of Pan American's earlier material, while White Bird Release appeared in 2008.



Hello, how are you?
Very well, thank you.

What are you currently listening to?
Some recent listens: Bill Frissell "Inline", Ran Blake "Driftwoods", Supersilent 5, Beach House "Teen Dream", Theo Parrish "First Floor"

Anything new coming up for Pan Am?
No, just laying low for now. Trying to figure out what I like and don't like mostly. So a period of re-evaluation and doing other things. This is probably the first time I haven't had a record in process (or a burning desire to have one going) in ten or fifteen years.

When you create you music is it all “mood based”? By that I mean “White Bird Release” was pretty melancholy and somewhat dark, whereas “360 Business/360 Bypass” was a little more mechanical and dub-y. What, if any, was your mood for these albums when you made them?
The music is not really reflective of my mood at the time of making it, it's reflective of maybe larger picture
things going on in my life, though. So good moods, "dark'" moods they come and go and ultimately settle into a musty puddle of low-level, unfocused discontent in other words, I'm like just about everyone else! but the records hopefully reflect the better angels of time and space, and aren't day to day reflections of how I'm feeling.

Out of all your release which one are you most proud of?

Second Labradford record, first Pan American. Both for personal reasons, not necessarily musical ones.

What are the chances of Labradford ever seeing the light of day again? Care to explain what happened?

Nothing happened except our lives moved in different directions. We're all still friends and talk often (although carter lives in Madrid and I haven't had much contact with him lately) but I probably talk or email with Bobby once or twice a week. the fun part of the band was being together in the same city and the music being a daily part of life. we tried the long distance thing and found it very unsatisfying. I'm pretty dubious about the idea of sending things back and forth and working more or less independently. Labradford was always a live band, I think when that stopped happening the band stopped making sense to us. But who knows, the future is unwritten, as they say.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
I don't know if I can answer this. You might have to flesh out the scenario in which this circumstance has come to pass a bit more. If it's some sort of post-apocalypse living in a underground shelter thing- music would probably make the situation worse. If I were in solitary confinement on a prison island off the coast of Newfoundland, I'd probably be too busy wallowing in self pity to concentrate on a record.

Are you living your dream?

I'm pretty sure I'm awake.

Thanx Brian & Mark!

Pan American is currently (hopefully) working on a follow up to 2009's "White Bird Release" look for that in the near future...