Here at THE VINYL DISTRICTwe're good consumers. All Mp3's are posted to promote and give exposure to the music and are linked for a limited time. Please download to preview, then head promptly to your local vinyl vendor (or - OK, CD store too) and fork over your hard earned cash. You'll appreciate the piece of mind.
Got something you think we should be listening to or reading? thevinyldistrict (at) gmail.com
They say there are rarely any ‘re-do’s in life. You live with your decisions and deal with the consequences. Count the losses, grim up, and move on. Fake a smile ‘til you’re not faking any longer.
That is, until ebay.
Back in ‘84 I sold my entire comic collection. Hundreds and hundreds of well worn compatriots were dashed off for what I recall to be a mere $85. Muscle men in colored spandex making way for the fairer sex, I’m guessing. I needed to look sharp, man.
Yet, like the flicking of your tongue over a tooth that’s been extracted, their absence was quite tangible over the years. Absences have shapes, y’see and the chasm was growing deeper and wider.
Fast forward to a glorious ebay rating of 824—chunks of my collection often replaced in one sweet, sweet auction win. (“You’ve been outbid by repressedchildhood751...”)
Actually, I have more comics—thousands more, than I do records. And I have a shit-TON of records.
TVD’s simple aesthetic #3: The scent of ink on paper.
This summer I received a decorated envelope that gave me that picked for the team feeling. Inside was the latest album, Tarpits in Canyonlands, from a North Carolina-based band called Bombadil. My first listen through the album felt like a hearty four-season long jaunt through a foreign land where men wear fedoras and drive wagons and women spend the days tending fields with their children tied firmly to their backs. Funnily enough, the band claims one of its inspirations came from a trip taken along "the so-called World's Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia." TVD caught up with Bombadil member Bryan recently to get the low down on the band (comprised of members Daniel (bass/piano/saxophone/vocals/songwriter), James (drums/vocals/songwriter), Stuart (piano/trumpet/vocals/songwriter) and Bryan (guitar/vocals/songwriter) and what they're currently up to.
TVD: So first off- how did you get started? Bryan: Though we didn't realize the irony at the time, one starting point for the band was on a trip down the so-called World's Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia. Daniel and I were debating whether the Rolling Stones or Pink Floyd was a better live band. We decided to start making recordings and one thing led to another. Our first show as 'Bombadil' happened in March 2005 in our university's dining hall.
TVD: How would you describe your sound? A friend once called it arena folk, and that's probably not too far off. I'd say all of our songs are rooted in folk music, or at least the concept behind folk music -- we start by trying to tell stories about the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in as human beings...about how we relate to each other, about our expectations, about the eccentricities that we all have, about what happens next. At the end of the day, we're just trying to make music we would like to hear.
TVD: Your band is based in North Carolina—what, if any, influence does the Tarheel State have on the music you create and how you perform? One of the great parts about living in the Triangle [the region of North Carolina that is anchored by the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill] is that there's a quality local show playing just about every night. There's always someone with good ideas, good songs, good chops, or just good old-fashioned charisma playing practically in your backyard. It's a great place to learn, to get inspired, and to have a good time.
TVD: Your first LP, A Buzz A Buzz, came out two years ago, and your most recent LP, Tarpits in Canyonlands, was released this past summer. I've noticed a more refined and polished sound on Tarpits but you have managed to maintain the dichotomous sounds of playfulness and solemness heard on the first album- do you feel with this new album a need to evolve a little or are you just exploring and expanding on the sounds your fans associate you with? One big change we were able to make with Tarpits was setting aside a nice chunk of time to work on the thing. When we recorded Buzz we were all juggling day jobs, plus touring on most weekends. When we went into record Tarpits, we had left the dayjobs behind. We carved out a solid month to hone all the arrangements and practice beforehand, and then we had three straight weeks in the studio really focus on making a record.
The extra shows and endless hours in the car since recording the first disc also meant we'd gotten a little better at our instruments and knew better how to communicate with each other. It also helped that Scott Solter is a completely brilliant engineer. I think the playful solemnness you mention will probably always be part of who we are as a band, but musically, we'll always be looking for new alleys or passageways to wander upon.
TVD: I know that Daniel was diagnosed with tendinitis which halted tour plans for a while—any updates? Back in 2007, Daniel started feeling pain in his wrists after playing. Over the next year and a half, it progressed and became a bigger and bigger problem until he realized in May of this year that he would have to completely stop playing — indefinitely. He's made some progress since then, but it looks like he still has a ways to go before be able to perform. So as of yet, no shows are scheduled. But we're still writing new tunes and plotting out how and when to make the next release.
Although there is no tour in the works yet, the band just recently released a new video for its song So Many Ways To Die , and their albums are all available online to keep your pallate wet until such time when they are able to roll through your town.
We're back again with another guest blog from our buddies at ThinkIndie.com. This week we're gonna get a little more involved in how ThinkIndie works with the great stores around the US and how we're trying to help bridge the gap between vinyl and digital with a new "format" that we have on the site.
Currently, the digital side of ThinkIndie has 48 stores represented by two store coalitions, CIMS and AIMS. We will be expanding to represent more and more stores as we move into 2010. We wanted to start it off with a tight group of stores until we worked out any kinks, since downloads were uncharted waters for brick and mortar stores. We couldn't just jump in head first without knowing how deep the water really is. We give each store its own page on the site, with a description and photo, as well as letting each store pick albums to feature.
The great part of this is that each store is an "affiliate" of the site so anyone that comes to the ThinkIndie digital site from a link on a store's website or social sites gets locked into that store and a percentage of every purchase they make goes right back to that store. That means buying digital files online now directly benefits your favorite record store. It's something we've been working on for almost 5 years now because we wanted something the customers of the stores would enjoy and make sure the stores were taken care of. Like Tony said in last week's blog, we come from record stores and want to make this digital site just that, a record store. It's how REAL record stores do digital.
Now about that "format" I was talking about earlier. It's something we like to call the Mp33.3 as it's just that, an Mp3 made directly from an LP. Yeah, they have players out there that will plug into your computer via USB, but those players don't cost 70k. You read that right, the turntable we use to make our files cost 70k, the drive alone is 10k. We don't mess around when it comes to quality for our customers—we went with the highest quality Mp3 we could right off the bat. We've only done a few so far (Cheyenne Mize & Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Rachel Grimes, Phantom Family Halo). Each one of these titles were released on limited run vinyl.
Our goal is to get those type of releases that have only been released as vinyl pieces to be done up as Mp33.3 files. Now you may be saying to yourself, "Why not just make Mp3 files from the original masters rather than rip them from vinyl?" Good question, but we feel it's best to keep with the "vinyl only" concept of the release to keep those pops and crackles in the audio of the Mp3. The files just sound warmer when they are recorded off an LP and converted to digital rather than trying to add that warmth in a studio with an audio program. On top of that, the way in which audio is mastered is different for CD/Mp3 than it is for vinyl so the band/producers would have to go back and master a copy for digital. Give one of 'em a listen and see how nice these recordings sound, lughole stimulation is always guaranteed.
So there ya go, a little more info about how ThinkIndie.com and your favorite local indie record stores are working together to not only keep record stores alive and well, but to bring in a new way of shopping for those who do enjoy the digital side of life.
Shrinebuilder - S/T This band has been talked about for a few years now, but they just released their first album. Band features Wino (Hidden Hand/Saint Vitus/Spirit Caravan/The Obsessed), Al Cisneros (Sleep/Om), Scott Kelly (Neurosis/Tribes Of Neurot) and Dale Crover (Melvins). With a lineup like this, you know it's going to be brutal. Another one of my favorite albums to have come out this year.
Reverend Horton Heat - Laughin & Cryin With The Reverend Horton Heat It has been five years since the good ol' Reverend graced us with any new music and the wait was well worth it. Laughin & Cryin is a little more country than rock n roll but it's still got the wild feel that ever RHH album has. Song like "Ain't No Saguaro In Texas," "Please Don't Take The Baby To The Liquor Store" and "Just Let Me Hold My Paycheck" are obvious that the Rev and company are still having lots of fun playing music. This is the first album with with "new" drummer Paul Simmons who has played on almost every Legendary Shack Shakers albums. I call em "new" cause he's been playing with the band since around 2006 so he's not so new anymore.
Manchester Orchestra - Mean Everything To Nothing We have a very special exclusive release that just came out this week. It's the newest Manchester Orchestra album, but it also comes with seven bonus tracks that was recorded at Park Ave in Orlando, FL on June 4th, 2009. This is another example of how Think Indie is working with all the stores out there to provide cool items for fans. If you're not a fan of digital downloads you can always go to one of the stores featured on the digital site and buy the album to get a download card for the bonus tracks.
Various Artists - Warp20 (Chosen) & Warp20 (Recreated) Warp Records out of the UK just celebrated it's 20th anniversary. One of the ways they celebrated was with 2 compilations from different artists on the label. The first was Warp20 (Chosen) which features 10 songs that were chosen by fans on the Warp website. The next 14 tracks on the release were chosen by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett as his favorite tracks to have been released by Warp Artists. The other comp that was released was Warp20 (Recreated) which features current and past artist from the Warp roster remixing and covering other Warp artists. It's a really cool release and it's quite nice to hear these songs you've know for a while in a completely different way.
I thought it pretty funny for a while that it seemed everywhere I looked, people of a certain age were dressing like Bobby Brady was a legitimate style and fashion icon. I dig the 70’s like the next person (I think?) but the peg-legged Toughskins look with the Chucks just seemed a little...silly to me.
Fast forward an hour or so later and the 80’s have been back (and probably morphing into something else literally as I type this...) which cracks me up too because it’s not the ‘best’ of the ‘80’s look, but the look sported by every douchebag I loathed in high school. (Right – lingering issues.) The Members Only jackets...and the boat shoes...BOAT shoes. I swear if I see lacing on the SIDES of shoes, it’s all I can do to not haul off on someone.
(And while I’m at it, if we’re not at the beach or the pool, gentlemen...I should not be seeing feet. Warm weather does not = f’n feet season.)
TVD’s simple aesthetic #2: Footwear of distinction.
You've really got to hand it to Hugh Hefner. I mean, he's turned some men's singular pursuit—naked ladies—into a sophisticated, urbane endeavor replete with dapper attire, a haughty worldliness, an appreciation for the finer arts, with a taste for the unique and refined. Wiiiith naked ladies.
Take a look at these genre-bending exercises for a taste of that hip sophistication:
As TVD ages gracefully and evolves, I find myself telling people in conversation that The Vinyl District and its sensibilities, while all about vinyl and record stores, allows for a bit of an aesthetic that I like to apply to certain things beyond the initial goal posts.
I'm sure Hef said to himself at some point, "Well, what do I do AFTER I bed that millionth blonde? And brunette. Perhaps I head out for a drink? Or maybe I should read a book? I DO need a new pair of pajamas...hm..."
Because I, we, all dig vinyl and record stores and going to shows but there's more ink in the well, more depth on the bench, and to be relegated to that one note is frankly a bit un-Hef-like.
Over the course of the week, our daily 5 will be a bit of an homage to all things outside of the vinyl pursuits which in some collective manner shall evolve into some TVD-type aesthetic.
So, when I'm not here in the masturbatorium, er..."TVD HQ" ...you'll find me at the first on our aesthetic list:
By now we're thinking you know the drill: be the first to choose the show you want to see at Comet by calling it out in the comments to this post—and a pair of tickets is yours. One winner per show too. Easy, right?
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 ArmChairs / Exit Clov / Circadian Rhythms Armchairs The Armchairs stand up for the hungry kids. Playing together since February 2008, this unlikely quartet puts on intense live shows that feature (but are not limited to) readings from the communist manifesto, hot dog costumes, light-up helmets, abrupt tempo changes, and audience participation. Drawing influence from bands such as The Kinks, The Zombies, Deerhoof, and Ween, The Armchairs have only just begun to unleash their fury on the unsuspecting public. Two DIY tours of the eastern seaboard, countless regional & NYC gigs (Pianos, Lit Lounge, Union Pool, Death by Audio, official CMJ 2009 showcase at Local 269) and a 10 song demo later, they are hard at work finishing their debut LP, "Science & Advice."
Exit Clov Exit Clov is a band from Washington, D.C. We write songs inspired by the madness of our city. Tunes of resistance, ennui and societal idiocy—music for 21st century kids. Our name, a tribute to Samuel's Beckett's "Endgame," is both a call to arms and a personal manifesto. We share a wide range of influences from Blondie to Bartok but most of all we love a good hook. Consider our choruses a respite from the soundbite society we live in. Someone once called us "kaleidoscopic pop noir," we think that sounds pretty cool.
Circadian Rhythms Circadian Rhythms LP are in the midst of putting out an untitled EP with an independent philly label called EARSNAKE. The Circadian Rhythms work to blend all of their different influences into one body cohesively and this has been said about them, "From dark delta steez to kaleidoscopic soul, The Circadian Rhythms are a wholly unique if not slightly schizophrenic musical organism."—John "wrath of the math" Morrison.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 State Department / Imperial China / Deutschmarks State Department State Department are a super group that is newly formed and has members of heavy hitters Ra Ra Rasputin, Spiritual Machine, and Black and White Jacksons. Patrick Kigongo, is either a wind-talker of guitar technology, or the Haley Joel Osment of indie-pop–he talks to ghosts of Echo and the Bunnymen and Felt with noisy, surfy riffs that glide along the steady, insistent drums parts. Michael Medlock keeps his vocals angry and personal, which is a lot better than sassy and sarcastic. With sparklers ignited, the group even takes it way back to the Velvet Underground’s iconic song Waiting for the Man, a number that turned into an orgiastic crowd-participation sort of thing when just about anybody was allowed onstage, and just about anybody was allowed to have a microphone.
Imperial China "It would [be a mistake to think] that Imperial China is a straight-up rehash of its musical forebears... From a dynamics perspective, the three instruments constantly change allegiances, occasionally veering off in three different directions at once. But the end result is always cohesive—and, more importantly, contemporary." - Washington City Paper, July 2008.
"Imperial China, a trio from DC, carry on the city's long and proud legacy of slashing, experimental post-punk that's equally brainy and ballsy. They create fierce grooves, turn on a dime, throw some weird electronic flourishes in for good measure, and shimmy about on stage like they took dancing lessons from Guy Picciotto." - Philadelphia Weekly, January 7, 2009.
Deutschmarks Deutschmarks is Chris DeWitt's solo music project. The live group includes members of DC bands Pree, Frau Eva and Wild Fictions. Deutschmarks sits on a pier of pulsing rhythms and and freewheeling melodies and throws little pebbles of misplaced nostalgia and Catholic mysticism into a big ol salty sea. Owing as much to early Who and CCR as he does to Les Savy Fav and Jens Lekman, helmsman Chris DeWitt barks and hollers and croons his way through a lively and energetic set of barn-burners
One of our favorite DJ nights, Rick and Brandon’s We Fought The Big One returns this evening AND with a special live event tomorrow night. Some details from Rick’s press release:
The stew has been brewing for awhile now, but this weekend makes it official: “We Fought the Big One” is expanding beyond the monthly confines of the Marx Cafe to include special live shows that will take place at DC-area venues!
Needless to say, we couldn't be more excited. To tie in with this Friday's dj night at the Marx, Brandon and I have curated a unique live event at the Velvet Lounge which will take place Saturday evening.
Brooklyn's Outpost, a relatively new band that features Stuart Argabright from Factory Records' act Ike Yard, Mark C from Live Skull and Kent Heine from Holy Ghost, will be our guest djs Friday evening at the Marx and performing Saturday at the Velvet.
All three members of Outpost have an unabashed obsession with J.G. Ballard. The group's eerie sounds, which teeter between song and ambience, structure and formlessness, confirm that the collective agenda here is to make music as evocative and atmospheric as Ballard's unimitable prose. We encourage you to hear for yourself.
Also on Saturday night’s bill areDC’s Screen Vinyl Image, The Plums, and our pal Blue Sausage Infant!
Brandon, who also writes TVD’s Musique Non Pop, has assembled ten tracks for us this weekend to set the mood:
Ike Yard - Loss (Mp3) For a synth band set down in the middle of trendy 1982, these guys didn’t groove along with much of their native NYC club scene. Neither did they march along with all the dispossessed children of the European New Wave musical Cold War. Instead Ike Yard oozed with a sort of funky menace. Something that bands wouldn’t relearn how to do until the 90’s. From their “1980-82 Collected” CD available on Acute Records.
Live Skull - Corpse (Mp3) Unfortunately mostly overlooked when the New York No-Wave scene is discussed, Live Skull is in desperate need of a good reissue program. Perhaps people misunderstood them because of their later (excellent) work with Thalia Zedek, which would be a shame. This song is from a classic Tellus compilation cassette released in 1983.
Skat - Just a Word (Mp3) Shifting gears, Skat were a short-lived later incarnation of Brighton, UK’s The Chefs (themselves short lived.) Fronted by the wonderful (and wonderfully named) Helen McCookerybook, this is an unreleased song taken from a Peel Session circa 1983.
Furious Apples - Belladonna (Mp3) This band was from Coventry, UK and released only a few singles and a couple of songs on a compilation before disappearing. Reminds me for all the world of Creation band, Felt or a little bit of The Church. From a 1983 single.
49 Americans - Don’t Sing The Blues (Mp3) 49 Americans went from the worst of the best late 70’s East London DIY, amateur, charming scruffy and funny as hell bands to a band suddenly playing with serious avant-garde types like David Toop and Steve Beresford. This is what they decided to do with their new situation. From their 1981 E Pluribus Unum LP.
Occult Chemistry - Water (Flexi Version) (Mp3) A one off band made up of members of Twilight Zoners from Cardiff, Wales and Martha Tilson who would later end up in A Certain Ratio for a short while as their singer. This is taken from the latest Messthetics compilation put out by Chuck Warner and his wonderful Hyped2Death Label. To say that the Messthetics compilations have changed We Fought The Big One’s musical lives is an understatement.
Strike Under - Sunday Night Disorientation (Mp3) Chicago’s Strike Under only lasted for this one 12” single before disintegrating in to Breaking Circus, Naked Raygun and later Pegboy. This is considered important in some circles as far as the evolution of Chicago Punk is concerned. It is also the first record on Wax Trax! Records. 1981. Sorry for the crappy transfer and minor skipping. It's vinyl and this is why we love it.
B-People - Give Up (Mp3) Another criminally forgotten band (of course they are,) Alex Gibson’s B-People from LA only lasted a few years in the early 80’s. They traded in music that was artfully jaded, distant but not foreboding and sometimes even moving. Take for example Mr. Gibson’s delivery of the line “My heart’s not in it anymore.” Simple, but it gets me every time. Circa 1981 or about there and originally on a cassette compilation.
Snatch - Hey Joey (Mp3) Snatch were two ladies from New York, Patti Palladin and Judy Nylon whom left and moved to the UK in the early 70’s. They started off as rather thrashy punkettes, but gradually started to develop their sound. This song was recorded in 1977(!!!!) and released on a single. I swear this has everything to do with Brian Eno as they were working with him at the time, but can’t find any confirmation of such. Desperately needs a re-release.
Conrad Schnitzler - Gelb 1 (Mp3) German avant-garde composer type started musical life in the early 70’s in a band called Eruption before moving on to his own solo work. This track was recorded in 1974 (again !!!!!!) and was only on cassette originally before being re-released a few times since.
The third edition of Story/Stereo is TONIGHT. Co-curator Matt Byars gives us an overview...
"I was going to write about Zomes' show tonight for Story/Stereo #3 at the Writer's Center in Bethesda (8:00 PM, with authors Dylan Landis and Brian Gilmore), but I'm coming up blank. After full days of explaining things to 6th graders (I'm a middle school teacher), I treasure things that don't need explanation, and that elude language; Zomes fit the bill.
Their "Fig Newtons of grainy Krautrock" (as described by one reviewer), just are, in the simplest sense of the word; what could I say that would embellish that? I admit that the backstory builds interest — Asa Osborne, who effectively is Zomes, is best-known for his work in the legendary Dischord outfit Lungfish — but shut off the critique and comparison parts of your temporal lobe and just let Zomes' gritty, swirling drones wash over you." —Matt
“It’s so hot my bass is sweating!” This sentiment echoed by Elvis Perkins’ bass player, Mr. Brigham Brough at last nights show at Rock n Roll Hotel, wasn’t a far stretch from the truth. I can describe this show in three short phrases: a) hot b) crowded and c) folk-gospel. Yep, that’s about it.
So I might be a bit biased in writing this review since in recent years my musical tastes have outgrown the folky likes of Wilco and Bright Eyes and have evolved to a more electronic persuasion. However, I shall do my best to maintain impartiality.
Although it may not be my cup of tea, it is clear that Elvis and the crew are definitely not lacking on fans, as this was the most crowded show I’ve been to at the Hotel. The Hotel consisted of quite the young, innocent and flannel-clad audience, many of whom admitted (once asked by Perkins) to seeing Perkins recently at Club Iota in Virginia. The progression from Iota to an overloaded Rock n Roll suggests Mr. Perkins is moving right up the ladder to… could it be?... 930 club stardom? I guess we shall see.
To begin the show Perkins and his troupe of heavily-bearded band members entered from the back of the venue, forcing the already tight crowd to get a little bit tighter, as their brass procession made its way to the stage. Many of Perkins’ songs evoke visions of a rainy New Orleans funeral procession (I may have fallen asleep with my eyes open once or twice…) except those in which the drummer busted out his big ass drum and threw a more funky-vibe into the mix (which was awesome). At the end of the show, Elvis so graciously took requests from the audience and immediately played not one but TWO encores. He then told the crowd to meet him upstairs for drinks or ‘a pat on the back’, whichever they preferred.
So bottom line, I can’t say anything about the band themselves, and you folky cats would have definitely enjoyed it.
You can tell when a bit’s falling flat usually by midweek...like this one is.
I tell ya, the vinyl collectors and the blog frequenters are one quiet bunch. Hundreds and hundreds of these ‘Rate That Record’ downloads later—nary a peep in response. I don’t get it...
Perhaps I need to snap some pictures of my meal at some local hot spot. Shoot some kissy face photos or better yet photograph ‘The Door of the Day.’ Whee. Or ponder the nature of the struggling transit system. Or discuss PMS and shoes. That – THAT will engender comments, feedback, dialogue...
The completist I am, this feature runs the full week.
You’ve got to hand it to Derek Webb—an artist who’s emerged from a career based initially in contemporary religious music, to an artist willing to ask tough questions of himself and his faith, which has ultimately produced ‘Stockholm Syndrome,’ an LP which moves him squarely into the electro-indie mainstream.
I’m always wary of genre and identity hopping to be fair, but ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ succeeds on its own merits, devoid of religious overtones, yet thoughtful, atmospheric, and actually damn catchy.
And wouldn’t you know it, we’ve got one to give away in all of its double-LP, 180 gram glory. Make your case in the comments to this post (with contact info – important!) and we’ll choose one winner to be mailed the record by noon on Friday (12/4.)
If you’re asking yourself this morning if we’re openly schilling for ThinkIndie.com, the answer to that question is YES, yes we are.
We’ll blatantly get behind and support any endeavor that keeps alive the independent spirit of the mom and pop record stores—and ThinkIndie’s doing just that.
There are two facets to ThinkIndie that underscore what we’ve been saying for some time now: digital files can coexist peacefully and strategically with vinyl records in the same marketplace—and ThinkIndie has a site for each under one umbrella.
Over the next few weeks, the guys behind the brand will be guest blogging here and shedding some light on the ‘Think Indie Collective’ consisting of ThinkIndie.com, the ThinkIndie stores, customers, record labels and artists whose product is carried by ThinkIndie.
This week, Tony from ThinkIndie gives us a glimpse into the digital side of things and next week we’ll delve into the vinyl end of the spectrum.
"We come to you directly from the engine room of the web ship ThinkIndie.com. Deep in the hull of this ship are two laptops, a rack full of servers, and a table covered with hard drives. Just a year ago, the two of us were both slugging away behind the counter at a large indie record store pushing vinyl, garage rock, DVDs, and digging in the used bins, but mother indie needed a couple able-bodied music fans to go rogue and jump onto their converted digital ship. Indie record stores can't go digital, can they?
I admit, I had already ripped much of my collection to hard drives and had owned several media players. Andrew is a member of Napster, Oink and other torrent sites before they were shut down as well as being an avid music collector. Much like myself he had his fingers glued to the keyboard a good portion of the day.
We both agreed that the current download store choices were a bit milk toast and it really didn't compare to going into a store. In the end, we made the leap to the dark side and the ship set sail for uncharted waters. It was in one of the seedy ports that we met the BlackSheep and hired his left for dead ass to be our mascot. He had not worked for a music related company since his Minor Threat gig back in the day.
This brings us to the here and now. ThinkIndie.com has a growing catalog of 320kbps mp3s, including exclusive stuff from our friends in bands and labels, and not to be outdone, we also give away a ton of tracks we like. Andrew picked out a few albums he’s been listening to that you may not have heard about, or ones he thinks you NEED to hear about. He’ll be back next week with another guest blog about music or something completely random." —Tony @ ThinkIndie.com
Mariachi El Bronx - S/T Growing up in SoCal with the Mexican border anywhere from 30-120 minutes (depending on where you live) from your house you get a special appreciation for the Mexican culture. The Bronx, a punk/hardcore band from Los Angeles embraces this culture on their new release as Mariachi El Bronx. When it comes to mariachi music you know you're doing something right when you have David Hidalgo of Los Lobos doing a guest spot on your record. I've been listening to this album a bunch since it came out and it's near the top of my "best of 09" album list for sure.
Kalas - S/T The self titled and only release from Kalas is a damn good one. It features Matt Pike of High On Fire/Sleep on vocals. It's a little more melodic than the stuff he's done in the past, but that's because of the guys he's working with here. It's sort of a "Super Group" of Bay Area musicians, but I hate using that term. It's still a super heavy album, don't think Pike is capable of doing anything but heavy, and is one of my favorite finds of the year.
The Creepy Creeps - Fink About It This is the Creepy Creeps 3rd release since 2006, but their first on Dionysus Records even though there had been talks of Dionysus releasing stuff from them as far back as 2007. Think of them as a mix of The Mummies, The Bomboras and The Ghastly Ones rolled up into a chunk of vinyl and pressed for the world to enjoy. Reverb drenched guitar, steady driving drum beats, thumping bass lines and cover it all in an organ glaze. If you are ever in San Diego and the Creeps are playing you have to catch em live. Dance Party U.S.A.
Soulsavers - Broken The third album from the UK production team the Soulsavers. As with their second album it features vocals from Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees/Queens Of The Stone Age/Gutter Twins), but also features Mike Patton, Jimi Goodwin of Doves, Will Oldham (a.k.a. Bonnie "Prince" Billy), P.W. Long and Richard Warren. This time around they are a little more rock n roll than spiritual like on "It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land." I hear their live shows are amazing, but I missed em when they came to town and I've been kicking myself ever since.
(Ed’s note: The cruel, cruel irony of this blog endeavor is that it’s allowed quite a few opportunities to present themselves—shows, events, interviews—but with scant ability to seize upon all of the offers. I mean, someone’s got to run the shop and keep things clicking along daily, so I’ve allowed some things to pass us by.
I’ve thought for a long while that I need a person in the street to run around like crazy, seize upon the free passes, interview the bands, do the shots, pass out on the floor, and send us dispatches from the night. The stuff that can be recalled or discussed, that is.
And a loyal reader of this ol’ blog has stepped up to do just that. Nicole’s agreed to seize upon the free passes, interview the bands, do the shots, pass out on the floor, and send us dispatches from the night. It’s God’s work, really.
In actuality, Nicole’s a music-obsessive, scientist by day (really) who’s recently moved to the U Street area, so she’s well positioned to embark on the missions we send her way as well as the ones she conjures up for herself. Anticipate the free flow of enthusiastic energy.
While we were prepping for this column, Nicole took in Devo and White Denim and bits from both follow below. She’ll be back with items from the current concert calendar...y’know...when the shots wear off.) ___________
Whoawhoawhoa…. quite the musically-stimulating weekend, indeed.
Saturday night Austin-based White Denim absolutely blew my mind (and my eardrums) at Rock n Roll Hotel.
I’ve been listening to this band for a few years now after they put out their first LP, ‘Work Out Holiday’ (check out, ‘all you really have to do’) and recently snatched up their newest LP, ‘Fits’. The music is kind of garage-experimental-esque and semi-reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix. Highly underappreciated, in my opinion.
I can’t even explain in words how insanely good the live show was (‘explaining in words’ isn’t a blogger prerequisite, right?). There was no freakin’ stopping the tremendous trio and they bounced from one song right into the glorious next, creating one seamless night of flawlessly intricate percussion, experimental guitar sounds and classic rock vocals. True absurdity. I’m tempted to say that this is the best live show I’ve ever seen ever…… that really means a lot.
Alsooo...the band members themselves were super-chill and manned the merch booth before and after the show, asking me what I recommended in the city and discussing their favorite cities to play. I was also really excited that they all happily signed my vinyl (which, by the way, comes with BOTH the new and old albums. Genius.)
Sunday night. Went with good ol’ papadukes to see DEVO. Mark Mothersbaugh is 59 freakin’ years old and god-damn he is good. Fortunately, the weirdness hasn’t subsided at all, either.
Anticipation was high at 930 club for this sold out performance in which Devo was to play the ‘Q-Are We Not Men A-We are Devo’ album in full. The crowd was just as you’d expect for a Devo show. I saw plenty of dudes with more grey hairs than not, various sightings of the Devo-typical red Energy Dome hats and I even saw one dude wearing a shirt that also functioned as a digital clock.
Lights went down right on schedule at 9pm to a packed venue and the video for ‘Jocko Homo’ began playing on the white screen behind the stage. This video tops the weird charts and includes oddities such as gorillas spanking the bums of ‘ugly-masked’ ladies (see video below, words do not do this video justice…). Way weird, but in a totally awesome sort of way. Post-video, Devo came out in their typical yellow rubber suits which they ripped off and threw into the crowd half-way through the night. The show was rad, indeed (granted, the show was packed and I’m a whole 5-nothing, so actually seeing the action was a bit difficult), although they ended sans-encore, and sans the hit song, ‘Whip-it’.
I’m sure many of you witnessed this tremendously-funky spectacle; I’m sure many of you with much more Devo experience than I…. What did YOU GUYS think???? How do you feel about the lack of encore or ‘whip-it’?? How was the following nights show???
In an odd bit of timing as we're inaugurating our regurgitation of the Mp3's we're sent for your thumbs up or thumbs down (and by the way don't overload us with feedback...sheez...) Dick Clark, the originator of the concept and "America's Oldest Teenager" turned 80 yesterday. (That's a lot of Clearasil.) I kid.
Onto the records!
Daisy McCrackin - Say You Do (Mp3) "Daisy's been getting a lot of good press lately—including a rave of a live show from L.A. Weekly—and her sound has garnered comparisons to Beth Orton, Lisa Hannigan, Suzanne Vega and Joni Mitchell..."
O'Spada - Ten Strikes (Radio Edit) (Mp3) "O'Spada was formed in Stockholm 2006 by five individuals with a very varied background in music, and forged a clash between soul and funk meeting hip hop and rock, creating their own unique sound. They gradually earned a reputation mainly through MySpace and their vivid live performances, handing them a record deal at Despotz Records in 2008. The spring and summer has been spent recording the so far untitled debut album planned for release early 2010."
Thee American Revolution - Power House (Mp3) "Lo-fi heavy psych-pop acid rockers Thee American Revolution began as a home-recording collaboration between Elephant 6 co-founder Robert Schneider and brother-in-law Craig Morris. Schneider is best known as front-man of The Apples in stereo, and producer of many beloved records, including both Neutral Milk Hotel albums..."
Without a doubt, a fine way to spend tomorrow evening. From the press release:
Soul. It’s considered by most to be a weighty word. It’s used to describe a variety of people, places, and things and even the most intangible of ideas. Soul has implications of every kind, from food to the spiritual, but perhaps none are greater than it being used to define an era and a genre of music.
Coming off the success of their previous RAP exhibition, on Wednesday, December 2, Art vs Commerce, Smirnoff Vodka, and The Source Magazine will again partner on the second installment of The Classics – with Series 2: SOUL.
Similar to the first exhibition, this version will feature a bevy of album cover art, however this one will consist of over forty classic Soul album covers, courtesy of DJ YZO. SOUL, in some ways, will actually serve as a prequel to RAP, in that a variety of the albums on display contain songs that have been sampled and used in many classic rap music records.
Taking it’s lead from RAP, SOUL will take place at Lounge of 3 (1013 U St. NW) from 5pm-9pm and will again have Nick Da 1da and DJ 2-Tone Jones providing the sounds, along with DJ YZO. Guests will also be treated to a new series of complimentary signature cocktails from 7pm-9pm courtesy of Smirnoff, which include the Stevie Wonder and Gil Scott Heron.
We receive an incredible number of emails each week from bands or PR firms hoping for air time for their clients on TVD. And I say ‘air time’ because the blogs are doing the work that radio has performed in the past, that is introducing the readers/listeners to new music because, let’s face it, terrestrial radio is a Top 40 Garbage Heap at this point in the game.
So, the emails pour in and we do our best to listen to each and every one of them. Often times if a band’s up our alley, they end up in a ‘First Date’ feature or in some other capacity on the blog. But with the number of emails and Mp3s pouring in, there simply isn’t the time in the day or the manpower to feature everyone we think should merit ‘air play’ and there’s less time of course for those who are middling or not particularly within the blog’s niche—whatever that may be.
To remedy this conundrum, and perhaps as an homage to Dick Clark who was running this bit on American Bandstand for eons, we’ve got a new running feature whereby we post the tracks submitted to TVD and we let you be the judge along with us in what we’re calling ‘TVD’s Rate That Record.’
Thumbs up or thumbs down, it’s your call. Feel free to use foul language, rant or rave, and/or champion the little guys who’ve made that killer track you’ve been trying to turn your pals onto for ages who abruptly and finally find their one moment of downloadibility here on the blog. Or simply decimate the wannabes.
In the future we’ll post them as they come in (within reason) among our other running features, but this week, we’re gonna give you a taste of what’s come in over the past few weeks and what positions itself in the queue this week in real time.
Beautiful Supermachines - Oakland 2008 (Mp3) Davis Williams, “...the only person who could credibly write tracks for Terry Riley and Teddy Riley” introduces his Beautiful Supermachines."
Over a career that spans more than three decades, he’s been at the leading edge of various watershed moments of punk, post-punk, noise-rock, and hip-hop, rubbed elbows with Ice-T and Dr. Dre, played “the secret white dude” behind the scenes of The Jungle Brothers’ seminal J. Beez Wit The Remedy, and more recently settled into an in-demand role as a local producer.
Dragon Turtle - Island Of Broken Glass (Mp3) Haven't heard of Dragon Turtle yet? Seize the day! Brian Lightbody and Tom Asselin, the duo that is Dragon Turtle, have just released Almanac, their debut full-length last week on La Société Expéditionnaire (Lewis & Clarke, Strand Of Oaks).
The recordings for Almanac were crafted using an M Box and 3 mics in Asselin's Pocono Mountain basement, and over the course of time, acquisition of gear, and massive trial-and-error, the bunker blossomed into the One Forest Studio. An empty roller rink was even used to create reverb! “Island of Broken Glass” takes its name from Robert Smithson's sculptural work, recanting destruction and violence inherent in the relationships between nature and man. The lyrics from this song inspired the cover of the album, a spiraling double helix/DNA strand made of burning books. Smithson is responsible for creating the Spiral Jetty in Utah in 1970.
BYOB - Prescription (Videomix) (Mp3) "...this time, I am emailing you on behalf of an artist who I am very fond of, I have incredibly high hopes for. . . . BYOB is 21 years old, from South London, he writes, produces and performs all his own material. It a fusion of many different genres and I can't really decide where it fits. The closest I can compare him to is The Neptunes.
The New Loud - Don't Dance (Mp3) “Part weirdness of Sparks, part killer dance of The Bravery and part insistent hook craftsmanship of XTC.” —Amplifier
The New Loud is a three-piece electro/punk/new wave band from the blue collar city of Milwaukee, WI. Its debut EP, Can’t Stop Not Knowing consists of six tracks including an intense, frenetic cover of Radiohead’s “2 + 2 = 5.” The EP was produced by band member Shane Olivo and displays a tight mixture of electronic elements and natural sounds, layered obsessively with some songs using up to 80 tracks in the mix.
The Sound - The Fire [Live] (Mp3)
