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Est. 2006
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Islands Prep New Album
Nick Diamonds' eccentric pop outfit Islands return on September 22nd with album number three, Vapors. The new album marks the return of original member Jamie Thompson who left the band shorty after the release of the bands 2006 debut, Return To The Sea. Vapours finds Islands returning to their classic pop sound complete with horns,synthesizers and big beats. The two tracks that the band has made available over the last few weeks are straight ahead pop nuggets. Another welcome addition to the must have releases of this fall. [MP3/Stream]Islands - No You Don't [MP3/Stream] Islands - Vapours
Track List: 01. Switched On 02. No You Don't 03. Vapours 04. Devout 05. Disarming the Car Bomb 06. Tender Torture 07. Shining 08. On Foreigner 09. Heartbeat 10. The Drums 11. EOL 12. Everything is Under Control
Islands play The House of Blues with The Psychedelic Furs and Happy Mondays on October 10th and then return for a headlining show at The Middle East , downstairs on November 4th.
On October 6th Sub Pop will release Losing Feeling, a new EP from No Age.The EP consists of four new tracks, all of which were written and recorded at their practice space and Infrasonic Sound Studios in Southern California. The EP will be released on 12" vinyl and digital formats, but not on CD.
The band just offered the EP's final track You're a Target for free download via the No Age blog.
I also recommend you head over to Sub Pop where you can hear the full EP stream of Losing Feeling, e-mail registration required. After hearing these four gems one thing is obvious, No Age are once again responsible for some of the finest music being recorded right now. I know it's only four songs so I'll try not to get carried away, but Losing Feeling is an impressive, albeit brief glimpse of what we can expect next from the L.A. duo.
No Age are set to play All Tomorrows Parties on September 13th in Monticello, NY. Sorry to say, at this point that's as close as they'll get to Boston on this current batch of dates.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Mission of Burma's Listening Party and The Clean Introduce Mister Pop
This week we finally got what we were hoping for around here. Not one, but two Sonic Youth shows at the Wilbur Theater this fall. Not to mention that we learned that Mandy Moore might be a little cooler than we thought, with her declaration of being fond of Jandek. With those attention grabbers I wouldn't blame you if you missed or just plain forgot about some upcoming events and releases headed are way in the near future.
On October 6th Mission of Burma will release The Sound The Speed The Light via Matador and I for one am chomping at the bit with anticipation. Recorded here in Boston with Bob Weston last winter, the album has been described as a bit of departure from 2006's The Obliterati. The Matador press release describes the album as a more spacious and dynamic record with all of Burma's sonic trademarks still intact. The Sound The Speed The Light is divided into 4 three song suites with each suites examining a mood or color. Sounds kind of heady, right? Don't worry only Burma are capable of pulling off a recording so grandiose and utterly chaotic.
On Thursday August 27th you can hear the new Mission of Burma album at the ICA Harborwalk Shuffle Listening Party, admission is free. The Sound The Speed The Light will be played in it's entirety and as if that wasn't enough the first 50 people through the door will receive a free Mission of Burma 7" with secret treat inside. missionofburma.com Mission of Burma myspace
Legends of New Zealand's Flying Nun label and post-punk pioneers in their own right, The Clean are set to release their first recording since 2001's The Getaway. The seminal post punk outfit will release Mister Pop on September 6th via Merge. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Boston show on the bands upcoming tour schedule.
Thanks to the fine folks at Merge you can hear the Mister Pop right now.
Califone will release their new long player All Our Friends Are Funeral Singers on the bands new label Dead Oceans on October 6th. The new album will serve as a companion piece to the film of the same name written and directed by Califone's Tim Rultili. During the upcoming tour the band will play the soundtrack Live along with the presentation of the film. In addition fans can expect to hear material from the bands stunning back catalog as well.
On October 22nd Califone will play Cambridge's Brattle Theater. All Our Friends Our Funeral Singers Trailer
I'm really looking forward to catching Japandroids when they play Great Scott on October 5th. The duo's debut LP Post-Nothing has been getting rave reviews since it was released earlier this summer. As always I was a little skeptical, but once I put Post-Nothing in the CD player and strapped my headphones on, my skepticism evaporated and my jaw was on the floor.
Check out these Japandroids Live videos reocrded on KEXP. Warning: After watching these you may have an overwhelming urge to purchase everything this young band has recorded, I know I did.
Ramona Falls is Brent Knopf of Memomena and Intuit is his debut solo outing. With the help of some 35 musicians in his hometown of Portland, OR and New York City. Brent wrote and performed the 11 tracks found on Intuit with assistance from members of Menomena, The Helio Sequence, Lock Lamond,Mirah, and Deer Reader. Intuit will be released by Barsuk on August 18th and Knopf will be hitting the road in support of the album the next day. The tour will start at Crepe Place in Santa Cruz on 8/19 and finds it's way to the Boston area on September 15th for a show at Great Scott.
Thanks to Barsuk you can hear the entire album right now before next weeks release. I'm confident that once you hear Intuit you will be running, not walking to your favorite record shop come Tuesday.
WWPJ recorded Live @ The Mill Edinborough, Scotland
Friday, August 7, 2009
Micro-news From Pollard's Suitcase to Bay of Pigs
I've been trying to find the time write all week but every time I was about to start, something would pull me away. Thankfully I've found some time albeit at the end of the week to share some news, opinion and MP3's.
I'd be remiss if I didn't start with the news of the forthcoming release of Guided By Voices' third volume of their Suitcase series, the treasure trove of demos and outtakes that Robert Pollard keeps in, well a suitcase. Suitcase 3 Up We Go Now will be released on November 3 via Guided By Voices, Inc. I am particularly looking forward to Disc 4 which features the classic GBV line-up of Pollard, Greg Demos, and Tobin Sprout with all songs being credited to Dayton's favorite sons between 1994-1995. To be fair this information was posted over at Pitchfork yesterday. What they didn't tell you that Suitcase 3 credits Pollard best band name to date: History of Well Hung Men for an early version of Smothered in Hugs. 100 Songs over 4 discs, sign me up.
Make plans to celebrate with Drug Rug and Mean Creek this Saturday night at The Middle East. Although Paint the Fence Invisible (Black and Green Records), the new release from Cambridge's own, Drug Rug was released last week and the forthcoming release from Boston's Mean Creek, The Sky(and The Underground) (Old Flame Records) won't be officially released until October 13th the dual release party is set for tomorrow night. A special evening awaits you from two of our cities finest and like minded bands. A hootenanny, if you will.
The announcement of a new Radiohead song caught me off guard this week. Just in case you were trapped under something heavy or traveling in another hemisphere, Radiohead have posted Harry Patch (In memory of) to their Waste UK store for a small fee with all proceeds going to the British Royal Legion. The song is tribute to the last British survivor from World War I, he died last month at the age of 111. You can listen to the track below via the BBC, but please go to the Radiohead site and pay for the download. It's a somber and beautiful track in my humble opinion.
I just heard the title track from Destroyer'sBay of Pigs EP and my head is spinning. This is a good thing. When I first heard Dan Bejar was experimenting with ambient disco I was, well I was plain scared. Those fears were misguided because I just heard over 13 stunning minutes of electro pop and one of Bejars' finest lyrical compositions. Please don't take my word for it listen for yourself. Thanks to the good kids at Sterogum for posting this. The Bay of Pigs vinyl EP will be released on August 18th. The EP is limited to 1000 copies, and it comes with a digital download code. Check out Merge for more details and ordering information.
Nick Diamonds' eccentric pop outfit Islands return on September 22nd with album number three, Vapors. The new album marks the return of original member Jamie Thompson who left the band shorty after the release of the bands 2006 debut, Return To The Sea. Vapours finds Islands returning to their classic pop sound complete with horns,synthesizers and big beats. The two tracks that the band has made available over the last few weeks are straight ahead pop nuggets. Another welcome addition to the must have releases of this fall.
