The Long Winters aren’t necessarily my cup of tea but that won’t stop me from acknowledging that their new album Putting The Days To Bed is pretty good. After going through nearly a dozen crappy press kits, hearing a CD with actual songs and coherent lyrics and good musicianship felt like a gift. The songs themselves are like a nouveaux Americana sound, more filled out instrumentation-wise than folk but as conversational and personable as it. At times, the album definitely...
The only bummer about this record is having to type the word “Mistake” four times in a row when you want to reference the title, otherwise this electropop disc is a lighthearted bit of magic. It’s the kind of album that lures you in with its whimsical songs then you check the notes and see collaborators like John Tejada, Jenny Lewis and artist Geoffrey McFettridge Then you read a little further and go, “Oh, it’s Jimmy Tamborello…” who most people...
Back in 2003, the Cheebacabra burst onto the scene with funkified jams that earned praise from KCRW to Filter Mag’s top albums of the year. Now Cheeba is back with another grooving, laid back album and his very own label, Macrosoft. Exile in the Woods is a snythed out version of a funk album that features collaborators/ producers ranging from Money Mark to Peter Scherr of the Hong Kong Philharmonic. All the synths on Exile definitely conjure up references to...
For longtime fans of Placebo, Meds seems to be another solid album with a few extra perks. As usual, the band displays a range between high energy anthems and more heartfelt ballads. On the delicate “Song To Say Goodbye,” Molko laments the drug use and destructive lifestyle of a fellow musician who is left unnamed. The catchier-than-hell tune “Infrared” sees the boys using their usual arsenal of hard hitting drums, a wall of guitars, electronic embellishments and coy lyrics. However what differentiates this...
Kanye West decided that winning Best Hip-Hop Artist wasn’t enough at last night’s MTV Europe Music Awards in Copenhagen. Following his loss to Justice vs. Simian’s “We Are Your Friends” in the best video category, the rapper stormed the stage and let loose an expletive-laced tirade where he claimed his video “Touch the Sky” should have taken the prize because it “cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it. I was jumping across canyons. If I don’t win, the...
MUSIC FOR AMERICA PARTNERS WITH OVER A DOZEN CONCERT TOURS TO INSPIRE YOUNG VOTERS THIS FALL In an ongoing effort to inspire millions of young voters to participate in the electoral process, Music for America (http://www.musicforamerica.org/) has partnered with over a dozen bands touring nationwide this fall – registering voters, discussing current issues and sparking peer-to-peer conversations around the issues that matter most to young people. The push is designed to turn young people out to vote on November 7...
ANTHOLOGY RECORDINGS TOUTED IN NEWSWEEK NEW RELEASES SLATED Rare And Out-Of-Print Recordings Available Via Download Its been a good first month for Anthology Recordings, not only is America’s first download-only music rarities site getting nice traffic, but last week Newsweek Magazine did a piece on the label. http://www.anthologyrecordings.com/press/newsweek102306.jpg Additionally, Anthology Recordings has announced two new digital only releases, which will be available for download on November 5th – Ya Ho Wha 13’s...
RJD2 TO RELEASE NEW RECORD ON XL RECORDINGS IN EARLY 2007 AND A NEW SONG UP ON MYSPACE! Making a brave departure from his pioneering instrumental hip-hop legacy he will release an epic pop rock album on March 6, 2007 For a preview of what is to come, listen to “You Never Had It So Good” http://myspace.com/rjd2 “Maybe its kind of like if King Crimson went to a therapist, and came out really happy and optimistic about the world, and...
11/1/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Safari Sam’s 11/2/06 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 11/3/06 – Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan 11/4/06 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos 11/7/06 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 11/9/06 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge 11/10/06 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada 11/11/06 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue (w/ Hot Chip) 11/13/06 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop 11/14/06 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace 11/16/06 – Boston, MA @ Paradise...