Wednesday, February 24, 2010

mp3: Games "Everything is Working"

"I Will"Hit you with that epic Games track a lil bit ago, and now the follow up, "Everything is Working," a slo-mo synthetic jam more intuitive to actual love making than the pre-bedroom dancefloor grind that is "Planet Party." The combo is impeccable, as if to say, "'Eh Shawty, let's rock dis way...Oh, you like my style...I like yours too, boo....Got trucks? Got Jeeps... Oh Good...Cuz we gettin' it on tonight." "Everything is Working" is the same magnetic R&B drizzle "Planet Party" touched on, except lubricated for maxium sensuality, making the cooled out bedroom zone the only suitable place for the hypnotique slow banger. And, let me tell you, if you pump this track, everything will be working. Trust me.

Games are hard at work on their debut EP, That We Can Play. The new material, the culmination of a boy hood friendship between Dan Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and Joel Ford (Tiger City), is steeped in "jazz fusion and midi funk from the 70s and 80s, and Games is kind of the ultimate manifestation of our geekery." Mentally preparing myself for a possible dubstep and/or chopped & screwed remix. KGB Man, where you at?

In other Games news, the duo will DJ tomorrow night at Wayslower Presents: Slo Italo night at Marci Park on Union Ave in Brooklyn. Expect "slo-italo-disco, slo-'80s, slo- funk & slo-R&B." Rite Aid brand cough syrup, anyone?

Games- Everything is Working

video: Four Tet "Angel Echoes"

"Zones"


3D, a medium through which many have tried to replicate authentic life through film, has been in our collective consciousness since the '50s. It's never been that great, although, in theory it's amazing. Do you remember the first time you watched a 3D movie? I do. It was Captain EO at Epcot Center. I also remember playing Rad Racer in 3D on NES, which, instead of mimicking the harsh realties of the illustrious International race community, somehow communicated a vaulted hyper reality, one more akin to needing the chill out room at the Hacienda than "seeing things as they are." And so here we are, in the age of Avatar, the 3D age, and Ray Concepcion is downgrading the medium to its most commercial and most hypnotique. Armed with a janky pair of 3D glasses, made out of paper and what are most likely the worlds cheapest lighting gels, Concepcion takes Four Tet's recent performance at LPR to new hypnogigic states, reformatting an often alien tool in order to convey the ecstatic exuberance of one of those girls up front, grinding her ass (and her teeth), watching that EXIT sign in her peripheral expand and contract like her inner consciousness.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

mp3: Sleep Over "Fog Juice"

"The Key

Floating out of the darkness, amongst lost lightning bugs and cerebral dust, comes Sleep Over's "Fog Juice." A deeper, darker counterpoint to "Your World Is Night" that stands like a black pillar where pagan aesthetes worship on full & new moons. If the apes get a hold of this track, expect a lot of broken bones at the monolith during the dawn of the new age. More sensual gloom & doom from Sleep Over coming out soon on via Night People.

Sleepover- Fog Juice

Monday, February 22, 2010

new: Pill Wonder "Gone to the Market"

"Can Be A Real Drag"


Like many, my first introduction to Pill Wonder came on the Underwater Peoples Summer comp. Instant standout, like "Holy shit, who are these volatile happy kids spurring out Amazon jawns...Oh, they're from Washington State...Oh, wait, what?? It's only, technically, one dude? Sheee-it." Shortly thereafter I'd see one iteration of the band as they patched themselves together for a collective performance at the Market Hotel this past summer. It was Amazonian hot that night, sweat and all sorts of other chemicals pouring out of overworked pores. I bought a bunch of tapes that night, but not Jungle/Surf. I'm not sure why. A couple more months passed and Pill Wonder, a now seven headed hydra, transported itself through multiple time zones to play CMJ. They were ramshackle nervous, but the honesty, transmitted through smiles, and winks, and the occassional laugh, gave the whole set a fantastical trajectory, a sort of reimagining of a play group from twenty years before, albeit it with instruments/toys and juice/beer. We were out past our bedtimes, but our parents didn't even seem to notice. Peep the video below, then check out the mastered "Gone to the Market" from the upcoming Jungle/Surf vinyl issue on UP. Sawyer's got big things to say about it (bottom of page), 99.436% of which I agree with whole heartedly.



radio: Sunday Brunch Ep2

"Bagels"

Week two of the Sunday Brunch found Ari and I locked out of the studio sitting in a frosty hallway eating bagels while some modern rock band practiced down the hall at the Danbro Studio. Shortly there after, we burst through the studio door, and bombarded with the air waves with hangover jams, pushing light vibes and big drums like Juan Valdez slang's java. The highlight of yesterday's set was Pigeons live four song set. Check back next week for more shenanigans, Sunday afternoons 2-4pm EST on NewTownRadio.com.

* Btw, all vinyl set.

Brian Eno- I'll Come Running (from Another Green World)
Roxy Music- India (from Avalon)
Roxy Music- While My Heart Is Still Beating (from Avalon)
Sarolta Zalatnay- Munanyag Almok (from Sarolta Zalatnay)
Asi Kapela from Zaire- Yo Yo Yo (from Sound d'Afrique, Vol. 2: Soukou)
The Beatles- You Know My Name (Look Up My Number) (from Let It Be 7")
J Dilla- Don't Cry (from Donuts)
Susan Christie- Yesterday, Where's My Mind? (from Paint A Lady)
--Pigeons Live Set--
New Riders of the Purple Sage- Dirty Business (from self-titled)
Fleetwood Mac- Angel (from Tusk)
Deerhunter- Microcastle Mellow #3 (from Sub Pop Singles Club)
Matrix Metals- Flamingo Breeze Pt.1 (from Flamingo Breeze)
La Bandas- Democraicas Jam (from La Bandas)
Bruce Springsteen- Dream Baby Dream (Suicide cover)
Beach Boys- Feel Flow (from Surf's Up)
Julian Lynch- Andaza (from Orange You Glad)
Pill Wonder- What We Know (from Jungle/Surf)
Vincent Ahchehinnou- Ou C'est lui ou C'est Moi (from Africa Scream Contest)
Animal Collective- Safer (from Peacebone 10")
Oneohtrix Point Never- excerpts from Russian Mind LP

Saturday, February 20, 2010

video: RxRy "Edvrd Rvrft Guitr"

"12:35 AM"

12:35 am on a Friday night and I'm sitting at home drinking a tall boy and watching Alien on the projection screen on mute. RxRy dumped this in my mail box. He's sent me a bunch of stuff and I've seen it all over the web, but I've been so back logged/lazy/busy doing other stuff that I haven't yet had the chance to give it a proper spin. This was my introduction. Reminds me a lot of the Pixelhorse intro graphic. To the wknd. Cheers.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

new: Arches "Comin' Back Again"

"Don't Hide Away"

Growing up in suburban New Jersey my best friend and I would often drive around trying to get lost. We knew the streets so well that this was really tough. A mid afternoon foray into the depths of Morris County would usually end up at Hacklebarney State Park, roaming the foot pathes before trying to get lost again on our way home. We'd talk about random shit; girls, parents, the future, stuff we wanted to do, how we hated our town and a lot of the people in it. High school shit. We literally didn't have anything else to do. It was pure boredom release, but looking back on it, those were some of my favorite moments growing up. Trying to get lost and find ones place amongst the scoundrels and do-gooders. If I had to guess, the guys in Arches have done much of the same. Except, instead of spending hours idling in a Jeep in Chester, NJ, they probably receeded to the basement, or the garage, and channeled that longing, for something, anything, into languid guitar pop. They've only got 5 songs on their MySpace, and it seems as if they've only been a band for about 5 months, nevertheless, Arches seem to be on to something honest and unflinching, as if they know where their coming from and might even know where they want to go, which is more than I can say for most youths, myself included.

video: The Twerps "Another One"

"That Didn't Come"

Riding the high seas of apathy and general youthful neglect, the Twerps make your miserable moments seem a lot less pathetic. The evening walk to the corner store to get a beer and some bread becomes an adventure, as, well, you haven't left your home in days. You've just been sitting their starring at the wall, waiting for someone to call, or some unidentified package, a postcard from an old friend, or a new phone book. Petty shit that we all obsess over cause we have nothing better to do. Somehow the Twerps make it all sound so fresh. Maybe its the backwards spinning toilet water, but probably something else. I'm guessing its something else, especially considering they just opened for Yo La Tengo in Melbourne.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

mp3: Rangers "Out Past Curfew"

"Golden Triangles"

Dripping through the fuzzy permutations of scrambled pay-per-view coitus and haphazard beach wrestling, Rangers "Out Past Curfew" is the coalesced mutation of night visions accompanied by sounds you once heard, for half a second, long ago. A birthing sheep, a bloated motor gurgling oil and the gnarly dirge of your next door neighbor bailing into a mailbox after fucking up a kick-flip. Mini-van's packing Capri Sun roll by, amidst a mess of middle age, middle class, middle management types scrounging for their piece of the American dream. Suburban Tours. Beneath it all, in the mi(d)st, locked away in his bedroom, or perhaps an asylum well-flanked with shit keytars and Tascam four-track recorders, lies Rangers, plugging away at deciphering the code that will reveal the present world is but a mirage covering some sort of twisted 12 Monkeys realm. For more information consult the mastered version of Rangers "Out Past Curfew" and the stellar video for "Deerfield Village" below.

Pre-Order Suburban Tours (as well as Forest Swords and a new James Ferraro album).

Rangers- Out Past Curfew

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

comp: In A Cloud- New Sounds from San Francisco

"Dropped in Shades of White"
Port towns are always prime for musical stew, with songs washing in from the sullen water, rocking against rotting docks and planting themselves like barnacles on lazy barges. Of course, it's snowing in Greenpoint right now and I'm pretty jealous of anyone with even a semi-desirable sea view. And, in the middle of this longing, Secret Seven Records was nice enough to pass along the new In A Cloud- New Sounds from San Francisco compilation, a collection of SF local treats as potent and savory as any medical edibles from the Bay Area. (Chris recently noted the exceptional Sandwitches track "Grey Wizard.") One of my personal favorites comes from Dylan Shearer, an artist I was introduced to this summer via RTSB, who is truly one of my favorite songwriters working today. If a more sullen Ray Davies sounds your up alley, get excited. Another highlight is Tim Cohen's (Fresh & Onlys) "I Come Alive," a minimalist piano led lullaby with a snap-bass drum beat that keeps it uptempo enough where a vampire woman sounds like a genuinely pleasant companion to guide you toward the light.

Dylan Shearer- 4 In the Morning House(taken down upon request)
Tim Cohen- I Come Alive

mp3: Diva Cup "Ramona Ali"

"I Lost More Than My Knee"
Mystery alias Diva Cup dropped off a copy of X Minus One yesterday. Digital head funk boiling over field recordings and Reason beats, while methodically tripped out post-modern primal meanderings simmer in a separate pot. It's cooking. The sort of post-YouTube video-splicing avant-audio you'd expect to hear from an acquaintance of Run DMT. Which makes a helluva lotta sense since Diva Cup mashes Run DMT's "Ramona", one of the highlights from Bong Voyage, with bits and pieces of Muhammad Ali sound bites in, you guessed it, "Ramona Ali." It's not entirely original, but hey, no one said it wasn't fun. Diva Cup also chops & screws on some Vashti Bunyan, which I'm sure obscure folk enthusiasts will, um, conflict with. Make it through most of the album (linked below) and you'll enjoy some synth glyph'd Mighty Ducks samples.

Diva Cup- Ramona Ali

Download Diva Cup's X Minus One album

Monday, February 15, 2010

radio: Sunday Brunch Ep.1

"Bagels"
Yesterday marked our initial foray into the world of radio. Our new show, aka Sunday Brunch with Chocolate Bobka & Friends, airs on Newtown Radio every Sunday afternoon from 2-4pm. Episode #1 found myself and Ari from Underwater Peoples shying away from the microphone, in favor of vibing out on all sorts of eclectic jams; ocean grooves, highlife, Finish folk, Italo-prog, future-zones, and a bunch of other semi-existent genres. Download the first 2 hour long episode below. Check back next Sunday for more hangover jams/lazy Sunday dreams.

Dolphins into the Future – On the High Seas (excerpt)
King Sunny Ade – Sunny ti de Ariya
The Funkees- Akula Owu Onyeara
The Feelies- Raised Eyebrows
Beach Boys- The Complete California Saga
Yo La Tengo- Sugar Cube
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- Evolution’s a Lie
Sensations Fix- Fragments of Light
Dylan Ettinger- Smokin'
Daryl Hall – Urban Landscapes
Games- Planet Party
Sun Araw- Horse Steppin’
Notwist- Boneless (Panda Bear remix)
Ducktails- Pizza Time
John K.- Lost in the Beat
The Twinkeyz- Aliens in our Midst
Richard Llyod – Alchemy
Lau Nau- Painovoimaa, Valoa
K. Roukounas- I Wasted My Youth
Alemayno Eshintay- Love is Love
Grouper- Hollow Press->Vessel
Pigeons- Tendresse
Groupe El Azhar- Touedar Aakli
Caribou- The Final Warning
Beach Boys- I'm The Pied Piper
Abner Jay- I'm So Depressed
Pure Ecstasy- Baby
Fleetwood Mac- I know I'm Not Wrong
Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes- Dadje Von O Von Non
Dolphns Into The Future- Aftermath- Isle of Self (excerpt)

Download Sunday Brunch Ep.1

Friday, February 12, 2010

new: John K. "Lost In The Beat"

"Everytime I Sing"

John K. has been on my radar for a few months now, in due thanks to Dev from Twin Sister, but, admittedly, I only recently got around to checking it out and I gotta say...Wow. Straight up, guy writes incredibly strong, absolutely undeniable micro-pop gems. I probably overuse 'gem' these days, but don't let the boy-who-cried-wolf syndrome detract you. I'm sure it won't after you hear "Lost in the Beat," a blast of fun, yet introspective, micro-dance pop. Pure love for your Friday night. So genuine I can't describe it. Mark had similar problems, and I understand why. Simply put, John K.'s honest and seemingly effortless AM Gold cuts hit immediately. That said, these tracks are only going to get better with age. Sort of like enjoying your first Starburst as a child. It's magical. Instant, and yet, two decades later, their blissful flavor explosion hits just as hard. Highly urge you to download the THREE FREE ALBUMS worth of material John K. has made available on his MySpace Page. Links Below. Also, be sure to snag Twin Sister's ultra fresh International Dust mix, which also features John K., as well as some Twin Sister ambient interludes. Today is a beautiful day.



Full Album links

Thursday, February 11, 2010

mp3: Games "Planet Party"

"Time to Have Sex"
Too much bullshit, not enough jams. Fuck "Let the Music Play," gimme Games new "Planet Party," the Madonna-Phil Collins collabo you dreamed of rolling up in a white Caddie smoking PCP and talking shit about your girlfriend's weave, and your jheri curl. Best part is you, the jheri curl mofo, don't even give a fuck cause Games flying in so hot and stlying in some Marvin Gaye silk suit lined with a pound of Colombia's finest, makin er'one feel like a star. It's lingo, but it's appropriate. Scarface would approve, if he made it to the party. (Scarface dead. RIP Scarface.)

Apparently this Games shit is coming direct from the same porthole responsible for Zones Without People and Rifts between A Pact of Strangers, whatever it is, its hot and the KGB Man most surely gonna be gripping it, cutting it and reselling it to the streets for five times what he bought it for.

Games- Planet Party (demo)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

bobkast 31: Translucent/Snow Day

"In The City Tonight"
Waking up to a generous heaping of flakes outside your window is the ultimate joy for most kids. For adults, the ultimate pain. Slushy ice roads, congested tunnels, travel delays, detours, black ice, and arctic winds can make the morning/evening commute feel like waging a war against the elements. Yet, inside, peering out a steamy window, all is calm. A bit of this quiet introspection could do the commuter well, transporting him/her from the chaos of a congested underground tunnel to a mystical igloo they once dreamed of living in as a child. This mix was designed early this morning as an agent to take you to that special frozen place.

Bobkast #31: Translucent/Snow Day
Allaudin William Mathieu- Air in E-Flat
Alice Coltrane- Shiva-Loka
Silver Pines- Timefather
How to Dress Well- My Body
Atlas Sound- Cold & Golden
Pure Ecstasy- DWLDWD
Slowdive- Ambient Guitars (excerpt)
Galaxie 500- Snowstorm
Julian Lynch- Untitled/Flutes
Fripp & Eno- Wind on Wind
Grouper- Vessel
Charalambides- Memory
Sleepover- Your World is Night
John Maus- Do Your Best
Dreamers Cloth- The Coconut Pearl B1

Download Bobkast #31: Translucent/Snow Day (PC: Right Click+Save As| Mac: Option+Click)

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

video: Mountain Man "Babylon"

"We Remember"

Our West Coast friends Yours Truly recently spent an afternoon with Mountain Man in San Francisco. Alex and Amelia arrived on the left coast after an epic cross-country drive which brought them to Molly, and now, they are whole again. Not only that but this video, which finds the women in fine form, features a song I've never heard them sing before, "Babylon," which sounds as if its one of the ancient hymns Mtn Man have a particularly soft spot for. Touring up the coast, if I could be anywhere right now, it'd be behind a beat up old Volvo rolling up the Pacific Coast Highway following Mountain Man on their maiden voyage to the Pac-Nor. Be sure to watch the two other segments Yours Truly filmed, which are currently airing over at GvB and AD. Also, be sure to read the lovely letter Molly, Amelia and Alex left these guys. Nice people coming together, this is how the world will change. (*Molly, you will get an A+ for your Field Work Term. Cheers.)

retort: "Blog Rock has No Political Edge"

"Inane Modernity"

(This piece is in response to Ben Beaumont-Thomas's article "Blog rock lacks a political edge" in the Guardian.)

It's not easy to talk about politics. Ever. It's even harder to discuss politics inside of music, an art form that, for better or worse, means something different to everyone who listens. There are a few major bones I'd like to pick with Ben Beaumont-Thomas's article in the Guardian. His use of the term "blog rock" immediately deems this piece unworthy of being taken seriously, but any editor worth his weight in hit-count/comments, knows this is a good way to get a rise out of readers. Either way, this piece seems void of any real focus, as if its sole purpose was to call out American musicians for being politically lazy, whatever that means.

BBT, as I'll refer to him, claims that American "indie-rock" musicians' "fascination with the pastoral and apolitical is augmented by the other major strain in the US underground: nostalgia." Having probably downloaded the Underwater Peoples comp and a few Ducktails bootlegs from MediaFire, it's easy to see why one would come to this conclusion. Childhood; summer; fond memories many of us have of life before, well, LIFE. On the surface it's all nice and well and good; and nostalgic. But its much more than that. Living in a world fraught with corruption, scandal, seemingly endless wars, a universal health-care initiative that political red tape is holding up, states that are bankrupt and mounting unemployment, it's ignorant to claim that these young musicians are not only apathetic, but completely misguided. If anything, the sound BBT criticizes is completely reactionary, providing an outlet for those who don't want anything to do with bourgeois economic and political value system. BBT seems to think that all these musicians are living comfortably off-the-land, and hence-forth, feel no need to "rage against the machine." To be honest, having heard a lifetimes worth of Joan Baez records, Bono pedestal sermons and anti-whatever songs by Arcade Fire, why would anyone want to make the same sort of redundant, cliche protest/politico music? It's boring and often, I believe, comes from an even greater place of privilege (aka liberal guilt), rather than the heart. (Bob Dylan knew this. It was why he stopped writing "finger pointing songs.")

In response to BBT's claim that "blog rock lacks a political edge," I'd like to think about the sociology of how all this music was created. Julian Lynch, an acquaintance, dare I say friend, who was mentioned in the article, may be one of the best examples of a young artist "attacking the system" through the backdoor, without a foundation (slush fund) or a "Fuck You Bush" sticker on the back of his Prius. The fact is it's been over a year since the Bush-era ended, and not much has changed. If anything, there is even more reason to be disillusioned at the current state of the United States government, as many of the political promises Barack Obama made have not, and seemingly will not be fulfilled. Any young voter who found hope in his message is probably scratching his/her head, wondering why our fractured Congress can't get it together for the good of the people.

Point is, Julian Lynch has been making music since he was a child. His music is often homespun, recorded in his parents basement when he lived with them, and now his bedroom in Wisconsin. It is homemade. BBT claims analog recording "is now often merely retro, or used to signify reality." He's wrong. It's much deeper than that. For years the forces that be have been championing digital life as a positive way to take us into the future. First it was the CD player. Then the Internet. Etc. And while digital devices have created a lot of good, they've never solved any problems, rather created an entirely new series of problems on top of those already established. In Field Notes, a piece in the first edition of The Report, Emilie Friedlander tackles the idea of technology leading to a utopian future, which, she notes "the advent of the analog synthesizer once promised, but somehow never delivered." Much of the same can be said about digital culture, limitless technology that was "supposed" to solve our problems, but, in the end, those promises were left unfulfilled. (The same could go for political promises as well. But that's an entirely different piece.)

The use of lo-fi technologies, be it recording straight to a 4-track or 8-track cassette recorder, or simply recording directly to GarageBand through a computer microphone, is simply the easiest and cheapest way to record. If an artist, any artist, wants to make a statement, be it political, or just to start a dance party, the democratization of the tools needed to create allows them to do just that. It's a means to an end. Even further, they can send their works off into the world for others to enjoy without having to deal with the corporate foundations that control the media. No, Julian is not Ian MacKaye, but I'm pretty darn sure as a former-DC resident some of MacKaye's anti-corporate, anti-political, pro-Human/artist ideals have crept into Lynch's foundations. If there is a nostalgic trip in Lynch's songs, which there surely is, it's due to the genuine nature of his work, music that is unapologetically pure. Unlike many of his peers (post-collegiate 25 year olds, such as BBT himself), rather than continue to stabilize the status quo, Lynch's work stays uncorrupted, unphased by political scandal and hopeful for the future. For some it may seen childlike, but I think that's a superficial criticism. Unlike many, his work is simply not hardened by the corporate overtones and political unrest of the time. He is not pissed off. He is not commenting on Huffington Post about the latest Sarah Palin scandal outrage, or firing some cheap blows at tea-baggers. In a complete reaction to all the political bullshit, Lynch simply creates hopeful transportive, and often transformative music that crosses cultural boundaries, and does what is arguably the most important thing any musician could do: it makes us think.

Why rage against the machine, when you can organically build a "new world" within America outside the status quo? A social revolution unconcerned with Abbie Hoffman/Black Panther antics and more concerned with treating people well would be incredibly more effective than barging the New York Stock Exchange or Congress, or a bunch of privileged NYU students taking over the library. It's cliche, but the treat your neighbor like you'd want to be treated analogy is apt. And in this day and age, treating people with respect and dignity is about the most political thing you can do.

PS- Listen to Woods cover of Graham Nash's "Military Madness" on Songs of Shame.

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner: Julian Lynch [Part 10 of 14] from Ray Concepcion on Vimeo.

Monday, February 8, 2010

ep: How to Dress Well

"We Were In Love"
Some people just don't know how to stop. How To Dress Well, whose contribution to the Friendship Bracelet 3 comp is killer, are some of those lunar zombies, unable to sleep for fear of missing something; a feeling, an idea, a nightmare, sex. Conjuring post-midnight fantasy scapes, the act recently dropped ANOTHER pair of EPs, which makes for a total of 6 in the last 6 months. Intense. Of the two new EPs, ∆ born bodies ∆ is How to Dress Well hitting the depths of steel cisterns, while mimicking some JT level future sex. The second EP is another collaboration between How to Dress Well & cokc dokc titled ∆ five souls ∆. I'm not really sure if those triangles are supposed to surround both titles but, either way, they totally make sense, in some symbiotic way. Some really choice shit for all you post-futuristic sound hounds. Peep both EPs here.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

mp3: Big Troubles "Worn Out"

"Sleep"
If you've been paying attention, Big Troubles (and Twin Sister) have been all over the web this week. Their debut seven-inch on Blackburn Recordings came out a few weeks back and I was lucky enough to snag a copy at the Julian Lynch show at Bruar Falls last month. Boasting 4-tracks, including an alternative version of the shoegaze pop anthem "Freudian Slips" and the oft-blogged "Wouldn't Mind," "Worn Out," a track which has been a live staple for the band, almost gets lost in the mix. Where the recording tends to keep the speed limit, the live version is all "I can't drive 55", with Ian and Alex kicking it into high gear and plowing down anything in their way. I'm sure they'll be doing that tonight, in a fog machine haze.

Tonight's Show Info:

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

video: Future Islands "Swept Away"

"Father In Time"
Living room sessions are often an interesting beast. They tend to be unamplified, or, at least, mildly amplified and can find an artist putting interesting twists on already fleshed out tracks. Often they become, for whatever reason, "definitive" versions, as the comfort and intimacy of playing music in someone's home inevitably/inherently finds its way into the sound. Future Islands have been creating twisted synth pop for years now, having toured and released stuff with a lot of their Wham City brethren, however, this living room session, put together by BMore Musically Informed, finds the act moving away from the freak scene, in favor of minimalism in this introspective, stripped down version of "Swept Away," a tune from In The Evening Air, which will be released shortly by Thrill Jockey. Something about this reminds me of New Order in the mid-80s, if they'd been out 'til dawn, rolling hard, and then, while coming down, they decided to play a new tune on the organ that sat in Mums kitchen.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

show: Twin Sister, Big Troubles, Pigeons, Alice Cohen....

"Nothing But Violent"
We're hosting another great event this week, this time with the inimitable Olde English Spelling Bee. Running the line between blissed out fantasy and fantastical reality, this show might be one of the best curations of talent in NYC right now. Not only does it feature both Twin Sister and Big Troubles, who have been slaying Brooklyn audiences for months, but also the fragile psych of Alice Cohen and Pigeons AND the warped scapes of Run DMT. Not trying to melt completely into utter Fantasia, all good, as DJ Raw Thrills, aka Zak Mering, will be pointing you in the uber-zone, where idiosyncratic twist & shouting is not only demanded, but required. Not really sure what that means, though I can guarantee Thursday night will be a good time.

The Studio at Webster Hall (aka Downstairs)
125 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003
Thursday, Feb. 4th
8 pm doors
9 pm show
$5 advance / $7 at door


Twin Sister- I Want a House
Big Troubles- Sick Days
Pigeons- Tendress

Raw Thrills- Why Can't I Say Let Go


Alice Cohen- Memories of Glaciers

Monday, February 1, 2010

video: The Report, Bleeker/Mtn Man "Oh Boy"

"Wish I Was You"


From the Church show last December. This track, and many more (from the Church, as well as the ever-increasing Chocolate Bobka archive) will be available on The Report DVD, which is sort of like the videos we post online, but super-high, barely compressed quality that's sure to look lovely on your television. This is a project we have been working hard on for the past few months, and we couldn't be more excited to send it out into the world. So excited that we made this epic trailer to wet your taste buds:

The Report, if you don't already know, is a 100+ page bi-annual journal, compilation and DVD package, containing the weirdest, wisest musings on culture, art and music. Contributors include Dent May, Ben Chasny, Rob Mitchum (Pitchfork), Devin Wolfe (Naturalismo), Justin Gage (Aquarium Drunkar), Molly Sarle (Mountain Man), Matt Mondanile (Ducktails, Real Estate), Sawyer Carter Jacobs (Underwater Peoples, Family Portrait, Emilie Friedlander (Visitation Rites, Arthur Mag, Tiny Mix Tapes), Madalyn Merkey (Irma Vep Tapes), and Cian Traynor (SeeWhatYouHear, Guardian), amongst many, many others. The cassette compilation, which also comes as a digital download, features a bevy of exclusive unreleased tracks, as well as songs that simply were overlooked or are soon to be released.

The Report Mix-Tape Tracklist:

Side A
1. Madalyn Merkey - Excerpt from Orphic Breathing
2. Twin Sister- Kimmi In The Ricefield
3. Raw Thrills- Komiche Traveling With Vampires
4. Javelin - Clamato
5. Family Portrait- Dog Wah
6. Holiday Shores- Three-Peat
7. Run DMT- Let's All Take Acid
8. Alice Cohen- The Binding of Cords
9. Real Estate - Wonder Years jam

Side B
1. Alex Bleeker- Journey Through The Past
2. Mountain Man- The Loon Song
3. Pillow Talk- Living Room Jam
4. Pigeons- Behind the Reeds
5. Woodsman - Mothka
6. Pure Ecstasy- Dream Over
7. Alex Craig & the Cedermark Kitchen Singers - If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)

(SOLD OUT)
or PayPal $22 (includes shipping) to mpmcgregor [at] gmail dot com