You may have noticed that we currently have a problem with our comment function. We thought that perhaps you had stopped commenting as much, but it has come to our attention that isn't the case. We are trying to get to the bottom of it, and will let you know when it's all better. As for now, it may take a couple of tries (if you submit a comment once and it doesn't show up, try refreshing the page ONCE, this usually does the trick), but still please feel free to say all of the awful things you usually do about our lack of talent, bad taste, poor fashion choices, and personal lives.
Disco: Hate | Madeline | Ham1 | Little Birds (Club Dada) Disco Hate is a Mount Righteous side-project, and Madeline is the ever-touring singer-songwriter from Athens that will be playing NX35 along with fellow Georgians, Ham1. I've only seen Madeline perform completely solo, sans mic even, and I'm wondering how her live show will be now that she has a backing band. If that's not a recent development, forgive me, it's been a long time.
I think it's important to mention that NX35 will have walk-up prices for each individual show. It's not a wristband-only situation as many, including myself, feared. So if there is a particular show you want to catch, you should just go to that, and not worry about getting a wristband. The Harvey Pekar event is wristband only, however.
Romp Almighty | Quick Chris | Jude (The Cavern) Romp Almighty is an extremely poppy duo from Dallas. They employ the kind of distorted yet happy-sounding riffs you don't hear from a lot of current, local, pop-rock groups and sound more like mid-90's, female-fronted, radio rock.. Quick Chris is the DJ tonight, and Jude, the visual artist.
Florene | Power Animal | Lite Brite | Sunnybrook (J & J's Pizza) This show is themed "Rivers & Tides," and I'm just wondering what makes all these kids so calm. Aside from some static and noise elements in Florene's music, this is a fairly serene bunch. How do they do it? Did they have really fun childhoods or something? Did they "participate" in extra-curricular activities growing up? I'm amazed that they can keep it together so well. I can't. I should mention that this show features Lite Brite, the side-project of Sleep Whale's Joel North, and I think I prefer these looser pieces to Sleep Whale's painstakingly constructed music.
Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge) Tonight is special like Lowenbrau for Disqo Disco now that they have had their Tuesday at Fallout Lounge for one full year. Which is really bothering me, because it seems there is no way that could actually be true. Anyways, they have a playlist picked out for their event which Hunter Hauk has posted on his Quick Blog. Extra points for that Pointer Sisters track at the end. With all of the extra effects on it (courtesy of Pilooski), it winds up sounding like some reworked Les Stances A Sophie-era track by Art Ensemble Of Chicago. Tommy Boy, Schwa, and Keith P will all be guests tonight as well.
90's Night (Hailey's) Tonight's guest is Sober, along with Yeah Def.
Due to concern over whether or not these particular records should be shared in their entirety, we are only providing a few tracks from each release--TC
I've been thinking long and hard over the past few weeks about how to address this whole Touch and Go issue. I quickly came to the realization that some sort of retrospective/best albums list would be entirely too time consuming and a bit redundant. Everybody knows the story, the bands, and how important this label was. With that said, this album is one of my personal favorite releases from the label by a band that was a huge part of my teenage years.
Although they weren't as popular or influential as the label's heavy hitters like the Jesus Lizard, Butthole Surfers and Steve Albini's various projects, Brainiac carved out their own niche with their mix of punk, noise, and new wave synth nerd. While this description may seem cliche as this decade draws to a close, there were very few bands doing this in the mid 90s. Six Finger Satellite and Trans-Am come to mind right away, but those are rather loose comparisons.
Stylistically, Hissing Prigs wasn't much different than their previous release, 1995's Bonsai Superstar (Grass Records), but it did show some signs of evolution that would be more apparent on the group's follow-up release, 1997's Electro-shock for President ep (which I've also included). Sadly, these would be the last releases by the band, as their singer/synth player Tim Taylor was killed in a one car accident in May 1997. It's a shame that such a tragic end had to come to a band at the moment that they seemed to be on the brink of doing something truly fantastic.
Well it's about to be "that" time of year again... when hundreds of bands swing through DFW on their way to Austin, and everyone around here starts trying to figure out how to get out of work and which floors to crash on next week so that they can spend as much time as possible drinking for free during the day. It all tires me the fuck out, personally, but then again, I've hated music ever since I started this website, so you probably shouldn't listen to my opinions (EDIT: about SXSW... everything else I say is still right). The point is that today is a slow day (Cool Out at the Cavern, Paul Slavens at Dan's Silverleaf and Jazz at the Amsterdam are your regular, solid options), but starting tomorrow, things will be super busy for the next couple of weeks (including around here), so stay tuned....
Our friends at Radio UTD were nice enough to hook us up with a pair of tickets to Devo's show on Wednesday, March 18th at the Palladium. If you want to win them, just email us at weshotjrtix@yahoo.com any time between now and tomorrow at noon. Please include you full name in the email body and make "Devo" the subject line. You'll also have three other chances to win three more pairs of tickets if you tune in to Radio UTD today at the following times:
Today 4pm-6pm (Natalia Zuniga, Monochrome in the 1990's) Wed 2pm-4pm (Cold War Radio w/Scott Herndon) Wed 6pm-8pm (Audioparty! w/Agata + Garrett)
They'll explain how to win them, so you'll have to listen to find out. Oh, and thanks to AEG and Palladium for the tickets.
TUE: Disqo Disco One Year Anniversary with Keith P/Schwa/Tommy Boy (Fallout Lounge) TUE: Florene/Power Animal/Lite Brite/Sunnybrook (J&Js) THU: The Fieros/Make Believers/Cocky Americans/Darcy (the Boiler Room, Denton) FRI: Zanzibar Snails/Forbes-Young-Gonzales/Drink To Victory (Fra House) FRI: Centro-matic/Robert Gomez/Doug Burr/RTB2 (Dan's Silverleaf) FRI: Possessed by Paul James/The Theater Fire/New Science Projects/Delmore Pilcrow (Rubber Gloves) SAT: HXHF: Weird Weeds/The Shivers/Shiny Around the Edges/Champagne Kickoff (Muscle Beach) SAT: The Frenz/Jack with One Eye/Stumptone/Violent Squid/Sarah Alexander/ All Day BBQ and More (1314 Austin St.) SAT: Silver Arrows/Tame... Tame and Quiet/Zest of Yore/Ella Minnow (Dan's Silverleaf) SUN: M. Ward (Dallas Museum of Art) SUN: Monotonix/The Show is the Rainbow/Beep Beep/Sybris (Hailey's) SUN: HXHF: UH OH/Teenage Cool Kids/Bad Sports/Wiccans (818 Hickory St.)
A somewhat slow weekend, but we've had some good ones lately, so just deal (check our show calendar for even more shows:
FRIDAY
Dr. Doom vs. Dr. Octagon (The Loft) Not only has Kool Keith had an on-again/off-again sci-fi theme in his music, his work also shares a lot of similarities with some of the worst science fiction: too many releases, too many sequels, kills and resurrects too many characters, etc. In spite of all that, I still think he is easily the greatest living rapper.
Acknowledging his own multifaceted role playing, his most recent tour is called "Dr. Octagon Versus Dr. Dooom," two names which have surely built the excitement for this show. Personally, I think Keith is at his best when he comes back to earth and attacks the mind-numbing and unnecessary minutiae of the music industry, as he did so well on his 2000 release, Matthew. I guess I overlooked the fact that Matthew was critically panned, because I think it's his most solid album. I was doing a little research today and only saw one-and-a-half or two stars on various reviews. It is most pointedly on this record that his fans, journalists, hype, production values, stage show efforts, and of course, his fellow artists all come ruthlessly under attack. I'd be lying if I said I didn't play this on a regular basis when trying to find the inspiration to write another It List, and I would go to this show just on the off-chance that he performs one song from that record.
I'll leave you with some choice lines:
On After-parties:
"Bringin' mad shit from down South, big after-parties I'ma turn my phone off, I don't want to shake hands, meet no-fuckin'-body Arrogant bastard, no commercial shit...Fuck the critics, Everything I make is a hit."
On The Internet:
"Forget the Internet, the website, that's no way to step right I ain't sittin' by no computer, I'm goin' to Bermuda."
On Fans:
"You turn me off as a fan Approaching me backstage with a guy that's not your friend Lyin' to get a laminate, is that your man? Some weird guy starin' at me like Peter Pan."
On Critics:
"What you know about my shit? Why you reviewin' it, why you ratin' it? You fuckin' hate it."
On Record Release Shows:
"Make you take the CDs out the shelf Come to your record release party, show you some shit and make you piss on yourself"
On taking a fellow artist out to dinner:
"You keep it real Too real motherfuckin' broke 2001 Nobody was saying that shit when I was payin' for them hot wings Hope you burn your fuckin' lips"
Cut Copy | Matt and Kim | DJ Knightlife (Granada) Melbourne, Australia's Cut Copy is one of those groups that always seems to be on the cusp of becoming a cross-over, radio friendly indie dance/pop success story, but I wouldn't know whether they have or not because I don't follow that shit. And maybe they've already crossed over to at least the somewhat big time with this second headlining show at the Granada and a coveted appearance on the soundtrack to FIFA 09 late last year. Not that we want to go on some lame tirade against "selling out" or video game soundtracks or something, but Cut Copy is a group that very much exists in the "now," and might have a tough time scoring a headlining gig at the Granada even six months from now. Despite the fact that they've been around since 2001, the group really came into its own with last year's full length In Ghost Colours, a sugary sweet indie dance record that felt a little bit like a big box of candy at the movies-- wonderful at first, but regretful and perhaps even embarrassing once you've had the chance to digest it. Below average lyrical content coupled with no surprises production that combined 80's synth, disco, and that unmistakable 00's retro inauthenticity made the whole proposition seem perfect for little more than a time capsule that might reappear ten years from now during the taping of an I Love The 00's episode. Is it decent party music? Sure. Will there be a lot of attractive SMU students at this thing? Probably. But as you watch them all zip around in their American Apparel gear (I'm sick of even making jokes about that store), you might start to wonder when we're all (fans, media, fashion industry, etc.) finally going to declare this brand of (now) pre-packaged, somewhat unimaginative "counter-culture"(brought to you by Myspace and Scion) dead on the table, i.e. completely irrelevant thanks to oversaturation, just like so many other trends in American and European underground music over the past couple of decades. Whenever it happens, you'll find a lot of people who won't know what the hell to do with themselves. Party on! — Stoned Ranger
SAS (Zubar) Select and Schwa will be manning the decks in the back room of Zubar... will probably get packed after Cut Copy.
Wovenhand | True Widow | Shiny Around the Edges (Club Dada) Fairly solid show in Deep Ellum-- Wovenhand's David Eugene Edwards has toured with Nick Cave, and you can certainly tell that Cave's work has been an influence on his songwriting, as has Bauhaus, Angels of Light and Echo and the Bunnymen. Mixing bits of goth and Americana with a highly theatric vocal delivery might sound like a bad idea on paper, but Wovenhand actually manages to do it quite well. True Widow and Shiny Around the Edges are surely appropriate openers for this one. Recommended. — Stoned Ranger
PVC Street Gang | Darktown Strutters | Eat Avery's Bones | Slackbeat (The Chat Room) Do yourself a favor-- Eat Avery's Bones rarely plays shows anymore, so go see them while you have a chance. A solid line up all around at one of the most pleasant and comfortable places to see a show in North Texas. Spend a few minutes at the Chat Room on a Saturday night and you'll start to realize that everyone in Ft. Worth actually IS pretty nice. — Stoned Ranger
ADD:Spring Affair with Luke Sardello | Scwha | Big J | Mike Constantino/David Lewis | Brett Johnson (Reverchon Park located at 3401 Maple Ave, Dallas) This free event is the first in a series of outdoor parties which will be held once a month with a revolving lineup. Starts at noon and over by 6 PM. — DL
We're gonna have to be a little shorter than we'd like to be today because we're busy (including working on a couple more features that you'll see soon). Anyway, here are shows, and we have even more listed for tonight in our show calendar:
Mi Ami | Thank You | The Watchers (The Lounge) Quarterstick Records' Mi Ami features 2/3 of the members of former Dischord group Black Eyes ( a short-lived but celebrated group), and although you might recognize some very loose stylistic similarities between Mi Ami and their former band, this band is quite clearly a different proposition: highly rhythmic, with an emphasis on percussion rather than guitars, etc., listeners will hear traces of dub, krautrock, Afrobeat and rough, experimental jazz, like if Miles had gone punk rock on Bitch's Brew. Interesting stuff that experiments with a lot of different sounds but largely retains the intensity of these artists' work in their previous band. Thrill Jockey's Thank You head down a similar road with their material-- a focus on complex rhythms, but with a more subdued, Kraut influenced approach than Mi Ami-- repitition and mood are the weapons here, and they work quite well. The Watchers feature Michael Chamy of Zanzibar Snails and Mark from Good Records. Should be a quality show.
Sun Club (Rubber Gloves) This will be Sun Club's last Thursday night performance until early April, so stop by and give it a try if you're into disco, acid house, new house, etc. This week's guest DJ will be Yeahdef.
Wow. I guess I should have figured that I'd be dealing with some fairly intense individuals when I interviewed a Black Metal group like Wolves in the Throne Room (as part of our ongoing interview series with interesting bands playing SXSW 2009), but I was still highly impressed with drummer Aaron Weaver's outlook on the world, and especially by the underlying positivity contained within his worldview. His opinions and lifestyle might not appeal to everyone, but his thoughts are interesting to say the least, and his lifestyle is one that you don't encounter every day, especially when living amongst the urban and suburban sprawl of DFW. I spoke with Weaver on the phone today about his band, his farm in rural Washington, and the spiritual component of Black Metal. Here is what he had to say:
I wanted to start off by asking you about the Malevolent Grain EP (released this year)-- when did you record it and where, and what were some of your goals for the recording sessions?
Sure. We knew we wanted to record a full length, we had a lot of material and the desire was there. But we also wanted to collaborate with our friend Jamie Meyers, who was the female vocalist on some things on Two Hunters, but we didn't want to have a song on our full length album that we couldn't play live. Both of our older records have songs that if we play them live without Jamie or Jessica (Kinney, of Eyvid Kang and Asva) singing, then we're really missing an important part of the music. So that's why we did it, we had talked about it doing it for years and we really wanted to work with her. It was kind of a difficult thing to do because she lives in Texas and we live in the Northwest, obviously, so it was in many ways an interesting experiment because we wrote some music and sent it to her and then she sang over it and sent it back, so we really created the first song on this EP without ever being in the same room until we actually got together to record it. Every record that we make has its own sort of narrative and its own sort of spirit to it, so we recorded this as a separate thing.
So this isn't a preview of what the new album is going to be?
No, I know it's often times the case that the EP is put out first in order to promote a full length album, and it comes from the same recording session, but thats not the case here at all. The new material on Black Cascade, the new full length, is very very different. It's very much a metal album. It's quite dark and pretty unrelenting. I think its focused, that's the best word to describe it. It's focused and powerful I think. Because 12 Stars and Two Hunters (the band's previous full lengths) are very expansive and sprawling albums and explore a lot of sonic territory, and we wanted to make a record that was more powerful.
I read a couple of reviews of Malevolent Grain on metal sites, and although the two I read were pretty positive, they seemed to be written by guys who were really into the genre of black metal, and they claimed that you guys were sort of moving away from Black Metal, the quote is that Wolves in the Throne Room's relationship with Black Metal is "more tenuous than ever." Do you agree with that, do you care?
Well we've always had a very tenuous relationship with black metal. That's the interesting thing about our band. That of course we're playing music that owes a great debt to Scandinavian Black Metal in terms of sound and a certain spirit, but it is also very much a product of our own culture and our own set of influences, and our own very idiosyncratic ideology. But I think when that same reviewer hears Black Cascade he'll be in for a surprise because it's by far the most "Black Metal" thing we've ever created.
Where and when did you record the new full length?
We've done all three of our last recordings all with Randall Dunn, who I don't know if you're familiar with him but he's recorded Sunn 0))), Earth, Grails, a bunch of really good interesting bands. We've developed a very good recoding relationship with him. So it was recorded partially at his home studio called A List, in West Seattle, and partially at a bigger, fancier studio called London Bridge, which is a little bit north of Seattle, which has a really amazing old console and two inch tape and a really amazing room for drums. It's a really great sounding studio. We were able to do all the basic tracks there, all the guitars, and then do all the overdubs and vocals and ethereal stuff at Randall's house.
How long have you been interesting in Black Metal-- how long have you been making and listening to it?
We've always been metal heads, I had the In the Night Side Eclipse when it first came out, and I've always been interested in Black Metal and death metal and these sorts of things. I think we had the idea to start playing the music seriously about six or seven years ago because we all come out of a punk sort of background and we were beginning to see some cracks in the facade of that sort of way of looking at the world, that sort of political, left wing way of looking at the world. I think we were looking for something deeper, some sort of evolution, and I think we found that in Black Metal. It's this music that has a spiritual dimension to it and I think it allows one to access another world, a spiritual reality or a transcendent reality.
Would you say that your political views went beyond the categories of left and right wing, or do you feel like you rejected leftist ideas?
I think a better way to describe is that we sort of became less interested in looking at the world in terms of politics. I think that, when I was younger, take any sort of issue, like logging a forrest, which is something we're all very interested in, a younger version of myself would say that it is a political issue: you have a particular track of forest sold to a logging company and the trees are cut down, its cause and effect, a political or economic or sociological issue. But I just don't believe that anymore. I think that at this point I look at things on an occult level or a spiritual level, I don't see it in terms of a political issue, I think its more of a metaphysical issue. And those are the issues that Black Metal deals with, and those are the issues that Wolves in the Throne Room deals with. At the same time, as people, I think that all of us still have a sort of humanist world view. We've always been a band thats always specifically said that we aren't into the idea of racism, or xenophobia, or right wing nationalism, Anti-Semitism, all the sorts of things that Black Metal is often unfortunately connected with.
Yeah, Black Metal does sort of have that reputation, but you seem to see something totally the opposite of all that in the music.
Yeah, and I understand why people make the connection between Black Metal and a Right Wing ideology, because Black Metal fundamentally is an attempt to destroy the modern world, its an attempt to replace the modern world with an ancient, primal, pagan way of living and feeling and thinking. And I can see how one can make that connection, because if one is to destroy modernity and democracy and capitalism, then what does one replace it with? And unfortunately I can see how people can say well "you should replace it with a fascist regime or a Right wing state of some sort," but I just really disagree with that. I think that Right Wing ideologies are fundamentally cowardly, I think that they are a natural impulse and a very negative one, because those ideologies are about looking backwards, about being afraid of the current situation and trying to grasp for something that is solid, something that feels familiar, moving backwards, taking a step back towards some perceived way of living. I think that's a really negative attitude to have because I think its a natural thing for human beings and other organisms to evolve, we have to move towards something new and not be afraid of any sort of possibility.
Do you see the band as a vehicle for any kind of activism or as a way to make a statement about these issues?
No, definitely not. We're explicitly non-political and very consciously not interested in the idea of having any sort of message. That's something that we're really interested in avoiding-- trying to preach or sit on some high horse. All we're trying to do is to express a spirit, something that has very little to do with the physical world, but has to do with another level of perception.
I've also read quite a bit about the self sustaining organic farming you do. Can you tell our readers a little bit about where you live and how you live?
Well we live on the outskirts of Olympia, WA, we have a small farmstead, and we're very blessed I think. My partner, Megan, is a very gifted organic farmer and she does the majority of the growing of food, that's her passion in life. So for a good part of the year I'm able to pretty much only eat food that comes from this farm or our friends who have farms in the same area. And as much as possible, I like to immerse myself in that very traditional way of living. I think its one of the ways to touch some sort of transcendent spirit, to immerse oneself in a sort of timeless and rhythmic way of living. To plant seeds in the spring time, and harvest in the fall, and then save the seeds and cast them again the following spring. Or to collect firewood in the summertime, burn it in the winter, and then put those ashes on to the compost pile. It's those sort of actions that for me have opened up a whole new realm of perception and have allowed me to experience something that is beyond, I think, the materialist, rationalist world view that the modern world is based on.
So do you think this lifestyle has a directly positive psychological impact on your overall well being?
Of course, but I don't think I really have an option. I think if I was living a normal life in a city, working at a job and just being a part of mainstream society, I wouldn't be able to do it. It's not something that is an option for me. So I think we're very very lucky that through a good deal of hard work and lucky breaks and bit of fate, perhaps, that we've been able to create this space where we can manifest in the physical world something that is a mirror of a spiritual reality.
Did you grow up in a rural environment?
No, I actually grew up in Olympia, its always been our home. I've lived other places over the years, but when I returned to Olympia six or seven years ago and moved on to our homestead, I kind of made a commitment that this would be my home for the foreseeable future. I'm very interested in making a connection to a specific place, which is a great sacrifice in many ways. There's a lot that you give up when you commit yourself to one spot, one place. You have to take on a whole never level of responsibility, and you give up that rootlessness that is very much a part of the modern American urban reality.
Do you feel like you would be completely uncomfortable if you were all of a sudden thrust upon San Francisco or New York or something like that?
It's not that I feel uncomfortable there. I feel very comfortable in cities. I have no problem navigating the subway or going to an art museum or going out to a dinner, these are things that on some levels I enjoy doing. But at the same time, when I'm away from home and away from daily contact with the natural world and this sort of traditional, rhythmic way of living, I can feel my connection to a spiritual reality giving. I can feel my connection to an ancient spirit being slowly severed. It's very much a trade off, because you become so used to this very primitive or simple existence, and you become aware that when you live in that sort of place you really transform your consciousness in a very real way, and then when you are away from that sort of lifestyle, you miss it, and you feel a very deep sense of loss, so its very much a tradeoff in that respect.
I wanted to talk briefly about Southern Lord, because something I think is interesting about the label and its roster is that it seems to sort of transcend genres and different pockets of musical subcultures in Europe and the U.S. What is it about the roster and the label itself that allows it to do that? You guys are respected and liked in Black Metal circles, and in avant garde and art rock circles, and you even get coverage in kind of indie rock publications like Pitchfork.
I think one of the interesting thing about Southern Lord is that it is a very eclectic roster. So many underground labels seem to focus on one genre of music, so they'll put out all Black Metal, or all Doom, or all Avant Garde drone, and I think Southern Lord casts a much wider net for the bands that they put out. But the interesting thing is that I think all the bands have something in common, that they are all exploring darkness, or the idea of achieving some sort of transcendent state through exploration of the dark side of the spirit world, and I think that is what all the bands on Southern Lord have in common. And I think all the bands on Southern Lord stand on their own, are all a part of their own individual genre. But I think there are more independent thinkers on Southern Lord, rather than bands that are more interested in staying true to the dogmas of their chosen genres, these are bands that aren't afraid to step out of the prescribed boundaries.
So you guys are playing SXSW this year-- do you know where and when?
Yes, but I don't know where or when. I don't pay much attention to the business side of things, I'm just sort of told when to show up and where, and I appear the best I can.
Yeah, SXSW can be such an overwhelming experience.
It's a bit of clusterfuck. It's not the kind of thing I'm particularly excited about playing. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it seems that SXSW is more about the business side of things, a showcase for all the executive types and distribution people and the magazines and MTV or whatever. I'm just so far removed from that existence. We have to deal with it to a certain degree because of course we release our records through a record label and go on tours, so we have a certain amount of awareness of that side of things, but it's a world I'm very wary of losing oneself to. And I don't think it is a danger for Wolves in the Throne Room because we're not the kind of band that could get swept up in sort of a rock n roll cliche, I think we're very rooted in our spirit and very rooted in our motivation. We'll use the music machine to our own advantage, but as soon as we feel like we're being used in some way, we'll gladly take a step back.
Show #22: YTMND (And/Or) 6-9pm This is a show curated from the YTMND online community, and all the pieces are websites culled from the 500,000 or so that the community has currently created. Apparently, there is a screening of "whatever is on Channel 4" in the backyard. If this is meant literally- which I think it is- that means there will be some COPS episodes, maybe a little America's Most Wanted if you stick around late.
Charley Harper (Public Trust) An exhibition featuring vintage serigraphs and original paintings from the influential Charles Harper, who died in 2007. Definitely see this!
Woman Body Image: Half Lives of the Cyborg Manifesto 25 Years After (Centraltrak) I don't even know where to begin.
Yes, I realize that this list is too late, and I'm sorry for that. I also just realized that "Defect Defect" is most likely a Wipers reference. Thanks, DL
Defect Defect | High Life | Wiccans (Exploding House) Defect Defect features members of Clorox Girls and The Observers. I don't understand how Wiccans are going to play this show since they share members with Teenage Cool Kids. For more info on just how complicated that is, see the diagram to the right.
Tyvjk | Teenage Cool Kids | Schwa | Art by Caleb Barnard (The Cavern): Especially good lineup for Detour tonight with a solid touring act, a beloved local indie pop group, a beloved DJ, and artwork by a local tattoo artist. I often see Tyvjk described as garage rock, or even "Detroit garage rock" which is more implicative than necessary. The group does have elements of garage rock, but more importantly there is a type of crumble to their sound akin to all of their equipment tumbling down the stairs while a singer tries to keep up with a combination of panic and indifference. This is really where the group's strength seems to lie, setting them apart from other less interesting garage rockers and displaying a kind of messy and arrogant aloofness utilized successfully in everyone from The Fall to the more recent work of Teenage Panzer Kops.
Gordon Lightfoot (Nokia) I remember being made fun of at a book store for buying a Gordon Lightfoot fakebook, and even though I have my doubts about this show being good on any level, at least give it to the guy for writing the song featured in this video. I think that should be enough cred for anybody.
For those who don't know, Kool Keith, a.k.a. Dr. Doom, a.k.a. Dr. Octagon, will be performing this Friday at the Loft in Dallas, and AEGLive was nice enough to give us two pairs of tickets to give away to you. If you want them, just email weshotjrtix@yahoo.com any time before 7PM this evening with your full name in the email body and "Kool Keith" in the subject line. We'll choose two winners at random. Good luck!
Brightblack Morning Light | Rio En Medio (Good Records) In case you missed it last night, you have the opportunity to catch the same exact show in Dallas, and for free. Not bad.
Visitations | Daniel Folmer | RTB2 (Dan's Silverleaf) The Visitations features Elephant 6 veteran, Davey Wrathgaber, and I'm a little surprised to see that association is still used in a press-release circa 2009. Isn't that like saying you once drank OK Soda, worked for 1-800 Music Now, or that you were once interviewed on The Adventure Club? Anyways, this is your average "experimental pop," where there are some great influences listed, some weird noises here and there, and some pretty ordinary pop songwriting barely hiding underneath. Wrathgaber has been described as a "poet, songwriter, and humorist," though many of you are aware I'm sure that such a three-pronged description is really all one in the same.
Richard Thompson (Lakewood Theater) I had forgotten how good Richard (and Linda) Thompson can be until TC reminded me earlier today. Everyone makes a big deal out of "Shoot Out The Lights," but I think their first album is a lot better. "Shoot Out The Lights" is probably mentioned more due to the fact that it's often referenced, or even covered, by the likes of similarly somber icons like Bob Mould and Michael Stipe.
Thompson is a saving grace on the sometimes dull Fairport Convention records, and their discography is pretty much irrelevant after his departure. It's a safe bet that this will probably sound like adult contemporary folk rock more than anything else, but it might still be worth going to if he plays some older songs, or at least doesn't have a fretless bass player or something fucking insane like that.
Disqo Disco (Fallout Lounge) Wanz will be guesting tonight, playing some rare Italo and post-punk remixes.
I could probably do this column for a couple months writing solely about records released on Island in 1974. Kevin Ayers, John Cale, King Crimson, Eno, Nico, Roxy Music and Sparks all put out fantastic albums that year. This particular album, Thompson's second since leaving the Fairport Convention, may not be a glam/prog/weirdo masterpiece, but it is one of the better 'drinking and sex' themed English folk albums that I've heard.
There is a pretty good chance that Richard Thompson will play a few songs from this record tonight at the Lakewood Theater. Well, I hope that it's him playing, the Lakewood's website calendar says 'An Evening with Ricahrd Thompson.'
