Double Dagger, Then, Now, Later (Thrill Jockey Update #3)

One of the bands that Paul, the other party that gave birth to this beautifully twisted sister of a blog, introduced me to was Baltimore's Double Dagger. The first time I saw them play was in the now defunct The Rest Is Noise bar in Brixton in 2009, to about thirty people. The people moshing (well, jumping around into each other...) were myself and a few friends. The supports, Friendship and Bitches, were brilliant. But Nolen came out and did his thing, Denny and Bruce kept it locked down, and it killed. Later that night, a woman who had been throwing up outside attacked my girlfriend out the front, in the process ripping out strands of another friend's hair. Suffice to say that it left an impression.

A lot has happened since then. Double Dagger has called it a day, but there is much still to celebrate. Denny Bowen has since drummed for the Dan Deacon Ensemble (which saw him visit Brisbane early last year), as well as playing in Roomrunner. Nolen Strals has a few projects in the offing, and his graphic design continues to abound, as seen (by me at least) on the Part Chimp/Torche split record.

Bruce Willen has teamed up with good friend (and Future Islander) William Cashion to form Peals, whose Walking Field is coming out on Thrill Jockey this month. Peals is an entirely different beast altogether, using live loops to encapsulate an exploratory tome to ambiance and intimacy and their intricacies and connectivity. It, like their stablemates Mountains as mentioned two days ago, is all about fully immersive soundscapes, leaving the outside world behind and reaching within. Peals are already searching for the smaller, more intimate realms in order to play their music live too, oft-times preferring houses and small art galleries over larger stages. They have recently come off a tour that included shows with other Thrill Jockey-ites Dan Friel and Brokeback, as well as Romantic States and Bamboo, and will embark on another tour in support of Walking Field (which, if you pre-order now, comes with a free 7") in June. (Also go to their website here where you can manipulate and make your own version of another track, 'Furniture' - pretty cool.)

Peals - Blue Elvis

But the legacy of Double Dagger itself lives on, as for Record Store day 2013 we are granted the final, posthumous record 333, coinciding with If You Shout Loud Enough, a documentary showcasing the criminally underrated trio in all their fabulous glory. It seems that the album is going to not only underline such a standing, but that they broke up just as they were gathering in strength. The growth from the More LP to the Masks EP alone was monumental. It's a damn shame they aren't around anymore, but their legacy can live on through these songs (as much as they'll fucking hate to hear it).

Double Dagger - Heretic's Hymn

Here is the trailer for the doco too. It features interviews with many of the Baltimore scene, such as Deacon, members of Wye Oak, Future Islands, Ruiner, Thank You and so many more, and a staggering amount of live footage across their 9-year reign. You can only get this on RSD from your local independent record store. You can see If We Shout Loud Enough as part of the official selection of the Maryland Film Festival, with (hopefully) many more venues thereafter.


If We Shout Loud Enough - Trailer (Double Dagger documentary) from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Vale Double Dagger, long live Double Dagger!

Escape From Napa Asylum

I have two experiences that I can highlight about Sic Alps. One was earlier in the year when around at Paul's place, playing records while we drank at 2 in the afternoon, one eye on the incredibly uninteresting FA Cup final and the other on new design issues with the blog. We'd been listening to Glenn Branca and Women's first album, then I decided to throw on U.S. E.Z., an album Id listened to in fits and bursts but not for a while - and I just about drenched Paul's turntable with spat beer. What have I been doing with my life? Why had I neglected these San Franciscans all my life (well, the last couple years) from destroying whats left of my hearing and my mind? I felt ashamed.

Then they supported Pavement. I was massively pumped. Then I got pissed at the Rest Is Noise, and ended up seen half of their final song - which was ace - and once again I was left ruing what might have been a life-affirming - nay, changing - experience. When Pavement came on, I didnt care anymore. I let myself down, and no amount of heyday slackerdom was going to rise me to the heady highs that I should have been on.

So Im not missing this opportunity. Although it doesnt come out til January, I have in my clammy lil hands Napa Asylum, Sic Alps' new LP on Drag City. At 22 tracks, this is a sprawling and yet succinct record of woozy psych noise, suitably recorded as if in the bottom of a very deep rusted out coffee tin, with the occasional fresh production shining through on tracks like 'Meter Man'. Its warped, its scratchy and fidgety, its as schizophrenic as ever, like a guitar pop band of the 60s stuck in a three decade long trip, with various generational tics seeping in over time. Or like Deerhunter if they just turned it up and didnt get all elegiac on us (actually, not a bad thing, but I still occasionally miss the early days). These guys dont know how to play in any other way - and why should we want them to? The first album to look forward in 2011, I assure you.

Napa Asylum is out January 25th. They are pushing for a European tour around April/May, so keep you eyes peeled, and your trigger fingers over your wallet pockets - its gonna be a wild ride.

Sic Alps - Meter Man

Sic Alps - The First White Man To Touch Californian Soil

Double my Dagger

Before everything goes Pavement shaped around here I thought I'd remind the SM gang we're off to see Double Dagger on Saturday. While I'm at it I thought I'd throw a couple of vids in for good measure. The top vid features the track The Lie/The Truth from last year's More LP and the bottom is Sleeping With the TV On taken from this year's EP Masks. Sorry the vocal is low but I just dig the angle and the carpet.

Thanks Lou for the heads up. I hope The Rest Is Noise can handle this...

Fair Ohs speculate

Fair Ohs and a Leeds outfit Spectrals have a new split 7" out today on Tough Love. The perfect mini soundtrack with Spring finally poking its head above winter's parapet (maybe Brendan will even stop moaning about the weather now!) Spectrals have long coveted my attention and Fair Ohs' itchy reverb drenched afro-punk went down a treat when we saw them at Rest is Noise a few weeks ago. Here is one track to lure you in, three more await you on the 7". As good as daffs!

Fair Ohs - Hey Lizzy

Dum te dum...

We're off to see Dum Dum Girls on Friday at the mighty Lexington, courtesy of White Light, should be good. A good dose of "blissed-out buzz saw" on a Friday night.

Anyway thought I'd pop up a taste in the form of their 'first' single, Jail La La, out on 7", buy it! Of course other Dum Dum Girls 7" and e.p. tracks have been floating around the web for a while but this is the first track from the forthcoming album 'I Will Be' out on Sub Pop at the end of March, one for the wish list then.

Are you lucky enough to be seeing them tomorrow at the The Old Blue Last or Thursday at Barden's Boudoir? There's also dates on Saturday - The Rest Is Noise, Brixton and Tuesday - Madame Jo Jo's.

Dum Dum Girls - Jail La La