Trapping Three Tigers In A Holiday Inn

Squishing two posts into one here. First up we have the return of London harsh experimental trio Three Trapped Tigers. Fans of the likes of Battles, Errors, even My Disco might find something to indulge in with these guys' esoteric, punishing yet energising instrumental music. It is hard to believe it has been FIVE YEARS since they brought out Route One Or Die, an album that we reviewed in March 2011 (oh those days...) and loved, but title track 'Silent Earthling' sees a heady return to form. they will be touring the album at the end of April, with a Scala date on the 28th. Welcome back, boys.

Similarly in the electronic noise department is Italian synth punk guerrillas Holiday Inn (the name = perfect subterfuge). The self-titled 7" has been released on Rave Up Records, and committing unrelenting industrial (S)uicide over the disco landscape, destructively diffident, a nonchalant nihilism permeating the metallic scree. Frankly, it's cleansing my mind and making my day.

Speaking In Numbers To Three Trapped Tigers

So we have the new offerings from the ever excellent excitable electro executioners Three Trapped Tigers (yep, a lot of alliteration in there...). Well, it's not exactly new per se - Numbers 1-13 is the combination of, I'm only guessing here, but Lightning Bolt plays a more pressing impression in their earlier work, especially on elements of the opening track, evocatively titled '1'. The 13 tracks span their three year evolution across three limited edition (now sold out) EPs from 2008-2010, thus the reason for the remastered and repackaged full length player. It is so worth it though - whilst their Route One Or Die LP from last year was killer, there is something about their short form releases that captured their essence in a better light, so having them all in one place is an incredible coup.

Numbers 1-13 is out now via Blood & Biscuits. They are currently touring the UK, playing Cambridge tonight. GO!

VIDEO VACUUM - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Holiday Shores, Three Trapped Tigers, Battles

When I was growing up my favourite animal was the tiger. Still is, pretty much. I wanted to be as rich as Richard Branson so that I could own my own tiger and ride him around and save kids from burning buildings. But then I saw He-Man. Sure, the guy's tough, but his haircut was dumb. I didnt have the power of Greyskull either, so I had to let Damascus go. Last I heard he was running rampant out near Cecil Plains. Oh, how I miss him so...

Video Vacuum is all about the tigers - well, a couple are. First up is Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks. The track is called 'Tigers'. It's a great song, and has tigers in it, albeit fake ones. Damascus woulda torn their shit up. Oh Damascus!



Holiday Shores impressed with their Columbus'd The Whim album in '09, and the sounds emanating from them this year on new LP New Masses For Squaw Peak sound just as enticing. What better way to celebrate than with a basketball-themed montage to 'Threepeat Got Old'? Seeing Damascus slam dunk over Dikembe Mutombo, that's what. But my camera didn't work that day, so the physical evidence is low on the ground, so Holiday Shores it is...

Holiday Shores - Threepeat Got Old from twosyllable records on Vimeo.

Along comes Battles. Robots + Gary Numan = fucktard mental. Damascus would have destroyed here - but that goes without saying.



No mean feat to beat that right? Back to the tiger theme then, with London noise instrumentalists (emphasis on the mental) Three Trapped Tigers. Their Route One Or Die album is pretty ace, but is nothing compared to this, quite possibly the best music video I have seen this year. It has frickin Matt Berry in it - need I say more???



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!!!

Video Vacuum - Balkans, Family Portrait, Three Trapped Tigers

Well its supposedly winter here in Australia, not that you'd know it. I tried to wear a sweater yesterday for the entire day - lost five pounds. Ah well, there are benefits to living in Brisbane... That doesn't mean that work doesn't suck. It does, righteously. So here are some moving images and loud sounds to get us by for at least 10 more minutes...

We gave a bit of a back slap to the new self-titled album by New Jersey's Family Portrait recently (check it out here). Well, here is a pretty nice video for 'Interlude 1/Never Should've Been There'...

Family Portrait - Interlude I // Never Should've Been There from Behind the Walk-in on Vimeo.

Balkans have been on a serious ride since their self-titled album dropped just a few weeks ago via Atlanta label, Double Phantom Records. Most recently, Spin Magazine chose them as one of their 5 Best New Artists for June and Impose Magazine debuted their new video for "Flowers Everywhere". So those bastarderos beat us to the punch, but so be it?

BALKANS - Flowers Everywhere from Frank Broyles on Vimeo.

Three Trapped Tigers have also had a bit of a run on lately. Now, I wouldn't say this track is their finest, but it's still good, and the video is a cross between 'Money For Nothing' style "breakthrough" animation and Starfox on the Nintendo polygon style "breakthrough" animation - anyway, I liked it... (Plus its worth noting that their album Route One Or Die has just come out - you can buy it here!)



NOW GET BACK TO WORK!

Climb Aboard This Gallopagator...And Trap Them Trio O Tigers

Thought Id kill two birds with one stone here - because I love to kill birds with minimum effort.

The London DIY label Blood and Bisciuts have two ace releases coming up over the horizon. Three Trapped Tigers are releasing Route One Or Die at the end of May, and the album promises much in the way of intricate math rock machinations with a healthy dose of synth effects drizzled generously over the top - kinda like a harder-edged PVT. Meanwhile Welsh instrumentalists Gallops bring out their Joust/Eukodol 7" a week earlier, and its just as ace! Two very cool releases well worth getting excited for - designed to rock and groove in equal measures, you can imagine the frenetic live shows these guys will must over the summer.

You can gear up to see them both London, as Gallops take on the Old Blue Last April 7 alongside Arcane Roots, whilst Three Trapped Tigers are hitting Cargo on the night of their album launch, May 31st (Tall Ships will be in support).

Three Trapped Tigers - Cramm

Gallops - Joust/Eukodol by bloodandbiscuits