Yep, a week barely goes by before Mickey Mickey Rourke/Mickey Brown drops a release at our doorstep. I threw on 'Never Cry', from Mickey Brown's forthcoming release Soul Glo, whilst eating a salmon and cream cheese roll. If a happier moment has ever hit me, Ive not known it. Now hurry up and do some live oddities, your fans are braying! Soul Glo is out soon - probably sooner than we expect, Id imagine...
It shouldnt be much of a surprise to learn that Gift Horse are from Athens, Georgia. The place is fit to bursting with amazing rock acts of all colours and persuasions - I wish I could immerse myself in those icy waters right now to fully understand the burgeoning talent in the current music scene there. Highlighting other Athenians Dead Confederate as strong contemporary influences (most notable in their track 'Both Of Me'), Gift Horse have delved to drag the Nineties' version of indie loud rock into the 21st century. Their new LP Mountain of Youth even seems to state this in its title. 'Missionaries' feels like what Local H might've been like if they manned up and sounded more like J Mascis, whilst 'Plastic People' has some slamming distorted chordage up front before melancholic murmurs mark the verses, then the riffage and laments kick in... I never thought I would see the early 1990s in a sepia-toned looking glass, but Gift Horse are doing their darnedest, especially as their slowly building reputation precedes them - some have staked the claim that Gift Horse are the loudest band out of the South West! Either way, their nostalgic (albeit louder) take on the grungier side of slacker indie rock seems relevant. Its scuzzy as fuck, its simplistic, its epic, and its worthy.
Another great remix by Justin K Broadrick, otherwise known as Jesu (nowadays - he is, of course, a member of Godflesh, the seminal industrial band from Birmingham that pretty much singlehandedly crafted the industrial metal and post-metal genres. Jesu's focus has been more in the ambient side of industrial drone, thus creating beauty out of brutality. His albums continue to grow in stature, and despite the reformation of Godflesh and their appearance at next week's Supersonic Festival alongside Napalm Death and Swans, Jesu strives to tip the popularity of his famous forebear.
One added string to Jesu's bow has been his remix work - his new viewpoint on some of Explosions In The Sky's tracks was revelatory. And here he is again, lending a heavily textured hand to sonic psych poppers Schools of Seven Bells and their track 'Face To Face On High Places', from their latest album Alphinisms. Washing the track with harder synth, beats and guitar lines, somehow the final mix doesnt drag, rather it allows the track to ascend into another realm. You can find this track on the My Cabal EP.
Finally, Hydra Head Records are re-releasing Jesu' first EP Heart Ache along with some demo tracks as a 2 LP vinyl collection. We will keep you posted on that one.
Upset The Rhythm are presenting Dutch post-punk pioneers The Ex tonight at Tufnell Park's The Dome (an interesting venue - seeing Drum Eyes and Lightning Bolt there last year has been indelibly marked onto my consciousness). The four piece have been plying their trade for over 30 years, playing close to 1400 gigs across Europe, the US and Africa. They have released 20 albums, the latest being this year's Catch My Shoe, their 1st since 2004 and the 1st with new singer Arnold De Boer. Speaking to the Ex's guitarist Andy Moor, we can expect a large gamut of the aural assault to be from the new album, but they will be reaching deep into their pockets for some gems that reach right back to their inception years.
And if that wasnt enough to slake the thirst of an rabid music nut, The Ex are being supported by Tokyo's noise pocket rockets Nisennenmondai, Dalston racket merchants Trash Kit, and sonic shit-stirrer Nonhorse. This show is massive, so get tix now!
Kevin Greenspon, the sole driving force behind excellent DIY label Bridgetown Records, has been prolific in his own right, throwing out releases, singles and splits all over the shop. His last, the ten song split with Dylan Baldi AKA Cloud Nothings, was a sharp sliver of fuzzy punk pop that at under half an hour didnt outstay its welcome whilst enticing you to repeated listens - a sizable feat indeed. But the 23 year old LA native refuses to rest on his laurels, having completed a tour with Vehicle Blues and starting up afresh with Nicole Kidman (no, not the Aussie actress, but the eccentric freak folkster). In between all that and the production line of his label, Greenspon has quietly brought out Common Objects, a 12" vinyl effort out on Family Time Records. The record has Greenspon in his guitar collage mode, providing ambient soundscapes that whisper at your heels like tendrils of mist, slowly rising up to envelop you. The first track offered from it, 'Threshold', is a fair indicator of what to expect. Make sure you support Greenspon and his efforts - his efforts are well received, well packaged, and well worth your time. Pick up Common Objects here.
The new recipients of the monthly Impose Magazine Cassette Series is Phillip Seymour Hoffman - the band, not the actor. Well, not a band, but a one man track machine. And on Happiness Only Real Not Shared, he has produced something shimmering and beautiful in its pop whisperings. Check out the closer below, buy the cassette here.
There is something serendipitous about the sudden rise in interest in dirge punk slackers Pop. 1280. I went on a Jim Thompson reading frenzy about two months ago, reading The Getaway, The Killer Inside Me, The Grifters, and finished with Pop. 1280. For me, this was the best of the four, which is saying a lot considering the high caliber offerings that the other more famous noir tales offered. There is just something to Sheriff Nick Corey that supersedes Lou Ford in The Killer Inside Me - maybe its the fact that Corey is a scheming psychopath from the beginning, and it is slowly shown as the story unfolds. Anyway, its a brilliantly dark piece of art.
Which leads us to Pop. 1280, the band. Besides from choosing an amazing literary tome as their moniker, these New Yorkers dole out a vicious slice of visceral squalling post punk that is spat at you with violent disdain. There is more than a dollop of Venom P Stinger in Pop 1280's poisonous sonic stew, with a light pinch of Twin Stumps for that added kick...in the teeth.
The prowling, sinister groove permeates their sound, best heard on their Bedbugs 7". Now with The Grid, their forthcoming six-song 12" out on Sacred Bones, you can discover the fervent, fevered urgency for yourself. And to promote their new release, Pop 1280 are doing some incessant touring of parts of the US in November, most notably on the 6th in Columbus, Ohio, where they are playing alongside SM faves Puffy Areolas as well as the excellent Cheater Slicks. These guys are gonna produce something special in the next twelve months - you heard it here first.
Phone Home are a brotherly duo from New York City. They have just released a self-titled EP that showcases the Vallarelli bros' penchant for instrumental pop. Its warm and sunny, simplistic yet elegaic - imagine if PVT had a more timid, introverted younger brother with dreams of adulation, their eyes fervently drawn to the sun as it hits the leaves of autumn. That is Phone Home.
One of our favourite bands of the past few years is definitely Women. This year's Public Strain was a fantastic follow up of their self-titled debut last year, and is one of the best albums of 2010. We had the pleasure of seeing them twice - once at Cargo, once at The Social - and they are consummate performers, creating a perfectly balanced set of their... So in order to sculpt such a sound in a short period of time, you'd have to pour all your energy into it wouldnt you? Apparently not - as is the wont of most bands the world over, it is important to have several creative musical outlets, and Women's is in Friendo...
A more languid affair, Friendo is the project of Women drummer Michael Wallace, along with Nicole Brunel and Henry Hseih. Wallace steps out from behind the kit to take the reins. Their album Cold Toads (out via St Ives Records in an exclusively limited run of nice vinyl) isnt that far removed from his day job, but that is not a derogatory term. Having only heard it the once, I can say that it is an accomplished effort that smacks of Women-like aesthetics, and a nice marriage in harmonious structure with offcuts of wailing static noise - pretty much guaranteeing that I will love it! And its not a one-off project either - Wallace has talked of a split with Women, as well as with some UK acts, in the near future.
An amazing true-life story came to its uplifting conclusion this week when 33 Chilean miners were finally extricated from the San Jose underground mine where they had been trapped for over 70 days. I know a few people who got a little misty-eyed when the first miner came out of the rescue capsule - no names of course...
As luck would have it, the Pixies were playing in Chile the very day the men were rescued. In reverence to the miraculous event, the Seattle quartet played a 33 song set, a song for each miner. A small homage, sure, but still a very nice touch from one of the world's greatest acts.
Well the hats off approach has now been extended to their myriad fans, as they release a free Pixies live EP in reference to their show in Mexico City. Hola From Mexico City is available on the Pixies website here - it has a great sample of their live essence. I heard this from the band Interpol, of all people, who are playing with and are devoted acolytes of the Pixies.
I guess it has to be said that Deerhoof are an acquired taste. You have your supporters, who are enraptured with the tight coil of terse boppy fun ties down some amazingly precise drumming in the live arena, and cant get enough of the punchy quirks that this threesome doles out with gay abandon. Then there are others who cant stand Satomi Matsuzaki's Eastern pixie vocals, or the intentionally frenetic nature of their music. One of my friends thinks the vocals are like a drowning cat, that should be shot. Hmmm...
But I think that both camps might agree that the band's aesthetics lends itself to major indie label status, which is what these guys have done - with Kill Rock Stars and now ATP Recordings (and Polyvinyl Records?). There is a real love affair with ATP and Deerhoof - they have done many shows together, culminating in May's entire performance of the very impressive Milk Man album. Leading into this though will be the release of their 11th (?) album, Deerhoof Vs Evil, early next year. First impressions? They are solidifying their sound, then projecting it onto a larger sonic canvas. Its sounding bigger, although it is still the same organic force driving forth. I never listened to last year's Offend Maggie, and have love/hate relationships with previous efforts The Runners Four and Friend Opportunity, but 'The Merry Barracks' is a great number. Ill be queueing up to see them come 2011...
A couple of friends of mine were mega excited of death a few months, as they had procured tickets to see a one off show of Seattle garage puke rockers the Intelligence (the other project fo A Frames' Lars Finberg). Such fervent excitement quickly turned to sour disappointment when the band werent allowed into the country - visa hassles and what-not - can someone please sort out the Border Office??? What added to their torment was the fact that after regaling me with this story, I pretty much told them that the Intelligence were shit anyway, and continued to drink my pint. It was only a joke, but the looks I received made me think I was to receive my first double glassing from mates...
Such hiccups have never stopped The Intelligence from rolling right along however, as the release of their new LP Males showcases. Put out by In The Red Records, Males is their 7th album proper since their inception in 1999 (if you count Let's Toil, which is debatable, but I do), and it is an album recorded with a full band in tow. I dont think it is a lick on previous effort Fake Surfers, which is amazing and you should check it out RIGHT NOW, but the track below is a great snapshot of Finberg's biting lyrics (a la Mark E Smith at times...) and the down n dirty approach to grinding out a garage rock tune. I also think that whilst Males is a little bit of a downturn for them, their next output (if they stick together) could be their best thing yet - new band members include past members of Eat Skull and Karate Party.
The Intelligence are romping around the US on a month long tour now, so catch them if you can.
Animal Collective acolytes Keepaway keep on with their surreptitious leaking of songs every couple of months, continuously goading us with tantalising treats before retreating into the multicoloured yonder from which they came, leaving us rendered blind and salivating in their wake. They have done it again with 'Sideways Smile', apparently to be a part of an upcoming digital-only release called KOMPETITOR - and I think this may be their best slice of jittery pop yet! It has those AnCo stylings, particularly with certain vocal stylings and the digital squiggles in the first third, but then there it runs off on its own, a freed beast with subversive tropical beats, sudden bursts of guitar blasts and echoed call and response, before a quasi epic outro. Its a sweet song, well constructed and dangerously infectious. These guys just keep on turning up the heat, and have one hand firmly clasped on 'Hottest New Band of 2010' here at SM...
Brooklyn's lovers of NES and purveyors of sleazy slop Mr Dream are back again, in lieu of their forthcoming LP Never Elaborate, having already impressed with their No Girls Allowed EP (get it, plus all Mr Dream gear, here). This track sounds like Frank Black doing a Jesus Lizard cover, and has much the same sweaty charm/sleazoid mania. Apparently these guys gig on a rare basis, which is strange as they appear to be tight - there is definite cohesion beneath the shambolic approach. Whats more, Nick Sylvester has worked on The Colbert Report, runs his own zine, is writing a novel...a creative maelstrom! I really like these guys, and cant wait to see what the upcoming album will launch.
Its been quiet on the Sonic Masala front this week, I must admit. We are still yet to post the Naked On The Vague/Grass Widow/Wetdog gig review and photos, although I wrote it the day after, plus the level of inactivity after our big breakthrough interview on..erm, Breakthru Radio on Thursday is a little disconcerting (check it out here - its The Anatomy Of A Blogger show on 14/10/10). On top of being embarrassed by my unease when in the hot seat (although in context, it was rushed, I had a bus to catch to Cambridge in less than an hour), both Paul and I have been inundated by outside influences - AKA work. So the only way to get back on the horse, is to saddle up to our staple Friday Cover Up. Today Im in charge, so Im going for someone who is much more obscure but much loved here in my dusty corner of the SM world.
Sweet Lights self released a self titled album a little while ago (which you can grab here) that was a beautiful pastiche of eclectic pop workings that stick to you like prickles in your socks. Now he has released a cover, and I must say I was floored. Its not an overly redefining working of the track rather than the choice of cover - the Travelling Wilburys. I actually found myself grinning for the entirety of the first listen, then immediately played it again - a win in my books.
And while Im at it, remember the clip Sweet Lights made for his track 'Message On The Wire'? The lil Scott Baio kid breakdancing his arse off? Well, believe it or not, that handy breakin action is actually Mr Sweet Lights himself as a kid - amazing! Id want to launch that on the world too - all I was good at was falling off my BMX and drawing kick-arse vehicles of death with rockets and machine guns, that somehow came off looking like clogs. And now he has patched up a vid for another track, ''You Won't Be There' - a lil homage to John and Yoko. And seeing as the bearded weird One would have hit 70 just a week ago, its a fitting touch - he truly is a sweet structuralist of pop music. Enjoy the weekend SMers!
Today is a special, momentous day for us here in the Sonic Masala offices (AKA our respective squats...), therefore there is only room for this wee post.
New York station Breakthru Radio saw fit to include us as their special guests for today's The Anatomy Of A Blogger! Which is amazing, and hugely flattering - we are fledgling, barely potty trained, so to be recognised across the pond is pretty mindblowing. Hear Brendan fumble his way through basic questions! Immerse yourself in an hour of unadulterated SM sound as their playlist is aired! (Which took Paul and I so many hours to construct - there were many versions, one of which may still make the light of day in the upcoming months...)
Its exciting, and a bit of vindication that we are doing ok, and people are enjoying what we enjoy. But it is only the beginning.
Last night Brendan and I were lucky enough to see Naked On The Vague, Grass Widow and Wetdog at The Lexington, a gig arranged by the ever excellent Upset The Rhythm. A proper review and pics to follow shorty but we thought that Wetdog were good enough to deserve a post all of their own, we're nice like that.
The London all girl trio seem to have already done their dues - they have an L.P out on Captured Tracks, Frauhaus, that dropped almost a year back, and have also toured with the likes of the Vivian Girls and Blank Dogs on the other side of the pond. With tracks like 'Tidy Up Your Bedroom' and past 7" Lower Leg there's certainly a playful, tongue-in-cheek side to Wetdog's angular, post punk sound. Yes think Delta 5 and the Slits - chants and foot stomping were all to be found aplenty at the Lexington last night. Playful yes, but Wetdog have a sour side, there's a touch of venom to these three ladies that makes you sit up and take notice. Bigger things must surely be overdue.
A Place To Bury Strangers' Exploding Head was a visceral kick to the groin last year, and is still handing unwary punters their arses today.
Grinderman encapsulates the piss and vinegar stroke manner in which Nick Cave and his badder than Bad Seeds have ensconced themselves in, and are intent to immerse us all in their delicious degradation.
And now the two bands have jumped into bed together, with APTBS remixing 'Worm Tamer', the upcoming single from the esoterically named Grinderman 2. Its a sharp slap of chaos theory sonics - you can hear the seismic shifts and the echoes of a million souls being torn up by a grave natural disaster every time this track hits the airwaves.
This post is effectively two posts, although intrinsically linked by one well
executed remix.
Former Ghosts have piqued my interest ever since best label/promoters in the world* Upset The Rhythm put out Fleurs last year. The brainchild of Freddy Ruppert, Former Ghosts is a heady rush of stark industrial lushness, the coldness inexplicably emanating warmth, hence the Joy Division references made in the past. Helped by Xiu Xiu's Jamie Stewart, TEARIST's Yasmine Kittles and a certain Nika Rosa Danilova, Former Ghosts walks a murky tightrope of turbulent emotions, ultimately a deal with the devil, the progeny of which is this disturbed synth pop that has the elements of light and dark constantly at battle.
Then along comes a remix of their track 'Chin Up', coming out on their newie New Love in a month (also through Upset The Rhythm).
I approach all remixes that come into the SM inbox with trepidation, as many (OK, the vast majority) so called 'remixes' are either ho-hum or completely dire. However I decided to chance the arm of this one, and it easily showed it could go the distance...and then some. The track, already having that dark ambient charm that they have cornered with aplomb, is buoyed by additional drumming tracks, severely distorted vocals and insistent synth, creating an entirely new track that Ruppert himself endorses wholeheartedly on his FG mixtape, Welcome To Old Love, a prequel of sorts to the new album which is stellar, and here.
So who are the wielders of such dreamy magic then? Rather than being that moment in time when you realise that the person of your dreams will always be your bud and nothing more (a nightmarish and all-too-common notion), Friendzone is the project of James Laurence and Dylan Reznick. They are from the Bay Area of San Francisco, although hanging mainly in Oakland, and have put out a series of mixtapes that are influenced by their immersion in the Chicago-based footwork movement, something that I will post about shortly, as well as large dollops of ambient music. I found their mixtapes just as alluring as their Former Ghosts remix - see what you think below...
Former Ghosts tour with bloodlines Zola Jesus and Xiu Xiu in November.
*Upset The Rhythm put on the best shows in London hands down, and are amazing in their choice of eclectic music to put out. This is a London-centric viewpoint of course, but there really needs to be wider exposure on what these guys do.
The Boom Bang have just released the music video for 'We Skeletons', a cut from their Bummer CampEP (out through Guestroom Records; distributed via Matador and Revolver Records, so that vinyl won't be hard to procure!). Its a track we sampled here a month ago, which is nice. No news on the band coming to Europe anytime soon though, so hang tight on that one.
Brooklyn's lovers of NES and purveyors of sleazy slop Mr Dream are back again, in lieu of their forthcoming LP Never Elaborate, having already impressed with their No Girls Allowed EP (get it, plus all Mr Dream gear, here). This track sounds like Frank Black doing a Jesus Lizard cover, and has much the same sweaty charm/sleazoid mania. Apparently these guys gig on a rare basis, which is strange as they appear to be tight - there is definite cohesion beneath the shambolic approach. Whats more, Nick Sylvester has worked on The Colbert Report, runs his own zine, is writing a novel...a creative maelstrom! I really like these guys, and cant wait to see what the upcoming album will launch.
A Place To Bury Strangers' Exploding Head was a visceral kick to the groin last year, and is still handing unwary punters their arses today. 
Grinderman encapsulates the piss and vinegar stroke manner in which Nick Cave and his badder than Bad Seeds have ensconced themselves in, and are intent to immerse us all in their delicious degradation. 
This post is effectively two posts, although intrinsically linked by one well