Sun Araw
The Phynx
July 2, 2009
MUSIC REVIEWS
Latest News
____ Thursday _________________________________
Kurt Vile Goes on Tour, Forms Indie Rock Legion of Doom
If this whole musician thing doesn’t work out for War On Drugs guitarist Kurt Vile, he can always go work in supervillainy. I am sure Vile’s a lovely man, but his name seems more suited to creating nuclear monstrosities and doing battle with Iron Man than it is to playing woozy rock. But until Vile grows a robotic crab arm through some experiment gone awry, the songwriter will be sticking with making some songs, which he’ll perform across the East Coast and California these next two months.
Then again, I’m not so sure Vile isn’t organizing an evil Indie Rock Legion of Doom. Aided by the bloodthirsty Violators on the first leg of the tour, Vile — who recently signed with Matador (TMT News) and released a new album God Is Saying This To You... on Mexican Summer — will recruit some of the most dreaded names in indie rock on various dates of this tour: Evil masterminds Sonic Youth! The ghostly Espers! International psych-rock bandits Dungen! Deadly falsetto warriors Built to Spill! Frightening times we live in.
The Indie Rock Legion of Doom vs. The Justice Venues of America:
07.02.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory *+
07.04.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Woodsist/Captured Tracks Fest *
07.05.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie (KRAAK Fest) *
07.17.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Bruars Falls *^&
07.18.09 - Boston, MA - Church (Homegrown Fest) *^
07.19.09 - Montague, MA - Montague Bookmill *^
07.23.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s @&
08.11.09 - Baltimore, MD - Talking Head Club #
08.13.09 - Asheville, NC - Transfigurations * (Harvest Record Fest)
08.14.09 - New York, NY - Cakeshop
08.15.09 - Ridgewood, NY - Silent Barn
08.16.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Vox Populi
08.19.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Rittenhouse Square *
08.25.09 - Santa Ana, CA - Galaxy Theatre %
08.26.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour $
08.29.09 - Big Sur, CA - Kemado/Mexican Summer/Folk Yeah Festival $
08.30.09 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA $
09.01.09 - Portland, OR - TBD $
* Violators
+ Sonic Youth
^ Blues Control
& Coconuts
@ Tyvek
# Espers
% Built To Spill/Woods
$ Dungen/Woods
FEED ME
Trail Of Dead Announces Summer Tourdates; Wait, They Haven’t Broken Up Yet?!
After five record labels, countless lineup changes, hundreds of smashed guitars, and a shitload of drama, it’s sort of shocking that ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead are still together. What’s not really that shocking though is that they still haven’t been able to impress critics since 2002’s Source Tags and Codes. AND WE KNOW ALL.
Still, Trail of Dead forge onward, and this time they’re coming to a city near you, presumably. After a European tour, the pasty-faced Texans will return July 26 to get their pool party on at Jelly NYC’s Summer Pool Party series in Brooklyn, NY at the new Williamsburg Waterfront music venue. Oh god, hipsters in bathing suits? No thanks! Trail of Dead will also play the All Points West festival August 1 and in their hometown of Austin for the Austin City Limits Festival October 3.
07.04.09 - Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival (Odeon Stage)
07.05.09 - Hannover, Germany - Musikzentrum
07.06.09 - Heidelberg, Germany - Karistorbahnhof
07.07.09 - Salzburg, Austria - Rockhouse
07.08.09 - Innsbruck, Austria - Poolbar Festival
07.10.09 - Haarlem, Holland - Paatronat
07.11.09 - Bochum, Germany - Zeche
07.17.09 - Dour, Belgium - Dourfestival
07.18.09 - Herk de Stad, Beligum - Rock Herd Festival
07.26.09 - Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Waterfront
07.27.09 - Milford, CT - Daniel Street
07.29.09 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
07.30.09 - Lancaster, PA - Chameleon
07.31.09 - Providence, RI - Jerky’s Live Music Hall
08.01.09 - New York City, NY - All Points West
10.03.09 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
Unbelievable News! Violent Femmes Front Man Gordon Gano Is Still Alive! Slightly Less Unbelievable Sub-News: Violent Femmes Front Man Gordon Gano to Release New Album
While Wisconson-based, snarky, smarmy, snarly folk-punk-alterna-blues troupe Violent Femmes impatiently waits their turn in the numbingly long line that currently sprawls outward from the “MID-’80s–MID-’90s BANDS WAITING TO REUNITE, TOUR, PLAY ALBUMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY AT FESTS, AND TALK/NOT TALK ABOUT RECORDING A NEW ALBUM TOGETHER” counter at the DMV or wherever, singer Gordon Gano has chosen to pass the interim time by releasing a new album... for the first time in some seven years (the Femmes must be getting close to the front of that line by now).
Due September 15 on the niche-market-elder-statesmen-loving Yep Roc label, the new album Under the Sun is credited to Gordon Gano & The Ryans and is apparently “a collaboration” between Gano and Bogmen leaders/scorers of tepid films (Fever Pitch, anyone?) Brendan & Billy Ryan. Take it away, glowing press release:
“The music that inspired his collaboration with the Ryan brothers spawned during fertile sessions in the café’s, bars and laundromats of New York City’s West Village [...] Brendan and Billy Ryan bring musicality and new color to Gordon’s visceral lyricism and signature adenoidal drawl. A filled-out next chapter to the music of the Femmes, Under the Sun is the music of a mature band, a band made of men not boys, men who have supplanted wonder for angst, controlled passion for reckless...” blah blah blah, bloop, bleep-bleep blah. You get the idea: it’s the best record ever. It’s for old people. Let’s move on to the details.
The whole shebang was largely recorded at the Carriage House in Stamford, CT and features Gordon “2G” Gano on vocals/guitar/violin. As for the Ryan brothers, Brendan handles keyboards/accordion/horn duties, while Billy tackles guitar/backing vocals. Other must assuredly competent-as-fuck but appositely low-profile contributors include Frank Black... whoops, I mean, Frank Ferrer (sorry to pique your interest like that) of Guns N’ Roses and Psychedelic Furs on drums, and Lonnie Hillyer of Maggie’s Dream and Bernie Worrell on bass. Some real unit-movers, huh? Meanwhile, Phil Palazzolo (The New Pornographers, Neko Case) engineered and mixed the project. There is no tracklist as of yet, but rest assured, if we get our hands on one... uh, and if it’s a slow news day, we’ll go ahead and post one for you.
Andrew Bird Takes St. Vincent Back To School With Him This Fall
Although it’s barely July, Andrew Bird has already made plans for the fall. Starting in October, The Birdman is taking St. Vincent back to school — the school of touring, that is. The two stalwart indie heroes will join forces on the road together this fall. TMT managed to get a copy of The Birdman’s lesson plan for the fall, featuring a few tips for St. Vincent:
English 101: How To Write Lyrics On The Road
Music 305: Building Your Own Recording Studio
Algebra 202: How To Use Your Fans’ Disposable Income To Your Advantage
Whistling 338: You Will Never Be As Good As Me, Seriously
St. Birdman:
09.29.09 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theater
09.30.09 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note
10.02.09 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
10.03.09 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina’s Uptown
10.05.09 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay Soundstage
10.07.09 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
10.08.09 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
10.09.09 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
10.10.09 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
10.12.09 - Charleston, SC - The Music Farm
10.13.09 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
10.14.09 - Cincinnati OH - Bogarts
10.16.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
10.17.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theater
10.18.09 - Kalamazoo, MI - State Theater
10.19.09 - Columbus, OH - Southern Theater
10.21.09 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall
10.24.09 - South Portland, ME - S. Portland High School Auditorium
10.25.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
10.26.09 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
10.27.09 - Providence, RI - Lupo’s
10.28.09 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
St. Vincent:
07.05.09 - London, England - Wireless Festival
07.06.09 - Bristol, England - Thekla
07.08.09 - London, England - ICA
07.11.09 - Naas, Ireland - Oxegen Festival
07.13.09 - Manchester, England - Night & Day
07.14.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - Nice & Sleazy’s
08.01.09 - Jersey City, NJ - All Points West Festival
The Birdman:
07.10.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
07.11.09 - Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre #
07.13.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden #
07.14.09 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
07.16.09 - Jacksonville, OR - Britt Pavilion
07.17.09 - Redmond, WA - Marymoor Amphitheatre *
07.18.09 - Troutdale, OR - McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater *
07.19.09 - Troutdale, OR - McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater *
07.26.09 - South Lake Tahoe, CA - Wanderlust Festival
08.07.09 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
09.19.09 - Madison, WI - Forward Music Festival
*The Decemberists
#Death Cab For Cutie
____ Wednesday _________________________________
Stars: They’re Just Like Us! The Clientele Release New Album, Hang Out in Jane Austen-y Cottages
I imagine The Clientele as some sort of mystery band — the sort of music you hear drifting toward you on a lazy summer breeze in that just slightly magical time as the sun sets, before the moon rises. Dusk, many would say — although, clearly The Clientele would call it “the gloaming.” It’s hard for me to imagine a few normal-looking dudes and one lady sitting around hashing out what kind of drum beat to play when and who owes how much on the rent money for their practice space. So thank God there are Merge Records press releases to make that vital connection between sordid everyday reality and mystical fan hypothesis for me.
Check this out! Sure, the band formed in suburban Hampshire, England several years ago, and practiced in a thatched cottage. Sure, the singer is named Alasdair (MacLean’s the surname), and rumor has it that early on in their career, the group nailed down their stance on Surrealist poetry (pro), versus their collective stance on blues-style solos and aggro shouting (con). I hear what you’re saying. This band sounds like it’s populated by the lovable pre-war British creatures of The Wind in the Willows. But trust me — they do things that aren’t 100% bucolic and Albion sometimes.
Things like... releasing albums! The Clientele have three full-lengths under their belt so far, as well as their debut collection of early 7-inch singles entitled Suburban Light. They also contributed a track to the Sandra Bullock/Keanu Reeves time travel weepie The Lake House. And now they have a new album due October 6 on Merge, Bonfires on the Heath, which sounds like pretty much the most delightful foray into Wuthering Heights territory this side of Kate Bush.
The band is performing later this summer at Merge’s anniversary showcase in New York.
07.19.09 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Tracklisting:
1. I Wonder Who We Are
2. Bonfires On The Heath
3. Harvest Time
4. Never Anyone But You
5. Jennifer & Julia
6. Sketch
7. Tonight
8. Share the Night
9. I Know I’ll See Your Face
10. Never Saw Them Before
11. Graven Wood
12. Walking in the Park
• Jack’s Mannequin, The Fray, Pepper, Oh My! Mile High Festival Delivers The Worst Lineup of The Summer Season
They were up against some stiff competition, but it looks like the Mile High Festival, taking place in Colorado’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 18 and 19, takes the cake for the worst lineup of any 2009 summer festival. Or maybe of all-time? Let’s (...)
They were up against some stiff competition, but it looks like the Mile High Festival, taking place in Colorado’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 18 and 19, takes the cake for the worst lineup of any 2009 summer festival. Or maybe of all-time? Let’s (...)
• The Twilight Sad to Release New LP in September Despite Ongoing Depression
Forget the Night Ahead, The Twilight Sad’s sophomore effort, will be out via the Fat Cat label on September 22. The band’s frontman, James Graham, describes the record as “definitely rougher around the edges than the first one. It’s not a flat, (...)
Forget the Night Ahead, The Twilight Sad’s sophomore effort, will be out via the Fat Cat label on September 22. The band’s frontman, James Graham, describes the record as “definitely rougher around the edges than the first one. It’s not a flat, (...)
• Whoa! Swine Flu Infects Jens Lekman, Puts Him Under Quarantine at Sweden Home
From his Jens Lekman’s blog: I picked home one last souvenir from South America, it’s called the H1N1 virus. Wrongfully known as the Swineflue. I was crossing the Atlantic when things started getting really bad, the fever was hallucinogenic and shaking me like a (...)
From his Jens Lekman’s blog: I picked home one last souvenir from South America, it’s called the H1N1 virus. Wrongfully known as the Swineflue. I was crossing the Atlantic when things started getting really bad, the fever was hallucinogenic and shaking me like a (...)
• Shake Your Butt, Europe! (Not Too Hard!) Pixies to Do Doolittle on Tour This Fall
Ah, Pixies. For as much as they hate one another, you gotta love how painfully apparent it is that they love money just a little bit more. Already set to drop the half-assed-cash-grab Minotaur box set this fall — which seems to be little more than their discography (...)
Ah, Pixies. For as much as they hate one another, you gotta love how painfully apparent it is that they love money just a little bit more. Already set to drop the half-assed-cash-grab Minotaur box set this fall — which seems to be little more than their discography (...)
____ Tuesday _________________________________
• The Pirate Bay Sold for $7.8 Million (Maybe)
Earlier today, Swedish software company Global Gaming Factory X announced in a press release that they are in the process of acquiring The Pirate Bay, the irreverent file-sharing giant whose recent "spectrial" resulted in guilty verdicts for all four co-founders. After (...)
• Dandy Warhols Tour Some States, Release 7-Year-Old LP
Well, he’s finally done it. I like their tunes and all, but I think Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols has finally pissed off so many people that he is completely avoiding both coasts on his next tour. That’s right, he’s sticking to places like (...)
Well, he’s finally done it. I like their tunes and all, but I think Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols has finally pissed off so many people that he is completely avoiding both coasts on his next tour. That’s right, he’s sticking to places like (...)
• Rhino to Release 63-Song Party, People! Factory Records Digital Compilation Is Industrial Strength
In 1980, Factory Records released The Durutti Column’s The Return of the Durutti Column album in the now infamous Guy Debord-inspired sandpaper record sleeve. Although that is an awesome and inspired situationist packaging notion — protecting the record from and (...)
In 1980, Factory Records released The Durutti Column’s The Return of the Durutti Column album in the now infamous Guy Debord-inspired sandpaper record sleeve. Although that is an awesome and inspired situationist packaging notion — protecting the record from and (...)
• Paul McCartney Gets Government Voucher to Exchange Gas-Guzzling, Acid-Laced Yellow Submarine for More Energy Efficient, Family Friendly, Hot Air Balloon Driven by a Frog
Sir Paul has announced that he is scoring a new children’s film based on a book written by himself, Geoff Dunbar, and Philip Ardagh. The book and future animated feature, High in the Clouds, follows a group of lovably misfit and furry woodland creatures as they save (...)
Sir Paul has announced that he is scoring a new children’s film based on a book written by himself, Geoff Dunbar, and Philip Ardagh. The book and future animated feature, High in the Clouds, follows a group of lovably misfit and furry woodland creatures as they save (...)
• Woodsist and Captured Tracks Team Up for (Anti-American?) Fourth of July Weekend Fest
Yet again, another big, cool fest going on in New York for the weekend of July 4. Last week, I wrote a story about the Upset The Rhythm party going on July 3 in New York, and now the Woodsist/Captured Tracks fest is announced for the same day. Looks like there’s some (...)
Yet again, another big, cool fest going on in New York for the weekend of July 4. Last week, I wrote a story about the Upset The Rhythm party going on July 3 in New York, and now the Woodsist/Captured Tracks fest is announced for the same day. Looks like there’s some (...)
____ Monday _________________________________
• Evil Update: sunn 0))) Announce West Coast Dates! Invocations and Monoliths to Spread Across The Old Frontier
sunn 0))), all set to begin playing their already announced Midwest dates this week, have now announced a string of shows on the West Coast! Starting in August, the band will cut a swathe of pure black metal destruction across the Pacific seaboard. Starting with two (...)
• Australia’s Dirty Three Tour in September, Dingoes Babies Crocodiles Dundees Fosters Vegemite Wallabies I See You’ve Played Knifey Spoony Before
For the last few years, Australia’s Dirty Three have been a bit too consumed with other ventures to make time for their characteristically creaky jam sessions. While violinist Warren Ellis has been busy tending his beard and playing teeny tiny guitars with Nick Cave, (...)
For the last few years, Australia’s Dirty Three have been a bit too consumed with other ventures to make time for their characteristically creaky jam sessions. While violinist Warren Ellis has been busy tending his beard and playing teeny tiny guitars with Nick Cave, (...)
• San Francisco’s Newest Summer Lovin’ Band, Girls (Not to Be Confused With The Girls, Brazilian Girls, Girls Against Boys, Pretty Girls Make Graves, Parenthetical Girls, Theoretical Girls, Theoretical Girl, The Scissor Girls, Vivian Girls, Sun City Girls and Definitely Not The Spice Girls), Sign To Matador and Release Album
With a name like Girls, you’d think the group would come up with a really cool album title: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun; Big Girls Don’t Cry; California Girls; Girls, Girls Girls; Fat-Bottomed Girls; and so on. There are so many ways they could’ve played off (...)
With a name like Girls, you’d think the group would come up with a really cool album title: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun; Big Girls Don’t Cry; California Girls; Girls, Girls Girls; Fat-Bottomed Girls; and so on. There are so many ways they could’ve played off (...)
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Thursday, 07-02-2009
Wednesday, 07-01-2009
Tuesday, 06-30-2009
Monday, 06-29-2009
© Copyright 2009. 
Tiny Mix Tapes, LLC. [Design: Dzynomite | Code: Erin Potter]
Tiny Mix Tapes, LLC. [Design: Dzynomite | Code: Erin Potter]
