Pulp play US shows as part of new law requiring every band to experience their careers at least twice
If you’re like me, then you usually like your summers like you like your orange juice — Pulp free. Typically the only type of Cocker I’m all about is “spaniel,” but this year (2012, I believe) I think we should embrace Jarvis Cocker and his Pulp-mates, as they will perform live four times this spring. Why? Because I said so, and I have extraneous power over you as a TMT writer.
It’s been nearly a decade since playing in the US, but all of the original members are back to run through all the solid Britpop songs they wrote when they actually existed. Shows include Coachella appearances, Radio City Music Hall in New York City, The Warfield in San Francisco, and my cousin Jango Fet’s (that’s really his name!) Sweet 16 birthday party extravaganza in Trenton, New Jersey. People attending Coachella will be pleasantly surprised this year to learn that those who have never listened to Pulp have formally promised to not even pretend that they’re fans while they’re standing in front of you.
Tourdates:
04.11.12 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
04.13.12 - Indio, CA - Coachella
04.17.12 - San Francisco, CA - The Warfield
04.20.12 - Indio, CA - Coachella
• Pulp: http://pulppeople.com
Underworld release A Collection and 1992 - 2012 Anthology; in other words: almost every-thing, every-thing, every-thing
In addition to personally inspiring a short-lived and bruise-ridden interest in urban rollerblading, the movie Hackers (1995), starring Johnny Lee Miller and a surprisingly child-free Angelina Jolie, is memorable for two reasons: cringeworthy dialogue that seems infinitely more cool during a movie than on paper, and a soundtrack filled with nostalgic techno tracks from the early 90s. The movie was perhaps my first, albeit indirect, exposure to genuine electronic music, and the British electronic group Underworld arguably gained even more of a following with the track “Cowgirl” appearing on the movie’s soundtrack. The song plays when… I don’t know, the l33t characters are performing some amazing montage-worthy hack? I can’t specifically recall.
For those who were permanently affected by that movie’s soundtrack, or for the elder among us who were already knee-deep into the electronic music scene at the time, here’s some newsworthy information that you might appreciate: Underworld are releasing two “career spanning” compilation albums this month. The first, A Collection, is a single disc set featuring “edited highlights” (or radio versions) from the group’s 20-year career, alongside recent collaborations; while the second, 1992 - 2012 Anthology, contains three discs consisting of 16 “full-length Underworld classics” and nine rare or previously unreleased tracks. Both compilations are available for digital download now on the band’s website, with CD versions becoming available January 23. Check out the tracklistings here and here.
• Underworld: http://www.underworldlive.com
Icky Blossoms sign to Saddle Creek; prepare to be hazed by Conor Oberst, young’ins
Your tween-loving heart will be glad to hear that Icky Blossoms, the band composed of Tilly and The Wall’s Derek Pressnall, vocalist Sarah Bohling, and filmmaker/musician Nik Fackler, have signed to Saddle Creek. Signing with Saddle Creek means more than just a legally binding contract to clean Conor Obert’s teardrop-shaped pool and look after Rilo Kiley’s pet Gila monster — it means you’ve made it!
Icky Blossoms may sound like a rude attack on Mayim Bialik’s appearance and cool hats, but the name also represents a group of friends from Omaha, Nebraska that possibly make dance-pop reminiscent of a gross flower. TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek will help the gang record their debut in the studio, where it is likely that Cursive frontman and Saddle Creek member Tim Kasher will play hidden camera pranks on the band à la the masterpiece television series Punk’d.
If you want an idea of want Icky Blossoms sound like, you can check out two tracks on their Facebook page. That’s as far as I’m going to help you out.
• Icky Blossoms: http://ickyblossoms.com
• Saddle Creek: http://saddle-creek.com
Soul Jazz’s Sounds of the Universe store begets a shiny new record label
Baby lambs. Tiny peeping chicks. KITTEHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All newborn things, all adorable. But really — let’s be honest here — is there anything in life more precious than a newborn record label? In these trying times, it gives one heart to see a fledgling label giving it a go, and that’s precisely what the good people at revered label Soul Jazz’s London record store Sounds of the Universe are doing. That’s right! A record label’s store is giving birth to another record store. Babies having kickass babies. Somebody call Maury!
Appropriately enough, the store’s new label shares the same name: Sounds of the Universe. Its inaugural release comes from Chicago electronica dude Jamal ‘Hieroglyphic Being’ Moss, a fellow equally influenced by his hometown’s storied dance music past and the ethereal space strains of the legendary Sun Ra. The Sounds of the Universe label will release Shikaakwa, Moss’ limited-edition one-sided 12-inch named after the Native American word for Chicago, sometime towards the end of January. With hand-etched artwork from Japanese artist 2yang and a limited run of only 300 copies, this puppy, available through the Sounds of the Universe shop and website, will likely sell out quickly. Better break out those nasty bubblegum cigars while you’re at it.
• Sounds of the Universe: http://www.soundsoftheuniverse.com
• Soul Jazz: http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk
Pelican return with a new EP and a big beak full of slimy, delicious fish
Pelican is a large bird that resides primarily near the water. Pelican is also an instrumental metal band from Chicago. Ha! Got you with the classic bait-and-switch! You clicked this story thinking that it would be about your favorite bird, but now you have to read a story about your favorite instrumental metal band from Chicago. You’ve got to read this and… that sounds like it’s going to be okay for you. Really, what’s left to say about Pelican, the bird? There’s no blood in that stone, if you follow me.
But Pelican, the band? Plenty left to say about them! We could talk about how they haven’t put out anything since 2009’s What We All Come to Need and we just did. Let’s even talk about how they’re breaking that recorded silence by putting out a four song EP called Ataraxia/Taraxis through Southern Lord on April 10. Heck, while we’re chewing the fat, let’s touch on the fact that this marks a new stage in the band’s history, since all four members of Pelican live in different cities, leading to a greater focus on composition and utilizing different recording techniques.
All this talk about Pelican is making me thirsty and also hungry for fish. Let’s sit down and quench our thirsts. Sate our hunger for the sea’s delicious treats. While we’re sitting, we can talk more about Pelican. Did you know they’re going on a European tour in April? They are.
Ataraxia/Taraxis tracklist:
01. Ataraxia
02. Lathe Biosas
03. Parasite Colony
04. Taraxis
Pelican dates:
04.06.12 - Zottegem, Belgium - Dunk! Festival
04.07.12 - London, UK - The Garage *
04.08.12 - Birmingham, UK - Vudu Club *
04.09.12 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
04.10.12 - Glasgow, UK - Stereo
04.11.12 - Manchester, UK - The Ruby Lounge
04.12.12 - Brighton, UK - The Haunt
04.13.12 - Bristol, UK - The Cooler
04.14.12 - Tilburg, Netherlands - Roadburn Festival
04.15.12 - Paris, France - La Maronquinerie
04.16.12 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Jubez &
04.17.12 - Dudingen, Switzerland - Bad Bonn
04.18.12 - Milan, Italy - Magonlia
04.19.12 - Munich, Germany - Feierwerk &
04.20.12 - Berlin, Germany - Cassiopeia &
04.21.12 - Helsinki, Finland - Nosturi
* Chelsea Wolfe
& Tombs
• Pelican: http://www.pelicansong.com
• Southern Lord: http://www.southernlord.com
[Photo: Lisa Shelley]
2 Live Crew prove they can still make you horny by reuniting
Time to take your pants off and show everyone that neon pink g-string you’ve been wearing since 2 Live Crew had you feeling so horny all those summers ago. There is no better time for a 2 Live Crew reunion, especially as the emcees are in their 50s at this point. If they were to reunite at 65, you’d probably have to see them play nursing home venues, where many a hips would be sure to pop out of joint.
Luther Campbell is all the wiser, so on his stop through the Sundance Film Festival — where he’s promoting a short called The Life and Freaky Times of Uncle Luke — he announced his group will begin touring this summer. Get ready to pop that coochie and shake that azz all summer long. We’ll have tourdates as they become available.
• 2 Live Crew: http://www.myspace.com/official2livecrew
Colin Stetson announces US tourdates with Sarah Neufeld; quick, get some Kleenex or a tube sock
If there’s one guy the writers at Tiny Mix Tapes get a huge boner for, it’s Canadian stack-of-bricks bass saxophonist Colin Stetson, whose album New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges on Constellation made #3 on our year-end list. But for me, it’s less about his lumberjack physique and more about his enormous… saxophone.
This spring, Stetson will arrive in the East Coast with his mammoth horn to stir up our hormones. Alongside the beefcake will be the smoldering sexpot Sarah Neufeld, whose powers of seduction have overtaken the likes of Tim Hecker and who Stetson has performed with in Bell Orchestre and Arcade Fire. You might want to clean your pipes before going to any of these gigs.
Tourdates:
03.23.12 - Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall $
03.30.12 - Kingston, ON - The Grad Club *
03.31.12 - Waterloo, ON - Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics *
04.01.12 - Buffalo, NY - Big Orbit’s Soundlab *
04.03.12 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands *
04.04.12 - Amherst, MA - Hampshire College
04.05.12 - Troy, NY - The Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media & Performing Arts Center *
* Sarah Neufeld
$ Tyondai Braxton
• Colin Stetson: http://colinstetson.com
• Constellation: http://cstrecords.com
De La Soul’s Dave Jolicoeur & Kelvin Mercer follow their Roots and announce new group/concept album
The Roots did it with undun (TMT Review), and now the breath of fresh old-school air that is De La Soul (or at least 2/3 of them) have planned their own concept album under the moniker First Serve: the album is called First Serve. It’s the first De La-related album since 2004’s The Grind Date (TMT Review), but this time they’ll be spitting from the mouths of the fictional characters Deen Whitter and Jacob “Pop Life” Barrow, two brothers in Queens who want to get the hell out of Queens (can you blame them?).
Stream the first track, “Pushin’ Aside, Pushin’ Along” right here:
And be sure to watch the 40-something rappers dressed up as Whitter and Barrow living a cartoon life in the early days with Ma Dukes breaking down the door while they tryna get they smoke on. Catch that over at NME.
• De La Soul: http://www.myspace.com/delasoul
BEBETUNE$$$ DISSES NICKI MINAJ IN EPIC NEW MIXTAPE RANT; CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE DIRT PLEASE RT #STUPIDHOE
James Ferraro has returned to the mixtape game only a few weeks after making his biggest splash yet as the fueled-up, jet-setting bad boy DJ BEBETUNE$$$ (via the straight fire mixtape inhale C-4 $$$$$ that’s been spinning at the office for a minute). SILICA GEL finds BEBETUNE$$$ introducing a twisted new alias into the mix by the name of BODY GUARD — a wink, perhaps, to James’s growing female fanbase and the lengths they’ll go to catch him “off [his] game.”
SILICA GEL drops everywhere in less than a month (February 23), so get your fix in the buffertime with these #FRESH #UNRELEASED BEBETUNE$$$ AKA BODY GUARD beats:
Something tells us tunes these #LIQUIDMETALPUNK, #INFRAREDPUNK, #BLADEPUNK, and #FLAMETHROWERPUNK won’t stay unreleased for long.
• BEBETUNE$$$ AKA BODY GUARD: http://bebetunesakabodyguard.tumblr.com
Talibam! to release conceptual opera Discover AtlantASS album with Sam Kulik
Freak-jazz duo Talibam! and multi-instrumentalist Sam Kulik (Nervous Cabaret) have joined forces to create a “new underwater thriller fairytale” album Discover AtlantASS through UK publishers Belly Kids. The album consists of 19 tracks and an accompanying 25-page comic (drawn by London artist James Clapham) that illustrates this epic psychedelic opera, due out February 25 (advance order here).
According to the press release, Discover AtlantASS tells the elaborate story of a young teenager named Franklin, who gets abducted to the undersea world of Atlantis by a laid-back “jazz fish” revolutionary named Stinge. Together, they attempt to combat a disastrous oil spill that has nearly eradicated the underwater community of poets, musicians, artists, and fornicators. The story is said to be based on strange experiences the trio shared on a 2008 tour of Finland and recent geopolitical events, such as the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the controversy surrounding the “Ground Zero Mosque” in Manhattan.
Belly Kids informs us that the overall aesthetic of the opera is “like a radio play for the post-television era” and makes ample use of Talibam!’s signature genre-riddled style, featuring synthesizers, trombones, voices, guitars, banjos, and homespun sound effects in an Ethiopian-jazz-meets-Balkan-folk rhythmic style.
Talibam! and Sam Kulik will be touring Europe in support of the release from February 27 - March 25. The trio will perform tracks from the album in full costume, with puppets and video accompaniment. After returning to New York, they will showcase the work in an eight-night festival at St. Mark’s Church, presented by Incubator Arts Project. The CD and comic book will be sold at all performances this year and will be available from retailers in New York, London, and wider Europe.
Tourdates:
02.28.12 - Italy - TBA
02.29.12 - Italy - TBA
03.01.12 - Torino, Italy - TBA
03.02.12 - TBA
03.03.12 - Straubing, Germany - Raven
03.04.12 - Munich, Germany - TBA
03.05.12 - Germany -TBA
03.06.12 - Hannover, Germany - Cafe Glocksee
03.08.12 - Bremen, Germany - Lagerhalle
03.09.12 - Germany/Netherlands - TBA
03.10.12 - Germany/Netherlands - TBA
03.11.12 - Kiel, Germany - TBA
03.12.12 - Berlin, Germany - Schokoladen
03.12.12 - Cologne, Germany - TBA
03.14.12 - Antwerp, Belgium - TRIX
03.16.12 - Ebensee, Austria - Kino Ebensee
03.17.12 - Basel, Switzerland - Hirscheneck
03.18.12 - Besançon, France - La-cour-des-miracles
03.12.12 - Paris, France - TBA
03.20.12 - Tours, France - Le Temps Machine
03.21.12 - UK - TBA
03.22.12 - London, UK - Cafe OTO
03.23.12 - Dublin, Ireland - Whelan’s
03.24.12 - Cork, Ireland - Triskel Arts Center
03.25.12 - Dublin, Ireland - Whelan’s
• Talibam!: http://talibam.bandcamp.com
• Sam Kulik: http://www.myspace.com/samkulik
• Belly Kids: http://www.bellykids.co.uk
