Pictureplane Releases Dark Rift on Lovepump United, Tours in Van, Eats in Alleyways
By E. Nagurney on 07-23-2009
Remember that old Nintendo 64 game Dark Rift? No, of course you don’t. It was this terrible fighting game from 1997 that only three people played: one of them was me, one was someone else, and one was Pictureplane, a.k.a. 24-year-old performance artist Travis Egedy, who just titled his new album Dark Rift.
I'm lying. Dark Rift (the album) is almost certainly not inspired by Dark Rift (the video game) at all. But there are a lot of actual facts about Dark Rift. Like the fact that Dark Rift will be out August 4. Or the fact that Dark Rift will be Pictureplane’s first release for Lovepump United. These are facts worth knowing.
The Lovepump party line on Dark Rift is that “grimy synths, broken beats, and bucolic vocals collide somewhere between early 90s house music and the gnarly soundscapes of Black Dice to forge a sound that's wholly unique and endlessly exciting.”
Sounds pretty good, but Egedy himself makes it sound even better: “Once every 26,000 years our planet crosses through the elliptical plane at the center of our galaxy known as the dark rift. The songs on dark rift lyrically deal with humanity entering a new age or next phase of our existence.” Far out!
More songs about ages and phases:
1. Solid Gold
2. Trance Doll
3. Boys in Blush
4. Gang Signs
5. 5th Sun
6. Goth Star
7. Cyclical Cyclical (Atlantis)
8. Time Teens
9. Dark Rift
10. New Mind
11. Transparent Now (Thin Veil)
12. Dimensional Rip III
13. True Ruin
Pictureplane will hit the road with HEALTH this September to determine who is the number one Nintendo 64 master. Also, they will be playing some shows. Dates:
09.09.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Troubadour
09.10.09 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
09.11.09 - Portland, OR - The Works (Time-Based Art Festival)
09.12.09 - Seattle, WA - Vera Project
09.17.09 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
09.18.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
09.19.09 - Toronto, ON - Wrong Bar
09.20.09 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa
09.21.09 - Providence ,RI - Club Hell
09.22.09 - Allston, MA - Harper’s Ferry
09.24.09 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
09.25.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
09.26.09 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
Gimme My WAND Before I Get All Merlin On Your Ass! James Toth Tour Starts Tonight
By David Nadelle on 07-22-2009
Literary heavyweight and confounding soul Graham Greene differentiated between his more serious work and his "entertainments" (mainly his suspense novels), which he wrote for widespread consumption. While Greene might have downplayed what he thought of as lighter fare, I’ve always enjoyed his “entertainments” as much as his supposedly more important religion/political/morality tales. Whenever a musical artist decides to release skeleton songs from their past, they invariably seem to pardon themselves and make excuses much like Greene did in his writing days with his “entertainments.”
For his latest record, Hard Knox (Ecstatic Peace!), James Jackson Toth, a.k.a WAND (formerly Wooden Wand), explains in notes written about the album that this collection of tracks was recorded between 2002-2007 in Knoxville, TN, but he thankfully doesn’t apologize or belittle his old ways with such derogatory terms like “entertainments” but sees them rather as flawed but enjoyable "snapshots." Of course, Toth is in the enviable position of not needing pet names for lesser work because he doesn’t write lesser work, at least none that we’ve heard. Toth is a fan’s wet dream when it comes to releasing records, because his entire expanding oeuvre is worth investigating and digesting, be it regarded as serious prose and poetry or mere “entertainments” by its creator.
We touched upon the latest WAND tour here -- and also mentioned his recent signing to Michael Gira's Young God Records -- but we’re such big boosters of the man that we thought a Toth-only story wouldn’t hurt yas too much. Toth will no doubt play a varied selection of songs taken from his impressive back catalogue when he takes to the stage tonight in his former home of Knoxville. Whether he plays any of Hard Knox in Knoxville is anyone’s guess, but you can bet it will be “entertaining” as always
07.22.09 - Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light
07.23.09 - Fairmont, WV - River City Grill
07.24.09 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery !
07.25.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Issue Project Room “
07.26.09 - New York, NY - Webster Hall Studio $
07.28.09 - Northampton, MA - Artifacts of the 20th Century
07.29.09 - Albany, NY - Valentine’s
07.30.09 - Portland, ME - The Apohadian Theatre %
07.31.09 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club &
08.02.09 - Columbus, OH - Rhumba
08.03.09 - Bloomington, IN - Russian Recording
08.05.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
08.06.09 - Rock Island, IL - Huckleberry’s, Daytrotter Session (
08.07.09 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
08.08.09 - Toronto, ON - Sneaky Dee’s *
08.09.09 - Montréal, Green Room
08.11.09 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel ,
08.12.09 - Carrboro, NC - Akron Family ,
08.13.09 - Atlanta, GA - The EARL ,
08.14.09 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree ,
! Crazy Dreams Band
“ Michael Gira
$ Larkin Grimm
% Fire on Fire, Seymore, South China
& Destroyer
( Poison Control Center and Light Pollution
* Woods
, Akron/Family
Modest Mouse Release No One’s First, And You’re Next EP, Taps Grandaddy’s Fairchild to Play Guitar on Upcoming Tour
By Annapocalypse on 07-22-2009
As we mentioned last month (TMT News), Granddaddy’s Jim Fairchild has joined Modest Mouse on the road this summer as their new touring guitarist. He isn’t officially replacing Johnny Marr (meaning that Marr could pop back in at some point and tour with the band), but he has started working with Isaac Brock and Co. on new Modest Mouse songs, so it at least seems like things are going well. But before Fairchild was chosen to play with Modest Mouse, he was up against some stiff competition. TMT has obtained a secret list of Fairchild’s former competitors, with Isaac Brock’s audition notes included:
- Mark Tremonti: Shockingly, he totally shredded, but then stopped halfway through when Scott Stapp called and told him Creed were reuniting because "Jesus would have wanted it that way."
- Zakk Wylde: I like metal and everything, but I don’t think someone with a studded black leather vest and a Flying V guitar would crossover into the indie world that well. Sorry, dude.
- Frank Black: He took off running before he could even play one chord. I think I might have freaked him out when I asked him to autograph my chest.
Meanwhile, Modest Mouse have a new EP due August 4 from Sony called No One’s First, And You’re Next, with a vinyl version coming August 18. According to the publicist, "This new EP contains eight songs, six of which were recently released as limited edition 7” vinyl singles. Also included on the EP is ‘King Rat’ which was a limited promo-only 7” single free with the purchase of We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank in 2007 and ‘I’ve Got It All (Most)’ which was the b-side to the ‘Float On’ single in 2004 and is currently out of print."
No One’s First, And You’re Next tracklisting:
1. Satellite Skin
2. Guilty Cocker Spaniels
3. Autumn Beds
4. The Whale Song
5. Perpetual Motion Machine
6. History Sticks To Your Feet
7. King Rat
8. I've Got It All (Most)
08.17.09 – Halifax, NS – Forum Multipurpose Room &
08.19.09 – Montreal, QC – Metropolis &
08.20.09 – Kingston, ON – Ale House &
08.21.09 – Toronto, ON – Sound Academy &
08.22.09 – Toronto, ON – Sound Academy &
08.24.09 –Columbus, OH – Lifestyle Communities Pavilion &
08.25.09 – Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom &
08.28.09 – San Francisco, CA – Street Scene Festival
08.30.09 – San Francisco, CA – Outer Lands Festival
09.01.09 – Salt Lake City, UT – In The Venue $
09.02.09 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium $
09.03.09 – Billings, MT – Alberta Blair Theater $
09.04.09 – Missoula, MT – Wilma Theater $
09.05.09 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory $
09.07.09 – Seattle, WA – Bumbershoot
09.09.09 – Honolulu, HI – Pipeline Café
09.20.09 – Portland, OR - Glacial Pace night, NorthWest Music Fest #
09.21.09 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
09.22.09 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
09.23.09 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
& The Dutchess and The Duke
$ The Night Marchers
# Love As Laughter, Mimicking Birds, Morning Teleportation
Chairlift Are Going On A Big-Ass Tour With Phoenix And Micachu & The Shapes
By Mario Speedwagon on 07-22-2009
Brooklyn trio Chairlift are heading out on an extensive late-summer/early-fall tour throughout North America and Europe with Phoenix and Micachu & The Shapes. Their tour kicks off August 1 in Jersey City at All Points West and ends October 28 in London. Along the way, they will play a show with TV On The Radio in Chicago, various music festivals in Europe and the US, and the [Venus Zine] Lollapalooza party in Chicago.
To get yourself excited, catch Chairlift's late-June performance of their iPod Nano jam “Bruises” on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson here
08.01.09 – Jersey City, NJ – All Points West (Liberty State Park)
08.05.09 – Cleveland, OH – Rock N Rock Hall Of Fame Show
08.07.09 – Chicago, IL – Double Door #
08.08.09 – Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
08.08.09 – Chicago, IL – Chopin Theater (Venus Zine Party)
08.13.09 – Oslo, NO – Oya Festival
08.14.09 – Gothenburg, SE – Way Out West Festival
08.16.09 – Leicester, UK – Summer Sundae Weekender
09.05.09 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom *
09.06.09 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church *
09.07.09 – Washington DC – Black Cat *
09.08.09 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 *
09.09.09 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn *
09.10.09 – Baton Rouge, LA – Chelseas *
09.11.09 – Austin, TX – Emos *
09.12.09 – Denton, TX – Hailey’s *
09.14.09 – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room *
09.15.09 – La Jolla, CA – The Loft (UC San Diego) *
09.16.09 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubador *
09.17.09 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill *
09.18.09 – Portland, OR – Holocene *
09.19.09 – Seattle WA – The Vera Project *
09.22.09 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue *
09.23.09 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre ^
09.24.09 – Madison, WI – UW Madison Memorial Terrace ^
09.25.09 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern *
09.26.09 – Cincinnati, OH – Midpoint Music Festival *
09.27.09 – Washington DC – 9:30 Club ^
09.28.09 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory ^
09.30.09 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse ^
10.01.09 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitinas ^
10.13.09 – Montpellier, FR – Le Rockstore ^
10.14.09 – Lyon, FR – Le Transbordeur ^
10.15.09 – Strassbourg, FR – La Laiterie ^
10.16.09 – Lille, FR – L’ Aronef ^
10.17.09 – Caen, FR – Le Cargo ^
10.19.09 – Paris, FR – Zenith ^
10.20.09 – Bourdoux, FR – Rock School Barbey ^
10.21.09 – Touloues, FR – Le Bekini ^
10.22.09 – Nantes, FR – L’ Olympic ^
10.24.09 – Birmingham, UK – Academy 2 ^
10.25.09 – Glasgow, UK – Arches ^
10.26.09 – Bristol, UK – Academy UK ^
10.27.09 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2 ^
10.28.09 – London, UK – Brixton Academy ^
# TV On The Radio
* Micachu & The Shapes
^ Phoenix
WHY? To Tour and Release Eskimo Snow; “Tsk, Tsk,” Say the Politically Correct Police
By David Nadelle on 07-22-2009
To steal and mangle a line from Gilbert and Sullivan originally about policemen: a TMT news writer’s lot is not a happy one. Constantly constructing stories that are disturbingly light on actual quotes or relevant info can take its toll on the untalented. So it came as a shocking and life-affirming surprise when word came in that WHY? had good news on two fronts to report. No Cup-a-Soup, half-finished Sudoku, and Reba rerun tonight! This news might even postpone this scratcher’s bi-monthly suicide attempt (read: unanswered call for attention) and just may be enough to get me out of my parents’ basement for the first time in a decade! Why? Well, two reasons, that’s why? A new album and a tour are imminent!
By all accounts, WHY? will reveal a cosmic folk cowboy influence in their work when their fourth full-length album and follow-up to the very-well-received Alopecia (TMT Review) is released on September 22. The record will be called Eskimo Snow (a version of the title track can be found on our benefit compilation), will come out on anticon., and features 10 tracks recorded by the trio (Yoni Wolf, Josiah Wolf, Doug McDiarmid) around the same time as Alopecia, with help from Andrew Broder and Mark Erickson (both from Fog), and Mark Nevers (Lambchop, Silver Jews, Bonnie Prince Billy, Calexico) and Eli Crews (Alopecia’s engineer) on tha knobs.
Are you Inuit or are you out?
1. These Hands
2. January Twenty Something
3. Against Me
4. Even the Good Wood Gone
5. Into the Shadows of My Embrace
6. One Rose
7. On Rose Walk, Insomniac
8. Berkeley By Hearseback
9. This Blackest Purse
10. Eskimo Snow
Word about the new album has been out for awhile, but tourdates are so spanking new they should be in cellophane. WHY? will embark on a lengthy tour with an eye-popping group of talented acts starting in the Wolfs’ birthplace of Cincinnati on September 24. So many great acts that they had to use the tilde (~), Qwerty’s loneliest symbol, in the legend that we have so lovingly cut and pasted below
09.24.09 - Cincinnati, OH - Northside Tavern *
09.26.09 - New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge, Wordless Music Series +
10.01.09 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East #%
10.02.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church #%
10.03.09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Assembly Room, William Pitt Union (free show) #%
10.04.09 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Blind Pig #%
10.05.09 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge #%
10.06.09 - Madison, WI - UW Madison Terrace #%
10.07.09 - Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock #%
10.09.09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird #%
10.10.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue #%
10.13.09 - Annacortes, WA - Department of Safety &$
10.14.09 - Seattle, WA - The Vera Project &$
10.15.09 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom &$
10.17.09 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *%$
10.20.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex *%
10.23.09 - Phoenix, AZ - Modified Arts *%
10.24.09 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress *%
10.26.09 - Denton, TX - Hailey's *%
10.28.09 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree *%
10.29.09 - Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle *%
10.30.09 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle *%
10.31.09 - Atlanta, GA - Lenny's %^@
11.02.09 - Orlando, FL - The Social %!
11.03.09 - Gainesville, FL - Common Grounds %!
11.04.09 - Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder %!
11.06.09 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon %(
11.07.09 - Houston, TX - Walter's On Washington %~
11.08.09 - Austin, TX - Fun Fun Fun Fest
11.10.09 - Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Music Hall %~
11.11.09 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird %~
11.13.09 - Bloomington, IN - Rhino's Youth Center ~
* Serengeti and Polyphonic
# Dark Dark Dark
% AU
& No Kids
$ Mount Eerie
^ Jemina Pearl
@ Islands
! James Husband
~ The Moore Brothers
+ Owen Weaver with Flexible Music
