From Soft Metals to world: synth is sexy. Also from Soft Metals: debut EP, tour
By Erika H on Aug 11 2010
Good synth just brings people together. It’s like bringing a hearty casserole to a dinner party where everybody else made Jello molds and Waldorf salad. At least, maybe that’s how Ian Hicks and Patricia Hall felt when they started making music together as Soft Metals (and consequently fell in love, so the story goes — I know I always get lonely when listening to The Minimal Wave Tapes).
On August 10, Soft Metals are releasing their debut through Captured Tracks, a 12-inch EP entitled The Cold World Melts (aptly named — this stuff is fiery). There are five pulsating, Italo disco-inflected tracks, apparently the first five that the duo has to offer. Their own repertoire may be limited (with boundless influences, as long as it includes analog synth), but that’s not stopping them from going on tour for a few shows in the last warm months of summer. Let’s just hope that this soft metal turns out to be gold.
The Cold World Melts tracklisting:
01. Love or Music
02. The Cold World Melts
03. Voices
04. Métaux Mous
05. Another Goodbye
Tourdates:
08.13.10 - Portland, OR - Holocene
08.29.10 - Portland, OR - Holocene (EP release party)
09.09.10 - San Francisco, CA - The Knockout *
09.10.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Show Cave *
09.11.10 - Mexico City, MX - Yautepec Gallery *
09.23.10 - New York City, NY - The Cake Shop
09.24.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Bruar Falls
* Jewels of the Nile
• Soft Metals: http://www.myspace.com/softmetals
• Captured Tracks: http://www.capturedtracks.com
[Photo: Deneb Catalan]
RIP: Chris Dedrick of The Free Design
By Shane Mack on Aug 11 2010
From LA Weekly:
Chris Dedrick, leader and songwriter of the cult group the Free Design, died on Friday, according to his website.
The Free Design released several soft-pop albums between 1967 and 1972, initially under the mentorship of easy-listening legend Enoch Light. The jazz-inflected, subtle tunes composed by Dedrick (who led the vocal trio of siblings) plus similarly-arranged covers stood in sharp contrast to the heavy rock and psychedelics inclinations of the day.
• Chris Dedrick: http://chrisdedrick.com
The Vaselines extend tour, are way too old
By Harold Shueberg on Aug 11 2010
Hey, The Vaselines are releasing a new album. Do you care? You might! And if so, this is for you. You might be thinking to yourself, “Didn’t TMT already announce that The Vaselines were going on tour?” We all casually and absent-mindedly considered the fact that they would probably extend their tour outside of the UK — I stress the casually part. Because, fuck, you can’t just release an album in the late 80s that only got press because some now-dead guy played your song on MTV 16 years ago, then release an album 20 years later and expect people to give a shit. Or can you??
Listen to the title track “Sex with an X” at the Chocolate Grinder.
So yeah: they’re extending their tour to include US and Canada dates.
09.15.10 - Edinburgh, UK - Bongo Room
09.16.10 - Newcastle, UK - Other Rooms
09.17.10 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social
09.18.10 - Liverpool, UK - O2 Academy Liverpool
09.19.10 - Cardiff, UK - Millennium Music Hall
09.20.10 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
09.21.10 - Bristol, UK - Thekla Social
09.22.10 - London, UK - The Scala
09.23.10 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute
09.24.10 - Glasgow, UK - Oran Mor
10.02.10 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
10.03.10 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
10.05.10 - Boston, MA - Paradise
10.06.10 - New York City, NY - Webster Hall
10.07.10 - Mexico City, Mexico - Vive Cuervo Salon
10.08.10 - Mexico City, Mexico - Vive Cuervo Salon
10.09.10 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Teatro Estudio Cavaret
10.11.10 - Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle
10.12.10 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
10.13.10 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
10.14.10 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live - Ballroom
10.15.10 - Dallas, TX - The Loft
10.16.10 - Austin, TX - Emo’s
10.19.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
10.20.10 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
10.23.10 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
10.24.10 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
10.27.10 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity
10.28.10 - Lincoln Hall (IL), Chicago, IL
10.29.10 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
10.30.10 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
10.31.10 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rosa
• The Vaselines: http://www.myspace.com/thevaselinesband
• Sub Pop: http://www.subpop.com
Planes Mistaken for Stars to reunite because of an intergalactic “battle of the bands” held on Jupiter
By Kid Midnight on Aug 11 2010
Planes Mistaken for Stars, who were hardly “broken up” (they played a “reunion” show at last year’s The Fest 8), have announced that they will be reuniting for two separate shows. The band’s lineup for the get-togethers will consist of the final lineup of Gared O’Donnell, Chuck French, Mike Rocketts, and Neil Keener, with the addition of their previous guitarist, Matt Bellinger.
In an official statement, O’Donnell explains why the band is getting back together: “Planes is getting together for some shows for a variety of reasons. The main catalyst being that Var (owner of No Idea Records) said, ‘Please play the No Idea 25th Year Anniversary at the Fest 9 in Gainesville,’ but I suppose people need a story…” O’Donnell goes on to explain that “life got in the way” — the band wanted to do music “balls deep,” and they felt they couldn’t with Planes Mistaken for Stars, but they realized they could and that everybody just missed each other.
But do you want to hear the real story? Of course you do.
What happened was this: Guitarist Mike Rocketts is actually a sentient rocket built for long-distance space travel, and upon the band breaking up “because life got in the way,” he set out for the stars to explore the furthest reaches of the universe. After a couple days of travel, Rocketts decided to take a pit-stop on Jupiter for a drink and a nap. However, Rocketts was quickly captured by local Jupiterian police agencies for illegal entry and spent two weeks in jail. Once Rocketts convinced the authorities that he wasn’t a threat, he was released from prison. BUT! Rockett’s dog went on the space-trip, and the Jupiterian authorities refused to release the adorable puppy. Rocketts spent months in Juperiterian courts, but the the best he could do was this ruling: “The aforementioned Earth-dog (Spongy) shall only be released from imprisonment once the plaintiff (Earth-man Mike Rocketts) wins the 233rd annual Jupiter Battle of the Bands.” Consequently, Rocketts rushed back to Earth, got his band together, and, after scheduling a couple shows for practice, made plans to head back to Jupiter and free his mutt.
Planes Mistaken for Stars reunion shows:
10.28.10 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean
10.30.10 - Gainesville, FL - The Fest 9
• Planes Mistaken for Stars: http://www.myspace.com/pmfs
• The Fest 9: http://www.thefestfl.com
Sufjan Stevens employs a baroque string quartet and a banjo to announce a North American tour
By Kid Midnight on Aug 11 2010
Sufjan Stevens is a real cock-tease, and I’m tired of announcements that aren’t really announcements. He hasn’t put out an actual record since like 2005 and everything he has released just makes me madder because none if it is that cool. Okay, it’s cool, but seriously, I want an actual album, not outtakes or alternate tracks or Christmas music or DVDs or whatever other shit Stevens has planned before actually releasing an album.
I want a tour where Sufjan plays music I like and doesn’t expect me to sit through a boring movie filled with woodwinds and hula-hoopers about a highway that I’ve never been on.
Wait, what’s that I hear? Is it a baroque string-quartet and a banjo? It must be a new Sufjan Stevens announcement! What’s the news this time, dude? A set of extras and outtakes from the Michigan album? Classical music about Route 66?
Wait, what did you say? That’s great!
Sufjan Stevens has just told me that he’s scheduled a North American tour where he’ll be playing at historic venues like NY’s Beacon Theatre, Chicago’s Chicago Theatre, and Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre. In addition to the excellent (and handpicked by the man himself) selection of venues, Stevens has assured me that he’ll be playing a full set of his lovely, lovely music.
Wow, this announcement of an official, big-venue tour of North America has been a long time coming, and it’s got me feelin’ happy! All of the anger from the top of the article has drifted away.
But Sufjan better announce an actual album soon or I’ll be pissed again!
10.12.10 - Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis Theater
10.13.10 - Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
10.14.10 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
10.15.10 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theater
10.16.10 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theater
10.17.10 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
10.19.10 - Austin, TX - The Long Center for the Performing Arts
10.20.10 - Dallas, TX - McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
10.22.10 - Mesa, AZ - Mesa Arts Center (Ikeda Theater)
10.23.10 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
10.26.10 - Oakland, CA - The Paramount Theater
10.28.10 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Orpheum Theater
10.29.10 - Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
10.30.10 - Seattle, WA - The Paramount Theatre
11.01.10 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kingsbury Hall
11.02.10 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
11.04.10 - Indianapolis, IN - Hilbert Circle Theatre
11.05.10 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
11.06.10 - Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
11.07.10 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
11.10.10 - Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center
11.11.10 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
11.14.10 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
11.15.10 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre
• Sufjan Stevens: http://www.sufjan.com
[Photo: indieinterviews]
