Carrying mystique that far outweighs the compact disc and most certainly MP3s, vinyl records will always remain at the very least fetish objects. The heightened prominence of their cover art alone being just one of the rewards, elevating the form beyond simple impulse buy. In the case of music as genuinely affecting as folk-rock group The Black Swans, proper visual representation aids in the realization of a greater understanding of the musical alchemy they are trafficking.
There are occasions, however, when editions have importance even beyond the norm of simply being a greater extension of the music and, by some accounts, a graphic designer's self-indulgence. The Black Swans have presented just such an edition with the vinyl edition of their most recent release Change!.
Lead singer Jerry DeCicca utilized the artistic talents of students of a vocational workshop at ARC Industries North, a division of the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. He had been inspired by work displayed at Yeah, Me Too, a Columbus, OH coffee shop. Paired with the added suggestion of shop/gallery owner Jovan Karcic, he turned the inspiration into reality when he proposed the idea for the students to paint covers for the vinyl release.
Each of the 50 participating students created a distinct visual work, an uninhibited interpretation of their reactions to the stunning album. Each of the 500 art editions is further accompanied by a booklet, an artist's statement, and information on ARC. ARC sells the students' artwork direct, so the possibility of appreciating and supporting their work extends beyond this beautiful release.
Click here for YouTube clips of the artists working or here for a link to the special edition of Change!.
And if you are in any of the following cities, do yourself the double favor of not only supporting the artists behind the covers by purchasing this special release, but the band itself by attending one of the shows closest to you.
In a never-ending search for a solution to make up for dwindling record sales, News Corp and major labels are planning on launching a new ad-supported, DRM-free MP3 site, which will see News Corp-owned MySpace partnering with EMI, Sony BMG, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group to provide music and content to the site. Currently no other labels are signed up to be on the new MP3 service, but PaidContent says that could change soon.
Boring, right? Leave it to Shaq to spice up a news story:
My good friend and her husband had a baby recently. Since I don't have a baby of my own (let alone a girlfriend), it's hard to talk to her about anything. All she does is jabber about her baby. Not like I don't understand though. I'm sure I'll do the same when I have a baby.
That said, Mates of State, the cute couple who had a baby not too long ago, have just announced the birth (wink!) of a new album, Re-Arrange Us. Slated for release on May 20 via Barsuk Records (motto: "We released stuff by Death Cab for Cutie!"), the new album breaks from the past by replacing their famous organ sound with piano/synth and emphasizing lead vocals rather than harmonies. In other words, Mates of State have gone avant-garde! Tell everyone!
Of course, I haven't heard the album, and I got that info from their publicist. So, assuming we're not being lied to, I think we should be good to go. But wouldn't it be funny if the new album DOES retain the organ sound? And if Mates of State actually went out of their way to ensure that there are ONLY harmonies on the new album? Hell, what if Kori Gardener and Jason Hammel never really had a baby? What if their 2000 debut, My Solo Project, was never really Mates of State at all? And the Mates of State that we always conceived as Kori and Jason were really two black R&B artists? Would you still like them? Are you really that racist?
C'mon, it's fucking 2008, bigot. Grow up.
Check out Mates of States' official website for more on their domestic ways. And expect a tour later this year by these two black R&B artists.
Have you ever been on an Amtrak train? If you have, it’s unlikely that you enjoyed the ride (After all, who the fuck likes awful food and noisy small children?). And if you haven’t taken a ride on one, well, don’t ever make an effort to change that. Of course, Amtrak is pretty dissatisfied with the public’s low opinion of its services. In one of its less well-thought-out moves, it decided recently to improve its popularity with the young ‘uns by offering a service to bands who don’t want to tour by bus: they can rent out a car in an Amtrak train for their tour! It offers an interesting possibility: where else would you find Evanescence, Vampire Weekend, and your little brother’s band all in the same place?
Of course, this plan is still in its beta phase. To test out the service’s usability, Amtrak decided to give one lucky band the chance to use a Tour Train for free. That lucky band turned out to be Pennsylvania’s own noise babies An Albatross, who are pushing the train to its limits by taking the tour to off-the-beaten track places like Chattanooga, Tennessee (though considering the town’s name, I guess it’s an apt stop). Anyway, free soggy hot dogs and coloring books for everyone who comes to one of the shows...
All aboard the tour train! 03.06.08 - Brooklyn, NY - Death By Audio 03.07.08 - Richmond, VA - The Camel *^ 03.08.08 - Raleigh, NC – Slim’s Downtown * 03.09.08 - Columbia, SC - New Brookland Tavern * 03.10.08 - Athens, GA - Caledonia Lounge * 03.11.08 - Chattanooga, TN – JJ’s Bohemia * 03.12.08 - Huntsville, AL - Flying Monkey Arts * 03.13.08 - Houston, TX - The Mink Backroom * 03.15.08 - Austin, TX - Spiro's Eyeball Records SXSW Showcase ! 03.16.08 - Austin, TX - Beerland Daytime Panache Party @ 03.16.08 - Denton, TX. Rubbergloves * 03.17.08 - Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory 03.18.08 - St. Louis, MO - 2 Cents Plain *# 03.19.08 - Oakland, CA - Uptown Night Club *$ 03.20.08 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen * 03.21.08 - Detroit, MI - Scrummage University % 03.22.08 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Cafe Metropolis * 03.23.08 - Annandale-on-Hudson, NY - Bard College * 04.05.08 - Brooklyn, NY - Music City Hall of Williamsburg & 05.01.08 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rossa + 05.02.08 - Hamilton, ON - The Casbah + 05.03.08 - Toronto, ON - Sneaky Dee's (Over the Top Festival Panache Showcase) +
* The Apes
^ Amoeba Men
! MC Astronautilus, Kiss Kiss, Pompeii, Baumer, Search/Rescue, Tiger Lou, The Casting Out
@ Finally Punk, Best Fwends, When Dinos Ruled the Earth, Mika Miko, The Mae Shi, The Show Is the Rainbow, Cpc Gangbangs, Monotonix
Have you ever wondered if the city you live in is cool? Well, wonder no more, because MSTRKRFT, the vowel-hating Torontonian electro-dance duo have put together their top 19 cities to live/party/dance in North America for February and March. To coincide with this massively important announcement (not a new LP, which is said to be coming sometime this year), the band plans to visit each location at least once, sometimes twice (LA) and sometimes thrice (Miami) on an upcoming tour beginning tomorrow (Tuesday). If names like "studio B," "The Church," and "Vision" don't ring a bell, then you are just out of touch. Stop watching reruns of Frasier (Christ, when did that show go off the air, 2004? What is wrong with you?) and get out there. These aren't your stuffy old Bowery Ballrooms, Magic Sticks, or Hi-Dives. These are places of distinction, with more overpriced drinks and shiny, skintight clothes than you can shake an ass at. But you will try -- o' lord will you ever try.
Hey, man, it's me again and I have to be honest...
I miss you, Ryan, like the deserts miss the rain. After three records in 2005 (thanks sooo much for that double album, btw), I was riding high and 2006 is a dark period that I don't like to talk about, but then last year you only shared Easy Tiger, an EP and 7,652 online joke raps. We're halfway through February 2008, and I've yet to hear a note from you, Mr. Adams. This is not acceptable, and forgive me for saying so, but can you cut it out with the Grateful Dead shit already? I've had it up to here. Anyway, jk lol -- I guess it has been long enough now that I can start back at the beginning of your career, then pretend you're going freshly solo again and be excited again when you peak with Heartbreaker. Thank St. Winona, though, for Universal Music -- my R.A. methadone clinic -- for taking it way back, all the way to Whiskeytown. You were so young back then! Still sad and not yet sober, but youthful! Can you believe it's been over a decade? Me neither. At least your boyish good looks haven't escaped you.
Anyway, Ryan, like I was saying... the record label is doing one of those useless reissue things with your oft-overlooked early masterpiece from 1997, Stangers Almanac, but they're adding like five live studio tracks! You probably don't even remember doing them, am I right?! But not only that, they're also tacking on a bonus disc of unreleased songs, some by Whiskeytown and some covers, but I'm sure I probably have them already from Napster or something. I mean, 1997? Come on! I'll buy it regardless, though. Anything for you, Ry-Ry. Okay, gotta go now -- Mom's calling for dinner, but I'll write again soon. And don't worry about writing back; I know you've been really busy and sad from your breakup with Jessica Joffe, but when you left your apartment on Tuesday night around 9:45, your spirits looked high! K, well, yeah, like I said, thanks for taking the time to read my e-mails, and I hope they make you smile :) :) :)
Your #1 Fan,
Joseph Coscarelli
Strangers Almanac: Deluxe Edition, March 4:
* bonus tracks
Disc Two:
1. Indian Gown 2. 16 Days (acoustic version) 3. Somebody Remembers the Rose (acoustic version) 4. Avenues (acoustic version) 5. Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight (acoustic version) 6. Houses on the Hill (early version) 7. My Heart Is Broken 8. I Still Miss Someone (Johnny Cash cover) (acoustic version) 9. Kiss & Make-Up 10. Barn's on Fire 11. Dancing With the Women at the Bar (early version) 12. Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover) 13. Breathe 14. Wither, I'm a Flower (previously released) 15. Luxury Liner (Gram Parsons cover) 16. Theme for a Trucker 17. Streets of Sirens (previously released) 18. Turn Around (alternate version) 19. 10 Seconds 20. Ticket Time (early version) 21. The Rain Won't Help You When It's Over (True Believers cover) (early version)
