Camera Obscura Bring Beauty, Happiness, a Fall/Winter Tour to the Wilds of North America
In these trying times of unemployment and Michelle Bachmann's existence, only one thing can help America (and, in this case, Toronto). Universal healthcare? No. A tearful reunion between America’s favorite couple, Jon and Kate? NO. What the world needs now is Scottish indie pop -- sweet Scottish indie pop.
Fortunately for us, Glasgow’s Camera Obscura are heading to North America for a fall/winter tour. Fresh off the success of their latest release on 4AD, My Maudlin Career (TMT Review), the band can be seen at the following enchantingly-named venues. Pearl Street, anyone? German House? The world is a better place already.
Tourdates:
11.18.09 - New Orleans, LA - Tipitina's
11.19.09 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree
11.20.09 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
11.21.09 - Norfolk, VA - Attucks Theatre
11.22.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
11.24.09 - Northampton, MA - Pearl Street
11.25.09 - Rochester, NY - German House
11.26.09 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix
11.27.09 - Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot Ballroom
11.28.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
11.30.09 - Bloomington, IN - Bluebird
12.01.09 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway Nightclub
12.02.09 - Oxford, MS - The Lyric Oxford
12.03.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
Raekwon, Method Man and Ghostface’s Rumored Collalbum Gets a Release Date, Has the Trailer to Prove It
When last we encountered the Wu-Tang trio of Chef, Meth, and Tony Starks, they were kinda-sorta-uh-huh-pretty-much-sure planning to release an album together sometime in the near future. What had once only been Raekwon’s griping about RZA turned into something wonderful. That is, if only it would actually happen. The sons of Shaolin aren’t the most reliable bunch, as years of patchy concert lineups and endless release-date delays (I’m looking at you, Raekwon!) have taught us. But then again, when the Wu-Tang finally deliver the goods, they rarely disappoint (Lookin’ at you again, Rae).
Luckily this time around, Meth, Ghost, and Rae bypassed all the drama and cold laid out a release date with little fuss and even less muss. But being upstanding members of the one and only W, the three Beez couldn’t just announce the drop date of their highly anticipated collaboration with just any old press junket or mixtape. That’s why this had to happen:
That’s right, people. On December 22, Method Man will murder you in your home and mutilate your pretty little face. God only knows what Ghost and Rae will do to you once their trailers come out in the coming weeks.
MV + EE Hit the Road and That's Definitely Not a Bummer
Counting on things is a blessing and a curse. The devastation that comes with the certainty of Matt Valentine and Erica Elder not writing a Barbie ad jingle or guesting on the next season of Idol is easily offset by the fact that the prolific duo will be playing a select number of live shows on the East Coast of the U.S. and Canada, some opening up for their old mucker buddies Dinosaur Jr. Supporting their recently released "Spectrasound"-abetted, rustic-psych gem, Barn Nova (Ecstatic Peace!), MV + EE have announced a sporadic but hopefully expanding set of dates which has them visiting ten American cities in November, plus three Canadian ones in January
11.13.09 - Syracuse, NY - Metropolis Underground
11.15.09 - Detroit, MI - PJ's Lager House
11.16.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle (free early show)
11.17.09 - Madison, WI - Project Lodge
11.18.09 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue $
11.19.09 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom $
11.20.09 - Cincinnati, OH - Art Damage Lodge
11.22.09 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
11.23.09 - Ithaca, NY - Wildfire Lounge
11.25.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands (Sonic Youth afterparty)
01.21.10 - Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Hall $
01.22.10 - Ottawa, ON - Capital Music Hall $
01.23.10 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda $
$ Dinosaur Jr.
A Monthly Dose of Hip-Hop: Madlib Unveils The Madlib Medicine Show
Well, well, well. After what seemed to be a period of stagnation for the usually prolific Madlib comes news of a monthly release schedule from the renowned producer/DJ/rapper with more pseudonyms than there are slang words for cannabis. This announcement comes hot on the tail of the much-rumored new Madvillain project being substantiated; turns out Madlib has been busy.
Starting this December, Stones Throw Records will be launching The Madlib Medicine Show, a 12CD, 6LP monthly series featuring hip-hop productions to live jazz instrumentation and beyond, with unexpected surprises every release. The first volume, aptly titled Before The Verdict, features Guilty Simpson and will be available from the Stones Throw store a month earlier than the worldwide release in January 2010. Spanning 17 tracks of new material alongside remixes, it's a perfect precursor to Madlib and Guilty Simpson's forthcoming OJ Simpson album. Oh, and did I mention the vinyl edition will be hand-screened with a limited pressing, or that the second installment, Flight to Brazil is a mixture of Brazilian jazz, funk, prog-rock, folk, and psychedelia?
Stones Throw has been doing a lot of exciting things the past year, with more and more limited releases, hand-screened covers, and an ever-expanding roster of musicians with non hip-hop backgrounds. You don't need me to tell you that this is a label worth keeping a constant eye on and ear to.
Listen: Madlib & Guilty Simpson - "The Paper" from Madlib Medicine Show No. 1.
Lil Wayne Insists We All Listen to Him Play Guitar; Rebirth Gets Release Date
I remember one time, high as a kite, randomly searching though the annals of YouTube (as I am wont to do), when suddenly I remembered that I missed Lil Wayne’s performance on Saturday Night Live. I quickly found and watched a video of the recital and was delighted to see Weezy showing off his skills on the ol’ six-string. However, I was pretty intoxicated, and Wayne’s guitar skills seemed much more competent than they actually were. I watched the video again the next day and was shocked to discover that Wayne actually, well, sucked at guitar.
Regardless of what skill was (or wasn’t) present, I was at least mildly intrigued when Lil Wayne began promising that his “rock” album Rebirth would soon be available for mass consumption (and most likely regurgitation). It seemed to me that it would resemble Dee Dee Ramone’s ill-advised foray into rap or Vanilla Ice’s attempt to cash in on rap-metal’s then popularity; both projects were quite enjoyable train-wrecks to watch/listen to. However, the album was constantly pushed back and pushed back, and I began to wonder if the whole thing was just an elaborate cough-syrup induced hallucination/practical joke, especially with Lil’ Wayne’s current legal troubles.
Turns out, it’s not a big hoax. Billboard reports that the album has been given a December 15 release date and will come packaged with We Are Young Money, an album from Wayne’s Young Money crew wherein the group lets you know that they exist. You always know that a CD will be great when it's offered with a bonus free CD, right? Besides Lil Wayne’s guitar serving as special guest on the majority of the songs, the album will also feature Lenny Kravitz, Travis Barker, Fall Out Boy, and Drake. An all-star cast for an all-star album! I’m quite sure that this album won’t suck.
Bobby Birdman Is Back: With a Quick Swoop, He Unveils He's Got New Moods
Bobby Birdman... remember him? It's been three years since he's released a record, so his name has seemed to fade a bit, but back in the day he was touring with Will Oldham and fellow counterparts YACHT and Dirty Projectors and releasing records on Hush, Not Not Fun, and States Rights. Now he's back, and the artsy crooner's got a new record for ya. As of November 10 (a.k.a. YESTERDAY), you can pick up the ol' Birdman's New Moods, out on Fryk Beat, at record stores near you. So put on them dancin' shoes cause Bobby B. has got some tunes that will make you do the jitterbug in hyperspeed!
New Moods is said to be Birdman's "most focused and complete musical effort to date; upbeat pop anthems jostle up against shimmering slow a cappella numbers, while New Orleans bounce, dancehall, and hyphy funnel noisily into each self-produced pop number. Sun-drenched guitars and Bobby Birdman's characteristic, unfuckwithable new-school croon wash over drumline weirdness and tyrannical sub bass, like a rogue wave on the Malibu beaches he frequently surfs."
Sounds fun right? Wanna hear more? Well, let me tell you that Birdman's "melodies are so irresistible that they hook into a timeless, Van Dyke Parks-cum-Perry Como sound that's as at home blasting out of a tape deck on your beach towel as it is in the club." Sound enticing yet? No? Well, why don't you just take a trip over to RCRDLBL and take a listen to "Only for a While" and see how ya feel after that.
New Moods tracklisting:
1. Only for a While
2. Dust Design
3. What You Say
4. Weighty Wait
5. Victory At Sea
6. Bloody Mess
7. Silent But Violent
8. You'd Be Surprised
9. Setting Sun
10. Truth Be Told
11. Well Sprung
12. Back and Forth
Tortoise Setting Off for European Tour
Chicago band Tortoise, after only a
short break, is once again setting off on tour. However, unlike their
Beacons of Ancestorship tour earlier this year, which featured
almost exclusively U.S. dates, this time around Tortoise is packing
for Europe. Kicking off at Barcelona's International Jazz
Festival and ending in the U.K. with some guests at the All Tomorrow’s
Parties 10-year anniversary show, Tortoise will be looping through
Europe and playing a total of 20 shows in 11 countries.
As a band, Tortoise is pushing 20 years and still going strong, with six albums under their belt spanning over a decade. Here's hoping for at least another decade of Tortoise
11.18.09 - Barcelona, Spain - ES Jazz Festival
11.19.09 - Esch sur Alzette, Luxembourg - Kulturfabrik
11.20.09 - Leuven, Belgium - Stuk
11.21.09 - Kortrijk, Belgium - NEXT Festival
11.22.09 - London, England - Royal Festival Hall
11.24.09 - Rubigen, Switzerland - Mühle Hunziken
11.25.09 - Rome, Italy - Circolo Degli Artisti
11.26.09 - Florence, Italy - Vipertheatre
11.27.09 - Bologna, Italy - Estragon
11.28.09 - Milan, Italy - Magazzini Generali
11.29.09 - Zurich, Switzerland - Stall 6
11.30.09 - Erlangen, Germany - E-Werk
12.01.09 - Leipzig, Germany - Werk II
12.02.09 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Vega Jr
12.04.09 - Olso, Norway - Rockefeller
12.07.09 - Poznan, Poland - Slodownia @ Stary Browar
12.08.09 - Bochum, Germany - Bahnhof Langendreer
12.09.09 - Paris, France - Alhambra
12.10.09 - Nantes, France - l'Olympic
12.11.09 - Minehead, UK - ATP 10 Year Anniversary Festival *
* Melvins, Shellac, and For Carnation
The Magnetic Fields to Release Realism in January 2010
The Magnetic Fields are back and presumably better than ever. Their eighth LP, Realism, is set for release January 26 via Nonesuch. Aside from the title, release date, label, and tracklisting, we ain't got much else to say. But I bet it'll be as compelling as 2008's Distortion (TMT Review). I mean, why not?
Realism tracklisting:
1. You Must Be Out of Your Mind
2. Interlude
3. We Are Having a Hootenanny
4. I Don’t Know What to Say
5. The Dolls’ Tea Party
6. Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree
7. Walk a Lonely Road
8. Always Already Gone
9. Seduced and Abandoned
10. Better Things
11. Painted Flower
12. The Dada Polka
13. From a Sinking Boat
Jack White Turns Down Slash; Slash Disappointed, Crying
Slash, former lead guitarist for hair-metal maestros Guns N' Roses, was pretty upset that Axl Rose actually managed to get Chinese Democracy out; he, like everyone else on the planet who wasn’t Axl Rose, thought that the album would never actually be released. Well, as we all know, the album is totally available for purchase, but this whole situation had Slash pretty upset, so he decided that, in order to feel better, he has to release a bitchin’ solo CD.
Slash called up all of his famous friends -- people like Adam Levine, Nicole Scherzinger, Iggy Pop, Cypress Hill, Fergie, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Meat Loaf, Dave Grohl, Flea, Chris Cornell, and every non-lead singer member of Guns N' Roses -- wrote a bunch of songs, and set about making that bitchin’ album. But then Slash realized that one of his songs had no vocals. So, accordingly, he called up Jack White, because Jack White is already in a bunch of bands and Slash totally digs Jack White.
Then the unexpected happen: “I wanted to get Jack White to sing on something, but he didn’t want to sing. He said ‘I’ll play drums, I’ll play guitar, but I don’t wanna sing.’ He was one guy that I wanted to work with. Pretty much everyone else that I went after I managed to get.”
Hiatus Never Means Having to Say You're Sorry: The Return of Field Music Imminent!
No matter what anyone tells you, there are only two possible outcomes when bands split up: 1. One part of the group becomes arena-selling megastars while the other part(s) withers and dies from talent/attention envy, and 2. All parties soldier on releasing terrible records on their own, stubbornly refusing to admit that despite wanting to bludgeon their former bandmate(s) nightly, they can't possibly survive without the healthy competition and creative collaboration their union once provided. Those are the two split scenarios. There are no others.
Acts going on hiatus are a trickier breed to classify. Often a "hiatus" is just another way to say "we need to see other people... permanently" or "we're really splitting up but we don't want to hurt your feelings." So it was with great trepidation that lovers of Sunderland's Field Music first read that their heroes were taking a break from playing and recording together some two-and-a-half years ago. Unexpectedly, but not overly surprising given the members' talents as songsmiths, both David and Peter Brewis stepped up large by releasing killer albums through their non-Field Music projects in the interim -- Peter with his self-titled masterclass The Week That Was and David with Sea from Shore (TMT Review) by his School of Language project.
The sheer amount of reunion shows and "comin'-out-of-retirement" bullshit means most semi-splits are never permanent and Field Music kept the promise they made to return by announcing that they have resumed activities under the Field Music banner and have a 20-track DOUBLE album coming out in the new year. If you're excited now, try not to blow your load too early. If you're not excited, you'll have time to plan your eruption. Measure is due February 16, 2010, a Tuesday, on Memphis Industries/Revolver.
Measure:
1. In the Mirror
2. Them That Do Nothing
3. Each Time Is a New Time
4. Measure
5. Effortlessly
6. Clear Water
7. Lights Up
8. All You'd Ever Need to Say
9. Let's Write a Book
10. You and I
11. The Rest Is Noise
12. Curves of the Needle
13. Choose Numbers
14. The Wheels Are in Place
15. First Come the Wish
16. Precious Plans
17. See You Later
18. Something Familiar
19. Share the Words
20. It's About Time
There will be a full tour announced closer to Measure's release date but the Brothers Brewis will play two U.S. dates at the beginning of December, bookended by shows in the U.K
11.13.09 - Liverpool, England - The Bumper
11.19.09 - Manchester, England - Deaf Institute
11.21.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - Captains Rest
11.22.09 - Edinburgh, Scotland - Sneaky Pete's
11.27.09 - Newcastle, England - The Cluny
11.28.09 - Newcastle, England - The Cluny
12.03.09 - Brooklyn, NY - The Bell House
12.05.09 - Chicago, IL - The Beat Kitchen
01.07.10 - London, England - Hoxton Bar & Grill
So It’s Come to This: Remastered Beatles Catalog Now for Sale Via Fucking USB Jump Drive
Let’s face it: People fucking love buying Beatles shit. And they will never stop fucking buying Beatles shit for as long as they fucking live. Whether it’s a fucking video game, or the same fucking albums you’ve owned for 40 goddamn years, Apple Corps just loves milking the teet of the 50-something set for every discretionary dollar it can get its Liverpuddled hands on.
Except for those ghastly digital downloads, that is!
Apple Corps would never be so beastly as to cash in on the monumental notoriety of the world’s most famous band ever by offering its fans simple access to its favorite group’s music through iTunes. Really, how barbaric!
You see, Apple Corps knows what your average Beatlemaniac craves, and that’s a fucking multimedia experience. What’s that? You just like the music? Aren’t the timeless songs what’s really important, you ask? Well you can take your precious records and ram ’em up your fart furnace, Grandpa! We’re talking 21st-century Beatles here. The consumer wants the full Beatles experience, not just those stodgy old pop songs! The consumer wants to play guitar like George and harmonize like Paul, so s/he has been given a $300 set of plastic toys to achieve his dream at last. The consumer wants to listen to “Here Comes the Sun” while a muscular man in a peacock feather Speedo does pushups in a ceramic hamster wheel, so s/he has been given a $150 ticket to a Las Vegas revue that offers something very similar to that.
But who, I implore, asked for this: a fucking limited-edition USB jump drive packed with the 14 remastered Beatles albums plus 13 “mini-documentaries” about (almost) each record? Is this Apple Corps’ idea of a digital release? A fucking memory stick that most people will end up backing up their illegal MP3s onto? But hold on, ya’ll, the fucking thumb drive is shaped like an Apple! Just like the record company they started! How kitchsy! I will totally spend $279.99 for this glorified floppy disk! Or, according to Rachel B, I could just pop over to Bluebeat.com, where they’re selling digital copies of every Beatles album for fire sale prices. Sure, they’re selling the songs without permission, but I’d just like easy access to a product I desire without a bunch of useless glitz or pricey packaging. I guess I’m just not the average consumer, though.
