Grails tour Europe in the spring, revive the Black Tar Prophecies series
By Harold Shueberg on Apr 29 2010
Following quickly on the heels of an extremely productive period for Portland sonic benders Grails comes a tour of the Eastern end of the globe. Not only is the band giving Europe a good go-around, they’ll be resurfacing the Black Tar Prophecies series this spring with the release of Black Tar Prophecies IV May 11 on Important Records. Also planned around this time is a reissue of the first three Black Tar volumes, all on a single slab of black vinyl. Magic! Did I say this tour was following their most productive period? Looks like that period isn’t quite over yet.
Euro-Grails:
05.04.10 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli
05.05.10 - Leuven, Belgium - Stuk
05.06.10 - Leipzig, Germany - Ut Connewitz
05.07.10 - Prague, Czech Republic - Klub 007
05.08.10 - Berlin, Germany - Friction Fest
05.09.10 - Athens, Greece - Sfentona Club
05.11.10 - London, UK - The Luminaire
05.12.10 - Birmingham, UK - Hare and Hound
05.13.10 - Manchester, UK - Ruby Lounge
05.14.10 - Glasgow, UK - Nice n Sleazy’s
05.16.10 - Minehead, UK - All Tomorrow’s Parties
• Grails: http://www.grailsongs.com
• Important: http://importantrecords.com
After 1,460 days (but hey, who’s counting) The Pernice Brothers finally release new LP, Goodbye, Killer
By Liz Louche on Apr 29 2010
You’ve been through the five stages of grief. Denial, anger, etc. You’ve felt it all. Four years and no word of a full-on Pernice Brothers original studio recording since 2006’s Live a Little. Yet, as they say, time heals all wounds, and in this instance it apparently yields a faceload of all-new Pernice Brothers music/books/action figures. It turns out Mr. Joe Pernice has not been resting on his laurels, oh no! He has been making stuff. Crazy stuff. Stuff like writing a novel stuff and kicking out the jams.
It Feels So Good When I Stop, the first novel by Pernice, was published in 2009. A similarly titled soundtrack was also released on Ashmont Records, Pernice’s own label. The soundtrack featured covers of songs mentioned in the book. (Wow. Not to sound like your mom or anything but that is just NEAT.) Now he’s back with Goodbye, Killer, Pernice’s first full-band album since 2006. The lineup consists of Bob and Joe Pernice, James Walbourne (Pretenders, Son Volt, Peter Bruntnell), and Ric Menck (Matthew Sweet, Velvet Crush). The album is slated for June 15 release on Ashmont Records.
Joe Pernice has had a lengthy career with 13 full-length records to his name, performing as part of Scud Mountain Boys, Chappaquidick Skyline, and Big Tobacco. Mr. Pernice noted in a recent press release that he would be sticking with the good ol’ Pernice Brothers name from this point on, so as to avoid confusion. Thank you, sir. You don’t wanna get too close to alt-country Prince territory, at least when it comes to name confusion.
• Pernice Brothers: http://www.pernicebrothers.com
• Ashmont: http://www.ashmontrecords.com
This isn’t your daddy’s “Pac-Man Fever”: Les Savy Fav’s Seth Jabour scores video game soundtracks
By Kid Midnight on Apr 29 2010
So, there’s this Brooklyn-based art collective known as FAILE that teamed up with this other Brooklyn-based artist BAST to put on an art show together. Their idea was to create a show where not only do they redecorate old, upright video game machines, they also reprogram the machines to include brand new games. They christened the whole thing “Deluxx FLUXX Arcade 2010,” and it looks pretty fucking cool.
Now, if you’re a hardcore gamer like me, or even if you just enjoy the occasional game of Megaman, you know that most great video games have a great soundtrack that you can tap your toes to. So, I bet you’re wondering: “If all the games are re-programmed, then what happened to the great soundtracks that I can tap my toes to?!” Well, you can settle down, nerd, because a whole new set of soundtracks has been written, arranged, and digitized by Les Savy Fav’s own Seth Jabour, who turns in a danceable, synth-heavy (duh) soundtrack for each one of the newly-programmed games.
The art show opened in London but, via The World’s Best Ever, we’ve learned that the show is heading New York’s way and will run April 30 - May 27 at an abandoned store front on the Lower East Side. Now if only they could reprogram my editors so they’re not such assholes.
• FAILE: http://www.faile.net
• BAST: http://www.bastny.com
Mark E. Smith to release unofficial World Cup song
By Kid Midnight on Apr 29 2010
Everyone’s favorite grumpy lead singer of The Fall, Mark E. Smith, has announced to the world that his home soccer team (England, stupid) has his complete and total devotion during their World Cup soccer games. To show his complete and total devotion, Mark E. has also announced that he has recorded and will be releasing a new song, “England’s Heartbeat,” in support of his country and their fútbol hopes.
The song, which includes help from former Fall member Ed Blane and Peculiar Girl Jenny Shuttleworth, is being released under the band name “Shuttleworth” and will be available for download on May 4, with a full release on May 7. The song is an “unofficial” song in support of the World Cup, “unofficial” because it isn’t condoned by FIFA or any official administrative body, and apparently “unofficial” also means “shitty artwork that looks to be similar to my younger brother’s “Soccer Mix ‘99” that was made on an outdated Mac.
However, as we all know, Mark E. Smith is the punkest of punks, and the “unofficial” status and shitty artwork are so punk that we just might not be getting it. So enjoy some soccer and let Mr. Smith help you support the best soccer players in the world: England. Even though Germany is totally going to win this year. Totally.
• World Cup: http://fifa.com/worldcup
More details revealed about Arcade Fire and Spike Jonze’s short film
By Annapocalypse on Apr 29 2010
More details on the short film collaboration between filmmaker Spike Jonze and Arcade Fire (TMT News) have been revealed due to a casting call that took place last week in Austin, Texas. According to said casting call, the film’s working title is Scenes from the Suburb and the various roles that were filled included: military, mother, trucker, businessmen, and townspeople. It’s unclear what, exactly, the film will be about, but reports have speculated that it will focus on the theme of “friends growing apart.” Aww, how sad!
• Arcade Fire: http://www.arcadefire.com
