Crispy Christian Tea Time! The Robot Ate Me LIVE!

By Emceegreg on

I'd rather move on with the world and quit living in the past. Last Friday night, I had this brilliant idea to try to contact the man behind The Robot Ate Me, Ryland Bouchard, and see how he felt about playing TMT's fake fest this summer. Would he be pissed at us or in tears over the hoax? Who knows? But one thing is for sure: My plan fell through. Although I would still hope that Bouchard got a kick out of the whole thing, TRAM (is that an official abbreviation?) will be touring like a motherfucker this summer. The TMT staff would love to make it to a show to apologize and fraternize, but unfortunately for the rest of our lives, we will be bombarded with many pestilential class-action lawsuits. Looks like the robot ate us this time around.

Nonetheless, I strongly encourage everyone to support Bouchard and his twisted-but-pleasing way of bringing forth music to masses of ears. Still riding off the success of Good World, Bouchard will be touring all of this good land called America. I'll admit Bouchard's lo-fi "splendorific" music has inspired me over the years. If I'm ever frustrated with living in the United States, I always have my own personal musical creations that take me to a whole other place. That's exactly what Bouchard does for me. I'm on cloud 15. I know some people are like, "Well, if you don't like America then you can get the fuck out!" Folks, that is simply not true. I abhor our freedom when we use it to make pointless YouTube videos with Mentos and Diet Coke, but I couldn't leave if I tried. Living in the United States for some is just like going to Wal-Mart. Nobody wants to be at Wal-Mart, but they always end up there anyway.

My point is that The Robot Ate Me is as American as vaginal irrigation, thus sparking the imaginations of creative little boys all over. So do as Emceegreg tells you to, and go see TRAM. I know what's cool, and you're not cool if you don't listen to me. There will be many sick beats and good times had. What more could you ask for?

Bicentennial Man was a bad robot movie; tourdates:

Next Week On Battles!

By Nunpuncher on 04-03-2007

Scene: The Battles family home. Ian, the dad, is trying to read his paper, but he's having trouble -- his kids, John and Dave, are fighting!

John: Quit it!

Dave: Quit it!

John: Quit it!

Dave: Quit it!

Ian: Why don't ya both quit it! [Laughter. John and Dave both look at Ian with big puppy dog eyes.]

Ian: Aw, I can't stay mad at you two! [They climb into his lap. Just then, Tyondai walks in with the groceries. Applause.]

Tyondai: Hi honey, I'm home!

John and Dave: Mom!! [They climb off their dad and leap at Tyondai. Ian mugs at the camera, as if to say: What's a guy to do?]

Tyondai: Honey, I was thinking... Seeing as we're releasing a new album and everything, why don't we extend that tour? Just a little bit?

Ian: Didn't we tour last year? [Laughter]

Tyondai: Oh, yes, but there are soooo many places I want to see in Europe! Places with romance! Adventure! Places like Bielefeld! Sheffield! Birmingham! [Laughter]

Ian: I don't know... It all sounds expensive.

Tyondai: Would a bottle of your favorite cooking sherry help change your mind? [He pulls a bottle, wrapped in brown paper, out of his grocery bag. Ian's face lights up.]

Ian: Oh, all right then.

John and Dave: Hooray! A tour! A tour!

Tyondai: I love you, darling.

Ian: I love you, too. [They kiss.] Just let me get my shoes. [He puts them on.] Alright, who put shaving foam in my shoes? [Uproarious laughter. John and Dave look innocent. Ian mugs at the camera, as if to say: What's a guy to do?]

Morrissey’s Coming to Collect Your Sacagaweas

By Mr Boots on 04-03-2007

Alan Finnius Morrissey, star of stage and wet dreams, will tour the U.S. for the first time in three years starting this spring. It will be an extended tour, with nearly 50 stops planned on the three-month outing, which means he'll probably at least be within road-tripping distance for everybody, OMG. All dates will be supported by KRISTEENYOUNG, the same Clockwork Orange-looking girl who backed Morrissey on last year's Ringleader of the Tormentors world tour. Get out there and hear some songs about boys and girls and the YMCA and candles and shit, like, live.

Here are the dates and the bands I wish were opening for Morrissey:

Fast Cars, Danger Fire, and Nike; Aesop Rock Really Is White

By Petya Romanov on 04-03-2007

Every morning my mom laces up her Nikes and goes for a 45-minute jog. She is determined, and to her, running is one step below religious. Every morning, my mom also logs onto Tiny Mix Tapes to check out the latest music news. So, between trips in the minivan to this practice or that and preparing microwavable lasagna, she usually can be heard cranking out the latest Yellow Swans release or Pavement re-release.

Friday nights find her wearing Kangol hatwear and Timberlands on her feet. She claims driving an MVP is okay because the Wu-Tang rap about them. She has exhausted my whole collection of backpacker hip-hop and New York noise albums on her morning runs, so I wasn’t at all surprised to find her downloading The Crystal Method and LCD Soundsystem’s exclusive mixes for the Nike+iPod mix series. After a week, though, she came to me. “Peter, I need more. I want something with balls. Whatever can I do?” Luckily for her, Nike has just released a new 45-minute cut from everyone’s favorite white rapper, Aesop Rock. The third in the “Nike+Original Run” series is available exclusively at the Nike Sports Music Store and the iTunes Store.

When asked why A-Rock decided to sell-out, he said, “I wanted to create something that evolved enough that the sound was constantly fresh and attractive, as if the runner were moving through a set of differing cities or landscapes.” And whatever this means: “There had to be a new element every 30 seconds or so [a new riff, a new layer, a new drum pattern] as other elements faded into the distance. Basically, I had to keep the scenery shifting while maintaining the 'push.' Setting this as my goal allowed me to dabble in some sounds that I had never tried before."

Musicians for Net Neutrality Rockin’ the Net

By munroe on 04-02-2007

This particular scribe would like to be serious for a moment. The writers here at Tiny Mix Tapes periodically enjoy a hearty guffaw, and we try our best to keep the proceedings lighthearted. Occasionally our jabs strike too low, but we're unapologetic. Well, this writer is, anyway. This furor, of course, is related to a story currently being written about a coalition of musicians who plan to "Rock the Net," or, more realistically, speak out in support of Net Neutrality. Let me share some choice comments we're expecting over what may result in a promenade down hilarity lane:

"fuk offf slutz ,net neutrality is lame"

"wut t3h fuk is net newtralty???//??"

"0mgwtfbbq netnutrltee"

"Quite frankly, I feel the previous commenter's use of Oh My God, What the Fuck, Barbecue a little offensive. And rude."

The second comment is somewhat relevant. Just what the fuck is net neutrality? Pull up a chair, junior, let me tell you a story. Currently, the internet is set up so that everyone's on the same playing field. Wal-Mart's website, for example, works just the same as the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster's. That open structure is the beauty of it. But there has been a recent surge in lobby groups attempting to make the internet ‘tiered,' so that you can pay for better service. Doing so would require making the internet's underlying protocol "intelligent," even though it's been working just fine for nearly 17 years with the IQ of a peanut. The way it works right now, one piece of data, or ‘packet,' is no different than the next. Making the protocol intelligent makes currently useless ‘nodes' more desirable for exploitation because they can actually control traffic. It's a vicious circle. And Ted Leo wants to stop it -- well, he and 300 other artists and labels like Calexico, Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Bloodshot Records, The Locust, Merge Records, The Kronos Quartet, and that group with the guy who lost his religion... and had a thing for shiny, happy people.

Together, the musicians plan to help Edward Markey (D-Mass) show Congress how net neutrality has allowed web businesses to thrive. Beyond the implications on independent music, a divided internet would stifle creativity, limit new opportunities, and destroy the freedom that made it possible in the first place. That and Ted Stevens still needs somewhere to dump his internet off with his big truck.

I accompanied Percival upstairs. He was clearly despondent. But when I pleaded that I could change my ways and that I would cease giving the empty promises he had rightfully come to expect from me, he could not help but ask, again and again, “Will you ever come up with a clever title for one of your news stories? Truly?” As the pall of gloom enveloped us, we knew the real answer. The Clientele to tour North America in support of their new album God Save The Clientele.

By David Nadelle on 04-02-2007

The British are coming! The British are coming! Valiant messengers have carried this very promise (or warning) in regard to the latest and greatest music phenomena almost since the day of Paul Revere's fateful midnight ride. The British are always coming, but the ones that we tend to hear most about are those who arrive with full-throttle, readymade media blitzes in tow. Must all visiting Brit stars landing on North American shores have to resort to airing personal crises and "telling it like it is" to garner attention (are you reading this, Amy Winehouse?) or announcing their mere arrival and conquering mission with a clarion call of bling and bravado (hello David Beckham and your wife/lapdog)? Can't we just hear the music or see you play and make up our minds upon that and that alone?

The smooth London Town operators in The Clientele have made the pilgrimage across the Atlantic many times in their own quiet, inimitable style. The band is as inoffensive as your grandmother pushing a desert plate of butter tarts and 'nilla wafers across the table, while you're schooling her at Yahtzee -- but we wouldn't have it any other way. Catch one of the following shows and "zing!" will go the strings of your heart

04.12.07 - London, England - Hoxton Square Bar
04.18.07 - Madrid, Spain - Siroco $
05.06.07 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's #
05.07.07 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's #
05.08.07 - Washington, DC - Black Cat #
05.09.07 - Charlottesville, NC - Satellite Ballroom #
05.10.07 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle #
05.11.07 - Charleston, SC - Map Room #
05.12.07 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl #
05.13.07 - Nashville, TN - The Basement #
05.14.07 - Memphis, TN - Hi Tone #
05.16.07 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon #
05.17.07 - Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington #
05.18.07 - Denton, TX - Hailey's #
05.19.07 - Austin, TX - Emo's Lounge #
05.21.07 - Tempe, AZ - Modified #
05.22.07 - San Diego, CA - Casbah #
05.24.07 - Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory #
05.25.07 - Visalia, CA - Howie & Sons Pizza & Beer Parlor #
05.26.07 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall #
05.27.07 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir #
05.28.07 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café #
05.31.07 - Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar #
06.01.07 - Madison WI - High Noon #
06.02.07 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean #
06.03.07 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick #
06.04.07 - Toronto, Ontario - El Mocambo #
06.06.07 - Montréal, Quebec - Club Lambi #
06.08.07 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
06.09.07 - Boston, MA - Museum of Fine Arts #

$ Alasdair Maclean solo w/Darren Hayman (Hefner)

# w/Beach House

Merge Records will be taking a small break from filling Neon Bible orders to release the new Clientele album, God Save The Clientele, on May 8. It was produced by Marky Nevers of Lambchop and features arrangements by the incredible string thing Louis Philippe. And because the group caved and disbanded its Lil' Rascals-esque He-Man Woman Haters Club, it will be the first Clientele record to feature new female member Mel Draisey. A couple of new songs can be heard here.

The Clientele have recorded a cover version of “Orpheus Beach” by The Go-Betweens that will appear on an upcoming tribute album (Love Goes On! A Tribute to Grant McLennan and The Go-Betweens) coming out on Rare Victory. The album will also include contributions from Portastatic, Trembling Blue Stars, and a host of indie schmindie heroes.

God Save The Clientele. O-taaaay!!!

1. Here Comes the Phantom
2. I Hope I Know You
3. Isn't Life Strange?
4. The Dance of the Hours
5. From Brighton Beach to Santa Monica
6. Winter on Victoria Street
7. The Queen of Seville
8. These Days Nothing but Sunshine
9. Somebody Changed
10. No Dreams Last Night
11. Carnival on 7th Street
12. Bookshop Casanova
13. The Garden at Night
14. Dreams of Leaving

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