DOOM EP to Feature Production by Thom Yorke, Dave Sitek, and J Dilla

by Brom on 11-05-2009

Negotiations are currently underway in Seoul, South Korea on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), and apparently the internet chapter of this copyright treaty has leaked. And what do you know: its details are enough to make any freedom-lovin’ American apoplectic with rage. Amongst the proposals are international provisions to ensure that ISPs follow “notice and takedown regimes,” that policies are put in place to “deter unauthorized storage and transmission of allegedly copyright infringing content” (according to EFF), and that ACTA signatories enable legal action to be taken against those who break technological protection measures (such as DRM).

In other words, this is about extending government control over the internet all within a global framework.

ACTA began in October 2007 and aims to introduce international standards to tackle counterfeit goods and pirated copyright protected works. As summarised by Boing Boing, ISPs would “have to proactively police copyright on user-contributed material” and “cut off the internet access of accused copyright infringers or face liability.” What's key here is that internet access could be denied and content blocked simply because an allegation is made. No evidence has to be produced to justify the claims. Is there anything more un-American?

The Obama administration purportedly refused to disclose the text of the treaty “due to ‘national security’ concerns.” HMPH!

by Liz Louche on 11-05-2009

It has been a big year for Sonic Youth. The band’s sixteenth studio album, The Eternal (TMT Review), came out this summer on their new label, Matador. In April, a song on which they collaborated with Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones was used in a new piece by the prestigious Merce Cunningham Dance Company. And — perhaps most importantly — Sonic Youth also appeared on Gossip Girl, the ultra-stylish, ultra-AWESOME CW teen drama about wealthy teens on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Kim Gordon actually officiated at star-crossed mid-90s alterna-rock duo Rufus and Lily’s wedding! WHAT AN HONOR, RIGHT?!?!?

So after all this, what’s a band to do? Why, go on tour, of course! The venerable group will be playing a few shows on the East Coast before rocking ATP’s Nightmare Before Christmas and then returning for a brief venture into the American Southwest.
11.07.09 - Sao Paolo, BR - Planeta Terra Festival ************
11.21.09 - New York, NY - Terminal 5*
11.22.09 - Boston, MA - Wilbur Theatre
11.23.09 - Boston, MA - Wilbur Theatre
11.24.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg**
11.25.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg***
12.05.09 - Minehead, UK - ATP Nightmare Before Christmas
12.06.09 - Dublin, IE - Vicar St.
01.04.10 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater****
01.05.10 - Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theater****
01.07.10 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues****
01.08.10 - Pomona, CA - Fox Theatre****
01.09.10 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern****
01.10.10 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore****

*Dinosaur Jr.

**Talk Normal

***Jemina Pearl

****Sic Alps

************ Iggy Pop and The Stooges

by Nobodaddy on 11-04-2009

As the woozy North African-core, power-folk, trance-hop, whatever-the-fuck ambient outro track of “2009” seamlessly crossfades into the global-glitch, holler-hush, Christian-grind, rock-boom-bap rave-up track that is “2010,” one thing is infinitely clear: no one knows what the fuck music sounds like anymore. Seriously. It’s like a goddamn Jefferson Airplane song up in here. There’s white knights talking backwards through auto-tune boxes, hookah-smoking caterpillars dueting with 10-foot-tall dormice, and Rivers Cuomo's chumming around with Kenny G and Chamillionaire. I’m freaking out, man.

And as if your head still isn’t fed enough, here’s another trip for you: Peter Gabriel (yes, that Peter Gabriel) is getting set to release his first new album in seven years. And su-prize, su-prize, the dang ol’ thing is an “all-star collaborative song swap” containing “orchestral reinterpretations” of classic tracks. And... the tracks feature “no guitars, drums, or world instruments” of any kind... AND, the thing will feature (among a wealth of weird others)... yes, Radiohead.

No release date has been scheduled as of yet, but the album, recorded with producer Bob Ezrin at London’s Air Studios this past July, is said to include Radiohead’s “Street Spirit,” though it seems to be unfortunately unclear who performed on the track. Other tracks slated to ambiguously appear in one form or another in all of their orchestral glory include “Heroes” by David Bowie, “The Book of Love” by Gabriel himself but seemingly featuring The Magnetic Fields (whose cover of the song kicks much more sentimental ass than the original), “Flume” by Bon Iver, “My Body Is A Cage” by The Arcade Fire, “Listening Wind” by Talking Heads, “Waterloo Sunset” by The Kinks, and “Philadelphia” by Neil Young. So, uh, yeah, basically a bunch of songs that are already pretty orchestral. Get ready to weep, I guess.

John Metcalfe, who worked on some orchestral reinterpretations for the record, has shed a little bit of light on the as-of-now pretty confusing subject, alluding to the fact that that artists will “cover each others’ songs” on this monstrosity. “There are some very, very famous singers and bands involved,” Metcalfe said. “It sounds amazing, even though I say it myself. It is literally Peter with an orchestra, sometimes the orchestra is quite large, then there are some more chamber music-style, sparse songs. But the songs are not simply covers, they are quite major reinterpretations of some famous stuff. It’s quite radical and we’re hoping that people really get it and enjoy it.” So... um, HOW are the other artists involved?? Oh well. There’s still hope that this is just a bum trip, I guess.

by Brom on 11-04-2009

Leonard Cohen, everyone’s favorite depressive genius, will be releasing a new biography December 1. Hallelujah will be written by Tim Footman, author of Welcome to the Machine: OK Computer And The Death of the Classic Album.

The book tells of Cohen’s “years growing up in Quebec in a middle class Jewish family, through a decade as a budding poet and author -- following the publication of his first collection in 1956.” It goes on to look at his “relocation to NYC and entry into the world of folk and rock [at the age of 37] and his successful career as a singer-songwriter.”

Footman’s work also focuses on Cohen’s new material currently being recorded after a decade of meditating 12 hours a day in a Buddhist monastery. It will be the first biography of the Canadian artist since 1998 and will be published by Chrome Dreams. Just in time, then, to make it onto those all-important Christmas lists!