Earth Re-Releases Latest Album as Double LP Deluxe “Bible” Version; Every Time Southern Lord Puts Out Something Sacrilegious, a Demon Gets Its Wings Equipped with Gigantic Eyeballs
Dylan Carlson, mastermind of drone demigods Earth and hero to that weird guy in your Russian Civ class who wears a hooded cloak on chilly days, ain’t afraid to pull a sacrilege or two for the sake of his art. Like his heroes Black Sabbath before him, Carlson loves sticking it to the Christian ascendancy, filling their nightmares with scores of Beelzebubs thrashing baby Jesus with skyscraper-sized hell guitars. Unfortunately, the moral majority has no idea who Dylan Carlson is and probably never will since Christians tend to avoid people in hooded cloaks who aren’t monks. Such is their nature, and Satan bless ‘em for it!
Like so many other doom metal artists, Carlson’s brand of blasphemy is more sacrilege for sacrilege’s sake, with the latest addition in this demonstration of desecration being the limited-edition deluxe “biblical” reissue of Earth’s early ’08 album The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull(TMT Review). What makes it so scriptural, you ask? According to the vile beasties at Southern Lord Records, the gold-colored, 180-gram records come in an “over the top bible-esque tripe gatefold jacket” with a faux leatherette cover and gold embossed lettering. You know, because only one version of the Bible has ever been published, and it is leather-bound and lined with gold-leaf. Dammit, Southern Lord, I know the Christian Bible isn’t exactly your thing, but you should at least realize that fake leather and gold embossing does not a Bible look-alike make. At least include some fan-fictionalized version of Acts of the Apostles or something!
Despite a disappointing score on the sacrilege scale, the rest of this package seems pretty cool. Bob Weston of Shellac remastered the audio specifically for vinyl, and the inside pages include art and photographs from dragon and skull painter extraordinaire Arik Roper . The deluxe vinyl release also includes a bonus track, “Junkyard Priest,” and if the rest of the album is any indication, this song will most likely rock considerably. Get this album for the music, not the blasphemy.
Make no mistake, our usual morning routine at TMTHQ consists of quickly rifling off and posting a couple of stories of the "Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse Both OD While Entwined in Blindfolded 69" or "Mildly Interesting Band to Tour" variety before quickly stepping out to sit around, wolf down a couple of these fucking atrocious things, and brag about our previous nights' fabricated conquests (in reality, a quick ass or nut grope in the lineup at the bar). However, if we get a real news nibble, then it's all hands on deck and noses to the grindstone until we hunt-and-peck type ourselves a story that is invariably dull and formulaic (this writer's specialty!). But at least they are timely! For example, if we get a hot tip that Radar Bros. have announced a few December U.S. dates, then it is our sworn duty to crank something out for our readers' enjoyment hasta pronto!
'Tis true. The Radar Bros. have announced some U.S. dates after they complete their current European tour, currently underway and continuing November 11 in the land of chocolate and schwingen, Switzerland. The band now consists of elder bro Jim Putnam alongside two new male siblings: Brian Hussey (bass, vocals) and Stevie Treichel (drums). The Brothers are touring in support of their latest album, Auditorium (TMT Review), released at the beginning of 2008 by matron-like label Merge. 11.11.08 - Zürich, Switzerland - Rote Fabrik 11.12.08 - Toulouse, France - Le Cri de la Mouette 11.13.08 - Castellón, Spain - Teatre Principal, Tanned Tin Festival 11.15.08 - Don Benito, Spain - Rincon Pio Sound 11.16.08 - Lisbon, Portugal - Lounge 11.17.08 - Zaragoza, Spain - La Lata de Bombillas 11.18.08 - Grenoble, France - Eve 11.19.08 - Dijon, Spain - Deep Inside 11.20.08 - Nantes, France - Live Factory 11.22.08 - Rennes, France - Bar 1929 11.23.08 - Paris, France - Le Bellevilloise 11.24.08 - Brighton, England - Komedia # 11.25.08 - London, England - Metro 11.26.08 - Brimingham, England - Bar Academy 11.27.08 - Manchester, England - The Dulcimer 12.06.08 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 12.07.08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat, Backstage 12.08.08 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge 12.09.08 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East, Upstairs 12.10.08 - Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall 12.11.08 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's 12.12.08 - Baltimore, MD - Talking Head
Miriam Makeba, the South African singer who wooed the world with her sultry voice but was banned from her own country for more than 30 years under apartheid, died after collapsing on stage in Italy. She was 76.
In her dazzling career, Makeba performed with musical legends from around the world - jazz maestros Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon - and sang for world leaders such as John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela.
"Her haunting melodies gave voice to the pain of exile and dislocation which she felt for 31 long years. At the same time, her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us," Mandela said in a statement.
A friend of mine once wrote that his first experience seeing Six Organs of Admittance live caused him to believe in things that were obviously untrue. He was convinced, for example, his apartment had a fourth dimension, and he was ready to take a hammer to the bathroom to discover it. This only scratches the surface concerning the mystical power of Six Organs' incandescent, Eastern-tinged, enveloping psychedelic modal noodling. It's barely conceivable what some would do to grip the rarest of Ben Chasny's repertoire. Lucky for us, RTZ curates some of the rarest and some of the best on one priced-to-own brain-burner.
The double disc (or three LP) set collects coveted, rare material, including "Resurrection" from the 6OA/Charlambadies split, one of Chasny's first recordings that was limited to 33 copies (dating back to ’99), and some choice live performances. Totally spiritual. It's like finding the arc of the covenant or some shizz.
RTZ drops January 20, 2009 courtesy of Drag City. No tracklist has yet been released, but it's not like you need a tracklist to know that you're going to pick this up.
Ah, The Strokes... America’s great white hope to save rock ‘n’ roll. After one enthusiastic debut album and two less-fresh-but-still-committed follow-ups, the NYC quintet will return to the studio in February to begin recording their follow-up to First Impressions of Earth. In the meantime, the warm stare of the public eye is a hard thing to shake (not to mention worldwide popularity and advances from supermodels and A-list actresses), but so is not following the muse that made you begin playing music in the first place. So, it comes as no surprise that Fabrizio Moretti, like Nikolai Fraiture (Nickel Eye) and Albert Hammond Jr. (solo stuff), has taken a calming walk away from his day-to-day (since it's on hiatus) and is toying around with different kinds of musics.
Moretti is still behind the drums, but has added singing, guitars, piano, and melodica to his performing skills in Little Joy, a junkyard calypso pop project he has created with Rodrigo Amarante (singer/guitarist with Los Hermanos) and Binki Shapiro (an unknown entity to TMT but wethinks she is the steady of Moretti). The trio started their inaugural North American tour a few days ago and will continue to play throughout the continent in November and into the middle of December as they attempt to carve out their own sound and audience unrelated to and unfazed by Moretti’s high-profile regular gig. Kinda like Dogstar did.
11.07.08 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4 11.08.08 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean 11.09.08 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
11.11.08 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard Rock Café 11.12.08 - Philadelphia, PA - Khyber Pass 11.13.08 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge 11.14.08 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s 11.15.08 - Asbury Park, NJ - Wonder Bar 11.16.08 - Cambridge, MA - TT the Bears 11.18.08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat 11.20.08 - Atlanta, GA - Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta Room) 11.21.08 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In 11.22.08 - St. Louis, MI - Blueberry Hill (Duck Room) 11.24.08 - Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Saloon and Music Hall 11.25.08 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Conservatory 11.26.08 - Dallas, TX - The Lounge on Elm Street 11.28.08 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live 11.29.08 - Austin, TX - The Parish 11.30.08 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom 12.02.08 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge 12.04.08 - Scottsdale, AZ - Martini Ranch 12.05.08 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues (5th Avenue Side Stage) 12.06.08 - Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar 12.07.08 - Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour 12.11.08 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon 12.12.08 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Plaza Club 12.13.08 - Portland, OR - Berbati’s Pan
Little Joy’s self-titled debut album (TMT Review) was issued through Rough Trade on Election Day (that was November 4 for all of you still hungover with ecstatic happiness, intense sadness, or mild indifference). If you have not bought/stolen the album yet, these tantalizing song titles may sway you to do so:
1. The Next Time Around 2. Brand New Start 3. Play the Part 4. No One’s Better Sake 5. Unattainable 6. Shoulder to Shoulder 7. With Strangers 8. Keep Me in Mind 9. How to Hang a Warhol 10. Don’t Watch Me Dancing 11. Evaporar
Finally, a date for the upcoming Telepathe full-length! Their most recent EP, Chrome's On It, was released this October through IAMSOUND and featured remixes by the indie dance elect, including Mad Decent, Free Blood (ex-!!!), The Mae Shi, Bobby Evans (Brother Reade), and Frankmusik. They've been on the road with Diplo, Abe Vigoda, and Boy 8-Bit -- a tour that I'm sure history will look back on as one of the fall's most bangin'-est, and probably the only tour of 2008 to prominently feature a giant dancing hot dog and party pizza. Now, after playing shows and playin' hoes from Europe to Australia to New Zealand, Dance Mother, the nine-song LP, can finally be unveiled.
Back in late 2007, the all lady lineup checked into Stay Gold Studios with TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, and only a few nine-or-so months later, in September 2008, the final touches have been successfully laid on. Slated for release February 17, 2008 via IAMSOUND, Dance Mother promises vintage synths, guest vocals from TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone, and !!!'s Shannon Funchess, as well as tons and tons of indie-rock-meets-dub-step, "should I dance to this or just nod my head really emphatically?" jams.
Telepathe's unique, unclassifiable sound has justifiably been getting rave reviews from the likes of Drowned in Sound, Interview, and the Village Voice, and underground buzz has been steadily building. And so, dear readers, if you're too indie rock to shake it like a salt shaker, but too fun to not wanna drop it low once in awhile, I'd like to encourage you to check this band out and find a happy medium.
Note to Telepathe: I know he is not yours, but the next time you tour, please bring the giant pizza. I really think we found something magical, one cold night on a hot dancefloor in Minneapolis.
