Flight of The Conchords Told You They Were Freaky, They Told You, They Told You, They Told You! Now They’re Gonna Have to Go and Make an Album About It! Look What You Made Them Do!
If Flight of the Conchords told you that they’re freaky once, then they’ve told you that they’re freaky a thousand times. But no matter how much they say it, they can’t seem to get it through that thick dome of yours. So, the New Zealand comedy duo are going to have to do what any New Zealand comedy duo would do in this situation: make an album and title it I Told You I Was Freaky. That ought to finally hammer the point home. And who’s going to look like the biggest fool? You, that’s who!
Fear the embarrassment? You can try to make them change their mind, but you’ve only got until October 20 to do so. Maybe if you can’t get through to them, you can talk to someone at Sub Pop, the fine record label that’s putting out the new record. You know, the same label that put out last year’s self-titled debut (TMT Review), which just happened to be nominated for last year’s Best Comedy Album Grammy.
But maybe it'll all blow over, right? I hear you thinking to yourself, “I mean, these songs were already released on iTunes, nobody’ll want the album.” Wrong again! Along with the previously released iTunes singles, I Told You I Was Freaky contains three unreleased songs from the second season of the band’s HBO TV series.
Man, you really should have just believed them when they said they were freaky. Now look what you've done, jerkoff.
I Told You I Was Freaky tracklist:
1. Hurt Feelings
2. Sugalumps
3. We're Both in Love With a Sexy Lady
4. I Told You I Was Freaky
5. Demon Woman
6. Rambling Through the Avenues of Time
7. Fashion Is Danger
8. Petrov, Yelyena and Me
9. Too Many Dicks (On the Dance Floor)
10. You Don't Have to Be a Prostitute
11. Friends
12. Carol Brown
13. Angels
múm Slate New Album for September Release, Tour Extensively, Would Really Prefer You Didn’t Mention the Abysmal State of the Icelandic Economy
Remember last fall when America’s blustery free market finally swirled up into a 20-story tornado of economic irresponsibility and came whirling through the trailer park that is the US of A? Remember how it mangled all of our fiscal futures into indiscernible balls of molten VHS tapes and wet pillow shams, until at long last a Barack Obama-shaped sun peeked from behind the clouds and gave us all a wink, harkening us to take solace in the dawning of his radiant new day?
If you happen to be Icelandic, your memory of the current worldwide financial fiasco probably doesn’t jibe that well with my own. Iceland’s economic meltdown cost the nation over 75% of its fucking 2007 GDP, an event more akin to a meteor decimating the gated community across town than the twister that dusted up your grandpappy’s hitchin’ post. But what about Iceland’s throng of messianic political leaders who sailed swiftly to the rescue on the zephyr of hope and change? Fat chance! Iceland’s fearless leaders got the hell out while the getting the hell out was good. Christ, our elected officials won’t even bow out somewhat gracefully after getting caught red-handed blowing hard earned tax dollars on Argentine tug jobs. Anyways, by my humble estimation, things have to be seriously fucked up in Iceland right now. Real talk.
It was within such tumult that those serene old softies in müm found themselves recording their upcoming album Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know. While Iceland melted, müm remained decidedly cool, addressing their native soil’s burgeoning apocalypse with their established brand of itchy tranquility. The record, their latest since 2007’s Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy (TMT Review ), was recorded primarily in the Icelandic countryside as well as the rural grandeur of Finland and Estonia, where I’m sure the band saw all sorts of super stuff in nature that helped keep their minds off the horrible, horrible state of their nation’s basic infrastructure. In an even greater effort to stay the hell away from home, müm will be on tour consistently from August to November while Sing Along to Songs You Don’t Know is slated for release September 22. Good luck out there, müm, and don’t get captured by insolvency
08.14.09 – Leicester, UK – Summer Sundae Festival
08.15.09 – Edinburgh, UK - Studio 24
08.17.09 - Cardiff, UK - National Museum of Wales
08.18 09 – Norwhich, UK - Norwich Art Center
08.25.09 – Amsterdam, Holland - Melkweg
08.26.09 – Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Exit 07
08.27.09 – Munich, Germany - Atomic Cafe
08.28.09 – Dresden, Germany - Beatpol (formerly Star Club)
08.30.09 – Katowice, Poland - Nowamuzyka Festival
09.01.09 – Brussels, Holland - Botanique
09.02.09 – Lucerne, Switzerland - Südpol
09.03.09 – Winterthur, Switzerland - Salzhaus
09.04.09 – Vlieland, Holland - The Great Wide Open Festival
09.05.09 – Berlin, Germany - Lido
09.06 09 – Hamburg, Germany - Knust
09.07.09 – Köln, Germany - Gebaeude 9
09.08.09 – Paris, France - Maroquinierie
09.09.09 - Strassbourg, France - La Laiterie
09.10.09 – Lille, France - Radar Festival
09.11.09 – Stavanger, Norway - Numusic Festival
09.19.09 – Kawasaki, Japan - Taico Club Festival
10.21.09 - Somerville, MA - The Somerville Theatre
10.22.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
10.23.09 - Washington DC - Black Cat
10.24.09 – New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
10.26.09 - Montreal, Quebec - Le National
10.27.09 - Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theatre
10.28.09 - Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
10.29.09 - Minneapolis, MN - McGuire Theater
11.01.09 - Calgary, AB - Marquee Room
11.02.09 - Vancouver, BC - Richards on Richards
11.03.09 - Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market
11.04.09 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater
11.05.09 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent
11.06.09 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
11.07.09 - Santa Ana, CA - Yost Theatre
One in Three Is a Music Pirate; You Should Be Ashamed of Yourselves!
Market research conducted by Interpret, based on the downloading habits of 64 million respondents, indicates that one-third of the group are music pirates. Around 24 million (36%) said they had downloaded music illegally in the last three months. The study also showed that “9% of music pirates have bought a full album online in the past three months. Downloading individual songs is even more popular in this group, with 16% indicating that they paid to download an individual song recently.”
This correspondent is utterly disgusted at these pilfering thieves -- many of whom, no doubt, are lazy college students with nothing better to do than leech off hard-working music executives. My dad (a record label manager) couldn’t afford a planned swimming pool extension to our mansion in rural England because of declining company revenues. Thanks to greedy online pirates, this correspondent can no longer hold his highly anticipated summer pool party where bikini-clad girls and illegal narcotics were going to be the highlight of an otherwise boring holiday in Walberswick, Suffolk.
Sonic Youth Announce West Coast Fall Dates, Coco Hailey Gordon Moore Announces “B@ck-2-Sk00l H0use P@rty @ My H0use” on Facebook
If there’s one thing that the guys (and grrrls) in Sonic Youth are good at, it’s, well, playing guitars, I guess. But, if there are two things that they’re good at, well, then the second thing must be touring with fucking class. So you say that New York City starts to get a little chilly and dark around the end of September? No problem! You just pack up your band and head out on a “West Coast Tour” that’s just over a week long and includes plenty of R&R and one of those easy, breezy Austin City Limits shows. Ahhh. Genius.
I can just picture it: Their new record, The Eternal (TMT Review), blaring its sunny, good vibes out of the Sony ghetto blaster; Lee and Thurston shakin’ the sandy water out of their shaggy, endless-summer hairdos on the beach as they beat pair after pair of hotshot kids who dare to take them on; Kim Gordon lovingly preparing delicious, macrobiotic meals on the sand for the boys and sipping sweetened iced tea in her sultry and seductive Bay Watch one-piece; ummm... that fourth guy, you know, what’s his name? Doin’ what he does?? Yeah. All that stuff! It’s good to be the Youth, man.
Oh, by the way, if there are THREE things that they’re good at, the third is definitely doing The Swim. Take a good look, there, Coco.
Sonic Youth Endless Summer Tour:
09.25.09 - Pomona, CA - Fox Theatre
09.26.09 - Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theatre
09.28.09 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
09.29.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
10.01.09 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
10.02.09 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
10.04.09 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
I Can Kinda See It Now: Fuck Buttons Set to Release Tarot Sport in October For Divinatory Purposes
I had never even seen a shooting star before. 25 years of rotations, passes through comets' paths, and travel, and to my memory I had never witnessed burning debris scratch across the night sky.
Anyway, Fuck Buttons have confirmed October 20 as the release date for their newest album, Tarot Sport (ATP Recordings). The duo of Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power (both great names, to be sure) have "[continued] to refine, craft, explore and develop the experimental aesthetic of last year's critically acclaimed debut album, Street Horrrsing," says the press release. And, according to Power, "I think it sounds a lot thicker than our previous work -- our brains kind of went into meltdown."
But what about me? What are my thoughts on the album? How do I feel? What might I have to say about the album? Stare into this blank space for awhile (roughly one minute), and you'll find out:
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The single "Surf Solar" will be released September 14, with U.S. dates soon to be announced.
1. Surf Solar
2. Rough Steez
3. The Lisbon Maru
4. Olympians
5. Phantom Limb
6. Space Mountain
7. Flight Of The Feathered Serpent
El Perro Del Mar Proves Pop Is Not Love on New LP, Thus Pop Will Not Tear Us Apart, Only Pop Cannot Break Your Heart, and The Hounds of Pop Are Not Calling
Since going "from the valley to the stars" (TMT Review) on her second LP, El Perro Del Mar (a.k.a. Swedish songwriter Sarah Assbring) has made an incredible discovery: pop, as it turns out, is not love. Assbring discovered this fact while writing songs for her third album, all of which happened to deal with the concept of doomed love. So, all these new songs were love songs, but they were also pop songs. Which might suggest that pop is actually love, albeit the doomed kind? But no! As it turns out, Assbring discovered that love is deeper than a pop song, leaving her with the conclusion (and title of her new record) that Love Is Not Pop.
If love really is not pop, then, man, that brings forward a lot of new facts about pop. Did you know that pop is not all you need? Or that pop triangles are really quite ordinary? Pop, surprisingly, is considerably less simple than love, not to mention that there’s an awful lot wrong with pop. Have you ever fallen in pop with someone you should have fallen in love with?
Regardless of whether pop and love are really one and the same, apparently the old El Perro Del Mar is not the new El Perro Del Mar. Ms. Assbring is making an effort to break from her previous style, as the new record possesses a darker outlook and a sound she describes as “mysteriously groovy.” Such a “mysteriously groovy” sound is the product of her collaboration with producer Rasmus Hägg, half of Balaeric pop duo Studio. Studio’s work is pretty “mysteriously groovy” itself, so the description of Love Is Not Pop, due October 20 via The Control Group, is likely accurate.
Tracklist:
1. Gotta Get Smart
2. Change of Heart
3. L Is for Love
4. Let Me In
5. Heavenly Arms
6. It Is Something (To Have Wept)
7. A Better Love
8. L Is for Love (Low Motion Disco's additional love remix) [bonus track]
9. Change of Heart (J Rintamäki remix) [bonus track]
10. Let Me In (Nhessingtons remix) [bonus track]
Ooooo... OOIOO Drops New Album on Thrill Jockey in Late October!
At what point exactly does the indie world’s mewling cabal of critics and blogadeers start to judge an established musician’s “side project” outside the context of the artist’s primary undertaking? After they release two albums? Maybe three? Does a person have to go all Gorillaz and cram his or her new band with so many guest collaborators and multimedia distractions that it becomes more of an overblown PowerPoint presentation than a band? Does a side project need to come equipped with a single equal to or better than “Genius of Love” if it has any hope of getting recognized on its own merits? Is such a feat even possible (Making a song better than “Genius of Love,” mind you, not the other thing...)?
Take OOIOO , for instance. For a side project to receive extensive critical consideration that hasn’t been distilled in the juices of that artist’s flagship act is difficult enough, but if your new band happens to be an offshoot of the inimitable Boredoms, you’re basically boned from the get-go. The full discography of Boredoms side projects goes on and on for days, leaving little hope that they’ll all receive the critical consideration they deserve. However, OOIOO stands among the chosen few (along with Hanatarash and Z-Rock Hawaii) as a Boredoms side project that has successfully flown from the nest and developed a dedicated following, one that doesn’t consider the group to be just another Boredoms sideshow act.
How did Yoshimi and company manage to pull it off, you ask? Fuck if I know, it’s probably because they’re just a really good band or something. I think I’ve done enough hackneyed over-analysis for one news article, so let’s quit fucking around and get down to business. OOIOO, comprised of Yoshimi P-we of Boredoms fame and three other extremely capable ladies, have slated their much-anticipated follow-up to 2006’s Taiga (TMT's 19th favorite album of '06!) for a late October release on Thrill Jockey . Titled Arminico Hewa (defined by the band as “air in a harmonious state”) the album finds our heroes OOIOO up to their same old psychedelic but surprisingly well-grounded tricks. Or not. I haven’t listened to the record yet. And neither have you. But now you know it’s coming out, so there. We’re equals now.
Tracklisting:
1. SOL
2. Uda Hah
3. Irorun
4. Konjo
5. Ulda
6. Polacca
7. Kipepeo
8. O O I A H
9. Nin Na Yama
10. Hewa Hewa
11. Agacim
12. Orokai
13. Honki Ponki
So Sayeth The Doom-Sayers: sunn 0))) Expand Tour, Terrify Southern States
Listen closely, children: the end is upon us and the black lords ride ever closer -- well, if you live on the East Coast, that is, and consider sunn 0))) black lords. More to the point, and what I really mean to say, is that sunn 0))) have announced the third wave of their “Live Aktions on American Soil” tour in support of their newest album, Monoliths & Dimensions (TMT Review).
The band will move across the Eastern seaboard and then plunder its way through the Southern states, pulverizing all ears that stand in its way. The metal maestros will be backed by label mates Eagle Twin, who are positively psyched to let you know that they will be touring in support of their newly released album The Unkindness of Crows.
sunn 0))) will also be playing a very special show in Brooklyn, at a massive Masonic Temple, where the spirit of Cthulu will be summoned. The Dark Lord will then spread his anger and fire across our landscape, burning everyone in his sight and promising death to all humans, besides for Southern Lord label mates Earth and Pelican, who are reportedly both excited to witness any and all burnings
08.05.09 - Seattle, WA - Neumo’s *
08.06.09 - Seattle, WA - Neumo's $
08.08.09 - San Francisco, CA - Independent
08.09.09 - Brookdale, CA - Historic Brookdale Lodge
08.11.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Center for the Arts
08.13.09 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
08.14.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Avalon Theatre
09.17.09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr Small's
09.19.09 - Providence, RI - AS220 Broad Street Studio
09.20.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
09.22.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Masonic Temple*
09.23.09 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar
09.24.09 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre
09.25.09 - Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel^
09.26.09 - Atlanta, GA - Legends Banquet & Special Event Center
09.27.09 - Athens, GA - Seney-Stovall Chapel
09.28.09 - Athens, GA - Seney-Stovall Chapel
09.30.09 - Nashvillle, TN - Mercy Lounge
Very Very Super Group to Release Very Very Super Album; Shonen Knife Ready Super Group
What's not to love about little Japanese girls singing not-so-good English lyrics over über-traditional rock 'n' roll punk jams, right? Well, in case you forgot about them, here's an update: nowadays Shonen Knife are quite a bit older and can probably speak English a little better, but their wits remain sharp as ever, having just tinkered their band into a full-time three-piece lineup. In 2006, the original bassist of Shonen Knife, Atsuko, left the band and moved to LA, so Shonen Knife have been keeping things active with fill-in bass players since then. On their upcoming record, though, the girls have officially invited Ritsuko to become a permanent member, returning the lineup to a trio of power.
Shonen Knife seems to be treating 2009 as if they were a fresh, new band, signing to Good Charamel Records and readying their newest LP Super Group for an August 15 release. The girls have even decided to "musically" start things over, attempting to "go back to the starting point of ROCK." Super Group is all English lyrics this time around and stomps around genres, from the Buzzcocks-influenced title track to the heavy metal of "Pyramid Power" and "Muddy Bubbles Hell," to the almost Jonathan Richman-esque "BBQ Party," and even a Wings cover for good measure. The North American version of Super Group will come with a special bonus track, "Evil Ways," and exclusive cover artwork, and the band plans to do an extensive tour of Europe, Australia, and North America after the album's released.
Super Group tracklisting:
1. Super Group
2. Slug
3. Muddy Bubbles Hell
4. Deer Biscuits
5. BBQ Party
6. Pyramid Power
7. Time Warp
8. Na Na Na
9. Your Guitar
10. Jet
11. Evil Birds (bonus track)
The Decemberists Announce Fall Tour; Yes, They’re Still Playing That Pretentious, Wank-Off Opera Thing Instead of The Songs That You Love
Man, don’t you kind of wonder if the other Decemberists mighta forgotten about that whole "touring" thing when they agreed to help Colin Meloy create the sprawling and scattered, Tristan-meets-Twilight Saga, prog-folk LP The Hazards of Love (TMT Review) this past spring? Well, if so, then... oops. Cuz they’re still out there playing it. Over and over and over again. (John Moen must be texting frown-y faces to Robert Pollard constantly.)
Yes, that’s right all you Beroul, Wagner, and Magic: The Gathering fans, The Decemberists have just announced a pretty mammoth and mythical slab of tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone fall dates for their “A Short Fazed Hovel” 2009 tour. And yes, this is the tour that features full performances of The Hazards of Love, with Lavender Diamond’s Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden in tow once again for the, um, festivities. And no, you probably won’t get to hear that good old “Mariner’s Revenge Song” there (boo!).
This fall phase of the Faze launches September 20 in Burlington, Vermont, a mere month or so after they wrap up this current, summertime phase of the Faze, which includes an NPR live webcasting and broadcasting of their performance at this year’s Newport Folk Festival on August 1 (which apparently will actually not be The Hazards of Love, but instead a special set for the festival! Hey, play the damn “Mariner’s Revenge Song”!)
Now, please, give me a sec to post all these tourdates... before they announce some more!
The Decemberists’ “A [No Longer Too] Short Fazed Hovel” 2009 tourdates:
08.01.09 - Newport, RI - Newport Folk Festival
08.02.09 - Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Music & Arts Festival
08.03.09 - Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus
08.05.09 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Theater
08.06.09 - Chicago, IL - Metro
08.07.09 - Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
08.08.09 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Egyptian Room
08.10.09 - Louisville, KY - W.L. Lyons Brown Theater
08.11.09 - Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Theater
08.13.09 - Buffalo, NY - UB Center for the Arts
08.14.09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Byham Theater
08.15.09 - Schwenksville, PA - Philadelphia Folk Festival
08.16.09 - Holyoke, MA - Mountain Park
09.20.09 - Burlington, VT - Flynn Theater
09.21.09 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
09.23.09 - Norfolk, VA - The Norva
09.24.09 - Charlottesville, VA - Charlottesville Pavilion
09.25.09 - Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
09.27.09 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
09.29.09 - St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheater
09.30.09 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
10.02.09 - Houston, TX - House of Blues
10.03.09 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Music Festival
10.04.09 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
10.06.09 - Lexington, KY - University of Kentucky, Lexington
10.07.09 - Columbia, MO - Ninth St. Fall Fest
10.18.09 - San Francisco, CA - Treasure Island Music Festival
11.18.09 - London, UK - Forum
11.19.09 - London, UK - Coronet
Wavves Go On Fall Tour, Meltdown, Extra Consonants, Lo-fi, Blah Blah Blah
Let’s get it all out of the way right now, why don’t we?
- Meltdown!
- That extra V!
- Lo-fi!
- Weed!
- Haircut!
- Hype!
I think that covers all of them. Oh wait wait wait, forgot one!
- Goths!
There, I think that’s it. Now we can get on to business: Wavves are going on tour this fall. Most dates are with Woodsist Beach Boys enthusiasts Ganglians.
Wavves dates:
08.28.09 - San Diego, CA - Street Scene
09.05.09 - Los Angeles, CA - LA Historic State Park - Save Our State Parks
09.06.09 - San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop *
09.13.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge *
09.14.09 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge *
09.15.09 - Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Musical Hall *
09.16.09 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *
09.17.09 - Grinnell, IA - Gardner Lounge, Grinnell College *
09.18.09 - Champaign, IL - Pygmalion Music Festival *
09.19.09 - Madison, WI - Forward Music Festival *
09.20.09 - Chicago, IL - Chopin Theater (Early All Ages) *
09.20.09 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle (Late 21+) *
09.21.09 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Cafe *
09.22.09 - Toronto, ON - El Mocambo *
09.23.09 - Montreal, QC - Friendship Cove *
09.24.09 - New York, NY - Santos Party House *
09.25.09 - New York, NY - Venue TBA (Todd P Show) *
09.27.09 - Boston, MA - Great Scott *
09.29.09 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *
09.30.09 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar *
10.01.09 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel *
10.02.09 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
10.03.09 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club *
10.04.09 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
10.06.09 - Oxford, MS - Proud Larry’s *
10.09.09 - Dallas, TX - Pastime Lounge *
10.10.09 - Austin, TX - Emo’s *#
10.15.09 - Phoenix, AX - Rhythm Room *
10.16.09 - San Diego, CA - Casbah *
10.17.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex *
* Ganglians
# The Soft Pack
