The Books sign to Temporary Residence, announce new album in July, open themselves up to a myriad of completely seamless book-related puns
By Nobodaddy on Apr 6 2010
It’s a new “chapter” for The Books! Visionary “writers” Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong recently announced that they have “started a fresh page” and teamed up with a new label, Temporary Residence Limited for their long-anticipated 2010 release, which is due this July for your “Kindle”… and possibly for some other media. No word yet on its title, but we’ll be sure to share some sort of “table” of the album’s “contents” as soon it’s available.
The new, still-untitled-since-the-last-paragraph release will probably be a real “page turner” and will mark the band’s return to “authoring” new songs in the studio after five years of touring and “furious editing.” As the “sequel” to previous critically-acclaimed “works” including Lost and Safe, The Lemon of Pink, and Thought for Food, there’s a lot riding on this release, including the Newbery Medal, I think, which was most recently awarded to this guy. Yes, the competition is tough out there, Books. But TMT wishes you good luck this summer at the “box office.” Oh, wait.
• The Books: http://www.thebooksmusic.com
• Temporary Residence Limited: http://temporaryresidence.com
All lady Swiss post-punk band Chin-Chin gets Slumberland/Mississippi Records reissue
By Liz Louche on Apr 6 2010
The Spice Girls ain’t got nothing on Chin-Chin. Well… technically you could say that for a lot of bands, but when it comes down to it, all-lady Swiss post-punk band Chin-Chin were kicking out some serious girl power before Victoria Beckham was even a twinkle in her computer programmer’s eye. Chin-Chin started up in 1982, with original members Esther, Karin, and Marie-Anne learning their instruments as they went along. For a brief period, the line-up featured a lead singer named Carol, but by the time the band got their big break in 1985, it was just the original members.
Sound of the Westway led to an interview with NME, and to a tour of Germany with The Shop Assistants. The band’s popularity grew. They headlined their own shows, and toured alongside bands like The Pogues, The Anti-Nowhere League, TV Personalities, New Model Army, and Die Toten Hosen. Now on April 13, Slumberland in conjunction with Mississippi Records will reissue Sound of the Westway on vinyl ONLY, with new artwork and mastering. Vinyl only is sooooo the bossest release format. Nothing says “girl power” like vinyl only.
Tracklisting:
01. Dark Days
02. My Guy
03. Never Surrender
04. Even If It’s a Lie
05. Jungle of Fear
06. Why Am I So Lonely?
07. Room of Sadness
08. War
09. Love Song
10. Proud Soldiers
11. Stay With Me
12. Dead Life
13. Why Am I So Lonely II
14. Da Doo Ron Ron / My Boy Lollipop
• Slumberland: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com
David Vandervelde goes on tour as the spring sunshine melts the last frost of winter. Elsewhere, a flower blooms.
By E. Nagurney on Apr 6 2010
Spring is here again, and along with it are the tell-tale signs. The morning frost becomes a rich dew on blades of grass. Leaves slowly re-emerge on trees. Flowers, drawing power from afternoon rainfall and golden sunlight, begin to bud. Children toss frisbees and Nerf (TM) footballs in local parks. David Vandervelde rolls out of bed and goes on tour.
Vandervelde, the beautiful flower growing in the garden of Secretly Canadian, will be venturing out into the Midwest throughout the month of April. Accompanying him on this journey will be Nashville roots rockers Ghostfinger. And then, once the tour is done, Vandervelde will return home for a well-earned rest. Because, as they say, April Vanderveldes bring May not-Vanderveldes. (Nobody has ever said this and nobody ever will.)
Vandervelde’s spring jaunt:
04.15.10 - Chattanooga, TN - JJ’s Bohemia
04.16.10 - Champaign, IL - Cowboy Monkey
04.17.10 - Dubuque, IA - Easy Street
04.18.10 - Green Bay, WI - Crunchy Frog
04.19.10 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
04.20.10 - Springfield, IL - Bar None
04.21.10 - Saint Louis, MO - Off Broadway
04.22.10 - Rock Island, IL - Rock Island Brewing Co
04.23.10 - Cincinnati, OH - Mayday’s (free show!)
04.24.10 - Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
• David Vandervelde: http://www.myspace.com/davidvandervelde
• Secretly Canadian: http://www.secretlycanadian.com
Melvins bassist Dave Sharp releases new jazz record
By E. Nagurney on Apr 6 2010
Melvins bassist Dave Sharp may be best known for his role in the royalty of sludge metal, but he’s also a man who won’t be pigeonholed in the genre’s heavy swamps. On May 4, Dave Sharp’s Secret Seven will release 7, an album of Afro-Latin jazz funk, via Vortex Jazz Recordings 1969. Though a jazz album might seem a weird left turn for Sharp, the bassist isn’t new to the genre, having formerly played and composed for modern jazz group Spheres of Influence.
Sharp is joined in the Secret Seven by a variety of performers of similarly eclectic backgrounds. Players on 7 range from Eenor-Yayli Tanbur of Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade to Jon-Paul Frappier, who has backed Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, and The Temptations, to Andre Frappier, the touring guitarist for, uh, Ne-Yo. Now, I can guarantee you this will be the first and last time this year you read the names The Melvins, Aretha Franklin, Les Claypool, and Ne-Yo in the same story.
7 tracklisting:
01. Africano
02. Chrispy Underground
03. Skeleton Key
04. Blackout
05. Boop Bwee Ahh
06. The Seventh Secret
07. Lootmar
08. Africano (radio edit)
09. Can I Be Your Squeeze?
• Dave Sharp: http://www.davesharp.com
Xasthur announces final album, Portal of Sorrow (yes, it’s the one with Marissa Nadler)
By Jon Lorenz on Apr 6 2010
As Neil Young said, “It’s better to burn out then to fade away.” I usually hate this quote, especially when tied to that one guy who used to be in that really popular “alternative rock” band (Nirvana, I think they were called), but in this case, Malefic, a.k.a. Xasthur, is taking Young’s advice. Instead of going on for years on end, hashing out mediocre after mediocre recreations of previous records, Malefic has officially called it quits from music-making under his Xasthur moniker. “I’m not able to make it work anymore. I don’t want to turn into one of those bands who rely on too many guests and session musicians to make people interested in their music again.”
Not only has he given up the name, but he’s also given up on trying to change the face of “metal.” “There’s no use in trying to reinvent black metal or turn it upside down, it’s all been done and in the end, it’s still metal and will remain within those circles, stereotypes and boundaries no matter what.”
Good news is that Malefic isn’t giving up on playing music. In fact, he’s already working on a new project. “It’s a new beginning that I’m quite excited about. It’s probably of no interest to you and again, it has nothing to do with metal and I’m not trying to keep any connection or ties to it. I will not name influences, genres or anything of the sort.” Read the rest of Malefic’s explanation here.
With all this said, Malefic has decided to end things on a good note and release one final album, Portal of Sorrow, which features vocals from singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler, as we reported earlier. The album’s out now on Xasthur’s own Disharmonic Variations label and will be released on vinyl in June on Hydra Head.
Portal of Sorrow tracklisting:
01. Portal of Sorrow
02. Broken Glass Christening
03. Shrine of Failure
04. Stream of Subconsciousness
05. Karma/Death
06. Horizon of Plastic Caskets
07. Mesmerized by Misery
08. This Abyss Holds the Mirror
09. Mourning Tomorrow
10. Miscarriage of the Soul
11. Obeyer’s of their own Deaths
12. Released from this Earth
13. The Darkest Light
14. hiver de glace
• Xasthur: http://xasthur.mercurous.net
• Hydra Head: http://www.hydrahead.com
