Mario Speedwagon’s Under The Radar News Round Up: Anti-Pop Consortium Reunite for New LP and Tour, Snoop Dogg Changes Name to "Niggarachi," Bowerbirds Tour Europe and the U.S., Richard Buckner Goes on Tour
Happy holiday weekend, TMTers!
- Anti-Pop Consortium have reunited and will release their fourth album, Fluorescent Black, on October 13 via Big Dada Recordings. In 2002, Beans, M. Sayyid, Earl Blaze, and High Priest shut it down to pursue other projects. Their last record was 2003’s Anti-Pop vs. Matthew Shipp (TMT Review). They will also head out on a mini-tour in October, starting in Cleveland, OH on October 1 and ending in Richmond, VA on October 13. Before that you can catch them at All Tomorrow’s Parties in Monticello, NY on September 12 or at their CD release show on September 29 at Santos. Check out their MySpace for more details.
- Snoop Dogg has changed his name to “Niggarachi” for his upcoming compilation album, Bacc To Tha Chuuch Vol, 1. Do what you will with that information.
- Bowerbirds are heading out on a big-ass tour this fall in support of their latest record, Upper Air (TMT Review). The U.K. leg of their tour kicks off in Aarhus, Denmark on October 10 and ends on November 1 in Manchester, U.K. The band then comes back to the U.S. and embarks on an East Coast tour from November 5 in Durham, NC until December 4 in New York City. A full list of dates and additional details can be found on their website.
- Richard Buckner will be hitting the road this fall. His tour kicks off in Bloomington, IN at The Bishop and ends October 3 in Hickory, NC at Fanjoy-Labrenz Gallery. Earlier this year, Merge reissued three out-of-print Richard Buckner records as digital downloads: Bloomed (1994), The Hill (2000), and Impasse (2002). Check out the Merge Records site for more details and tourdates.
Gift of Gab to Release His Second Outer-Space-Expedition-Themed Rap Album
Gift of Gab, best known as the MC in the duo Blackalicious, is set to release his first solo album in five years, which is rather infrequent for someone who calls himself Gift of Gab... I'm just saying. Escape 2 Mars, the follow-up to 2004's 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up, is mostly produced by DNAEBEATS, with a few songs by Hednodic of The Mighty Underdogs, plus guest spots from Del The Funky Homosapien and Brother Ali.
The space-travel theme is apparently a device in delivering Mr. Gab's message about saving our own planet, warning that we might someday have to leave it behind for Mars. The environmental-protection/harbinger-of-space-colonization message is strong to both activists and players of Starcraft alike. Luckily, these two demographics make up 83% of Gab's fanbase, and record sales are expected to be illustrious.
Escape 2 Mars comes out on CD, vinyl, and digital download October 27, which is my birthday. I assume it is meant to be a gift for me, and I appreciate the sentiment. I guess it is pretty cool, but if they really knew me they'd know what I really want for my birthday is a new Joanna Newsom album.
Escape 2 Mars tracklisting:
1. E2MTRO
2. El Gifto Magnifico
3. Lightyears
4. Dreamin' (feat. Del The Funky Homosapien & Brother Ali)
5. In Las Vegas
6. Escape 2 Mars
7. Electric Waterfalls
8. Richman, Poorman
9. Someofthepeople
10. Spotlight
11. Rhyme Travel
12. Dreamin' (Aqua Sawtooth Remix) *
* Bonus for vinyl version only
Oh, also, he's going to go on tour in the fall and the winter and the spring. Just a few dates so far:
09.03.09 - Austin, TX - Aces Lounge
09.04.09 - Mobile, AL - Alabama Music Box
09.05.09 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
09.11.09 - Horseshoe, NC - Deerfields Music Park (Trinumeral Festival)
Your Weekly Grant Hart (Hüsker Dü) Update Harticle: Grant Hart to Release New Album
When I worked at the self-proclaimed “Last Authentic Music Store” in Minneapolis, Grant Hart, former drummer and co-songwriter of Hüsker Dü, would always come in and dig around in the old VHS cassettes until he found some awesome Boris Karloff or other classic horror movie. We would then talk at the counter for a while about surf guitar and other such awesome stuff.
A common subject was Bob Mould, who was releasing a new album about every six months back then, and Grant would always say, “So, Bob put out another record,” and then ask if it was good. They were good, so I replied in the affirmative. However, I was always building up the courage to ask, “Hey Grant, when are you going to put out a new album? Because I love Intolerance, and I totally thought that Nova Mob was dope, and I would love to hear more stuff by you.” But I never asked; I never wanted to pry.
Apparently Grant was listening in on my thoughts, because he's going to be putting out a new album! Said new album, Hot Wax, is set to be released by Con D’or/MVD Audio October 6 and will be available on both CD and vinyl. It will also be Grant’s sixth solo release, though his first since 1999’s Good News for Modern Man.
Besides Hart’s multiple musical talents -- and stunning hair -- the album will feature appearances by musicians from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, A Silver Mt. Zion, and Rank Strangers, and was recorded in both Minneapolis and Montreal. When queried about the album, Grant replied with a descriptive response: “The song 'Narcissus, Narcissus' is my first attempt at combining ancient Greek mythology and American rock-a-billy. By merging those influences with an ice cream truck atmosphere I think I have found a style that defines this period of my career.” I have no idea what that song sounds like, but now I don’t think I've ever been more interested in hearing it.
Hart continues: “‘You're the Reflection of the Moon on the Water' is one of the most organic rock-and-roll songs that I have ever written. Its style owes a lot to my devotion for Patti Smith. It was inspired by a comment made by a monk during the selection process to find the next Panchen Lhama, who said of one candidate, ‘He is the reflection of the moon on the water but he is not the moon.’"
Awesome.
“Ground-Breaking Indie Rock Quartet” Pixies to Bring Doolittle Tour to Australia, Effectively Making Mo’ Money, Creating Mo’ Problems?
What the HELL, Stephen Malkmus? Have you been READING this shit, Spiral Stairs?? What are you DOING shilling for the Gordon-Moores, Mark Ibold??? Knock off all of these cutesy side-projects, and lets get the Reunion Train a-movin,’ huh?
Just, look, hear me out for a second. Look at what Frank and Kim and those guys in The Pixies are doing! Do they get along? No. But they’re out there anyway, maxing out the 20th Anniversary shlock-hype of 1989’s “acclaimed,” “venerated,” “groundbreaking,” “blah-blah-blah” Doolittle for all us half-assed Fight Club fans day-in and day-out. Heck, currently they are even expanding that tour (the whole shoddy gist of which is little more than them blowing through the complete tracklist to Doolittle and playing the accompanying B-sides from that era) to include five stops in Australia next spring. Those tickets go on sale on September 18, with an undoubtedly mad pre-sale bonanza commencing on September 16! Good times, familiar tunage, aging hipsters with babies at home... sounds awesome, right?
And meanwhile, while The Pixies continue to trompe le monde with bags-o-cash under their arms, what is Pavement doing?? Not a damn thing, as far as I can see! I mean, really, what... the... hell? You’ve got a stellar sophomore album of your own worth cashing in on -- er, “commemorating.” The fans? Oh, we don’t even care why you do it, man. We just wanna hear “Cut Your Hair” with the all-original lineup and think about cruising around in our big brother’s Oldsmobile again. Is that too much to ask? Don’t let The Pixies hog all of the alterna-boom reunion glory. You’re better than that. You’re not really gonna make us wait until 2014, are you, Stephen?
Pixies Doolittle Tour:
03.14.10 – Sydney, AU - Hordern Pavilion
03.18.10 – Brisbane, AU - Brisbane Convention Centre
03.20.10 – Melbourne, AU - Festival Hall
03.24.10 – Adelaide, AU - Thebarton Theatre
03.27.10 – Perth, AU - Belvoir Amphitheatre
Previously reported Doolittle dates:
09.30.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
10.01.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
10.02.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia
10.04.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - SECC
10.06.09 - London, England - Brixton Academy
10.07.09 - London, England - Brixton Academy
10.08.09 - London, England - Brixton Academy
10.09.09 - London, England - Brixton Academy
10.11.09 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderhalle
10.13.09 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Heineken Music Hall
10.14.09 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest National
10.15.09 - Paris, France - Zenith
10.16.09 - Paris, France - Zenith
11.04.09 - Los Angeles, CA - The Palladium
11.08.09 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
11.09.09 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
11.12.09 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
11.13.09 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
11.14.09 - Eugene, OR - Hult Center
11.16.09 - Denver, CO - The Fillmore
11.20.09 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
11.21.09 - Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
11.23.09 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
11.24.09 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
11.25.09 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
11.27.09 - Boston, MA - Wang Center
11.30.09 - Washington, D.C. - Constitution Hall
The Antlers Stock Up on Flannels and Wool Socks for Upcoming Fall Tour
The Antlers are experts at preparing for the fall season (they do hail from Brooklyn, after all). This year, they’re not only coming to a local venue near you in support of Hospice (TMT Review), but they’re also blogging about some of their favorite autumn things. Check out this list from lead singer Peter Silberman:
5 Must-Have Fall Items for Touring:
- Wool Socks
- Flannels
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- The ability to grow facial hair
- These bad boys pulled straight off of a deer, to attach to our bass drum.
Antler Hunting:
09.12.09 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater (Monolith Festival)
09.16.09 - Lawrence, KS - Jackpot Saloon
09.17.09 - St Louis, MO - Cicero's (Play:STL Fest)
09.18.09 - Champaign-Urbana, IL - Canopy Club (Pygmalion Festival)
09.19.09 - Madison, WI - The Frequency
09.21.09 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean &
09.22.09 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Cafe &
09.24.09 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern &
09.25.09 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall &
09.26.09 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall &
09.28.09 - Providence, RI - Jerky's Live Music Hall &
09.30.09 - Washington, DC - DC9 &
10.02.09 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's &
& Holly Miranda
Massive Attack and TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe Record Dream Collaboration I Never Knew I Had Till Today, Tour Incessantly
Three years after their last recording, the aptly named collection Collected, Massive Attack have announced the release of a star-studded new EP due October 6 from Virgin Records. Although unnamed as yet, the EP will feature the lead song “Splitting the Atom” with Massive Attack regulars Robert Del Naja (3D), Horace Andy, and Grant Marshall (Daddy G). TV On The Radio frontman Tunde Adebimpe lends vocals to “Pray for Rain,” and Martina Topley-Bird features on new track “Psyche,” given the remix treatment here by Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid (who have recently worked with Bat for Lashes and The Big Pink). Elbow’s Guy Garvey performs on “Bulletproof Love,” another new track present on this EP in remix format. This one gets the reworks by Christoff Berg, who produced the Fever Ray album, along with the aforementioned Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid. All this leads up to Massive Attack’s long-awaited fifth studio album, which will drop in February 2010, and will feature contributions from Hope Sandoval, Damon Albarn, and yes, Tunde Adebimpe, Martina Topley-Bird, and Guy Garvey.
In other Massive Attack-related news, the band was honored with the Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award at the Ivor Novello Awards, and Robert Del Naja received the David Di Donatello Award for Best Song for his work on the film Gamorra. Del Naja has also written and produced soundtrack contributions for several documentaries and films, including Trouble in the Water, 44 Inch Chest, and In Prison My Whole Life. Your next chance to see the group will be September 11 at the Bestival festival in England, or at their upcoming European tour, which starts just under a week later.
EP Tracklisting:
1. Splitting The Atom
2. Pray For Rain
3. Bulletproof Love (Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid Remix)
4. Psyche (Flash Treatment)
Whole Lotta Touring:
09.11.09 – Isle of Wight, England - Bestival
09.17.09 - London, England - O2 Academy Brixton
09.18.09 - London, England - O2 Academy Brixton
09.19.09 - London, England - O2 Academy Brixton
09.21.09 - Sheffield, England - O2 Academy Sheffield
09.22.09 - Birmingham, England - O2 Academy Birmingham
09.23.09 - Reading, England - Rivermead Centre
09.24.09 - Leeds, England - O2 Academy Leeds
09.26.09 - Manchester, England - Apollo Manchester
09.27.09 - Manchester, England - Apollo Manchester
09.28.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy Glasgow
09.29.09 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy Glasgow
09.30.09 - Newcastle, England - O2 Academy Newcastle
10.02.09 - Leicester, England - De Montfort Hall
10.03.09 - Swindon, England - Oasis Leisure Centre
10.06.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
10.07.09 - Dublin, Ireland - Olympia Theatre
10.14.09 - Moscow, Russia - Luzhniki Palace of Sports
10.16.09 - Helsinki, Finland - Helsinki Ice Arena
10.18.09 - Stockholm, Sweden - Annexet
10.19.09 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Falkoner Theatre
10.20.09 - Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
10.22.09 - Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt
10.23.09 - Cologne, Germany - Palladium
10.24.09 - Merksem, Belgium - Lotto Arena
10.25.09 - Brussels, Belgium - Forest National
10.27.09 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Heineken Music Hall
10.30.09 - Berlin, Germany - Tempodrom GmbH
11.01.09 - Graz, Austria - Helmut List Halle
11.02.09 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
11.03.09 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna Music Bar
11.04.09 - Bratislava, Slovakia - PKO Hall
11.06.09 - Zagreb, Croatia - Dom Sportova Zagreb
11.07.09 - Milan, Italy - Palasharp
11.08.09 - Conegliano, Italy - Zoppas Arena
11.10.09 - Paris, France - Zenith Paris
11.11.09 - Paris, France - Zenith Paris
11.13.09 - Nantes, France - Zenith
11.14.09 - Lille, France - Zenith Arena
11.15.09 - Metz, France - Les Arenes
11.16.09 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier
11.18.09 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
11.19.09 - Toulouse, France - Le Pahre
11.21.09 - Lisbon, Portugal - Campo Pequeno
11.22.09 - Lisbon, Portugal - Campo Pequeno
11.24.09 - Winterthur, Switzerland - Eishalle Deutweg
Thom Yorke (of Travis, Muse, Coldplay, and Radiohead cover band The Karma Police) Confirms 12-Inch Due This Month
In a post on Radiohead's Dead Air Space, Thom Yorke confirmed the release of the rumored two-track 12-inch due September 21, which he claims is "loosely under the Thom Yorke name" (should he go with Thomosexual?) The 12-inch features Yorke and Jonny playing an old Radiohead tune "Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses," as well as Yorke solo track "The Hollow Earth." If you read Ed's Kid A/Amnesiac diary back in the day, you may recall the former tune; "The Hollow Earth," meanwhile, is a track from The Eraser period.
The limited 12-inch is available for pre-odrer at W.A.S.T.E., which includes a gratis download that will also be made available September 21. A "normal download thing" will be released around October 6.
And that's how you write a news story without any personality.
The Dutchess And The Duke Announce New LP, Tour; The Noble Class Is Not Impressed
Indie rock? Fine music, I guess, but ultimately a peasant’s art. It is music for peasants, by peasants. Which is great, if you can satisfy yourself simply with a common man’s thrill. Some of us desire something with a little more nobility, a little more regality. That’s why I’m so excited about the new record by The Dutchess and The Duke. Finally, there will be an indie rock record for us nobles, and we will no longer have to suffer through the squawking of the unwashed Animal Collective or filthy Dirty Projectors. I say, though, of what land do The Dutchess and The Duke possess governance over? Wait -- they’re not really a duchess and a duke? They’re just an indie-folk duo from Seattle? Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrghhhhh!
Ahem. Well then. I, for one, will return to my Bach and Stravinsky recordings and wipe my hands clean of this deceitful Dutchess and The Duke. But if you’re still interested, as many of you peasants must be, The Dutchess and The Duke have a new record, Sunrise/Sunset, coming out October 6 on Hardly Art. The record was recorded with Greg Ashley (of The Gris Gris) -- surely a frightful low-class man in his own right -- in his Oakland studio. If you’d like to see this collection of uncultured low-lifes in person, they’re likely coming to your small hamlet on a fall tour. As for me, I must return to the society ball, where my presence has surely been missed.
Now, where have I placed my monocle?
The Dutchess and The Duke tourdates:
10.03.09 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore Cabaret
10.09.09 - Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
10.10.09 - Olympia, WA - The Northern
The Dutchess and The Duke w/ Greg Ashley:
11.07.09 - Sacramento, CA - Luigi’s Fun Garden
11.08.09 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
11.10.09 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Crepe Place
11.11.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
11.13.09 - Irvine, CA - UC Irvine - Acrobatics Everyday
11.14.09 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah
11.15.09 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room
11.18.09 - Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
11.19.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court (early show)
11.19.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge (late show)
11.21.09 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
NIKE Figures “Guy-With-The-Pissed-Jeans-Vinyl-Under-His-Arm” to Be a Real Moron, Has Its
Hey, indie kid! Remember how you’re basically “into” the cloistered, insular, venerated, self-perpetuating, and self-mythologizing independent rock music scene in the first place because of how instinctively repelled you were by those typical schoolyard playground conceits of, you know, sports, brawn, machismo, and athletic-apparel-denoted alliances and status-symbols?
Well, cut the wussy daydreaming and sissy list-making, word-using, prose-writing bullshit, Poindexter, because NIKE doesn’t remember that shit at all. Yup. Like a perfectly spiraled red-and-black Nerf Turbo foam football headed straight for the homemade Black Flag patch on your back, here comes NIKE’s garish fucking Sub Pop shoe to knock you on your face for $150 a pair.
The new sneaker, which is bright yellow with black suede, a grey stripe, and a star for detailing, is the newest addition to NIKE's “Quickstrike SB Blazer Elite series,” whatever the hell that means. WTF, NIKE? And I guess, perhaps more bafflingly, WTF Sub Pop?!
Hey, remember how Nirvana famously made Bleach (a.k.a. Sub Pop’s first huge success record) for $606.17? Well fuck, man, turns out they coulda just bought a pair of SNEAKERS for everyone in the band with that money instead... with plenty of cash leftover to spend on red-and-black Nerf Turbo foam footballs.
A Hawk And A Hacksaw Plan on Making Fans Squeal Like Piggies on North American Délivrance Tour
Last we heard from A Hawk And A Hacksaw, they were talking up their new album on The Leaf Label, Délivrance. Now the duo is taking the news one step further and have announced a North American tour in support of the new record, which was released on August 25, and is described by me as “very good and entertaining and if you like Beirut or Eastern Europe you should listen to it.”
The band also recently completed an extensive European tour, as well as supporting slots for Wilco and Andrew Bird and a handful of shows at SXSW. It is being reported that at these shows the audience members were reportedly “entertained” and “pleased.”
Besides the new tour and the new album, AHAAH have also made live videos for tracks “I Am Not A Gambling Man” and “The Man Who Sold His Beard,” directed by John Longmire and shot in the band’s home of New Mexico. Check the videos here.
The tour starts in September, runs through October, often features sets by Damon and Naomi, and can be enjoyed on the following dates at the following establishments:
09.12.09 – Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
09.14.09 – Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
09.15.09 – Pittsburgh, PA - Your Inner Vagabond
09.16.09 – Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel
09.17.09 – Montreal, QC - Il Motore *
09.18.09 – Cambridge, MA - YMCA Theatre *
09.19.09 – New York, NY - Le Poisson Rouge *
09.20.09 – Washington, DC - Rock N' Roll Hotel *
09.23.09 – Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Tavern and Music Hall
09.24.09 – Athens, GA - Melting Point *
09.25.09 – Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
09.26.09 – Knoxville, TN - The Pilot Light *
10.06.09 – Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
10.07.09 – San Diego, CA - The Casbah
10.08.09 – Los Angeles, CA – Spaceland *
10.09.09 – San Francisco, CA - The Independent *
10.10.09 – Eureka, CA – Nocturnum *
10.12.09 – Portland, OR - Doug Fir *
10.13.09 – Seattle, WA - The Tractor Tavern *
10.15.09 – Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge *
10.16.09 – Denver, CO - Hi-Dive *
* Damon and Naomi
White Mice Ready Their Heaviest, Noisiest, Ugliest, Most Beautiful Album Yet
Remember when Black Dice used to thrash? Remember when they used to scare the shit out of hipster kids? Well, now hipster kids adore them, right? That's why, according to the TMT Investigation Department, they secretly decided to start a side project and wear masks, switching their name around a bit to form White Mice! They now wear bloody, mutated mouse heads and bloody lab coats while playing sludgy noise rock to scare the shit outta hipster kids once again!
Fine, maybe not, but damn ya gotta admit their names are pretty similar. Once you've admitted that, here's some info you need to know: White Mice's Ganjohovahdose is their fourth full-length record and is coming out on the 20 Buck Spin label. The label proclaims this one to be the "heaviest, noisiest, ugliest, most beautiful sound they've achieved yet." It "stands as a testament in praise of lord Cheezus for bestowing this deadly ‘conncocktion’ of music, art, visuals, noise, and words onto an unsuspecting and dangerously unprepared public, on its October 20 release."
Sounds pretty cool right? Providence, RISD, Lightning Bolt, Load Records! Alright, now go! Go buy their records!
Ganjohovahdose tracklisting:
1. PasssTheFissst
2. Ganjahovahdose
3. The Hard On of Edam
4. Placenta the Crotchtower
5. Peeeugenicyst
6. The Ape-Caca-Lips
7. The Crapture
8. The Shroud of Urine
9. Onth’ Ragggnorock
10. The Narcomacauleycolicost
