NOMO Says Yesmo to Touring, Notmo to Puns (Sorry)

By C. Schell on

Many have wondered when an heir to Kuti's throne (forgetting Femi for a minute) would be thrust into the musical world. Well, it seems that the musical bloodline has been traced to a little group from the U.S. (is there anything we can't do?). That would be NOMO, the Ann Arbor, MI afro-beat up 'n' comers who are as talented as they are educated. The group were formed in 2003 by University of Michigan Jazz Studies grad Elliot Bergman and some of his A2 buddies. Now, the band known for its exciting, impressive live shows is about to head out and do what it does best: play shows. This tour, like many before it, is in support of the group's 2006 LP New Tones (Ubiquity).

NOMO have vowed to play as many festivals as possible this summer, but in this case, "as many as possible" means as many as they want to play. In addition to the Detroit Festival of The Arts and Aspen Jazz Festival, the band is playing the hottest festival ticket of the summer, Albion's omnipresent Festival of the Forks. All the blogs are blogging (what else?) about this one, as the band is set to perform alongside The Hives from the year 2027. Not to mention the fact that NOMO pretty much owe their career to the City of Albion, MI, ever since they famously gave the group's last record Best New Dinner Music (these people really like food) in the local newspaper. All these events, plus the tilt of Earth's axis causing the Northern Hemisphere to get the most direct sunlight and therefore experience an increase in temperature from June 21 to September 21, seem to indicate that this summer is going to be hot.

% Dengue Fever

@ Dan Deacon

& Toroise, Besnard Lakes, Apostle of Hustle & more

* Stephen Malkmus, Of Montreal, Deerhunter, The Ponys & more

Hey Mindy, Buck, Todd, Etc.; Let Him Sit at Our Table! Ryan Adams to Release Easy Tiger June 26

By AJ Pacitti on 05-30-2007

Move down, fellow cool kids. Ryan Adams is a victim and I say we let him sit at our table.

Maybe it’s different for you, reader. But as I see it, Ryan gets unnecessarily bullied for his more than frequent, alcohol-induced, regret-love pondering. Sure, no one’s gone to lunch-money-stealing extremes in their criticism, but that doesn’t mean that we couldn’t make his life a little easier.

June 26 marks the release of his ninth full-length album, Easy Tiger (Lost Highway Records), which boasts guest vocals from Sheryl Crow on the appropriately placed second track, “Two.”

Oh! Sheryl Crow?!?

Okay, I’m not going to pull a holier-than-thou, music bullies. I’m just as bad to Ryan, a musician that I, on the record, don’t mind and, off the record, like. Ryan is (at times) an easy enough target (i.e., a simple man’s fight for work and love on Jacksonville City Nights’ “The Hardest Part”). Truth is, though we mean well in our commitment to irreverence, sometimes our exclusivity leaves little breathing room for men with guitars and –- gasp -- unironic, discernable messages.

Point blank: We can’t stand to see something plain through the impeccable side-swooping hair in our eyes. Remember, Ryan -– he too has an enviably side-swooping haircut. Plus, he’s making music; which is the point of our banter.

Listen, cool kids table, I’m not saying he needs to come with us when we cut last period, hop in Johnny’s convertible, and drive to Make-out Point, but doesn’t Mindy need some friends to help sew Todd, Buck and [insert 1950s cool kid name here]’s football letters onto their sweet leather-sleeved athletic jackets?

There’s room by me, Ryan. I may even share my cafeteria jello with you. Seriously.

Tracklisting:

Elvis Perkins Holds Ash Wednesday Service; Thinks to Himself “Denny’s Your Stupid,” But Secretly Orders “Moons Over My Hammy” Anyway

By The Friz on 05-30-2007

Elvis Perkins, up-and-coming troubadour, plunks chords in the folk warrior tradition. Hell, check out the name. It’s music that puts you in a weird place, and if you’re not paying attention, it’ll catch up on you quicker than a good bottle of hobo wine, the romance of liquid salvation, and the allure of folk-music emancipation. The tour is sure to be full of jubilation, commiseration, and maybe even procreation. But don’t settle for a consolation, check out the emanation without hesitation.

His first and newest album Ash Wednesday lives up to its biblical allusions, of which there are many. If my younger, more Catholic years serve me, its title references the day when priests smudge vaguely cross-shaped ash on the foreheads of school children. I’m just secretly happy that he didn’t highlight a more traumatic holiday like Saint Blaise’s Day. There’s something about fish bone references that poke me right in the trachea.

He has a killer tourmate in Joan Armatrading, a UK singer-songwriter who just released her 18th disc, titled Into the Blues. She’s got a better set of pipes than Royal Albert Hall, and her new record sauces up the blues with folk, soul, and funk (of the funkiest variety).

Elvis Perkins’ll take a vacation from Dearland and play solo (but not so low you can’t hear him) ::GUFFAW:: The ‘in Dearland’ jive is Perkins with his backup band; get used to it:

*Joan Armatrading

** Elvis Perkins in Dearland

You Might Be a Liar if You Read This News Story and Hint that You Didn’t Find it at Least as Indulgently Enjoyable as Drum’s Not Dead

By Gumshoe on 05-29-2007

Yew also might be a Liar if... you went to Disney's Wild Hogs and told your wife you “didn't really feel comfortable” with the skinny-dipping scenes

Yew might be a Liar if... you applied for a job as a satellite-dish installation expert after earning a journalism degree and told yourself you didn't feel like a total sell-out.

Yew might be a Liar if... you worked with Grant at a sporting-goods store and said you didn't take the money missing from the upstairs vault, all the while watching poor Grant get harassed by Rathdrum, Idaho police and forced to take a lie-detector test he knew from research would only be 60-70% accurate.

Yew might be a Liar if... you were to slate the release of your fourth, self-titled album for August 28.

Yew might be a Liar if... you told your wife your sleep-moaning last night wasn't the result of a dream about, to put it lightly, a case of Jungle Fever.

Yew might be a Liar if... you told your mom you didn't believe in God anymore and thus wouldn't be attending church when you really just wanted to watch football.

Yew might be a Liar if... you swore up-and-down to Rathdrum, Idaho police that you didn't steal the money... (but, you know, probably not).

Yew might be a Liar if... you said your upcoming album would be released care of white vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

Yew might be a Liar if... you told your boss on a long road trip that his karaoke-on-CD “sounded, you know, pretty good ... I mean, you know, not great, but it's good.”

Yew might be a Lair if... you assured your wife that the boxers she got you don't cramp your motzo balls.

Yew might be a Liar if... you said –- while you definitely didn't steal the money –- that you didn't at least steal a few batteries and a cool-ass butterfly knife from said sporting goods store.

Yew might be a Liar if... you said your new album is more “practical,” with traditional approaches to song structure and instrument usage.

You might be a Liar if... you said you didn't have to edit out a zillion “like” and “you know”s when you interviewed Karen O years ago.

Yew might be a Liar if... you said you didn't know how your DUI fees were magically paid off in full a few weeks after Grant successfully passed his lie-detector test.

Yew might be a Liar if... you said you didn't write this news post when you were supposed to be working.

Yew might be a Liar if... you said you “never felt like a songwriter” until you wrote the music for your aforementioned fourth album.

You might be a Liar if... you said you wouldn't prefer to read your music news without all the fancy-pants frills.

Yew might be a Liar (or something akin to one) if... you're one of the cud-chomping, redneck yahoos responsible for keeping lie-detector tests admissible in the Idaho court of law.

You might be a Liar if... you claimed bringing up Angus Andrews' lover isn't a cheap, all-in-all lousy thing to do.

You might be a Liar if... you said the tracklisting for your upcoming album is as follows:

You might be a Liar if... you claimed this news post wasn't about your life, down to the seediest detail.

Pitchfork Festival Lineup Finalized, Exclusive Interview with Ryan Schreiber

By Mango Starr on 05-29-2007

I could hardly believe it when I entered the coffee shop -- 3:00 P.M., right on time. Back in the corner with a blue hat (as promised) was the one, the only Ryan Schreiber, editor-in-chief of online magazine Pitchfork, reading Vice Magazine and sipping on a tall, dark roast, possibly fair-trade coffee. I took a moment to catch my breath and then staggered clumsily between coffee tables filled with attractive, hip-looking people. I felt so out of place there -- me being perhaps the least attractive of everyone (when did people learn how to dress so cool anyway?) -- but the moment I sat down and introduced myself to Schreiber -- "Hi, I'm Mango Starr, writer/reporter for Tiny Mix Tapes" -- I immediately felt at ease. Kind, gentle, and a little odd, Schreiber was amazing. Here's the interview:

Thanks for agreeing to do this interview, man. I know you're insanely busy.

No problem, Mango. And really, I'm not that busy.

Oh?

Yep.

So... um...

So, how's the weather?

Weren't you just outside?

Oh yeah, sweet weather, yeah?

Really sweet. I love it.

Nice.

Oh, Mr P says "hi" and that he "misses you."

Oh yeah? Cool, how's he doing? I kinda remember meeting him a long time ago.

He seems to remember it vividly. He brings it up all the time, like he's fucking obsessed!

Hmmm, I've only talked to him a few times. He seemed nice.

Weird. He says he talked to you like every night.

He's not white, is he?

Hah, fuck no.

Ahhhhhhh, okay, I remember now. He's a... well, you know.

Hahaha, yeah... He's a nice enough guy though, despite you know...

Haha! INDEED! So, what is it that you wanted to talk about? My hair? Hahahaha!

Hahahah!

Hahahah!

No, no. I wanted to talk about ATP... so, um... Ryan... hey, what are you doing?

[At this point, Ryan is starting to climb up onto the table.]

Sorry Mango, hold on a sec. [Yelling to the coffee shop, pumping his fists above his head] HEY EVERYBODY!! I'm Ryan Schreiber!! How's the weather, motherfuckers!?!? [Wild applause and cheers from the coffee shop] Hey did y'all motherfuckers know about the Pitchfork Music Fest?? [Laughter, because of course they do!] Well, we've just made the final confirmations for the lineup! [More cheers] I'll be posting flyers all around town. But, of course, you can always check out a little site that I call... hmmm, I forgot its name... so, I'm going to need your help, motherfuckers!!! What's the site called everybody!?!? [Schreiber puts right hand to ear; crowd yells at once: "PITCHFORK MEDIA DOT COM!!!!!!!!] HAHAHA! FUCK YES! See you guys there!!! [Thunderous applause as Schreiber plops back into his chair]

Wow, that was amazing, Ryan. You really know how to -- Ryan?

[Schreiber, wide-eyed and giggling hysterically, starts furiously carving the words "Interpol" into the table with a pocket knife]

Hey, um, should you be doing that?

Look, ask your questions, dude. I don't got all day. Gotta fest and shit to do, y'know.

Oh, ok. Alright then. Um, so I wanted to ask you about ATP. So, um --

Wait, stop right there. Actions speak louder than words, am I right? [Winks] Here's what I think about ATP...

[Schreiber signals to me to look under the table, grinning mischievously. Fearing the worst, I slowly peeked my head under the table. And there it was... oh my god. It was absolutely breathtaking... and it was hard: yes, folks, it was a signed copy of Thesaurus Musicarium: The Pitchfork Year in Music 2003.]

Needless to say, I had to have it, right then and there. Schreiber sure liked that. Boy did he like that. At least... I think he did. Shit, I hope he did! My jaw still hurts!

Festival lineup:

Day 1 (Friday, July 13 -- in conjunction with ATP):

Sonic Youth perform Daydream Nation

GZA/Genius performs Liquid Swords

Slint perform Spiderland

Day 2 (Saturday, July 14):

Yoko Ono / Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues (with members of Dirty Three, the Delta 72, and Blues Explosion) / Clipse / Mastodon / Iron and Wine / Battles / Grizzly Bear / Voxtrot / Califone / The Twilight Sad / Girl Talk / Dan Deacon / Oxford Collapse / Professor Murder / Fujiya & Miyagi / Beach House / William Parker Quartet / Ken Vandermark's Powerhouse Sound

Day 3 (Sunday, July 15):

De La Soul / The New Pornographers / Of Montreal / Stephen Malkmus / Jamie Lidell / The Sea and Cake / Junior Boys / Menomena / The Ponys / Deerhunter / Klaxons / The Field / Cadence Weapon / The Cool Kids / Craig Taborn's Junk Magic / Nomo / Brightblack Morning Light / Fred Lonberg-Holm's Lightbox Orchestra

CHEAP AS HELL, TOO.

Going Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga for Spoon; New Album, Extra Goodies, Reissues, and More!

By snarehatkickcrash on 05-29-2007

Okay, so I just pre-ordered Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, the new Spoon album scheduled for release by Merge Records July 10 in the US of A. And if you quickly head over to Merge's website, you'll have a chance to receive an autographed Britt Daniel 7-inch with two tracks that aren't on the new album, just as long as you're among the first 200 people to pre-order Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. YES!

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (named for the sounds in the album's second track, "The Ghost of You Lingers") was recorded all throughout 2006 by Spoon in Austin, Texas at drummer Jim Eno's studio with Mike McCarthy. The album will come packed with a limited-edition, 22-minute bonus EP.

Spoon have some upcoming shows and a tour in the works, but in the meantime, they are playing many-a-secret show, which you can only find out about by singing up for their mailing list here.

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga tracklisting:

More

News
  • Recent
  • Popular

Music Reviews
  • Recent
  • Popular