Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Who Gives a Shit About That Lil’ Whiner… Sax Ruins Release Album Today on Ipecac!
By David Nadelle on Jul 28 2009
Ah yes, the riddle that confounded the intelligentsia and dunce circles alike for centuries: "What do you get when you match Ruins with a Sax?"
- Examinations of hieroglyphic cartouches were non committal ("What does the "flamingo" sign mean again?" cried generations of sand sweepers).
- Encryption coders worked diligently for years, and in 1971 a decommissioned WWII enigma rotor machine found in a landfill in Idaho inexplicably spat out what was thought to have been the solution (it ended up just being a lost cassette recording hybrid of donkeys screwing and Donkey Kong noises; "Donkey Dong" is now the number one download in 47 countries).
- An obsessed Howard Hughes, high school puzzling teams, the mythical, made-up Seven Summit Dwelling Society (SSDS) of Kilimanjaro, and even I have struggled with trying to figure out the quandary -- but to no avail (most of the TMT co-workers I asked to help quickly suffered from a strange case of being "fuckin' bored with this shit").
The true answer, unveiled officially today, is "Sax Ruins!" Simplicity at its best!
Musically, Sax Ruins is a bit more complicated, but in the best, basest, noisesome way. Ruins' Tatsuya Yoshida (drums) and Nagoya-based Ono Ryoko on alto sax unleash their debut album today on Ipecac Recordings. Although originally formed a couple of years ago to perform Ruins compositions, Yawiquo is the duo's debut and contains 17 songs, some of which are, in fact, interpretive renditions of Ruins' past ruins. It's not so hard to understand, is it?
Yoshida needs little introduction in the freeprogjazzpunk world, having been playing and playing with a vast number of luminaries over a long and distinguished career. Ryoko, on the other hand, has been making waves in improvisational circles due to her adventurous embracing of styles and collaborators (most notably Acid Mothers Temple), her Ryorchestra project, her adoption of techniques like circular breathing (just like Kenny G!), and the creation of her own "Language R" compositional notation. Initial bewilderment aside, the only mystery now is why you are still reading this story instead of hearing the album. Go forth, young sound solvers!
Sax Ruins...nothing! Yawiquo trax:
1. Korromda Peimm
2. Zurna Taksim
3. Hyderomastgroningem
4. Czerudmuntzail
5. Snare
6. Pallaschtom
7. Zworrisdeh
8. Komnigriss
9. Nivaftoppftz
10. Gravestone
11. Znohjmo
12. Jallamjikko
13. Bupphairodazz
14. Epigonen
15. Pig Brag Crack
16. Djubatczegromm
17. Yawiquo
Pissed Jeans Announce August Tour in Support of Forthcoming LP King of Jeans
By Kat Gardiner on Jul 28 2009

Allentown, PA's Pissed Jeans are set to both release another record and go on tour this August. The album, King of Jeans, will be their second with the Grungeon Masters themselves, Sub Pop, following 2007's Hope for Men (TMT Review).
Check them out like a teenage slacker/stalker via vocalist Matt Korvette's blog.
Tourdates:
08.15.09 - Hollywood CA - Troubadour
08.18.09 - San Francisco CA - Bottom of the Hill
08.20.09 - Portland OR - Satyricon
08.21.09 - Seattle WA - Chop Suey
08.22.09 - Vancouver BC - Media Club
08.29.09 - Philadelphia PA - Pi Lam (Record Release Party!)
King of Jeans tracklisting:
1. False Jesii Part 2
2. Half Idiot
3. Dream Smotherer
4. Pleasure Race
5. She Is Science Fiction
6. Request for Masseuse
7. Human Upskirt
8. Lip Ring
9. Spent
10. R-Rated Movie
11. Dominate Yourself
12. Goodbye (Hair)
Saddle Creek Latest Geographic Takeover: Lawrence, Kansas’ Old Canes (project of Appleseed Cast’s Chris Crisci)
By Annapocalypse on Jul 28 2009
Remember back before 2001 when Saddle Creek was all “Yo, is your band not from the epicenter of awesomeness, a.k.a. Omaha?! Well, don’t bother sending in a demo, because we don’t sign outsiders, man!” Apparently once the label woke up and realized great bands do indeed exist outside the confines of the Cornhusker State, it has been branching out quite a bit, even signing several bands from Canada. Here is their progress thus far:
- Georgia: Now It’s Overhead
- North Carolina: Sorry About Dresden, Eric Bachmann
- Kansas: Old Canes
- California: Rilo Kiley, Two Gallants
- Washington, D.C.: Georgie James
- Montreal: Land of Talk
- Toronto: Tokyo Police Club, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Sebastien Grainger
Meanwhile, Old Canes, Saddle Creek’s newest geographic acquisition, will release their sophomore album Feral Harmonic October 20. Old Canes may sound familiar to Appleseed Cast fans out there, as AC singer/guitarist Chris Crisci is the primary force behind the band. Their first album Early Morning Hymns was released on Second Nature Recordings in 2004 and is available for purchase in the Saddle Creek webstore right now.
Feral Harmonic tracklisting:
1. Intro
2. Little Bird Courage
3. The Last Collapse
4. Trust
5. Next Flood
6. Sweet
7. Under
8. I Will Be The Sun
9. Stuck
10. Flower Faces
11. Black Hill Chapel
12. Southern Radio
Minneapolis Proposes to Ban 18+ Shows Due to Binge Drinking Concerns
By Brom on Jul 28 2009
At a time of economic recession, one would think politicians should be promoting business as much as possible. Minneapolis City Councilwoman Lisa Goodman, on the other hand, has decided now would be a good time to tackle the scourge of underage binge drinking by suggesting restrictions on 18+ events. According to City Pages, this would leave two options for venues around Minneapolis: “dry shows for the all-ages crowd or 21+ shows where the booze flows freely.”
Of course, this has left club owners and managers in outrage with John Barlow, managing partner at downtown Minneapolis’ newest event complex, Epic, claiming that they would "lose anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 per month and would close if this law goes into effect." Nevertheless, there are significant public health concerns amongst lawmakers in the city where last February the Public Health Advisory Committee failed to get the City Council to ban reckless drink promotions within Minneapolis. Goodman says “I just don't know how I can in good faith look at these public-health people and tell them we don't propagate youth access to alcohol when we allow 18-year-olds into bars where 21-year-olds can pass them alcohol. If I don't do something to address this now, I'm going to face something far more onerous."
Indeed, while the city would undoubtedly lose revenue if the law passes, there is also the impact on health services with drunkenness fueling violent behaviour and excessive alcohol consumption causing liver diseases. However, according to a Washington University School of Medicine study published this month, binge drinking is in decline. A student at the University of Minnesota, Parker Jones, reckons that there isn’t much of a problem with drinking inside clubs and asks "Why penalize the many of us who like to go out and hear good music because of a few people who would drink too much in any situation?"
Here at Tiny Mix Tapes we are also concerned about the impact of binge drinking on Minneapolis’ youth. This is why, with our famous Minneapolis resident Mr P, we are launching a campaign to ban alcohol at all concert venues and to instead make weed available for purchase. Think about it: no drunken fights, no liver problems, no wasted morons spoiling shows with their drunken antics... just young people, like, totally flippin’ out to some awesome music.
Mount Eerie Sets Dates for Wind’s Poem Tour, No Date Yet Set for MISSOULA MONTANA!!! [CRASH]
By Jon Lorenz on Jul 27 2009

As you've probably already heard about a million times, the new Mount Eerie record, Wind's Poem, is influenced by black metal and Twin Peaks (TMT News). That's old news, right? Well, here's an update then! Now that the new record has a firm release date of August 18 (which can be ordered now through P.W. Elverum & Sun), Mr. Phil Elverum -- a.k.a. The Microphones, a.k.a. Mount Eerie, a.k.a. Mr Black Metal Enthusiast -- is hitting the road with some "not so black metal" bands, playing select cities with variations of tour buddies, including WHY?, No Kids, Karl Blau, and Tara Jane O'Neil. No Kids will bring the evil and double as Phil's backing band for most of the dates. Expect gongs, walls of amps, and multiple drummers! They will also be doing a very special Halloween show at the Market Hotel in New York with brutal death metal band Liturgy and one more unannounced band.
Before the evil begins, Phil will do a few dates in Canada with pals Calvin Johnson and Julie Dorion, as well as playing a few festivals, including the Transfigurations Festival (TMT News) with Bonnie Prince Billy, Akron/Family, Kurt Vile, and more.
In case you haven't bought Wind's Poem, you might be lucky enough to find a a nice little advertisement on the left hand side of your screen. Click it!
Now let's see if Phil and his No Kids can pull off the evil corpse paint look:
07.31.09 - Sackville, New Brunswick - Sappy Fest
08.05.09 - Charlottetown, PE - TBA
08.06.09 - Halifax, NS - North Street Church!
08.08.09 - St. John's, Newfoundland - George Street United Church
08.13.09 - Asheville, NC - Transifugurations^
09.18.09 - Portland, OR - Backspace$
09.19.09 - Nevada City, CA - TBA
09.20.09 - Oakland, CA - Lobot$
09.24.09 - Eugene, OR - Agate Hall at U of O$
09.25.09 - Olympia, WA - Northern$
10.05.09 - Oak Harbor, WA - Oak Harbor Library
10.13.09 - Anacortes, WA - Department of Safety*
10.14.09 - Seattle, WA - Vera Project+
10.15.09 - Portland, OR - Wonder ballroom+
10.17.09 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall+
10.18.09 - Reno, NV - TBA
10.19.09 - Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court#
10.20.09 - Denver, CO - Rhinoceropolis#
10.21.09 - Springfield, MO - TBA
10.22.09 - Lexington, KY - Red Mile Round Barn~
10.23.09 - Charlottesville, VA - TBA
10.24.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Haverford College~
10.31.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Market Hotel@
11.02.09 - New York, NY - TBA
11.04.09 - Cincinnati, OH - Art Damage Lodge~
11.06.09 - Bloomington, IN - Banneker Community Center~
11.07.09 - Chicago, IL - TBA
11.08.09 - Madison, WI - TBA
11.09.09 - Iowa City, IA - Public Space One~
! Calvin Johnson, Julie Doiron, Rick White, and Calm Down It's Monday
~ No Kids and Tara Jane O'Neil
$ No Kids, Karl Blau, and Tara Jane O'Neil
+ WHY? and No Kids
* WHY?
# No Kids
@ Liturgy, No Kids, and Tara Jane O'Neil
^ Akron/Family, Bonnie Prince Billy, Espers, Kurt Vile, The Books, Brightblack Morning Light, etc