Still Punk Rockin’ at Age 50, Bill Bragg Set to Go on Lengthy Tour
By J.E. Williams on Sep 9 2008
Punk rock folkster Billy Bragg has announced a 32-date tour set to kick off September 25 in Paris that'll eventually venture into the United States mid-October and finally back to Europe in November for another leg. Bragg released his 12th studio album, Mr. Love & Justice, in March of this year and has been on the road ever since, migrating back and forth from Europe to the United States. A friend’s father once told me he saw Bragg in the early ’80s, and it was one of the only concerts he can clearly remember in the past 30 years. Hopefully, Bragg’s live performance is still a memorable one. More importantly, I hope my friend’s father has overcome his drinking problem.
Billy Bragg tourdates:
John Darnielle Reveals Two New Mountain Goats EPs and, Coincidentally, The Path to My Heart
By Tiffani Harcrow on Sep 9 2008
John Darnielle, you coy wordsmith, you nimble-tongued tormentor of my soul. You thought that you were simply informing your admiring public of two new slammin’ EPs and an upcoming tour with guitar virtuoso Kaki King, but John, you revealed so much more. For one instant in time, our interwebbed e-souls were one.
The ostensible reason for Darnielle’s recent post on Pitchfork was to announce two new Mountain Goats EPs arriving on Horse & Buggy Press — (1) the limited-edition (666 copies!) double 7-inch Satanic Messiah available only at Mountain Goats shows or digitally through the trendy pay-what-you-want model (TMT News) and (2) the Scott Solter-produced Black Pear Tree split with tourmate Kaki King — but the true motivation for the posting was, of course, the disclosure of Darnielle’s Flickr account and the disclosure of my heart’s fondest desires.
John Darnielle, after perusing your photostream a couple (of dozen) times, I saw through your feeble charade of “selling albums” and “gaining publicity,” and I saw into your delicate, Satan-obsessed soul. John, I too love inscrutable tofu dishes. And as a matter of fact, I also have quite the soft spot for sleepy cats and cheese-covered extruded snacks. And if you would only come through Georgia on your Last Happy Night of Your Life tour, we could indulge our twin passions together, as God intended.
Satanic Messiah tracklist:
* Kaki King
New Monuments – Noise Supergroup – Kick Off U.S. Tour
By Kenny Bloggins on Sep 8 2008
Minimalist psych overlord, violin ripper, darling of The Wire magazine,
and owner of Tony Conrad's entire catalog C Spencer Yeh (of Cincinnati's Burning Star Core) is teaming up with Borbetomagus-founder/Wolf Eyes-buddy Don Dietrich and snare-shredder Ben Hall of Graveyards for a scalp-scalding noise supergroup called New Monuments. For the group, Dietrich provides the gnarly sax textures, while Hall brings the rhythm tip -- Yeh, as always, comes correct with his mighty orchestral strings fed through myriad effects processors.
New Monuments kick off their inaugural tour this week in Brooklyn for a brief but nonetheless, um, monumental tour. As with most noise tours, the majority of the venues are untraditional (yet intimate) stops -- book shops, community centers, et al. -- and colleges. Unlike noise's most popular acts right now, New Monuments dabble more in improv and free jazz than straight power electronics, challenging your conception of music more than challenging your tympanic fortitude.
% Oa, Carlos Giffoni-Okkyung Lee, Nancy Garcia-Biba Bell, DJ Steve Loewenthal
@ Howie Stelzer, Heathen Shame, Jason Lescalleet/Bhob Rainey
^ Joe McPhee, Paul Flaherty, Chris Corsano Trio
* Herons
! John Wiese, Kudler/Fraser Duo, Morally Gray
$ Emeralds
( Chris Riggs
& Spykes, Uneven Universe
Lightning Bolt Tour the World, But Inevitably Discover What They Were Searching For Was Right There Sitting Next To Them Jerking Off
By Mango Starr on Sep 8 2008
Why is there so much secrecy about masturbation? Everyone does it, but most people keep their techniques a closely guarded secret. Here, for the first time, you have access to hundreds of men and women, candidly sharing their first-hand stories. Learn their styles, techniques, hints, and tips.
But first! Quotes about Lightning Bolt from the press:
- "They’re viciously technical and brilliantly retarded and they’ve made my ears bleed on no less than three occasions." --Stylus
- "What blessed bastardry is this? It's bloody brilliant, that's what it is." --Playlouder
- "So it seems that Lightning Bolt have managed to do what many would have deemed impossible: They've created a hard rock album centered around the bass that doesn't suck." --Pitchfork
- "If what this drums-and-bass duo does with infernal noise is your thing, you're a pretty happy camper." --Entertainment Weekly
- "Stellar noise pollution." --Mojo
- "Underneath all the scuzz and spasm, though, they're a groove band, hustling a hard-edged experimentalism you don't have to work hard to enjoy." --Village Voice
- "When I play this behemoth of a record, all of my relativistic critical bullshit goes bye-bye." --Tiny Mix Tapes
No new album, yet. Sorry:
* USAISAMONSTER
$ Shellac and Pissed Jeans
Atmosphere’s Slug and Ant Hit the Road to Paint the Nation Gold… With Their Lemons?
By Jenn on Sep 8 2008
Atmosphere, made up of frontman Slug and DJ Ant, will hit the road September 10 in support of their newest LP, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. Joining the group on the "Paint The Nation" tour are special guests Abstract Rude, Blueprint, and DJ Rare Groove.
The tour will probably hit a city near you -- just be sure to stay tuned for the second leg of tourdates.
