Funnyman Phil Elverum shows that he’s still “got it” with Mount Eerie’s Song Islands Vol. 2!
By E. Nagurney on Aug 16 2010
The people have spoken: Phil Elverum is America’s greatest funnyman! After being separately named “Comedian of the Year” by Chicago’s Yuk Hut and Fort Wayne’s Snickerz, it should be clear that Phil Elverum is the funniest man in the country. Of course, us true believers, the ones who got into him through his classic stand-up album The Glow Pt. II (#5 on our decade list, by the way) and last year’s hilarious Mount Eerie record Wind’s Poem (TMT Review), we’ve known this for some time. So, in appreciation of us Elverum diehards, the man is collecting some of his funniest rare material as Mount Eerie for a new collection called Song Islands Vol. 2. The record is out digitally via eMusic right now and will be out on LP (which I believe stands for “laughter producer”) on October 21 through P.W. Elverum & Sun, ltd.
For the record, my favorite Elverum bit is the one where a wall of distorted noise gives way to a delicate guitar and his hushed voice. Hilarious!
Song Islands Vol. 2 tracklist:
01. Where?
02. Calf in Pasture
03. The Intimacy
04. I Whale
05. O My Heart
06. Instrumental
07. Where Is My Tarp?
08. Don’t Smoke
09. Get Off the Internet
10. Cooking
11. Give Totally Up
12. Do Not Be Afraid
13. Voice in Headphones (singers)
14. Cold Mountain
15. Cold Mountain’s Song #286
16. Heart Lake at Night
17. You Turn Me On
18. A Sentimental Song
19. Mystery Language
20. Waterfalls
21. This Is the Same Ocean
22. In the Rain
23. In Moonlight
24. Thanksgiving
25. Instrumental
26. Uncertainty
27. Limp Climbing
28. Grave Robbers
29. Lost Wisdom
30. (Wind Lyrics)
31. Small House
• P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd.: http://www.pwelverumandsun.com
Black Francis is weird, is white, has promised to add more acoustic shows
By Nobodaddy on Aug 11 2010
Black Francis (a.k.a. Frank Black, a.k.a. Charles Thompson IV, a.k.a. “Sugarbear”) is perhaps best known as the frontman for the veteran indie-rock poster-band known as Pavement. He is perhaps known second-best-ish-ly well as the honey-voiced man behind those famous 1980s Golden Crisp cereal commercials. Given all of this notoriety, it is sometimes hard to remember that Mr. Francis is also a talented singer/songwriter in his own right (his latest release, NonStopErotik is available now on Cooking Vinyl).
Next week, Frank will force us all to reckon with his solo-artist status on a small tour, during which he will perform a very unique and memorable selection of songs from his 20-year career, including “Cut Your Hair,” “Two Headed Boy, Pt. 1,” “Lady Picture Show,” and fan-favorite “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Francis will also be joined on-stage at many of these shows by his friend and former collaborator Eric Drew Feldman, with whom he most notably co-produced Tripping Daisy’s 1998 smash album Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb. The two of them also have some connection or another to a band listed on Wikipedia as “The Pixies.” Hey, I remember them. They did that “Possum Kingdom” song, didn’t they? Man, the 90s were rad.
Black Francis tourdates:
08.15.10 - Big Sur, CA - Henry Miller Library Outdoors **
08.16.10 - Santa Barbara-Goleta, CA - Mercury Lounge **
08.17.10 - Visalia, CA - Cellar Door **
08.18.10 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall **
08.19.10 - Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery **
08.20.10 - Portland, OR - Portland Zoo **
08.21.10 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door (2 shows) **
08.22.10 - Vancouver, BC - Malkin Bowl **
09.02.10 - Wellfleet, MA - Beachcomber
09.03.10 - New York City, NY - Joe’s Pub
09.04.10 - New York City, NY - Joe’s Pub
** Eric Drew Feldman
• Black Francis: http://www.blackfrancis.net
• Cooking Vinyl: http://www.cookingvinyl.com
[Photo: Angie Garrett]
From Soft Metals to world: synth is sexy. Also from Soft Metals: debut EP, tour
By Erika H on Aug 11 2010
Good synth just brings people together. It’s like bringing a hearty casserole to a dinner party where everybody else made Jello molds and Waldorf salad. At least, maybe that’s how Ian Hicks and Patricia Hall felt when they started making music together as Soft Metals (and consequently fell in love, so the story goes — I know I always get lonely when listening to The Minimal Wave Tapes).
On August 10, Soft Metals are releasing their debut through Captured Tracks, a 12-inch EP entitled The Cold World Melts (aptly named — this stuff is fiery). There are five pulsating, Italo disco-inflected tracks, apparently the first five that the duo has to offer. Their own repertoire may be limited (with boundless influences, as long as it includes analog synth), but that’s not stopping them from going on tour for a few shows in the last warm months of summer. Let’s just hope that this soft metal turns out to be gold.
The Cold World Melts tracklisting:
01. Love or Music
02. The Cold World Melts
03. Voices
04. Métaux Mous
05. Another Goodbye
Tourdates:
08.13.10 - Portland, OR - Holocene
08.29.10 - Portland, OR - Holocene (EP release party)
09.09.10 - San Francisco, CA - The Knockout *
09.10.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Show Cave *
09.11.10 - Mexico City, MX - Yautepec Gallery *
09.23.10 - New York City, NY - The Cake Shop
09.24.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Bruar Falls
* Jewels of the Nile
• Soft Metals: http://www.myspace.com/softmetals
• Captured Tracks: http://www.capturedtracks.com
[Photo: Deneb Catalan]
RIP: Chris Dedrick of The Free Design
By Shane Mack on Aug 11 2010
From LA Weekly:
Chris Dedrick, leader and songwriter of the cult group the Free Design, died on Friday, according to his website.
The Free Design released several soft-pop albums between 1967 and 1972, initially under the mentorship of easy-listening legend Enoch Light. The jazz-inflected, subtle tunes composed by Dedrick (who led the vocal trio of siblings) plus similarly-arranged covers stood in sharp contrast to the heavy rock and psychedelics inclinations of the day.
• Chris Dedrick: http://chrisdedrick.com
The Vaselines extend tour, are way too old
By Harold Shueberg on Aug 11 2010
Hey, The Vaselines are releasing a new album. Do you care? You might! And if so, this is for you. You might be thinking to yourself, “Didn’t TMT already announce that The Vaselines were going on tour?” We all casually and absent-mindedly considered the fact that they would probably extend their tour outside of the UK — I stress the casually part. Because, fuck, you can’t just release an album in the late 80s that only got press because some now-dead guy played your song on MTV 16 years ago, then release an album 20 years later and expect people to give a shit. Or can you??
Listen to the title track “Sex with an X” at the Chocolate Grinder.
So yeah: they’re extending their tour to include US and Canada dates.
09.15.10 - Edinburgh, UK - Bongo Room
09.16.10 - Newcastle, UK - Other Rooms
09.17.10 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social
09.18.10 - Liverpool, UK - O2 Academy Liverpool
09.19.10 - Cardiff, UK - Millennium Music Hall
09.20.10 - Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms
09.21.10 - Bristol, UK - Thekla Social
09.22.10 - London, UK - The Scala
09.23.10 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute
09.24.10 - Glasgow, UK - Oran Mor
10.02.10 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
10.03.10 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
10.05.10 - Boston, MA - Paradise
10.06.10 - New York City, NY - Webster Hall
10.07.10 - Mexico City, Mexico - Vive Cuervo Salon
10.08.10 - Mexico City, Mexico - Vive Cuervo Salon
10.09.10 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Teatro Estudio Cavaret
10.11.10 - Carrboro, NC - Cats Cradle
10.12.10 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
10.13.10 - New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
10.14.10 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live - Ballroom
10.15.10 - Dallas, TX - The Loft
10.16.10 - Austin, TX - Emo’s
10.19.10 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theater
10.20.10 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
10.23.10 - Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
10.24.10 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
10.27.10 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity
10.28.10 - Lincoln Hall (IL), Chicago, IL
10.29.10 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
10.30.10 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern
10.31.10 - Montreal, QC - La Sala Rosa
• The Vaselines: http://www.myspace.com/thevaselinesband
• Sub Pop: http://www.subpop.com
