Plus Ça Change, Plus Tindersticks Announce North American Tourdates
By David Nadelle on 02-13-2009
A one-bedroom flat in Paris, 14th arrondisement. A man enters the apartment, sheds his skin, and looks at his face in the toaster. "Did we create toast in order to use this toaster or did toast create this toaster or did toast create God?" he asks. "No matter." He hovers over a bleached vulture's carcass and checks on the never-ending checkers game sitting atop an apple; rat droppings (black) are beating albino rat droppings (white) by a considerable margin. He sighs and looks solemnly at the paint-by-numbers portrait of a frowning widow that lies on the ground, doubling as a shoe tree. His vision moves 47 cm to the right and he sees his lover splayed out, holding a half-drained bottle of sleeping pills in her left tentacle. A stream of blood flows curiously from her mouth. She smiles then breaks into a loud laugh. "Les Sticks de Tinder are playing some shows in March and I cannot keep this silly smile off my face," she squeals. "Cut!” screams the director. "It is not 'Les Sticks de Tinder' it is 'Tindersticks!' And we simply cannot advance with this, this...this smiling!"
Bah, even the lamest turd of a screenplay deserves a soundtrack, but I doubt moody scene makers Tindersticks would want to save this garbage. However, if anyone could transform the above into box office gold, they surely could. Cinematically speaking, the reborn Tindersticks do it better than most. In the past they have contributed the soundtracks to two Claire Denis films, Nénette et Boni and Trouble Every Day. In the present they have contributed the soundtracks to two Claire Denis films, 35 Rhums and White Material, both of which may be released widely this year. We are keeping our fingers crossed that both the films and their accompanying soundtrack albums do. Until it is possible to pick up either of these sure-fire hits, you may get the rare chance to see the band play live. Being the continental types that they are, Tindersticks are now playing some shows in Europe but will set sail for America at the beginning of March to play, sadly, only nine metropolitan areas. The core trio of David Boulter, Neil Fraser, and Stuart A. Staples will be assisted by Terry Edwards (brass), Dan McKinna (bass), Andrew Nice (cello), and probably Thomas Belhom (drums), who is missing the European shows due to illness. Tindesticks latest album is The Hungry Saw, which was released in September by Constellation.
Tout sweet!
02.13.09 - Lisbon, Portugal - Coliseum
02.14.09 - Porto, Portugal - Casa da Musica
02.16.09 - Malaga, Spain - Teatro Cervantes
02.18.09 - Istanbul, Turkey - CRR Concert Hall
02.20.09 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Principal Club
02.21.09 - Athens, Greece - Badminton
03.04.09 - Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live
03.05.09 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
03.06.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Masonic Temple
03.07.09 - Boston, MA - SomervilleTheatre
03.09.09 - Montréal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
03.10.09 - Toronto, Ontario - Opera House
03.12.09 - Chicago, IL - Epiphany Episcopal Church
03.13.09 - Los Angeles, CA - Henry Fonda Theatre
03.15.09 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
No Date for Valentine’s Day Yet? Matt Pinfield Wants You!
By Annapocalypse on 02-13-2009
Every year around Valentine’s Day, singles join together across the country to commiserate their pain of not having a significant other with which to share Hallmark’s biggest manufactured holiday. If you’re one of those singles, Matt Pinfield -- former host of MTV's 120 Minutes -- wants you to know that he feels your pain. In fact, he feels your pain so much that he’s willing to go on a special Valentine’s Day date with you!
Time Out New York is running a “Dating in NYC” feature right now, where you can choose from a list of “Hot NY singles” and solicit them for a date. Basically, it’s a giant list of random New Yorkers who are lonely and have nothing better to do than, uh, date other random people from the internet. But, if you happen to like historical movies, eating out, and the arts, then Matt Pinfield may just be the man for you! Although, I think I just found the perfect man for me. Sorry, Matt!
Give the Gift of Music You Can All Agree On; Go See Meg Baird
By Kat Gardiner on 02-13-2009
Don't know what to get your girlfriend for Valentine's Day? Have you been searching for that perfect musical gift that they would truly love and won't drive you insane like that new Sara Bareilles song? Good news for you; Meg Baird is going on tour. With her debut album Dear Companion released in 2007, Baird, dreamy and talented, seems to have proved old Ricky Nelson wrong -- you can please everyone. More famous for being a lead vocalist of psyche-shoegazing band Espers, Baird's solo music seems to almost channel John Fahey and Nick Drake, producing less pure psychedelia and more ethereal vocals than she does with her band. In fact, I have yet to find anyone who likes singer/songwriters and who hasn't been pleased with her (especially among the ladies). Listen to "The Waltz of the Tennis Players" and you'll know what I'm talking about. Oh, and did I mention she's not Norah Jones, yet?
Here are her tourdates (with James Blackshaw):
03.02.09 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie
03.03.09 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
03.04.09 - New York City, NY - Le Poisson Rouge
03.05.09 - Boston, MA - Brattle Theatre
03.07.09 - Brooklyn, NY - Issue Project Room
03.08.09 - New Haven, CT - BAR
New Sonic Youth Album Details, We Haz Them; Producer Agnello Weighs in on the Album
By Heidi Vanderslice on 02-13-2009
Sonic Youth are back with their 384,204,489th album, and I am more than okay with that, and you should be too. Titled The Eternal, the album marks Sonic Youth's triumphant return to the indie world, as it's set for release on Matador. It also features the chops of veteran rock producer John Agnello, who worked on 2006's barn-burner, Rather Ripped.
Laid down during November and December of last year in Hoboken at Echo Canyon West Studios, The Eternal breaks more creative ground than your average bear, almost as if saying “sayonara” to Geffen made ’em let their hair down more than usual. Kim, Thurston, and Lee sing together for the first time in recorded SY history, and well, shit -- considering their gigantic stack o' records, I'd say that's pretty significant. We've also got the first tracks ever recorded in a studio by former Pavement/Dustdevils bassist Mark Ibold, who's only been a live component until now.
I spoke briefly with producer John Agnello, who seems in awe of his (and the band's) own handiwork, saying, "This is the record I wished I could have made with them throughout the nineties. Which proves all things come to he who waits. The magic they created in the studio together tracking was unparalleled to anything I've seen before. Some of these songs are already SY favorites to me." Which is a pretty bold statement, as Sonic Youth have created about a zillion masterpieces in their 28-year career. But hey, he's heard the record and I haven't, so I trust him.
The Eternal drops on June 9, but you can get it sooner with a special Buy Early Get Now deal, which Matador will be announcing down the pike.
In the meantime, SY fans in Germany and Brooklyn should be totally stoked about shows in their areas, but if that's not your jam, you can read about some of the many (many, many) projects they're working on here. Quantity AND quality, you betcha.
The Eternal tracklisting:
1. Sacred Trickster
2. Anti-Orgasm
3. Leaky Lifeboat (for Gregory Corso)
4. Antenna
5. What We Know
6. Calming The Snake
7. Poison Arrow
8. Malibu Gas Station
9. Thunderclap For Bobby Pyn
10. No Way
11. Walkin Blue
12. Massage The History
