The eclectic duo Fuck Buttons has got a full plate this year. At first we thought their upcoming performance at ATP NY’s birthday party on September 4th was just a fluke kind of thing, but now Fuck Buttons plan to spread their intoxicating electro goodness around the world during an exciting two month long tour starting in early April alongside Factory Floor.
And that’s not all! Fuck Buttons also has a brand new 12” single entitled Olympians which will come out on April 12th via ATP Recordings. The three track single includes remixes by Spiritualized’s J. Spaceman and Suicide’s Alan Vega and even has a totally mesmerizing and ultra trippy cover to boot! Just scroll down and have a looksie; we’ve got a full tracklisting of Olympians and the aforementioned dates. Olympians’ stellar cover is to your right.
Olympians Tracklist: 01. Olympians 02. Olympians (Spaceman vs The Olympians) – Remix by J. Spaceman 03. Rough Steez (White Hot Heat Remix) – Remix by Alan Vega
Fuck Buttons 2010 Tour Dates: 04/09 – Rotterdam, NL @ Nighttown (Motel Mozaique Festival) 04/10 – Kortrijk, BE @ De Kreun 04/11 – Brussels, BE @ AB (Domino Fest) 04/20 – London, UK @ Koko London * 04/21 – Bristol, UK @ The Trinity Centre * 04/22 – Manchester, UK @ Club Academy * 04/23 – Leeds, UK @ TJs Woodhouse Club * 04/24 – Scotland, UK @ The Arches * 04/29 – Krems, AT @ Donau Festival 05/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour 05/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall 05/13 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge 05/14 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret 05/15 – Victoria, BC @ Sugar Nightclub 05/16 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey 05/19 – Toronto, ON @ Legendary Horseshoe Tavern 05/20 – Montreal QC @ Il Motore 05/21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 05/27 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Festival 06/17-20 – Barcelona, ES @ Sonar Festival 09/04 – Monticello, NY @ ATP New York
Near the beginning of The White Stripes‘ documentary Under Great White Northern Lights, Jack White describes his reasons for the band’s epic 2007 tour of Canada:
Having never done a tour of Canada, Meg and I thought it was high time to go whole hog…from the ocean to the permafrost…We wanted to play out of the way towns that don’t usually get shows…the shows are better, it’s better for the people, it’s a better experience, it’s way more unique, something interesting is going to happen…hopefully.
These are fantastic reasons and an admirable goal: playing for their fans that may not be able to travel hundreds of miles to see one of their shows. But it was not only that. The White Stripes also played free spur of the moment shows in each town they stopped in so that not only could their fans see them, but also they could see them for free in a park or a bar or a bowling alley. Respect and loyalty to fans are things I enjoy most about bands. If I love a group, then see them live, and they’re dicks, I don’t enjoy the music as much. The same is true the other way around. If I am only moderately a fan, and then see someone live being incredibly gracious to fans, I am instantly hooked (case in point: Andrew WK).
In Under Great White Northern Lights you see a lot more than just a devotion to fans. You get an inward glance on a band that is otherwise private and closed off—even if it is just a passing glance. That passing glance, however, was enough for me to see the band in a completely different light than I had in the past—and it isn’t always the best light.
First off, I have been a pretty big supporter of most all things Jack White. I really enjoy The White Stripes, The Raconteurs have some solid songs, The Dead Weather kind of creep me out but are good, and White’s work on the newest James Bond theme is incredible. I really enjoyed this documentary, not only as a chronicle of The White Stripes’ tour, but also as a chronicle of the band’s 10-years together. Also, the concert footage is amazing. Director Emmett Malloy does an incredible job of mixing digital shots with 16mm shots to compliment the band’s high-energy stage show, and also to create some amazing quiet, introspective moments with just White and his drummer/ex-wife Meg White.
I will say this: If you aren’t a huge fan of The White Stripes in general and/or think Jack White is kind of a full-of-himself-prick, you probably won’t like this documentary. I have read a lot of interviews with White and I know that he can come off as pretty egotistical and self-involved. I can imagine that if I had the same amount of talent and determination I would come off as the same…but that’s beside the point and I can’t condone that kind of attitude. This documentary doesn’t do much to help that image of White, but it does help a little.
White has his moments of humor and light-heartedness, and there are some amazing scenes between he and Meg joking around and prodding each other that are highly entertaining, leaving you to forget about the ego that is Jack White. Where the humor slides back and the ego comes out are mostly during the interview portions of the movie—with Malloy laying in the background on a bed in an old hunting shack while Jack and Meg sit in front of the camera in the foreground answering questions. And by Jack and Meg answering questions, I mean Jack talking at length and Meg sitting by his side, smiling, hair in her face, quiet, laughing at his jokes…her usual place. But I’ll come back to Meg later on.
When Jack is at his worst (which still isn’t so bad…I mean he’s no Billy Corgan) is when he’s answering questions about the band and their image. White spends a good portion of time defending himself and Meg from critics who say everything in the band is premeditated, that they are just a gimmick, and that they are just a “flash in the pan.” At times he makes good points, especially in regards to being a “flash in the pan.” White states that they must be doing something right and they should be past that moniker since they are on their sixth studio album and still going strong. However, when it comes to talking about things being premeditated, he seems to move into a braggart mode that just made me roll my eyes. Things like how the band doesn’t make set lists, and how White makes things purposefully difficult for himself so he can “keep learning”—even going as far as to moving his organs and pianos just far enough away so he has to reach a little farther to play them on stage (but as my friend pointed out after viewing the movie: White does that but also has multiple microphones on stage so he is never more than a head turn away from having his voice heard). But again, it isn’t that bad. There are bigger egos with less talent spouting off on a more regular basis than Jack White. I didn’t let this distract me from the amazing footage.
Oh and he still claims, despite concrete evidence otherwise, that he and Meg are brother and sister. I mean…come on. We have seen your marriage license.
Which brings me back to my earlier note on Meg White, and also other things that aren’t in the best light. So I know that Meg isn’t the greatest drummer in the world. It’s obvious. Everyone notices it, but she works in the aesthetic of the band and I always thought that she and Jack work together well. Here is where the movie made me rethink everything. About halfway through, during a scene where Jack and Meg walk across the frozen tundra of northern Canada, to which Jack is in front and Meg is behind keeping up, I began feeling incredibly sorry for Meg. Throughout the movie, she is doting on his every word, smiling at him, following his orders, and being his right hand girl in everything.
There were key points that made me feel this way for sure. One point were all the scenes of them walking around and him always leading the way. Also with those are the scenes where they are interviewing together. Meg rarely says anything during the film. When she does, she is poorly mic’d so all her words are subtitled. At one point, Jack comments on how everyone says he never allows her to talk. He looks to Meg, and says, “Go on and tell them that isn’t true.” She begins to say something and Jack interrupts her, and once he allows her to talk, she just says, “I’m just a quiet person. I’m shy.” She starts to explain further and he interrupts again and doesn’t ever let her finish.
Another point is their interactions on stage together. They do work well together, yes, but it is through Jack’s orders. There are many scenes of them on stage and Jack barking orders at Meg between and even during songs. At one point he even says over the microphone, “Let’s play this one faster Meg,” and after the show talks about how he felt weird during the show, that everything felt off, and that the tempos felt off. All the while, Meg just sits around smoking saying, “I thought it all sounded fine.” It was a sort of awkward moment between them that I’m sure Malloy left in to show their interactions and also to make Jack out to be a perfectionist. To me, it just came off as unnecessarily critical and sort of a passive aggressive slight at Meg.
The final and ultimate scene that supported my sorrow for Meg was at the very end of the film. The last part of the movie is covering The White Stripes tenth anniversary show near the end of their tour. It is a triumphant gig for the band with shots of their first show ever, celebrating backstage before the show, and a final dance between Jack and Meg on stage after the show. The pain comes in the next scene, the final scene, where Jack and Meg are sitting in a studio in one of many scenes of the two of them in a small room while Jack plays music. The difference is in this particular scene Jack is playing “White Moon” off of their newest album Icky Thump on a piano, and as the scene goes on you notice Meg crying. It keeps going for a few more minutes of Jack playing and Meg sitting on the piano bench next to him crying. Not just a few tears either. She is on the verge of a full fledge sob session. Jack finishes the song, looks over to her, gives her a hug, releases, she keeps crying, he hugs her again this time tightly with a kiss on her head. She continues to cry in his arms and then suddenly the title card pops up and the credits role.
That’s it. The scene over. No explanation. No words from either of them just the song and Meg crying her eyes out. It could be that it was just a particularly moving rendition of the song and she really enjoyed it. Could be, but with the rest of the movie behind it, it is a sad scene that sort of tells me this: She still loves him. I don’t want to play counselor or psychiatrist, but with Jack running the show for the last 10 years it makes me wonder. Who initiated the divorce? Jack got remarried, but what has Meg been doing? The White Stripes is all she has while Jack is off playing in other bands, producing albums for Loretta Lynn, and possibly collaborating with Jay-Z. What has Meg been doing? It just makes me feel incredibly sorry for her. Look at it with this in mind, shortly after this Canadian tour the band canceled their US tour due to Meg White’s “acute anxiety” and her inability to travel for the tour. Is that just a spokesperson’s spin? Or Meg’s spin? They did eventually tour after that, but was that scene of her crying a last straw for her? One from which she needed to recover? She did recover, but the band has yet to tour again. She also got married last year…in Jack White’s backyard in Nashville.
None of this takes away from the enjoyment of the movie. Not at all. It is a fantastic documentary and concert film, and I definitely recommend it. However, just be prepared to think about things. Go into it with these thoughts that I’ve laid out in your head, and let me know if you see it too. Go watch it, and comment back on here to let me know if you noticed the same thing. I’m always ready to be told I’ve read too much into it. Maybe it’s just because I secretly love Meg. Call me, Meg.
The initial point of interest for Free Energy’s Stuck On Nothing is that LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy produced the Philadelphia band’s first full-length LP. Aside from that generally important if not superficial detail, the band has a sound that even without the hand of the dance-punk lord gently guiding it along is equal parts hard to categorize and one long, gleeful road trip down rock’s music last 30-some-odd years.
It’s abundantly clear with a lot of their song titles and their band name in general, they’re going for a much more ‘late 60s commune vibe (without being too hippie about it). That level of sheer positivity is abundantly clear throughout the album, especially in that each track maintains a joyous, upbeat swing. But they’re not total flower kids; the synth line in “Light Love” is the definition of finding a groove, albeit in the band’s own pace, and “Hope Child” breaks down and builds up in the weirdest ways imaginable, with the only constant being a transcendental chorus of voices. And a track like “Bang Pop” takes that singing to the Universe vibe, with each instrument informing the call back of the other, and forges it into a blazing pop gem.
Undoubtedly, you’ll hear comparisons to Thin Lizzy (specifically on the mellowed out jammer “Psychic Lightning”, the guitar dominated “Free Energy” and the bigger-than-life bass thump of “Bad Stuff”) and even The Strokes (as with the lonely ballad turned musical kaleidoscope that is “Wild Wind” and “Dark Trance”, the near-perfect Strokes copy that burns out with way more emotion then the NY lads could muster). And rightfully so, but they’re not ones to dwell; they take the music in their own direction, completely unafraid of being over the top or playing it right in line with their idols. The magic of Free Energy is they give you those nostalgic pings without making you feel like something’s being rehashed for the sake of unearthing those beloved musical memories.
Lyrically though, they kind of shine as well. Each of the songs is in the vein of a well-established genre, specifically of the boy meets girl-kind, and every wondrous yet painful feeling and experience that stems thereafter. However, they make it intelligent, insightful, and universally applicable, with lots of creative twists and outright confessionals, all combined with the ease of pure sugar-coated poetry. With a song like “All I Know”, the band highlights specifically downtrodden lyrics with strings and backward guitar, emphasizing the deep heartbreak that fills the entire song. On the other hand, “Dream City” stands tall as a beacon of pure saccharine, though with just as much depth: “When the stars are shining brighter/when your heart is beating lighter/when you love without desire/then you know who you are.”
It’d be easy to call this band a fan of too many genres — lots of ’70s/arena rock alongside some very shiny and well composed pop that’s been treated to a punk sensibility — but they’re so much more than that. For instance, they’re fans of guitar solos, unabashedly declaring their love for simplistic rock music that commands, at the very least, some enthused head nodding. But they also make little decisions that inform the listener of a much deeper musical worldview. Take the saxophone, for example, which appears on more than a couple of tracks. They’re unashamed to explore sounds most bands have avoided and those compositions break through the ambient noise and heavy synths of other acts to paint a colorful and energetic landscape of sheer, giddy fun.
Booo! That’s what you hear Los Angeles indie quintet Local Natives shouting in the beginning of second song and minor “hit” of the album: “Airplanes”. I think no one booed when they released their debut, Gorilla Manor, in the UK back in November 2009. The only reason anyone would have to boo about was that it wasn’t released in the US until February this year. Right from the eminent beginning track “Wide Eyes” you can hear why Local Natives was to be one of the most hyped and praised bands in anticipation of the new decade. I guess the band somehow had their tongues in their cheeks when they were humble enough to boo at themselves in the beginning of “Airplanes”.
The opening song has been widely recognized as one of the group’s finest efforts, and it’s definitely true that “Wide Eyes” is one of the most captivating songs made by a band even remotely associated with the progressively de-centralized term “indie rock” in recent memory. It does not only stand as an apt signature to the sound of Local Natives, but also to the ongoing trend from a slew of bands dabbling their indie rock brushes in various genres to paint a picture that at first look is hopelessly blue. Of course, it’s almost always a little more nuanced than that in the scene of buzzable indie rock, and Local Natives is by far no exception. As a band, they’re also more nuanced than just the sum of their contemporaries and supposed influences.
An emotional depth and baroque undertones are the lowest common denominators Local Natives share with Arcade Fire. The recurring soft, delicate guitar work might resemble Vampire Weekend’s afrobeat plucking, but it could just as well have been compared to that of Real Estate (the soft and resounding guitar on “Wide Eyes”) or Foals (the rather complex patterns of “Sun Hands” for that matter). And if you’re to deduce that every band sporting decorative and expressive vocal harmonies has something to do with Fleet Foxes, you’re kind of on the wrong track. Nope, The Dodos or Grizzly Bear won’t do as reasonable comparisons, either.
Still, there is a reason why Local Native resemble so many bands at a time. Gorilla Manor sounds derivative indeed– derivative enough to appeal to a bigger indie audience. I suspect Local Natives have refrained from compromising with their vision in the sessions at their manor. This debut works so well despite its lack of originality because there’s a sense that Local Natives have been working inwards and out from a certain trend, sound, or genre in contemporary indie rather than having it as a goal. Gorilla Manor awakens the hipster from the early 00’s that was once screaming for authenticity inside us all.
Authenticity is written all over the band. Down-to-earth arrangements bring clattering melodies, rhythms, and harmonies into your mind without overdoing it. They’re downright catchy meets humble choirs delivering earnest lyrics about being young and in a band and whatnot. As you may guess by now, Local Natives should probably sound like home for any indie fan, but I’d like to shatter that pretension immediately. Gorilla Manor is not an album playing safe, calculating inspirations and musical factors to fit into any popular template of the moment. It’s a complete accident it ended up there, fitting perfectly and leading into hype. Local Natives is a bud sprung from its own secluded, protected crack in indie rock.
With that irreproachable foundation the band crafts songs inspiring contemplation that leaves you more confused than dazed. The fleeting memories of sensations and impressions of traveling on second single “Camera Talking”, a sincere longing for a girlfriend conveyed through a webcam chat that is described as “the most beautiful squares I’d ever seen” in “Cubism Dream” or the snapshot story of receiving domestic and world news on the way home in a car in the slowly building “World News” are all charming examples that arouse some compassion in the listener. Like receiving postcards from friends or family, Local Natives deliver short stories or perspectives on more vague and abstract sensations and themes (such as the confusing but alluringly hazy lyrics on the instrumentally impressive “Shape Shifter”) that we cherish and put up on our refrigerators for a while. There are other compelling indie rock albums that have hung in there, reminding us every day since their release as we pass by them of their grand emotional value: Arcade Fire’s Funeral and Sufjan Stevens’ llinoise are two such examples. Gorilla Manor, for all its extremely adequate instrumentation and intelligent-emotional value will not and should not be thrown away and forgotten but instead carefully bundled with other notable efforts and saved in some drawer to be taken out and admired for later.
So, this is still not an album for all indie fans only wanting a safe card to play at home in the background to feel relevant — it’s not the sound of “home” even though the music is easily pigeonholed and close to heart for the fans. The truth is Gorilla Manor is completing a circle, its end leaving a sense of returning home from a trip of the subtlest enlightenment and bittersweet revelations. Just that is a victory in its own right on a fairly unoriginal album where there’s many things to love. But it’s still far from a mindblowing debut.
With musicians like The Watson Twins, it’s easy to forget how young they are. After listening to one of their records, it feels like they’ve been recording for decades, not just four years, but that’s just what timelessness sounds like. The sisters are all grown up now on their third solo LP, Talking to You Talking to Me, adding much needed life to a sound that seemed to struggle slightly to fully grab the attention they deserved. A few years after Jenny Lewis discovered these southern angels, they seem to have finally come into their own. Ms. Lewis must be so proud.
When they burst onto the scene with Lewis’ 2006 debut, Rabbit Fur Coat, they did so in a very fortunate way. With seasoned musicians at the helm, all they had to do was open up those fresh pipes and let out the goods, but that still left them in the background. When it came time for their own debut, they stuck to their southern comfort zone and ended up with a record that didn’t quite have the grip needed to make the huge splash they deserved. Even on the second time around, they seemed to be searching for their own identity, working to separate from the Lewis back-up band credit, and the subsequent record showed it.
With time, things changed, and the twins seem ready now more than ever to show us what they’re made of. The record opens with something familiar, a tapping drum beat and a brighter version of what was “Modern Man”. When the keys of “Harpeth River” hit next, however, the sisters’ newer, sultrier side is introduced. The Zero 7-inspired number is stylish and crisp with guitars working over those ominous and hypnotizing keys.
As for the writing, they have a real knack for clever and biting lyrics, with the brilliant blues of “Midnight” delivering classic lines: “Careful what you wish for/I know the score”. Further down the line, “Devil In You” slaps you with, “Well the devil in you tried to tell me what to do/I don’t think so”, taking you into darker places. Words like those show just how revealing this record can be, and just how brilliant these girls are at writing such straight to the core words with more than fitting music to back it up. The first mentioned doing so with gritty guitars and gospel keys; it’s really the only way to sing of paying the piper. The quiet and longing strums of “Snow Canyons” help them take emotion out of your hands and into theirs, and that’s not something that’s easy to do.
Not all is dark and brooding, however. The Twins spread out much more on this record, touching on their alt-country roots for “Brave One”, and venturing all over the south expanding on what they call the blues with indie rock highlights. The bouncy steady pop rock of “U-N-Me” gives flashbacks to the days with Lewis, and when they hit that chorus at the end, a little Patty Griffin comes out to play. It’s a final track that leaves a lasting impression, and one that gives a fresh start for these girls.
They were shy when they started, but anyone who listened knew that there had to be something bigger and better for The Watson Twins. Talking to You is the step up that moves the sisters from indie rock back-up singers to brilliant singer/songwriters to relish. It’s an album of questions, trials, and timeless Kentucky wit that leaves you breathless at its best moments, and smiling everywhere in between. From the sounds of it, growing up isn’t so bad after all.
After almost 20 years in the business, millions of albums sold, a string of hits, and a concrete place in the forefront of West Coast rap, Sen Dog of Cypress Hill has found himself and his group in an unfamiliar place: New management and representation, a new record deal, and an album offered up to an audience who hasn’t heard a single note from the group in over six years. While the “starting fresh” archetype is normally played out, there’s some fleshy details in the band’s story you may never have expected.
The band’s new album, Rise Up, will be their first with Priority/EMI Records, an imprint headed by someone else in a new place, Snoop Dogg. While Sen said their old label, Columbia, and the old management were clearly not interested in a future with Cypress Hill, he also points out that the six-year gap, the longest in the group’s history between albums, also came from their own decision to take a breather for the sake of the band.
“We reached a burn-off point, where there was no inspiration,” Sen said. “We had to take a detailed look at everything for the benefit of the band. Along the process of it all, you lose focus and it can get as hum-drum as shoveling shit, and with the last album it got to that part, and we came to an end of that run. We had to have people miss Cypress Hill some so we could bring our A-game shit.”
A lot of it though was also Sen’s own feelings regarding their last release. He’s quick to tell you the dark Til Death Do Us Part wasn’t his favorite; in fact, he remarks he couldn’t tell you what was on most of the record. And while a 2008 solo album, Diary of A Mad Dog, was fun, “it wasn’t as fun as it was with Cypress Hill.” With the new album comes that chance to once again get excited about the music.
“We had an agenda of not having an agenda,” Sen said. “We’ve done all that experimental shit, now we want a record that’s fun, exciting and, energetic. It’s a new era of Cypress Hill.”
And the album does show a side of the band not seen in quite some time. An album standout, “Armada Latina” features the unlikeliest of guests: Marc Anthony and Pitbull. The Latin singer and Mr. 305 combine with the band for a song that lives the Latin flavor while still banging along with the vibe of a West Coast summer anthem. It’s largely light and innocent, but with plenty of their trademark grit, and comes across as effortless, just as they intended. But once more, Sen is quick to cut to the core of the issue, letting us know the album isn’t all fun, at least for him.
“People would say, after six years you’re over,” Sen said. “But we’re still the same damn people. We’re still for the legalization of cannabis, but we’re more intelligent about it. We still have an appreciation for music, but now we want to to cross bridges and get the best out of our friendships. We’re poised, after six years, with one of, if not the best albums we’ve ever done.”
One of those friendships is with Tom Morello, who appears on two of the album’s tracks. Sen calls Morello one of the best guitar players in the world, saying that his sound and guidance lets them experiment even further, something they’ve never been one to shy away from. But more than just happy to let him play on the album, Sen said fans “shouldn’t be surprised” if Morello makes a few live appearances when the band hits the road in support of the album’s April 20th release date.
Another friend may be less obvious than the rap-rock-and-beyond guitar virtuoso: Slayer’s Dave Lombardo. Sen and Lombardo, both born in Cuba, were in the same science class in high school. The mere mention of their friendship brings thoughts of insane Hollywood late nights and the glory that would be a collaboration.
“We’re talking about it,” Sen said, before once again bluntly and ominously saying, “Don’t be surprised.” There’s a motif in there somewhere.
While there are no major U.S. tour dates set, expect the band to hit the road in some way or another, especially on the European festival scene. Talk of Sen’s favorite past festival stops (which include Glastonbury and Pinkpop) moves on to music he’s feeling; nothing on the radio, but lots of Talib Kweli, Common, and Q-Tip. Despite the decades of work, the adulation of a massive cross-segment of music fans, and even the recent turmoil, Sen shows he’s still the passionate young MC from years ago by defending the one constant throughout this tale: Genuine hip-hop music.
“I don’t want to sound like an asshole, but the current state of hip-hop is too materialistic,” Sen said. “To me, hip-hop is about being proud of my culture and the way we talk and dance. Now it’s all about me me me, my house, my jewels, I don’t identify with that. I have a nice car and jewelry, but to me, hip-hop’s about Public Enemy uplifting a whole damn world. Hip-hop’s about touching kids mentally.”
Our chums over at Nerdy Show have a challenge for all the comic book fans out there: Craft the events of the on-going DC Comics event, Blackest Night, into a song. Legendary prizes await.
Since June of last year, the DC Universe has been under siege. The dead are coming back to life and harvesting the hearts of the living when they’re ripe with emotion. This is the “Blackest Night” that Watchmen scribe Allan Moore prophesied years ago in the pages of Green Lantern. The Green Lantern Corps are joined by other ring-wielders from across the color spectrum, each embodying an emotional force –- rage, greed, fear, will, hope, compassion, and love. Only their combined forces can bring light to the darkness and put an end to the enemies of existence, The Black Lanterns. This event doesn’t just affect the Green Lanterns; every DC character, living or dead, has been thrown into the fray!
March is the climactic finale of Blackest Night. There’s been 10 months of event books, cross-overs, tie-ins, and years of foreshadowing and lead-up to this epic storyline — more than enough material to forge into an incredible song. So pick up that Fender Strat, boot up the Fairlight CMI, get the band back together, and unleash your geek-love with musical ferocity. The Blackest Night Song Fight has begun. Your song can be in any genre or style — ska, techno, folk rock, death metal, chiptunes, gangsta rap -– even instrumentals are accepted if you can tie them into the theme. The possibilities are infinite. Listen to the Nerdy Show gang debut the contest in their podcast episode, “Bring Da Amber Lamp Corps” to get some ideas.
This is the first contest in the “Epic Fan Music Challenge” series, which asks listeners to show their fan-love by composing an original song based on one specific item of fandom. Nerdy Show’s previous contest debuted their “Rare Game Remix Series” with Tetris Rap Attack. Participants sampled the score to the over-looked Nintendo game Tetris Attack and then crafted hip-hop beats from it. The winning beats were rapped over by the genre-bending indie rapper (and confessed nerd) Astronautalis, with 2nd and 3rd place beats rapped over by Nerdcore rappers Masurao of Krondor Krew and MC Coolwhip, respectively. Check out their episode “Tetris Rap Attack” to hear the winning tracks as well as an interview with Astronautalis.
What prizes are in store for Blackest Night Song Fight’s winners? First place gets you a $100 shopping spree on A Comic Shop’s online store and the opportunity to kick off Nerdaplaooza 2010 (the world’s largest nerd music festival) by playing your song at the pre-party (headlined in 2009 by Schaffer the Darklord). Second and third places get you a smattering of comic book and nerd music goodness, including an original 1984 Green Lantern action figure, and copies of Eisner-nominated Atomic Robo signed by writer/creator and Nerdy Show co-host Brian Clevinger.
So what are you waiting for? Head over to the contest page and start writing!
Nerdy Show will debut the three winning songs and select runners up in April, just as the Blackest Night ends and Brightest Day begins. Be sure to subscribe to them on iTunes for weekly doses of awesomeness, and come to CoS’s March 19th SXSW Party, sponsored by Nerdy Show and headlined by video game rock gods The Protomen.
Sure, we’ve got plenty of reruns this week, but we also have plenty of new episodes. What’s more, we’ve got great acts showing up this week, both old and new. A Sade rerun is always welcome because she seems to only put out albums once every decade, so we’ll take all of her smoothness that we can get. The xx continue to promote the hell out of their monotone but awesome debut. And the recently liberated OK Go entertain us, as always, even in rerun form.
Chatroulette may be the most dangerous obsession on the internet. With one click of the mouse you see a teen practicing “1901″, and the next a plumber in negligee. But as the title of the site suggests, the danger lurking with the next click exhilarates the senses. People flock to the website to witness anything randomly entertaining. This user mentality has created a site which is quickly becoming a new way to announce upcoming releases.
This week synth-rockers Holy Fuck linked the single “Latin America” via Chatroulette. Due to the possibility of discovering some unsavory characters, I suggest waiting for the single to appear as an mp3 later this week. The release also signifies the follow up to the Polaris Music Prize short listed LP.
Holy Fuck, along with a list of great collaborators, will release Latin May 11. Refining the talents of Brian Borcherdt, Graham Walsh, Matt McQuaid, and Matt Schulz, Latin was produced by Dave Newfeld (Broken Social Scene), Paul Epworth (Bloc Party, Primal Scream), Dave Sardy (Oasis, Black Mountain), and Eli Janney (James Blunt, Satellite Party). While no official track listings have been released, hopefully Holy Fuck will be debuting some of these new tracks at their upcoming SXSW appearances.
Holy Fuck SXSW Appearances: 03/18 – Austin, TX 2 Scoot Inn (SXSW) 03/18 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk (SXSW) 03/19 – Austin, TX @ Peckerhead’s (SXSW) 03/19- Austin, TX @ Emo’s East (SXSW) 03/20 – Austin, TX @ Galaxy Room (SXSW) 03/20 – Austin, TX @ Mess With Texas Lot (SXSW) 03/20 – Austin, TX @ American Youthworks (SXSW) 03/21 – Austin, TX @ The PureVolume House (SXSW)
Song writing can be a precarious experience for artists. Some artists do their best work on a tour bus, others do their best work through collaborations, and for some, the process is a decades-long mission. As the leader of psych-folk outfit Dios, Joel Morales escaped the busy Los Angeles music scene and in a Howard Hughes-esque creative move, committing the better part of three years to the realization and expansion of his schizophrenic arrangements. Morales spearheaded Dios’ departure from their professional recording sessions with producer-extraordinaire Phil Ek, and their return to a “fusion of budget gear, DIY-fi and spiritual melodic devotion that had defined their previous efforts.”
With an increase in artistic control and the ability to record in their home studio, Dios’ third release, We are Dios, offer listeners a greater degree of experimentation and genre-bending song-writing than their two previous releases. The four-piece, consisting of Morales (singer/songwriter), Edwin Kampwirth (keyboards/sounds), John Paul Caballero (bass guitar), and Patrick Butterworth (drummer), creates melodies that unravel into a dark, mystical journey. The album is available for purchase as a digital download here, or you can wait until April 20th, when the album will be released through Buddyhead Records. In the meantime, Dios is streaming its newest release via their website.
To help promote We are Dios, the foursome will be making multiple appearances Austin, TX’s South by Southwest; details follow.
Dios 2010 Tour Dates: 03/18 – Austin, TX @ Annie’s (Buddyhead/Buzzgrinder Party) 03/18 – Austin, TX @ Red Eye Fly (Little Radio Party) 03/19 – Austin, TX @ Lustre Pearl (Filter Magazine/Dickies Party) 03/20 – Austin, TX @ Long Branch Inn (Vestal Party) 03/20 – Austin, TX @ Galaxy Room (Official SXSW showcase)
Which brings me back to my earlier note on Meg White, and also other things that aren’t in the best light. So I know that Meg isn’t the greatest drummer in the world. It’s obvious. Everyone notices it, but she works in the aesthetic of the band and I always thought that she and Jack work together well. Here is where the movie made me rethink everything. About halfway through, during a scene where Jack and Meg walk across the frozen tundra of northern Canada, to which Jack is in front and Meg is behind keeping up, I began feeling incredibly sorry for Meg. Throughout the movie, she is doting on his every word, smiling at him, following his orders, and being his right hand girl in everything.
