photos by Alysse Gafkjen, words by BBG

DOWNLOAD: La Otracina - "Raze The Sky" (MP3)

La Otracina

With the band's new LP Reality Has Got to Die out today (9/21) via Holy Mountain, Brooklyn trio La Otracina (Adam Kriney, Evan Sobel, and Philippe Ortanez) played an album release show on 9/16 at Union Pool with help from Cloudland Canyon, Main Street Gospel, and Mondo Drag.

Says Kriney, "It's our first album to feature our current line-up and also the first to feature the new vocal-based music we have been working on, being that we were an instrumental band to begin with when we started. We're really excited about the musical dynamic throughout the album shifting between classic hard rock, early-metal, and prog, but also including forrays into free-jazz, cosmic synthesizer music, and even free-folk. We think this really represents the high level of musicality of the band and shows our ability to bring all of these seemingly disparate genres together in a seemless ball of connected sonic bliss. As I see it, LA OTRACINA does not play any 'type' of music, we play ALL music, and it just ends up sounding like US, no matter what style or genre we receive influence from. Lyrically, we're very excited that we can present themes to enhance the already sky-bound music to further destinations of mythological and fantastical worlds, creating poetry based on our own real experiences and our response to the insane world around us and our lives as artists struggling through it. So on many levels this album is a major work of catharsis for us and we are proud to share it with the listener in hopes that it will propel them into the future or past or whenever/wherever they'd like to be. Its a sweet ride mama, hold on."

If you missed them due to being ravaged by The Body at Acheron or by the hurricane, never fear, the Brooklyn band is scheduled to play Cake Shop on 9/26 (SUNDAY) and (so far) 10/8 at a TBD Brooklyn venue with Dead Stars. Full tour itinerary, along with more pictures from Union Pool, below....

Continue reading "La Otracina played Union Pool (pics), touring (dates) "

DOWNLOAD: Sun Airway - "Put the Days Away" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Bear in Heaven - Ultimate Satisfaction (The Field Remix) (MP3)

Bear In Heaven at Seaport in July (more by Chris La Putt)

Bear in Heaven are in remix heaven. The band employed some killer folks to contibute to a remix LP of the tunes of their 2009 LP Beast Rest Forth Mouth. Justin Broadrick, The Field, High Places, Twin Shadow and others all lend their talents to the project which is currently being packaged for sale with the original release digitally. Get yourself a copy. Field remix above. Full tracklist below.

Meanwhile, Bear in Heaven are prepping to hit the road with Sun Airway, meeting up with one of the culprits from the remix LP, Twin Shadow, for four dates that will include Music Hall of Williamsburg on 11/19. Tickets are still on sale.

Twin Shadow open for Holy Fuck at Le Poisson Rouge this Saturday night.

Three of Bear in Heaven's dates are with Cloudland Canyon, who played Union Pool last night, and who play a free in-store at Permanent Records in Brooklyn today (9/17).

Philadelphia's Sun Airway's debut album, Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier, is due via Dead Oceans on October 26th. Dig on "Put The Days Away" available for download above (grab a 2nd track in a previous post). The band employs tons of visuals in their live show, which come off as videos when watched on their own.

Some of those videos, all dates, and more below...

Continue reading "Bear in Heaven got remixed, touring w/ Cloudland Canyon, Twin Shadow & Sun Airway (dates) "

photos by David Andrako

"show was amazing.got to hear try it on and stella.paul was smiling and actually speaking a little to the crowd about being spaced out about the setlist.
i was so happy to go to the show i was in interpol withdrawl thinking i would have to wait for november.
the setlist was awesome.the crowd was beyond into the show.it was nice to be with fans who really are into the band and to be in NYC made it all the more special for me.
very happy this morning.daniel and sam were on point as usual.i was dead center about 5 feet from the stage and i felt like the king.thanks guys." [julianerikson]

Interpol played a last-minute show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on Friday night. More pictures, a video, and the setlist from the show, below...

Continue reading "Interpol played Music Hall of Williamsburg (pics, video, setlist)"